Disclaimer: Yeah, I don't own Supernatural, but who the hell cares? I can still write fanfiction.
Reviews: Quothen Catastrophe, MadWithMusic, BalletDancer14, Guest, IlovesupernaturalCasismine
This is a Dean/Castiel chapter. Also warning for mpreg.
Chapter 10 "I'm Already There" by Lonestar
Cas sat at the kitchen table, jiggling his knee anxiously. The phone sat in front of him, mocking him, it seemed. Reaching a hand toward it, Cas hesitated before picking it up.
It was like this every day since Dean left on his hunt. Cas went through the same routine several times a day before building up the courage to dial Dean's number.
Cas was afraid to call Dean, afraid he wouldn't answer this time. Afraid that the monster he was hunting had finally gotten him. Cas' fingers felt heavy as he pressed the numbers to Dean's cell. The ringing on the other end echoed through Cas' head and his heart caught in his throat...Dean wasn't picking up. He wasn't picking up.
The phone slipped from his fingers and hit the tiled floor, skittering away and halting in front of the stove. Cas' heart was pounding incredibly hard; he gasped, trying to breathe. Dean was probably in the bathroom or something and he couldn't get to the phone, Cas reassured himself half-heartedly. He went out to the car to get something and left his phone inside the motel room, that was all.
Reaching down to his abdomen, he massaged the swollen area lightly, feeling his baby move inside him. If Dean was gone...he would not get to see his second child. Cas shook his head roughly and removed his hand from his stomach.
"He's okay." Cas said aloud, as if that made it true.
Soft pattering footsteps suddenly sounded down the hall and came closer until they stopped next to Cas. The little girl standing beside him looked identical to Dean: greenish eyes, dark hair, strong features.
She looked worried and placed a hand on Cas' arm. "Father? Are you okay?"
Cas worked a smile onto his face and looked down at her. Ruffling his daughter's hair affectionately, he felt himself calming at the sight of her. She giggled, and reached her arms out to hug him. Cas buried his face in her hair and tried to regain his composure for her sake.
"I'm alright, Sophia."
Sophia glanced up, eyebrows knitted together as though not totally convinced. "Did the baby kick you again?" She patted Cas' stomach lightly.
"No." Cas rubbed his swollen pregnancy again out of habit. He tended to do that whenever someone mentioned the baby."I just lost my grip on the phone."
"Did Daddy call yet? I wanted to talk to him." Sophia hopped away from Cas to pick up the phone on the floor. "I'll call him now."
"Soph, wait a minute-" Cas struggled to stand, using the table to heave himself up. He was in his seventh month, and this pregnancy was taking its toll. The tiredness that came with it was almost unbearable. It had not been this way with Sophia.
Sophia had already dialed Dean's number and was listening intently to the ringing. Her face falling, she looked at Cas. "He's not answering. He always answers."
Plopping the phone on the table, she suddenly froze. Her eyes widened and she questioned, "Father, is he hurt? Did the monsters get Daddy?"
A few tears were forming in Sophia's green eyes, and Cas felt some wet his own. He bent quickly beside her, enveloping her in a hug. "No, he's okay. He's probably just busy, baby."
A loud ring made them both jump, and before Cas could react, Sophia had the phone in her hand.
"Daddy?" she said excitedly into the mouthpiece. Cas' heart rose..it was Dean. He was fine. Then Sophia was pushing the phone into his hand, her eyes tearing again.
"It's Uncle Sam. He wants to talk to you."
"Sam?" Cas questioned hesitatingly, releasing Sophia and standing up. He turned his back on his daughter and took a few steps toward the kitchen doorway.
"Cas." Sam's voice was slightly hard to hear on the other end and he was breaking up. "Have you heard from Dean?"
"No," Cas said softly. "Sam, what happened?"
The two brothers had gone on a hunt together a week before, and Cas called Dean at least once a day to make sure he was okay. They were tracking the monster, and were very close the last time Cas had talked to Dean.
"I don't know...we got seperated. We were hunting in the woods the monster..and then he was gone. He's not answering his phone. I don't know what happened to him." Sam said bluntly, unsure of how else to tell Cas the news.
Cas grew colder as Sam spoke, each word piercing through him. This was real; this was realy happening.
"We'll find him!" Cas said loudly, tears choking his words. "I'll come, just tell me where you-"
he turned on his heel to grab the car keys on the counter, forgetting that Sophia was still in the room. She was standing stock-still, staring at Cas with a terrified expression on her face.
"Something did happen to him!" she cried out, and pushed past Cas. The angel grabbed her arm to stop her.
"We don't know that yet, maybe he lost his phone-"
"Then why are you crying?" Sophia broke free from Cas' grip and ran from the room. The girl had a close bond with Dean. She was truly his little girl. Whenever he left she would be terribly worried, like Cas, and would not relax until he was back home.
"Cas?" Sam was saying on the other end. "Is everything okay?"
Cas was staring at the doorway where Sophia had just disappeared through, his hand still stuck in the air where he had been holding her arm.
"You can't come. You know Dean said he didn't want you to hunt while you were pregnant-" Cas hung up on Sam, his limbs growing numb with shock. They had always prepared for this, always anticipated it. Hunting was a dangerous life and Cas was surprised they made it this far. House, kids, family. Now it was all dissolving away. Dean was gone.
The phone rang again, and Cas picked it up. "Sam, I am going to come. Tell me where you are or I swear I will-"
"Castiel?" Dean's weary voice on the other end made Cas' knees grow weak and he felt for the chair. "Babe? You there?"
"Yes." Cas said breathlessly. Already he was growing warmer at the sound of his mate's voice. "Dean..Sam called. He said that you two were seperated."
"You called me, Cas. I'm sorry I didn't answer." Dean said, sounding a bit out of touch.
"Dean, where are you?" Cas said sharply. "I'll tell Sam."
"I got away. I stabbed the thing with a silver knife. It seemed to do the trick. Still don't know what it is. We'll have to go back and examine the body; looks like a hybrid." Dean's voice was soft and choppy now, like he was breathing hard.
"Are you hurt?" Cas said; the tone of Dean's voice was not reassuring him any longer. It sounded like it was getting weaker every second he was speaking.
"I'm coming home. I am, Cas." Dean breathed. It sounded as though he was trying to convince himself as much as Castiel.
Cas bit his lip and took a shuddering inward breath. The car keys glinted on the counter, but they wouldn't do any good. The brothers were several states away, at least a thousand miles. Cas couldn't teleport; the pregnancies drained his power greatly and he could only do very minor things with his powers. By the time he drove there-
"Can I talk to Sophia?" Dean asked, in an almost pleading voice. Cas started crying, unable to hold the tears back any longer.
"I love you, Dean." The words popped out of his mouth, but it seemed to him that he was unable to communicate to his mate how true that was. Cas pushed himself up from the table repeating that phrase into the phone in between calling for Sophia.
Their daughter came, and she knew something was wrong when her father handed her the phone with tears rolling off his cheeks.
"Sophie." Dean dragged the name out, as though he didn't want it to end.
"Daddy!" Sophia's face lit up. "Daddy, when are you coming home?"
"As soon as I can." There was a sound as if Dean had fallen, and he let out a sharp gasp.
"Daddy!" Sophia cried, glancing quickly at Castiel. He grabbed the phone back and put it on speaker so he could hear what Dean was saying as well.
"But in the meantime, baby, I'm already there with you, okay?" Dean drew in a ragged breath, and Cas felt pain shoot through his heart.
"You're not in the room, Daddy. You're far away." Sophia whispered, and she cuddled close to Castiel, burying her face in his neck. She was young, but she understood what was happening. Daddy was in trouble, and he was hurt really bad.
"I'm always with you. See that streak of sunshine on your hair? That's me. The moonlight, your heartbeat, the whispers in wind, the shadows on the ground. George, your imaginary friend. That's all me." There was a rustling as if Dean was crawling through sticks and branches. Dean stopped speaking, but they could him him breathing heavily and more crackling of underbrush. Finally with a weak voice he said, "Cas...don't worry."
Cas held Sophia close to him, saying into the phone with his voice full of regret, "I should have come with you, Dean. I could have helped. I wish I was with you in your arms-"
"I would be kissing you right now, babe. Touching you all over-" Dean spoke, and Cas could hear desperation in his voice. Cas knew Dean would never give up, but it seemed that he was as close to giving up now as he had ever been. The hunter coughed and it was a wet cough. Like he was coughing up blood. "Take care of Sophia and the baby..please."
"Don't worry about the kids, Dean...I promise they'll be alright." Cas pressed the phone to his forehead, tears dripping from his face onto Sophia's hair.
"There's something coming..." Dean's voice was drifting, and he was silent for a moment. Cas could hear something crashing over the brush and sticks in the background. Standing and grabbing for the car keys even though he knew it was fruitless, he pressed the phone harder to his ear, trying to hear every little sound that Dean was making.
"Dean!" Cas screamed when he didn't speak. Still holding Sophia and the keys, he made to leave the room. Why wasn't he there with his mate? Dean was about to be torn apart. He could have protected Dean...done something.
The phone suddenly went dead.
"NO! DEAN!" Cas screamed, sobbing and throwing the phone hard across the room where it hit the window and shattered it. Millions of glass shards rained down like tiny diamonds, and that was how Cas felt at the moment. Like he had been shattered into a million pieces.
Sophia was hanging onto him tightly, her own tears wetting his neck, but he hardly noticed. All he could think of was Dean. His mate, his friend. The human he had rebelled for. The human he had spent these past ten years of his life with.
Coldness washed over him and white light pressed against his eyeballs. Squeezing them shut, he gasped for the air which his lungs couldn't take in. The child insie him kicked sharply, sending a shooting pain down his side.
Cas felt himself slipping away into the white light, could hear Sophia crying hysterically and asking him what was the matter. Suddenly the cold kitchen tile was against his cheek, a shadow of his daughter kneeling over him and then everything was black.
Aches and pains. Cas groaned as he turned over. Everything was hurting. The bed he was laying in gave some comfort, however. The sheets smelled fresh and clean, and the soft fluffy quilt was warm...so warm. Then his back ached again and he knew he needed to get up and stretch.
Blinking over his eyes slowly, he was almost blinded by sunlight. The room was unfamiliar; this wasn't his house...something had happened. Cas quickly wracked through his mind, finding it very difficult to remember anything. His eyes adjusted to the light and he was able to focus on his surroundings.
It was a dingy room, wallpaper peeling from the walls and piles of books scattered around. The curtains on the windows were thrown wide open to let in the sun. The only thing that was fresh was the sheets on the bed. Cas sat up quickly, suddenly realizing where he was. Bobby's house. But why was he at Bobby's house-?
Throwing back the sheets, Cas stood. Dizziness washed over him, and he allowed himself to sink to the floor. Then everything came back. The phone calls..Sam..Sophia...Dean. It was as if he was waking from a long dream...Cas had no idea how long he had been here but faint memories were coming back to him... of him screaming himself hoarse and tears rushing down his face..endless tears.
Sam and Bobby trying to console him, telling him Dean was okay, that he was in the next room...lies to calm him down. Bobby giving him medication to relax him. Sophia poking her head in the door and Sam shooing her out so she wouldn't see that state Castiel was in.
It was like a dense fog had lifted; Cas knew what happened. It was over and done with and he could not do anything about it. He could only accept it and move on.
"Dean," Cas whispered. He needed to find Dean's body at least, bring him home. That's what Dean wanted after all. To come home. He stood again, this time with firm purpose, although tears were sliding down his cheeks. He would bring his mate home.
The bedroom door opened suddenly and a cheerful Sam was standing there, talking to someone behind him. He turned to face Castiel, and put on a surprised smile.
"Cas, you're awake!" Sam reached out and patted the angel's arm gently. Cas had been out of it for a few days; hysterical with grief, sleeping too much, eating too little. He had a hunch that Cas was linked with Dean; when the hunter had fallen, so had his angel.
It had been extremely concerning to see the angel in that state; screaming for Dean when he was awake, tossing and turning while asleep and crying for his mate. There was no talking to him, no reasoning with him.
Sophia, who was standing behind her uncle, peeked around Sam and looked at her father. He looked terrible, with dark circles under his eyes and very pale skin, but at least he was upright and seemed alert. She ran to him, and he embraced her, hugging her tightly.
"Why are you crying?" she asked softly, touching a small hand to his wet cheek.
He shook his head, unable to answer, and not quite comprehending why she was asking that question. Cas looked up at Sam and said quietly, "I need to find his remains and bring him home, Sam. You need to let me go."
"Cas..he's here. Dean's here." Sam said gently.
The angel stared at Sam, blinking. Then Sam had found his body and brought him home. It made Castiel feel just a little bit better to hear that Dean's remains weren't out in the woods getting picked apart by wild animals.
"I need to see him." Cas said, and steadied himself for what exactly he would be seeing.
Sam shrugged, a small smile on his face that Castiel didn't catch. "He's in the other room."
Cas followed Sam out, Sophia clutching tightly to his hand. The closed door to the room gave him shivers, and he pushed Sophia back.
"Stay here." he warned before pulling the door open. Sophia looked at him curiously, but obeyed.
Castiel entered the room, apprehension tightening every muscle in his body. The sun was shining in here as well and fresh linens were on the bed. There was a lump under the covers, and Cas almost stopped there. Sam gave him a little nudge into the room and closed the door behind the angel.
Each step it took to reach the bed felt like a year to the angel. Finally he was standing at the head of the bed, staring at the lump under the covers. To be honest, Cas did not want to see his mate like this, but he needed to see him one last time.
Reaching out slowly, he gripped the edge of the blankets so hard his knuckles turned white. All at once he drew back the covers with a whip like motion.
Bracing himself for a bloody mess, he instead found himself quite surprised. Dean was whole, in one piece. Although he did look a bit worse for wear with scratches on his face, and a bandage wrapped around his whole torso. The torso that was moving up and down-
Cas' heart stopped as Dean turned over and opened his eyes, peering up blearily. He even took a few steps backwards.
"Cas." Dean croaked out dryly.
Castiel stared as his mate propped himself up a bit to study the angel. This was surreal. Cas thought he would never see Dean's face full of life again.
"You're alive." Cas said in shock. "How are you alive?"
"You sound disappointed," Dean joked, trying to laugh, but wincing and holding his chest. He motioned the angel over. "Hey, come here."
Cas moved forward instinctively at the request, falling into the bed with Dean. "The last thing you said, something was coming-" Cas blurted out. Dean's body next to his was giving off such warmth that seeped through him and seemed to make him whole again.
"Yeah. It was Sam. I thought he was a BigFoot." Dean pulled Castiel closer, holding him tightly. Pressing his lips to Cas' forward, he placed a tender kiss there.
"I never thought I'd see you again." This time Dean's voice was soft and serious instead of carrying the light, joking tone it had earlier.
He pressed his lips firmly against the angel's, and Cas melted in his arms. Tears began to flow from his eyes as he emotions took over, dripping onto Dean's face. This time they were tears of relief instead of sorrow.
"I thought you were dead." Cas sobbed. "Why didn't anyone tell me?"
"Sam said you were messed up, and he wouldn't let me up or my chest would start bleeding. He tried to talk to you, but you were hysterical, babe. I could hear you from in here." Dean glanced at him, eyebrows knit with concern.
"You're okay now, right? And the baby's good?" Dean ran a hand over the swell of Cas' stomach, and the angel moved forward, pressing his stomach into Dean's hand. The baby kicked, and Dean gave a smile.
"The baby's fine, and I'm okay. Now that you're here." Cas cried into his mate's shoulder. "But don't ever do that again."
Dean stroked Cas' hair tenderly, waiting for him to calm down a bit before speaking again.
"I told you I would come home." Dean whispered into the angel's ear. Cas snuggled closer, letting Dean's arms envelop him in a protective embrace. ""I will always be with you, no matter where I am. I will always be here in your heart."
I kinda liked this chapter. I always have trouble coming up with names, but I thought Sophia was good. Sophia is the angel of love, so I thought it was appropriate.