Chapter Text
April 13 , 2019
Amelie slammed her notebook shut, then rested her head in her hands in a weary gesture. She was stressed, okay, it was just another day of stress; it wasn't the first one, and it wouldn't be the last, but that nagging headache wasn't helping for sure.
"Mrs. Novak,” his boss called from the half-open door. “Are the reports ready?”
She suppressed the urge to roll her eyes and forced a smile as she replied,
“I'm proofreading, Mr. Marshall, they'll be ready in an hour."
“Should have been ready an hour ago."
“I'm sorry, sir, the results were late in coming out."
"Put them on my desk as soon as it's done, I gotta go home now."
When the door closed and she was alone in the room again, she took a deep breath. She shook her head, trying to dispel her tiredness, and opened her notebook again, forcing herself to think about what she would write in the reports he was supposed to write. But why would the boss have this job if he could hand everything over to the assistant, right? Amy huffed irritably and started comparing results again. He just needed to hold on to that damn job for one more year, and then she would have enough money to finish paying for her Art and Design college; who knows, maybe one day she would even be able to afford to work in the area.
More than an hour later, she finally finished and printed out the reports, then placed them on the desk in the next room, where her boss would be sitting shortly. She prayed that he didn't find any mistakes and just signed, as she didn't want to have to redo everything. Would he even read it? Well, it wasn't her problem.
She looked at the cell phone with some expectation; maybe she could ask Castiel to meet her later at her house. She needed to relax, and talking to the angel always helped her, she loved listening to his stories about monsters and hunters. Thinking about it, Amy smiled and quickly picked up her cell phone, dialling the number she had learnt to memorise.
“Amy?”
“Cass?
“Amy, where have you been?" the angel asked in a concerned tone that made her smile.
“Where have you been? I still live in the same place,” she snapped as she sat down in her chair.
“Oh, you know... with Dean and Sam."
"And that's a reason to forget a friend?" She teased, knowing it would make him nervous.
"Well... I'm sorry, Amy, I... I didn't mean to. We're in trouble, and I just-"
"Forgetting about me! And my birthday!"
Amy held back from laughing even harder when the angel began to slur his words.
“ Ah-Ah, damn it! I completely forgot it was your birthday, forgive me. Damn it. Sorry. What can I do to make up for my mistake?"
"You could kiss Dean, a big kiss, fuck him madly, and come over to my house to tell me the details later," she suggested with feigned indifference.
He heard Castiel choke on something and cough, sounding completely embarrassed.
"Amy!"
"You're red, aren't you? I love to embarrass you."
"Yeah… you have this power over me, but... um… I don't think this is the best time for that."
"Oh my God!" Amy gasped, her eyes widening. “They're there, aren't they? Hearing everything you're saying?"
“Yes,” he agreed with a sigh.
"Say I'm your girlfriend, and then tell me how Dean reacted."
"No way!"
“Oh, come on! Cass, please give me this for my birthday."
“No, think of something else. Please. "
“Damn, you're such a bad friend, Cass,” she wailed as she turned off her laptop.
“Am I?”
Amy frowned at the angel's saddest tone and quickly corrected her mistake:
"No! No, Castiel, you are the best."
“Thanks,” he said, and Amy knew by his tone that he was smiling.
A noise drew her attention from her cell phone, it sounded like a door closing, but she should have been alone in the office at that time.
“Amy?”
She got up, feeling a little tense, and walked out into the hallway. She looked around, looking for an open door or someone walking by. Her eyes lingered at the beginning of the corridor that led to the hall, and her heart began to beat faster with the feeling that flooded her. It felt like there was something there, staring or lurking at her, something strong that she should fear. The sensation was so intense it nearly suffocated her.
"Amy!"
“H-hi? What?" She replied startled, turning her attention to the angel.
"You stopped responding all of a sudden, I called, and you didn't answer me. Is everything fine?"
“Um, yes, yes,” Amy agreed, still uncertain, heading back to her office.
" Amy... " Castiel scolded her. “Tell me what happened. Was it your boss? I don't like the way he looks at you."
“No, no, stay calm,” she urged as she locked the door. "I just heard a noise and went to see what it was, since I'm alone in the office, but it was nothing."
“Are you sure? I can go there and-"
“No need, Cass. In truth. I'm already packing my things, and I'll be home soon."
"Okay ..."
“But look, I know you're solving problems with monsters and stuff with the Winchesters, but you guys are always doing that, right?" Amy commented, trying to change the subject. "But I miss you, okay? Come by my house later, you know I love to hear about your adventures."
“I miss you too, Amy. Of course I'll be there."
“Bring the beers."
"You're too young to drink," he denied seriously.
"What?" Amy immediately protested. “You know I'm turning twenty-four today, don't you?"
“Of course, but that doesn't change anything."
“Okay then, Daddy, I'll bring the beers. I'll see you there. Give Dean a kiss for me."
She hung up before he could answer and smiled. Castiel was the best person she could have as a friend, even if their friendship hadn't started under normal circumstances. To begin with, he was an angel, literally, and they both met when he thought his shell was related to her. Apparently Jimmy Novak was giving trouble or creating too much interference, and Castiel wanted a body just as strong as that to free him. At that moment, almost seven years ago, Amy had accepted, but Castiel had not. I can't do this to someone else, he said. She was trying to choose a course for college so she could have a beautiful future ahead of her.
They didn't stop talking after that. Castiel showed up some days, and she just listened to him and saw that he needed it. So the angel accompanied the precociousness of Amelie's life.
She stared at her left ring finger, where she still wore her golden rings. One for an engagement and another for a wedding, which reminded her of the not-too-distant past. She married Dylan Novak considerably early; she was 20 and he was 25, but she also had to bury him early, just two years after the wedding. A werewolf had attacked Dylan during a trip, and she only realised the danger when it was too late. Her husband not only transformed, he also attacked her. Amy escaped, barely, without a scratch, thanks to Castiel, who answered her desperate call and showed up at the right time.
It took a long time for Amy to remember the situation without crying uncontrollably and some more time for her to convince Castiel that, seriously, it was okay to be her husband's killer. Castiel just did what needed to be done; otherwise, she would be dead too.
Amy shook her head, ridding herself of those memories. It was in the past, and Dylan wouldn't want her to be stuck with it. He would tell her to move on, and that's what she was trying to do.
She finished packing her things, slinging her bag over her shoulders, and prepared to leave the office, turning off everything that was in the way and ignoring the irrational fear she still felt as she walked through the hall. She gave a slight farewell wave to the guard who was stationed there and prepared to walk. Besides not having a car or not being able to afford a taxi, she didn't live too far from work, so she took advantage of the last light moments of the day to walk. She didn't take the same risk when it got dark, she might not have any money, but she dressed as if she did, as the job demanded. Always a social outfit, this time the blouse was beige and her pants were black... or dark blue - she could never define it, but never a skirt, which prevented unwanted looks. Her dark hair, on the other hand, was always tied in a tight bun so that the daytime rush would not leave her strands standing up.
She quickly entered the market and bought the beers she would force Castiel to drink, leaving the change in the hands of the man in dirty clothes who was sitting on the floor, almost beside the entrance. The man murmured a cheerful thanks, and she just smiled before quickening her pace. It was starting to get dark.
“Where are the damn keys…” she muttered irritably, rummaging through her bag as she tried not to spill the beers.
She was almost at the front door when she found them, opening the door with the bag almost falling off her shoulder and locking it right after. But when she turned toward the living room, she abruptly backed away, slamming her back against the door and dropping the key in fright.
She wasn't alone.
“Who... who are you?” She asked breathlessly, not daring to move.
The man, who wore a green jacket and jeans, smiled reassuringly. The woman beside him, who was only wearing a black dress, didn't even move. Amy stared at them intently, swallowing hard at the thought that popped into her head. She looked at the man once more, looking at his brown hair and matching beard, the blue eyes watching her with equal attention.
No. Her thinking had to be wrong. It was too crazy.
"Who are you? I won't ask again,” she insisted without moving away from the door.
“I think you know who we are, Amelie,” the man replied, smiling. “I know Castiel keeps you pretty up to date."
The woman next to him rolled her eyes and asked:
“Make it easy, brother. She's only human.” Then she turned to Amy and added, “I'm Amara, and this is my brother, Chuck, but you must know him as God."
“But I'd rather you call me Chuck, please,” the man quickly said.
Amy opened her mouth but couldn't say anything. She shifted her gaze between the two of them and forced herself to take a deep breath, struggling to appear normal in front of them. She already knew an angel, and the angel had been saying everything she knew about those people. What did she think? That they were just stories? No. But, okay, she didn't expect to have them in her house so soon.
“Okay,” she said as she walked away from the door, forcing a smile. “Yes, yes, Castiel told me about you. Please sit down... make yourself at home... um... would you like something to drink?"
“No need; we just want to talk to you, Amy. Can I call you that?" Chuck asked as he sat down on the couch with the woman.
"You can call me whatever you want," she said, walking to the kitchen counter, putting her purse and beers there, then coming back and sitting in the armchair that faced them.
She looked around, wondering if she should feel even a little embarrassed by the clutter and simplicity of her home.
“You look like him,” Amara said suddenly.
Amy blinked, confused.
"Sorry? Who do I look like?"
“Castiel."
“Oh yes.” Amy smiled sincerely for the first time. “He told me that when we first met, that it raised suspicions about me being blood related to his... his shell. Did he come with you?"
“No, we needed to do this ourselves,” Chuck replied, looking hesitant.
Amy narrowed her eyes, nervously wiping her hands on her pants. Why did she feel like she would be in trouble?
“And... what brings you here?”
Chuck and Amara looked at each other, and Amy felt the delicacy of the situation between the lines of that moment.
"We need your help," Chuck said in a single breath, as if he needed the courage to do so. Then he began to chatter on and on, “We want you to come with us to Heaven, where we'll turn you half angel and half devil, but only if you want to. This will help protect you and the child until birth, without forgetting that it will help you to generate the child without the normal difficulties of the situation, but remember that this is your choice; we are not forcing you to do anything, but since even Lucifer agreed to help, it is not an opportunity we can miss. We won't get another chance like this to make peace between Heaven and Hell anytime soon, and-"
"Brother!" Amara cut him off. “You're talking nonstop. She won't understand anything that way."
“Sorry, I'm a little stressed. There are high chances that she won't accept it, and Lucifer is late."
"Hey, hey, hey!" Amy spoke up, her eyes wide and her face pale with the fear of having heard correctly. “What the fuck are you talking about?!"
Chuck took a deep breath and spoke more calmly:
"We came to ask, just ask, don't feel obligated-"
“For God's sake, just talk,” Amy urged, not caring whether or not she was being rude to God himself.
"We want you to bear a child that won't be yours... totally, what's it called?"
“Surrogacy,” Amara whispered at once.
“Yes, surrogacy."
“Surrogacy?" Amy frowned, not sure how to react to what she heard. "For who?"
“For Castiel and Dean Winchester."
"What?!"