Title: Under the Influence of Djinn
Chapter: Twenty-seven
Summary: AU: The Djinn siblings created a terrible detailed nightmare for Dean out of revenge, nearly killing him, Lisa, and Ben. With Sam alive, Castiel missing, and Campbell cousins in tow, he tries to pull himself back together.
Rating: T
Disclaimer: Supernatural was created by Eric Kripke. No disrespect in intended with this work of fan fiction.
Notes: Thank you for the comments!
Gabriel was alive and Samandriel was having a difficult time wrapping his mind around that. Gabriel had been dead, killed by Lucifer, yet here he was, holing up in Naomi's office to make plans for an attack.
To his surprise, Samandriel was called in after only a few minutes. He found papers and maps spread out on Naomi's desk and on a long table to one side.
Gabriel was studying one map, finger tracing a path across it. He looked up and, as the door closed, said, "I need you to lead a team into Raphael's territory."
"Me?" Samandriel looked from Gabriel to Naomi and back again. "Why me?"
"You're Castiel's friend."
As if that was the only criteria that mattered. Why? There were other angels better qualified for going into Raphael's territory. Why did Gabriel want him? "Yes."
"You care about him."
"Of course."
"If you succeed in this mission, he'll be in a position to return."
He could hardly believe it, yet didn't think Gabriel would lie to him about that. Not when he and Naomi looked to be planning an attack. A tiny bit of excitement sparked inside him. If he could be a part of getting Castiel home, then he'd do it. "What do I need to do?"
The plan was dangerous, calling for Samandriel and a team he'd picked to go deep into Raphael's territory to turn the power back on to Castiel. In theory, it should be much like flipping a switch. It reality, he suspected it wasn't going to be that easy. They'd be under an order of silence, unable to let Gabriel know they'd succeeded until they got back out, if any of them did. This could well be a suicide mission. "I'll gather a team." He began to see why caring about Castiel was so important. An angel who didn't particularly care and went because of orders might turn back when it got tough, yet one who cared would be more likely to press on to achieve the objective. Samandriel would get this done or die trying.
"Good. Leave as soon as you have them together."
He started towards the door.
"Samandriel?" It was Naomi who called to him.
"Yes?"
"Don't underestimate Raphael's lieutenants and don't engage them if you don't have to."
Odd, she looked worried for their prospects of surviving. Naomi, worried. Did she actually care under that controlling exterior? He nodded and set about recruiting his team. Rachel was the first and he took her suggestions. Hester, Inias, and two others rounded out their team. Not an hour after Gabriel's order, they set out across heaven towards Raphael's stronghold.
Dean had been flirting with Jo for the past two hours, making not so veiled hints about having some quality time between the sheets. It was almost like a dance now between them, a slow and rousing dance. He advanced, she retreated. She advanced, he retreated. They both advanced and almost got personal before retreating, ratcheting up the tension until he thought they might end up attacking each other when they finally did something about it.
The images that idea brought into his mind were as enticing as that hint of cleavage he kept seeing and he couldn't wait to get Jo in bed. He had a feeling they were going to have a lively good time.
He led her back towards the motel, strides slowing until he finally stopped walking. "You know, there's only one thing we can do from here." Her hair had that sexy mussed look he liked and the way she'd done her makeup gave her eyes a sleepy turn. She looked like she'd just woken up.
Jo put her hands on her hips and looked up at him. The movement made the neckline of her shirt slide down a little. Was that a pink bra she was wearing? "What's that?"
He let his gaze drift slowly down her and back up, grinning. "Go check each other for ticks."
The tip of her tongue slipped out, wetting her lips. "We weren't in the woods. Or even any tall grass. In fact, we're in an urban environment. Not too many ticks there."
"But there can be some." An urban environment that didn't have an awful lot of traffic in this area. "We could pretend we were and check anyway. I'm happy to do it. You know…in the name of good friendship. I promise to be thorough. I'll even do a double look to make sure."
"How about I take a rain check on that for when we've actually been out in the woods?"
"Seriously?"
A mischievous expression took root in her eyes. "Find me some woods and ask me again."
He reached for his phone. "Come on, GPS. Give daddy some nice woods."
She laughed. "I've never heard that one before. Tick check. Geez."
He looked up, checking the street names. "There's a park that way about four blocks down." Dean pointed to the left.
Jo shook her head and stepped close. "Later."
"Promise?"
She looked up at him. "Yes."
He couldn't think of a reply. Why couldn't he think of a reply? Dean stepped closer to her, sliding his phone in his pocket. Reaching out, he grasped her hips. Jo raised her hands, resting them on his chest. Her lips parted. He lowered his head towards her, intending on kissing her.
"There you are," came Gwen's voice from the corner behind him. "I've been looking for you. You not answering your phones now?"
Dean straightened, thinking very dark thoughts about strangling his cousin. "We were distracted."
"I can see that." Gwen approached, smirking ever so slightly.
Reaching in her jacket pocket, Jo took out her phone and looked at it. "Huh. How did it get on the airplane setting?"
"Uh-huh." Gwen's smirk stayed fixed on her lips. "Sam just got a call. Turns out both victims have disappeared from the morgue."
She filled them in as they started walking again and, as they turned the corner, another voice intruded on the conversation.
"Turn around slowly and give me all your valuables."
"Really?" Dean turned. "You've got to be freaking kidding me."
They were being mugged by a scrawny teenager? In broad daylight?
The teen slid a nervous glance around them, gesturing with the gun in his hand. "Shut up, man. Hand everything over. Wallet, jewelry, purses."
As he spoke, Dean assessed him. Not a formidable threat. Slim to the point of skinny and he didn't look to have much in the way of muscle. He was also handling that gun like he didn't know what to do with it. That was the only thing that might be a problem. Amateurs were dangerous because they didn't know how to handle one.
"Does it look like any one of us are carry purses," Gwen asked, taking a slow step to one side. "I mean, seriously. Are you blind?"
On Dean's other side, Jo also took a slow step away, her gaze on the gun.
"The valuables, lady." The teen held out a hand.
Gwen snorted. "I don't think I like your tone."
"I don't care, bitch. Give me your damn money."
She raised her brows at that and took another step to one side.
"Don't move!" The thief began to breathe fast and hard. "Stop!" He kept looking from Jo to Gwen and back, the gun waving around. With a crack, it went off, and Dean stumbled back, pain blossoming in his forearm. He clapped a hand to the spot and said a few choice curse words. The gun dropped to the ground and Dean was treated to the sight of Gwen and Jo beating the crap out of the kid. He heard a snap when Gwen's fist connected to the guy's face and felt a sympathy pain in his groin at Jo's forceful kick. The kid fell to the ground, both hands on his crotch and blood trickling from his nose.
Crouching down, Dean ignored the pain in his arm and picked up the gun. The two women stepped back and he nudged the thief with the gun. "Dude, you should probably rethink your life of crime. You just got beat up by two girls. You're lucky I'm not seriously injured or they'd be killing you slowly right now."
"Damn straight," Jo said with a smile.
"Amen," Gwen drawled.
The thief rolled into a tighter ball and groaned. One hand moved up from his crotch to his face. "Bitches broke my nose…."
"We could break something else," Jo offered. "I'm game."
He crawled backwards. "You people are crazy." Pushing to his feet, he hobbled off, stumbling into an alley. There was a loud crash of metal and then silence.
Dean looked the gun over a little more carefully. "Hey, Gwen? Don't you have a birthday coming up soon?"
"Another couple weeks, yeah."
He held out the gun to her. "Happy birthday, cous."
"Aww, Dean. You shouldn't have." She took it. "It's pretty. Thanks."
"I shopped for hours to find that…." He trailed off and covered where the bullet had grazed his arm with a hand. "Damn, that hurts."
"Let's get back and get it cleaned up," Jo said, taking his good arm and gently tugging towards the motel.
When they walked in the door, and it was obvious Dean was injured, both Sam and Castiel stood. Their 'what happened' was almost in unison.
"I got a pretty new gun," Gwen told them, laying it on the table.
"So you shot Dean with it," Sam asked.
"No, the mugger shot Dean."
"The mugger?" Castiel sat back down, surprise in his eyes. "You were mugged? You?"
Jo set out the first aid kit and opened it, taking out the supplies she needed to patch him up. "We weren't mugged. It was an attempted mugging and I broke a nail, too."
Gwen went to stand behind Castiel, placing her hands on his shoulders. "Mine aren't long enough to break, but my knuckles might be bruised. I didn't think a nose would be that hard."
"What happened exactly?" Sam examined Dean's arm.
"Some idiot kid tried to mug us, got nervous, shot me, and then got beat up by Jo and Gwen."
"Ahh." Sam looked him over as he took the chair at the table that Sam had vacated. "So you just have a flesh wound?"
Jo bent over his arm.
"Just. Just? Sam, I'm maimed."
"It's not that bad," Jo said, gently cleaning the wound on his forearm. "It's not as bad as some of the cuts you've given yourself for various reasons. You were lucky. I think my heart stopped when that gun went off and you…." She let out a slow breath. "That single second before you started cursing a blue streak was about ten hours long, Dean."
Sam went to Gwen and gave her hands a once-over. "A little bruising on the knuckles, but I think you're fine. You broke the guy's nose?"
"Maimed," Dean insisted to Jo, dry swallowing the pills she'd set on the table for him.
"You probably won't even have a scar," she replied.
"Thanks to your tender care." She was right. The cut was nothing.
"Flirt," she accused with the hint of a smile on her lips.
"Tease," he tossed back at her.
Jo paused and looked at him. "When have I teased?"
"Constantly."
"I'm not teasing. This is the appetizer. I'm whetting your appetite."
"Mmmm…." Her cheeks had the slightest touch of pink on them. While he could think of a very crude remark he could make about appetites and eating, he instead asked, "And when do you plan on us getting to the main course, Ms. Harvelle?"
She shrugged a brow at him and placed a bandage on the cut.
He was suddenly aware that the conversation between heard Sam and Gwen had stopped and they were snickering.
Castiel however, snorted. "You're calling her Ms. Harvelle?"
Dean shot an annoyed glance his way. "It's flirtatious banter."
"Sure. If you say so." His skepticism showed in how he frowned and shook his head.
"What? You think you can do better?"
Cas shrugged. "Maybe."
"Prove it." He waited until Cas began to look smug and added, "but not with Jo or Gwen."
Uncertainty sparked in his eyes. "Who then?"
"I'll point her out when it's time. You do the banter the old fashioned way, too. No reading minds."
"That power hasn't come back in completely yet. It's unpredictable still."
"Good."
Jo stood, leaned close, and whispered in his ear. "Don't put money on this."
"Why not?"
"Because he figured out how to work those baby blues about two months ago."
"A couple months versus my entire life, Jo."
"Don't get cocky," she warned.
Dean pressed his lips near her ear so only she'd hear him. "You like me cocky."
Her breath as hot against his skin. "Why Mr. Winchester, are you being dirty?"
Sam cleared his throat. "If you're done having some flirtatious banter…. Dean we need to take a care of a few things. You and me."
"Sure." Getting up, he followed Sam out the door.
Sam could tell Dean was in a good mood despite his wound by the fact that he tossed Sam the keys to let him drive. He didn't drive them far, just far enough that Castiel couldn't read what they might be thinking and talking about. He put the Impala in park. "We need to talk about the case."
"Gwen said the bodies are gone and there are no leads left."
"It's a dead end. It looks like whatever was here is gone now."
"And we had to discuss this alone why?"
"Because I think we should stay here, pretend like we're still working it. Pretend like we have a lead or two."
"Explain."
Sam rested an elbow on the door and ran his hand across his jaw while he thought about how to say it. "I think it's too much for Castiel. I was talking with him while you were out. Dean, he's scared to death about what he's becoming. He's trying to hold on to humanity, but those changes are coming fast now. They're speeding up and he needs us all to be his friends. He needs us, not the job." Sam could relate to that feeling. He understood that fear Castiel was feeling. "He's feeling lost and alone -"
"Okay."
"Okay?"
He shrugged. "Sure. We can stay another week, see what happens with him and keep an eye on the news in case whatever was killing here starts up again."
"Good. Good." He looked at Dean. "So, how are you on the Djinn stuff? You haven't mentioned any of it recently. You still looking at that?"
Dean stretched one leg out. "I thought I'd ask Gabe a few questions if he wins the big battle. As much as he got around, he'd probably know about alphas and the Mother of All. Dragons even."
"If you can get him to tell the truth."
His head dipped in a nod. "True."
They sat in silence a moment, Sam trying to figure out how to approach the next topic. He finally decided to simply say it. "Jo looks pretty today," Sam ventured.
Dean looked at him, the tiniest bit of amusement in his eyes. He was starting to seem rather mellow and Sam wondered what Jo had given him. "What, are you reading off a list in your head? Job, Cas, Djinn, Jo?"
Sam laughed. He had sort of. "Something like that. With Jo, I think you should do more than flirt with her, that's for sure."
He raised a finger. "And I will. Soon."
"Don't wait too long. You two don't exactly have the best of luck in finding that right time."
"Another truth. Got anything else, Sam?"
"Nope."
"Well, I do. When was the last time you got laid? Cas is getting some, I'm going to, and you're what? Still a monk? Tell me you got laid that year."
He thought about it, mouth opening. "Um…." It had been sometime before the Djinn, but how close to it? A couple weeks? A month?
Dean's snort was loud. "Dude, the fact that you have to think about it means it's been too long."
"Well, what about you then? You and Lisa -"
"About a month before the Djinn attack." There was a flicker of sadness in Dean's eyes, there and quickly gone and Sam vaguely remembered Lisa having told him she'd tried for a month to figure out how to break up with Dean.
"I've gotten laid," he insisted, because it was true. He'd met three women over that year, though only one had resulted in sex. Felicia and Kitty had been grateful damsels in distress in the space of ten weeks, but he'd had to leave town before doing anything more than kissing either of them. Vivian, however, was a hunter and he sort of hoped he'd run into her again sometime. They'd had a couple good nights before parting ways.
"Uh-huh. Sure you have." Dean said it like he didn't believe it.
"I did. Vivian. Her name was Vivian."
"Sure."
"She has dark hair, kind of exotic looks, definitely doesn't suffer fools gladly. She's a hunter."
"Of course she is." He nodded.
"Don't patronize me. Ask Gwen about her. Gwen hated her."
"You want me to ask Gwen about your imaginary hook-up?" He whistled. "Okay."
"She wasn't imaginary!"
Dean chuckled, his good mood returned after that mention of Lisa. "I believe you. I'll still ask Gwen about her, but I believe you."
Their quiet this time was more relaxed and almost felt like old times.
"So how do we want to pretend to work this now non-existent case," he asked.
"I've got a few ideas."
They were going to do some fake stakeouts, some fake research, and keep a close eye on Castiel and his development.
He'd been on stakeouts before, but this one was especially boring. Jo and Dean never let up on the playful talk and Castiel was bored. He'd been sitting in the backseat for hours now and had grown tired of eating the junk food they'd brought with them. He sent a text to Gwen.
'Any luck on your end?'
After five minutes, her reply was a simple, 'Nope.' That was it. Nothing else. Normally she'd send him long texts, yet now she didn't. If they weren't having any luck, she should be sending him paragraphs.
Dean muttered a curse. "Cas, duck down. Jo -"
Castiel slid down to lie on the seat as Jo moved over to Dean. It looked like the two were pulled together by magnets, their lips locking and Jo ending up on Dean's lap straddling him. He closed his eyes, waiting for the sound of someone rapping on the window or yelling at them.
It didn't come.
He waited for either Jo or Dean to give the all-clear.
That didn't come either.
He waited.
And waited.
And waited some more.
Finally, he opened his eyes and poked his head up to see out, craning his neck to see around Jo and Dean, who were doing more kissing than paying attention. He'd already suspected that this was busy work and not a real step in their case since they'd hit a dead end. The bodies were gone and there were no clues to give them any sort of direction. They weren't even sure what creature had killed the two. In fact, he was pretty certain the supposed leads they had were completely made up and fake. What he didn't know exactly, was why they'd made up leads.
He cleared his throat twice before Jo snaked a hand up, fumbled at his face, and shoved, While that probably meant 'go away' he wasn't inclined to. Instead, he tapped Dean on the shoulder until the two pulled apart.
"What," Dean barked out.
Cas pointed at the building. "I believe our 'potential victim' is tucked in for the night." He made air quotes around the words 'potential victim'.
Jo slid off Dean's lap and back into the passenger seat. "We had to make sure."
He glanced down at his watch. "For fifteen minutes?"
"You suck," she told him.
"Was there a point to this outting, Dean?"
Dean started the Impala. "Sure."
"What was it?"
"To teach you how to do a stakeout."
"Oh." He crossed his arms on the seat. "So, I watch for awhile, then start making out with the woman I've brought with me, completely ignoring whoever I'm observing? Do I have that right?" Before Dean could answer, he sat back. "This case is done. There are no clues. We need to move on to something else."
"We have leads," Dean protested.
"We have nothing. I'm not stupid, you know. I can look at the evidence for myself and come to conclusions. Our case is over and all of you are stalling on finding something else. Since it's me you're all attempting to dupe, I have to conclude it's because of me. I'm right, aren't I?"
Jo and Dean appeared to hold an entire conversation with twitched brows, rolls of their eyes, pursed lips, and tilts of their heads.
"Just…. Let's go back to the motel. Gwen and I will go see a movie or something. Unless she's already out seeing a movie with Sam."
Jo looked away.
"Uh-huh." He could read that clear enough. "That's why she's not texting more than one word back at a time."
"We're taking a vacation," Dean told him, pulling onto the street and driving back towards the motel.
"And lying to me."
"We're all worried about you," Jo said, turning around in the seat to look at him. "We want to take it easy for a week or so -"
"Until the new moon," he translated.
"Gabriel will be back and somehow I don't think we want to be in the middle of a job when he does." Dean pulled into the motel parking lot and parked in front of their block of rooms.
Castiel had to agree. This coming fight was going to suck them all in one way or another.