Sweet Child of Mine

Cadence walked down the street, her hands shoved snug in her coat pockets, her chin tucked behind her thick scarf, everything about her trying to fight the cold. Slung around her, her messenger bag thumped rhythmically against her leg as she walked, the keys in the side pouch providing the only sound other than the sound of her feet crunching on the snow. Looking up from the ground, her blue eyes looked past her whisking red hair at her destination, her dorm building. Her pace quickened at the sight of the ramp that lead to the front door, but she slowed as she saw two figures emerge from the shadows. Cadence took her hand out of her pocket, the cold air sinking its invisible teeth into her warm skin as she casually took out her keys. Turning them in her hands, she felt the big bulky key chain that was her mace. She has never used it since she came to the campus, but she wasn't afraid to.

Her pace slowed to normal as she neared the two figures. Her fingers played with the push valve of the mace. Her eyes watched the two beings, her hand ready to spray if needed, but as she took in their faces, she slowly lowered her guard. She came to a stop in front of them, keeping a solid distance between her and the couple. Cadence's eyes glanced around looking for eave's droppers in the night before saying, "What are you two doing here?"

The oldest of the two, a woman with dark hair gave a look of surprise as she said, “Hello to you too, Cadence. I’m glad to see your manners are still intact.”

The younger, a girl Cadence’s age with blond hair said, “At least you’re glad to see me.”

Cadence smiled a little, “It is nice to see you. Jo.”

“Damn straight.”

Cadence heard the sound of people walking behind her, and upon turning, she found good old Bobby Singer walking up to her, followed by a group of three more guys. Cadence smiled and said, “Bobby, it’s nice to see you.”

Bobby nodded, “Been too damn long.”

Cadence’s eyes darted behind him to look at the group following him, “Some pretty hot friends you got there, Bobby.”

“You remember John Winchester?”

Cadence scoffed, “How do you forget John Winchester?”

Bobby nodded with a smile, “Well these are his sons. The oldest Dean and Sam.”

The oldest Dean was the stereo typical bad boy looking guy: short hair, hot, nice body, hot, leather jacket, hot, all that good stuff. Sam the younger was almost the exact opposite. His hair was longer, just past his ears, and his face was still equally as attractive as his brother’s. His clothing was more boyish compared to his brother’s more normal. Cadence clenched her jaw. She’s heard of these boys before. It was all she could do to keep her fist from hitting Dean square in that cut jaw of his, but instead, she nodded.
“Cadence it’s nice to meet you,” Sam smiled.

Cadence squinted, “And you.”

“And um…” Dean took a step back and placed his hand on the third man’s shoulder, “This is Castiel.”

Castiel nodded his eyes wide and slightly confused “It’s nice to meet you, um….”

“Cadence. Cadence Husch.”

Sam’s eyes grew wide, “Husch? Not like… Constantine Husch.”

Cadence nodded, “She was my mother.”

Dean’s jaw dropped, “She was your mother?” Cadence nodded, “She’s one of the best hunters of all time.”

Cadence smiled slightly, “Other than your father.”

“Our father is dead.”

“So is my mom.” The group grew quiet but then Cadence turned to Castiel, “What?”

“Was your grandmother’s name Constance?”

Cadence gave a shocked look, “Um… yeah. But how did you know-“

“We need your help, Cadence.” Said Ellen.

Turning to look at the woman, Cadence asked, “My help? Why what’s going on?”

“Castiel is an angel,” said Bobby.

Cadence looked at the old man, “What?”

“He’s an angel.”

“You mean like… a term of endearment?”

“No.”

Cadence spun in a circle, slowly making eye contact with everyone in the group before landing on Castiel, “An angel.”

Castiel gave a sharp nod, “Yes.”

“An angel. An honest to God, ‘Look-at-me-I-descended-from-Heaven-entering-a-human-vessel,’ ‘I-have-seen-the-face-of-God-because-I-have-wings-and-a-halo’ angel?”

Castiel’s blue eyes glanced at the Winchester boys before saying, “Yes. Accept for the face of God part.”

“What?”

“I don’t know anyone who has seen his face.”

Cadence was surprised, “Really.”

“Yes.”

“That sucks.”

Sam chuckled. The mood was lighter then, Cadence let her guard lower a bit. She moved to face Bobby and Jo, the other woman, Ellen, stood by herself. Cadence looked around and shrugged.

“So… what the hell is going on?”

Bobby looked shocked, “You mean to tell me you don’t know what’s happened?”

She shrugged.

“Dammit, Cay,” he ran his hand over his beard as he used his nickname for her, “How do you hunt and not know what’s happening?”

“I don’t hunt anymore.”

Everyone but Castiel gasped. Ellen gave her a look that shot daggers, “What the hell is wrong with you, girl?”

Cadence was taken aback, “Excuse me?”

“We’re in the middle of a God damn war and you’re not even active?”

“War? What the hell are you talking about?”

“Lucifer is here,” said Castiel, “The war for survival has started.”

“Lucifer… as in the devil?”

“Yes.”

“Who the fuck broke the seals?”

Dean and Sam shifted awkwardly as all eyes turned to them. Dean raised his hand and said, “Yeah that would be us….”

“What the hell guys? First you open the gates of hell, now you let Lucifer out of his cage? What kind of death wish are you two planning?”

“It wasn’t our fault, okay?” said Sam.

“Just like how it wasn’t your fault that the gates opened?” Cadence shook her head and started to walk away, “You know, it was because of you two that the demons my mother worked so hard to fight came back and killed her. So fuck you.” Moving the strap of her book bag further up her shoulder, she started her walk back to her dorm building. She managed to get ten steps from the group when a hand wrapped around her elbow. Pulling her back, Sam stood in front of her, “Please, Cadence… we need your help.”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t hunt.”

“Did your mother teach you,” asked Castiel coming up from behind her.

Cadence looked to him, “Teach me what?”

“How to hunt?”

“Yes.”

“Who taught her?”

She gave him a cautious look before saying, “My grandmother.”

“Did you know her?”

Cadence gave a shrug, “She died when I was five.”

“Constance is dead?” He sounded like he was trying to convey shock.

“Yeah, people do that when they get old… they become dead.”

Castiel grew somber, “I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, whatever.”

“Look, we really need your help,” said Ellen, “You need to come with us-”

“No.” Cadence chuckled, “Don’t you get it, I’m not going with you. I’m staying here. I have school. I’m fucking paying for this. I’m not leaving!”

Sam came closer to her, “Look, I know what you’re going through. I went to school for a while too. But then Dean came and asked for my help and I left. Because I knew he needed me, and because I knew that he couldn’t do this by himself.”

“Did you go back?”

Sam frowned, “No.”

“Nice example.”

“Point is, I left school, which I was paying for myself, to help out someone who needed it. We need your help, Cadence. All of us. The world… needs your help.”

“What has the world ever done for me?”

“Those are some harsh words, Cay,” said Bobby, “After what your mother taught you-”

“Okay, let’s stop talking about my family, alright?” Tears filled her eyes. Looking to the ground, Cadence was silent for a moment, then she said, “Look, I can’t help. I’m done hunting. I just want to live a normal life… a healthy life: a life where people don’t try to hack me to pieces each night. I can finally sleep at night. Do you know what that’s like? Being able to have a good night’s sleep for the first time in years? It’s incredible. Really. I’m sorry…. But you’re going to have to find someone else.”

“So you’re not going to help,” asked Castiel.

“No.”

“Is that what your mother taught you?”

“Shut up.”

“Is it?”

Cadence looked at the angel and said, “Listen, Castiel. I really hate repeating myself, especially when I’m mad. So pay attention,” she flipped the push valve of the mace still in her hand and sprayed it in the eyes of Castiel. The man screamed and fell to his knees, his fingers over his eyes. Turning to the group, Cadence sighed, “I don’t hunt. There I said it. Remember it. Now get the fuck off my school’s campus and leave me alone.”

Turning around Cadence walked past Sam and the injured Castiel and made it to her dorm building. Unlocking the front door, she enjoyed the sound of the door locking behind her, then she made her way to the elevator and went up to her eighth floor dorm room. Setting her bag on the floor, she got everything ready and went to sleep, not feeling bad about what happened outside.