~*****~

We wait in silence for a few hours, just waiting until Pamela can call them back. Mary begins to wail from her crib. I get up and gaze down at her. There's a strange feeling in the air. My nails tap on the crib lightly, my gaze traveling around the room. Pamela gets up and puts a chain on the door.

"Hide the baby." Pamela says softly as she wanders to the window. I nod and lift the infant out of the crib and lay her in a small salt circle in the closet. "I know you're here. What's the matter, you reeking son of a bitch? You afraid of a skirt?" Pamela sneers as she wanders into the bathroom.

My throat constricts violently as someone grabs me from behind and plunges a knife into my back. "Call them back!" I shout as I kick the demon holding me into the wall.

"Vis, vis, vis--" Pamela croaks as she attempts to wake Sam. The second demon grasps her legs. "Son of a bitch!"

"Get off of me, you disgusting freak!" I hiss loudly as the demon grasps onto my back again, sinking his knife in over and over again. I grasp his forehead and a bright light envelops his face, burning the putrid demon right out of him.

"Pamela--" Sam's voice echoes out. I glance over and nearly fumble over the bed. Sam raises his hand, and the other demon sails towards the wall before Sam destroys the demon with his powers, once again.

"I can't die. Not in this town." Pamela gasps as she palms at the knife wound on her bellow. "Quit your worrying, grumpy. How about you make me a drink, huh?"

"You need a doctor," Sam says urgently.

"Make me a drink, Sam." Pamela snaps.

~*****~

Pamela is reciting the incantation again to bring Dean back. Blood is steadily ebbing from her wound. She gingerly gets up from Dean's bed, using the bedside table to slump onto the other. "Hey, we just got to talk to Tessa, that's all--" Sam says softly. "Get her to hold off reaping till we get you better."

"She's already started up again, Sam." I say lightly, my own hands shaking from the blood loss I'm enduring. Dean lets out a harsh gasp and sits straight up.

"What happened?" Dean snapped as he took in our appearances.

"Dean, where's Tessa?" Sam asks.

"She's--" Dean stammers.

"Pamela, I'm so sorry..." Sam says.

"Stop--"

"You don't deserve this." Sam sighs.

"Yeah, I don't." Pamela snaps. "Told you I didn't want anything to do with this. Do me a favor? Tell that bastard Bobby Singer to go to hell for ever introducing me to you three in the first place."

Pamela begins to cough. "Take it easy, Pamela." Dean urges. "If it's any consolation, you're going to a better place."

Pamela snaps her head towards Dean, her breathing ragged. "You're lying. But what the hell, right? Everybody's got to go sometime. Come here--" She urges Sam. I glance up at them, but I can't hear what she's saying to him, but the look on her face says it all. She begins coughing again, and slumps back on the headboard.

"Pamela?" Dean calls softly. "Pamela!" I hunch forward, grimacing at the horrible pain rushing through my back. "What'd she say to you?"

Mary begins to wail again from the salt circle I hadn't taken her out of. I attempt to get up, only to crash onto my knees.

"Don't move," Dean says urgently as he tries to help. "Sammy, help me--" Dean snaps at his younger brother, who just sits and stares at Pamela.

"Dean, it's fine--" I snap at him. "Just-- get the baby, all right? I'll live."

Dean groans audibly as he peels my shirt from my back. "Baby, you're all tore up--"

"I said it's fine-- the son of a bitch caught me off guard." Mary continues to wail. I shove Dean off. "Get the baby, first!"

Dean finally complies, and I fall onto the carpet, unconscious. I come to what feels like seconds later. We're in a different hotel now, and Mary is whining incessantly from her crib. I heave myself upwards with a groan. "How do you feel?" Dean asks as he rubs at my arms. I'm vaguely aware of him besides me.

"I'm fine," I groan. I stretch upwards, and wince. There's a tugging sensation on the skin of my back, but the pain is gone. Once I'm in her field of vision, the baby calms down and chews on the teething ring in her grasp. "Listen, Dean..."

"I don't like the sound of that..." Dean trails off.

I chuckle. "It's... nothing bad, I promise... I think... I think I need to stay off the job for a bit longer..." I say softly. "The past few jobs... the baby's been right in the shit storm... I can't... I can't do that to her anymore..."

Dean rubs at my back tenderly, and kisses at my forehead. "Whatever you need. We'll make it happen."

I nod and lean into his embrace. "Where's Sam?" I ask after a beat of silence.

"I sent him out for some beer." Dean retorts.

I lean up a little and gaze at him. "About Sam..." I trail off.

"I know." Dean says for me. "I wish I didn't... I know."

I purse my lips delicately and sigh. "I'm gonna be lonely without you, you know."

Dean smirks. "Hey, we could get one of those clone--"

"Okay, the moments ruined," I snort and stand up. "Perv."

"Ah, you love me, baby." Dean laughs.

~*****~

We head straight for Sioux Falls the next morning. It's a long drive, but once we get there, I'm more than happy to be back. We eat dinner and crash shortly after. The next morning, Dean sits with me in the living room as Sam remains upstairs, packing his bags. "You sure you wanna do this?" Dean asks.

I nod. "Yes. If you guys need anything, give me a call." I say softly. I sigh again and lean against him. "Do you ever wish life could stay like this?" I ask out of the blue.

Dean grunts and runs his palm over my head. "What, like, apple pie?" I nod with a hum. "Yeah. I do." I don't respond again. When they leave, the house feels painfully empty, save for the occasional noise from the baby monitor.

Castiel appears in my front yard later that day, staring at me through the window. I go outside to greet him. "What?"

Castiel opens his mouth, then closes it. "I am... relieved you are out of harms way..."

I roll my eyes and lean against my porch railing. "What, is this all part of gods plan? Keep me cooped up until I'm needed?"

Castiel ponders it for a moment before shaking his head. "No... The others feel as if you are the key to our victory-- the one who will stop the seals from breaking."

"You don't?" I inquire.

Castiel shakes his head. "Don't doubt my faith in you. But I pray for your safety each seal you come across... I apologize, but I don't want you to put yourself in danger..."

I gaze at him for a long time. "Even if it means defying your orders?"

Castiel gazes at me for a long time again. "I... don't know."

I purse my lips and sigh. "Look, Cas, if you feel your orders are crap.... then you should question them. Question them, and defy them if you feel a different course of action is just."

Castiel nods and with the strange fluttering noise, he's gone again.