Chapter 41.
Jack was waiting by the car when Dean got there. "There's one stop I need to make on the way." said Dean.
"To get Castiel's present?" said Jack.
"That's right."
After that, Dean asked questions about car maintenance and Jack grinned as he got one after another right. It was a good way to pass the time and an excellent way not to talk about anything that mattered.
They went to a small family business in an ordinary little town that nobody else at the bunker had probably heard of. Dean had chosen an obscure place and it made him smile that he was so anxious to keep it quiet, when he knew that Cas would show the gift to the others. That didn't matter. He wasn't ashamed of it, he just wanted Cas to see it before they knew what it was.
He went in and found a young man minding the store. "Good morning." he said, "I'm Ted Nugent. You have something for me."
"I do." said the man, "I'll get it. I hope the inscription's okay. Dad and I don't speak Latin."
Dean waited anxiously as the man went into a back room to get it. When he came out, he put a gift box onto the counter. "I like the silver ones. Classy, but understated." he said.
Dean nodded. "Yeah, silver's popular in our family." He opened the box and held the lighter in his hand, turning it over, admiring the workmanship and proofreading the Latin. He was relieved to find it correct. "It's beautiful work." he said, "And the Latin is perfect."
"Good." said the man, "Is it for your son?" He glanced out the window at Jack, sitting in the car.
Dean smiled. "It's for a guy who saved my life." He put the money on the counter and added more. "You did a great job. Thanks."
"You know where to come, if you want anything else like that." said the man.
"Yeah, I think I'll be back." said Dean.
He got back into the car and put the box in his pocket. He hoped it wasn't a stupid present. Cas probably didn't need a lighter, but a hunter should have one and he might need the few words of Latin sometime. He decided to ask Sarah her opinion.
Jack didn't ask what it was. Sometimes, he was very good at staying out of the way and letting Dean decide how much he should know about whatever was going on.
When he arrived at the farm, Sarah was looking out of the window. She opened the front door and he and Jack hurried to meet her. "Are we late?" he said.
"No, not at all." she said, "I'm just very excited about seeing your bunker and meeting Mary and everything else. I love parties!" She took them both by an arm and led them into the kitchen. Food was everywhere, all on plates and trays and smelling delicious. "I made a start on the food. Don't worry. We won't take this today. I still have a lot more to do. Will you be coming to get me tomorrow?"
"I will," said Dean, "And if you need more transport for all your friends here, I can get as many cars and pickups organised as you need." He looked at the food, breathed in the delicious aroma and said, "This is wonderful."
"You look hungry, Dean." she said, "Go on, try some. I won't tell."
"Are you sure?" he said.
"Did you miss breakfast?"
"Did Sam tell tales?" he said.
"So you did miss breakfast."
"We left a little early. I needed to get out of there for a while."
"I had breakfast." said Jack.
"You're young and active. You need extra fuel." said Sarah, "Grab some." She looked at Dean. "Did the talismans work?" she said, starting to fill a plate with varied snacks for him.
"They worked." said Dean.
Her eyes searched his, making him feel very uncomfortable. After a long time, she put the plate in his hands and said, "So you now have the connection thing under control? That must be a relief to both of you."
"Yes, it is." he said. He ate a sausage roll. "You are a great cook!" he said.
"I love to cook." she said, "I never get enough opportunities, these days. Now, I have a lot of decorations to move and a lot of costumes. I know you have a fine collection of Western gear, but I suspect a lot of your friends don't, being refugees and all. I have heaps of spares. We'll get everyone looking good."
"Just one tiny clarification." said Dean, "You have nothing to move. You have things to point at and Jack and I will move them for you."
"Because I'm a little old lady?" she said.
"No, because we are gentlemen." he said.
She smiled. "You are, aren't you? It's sweet of you both."
"We all want Castiel to have a good birthday." said Jack.
"It's a real shame that he doesn't eat," said Dean, "Because this food is delicious!"
"You'll have to eat extra." she said.
"I can handle that." he said.
When they had both finished their taste test of the food, they began to load the car. As they carried the sound equipment to the car, Sarah followed them, saying, "In the old days, we had live music, but I can't arrange that now."
"Don't worry," said Dean, "We'll see what we can do for the next one."
She chuckled as he arranged the equipment in Baby's spacious trunk.
"What?" he said.
"According to Sam, you didn't think parties were a great idea and here you are, on the decorating committee and already planning the next one."
"For the record, I think anything that makes Cas happy is a great idea." he said, "That's why I'm now wearing this bling." He showed her the talisman.
She touched it. "Oh, that looks very interesting. Amazing to think it has so much power."
"Castiel thinks it might be celestial." said Dean, "The enchantment, at least."
"Is it comfortable to wear?" she said and he heard all the other questions she sneaked in with that one.
He looked at Jack, then back at her. "It's fine." he said.
"I think Jack can fetch the costumes." she said, "I think you and I should talk." She led him back into the house. "I know you'll just keep saying everything's fine and I accept that you feel you have to say that. I just want you to know it doesn't fool me and you don't need to lie to me. Any time you want to just tell me what's really going on in that stubborn head of yours, I'm here."
"Thanks. And thanks for whatever you said to Cas yesterday. He says you helped him a lot."
"All I did was help him a little with the subtitles." she said, "He thought you hate his coat. I told him, you just want him to feel safe enough to take it off occasionally."
"And you at least persuaded him to wear a hat to the party." said Dean.
"No. No persuasion necessary. I just gave him advice on which hat looked best. He's trying very hard. He just doesn't know all the rules. The black hat really brings out the blue in his eyes."
"I need an opinion." he said.
"On your choice of clothes?" she said, "Just pick something comfortable to dance in."
"Yeah, I believe I said I don't dance."
"Agreeing to would shut me up." she said.
"I have no wish to shut you up." he said, "Even less wish to dance. I want your opinion on my present for Cas." He took out the box and opened it.
Sarah picked up the lighter. "It's a quality piece." she said.
"Do you think it's the right thing for him. I don't know if you speak Latin ..."
"Enough to know what that says." she said.
"Do you think it's too much?"
"I think it's perfect and brave of you to put it in writing when you so rarely wear your heart on your sleeve."
"Well, most people don't speak Latin."
"Castiel does and Sam does." she said.
"I had to get Sam to translate it for me. I gave him a lot of other phrases too, to throw him off the scent."
"If you're going to those lengths, are you sure you want to give it to him with that clearly written on it?"
"Yeah. I didn't want Sam asking any questions, but I think Cas needs it in writing. After all he's been through, I needed to put it in writing. He forgives me everything, you know, even the stuff I would never forgive."
"Just as you have forgiven him every mistake."
"He knows some of the worst that happened in Hell and he still sees me as human. I stopped feeling human a long time ago."
"You're still human, very human. That's why it hurts so much." she put the lighter back into the box. "Dean, he will treasure this forever."
He put it in his pocket. "Thanks."
Jack came to them, carrying a bag. "Are these clothes to go, too?" he said.
"Those, Jack, are for you." she said, "Try them on when you get home. You are a fraction taller than my Carl, but similar in shape. If they fit you, you can keep them." She looked at Dean, "Are you going to blindfold me for the trip to your top secret bunker?"
He smiled. "I don't think that's necessary.