Chapter 6.

Sam ate a simple, solitary breakfast and then waited in the kitchen, hoping Dean might soon be there. He would have liked to take something to Dean in his room, but Dean had been very clear about not wanting that. He knew he would need to be patient, but patience was difficult when he knew that his brother was once more going through Hell alone.

Jack appeared first. Sam stood. "Hey, Jack. How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine." said Jack, reliably Winchester in his response.

"Cas said you weren't feeling so good." said Sam, "Sit down. I'll get you some breakfast."

"I'm feeling better today. I think maybe it was a twenty-four hour thing." said Jack, "Castiel made me tomato rice soup."

"Really?" said Sam, "Dean used to make that for me when I was a ... " He stopped himself just in time. Jack was not a kid. "When I got sick." he said.

"Where is Dean?" said Jack.

"Still sleeping, I hope." said Sam, "Rest is good. You want some eggs?"

"Yeah, great, thanks."

Cas came in. "Is Dean up yet?" he said.

"No. Not yet. Jules?"

"Ghoul thing, Fort Riley. She's meeting her team there."

Her team. Cas often hunted with them, but didn't see himself as a member. His attention turned to Jack. "Are you feeling any better?" he asked.

"I'm good." said Jack, "Whatever it was, it's gone."

"That's good." said Cas, relief evident in his voice and expression.

"Thanks for the soup. I think that's what fixed it."

Cas smiled. "Anytime." Sam could see how much he enjoyed playing a fatherly role. He saw anything he could do for Jack as a privilege.

"Would you like some breakfast?" said Sam.

"No." said Cas, "I don't need anything, thanks." He watched the door for a while as Sam prepared Jack's meal, then he said, "Maybe I shouldn't be here. Too many people, too soon and one an angel."

"Cas ... " Sam began.

"I told you, I'm fine with it. Of course he wants me to keep my distance. Of course he does."

"He said he doesn't want you to." said Sam, giving Jack his food.

"And also that he does."

"Thanks." said Jack, not taking his eyes off Cas.

"He can't help what he feels, after what happened to him, but he is fighting it and we can't help him fight it if you stay out of his way." said Sam.

"I should check on my car anyway." said Cas.

"Check on your car?"

"She may need oil." said Cas. He left the room.

Sam sighed. "Things will never get back to normal if we carry on like this."

"I think he's afraid." said Jack.

"Yeah, I know."

"And I am too. If Dean hates angels now, what about nephilim?"

"Dean doesn't hate angels ... Well, no more than usual." said Sam, "And Dean will never hate you or Cas. Just think of him as surviving a fight he thinks he lost. He's pretty beat up, but he'll get better. It's just that, for now, he feels like he was defeated."

"He beat Michael enough to get free."

"Other factors caused Michael to leave."

"But Dean was part of it. Dean resisted Michael."

"Yes, he did. To us, he's superhuman. To himself, fatally flawed,"

"Maybe I should take him some food." said Jack.

"No. He said he doesn't want any taken to him." said Sam.

Jack gave up. He ate for a while and then looked up at Sam and said, "You look tired. Did you even get any sleep?"

"Yeah. I'm okay." said Sam.

"The Winchester chorus!" said Dean, coming into the kitchen, pulling his jacket on.

"What can I get you?" said Sam.

"Nothing. I'm going out for a few hours. Sarah has an intermittent fault on her electrics. I said I'd look into giving her some wiring and stuff from here. Our bulbs can last centuries. I just need to look her system over."

"You need a hand?" said Sam.

Dean gave him an odd look, his eyes guarded and uninformative. "Nah, you stay here. I'll be back for lunch." He looked at Jack. "You look pale, kid."

"I'm fine." said Jack.

"Yeah, sure you are. We'll all fine. We're all okay. That's what the Pact says, right? Is Cas ... "

"Garage." said Sam.

"Okay. Right. Good. I'll see him on my way out, then. Okay."

When he'd gone, Jack said, "Going to Sarah is good, right?"

"Yeah, that's good." said Sam.

"What does he mean about the Pact?"

"He means, 'Don't ask, don't tell.'"

"What does that mean?" said Jack.

"It means he's not ready to talk. It means he's planning to try handling this alone. It means I'm a crappy brother."

"No!" said Jack with unexpected force, "Nothing Dean has ever said or would ever say means that!" He coughed.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Fine. Just need a drink." said Jack. Sam poured out some orange juice and gave it to him. Jack nodded his thanks and took a long drink before saying, "I'm fine. I promise."

"Yeah. That's what the Pact says." said Sam, "I might just ... " He gestured to the doorway and then went through it.

When he got to the library, his mother looked up from a book. "Sam! Is Dean with you?"

"Dean's heading to Ionia." he said.

"How did he seem to you?" she asked.

"He seemed fine." he said, hating himself for the lie.

"Oh. Good. I thought about going to his room, but it would seem like checking up on him and he looks so wary whenever we show concern."

"If there's one thing Dean hates, it's concern." said Sam, "He's always so afraid of anyone caring about him. Speaking of concern, I'd appreciate it if you kept an eye on Jack. He says he's fine and I'm sure he is, but you know how fast and how quietly he can go from fine to not fine and I'd feel a lot better knowing he had someone looking out for him."

"Of course." she said, "And then you can dedicate all your time and energy to worrying about your brother, who seems fine, but definitely isn't."

"Yeah." he admitted.