Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all recognizable items from it belong to J.K. Rowling & Warner Brothers. Supernatural and all recognizable items from the show belong to Eric Kripke and Warner Brothers. Anything else that you don't recognize, and is original material, is all mine. I can only wish I was as creative as to think of these brilliant additions to pop culture first.
Genre: Action/Romance/Drama/Suspense
Rating: MA (for a reason)
Warning: Will contain major SLASH themes. Canon-Compliant up until Book 6 of Harry Potter, and changes Supernatural to include Harry and that J.K. Rowling never published the Harry Potter series LOL. All lyrics at the beginning of chapters, as well as story titles, belong to their respective authors.
Summary: The war against Voldemort ends and Harry is victorious, but at what cost? Harry passes through the veil after Sirius and ends up in a world without any Wizarding society. Harry starts his new life and attends university with Sam Winchester. Harry becomes an intricate part of the lives of the Winchester brothers before his secret is revealed.
Author's Note: Sorry this took so long to post, but I did warn that college would slow me down. In the "cup is half full" point of view, we have some new readers to welcome to our family of crossover enthusiasts. You Leave The World Behind now has over 1,000-chapter update alerts sent out each time a new chapter is uploaded!
Keep in mind that I treat each story in this series as a season of Supernatural, so this is considered (to me, at least) as the first of a two-part season finale. The epilogue will be the season ending cliffhanger that gets you to read/watch the sequel/second season… and it is a BIG cliffhanger!
Since it's been so long, I'll let you get straight to the chapter and keep the rest of the information for the Author's Notes at the end of the chapter…
ENJOY & GO SAINTS!!!
You Leave the World Behind
Moriarty's Minion
Chapter 13:
"The Dark Night, Part 1"
"Can we keep our broken dream alive?
Now more than ever, with heaven on our side.
Can we give our love just one more night?
Angel baby, shine your golden light.
Now and forever, with heaven on our side.
Can we keep our broken dream alive?"
- Foreigner, With Heaven On Our Side
THEN…
"What happened that you tore out the pages, Dad?" Sam asked quietly, trying not to drive his father out of the conversation before he got his answers.
"I was young," John explained hollowly. "Like you and Dean. I had just met Missouri, someone who had visions, but who wasn't evil. I thought maybe there was something redeemable in some of the things I hunted. Some last vestiges of humanity in them."
"And you met a Wizard?" Sam guessed. "You befriended him?"
John nodded, eyes distant. "His name was Sirius. He was my friend… or at least that's what I thought."
"He wasn't?"
John shook his head. "He disappeared one day. I thought something had happened to him. So I tracked him, tried to save him."
Sam felt a chill run through him. He scooted closer to John and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You couldn't save him?"
"Oh, I could have." John's smile was feral and cruel. "You see, Sammy, he had betrayed me. He was never my friend. When I found him, I found him with a demon. A demon with yellow eyes."
Sam swallowed. "What did you do?"
John turned to face his son; his eyes colder than Sam had ever seen them. "I did what any good hunter is supposed to do. I put the traitorous dog down."
NOW…
Sam let out a shaky breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding in, waiting for the confession to flow from his father's mouth. John took another swig of alcohol straight from the bottle, turning slightly away from his youngest son.
Sam gripped his shoulder and spun him back to face him. John let out a low moan, but whether it was to the pain of Sam's grip or the alcohol that spilled from the bottle Sam couldn't tell. He looked at his father more disgusted than he'd ever been in his life.
"You never thought you might have been wrong about Sirius?" Sam asked angrily. "Or was shoot first and ask questions later just an easier option?"
John's eyes flared angrily. "Watch your tongue, boy. I've been at this a lot longer than you. I'm sure of what I saw. You better think twice before you question me on it again."
Sam had always been good at reading others, understanding where they were coming from. His father was usually a blank to him except for when he was drinking and John couldn't maintain his vacant exterior. Sam could see that John wasn't sure of what he'd done, but couldn't face the idea that he might have killed his friend for nothing.
"You can't tell Dean," Sam muttered, glancing at the open door.
"Wasn't planning on it," John scoffed.
Sam gripped his father tighter. "I mean it. You didn't just kill anyone, Dad. You killed someone close to Harry."
"So?"
Sam had never been so close to punching his father before. He flexed his fingers to relieve the urge. "This could ruin what him and Dean, Dad. Don't you care about that?"
"Of course I care about Dean," John answered. "And I don't want him with that witch-boy any more than I'd want you and a demon to get together."
"They are good for each other, Dad," Sam countered, shuddering at the idea of sleeping with a demon. "Have you ever seen Dean this happy?"
John shrugged dismissively.
"Face it, Dad, before you knew it was a guy you were okay with it," Sam continued. "You really care that Dean's with a guy that much? You'd make him lose the first person he's ever fallen for? His only chance at happiness in this line of work?"
"You think I care that he likes dick now?" John asked crudely. "I didn't lecture Dean when he was sixteen and banging his physics teacher, did I? Never cared about whatever prostitute he dug himself into when we were hunting, did I? Why should I care that he's fucking a guy now?"
Sam studied his father closely, trying to catch the lie. "So it really is just the magic thing?"
"It's more than just a 'thing', Sammy," John replied gruffly. "It's not natural. It's just gonna get Dean hurt."
"Like Sirius hurt you?" Sam asked lightly. John growled, grabbed his liquor bottle and stormed out of the room.
Sam ran his hand through his long hair and prayed that his father kept his mouth shut. There was no way of knowing how Harry would react to the news. Somehow, Sam doubted that Harry would be unaffected. Worst-case scenario was that Harry killed John… which would mean that the Sam and Dean would have to kill Harry.
Sam sighed. Why do you have to fuck everything up, Dad?
The Next Morning
The Panic Room
When the heavy metal door began to swing open, Harry expected it to be Dean or Sam. John's interrogations had become shorter and less frequent over the weeks. Harry assumed that Dean and Sam were slowly wearing John down and that Bobby was taking Harry's side outside of the makeshift prison cell. Bobby usually chose to eat meals with him, but Bobby had just served breakfast an hour ago.
Which is why Harry had been completely surprised to see a short African-American woman on the other side of the door. Dean, Sam, John and Bobby were all standing behind her.
"Uh, hello?" Harry greeted the new woman, unsure of what was happening. Dean sent him a half-hearted look of encouragement that failed to inspire much comfort in Harry.
"So you're the one causing all these problems, eh?" Missouri asked, eyebrow raised in appraisal.
"Afraid you'd have to be more specific," Harry retorted nervously. "I tend to cause a lot of problems."
The dark woman chuckled and seemed to relax as she crossed the threshold of Harry's prison cell. John and the others made a move to follow her but she put up a hand to stop them.
"We can't leave you alone with it," John said sternly, glaring at Harry. "You're only safe outside of these walls."
"That's where you're wrong, John," the woman corrected him, sending a knowing smirk at Harry. "This boy could leave anytime he wants."
"Impossible," Bobby interjected, "I designed this room myself. Nothing supernatural gets in or out. Harry may be a handful but he ain't powerful enough to bust out of my designs."
The woman looked at Harry expectantly. Harry took the hint and conjured a table and a cushioned chair for the woman to sit on. Bobby and Sam's eyes widened at the display of power. Dean looked amused at their faces.
"If you could have left by now than why didn't you?" John challenged him.
Harry shrugged self-consciously. "And how would that have earned your trust?"
The woman nodded at the men to go, an order they reluctantly obeyed. Bobby helped drag John from the room, as the hunter clearly didn't trust Harry and one of his oldest friends alone together. Sam looked like he would give anything to be a fly on the wall of the room, but Dean kept shoving him along the walkway.
The woman reached her hand out and smiled at Harry. "I'm Missouri."
Harry eyed the hand warily before finally deciding not to shake her hand. "Forgive me if I don't shake, but I'm not sure what you can do yet."
Missouri nodded in understanding and sat at the table. "What I can do?"
"You took one look at me and knew I could leave this cell," Harry pointed out.
"So what makes you think I'd need to touch you to know you, Harry Potter?" Missouri pointed out, unsettling Harry greatly.
"Good point," Harry replied.
Missouri chuckled at his discomfort. "Relax, child, I'm not here to hurt you. That's not really my cup of tea."
"Glad to hear it," Harry replied. "So why are you here?"
"First things first," Missouri said, slipping off her shoes and stretching her toes. "I hate those things, so uncomfortable. Where were we?"
"Why you were visiting me?" Harry reminded her, incredulous at her state of friendliness. Harry wasn't used to being interrogated by the 'good cop' type. Usually his interrogators followed the code of giving up information or being punished. Luckily John Winchester's bark was worse than his bite… so far.
"Of course, of course," Missouri replied, waving her hands in the air dismissively. "I'm what you would call a psychic."
"A psychic?" Harry asked. "Is that like a seer?"
"In that we can see the future," Missouri nodded, "but my gift is very different than that which I assume you are used to dealing with. What were these 'seers' like in your world?"
"My world?" Harry choked. "How do you know about that?"
"There is a theory in physics that if one knows enough variables, one can predict the future," Missouri explained, ignoring Harry's question for the moment. "For example, we know what happens when you put water in a freezer."
Harry nodded, "Obviously it freezes."
"What you deem obvious is, in reality, a very complex state change," Missouri rebuked him lightly. "Our scientists believe that it is possible to predict the future, but only if one knows all of the variables necessary."
"That would mean knowing all the data in the world," Harry added.
Missouri nodded. "Exactly. My gift works in this same way. My mind can only process the basic elements of the future, so I'm only consciously aware of the major events of the world and the end results."
"What does this have to do with me?" Harry asked, confusion etched on his features.
"Everything, Harry, you have everything to do with it," Missouri answered sternly. "Before you came to this world, we were all on a direct path to our destinies. I'm not going to lie and say it was a good destiny, but there was a design in place."
"And what, when I showed up it went to hell?" Harry asked.
"Not quite," Missouri corrected. "You have to remember that fate isn't so easily changed. Our whole lives have been predetermined for us through genetics and through supernatural occurrences. There are fail safes in place to keep new additions, like yourself, from changing such an intricate plot simply by showing up."
"So destiny just, what, auto-corrected?"
Missouri nodded. "You were never supposed to meet Dean, Harry. You were never supposed to be here at all. And yet… Sammy's poor little fiancée still died, the Winchesters reunited, the demons are still gathering around Azazel. You were simply added to the master plan, your destiny tangled forever with our own."
"Than why are you here now?" Harry asked. "If everything is still on track, than what's the point?"
Missouri sighed. "Because nothing is on track anymore. When Azazel kidnapped you, everything changed. I'm not sure when in your captivity it happened, but the two of you did something that made the plan go to shit."
Harry shook his head. "I would never help Azazel do anything like that."
"Maybe not willingly," Missouri conceded. "It might not even have been something you did. It could be something you mentioned even. Whatever it is, Azazel has chosen a new path to follow and that changes the whole game for the rest of us."
"Is Azazel so important that he changed the fate of the whole world?" Harry asked, incredulously.
Missouri shook her head. "It's not Azazel himself, but the scheme he and Lilith were working on."
"Which was?" Harry asked after Missouri stayed silent.
"They were bringing the end of the world," Missouri whispered reverently, a tear sliding down her normally jovial face. "They were bringing Armageddon."
"Than shouldn't we be happy that it changed?" Harry asked, confused.
"You don't see it, Harry," Missouri sighed. "We would have won. Sam and Dean would have won the war for us. Many lives would have been lost, but evil would have been gone from this world for the rest of eternity. Lucifer and the whole lot of them would have been in chains in The Pit."
"And something Azazel did changes this?" Harry asked.
Missouri nodded. "Radically changed it. So much so that my gift can no longer tap into the elements necessary to see the new design. Every seer on earth is blind to the new master plan."
"Why?" Harry questioned her. "Wouldn't your sight just auto-correct once a new future was set in stone?"
Missouri nodded. "You're right, it should have. Unless there are simply too many new variables, too many new paths added or removed. The future, for the first time, is uncertain… and you have to fix it."
"Me?" Harry echoed back. "No way. I've done the hero bit before, and it doesn't end well."
"Even if Dean's life depended on it?" Missouri responded immediately. "If Sam and Bobby's did? If the whole world could fall under the yoke of Lucifer? You'd turn the reins over to someone else?"
"Who says Sam and Dean are involved at all now?" Harry replied. "You said it yourself, everyone's destinies have changed. They could leave it to someone else."
"No matter what, Sam and Dean are tied to the cosmic events that determine our fates, Harry. If you do not help them discover Azazel's new plans, and help them stop him and Lilith, than all will be lost."
"It's a little early for such melodrama, don't you think?" Harry joked, trying to break up the tension in the air.
Missouri chuckled. "Starting now, that's all there is."
Harry nodded. "So how do I help them?"
"I need to know what happened from the moment you were taken to Azazel until the moment you escaped," Missouri informed him.
"And this will all really help?" Harry asked, unsure if he really bought into Missouri's stories. He'd been burned by fate and misguided prophecies before.
Missouri smiled. "I already told you, once you have all the factors it's impossible to not see the future."
Harry nodded.
"It all started when I was taken in a motel room by Azazel's daughter, Meg," Harry explained. The pair sat there, one in bare feet the other a prisoner, and began to detail Harry's time with Azazel trying desperately to put the world back on its proper track before it was too late.
It would not be long before they realized how lost they already were…
Later that night…
It was almost time for dinner by the time Missouri and Harry finished going over his story. Harry provided Missouri with as many of the details as he could remember, but it had taken its toll on the wizard. Harry had been forced to relive his most recent torture in vivid and repeating detail. He'd wished Dean had been in the room with them.
When Missouri's stomach started to grumble, they decided it was time to get food. Harry was shocked when Missouri told him to join her in the house, and actually left the door to his cell open for him.
"Well?" she asked him. "Are you coming or not?"
Harry looked around uncertainly. "I don't think they trust me that much yet, Missouri."
"Well since they're depending on me they'll just have to get used to it, won't they?" Missouri asked with a gentle smile.
Harry nodded his thanks and followed her out of his cell. It had been weeks since he'd seen the other side of the panic room. He knew the way out of the tunnel well enough after watching Sam leaving him and Dean alone at night.
At the top of the steep stairs was a door of oak wood that Missouri pushed open easily enough, revealing the night sky. Harry followed her up into Bobby's backyard. He always had known that the panic room was close to Bobby's from the way Dean and Sam had talked about it. Harry had just never known he'd literally been beneath the house itself.
Missouri paused as they were rounding the outside of the kitchen. Inside Harry could hear a massive fight brewing amongst the Winchester men.
"Damn men," Missouri cursed them, "always fighting. Best case I have for letting women rule the world."
"What are they fighting about?" Harry asked, curious.
Missouri shrugged. "No more visions of the future remember?"
Harry froze as he heard Sam mention the name "Sirius Black". A second later and Harry had run ahead of Missouri and was barreling through the kitchen door. Behind him, he heard Missouri yelled for him to stop.
Inside the kitchen, John and his sons were frozen in surprise at the sight of Harry Potter standing in their midst.
"Who let you out?" John demanded, swinging a gun towards Harry. Harry used his wandless abilities to vanish the weapon.
"Why were you talking about my godfather?"
Sam eyed his best friend warily.
His father had only managed to keep his mouth shut about Sirius Black for less than 24 hours. In retrospect, Sam shouldn't have expected much more from him. When John Winchester had to speak his mind, not even God himself could stop him from unburdening himself… no matter the consequences.
Earlier that day, when they'd discovered that Harry could escape any time he chose, his father had been less than pleased with Dean's reaction. While Sam had clearly been surprised, it was more than evident that Dean had known about Harry's abilities beforehand. John was taking this as a sign that Dean had chosen Harry over his own family.
John being John, he decided to try and bully his brother into submission. Sam wasn't about to let that happen. Dean's happiness would always come first with him and Harry made him happy. He wasn't going to let John turn Dean away from his friend, even if he was a wizard.
So Sam had sided with Dean, and the two of them had verbally fought off John's paranoid yelling. Unfortunately, losing his first argument had only pushed John into a more desperate state. If Sam had known what his father was going to reveal to Dean, he would have knocked his father out.
John told Dean his "dirty little secret" about trusting a wizard before and how poorly it had worked out. Dean was in denial about the whole thing until Sam had been forced to confirm John's story… and that Sirius Black had been the wizard. Dean had put the pieces together from there.
"How could you do that?" Dean demanded, shoving his father against the kitchen counter. "You just started shooting? Didn't even fucking ask what he was doing with the Yellow Eyed Demon?"
John pushed back. "Sirius Black was his accomplice, Dean! And so is your little wizard whore down there!"
It was around that time that Harry had barged into the kitchen demanding to know what John Winchester knew about Sirius Black, his godfather. If there was one thing Sam knew, this night would not end well.
He caught Dean's eye and saw the same knowledge reflected in his older brother's eyes. If Harry discovered the truth than there was no knowing what he would do to their father. Who were they supposed to side with? Their father, the killer? Or with their friend and Dean's lover, the victim's loved one?
"What do you know about Sirius Black?" Harry asked again, advancing on their father.
John's eyes steeled. "I knew him, what's it to you?"
"He's my godfather," Harry explained, trying to remain calm at the prospect of finally finding Sirius. "I've been trying to find him for years. Please."
Sam watched Dean's face turn into a grimace at Harry's plea. It was killing his brother to see Harry so desperate for knowledge and know where Harry's desperate search for Sirius would end. Hell, it was killing Sam, too.
"Hate to break it to you," John answered, clearly not upset with being the one to tell Harry, "but that dog is dead."
Harry's eyes flashed at the derisive term John had called Sirius. "You're a liar."
John shook his head. "I know it's true."
"Prove it!" Harry barked. The lights in the kitchen flickered dangerously.
"Harry…" Dean called to him softly from across the room. "Please calm down."
"Shut up, Dean," Harry snapped, not bothering to face Dean. "Tell me, Winchester, tell me why you think he'd dead!"
John held eye contact with Harry. "Because I killed him myself."
It was clear to Sam that Harry had been expecting to hear that news, that he'd already reached that conclusion the moment John had said Sirius was dead. What was not clear was how horrible his reaction would be.
In a flash all the windows in the house blew outward, showering the air in glass. The metal in the room bent into awkward and unnatural angles. Flames lit the curtains on the windows. The lights flickered again before blowing out completely, plunging them into darkness.
Harry let out an enraged scream and charged at John.
A high-pitched whine filled the room and all but Harry covered their ears at the pain of the noise. Even Bobby's dog barked at the noise from the living room.
Then there was a flash of pure, bright, white light and Harry was gone.
John groaned from the floor. "What the hell was that?"
"Where'd he go?" Dean demanded. "Where's Harry?"
The side of the road on I-95 South
The moment the world stopped spinning, Harry's knees hit the dirt next to the pavement. He puked the dinner Sam had made him up on the pavement next to him. A pair of brown dress Dockers and the cuff of dress pants stood off to the side of him.
"You should focus on your breathing, Harry Potter," the voice above him suggested. Harry followed the dark pants legs up to a white shirt covered by a brown trench coat. A handsome face peered down at him impassively.
"Who are you?" Harry demanded, regaining his balance. "Another damn demon?"
The man looked insulted at the idea. "No, I am one of the Lord's angels. I am here to do his eternal bidding. My name is Castiel."
Harry laughed. "An angel? Seriously?"
"Seriously."
"What does an angel of the Lord want with me?" Harry asked, looking around in a vain attempt to discern their location.
"I am here to protect you from the darkness," Castiel replied cryptically.
"Was that purposefully designed to not answer my question?" Harry asked, frustrated.
"I apologize, I thought I had answered your question."
Harry sighed. "Let's try a different question then. Why did you kidnap me from Bobby's house?"
"I had to stop you from killing John Winchester in retaliation for the murder of your godfather," Castiel answered clinically. "Was that more precise?"
Harry swallowed thickly. "I wasn't going to kill that man, Castiel. I was just angry and shocked. The others would have stopped me from seriously hurting him."
"You would have injured the others in your rage," Castiel informed him, as if Harry should already have known this.
"I would never hurt Sam or Dean," Harry defended himself.
"To get vengeance you would have."
"I've never acted out of vengeance before!" Harry denied.
"Your world may seem a great distance away to you, Harry Potter," Castiel lectured him, "but it is not so far from God's love that I do not know of the darkness in your soul or in your past."
"I wouldn't have killed him!" Harry growled at the pesky angel.
"You would not have killed the man who killed your godfather?" Castiel questioned, eyes wide seemingly for effect.
Harry sighed. "I… I don't know."
"Interesting," Castiel muttered. "I was led to believe you were very sure before taking a life."
"Back off," Harry snapped. "I just admitted to you that I might have harmed John Winchester."
"It is fact, Harry Potter," Castiel informed him. "Had I not intervened and taken you from his presence, John Winchester and yourself would have been dead at this moment."
"Believe me, Castiel," Harry replied, "If I'd wanted John Winchester dead than he wouldn't have taken me into the afterlife with him."
"I never said it would have been John Winchester to have taken your life," Castiel admitted calmly.
Harry's brow furrowed. "Dean? Sam?"
"You may deem yourself above taking the life of someone who took from this world one of your loved ones, but the Winchesters are not so forgiving," Castiel replied.
"You're right," Harry agreed, "Revenge is much more their style."
"Another trait you have in common," Castiel added.
Harry eyed Castiel sharply. "Did John really kill my godfather?"
"I do not know," Castiel replied immediately. "That is not part of my mission."
"Your mission?" Harry asked pointedly.
Castiel nodded. "To retrieve you from the Singer household before any lives were lost."
"Are you saying God found me such a threat to the Winchesters that he had an angel kidnap me?" Harry asked incredulously.
Castiel shook his head. "It did not matter whether you took John Winchester's life. It was not his life we were interested in safeguarding."
"If you weren't there to keep me from killing John than what lives were going to be lost?" Harry asked, suddenly uneasy about the angel's choice of phrase.
"Those lives will still be lost," Castiel corrected. "The Singer residence is about to be attacked by Azazel's demons."
"Missouri said that Dean and Sam were too important to let die," Harry pointed out. "Why didn't you bring them here as well?"
"The brothers will survive the battle," Castiel answered. "Bobby Singer and the Psychic will most likely be lost to the cause."
"And you are okay with this?" Harry asked, disbelief evident in his shocked tone. Harry shuddered as Castiel's eyes darkened for a moment.
"It is not for me to decide who lives or dies," Castiel answered, rapidly encroaching on Harry's space. "It is up to those individuals to fight for their own lives."
Harry swallowed thickly. "I just thought angels were supposed to help people, that's all. I didn't mean to offend you."
Castiel backed away from Harry and visibly calmed himself. "My superiors believe that more lives will be saved in this way than by letting Azazel kill all of you."
"You have to send me back," Harry whispered. "Please."
Castiel's eyes burned into his own. "I thought you would be pleased by the death of John Winchester and the others who imprisoned you?"
Harry shook his head. "I may not want John Winchester to get away with killing Sirius, but I know that losing him would kill Dean."
"Dean Winchester will mourn and move on as all humans do," Castiel disagreed.
"He wouldn't have to if you would just let me save them," Harry pointed out.
"If my superiors thought you would survive the battle they would not have sent me to retrieve you," Castiel answered.
"I won't die," Harry promised.
"A vow all humans believe themselves possible of keeping," Castiel noted, "but never succeed in achieving."
"I'm different," Harry argued. "You know I am. I can save them."
Castiel continued his silent evaluation of Harry before nodding, "You are indeed powerful, Harry Potter, but against Azazel you have no chance of survival."
"I never said I wanted to fight Azazel," Harry corrected him. "I just want to be there long enough to save my friends."
"You would even save John Winchester?" Castiel questioned, seeming genuinely curious as to what Harry's response would be.
"Yes," Harry promised, "even John Winchester."
"Because you wish to kill him yourself at a later time?" Castiel followed up, eyes narrowing dangerously.
Harry shook his head. Castiel immediately trapped Harry's chin between his powerful fingers. "I can see the lie in your mind. You would rather he die by your hand than Azazel's."
"I do want to save the others, Castiel," Harry returned quickly. "You know that's not a lie."
Castiel nodded. "You must swear on your eternal soul that you will not kill John Winchester."
"What?"
"If you swear this oath, than I will return you to the battle. If you do not, I will take you to safety and the others will die."
Harry sighed. "And if I do swear the oath?"
"It will be a binding contract between us, Harry Potter," Castiel warned him, lightening flashing in his pupils. "Should you break this promise, I will take you into the fires of Hell myself."
Harry thought of Dean and nodded. "I swear it."
Castiel released his grip and held his hand palm out, as if he were asking Harry to dance. "Take my hand, and prepare yourself."
Harry gripped the angel's hand tightly. A moment later there was the brief sound of fluttering wings and then they were gone.
Author's Note: I know that this chapter is a little shorter than I usually like to do, but it is basically one longer chapter cut into two shorter ones so that it flows better. Unfortunately just because the final two chapters are a little shorter does not mean the updates will be faster. Life is just so hectic that it's becoming a serious roadblock in my creative process. I miss winter break when I could update every five days or so :( Regardless, I will endeavor to make updates as fast as possible. Reviews, of course, will only fuel this process.
So, Castiel has made his first appearance in the series!!! Sadly, he won't be around for a while, possibly not even in the sequel. This may change as I love his character and like to play with my timelines so that he can be included. For example, he wasn't originally supposed to be in this chapter but I couldn't let the You Leave The World Behind story end without a Castiel appearance. I don't think anyone minded :)
Also, this isn't Lost, there will be answers to everything I leave hanging out there. They can only be answered over time and this is a very long-winded series so just keep up with the story and all will be revealed. This will also be one of the stories you might want to reread to make sure you catch everything.
I'm getting nervous that people don't know that there is a sequel to this story because they keep leaving reviews asking if there will be one. So I'm just going to keep writing it in the author's notes in big bold letters like this: THERE WILL BE A SEQUEL!!! At least until I'm sure everyone gets the message lol.
More information on the sequel will be available in the next chapter and in the epilogue. If there is anything specific you want to ask about in a review please do so, and I will address it in the upcoming Author's Notes. I'm horrible with getting directly back to reviewers in PM's (I think I've done maybe a dozen replies to the 800 plus reviews I've gotten) so this is your best chance to get answers.
Also, a reviewer asked me if I'm on twitter. In fact, I am! Follow me (at) nativeboywonder.
Until next time…
REVIEW!!!