Compared to the hustling and bustling of the other room, the hallway is surprisingly calm. Dean and Castiel head down to the room they saw that young girl in earlier. The door is still only slightly cracked open, but the light shines through now so he knows someone has been here in the last few minutes. It means he and Dean probably aren't necessary here, but they might as well take a look.

Dean nudges the door open with his foot, revealing not just the young girl they saw earlier but an officer as well. Their back is to him as they talk to the girl, and Castiel squints. Is that...

"Charlie?"

The officer turns around, and he can confirm that it is, in fact, Charlie. She smiles when she sees him, but her face falls almost immediately when she notices the flannel wrapped around his arm. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," Castiel says. The adrenaline is wearing off and both his arm and his back are starting to hurt impossibly more than they had been, but he'll be fine. He hopes.

"'Tis just a flesh wound," Dean says in an obnoxious British accent, and Castiel gives him a gentle shove.

Charlie moves aside so the young girl and the two men can all see each other clearly. The girl is still seated, though now seemingly of her own free will. The restraints that had held her limbs down are gone, though the marks they left on her dark skin remain. In Charlie's hand is a towel stained in dirt and blood, and it appears it be the one that had been used as a gag. Now, it's serving its real purpose: cleaning.

It's clear in the girl's face that she recognizes them from a few minutes earlier. "You're cops?"

Castiel raises a hand. "I am. Detective Castiel Novak."

Dean gives a small, casual wave. "I'm Dean. I'm not a cop; I'm just kinda hanging out."

Castiel rolls his eyes, a fond smile on his lips. That's a very vague introduction.

"What's your name?" Dean asks before adding, "if you don't mind me asking." It makes him sound a lot less intimidating; a lot more trustworthy. He definitely knows what he's doing — but, then again, meeting new people in stressful situations is what he does. That's how the Hunters were born. Of course he knows how to talk to her.

She looks up at Charlie, who gives a nod. She turns her attention back to Dean. "I'm Patience."

"Patience," Dean repeats. "It's nice to meet you — though, admittedly, not a nice way to meet."

That gets a small smile from her.

"What happened?" Castiel asks.

She shakes her head. "I don't — I don't know. I was coming back from the library one night and then I just... wasn't." She shrugs helplessly. "I don't know if I was drugged or...?"

"She thinks it's been a few days," Charlie tells them. "I don't know if we'll be able to test for them."

Castiel nods solemnly. Maybe one of the Vamps will explain, even if it means cutting a deal with one of them. Patience deserves to know what happened to her.

"Has anyone heard from my dad?" she asks. "He has to be freaking out. I'm never gone this long, and definitely not without telling him."

"I don't know; that's not our field," Charlie says sympathetically. He doesn't typically work missing person's cases.

"But we'll get you back to him, I promise," Castiel adds. "You'll be sleeping in your own bed before you know it."

"Oh, thank god," she whispers. "I'm so tired."

"I can only imagine," Charlie says. She stands up and heads to the doorway, where she gently nudges her partner. "I'm gonna call for an ambulance. Can you keep an eye on her?"

"'Course," Castiel says.

Charlie excuses herself and slips out the door, once again leaving it open just a crack. Dean subtly kicks it with his foot to open it a little more. Castiel looks over at him, his head cocked to the side. What's up with that? If anything, shouldn't he want the door closed? He's not exactly the most popular guy with the cops or the Vamps, and they're everywhere.

"Dude, have you ever met a teenage girl?" Dean asks. "Hanging out alone with two grown-ass men they don't know with the door closed is never their idea of a good time."

"Oh." He hadn't thought about that. Maybe he should have offered to call for an ambulance himself and had Charlie stay here. Patience probably would have been more comfortable with everybody's favorite enby than two guys.

"You know," Patience remarks, "not many people would have thought about that."

"Eh." Dean shrugs. "I've got a few teenage girls at home. You pick things up."

"Ah, that would do it."

Castiel cracks a smile. "You sound like such a dad," he says quietly.

"I feel like such a dad," Dean mutters.

Castiel turns his attention back to Patience. He takes a few steps towards her and kneels down so they're closer to eye level. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

She shakes her head. "I don't think so."

"If you think of anything, let me know," he says, and she just nods.

Dean snorts. "You look like you're gonna propose."

Castiel stands up and crosses his arms, shooting him a glare. "You're a pain in the ass. You know that, right?"

"I sure do," Dean says proudly.

At least Patience seems to find him amusing. "Why are you here if you're not a cop, anyway?"

Dean shrugs. "It was either this is jail time."

"Dean!" Castiel hisses. That's not something to talk about with random strangers so nonchalantly, especially without context.

"What did you do?" she asks.

"What didn't I do?" Dean counters.

Patience raises an eyebrow. "Well, that's... ominous."

Dean just smiles, which is actually somehow more ominous.

Castiel lolls his head back, exasperated. "I can't take you anywhere."

Charlie pops back into the room. "The ambulance is on its way. Can you walk?"

"I think so," Patience says. She slowly rises to her feet, her hands held outwards just a little for balance. She squeezes her eyes shut for a few seconds.

Charlie rushes to her side. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I'm just — I'm kinda dizzy," she says. She waves Charlie away. "But it's fine. I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" they ask. "We can wait here for a stretch—"

"I'm fine," she repeats, more forcefully this time.

"Leave the poor girl alone," Dean says. "She's a strong, independent woman who don't need no cop."

CastieI runs a hand down his face, exasperated. "You're really not helping."

"Wasn't trying to," Dean replies.

It gets a small smile out of Patience, though, so maybe he is helping, just a little bit. At least he can lighten the mood where she's concerned, because Castiel sure as hell doesn't have the people skills for it.

With Charlie in the front and Dean and Castiel in the back, all keeping a close eye on her, Patience makes her way out of the room. She has to hold on to the railings on the stairs, but she doesn't stumble on the way down.

Outside of the house, a number of cop cars are parked, each one with red and blue lights flashing. The ambulance hasn't arrived yet, so Charlie instructs Patience to sit on the front steps while they wait and she's more than happy to oblige.

Charlie nudges Castiel and gestures for him to follow. They don't go far — just a few feet — but it's easier and more comfortable than being in the way.

"Have you talked to Jody yet?" they ask quietly.

He shakes his head. "Just long enough for her to tell Dean and me to stay put -- which we didn't do."

Charlie shakes her head at him. "You're lucky Jody likes you."

"I know." He can get away with a lot, and he's grateful for that. "Have you seen her? I want to know if she's in a good mood or if I should be mentally preparing myself."

"She's been in full business mode," Charlie says apologetically. "But, I mean, you guys did what you promised and no one got — well, you got hurt, but no one got dead. I think she's probably pretty happy with you."

"God, I hope so," Castiel mutters.

"And if for some reason she's not," they add, "you just have to exaggerate how much your arm hurts and maybe she'll take pity on you."

Castiel rolls his eyes. "Uh-huh." He files that idea in the back of his head, though, just in case. "Did you listen in?"

She shakes her head. "We just waited for Jody to give us the all-clear — so if you said anything stupid, then Jody might have some choice words for you." She pauses. "Did you say anything stupid?"

"Just a lot of lies and some threats," Castiel says. Albeit, they were apparently some very convincing lies which might raise some questions, but they really were just lies. "It was more embarrassing than anything."

Charlie snickers. "Cas, were you being gay on main again?"

"Oh, please, I'm always gay on main," Castiel says. "No, Dean and I were just being embarrassingly lovey-dovey." And Gordon said that it was their normal, too, which might be the worst part. (He was right, but still, the cops didn't have to know that.)

"Ah, in that case, I'm glad I didn't have to listen," Charlie says. "You two went from fighting to googly eyes real quick, though. I'm kinda impressed."

Castiel shrugs. "We really had to sell it, and we did."

"No, I mean, like, now," they say. "You two were making googly eyes at each other just a few minutes ago."

"No we weren't!" Castiel says indignantly.

"Oh, you really were," she says. "But don't worry, your secret's safe with me."

"There is no secret," he mutters, but he knows there's no point in starting a fight over it.

"Not gonna lie, I don't really get what you see in him," Charlie tells him. "He's loyal, though, I'll give you that. I can tell he really cares about the Hunters."

"He always has," Castiel says fondly. "It wouldn't have been a family without him."

"Right, but you totally weren't making googly eyes at him," Charlie says sarcastically.

Castiel shoots her a playful glare.

"On the bright side," she says, "he's not a criminal anymore. Maybe you could..." She bounces her eyebrows.

"There's a hell of a lot more to it than Dean's possibly-chargeable criminal offenses." Every moment he spends with Dean brings him just a little closer to the Hunters, and, consequently, a little further from the police. The two aren't exactly compatible. He doesn't want to fall down that rabbit hole and lose the life he's worked so hard to build.

"I think you could work something out," Charlie says.

Castiel shakes his head. He's not naïve enough to think he could carry out any kind of relationship with Dean — with any of the Hunters. They're going to get in some kind of trouble with the law again eventually, and he's going to have to choose between work and the Hunters. He just can't keep lying to the cops to cover for the Hunters.

"Eh." Charlie shrugs. "I still think you should, but whatever."

Castiel looks back at Dean. He's not quite where they'd left him; instead of standing by the front door, he's sitting on the step by Patience's side. The two are chatting, both smiling in spite of everything going on. Castiel can't help but smile, too, as he watches them.

"You know," Charlie remarks, "He's a pain in the ass, but I'm glad he's here for Patience. I don't know why they're getting along so well, but..."

"Maybe 'cause he's not a cop?" Castiel suggests. "Or 'cause he talks to teenage girls every day? I dunno." Granted, Claire and Patience seem like complete opposites, but maybe Patience and Kaia have more in common — or maybe there are other teenage Hunters he hasn't met. There was Alex, too, until a year ago. Really, Dean is just surrounded by teenage girls. At least one of them has to have prepared him for this.

"Oh, yeah, that would do it," Charlie says.

The faint sound of sirens can be heard in the distance, growing just a little louder with every passing second. That must be the ambulance. It's about time; Patience should really be getting to the hospital. She can contact her father from there. If all goes well, she'll be home in no time.

Charlie nudges him and gestures with her head to the door. "Jody's here."

Castiel bites back a sigh. It looks like he can't put this conversation off any longer. He's not even sure why he's nervous — Charlie was right; they did what they said they would — but he can't help it. He just doesn't want to talk to her right now.

But then Jody starts talking to Dean and Patience, and he decides he should probably step in before she tells Dean off in front of her. As far as he knows, Patience has no idea who she's talking to. He'd like to keep it that way. The Hunters don't exactly have the best reputation.

Charlie claps him on the back. "Good luck, Cassie."

Castiel nods once before setting off to talk to his boss and his ex, because that's a good combination.