Chapter Text
Sam Winchester sat on his motel bed with newspapers surrounding him, his laptop balancing on one knee, and a newspaper resting on the other.
“I think I’ve found a case,” he called out.
His brother was sitting at the table and scoffed his fourth slice of apple pie. His lips were turned down and his eyebrows were furrowed. Dean had been acting like this for the last two weeks. He wasn’t in a complaining, snappy mood. He was worse and Sam hated it. This mood was the worst Sam had ever seen. It was almost bitchy.
Sam knew for certain that Castiel caused this. Though he didn’t know what Castiel had done, nor why he hadn’t snapped Dean out of it. Perhaps he was unable to. More likely, in Sam’s opinion, he didn’t want to.
Regardless, Castiel was off as well. The angel was acting odder than usual and seemed more reclusive as of late. He only appeared when the Winchesters needed him desperately or were injured. As soon as everything was alright again, Dean would stalk off and Castiel would disappear before Sam could open his mouth.
“Yeah? What kind of case? Close by?” Dean said, his mouth full of pie.
Rolling his eyes, Sam nodded. The childish behaviour had to stop because it was getting on his nerves. He had an idea. Technically, there was a case, but it may also calm the two men down.
“It’s in Lakewood, two towns over. And it’s… well, it’s strange. It’s not really like we’ve seen before.”
“Care to elaborate, Sammy?” Dean asked with a snide undertone.
Sam took the newspaper from his knee and took a few more by his right foot. He got off the bed and walked over to Dean. Folding out the papers, Sam pointed at several advertisements and a story in the papers.
“Twenty different couples from Lakewood have been involved in this couple therapy, but – ”
Brandishing his spork at Sam, Dean scoffed. “Look, I dunno if you’ve forgotten, Sammy, but we hunt monsters, not fix broken hearts.” With a sigh, Dean shook his head and returned to his pie.
Sam rolled up a newspaper and hit him over the head with it. “Hear me out.”
“Bitch,” Dean grumbled.
“Jerk. Now, as I was saying, a large amount of couples have been going to this therapy. The company came out of nowhere and suddenly all these couples in the area become abusive or cheat before going to this place. Don’t you think it’s strange that these people suddenly change overnight and just happen to go to couples therapy? Not at all coincidental?”
Dean waved his spork about. “Coincidences don’t just happen. Maybe, I don’t know, they’ve actually drifted apart, got their own issues, want a divorce but want to at least try to salvage the marriage?”
“Some of them, sure. But a lot of these people are suddenly violent. No history of it. Happily married for years, then suddenly...”
“Fine. Maybe, maybe, it’s worth checking out. But we don’t even know what we’re dealing with here.”
“Could be a real rogue cupid this time, or a witch. The owner could be a witch and came up with this idea.”
Dean nodded. “Cast a spell or two on normal couples who now have problems and have to go to therapy. Then, business booms.”
“It’s a great way to make quick money. And people review it well, more people come for therapy; it’s a never-ending circle of money,” Sam said with a frown.
“Great. Witches,” Dean grumbled. “How are we going to get inside this couple’s therapy place? We don’t know any couples who’d willingly go undercover for us, and I’m not pretending to be a couple with you.”
Sam rubbed the back of his neck and gave Dean a weak smile. “I’ve already thought of that, actually, and I’ve got a plan…”
“Yeah, and? Sam?”
“Well…”
~*~
Dean and Castiel sat in a light blue room on a small, navy loveseat. While the room was appealing, with only an office chair and a coffee table as the other furniture, the carpet was an ugly green. The angel and the hunter shifted on the loveseat. Their arms pressed against each other though they tried to increase the space between them and sit comfortably.
The door opened and Castiel jumped. The couple looked over at the newcomer and found a tall, blonde woman enter. Dean looked her up and down. She was beautiful and smiled gently at the two men. She wore frameless glasses and had dark chocolate eyes. In her left hand, she held a notebook and a pen. Though she was Dean’s type, he wasn’t interested in her at all. He had no desire to do anything with her – not even dinner.
“Hello Dean and Castiel,” she said. “I’m Doctor Callipsa.”
She extended her hand to the two men and Castiel rose to accept it.
“Castiel,” he said before sitting back by Dean.
The hunter sighed and took her hand, still sitting down. Castiel jabbed his ribs and the two shared a dark scowl. Dean stood and shook her hand.
“I’m Dean.”
He sat down and looked over at Castiel who sat with a blank expression, watching the doctor. Dean forced a smile and looked over at woman. She clicked her pen and rested it on the notebook.
“First of all, thank you for taking the first step in saving and recovering your relationship. It takes great courage to admit there are problems and even greater courage to try and fix it. Let’s start.”
Dean added her to his suspect list. Her smile was too wide and she seemed too bright. She could be a witch. He wondered why she didn’t seem attractive to him. It dawned on him that perhaps witches put a spell on their clients to see only their partner as attractive. That would remove the temptation to cheat and have eyes only for their spouse. It makes sense, especially to keep the clients from ruining the program.
But he didn’t linger on the thought. He had other concerns on his mind.