Readying to be back in hunting business...


Chapter 27

One by one, the youngsters got up and left for their rooms, until only the adults remained. Julia stood up too, intending to follow after Jesse, but Dean wasn't going to let her off the hook so easily. Many stranger-than-usual things were happening, and he was set on getting some answers right then and there.

"Julia, please stay. There are a couple of things I'd like to question you about, the sooner the better."

The woman stood still, looking at the doorframe of the war room, where her son was the last kid about to leave. He seemed worried and protective, but Julia tried to offer him a reassuring smile.

"It's alright, baby. Go to sleep, I'll be fine."

The cambion was clearly reluctant, but he obeyed and went with Jack.

"So..." she uttered nervously, sitting down again. "What do you want to ask?"

"Well, the first question is quite obvious, right? How are you and that kid together?"

"Because he's my son," Julia answered naturally, a bit bewildered. "Why wouldn't we be?"

Dean and Castiel crossed looks for a second, a silent conversation passing between them, and immediately the angel moved closer to the woman.

"Julia, would you allow me to perform a little evaluation on you, please?"

"An... an evaluation? What?"

"He means to check up if you've been brainwashed by your half-demon spawn," Gabriel so helpfully explained. "Don't worry, madam. It won't hurt."

Everyone in the room groaned at the tactless archangel.

"I've been not," Julia denied, shaking her head. "But I understand if you need proof to be sure. Yes, go ahead."

Very gently, Castiel put his hand on the top of her head and ran his grace through her. The blonde closed her eyes, as if the sensation was taxing on her body, but she didn't protest.

"She is clean," the angel stated after a few seconds, releasing her. "I did not detect a single speck of miasma in her being."

"Yay, claps for that," Balthazar cheered sarcastically, getting up from the armchair where he had been lounging. "I guess this is one of those things Naomi expects me to inform her about, so I'll take my leave now, before the melodrama breaks out. You need a ride, Reddie?"

"I..." Rowena hesitated, looking at everyone's faces before getting up too. "Actually yes, thank you. I don't think I can be much of help right now, if there's no magic involved. See you soon again, boys."

So the witch daintily wove an arm around the rogue's elbow, and next second they were gone. Castiel and the brothers looked doubtfully at the archangel, questioning if he was going to bail out too like usually.

"What?" Gabriel pouted. "Don't look at me like that! I'm staying here to help for the time being and there are parts of this story that I'm missing, like this one about the cambion. Kali would toast my pretty arse crispy if I went back without knowing what's going on."

"Julia," Jessica talked kindly to her, trying to get her attention back on the matter. "What we'd like to know is how exactly you and your son got together again. As far as I've been told, Jesse disappeared from all radars after learning the truth."

"He did," the mother nodded. "Because he was just a child despite his origin, and he was scared. He didn't want to participate in something he couldn't barely understand."

And Julia would know, because she had been there too. Giving birth to a baby that she hadn't wanted, hadn't expected; a baby that could have been a monster. The fear and the responsibility had been too much for her to endure, and thus, for the next decade, she had lived feeling frightened and guilty every single day.

But being forced to face her fears had changed that. Possessed again by the same demon that had made her pregnant and never bothered to even cut off her consciousness, Julia had met the kid; and thanks to the abilities of said demon, she had seen the truth: there was a soul there. Yes, of course there was something rotten and twisted in the little boy, but also something pure and bright. He wasn't a monster, not yet at least. Jesse was still an innocent child.

In a sudden epiphany, Julia understood that he was her son as much as the demon's. But when she woke up and was herself again, it was already too late to become a proper mother.

"I started praying," she said, her eyes lost in remembrance. "Something I hadn't done in a long, long time."

"You prayed to him?" Sam asked, trying to follow.

"Not to him, but for him," she corrected. "Every single day, I prayed for Jesse to be okay. That he was safe, that he was warm and well fed. I hoped that he was a happy child."

"And then?"

"And then, one day he showed up at my doorstep, four or five months later. He was thin and dirty," Julia chuckled sadly. "Jesse told me he was hungry, and that it wasn't going to disappear simply because I wished so. Therefore, I cooked him a meal."

And she had also prepared a bath, and lent the boy some of her smallest clothes while she washed his, and even laughed a little when the cambion shared some of his recent adventures in Australia. Practically living alone in the wild, like some feral child, because he was scared of using his abilities. All the while, what surprised her the most was how unafraid she felt, despite having a small demon hybrid under her roof.

"After that I asked him to stay, but Jesse said that he couldn't because there were people trying to find him. Also not-people," Julia added in a somber tone. "So instead, I offered to go with him and settle together in another hemisphere. And that's how we became family. We've been taking care of each other since then."

There was a minute of silence after the woman finished her story. Eventually, it was Castiel who broke it.

"How was possible for him to hear your prayers? That is not an ability I ever witnessed in a demon, and you were not even addressing him."

"I don't really know how it works," Julia answered apologetically. "It doesn't work just with anyone either. Jesse thinks it does between us because we have a biological connection, a link? But even as that, I can only talk, and he can only hear. It doesn't go both ways."

"But your kid has been communicating with Jack," Dean pointed out. "Must be a hybrid thing."

"And I guess Patience can hear them too, to some extent, maybe because she's a psychic," Jessica theorized. "She asked them to 'stop thinking so loud' outside."

"Didn't you know about them?" the woman inquired, nervously hugging herself. "Sorry, I thought that you knew. For days and days my son wouldn't stop talking and smiling about his new friend, his first real friend, so I assumed..."

"It is alright, Julia," Castiel said in a comforting tone. "Jack does not have that many friends either. This might be good for both of them."

"Yeah, about that..." Gabriel spoke hesitantly, ruffling his hair. "Perhaps you should watch out for what two of the most powerful beings in existence might cause together. Mayhem wouldn't be a stretch too far, specially now that they have been appointed as anunnaki stands-in. No more grounding for stealing cookies from the jar before dinner."

Four killing looks told the archangel that his concern wasn't appreciated, probably because by reminding them of the obvious fact, he had also spoiled the lighter mood in which they had been sharing cute human feelings.

"Okie, I can tell when I've overstayed my welcome," he shrugged, standing from his seat. "I hope Kali is up to tend to my poor, bleeding heart."

"Gabriel, you should return to Heaven," Castiel advised sternly.

"Sure, like that's gonna happen," Gabriel smirked, raising his hand. "Say bye-bye to lil' lady Emma for me!"

And snapping his fingers, the archangel disappeared. Castiel almost groaned in frustration.

"Since I've told you my story," Julia spoke, focusing all the attention in the room back to her, "I'd like if you had the same courtesy with me, since my son is somehow involved. So please tell me, what's happening here?"

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

When Dean wobbled into the kitchen the next morning, one seraph of the Lord in tow, he mumbled an honest prayer to said Lord when the blessed smell of coffee greeted him. He was about to also thank his future sister-in-law for the breakfast (it was her turn) when he noticed that the kitchen was one angel fuller than usual.

"Thaz, you should give us the chance to at least try to miss you sometimes, you know?" he grumbled, serving two mugs of coffee for himself and Castiel.

"Don't flatter yourself just because you're somehow a more decent company than Naomi, Dee," Balthazar answered, sipping from a cocktail glass.

"Oh, and here I was thinking that you enjoyed being her little spy."

"Dean, that is not a matter of joke," Castiel reprimanded him, bad memories coming to his mind.

The hunter looked away sheepishly, internally berating himself for bringing up such a thorny fact of the past that obviously still hurt. He decided to ignore Balthazar and his obnoxious winning grin, focusing instead on his brother.

"What's giving you wrinkles so early in the morning, Sam?" he asked, looking at his stressed face.

"A monster," he replied, worried eyes scanning some papers in the counter and no humour in his voice. "A very ordinary yet important monster called money."

"Money, really?" Dean frowned, seating down in front of Jessica.

"Yes, money," Sam repeated behind him, serious. "Dean, hunting is never a profitable business, but we managed being only us. However, now we have an entire dozen of people to provide for. That means food, clothes, gas, toiletries, cash, phones... pool hustling and credit swindle isn't going to cut it fast enough. We're lucky that at least in water and electricity the bunker is self-sufficient, but with so many people around we really should buy another washing machine for starts."

"I was thinking that maybe you could sell those old cars in the garage, as an idea," Jessica suggested. "It's not like you have any other use for them."

"Hey, what you mean 'old cars'?" Dean felt offended.

Behind him, where he couldn't see it, Sam was frenetically signalling to his beloved that that had been the wrong thing to say to his classic-loving brother.

"Ehm, I mean..." Jessica delicately tried to change the approach. "Those are really classic cars, Dean, and they have been kept in top-notch condition to boot. I'm sure there must be collectors out there who would pay pretty penny to get their hands on them. Perhaps even a museum? As a history student, I'd know."

Sam breathed relieved, feeling very proud of his smart fiancée.

"Oh, yeah. I... I guess you're right," Dean admitted, appeased. "It's not a bad idea, we could go with it. Those cars weren't going anywhere, anyway. More space for us."

"If you need money, I could always make a donation," Balthazar surprisingly intervened. "Open a NGO account, Save the squirrels or whatever. It will give me a tax discount at least."

"Would your vessel be okay with that?" Sam doubted.

"Yes, don't worry. Good ol' Roché was bored shit and disenchanted with his fortune, that wouldn't give him back the love of his life nor cure him from his illness. I offered to at least do one of those things for him if he accepted me, but he refused. Sebastian would only say yes if I delivered him directly to Heaven, so that's what I did. He didn't care anymore for mortal riches."

"That's very generous of you, Balthazar," Jessica praised him, smiling cutely. "That would certainly be a nice pillow fund in case we don't get enough for selling the cars."

"Oh, you temptress. Don't do this to my poor heart when you already belong to another man!" the rogue angel sighed theatrically. "The forbidden fruit was for humans to eat, not angels. Besides, I've already set my eyes in the fruit of another blondie tree, darling."

Dean swallowed a chuckle, standing up and leaving his empty coffee mug in the sink, just in time to see the murderous look in Sam's face directed at Balthazar for daring to flirt with his babe. He walked to the doorframe, intending to go to his room to get dressed (because as comfy as the deadman's robe was, he had to set a good example for the children), when just a couple of steps before crossing it a flying knife hit the frame, falling clumsily to the floor.

"Dean!" Castiel was immediately by his side. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, no harm done." He picked up the knife and inspected it. "Hey, kid. You'll have to try better if you really intend to kill me."

To everyone's surprise, Jacob's voice was heard from the hallway.

"A kitchen knife was all I got for today. I couldn't get in the armory," the boy grumbled.

"Of course you couldn't, the armory is closed by seven locks. And that's no figure of speech," the hunter informed him, angry. "But still, even if you got a butcher's knife, it would've been for nothing. Everything in your attempt was bad: the distance, the timing, the aim... Also the target. You couldn't know that I was going to be the one out first. What if you harmed someone else?"

The kitsune gritted his teeth, no replying. He turned around and disappeared, likely back to his room to keep plotting his revenge.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

After everyone had breakfast and were properly dressed, Sam and Dean gathered them in the library to set down some basic living rules. Jack was specially cheerful, having so many people around that looked close in age to him, even if that was far from the reality. Standing next to Castiel, he couldn't stop smiling, looking at all the other children in front of him.

"Ok, kiddos. Everybody hates speeches, so I'll keep this short," Dean started, rubbing his hands. "When I was the kid, I was my dad's little soldier. Sometimes it got ugly, but most of the time it felt like I could be trusted, like I was helping my dad and my brother. Then those few times I failed... my dad looked at me and seemed to remember what a child I was too. I hated those times, I hated feeling like I couldn't be relied on. So when one of us, big boring adults tell you to do or not to do something, we expect to be obeyed. We understand- we know how important you are to our saving-the-world plan, and we want to trust you with things. So, you don't behave like stupid kids, and we won't treat you like stupid kids, ok?"

"There are rules for a reason," Sam added, trying a friendlier tone. "The bunker isn't a prison, you can come and go as you please. But given the circumstances, we expect your help, and for that we need to know where you are and what you're doing. Please, don't go out without telling anyone. And if there's any problem, ask us for help too! Don't wait for it to become even a bigger mess, whatever it is."

"Speaking of messes," Dean perked up. "In this business we get a lot. You need to learn how to fight it before they catch you. That means all of you are going to be trained, if not in hunting at least in self-defense and lore. Combat, researching and Latin exorcising."

"Do you have to study dead languages to kill monsters?" Patience asked curiously. "I thought you did it with salt and iron?"

"Oh, not at all!" Jack chirped. "Not all monsters are weak against the same things. Hunter training is about a lot of things, you'll see."

"That includes you too, Jack," the older hunter spoke very serious, moving his head to indicate the nephilim to join the group of teenagers. "You're certainly not going to stand lazily on the sides while everyone tries their best."

That made Jack frown in confusion. He looked at Castiel, as if asking for confirmation. The angel nodded, giving it, so the boy slowly walked to the younger side. He stood next to Claire, who nudged him lightly on the ribs, making him ticklish and smile a bit again.

"Good. Now that that's out the way, you have fifteen minutes to get ready for our first stop: the tattoo parlor. Scram! And you better be on time."

The children obeyed, not really in the mood to put up a fight for something as banal as a tattoo, though Sam was pretty sure that he heard Patience squeak when Alex explained her that they were being anti-demon tattooed. Apparently Missouri's granddaughter wasn't a fan of bodypainting.

"Don't you think is weird?" Sam asked to nobody in specific, frowning deep in thought.

"What in our fucked up lives isn't weird, Sammy?"

"Haven't you noticed? All of them, all the anunnaki channels, we met them before. And even more, they're all youngsters. Isn't that, like, an extremely rare coincidence?"

Dean thought about it for a second before nodding.

"It is. A damn big weird coincidence. Cas, can you clear it to us?"

"I do not believe it is a coincidence in the slightest," Castiel answered. "But I do not know for sure why the Nine Choirs spell chose the people it did. I may only surmise some of the reasons."

"Which are?" Jessica inquired.

"First is the caster, which was Rowena, but it was casted in your stead. The will was essential, therefore the calling looked for people you knew and might be within your reach. Second is the nature: we are dealing with celestial energy here, thus non-human beings should be more resilient to house it."

At this, Dean smacked his forehead as if suddenly understanding something, closing his eyes for a second.

"None of them are completely normal humans," he realized. "Everyone has some type of ability, or is a different species. Like Alex got her blood mixed with a vampire's..."

"Or how Jacob is a kitsune?" Sam guessed.

"Or Claire is a proved angel vessel, just like your brother Adam. Not to mention her almost-werewolf episode," Castiel confirmed. "Considering what your job is, it is plausible to think that there were not too many options to choose from. Most of the supernatural beings that cross your path end up dead, but these were children back then. They are survivors."

An overwhelming silence fell upon them, assimilating the truth. The Winchester brothers just hoped that while trying once again to save the world, they hadn't doomed the lives of innocent brats.

"By the way, why did you make Jack join them?" the angel asked, squinting curiously. "You know that he is already being trained by me to control his powers, and he is becoming quite reliable at it. Also, it is not as if there is anything actually capable of harming him, at least not that we know of."

Dean swallowed and turned around, strangely shy.

"Jack may be a nephilim, but he's still a kid," he explained. "And kids should play with other kid friends."

"Dean," Castiel smiled, warmth evident in his voice. "That was very kind and thoughtful of you."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm the fucking Mother Theresa. Let's go and get those children painted for life before one of them runs away."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Claire was fuming, ready to spit someone in the eye and complain endlessly for the big, unfair injustice that his dad-alike and semi-uncles were doing to her. Could you believe it? She was a big girl, she didn't need a nanny!

"Claire, we already had this conversation before, remember?" Dean sternly reminded her. "You promised to us, promised to Jody, that you wouldn't hunt like a fool."

"This isn't even a hunt, Gabriel said so! I only have to go to Tennessee and collect some kind of key."

"Yes, but Gabriel also said that the Seraphim key had already nested," Castiel replied. "And that means unpredictable occurrences, so you are not going alone."

"Great," she mumbled. "Not only I'm being babysat, but I have to do babysitting as well. Why is he coming?"

'He' being no other than Kevin Tran, that currently was leaning on Baby's hood, a bag hanging on his shoulder, patiently waiting for the young huntress to finish her tantrum.

"We Prophets of the Lord deserve to breathe the air outside from time to time too, you know?" he snickered, more amused than offended. "Why? Do you have a problem with me tagging along? Because I'll let you know that I managed to deal with the King of Hell himself several times, all on my own. So don't worry, tigress, I can take care of myself."

"See? It's not as bad as you're making it to be," Dean finished the argument. "We go to Tennessee, you collect your key while Kev does a bit of sight-seeing, and I stay back just as a wildcard in case anything actually happens. Sounds good?"

Claire snorted one last time in annoyance, but gave in.

"The less complications the better, Claire," Castiel opined.

"Can we go in my car at least?"

"No chance in Hell," the hunter grinned. "You two get in and get comfortable while I go pick my duffel. I'll even ask Sam if he has any Taylor Swift cassette for you."

"Sam's cassette, right..." she retorted in revenge.

Dean threw her a murderous look, but didn't say anything. He walked down the garage stairs, hasting to his room so they could go already, when he came to a halt while crossing the main hallway.

Emma.

Emma was there, Dean didn't know if coming out or going back to her bedroom, but they crossed looks and the air stalled in his lungs. He felt a knot in his throat, and for a moment his tongue felt like lead.

"So you're going, Father," she said nonchalantly.

"Yes, I'm going," Dean confirmed, not knowing what more to say. "It seems an easy case. Hopefully it won't be long."

Emma nodded a couple of times, accepting the info before turning around and going on her way without saying another word. In a couple of seconds she was gone.

Dean swallowed and carded a hand through his hair, asking himself if he was supposed to say anything else. Goodbye, perhaps? See you soon? Be a good girl while I'm away for work? Dammit, he didn't remember it being this difficult and awkward with Ben.

Snapping out of it, he took the duffel from his room and went back, this time meeting his wannabe-boyfriend waiting for him in the war room.

"Dean," he called him, lightly grabbing his sleeve. "Please, wait a moment."

"Yeah, Cas? Is something the matter?"

"No, I just..." he stuttered and timidly looked away for a second, before locking eyes with him again. "I would like a kiss."

The Winchester blinked, taken off-guard by the angel's little request.

"What? Right now?"

"Is it not a good time?" Castiel frowned, but he started to feel insecure and released Dean's sleeve, taking a step back. "Forgive me, it was not my intention to bother you when you are about to depart. But since you asked me to be more direct about my desires towards you..."

"Hey, wait. Wait, stop there for a second," Dean interrupted him, understanding that he had screwed up Castiel's wish. "You want a goodbye kiss? That's what this is about?"

"I... yes?"

"Dammit, Cas," Dean chuckled, grabbing Castiel's hand and dragging him back into his personal space. "You can't expect me to get these things asap the first time you voice them out of the blue, ok?"

"But you already kissed me goodbye once before, Dean. How was I supposed to foresee that you would not get it?"

"If I don't, then you just have to explain yourself better. Now come here."

Castiel obeyed, enjoying Dean's pretty freckles before closing his eyes when he felt him tenderly kissing his lips. After the many kisses they had already shared, it marvelled the seraph how every single one of them still felt new and amazing. It didn't matter if they were gentle and sweet or rough and passionate, because they never ceased to elate his grace in a warm caress.

"So? How was that for a goodbye kiss?" Dean asked, smiling smugly.

"I liked it a lot," Castiel answered truthfully. "May I hope for a welcome kiss too?"

"No," the hunter smirked, shaking his head. "That one you are giving it to me, angel."


Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Someone asked me about the children's ages. Since by now the story is happening during s13 before Christmas, the year is 2017. This means:

Claire, born 1997 = 20 years old

Alex, born 1998 = 19

Adam, born 1990, killed 2009 = 19

Kevin, born 1993, killed 2013 = 20

Jack, born May 2017, lied 2000 = 7 months (supposedly 18 years)

Emma, born 2012, killed 2012 = three days (looks 16 years)

Jesse, born 1998 = 19

Kaia, born ¿? = considered 17 (still under Social Services tutelage, thus not of legal age)

Jacob, born 1999 = 18

Patience, born 1999 = 18