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granderobino
“This is weird. Like X-Files weird,” muttered Paul.
“Yes, we’ve established that. The question is; what do you guess we’re supposed to do now?”
Paul chuckled and waggled his eyebrows in a comically suggestive manner which he knew would make his partner laugh. And hopefully give him some ideas. Once they finally put all this weirdness behind them and landed somewhere soft…and private.
David threw his arm over Paul’s shoulder, shaking his head and smiling. He seemed to be okay with this, so Paul took comfort in that.
They walked like that for a while, until at the same time, they spotted another pair of men at the the end of the row they were in. The men were walking toward them.
They looked at each other, shrugged their shoulders in unspoken agreement and approached the strangers.
“What the hell,” Paul said, “Maybe they work here and can shed some light on this…or at least point us to the nearest four-star Hotel. My dogs are beat.”
“Don’t know if you noticed, Paulie, but this a pretty small town. I’m not sure they’ll be much available in the way of luxury accommodations. Just try to be flexible…Remember: Isness is…and all that crap.”
“Flexible? Who’s not being flexible? Did I complain when you showed up on my doorstep saying we needed to come to this town in East Podunk, Kansas for some reason that you weren’t even sure of?”
David just smiled indulgently and let Paul continue his rant.
“No I did not. I thought it was a damn romantic idea. So excuse me for wanting to get to the romantic part…Which all this walking and using public transportation is not.”
“But you love me anyway, right?”
“God help me, I do. And I know that you don’t have any more control over this situation than I do. I’m trying to live in the moment…be open to the possibilities…”
“Okay, okay. Please Paulie. Save the rest for your blog, huh?”
More playful nudges and shoving, as they soon found themselves standing in front of the two strangers …and a very cherry looking ’67 Impala, Paul noted.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
“Oh, wow. You’re them,” Dean said as he found himself looking at two of his childhood heroes. Well, okay. Not the actual heroes. But they played them on the old TV show that he used to watch with his Dad. First on VHS tapes, and later on DVD when they were released in that format.
It was one of the few ‘normal’ memories he had from his childhood. Those nights watching the show with his Dad. They were good times.
Paul sighed, and David straightened his shoulders just a bit, extending his hand toward Dean.
“Hi. I’m David. and this is…”
“Paul,” Dean finished the sentence and eagerly shook both men’s hands.
“God, it's great to meet you guys! I’m Dean, and this is Castiel,” he said, nudging Cas’s arm to encourage him to repeat the handshakes.
“Castiel? That a stage name?” Paul asked, hoping he wasn’t going to be faced with another couple of wanna be actors.
Dean stifled a nervous laugh, and Cas shot him significant a look, not wanting to be the butt of anyone’s joke.
“I can tell you that Castiel has always been my name. Though some have called me by others.”
Dean had to fake cough again. Really, when was the guy gonna learn not to feed him lines like that? But he resisted temptation, not wanting to embarrass Cas in front of these guys.
“So, you guys in charge around here?” David asked, with a nod to the Compactor.
“Uh. No, but…Hey! That’s it,” Dean said with an enthusiastic shove to the surprised Castiel.
“Dean?”
“Oh. Wait. That’s right, you wouldn’t get it,” Dean said, as he practically jumped in enthusiasm. Proud of himself for getting to be the one to solve this puzzle.
“Remember that show that I was telling you about? With the car?”
At the mention of ‘the car’ Paul rolled his eyes.
“These are the guys! Their show! Their car!”
“Now wait a minute. That was not our car…” Paul protested. David just chuckled.
“Yeah, right. I know you’re actors. Whatever. You have to admit, for whatever reason, you guys and a certain Striped Tomato will always be inexorably linked,” said Dean.
“Can’t argue that one, Paulie,” David said, reasonably.
“Fine. I’ll concede your point, son.” Paul’s tone softened, as looked into Dean’s eager eyes, “But, what we would really like to figure out is why we are here.”
“You mean why you exist?” asked Castiel, obviously willing to offer his thoughts on the subject, and Dean knew he had a lot of them.
“Please, no,” groaned David, “That’s all we need, is for this conversation to become fodder for Paul’s latest opus on the internet.”
Paul gave David a mock-glare. “I mean here, here,” Paul stated as he pointed to the ground where he stood.
“Look down that row and I think you’ll see your answer,” Dean offered.
Cas and Dean stood back and watched the expressions on two men’s faces as they stepped around them and beheld the Torino.
“Holy cr – “ exclaimed Paul.
“I don’t believe it…” David said walking around the rear of the car and touching the fender with reverence.
“So what do you guys have to do with this?” Paul asked skeptically.
“Well, it wasn’t us so much as…” Dean trailed off, gesturing to his Impala.
Cocking an eyebrow, Paul figured the explanation made about as much sense as anything in the past couple days.
“You need to get her out of here,” instructed Dean. The Impala revved in apparent agreement.
“I need to what? Is that what this whole mystery tour has been about? No sir. This was part of the past. I’m done with that. There’s no going back.”
Cas and Dean shared a meaningful look.
“Why not?” asked David, quietly.
“I’m curious. Why is it you insist on shedding such reminders of another time?” Cas began, “We are all products of the myriad of experiences throughout our lives. They are, each in their way, part of what makes us who we are today. Tell me; would you have changed your past if it meant you would not be standing here right now?”
Paul considered Castiel’s remarks. Thinking he should be angry with this guy for presuming to know anything about his life. Then, looking from the younger men to his partner, he had a moment of clarity. An honest to God revelation. He should know. He’d written enough about them.
Smiling at David, he said, “I’m exactly where I want to be. I suppose there’s no fighting fate.”
Dean silenced Cas with a subtle shake of his head.
“So…you’re really okay with this?” David pressed.
Taking time to really look at the vehicle, Paul said, “Yeah. I am.” Stroking the Torino’s hood he admitted, “Guess I didn’t hate you so much, after all.”
An annoyed rev of the Impala’s engine caused him to raise his hand in a show of surrender. “No offense.” And why he felt it necessary to apologize to a car… “Yeah. We had some good times” he said wistfully.
“I liked the big bench seat in this model,” said David with a mischievous grin.
“And I liked that you liked it,” Paul agreed.
“Guess she’s part of our history, at that,” he said leaning companionably against David. Looking at Dean he added, “And I could take a lesson from you in how to care for her, I think. The Impala’s a beauty. What is she…’67?”
“Yes, sir.” Dean said, looking like a proud Papa.
“Knock it off with the ‘Sir’ stuff, huh, kid? I can see she means a lot to you, it shows in how well you take care of her,” Paul said approvingly.
“She’s special. Part of our history,” Dean said with a nod toward Cas. “Like you guys and the Torino.”
“Yeah. Yeah. I get it, already. Enough with the hard sell. I’ll take her home,” Paul said with a laugh, “But we still have a few details to work out.”
“Like what?” Dean asked.
“Like proof of ownership, that kind of thing. I mean, I get that she was gonna be scrapped, but don’t I need to provide some documentation to be able to take her?”
“Wow, Paulie. All those years of playing cops really made an impression on you,” teased David.
Paul rolled his eyes. “Plus, you know when you’re in the public eye you can’t be too careful...”
“Have you considered looking the glove compartment as a means of tracking down the owner?” Cas suggested, helpfully.
Paul shrugged as he reached in the open passenger side window. He pulled out some yellowing documents from the glove box and his eyes widened in surprise. Then his brow furrowed in confusion.
“Hey, Blondie? Do you remember me actually buying this car?”
“Uh…n-not exactly,” David stammered.
“Davey? Babe, what does that mean?”
“It was after we wrapped the last episode of the series and we knew for sure that were weren’t coming back. They were selling off everything. The props. The cars…I just wanted to keep this one small piece of what we had.”
David took a breath, after the admission.
“Pretty stupid, huh,” he said sounding defeated as he scuffed the gravel beneath his feet.
“Stupid? That’s only about the most goddamn romantic thing you’ve ever said,” Paul said with a smile.
“Indeed. It seems love doth make fools of us all,” supplied Cas. And Dean looked at him like he'd just grown another head.
“So…You bought this, put my name on the title…and you never told me?”
“After I bought it we both seemed to be moving on…I didn’t want you to feel guilty or pressured, I put in a storage facility and I guess I forgot about it, eventually,” David admitted.
“We shared our first kiss in that cah,” Paul growled seductively.
“Oh God! You’ve even started using that voice…how am I supposed to think when you do that?” David asked.
“You’re not supposed to, idiot,” Paul laughed, lightly cuffing him on the back of the head before drawing him in for a kiss.
Dean supposed he should feel like he was intruding on such an intimate moment between the men. But, instead, he felt privileged. Unconsciously his hand slipped into Cas’ and twined their fingers together. His insides turned to mush when he felt Cas squeeze his fingers in return and hold on fast. When the angel gave him the kind of smile that Dean was sure was reserved especially for him, he could swear the resulting tingle went straight to the inside of his thigh. Well, close enough, he thought.
David reluctantly pulled back from Paul’s embrace and asked, what seemed to be the next logical question.
“So, you guys have any idea how we might get this thing to California?”
Just then a large transport truck, the kind used for hauling cars, turned into the drive of the wrecking yard. The driver tapped the horn to signal the group and drove toward them.
Of course, thought Paul. Nothing about this situation could surprise him, at this point.
Pulling to a stop, the driver swung down from the cab, and approached.
“I’m here to pick up a car for transport…Ohhh. Tell me it’s that beauty, there,” he said, practically drooling at the sight of the Impala.
Instinctively, Dean moved to position himself between the truck driver and his own pride and joy.
“Nope. She’s mine,” he announced with an affectionate pat on the hood, “Your cargo is over there,” he added, gesturing toward to Torino.
“Oh. Okay. Cool. Bet you’ll clean up real pretty there once you get some love, hey Princess?” The driver continued to speak in soothing tones to the car, then looked back to the group of four men.
“Dispatch said she’s headed to the LA area. Got an address for me?”
Paul handed him his card with the Venice address on it.
Looking and the name on the card, then at David and Paul, the driver made the connection to the Torino.
“I’ll be damned,” he said in disbelief.
“Oh, I don’t see that happening,” offered Cas, resulting in a chuckle from Dean.
“Here,” Paul said to the driver, “I can pre-pay to cover the expense…”
“No need, Mr. Glaser. It’s been taken care of. Paid in full,” he replied as he went to hook up the winch to load the Torino into the cargo truck.
After waving goodbye to the driver as he exited the yard, the group was left to contemplate what had just happened.
“Wonder where he came from, all of a sudden,” mused Paul.
“I summoned him,” Castiel stated, quite simply.
“Uh..Cas,” softly hissed Dean. “Wanna think about what you're saying, man?”
“I'm sorry Dean. I know how you hate it when I borrow your cell phone without asking,” he said as he handed the phone back to Dean, whose hand had gone immediately to his front jeans pocket, where the phone usually rested snug against... his inner thigh. Oh.
Taking the phone and slipping it back in his pocket, he remembered the tingling sensation he had felt earlier. He stole a glance at Cas who gave him another of his beatific smiles.
“No problem,” said Dean.
“Well, then we must owe you something for arranging that,” Paul said as he pulled out his wallet again.
“Not necessary," replied Castiel. "Truly. Let's just say; I know a guy...who knows a guy.”
Then he turned and winked at Dean. Castiel winked at Dean. Was that humor? Angel humor? Dean decided he was going to like getting to know this new facet of Cas.
“Well, Cas. It seems you're a real life angel sent to earth, for all the help you've given us here,” praised David.
Cas brought his hand to Dean's back, in and effort to calm the coughing fit that had overtaken him at David's comment.
“Gonna be okay, there, Dean,” asked Paul, looking genuinely concerned.
“Fine,” Dean barked out, waving his hands blindly in the air as he fought for breath, “Allergies.”
“At least let us take you fellas to dinner,” Paul offered as a sort of compromise. “It's the least we could do after all you two have done to put us on the right path.”
An impatient rev of the engine brought Paul's attention back to the Impala.
“Right, right. I haven't forgotten. Tell you what, how bout I send you picture of the old gal, once I've got her back in fighting trim? That score me a chance for a ride here?”
The satisfied purr of the emanating from under the hood was his answer.
“Well, I guess that's settled. We'd be honored to take you up on your dinner invitation,” said Dean.
“You might want to get a load of this guy's table manners, before you start talking about being honored,” David said as he dodged a half-hearted slug from his partner.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
After saying goodbye to Paul and David at the door to their room at the Super 8 motel, near the highway -
Think of it as a another way to explore your isness, Paulie.
The only isness I'm interested in exploring is yours, for about the next 12 hours or so.
Big talk old man...
Dean and Cas found that earlier awkwardness returned as they paused in front of the Impala.
Finally Cas broke the heavy silence.
“Well, I suppose I should be going...”
Once more, the Impala found life, as she lurched forward, practically knocking Dean off his feet and straight into the waiting arms of Castiel.
“Stay. Just...Fuck, just, please stay, Cas,” Dean pleaded. “I don't ever want to taste eternity again without you by my side.”
And, Dean realized, as he was saying the words that, for all intents and purposes, it was a sort of prayer. And this prayer was answered with the kiss of an angel.
Behind them, the Impala hummed with satisfaction. Already scheming to bring the other Winchester brother together with his own Angel in a similar fashion.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Meanwhile, at a naval scrapyard on the West Coast, an old cabin cruiser awaited her turn among the many other neglected, dilapidated vessels due to be sacrificed to Poseidon. The name, still legible on her stern....Riptide.
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Date: 2010-05-22 03:35 am (UTC){{{{{{{{{{{smishes}}}}}}}}}}}}}
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Date: 2010-05-22 04:46 am (UTC)I just know my little fangirl heart just swoons whenever Cas arrives to save Dean. They're frikkin smokin' together. I hope no one mind that I relegated Sam convienently offscreen with Bobby. He's safe and everything, I just wanted Cas/Dean to have a little privacy.
Tomorrow I must get me some spn icons.
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Date: 2010-05-22 03:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-05-22 07:40 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-05 08:00 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-05 12:47 pm (UTC)I'd love it if somebody whose more familiar with Riptide than me took that bunny of Sam/Gabe and the Riptide and developed it. I did look online and found that Perry King and Joe Penny are unmarried at the moment...just sayin....
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Date: 2010-07-05 12:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-05 12:52 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-05 02:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-05 03:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-05 08:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-06 02:09 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-06 08:16 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-05 09:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-06 02:09 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-06 05:51 am (UTC)This was just adorable lol
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Date: 2010-07-06 12:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-08-08 04:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-08-08 12:45 pm (UTC)