Killing Me Slowly

So…we played his stupid game. I don’t know what was up with him but he was definitely not Cas…not our Cas anyway. He was just someone else completely. I moved my piece. “You know, we weren't sure at first which monkeys were gonna make it. No offense, but I was backing the Neanderthals because their poetry was…just amazing. It's in perfect tune…” Cas talked as he picked up a card.

“…with the spheres. But in the end, it was you…the homo sapiens sapiens. You guys ate the apple, invented pants”

He moved his piece to where I was. “Cas, where can we find this Metatron? Is he still alive?” I asked gently, trying to keep my calm.

“I'm sorry. I think you have to go back to start” he told me.

I angrily slammed my piece back to start. “This is important, Cas”

“It’s Dean’s turn” is what he said.

I sighed. So Dean picked up a card and moved. “I think Metatron could stop a lot of bad. You understand that?” Dean tried.

Cas picked up another card. “We live in a "sorry" universe. It's engineered to create conflict. I mean, why should I prosper from…your misfortune?” he questioned as he simply moved Dean back to start this time. Okay he was so cheating. “But these are the rules. I didn't make them”

“You made some of them. When you tried to become God, when you cut that hole into that wall” I stressed.

“Melissa…it's your move” he told me.

I let it get the best of me and as I pounded my fist on the table, all the energy inside me exerted out and flew the game across the room.

“Enough with the damn game, already, Cas!” I yelled at him and was trying not to cry. We lost him. We lost our best friend to a world of insanity and I just wasn’t sure if we could get him back.

“I’m sorry, Melissa…”

“No. You’re playing ‘Sorry’” I told him.

He stared down at his lap for a long moment and I couldn’t help but feel like my heart was being pulled at. It was like yelling at an innocent child for doing something wrong that he didn’t even know was wrong. He just doesn’t understand. And it’s our fault isn’t it? He felt like he owed us so he tried helping with Sam and Brit’s condition…but it just landed him a spot in the loony bin. And now when we need him more than ever…he’s just gone….

“Go on…pick it up…I know you want to” I sighed.

He nodded slightly and smiled ever so lightly as he got down on the floor to start picking up the pieces. My heart ached just watching him. The old Cas would have never even known what Sorry even was about forget about how to play. But suddenly he stopped and looked up.

“What?” Dean asked.

“Sam and Brittney. They’re talking to angels” he said and then vanished from the room. Dean and I looked at each other and then shot up from our spots, racing down the hallway, towards Cas’ room.

When we got there we could see the room was occupied and I could feel the two unwelcome visitors were angels. And one of them wasn’t very too happy with Cas…but before anything huge could go down, Dean used his blood to put an angel sigil on the wall and when we got their attention he placed his hand on it and we blew them away. I can’t remember the last time we needed to use one of those but they always do come in handy.

“Alright, all angels blown back to their corners. We got like three, four hours tops” Dean said.

“Meg, where did you get that?” Brit asked, pointing to the angel knife in her hand.

“A lot of angels died this year” she shrugged.

“What's happening?! What's happening?!” this kid yelled out as he was clenching to the tablet. I swear I think he was going to crap his pants right then and there…maybe he already did….

“What is that?” Dean and I asked.

“It’s uh…Kevin Tran” Sam said.

“He’s uhh…in advanced placement” Brit added. Wonderful…just another day at the office. Kicking ass, taking names…and babysitting….

~

“So, these Leviathans – these monsters are real. And angels with wings?” Kevin asked.

“No. Uh no wings. No anything” Sam said.

“No junk. Junkless. So, Kevin, you can read the chicken scratch on the God rock, huh?” Dean asked.

“Uh I…”

“That is back in one piece, I see. And you're saying that there's some sort of a How to punch Dick recipe in there somewhere?” he continued.

“I-I don't know what you're saying…” he stammered. I nudged Dean.

“Give him a minute to process. Not everyone can really speak your lingo”

“But it seems kind of like an in case of emergency note. What did they mean by ‘prophet’?” he asked.

“Oh no…really?” Dean asked Sam and Brit.

“Yea…that’s what the angel said” Brit said.

“Come on” I complained.

“I don't want to be a prophet”

“No. You don't at all” Brit told him.

“Gentlemen, ladies, we've got to start running and hiding. Or do you want to tangle with those wing nuts twice?” Meg said.

“I'm sorry. Did you say ‘we’?” Dean asked.

“I'm on the angels' radar now. You think I don't need a little safety in numbers?”

“All right, it’s fine. We'll go to Rufus' cabin. The kid can do his book report there” I said.

So we all headed out to the car and Brit and I did rock, paper, scissors to see who would sit in the back with Meg and Kevin…I lost. I guess I could’ve seen that one coming. So Dean was driving with Sam in the passenger and Brit was in the middle of both of them since the arm rest was low and it pretty much looked like a middle seat in the front. She was tiny enough to fit too. And me? I was in the back, in between a snarky demon and a shaking prophet. Lucky me….

When morning came we stopped for gas. Brit, Sam and Meg headed inside the little deli while I leaned against the hood and Dean filled the car. While we waited, he came over to me and leaned against the hood beside me.

“I miss the Impala” I pouted.

“You and me both, sweetheart” he slung his arm around my neck and kissed my head. I leaned into him. I looked up at him.

“Do you want to talk about that nightmare of yours?” I asked.

“You’re still on that? Melissa, I…”

“No, it’s not for my benefit…it’s for yours. I’m just curious…we don’t have to though ” I shrugged and wrapped my arms around his waist. I felt him hesitating.

“Dick had gotten to you…I mean, it was a dream so it’s not like I really knew what he did exactly but it just wasn’t good…so when I finally got my hands on him…I just wanted to rip his head off…” he murmured, holding me tighter.

“So in your dream you were attacking Dick, trying to protect me…when really you were just attacking me” I laughed lightly. So did he. “Yea…”

“Well…that is just so sweet” I told him and reached up to kiss his cheek.

“I don’t think I’ve ever had someone fight for me in their dreams before” Now I was teasing.

He laughed but shook his head and nudged me slightly, yet still kept me in his arms. “I love you, you know that right?” he asked me suddenly.

I furrowed my eyebrows and took a slight step back to get a good look at his face but he still held a good grip on me. “Of course I know that…what’s going on, Dean?” I asked, gently and faced him.

“Nothing…I just wanted to tell you…I don’t know if you’re still reading minds or anything like that and maybe you can read mine and see that it’s obvious…but I wanted you to know”

“No, I’m staying away from the whole reading mind thing…but, yea I know…thanks for telling me you big softie” I smiled, cupping his cheek. He smiled too and took my hand. “I love you too” I told him and then I kissed him.

“Hey you two, save it for later” Brit spoke up as they came walking over to us.

“Looks like we got another wrinkle. Uh, looks like Kevin's gone missing…and it's gone federal. Yeah. Where's Meg?” Sam said.

“I'm here” she popped up.

“Great, so now we're kidnappers?” Dean asked.

“Not if we shut up about it. Why? Who'd we kidnap?” she asked. We all looked back at Kevin who was passed out in the back seat.

We hit the road again as night fell and Kevin startled awake as he started to go on about how his life was going down the drain.

“Hey…next time you sit next to the hysteric prophet, okay?” I said to Meg.

“Sorry sweet pea but I don’t think so. Put me next to that kid and I just might throw him out the window” she replied.

I sighed. “Don’t think I’m not getting ready to”

“Ya know…you seem different” she noted and I looked at her.

“How so?”

“I don’t know…you seem less likely to kill me”

“Well…lets just say I’ve evolved”

She nodded slowly. “Good to know…” she said but something seemed off about her. I didn’t call her out on it.

Then Cas called her rambling about being at some kind of dog track in Australia but once Meg gave him very clear, distinct instructions on our location, he popped up in the car, pretty much on top of me. Kevin yelped.

“Come on, Cas. Personal space” I groaned as I pushed him off me and closer to Meg so now we were all seriously squished back here. “Kevin, this is Castiel” Meg introduced.

“You're one of the angels?’ he asked. But then Cas just reached across to me to touch his finger to Kevin’s nose. “Boop” he said happily. Kevin looked at me confused but I just shook my head and shrugged, rolling my eyes. Then Cas looked at Meg. “Meg, are you hurt?”

“Shut up” she replied, embarrassed.

I smirked. “Meg has a boyfriend” I sang quietly. She growled at me.

“Cas, what happened back there? Who were those guys?” Dean asked.

“They're from the Garrison…my old Garrison. Looks like Hester's taken over. We were assigned to watch the earth. Often, it was boring. The wars were very boring and the sex…you know, the repetition. Anyway, I was…uhh I was their captain. Isn't that strange?”

“Cas, why are they pissed at us now?” Brit asked.

“You know, those racing dogs were absolutely miserable. They can only think in ovals” he said to Meg.

“Cas, don't make me pull this car over! Why are angels after us?” Dean demanded.

“Are you angry? Why are you angry?”

“No he’s no angry, just…can we please just stay on target” I tried to keep my voice steady and calm.

“There is no reason for anger. They're only following protocol. If the Word of God is revealed, a keeper of the Word will awaken, like this hot potato right here” he reached across me to poke Kevin in the nose again. “Please stop that” Kevin slapped his hand away and I shoved Cas’ arm to his side.

“Anyway, Garrison code dictates you take the keeper to the desert to learn the Word away from men”

“What kind of sense does that make? He has to tell us so that we can use it?” I asked.

“That's God and his shiny red apples”

“I can't live in the desert. I'm applying to Princeton!” Kevin panicked. “Okay, you know what? Screw the Garrison. We need the tablet to end Sick Roman's "Soylent Us" crap” Dean said.

“If you want the Word, you'll have to duck Hester and her soldiers”

“Yeah, you're in our corner, right, Cas?” Sam asked. “No, I don't fight anymore. I watch the bees” was his answer. We all exchanged an uneasy look. This wasn’t part of the plan….

We got to Rufus’ cabin and started to put up all kinds of anti detection sigils on the walls. Then Dean and I led Kevin into the basement. “You must be hungry, so once we get settled in upstairs, we'll get some dinner going” I told him. I noticed he didn’t follow completely into the room. “What is it now?”

“This looks like a sex-torture dungeon. Is this a sex-torture dungeon?” I could sense he was going to start panicking again. “No, this is not a sex-torture…would you just get over here. Sit down and read, would you?” Dean said, annoyed. He obeyed and started to get to work. “We should probably have some paper bags ready” I suggested to Dean. “Yea” he agreed.

Some time started to pass and this kid already went through three bags…and he started to hyperventilate again as he shot to his feet. “Kevin” I said in a warning tone, not even getting up to check on him this time.

“This is all too much. What's happened to my life? I'm just a kid from Michigan. I didn't want to be a Word-keeper!”

Dean and I looked at each other. “It’s your turn” he told me. So I sighed as I got up with the paper bag and walked over to him.

“I am not prepared to factor the supernatural into my world view” I held up the paper bag to his face so he could breathe easier.

“Yes, I know…that’s it. Just breathe” I instructed as I patted his back. I sat back down and then so did he. “I don’t know Kevin…what can I say? You’ve been chosen. It sucks, believe me. But there’s really no use in asking why me. Because the angels don’t care. I think…they don’t really have the equipment to care. Seems like if they try…it just causes them to fall apart” I explained.

“I just want to be the first Asian-American President of the United States”

“Then do your homework” Dean told him.

My senses perked up. “Meg left” I said to Dean and I rushed to a stool so I could stand on it and look out an elevated window. I saw her rushing down the path. “What? Where is she going?” Dean asked.

“How should I know?” I said and we both went to head upstairs. “Kevin, keep working on that thing” I ordered and we got to the others.

We set up a devil’s trap right in front of the door just in case she’d be stupid in enough to come back…and ya know what…she was. “Well…didn't expect to see you back” Brit said as we came out of the shadows to greet her.

“Yeah, not without the King's army. Knife” Dean said and Meg handed him the angel knife.

“Typical. I save our bacon, and you're sitting here, waiting by a devil's trap. Seriously, I just killed two of Crowley's men. I could have gone the other way on that”

“It's true incidentally. There's other demons' blood on that blade” Cas said.

I took it from Dean and immediately the smell filled my nose. I nodded to them. “Look, I'm simpler than you think. I've figured one thing out about this world, just one, pretty much. You find a cause, and you serve it. Give yourself over, and it orders your life. Lucifer and Yellow Eyes, their mission was it for me”

“So, what? We should trust you because you wanted to free Satan from Hell?” Dean asked.

“I'm talking cause, douchebag, as in reason to get up in the morning. Obviously, these things shift over time. We learn, we grow. Now, for me currently, the cause is bringing down the King. And I know we'll need help to do it”

“Crowley ain't the problem this year”

“When are you gonna get it? Crowley's always the problem. He's just waiting for the right moment to strike. I know what I'm supposed to do. And it isn't screw with Sam, Brittney, Dean or Melissa or lose the only angel who'd go to bat for me” We all looked at each other…but then I nodded to Sam so he stepped forward and scraped the painted with his foot, breaking the trap.

“This is good, harmony and communication. Now our only problem is Hester” Cas said.

“What?” Meg asked.

“Well, here, we're hidden from the Garrison, but when you killed a demon, you put out a pretty clear beacon”

“We need better angel-proofing now” But it was too late. The door bust open and Hester and her little pimps came walking in.

“You took the Prophet from us?!” she exclaimed.

“I'm…I'm sorry?’ Cas tried.

“You have fallen in every way imaginable”

“Please, Castiel. We have to follow the code. Help us do our work” the other pleaded.

“He can't help you. He can't help anybody” Dean said.

“We don't need his help…or his permission” Hester said and suddenly the other angels vanished.

“The Keeper goes to the desert tonight”

“Whoa, hold on a second. Back off. We're actually trying to clean up one of your angel's messes! You know that” I stressed.

“She’s right. An angel brought the Leviathan back into this world, and…and they begged him. They begged him not to do it” Cas said in a very guilty way.

“Look, just give us some time, okay? We will take care of your Prophet” Dean asked.

“Why should we give you anything…after everything you have taken from us? The very touch of you corrupts. When Castiel first laid a hand on you in Hell, he was lost! For that, you're going to pay” And then she started to stalk toward him.

“I think I said back off princess” I snapped as I got in front of Dean and threw my arms in front of me, sending the angel back, across the room. My eyes widened, shocked at myself that I was even able to do such a thing…against an angel.

“Why you little witch” she spat at me. I narrowed my eyes.

“Please. They're the ones we were put here to protect” Cas spoke up, stepping in front of all of us.

“No, Castiel” she said getting to her feet and backhanding him to the floor.

We all went to go help Cas but the other two angels appeared in front of us to prevent us from aiding him. “No more madness! No more promises! No more new Gods!” she repeatedly swung her fist left and right at the poor guy and then she raised up the angel killing sword. I felt my heart race a little.

“Hester! No! Please! There's so few of us left” one of the others spoke up. But she knocked him to the side.

“You wanted free will. Now I'm making the choices” she said and was ready to seriously put an end to Cas. But I threw up my hand and swung it to the side so Meg caught it and she quickly took one leap and stabbed Hester right in the back. She fell to the ground.

“Well it’s about time someone stepped up” Meg said to me. I sighed with relief.

~

Kevin finally finished writing down everything on the tablet and translating it for us. “Thanks, Kevin. Not a lot of people could have handled this” Brit said.

“You doing all right there, "chosen one"?” Dean asked.

“Yeah” he let out a deep breath.

“Are you ready, Kevin Tran?” Inais (Cas’ friend-the angel) asked. He nodded as two other angels got on either side of him.

“Bring the Keeper to his home. We can watch over him there” And so then they all disappeared.

“I couldn't find Meg anywhere” Dean said.

“Yes, well, she enjoys laying low” Cas said. “Leviathan cannot be slain but by a bone of a righteous mortal washed in the three bloods of the fallen.”

“It says we need to start with the blood of a fallen angel” Sam read and we all looked at Cas.

“Well, you know me. I'm always happy to bleed for the Winchesters and they’re play toys” he said, holding out a bottle filled with blood.

“We are not…whatever” Brit sighed, not even having the strength to argue with him…and neither did I.

“So what are you gonna do, Cas?” I asked.

“I don't know. Isn't that amazing?” he smiled and then vanished.

“Well…lets get to work” Dean said. One small step for hunters…and one giant step closer to figuring out how to beat Dick Roman….