Chapter Text
The young woman calmly walked through the woods of western Illinois. The sunlight filtering through the trees caught her hair, making the deep red more copper with a golden shine. It hung loosely around her shoulders, but she'd made sure it wouldn't get caught on her green, waterproof hiking backpack. Her entire life was practically stuffed into that thing. Not that it was much of a life to begin with.
Always on the run. Always hiding from the monsters stalking at night, or waiting for the next 'assignment.' It made her treasure the rare quiet moments. Today was the first day in weeks since she hadn't felt anxious, and she was determined to enjoy it. Still, the potential danger was always on her mind.
She tried her best to stay away from cities or even small towns, becoming accustomed to sleeping in woods and abandoned houses, foraging for nuts and berries or fishing when she was out of her stocked food, bathing in lakes or rivers... Only in winter did she indulge in a road-side motel room for a few nights. She picked up work wherever she could. Sometimes someone would pity her and allow her to stay in some back room, but she never stayed in the same place too long.
Not because she didn't want to. More than anything, she longed to settle somewhere and be able to call it home. It just wasn't safe to do so. Because they would never stop coming after her. All because of who — or rather what — she was.
The young woman could do both amazing and terrible things. Even after so long, at twenty-nine years old, she still didn't understand her abilities. All she knew was that they were a gift from God, and angels would guide her on her way. That's what her father had told her anyway... right before he had abandoned her to the world and the monsters lurking in it.
She knew her angels by their voices, recognized them by their bright aura in passing, and saw them as radiant beings of light in her dreams. They were always watching her, guarding her from the demons who hunted her. She owed them her life. If only they could tell her just a bit more about what her powers meant. But they were nothing if not vague.
A rustling sound behind the young woman stopped her in her tracks. She'd heard this sound before, but only in her dreams. It was the soft flutter of angel wings.
Slowly, she turned around and found a man before her, perhaps a little older than she was. He had fair features, striking blue eyes, and black hair. He wore a long beige trench coat, a white dress shirt, and black trousers. The dark striped tie around his neck completed the look somehow.
"Allegra," he greeted with a strong but kind voice. "My name is Castiel. I am an angel of the Lord and in need of your help."
Allegra stayed where she was. She hesitated, cautious of a potential demon trap. It wouldn't be the first time those bastards tried to get her like that. "I normally get my assignments from you guys when I sleep," she said. "I rarely see you when you possess a vessel, and never this up close. Why the sudden change?"
"We could not wait any longer. We need your help to retrieve a lost soul." The angel offered his hand. "Please come with me. I will explain when we get to our destination."
Allegra tried to sense anything evil in him, but there was nothing. And she didn't see a gruesome demonic face behind his vessel. In fact, Castiel's true face was rather... beautiful. If this was a trap, it was a damn good one. Still, she decided to take a leap of faith and put her hand in his.
In the blink of an eye, they were near a clearing. Allegra wasn't sure if they were still in the same woods, but that hardly mattered. Her attention got caught by something further ahead. Was that... a grave? Her questioning eyes met Castiel's. He looked at her with such wonder and confusion, it almost made her uncomfortable. She'd never met him before, not even in her mind, so maybe he wasn't fully aware of what she could do. But she wasn't about to show and tell.
"You, um," Allegra cleared her throat, "you said something about a lost soul?"
"Indeed," said Castiel, his gaze firmly on her. "His name is Dean Winchester. He sacrificed himself to save his brother. We need him back. He is one of our soldiers, destined for great things."
Winchester... Allegra was sure she knew that name. Maybe she picked it up somewhere whilst traveling around, but it didn't feel like it. It felt more... personal.
"What exactly do you need me to do?" she asked, dismissing her thoughts for now.
"I require you to be both my guide and my anchor. I will retrieve Dean myself, but I need your help to find his soul and bring him back up here."
"Up here? You mean...?"
"He is in Hell, yes."
Allegra swallowed. Being in Hell again, even if it was only her disembodied astral self, wasn't an experience she wanted to repeat. But from the look of Castiel's serious expression, she realized there was no point in arguing.
With a heavy heart, Allegra followed Castiel to the grave. As soon as they reached it, she sensed the overwhelming suffering. It was physical, emotional, everything all at once. It pierced her, making her gasp for breath and double over. Castiel hurriedly steadied her, helping her sit on her knees in the grass.
"Breathe," he said, not too unkindly.
"I'm sorry, I just... I feel him." Allegra's voice broke. "He's in so much pain."
A single tear rolled down her cheek. This was ridiculous. She didn't even know the guy, and here she was crying over him.
"Castiel, how long has he been down there?"
"Approximately four months," the angel answered.
"Four months? That's forty years in Hell. You know he won't be the same, right?"
"We have taken it into consideration."
It became clear to Allegra that she wouldn't be privy to any further information on Dean Winchester. She exhaled slowly, forcing herself to stay in control. When her back began to itch, she rolled her shoulders, trying to dispel the sensation.
"Is there a problem?" asked Castiel.
"You're asking me to go down to Hell," retorted Allegra.
"Hm, I understand. And believe me, we have long debated whether to ask for your help. But if an angel descends, we are certain to be detected and captured. We hope your human presence masks mine long enough to free Dean."
"You hope?"
"It's our only chance, Allegra. I really must insist."
She snorted. Of course he insisted. They always insisted. "Fine," she said. "But I need you to do as I say. The only way this might work is if you hold on to me, physically and with your grace. And when you find him, you let your power flow through me. Whatever happens, don't let go. Else none of us will make it back. Got it?"
Castiel nodded at her instructions and grabbed her by her shoulder. Allegra let out her breath through her mouth and closed her eyes. A light breeze picked up around them as her power surged within her.
Giving herself no time to reconsider, Allegra's astral self plunged into the grave, down, further down, tracing Dean Winchester's soul. Screams echoed. Chains rattled. The scent of blood filled her nostrils. Her heart began to beat out of rhythm. A shiver ran over her body, and Castiel's firm grip tightened. The angel's grace nudged her, easing her creeping anxiety.
"You can do this," he said, his voice as clear as crystal.
Allegra pushed on, going deeper until she felt Dean's fractured soul. Tears stung behind her eyelids. This pain... It'd been her own once, so many years ago.
"I've locked onto his soul," she told Castiel. "I don't know how much time we have, so get ready."
She reached out with the invisible force inside her, trying to wrap Dean up. That was one of her good powers, and something she often used. The shield she cast around Dean's soul would calm and protect him from harm, wrapping him in a protective bubble. Even the most powerful demon couldn't get through it then. At least, not in theory.
Allegra's entire body trembled as she focussed on closing the shield around Dean. The tortured soul struggled, nervous about what was happening. The demons noticed something was wrong. They were trying to get to him.
You're okay. I'm here to help. To save you. Please... hold on to me.
She tried again, praying Dean would realize that she wasn't evil, that this wasn't another demon torturing him. His hesitance wavered, and then... she felt the connection. It clicked into place, like two final pieces of a puzzle finding each other.
"Castiel, go!"
The angel squeezed her shoulder right before his grace flowed into her. Allegra gasped at the burning sensation but bit through it. Castiel swiftly went down the path she'd cleared for him. She expanded her shield, keeping the demons away from them the best she could, but there were far too many of them.
The force-field wavered. A few slipped through the cracks. Castiel didn't hesitate and fought each one, light bursting out as his grace protected both Dean and Allegra. Something warm trickled from Allegra's nose. She couldn't hold on. The shield she'd stretched finally snapped inward. They rose from the depths of Hell back to Earth, back to the land of the living.
The trees at the edge of the clearing crashed down one after another as the air split open with a violent rush of wings. In the next heartbeat, Allegra and Castiel were both back in their own bodies. All of Allegra's remaining strength left her all at once.
Castiel caught her just before her trembling figure fell forward from exhaustion and lowered her carefully onto the grass on her back. The cool air pressed against her overheated skin, but the shaking wouldn’t stop. Above her, the angel hovered in silence, watching as she fought to steady her breathing.
"You are bleeding," he observed, too factually and with not nearly enough concern.
"W-What... gave it away?" Allegra couldn't hold back the sarcasm in her tone as she wiped the blood from under her nose. "Damn it... guess I overdid it a little."
Two fingers pressed against her forehead. Allegra stilled, watching Castiel's brow change from concentration to confusion. She pushed him away and said, "Angelic healing doesn't work on me. Don't ask why. It just doesn't."
Castiel hummed and helped her sit, supporting her back until she was well enough to sit on her own. "Will you be okay?"
"Yeah, don't worry about me. I'll be..." The angel disappeared. "... fine."
Allegra huffed. She dusted herself off, muttering under her breath. "'Thank you for helping, Allegra.' Oh, you're welcome, weird but handsome angel of the Lord. Guess I'll dig your destined warrior out by myself then, 'cause we obviously wouldn't want him to wake up and suffocate in his coffin."
Allegra shifted onto her knees, pushing her hands into the grave. But the second her fingers were buried in the dirt, she froze. This feeling... This soul... Wait, was he...? With a panicked cry, Allegra recoiled, suddenly understanding why the angels needed this guy.
He was a hunter.
***
Dean Winchester woke up with a start, visions of blood, pain, and torment amidst flashes of light still fresh before his mind's eye. He blinked, hoping to see the light, but darkness surrounded him. He was lying on something wooden, something that had sides. An earthy scent invaded his nostrils. He searched his pockets for his lighter, flicking it on as soon as he found it. The little flame danced in the dark, illuminating the cramped space he was in.
"Help," he croaked and coughed in a hoarse voice. "Help!"
No answer. No sound, even. If he wanted out, he would have to do it himself. With a grunt, he scratched and pushed at the wooden top of whatever was holding him until some dirt fell on his face.
I'm... buried? No, no, no.
Dean continued to scrape and pull at the wood, allowing more dirt to fall on his body until he had a reasonable hole. He took a deep breath and clawed his way through, ignoring the pain and bleeding from his fingers. Fortunately for him, he wasn't six feet under.
When his hands met nothing but open air, Dean forced his body upward, pushing himself out of the grave. He collapsed onto the dirt, gulping in sweet, clean oxygen. Sunlight spilled over his face, warm and blinding.
This isn't Hell.
Dean pressed himself up on shaking arms. His green eyes widened as he looked around the clearing. Every tree was down. Not broken, not splintered, but flattened against the earth as if they’d all been knocked over, like a line of falling dominoes.
Something big had pulled him out of Hell.
If only he knew what.