CHAPTER 16

Sam and Bobby both jumped at the voice that came out of nowhere. Sam let out a tremendous sigh of relief, looking for the person that that voice belonged to. Just then Cas walked out of the shadows and approached the bed. He didn't greet the men, but simply nodded at them. They understood the seriousness of the situation and just nodded back. There was a long, uncomfortable pause before Sam finally spoke up.

"Where the hell have you been, Cas?", Sam whined. "Get your feathery ass over here and heal me!" Cas looked down at his feet as if he was embarrassed to be there. "Well? What are you waiting for Cas?" Castiel stepped closer to the bed before he spoke.

"I can't", Castiel said in a low voice. He wouldn't look Sam in the eye. He felt ashamed that he had not been there for his friends when they needed him.

"What do you mean you can't?", Bobby spat. "You're still an angel ain't ya?"

"Yes, Bobby, I am", Cas replied, still looking at his feet. "But I've been demoted. My superiors believe I have gotten too close to my charges. Namely, you and Dean. Castiel nodded at Sam as he spoke. "Many of my powers have been suspended temporarily. I would have been here sooner, but I was not allowed to leave Heaven during my disciplinary period".

"Disciplinary period?", Sam asked with a raised eyebrow. "Do you mean they put you in time out?" Sam chuckled before he could stop himself and Bobby snorted into his hand. Cas huffed in annoyance and rolled his eyes.

"Essentially, yes", Cas retorted. "My superiors think I have become too involved in the affairs of humans and feel threatened by my relationship with you and Dean. They know how you feel about angels." Sam and Bobby exchanged glances and shrugged at each other. It was no secret that the Winchesters hated angels as much as they hated demons. Present company excepted, of course.

"How did you find us?" Bobby asked. "The sigils you burned into our ribs should have made that impossible". Bobby shot Castiel an angry glare. He didn't blame Cas for this mess, he was just mad at the hole damn situation. When Cas hesitated, Bobby's patients had run out. "Answer the damn question, angel, or so help me...!" Bobby's threat was cut short when Sam grabbed his arm lightly. Bobby shot his deadly glare at Sam before it melted into shame.

"Crowley told me where to find you", Cas broke the tension that was growing thick in the room. "He told me what you plan to do and I must agree with him. It is your best option at the moment. "Dean has power that I don't understand. If you are to get him back, we can't delay too long. If you have iron chain, I can inscribe the ancient Enochian sigils onto it. I can try to hold him long enough for you to wrap the chain around him. Unfortunately, the hard part will be up to you.

Cas sighed and walked to the window, looking out over the hospital's parking lot. A figure dressed all in black stood, leaning on Bobby's rusty old van. He seemed to be staring up at the angel. Cas nodded almost imperceptive and turned to face the hunters, only to see Crowley standing next to Bobby with his hands folded over his chest. Bobby looked to his left and jumped, nearly landing in Sam's lap.

DON'T DO THAT, YOU EVIL SON OF A BITCH!", Bobby screeched. He gripped his chest like he was in an old episode of 'Sanford & Son'. Crowley smirked over at Bobby, never moving from his original position.

"Sorry, Bobby", Crowley chuckled as Bobby shot him a deadly glare. "I didn't want to be here in the first place. I have a beautiful indulgence waiting for me at home, but your winged BFF over there wanted to have a meeting of the minds. So can we get this show on the road? I'm hungry!" Crowley wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at Bobby. Bobby growled in disgust.

"Where did you get that ritual, Crowley?", Sam broke in. "I've never seen anything like that before". Crowley chuckled and crossed the room to stand next to the bed. Instinctively, Bobby moved closer to Sam trying to stay in between him and the demon. Crowley noticed this and shot Bobby a mischievous grin.

"Let's just say that Abbadon doesn't have very good locks on her doors", Crowley's grin reminded Bobby of the Cheshire Cat and it gave him the creeps. "We'll just leave it at that". Crowley's expression darkened and his lips pressed into a thin line. "I paid a visit to your little Dove", Crowley breathed. Everybody turned and 3 pairs of shocked eyes fell on him at once. "Before you say anything, no, I can't free her. The bed he keeps her chained to is warded by demon proofing symbols".

"Son of a Bitch!", Sam seethed. When Crowley said Dean had Y/N chained to a bed, he clenched his teeth so hard that he nearly cracked a few molars. His nostrils flared as he stared at his lap. Bobby stepped close and placed a comforting hand on Sam's shoulder. Sam closed his eyes and tried to take calming breaths. He turned to Crowley and whispered, "Is she OK?" His eyes glistened with unshed tears.

"She's uninjured, if that's what you mean". Crowley stared at his feet as he spoke. Sam closed his eyes and the tears finally fell. He couldn't hold them back anymore. Bobby squeezed his shoulder sympathetically. Bobby just stared straight ahead, not focusing on anything. "She hasn't lost that fiery spirit though", Crowley said trying to lighten the mood. "She politely requested that I tell you to hurry your damn arses before she has to deal with Dean herself". It was a lie, of course. She hadn't said any such thing. But Crowley thought Sam needed to believe that Y/N was still fighting. Because if she broke, Sam would break too. Sam was just that type.

"Sounds like Y/N/N", Sam said with a snort. "She always was the strong one. Even when her family was killed by vamps and she was running for her life, she had a strength in her that was unbelievable. For a 16 year old girl, that's saying something". Sam looked up at Bobby and smiled bitterly. "Did you know that when we were back in the bunker, she tried to defend me when Dean had me pinned to the wall? She could have stayed barricaded in her room, but she risked her life for me. A-and...I failed her, Bobby!"

"None of this is your fault Sam", Bobby glared at Crowley as he spoke. He had decided to keep the details of why Dean was a demon from Sam until after everything was over and done. He didn't need another fly in the ointment right now. If this plan was going to succeed, Sam needed to have at least a little bit of trust in Crowley.

"Well, I think I will take my leave and go have dessert", Crowley purred and winked at Bobby. Bobby grimaced in disgust, but stayed silent. As Crowley disappeared without a sound everyone heaved a collective sigh of relief. Even though they had gotten used to Crowley's shenanigans, having a demon in the room was always unnerving. Sam was the first to speak after Crowley left.

"Cas, do you think that we can trust Crowley not to screw us over when this is all through?" Castiel moved back over to the window again, but this time he look up into the cloudless sky. He closed his eyes and sighed, as he turned toward Sam again.

"No, Sam, I don't", Castiel said. "But I don't think we have any other choice right now. We can't delay too much longer. The longer we wait, the less likely we will be able to stop what Dean will do to Y/N. And if that happens, we are all damned".

"What are you talking about Cas?", Sam asked in a panic. "What's he gonna do to her?" Castiel's jaw twitched before he spoke in a quiet voice.

"Impregnate her".