Dean/Cas Big Bang 2016: Sky's the Limit Part 5
Sam’s research is interrupted when Dad comes home, cursing up a storm, making him wonder what the hell Dean had done to get their dad so peeved. He’s grateful for the weekend, though, as he slowly stands and begins to get himself ready for his own day. He pauses as the yelling becomes loud enough for him to hear, and briefly, Sam considers just going out the window again. There was a sturdy tree near his bedroom window, and it was near enough the backyard’s gate, so he could avoid whatever Dad is yelling at Dean about. If it was loud enough to wake up Sam, Dad would be in a mood and he’d probably yell at Sam for something.
“You’re gonna bitch to me about this now, when it took me two days to learn they had him?” Dad’s voice toned down a bit, and Sam frowns as he listens in. What was Dad talking about? “We’ve been working, and someone is undermining us...like you don’t know who...I’m not subjecting Sam to such a thing! Not after what happened...I’ll go and get Dean from the hospital myself...what?”
Sam froze at the last part, blinking in surprise and confusion. Dean was in the hospital? Why? What had happened to him? A new spike of anger moved through Sam as he thought about the kid with the dark hair, the one that Dean had talked to even though he was an asshole to Sam. Had he done something to Dean?
Dad’s voice quieted to where Sam couldn’t hear him, and Sam moved to get into the tree, careful to not let the leaves or anything rustle too much as he expertly climbed down it and dropped quietly to the ground. The sliding glass door allowed him to see that Dad was still inside, talking on the phone and looking distraught. Sam got his worry, and quickly snuck to the back gate, racing over to his bike. The bike had been Dean’s for a long time, but Sam had gotten it as a second-hand present two years ago. It squeaked horribly and while Dean had complained it was because Sam rode it too fast, Sam knew it was just Dean trying to get Sam to fix it on his own. Sam was gonna avoid that - no way was he going to be some deadbeat mechanic like Dad had been or Dean is now.
He still oils it and does a quick check to make sure Dad doesn’t hear him heading out, and just as quickly rides away and towards the bus stop. He can get to the hospital quickly from there, and maybe he’ll even be able to see Dean before Dad finds out he overheard him talking. Dean was all alone, and Sam had to make sure he was alright.
Sam reaches the hospital and gets in, frowning when he sees the nurse in front. Nurse Sands scares him, and if she’s on, then that means Doctor MacLeod is there as well. He steels himself though - he can’t let them pick on Dean. Sam heads over to the front desk as Sands watches him, waiting as he says, “I’m here to see Dean Winchester.”
Nurse Sands is quiet, looking him over critically, before finally saying, “Down the hall, fifth door on the right. Only one visitor allowed in at a time. No bothering or upsetting the patient.” Sam glares at her before nodding, heading down to where she’d directed, doing his best to not see how late it was in the day, nearing the end of general visiting hours. He’s upset enough with how things are going, not to mention how everyone seems to be trying to treat him like he didn’t need to know what was going on. Sure he’s young, but he can deal with anything now, after what happened to Jess. But Dean needs Sam and Dad with him. He needs family, or else he’ll just…fail, will just prove himself to be the boring, lazy, idiotic person that Sam and Dad knew him to be.
Sam stops at the door, looking inside and finally seeing Dean, resting and watching TV. What stops him from rushing in, though, is the presence of Castiel. The teen is sitting next to Dean, watching Sam’s brother and with one hand entwined in Dean’s. Sam suddenly feels upset and angry at the sight, at seeing someone acting like they knew or could care for Dean. What did that asshole Bible-thumper know about Dean? Why was he here, acting like he cared about Dean, like he was important to Dean? Sam was important to Dean! Family was important to Dean, not this asshole who wouldn’t answer a stupid question, not that thieving bitch from years ago.
Sam draws in a breath, trying to hold in his anger as Castiel and Dean look over to him, Dean blinking in surprise upon seeing him. “Sammy? What are you doin’ here?”
Sam blinked, his anger suddenly doubling as he stutters, “What…what am…Dean, you got hurt! Why didn’t you call me?”
Dean’s eyes go from surprised and excited at seeing him to guarded and almost ashamed of himself. Sam takes the silence to walk in, despite what the nurse had said. Dean was his brother, and Castiel wasn’t family. He wasn’t allowed in if he was gonna keep Dean from calling to tell Sam about something so serious. “I had to hear about this from Dad.” He looks back over at Dean, who appears almost afraid at the mention. “He’s worried sick, Dean! I can’t believe you--.”
“Stop it, Sam!” Dean yells, actually yells, at Sam, getting Sam to freeze and look back over at his brother as Dean looks at him, upset and panting. “Dad knew because he put me in here.”
Sam’s mind rebelled against that. He’d heard…Dad had been…
Castiel slowly stands, Dean’s hand the only thing that kept him in place as he tells Sam, “Its one visitor per patient, and no upsetting the patient. You’re upsetting Dean. Leave.”
Sam sets a glare on Castiel, ready to fight him for the spot so he could make sure his brother was ok, make sure he was safe, and he said, “I’m his brother. I care about him, not you.”
“How hard is it for you to understand that you and your father simply did not care enough to find out where he was until it inconveniences you? Was your father the one who checked because his dinner wasn’t on time? Or did he remember he’d left his wounded son at work with people who actually cared about him?”
“Shut up! I care! I would’ve come here quickly, Dad too, if he was badly hurt! He’s making it up, he’s just doing this to be lazy and get attention because he hates that no one likes him!”
“You’re wrong,” Castiel tells Sam, still by Dean’s side, “I like him a great deal, and I hope he likes me as well. I also know he works hard and has been devoted to you, despite your attitude and that you’ve caused issues for him.” Sam felt his anger flare at the accusation - how dare this Bible-thumping asshole say that? Sam cares about Dean! It wasn’t his fault that Dean was always an idiot and thought he needed someone else besides Sam and Dad. Dean just didn’t want to get in trouble with Dad for not calling them the moment he could, for being such a bother to people.
“You’re wrong,” Sam growls out, letting his anger get the best of him in the face of this asshole’s judging and angry look. “I don’t like you, so Dean doesn’t like you. You can’t like him because he isn’t capable of being someone’s friend. He needs me and Dad to keep him straight.”
“Your brother is his own person,” Castiel instead replies, not even fazed by Sam’s anger, like Sam isn’t a threat, “so he can like people that you do not like. He can be his own person without you or your father. And are you really so eager to keep him around when, I’m told, you were ready to leave earlier this year? Leave your brother and father to their own devices?”
Sam shakes his head. “That’s not what I was gonna do!” What did this guy know? “I wasn’t...that wasn’t what would happen!” He moves from the door, trying to get his brother’s gaze. “Tell him he’s wrong, Dean! Tell him you don’t like him, tell him the truth!”
“Sam…” Dean’s voice is too quiet, too afraid, and that only upsets Sam more, enough that he nearly goes in to shake sense into his older brother. He stops when a new, colder voice spoke up. “You both are upsetting him.”
“Uncle Michael--.”
“Castiel, you are going after the wrong person in this, and upsetting your friend. Sam Winchester, please come with me.”
Sam looked at the fearful Dean, and for a moment, he wanted to protest, but he saw Dean’s hand tightened around Castiel’s, instead of loosening, and suddenly, something came into horrible clarity.
Dean was afraid because Sam had demanded an answer, and the way he had, he’d said for Dean to say it was wrong. He hadn’t thought of Dean as his own person. He’d demanded the answer Sam had wanted to hear, and now Dean was afraid of saying it.
In that second, Sam remembers Dean’s face when Sam demanded he stop being friends with Meg because Ruby had said something that was a lie, and because Jess had said Meg stole something. He remembers how sad Dean was, and that Sam had told him later that it was ok, because he had Sam, and he couldn’t be selfish by having some bad friend, could he? He remembers that had been what Dad said after that - Dean was being selfish, and it was up to Sam and he to keep him from being that. And now, he was demanding Dean stop being selfish again, and he was afraid…why?
“Sam?” Dean’s voice is quiet, soft, and Castiel doesn’t look at him, or do anything to show himself as the one in charge. Dean was the one who was speaking, and Sam waited to hear what he would say, to hear the truth finally as he told Castiel he didn’t like the asshole, that Sam was the one he needed, that-
“I do like Cas. I like him a lot. And you were gonna leave. I don’t need to be kept straight. I needed you to help me, but you didn’t. Dad hurt me, and he’s upset because he got found out. Because now, you aren’t the one who says I fell and back up his lies. I’m tired, Sam. I’m tired of this.” He looks at Sam, and there’s no fear or attempts to show that he’s under duress. Dean is telling Sam the truth.
Sam can’t accept that.
“Sam,” the man called ‘Uncle Michael’ speaks up again as a hand comes down to his shoulder, “please come with me. I do need to speak to you.”
“…ok.” He followed the other man out, wanting to scream at Dean for what he’d done, for what he’d said. If Dean wanted to turn his back on his family, that was fine. Sam didn’t need him anyway.
-Castiel goes into the tv a few days later, his mood sour and some part of him wanting to speak to Tramp. The longer there was a day without rain, the more he worries about the dog-tiger being who helps them, just as he worries about Dean. After his argument with Sam, and Sam moving in with Hannah and Charlie, though he only spoke to Charlie and his mother if he could help it. The silence had both elated and upset Dean, but he wasn’t ready to talk to anyone about it. Castiel had gone with any other subject, including helping Dean with taking the GED so he could graduate without having to deal with Adler. The two had had to speak to him once, and it had not been pleasant. While Michael had helped out Dean and Sam with everything, he couldn’t when it came to Adler.
Castiel could feel the tentative Links he created between so many become stronger and stronger, even with all the work going on as the summer months began, and even with him focusing on Dean. The only one he’d not been able to speak to as often was Tramp, and it only caused Castiel more worry with the way things were going.
“What are you doing here on your own?” Tramp’s voice is a bit frantic, Castiel realizing how distracted he’d been as he gave the dog-tiger thing a smile, eyes moving to Tramp’s right arm. There was only one line, but the pattern on his fur was now different, with a long stripe, similar to the cut Dean had gotten, parallel to the cut he’d gotten while protecting Gabriel.
“The others were busy, but know I’m here. I wanted to make sure you were alright. The weather doesn’t seem to be right for our killer to strike, if they are using the Midnight Channel to bring attention on himself.” It was something that Gabriel had brought up, that serial killers tended to always have a specific ‘pattern’ and it felt like said pattern had manifested right after Jessica Moore’s death.
Tramp lets out a sort of huff-bark in annoyance. “No, it’s been really rainy here too. And the Shadows aren’t as agitated…dunno why not.”
Castiel gives him a smile, reaching over to scratch behind one ear. “I’m glad they’re not, and you’re ok. I’d hate to lose you.”
Tramp lets out a contented purr-wuffle that Castiel once heard larger cats make before moving to try to get more attention. Castiel gladly gives it, happy to see the dog-like creature without as much worry as the others. After a longer moment, Tramp moved away, ears flickering a bit as if he was still trying to figure out what he wants to do or say. Castiel is silent, giving him time, before Tramp speaks, “You don’t...have to come here. I’m fine on my own.”
Castiel has a sudden flash of Dean, claiming he was fine as he remained in the hospital under guard. It worries him, and he tilts his head as he looks over at Tramp. “I want to be here. Even if you are fine, we all tend to be elsewhere for long stretches of time, and you’re the only one here.”
Tramp’s tail wags furiously as he tries to get it to stop, looking embarrassed. “I just...it’s weird, I dunno why I’m feeling like that. I like all of you, I want all of you to come and help, to figure out who’s sending in people and why, but I feel like I’m a burden, a bad dog, ‘cause I’m so happy when you come here. Like I...like I want someone to...to be thrown in.”
Castiel can understand the feeling, and moves to once more pet Tramp, getting a small whimper before the purr comes back, at least unconsciously. “You’re allowed to want that, though. If it’s the only way you can see us, then you can have that feeling. We continually see what happens when feelings are bottled up, Tramp. I want you to be safe.”
Tramp shifts to hug Castiel, burying his head into Castiel’s chest and rubbing all over it, like it was scenting and hoping that Castiel would stay. “I want you all safe too. I want you to not have to worry about this, for the world to go back to the way it was. I don’t like it either, ‘cause it feels like I’m missing something important, and I can’t tell you, and if I could, it’d fix everything!”
“I know. I don’t know what the feeling is, why it’s like I can’t put my finger on it, but hopefully, we’ll figure out what it is, and what is going on.”
-Dean is somewhat happy when Castiel had gone out, allowing others like Benny to stop by and check on him, or for Donna or Garth to come and talk to him. It wasn’t that he disliked Cas’ company - far from it, he found himself comforted by Cas’ presence, strengthened just by knowing he was there - but he was also really protective. Dean got that, considering that for a long time, he was really protective of Sam too, but now with things changing like they were, it was nice to see the others, even if Donna and Garth had to ask him actual questions before Donna handed over smuggled-in donuts, or Garth passed over the funny pages after he’d read Marmaduke.
When Benny stops by to talk to him, Dean’s grateful for not having Cas in the same room. He feels like he has to figure out if he wants to yell at Benny for getting them both to lose a job, especially since Benny was about to get married soon. It’s hard to decide, because he hates that it’s because of him that Benny ended up in so much trouble. Even though Benny was probably gonna be the one to testify against Dad and his partner in the garage, he’d still lost all of his work just for Dean’s sake, and Dean could easily admit that he wasn’t worth it.
“I ain’t apologizing for what I did, brother,” Benny tells him, sitting down in the chair and giving him that serious look he always leveled at Dean when he felt he was being stupid or didn’t understand something. Dean swallows and slowly glances over at the older man. He’s in the sea captain stuff he tends to wear, his cap in his hands as he watches Dean calmly, and suddenly, Dean sees that it’s not him looking at Dean like he’s dense, but more like he’s worried about Dean’s health, about how he’s acting, and it warms Dean a bit, to see that Jody Mills hadn’t been lying. “You suffered enough and the only thing I’m upset about is that I didn’t get you out of there earlier. But I ain’t sorry for how it went down.”
Dean swallows, shaking his head as he muttered, “You…I’m not…” He can’t finish his sentence, wants to try to argue with Benny but he…can’t. As much as he wants to, he needs to because he’s not worth it, he can’t argue with it. He can’t tell Benny that he’s wrong. He can’t say that Cas being here isn’t more of a comfort than having Sam here. That he wants Benny and Cas here with him now, and maybe later, have Sam come in as well.
He’s being selfish, and he can’t stop himself. Dean doesn’t want to stop being selfish, and it stops him from speaking, instead just looking at Benny, feeling like he’s pleading with him to understand. Benny gives him a small smile before reaching out to pat his hand.
“Rest up, brother. You need it. Now, you wanna tell me ‘bout how you’re datin’ the chief’s nephew?” He gave Dean a knowing smile as Dean feels himself blush. Cas had explained after the whole ‘uncle’ thing that Michael Aquinas, the new police chief, was his uncle and that he’d come to stay with him because his family didn’t like him. He’d also explained that he’d been overprotective of someone at his last school, and the whole blowup had resulted in him transferring.
“Didn’t realize he was that ‘til I got here,” Dean mutters, “and we didn’t start...that...until here.”
Benny raised his eyebrow with a grin before Dean shook his head. “Not...I mean…”
“You like him is good, brother. He seems like the type a guy who’ll skin me if I hurt ya.” Dean didn’t argue with that. “But you’re doin’ better round him too, and that’s a good thing.” He gave Dean another smile, a warm one, as he patted him on the leg. “Andrea sends her hellos too. Said she’ll make you some pie once you’re outta here.”
Dean perked up a bit at that, getting Benny to give him another smile. “Alright then. You get some rest then. You look tired enough.”
Dean wants to protest, but finds he can’t. The weather has to be changing, because he’s suddenly become tired, and that only happens right before it starts to rain overnight. He hopes it’s just whatever they’re giving him to stop any infections, not the rain. He wants it to end…he just needs to rest…
“Tired?” He nods at the question, not wanting to talk to anyone else and barely registering that it’s Doctor MacLeod, not Benny, who asks him. Cas said he’d be there for Dean, would give him his space, wouldn’t question him, and that’s all that Dean wants right now. He wants someone who will tell him it was ok. He wants someone to say that what Benny did was right. That he shouldn’t have to work like that. He shouldn’t have to…he…
A light touch on his shoulder brings Dean back to the present, out of his mind, and he looks up at Doctor MacLeod as she gives him a small, warm smile.
“Oh wee boy,” she said, her accent soft and full of care, “your bonny boy and I will keep you safe. You take the time to heal.”
Dean swallows, shaking at the thought. “I…I’m sorry.”
“Nothing for you to be sorry for,” she told him with a smile, finally straightening to head out, before Cas came back in, an overnight duffel in his hand, along with a bag from Biggersons that seems to have some items in it as well. He looks over at Dean with a warm smile as he slowly walked over to sit next to him, Dean looking out the window to see that the sun was just starting to set. He must’ve been really out of it if he missed that - Benny had been here in the early afternoon.
Cas’ hand easily slipped into Dean’s, and all Dean can think is how steady and warm that hand is. He hopes that someday, his brother will be able to understand that too. Dean guesses most of this is still because of Sam missing Jess, but hopefully that’ll change. Dean wants his family, and all he can think when he pictures that is him, Sam, and Cas.
“Are you ok?”
Dean slowly shakes his head, and looks over at him before saying, “no…I’m not strong enough, Cas. I’m not…” He feels like he’s repeating himself, but Cas is quiet, watching, and Dean closes his eyes, trying to ignore the tears that fall down.
Cas is quiet, the look in his eyes pity but understanding as he finally states quietly, “You don’t think you deserve to be saved.” Dean can’t look at him, instead glancing down at their joined hands. As he watches, Cas’ fingers slowly interlace with his, getting him to look back up to the other teen as he offers a small smile, his eyes full of care and love. Dean isn’t sure how long they stay looking at each other, but he doesn’t care this time.
Cas is here for him, just like Benny and Doctor MacLeod, like Sam will be after Dean finally talks to him properly. They’ll keep him safe, even when it rains again.
-Our top story is the continued search for John Winchester after allegations of abuse towards his sons. As you all know, a report was filed by unknown persons regarding the health of both boys. John Winchester, co-owner of Winchester Garage, has been a pillar in our community since the horrible accident fourteen years ago that took his wife, Mary Winchester, and many others.
We have managed to reach out and gain an exclusive interview with Sam Winchester. Here now with the report is our own Gordon Wal--
*static, a symbol of a shield with three moons and a crown below them*
“Sam Winchester, a moment of your time please--.”
“You’re not supposed to talk to him,” an older woman, with red-brown hair, glared at the cameras, blocking their way into an area.
“We were granted--.”
“I didn’t tell you anything! I’m not supposed to talk to you! Leave me alone!” the young boy yelled, turning to race away as the woman glared down the camera.
“There, now leave. He said--.”
“You can’t hide from us, Sam! The people deserve the truth! What lies did you say about--?”
*Another burst of static, with the same image* Sam was heading to school with a red-haired girl, trying to hide. One man moved to block his path, an older man with white hair on a balding forehead, who tried to subtly get the camera men to come forward. The two teens muscled past the man, who said, “Sam Winchester, you good for nothing--”
Please forgive us, we’ve been having some technical difficulties. Now, for the weather…
-Charlie Bradbury looked at Sam inquisitively as he let out a huge sigh and sat down at the library table. He just as sullenly pulled out his books and seemed to be conveying all the signs of ‘ask my why I’m upset’, like everyone didn’t already know.
“What’s wrong?” Charlie has a general idea about the details - Sam only really talks to her or Mom, ignoring Hannah because of her connection to Castiel Novak and Chief Aquinas, and apparently upset with the news’ attempts to get him to talk about what was going on. Charlie didn’t blame him - the news was painting him and Dean in bad lights, to the point that she was glad that no one really knew, or were saying, where Dean was staying after he’d left the hospital.
“They aren’t letting me see Dean,” Sam mutters, annoyance and sadness mixed in his voice, “and they’re saying it’s cause he doesn’t want to see me. They’re liars.”
“Why would they lie about that?” Charlie asks, getting Sam to glance up at her as they get a stink-eye from Adler, who’s heading around and looking like he’s preparing to come down on them and kick them out of the library. Since the whole thing broke, Adler’s been making Sam’s life miserable, attempting to get Walker onto the grounds for the ‘gotcha’ interview he’s known for, and having to be reprimanded after it was revealed.
Charlie’s proud of that bit of hacking, and manages to hide her smug satisfaction as Sam mutters, “Because they think I abused my brother.” It gets Charlie to frown at him as he says, “I didn’t hit him or anything. I never heard Dad hit him. But he...I don’t know why they’d think that.”
She holds in a sigh and silently prays to Whedon and good feminist writers to help her hold her tongue. “There are different types of abuse, Sam. You don’t have to hit a person to abuse them.”
Sam obviously doesn’t believing her, and she pushes a book about surviving abuse and trauma over to him. He eyes it before putting it into his bag as Adler walks by, looking at them both in disgust. “This isn’t one of ours, and you two are supposed to be studying, not gossiping.”
“We’re not being loud, and he--” He cut her off with a wave and a sneer.
“You’re making trouble, Bradbury. Out. You too, Winchester.”
“We weren’t--” Sam starts to protest before Adler glares at him.
“You’re just like that deadbeat brother of yours and the lying bitch you were dating, never listening to your betters or your elders. Now, out of the library, both of you, before you’re suspended.”
Sam hits him, low and hard, as Charlie blinks in surprise. Adler recovers enough to grab at Sam, pulling both of them up as Charlie lets out a protesting yelp. Nearby, other students, Jo Harville included, starts to rise to stop them, but a sudden chime over the speaker stops everyone.
“Attention, students. There has been an incident. Please remain where you are. All teachers, you are wanted in the main office urgently. All students remain where you are until instructed otherwise. I repeat--”
Adler let go of them, getting both to glare as he points at them. “The moment this is over, you are both suspended. Troublemaking little--.” He straightened his tie and suit as he left, the other students coming to check on them. Jo makes sure he’s ok and seems to whisper something as Sam shakes his head. Charlie glances at where her backpack is, the recording equipment still on. Adler couldn’t suspend her, since she was here to tutor and went to Yasoinaba, but he could make Jo and Sam’s lives miserable.
If Adler tries anything, she at least has proof he’s a complete asshole and the one who started the whole thing. A glance at Sam shows him watching the doors with anger, and he seems to be texting something. She frowns as he stops it, putting his phone away as the students wait for someone to come in and tell them what’s going on.
-The rain lets up way before midnight, but a fog still sets in, not quite as thick as it had been at the beginning. It was hardly thick enough to hide the beaten and hanging body on the water tower, the man’s suit jacket hardly obscuring his face as he hung, blood dripping down as everyone gathered to look up at the newest victim, the hated principal of the public school.