The Nephilim's Sin

Chapter Eight

Josie takes a moment to look at Asmodeus, taking in the strange but beautiful yellowy amber eyes that she had grown to love.

"What is it, m'amore?"

"Nothing, just glad to see you," Josie says, a closed-mouth smile etched in her features.

"You could see me every day you know," He shoots her a wink, and a blush creeps up her neck.

"I used to see you every day and we both know how that ended."

"That's not what I meant," He says, before locking eyes with her, "Run away with me."

"Run away with you? Asmodeus I can't do that,"

"Why not it's clear that you can't go home based on your packed bags"

"I could go home" Josie retorts, the threat being empty.

"Could you really go home after that argument?" He pushes, and her head snaps up, eyes wide.

"How did you know about that?" She asks, defensive. Asmodeus only cracks a soft grin, his canines looking unpleasantly sharp and shiny in the dim candlelight.

"I know everything," He responds. The edge to his voice makes Josie shift her weight nervously. The warmth surrounding them becomes almost noxious, and she feels herself spilling details without her brain's consent.

"Well, dad is angry," She admits, but then she stops briefly before continuing, "But pops would take me back, and Uncle Cas and Dean would let me back in the bunker." 

Asmodeus stays silent, his face twisted into what looks like thought. His face finally unravels, and he says, "I could give you some insight on that, actually."

"What do you mean?"

He doesn't respond verbally; he only snatches a clean plate and waves his hand over it. Colours begin to blur and mingle, and she sees a watery image of her father in the bunker library. The books look as rustic as ever, and Josie feels a pang in her stomach. Sam puts his beer down as Gabriel comes in and sits on the table next to the books sprawled out over the space. He mutters, "I have some tricks up my sleeve. Watch,"

"Heyo Samsquatch!" Gabriel sings out, laying over top of his books. Sam swats at him, although there's no real malice behind it.

"Dad's not mad anymore," Josie notices as Asmodeus shushes her, gesturing for her to continue watching.

"Gabe, what do you want?" Sam asks, straightening out the books Gabriel had done a nice job of screwing up, "If it's about the fight, I said I forgave you."

"Not about that," Gabriel says, tone softening. Sam closes his current read and looks up at him with those familiar hazel eyes, "Do you think Josie is okay?"

Sam pauses for a moment, looking away. Then he looks back up, answer in mind, "She'll come around eventually."

Gabriel seems to almost immediately snap out of his worried shell, seemingly back to his old self, "You're right, she's a big girl!" He then proceeds to flop back onto the books.

The sickly hyperactive tone in her father's voice makes her stomach churn.

The bunker door opens and closes, before Dean and Castiel clank down the stairs, looking completely wrecked. It's Dean who speaks first, "No dice."

Gabriel and Sam look to Dean with twin expressions, "Dean, it doesn't matter. She'll be okay on her own."

Castiel moves to shoot Dean a glance, but it's not returned.

"Then we should enjoy kid-free life while it lasts," Dean says, toeing off his boots and grabbing the tablet from the table, "Finally can watch Doctor Sexy without your daughter up my ass about it."

Sam laughed and Castiel shrugged gently, tugging at Dean's sleeve and pulling him back towards the hallway. Dean lets Castiel drag him down the hallway and out of sight.

Sam turned back to Gabriel, a soft smile as the picture become wavy, and then disappears.

Josie is still staring at the plate with wide eyes, even minutes after the picture disappeared.

"They they just forgot about me. They didn't even care that much," her eyes are still fixated on the plate.

"They assume you would have left anyway, considering most children leave after eighteen." He says, putting the plate down. Her eyes snap up to his, and he has a soft look plastered on his face.

"Where would we go?" she asks  still not quite convinced.

"Well I heard Florence is nice this time of year," Asmodeus says, a satisfied grin on his face. He takes her hands into his, and the smile drops, "We can go wherever you'd like."

"Anywhere?"

He nods softly, bringing up her hand to kiss it gently.

"Well I guess Scotland country sides would be nice"

He smiles into her hand, eyes sparkling, "Scotland it is then,"

"Well I'm still not sure"

His eyes shift to that of worry and impatience, "Why's that?"

"What if my parents do want me back?"

Asmodeus chuckles and Josie feels sick yet again, "Sweetheart, didn't you see? The plate visual showed you no lies."

"But- you're right they clearly don't want me" Josie pauses and grabs her bag "Promise you love me?"

"Of course," Asmodeus replied, not missing a beat.

"Well then I guess I could-"

Josie sees a series of bright, yellow orange lights mingled with sheer white before the double doors are kicked down, and there stands Dean, with Castiel behind him. The bodies of every demon in the building are laying on the ground behind them, pools of deep crimson rippling from beneath some.

"Josie!" Dean ushers Castiel in, and they both turn to Asmodeus with twin looks of anger. Dean surges forward, "You son of a bitch, get off her!" He gruffs out, before grabbing them and peeling their intertwined hands apart.

"Uncle Dean?!" Josie yells, flabbergasted, "What are you doing here?"

It wasn't Dean that answered, but Castiel, "We're here to take you back," Castiel pauses, before rewording the sentence; "We're here to take you home."

Josie looks at her uncles, teary eyed "Home? But I- but I thought you didn't want me at the bunker?"

Dean looked like he was just punched in the gut, "Who the hell told you that-" He asked, before looking to Asmodeus. He moved forward, robotically wrapping his hands around Asmodeus' throat.

Castiel grabs Dean's collar and yanked him back, before taking his place to distract Asmodeus with the silver fork he had just grabbed off the table.

"Uncle Cas stop! He's not worth it! Let's just go home" Josie yells, tired and craving to lay in her bed.

It was now Dean's turn to peel Castiel off of Asmodeus, who layed there struggling with the fork sticking out of his chest. Cas created a blanket from thin air and wrapped it around Josie's shoulders, and Dean and Castiel ushered Josie out of the warehouse and into the car.

She was asleep in the backseat before the Impala roared to life.