Fallen

Chapter Thirteen

     The next morning, I wake up in Sam's arms. For a moment, I'm at peace in his embrace. Then, I fully remember everything that happened last night. I jolt up in the bed, startling Sam.

     "What's wrong, what happened?" Sam asks, worriedly. There's still sleep in his voice.

     I struggle to untangle myself from the covers and scramble to my feet. "My mom! We have to get to her!"

     Sam runs his hands over his face. "What are you talking about?"

     "I think she's in trouble!" I explain. Without even thinking about it, or caring honestly, I take off my shirt and pick out another. I hear Sam awkwardly clear his throat behind me. I throw on my fresh shirt and do the same with jeans. When I turn around to find my boots, Sam is standing right in front of me and he puts his hands on my shoulders. I almost jump out of my skin.

     "Celeste," he says. "Take a breath."

     "There's no time for that! We have to go!" I try to walk past him, but he tightens his grip on me.

     "Why do you think your mom is in trouble?" He asks.

     I stare up at him. He has to be at least a whole foot taller than me. I take a deep breath. "My dream," I say. "He killed her."

     Sam lets go of my shoulders. "Who killed her?"

     "I don't know. Some demon with a douchey British accent and a receding hairline," I say.

     Sam's face changes. "Crowley."

     My eyebrows rise. "Crowley? As in the king of Hell? The one who's been messing with you guys for years on end? That Crowley?"

He runs his hands through his hair and sighs. "Sounds like him."

     My heart starts racing and I start to lose control of my breathing. I'm panicking. "S-so this is r-real?" I always stutter when I'm nervous. By now, I'm hyperventilating.

     "Hey, hey, hey," Sam puts his hands on my shoulders again. "Calm down, it'll be okay."

     "We have to get to her," I say. "Sam, please, we have to get to her!"

     "Okay! Okay. You just finish getting ready, I'll get Dean." He gives my shoulders a reassuring squeeze then exits my room.

     I take deep breaths and regain control of my breathing. As I'm putting on my boots, Cas appears in front of me. "Castiel!" I beam. I've never been so happy to see him. "Castiel, we have to get back to mine and my mom's apartment."

     "That's why I'm here, Celeste," he says.

     "Cas, please, I think my mom is in trouble!" I plead. "Do that teleport thing and zap us back to Nevada, come on, please!" I beg him. I'm desperate.

     "Celeste-"

     "Dad!" I cut him off. The word surprises him. And myself, to be completely honest. "P-please. Mom is in trouble."

     He sighs. Then, without another word, he puts his hand on my shoulder and we appear in my old living room. My heart drops, and tears immediately pour from my eyes. The scene is the exact same as it was in my dream, minus the demons. I drop to my knees in front of my bloodied mother tied to a chair.

     "NO!" I scream.

     "I didn't want you to see this," Cas says behind me.

     "You have to fix her," I say to him. "Heal her like you did last time!"

     He hesitates. "I can't."

     "What do you mean you can't, you've brought her back before!" I say. "Please, Castiel!"

     "Celeste, I can't," he sternly says. "She's too far gone. There's too much damage."

     A loud sob escapes from my mouth. I lay my head down on my mother's knee and cry. "I'm so sorry, Mom. I'm so sorry for everything."

     After a while, I feel a large hand touch my shoulder, and I have to stop myself from falling forward due to the empty space that's now in front of me. My tears fall onto the hardwood floor of the main room of the bunker.

     "Cel?" I hear Dean's voice say, followed by the sound of feet rushing towards me. Dean kneels down and puts his arm around me. "What happened?" He urgently asks Cas.

     "She's dead," I squeak. Then I fall into Dean's arms and just bawl.

     The two of us stay in the floor for a while until I've finally stopped crying. When that happens, Dean helps me to my feet and guides me to a seat at a table in the library. I sit down and lay my head on the table with one arm extended out in front of me. I feel a hand land on the center of my back between my shoulder blades.

     "I need to speak to her alone," Cas says.

     "Yeah, of coarse," Sam replies. Then two sets of footsteps walk out of the room.

     The hand leaves my back and I hear Cas walk to the seat in front of me and sit down. He places his hand on mine and I look up. "I'm very sorry about your mother," he flatly says. "If... If there's anything I can do..." He trails off.

     I pull my hand out from under his and sit up. "Teach me everything," I command. "Starting with healing."

     He purses his lips. "Okay. Let's get started."