Raised from Perdition: Part 10

 I am apparently very bad at remembering to keep posting, and since this has been practically finished forever, it's not like I'm actually waiting on anything, I'm putting up the rest of the story sections today. 

Dani tumbled onto the stone floor, the silver shackles on her wrists and ankles clattering as her guards threw her into her cage.  It was a short walk from where she was usually tortured, but they still had to drag her.  This was where they usually kept her, though sometimes they took her to an actual cell deeper in. 

            She was too tired to try to fight them, and just lay there as they walked off.  Once the sound of their footsteps receded she raised herself up a little, grunting as the injuries scattered across her body protested. 

            “Another day done, huh?” she said to her companion in the cage that butted up against hers.  The two of them were often strung up side by side during “work hours.”  He offered no response to her comment.  Actually, she didn’t know if it was a day since they’d been dragged out of here.  Time was impossible to keep up with here. 

            Her cage-mate reached a bloodied hand through the bars that separated them and she took it, smiling weakly. 

            Another day, she repeated in her mind, letting her head fall back onto her arms.  One day at a time.  Just one day at a time.  You can take this.  One day at a time.  She sensed the change a split second before it happened; a sudden wash of peace, a feeling of safety like she hadn’t known since she’d been dragged down here.  Then came the light, white, pure, and blinding.  Dani shielded her eyes with her hand, peering from between her fingers.  What she saw took her breath away.  Two figures, quickly coming towards them.  The light emanated from them, refracting off of each’s magnificent pair of wings.  Dani had to look away, the light was so bright, but she could still hear the screams of the demons running towards them.  When she looked up again, there was no sign of any demons, only the two angels.

            “Castiel!”  She nearly choked on the name she was so happy to see him. 

            “Yes Dani,” he said gently, reaching through the bars to lay his hand on her.  “We’ve come to get you.”

            “There’s more coming.”  That was Samandriel.  He sheathed his blade and knelt by her cage, reaching out for her as well.

            “Yes, we must hurry,” Castiel agreed. 

            Dani panicked.  They were only here for her.  She grabbed the arm of her friend and dug in her claws.

 

            At first, the light blinded her again and when she opened her eyes a few seconds later, she was standing between the angels, her claws still finger deep in the other prisoner’s arm, in a motel room.  Dani’s head spun and she felt her knees give way.  The angels swayed, weak as well and unable to hold her up.  They all slid to the floor.  The first thing Dani noticed, as she rolled onto her back, was how soft the carpet was under her.  She hadn’t felt anything so good in what seemed like forever.  Kneeling next to her, Samandriel groaned and pressed a hand against his forehead. 

            “Mandriel.”   She grabbed his free hand.  “I was wrong about you being my guardian angel.”  Her voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper.  “I saw your wings.  Very intimidating.”

            He smiled and laughed under his breath.   Dani pulled his hand to her lips and kissed the back of his fingers before slipping into unconsciousness.         

. . .

 Castiel materialized in front of the parked impala.  Dean threw the door open.  “Well?” he asked, jerking his hands out to the side.  “You said something about Dani? What happened?  What did you find out?”

            “I got her,” Castiel said.

            “As in out of Hell?”

“Yes.”  Castiel nodded.

Dean raised his eyebrows. “But…? Come on Cas, what’s happened?”

            “I’m sorry.  She wouldn’t come without him.”

            “Without who?”

            Cas sighed and put a hand on each of their shoulders.  Then they were back in their motel room.

            Dean shook his head to clear it, then turned toward the beds.  Alfie lay on the first one, asleep or unconscious, curled into the fetal position with his hands near his head.  There were two senseless bodies sprawled on the second one.  One of them was Dani, and he was struck by how peaceful and innocent she looked, lying there.  Her werewolf powers worked fast; there wasn’t a mark on her.  Dean rubbed hand across his face and swallowed, forcing down the lump suddenly swelling in his throat.  She was ok.  He’d been so worried he’d never see her again, but Cas had got her back and now she was going to be ok.   

She had an arm wrapped around the other guy’s bicep, her forehead just touching his shoulder.  He was facing the other way, half hidden in the shadows of the room and Dean couldn’t see his face.  

            Dean stepped forward, Sam just behind him, moving to the other side of the bed.  “So who’s her buddy?” He asked, trying to shake off the threatening tears.  “You know I never thought I’d hear about somebody finding a boyfriend in…”  Dean stopped short.  It was Adam.

                                                                        . . .

            “How..?” Dean started after a moment. 

            “I don’t know,” Cas said.  “They were near each other when we found them.  She refused to leave without him.”

            Sam shook his head.  “I thought he was supposed to be in the cage.  He did fall in when I did.”

            “Yes, I think, Michael must have somehow managed to keep him clear of the cage when you all fell.”

            “Is Michael still in there?” Sam asked, eyeing Adam warily.

            “No.” Castiel answered.  “No Michael was in the cage.”

            “So if he’s not an angel,” Dean said, “is he a demon?  He’s been down there for a long time.”

            “No.”  Castiel sounded almost surprised.  “Not entirely anyway, I’m not sure. But it would seem his soul was pure enough to begin with that he was able to hang on to his humanity, at least in part.  Though, I wouldn’t count on his sanity.” 

            Dani stirred and they fell quiet.  She sucked in her breath and every muscle in her body stiffened as her suddenly wide eyes glanced around the room.  She relaxed once she realized where she was and cautiously sat up, looking at them like she wasn’t sure they were really there. 

            “Dani,” Dean said, slowly stepping towards her.  “It’s all right.  You’re safe.  You’re with us now.”

            She looked from him, to Sam to Cas, and back to him.  Then a light sparked in her eyes and she covered her face with both hands, letting out the breath she’d been holding with something between a sigh and a laugh. 

            “Oh my god,” she said, lowering her hands.  “We’re really out?”

            “Yeah,” Dean sat down on the edge of the bed and Sam moved closer as well.  “Yeah, it’s real.  You’re really out.”

            Dani smiled and made a move toward them but stopped suddenly.  She glanced down at Adam, lying on the bed beside her and her expression darkened.  Before any of them could see it coming, Dani lashed out with her hand, catching Dean on the jaw with such force that it sent him sprawling to the floor. 

            “Whoa, easy,” Sam said, reaching out for her. She was off the bed now, standing in a half crouch and she rounded on him, her face a fangless snarl.  He stopped and held his hands up near his sides.  “Take it easy Dani.”

            “Take it easy?” She was almost shouting.  “How long have I been down there?”

            They all turned at a startled cry from Adam.  The noise had woken him and he now crouched on the bed looking like a frightened animal, breathing hard, his gaze darting between Sam and Dean.  “Winchester,” he whispered.  Then his gaze hardened, his eyes clouding, and he threw himself at Sam. 

            Sam jerked his arms up, stumbling back, but Castiel grabbed Adam before he got to him.  Adam growled and lunged forward, nearly breaking the angel’s hold.  Castiel laid a hand on the top of his head and instantly his struggling stopped as his body went limp.  The angel let him slide to the floor. 

            Dani knelt next Adam brushing a hand against his shoulder, and, once she was certain he was only asleep, she straightened.  Even though she was practically trembling with suppressed emotion her voice was calm when she spoke again.  “How long was I there?”

            “Two months,” Dean said, picking himself up off the floor.  “But Dani—“

            “Did you rescue me by accident?” she asked.

            “What are you talking about?” Sam asked, startled.

            “Two months?  How long has he been down there?”  She pointed at Adam. 

            “Listen Dani…”

            “No, you listen Dean.  Five years, remember?  That’s six hundred down there.  Six. Hundred. Years.  And you get me out in two decades.  That sounds like an accident.  What?  You’d do anything for Sam, but when it’s one of the rest of us, you just, what save us when it’s convenient?”

             “I tried to get Adam out too,” Dean said through gritted teeth.

            “No you didn’t,” she said.  “Not really. Like I said, you only really try for Sam.”

            “Listen Dani,” Dean said again.  “I went out of my mind trying to get you out of there.  From the day they took you, I tried everything I could think of.  I prayed for weeks trying to get back on heaven’s good side.  I would have sold my soul if I could have found someone who’d take it.  So don’t you dare say, that I don’t care about what happens to you, or anyone else in this family.”

            “Six hundred years Dean,” Dani repeated. 

            “You should watch how you talk to me,” he said, then turned and walked for the door.  “And I don’t have to explain myself to you.”

            Once he’d gone, a heavy silence fell over the room, Dani looking coldly at Sam, Castiel and Samandriel watching them uncertainly. 

            “Dani,” Sam started.

            “Don’t.” She shook her head.

            He sighed and followed Dean out. 

            Dani relaxed, all the fire leaving her eyes.  She stepped to Castiel and hugged him.  “Thank you, for getting me out.”     

            “You’re welcome,” he answered as he pulled away.  He studied her and Adam for a moment then started toward the door as well.  “I should speak to them.”

            Once the door had closed for the final time, Dani sighed and sat down on the bed next to Samandriel.  He shifted his weight and glanced around, searching for something to say, but when he turned his gaze back to her she just threw her arms around him, burying her face against his chest.  Samandriel stiffened for a second, then relaxed and put his arms around her, pulling her closer to him.

                                                                        . . . 

            Castiel found Sam and Dean outside, leaning against the impala.  Dean was furious Sam just looked sad and a little helpless.

            “I don’t think you should take that too personally,” Castiel ventured.

            “What about that wasn’t personal?” Dean asked.

            “She has just come out of a very traumatic experience,” Castiel pointed out.  “She’s frightened and confused but given time, she should come to understand your side of things.”  Neither responded, so Castiel turned to Dean.  “I’m sure you can understand saying things that you regret later after being raised from that place.”

            Slowly Dean nodded.  “Well let’s hope she comes around.”

           

            When they came back to the room later that evening, both Dani and Adam were gone. Sam: We’ve got to find them, they can’t be running around in the condition they were in.  Castiel: I can’t track them, they’re both warded.  Etc.