Because Dean is a hugger, don't you ever dare to doubt it.


Chapter 23

Adam swallowed hard, extremely nervous and insecure. He didn't know what to say, what to do. It took him a long time to finally raise his head and face his brothers, or that's how it felt to him.

"Hello," he tried first, his voice almost squeaking.

Well, it was as good a start as any. Dean kept staring at him, mutilating the poor box of pizza in his hands, but Sam drew out a gun and very slowly aimed it at his face.

"Michael?" he asked cautiously.

The boy inhaled sharply, almost stepping back. Having a gun pointing at him was not a reassuring experience, but he understood. There were a few explanations to be delivered. However, he noticed how Sam's hands were slightly shaking, his jaw clenched, and that he hadn't disabled the safety of the gun yet.

"No, not Michael. Just me."

It took a few seconds of stalling silence, but eventually Sam lowered his weapon and put it away. Dean let go of the box and started advancing towards his littlest brother, his eyes wide and inspecting every single feature of him, as if convincing himself that what he was seeing was real. Adam fidgeted under his gaze, unsure what to expect.

"Adam," the hunter stated, stopping right in front of him, and it didn't sound like a question.

"Yes," he nodded.

And suddenly he was being wrapped in strong arms, hugged tightly. Startled at first, it barely took Adam a second to recover, relief flooding him and returning the affection. When Dean finally released him, it was to be trapped in another bone-crushing hug by his other older brother.

"Welcome back, Adam."

"So it worked," Dean spoke, amazed and with a small hopeful smile displayed on his face. "You've been freed from the Cage. Are you... do you feel ok?"

"I don't know what you mean with 'working', but..." he looked earnestly at both of them. "I've never been in the Cage. The moment I said yes to Michael and he possessed my body, I was sent back to Heaven. Because that was the deal I had made with Zachariah, to meet with my mum up there. I wasn't needed for anything else anyway."

"Say what?" Dean frowned.

"You... you were never..." Sam stuttered, confused.

"I'm sorry for leaving you alone, Sam," Adam apologized, sadness and remorse tainting his voice. "I know you both believed that I was there in the Cage, but it wasn't true. I was able to hear you from my heavenly piece, every time one of you grieved for me. I wanted to reach out to you, to do anything to make you know that I was fine, but I couldn't. I'm really sorry."

"The hell you're saying?" Dean rebuked, grabbing his shoulder. "If you never were in the Cage that's good, that's... that's awesome. I just don't understand? When I asked Death to retrieve you and Sam's soul, he made me choose."

The silver-eyed celestial being in the room chose that moment to wilfully clear his throat, reminding them that there were more people around.

"Eh, excuse me for interfering with this very emotional and heart-wrenching reunion," Balthazar called to them from the chair in which he had comfortably sat. "But what makes you think Death should grant all your wishes? Be grateful that he complied to even one. Death plays by its own rules, and very likely when he said that he was playing with you too. Compared to the current Billie, the previous boss actually had some sense of humour."

"So that's why I didn't have a single memory of you," Sam only now realized. "Michael said you 'weren't home', and we were told that my soul was the only source of amusement for Lucifer, but when my mindwall broke... I wondered why I couldn't remember you, Adam."

"And that slimey bastard of Crowley probably never bothered to tell Cas that there was one supposed inmate missing from the Cage, when all he cared about was to get his hands on Purgatory."

"I'm truly sorry, guys. I never got the chance to even thank you for coming back for me when Zachariah fooled me, but thanks," the boy lamented, finally getting it out of his chest. "You two got old, by the way."

"Why you little..." Dean feigned offense, while Sam laughed it off. "Not all of us were relaxing in a cloud while the world turned to crap, you... you brat. You don't know it, but we've had a rough time in the last eight years."

"Actually I do!" Adam smiled sincerely. "Your friend Ash hacked me in after my second death. All of us in the Roadhouse receive periodical Winchester updates. This said, there's another person I want to greet now."

Under the confused looks of his brothers, Adam walked to the first table in the library, where the Prophet of the Lord had also got up from his seat.

"Hey, Kevin Solo!" he said confidently. "So this is where you have run off to!"

"Hey there, pal!" Kevin greeted back, and they bumped fists as if it was usual for them. "Glad to see you also made it back to life!"

"Seems like that, yeah. I even got a cool 'Principality' tattoo in my neck and everything."

"It's the trend right now," the dark-haired teenager joked. "The two other buddies here, Jack and Kaia, are already sleeping but they have one too. And three other girls that are coming over. Tsk, perhaps I should get a second tattoo for myself?"

The Winchester brothers stared flabbergasted at the two boys, chatting like long-time friends.

"Wait, so you know each other?" Sam asked. "How?"

"Sure we do," Kevin answered. "I told you that I had met many of your friends in Heaven, not only Donatello. Adam is actually my best friend."

"I met them too," Adam added, and then turned towards Jessica. "And I also knew about you, even if we couldn't talk before because you weren't aware of the supernatural yet. Nice to meet you at last, future half-sister-in-law!"

"Likewise," she smiled back. "And thank you."

"Good thing we already have the rooms ready," Dean commented. "But here's a problem: there won't be enough for everyone. So you kids ok with being roommates?"

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Castiel returned to the bunker two days later with Claire, Alex and Patience, each one carrying a different coloured duffel. The blonde girl had insisted in driving her own car, because sure as hell she wasn't going to leave behind her own weapons and other equipment, as well as her independency (and if a certain stuffed cat was part of said equipment, that was her own business and nobody's else). When they arrived, it was like a festival of obliged hugs that the hunters faked to barely withstand as much as the young huntress did.

"Adam," Castiel frowned upon seeing him, but he recovered quickly and smiled beatifically. "I was informed of your return by Balthazar. It is good to see you in good health."

"Thanks, Castiel," the boy nodded, letting go of his nervousness.

"Hey, Grumpy Kitten," Dean smirked at Claire, pointing at the four bags that the angel had carried downstairs. "How much luggage did you bring? Closets aren't exactly spacious here, you know?"

"They must be big enough if you hid in them for so long, Dean," Claire mocked him back, puzzling the freckled man. "But only one duffel per head. The fourth one," her mood dropped, taking back a dark green bag from the angel's hands and harshly throwing it at Kaia's feet, "is for her. Jody packed some old clothes that she thought could fit her."

It was obvious that Jessica's clothes didn't really suit the avatar girl, but it had been an improvised solution. Disregarding the huntress' impolite manners, Kaia crouched and picked up the bag.

"Thank you for bringing this to me, Claire."

The blonde snorted, ignoring her. It wasn't as if she had anything to do with it, not really. Jody had been the one to ask her that favour.

"So, girls," Sam spoke. "There aren't enough bedrooms here for everyone, so some of you youngsters need to bunk together. Adam is staying with Kevin in his room, nÂș12, and Kaia is next to what used to be our friend Charlie's room..."

"I'm not bunking with her," Claire immediately grunted in contempt. "I'll room with Alex. At least her I already know."

Giving the tense atmosphere, nobody tried to object.

"Well, there's also room 16, next to Castiel's," Sam suggested.

"I'll do it," Patience offered, looking gently at the dreamwalker. "I mean, if it's ok with you. I'd like to know you better, since we didn't really have a chance the other times we met."

"That would be nice, to make a few friends in this world after being on my own for so long. Thank you, Patience," Kaia said, a bit moved. "Come with me, we're in room 19."

After the two girls crossed the threshold to the hallway under the skeptic gaze of the female Novak, she turned around to take her duffel and noticed the presence of the nephilim, just standing there near Castiel and herself.

"Uh? What are you doing here?"

"Me?" Jack frowned a bit, disconcerted by the question. "I live here."

"You live here?" she repeated. "Why? I thought you were just an odd guy that got mixed in some weird stuff with Kaia. The real Kaia."

"No, not at all. I've been living here since I was born, even before Castiel returned from the Empty."

"What does he have to do with anything?"

"Because Castiel is my father."

The previously already tense atmosphere in the war room suddenly felt as diamond dust. Dean and Sam looked at each other, silently debating if intervening or not in the obvious misunderstanding this would lead to, but at the end deciding that it was up to their feathered friend to deliver an explanation. Jessica, Kevin and Adam looked equally dubious from their seats in the library.

"Say what again?" the girl practically growled in a low voice.

"Claire, it is not what you think," Castiel hurried to say. "Please, allow me to explain."

"What does it matter to you?" Jack asked, confused by the huntress' evident anger.

"Jack, you know that angels like me need a vessel to walk the Earth. The body I now inhabit belonged to a good and devoted man named Jimmy Novak before he died. Claire is his daughter."

The nephilim took a few seconds to assimilate the information, but when he did, a big cheerful grin broke in his face.

"Sister!" he exclaimed happily, throwing his arms around the girl in a bear hug. "Sister, my sister!"

"What are you doing, freak?!" Claire yelled, pushing him away, but unsatisfactorily this didn't make him lose his smile. "Let go of me!"

"If Castiel is my father and you're his vessel's daughter, that makes you my sister!"

"CASTIEL!" she shouted furiously, gutting the angel with a look. "What the hell have you been doing with my dad's body? Parading him around? Have you really fathered this guy?"

"That is not..." the seraph panicked. "Well, technically yes, I accepted the responsibility for Jack's life, but..."

"Fuck you," Claire spat, despise in her voice and hurt in her eyes. "And fuck you big, Castiel. You and your boy."

Not wanting to keep seeing the angel, she stormed down the hallway without a second glance or another word. Alex sighed deeply, pretty much used to the Novak's outbursts.

"I apologize in her name," the girl said regretfully, taking both her duffel and Claire's from the floor. "I don't fully understand what this was about, but I know she didn't mean it. Not like that, at least. When Claire lets out a bit of steam she'll come back to talk to you, so let her be for a little, ok?"

"I... I will, then. Thank you for the advice, Alex."

The nurse nodded, going after her friend to room 16. Slowly, everyone let go of the breath they had been holding.

"Well, that could have been worse," Dean said, softly slapping his angel's back in support. "Want a beer to cool down?"

"No, Dean," he replied, sad. "I am not currently in a proper mindset to enjoy an alcoholic beverage."

"Why was she so angry?" Jack inquired. "Does she hate me?"

"Nobody hates anybody, Jack," Sam instantly jumped to dispel the idea, before any misunderstandings could find home in the nephilim's head. "It's just that Claire didn't really know about you, but it's ok. It will be ok, don't worry."

"So, referring to the Nine Choirs spell and the apexes sigils," Kevin asked, "what about these girls?"

"I inspected them at Jody's house," Castiel confirmed. "They are authentic, like Adam's. Claire is 'Seraphim', Alex is 'Virtue', and Patience is 'Throne'."

"So we have six, only three more to go until we slam the door on AltMichael's face," Dean commented.

"Yeah. We still need a 'Cherubim', 'Dominion' and 'Angel' person," Sam summarized. "But we only know about the seventh channel being in Hell that Gabriel went to rescue. I wonder who and where are the last two?"

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

A couple of hours later, Sam and Jessica had moved to the kitchen in order to cook lunch together for the sudden troop of eaters they had got. Dean was in the far end of the library with a laptop, trying to show Adam and Kevin how much technology had advanced since they died, while Jack watched. The girls were nowhere in sight, likely resting and getting used to the bunker. Castiel was in the war room part, reading a Gardening for dummies book that Sam had gotten for him, when Claire sat demurely beside him.

"Claire," Castiel murmured anxiously, closing the book and focusing all his attention on the girl.

"I talked to Jody on the phone," she started in a repenting tone. "And she told me the story behind your supposed son. I... I wanted to say that I'm sorry."

"It is alright, Claire," the angel said, forgiving. "You had the right to be angry if you thought that I was disrespecting your father's body."

"But that's exactly the matter!" she insisted, nervously playing with her fingers. "I'm not apologizing only for the scene I made, I also... sigh. I didn't realize it until now, but I should say goodbye to Dad once and for all. Seeing you like a remnant of him, it hurts, when I know he's not here anymore. He's gone, and this body isn't his anymore, it's yours. And... that's ok."

Castiel was rendered speechless for a moment, a warm feeling enveloping his grace at the huntress' acceptance.

"Claire, I also have something that I want to share with you," he said, turning his body to be fully in front of her, hands resting on his knees. "During my recent and unexpected calling to Heaven, I seized the opportunity to visit your parents, and... I discovered that Jimmy and Amelia were together, sharing their piece. Now, it is imperious that you comprehend how exceptional this is, because only soulmates can do that, and they are extremely rare. Yet your parents were able to find each other once again, because they were part of those special people."

Claire listened intently, stunned, her eyes glistening and mouth dry due to the turmoil of her emotions.

"Dad disappeared, and Mum left me to go looking for him," she whispered, voice breaking and tears beginning to fall. "He never came back, and she died trying to find him. But now you're telling me that, after all, they actually made it and reunited in Heaven?"

Even with her face wet and lips trembling, Claire still managed a little laugh before launching herself at the angel and hugging him tightly.

"Thank you," she sobbed, while the angel hugged back and patted her. "Thank you, Castiel. Thank you."

"You are welcome, Claire," Castiel said, placing a small kiss on the top of her head. "You deserve happiness, and I am glad to be able to bring even this little bit to you."

"Same goes for you, you know," the girl replied, letting go of the seraph and wiping her tears with her hand. "I really meant what I said before. This body is yours now, and... I won't be offended if you use it in the way humans are supposed to."

And her eyes very meaningfully focused long past the angel, to the other side of the big room, where Dean was chatting with the boys about hacking security cams. Castiel followed her gaze, but when he understood that she meant the hunter, he instantly recoiled.

"It is not like that, Claire," he assured her, feeling an unpleasant warmth on his cheeks.

"Not yet, you mean?" the blonde teased him without mercy, getting up. "I'm not a child anymore, Castiel. And I haven't been blind for the last years either. Nobody was, except maybe Dean. But as I've already said, I'm ok with it."

Claire left him to his musings and gardening manual, heading towards the nephilim. She could as well set this right.

"You, the freak," she called out to him, but lacking the hateful tone she had used the previous time. "Since Castiel is more or less like a second father to me, and Jody is something like a mother, and even Alex is like a sister... I can deal with it, if you want me as an older sister too."

Jack immediately lighted up, grinning like the small kid he was inside, and captured the girl in a hug again.

"Sis!"

"Yeah, whatever," she rolled her eyes, but allowed the hug. "I guess the more, the merrier."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

At night Dean sighed, rolling the black pearl between his fingers. He sat on the edge of the bed, his back hunched, and feeling tiredness all over his body despite not having done anything strenuous in the last days. Adam was back safe and sound thanks to Heaven (literally), just like Dean had asked, just like he had wished... but the little teardrop was still in his possession. He had resisted checking it up for a couple of days, believing that surely this time his wish had been granted, but he had been wrong again and that somehow frustrated him.

Twice. For twice Dean had tried to use Amara's gift and twice it had been null, first with Castiel and second with Adam.

A knock at the door pulled him out of his musings. Quickly hiding the pearl back in the drawer, he laid down on the bed and pretended to relax.

"Come in."

Castiel opened the door only a little at first, unsure of entering, but after a moment of hesitation he decided to do so, closing behind.

"Sorry for coming this late," he apologized, looking very shy for some reason. "I was doubtful of still being welcome into your room at night."

"What? Why wouldn't you be?"

"Because we are not alone in the bunker anymore, Dean. It is not only us with Sam and Jessica and Jack now. Today Claire expressed her acceptance to me, but currently there are many more people around us. I considered the possibility of you being uncomfortable."

Dean sat up, crossing his legs and smiling forgivingly.

"I already said it, Cas. No more running away, no more hiding. Damn them all who object to this. It's my life, it's your life, not theirs. We... we don't have that many chances at happiness, and I'm not going to keep wasting them. So strip down already and come to bed," he grinned, motioning his hand to make the angel come closer. "It's already late and I need my beauty sleep."

Castiel smiled back, reassured. He took off his trenchcoat and suit jacket, leaving both garments on the chair. Then he stepped out of his shoes and laid down beside his human, who was already under the blanket.

"You know, Cas," Dean spoke softly, almost timidly, after the seraph had turned off the nightstand lamp. "It's already November. Christmas is nearing, and I'm thinking of getting you your own set of pajamas."

"You do not need to get me anything, Dean, but thank you for the intention. Why specifically pajamas, though?" And Castiel would have sworn that the hunter scooted closer, as much as the sheets barrier allowed him.

"No reason," Dean answered, thanking the darkness for hiding his unmanly blush. "Also, about what we talked that time, I've been thinking that maybe we could have our date now, before Gabriel returns from Hell? Because when we gather all the anunnaki people, we'll probably be busy. Let's take our chances now that we can."

Castiel smiled widely, even if his friend-becoming-something-else couldn't see it. Joy and expectation were radiating within him in waves.

"That would make me very happy, Dean."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The next morning, when Patience woke up and rose from the makeshift mattress on the floor, she found her roommate already gone. Stretching her body and putting on her slippers, the psychic girl pulled on her winter coat over her nightgown and buttoned it up. Slowly opening the door, as to not disturb anyone who could be sleeping since likely it was still early, Patience peeked along the hallway, trying to remember the way back to the war room and therefore to the kitchen. Good thing she had always been good at solving mazes.

Walking quietly and rubbing her arms in an attempt to retain the warmth from sleep, Patience just walked past the door numbered 22 when something foreign resonated inside her mind.

Where are you from?

"I'm not sure how to answer that. I was born in North Cove, Washington, but my origin comes from Heaven. What about you?"

It's equally difficult for me. A demon can't get pregnant nor can impregnate others, but I was forced into my mother's womb from within, mixing essences. I'm a rarity.

Patience gasped, astounded. What was this conversation even about? Unconsciously, she strained her ears to hear better, but no sound came to her. However, more words were soon poured into her mind.

"That doesn't sound nice."

I guess it wasn't. Probably that was the reason my mother abandoned me.

"My mum didn't want me at first either. She was scared, because everyone told her that I'd take after my no-father and become a monster like him. But in the end, she chose to believe in me and loved me, even if she was going to die. Because she had faith that I would be good."

Yes, I can relate to that too.

Patience almost groaned, feeling the beginning of one of her usual migraines. Holding out an arm to support herself on the wall and the other hand massaging her temple, she tried to relieve some of the pressure that the strange conversation was forcing on her. But before she could walk away far enough, a couple more of sentences reached her.

"I like talking to you, Jesse. Won't you be my friend?"

We can be, if you really want to meet me. I know it's going to happen very soon anyway.

"My sister and her other sister are sharing a room. We could too! It sounds like fun."

The psychic girl was almost on the next hallway when the weird and abnormal connection finally broke. Resting her head on the wall for a moment, Patience closed her eyes and breathed deeply. She almost jumped out of her skin when someone touched her shoulder.

"AH!"

Kaia was in front of her, hand in mid-air and looking on guard. She was already dressed in Jody's old clothes, which were obviously out of date but still looked fresh and barely worn.

"Are you okay, Patience?" she asked, just in case.

"Yes, I... Sorry for the scream, you surprised me. But yes, I'm okay. Only searching the toilets and the kitchen."

"Toilets are opposite the locker room, in the same hallway. Second to your left."

"Thank you, I'll go right now. Have you had breakfast yet, Kaia?"

"Yes, I have. With Dean and Jessica."

Patience nodded, smiling a bit as her heart recovered its normal pace, and headed to the toilets. A couple of steps away, however, the avatar girl called after her again.

"There's something I must warn you about, Patience," she said, her eyes squinting and her voice ominous. "Whenever Jessica bakes cookies for breakfast, you better get up early, or there will be nothing left."


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