Splatter

25. The Changeling 2725

* * *
1 HOUR

* * *

No one bothered Dean as he walked through the doors of MAPS headquarters. They were on skeleton staff in clearance anyway, with anyone who had a basic patching certificate out doing damage remediation.

Garth looked like he was going to say something consoling as Dean approached the security gate. Dean gave him a glare and he flinched, opening the door to the detention tank with a weak wave.

Jody was leaning against the door with a cup of coffee and a bagful of donuts. Donna was suspended so Dean guessed Jody had to finish up her stash of powdered, jam filled, sugary heaven.

"I just clocked off," Jody shrugged, taking the key pass off her neck and tossing it at Dean.

Dean pocketed the keys and endured more sympathetic looks from his colleagues as he made his way to the cell unhindered.

Bobby was standing in the room just outside the locked isolation room. He checked his phone and sighed.

"It's holding up for now, but it'll takes days to get it stable. There's about 2 miles of perimeter under threat. Though turns out the marine activists bought up most of that land months ago and the Mer Embassy is right in the middle of it too. Funny that. If you look on a map, a breeze comes through and it goes down, we'll get a direct opening between the beach and all the way to the swamps," Bobby crossed arms. "You got any theories why your husband is mixed up in this?"

When Dean stayed silent, Bobby huffed. "The politicians are baying for blood, Mayor Roman especially. He's asked for my best Mer experts to conduct the 'interrogation'. And apparently the best man I have for that job is you."

Dean made a face, his voice when he finally spoke was hoarse. "Yeah, I appreciate the irony."

"You got this?" Bobby looked skeptical.

"Thought you had a press conference to give?"

Bobby opened his mouth as if he wanted to say more but eventually he settled for bumping his fist on Dean's arm and leaving.

The pass in Dean's hand gave him no holds barred access. The final door slid open and Dean could see Castiel sitting behind the glass cell wall. His eyes stormy as he looked up at Dean.

"Some prince you turned out to be," Dean said.

He supposed it started with Jack.

* * * 

24 HOURS

* * *

"Castiel! And Dean!" Kelly's face lit up with delight. The restaurant was crowded enough that their arrival had not drawn too much attention.

Jack beamed hugely, a party hat with Sakura print on it perched on his head. "You said he was too busy to come to my birthday dinner."

Dean looked at Castiel askance, Castiel inclined his head awkwardly. "We uh did not bring a gift."

"Your presence is a delightful surprise, for both of us, there's no need for a present ..." Kelly's smile was getting smaller as she took in Castiel urgent demeanour. Dean could see her intuition kicking in and hear the slight edge to her voice. "What great timing, we were just about to order."

The restaurant was Japanese and purportedly a great favourite for Jack. Dean distracted Jack by asking him to demonstrate the electronic ordering system while Castiel spoke to Kelly. The booth they were sitting in backed right up to a rotating sushi train. When Jack looked like he was going to pay more attention to the whispered conversation, Dean manfully grabbed the plate whizzing past them.