Splatter

28. The Answer 2491

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6 Hours
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It had seemed like a good plan. With Dick commandeering the wall headquarters for his press conference, Castiel needed a way in to get as many people away from the strike site as he could. Bobby led the way into the building, using his security clearance. Anna and Mary brought up the rear, still dressed in the MAPS trenchcoats. Dean was in the centre with Castiel in handcuffs. It should have worked, if Star Wars was anything to go by, but of course Dean's life wasn't Star Wars.

It was Garth who came to open the gates for Dean and Ash who took Castiel into custody. Bobby got in okay with Mary and Anna, but Dick's people were already there and they were ushered into a locked down area to face Dick. Dean was still hanging on to Castiel's bound hands when Ash gave him a weird look and yanked Castiel away none too gently. He shoved Castiel down a corridor, handing him over to Jo to lock up then whirled on Dean.

"Tell me you haven't gone the way of Benny," Ash said, a tonne of disgust in his tone. "You know he sent the office an email. Two of his babies have fins on the top of their heads, only one can pass for human. What kind of crappy thing is that to do to your kids?"

Dean locked his jaw, unable to reply.

"And it's probably a good thing Castiel's been found out to be a terrorist," Ash kept talking. "You were almost married to the guy. Open your eyes Dean, he's not even human. He might look it, walking around, but we all know he's feral underneath the nice face and pretty words."

Dean grunted and just held himself back from doing something stupid.

"Ash, stop," Garth was saying. "His boyfriend just got taken in."

Ash stomped his foot. "I'm only telling you for your own good, Dean. These so called friends, your own brother, they don't tell you how wrong it is. I've worked the wall and the swamps for years. They dont' build, they don't contribute, they drain our resources and they swarm all over our country, like the whole wide ocean ain't big enough for them or something. I've seen them suffer, dry out, get tank fever, it's been like a decade since I last saw a Mer kid, apart from Benny's abominations. If they come here, they come out of jealousy, they want what we have, but they can't have it, because we were here first."

The other staff were stopping and watching the confrontation now. Asa Fox has been brought in that night to run extra security for the press conference. He came over and put himself between Dean and Ash.

"Guys, we're all on the same team here," Asa said placatingly. "Ash, we talked about this. Dean's got his heart set on this guy, so you have to let it go."

"You were my mentor when I joined MAPS, you don't remember do you Dean?" Ash said, his face going blotchy. "I looked up to you, Dean. We used to go for drinks at The Port. I'd be bone tired after my shift but I'd come just cause I knew you'd be there. You were different to everyone else, you listened and you cared. Nothing snooty about you. You were like a man's man. Everything I admired, a real home grown guy and look at you now."

Dean clenched his fist and said through gritted teeth. "He's not my boyfriend, he is my betrothed and we are bonded. And if you used to think I'm a great guy, what do you think of me now?"

Ash was about to open his mouth and argue some more but Dean was puffed up and his neck was visibly bulging. Ash let out a cry of anguish when the gills slitted open on Dean's neck.

"He's infected you or something, you've caught the fish plague," Ash stumbled backwards. "You're a monster!"

Dean drew in deep gasps of air, his gills shuddering with the effort to control himself. "Not me," Dean gave Ash a long look. "What happened to you man? You buying Dick's bullshit? You can't see past the fins to see its just people underneath the scales?"