we're in this together, we'll fight through the highs and the lows (we're more than flesh and bone)
By: AndiKaneUnderwood
AU: Alpha/Beta/Omega, Canon Divergence
They made it to Jody's after a few days of driving. Sam had called ahead of time to ensure Jody was okay with them coming to stay in her cabin.
"Sure, Sam, I'm happy to offer any help you need, but why the rush?" Jody had asked.
Sam had glanced at the young man currently asleep in the backseat. They didn't know that this would work, or if it would do any good. What Sam was doing was risky, it required power he hadn't had to use in a long time, but he had to try everything. Jack meant too much to him not to try. "We needed a safe place."
"Has the bunker been compromised?" Jody asked immediately.
Sam smiled, "No, it's fine. It's just not safe there for us."
"Us meaning who, Sam?"
"Mostly Jack."
"What happened?"
Sam sighed, glancing at the angel in the passenger seat who'd finally broken down and agreed to get some sleep while Sam drove a while. "Dean's not in a good place right now. And until he is, Jack can't be in the bunker. I'll explain the rest when we get there."
Jody was silent, then she hummed, "Okay, I'll have Claire make up the room. Alex is home for a little bit, so she can help, and Patience and I will make you something to eat. When will you get here?"
"We'll be there in a few hours." Sam replied, "Thank's Jody."
Jody hummed, "See you soon."
Sam hung up and focused back on the road. Cas was awake in the passenger seat now, looking at Sam with worry in every line of his face. "Sam."
Sam nodded, blinking away what tears had formed. He didn't like doing this, but Dean had crossed the line. Sam couldn't allow his brother to continue. Once he knew it was safe, maybe he'd break down over it, but right now, they needed to get to Jody and safety before Sam could properly mourn. He focused back on the road, unwilling to let any of this bring his attention away from the goal.
When they made it, Sam was very ready to be there. After being in a car for so long, it was nice to get out and stretch. He was just getting into the back to wake Jack when Jody came out to greet them. She hugged Castel first while Sam got Jack up, then went for Sam as Cas went to get the bags, finally for Jack, who gave her a tight hug. "It's so good to see you all."
Sam offered a smile, "It's good to see you too." Cas nodded to the Alpha woman and Jack offered a sleepy smile.
Jody showed them out to the cabin behind her house, let them put down their bags, and herded them into her house for dinner with her family. One of the reasons Sam and Jody got along so well was because after her son died, she hadn't wanted any kids either. Sam and Jody had spoken many times about Jack and how best to parent him, they'd spoken about experiences with their respective kids. Sam wondered often if he was doing it right when he parented the young Nephilim, Jody assured him that he was doing the best he could. When Jody worried and fretted over her girls not talking to her, Sam reminded her that it was part of growing up.
They ate what had been made, which was delicious, then Jack stifled a yawn and Jody decided it was time for them to turn in. Sam privately agreed.
The Omegas (except Castiel) went to bed, sleeping until late the next morning. Once Sam finally woke up, the first thing he did was check on Jack. The bed the Nephilim had slept on was unmade and empty, so Jack had already begun the day. Sam sighed in relief, then decided it was a good time to feel the pain of his brother's betrayal. So he sat back on his bed and let himself feel all of it.
Supernatural~Supernatural~Supernatural
Jack was not nearly as naive as the hallucination of Lucifer thought he was. He knew a lot of things, Dean had just managed to manipulate his perceptions. What was worse was that he'd dragged Sam into it as well, knowing how Sam felt about Jack.
Knowing how Jack felt about Sam.
Jack wasn't a fool, but he'd do anything if it meant keeping the man he considered to be a father just as much as Cas safe. He would sacrifice his soul a million times over if it kept the Winchesters safe. It was had been so hard about losing his grace, he didn't have the means to protect them, he couldn't help on hunts, and he couldn't keep himself out of danger meaning they had to drag him out themselves. Usually, it was Sam doing the dragging because Dean would risk his neck protecting Sam and Jack while Jack recovered from whatever had happened and Sam watched his back while he did.
He'd had to learn much about being a human. He'd had to learn how to sleep more, how to care for himself, how to stay healthy, how to care for Sam, Dean, and Cas because Heaven knew they were terrible at taking care of themselves. Jack figured it was a balancing act, Dean took care of Sam took care of Cas took care of Dean, and all three looked after him while he watched over all three. Maybe that was a part of why it had hurt so much when Sam told him about Dean's plan, but Jack couldn't feel the hurt very well right now. Everything was muted, his emotions were faint, and when he could feel, it was in extremes and usually negative. Like hurt and anger and hatred.
Jack wondered if Sam had felt in such extremes when he'd lost his soul. He'd ask, but he hadn't seen Sam since dinner last night. It was strange, Sam was normally the first one to wake of the Winchester boys, tapping on Jack's door to ask if he wanted to come along on the morning run he took around the bunker that doubled as a way to check the wards protecting their home. Jack glanced at Castiel, who was watching a show with Claire.
(Cas would never say it out loud, but he held some parental feelings towards Claire too. After all, the body he occupied was once Jimmy Novak, Claire's beloved father, who'd sacrificed everything for a God he believed would keep him and his family safe. Castiel had done his best to keep the family safe, but not everything works out the way one should plan. So, Cas would spend every chance he could get doing whatever Claire would ask him to do.)
"Castiel?" Jack asked softly so as not to disturb the duo on the couch. They were watching some show about a Detective trying to clean up a corrupt police department while everyone around him turned into supervillains or the hero who caught them. Maybe Jack would join them later.
"Mmh?" Cas grunted, most of his attention on the lanky man with the broken foot hobbling down the highway. Claire was rewatching the first season it seemed.
"Castiel, have you seen Sam today?"
That got Cas's attention, he turned to look at Jack, "He was in bed when I went to check on him earlier. This whole endeavor has been particularly hard on him. Maybe he could use some company?"
Jack was grateful for the perceptive angel. He nodded and stood, letting Castiel return to the show. Making his way back outside to the cabin Jody was letting Sam, Cas, and Jack stay in for a while, Jack gave a bit of thought to how hard this must be for the older Omega.
Sam had lost so much in this life. He'd lost his mother too young to a demon with yellow-eyes, in turn causing him to lose his father to an obsession that turned John from care-taker to drill Sergeant and his girlfriend who was never meant to know about this life anyway. He lost his Soulmate, the Archangel Gabriel, to Lucifer, as well as countless others to different monsters, people, and things. He'd lost his father figure, Bobby, to an asshole politician who wanted nothing more than total world dominance. He'd lost his Soulmate a second time, to self-sacrifice that Jack wished he'd been able to stop. He'd lost his mother a second time because of Jack's careless mistake. He'd lost his father a second time to a wish and an altered timeline. He'd lost Castiel and Dean both too many times to count. He'd lost Jack once, then again when Jack burned off his soul to save them from Michael. He'd lost his soul to a cage with two tormentors that perfected their crafts on his battered body. He'd lost his mind to an agenda he'd never wanted to be part of.
Sam had lost himself to this life several times.
Now it seemed that he may lose the one person he'd always been able to count on. For good this time.
Jack was determined not to let Sam lose himself again. Sam was one of the strongest people Jack knew, the most loyal and caring person Jack had ever known. Jack didn't want Sam to feel like this was his fault. He'd only done what he thought was best, Jack had made the decision to use his powers to kill Michael and Sam had gotten him out of the box when the time called for it.
Dean may be the protector, but Sam would go through Hell and high water, would bleed and endure, would kill and sacrifice and burn if it meant saving the ones he loved.
Jack arrived at the cabin and entered it quietly in case Sam was still asleep. When he heard the quiet sobs, he knew this was not the case. Sam had a habit of grieving in private, where others couldn't see him break down. Dean used to join him in his grief so Sam wasn't alone.
Dean wasn't here (and who's fault was that? whispered the Lucifer in his mind, he batted the thought away angrily. It was no one's fault by Dean's), but Jack was.
Sam was curled up against the headboard, tears slipping down his face and sobs coming sporadically from his mouth. Jack's heart broke to listen to his soft-hearted father let go of the emotions he'd kept tightly reined until they where safe.
Ignoring the thought that said to turn tail and run, Jack slipped off his shoes and crawled into bed next to Sam. Sam startled, but relaxed when he realized who it was. "Jack," he sniffled. "What's up?"
Jack wrapped his arms around Sam's torso and laid his head on a broad shoulder. "I'm here," he murmured. "I won't leave."
Dean had once said those words to Sam when a panic attack had gotten back after they caught Nick the first time. Sam had gotten it in his head that the blood of those people Nick had killed was on his hands, he'd let Nick roam free and Nick had chosen to kill. Dean had taken Sam into his room and refused to let him leave until Sam's attack had passed. Dean had tasked Jack with getting water and the pain medications they had stored in the kitchen for emergencies. Dean had been whispering those words to Sam when Jack came back. Jack used the same words now, he didn't intend on breaking them. Sam sniffled, another sob breaking through and Jack snuggled into Sam's side, "It's not your fault." The dam broke and Sam was crying again, hugging Jack close and hard enough to bruise a rib had Jack been a normal human.
Jack stayed with Sam until the older male had cried himself out and sat passively, rubbing Jack's arm with a warm hand. "I'm supposed to be telling you it's not your fault, kiddo."
Jack offered a smile, feeling something in his chest flicker. It was love, he was sure. He would be able to fully feel it again one day. "You needed to hear it though."
Sam chuckled, "I guess I did." Sam sighed, then wiped his eyes and looked at Jack, "You and I need a marathon. Scooby-Doo or Criminal Minds?"
Jack smiled, he was not a naive person. But that didn't mean he could be just as childlike as someone who was. "Scooby-Doo, please."
Maybe while watched he'd feel that flicker again. In the meantime, he was content to stay here and look after Sam while Sam looked after him. The marathon commenced and Jack curled closer to Sam, letting Sam hold him close as their physical bodies would allow. Later, they'd get started on figuring out how to get Jack's soul back and where they'd go if Jody's place was compromised but for now...
Jack smiled, watching Scooby race into the bushes to save Shaggy from nonexistent danger. For now, everything was good.