Desolation Comes Upon the Sky

Freaks and Geeks

March 28th, 2014

Alex rested her head against Castiel's shoulder, her gaze turned out over the passing landscape of northern California. The bus lurched back and further over the hole-ridden road, and she glanced over her shoulder at the other passengers as the bus rolled over a pothole the size of a small dog. No one looked up despite the intrusion, and she turned back to face the front. The seraph beside he had felt her stir, and blue eyes watched curiously as she returned her cheek to his shoulder. They had been on the road for almost four days now, never staying too long in one place, and, to be honest, after four days of torn seats and musty buses, Alex was starting to miss the Impala. But she had Castiel.

A black bag sat in his lap, within which lay the angel tablet they had taken from Lucifer's crypt, safely tucked away from prying eyes. The seraph's hands were holding it tightly, but his face remained emotionless, refusing to give away the presence of such a valuable cargo.

"We should go hiking some time." Alex closed her eyes, letting the bus' rocking and swaying lull her towards rest. "I've heard there's wonderful hiking places up here." She rested her hand on the seraph's forearm, squeezing gently as she felt him shift.

Castiel didn't immediately answer, and after a few seconds he mused, "What exactly is the point of hiking? You're walking in a circle without a true destination ... it is the scenery?" he added, and Alex hummed her agreement. "Earth is extremely beautiful, but perhaps I just don't see the appeal of walking."

"I don't think anyone does," Alex teased. She leaned up and pressed a quick, chaste kiss on his cheek before she sat up straight in her seat, spine arching as she stretched out her back. "I want to see the really big trees," she insisted, voice taking on a playfully childish tone. "I like big trees." Her phone rang, and she answered it with a groan as she slumped back in her seat. "Sam, leave me alone."

"Nice to hear your voice, too," Sam Winchester retorted lightly. "Where are you at? Are you still with Cas?"

"Yeah. We're on some undisclosed bus at some undisclosed location." Alex turned sideways in her seat and leaned back into the seraph's shoulder. "What's up? What do you want?"

"We're in Conway Springs, Kansas, with a case. Sounds vampy, and, we thought you maybe wanted in." She could hear the shrug in Sam's tone as he added, "I mean, you like vamp cases."

"That is true," the young angel conceded. "But I'm with Cas right now." The bus rolled to a jolting stop, and she rose to her feet when Castiel nudged her. "We're, you know, riding the rails, living the high life." She took the seraph's hand as they stepped onto the dusty roadside, and the bus rolled off into the distance.

"So that's it, huh? You're just gonna stay on the run?"

"Yeah, I guess so." Alex shrugged as Castiel looked up and down the road, and she flicked him with a wing. "I'll call you back if I change my mind," she lied, and she hung up before Sam could respond.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" Castiel's blue eyes turned onto her, and his wing came to rest on her back. "All of this running and hiding, it's never ..."

"I'll put up with it," Alex promised. "At least I'm here with you." She looked up at the setting sun, and despite the warmth of the evening, a shiver ran down her spine. Something didn't feel right. "We should go. We've been here long enough."

"I think you should stay a little bit longer." The foreign voice had Alex spinning around, and her wings flared out in surprise at the strangers' presence. Two men stood before them, dark wings folded calmly against their backs and weapons in hand. "Castiel." The taller one stepped forward, his face calm and stoic. "You've been —"