Uncomfortable

Seated between the man she thought of as a brother and the angel that played god only a few months before, (y/n) watches through the windshield as the glowing stars above peek through the inky clouds making their slow roll across the tar black sky. The silence between the group is almost deafening, absence of sound bringing attention to the ache in (y/n)'s heart for the hunter her and Dean had to leave behind. Clearing her throat softly, she glances over to the angel beside her, studying his sharp features for a moment as the street lamps above briefly illuminate his face

"So-" (y/n) begins to try and fill the empty air, the angel turning to meet her kind gaze with his crystal blue eyes, "-have you lived in Colorado for long, Emmanuel? I noticed the-uh-moving boxes"

"It's a strange story, I'm afraid you may not enjoy it..."

This reply earns a scoff from Dean, the pair turning to watch as a bitter smile makes its way across his stubbled face

"Believe me-" He reassures through gritted teeth, green eyed gaze glancing towards the angel for a moment before focusing back onto the endless road ahead, "-we'll like it."

"Well..." Castiel hesitates to answer for a moment, his dark brows furrowing above his eyes as he tries to find the right words to explain to the pair, "...I'm actually living with a couple at the moment, a woman named Daphne and her husband Michael. A few months ago, they were hiking by a river, and I wandered into their path. I was drenched and confused, and...unclothed. They graciously took me into their home and cared for me until I'd be able to figure out what to do next."

"What happened to you?" (y/n) asks the man cautiously, approaching the situation as if she truly didn't know the answer. Castiel shakes his head softly, shrugging his shoulders

"I had no memory-" He explains through a tired sounding sigh, hand reaching up to push back his neatly combed locks of coal black hair, "-but they insisted...God wanted them to find me that day"

"Yeah, what a great guy-" (y/n) is quick to interrupt Dean's sarcastic grumblings, nudging the man lightly before she's turning to offer a comforting smile

"I'm sorry to hear about your memory loss-" She begins softly, (e/c) eyes studying the angel before her, "-it must have been difficult not knowing who you were these past few months"

"That's very kind, (y/n), but it's my life...and it's a good one"

"Do you ever wonder though?"

"Wonder...what?"

"Wonder who you might have been"

"...I try not to think about it. I enjoy the life I'm leading now and that's all that matters to me." Castiel admits this with a sigh, blue eyed gaze trained on the empty road in front of him. Clearing his throat lightly, signaling he'd like to change the subject, the angel puts on a polite smile

"So, your brother-?"

"Sam." Dean states gruffly, frustration evident on his features, but hidden better than before.

"-Sam. What's his diagnosis?"

"Well-" Dean clears his throat, trying his hardest to keep himself calm as he explains, "-it's not exactly medical"

"That should be fine..." Castiel reassures softly, voice gentle as he continues, "...May I ask what happened to him?"

It takes a long time for the man to answer, (y/n) comforting him silently through her hand, thumb feather-light across his rough knuckles as he grips the leather gear shift between them. A tense silence fills the air before he finally answers, voice low as he speaks

"Someone did this to him"

"You're angry" Castiel observes, crystal eyes studying Dean's heated form.

"Well, yeah-" Dean scoffs, finding the situation ironic, "-dude broke our brother's head."

"He betrayed you, this dude...He was your friend?"

"Yeah, well-" (y/n) can sense the sadness in the man beside her, a bitter smile painting his lips, "-he's gone."

"Did you kill him?" the pair are slightly taken aback by how casually he spoke, "I get the sense that you must kill a lot of people..."

"Honestly, w-we don't know if he's dead..." Dean admits quietly, a shaking breath escaping his lips before he continues, "...I just know that this whole thing couldn't be messier. You know, I used to be able to just shake this stuff off. It might take me some time, I always could."

"But not this time?" Castiel answers for the hunter, (y/n) offering more silent comfort through her warm fingertips upon his clenched fist.

"What...Cas...did. I just can't. I don't know why."

"Well, it doesn't matter why"

"Of course it matters!"

"No." Castiel states it firmly, dark brows furrowing upon his forehead as he speaks, "You're not a machine, Dean. You're human, you both are, and it's normal to feel this way."

There's another pause in the conversation, unspoken words left in the air as the group stares ahead through the darkness of night. A few minutes pass before Castiel chuckles lightly to himself, an innocent smile spread across his sharp features

"What's so funny?" (y/n) asks the angel, watching as he turns to meet the pair's steady gazes

"Your friend's name was 'Cas'?"

"...Yeah?"

"What an odd name."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Anybody need any snacks?"

"I think we're okay"

"Then stay here, Tweety-" Dean offers a tired smile, winking lazily at the Phoenix beside the angel, "-keep an eye on...Emmanuel"

"Just hurry up and get your pie, you've been grumpy all morning" (y/n) teases the hunter playfully, lightly shoving his shoulder to get him to hop out of the truck. The pair watch silently as the tall man begins his descent down the dewy grass hill, freckled face illuminated by the warm sun above before he disappears inside the small convenience store. An uncomfortable silence falls upon them, (y/n) finding herself having to avoid even looking at the amnesiac beside her.

"So, (y/n)-"

"I'm going to step out to stretch my legs" Interrupting him to politely excuse herself, she clambers out of the small metal compartment and closes the door behind her. She couldn't stand being alone with him for a second longer. He wasn't dangerous, she knew that, but she couldn't stop the flashes of haunting images crossing her mind, memories of a time in which the angel threatened her life without any hesitations. It would pass, but for now...she needed to be away from him. Walking over to a bench behind the car and taking a seat, (y/n) takes in a few deep breaths of the Colorado mountain air, lungs filling with the refreshing breeze as it passes by her warm form

"Lookie here, boys! We found ourselves a gorgeous piece of meat...and by herself too"

"Excuse me?" Disgusted by the comment, (y/n) whips around to face the direction of the noise, (e/c) eyes meeting the darkened gaze of a small group of bearded men who all looked to be a part of some sort of motorcycle gang. About 3 times larger than the Phoenix, the group of men surround her, licking their lips as if browsing a buffet before them. (y/n), studying each man carefully, notices an inch of movement to her right. She pulls her lips back into a snarl like an animal would when put into a corner

"Take another step and I will shove my boot so far up your asses, you'll be tasting my leather for weeks"

"Oh!" The leader of the group chuckles darkly, eyes never leaving her form as he scans every detail of her body, "I see now why the Winchester boys keep you around"

"What?"

"Feisty little thing-" He continues through a smirk, hand reaching out to caress her soft cheek before she's flinching away from his touch, "-I'd love to keep you in my pocket too, but strict orders, you know?"

"Who are you?" Earning the raise of an eyebrow in response, rolling her eyes, she spits out the question again, "What are you?"

A flash of black reveals itself in the man's eyes, the Phoenix able to see her reflection in its entirety in his tar like gaze. It's then she realizes how much trouble she's in without Dean. 4 demons against one bird. The odds weren't in her favor

"Demons..."

"Beautiful and smart-" The demon beside her chuckles, leaning in to breath his words down her neck, "-too bad you're not on our little grocery list"

"I thought your boss said you weren't allowed to touch us" (y/n) argues through furrowed brows, trying her best to get out of the situation or at least stall long enough for Dean to find her. The demons chuckle at her comment, the low sound sending shivers down her spine

"Crowely? He wants Emmanuel more than he cares about your well-being. Plus, he told us we weren't allowed to touch the Winchesters-" The demon to her left suddenly grabs a bone-crushing hold on her wrist, yanking her roughly towards his own body, "-last I checked, you weren't a Winchester"

"You're right, sweetheart..." A sinister smile makes its way across her face, skin burning up as her eyes glow a deep orange, "...but you're gonna wish I was."

It's as if all hell breaks loose when those words leave her soft lips. With her hand still in the demon's iron-like grip, (y/n) leaps up from the cement to grab a hold of his shoulder. Propelling herself around his body, she uses the momentum to strangle the demon with his own arm whilst also landing a hard kick to the leader's rib cage. Now free from the demon's grasp, (y/n) is quick to focus all of her energy into her hand, white-hot heat radiating off of her palm as she snatches the bearded face of the man beneath her. His vessel disintegrates under her touch, demons true form rising from the ashes in a plume of black smoke before disappearing through the sky.

"1 down-" standing from her spot, her neck is suddenly seized by the demon she neglected, his fingers digging into her flesh as he squeezes the words from her mouth "-2...to...go"

Hands still glowing from the metal-melting heat emitting from her fingers, she burns the flesh of the demon choking her out, hands sinking down into the charred skin until it reaches bone. This however only seems to anger the demon even more. The ginger haired leader from before makes confident strides towards the pair, leaning down to whisper darkly in her ear

"I'm going to enjoy killing you" His smile is sickeningly sweet as he lands a hard punch to her stomach. (y/n)'s ribs crack under the pressure, puncturing her already oxygen deprived lungs. Laughing through the pain, she spits blood into his face

"When are you asshole going to learn-" She smiles, blood smearing across her teeth, "-I'm the Phoenix, baby...I can't be killed"

(y/n) bucks her hips back into the demon behind her, strong enough to loosen his grip for only a moment. Using the small window of time, she is able to twist in his hold to face him, arms snaking up between his to intertwine her fingers in his shaggy locks of black hair. Using as much strength as she can muster, (y/n) slams the demons head down into her knee. His skull shatters upon the impact, flesh and bone splitting across her jeans, the demon no longer able to continue its hold on it's vessel.

"You're turn, dickbag!" (y/n) whips around in a rage, hands erupting into balls of white flames as she meets the demon's somewhat frightened gaze. Before she's able to make her move though, the ginger haired demon is suddenly frozen in place, eyes flashing shades of orange before he's falling to the ground in a pathetic heap. With his body now out of the way, (y/n)'s glowing gaze meets the familiar green eyes of Dean, bloodied silver blade in his calloused fingers. He smirks

"Having fun without me, Tweety?"

"Your definition of fun must be a lot different than mine-" she tries to joke, but her words are cut off by a few violent sounding coughs, scarlet liquid splattering across her sleeve as she hacks up the blood pooling in places it shouldn't be in. Dean, finally realizing the Phoenix's condition, rushes over to help support her weight, arm gently holding onto her waist to steady the swaying girl. It's then the pair notice the angel watching them through panicked blue eyes near the car parked in the lot a good distance away

"He saw what happened, didn't he?" (y/n) asks through a shaking breath, watching as Dean lets out a tired sigh in response

"We're probably going to have to explain who those people were...and what you are"

"Awesome-" She pats on his chest lightly, giving him an amused smile as she continues, "-well, good luck with that, Dean-o"

"Wait, what-?"

Before he's able to finish, the girl completely collapses into his arms, (e/c) eyes fluttering close as her body shuts down to continue it's healing process without any other outside exertions. Adjusting his hold on the bloodied Phoenix in his arms, he grumbles quietly to himself, both frustrated and amused by the girl's clever tactics

"As soon as you're up again-" He chuckles lightly, rolling his eyes, "-you're paying for my pie, Tweety-bird."