AN: Dude, I am on an update roll! Were you all beginning to think I had forgotten about this fic? Never! So, this chapter has lots of Dean/Castiel friendship and Ruby/Wyatt mommy/son cuteness and...also, lots of bashing the Campbells.
I feel the need to point out that I do not like the Campbells. Not even Samuel. He may be their grandfather, but he is a dick. As proved by the last episode. And I'm assuming nobody will disagree with me about Christian. I don't like Gwen either. She just..irks me. The only Campbell I had a soft spot for was Mark and that was because he never had a chance to piss me off. Oh, and DAVID PAETKAU! Yeah, I love DP. But the point here that I was trying to make is...I don't like the Campbells. Neither, for that matter, does Ruby. Or Wyatt 'cause he's smart enough to know when his mother dislikes someone, he should too.
But enough of my rambling. Onto the chapter!
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Goodnight, Moon
Written by Becks Rylynn
Part Four:
''You must remember this''
Wyatt's pretty sure there's probably no word in the dictionary for how he feels when he sees his father standing in the doorway next to Castiel. The feeling, however, is amplified even more when he sees his mother pushing through the wall of angel and hunter, shoving them both, from the looks of it quite roughly, to the side to get to her son. ''Wyatt!'' Mom races forwards, dropping to her knees and pulling him into her arms.
He relaxes for what feels like the first time in a long time, sighing against her shoulder. She smells like vanilla and coffee and home and he almost wants to cry a little. But when she pulls away from him, bringing a hand to his face gently, he sees she's got enough tears for the both of them. ''Oh, baby, I'm so sorry.'' She wraps him up in another safe feeling hug and he squeezes his eyes shut. ''I'm so sorry I forgot you.''
When he hears her let out a choked sob, he's overwhelmed with the feeling that he needs to make her feel better. ''It's okay,'' he mumbles, even though it kind of feels like there's something stuck in his throat and his eyes hurt. ''Don't cry, Mom.''
She smiles at him like he's the best thing she's ever seen, sniffling lightly. ''Are you okay?'' She asks, looking him up and down in that same desperate way Sam had. ''Are you hurt?'' She grimaces when she catches sight of the bruise on his forehead.
''Mom, I'm fi - '' He doesn't get a chance to finish his sentence because two very familiar strong arms have lifted him off the ground and pulled him against a very familiar chest. His arms automatically wrap around his father's neck and he lets out a breath he forgot he was holding. His dad puts a hand on his back and Wyatt hears him let out a shaky breath. (Winchesters do cry, after all. Wyatt will have to remember that for later.) ''Dad,'' he murmurs. ''Dad...too tight.''
Dad puts him down quickly and doesn't say a word as he looks him up and down, hand falling to his shoulder. His small, brief smile says it all though and suddenly Wyatt feels incredibly humbled. That is pride in Dad's eyes and it's directed towards him. I mean, sure, Mom's been proud of him before. So has Dad for that matter. But this kind of pride...it's just different. Dad's fingers graze the bruise on Wyatt's forehead and his lips tighten. ''You good?''
Wyatt nods and smiles. ''I'm good.'' He turns and looks back towards the suddenly hesitant Sam. ''Uncle Sam kept me safe.''
Dad looks behind Wyatt towards Sam and Wyatt grins, moving over to Mom. Well, he wanted to get them in the same room together. Ideally, it would have been under better circumstances, but hey, Wyatt knows how to work with what he's got. He watches Dad and Sam come face to face, all too aware of the sudden, odd hush that has taken over the room. ''Sam,'' Dad says at last, voice soft.
Sam half smiles. ''Hey, Dean.''
Dad seems to study him for a moment before nodding and letting a hesitant smile grace his lips. But then he takes Sam's elbow and drags him away from the rest of the group. Wyatt sighs and leans closer to attempt to hear what's going on. ''Thank you, Sam,'' Dad's saying earnestly and Wyatt is suddenly realizing why this moment is supposed to be private. ''For taking care of my boy.''
Sam meets his brother's eyes. ''You know I'd never let anything happen to Wyatt or Ella, Dean.''
Dad pauses and the nods briskly before turning his attention back to Wyatt, who can't help but notice the way Dean's eyes flick to the uncharacteristically silent ('cept for Mark. It's actually entirely in character for him to be silent) Campbell party. ''Dean,'' Samuel speaks up with a tentative smile. ''Good to see you again, son.''
The corners of Dad's lips twitch and his eyes gleam with something that doesn't look at all pleasant. ''Sure.''
''You too, Mrs. Winchester,'' Samuel adds.
Wyatt's not sure if Samuel's addressing Mom like that is some form of showing respect, but if it is, the guy should really work on his tone. He says Mrs. Winchester like he's mocking her. Like she somehow doesn't deserve the last name Winchester. Well, what's he know about being a Winchester anyway? He's not a Winchester. He's a Campbell. Wyatt has a feeling everyone else notices the tone too because Sam sighs, Dad clenches his jaw and Mom flat out ignores him, instead opting to pull Wyatt closer. It suddenly occurs to the boy that Samuel's attitude could have to do with the fact that he knows Mom doesn't like him and he doesn't like that.
''Okay,'' Dad clears his throat, hovering just a little too close to Wyatt and Mom. ''So, this chick...who votes we send her packin'?''
She's not a bad person. She's not. She's just lonely. Her dad has moved on with his life and the white light is too scary to go into because she doesn't know what will be on the other side. Her life is cold and lonely. Her dad doesn't think about her as much as he used to and she pretty much stopped peeking in on him when he re-married and had another baby. She's been alone for seven (almost eight) years and things are getting scary. Sometimes she can't remember what it was like to be real. Sometimes she can't even remember her own name.
But Wyatt...he has always been there. She has always remembered him. Even in the darkest moments when the noises get loud and the light gets bright and other ghosts flicker in and out around her, she remembers Wyatt. She knows they're meant to be together. She can feel it in her bones. She has been with Wyatt forever, she has watched him grow up, her soul has been connected to his since the moment he was born.
Do you know what she's done for that boy? Her boy? Do you know what she gave him?
She gave him life.
Now it's time to take it away. She has tried her best to do this the easy way, but Wyatt is far too much like his annoying mother. Well, that's fine. If he wants to do it the hardway, she can do it the hard way.
That stupid dog barks at her when she enters the home and she's tempted to float a knife into the beast's body, but she settles for locking it outside instead. The babysitter is even easier. Aggie Marquez has never been the brightest bulb on the chandelier. Her eyes widen when she catches sight of her and she opens her mouth most likely to demand a name, but cool fingers touch her forehead and she drops to the ground.
The lights in the hallway flicker and the door to Ella Winchester's nursery swings open. The ghost enters slowly and makes her way over to the crib, staring down at the infant in something akin to disgust. This is the thing that Wyatt adores? This is the thing he would die for? Scowling, she narrows her eyes at the baby sleeping soundly in the crib. ''What makes you so special?''
Emotions confuse him. It's as simple as that. Castiel has never made that fact a secret. He has also never made it a secret that Dean Winchester means something to him. Dean Winchester has always meant something. Even long before they met, Dean meant something profound. Castiel watched Dean from the moment he was born. Watched him grow, watched him hunt, watched him take care of Sam and fall in love with Ruby. He watched him die, watched every cut he made in hell until it was finally time to save him.
Castiel has alway watched Dean and Castiel has always cared for Dean. He has done things for that Winchester that nobody knows about. That's the reason Castiel is almost certain he knows precisely who this ghost is.
When Ruby asks Wyatt about the imaginary friend he had when he was three and Wyatt's eyes get big, Castiel knows he's correct in his assumptions. ''Oh yeah!'' Wyatt cries. ''I remember her! ...She was a ghost? Whoa. Freaky. What was her name again...?''
''Joy.'' It slips through Castiel's lips before he can stop it and all eyes turn to him. ''Her name was Joy Harper.'' Something pools in his gut. He realizes quickly it is guilt.
''Yeah,'' Wyatt bobs his head up and down. ''Joy. That was her name. How'd you know that?''
''Yeah, Cas,'' Dean echoes, looking at him oddly. ''How did you know that?''
''All I want to know is why the hell is she doing this to my son?'' Ruby bites out impatiently. ''Why him? Why my son?''
Castiel can't quite keep the truth from spilling out. ''Because she died for him.''
Ruby stills. Dean reaches for Wyatt. ''What?'' Ruby eventually chokes out. ''No.'' She makes what looks like an attempt to laugh the situation off, but it clearly doesn't work. ''I would remember...I would know if a little girl died for my son. I would - ''
''Childbirth is an unpredictable thing, Ruby.'' Out of the corner of his eye, Castiel notices the way Dean looks like he suddenly can't breathe. ''The day Wyatt was born, there were supposed to be complications during delivery. Fate said he was supposed to die inside of you. Fate said you were both supposed to die.'' It's blunt, but that shouldn't be surprising to anyone.
Ruby looks horrified and her eyes glimmer and it's...bewildering how much Castiel dislikes seeing her cry. Wyatt and Sam are both pale, the Campbells are looking at him like he's a monster (yeah, he...doesn't really care about that one) but the only reaction Castiel really cares about is Dean's. So far there isn't one. Other than an incredibly visible flinch (his whole body jerks and Castiel resists asking if he's having a seizure) at the knowledge his wife and son were supposed to die, he's blank. His eyes are cast downwards and his body is tense. Castiel thinks that might sting more than proper reaction could.
''No.'' It's Ruby who voices her opinion. ''No, you're lying.''
''I'm not. You know I'm not. I know what you saw that day. You saw a Reaper, Ruby. It was there the night Wyatt was born. It was there in that hospital for you and your son. But I saw. I saw what you would mean. Dean,'' Castiel shifts his gaze to his former charger and Dean lifts his eyes. ''I saw what she would mean to you. I saw how she would change you, make you better, give you love. I saw how she would fix everything broken inside of you - '' this is where Dean's eyes briefly slide to Ruby and she meets his eyes for a fraction of a second before focusing on her son. '' - How they both would. I couldn't just let them die...''
''Where does Joy come into all of this?'' Samuel pipes up gruffly, rudely interrupting Castiel's near plea for understanding.
''An eye for an eye,'' Sam mutters, eyes on the ground. ''A life for a life. Am I right?''
''Oh my god,'' Ruby whispers, turning horror struck eyes back to Castiel. ''You...'' She trails off like she can't physically say the words.
Eventually, Castiel clears his throat. ''At the same time Wyatt was born, Cecelia Harper was driving her daughter Joy home from a friend's house. Cecelia lost control of the car. Both died.''
Ruby is shaking her head and looks like she's about to be sick, Sam can't look at him, Wyatt's clutching tightly to Dean's hand and Dean...
''You made sure someone else died so that Ruby and Wyatt wouldn't have to?'' He asks quietly.
''I did it for you,'' Castiel says softly. Ruby sits down slowly on a rickety old chair, reaching forwards to bring Wyatt to her, clinging to him like he's all that's holding her together. And Dean won't look at him. ''I didn't kill them,'' he says firmly. ''Death chose to take them instead. That is not my fault. I didn't make that choice. Two people had to die that day and if it wasn't going to be you, it was going to be someone else.''
''But she was just a little girl!'' Ruby cries out, glaring up at him. ''Don't you care?''
Castiel hesitates, looks at Dean and then tilts his head to the side. ''It's not my place to care.''
''You can't just mess with people's lives like this! You're not God!''
''Ruby, stop it!'' Dean's voice easily overpowers her as he steps in between his wife and angel, staring down at Ruby with a careful frown. ''Look,'' he says tensely, muscles in his jaw twitching. ''I get it. You're a mom. You feel sorry for this kid. Maybe you feel guilty. That's - Hey, I can't tell you how to feel. But don't for a second pretend you wouldn't have done the exact same thing. Given the choice between your son and a random stranger, who would you choose?''
Her glare falters and she looks away. ''Dean...''
''I'm sorry, Ruby. But the truth is I would set the whole world on fire if it meant saving Wyatt. You would too.''
''I don't want to talk about this anymore,'' a small voice says meekly. Everyone shifts their attention to Wyatt, who is looking down at the ground uncomfortably. He looks more like a kid than he did ten minutes ago, kicking at something imaginary on the ground. ''I don't want to talk about the past or what Cas did or even who Joy was because that's not who she is now. Even when she was my friend, she was different. She's mean now, okay? She's mean and she scares me and I just...I just want her to go away.'' He turns pleading eyes to his father and uncle, fingers clutching desperately at his mother's shirt. ''Can't you just make her go away?''
Wyatt's not exactly sure how this ghost thing works, but when Samuel digs up the info that Joy Harper was cremated, Dad and Sam look like someone has kicked their puppy.
''I don't understand why she's doing this,'' Mom's saying. ''If she wants revenge, why now? Why has she just started acting out now? Why not when Wyatt was vulnerable? When he was a baby? And why is he the only one being haunted? Two people died that day. Shouldn't her mother be haunting me?''
''Her mother probably crossed over,'' Sam says patiently.
''Then why didn't she?''
''Some people get lost, Ruby,'' Castiel explains calmly. ''Some people can't find the light or it can't find them. She probably got confused or scared and turned away from the light.''
''Well, then can't we just help her find it?''
''Hey, you know who we need? Jennifer Love Hewitt.''
Wyatt can't keep his laugh in and winds up coughing to cover it up. While Mom sighs and pinches the bridge of her nose and Sam drops his head into his hands, Castiel is the only one to address Dad's lame joke with a carefully measured, ''I don't know what that means.''
Dad rolls his eyes. ''Nevermind. Ruby, this girl is obsessed with Wyatt. She's not going willingly.''
Wyatt opens his mouth to speak, but his mother beats him to it, pointing out to the others that, ''her name is Joy.''
''Look,'' Sam's voice is soft and placating as he looks in between the three. He sends a glance over his shoulder at Wyatt and Wyatt looks away quickly to pretend he hasn't been spying. ''She's not going to stay gone forever. We need to get Wyatt out of here before she comes back.''
As soon as Christian Campbell shoves himself into the group with a smirk on his face, Wyatt has a pretty good idea he knows what's going to come out of the man's mouth. ''I've got a better idea.''
Dad looks at him, blinks and crosses his arms. ''I highly doubt that.''
Wyatt lets out a snort and pretends he doesn't notice when everyone looks at him for a second.
''This girl - ''
''Joy,'' Mom cuts in.
'' - She wants Wyatt, right?''
Dad tenses like he looks like he wants to say 'I haven't even heard your plan and already it's stupid and you're stupid by association.'
Christian's grinning like the cat that got the canary and Wyatt's wondering why Sam puts up with him. ''Then why don't we give him to her?''
There's a beat of silence in which Wyatt's jaw drops and he stares open mouthed, praying his parents tell Christian to suck it. That is not a plan he wants to go along with. Luckily for him, he is not the only one who thinks Christian is an idiot. The next thing he knows, he is watching Dad drag Mom away from Christian, who is cradling his cheek. Sam is shaking his head and sighing like he can't believe he's been putting up with this guy for a year, Castiel's looking at the man like he's scum, although that's nothing really new because Cas kind of looks at a lot of people like that. Even Samuel and Mark look a little embarrassed at the fact that they're related to this dude. (Gwen's too busy looking extremely apprehensive of Mom to have a reaction to Christian's ''better idea.'')
''Are you crazy?'' Mom screeches wildly, fighting against Dad's hold on her. ''You want to use my son as bait? After everything he's been through?''
''That's your brilliant idea?'' Dad sneers visciously. ''Using him as bait? Are you a moron?''
''It's the best option and you know it,'' Christian argues defensively.
''It's not the best option,'' Dad bites back. ''Using someone as bait is always unnecessarily risky and I will not do that to my son, do you understand me? I won't put him in that kind of danger - ''
''He's already in danger! If we don't - ''
''No!''
Wyatt literally jumps at the venom in his father's voice. That is a tone of voice he has never heard before. He can tell the rest of the room is shocked too. Even Sam looks a little stunned, albeit not nearly as stunned as Christian.
''We are not using my son like that. End of discussion.''
''Whoa,'' Sam steps in between Dad and Christian, anxiously pushing them away from each other. ''Let's just calm - ''
''Your son?'' Christian laughs loudly and even Wyatt (the seven year old) can tell he's quite miffed at being talked down to. This is clearly his way of licking his wounds. It doesn't help that Bitch seems to be his default setting. It really shouldn't surprise anyone that he decides to be petty and mean, throwing an unnecessary and cutting remark back in Dad's face. ''Don't you mean your stepson? I mean...it's not like he's actually yours, is he?''
...Dad is not nearly as hesitant as Mom was. There is no moment of silence where he weighs his options between violence and choking it down. Dad just lunges. There's a flurry of commotion and yelps and Wyatt can't decide if he should be feeling amused, angry or terrified. He distances himself from the fight and waits impatiently for them to stop. About five seconds after a sigh leaves his lips, he hears a whisper float through the air.
''Wyatt...''
His tenses and he tries his hardest to breathe through the suffocating fear that hits him. He knows that voice. It's her. It's her, she's back! He opens his mouth to scream for someone to help him, but no words come out.
''Wyatt...''
Even though he's terrified of what's happening, his body moves and he can't stop himself. He doesn't want to. He wants to scream for Mom and Dad to help him, but for some reason he can't. He drifts towards the sound of the voice, screaming on the inside and terror flows through him.
''Wyatt...''
Somewhere in between Dean launching himself off Christian and Sam and Castiel pulling him off the increasingly bloodied man on the ground, someone notices the boy is moving away from them. ''Uh, guys...'' He goes ignored by everyone and the boy keeps moving. In the end, it's Ruby who snaps her attention to Mark Campbell mere seconds before he yells out, ''Hey!'' When everyone looks at him, he nods towards Wyatt.
Ruby whirls around and her heart stops in her chest because the way he's moving isn't right. ''Wyatt...'' She goes forwards, reaching out to grasp her son's arm. ''Baby, what are you doing?''
He seems to turn his head towards her with a great deal of difficulty and the pure fear in his eyes makes her panic. There are frightened tears welling in his eyes and her grip on him tightens. ''Mom...'' He meets her eyes, a second passes and then before she even has a chance to react, he's being cruelly ripped away from her and pulled screaming through the door by something she can't see while she is thrown into her husband, all in the span of about two and a half seconds.
In the minute it takes Dean to pull both himself and Ruby to their feet and kick the door down with an army behind him, Wyatt disappears into thin air and they're left back at square one with a whole new level of panic and without their son.
Wyatt slowly blinks his eyes open to darkness and odd shaped shadows on the wall. For the briefest moment, he thinks maybe this whole thing has been a really horrible, really vivid nightmare. But then he hears her voice and everything comes rushing back. ''Hi, Wyatt. I'm glad you're awake.''
He bolts upright, regrets it and then pushes all the pain away to spin around. Panic so intense it makes him dizzy hits him like a punch in the gut when he sees her. Joy (her name is totally ironic, by the way) is sitting in a very familiar rocking chair in a very familiar room, holding onto his sister with a smile on her face. ''Ella,'' he chokes out. The baby wriggles.
''Wyatt,'' Joy says calmly. ''I didn't want it to go this way.''
''No,'' his voice trembles as he staggers towards her. Any earlier fear cannot compare to this. Not even close. ''No, not her. She doesn't have anything to do with this!''
''She does now,'' Joy snarls. ''If you don't do what I want, then she'll die.''
Wyatt grapples for control, the upper hand, something to hold over her head like she's holding Ella over his, but he's got nothing. All he's got is surrendering and hoping she'll leave his sister alone if he does what she wants. ''What do you want me to do?'' He asks quietly, desperately trying not to stare in horror and appear calm instead.
Joy smiles and rises to her feet. ''I want you to die.''
He swallows.
She says it so plainly it's almost as if she's just asking him to do something as simple as her laundry rather than something completely and totally life ending. She shrugs, shifting Ella onto her hip easily. ''Then we can be together. Forever. I didn't want to have to do it this way, but you weren't listening.'' She shakes her head. ''But Ella...I knew she would make you listen. You may not have his blood, Wyatt, but you're a lot like your dad. Which means your biggest weakness would be your sister. Now you can see. You can see we're meant to be together.''
''Why are you doing this?'' He asks bravely.
''I died for you, Wyatt,'' she hisses, stepping forwards in a jerky movement. His eyes stray to Ella. ''I died the same time you were born. That makes us connected in ways you can't even imagine.''
He tries not to look at Ella, tries to keep his anxiety at bay. But there is a ghost holding onto his sister and threatening to kill her and he can't lose Ella. This is a very anxious time. ''What happened to your mom?'' He blurts out without thinking. When he replays the question in his head, he internally winces and prays the question doesn't push her over the edge.
Joy goes still and the sneer drops off her face. ''My...'' She frowns like she's trying her best to remember something she just can't quite reach. ''My mom?''
''Yeah.'' He takes a slow, hesitant step forwards. ''She...She died with you, Joy. In the accident. What happened to her? Did she go into the light?''
''I...'' She swallows thickly, glances down at the ground and then nods. ''...Yeah.''
''Why didn't you go with her?''
Joy shrugs, looking uncomfortable.
Wyatt thinks his plan might be working. He takes another step forwards. ''Did you lose her?'' He asks softly. ''Cas says some people get lost or confused. Did you get lost? Because if you did, I'm sure your mom was real worried about you. She probably still is. You're her daughter. I...I could help you find her. If you want.''
She shakes her head, but he can see the way her lips are trembling. It's kind of shocking...but he thinks he might actually be getting through to her. ''I want to stay with you,'' she whispers shakily.
He takes advantage of her current weakened state and takes a huge risk, taking the last step forwards and carefully lifting Ella out of Joy's arms. For her part, Joy doesn't lash out at him like he thought she would. Her eyes follow his every move, but she doesn't do a thing. He thinks he might even hear her sniffle. Ella grasps his shirt and buries her face in the crook of his neck. And Wyatt can breathe again. ''Joy,'' he says slowly. ''Are you afraid of the light?''
She's not looking at him when she rasps out, ''No'' and he gets the feeling she's lying.
''You are, aren't you?'' He insists, gently placing Ella back in her crib just in case Joy decides to throw him across the room or something. ''You're afraid of what's on the other side. ...You don't have to be,'' he whispers. ''I...hear it's nice.''
Abruptly, her demeanor changes, her eyes harden and she scowls at him. ''I don't want to go to the other side,'' she snarls. Her image flickers in and out and then he's left alone. He tenses when he feels a cold hand on his shoulder and before he can even turn around, she's shoving him towards the wall. His chest hits the wall hard and he groans, sliding to the ground. ''I want to be with you!'' Her face twists into an ugly scowl and she stands in front of him, looking unnaturally intimidating standing in the glow of the moonlight. ''We're going to be together, Wyatt. Whether you like ir or not.''
The door flies open, teaching him a very important lesson. His Mom and Dad have impeccable timing. But even with his parents standing in the doorway, Dad's finger poised on the trigger, Wyatt still feels an indescribable sense of apprehension.
In the second before Dad can pull the trigger, Joy lets out a frustrated shriek and throws a hand out. Ella's crib scratches against the floor and bangs loudly against the wall. Ella lets out a wail. Wyatt's heart slams against his ribcage and he acts before he thinks, leaping in between Joy and the gun pointed at her. ''Wait!'' He screams, eyes swinging from his parents to Ella. ''Joy, don't,'' he begs. ''Don't hurt her.''
''Give me one good reason why I shouldn't.''
''Because I'll go with you!''
''No, you won't!''
''Mom,'' his voice sounds remarkably composed when he turns towards his parents, trying his best to remain calm even when he sees the horror reflected in Mom's eyes. ''I'm sorry,'' he says softly, ''but I can't let her hurt Ella.''
He only flinches when Dad's gun is torn out of his hand by an unseen force and thrown across the room and he doesn't cry out when the same unseen force shoves them both against the wall and slams Ella's crib into their bodies to keep them in place. But when Joy grins, Wyatt doesn't quite manage to keep from trembling. ''I'll go with you,'' he says strongly. ''Just leave my sister alone.''
She latches onto his arm tightly and the world around him begins to fade.
''Done.''
end chapter four
AN: Woo! Only one more chapter to go! Who's excited?