Fish, Flowers and Flames
Forgotten terrors, blinding faith and whispers in the night. They were all Castiel had to hold onto. He worked at a fish market and one day, he set eyes upon one of the fairest maidens he had ever met. Her name was Deanna Winchester.
As she swayed her hips over to him Deanna murmured to a man standing behind her. Reluctantly, he left her and made his way to a different section of the market. "Good day to you, sir." She greeted Castiel.
"And you, ma Lady." He bowed slightly. "What would you like?"
"Two of your finest salmon fillets."
"May that be all?"
"Yes thank you." Castiel bagged up the fish and Deanna paid him, then left.
The next day, Castiel went back to the fish market and set up, ready for work. Around the same time, Deanna arrived once again.
"Morning." Castiel smirked.
"Good morning. I didn't catch your name yesterday."
"I'm named Castiel. But you may call me Cas."
"Well, Cas, I'm Deanna."
"What can I do for you, Deanna?"
"Two of your finest salmon fillets."
"Is that all?"
"Yes thank you." She collected the bags and walked off. To Cas, she was even more mesmerising than she could ever imagine.
Day after day for six months, Deanna visited Cas at the fish market. And every day, she bought two salmon fillets from him. On a sunny day in June, Cas decided to do something about Deanna. He enjoyed her visits and wanted her all to himself.
Castiel was a good man, he went to church every Sunday, and he prayed and confessed regularly (not that he did anything wrong). Cas was a good little Christian. However, when he was around Deanna, he wanted her with every fibre of his being. Cas needed her to breathe. He would kill for her. Luckily, he didn't have to.
"Good day to you, Cas."
"Deanna. How are you?"
"I'm very well, and yourself?"
"I wanted to ask you something."
"Of course. Anything."
"Would you do me the honour of being my lover?" Cas grabbed a bunch of tulips he had bought earlier.
"I was wondering when you'd ask."
"So… that's a yes then?"
"Yes. Also, I applaud your choice in flower. Tulips – love and protection. The two things of utmost importance in a woman's life."
"Thank… than you."
"Castiel, should you hurt my daughter, you will be slain where you stand. Do you understand?"
"Yes. I also wanted to ask something of you, Mr Winchester."
"Please, John."
"John. May I have your daughter's hand?"
"Yes."
"Wait… what?" Cas was confused by John's abruptness.
"I see the way you two are in love. Like myself and my late wife, you two deserve to be together."
"Thank you sir. I won't disappoint."
"You better not. Or I'll have your head."
"I do."
"Deanna. I'm home. I have a surprise for both you and the baby." Castiel and Deanna had been surprised when Deanna fell pregnant a few months after the wedding. "Deanna! Where are you my love?" He heard movement from upstairs, so he went up.
"Deanna?" The noise was coming from the bedroom. He pushed the door open. "Deanna? Are you there?" She was in the bathroom. Castiel moved to lay down on the bed. He closed his eyes for a moment.
Something dripped on his face, Cas flinched. And again. He opened his eyes to find himself staring at Deanna. She was on the ceiling. Her hair up in a bun still, and her working dress on, she looked the image of beauty.
Along her abdomen, a savage cut seeped blood. Cas didn't understand. "De…Deanna?" A flame took shape and within seconds engulfed her. "My love?" He was in shock.
Soon, the whole room was on fire and as the fire licked at Cas's fingers, he came to his senses. "No! Deanna, no!" He grabbed Deanna's arm and pulled. With his youth of cutting through fish bone and hauling around heavy fish, he was quite strong. Cas managed to get Deanna off the ceiling with a firm tug.
He laid in the burning bedroom holding his charred wife and unborn child, humming a lullaby. He was dead within minutes.
When the firemen go to the Victorian-style house, they found Deanna and the body enveloped in Castiel's cold, dead embrace.