Fame Crazy (Sequel to Strings Attached)

Chapter 17

Castiel drives through the familiar streets back towards his temporary home, but someone catches his eye on the way. It's not because they're familiar; Castiel doesn't think he's ever seen this girl before in his life. It's that she's clearly young, and she's walking through the streets at six thirty at night with just a backpack and a winter coat.

Before Castiel can rethink it, he turns the car around and pulls up next to her, rolling the window down. He's lucky the streets are so empty right now; he could never get away with this on a busy day. She seems to realize he's pulling up for her, because she turns to face him, sinking into her hip and crossing her arms.

"Need a ride?" Castiel calls to her.

"No fucking way, weirdo," she replies, flicking her long blonde hair put of her face and holding it down due to the wind.

"You sure?" Castiel asks. "I could get you a cab if you want."

"You'd get me a cab?" she repeats skeptically.

"Yeah. No sense in you walking out here. It's freezing out."

She studies him for a moment, clearly wondering if he would really pay for her to get a cab. Finally, she says, "Thanks, but I don't have anywhere to go, anyway."

"Where are your parents?" he asks, looking around.

"Oh, I don't know. Probably celebrating with a glass of wine."

"Celebrating what?" Castiel asks, confused. What's up with this chick?

"That I'm finally old enough for them to kick me out with no legal repercussions," she replies.

"They kicked you out?" he repeats, genuinely shocked. What type of parents kick someone out like that?

"Yeah, cuz — Wait, why am I telling you this?"

Castiel shrugs. "Because I'm a concerned individual?"

She just rolls her eyes. "Yeah, right. Well, uh, thanks for offering to get me a cab, but... Actually, how 'bout you just give me the money for the cab instead?"

"Sure."

"Wait, seriously?"

Castiel shrugs. "Yeah, why not? I'd offer to get you a hotel room, at least for the night, but I don't carry that type of cash on me."

"That's fine," she tells him. "Whatever you've got works."

Most people would think it's strange, giving some random girl off the streets cash, but he's Castiel Novak. Why does he need the money? Whatever she spends this on, whether it be food or drugs, it's going to benefit her more than it would him.

"Hey, thanks, man," she says, pocketing this cash. "Really appreciate it."

"Before you go," Castiel adds as she begins to turn away, "I'd feel bad leaving you out here, especially when it's this cold. You want to come back with me? I get if you just want to take the money and leave, but if not, my house has room for another. My old bedroom's pretty much always empty, so you could sleep there for the night."

She's clearly skeptical of his offer, but after a moment of hesitation, asks, "How do I know you're not just a serial rapist?" (A/N from the future: Watching Karla ruined me)

Castiel shrugs. "You don't. But, I mean, I did already give you money, so the odds that I came here to pick you up and rape you after giving you money and allowing you to leave are slim. Plus, I'm one with the rainbow, but I can't really prove that."

She thinks this over, then says, "Alright, but if you're going to try something, I've got 911 on speed dial."

Castiel chuckles. "I won't. Hop in."
She slides in, sitting shotgun next to him with her backpack on her lap. Castiel waits until her seatbelt is fastened before continuing the drive home. To pass the time in a less awkward way, he decides to ask questions.

"If you're popping into my house, I should probably know your name," he says.

"Claire."

Castiel just nods, not sure how to respond to that. "Why'd your parents kick you out, anyway?"

"Because I don't believe in God," she replies, rolling her eyes. "I told 'em that over a year ago, and they told me to take it back or they'd kick me out the day I turned eighteen. Well, here I am, homeless at eighteen. Man, what a birthday."

"I'd say 'Happy birthday,' but, you know, doesn't really seem like a happy birthday," Castiel replies. "Maybe we could bake a cake. I mean, I'm technically not supposed to eat cake, but no one would know."

She raises an eyebrow. "Uh huh. Sure. Weirdo."

"Yes, I am a weirdo," he replies. "Is that a problem?"

"No, no." She gives him an amused look. "So, how far away do you live, anyway?"

"Technically, I live in New York," Castiel tells her. "But I'm staying at my old house, which is, like, two minutes from here."

"Ah," she replies.

From there, it's just small talk until they finally reach really Novak household, which was originally part of this chapter but then it got too long so now it's a different chapter so... Yeah.