Debunked

Chapter 2

Castiel picks up a few part-time jobs at the mall, working out to take up no less than 12 hours every day and making good money doing it. At this rate, he should be able to afford his own house within a few years. He's almost starting to feel human, working this type of job. Retail, restaurants, anything he could pick up with no experience. And, in his free time, he even gets to go fishing. Dean always said it was relaxing, and Castiel is beginning to understand why.

He almost feels human here.

But he can only avoid the supernatural for so long.

Castiel leaves well after dark one day, long past the mall's close and all alone as he walks. It doesn't phase him, of course, knowing he can handle himself against anything that comes his way.

But it's still disconcerting to hear a growl not far away.

And even more so to hear the very human scream that follows it.

Castiel follows the sound, his blade dropping from his trench coat sleeve as he prepares to take on whatever this is. Wolf? Bear? He doesn't care. An angel blade will do the trick on any normal parking-lot-stalking animal.

But when he turns the corner, he realizes his blade may not be as effective as he had hoped.

A young girl lies on the ground, most of her hidden by the werewolf crouched in front of her. Castiel's never seen a werewolf in action, and he can safely say right now that he wishes that were still the case. Regardless of how he feels at the sight, he knows what he has to do. He may not be a hunter anymore, but he can't in good conscience leave a woman in a werewolf's hands.

"Hey!" Castiel yells.

The werewolf whips around at the sound of his voice, its teeth bared. It charges at him, and Castiel grows increasingly aware of the fact that he really doesn't have an effective weapon. With no other options, he stabs his blade through the werewolf's chest. It screams in pain, but the blade doesn't stop it.

The werewolf tackles him to the ground, pinning his hands down by his sides. Castiel struggles to free himself, but the wolf is too strong, and no amount of kicking will help. He squirms under the werewolf's grasp, acutely aware of its jaws closing in. In one last desperate attempt to save himself -- or at least his vessel -- he slams his feet against the werewolf's abdomen, both hands shoving the werewolf's paws.

And it works.

As Castiel pushes the werewolf off of him, a wave of relief passes over him. He's back on his feet, and he can work with that. There has to be something made of silver here. Even if he has to tear a car apart, he's determined to kill that werewolf.

Bang!

Castiel doubles over in pain, slapping a hand against his stomach on instinct. Blood seeps truth between his fingers, and it only takes a moment for Castiel to realize he's been shot.

"Oh my god, I am so sorry!"

Castiel's turns around to find a boy and girl, probably in their mid-to-late twenties, staring at him in awe. Eyes scanning the two, he believes he can place who shot him — a girl with bright blonde hair and wide eyes, a gun held loosely in her hand as she stares at him, face paling. They both have guns, but the boy doesn't look quite as panicked as she does.

"Shoot it!" Castiel yells. He's sure shooting what looks to be an innocent human being is traumatising, but they could at least try to fight the real threat here.

Two guns go off at once, both hitting the werewolf. Castiel doesn't watch to make sure it died, running to the victim's side instead. It's a woman, older than the kids but not by much. She's bleeding from just about everywhere, her eyes barely open and her chest barely moving. Castiel puts a hand to her forehead, and after a pause, her wounds are healed.