A/N: This is the last installment of endverse! For this story at least. I'm already working on an endverse story, but I'm not sure when I'll have that up. I'll do my best to get it up sooner rather than later. For now, enjoy.
2014 – August 3rd
Part 6
Dean sat silently in the passenger seat, eyes glancing from the road, to Cas, back to the road, in the rear view mirror behind them and towards the car in front of them. He kept glancing at Cas more than anything, still thinking about what he'd learnt, about Charlotte, about Cas, about himself. He couldn't help but to hold out on some small bit of hope that everything was made up by Zach and never had a chance to happen.
Cas' shifting about attracted Dean's attention and he watched him pull out a bottle of pills before he expertly popped it open with one hand and tilted it back against his lips. Dean frowned and reached out to tug the bottle from Cas' hands. "Let me see those."
"You want some?"
Dean kept his frown in place as he turned the bottle over and read the label. "Amphetamines?" He glanced back up at Cas with raised brows, surprised more than anything.
Cas shrugged, his eyes flicking to Dean briefly before he focused back on the road. "It's the perfect antidote to that absinthe."
Dean let out a slow breath, trying to hide the small shake of his head. This definitely wasn't the Cas he knew. This Cas, with alcohol, drugs, his casualness, being stoned, it seemed as though he was broken. "Don't get me wrong, Cas, I uh, I'm happy the stick is out of your ass. But- what's going on with- with the drugs and the hippy stuff?" Cas laughed and Dean frowned with more confusion. He couldn't figure out this Cas. "What's so funny?"
"Dean," Cas started with a tight smile, his tone tired and matter of fact, "I'm not an anger anymore."
"What?" Dean blurted.
"Yeah," Cas drew out, "I went mortal."
Dean still didn't understand how an angel could just, not be an angel anymore. "What do you mean? How?"
Cas let out a small sigh before he kept his gaze focused on the road as he answered. "I think it had something to do with the other angels leaving. But when they bailed, my mojo just kind of- pshew- drained away." Cas smiled sadly as he went on, "And now, you know, I'm practically human. I mean, Dean," his tone shifted to something serious, something Dean hadn't heard from him yet, "I'm all but useless. Last year, broke my foot, laid up for two months."
Dean raised his brows and glanced back at the road. "Wow."
"Yeah."
"So," Dean looked back at Cas, "you're human. Well, welcome to the club."
Cas made a noise, somewhere between a scoff and a laugh as he muttered, "Thanks." There was a tight, almost grim smile to his face as he carried on, flicking his eyes to Dean briefly, "Except I used to belong to a much better club. And now, I'm powerless. I'm hapless, I'm hopeless." Cas shook his head once before he shrugged with a pitiful grin, "I mean, why the hell not bury myself in decadence and drugs right?" The grin turned into a tight smirk that didn't quite reach his eyes and Dean felt sorry, for everything that had happened to Cas. "It's the end, baby. That's what decadence is for. Why not bang a few gongs before the lights go out? But then," Cas shrugged and his smirk dwindled into a small, echo of a smile, as he gave a shallow chuckle, "that's- that's just how I roll."
Dean swallowed nervously and looked away. There was a lot he still didn't know, a lot he would never know. But it was a lot he never wanted to happen. For him to see Castiel, angel of the lord, turned into a drug popping, sex loving hippy? It made Dean's stomach turn with shame and worry.
The city still looked just as ruined and wrecked as when Dean had first woken up here. He couldn't stop himself from eyeing every alleyway, every nook and cranny that they passed, looking for anybody that was infected. There was a small part of him that hated how quiet it was, how they had yet to see anybody or anything.
He kept glancing at Dean, watching himself, wondering if he was feeling the same strangeness of wrong in the air. He flicked his eyes to Cas, to Risa and to the others, their faces a mask of determination making him question what they all did before the apocalypse.
Eventually they came to Jackson County Sanitarium and Dean couldn't stop feeling like this was wrong, as though they were being watched. He crouched down behind a car as Dean used a pair of binoculars to checkk the building out. "There, second floor window." Dean glanced up towards the building to see what Dean was pointing out. "We go in there." He frowned slightly and glanced at the other members of their party. They knew something was wrong with that plan too.
"You sure about this?" Risa asked. Dean liked Risa. She spoke her mind, wasn't afraid to hold back, not even to the douchebag future him.
"They'll never see this coming," Dean said and Dean flicked his eyes to Cas. He didn't believe him. In fact, something close to fear seemed to cross the ex-angels face and Dean turned back to look at himself with a frown. "Trust me. Now, weapons check, we're on the move in five."
"Hey, uh, me," Dean started, "can I talk to you for a sec?" He stepped away from the car, from the group and away from the building, happy when he could hear footsteps behind him. He turned, made sure that they were far enough away and started in a low voice, "Tell me what's going on."
To his credit, Dean managed a look of innocent confusion as he said, "What?"
"I know you." He waited a moment before Dean went on. "You're lying to these people, and to me."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah." Dean wanted to scoff, instead he narrowed his eyes into a small glare and carried on, "See, I know your lying expressions. I've seen them in the mirror." That seemed to grab Dean's attention and Dean finished, "There's something you're not telling us."
"I don't know what you're talking about?"
Dean couldn't stop his scoff this time. "Oh, really? Well I don't seem to be the only member of your posse with some questions, so uh, maybe I'll just take my doubts over to them."
That grabbed Dean's attention and he held a hand up, "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, okay. Okay." He took a breath before he levelled a look with Dean. "Take a look around you man. This place should be crawling with Croats. Where are they?"
Dean knew that there was something wrong with that and it hit him, exactly why it was wrong. "They cleared a path for us, which means that this-"
"Is a trap. Exactly."
That didn't make Dean feel any better. If he knew that, then the others would know that too. More so... "Then we can't go through the front."
"Oh we're not," Dean answered as if it was the most simple thing in the world. He tilted his head back towards the other members of their group and said, "They are." Dean's stomach dropped at that and he suddenly had no idea who he was looking at. This wasn't him, it couldn't be him. "They're the decoys. You and me, we're going in through the back."
Dean shook his head with a sickened frown, "You're gonna feed your friends to the meat grinder? Cas too?" Dean looked away at that. "For a diversion?" Dean shook his head head and couldn't help the venom in his voice. "Oh man, something is broken inside of you. You're making decisions I would never make. I wouldn't sacrifice my friends."
"Exactly," Dean countered. "It's one of the reasons we're in this mess."
Dean glared and gestured back towards the group, "These people trust you, they count on you."
"To kill the devil. That's what they trust me to do. To stop the apocalypse, to give humanity hope for some kind of future."
"And what's the point if you've got nobody left to share it with?" He gave Dean a look and squared his shoulders. "I won't let you do this."
Dean just stared at him and Dean couldn't read his own damn face. "Really?"
"Yeah," Dean muttered before Dean swung. Dean didn't have chance to react and before he knew it he hit the ground and the world turned black.
Gun fire. That's what Dean heard first and he lifted his head up with a groan. Hearing more gun fire pushed him to his feet and he started running towards the building. The windows flashed brightly with each new wave of bullets and Dean had to take deep breaths to steady himself. They'd gone through with the plan, Cas was up there right now, either dead or about to die any minute now. Dean steeled himself and made a start towards the back of the building, to where Dean should be. Thunder and lightning made him duck his head instinctively and he briefly wondered where the storm had come from before he stopped at the scene in front of him. Dean was on the floor, a foot against his neck and the Colt out of arms reach.
Dean stared, helpless to do anything as he watched his future self's neck break. The person, dressed in an immaculate white suit, turned round and Dean felt his heart stop for a moment at the sight of his brother.
"Oh," Sam said, "hello Dean." Dean stared, unable to take in the fact that this Sam in front of him, was Lucifer. He didn't know if Sam would even still be in there. "Aren't you a surprise." More thunder and lightning crashed in the sky and Dean looked up at it with a worried frown. He heard Lucifer start talking behind him and turned to stare at him, "You've come a long way to see this."
"Well," Dean started, mustering all of the bravado he had in him. This was the Devil, in his brother's body, just feet from him. "Go ahead. Kill me."
"Kill you?" Lucifer echoed before he looked past Dean. He started to look over his shoulder before he realised what it was he was looking at. "Don't you think that would be a little... redundant?" Dean didn't say anything. He didn't know what to say. Lucifer sighed and went on, "I'm sorry. It must be painful speaking to me in this shape. But it had to be your brother. It had to be." Lucifer reached out for Dean's shoulder and Dean stepped back with a venomous look. "You don't have to be afraid of me, Dean."
"Oh I'm not afraid," Dean spat out, "I'm just thinking about how I'm gonna kill, cause I will kill you."
Lucifer let out a small laugh and smirked as he slowly stepped around Dean. "I never wanted this," he waved a hand around him, "for you. I loved everything that God created, including this beautiful planet. But when he created you, hairless apes, do you know what he asked of us?"
Dean shook his head, "I really don't care."
Lucifer carried on with a tiny smirk still in place. "He asked us to love you more than him. I said, "Father, I can't. These human beings are flawed and murderous." And do you know what he did? He had Michael cast me into hell. Does the punishment really fit the crime? Especially when-"
"I don't care," Dean repeated. "I'm not buying any of this sympathy for the devil crap. Because I know what you really are?"
"And what's that?"
"The same thing only bigger. The same brand of cockroach I've been squashing my whole life. An ugly, belly to the ground supernatural piece of crap. The only difference between them and you, is the size of your ego."
Lucifer smiled, "I like you, Dean. I can see why the other angels see in you."
Dean glared. "Then you gotta know that I'm not going to stop until I find a way to kill you. Before all of this."
Lucifer's smile twisted into a dark grim and Dean did not like how he was being looked at. "You can't stop what's already happening Dean. Even as we speak, back in your time, events have happened, are happening, that you can't change and won't change the outcome. I know that you won't kill me, just like you won't say yes to Michael. And I know you won't kill Sam. Whatever you do, you will always end up here. Whatever choices you make, whatever details you alter when you make it back, we will always end up here. I win. So, I win."
There was another flash of thunder and lightning and Dean blinked to find Lucifer, the sanitarium and everything gone to be replaced with the motel room he'd started in with Zachariah facing him. Dean stepped away from him with a sigh and shook his head. "Well," he started, still trying to control the chills running through his body, "if it isn't the ghost of Christmas screw you."
"Enough, Dean, enough," Zach started with a tired tone. "You saw it right? You saw what happens. You're the only person who can prove the devil wrong, just say yes."
Dean propped himself against the sink in the small kitchenette and folded his arms over his chest. "And how do I know this isn't one of your tricks? Some angel hocus pocus?"
Zachariah shook his head, "The time for tricks is over. Give yourself to Michael, before Lucifer gets to Sam. Save billions of lives in the process."
Dean kept his glare fixed on Zachariah before he tilted his head to one side. After a moment he simply said, "Nah."
"'Nah'?" Zachariah echoed before he sighed, "You telling me you haven't learnt your lesson?"
Dean pushed himself away from the counter and came to stand just inches away from Zachariah's face. "Oh I've learned a lesson. Just not the one you wanted to teach."
"Well, I'll just have to-"
Dean blinked and stared at the empty road. He turned on the spot to see Cas stood there, a small flicker of a smile on the angels face. Dean's shoulders sagged in relief and smiled himself. "That's pretty nice timing, Cas."
"We had an appointment."
Dean's smile widened into a grin and he settled his hand on Cas' shoulder, and waved his other towards Cas' chest. "Don't ever change."
Cas nodded his head with a small, proud smile on his face and Dean couldn't stop smiling himself. This was Cas, the Cas that he remembered, the Cas that he knew. "How did Zachariah find you?"
Dean squeezed his shoulder as he waved him off with his other hand. "Long story." He pulled his hand off Cas' shoulder and dug his phone out of his pocket. "I need to talk to Sam, and Charlotte."
Dean had no idea who would show up first. Cas had left him to continue his search for God and Dean was left to stand next to his car, his eyes fixed on the only road that led out to this small clearing. He didn't care who showed first, but he needed both of them, right now, just in front of them, just so he knew that what he'd seen wasn't true, that everything was fine, that it was going to be fine.
Charlotte's blue Pontiac pulled up first, stopping just next to Dean's car. She stretched as she climbed out of it and Dean barely gave her chance to put her arms back down before he wrapped her in his arms and pulled her against his chest. He pressed his face to the crook of her neck and just inhaled everything that was her. "Erm," she started, slowly sliding her hands around his shoulders. "Hi to you too."
He lifted his head back up and let go with one hand to cup her face. He studied every inch of it as though he was seeing it for the first time, as if he might never see it again. Blue eyes, not black. Blue. Charlotte. He smiled widely, and pressed his forehead to hers with a sigh, his eyes closed. "It's, it's," he swallowed nervously and slowly opened his eyes to see her staring at him with worry. He grabbed her face in both hands and she grabbed onto his wrists as he stroked his thumbs over her cheeks. "Char," he whispered.
"I'm here," she whispered back before she moved one hand to stroke it through his hair. "You want to talk about it?"
He did. And he just wanted to forget everything about it. He nodded his head and went back to wrapping his arms around her and just holding her. "Later."
"Okay," she whispered before she turned her head and kissed his temple. He sighed in relief, his body letting out a sigh of relief as she held onto him as well. She was here, alive, human. "Later."
The sound of another car pulling up made Dean pull away from Charlotte. He wiped a hand over his face and if asked would refuse that he'd been close to crying. He ignored the look Charlotte gave him and turned to the car as it stopped. Sam stepped out and he gave his brother a tight smile before he stepped back to the passenger side of his car and reached through the window. He grabbed Ruby's knife and turned to face Sam.
"Hey Sam," Charlotte said.
He gave her a smile and said, "Charlotte. Dean."
Dean nodded his head and simply held the knife out to Sam, handle first. Sam looked at him for a moment before he took it and Dean licked his lips before he started speaking. "If you're serious and you want back in, you should hang onto this. I'm sure you're rusty." Sam wouldn't look at him and Dean felt like he'd kicked a puppy. "Look, I'm sorry. I don't know, I'm whatever I need to be. But, I- I was wrong."
Sam looked up then with a small frown and nod. "What made you change your mind?"
"Long story." Dean could feel Charlotte staring at his back and he knew he'd owed an explanation. "The point is, maybe we are each others Achilles heels. Maybe they'll find a way to use us against each other, I don't know. I just know, we're all we've got. More than that, we keep each other human." He couldn't help but to glance back at Charlotte who looked at him curiously. Some days, he hated that she could read him so well and he could feel that happening right now.
"Thank you," Sam said, pulling Dean's attention back to him, "I mean it, thank you. I won't let you down. Either of you."
Charlotte stepped up to Dean's side with a shrug and smiled at Sam, "Sam, you can never let me down."
"I know you won't," Dean added. "I mean, you're the second best hunter on the planet."
Charlotte turned to look at Dean with one raised brow. "Dean, you've finally figured out that Sam's better than you."
"Shut up," Dean said with a grin, shoving her shoulder lightly.
Sam chuckled and put Ruby's knife away before he asked, "So, what do we now?"
Dean looked from his brother to his wife and back. This right here was his life, his everything and he nodded his head with certainty. "We make our own future." They would. He was sure. At least, he hoped he was sure.
A/N: Answered questions:
Lexi: Oh trust me, I have certain things planned out. There will be more protective Dean.
JayWinchester: I am so happy with your reaction. Keep your eyes peeled.
Elle: I hope this answers your questions, for what I can do. This story is going to cover seasons 4 and 5. Then the next story in the series will be s6 – 7 because I know how I want that one to end. Again, yes there will be more possessive Dean. Why is Charlotte rarely jealous? Partly because she's dealing with a lot on her plate, there was Cassie and that girl in the supermarket when they were younger. A lot of her behaviour towards Dean is built upon their past history, before their relationship. He's always talked about the girls, about getting laid, kissing, dating, she's used to this idea that Dean has always had a wandering eye. More recently, she's had a lot on her mind, she's spent a lot of time away from Dean and hasn't had much chance to be jealous, I am going to play on this in a short while.
The pet names thing. Again, from childhood they started out insulting each other, which became their way of saying, "You're my friend." Terms such as honey, princess or babe were used to mock and make fun of one another. Gradually over time, because they kept up with a lot of the same attitudes, the "slut" "whore" phrases gradually became their personally pet names for one another. In the eyes of Sam and Natalie, they're weird and disgusting and strange.
To why she got involved with Alex, she was scared to get involved with Dean. Dean's a Hunter, Alex isn't. She doesn't have to worry about Dean dying on a hunt, doesn't have to worry about what trouble he's got himself into next. But mostly because she was scared.
