#burnaspncrossover

Sebastian looked down at his feet. "Do you?" He smiled. "I saw them in one of your magazines."

"There is one place I can think of to begin." She changed the subject as she pulled several bottles of various ingredients from the chest. "It's only about seven hours away, so we can get there by morning." She checked her handgun to make sure it was loaded and then her pockets for ammunition.

"What might we be looking for?" He leaned against the table and cupped his chin in his hand.

"It's the only other place Castiel might be." She checked her backpack for water and a granola bar. "He has a, um, friend that lives there." She glanced up at him awkwardly.

"Friend?" Sebastian raised an eyebrow. "Normally friends don't make people feel as uneasy as you seem."

"It's not that he makes me uneasy. I actually love him. It's just that his relationship with Castiel is…" She paused again. "Complicated."

"Most relationships are." He mused.

"Well, it's just that Castiel spends more time there than he does here, where he supposedly lives. He insists they aren't a couple, but I don't know…" She shook her head. "You'll understand when you meet him."

"I see." Sebastian chuckled. "I noticed you are packing several weapons."

"Yea. You never know what you'll need." She closed her bag. "My dad always insisted that I carry a knife and gun, it's become habit." She looked down at her preparations. "What do you want? You can pick whatever you'd like."

"Oh, I am set." He patted the black pouch that was hanging from his belt.

"Oh, okay." She glanced at the pouch. "What are they?"

"Throwing knives." He grinned wickedly. "If I need to use a weapon, they are my preferred choice."

"Alright, I think we are set then." She looked away. The smile on his face was making her uneasy.

"Very well." She heard the table shift as he lifted his weight off it. "I will carry your bags."

"Oh, um…" She glanced up, blushing. "You don't have to."

"What kind of partner would I be if I allowed you to carry them?" He flashed her a quick smile that made her stomach tie itself into a knot.

"Th… thanks." She stammered and turned back to grab her dad's keys. She paused for a moment, running her thumb over the smooth metal keychain her dad kept. "I will find you Dad. Hang in there." She whispered to the keys.

She hurried after Sebastian, who was already halfway up the stairs. "Normally I would take my bike, but since we are going pretty far and I don't think we can both fit on it with all our stuff we are going to take Baby."

"Baby?" He turned and looked at her one eyebrow raised.

She held up the keys. "My dad's Impala."

The ride was quiet. She let the music pour from the speakers and he was content to stare out the window. Rides in the Impala very rarely had conversation anyway, so the silence wasn't new to her.

"We're here." She said as she parked in front of a large apartment building in downtown St Louis.

Sebastian strained his neck to look out the window. "This doesn't seem like a very safe area." He mused.

"It isn't…" She smiled and unlocked the car. "But that's why he lives here, plenty of work to keep him busy."

Sebastian only pursed his lips.

He followed her silently through the stairwell that led to the sixth floor apartment. She hesitated before knocking on the door. "Now, I am warning you. This guy is a little… weird." She turned to face him. "Don't take anything he says too seriously."

Sebastian nodded. "I promise, I will be nothing but courteous."

She laughed. "Sure. Just wait." She turned back to the door and knocked.

The door creaked open, but Sebastian wasn't able to see who was on the other side.

"Oh, it's only you Miss Lizzie!" A sing-song voice cooed.

Sebastian stiffened, even after a hundred years of being apart, he would recognize that voice until the day he died.

"What can I help you with?" The man pushed his red glasses back up the bridge of his nose.

"Have you heard from Castiel recently?" She expressed her concern. "The bunker was all messed up and my whole family is missing."

"Oh, dear." The man rested his chin in his hand. "I am afraid I haven't seen him in days. You don't think something happened to them, do you?" His eyes widened slightly.

"Well, I am sure my father and uncle were taken. Castiel hasn't replied to any of my calls or prayers, and I know he was home the night it all happened." She glanced over at Sebastian. "Oh! I am so sorry, I didn't introduce you two."

The man's green eyes turned to look at her partner. "Oh, my." He smiled. "You brought quite a handsome young thing, didn't you?" His cheeks flushed and he batted a hand at Sebastian.

Sebastian frowned. "Do keep that dribble to yourself, Grell." He looked away.

"Wait." Elizabeth looked back at the reaper. "You two know each other?"

Grell's eyes grew wide with excitement. "I knew I would see you again someday!" He was almost dancing with giddiness. "Oh, Bassy! It's been too long!" He threw his arms out as if to wrap them around the irritated demon.

Sebastian's frown deepend.

"Oh, but I must remember… I am a claimed girl now! I can't go letting myself get carried away by old sentiments." Grell clasped his over his cheeks. "Besides, I wouldn't trade my Cassy for all the handsome men in the world." He sighed and straightened his red button down shirt.

Elizabeth's eyes lit up. "I knew it! You and Castiel are dating!"

"Well," Grell looked away, blushing. "I like to think so, yes."

"Castiel never talks about your relationship, it's like pulling teeth to get him to say anything!" She took his hands in hers. "You will have to tell me everything!"

Sebastian glanced down at the girl who was excitedly smiling at the reaper. There was something in her expression he couldn't place, but he enjoyed, it reminded him of his promise to her, that he would remain polite. He sighed quietly and rolled his eyes. "Forgive my rudeness Mr. Sutcliff. I had forgotten a promise I had made." He bowed slightly towards the pair.

"Oh, Bassy." The reaper blushed and squeezed the girl's hands. "You are all formality and courtesy aren't you?" He looked back at Elizabeth. "You two should come in. Tell me all about what is going on and I will get you some tea."

"Thank you." She smiled at him. "I appreciate it."

"I am sorry I don't have anything to tell you…" Grell pouted as he held his tea cup near his mouth. "I honestly haven't spoken to Castiel in several days now." He took a sip of the warm liquid. "I hadn't really even noticed, I've been busy with work." He jumped to his feet suddenly. "Speaking of!" He set his cup down. "I had a soul that required my attention this evening!" He frantically grabbed his long black coat and bag. "I am so sorry dear!" He patted Elizabeth's shoulder. "Feel free to stay until I get back, and under no circumstances are you allowed to leave without me! I am coming with you. I would be completely distraught if something happened to my poor Cassy and I didn't do anything to help." He was closing the door behind himself. "Help yourself to anything! Toodles!" He gave a little wave as he closed the door behind him.

"Finally…" Sebastian sighed and rubbed his temples. "I detest that reaper."

"Awe," Elizabeth smiled up at the frustrated demon. "He's not so bad. I think he's fun."

"You have a tolerance for stupidity that I admire." He returned her smile.

"Oh, I don't know about that." She yawned and slumped back in the couch. "I do know that I am tired though." She glanced at the clock. "I can't believe we have been here for eight hours already."

"I can." Sebastian stood from where he had been leaning against the wall. "You should get some rest. When he returns I think it would be good for us to return to your home so I can take a proper look around."

"Right." Her eyelids were already growing heavy. "What about you?" She looked back up to him.

"I don't need to sleep." He smiled softly down at her. "I will stay here and watch over you."

"That's, um…" She pressed her eyebrows together. "creepy."

Sebastian's smile faded into mild shock and then returned with laughter. "I think that is the first time I have been told that."

"Really?" She chuckled. "Well, it is." Her eyes were getting to be too heavy to open. "Don't let me sleep too long, three hours tops."

"Yes." She could hear Sebastian's voice as she slowly faded into unconsciousness. "My lady."

"No!" The woman's voice cried. "I can't!" She was crying.

"Please." The man was begging. "You will be the only thing I will regret leaving."

Elizabeth couldn't see their faces, but she could hear the sorrow in their voices. It was almost palpable in the air around them.

"This…" The woman was stammering, overcome with grief. "All of this. You have gone too far this time, Azrael. You have gone somewhere I cannot follow."

"Leora…" The man began.

"No!" She yelled as she sobbed. "I can't believe you would choose this over staying here with me!"

The woman's sobs began to fade from Elizabeth's mind as she began to return to consciousness. The first thing she saw when her eyes opened was the sunlight pouring through the living room curtains. "What time is it?" She groaned.

"Ah. You're awake." Sebastian lowered the book he had been reading and smiled at her. "It is a quarter past nine."

"In the morning!?" She sat up quickly, feeling the blood rush to her head. She placed her hands on either side of her head to try and steady herself. "Why did you let me sleep so long?"

"You needed it." He continued to smile. "Besides, I did try and wake you. But you would only wave your arms in the air and mumble 'Not now Dad, I am about to meet Paul Bettany…' before rolling over and returning to sleep."

Elizabeth's cheeks burned with blush. "Sorry." She narrowed her eyes and looked to the side. "I am a heavy sleeper. It's from growing up learning to sleep in cars."

"Like I said, you needed it." He returned to reading his book.

"Is Grell back?" She stood and stretched.

"Yes." Sebastian's eyes didn't leave the page he was on. "He is back in one of those rooms." He jerked his thumb towards the back of the apartment. "Has been for about two hours."

"Thanks." She patted his shoulder as she walked by.

She tried to quietly make her way down the hall to the bathroom, but as she got closer to passing by the open bedroom door she could hear the reaper humming to himself. She peeked around the edge of the doorway to see him ironing some tan colored dress pants that were most likely Castiels. He would iron them and then fold them neatly before placing them on top of the pile of similar pants. Beside the pants were some light blue shirts hung on hangers and laid out flat on the bed.

"It helps me to act as if he could show up any minute." Grell mused without looking towards her. "Like he'll just waltz in with some greasy hamburgers he picked up from some rundown mom and pop restaurant and show them to me with a grin on his face. Like a child who has found a butterfly and caught it in a jar." His voice hitched slightly.

"We will find him." She crossed the room and placed her hand on the tall man's shoulder. "I promise."