A/N: Here we are at the last chapter! Thank you guests Lobita, Kathy, and Taylor for your reviews! I'm glad you've been liking this story. :)

Chapter 10

Dean eased the Impala to a stop outside the cabin where everything had shattered on that single, fateful night in May. The house was still covered in ivy, but all the blossoms seemed to have collapsed back into themselves, leaving only dark green creepers. Dean put the car in park and shut off the engine, then took a breath to steel himself.

Sam had already gotten out, and was moving around back to where Jody and Alex had parked behind them, and were just now getting out of their car. Dean pushed his door open and went to join them.

Jody took the oxygen mask off Cas, and then lifted him out of the backseat into her arms. He was like a limp doll, not even conscious as his head dropped against her shoulder. They were almost out of time.

"You're up, Sam," Dean said.

A muscle in his brother's jaw ticked. Yeah, no pressure.

Sam cast one last look at his tablet and notepad scribbles in the front passenger side of the Impala, then drew his shoulders back and turned away. Dean knew he'd been over everything dozens and dozens of times; any spell, sigil, or whatever else they might need was stamped onto Sam's brain. It was all or nothing now.

Sam headed around the rear of the cabin toward the lake, and the rest of them followed. The air off the water was chilled, probably due to the fact that the entire thing had thawed only recently. Everything looked just as it had the morning after…the morning after.

Sam stopped a few feet from the water's edge and started chanting something under his breath. Dean didn't know what it was; he'd never paid attention to the magic crap, though maybe he should have. Maybe then he would be able to help instead of standing around waiting and feeling useless.

His eyes and feet began to wander out of that desperate need to take some kind of action, even if it was just looking around, making sure freak-boy hadn't randomly decided to come back to the area as well, make sure there wasn't a tear in space and time that this wild magic had reopened. Though, now that Dean thought about it, he and Sam should have tried coming back here and using that energy to open the portal to get Mom back.

Dean wondered if there'd be enough to do that after they saved Cas.

He decided it didn't matter. They'd find another way to get Mary back.

His gaze fell onto a spot on the ground, and he froze. His throat started to close up. Dammit, they should have covered that…

A flash of blinding light exploded in his mind's eye, followed by Lucifer's smug grin.

Dean wrenched himself away, only to find Jody staring at the scorched earth. She lifted her eyes to his, full of understanding, and Dean was suddenly struck with the horrific thought that if this didn't work, they'd only brought Cas out here to bury him again.

And with that notion, he couldn't keep himself from turning toward the woods and the grave that lay on its edge. The pain threatened to suffocate him. He couldn't do this again, couldn't go through the soul-crushing loss, the cruelty of it all.

And yet Dean found himself veering toward the shade-covered copse. Grass had grown over the mound, completely blending it in with the surrounding foliage, but Dean knew exactly where it was, even without a marker. He came to stand at the base of it, heart turning numb just being this close. He knew the others were several yards away, maybe watching him, maybe watching Sam. Dean kept his back to them, and the background started to narrow down to just the space in front of him.

"Hey, Cas," he whispered.

Hot moisture blurred his vision, and he tipped his head back to keep it from spilling. He hadn't said anything the day they buried him, couldn't think of any words to say to the lake and mountains that they might remember and honor his best friend.

"It wasn't supposed to end like this," he continued in a wafer-thin voice, then shook his head. "What the hell am I saying? I always figured I'd go out bloody, and why would it be any different for you? Hasn't been all the times before. But…but that's just it—you always came back. And now…" Dean cast a glance over his shoulder to where Jody was holding a kid Cas in her arms. He let out a strained half laugh. "You still came back. Gotta say, man, you've taken resurrection to a whole new level this time."

Dean trailed off, eyes fixated on the grave, and then he slowly sank down to his knees, pressing a hand to the cool earth. "You did good, Cas. Protecting Kelly, protecting us. And now it's your turn. So, please, man. If you can hear me…" Dean closed his eyes, head bowed in one last prayer. "Help me save you this time. One last fight, Cas. For us. For everyone who loves you."

Dean had never been a big believer in miracles, but one had happened right here a few months ago. So he prayed with all his might for another.

"I got something," Sam's exhilarated voice shattered the silence.

Dean pushed himself to his feet and turned back toward his brother as Jody and Alex drew closer as well.

"There's still a heavy concentration of magic in the lake," Sam informed them.

"And that's good?" Jody checked.

Sam shifted his weight. "Yeah. I mean, I'm gonna try a spell that will make the energy in the lake sort of call out to the energy in Cas, and that should…draw it out."

He didn't sound one hundred percent confident, and Dean wanted to ask if Sam could promise this wouldn't hurt Cas. But he kept his mouth shut. Dean knew his brother was just as desperate to save Cas as the rest of them, and would never do anything to hurt him. Besides, they had no other choice; Cas was limp and pale in Jody's arms, the last of his life eking out of him.

"Okay," Dean said, and went up to Jody, reaching to take Cas from her. She relinquished him with obvious reluctance, but Dean gave her a stout nod as he cradled Cas's frail form in his arms, and then turned toward the lake.

He couldn't say what compelled him to walk straight for it, and then to not even stop on the edge of the shore, but to continue into the water. It was freezing, and the first wave to splash across his shins and into his boots sent a shudder zinging up through his spine.

Someone sloshed into the water behind him. "Dean?" Sam called.

"Water's cleansing, right?" he said, pausing with the level up to his knees. "So, immersing Cas could help…draw it out?"

Sam looked contemplative for a moment, but then nodded. "Yeah. The nature of water, it could help power the intent of the spell. That's a good idea, Dean."

Maybe his brother was only humoring him, but together they ventured further into the lake, until Dean was soaked up to mid-chest and Cas was nearly submerged. Dean adjusted his arms under Cas's knees and back so that the waves lapped just below Cas's chin. The shock of the glacial water didn't even rouse him, and Dean's heart started to beat faster. They needed to do this now.

Sam moved around to Dean's left, rested his palms down on the surface of the water, and began the incantation. Dean stood there, shivering with bated breath. He suddenly felt as though he were partaking in some strange, baptismal ritual. Which, in a way, he supposed he was. The submersion in water and rising again to represent rebirth and new life. The old Castiel had died on the shore of this lake, and his rebirth had begun here as well. Now it needed to be completed, the symbolism of life and nourishment in water present to revitalize Cas so he could live.

A sense of calm purpose settled over Dean. Whether it was the influence of that wild magic, of Sam's own wielding…or faith, he didn't know. But he took a deep breath, inhaling the heady atmosphere of musky magic.

A light started to glow in the water, golden ripples like that fateful night so many weeks ago. And then Cas's chest started to burn the same color.

Dean prayed for a miracle.

The concentration of golden light in Cas's body began to seep out into the water, intensifying the radiant glow. It suffused around the three of them, and for a split moment, Dean wondered if it'd try going into him and Sam. But he forced himself not to move. The water temperature started to rise, banishing the arctic chill and replacing it with the soothing warmth of a hot spring.

Sam continued his Latin utterances, tone growing lower and more insistent, as though he were engaged in a struggle of two wills. Dean watched tensely, unable to do anything else except hold Cas tightly against the swirling eddies as his brother's monotonous chanting rumbled in his ear.

And then the golden light started to ripple outward and away from them, carried on the currents out to the center of the lake. Dean held his breath as the last of the energy flowed out of Cas and swam away, and then Sam stopped.

They both looked down at Cas, his pallor not as pasty white now that the water lapping over him was warm. But nothing was happening, and Cas remained practically weightless in Dean's arms as the lake currents bobbed around him, almost as though they were gently nudging Dean to just release the child into their waiting embrace. He clung to Cas tighter, tucking the boy's head under his chin and squeezing his eyes closed.

Please.

Sam reached out, his large hand able to cup the whole back of Cas's head. He looked wrecked by the devastation of failure.

And then a muffled sound issued from the tiny body, and Dean jerked his head up in time to see Cas's eyelids flutter open.

"Mm, D'n?" he murmured, blinking tiredly.

Dean could only gape at him. "Cas?"

"Cas, hey," Sam gushed, running one hand over Cas's head while the other reached to take one of his hands.

"Hi, Sam." Cas looked at them both in confusion. "What are we doing?" He glanced down at the water he was still mostly submerged in. "You're not supposed to go swimming in clothes."

Dean choked on a laugh. "Our mistake."

Sam's expression melted into a slack-jawed grin, and they turned to start making their way back to shore. Jody and Alex were waiting for them at the water's edge, and as soon as Dean carried Cas fully out of the lake and set him on his own two feet, Jody flung a blanket over the boy's shoulders and pinched it closed in front of him.

"Hey, baby, how are you feeling?" she asked, running a worried hand over his face and sopping hair.

"Wet."

"Do you feel sick?" Alex pressed.

Cas tilted his head up. "No. I feel better now."

The collective looks of relief they all shared made Dean's legs feel like jelly.

Cas craned his head around to look at all of them. "Can we get ice cream?"

Jody let out a half-delirious laugh, and tapped him under the chin. "Absolutely. Let's get a change of clothes first." She and Alex started to lead Cas back up toward the house.

Dean lingered behind and turned to his brother. "You did it, Sam. I- I'm proud of you."

Sam smiled, and clapped him on the shoulder. "We did it."

The three of them against the odds. Again.

Dean nodded, and they began their trudge up to the house. Dean paused halfway there to look back at the unmarked grave. A pang hit his chest, but it was one of…acceptance. Farewell.

Closure.

You'll be all right now, he said. And- and so will we. I promise.

Jody stood with her arms crossed, one fist tucked under her chin as she tensely watched Roma give Cas another reading. They were all gathered in Jody's living room, her and Alex, Sam and Dean, with Roma sitting on the couch and Cas standing before her, his tiny hands captured gently in hers. Since the lake, Cas had been back to his normal self, talking and laughing, plenty of energy. But Sam couldn't tell whether the spell he'd cast had gotten rid of all the harmful magic, and so Jody had convinced Roma to come out one more time.

The psychic finally disengaged, and when she let go of Cas's hands, she lifted a stunned gaze to theirs.

"Well?" Dean demanded.

"The wild magic I sensed before is completely gone," she said disbelievingly. "How on earth did you manage that?"

"We found a way," Sam answered evasively. "So, he's okay now? No more getting sick?"

Roma shook her head. "His aura is stable and his soul intact. So, as far as I can guess, yes. He should be perfectly fine from here on out."

"Is- is he human?" Dean asked somewhat tensely.

Roma gave him an odd look; Jody hadn't thought to even ask that question the first few times the woman had given Cas a reading.

"Yes." The psychic then canted her head thoughtfully, and reached to take Cas's hands again as she looked him in the eye. "But you have a very special soul inside of you. Take good care of it."

Cas gazed back at her for a moment before nodding solemnly. Jody didn't know if he truly understood what the woman meant, or if he was just responding to the seriousness in her tone. Either way, he was going to be okay, and that was all that mattered.

Jody thanked Roma for once again coming out, and walked her to the door.

The psychic paused on the threshold. "I'm glad you shouldn't be needing me any more in the future."

Jody smiled, and nodded in gratitude.

"But if you do, you know my number. And rates."

Jody smirked. "I'll be sure to keep your name on hand for any associates who might need your expertise."

Roma dipped her head in acknowledgement, and left.

Jody shut the door and turned back to Cas, Alex, and Sam, who were gathered around the couch and exchanging heartfelt smiles. Jody noticed that Dean was standing a bit off to the side near the stairs. He was smiling too as he watched them, but there was a glimmer of sadness in his eyes.

Jody went over to him. "Hey," she said quietly. "You okay?"

His expression pinched. "Yeah, I think so. It's just…I still miss him."

"We still don't know about the memories," she pointed out.

Dean shook his head. "It's better if he doesn't remember. He's human now. He has to start over, has to grow up."

"He gets to grow up," Jody reminded him.

Dean watched as Sam said something that made Cas laugh. "Yeah. Yeah, he does. Are you sure about adopting him?"

Jody smiled. She'd never been more sure of anything. "What's one more wayward orphan?" She paused. "Are you going to be part of his life?"

Dean hesitated for a brief second, but then nodded. "He's family. And he's getting a second chance at a life away from war and death…a chance to be happy in a way I don't think he ever got to be before."

Jody took a moment to contemplate that, how Castiel the angel had been around since nearly the beginning of time, always a warrior of Heaven, always fighting to protect humanity. Claire had talked about him a few times, even went so far as to suggest the angel was a walking PTSD case. It was hard to reconcile that image with the innocent little boy that had found his way into their lives.

"We just can't let him grow up to be a hunter," Dean added ruefully.

Jody snorted. "Oh, trust me, I'm gonna be pushing law school. Or a pottery major. Anything as far away from hunting and monsters as possible."

Thankfully, that was several years away.

Dean smirked in apparent agreement, but then fell into a melancholic silence again. "Sam and me should get back out there," he said quietly.

Jody nodded in understanding. "Just don't stay away too long."

"We won't," he said with a full assurance that made her believe he fervently intended to keep that promise.

Dean finally moved away from the corner and went to approach Cas, kneeling on the floor to be eye level with him. Jody watched as Dean pulled a small clay figure she recognized from inside his jacket. Dean handed the angel to Cas.

"Thank you. It did help me find my friend. I was wondering if you'd hold onto it for me, for safe keeping."

Cas's face fell. "You're leaving?"

"For a little bit. But we'll be back to visit, often. I promise."

Cas looked down at the tiny angel thoughtfully. "Do you have other people to save?"

Dean exchanged a quick look with Sam before reaching out to touch Cas's shoulder. "Yeah, we do. But remember what I told you: any time you get scared, know that me and Sam are out there chasing the monsters away. And…" He pursed his mouth, then tapped the clay figurine. "There's an angel watching over you."

Cas's mouth tugged upward in a small smile, and he threw his arms around Dean's neck. Dean hugged back tightly.

When he was done, Sam got down on the floor to give Cas a hug too. "You be good for Jody, alright?" he said, voice sounding a little choked up.

Cas nodded fervently. "I will."

"Okay. And maybe you can convince her to plant some pumpkins in your garden. We could carve one for Halloween."

"Okay!"

Jody shook her head, not sure Cas even knew what Halloween was yet, but just warmed that he was excited about doing anything with the Winchesters.

The rest of them took their turns giving each other farewell hugs. Jody wished them luck finding their mother, to which they nodded soberly, but with renewed determination. They all filed out of the house, and Jody watched from the front lawn as Sam and Dean climbed into the Impala. The boisterous engine roared to life, and then started backing out of the driveway. The boys waved to the three of them, Jody on one side, Alex on the other, and Cas wedged between them. She knew they'd be back, and that they'd start becoming a more permanent fixture in her life.

Which she had no complaints about. Her family had grown yet again, brought together by a little miracle no one had looked for, but one they would all cherish from this point forward.

A/N: Not too sad an ending I hope, even though we didn't get "our Cas" back. :)