Group Therapy
Session 1. Season 1, Episode 1: Pilot AKA The Woman in White
Note: These sessions happen the night after the end of the episode unless otherwise stated.
November 3, 2005
Dean and Sam Winchester exchanged looks with each other. They were in a large conference room, with a circle of chairs with two empty spots on either side of the circle. The other chairs were occupied by three men: one of them an older gentleman who looked thin and frail, the other two were of an age with Dean, one with longer hair who was sitting with his arms cross and looked like a pounting child who doesn't like his punishment, and the other one had brilliant blue eyes and was looking around intently, studying everything.
Dean shrugged and took a seat, and Sam followed suit. When everyone was seated, the older man stood up and addressed the seated men.
"Thank you all for coming here today. I'm glad that you all have agreed to meet today."
This statement was met with confusion and some anger.
"Agreed to what?"
"How the hell did we get here?"
"Where the hell are we?"
"I didn't agree to anything, old man."
The voices rose, cutting each other off before the older gentleman, who seemed to be responsible for the gathering, raised his voice, saying, "Quiet." Everybody shut up. "Thank you. Now, since not everybody knows everybody, let's start with introductions."
"Sure," Dean agreed. "Who the hell are you?"
"I am not important, child. I am merely a vehicle for your enrichment. You may call me the mediator, if you need to call me anything. now, if you would please state your name for the group."
"Dean," Dean muttered. "And this is my brother, Sam," he continued, gesturing to his brother.
The long-haired hippie sitting across the circle spoke next. "I'm Gabriel, and this is my brother Castiel, since apparently the kiddies can't speak up for themselves."
"Thank you, Dean, Gabriel. Now that we have all been introduced, I would like to go over the rules.
1. There will be no violence.
2. You will not leave until I say you can.
3. Do not interrupt. If you have something to say, then raise your hand and you can talk after the person is done.
4. Be sensitive to others. You may not agree with what they are saying, but their point is equally valid, and they have just as much right to air what they are feeling.
5. This is a safe place. You can say anything here. We are here for you, and to try and air some of these hidden resentments that you all are harboring.
"Now, does anyone have anything they want to start out with for our first session?" the mediator asked.
"First session? How long are you going to continue this farce?" one of the strangers, the one called Castiel asked. "This doesn't seem to serve a purpose. Why are we doing this?"
"Because he's a dick," the other stranger, Gabriel said. "He wants to control us, o brother of mine."
"I don't have time for this. I have things to do. Why can't I leave?" Castiel asked, getting more frustrated by the word.
"No one may leave until we are done. Is thereanything that anyone else would like to discuss?
"Why the hell are we here? I don't even know any of you… except Sammy here. Why the hell do I care about any of your problems and why should I want to share anything with strangers?"
"Ever heard of AA, princess?" Gabriel snarked. "Strangers who bare their souls to other strangers bound by a common thread because they can't share with the people they know."
"So what's our common thread?" Sam couldn't help but ask.
"That's a good question, Sammy. What is the common link that holds us all together? Other than being pulled in here without any warning." Gabriel said.
Dean jumped into the conversation. "Well, we're all siblings. Two sets of brothers."
"Are you two hunters?" Sam asked. Apart from the initial 'What the hell are we doing here' freak-out, all four of the participants were taking this rather well. Sam and Dean were used to strange things happening, but most normal people don't really take getting snatched from their dreams well, so Sam was curious why their companions were being so calm.
"Why? Are you?" Gabriel asked.
"Why should we tell you anything?" Dean demanded.
"Ah, ah, ah, Dean. You heard what the big man said. We can't leave until he says so. So we might as well play along until we're released on good behavior."
"What if I don't want to play along?"
"Then we don't get out of here, and it's all your fault. Do you want to be responsible for us being trapped in here forever and ever?"
The mediator saved Dean from having to respond by saying, "I think that's enough for tonight. Good work everyone."
He snapped his fingers, and the two hunters found themselves waking up in the motel room that they'd settled in for the night.
Sam looked over at Dean, who wore an incredulous look on his face. "Dean, tell me that didn't just happen."
"Cosmic group therapy session with mystery guests?" Sam nodded, confirming that they had the same dreams. "Yeah, let's pretend it didn't, for sanity's sake."
TBC in 1.2 Wendigo
A/N: Each chapter will be an episode, but I may decide to have intermediary chapters between sessions to explore what may change as a result of these sessions.