[This Temple Tilts] Epilogue
"It's bigger on the inside," Dean says as he leans back out of the front of the TARDIS, holding tight to the edges of the doors, and looks over at Bobby's house. He leans back inside and glances around. It's the biggest thing he's ever seen. "Holy shit."
The Doctor is grinning up at him from underneath that weird glass floor, and Dean stays close to the door. It's not like he doesn't like the thing for what it is, but seriously what the fuck? "I love that part," he says, muffled by the floor. Amy beside him grins.
Sam is examining something carefully on the console, but comes down to where Dean is standing. "You sure you don't want to come?" Sam asks, sounding a little wistful. "We could anywhere. We can see anything."
"In a spaceship?" Dean shakes his head. "No fucking way. I need to keep the ground under my feet." Dean pulls his brother into a hug and tries not to sound like a big girl about this. "But stop by once in a while, okay?"
"Oh, you'll hardly notice he's gone at all," the Doctor says, appearing from seemingly nowhere. "Sure I can't drop you and Castiel off? That car is so - "
“Hey!” Castiel is sitting over in the corner of the large room, looking around as though he's still a little dazed and out of his element; then again, with Jimmy sitting beside him like that, anyone would feel just a little bit out of place. Dean watches as Castiel tentatively pulls a ring from his pocket, handing it wordlessly to Jimmy. Jimmy's face lights up when he takes it and slides it onto his ring finger. Dean clears his throat and shakes his head. "Nah, we're good. Just find Jimmy's family, and we're set."
The Doctor says, "No problem; they're still with her parents, it'll barely be a trip at all."
Sam coughs. The light catches the burn marks circling his throat. "Dean, I'm going to go say goodbye to Bobby, see if he wants to come see this before we go."
"You know he won't want to," Dean calls after Sam's back. The Doctor hangs close, and Dean raises an eyebrow. "You got something else to say?"
"I have judged you harshly based on the worst possible version of you," the Doctor says, like he's practiced it a couple times but still doesn't quite want to say it. "But you keep that in mind - I know the worst about you, and I will watch for it. I have seen the sort of human Castiel can become, and you need to protect him. You shouldn't be his job anymore."
"Yeah, believe me - I know," Dean says. "You just make sure you don't accidentally drop my brother into a black hole or whatever, okay? The last thing I need is you on my doorstep telling me that the last of my family is dead."
"Well, not the last," the Doctor says, grin breaking the grim expression on his face. "That's enough of that, we understand each other, let's get going then! I have a lot of my own problems to deal with. Don't need yours as well, and we have a lot of stops to make before I go. If you're not coming along, now is the time to step off."
Dean takes a couple steps backwards and back out onto the gravel of Bobby's salvage yard. It's not a minute before Castiel follows, stilling wearing that borrowed long-sleeved shirt that's just a little too big and jeans that fit just right. It does look better than the suit; Amy had that right. Sam comes running up, duffel bag over his shoulder. He and Dean spare one more hug before he steps into the TARDIS. "No guns?" the Doctor asks.
"You couldn't beg me to bring them," Sam says, before he disappears behind the closed doors. Dean swallows the lump in his throat when the ship disappears. This is good. It's time for Sam to get off the road, and there's not enough room for the three of them in the Impala anyway.
Speaking of which, their guests are huddled together in the back seat of the Impala, talking like they'd known each other for ever. They'd both slept for days before coming to; even then, they'd responded first by reaching out to each other. Dean doesn't know if they remember - though the Doctor swears they can't possibly - or some instinct.
Dean promised to take them back to Aminah's place in Chicago; she taught classes at a university, and at first has only been able to say over and over again, “I was just in Riverside visiting friends, I almost didn't go.” Cordelia wouldn't say where she was from or how she had arrived at that hotel in Riverside, but Aminah didn't seem to mind having her along for the ride.
Smiling, Dean turns to Castiel. "You gonna be okay?" he asks, a hand on Castiel's shoulder. Castiel gives him a shaky half-smile, and Dean adds, "Because if you need more time, we can wait. Bobby can drive 'em home."
"No, let's go," Castiel says. "I'm ready to be on the road." And Dean remembers sitting in the dark living room that first night, the porch light through the window illuminating Castiel's face as he whispered, “I'll never fly again.”
Dean tosses their bags into the trunk. Bobby stands on the porch with a beer; he gives Dean a curt nod and raises his bottle just slightly before heading inside, and Dean understands. They'll be back before too long. Castiel climbs into the passenger seat and settles in to stare at the road atlas. Dean smiles at the sight of him flipping through the pages until he finds South Dakota.
Sliding into the driver's seat, Dean runs his hands over the steering wheel. The car smells like last night's blueberry pie, and the air outside is unseasonably warm. He cracks the window. "Well, baby, are you ready for another adventure?" In the back seat, Cordelia and Aminah both fixed him with puzzled stares; he can see their faces in the rearview mirror. Castiel rolls his eyes, but he's got an affectionate smile on his face.
The Impala comes to life when Dean turns the key.
Prologue | Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three | Chapter Four | Chapter Five | Chapter Six | Chapter Seven | Epilogue