Unexpected Destinies Chapter 57
Title: Unexpected Destinies
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: up to and including Exile on Main St., AU from the end of season 5
Warnings: AU
Word Count: 2,491
Summary: The Campbells and Sam disagree over what to do about Dean.
PRESENT
Christian could hardly believe his ears as he listened to his cousin and Samuel argue. In most ways, it was very similar to most of the arguments that they'd been having ever since they'd first found Sam and gotten him to join them so that they could all hunt together. Sure, it had shifted slightly over the past year, but in the end it all came down to the same thing; Dean Winchester.
The worst thing was that he just didn't get what all of the fuss was about. Sure, he put a lot of stock in family, but Christian was the first to admit that some people just weren't cut out to be hunters. Although they could trace the hunter calling all the way back to the Mayflower in their family, there were many instances of specific family members turning their back to that way of life. Of turning their back on their own blood. Mary Campbell-Winchester had done it and so had her eldest. Sometimes the bad blood shown through, not that he'd ever say that to Samuel's face. No, the man, though a brilliant hunter, was far too besotted with her to see the truth.
Normally Christian would leave things well enough alone, after all, no harm, no foul, right? The problem was that this obsession with his dead daughter was driving Samuel after her firstborn like it was nobody's business. Although it had been so subtle at first that he hadn't even realized it for what it was back then, Sam and Samuel had been fighting it out about Winchester ever since. There had been a short period after they'd found Sam that everything had seemed okay, Samuel had appeared to be happy to have one of his grandsons, but then the questions about Dean had started. It wasn't until the old man had first compared Winchester with his dead daughter that he'd clued in to the fact that this wasn't something that was just going to go away. Not with how often Samuel talked about Mary.
The only thing that Christian still wasn't completely sure about was whether Winchester had come to represent and replace Mary in Samuel's mind or not. The far more tangible and attainable goal of an otherwise impossible dream. He'd be sure but for the fact that Samuel never seemed to confuse the two as he'd seen happen when people lost a loved one and then started transferring that love and attention onto someone else. What he was absolutely sure about, though, was that he'd had enough. Enough of the constant push get Winchester to join them. Enough of the resultant arguments and enough of hearing such an obviously weak and pathetic excuse for a human being get so upheld and revered. Christ, but it was like Dean Winchester could do no wrong.
Besides, just how the hell could Samuel think he knew Winchester better then Sam?
It was simply mind-blowing to him how such an otherwise smart and gifted hunter as Samuel could be so blind. Christian just didn't get it. At all. How could Samuel not see that Winchester just wasn't cut out for this life? Not only had he bailed, but he'd fucking /caved and broken/! What of kind of man began torturing others and started the fucking Apocalypse to escape a little pain? What the hell kind of hunter did that? None but a fucking coward. And to do so for /ten/ fucking years? And really, what proof did they have other then Winchester's word that it had even been that long for him? That it hadn't just been four months? He'd bet good money that the bastard was lying just to make himself look better.
"You know this is really starting to get old," Christian finally drawled, tired of this shit.
The sudden little laugh that Gwen tried to hide had him smirking at her. God but she was a woman after Christian's own heart and living proof that there were no gender lines to being a damned good hunter. The fact that the elder Winchester was also proof for that was merely a delicious piece of irony. He didn't think he'd ever forget the look on Sam's face or his own startled laughter when the first thing out of Gwen's mouth upon seeing a photo of Sam's infamous big brother had been a remark on his delicate features. Not only had it been hilarious, but she'd hit the nail right on the head. Who could ever take such a pretty boy seriously or expect them to do anything even remotely strenuous or dangerous?
"Amen," Gwen stated.
"How can you even say that?" Samuel questioned. "Everything has changed!"
"Yeah, like what?" Christian demanded. "As far as I see it, you're still arguing about whether or not to get Winchester to join us."
"Yes, but now we'd not be pulling him away from a family and the kind of life Sam was hoping he'd have."
"Yeah, 'cause he's already messed that up himself," Sam muttered. "I should have known that he wouldn't be able handle that and would find a way to sabotage it. I just feel sorry for Lisa now."
"Maybe it just wasn't the kind of life for him. A lot of hunters can't take the settled life very well."
"Oh please," Christian snorted. "You think he fucked up with the woman and her kid because he was too much of a hunter?"
"Why are you so determined to see the worst in him?" Samuel asked.
"Why are you so determined to put him on a pedestal?"
"I'm not putting him on pedestal."
"Could have fooled me. And I'm not seeking the worst in him, I've just been listening to what Sam has said."
"I think we're focusing on the wrong thing here," Gwen interrupted. "Forget about Dean, we have the Apocalypse to deal with now."
"Exactly, which is all the more reason why we need Dean with us," Samuel stated. "He knows more about that then any of us."
"Hey," Sam said, offended. "I know all about the Apocalypse too, more probably as I did far more research on it then Dean did. And that's not considering Bobby who did his fair share of research as well."
"But not recently."
"If anything that only proves our point even more," Christian countered. "Winchester has known that the Apocalypse wasn't done for over a year now and what has he done about it? Jack shit from what I can see."
"Watch your language. And we don't know that."
Christian raised an eyebrow. "No? The last that Sam knew, Lucifer and Michael were securely locked in a cage. And now look at them, both are out and the devil himself is probably gunning for Sam here. How is that any kind of progress?"
"We don't know what happened."
"Exactly! For all we know, Winchester is responsible for them being out."
"Now just wait a minute," Sam protested. "Dean would never let them out. Yes, he's made some really stupid decisions in the past, but he would never do that. Not after all that we did to put them away to begin with."
"So maybe he didn't do it consciously or of his free will."
"Just what are you implying?" Gwen inquired curiously.
"Exactly what I said," Christian replied. "Just think about it, who started this whole mess in the first place? Winchester. That's not a particularly good track record and something we shouldn't lose sight of. But even beyond that, who orchestrated all of the events leading up to the Apocalypse?"
"The angels," Sam spat.
"Precisely. Now, who is Winchester spending time with?"
"Angels," Mark responded, speaking up for once.
It said a lot that the normally silent hunter did so and Christian knew that he had someone else on his side. "Bingo."
"One of those angels is Castiel," Samuel argued, turning to Sam. "You said yourself he was to be trusted."
"I said that he was on side before," Sam corrected. "There's nothing to say that he hasn't changed sides again. I mean it's not like he hasn't done so before. And from what Bobby said, he was restored to full power after I locked up Michael and Lucifer. It could be that he was reverted back to the utterly emotionless robot he was at the beginning unlike the somewhat feeling state he'd finally managed to attain."
"Yeah, who's to say that didn't happen?" Christian pressed. "They reprogrammed him once before, didn't they?"
"Yes and it cost us the last few seals," Sam sighed. "Or he could just have given up. Both him and Dean were at the end of their ropes just before Detroit as evidenced by Dean's stupid attempt to capitulate to Michael. This might be Cas' way of doing the same."
"But you don't know that," Samuel pointed out. "You also said that he was acting normally when we saw him."
"In some ways, yes. In others, not at all. The Castiel I knew would never have stood calmly by with Michael nearby, especially not if Dean was present. Something has obviously changed and not in a good way."
"Which brings me to my next point," Christian stated. "Sam said that Michael was one of the architects of this whole Apocalypse and who now suddenly appears at Winchester's side? At the side of the man without who the Apocalypse could never have been started and the only person who the angels seem to think can end it in the way that they want? Michael, that's who. Don't even try to tell me that's not suspicious."
There was a brief silence in the room after that and Christian was glad that for once Samuel seemed to be mulling over something negative relating to Winchester. It had grated that the older hunter had never taken what he'd said about the guy seriously, something made all the worse by the fact that Samuel listened and trusted him on all other matters. Samuel could have saved himself a lot of grief and potential heartache if only he'd listened to him before.
It also wasn't that he was against everything Samuel was proposing they do. Christian completely agreed that they needed to set up a base camp somewhere and start organizing everything they knew about the Apocalypse in one place. Not only would it make things infinitely easier, but it would also allow them to see patterns and solutions better. It was just the part about getting Winchester to join them there that he was having issues with. Either the man was a fool being led by the nose by those he was supposedly against or he'd betrayed humanity. /Again/. Neither was a particularly pleasant option and he thought it much better to keep Winchester as far away from their efforts as possible.
"Besides, even if he isn't completely that far gone, it's clear he's working with the angels," Gwen finally added. "Anything we tell him could well end up getting right back to Michael and company. I think it's better to play this one close to the chest, we have far too much to lose to do anything else."
"They're right, Samuel," Sam stated.
"Okay, just supposing you're right for a minute, which I don't believe, then wouldn't it still be better to keep Dean as close to us as possible?" Samuel demanded. "If you think he's in such danger of completely caving to Michael, isn't it better to keep close tabs on him to ensure that he doesn't? From what you've said, it could be the end of everything if Michael gets him as his vessel."
See, that right there? That was part of what made Samuel so incredibly dangerous. Christian couldn't help but admire the tactic even as it annoyed him. The older hunter had just managed to take everything they'd said, twist it around in a way that still sounded reasonable and then present it in such a way that still got him the result he wanted.
"Except that would just bring us back around to letting the angels know about everything that we're doing," Christian argued. "Besides, Winchester would still be able to say yes, unless you planned on gagging him or drugging him into unconsciousness the whole time? Because we all know how well angels keep their noses out of other people's business. I can't be the only one more then a little perturbed by the fact that Castiel admitted to spying on us without our knowledge."
"We could still keep Dean semi-close," Sam offered his grandfather. "If nothing else, we still need him for the ritual."
"Yeah, about that, do you think it's real?" Christian asked.
"What do you mean?"
"How do we know it's not just some ploy on their part to get you to agree to a ritual they want to perform?"
Sam paused to consider that for a moment and Christian could see that even Samuel seemed worried about this possibility.
"I think that it's a risk that I'm just going to have to take," Sam finally replied. "Trust me, the last thing any of us need is Lucifer inside of me again. Quite frankly, I'd rather kill myself then go through that again as well."
"It won't to come to that," Samuel stated instantly.
"That decision is based on believing Castiel's assertion that Lucifer doesn't need your permission again," Gwen pointed out. "Do you have anything to back this statement?"
"No, actu- wait, yes, I do. Dean saw Raphael's vessel after he'd left it and there is no way that he could have given permission for Raphael to come back in, so it has to remain valid. Oth-"
The blood drained from Sam's face so rapidly that Christian took a step forwards, worried his cousin might suddenly faint. "What's wrong? What is it?"
"Shit!"
It was all Sam said loud enough for them to understand as he turned and rushed to his laptop, muttering to himself. All of their questions were ignored and so Christian approached and looked over his cousin's shoulder to see what he was doing. Sam was currently navigating the archives of one of the big newspapers in Maine, clearly looking for something specific. He ended up on several articles about a massive gas station explosion there nearly two years ago. From there, Sam latched onto the name of the only survivor, Donnie Finnerman, and continued his search until he found an article with a photo and Christian's breath caught as he instantly recognized the man.
"Son of a bitch!" Christian exclaimed. "That's him!"
"That's who?" Samuel demanded and then cursed when Sam turned his laptop so everyone else could see. "Who is that?"
"Donnie Finnerman, or at least that's who he was before he said yes to an angel, now he's Raphael," Sam declared.
Samuel closed his eyes. "Raphael, wasn't he one of the other big angels behind getting the Apocalypse started?"
"Yes."
A.N.: Sorry that I didn't give you guys a heads up the last time that this chapter wouldn't be posted over at deancastiel, I'd just thought that those two would be in this chapter. Needlessly to say, it didn't quite turn out as I'd expected it to. Christian was giving me a hard time, first altering the actual contents of this chapter and then how quickly and smoothly it was written, which is also the reason why it's a few hours later.
Chapter 58
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: up to and including Exile on Main St., AU from the end of season 5
Warnings: AU
Word Count: 2,491
Summary: The Campbells and Sam disagree over what to do about Dean.
PRESENT
Christian could hardly believe his ears as he listened to his cousin and Samuel argue. In most ways, it was very similar to most of the arguments that they'd been having ever since they'd first found Sam and gotten him to join them so that they could all hunt together. Sure, it had shifted slightly over the past year, but in the end it all came down to the same thing; Dean Winchester.
The worst thing was that he just didn't get what all of the fuss was about. Sure, he put a lot of stock in family, but Christian was the first to admit that some people just weren't cut out to be hunters. Although they could trace the hunter calling all the way back to the Mayflower in their family, there were many instances of specific family members turning their back to that way of life. Of turning their back on their own blood. Mary Campbell-Winchester had done it and so had her eldest. Sometimes the bad blood shown through, not that he'd ever say that to Samuel's face. No, the man, though a brilliant hunter, was far too besotted with her to see the truth.
Normally Christian would leave things well enough alone, after all, no harm, no foul, right? The problem was that this obsession with his dead daughter was driving Samuel after her firstborn like it was nobody's business. Although it had been so subtle at first that he hadn't even realized it for what it was back then, Sam and Samuel had been fighting it out about Winchester ever since. There had been a short period after they'd found Sam that everything had seemed okay, Samuel had appeared to be happy to have one of his grandsons, but then the questions about Dean had started. It wasn't until the old man had first compared Winchester with his dead daughter that he'd clued in to the fact that this wasn't something that was just going to go away. Not with how often Samuel talked about Mary.
The only thing that Christian still wasn't completely sure about was whether Winchester had come to represent and replace Mary in Samuel's mind or not. The far more tangible and attainable goal of an otherwise impossible dream. He'd be sure but for the fact that Samuel never seemed to confuse the two as he'd seen happen when people lost a loved one and then started transferring that love and attention onto someone else. What he was absolutely sure about, though, was that he'd had enough. Enough of the constant push get Winchester to join them. Enough of the resultant arguments and enough of hearing such an obviously weak and pathetic excuse for a human being get so upheld and revered. Christ, but it was like Dean Winchester could do no wrong.
Besides, just how the hell could Samuel think he knew Winchester better then Sam?
It was simply mind-blowing to him how such an otherwise smart and gifted hunter as Samuel could be so blind. Christian just didn't get it. At all. How could Samuel not see that Winchester just wasn't cut out for this life? Not only had he bailed, but he'd fucking /caved and broken/! What of kind of man began torturing others and started the fucking Apocalypse to escape a little pain? What the hell kind of hunter did that? None but a fucking coward. And to do so for /ten/ fucking years? And really, what proof did they have other then Winchester's word that it had even been that long for him? That it hadn't just been four months? He'd bet good money that the bastard was lying just to make himself look better.
"You know this is really starting to get old," Christian finally drawled, tired of this shit.
The sudden little laugh that Gwen tried to hide had him smirking at her. God but she was a woman after Christian's own heart and living proof that there were no gender lines to being a damned good hunter. The fact that the elder Winchester was also proof for that was merely a delicious piece of irony. He didn't think he'd ever forget the look on Sam's face or his own startled laughter when the first thing out of Gwen's mouth upon seeing a photo of Sam's infamous big brother had been a remark on his delicate features. Not only had it been hilarious, but she'd hit the nail right on the head. Who could ever take such a pretty boy seriously or expect them to do anything even remotely strenuous or dangerous?
"Amen," Gwen stated.
"How can you even say that?" Samuel questioned. "Everything has changed!"
"Yeah, like what?" Christian demanded. "As far as I see it, you're still arguing about whether or not to get Winchester to join us."
"Yes, but now we'd not be pulling him away from a family and the kind of life Sam was hoping he'd have."
"Yeah, 'cause he's already messed that up himself," Sam muttered. "I should have known that he wouldn't be able handle that and would find a way to sabotage it. I just feel sorry for Lisa now."
"Maybe it just wasn't the kind of life for him. A lot of hunters can't take the settled life very well."
"Oh please," Christian snorted. "You think he fucked up with the woman and her kid because he was too much of a hunter?"
"Why are you so determined to see the worst in him?" Samuel asked.
"Why are you so determined to put him on a pedestal?"
"I'm not putting him on pedestal."
"Could have fooled me. And I'm not seeking the worst in him, I've just been listening to what Sam has said."
"I think we're focusing on the wrong thing here," Gwen interrupted. "Forget about Dean, we have the Apocalypse to deal with now."
"Exactly, which is all the more reason why we need Dean with us," Samuel stated. "He knows more about that then any of us."
"Hey," Sam said, offended. "I know all about the Apocalypse too, more probably as I did far more research on it then Dean did. And that's not considering Bobby who did his fair share of research as well."
"But not recently."
"If anything that only proves our point even more," Christian countered. "Winchester has known that the Apocalypse wasn't done for over a year now and what has he done about it? Jack shit from what I can see."
"Watch your language. And we don't know that."
Christian raised an eyebrow. "No? The last that Sam knew, Lucifer and Michael were securely locked in a cage. And now look at them, both are out and the devil himself is probably gunning for Sam here. How is that any kind of progress?"
"We don't know what happened."
"Exactly! For all we know, Winchester is responsible for them being out."
"Now just wait a minute," Sam protested. "Dean would never let them out. Yes, he's made some really stupid decisions in the past, but he would never do that. Not after all that we did to put them away to begin with."
"So maybe he didn't do it consciously or of his free will."
"Just what are you implying?" Gwen inquired curiously.
"Exactly what I said," Christian replied. "Just think about it, who started this whole mess in the first place? Winchester. That's not a particularly good track record and something we shouldn't lose sight of. But even beyond that, who orchestrated all of the events leading up to the Apocalypse?"
"The angels," Sam spat.
"Precisely. Now, who is Winchester spending time with?"
"Angels," Mark responded, speaking up for once.
It said a lot that the normally silent hunter did so and Christian knew that he had someone else on his side. "Bingo."
"One of those angels is Castiel," Samuel argued, turning to Sam. "You said yourself he was to be trusted."
"I said that he was on side before," Sam corrected. "There's nothing to say that he hasn't changed sides again. I mean it's not like he hasn't done so before. And from what Bobby said, he was restored to full power after I locked up Michael and Lucifer. It could be that he was reverted back to the utterly emotionless robot he was at the beginning unlike the somewhat feeling state he'd finally managed to attain."
"Yeah, who's to say that didn't happen?" Christian pressed. "They reprogrammed him once before, didn't they?"
"Yes and it cost us the last few seals," Sam sighed. "Or he could just have given up. Both him and Dean were at the end of their ropes just before Detroit as evidenced by Dean's stupid attempt to capitulate to Michael. This might be Cas' way of doing the same."
"But you don't know that," Samuel pointed out. "You also said that he was acting normally when we saw him."
"In some ways, yes. In others, not at all. The Castiel I knew would never have stood calmly by with Michael nearby, especially not if Dean was present. Something has obviously changed and not in a good way."
"Which brings me to my next point," Christian stated. "Sam said that Michael was one of the architects of this whole Apocalypse and who now suddenly appears at Winchester's side? At the side of the man without who the Apocalypse could never have been started and the only person who the angels seem to think can end it in the way that they want? Michael, that's who. Don't even try to tell me that's not suspicious."
There was a brief silence in the room after that and Christian was glad that for once Samuel seemed to be mulling over something negative relating to Winchester. It had grated that the older hunter had never taken what he'd said about the guy seriously, something made all the worse by the fact that Samuel listened and trusted him on all other matters. Samuel could have saved himself a lot of grief and potential heartache if only he'd listened to him before.
It also wasn't that he was against everything Samuel was proposing they do. Christian completely agreed that they needed to set up a base camp somewhere and start organizing everything they knew about the Apocalypse in one place. Not only would it make things infinitely easier, but it would also allow them to see patterns and solutions better. It was just the part about getting Winchester to join them there that he was having issues with. Either the man was a fool being led by the nose by those he was supposedly against or he'd betrayed humanity. /Again/. Neither was a particularly pleasant option and he thought it much better to keep Winchester as far away from their efforts as possible.
"Besides, even if he isn't completely that far gone, it's clear he's working with the angels," Gwen finally added. "Anything we tell him could well end up getting right back to Michael and company. I think it's better to play this one close to the chest, we have far too much to lose to do anything else."
"They're right, Samuel," Sam stated.
"Okay, just supposing you're right for a minute, which I don't believe, then wouldn't it still be better to keep Dean as close to us as possible?" Samuel demanded. "If you think he's in such danger of completely caving to Michael, isn't it better to keep close tabs on him to ensure that he doesn't? From what you've said, it could be the end of everything if Michael gets him as his vessel."
See, that right there? That was part of what made Samuel so incredibly dangerous. Christian couldn't help but admire the tactic even as it annoyed him. The older hunter had just managed to take everything they'd said, twist it around in a way that still sounded reasonable and then present it in such a way that still got him the result he wanted.
"Except that would just bring us back around to letting the angels know about everything that we're doing," Christian argued. "Besides, Winchester would still be able to say yes, unless you planned on gagging him or drugging him into unconsciousness the whole time? Because we all know how well angels keep their noses out of other people's business. I can't be the only one more then a little perturbed by the fact that Castiel admitted to spying on us without our knowledge."
"We could still keep Dean semi-close," Sam offered his grandfather. "If nothing else, we still need him for the ritual."
"Yeah, about that, do you think it's real?" Christian asked.
"What do you mean?"
"How do we know it's not just some ploy on their part to get you to agree to a ritual they want to perform?"
Sam paused to consider that for a moment and Christian could see that even Samuel seemed worried about this possibility.
"I think that it's a risk that I'm just going to have to take," Sam finally replied. "Trust me, the last thing any of us need is Lucifer inside of me again. Quite frankly, I'd rather kill myself then go through that again as well."
"It won't to come to that," Samuel stated instantly.
"That decision is based on believing Castiel's assertion that Lucifer doesn't need your permission again," Gwen pointed out. "Do you have anything to back this statement?"
"No, actu- wait, yes, I do. Dean saw Raphael's vessel after he'd left it and there is no way that he could have given permission for Raphael to come back in, so it has to remain valid. Oth-"
The blood drained from Sam's face so rapidly that Christian took a step forwards, worried his cousin might suddenly faint. "What's wrong? What is it?"
"Shit!"
It was all Sam said loud enough for them to understand as he turned and rushed to his laptop, muttering to himself. All of their questions were ignored and so Christian approached and looked over his cousin's shoulder to see what he was doing. Sam was currently navigating the archives of one of the big newspapers in Maine, clearly looking for something specific. He ended up on several articles about a massive gas station explosion there nearly two years ago. From there, Sam latched onto the name of the only survivor, Donnie Finnerman, and continued his search until he found an article with a photo and Christian's breath caught as he instantly recognized the man.
"Son of a bitch!" Christian exclaimed. "That's him!"
"That's who?" Samuel demanded and then cursed when Sam turned his laptop so everyone else could see. "Who is that?"
"Donnie Finnerman, or at least that's who he was before he said yes to an angel, now he's Raphael," Sam declared.
Samuel closed his eyes. "Raphael, wasn't he one of the other big angels behind getting the Apocalypse started?"
"Yes."
A.N.: Sorry that I didn't give you guys a heads up the last time that this chapter wouldn't be posted over at deancastiel, I'd just thought that those two would be in this chapter. Needlessly to say, it didn't quite turn out as I'd expected it to. Christian was giving me a hard time, first altering the actual contents of this chapter and then how quickly and smoothly it was written, which is also the reason why it's a few hours later.
Chapter 58