Please read the A/N at the end of the chapter. Thank you all for reading.
I don't own Supernatural.
December 31
They were in fact released just a day later, since their burns had healed and Sam had made significant progress (with a little bit of help from Cas when the nurses weren't looking). There were no medical devices able to explain Dean's miraculous recovery, but they were all still immensely grateful for it. Monica gave them each a quick hug goodbye, possibly a few seconds longer for Sam, which Dean totally gave him an eye over and Sam returned with a tired, yet patented bitch-face. Masie came up during her break to wish them off as well, and thanks were exchanged between the brothers to the sisters for helping save both their lives.
Cas suggested they stay in the motel for the night, he'd kept it booked in advance, but one look between the three of them said that it wouldn't be necessary. The bunker wasn't that far off, and they'd stop along the way if they really needed it. Dean was, of course, happy to see that Cas had kept the Impala in working order, but he did admonish control to Sam just in case something should happen in his head that could cause the car to veer off the road.
Sam drove carefully, Dean in the passenger seat and Cas in the back, as he maneuvered the Impala away from the small town and down the less frequently travelled roads that they had been on almost their whole lives. There was a light dusting of snow across the empty road and it made the fields around them just a bit more pale than normal. The heater was turned up in the car, the rattling sound filling up the silence.
But unlike many of the silences that had preceded it, it was a comfortable silence. There would still be more adjusting to be done, but they were all where they belonged, together under the roof that had protected them from so much more than just snow over the years.
About halfway into the drive, Cas piped up. "I should call Jody, she'll be wanting to hear the news as soon as possible."
"Yeah, sounds good," Dean agreed, with Sam nodding along.
Almost as an afterthought, Cas added, "is there reception?" as he got out the device.
"Sam's here, should be," Dean smirked knowingly at his little brother.
"Dean, that's not-" Sam warned, casting him a really? face, but there was no heat behind it, just good-natured bickering, the kind that had been fairly absent for too long in recent weeks.
"You pull up incident reports no matter where the hell I'm driving. We should look into that. Is it you or is Baby just a good conductor?" Dean asked, somewhat to himself, and lightly tapped the Impala's door.
"Are there tests you can do on a car that's dated pre-internet about the internet?" Sam mused, to which Dean only shrugged and let out a low chuckle.
From the backseat, Cas had the phone to his ear, which he was pleased to hear ringing, and it didn't take long for Jody to pick up. Cas put the phone on speaker and leaned so he held it in the middle of the three of them.
"Cas! Didn't hear from you yesterday, everything alright?" she went right from the introduction down to business, which made all three of them smile.
"There were developments, I am sorry for not calling you sooner."
"Well, good or bad? Don't leave me hanging." It was obvious she was still worried, so Dean answered after only a second or so had passed.
"Out of the hospital with my ducks forming a row again, I take it that's good?" he asked, and her surprised gasp on the end of the line warmed him more than the Impala's heaters could.
"Dean! It's good to hear from you again. Though I'm seriously considering giving Sam an ankle monitor to put on you for house arrest for the next few weeks."
"I'd take you up on that," Sam offered, and Dean nudged him slightly in the leg.
There was a pause. "But…you're all good? Memories, skull intact or what?"
Dean let out a sigh. "Long story, I'll fill you in next time, but to make it short, yeah, memories should start poppin' back up, I'll be back to normal in no time," he made a slight dismissive hand motion. He doubted it would be quite that simple, but hey, a tiny bit of sugarcoating for something like this was worth it. Because he'd be back to normal, memories and all, hopefully fairly soon, even if it took just a bit longer for the rest of him to really catch up. But they'd cross that bridge when he started getting to it.
"That is so, so good to hear," Jody said. The relief was clearly evident in her voice, and it made Dean even more glad that things were hopefully looking up. "And Sam? How are you?" Of course, couldn't ask about one brother without knowing about the other.
"All good, honestly," Sam replied and nodded to himself. Dean could still see some tiny twinges of pain in his features, but there was also a lightness that hadn't been present for the past few weeks, so he didn't doubt Sam was telling the truth on that.
"I'll have to bake a cake, I'll come over and we'll celebrate the New Year together," Jody chuckled.
Dean and Sam looked at each other at almost the exact same time. "New Year's is tomorrow?" Dean asked, a bit in disbelief. Sure, he'd been pretty out of it and hadn't quite gotten the days straight yet, but he didn't think it would sneak up on them so fast.
"Today is December 31st, so yes, tomorrow would be the start of the new calendar year," Cas affirmed from the back.
It took a moment, probably because he was processing as well, but eventually Sam was the next to speak up. "Don't set off too many fireworks."
"Yeah, tell that to the drunk kids I'll be dealing with later," Jody muttered, relief still there behind her words. "You boys drive safe, you hear? And house arrest for a week, give me some time to catch my breath, alright?"
Dean smirked to himself. A week to get things back in order? Maybe his memories would be in a line by then, and if not, he'd be much better off than he was now. Billie probably wouldn't be pissed if they took a week to get back to normal. Hell, if she was, she could always just pop up and tell them so herself.
"You got it Jody. And thanks," Dean added after a second.
"No need for it, but you're welcome." She was definitely smiling, he could practically picture it. "And thanks for keepin' me in the loop, Cas."
In the backseat still holding the phone between them all, Cas nodded. "It wasn't a problem, Jody. It's good to have you to talk to," he said, echoing what they had all been thinking.
They said a few short goodbyes, Cas clicked the phone off, and then returned it to his pocket, leaving them to drive the rest of the way back to the bunker in comfortable silence.
Dean was pretty sure he had never been as happy to see the bunker before. Maybe he'd find out later, but for now, there was nothing better than pulling into the garage and letting the doors shut behind them, effectively closing them off from the rest of the world and protecting them back in their home.
"Shower then some sort of food?" Dean suggested as he got the duffels from the back, ignoring Sam's half-hearted annoyed look when Dean grabbed both of them.
Sam eventually nodded along with it. "Not sure what we have left though, we could go on a run later?"
"Freezer stocked?" Sam only shrugged. "Am I the only one that keeps track of the kitchen?"
It dropped between them, not heavy like a stone or ugly like a reminder that Dean wasn't back to normal, but welcome like a promise that things were getting better. Dean didn't even know how he would know that, besides having always instinctually been more in charge of the foodstuffs. There weren't any specific memories associated with what he had said, just a general feeling, like slipping back into a jacket he knew fit just right.
"Pretty much. You say I move stuff too much." And damn it, the smile on Sam's face meant he had observed the exact same thing Dean had for the past two seconds, and Cas too, going by the fond look on the angel's face.
"You probably do," Dean bantered back. Oh yeah, Sam definitely did.
"I could go get some supplies while you two get settled? It wouldn't be any trouble," Cas suggested, and a look exchanged between the brothers solidified that.
"Thanks, man," Dean smirked, and shouldered the two duffels. Cas mentioned something offhand about the signal on his phone and if Sam could take a look at it, to which he agreed and promised he'd be in to get cleaned up in a few. Dean just shrugged, leaving them to their tech-talk, and walked from the garage back into the main area of the bunker.
He set the duffels on the map table in the main room, they'd unpack them later, it wasn't like there was anything pressing them to do it at that very moment. Dean didn't hear Sam's footsteps immediately following, so he took a few moments to himself, just to listen to the hum of the bunker, the slight metallic pings when something in the air shifted, the general steadiness of it all. It settled him in a way that it hadn't before.
After so many years of waiting for the other shoe to drop, was it really stupid to hope that maybe just this once, enough of them had dropped that they could slip by with just this one? Only time would tell.
Dean made his way back to his room, and fairly quickly got off the clothes that still smelled like sterile hospital. The smoky, singed clothes he had brought in wearing were in some trash can in a small town. It was a shame too, he'd liked the flannel, but he still had a stockpile of plenty others to make up for it.
Sam's footfalls eventually made their way past Dean's cracked open door and into the room across the hall, and something in Dean's chest relaxed.
The shower felt great, as expected, and so did the sweatpants and Henley he found himself in short after. Hey, he was fresh out of the hospital, he could be as comfortable as he freaking wanted. He was seated on the edge of his bed, toweling off his still damp hair, slightly lighter than normal, as if too hard a push would break down the seemingly improving facade, when there was a tap at his door.
"Yeah?" he called, and dropped his hands and the towel into his lap. Sam pushed the door open a second later, wearing attire similar to Dean's own, hair still wet from his own shower. "Think your hair would turn all Einstein-ey if you did this enough?" Dean teased as he went back to toweling it off.
"Not about to try," Sam smirked just a bit back, but it faded rather quickly and he shifted his weight from foot to foot. Not much else screamed 'little brother with something on his mind' more than that.
"You feelin' alright?" Dean asked, just to make sure, and let the towel drop to the bed beside him.
"Hm? Yeah, fine," Sam said, almost dismissively, and Dean waved a hand for him to continue. With a sigh, Sam reached into the pocket of his sweatpants, and pulled something out, keeping it in a closed fist before he spoke again. "They took it off you when we got in, didn't want the metal interfering with any of the machines they kept running you through, and gave it to Cas," he uncurled his fingers and there sat the little gold amulet on its black leather string, "he thought you may want it back, said I should probably be the one to pass it along."
Dean just stared at it in silence. He'd been worried it had been lost in the fire or the rubble along the way, and since he'd gotten up, he hadn't had a chance to actually ask about it. But there it was, safe and sound back where it belonged.
"Dean?" And hell, if it wasn't just the tiniest bit unsure that Dean could pick up on.
"Of course I want it back, Sammy," he assured, and just like that with the nickname added onto the end, the trepidation evaporated off Sam's shoulders and he took a few steps into the room to pass it off to Dean. He didn't ask if Dean was sure or not, he just handed it over, no more questions asked.
Dean rubbed his fingers over the charm for a moment before he slipped the cord over his head and the weight once again settled over his chest. How he'd ever gotten used to not having it, he didn't know, and supposed he never quite did even after all the years.
"Back to normal," he announced, and stood up from the bed.
Sam just let out a breathy laugh and ducked his head ever so slightly. "Yeah."
"We're getting there, we will get there," he waited until Sam had turned his gaze back up to continue, "I have faith," he added, no amount of wavering in his voice.
If he couldn't have faith in a reaper that literally dealt with the souls and lives that they weren't out there to save at the moment making good on their deal, then Dean didn't know what else to have faith in that would make more sense. For now, it looked like Sam didn't totally get it, but once Dean explained more in detail, he'd probably be totally on board. However, the small quirk of a smile was enough of a step in the right direction.
Dean took two steps forward before he really contemplated what he was doing, arms wrapping up around Sam's gigantic sasquatch shoulders and pulling him down. As always, Sam followed suit, arms tightening around Dean's back. It had been a long few days, few weeks, hell, even few months. And to be in a place where maybe things would get back to their usual flavor of the week messed up, that was something they both knew they could handle.
The slight rumble through the bunker announcing that the heavy garage door had been slid open was their cue to break apart, and Dean clapped Sam on the back and smiled as he did so. "Let's go see what the cat dragged in," he smirked, and jerked his head towards the door, content when he heard Sam's footsteps following his.
"The store clerk informed me that this was a decent substitute for the traditional celebratory alcoholic beverage, is it not? Especially since you two just got out of a hospital, it is not wise to mix alcohol and whatever medications are lingering in your systems."
He kept looking back and forth between Dean and Sam, the former of which was chuckling and shaking his head, and the latter of whom was trying to remedy the situation.
"Is it not suitable?" the angel questioned, still lost.
"No, Cas, it's perfectly fine, thanks for thinking of it," Sam replied honestly, casting Dean a look.
"It's just…sparkling apple cider man, I mean…have we ever had this stuff?" Dean asked, turning the bottle over in his hands.
"A few times? Not really sure," Sam admitted. It wasn't like he kept track of every single drink they'd ever consumed. That list would probably run for miles considering all the bars they'd frequented even before they were legal.
"First, second, third time for everything, right?" Dean smirked at Sam, who rolled his eyes, before he unscrewed the cap. If Sam didn't know better he'd say Dean almost looked disappointed that there wasn't a literal top to pop off, but hey, they'd take what they could get. "This is great though Cas, thanks," he did eventually add. The confusion on the angel's face fell, replaced by an easy smile at again having been slightly messed with, happy he hadn't made another mistake in regards to food and strange human conventions.
Sam got out a few glasses, and Dean poured the cider, handing a glass to Cas, even if it was 'just for show' between the three of them, maybe it would help Cas feel more included.
"You ever seen the ball drop?" Dean asked curiously after he had taken a few sips and was leaning back against the counter.
Cas thought for a moment before he shook his head. "I am aware of the custom and the large gathering in New York, but I haven't witnessed it."
"We haven't even seen it in years, we're usually…preoccupied with something," Sam shrugged, just in case Dean didn't remember those little details quite yet. It had only been a day, it would just take more time.
"Well," Dean picked up the cider bottle, "I say we remedy that. Nothing rings in a new year like a colorful glass ball and thousands of people freezing together to watch it happen, right?"
Sam let out a good-natured sigh. "If that's how you want to phrase it, sure." They all followed each other out of the kitchen into Dean's room with the television, bringing in an extra chair with them.
New York was an hour ahead of them, so technically it wasn't quite the new year yet, but after the day they'd had, an extra hour of staying up to officially watch the clocks turn over may have been a bit much. It wasn't hard for Dean to find the channel, most of the news stations were covering it to a degree, and all three of them settled in to watch the festivities.
There were a few singers, not that any of them really knew who was parading around on stage. Dean asked out loud if they'd ever get a rock band to change it up one year, and while he was optimistic that eventually it could happen, Sam just laughed and shook his head. Everyone in the crowds looked absolutely freezing, making them all glad to be home in their comfortable bunker. And it was just that, comfortable, for all of them for the first time in probably a long time.
"And you're sure we don't have any noise makers or little streamer things?" Dean checked for the third time as the two minute 'warning' started counting down the seconds.
"I don't think the British Men of Letters were really into celebrating with colorful streamers, and no, I'm not looking in storage right now, the ball's about to drop," Sam repeated.
"For a group of catalogers, and from what I've seen going through the storage and archives, nothing there would represent a classic celebratory streamer," Cas added, though his eyes were transfixed on the screen. Dean nudged Sam and gestured with his head to look at the angel, who seemed almost entranced watching so many people and colors in one place all coming together to celebrate the same universal starting over of the calendar year. It was endearing, really, the slight smile on Cas' face, not that they'd ever tell him that though.
"When it gets down to ten you gotta count out loud," Dean instructed as the final minute began ticking away, and downed the rest of his drink.
As with the rest of the strange human customs, Cas only nodded, both curious and eager to be able to participate. Sure enough, when it got down to ten, the three of them began counting down, and none of them could keep the smiles off their faces.
"Three, two, one…happy new year!"
The ball finished its descent, the streamers exploded in the sky over thousands of people, and music blared over the crowded New York City streets. The new year had officially begun.
And in a little underground bunker in Lebanon Kansas, Sam, Dean, and Castiel celebrated its arrival and the hopeful new beginnings it would bring.
A/N: Apologies if this chapter has editing mistakes, I didn't get to go over it as I normally do. I also didn't get a chance to send out review replies, and for that I too apologize, just know that I really, really appreciate all the comments and love this story has received (almost 200 reviews wow) and I'll do my best to reply to the ones that come up for this chapter. Thank you so much.
I live in southern California, and after a shooting in our city Wednesday night just miles from my school, we were evacuated late Thursday night due to the fires spreading through the area. Our house and city are still in the mandatory evacuation area, and we have been staying with family outside the increasing evacuation zone for the past few days. Over 250,000 people have been affected, it's crazy. As far as we know, our house is safe so far, but the news has been on 24/7. Hotspots from embers pop up frequently, so nothing is ever certain. Both northern and southern California are burning, but the firefighters and first responders are doing an incredible job. I apologize if this brings anyone down, I just thought you should know, I was only able to get wifi this morning to finally post this with all the 503 errors the site has been having. The story isn't over, even though the chapter may seem like it, but I'm not sure when the next update will be. I'm supposed to go back to university tomorrow, so there will be an adjustment and a catch-up period emotionally and academically for sure. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, good thoughts for the whole state of California would be appreciated, and I hope everyone's next week goes better than this past one 3