OK so who's seen 12x01? I really loved it, defs up for discussing it on PM :D spoilers I guess but dat reunion. I almost laughed myself sick. I wrote that scene in a fucking destiel fanfic and it STILL wasn't as gay as on the actual show. Dean's little smile. Cas's emotional voice. The fucking HUG. 'This is Castiel' like he's introducing someone he's already told Mary about, but obviously he neglected to mention the fact that Cas is an angel, oh nooo probably too busy telling her that Cas likes weird analogies and his eyes crinkle up real cute. Fucking hell.
Also Misha's Cas(s) livestream :') that man takes sarcasm to ridiculous levels, but he needs to work on his corpsing. I am more convinced than ever that he should go into politics when he retires from acting. If Arnie could do it Misha sure as hell can.
Anyway, enjoy this chapter :)
When I wake up the sun is low in the sky and Dean is arguing with Cas in a hushed, tense voice.
"I'm just sayin' it's worth a try-"
"The spell won't work twice, Dean. It's run its course and that's it."
Opening my eyes, I see that the two of them are leaning over the piece of bloodied gauze we enchanted, clutched in Dean's hands. It's not glowing any more. Cas is looking at the top of Dean's head, mouth twisted with sorrow.
"It's given us a good lead."
"Yeah, great," Dean snaps, slumping back in his own seat. I look out the window to see that we've parked on a quiet main street running through a small town. I sigh, dismayed but not surprised that the spell wore off.
"Mom?"
I look back at the front to see that Dean is peering at me. I smile sadly at him.
"Guess it's up to us now, huh?"
"Yeah."
I gather myself. "Right. Well, no use moaning about it. We need to ask at the gas station. You never know, they might have stopped here."
Dean nods, clearly trying to fake a positive attitude. For the first time since meeting him, he reminds me of myself. I blink at him as he speaks.
"Yeah, this is actually the first town in a while so it's a real possibility if they didn't stop for gas earlier. Let's go!"
He says the last part to Castiel, who nods and starts the engine, pulling out and driving the single block up to the gas station. It's probably the only one in town and it's certainly the only one along the main road passing through. We park and clamber out, Dean and I stretching, Cas squinting suspiciously around the area.
"I'll do the questioning," he states firmly, heading towards the shop. Dean shrugs, following along behind him. I fall in as well, frowning as I realise that I feel hungry.
"Dean?" I ask hesitantly, feeling annoyed that I need to ask this. "Could I, uh, borrow some money? For food?"
Dean stops immediately, looking apologetic. "Crap, Mom, I'm sorry, I didn't think of it. Here…"
He pulls a battered leather wallet from his back pocket and flicks it open, pulling out a vaguely familiar note. I frown as I take it from him.
"Dean, this is a lot of money, there's no need…"
He blinks at me. "Huh? It's only a twenty."
It takes me a moment, but then I remember that decades have passed. Of course everything would cost more now. Nodding uneasily, I clutch the money as we enter the small grocery store attached to the gas station. Castiel is already at the counter, leaning over to watch footage of something on a small screen.
Everything looks so modern. All the packaging is in the uncanny valley of familiar but different. I pick things up and then discard them again, never having been fond of junk food even when I was in my teens. I see a case of heated pies next to the counter and drift over. Castiel has finished watching whatever he was checking out and is on the other side of the store, talking to Dean in a low voice.
"One apple pie, please," I say to the bored-looking store assistant. I receive my change - even after decades of inflation, it's clear that twenty dollars was still an exorbitant amount for Dean to give me for gas station snack prices - and wander towards my companions as I demolish half of the pie in one bite, grimacing at the familiar crappy taste of overly sweet mushy filling and stale pastry.
"Apple pie?" Dean chuckles as he spots my purchase. "Yours was always the best."
"Thank you," I smile up at him. I focus on Castiel. "What did you find out?"
He talks faster than usual, excited. "I believe that the woman who took Sam did come here. It was hard to see who was in her car on the cameras but it looked like another woman was her passenger, and the trunk was certainly large enough for a person."
I almost drop the remainder of the pie, shock and relief spasming through me."Thank God! You're sure it was her?"
Cas nods. "I only glimpsed her at the bunker, but it looked very much like her and we know that she was here from the tracking spell. We've travelled practically in a straight line from Lebanon so we must have followed almost their exact route."
Beside Cas, Dean is grinning widely and nodding. "Tell her the best part."
Castiel cracks a smile. "They're staying in town."
"You're joking," I breathe, tears pricking my eyes. Castiel shakes his head seriously.
"I am not known to joke often, Mary."
"Too true," snorts Dean. Without warning, he steps forward and catches me up in a clumsy hug, almost getting pie all over his jacket. I laugh into his shoulder, squeezing his waist with my free arm. He pulls back and I pop the rest of the pie into my mouth with a feeling of triumph, that familiar buzz from back in my hunting days telling me I'm closing in on my target. I haven't missed the feeling, but it's damn welcome right now. I'm getting my baby boy back, today.
As I chew I watch Dean hold up his hand to high five Cas, grinning expectantly as the angel pauses and then gently presses their palms together. I swallow my mouthful around a chuckle at Dean's fading smile, the way he looks from their joined hands back to Castiel's fond expression, how he hesitates before rolling his eyes and yanking his hand back.
"You'd think you'd know how to high five by now, Cas," he grumbles.
"I'm pretty sure he does," I remark with some amusement, stepping up to Castiel myself. "Thank you, Cas."
Reaching up, I tug him down for a hug of my own, catching his surprised and unsure expression as I close my arms around his unyielding shoulders and press our cheeks together. His skin is warm and stubbled and he smells so complicated, like smoke and dust and petrichor and burning and flowers and the ocean, all at once. Vibrant life and ancient death, entwined and made new. I'm not sure if I like it, but I do like the way he hesitantly pats my back with one hand, the rumble of his voice in his ear as he assures me that there's no need to thank him. I like Castiel, I realise, and I want him to know that. I pull back and beam up at his confused face as I cup his cheek with my hand.
"Not just for this. Thank you for everything," I tell him firmly. "Thank you for looking after my boys. Thank you for being here for Dean. Thank you for being part of this family when I couldn't."
Cas blinks and gulps, looking like he might actually tear up, and I wonder for a moment if I'm being too weird - probably - when Dean harrumphs from behind me.
"Mom," he says gruffly. I drop my hands and step back sheepishly, glancing at my son who is watching me with something like concern. "You're, uh, going a little overboard."
"It's true," I say defensively. Dean nods hastily, glancing at Cas who is silent and soft-eyed, smiling a little at his own shoes.
"Yeah, of course, Cas is- Cas is really-"
He struggles for a moment before giving up and looking back at me. "But this ain't a TV show. Trust me, I'd be wearing more make up. Let's just go find Sam, OK? Mushy crap can wait until then."
With that, he turns on his heel and leaves the shop.
