Debunked

Chapter 15

Nothing helpful comes out of Emma and James's conversation. No one seems to know where to bring Hannah that won't risk her ending up in the hands of her abusive uncle. It seems Emma and James don't have many contacts outside the hunting world, which leads them to think that keeping her with them may be the best thing they could do for her.

Castiel, on the other hand, would do anything to stop that.

"You know," Castiel says when they come back, "I might know someone who could take her in."

"I swear to god, Castiel, if you say the Winchesters —" Emma says, already preparing to fight.

"Of course not," Castiel says, almost offended she would think that. "I know a sheriff down in South Dakota. She kind of adopted my vessel's daughter, and a girl kidnapped by vampires. I don't think she'd mind a third adopted child."

"Woah, back the truck up," Emma says. "Your vessel had a daughter?"

"Um... yes?"

"You just swooped in and stole a girl's dad?"

Castiel sighs. "I wasn't very concerned with humanity's feelings at the time; just with keeping them alive. This definitely was not my proudest moment." But compared to his biggest mistakes, it doesn't seem too bad.

All Emma says is, "Well, damn."

"Back to the actually important part of this conversation," James says, "who is this sheriff? Is she a hunter?"

"No, just an average sheriff," Castiel says. "Well, usually, unless the Winchesters or my vessel's daughter drag her into their messes. But Hannah would be safe there. She could live a fairly normal life."

Emma and James look at each other, and they both shrug, indifferent.

"Okay, let's do that," James says.

Castiel puts his hands on Hannah's shoulders and looks down at her. "Would you like that? You could go live with one of my oldest friends. We could come by and visit you every time we're nearby. How does that sound?"

Hannah sniffles and nods.

"Okay, let's do that," Castiel says. "Can I borrow someone's phone?"

"Where's your phone?" Emma asks.

"I got rid of it when I left the Bunker," Castiel says. "Sam wouldn't stop calling me."

"Of course it was the Winchesters," Emma mutters.

"We're gonna have to get you a new phone," James says. "But here, you can use mine."

Castiel waits for him to unlock his phone, then takes it from him. He only knows a few phone numbers by memory, and this is one of them. He's been lost without his phone more times than he can count, usually after near-death experiences — or real-death experiences — so it helps to have some way to contact someone. He dials Jody's home phone and waits.

"Hello?"

Castiel can't help but smile at the sound of her voice. He wasn't sure he'd ever hear it again. He wasn't sure if he'd ever hear any voice he had grown to recognize. It's oddly comforting.

"Hi, Claire," he says.

"Holy shit," she whispers. "Cas?"

"Yes."

"Dude, what the hell?" Claire asks. "Sam called asking about you days ago. Where have you been?"

"Hunting," Castiel replies vaguely.

"Alone?"

He glances at Emma and James. "Not quite."

"Oh, are you back with the Winchesters?" she asks. "I would've thought Sam would have called, but..."

"No, I'm not with them."

Claire scoffs. "Okay, you're gonna have to fill me in on everything, because I am so confused. Since when do you hunt with anyone other than the Winchesters? Or, you know, hunt, period. I thought you only ever take world-ending cases. Oh, shit, is the world ending again?"

Castiel sighs. "I'll explain everything soon. Just please don't tell Sam that I called."

"What? Why not?"

"I told you, I'll explain everything soon," he says. "Is Jody there?"

"Uh, yeah, hang on."

As Castiel waits for her to put Jody on the phone, he looks up and Emma and James, who both look confused beyond words. Castiel just shrugs awkwardly.

"Cas?"

"Jody," Castiel says, his smile reappearing. "Do you have a minute?"

"Apparently I have more minutes than you," she says in that Mom Voice that she usually saves for her adopted kids and the Winchesters. "Where the hell have you been? Sam is freaking out looking for you!"

"I know, I know," Castiel says. "It's complicated, but please don't tell him I called."

"Can I tell Dean you called?"

"He won't care," Castiel says darkly. He hasn't cared for a very long time.

"What is going on with you two?" Jody asks. "First Sam told me not to tell Dean that he was looking for you, and now this? Did you two have a fight? Because I promise, hiding from your problems is not the solution."

"No — yes — well, kind of. It's complicated." Castiel sighs. "Look, I didn't call to talk about the Winchesters."

"Damn right," Emma mutters.

Jody sighs. "What do you need?"

"Do you have room in your house for a third kid?"

There's a long pause before Jody asks a cautious, "Cas, what did you do?"

"Again, it's complicated," he says. "Everything is really complicated right now. But would you like to adopt a five-year-old girl?"

Jody sighs. "If I say yes, you better drop her off yourself and explain everything."

"I will," he says. "I promise."

"Then get your ass over here. I'll get Claire and Alex and we can make a date out of it."

Castiel chuckles. "Okay. I'll see you soon."

"Bye, Cas," Jody says. "It was really nice hearing from you again."

Castiel hangs up the phone and hands it back to James. "She said yes."

"Thank God," Emma says. "And it never really occurred to me that there must have been some drama between you and the Winchesters to convince you to leave, but judging by that half a conversation we just heard, I have a feeling that there's some very juicy gossip you haven't told us yet."

Castiel sighs. "I don't want to talk about the Winchesters. They're the last people I would want to talk about right now."

"Are you ever going to tell us what happened?" Emma asks.

Castiel doesn't know whether he will or not, but if he ever does, it won't be for a very long time. Their falling out is not something he'd like to relive. It will be hard enough just explaining it to Jody, and she already knows everyone involved. If he had to tell Emma and James about Mary and Jack and Chuck... well, he would rather not.

Instead of answering, Castiel gently picks Hannah up, and she wraps her legs around his stomach, her arms draped over his neck. "Let's get you to Jody's."