Chapter 3
"So which one would you like?" A graceful hand pointed to a sleek iPhone behind a glass display. Castiel's eyes studies the contraption, and turned at his friend, confused.
"What is that?" He asked, tilting his head adorably. Stargaze blushed, covering her flaming cheeks. "Dude, stop. Your adorableness is killing me." She fans herself with her hand, the other clutching her purse tightly. "Seriously," she exhaled, "I'm not the only one in this room that wanna glomp you."
With a pointed look from his friend, he realizes the female head count in the communication shop he was in had increased greatly since he entered 20 minutes ago. He felt the gaze of the entire room on him, like he was a delicious meal ready to be feasted upon. Oddly, he cared less, and pointed again to the iPhone.
"I'm guessing you know how to use those old Nokia's, but they are so… 5 years ago." She settled, trying to keep her words easy, like talking to a child. Cas is like a child, she mused, like having a clueless, obedient son, taking him clothes shopping and buying his first phone.
"This phone, I think, would be easier for you. There's a touch screen and everything, or do you prefer buttons?" She asked, her eyes looking at a shiny Blackberry at another glass display. She moved towards it, the rope tying around her waist tugging straight. Cas was at the other end, gripping it tightly.
He had gotten lost twice earlier in the men's department, and Starry had to push through a flock of woman surrounding the poor clueless angel to save him from the clutches of bad women with bad intentions. After saving him from being hit on by a shady woman, she had made a makeshift "leash" from her coat's rope and told him not to let go unless he wants to be the receiving end of a very bad one night stand, in which he never understood the meaning of.
A few swooning sighs was heard when Castiel passed a bunch of girls, and Starry wondered if he can just tone down his pheromones a little. She scratches her scalp with a little frustration, her wedding ring glinting when the light shines on it.
"Look! A wedding ring! He's married to her, damn it!" A not-so-quiet exclamation came from one of the nosy women. The lady next to her hushed her impatiently, clasping a hand over her friend's big mouth. Starry kept her eyes down at the phones in the display box, by Castiel's side, and felt the urge of wanting to go home.
"No, he's not married. He's not wearing a ring, she is." The brunette said to the blonde, her hand still clasped over the blonde's mouth. She nodded her head, somewhat glad.
"Isn't that the pharmacist from down the street? I thought she had a child." Said a raven-haired girl from behind. "She's a mother? Where's her husband?"
"Jennifer says he left her about a year ago."
Stargaze swallowed a lump in her throat, her face darkened with a heated flush. She gripped Castiel's arm, and hoped he wasn't listening. He was engrossed with a clip playing on the wide screen tv of the shop, showcasing something about a new application that guaranteed to improve one's lives.
"Serves her right. What a slu—"The florescence light in the shop exploded with a flash before the blonde could finish her sentence. Starry, along with the customers in the shop yelped in surprise. Her eyes trailed to Castiel who had his back turned to her, staring at the blank tv screen. The owner was cussing angrily, apologizing profusely to his customers who were scared out of their skin.
It dawned to the young female, and her pretty lips quirked upwards in gratefulness. She took Castiel by the arm, and tugged him towards the exit, where most of the dazzled customers were leaving.
"Come on. I'll set you up a mobile phone tomorrow. I'm hungry for pie." She said gently, allowing him to collect himself and limp towards the door. She doesn't let go of his arm, like she's trying to say thank you, but the words are not coming that easily.
Cas lets it slide, pretending like some fantastic magic hoodoo connected to him didn't just happened earlier. They basked in the comfortable silence, their feet heading towards a restaurant around the corner.
The pie reminded him once again about Dean, and even though Starry said she wanted some pie, the entire plate was devoured by him alone. She treated him to a cheeseburger, and laughed at his sauce covered face. She handed him a napkin, and joked about how similar he and Anna was in eating.
As he ate, she sat in front of him in that eatery, sipping soda through a straw. She produced a small sketchbook and a mechanical pencil from her bag, and started sketching rough lines, her eyes flickering to him once or twice.
Curious, he peeked over his cheeseburger, plate number 2 of half eaten pie, forgotten. "What are you doing." It was more like an order of "Explain yourself, woman." Than a proper question.
She chuckled behind her hand. "I'm drawing you, silly. I'd take a picture, but my phone has a cruddy camera."
He puts down his burger slowly, his chin jutting out, looking at her curiously. His friend laughed again, a little louder, and held up the sketch book.
It was a rather accurately drawn cartooned version of him, complete with his 5 o'clock stubble, shaded with thin lines. One was a drawing of his pie when it came to the table. The other one had him holding a burger. His face was smudged with graphite from the lead, a small arrow pointing. It says "sauce" in neat capital letters, underlined for further emphasis. His lips quirked into a tiny smile, his hands coming back to his cheese burger.
He finished his burger, and reached for the drink. He mimicked his friend's action, rolling the straw in between his lips. He waited, looking slightly confused at Starry's laughing figure.
"You suck it in, Cas." She said between peals of laughter. "Do what I do." Her hands dropped the sketch book, and came to her cheeks, squishing them up. Her lips made a kissy fish face, and she felt a little silly. Cas copied her movements, both of them looking ridiculous.
"Now breathe in. You got it? Do the same, with the straw between your lips."
The angel followed her instruction, and his eyes widen when sweet liquid bursts from the plastic tube. Hiding a smile behind her palm, she sketched the moment out.
"It's good, huh? Slowly, or you'll choke." She tutted, amused by the display.
"What's a pharmacy?" He asked in between mouthful of sweet soda. Starry tapped the book with her pencil, and answered. "It's where people come to buy medicine. I sell them, legally of course, and other stuff that belongs in the 1st aid kit. It's a good business, since I make people feel better."
He nodded, understanding.
"We'll come around on Monday, Cas." Starry assured him, stealing a chip from his plate. The angel took a bite of his chips too, and stared at her intently. After a bit, she shifted uncomfortably under his gaze.
"What? Something on my face? I thought Dean taught you insistent staring at other people were creepy." She shuddered, feeling self conscious.
"You are allowing me to stay in your residence?" He voiced his thoughts. Earlier, she had told him she intended to teach him the way of humans, perhaps a green light telling him she wants him to stay. But then again, without Dean, where would he go? He'd wander the streets, and maybe end up as road kill.
"Yeah, I mean, we're looking for Dean together right?" Her eyes met his, full of hope. "It's dangerous, I know, but I can take care of myself!"
"But Starry," Cas tried to reason, only to be cut short.
"If you wont stay, where else would you go? You have no money to hitch a ride to anywhere! This city is full of strangers, Cas, and to them, you are one too. If they find out who, what you really are, I'm not sure if you'll ever see Dean and Sam once they take you away!" She said seriously.
She backtracked, and clasped a hand over her mouth, feeling ashamed of herself. "I'm sorry, it's not my place to tell you what to do."
An awkward silence fell as the young lady busies herself with her phone. A hand clamped on her shoulder, the owner a woman in her late thirties.
"Hey! It's been a while, but do you remember me? We met two years ago." She asked kindly, her hand still on Starry's shoulder. Cas watched in silence, giving the stranger a nod of acknowledgement to her when their eyes met.
"Ah, yes, umm…" She tapped her forehead, racking her memories. Her eyes widen in recognition, and a fond smile graced her face. "Dr Wesson?"
The other woman nodded with a smile. Clad in a white blouse and a pencil skirt, she looked too overdressed to be in a family eatery. Perharps she just got off work? "It's really been a while, Mrs Lovier. Is it okay if I talk to you for a moment?"
With that, Cas stood up and walked away, ending up at the salad bar, for some odd reason, looking at vegetables and condiments.
"Dr Adam Zachary was a splendid doctor." Wesson said, her smoky eyes glinting. The younger woman nodded, keeping a neutral calm.
"Through his research, we saved a dozen patients from suffering any longer. He's the light in their dark world, Mrs Lovier. One of his old patients, a 5 year old girl, was cured. She wanted to thank him personally, and so would many of his patients. He revolutionized the world of science, and will continue to save even more lives, even after-!"
"Stop, please." The younger woman pleaded, her voice cracking slightly. Wesson nodded sympathetically before continuing.
"We'd like to give an award for his research. Since he couldn't be there, we'd appreciate it if his wife could come and take it for us. You did play a major part in this, Mrs Lovier."
Starry stared blankly at her soda, unable to speak.
"The official invitation was sent out, but we did not receive a reply. Most of his patients would like it if the award was accepted, and insisted for Dr Adam's spouse to come." The older woman tented her fingers, rather anxious. So she had been searching for me, thought Starry.
"If you please, present yourself on the ceremony. Many would like to say express their gratitude. You can bring a partner if you like."
She hesitated, before lowering her head. "I'll think about it."
Wesson breathed a sigh, and picked up her purse. "Thank you for this conversation Mrs Lovier. I hope to see you at the opening ceremony." Standing up, she smoothed her skirt and walked out the door.
Cas saw Starry pay for the food, and came closer to him. She looked pale and unhealthy, like she got the life sucked out of her. He stood, clutching his crutch tightly and followed her to the door.
The walk home was quiet, save for the occasional chatter from the streets. When they were in the elevator up, he braved himself and asked.
"Are you alright?"
She was quiet, her eyes shut. The young woman's brows started to furrow when she brought a hand to palm her aching forehead.
"Can I," her voice cracked, and she tried clearing the growing lump away. "Can I hug you?"
It wasn't the answer he was expecting. With Dean, the Winchester would just push him away and say something mean, injected with sarcasm and pop culture references that put his mind in a jumble just thinking about it. He wasn't expecting it to come out from her so easily.
Maybe he shouldn't complicate things, the angel thought. Maybe he should just… allow.
He nodded, and a pair of warm arms encircled his torso. It was foreign and odd, but he felt like it was the right thing to do.
He was a soldier, for pete's sake! He's not some huggy bear; hell, he smites demons on a daily basis! But his gut says that she needed a human touch right about now, she needed him right now, and it was okay.
His shirt was wet with tears. He didn't know what to do, since this was his first time handling crying girls that weren't running away from him.
Mimicking her, he drags his free arm and drapes it across her back, giving her a few awkward pats.
Maybe a little too hard, because she comes back up wincing in pain, one of her hands leaving his torso to paw at the tender flesh on her back. She was laughing, the tear stains quickly disappearing with a hanky. Cas felt glad, that he made his new friend smile.
They'd been in the elevator for a good 5 minutes without moving because someone forgot to punch in the floor number. They took Annaise from Mrs Goodridge's, and Starry put both of them to bed.
Cas wonders of how long will he live with the kind young woman, and if Dean and Sam are okay, before he sinks into sleep.
AN: Hello! LunaStarz here!
Away From You was actually a challenge to myself: Write 1k words a day! It was actually supposed to be a continuation of another one of my personal work, but I was too in love with Supernatural to care. So this happened…
I actually posted the 1st chapter a few months ago by accident when I meant to post the prolog, so sorry if someone got confused. I fixed it all now. Sorry for the mistakes that are made in this story. I'm beta-less, and English is not my first language.
Please, read it, enjoy it, fave it, review it! It will definitely give me the strength to destroy Chapter 8's writer's block! *wink* *wink*