A/N: We have come to the end of another journey, and I hope you have liked it. I have really enjoyed creating these characters and this AU for your reading pleasure. I hope you will join me again on our next journey in the near future. I have another short story, A Freaky Mishap' that I will start posting in a few days. Thank you everyone for your reviews. Please review/comment. Until next time….NC
Chapter 11
Sam opened the backdoor and let Breeze enter first and followed. He glanced in the kitchen but didn't see anyone and continued into the living room to see Castiel sitting on the couch with a stack of books beside him. He was turning the pages as at steady pace but stopped when Sam and Breeze paused beside him.
"Are you actually reading that fast?" Breeze asked when she noticed how quickly he was turning the pages.
"I have a perfect memory, I only need to see the page for a moment, and it's stored in my memory," Castiel replied looking from Breeze to Sam and then glanced behind them for the other Winchester. "Your brother is not with you?"
"He needs a moment," Sam reported not sure how much information to give the angel. He wasn't sure how to act around him and tried to keep things to himself.
"Your brother morns the loss of his father."
"Yeah, it hit him hard."
"But is he not happy that your father is now with his wife, your mother, in Heaven?"
"That's not the point," Sam tried to explain. "We didn't even get to say goodbye or try to talk him out of his decision. With the yellow eyed demon dead, we could have been a family again." Sam looked at Breeze as she slid closer and hugged him for support.
"I'm not sure I understand human emotions very well. There are so many of them."
"Ummm…I'm going to talk to Bobby."
"I'll stay here with Castiel," Breeze told Sam before going to sit by Castiel. "Do you mind if I join you?"
"No, should I?"
Breeze gave him a puzzled expression at first and smiled at Castiel.
"What's it like, you know, being an angel?" she asked. "I went to church when I was young and learned about angels and all, but still, it was hard to imagine that you were real."
"I'm not sure I can answer your question. I was created by God as a fledging and raised by my older brothers."
"So, Michael helped raise you? Is that why he chose you to do this, watch and help Sam and Dean? Were you, his favorite?"
"There are no favorites in Heaven. We serve a purpose in God's plans. I was a warrior of God and fought alongside my brothers and sisters in heavenly wars."
"Wow, that sounds intense. You don't look like the fighting type."
"I'm not sure what that means. What is the fighting type?"
"Well, you look like a…I don't know…A banker or accountant, not a fighter."
"I am quite capable of fighting when need be."
"Are there a lot of angels here on earth?"
"Not that I know of. We usually remain in Heaven unless given orders otherwise."
"What is God like?"
"I don't know, I have never met him."
"But I thought…Isn't He like your father since He created you?"
"We do call him Father and consider him our Father, but He doesn't have time to talk to all of us individually."
"Yeah, I guess being God is a pretty big deal and all. He does have to look after the entire world. Well, I guess the universe. Do you know what you're supposed to do here on Earth?"
"I have been instructed to help the brothers however I can."
"And if they don't want your help? Dean can be pretty stubborn and hardheaded."
"I will be near if they need me."
"Why would the guy you are possessing say yes to you?"
"He is a devout man and is willing to serve God any way he can even allowing an angel to possess him and use his body for heavenly affairs."
"Okay, not sure I'd be that anxious to do that, but one never knows. I guess it depends on the circumstances."
"Sam is going to call you."
"Breeze, can you come in here?" Sam called from the other room.
"How did you know that?"
"Celestial being, I can hear them talking," Castiel shrugged and went back to his reading.
spn
The fire was dying down on the funeral pyre when suddenly Dean stepped back from the others and stormed away, heading for the woods. He disappeared between the trees without saying a word.
"I'll go after him," Storm told Sam and Breeze as she started after Dean.
"We're heading inside," Sam told her taking Breeze's hand and giving the burned body one final look before turning to head back to the house.
Storm went into the woods the same place Dean did and looked through the forest until she spotted a glimpse of a jacket heading off to the right deeper in the shadows. She sped up trying to keep him in sight so she wouldn't get lost. It took her fifteen minutes to catch him and only then because he had stopped at a fallen tree and was just standing there with his head down. Storm stumbled back when Dean let out a primal wail of grief, rage, pain, and loss.
Storm approached Dean slowly, watching his every move as he stepped to a tree by the fallen one and punched it as hard as he could with his fist. He did it again with the other hand, not caring the skin was breaking and blood was seeping out. He roared again and swung again before stopping as his fingers throbbed from the onslaught. She watched his body deflate, as his shoulders slumped, and his head fell forward, and he fell to his knees. Without further thoughts, Storm closed the space between them and knelt beside Dean so she could wrap her arms around him and pull his heaving body to her own.
"It's okay Babe," she whispered to Dean as she rocked him and cooed to him. "I've got you." She could feel the jerking and trembling of Dean's body as he sobbed into her neck. He wrapped his arms around her waist and held on like his life depended on it. Storm massaged his neck and let him breakdown knowing this is something he needed to do to grieve. She knew he would never do this in front of anyone but her. He could not let himself be seem weak to anyone, he was raised like that by his father, to show no emotions.
Neither spoke as Storm did her best to comfort her lover. She didn't know how long they stayed on the ground until Dean finally stiffened and pulled away from her. He wiped his face with his hand but wouldn't look at her, instead gazed out into the forest.
"I'm here Babe, whatever you need," Storm told him in a soft, caring voice. "I'm here."
Dean nodded slightly that he had heard her as he swallowed hard several times to wet his dry throat and mouth. He didn't trust his voice to answer her and leaned into her embrace for a while longer, absorbing the warmth she had to offer. He felt so cold, drained, and wondered if he would ever feel warm again.
"We'll sit here as long as you need. No rush," Storm told him wiping a stray tear from his face. They were shaded among the trees as the sun slowly rose higher in the clear blue sky. It was like time stood still for them as the rest of the world moved forward. Storm took his bandanna and wiped the blood from his knuckles to assess the damage and was happy to see it wasn't as bad as she thought. She ripped the bandanna in to and wrapped his knucles until she could doctor them better.
"We should…" Dean started in a hoarse, raspy voice, stopping to cough and clear his throat before continuing. "Head back."
"Only if you're ready Babe. Like I said, there's no rush, take all the time you need," Storm assured him.
"I'm fine," he grunted back.
"Like I believe that," she chastised him gently. "I know you better than that and I know you're hurting more than you want anyone to know. Just remember, you're not alone. You've got me, Sam, Breeze, and Bobby. We're all here for you. And the same goes for Sam. We're here for both of you."
"What would I do without you?"
"Let's hope you never have to find out. You're stuck with me mister, and I am not going to let you forget it."
"That's my girl," Dean praised her as he let his lips brush her moist ones and hugged her close before shifting so they could stand. Once he was sure he was steady on his feet, Dean pulled Storm under his arm to hold her close and walked back the way they had come. He took it slow and veered around heavy brush or shrubs, not wanting to let Storm go. She was his lifeline in his darkest times, and he prayed to never lose her.
They made it back to the field and Dean kept his eyes adverted from the smothering remnants of the fire and the ashes that lay in the middle. He had to accept the decisions his father had made and learn to live with them. It would be hard, but he would deal with it in his own way.
Dean didn't head for the house at first. Instead, he moved into the wrecks toward the back where his Baby had been left by Bobby. He walked slowly toward the wreck, sucking in a sharp breath when seeing the damage.
"Oh Dean, I'm so sorry. I can't believe any of you survived that crash," Storm whispered in a scared voice.
"Oh Baby," said Dean in a sorrowful voice. "What did they do to you?"
"Will you be getting another car?"
"No way, absolutely not. I'm going to fix her up as good as new. I can't do nothing else, she's family and we take care of family."
"I think you've got your work cut out for you. I wish I could stay to help, but I probably should be getting back to the bar tomorrow, unless you need me to stay?"
"No, you've done plenty for me and I know you have obligations of your own. You being here now means so much to me. I can never repay you."
"I'll come up with something you can do for me," Storm cooed kissing the side of his mouth and arching her eyebrows.
"You minx and believe me, I'll be your slave to whatever you have in mind." Dean pulled her to his chest and claimed her lips as his own. He felt her press her body to his and groaned as his body responded to her. He broke the kiss and pressed his forehead to Storm's forehead and sighed. "I guess we should head inside before Sammy sends out a search party."
"Yes, and I could use something to drink," Storm agreed. "And I need to check your hands."
They headed for the deck and Dean opened the backdoor for Storm to go in first. She went to the fridge for a drink and got one out for Dean. He headed into the other room and only gave Castiel a disinterested glance before moving by him to the office to find the others in there.
"What's going on?" Dean asked them.
"Hey," Sam greeted his brother, looking him over to be sure he was okay. "I'm helping Bobby do some research for some hunters."
"And I'm doing some research of my own," Breeze added from a corner she was sitting in.
"Bobby, I'm going to start working on the Impala."
"Really?" Sam questioned. "Do you think you can get it running again? I mean, it's took a bad hit by that semi."
"Yes, it may take a while, but she deserves it. I can't lose her too."
"Bree, I told Dean we would probably head out in the morning," Storm told her.
"That's fine with me. Will you be okay Sammy? Should I stay longer?"
"No, I'll be fine. You should get back to your life."
"You guys will be stopping by soon, won't you?"
"Depends on the location of our next hunt."
"What about Castiel?" Sam asked looking toward the living room where the angel was still sitting.
"He can go screw himself for all I care," Dean sneered.
"Dean, just so you know, he can hear you," Breeze told him.
"I don't care."
"Babe, I know you don't like this, but Castiel could be an asset for you guys. He's strong, knowledgeable, can fly, and is willing to help. Don't sell him short."
"Maybe," was all Dean would say. "Why don't I run into town and get us some lunch?"
"I'll go with you," Sam offered getting up from his chair.
"First, I need to clean your hands and check those cuts," Storm told him.
"It's fine Stormy, I've had worse," Dean tried to assure her.
"May I be of assistance?" Castiel asked from the doorway looking at Dean's wrapped hands. He didn't wait for answer but stepped to Dean and grasp his hand letting his grace heal the minor wounds. "They should be okay now."
Dean looked down at his hands and removed the bandannas to see his knucles were healed and showed no signs of the damage he had inflicted on them. He looked up at Castiel with a uncertain look before finally speaking.
"Thanks," Dean mumbled to him as he flexed his fingers.
"Bree and I will stay here and get our things ready to leave tomorrow."
"Alright, we'll be back shortly."
Storm watched the brothers leave and motioned for Breeze to follow her from the office. She captured Castiel's arm and pulled him with her back into the living room and sat down on the couch, pulling the angel down too. Breeze took a seat on the other side and waited for Storm to speak.
"Castiel, I know Dean doesn't want you around, but will you promise me to watch out for the guys? Will you keep them safe and help if they get into trouble?"
"I will, that was my task given to me by Michael."
"And if they need us, will let us know?" Breeze asked. "Sometimes they don't want us to know what's going on. They think they are protecting us, but I'd rather know than not know."
"Breeze is right, no matter what the guys say, you keep us updated," Storm agreed.
"I will do as you ask."
"Thank you and please don't be offended by what Dean said. He's dealing with a lot right now."
"It is hard for humans to accept death, I see."
"Yes, any death is hard especially if it's family or close friends."
"I will watch out for the brothers, you have my word."
"Good, come on Bree let's see if the guys have enough dirty clothes to do laundry and maybe clean the kitchen for Bobby. It's the least we can do for them."
"Sounds good to me."
The girls headed upstairs to gather dirty clothes and while one straightened the bedroom up, the other did a quick clean of the bathroom. They took the clothes downstairs and started laundry before tackling the kitchen. They were partway through the cleaning when Dean and Sam got back with food for lunch.
Storm invited Castiel to join them and try some food, even if he didn't need it. She told him he should experience some human things and he accepted the invitation. Sam questioned Castiel about different things and even Dean lightened up on him at the end.
They finished the meal, and everyone went separate ways, Bobby to the garage, Dean out to the Impala with Castiel trailing along behind him, Sam to the office to check for any cases online, and the girls finished cleaning the kitchen and doing the laundry.
After Dean had looked over his Baby, making mental notes, he headed back to the house to find his brother.
"Hey," Dean called getting Sam's attention. "Wanna join me upstairs for a moment?"
"Sure," Sam said warily, not sure what Dean wanted.
"You stay down here," Dean told Castiel. "Go make nice with the girls or something."
Sam followed Dean upstairs and to their bedroom where he shut the door. He watched Dean move to his duffle and remove the envelope that Michael had given him the day before. He drew in a slow breath as Dean sat down on his bed.
"I figured we should read this together since it's addressed to both of us," Dean told Sam. He held the envelope in his hands and looked at it for a moment before nodding for Sam to join him on the bed. Dean slipped a finger under the flap and carefully opened it, pulling out a folded paper. He couldn't stop his hands from shaking as he unfolded it and recognized their Dad's handwriting. Dean began to read the words out loud to Sam.
'My Sons,
I know you're not going to understand my reasoning for doing what I am about to do. I asked Michael to let me write this before I go. You have grown into strong, wise, amazing young men that I am so proud of. I know I wasn't the best father raising you, and I let my need for revenge overshadow everything else. I want to tell you how sorry I am about that. And Sam, I am so sorry of the way I treated you when you went off to college. I never should have said what I did to you and hope you will forgive me.
Dean, you took on the role of mother, father, and brother to Sammy and raised him better than I ever could. I don't think I ever thanked you for that. You did what I couldn't do and even took care of me all those times when I should have been taking care of you. You became an adult while still just a kid and that should not have happened. Forgive me for that.
When Michael offered me the choice of going to Heaven to be with my Mary, I couldn't turn it down. I have missed her so much, boys. Something inside of me died the day she died and my heart broke. And to have this chance to be with her again…It gives me hope and so much joy.
You boys are grown men now and don't need me anymore. You haven't needed me for a long time and that is okay. I'm glad you've learned to take care of each other and have found young women to share your lives with. I can tell both of them are deeply in love with you two and will give you the support and love you need. Don't let that go. Go live your lives, if you want to stop hunting, do it, don't let it consume you like it did me.
I love you boys so much and one day, hopefully not any time soon, we will be together again. We'll be a family.
Dad'
Sam wiped his face as tears ran down his cheeks and accepted the letter from Dean to look at. Dean got up and moved to the window and looked out it as he tried to keep his emotions under control. He drew in some slow breaths and heard Sam sob softly. He turned and sat down beside Sam and pulled him into a tight hug.
"We'll be okay Sammy," Dean mumbled to him as Sam wrapped his arms around Dean and returned the hug.
They stayed that way until Sam pulled away and folded the letter and returned it to the envelope. He slipped it into his journal so he could keep it.
"Why don't we go see what the girls are doing?"
"Okay," Sam replied softly.
He got up and followed Dean back downstairs to find the girls talking to Castiel. They fell silent and looked at them, neither saying anything about the brothers' red rimmed eyes and pinched expressions. The girls got up without saying a word and gave their guys hugs and let them know they were there for them.
spn
The next morning was filled with tearful goodbyes and promises from the guys that they would be stopping by the bar in the near future. Goodbyes were offered to everyone before Storm and Breeze packed Storm's car, and they headed back to the Sniper's Nest. Dean was going to spend the day on the Impala and Sam joined him offering his help. Dean had him searching for replacement parts for his Baby online, thinking he was better suited for that.
It was moving slowly, but Dean had no doubt that he would get his Baby running again and they would be back on the road looking for hunts and continuing the family business. Their Dad was gone, but they were happy he was with their Mom again and was at peace. Now, they had an angel on their side to help which gave them an advantage over the monsters they hunted. It seemed Lady Luck was on their side this time and whatever the future held, they would face it together and with the ones they love by their sides. They had the support of two, strong minded, loving women, who would keep them grounded and give their support, no matter how hard it became. They were not along in their fight against the evil of the world.
The End
