Heaven's Child ≫ SPN

19. Permanent Damage

Kevin || Men of Letters Bunker

Kevin didn't have a dad.

Mr.Tran died when Kevin was too young to understand the mysteries of the afterlife. So whenever Kevin asked, "Mom, how come dad isn't here?" Mrs.Tran would have to return with something like, "He's watching you from heaven."

But as the years went by, that answer was becoming less and less satisfying.

"But when's he coming back?"

"Sweetie, he's watching you from heaven. He loves you, isn't that enough?"

"No! I want him to watch my soccer matches like Gage's dad!"

And as Kevin grew even older, he stopped asking about his dad completely. Mrs.Tran was there to watch every soccer game, every piano, cello, and flute recital, every math competition, every spelling bee. She taught Kevin to drive and taught him how to woo the girl he liked. He learned how to properly tie a tire swing, perfectly tie his own tie, and knew how to charm his way out of a parking ticket.

Because even though Kevin didn't have a dad, he had one hell of a mom.

And she died to protect him. After all what she'd sacrificed for him, this is how he repaid her. By getting her kidnapped, tortured, and killed.

"AGH!" Kevin screamed through the tears. His loose grip on the gun tightened as his shaking palm grew slick with sweat. He was in the shooting range, where he usually went to blow off some steam. Boom, boom, boom, nine times in a row his finger pulled the trigger, firing nine perfect bullets in a row before a high pitched whistle began to sound in his ears.

He let his legs give in and he slid to the floor of the shooting range, face to the ceiling, arms free at his sides and his lids came to a close.

****

"Kevin."

Cas hovered over Kevin, a worried expression creasing his forehead. It wasn't the first time Cas found the aching prophet passed out on the floor in the shooting range. But with every time, Cas worried that Kevin wouldn't wake up this time. That his hallucinations finally got the best of him.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah," Kevin's voice was raspy. He cleared his throat and accepted the hand Cas was offering and pulled himself to his feet. "What's up." He tiredly rubbed his eyes and began sluggishly towards the coffee machine in the kitchen.

"Um," Cas felt bad because he can see that Kevin was worn out today, but Kevin was a prophet before he was his friend. For the time being, at least. "I was hoping we could go search for the tablet now."

Silence.

"Kevin."

"Yeah, yeah," Kevin nodded without turning around. "Let me just have this cup and we'll go."

Cas and Kevin || Metadouche Headquarters

"Whoa," Kevin breathed, looking around the room. There was blood, broken furniture and glass, and even a few dead bodies in the reception area. "What is this place?"

"Metatron's study."

"Metatron?"

Cas made a double take at the horrified expression on Kevin's face. "No one came here ever since he died. You don't have to worry."

Kevin nodded to himself, still surveying the place with a slightly panicked expression. "What happened?"

"The angels are fighting each other," Cas sighed. It wasn't the full truth, but it was all Kevin needed to know. "We have to stop them. Can you sense the tablet here?"