Few weeks passed and Patrick's leg has fully healed. He didn't need the cane anymore.

The He-witch cheered with relief when he managed to walk across the room without any support. He caught Rowena by surprise when he pulls her in for a hug. Rowena responds and wraps her arms around his. She would usually feel awkward in this type of situation but this time Rowena wanted to share the relief with him. These last few weeks have been tough for the both of them.

"Thank God." He sighed into her shoulder.. Realizing what he said he quickly pulls away and shakes his head. "I take that back I shouldn't be thanking that bastard He is the reason I'm in this bloody mess."

Rowena forced a smile.

"So who are we thanking?"

He gives her a grin.

"I should be thanking you." He raises his glass of scotch and tilts it towards her. "Thank red."

She laughed at that.

"Thank red?"

"Has a nice ring to it." He said with a smirk as he pours her a drink and gives it to her.

She sips the drink and gestures to the cane.

"So what shall we do this?"

"We are burning it. Tonight we will have a bonfire."

"That's very romantic." She teased him. "Is there a dress code for this occasion."

His face suddenly turned serious. He rests his hand on her shoulder and looks into her eyes.

"Just be yourself."

She gazes into his eyes. Her lips press into a thin line. For several moments they stared at each other. Then Patrick turns his head away and clears his throat.

"Bonus." He plastered on a smile. "You won't have to see this ugly mug anymore. Once I get win some games my youth will return and you can have your own space back."

"Right." Another forced smile. "That's good...great even. I'm happy for you."

"It was fun Ro." Patrick nods. "Being roommates and again I want to thank you for putting up with me. You are a good friend."

Rowena nods and takes a big gulp of her drink.

"Can finally have some bloody peace."

He laughs.

"Was I that bad?"

"Might be worse than Fergus." She smirked.

He gives a dramatic bow.

"Nice to beat the King of Hell in something." He grinned.

"When do you plan to play?" She asked.

"Now." She raises an eyebrow at that. "I'm fine. Look." He extends his hand towards a book. Seconds later the book flies of the table and goes into his hand. "See." He puts the book in her hand. "Strong as a bull."

"Fair enough. Break a leg Pat."

He pretended to gasp.

" Your choice of words. You have no shame. "

"I don't. I'm a cold hearted bitch remember?"

"I'm shaking at the mere thought of you."

"To the bone."

"My old bones can't handle it. After a few games you may need to run."

"What are you going to do to me?"

"As they say gentlemen may prefer blondes, but it takes a real man to handle a redhead."

"Are you a real man?"

He touches himself all over.

"Feel real to me."

"I guess we'll see."

She gives him a challenging look. Patrick chuckles.

"Whatever game you are offering I will win. I always win."

"I guess we'll see." She repeated with a smirk.

"Adding fuel to the fire Ro. Bonfire not enough for you."

"When it concerns me it's never enough."

He raises an amused eyebrow.

"I know."

He slips on his coat, scarf and hat and bids the other witch goodbye. Shortly after Patrick goes to the nearest bar and immediately begins looking for potential clients. He found this loud mouth drunk who happily accepted a game with him.

"Gonna beat your ass old man." He sneered.

Patrick raises an eyebrow.

Could use my situation as a advantage. People love to underestimate the elderly.

They both went into the backroom and took the seats facing opposite each other. The drunk man Jerry looked smug as he looked through his cards. Patrick couldn't wait to humble the bastard.

"How many years?" Patrick asked.

"Wouldn't mind going back to my twenties the good old days, the parties may even get myself some nice piece of sweet ass.

The witch clenched his jaw.

Yeah this asshole definitely needed to knocked down a peg or two.

"Very well." Patrick smiles. "Lets play."

Then the game begun.


"I...lost."

Patrick glanced at the cards. Disbelief is on his face.

I actually lost.

"Whoa! I will be honest I thought you were pulling my leg but..." Jerry shakes his head as he looks in the mirror. "Holy fuck!" He turns and his eyes are wide. "My hair is even back!" He runs his fingers through his thick blonde curls. "Hey!"

Jerry leans forward and snaps his fingers in front of the witch. Patrick snaps out his shock and looks up at his client.

"Huh?"

"Thanks man." Jerry grinned. "This is awesome."

Patrick forced a smile.

"You won fair and square my friend congrats."

"I'll recommend my mates to you."

"Please do."

"Then it will definitely be like the good old days."

Jerry smacked the witch on the back. Patrick flinched at the touch. Jerry didn't notice he was too happy about his current situation. The now younger man let out a howl as he walks back into the crowds. Patrick again flinched as the door slammed shut.

"Fuck." Patrick cursed to himself. He then takes several deep breaths and calms himself down. "It is not the end of the world. Relax you have lost games before. You will win the next one..."

"...You will."


Four games later and Patrick lost them all.

"Thanks buttercup." Tanya puffs smoke in the witch's face. "Feel better than ever."

Patrick coughed slightly.

These damm lungs!

"Enjoy life sweetheart." Patrick replied his voice bitter.

"Thank you and I damm will."

Once Tanya was gone Patrick finally lost his temper. With frustration he swipes his cards of the table and sends them flying into the wall.

"This is impossible...impossible!" He cried.

He replayed the game over and over in his head. The amount of mistakes he made is impossible. Patrick never made a mistake and he never lost control of a game.

"I never lose control." He repeated to himself. "I never lose control."

He bites his lip. His whole body is shaking.

What is wrong with me?

Just then Patrick heard the other chair being pulled out.

"We're closed." Patrick said with gritted teeth.

"Oh I'm not here to play." The new arrival said.

The He-witch slowly removes his hands from his face. Suddenly his eyes widen with shock.

"Chuck."

Chuck smiles.

"My little Irish witch." Chuck grinned.

Patrick's shock then turned into anger.

"I wouldn't bother." Chuck shook his head. "Your magic is nothing against me. I'm God remember."

"My little Irish witch." His words echoed in the He-witch's head.

My being the key word here. A reminder that Patrick belonged to Him and he is a character to His story. Chuck is the one in control here not Patrick. Patrick never had control.

And Patrick realized that now. He found out the hard way.

Patrick closes his eyes. Pain is written across his face. Pain and humiliation.

"You look awful by the way." Chuck plays with the poker chips. "Down on luck huh?"

Patrick sits up straight up and glares at Him.

"This is your doing?"

"No." Chuck raises His hands. "Not me this is all you my friend."

"Don't friend me."

"Wow somebody is in a bad mood. I wonder why?"

Patrick saw the slight smirk in the Big Man's lips. If Chuck wasn't God Patrick would happily strangle the son of a bitch to death.

"We have a problem." Chuck nods. "Quite a big one in fact and I think its time we sat down and talked about it."

"No."

"No?"

"Screw your story! I want no part of it."

"Patrick." Chuck sighs heavily. "I'm not the bad guy here. I'm here to help you."

"I don't want your help. You..." Patrick points at Him. "Wrote about me, you wrote about her you...you wrote a moment that was so personal to me and now everyone knows about it everyone who reads those books." Patrick hissed the last part. "You used us all of us for your own sick entertainment. Well guess what I'm not playing anymore so I suggest you get out and leave me the HELL ALONE!"

Patrick slumps back in his seat. He takes a deep shaky breath.

Chuck didn't move. Of course He will not leave.

Argh!

"Okay." Chuck again sighs. "I'm sorry that I upset you in some way."

"Some way?" Patrick barked a laugh.

"I can see you are going through quite a lot." Chuck slowly nods. "I heard about what happened between you and Dean."

"What you did."

"I didn't pull the trigger."

"But you put the idea in his head."

"Or maybe you refuse to accept the real Dean Winchester. Dean will do anything for his brother...anything he will not let anyone get in the way including you. If there is somebody to blame for this its you Patrick. You let your ego get the better of you and now..." He gestures to the He-witch. "You are paying the price."

Patrick opens his mouth to argue but he couldn't because deep down he knew Chuck is right.

I screwed up. This is on me.

"See Patrick you are stuck right now stuck in a rut this incident with Dean its affected you both physically and mentally. There is a way to overcome this. That is to face the problem head on."

Patrick narrowed his eyes at him. Chuck clasps His hands on the table.

"Do the spell, return Dean to his original age and I will take care of the rest. Then everything will return to normal and you can move on with your life and it will be your life Patrick I will be completely hands off I will leave you alone. You can go back to being irrelevant." Chuck cracked a smile.

Patrick didn't laugh.

"Moving on may help you to find your groove again and you can be that young, handsome man again. That's what you want right Patrick? To be young and carefree again. To have your life back?"

The He-witch said nothing.

"If not." Chuck sighs. "You can carry on living like this. Eventually it will become a one-sided game everyone will win and you will lose every time. That sucks. I like you Patrick I really do and I don't want your life to be like this so that's why I'm here to put you on the right path to get you to do the right thing." Chuck raises His eyebrow. "I'm right about this and you know I'm right. God is always right. If you think I'm wrong...then I can't help you." He gives the He-witch a sympathetic look. "I do hope you come to your senses."

"Why should I trust you?"

"Because I am a man of my word." Chuck places His hand on His chest. "I promise you."

But Patrick wasn't convinced. Patrick did not trust God however He did make some valid points Patrick is stuck trapped in a trauma he couldn't escape from. Maybe the only way to overcome this trauma is to give Chuck what He wants, move on and never look back.

Patrick has already accepted the fact he will be alone so moving on will not be a problem at all to him. This business between him and Dean has gone on long enough now.

It needed to end.

Dean is not my problem now.

It hurt the He-witch when that thought came to his head. This wasn't like him. It wasn't like him to turn his back on a client.

But I need my life back.

Patrick turns towards the Big Man. Patrick is a gambler he always took risks but for the first time in his life Patrick decided to take the safe route.

He accepted Chuck's help.