The fact that the last chapter said merry Christmas and this one says happy birthday, says a lot. It says ily

HAPPY BIRTHDAY luciferspinkwings

•••

Cindy frowned, rubbing her arms slightly as the crossed over her chest, staring at the ground as they kept walking. She had watched, watched him die again and she knew it was gonna happen but it was different this time, it weighed heavy on her as she played it over in her mind. She knew and it hurt.

Each member of their group was silent, processing what had just happened, how Dean had lost Sam another time but he didn't have his body to reconstruct it and he wasn't of this world. He would have to go back without his little brother, sealing him off never to be found again.

"I-I can't." Castiel stated, visibly struggling as he tried to push forth. "The warding is too strong." He glanced at the various symbols painted.

Gabriel glanced down at Cindy before approaching one of the symbols, trailing the archangel blade down the symbol before placing his flat against the wood. The symbol lit up and so did the rest, only leaving a charted reminince of what used to be there.

It was then when people came flooding in one by one through the trees with their guns pointed accusingly at the group, Gabriel walked slowly back to the group and stood protectively in front of Cindy, wings flaring out though he wouldn't be able to shield all sides.

"Woah, waoh." Castiel stated, holding his arms in front of him as a sign of peace. "We're not here to fight, we're just looking for-" his words trailed of as Mary came into view, for a moment with her own gun pointed at them before instantly lowering. "Mary." Castiel stated, recognizing the woman.

"Castiel." Mary replied before noticing Dean, staring in disbelief as she embraced him. "How did you even find us." Mary pulled away slightly and looked up at her son, noticing something was off. "Dean.. where's Sam?"

A tear rolled down Dean's cheek, the affirmation that she needed that something indeed was wrong and had happened to her youngest.

•••

Back at the camp, Gabriel was sitting on a log by the fire, throwing rocks at it as he blamed himself. He was an archangel, he created pocket dimensions and here he couldn't even bring back one person, one single soul. He couldn't open the rift, he couldn't do anything of value. What was he even doing here, he's only going to let them down.

Similarly, Cindy was sitting next to him staring into the fire. Why did her arm hurt from the wounds she had received in the cave, if this wasn't a dream how did she know about Sam. How was any of this real, she should've fought harder, she should've said something sooner but nobody would even believe her. She was a nobody, some girl they found in the woods and the moments before falling on that forest floor was starting to fade or at least she thought it was. She could vaguely remember a bed and the color blue but barely anything else.

Behind them was Castiel who was talking to a pacing Jack, a fact that went over Cindy's head as she stared at the fire. Contrary to her meeting with the others, she barely even acknowledged the Nephilim as she followed Gabriel, barely registering anything as she stayed in the shadow of the only one that she felt safe with at the moment, the only one that showed some sort care when it came to her.

"He can't be dead, he can't be dead.." Jack muttered as he paced. "Why didn't you bring him back." He yelled accusingly at Gabriel.

"I'm not strong enough." Gabriel admitted, it stung to say and to know it was true. It was another punch to the gut, affirming what he had been thinking since it had happened. It was all his fault, he should've been better. Any of his brother's would've done a better job and yet again he failed the ones he loved.

"Jack." Castiel interjected. "If we could've, we would've. I'm so sorry. "

Suddenly a sound reverberated throughout the camp, turning their attention to the entrance where a bloodsoaked Sam shuffled through. They watched in disbelief but what was more unbelievable was who came trialing behind him with a smug smirk placed on his face.

While everyone watched in disbelief and then hate and terror, Cindy watched on in fascination. It was him. It was the devil strolling through the gates and he was even more glorious in person, even if he was a few meters away and trialing behind him, even though they were folded the tips trialed on the ground, six sparkling pink wings peaked out from his back and she could only state in awe at the devil wearing Mark Pellegrino's face.