Six – Travel Plans

"So you mean to tell us after one dream you think that's our lead?" Meg drawled, eyes narrowed at Jessica.

The group of four women, and Castiel, were gathered in the war room of the bunker. Jessica had assembled the group, with unknown reasons until just now.

Meg wasn't sure about the rest—she truly, honestly did not care about what they thought—but she wasn't buying into this.

"Some of it was very detailed," Jessica insisted. Charlie was at the table in the room, having found one of the Winchesters' laptops, and was researching the town Jessica had given: Elvinsboro.

"It could have easily been a nightmare."

"Or it might be a sign."

"Or a trap," said Jo. "What if Elvinsboro is where this thing wants us to go? What if they've caught on?"

"I don't think they know that we don't know who they are," said Jessica, folding her arms.

"If you had someone sniffing your trail, whether or not they knew your identity, you'd want to get them off your ass pretty quickly," said Meg. It was something she would most certainly do. She'd toy with her enemies first before finishing them off. It was a personal pastime of hers.

"Well, it looks like Elvinsboro is a real place," Charlie confirmed. The group hovered over the redhead's shoulder. "Population is mega small, so a town where everyone knows everyone and outsiders are quickly noticed."

"Anything up our alley?" asked Jo.

Charlie scrolled through the webpage. "Not that I can see. Jess, was it just one figure in the dream?"

"Just the one. Female, with an accent. She was only hurting Sam, I didn't see Dean anywhere."

"See? She had a nightmare about the love of her life," Meg said dramatically, rolling her eyes. "This means nothing to us."

"It does, this town is real," Charlie said. "It's worth a look."

"I never told you about my connection to Sam," Jessica snapped to Meg.

"You didn't, but I heard G.I. Jane ask you about it. Good hearing." Meg tapped her ears.

"We need to go together," said Charlie. "Cas, you want in?"

"He's their puppy dog, of course he'll want to go."

"I can speak for myself," said the only male in the room. "But yes, I'm in."

"Okay, so, how to do we prepare for this busted road trip?" Meg asked the others.

"We don't have an arsenal in the car like the boys, but there's plenty of stuff around we can use," said Charlie.

"How soon can we get this show on the road?" asked Jo.

"If we assemble all that we think we'll need, a few hours tops."

Charlie remained stationed at the laptop to get coordinates to Elvinsboro, Cas and the other three women searched the rooms for weapons to use. The four broke into groups of two, Cas with Meg, and Jo with Jessica. Meg was secretly glad it was Castiel who was following her and not the hunter, Jo. Without supervision and the right amount of verbal gunpowder, shit and blood could hit the fan.

"You really believe Malibu, don't you?" Meg asked the angel after a time. They entered the inventory room, one of many. One that didn't lead to the secret dungeon. They split, searching boxes for anything useful.

"I want to. If we don't look into this, we might miss out on something crucial," Castiel told her, rummaging through a box. "Sam and Dean would check it out, even if they thought it was a trap."

"Yeah, well, stupid likes to think like fellow stupid." Meg grimaced. She came back with nothing in her search. Probably all the good stuff is near the dungeon. "They like to travel in herds."

"I appreciate your cooperation with this, Meg."

At this, Meg turned to face the angel. She put her hands in her back pockets. "Well, you did pull me out of that hellhole that's not Hell. It's the least I can do."

"You think yourself to be bad, because you're a demon, but I think there's good in you. It comes out sometimes."

"Don't paint me as a hero, Clarence. I'm not one. Demons don't get redemption stories, it's not how we operate."

"You're the exception."

Meg wanted to be annoyed with Castiel's soft tone, and those stupidly alluring ocean-blue eyes. It was what made her trust him. It was what made her want to...feel something again. Being a demon, all she knew was how to maim, torture, and be a remorseless killer. I must be losing my game. First it was with the hunting duo, and now it's with him. How did I end up here? "I think your faith is being put to the wrong person."

Castiel shook his head. "I don't believe that." He dipped his head down. "When I searched for you, I wasn't...I wasn't expecting to find you in Purgatory."

Meg raised a curious brow. "They never told you I bit it, huh? Well, you were a bit whacked in the head at the time. While you were doing your own weird thing, I saved those idiots from Crowley. Tried to kill the bastard, but he got me first." She smiled ruefully. She hated the King of Hell with every fiber in her being. If she had the opportunity, she'd gladly take the chance to kill him again, and succeed.

She could tell Castiel was hearing this news for the first time, his eyes told her that much. She noticed the slight shift of pain in those blue irises, the faint echo of loss. "If I had known..."

"Look, you can yell at your fake family later. We need to stock up. I don't think we're gonna find what we need in here. Come on." Just as Meg passed Castiel, he grabbed her firmly by the arm. She glared at him, but the look softened as his gaze found hers. She felt snakes in her stomach, and they were making her want to vomit. "We can't get anything done if you don't let me go."

"Never call Sam and Dean my 'fake family'. They are my family." Castiel bristled.

Meg purred in her throat. "Keep talking in that voice, it gives me goosebumps everywhere."

The second the two heard feet come down the hall, Castiel let go of Meg's arm. Jo scowled at the both of them, rifles slung over her shoulder. Jessica was hauling in some small daggers, and a flask at her side.

"Find anything?" Jessica asked nonchalantly.

"Nothing that we can use," Meg reported. "You guys got lucky."

"Yeah, we just gotta fill the flask up with some holy water, then I think we'll be set."

"Oh, is that your version of a spray bottle on me in case I get out of line?"

Jo rolled her eyes. "No. If we're dealing with solely demons, it'll be an asset." She looked to Jessica. "We should have grabbed salt."

"Salt is a thing with demons, too?" asked the tallest blonde.

"Yeah," Meg deadpanned. "Some of the saltiest foods are a bitch to eat."

"I'll go back for it once we get these out of our hands."

Meg didn't like to admit it to herself, but she saw the change in Jessica Moore. How she didn't seem to fear the idea of the supernatural as much. Now if only she could fight like the rest of us. I still can't get why Castiel brought out of Heaven. Sure, she loved Sam, but she's no hunter. She offers us no skills except being the tallest out of us women.

As Jessica and Jo left, Meg gave Castiel a suggestive wink.

"Maybe we can continue this some other time, when we're, ah, alone."

As she walked away, Meg had to restrain herself from teasing Castiel more, as she could feel his flustered energy behind her.

**Sometimes writing everyone's dialogue is scarily on-point.**