November 2014
"So you still haven't told me why I'm here too." You questioned from the back seat of Baby. You sat in the middle, so you could talk to both brothers easily. "I thought you didn't want me involved with the angel stuff?"
"We don't know ourselves. Cass just said it was an emergency and asked me to bring you..." Dean replied, turning his head back around to you with a hint of frustration in his voice.
Sam looked over his shoulder as well from his position in the car and added. "Maybe he's found something on your abduction?..."
"Yeah, but that doesn't explain why it's an emergency does it..." Dean cut in over his younger brother. "Ten hour drive, no idea why. He could've at least told me on the phone."
The three of you had been driving all night, leaving shortly after eight, when Dean had received a call from the trench coat wearing angel. All you knew was that you had crossed over the state of Missouri and were now in Pontiac, Illinois. You were following the signs carefully. That and Google maps. Cass had organised to meet you at a small family owned restaurant there called Sharkey's.
As Dean pulled the Impala into the car park, Cass was standing there in the light drizzle of rain. Waiting for you and looking frazzled, on top of being wet. He greeted all three of you as you stepped out of the car. You and Sam exchanged pleasantries back, while Dean jumped straight in with the interrogation. Recently, he'd been in a bit of a bad mood. But neither you or Sam, at least you think the younger Winchester was included, knew why.
Cass explained that he had recently got in contact with Claire Novak, the daughter of the man, Jimmy, who was his vessel. Cass had been residing in his body for at least seven years now by your calculation, and you were surprised the man had allowed him to do so for so long. Claire had wound up in a bit of trouble and Cass had found her in a children's refuge centre. It turned out, while she had been with the angel the night before, she had run off and he was now worried.
"This is why you called us? This, is your emergency?" Dean had raised his voice at Cass. The situation was clearly not what Dean, or Sam, or you for that matter, had been expecting.
Cass seemed astonished at Dean's outburst and replied "Yes!" with an expression of 'isn't this obvious' along with it.
"No, Cass..." Dean shook his head slowly back and forth. "An emergency is a dead body, okay? Or, or a wigged-out angel, or the Apocalypse, take three. Some chick bolting on you is not an emergency. That's... That's every Friday night for Sam..."
"Dude..." Sam eyed his brother, slightly annoyed by his jab.
But Dean continued. "And why'd you want us to bring the Australian in on this?" You were taken aback by his use of your nationally and not your name.
"This isn't just 'some chick'. I'm responsible for her..." Cass growled, his voice very low, compared to what you had heard before.
Dean wasn't hearing it, still unimpressed at the lack of emergency. "Since when? You met her once, how many years ago?... She rolled you, and then she ran, okay? It's pretty clear that she doesn't want to play house..."
Fed up with the way the conversation was going, you butted in, trying to get the men to rationalise the situation. As a female yourself, remembering back to when you were younger. Any man trying to tell you what to do, with the exception of your dad and one or two uncles, would have easily pissed you off. And you would've probably run away from Cass too. Had he butted into your life in the way he seemed to have done to Claire.
"Cass... Her parents are responsible for her, not you... And people rarely listen to their parents, let alone someone who's 'dressed' as one." You looked at Sam and Dean. "This girls a teen right? She's not going to want anything to do with these two either, even if you do happen to find her... Dean's right, you should leave her alone."
Dean was smirking, knowing you were agreeing with him, and he and Sam were now both nodding their heads in unison.
"I understand... But I need to know that Claire is safe. That's why I called..." Cass now turned directly to you, ignoring Sam and Dean as they continued to stare at him in disbelief. "I was hoping when we found her, you'd be able to talk to her. She's not doing too good, and well, you were a teenage girl once... Maybe you can get through to her better than I can..."
You raised both of your hands up to your nose, encompassing it like a triangle and pulled your fingers down to your lips, pressing down on the skin you found there. Now you knew why you were here.
It took a few moments to consider what he was asking you before you replied. "Well, yeah... I was... But she won't want to listen to me either I'm sure... She doesn't know me, and I'm technically working with you... Plus, we're from two different worlds, she's grown up here and I..."
"Grew up riding kangaroos and fucking spiders." Dean finished your sentence for you before you could finish it yourself. It was obviously not what you were going to say and you pretended to whack him over the head as he laughed at you. At least his mood had picked up.
Sam had been silent for most of the conversation and he seemed to finally have a better suggestion than hanging around in the parking lot. "All right. Um... Why don't we go ask around at the group home? See if anyone there knows where she might've gone..."
"Suit yourself... But someone also needs to stay here in case she circles back." Dean was now pointing back to the restaurant behind you all.
"I doubt she will... " You spoke aloud, considering it had been hours since Claire had left Cass. No doubt she wasn't coming back anytime soon. But Dean just brushed you off on that point.
It was decided that Dean and Cass would wait at Sharkey's, while you and Sam went to talk to the people at the group home. And you were excited to do so.
Looking for Claire and playing FBI agents to find her was now your sixth case, if you could call it that, ever since the shapeshifter incident at New Canaan. In between then and now, you had also helped the boys with Rowena and the prostitutes in Missouri, the mobile device using ghost in Iowa, another ghost in Indiana, and a ghoul in Nebraska. You were yet to fire your gun on a moving target, and you were happy to keep it that way.
It was the first time you were going to team up with Sam on a case. Usually, you played tag along with Dean, him having always been more in charge of your care than Sam. You knew deep down it was because he had been the one to find you and therefore felt more protective over you. Your feelings however, hoped it wasn't just because he thought of you as another sibling like Sam and more that he potentially thought of you as a romantic partner.
Having never witnessed Sam acting as an agent before, you were curious to see how he handled it when compared to his brother. There was no doubt in your mind, knowing his personality, that he'd be better at talking to victims and witnesses and you were right. The man had a gift, and together you discovered a number of locations where Claire frequently hung out at.
In particular, Claire's social worker had told you that she had a friend, Dustin, who worked at a local hot dog joint. She was certain he would more than likely know where Claire had gone than she did herself. And so doubling back to Sharkey's where Dean and Cass waited, the four of you continued together on the search for Claire. Eventually leading you to a convenience store across the road from the hot dog restaurant.
*****
It was now evening and the four of you waited in Baby, from across the street of the Gas n' Sip. Hoping that Claire would show up as Dustin had said she would. Dean and Sam were in their usual positions in the front, while you sat behind Dean and Cass behind Sam.
The car had been quiet, aside from Dean who was eating his second hotdog, much to Sam's annoyance.
In that time, you had begun to consider if it was a bad move allowing any of the men to go in after Claire. Thinking it would be better for you to offer to go in alone. She was a teenager, presumably shorter than you. But the one certain thing you knew, was she had never seen you before and you had more of a chance of getting her to talk to you.
You finally decided you should voice this opinion. So taking one deep breath, you cleared your throat and addressed the car. "I was thinking... Claire doesn't know me, but she definitely knows you three... Maybe I should go on in first and talk to her?... When she shows up that is..."
"No! Absolutely not." Dean responded as best he could through another mouthful of hot dog.
"Why not? She's a teenager? Even if she's being possessed or something, she's still no danger to me with the protection spell... You'll just scare her off again no doubt, and we'll be back to square one." You then turned to Cass, choosing to now ignore Sam and Dean before either brother came up with a better rebuttal. "Cass? You wanted me to talk to her right? That's why you asked Dean to bring me here?... She's just going to run off again if she sees you..."
Cass still looked as stressed as he had when you'd seen him earlier today but his response was quick. "You're right. It's best if you go in alone..."
"Dean?... She's got a point?" Sam was directly facing his brother and you could see Dean was considering what you both had said. Dean always seemed to take on the role of unofficial leader and tonight was no different.
When Dean finally turned to you, he was not happy, lips pursed and glaring at you. "You're right... I don't like it... But you're right..." He sighed.
And you huffed at him, your mouth opening up to smile in surprise. "So you agree with me? You're gunna let me go in there alone?"
"Don't push it..." Dean growled. "One of us will be standing close by..."
"So you're going to risk her seeing you then?" You challenged back. "You'll be able to see us perfectly clear from the car..."
Before you could finish your debate with Dean, Sam had ushered you all to shush and look out the window. A teenage girl with long curly blonde hair, most definitely shorter than you, was walking down the footpath on the other side of the street towards the convenience store. Her pace was fast and her arms were folded across her chest, but she didn't appear cold. And you wondered if she was nervous, or perhaps anxious.
"I'll be back." You informed them as you opened the door of the car and moved to step out onto the road before any of the men could stop you. Your actions startled Dean from in front, making him move his head in agitation. He placed his hot dog on the bench seat between him and Sam and moved to follow you out onto the street.
"Woah woah woah..." He hurriedly spoke. It was his go to phrase when he disapproved of something. "Sweetheart, do you even know what you're going to say to her?" And he grabbed your arm to pull you back, right up next to him and the car.
You were now close enough to hear his breathing as he moved to rest his second hand onto your other arm. Eyeing him up and down, your expression annoyed, you told him honestly. "I dunno yet, but if I stay here too long she'll leave again before I can catch up to her..."
"You... If she leaves, you don't follow her without us alright?" His voice was demanding but quiet enough so that Sam and Cass couldn't hear from inside the car.
"Dean... She's a teenage girl, not a monster.... Why are you so worked up about this?" And you shrugged your shoulders in an attempt to get him to release you. "Let me go. I've got it..."
Dean glared back at you, but from the way he relaxed his grip slightly, you knew he'd realised that once again you were right. "Do you have your gun on you?" He whispered.
"What?... Wh-why would I need my gun?" That question had taken you aback. "Dean we're wasting time..."
"Do you?" He asked again, stern. His tone had raised only a fraction more.
"Yeah?" You nodded apprehensively.
He moved his right hand off of your arm and held it out to you palm up. "Hand it over." He commanded.
Sighing, you reached around to your back with your own right hand and pulled the gun out from behind your waistband, turning it in your as you did so, so that you could offer him the grip. Dean didn't hesitate to take it from you and inspected it. Checking the barrel, safety lock and then unloading and reloading the magazine back into place.
He offered it back to you. "Keep it under your jacket. Hold it in your hand if you have to... Just... Be ready..."
"Dean... She's a teenager..." You opened your eyes wide and spoke slowly to exaggerate your point.
"Just do as you're told..." He sighed. "Yeah, I know she's a teenager, but that doesn't mean any other dick that could be after you won't try something when you're out in the open like that... And from back here, Sam and I can't do much for you..."
Dean then pulled you close, wrapping both of his arms around you before kissing you on top of your head. He had never done this in public before, the elevator in Missouri didn't count as it was enclosed.
You looked up at him, flustered, when he pulled away again, but he said nothing besides "Go." And tapped you twice on your arm.
Not giving him the opportunity to stop you again. You stepped back away from him, eyeing him up and down one more time, before jogging across the street to approach Claire. Who was now inside the convenience store.
As you entered the small store through the glass sliding door at the front, a buzzer sounded over the loud speaker. The cashier behind the front counter looked up from the magazine he was reading and nodded at you before returning to whatever tabloid sat before him. You glanced around the shelving, gun held under your jacket as Dean had instructed. Claire was two isles over, browsing the canned goods on the shelf.
You walked down to the beginning of the isle Claire stood in and turned to slowly approach her. She had noticed you, having glanced up in your direction as you had come into her line of sight, but she ignored you soon after. Seeming to be intensely focused on the contents of her backpack, fiddling with something inside.
As you moved to walk past her, your eyes peered into her open bag, catching sight of the barrel of her gun. Shit... Was she planning to rob the place? Thinking on the spot, you spun around and moved next to her side startling her as you grabbed a hold of her arm with your free hand.
"Claire Novak?" You whispered before she could cry out anything herself.
She looked up at you, glaring at the sound of her own name. "Do I know you?" She hissed. "What the fuck are you doing?" And now a little louder, "Let me go!" She shrugged as you had done in Dean's grasp moments before.
"Keep quiet and move!" You spoke confidently back. Removing the hand that held your gun out from under your jacket, displaying the weapon to her, so she knew you were also carrying. You had no intention of using it, but it worked well enough to convince her to do as you had said.
Claire's face was shocked. And you weren't sure if it was because of the gun or the fact that some random Australian chick was now accosting her out of the store.
On the street outside now, you began to walk her across the road and back to the Impala where the three men still sat inside. "Where the fuck are you taking me? Are you crazy?" Claire screeched at you. But you ignored her and continued walking, relieved that the general vicinity lacked other people.
Mere metres away from Baby now, Cass had opened his door and stepped out of the car.
"Castiel?!" Claire growled at the angel.
"She's got a gun in her bag." You informed Cass as you moved close enough for him to reach her. Placing your own gun back behind you in its usual place with your free hand.
Cass grabbed the backpack off of her and reached for the weapon inside, pulling it out and holding it in front of him. "Claire... What're you doing with this thing?" He scowled at the teenager.
Sam and Dean had now also stepped out of the car and moved around to join you on the footpath. Dean had placed himself right next to you and patted you on the back. Sam was on your other side and he gave you a head tilt in acknowledgment for a job well done.
Claire turned around to look at Sam and Dean, having realised she was now surrounded. "I know you! You're Sam, and you're Dean!" And then she glanced over at you. "Who the fuck are you?"
"Whoa, hey, Miley Cyrus. Settle..." There it was. Dean using an ever inappropriate comment. But Claire gave it right back to him spitting out. "Eat me, Hasselhoff."
You were trying your best not to giggle at that, but it was definitely a case of wrong place and wrong time. Instead, you grinned, putting on the strongest Aussie accent you could muster. "G'day Claire! Nice to meet ya! These guys call me Glowworm." Internally you cringed at using your nickname. Why you didn't just tell her you're actual name, you had no clue.
Claire stared at you for a moment and then cried out in frustration. "What do you people want with me! Haven't you done enough? He took my Dad! And you two stood by and let it happen!... And you... Who grabs people like that?"
"So you weren't going to rob the store then?" You asked Claire. She reminded you of your younger sister and you spoke to her as if she were her.
"So what?..." She replied, clearly not caring.
Cass was now moving around to face her, placing himself in front of Dean and yourself. "So what? It's, it's wrong..."
"You want to talk to me about wrong? You killed my dad. Is that 'wrong' enough for you?" Claire was crying now. "I used to pray to you, Castiel. Every night. I would beg you to bring him home safe."
Cass looked down to the ground, shamefully. "I know." He said apologetically.
"You know... My father was a good man. In what messed up world does he have to die and you get to live?" Claire choked on her words and you began to feel sorry for her. Her dad was dead?
Throughout the course of the day, or even since you'd met Cass, you had never thought to ask him about the man who had given him his vessel. Not that you'd had much time with him.
But until earlier today, it had never crossed your mind to ask if Jimmy Novak had a family. You hadn't asked any of them, about the circumstances regarding Claire and what dealings she had previously had with the angel, or Sam and Dean even. And you felt bad, guilty, to have helped Cass as blinded as you had.
"Claire... Your friend Dustin said you live with a guy named Randy now... Do you have anywhere else you can go? Besides back to him? Where's your mum, or your other family?" You asked her quietly as you stepped forward around Cass and away from Sam and Dean. The older brother tried to protest but you ignored him.
The teenager scoffed at you. "What? He didn't tell you?... A few months after him... My mom dropped me off at my grandma's and went to go 'find herself'... Well Gran died and my mom never came back..."
"I'm sorry, Claire... I didn't know..." You were earnest in your response and you were now close enough to reach her. "If we let you be, are you going back to Randy? Or is there anywhere else you can go instead? Somewhere we could take you"
"Let her be?" Cass asked you angrily, clearly having heard you, even from where you stood with your back facing him.
She seemed hesitant to answer you. "Randy? He, he's my family now... He was there for me. When things got bad..."
"And how old is Randy?... What are you seventeen, eighteen? Dustin made it sound like Randy is a lot older than you... Is he your boyfriend?" You questioned, your brow furrowing as you assumed he might be taking advantage of her. Possibly sleeping with her.
Claire knew exactly what you were insinuating. "It's not like that."
"You sure about that? Look, I get it. You don't know me. And I don't know you... But if I'm right, this age gap between you and Randy, it's suss. Real suss." Your tone was purposely strict. "Guys like him, the ones that hang out with teenagers like you, they usually expect something in return... Because they can't get it from women their own age... Your grandma, your dad, they wouldn't want that for you."
Your last comment angered Claire again. "Randy IS like my dad now..."
"So what... A dad that asks you to steal for him?" Sam asked her from where he still stood behind you. Finally, reliable, sensible Sam. You were relieved it wasn't Dean who had joined in on the conversation.
Cass, was still on the ball though, and you weren't sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing. "Claire, that man is using you..."
"You can just go to hell!" She spat back at Cass and spun around, beginning to briskly walk away.
"Claire... Wait..." You called out to her, deciding to move and follow her. But you were too slow, Dean had moved to grab your arm and pull you back.