A/N: The next few chapters are loosely based on episode 9.10, Road Trip. A huge thank you to Super Wiki for their handy-dandy transcripts. Disclaimer: I own Supernatural and all of its characters like John Winchester owns parenting skills.
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Chapter 12 No Song Unsung
Dean stared into the kitchen, passing Kevin as he came out. He could see Hope through the open door, messing with something on the counter. "Hey, you seen Sam?" Dean asked.
"He went out." Kevin replied.
"Where?"
Kevin shrugged. "I don't know. You notice he's doing that a lot?"
Dean frowned. "Yeah." Kevin walked on and Dean continued into the kitchen. "Hey." he greeted Hope. She was making a sandwich. Dean smiled, wrapping his arms around her waist and planting a quick kiss on top of her head.
"Hi." Hope leaned into his touch. She frowned. "I'm getting worried about Cas." she confided.
"You haven't heard from him?" Dean asked, concerned. He loosened his arms so Hope could turn to face him.
She shook her head. "I mean, I expected him to take a while, but this is a little more than lost-in-the-produce-section late."
Dean nodded thoughtfully. "So what do you think we should--"
"Oh!" Hope exclaimed suddenly.
"What?"
"Cas. He's praying to me. Hold on." she vanished.
Dean heaved a flustered sigh. "God, I really hate it when they do that." he muttered to himself.
A second later Hope reappeared, Castiel in tow. He had blood on his shirt and his dark hair was more ruffled than usual. Hope looked uneasy beside him.
"Cas, dude, what happened?" Dean asked.
"The leader of the opposition, his name is Malichi. He captured me. I, uh, I was tortured. But I got away."
"How?"
"I...I did what I had to." his expression darkened for a moment before he gave a barely visible shake of the head, as if trying to shake the thoughts away. "I got my grace back. Well, not mine per se, but it'll do."
Dean shook his head, trying to keep up with the rapid-fire information. "Wait, you're--you're back? You got your mojo?"
"I'm not sure." Cas admitted. "But I am an angel."
"And you're okay with that?"
Castiel's blue eyes hardened. "If we're going to war, I need to be ready."
"Cas--" Dean began.
"Dean. There's more." Hope interrupted him, speaking for the first time since she reappeared with Cas.
"What?"
Hope looked at Cas, signalling for him to continue. "Didn't you say Sam was healed by an angel named Ezekiel?"
Dean looked wary. "Uh...yeah, why?"
"Ezekiel is dead."
"What?" Dean asked. He glanced at Hope to find her unsettling gray eyes boring into him.
"He died when the angels fell." Hope said.
Dean's eyes widened. Hope was giving him a look that he would have interpreted as 'I told you so.' if the situation weren't so serious. "Cas, why don't you go see if Kevin is awake. We need to get that tablet translated." Dean said tightly.
Castiel glanced between them. He could tell that something was going on that he didn't know about, but he knew that Dean would not tell him until he was ready. "Okay." he said finally, leaving the kitchen with a last furtive glance over his shoulder at Hope and Dean's silent stand-off.
As soon as the door shut Hope flew into action. "I knew I didn't trust him! Dean--"
"I know! I know it's bad..."
"Dean, we've got to get rid of him. Now." Hope said fervently, looking Dean in the eye.
"How? Hope, Sam doesn't know he's there."
"So we tell him."
Dean shook his head. "Ezekiel...or...whoever the hell he is, might be listening. He might..." Dean didn't have to finish the sentence; Hope knew from the look in his eyes that he was imagining something bad happening to Sam. "God." Dean muttered, putting his face in his hands.
"Hey, it's okay." Hope assured him, placing a hand on his arm. "We just have to find a way to talk to Sam. Just Sam."
Dean nodded, taking a deep breath. "Okay." he said shakily, then again, stronger. "Okay." Hope gave him a small, reassuring smile which he returned with a tiny one of his own.