Demonic business arrangements (closed RP, Sam & Dean Winchester, Castiel)

[hunter-returns.livejournal.com]

Cas, got a minute? I have something I need to talk to you about. I'm over in Ravenclaw
-Sam

I talked to him Dean. Meet me over in Ravenclaw?

Comments

[nerdofthelord.livejournal.com]

Castiel arrived in the bar a short time later, somewhat apprehensive at the choice of venue.

Things were a little calmer in the wake of his conversation (http://hogwarts-hocus.livejournal.com/2022051.html) with Gabriel and Death's visit (http://hogwarts-hocus.livejournal.com/2022313.html) with Sookie, but they didn't yet have an answer, and there were moments when the ominous reality of their situation threatened to overturn that calm. He'd resolutely avoided drowning his anxiety in alcohol, as tempting a prospect as it was. He hoped whatever Sam needed to talk about didn't keep him here long.

"Hello, Sam," he said when he spotted the young man, walking over to where he sat. "What did you need?"

[hunter-returns.livejournal.com]

Sam looked up at the sound of the angel's arrival. Before he had left for the bar, Sookie had given him a somewhat vague admonishment to take it a little easy on Cas, which only left him more curious as far as what was going on with his friend.

"Hey Cas, sorry," he said automatically, feeling like the was tearing the angel away from something important. There was also more than a little lingering guilt following his latest screwup (http://hogwarts-hocus.livejournal.com/2019688.html?thread=113859432#t113859432) "I talked to Crowley. I was hoping to get a, ah, second opinion on what he offered. It's.. well.."

Sam slid the manila folder over towards the angel. He'd read over the contents of it dozens of times already, leaving notes alongside clauses he felt needed tweaking and hoped that a fresh set of eyes would help him spot any loopholes that needed closing.

He nodded his thanks to a house elf who delivered a pair of beers to the bar regulars and cracked his open.

[nerdofthelord.livejournal.com]

Truth be told, Cas had nearly forgotten about that incident. He'd heard Sam's apology that day, seen that the boy had sorted things out with the others and considered the matter closed. And he wasn't so much busy with anything important as just...distracted.

Nevertheless, he took a seat and opened the folder, rapidly skimming through the contents. "It's fine. ...this doesn't look like a standard Hell-issue contract." Not that he was an expert, but he'd seen a few in his time. They usually tended more toward the carven-in-flesh or written-with-blood end of the spectrum than neatly typewritten on standard legal paper.

[hunter-returns.livejournal.com]

"I know," he said, leaning forward. "That's what's so odd about all of this. This isn't a contract for my soul. Crowley.. wants me to work for him. He said he wants to sort out Hell, turn it into a place where souls can work off their evil until they're ready to move on to Heaven. No attacks on Creation, no war on Heaven, nothing like that.

"He wants me to take over the Crossroads. Cas, I could save a lot of people from making deals they don't have any business making. I could save souls from getting trapped in Hell where they don't belong."

And Sam wanted to help, to save people. It was as ingrained in him as breathing. But working on a cosmic scale like this made him feel more than a little out of his element. He took a swallow from his beer before continuing.

"Lorne said I could help balance out Hell. Make it into what it was supposed to be, not what Lucifer twisted it into."

[nerdofthelord.livejournal.com]

Intrigued, but suspicious by reflex, Cas continued reading. "That would line up with what he told me about Heaven," he noted. "There's a certain...homeostasis, almost, to the way the planes operate. If one undergoes a major shift the other will inevitably follow suit. And I'm familiar with the concept Lorne proposes. The true purpose of Hell has been debated for a very long time..."

He read through the document, occasionally stopping to clarify a point with Sam concerning what he and Crowley had discussed. It took some time, and the convoluted language wasn't always easy to follow. But when he'd got through it all, he closed the folder and said, "I'm not a legal expert, Sam, but I actually don't see anything in this that strikes me as too objectionable. Which makes me wonder just what game Crowley is playing."

He paused, then added, "Of course, even if he's completely on the level, everything hinges on his ability to seize and hold control of Hell in the face of what is likely to be some fairly ruthless competition. If he was overthrown, I doubt any other demon could be counted on to honor a contract of this nature."

[hunter-returns.livejournal.com]

And for that observation alone, Sam was grateful he had thought to check with Castiel. "Thanks Cas." He added a brief note at the end of the paperwork, underlining it. If something went wrong, he'd want an out, some way to make sure he wasn't indefinitley bound to Hell. The contract would have to be contingent on the demon keeping and holding power.

Sam tapped his pen, thinking. He might even help Crowley.. on a limited basis to make sure he stayed in power. After all, it'd be a hell of a lot better than another demon like Lilith rising to power with the sole intent of letting Lucifer out again.

"So you think it's possible? That while Heaven balances itself out, Hell does too? If I can help keep souls out of Hell that don't belong.. deals like that Dean and Dad made, they won't happen again. Good people won't wind up there. Like Adam," he added with a sigh.

[nerdofthelord.livejournal.com]

"It's certainly not inconceivable." Not that Heaven would be doing anything itself, but he knew what Sam meant. "And I understand how you feel. When my brothers and I stormed Hell to rescue Dean, I know that we passed by others who were deserving of rescue." He shook his head regretfully. "We hadn't the numbers or the time to bring them out as well."

He shrugged slightly. "I think it would be worth doing, Sam...if you're very certain that it's what you want, and that you can rely on Crowley to hold up his end of the bargain. I'll admit I'd rather see him in power than some unknown quantity. He may be self-serving, but at least we understand his motives, and they're not at cross-purposes to our own."

[hunter-returns.livejournal.com]

It was something worth doing. As far as whether or not he wanted it? Hogwarts had given them all a desperately needed break in the action, and as much as he'd like to be done with the whole mess, Sam knew that simply wasn't for them. Any of them.

"He wants me to help him with this. If he didn't, I think it'd be a standard soul contract. But springing Adam, letting me visit home? Ten years and I walk? I might not trust him, but I think he wants this badly enough that I can at least work with him."

Sam frowned, "That's if Dean would even want to see me," he muttered, almost to himself.

He wasn't sure his brother was going to understand, or even want to see him if he went through with it. Ruby had nearly shattered their relationship, and again, he was choosing to work with a demon. Granted, the relationship was far more businesslike, but he also couldn't count on his brother to look at this objectively.

But he had Cas. Cas could look out for Dean in the meantime.

Sam glanced back at the table and the untouched beer in front of the angel. "Cas.. are you all right?"

[nerdofthelord.livejournal.com]

Cas averted his gaze. The distraction of the contract had actually turned out to be a welcome one, something he could focus on to the exclusion of all else for a while; even ignoring the beer hadn't been too difficult. Now that the subject had changed, the tension of his own uneasy situation came creeping over him again.

"I'm fine," he said. "Just...dealing with a few personal issues."

[hunter-returns.livejournal.com]

Yeah, fine. Cas was a rotten liar. Sam closed the folder and set his pen aside. All he had to do was go over everything with Dean and he'd contact Crowley to set the final deal in motion. But he could focus on that later. Right now it looked like something was troubling his friend.

"Um, you and Death.. you guys are okay, right? Is there anything we can do?"

[nerdofthelord.livejournal.com]

Cas nodded slightly. "We are. It's just..." Perhaps it would be all right to share the secret. Sam wasn't one to judge or berate others for their failings, and Castiel knew he could trust the man's discretion. Maybe he'd even help run interference with the others.

He glanced around the room and lowered his voice a bit. "There was an incident with a miscast spell several days ago," he explained. "Somehow it rendered her temporarily mortal, which would not be a great issue in itself..." He exhaled resignedly. He was past the stage of panic now, but still annoyed with himself. "But we were a bit careless, and...there's a possibility that she could be with child.

"Please don't say anything to Dean or Bobby," he added. His hard-won state of relative calm might not survive the kind of commentary they were likely to offer.

[hunter-returns.livejournal.com]

Sam sat back, stunned. Death was mortal and she might be pregnant?

He ruthlessly shoved back the overwhelming swell of relief at Cas’s confidence. It explained the tests he’d seen in Sookie’s room.

“Yeah, Cas. I won’t say anything to them, don’t worry,” he assured him. It was taking him some time to wrap his mind around the fact that Cas might be a father. Sam took a brief swallow of his beer, giving him a moment to think. “So other than being mortal and maybe.. she’s okay?”

“I’m, ah, guessing this isn’t exactly a happy surprise,” he ventured slowly.

“Look, if there’s anything you guys need, anything at all I can do, just let me know. Dean’s a nosy son of a bitch, but I think I can keep him busy enough that he’ll leave you guys alone,” he offered.

[nerdofthelord.livejournal.com]

"Thank you. She's as well as can be expected." He frowned slightly. "Though I'm not sure she's eating as well as she should be." It seemed to him as if less chocolate and more actual food might be called for, but he was far from any kind of expert on the matter and it seemed to help her cope.

He sat back, reaching for his own beer without thinking. "I...don't know," he admitted, shaking his head. "We don't even know yet whether anything's happened. If it has..." He caught himself and set the bottle aside again with a sigh, rubbing his forehead.

"I can't say the idea is altogether displeasing," he admitted slowly. "Gabriel, of all people, reminded me that life is a gift, not a thing to be feared. But seeing it through to the end, then keeping the child safe, would be an incredibly complicated proposition. And dangerous, for both of them." He gave Sam a somewhat discouraged look. "It's not something I would have chosen to enter into casually if I'd been paying attention as I should. Or right now, likely, given what may lie ahead."

[hunter-returns.livejournal.com]

"Well, no," he agreed. "It's not something anyone decides lightly, but sometimes accidents do happen. And if something did happen, we'll all be there to help. We'll do everything we can to keep all three of you safe."

Sam shook his head. "Too much stress can screw with your appetite, and I'm pretty sure that this qualifies. I wouldn't worry too much about it, I'm sure Death will be fine."

Cas as a father. The idea was going to take some getting used to.

"I won't say anything to Dean or Bobby," he reiterated. "But if it turns out she is.. just let us know what you need. We'll help."

[nerdofthelord.livejournal.com]

If it would take getting used to for Sam, it had Cas completely flummoxed. "I appreciate that. Chances are you understand what we'd need better than we do." And yes, he said that taking into account that Sam was a young bachelor with zero parenting experience. "We've been going through books on the subject, but it's difficult to make much sense of them when neither of us understands many of the terms used."

It also didn't help matters that some of those books outlined the number of things that could go wrong with even an ordinary human pregnancy in distressing detail. Knowing that most of them were comparatively rare was small comfort, especially when Death had seen the outcome of such cases firsthand too many times to count.

He glanced at the unopened bottle of beer, and pushed it across the table toward Sam. "For the time being, I'd be grateful if you'd remind me now and again that the answers we're seeking are unlikely to be found at the bottom of a bottle."

[hunter-returns.livejournal.com]

"Yeah Cas, anything you guys need. Doesn't matter how odd the question might be, just let me know and I'll help. Books can only get you so far."

He rubbed the back of his neck with a slightly sad smile. "It's a shame Dad isn't here, firsthand experience and all. But I'll do whatever I can to help."

While he didn't know that much about pregnancy aside from what he picked up here and there, he could always do a quick look around the library and help break down the more complicated stuff for his friends. He'd done research on the supernatural, he could certainly research a more mundane, but no less intimidating prospect for them.

Sam took the bottle and placed it on another table. "Sure can, Cas."

[nerdofthelord.livejournal.com]

Castiel nodded somberly in agreement. John Winchester had had a way with children, as he had cause to know, and had been through something like this at least twice. His advice would have been very welcome. But he'd joined the ranks of the popcorned (whatever that really meant) some time since, and Cas hoped he'd found some measure of the peace that had eluded him in his former life.

"I keep wondering," he said after a few moment's contemplative silence, "what kind of father I would be. And it occurs to me that I'm not even sure what constitutes a good versus a poor one." He could say any number of things about the Creator he'd never met, as Sam or Dean could about John, but none of them had been called upon to make the particular choices that faced their own sires. Would they have done any better? Or merely succeeded and failed in differing ways?

"The one thing I know with certainty I do not want to be--to this or to any child I might have, ever--is absent," he added, brow furrowed. "And I can't even be certain of that much."

[hunter-returns.livejournal.com]

Sam regretted his father’s disappearance, regretted the fact that they hadn’t had time to talk the way that he wanted to. “I know that Dad tried,” he said slowly.

“His choices might not have always been the best, but I know he loved us. He wanted to keep us safe. If you want an example of what a good father should be, look at Bobby. He’s been like a second father to us since we were little.”

Sam smiled, picturing the angel holding a small bundle in his arms. “I think you’d make a great father, Cas. You’re in love with Death, and she’s in love with you. As many times as you’ve found a way to help me and Dean – you’ll find a way to be there for your child.”

“And as odd as it sounds, Hogwarts would be a pretty safe place to have a baby. None of the trouble back home could get to any of you here. I know the Hat’s a capricious flake, but he’s not a dick, even he wouldn’t separate a family like that. If Death is pregnant, maybe we can talk to him, see if he can keep all of you here for awhile?”

[nerdofthelord.livejournal.com]

Cas nodded slowly. He'd told John Winchester that the man hadn't failed his sons, and he'd meant it; though manifestly flawed as any human, they had both grown to be strong, capable men of integrity. He also respected Bobby enormously, and had on occasion turned to the man himself for the kind of advice he thought a father might give. As role models went, he could certainly do worse.

As for trying his best, well, that was a foregone conclusion. To do any less would be nothing short of criminal, at least in his opinion. He smiled slightly at Sam's compliment. "Thank you for the vote of confidence, Sam, I appreciate that." He wasn't sure he shared the sentiment, but hearing it voiced by someone whose opinion he valued was reassuring.

To have a baby. Oddly enough, in all the careful, circuitous talking he and Death had done since the matter had arisen, he didn't think either of them had put it quite that way. It sounded so charmingly simple and ordinary.

He wasn't as certain as Sam seemed to be of the hat's willingness (or in fact, even its ability) to accommodate them, but the killing of the terrorbear had seemed to impress the peculiar creature mightily. He supposed it couldn't hurt to ask. "If it turns out there is a need, that's probably not a bad idea," he said.

[hunter-returns.livejournal.com]

Sam grinned, leaning back. "And if the little version of you was any indication, it'd be a damned cute kid."

He drained his beer and set it aside. "Just think of all the uncles that are going to be looking out for your child, Cas. Not what you'd call the most traditional of families, but we'd always be around to help take care of it."

"Well, I mean, if it turns out that way," he concluded, a little lamely. They still didn't know after all.

[nerdofthelord.livejournal.com]

Cas shot him a look, wondering for a moment if he was being mocked, but he saw nothing but good-natured camaraderie in Sam's expression, so he inclined his head slightly without comment. He hadn't actually stopped to look in any mirrors during that incident, and had no idea what he might have looked like. He'd have to take Sam's word for it.

The thought of a child (any child) growing up surrounded by doting Winchesters-and-company did force him to smile, however. "At least I would never need to worry whether my offspring could defend himself. Or herself," he said drily.

That always gave him pause, however. Barring catastrophe, Castiel himself would long outlive all his friends. There was no guarantee that his child would be likewise immortal; what little precedent he and Death could come up with for either of their kind gave them no better an answer than 'maybe.' He wasn't sure how either of them would handle that.

He shook his head, casting off such introspection. He was getting too far ahead of himself, and had been for days, despite knowing how little point there was to such speculation right now. "If it does," he acknowledged. "We should know before long, by one means or another, I think."

[hunter-returns.livejournal.com]

Like both Castiel and Death, Sam found himself a little torn on the prospective news. It'd be nice to see Cas happy, with a family of his own. God knows he deserved it.

But it was also fraught with risks. They had just ended the Apocalypse, which was liable to make them all pretty big targets whenever they went back. And could Death even stay mortal for that long?

"I hope it's not much longer. We'll all be here for you and Death.. either way it all works out."

Because that's what families did.

[i-shot-a-dick.livejournal.com]

Dean got the owl, he didn't bother sending one back. Not that he usually did any way, so Sam would most likely just be expecting him to show up. He wasn't sure if he was ready to hear any of this and as the hunter made his way over to the bar he braced for the worst.

Sam had talked to Crowley, Dean was about to find out his fate really, because it all hinged on what happened to his brother. Given a choice, Dean would stay by Sam's side. But would he get that choice this time, he didn't know.

He tried to stay calm, to keep his face even as he stepped in to the bar.

"Heya Sammy." He said as he took a seat across from his brother, he needed a beer or maybe some good hard booze.

[hunter-returns.livejournal.com]

Sam looked up as Dean entered the bar. Apprehension was written into every inch of him, how he stood, the way he looked around for a drink. He smiled easily. While he didn’t expect his brother to love the terms, he might find them far easier to swallow than a standard soul contract. “Dean, dude. Relax. It’s not a contract, he doesn’t want my soul. It’s just a job.”

He slid the manila folder over towards his brother, indicating where he and Cas had already made a few additional notes to the highly convoluted language. “He springs Adam from Hell, I work for him for ten years, reorganizing the Crossroads division. Dean, anyone who doesn’t belong down there that hasn’t been broken, I can send them home. No more desperate, good people winding up in Hell. I can make this work, I can do it.”

Before Dean could object, he pointed to a few paragraphs he had already circled. “Look. He spelled it out clear as day. Ten years Earth time and I can walk away free and clear. I can go home. In that time, I can even visit you guys, or bring you a job if there’s a demon that needs taking out.”

“There’s no more war on Creation, Dean. No fighting. No trying to take Heaven out or let Lucifer go again. Things can start balancing themselves out. As long as Crowley can hang on to power, I can do this.” Sam really believed that he could help, that he could make things better, even in Hell. And he wouldn’t be separated from his family forever. Ten years. They could do that.

[i-shot-a-dick.livejournal.com]

It wasn't a bad deal, not by any means. But, it was still a deal, with a demon and as much as he didn't want it to, it stung. His first response was automatic, he didn't even think about it, he just opened his mouth and it came out "S'what, I'm supposed to just bum a bed from Bobby or maybe your new girl for ten years and twiddle my thumbs?"

"Damn it, Sammy..." He hadn't meant to say that, he had not meant to lash out and the hunter snagged the newly arrived beer and downed nearly half of it. He had to compose himself and when he finally did, Dean looked at Sam.

"You think you can trust him, to hold up his end? He's an underhanded bastard, Sammy." This was better than what they had been facing, but Dean could not help the part of him that was wary. Even if Cas was agreeing to this, Dean was more apt to mistrust, because with Sam gone, he lost every thing.

[hunter-returns.livejournal.com]

He winced at the force in his brother's words, the anger. "Dean, it's ten years. Ten years and both me and Adam will be able to walk out of Hell. Cas won't have to risk his life trying to get us out." Never mind the fact that the angel might be a father. He'd not see his friend lose a chance at that on his account.

"No contracts, no soul exchanges. And I'll be able to make sure that good people don't wind up in Hell. What happened to you, to Dad, it doesn't have to happen ever again."

"Dude, I'm not stupid. Of course I don't trust him. But he wants me to do this. This deal, I can word it right. I can make sure that if something happens, I get out. If he doesn't succeed in holding Hell, I get out. If he tries to go back on his word, I get out."

Sam leaned forward, eager and earnest as ever. "Dean, it's not forever. I'll be able to visit. When it's over, I can go home."

[i-shot-a-dick.livejournal.com]

It was that initial shock and as Sam came talking, the look in his eyes, the desperation in his voice. Dean could see it all, Sam needed him to support him in this. Hadn't Dean swore he wasn't his dad, he wasn't going to make those mistakes.

The hunter slammed the last of his beer and gestured for another. It was hard to talk, ten years was a long time when you were the one sitting top side, waiting for your family to come home.

"We're goin' over that thing with a fine tooth comb, Bobby's gonna look at it to. You got that Sammy, we ain't gonna give the snake tongued bastard an inch of room for a loophole."

It was hard to accept, hard to bite back that anger. But in the end, this was a better chance than the alternative. This was better than agreeing to let his brother dive in to the pit with no way to ever come back.

[hunter-returns.livejournal.com]

Sam all but flinched as his brother slammed down the beer angrily. He needed Dean to do this with him, he needed him to understand, but he couldn’t force the issue. The younger Winchester nodded, “I was going to show it to Bobby too.”

“Dean, this is the only way. Things will finally work out for us. Look, I don’t regret jumping to save you. And if I can do this, I can save Adam and keep me out of Hell. You’re not going to be alone for those years. I’ll still be able to visit you. I won’t leave you alone, I promise.”

He gave a half-shrug. “And.. I can do some real good while I’m there. I can try and help people. It’s what we’ve always done, right?”

“I need you with me on this Dean,” he said quietly. “Please.”

[i-shot-a-dick.livejournal.com]

"I get it, Sammy, alright, I get it. We just ain't goin' in half cocked, got it." His voice said it all, he was resigned to this. Because, it was their best option and in the end, he just didn't want to lose Sam for good.


"Yeah, just don't bring any of the locals home with you." The hunter cracked, it was his way of covering up the well of emotion that surged through him when Sam promised he wouldn't leave him alone. He knew that, if Sam had the option to be with him, he would. It didn't make this any easier knowing that though.

"Yeah, you'll do great Sammy, I know it."

When Sam said that, Dean looked up, all his pain, all his worry didn't fade, but it paled in comparison to that request from his brother "I got your back, remember, we go down, we go down together." He smiled, not that cocky grin but a genuine smile.

[hunter-returns.livejournal.com]

It was a tremendous relief to hear that from his brother. He didn't expect Dean to like it, but his support meant everything. Naturally there was a little crack in there, but it was how Dean was.

"We're not going down this time, dude. This time we're going to make it work and we're all walking out free and clear. This wasn't Adam's fight, and he should go where he belongs."

He fiddled with the label on his beer bottle. "I know ten years is a long time. But I'll come back as often as I can, Dean. I promise."

[i-shot-a-dick.livejournal.com]

Dean hated it, but he was going to back Sam up. He knew when his brother's mind was made up and if supporting him was what he had to do to save Sam, then he'd do it. It was a lot less than the prices he had paid and would pay again if necessary.

"You tell the kid yet? How you think he's gonna take it?" Dean saw a good portion of that stubborn Winchester streak in Adam and he wasn't sure the kid would be okay with what Sam was doing, at least not at first.

"You got a point though, too bad we couldn't get the kid his mom back, he's gonna be on his own, Sam." Dean hadn't thought of that till right then, Adam was being saved from hell, but he was also facing a world with no one. That seemed unfair too.

When Sam started fidgeting with his label, Dean grinned and reached over to clap a hand over his shoulder "Damn right you will, I expect lots of booze and porn for Christmas, make up for you leavin' me topside to do all the dirty work."

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So long as Dean was at his back, it was all right. He’d have Bobby look the paperwork over and talk to Crowley to make the final deal. He didn’t really want to work for a demon, but he could sacrifice ten years of hard work – and he would work hard to make it all balance out – for the sake of both Adam and his family’s peace.

Sam shrugged a little. It was not a conversation he was looking forward to having with Adam. “He’s not alone Dean. He’s got us. We’re the only family he’s got, and he doesn’t exactly seem to hate being around us anymore. But it’s my decision to do this, I’ll talk to him about it.”

He chuckled at that. “All the dirty Christmases and birthdays you can handle, dude. Promise.”

[i-shot-a-dick.livejournal.com]

Truth be told this was probably one of the better deals the Winchesters had ever made with a demon. But, Dean couldn't stop the nagging part of him that told the hunter he was walking right back in to that same routine that he and Sam had tried so hard to stop.

But how could he look at his brother's face right now and say any of that out loud. Sam was hopeful and Dean was just hoping that all of this worked out the way he saw it. "I'll keep an eye on the kid, if he'll let me."

Dean flashed that wide cocky grin at that "Damn right. Ain't no way I can go back to Lisa and Ben, not if I'm goin' back in to the life. Gonna have to hit the road, on my own when you're not around."

[hunter-returns.livejournal.com]

Sam didn't like the idea of Dean hitting the road on his own, but he knew his brother would be all right. "And you won't be alone. Bobby'll be there, Cas will too. And I'll check in as often as I can, Dean. Promise."

"I'll talk to Adam. He's a good guy, and having family around might be a welcome change for him."