Singer Salvage Yard, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
The whole ride back to Bobby's had been completely silent save for the music that Dean blasted from Baby's radio so that no one attempted conversation. Everybody was pissed with one another. Sam was mad at Dean for throwing out the amulet; Dean was mad at Cassandra for lying to both him and Sam for the past month; Cassandra was mad at Sam and Dean for not letting her explain herself; and Sam was mad at both Cassandra and Dean simply because they couldn't speak without fighting. He sensed the end of their relationship was near and he dreaded the fight that would come with it.
Not liking the song on the radio, Dean flipped it to another station. Warrant's Cherry Pie blasted out from the speakers and filled the car. Cassandra slowly looked up and met Dean's gaze in the rearview mirror. He changed it to a country station. Kelly Clarkson's Because of You took the place of Classic Rock. Dean changed it again, only to stop on Air Supply's All Out of Love. Dean turned off the radio.
"Silence sounds good," he grumbled. Sam turned and arched a single eyebrow at his brother with an amused smile despite being mad at him. Dean glanced at him out of the corner of his eye before returning his focus on the road.
Cassandra, not able to do anything without music, simply put in her earbuds and connected them to her iPhone before scrolling through her playlist. Her finger hovered over her go-to song: Night Moves by Bob Seger. That was hers and Dean's song. She rolled her lower lip between her teeth in thought before scrolling down and settling on AC/DC's Thunderstruck. She laid down in the seat and let her phone rest on her stomach, her blue eyes fluttering closed as she let out a soft sigh. The next three hours were completely silent to the Winchester brothers.
Bobby was the first to say anything an hour into their arrival at Singer Salvage Yard. Dean was in the kitchen with Bobby making lunch, Sam was in the library reading, and Cassandra was in the hallway upstairs trying to make contact with Castiel. She had no such luck.
"Cassandra!" Bobby's voice drifted throughout the house before making its way to Cassandra's ears. Her eyes snapped open and she sat up. "Come here! We need your help with something!" Pushing herself off of the ground, the blonde raced down the stairs. Dean continued to ignore her but Sam and Bobby looked up upon her entry.
"Hey, I need your help with something in the basement. Dean's still not talking to anyone," Sam said. Cassandra nodded and licked her lips, following Sam down to the basement.
"So what do you need my help with?" Cassandra questioned, rubbing her hands together to generate warmth before tucking them under her arms. Sam never replied. Instead he walked around her and pulled a syringe from his pocket, stabbing it into her neck. Cassandra's eyes widened and she gasped, her hand reaching up to grab her neck. She could feel a warm liquid rush through her veins and she started to see spots. Her legs were the first to give out and Sam caught her before she could fall. "Wha—" She gasped, struggling to stay awake. "What are you doing?" the Nephilim mumbled, fighting against her eyelids that felt too heavy to keep open.
"We love you, Cassandra, but we can't have you working with Michael," Sam said. She thought she heard him say something else but she couldn't quite understand it because a moment later she felt the substance in the syringe take over. Darkness engulfed her vision and she fell limp in Sam's arms.
Dean descended down the stairs at that moment, arching a single eyebrow as his brother lifted the blonde into his arms bridal style. "It actually worked?" Dean asked in shock. Sam shrugged.
"She's still part human. I guess everything works on her."
Dean followed his brother into the panic room, watching as he gently set the woman down on the bed. Sam grabbed the chains that rested above the elevated mattress and clasped one on each wrist and locked them. He tugged on the iron to test it before stepping back.
"Both angel and demon proofed. She's not getting out unless someone lets her out," Sam said, placing his hands on his hips. Dean sighed and shook his head, running a hand down his face stressfully.
"I hate that it's come to this, man. I mean she's risked her ass for us and this is how we repay her?"
"Dean, she's working for Michael, too. You heard Zachariah; she already said yes. Not to mention the fact that she didn't do anything while he was beating the crap out of you and she had no angel restraining her. I hate to even think about it, but what if she's too far gone?" Sam asked. Dean shook his head, refusing to believe a word he was saying.
"No. Sam, Cassy isn't that stupid. She'd be able to tell if Michael were playing her."
"But would she?" Sam retorted with raised eyebrow. Dean sent a harsh glare at his brother, earning a sigh. "I'm just sayin', man. I mean, think about the offers he's made her in the past year. He's offering her the life she's always dreamed about. I mean, wouldn't you take it, too? Doesn't it tempt you?"
"Of course it tempts me! Who wouldn't it tempt? I mean a normal life with Cassandra and a couple of kids running around a house with a white-picket fence? That's like my own personal Heaven, man, but that's letting them win and I won't let that happen." Dean's gaze shifted over to the unconscious blonde, her breaths steady for the first time in a long time. "Cassy wouldn't give in. Not that easily. There's gotta be something more behind this deal."
Sam sighed and shrugged. "Guess we'll find out when she wakes up."
Dean nodded and licked his lips. "You go back upstairs. I'll stay down here until she wakes up." Sam hesitated, glancing between the door and the blonde. Dean noticed this and rolled his eyes, looking up. "I'm not gonna let her out. This was my idea, remember?" Sam held his hands up in surrender and left, his footsteps echoing as he jogged up the wooden steps.
Dean paced the room for a bit before taking a seat on the edge of the bed, brushing Cassandra's hair back from her face. "Come on, Cassy baby. I know there's more to this deal than you and Heaven are letting on," Dean whispered, cocking his head to the side as he studied her. He noticed a slight sparkle in her jacket and furrowed his eyebrows, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a necklace. Dean held it up in the light, the charm spinning as the light from the panic room reflected off of the diamond angel wing. "Now where did you get this?"
~*~
Knoxville, Tennessee, Winter Break, 2002
Two college-aged students strolled down the sidewalks of Knoxville, Tennessee, both laughing as the girl fingered a diamond angel wing necklace that rested against her cold, pale skin. The boy grinned down at her and shook his head. "What?" she asked with a laugh. He stayed quiet. "Tell me, Evan." She shoved him playfully, losing her footing and slipping on a patch of ice. Evan quickly caught her and a giggle bubbled past her lips as she stared back into his blue eyes.
"Careful there, Cass," he warned, still smiling, this time in relief. He brushed a lock of blonde hair from her face but never pulled her all the way back up. "We wouldn't want you to sprain your ankle again, would we?" She shook her head.
"No," she whispered, her gaze drifting down to his chapped lips. They quickly snapped back up to his eyes. Evan was her best friend. Any attempt of a relationship would ruin their friendship beyond repair. Evan licked his lips and pulled her up, earning a squeal as he steadied her on her feet. Cassandra cleared her throat and straightened her jacket. "Thanks."
"Anytime, Sweetheart." Sweetheart. He had given her a pet name. "So where do you wanna go since that party was a bust? There are plenty of clubs open that I could sneak you into effortlessly. We could go to the movies or a diner for some late night burgers." Evan nodded his head to the side, wrapping an arm around her waist. Cassandra tried to ignore the fact that his hand moved lower with each step until it was resting directly where it shouldn't be. He leaned down, his lips brushing against her ear. "We could go back to my place if you'd like."
When he pulled away and Cassandra stared into his eyes she could see that the excitement had turned into lust, an emotion she recognized all too well at college. Cassandra pulled away from her best friend and rolled her lower lip between her teeth before looking up, her gaze meeting his slight frown.
"Evan, look. I had fun tonight but—"
"You don't want me," he finished. She nodded.
"I'm sorry. If I led you on then I'm sorry. I didn't realize I was doing it. I'm just not in the right place for a relationship right now." Evan nodded and stepped forward, resting his hands on her hips. Cassandra eyed him warily, her breath hitching in her throat when he leaned forward slightly.
"Then it doesn't have to be a relationship. Just a night of pure fun." Cassandra shivered. "You're cold. I could help you with that." The blonde pushed him away gently, ducking her head a bit.
"I'm sorry but I just don't like you like that."
"Cass...are you gay?"
Her eyes widened and her head snapped up, staring at her best friend in disbelief. "What? No! You know that, Ev." He held his hands up in surrender.
"I'm just making sure."
She let out a sigh, her breath puffing out into the cold air in front of her. She crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm sorry but I won't sleep with you. I don't have any interest in sex and I don't have the time for a relationship. I like you as my best friend. Besides, you're about to graduate from a doctorate degree. You're seven years older from me. Don't you think that's just a little bit too big of an age gap?"
"Since when does age matter, Cass? We're both adults here!"
"Which means I can say no." Cassandra glanced around the empty streets before pulling out her phone and glancing down at the time. "I should get back to my apartment. I told Adam I'd be home half an hour ago. I hope we can sort through this tomorrow but I'm just too tired right now. I'll see you at Mel's at noon." Without another word, Cassandra turned to walk away. Evan's fists clenched at his sides and his breath shook before he reached out and latched onto her wrist, tugging her back towards him. Cassandra yelped and struggled against his grasp. "Evan, what are you doing?" she yelled.
"It's been months, Cassandra. I'm tired of you rejecting me," he growled, shoving her into the alley behind her. Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth to cry out for help when Evan clamped his hand over her mouth, her screams coming out muffled, barely audible to Evan. Her blue eyes were filled with fear, fear that she had never felt before in her life. She shook her head as a tear slipped down her cheek the moment Evan peeled off her jeans.
"Please, no," she whimpered, somehow managing the words through his hand. "Evan, please. No." He glanced up to meet her eyes and she froze. She could see hesitation flash briefly but it was gone before she could blink. He worked to slide her underwear down her legs as she shook, tears streaming down her face. They were cold and she felt as if hypothermia would take over before Evan could even finish sliding his own pants down his legs.
Cassandra continued to scream but Evan's hand silenced her.
What was only a matter of minutes felt like forever to the blonde. By the time he was done with Cassandra she had lost her voice, her throat dry and hoarse as the cold had taken her voice faster than she'd like. He stepped back after fixing his own clothes and stared back at the blonde who pressed herself against the wall in shock. Evan sighed and shook his head.
"Sorry, Cass, but I can't risk this getting on my record if you decide to talk."
"Wha—" Before Cassandra could finish he grabbed a junk piece of steel rod next to her, driving it through her torso. Cassandra's mouth fell agape and she looked down to the frozen and, now, bloody pipe, blood dribbling out of the corner of her mouth.
"I'm sorry," Evan choked out before taking off.
Cassandra fell to her knees and yanked out the pipe, the last mistake she had made that night. She desperately pressed her hands against the wound but the blood still continued to slip past her fingers, not to mention the gaping hole in her back. It wasn't long before hypothermia mixed with blood loss and she collapsed onto her back, the blood pooling around her body and mixing with the snow and ice.
It had been two hours before Cassandra's heart stopped completely. It had been twelve hours before Adam Milligan, Cassandra's roommate, had called the police to report her as a missing person. It had been two days before someone found her body. It was three before she shot up, awake and alive, on a table in the morgue of the University of Tennessee Medical Center. It was five before Jessica Moore hauled ass to Knoxville, Tennessee to be with her sister. It was a week before they found Evan in a ditch, his eyes burnt out of his skull and his insides liquefied.
~*~
Singer Salvage Yard, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 2010
Cassandra Moore gasped for breath as she shot up from the bed, her hand instantly traveling up to her neck where Sam had injected the sedative. The blonde groaned and rubbed her head, every sense of hers dulled down. She furrowed her eyebrows and glanced around before her gaze locked on Dean.
"I was wondering if you'd ever wake up, Princess. Startin' to think that Sammy gave you a little too much of that sedative," Dean greeted, arms crossed over his chest. Cassandra swung her legs over the bed and got up to walk out of the room when two chains tugged her back once she reached the middle of the room. She stumbled.
"What the—" She turned to see the iron holding her back and she rolled her eyes, glancing back over her shoulder towards the Hunter. "Let me out of these. Now."
"No can do, Princess," Dean replied with pursed lips as he leaned forward, clasping his hands together. "We need to have a little chat."
"And we can...once you take these damned things off of me." Dean arched an eyebrow at her and she sighed in defeat, walking back over to the bed and lowering herself to the edge. She ran the back of her hand across her forehead and frowned when she felt the cold sweat coating her skin. Why had the sedative made her relive that memory? "Go ahead. Yell at me, scream at me, hit me, toss me around. Do whatever you're gonna do."
"I'm not gonna hurt you, Cassy," Dean deadpanned. She scooted back on the bed and brought her knees to her chest, letting her shackled arms hang over her legs lazily. "I just want to know why you decided to say yes to Michael. You promised that you wouldn't."
"Things change. We both had something the other wanted and we have a common enemy. I don't see a problem with working with him."
"You betrayed us!"
"I was protecting you!" she yelled back, leaning forward and dropping her legs to the floor. "Everything I have ever done since I discovered my powers was to protect you and Sam. You two are the real heroes here and we need you to kill Lucifer!"
"Yeah, well, look how that turned out!"
"That was my fault. I made a mistake."
"You didn't make a mistake, Cassy, he can't be killed. It's that simple!" Dean argued, getting up from his chair and making his way over the blonde. For a brief moment Cassandra actually thought Dean would let her go, but when he didn't make a move towards the cuffs she knew that she was wrong.
"Everything can be killed. Lucifer can be killed. Michael can be killed. I can be killed. God can be killed. Nothing is forever, you and I both know that," she hissed. Dean leaned forward, holding himself up with his hands on the edge of the bed. Cassandra locked eyes with the Hunter, both adults seething with anger.
"What did Michael offer you that made you accept? You had denied his deals so many times before so what was different this time?"
"Does it really matter? You're still gonna be pissed and you're still gonna say no."
"You want me to say yes?"
"I don't know, Dean," she admitted, her voice loud and sharp. "With you saying yes he can give us the life we both want but if you say no then you continue to lead your own path which is what we both also want. I'm torn between two sides and honestly I'm just tired. I want this to be over. The Apocalypse, Lucifer, Michael, all of it. I just want to go home and crawl under my sheets and sleep. I want to go back to college and actually take my final. I want to walk across that stage and get my diploma with the people who I used to call my friends."
"You know you can't have that, Cassy," Dean whispered. She licked her lips and looked away, nodding.
"Yeah, I know, but that's not the worst part," she muttered. Dean gestured for her to continue. "Everything I want...I can never have it. Not unless you say yes and I don't want you to say yes."
"Your inability to have children," Dean said in realization. He ran a hand down his face and sighed. "How do we always come back to this?"
"Because it's what we both want and it's what we both can't have. You love children, Dean, but you believe you'd be a horrible father when you'd be amazing at it. I love children and I can't even have one of my own no matter how good of a mom I'd be. I tried everything. I really did. I guess it's just impossible when you've got one ovary," the Nephilim grumbled. Dean arched a single eyebrow at her and she looked up upon his silence. "I was in a bad...accident when I was nineteen. I should've died. Hell, I did die. I was dead for two days before they found me in the alley, frozen, bloody, and dead."
"Joshua kept mentioning the alley and 'that night'. What happened?"
"I know you heard me, Dean. I'm sure all of Heaven heard me."
Dean nodded. "I know, but I want to hear you say it. I want to make sure I really wasn't imagining it. I want to know why you tensed that night when we were on the car before Bobby came out. I want to know why someone like you has never had an attempt at a relationship or even a kiss before I came along," Dean replied. Cassandra sighed and shook her head.
"I thought he was my friend. I never expected him to do that. It didn't seem like him. I trusted him. I told him everything and trusted him with my life and then one night he just—"
"Cassy?" Dean asked when she never continued. She slowly looked up, her eyes filled with pain at the memory. Dean's heart clenched in his chest.
"Everything started because of him but it ended with Jess." She gulped. "We were just walking home from a lame ass party and he started to get a little too handsy. I made it clear I had no interest in anything like that and before I knew it he had me pinned in the alley, his hand over my mouth. God, it felt like forever. I'd take Hell for forty years over that any day." Her voice was soft and wavered but she never let a tear slip. She never met Dean's gaze. She was too ashamed. "He didn't want to risk his precious medical degree so he grabbed a pipe and drove it through my stomach. He left me to die in the alley, buried in blood-stained snow. They found me two days later. I woke up in the morgue on the table right before they started the autopsy."
She let out a small laugh.
"They had to wait for my body to thaw out since it had been in the snow for so long. Everything was healed except for my left ovary. It was destroyed. I guess the angels couldn't repair or replace it. Evan took more than my innocence that night. He took my hope, too."
When she looked up she saw that Dean was facing the ground, his head in his hand as he processed her words. A small smile crossed Cassandra's blood red lips.
"Until I met you," she finished softly. Dean looked up at her words, his eyes slightly red. "Which is why I need you to let me go, Dean; to let me finish what God and Michael started all those years ago when they brought me back to life. Let me do something right in my life for once. It's all I ask. You can break up with me or declare me an enemy or something, but I need you to let me go." Cassandra's voice dropped to a whisper, but it was still strong as she stared up at her boyfriend. "If you love me then let me do what I was meant to do. God and angels obviously kept bringing me back for a reason and this is it so, please, Dean if you want to stop Armageddon then let me go."
"How long?"
The Nephilim furrowed her eyebrows and pursed her lips in confusion.
"How long have you been working with Michael, Cassandra?"
She closed her eyes and pressed her lips together, hanging her head in shame as she let out a soft sigh. "Your birthday."
Dean scoffed and shook his head in disbelief, running a hand through his hair. His tongue swiped over his lower lip as he glanced away, unable to look at her, before forcing himself to return his attention to the Nephilim with raised eyebrows.
"Was that whole day a lie?" Dean asked, his voice breaking. Cassandra's head snapped up and her face fell.
"What? No, of course not! I hated lying to you, Dean, but it was the only way to protect you. The deal was that no harm could be brought to you and Sam and so far Michael has abided by that rule. It's the other angels that aren't listening!" Cassandra yelled.
"And the promise you broke about not cutting on Jess' birthday? Was that something that the angels messed up, too?" Cassandra narrowed her eyes at the Hunter.
"Low blow, Winchester," she growled. Dean held his arms out and shrugged before letting them fall back to his sides. "I fought the urge. You have no idea how hard I fought it but it was just too much. You don't even know how guilty I felt afterwards. I honestly thought you'd leave me and I was scared shitless at the thought of losing you."
"Well, you're doing a pretty damn good job at losing me now!"
"Are we even together anymore?" Cassandra retorted.
"Did either of us say that we're over?"
"Back in Heaven you and Sam refused to look me in the eye. If that doesn't say failed relationship then I don't know what does!" Cassandra stood up from her spot on the bed and started to walk towards Dean but the chains yanked her back.
"Cassy, you lied to me after you swore you'd never lie to me. I haven't lied to you about anything in a long time and this is how you repay me? By going behind our backs and siding with Michael? You betrayed us!" Dean roared.
"No, Dean, I didn't. I'm on your side in this war. Working with Michael was to get information so we can get the jump on Lucifer, and if he starts to lose the battle that may happen then I would jump in and kill the Devil myself, even if it kills me."
"Yeah? Well, you're not dying."
Cassandra rolled her eyes and scoffed, shaking her head. "Come on, Dean. Are you really going to leave me locked up in here?" she asked, tugging on the chains for emphasis.
Dean shrugged then nodded. "It's angel and demon proofed. Your powers don't work in here and Michael can't contact you or pop in. We also had Cas strengthen your wardings while you were unconscious. Good luck getting out because your angel pals can't reach you and we sure as hell ain't letting you out!"
Dean started to walk out of the panic room, leaving the Nephilim behind.
"You can't just leave me here forever!"
"Only until all of this is over."
"That could be years!" Cassandra screeched. Dean stopped but never turned around. He didn't want her to see the tears that slipped down his cheeks no matter how hard he tried to fight them back. He didn't want her to see the reluctance and hesitation in locking her up for what could be years. He didn't want her to see how much he truly didn't want to do this. "Dean, please," she begged softly. "Don't just leave me here. I love you. I'll call off everything with Michael. I swear. Just, please, let me go." Her voice cracked and he could practically hear the tears that streamed down her face. He tried not to show his reaction to her admitting that she loved him. He didn't want to show her any sign of weakness, treating her as if she were just another angel or demon.
Dean sucked in a sharp breath, regaining his composure long enough to reply. "I'm sorry, Cassandra." Without another word Dean walked out, slamming the iron door shut behind him.
Cassandra's blue eyes widened and she yanked on the chains desperately, struggling to get to the door. "Dean! Dean, get back here! Dean! Don't just leave me in here! Please! I'm sorry! I was wrong, is that what you wanna hear? Do you want me to admit that I played on the wrong side because I will! Just let me out, Dean! Please!"
The Hunter quickly rushed up the stairs, clenching his eyes shut as he tried to block out her screams of protest. He could hear the desperation and betrayal in her voice. It echoed throughout the house, drifting up the stairs of the basement and filling the first floor rooms. But she couldn't hear him. She was rendered human as long as those wardings were painted on the walls of the panic room.
Dean and Bobby both looked up upon hearing Dean's footsteps, their faces falling when he quickly swiped away a few tears. "Dean?" Sam asked softly.
"I need something to drink. Something strong," he muttered, turning to walk into the kitchen. Bobby wheeled in front of him, stopping him.
"Way ahead of ya, boy," Bobby said, holding out a bottle of hard whiskey. Dean took it gratefully and twisted the cap off, throwing it on the nearest table and taking a long swig. He closed his eyes and focused on the burn as it poured down his throat, focusing solely on the pain. He still couldn't block out his girlfriend's screams and pleas. Dean pulled the bottle from his lips.
"Are we doing the right thing by locking her up?" Dean questioned, looking over to Bobby. "If we keep her in there until all of this is over then it could be years before we let her out. Hell, we could all be dead and she'd be stuck in their forever." Bobby sighed and shook his head.
"She's not gonna stay in there for years, Dean. And she ran to Michael once. Who's to say that she won't do it again? I know how much you love her, Dean. We all love that girl but right now we can't risk anything," Bobby explained, guilt and regret taking over his eyes. Sam looked down to his hands, fumbling with his fingers as he leaned back on the couch.
"She's not evil," Dean said.
"I know. Trust me, Dean, I know. She's got a pure heart and she thinks she's doing the right thing but she's blinded by all of the bullshit that the angels have been feeding her. She's blinded by her feelings for you. She'd do anything for you, just as you would for her. If we wait it out then maybe she'll come to her senses and fight with us and only us in this war."
Dean sighed and nodded his head to the side, turning to look at Bobby with bloodshot eyes. "I hope you're right, Bobby. I really do."
Do you think Dean and Sam are doing the right thing by locking her up? Do you think it'll stop her? Do you agree with Dean or Cassandra on this?