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daylight_darknightSo after a long debate about whether or not to add another extra chapter, I decided just to make this one longer. Then I found out my keyboard wasn't working properly. Then I restarted my computer and found it wouldn't start back up. Then I spent ages trying to set up everything on the laptop I never use. But here finally is the extra long chapter 16.
Title: Practically Human 16/19
Characters: Castiel, Bobby, Dean
Rating: PG-13 for swearing and a little violence and disturbing stuff in later chapters
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Drama
Word Count: ~19,000 in 19 in little chapters
Spoilers: Up to the end of season 5
Summary: Some things are a lot easier to deal with when the world is ending.
AN: This takes place in a slight AU where season 5 ends almost the exact same way except Castiel's powers are never restored and Bobby is still in a wheelchair. While Dean goes off to keep his promise to his brother, Castiel ends up left behind at Bobby's as he tries to adjust to his new life as a human.
Chapter 16
“Alright, so how do you kill a shapeshifter?”
“A weapon of silver.”
“A vampire?”
“Decapitation.”
“Wendigo?”
“Dismemberment.”
Turning away from the damaged carburettor he was working on, Bobby gazed at Castiel with both eyebrows raised. “I think you'll find fire a bit easier.”
Conceding, Castiel nodded breathing somewhat heavily as he set a tire on top of an already large pile at the corner of Bobby's workshop.
“How about a Rakshasa?”
“A bronze dagger,” Castiel replied placing another tire on the pile. Taking a break, he leaned against his neatly collected tower and removed his blue, button down shirt revealing the sweat soaked T-shirt beneath. He didn't remember heat being this overpowering when he was an angel. For some reason, Bobby had decided that this sweltering hot day would be the perfect time to finish off some of the projects in the salvage yard and Castiel as usual found himself unable to argue with the old hunter.
“A Harpy?” Bobby called out as he continued to work on the carburettor.
“An arrow made from a yew tree, but only if fired during a new moon,” Castiel answered automatically.
“Really? I always wondered about that.”
Castiel sent him a look of exasperation.
“Okay, so you know your stuff,” Bobby admitted setting the carburettor aside and moving on to another broken component. “Then why don't you go inside and get yourself a glass of water. I'm not teaching you all this crap just so you can die of heatstroke.”
Castiel wasted no time in following that directive. He headed inside to the kitchen where he savoured the refreshing feel of the cool liquid down his throat as he drank.
He was midway through his second glassful when a knock sounded at the front door. Eyeing the entrance suspiciously, Castiel put down his glass and moved to answer the knock reaching out with senses he no longer had to try to find out who was there. Though it was unlikely a demon could make it past the wards they’d placed, Castiel still felt the need to remain on alert, so he opened the door slowly and cautiously.
Outside, standing patiently in the doorway, was a woman with auburn hair wearing a sheriff’s uniform. She wasn’t a demon, but she had tired eyes and there was a deep scar on her soul.
“Hello,” she said in greeting. “I’m Sheriff Jodi Mills. I don’t believe we’ve met.”
“I’m Castiel,” the former angel replied stoically, eyes carefully scrutinizing.
“That’s an unusual name.” The sheriff gazed at him questioningly and then peered around him into the house. “Is Bobby home? I just dropped by to check up on him.”
“He’s in his workshop around the back.”
She nodded, but didn’t move from the doorstep. “Actually, I’d been hoping to meet you.”
Castiel’s eyes narrowed. “Why?”
“Mostly just curious,” she said with a disarming smile. “Sioux Falls is a small town and we’re pretty close knit especially after the events of last year, so news of someone staying with Bobby got around pretty fast and I like to keep on top of things.”
This passage of gossip wasn’t too surprising to Castiel. He’d noted the curious stares he’d received whenever he’d ventured into town.
“So, what brought you out here?”
“I recently lost my… job and my home,” Castiel declared after a moment of hesitation, deciding it was close enough to the truth.
“Well, it was very kind of Bobby to take you in. You’ve known each other long?”
“I’m a friend of the family.” That was true. Bobby considered Sam and Dean family, and Castiel was their friend.
Frowning, the sheriff shifted her weight slightly from one foot to the other. “I didn’t think Bobby had any family.”
Castiel opened his mouth to explain but was interrupted before he could begin.
“You here to harass me again, Sheriff,” came Bobby’s voice from behind her. They turned in surprise to see Bobby wheeling his chair up the ramp towards them.
“Just came to see how you’re doing, Bobby,” said Sheriff Mills moving out of the way so he could get by. “Haven’t seen you in town recently.”
“I’ve been busy,” the hunter grumbled as he turned his chair to face them. Then shoulders slumping, he dropped the gruff demeanour. “How you doing, Jodi?”
“I’m getting by. It was nice to finally meet your new housemate.”
“Oh, Feathers is just keeping me company for a while.”
The sheriff raised her eyebrows. “Feathers?”
“It’s ‘cause he acts like a giant frigging bird.”
Wondering why Bobby insisted on comparing him to a bird when he couldn’t even see his wings, Castiel frowned, head tilting to the side.
“See,” Bobby said with a snort.
Sheriff Mills laughed. “Well, you must feel lucky to have him,” she said nodding at Castiel. “I know it can’t be easy for you living on your own in this big house especially with the wheelchair now. It must be good having him around to help look after you.”
While Bobby’s expression became a grimace, the lines across Castiel’s face deepened.
“I don’t look after Bobby,” the former angel said. “He looks after me.”
For a moment, there was a lightness in the old hunter’s face and posture, as if he’d suddenly lost the weight of a dozen years, then he resumed his gruff mask. “Now, if that’s all Sheriff. We’ve got stuff to do.”
“I won’t keep you then,” she said turning to leave. “Have a good day and if you need anything…”
“Yeah, yeah,” Bobby muttered giving a half-hearted wave as a goodbye. “Come on, Cas.” He laid a hand on Castiel’s arm leaving it there a moment longer than necessary and giving the arm a small pat before letting go. “I owe you a beer.”
And together, the two went back into the house.
******
The barely intelligible words that came through the phone that night were full of false cheer and bitter sarcasm.
“Hey, Cas. What’s up, assbutt? Having fun playing hunter?”
Closing his eyes, Castiel shook his head. “Dean, you’re drunk again.”
“Says you,” he slurred and Castiel heard the slosh of liquid inside a nearly empty glass bottle and the swallow as Dean helped himself to its contents.
“Are you alright?” Castiel asked knowing it was a stupid question, but it was what humans always asked even when they knew the answers were mostly lies.
“I think I punched a wall or something,” replied Dean, his tone more confused than concerned. “I don’t really remember, but my hand kind of hurts and there’s some blood on my knuckles.”
He was even drunker than last time despite seeming so much more content and settled over the past week. Castiel couldn’t comprehend the sudden change. “What happened?”
“Nothing happened,” Dean denied and gave a humourless laugh. “I took Ben to the frigging car show. We had a fantastic time.”
“Isn’t that good?”
“No! Not good! I was happy!”
Castiel frowned feeling as lost as when Dean had tried to explain his love of cars. “I don’t understand.”
“Well, you’re a fucking moron,” said Dean with an angry huff. “I was happy. Don’t you get it? My brother is dead and getting tortured in hell and I was happy!”
Automatically casting his eyes to the ceiling, Castiel found himself glaring at it as if it could send the message of his anger to God. “Dean, you can’t spend the rest of your life grieving for your brother. You should be allowed to be happy. You’re brother would want you to be happy.”
“How the hell would you know what he would want?”
“Dean…”
“No, no, no. I know he wants me to have a happy normal life, but you still don’t get it.” The words began to blur even more as Dean’s voice caught and broke between the syllables. “I was happy because for a little while, just for a moment… I forgot. I forgot Sam.” And Dean’s rough voice turned into a chocked sob.
Castiel remained silent, but he held tightly to the phone as if he could somehow transfer that grip to Dean.
“What if…” Dean began again after several aching minutes. “What if I forget him completely?”
“Never.” Castiel’s words were as intense as when he had the power of heaven behind them. “I know you, Dean Winchester. And I promise you you will never forget your brother.”
Chapter 17
Title: Practically Human 16/19
Characters: Castiel, Bobby, Dean
Rating: PG-13 for swearing and a little violence and disturbing stuff in later chapters
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Drama
Word Count: ~19,000 in 19 in little chapters
Spoilers: Up to the end of season 5
Summary: Some things are a lot easier to deal with when the world is ending.
AN: This takes place in a slight AU where season 5 ends almost the exact same way except Castiel's powers are never restored and Bobby is still in a wheelchair. While Dean goes off to keep his promise to his brother, Castiel ends up left behind at Bobby's as he tries to adjust to his new life as a human.
Chapter 16
“Alright, so how do you kill a shapeshifter?”
“A weapon of silver.”
“A vampire?”
“Decapitation.”
“Wendigo?”
“Dismemberment.”
Turning away from the damaged carburettor he was working on, Bobby gazed at Castiel with both eyebrows raised. “I think you'll find fire a bit easier.”
Conceding, Castiel nodded breathing somewhat heavily as he set a tire on top of an already large pile at the corner of Bobby's workshop.
“How about a Rakshasa?”
“A bronze dagger,” Castiel replied placing another tire on the pile. Taking a break, he leaned against his neatly collected tower and removed his blue, button down shirt revealing the sweat soaked T-shirt beneath. He didn't remember heat being this overpowering when he was an angel. For some reason, Bobby had decided that this sweltering hot day would be the perfect time to finish off some of the projects in the salvage yard and Castiel as usual found himself unable to argue with the old hunter.
“A Harpy?” Bobby called out as he continued to work on the carburettor.
“An arrow made from a yew tree, but only if fired during a new moon,” Castiel answered automatically.
“Really? I always wondered about that.”
Castiel sent him a look of exasperation.
“Okay, so you know your stuff,” Bobby admitted setting the carburettor aside and moving on to another broken component. “Then why don't you go inside and get yourself a glass of water. I'm not teaching you all this crap just so you can die of heatstroke.”
Castiel wasted no time in following that directive. He headed inside to the kitchen where he savoured the refreshing feel of the cool liquid down his throat as he drank.
He was midway through his second glassful when a knock sounded at the front door. Eyeing the entrance suspiciously, Castiel put down his glass and moved to answer the knock reaching out with senses he no longer had to try to find out who was there. Though it was unlikely a demon could make it past the wards they’d placed, Castiel still felt the need to remain on alert, so he opened the door slowly and cautiously.
Outside, standing patiently in the doorway, was a woman with auburn hair wearing a sheriff’s uniform. She wasn’t a demon, but she had tired eyes and there was a deep scar on her soul.
“Hello,” she said in greeting. “I’m Sheriff Jodi Mills. I don’t believe we’ve met.”
“I’m Castiel,” the former angel replied stoically, eyes carefully scrutinizing.
“That’s an unusual name.” The sheriff gazed at him questioningly and then peered around him into the house. “Is Bobby home? I just dropped by to check up on him.”
“He’s in his workshop around the back.”
She nodded, but didn’t move from the doorstep. “Actually, I’d been hoping to meet you.”
Castiel’s eyes narrowed. “Why?”
“Mostly just curious,” she said with a disarming smile. “Sioux Falls is a small town and we’re pretty close knit especially after the events of last year, so news of someone staying with Bobby got around pretty fast and I like to keep on top of things.”
This passage of gossip wasn’t too surprising to Castiel. He’d noted the curious stares he’d received whenever he’d ventured into town.
“So, what brought you out here?”
“I recently lost my… job and my home,” Castiel declared after a moment of hesitation, deciding it was close enough to the truth.
“Well, it was very kind of Bobby to take you in. You’ve known each other long?”
“I’m a friend of the family.” That was true. Bobby considered Sam and Dean family, and Castiel was their friend.
Frowning, the sheriff shifted her weight slightly from one foot to the other. “I didn’t think Bobby had any family.”
Castiel opened his mouth to explain but was interrupted before he could begin.
“You here to harass me again, Sheriff,” came Bobby’s voice from behind her. They turned in surprise to see Bobby wheeling his chair up the ramp towards them.
“Just came to see how you’re doing, Bobby,” said Sheriff Mills moving out of the way so he could get by. “Haven’t seen you in town recently.”
“I’ve been busy,” the hunter grumbled as he turned his chair to face them. Then shoulders slumping, he dropped the gruff demeanour. “How you doing, Jodi?”
“I’m getting by. It was nice to finally meet your new housemate.”
“Oh, Feathers is just keeping me company for a while.”
The sheriff raised her eyebrows. “Feathers?”
“It’s ‘cause he acts like a giant frigging bird.”
Wondering why Bobby insisted on comparing him to a bird when he couldn’t even see his wings, Castiel frowned, head tilting to the side.
“See,” Bobby said with a snort.
Sheriff Mills laughed. “Well, you must feel lucky to have him,” she said nodding at Castiel. “I know it can’t be easy for you living on your own in this big house especially with the wheelchair now. It must be good having him around to help look after you.”
While Bobby’s expression became a grimace, the lines across Castiel’s face deepened.
“I don’t look after Bobby,” the former angel said. “He looks after me.”
For a moment, there was a lightness in the old hunter’s face and posture, as if he’d suddenly lost the weight of a dozen years, then he resumed his gruff mask. “Now, if that’s all Sheriff. We’ve got stuff to do.”
“I won’t keep you then,” she said turning to leave. “Have a good day and if you need anything…”
“Yeah, yeah,” Bobby muttered giving a half-hearted wave as a goodbye. “Come on, Cas.” He laid a hand on Castiel’s arm leaving it there a moment longer than necessary and giving the arm a small pat before letting go. “I owe you a beer.”
And together, the two went back into the house.
******
The barely intelligible words that came through the phone that night were full of false cheer and bitter sarcasm.
“Hey, Cas. What’s up, assbutt? Having fun playing hunter?”
Closing his eyes, Castiel shook his head. “Dean, you’re drunk again.”
“Says you,” he slurred and Castiel heard the slosh of liquid inside a nearly empty glass bottle and the swallow as Dean helped himself to its contents.
“Are you alright?” Castiel asked knowing it was a stupid question, but it was what humans always asked even when they knew the answers were mostly lies.
“I think I punched a wall or something,” replied Dean, his tone more confused than concerned. “I don’t really remember, but my hand kind of hurts and there’s some blood on my knuckles.”
He was even drunker than last time despite seeming so much more content and settled over the past week. Castiel couldn’t comprehend the sudden change. “What happened?”
“Nothing happened,” Dean denied and gave a humourless laugh. “I took Ben to the frigging car show. We had a fantastic time.”
“Isn’t that good?”
“No! Not good! I was happy!”
Castiel frowned feeling as lost as when Dean had tried to explain his love of cars. “I don’t understand.”
“Well, you’re a fucking moron,” said Dean with an angry huff. “I was happy. Don’t you get it? My brother is dead and getting tortured in hell and I was happy!”
Automatically casting his eyes to the ceiling, Castiel found himself glaring at it as if it could send the message of his anger to God. “Dean, you can’t spend the rest of your life grieving for your brother. You should be allowed to be happy. You’re brother would want you to be happy.”
“How the hell would you know what he would want?”
“Dean…”
“No, no, no. I know he wants me to have a happy normal life, but you still don’t get it.” The words began to blur even more as Dean’s voice caught and broke between the syllables. “I was happy because for a little while, just for a moment… I forgot. I forgot Sam.” And Dean’s rough voice turned into a chocked sob.
Castiel remained silent, but he held tightly to the phone as if he could somehow transfer that grip to Dean.
“What if…” Dean began again after several aching minutes. “What if I forget him completely?”
“Never.” Castiel’s words were as intense as when he had the power of heaven behind them. “I know you, Dean Winchester. And I promise you you will never forget your brother.”
Chapter 17
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Date: 2010-07-20 07:48 am (UTC)“I don’t look after Bobby,” the former angel said. “He looks after me.”
Ah! Not only is true but very sweet!
Poor Dean! He's his own worst enemy. Thank goodness he has Cas a friend.