Jack looked sad for a second. Sam caught it.
"Dean, I'm not coming back...home...in a way, I'm already there..."
Dean stared at him. "Where?"
"Everywhere..." Jack said with a smile.
Sam stepped forward. "So, you are...Him?"
"I am me..." Jack shrugged. He went on speaking, but Dean zoned out. "...Castiel," His mind wandered, hoping, then he stopped. Jack gave him a look like He heard. "Go home...please...I want you to go home..." He looked to Sam. "Be a family...like you always were...Team Free Will."
Sam let a tear fall. Dean held his breath as they watched Jack wave and turn to start walking away. When He became enveloped in a light so pure...
"Dean?" Sam put a hand on his brother's shoulder. Dean did not answer, but he put his hand over his brother's hand. "Let's go home..." Dean nodded, and they went back to the bunker.
No music played on the ride home. Sam wanted to speak, but could not find the words. He let Dean revel in the silence. Baby pulled up, and they sat there a moment, mentally preparing themselves for a defeat.
But they had won, hadn't they? And look what they had lost...
Dean fumbled with the keys at the door, not wanting to face the music of being alone. He was still hurting...he needed more time to grasp what all had just transpired...then he looked to Sam, and he scolded himself for how selfish he was being.
Sammy had lost someone too...
"Hey, why don't you go on in, and I'll go pick up some grub?" Dean offered. "I'll get you whatever vegan crap you want."
That got a smile, and Dean swore he would try his damndest to keep bringing those up.
"You sure, Dean? I can go with you..."
"I just need to ride for a bit, Sammy..."
Sam understood, and opened the door. He stepped in and not two steps in, he heard the voice of an angel.
"Sam?"
Sam's heart was about to burst. He ran across the top of the stairs and almost fell over the edge. Was he dreaming? He had to have been dreaming...
There she was...smiling up at him...
"Eileen?" He choked.
She nodded. "What took you so long?"
Not another word was said as he stumbled down the stairs like a child on Christmas morning. He stopped, inches from her, and nervously chuckled. She reached out her hand and steadied his shaking one.
"Sam...I'm here..."
Sam pulled her into a hug, bursting into tears, rocking them side to side.
"Thank-you, Jack...Thank-you..." He mumbled into her dark hair, kissing it.
"I've missed you..." Eileen touched his cheek, the scruff on his chin something she had only dreamed of feeling again.
"I've missed you too..." Sam whispered as he signed it to her.
"Sammy? Are you ok? I heard you-" Dean did a double-take when he saw the scene down below. "Eileen?"
Eileen followed Sam's gaze and she waved at Dean. "Hi, Dean...did you miss me?" She giggled.
"Uh...uh, yeah!" Dean bolted down the stairs and hugged her tight. "I can't believe you're here!"
"It's a miracle!" She said with the biggest smile on her face, leaning into Sam.
"It is..." Sam was hugging her, trying to hide the tears, getting a little embarrassed now that Dean was here.
"At a boy, Sammy..." Dean playfully nudged him. "Who wants a beer? Let's celebrate!"
They all sat at the table and were talking about nonsense, everyone so happy to find that little bit of happiness again. Dean was beaming, he was so thankful for his baby brother.
Thank-you, Jack...he prayed silently as he saw Sam sneak a kiss to Eileen after she whispered something in his ear.
Miracle came trotting in through the front door, barking joyfully as he ran down the stairs as well.
"Well, where have you been?!" Dean knelt down and rubbed all over his new friend.
"He was insistent I take him for a walk...there's this tree he has claimed as his own, and he told me the squirrels were infiltrating his territory, and I had to honor his wishes..."
Dean's heart jumped into his throat as he looked up to the open door. Cas walked through telling a story about Miracle, he guesses, but he did not hear half of it, cause he was flying back up the stairs in an instant.
Cas abruptly stopped his story, and smiled. "Hello, Dean..."
"Cas?" Dean could not believe his eyes, and yet...
"Jack pulled me out of the Empty...He told me to go home...and well, a dog is a lot of responsibility for a house, he's almost as high-maintenanced as you, and-"
"Cas, stop..." Dean interrupted, his whole body shaking, he was so anxious. "Jack, He...He..."
"I'm here, Dean..." Cas placed his hand on Dean's shoulder, on that spot, and Dean felt heat rush through him. "I'm not leaving you again..."
"Cas..." Dean pulled him into a hug, tears streaming down his face. He rubbed a hand through Cas' hair. He could smell that dirty little trench coat, along with that cologne he gave Cas for Christmas last year, even though "angels don't celebrate Christmas"...
"Yes, Dean?" Cas waited.
"Cas..." Dean was terrified again, but no! Jack gave him another chance, and by Jack, he was not throwing it away.
Cas' hand went down to grab Dean's, squeezing for comfort. I'm here, Dean...
"I love you, too..." Dean shyly leaned in and was surprised and relieved to have Cas open up to him as they kissed. It was slow at first, Dean trying to take it all in, but then got more greedy, like dammit, why did I wait this long for this?
They broke off after a minute, both panting.
"I love you, Cas..." Dean could not stop saying it now, because he never said it enough, after all this time.
"I love you, too, Dean..." Cas said with a smile on his face that could light Heaven up.
"Finally..." They heard Sam say. "You owe me five bucks." He signed to Eileen, who just rolled her eyes.
"Excuse me?" Dean stomped down the stairs. "Is my love life a bet?"
"When it takes ten years, you idjit!"
"I swear on Bobby, I will kick your ass." Dean chased after Sam, Eileen and Cas laughing as Miracle ran along with the boys.
They were finally a family...