Poisk Istiny [Finding Truth] - Chapter Nine B

[lotrspnfangirl]

Rufus’ & Bobby’s Hunting Cabin
1572 Quaker Village Road
Weybridge, Vermont

Sam managed to make it to the cabin in record time and soon, Dean was helping Cas get to the couch. He called out to Sam to grab him Bobby’s ‘special first aid kit’, a few towels, and a bottle of vodka. Then he started to work on freeing Castiel from his shirt. He carefully pulled the fabric that started to dry and stick to Cas’ skin away and then took a good look at the gunshot wound.

“Good news, Cas!” Dean looked at his mate with a huge grin, “It's a clean through and through, so no having to dig the bullet out. I’ll just need to clean it and stitch it up. Luckily, Bobby and Rufus always keep a supply of antibiotics.” He finished ridding Cas of his shirts. “We’ll start you on those so you won't get an infection.”

Cas nodded slowly, too tired to respond, and Dean was grateful when Sam came back into the living room with the supplies.

Dean opened the box and immediately got a packet of ibuprofen, ripping the packet open and tipping the pills into Cas’ hand. “Take these, it will help some.”

Castiel snorted slightly and popped them into his mouth, accepting the glass of water Sam handed to him. “Yeah… in half an hour…” he muttered and Dean ignored him as he fished out the rest of his supplies.

He set up the side of the couch and behind Castiel’s shoulder with two towels, then laid out the supplies he would need on the table. He grabbed a lighter and heated the needle tip in a flame before pouring vodka over it and threading it. He placed it to the side and then accepted a clean towel from his brother.

Dean grabbed the bottle of vodka and poured at least half of it onto the towel, already apologizing as he lifted it to the wound. “This is going to hurt like a bitch, Cas,” Dean warned as he pressed the towel against the front of Cas’ shoulder and started to clean the hole.

“Chertova mat' grebanyy sukin syn etoy ukusy!” Castiel growled through gritted teeth, his fist clenching against his knee. “I really wish,” he panted through the pain, “I could have some of that vodka… instead of those damn pills.”

“No can do, Cas.” Dean shook his head, shifting forward so he could get the back of the wound. “Not with a baby on board.”

Castiel mumbled in Russian under his breath as Dean finished cleaning the wound.

Dean dropped the towel to the floor between his legs and then reached for the needle. “I’m going to start with the front.” Castiel grunted his approval and Dean picked the curved needle back before leaning forward to get to work. His fingers worked meticulously, almost gracefully, as the needle glided through Castiel's flesh like melted butter. Dean weaved the needle in and out, piecing Castiel skin back together until he was content with the results. He tied a simple knot in the thread and then moved to the back of his mate’s shoulder. After forty-five minutes of suturing, and Castiel cursing his existence more than once, he was done.

“Alright, I’ll be back with some antibiotics.” Dean got up from his spot on the floor and gathered up all the trash and laundry to take with him.

“Thank you,” Castiel said as he sunk back into the couch and shut his eyes. Dean nodded and left the room.

“Do you think he’s going to need blood?” Sam asked when Dean entered the kitchen, taking the laundry from his arms. There was a pot of water going on the stove and a teacup set off to the side on the counter. Dean sighed as he moved to the trash can.

“I don’t know… I hope not. We won’t be able to do something like that here. We’ll start him on the antibiotics and just see how it goes.” Sam nodded as he fixed a cup of tea and waited for Dean to grab a large bottle of amoxicillin. Together they entered the living room and Cas opened his eyes when he heard them approach.

Dean opened the bottle and shook out a pill, handing it to Cas along with the rest of the water. Cas nodded gratefully and swallowed it down, handing the now empty glass over to Dean. Sam handed over the cup of tea and Castiel smiled gratefully at him as he accepted it.

“Thank you, Sam, that was kind of you.”

“No problem,” Sam replied as he went back into the kitchen. He returned with two beers and handed one to Dean before he sank down into the recliner and took a deep swig of his bottle. After a moment, he spoke. “I know what you're planning, Dean. I know that you are going to use that fire at the warehouse as your way out of the family business, just like Castiel is.”

Dean opened his mouth to speak but Sam continued.

“I want out, too, Dean.” He held his brother’s gaze. “I want to live a normal life with my mate, too. I wanted to properly mate her the moment we met,” he shook his head and took another swig, “but I was so damn scared. Scared something would happen to me or even worse something would happen to her. Then I did, and look what happened! That shit that went down with Gordon,” he huffed in near disbelief, “was a huge wakeup call, I could have lost her.”

“You didn’t.”

“Thank whatever powers that be.” Sam sighed and ran his fingers back through his hair. “I don't know what I would have done if that had happened. Right now, every part of me is itching to get back to Boston and to be with her. I never want to see her hurt like that again, and I definitely don't want her worrying every day if I'm going to come home or not.” Sam paused and took a sip of his beer. “I... I want to have kids someday.” He threw a small smile over at Cas and Dean who had taken a seat beside his mate. “And I want to watch my niece or nephew grow up.”

Dean nodded as he listened to Sam’s words, then leaned forward to place his beer on the table. He pushed off of the couch and crossed the small space that separated them before he wrapped Sam in a tight hug. “I'm so glad to hear you say that, Sammy. I couldn't imagine not having you in my life.”

Sam squeezed Dean tighter, mumbling into his shoulder, “Like you could get rid of me, Jerk.”

Dean laughed as he pulled back and gently cuffed Sam upside the head. “Bitch.”

Dean felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and he pulled it out, looking down at his text from Benny. ‘Just made it to town be there in about twenty.’

Dean looked at his brother then at Cas. “Benny and Rufus just made it to town, they’ll be here soon.”

Castiel nodded and let his eyes fall shut again. Dean looked over at Sam. “I’m going to get some things ready out back.” He ticked his head toward Cas. “Just, keep an eye on him?”

Sam nodded and Dean took his leave out the back of the cabin, heading straight for the tree line. The winters at the cabin were usually harsh, and for that Dean was grateful. It made it easier for him to collect downed saplings and large branches to build a pyre.

As he was dragging out the wood, Benny and Rufus arrived and silently started helping him. In the end, only a few trees needed to actually be cut, and they were mostly for support. When they were finished building the structure, Rufus shook his head as he looked over at Dean.

“Bobby taught you to do this.”

Dean nodded and headed over to the large shed at the back of the property for lighter fluid. Dean had been to many funerals in his lifetime, but it had been his mother’s funeral that stuck out for more than one reason.

“Uncle Bobby… What are we doing out here?” Dean sighed as he crouched down to pick up the downed log Bobby had pointed out. This was pointless… His mother was murdered six days ago, John hadn’t stopped drinking since he found out, and Sam was too busy making sure their Dad wasn’t going to blow his brains out that Dean had been trapped with his own mind the entire time.

Bobby reached for the wheels of his chair and spun it around in the soft earth, staring hard at Dean before he answered.

“This family business of ours sucks, Dean. It ain’t easy. We lose people, good people, and more often than not? We lose family.” Dean swallowed hard, his hands tightening on his end of the log as he forced himself to hold Bobby’s gaze. “Even worse? Most of the time when we lose the people we truly love? It’s our own damn fault, it’s because we fucked something up, and we will forever live with that guilt. It doesn’t go away, not ever.”

“Yeah, I know,” Dean whispered the log slipping from his hands and falling with a soft thump into the pine needles.

“No, you don’t.” Bobby shook his head, reaching up to pull his hat off and rub his hand over the top of his head. “But unfortunately you will. It’s part of the business, part of who we are.”

“So… building a bonfire is going to make you feel better? I don’t… I don’t get what we’re doing out here Bobby. This isn’t a vacation, I don’t want to be at this fucking cabin where all I can remember is… is waking up and Mom being downstairs making us bacon and eggs and telling us we better get outside and to fishing or we wouldn’t be eating anything for dinner. We should be home, planning her funeral, and getting fucking revenge on that bastard!”

Bobby was silent for a moment, took his time putting his hat back onto his head, and then he asked, “Then what?”

“What?”

“Then what?” Bobby growled. “Once your mother’s buried in the middle of the city, some cold stone with her name carved into it sitting there for people to look at, morn at, or vandalize.” His eyes snapped at Dean’s. “Once Bulger is dead and cold, probably into the ground three plots down from Mary,” he leaned toward his future boss, “then what? You go back to the same ol’ shit, Dean. And are you going to feel any better? Are you going to feel like you did anything for your mom?”

Dean opened his mouth, then snapped it shut. Killing Whitey Bulger would be the only thing they could do for Mary, the only revenge, only justice they could get. He shook his head, not understanding where the hell Bobby was going with this, and still not understanding why they --he-- was dragging wood out of the woods to make a fucking bonfire.

“This is for your mom, Dean.” Bobby’s voice got softer, he looked around the property. “This was the one place she could be herself. She didn’t have to worry if John would come home with a gunshot wound, if you or Sam would be taken by a rival gang, if a member of the family would come storming into the house pissed off about something or with news that would turn all our lives upside down.” He peered over at Dean, “She doesn’t deserve to be left to rot in that city, boy.”

Dean felt his throat go dry and tight with the effort to hold back the sob that wanted to escape. He felt his eyes mist over but blinked them back and gave a tight nod.

“We’re Italian,” Bobby continued in that same soft voice, “we’ve got the family business and our own set of rules, but we’re also human. And that, Dean,” his mouth ticked into a grimace, “is the hardest thing to remember. It’s so easy to fire off a shot at someone who’s not in our family, so easy to pick up a knife or a gun and get what’s ours, so easy to forget that at the other end of our bullets and our blades is a person like you and me who also has a family, a mother and a father, brothers and sisters, or mates of their own.

“So right now?” Bobby backed his chair up and turned toward the pile of tree limbs. “We’re gonna build a pyre and we’re going to celebrate every good thing that Mary brought to our lives, because those good things are few and far between.” He let out a long breath, and locked onto Dean’s gaze again. “Then we’re going to think about our lives, what is important to us, remember the people that we still have left and the people that Mary loved because they are still here. We’re even going to think about Bulger, and we’re going to forget that he was the one who pulled the trigger--hard as that may be-- and we’re going to remember that he, too, is human, has a family, and we’re going to wish that he’s safe in his bed tonight.”

“I’m not doing that, Bobby!” Dean fired back, shoving himself up to his feet. “I’m not wishing that bastard well at all! Why the fuck would any of us--”

“You sit down and don’t you dare raise your voice to me, Dean Winchester,” Bobby growled. “You and I both know you were raised better than that!” Bobby shoved forward in his chair, closing the space between them and causing Dean to lose his balance and fall back onto the log. “You are going to do it. You’re going to do what I damn well tell you because right now I am your elder and I outrank you!”

Dean swallowed hard and gave a short, stiff nod. Bobby glared down at him for a moment before his expression softened. “Now, the reason we’re going to wish Whitey well is because tomorrow? All bets are off and we’re going to make a plan to gank that rat bastard. Everyone deserves one night of peace before they’re gone, don’t you agree?”

Slowly, Dean smiled and gave Bobby a nod before he reached down to drag the log out to the half formed pile at the edge of the yard.

“Can you guys set up a chair for Cas please?” Dean asked as he doused the pyre with lighter fluid and then tossed the plastic bottle into the center. “Sam and I will get Bobby.”

Benny nodded and Rufus headed to the shed for the camping chairs while Benny headed inside for Castiel. Dean waited a minute and then looked up to see Sam heading towards him, a white sheet bundled in his arms. Together they walked to the large SUV and opened up the back, revealing a large, black body bag from the hospital.

Exhaling slowly, Dean reached forward and unzipped the bag completely. Bobby could almost appear as if he were sleeping, except for the blushing pallor to his skin and the tiny hole in the center of his head. Beside him, Sam let out his own breath.

“Alastair did good. Bobby would’ve hated it,” Sam said and Dean had to agree.

“Pretty sure he’s wearing make-up.” They waited a second, just looking at Bobby. Sam was the first to move. He unfolded the sheet and together they wrapped Bobby’s body in it, tucking the edges carefully and neatly so the entire top of Bobby’s body was smooth and white.

“I’ll grab his shoulders.” Sam’s voice was soft, and part of Dean wanted to ask why the hell they were whispering-- it wasn’t like Bobby would be offended, it wasn’t like anyone could hear them way out here in the woods-- but he didn’t want to break the silence.

Together they picked their way carefully around the house, careful of rocks and roots that littered the yard until they made it to the large pyre at the edge of the property. Rufus and Benny moved to help and the four men settled Bobby’s body on the top of the stack.

Sam, Rufus and Benny moved back, standing in line with where Castiel was sitting in the chair, watching what was going on before him. Dean met his eyes and then pulled a matchbook from his pocket. He lit the book, swallowed hard, and then dropped it onto the side closest to him.

In seconds, the pyre went up in flames, wood cracking out is protest and the white sheet smoking and turning black. Dean stepped back, staring at Bobby’s body as it started to burn.

“Do… do we say anything?” Castiel asked softly, and the rest of the group shook their heads, all of them watching as the pyre burned.

“No,” Dean answered out loud, giving a small smile as he looked to where Bobby’s head was. “We reflect, we remember, and we move on.”

Castiel nodded and silence fell over them again. Birds chirped from behind them as they flew tree to tree, trying to get out of the way of the smoke’s path and the wood started to pop and crack as pieces broke and started to crumble. By the time the pyre was burned to the ground, Bobby’s body was ash and the sky had darkened completely.

They stared at the ground until the fire was completely out.

“Come on, Dean,” Sam whispered, reaching over to squeeze Dean’s shoulder. Dean looked up to see Cas was shifting, uncomfortable in the chair, but he would be damned if he said so. Dean nodded and rounded the pile of ash, reaching down to take Castiel’s good arm and help him to his feet, then the group made their way across the yard and back into the cabin.

“Let’s… get some sleep,” Rufus said as he shut and locked the door behind them. “We can talk in the morning.” When no one argued, they all moved in separate directions -- Cas and Dean heading upstairs to the master bedroom, Rufus to the second, and Benny and Sam flipped coins for the last bedroom or the couch.

Dean helped Cas get out of his clothes, ignoring Cas’ protests that he was fine in what he was in. Dean just didn’t want to smell the smoke anymore. He crawled into bed behind Castiel, careful of his shoulder, and wrapped himself around Castiel’s back, pressing his nose against his mate’s throat and immediately falling asleep.

***

Dean woke up with a crick in his neck and it took him a second to realize why he was so warm. He blinked his eyes open, immediately seeing the back of Castiel’s head, and let out a slow, satisfied breath.

Cas was safe. For now, they were both safe. Dean pushed himself closer against his mate’s back, wincing when Cas made a pained grunt.

“Shoulder, Dean.” Castiel’s voice was sleep soaked, gruff, and Dean just smiled and squeezed him once more before moving back.

“Pain is good. It means you’re alive.”

Cas rolled over and glared up at Dean, raising his good arm to wipe the sleep from his eyes. “So if I punch you for knocking into my shoulder, it will be okay because the pain means you’re alive?”

Dean smirked back in response and pushed up onto his elbow before leaning forward and capturing Cas’ lips with his own. “I love you, too.”

They froze in tandem and Dean felt his eyes widen as he stared down at his mate, nerves suddenly replacing the comfortable warmth he’d been feeling moments before. He swallowed hard, suddenly finding his mouth dry and he forced himself to smile.

“I… I’m going to go and see if everyone else is up,” Dean scrambled to sit up, “and I’ll get you some pain meds and…The antibiotics! Because you have to take them all or else, I mean, who knows what could happen, and we don’t want to--”

“Dean.”

Dean snapped his mouth shut and met Cas’ eyes, swallowing down the rest of the words in his mouth. “I love you,” Cas whispered and Dean felt like his entire heart exploded. He smiled and surged forward, careful this time of his mate’s shoulder and found his mouth again, kissing him as hard as he could. When they broke apart, Cas was smiling sleepily. “Now go make me breakfast, Alpha. I’ve got a baby growing in here.”

“You got it.” Dean smiled back, kissing Cas’ forehead as he pushed off the bed and headed downstairs. In the kitchen, Sam was standing in his boxers at the coffee pot, pouring himself a fresh mug, and Benny was sitting with Rufus at the small kitchen table.

“Morning, Princess,” Rufus said as he took a sip of his coffee and Dean was hit with a pang as he immediately thought of Bobby. He gave a small smile in Rufus’ direction and shoved Sam out of the way to pour two mugs of coffee.

“Dean… Cas shouldn’t be having caffeine,” Sam pointed out, and then reached over to drag Cas’ mug towards himself. He plopped a caffeine free tea bag into the cup and then walked to the stove for a pot of hot water. “I already made up some breakfast, too, while you guys took your sweet time waking up.”

Dean stared and accepted the tray Sam shoved into his hands-- a bowl of oatmeal, an apple that Sam had already cut up, and the hot cup of tea complete with Cas’ pills beside them. Dean raised an eyebrow and glanced up at his brother.

“First off,” Dean glowered,” what the fuck are you doing? Nesting? With my mate instead of your own?” Sam glared back and reached for his cup of coffee. “And second?” Dean leaned into his brother’s space, “You tell him he’s not allowed coffee! I am not touching that with a ten foot fucking pole.”

“Go.” Sam rolled his eyes and grabbed his own breakfast before joining the other two at the table.

Dean sighed and grabbed the tray, taking the steps two at a time to return to the bedroom. When he pushed open the door, his heart skipped a beat when he saw that Castiel wasn’t in the bed.

“Cas?” Dean called out, sliding the tray onto the bureau and walking further into the room. He was met with the sound of retching in the bathroom.

He made his way across the room and pushed the door open, seeing Cas with his knees on either side of the toilet base and his head laying on top of his arms which were folded over the toilet seat.

“Hey… you okay?” Dean stood in the doorway and Castiel groaned as he lifted up his head and pinned Dean with an icy stare.

“Am I okay?” Cas repeated and Dean had the sudden urge to run back downstairs. Somehow, he knew the conversation he would be having with Benny and Rufus would be a million times easier than whatever conversation he and Cas were about to have. “Do I look like I’m okay, Dean?”

“Um,” Dean scratched nervously at his morning scruff, “You look like you could be better.”

“Coffee,” Cas sighed as he fell back onto his butt, stretching his legs to the side of him and leaning back against the tub. “Just. Get. Me. Coffee.”

Dean chuckled nervously and nodded before he said, “Well, no can do,” Dean wiggled his brows, “but I brought you some nice soothing tea. How’s that sound?”

Castiel glared back up at him, his hand running circles over his stomach. “That sounds like it’s not what I asked for.”

“Well, that’s all I have.” He picked up the cup. “Um… Sam said that you can’t have coffee,” Dean said the last part in one breath but from the expression on Castiel’s face, he knew that his mate had heard every word.

“Excuse me?” Cas glowered briefly before his eyes shutting as his entire body convulsed again. He took a few short, deep breaths before pinning Dean with the same stare. “What do you mean ‘Sam said’ I can’t have coffee?”

“Well… because of the baby?”

“Is that a question or a statement, Dean?”

Dean stared back, suddenly unsure of what he was supposed to say. He could answer the question, but somehow that felt like a mistake. He was saved from having to respond when Castiel plowed forward, “Are you telling me that not only did I wake up this morning to puke my guts out, the smell of whatever the hell you have out there making me want to freaking crawl into the toilet and never leave, my shoulder is fucking killing me, and now I can’t have coffee?”

Dean gave him what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

“This is all your fault!”

“Hey, I didn’t shoot you!” Dean argued back and Cas shoved to his feet, pushing past Dean and back into the bedroom.

“It’s your fault!” Cas repeated, throwing himself back onto the bed and pulling the comforter up over his head.

Dean stared at him for a second and then looked over at the tray on the dresser. “Um… I’m sorry?” he offered as he made his way to the side of the bed. “Do you… um, you want breakfast?”

Castiel mumbled something from beneath the covers and Dean leaned forward.

“I’m sorry… what?”

“Get out!” Cas yelled, throwing the blanket back so Dean could hear him. Dean hesitated and Castiel added, “Now!”

“Okay! Okay!” Dean almost tripped over his feet as he made his way back to the door and grabbed the tray. “Do you want me to leave anything--”

“Not unless you want me to puke everything everywhere!” Castiel snapped and Dean nodded, taking the tray with him as he moved out into the hallway. No sooner had he blown out a breath he hadn’t remembered holding than Castiel was calling his name.

“Yeah?” Dean stuck his head back into the room and Castiel peeked at him from under the blanket.

“Um… maybe just the apple,” Cas lowered the covers just enough to be heard. “And the tea.”

Dean nodded, not trusting himself to speak and quickly left the requested items before fleeing the room with the rest of the tray. When he dropped it on the counter, he turned to look at Sam with wide eyes.

Rufus was chuckling into his coffee. “Hormones are a bitch, aren’t they?”

Dean glanced between them and nodded once before taking the empty seat at the table. He nodded gratefully as Benny shoved him a coffee and looked up to see his friend staring at him.

“So… the Pakhan…” Benny said after a moment, clearing his throat. “Didn’t expect that.”

Dean gave a soft laugh and nodded. “Yeah… it’s been quite the wild ride.” Beside him, Sam nodded his head and Dean nudged his leg under the table. “And it’s also why we’re here.”

“Here we go,” Rufus sighed and downed the rest of his coffee. “You’re just like your mama.”

“What?” Dean looked over at his older capo, shaking his head in confusion. He’d been compared to John a million times before, by nearly everyone he knew, but to be compared to Mary?

“Your mate up there smells like a Goddamn Christmas tree,” Rufus’s gruff voice reminded Dean of Bobby. “Wasn’t hard to notice that not only did you mate the Pakhan, but you two are expectin’. When your mama found out she was pregnant with you, and then again with Sam, she begged John for the exact change I bet you’re about to propose to us now.”

Dean glanced over at Sam and then back at Rufus. “Well… It’s time for a change,” Dean agreed and twisted his mug in his hands. “These past few weeks have made me realize a lot about this life, the dangers I put my family in every day, and…” Dean stopped and gave a soft laugh. “I don’t know what that pup is going to be, but I want him or her to have something more than this, you know?”

Rufus nodded, looking out the window and Dean remembered that Rufus had lost his entire family, too, years ago. Even Benny had watched a mate being taken from him far too soon. Dean bit down on his lower lip and shook his head.

“I love this Family,” Dean said quietly. “I would do anything for it. My Dad built up an empire that made our city, our family, great. And I am so damn proud of us. But…”

“You gave everything you were free to give,” Benny supplied and Dean nodded his head, giving his friend a grateful smile.

“I don’t want to give any more of myself. I don’t think I can be the leader that the Family will need me to be, not anymore.” Dean drummed his fingers on the table and looked up at Rufus and then Benny. “Other than Sam and Bobby,” he looked from man to man, “you two were the ones I’ve trusted with my life. I trust you two with everything. And it’s really a no brainer…”

“The Family isn’t just going to accept you steppin’ down brotha.” Benny shook his head and Sam cleared his throat, gaining their attention.

“The entire Bratva was killed last night in a warehouse fire. It was unfortunate that they were all stuck inside.” He looked pointedly at both men. “Castiel Krushnic included as well as the Winchester brothers who were meeting with the Bratva to communicate new business plans.”

Benny nodded in understanding and licked his lower lip before he answered. “It was quite a tragic accident,” he hitched forward in his chair. “We’re going to have to do our best to find out who the culprit was that locked our bosses in that fucking warehouse with the Russians.”

“Yeah,” Dean agreed. “But with no trail to follow,” he grimaced, “you might just have to accept the way things are and unfortunately, as hard as it is, Benny,” he looked his friend squarely in the eye, “you, my friend, are going to have to take the place of Don. You know it would what the Winchester’s both would’ve had wanted.”

Benny’s eyes widened and he quickly shook his head, glancing over at Rufus before looking back at Dean. “Me? You want me to take over? I… I can’t do that. There’s better people. Rufus has way more experience and--”

“And I’ll be cold and six feet under before you even get settled. Doing that job will raise my blood pressure or some shit and ensure my grave even earlier,” Rufus countered and met Dean’s eyes. “Bobby would’ve been proud of you. Mary, even John, too.”

Dean swallowed hard and nodded once. “This… this is effective immediately. You know what happens when a Don is killed.” He took a deep breath and smiled encouragingly at Benny, “So… you’ll have to go and set that up. I doubt you’ll find any resistance, but if you do, I trust you’ll be able to handle it.”

Benny nodded and glanced over at Rufus again. “I… uh, want you to be my Consigliere.”

“Well no shit stupid,” Rufus groused, “I ain’t letting you run this thing on your own.”

“I think that’s stupid, Sir.”

Rufus glared and pointed a finger straight at Benny. “Don’t push it.”

Dean smiled at them and then looked over at Sam whose expression matched exactly how Dean was feeling; sad, but hopeful.

“Hey, uh Benny? Jess is at Dean’s house…” Sam started and Benny cut him off.

“I’ll get her out here, don’t you worry. I’ll have to share the news of her mate’s demise privately, and I’ll give her instructions on how to get here.”

Sam nodded his thanks and the four of them sat in comfortable silence for a moment. Then Rufus pushed away from the table and took his coffee cup to the sink.

“Well,” he turned to the two boys he’d watched come up, “make sure you leave the cabin as you found it. I’ll still hunt your ass down and beat you if you leave it a mess.”

Dean smiled and stood, shaking Rufus’ hand. “Thanks, Rufus. For everything.” Rufus nodded and turned to Sam, shaking his hand as well before he grabbed his small bag and headed outside for the car.

“Look mighty good for a corpse,” Benny tried to joke, then reached forward and pulled Dean into a hug, clapping him on the back a few times. “Just… try to keep in touch?”

“Of course,” Dean lied. They all knew this would be the last time they would ever see one another. “You take care of yourself, Benny.”

“You too, Brother,” Benny replied, hugging him once more before moving to Sam. He waved goodbye to the brothers at the door and exited, leaving them standing in the kitchen in silence.

“I… don’t know what to do now,” Sam said after a moment, glancing over at Dean. “I… feel like I should be doing something.”

“Welcome to retirement, Sammy,” Dean replied, cuffing Sam on the shoulder and turning to the stairs. “Let’s get some real damn food.”

Sam rolled his eyes but didn’t reply as Dean made his way upstairs to get Castiel. His mate looked better this time, sitting on the edge of the bed, now dressed, and sipping on his mug of tea. Castiel looked up as Dean entered and gave him a sheepish smile.

“Umm… this is pretty good,” he offered, holding up the cup. Dean chuckled and took the mug from his hands, reaching for his good arm to help him up.

“Come on, we’re going to get some real food.”

Castiel nodded and after begrudgingly allowing Dean to help him get his shoes on, the three men piled into the stolen SUV and headed to a local diner. The three of them ate in a companionable silence, Castiel only feeling nauseous once, and after they ate they sat and talked about random things --from the weather, to the sports on the television-- until the next rush of patrons came in.

When they made it back to the cabin, it was early afternoon, and it was an unspoken agreement that the rest of the day would be spent doing nothing. It had been an emotionally trying past few days for all of them. They watched a few shows on television, and Dean couldn’t recall what any of them had been. Finally, Sam broke the silence and declared he was going to his room to call Jess.

“Come on,” Dean nudged Cas gently from where he’d been snoozing on the couch. “Let’s get you some more pain medication and go relax in bed.”

Castiel nodded, following Dean into the kitchen and accepting the ibuprofen and glass of water with a small smile. Then they made their way together up into the master bedroom. Silently, Dean led them into the bathroom and started to strip Cas carefully from his clothes. Cas closed his eyes and leaned into every one of his mate’s touches, stepping back to watch as Dean removed his own clothing and bent over to start the shower.

Dean smiled as Cas sighed and seemed to melt into the warmth of the shower. Slowly, Dean started washing the dried blood and sweat and dirt that clothes had hidden but still clung to his mate’s skin. He was gentle around his shoulder wound, and then allowed Cas to do the same for him. Once they were done, they dried off and put on the bathrobes that had been folded amongst the towels.

It was surreal knowing that when Jess arrived tomorrow their new lives would begin. They wouldn’t have to worry about anything or anyone other than themselves.

“We’re going to have to call Gabe and let him know that you’re alive.” Dean said as Castiel collapsed onto the side of the bed.

His mate nodded, “Tomorrow.”

Dean chuckled and moved to his side of the bed, climbing onto it. He stopped Cas before he could lay down. “Strip. I want to help you relax.” Cas gave him a look but complied, sliding carefully out of the bathrobe and followed Dean’s instructions to lay face down. He stretched out, and Dean grabbed a thinner pillow to put beneath Cas’ shoulder, before he slipped out of his own robe and climbed up behind him.

He’d felt how stressed out his mate was in the shower and he knew the perfect way to help alleviate it. He slid over Cas’ thighs and leaned forward to whisper against his ear, “Just relax and enjoy.”

Cas groaned as Dean began to massage his good shoulder and back. He gently worked out all the kinks before going lower, rubbing soothing circles into every inch of his mate from head to toe.

“Roll over,” Dean instructed as he nudged his mate’s thigh. Castiel rolled onto his back his cock hanging heavy between his legs, hard and dripping precum. The smell of fresh slick permeated the air. Dean growled, the sound rumbling low in his chest.

“Are you enjoying your massage, Cas?”

“Mmmmmm,” Cas hummed, completely blissed out. His body was limp and pliant under his mate’s hands and Dean worked his way back up Cas’ body, worshipping it with gentle nips and kisses. Dean nuzzled Castiel's stomach, placing kiss after kiss against the warm flesh, relishing the fact that his pup was growing inside there.

Dean sighed and slid his fingers up his Omega’s thighs and over his groin, gripping Castiel's hard cock and sliding his hand up and down the length, slow and teasing. Cas’ hands lifted and gripped tightly in Dean’s hair.

“Oh, God, Dean,” Castiel moaned as he spread his legs wider, welcoming the warmth of his mate between them.

“You like that?” Dean murmured against his mate’s thigh. “Bet you will really like this then.” Dean’s tongue darted out and swiped a long, broad stroke over Cas’ slick hole, causing him to buck up at his mate's ministrations.

“Yes, oh yes. More Alpha.”

Humming against Cas’s rim, Dean swirled his tongue around it before delving deeper, chasing the ambrosia that was his Omega's slick, all while his hand still lovingly caressing his mate’s velvety flesh.

Dean toyed and teased his mate until he was begging to be mounted by his Alpha. “Please, Dean, knot me, knot your Omega.”

Dean knew that Cas needed this, he needed to give up all control and be taken completely by his mate, his Alpha. He needed to rid his mind of all the horrific events that had happened. Castiel needed Dean and if he were to be completely honest with himself, Dean needed him too.

Slicking up his cock, Dean growled with want and gently rolled Cas over onto his stomach, being mindful of his mate's healing wounds. He ran the head of his cock in circles around Castiel's slick hole before pressing past that tight ring of muscle and into his mate. Both men groaned at the sheer ecstasy of it.

Dean set a fast pace, his knot had already began to fill before he had even entered his mate. The noises Cas made as Dean touched him, the breathy grunts and moans, the way he begged for Dean to take him, the thick heady smell of his arousal and the sweet, sweet taste of his slick was all too much for the Alpha.

Reaching around, Dean took his mate’s heated flesh in hand and stroked him hard and fast, knowing that he was not going to last long and he wanted to make sure Castiel was pleasured too. Cas panted against the pillow as his mate rode him. Their bedroom was filled with the delicious sounds of skin slapping skin, and the aroma of their mated scent.

Dean thrust in once more and stilled as his knot swelled to completion, locking them together. His cock throbbed and pumped his hot release into Cas’ body. The Omega keened at the first wave of his mate’s seed and came on the bed in long, thick stripes. “Vy udivitel'ny. Ty vse, chto ya nikogda ne znal, chto ya khotel.”

The Alpha chuckled softly, “I love when you speak Russian,” he kissed the nape of his mate’s neck, “I’d love it more if I knew what the hell you were saying. It sounded good. Was it good?”

Cas let out a soft laugh, “I said that you're amazing, You are everything I never knew I wanted.”

Dean rolled to his side, pulling Castiel gently with him and making sure his bad shoulder was the one above them. He curled around Cas, sweaty and sated, knotted to his mate and smiled against his back. “Are you going to teach our pup Russian?”

“Yes,” Castiel answered, his breathing still fast. “It's part of our pup’s heritage. I could teach you, too, if you would like.”

Dean kissed just below Castiel’s wound and pressed his forehead into the center of his back. “I would like that. That way I will know if you’re mad and bad mouthing me.”

Cas smirked over his shoulder at his mate. “Trust me, you won't need to know Russian to know when I'm mad at you.”

“You’re amazing, Cas,” Dean softly nipped at Cas’s neck.

“Mmm, Vy,” Cas craned his neck to look at Dean, “Vy udivitel'ny.

Dean quirked a brow at his mate, “is that how you say, ‘You’re amazing’?”

“Mmm yeah.”

Dean laughed as he ran his hand up and down Castiel's side, pressing himself even closer to his mate’s back.

“You know…” Castiel said after a moment, catching Dean’s hand and holding it tightly. “The day after you left Dean, Crowley called me into his office. And I went.” Dean’s hand tensed in Cas’ and he waited for his mate to continue. “I was on that table, everything was in place for him to start. But I-I panicked. I couldn't do it, Dean. In that moment, when I was about to have our pup…” Castiel trailed off and sighed. Dean knew his mate couldn't bring himself to say the words and he squeezed Cas’ hand. “It all became so real to me for the first time since I looked down at that pregnancy test. And as irrational and impossible as the situation was... I wanted our pup.”

Dean kissed his mating mark, causing Cas to shiver. “I’m glad you changed your mind, Cas. Because from the moment I found out you were pregnant? I wanted you to have our pup.”

Dean felt the remaining tension drain from his mate as he completely relaxed against him. Dean peppered kisses along the back of Cas’ neck and shoulders before whispering in his ear, “So where are we going to start over? Where do you want to go to raise our pup? ”

Castiel turned his head and caught his mate's lips, kissing him slow and passionate before pulling back and laying his head back on the pillow. Dean continued planting little wet kisses along his shoulder and neck and Castiel reached for Dean’s hand, lacing it with his before bringing it down to rest on his stomach.

“Anywhere, Dean, as long as we are with you.”

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