Author's Note:
Sorry for the delay everyone. For those wondering, my dad's surgery went well, he's been recovering for a day now and he's already been walking a bit. No food or drink yet and he's very sad he can't have his jell-o, but he's doing well. I'm kicking back into gear and hoping to get my homework back on track and some more of this story written up ^_^ Thanks for reading all, hope to hear from you soon.
Primary World: Part 9
It had only been ten minutes. Maybe. Sam's face had creased into a worried grimace as he sat beside the couch. His legs folded under him in a way that he didn't care to consider, despite his left foot starting to fall asleep. Sam drummed his fingers anxiously on the edge of the cushion near Dean's arm, brushing past the fabric every now and then.
"Sam, calm down alright? They're fine." Jet spoke soothingly, his hand on Sam's shoulder rubbing gentle circles into his skin. But Sam would have none of it, smacking Jet's hand away and leaning over the couch where he'd laid Dean.
"They collapsed, Jet. They both just crumpled to the ground like they'd lost their spines. Tell me again how that's 'fine'?!" He snapped, his nose flaring as he inhaled deeply around his anger. Frustration and worry melted into the same feeling of useless as he sat at Dean's side, watching how calm his brother looked. Normal creases in his face were smoothed, his eyelids didn't even flutter; it was starting to drive Sam up the wall. It'd been maybe ten minutes but that was ten minutes too long. Dean was breathing, he'd checked that much at least. His brain was getting oxygen and his heart was beating, sending blood to his limbs.
He looked fine. If Sam hadn't been right there when it happened he would have thought Dean was asleep.
Jet leaned against the couch and reached down to poke Dean's cheek, "C'mon man, get up and show Sam you're fine."
"Jet…" Sam grumbled defensively, flicking his hand away from Dean's face. "Don't."
The older male shrugged and moved to Castiel's side, double-checking that he was also still breathing. "I'm telling you, this has got to be something to do with this punk, here." He muttered mostly to himself though loud enough for Sam to hear.
"I hope you're right." Sam's voice fell soft as he dropped his head against Dean's arm. His brother was all he had, really. Dean was the only thing in the world he couldn't imagine losing and after everything they'd been through together already he never wanted to think about it.
A few more minutes went by, Sam didn't move an inch, stubbornly keeping his head against the warmth of Dean's skin, making sure it stayed that way. In doing this he missed when Dean's eyes opened. The older brother glanced to the heavy weight on his arm, eyes flicking up to where Jet crouched, a grin on the brunette's face. Dean motioned toward Sam very gently so as not to alert him to the movement. Jet mouthed a few words Dean could only assume were 'he was scared.' He had to say something to end it, if that's really how Sam was feeling.
"Hey, Sammy." Dean mumbled tiredly, his eyes half-lidded as he watched Sam's head jerk up to meet his gaze.
"Dean? You're okay?" Sam shuffled a bit closer though he was already plastered against the couch. The sharp tingling of his sleeping foot shocking him a little and the way his voice cracked next would be forever blamed on exactly that. "Are you hurt? What happened?"
"Long story," Dean started to sit up, looking around a little bewildered, "How long have I been out?"
"Ten minutes, tops." Jet called over, standing up straight and crossing his arms over his chest, his eyebrow raised as he looked at Sam. "I figured you'd be fine."
Dean smirked, "Sure you did, man." He looked over at Sam who was busying himself with standing as well, the telltale signs of 'I didn't really care that much' lie embedded in his features. "Sorry," Dean decided to go for an apology rather than being a dick. Sam looked stressed and didn't need the added crap.
Sam glanced over at him and smiled, relief clear in his face, "It's okay, you came back."
Castiel stood and rolled his head around, "I hate when they do that." He mumbled grumpily, hand running up through his hair to fix any damage done. "Dean, let me know when you're ready."
Dean gripped the side of the couch, the sound scratching into his ears but not helping to numb the feeling in him. "Right…"
"Ready?" Sam furrowed his brow and looked between them, "Ready for what?"
Dean almost couldn't bring himself to look at his brother, but the nagging feeling that he may never get the chance to again hauled his chin up. Sam's face was twisted in a worried stare but despite that he was still beautiful, the little twerp that Dean had all but raised on his own had grown up great and after all was said and done, he'd continue to be amazing. With or without Dean there. It hurt to think of it, to imagine Sam without him, to imagine life without Sam, but some things needed to be done. "I'm his partner." He explained softly, biting the inside of his cheek as he watched the reaction crawl across Sam's face.
"What?" Sam almost laughed it out, a nervous kind of sound that sunk into his movement and tightened his facial features until the concern was barely masked. "As in his 'travel the many worlds' partner?"
Dean exchanged a glance with Castiel who turned away, the hard-ass, bitter man apparently not good at this kind of thing either. "Basically, yeah." He could hardly look at Sam's face as his brother stared at him, mouth opened slightly as his eyes narrowed in thought. "And it looks like I have to leave-"
"I'm coming with." Sam interrupted, his expression tensing as he leaned forward, shoulders stiff and posture almost threatening. Dean opened his mouth to protest but Sam continued to speak over him, "There's nothing you can say that'll change my mind, Dean. Before you say another word, just know that if you leave I've got no one."
Dean frowned, "What about Bobby? Ellen, Jo, Rufus-"
"What about them, Dean? I get to see them on holidays or special occasions, hurray, I'll be fine." Sam's jaw was clenched as he spoke, the humour completely drained from his voice.
"And me?" Jet crossed his arms over his chest and tilted his head as he furrowed his brow.
Sam glanced over at him but didn't address it more than that, "Dean, I'm coming with."
"That's ridiculous." Castiel turned back toward the conversation with bite in his tone, "Sam, you aren't capable of surviving out there. You can't defend yourself against what we'll be facing, it's suicide for you to go, and it'd be stupid of us to let you come with."
"I don't care, you aren't taking my brother out of here without me." Sam remained firm on his choice, face determined and stance rigid.
"Sam," Dean started softly, "You… are the most well-adjusted guy I know; you have a ton of friends at school and you're the last one to ignore the people that care about you." He glanced over at Jet who's gaze had shifted from Sam to Castiel, watching the stranger vacantly. "Bobby would come see you if you needed him, Ellen would visit, Jo would possibly even move in to take up my space, and Jet's always here. I don't get why you're saying you only have me."
Sam bristled a little, his expression softening as he turned back toward his brother, "You caught me," he sounded a little surprised as he spoke, "I'm not worried about me, I'm worried about you." Dean's face told enough without him having to say 'aw, Sammy' out loud. "Yeah, you're right, I have a lot of friends and tons of people around me to keep me company. I'd survive you leaving, I'd get over it, but I don't think you can survive you leaving. And before you give me that 'What the hell are you talking about' look, hear me out." Sam's angry exterior all but melted as he swallowed past a growing lump in his throat. "You spent so much time taking care of me, and now the only people you have are the same that I have. But you're the one leaving, you can't go see any of them, you can't… see me."
Dean was quiet for a long moment, no one said anything and for a second he forgot that Cas and Jet were present. At least until one of them spoke up, "Dean's going to have a job to do out there, Sam." Jet crossed the room to better center himself in Sam's vision. "He can't spend his time looking out for you. It's dangerous, remember what happened to me?"
Sam tried not to look at the marks on Jet's arms and shoulders, where his shirt had ripped and dark bruises peered through like hateful eyes, reminding him. "I'm sorry-"
"It wasn't you, it was one of those void monster things." Jet corrected him quickly, "But that doesn't matter, does it? There's like, what, thousands of these things? What the hell are you going to do when one of those comes at you?"
Sam stood his ground, glaring Jet right in the eye, "I'll fight it."
"You?" Jet's tone wasn't mocking but it definitely didn't indicate belief in any way, "I don't think so. A weakened version of that thing did this to me, did that to Dean's neck. You aren't either one of us, Sam."
"Then what the hell do you expect me to do?!" Sam shouted, still refusing to back down. "Dean can't go into this alone, I'll never see him again!"
"Maybe he has to," Castiel interrupted, "He's been burdened with saving the known worlds right along with me. Sam, he's doing this to save you, so he can see you again." He tried to take a more reassuring tone, something that always used to work on the Sam that he used to know. It looked like it made a difference in Sam's rigidity, his shoulders lowering and head angling back down. "It may be better for you to stay here."
Dean furrowed his brow but he'd already come to terms with this, he couldn't stay with Sam. If Cas and Jet could get it across without him having to argue with his little brother, then all the power to them.
Jet raised an eyebrow and shook his head, "No, Sam's going with."
"What?" All three looked to him then, the same word falling out of each mouth in a different tone of voice. Dean was curious, hopeful even, Sam was surprised, and Cas teetered on the edge of severe annoyance.
"I said Sam's going with. The point I was making is that Dean can't protect him, doesn't mean I can't." Jet's mouth quirked up in a smirk, catching Dean's excited expression in his peripheral. Sam grinned and high-fived their long-standing friend as Dean rose to hug them both. Castiel on the other hand rolled his eyes and stared up at the ceiling, as if he expected a protest from the light bulb.
"Thank you," Dean whispered into the three-way hug with his brother and best friend, his tough skin cracking to show the emotional tidal wave he'd be smashed with. Sam squeezed him harder, the comfort of the gesture only making Dean's eyes sting a little more. He never had to say anything for Sam to know; to know that he was afraid of being alone, of losing everyone he loved and never being able to be around them again. Dean never had to speak a word for either of them to know that Sam coming with was inevitable, not just a whim on a prayer.
"You're welcome," Sam said as they separated; Jet nodding his agreement though finding no reason to really say it, like it was obvious he'd do it to begin with.
"Fine." Cas huffed and looked at them, "But if you all die don't come crying to me."
"We'll be dead so I don't think that'll be an issue." Jet chided, trying not to laugh.
"Right, but if Sam does and you don't, I don't want to hear about it." Cas dropped himself onto the couch next to Dean and folded his arms together, "You two pack your shit, we'll leave as soon as you're ready."
"Two? Dean needs to pack too-" Sam started but stopped when Cas' gaze snapped to him.
"Dean's coat has everything he needs."
"My what?" Dean furrowed his brow, looking down at himself. He knew that his spirit or whatever it was that went to heaven wound up in the same uniform as Cas, but he woke up in his usual clothes. He regretted asking nearly immediately, the roll of those blue eyes struck his pride hard. If this priest could get any sassier Dean thought he might have to deck him.
"Do I have to spell everything out for you?" Cas muttered, walking over to Dean and lifting a hand over his head. "I'm going to activate it for you, alright? Once I do I want you to pay attention to how it feels. You can control this kind of thing, and a lot more if you don't ignore it." Despite annoyance and 'do I have to' attitude, Castiel's voice was tender, bordering on intimate for a moment before he corrected himself.
Dean closed his eyes and focused, he didn't know exactly on what but he focused anyway. Nothing happened for the longest time and he wondered if maybe he was doing it wrong, when a tingle started in his brain and drew all attention to it. It didn't hurt, it felt like some lightly brushing over his skin but on the inside of his skull somehow. And even when the tingle stopped he could still feel the area it'd come from, sitting there and waiting for him to access it again. An awareness in his mind sparked, like little firecrackers behind his eyelids and all along his nervous thoughts. It was amazing, really. He wouldn't know how to describe it in any way, all he knew was that he felt his eyes roll back and his head tilt up. All the while the feeling over his skin changed, the cloth he'd been wearing slid away and in its place sat something more familiar than he'd care to admit. He didn't know how or why it was, he just knew he recognized it. Like it was meant for him in a way.
"Did you get that?" Castiel's voice broke his drifting attention span and dragged it back to the living room. For a moment Dean thought he'd heard longing in Cas' words but decided it was better not to ask. Cas knew him, he'd been pretty closed off about his past and his husband and everything else but Dean knew for sure that Cas knew him in some way or another. "Dean?"
"Yeah." Dean shook his head, stopping his mind from wandering again. "I got it."
"Good, I went slowly so you could get a good sense for it." Cas headed for the door, "They're done packing, let's go."
"Wha-?" Dean looked up to see that Sam and Jet were indeed ready with bags packed lightly with clothing and other possible essentials. Either he'd been out of it for a while or they just moved at the speed of light. He was pretty sure it was the latter, though it could have been possible that he'd sat in a daze for an hour. Who knew.
"Ready when you are Dean." Sam smiled brightly and somehow it was the most reassuring thing that had happened all day.
"I'm good to go." Dean grinned in return and stood, noting the flow of his coat behind him.
The three headed out the front door, all pausing in surprise to see Castiel standing in front of a severely distorted space just above the lawn. It wasn't easy to spot if you were passing by, but they had been looking for something out of the ordinary. Sam shifted excitedly, heading over to Cas' side and staring up at what he thought to be a portal. "Where does it go?"
"To the mainline worlds. There had been several closed off," Cas explained, knowing he'd said this before. "We're going to whichever one is closest and open."
"Awesome." Sam had many more questions to ask but he figured he'd done enough already. "Thanks, by the way." He looked over at Cas, a smile on his face.
Castiel furrowed his brow though it was hard to be annoyed with Sam, "What for?"
"For not saying no. If you had denied Jet and I, ultimately we couldn't really go, could we?"
A long silence followed as Jet and Dean caught up, their conversation something about Dean having 'nice digs'. "If there's no protest from my management then I can't rightly say no, can I?" What he wasn't saying was that he wanted Sam to come with; he wanted to be around him more, to see Sam do things, breathe; live. It was somewhat therapeutic for him.
Sam recognized a 'I didn't feel like protesting' when he saw one, but didn't push it. "Thanks, all the same."
"You're welcome."
"Let's get this show on the road!" Jet cheered, slapping his buddy on the back, nearly causing Dean to face plant into the grass.
"Dude, I've barely gotten a rest after that fight, mind not doing that?" Dean laughed, shoving Jet right back.
Cas rolled his head around to crack his neck, shoulders flexing forward and back before he stepped into the portal, figuring he didn't need to say 'follow me.'
Sam paused after Jet jumped through, smiling at Dean reassuringly, "Ever stop to think our lives were boring?"
Dean smirked and looked back at their house, "Not once, Sammy. Not even once." He didn't know what kind of answer Sam was looking for but it seemed to do the trick, the younger Winchester hopped into the rift easily, like he was passing through a doorway. Dean inhaled deeply and approached, hesitating to look back at their home one more time. "Mom, dad," he whispered, "Watch out for us, wherever you are."
"Come on." Castiel leaned back through the rift, grabbing hold of Dean's coat and hauling him through, very unceremoniously and lacking any kind of grace whatsoever.