He looked up from the file placed on his desk, the FBI seal on the brown file made his jaw clench he stared up at the man before him, taking in the casual attire for what he could only assume was an FBI agent, he opens his mouth about to explain they must have the wrong person.
"Professor Novak" The FBI agent enquired; and his mouth turned into a silent O. He straightens himself up and stares at the man, caught on the southern drawl that had just enquired his name. But it wasn't so much an enquiry as much as a statement. And this bothered him. Why was he here? Who had let him down to his office? His office was situated in the lower floor of the building the place the students aptly referred to as purgatory. As Professor Novak rarely let anyone down to the level and no one entered his office, it was his space and it was not to be infiltrated by unwelcome outsiders. Rumours once spread of few students who had been down to "Purgatory" that never resurfaced again.
"That is I" he finally finds his voice and pushes his glasses back upon the bridge of his nose and stands, accepting the hand offered to him.
"The Faculty Head said I'd find you down here" The southern drawl left a gruff tang at the end and he could not decide if he was intrigued by the man or the slightly perplexing concept that there was indeed an FBI agent standing in his office. "I'm Special Agent Winchester." he adds as they shake hands. The professor regarding him again the strong handshake lasting only moments and yet his coarse hands spoke volumes of the man before him.
"How may I assist you Special Agent Winchester?" The professor was now the one enquiring, he refused to touch the brown file in front of him, and he sat back down in his chair reclining back this time. Letting his gaze travel up over the casual but smart Jeans and then pressed green plaid shirt. This Special Agent did not look much like an agent right now, it left his mind wandering about what exactly this is.
"How about we go get some coffee and I pick your brains?" he asks casually a slight shrug as his eyes wonder around the room. The professor catches his gaze and then proceeds to watch him look around his office, something about the intensity of the Agents gaze left him feeling uncomfortable the office suddenly too close and his clothes constricting around his neck. So against better judgement he stands.
"Very Well Special Agent Winchester" He feels the words slip out almost to quiet and he curses himself, he is not known for his social prowess but he would have hoped he could at least hold a conversation with an agent of the law.
"Dean. Call me Dean." The agent flashes the professor a smile and the professor finds himself reaching for the file taking in a sharp inhale as he glances around his office.
"There is only one spot on campus that I will take my coffee and it most certainly is not the faculty staff room." Now Standing the professor chances making eye contact with the Agent; there is a look in the Agent eyes that states he has seen much and done much worse. A caged animal ready and lurking behind the smooth and charming demeanour of this casually dressed Special Agent.
"Not a problem, we can go where ever." Dean smiles, a bright smile that reaches even his eyes and it takes the Professor off guard.
The professor stares at Dean now as he starts walking out the office, his jaw set tight as he watches Deans fingers work along the spines of the books on his book case, he sucks in a sharp inhale and counts to 7 breathing out and back in again, reminding himself to remain calm. This is why he did not even let students within his office. He disliked people touching what is his. Dean turns to him as he reaches the door and the professor almost walks into him he was too busy paying attention to the breathing exercises, he had been given them to help him control the anxiety.
And now this Six foot three casually charming guard disarming Agent was staring at him. "Do I have to call you professor Novak, Don't y'have a real name I can use? What'm I t'call you?" The Agents thick accent was now less professional, and it was evidently butchering the English language. This should be causing the Professors stomach to knot, but instead he finds himself just staring slack jawed.
He corrects himself and nods "Very well, Castiel, My name is Castiel." He stammers with his own name and he locks his jaw now to refrain from rolling his eyes. Once again his lack of social experience shows, and Castiel now questions why he is even slightly bothered about this. The agent will take his information and leave. Never to return, so why does that cause his stomach to knot more than the close proximity?
"Y'know I asked for a name I'd be able to use" Dean was laughing at him now and the professor braced himself to the overwhelming sense of panic but it did not come, instead he found himself smiling at this character.
He sighs and shakes his head mumbling, "My Parents were Scholars of History and Religion." An here it was, that gut wrenching twisting feeling the world was about to spin out of control, he never spoke of his parents he could not bring himself to consider them.
An open hand placed on his right shoulder drew him back to the here and now, he was about to flinch away, but these green eyes met his and he just stopped, everything in him ran cold, but not in fear all that was gone. It was just a dark empty place. Void of emotion.
"Cas? You with me?" Dean asked and the Professor quirked his brow and as if that was question enough Dean continued. "Casti-whatever, it's too much of a mouthful" he winked and continued "So Cas for short, makes perfect sense to me, don't others call you Cas?" The darkness was gone and the cold feeling was rushing with warmth.
Cas he mused to himself and accepted this new name with ease, something he had never experienced before, he repeated the shortened version of his name and it caused his brain to rattle. Slowly it was his own voice he was hearing say it no longer Dean fear and instinct took over, fear of the unknown, fear of disorder and total chaos. His name was Castiel Novak he was a professor at Columbia University.
Cas shook his head, this was going to take some getting used to.
"Well from now on to me at the very least you are known as Cas, comprende padre?" Dean flashed him another disarming smile and Cas nodded.
"Very well then Dean, are we going to remain in this doorway all afternoon, or may we go and purchase some coffee now?" He asks and steps back to take a little control back of his own surroundings, the vibes he had picked up around Dean had become an instant gravitational field, to a state of not feeling and that was a dangerous path for him. Cas knew given time and opportunity he would find himself reliant on this feeling making dealing with the rest of the world that much harder for him, so he decided to pull back now to save himself from any harm.
They walked through the campus side by side, Cas trying avoid the gravitation pull of Dean, pushing himself away from the cold clear feeling that Dean causes to wash over him. Cas stares a head, noting each and every student to avoid, moving away from swaying limbs and the occasional over handing bag or book. This world was in fact Cas' worse nightmare, he had not checked the time, and it was break time, prime time for students to amass corridors and loiter near doors. Cas was using his breathing and trying to keep in step with Dean whilst dodging the passing students to avoid the impending feeling tightening within his chest.
They make is across the courtyard as Cas steers Dean towards the only coffee house on campus that he trusts. He stops mid stride staring at the busy buzzing coffee house it takes a few more steps from Dean before he realises Cas is no longer walking beside him. Cas clutches the FBI file and holds it to his chest. His breathing now erratic, his coffee house the usually quiet place on campus is a busy place with warm sweating germ carrying bodies all jostling for place. Cas feels his chest tighten and his stomach churn, he could not walk into such a place, seeing it as this was almost a desecration of a place he virtually considered sacred. If it were possible for a certain chair at a certain table within this specific coffee house to be considered sacred, then yes this place was sacred to him. A usually quiet place he uses for contemplation as he sips from his usual cup watching the world pass by in quiet and it was now a sight of disorder, total chaos. His eyes widened his pupils dilating as he took in the sight before him. He was about to turn to leave when he heard his name not his name, his new shortened version of his name carried by this intoxicating low tone that in its self, had a certain calming gravitational pull to it. It was faintly rising above the din of the rustling crowds, bag zippers and clanking mugs. He froze in place his heart beating racing actually pushing streams of blood to sound like it was reverberating through his ears and yet still he heard his name.
"Cas?" Dean stepped forwards, his eyes almost squinted in both confusion and concern, for all he knew this guy was having a coronary right in front of him, so Dean stepped forwards a hand out stretched in a gesture that he just want to check Cas was ok. He placed his hand on Cas shoulder and Cas' entire posture changed. Suddenly Cas was standing bolt upright, his eyes almost glazed over and Dean was certain he could see traits of himself within Cas' blue eyes, and now Dean decided to pay close attention to those eyes as his pupils receded back and he could in fact see almost ocean blues staring back at him.
Dean could not stop himself smiling; this professor was a coin toss from what he was moments ago. He mused over the facts he knew about this guy for a moment, an ex-FBI profiler who basically excommunicated himself. Dean pondered on this, he left the FBI due to his mental health, it was speculated he was close to snapping that he could feel another's feelings, experience the way they think and feel. It is how they found a few serial killers and kidnappers before. And this lead to him leaving before he lost control of who he was. And if Dean were honest this fact intrigued him slightly. A man dealing with death daily only to become the monster he hunted. Yes this was definitely someone Dean needed to watch closely.
"I am fine Dean, you do not need to show concern for me" Cas nodded curtly that cold feeling of empty space flooded him again and everything else fell by the way side, the rushing students and the hustle and bustle of the coffee house it held no fear for him now, it had washed away. Cas continued to stare into the green eyes that appeared to be studying him. Cas offered a smile and stepped forwards, he felt the empty feeling threaten to rip away so he remained in proximity to Dean at least for now. There are many questions Cas wants to ask, but he is too content to stand beside the FBI agent who projected such a calm and empty of fear aura than Cas felt inexplicably drawn to it.
Break time must have ended as the students all rush around them and seem to be clearing the coffee house; by the time they get there it is mostly empty. Cas barely says two words to the people behind the counter and yet by the time they arrive to pay the cashier is handing over a steamed vanilla spiced latte. Dean almost laughs and orders a flat black before turning to Cas who was almost on instinct moving around the tables and chairs with an effortless precision that made Dean wonder what else this guy did in his spare time. Dean takes his coffee and follows Cas across the coffee house with less grace, moving chairs aside to reach a booth in the far corner overlooking a park.
"I like jogging in that park every morning" Cas smiles as he seems infinitely calmer, again another side of this multi-faced coin.
Dean quirks his brow and leans forwards. "Well not for nothing Cas, but I don't jog, but maybe I'll come watch so you can run by me a few times." Dean is practically smirking at him now, and Cas hardly even misses a beat as he places his hand on the case file.
"Special Agent Winchester, I am sure you are not the FBI's errand boy so please explain to me why you brought this case to my desk, on your day off no less?" Cas flips the subject back to work related and Dean sits there a moment his hand running through his hair rubbing the ends considering if he needed a haircut.
"My day off? Yeah I thought this was going to be a waste of time, so I didn't want to waste official police time on a hunch my boss wanted to try out." Dean guff's at him, feeling a twinge of resentment now towards the seemingly now pompous professor.
"So I am here on a hunch? A hunch about what exactly? Are you in a habit of disobeying orders from your superiors Dean?" Cas stares across the table at him now leaning forwards encroaching on Deans personal space.
Dean huffs and leans back away from the professor, he regards Cas a moment and wonders where the brash pompous professor was in the court yard just moments earlier. He shook his head and mumbled. "Well I am here aren't I?"
"Indeed you are" Cas nods and situates himself into a position where he could read the file he had placed upon the table his slender fingers picked at the edge of the file not opening it yet. He knew what lay inside, photos and information on a string of murders. He had hopped his faculty head would have for bayed the FBI from asking him for such help. But he was aware that the federal government took not such pity on frayed minds of ex-employees, they merely came and took what they wanted.
"Well are you going to open the damn file or just sit here all day." Dean snapped and instantly regretted it, the professor sank back a little and he saw the same flash of panic rear it's head again. Dean internally kicked himself for snapping. But this guy was pushing his buttons. He wanted answers and if the professor had none he wanted to know that. And not spend his afternoon discussing the rights and wrongs of following orders.
Cas flipped the file open scanning over every page the images cementing into his visual memory. He stared at the bodies, they had been butchered, but he noted with care. The file reported no toxins present and no trace evidence was left behind. And the only thing connecting the victims were the strange symbols that were nothing like Cas had ever seen before. Cas played with the rims of his glasses his forefinger and thumb rubbing around the edges as he let out a resigned sigh. "It appears I may be of use after all Special Agent Winchester."
Dean's ears perked up at that and it seems his attitude had been pushed aside as he nods "Call me Dean," He smiles at the professor and watches as he studies over the photos. Dean could see it in his eyes, the cold calculated processing of years of witnessing and being in the mind of a killer. "What do you see?"
Cas nodded and looks up his eyes focusing on Deans as he speaks. "Dean," he affirms watching Dean nod before he continues on "it is the work of the same man, the care taken with each victim is exact. There is over kill to hide the first intended strikes, the victims are dead with in the initial two blows the rest is because he likes to show off his skill, he restrains them only as a show of force, he could disarm and kill without such measures. And the symbols. They are very unique." Cas now returns his gaze the file his fingers brushing over each picture a silent reverence in his eyes.
Cas closes his eyes a moment and closes the file, Dean does not miss the way Cas' eyes change. "So Cas, I guess I be seeing you at the office tomorrow?" Dean watches him carefully each time he looks at him he feels like he could be staring at a different person. But Dean is happy to have some assistance, and what he could tell from this professors behaviour he was going to be very intriguing to work with.
"Yes Dean, may I keep the file and have some time to regard the symbols left upon the victims?" Cas flashes a look to Dean and his hand rests on top of the file. This was more than he had expected, and he was certain he could place the symbols. As long as he kept everything else in order assisting on this case should not be a cause for concern.
"Yeah keep it, and don't work too hard on it, we have tomorrow to work together on it." Dean offers him a smile, he is giving him a way out and Dean does not understand what was possessing him to do so. But Cas returns him a smile and he realises why, Dean knew this would be interesting and he was beginning to see a commonality here between them, he stood and excused himself leaving Cas with the file to work on whilst he returned to his day off.
He crossed out of the university of Columbia and looked up and down 116th street he'd considered driving his baby into the city but he had decided against it. However now he missed being able to climb into his beloved classic car. His one expense that he takes pride in but he did not trust a bunch of college kids around his freshly polished '67 Chevy Impala sport. Even though owning a car in New York City was pointless. He turned on his heel and headed to the nearest subway station to return home and to put thoughts of blue eyes and intense gazes behind him.