A/Ns: Welcome back everyone! WE'RE BACK! Okay, well, I'm hoping we're back. I've got some serious fingers crossed that we're back. Am I still exceedingly nervous that the Muse is gonna wander off again for months at a time? Omg, hell yes, I am. But I am doing my best to keep that from happening. And, I hope, a return to regular posting will assist! Regular posting means regular feedback from readers, and she does so love to hear from readers. Needy little thing, my Muse.
Story Overview: Since it has been suuuuuuch a long time since we posted (and longer yet since we posted consistently) I highly encourage everyone to go back and read at least the last several chapters. I recommend starting at Chapter 115: Season 2 Chapter 81.
If you need a full refresher of the entire story, but do not have time to reread 800,000 words please read through A Shortcut to the Road So Far which can be found on my profile or linked to this story.
For those of you that have no time for either, here is a quick summary!
Last Time on The Road so Far (This Time Around): Dean and Sam went to check out a college town in Ohio where some weird things were happening. They ended up on the college campus, where Dean realized just who it was waiting for them there. They left, but not before Gabriel overheard their conversation, and decided to follow after. He stuck Dean in a timeloop, reliving the same day over and over again where Sam was killed and Yellow Eyes showed up to offer a deal. Remembering his promise to Sam, Dean killed himself rather than make the deal, and woke up at the start of the timeloop. He eventually figured out it was Gabriel, calling the Trickster out and finally getting a message to Cas, who showed up. When Dean still refused to learn the Trickster's lesson, Gabriel decided, perhaps they needed a different one. He zapped Cas out of the picture, and sent Dean and Sam somewhere new…
Meanwhile, Victor Henriksen paid Bobby a visit, with Jody Mills tagging along. Victor left after dispatching a warning, and Jody returned to the Salvage yard to ask why, exactly, Andy was wanted by the FBI. Andy revealed that he is a psychic, that the Winchesters are the good guys, and that monsters exist. Jody decided to take some time to process. Bobby tries to call the boys to warn them about Henriksen, but they don't pick up. He and Andy decide it's time for angelic reinforcements.
Chapter Warnings: Jody's got some serious thinking to do, but luckily she's got the support of her family around her. Andy and Bobby dodge a bullet, Cas is on the case until she's very much not, and her and a long lost sibling have a little chat.
Now, without further ado… Let's get this party started!
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
The Road So Far (This Time Around)
Season 2: Chapter 86
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
-Three Days Earlier-
Jody Mills stared down at her three-year-old son, who'd finally fallen asleep after three bedtime stories, two lullabies, and the insistence from the only adult in the room that no, he really did not need another glass of water.
It was somewhat of a special night for them both; Jody was rarely the one to tuck Owen in, being the parent that worked later and longer hours. But for once she'd been home, having called it quits very shortly after having her entire world view turned upside down, and asked – well, more like demanded – that she be the one to put him to bed. She'd all but kicked Sean out with a strongly-implied hint that she'd like to do it alone. The toddler had taken full advantage of the situation: wrapping Jody around his little pinky with request after request that she didn't have the heart to turn down.
When she finally returned to the dining room, Jody found her husband sitting in the dining room, a can of beer growing warm in front of him. When he spotted her coming down the hall, he took a drink just for appearances, giving her a tired smile as she slid into the seat next to him.
"Sorry," she offered with an apologetic look, swiping the can for a sip.
"He helps," Sean answered easily. "On bad days. I get it."
Jody reached across the table, folding her hand over his. Their marriage hadn't been without its hardships (what marriage wasn't?), but he'd been her rock through them all. A decent man, a loving husband, and a damn good father. She didn't know what she'd do without his support. She certainly couldn't have the job she did without him there, taking on the primary role of parenting Owen. And he was so very good at it.
"What's bothering you, hon?"
She squeezed his hand, giving him another smile that felt more forced. Jody was sure it looked it, too. "Am I that obvious?"
"No. I'm just that clever." At her snort, Sean gave her a raised eyebrow. "I married you, didn't I?"
"Ha!" Jody tilted her head back with an exaggerated laugh, but she couldn't deny that he had her there. "Can't argue against that logic. It's nothing. Just some work stuff."
Which was the understatement of the century, but Jody wasn't sure she wanted to get into it. Wasn't sure her husband would appreciate sharing this burden. Of course, Sean would tell her that was part of the whole husband role.
"Stuff you want to talk about?"
Jody couldn't help the smile that crept over her face. He was so predictable (that, or she knew him too well, too).
"I probably should," she admitted, even though it was the last thing she actually felt like doing. And she definitely couldn't tell him everything she'd seen today. Good Lord, no. She'd spare him the 180-degree world view flip if she could. She hadn't even wanted to know that monsters existed. She'd just spent the last ten minutes convincing her three-year-old son there wasn't something in his closet. And Jody had checked – for real – three times to prove it to herself as much as him.
Jesus, her world had just gotten so much more terrifying. And she was a cop, to start with! The world had always been that much scarier when you faced the bad in it every day.
Still, she could share some of the burden with him. Sean had always been her counsel. He had always been able to see through the things that weighed her down and provide the clarity she needed. There he was, waiting patiently for her to begin, nursing a beer he clearly wasn't that interested in, not rushing her once. He did get up to fetch a second beer, though. A bottle this time. They shared many things, but a taste in beer wasn't one of them.
Once he'd settled it in front of her and she'd taken a swig or two, Jody finally found a good place to start. "Have you ever had your sense of right and wrong tested?"
Sean gave her a curious look. "What do you mean?"
Jody sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. On bad days, her body liked to store all its tension in those two muscles at the base of her skull, stretching down into her back with a tightness that always threatened a headache. And today had been a doozy.
How to explain without explaining.
"There's a… situation at work," she began, rolling the beer bottle between her palms. "I got into law enforcement because I believe in right and wrong. But sometimes… the gray area is hard to see through."
Sean reached out and placed his hand over hers, stilling her stressed energy and replacing it with encouragement to keep going. She smiled at him and took another sip with her free hand.
"There's a kid. He's gotten himself into a world of trouble." Another understatement of the century, but she was rather playing a game of pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey trying to tell this story without really telling it. "By all rights, I should bring him in. I have to bring him in."
Sean raised his eyebrows a touch – nothing judgmental, but perhaps surprised that she hadn't followed through with her legal obligations. There wasn't much that could cause Jody Mills to turn her back on the law. No wonder she'd gone for a solo tuck-in tonight. "So why haven't you?"
Jody groaned, hanging her head for a moment. "I don't know. It just doesn't feel right."
Sean let the moment of silence after her statement grow as he thought over what she'd offered up. It hadn't been much, but this didn't seem to be a matter of legality so much as, well, morality. He presented her with a serious look. "Do you know why I married you?"
Jody lifted her head, eyebrows raised in amusement at the sudden non-sequitor.
"Well… one of the reasons," he amended, and she chuckled.
"Is it…" Jody rested her cheek on her hand, elbow braced on the table as she smiled idly at her husband. "…because I'm armed and own a pair of handcuffs?"
Sean choked on his beer, which she'd conveniently waited for him to lift to his lips before speaking. He wiped his mouth on the back of his sleeve, laughing. "Alright, that might be one of those reasons, but it's not the one I'm thinking of now."
Her grin, which was near ear-to-ear, faded to something softer. "Alright, why'd you marry me?"
"I married you – I love you –" He squeezed her hand in his, "because you're more than your job, Jo."
Jody couldn't help the smile, sweet and sappy and just as in love as the day he'd asked her to marry him.
"What feels right?" he continued, withdrawing his hand to grab a sip from his beer – which was at an unappetizing room temperature – and leaned back in his chair. "What's your gut telling you?"
His wife sighed, pulling her hands off the table to curl them in her lap, tucking one leg up onto the chair. Jody tilted her head back, staring at the dining room ceiling. They'd need to re-paint soon. Maybe she'd convince Sean to go for another color. Light blue, perhaps. She'd always loved that color with white trim. There was a cobweb in one corner, too. It was obviously time for a deep clean. The type where you dug out the extendable duster.
"He's a good kid," she finally said, still staring at the ceiling. "What he's gotten himself wrapped up in… I don't think it's his fault. And I don't see how throwing him in jail is going to fix anything."
"Then do what you think is right," Sean said immediately, probably having already known where her gut was leading her. Maybe she'd just needed to hear him say it was okay. "Not what your job demands."
Jody sighed, knowing he was right, even if what she was about to do went against the very law she swore to uphold. The law she usually believed in. But that was more the problem she had with all of this than Andy Gallagher ever had been. This was something of an identity crisis: realizing something you wanted to believe in whole-heartedly wasn't always right. Now she just had to figure out where she stood on her own.
Ugh, what a mess.
Jody smiled at her husband, leaning over to kiss him chastely before settling her head on his shoulder. "When did you get so smart?"
His shoulder lifted and fell beneath her cheek with his soft chuckle. "Sometime after I married you, I reckon."
She laughed softly – lovingly – into his neck, her decision made.
-o-o-o-
The next day found Sheriff Mills knocking on Bobby Singer's front door once more. When it swung open, the kid was nowhere to be found. Jody immediately wondered if he'd taken off, then dismissed it. She might not have spent a huge amount of time with Andy Gallagher over the last couple months he'd been in town, but she was a good judge of character. He was too damn good a kid – far too honest – to run. So he was probably hiding two feet away, behind the front door like she was fairly certain he'd been when the FBI agent came calling.
"Where is he?" she asked, tone brisk. Bobby eyed her from beneath his ballcap, clearly sizing her up. She didn't have much of a relationship with the man outside of the several small-time arrests she'd made and the visits to his property regarding rumors and anonymous calls to the department. Nothing that had really panned out, but just enough to be a thorn in her side.
"You arresting him, Sheriff?"
Jody let her glare fall into the Officer-Of-The-Law range of serious. "Don't make me ask again, Bobby."
Andy stepped out from behind the door before she had to, offering a small wave and a nervous smile. Jody looked him up and down for a moment before nodding in return.
"Alright. Here's the deal." She dropped her hands from her hips, but kept her expression grim and deathly serious. "You're lucky Agent Henriksen didn't ask after you specifically. Because he didn't, I'm going to overlook what I know."
As the kid's expression lightened to the point of practically glowing, she leveled a warning finger his way. "I won't lie for you. If he comes back and asks, I'm obligated to answer."
Andy nodded excessively, and Jody's eyes dropped to the bandages still wrapped around his neck. She'd never asked him what had happened (and now she really didn't want to know. Didn't even want to imagine.) Jody had spent a fair amount of energy and guilt wondering if her hesitancy about turning him in had been pity. She was confident now it wasn't – Andy Gallagher was a good kid, and she believed him when he said he hadn't killed his girlfriend – but it didn't make staring at the evidence of his suffering any easier. It might make it worse, actually.
Some days being a mother and a sheriff was a burden she didn't entirely know how to juggle.
"The first thing you do to bring the law down on your head," Jody continued, reminding herself she was here to deliver a stern warning as that Sheriff, "and I will be the one putting you in handcuffs. Understand?"
The kid all but launched himself at her, barreling into her torso with a tight, all-encompassing hug. He was nodding against her shoulder again, and all Jody could think was, 'Oh good Lord, what have I just gotten myself into?'
When Andy pulled away, Signing several things at rapid speeds – the 'thank you' being the only one she really caught – Jody leveled a less severe, but no-less serious glare that quieted him quickly.
"Don't thank me," she emphasized with a stern shake of her head. "This isn't a favor. It's a judgment call. Don't prove me wrong."
When the kid beamed at her, despite how much Jody still dreaded this decision as one that would come back to bite her in the ass, she knew it hadn't been the wrong choice.
She turned to Bobby, bringing back the more dangerous warning glare. "Do not think this extends to the Winchesters, Bobby Singer. If I see those boys in my town, I will arrest them and contact Agent Henriksen immediately."
Andy Gallagher she'd met. Gotten to know. Exchanged frantic texts about what kind of dog food a German Shepherd needed, how to keep one in a bath long enough to actually get him clean, and the best dog toys to get him. Andy Gallagher was a good kid, and Jody Mills knew it. But the Winchesters? She didn't know them from Jack, and she wasn't about to put her career on the line for a couple of strangers the town-drunk and his fugitive 'nephew' vouched for. Especially not strangers wanted by the FBI.
Bobby Singer nodded, his expression grim enough that Sheriff Mills was inclined to believe he'd taken her threat seriously. The man, for all his faults and tendency to go looking for the bottom of a bottle, was smart enough to know the bullet they'd just dodged.
As for the rest of it….
"I don't need to know more," Jody laid down the statement like a fact. "I don't want to know more. So we leave it at that. Agreed?"
The two men in front of her exchanged quick glances before both nodded in absolute agreement. So Jody left it at that.
-o-o-o-
Bobby closed the door on Sheriff Mills retreating back, sharing an equally disbelieving, relieved look with Andy. The kid looked like he could hardly believe their luck. Bobby wasn't entirely sure they should. But at the moment, it wasn't like they had much choice. He could get Andy out of town, set him up somewhere else – maybe one of those safehouses Castiel mentioned setting up – but he wasn't sure it was the right move. For starters, he doubted Sheriff Mills would appreciate the disappearing act. Not that she could do much about it. But there was also the matter of the Yellow Eyed demon. Dean was adamant that he would return for Andy at some point. The kid was safest right where he was. At least from the supernatural.
"Better see if Feathers has found the boys," the old hunter told Andy. The Winchesters hadn't been picking up for two days now. Neither Bobby nor Andy had waited much longer than a handful of hours to call in the reinforcements. Castiel had left shortly after their explanation, intent on searching for them.
No sooner had the words left his mouth than wingbeats sounded from the den, announcing the arrival of the angel in question. Andy took off immediately, the older hunter following behind. By the time he entered the room, the kid was already rapid-fire Signing. Castiel's fiercely blue eyes were locked on his hands and body language. They shifted to Bobby as he stepped into the den.
"No, I have not found them," she answered what presumably was Andy's question, her gaze shifting back to the younger of the two humans. "If they are on Earth, their presence is being hidden."
Well, balls.
"That can't be good."
"No, it cannot be," Cas answered unnecessarily, eyes still on Bobby. "Were they investigating a case when they went missing?"
Andy and Bobby exchanged looks. The kid shrugged. Andy didn't generally ask for specifics when contacting the Winchesters. It was more banter than anything else. Bobby reached up, tugging at his cap.
"Can't say for sure. I sent 'em to a college town in Ohio – Springfield, think it was – for some minor stuff. Last text either of us got from the boys said it was a bust. Bunch of nonsense." Bobby shrugged his shoulders, though the tension in his shoulders betrayed his attempt at nonchalance. "They could have moved on, but if they did, we don't know where."
"Then I will start in Springfield." Castiel gave a sharp nod, and the decision was made. She was gone before either man could comment, let alone provide any additional information.
Bobby looked at Andy. Andy shrugged and Bobby sighed.
"Balls."
What neither hunter knew – and maybe if they had, they would have gone about things differently – was that would be the last time they would see the angel for months.
-o-o-o-
-Present-
"Honey, I'm home!"
Gabriel kicked the apartment door closed behind him as he strolled into his current residence. Well, one of them. Jack was barking up a storm, tail wagging so hard his butt was leading the charge more than the rest of him as the little terrier came waddling up to the archangel. Gabe scooped him up with one arm, nestling him in the crook of his elbow.
"Who's a good boy, huh? Who's a good boy?" the archangel cooed as he gave the dog a big smooch, frantic licks raining down on his chin and cheek. "Did you miss your daddy? Yes, you did. Was our house guest not very good company?"
Gabriel raised his brows questioningly towards Castiel, the angel currently duct-taped to a chair in the middle of his living room. She leveled a glare their way like an angry statue, blue eyes fierce and defiant, but the tape across her mouth hindered any response. Gabe went back to giving Jack little smooches before setting him down. The small dog immediately bounded over to the captive angel, yapping at her shins as if they had personally offended him.
"You know, he'd warm up to you if you scratched his belly," Gabe offered offhand, wandering over to the kitchen to grab a soda from the fridge. The unamused look Castiel offered was priceless, as was the very pointed look that followed, aimed at her bound hands, each wrist taped to an arm of the chair. Gabriel just shrugged. He very much doubted Castiel would have paid any attention to Jackie even if her arms had been free.
Angels. They just didn't get it. And wasn't that the point of the millennia?
He plopped himself down on the Lazy Boy set up next to her chair, both seats facing the ridiculously large TV, and popped his soda. "So how was your day, honey?"
Whatever Castiel's response, it wasn't comprehensible through the tape. Though Gabe could make some rough guesses based on tone.
"That good, huh?" The archangel stuck a loopty-loop straw into the can and took a long draw. "Mine was excellent. Want some?"
When Gabe tilted the soda Castiel's way, straw bobbing and swinging in a lazy circle, the other angel just glared. Seemed to be a thing with her.
"Oh, right. Here ya go." With no ceremony, Gabriel reached over and ripped the duct tape from Cassie's mouth. To her credit, she didn't so much as wince. Spoil sport.
He gestured with the soda again, straw dangerously close to poking the angel in the face.
"Where are the Winchesters?" Castiel's stare could have cowered lesser beings. Gabriel just snorted and took his soda back. "What have you done with them?"
"Relax, they're fine," Gabriel dragged out the last word, accompanied by an equally drawn out eye roll. He went back to sipping his soda, enjoying the liquid running through the loop of the straw. "Mostly."
Castiel actually struggled against her bindings, tipping her chair back and forth in her effort. Which was just adorable. And ridiculous. What was it with this angel and the Winchesters? She wasn't even supposed to be on earth, let alone mucking around with the True Vessels. And by the look of things, the mucking might have gotten literal.
"If you've hurt them, Gabriel-"
"Oh, so you did figure it out. I wondered." Gabe dug into the cushions on either side of him, switching his soda from hand to hand as he searched for the remote. Silly thing always ended up in the cushions. When he found it, he pulled it out with a flourish and exclamation of triumph. "I figured you knew I was an angel. Kinda hard to hide the existence of grace when you're wrapped in it."
Gabriel gestured with a head tilt and eyebrows alone to the tape thoroughly binding Castiel to the chair.
"But jumping to dead archangel is a hell of a leap, even for you." The archangel's brow furled as he took his sibling. A Power at most, given her level of grace. Warrior class, clearly. Gabriel wasn't personally familiar with Castiel, but he knew the type. Dedicated to the cause, sword of God, yada yada yada. Not usually the ones to make creative leaps and big assumptions. "Especially for you."
Gabriel took another long drag from the straw, turning it into a slurping, noisy affair as the soda ran low in the can.
Castiel's lips pursed tight as she considered her response. The truth was, she may not have immediately jumped to the dead archangel, as Gabriel said. He had been clever: careful to limit the amount of grace and the level of power contained in it. She might have assumed him a Seraph of Zachariah's rank and level, perhaps, had she not had other suspicions.
There had been something about his actions, his choices when confronting the Winchesters…. Castiel had only ever known of one angel that liked to play tricks. One angel that had gone missing, presumed dead but never confirmed. The coincidence had been too great to ignore.
It was something she did not feel safe admitting to the archangel, however. Castiel was unsure why, but the thought of continuing the current conversation caused her heart to beat in an irregular manner. Which drew her attention to the perfect change of topic: her vessel.
"What have you done with Angela Garrett?" Castiel asked instead. The human was not an active presence in her mind, as Castiel had grown used to. The angel could still feel the soul safe within the vessel, which brought great relief. But bound as she was, Castiel could not determine Angela's current state.
Her brother blinked, brow furling almost comically. "Who?"
"This vessel. What have you done with her? I cannot sense her."
Gabriel stared at her with a look that questioned her sanity. At the very least, it said 'uh… wut?'
"I put her to sleep, like you should have."
The scolding tone coming from an archangel was difficult to ignore, but Castiel managed not to straighten up or fall in line at the reprimand. It was equally difficult to continue speaking against what felt very much like orders. Still, she'd made a promise to her charge, and she intended to keep it.
"Angela Garrett expressed discomfort in the isolation her subconscious presents to her. She requested to remain awake, whenever possible. However, during times of… difficulty, I have locked her consciousness in a loop of favored memories."
The archangel's brows rose up close to his hairline. "Like a pseudo heaven?"
"Yes. She was in a car accident, rendered brain dead when she agreed to serve as my vessel." Castiel maintained a steady gaze on her much more powerful brother. She had little negotiating power in this other than sincerity in her duty to this vessel. "Until she can be reunited with her family in Heaven, I do this to ease her wait."
Gabe let out a whistle. "Huh. You sure know how to pick 'em."
Castiel's sincere gaze turned briefly annoyed, but she glanced away to hide it. She would conveniently leave out the part where such rigid requirements were entirely Dean Winchester's, decently sure that would not aid in her argument. Instead, she focused on the problem at hand.
"Allow me to place her in the loop, for her sake."
Gabriel stared. Which, for an angel, was tantamount to believing Castiel actually had lost her sanity. The Power shifted, uncomfortable under the scrutiny and judgment, but maintained eye contact.
"As my charge, her wellbeing is my responsibility," she continued, though she was well aware further attempts at explaining herself only sounded more pathetic, even to her ears. Comfort and wellbeing were two different things. Especially to a warrior. Especially to a warrior angel.
Still. Castiel flexed her grace absently, wondering if she could put the human into the memory loop herself if Gabriel refused her request. She'd made a promise, and she intended to keep it best she could.
"You're a weird little angel, aren't you?" Gabriel finally announced, and this time Castiel could not hide the flinch. "I'm not untying you." As the Power opened her mouth to argue, the archangel gave her a look that very clearly said 'stop talking', and continued in a pointed tone, "So… I'll do it. It'll be more convincing coming from me anyway. Good enough for you?"
Despite the question being both sarcastic and rhetorical – it was not like his sister had any true choice in the matter to begin with – Castiel nodded, solemn and serious.
"Those terms are acceptable."
Gabriel wanted to roll his eyes. So he absolutely did, raising two fingers as he reached out to the other angel.
Castiel did her best not to pull away from her brother's hand as he touched her forehead, but she largely failed. Angels rarely engaged in physical touch, with the exception of healers. And given how her last bout of healing had gone, Castiel was unsurprised to find herself wary of another angel's touch.
She felt no difference as Gabriel pulled away, but that was not particularly surprising. Bound as she was, she would unlikely be able to sense the altered existence of Angela's soul. Castiel would have to trust that Gabriel had done what he said he would.
She really had no idea the odds of that.
"You'd probably crack her poor mind in two if you tried," Gabriel continued as he resettled in his seat, sipping on the straw once more. No liquid came forth, and the draw of air through the small opening was an obnoxious sound the archangel delighted in. "What with your grace in the state it is. What did you do? Take on a Wooly Mammoth for funsies and lose? Also for funsies?"
"Wooly Mammoths are extinct," Castiel replied on instinct, not understanding why the archangel would suggest such a battle in the first place, nor what 'funsies' were.
"Wow. Can't get anything past you," Gabriel replied with what Castiel was fairly certain was sarcasm. The look he gave her certainly was. Human expressions were easier to read than tones, though Castiel was getting better at both. "Seriously, kiddo. What the hell did you do to yourself? I've seen fifteen car pile-ups in better shape than your grace."
And he would know; he'd caused his fair share through the last half century. Learning to drive while going ninety on a freeway was great fun, it turned out.
Surprisingly, the angel went pensively silent, lips sealed tight in a less than subtle physical cue she didn't want to answer. Even if, as Gabe suspected, she didn't realize it.
Huh. Well, that didn't bode well.
Gabe flicked his wrist, soda can and all, before putting the straw back in his mouth. His refilled drink slurped up through the loopty-loop with ease. "Sooooo, something to do with the Winchesters, then."
It wasn't a question; it wasn't intended to be. His sister managed not to wince, but it was a close thing, making it about as much of a giveaway as an actual wince would have been.
"How'd you get involved with those two mooks anyway?" Gabe kept his question casual, covering his own inner turmoil with nonchalance. It had been a long time since he'd interacted with any of his siblings, and he was finding it more of a challenge to remain neutral than he'd anticipated. The state Castiel was in was not helping. Gabe had always hated to see any of his siblings in pain, and Castiel's grace was wrecked. It had more spider web cracks running through it than an actual spider web, for Dad's sake.
If this was a result of the Winchesters, Gabe had been right to separate his sister from them.
"They… summoned me." The hesitation with which Castiel answered immediately peaked Gabriel's curiosity. Possibly more than the actual answer, which was surprising as well.
"Summoned? Like… by name?" Gabe leaned forward, soda temporarily forgotten and straw spinning idly with the directional change. The way Castiel was avoiding his eyes was a dead giveaway that he'd hit the nail on the head. He whistled, leaning back in his Lazy Boy again with a squeak of springs. "Well shit. How the hell did they get that?"
"I am the angel of Thursday," Cassie hedged, still not looking at him and instead staring straight ahead. The attempt at subterfuge (coming from an angel who clearly had none) was adorable. "Information such as my name is available on the internet."
Gabe took a long, drawn-out sip of soda, enjoying how Castiel squirmed without squirming. "Huh. I mean, I guess. But if two humans were looking for angelic assistance, you'd think they'd go for bigger fry then the littlest angel of Thursday."
It hadn't entirely meant to be a dig – well, obviously it had been a dig, but the dig hadn't been the point – though Castiel finally looked his way with a glare worthy of a Warrior of God, be it a Thursday or not. Her gaze shifted back straight ahead. She was squirming-without-squirming again. Gabe wondered if any of the humans she now apparently associated with had explained to her what a 'tell' was.
"Perhaps they did not want to draw attention to themselves with bigger fry."
It was equally adorable how offended she was trying not to be. Gabe chewed on the end of his straw, though the hard plastic made it more of a gnawing. She was a terrible liar, but the archangel would drop it for now. He had the time to get the truth out of her, and eventually would.
"Do you like games?"
Castiel stiffened further – and how that was possible, Gabe wasn't entirely sure (he'd forgotten how far up that heavenly stick went in most angels) – at the sudden non-sequitur, as well as the bright and cheerful tone he used to announce it. No doubt she was thinking of the many games a Trickster liked to play.
"Cuz I love 'em," Gabe continued, playing dopily oblivious to his sister's discomfort. She was too easy, really. He swiped the remote off the arm of his chair and pointed it at the TV. "Humans have come up with some really interesting stuff in the last decade, let me tell you. They've gone digital!"
The electronic device came to life with a click and a hum, and Gabriel stifled his excited giggle. Given the look of dread in Cassie's eye, he hadn't stifled it well at all.
"This one's called an 'RPG,'" Gabriel intoned slowly, with an over-emphasized pronunciation, like he was explaining the concept to a child. The TV came alive with a main menu, pixelated castle and golden fields in the background. The room filled with the upbeat theme music of an awaiting adventure. He waggled his eyebrows at his sister. "Nerds, am I right?"
Castiel was frowning at the screen, glancing between it and the archangel warily. She said nothing, and Gabe's grin only grew.
The archangel dug a second remote out of the cushions of his lazy boy, this one connected to the gaming console that hadn't been sitting beneath the TV a moment ago but now blinked steadily with a green light. Castiel eyed it more warily than anything yet, and Gabriel cackled.
"Let's play."
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
A/Ns: We're back! Okay, not the most interesting chapter to come back to, but oh man, I promise it's about to get good. Some pretty packed (and verbose AF ) chapters ahead of us!
Reviews: Thank you everyone for your patience and endurance these last few months, your support and encouragement, your comments as you went through re-reads, and your sharing of this story. I know someone somewhere is talking about it 😁 As soon as I started mentioning new updates coming soon, there was a surge of new readers ️ So thank you ️
There's some routine house cleaning we need to cover, so here we go!
Permissions: Several people have reached out over the years asking for permission to print this story out in book form, translate it, etc. I wanted to address those questions for everyone, since the number has started to grow.
I am instigating blanket permission to print, share, or translate this story, so long as you credit me as the author and do not alter the story in any way. For translating, please let me know so that I can add a link to your translation in this story. I would love this little beast to become more accessible to fans around the world.
Fanfiction/Fanart: I would be absolutely thrilled to see other fanfics or fanart pop up for this universe! The idea that my story could inspire others is a beautiful thought, so please feel free to contribute to this AU. Please credit or link TRSF(TTA) in your story or artwork, but otherwise have at! Feel free to send me a link and I will create a collection attached to TRSF(TTA) on AO3.
Tumblr: I have started a Tumblr account for this story in hopes that I can hold myself a tad more accountable to regular updating. I miss the pre-covid days, so I'm looking for more ways to inspire myself, and the best way to do that for me has always been interacting with others. Feel free to join my journey, poke and pester me, at /blog/trsf-theblog
Discord Server: Along the same lines, I've been thinking of creating a Discord server just for this story. Someplace we can all chat, hang out, discuss the story or the show. Get inspired! I've really missed being a part of a fandom. When I first joined the fanfiction community, I very easily found others to chat with. But when I joined this time around, I've had a much harder time connecting with other readers. I'd like to change that! I miss surrounding myself with fellow fans. And I love talking stories! Mine or others. I really, really miss that. I wasn't particularly successful when I went in search, but I also haven't been a part of social media or the internet since college. I'm so old and out of it I don't even know how to connect anymore So I figured I could setup my own space for it, if others are interested.
Request for Artwork: I now have an office/craft room/writing room in my new apartment, and I am absolutely covering it floor-to-ceiling in artwork. Nerd artwork, to be specific: Star Trek, Star Wars, LOTR, Marvel, DC - pretty much an homage to every show/movie/book that inspired me. So, naturally, Supernatural needs its own space! I have a couple items already, but what I would really love is a poster designed for this story. Fun fact: I did go to art school and I am a painter, but I loathe painting people. I'm more of a landscape gal. And, sadly, I'm total crap with photoshop despite more than one college course utilizing it. No patience for it, I'm afraid 😅 So! I would love to put out a request/competition/commission of sorts. Please let me know if there is any interest out there and I will follow up with details!
Update Schedule: I am going to start off a little slow until I'm certain the Muse is back for good and cooperative. I'm going to post every two weeks on Sundays (or Saturday nights, really, because I'm usually impatient ) If we get back into the swing of things and I feel good about it, I'll resume weekly posts!
Alright, I'm done, I'm done. Thank you all for tuning back in! I'm so happy to be back, and I hope you're happy to be back too!
Cheers,
Silence