Poem: "Who Puts Their Life on the Line"

[ysabetwordsmith]

This poem was written outside the regular prompt calls. It fills the "Lead / Follow" square in my 6-13-21 card for the Cottoncandy Bingo fest. It has been sponsored by Anthony & Shirley Barrette. This poem is part of the Stronger Wings arc in the Broken Angels thread of the Polychrome Heroics series. It is the first in a set of three, followed by "Becomes the Saving Grace" and "One Act of Pure Love."

Warning: This poem contains graphic violence. Highlight to read the warnings, some of which are spoilers. It includes the Tatters ambushing the Broken Angels, a firefight, graphic violence exceeding canon-typical levels, officer down, standing up in the midst of a shootout to provide cover fire, really messy medical details, rude language, character death (one of the Tatters), soul manipulation for first aid purposes, acute stress reaction, personal care, platonic shared shower, denial, minor freakout, and other challenges. Good care is provided in the aftermath. Don't panic, Ned will be fine. Cas will be fine other than some understandable freaking out. If these are touchy topics for you, please consider your tastes and headspace before reading onward. This sets up an important plot point, so skipping it would leave a gap.


"Who Puts Their Life on the Line"

[Sunday, March 6, 2016]

A few days after Hali's wing repair,
she had finally stopped feeling
sore and cranky, which was a relief.

She still complained that her shoulder
felt "funny," but Heron had warned
them that it would take time for her
to get used to normal motion.

Cas needed to run errands,
and also get out of the house,
so he left Hali with Edie for a bit.

Hali was more interested in
the big box of toys that Edie
kept for visiting grandchildren
than in daddy's boring errands.

So Cas went out walking
with Boss Blaster and
Pug to carry packages.

They talked about
the Little Free Libraries
and which houses could
be fixed up with a bit of work.

As they crossed the parking lot
of the pawn shop to look at
the lawn equipment out front,
something went BANG.

A dizzy whirl, and then
Cas found himself crouched
behind a van. "Stay here,"
Boss Blaster said, pushing
down on his shoulder. "Let
me and Pug handle this."

Cas nodded frantically.

The boss disappeared,
presumably to deal with
the people shooting at them.

Cas huddled behind the van
and tried to ignore the bullets
whanging into nearby vehicles.

For all he knew, they might have
bolt pistols too. That would suck.

He caught glimpses of the attackers
as they darted around -- the Tatters.

They must be pissed at Boss Blaster
for standing up to them, but starting
a firefight in town was just nuts.

"Police! Freeze!" That was
Ned's voice, followed by Gregg,
"Drop your weapons! Now!"

Cas had never been so glad
to hear the police arrive.

The Tatters did not drop
their weapons, though.
They just kept shooting.

Then Cas saw Ned fall,
a pool of red spreading
from underneath him.

"Officer down!" Gregg yelled.
"I repeat, officer down. We
need some backup here!"

Cas hesitated. There
was still shooting, and if
anything happened to him,
Hali would be left alone.

But Ned had kids too, and
he'd helped Cas before.

Cas gathered himself to rush.

"Wait." Boss Blaster was
suddenly beside him again.
"I'm going to give you some
covering fire. You grab Ned
and drag him back here. Got it?"

"Yes, boss," Cas said. He was
terrified, but he could follow orders.

Boss Blaster stood up with a gun
in each hand and fired so fast that it
became a continuous crackle of sound.

The other side stopped firing, though,
leaving a moment of opportunity.

Cas scrambled over to Ned, grabbed
his shoulders, and hauled him behind the van.

They left a clear trail of blood on the ground.

Cas found the small wound on the front,
which wasn't enough to make that much
of a leak, so he groped around until
he found the bigger wound in back.

His wilderness first aid training
had absolutely not covered this,
but he figured it was closest to
impalement on sharp objects,
for which the first aid amounted
to "plug the leak and call medevac."

Cas wasn't sure that Ned would
last long enough for an ambulance.

"Just do what you can for him,"
said Boss Blaster. "I've called
for some serious backup." Then
the gunfire started up again.
"Stupid fucks won't stay down.
"You stick tight; I need to move."

Then he was gone again,
leaving Cas with Ned.

Cas had a hip kit with
bandaids and wipes that
would do nothing for this.

Thinking fast, he stripped off
his sweatshirt and stuffed it
underneath the bigger wound,
then used his T-shirt to plug
the smaller one in the front.

Ned woke up as Cas was
packing cloth into his chest,
and started coughing pink foam.

"Don't move and don't try to talk,"
Cas said. "Just hang on. Help
is on the way. You stay with me."

Ned stared at him with wide,
trusting eyes and nodded.

One of the Tatters flopped to
the ground with half his head gone.

Cas ignored the mess. He had
his hands full with Ned, who
definitely did not sound good.

Desperately Cas clung to
his patient, pressing on
the soggy red cloth as if
he could hold Ned's soul
in place by brute force.

It was exhausting and
terrifying, but he didn't
dare stop. It had to work.

"Think about your kids,
yeah?" Cas said. "You
gotta make it home to them.
I've got you. Just stay with me."

A loud BANG! made Cas
throw himself over Ned.

Suddenly the sound of
gunfire was muffled, though.

Peeking out, Cas spotted
an odd shimmer around them,
held up by a skinny kid with
a big armored guard by him.

Then a stranger in armor
crouched beside Cas. "I'm
the combat healer. Let me
see what you've got here."

"Ned got shot, punched
a hole right through him,"
Cas said, lifting a hand.

The healer put one hand on
Ned's chest and used the other
to open a medical kit. "How is
this guy even alive?" he muttered.
Then he handed Cas a couple of
dressings the size of small pillows.
"Put these on over yours."

Cas obeyed, grateful for
the clear instructions.

"I don't know what you're
doing to keep him alive, but
whatever it is, keep doing it,"
the healer said. "I just need
to get him stable enough for
Thunderball to jump us
into the bang room."

Cas had no idea what
the guy was talking about,
but he kept pressure on
the thick bandages while
the healer did whatever
healers do to fix things.

"Get ready for the jump,"
he warned. "It's quieter inside."

Before Cas could wonder
what that meant, there was
a muffled pop! and then
they were somewhere else.

More medics swarmed around
them, lifting Ned onto a gurney.

Cas clung like he'd been told to.

Finally a new healer said, "We've
got him. You can let go now."

It took a few seconds for Cas
to loosen his cramped hands
enough to pull them away.

He felt exhausted, and
his head was swimming.

As they wheeled Ned away,
Cas looked for somewhere
to sit down, but the motion
made him sway on his feet.

"Careful," someone said,
catching him by the shoulders.
"I've got you. Here, sit down."

Cas was surprised to see
the bodyguard leaning over him.

One hand dragged the helmet off,
letting Cas see his face. "I'm Ludovico,
call me Vico. Let me check you for
injuries, that looks like a lot of blood."

Cas looked down. His jeans
were entirely red. Oh, that
wasn't such a good idea.

He leaned his head against
the wall and tried to slow
his breathing while Vico
patted over his body.

"You got this, Vico?"
said Thunderball. "I need
to go inhale a lasagna."

"I've got him," said Vico.
"Go get yourself some food."

The teleporter trotted away.

"I can't find any injuries, so
let's get you cleaned up,"
Vico said. "Can you walk?"

Cas felt like he was floating
and couldn't find his feet, but
wasn't sure how to explain it.

"That looks like a no," said Vico.
"Okay, no problem. Up you go."

He picked up Cas as easily
as lifting a pillow. "There's
a shower cubicle near here."

It was actually a dottie, the kind
big enough for a small family, and it
had a dressing bench by the shower.

Vico placed Cas on the bench and
peeled off what was left of Cas' clothes,
then efficiently stripped off his armor
and uniform before shifting them
both under the warm shower.

"Don't worry about anything,"
Vico said as he started washing
Cas. "I've got the training
to handle stuff like this."

Cas wasn't about to argue
when he could hardly move.

A silver cross hung around
Vico's neck, flashing in the light
like a fish swimming under water.

Cas watched it move, because
that was easier then watching
Vico scrub him like a toddler.

Finally Vico turned off the water
and fetched towels to dry them off.

"Spare clothes," he said, helping
Cas into a soft gray jogging suit
before claiming another himself.

"Thanks," Cas managed to say.

"Hey, you're awake," said Vico.
"How are you feeling now?"

Cas stared at him. "I'm fine.
I'm not the one who got shot.
Will Ned be all right?" he asked.

"Yeah, they wouldn't have told you
to let go unless it was safe," Vico said.
"They'll get him all patched up. So,
how many calories do you need
after that kind of exertion?"

"What?" Cas said, baffled.

"You don't know?" Vico said.
"Okay, I'll take you to a quiet room
and send for something filling."

"Not red," Cas muttered as
Vico picked him up again. It
was kind of embarrassing, but
he doubted he could walk yet.

"Of course not," Vico said.
"Thunderball's a bit fixated
on lasagna as fuel, that's all.
How about potato-leek soup?"

"Sounds great," Cas said.

Vico poured him onto a couch
and then stuck his head out
the door, presumably to ask
someone to bring the food.

Then the bodyguard fetched
a blanket and spread it over Cas.

"If you're not sure of calorie demand
yet, just think about what you've done
and compare that to how much you
eat before feeling full," Vico said.

"I have no idea," Cas admitted.

Vico looked at him. "Okay ...
well, I'll pass the word then,"
he said. Someone knocked
on the door, and he went to get
the cup of soup. "Here, try this."

The soup was warm and thick,
with a mellow flavor that wouldn't
stress a rebellious stomach.

Cas clutched the big cup
with both hands and tried
not to spill it on himself.

"Your friend should be fine,"
Vico said. "You did great.
You'll get the hang of this."

Cas gave a ragged laugh.
"He's not -- he's a cop, he
ran into the midst of a firefight.
And I don't know what I'm doing.
I had, I had a few first aid classes.
This is so utterly messed up.
What if they blame us for it?

"That seems unlikely," Vico said.
"So he's not a superhero or even
a working soup? An ordinary cop
just jumped into a cape fight?"

"Yeah, but that's Ned," said Cas.
"I don't think he even realized
he was outclassed and should
have stayed out of it. I mean,
the boss hid me behind a van
because I'm not a fighter."

"That's good," said Vico.
"It kept you safe so that
you could help Ned later."

"Yeah," said Cas. "I don't
know what I'll do if -- I mean,
Ned has a family. What in
the world was he even thinking?"

"The police officer who puts their life
on the line with no superpowers,
no X-Ray vision, no super-strength,
no ability to fly, and above all
no invulnerability to bullets,
reveals far greater virtue than
a superhero whose powers
minimize his risk," Vico said.

"Yeah," Cas said. "That's Ned.
He's a hero, but he's not super."

Vico shrugged. "You don't need
super powers to be a hero. You
just need super compassion."

Cas sniffled, then finished
his soup. "I don't even know
what I'm doing here," he said.

"Thunderball brought you with us
because Genoah needed your help
to keep the patient alive," Vico said
as he took the empty cup from Cas.
"Don't worry, you both get a lift home."

"Home, shit, I left my daughter with
a sitter --" Cas flailed, but didn't
have the strength to get up.

Vico pushed him gently against
the couch cushions. "Someone
will have taken care of that,"
he said. "You need to rest
and get your strength back
before you go home, or else
you're liable to scare people."

Cas gave a heavy sigh. "Guess
I can't argue with that one."

"Why don't you lie down
and take a nap?" Vico said.
"It'll probably take an hour or
few for the healers to patch up
your friend. It will be better if
you're more alert to hear about it."

"I can't just crash in a strange place,"
Cas protested. "Nobody even knows
where I am. And what if somebody
else needs this room? What if --"

"Your boss called for backup, so yes,
your people know where you are,"
Vico said. "There are several of
these quiet rooms just outside of
the emergency department, so that
people can crash here as needed.
I'll stay with you while you rest."

Cas was beyond exhausted,
and he had no idea why.

He hadn't done any fighting;
other people handled that.

He was just so tired that he
could hardly keep himself upright.

"Fine," he said, letting himself
be swayed by Vico's argument.
"Just a little nap, though."

"Good," said Vico, producing
a pillow from somewhere. He
coaxed Cas to stretch out on
the couch, and then tucked
the soft blanket around him.
"I'll be here when you wake up."

Cas let himself drift away.

* * *

Notes:

This poem is long, so its character, setting, and content notes will appear separately.

Comments

[siliconshaman]

Annnd Cas hasn't even figured out that he was literally keeping body and soul together by sheer force of will.

Hooo-boy, that's gonna be an interesting conversation at some point..

[kengr]

I'll say. And whatever his power is, working with it is gonna be tricky as it doesn't sound like something that's easy to practice with.

If he was literally holding body & soul together, maybe Aidan can give him some tips.

[acelightning]

I do this with machinery all the time. I've never been able to heal/repair living creatures that way.

Well ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

The machine version is valuable too.

[(Anonymous)]

Aren't there other angels /somewhere/ in this 'verse?

Or are they different varieties of angels?

Or maybe angels are so rare/incomprehensible that a Soul Powers human is more accesible/comprehensible?

[(Anonymous)]

there are other angels, there are other Nephilim too, they're just small in number, widespread and tend to be elusive- even if they do charge into things like Valkyrie sometimes :)

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> Aren't there other angels /somewhere/ in this 'verse? <<

Pure angels are around somewhere, but I don't think they interact with humans often.

So mostly what we see are nefilim, humans with some angelic heritage. These can range from half-angels, who tend to be large and powerful often with wings, to those with just a trace who may not manifest anything beyond heightened existential intelligence. I don't know how many there are, but anything far back in human ancestry tends to fan out as time rolls on. Likely a significant number of clergy have angelic heritage.

>> Or are they different varieties of angels? <<

Logically the different religions would have their own contributions.

>>Or maybe angels are so rare/incomprehensible that a Soul Powers human is more accesible/comprehensible?<<

Soul Powers are what you get when somehuman realizes that we are all soulstuff and figures out how to manipulate it. Even here, we have some clergy who really can channel divine energy to do things like charge holy water. Soul Powers are rare but not unheard of.

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> I'll say. And whatever his power is, working with it is gonna be tricky as it doesn't sound like something that's easy to practice with.<<

His source is angelic, which means he could practice accessing it simply by praying, meditating, or otherwise reaching out for the numinous. Trouble is, Cas really wants to keep his feet on the ground. All. The. Time. :/ If he could establish fluent access to his source, it would be a lot easier to apply it as needed. He's not going to like that -- but he's also not going to like undermining his ability to respond at need.

>> If he was literally holding body & soul together, maybe Aidan can give him some tips. <<

Sure. dialecticdreamer is working on that. But it's going to take a fence stretcher to pry our boy's head out of the sand.

Yes ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> Annnd Cas hasn't even figured out that he was literally keeping body and soul together by sheer force of will. <<

Will and Grace. ;)

>> Hooo-boy, that's gonna be an interesting conversation at some point. <<

Several of them. I have another poem and a half in this set, if you want to chip in toward sponsoring more. And then user name="dialecticdreamer"> is working on the same topic in a different context.

[ihavenoarms]

enjoy reading poams

[fuzzyred]

The latent superpower just woke up! Also, owwwww, so many sad feels :( But! Boss Blaster called for back up and Cas kept Ned alive long enough for the help to come, so everything is going to be okay.

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> The latent superpower just woke up! <<

Yep. Though in descriptive terms, "nefil" is a metapower like "Kryptonian" is -- one source that can yield many different abilities. No one angel or nefil can wield all the powers from divine spirit, but they have a very wide range of possibilities from which to manifest something to suit their needs and personality.

>> Also, owwwww, so many sad feels :(

Yeah, this is canon-atypical violence.

>> But! Boss Blaster called for back up and Cas kept Ned alive long enough for the help to come, so everything is going to be okay.<<

Sooth.

Re: Thoughts

[(Anonymous)]

>>Though in descriptive terms, "nefil" is a metapower like "Kryptonian" is -- one source that can yield many different abilities.<<

Isn't that true of any species? I mean, no human has full access to all of the possible human abilities. (Trapeze artist, bodybuilder and painter are all vastly different skills...) Granted there will be a lot that almost everyone can do...most humans can walk, vocalize and do fancy stuff with our hands.

Re: Thoughts

[fuzzyred]

>>Yep. Though in descriptive terms, "nefil" is a metapower like "Kryptonian" is -- one source that can yield many different abilities. No one angel or nefil can wield all the powers from divine spirit, but they have a very wide range of possibilities from which to manifest something to suit their needs and personality.<<

It will be interesting to see which way Cas' powers lean, and how much of a range he has within the nephil category, if he can access more than one specific ability.

>>Yeah, this is canon-atypical violence.<<

I have a feeling the Tatters are going to get stomped on hard.

Re: Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> It will be interesting to see which way Cas' powers lean, and how much of a range he has within the nephil category, if he can access more than one specific ability. <<

Well, his personality is nurturing and he's been learning first aid. I wouldn't be surprised to see him go from simply holding a soul in place to actually healing injuries. He might also have a knack for loaves-and-fishes resource extension. I'm pretty sure he already has an aura of comfort, which is likely to get stronger.

>> Yeah, this is canon-atypical violence.

I have a feeling the Tatters are going to get stomped on hard. <<

They shot down a police officer, who would have died except that the opposing gang acted to save him. The Tatters can bend over and kiss their ass goodbye. I believe that Boss Blaster already dispatched the shooter who hit Ned. The others will land in prison for a looong time.

[(Anonymous)]

I think everyone in that gang needs trauma level first aid skills...

And it wouldn't hurt to start Hali on Bom Bom Bunny level emergency skills.

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> I think everyone in that gang needs trauma level first aid skills... <<

Need, yes. Have the potential to develop, not so much. Most people can learn basic first aid, many can learn intermediate, but beyond that it bottlenecks quickly. There are a lot of skills and traits that go into becoming a good patcher or paramedic, and not everyone has them. Especially, they don't tend to appear in the same person with good martial skills, which is why combat medics or healers are so rare. A gang is lucky if they can find one person who wants to be in a gang and also patch up injuries. Cas really joined the gang by happenstance, rather than from being a wild thing. His nurturing personality is well suited to first aid, and I'll bet he hustles Molly about more training and equipment.

The other members ... well, all the sex workers have gotten some training in things like "what to do if your client has a heart attack" and "how to handle a skin flap injury from slipping in harness," etc. How far each went would depend on both their personality and how many adventurous services they offer. The others? You could probably talk Boss Blaster into "how to handle a crush injury" because he crawls under cars with other people. Cas is going to ask about how to handle gunshot trauma, and the basics of that are lifesaving things that most people can learn -- cops and soldiers often carry a hyperlight kit for that. I could see Cas and Boss Blaster getting Molly to offer that training to everyone who wants it. But it's advanced enough that it needs to be voluntary.

>> And it wouldn't hurt to start Hali on Bom Bom Bunny level emergency skills. <<

Cas has probably started her on the Bom Bom Bunny stuff like keeping still or screaming. She's not quite old enough for run like a rabbit yet.

I do have in mind a scene for Simon teaching Dairinne falling skills, and asking Cas if Hali wants to play.

Re: Thoughts

[(Anonymous)]

So max out the first aid and emergency stuff as far as people can / are willing to go.

The bare minimum I prefer to to teach people is "Call 911 and tell them your address." Adding type of emergency is a bonus.

Sometimes if a person is interested, other stuff can be added. Ditto if there is a medical reason (like a preexisting medical condition.) Or in this context, gang warfare...

[Disclamer: I my life, I'm specifiacally teaching communication skills, for phone calls and classes and such. I am not directly teaching first aid...but maybe I should look into qualifying for that.]

Personally, I would consider "stop bleeding" to be part of the basic first aid training, like what the Red Cross offers over here. I'd suggest RC-certified level training, and (if possible) pocket or car first aid kit. Be sure to stock trauma dressings...or menstrual pads.

Anyone who doesn't want the full lesson...well if they're willing, a three minute talk with Molly on "If heavy bleeding, stop heavy bleeding, and you do that by xyz," is better than nothing.

Also, they are in a functional society that has access to Emergency Services - so they can reasonably expect to handover complex problems relatively quickly. Or have someone talk them through it on the phone.

Re: Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> So max out the first aid and emergency stuff as far as people can / are willing to go. <<

Sensible.

>> The bare minimum I prefer to to teach people is "Call 911 and tell them your address." Adding type of emergency is a bonus.

Sometimes if a person is interested, other stuff can be added. Ditto if there is a medical reason (like a preexisting medical condition.) Or in this context, gang warfare... <<

One thing L-America fails to do in many cases is discuss the variety of jobs available in an emergency.

* Stay out of the way is always a viable choice. If you don't know what to do, or the situation freaks you out, etc. then you can help by leaving or sitting down somewhere quiet. Then responders don't have to worry about you.

* Phone Guy is another job. Someone needs to call for help, describe the situation, and stay on the line until responders arrive. Preferably, this should be someone who gives good phone.

* Scene Assessment / Management is important, especially in complicated situations. You need to make sure nobody else gets hurt and nothing explodes.

So applying first aid is only one of multiple options.

>> [Disclamer: I my life, I'm specifiacally teaching communication skills, for phone calls and classes and such. I am not directly teaching first aid...but maybe I should look into qualifying for that.] <<

First aid would be an excellent addition to your skillset -- especially as people may ask you about health issues.

There are scripts for practicing how to report different types of emergency.

>>Personally, I would consider "stop bleeding" to be part of the basic first aid training, like what the Red Cross offers over here.<<

Well, there are different levels of bleeding, and different levels of detail depending on the class. "Hole big enough to stuff a sweatshirt in" is not covered below advanced level, where you get into things like occlusive bandages and how to stop bleeding in places you can't tourniquet. The basic outline is direct pressure, pressure points, and tourniquet; but they often don't go into a lot of detail about which and how.

>> I'd suggest RC-certified level training, and (if possible) pocket or car first aid kit. <<

Cas has an everyday carry kit. He uses it several times a day. But it's for small injuries, because people who work with their hands will ding themselves pretty often. He needs a considerably larger one.

>> Be sure to stock trauma dressings...or menstrual pads.<<

Tampons are great for small to medium bullet wounds.

There are hyperlight trauma kits suited to everyday carry. The training that comes with those is focused on heavy bleeding, like glass injuries or gunshot wounds. That'd be the quickest boost for Cas right now. But I think he might start considering EMT training.

>> Anyone who doesn't want the full lesson...well if they're willing, a three minute talk with Molly on "If heavy bleeding, stop heavy bleeding, and you do that by xyz," is better than nothing. <<

True, but see above re: different tasks. So far, people have been ambushing groups, not individuals. Hence why Cas got shoved behind a van so the gang's fighters could protect the noncombatant. He was only activated once someone got injured and his patcher role became relevant.

>> Also, they are in a functional society that has access to Emergency Services - so they can reasonably expect to handover complex problems relatively quickly. Or have someone talk them through it on the phone. <<

Truer there than here. However, they're in a shitty neighborhood, so response time is slower than downtown.

Yay!

[dialecticdreamer]

Cas is more than he thinks that he is.

Not even thinking about the power that kept Ned's soul with his body... Cas, an untrained, ordinary civilian single father went into a FIREFIGHT to pull another person to safety.

The local cops are going to be talking about that for a long, long time.

Re: Yay!

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> Cas is more than he thinks that he is. <<

Yes. A little extra digging turned up why he's so determined to be ordinary and practical.

>> Not even thinking about the power that kept Ned's soul with his body... Cas, an untrained, ordinary civilian single father went into a FIREFIGHT to pull another person to safety. <<

Well, he had enough medical training to make him think like a first responder. Even though it was nowhere near sufficient to the demands of his environment, he was able to extrapolate from what he knew to what he needed with the minimal resources in reach.

I kinda want to see him flibber when he tells Molly, in the guise of asking about more training and better supplies, and she is all impressed at him.

>> The local cops are going to be talking about that for a long, long time. <<

That and the fact that Boss Blaster stood up the midst of a firefight to protect an officer down.

Gregg won't need to buy his own beer for a while. ;)

Re: Yay!

[dialecticdreamer]

I want to see the officers' reactions to Boss Blaster, too!

AWW

[(Anonymous)]

He got his Grace, he just doesn't realize he's Nephilim all the way yet, he still thinks his mama was a little bit cookoo

HE didn't realize he was being an anchor either, and he has proof of his lineage in front of his face with his daughter....

call one of the GOOD priests, or a Rabbi or something and get Dr. G on speed dial, we're gunna need all the help.

Re: AWW

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> He got his Grace, <<

Yep.

>> he just doesn't realize he's Nephilim all the way yet, <<

He's still trying to avoid that.

>> he still thinks his mama was a little bit cookoo <<

She is a little bit cuckoo. She just happens to be telling the truth about his father. Cas had to admit some sort of relevance because of Hali's wings, but has steadfastly refused to consider it in relation to himself.

>> HE didn't realize he was being an anchor either, and he has proof of his lineage in front of his face with his daughter.... <<

True.

I suspect that whatever angelic abilities Cas manifests, they are likely to be more subtle and often subconscious, rather than the flaming-sword stuff. Well, if he'd had to protect Hali from Family Services back in the first incident, things might have gotten messy, but his personality leans more toward things like Aura of Comfort.

>> call one of the GOOD priests, or a Rabbi or something and get Dr. G on speed dial, we're gunna need all the help. <<

Yeah. The limitation with that is, right now, Cas already has his hands full dealing with current challenges. dialecticdreamer has plans for next steps, which will help a lot. Dr. G has been suggested as someone who could teach Cas more coping skills. Eventually, yes, talking to a skilled cleric would be highly advisable.

Re: AWW

[(Anonymous)]

Hmmm...have him hang out with Drew and Rosie a bit.

We Quakers dont really do the whole 'revere angels' thing...but we're damn good at channeling the divine, even as standard humans.

And most of the manifestations of that channeling are often quiet, calm, and compassionate... even when staring down the whole world, or walking unarmed towards one's enemies.