Prologue [3] – Charlie Bradbury

Spices and herbs dominated the aroma in the kitchen as the redhead cranked up the wireless speaker, moving her body to the music. She hummed the tune under her breath as she followed the directions to make dinner.

"How's dinner coming?" asked a sultry voice. The redhead felt arms slither around her from behind, felt the hot breath at her ear that made her shiver every time it came into contact with her skin.

"G-good," the redhead stammered. Even though they were living together, she acted so nervous sometimes. But her partner liked that about Charlie Bradbury. They were opposites, and everyone knew what was said about opposites. "M-might not turn out as good if you distract me."

The voice chuckled, sending chills up Charlie's spine. "Even when you blubber, you're adorable." Charlie twisted away from the pinch of her cheek. That was the one thing that she didn't like, that Scarlett Johansson had to constantly compliment her and pinch her damn cheeks. She'd gotten used to it in the beginning, now it was more of a nuisance. But Charlie couldn't tell Scarlett Johansson that. She didn't want to lose the love of her life.

And, no, the real Scarlett Johansson wasn't really dead; Heaven made a clone of her for Charlie's benefit. Instead of giving her Black Widow, redheaded Scarlett, Charlie was blessed with blonde ScarJo.

"Can you set the table?" asked Charlie, who was trying to calm her racing heart.

"Sure thing."

Charlie blushed as red as her hair when Scarlett kissed her on the cheek. The things this woman could do to Charlie. She wondered how she lucked out so much in Heaven.

When a mutual song came on that the two enjoyed, they found themselves singing off-key with the music. As Scarlett rummaged through the cabinets and got out the plates, silverware, and glasses, Charlie did the finishing touches on their dinner for the night.

"Charlie!" Scarlett yelled over the music. It wasn't a panicked shout, one just to get her attention. "Charlie, turn down the music!"

Acting quickly while keeping a sharp eye on dinner, Charlie cranked the volume downwards. She looked at Scarlett, and every time she did, she had to pinch herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming. "What's up?"

They both heard it: knock, knock, knock.

Scarlett gestured to the sound of the noise. "That."

"Mind getting it, since you're closer?"

Scarlett nodded before running off to get the door. As Charlie set out dinner on the set table, she heard two sets of footsteps coming to the kitchen. Scarlett had a habit of letting everyone into their home, with the exception of fanatics.

"Charlie?" Scarlett's tone was laced in worry. "Charlie, honey?"

At this, Charlie picked her head up. She nearly dropped the plate of food she held in her hands. Her blue eyes widened.

Her angelic friend, Castiel, was standing beside her girlfriend, Scarlett Johansson. This was the kind of stuff you just couldn't make up.

Charlie's body stopped for the smallest second. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't think. Her mouth was full of cotton, any words that came to mind weren't coming out. The last time she'd seen Castiel was before she'd...died.

"C-Cas," Charlie finally squeaked. "How, uh, nice of you to drop by. I-I don't remember sending dinner invitations."

"So you do know him," said Scarlett, relieved. "Good, I was beginning to think that he was pretending or something."

"Uh, Scar, can you, uh, excuse us for a minute?" Charlie looked to her girlfriend pleadingly. Whatever Cas had to say, she didn't want Scarlett hearing any of it.

Scarlett tilted her head. "Anything he can say to you, he can say to me too."

"I-I might have to agree with Charlie on this," Cas said slowly.

"What's going on, Charlie?"

"It's...complicated," Charlie sighed, realizing that her dinner with Scarlett was about to get crashed. She set down the plate of food on the table before moving around it to get closer to Scarlett and Cas. "What do we owe the pleasure, Cas?"

"Sam and Dean," Cas said gravely. "They're in trouble."

Charlie hadn't heard those names for a while. Ever since she'd landed herself in Heaven, those names had been gone from her mind. Memories. Now, the names had returned.

"Sam and Dean, in trouble?" Charlie asked slowly. She groaned. "What did they do now?"

"Aside from picking fights with every monster known to man, nothing that I'm aware of. They...they've disappeared, Charlie."

"Disappeared?" Charlie couldn't help but notice Scarlett's occasional glance of confusion between her and Cas. "Can't you find them?"

"No. Whoever has taken them...they've hidden them well. Almost too well." Looking at him closer, Charlie could see the fatigue in Cas's face. The lines were almost permanently etched into his face.

"So...Is this all you came here for? We were about to eat."

"No, I came to ask for your help."

"M-my help?" Charlie looked at Scarlett, looked at their life that they had built together. Cas wasn't honestly expecting her to just walk out on this to help out Sam and Dean, was he? She regarded the Winchesters like brothers, yes, but...

She was happy here, with Scarlett, in Heaven.

"Why do you need my help?"

"There aren't many willing participants," Cas explained. "I know, it wasn't exactly my first choice, either, to do this. But..."

"Charlie," Scarlett finally spoke. "What's going on?"

Charlie swallowed. How could she explain this so that Scarlett could understand?

"Her friends are in trouble," Cas told Scarlett.

Scarlett looked at Charlie. Charlie hadn't really mentioned a lot about her life when they'd met in Heaven. She kept a lot of secrets from the actress. But now, between a rock and a hard place, Charlie had no choice but to explain the situation.

"Cas, could you give us a few minutes, please?" Charlie asked quietly.

"Don't take too long." Cas left to go wait out on the porch.

"Okay, since I'm sure Cas can't wait a full eternity, here goes. Before Heaven, I met two guys by the names of Sam and Dean Winchester. We, uh, they broke into my house, that's how we got ourselves introduced. They turned out to be cool guys, they hunted monsters—or hunt, I guess, since they aren't dead." Hopefully. "I...I regarded them as brothers, Scar." The redhead messed with her fingers.

"They mean a lot to you."

"They...did. But, I'm here, with you." The smile on Charlie's face felt fake.

Scarlett smiled solemnly. "Go, your friends need you, Charlie. I'll man down the fort."

The fact that Scarlett was letting Charlie do this so easily...By the nerd gods, Heaven really blessed her. Charlie hugged Scarlett tight.

"You won't be gone forever," Scarlett murmured over Charlie's pixie cut. "You're not going off to war."

"Yeah, but, I don't know how long I'll be gone." Charlie stretched up to give Scarlett one long kiss on the mouth. I won't be getting any action for a while, so I better make this count. "I love you, Scar."

"I love you, too, Charlie. Now, go, before your ride leaves you behind."

Charlie finally stepped out onto the porch. I'm really about to do this. Cas looked to her expectantly. The redhead looked back at the open doorway, where Scarlett leaned. The blonde nodded, a sign of encouragement to her partner.

Charlie looked back at Cas.

"Where do we start?"

**I'm sorry, but when Charlie had dreamed of marrying ScarJo, I thought "my god, that's Charlie's Heaven. Living with the woman of her dreams." 

You can imagine how hard it was for her to turn her back on it. But, like you guys know, Sam and Dean are like her brothers.

Let's just hope this time around this doesn't cause a second undoing.

And it would be disrespectful to not give this song for Charlie's opening.**