𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐜𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐮𝐦, supernatural

ix.

" unwell "

"Are you idjits trying to kill me?"

"Bobby—"

"You better have a good reason for only telling me this now, boy."

"She's gone, Bobby."

Dean's words dripped with bitterness, as he almost struggled to articulate them. It didn't come easy to admit what he had witnessed with his own eyes, God knows how many hours before. Unconsciousness overpowered him and his brother, when they least wanted it to, and now all they had were two clouded minds, which weren't of any use at the given moment.

Of course, though nothing of what he had just been told made sense to Bobby, he didn't hesitate to drop everything with urgency and make his way where he was needed. Fragments of memories stuck to his brain like pieces of broken glass, clawing deeper and deeper and leaving behind nothing but guilt. And despite the lack of certainty in his life, the one thing he knew was that he surely wasn't going to stop until he brought the girl to safety.

With that same feeling, in yet another musty motel room, Dean hung up the phone and threw it across the room. Bobby had made one thing clear - this was an all hands on deck situation, and he was going to reach them as soon as possible. But that did not assure the Winchester one bit, as concern confined him.

"Dean, we'll find her."

"How, Sam?" the eldest shouted, getting more and more frustrated by the second, "She's in the wind. If it is her— not even Cas can find her."

"She's got to be somewhere. I'm not giving up."

And Sam was true to his word. Though his demeanor might've appeared a lot more collected, little could overcome the ruckus he felt inside. In that moment, he could truly understand just how Dean felt when he was the one in trouble. Responsible. Something the younger Winchester would often find himself to call foolish - but that wasn't it. Because cherishing the people you love, saving the people you love, it isn't stupid - it isn't even a choice.

━━━━━━━━━

Aurora was not evil. There was not one person in her life that would not agree on that - but now, none of that mattered. It didn't matter to the cosmic entity walking the soils she seemed to loathe so profoundly, maniacally using Aurora as nothing more than a fancy suit. And it certainly didn't matter to the number of victims that laid at her feet, begging.

But she was not evil.

It was hard to convince herself, though. As much as she tried, she couldn't erase the fact that she had let this happen.

A boy, still young and beautiful, stood still, motionless. His hair, almost coal, stuck to his forehead as cold sweat trickled down his skin. His hands, shuddering. His heartbeat, tremendous, wild. Beneath the grasp of the alluring woman in front of him, he was no longer in control.

"Fear," the words fell from Aurora's lips, unwillingly, "the most detestable of all."

In a dark corner, a young girl hugged herself as hard as she could, nails digging into the soft material of her blouse. Overwhelmed by dread, she wouldn't dare look up. She wanted nothing more than to fade away - a hollow desire.

"Makes you do horrible things, doesn't it?" the woman spoke satisfied, as she let go of the boy and walked away, her gaze shifting towards the figure crouched down in the corner of the room.