Chapter 89.
Dean paused at the back door. "Anything else we need to discuss?"
"Not really." said Cas.
"Not really means what, really?" said Dean.
"Nothing to discuss." said Cas. No mental voice contradicted him, but from the determination on his face, it wouldn't dare.
"Cas, you are useless at hiding stuff from me." said Dean, "'I have a secret!' is written across your face."
Cas peered at his reflection in the panes of glass in the door.
"It's an expression, Cas." said Dean.
"Yes and right now, a puzzled one. What are you talking about?"
"You're playing dumb or you're just being dumb." said Dean, "And I don't know which."
"Not quite the open book you thought?" said Cas, too pleased with himself.
"The stuff about the talismans ... " Dean began.
"Forget that. Needless worry." said Cas.
"Okay, fine, forgotten. But what's worrying you needlessly right now?"
"We just need to be able to switch the link off without the talismans." said Cas and headmonkey Cas added, "Or I can never have sex again."
"She have a thing about jewellery or something?" said Dean.
"My issue, not hers." said Cas.
"You don't trust the talismans?"
"Not to that degree. It's irrational, I know, but ... "
"You're entitled to irrational, now and then." said Dean, "We'll fix it."
"I expected mockery."
"I don't like what that says about me. You really think I'm that much of a jerk?"
"You really think I'm dumb?"
"I think your headmonkey's an idiot."
"On that we agree." said Cas.
"I wouldn't spy on you and Jules, even if the link opened."
"Isn't watching people have sex one of your favourite hobbies?"
"No! No, not all the time. Not people I know." said Dean, "That would be weird."
"That's the weird part?" said Cas.
"Don't judge me. I don't judge your bee fetish."
"I don't have a bee fetish."
The door opened and Sarah looked out. "Castiel, Dean, come in and have a cup of tea."
They went obediently into the house. Cas went into the parlour and Jules stood to greet him. "Are you okay?" she said.
"Yes." he said, "Everything is okay."
She hugged him. "Good. I worry when you go wandering off like that."
"Afraid I'll get lost?" he said, smiling, "You know I can navigate anywhere in the universe by magnetic fields, right?"
"More worried about which one of you is doing the steering," she said, "Slave of Heaven, Eternal Rebel or my favourite."
"Which is your favourite?" said Cas.
"I call him True Castiel." she said, "He's pretty special."
"That's one word for it." said Dean.
Sam grinned. "You're fooling no-one. You think they're adorable."
"You can't prove that." said Dean, slightly afraid Sam might try.
Jules and Cas sat down together. They could not have been closer and Dean saw how both seemed to relax at the contact, as if the slightest physical distance were unbearable to them. Dean grabbed a chair by the couch. Opposite him, Sam was smiling at the pair.
Sarah brought tea for Cas and Dean. As she gave Dean his, her hand rested for a moment on his shoulder. Somehow she knew he needed that. He was feeling unsettled. He wanted only the best for Jules and Cas and that seemed to be this loving relationship, but he was deeply afraid that Cas would find he didn't need anyone else.
"Thanks." he said, officially for the tea, but her eyes showed she knew better. She nodded and smiled.
"You'll stay here tonight, won't you?" said Cas to Jules.
"Yeah, I have my usual hunter's overnight kit in the Jeep." she said, "Then tomorrow, I can bring my stuff over."
"You are gonna live here, then?" said Dean. He tried to work out whether he was more worried for her relationship with Cas or his. The answer was probably not one that would reflect well on him.
"It's what Cas wants." she said, "And I said we'd do this his way."
"We'll miss you at the bunker." he said.
"I'll still be there a lot." she said, "I know Cas won't leave it."
"I had an idea, actually." said Sam.
"Well, had to happen one day." said Dean.
"Having another one now." said Sam.
"Yeah? Bring it!"
"What was the original idea, Sam?" said Sarah, reminding them both that this was not an appropriate place and time to bicker.
"While Jules is getting her team set up here, it might be a good idea to lend her some of our vast resources."
"She can have whatever she needs, as far as I'm concerned." said Dean.
"I'd really appreciate that." said Jules.
"Also, maybe we could lend her someone useful."
"Yeah, though Bobby is a little busy. Maybe Mom. There's no better hunter in the bunker, present company excepted."
"Mom would think we were trying to avoid her." said Sam.
"That's true." said Sarah, "You need more quality time with her, not less."
"Well, we need someone competent." said Dean.
"Good at research, useful in a fight." Sam suggested.
"Yeah." said Dean.
"Because if we help new teams, everyone benefits." said Sam.
"Absolutely." said Dean. He glanced at Cas, who seemed completely disconnected from the conversation. "Any thoughts, Cas?" he said.
"Not really." said Cas, "Administrative matters are for you and Sam."
"And you don't care."
"And I don't care." said Cas.
"Because you have a hot girlfriend."
"Indeed." said Cas.
"We just need to give it some thought." said Sam, "But in principle?"
"Yeah. It's a good idea." said Dean, "Jules has already shown she is a kickass hunter."
"Yes, she has." said Cas proudly.
"So, Jules, whatever you need, we can supply. Anything at the bunker that isn't my car is at your disposal."
"He means no offence about the car." Cas explained to her, "Nobody gets to use his car."
"I know how he feels." said Jules, "My Jeep is mine alone."
"Exactly." said Dean. He smiled at her. He liked her. She was his kind of hunter.
"You need to teach Jules to use an angel blade." said Cas.
"I do? Can't you think of someone better than me who would really enjoy some hand to hand stuff with her? An actual angel, maybe?"
"I can," said Cas, "But close quarters combat with Jules would not go well."
"You're scared of Jules?" said Dean with a grin.
"I just think she might be better trained if her teacher doesn't become distracted whenever physical contact occurs." said Cas, "You can control and sublimate your desires. You have no idea how difficult that is for someone unused to their intensity."
"I love it when he says things like that." said Jules, "He makes me sound like a much bigger deal than I am."
"You two badly need to get it together." said Dean.
"Tell me about it." said Jules, but she smiled at Cas.
