Day 04: Snow, TV studio, Alex & Castiel

Season: Past series!

A/N: I triple-checked this story – but as I'm home unbelievably late and terribly tired, no guarantee there're no spelling/grammar mistakes left.

Have a good night, y'all!

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Ever since that horrible night, he's been working. Working, working. Working one case after the other to drive the memories and the regrets out of his mind. He never stops, since he doesn't need to sleep. He never rests, because resting has become impossible. He never takes a day off – except one week towards the end of the year which he has dedicated to honor the memory of those long dead. He visits the people they saved, their fellow hunters, and those who got out of the life after that night.

He visit the people still living who knew the Winchesters as he did.

There is only one name left on his list now.

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Castiel waits at the door. If he was human, he would probably have walked up and down to keep warm. He would stomp the snow sticking to his boots off. But Cas isn't human, and so he only stands there until the door to the TV studio opens and Alex steps outside.

"Castiel", she says smiling, "I wondered if maybe this year you'd be a no-show."

Cas snorts and shrugs, careful not to say out loud that he hopes maybe one year he really is just gone.

Alex gestures towards the building behind them: "Do you want a tour?"

"Is that allowed?"

Alex grins: "Probably not."

Cas shakes his head: "Then I'd rather not be the person responsible for losing you your new job."

Alex points towards the parking lot, and they set off together.

"No more local news then, I gather."

"Yeah."

"Do you like it here?"

Alex nods, and her wide smile tells Cas she's telling him the truth. While she animatedly talks about being a news reporter, Castiel watches her. She's changed. The teenage girl he knew years ago has vanished and turned into a responsible, mature woman with a the first lines showing on her face – Cas, on the other hand, still looks the same as he always had.

"… and of course it's much closer to Tom's home."

Alex pauses and waits for him to say something. He retraces the last few sentences she's said and settles on asking: "And how is Tom?"

Now Alex tells him about how amazing her feyoncé is, and Cas, deeming it unfair not to pay attention, tries to keep up with new names and places and the couples' plans.

They reach Alex's car and stop.

"I'm glad you're so happy", Castiel tells her, and that's the truth. Alex smiles, then pulls him into a hug he hesitantly returns. She lets go of him, but whispers into his ear before pulling back: "I wish you'd come by more often. I don't like the idea of you on your own all the time."

She steps back.

Cas smiles at her tiredly: "You told me a long time ago you wanted to get away from this life. Away from hunting and killing and death, and I understood. I don't want to be the reason you get dragged back in."

Castiel avoids Alex's eyes and fixedly stares at his feet instead, boots caked with snow.

Alex reaches out and lays her hand on his arm: "Look, Cas – just because Sam and Dean are gone doesn't mean you don't have any friends left. I don't plan on being 'dragged back in'. I just want you to check in more often. I 'm worried about you."

"You shouldn't be. I can look after myself."

"I know", she says sadly, "but I wonder if you even try."

.

Castiel watches Alex pull out of the parking lot, waving her goodbye. It was still snowing in big, steady snow flakes that settle in Cas' hair and on his clothes. Gusts of wind tear at his clothing.

He watches until the taillights of Alex' car are no longer visible before he turns towards his own car.

There is a presumed vamp infestation near Wichita Castiel decided to eradicate.

I just want you to check in more often.

It's going to be Christmas soon, he realizes as he slides into his seat. Maybe he can call Alex on Christmas Eve, just to hear if she's doing alright. Claire, too.

As he starts down the road, Castiel, for the first time in ages, doesn't feel utterly alone.

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The End