everyonelives | for the rest of us death will be a relief

["We're working with a lot of different people now." That's all really Castiel can do to explain because well, it's complicated, Ellen, and he knows that you're from some weird AU thing, and who knows what's going on?

Aiden looks over at Erica, nose already picking up that she's a werewolf, so he can hazard a guess. But he lets Castiel continue:

"This is Ellen Harvelle and Erica. Erica seems to have gotten separated from her pack. We were hoping you might be able to help her."

Aiden nods, before holding out a hand to her.]

I'm Aiden. I'm the second of the New Orleans pack, and this is my husband Josh. Let's start with who your alpha is? And we can figure it out from there.

[Erica hesitates, because he's probably so unhappy with her for running off when he told her how dangerous it was, but she doesn't know who else's name to give. "Derek Hale?"

Aiden's eyebrows go up with confusion at first, but he nods.]

You're in luck. We can take you right to him. He's here in New Orleans.

[Some of the tension loosens in Erica's shoulders and she nods. "Thank you."

Aiden looks over at Ellen and Castiel.]

Does she need help too?

( "But Derek's not," Josh tries to say, again, through a smile and gritted teeth in his husband's ear, but knows werewolf ears. And Cas still has that look on his face, so, fine. They can get Erica to Derek.

"How about you go in and say goodbye to Errol and Victoria, and I'll take Erica around to the front and to the car," Josh offers. Translation, he doesn't need to explain a sudden, other werewolf, danger, Derek Hale, or anything else. For the time being.

Ellen glares at Cas. )

I'm fine. I got to bone to pick with this one here and I can take care of myself. Isn't that right, Castiel.

( Josh nods to Ellen and gestures for Erica to come with him. "Come on, I think I have some beef jerky in the center console," he says. She looks -- gaunt and a little weak. He wants to help.

If Erica willingly goes, when they're out of earshot, Ellen turns to face Cas squarely. )

Talk, Feathers.

[Josh walks Erica around to the car where she will devour that jerky like she hasn't had a good meal in months (because she hasn't) and Aiden leaves to conclude his werewolf business and once they're all gone, Cas turns back to Ellen.

Where to begin.

He always appreciated Ellen being rather level headed. Maybe she will appreciate him leveling with her.]

The Ellen Harvelle of this timeline has been dead for over a decade. I believe you were part of my brother Balthazar's machinations, an alternate version of Ellen with an alternate life.

[He tries to say it gently, but Castiel isn't always good with softening the blow.]

I don't know what's going on. But I can take you to Sam and Dean, and we will figure it out.

I remember. He saved everyone on the Titanic.

( He believes right. And she was resigned to accept her fate. That life wouldn't pan out. She's had worse. Whatever life was hers, she'd go to that one. She's selfless when it counts. )

Take me, how. You got another thing coming to you if you think you're just going to lay another hand on me and fly me somewhere else without my permission. Do you got sense? Don't people in this reality have phones? Or does everyone just drop people into each other's laps.

[He's just saying it would be faster!! But sigh, fine, he will do this the slow human way.

He reaches into the pocket of his coat for his phone and calls ... Dean. Because who else is he going to call? (Also this avoids the narration having to talk to themselves.]

( On the phone, the call rings once before Dean answers, "Yeah," a little exasperated.

Ellen waits, tapping a foot. She takes Cas by the shoulder to walk him further away and out of this lady's backyard. She doesn't need any more questions about them, and again, flying's going to be on her terms! )

Ellen Harvelle appeared suddenly in the New Orleans bayou.

[Might as well get to the point, Dean doesn't seem like he's in the mood for pleasantries. But he does follow when Ellen guides him away from the backyard, feet moving on autopilot and offering her no resistance.]

She wasn't alone, but the young werewolf is being taken to Derek Hale.

( In the mansion, Dean watches as Jo walks away from him and toward Matt Donovan. He beckons Sam closer. )

Ellen got dropped into New Orleans. The bayou. With some random werewolf. Sounds like she or he's young.

( He walks him and his brother out front, away from any prying ears and puts the phone on speaker. )

You're with Ellen now? Jo Harvelle just popped up here. Right outside. That can't be a coincidence. Can you get her here?

[Cas' eyes swing back to Ellen.]

If she'll let me.

[He then pulls the phone away from his ear and addresses Ellen directly.]

Your daughter is with Sam and Dean in Baltimore. Would you like me to take you there?

( "Jo's with the boys," she says, hearing her daughter's mixed up with the Winchesters all over again. Last she knew, Jo was working a job out of California. But, that was her world. Doesn't matter. Her daughter's her daughter in any world. "All angels ask stupid questions, or am I your kryptonite? If you think I'm getting on a bus or a plane when I got a free flight to my daughter right here, then you really don't know me, Cas."

She supposes, he doesn't know her. This is an alternate version of her. Her hand shoots up.

"Wait, I'm not --" how does she word this. "There another me out there, or did I end up in her body?" Cause if this isn't her -- well, they have bigger problems. She doesn't think that she might not even be there. She almost asks about Bobby. "If she wants to see me, I'll be there in half a heartbeat. But, I don't want to step on any cosmic toes." )

Well? Cas?

[Cas's expression softens at Ellen's statement, because he understands the complications of what Ellen is asking.]

As far as we know, you are the only Ellen Harvelle currently present. So I think Jo will take you in whatever form she can get. Just be aware that some things might be different from what you expect.

[And once she agrees to still go, Cas lifts the phone back to his ear and tells Dean:]

We'll be there shortly.

[And then he will reach out a hand and place a hand on her shoulder and they disappear from the bayou to head to Baltimore.

In the meanwhile, coming down the stairs to Virginia's house, Aiden pulls out his phone before he gets in a car, dialing Derek's number.]

( Derek picks the phone up, setting his book down. )

Aiden.

Hey, man.

[There's a pauses he tries to figure out how to start this conversation. Seems like the best way is to rip the band-aid off.]

Weird question, but do you have a beta named Erica?

( He almost hears her name, but he shouldn't. It's been so long. )

I did, at one time. I could've done better for her. Why, who's bringing up her name?

[Aiden swallows, because given that Cas was involved, with the Winchesters, it could mean a lot of things. But probably best to rip off my band-aid.]

She's in my car. Wolfing down my spare beef jerky like no one's fed her in months.

[He should have noticed something was off when she said Derek was her alpha. Derek hasn't been an alpha for a long time and she's so young. There's no way he could have turned her and her still be a teenager if she hadn't died. Or fallen through a hole in time. Or whatever other craziness seems to be on the table these days.

But he won't say anything else. Just give Derek a chance to process.]

( He relives that saga all over again in an instant, turning Erica, Isaac, and Boyd, training them. Losing Isaac, Erica and Boyd. Finding his sister and Boyd, finding Erica dead. Throwing a glass at Isaac to get him to leave him - he failed as alpha four times over. With Scott, too. )

I'm at Hayley's.

( He finally remembers to use words. )

You're sure it's Erica. Erica Reyes.

[Aiden sneakily snaps a picture of her from the angle that he has, which is mostly a side profile, from the shoulders up, but he does catch her smile as she laughs at a joke Josh told, and then texts it to Derek.]

She didn't give a last name, but I sent you a picture.

( He brings down the phone, doesn't react, and brings it back up. )

That's Erica. Where did she come from?

( Among other questions. ) Are you coming back into the quarter?

Not sure. A friend of ours is the one who found and and brought her to us because she was a werewolf so he felt she needed werewolf help.

[Which isn't entirely wrong, but it's a very linear line of thinking, which he's come to expect with Castiel, though he doesn't know him well yet.]

But yeah, we're heading back now. We can bring her right to you.

Who found her?

( Has she been alive this entire time? He remembers finding her body. He remembers Isaac remembering. She died. He was sure of it. )

Castiel. He's ... a friend of the Winchesters.

[It's still weird to say "Angel of the Lord," so he's not going to. Friend of the Winchesters is simpler. They're friends with a lot of weird people.]

She wasn't the only one. There was someone with her, but he brought Erica to us because she was a werewolf and thought she would be more comfortable.

( He remembers the Winchesters, but not with great context. They threatened Stiles. But, were on hand when Allison died but didn't die and Dean drove them. )

That's a hell of a coincidence. You can bring her to Hayley's, who, I now need to call.

Yep, you do that. We should be back in the Quarter in about an hour.

[Maybe a little longer if they take pity on her and they decide to roll through McDonalds for a better meal than spare beef jerky. But with that he will hang up and head back to the car so Derek can make his phone calls.]

( Derek ends the call and then sees an alert on a message with a host of numbers on it, some recognized and some not. He reads it to himself first. He sends a succinct message that people who matter will understand.

And then he calls his girlfriend, getting up from the couch. He holds the phone under his chin as he starts to straighten up and clears out some lunch still on plates in the kitchen, scraping them over the trash can. )

[Hayley steps away from her meeting with Davina, making some arrangements for Beltane but also Christmas but also whatever other witch holidays come with the winter months. She feels the phone vibrate in her pocket and steps away.]

Hey, I was just about to call you. I have a couple more things to handle, but I was going to bring back dinner.

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