By the time the impala rolled into the driveway at Jody's house, the sky had been turned a murky royal blue, littered with hundreds of appearing stars. Sam shook Dean awake. "We're here," he murmured as Dean stretched his stiff torso and neck, wincing again as his ribs gave a twinge.
"We're gonna have to tell Claire about Cas," Dean whispered. "You know that, right?"
"I know. I can do it if you want."
"It's fine. I think I'd rather." Dean was replying in short, sudden phrases which Sam knew meant Dean was falling into his Dark Pit Of Angst. He decided to throw his brother a proverbial rope.
"I promise we'll get him back Dean."
Dean only smiled wanly and walked unevenly up to the front door, Sam following close behind.
"Sam," Jody said, opening the door. "Dean. We were beginning to think you wouldn't make it."
Dean faked a smile. "What? Miss the chance to drop in?" He leaned down so Jody could gently hug him, seeing the bandages producing lumps under his shirt.
"Oh honey, what happened this time?" she asked sympathetically. "Heya Sam." She stretched up to hug him. "What sort of trouble did you land yourselves in now?" Dean could feel her eyes raking his forearms.
"The Marks gone Jody," he said. "But we've got a bigger problem. Could you call the girls down here?"
Jody's eyes darkened. "Claire! Alex! Company!" She turned to Sam and Dean. "You know I would die to help you two, but don't get my girls involved."
Dean nodded. "Give you my word."
"Nothing will happen," Sam added. "To you or them."
Claire appeared behind her 'mother'. She was cleaned up, the dark eye makeup had lightened to a liner and her blonde hair was clean and brushed, styled in a long side braid with strips of blue shooting through it. She wore a grey hoody and black yoga pants with purple sides.
Alex walked in beside her adopted sister. Her medium length dark brown hair was up in a bun held by a pencil. Her face seemed relatively clean of makeup but for the cat eye liner and some lip gloss. She looked happier, like she had an excellent nights sleep previously. She wore a jean jacket over a black shirt and black skinny jeans.
"Hey," Claire said. She cast her gaze around the room expectantly. "Where's Cas?"
Dean flinched and Sam opened his mouth to speak. "Claire. That's what we need to talk to you about."
Alex covered her mouth. "Is he-"
"-Dead?" Dean said harshly. "No."
"What happened to him?" Jody asked, beckoning the brothers inside.
Sam followed his brother, watching him closely. "Dean. Let me explain."
"I can do it Sammy."
"I know. It's jus-"
"It's fine Sam!"
Claire spoke up, her voice hard and determined. "Tell me what happened to him."
"Claire," Alex said softly. "Let them settle this."
Sam glanced over at them. "Sorry. Dean, go ahead."
Jody's eyes switched worriedly between Sam and Dean and Alex and Claire. "Sit down," she said. "I'll get you some coffee and we can talk." She offered coffee despite it being around eight thirty because it was obvious to see that they were exhausted. "But before you explain anything I want a full account of what happened to you two"
Sam half laughed. "It's not important."
"Don't make me use my mom voice," she said, her voice clearly demanding.
Dean cowered, grinning slightly. "Please don't! We'll tell you."
Alex threw Claire an exasperated look. "I can't believe their in their thirties," she stage whispered.
Claire smiled. "I know," she replied in the same tone. "Don't forget that they stopped the apocalypse a few times." She snickered but her face returned to a serious expression as she asked, "can you tell me what happened to Cas?"
"We will," Sam promised. "I don't want your mom to bite our heads off so we'll have to explain out last case first."
"Sam," Dean said. "She needs to know."
Jody sighed. "Come in. Tell us what happened in your last case. Then what happened to Cas."
The five of them sat in the living room. Claire and Alex on the two chairs, Sam and Dean on the couch parallel to the chairs, and Jody standing behind her girls. "Talk," she commanded.
"Okay," Sam began. "We were working case with a poltergeist-"
"-and well, you know, we had been cooped up for weeks inside and we, I, was itching to get out so when we caught wind of the case, our first reaction was "oh let's go find it" so we went," Dean finished.
"It turned out to be a trap." Alex and Claire were watching with such intense faces Sam had to fight the urge to smile. Jody nodded, queuing them to go on. "It was set by demons. And the house caught fire."
"It was an old house," Dean said. "Falling apart already and, well, there was actually a poltergeist there and it knocked Sam out. I got it but the house was started to fall into itself and so I dragged Sam out. Nearly got out the front door."
"Nearly?" Jody asked.
"I got out," Sam said. "Then..." He shook his head, a gesture for Dean to go on.
"Then the floor collapsed. I went down with it and I guess I got knocked out. Next thing I know, I wake up in a hospital with three broken ribs, burns, cuts, and an arm."
"Oh boys," Jody said tenderly. "It's a dangerous gig."
"Yeah," Sam said, nodding. "We're lucky we got this far."
"So Cas?" Claire asked, leaning forward. "What happened to him?"
Dean opened his mouth and, for a second, no words came out. "He..he-"
"I can tell them Dean," Sam offered, but Dean shook his head violently.
"Sam got taken to the cage," Dean said in a rush.
"Hold up," Jody said. "Lucifer's cage?"
"Lucifer's cage," Sam confirmed. Alex looked mildly horrified.
"And-?" Claire asked.
Dean closed his eyes for a second, as if reliving it. "So Cas and I went after him. Rowena, Crowley's mother sprung it and let us in." He shook his head. "Lucifer tried to kill us but Rowena got us out, almost in time."
Alex stared at Dean. "He's still in there? In the cage?"
"Worse," Sam said softly. "Just before he got out...he..."
"He said yes," Dean finished gruffly.
"No," Claire whispered, shaking her head.
"I'm sorry," Jody whispered.
"No!"
"Claire," Alex said soothingly. "We can get him back." She gently enveloped Claire in a half hug, glaring at Jody who was opening her mouth to say something. "We'll get him back."
"We're doing all we can," Sam said, his voice low and soft. "Cas is strong. Your father is strong."
"My father's dead." Claire turned her smudged face towards him. "He died years ago."
"Not necessarily true," Dean said slowly. "Jimmy left part of his essence in the vessel. The ability to..to..." He choked, unable to say the words.
"The ability to love," Sam finished, covering for his brother. "To think for his own. I mean, Cas already could do that, he was different, flawed in the view of Heaven. But I think Jimmy's presence fueled him to, you know, like maybe he encouraged Cas to do what he knew was right."
Claire nodded slowly, glancing at Jody who smiled back down at her. "Yeah," she said softly. "Dad did have a role in this."
"He's a hero," Dean said, not meeting her eyes. "Without him..."
"Yeah," Alex murmured. She raised her dark eyes to meet Sam's hazel pair. "I want to help get him back."
"No!" Jody half shouted at the same time Dean's head snapped up and Sam began to say, "defiantly not."
"Why?" Claire snapped. "He's wearing my dad as a meat suit! Cas has used me as a vessel before! I'm going to help."
"Absolutely not!" Jody said angrily. "It's dangerous."
Alex snorted. "Puh-lease! Monsters exist! Satan is loose and so is God's freaking sister! No matter where we are or what we're doing, Amara will find us because of our affiliation with the Winchesters. It's only a matter of how you want to go down and I'd rather be swinging, fighting."
Claire shot her 'sister' an appraising glance. "I'm going. You leave and I will follow you, I will find you. Or, I know, I'll sit here and watch Amara destroy the world, and when she comes to us, hoping for information on you, I won't tell her. I'll sit tight, twiddle my thumbs until they slit my throat. Another person dead for you. How many does that make now? Let's count. Mommy, daddy, Charlie, Balthazar, Gabriel, Cas...oh," she said quietly, the savage defiance in her voice rolling like thunder. "Cas. He's not dead yet. But he's worse off, I can help! You need everyone available to break Lucifer's hold!"
Dean, who had flinched closer to Sam when Claire had started to list off names, sighed. "People die Claire! This isn't a fairy tale- you won't get a happy ending, there's no cure for this!"
"Dean-" Sam began, but Dean spoke over him.
"You loose things, you loose people. And you care about those people, more than you ever wanted too. This poison that we fight goes for anyone you care about, and you can't save them! Somethings never get said because you even thought to say them, and it kills. This gig, it's dangerous, Sam and I've lost so many people. Friends, family, everyone."
Claire's eyes grew wide. "Oh," she said. "Oh:"
Alex nudged her. "Claire..?"
"Oh!" Claire felt a smile tugging at her lips. "I thought so...I just needed a little more."
"Claire!" Jody said sharply. "Mind filling us in?"
Claire leaned towards Dean. Her eyes searched his face and he felt hot and uncomfortable. She shook her head, a quizzical half smile on her face. "You're in love," she murmured. "You're in love with Castiel."
Dean felt his face flush. You're in love with Castiel. He knew his little 'rant' was a huge giveaway but he hadn't thought Claire would guess it so fast. Jody was gaping at them and Alex was staring angrily at Claire.
"You are," Claire continued. "I thought so! God, I'm so sorry."
Sam's hand brushed his brothers shoulder. "Dean. Do you want-"
Dean leaned forward, his and Claire's faces were hardly five inches apart. "Yes," he said quietly. "Is that what you wanted me to say? That I am in...you know...with a freaking Angel of the Lord? That I have been for who knows how long? I am, Claire, I am. You must be so proud of yourself." Dean tone had switched to sarcasm somewhere along the line.
"Dean," Sam said. "Calm down." His tone was light but commanding.
Dean was shaking. His hands were trembling, his legs and arms even. He felt himself wanting to cry but tried to blink tears away. "Dammit," he whispered. "I..I'm sorry Jody, Alex, Claire."
Jody walked over to Dean, standing behind him to run circles on the back of his neck. "Never," she said. "Never apologize for who you love. Never apologize for crying, it's what makes and keeps you human."
ATTENTION: OVERDUE AUTHORS NOTE
HI GUYS! Thanks for reading and favoriting my story! This is my first fanfic and I know I write worth crap but I find the story line rather interesting. If you find a mistake them pleasepleaseplease tell me! Hope you enjoy, let me know if you want me to bring other Angels *cough cough* Gabriel *cough cough* into the story or if you want me to do a chapter from Cas or Lucifer's POV or what you want to go down if they get Cas *tried to wink but fails*Thanks! 3 I am overly enthusiastic!
