Just need to point something out first: In "Free to Be You and Me," when Dean promises Cas he's not gonna die a virgin and takes him to a strip club…there was a much quicker fix for that which wouldn't have involved even leaving their little house…
Mealla was in the kitchen when Sam came home. She could smell the alcohol from the moment the door opened, but said nothing. She never spoke to him anymore. He tromped up the stairs with heavy, uneven steps, and the ceiling creaked above her. He was going into Aeden's room.
The pan she'd been cleaning for the past two hours slipped from her hand and clattered to the tile floor, but she hardly seemed to notice. She eased up the stairs, an unfounded sense of curiosity driving her forward. She heard Sam open the door, and then shout in alarm.
Mealla took the rest of the stairs two at a time and sprinted down the upstairs hall, skidding to a halt outside Aeden's open door. Sam was on his knees, holding something in his arms. His broad shoulders quaked. Moving further into the room, Mealla caught sight of a mop of carrot-orange hair and swooped down upon her son.
For several minutes nobody said anything. They just knelt there, the three of them, holding each other. When at last they stood, Mealla got her first good look at Aeden.
His face was covered in dirt and blood streaked with tear tracks, his pajama's were torn and ragged, and covered in blood and dirt. One of his arms hung limp, like it had been dislocated, but he was beaming broader than he ever had before, and his green eyes shone bright as emeralds.
"Didn't I say so?"
All three jumped and turned around.
Gabriel the archangel stood near the closet, smiling at Aeden in a proud sort of way. "Told ya you could do it," he said, folding his arms. To Sam, he said, "See? Safe and sound."
Sam lunged at him and pressed his forearm against the angel's throat. "You bastard. What did you do?" he asked when he found his voice.
Gabriel narrowed his eyes and pushed Sam easily away. "I followed the path that God laid for me. And now you must follow the path He has laid for you." He approached Aeden.
Mealla's arm curled protectively around his shoulders and she pulled him back.
"Mia," said Sam softly, "it's okay."
Mealla relaxed slightly, enough for Gabriel to briefly touch Aeden's forehead, making all the scrapes and bruises vanish.
"God," said Sam. "As in God God. He's back?"
"I never left."
Near Gabriel there now stood a young, unshaven man with curly brown hair and kind brown eyes like melted chocolate. He wore green plaid flannel pants and a rumpled white shirt.
"Chuck?" said Sam in utter incredulity.
Chuck sighed. "I'm not Chuck Shurley. I never have been."
Sam raked a hand through his hair. "Oh my God. I mean-" he winced and looked questioningly at the being formerly known as Chuck.
Chuck smiled. "You can still call me Chuck. It's less pretentious, don't you think?"
"Where are the others?" Aeden asked, speaking for the first time. "The ones I saved."
Chuck patted Aeden on the head. "You have a truly remarkable son, Sam. He has done the impossible. Don't worry, Aeden," he added, looking down. "They are safe."
"Wait, what others?" demanded Sam. "What did you make him do?"
Chuck looked straight into Sam with his piercing eyes. "I set him a task he, and only he, was capable of accomplishing. For a purpose far greater than one small person. He is the second Messiah, Sam. And he has suffered for humanity's sins."
"You mean," said Sam, taking a step forward. God or not, he still towered over Chuck, "that you tortured my son to-"
"His suffering is ended," Chuck continued as though he had not heard. "But now I have work for you three."
"Us three?" asked Sam.
Chuck snapped his fingers. If any more people appeared in that room, there wouldn't be room to breathe. Straight and upright, both seeming perfectly healthy, although confused, stood Dean Winchester and the angel Castiel.
"More work?" said Dean with every trace of his indignant cocky swagger. "What needs saving now?"
"The world, dumba-" Gabriel broke off and looked sheepishly at Aeden, "muttonhead."
The story officially ends here. Stay tuned for Dean's augmentation of Aeden's parenting.
