Midnight Thoughts ~ Shadow & Bone

1

just a note before getting started

Castiel's name is pronounced Cass-Teal because I'm a lunatic

this is not angel baby Cas :)

Karlin's POV

After discussing options with Inej, it was decided that she would use her connections to try and discover just what exactly we had been framed for while I found Odhrán a safe place to stay and trailed the Stadwatch cart to keep my eye on the boys. Under no circumstances were they to end up in Hellgate.

The first step was to find a way to keep Odhrán out of harm's way. I carried her with me through the darkest parts of the Barrel, not willing to risk losing her even enough to have her walk on her own. I was about to cave in and find a place for her at the Slat when I was forced to duck into a side alley to avoid the Stadwatch. I sighed as I looked down at the girl curled into my arms, brushing the hair out of her face as she looked around with wide eyes.

"Karlin?" My eyes snapped towards the voice, and I relaxed when I realized I recognized the head of orange hair that belonged to its owner. I sighed and smiled a bit.

"Castiel," I muttered. He jogged over and hugged me tightly, careful not to crush the small girl clinging to me. He stepped back and looked over at me, and I thought his eyes glossed over.

"We heard about what happened in the Fold," he said. "We thought you'd been hurt or arrested." He gulped and shook his head. "Or you'd been killed." I frowned sadly and set Odhrán on the ground.

"I need you to stand now, okay?" I muttered. She nodded and wrapped her arms around herself, and I hugged Castiel tightly, letting him bury his face in my hair as he shook. "Teal, where are the others?" He sniffled quietly as he stepped away, looking down at me.

"We had to leave the Club when Pekka took over," he said quietly. "We've been doing what you said before, never staying in one place too long, but there aren't many places willing to take in three street rats." He ran a hand down his face tiredly. "We ran out of places inside a couple weeks ago. Been staying in the attic of the Slat for the past week, but it's not much better. There's no insulation, it's never used. Haskell doesn't even know we're there, he's not letting in anyone associated with the Crows." He shook his head and rubbed his eyes. "The cold's starting to get to everyone. Tryne and me are managing, though not the best, but..." He clamped his mouth shut, and I furrowed my brows.

"But what?" I asked. He took a shaky breath and shook his head.

"Marten's sick," he said. It was barely more than a whisper. "He's trying his best, but he can't heal himself like he can other people." He let out a choked sob and wrapped his arms around himself tightly. "Karlin, I don't know what to do. I'm supposed to take care of them, but I can't do what either of them can. I can't control hearts or heal injuries or sickness. I can't help them." I shook my head and rested my hands against his cheeks, making him look down at me.

"Listen to me, Teal," I said gently. "I left you in charge because I trust you. I don't care that you can't do what they do, I don't want you to do what they do. I want you to do what you do. And I know they do too. You are a protector, Castiel jansen. You always have been." I looked down at Odhrán before looking back up at him. "Now this is what you're gonna do, are you paying attention?" He took a deep breath and nodded, and I stepped back slightly, leaving one hand on his arm as I used the other hand to bring the blonde girl forward. "This is Odhrán. I met her in Os Kervo. Now I have to go find Kaz and get him and Jesper out of trouble, but I can't take her with me. I need you to take her to the Slat, take her to Marten. She's a healer too, and she hasn't had any training that I know of, but he can walk her through it." I smiled a bit as I looked between them. "She's a Rat now, Castiel. And she needs a home just like you." The redheaded boy smiled down at the frightened girl, making her frown disappear slightly. He looked back at me.