emebalia: There's a bunch of references and foreshadowing especially in that last chapter, so I'm glad someone picked up on that one at least! :)
A/N Part One: I know I said no more notes at the beginning of the chapter (and the rest are at the end of the chapter), but all three of my betas and the people I bounce ideas off of are still busy with RL stuff. Anyone willing to help a gal out? And many thanks to those who left me such nice reviews and for the follows! It lets me know people are still reading. I'll keep going as long as people are interested, or until I reach the end. Hope you are enjoying it so far.
Be my 'Buddy Beta' for my Meta?
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Chapter 4: The Fool's Going To... I Mean, the Sheriff's Going To Do It!
"Alright. What's the plan?"
The plan, or 'The Plan' as Castiel air quotes every time he says those two words, sounds easy enough. Well, that is when you omit half of the idea and then try hard not to think about the rest of it. Okay, it was a pretty stupid plan, but Jared and Jensen don't think it's very smart to argue with the 'Soldiers of God.' Rebels or not. Any disagreement might end in smiting, which neither Jared nor Jensen are wanting to happen any time soon. Or ever. Preferably never. They decide that never sounds like it would work the best with everyone, especially them.
It may not be easy, but at least 'The Plan' pretty straight forward and goes as follows:
Step One: Tag along with the angels, actually it's more like tag along with Castiel as Balthazar will be leaving them shortly, and try to stay out of trouble. So far, so good. In fact, Jared and Jensen like this part of 'The Plan' the best. Staying safe under the protection of angels in this crazy and dangerous parallel universe is definitely in both their best interests right now.
Step Two: The angels are currently trying to locate the weapons of Heaven Balthazar has lost. Not lost exactly… more like hidden away and then suddenly forgot where the hidden location was. That sounds a lot like lost, but as mentioned before, Jared and Jensen are smart enough not to argue semantics with 'Angels of the Lord.' The problem with this part of 'The Plan' seemed to negate the latter half of Step One. Balthazar seems to recall hiding some of the items in particularly dangerous locations. Wonderful.
Step Three: Stay low and out of Raphael and his goons' sight. Alright, 'The Plan' is starting to look up again. This turns out to be easier said than done, however, as Raphael has more supporters than Castiel does currently. Not only that, but said archangel's forces are currently looking for the angels aforementioned in the first part of 'The Plan.' Needless to say, Step One is looking more and more difficult to carry out successfully. To be quite honest, it's looking downright impossible.
And finally, Step Four: After Heaven's weapons have been obtained, Castiel and Balthazar will need to bring Sam and Dean back and send Jared and Jensen back. Then, they can pretend it was just some horrible dream.
Okay. So it's not that straight forward either. Regardless, Jared and Jensen have agreed to help in whatever way they can. As the two are running over 'The Plan' a third time together now, they are already sharing and showing serious doubts. Not only that, but who decided it was a good idea to return to Bobby's place? Isn't Raphael expecting them to be here? Or is that obvious enough that Raphael wouldn't think they would return for the fact it was suicidal.
"It's not suicidal." Castiel watches the rain continue to pour outside through the empty space in the wall that was once a window. "Bobby should know what's going on, and he should be back momentarily."
Jared is sitting at Bobby's desk and Jensen has pulled up a chair from the kitchen on the other side of the desk. Both of them look up startled. It's the first time Castiel has said anything since giving them a run-down of 'The Plan.'
Castiel turns and faces the two as light erupts from the still going storm outside, "And before you ask, no. I wasn't reading your mind. You are just not as quiet as you think you are."
Jared looks at Jensen in a tooth bearing frown, and Jensen attempts to hide his unease at being caught by hiding his face in one of the books on the desk.
The awkward silence that follows only lasts a few minutes and Jared and Jensen are pouring themselves into as many books they can go through before they get flown off to wherever it is they are going next. They may only be actors on a show, but it never hurts to know what could possibly be out there and be prepared for it no matter how much the information is terrifying them. Balthazar is trying to find a comfortable sitting position on Bobby's couch without much luck, and Castiel is watching the other two with interest as they quickly go over the books. Jensen's even taking notes.
Unlike Castiel, Balthazar can't stand the silence anymore and speaks up, "You both seem to be adapting to this situation rather well now."
Jared peeks up from what he's currently learning about kelpies, why he has no idea, and up at Balthazar, "Well, either we're dreaming and can't wake up, so we should just go along with it until we do." He stops and takes a moment to review what he has just said and deflates a little, "Which, apparently, is an option Castiel ruled out." Then he looks over at Castiel who seems completely unaffected by the comment, but still watching them. Jared lifts his hands from the desk in a small quick gesture and returns them to the wood surface and sighs, "Or we play nice with the guys who can protect us."
Balthazar smiles at Castiel and points at Jared, "I like the way this one thinks."
Jared blinks, "Uh. Thanks?"
Balthazar turns his head to look out the window as does Castiel. Grimacing, Balthazar stands up and holds his side, "And on that, I will take my leave. Play nice with your new toys, Cassie." And then Balthazar is gone.
The back door in the kitchen opens and Jared and Jensen stiffen at the noise. They turn in their chairs to see Bobby soaked from the rain and walking through the kitchen placing what appears to be grocery bags on the table. Bobby takes a towel from one of the cabinets and dries his face and the back his neck off. He starts rummaging through the bags and starts putting things away until he notices that he's being watched by all three individuals in the other room. Grabbing three beers, he walks into his living room and stops suddenly when he sees the state of the room. Gawking at the broken window and the wet papers littering the floor, Bobby almost drops the beers in his hands. Almost. "What in the hell did you idjits do now? I've only been gone two hours and you somehow managed to put a hole in my wall. What did you do? Jump through it?"
Jensen slams his hands on the desk and his eyes go wide, "Oh my God." Castiel narrows his eyes at Jensen, who gulps when he realizes why he's getting glared at. "I'm sorry. It slipped. But seriously, it's only been two hours?"
Bobby eyes Jensen suspiciously as he walks over to hand Jared one of the other two beers he's holding, "Dean, did you just apologize to Cas for-?"
Castiel already feeling as if they have wasted enough time steps forward, "Bobby, we need to talk."
Bobby tosses Jensen a beer who almost catches it with his face rather than his hands before he knew it was coming at him. He doesn't notice this though because Bobby is too busy opening his own beer, "Oh, great. I can already tell it's going to be a long night. Does it have anything to do with why you broke my damn window?"
Growing impatient, Castiel approaches Bobby, "We don't have much time-"
Bobby sets his beer down on an end table and starts picking up the scattered papers, "We never do, do we?"
Castiel sighs "I promise I will explain later, but for now I need you to go somewhere safe and look after these two."
Bobby stops collecting papers and glares at Castiel, "Why is my own damn house not safe? And last time I checked, the boys can look after themselves." He goes to the kitchen and starts laying the papers out on the kitchen table to dry. "Well, as long as they don't go losing or selling their souls again, and I really hope they got all of that worked out of their system by now. I might have to kill em' myself if they try that crap again."
Jensen stands up from his chair and immediately goes to Castiel's side, "Wait. Wait, wait, wait. I thought we were tagging along with you, Castiel. What happened to 'The Plan?' I thought we already planned it all out."
Bobby looks completely thrown off. He's not sure what to think of Jensen's use of Castiel's full name, the fact he's actually air quoting something called 'The Plan,' or being the one to get in Castiel's personal space looking like a frightened child.
Castiel picks up on this and continues focusing on Bobby, "This is not Dean and that is not Sam, and I promise I will be right back." Then he turns to face Jensen who still looks scared and back at Jared who shares Jensen's expression "I won't be long, so you can stay here for the time being if you wish."
Anger still evident but now mixed with confusion Bobby starts closing the distance between him and the angel, "What do you mean they're not-"
Before Bobby can reach him, Castiel disappears.
"Balls." Bobby grabs Jensen by the shoulder who whimpers and starts walking the both of them over to where Jared is, "Alright you two. Start talkin' and give me a good reason not to shoot you because if you're not the boys I'm going to have to assume you're shapeshifters or worse."
Panicking, Jared stands up quickly and puts his hands up in front of him in what he hopes is a non-threatening manner, "Wait, Bobby! Wait. We're not shapeshifters. We're… okay, just hear us out. We're actors who play Sam and Dean on a television show in an alternate universe."
Bobby's grip on Jensen's shoulder tightens, "Wanna run that by me again?"
Jared's breathing quickens and looks more nervous than before, "No, not really."
Jensen flinching at Bobby's grip, but not making an effort to pull away looks down at Bobby, "Hey, we're just as lost as you are, if not more. We're not bad guys though and Castiel saying to look after us should be proof of that, right?"
Bobby grumbles, "That, or you're trouble that needs looking after."
Jensen points to himself, "I'm Jensen," then to Jared who waves slightly with a nervous smile, "and that's Jared."
Jared and Jensen take turns filling Bobby in up to date. That is, after he makes them clean up the mess they helped make and changes out of his wet clothes. Bobby wasn't too thrilled about the parts where Balthazar started using his spell components or the part where they broke the window, but he's even less amused by the fact he now feels he can't leave Sam and Dean alone for a single minute.
Papers are on put on varying racks, books are laid out to dry and air out, and a tarp has been put over the window frame to keep any more rain coming into the living room. The boys finally sit down and drink their beers as Jared and Jensen expressively describe everything they've gone through in the last few hours.
When Castiel returns almost an hour later, Jared and Jensen stand up at his arrival. Bobby looks up, but doesn't move from his place from behind the desk, "So these boys filled me in on the details including your 'Plan.' You really think these boys are capable of helping you out? They're nice and all, but they ain't exactly hunters."
Castiel glances at the actors taking note of how they are looking nervous again shifting from foot to foot and eyes darting everywhere except him. Then Castiel turns to look back at Bobby. "We don't have a choice."
Bobby throws a book to the edge of the desk and then takes a drink of something that is in a coffee mug. "Yeah, I bet you don't. And by the way, I ain't no damn babysitter. This is your problem, your mistake. You deal with these knuckleheads. These idjits have been driving me up the wall, what's left of it anyways, with their non-stop questions."
Castiel takes a step forward, "My apologies. It wasn't my intention-"
Bobby slams the mug down on the desk and starts to stand from his seat yelling, "I don't care what your intention was, just get em' home and bring our boys back!"
Either Jared and Jensen had heard the argument before, they were both expecting it, or some other reason Castiel is not sure of, but whatever the reason the two don't seem fazed at all by Bobby's yelling. It's possible that they are adapting even better than Castiel originally thought, but that doesn't seem right if their reaction at Castiel's arrival was any indication. In any case, it's not important and they need to get moving.
Castiel turns his back on Bobby to look Jared and Jensen, "Are you ready?"
Jared and Jensen share a look Castiel can't quite place and then look at Bobby.
Bobby rolls his eyes and is clearly exasperated with everything and everyone right now, "Oh, don't look at me! Git' going."
Castiel places his hands on their shoulders and in the next second they are gone.
Bobby mutters before taking another drink, "Idjits."
Jared and Jensen appear with Castiel in a large but bare room with about ten other people. It doesn't appear to be another warehouse, but it's too big to be a regular house. There's no windows, just two doors and the other people. They don't seem to recognize any of them, except… one of them looks familiar. Very familiar. And he's naked.
"Hey, guys!"
Cupid quickly walks up and hugs Jared and Jensen together, both of which look very displeased at the fact. "I didn't know you were going to be here!" Cupid squeezes tighter and raises them slightly off the ground, "Welcome to the resistance!"
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A/N Part Two: I wrote this chapter a bit differently in the beginning, so I hope it wasn't too confusing. Also, as much as I have been doing my best to avoid it, I have to bring a few OCs into the story. Nothing long term or pairing-wise, some I might not even go into detail, they're just there to fill in some holes. I'm not very familiar with the mythology behind angels and things related to it, but I am doing some heavy research with my husband right now. Keeping the fact that I'm researching in mind and that my health is still kind of in decline at the moment, chapters might take a bit longer to update. I don't know how I managed to get this one done so quickly.
And, yes. I totally adore Cupid, but him showing up wasn't planned at all. He just kind of... appeared.
And as you can see, I just had to come up with a bunch of unknown angels, so if you have any thoughts on what some of them (their vessels) should look like just PM me ;)
-Chaos