Summary: Takes place directly at the end of 5x13, The Song Remains the Same – in which Team Free Will is stuck in 1978.
Characters: This is a third person story that will follow Dean, though there is plenty of Sam as well, Castiel, OFC
Warnings: Language and marijuana use for the whole story
Word Count: 1,500
A/N: I took some creative liberties with time travel here, so just roll with me. This is also chock-full of references to music in the 60's and 70's – there will be a companion Spotify playlist when the story is complete.
ThunderRoad
January, 1978
Lawrence, Kansas
"Free will is an illusion."
Michael's words in his father's voice rang over and over again in Dean's head.
"It's not random. It's not chance. It's a plan that's playing itself out perfectly."
As he and Sam climbed the hotel stairs to the suite - the one that Cas was still hopefully passed out in - they seemed to echo louder.
"That's why you're going to say yes."
He wouldn't.
He couldn't kill Sam, and he certainly couldn't accept that this was his destiny. To become an empty shell that the angels would use to wipe out half of the planet?
No chance.
After Michael had healed Sam, he was gone with the snap of his fingers - and so were John and Mary, memories presumably wiped.
Confused and weary, Dean and Sam had ambled down the dark road until a passerby had stopped to give them a ride back into town.
They hardly spoke a word to each other, certainly not about what had just taken place - but when they got back inside the room, they saw Castiel was awake and Dean recounted his conversation with Michael to both of them.
Sam said nothing, but Cas watched Dean carefully from a seated position on the bed. "I hate to say it, but Michael's not wrong, Dean. This is -"
"If you say 'my destiny', I'm going to lose my goddamn mind," Dean replied, cutting him off as Castiel looked a little guilty - those were obviously the words that were about to come out of his mouth.
The three of them were silent for several moments, the brothers sitting in chairs across the room from Cas.
Dean rubbed his temples, a small sigh escaping him.
"Is it, though?" Sam spoke finally. "They all seem to think we'll say yes."
"They're wrong," Dean said sharply, shaking his head. "I won't. And I'm tired of talking about destiny and plans - I can make my own decisions and so can you, Sam." He jabbed a finger in his direction. "And you too, Cas."
Castiel nodded his head with a thoughtful look on his face and Sam watched Dean with a solemn expression.
"So, what do we do?" Sam asked after a moment.
"Figure out how to get the hell out of here," Dean replied.
About a week had passed and it became clear that Castiel's power had not been restored enough to get them anywhere - let alone back to 2010.
He didn't necessarily seem unwell, but it was clear that he didn't have the same angel juice that he had before their trip to 1978.
The five days that they had paid for the hotel had passed and their next move was a touchy subject.
"We have to get back," Sam pressed, hands wrapped around a coffee mug as he sat at the small table in the corner of the room.
"I'm with you, Sam," Dean replied from the edge of the bed, looking and feeling exasperated. "How?"
Sam opened his mouth to reply before closing it again, glancing over his shoulder at Cas, who was staring silently out the window.
All they had done over the past five days was stay inside that hotel room, endlessly trying to figure out a solution to their problem, coming up empty each time.
Castiel had tried every trick he could think of, but it seemed his power had drained almost completely. They had exhausted all of their current options.
The idea of venturing out into the world, thirty years in the past, seemed daunting but Dean had done it before.
"I don't think we should stay in Kansas," Dean said slowly, after several moments of silence.
"Where would we go?" Sam asked.
"Anywhere," he replied, shaking his head. "But Mom and Dad are still here, we can't…" He wasn't sure exactly why he felt like they had to leave, but it was a strong feeling.
Sam must've had a similar inclination, because he only nodded and didn't press any further.
There wasn't anything to pack - they had nothing.
The three of them made their way out to the car they had acquired and decided to go east - where exactly, they still weren't sure.
Castiel had explained to them previously that time in the past didn't pass the same in the present - a year spent in 1978 only equated to a couple of days in 2010.
It didn't really make sense, but not much in their life did.
With the impending doom of the apocalypse on hold, for the first time in a long time, Dean felt freed from his responsibilities.
Truth be told, he wasn't in a hurry to get back.
After a few hours, they stopped in Iowa to get something to eat, but when the brothers got out of the car, Castiel stayed put.
"Cas?" Dean said, poking his head back in. "You coming?"
"This is my fault," he said, gazing blankly through the window. "I never should have brought you here."
This was not the first time they'd had this conversation and Dean wasn't sure he could have it again.
"Well, it's done, okay?" He opened the door for Cas, who reluctantly climbed out. "We're here and so are you."
They had stopped at a mom and pop diner, and as they walked inside, Dean had to bite his tongue to stop from commenting on everyone's appearance. He shared a look with Sam, who smirked and it was clear he was having similar thoughts.
Janis Joplin's Maybe played quietly in the background, and they took a seat in an empty booth.
A woman in bell bottoms came by with a pot of coffee in one hand and three mugs in the other. She took their order and complimented Sam's "groovy" jacket, to which he bit back a laugh and smiled politely.
"I don't know if I can use the word 'groovy' in casual conversation," he said when the waitress walked away and Dean chuckled.
"Come on, Sammy - you just need a little practice. Tell her that you think her earrings are 'far out' when she comes back."
Sam snorted and took a sip of coffee, shaking his head a little.
The two of them ate their late breakfast while Castiel continued to gaze into space, clearly trying to come up with something.
After paying for their meal, they made their way back out to the car and merged back onto the two-lane highway.
"How far east do you guys wanna go?" Sam asked, leaning his seat back a little to get comfortable.
"What d'you think, Cas?" Dean asked. "Any place you ever wanted to visit?"
"I'm not sure," Castiel replied. "I think our best bet is to-"
Raising his eyebrows and waiting for Cas to continue, Dean tilted his head lazily back to look at him, but jolted when he saw the empty backseat.
"Cas?!"
Slamming on the breaks, Dean pulled over to the side of the road as the car screeched to a halt, meeting eyes with a bewildered looking Sam.
They both looked around the otherwise unoccupied car.
"Where did he go?" Sam asked, poorly concealed panic in his voice.
Dean opened his mouth but no words came out.
He pushed his door open and stepped out of the car, walking back several yards to where Castiel disappeared.
He paced around the area for a moment before looking back to the car, where Sam now stood as well.
He raised both of his arms, a clear "now what?" gesture, and Sam's shoulders slumped as he shook his head.
After calling for Cas several more times, they both climbed back in the car.
"What should we do?" Sam asked quietly after a moment.
Shaking his head, Dean shrugged. "I don't know - what can we do? Stay here and wait for him to show up again?"
Sam nodded slowly. "Yeah, I guess that's our best option. He knows we're here, I think we should just stay put."
He was right. Dean nodded too, the weight of the situation sinking in slowly. They would have to stay and wait for Castiel - in Iowa, 1978.
"We could be here a while - you heard Cas, a day in the present is like, a year here," Dean said, giving Sam an uneasy look. "Are we gonna be here for a year?"