Hello again. So here we are a new chapter. I hope you are liking this story so far.
Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.
Sam stood next to his father and watched the body of his brother burn. He couldn't do this, his father, their father, had been nowhere to be seen while Dean took his last breath. And neither had the duffle full of ingredients Sam had gotten from Bobby. He father, Dean's father, had gone to have his stupid death match show down while his brother died. For that he would never, ever forgive him. But he would go on. The yellowed eyed demon had now taken everything that was important to him and he would make him pay. If it was the last thing he did Sam Winchester would kill that son of a bitch for destroying everything.
But he wouldn't do it for Dean, his brother he knew wouldn't want him going on a revenge tour like their father no doubt would. No Dean would want him to carry on, hunting things, saving people, the family business. That was what it had always been for him, it was about family. About the people they saved. That while some died there were those who lived, and they did so because of them. Because they fought the monsters in the dark, the stories told to frighten children. And for his brother, for Dean, he would continue to do so. He would continue the family business.
Turning from the flames he faced his father.
"So what now?" He asked in a belligerent tone.
"Now I find the yellowed eye demon once more and put the last bullet from the colt between his eyes. Are you coming with me?" His father asked turning to him with a fire of determination in his eyes. The look made Sam pause, he would like nothing more than join his father on this but he knew, he just knew, from the look in his eyes that John Winchester had no thought of surviving this battle. As long as he took his enemy with him, he would be happy with that. And that was not something Dean would ever condone.
"No. I think… I think I'll go back to Bobby's." Sam said in a voice which sounded unsure even to his ears. He knew if he let it, the fire that fuelled his father could consume him too. They were so alike. But Dean, he had been different, maybe he was more like their mother, Sam would never know, but he liked to think so. And he would want to cotinine with saving people rather than revenge. And so to honour his brother, he would turn his back on who he was and try to become him. Dean was the best of them after all.
"Okay." John said looking at his youngest son. In way he was grateful. He didn't want to see Sam get hurt or worse. But now there was no Dean to watch over him, in case that which John suspected came to pass. He didn't want to believe his son could become an object of evil, but it was what all the sighs pointed to. He needed someone who could keep an eye on Sam and tell him if he went off the rails. And if he was returning to Bobby then he had the perfect spy. Of course he would not tell that man his reasons, no, to him he would say he was worried about how Sam was taking Deans death, yes that would work. Bobby would keep him updated for that reason.
And Crowley who was watching this just shook his head at the pair of them. They had no idea what they were dealing with, though at least this time Sam was innocent enough that he wanted to honour his brother. Give it a year and he wouldn't be so altruistic Crowley knew. Maybe Castiel had been right to come back to now.
Castiel flew through heaven trying to find Dean while avoiding all other angels. After all he would not be able to explain who he was or why he was there to them, and if angels died in heaven there would be uproar he knew. What with Michael still in charge everything was organised and control up here, even if it was done out of duty rather than love and care. Maybe the angels needed to feel pain to understand the truth of existence, but that was not why he was here. He was here to save Dean, he was his family more than those who were of the same species.
Suddenly he felt and tug and flew towards it. There he saw Dean standing outside a house with a frown on his face. Landing beside him he made sure that his friend could see him.
"Hello Dean." He said with a smile of pure joy at being able to say those words once again after so many years of hoping.
"who are you?" Dean asked instantly suspicious, which made Castiel's nostalgia all the more prominent, at least this time Dean didn't have a gun or knife to use on him.
"I am Castiel, an angel of the lord and I am here to return to where you should be." He said in an even tone studying his friend as he did so. He saw the mistrust and disbelief in his eyes but he had expected nothing less from one who did not believe.
"Oh yeah? And where's that Castiel?" Dean asked sarcasm lacing every word.
"With your family, your brother needs you Dean." The angel replied with sincerity.
"Sammy? Is he okay?" Dean asked suddenly frantic. Castiel should have known that the mention of his brother would melt all of Deans defences.
"For now, though he morns you deeply." He replied.
"He's still alive then. That's good." Dean said with relief evident in his voice.
"Yes, and you could be too, if you wished it." Castiel offered, he hoped Dean would take him up on this or else his plan would go up in smoke as they say.
"What do you mean?" Dean asked confused, he had died, he had accepted that when Tessa brought him here. Though where here was he had no friggin' clue.
"I can give you life Dean. But it must be your choice." Castiel stated to him hoping to make him understand.
"What's the catch?" Dean asked suspicion clear in his bright green eyes.
"There is no catch." Castiel replied with a smile, no, not this time. This time he would return Dean without that burden.
"Bull. Don't give me that shit. Nothing comes for free." Dean replied dismissively.
"Your family needs you Dean. I need you." Castiel said, though he knew he had made a mistake with the last as soon as Dean got that calculated look in his eye. This was not the friend who knew him, he needed to remember that.
"Why?" Dean asked narrowing his eyes at the angel, if that was truly what he was, he still was unconvinced about that.
"Because you alone have the power to stop it." Castiel replied with a sigh. It looked like he was going to say more than he had intended.
"Stop what?" Dean asked confused now.
"The end of the world." Castiel replied with a shrug. Through strictly speaking it was Sam and Dean together who had the power to do that. But only Dean could stop the end of Castiel's world. And that was a stranger thing to think, but he guessed in some way it was something he had always known.
"No, you've got the wrong guy. I'm nothing." Dean denied, there was no way he was anything special.
"To me you are everything, Dean." Castiel replied his mind still on the thoughts which had come to him before.
"I don't even know you. What the hell are you talking about?" Dean asked getting freaked out by this conversation now, because really, who the hell was this guy?
"The future. I can't explain it Dean, but the cost of me returning you to your brother will be your trust." Castiel replied realising that Dean would not take something for nothing, it wasn't in his nature to do so.
"That's not something you give. That's something you earn." Dean replied with a shake of his head. Did this… thing know anything?
"Then give me a chance to do so. I will bring you back to life and you give me that. That is my price." Castiel said, in an almost begging tone.
"You'll take me back to Sammy?" Dean asked, because the price Castiel had set wasn't so high. All he was asking for was a chance, and that Dean could get round easily enough.
"Yes." Castiel promised. He knew what Dean was thinking, but he would prove his worth before Dean discovered how to destroy him, or at least he hoped he would.
"Okay." Dean agreed. If this is what it took to get back to Sammy then so be it. He would deal with the consequences later, when they came.
With that Castiel reached forwards and grabbed Deans arm in the same place he had first laid his hands on him in hell and pulled him back to the earth, rebuilding his body in the earth where Sam and John had buried his ashes as he went. It was time for Dean Winchester to come back to life, the first time of many.