"I didnt know he was dating."
Dean shrugged akwardly and then his phone rang. Sam and Cas both looked curiously as Dean frowned, looking at the caller id. Finally he answered.
"Dean..." The voice on the other end is quiet, but it shakes with fear.
"J-Jamie?!" Dean's eyes widen. So do Sam's. Even Cas appears shaken at the mention of Dean and Sam's sister. It's been almost two years since the last time any of them had contact with her. Even through the fight with Amara and the appearance of God she has been radio silent. She and her three children seemingly disappeared.
"What...what's happened?"
It's not more then two hours later that Jamie's worn black SUV pulls up to the bunker. Dean, Sam, and Cas all stand outside, waiting. When the engine dies and she steps out, it takes Dean a minute before he recognizes her. She's dyed her hair brown again, loose curls framing her face and tied back in a messy bun behind her neck, revealing silver studs in the shape of a pentagram in both ears. Her clothes are rumpled and faded: scuffed black boots, dark jeans, grey cami, blue flannel, black leather jacket. It's hard to miss the glance of a handgun shoved into her waistband.
"Where...where are the kids?" Sam finally asks, when it's clear Dean doesn't have words for her.
"With Mom." Jamie answers quietly, shoving closed the door with her hip as she hefts a black canvas bag over her shoulder.
"Mom?" Dean mouths. "Mom...knows...you know about Mom?" He wrinkles his brow in confusion and surprise.
She nods a few times, her sapphire eyes unable to meet her brother's. "She came by probably two months ago, now. Before Asa died at any rate." She pauses for a moment, regret on her face. "Um...She said she'd have come sooner, but it seemed like I didn't want to be found." She glances up at Sam and then to Dean.
"Well you didn't...did you? It's been two years, Jamie." Dean's words have a sting to them and Jamie looks at the ground.
"God...God came to me, before...he...he smoothed out some edges for me. With...Mark and Emma and Noah."
Sam bit his lip, eyes clouded with confusion. "Noah? I thought...you called him Micah before."
"I wanted to call him after his father, but...God" She gestures towards the sky with an open palm, even as she rolls her eyes. The title rolls off her tongue with difficulty "...suggested that Michael wasn't the right fit."
"And Emmy...we're...calling her Emma now?" Dean hissed through clenched teeth, trying not to get aggrevated.
"She is Emma." The name passes through her teeth with a sharp hiss.
"And Mark is Michael's son." Cas added softly from his place behind Dean. "Mark and Noah both are."
Jamie glanced over Dean's shoulder to Cas. Their eyes meet in quiet agreement, a sad, almost apologetic glance is exchanged. "Yes."
Dean turned to look at Cas and then at Sam and then back to Jamie. Anger paints his emerald eyes, though he doesn't let it show on his face. Instead he tries to mask it with cold indifference, failing as curiosity gets the better of him.
Jamie bit her lip before beginning to explain. "I was pregnant with Mark when Michael and Adam and Sam and Lucifer were cast into the cage. God...and Cas," She gestures over her shoulder at the angel, "agreed to keep it a secret." She shot a short glance to the angel, who pressed his lips into a thin, guilty line. "Noone was suppose to know. But now it's more important then ever that Michael's children are protected. Michael has gained the power, or at least the influence to conceal his sons' existence from the other angels. None know that Mark and Noah are Michael's sons. Lucifer obviously does not."
"You're worried about your sons." Cas came over to her, hovering beside her. He didn't touch her, but his hands hovered at her shoulders. As though he wanted to hold her, but an invisible force held him back. She looked at him for a moment, and the invisible forcefield seemed to disappear as his hands came heavily down unto her shoulders, squeezing her in a secure embrace. "Are you worried about Lucifer coming after them?"
"Yes. The fact he hasn't already worries me. And now that he's spawned his own child, I'm worried he might try to snuff out the competition. Mark's power grows stronger by the day, and Noah is already coming into his."
"Does Lucifer know that Mark and Noah are Michael's sons?" Sam brushed past Dean to reach his sister.
She nodded heavily, a faraway look painted in her eyes. "Yes. Michael is weak in the cage. Lucifer knows what Michael knows. Outside of the cage Michael is nearly his former self, but he doesn't have the power to release himself, and I..." Tears appeared and she brushed them aside.
"You hesistate to free him." Cas rubbed her shoulder, his calloused fingers circling her pale skin.
"God told me not to. Why, I don't know."
"Because he's a dick. And according to Lucifer an insane dick." There was venom and spite in Dean's voice when he finally spoke. Jamie's head finally snapped up, her eyes meeting her brother's. "I can't believe that you were screwing him, even back then? Whose he's wearing when you two go at it? Dad's younger self or Adam?"
Jamie scoffed softly, shaking her head. "I knew you wouldn't understand, Dean." The bite in her voice is stiff and it stings. She hasn't spoken to him like that in a long time.
Dean's nose crinkled and he hissed "I understand plenty. You abandoned us, Jamie."
"Woah. You two." Sam got in between them, holding them at arm's length. "Let's not fight here, alright? We have a job to do."
"She's not coming with us." Dean pointedly gestured to the bunker. "Stay here and figure out what we can do about Lucifer's spawn."
Jamie took a step forward, brushing past Sam. "Fine. But you'll regret not asking for my help." There is a bite at the end of her words as she brushes past her brothers.
"What have you seen?" Cas asks out loud, but it falls on deaf ears as Jamie slams the door to the bunker closed. He turns to look at Dean, but Dean has already turned away, heading pointedly for the Impala with Sam following.
Inside the bunker Jamie brushes away angry tears with an impatient hand. She opens Sam's laptop and brings up several Latin texts, all dated to the Middle Ages. She scrawls notes on a piece of paper, Latin blends with English until the notes are entirely nonsensical. If they meant anything at all, it gets lost in anger and frustration.
"I love you." Michael's voice echos across a memory threatening to break to the surface of her mind. "I will always be here with you." A shaking hands claws at her chest, as if trying to dig out her own heart. Her hand slips down her stomach, pressing against tender flesh. "Our baby is what matters now."
"You can keep him safe on earth, with me." Ghostly whispers of a crying plead. "Don't do this, Michael. Don't."
A gentle smile on swollen lips. "I have to. It's my destiny."
"Screw destiny! I want you here with me. We'll figure it out together. The angels will come around, my brothers will come around. Our child needs his father. He needs your protection."
"There's no other way to stop my brother. I'm sorry." Tender kisses and the sound of angel wings.
"Jamie." Someone calls her name. "Jamie." Cas grips her arm, looking at her concerned.
"Hey Cas." She rubs her eyes, pushing the laptop away. "Where's Sam and Dean?"
"You don't know?" Cas's face is mared with worry as he stares at her.
She turns to look at him more fully. "What happened, Castiel?"
Six weeks later...
"Anything?" Jamie rubs her eyes as she comes into the bunker, black leather jacket thrown over a shoulder. Cas is waiting for her at the table. She looks up and shakes her head. Cas sighs and looks down at his hands. She throws her jacket over a chair and takes off the red flannel she's wearing over a black t-shirt.
"How are the kids?"
She looks up again, sighing softly as she unties her hair, letting it fall to her shoulders."Sleeping when I left, finally. Noah isn't strong enough to find them yet, and Mark...well it's exhausting to try and use his powers without-"
"Using his powers." Cas finished for her. He grabbed a blanket and draped it over her lap. "Is he okay?"
"Yeah, just tired. He had them for a minute, but something else stepped in and interfeared. Blocked his radar. After that, he was too tired to try again and I was too afraid whatever it was was gonna lock on him, so." She rubbed her eyes again, settling into the chair.
Jamie leans into Cas's chest and he wraps his arms around her. "We'll find them, Jamie." He rubs her back. "You should get some rest."
Jamie gets up but pauses, looking back at Cas. "Come with me. Please." She holds her hand out to him. He hestitates and then gets up, taking her hand. "Was it so horrible, pretending to be with me all these years?"
Cas chuckles softly. "No, of course not. I...throughly enjoyed every minute I've spent with you." He looks at her with a sense of affection, a smile threatening on his lips, eyes shining. Jamie smirks lightly, brushing hair from her eyes.
"Even when I was angry? When Michael left me pregnant and alone." A hand automatically recoils to her stomach.
"Both times." Cas hugged her again. "I can't promise you'll ever see him again, but...I hope you do. For both your sakes." He kisses her cheek, his mouth light on her skin, lingering only a moment.
"I think I'm beginning to understand why God needs us to be apart. I doubt Heaven will be pleased to know their general is married to a Winchester. Or has two sons by...phone."
"By...what?"
"Phone."
In the other room Cas's phone begins ringing. Cas looks at Jamie and then goes to answer it, but it goes to voicemail before he can reach it. He turns to look back at Jamie.
"Just wait."
"Is it Dean?" It starts ringing again. Cas answers. "What?" Cas's face turns into one of shock. "Dean?" He looks over at Jamie who smiles just lightly. "What… What happened? Wh- where are you?"
Jamie moved to the table to grab her phone. "I'll call Mom."
"Jamie, slow down. What?" Her mother gasps on the other end of the phone. Jamie looks at Cas.
When she hangs up with her mom, she grabs her flannel and jacket, throwing both on. Cas stuffs his phone in his pocket. She grabs Sam's laptop, furiously clicking through before closing it and stuffing it into her bag. Cas hands her several other objects, incuding a knife, several shells, and a flare. "Boy, I miss being able to-" She snaps her fingers "that was a fun power."
Cas cocked his head to the side. "Couldn't you still...summon it?"
Jamie smirked, opening her palm. "Ignis Dei," she gestured upwards with her other hand. "Protege me." Fire appeared in her palm. "Extinctius." She closed her palm and it went out. "Palour trick." She shrugged.
"Enochian magic." Cas protested. "But...how-Michael." Jamie nods heading out.
They meet up with Mary in the middle of a suburban street just inside town. "You got here fast." Cas remarks walking over to her.
"Yep." She turns to Jamie. Her walks over and wraps her arms around her neck. She embraces her daughter and then pulls back. "What do you think we're walking into?"
"Nothing good." Jamie quickly braids her hair and ties it back.
"Well, we may need back up." Mary suggests, looking back at Cas.
Cas sighs. "Crowley and Rowena." He suggests.
"The King of hell and his mother, the witch?" Mary scoffs. "I hope we can do better then that."
Jamie shrugs. "What do you suggest, Mom?"
"I may have an idea." Cas pips up.
Jamie and Mary nod, they head into the car. "Buckle up, seat belt on Jamie. I drive fast." Mary remarks before peeling out.
As they stop on a forested road, Cas and Mary get out but Jamie doesn't move. "Jamie, you coming?" Mary asks, glancing into the car.
"No. You guys go...I'm...I've got a headache." She pinches the bridge of her nose. Mary glances back at Cas who shrugs.
Mary closes her door. Jamie frowns, watching the British Men of Letters get out of the car ahead of them. She briefly touches her necklace, the pentagram locket her father had given her, now sporting a St Michael's medal hanging beside it, and closes her eyes. She gets flashes of Dean and Sam running threw the woods. Watches as they down a soldier.
"You're trapped out here with us." She mouths.
"Jamie. Jamie!" She opens her eyes, seeing Mary and Cas looking concerned, Mary's hand roughing squeezing her arm.
"I know where they are."
"So...psychic powers." Mary remarks, as they drive towards the spot both Jamie and the BMOL confirm Dean and Sam's location is. "I mean...you told me but..."
"You didn't know?" Cas squints, looking between Mary and Jamie.
"I haven't shown her everything." Jamie confessed, glancing back at Cas.
"Sure you don't wanna come?" Cas asks as he and Mary get out of the car. Jamie shakes her head.
"I'm just gonna wait here. I'm trying to avoid our...uh...allies." She has a weird look on her face as she slids down in her seat.
When Dean and Sam come back she does finally get out of the car. There's an unsure look on her face as she closes the door. Sam rushes over to her, grabs her into his arms and hugs her. She smiles, hugging him back, laughing as he picks her up and spins her around before setting her on her feet. "I'm happy to see you too, Sam."
The grin disappears when she catches sight of Dean. Dean wears a somber look before walking over to her. Jamie shoves her hands in her pockets, moving from foot to foot. "Hi Jamie." He says softly.
"Hi." She replies.
A beat passes and then Dean wraps his arms around her. She hugs him back, pressing her lips into his shoulder. "I'm sorry." He mutters quietly. "I shouldn't have gotten so upset with you."
"It's okay. I've been gone far too long this time."
Mary drives toward a bridge. Inside the car the GPS screen shows that it's 11:59 pm. Dean, in the back seat with Cas and Jamie, looks over at him. Mary glances back to smile at Dean.
"So wait, you're hunting?" Dean asks, Mary had just told him what she had been up to.
"A little bit."
In the front seat Sam cracks a smile. "Yeah, I knew you couldn't stay away."The radio turns on, static crackles, the GPS screen flashes from 11:59 to 12:00, and the car suddenly loses all power and the engine sputters to a halt just as it rolls up to the bridge. "It's time." Sam mutters quietly, glancing back at Dean.
In the back seat, Dean casts a guilty look at Cas, he can't look at him, and turns away. Cas turns to look over at Jamie, who presses her lips into a thin, worried line. The car continues to roll out onto the bridge and finally stops. The doors open, and everyone gets out.
"What's happening?" Mary asks, looking back at her kids. Jamie looks over at Dean, wedging herself between both brothers.
"Yeah, Dean. 'Sup." Billie the reaper is standing on the bridge in front of the car with her arms crossed. Sam and Dean look guilty. Jamie again glances between both brothers as Mary approaches Billie, followed by Cas.
"Billie?" She asks, confused.
Cas mouths quietly. "The reaper?"
"I don't understand."
Dean sighs. He takes a step forward, towards their mother. "Mom… that place… there was only one way we were getting out of there, and that wasn't breathing." Cas and Jamie both look horrified, turning to Dean at the same time. "So I made a call."
Sam nods. "Dean talked with her, and then Billie came to see me." Mary steps up in front of her sons, disbelieving and shocked. Jamie adjusts her position, so that she's once more standing between both brothers. She reaches out and grabs both of their jackets. Sam glances to her sadly. "And we made a deal. We'd get to die and come back one more time, but in exchange…
Billie smiles as she cuts Sam off. "Come midnight, a Winchester goes bye-bye. Like, permanently. And that is something I've been looking forward to for a long time."
Mary turns back to her boys. "Why would you-"
"We were already dead. Being locked in that cell with nothing… I've been to Hell. This was worse." Dean confesses.
Sam nods, resigned. "At least this way, one of us gets to keep fighting."
Cas goes over to Dean. "You don't have to do this."
"Yeah, they do." Billie chimes in. Jamie groans as she's hit with a vision. Dean and then Sam slice their palms open with a screw from Dean's cell.
"A blood pact." She mouths, horrified.
Billie nods. "We made a pact, bound in blood. You break that, there's consequences on a cosmic scale. So, who's it gonna be?"
Sam and Dean look at each other, but before either of them can answer, Jamie steps out from her brothers towards Billie, drawing her handgun from her waistband. "Take me." She says, resolved, rolling her shoulders back. Billie smiles, surprised. "You said a Winchester has to die. I'm a Winchester."
"Jamie, no." Mary puts her hand up towards her daughter and draws her own handgun. "Me."
Three echos of "Mom, no." As Billie flings all three siblings away with her power. Jamie has no time to resist and is thrown into Dean.
"Works for me." Mary cocks her gun and raises it toward her head.
"Mom!" Sam screams.
"Don't!" Dean yells.
"Stop!" Jamie cries.
Mary sniffles. "I love you."
Mary is about to pull the trigger when suddenly an angel blade pierces through Billie's chest from behind, and she falls down dead, revealing Cas behind her. Everyone looks suitably shocked, including Cas. Mary lowers her gun, and Sam and Dean get to their feet. Dean reaches down and pulls Jamie to hers.
Dean slowly looks over to Cas. "Cas, what have you done?"
Cas is breathing heavily, his chests heaves, his face is twisted in pain and determination. "What had to be done. You know this world- this sad, doomed little world- it needs you. It needs every last Winchester it can get, and I will not let you die. I won't let any of you die." He looks like he may cry. Dean and Sam both do as well. Jamie already has tears streaming down her face. "And I won't let you sacrifice yourselves. You mean too much to me. To everything. Yeah, you made a deal. You made a stupid deal, and I broke it. You're welcome."