[Supernatural: Fiction] "Missing Mother" [G]
Title: Missing Mother
Author: Ami Ven
Prompt: writerverse phase 23, challenge 01, prompt 10 ‘last door on the right’
Word Count: 1,855
Fandom: Supernatural
Pairing(s): background Castiel/Dean Winchester
Summary: Maria’s mother had gone on a hunt and hadn’t been back for six days.
Missing Mother
Maria listened to the phone ring and ring, then hung up when she heard her mother’s voice mail begin.
Mom had never been gone for more than three days before, never gone more than a day without a call or a text, but now it had been six days without a word, and Maria was starting to worry.
There were things out there, in the dark, monsters that sounded like they were just stories but were actually very, very real. Things like ghosts and vampires and werewolves - and the demon that had possessed Mrs. Retinski next door and killed Maria’s grandmother.
Now, Mom, hunted those things, kept them from being able to hurt anyone else’s Nona. Most of the time, it seemed like an adventure - Mom, in her leather jacket, with her gleaming silver weapons, looked like a storybook hero, ready to slay monsters and rescue damsels in distress.
But six days was just too long to be missing.
“If you’re ever in trouble,” Mom had said, months ago, “Real, serious trouble, you call for Castiel. Remember that. He’ll come for you.”
Maria remembered, and she didn’t think her Mom meant a call on the phone, not without giving her a number. Still…
“Um, Castiel?” she said, aloud, to the empty motel room. “I’m Maria. My mom… my mom is a hunter and she’s… she’s missing. I’m really worried. Can you help?”
For a long moment, there was nothing but silence.
Then, a man appeared out of thin air at the foot of the motel bed.
“Ah!” yelled Maria.
“There is no need to be afraid,” the man said, in a low rumbly voice. “You called me.”
She blinked. “You’re Castiel?”
For a guy with a fancy name, he didn’t look that fancy himself. He was probably about her mom’s age, with messy dark hair, wearing blue jeans and a plaid flannel shirt under a battered trench coat.
“Yes,” said the man. “I’m an Angel of the Lord. You said your mother was missing. How long has she been gone?”
“Six days,” said Maria. “She was hunting a ghost.”
“Those are usually not difficult,” said Castiel. “Was she alone?”
“Yes, but she said she knew a few other hunters in the area.”
He nodded, then looked around the motel room. “You appear too young to remain here unsupervised.”
Maria scowled. “I’m ten. I can take care of myself.”
“That is not in question. But you may encounter more trouble without a legal adult.”
“Oh,” said Maria. “I mean, yeah, I only have this room for one more day. And the money Mom left for food ran out yesterday.”
“Then you should not remain here,” he said. “I can take you to my home, you will be safe there.”
“Your home?” she repeated. “In heaven?”
Castiel tilted his head, curious. “No, my home is in Lebanon, Kansas.”
“Oh,” said Maria. They were in Missouri now, it wasn’t that far away. “I should leave Mom a note.”
Castiel nodded. “I will leave word with the front desk, while you pack your belongings and your mother’s.”
“Okay.”
Maria expected him to disappear, but he went to the motel door and walked outside like a normal person. She was just finished packing - her mom hadn’t left much behind - when he knocked and she let him back in.
“Are you ready?” he asked, and she nodded. “Hold tightly to my hand.”
He was going to teleport her, too!
“Does it hurt?” Maria asked.
“No,” said Castiel. “But you may feel slightly nauseated. Ready?”
She gripped his hand tightly. “Ready.”
For a moment, everything went dark, then Maria heard a rustling sound and suddenly they were outside, standing in front of a weird underground building.
“This is my home,” said Castiel. “My family will be expecting us.”
“Your family?” she repeated. “A bunch of angels live in this… this underground bus station?”
“The Bunker was built as the headquarters to a group called the Men of Letters. They were nearly wiped out, but have recently been re-instituted. And I am the only angel who resides here, the rest of my family is entirely human.”
Castiel pulled a set of keys from the pocket of his trench coat and led her to a very boring-looking door. He let them in, and Maria looked over the railing of a curved staircase.
“Wow,” she said.
The inside was much nicer than the outside. It looked old, but kind of cool, with geometric designs all over the place. As Maria looked around, a man came into the room below, and even from so high up, she could tell that he was very tall.
“Hello, Sam,” said Castiel. He started down the stairs, and Maria followed him.
“Hey, Cas,” said the tall man. “I guess you found her?”
“This is Maria. Her mother has been missing for six days.”
“Oh,” said Sam, and Maria got the idea that maybe he knew something about missing parents. “Well, we’ll do everything we can to help you find her.” He held out his hand. “I’m Sam Winchester.”
She shook it. “Maria Carbonell. Mom’s name is Giovanna.”
“Lovely Italian names,” said Castiel.
“My Nona was from Milan.”
“But how did you know to pray to Cas?” asked Sam.
Maria frowned. “I didn’t pray. I just said his name out loud and he came.”
“That can still be a prayer,” said Sam. “Even if you didn’t know it. Did your mom tell you about him?”
“Yeah. She said if I was ever in real trouble, I should call for Castiel and he would come. I didn’t believe it, but… he did.”
“He does that,” Sam agreed. “So, you’re probably hungry. Let’s get you settled, and dinner should be ready by then.”
“What about my mom?” asked Maria.
“We will do everything we can,” promised Castiel. “But first you must eat. It’s important for growing humans to have the proper nutrition.”
Sam shook his head, smiling. “This way.”
He led them down several long hallways and past dozens of doors. Most of them were labeled, with words in beautiful handwriting - calligraphy, Maria thought it was called - and with pictures of superheroes and movie characters. Sam stopped at the end of a long corridor, the last door on the right, which said Girls’ Dorm in gold letters, above a picture of Wonder Woman.
Inside were four beds, each with a small table and dresser beside it. Sheets were neatly folded at the end of each one.
“Pick whichever one you like,” said Sam. “We’ll help make the bed.”
“Actually, I should see if Dean needs help with dinner,” said Castiel, and hurried out of the room.
Maria helped, but Sam’s long arms did most of the work, and they finished making the bed in no time.
“Thanks,” she said.
“You’re a guest,” said Sam. “And a very polite one. You can leave your stuff here, dinner should be about ready. Then we’ll see about your mom. C’mon.”
Out in the hallway, there were several more signs with the calligraphy word ‘kitchen’ and arrows pointing the way to a comfortable-looking room, where Castiel was draining a large pot of spaghetti in the sink. He was talking to a man stirring sauce at the stove and a woman seated at a nearby table.
“Oh, hello,” said the woman. “You must be Maria. Castiel told us everything - you’re in good hands, don’t you worry.”
“This is Donna Hanscum,” said Sam, coming in behind her. “She’s a sheriff. And that’s my brother, Dean.”
“Hey,” said Dean. “You hungry?”
Maria’s stomach rumbled loudly, and he grinned.
“I’ll take that as a yes. Plates are on the table, everybody help yourself. Sammy, get out the parmesan.”
“Why do I have to?” he complained. “Cas is standing right next to the fridge.”
“Favoritism,” said Castiel, deadpan.
Sam snorted, and went to the refrigerator. He got out several things, which he brought over to the table, setting them out by Maria.
“They’re married,” he said, softly, and she realized that she’d been staring at Castiel and Dean. “Does that bother you?”
Maria shook her head. “They act like my mom and dad used to,” she said. “Happy.”
“Ah,” he said, then smiled. “Keep that in mind, because they get annoying fast.”
“I heard that, Sammy,” said Dean, joining them with a large bowl of pasta, but he was smiling, too.
“And I just talked to Jody,” added Donna, who had stepped out of the kitchen for a moment and just come back in. “She’s a sheriff, too, and she’s gonna put out the word that you’re looking for your mom - she won’t be in trouble, but between the sheriffs and the hunters, somebody will find her.”
Maria smiled. “Thank you.”
“See, kid?” said Dean. “All taken care of. Now, let’s eat.”
The pasta was good - not as good as Nona’s had been, but then nothing ever was. Castiel didn’t eat, but nobody said anything, so Maria didn’t, either. Donna kept them all talking, about normal everyday stuff, and Maria almost forgot to worry about her mom until Castiel stood up, suddenly.
“Everything okay, Cas?” asked Sam.
The angel smiled. “Yes. Maria’s mother got the note I left at her motel, and has prayed to me. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll go retrieve her now.”
“She’s okay?” Maria demanded.
He hesitated, then said, “She will be just fine.” Castiel leaned down to kiss Dean briefly, then disappeared.
“She’ll be fine,” Dean repeated.
Maria nodded, but all her worry had come back, full-force, and she hardly dared breathe until Casitel appeared again, just as suddenly - with Maria’s mother.
“Mom!” she cried, launching herself out of her seat.
Mom hugged her tightly. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart,” she said, into Maria’s hair. “The ghost we were hunting was buried way out in the woods, then my phone died, then my car died…”
“It’s okay,” Maria said, hugging back just as hard.
Mom held on for a long moment, then seemed to realize they weren’t alone. “Sorry,” she said, straightening but not letting to completely. “Thank you, um - Whoa!”
Castiel, who had moved back to give them some privacy, stumbled suddenly, bracing his hands on the tabletop to keep from falling.
“I’m fine,” the angel said, smiling at Dean, who had hurried over to him. “I have merely overtaxed my grace. Giovanna required healing before we came back here. Also, I transported her car into the garage, I thought you might be able to fix it for her.”
“I can take a look,” Dean said, glancing over at Mom. He hesitated, then added, “Don’t know how much Cas told you, but you’re welcome to stay as long as you need. Not just now, but anytime. And you’ve managed to come at the one time the Bunker’s practically empty, but we usually have a bunch of rugrats staying here, especially when school’s going.”
“Thank you,” said Mom, again.
Dean smiled. “No problem. You’re probably hungry. Come have some food, then we’ll sort everything out.”
Grinning, Maria joined everyone at the table. With Mom beside her, talking and laughing, the pasta tasted even better than it had before.
THE END
Current Mood:
mellow
Author: Ami Ven
Prompt: writerverse phase 23, challenge 01, prompt 10 ‘last door on the right’
Word Count: 1,855
Fandom: Supernatural
Pairing(s): background Castiel/Dean Winchester
Summary: Maria’s mother had gone on a hunt and hadn’t been back for six days.
Missing Mother
Maria listened to the phone ring and ring, then hung up when she heard her mother’s voice mail begin.
Mom had never been gone for more than three days before, never gone more than a day without a call or a text, but now it had been six days without a word, and Maria was starting to worry.
There were things out there, in the dark, monsters that sounded like they were just stories but were actually very, very real. Things like ghosts and vampires and werewolves - and the demon that had possessed Mrs. Retinski next door and killed Maria’s grandmother.
Now, Mom, hunted those things, kept them from being able to hurt anyone else’s Nona. Most of the time, it seemed like an adventure - Mom, in her leather jacket, with her gleaming silver weapons, looked like a storybook hero, ready to slay monsters and rescue damsels in distress.
But six days was just too long to be missing.
“If you’re ever in trouble,” Mom had said, months ago, “Real, serious trouble, you call for Castiel. Remember that. He’ll come for you.”
Maria remembered, and she didn’t think her Mom meant a call on the phone, not without giving her a number. Still…
“Um, Castiel?” she said, aloud, to the empty motel room. “I’m Maria. My mom… my mom is a hunter and she’s… she’s missing. I’m really worried. Can you help?”
For a long moment, there was nothing but silence.
Then, a man appeared out of thin air at the foot of the motel bed.
“Ah!” yelled Maria.
“There is no need to be afraid,” the man said, in a low rumbly voice. “You called me.”
She blinked. “You’re Castiel?”
For a guy with a fancy name, he didn’t look that fancy himself. He was probably about her mom’s age, with messy dark hair, wearing blue jeans and a plaid flannel shirt under a battered trench coat.
“Yes,” said the man. “I’m an Angel of the Lord. You said your mother was missing. How long has she been gone?”
“Six days,” said Maria. “She was hunting a ghost.”
“Those are usually not difficult,” said Castiel. “Was she alone?”
“Yes, but she said she knew a few other hunters in the area.”
He nodded, then looked around the motel room. “You appear too young to remain here unsupervised.”
Maria scowled. “I’m ten. I can take care of myself.”
“That is not in question. But you may encounter more trouble without a legal adult.”
“Oh,” said Maria. “I mean, yeah, I only have this room for one more day. And the money Mom left for food ran out yesterday.”
“Then you should not remain here,” he said. “I can take you to my home, you will be safe there.”
“Your home?” she repeated. “In heaven?”
Castiel tilted his head, curious. “No, my home is in Lebanon, Kansas.”
“Oh,” said Maria. They were in Missouri now, it wasn’t that far away. “I should leave Mom a note.”
Castiel nodded. “I will leave word with the front desk, while you pack your belongings and your mother’s.”
“Okay.”
Maria expected him to disappear, but he went to the motel door and walked outside like a normal person. She was just finished packing - her mom hadn’t left much behind - when he knocked and she let him back in.
“Are you ready?” he asked, and she nodded. “Hold tightly to my hand.”
He was going to teleport her, too!
“Does it hurt?” Maria asked.
“No,” said Castiel. “But you may feel slightly nauseated. Ready?”
She gripped his hand tightly. “Ready.”
For a moment, everything went dark, then Maria heard a rustling sound and suddenly they were outside, standing in front of a weird underground building.
“This is my home,” said Castiel. “My family will be expecting us.”
“Your family?” she repeated. “A bunch of angels live in this… this underground bus station?”
“The Bunker was built as the headquarters to a group called the Men of Letters. They were nearly wiped out, but have recently been re-instituted. And I am the only angel who resides here, the rest of my family is entirely human.”
Castiel pulled a set of keys from the pocket of his trench coat and led her to a very boring-looking door. He let them in, and Maria looked over the railing of a curved staircase.
“Wow,” she said.
The inside was much nicer than the outside. It looked old, but kind of cool, with geometric designs all over the place. As Maria looked around, a man came into the room below, and even from so high up, she could tell that he was very tall.
“Hello, Sam,” said Castiel. He started down the stairs, and Maria followed him.
“Hey, Cas,” said the tall man. “I guess you found her?”
“This is Maria. Her mother has been missing for six days.”
“Oh,” said Sam, and Maria got the idea that maybe he knew something about missing parents. “Well, we’ll do everything we can to help you find her.” He held out his hand. “I’m Sam Winchester.”
She shook it. “Maria Carbonell. Mom’s name is Giovanna.”
“Lovely Italian names,” said Castiel.
“My Nona was from Milan.”
“But how did you know to pray to Cas?” asked Sam.
Maria frowned. “I didn’t pray. I just said his name out loud and he came.”
“That can still be a prayer,” said Sam. “Even if you didn’t know it. Did your mom tell you about him?”
“Yeah. She said if I was ever in real trouble, I should call for Castiel and he would come. I didn’t believe it, but… he did.”
“He does that,” Sam agreed. “So, you’re probably hungry. Let’s get you settled, and dinner should be ready by then.”
“What about my mom?” asked Maria.
“We will do everything we can,” promised Castiel. “But first you must eat. It’s important for growing humans to have the proper nutrition.”
Sam shook his head, smiling. “This way.”
He led them down several long hallways and past dozens of doors. Most of them were labeled, with words in beautiful handwriting - calligraphy, Maria thought it was called - and with pictures of superheroes and movie characters. Sam stopped at the end of a long corridor, the last door on the right, which said Girls’ Dorm in gold letters, above a picture of Wonder Woman.
Inside were four beds, each with a small table and dresser beside it. Sheets were neatly folded at the end of each one.
“Pick whichever one you like,” said Sam. “We’ll help make the bed.”
“Actually, I should see if Dean needs help with dinner,” said Castiel, and hurried out of the room.
Maria helped, but Sam’s long arms did most of the work, and they finished making the bed in no time.
“Thanks,” she said.
“You’re a guest,” said Sam. “And a very polite one. You can leave your stuff here, dinner should be about ready. Then we’ll see about your mom. C’mon.”
Out in the hallway, there were several more signs with the calligraphy word ‘kitchen’ and arrows pointing the way to a comfortable-looking room, where Castiel was draining a large pot of spaghetti in the sink. He was talking to a man stirring sauce at the stove and a woman seated at a nearby table.
“Oh, hello,” said the woman. “You must be Maria. Castiel told us everything - you’re in good hands, don’t you worry.”
“This is Donna Hanscum,” said Sam, coming in behind her. “She’s a sheriff. And that’s my brother, Dean.”
“Hey,” said Dean. “You hungry?”
Maria’s stomach rumbled loudly, and he grinned.
“I’ll take that as a yes. Plates are on the table, everybody help yourself. Sammy, get out the parmesan.”
“Why do I have to?” he complained. “Cas is standing right next to the fridge.”
“Favoritism,” said Castiel, deadpan.
Sam snorted, and went to the refrigerator. He got out several things, which he brought over to the table, setting them out by Maria.
“They’re married,” he said, softly, and she realized that she’d been staring at Castiel and Dean. “Does that bother you?”
Maria shook her head. “They act like my mom and dad used to,” she said. “Happy.”
“Ah,” he said, then smiled. “Keep that in mind, because they get annoying fast.”
“I heard that, Sammy,” said Dean, joining them with a large bowl of pasta, but he was smiling, too.
“And I just talked to Jody,” added Donna, who had stepped out of the kitchen for a moment and just come back in. “She’s a sheriff, too, and she’s gonna put out the word that you’re looking for your mom - she won’t be in trouble, but between the sheriffs and the hunters, somebody will find her.”
Maria smiled. “Thank you.”
“See, kid?” said Dean. “All taken care of. Now, let’s eat.”
The pasta was good - not as good as Nona’s had been, but then nothing ever was. Castiel didn’t eat, but nobody said anything, so Maria didn’t, either. Donna kept them all talking, about normal everyday stuff, and Maria almost forgot to worry about her mom until Castiel stood up, suddenly.
“Everything okay, Cas?” asked Sam.
The angel smiled. “Yes. Maria’s mother got the note I left at her motel, and has prayed to me. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll go retrieve her now.”
“She’s okay?” Maria demanded.
He hesitated, then said, “She will be just fine.” Castiel leaned down to kiss Dean briefly, then disappeared.
“She’ll be fine,” Dean repeated.
Maria nodded, but all her worry had come back, full-force, and she hardly dared breathe until Casitel appeared again, just as suddenly - with Maria’s mother.
“Mom!” she cried, launching herself out of her seat.
Mom hugged her tightly. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart,” she said, into Maria’s hair. “The ghost we were hunting was buried way out in the woods, then my phone died, then my car died…”
“It’s okay,” Maria said, hugging back just as hard.
Mom held on for a long moment, then seemed to realize they weren’t alone. “Sorry,” she said, straightening but not letting to completely. “Thank you, um - Whoa!”
Castiel, who had moved back to give them some privacy, stumbled suddenly, bracing his hands on the tabletop to keep from falling.
“I’m fine,” the angel said, smiling at Dean, who had hurried over to him. “I have merely overtaxed my grace. Giovanna required healing before we came back here. Also, I transported her car into the garage, I thought you might be able to fix it for her.”
“I can take a look,” Dean said, glancing over at Mom. He hesitated, then added, “Don’t know how much Cas told you, but you’re welcome to stay as long as you need. Not just now, but anytime. And you’ve managed to come at the one time the Bunker’s practically empty, but we usually have a bunch of rugrats staying here, especially when school’s going.”
“Thank you,” said Mom, again.
Dean smiled. “No problem. You’re probably hungry. Come have some food, then we’ll sort everything out.”
Grinning, Maria joined everyone at the table. With Mom beside her, talking and laughing, the pasta tasted even better than it had before.
THE END
Current Mood:
mellow