[Fic] DCBB - Round Came the Magpie - Chapter Five, Part ii
Chapter Five, Part ii
“Blackwater Ridge,” Sam announced the next day, with a small furrow to his brow. Dean looked up after folding Sam’s omelette and waited for his brother to continue. Sam looked better today, like he’d actually got some sleep. Even though Castiel had reported that Sam had a few nightmares last night they hadn’t hindered his rest. Castiel possibly may have coaxed Sam’s unconscious mind into more peaceful directions but Dean and Castiel would neither confirm nor deny that.
“What’s there?” Dean prompted when Sam chose to keep mum.
“Ah, not much of anything. Forest, rocks, wilderness.”
“My favourite,” Dean wrinkled up his nose.
“Oh shut-up, you like camping,” Sam retorted.
“Only when I have to,” Dean answered. “Hey, Cas?”
Castiel poked his head through the swinging kitchen door, book tucked under his arm. He was doing some research into both the Apocalypse and demon signs while he waited for the boys to eat.
“How’s angel radar?” Dean asked.
“Quiet,” Castiel replied.
“Think you could take a wing over to those coordinates Dad gave? Try and get a lay of the land see what the hell we’re up against. Not to mention if Dad’s there.”
Castiel frowned slightly and cocked his head as if listening, then he nodded carefully. He was gone before their very eyes, the faint sound of wings following his departure.
“Handy,” Sam remarked.
“He’s been flying around a lot lately though, he’ll probably have to hold off for the next little while. We might already be drawing some unwanted attention. Cas tries to hide himself but we’re never quite sure how much the angels can actually detect.”
“How does he hide?”
Dean shrugged. “Beats me. He got a few tips from his brother… ah… he had weird name, not like that says much… Baltor? Balthane… Balthazar! The guy was conniving for an angel, annoying as hell too, but don’t mention him to Cas. It’s kind of a sore spot.”
“Why?”
“He died,” Dean replied quietly. “I think he was one of Castiel’s favourites too. Apparently was killed in some epic battle upstairs. Regardless, he managed to pass on some tricks to Cas. Don’t ask me where he picked up on them though. From what I understood, Balthazar was younger but perhaps he was more scholarly than Cas when they were running together in Heaven. Cas was an excellent strategist but I’m not sure if the book stuff was really his thing. Preferred making devil’s traps and plotting battles over reading up on all the secrets of the angels. Smart as fuck but more hands on.”
Sam smiled faintly. “Like you.”
Dean snorted. “No need to humour your idiot brother, Sammy.”
“Dean, I’m serious.” If earnestness was a physical thing, Dean was pretty sure he’d be blanketed with it at that moment.
“Here, food.” Dean put a large plate of food in front of Sam before turning back to the stove.
“Dean I mean it. You’re a-”
“Wendigo,” Castiel reappeared. “I managed to rescue the young man it had captured and dropped him at a ranger’s station but I’m afraid I would have drawn too much attention to myself had I smote it. We’ll have to go by more traditional means as soon as you two are ready. I think I’ll have to refrain from flying for a few weeks.”
Dean turned concerned eyes on the angel. “Trouble?”
“No; a message,” Castiel answered.
“Bad?”
“It was more a warning I suppose. My brother, Samandiriel, managed to locate me. We were fairly close when we were stationed on Earth. I trained him from a fledgling. Samandiriel sent me a message to be careful if I wanted to remain unencumbered on Earth. I trust he won’t give me up to Zachariah or Michael, but I feel guilty about putting the weight of withholding the truth on his shoulders. He’s young still,” Castiel sat down next to Sam and gratefully took the coffee Dean offered.
“Why don’t you give Jimmy some face-time? You’ll be hidden then, right?” Dean suggested.
Castiel grimaced. “Yes, though I hate hiding behind him. But you’re right. I’ll take control again once we’ve reached Blackwater Ridge. Be sure you pack your flamethrowers and flare guns. A wendigo can only be killed with fire.”
“Yes, Dear,” Dean rolled his eyes, but he was smiling. He leaned down and gave Castiel a chaste kiss. “See you later.” Dean pulled back and turned to the stove again. He cracked some more eggs and whisked them vigorously, trying to ignore Sam’s soppy expression.
“That for me?”
Sam actually started at the voice and change in mannerism. What had once been Castiel clearly wasn’t anymore. The man sitting next to the younger Winchester spoke with a higher tone that wasn’t as stilted as Castiel’s speech sometimes continued to be. His rigorous military posture was all but forgotten and he sat in an easy slouch at the table. His face also seemed to hold more expression without even expressing much at all.
“Yeah, I know Cas is bad at feeding you, thought you’d appreciate it,” Dean answered without turning.
“I really do,” Jimmy said gratefully. “I’ve told the bastard to wing by a burger joint every now and then but he either forgets or ignores me,” Jimmy huffed.
“Ah…” Sam gaped.
“Oh gosh, hi! My name is Jimmy, Jimmy Novak, you must be Sam,” the older man had a slight flush of embarrassment on his cheeks as he held out a hand for Sam to shake. “Cas talks about you a lot and of course Dean when the veil is lifted. It’s really great to meet you, Sam.”
“Ah…” Sam just repeated elegantly.
“No mushrooms, right Jim?” Dean asked, unfazed.
Jimmy scowled with his entire face, clear disgust on his features.
Dean chuckled and tossed the man a wink before turning back to the stove.
“I swear you ask just to get my reaction,” Jimmy groused.
“Ah…” another eloquent comment from Sam.
“Wow, I’m really sorry, this must be strange for you,” Jimmy turned back to Sam, his face apologetic. “It takes some getting used to.”
“Understatement,” Sam managed to squeak out.
“Here, Jim,” Dean finally settled at the table after setting two plates down. “Sammy, yours is probably cold, you can’t taste the awesomeness when it’s cold. I make a mean omelette.” Dean rolled his eyes and switched plates with his brother, whose breakfast had only been minimally touched. Dean dug into the cold egg concoction easily. When Sam still didn’t move, Dean kicked his brother under the table.
“Eat. I wanna get on the road in an hour.”
xx
As they drove, Jimmy spoke to them amiably from the backseat. He, like Castiel, had a bad habit of not wearing his seatbelt. After the first few times that Dean demanded Jimmy put the restraining device on and Jimmy refused to comply, Dean finally gave up. Jimmy and Sam were talking now, with Jimmy leaning forward and telling Sam pretty incredible tales of some of the things he managed to witness as an angel’s vessel. Castiel, when he was away from Dean by necessity, at times got lonely and would bring Jimmy out of his sleeping state to talk.
“God, the most incredible thing? The flying, Sam. You can’t even imagine,” Jimmy grin was wide, a hint of gum showing over his teeth, eyes sparkling as he talked. The change was unbelievable, but there was one thing Sam noticed that didn’t change and that was the softness that stole over Jimmy’s expression whenever he glanced at Dean and sent him a sweet, shy smile. Sam was surprised and wondered if Dean knew.
xx
Dirty, sweaty and exhausted, Dean collapsed back against a moss-covered tree trunk at the entrance of the mine. Wendigos were tough sons-of-bitches, but this one was taken care of in fairly short order with no local rangers or civilians to encumber them. Castiel’s rescue mission the previous day had really paid off in that department. The blue-eyed man (Castiel since they reached the ridge) came and sat down next to Dean, handing him a canteen that contained angelically-chilled water. Dean took a grateful swig and Castiel winked, settling back against the trunk as well. Sam came out a few moments later, coughing and panting; he wiped sweat, soot and dirt from his brow and snatched the water without even asking as he collapsed with the other two men.
“I think I managed to round up and torch all the remains. I brought out a few knapsacks I found too, left them by the entrance. The families may want their loved one’s possessions and it would be nice to give them back to them,” Sam said.
“Sounds good,” Dean nodded. “We’ll go over to the ranger station as soon as I catch my breath. Remind me to never get abducted by a wendigo again.”
“Never get abducted by a wendigo again,” Castiel said flatly.
Dean rolled his eyes and playfully smacked Castiel’s arm. Jimmy was awesome to hang out with and everything, but Dean was still glad to have his partner back. He missed the nerdy little dude when he was gone and it had been more years than Dean cared to remember since he had been on his own.
A part of him recognized he was too dependent on his family, but family was what was important and Dean couldn’t find it in him to care all that much about how dependent he was. They may be his vulnerability but they made him stronger too.
Once they got Dad back then everything would be perfect again. Jess too. Jess was Sam’s family and Dean found he needed to accept that pretty fast. After all, Sam never faulted Dean for loving an angel and Dean couldn’t fault his brother for finding someone to love as well. Even if Dad was still in the wind and Jessica was in a horrible situation, Dean couldn’t help but be content in this moment with his angel and his brother at his side.
Sam even seemed to be doing better. Dean was sure the younger man still missed and was afraid for his girlfriend, but she was alive and they all held on to that. None of them believed that the demons would kill Jessica, not yet anyway. They would only take her because they needed her alive. If they hadn’t, she would have been dead already. That bastard Brady would have had his human lackeys kill her.
So yeah, Dean allowed himself to relax a little, happy that Castiel also seemed more content than he had in a while. Dean knew that Castiel was always the most at ease ensconced in the evidence of his Father’s creation, and what was greater evidence than centuries old forest? Now that the hundred year old cannibal turned monster was dead anyway. That was until Dean saw Castiel visibly tense out of the corner of his eye. Dean turned and watched as Castiel lifted his face to the sky and pushed carefully to his feet.
“Dean,” Castiel said calmly, “when I say, you and your brother need to run. Do not stop, do not look back, do not try to help me. Do you understand? You need to go.”
“Cas what the fuck are you-”
Castiel spun quickly and lifted Dean to his feet, meeting green with blue, firm and unwavering. “Dean I am dead serious right now, when I say, you and Sam run.”
“What’s coming?” Sam asked quietly, moving next to Dean and grabbing onto his brother’s jacket, ready to pull him away if the older man resisted. Dean grabbed at Sam’s in return, ready to push him away at a moment’s notice. There was no way in hell Dean was running but Sammy needed to get away. Castiel stood tense, ready, his angel blade in hand twirling at set intervals. Dean recognized the anxious gesture.
Castiel was a warrior, he was built to fight, designed for combat and when it came to him he was all nervous energy and impossible to keep still. Even if it was just the small gesture of the needless flipping of the angel blade, Castiel was primed and ready. Dean swallowed.
“Angels, angels are coming. Now. Run! I’ll hold them off, I’ll hold them all off, just GO!”
Sam and Dean were grappling together. Sam tried to follow Castiel’s instructions while Dean tried to push his brother away and to safety. They were both immovable in their struggle and Castiel was ready to send them both flying whether they liked it or not. He could not defend Sam and Dean and fight the angels, especially when he couldn’t get a lock on just how many were coming.
He reached up to lay a hand on them both and send them back to the Impala when all the tension suddenly drained away from him and the blade in his hand disappeared.
He looked up and smiled. “Inias.”
As if the word was an invocation, a fairly tall, slender man with shaggy brown hair and dark blue eyes appeared before them, smiling gently at the small gathered group. “Hello Castiel. It is very good to see you again.”
Castiel moved forward and pulled the thin man into an embrace which the other angel gladly returned. Dean tensed under Sam’s hand and Sam just patted his brother gently.
“Not that I’m unhappy to see you, Brother, but why are you here?” Castiel asked. “It’s dangerous for you to be with me. If Michael finds o-”
“That’s what we need to prevent,” Inias interrupted. “This is not a social visit, Castiel, Michael’s followers have found Balthazar.”
Castiel eyes widened and his shook his head slowly. “I don’t understand, Balthazar was killed.”
“That’s what we thought,” Inias agreed. “However, Samandiriel has been keeping watch over Michael and Raphael’s followers, ensuring that our… alternate views, are not suspect. He is young, they trust him, he discovered that a group of Michael’s followers detected Balthazar’s presence. They swarmed him, Castiel, took him. They are interrogating him as we speak in order to find your location and uncover who your followers are. We need you. You are our leader; we need you to help us rescue Balthazar.”
Castiel’s gaze flicked from Inias to Sam and Dean, who were watching with wary expressions. Castiel didn’t blame them; he himself had warned Dean never to trust angels, no matter who they claimed allegiance to. Castiel knew he could trust Inias and Samandiriel but he wouldn’t dissuade Dean and Sam from their general mistrust. It was safer when they only believed in him. Angels were an underhanded and conniving group. It was easy to be so when so few of them had a conscience. After all, they had been built to fight and to obey. Most of them were incapable of feeling anything other than what Their Father designed them to feel. Castiel wasn’t sure why he was different, or how he was able to persuade others to be as well. He just knew he was.
“What of Uriel?” Castiel asked.
Inias looked away. “We are unable to locate Uriel. He has been missing for several months.”
Castiel tightened his jaw. That was unfortunate news. “Anna? Has her human form been discovered?”
“Anna?” Inias furrowed his brow not understanding.
Castiel recalled that only he, Uriel and Michael ever referred to her by the nickname. “Anael,” he corrected.
“She fell, Castiel,” Inias said, aghast.
“I had Uriel attempt to locate her. She fell for her love of Humanity, Inias. She can only be an ally. Didn’t he tell you?”
“Uriel made no such reports,” Inias relayed. That did not bode well at all.
Castiel clenched his jaw and looked behind him at the humans again. “Inias…”
“Please, Castiel. We need you. You are our leader. If Balthazar brea-”
“He won’t,” Castiel interrupted vehemently.
“If he does, all our work will be for naught. Your humans won’t be able to be protected any longer.”
Castiel went very still as he contemplated the ramifications of Inias’s words. He was right, of course he was right. Castiel was their leader; he did have the most power at his disposal and most of all Balthazar was his brother, his family. Probably the closest thing he had to the human meaning of the word.
“Give me a minute,” Castiel said quietly, looking behind him.
“That is all you can afford,” Inias said warningly.
Castiel moved away from his fellow angel to the two humans looking at him, curious and anxious. Both had mirrored expressions, their brows set in deep lines as they observed the interaction.
When Castiel was close enough, Dean reached out and grabbed his elbow with what would be bruising force had Castiel been human.
“What the hell was all that?” Dean asked lowly. “You were speaking too damned fast for me to catch any of it.”
“How much Enochian do you actually know?” Sam gawped.
“Enough to get by,” Dean snapped back; that wasn’t important right now. “Cas, what the hell, Man? You said to never trust any angels.”
“And I stand by that,” Castiel retorted. “You should not trust them. But this is different. Inias, he’s one of my followers.”
“Your what?” Dean raised a brow.
“Just before I left to join you and your family permanently, I had been working on convincing several of my brothers and sisters that Michael’s plan was not what Our Father intended. We were to love and protect humans. That is why Lucifer rebelled, because he refused to love anything beyond Our Father. Inias and some others are the ones I managed to convince.”
“Did I catch Balthazar in all that angel-babble?” Dean asked, eyes sympathetic. “Have they found his body?”
“In a way, but not so grim as that,” Castiel smiled softly. “He’s alive.”
“That’s great!” Dean grinned.
“Yes, but he has been captured. Michael’s followers have taken him. They are… encouraging him right now to relay what he knows about me and the others.”
“Okay…” Dean said carefully. “How much does he really know though, Cas?”
“Everything,” Castiel replied. “But it isn’t just that, I thought he was dead, Dean, but now I know he’s alive. I can’t just leave him in the hands of Michael; you’ve no idea what Heaven’s form of persuasion entails. He’s my brother, Dean.”
“You need to go,” Dean said flatly.
“I need to go,” Castiel confirmed. “The markings on your ribs will protect you. You know more now about angels and hunting than you did as a boy. You’ll be fine if you and Sam stay under the radar. I hate to leave you, but at the same time…”
“Your brother needs you,” Dean said.
“Yes.”
Dean nodded stiffly.
“I’m so sorry, Dean,” Castiel murmured.
“I get it,” Dean tried a grin. “Family, right?”
“Everyone will be safer when I get him out, this is for the best.”
Dean nodded again and pulled Castiel towards him to press a firm kiss to his lips. They rested their foreheads together for a moment before Dean pulled back and nodded once more.
“Come on, Sam, we’re rolling out,” Dean said voice light. “Good luck, Cas. Stay safe.”
“You too, Dean. I’ll call you when I’m done and come find you. Keep your heads down. Look for your father.”
“Cas?” Sam asked. “Is everything all right?”
“It will be soon. Stick with your brother, Sam, for my sake. He’s not used to being on his own. I don’t think he’s very good at it,” Castiel said teasingly.
“I can hear you, you ass. Come on, Sammy, losing daylight. Don’t wanna be in these woods overnight… Again.”
“Watch yourself,” Sam said insistently. “For Dean’s sake.”
“Of course,” Castiel replied firmly.
Sam followed Castiel’s short walk back to his brother and sighed when he noticed Dean’s tense shoulders. Sam shook his head sadly and turned back to where the two angels had stood. There was nothing but open air now. Sam jogged back to where he dumped the victims’ bags and scooped them up, carrying the heavy, awkward load over to Dean and dumping some of the bags on his brother. Family was important. And these families needed to have closure. The gear wasn’t much, but perhaps it had meaning and who knew what tokens remained in them?
“Will you be okay, Dean?” Sam asked carefully after a few moments of plodding through the woods.
“Oh, Sammy, com’ere, let me cry on your shoulder while you sing me softly to sleep,” Dean rolled his eyes. “Jesus, Sam, really?”
“Fine, Dean, just asking.”
“Well, yeah, don’t. It’s not like I’m going to fall apart because I don’t get to see Cas for a few days. I don’t rely on him for my survival or anything. I’m a grown-up and I’m an independent one at that. Being married hasn’t turned me helpless,” Dean groused.
“I got it Dean.”
As they walked to the ranger station, Sam wondered what it was like to be married. He had Jessica’s ring tucked safely in his duffle in the Impala’s trunk. That was one thing he was sure to go in and get after he realized she had been taken. He wondered if they rented out their apartment yet or if they were saving it for the new school year in case Sam or Jess returned to it. He also wondered what Jessica’s parents thought. If Cindy and Chester had reported their little girl missing yet, wondered if they wondered about him. Or maybe blamed him. Jess’s mom had never liked Sam, but he had gotten along with her dad all right.
After Sam got Jessica back, he wondered if she would renew their relationship, if she would even want to or if she would want him out of her life forever. Sam certainly wouldn’t blame her if that was the case but he hoped very much that it wasn’t. He had been happier with her than he ever remembered being in his entire life and if he had to give her up, he wasn’t sure what he would do.
“You’d like Jess,” Sam said suddenly.
“Huh?”
“You’d like Jess. She’s a great girl. I’d even go so far to say you’d probably think she was a cool chick. I may have teased you about your music but she actually has a lot of the same albums as you do. On vinyl even. She thinks it sounds purer. She loves Chuck Norris and liquorice even though I’ve tried hard to talk her out of it. She hates people who are fake and are afraid to be themselves and she loves with her whole heart.”
“Dude, you’re dating chick version of me, doesn’t that freak you out?” Dean grinned.
“She was born on January 24th,” Sam chuckled.
“No way? Weird, Dude, weird. She sounds awesome though, Sam, really. I’m looking forward to meeting her properly when we get her back, and we will, all right? You got my word.”
“I know Dean.”
xx
Over the next several weeks they continued searching for their father and they continued to hunt. It was strange for Dean, to not have Castiel at his side on these adventures but it was also nice to spend some one-on-one time with his brother. Dean had the rest of his life and beyond to spend with Castiel, but one day Sam was going to leave his big brother behind and get married, settle down.
It wasn’t as if Sam would abandon Dean, but at the same time Sam would have responsibilities elsewhere. He would grow-up, once and for all. The thought made Dean equally sad and proud.
Dean also couldn’t help be impressed with how much his brother had changed. He wasn’t the chubby little boy any more or the scrawny teenager. Dean actually found it difficult to even continue to call his brother a ‘boy’ even in his mind because he seemed all man now. He was putting on muscle fairly quickly now that the sedentary life of a student had been left behind. And back in Lawrence, Missouri Moseley had been right, Sammy had grown up tall; the guy was a veritable sasquatch now and that was just the tiniest bit unfair.
“Hey, we should visit Bobby,” Dean said suddenly as they were driving down the highway, Sam behind the wheel (and no, Dean wasn’t panicking thankyouverymuch… At least not much).
“Are you sure, Dean?” Sam asked nervously. “We didn’t exactly part on the best of terms.”
“No, he and Dad didn’t part on the best of terms. Bobby was never pissed at us. I’ve been over there with Cas a few times since the falling out. Bobby’s an ornery old coot but he really is fine with us.”
“Oh? What was that like?” Sam asked carefully.
Dean grinned. “Cas and Bobby got along so well I was afraid Bobby would make Cas call him ‘uncle’ like we did when we were kids.”
“That would be uncomfortable,” Sam chortled, relieved that Bobby had taken the revelation so well. Bobby wasn’t exactly keen on supernatural creatures.
“Completely. We were safe though. No ‘uncles.’”
“Well that’s a relief. So Bobby’s?”
“Bobby’s,” Dean nodded, “he’ll be glad to see you.”
Previous | Masterpost | Next
“Blackwater Ridge,” Sam announced the next day, with a small furrow to his brow. Dean looked up after folding Sam’s omelette and waited for his brother to continue. Sam looked better today, like he’d actually got some sleep. Even though Castiel had reported that Sam had a few nightmares last night they hadn’t hindered his rest. Castiel possibly may have coaxed Sam’s unconscious mind into more peaceful directions but Dean and Castiel would neither confirm nor deny that.
“What’s there?” Dean prompted when Sam chose to keep mum.
“Ah, not much of anything. Forest, rocks, wilderness.”
“My favourite,” Dean wrinkled up his nose.
“Oh shut-up, you like camping,” Sam retorted.
“Only when I have to,” Dean answered. “Hey, Cas?”
Castiel poked his head through the swinging kitchen door, book tucked under his arm. He was doing some research into both the Apocalypse and demon signs while he waited for the boys to eat.
“How’s angel radar?” Dean asked.
“Quiet,” Castiel replied.
“Think you could take a wing over to those coordinates Dad gave? Try and get a lay of the land see what the hell we’re up against. Not to mention if Dad’s there.”
Castiel frowned slightly and cocked his head as if listening, then he nodded carefully. He was gone before their very eyes, the faint sound of wings following his departure.
“Handy,” Sam remarked.
“He’s been flying around a lot lately though, he’ll probably have to hold off for the next little while. We might already be drawing some unwanted attention. Cas tries to hide himself but we’re never quite sure how much the angels can actually detect.”
“How does he hide?”
Dean shrugged. “Beats me. He got a few tips from his brother… ah… he had weird name, not like that says much… Baltor? Balthane… Balthazar! The guy was conniving for an angel, annoying as hell too, but don’t mention him to Cas. It’s kind of a sore spot.”
“Why?”
“He died,” Dean replied quietly. “I think he was one of Castiel’s favourites too. Apparently was killed in some epic battle upstairs. Regardless, he managed to pass on some tricks to Cas. Don’t ask me where he picked up on them though. From what I understood, Balthazar was younger but perhaps he was more scholarly than Cas when they were running together in Heaven. Cas was an excellent strategist but I’m not sure if the book stuff was really his thing. Preferred making devil’s traps and plotting battles over reading up on all the secrets of the angels. Smart as fuck but more hands on.”
Sam smiled faintly. “Like you.”
Dean snorted. “No need to humour your idiot brother, Sammy.”
“Dean, I’m serious.” If earnestness was a physical thing, Dean was pretty sure he’d be blanketed with it at that moment.
“Here, food.” Dean put a large plate of food in front of Sam before turning back to the stove.
“Dean I mean it. You’re a-”
“Wendigo,” Castiel reappeared. “I managed to rescue the young man it had captured and dropped him at a ranger’s station but I’m afraid I would have drawn too much attention to myself had I smote it. We’ll have to go by more traditional means as soon as you two are ready. I think I’ll have to refrain from flying for a few weeks.”
Dean turned concerned eyes on the angel. “Trouble?”
“No; a message,” Castiel answered.
“Bad?”
“It was more a warning I suppose. My brother, Samandiriel, managed to locate me. We were fairly close when we were stationed on Earth. I trained him from a fledgling. Samandiriel sent me a message to be careful if I wanted to remain unencumbered on Earth. I trust he won’t give me up to Zachariah or Michael, but I feel guilty about putting the weight of withholding the truth on his shoulders. He’s young still,” Castiel sat down next to Sam and gratefully took the coffee Dean offered.
“Why don’t you give Jimmy some face-time? You’ll be hidden then, right?” Dean suggested.
Castiel grimaced. “Yes, though I hate hiding behind him. But you’re right. I’ll take control again once we’ve reached Blackwater Ridge. Be sure you pack your flamethrowers and flare guns. A wendigo can only be killed with fire.”
“Yes, Dear,” Dean rolled his eyes, but he was smiling. He leaned down and gave Castiel a chaste kiss. “See you later.” Dean pulled back and turned to the stove again. He cracked some more eggs and whisked them vigorously, trying to ignore Sam’s soppy expression.
“That for me?”
Sam actually started at the voice and change in mannerism. What had once been Castiel clearly wasn’t anymore. The man sitting next to the younger Winchester spoke with a higher tone that wasn’t as stilted as Castiel’s speech sometimes continued to be. His rigorous military posture was all but forgotten and he sat in an easy slouch at the table. His face also seemed to hold more expression without even expressing much at all.
“Yeah, I know Cas is bad at feeding you, thought you’d appreciate it,” Dean answered without turning.
“I really do,” Jimmy said gratefully. “I’ve told the bastard to wing by a burger joint every now and then but he either forgets or ignores me,” Jimmy huffed.
“Ah…” Sam gaped.
“Oh gosh, hi! My name is Jimmy, Jimmy Novak, you must be Sam,” the older man had a slight flush of embarrassment on his cheeks as he held out a hand for Sam to shake. “Cas talks about you a lot and of course Dean when the veil is lifted. It’s really great to meet you, Sam.”
“Ah…” Sam just repeated elegantly.
“No mushrooms, right Jim?” Dean asked, unfazed.
Jimmy scowled with his entire face, clear disgust on his features.
Dean chuckled and tossed the man a wink before turning back to the stove.
“I swear you ask just to get my reaction,” Jimmy groused.
“Ah…” another eloquent comment from Sam.
“Wow, I’m really sorry, this must be strange for you,” Jimmy turned back to Sam, his face apologetic. “It takes some getting used to.”
“Understatement,” Sam managed to squeak out.
“Here, Jim,” Dean finally settled at the table after setting two plates down. “Sammy, yours is probably cold, you can’t taste the awesomeness when it’s cold. I make a mean omelette.” Dean rolled his eyes and switched plates with his brother, whose breakfast had only been minimally touched. Dean dug into the cold egg concoction easily. When Sam still didn’t move, Dean kicked his brother under the table.
“Eat. I wanna get on the road in an hour.”
xx
As they drove, Jimmy spoke to them amiably from the backseat. He, like Castiel, had a bad habit of not wearing his seatbelt. After the first few times that Dean demanded Jimmy put the restraining device on and Jimmy refused to comply, Dean finally gave up. Jimmy and Sam were talking now, with Jimmy leaning forward and telling Sam pretty incredible tales of some of the things he managed to witness as an angel’s vessel. Castiel, when he was away from Dean by necessity, at times got lonely and would bring Jimmy out of his sleeping state to talk.
“God, the most incredible thing? The flying, Sam. You can’t even imagine,” Jimmy grin was wide, a hint of gum showing over his teeth, eyes sparkling as he talked. The change was unbelievable, but there was one thing Sam noticed that didn’t change and that was the softness that stole over Jimmy’s expression whenever he glanced at Dean and sent him a sweet, shy smile. Sam was surprised and wondered if Dean knew.
xx
Dirty, sweaty and exhausted, Dean collapsed back against a moss-covered tree trunk at the entrance of the mine. Wendigos were tough sons-of-bitches, but this one was taken care of in fairly short order with no local rangers or civilians to encumber them. Castiel’s rescue mission the previous day had really paid off in that department. The blue-eyed man (Castiel since they reached the ridge) came and sat down next to Dean, handing him a canteen that contained angelically-chilled water. Dean took a grateful swig and Castiel winked, settling back against the trunk as well. Sam came out a few moments later, coughing and panting; he wiped sweat, soot and dirt from his brow and snatched the water without even asking as he collapsed with the other two men.
“I think I managed to round up and torch all the remains. I brought out a few knapsacks I found too, left them by the entrance. The families may want their loved one’s possessions and it would be nice to give them back to them,” Sam said.
“Sounds good,” Dean nodded. “We’ll go over to the ranger station as soon as I catch my breath. Remind me to never get abducted by a wendigo again.”
“Never get abducted by a wendigo again,” Castiel said flatly.
Dean rolled his eyes and playfully smacked Castiel’s arm. Jimmy was awesome to hang out with and everything, but Dean was still glad to have his partner back. He missed the nerdy little dude when he was gone and it had been more years than Dean cared to remember since he had been on his own.
A part of him recognized he was too dependent on his family, but family was what was important and Dean couldn’t find it in him to care all that much about how dependent he was. They may be his vulnerability but they made him stronger too.
Once they got Dad back then everything would be perfect again. Jess too. Jess was Sam’s family and Dean found he needed to accept that pretty fast. After all, Sam never faulted Dean for loving an angel and Dean couldn’t fault his brother for finding someone to love as well. Even if Dad was still in the wind and Jessica was in a horrible situation, Dean couldn’t help but be content in this moment with his angel and his brother at his side.
Sam even seemed to be doing better. Dean was sure the younger man still missed and was afraid for his girlfriend, but she was alive and they all held on to that. None of them believed that the demons would kill Jessica, not yet anyway. They would only take her because they needed her alive. If they hadn’t, she would have been dead already. That bastard Brady would have had his human lackeys kill her.
So yeah, Dean allowed himself to relax a little, happy that Castiel also seemed more content than he had in a while. Dean knew that Castiel was always the most at ease ensconced in the evidence of his Father’s creation, and what was greater evidence than centuries old forest? Now that the hundred year old cannibal turned monster was dead anyway. That was until Dean saw Castiel visibly tense out of the corner of his eye. Dean turned and watched as Castiel lifted his face to the sky and pushed carefully to his feet.
“Dean,” Castiel said calmly, “when I say, you and your brother need to run. Do not stop, do not look back, do not try to help me. Do you understand? You need to go.”
“Cas what the fuck are you-”
Castiel spun quickly and lifted Dean to his feet, meeting green with blue, firm and unwavering. “Dean I am dead serious right now, when I say, you and Sam run.”
“What’s coming?” Sam asked quietly, moving next to Dean and grabbing onto his brother’s jacket, ready to pull him away if the older man resisted. Dean grabbed at Sam’s in return, ready to push him away at a moment’s notice. There was no way in hell Dean was running but Sammy needed to get away. Castiel stood tense, ready, his angel blade in hand twirling at set intervals. Dean recognized the anxious gesture.
Castiel was a warrior, he was built to fight, designed for combat and when it came to him he was all nervous energy and impossible to keep still. Even if it was just the small gesture of the needless flipping of the angel blade, Castiel was primed and ready. Dean swallowed.
“Angels, angels are coming. Now. Run! I’ll hold them off, I’ll hold them all off, just GO!”
Sam and Dean were grappling together. Sam tried to follow Castiel’s instructions while Dean tried to push his brother away and to safety. They were both immovable in their struggle and Castiel was ready to send them both flying whether they liked it or not. He could not defend Sam and Dean and fight the angels, especially when he couldn’t get a lock on just how many were coming.
He reached up to lay a hand on them both and send them back to the Impala when all the tension suddenly drained away from him and the blade in his hand disappeared.
He looked up and smiled. “Inias.”
As if the word was an invocation, a fairly tall, slender man with shaggy brown hair and dark blue eyes appeared before them, smiling gently at the small gathered group. “Hello Castiel. It is very good to see you again.”
Castiel moved forward and pulled the thin man into an embrace which the other angel gladly returned. Dean tensed under Sam’s hand and Sam just patted his brother gently.
“Not that I’m unhappy to see you, Brother, but why are you here?” Castiel asked. “It’s dangerous for you to be with me. If Michael finds o-”
“That’s what we need to prevent,” Inias interrupted. “This is not a social visit, Castiel, Michael’s followers have found Balthazar.”
Castiel eyes widened and his shook his head slowly. “I don’t understand, Balthazar was killed.”
“That’s what we thought,” Inias agreed. “However, Samandiriel has been keeping watch over Michael and Raphael’s followers, ensuring that our… alternate views, are not suspect. He is young, they trust him, he discovered that a group of Michael’s followers detected Balthazar’s presence. They swarmed him, Castiel, took him. They are interrogating him as we speak in order to find your location and uncover who your followers are. We need you. You are our leader; we need you to help us rescue Balthazar.”
Castiel’s gaze flicked from Inias to Sam and Dean, who were watching with wary expressions. Castiel didn’t blame them; he himself had warned Dean never to trust angels, no matter who they claimed allegiance to. Castiel knew he could trust Inias and Samandiriel but he wouldn’t dissuade Dean and Sam from their general mistrust. It was safer when they only believed in him. Angels were an underhanded and conniving group. It was easy to be so when so few of them had a conscience. After all, they had been built to fight and to obey. Most of them were incapable of feeling anything other than what Their Father designed them to feel. Castiel wasn’t sure why he was different, or how he was able to persuade others to be as well. He just knew he was.
“What of Uriel?” Castiel asked.
Inias looked away. “We are unable to locate Uriel. He has been missing for several months.”
Castiel tightened his jaw. That was unfortunate news. “Anna? Has her human form been discovered?”
“Anna?” Inias furrowed his brow not understanding.
Castiel recalled that only he, Uriel and Michael ever referred to her by the nickname. “Anael,” he corrected.
“She fell, Castiel,” Inias said, aghast.
“I had Uriel attempt to locate her. She fell for her love of Humanity, Inias. She can only be an ally. Didn’t he tell you?”
“Uriel made no such reports,” Inias relayed. That did not bode well at all.
Castiel clenched his jaw and looked behind him at the humans again. “Inias…”
“Please, Castiel. We need you. You are our leader. If Balthazar brea-”
“He won’t,” Castiel interrupted vehemently.
“If he does, all our work will be for naught. Your humans won’t be able to be protected any longer.”
Castiel went very still as he contemplated the ramifications of Inias’s words. He was right, of course he was right. Castiel was their leader; he did have the most power at his disposal and most of all Balthazar was his brother, his family. Probably the closest thing he had to the human meaning of the word.
“Give me a minute,” Castiel said quietly, looking behind him.
“That is all you can afford,” Inias said warningly.
Castiel moved away from his fellow angel to the two humans looking at him, curious and anxious. Both had mirrored expressions, their brows set in deep lines as they observed the interaction.
When Castiel was close enough, Dean reached out and grabbed his elbow with what would be bruising force had Castiel been human.
“What the hell was all that?” Dean asked lowly. “You were speaking too damned fast for me to catch any of it.”
“How much Enochian do you actually know?” Sam gawped.
“Enough to get by,” Dean snapped back; that wasn’t important right now. “Cas, what the hell, Man? You said to never trust any angels.”
“And I stand by that,” Castiel retorted. “You should not trust them. But this is different. Inias, he’s one of my followers.”
“Your what?” Dean raised a brow.
“Just before I left to join you and your family permanently, I had been working on convincing several of my brothers and sisters that Michael’s plan was not what Our Father intended. We were to love and protect humans. That is why Lucifer rebelled, because he refused to love anything beyond Our Father. Inias and some others are the ones I managed to convince.”
“Did I catch Balthazar in all that angel-babble?” Dean asked, eyes sympathetic. “Have they found his body?”
“In a way, but not so grim as that,” Castiel smiled softly. “He’s alive.”
“That’s great!” Dean grinned.
“Yes, but he has been captured. Michael’s followers have taken him. They are… encouraging him right now to relay what he knows about me and the others.”
“Okay…” Dean said carefully. “How much does he really know though, Cas?”
“Everything,” Castiel replied. “But it isn’t just that, I thought he was dead, Dean, but now I know he’s alive. I can’t just leave him in the hands of Michael; you’ve no idea what Heaven’s form of persuasion entails. He’s my brother, Dean.”
“You need to go,” Dean said flatly.
“I need to go,” Castiel confirmed. “The markings on your ribs will protect you. You know more now about angels and hunting than you did as a boy. You’ll be fine if you and Sam stay under the radar. I hate to leave you, but at the same time…”
“Your brother needs you,” Dean said.
“Yes.”
Dean nodded stiffly.
“I’m so sorry, Dean,” Castiel murmured.
“I get it,” Dean tried a grin. “Family, right?”
“Everyone will be safer when I get him out, this is for the best.”
Dean nodded again and pulled Castiel towards him to press a firm kiss to his lips. They rested their foreheads together for a moment before Dean pulled back and nodded once more.
“Come on, Sam, we’re rolling out,” Dean said voice light. “Good luck, Cas. Stay safe.”
“You too, Dean. I’ll call you when I’m done and come find you. Keep your heads down. Look for your father.”
“Cas?” Sam asked. “Is everything all right?”
“It will be soon. Stick with your brother, Sam, for my sake. He’s not used to being on his own. I don’t think he’s very good at it,” Castiel said teasingly.
“I can hear you, you ass. Come on, Sammy, losing daylight. Don’t wanna be in these woods overnight… Again.”
“Watch yourself,” Sam said insistently. “For Dean’s sake.”
“Of course,” Castiel replied firmly.
Sam followed Castiel’s short walk back to his brother and sighed when he noticed Dean’s tense shoulders. Sam shook his head sadly and turned back to where the two angels had stood. There was nothing but open air now. Sam jogged back to where he dumped the victims’ bags and scooped them up, carrying the heavy, awkward load over to Dean and dumping some of the bags on his brother. Family was important. And these families needed to have closure. The gear wasn’t much, but perhaps it had meaning and who knew what tokens remained in them?
“Will you be okay, Dean?” Sam asked carefully after a few moments of plodding through the woods.
“Oh, Sammy, com’ere, let me cry on your shoulder while you sing me softly to sleep,” Dean rolled his eyes. “Jesus, Sam, really?”
“Fine, Dean, just asking.”
“Well, yeah, don’t. It’s not like I’m going to fall apart because I don’t get to see Cas for a few days. I don’t rely on him for my survival or anything. I’m a grown-up and I’m an independent one at that. Being married hasn’t turned me helpless,” Dean groused.
“I got it Dean.”
As they walked to the ranger station, Sam wondered what it was like to be married. He had Jessica’s ring tucked safely in his duffle in the Impala’s trunk. That was one thing he was sure to go in and get after he realized she had been taken. He wondered if they rented out their apartment yet or if they were saving it for the new school year in case Sam or Jess returned to it. He also wondered what Jessica’s parents thought. If Cindy and Chester had reported their little girl missing yet, wondered if they wondered about him. Or maybe blamed him. Jess’s mom had never liked Sam, but he had gotten along with her dad all right.
After Sam got Jessica back, he wondered if she would renew their relationship, if she would even want to or if she would want him out of her life forever. Sam certainly wouldn’t blame her if that was the case but he hoped very much that it wasn’t. He had been happier with her than he ever remembered being in his entire life and if he had to give her up, he wasn’t sure what he would do.
“You’d like Jess,” Sam said suddenly.
“Huh?”
“You’d like Jess. She’s a great girl. I’d even go so far to say you’d probably think she was a cool chick. I may have teased you about your music but she actually has a lot of the same albums as you do. On vinyl even. She thinks it sounds purer. She loves Chuck Norris and liquorice even though I’ve tried hard to talk her out of it. She hates people who are fake and are afraid to be themselves and she loves with her whole heart.”
“Dude, you’re dating chick version of me, doesn’t that freak you out?” Dean grinned.
“She was born on January 24th,” Sam chuckled.
“No way? Weird, Dude, weird. She sounds awesome though, Sam, really. I’m looking forward to meeting her properly when we get her back, and we will, all right? You got my word.”
“I know Dean.”
xx
Over the next several weeks they continued searching for their father and they continued to hunt. It was strange for Dean, to not have Castiel at his side on these adventures but it was also nice to spend some one-on-one time with his brother. Dean had the rest of his life and beyond to spend with Castiel, but one day Sam was going to leave his big brother behind and get married, settle down.
It wasn’t as if Sam would abandon Dean, but at the same time Sam would have responsibilities elsewhere. He would grow-up, once and for all. The thought made Dean equally sad and proud.
Dean also couldn’t help be impressed with how much his brother had changed. He wasn’t the chubby little boy any more or the scrawny teenager. Dean actually found it difficult to even continue to call his brother a ‘boy’ even in his mind because he seemed all man now. He was putting on muscle fairly quickly now that the sedentary life of a student had been left behind. And back in Lawrence, Missouri Moseley had been right, Sammy had grown up tall; the guy was a veritable sasquatch now and that was just the tiniest bit unfair.
“Hey, we should visit Bobby,” Dean said suddenly as they were driving down the highway, Sam behind the wheel (and no, Dean wasn’t panicking thankyouverymuch… At least not much).
“Are you sure, Dean?” Sam asked nervously. “We didn’t exactly part on the best of terms.”
“No, he and Dad didn’t part on the best of terms. Bobby was never pissed at us. I’ve been over there with Cas a few times since the falling out. Bobby’s an ornery old coot but he really is fine with us.”
“Oh? What was that like?” Sam asked carefully.
Dean grinned. “Cas and Bobby got along so well I was afraid Bobby would make Cas call him ‘uncle’ like we did when we were kids.”
“That would be uncomfortable,” Sam chortled, relieved that Bobby had taken the revelation so well. Bobby wasn’t exactly keen on supernatural creatures.
“Completely. We were safe though. No ‘uncles.’”
“Well that’s a relief. So Bobby’s?”
“Bobby’s,” Dean nodded, “he’ll be glad to see you.”
Previous | Masterpost | Next