Castiel watched as Dean walked from the motel room, not knowing what the hunter was trying to do, he took a seat on the opposite bed and kept a watch on Eclipse, who had fallen asleep still clinging to the body of his dead child.
Dean for his part, had gone outside to talk to Sam about what he'd just seen. His heart felt broken and his emotions were everywhere.
"So what did he do? Vow to kill the people who killed his son and so on like dad would have done?" Sam asked, he was still kinda pissy about the situation.
"No, he held the kid and sang to him while crying...he, um...he made Cas cry." Sam looked down, shame and regret coloring his face.
"I want to trust him, but I'm afraid, after how badly I royally fucked up, I'm scared of trusting anyone but you." Dean nodded, understanding where Sam was coming from.
"If you'd gone down the deep end with this demon, I don't think anyone would have cared. He's respected even by the angels it seems...so this one we know we can count on." Dean said rubbing at his stinging eyes.
"Everything okay Dean?" Dean shook his head and bought a soda from the vending machine.
"No, I can't get that image out of my mind. He was so...broken...I've never seen anyone like that. Dad wasn't like that when mom died...I mean he was bad but he wasn't like that...and wanna know what tops the suck-o-meter?" Dean asked, opening the can and taking a sip.
"What?" Sam asked, buying himself a soda as well.
"I wasn't that bad when you died...when this demon loves he loves more deeply than anyone I've ever seen...he looked so broken. He's still holding the kid, he won't let him go." Dean took a long drink of his soda and wiped angrily at his eyes, willing the tears away.
"I'm kinda wondering how bad he was when his husband died..." Sam said looking down at his soda. That was something to think about. Eclipse seemed to be made to love others and all those he loved seemed to be taken from him.
"I don't want to know how bad he was before all this shit happened...I want to help fix him." Dean said finishing off his soda and tossing the can.
"But how? Once he repays the favor he's going to be gone, back to being neutral." Dean shook his head.
"I'll find reasons to keep him around. He said he owes us the rest of his life for finding his son, so we'll start there. He has literally no one to go home to. That's no life Sam. We still have Bobby and Castiel. I have no idea what we'd do if we were completely alone. You turned to Ruby, I turned to trading my soul to bring you back, and we don't love each other nearly as much as Eclipse loves that kid."
Sam nodded and continued to stare at his can of soda, unopened and turning wet with condensation.
"We've lost a lot of people, but never every single family member. I'm thinking I need to appreciate you more." Sam said, finally opening his soda and taking a sip.
"I'm hungry, you hungry? I could eat." Dean said, changing the subject.
"Yeah, I'm hungry. Bring food for everyone, Cas included. I'll stay here with Eclipse. I promise to behave." Dean looked at Sam suspiciously before nodding. Cas was going to be there too, so Sam wouldn't be able to pull any shit while he was gone.
"Burgers and fries?" Sam nodded. That actually sounded good tonight.
"Chicken for me, five or so beef for Cas, if he doesn't eat them we'll have leftovers so whatever. Get Eclipse whatever you think he'll eat. I want an iced tea to drink." Dean nodded and walked to the car and drove off, leaving Sam to wander slowly into their motel room.
Opening the door Sam's heart clenched. Castiel stood over Eclipse, not knowing what to do as Eclipse gently shook his son.
"Dolion, love. It's time to wake up. Time to eat and play. Come on sweetie, open your eyes." Tears perpetually fell from his eyes as he said this.
"Eclipse?" Sam said gently, not wanting to spook the demon.
"He'll wake up and you'll see what a good boy he is. I've raised him well. I didn't have Sinoa to help this time about, he was on the rack you see, he'd died and was taken from me, so I raised him well and told him all about his father.
"He sings songs too, you'll hear them. He'll tell you his favorite food and his favorite color...if only he'd open his eyes. He's lazy sometimes, wants to sleep in. Dolion please wake up." Eclipse begged, holding his son's face in his hands.
"He's cold Sam. Can I have an extra blanket please? He's freezing to the touch. I need to warm him up okay?" Sam felt tears fall from his eyes as he walked slowly towards Eclipse.
"Eclipse...he's not going to wake up." Sam said gently, placing a hand on the demon's and squeezing it reassuringly.
"Yes he will. He'll wake up...he'll stay with me, happy and healthy. I've lost enough so god wouldn't take him too. He'll let Dolion live. He'll keep my son with me." Eclipse looked frantic.
"God took him to protect him. God will love Dolion until you're ready to see him. Dolion was too kind for a world this cruel. God knew this so he simply took him home." Eclipse shook his head.
"I wanted him here. Am I selfish for wanting him here, where he could suffer, so I can love him?" Sam shook his head.
"No, you're not. You want him close, that's understandable, but he's home now, safe where no one can hurt him. He won't be in pain anymore." Sam reassured as he lifted Eclipse's hands and freed Dolion so the child could be moved.
"I'm scared he's on the rack." Eclipse finally said, admitting to the death of his son.
"He is not!" Castiel sounded sure of this.
"How can you know? My husband is on the rack and Dolion was just as much of a half-breed." Castiel smiled sadly.
"He was a child. God is not so cruel as to deny him entrance home. He will not be punished for the wrongs of his ancestors." Eclipse sighed with relief.
"When my time comes to finally die, do I have to choose who to spend my eternity with?" Castiel shook his head once more.
"All your children and your husband are home with my father. They were good souls and god rewards the good of soul."
Eclipse let his mind wander to better times and smiled sadly at the memories.
"He and I met and fell in love despite what was meant for us. Our children came regardless of the warnings we were given. I wonder if my outcome would differ had I heeded their warnings."
Eclipse stopped talking and looked at his son, who was still and cold and lifeless before looking at Castiel pleadingly.
"Could you...take him home?" Castiel nodded, knowing what Eclipse meant.
"If that is your wish. Do you not wish to attend?" Eclipse shook his head.
"I would rather not watch him be lowered into darkness when he was such a bright child."
Castiel nodded, held Dolion close and vanished.
"I'm sorry for your loss." Sam said, sitting on the vacant bed.
"Don't be. This is but one in a series of tragedies that have befallen my family." Eclipse sounded nonchalant about it, but his face betrayed his sorrow.
Sitting up, Eclipse reached into his pocket for a comb and started combing his hair. He seemed to focus completely on the task of fixing his hair, so much so that he didn't even bat an eye when Dean walked in, arms riddled with food.
"Dinner!" Dean announced, putting the bags on the table and looking around. He noticed immediately that Dolion and Cas were missing, but chose to not say anything about it.
"I will eat when I am clean. Where is your bathing room?" Eclipse said, standing from the bed and looking around.
"Through that door over there." Dean said, pointing to the bathroom and watching Eclipse vanish through the door.
"Don't say a word Sam, people mourn differently." Sam shook his head.
"I wasn't going to say anything bad. I think he just might have broken a little. He was a wreck two seconds ago and now...anyway lets wait for the others before we eat." Dean nodded and set everything up as best he could and they took a seat to wait.
Castiel appeared not long after and smiled lovingly at Dean before taking his seat and waiting along with the others for Eclipse to come out of the bathroom.
It wasn't a long wait and the Demon had made his way out, dressed in brand new clothing that confused them all. He had on a button up red shirt and black slacks. His hair was left loose and was strewn around his face and shoulders. He was looking down as he walked from the bathroom and his hair hid his eyes quite well. He looked to still be crying.
In his new outfit he didn't look quite so gangly. He looked well built, muscular but trim. He looked better than he had before his little shower, if still depressingly sad.
Sam quite liked the look of his hair, just passed his shoulders, and blacker than any shade found on earth. He looked young, too young to have gone through what he had. Sam didn't know it, but he was staring and if Dean hadn't cleared his throat, Eclipse would have been privy to that information. Shaking his head Sam grabbed for his iced tea and took a long drink, suddenly very thirsty.
"Why have you not eaten? I don't mind eating alone." Eclipse said wiping his face and taking a seat.
"We like to wait for everyone before we eat. I have fish, chicken and beef burgers, seasoned and garlic fries and a side of chicken strips. Take your pick." Dean said before opening one of the many cheese burgers and taking a bite. Sam grabbed his chicken burger and took a hefty bite and Castiel just nibbled on the strips.
Eclipse shrugged and grabbed for a hamburger before taking a tentative bite.
"I haven't had human food in centuries. This is good." He said, taking another bite and savoring the flavor.
Dean nodded and continued eating. He had been very hungry and it showed as he was the first to finish his food.
"I forgot pie." Dean pouted, watching the others continue to eat their food.
"Dude, you'll live. Come on, lets clean up and get another room for you and Cas so Eclipse can get some sleep." Sam said starting to pick up some wrappers to throw away.
"Yeah, whatever." Dean looked kinda irritated that he'd forgotten his most favorite dessert and wanted everyone to know.
Without a word Eclipse vanished, leaving behind a very confused people.
"He probably wants to think or just be alone or..." Dean's sentence was cut short as Eclipse returned with a pie in hand.
"Um...dude you didn't have to bring me a pie." Eclipse shrugged.
"It was either I brought you one or you would have continued complaining." Eclipse dead panned and helped clean the mess from dinner before stretching and walking towards the exit.
"I will get myself a room, you need not worry. I will be here with breakfast quite early in the morning, I wish to discuss my debt to you." And with that Eclipse left the room and Sam and Dean were baffled by the turn of events.
"I will speak to him on your behalf if that is what you wish." Castiel suggested but Dean shook his head.
"No, I just thought he'd be broody and depressed."
"And what purpose would that serve?" Castiel asked and the brothers shrugged.
"Nothing, I guess, but it would make him more human in our eyes." Castiel nodded.
"Yes, and more vulnerable. His weakness was taken from him. He has nothing left to lose, but at the same time he still has everything to lose. His humanity could be taken from him if he were to show it." Sam nodded his understanding and finished his portion of the cleaning before walking to the bathroom to ready himself for bed.
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Eclipse walked into his room and closed the door before leaning on the closed door and taking a deep shaky breath. His resolve was breaking and slowly he made his way to the ground before dissolving into a fit of sobs. His shoulders shook with the intensity of his sobbing, but he couldn't stop his tears now.
"You're a fool."
Eclipse looked up at the voice.
"I don't care what you think of me. Leave me be." Eclipse said putting his head on his crossed arms and hoping the creature before him would leave.
"You knew Dolion was dead when you beckoned their help and yet you bound yourself to them for decades. The price of your child is greater than the whole of your life. You knew this, and yet you chose to be bound to them by a debt you are contract bound to repay."
Eclipse nodded.
"That is true, yet I will change none of what I have done."
"You are bound to them in servitude for this act. For decades you will do nothing but serve them, believe what they believe, love who they love. A dead child's body was not worth your freedom." The creature screamed. He was angry.
"MY CHILD'S BODY WAS WORTH MY VERY LIFE. He deserved peace and now he has such peace."
"You are a fool, Eclipse. You give many years to humans who deserve none of what you offer." Eclipse shrugged.
"Worry not over me Aelfric. Worry over your own welfare and leave me be."
The creature nodded and vanished, leaving Eclipse to his misery.