[Fic] DCBB - Round Came the Magpie - Chapter Eleven (Final)
Chapter Eleven
May 28th, 2006
The windows were rolled right down on the Impala as they drove across farm fields on the freshness and lightness of spring on this surprisingly warm day. Dean had been quiet over the last few months and Sam was beginning to worry. They were halfway through the six months of Dean’s deal and he hadn’t seen Cas since that fateful night in February. Jess was doing good; Sam managed to spend some time with her over his birthday. She was back in school now for a few summer classes, albeit heavily warded. Sam still hadn’t proposed; he felt they had to get to know each other again before he popped the question but that didn’t mean he’d changed his mind. Besides, he had Dean to focus on now as well. Dean, who wasn’t even trying to break his deal, hadn’t even spoken his husband’s name in waking hours though he murmured it each night in his sleep. Was he really going to die without seeing him? Sam felt sick at the thought.
“Where are we going, anyway?” Sam finally managed.
“Windom, Minnesota,” Dean answered lightly.
Sam got out a map and frowned at it. “What’s there?”
“A long overdue trip.”
“Okay, but why?”
Dean shrugged. “Just figured it was about time.”
xx
When Dean pulled up to a small two-storey that fit the small town to a tee, they were met by a scrawny teenager running out of the house, unmindful of the screen door slamming behind him with a big grin on his face, his knobby knees dirty. There was a discarded baseball glove at the porch steps and he still looked faintly sweaty.
“Dean!” the kid called with a big wave.
If Sam had to guess, the kid was no more than fifteen. At least that ruled out the possibility of a weird angel-hybrid love child. Though the kid was awfully friendly with Dean.
“Hey, Kiddo,” Dean said as he got out of the car with the first genuine smile that Sam had seen on his face in weeks.
The boy looked around and frowned. “Where’s Cas?”
Dean’s smile faltered before he slapped on the artificial one that Sam was becoming more and more familiar with. “Busy right now, but I brought someone better.”
“Dean? What’s going on?” Sam asked.
“Sam Winchester, meet Adam Milligan - our half-brother.”
“Sam!” Adam exclaimed happily. “Dean said you were off at school. So you’re done? That’s so awesome. He and Cas talk about you all the time when they visit. Tell me why more than Dad ever does.”
Dean felt like an ass for not talking about Adam to Sam, but the middle Winchester covered it up smoothly with an easy, “It’s great to meet you, Adam. Wow. Remind me, how old are you?”
“Sixteen!” Adam replied proudly.
Dean grabbed Adam around the neck and pulled him in to ruffle his sandy hair. “Not until September you aren’t.”
Adam rolled his eyes and shoved Dean away good naturedly. “Okay, fifteen.”
“Your mom home?” Dean asked.
“Nah,” Adam shook his head. “Double shift at the hospital.”
“Got money?” Dean asked, already patting down his pockets.
“I’m fine,” Adam said quickly, holding a hand up to stop Dean. “Come inside. Mom only has beer when she knows Dad is stopping in but I got some Coke or Ginger Ale I think…” Adam led the way into the quaint, clean house. It was older and a little dark when they walked through the hallway, but the kitchen was cheery and comfortable.
“Coke will be fine for the both of us,” Dean said when Adam held the red and green cans out questioningly. “Why don’t you get cleaned up and then Sam and me will take you out to dinner. Sound good?”
“Sure,” Adam nodded. “Give me fifteen minutes. Make yourselves comfortable.” Adam disappeared up the stairs in a flash.
“What the hell, Dean?” Sam asked, his voice low as he leaned in close.
“That’s Adam. A few years ago Dad fell for a hot nurse who was looking after him, one slipped passed the goalie and wham-bam, you know the rest.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Sam hissed. “How could you keep this from me?”
Dean sighed. “Look, Sam. Dad didn’t even tell me, okay? Castiel did. Not right away either. Believe me, I was pissed when I found out that it was being kept a secret but I got to know him and figured that he’d be safer if as little of us as possible knew he existed.”
“So you kept it a secret,” Sam repeated flatly. “I can’t believe you. It would have been nice to know and not be blindsided by this. For a second I thought he was yours, then realized he was too old.”
Dean snorted. “Yeah, that’d be a trick. Cas was real good at hiding his baby-bump if that were the case.”
Sam rolled his eyes. “How the hell am I supposed to know, huh? So if you were so determined to protect Adam by keeping him a secret from me - which is stupid by the way and doesn’t even make sense - why tell me now?”
“Because I won’t be around in three months and he needs someone. Dad shows up once a year on his birthday. Sends the occasional envelope of money when he wins enough cash at pool or cards, but other than that, he’s pretty absent. Poor kid’s mom works eighteen hours a day sometimes and he’s left pretty well to his own devices.”
“He still has more than we ever had,” Sam said, unable to keep the bitterness from his voice.
“Sam, don’t do that now, all right? I know what you’re feeling. I went through the same thing, but he’s our brother. It was a shit thing that I hid him from you and Dad hid him from us but you know now and I need to know you’ll look after him.”
“Of course I will, Dean. I’m not a cold-hearted bastard. If he’s our brother then that’s all I need to know,” Sam replied. “Though, that said, nothing is going to happen to you.”
“Sure, Sammy,” Dean answered dismissively.
“I mean it. Cas wouldn’t let it,” Sam said firmly.
“What’s Cas up to, anyway?” Adam asked, coming into the kitchen, and if Sam didn’t know any better and he was told the kid wasn’t raised a Winchester, he never would have believed it. Well-worn jeans were traded for the shorts he had on earlier and a plaid cotton shirt replaced the T-shirt, sleeves rolled up to the elbow. The only thing that had him standout were runners instead of heavy boots.
Dean flicked his gaze away. “He just has work stuff.”
“Okay,” Adam said uncertainly.
“So!” Sam said cheerily. “Where’s a good place to eat around here?”
Adam grinned and began talking a mile a minute. They followed him out of the house and waited for him to lock up before piling into the car.
xx
The silence in the car was making Sam’s ears ring. For some reason, Dean chose not to turn on the radio and he stared dead-ahead, both hands on the wheel. Sam looked at his brother nervously, wondering what was wrong or if it was just more of the same. He decided to not pursue his thoughts with words and tackled something that he thought might be safer ground.
“So, Adam…”
“I need you to take care of him, Sammy, you hear?” Dean said sternly.
Sam actually startled a little at conviction in his brother’s voice. “Yeah, Dean, I already promised. I just don’t get why now all of a sudden.”
“I’m staring down the gates of Hell, Sam, why the fuck do you think?” Dean snapped with more venom then necessary.
Sam rolled his eyes. “Dean…”
“Don’t ‘Dean’ me and don’t roll your eyes. There isn’t a way out of this, plain and simple. If Hell deals were that easy to weasel out of, everyone would be making them.”
“Dean, Cas’ll-”
“Cas isn’t here!” Dean shouted.
“And why the fuck not?” Sam shouted back, screw subtly, screw safer topics of conversation. Dean was being an ass and Sam needed to know why. “If you’re dying, why the hell aren’t you trying to spend every waking moment with him, huh? He can’t follow where you’re going. Not like in Heaven where you’d still see each other.”
“Exactly,” Dean whispered quietly.
“What?”
“I’m trying to make it easier. I fucked up a while back, I believed something I shouldn’t have and now I feel like shit about it.”
“Then apologize.”
Dean snorted bitterly. “Yeah, well, if I did that then I couldn’t use it as an excuse, now could I? If he gets used to me gone, maybe it’ll be easier when I actually am.”
“No, Dean,” Sam said, gentle now, “if you continue to refuse to look for a way out of this and if you continue to push him away, when you do die - it’ll kill him. The only thing he lives and fights for is you. Once you’re gone, he won’t be far behind. At least maybe if you say goodbye and give him a few good months, he’ll live for the memories. But this? This is just a sure-fire way to shatter him. Congrats. Keep this up and you’ll be the first human in creation to break an angel.”
Dean didn’t answer but he did turn up the music. Sam wasn’t sure if that was a good sign or a bad sign.
xx
Michael felt his skin crawl as he crossed the threshold of the tiny Paris café. Sitting on one of the quaint bistro tables in a white dress with her long brunette hair in dainty curls was one of the vilest abominations to walk the Earth. The corruption of a child alone was enough to send Michael’s will to smite into overdrive but just what resided within meant he was barely contained.
Lilith didn’t do much better as she faced him, but she hid it from the humans behind a demure smile.
“Hello Uncle,” she said sweetly, big blue eyes falsely innocent.
Michael compulsively clenched a fist at his side. He slid into one of the wiry cast iron chairs around the table and nodded stiffly.
“Did Sweet Meg perform to your standards? She’s one of our favourites, you know. Ruby is ever so good but Meg is ever so loyal and so very…” she dropped her voice and grinned, her teeth flashing like little needles for a brief moment, “conniving.”
“She played her roll,” Michael said firmly. He was not about to compliment the competencies of a demon.
“Oh goodie!” Lilith clapped her hands happily. “We should celebrate! Mother, fetch us something to celebrate with.”
The quiet, meek woman at Lilith’s side flinched and rose silently from the table.
“I’m not staying,” Michael said firmly. “Everything is back on track. That’s good enough for now.”
“Such a party pooper,” Lilith pouted. “Good bye then, Uncle John.”
Michael got up and left the café, desperate to return to the hallowed walls of Heaven and cleanse himself of the filth of his brother’s twisted spawn. Michael couldn’t suppress his shudder as he took to the air. He couldn’t be there long; he still had work on Earth unfortunately, but he could remain long enough to scrub himself clean.
June, 2006
It was a month following Sam’s first meeting with Adam that the ringing of a phone had Dean slapping around groggily to silence it. He briefly considering just hitting ignore and letting it go to voicemail, but the small, niggling voice warning him that it could be important stopped him. That voice sounded like Cas. God, Dean missed Cas. Over the last several weeks he had been seconds away from calling him and begging for forgiveness, but had always stopped himself at the last second. Despite Sam’s words that night in the car, Dean still firmly believed that what he was doing was - in fact - for the best. He knew Cas better than anyone. Maybe with luck, Cas would end up being too pissed off at Dean to miss him. Dean smothered the voice in his head that told him he was being a moron.
He finally got the phone flipped open and rasped out, “Yeah?”
“Dean.”
“Dad?” Dean was awake and nearly on his feet in a second. “Are you okay?”
“Dean, I think I have a way to get you out of your contract.”
“What?” Dean was suddenly very confused. His dad had been working on that? Since when, and why had Dean not been informed? Dean felt like rudely awaking his brother via pillow to the face because Sam must have had something to do with this. Surely, their father had more important things to do than clean up his idiot son’s mess.
“Don’t tell me you actually thought I’d just let that go. You’re my boy, Dean. I’m not letting you go to Hell.”
“But Da-”
“Sure have gotten insolent in your married years, never knew you to talk back so much. Not sure if I should be thanking that angel of yours or smacking him. How is he by the way? He there? I’d like to go over this with him.”
“No, Dad,” Dean said softly.
“What do you mean no? You ain’t gonna let me speak to him now?”
“That’s not what I meant. He’s not here. We’ve ah…” Dean did not want to say ‘they were on a break’ but he wasn’t sure what else he could call it. The truth just sounded childish and Dean was fully willing to acknowledge that in the very secret corners of his mind.
“When was the last time you saw him?” John asked. His tone was strange. If Dean didn’t know any better, he’d say John’s tone was sympathetic.
“A while,” was all Dean would offer.
“All right, I’ll let it slide for now. Anyway, the demon that holds your contract is called Lilith. I have a bead on where she’s gonna be in a week from now. If we confront her, we just might be able to… persuade her to break the deal. You still got the Colt?”
“’Course,” Dean replied, now slightly offended. Sure he hadn’t been too terribly interested in it when John handed it to him, but it’s not like he’d ever leave it behind, and they hadn’t had a chance to get back to Bobby’s.
“Good,” John nodded. “I want you to do one more thing for me,” John didn’t wait for Dean to ask what, he just pushed ahead, “give your Uncle Bobby a call. We’ll need all hands on this one. If he can round up the Harvelles, that’ll be a bonus. Clear?”
“Yes, Sir,” Dean said. Dean expected to hear the familiar dial tone after his conversation but the line was just silent for a second.
John spoke up again and what he said surprised Dean to no end, “And Dean-o? Don’t worry about that boy of yours. He’ll come around, it’ll work out just fine. He loves you too damn much for it not to.”
Dean didn’t share that Cas wasn’t keeping away by choice; instead he just said, his voice thick, “Thanks, Dad.”
There was the familiar dial tone. Figures. Dean showed a little emotion and he was met with an electronic buzz. Then again, if Dad got gooey on him, he’d probably break out the salt and holy water and do some hunting.
“He hasn’t called me ‘Dean-o’ in years,” Dean muttered a little in awe, still staring down at his phone.
“Huh? Wha…?” Sam muttered, pushing himself up to reveal a pillow creased face and crazy bedhead.
“Dad,” Dean replied distantly.
That had Sam sitting up in his bed almost as quickly as Dean had a few moments earlier.
“Dad?” Sam said surprised, “Did he call?”
“Yeah,” Dean still felt a bit dazed. “Seems he found a way we might be able to break the deal.”
“What?! How?” Sam had his eager puppy face on.
Dean explained what little he knew, but that didn’t quell any of Sam’s excitement, he just said firmly, “I need to call Cas, now.”
Cas.
xx
Castiel’s eyes flew open and he plummeted through the upper regions of the atmosphere without a thought. Dean.
Not so fast, Little Bird.
Castiel cried out, pain tearing through his body as he was caught firm in the full power of an archangel. Tears, unbidden, leaked out of his vessel’s eyes before the rapidly-approaching Earth surface was nothing but a black void.
xx
Dean frowned at his phone and still saw there were no missed calls. He wasn’t sure how he would have missed them, considering it had been on constantly for the two days and he even took the damn thing in the bathroom with him. But, anything could happen.
Currently, they were in abandoned house on the outskirts of New Harmony, Indiana where their father had said to meet him. John was still a no-show and Castiel, the one who Dean was frantically checking his phone for, was still elusive. Dean hit the second speed dial key again and held the phone to his ear. He heard it ring for what seemed like an eternity before switching over to voicemail for what had to be the hundredth time, if not more. The fact that Castiel still had the phone on had to be a good sign, right? Or was it worse because that meant he was deliberately ignoring Dean’s calls? Dean fidgeted restlessly.
Dialled again.
Nothing.
What was that they said? The definition of insanity was doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results? Dean just crossed the border into crazy-ville then, but he couldn’t find it in himself to care. All he had within himself was anger, guilt and frustration at his own stupidity. He should have just listened to Sam when Sam said to call Cas the first time.
“So sorry, Babe,” Dean whispered to the air.
Sam came in at the tail end of Dean’s words, carrying a pile of wood he had been out chopping. He smiled sympathetically at his brother. “Still nothing?”
Dean shook his head. “Nothing from Dad either.”
There was a knock on the door. Dean looked up hopefully and Sam answered it cautiously. He frowned at first, seeing nothing there, then trailed his gaze down to see a little blonde girl, with a round face wearing a pink and white dress. She grinned at him.
Sam’s blood ran like ice, he managed to get out the first sound of Dean’s name before he was flung bodily across the room.
xx
Michael was prowling idly around Castiel’s bright, burning cage, a wicked smile on his lips. Castiel felt sick at each glimpse of those hazel-green eyes, not able to believe what he was seeing while trying to remain as calm as possible. This was not a situation that would improve by Castiel losing control even though the only thing he wanted to do was scream and rail against the archangel contaminating the body he abducted. Castiel had finally managed to ask what Michael gained from this entire thing but his older brother was taking his time answering.
“It’s simple really,” Michael finally said with John’s lips twisted in a smile. “He says yes and Daddy lives, he says no and Daddy dies.”
Castiel felt his anger curl in his stomach as he walked to the edge of the ring, useless and powerless. Michael was far too strong for any of Castiel’s ‘parlour tricks’ to have any effect in the surroundings. The archangel’s very presence was enough to make Castiel little more than human at the moment. Jimmy was whispering in his head, pleading Castiel to just let go and then Jimmy would get them out of there once he was angel free. It was a good and noble suggestion but Castiel would not risk Jimmy’s life like that. At least if he had a chance to maybe reason with Michael, he could barter for Jimmy’s life. Only one of them would have to die.
What about Dean?
He’ll have you.
He doesn’t love me.
You love him.
Castiel, just let me go and I’ll get us out, please.
No. You’ll die.
Castiel switched tactics and turned his gaze on his brother. It was difficult to look at him. He was so brilliant, filled with so much of their Father’s grace. Castiel shook off the awe and asked, “What do you hope to achieve, Michael? There is an order to these things, is there not?”
“It’s not complicated, Castiel,” Michael drawled. “Dean’s soul is the thing that gets shunted off to Hell. It is his soul that will break. When the chits come in, I’ll let Crowley’s hounds tear the slimy thing free and then the sack is all mine. Handy and human free. I will then be prepared for Lucifer’s resurrection and will be able to stop him before things get out of hand.”
“How long have you had that body?” Castiel asked carefully. When could John have possibly agreed to this? Under what circumstances?
“A while,” Michael smiled. He lifted his wrist and waggled his hand, the light of Castiel’s prison catching on metal. “I visited the same jeweller as Meg. Neat trick, huh?”
Castiel refused to answer.
Michael just shrugged, not bothered by his unimpressed little brother.
“And if Dean doesn’t make the deal?” Castiel asked, pressing on.
Michael raised a slow eyebrow. “I hardly think he’ll refuse. He acquiesced without thought for Sweet Sammy. Lilith is ah… persuading him as we speak.”
Castiel swallowed. “If I can convince Dean not to do it?”
Michael snorted. “Oh you pathetic sop. You really think you will be able to persuade Dean Winchester out of saving his precious Daddy when you could do nothing about his precious Sammy? Really, Castiel? I’m surprised in you. I didn’t think you were that stupid. With these Winchesters, only one thing ever comes first and you don’t have it, My Dear. It’s in their DNA. They will always, always throw themselves on the pyre for blood. In the long run, who are you really to him?”
“He loves me,” Castiel said defiantly, “he needs me. Just as surely as I love and need him.”
“Hmm… His fuck toy or his prized possession?” Michael made a show of weighing his hands like scales. The one he labelled as the latter he rose higher and waggled. “No contest.”
“But what if?” Castiel stressed.
Michael snorted again. “Stop deluding yourself.”
“Fine,” Castiel said firmly. “If your feelings are that strong that he will deny me over you, then let me go, at least give me a fair run at it. If you’re that certain, there should be no need for me to remain here.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Lose one of my bargaining chips?” Michael sneered. “I never thought you such a fool. I always imagined you to be the wiser of your ilk. Not simpering and spineless like Anael or Uriel. So eager to please, those two. You can just imagine what they did for me.”
Castiel looked away. “What have you to lose, really? If what you say is true then I’m next to useless. Just let me out, let me try. If I fail, then I fail. If I win then surely I deserved to, what with how confident you are.”
Michael stared at Castiel long and hard before he grinned. “Well, it may be entertaining. I have been awfully bored lately. Fine.” Michael snapped his fingers and the fire around Castiel’s feet dissipated. Castiel readied himself to fly.
“Not so fast, Castiel. Zachariah!”
Castiel’s former superior arrived in less than a second, staring at Michael as an eager pup would stare at his master. Castiel was revolted at the blind faith he saw and the complete disinterest Michael had in what he saw as little better than a bacterium.
“Yes, Michael?”
“Get my vessel’s bastard and his slut. If this little speck does obliterate all my expectations, I wonder how eager baby Winchester will be to trade everything for Mommy’s life,” Michael grinned like a snake, Zachariah right along with him.
“At least I’ll have one. You can’t save them both, Castiel. Time to choose.”
Michael raised his fingers. Castiel felt his heart bottom out in his stomach as he realized the implications of Michael’s words. If by some miracle Castiel did succeed, he’d be sending a child for an eternity of torture. If he didn’t, he’d been sending the love of his very, very long life for the same.
“No!” Castiel shouted, but it was too late. Michael had sent him plummeting back to Earth. Castiel only had seconds to right himself. He needed to find Dean - Now!
xx
“Oh, were you expecting someone?” Lilith asked sweetly, staring down at the bloodied but still defiant Dean. Sam wasn’t faring much better across the room, but he was conscious at least so Dean counted that as a win.
“Well, we didn’t exactly roll out the welcome wagon for you,” Dean rasped.
“Bring him in,” Lilith said sharply to the two demon guards behind her. The tone was strange coming from her girlish body.
The two demons came in the door shortly after with a large body slumped between them. Dean’s heart caught in his throat as he recognized the latest victim as his father. Sam let out a faint, strangled cry as he tried to crawl closer. Lilith flicked her wrist only to send him flying again.
“Stop it,” John managed, his voice weak. Dean was surprised to even hear it when he saw the shape his father was in after the demons dropped him.
“Dad!” Dean shouted, trying to rush to the man’s side.
“Stay there, Son,” John said, his voice surprisingly firm. Dean faltered then stopped automatically at the command in the tone. “Where’s Cas?”
That gave Dean pause, not only was it an odd question for John to ask at that moment, but Dean couldn’t recall his father ever using the nickname before in the eight years he had known the angel. The angel, flyboy, feathers. His full name on occasion, boy, once in a while. But never ‘Cas.’
“Cas?” Dean asked uncertainly.
“Yeah, Cas,” John seemed far too impatient for someone that injured and surrounded by demons.
“Why are you…?” Dean backed up and looked at Sam, then back at his father and said firmly. “Something’s wrong.”
John looked as if he were about to argue, then he stood calmly, the demons backing away and Lilith crossed her arms over her chest. John cracked his neck.
“That was growing tiresome anyway,” John said idly, but Dean recognized the cadence.
“Michael,” Dean growled. “Get out of him, right now.”
Michael smiled then lifted away the edge of his coat to reveal a deep, bloody wound that likely had collapsed a lung. “Are you sure about that? I get out of him right now, he probably has ten seconds to live. Nothing you or Darling Sammy can do about it.”
“What do you want?” Dean asked, resignedly.
“Right to the chase, hmm? Can’t say I’m not pleased. I think though, Dean, that if you thought for just one moment you could discover for yourself very easily what it is I want.”
“My yes for my dad’s life,” Dean said without having to think of it. “Is that it? God, you’re all sick fucks. Not just the demons.”
“You say yes, I fix your dad up good as new. Better even,” Michael offered, spreading his arms wide. “I let Sam and your dad walk out of here of their own volition and never bother them again. All it takes is one simple yes.”
“What about Cas?” Dean asked. “You’ll leave him alone and all your angel buddies will do the same?”
“If he doesn’t interfere,” Michael said calmly.
“No, no matter what,” Dean retorted. “No matter what he tries to do, you leave him alone.”
Michael sighed. “Fine.”
“And Adam and his mom too!” Dean put in hurriedly.
Michael tightened his borrowed jaw. “Fine.”
Dean’s eyes darted over to Sam’s wide-eyed gaze then said, “And if I do this, my contract with the demons is null and void right? They can’t kill me while you’re riding around in my meat.”
Michael smirked, “Dean, your meat will be perfectly fine.”
Dean still had his suspicions in the back of his mind, but really, if Michael agreed to all Dean’s conditions it sounded like a fair deal. Michael could stop Lucifer before he torched half the planet. Before he even broke free from the cage. Sam, Dad and Cas would be just fine. Dean would be MIA for a bit but he would be free of Hell and that’s exactly what his family wanted. Cas especially. When all this was over, Dean and Cas could be happy and together again with no more threatening shadows hanging over their heads.
“Dean! Stop!”
Dean turned just in time to see Castiel stumble towards him. He looked harried. and if Dean wasn’t mistaken, a little singed. It wasn’t something obvious, there was just an element underneath of not quite well.
“Cas, what happened?” Dean asked, rushing to the angel’s side and clutching at his arms. “Where have you been, Man?”
“Michael. It’s a trick Dean. It’s all a trick. The minute you say yes your life is forfeit. He may keep his promises, he may not, but once your deal with Hell comes due, he’s just going to let them take you.”
“Cas, he just said-”
“Did he say your soul would be fine, Dean?” Castiel interrupted, demanding, fisting Dean’s shirt.
“He-”
“He didn’t,” Sam rasped, answering for his brother. “He said meat. Not your soul.”
“Dean,” Castiel said gently, moving his hands from the human’s chest to cup Dean’s cheek. “Listen, please listen. You can’t say yes to Michael. He may allow your family to walk away unscathed but that will not apply to the Earth. He will let you go to Hell and he will let the world burn.”
“But my dad,” Dean said, his voice cracking.
“Would your father really, truly want you to sacrifice yourself for him?”
Dean searched Castiel’s eyes, then shot his gaze over to Sam’s morose face. Then back at Michael, wearing his dad’s face. “I want to speak to my dad.”
“What?” Michael frowned. “No.”
Dean shook Castiel’s hands off and stepped away. He missed Castiel’s crestfallen expression.
Dean moved closer to Michael, squared his shoulders and repeated, “I want to speak to my dad. I know you can do it without letting go completely.”
“Why?” Michael asked suspiciously.
“To say goodbye. You let him speak to me, and I’ll say yes. But you can’t jump this sweet ass until he’s fixed up like new.”
“You’re going to say yes,” Michael repeated carefully.
“Yes, I will. It’s the only way to keep my family safe,” Dean replied.
Sam and Castiel were both aghast and they shared stricken looks behind Dean’s back. Michael smirked slowly and nodded. He closed his eyes. With an inhale, John Winchester was back in control of his body.
“Dean, Sam, Castiel. It’s good to see you, Boys” John smiled. “Now, what’s going on?”
“Dad, I…” Dean’s gaze shot over to Sam, still surrounded by demons and Castiel, just feet away from Michael’s blast zone. “Dad, retract.”
“Huh?” John blinked.
“Whatever he promised you, it won’t happen. Your deal’s off, push him out,” Dean spoke quickly and quietly. He knew the moment his plan was discovered. John’s gaze darkened and his hand raised, ready to destroy.
“You little bastard,” Michael hissed. “You disgusting, mewling, ape! You’re going to pay fo-” Michael cried out suddenly, his hand coming to his head. In all the history of creation, in all the history of vessels, Michael knew this never had happened before. John Winchester was taking back control.
Castiel moved quicker than either Dean or Sam could follow, but one moment the demon guards at Sam’s side were standing and the next they were crumpled to the ground, their eyes burned out. Sam knew he only had seconds to act. He bent and scooped up the little girl, Lilith, too stunned by Michael’s losing battle and Castiel’s speed to fight immediately. At the last second, Sam twisted and threw her small body towards the rug in the centre of the room. Lilith howled as her back hit the invisible, impenetrable wall of the devil’s trap Dean had painted when they arrived. At the time, he’d told Sam better safe than sorry and Sam now couldn’t be more grateful for his brother’s paranoia.
“Dean!” Castiel shouted.
Dean turned. “You ready Cas? The minute Michael gets booted out, you need to heal my dad. He’s gonna die.”
“But Dean, Zachariah has Adam and his mother!” Castiel rushed forward. “The minute John pushes out Michael, he is going to go to your brother. If Adam doesn’t say yes, Michael will kill Kate.”
“He’s fifteen!” Dean cried, aghast, his eyes shooting over to the still-battling John and Sam’s sick, nervous face.
“I don’t think Michael cares at this point. He needs someone, he’s so close. He’s not about to give up now and retreat to Heaven,” Castiel explained over John’s cries and Lilith’s wails.
Dean thought frantically. Could he feed Adam into a meat grinder for his father’s life? John would never forgive Dean. He had tried so hard to keep Adam out of this. Even concealing his existence from his own sons in order to protect him. Sammy had only just met his brother, the bright young kid who had years ahead of him. Could grow up and live a long, happy, normal life away from all the terror that Dean, Sam, Castiel and John saw every day. It meant sacrificing his father for his brother. The choice was impossible. Castiel was quick though.
“Go,” Dean said. “Go get Adam, take him and his mom to Bobby’s, then come back as quick as you can.”
Castiel hesitated a second then nodded. Before he left though, Dean grabbed him with two hands by his shirt and pulled him in for a deep kiss, sinking into the feel of his angel pressed to his chest again. Here, in his arms, safe and sound.
“I’m sorry,” Dean said when he pulled away. “I was such an idiot. I love you.”
“I know,” Castiel smiled, then he was gone.
There was nothing he could do for John right now, but Lilith’s crying was getting on his nerves as she had a truly inspired temper tantrum in her painted trap. He reached into the inside pocket of his coat and pulled out the Colt. He pulled back the hammer and pointed it at the child.
“You, shut up!” Dean snapped.
Lilith must have recognized the gun, because she stilled and quieted, staring at the barrel before smiling sweetly at Dean. Dean’s stomach rolled.
Sam suddenly rushed passed Dean and Dean realized how quiet it had gotten. He turned to see John slowly slumping to the floor, his breath rasping and painful as he looked at his sons with wide eyes. Sam was at his side, having stripped off his jacket and pressed it to the wound on John’s chest.
Dean let the Colt falter on Lilith for a second and she smirked at him, far too old for such a young face. He straightened the revolver and kept one eye on the demon and one eye on his slowly dying father.
“Dad,” Dean whispered.
“Hang on, Dad, okay? Cas will be back in no time.”
“Adam?” John wheezed.
“He’s safe. Cas is making sure,” Sam promised.
“B-”
“Dad! Don’t try to talk. Just hang in there,” Dean spoke over him, desperate to go to his side, to sit with him and make him fight but terrified to leave Lilith without the threat of the gun, not willing to risk what she might do, as powerful as she was.
John smiled, his eyes clouding over. “Love… you… Boys…”
“Dad!” Sam shouted.
“Sam? Talk to me,” Dean demanded.
“Dad! No, you bastard, open your eyes!” Sam was shaking their father now, one hand still pressed on the angry, sluggishly leaking wound. “Dad! Fuck you! Wake up!”
“Sam?” Dean demanded again.
Sam began doing compressions, but the sick knot of dread in Dean’s gut told him it was too late. All Sam was succeeding in was pushing more blood out of their father’s body. Just when he was about to say screw it and let the demon bitch do what she wanted, Castiel was there and pulled Sam bodily away from Dean, gathering the younger man’s large frame to him, then leaning over the fallen patriarch. He put his hand out, pressed carefully against John’s ravaged chest and for one brief, shining moment, Dean felt hope sear through him.
“Cas?” Dean asked.
“Adam and his mother are safe,” Castiel answered, “but I… I can’t save your father. His soul has already departed. I’m so sorry Dean.” He moved away and shifted so he could wrap both arms around Sam and looked with sorrowful eyes at Dean. Dean couldn’t believe it; he refused to believe it. It didn’t make sense. John couldn’t be gone. He-
Dean spun. “You, demon bitch. Can you bring him back?”
“Dean!” Castiel shouted.
Lilith shrugged and said airily, “No.”
“Fuck you! Can you bring him back?”
“Watch your language or you’ll have to put a nickel in the swear jar!” Lilith chastised. “Naughty humans with their filthy mouths. I said no. He’s gone where I can’t reach him.” Lilith pointed to the sky.
“Good, then I can kill you,” Dean gritted out, his finger began to squeeze the trigger.
“Wait!” Lilith shouted. “I’ll let you out of your contract! I hold it! Special case. Normally Crowley has them, but I took care of this myself. Let me out and let me go and I won’t send my doggies after you in two months. Cross my heart,” she even went so far as to make the gesture.
Dean faltered again. “Cross your heart?”
“Cross my heart,” Lilith nodded frantically.
Dean lowered the gun and stepped to the edge of the red spray-painted circle. “Do it, and then I’ll let you out.”
“Let me out and then I’ll do it,” Lilith countered.
“No fucking way, bitch,” Dean said firmly.
Sam had calmed now and had gone quiet, sitting next to the angel and his father’s body.
Castiel’s attention was now fully on Dean once more and he could only watch, torn between wanting to smite the abominable creature himself but also knowing that the small girl the demon possessed was still alive. He would hate to have Lilith roaming the Earth, it went against his very nature, but killing a child was unthinkable.
Lilith hesitated for a second before she raised her hand and made a brushing motion in the air like shooing a buzzing insect. Dean didn’t feel any different.
“Cas?” Dean asked. “Can you tell?”
Castiel patted Sam’s shoulder then rose, walking over to Dean’s side and placing a hand on the scar on Dean’s shoulder. He concentrated, focused, and then nodded with a tired smile.
Dean took the last step forward to the red line and used his toe to begin scuffing it away. Lilith was tense and eager to go. Dean hoped this would work and that it wouldn’t blow up in his face. Just as he brushed away the last miniscule line of red he raised the Colt again, pulled back the hammer and fired right into the child’s heart. She gaped, shocked, the body jumping as amber lightning danced below her skin.
“Cas! Help her!” Dean said quickly.
Castiel nodded and the minute the convulsions stopped, he put a hand on the child’s head and concentrated. He managed to catch the soul just before it departed and the girl opened her eyes and began screaming, huge tears leaking out of her eyes. Castiel gathered her into his arms and shushed her quietly, rocking her as she sobbed.
Dean nodded. He turned to look at Sam and his father’s body. Dean approached them quietly and sat at his father’s side. He took the rapidly-cooling hand in his own with silent apologies.
xx
Jess and Sam stood huddled together, the firelight flickering on their faces, catching tear tracks in the night. Bobby stood a little ways from them, staring at the flames with a bottle of whiskey in his hand that he’d used to salute his former friend earlier. Dean stood with Castiel’s arm around him, nestled tight against his side as the pyre burned. A hunter’s funeral. No eulogies, no music, but the crackling of the flames as John Winchester’s body was gradually removed from the Earth.
“I wish I could have made it in time,” Castiel whispered, not for the first time.
“If we had picked him over Adam, he never would have forgiven us,” Dean answered. “God knows I’m going to miss him but this is the way he would have wanted it.”
“Yes, I think you’re right.”
Dean pulled slightly away from Castiel, only enough to take his hand and lead him over to Sam, Jess and Bobby. He slung an arm over Sam’s shoulder and squeezed.
“What now?” Sam asked.
“Well, we pick up where he left off, Sammy. Saving people, hunting things, the family business.”
If their family was a little bit bigger now? Well, there was no harm in that.
John Winchester would be missed but Dean knew without a doubt that he’d also be proud.
End
Previous | Masterpost
May 28th, 2006
The windows were rolled right down on the Impala as they drove across farm fields on the freshness and lightness of spring on this surprisingly warm day. Dean had been quiet over the last few months and Sam was beginning to worry. They were halfway through the six months of Dean’s deal and he hadn’t seen Cas since that fateful night in February. Jess was doing good; Sam managed to spend some time with her over his birthday. She was back in school now for a few summer classes, albeit heavily warded. Sam still hadn’t proposed; he felt they had to get to know each other again before he popped the question but that didn’t mean he’d changed his mind. Besides, he had Dean to focus on now as well. Dean, who wasn’t even trying to break his deal, hadn’t even spoken his husband’s name in waking hours though he murmured it each night in his sleep. Was he really going to die without seeing him? Sam felt sick at the thought.
“Where are we going, anyway?” Sam finally managed.
“Windom, Minnesota,” Dean answered lightly.
Sam got out a map and frowned at it. “What’s there?”
“A long overdue trip.”
“Okay, but why?”
Dean shrugged. “Just figured it was about time.”
xx
When Dean pulled up to a small two-storey that fit the small town to a tee, they were met by a scrawny teenager running out of the house, unmindful of the screen door slamming behind him with a big grin on his face, his knobby knees dirty. There was a discarded baseball glove at the porch steps and he still looked faintly sweaty.
“Dean!” the kid called with a big wave.
If Sam had to guess, the kid was no more than fifteen. At least that ruled out the possibility of a weird angel-hybrid love child. Though the kid was awfully friendly with Dean.
“Hey, Kiddo,” Dean said as he got out of the car with the first genuine smile that Sam had seen on his face in weeks.
The boy looked around and frowned. “Where’s Cas?”
Dean’s smile faltered before he slapped on the artificial one that Sam was becoming more and more familiar with. “Busy right now, but I brought someone better.”
“Dean? What’s going on?” Sam asked.
“Sam Winchester, meet Adam Milligan - our half-brother.”
“Sam!” Adam exclaimed happily. “Dean said you were off at school. So you’re done? That’s so awesome. He and Cas talk about you all the time when they visit. Tell me why more than Dad ever does.”
Dean felt like an ass for not talking about Adam to Sam, but the middle Winchester covered it up smoothly with an easy, “It’s great to meet you, Adam. Wow. Remind me, how old are you?”
“Sixteen!” Adam replied proudly.
Dean grabbed Adam around the neck and pulled him in to ruffle his sandy hair. “Not until September you aren’t.”
Adam rolled his eyes and shoved Dean away good naturedly. “Okay, fifteen.”
“Your mom home?” Dean asked.
“Nah,” Adam shook his head. “Double shift at the hospital.”
“Got money?” Dean asked, already patting down his pockets.
“I’m fine,” Adam said quickly, holding a hand up to stop Dean. “Come inside. Mom only has beer when she knows Dad is stopping in but I got some Coke or Ginger Ale I think…” Adam led the way into the quaint, clean house. It was older and a little dark when they walked through the hallway, but the kitchen was cheery and comfortable.
“Coke will be fine for the both of us,” Dean said when Adam held the red and green cans out questioningly. “Why don’t you get cleaned up and then Sam and me will take you out to dinner. Sound good?”
“Sure,” Adam nodded. “Give me fifteen minutes. Make yourselves comfortable.” Adam disappeared up the stairs in a flash.
“What the hell, Dean?” Sam asked, his voice low as he leaned in close.
“That’s Adam. A few years ago Dad fell for a hot nurse who was looking after him, one slipped passed the goalie and wham-bam, you know the rest.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Sam hissed. “How could you keep this from me?”
Dean sighed. “Look, Sam. Dad didn’t even tell me, okay? Castiel did. Not right away either. Believe me, I was pissed when I found out that it was being kept a secret but I got to know him and figured that he’d be safer if as little of us as possible knew he existed.”
“So you kept it a secret,” Sam repeated flatly. “I can’t believe you. It would have been nice to know and not be blindsided by this. For a second I thought he was yours, then realized he was too old.”
Dean snorted. “Yeah, that’d be a trick. Cas was real good at hiding his baby-bump if that were the case.”
Sam rolled his eyes. “How the hell am I supposed to know, huh? So if you were so determined to protect Adam by keeping him a secret from me - which is stupid by the way and doesn’t even make sense - why tell me now?”
“Because I won’t be around in three months and he needs someone. Dad shows up once a year on his birthday. Sends the occasional envelope of money when he wins enough cash at pool or cards, but other than that, he’s pretty absent. Poor kid’s mom works eighteen hours a day sometimes and he’s left pretty well to his own devices.”
“He still has more than we ever had,” Sam said, unable to keep the bitterness from his voice.
“Sam, don’t do that now, all right? I know what you’re feeling. I went through the same thing, but he’s our brother. It was a shit thing that I hid him from you and Dad hid him from us but you know now and I need to know you’ll look after him.”
“Of course I will, Dean. I’m not a cold-hearted bastard. If he’s our brother then that’s all I need to know,” Sam replied. “Though, that said, nothing is going to happen to you.”
“Sure, Sammy,” Dean answered dismissively.
“I mean it. Cas wouldn’t let it,” Sam said firmly.
“What’s Cas up to, anyway?” Adam asked, coming into the kitchen, and if Sam didn’t know any better and he was told the kid wasn’t raised a Winchester, he never would have believed it. Well-worn jeans were traded for the shorts he had on earlier and a plaid cotton shirt replaced the T-shirt, sleeves rolled up to the elbow. The only thing that had him standout were runners instead of heavy boots.
Dean flicked his gaze away. “He just has work stuff.”
“Okay,” Adam said uncertainly.
“So!” Sam said cheerily. “Where’s a good place to eat around here?”
Adam grinned and began talking a mile a minute. They followed him out of the house and waited for him to lock up before piling into the car.
xx
The silence in the car was making Sam’s ears ring. For some reason, Dean chose not to turn on the radio and he stared dead-ahead, both hands on the wheel. Sam looked at his brother nervously, wondering what was wrong or if it was just more of the same. He decided to not pursue his thoughts with words and tackled something that he thought might be safer ground.
“So, Adam…”
“I need you to take care of him, Sammy, you hear?” Dean said sternly.
Sam actually startled a little at conviction in his brother’s voice. “Yeah, Dean, I already promised. I just don’t get why now all of a sudden.”
“I’m staring down the gates of Hell, Sam, why the fuck do you think?” Dean snapped with more venom then necessary.
Sam rolled his eyes. “Dean…”
“Don’t ‘Dean’ me and don’t roll your eyes. There isn’t a way out of this, plain and simple. If Hell deals were that easy to weasel out of, everyone would be making them.”
“Dean, Cas’ll-”
“Cas isn’t here!” Dean shouted.
“And why the fuck not?” Sam shouted back, screw subtly, screw safer topics of conversation. Dean was being an ass and Sam needed to know why. “If you’re dying, why the hell aren’t you trying to spend every waking moment with him, huh? He can’t follow where you’re going. Not like in Heaven where you’d still see each other.”
“Exactly,” Dean whispered quietly.
“What?”
“I’m trying to make it easier. I fucked up a while back, I believed something I shouldn’t have and now I feel like shit about it.”
“Then apologize.”
Dean snorted bitterly. “Yeah, well, if I did that then I couldn’t use it as an excuse, now could I? If he gets used to me gone, maybe it’ll be easier when I actually am.”
“No, Dean,” Sam said, gentle now, “if you continue to refuse to look for a way out of this and if you continue to push him away, when you do die - it’ll kill him. The only thing he lives and fights for is you. Once you’re gone, he won’t be far behind. At least maybe if you say goodbye and give him a few good months, he’ll live for the memories. But this? This is just a sure-fire way to shatter him. Congrats. Keep this up and you’ll be the first human in creation to break an angel.”
Dean didn’t answer but he did turn up the music. Sam wasn’t sure if that was a good sign or a bad sign.
xx
Michael felt his skin crawl as he crossed the threshold of the tiny Paris café. Sitting on one of the quaint bistro tables in a white dress with her long brunette hair in dainty curls was one of the vilest abominations to walk the Earth. The corruption of a child alone was enough to send Michael’s will to smite into overdrive but just what resided within meant he was barely contained.
Lilith didn’t do much better as she faced him, but she hid it from the humans behind a demure smile.
“Hello Uncle,” she said sweetly, big blue eyes falsely innocent.
Michael compulsively clenched a fist at his side. He slid into one of the wiry cast iron chairs around the table and nodded stiffly.
“Did Sweet Meg perform to your standards? She’s one of our favourites, you know. Ruby is ever so good but Meg is ever so loyal and so very…” she dropped her voice and grinned, her teeth flashing like little needles for a brief moment, “conniving.”
“She played her roll,” Michael said firmly. He was not about to compliment the competencies of a demon.
“Oh goodie!” Lilith clapped her hands happily. “We should celebrate! Mother, fetch us something to celebrate with.”
The quiet, meek woman at Lilith’s side flinched and rose silently from the table.
“I’m not staying,” Michael said firmly. “Everything is back on track. That’s good enough for now.”
“Such a party pooper,” Lilith pouted. “Good bye then, Uncle John.”
Michael got up and left the café, desperate to return to the hallowed walls of Heaven and cleanse himself of the filth of his brother’s twisted spawn. Michael couldn’t suppress his shudder as he took to the air. He couldn’t be there long; he still had work on Earth unfortunately, but he could remain long enough to scrub himself clean.
June, 2006
It was a month following Sam’s first meeting with Adam that the ringing of a phone had Dean slapping around groggily to silence it. He briefly considering just hitting ignore and letting it go to voicemail, but the small, niggling voice warning him that it could be important stopped him. That voice sounded like Cas. God, Dean missed Cas. Over the last several weeks he had been seconds away from calling him and begging for forgiveness, but had always stopped himself at the last second. Despite Sam’s words that night in the car, Dean still firmly believed that what he was doing was - in fact - for the best. He knew Cas better than anyone. Maybe with luck, Cas would end up being too pissed off at Dean to miss him. Dean smothered the voice in his head that told him he was being a moron.
He finally got the phone flipped open and rasped out, “Yeah?”
“Dean.”
“Dad?” Dean was awake and nearly on his feet in a second. “Are you okay?”
“Dean, I think I have a way to get you out of your contract.”
“What?” Dean was suddenly very confused. His dad had been working on that? Since when, and why had Dean not been informed? Dean felt like rudely awaking his brother via pillow to the face because Sam must have had something to do with this. Surely, their father had more important things to do than clean up his idiot son’s mess.
“Don’t tell me you actually thought I’d just let that go. You’re my boy, Dean. I’m not letting you go to Hell.”
“But Da-”
“Sure have gotten insolent in your married years, never knew you to talk back so much. Not sure if I should be thanking that angel of yours or smacking him. How is he by the way? He there? I’d like to go over this with him.”
“No, Dad,” Dean said softly.
“What do you mean no? You ain’t gonna let me speak to him now?”
“That’s not what I meant. He’s not here. We’ve ah…” Dean did not want to say ‘they were on a break’ but he wasn’t sure what else he could call it. The truth just sounded childish and Dean was fully willing to acknowledge that in the very secret corners of his mind.
“When was the last time you saw him?” John asked. His tone was strange. If Dean didn’t know any better, he’d say John’s tone was sympathetic.
“A while,” was all Dean would offer.
“All right, I’ll let it slide for now. Anyway, the demon that holds your contract is called Lilith. I have a bead on where she’s gonna be in a week from now. If we confront her, we just might be able to… persuade her to break the deal. You still got the Colt?”
“’Course,” Dean replied, now slightly offended. Sure he hadn’t been too terribly interested in it when John handed it to him, but it’s not like he’d ever leave it behind, and they hadn’t had a chance to get back to Bobby’s.
“Good,” John nodded. “I want you to do one more thing for me,” John didn’t wait for Dean to ask what, he just pushed ahead, “give your Uncle Bobby a call. We’ll need all hands on this one. If he can round up the Harvelles, that’ll be a bonus. Clear?”
“Yes, Sir,” Dean said. Dean expected to hear the familiar dial tone after his conversation but the line was just silent for a second.
John spoke up again and what he said surprised Dean to no end, “And Dean-o? Don’t worry about that boy of yours. He’ll come around, it’ll work out just fine. He loves you too damn much for it not to.”
Dean didn’t share that Cas wasn’t keeping away by choice; instead he just said, his voice thick, “Thanks, Dad.”
There was the familiar dial tone. Figures. Dean showed a little emotion and he was met with an electronic buzz. Then again, if Dad got gooey on him, he’d probably break out the salt and holy water and do some hunting.
“He hasn’t called me ‘Dean-o’ in years,” Dean muttered a little in awe, still staring down at his phone.
“Huh? Wha…?” Sam muttered, pushing himself up to reveal a pillow creased face and crazy bedhead.
“Dad,” Dean replied distantly.
That had Sam sitting up in his bed almost as quickly as Dean had a few moments earlier.
“Dad?” Sam said surprised, “Did he call?”
“Yeah,” Dean still felt a bit dazed. “Seems he found a way we might be able to break the deal.”
“What?! How?” Sam had his eager puppy face on.
Dean explained what little he knew, but that didn’t quell any of Sam’s excitement, he just said firmly, “I need to call Cas, now.”
Cas.
xx
Castiel’s eyes flew open and he plummeted through the upper regions of the atmosphere without a thought. Dean.
Not so fast, Little Bird.
Castiel cried out, pain tearing through his body as he was caught firm in the full power of an archangel. Tears, unbidden, leaked out of his vessel’s eyes before the rapidly-approaching Earth surface was nothing but a black void.
xx
Dean frowned at his phone and still saw there were no missed calls. He wasn’t sure how he would have missed them, considering it had been on constantly for the two days and he even took the damn thing in the bathroom with him. But, anything could happen.
Currently, they were in abandoned house on the outskirts of New Harmony, Indiana where their father had said to meet him. John was still a no-show and Castiel, the one who Dean was frantically checking his phone for, was still elusive. Dean hit the second speed dial key again and held the phone to his ear. He heard it ring for what seemed like an eternity before switching over to voicemail for what had to be the hundredth time, if not more. The fact that Castiel still had the phone on had to be a good sign, right? Or was it worse because that meant he was deliberately ignoring Dean’s calls? Dean fidgeted restlessly.
Dialled again.
Nothing.
What was that they said? The definition of insanity was doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results? Dean just crossed the border into crazy-ville then, but he couldn’t find it in himself to care. All he had within himself was anger, guilt and frustration at his own stupidity. He should have just listened to Sam when Sam said to call Cas the first time.
“So sorry, Babe,” Dean whispered to the air.
Sam came in at the tail end of Dean’s words, carrying a pile of wood he had been out chopping. He smiled sympathetically at his brother. “Still nothing?”
Dean shook his head. “Nothing from Dad either.”
There was a knock on the door. Dean looked up hopefully and Sam answered it cautiously. He frowned at first, seeing nothing there, then trailed his gaze down to see a little blonde girl, with a round face wearing a pink and white dress. She grinned at him.
Sam’s blood ran like ice, he managed to get out the first sound of Dean’s name before he was flung bodily across the room.
xx
Michael was prowling idly around Castiel’s bright, burning cage, a wicked smile on his lips. Castiel felt sick at each glimpse of those hazel-green eyes, not able to believe what he was seeing while trying to remain as calm as possible. This was not a situation that would improve by Castiel losing control even though the only thing he wanted to do was scream and rail against the archangel contaminating the body he abducted. Castiel had finally managed to ask what Michael gained from this entire thing but his older brother was taking his time answering.
“It’s simple really,” Michael finally said with John’s lips twisted in a smile. “He says yes and Daddy lives, he says no and Daddy dies.”
Castiel felt his anger curl in his stomach as he walked to the edge of the ring, useless and powerless. Michael was far too strong for any of Castiel’s ‘parlour tricks’ to have any effect in the surroundings. The archangel’s very presence was enough to make Castiel little more than human at the moment. Jimmy was whispering in his head, pleading Castiel to just let go and then Jimmy would get them out of there once he was angel free. It was a good and noble suggestion but Castiel would not risk Jimmy’s life like that. At least if he had a chance to maybe reason with Michael, he could barter for Jimmy’s life. Only one of them would have to die.
What about Dean?
He’ll have you.
He doesn’t love me.
You love him.
Castiel, just let me go and I’ll get us out, please.
No. You’ll die.
Castiel switched tactics and turned his gaze on his brother. It was difficult to look at him. He was so brilliant, filled with so much of their Father’s grace. Castiel shook off the awe and asked, “What do you hope to achieve, Michael? There is an order to these things, is there not?”
“It’s not complicated, Castiel,” Michael drawled. “Dean’s soul is the thing that gets shunted off to Hell. It is his soul that will break. When the chits come in, I’ll let Crowley’s hounds tear the slimy thing free and then the sack is all mine. Handy and human free. I will then be prepared for Lucifer’s resurrection and will be able to stop him before things get out of hand.”
“How long have you had that body?” Castiel asked carefully. When could John have possibly agreed to this? Under what circumstances?
“A while,” Michael smiled. He lifted his wrist and waggled his hand, the light of Castiel’s prison catching on metal. “I visited the same jeweller as Meg. Neat trick, huh?”
Castiel refused to answer.
Michael just shrugged, not bothered by his unimpressed little brother.
“And if Dean doesn’t make the deal?” Castiel asked, pressing on.
Michael raised a slow eyebrow. “I hardly think he’ll refuse. He acquiesced without thought for Sweet Sammy. Lilith is ah… persuading him as we speak.”
Castiel swallowed. “If I can convince Dean not to do it?”
Michael snorted. “Oh you pathetic sop. You really think you will be able to persuade Dean Winchester out of saving his precious Daddy when you could do nothing about his precious Sammy? Really, Castiel? I’m surprised in you. I didn’t think you were that stupid. With these Winchesters, only one thing ever comes first and you don’t have it, My Dear. It’s in their DNA. They will always, always throw themselves on the pyre for blood. In the long run, who are you really to him?”
“He loves me,” Castiel said defiantly, “he needs me. Just as surely as I love and need him.”
“Hmm… His fuck toy or his prized possession?” Michael made a show of weighing his hands like scales. The one he labelled as the latter he rose higher and waggled. “No contest.”
“But what if?” Castiel stressed.
Michael snorted again. “Stop deluding yourself.”
“Fine,” Castiel said firmly. “If your feelings are that strong that he will deny me over you, then let me go, at least give me a fair run at it. If you’re that certain, there should be no need for me to remain here.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Lose one of my bargaining chips?” Michael sneered. “I never thought you such a fool. I always imagined you to be the wiser of your ilk. Not simpering and spineless like Anael or Uriel. So eager to please, those two. You can just imagine what they did for me.”
Castiel looked away. “What have you to lose, really? If what you say is true then I’m next to useless. Just let me out, let me try. If I fail, then I fail. If I win then surely I deserved to, what with how confident you are.”
Michael stared at Castiel long and hard before he grinned. “Well, it may be entertaining. I have been awfully bored lately. Fine.” Michael snapped his fingers and the fire around Castiel’s feet dissipated. Castiel readied himself to fly.
“Not so fast, Castiel. Zachariah!”
Castiel’s former superior arrived in less than a second, staring at Michael as an eager pup would stare at his master. Castiel was revolted at the blind faith he saw and the complete disinterest Michael had in what he saw as little better than a bacterium.
“Yes, Michael?”
“Get my vessel’s bastard and his slut. If this little speck does obliterate all my expectations, I wonder how eager baby Winchester will be to trade everything for Mommy’s life,” Michael grinned like a snake, Zachariah right along with him.
“At least I’ll have one. You can’t save them both, Castiel. Time to choose.”
Michael raised his fingers. Castiel felt his heart bottom out in his stomach as he realized the implications of Michael’s words. If by some miracle Castiel did succeed, he’d be sending a child for an eternity of torture. If he didn’t, he’d been sending the love of his very, very long life for the same.
“No!” Castiel shouted, but it was too late. Michael had sent him plummeting back to Earth. Castiel only had seconds to right himself. He needed to find Dean - Now!
xx
“Oh, were you expecting someone?” Lilith asked sweetly, staring down at the bloodied but still defiant Dean. Sam wasn’t faring much better across the room, but he was conscious at least so Dean counted that as a win.
“Well, we didn’t exactly roll out the welcome wagon for you,” Dean rasped.
“Bring him in,” Lilith said sharply to the two demon guards behind her. The tone was strange coming from her girlish body.
The two demons came in the door shortly after with a large body slumped between them. Dean’s heart caught in his throat as he recognized the latest victim as his father. Sam let out a faint, strangled cry as he tried to crawl closer. Lilith flicked her wrist only to send him flying again.
“Stop it,” John managed, his voice weak. Dean was surprised to even hear it when he saw the shape his father was in after the demons dropped him.
“Dad!” Dean shouted, trying to rush to the man’s side.
“Stay there, Son,” John said, his voice surprisingly firm. Dean faltered then stopped automatically at the command in the tone. “Where’s Cas?”
That gave Dean pause, not only was it an odd question for John to ask at that moment, but Dean couldn’t recall his father ever using the nickname before in the eight years he had known the angel. The angel, flyboy, feathers. His full name on occasion, boy, once in a while. But never ‘Cas.’
“Cas?” Dean asked uncertainly.
“Yeah, Cas,” John seemed far too impatient for someone that injured and surrounded by demons.
“Why are you…?” Dean backed up and looked at Sam, then back at his father and said firmly. “Something’s wrong.”
John looked as if he were about to argue, then he stood calmly, the demons backing away and Lilith crossed her arms over her chest. John cracked his neck.
“That was growing tiresome anyway,” John said idly, but Dean recognized the cadence.
“Michael,” Dean growled. “Get out of him, right now.”
Michael smiled then lifted away the edge of his coat to reveal a deep, bloody wound that likely had collapsed a lung. “Are you sure about that? I get out of him right now, he probably has ten seconds to live. Nothing you or Darling Sammy can do about it.”
“What do you want?” Dean asked, resignedly.
“Right to the chase, hmm? Can’t say I’m not pleased. I think though, Dean, that if you thought for just one moment you could discover for yourself very easily what it is I want.”
“My yes for my dad’s life,” Dean said without having to think of it. “Is that it? God, you’re all sick fucks. Not just the demons.”
“You say yes, I fix your dad up good as new. Better even,” Michael offered, spreading his arms wide. “I let Sam and your dad walk out of here of their own volition and never bother them again. All it takes is one simple yes.”
“What about Cas?” Dean asked. “You’ll leave him alone and all your angel buddies will do the same?”
“If he doesn’t interfere,” Michael said calmly.
“No, no matter what,” Dean retorted. “No matter what he tries to do, you leave him alone.”
Michael sighed. “Fine.”
“And Adam and his mom too!” Dean put in hurriedly.
Michael tightened his borrowed jaw. “Fine.”
Dean’s eyes darted over to Sam’s wide-eyed gaze then said, “And if I do this, my contract with the demons is null and void right? They can’t kill me while you’re riding around in my meat.”
Michael smirked, “Dean, your meat will be perfectly fine.”
Dean still had his suspicions in the back of his mind, but really, if Michael agreed to all Dean’s conditions it sounded like a fair deal. Michael could stop Lucifer before he torched half the planet. Before he even broke free from the cage. Sam, Dad and Cas would be just fine. Dean would be MIA for a bit but he would be free of Hell and that’s exactly what his family wanted. Cas especially. When all this was over, Dean and Cas could be happy and together again with no more threatening shadows hanging over their heads.
“Dean! Stop!”
Dean turned just in time to see Castiel stumble towards him. He looked harried. and if Dean wasn’t mistaken, a little singed. It wasn’t something obvious, there was just an element underneath of not quite well.
“Cas, what happened?” Dean asked, rushing to the angel’s side and clutching at his arms. “Where have you been, Man?”
“Michael. It’s a trick Dean. It’s all a trick. The minute you say yes your life is forfeit. He may keep his promises, he may not, but once your deal with Hell comes due, he’s just going to let them take you.”
“Cas, he just said-”
“Did he say your soul would be fine, Dean?” Castiel interrupted, demanding, fisting Dean’s shirt.
“He-”
“He didn’t,” Sam rasped, answering for his brother. “He said meat. Not your soul.”
“Dean,” Castiel said gently, moving his hands from the human’s chest to cup Dean’s cheek. “Listen, please listen. You can’t say yes to Michael. He may allow your family to walk away unscathed but that will not apply to the Earth. He will let you go to Hell and he will let the world burn.”
“But my dad,” Dean said, his voice cracking.
“Would your father really, truly want you to sacrifice yourself for him?”
Dean searched Castiel’s eyes, then shot his gaze over to Sam’s morose face. Then back at Michael, wearing his dad’s face. “I want to speak to my dad.”
“What?” Michael frowned. “No.”
Dean shook Castiel’s hands off and stepped away. He missed Castiel’s crestfallen expression.
Dean moved closer to Michael, squared his shoulders and repeated, “I want to speak to my dad. I know you can do it without letting go completely.”
“Why?” Michael asked suspiciously.
“To say goodbye. You let him speak to me, and I’ll say yes. But you can’t jump this sweet ass until he’s fixed up like new.”
“You’re going to say yes,” Michael repeated carefully.
“Yes, I will. It’s the only way to keep my family safe,” Dean replied.
Sam and Castiel were both aghast and they shared stricken looks behind Dean’s back. Michael smirked slowly and nodded. He closed his eyes. With an inhale, John Winchester was back in control of his body.
“Dean, Sam, Castiel. It’s good to see you, Boys” John smiled. “Now, what’s going on?”
“Dad, I…” Dean’s gaze shot over to Sam, still surrounded by demons and Castiel, just feet away from Michael’s blast zone. “Dad, retract.”
“Huh?” John blinked.
“Whatever he promised you, it won’t happen. Your deal’s off, push him out,” Dean spoke quickly and quietly. He knew the moment his plan was discovered. John’s gaze darkened and his hand raised, ready to destroy.
“You little bastard,” Michael hissed. “You disgusting, mewling, ape! You’re going to pay fo-” Michael cried out suddenly, his hand coming to his head. In all the history of creation, in all the history of vessels, Michael knew this never had happened before. John Winchester was taking back control.
Castiel moved quicker than either Dean or Sam could follow, but one moment the demon guards at Sam’s side were standing and the next they were crumpled to the ground, their eyes burned out. Sam knew he only had seconds to act. He bent and scooped up the little girl, Lilith, too stunned by Michael’s losing battle and Castiel’s speed to fight immediately. At the last second, Sam twisted and threw her small body towards the rug in the centre of the room. Lilith howled as her back hit the invisible, impenetrable wall of the devil’s trap Dean had painted when they arrived. At the time, he’d told Sam better safe than sorry and Sam now couldn’t be more grateful for his brother’s paranoia.
“Dean!” Castiel shouted.
Dean turned. “You ready Cas? The minute Michael gets booted out, you need to heal my dad. He’s gonna die.”
“But Dean, Zachariah has Adam and his mother!” Castiel rushed forward. “The minute John pushes out Michael, he is going to go to your brother. If Adam doesn’t say yes, Michael will kill Kate.”
“He’s fifteen!” Dean cried, aghast, his eyes shooting over to the still-battling John and Sam’s sick, nervous face.
“I don’t think Michael cares at this point. He needs someone, he’s so close. He’s not about to give up now and retreat to Heaven,” Castiel explained over John’s cries and Lilith’s wails.
Dean thought frantically. Could he feed Adam into a meat grinder for his father’s life? John would never forgive Dean. He had tried so hard to keep Adam out of this. Even concealing his existence from his own sons in order to protect him. Sammy had only just met his brother, the bright young kid who had years ahead of him. Could grow up and live a long, happy, normal life away from all the terror that Dean, Sam, Castiel and John saw every day. It meant sacrificing his father for his brother. The choice was impossible. Castiel was quick though.
“Go,” Dean said. “Go get Adam, take him and his mom to Bobby’s, then come back as quick as you can.”
Castiel hesitated a second then nodded. Before he left though, Dean grabbed him with two hands by his shirt and pulled him in for a deep kiss, sinking into the feel of his angel pressed to his chest again. Here, in his arms, safe and sound.
“I’m sorry,” Dean said when he pulled away. “I was such an idiot. I love you.”
“I know,” Castiel smiled, then he was gone.
There was nothing he could do for John right now, but Lilith’s crying was getting on his nerves as she had a truly inspired temper tantrum in her painted trap. He reached into the inside pocket of his coat and pulled out the Colt. He pulled back the hammer and pointed it at the child.
“You, shut up!” Dean snapped.
Lilith must have recognized the gun, because she stilled and quieted, staring at the barrel before smiling sweetly at Dean. Dean’s stomach rolled.
Sam suddenly rushed passed Dean and Dean realized how quiet it had gotten. He turned to see John slowly slumping to the floor, his breath rasping and painful as he looked at his sons with wide eyes. Sam was at his side, having stripped off his jacket and pressed it to the wound on John’s chest.
Dean let the Colt falter on Lilith for a second and she smirked at him, far too old for such a young face. He straightened the revolver and kept one eye on the demon and one eye on his slowly dying father.
“Dad,” Dean whispered.
“Hang on, Dad, okay? Cas will be back in no time.”
“Adam?” John wheezed.
“He’s safe. Cas is making sure,” Sam promised.
“B-”
“Dad! Don’t try to talk. Just hang in there,” Dean spoke over him, desperate to go to his side, to sit with him and make him fight but terrified to leave Lilith without the threat of the gun, not willing to risk what she might do, as powerful as she was.
John smiled, his eyes clouding over. “Love… you… Boys…”
“Dad!” Sam shouted.
“Sam? Talk to me,” Dean demanded.
“Dad! No, you bastard, open your eyes!” Sam was shaking their father now, one hand still pressed on the angry, sluggishly leaking wound. “Dad! Fuck you! Wake up!”
“Sam?” Dean demanded again.
Sam began doing compressions, but the sick knot of dread in Dean’s gut told him it was too late. All Sam was succeeding in was pushing more blood out of their father’s body. Just when he was about to say screw it and let the demon bitch do what she wanted, Castiel was there and pulled Sam bodily away from Dean, gathering the younger man’s large frame to him, then leaning over the fallen patriarch. He put his hand out, pressed carefully against John’s ravaged chest and for one brief, shining moment, Dean felt hope sear through him.
“Cas?” Dean asked.
“Adam and his mother are safe,” Castiel answered, “but I… I can’t save your father. His soul has already departed. I’m so sorry Dean.” He moved away and shifted so he could wrap both arms around Sam and looked with sorrowful eyes at Dean. Dean couldn’t believe it; he refused to believe it. It didn’t make sense. John couldn’t be gone. He-
Dean spun. “You, demon bitch. Can you bring him back?”
“Dean!” Castiel shouted.
Lilith shrugged and said airily, “No.”
“Fuck you! Can you bring him back?”
“Watch your language or you’ll have to put a nickel in the swear jar!” Lilith chastised. “Naughty humans with their filthy mouths. I said no. He’s gone where I can’t reach him.” Lilith pointed to the sky.
“Good, then I can kill you,” Dean gritted out, his finger began to squeeze the trigger.
“Wait!” Lilith shouted. “I’ll let you out of your contract! I hold it! Special case. Normally Crowley has them, but I took care of this myself. Let me out and let me go and I won’t send my doggies after you in two months. Cross my heart,” she even went so far as to make the gesture.
Dean faltered again. “Cross your heart?”
“Cross my heart,” Lilith nodded frantically.
Dean lowered the gun and stepped to the edge of the red spray-painted circle. “Do it, and then I’ll let you out.”
“Let me out and then I’ll do it,” Lilith countered.
“No fucking way, bitch,” Dean said firmly.
Sam had calmed now and had gone quiet, sitting next to the angel and his father’s body.
Castiel’s attention was now fully on Dean once more and he could only watch, torn between wanting to smite the abominable creature himself but also knowing that the small girl the demon possessed was still alive. He would hate to have Lilith roaming the Earth, it went against his very nature, but killing a child was unthinkable.
Lilith hesitated for a second before she raised her hand and made a brushing motion in the air like shooing a buzzing insect. Dean didn’t feel any different.
“Cas?” Dean asked. “Can you tell?”
Castiel patted Sam’s shoulder then rose, walking over to Dean’s side and placing a hand on the scar on Dean’s shoulder. He concentrated, focused, and then nodded with a tired smile.
Dean took the last step forward to the red line and used his toe to begin scuffing it away. Lilith was tense and eager to go. Dean hoped this would work and that it wouldn’t blow up in his face. Just as he brushed away the last miniscule line of red he raised the Colt again, pulled back the hammer and fired right into the child’s heart. She gaped, shocked, the body jumping as amber lightning danced below her skin.
“Cas! Help her!” Dean said quickly.
Castiel nodded and the minute the convulsions stopped, he put a hand on the child’s head and concentrated. He managed to catch the soul just before it departed and the girl opened her eyes and began screaming, huge tears leaking out of her eyes. Castiel gathered her into his arms and shushed her quietly, rocking her as she sobbed.
Dean nodded. He turned to look at Sam and his father’s body. Dean approached them quietly and sat at his father’s side. He took the rapidly-cooling hand in his own with silent apologies.
xx
Jess and Sam stood huddled together, the firelight flickering on their faces, catching tear tracks in the night. Bobby stood a little ways from them, staring at the flames with a bottle of whiskey in his hand that he’d used to salute his former friend earlier. Dean stood with Castiel’s arm around him, nestled tight against his side as the pyre burned. A hunter’s funeral. No eulogies, no music, but the crackling of the flames as John Winchester’s body was gradually removed from the Earth.
“I wish I could have made it in time,” Castiel whispered, not for the first time.
“If we had picked him over Adam, he never would have forgiven us,” Dean answered. “God knows I’m going to miss him but this is the way he would have wanted it.”
“Yes, I think you’re right.”
Dean pulled slightly away from Castiel, only enough to take his hand and lead him over to Sam, Jess and Bobby. He slung an arm over Sam’s shoulder and squeezed.
“What now?” Sam asked.
“Well, we pick up where he left off, Sammy. Saving people, hunting things, the family business.”
If their family was a little bit bigger now? Well, there was no harm in that.
John Winchester would be missed but Dean knew without a doubt that he’d also be proud.
End
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