For Who the Heart Beats

Dean

   "Dean? Are you two still not up yet?" Sam called as he set bags down on the table.  "Dean!" He shouted again louder.
   Sam and Cas shared a look then they both walked down the hall to his bedroom.
   The door was shut and no noise came from inside. Castiel eased the door open, afraid to wake his possible sleeping husband and baby but what he saw made his stomach hit the floor. He ran across the room and skidded to a halt next to Dean who laid unmoving on the floor. His eyes searched his bloody face, begging him silently to open his eyes.
   "Cas, where's Grace?" Sam asked, his voice trembling unsteadily.
   Cas's eyes shot around the room as he looked for his daughter. She was nowhere. Not in her bassinet or swing or even on the bed. Grace was gone. With tears streaming down his face Cas laid both hands on Dean's small frame and healed him. The hunter opened his eyes and looked at his brother and his angel in confusion. His eyes went to his bed and he stood feeling around and throwing the blankets off the bed.
   "Dean, she isn't here. What happened?" Sam asked quietly.
   "That fucking witch happened. That fucking witch and her henchman came in here and took her and beat me until I couldn't move. That's what happened Sammy. And there wasn't a God forsaken thing I could do about it. Because I'm this tiny little thing. I wasn't even a match for him Sam. He handled me like a ragdoll and there was nothing I could do but watch them take my baby from me." Dean sobbed as he fell to his knees on the floor.
   Cas kneeled down next to him and took him in his arms as he sobbed uncontrolably. This was his fault. He hadn't been able to save her. Not in this body. He wasn't a man anymore and he needed to accept that. Accept that there were things he could no longer do. The one thing he could do though was save his child. He wiped the tears from his face and kissed Cas gently on the mouth. His angel was always there when he needed him. Now it was time for both of them to be there for their daughter when she needed them.
   Cas helped him stand and they looked at Sam who nodded. "Let's go get our baby."
   Dean nodded and grabbed a pack from the hook on his wall. Sam left the room and started gathering things of his own. Cas removed Dean's band tshirt and pulled his white button down from the closet along with his coat. Dean pulled on his socks and shoes and pushed a gun down into the waistband of his jeans.
   Play time with this witch was over with. Today she died. By my own hands, Dean thought. They would no longer be plagued by this creature who haunted them. Dean didn't care if he lived the rest of his life as a women as long as she was dead and he had his daughter back. That was all that mattered now. He wanted to beat the hell out of himself for not warding this place better. For not spending more time with Grace after she was born. His heart ached as he looked at her empty bed.
   He felt a warm hand on his chin and looked over to see Cas with sorrowful eyes. "We are going to get our baby back Dean. "
   Dean nodded and leaned into his husband's touch, letting it calm him. Sam walked in with a bookbag thrown over his shoulder. They were ready.
   Dean squared his shoulders and lifted his chin, "Let's go get our girl."
   They all headed our to the impala, forgetting the groceries on the kitchen table. Leaving the lights on as they went. The only thing that mattered at this point was Grace. She needed them. All of them.
   Dean flopped down in the passenger seat and called Jody. He called Claire. They would need back up. But first of all they needed to know exactly where they were going. Cas had his eyes shut tight in the back seat. Trying to zone in on exactly where his baby was. His face was red. His breathing all but stopped. The veins in his forehead were popping out with the strain. Then finally he let out two words through his teeth.
   "New Orleans."