Matty's keeper and the shoe that never dropped

Note: this all happens around chapter 86. It never got out because I was convinced it was kind of like chapter 48 and I don't like to repeat myself when I don't have to, it was an 'unnecessary' chapter.

Katie had been on the edge through the day since Matty raced his way to her and told her how he had messed with the master's things at the atelier.

Less than two weeks they had been living at the new house and she still couldn't figure out the new masters. Master Dean's words still ringed on her ears 'I want you to know we have no intention to ever separate you, you're safe here' and so far it had been like that. They hadn't beaten her or her little brother, or called her to their bedroom at night, or even raised their voices at them or the rest of the slaves, and it was getting to her, bad.

It all had to be sketchier than it looked, nowhere could be as nice and peaceful as that house seemed. It was off somehow, the nice bedroom she got to share with her little brother, the warm clothes they gave them, how good the food was, it couldn't be for real, somewhere there had to be a catch.

The others were less than helpful to ease her running mind, they seemed content, relaxed around the masters, even happy to be there. She had helped Owen with the task of opening every window to air the rooms in the morning of her second day there, and subtly asked him about life at the house, and unexpectedly the boy looked honest when he said he was happy to serve at that state, the masters were a bit weird but they were kind and they had never punished him whenever he did something wrong.

She was leaning on the study's windowsill when he finished talking and Katie was more confused there than she had already been, so she just asked him, Owen was easy to talk to.

"You're saying the masters never disciplined any of us?"

Owen leaned against the windowsill mimicking her position and scratched his chin for a moment before answering only Krissy was punished a few times, but it had stopped once she got her glasses.

Katie smiled at him and silently kept on with the task, thinking of how it was strange the only one Owen knew was punished had to be Krissy, she was so calm around the masters, even a bit protective of Master Dean specially. Perhaps it had something to do with their Master being ill or something, though she wasn't sure what was wrong with him, he just looked really tired all the time.

She had her chance to ask when the next morning she helped Krissy with laundry. The girl was nice and it was easy to work with her, and while waiting for the last rinse she dared to ask her about the ways she was punished. Krissy looked at her pensively. "Why do you want to know?"

"I'll like to know what to expect if I make a mistake, and Owen told me you've been there, before they give you glasses" Better go with the truth, she wasn't sure whom she could trust but that wasn't something too personal or weir to say, she hoped.

Krissy looked at her again and nodded. "It wasn't that bad, I would drop a glass or break a vase or whatever and Miss Jo would take a meal from me, breakfast or the evening tea, and it went on and on till she called a doctor, he examined me and gave me glasses and now I'm not clumsy anymore, so it's been a while since it was necessary any punishment"

"Wait, let me get this straight, you would break something and they would only take a meal, no beatings or lashes, just like that?"

"Yes"

Krissy seemed truthful, just like Owen was, and Katie thought about their words for the remaining of their chore. When they were done they washed their hands and Krissy asked her if she wanted something to soften her hands, laundry wasn't a forgiving task on the skin. Katie nodded thinking she would take her to the kitchen to scrub their hands with sugar and cooking oil or something like that but instead the girl drove her to the slave's bathroom where she produced a small bottle of rose oil for them to use.

Katie smiled softly at the girl, she knew only nightly companions were permitted that indulgence regarding skin care, so that opened another set of questions.

"Krissy, you use the oil because they tell you to?" Because the girl was younger, just a child, just about the age she was when her previous master started calling for her at night.

"Well, Miss Jo told us we could use it whenever we needed to, she said there was no need for us to break our skin"

They stayed silent for a moment while the oil dried up but, as they were about to leave the bathroom Krissy took Katie's hand on hers and looked into her eyes when speaking. "Come with me, I want to show you something"

She walked them back to the basement but instead of getting inside of the laundry room she kept walking to the back to a well lit pantry. "I was too brought here by Mister Milton, my old master gave me to him, it was odd, but I ended up in here. I was the first slave they got, they had just moved into the house themselves, and the first few nights I was worried sick because I had to sleep with Miss Jo"

At that remark Katie looked at her and pursed her lips but Krissy smiled and shook her head "No, it wasn't like that, they were building the slave's rooms so I shared the bed with Miss Jo till the workers were done, then they gave me my own room"

Katie nodded and prompted for her to go on.

"See this place?" Krissy waved her hand signaling the pantry. "When I first came to the house it was a regular… discipline room… Do you know what I mean?" Krissy looked again into her eyes and Katie nodded, she did knew what the other girl was talking about, though her former master preferred to use his own bedroom for that purpose. Katie was dragged back from her memories when Krissy's voice was heard again.

"Well, I was nervous, whenever I had to come down here for whatever reason I dreaded the moment those chains would be holding me, and then I go and break a wine glass" Katie was intently listening to her tale, but unexpectedly Krissy snorted at that moment. "I broke a wine glass so I started to cry, thinking of this awful place, and I cried all the way to the dining room. They were still chatting and laughing and all I could think about was the way their faces would change in anger, but I was brave and told them. They went silent for a moment and then Master Castiel tells me it's not a big deal, but I knew that couldn't be right, so I stupidly thought they hadn't understand me and tell them again what had just happened. Miss Jo then spoke up and told me I couldn't have breakfast the next morning. I got to bed and woke up still worried but that morning some construction workers came and redid this place, took away the chains and bars and built this pantry, and somehow that settled mi heart, it needn't have to be afraid of this place anymore"

Katie's eyes were following Krissy's expressions, she saw the way she recalled it all, and knew that couldn't be a lie, and again was surprised with the way the other girl finished her story.

"I know it's hard to believe but I really think we're safe in here" Krissy let go of her hand then and walked out, leaving a mildly bewildered Katie alone with her thoughts.

Krissy's story kept her thinking for a while but then, some of them had to go and work in a demon's garden for a few days, which was odd but he was apparently a friend of the family. There she met some of the slaves of the angel who originally bought them, and they too were relaxed and unfazed with the fact they were working side by side with the masters.

So it all looked like it was actually some kind of strange bubble they were living in, where the masters were kind and the slaves were happy and it was all sunshine and puppies, and then it all got really weird when some magic was made at the house. She looked from afar how everyone was trying to calm Miss Jo while she cried her eyes out at the kitchen.

Master Castiel had asked them to stay there for the duration of the spell so she was clutching Matty's hand to prevent the boy from wandering out, and somehow sympathized with the mistress, they all could hear master Dean's faint screams coming from the solarium. It all suddenly went silent and a few minutes later Master Dean entered the kitchen through the back door and, after hugging his sister, started to put together a tea service.

That was strange, that and the fact that later that evening they were introduced to a half-dead slave he claimed was his little brother.

They all acted again like if that wasn't the big deal it was. Perhaps the rumor she heard (it wasn't exactly a rumor, Katie did heard one of the Milton slaves talk about their master like if he was another of them, but she never dared to talk about it with the others) was true and Master Dean once was a slave, which would make Miss Jo another slave and that was ridiculous…

Life kept its curse and Katie was beginning to relax a little when that fateful morning Matty, white as a sheath, came looking for her and told her all about the way he had touched master Castiel's things, dropped them on the floor and not happy with that, disturbed their master and made him collect the fallen items from the floor. He was a kid, he knew better but he still was a little kid… The boy was crying and she masked her own fears when she calmed him down and assured him that all they were going to do was take his meal "But a little hunger is nothing for a big, strong guy like you, right?"

Matty nodded through his sniffing and put on his brave face, and she hugged him tight.

Of course that was all a big 'big sister act', Katie was reeling through the day, lunchtime came and went and no one came to tell Matty he couldn't have his meal, which was the standard punishment, two people assured her of that. The afternoon was advancing and tea was around the corner so it had to be that one, Krissy said they had only done it with breakfast and the evening tea.

The Masters entered the kitchen giggling like kids with a secret, and summoned everyone there. Katie went out to get Aiden from the garden and Owen went upstairs for Krissy who was at Sam's bedroom at the moment. They were all curious as to why they were been gathered, all but Katie and Matty who were terrified Castiel would have something on store for him regarding his morning's misbehavior.

Cas, Jo and Dean, when sure the slaves hadn't had an afternoon snack yet, were setting a tea service for all of them there. Katie and Matty were losing color on their faces as they had never experienced it before but, as the rest were acting so calm about it she didn't dare to question it, though she made sure to get as far from the masters as possible, sitting on the opposite corner next to her little brother.

Tea was served to all of them, Katie for a moment had feared they were going to order Matty to watch them eat while he couldn't but it never happened. Instead of a public humiliation they were given something completely unexpected, the chance to learn how to read and write. It wasn't her alone the one mute in astonishment, no one else was talking for the rest of the snack, only moving from their places once the masters had left the room.

For the rest of the evening all slaves kept on working unusually quiet, they were all deep in thoughts after the announcement.

Castiel woke up a few hours into the night, Dean was sound asleep by his side, his face relaxed and soft, he looked so much younger and innocent, so fragile. He kissed the top of his head and Dean made the smallest noise and snuggled his face on his neck. Could Dean still enjoy a full night's sleep once his brother finally succumbed to disease and died? Cas stayed up for a while, he was trying so hard not to think about everything bothering him that he ended up curled on his own thoughts. This was getting ridiculous, he needed to get some sleep, maybe if he had some warm milk?

Cas disentangled from Dean and silently got out of his room, the house was quiet, it was the middle of the night so it was only natural.

The kitchen lights were on, weirdly enough. Cas entered and there was Matty sitting at the table having a glass of milk. It was odd to get the kid up and alone so late but as he was up for the same reason Cas shrugged and greeted him. The boy stood up immediately and bowed his head. Cas missed that, on top of the stove was a small pot with warm milk on it, so he was busy pouring it in a glass without burning his hand. It felt like a victory but he kept it to himself as he was using a child's leftover. He turned to sit at the table but that's when he noticed Matty was standing there, sniffing. He was about to say something when Katie's tired voice reached them. "All set Matty, now finish your milk so we can go back to bed"

The girl went white when she saw him. "M-master!" She gasped and slowly got near the boy, stepping in front of him and bowing. Cas could see the small hand wrapping her pajamas, they were all too defensive of him and he didn't liked it one bit. "Matty, you were having some milk, it'll be cold if you leave it there forgotten, sit, please"

The kid widened his eyes and looked at her before moving. Katie nodded and helped him to the chair, again placing herself in between them. Cas knew that move, he had seen Dean doing it countless times with Jo.

"Why are you up this late at night?" his quiet voice was the only thing heard on the dead of the night till she breathed and licked her lips, whatever it was looked like quite a big deal.

"Sorry Master, sorry, we just took a little milk"

"I can see that, but that wasn't my question, why are you up this late, were you still hungry after supper?" Perhaps that was it, he remembered the way Jo and Dean ate at first, perhaps something like that was happening and he wanted to know, he had promised himself he wouldn't be oblivious to the slave's needs no more.

Katie's mouth hung open for a moment, then she closed it and slowly lifted her head a little, she wasn't making eye contact but she looked determined, so he waited a moment till she found her words. "N-no, Master, you give us plenty of food, and we're thankful for that. It was… Matty had an accident and I had to change the bedding…"

Cas tilted his head and squinted his eyes, what kind of accident a child could have… Oh. It all came back to him, the way he got his bed wet night after night when his mother died, and the cruelty of his brother and sister who kept pointing at him, that and the disdainful gaze his father wouldn't spare him. He looked at the kid, who was halfway through his milk, eyes glued to the table but his lower lip was trembling. He was about to cry and Cas couldn't have that, so he put a smile on his face and softened his voice all he could, just like his nanny did for him all those years ago. "Oh, sorry little man, but you don't have to worry about it, those things happen all the time" And miraculously that was effective, both siblings looked at him with awe. Cas drank the rest of his milk in one go but before leaving the table he had to say something, he knew they were afraid of him and he hated it. Cas sighed and looked at her in the eyes, a stare she held for a short moment before lowering her gaze. "Look, I don't believe for a moment a beating can teach something better than a few words can, and I know it's hard for you to trust me so all I'll ask for you is to see for yourself, to give us a chance. Please ask the others, talk to them, you're safe here" He then got up, placed the glass on the sink and left the kitchen knowing they would only breathe once alone again.

Katie waited until the kid was done with the milk, washed both glasses and took him to her bed, but she stayed awake thinking about their encounter with the master. Could that be true, were they safe there? So far the other shoe was still in place. Matty was curled by his side, he had a soft innocent smile on his face and for a moment she thought that perhaps he would be able to keep it for a while longer. She kissed the top of his head and closed her eyes, at least they would be safe that night, or what remained of it.