Frontierland

I called to Castiel.

Castiel appeared.

"We need to talk," I told him, turning to face him. "About what Atropos told me. Things I've been hearing. Things I don't want to believe. Just tell me if it's true."

Castiel hesitated. "I have to defeat Raphael, Octavia."

"I understand that," I told him. "But this..."

"Ava, you have stood by me through everything, including helping stop the Apocalypse," Castiel told me. "Please. I just need you to stand by me through this, and to keep this to yourself." I exhaled softly, looking away. "Octavia."

I looked at Castiel. "All right. But this ends after we deal with Raphael. Because I know that he wants to restart the Apocalypse and set everything in motion again. We do what we have to to save the all, but it doesn't mean that I have to like it."

Castiel nodded. "I promise."

We heard Dean calling for us. "Castiel, Octavia. The, uh, I fate of world is in the balance. So, come on down here. Come on, guys. I Jeannie and Genie your asses down here pronto. Please." I rolled my eyes, teleporting to an underground storage place to where Sam, Dean and Bobby were. "Hey, Jeannie. Where's Genie?" Castiel appeared. "Oh, hey, Genie."

Castiel was confused. "Now, what do you need?"

*

They wanted to travel back in time to the Old West so they can kill a Phoenix and use its ashes to kill Eve, the mother of all monsters. She was out for blood.

We stood in Bobby's library.

Sam, Bobby, Castiel and I stood together.

"Where the hell's Dean?" Bobby asked.

"Supply run, he said," Sam answered. "I don't know."

"Um, about your plan," I told them. "You'll only have 24 hours."

"Wait," Sam told us. "What? Why?"

"Well, the answer to your question can best be expressed as a series of partial differential equations," Castiel told them.

"Yeah, aim lower," Bobby told us.

"The further back we send you, the harder it becomes to retrieve you," I told them. "24 hours is all we can risk. If we don't pull you home within that time, you'll be lost." I looked at Sam. "The first time Dean traveled into the past took several Angels' powers, and that was in the early 1970s. Sending you two back to the late 1970s took everything from only me and Cas. We're sending you further back this time. A lot further back."

Sam nodded in understanding.

Dean walked in, carrying several large shopping bags. "Well, then we better get you two a watch."

"What the hell's all that?" Bobby asked.

"We are going native," Dean told them. "Got to blend in."

Dean handed one of the bags.

"Uh, no, thanks," Sam told him. "I'm fine."

"Sam," Dean told him.

"Dean, I can—I can wear this," Sam told him, gesturing to his current outfit.

"And look like a spaceman?" Dean asked.

"Look, just because you're obsessed with all that Wild West stuff—" Sam started.

"No, I'm not," Dean told him.

"You have a fetish," Sam told him.

"Shut up," Dean told him. "I like old movies."

"You can recite every Clint Eastwood movie ever made, line for line," Sam told him.

"Even the monkey movies?" Bobby asked.

"Yeah," Sam answered. "Especially the monkey movies."

"His name is Clyde," Dean told him. "At least wear the damn shirt."

*

Sam walked downstairs wearing a white shirt embroidered with yellow roses.

Dean walked downstairs, wearing a whole outfit, complete with a blanket.

I smirked at their silly appearance.

"Dean, this is stupid," Sam told him. "I look stupid."

"You going to a hoedown?" Bobby asked.

"Now, is it—Is it customary to wear a blanket?" Castiel asked.

"It's a serape," Dean told us. "And, yes. It's, uh... Never mind. Let's just go." He looked at the gold watches and chains in his bag. "What's this?"

"Where you're going, they don't take plastic," Bobby told them.

"We'll send you back to March 4th," I told them. "That should give you time to find the Colt... and this Phoenix creature."

"All right," Dean told us. "Well, see you at High Noon tomorrow."

Dean clicked his tongue.

I touched two fingers to Sam's forehead.

Castiel touched two fingers to Dean's forehead.

We sent them back to Sunrise, Wyoming, March 4th, 1861.

"I have to go," Castiel told us.

"What about getting the boys back?" Bobby asked.

"Pray for us in 24 hours, and we'll return," I told him.

"I'll pray for all of us," Bobby told us, setting a timer to 24 hours.

Castiel and I disappeared, heading separate ways.

*

I was summoned back to Bobby's house nearly 24 hours later, seeing Bobby next to the spell. "Prayer phone works just fine."

Castiel was sitting on the window seat, injured and bleeding. "We... couldn't risk being heard."

I walked closer, confused and concerned. "What happened to you?"

"Betrayed," Castiel answered weakly, breathing heavily. "By Rachel. Raphael corrupted her. She turned on me."

"Now that the explanation's over with, can you get a move on?" Bobby asked. "We can't just strand those idjits in Deadwood, can we?"

Castiel looked at me. "I'm too weak. It's up to you."

I sighed, knowing that they were right, and knowing the toll it would take.

*

There was a minute left on the timer.

I was leaning forward against the desk, closing my eyes, focusing so hard to bring them back.

*

The power it took to try to bring them back alone was overwhelming, making my eyes glow blue from within.

*

Sam and Dean appeared in the library behind me.

I turned to face them, nearly falling from exertion.

Sam and Bobby caught me before I fell.

Dean was kneeling to the floor, holding a full bottle of ashes.

I sat in a chair tiredly. "I never want to do that again."

Bobby looked at the ashes. "Is that what I think it is?"

Dean stood. "Ashes of a Phoenix. You know what this means?"

"Yeah, Cas didn't almost die and I didn't waste all that power for nothing," I told him.

"Yes," Dean agreed. "And... it means we take the fight to her."

Sam, Dean, Bobby, Castiel and I exchanged a look.

Dean pulled his cowboy hat on.