Come in With the Rain

Sam gets off early on Sundays just so he can get back to his brother faster. So when he walks into The Roadhouse, he was expecting Dean to be sitting at a table by himself. He wasn't expecting to see Mabel with him laughing.

“Hey,” He says with a smile. They look to him and smile.

“Hi Sam,” Mabel greets.

Sam sits down with them at the counter, “What are you doing down here?”

Mabel explains, “Well at first I was just gonna walk around the building but then I found Dean and we spent all day here.”

“Technically, I found her,” Dean corrects.

Sam nods, “Did you have dinner yet?” Dean nods. “So you ready to go?”

Mabel watches Dean pack up his backpack as Sam goes over to pay Ellen what he owes her.

“You coming?” Dean asks her as he gets down from the bar. She hops down as well. She almost forgot she wasn't wearing shoes and squeaked when she stepped in something. “Yeah, that's why you need shoes.”

Sam walks back and sees Mabel pouting. He hides his smile by covering his mouth with his hand, “What's wrong?”

“I stepped in something.”

“Yeah, that's why you shouldn't sit by the bar,” He declares. He waves goodbye to the Roadhouse crew and takes the two kids up to the apartments.

When they are in the elevator, Sam asks, “How's the reading coming?”

“I reached chapter seven,” Mabel beams.

“That's good,” He smiles. “Maybe you'll be ready to tackle the harder stuff.” Mabel smiles feeling excited that she was learning fast.

Castiel felt weird all day. He didn't spend a whole lot of time with Mabel in the morning. He was wondering what she did all day. Then he thinks. Should he get her a key? So that way she can go in and out of the apartment. Or maybe she can just use the spare key on the door frame.

Well on his way back, he passes a Walgreen's. Mabel needs quite a few things. So he goes in to fetch the items.

Dean invites Mabel to hang out.

“Dean keep your door open.” Sam orders before they go to his room. Dean rolls his eyes as he and Mabel sit on his bed. Mabel's looking around his room.

“So this is what a boy's room looks like?” She asks looking baffled at the mess. His clothes are all on the floor and hanging from his drawers. There are papers on his desk along with empty dishes and textbooks.

Dean rubs his neck embarrassed, “Sorry for the mess.”

“Dean, I used to sleep in an alley,” Mabel giggles. “This isn't so bad.” Dean smirks at his friend. “So you go to school tomorrow?” He nods a reply. “What do you do in school besides learn and have unhealthy relationships?”

“Well, I have friends that I hang out with and I have football practice,” Dean states. “If you want, I could invite them over so you can meet them.”

Mabel smiles, “That would be nice.”

Dean has officially noted it. He likes it when Mabel smiles. It makes her look all the more prettier and sweeter looking. Not like he was noticing before.

“So you play football?”

He nods, “Yeah, I didn't want to at first but I remembered my Dad played in high school and wanted to give it a shot. I made quarterback.” Mabel nodded at him with an impressed look.

Castiel opens the door to the apartment, “Mabel?”

No reply. He checks his watch and realizes that Sam probably came over to watch her for him. So he goes next door and knocks.

Sam answers and sees Castiel, “Mabel! Cas is here!”

They wait for Mabel to come walking over to them. She walks quickly over to Castiel and gives him a hug. The action was a little sudden for him to process.

“Hi,” She smiles. Castiel laughs quietly.

Mabel thanks Sam for looking over her and to Dean for keeping her company before they walk back to the apartment.

“Hold on,” She announces digging in her front pocket. She pulls out the spare key and replaces it on top the door frame.

“You knew?” Castiel asks her as they walk in.

“Sam showed me yesterday,” She states. “Sorry.”

“No, it's fine,” he says. “As long as you remember to put it back.” Mabel nods. “Did you have dinner?”

She nods again, “Ellen made me a nice chicken sandwich.”

Castiel raises his eyebrows, “Oh, you met Ellen?”

Nodding again, she adds, “She's gonna give me some of Jo's old clothes.” Castiel smiles and makes a mental note to thank Ellen properly tomorrow.

Mabel sleeps in late the next morning and Castiel didn't want to bother her. He leaves her a note just before he leaves for work. So when Mabel realizes that Castiel left for work while she was asleep, she clearly finds a note.

I saw your pants in my closet. It's fine that you're borrowing some clothes but, leave a note next time. Breakfast is in the microwave. I get off work early on Mondays. If you need anything my number is on the fridge. Here's 50 dollars to go shopping or something. -Castiel

Mabel puts the note back down on the counter, takes the money and goes back to her room. She goes through her sack for something to wear. But all of her clothes smell. It never bothered her before but now that she's living with someone she needed to be clean.

Ellen was just barely opening up her restaurant for the morning rush. Ash was wiping down the counter while Jo put up menus on the tables. The door opens and Ellen looks at the door. Mabel stood by the entrance wearing what she was wearing the day before. Ellen walks out from behind the counter and walks over to her.

“Mornin' Mabel,” She greets. She looks down to see a dirty looking sack in her hand. “What you got there?”

Mabel lifted her sack, “Can you teach me how to do my laundry?”

Dean walked up to his locker to put his notebooks away. Coming up on his right is a short brunette with a very pretty face.

“Hey, Dean,” She greets sweetly.

Dean moves his locker door and smirks, “Hi Lisa.” She leans her back against the locker next to his and smiles. “Can I help you with anything?”

Lisa plays with the collar of her low cut top, “Maybe.” Dean takes a hint and closes his locker door. He lets Lisa loop her arm with his as he leads her down the hall.

Mabel sits on top of Ellen's washer as she watches the woman load her clothes into the drier.

“Now, add the fabric softener,” She says tossing in two sheets then closing the door. “Since you don't have a lot of clothes, you put it on small load and put it on dry.” Ellen pushes a button and the machine goes on. “You got all that?”

Mabel nods, “Thank you Ellen.”

Ellen smiles, “No problem. Since you're here, let me give you Jo's clothes.” She motions for Mabel to follow her into the apartment. Ellen and Jo don't live on the higher floors like the Winchesters and Castiel, so their apartment wasn't so fashionable or exciting. It was big for two people, their view wasn't as great as the others and their kitchen wasn't as pretty. Mabel follows Ellen into a hallway where there is a closet.

When she opens the door, Ellen takes down a box labeled, 'Jo'. She puts it on the ground and opens it. Inside are clothes that would probably fit Mabel.

“Just pick what you like,” Ellen orders. Mabel kneels down and starts rummaging through the box.

“Thank you Ellen,” She says looking up. “Everyone is being so nice to me these days.” Ellen smiles and walks away to check on her laundry.

Dean scratches the back of his head as he stares down at the English book sitting on his desk. His teacher told her class to read a passage on Shakespeare. He looks around to see if he isn't the only one bored out of his mind. There are a few people with their book up to block them sleeping. It looked like a good idea but didn't want to risk it.

“Dude,” He whispers as he leans to his left. “This shit doesn't make any sense to me.”

To his left his friend, Chuck sat. Chuck is smaller than Dean, has unruly brown hair and the beginnings of a beard. He was always scribbling in his notebook, saying things like its just a story he's been working on for ages.

“It's Shakespeare Dean,” Chuck sighs. “We're in high school, it's not supposed to make sense to us.”

Dean murmurs, “Mabel's lucky she can't read.”

“Mabel?”

Dean side glances to his friend, “She's this girl living with my neighbor. She's our age and she can't read.”

Chuck chuckles, “Wow, that's sad.”

Dean frowns, “It's not funny. She was homeless.” Chuck swallows and takes back his comment.

“Mr. Winchester. Mr. Shurley,” Their teacher called. They turned back to their book.

After a few minutes, Dean leans over, “You wanna meet her?”

Mabel smells the cleanness of her clothes. All warm and clean and wearable. She finds some of Jo's old clothes and goes to her shower. Cleaning up properly, she changes into a dark blue tank top that hugs her waist, faded hip hugger jeans, and a pair of old boots. Ellen was kind enough to give her some shoes too.

Smiling, Mabel was able to leave the building now. She takes the money Castiel left her and puts it in the front pocket. She goes out the door, locks it with the spare key and puts the key back. She goes to the elevator and heads down.

The city seems so much different from the other side. Instead of the one looking up, Mabel is now the one looking down. The sky looked gray and there was a sign of rain. Mabel shrugs and walks down the sidewalk.

What could she buy with 50 dollars? Looking into shop windows with a whole different purpose other than the warmth it emanates.

“Spare change?”

Mabel looks to her left. An old man looking far worse than she ever did, sat in an alleyway with his hand extended to people passing. She stares at him for a moment.

“Spare change?” He asks looking up at the girl standing in front of him.

“Are you hungry?” Mabel asks. The man nods. “I have some money with me and there is a restaurant over there.” She points to a Burger King. “I will come back here with something for you, okay?”

“God bless you child,” The man hums. Mabel smiles and walks off to the burger joint.

When she comes back, the man is asleep under a folded out cardboard box.

“Mister,” She calls shaking him. He stirs muttering strange words.

“Oh,” He realizes. “You came back.” Mabel puts the bag in his hands. “It feels so warm.”

She smiles, “It does, doesn't it? I bought you enough food to last you a while. And here is the rest of my money.” She pulls the few bills and coins she had. She places the money in the man's hands.

He smiles up at her, “Thank you sweet child. You saved my life.”

Mabel smiles, “It is only fair I share my good fortune with people I used to be like.”

“You used to be like me?”

Nodding Mabel tells the man, “I used to be homeless as well, but a very kind man took me in.”

“God must be watching over you,” The man says.

Mabel shared a small conversation with the man before walking down the street.

Lunch time, Dean sat with his friends. Chuck, was talking to Becky, a spazzy blonde that made absolutely no sense when she formed words. Victor, a lean, African American boy also on the football team with Dean, was reading a book he borrowed from the library. Andy, a boy with just as messy but tamed brown hair wearing clothes that belong to a monk, was picking at his cafeteria food. Tessa, a pretty girl with long black hair, was looking over her notes for her next class. Garth, a scrawny looking guy with short brown hair, was shooting peas at the other jocks.

Dean leans on his elbow, “Wow, I don't think Mabel will be too impressed by you guys.”

“And who is Mabel?” Victor asks arching a brow. “A new one?”

“What? No!” Dean protests. “She's this girl that moved in with my neighbor. I promised her I'd let her meet you guys.”

Andy looks up at Dean, “So?”

“So, I was expecting to amaze her,” Dean says.

Tessa puts her papers down, “Dean, are you saying you aren't pleased with the only real friends you have?”

“No, I'm pleased, I'm pleased,” He replies waving his sandwich in the air. “It's just that Mabel hasn't particularly made any good friends.”

“What?” Victor asks.

“She's homeless,” Chuck states.

“She was homeless,” Dean corrects.

Becky buts in, “So she is what a … junkie or something?”

Dean glares at her, “No. She's just a normal girl.”

Garth asks not looking away from his aim on the jock table, “How do you know Dean?”

“She told me herself.”

“She could be lying to you,” Tessa stated. “For all you know, she could have probably conned you into giving you a few bucks just to get 'spent'.”

Dean glares at his friends, “Dudes! She's fucking homeless! She can't read, do math, or even write her name!”

That shut them up. Dean breathes as he sits back from the table.

“Listen, can you guys just come over and meet her?” He asks politely. “Please?”

Garth frowns, “Sorry, I got work today.”

Becky slumps, “I have a curfew.”

“And I'm grounded,” Andy groans.

Dean looks to his other friends expectantly.

Chuck shrugs, “I'm good. I'll come.”

Tessa nods, “Same.”

Victor nods as well, “I'll come over too.”

“Thank you guys,” Dean sighs.

Mabel decides against visiting her old friends. She didn't feel like wandering too far from the apartment building. But walking down the sidewalk alone, was... well, lonely. It would have been nice if Dean 'was there talking to her. Besides Castiel and Sam, Dean has been the one that made her smile. They were friends and being friends meant a lot to Mabel.

Mabel looks up at the graying sky. It really looked like it was going to rain. And she didn't have an umbrella. She was also getting very hungry now. She hadn't felt hungry in a long time now. Having food at hand, you get use to those sort of things. Mabel puts her hands on her stomach and thinks that maybe she could go a little longer before going to the Roadhouse.

It would be really nice if she could visit Dean right now.

“I can't today.”

“What? Why not?”

Dean heaves a breath as he looks at the pretty brunette standing in front of him with her fingers hooked in the front pockets of his jeans. Oh, so tempting.

“Lisa, I'm having some friends over today after school,” He says as he rubs a hand up her arm.

Lisa wasn't particularly his girlfriend or anything remotely close to a relationship. More like a 'hey, I'm here and you're here, so let's get busy' kind of relationship. She comes up to him smiles and the next they're in the janitors closet, behind the bleachers, or the football locker room trying to get horizontal and sometimes vertical.

It's sad really.

“Then why don't you come over to my place instead,” She pouts with a rueful smile. “My parents are going to Ben's play tonight.”

Dean sighs again, “Lisa, I just told you I have friends coming over today. Next time okay?”

Lisa huffs, “Fine.” And before Dean could say more she's stomping off down the hall.

Mabel blinks and touches her wrist. A water droplet. She looks up and blinks furiously feeling the rain coming down. She shields herself from the droplets coming down fast. People were running past her trying to get out of the rain. Sadly, she wasn't remotely close to the Roadhouse, let alone the apartment building the Roadhouse is attached to. Her vision was wrecked by the shower. Where was she?

Dodging running people and bikers, Mabel tried to find the correct streets to the apartment building.

“Mabel?”

She spins around and sees Sam with a newspaper above his head.

“Hi Sam,” She greets. He motions her over and pulls his jacket up over her head. “What are you doing in the rain?”

“I'm just getting home from work,” He replies loud over the rain. “What are you doing out?” Sam leads them in the right direction Mabel was trying to get to.

“Castiel gave me some money for me to spend,” She shouted. “So I thought maybe I’d go outside. I didn't know it would rain though.”

Sam chuckles, “Same here.”

He opens the door for them and they go inside the apartment building. Mabel wipes some rain from her face as Sam tosses his newspaper into a nearby trashcan.

“Come on,” Sam waves to her. “Let's get you dried up.”

“Honestly Winchester,” Victor groans. “Couldn't you have picked a better day to introduce us to your homeless friend?”

Dean shakes his head trying to dry his hair from the rain. He literally hated his apartment building for having the parking garage across the street. Tessa moaned as she squeezed the rain from her hair and Chuck checked if his papers were still dry.

He replies, “Well I'm sorry for promising her that she could meet my friends, Victor.”

They all crowd into the elevator trying any possible way to get dry.

“Seriously Dean,” Tessa calls. “Is she that amazing?”

Dean looks at her, “Yes. It's just when you talk to her, you just want to keep on talking to her.”

Victor smirks, “If I didn't know any better, I'd say you have a crush on your friend.”

Dean pulls a face, “Dude, would you leave it alone. Plus, she wouldn't know if I was flirting with her if I had to spell it out to her.”

The doors opened and they walked in the direction of Dean's apartment.

Sam was walking around the kitchen making something warm for him and Mabel. The door opens and he hears his brother and his friends coming in.

“Hey,” He calls. Dean walks into view and his little group standing behind him. “Hey guys.”

“Hi Sam,” They greet moving to sit at the dinner table.

Dean walks up to his brother, “I'm gonna head over next door to get Mabel.”

“Oh, don't bother,” Sam says. “She's already over. She's in your room.”

Dean looks at his brother surprised. Okay, Mabel's in his room already. He tells his friends to follow him to his room.

“Hey,” Dean calls opening his door.

On the other side Mabel was pulling down the rest of his football jersey to cover herself. She flips her wet hair and looks over to the door.

Smiling she greets, “Oh Dean. You're back?”

Dean stares at his neighbor a bit wide eyed. One, she was changing in his room. Two, she was changing into his jersey. Three, she's wearing nothing but his football jersey. There definitely has to be something wrong here, because he can't seem to find it.

Mabel looks down at herself, “Oh, sorry that I borrowed this. Sam insisted that I change here.”

“Why were you changing?” Chuck asks his voice cracking a bit. He coughs afterward to cover it up.

“It was raining a lot outside and I didn't have an umbrella,” She replied. “Oh, I also hope you don't mind that I used your shower.”

Dean coughs, “No, no. I don't mind.”

Sam walks towards Dean's room with a cup of hot chocolate and sees the group standing in the hallway.

“Do you guys want some hot chocolate?” He calls. Mabel pokes her head into the hallway. “Mabel I have yours.” She smiles and walks past Dean and his friends. Her feet padding across the floor.

Victor eyes Mabel as she passes, “Okay Dean. I'm impressed.”

“What?”

Tessa smirks, “Me too. She's... something.” Dean rolls his eyes and walks into his room.

Mabel sits down at the table with Sam drinking her cup of hot chocolate.

“Dean has very interesting friends,” Mabel smiles. “They like to stare.”

Smirking Sam mutters, “I would too if a girl was changing in my friend's room.” Mabel looks at him confused. Dean and his friends walked out of the hallway and over to them. Dean sits next to Mabel and his friends sit all around him.

“So, Mabel,” Dean swallows keeping his eyes on her face. “This is Tessa.” Mabel looks to the only girl in the group and waves. “Victor.” The lean African American boy waves to her. “And Chuck.” The smaller boy waves.

“Hi,” She greets. “I'm Mabel.”