And all you're holding onto's slipping like water through your hands...

[hostage]

Who: Jesse Pinkman, Castiel, John Winchester & Mary Winchester
When: After this on Sunday, October 28
Where: Mary's hospital room
Summary: The boys put aside their differences for some faith healing.
Warnings: Jesse and John are in the same room.


[Jesse dials the number over and over again, as if that'll somehow get the guy to pick up. Who knows? Maybe he's just passed out and the sound of the phone will wake him up. The guy's a junkie, Jesse knows that. But he's a junkie with some wicked healing powers and he does whatever Jesse asks. All it takes is a few grand and a phone call.

...Usually.]

God, he's not - Fuck. Come on.

[Jesse slams his NV shut and presses his knuckles to his forehead. He's like that for a long moment, wondering if it's worth it to send a guy out to his healer and have his forcibly dragged here. That could take hours, though. Days, even. For all he knows, the guy's in some crackhouse somewhere.

There's another option, though. One that fills Jesse with dread, because it isn't exactly right. Him. Turning to religion for help. He's already done it once, and Castiel... That's an angel who'd probably cut him down, if the world was all in order and everything was in its place. Like Crowley said.

It's not for Jesse, though. It's for Mary. That has to mean something, right? Or maybe there's something he can do to earn an angel's blessing. He doesn't know. But he takes one look at her and he knows he has to try.

So he shuts his eyes and prays: Castiel. I don't know how this works but Mary needs your help. Please.]

Comments

[ofthursday]

[Castiel had intended to return to help sooner than this.

However, it had taken him some time to recover his energy, and he had also been hesitant to return so quickly in case Raphael hadn't been run off yet. The last thing he wanted was to encounter his brother again so soon, and so he's reading quietly at home when he'd hears the prayer.

He doesn't get many directed at him, here; at least, mot from anyone other than Chuck who tends to use the direct line instead of the NVs. It's a surprise, but it takes only a moment for him to decide to respond, and the prayer works like a homing beacon. In less than a second Castiel is closing his incorporeal wings after appearing from nowhere in a rustle of feathers, still looking a little strange compared to usual in his more casual clothing.]

Hello, Jesse.

[failedparenting]

[While Jesse went to make calls to his "connections", John seized the chance to go clean himself up. The possibility of waking Mary up has him interested in personal hygiene for the first time in days, so he takes the soap and disposable shaving kit he got from downstairs and slips into the bathroom.

He doesn't make it halfway through his face before Castiel decides to crash the party. Oh, good, the angel that hates him for no reason.]

Jesus christ.

[Oh my god no more surprise goddamn angels, please.]

[hostage]

[Jesse jumps in surprise at that... extremely prompt response. Holy shit. He will never get used to that. But he pulls himself together quickly, hands folded and head bowed in gratitude.]

Thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

I need - We need your help. You know, right? That she can't wake up?

[ofthursday]

[Castiel glances briefly toward John--indeed, he's not too fond of the older Winchester, though he's certain the feeling is mutual--then back at Jesse, then around again. He reaches out with his senses this time though, hesitantly, trying to figure out if Raphael is around.

The coast seems to be clear, and so eventually he actually responds to Jesse's question, ignoring John entirely.]

I know. I would have done something sooner, but one of my brothers was being difficult.

[Kind of an understatement, as Castiel had to heal two broken hands and every organ in his abdomen after the encounter, but whatever.]

[failedparenting]

[John finishes his face as fast as he can (and nearly cuts an artery in his hurry), and rushes out into the room proper.

Screw you Cas, you're gonna pay attention to him. Especially now that John's got the angel by the arm.]

Are you gonna help her?

[hostage]

[Jesse's jaw drops when John up and grabs the mass-murdering angel. He opts for something less aggressive, keeping those pleading puppy eyes on Castiel. His hands are still folded like he's ready to drop to his knees in supplication.]

Please.

[ofthursday]

[Castiel really doesn't like being touched or grabbed, but John can't actually hurt him, and he doesn't think he intends to. So Castiel just gives him a dark look, but doesn't bother with any of the threats he wants to rattle off.

Instead he glances from John to Jesse to back.]

Of course, though it will be necessary for you to let go of me to do so.

[In other words, right now, John.]

[failedparenting]

[John's not intimidated by Cas in the slightest anyway, but he still lets go. He's not dumb enough to prevent the man who can fix his wife from actually doing it.]

Good.

[He kind of shoves (gently, mind) the angel in his wife's direction, as if he couldn't find his own way there.]

[hostage]

[Jesse, meanwhile, backs up to give the two of them plenty of space. He wrings his hands nervously, his main concern now being that John is going to do something to fuck this up. Castiel doesn't need him to intervene on his behalf, though. He knows that much.]

[ofthursday]

[Castiel really doesn't appreciate the shove, gentle though it is, and he gives John another scowl. He really feels like reminding the Winchester that Castiel doesn't owe his family everything he does for them, and it wouldn't hurt to not treat him like their personal fix-it button, but that is a discussion for a later time.

So Instead he turns his attention toward Mary, gathering up his grace and closing his eyes for a moment to focus. A gentle touch to her forehead and a channeling of his power and he began to reverse the damage, regenerating cells and putting everything back into order. When she awoke, she would find herself a little stiff perhaps, but otherwise totally normal again.]

She will be fine, when she awakens.

[momchester]

[Speak of the devil, and he will groggily wake up with confused sleepy noises.

As soon as Mary's lights are all on and everyone is home, she sits up very suddenly in bed, gripping the armrails in a moment of panic.]

What- [Then the scene around her registers: the room, the bed, the men and the angel, in arm's reach. She looks at Cas confusedly.]

Am I dreaming?

[Gabriel and Raphael are gone, the beach is gone, the horrible fight that was raging just a moment ago. Castiel looks okay, though- he doesn't look hurt. How long has she been asleep now?]

[failedparenting]

[John's by her side in an instant, grabbing at her hand.

She's awake. She's fine. She's alive.

It's all a little too much for him, being so emotionally ragged as he is, and without his permission a choked sob escapes his lips.]

Mary.

[hostage]

[Jesse's not going to get in the middle of the husband-wife reunion. He stays where he is, although he heaves a huge sigh of relief that sounds a little like "yesssss". With tears in his eyes, he brings his hands together and says a silent prayer of thanks that only Castiel will hear.]

[ofthursday]

You're awake.

[Castiel answers Mary's question before stepping back, out of the way, suddenly feeling more than a little awkward in the whole situation. He hears Jesse's prayer though, and glances toward him with a small nod.]

[momchester]

[She doesn't relax until Cas confirms that she's okay, and even that is marginal- her grip on the armrests loosens, she takes John's hand and bows her head close to his for a private moment of reunion- they exchange a kiss, a set of I love you-s, then she looks up again, confused, still disoriented and angry from the dream before.]

Where are the others? They were here. What day is it?

[failedparenting]

[There's some dim, distant part of his brain that realizes he's crying a little, but he doesn't have time to be embarrassed right no. All he cares about is Mary and her beautiful, blessedly open eyes.]

It's Sunday. You've been under four days.

[hostage]

[Maybe he shouldn't be, but Jesse's surprised to see Mary and John like this. It's way different from the picture he's had painted in his head. Hell, this might actually be the first time he's ever seen them acting like a couple that loves each other.

...Which of course means Jesse, as the homewrecking douchebag, shouldn't be anywhere the fuck near this scene. He can't exactly leave without interrupting them, though, so he stays where he is and rubs at his eyes. He's crying, too, but he's quiet about it.]

[ofthursday]

[Castiel isn't crying, which makes him a little out of place, especially as he doesn't quite get why the other are. So he focuses on Mary's question, in order to actually do something useful.]

I haven't seen Raphael, or Gabriel. I don't know where either is.

[momchester]

[She grips John's hand tighter, so as to not ignore him, and gives Cas a bewildered nod.]

Okay. [Frankly, Mary's head hurts and the dream feels like it's still with her, so she doesn't feel bad about ignoring the children a little bit.] We should- can we talk later?

[She shakes her head, trying to ground herself, then looks around, belatedly noticing Jesse. Wait, Jesse? Why is Jesse here standing three feet away from John, and what reality show are they on?]

What happened?