Title: Consequences of Action

Chapter: 10

~~~~~~~~~~

While Zachariah complained about certain angels, mostly Castiel and Anna, misusing their angelic will to their own ends, what he was really upset about was that they didn’t use it the way he wanted them to.

Michael found that amusing. It was okay to exercise angelic will, but only if it helped Zachariah. He laughed to himself, garnering a few odd looks from others as he walked to his meeting with Raphael and Gabriel. After reviewing the facts and finding little to laugh about, it felt good to see amusement in something. The things he’d seen on earth had left him a little depressed.

Dean Winchester had called out to him. He’d spent the good part of a week screaming himself hoarse and another week drunk when Michael hadn’t answered. This meant that Dean was going to be even more hard-hearted than he’d been. Michael had to assume that Dean was going to be belligerent and angry when he finally approached him. He was going to approach him. Michael had to.

Not to mention Lucifer’s tantrums were tearing the earth apart. At the rate things were progressing, there wasn’t going to be much left for survivors if they didn’t contain him soon, which was their goal. Containment. He would be dutiful. He’d approach Dean, contain Lucifer, and save the earth because he’d been told to. He’d care because he was supposed to. He would be obedient and maybe, as had been suggested, he might learn something about himself and humans in the process.

Michael conceded that there was the possibility he had things left to learn.

He considered all he’d been authorized to do and stepped into the room, hiding the three of them from the others. Only the three of them were to know the plan of action he’d created. Once he’d explained, Raphael frowned.

“Why does Gabriel get to retrieve the keys? I am every bit as capable to perform that task.”

“Would you be willing to steal from Dean Winchester? He has one key in his possession.”

“Yes.” No hesitation and even a little glee in the tone.

Michael supposed Raphael was still sore from Dean and Castiel trapping him in the Holy Fire. He didn’t forgive things like that easily. He remained angry to this day about a prank Gabriel had pulled before he’d disappeared. “I see. Would you be willing to trick the Horsemen for the remaining keys?”

Now there was hesitation. Not many would consider messing with the Horsemen. “No.”

“Then my decision stands. Gabriel has the…tricky touch needed.” Not to mention he was either stupid enough or brave enough to attempt it.

“You mean he’s a pick-pocket and a cheat.”

“Stop with the compliments already. I’ll blush. Jealousy doesn’t become you.” Gabriel smirked and Raphael rolled his eyes.

Michael half expected Gabriel to stick his tongue out. It wouldn’t be the first time.

Raphael stared at Michael. “Why not simply deal with Zachariah now and be done with him? Why wait? Why must I follow him about heaven and earth?”

An explosive snort left Gabriel and he sat forward. “Because self-important dicks deserve their comeuppance. He made a play to run heaven, Raphael. Can you comprehend what that means, or are you still stuck on our Father’s return? Not saying you’re slow, Rafe, but you don’t seem to be too quick on the uptake since we all came home. Holy fire burn some of the smarts out of you?”

“I should strike you.”

“Then do it already.”

Raphael didn’t move.

After a moment of exchanged glares, through which Michael waited patiently, Gabriel sat back. “Yeah, that’s what I thought. You wanted to know why I left, Mike? This is it, this right here. The ‘tude. The high and mighty bullshit and pointless fights. We’re talking about ending the Apocalypse, Raphael, without ending the world. Zach’s a part of that. Do you really think he doesn’t have something else up his sleeve? He’s a smarmy, sneaky kiss-ass and if we pay attention, he’ll hang himself with his hubris and we won’t have to deal with him directly.”

Michael’s thoughts exactly. Sometimes he and Gabriel did agree. It was rare, but it did happen. After watching Zachariah, he agreed with Gabriel’s assessment of his current character. He recalled Zachariah before the throne, lying to God and thinking he was getting away with it. Zachariah thought he was going to skirt judgment and come out on top. He shook his head a little. How twisted Zachariah had become! He remembered centuries ago how loyal and obedient Zachariah had been. He’d been a valued ally then. But he was different now, as many were. All of them had changed in some way, himself included.

I should have realized our wait would not be endless. I of all should have known that and held them all together. I failed in that duty.

He sat forward. “The gist of it. Watch him, Raphael. Tell me the second he does what I expect. The timing here is tricky and crucial. We’re all three of us juggling glass balls that can’t be dropped. One falls, it all ends for good. For all of us.”

It wasn’t a motivation tactic. It had been made very clear to him that if they failed to clean up the mess they’d made, creation would be done and the time for leniency and mercy gone. If they failed, God would let the battle to contain Lucifer become the final battle and all would be judged, even the heavens.

Some would tell him to just let it come. Michael couldn’t do that. They’d all forgotten something crucial, even he. Paradise came only after judgment. Everything would be judged and while a little mutiny didn’t seem so bad now, the Lake of Fire wouldn’t be a nice place to hang out for the end of all time. Michael didn’t think any of them were ready for final judgment.

“Are we agreed? United?”

Raphael glanced away, then back. “You command, I follow, brother. I will do the job you put before me, whether I agree with it or not.”

“Gabriel?”

He crossed his arms. “You really think this is winnable, Mike?”

“Does it matter to you? You alone among the three of us are genuine in your care for the humans. You’ll work for their good no matter if there’s a chance of winning or not. You actually like them.”

“You do know me. Okay, I’m in. I’ll work my magic, steal the keys, and take care of that other tiny project.”

“Be ready when I call. If you’re not --”

“I know. Down go the glass balls and it’s bye-bye-bye.”

The little extra task he was giving to Gabriel wasn’t much in the scheme of things, but it could be of importance if Zachariah did what he expected. He didn’t quite trust Raphael to it, hence the reason it fell to Gabriel. Gabriel would handle Castiel without blowing him up.

~~~~~~~~~~

When Kylie had overheard Castiel talking to Chuck about Jo being pregnant, she almost hadn’t believed it. The thing that had made her realize the truth of it was Cas himself, standing there with a goofy look on his face while he studied the page in the medical text. It was true. Jo was pregnant.

He was ecstatic. She could see the joy and wonder on his face. The slow smile, the gentle tap of his finger on the page. This was not a man who didn’t want the baby. This was a man who couldn’t think of anything better than for his girlfriend to have their baby.

She’d hurried from the cabin and debated how long she should wait to tell Vanessa. If she told her immediately, maybe Van would stop talking about when Cas was going to leave Jo and come back to her. Kylie was heartily sick of hearing about it. On the other hand, maybe Cas and Jo didn’t want it common knowledge yet and telling Van would make it common knowledge.

Kylie really didn’t want to make Cas mad. She still kind of liked him.

So she waited and lurked around Dean and Risa, eavesdropping in an attempt to ascertain whether or not Jo and Castiel had told them. Kylie assumed they would tell them. The four were like best friends, always spending evenings together or eating meals together. She heard little jokes between Dean and Risa, watched them sneak kisses and the occasional caress when they thought no one was looking, and only had to wait a few days before she heard Dean bring it up to Risa.

He told her with his arms around her, breaking it to her gently, like she was delicate and this news would shatter her.

To Kylie’s surprise and discomfort, Risa began to cry. Risa didn’t cry. She wasn’t the crying type. Rather, she was the type to make others cry. She’d never seen Risa break down at all and yet she was crying at the news that Jo was pregnant, great huge, sorrowful sobs, clinging to Dean as though she couldn’t support her own weight. It was quickly apparent, as Dean continued to talk to her and comfort her, that Risa had been trying to get pregnant with no success. Kylie swallowed hard and thought that maybe eavesdropping wasn’t such a good idea after all. This was a private moment. They had no idea she was even there. She shouldn’t be hearing any of this.

“It’s not fair,” Risa said, coughing a little.

“I know.”

“We’ve been trying for --” She buried her face in his neck.

“It’s okay, Risa.” He tightened his arms around her, one hand stroking her back. “This is good news.”

“Good news,” was her muffled scornful reply.

“Yes, good news. Think about it. Jo’s pregnant. When was the last time we saw a pregnancy? If Jo is pregnant, I think it means it’s possible again. I think we have a chance now, when we didn’t before.”

Kylie frowned, not quite sure what he was talking about. Did he mean that no woman at all had been getting pregnant? Anywhere? But that was, like, bizarre.

Risa drew back. “You’re not just saying that?”

“No.” Dean shook his head. “I think something’s changed, something cosmic. I don’t know what, but can’t you feel it? The air feels different. There’s almost a stillness, a sense of waiting.”

“The eye of the hurricane.”

“No, not still like that. Still like…. Damn it, I can’t explain it! I just…I feel it. Some of the things I know, they don’t point to the end of everything. Not anymore. I think we’ve got a fighting chance. So, this is a good thing, a happy thing.”

Risa raised her hands, wiping the tears from her eyes and cheeks. “So we keep trying and I swallow my jealousy and be happy for Jo and Castiel.”

“Hey,” he slid his hands to her hips, “it’ll happen. Just might take awhile. Truthfully, I’m having a helluva lot of fun practicing. I’m fine with a little more time before we start our own kid.”

“You’re not saying that to make me feel better?”

“No ma’am. In fact, I think we could use a lot more practice. What’s say we go have some together time?”

Kylie waited until they were out of sight before hurrying away. Since Dean and Risa knew, it was probably okay to tell Vanessa. She’d break it to her quickly, like a bandage being ripped off. No sense in drawing it out. Quick and fast, that was the ticket. Then, Van wouldn’t have a chance to be all dramatic about it. There’d be less wailing and moaning in the end.

It suddenly occurred to her that Castiel had used the same approach and likely for the same reason. Maybe he hadn’t been such a jerk that day after all.

~~~~~~~~~~

“How did you do it,” a voice demanded.

Jo looked over her shoulder and paused in putting a load of clothes into the dryer. One of Castiel’s former girlfriends stood in the doorway. What was her name? Vanessa, Jo remembered. Her name was Vanessa. “Do what?”

Vanessa came in and set her laundry basket down on the central table. She opened one washer, then raked her gaze along Jo. “Get pregnant.”

The news had been all over camp. She thought everyone must know by now. “I was hardly trying. It just happened. I didn’t mean to get pregnant.”

She laughed, disbelief in the sound and the words she spoke. “Right. I’d been trying for months with no luck. Not one missed period. Not even one late period.”

“Why were you trying to get pregnant?” Jo returned to transferring clothes into the dryer and when she was done, she turned to study the younger woman. Why would Vanessa want to get pregnant?

The expression on Vanessa’s face was an almost comical mix of confusion, outrage, and pure incredulity. “You’re kidding me. You have to be. Cas is a catch, Jo. He’s the guy that couldn’t be caught, but you’re actually doing it. You’re catching him.”

Catching him. Hmm. Probably not a good idea to say anything about the vows they’d made to each other the day she’d moved in. That word ‘catching’ was actually past tense now. Caught. She’d caught him. While they’d shared that other news with Dean and Risa, too, it wasn’t something they wanted the entire camp to know. At least not yet. Their vows had been private, just the way Jo had wanted it. “I thought the uncatchable catch was Dean.”

She waved a hand in a dismissive gesture. “Hardly. Risa hooked him in no time. It’s Cas who’s the difficult one. I’ve never seen him with one woman and I’ve been here two years.” She stepped close, gaze curious. “So how did you do it? And so quickly? I stopped taking my pills like a month after I got with him and…nothing.”

“You stopped taking your birth control pills.” Jo crossed her arms and rested her hip against the machine. Manipulative much?

“Duh.”

“Did Cas know that?” Jo was willing to bet that he hadn’t had any idea what Vanessa was up to. There were still the occasional behavioral things he didn’t understand.

“No!” Vanessa rolled her eyes. “That’s not how it works, Jo. You don’t tell the guy you’re trying to get pregnant, you just do it. You know that. You have to, because you did it. Did you do some kind of, like, spell or something? I mean, you had to get knocked up like the first night you got with him.”

“I didn’t trap Cas, Vanessa. That’s dishonest and mean. I wasn’t trying to get pregnant. It happened. There’s no secret to it, no spell. It was an accident. That’s all.”

“That can’t be all.”

Why wouldn’t she let it be? “It is all.”

“Bullshit. Why won’t you tell me? I think you owe me that much after stealing him from me.”

Stealing him from her? Jo’s brows rose. If Vanessa thought for one second that anyone, anyone human that was, could make Castiel do anything he didn’t very well want to do, then she didn’t know him very well. She’d hardly stolen him. Jo seriously considered decking the girl and was actually balling one hand into a fist in preparation when the door slammed.

Risa stood there. Jo wondered how much she’d overheard. She didn’t have long to wonder about it. Risa came forward with her own basket and set it down.

“Give it a rest, Vanessa. We’re all sick of listening to you and your whining. I’m sure Jo’s pregnancy happened the usual way: the timing was just right. Face it, sweetheart, you and Cas weren’t meant to procreate together.” She waved a hand. “Move along now.”

“I have laundry going.”

Risa peered at the washer, stepping between Jo and Vanessa. “Really? Looks to me like you haven’t even started it yet. Scram.”

“You can’t order me around,” Vanessa protested, though Jo noticed she picked up her basket and took a few steps back, like she was afraid Risa might throw her bodily from the laundry room.

Risa crossed her arms. “Can’t I?”

Vanessa hurried from the building and once she was gone, Risa smiled.

“That’s more like it.” She took the washer Vanessa had abandoned, dropping clothes into it. “I can’t stand that girl.”

“She’s not a favorite of mine, either.” Jo reached for the dry clothes she’d piled on the table and began to fold them. “Thanks, by the way. I was starting to lose my temper.”

“You’re welcome.” When the washer was filled and the cycle had started, Risa came to the table and leaned against it. “I really am happy for you, you know.”

Jo set the shirts she’d folded into the basket. Risa’s initial congratulations had been cool, but Dean had explained the reason later. It had to feel like a slap that Jo could get pregnant by accident while Risa was having trouble while actively pursuing that goal. She nodded, not sure what to say.

“Dean pointed out a few things I hadn’t considered, too, like maybe I’m putting pressure on myself and hindering it. It’s only been a few months, six now total. That’s not a long time, is it?”

“Not long at all.”

“He did tell you why I was weird the other day, right?” Risa leaned over. “Jo, would you look at me, please?”

She turned her head. “Yeah, he told me and I get it. I understand it’s hard for you.”

“I’ll try not to be a bitch about it. I just…. When Dean asked me if I’d be willing to have a baby, I wanted right then to have one in my arms. I imagined a lifetime of memories that we probably wouldn’t ever have with the lights going out and I couldn’t think of anything I wanted more than to have a baby with him.” Her smile was wistful and sad. “And you, I suspect, weren’t even thinking about babies.”

“Only to the extent that I wanted birth control of some kind and didn’t particularly care what it was right then. The jelly stuff? Doesn’t work, by the way. Not reliable. For future reference.”

“Oh.” Her brows rose, amusement in her eyes. “I’ll remember that.”

The conversation turned to lighter subjects and when their laundry was done, they walked out together.

~~~~~~~~~~

Chuck was rubbing his temples again. Dean watched him out of the corner of his eye. This was becoming a regular sight and most of the time Chuck stayed in his cabin out of sight, claiming to any who asked that he was having plain migraines.

“You okay there, Chuck?” He set the clipboard aside.

“No, not really. I….” Chuck swallowed hard. “Dean, there’s a girl --”

The radio by Dean’s hand squawked. “Dean, there’s a girl --”

“Walking down the middle of the road right to us. Blond, teenager --” Chuck said in unison with the guard, then broke off with a hiss, holding his head in his hands and panting.

“Who is she, Chuck?” Dean stepped forward, grasping Chuck’s arm, but Chuck pulled away.

“Don’t let Cas see her,” he gasped, squeezing his eyes shut. “Not until you can think of how to tell him --” He shook his head. “Pen, paper, quick! It’s coming too fast! I have to get it out!”

He found both items, thrusting them into Chuck’s hands. Chuck dropped into a chair, scribbling furiously on the paper, his writing almost illegible, speaking as he wrote.

“She walked up to the west gate and guards with a calm confidence she didn’t feel. Her insides trembled. Anything could happen and she knew it. She’d already had many narrow escapes in her quest to find Castiel. Looking at the two men, she said, ‘I’d like to see Castiel, please. It’s important.’ She was polite. After all, manners were important even if it was the end of the entire world. Her parents hadn’t raised a manner-less child.”

“Who is she?” Dean repeated the question, but when Chuck didn’t answer, continuing to write and mutter, he grabbed the radio and left the cabin, running towards the gate. It was all the way across the camp.

The radio squawked again. “Rate she’s walking, she’ll be here in ten minutes or less.”

“Keep an eye on her,” he replied. It might take him ten minutes to get there. “Let her in, but bring her to me if I’m not there already. No detours. She wants to stop, you tell her no. She has to get through me before she gets anywhere else.”

“Let her in?”

“Test her first, like we do anyone who just walks up. Oh, and you see Cas coming? Take her the opposite direction.”

He barreled along the path. There were people everywhere today, all of them directly in his way. “Make a hole,” he yelled, knocking down a few people who didn’t move fast enough. He’d apologize to them later, but right now, he had to get to that gate.

~~~~~~~~~~

Castiel had no real direction in mind when he’d left his cabin to take a walk. He simply wanted the exercise.

It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it?

Yeah, Jimmy, it’s a beautiful day.

Jimmy was in a good mood, chatting as they walked on the path that led around to the west gate. Castiel smiled and glanced up at the sky. While much cooler now, the sun was out at least. He slid his hands into his pockets and walked. As they neared the gate, he could hear voices.

“I’m not a demon. These precautions are ridiculous. I crossed the salt line and drank the holy water.” It was a girl speaking, a younger voice, teenaged maybe.

“Sorry, Miss. I’ve got orders.”

“Okay, okay. Just…can I see him soon?”

“You’ll see Dean first. Then I’m sure he’ll take you see Castiel.”

Cas paused, then pushed forward a bit faster. Why would a girl want to see him? Who was she? He came into the clearing and saw Dean at the far end of the path running towards them. He was yelling something, but Cas couldn’t quite make out what. He supposed Dean would repeat it when he got there. The guards had a girl by the table set there, her bag open. One of them was looking through it. The other was doing that drill Dean insisted on.

She turned her head and rounded the guard, coming to him. “Problem solved, guys. He’s right here. No need to go through Dean.”

Jimmy’s shock reverberated throughout their body like the sounding of a gong and all Castiel could do was stare at the teenage girl before him. She stared right back, a tentative smile upon her lips. There was no mistaking who she was.

“Claire,” he managed through stiff lips.

She nodded, hugging herself tight, looking very much like she wanted to throw herself against him.

He glanced behind her and through the gate she’d entered. “Where’s your mother?”

Pain flickered in her blue eyes. “My mother died in 2011. The angel that was supposed to be guarding us left and she paid for it when a demon calling herself Meg came after us. She tortured us, convinced we knew where you were. She said she had to find you, that it was her new mission.”

“You escaped her.”

“I did. My mother, she gave her life to give me time, and then I…I found a group of people, or they found me, and when Meg came after me, they killed her. They protected me. Now I’m here. I’ve been looking all over for you.”

Jimmy’s anguish made his throat tight. Cas could barely draw in a breath. He heard Jimmy babbling, words strung together that made no sense, and wondered on how quickly their life had been turned upside down.

They’d thought Amelia and Claire were already dead, but to find Claire alive? Fresh waves of grief for Amelia swept him from Jimmy. He’d come to terms with them gone, one reason he hadn’t objected to Castiel’s girlfriends to begin with. And he’d been happy about Jo’s pregnancy.

But Claire was alive.

She…complicated things.

He blinked. “They killed her. The group you were with.”

“Yes. Well, one of them did. The rest kept me safe.”

But hadn’t Jo said she’d killed Meg? Did that mean…? Yes. Jo had protected Claire without even knowing who she was. She didn’t know, did she? Wouldn’t she have said something if she had?

Jimmy’s babbling increased and all he could do was stand and stare at Claire while the strong waves of Jimmy’s emotions rolled over him.

~~~~~~~~~

“What’s going on?”

Chuck turned to look behind him. Jo and Risa approached, both holding laundry baskets of folded laundry. It was Jo who’d spoken. “An unexpected surprise,” he told them. “Jo, you’re needed. For Cas…and for Claire.”

“Claire?” She set the basket on one of the picnic tables the guards used.

“Claire Novak.”

Surprise rippled across her features and then she was moving forward into the group of people.

“This is where things get really interesting.” He crossed his arms. As quickly as the vision had come to him, it had ended, leaving him free to follow Dean.

Risa glanced at him with a frown. “How so?”

“Well,” he leaned a little towards her. “Claire was part of Jo’s group a few months ago. She’s been looking for Castiel since her mother died.”

“Why?”

“Because Cas is the closest thing to a father she has left, or so she thinks.”

“Why would --”

“Her father is Castiel’s vessel.”

“If he was the vessel --”

“Is the vessel,” he corrected. “He is the vessel, Risa. Present tense.”

“Could you --”

“Let you finish a sentence? No. This is too exciting.” He pointed a finger at the group, shook it. “See, Claire thinks Cas is still an angel and Jo thinks Cas is human, but Dean and I both know what’s going to come out in just a minute. Cas is human, yes, but Jimmy is still in there.”

“Jimmy is --”

“Claire’s father and Cas’s vessel. Jimmy wakes up a lot these days and in a minute it’ll all be out. No more secret. Poof! Poor Jo. She’s going through a tough couple days, dealing with one thing and now this, but she’ll get through it. These rough patches are expected and it’s not the last one they’ll hit, believe me. There’s a big old shit storm coming.”

“How do you know all of this, Chuck?”

“I’m a prophet of the Lord,” he told her in a matter-of-fact tone. “I have visions and write them down. Visions of you, Dean, Jo, Cas, and pretty much all of the important things that happen. Even a few unimportant ones that give back story for later events. Sometimes I have to go back and fill in. The pieces aren’t always in sequence. You were supposed to read the binder by the way, and find all this out, but you and Dean…. You have no shortage of free will between you. I was expecting you to punch me in the face that day, but I’m glad you didn’t. I think it’s better talking to you like this, giving it to you straight.” He smiled and motioned again at the group. “Here it comes. Watch.”

The scene began to play out as he’d known it would. He knew Castiel’s anguish over the pain Jimmy felt, Claire’s rolling, churning emotions, and Jo’s confusion. He knew Dean’s desperation to keep them quiet, to keep it contained so Castiel’s secret wasn’t exposed to the entire camp. And he knew the surprise in himself of Risa’s quiet acceptance of what he’d told her. She accepted it and she watched and when Dean needed her there, she stepped forward to take charge of Claire.

~~~~~~~~~~

“Claire.” Jo moved forward, surprised and glad to see the girl. She touched her arm, getting her attention.

“Jo!”

She was hugged tightly. Jo hadn’t thought she’d ever see Claire again, not after Claire had left them. She’d tried to talk Claire out of leaving, insisting they could integrate her search into their wanderings. Claire had declined to stay with them. She’d never said what or who her search was for, only that it meant everything to her. Ellen’s death had strengthened Claire’s determination.

“Have you been by yourself this whole time?” It amazed her that Claire could have survived by herself for months.

“Sort of.” Claire drew back. She had a little bit of sunburn on her cheeks, but she looked healthy, like she’d been finding enough to eat and getting proper rest.

“Did you find what you were looking for?”

Claire cast a glance back at Castiel and Jo saw that he was upset for some reason. His brows were drawn together, his lips parted, and gaze full of emotion, his cheeks damp with tears. “Yeah.” Claire nodded. “I found him.” She half turned back to Castiel, one arm still around Jo. “I have so much to tell you, Jo. These past months --”

“I’ll bet. Nearly a year on your own? Sweetie, you’ve got luck and guts to still be alive.”

“I learned from the best. You and Ellen taught me everything I needed to know.”

Cas’s expression still hadn’t changed. Jo loosed herself from Claire’s grip and reached out to touch his arm. “Cas, are you okay?”

Something was wrong and when he spoke, Jo suddenly understood a few things she’d been puzzled about.

~~~~~~~~~~

Claire couldn’t believe Jo was here too. She couldn’t be more happy to find Castiel and Jo both in the same place. She wouldn’t be alive today if not for Jo. And for Ellen of course. She recalled the two of them rescuing her from the demon’s pursuit and Jo killing the demon after a dangerous struggle. But Ellen’s death had reminded Claire that she needed to find Castiel.

She knew he wasn’t her father. Jimmy Novak was covered over by the bright, hot force of that angel. Claire still remembered how that had felt from her short period hosting Castiel.

He was all she had though, so she was determined to be near him.

She was surprised to see tears on his cheeks. Angels didn’t cry. “Castiel?”

“Your news was harshly spoken, Claire,” he said in a voice far more emotional than she remembered. “You father grieves a second time for that loss.”

She let go of Jo fully, trying to understand what he was saying. “He can hear me?” It felt like the bottom of her stomach had just dropped up. She hadn’t thought he could hear her. She’d thought the force of Castiel’s presence kept him, well, asleep for the most part, with everything that happened a blur.

“Everybody stop,” Dean yelled, holding up his hands. “Cas, don’t --”

“He’s awake at present. Of course he can hear you. I’m no longer an angel, Claire, but your father and I are still fused together. Two in one body. He hears you.”

She launched herself at him, hugging him as tightly as she could, not caring that it was Castiel she was hugging because her father was awake. He’d know she meant to hug him. He’d know she loved him and had missed him. She wanted to comfort him.

~~~~~~~~~~

Castiel’s confession to Claire startled Jo, as did the realization that Jimmy was Claire’s father. She hadn’t known anything about Jimmy save his first name. Neither Cas nor Dean had ever been terribly forthcoming about Jimmy or his status. She’d thought he was gone. Cas had never mentioned once that Jimmy was still there with him.

She dragged in a ragged breath. Jimmy was still there? He could hear? What else could he do? What had he seen? What did he know that she’d thought was between her and Castiel?

Jo watched Castiel embrace Claire in return, though she could see it was all Cas and not another. He looked over at her, gaze begging her to understand.

“Well that’s just great, Cas.” Dean lowered his hands. “Secret is out now. Your new nickname will henceforth be ‘freak’.”

“It’s okay, Dean.” He rested his cheek on top of Claire’s head.

“Yeah, we’ll see.”

“You didn’t tell me,” Jo said, feeling somewhat faint.

“I didn’t know how and the longer I waited, the more difficult it became. It’s…complicated.”

Mya’s comment when they’d first arrived about him feeling old and young at the same time now made perfect sense. As did his sometimes long pauses and strange expressions. Jimmy was conscious and he communicated with Cas.

Jo stepped back, away from Castiel and Claire. “We’ll get together when you’re settled, Claire. I….” She shook her head. “I need to think awhile.” She didn’t wait for Claire’s response or even Castiel’s, grabbing the laundry basket and hurrying away.

~~~~~~~~~

It took awhile to convince Claire that she needed food, a shower, and sleep before they talked. When she was safely in Dean and Risa’s care, he went looking for Jo. He finally found her on the swing set, sitting on one of the swings, staring at the ground. He supposed they were finally going to have that talk he’d been putting off.

You think, Jimmy drawled. He’d calmed down from Claire’s appearance.

Jo didn’t look at him when he joined her and Castiel waited, swaying his swing a little. Finally, she set her swing into motion, swaying like he was.

“You didn’t tell me, Cas.”

“I know. I should have. I apologize.”

“Was any of that to make her feel better or does he really listen and look?”

He stopped his swing and, after watching her, braved the chain to stop her swing, garnering bruised fingers in the process. “Jo, stop. It’s not how you think.”

“Isn’t it? You’re two…what?…people? Two in one body? I’d like to feel confident that when we’re together it’s just you and me.”

How honest should he be with her on this?

Honesty if the best policy in a relationship, Castiel.

Don’t help me, Jimmy, okay?

Just sayin’.

Jimmy.

Tell her the truth now and she’ll only be upset once instead of multiple times.

Jo squinted at him, jaw squaring. “He’s talking to you right now, isn’t he?”

She’s good. Say something.

He blinked. “He is. He says honesty is best.”

“Generally, yeah, it is.”

“The more time you and I spent together, the more Jimmy liked you too.” He put his hands on her knees. “Jimmy has feelings for you like I do.”

“I don’t know Jimmy. I didn’t even know he was there.”

Don’t I know it. I’m the silent partner.

“He’s aware of that and I don’t always know when he’s awake.”

“So that makes it okay?”

“I can’t change it. There’s nothing at all I can do about it.”

“He saw me naked,” she protested.

“Yes.”

“Repeatedly.”

“Yes.”

To be fair, she saw me naked and there was nothing I could do about it either. So if she’d going to feel all violated, then I think I have a right to feel the same about her looking at me. Tell her that.

Castiel relayed Jimmy’s words and was surprised to see Jo taken aback, turning away as though she’d been slapped, her glance searching the woods before looking back at him.

Her tongue pressed her cheek out for a few seconds. “He has a point.”

You didn’t have to look, Jimmy. It was in your ability not to, he reminded him.

Jimmy snorted. Don’t tell her that part.

I thought honesty was best.

Not on that. Not if you want this to end well for either of us.

“Can I talk to him?” She covered his hands with hers.

“Yes. Go ahead.”

“I’m sorry, Jimmy. I wasn’t aware you were there.” Her teeth grazed her lower lip. “This feels weird.”

Castiel relayed Jimmy’s responses as he gave them. “I know. It’s not entirely Castiel’s fault he didn’t tell you about me.”

“Honestly, I don’t know how to feel about you being part of Cas.”

“I love you, same as he does. We agree on that. I never thought I’d love anyone after Amelia or even have the chance to love again.”

“How can you love me, Jimmy?”

“How can I not? Look, Jo, I know it’s Castiel you love and him you want. I’ve tried to back off and leave you both alone, but I have to live too. There’s only so far I can retreat. I can’t control anything except when I’m awake and when I’m asleep. I could be awake when Castiel’s asleep, but that’s amazingly dull, so I chose to align myself with his waking and sleeping patterns for maximum life in a bad situation.”

She glanced away. “Could you sleep when we go to bed or are otherwise…occupied?”

“I could.” If I absolutely have to, Jimmy added to Castiel. But how will she even know?

Jimmy.

What? I’d still like to have sex occasionally, Castiel, and she’ll never know I’m awake. For that matter, neither would you.

“Would you,” Jo asked. “Please?”

“Could you accept the situation as it has to be if I did?”

She licked her lips, then nodded. “Yes.”

“Are you sure? Because it’d be a bad thing if you said you could and you can’t.”

“I can. I will.”

“Will you…. Will you talk to me sometimes? Me, I mean, not Castiel. I’d like to have conversations with someone other than him. Not that he’s not a scintillating conversationalist, it’s just somewhat…boring in the long run.”

“I could do that. If Cas agrees.”

How could he begrudge Jimmy that?

“I’m sure Claire would like to talk to you, too. I think you’ll be proud of her, Jimmy. She’s quite a girl.”

“I thought she was dead.”

Jo’s expression softened. “She’s a tough kid, a good kid. Mom and I trained her as best we could when she was with us and…I took care of her. She reminded me a little of me when I was that age.”

“Thank you, Jo.”

“There’s nothing to thank me for. Claire’s a survivor.”

Jimmy was crying. Castiel cleared his throat and ducked his head. “I believe that’s enough talking for the moment. Jimmy is emotional.”

“Understandable. He just learned his daughter is alive and well and,” there was a slight twinkle of amusement in her eyes, the barest glimpse, “he came out.”

He turned his head a fraction and narrowed his eyes, not fully understanding her immediately. Why was she amused? “Came out?”

Her brows rose and she waited. “He was a secret and now he’s not. He came out.”

Her meaning registered and he coughed. “Oh. I get it. Funny, Jo. Very funny.”

“Sorry. It was a bad, stupid joke.” She sighed. “I’ll do my best not to be weird about this, but it might take some time. You’ve been living with it for years. I might need a few days.”

“You have them.”

“Good. Thank you.” Jo removed her hands from his and crossed her arms. “Now, is there anything else you want to tell me? Any other,” she shrugged, “secrets floating around that I should know about?”

He thought a moment. There was Chuck being a prophet and the fact that he was busy writing their future as it happened. Was that a secret she needed to know? Was it absolutely necessary that Jo know about Chuck’s heavenly duties? Probably not. In fact, Chuck would most likely prefer she didn’t know. He shook his head. “No. No more secrets.”

“Cas.”

“None.”

“You’re sure? Because you’ve got that evading a question look on your face.”

“I have an evading a question look?” News to him.

“You do and there’s another secret isn’t there?”

He cleared his throat. “Yes, but --”

“Cas!”

“It’s not about me.” He held up his hands. “It’s someone else’s secret and I doubt it’s one you need to know.”

“Are you sure this time?”

He considered everything Chuck’s secret encompassed and while he wasn’t sure, he nodded. “I am.”

Castiel hoped that wouldn’t come back and bite him in the ass.