Take Me To Church, Supernatural

16| Healed Wounds

Take Me To Church
Healed Wounds (Chpt 16)
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Salem watches the last bit of her blood was down the drain with the shower water. She then steps out of the shower, gently drying herself off.

She winces as the towel comes in contact with her wounds, groaning as the pain radiates through her body. "Why the hell did you have to throw me out of a window?!" Salem hollered to Sam.

She knew her brothers were sitting at the dining table waiting for her to be done in the bathroom. Sam was closing Deans wounds and Dean likely was holding a beer in his hand.

"Sorry I didn't want my sister to be killed by a demon." He hollers back.

Dean joins in. "The bitch just started running. Last time I follow him!"

Salem laughs softly, but it stops as she hears Dean wince. Sam apologizes and Dean cusses, making their conversation die down.

So Salem looks back at the mirror. Cuts were all over her stomach and legs where shards of glass had claimed their home. She frowns, poking gently at the flesh and dreading the step she knew had to come next.

Stitches.

So she dropped her towel, slipping into underwear and and oversized shirt. She then collects what she needs from inside the cabinet and scatters them across one side of the bathroom counter.

She then finds a spot in the opposite side, frowning as she lifts her shirt to reveal the wound. She sighs, reaching over to the alcohol.

She took in a deep breath, preparing her self for the pain that would radiate from the wound as the liquid came in contact with her skin.

Mentally giving herself a countdown, she bites her lip.

But before she can tip the bottle, the sound of wings echos through the bathroom, gaining her attention.

"I told you not to continue looking for Anna." Said the gravelly voice of Castiel. His words were laced with worry as he spoke. Salem met his gaze, noticing the worry in his eyes.

She then dropped her gaze and pretended to examine the bottle in her hand. "Yeah, well- Boohoo."

She then resumed her attempt of pouring the liquid out of the bottle, but Castiel reached out for her hand, prying the bottle out of her fingers.

"Let me heal you." He said, reaching out his free hand.

Salem blocks it, shaking her head. "No."

"Just let me help you." He pleas, trying to take his wrist from out of her grasp.

"If you want to help," Salem says frustrated, but making sure to keep herself in a hush tone so her brothers don't hear. "Then tell me what's going on. I learned more from Anna I ten minutes than I have from you in... I don't even know how long. Me? The one to save the world? To rebuild heaven? Castiel what is going on?"

Cas's eyes widen slightly. She's never referred to him by his full name. Not in such an angered tone.

"Please... just let me-"

"No." She said, not letting go of his wrist. "Not until you tell me what's going on."

"I'll tell you as much as I can." He says softly, his eyes falling solemnly to the floor as Salem lets go of him. "As much as I can without angering heaven."

He then carefully begins placing the items she had set out back into the cabinet above the sink. Once they're all away, he sits down next to her on the counter, offering her a broken smile. He swallows the lump in his throat, gently resting his hands in his lap.

"Salem, God has plans for you. The reason the angels have been talking so much about you is because you're what they hope will clean things up. Your brothers, they have their roles in this too, but you have the biggest. You're the one who can, not only take matters into your own hands down here and stop Lucifer, but also take heavens matters into your own hands too. Help Heaven with Lucifer. Your the connection between heaven and earth, Salem. All because god wanted you to be."

Salem bites down on her lip, knitting her brows as she gives the angel a confused look. "What does that even mean?"

"I've said as much as I can Salem. But if you want me to continue to touch down to earth, I can't say more."

"Continue? Cas you left. You ignored me."

Castiel swallows down the guilt. "I'll gradually say more when I can, but for now," he reaches over and runs his hand her wounds, watching them vanish. "I just want you safe."

Salem lifted her gaze, meeting the eyes of the angel. The bright blue eyes stared back at her, looking at her with a desire the angel knew nothing about. They remained in their position for a moment, mouths only a few inches away, but Salem snapped back into reality, being pulled out of the ocean in his eyes that she had nearly drowned in.

She backs away.

"Why do you care so much for me? You're an angel. Don't you have some heavenly shit to do?"

Cas stared blankly at her for a moment. He didn't know why. "I just- I feel like I need to keep you safe. They're's this feeling... that tells me you're my responsibility."

Salem smiled lightly. Knowing someone cared so deeply made her feel like she might actually be needed. That she wasn't just some overlooked daughter that was always walking in her brothers' shadows. That she could make her own footsteps in the snow.

"So are you going to tell me what happened?" The angel asked.

Salem shrugged. "You already know. I was with Anna."

"But then how do explain the cuts?" He asked, giving the girl a questioning look.

"I was thrown out of a window." She replied quietly.

Castiel's eyes widened. "This is not keeping yourself safe." He says. "Who threw you?" His voice was laced with concern as he spoke, every word being said with a sense of demand and urgency.

"My brother."

Castiel scowled.

"No- cas. It's a joke." She said, sticking hands out to stop him from getting up. She smiled, amused. "We had to get away from Alistair. Sam tried to shield me, but it was no use."

The angel sighed. "At least you're safe now." He pauses, smiling lightly at the girl. "And that's all that matters." He drops his gaze, biting the inside of his cheek. "And really, I wish I could tell you more, but long ago Lucifer fell after turning away from his father. It can happen to any angel and I don't want it to be me."

Then, as the two exchanged looks, the door suddenly swung open. Cas vanished before he could be noticed, leaving Salem alone on the counter.

Her brother looked at her, knowing the angel had been in the bathroom with her despite her attempts to hide it. With her wounds gone, it was obvious he was behind it.

But Sam ignored it, speaking up. "Ruby has Anna. I'm sure she's fine. We need to lay low until we can meet up."

Salem nods. That all she does. Because deep down, she's still looking into the beautiful blue eyes of the angel.