Strings Attached

Chapter 41

When Castiel decided not to go to the game, he hadn't quite thought it through. As always, Michael is studying, which makes Castiel wonder what types of things he's learning at college. Lucifer is taking a nap, and Anna and Samandriel are doing homework. With Gabriel at the football game, as well as all Castiel's friends, he doesn't have anything to do. He debates texting Kevin, who isn't going to the game, but he's doing homework.

What did he used to do when he was alone like this, which was basically all the time? Right, guitar. He can't really do that anymore. He doesn't even remember how he ever did.

So now what can he do? Maybe he could go bother Chuck. No, he's busy doing something. Writing a book, probably. Why does everyone have to be busy right now? Ugh, this isn't fair.
He gets a phone call from Charlie, so he answers it quickly. He needs something to do, bad he's not wasting any time.

"Hello?"

A chorus of 'hello's comes through the phone, and Castiel instantly knows he's on speaker.

"We decided to make you come with us!" Garth tells him. "Not literally, of course, but until the game starts, you're stuck with us."

"Good," Castiel replies. "I'm bored."

"That's a first," Gabriel says with a laugh.

"It's not my fault I can't play guitar anymore," Castiel says defensively.

"Four more weeks!" Gabriel reminds him.

"Ooh, four weeks 'til what?" Charlie asks.

"'Til Castiel gets his casts off and can walk again!" Gabriel says, sounding more excited for it than Castiel.

"Ooh, fun!" Charlie replies.

"Are you sure you don't want us to FaceTime you with the game?" Garth asks.

"I'm sure."

"You're gonna miss out," Sam warns him.

"I'm sure I'll live."

"You better live," Charlie replies. "Cuz otherwise we got a ghost on our hands."

"Get the salt!" Dean yells. Wait, why's Dean there? It takes Castiel a moment to remember that it was Sam that picked them up, so Dean must be with them. Castiel is sure that's not going to go over well if his teammates see it.

"Why salt?" Kevin asks.

"I don't know," Dean admits. "It's some web series Sam and I found. Ghostfacers, or something like that."

"That sounds horrible," Gabriel tells him.

"It is," Sam confirms.

"That's why we watched it," Dean adds.

"What is it?" Garth asks curiously.

"These idiots go around and try to find ghosts," Dean tells him.

"It's, like, Ed, Harry, Corbett, Spruce, um..."

"And Maggie and Amber," Dean finishes. "Dude, you got everyone but the girls. How do you even do that?"

Someone coughs, which sounds shockingly like "Sabriel." Smooth, Charlie. Smooth. Not.

"Charlie!" Sam says, clearly not thrilled that she brought it up.

"What, Sabriel?" Dean says with a laugh. "That's possibly the worst ship name ever. Except you and Jess. Jam or Sass. Yeah, no. I like Destiel more, honestly."

"You realize Castiel is listening, right?" Charlie reminds him.

"Yeah. Hey, Cas. But I'm talking about the ship name, not the ship itself. Although I'm sure you two are cute together or whatever you call couples these days."

"Wait, you know about...?" Sam says in surprise.

"Obviously," Dean replies. "You really don't hide it well."

"But no one else —"

"No one else spends just about all day with you," Dean reminds him. "No, they don't know. Relax."

"Hey, eyes on the road, big guy!" Charlie yells.

"Chill," Dean says with a laugh. "I'm not going to crash."

"How do you know? You're not even looking at the road!"

"I am," Dean replies defensively. "Besides, I drive Baby like this all the time, and I've yet to crash."

"'Baby'?" Gabriel echoes.

"The car," Sam clarifies. "He never named a stuffed animal, but the car, yeah, she needs a name." Castiel can practically hear him roll his eyes.

"I never had a stuffed animal," Dean reminds him.

"Oh, true," Sam replies. "But yeah. He calls the car 'Baby.'"

"Because that's not weird," Charlie says sarcastically.

"Don't worry, Baby. She didn't mean it."

Everyone in the car laughs. After a moment, Sam adds for Castiel's benefit, "Dean's petting the car."

Castiel feels like he has to say something funny now. He's been singled out. It's his turn. What should he say? Um... Um...

"I'm not surprised. He has an odd fascination with the thing."

"She is not a thing!" Dean protests. "She's my perfect car. Don't judge."

"You know what's sad is that your car is actually better than your friends," Sam says.

"The Impala is better than everyone," Dean replies.

"I thought it was 'Baby,'" Charlie says, confused.

"Yeah, but she's an Impala," Dean clarifies. "1967 Chevy Impala, to be exact."

"Wow, that's old," Garth observes. 

"But she's still alive and kicking."

"Yeah, barely," Sam says with a chuckle. "The number of times you've had to fix her up..."

"I'm not giving up on her," Dean says. "Not 'til she's dead and can't come back."

"Even then you'll probably be working on her all day," Sam adds.

"Probably," Dean agrees.

"What's up with you and the car?" Garth asks.

"She's perfection," Dean replies. "Plain and simple."

"She's a car," Charlie says.

"A perfect car."

"No, she's really not," Charlie replies.

"I call a vote!" Dean announces. "Who likes my car?"

The finally vote ends up being Dean and Garth that like it and Sam, Gabriel, and Charlie that don't have the same attachment to it. Garth probably just said it to get on Dean's good side, and Sam probably said it to annoy his brother, but no one points that out.

"Cas, help me out," Dean says. "Impala, yay or nay?"

"Castiel isn't even here," Charlie reminds him. "That's cheating."

"I've been in the car before," Castiel tells her. "And I will admit, I kinda like it."

"Dammit, now we're tied," Charlie complains.

"I don't think the point of this was to find a winner," Garth says. "I think it was just to take a poll."

"Basically," Dean agrees. "Alright, we're here. I gotta run. See ya."

Castiel can hear the sound of a car door open and close quickly, and he knows Dean is long gone before anyone else is even preparing to leave.

"Wow, great talking to you, too," Charlie says sarcastically.

"He just doesn't want to be seen with us," Sam tells her. "Got his reputation to uphold and stuff. Hey, Castiel, you coming to the game with us? Phone wise?"

"No," Castiel replies. "I'll pass. But thanks. Bye, guys. Have fun."

And they do, and make sure to tell Castiel every single thing he missed out on later because that's what friends do.