text;

[momchester]

[Anyone who knows and talks to Mary knows that she doesn't really like texting. So the fact that this is text- it's unusual.]

Dean Winchester is gone from Siren's Port. He disappeared earlier today.

If anybody wants to find me, I'll be at the Newcomer Memorial.

[Most likely drunk. Her marriage dissolved even more this week, talk about an awful month.]

[Private to Castiel | added several hours later]

Hi. Just wanted to drop you a line and ask how you're doing.

Comments

[action]

[where_the_hearth_is]

[The House doesn't know what to say, how to handle loss. It's not something it's ever really known, aside from the perpetual but familiar absence of its first owner. But a little iridescent butterfly finds Mary at the memorial, settling gently nearby, wings throwing soft rainbows in the light. Just a speck of prettiness, as good a sign as it can manage that the House is watching over her, that it cares.]

[action]

[momchester]

[Mary is just approaching the memorial and has to stop a distance away to brace herself against a tree and breathe deeply when she sees it. There's something enchanting about it, something that makes her look again. It's only been a few days since Mary came home crying and refused to say why. She hasn't smiled since.]

Aren't you pretty.

[action + text]

[where_the_hearth_is]

[The butterfly isn't audio-equipped, but the House can read her lips easily enough from the pictures it relays; and Mary's NV pings with a plain text reply from the House.]

The butterfly is an apparatus of mine.

[It feels as though not telling her would, in some small, strange way, be a betrayal.]

[Text]

[family_remains]

What?!

[Text]

[momchester]

he's gone

[Text]

[family_remains]

Son of a bitch.

again.

[action]

[failedparenting]

[John will be there. He's not completely drunk, but he's on his way. The flask in his coat pocket is certainly getting a workout.

He says nothing as he sidles up next to her, but he offers her his flask.]

[momchester]

[In response (to him, not the flask) she just draws her arms tighter around herself, folding inwards instead of looking at him. For a long minute it seems like she's not gonna acknowledge him at all, but there are tears shining on her previously dry cheeks as she stares at Dean's name carved on the Memorial.

Dean Winchester. Like a dead man's name on a veteran memorial. Like he's never coming back.

When she opens her mouth to speak, the first breath comes out as a sob, and she has to fight to get every word out with even a facade of calm.]

I- I don't. [A breath. It doesn't help; she's crying in earnest now under the strain of everything.] I don't think it's too much to ask to want to know your own son. I really don't.

[failedparenting]

[He puts a shaking hand on her knee (she probably wouldn't appreciate anything more than that from him, anyway) and gives it a reassuring squeeze.]

Do you want me to tell you about him?

[Voice]

[integrity]

He has a horrendous tendency to make my life difficult, the selfish bastard.

[No. He will not be helpful. Because he is pissed off.]

[Voice]

[momchester]

Good for you.

[So flat. So very uninterested.]

[Voice]

[integrity]

Are you all honestly going to sulk.

It isn't as if he has a more important job to be doing in our world or anything.

text

[socius]

[.. Oh.]

I'm sorry.

text

[momchester]

I'm lighting a candle here if you want to come.

text

[socius]

[Way to make it sound like he's dead, Mary.]

Only if you're sure.

[magnetic_magpie]

Mary...I. I know it hurts. I know that that doesn't make it easier.

[momchester]

You're right it doesn't

text;

[whycantistay]

I'm sorry. He was a good guy.

text;

[momchester]

Hopefully he'll come back.

[text]

[ofthursday]

[Have the most detailed answer ever, Mary, though he does feel a little touched that she bothered to ask.]

Fine.

[momchester]

You want to come by for more food? I bet we could both use a decent distraction.

video;

[athermercy]

I'm sorry, Mary.

video;

[momchester]

Thank you. I just hope that some day I'll get the chance to really know him.

text;

[paranoidbastard]

[ Disappeared, not dead. Could be worse. Could always be worse. Damn it to hell. Bobby doesn't much like texting, either, but he'll make an exception. ]

Thanks for the heads up.
Call if you need something.

text;

[momchester]

I need food, water, Darkness-proofing, and this like a hole in my head.

You want to come pour one out? I thought it was pretty cathartic.