Replies to reviews: Thank you all so much. I was ok with how I started the previous chapter, wasn't really happy about how I ended it, something just felt off. Hopefully this chapter will be better, as I had a lot of fun writing it and imagining it all.
Sam couldn't wait for Dean to leave, and not just because he could be so over caring when Sam was sick and Sam hated it, but also because he wanted more time to talk to SSam and to watch him train Jack too. And as soon as Dean and Cass have left, Jack found SSam, eager to show him he has discovered a new ability. He made the pen on the table of the main hall move with ease, even had it spinning around in circles. SSam smiled a bit proudly at him and they both went to the training room.
And that is where Sam found them. He leaned on the door, quietly observing what they were doing. SSam explained "It was good what you were able to do with the pen. This power of telekinesis is an extension of your blast power. Now, not only can you move things away, you can also bring them closer, or make them move sideways. Let's try something harder. Can you lift that small weight?" SSam asked pointing at the smallest weight in the room.
Jack focuses hard and he was able to move it up an inch off the floor for a brief second before it dropped to the ground with a loud thud and rolled to his feet. Jack sighs a bit disappointed. "It's ok, Jack. Remember, just like before, with the blasts, the more grace you embrace and use, the more power your actions get." SSam then spots Sam, his face and motions telling him he wants to talk to him. He turns to Jack and says "Keep trying. I'll be right back."
He walks over to Sam, his eyes shy, and Sam smiles as he speaks "You are so good with him. Who taught you how to do these things? You must be following someone's example." Sam was curious, and not just about SSam's abilities, but about his life in general. "I trained mostly with dad... um... with Gabriel. And then later with Michael." He answers awkwardly. Sam raised his eyebrows when his double called Gabriel his father, but decided to skip the subject. He could not imagine Gabriel as a father figure. His nose was running again, so he used yet another tissue before he spoke "Michael, huh? From what you told me he is a bit of a douche, just like ours."
"He was. At first. – SSam smiles when he remembers what he did to him when they first met – I even set him on fire. A couple of times, actually. But he changed. Much like Lucifer, he... he started caring about me. And it was easier to train with him then with... Gabriel. I wasn't worried as much about hurting him." Sam smirks at this remark, but his mind again wonders in the direction of the whole Gabriel matter. His head starts pounding a bit more, and he trails off in a different direction "I wanted to ask you... How come nobody knew you were a nephilim? When Jack here was... well conceived, the whole of Heaven knew instantly."
"Not sure. Maybe because they were looking for Lucifer, so they were able to track his grace leaving his body and into Jack? Nobody was looking for Gabriel at that time as they all thought he was dead." SSam explained wondering if his assumptions were true, or if it was something else. Sam was feeling a bit tired, but he shrugged it off, keeping the questions coming "But later... You met Cass, your Cass. Couldn't he have sensed you or something? – and then Sam rolls his eyes – No, he couldn't have, just like our Cass..."
"You're wrong. My Cass didn't sense me, because by the time we met I already had demon blood in my system that countered the affects of my grace. Your Cass could sense me. Remember when he first saw me? The thought he felt Gabriel. But one of our abilities, the one I already shown Jack, is that we can hide our grace from angels and archangels. All except our fathers." SSam finishes his elucidation throwing looks at Jack every now and then, monitoring his progress. He smiles when Jack was able to lift the small weight and hold it in air as long as he wanted to, and now Jack was trying with a bigger one.
Sam's vision was getting a bit blurry, but this was more important "Wait. Are you saying if Lucifer, our Lucifer ever came back from that apocalypse world, he would be able to find Jack just like that?" his eyes watering up, his head pounding more and more. SSam hasn't noticed the look on Sam's face as he was focused on Jack. "He could." He states apologetically, as if it was his fault it was so. He frowns when he sees a worried look on Jack's face before he was surprised by the fact he felt Sam leaning slowly on him.
But Sam wasn't really leaning. He was very close to passing out. Luckily SSam grabbed him before he could hit the ground, feeling strange as he picks him up and carries him to his room, Jack following. He sets him slowly on the bed, and he could now see the almost delirious look in Sam's eyes and feel the warmth emitting from his body. It wasn't just a cold. Sam was definitely feverish and standing around pushing it through certainly didn't help.
Jack observed quietly from the doorframe, still with a worried look on his face, as SSam set his hand on his look-a-like's forehead, feeling it burn under his palm, his grace examining Sam's state. Relief flies over his face, finding out this was something he could easily fix. When his eyes meet Jack's, he gets an idea. He gestures Jack to come over and smiles at him.
Sam's vision is blurry and his hearing is disrupted by the sound of his head pounding loudly, as he tries to stay awake, wanting to know what is going on. He only hears bits and pieces "try... heal... grace... imagine... feel... do great... can do it..." before a hand covers his eyes and he feels bliss for a brief second as he drifts away into calming sleep.
SSam touches Sam again and smiles at Jack "It is good. You did good, Jack. Now, we are going to let him rest. He needs a bit of sleep." They slowly leave the room and SSam closes the door behind him. They go back to the training room, Jack as happy as he could be, knowing he was able to heal Sam. Heal a simple bug, a virus, but still, it felt like a great accomplishment for him. Next to SSam he was getting able to appreciate the little things, the little wins. One step at the time, right?
SSam decided they should practice flying, and Jack agreed, because everything else he learned so far acquired a lot of noise, and Sam really needed to rest. And Jack was getting good at flying too. He had trouble understanding at first, but somehow, the happier he felt, the higher he went, unable to control it. SSam explained "You need to keep your emotions in check when you are using your powers, otherwise you might end up hurting yourself or somebody else."
The look in Jack's eyes and the fact that he slowly began to descend said a lot to SSam. He approached him, lenient look in his eyes "You already did, huh? What happened?" Jack went ahead and told him everything, SSam listened patiently. It was evident that the whole thing shook Jack. SSam wasn't the only one that told him this, but to Jack it seemed like it was the first time he heard it. Maybe because this time he actually listened.
"It was an accident, Jack. You didn't mean to do that, right? - and Jack nodded – You were trying to help, to save your friends, stop the bad guy. Things like that happen sometimes. But it doesn't make you bad. Doesn't make you a monster. It is what you do afterwards, how you feel afterwards that determine what kind of a person you are." Jack looks up at him and asks quietly "What kind of a person am I?"
SSam smiles as he puts his hand on Jack's shoulder, trying to lift some of the burden off it "By the looks of things, you are well on your way to become a Winchester." Jack smiles, liking the notion. He might have a family after all. He might have a place to belong.
It was late in the afternoon when SSam decided it was time for a break. The kid has been flying around the room all day, never wanting to come down, eat nor drink. He was too excited. Finally SSam convinced him to land so that they could eat and check up on Sam. Jack already left towards the kitchen, and SSam stood in front of Sam's door, not sure whether to knock, as he didn't want to wake him, or should he peek inside, but he was worried Sam might think of it as an intrusion. So he just stood there, holding his fist in the air, waging what to do when suddenly Sam opened the door.
He smiles at the situation, and SSam returns the awkward smile. "How are you feeling?" SSam asked to break the silence. "Good. Great actually. What happened?"
"You passed out. You had a high fever." SSam answered smiling, as he knows what Sam is about to find out, and he thought he might like it. "But I feel fine... Wait, did you heal me?" Sam was confused when his double shook his head, gesturing a no. "Then what... – and he realizes – Jack. It was Jack?"
When SSam confirmed, Sam smiled with pride in his eyes, and SSam felt the same. "We are just getting a bite to eat. You want to join us?" They found Jack in the kitchen eating cereal. Sam comes over and picks up the cereal box. "Cookie Crunch? Really? You know this will rot your teeth, right?" Jack lowers his head in a somewhat ashamed way, his mouth still full, deciding whether he should chew it and swallow or spit it out. He really liked it.
They all flinch as they hear Dean yell from the entrance of the bunker. "For the last time, I'm fine, Cass!" Dean was getting down the stairs, holding his right hand in the other, clearly upset, but trying to hide it. Cass followed him as the others joined them in the main hall. "What happened?" Sam asked his eyes moving from Cass to Dean to his hand. Dean looks away, not wanting to admit he is hurt, and Cass answers, slight worry and shame in his voice "I accidentally slammed the car door over Dean's hand. I think it might be broken, but he won't let me to try and fix it."
"I told you I am fine. You need to preserve your power, just in case." Dean said stoically, deep down thinking about his mother and the fact that she is stuck in another world with the Devil himself. He shakes his thoughts away as he continues "We couldn't find that son of a bitch. He must have had a big head-start... How did..." Dean paused and frowned when Jack approached him. Slight worry appeared in his eyes when he noticed Jack was actually looking at his hand as if he was investigating it.
"May I?" Jack asked meeting Dean's gaze. Dean looks at him confused and then looks at Sam with questions in his eyes. When Sam nods, Dean reluctantly extends his hand. Jack takes Dean's hand in his left slowly, not wanting to hurt Dean even more. He covers it with his right and Dean's eyes widen in terror when Jack's glow gold. The colour goes from his eyes slowly to his hand and Dean relaxes a bit, feeling warmth and slight pinch in his hand. He knew that feeling, as Cass has done it so many times. Only this time, it was a bit different, a bit warmer and a bit more blissful.
Jack lets go and Dean snatches his hand away. He looks at it as he moves it, and he is somewhat surprised that it doesn't hurt anymore. Still moving his hand around he looks at Jack and nods thankfully. He felt a bit proud of what Jack has accomplished, but much like John, he wasn't showing it.
Jack smiles, and Dean remembers that exact same smile when his brother repelled his first ghost with salt at the age of eleven. Sam was looking up at John, feeling so glad he was able to do that right, wanting at least a pat on the back from his father, which never came.
Much like Dean at that time, Sam's eyes were bursting of pride. His mouth formed a wide smile, and he nodded at Jack, acknowledging his big win.
Dean frowned looking at this scene and for the first time in his life, he felt worried about turning up like his father. The man he always looked up to; always listened to; was not quite what Dean thought he was. He could see that now. And he'd be damned if he turned out like him.