Riley sighed softly in the darkness of Dean's room before she shifted carefully, not wanting to wake him. She didn't feel like answering any more questions regarding the damn Mark or why she did her thesis. She ducked away from Dean's hold around her torso and slid out of his bed carefully. Her hand had just wrapped around the cold brass doorknob when he cleared his throat quietly and in a way that let her know he was wide awake.
"Where ya goin'?" His rough, sleepy tone made her eyes close.
"Drink of water." She didn't turn back around and she heard the mattress groan as he shifted.
"I got water right here on the nightstand."
Riley closed her eyes in the darkness. "I'm gonna go talk to Cas." The truth came out and he shifted a little more, his eyes adjusting to the darkness.
"Want me to come with ya?"
"I'll be fine." Riley's hand was getting sweaty on the doorknob. She felt him sigh behind her. "Okay?"
"You comin' back here for a couple hours when you're done?"
"I will." She heard him hum quietly before settling back down. Riley turned the knob and the hallway lighting spilled into his bedroom for a few seconds while she slipped out the door. She was headed towards the war room and she spoke quietly. "Cas?"
The fluttering of his wings startled her and she met his clear blue eyes fr the first time in nearly four months. A slight blush covered her cheeks when that occurred to her and her gaze immediately dropped from his; she'd convinced the angel to put Dean out for the spell, then banished him from her bedroom. "Hello, Riley."
Tears stung her eyes and sympathy simultaneously flickered in his; Castiel knew she hadn't meant for anything bad to happen and he could feel the remorse coursing through her right then.
"I'm sorry, Castiel." Her voice was quiet and she couldn't even bring herself to meet his striking blue eyes. "I never should've made you promise not to tell."
"Well, you're not wrong." His sass made her smile the tiniest bit and Riley dared a glance up at the angel.
"I'm sorry for sending you away." Pause and a sniffle. "I'm sorry for blocking myself from you, but I had to save Dean..."
Castiel sighed softly; he understood that undeniable need to protect those he loved at any cost. "I know why you did what you did, Riley."
"Please forgive me." Two fat tears slipped down her cheeks and she reached up hastily to wipe them away.
"I already have." He paused. "The first time and now too." The brunette nodded. "You and Dean?"
"We're okay."
"Sam says you're dating... or whatever you humans call cohabiting and copulating." For some season, that made Riley blush deeply. Castiel actually smiled at her reaction. "You make one another happy." She giggled a little at the thought of someone like her making someone as wonderful as Dean Winchester happy.
"I really am sorry."
"I know you are." Castiel returned the hug she gave him and felt her relax just a bit in his presence. "I know the Winchesters are concerned with the fact that you had all this information regarding the Mark prior to coming into their lives."
"I know." She sat down n the chair in the library and motioned for him to do the same. "Cas, I know damn well it's not a coincidence. I know that." Her words were soft. "Dean died and turned into something evil." Riley shivered at the memory, the living nightmare, that included Dean's death and him coming back as a night of hell, everything that made him good stripped bare. "I heard you guys talking last night... what happens if I die like he did?" Her voice was getting quieter.
The angel next to her looked somewhat discouraged. "I would be lying if I said I knew."
Riley's shoulder's slumped a bit. "I appreciate that, I guess."
"Sam thinks you should stay here until we figure this out." Castiel watched her brown eyes meet his. "And I think he may be correct."
"I'm a prisoner."
"Not a prisoner."
She snorted. "Seems that way."
"You are to be protected." That seemed to strike a chord in her and Riley's expression softened a bit, knowing the angel wasn't to blame.
"I know." They were both quiet for a moment. "How long will I have to stay in here?"
"As long as it takes." Riley accepted her fate and pushed up from the wood chair, exhaustion suddenly taking up residence in her soul.
"Cas, I'm goin' back to bed." She leaned in to kiss the top of his head and ruffle his dark hair. "You gonna be here?"
"I'll be here." He watched her head towards the sleeping quarters.
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Dean was dozing lightly when Riley slipped back inside his bedroom. The click of the mechanism made him inhale sharply and she winced. "Sorry."
"Mmm." Came his murmured reply. "Get back in here." She crossed the room and Dean lifted the blanket. Riley sighed as she slid in next to him, the warmth of his body enveloping her. Dean's mouth was on her neck, kissing leisurely. "You talk to Cas?"
"Yeah." He nuzzled his nose into her soft skin and sighed, his breath warm on her neck. "He's not mad."
"Knew he wouldn't be."
"Dean?"
"Mm?"
"Hold me." Riley turned away from him and Dean's strong arm slid around her hips, hugging her close to the warmth he provided. She felt him breathing even out less than a minute later and it was only then that she allowed herself to relax and drift off.
spnspnspnspn
Riley awoke up a little while later, confused by her surroundings and then realized she'd been dreaming. She was safe at home, in Dean's bedroom. She had been dreaming a moment before and closed her eyes for a few seconds, trying to recall it.
A face popped into her mind just then and she remembered parts of the dream. A young woman she'd kinda been friends with during her class had been in her subconscious. She'd been dreaming they were walking to class. Laughing and talking about anything and nothing and she'd pulled open the classroom door right before she'd woken up.
It had been a year since she'd left school and she briefly wondered if she had any contact information about this girl. Riley's mind went to the old trunk at the end of her bed in her own bedroom and she wondered if she had this girl's contact information, an email, anything.
The girl she'd been dreaming about was in her class where she'd been assigned the Mark of Cain to do her thesis.
Maybe she'd remember that teacher's assistant's name.
"Riley?" Dean's voice stilled her and she blinked, suddenly realizing she was walking down the hall to her own room. Her brown eyes met his and he studied her. "You with me?"
"I was just gonna get dressed."
His jaw worked, not wanting to call her a liar. "Okay."
Riley wet her lips. "Where's Sam?"
"Making breakfast."
She nodded. "I'm gonna get a shower real quick and I wanna talk to you guys."
"Alright." Dean paused. "About?"
"That teacher's assistant who assigned my thesis subject."
His expression remained neutral. "I'll be in your room." Riley patted his arm when she walked by him and moved into the bathroom to take a quick shower and wash her hair. Her hands were shaking and her eyes moved down her body until they focused on the suds sliding across the reddish brown scar on her hip.
She let her mind wander anxiously for a moment before her left hand reached out to crank off the hot water. She moved down the hallway in a towel after brushing her teeth and jumped when she saw Dean sitting on the side of her bed. He rose slowly and spoke. "I'll step out while you get dressed." He pressed a kiss to her temple as he moved by and the door closed quietly behind him.
Riley yanked on some clothes and raked a comb through hr hair, fluffing it again with the bath towel. "Dean?"
"Yeah?"
"Come in." He did so and she tossed him the wet towel which he draped over the wooden chair in the corner. She sank to her knees in front of the trunk and he moved st stand near her. "So I remembered something... I was dreaming this morning and I remembered a girl I had class with and I wonder if she'd remember that TA." Dean sat down where she handed him a manila envelope that housed a thick stack of papers.
"So what class was this?"
"Biblical languages... it was an advanced writing class." She pulled out another stack and sat down next to his legs, her back against the bed. She flipped open another folder with a couple of inches worth of papers. Riley flipped over a couple and studied the backs of them.
Dean opened his folder. "So what am I looking for?"
"I can't remember the one girl's name. We had a couple classes together. She was real sweet. I think I pitched the class list after our last group project and I've gotten a new phone, so she isn't in my contacts." Dean nodded. "Look for anything written with an email or snapchat or cell number."
They were quiet for a few minutes until Riley looked up suddenly. "Was it Morgan?" That made Dean stop and she turned to look up at him. He quirked an eyebrow. "Or Margaret?" She sighed and began scanning the papers in her laps, her legs cross indian style beneath them.
Dean saw notes scribbled here and there and thought his eyes were gonna cross until Sam thankfully called for them to come out to breakfast. "Let's go. I'm starved." He set the stack next to him and got up, holding out his hands for her to take. He tugged Riley just a little too hard and she crashed into his chest, making him give her a lazy grin. He leaned in to kiss her softly and felt her hands let go of his to clutch the front of his shirt. "Hey guys... did you hear-" Sam pushed open her bedroom door and they parted. "Sorry... breakfast's ready."
Dean's fingers held onto hers as they followed Sam to the kitchen.
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Breakfast was followed by easy conversation until Riley spoke up. "Guys?"
"Yeah?" Sam glanced at his brother.
"Can we just go for a drive?" Dean's face fell. "I just wanna go to the bookstore and pick up a couple things before I'm stuck here for who knows how long." She turned her dark eyes to Sam and he looked to Dean. "Please. Bookstore and home. That's it. I won't even hound you for that amazing coffee from that shop on Main Street." Dean and Sam had a silent conversation before the older man spoke.
"We go straight there and straight back here." Dean clarified. "No place else but the book store. I'll pick up your gourmet coffee another time." Her shoulders relaxed. "Got it?" He had his big brother tone in place, but Riley didn't care. She leaned in to kiss the man next to her before her eyes slid to Sam's.
"Thank you. Let me get my purse." She was out of the kitchen and back a minute later with her purse. Sam watched Dean struggle for a moment before he got up from the table.
"Just for the record," He murmured, reaching for his keys on the hook by the door. "I don't like this."
"I know." Her hand slipped in the crook of his arm. "I know you don't."
"Sammy?"
The younger man nodded and they were climbing into the impala a few minutes later, headed towards Lebanon's quaint main street. The ten minute ride was accompanied by the soft sounds of the radio and a comfortable silence. Dean circled the square before he parked the impala on the side and the trio got out, closing their doors. "Like five minutes in there, Ry." Dean meant business and she nodded. The two men escorted her inside and the door above them jingled. Both were armed and she knew that without asking.
Riley quickly found the clearance rack and shuffled through it, picking out a few books when a cheery voice spoke, startling her from behind. "Oh my gosh, Riley? Is that you?" She whirled around and saw the very woman she was trying to find contact information for not even two hours earlier. "Oh my goodness. It is so wonderful to see you! How have you been?" Her hair was a little darker and a little longer than Riley remembered and her smile was ever infectious.
The two woman hugged tightly after Riley set down the three paperbacks on the nearest shelf. "You would literally never believe this, but I was actually trying to find your number this morning."
The other brunette looked surprised. "No kidding. I was thinking about you too."
Riley picked up her books. "I couldn't remember your name and number for the life of me," The other woman smirked. "Forgive me, but I know we had that advanced writing class together..."
"We did have that class together... my name is..."
spnspnspnspn
Happy October 11th, everyone!
So friggin' excited for tonight! Me and the hubster are ordering takeout and watching the season 14 premier like it's the home opener. ;)
Shout outs to jloh217, SaphyraBlu13, ButterflyAlley, EmilyAnnMcGarrett-Winchester and the unsigned guest who binged Zemblanity. You guys rock my fangirl socks off! Have a wonderful week!
CitrineMama