Hi everyone, so I've been a little slower on fic writing this week but still, here's another one.
Set maybe an hour or so after 13x06
Some graphic descriptions, please be warned.
Enjoy ^_^
"Well, where would he go?" Cas asked for what felt like the millionth time, pacing the length of the table.
Dean sighed, "we don't know, Cas."
"The cabin?" Sam suggested, eyes glued to his laptop.
"That would be the first place we'd look and he knows it." Dean said, rubbing a hand through his hair.
"You're assuming he doesn't want to be found," Cas retorted,
"He doesn't,"
"He has nowhere else to go." Sam said, reasonably, leaning back in his chair and stroking his chin. "We haven't exactly taken him travelling. He was born at the cabin, then he went to jail. We've only taken him out on two cases and I doubt he'd want to go back to Dodge,"
Cas let out a groan. Dean considered a moment, then pulled out his phone.
"Who are you calling?"
"Our therapist." Dean ignored the confusion and outrage on the angel's face as he scrolled through his contacts and pressed the right number. He pressed the phone to his ear with his shoulder and waited.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Mia? It's Dean… Winchester."
There was a short pause.
"Dean. Hi, I wasn't expecting to hear from you." The voice was wary, Dean didn't blame her, he hadn't exactly been his most charming on that day.
"Yeah, well, I just wanted to ask. Is Jack with you? Have you seen him?"
"Err… no. Why?"
"We, err… had a family discussion and he kinda vanished on us. And you know, he seemed to like you, so I thought he might have… Never mind, just, let us know if you see him, okay?"
"Dean, is Sam still with you?"
Dean looked across the table to his brother, frowning."Yeah, he's right here, why?"
"Put him on, would you?"
Dean shrugged and passed Sam the phone. Sam made a few non-committal responses before leaving the room. Dean rolled his eyes.
"What's going on?" Cas asked, eyes following Sam as he left.
"The doc doesn't like me all that much," Dean said, "and I think Sam's gonna get a free session out of it."
"As proud as I am of Sam for seeking help, our priority right now should be Jack," Cas said testily.
"She said she hadn't seen him."
"Did you believe her?"
Dean considered. He wouldn't put it past Mia to lie to him if she thought she was protecting Jack.
"I don't know. Might be worth checking out. Sam'll get a better read on it."
"And the cabin? If he's there, maybe he just needed a few hours to cool off. By the time we get there he could be ready to come home."
Dean's lips pressed together at the worry in Cas' voice, the same tone had been in Sam's too. While the prospect of Jack set loose in the world didn't thrill Dean, it wasn't quite for the same reasons as it was for them. He was more worried about the damage he could do. Not that the kid would mean to hurt anyone, the look on his face when that security guard had cracked his skull open was testament of that, but that didn't mean he wasn't still dangerous. Plus, he doubted very much that they would be the only ones looking for him if word got out. The sooner they brought him back to the bunker the better.
"We can go there too."
"Where else can we look?" Cas flung his arms up in the air, "if he went somewhere new, how are we going to find him? He could be in another country, another continent by now!"
Dean was surprised that Cas hadn't worn a trench into the stone from his pacing, he stood and put himself in the angel's path, forcing him to stop. Dean placed a hand on each arm and met his eyes.
"Cas," Dean said slowly, deliberately, "we will find him, I promise."
Dean watched the struggle in Cas' eyes, the frustration and the desperation, but also the trust. He believed in what Dean said. How exactly Dean had earned that kind of trust, he couldn't fathom. Cas nodded once and a fraction of the tension left his shoulders. Dean let him go.
"Right then. You take the cabin, Sam'll take the docs, I'll keep an eye out from here for any reports that sound like the kid; weird power signals, facial recognition scans, whatever, and I'll keep you posted if I find anything."
Cas nodded again and turned for the door, the practicality of movement adding a purpose to his stride.
"Cas," he called the angel back, then reached into his pocket and tossed something to him, he caught it easily and looked up at Dean with a strange expression.
"Not a scratch," Dean warned.
Cas smiled, conveying his gratitude in that one look. Then he was gone and a minute later, Dean heard Baby's engine roar into life. He winced a little at the idea that he wasn't behind the wheel but he needed to be the touchstone here. Baby would be too tempting after a few hours of restlessness, and he knew that if someone else didn't take her, he'd end up leaving just to feel like he was doing something. Dean sat in front of the open laptop and stared at the screen, tapping in a few commands. Sam had already set up pretty much everything he'd need to spot Jack if he showed.
His brother came back in a few minutes later, placing Dean's phone on the table next to him.
"Where's Cas?"
"Gone to check out the cabin," Dean grunted, his eyes already hurting from the artificial glare. "The doc mention anything useful?"
Sam shrugged, "useful but not relevant. She hasn't seen Jack."
"Doesn't mean he won't show there. We need to cover our bases. You should go check it out, make an appointment with the doc."
Sam snorted, "you want me to go to therapy?"
Dean rolled his eyes, "we could all use some,"
"And you?"
"I'm needed here, in case Jack comes back on his own. Besides, I can't exactly keep a lookout on the power grid if I'm yapping about my feelings."
"You hate being left on overwatch detail,"
"Look, I don't think the kid's gonna come back on his own, and I'm not gonna be the face he wants to see when we find him. You and Cas can talk him around. Words aren't my thing."
"Whatever, can I take the car?"
"Cas has got her."
Sam choked, "you trusted your car to Cas?" he spluttered, incredulous.
"He needed to get out fast, besides, I'm not trusting her to Cas, I'm trusting her with him." There was a huge difference as far as Dean was concerned. Sam rolled his eyes,
"Fine, I'll take one from the garage. Call me if anything shows up."
Dean nodded as Sam headed out.
Xxx
Dean bore up reasonably well for the first three hours or so of nothing happening, but by hour five he was on his third coffee and his leg was jittering impatiently under the table. He really did hate being left behind when there was a job to do. But Sam and Cas needed the purpose of doing more than he did. Dean cared about Jack, sure, but it was an abstract kind of caring that stemmed from the fact that his brother and Cas cared about him so much. He wasn't a bad kid, not by any stretch of the imagination, and he had saved Sam's life so that definitely counted for something, but still, Dean was wary.
He wondered absently where the kid would go. Had he gone somewhere sentimental? In which case Sam or Cas would be calling within a few hours, or had he gone somewhere isolated? He seemed to be afraid enough of himself that that was a possibility, for now at least. Maybe he could lie low for a couple of days in some woods somewhere but the kid had to eat and sooner or later he'd have to return to somewhere around people. People who would probably notice that something was a little off with him and report it, which would set off all kinds of alerts on the laptop in front of Dean. But as likely as it was that waiting around would eventually yield results, doing nothing for days wasn't exactly a thought that appealed to Dean, and he doubted the others would like it much either. He tapped his foot on the floor and took a sip of his coffee. Then he opened up minesweeper, it's not like he had anything else to do.
Xxx
Within and hour or so of each other, Sam and Cas both called him with defeated voices, and while Sam agreed that he would stay near the docs for a couple of days just in case Jack did decide to show, Cas was already heading to Dodge as a last-ditch attempt at the sentimental - although not pleasantly so - idea that Jack would go somewhere he knew. Dean didn't try to contradict him, he knew that Cas needed to look, as unlikely as he knew it was. Still no alerts on the computer had shown up, nothing to indicate that Jack was anywhere. Dean ran a hand down his face in frustration. He was angry at the kid but he didn't blame him really. How many times had he and Sam both run away because they thought they were too dangerous to be around? Dean rubbed absently at the crease of his elbow, where the Mark had once been. Maybe the idea of the kid leaving was right, he was dangerous, he might end up hurting one of them. But him not being in the bunker and him being out of their lives were two different things. Jack was out in the world somewhere with only a basic grasp of his powers and probably a price on his head. Dean sighed and stood up to stretch. Feeling a small pop in his spine as he did so. When he sat back down he squinted at the screen and froze. Then he called Sam.
"You found something?"
"I'm not sure," Dean said, "maybe. There's a weird power surge in the woods around the bunker, maybe Jack didn't go that far after all."
"You want me to come back?"
Dean considered for a moment, "no, it could be anything, I'll check it out. If it's him, I'll let you know."
"Right, call me back."
"Will do Sammy."
Dean then called Cas and repeated the conversation before grabbing a backpack and heading out. The power surge wasn't too large and it didn't look that far away on the map. He could walk it. He hiked for maybe an hour, checking the map on his phone to make sure he was headed the right way. The epicentre of the power surge was a small clearing. Dean emerged from the treeline warily.
"Jack?" He called, hand going automatically to the gun in his waistband. The hairs on his neck prickled and he spun, scanning the clearing. A branch snapped and he whirled around, he figured it wouldn't be smart to draw his gun on Jack - the kid already saw himself as a threat - so he kept it where he was, until Asmodeus stepped out into the clearing, white suit pristine, almost glowing in the comparative gloom of the overcast sky. Dean gun arm shot up but the Prince of Hell waved his hand and the weapon went flying from his hand. Suddenly, Dean was pinned to the spot like he'd just been vacuum packed. He could barely breathe. Gasping he glared at the approaching demon.
"I had hoped to find Jack here," Asmodeus drawled, "I've heard rumours that he's skipped town," he paused, tilting his head, "by rumours of course I mean I've had demons keeping an eye out. They told me that there was some ruckus a few hours ago and now the angel and the other one have both split off as though looking for someone. And seeing as you're still here… well, that just leaves one." He made a small gesture with his hand and the pressure on Dean's chest lifted incrementally, just enough for him to be able to speak.
"If you knew he took off, why come here? Kid could be anywhere," Dean spat, resisting the urge to cough.
"I am aware of the concept of 'sentimentality'," Asmodeus said, as though the concept amused him. "I figure a widening circle, with enough time… I'll find him."
"And what makes you think he wouldn't just roast you where you stand?" The Prince of Hell raised an eyebrow.
"Why do you think you're still alive?"
Dean froze, then he forced a laugh,
"If you've been watching us, you'll know me and the kid? We don't get on too well."
"Well…" Asmodeus said, his fingers absently brushing against the scars on his face, "family is complex."
"You son of a-"
The rest of Dean's insult was cut off by another wave of Asmodeus' hand, silencing him, leaving the Hunter once again fighting for breath.
"You'll come back to Hell with me. For insurance purposes, you understand."
Xxx
A second later, there they were, in Crowley's old throne room. Nothing had changed. It was still ridiculous. Dean would have scoffed if he could spare the breath. This throne room that Crowley had been so desperate for, so proud of, it was just a bleak stone room that smelled of sulphur. It had never inspired him with the awe and fear that Crowley had seemed to expect. Then again, Dean had been to the underbelly of Hell, before the endless queues, back when Alistair had ruled. Nothing much compared to that. Asmodeus took no notice of him as he sat on the throne, immobile and choking as he was. The damaged colt was still in the bunker, not that it would have been much use anyway. All he had was the ordinary knife stuffed in his boot. His backpack hadn't been teleported with him. Sam had taken Ruby's knife just in case. Dean had no way to even attempt taking Asmodeus out, even if he'd been able to move he was useless.
Asmodeus seemed to be waiting for something. His eyes didn't once glance over at Dean and other demons filtered in and out, bringing business matters to the Prince, chittering gleefully at the sight of him trussed up like a thanksgiving turkey. Asmodeus tolerated no gawkers. Once he'd given the order he sent the demons away, scuttling like ants, though Dean had a suspicion that not all of the 'reports' coming in were strictly necessary. Not that he was really listening. He kept an ear out for keywords, sure, but the demons seem to have nothing new on Jack, or if they did, they were smart enough not to tell Asmodeus while Dean Winchester was in the same room. Dean cursed silently. This one might be a little tricky.
Xxx
Dean didn't know how many hours passed, demons parading in and out while he fought for every gasp. Asmodeus didn't let up the pressure, didn't give him an inch of wiggle room, didn't even soliloquise like so many other assholes they faced. He merely acted as though Dean was a particularly disinteresting fish, gaping in the corner. Dean didn't know what the Prince of Hell was waiting for. Did he expect Jack to burst in, crawling on his knees, begging for a trade? It's not like anyone knew where he was. His arm was aching where it was still raised, as though his body hadn't yet realised he wasn't still holding his gun, his legs cramped in the aggressive stance and his lungs burned from the lack of oxygen. He wondered vaguely if he'd pass out any time soon, though he figured that if he was going to it would have happened already. He was in a stasis of some kind, though plain old exhaustion would get to him eventually even if his struggling airways didn't. He-
Dean flinched as his cellphone rang, the generic tone echoing throughout the dull chamber. Asmodeus' head snapped up, finally towards him. He stood, dismissing the demon in front of him, who was trying to sneak smug looks at the Hunter out of the corner of her eye as she backed out of the throne room in a low bow. Asmodeus sauntered towards him and plucked the phone from his pocket, glancing at the screen, 'Cas' it read. The Prince of Hell smirked at Dean's expression.
"Don't waste your prayers," he said, gesturing around the room, "this place is warded against things like that, I've personally ensured it."
Dean's heart sank as Asmodeus put the phone on speaker. Trying to gasp a little louder, trying to force words out of his throat, a gasp, a cough, a shout, anything to give Cas a clue.
"Hey Cas," Asmodeus said in a perfect imitation of Dean's voice, "how's the search?"
"I found him," the relief in Cas' voice was palpable as he spoke the words, "he's with me, in Dodge. He tried to turn himself in."
"Is he okay?"
Cas.
Dean prayed with all his might. It was like sending his thoughts to swim through molasses, sticky, dragging the words down before they could reach the angel on the other end.
Cas, that's not me.
"As okay as he can be given the circumstances," Cas said with a sigh, "I should be back at the bunker in about four hours. It took me quite a while to convince him to come back."
Cas, please, that's not me, don't come home, protect your kid, get away.
"Yeah, well, he's had a rough go," Asmodeus said with a grin that completely contrasted with Dean's sympathetic tone.
"He - he has."
Cas, can you hear me? Asmodeus. Take Jack, call Sam, run. Protect them.
Dean couldn't tell if his prayers were getting through. It was so hard to concentrate, he could feel the thoughts trying to escape his head, fluttering in his skull. He also felt like his brain was swelling and he felt something thick begin to drip from his nose.
Don't trust his voice, please Cas.
"I'll call Sam," Asmodeus continued, "tell him the good news."
"Okay." Cas paused, "what did that power surge turn out to be?"
"Just a couple of faulty power lines messing with the scanner," Asmodeus said smoothly, raising an amused eyebrow at Dean's bloody nose as if to say I told you so, "no big deal. Just bring Jack home safe."
Dean strained his brain, pushing on the words with everything he had. His head throbbed with pain, pressure building to a critical mass behind his eyes. Still he prayed.
They know where you are, they'll be coming for you. Poughkeepsie. Run. Hide somewhere safe, he knows where the bunker is. Get Sam, protect them. I'm counting on you, Cas. Please hear me.
"Right."
"I'll see you in a few then."
"Sure. Oh, and Dean?"
Please don't tell him anything else, Cas, that's not me.
"I'm going to have to ditch the car. I think the sheriff saw me smuggle Jack out of the station, he probably has people looking,"
"As long as you and Jack are okay, that's the main thing." Asmodeus said, "I'll see you soon, don't worry about the car,"
Dean sagged in relief. Or, as much as he could in this shrink wrapped, immobile nightmare. Cas had heard him. He knew. He'd get Sam and Jack out. They could find another Men of Letters bunker to hunker down in, or maybe go to Jodie's. Whatever, they weren't going back to Kansas until they had a way to kill the smug son of a bitch standing in front of him. There was no way in hell that Cas would have ditched Baby for something as small being seen by the law.
Asmodeus seemed to mistake Dean's sudden limpness for defeat and chuckled. He straightened his waistcoat before settling back into the throne.
Dean's head felt like it was going to explode, but he pushed two more words out to Castiel, hoping that the angel heard them.
Thanks, Cas.
Then, unconsciousness took him.
Xxx
"What do you mean, you don't know where he is?" Sam raged. They were in a motel room in Sioux Falls, a midpoint between their two locations. Cas had driven the long way around to avoid the bunker completely. He had saved the full explanation until they had met in person, Jack in tow. The boy was sitting quietly on one of the beds, head bowed in shame and guilt.
"I meant what I said, Sam. I don't know." Cas understood Sam's anger, he felt it too. "I got a few broken prayers telling me to get out, to find you and get somewhere safe, that the voice on the phone wasn't him."
"Do you know who it was?"
Cas considered. He hadn't caught a name if Dean had sent one. Just a burst of static and a few broken phrases.
"He was blocked somehow. His prayers weren't as clear as they should have been," he said, beginning to pace. Fear curling in his chest, worry for Dean, worry for Jack. Worry that Sam would do something reckless.
"Asmodeus," Sam said quietly. Cas stopped pacing to look at him. His face was contorted in a pained expression. "Who else can imitate voices like that? Who else has been looking for Jack? Who else would be able to block prayers? Unless you think an angel-"
"No," Cas said, I think you're right." There had been a moment. As day, Cas had thought at the time, but that made no sense given the context. "Unfortunately, knowing doesn't mean anything. The colt is damaged, unless we can fix it-"
"I can do it." Jack's voice piped up from the bed. "He ran from me."
Cas and Sam exchanged looks, Jack's face tightened.
"You don't think I can," he said, "you don't think I can do it."
"Jack," Sam said, sitting down next to the Nephilim, placing a hand on his shoulder, "it's not that we don't believe in you. But you don't have full control of your powers yet. That's okay, we could never have expected it from you, you're new to all of this, and power like you have, it takes time to master."
"Centuries in some cases," Cas nodded solemnly. "You've come such a long way in such a short time Jack but that isn't the only reason we can't let you face him."
Jack looked up at the angel frowning. Cas smiled at the boy, he knew it wasn't a particularly jovial smile, but it was genuine.
"Then, why-?"
"It's what he wants, Jack," Sam explained. "He wants you to go to him. You wouldn't be able to hurt him until we found out where Dean was, and even then…" Sam's voice trembled and he cut off. Cas carried on with the explanation.
"He's trying to use Dean to get to us," he said, his own mind racing with thoughts of what Asmodeus could be doing to his friend. He must know there was something wrong by now, he had said four hours, but it has taken him nine just to get here. Asmodeus would know he wasn't coming, would know Dean had managed to -
He pushed those thoughts down. They weren't helpful right now. He needed to explain. "He knows that we care about Dean. He knows that he can no longer try and trick you into doing what he wants, so instead he's going to use Dean as… leverage."
Jack's eyes widened.
"So he's going to kill Dean, because of me?"
"No," Sam said, "he can't kill him, or he'd have nothing to bargain with. He needs him alive."
"Alive," Jack echoed. "But not whole."
Sam swallowed hard and nodded.
"So I should do what he wants!" Jack cried, standing, fists clenched at his sides "I should just do whatever it is and we can get Dean back and then... undo it?" His voice trailed off as a half question. Cas' heart swelled with pride at Jack's bravery, his willingness to do whatever it took to save his friend.
"Jack," he said, resting a hand on his shoulder, "It's not so simple as that. Whatever Asmodeus wants… we have no idea how catastrophic it could be, how many people could suffer because of it. Or even if it could be reversed. We don't even have a guarantee we'd get Dean back. Asmodeus could kill him as soon as he has what he wants. We can't risk it. Not for one man."
The words shattered something inside of him even as he knew the truth of them. Sam nodded, tears leaking from his eyes.
"Besides," Sam said, eyes wide and honest, "you're just as much family as Dean is. I won't risk you to save him. I can't lose you too."
Jack looked at him for a long time, then nodded.
"So we find another way."
Cas looked at Sam who flashed him a ghost of a smile.
"Yeah," Sam echoed, "we'll find another way."
Jack and Sam headed for the small table to plan their next move. Castiel watched them. He kept his ears strained for any more prayers from Dean but it had been hours and nothing. Dean wasn't dead, of that he was sure. He was too valuable to the one that held him. But like Jack said, he wasn't needed to be whole. Unbidden, his mind flashed back to when he had first seen Dean Winchester.
Xxx
He followed the call of the soul into the depths of Hell and found him. Broken, bathed in blood, laughing, revelling in the violence of it, hacking away at another. Eyes wild and rolling, half-mad as he sliced and tormented the soul before him. Castiel had been repulsed. Heaven wanted this creature to be saved? This abomination? Who took so much pleasure in the pain surrounding him, pain that he had caused. This was no victim, this was barely more than a demon itself.
Then, he had turned to look at Castiel, defiant until the last second. And Castiel looked into his eyes and saw. He saw the pain, the guilt, the self-loathing. He saw what every twist of the knife had done, what every scream Dean had caused had done. He saw the thirty years he had endured before his soul had finally broken, and the ten after that. He was strong. He had been so strong. But he had broken once, and broken a little more every day since. Castiel had been wrong that Dean was not a victim. Dean Winchester suffered more than all of the souls he himself had tormented. Dean stared at Castiel and he was not afraid.
"Can you end me?" Was all he asked, his voice cracked from lack of use.
"That is not why I'm here."
"Can you?"
"Yes."
"But you won't."
"No."
Dean nodded and Castiel saw a little of the hope die, a new fissure forming in his soul.
"I don't deserve anything better," he said, gesturing at the limp slab of meat hanging on the rack behind him, "you should take them. Any of them. All of them. Just not me." Castiel couldn't help but be impressed at how lucid he was. Most of the broken souls in this place were gibbering wrecks, screaming, crying, confused, afraid, hurting.
"It's not my decision to make."
"Where are you taking me?" He seemed resigned. Neither pleased nor displeased.
"Back to Earth."
He changed then, he dropped the knife, he stood up straighter and his soul positively exploded with light.
"Take me," he said.
Castiel shouldn't have questioned, it served no purpose, he had his orders and he would be taking Dean Winchester regardless of his opinion of the matter. But… he was curious. This soul intrigued him.
"Why?" he asked.
Then, Dean smiled, a smile that outshone his soul, a smile that spoke of things warm and safe and happy.
"Sammy." He said.
Castiel didn't question any more, he didn't have anything else to say. He moved forward and gripped Dean's arm. The man didn't flinch while his flesh sizzled, he didn't cry out when he stretched his wings and pushed off. He just held Castiel's gaze steadily, as though daring him to be a lie.
Xxx
Cas shook himself, returning to the present, the small motel room. Sam and Jack huddled together at the table. Castiel could see the strain in Sam's face as he turned to look at him, gesturing him over. Castiel took the remaining seat, looking between the two of them, trying to think of a plan, a next step. Where could he take them? Where would be safe?
Protect them.
So what do you think? This was another tricky one to write. I seem to be much more comfortable with mostly plotless fluff but I'm trying to work on my weaknesses by actually doing some plot-driven stories and it's actually quite fun. Although admittedly, pretty much all of my SPN fics involve Dean getting tortured in some way.
All feedback is welcome and appreciated.
Love Tibbins xx
