I own Kat and Sarakiel. I do not own Supernatural. Contains action and dialogue from Season 4, Episode 20: The Rapture.
Dean, Sam, and Kat were on their way to a warehouse. Castiel came to Dean in a dream, telling him to meet up at a certain location, and that it was imperative. They had taken off in the middle of the night, and drove all night. Unsure of what to find there, they went in armed and ready.
"What did he say, Dean? What was so important?" Sam asked as they climbed a set of stairs.
"If I knew, would I be here?" Dean pointed out.
At the top of the stairs, they encountered a mess.
"What the hell?" Dean asked.
"It looks like a bomb went off," Sam commented as they looked around.
"There was a fight here," Kat said.
"Between who?" Sam asked. Dean's flashlight came across a familiar sight on a wall.
"Check it out," Dean said, drawing their attention to a banishing sigil on the wall. "Look familiar?"
"Yeah, it does," Sam said.
"A banishing sigil? Angels were here?" Kat said, looking around. "Was Cas fighting his own kind?"
"I don't know," Dean said. A further search revealed more wreckage, until Dean called out.
"Sam, Kat!" he called. "Cas? Cas. Hey, Cas?" The three of them ran over to the trench coat-clad angel. Cas got up, and Kat immediately noticed something was off.
"What's…? What's…? What's going on?" Cas said. Kat heard the difference in his voice, and was suspicious.
"Just take it easy. Take it easy," Dean said, trying to help him steady himself.
"Oh. No," Cas said.
"Cas, you okay?" Sam asked.
"Castiel. I'm not Castiel. It's me," Cas said. Now, the boys were suspicious.
"Who's 'me'?" Sam said.
"Jimmy. My name's Jimmy," said the man.
"He's Cas' vessel, guys," Kat said.
"Where the hell is Castiel?" Dean asked.
"He's gone," Jimmy answered.
Jimmy sat at their motel room table, devouring a hamburger. Dean and Sam were both sitting at the table, and Kat sat on the nearest bed.
"You mind slowing down? You're gonna give me angina," Dean said as he watched Jimmy wolf down his food.
"I'm hungry," Jimmy replied.
"When's the last time you ate?" Sam asked him.
"I don't know. Months," Jimmy replied. Dean and Sam turned and looked at Kat.
"What? I've gone that long with Sara," she said.
"What the hell happened back there?" Sam asked. "It looked like an angel battle royale."
"All I remember is a flash of light, and I…uh…I woke up and I was just, you know, me again," Jimmy answered.
"So, what?" Dean said. "Cas just ditched out of your meat suit?"
"I really don't know," Jimmy replied.
"You remember anything about being possessed?" Sam continued asking. "Anything at all."
"Yeah," Jimmy said. "Bits and pieces. I mean, angel inside of you, it's kinda like being chained to a comet."
"Ain't that the truth," Kat commented. Jimmy looked over at her, and his eyes widened slightly as if seeing her for the first time.
"I remember you," Jimmy said softly. "You're Sarakiel's vessel. I've seen you a few times…well, I've seen Sarakiel a few times."
"Hey there, bro," Kat said with a grin and a small wave. "Welcome to the club."
"Cas said he wanted to tell us something," Dean said. "Please tell me you remember that."
"Sorry," Jimmy said.
"Come on, what do you know?" Jimmy put down his food and looked at all three of them in turn.
"My name is Jimmy Novak. I'm from Pontiac, Illinois. I have a family: my wife, Amelia, and my daughter, Claire. I'm a devout man, always looking for a way to serve God. One night, I was getting ready to go to bed when I heard something. It started as a light noise, and then it became deafening. I had a fit, but I could hear something. Something spoke to me. It was Castiel."
Sam and Dean went outside to talk, and Kat stayed inside with Jimmy.
"So, they're brothers, but what about you?" Jimmy asked.
"I'm Dean's girlfriend," Kat replied, still loving the taste of the phrase on her tongue.
"Girlfriend? So you just…hooked up with him one day?" Jimmy said. Kat raised an eyebrow at him, giving her own interpretation of Sam's bitchface.
"I'm gonna ignore that because of who you share a body with. If you must know, Sara introduced me to those two. I travel for a living, and I'm a witch, so ganking monsters just seemed like a good thing to do," Kat replied. She noted Jimmy's slight shift away when she said the word 'witch', and gave him a small chuckle. "When I say witch, I mean wiccan, genius. They wouldn't let me travel with them if I was one of those deal-with-the-devil kinds of witches."
"But…how are you…?"
"The vessel of an Archangel? No clue."
"You don't believe in God, or in Jesus Christ. How can you even become a vessel?" Jimmy pressed.
"Just because it's not my faith doesn't mean I can't understand or acknowledge the existence of other faiths," Kat snapped. "Just because Jesus Christ isn't my personal lord and savior – which you will never read in the Bible, by the way – doesn't mean I can't acknowledge that he was an amazing man who did wonderful things. Just because I don't follow the teachings of God doesn't mean I can't want to do good in this world!" Jimmy seemed stunned. Kat took a breath and walked away.
"Sorry. Questions like that have touched a button with me…and for a good reason," she said.
"No…I'm sorry," Jimmy said quietly. "I shouldn't have questioned Sarakiel's reasons. She obviously saw something in you to choose you as her vessel." Kat turned and looked at him.
"Thanks," she muttered.
"Don't mention it," he answered. Kat walked over to her duffel bag and pulled out a bottle of water, tossing it to him.
"Here," she said. "I know that food is delicious, but you should probably stay hydrated as well."
"Why are you being so nice to me?" Jimmy asked as he screwed open the bottle and took a large swig. "You're the vessel of an Archangel. You could be lording it over me right now."
"We're vessels, Jimmy. We should stick together." Kat answered. Sam and Dean walked back in, grim looks on their faces.
"The hell are you talking about, I can't go home?" Jimmy demanded.
"There's a good chance you have a bull's-eye on your back," Dean said.
"What? From who?"
"Demons," Dean said.
"Come on, that's crazy," Jimmy said. "What do they want with me?"
"Information," Kat answered. "You're the vessel of an angel."
"I don't know anything," Jimmy protested.
"I know, but – " Dean began.
"Look, I'm done, okay?" Jimmy said. "With demons, angels, all of it. I just want to go home."
"We understand," Dean said.
"I don't think you do understand. I've been shot and stabbed and healed, and my body has been dragged all over Earth. By some miracle, I'm out, and I am done. I've given enough, okay?" Jimmy snapped.
"Look, all we're saying is that until we figure this out, the safest place is with us," Sam said, trying to reason with him.
"How long?" Jimmy asked.
"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it," Sam answered. Jimmy wasn't having that. He shook his head and tried to move past Sam.
"Where are you going?" Dean asked, getting up.
"To see my wife and daughter, okay?" Jimmy stated.
"No, you're not. You're just going to put those people in danger," Sam said, trying to reason with him.
"So what, now I'm a prisoner?" Jimmy snarled.
"Harsh way to put it," Sam said. Kat stepped around Sam.
"Look, Jimmy, no one knows what you're going through better than me. These two are the best equipped to protect you from demons, and they might be able to teach you a few things as well. If you're not going to trust them, then trust me," she said, putting her hands on his shoulders. She locked eyes with the man, and was shocked to see the difference between Jimmy and Castiel. Jimmy's eyes, though the same color as Cas', shone with a different light. It was calmer, and tamer than Cas', but no less bright. Jimmy, in turn, noticed a fire in Kat's eyes that was very like Sarakiel's. It was just as strong and wild, but it was almost a different color. Jimmy just nodded.
Later that night, Kat saw Sam step out to get a drink. She walked out to get some air…and to wait for something that she knew was going to happen. Sure enough, a few minutes after Sam disappeared, Jimmy tried sneaking out.
"Going somewhere?" she asked when he was about halfway across the parking lot. Jimmy jumped, but fought the urge to cry out. He just looked down, fumbling with his trench coat.
"I…I need to see my family, Kat," he said, sounding almost pathetic. The pleading look on his face was replaced with surprise when Kat smiled.
"And who said I was stopping you?" she asked.
"You're…not going to tell Sam and Dean?" he asked after a moment.
"No, but I am going with you," she replied.
"What?"
"I'm going with you. Look, I can't stop you from seeing your family, so I might as well go along for the ride to protect you," Kat said, revealing her own packed bag, complete with demon-proofing and her own weapons. "Well, let's get going before they figure out what's going on."
Twenty minutes later, they were boarding a bus to Illinois. Kat took care of the tickets and when they were on the bus and on their way, Jimmy took a plunge.
"So…I have to ask…What really made you call out to the Angels?" he asked. Kat looked at him and Jimmy readied himself for the explosion, for him to get called self-righteous or a bible thumper.
"I was raised in the Catholic church until I left at 15," Kat began. "My parents, in their holier-than-thou rage, disowned me and kicked me out of the house. Only person who would take me in was my grandmother. Well, she wasn't really my grandmother, but she was the closest thing I had. She helped me, taught me everything that I know and then some, and passed peacefully when she was 93. She was cremated, and she planned a whole big trip for me. Sent me to England, scattered her ashes at Stonehenge. Also left me with enough to finish school abroad. When most of my gods disappeared about 8 years ago, so I called out for help from Heaven. Sara answered me, said that I was always meant to be her vessel. She was just waiting for me to ask." Jimmy sat in silence for about 20 minutes, pondering what the young witch next to him had just said.
"I'm sorry," he said.
"For what?"
"For what I said earlier," he answered, looking at her. "No one should be shoved away from family like that, least of all parents abandoning children."
"Well, it is what it is," Kat brushed it off. Jimmy could see a small flash of pain in her eyes. "The only family I've talked to since is my little brother, and even that's been a long time. The boys are my family."
"Do you want one?" Jimmy said. "A family?"
"In this line of work? You can't really have one," Kat answered. When Jimmy rolled his eyes, Kat pressed the assault. "Jimmy, everything that Sam said was true. Family can only be used against you in this line of work. The demons won't care that you don't remember anything about Cas. They will work until they can find everything about you: why Cas chose you, if you remember something after all, if Cas stored away any memories, all of it."
"Why haven't they come after you?"
"Who said they haven't? I just learned how to defend myself." Jimmy nodded his understanding. "So, what about you? I mean, I get that you're devout and everything, but why give yourself to the service of the Angels? I don't know if you've noticed, but some of them can be dicks."
"Ain't that the truth?" Jimmy chuckled. "I don't know. It seemed like a great idea at the time. I thought that, by serving God, I'd be doing my family a service as well. Of course, my wife thought I was crazy. She tried to have me take anti-psych meds."
"Ouch," Kat winced.
"I understand. She was just looking out for Claire. I don't know that she ever believed as much as I did, but I had to have faith. Castiel promised that my family would be protected if I said yes, so I didn't see the harm," he continued. "Where could he be?" he added quietly.
"Good question," Kat said. Then, she grinned. "And I know just who could tell us." Kat pulled out her cell phone and punched in a number she hadn't used in a while. After three rings, a voice answered.
"Hello?"
"Chuck, it's Kat," she said. "I'm here with…"
"Castiel's vessel, Jimmy. Yeah, I know," Chuck finished. Jimmy looked at the phone in awe.
"How did he know?"
"He's a prophet. Long story," Kat said, trying to keep it brief. "Well, if you know where I am, then you probably know what I'm going to ask."
"Castiel was dragged back to Heaven by the angels," Chuck said. "They basically took him back to…reeducate him."
"Reeducate? Why?" Kat asked.
"He had begun to show emotion. You of all people should know how bad that is, Kat," Chuck replied. Kat looked at Jimmy, worried.
"Angels are just supposed to be soldiers," Kat said quietly. "They're created to follow orders…nothing more."
"Right," Chuck said.
"Is he ever going to escape?"
"I don't know," Chuck sighed. "I'm not really supposed to be telling you any of this. The Angels are watching me," he added with a whisper.
"Yeah, they're probably watching me, too. Don't worry. Sara taught me a few things, as did Anna," Kat assured him. "Thank you, Chuck."
"Sure thing," Chuck said. "Be careful, Kat." They hung up, and Kat studied Jimmy's face. He seemed nervous.
"I'm sure he's okay," Kat tried to reassure him.
"Even you don't believe that," Jimmy smirked.
"Yeah...you're right," Kat muttered.
As they got closer to their destination, Kat started to help Jimmy get his story straight.
"So, what are you going to tell your wife?" she asked him.
"I was going to tell her I was in a psych ward for the last year," Jimmy said, shrugging. "It seemed like a logical story, and it kind of fit what Ams wanted me to do in the first place."
"Okay. In that case, we met at the psych ward," Kat said. "We were released the same day, I'm from the next town over, and I wanted to make sure that you got home okay."
"You think she'll buy it?"
"I've convinced people that I'm a federal agent for about a year, now," Kat pointed out. "I'm good."
They arrived at the bus station about a half an hour outside of Pontiac. Jimmy insisted on getting the ride since Kat paid for them to get there.
"All this time, and Cas never lost your wallet," Kat commented.
"I know, right?" Jimmy chuckled as the climbed in to the taxi. During the drive, Kat could tell that Jimmy was nervous beyond all belief, but there was also a sense of relief that he was going home.
"You okay?"
"It's been a year," Jimmy replied quietly. "Does Claire even remember me? What will Amelia think?" Kat took his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.
"It's gonna be all right. Deep down, she still loves you," Kat assured him. He nodded, but Kat could tell that he still wasn't so sure.
As they walked up to the house, Jimmy paused at the stairs. He could see Claire inside, sitting at the dining room table, working on her homework. She called over her shoulder, and her mother came, leaned over, and helped her with whatever she was working on. Kat smiled at the scene. Taking a deep breath, he walked up the stairs and rang the doorbell. Kat shifted her backpack on her shoulders and set a pleasant smile on her face. Amelia opened the door, and was dumbstruck at the sight of her husband and a strange woman on her porch. She focused, however, on Jimmy.
"We, uh – we stopped looking for you," she said after a moment of stunned silence.
"I'm so sorry," Jimmy said.
"You were dead," Amelia continued. "We, uh – we thought you were dead."
"I'm okay," he assured her. Kat could tell that she wasn't so sure. Then, Amelia turned her attention to Kat.
"And you are?"
"This is Kat," Jimmy said, ushering his friend forward. "We were in group together, and she lived across the hall from me."
"Hi, it's really nice to meet you," Kat said, shifting her duffel bag from one hand to the other and offering the empty hand to Amelia. Amelia shook it, though the shake was hesitant. "I was hoping to meet you. Jimmy never stopped talking about you and your daughter."
"He didn't?"
"Nope," Kat replied. "He kept saying how he had wronged you, and that was why he was in the clinic…to set things right." Amelia searched Kat's face, and then quietly invited them both in.
There was a patter of feet coming down the stairs as the three of them sat in the den.
"Claire, room. Now," Amelia ordered her daughter. Claire obeyed without a word.
"Can I see her?" Jimmy asked his wife.
"No," Amelia said, a little too quickly. "No. I don't know yet," she continued. "It's been almost a year, you know?"
"I know, I know," Jimmy nodded. Kat could almost feel the disappointment in his voice.
"Yeah, think your daughter would have wanted to know you were okay?"
"I was in a psych clinic," Jimmy said. "I just wanted to get myself straight before seeing you.
"And…no telephones, or -?"
"Communicating with family members was discouraged," Kat interjected. "It was a way for us to learn how to deal with the problems we had on our own, so that the support of family would only make this better, and make us stronger."
"What were you there for?" Amelia asked, a note of venom in her voice.
"Severe depression, suicidal tendencies," Kat answered without pausing. "My parents abandoned me when I was a teen, and I was homeless for a while. I'd been there about 4 years before Jimmy got there."
"Why come all the way here?"
"I'm from the next town over. Jimmy and I became really good friends, and I wanted to make sure that he got home okay." Kat kept her tone even and her face even more so. Amelia was trying to find holes where there were none, and Kat had mastered the art of deception.
"I was…confused, Amelia," Jimmy said, taking the pressure off Kat. "I was completely delusional. And I thought – I thought God was calling me to something and I thought that was important, and I was wrong." Kat watched him deliver his speech. What surprised her the most was that he believed every single word. Cas had taken this guy through hell and back. The first time they met, Dean stabbed him (one of the many stories that Jimmy had shared with her on the bus ride to Illinois). Now, he had lost faith. "I was such an idiot. Heaven, hell…none of that matters. The only thing that's important to me is you and Claire. And I…I can't undo what I've done, but I just wanna come home again." Kat looked at Amelia, waiting for her response with bated breath.
"I don't know if I can do that," she said quietly. "Not yet."
"I mean, whatever you're comfortable with," Jimmy replied, disappointment all over his face again. "Maybe we could start with something smaller?"
"Like what?"
"I don't know…dinner?"
Amelia whipped something up in the kitchen while Kat stepped outside to make a call. She opened her phone to multiple missed calls from Sam and Dean. Bracing herself, she called Dean.
"Where the hell are you?" he snapped in lieu of hello.
"Miss you too, babe," Kat said, sarcasm dripping from her voice.
"Where's Jimmy?"
"Same place I am," Kat replied. "Pontiac, Illinois with his family."
"Kat, you knew that was dangerous," Sam said from somewhere next to Dean. Kat could hear the roar of Baby's engine, so she could only guess that they were on their way.
"I can sympathize with him, Sam," Kat fought back. "That's why I went with him. I'm his protection."
"And what if something happens to you?" a female voice said in the background. Kat frowned as she recognized the voice.
"Anna?"
"Yep, it's me," Anna replied. "Does Jimmy remember what Cas was going to tell Dean?"
"No, he doesn't," Kat said.
"We're on our way," Dean said. "Don't go anywhere," he added, the command in his voice strong.
"Okay," Kat replied, and hung up. When she walked back in the house, Jimmy was standing there, waiting for her.
"Who was that?"
"My ride," Kat answered, giving Jimmy a look. He nodded, knowing who her ride most likely was. "They'll be here shortly. Is it okay if I wait here for them?"
"Of course," Amelia said, still wary, but playing the gracious hostess.
"Thank you, I really appreciate it." A little while later, Kat finally met Claire when she came downstairs at her mother's call.
"Hi, Daddy," she said, embracing her father.
"Hi, baby," he replied, hugging her back, joy written all over his face. "Claire, this is Kat. She's a friend of mine."
"Nice to meet you," Claire said, holding out her hand, which Kat graciously accepted.
"Nice to finally meet you, Claire," Kat said. "Your Dad has told me a lot about you." Amelia bustled in to the dining room with a platter of sandwiches.
"Okay, so we have turkey and roast beef. Better be okay. It's all we have," she said, putting the platter on the table.
"Oh, it's fine," Jimmy said. "It's more than fine." Kat could see the joy just growing on his face. "Should we sit?" At that cue, everyone sat down. Kat stayed behind, unsure of what to do. "Kat, would you like to join us?" Amelia asked.
"I wouldn't want to impose," Kat began.
"Come sit by me!" Claire called, patting the seat next to her. Kat looked at Claire's parents, who both nodded, and took the seat offered to her. Jimmy reached for a sandwich.
"Daddy, aren't you going to say grace?" Claire asked.
"No, honey," Jimmy said, sounding relieved. "I don't think I am." Tears started welling in his eyes.
"Why are you crying?" Claire asked.
"Because I'm happy," Jimmy answered. Kat looked down, a small smile on his face. The doorbell rang as Jimmy dug in. Amelia got up to answer the door.
"Why were you in the clinic, Kat?" Claire asked.
"Claire, I don't think she wants to…"
"It's okay, Jimmy," Kat said, assuring him. "I was there because I was sad, and I was having trouble finding my way out of that sadness. I had lost my family, and I had nowhere to go. Your Dad helped me find my way out of the darkness, and I helped him in return." It was then that Kat became aware of voices near the door.
"Am I crazy, or did I just see your husband wander in here about half an hour ago?" a tall man was saying. Jimmy got up from the table.
"Yeah, uh, you did," Amelia said. "But, Roger, this isn't a good time." Jimmy's entrance proved her wrong.
"Hey, there he is!" Roger said, hugging Jimmy. "Son of a bitch. What the hell happened to you?"
"Ah, long story," Jimmy said. "But, it's over."
"Yeah?"
"I'm good," Jimmy assured him.
"Can I talk to you?" Roger asked.
"Can I get you a beer?" Amelia offered.
"That'd be good, thanks," Roger accepted. Amelia went to get the beer while Jimmy and Roger went to speak in private. Claire and Kat sat, eating quietly, but Kat kept an ear on the conversation. It seemed normal until one sentence sent her bolting for her bag.
"Well, I mean, I'm gonna gut your daughter while you watch," Roger said. A shiver went down Kat's spine as she bolted for her duffel bag.
"Kat!" Jimmy screamed. Kat heard Roger grunt in pain as she returned to the room, holy water and her gun in hand.
"What are you doing? Jimmy, stop!" Amelia was shrieking.
"He's a demon!" Jimmy shouted to his wife. "Run!"
"Stop it!"
"Run!"
"The pantry," Kat instructed, ushering Claire that way while keeping her gun trained on the demon. Jimmy took his wife and daughter, and went in to the pantry. Roger, or the demon possessing Roger, got up.
"The Winchester's little bitch," he snarled.
"Little witch, thank you very much, you hell-bound piece of crap," Kat spat back. She threw holy water at the same time that the pantry door opened, and Kat heard Amelia telling Claire to run. Roger was gone and back in a flash, holding a knife to Claire's throat.
"Damn it," Jimmy cursed.
"Hey pal," Roger smirked. "Told you I'd gut the bitch."
"Roger," Amelia said, shocked.
"Let the girl go," Kat ordered, her gun trained on Roger.
"Jimmy, why does she have a gun?" Kat heard Amelia ask. Kat ignored her, focusing on the task at hand.
"Now me, I would," Roger taunted. "But the missus, she has other ideas." A woman entered, who Kat only could assume was Roger's wife. She, too, was possessed.
"No!" Amelia screamed.
"Daddy!" Claire screamed. Roger's wife grabbed Jimmy and threw him to the ground, punching him in the face before meeting Amelia's eyes with her own solid black ones.
"Oh my God, no!" Amelia cried. She jumped to defend her husband, but was thrown off handily. Dean suddenly appeared behind Roger and slit his throat with Ruby's knife. Sam came in and stopped Roger's wife, preparing to exorcise her.
"Get them out of here," Sam shouted to Kat and Dean.
"Go, go," Dean urged, getting Jimmy, Claire, and Kat out the door. Shortly after, the brothers ran out of the house, meeting the other three by the Impala.
"Thank god," Jimmy said at the sight of the two.
"Where's your wife?" Dean asked Jimmy.
"Right here," Amelia said, appearing from the back of the house with a jacket on and one in her hand for Jimmy and Claire.
"Let's go," Dean ordered. They all jumped in the impala and peeled out of the driveway.
At a parking garage several miles away, Claire and Amelia were sitting in the back seat of the Impala, while Dean, Sam, Kat, and Jimmy, all stood outside.
"You were right," Jimmy admitted to the brothers.
"I'm sorry we were," Dean replied.
"I'm telling you, I don't know anything," Jimmy insisted.
"I don't think they're inclined to believe you," Dean said.
"And even if they did, you're a vessel," Sam pointed out, reiterating what Kat had told him the previous day. "They're still gonna wanna know what makes you tick."
"Which means vivisection, if they're feeling generous," Dean added. Kat would have scoffed, but knowing where Dean had been, she was more than inclined to believe him.
"I'm gonna tell you once again, you're putting your family in danger," Sam said, moving closer to Jimmy. "You have to come with us."
"How long?" Jimmy fired back. "And don't give me that 'cross that bridge when we get to it' crap." By now, Kat had had enough too.
"Don't you get it?" she snapped. "Forever." When the men around her were silent, she continued. "The demons will never stop."
"You can never be with your family," Sam interjected, furious. "So, you either get as far away from them as possible, or you put a bullet in your head. And that's how you keep your family safe. But there's no getting out and there's no going home." It was Kat's turn to be silent. She was shocked at the tone in Sam's voice. It was harsh.
"Well, don't surgarcoat it, Sam," Dean said, shocked at the tone in his brother's voice as well.
"I'm just telling him the truth," Sam replied. "Someone has to." Sam went to boost Amelia and Claire a car while Jimmy went to say goodbye. Kat let them have their family moment before joining him.
"These boys are gonna get you a car, don't ask me how, and you're gonna take Claire to Carl and Sally's a s fast as you can," Jimmy was instructing his wife.
"Wait," Amelia stopped him. "What about you? No, I'm not going anywhere without you, Jimmy."
"Listen to me," Jimmy said, looking Amelia square in the eyes. "Every moment I'm with you, you and Claire are in danger."
"I don't care," Amelia protested. "We are not splitting up again."
"Mrs. Novak, you don't have a choice," Kat said. Amelia jumped slightly at the sound of the young witch's voice. "I suppose I owe you a thank you," she said. "For bringing Jimmy home and trying to save my daughter."
"It's my job," Kat said.
"For how long?" Amelia asked Jimmy. Jimmy looked at Kat, and then back at his wife.
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." Kat walked away to give them some more privacy. Sam found and hotwired a car for Amelia and Claire.
"Okay, so…uh…here's your car," he said, somewhat awkwardly.
"Hey," Jimmy said, looking at his daughter. "Take care of your mom, okay, bub?"
"Okay," she said. Jimmy climbed in to the back seat of the Impala with Kat, Sam and Dean climbed in the front, and the four of them took off.
It was raining. Jimmy had fallen asleep next to her, and Kat had plugged her headphones in to her computer and was catching up on some work. Every so often, on her blog, she would write a thought piece. Nothing about travel or anything like that. Instead, she started writing about the importance of family, and how in the end, they are all you have. Losing them is enough to drive people to madness. Love your family, no matter what, she wrote as Xandrias "Voyage of the Fallen" blared in her ears. Through the symphonic rock music, she could hear Sam and Dean arguing. From what she was able to catch, Sam had not been able to exorcise the demon back at the Novak's house. They argued for a few minutes before Sam answered his phone. Kat took out her headphones to listen.
"Hello?" Sam answered. After a small pause, "Who is this?" There was an answer, and then Sam reached over the back of the seat, handing the phone to Jimmy. "Hey," Sam called, waking him up. "It's your wife." Jimmy took the phone from Sam, adjusting himself with a sleepy grunt.
"Amelia?" he said. Suddenly, he paled. "Oh my God."
Amelia had been possessed by the demon Sam had failed to exorcise. The four of them stood outside of a warehouse where the demon was keeping Claire. The three hunters were gearing up with weapons as Jimmy watched.
"Alright, they're expecting you to come alone," Dean told Jimmy. "That's exactly what you're gonna do."
"We'll work our way through the catwalks," Sam continued. "We'll be right behind you."
"All you gotta do is stay calm and stall," Kat finished. "Let us do our job."
"You want me to stay calm?" Jimmy scoffed. "This is my family we're talking about."
"Listen to me," Dean said, trying to calm him. "This will work. You understand? Nobody's gonna get hurt."
"Yeah, whatever," Jimmy said. He looked at the warehouse, and then back at the three. "Give me a minute, okay?" He walked away from the hunters, toward a secluded area of the warehouse. Kat looked at Dean, who just shrugged and continued loading his shotgun. Kat followed Jimmy and found him screaming at the sky.
"Castiel, you son of a bitch!" he was shouting. "You promised me my family would be okay! You promised you were gonna take care of them! I gave you everything you asked me to give. I gave you more. This is the thanks I get?! This is what you do? This is your heaven? Help me, please! You promised, Cas! Just help me." After a second, Kat stepped from the shadows.
"Feel better?" she asked, making him jump.
"Jesus," he sighed. "Don't do that."
"Sorry," Kat said, walking toward him. "Jimmy, shouting at Cas isn't going to help matters. He was dragged back to heaven to be reeducated." When she said that, Jimmy was surprised. "Jimmy, angels are soldiers. That's it. Cas hasn't been able to protect your family because he can't do anything." Jimmy sighed.
"He still promised," he said quietly, and walked back toward the boys. Kat watched him go, and then looked up at the sky.
"You did promise, Cas," she whispered, and followed Jimmy.
Sam, Dean, and Kat didn't get very far. They were waiting for them, and dragged them in to the room where Jimmy was talking to the demon. Claire was unconscious, tied to a chair, and Jimmy looked lost.
"Got the knife?" Amelia's demon asked one of the henchmen holding Sam. He held up the knife to show her. "And you know what's funny?"
"You're wearing a soccer mom?" Dean quipped.
"I was actually bummed to get this detail, picking up an empty vessel. Sort of like a milk run. Now look who landed in my lap."
"Yeah, well, you got us, okay?" Sam said. "Let these people go."
"Oh Sam," Amelia chided. "It's easy to act chivalrous when your Wonder Girl powers aren't working huh? Now for the punch line." She turned to Jimmy. "Everyone dies." She held up a gun and shot Jimmy in the stomach. Kat screamed as he fell to his knees. Amelia just laughed. "Waste little orphan Annie," she instructed one of the other demons. She started struggling as hard as she could.
"I'm gonna enjoy sending you back to hell, you bitch!" she screamed. Amelia was about to respond, when the demon she sent to kill Claire screamed in agony. Everyone turned and saw Claire exorcising the demon. Sam and Dean took advantage of the distraction while Kat just looked on. Claire burned the ropes holding her and stood up. Jimmy, who was lying on the ground, looked up at her, a look of horror on his face.
"Castiel," he choked out.
Dean and Sam struggled with their demons and Kat managed to get rid of hers. When they all turned to look at Sam, his mouth was covered in blood, and Dean had a horrified look on his face. Choosing to move on, Sam stood and exorcised the demon possessing Amelia. Dean went to her while Kat and Claire, now Cas, went to Jimmy.
"Of course we keep our promises," Castiel said to Jimmy. "Of course you have our gratitude." He had heard every word Jimmy had said. "You served us well. Your work is done. It's time to go home now. Your real home. You'll rest forever in the fields of the Lord. Rest now, Jimmy." Kat looked at Castiel, trying not to think about what he had said to the poor girl.
"No," Jimmy said, his mouth beginning to fill with blood. "Claire?"
"She's with me, now," Castiel said. "She's chosen. It's in her blood, as it was in yours."
"Cas," Kat said, unable to interpret her feelings. While she was glad that Cas was back, it was weird hearing his voice come from an eleven-year-old girl.
"Please, Castiel," Jimmy said, using all of his strength. "Me, just take me. Take me, please."
"Castiel, you can't put Claire through this," Kat said. Cas looked at her, a blank look meeting Kat's serious one. "Jimmy knows the risks. This is not the life for a young girl who has her whole life ahead of her. Jimmy wants to take her place. You should let him."
"I want to make sure you understand," Castiel said, turning back to Jimmy. "You won't die or age. If this last year was painful for you, picture a hundred, a thousand more like it."
"It doesn't matter," Jimmy replied, speech becoming harder for him. "You take me. Just take me!"
"As you wish," Cas said, and placed a hand on Jimmy's forehead. There was a blinding light as the angel switched bodies from the young girl to her father. When the transfer was complete, Claire let out a heavy sigh, heaving for breath. Jimmy, now Cas, stood up and walked away from the girl. Amelia, demon free, ran to Claire to check on her. Amelia and Cas locked eyes for a minute before he started walking away.
"Cas, hold up," Dean said, stopping him. "What were you gonna tell me?"
"I learned my lesson while I was away, Dean," Cas replied. "I serve heaven, I don't serve man, and I certainly don't serve you." He turned and walked away without another word as Sam, Dean, and Kat looked on, stunned.
Kat was tired, and fell asleep almost immediately in the backseat. During that time, she had a dream.
She was back in her glen, but she wasn't at peace. Someone was there with her. She turned and saw the trenchcoat-clad angel standing there.
"Cas?"
"I at least wanted to come and say goodbye," he said. Instantly, the chairs and table Kat had put there appeared. Kat looked at Castiel.
"Angels have as much control over dreams as you do, if you let them," he pointed out and sat, motioning for her to do the same. Kat sat down, but kept her eyes locked on the blue-eyed angel in front of her.
"Cas, what the hell was that back there?" she demanded. "You convinced a little girl to be your vessel, and you were going to keep her like that?"
"She agreed to it," Cas began.
"To save her parents, I'm sure," Kat cut in. "Cas, don't bother trying to explain to me how to be a vessel. What you should be doing is explaining what happened. We were all worried sick."
"My superiors believed that I was becoming emotional. They felt I was getting too close to the humans in my care. They reminded me what an Angel is supposed to do," Cas explained, choosing to ignore Kat's outburst. "I wanted you to know that Sarakiel is safe, and that she will be released when everything is finished. You don't have to worry about her anymore."
"Not worry? Cas, all I'm going to do is worry until she's free!"
"Well, don't," Cas said simply. When Kat scoffed, he stood up and walked over to her. "Thank you for being kind to me, Katherine," he said, taking both of her hands in his. Kat didn't miss the change back to her full name. She stood up and looked him square in the eye.
"Thank you for giving me a purpose again," she replied.
"A purpose?"
"The Cas that Sara knew is gone," Kat said. "I'm not going to rest until I get him back. Until then, be well…Castiel." With a snap of her fingers, she woke up. There was a slight vibrating in her front pants pocket. She pulled out her cell phone and found a few texts from Bobby. Reading them, she realized that they weren't out of the woods yet.
They were at Bobby's house in record time. The four of them walked toward the panic room Bobby had built in his basement. The walls were iron, coated in salt. A devil's trap was on the floor in front of the door, as well as one in the grate that covered the fan on the ceiling. There was a small armory, as well as provisions, a desk with a small library, bullet forge, and a bed. However, everything had been removed, and the cot had been placed at the center of the devil's trap painted on the floor. A small table with a water pitcher and glass on it was against the far wall, and a small mirror above the table. Sam went in first, with Dean, Bobby, and Kat hanging back.
"All right, so what's the big demon problem?" Sam asked, looking around the panic room.
"You are," Bobby said. Sam turned and looked at the three of them, confused and scared. "This is for your own good." Bobby shut the large iron door and locked it. Sam ran to the barred window, calling out to them. Bobby shut the grate on the window as Sam's cries became louder and more frantic. Kat bit her lower lip as she watched the door, Sam's voice grating on her nerves. Dean wrapped an arm around her shoulders. They looked at each other, and with a last look at the door, Dean took Kat upstairs, with Bobby close behind.
It was going to be a long week.