Chapter 6: Little piece of Heaven
"Wow, Sam… You really did all that?" Dean gave him a curious look, one brow raised in slight suspension. Right. Dean still thought Sam was… well… Sammy, his little clueless, too trusting brother. And as much as Sam hated it, he knew he couldn't tell him yet. He couldn't tell him the truth. Not the whole truth anyway.
"Yeah… Well, I mean, I had a little help from that future Sam, he shared a few interesting... um… Things…" Sam said, avoiding Bobby's disapproving glare. He should not have been surprised to see a supportive look in his father's eyes, though. Of course John would think it was wiser to keep something a secret. That alone should have had Sam worried.
"Really?" Dean asked, turning bodily towards Sam, giving him his full attention. Sam didn't like it. But how could he tell Dean that he wasn't his little brother anymore, that he was in fact over ten years older. But then something in his features softened, his eyes fell to the ground as he cleared his throat. "Bobby, he, um… He told me that… That Sam died. That he… That he protected you, both of you and… I don't know, it's weird."
If you only knew. Sam though. He knew what Dean was trying to say, that he was sorry for the older version of him passing, but that he still had this Sam and it was okay. Except it was not okay, because this Sam wasn't his baby brother and if Dean knew, he would certainly mourn the loss. It would hit him hard.
"I don't really know what happened." Sam started. "One minute there was this guy there, it seemed like they were gonna fight, you know, but like with, I dunno, their minds or something… then Sam, he… He stepped up just as the guy was about to… blast me away and… I don't know what happened then." He said, choosing his words to better suit his younger self. He paused, dramatically, on purpose. "Dean, I… Ever since it happened, I feel… I feel different. It's like… It's almost like he's… like he's in here with me."
"You mean like possessing you?" Dean questioned, looking alarmed. In the background, where Dean couldn't see him, Bobby rolled his eyes.
"No, no, no…" Sam hurried to say, "More like… Like I have his memories. Like I can see what happened in his, in our lives… Sometimes." Sam said, working around the lie he was trying to fabricate, tangling himself too much, and wishing he didn't say anything in the first place.
"That could come in handy." John piped in, and Sam was grateful for it.
"Yeah, yeah. Like how I knew about the demon cure." Sam said. "I mean, I am not sure how they made it, but I know it exists." He added, making his memories look not so concrete, but rather shadows of the future events. And this presented a great opportunity to derail from the topic.
"I also vaguely remember this guy - I think it is that angel you were talking about - Cas… Castiel? He's got dark hair, about your height, wears a trenchcoat?"
"Yeah, that's the guy. What do you remember about him?" Dean asked. He seemed interested, curious, probably still wondering the same question he was asking himself ten years for now - why would an angel save him.
"Well… I got this feeling like the angels in general are bad news, but Cas…tiel is… or will be different. He… He becomes a friend." Sam added and watched as Dean nodded, falling deep in thought for a moment.
"Yeah, that's what he said too…"
"Said what?"
"That he's a friend." Dean said, his answers chipped. Sam knew Dean got like this when he was uncertain about something, and Sam didn't want to push. Luckily for him, John did.
"Maybe… Maybe your new friend could take me up to heaven?" He offered. Dean clearly wanted to protest, not yet ready to let dad go. "It's okay, son. You both know I don't belong here. My place is by your mother's side. It is over. We did it. We got the thing that killed mom. And now it is time for me to rest." He said, setting his hand on Dean's shoulder, oddly not falling through. Sam noticed and frowned, but said nothing. Perhaps this was just his spirit learning how to be more substantial, ghosts learned that better over time.
"Yeah, you're right." Dean finally said, breathing in and out. Settling in the idea that this was a goodbye, he nodded to himself then looked up at Sam, his eyes turning uncertain. "Castiel told me… He said I could pray?... To him. Anytime. And that he would come. You think he was bullshiting me?"
"No, I think he'd come if you called."
Dean must have felt stupid, cuz it took him a while and eventually he moved out into the yard to summon Cas, as per Sam's suggestion. The truth was, Sam wasn't really ready to meet Castiel yet, not sure if the angel in full power he once was would see what lay beyond the surface. If he would see that this was the older Sam and that he carried some of God's energy within him?
But he did watch, from the sidelines (or from the upper bedroom window), curious to see and to remember how Cas was back then. The two of them didn't have much contact before Sam threw himself in the cage, and even after, when Cas saved him, he was without a soul and it was just… Different. On the other hand, he and Dean had that profound bond thing, and Sam sort of wanted to see how it worked. How were they towards one another back then?
"Dear Castiel, the angel… Sorry to bug you, but… Sam's turned up, he came back from hell and he sort of brought someone along…" Dean started, and Sam huffed a laugh. Dean was so much more fearful and respectful it was funny to see. The wind picked up and a flap of wings echoed in the wide yards, Castiel appearing before Dean in thin air. Sam gasped, having forgotten that this Castiel still had his wings.
"Hello, Dean." The deep voice echoed, always the same.
"Hi, Castiel. Um…"
"Sam returned? Is he alright?" Castiel asked, a strange concern in his voice Sam didn't expect to hear.
"Yeah, no, he's okay, he managed to claw his way back up. But also…" Dean trailed off, looking behind him. John slowly materialized, stepping out of the house. There was a moment of a bewildered look on Castiel's face, but it was quickly wiped away.
"Oh, I see." the angel said. " He managed to take your father's spirit as well." Then he turned to address John. "I am pleased to see You here, safe and sound." What did he mean by that? As an angel, Castiel knew how demons were created, that they were nothing but tortured, corrupted souls, and John was still himself, but he was 'pleased' about it? Something felt off.
"Yeah… And we were wondering if there was a chance you might take him to heaven? Because, you know, he can't stay here, ghosts don't belong here, and we… he can't go back down." Dean started ranting and ended with a sort of a whine, pleading Castiel to agree. Sam had his suspicions that Castiel would do it, at least having to check with his superiors first, and if he did that, Zachariah or Michael might order him to send John back down, to break the first seal. Sam set Hell straight, but Heaven still needed persuasion that the apocalypse didn't need to happen, and that was a much harder task.
"Of course. I will take his soul up to Heaven, where it always belonged." Castiel said, much to Sam's surprise. "Perhaps, afterwards, you could help me?" Castiel proposed, and whoa! No, something was definitely off, Castiel didn't ask, he ordered. He came, told Dean about a seal they needed to stop from breaking and leave to fight some Heavenly battles. But if the seals weren't being broken right now, what was the angel doing? What did he need help with?
"Um, sure, I guess? Help with what?" Dean asked, and Sam huffed a smile. Even this young, he and Dean were still on the same wavelength.
"A fellow angel. She was a friend once, perhaps, she could be persuaded to be a friend again." Castiel answered, and oh, he was talking about Anna. Yes, she could be a friend. If they talk her out of killing their parents.
Castiel walked closer to John, and it was normal to see the mistrust in his dad's posture, but there was also some sort of unease there too, the kind that came from fear of being lesser and respect for something that is definitely above humans. It was strange to see John in such an awe. With a loud whoosh they disappeared. Dean just stood there, looking at the place his father's spirit last stood.
Sam sighed. It was never easy to say goodbye, even knowing that sometimes it might not be permanent. In any case, they could always hope to see each other in Heaven eventually. Still, this Dean was still young, the loss still fresh and hard, all that he had left were Bobby and Sam. And he needed their comfort. So Sam found his way downstairs and into the yard. He set a hand on Dean's shoulder, startling him from his thoughts and offered a small smile. But Dean, as he was, of course, wouldn't talk about it.
"You seen the guy? Some angel, huh? Looks like an accountant. " Dean offered instead.
"Yeah, he kinda does." Sam replied with a laugh.
"You really think we could trust him?" Dean wondered.
"Not sure." Sam replied, and that was the truth. If this was their Cas there would be no doubt in his mind, but with Castiel, this soldier version of him, Heaven's tool, he just couldn't know. Especially after all the changes he managed to make. He still remembered the Castiel that came the day they brought John back to 2019. That Castiel nearly killed Dean. Sam couldn't take that chance.
"He is weird though. Not what I expected an angel to be like. But what do I know, the other one didn't look like an angel either, looked like a corporate pushover, so…"
"Other one? What other one?"
"Yeah, I don't know his name, but he was bold and ugly looking, bit older, a real douchebag. Pointy nose, dimples, grinch smile. Gave me the heebie-jeebies." Dean explained. Sam tried not to show it, his face remaining curious, but he knew exactly who he was talking about. Zachariah. Question was, why was he there?
"But man, you should have seen Castiel, he was awesome. Told that douche to go fuck himself. "
"He what?" Yeah, no way Sam could contain his surprise.
"Yeah, he told him to fuck off and that he won't do what he told him - man, it was like he quoted Rage against the machines." Dean said with a wide grin. "Oh, oh, and get this, when the other angel left with his tail between his legs, I asked him if he just quoted the song."
"And what did he say?" Sam asked, bewildered. The answer here should be something in the lines of "I don't understand that reference." , but Sam feared that was not what he would get.
"He looked back at me and quoted the Terminator. Can you believe that?! Man, it was so cool. The guy has that deep voice and when he said "come with me if you want to live", oh, man…" Dean was clearly excited, mimicking Castiel's voice, but Sam paid him no mind. He tried to work it out, if it was indeed possible that… No, the soldier Castiel didn't know pop culture, and on top of that, he wouldn't…
A loud crash echoed in Bobby's kitchen and both boys snapped back to the house, instantly on alert. Together, they ran to the door, hearing Bobby cursing up a storm, but his voice seemed more annoyed than anything.
"My apologies, Bobby." Castiel's voice echoed.
"Off with you and yer apologies, look what you did, you idjit! Damn winged dimwit destroyed half of my damn kitchen." Bobby yelled, and Sam and Dean got inside just in time to see Castiel slowly rising to his feet, a split lip and a newly forming bruise on his face, and his angel blade drawn. There were pieces of broken plates, glasses everywhere, and a big hole where Bobby's fridge used to be.
"What the hell happened?!?" Dean shouted and Castiel turned, his injuries slowly disappearing, swept clear by his grace. He tucked his blade back in his sleeve and looked remorseful.
"I had an altercation with another angel after I dropped off your father."
"Is he…" Dean tried, but Castiel shook his head.
"No, he is fine, he is with Mary. He is happy."
"Then what…"
"I am… Not welcome in Heaven." Castiel replied to Dean's unspoken question.
"Is that because of what you said that douche back in the barn?" Dean asked, but before Castiel could answer, Sam interjected without thinking.
"What did you say?"
"I said…" Castiel started, but trailed off, looking back at Sam. He frowned. He didn't tilt his head, he didn't squint, he frowned. He must have noticed there was something different about Sam, but could he see it? And, would it even matter? Because if he could see it, if he could see God's power coursing through Sam's body and he could see that this was a much older version of Sam, it would be bad, because Castiel would immediately raise an alarm. On the other hand, Cas wouldn't.
"... I said…" Castiel continued, "...I told him I had Michael's sword and that Michael couldn't have it."
A lightbulb exploded at the same time as the sink started spraying water everywhere from a broken faucet and Bobby and Dean scrambled to shut the circuit and the water valve, so that nobody got electrocuted. But Sam and the angel remained where they were, silently staring into one another, trying to figure out who exactly the other person was. Sam hot the stupidest idea in his mind, but somehow knew it would work.
"Um… Do you…" he felt stupid even asking that, "... do you know why the six is afraid of seven?" As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he wished he could take them back, Castiel's deepening frown indicating that an angel of the Lord did not like to be joked with. But then Castiel huffed a smile, a genuine, honest-to-whatever smile and dropped his gaze, shaking his head. He chuckled for a moment before looking back up at Sam.
"Because seven ate nine."
Sam paused, bewildered and not quite sure yet, or was it just his wishful thinking, but Cas had that hopeful look in his eyes that so did not fit the all powerful, mighty angel Castiel. So, like in one of those stupid spy movies Dean liked so much, to Cas's coded answer Sam offered a coded reply.
"And I always thought it was because they were prime numbers."
The laugh that spilled out of Cas was something unheard of, like ever before, but it made Sam start to laugh too, filled with relief. Cas was here, the real Cas, their friend, their brother, their family. Sam might not have known how it happened, but there will be time for that later.
He took a step forward and extended his arms and Cas fell right into it, both of them hugging in relief, a short, brotherly pat-on-the-back hug.
"So glad to see you, buddy."
"As I am, Sam." Cas replied as they pulled back. It was that exact moment that Dean chose to re-enter the kitchen.
"What is going on here?" He asked, frowning. The water from the sink stopped spraying minutes ago.
"Oh, I…" Cas stepped aside, actually blushing,but Sam was quick on his toes.
"Castiel here was just telling me I am free of the demon blood. I forgot to tell you, I puked it all out when that future me disappeared, and Castiel just confirmed it was all gone." Sam said, throwing Cas a meaningful look. It was a real testimony to Cas's family membership that they could communicate so much with a single glance, Sam telling Cas that Dean didn't know about him yet.
Luckily, Dean seemed to buy it. "Awesome. Now quit standing there and help me get this shit cleaned up."
Took some time, but eventually they cleaned the mess, and Cas promised to replace all the dishes and the refrigerator and the cupboard as soon as possible. Bobby grumbled under his breath and Dean complained, after all that hard work he didn't get to sit and take a cold one, because apparently Cas smashed all the beer upon his landing.
"I apologize, Dean, I will get you…"
"Don't bother, Castiel, Dean is just being whiney." Sam supplied.
"Bitch."
"Jerk."
Cas tried to conceal a small smile, but Sam caught it, huffing one himself.
"You princesses stop with the bickering." Bobby grumbled. "And you-" he added pointing a finger at Cas, making the angel hunch in on himself as if he was a kid about to be scolded for putting his hand in the cookie jar "- start talkin'. What in the blazes happen'd and whadit have to involve redecorating my kitchen?"
"I… While I was carrying your father's soul…"
"Carrying?" Dean made a yuck face, and Sam chuckled.
"Yes, that is the term, a soul needs to be carried up to Heaven. But before you ask, no, I did not literally carry him, caveman or bridal style." Cas replied and Dean choked on thin air while Sam started laughing harder. Even the future Cas wasn't this funny. The angel continued. "As I was saying… I deposited your father's soul into his and Mary's joined Heaven and after that I ran into a fellow angel. Uriel." Cas said the name, more for Sam's benefit then for anything else.
"The angel I mentioned before I left, the one that might… take our side, her name is Anna. And Uriel, he… he stole her grace in a manner of speaking."
"Stole her whatta?" Dean asked.
"Her angelic grace, her essence. Her… Mojo."
"Awesome." was, as always, Dean's way of expressing astonishment.
"Anyway… When I saw him up in Heaven, I confronted him about it and we fought. He called reinforcements and I got away just in time."
"And Anna's grace?" Sam asked. Without a word, Cas opened his trenchcoat and took out a vial with a blue liquid substance swirling inside. Grace. Sam hummed in acknowledgement, seemingly intrigued by the sight, but really just relieved.
"Great, we got the angel mojo, now all we gotta do is find the angel, right?" Dean asked. Cas glanced Sam's way, then gave Dean the same long look so as not to raise suspension, before he answered.
"I know where we can find her."
"One question." Dean said, perking his lips, looking all serious, to Sam, it was a really adorable face. "When you said that she would take our side... What side are we talking about?" He asked Cas and widened his eyes at the angel's reply.
"The side that doesn't want the apocalypse to happen."