Lock 6: Haven, Kansas
BY: Wolfa Moon
L6:1
Dean woke and took in his surroundings. The sun is shining through the window. And the room was not one he knew. But the room smelled like him. Smelled like a home. Moving the well worn blanket off him he sat up. The room tilted on him. Then straightened. Laughter came from outside. He walked slowly to the window. He was in a two story building. He took in the outside area. A barn was a short distance from the building he was occupying. A clothesline connecting between the two structures. A small paddock with two horses. Chickens roaming around. A tree with a tire swing. And his baby, Impala, there gleaming in the sunlight. A boy was carrying a bucket of water over to the animals. A boy. He looked up at the window and waved. The boy looked familiar. Dean waved back unconsciously. Then the boy yelled to somebody. That somebody came out of the barn. It took him a double take to realize who the man was. He was wearing a flannel shirt to big for him. Shoulders rolled up. Jeans worn in areas. Those blue eyes looked up at him. He smiled and waved up at him too. Dean waved back again. Cas gave him the sign for one minute. Dean gathered he would come up and tell him what the hell was going on. Dean turned from the window to the door. But what caught his attention was the wall. It was covered in news article and Polaroid's. Stepping to the wall he looked at the article headings.
THE END IS NOW.
DETROIT GONE.
CROATOAN VIRUS CLAIMS NEW YORK.
NO CURE IN SIGHT.
SAFE HAVENS FOR A FEW.
The pictures are of faces he knows. Sam, Cas, Ram & himself. Most of them don't have him in it. His eyes catch a Polaroid camera next to him on a dresser. Guess he was the photographer. When did he become the photogenic type? Turning back to the pictures he saw smiling faces. Then Sam began to disappear from the photo's more. Faces of two children began to adorn the walls. Pictures drawn by that child with it he presumed. Some were signed. One read Jimmy. The other read Mary. Guess Jimmy was the boy he saw. What the hell is going on? Dean had had enough of waiting.
Storming down the stairs, smells of food assault his senses. Boy did they smell good. The stairs opened up into a foyer. Jackets lined the entryway door wall. Then several guns on high up hooks also adorned the walls. Out of the way of children but close enough if need be. He followed his nose. From the hallway on his right was a huge living room. Books strewed everywhere. No TV in sight. Guess that's expected in this now. Did Zachariah get him again?
"Dean in here." A voice of familiar sweetness. He turned and entered the room to the left of the foyer. Which happened to be the kitchen. A little girl about 7 years old sat at the table. She was kneading dough. Taking a bit and making balls. Then his eyes turned to the one who spoke. Her back was too him. She was concentrating on what was on the range. Smelled like eggs. Man was he hungry. "Good morning Dean."
"Morning." The little girl looked up. Those eyes. She smiled and ran to him.
"Uncle Dean." She launched herself into his arms. Dean lifted her up in his arms.
"Hello?"
"Mary we haven't talked to him yet."
"Oh," the girl hugged him tight and began to wiggle herself down. "Sorry."
"No problem." Ramiel turned to face him. His eyes bulged.
"Ram you really let yourself go." Staring at her swollen, pregnant tummy.
"That's better then yesterdays realization." Cas spoke as he entered into the house. The boy from outside standing beside Castiel. Both carrying a bucket full of milk. "You swallowed a planet." Cas informed as he went to the cooler. Smile spreading across his features.
"That is true." Ramiel turned back to the eggs.
"She's not fat she's pregnant." The little boy informed him. He took his bucket to the fridge where Castiel put his.
"Morning Dean." Castiel walked by him and wrapped Ramiel in a hug. He kissed her. Thoughts flew fast through his head. Ramiel and Castiel. NO. It was suppose to be Sam. Sam.
"Where's Sam?" everything stopped at the line. The kids stopped. Then it resumed the kids still shocked a moment longer than thee adults. Ramiel began serving the eggs while Castiel served out the milk. Once prepared she handed him a plate then.
"Follow me." He followed her outside to the porch onto a swinging bench. She took a seat. He took one gingerly next to her. "Dean this is going to take some time to explain. It always does. I lost today."
"Excuse me."
"Sorry." She shoveled some eggs into her mouth. "I'm hungry." Dean watched as she took two more bites before she began again. Angels don't eat. Guess all those food lessons paid off. He took a bite. It was good. "The last thing you remember is us in the warehouse." At Dean's nod. "That was 8 years ago."
"No way." She smiled. Disbelief on his face.
"Way." She took another bite. "The lock we were at was one that required your help." Reminding him he wanted to help more. "While closing it. The lock backlashed. It sent out a reaction. More specifically." She paused and took a drink. "Dean I stated the truth that it has been 8 years since the incident. You just. Every night you forget and we go over this every morning." Dean took a moment.
"So it was your turn today to tell me?"
"Lizard beats Spock."
"What?" Ramiel shakes her head.
"I am not going through the explanation. I lost."
"Glad I'm such a chore."
"It's not that Dean. It's just your reaction to what we tell you." She sighed.
"It breaks our hearts."
"Sam." He stated simply. Speaking freely of the elephant in the room.
"He said yes."
"Bullshit." Ramiel grabbed the plate quickly as he stood up in denial. "He wouldn't do it. That is bullshit."
"Better than yesterdays response." Castiel spoke as he came out rifle over his shoulder. Dean turned on him.
"What did I do yesterday?"
"You threw the plate and made jimmy cry."
"Jimmy?" Cas nodded to the paddock where he was petting a saddled horse. Guess they eat fast around here. Use daylight wisely. Dean took the boy in. Going to the railing he reviewed every detail. It was a smaller version of Castiel vessel's form. "He's your son."
"Yeah," Castiel said proudly. Dean looked between Ramiel and Castiel. He's theirs, he thought.
"No. He is Cas and a hunter named Jo's son." Ramiel answered his inner question. Did they still have their mojo? She answered again to his thoughts. "Only some. We are practically human. I can still read thoughts and heal on occasion. Some visions here and there." Dean turned to Cas. Explain what he still contributed from his remaining grace.
"I can still fly in and out over short distances. Little supernatural strength. Everything else, pewww." He shrugged. "I don't mind." Dean flashed to the drugged out version of Future Cas. Castiel laughed. Realizing that his thoughts are wearing on his sleeves.
"I gather I told you about that."
"Yup," Cas confirmed with a huge nod of the head. He smiled to Ramiel. She came over and gave him a hug. He touched her stomach and kissed the swollen top. "Be good for mommy." He clapped Dean on the shoulder. "See you guys later." Castiel headed off to the horse paddock where Jimmy was petting the horse.
"Where he going?"
"Hunting." Ramiel rubbed her stomach as she watched Castiel head off. Jimmy sadly pick up a hoe and began to head to the garden. "It a simple life here. A nice bubble from the world. But still a bubble that can be destroyed in a microt." Dean's eyes rose at the reference. "Yes our pop culture skills have gone up." She set her plate on the railing. "Either Castiel or I would stay with you while Sam and the other would close locks and the occasional job." Dean nodded. His breakfast forgotten. He wondered if he ever did. There wasn't a lot on the plate to begin with. Guess it was the norm. A routine they knew. One he didn't.
"So what is a normal day around here?"
"Help out with chores. Entertain the kids." Kids?
"Mary?" She smiled. As if wondering when that would come up.
"She's Sam and mine." The eyes.
"How?"
"Last night on earth deal." Dean looked taken back. He was an uncle just like the girl exclaimed this morning. Wait it still was morning. Was every morning like this?
"You are going to have to explain why Sam would say yes and all." She nodded. Resigned to the fact of repeating a painful memory over and over for the rest of their days.
"It was several months after this happened. We were losing massively. We joined with hunters. Numbers grew then dwindled down. He… we decided it was time to make a stand. And yes being the last resort. You suggested several time saying yes to Michael."
"Guess that didn't work out."
"Yes. The lock magic prevented it." She began to walk around the farmhouse. Dean followed. She stopped in front of a clothesline taking off the dried cloths.
"So what prompted you guys to come here?" She sighed as she tossed Dean one end of a sheet to be folded. They folded together as she explained.
"Sam made a deal. We'd be safe and taken care of till the end of our days. That we would remain safe. That his hell on earth would be far away form us. "
"So your safe havens?" Remembering the news article headliners posting the wall in his room. She nodded as she took the folded sheet from him.
"Yes. There are other people around us. People of our choosing. Or ones who are significant."
"Significant." Dean blood began to boil. "Who determines who is significant?"
"Life, us, whomever he wishes." She sighed. "We get stragglers here and there. But Chuck and Becky are on another ranch with several other people near here. And then Bobby on one north of here. He's a school teacher for the kids in the community."
"Community? How big is this place? Better yet, where is this place?"
"Middle of nowhere in your farthest dreams."
"So?"
"You won't like the answer." She looks at the vastness around her. There are fields of growing vegetables all around them.
"Tell me.
"Kansas city."
"Kansas City?" the misbelief echoed in every syllable. How could this be that? "How?"
"My brother is very powerful. "
"You're brother." Dean scoffs as he takes down a t-shirt. Examining it he realizes it is one of his AC/DC shirts that had shrank beyond his wear but someone was wearing it.
"He may be an enemy but he is my brother." Dean handed her the shirt. He watched as she set about the close line collecting cloths. His mind racing trying to put pieces together. Trying to make things fit into the puzzle grooves. Nothing was fitting. All of this is wrong.
"Am I dreaming?" Ramiel smiled, hefting the basket full of cloths on her hip.
"If this were a dream. I would be doing my damnest to wake your ass up. Believe me." She closed her eyes for a moment.
"What's wrong?"
"He's just wanting me to keep moving." She pats her stomach with her unoccupied hand. "And my back isn't liking this hard work. But we do what we must."
"Here." Dean grabs the basket taking the hint. Earning a smile on her features.
"Thank you." They both move toward the house.
"Have I ever remembered something from a previous day or tried…" she cut him off.
"You tried." She sighed as they climbed the steps upstairs to put the cloths away. "Tried staying up as long as you could several times. There is a slight bleed through the following day. You lasted 3 days before once. Then you had a full sleep and complete rewind day."
"That sucks." She handed him clothes and told them who's are what. Taking a pile of clothes that belonged to Jimmy to his room. A pile containing the shirt of his. Job done, he spent several moments looking around the boy's room. It was a boy's room. Pictures of cars on every wall. Toys that had seen better days. But well loved. Well cared for. A stuffed animal lay at that foot of the bed. Handmade. Wonder who made it. A loud banging resounded from the hallway. Pulled from his musing he listened. For a moment he thought it was the kids running up the stairs. Moving into the hallway. No one was coming up the stairs. Did this place have a ghost? The banging emanating again. He made toward the closed door.
"Uncle Dean?" a young questionable voice sounded from behind him. Dean paused and turned to see Jimmy standing there. His head tilted much the same way as Cas does.
"Yeah Jimmy," Dean rubbed the back of his head. Trying to hide his discomfort. "What's.." behind this door. Was the finish of his enquiry but an excited Jimmy burst in.
"Can we install the fan belt now?"
"Fan belt?"
"Yeah." He confirmed. Dean remembered all the car pictures on the wall. All magazine pictures. Some old. Some, probably from his collection. Donated to the youth. The well played with paint chipped hot wheels. A car lover.
"Yeah, that's good." He may have to rebond with the kids. In his own musing wondering how. But then again he set it up before hand. A common interest. A comfort zone. They knew him. He didn't know them.
Down the stairs they go. Den pauses as he watches Ramiel surrounded by several people. Ramiel nods to him. Some of the others turn but go right back to talking with Ram. Dean meets Jimmy at the steps.
"Wha…" What's going on?
"Mom is like the matriarch of the community. Everyone comes to her for advice. Her guidance. They praised her as a goddess for a while. But she hated it. " Jimmy sighed. Hating what his mom hated. Dean watched Jimmy jump the last two steps.
Following him outside they passed the Impala and entered into barn. The barn was divided into two parts. One for stock and the other a garage. Barrels of gas lining the back wall. Tools equipment and parts lined the other walls. But there in the middle he knew what they did to bond. A body of a 67 Chevelle sat up on blocks. Metal panels are missing. Hell all the doors where off. The car had seen better days but that was the beauty in it. Restoring the broken to it's former glory. Jimmy bounded over with the fan belt. It was a used one. Hell everyone was used. Nothing new. Handing it to dean.
"Uncle Bobby said it might not work but to still give it a shot."
"Yeah," taking the fan belt he went to the car. "Who' car is this?"
"Mine." Jimmy stated proudly.
"No kidding."
"No I am not kidding you." Dean had to stop and stare at the boy. Such a perfect replica of Cas. Even the manners. What did he expect angels raising kids. Kids raised not around other kids. Bobby ran a school but how often was that? How many kids were chosen to survive. Thoughts turning dark. Then brightened when he stared into Jimmy's blue eyes.
"You sound like Cas." Might as well state the obvious.
"Well he is my father." Fact for fact. Dean huffed.
"Let's see what we can do."
"Swell." Dean chuckled.
L6: 2
The sun was beginning to lower into the sky. Turning the sky to a golden orange. The morning had passed so quickly. And there was still light to work by. But it was lunch dinner. Dean couldn't tell. This lifestyle seemed foreign to him. But the norm for them. Cas had arrived back and was sitting with Mary in the living room drawing symbols on a sand shallow box. Guess paper was in short supply. And chalk and chalkboard. Sand worked. Dean peered at them. The girl's hair so much like his brothers. A painful twang filled his heart. His Sammy all gone. Gone to the dark side. Except his final contribution, Mary. The symbol looked familiar but couldn't recognize it. Maybe he had drawn it himself. The thing that nagged him the most are the surrounding marks. It seemed to be words. Not Enochian. Not Latin. English. Standard English. Yet the words were all jumbled around in the sand board.
"Go wash up before dinner." Ramiel called from the kitchen.
"Yes mom," Jimmy whined as he moved past Dean to give his dad a hug. Dean watched as Cas grabbed Jimmy and hugged him tight to him. As if he was his whole world. So much love on their faces. Not to be left out Mary piled on both of them. The weight pushing Cas back to the floor. Laughter filling the room. Castiel made a great dad, Dean realized. He looked down at his hands. Covered in grim and dirt. Not a bad way to spend a day he would forget.
Going to the bathroom he cleaned his hands. Thinking over the past few hours. Jimmy was great. So knowledgeable about the cars. All he learned from him and books. Of what they could salvage. The startling question that got him. Dean asked Jimmy was, 'how long have we been working on this?' the response unsettled him more. 'A year and a half.' The banging on wood pulled him from his thoughts. Going into the hallway he followed the banging to the closed door from earlier. He reached for the handle and twisted it. The door was lock. Leaning his ear against the door he could hear soft muffling moaning. He tried the handle again. It twisted back against him. His eyes going wide he moved his hand away. The handle moved on it's own.
"What the," he tried the handle again. It fought him. He began to put pressure on the door. Fighting hard to open the door. What's going on?
A loud scream from downstairs caught his attention. Clattering pans hitting the floor. Kids screaming then his name being yelled in the gruffness of Cas' angel voice. Sounding urgent. Dean barreled down the stairs. Room forgotten at the moment. Ramiel was sprawled on the kitchen floor. Her arm caught on a chair as she fell. The food scattered around her.
"I'm so sorry." She was whimpering against Castiel as he stroked her hair. Her face contorted in pain.
"Is she okay?" Cas nodded into her hair. His voice lost to him in the concern for Ram and their child.
"I'm so sorry. I ruined dinner."
"Shh, shh it's okay. As long as you're okay. That is all that matters." Dean watched them. So unlike the angels he knew. Ramiel reached for Dean. He obediently knelt in front of her.
"Ramiel?"
"Contractions. False ones. But they hurt like a bitch." Dean smiled. She looked up at him and laughed. Dean smiled back at her. Her laughter grew louder. "You should of seen your face." Dean breathes a sigh of relief. Cas kisses her temple.
"You crazy angel." Dean voiced as he relaxed back onto his butt. Cas laughed burying his face in her neck.
"Damn I love you."
"As you should brother." Ramiel looked around the room. Jimmy and Mary stood by the doorway. "False alarm guys. Sorry."
"That's okay mom." Mary came over. Jimmy paced from foot to foot. He looked from all of them. His eyes landing on his mom, for all intents and purposes.
"Mom?" Ram tilted her head at him. Dean smiled at the tilt. But look curiously at Jimmy. Something was wrong. Cas stood up and went over to Jimmy, his son. Resting hands on his shoulders.
"Jimmy?" Jimmy blinked several times. Tears threatening to pour. "Jimmy what is it?" He looked to his father then Ram and family then back. He threw himself at his father.
"I don't want mom to die." Cas sighed, hugging him tight.
"It'll be ok."
"Oh, Jimmy." Ram wanted to get up and comfort him. But it hurt to move. Dean saw her twitch when she moved. She looked to Dean. Reading information there that he should remember. Then he remembered how Jimmy hung on every word he spoke. Jimmy looked up to him.
"Jimmy, pal. Come here." Jimmy looked up from where he had buried his face in his dad's shoulder. "Come here." Cas nodded with approval. Jimmy let go and went to Dean. Dean held out his hand. Accepting the hand he pulled him close to him. Jimmy fought back the tears. Burying his face into his beloved uncle's neck, safe. The worry radiated though. Dean smiled and rubbed a hand though Jimmy's dark locks. Dean didn't have words. Never used them much before, he is of action. They just looked at each other. Having a silent conversation. One Dean got half of. It seemed to work. They both nodded. "Good boy. Let's go remake dinner. Ok?" Jimmy nodded. Then he looked to Mary. "You can help too." Mary smiled and came over. Dean grabbed both of the kid's hands and led them away. Dean was worried too about Ramiel. Knew she wanted to be there for them, the matriarch. He had watched, as she had made sure all of them were ok. Keeping a watchful eye as they fixed the car. And watched him. Make sure he wasn't uncomfortable. Made sure they drank fluids. The mom. Radom people would be over and she would be discussing and bartering. Then pushing Mary on the tire swing. Then normal chores. Ram was watching everything. But so was Dean. He knew it was pointless to try and hold onto these images. At some particular moments he would sadden and stop. A what's the point moment. Jimmy noticed and knew those distant looks. Engaging him back into the fray. Dean smiled at that.
Now here he stood. A kid on both sides of him. They began to try and salvage dinner. There was a salad. But the meat portion was on the floor. So much for Cas' hunt. Mary smiled as she found some canned tuna. Smiling approvingly Dean opened it.
Cas had moved Ram to a couch in the living room. Entering the kitchen. He watched as the children interacted with their uncle. Cas felt a particular nausea as his charge, friend, and family stood before him. The once great hunter reduced to live day by day. Forgetting all what lived. All what happened. Clean slate. Hanging on to learn all the travesties as fresh open wounds. Forced to bleed again. Day after day. Lucifer was fair in some aspects. But to keep Dean like this. Was an insult to who he is? Cas prayed some days that Dean would sleep the whole night through. Would wake up with a point chance of some memory. Or the most startling, not wake up at all. Shacking that awful thought away he entered the kitchen. They turned as he entered. Dean's eyes locked on his. They both nodded to one another.
"How is she?" Dean asked as he turned with individual bowls of salad. Cas nodded. His emotions strained. Dean reading them all over his face. So many expressions. He was learning them back then but now. So easy to read. Cas was worried, frightened. Trying to put on a happy face. For the kids.
"She'll be ok." The, I hope, left silent. Dean nodded. He had to follow by example.
"Good. Should I bring her, her dinner?"
"Yeah," Castiel moves over and kisses each kid on the head. Squeezing their shoulders. Giving them strength. Yet then when he walked by his hands glided in the air. Did the kids have wings? He pondered this as he took dinner to Ramiel.
She was sprawled out on the couch. Cushions behind her back. Legs propped up on pillows. She smiled as he entered. Trying to lesson the worry. Lesson the feeling of badness, wrongness that seemed to radiate. Something was wrong. It might be her or something else. Dean came over and handed her a bowl.
"Thanks Dean." Dean took her in. She looked drained. She looked like when she did in Denver. He sits beside her.
"You ok, really?" She lets her smile falter then fade.
"No." she takes the bowl. "I have been spotting. We are concerned about losing the baby."
"Did you have this problem with Mary?"
"No, but I think Lucifer had a hand in that." Dean glanced to the other room. Then looked deep into Ram's eyes. The worry there. Then the recognition that crossed Dean's face. She nodded solemnly. If anything happened to vessel Sam. Lucy had another meat suite to jump into. The idea made him angry. But this child was not a Lucifer vessel body. This was a baby between two former angels. Created together to save the species. Love. Wait, stray thought.
"Have we ever you know?" Ramiel smiled at the change in the topic. She laughed slowly. Dean quirked an eyebrow. "Really?" she shakes her head no.
"It didn't seem right. For you would forget about it the next day. Then it would be this weird thing between us. And I didn't want to do 50 first dates with you." Dean smiled at the movie reference. Guess their pop culture really did expand. Guess it helps them understand Dean. Especially with Sam not around. New topic but close.
"So how did you and Cas?" His face speaking, you know.
"We, it is complicated. Our numbers are not unlimited. There's a bigger picture here. The species needs to be saved."
"So a last man on earth deal."
"Castiel isn't the last man on earth."
"I know." The eye roll following made them both smile. She took his hand.
"Dean," he looked to her. " I love you. I do. But it would never work." She sighed. "I don't even think this will." Survive. Rubbing her tummy affectionately. "I can only hope. That this little one will survive." Dean placed his hand over hers.
"At what cost?" Ramiel smiled
"Everything has risk. This is one I'm willing to take."
"And if it doesn't work out."
"At least they'll still have family left." This hurt Dean deep to admit. Family was everything to him. Guess it was everything to her too. Why didn't he see that before? How could he be blind that Ramiel all along was fighting to keep her family and friends safe? Dean, Sam, Castiel, the kids, her family. All safe. The high archangel role, mothered down to earth. Earth's walking mother. Trying to take care of what she had left. Making it shine like the fading golden sun. A star untouched. Safe in the heavens.
"You'll live too." He may not remember tomorrow. But he knew he would feel it. The feeling to keep her safe. The same feeling he had this morning. He felt a slight relief at seeing her. Maybe this was it. No visual memory. Word memory. But emotional memory. The strongest of memories besides smell. Smell. Dean leaned in and kissed her on the forehead. He buried his nose in her hair. Sunflowers. This he could remember. He would remember Ram's smell. Moving back they stared into each other's eyes. What he never saw before. What he recognized but never wanted to acknowledge. Eyes like his. All about family. Keeping them safe.
"You're a wonderful mother."
"And you are a wonderful uncle." A loud bang came from upstairs. Followed by several more. Dean stood up. He glanced into the kitchen. Castiel was sitting with the two kids at the kitchen table. Talking still. Did they not hear it? He looked to Ram. She was looking at him. Worry on her face.
"Did you hear that?"
"Hear what?" she answered quickly. Was she playing him? Was it a telltale heart? What could be so bad? What couldn't he be allowed to discover? Something that he heard several times. Each time a distraction. Cas, Jimmy, Mary, Ram. What is going on?
"Stay here."
"Dean." Dean ignores her call and heads upstairs. The pounding gains a rhythm. A constant thump. This time the door was moving with each hit. Like someone was trying to get out. "DEAN!" Ramiel called from downstairs again. She was insistent. Calling several times. His focus though was on the door and only the door. Then there was thunder on the stairs. Someone was coming to make him stop. Castiel called out his name. One with light hearted gruff that had become the family man. The other. The other was the muffled more angel powered gruff voice. Coming form the door. His universe was bizarre on the average day. What the hell is happening?
He made it to the door and twisted the handle. It gave easily to him. The room was dark and empty. He peered inside the room. Thinking he was going insane. Hell he already was with this life. What is a little more insanity? He turned from the room to see Castiel at the top of the stairs. Then an hand grabbed his shoulder and twirled him around in a fashion he knew all to well.
There before him was past Cas. Trench coat and all. Hair ruffled.
"Cas," Dean questioned with so much lost puppy voice. So confused at what was going on.
"Dean, you must come with me."
"Dean don't!" the other family man Cas said. Dean looked from Cas to Cas.
"What's going on?"
"This is a lock." Every day Cas spoke. "We need to leave."
"Uncle dean." Dean's heart plummeted at that voice. A voice that spoke to his heart. That wanted to be like him. Dean turned to see Jimmy standing in front of his father.
"What's real Cas?" he looked from both of them to the one he knew longer.
"Dean," the one on the steps called. Dean ignored him.
"Come with me now." The hand tightened on his shoulder.
"Uncle Dean, NO!" Jimmy flung himself at Dean. Holding tight around his middle. Dean looked down. Jimmy's bright blues, just like his father, looked up at him. Pleading.
"Jimmy?" Dean pets the kid's head. He looked to everyday Cas. He was watching, taking in the world around him. Dean's reality. Which is the true? Living day to day. What did he have to lose? Dean kneeled down. Jimmy on the verge of crying. Hell tears were already leaking.
"Don't you love me," he trembled. Dean sighed heavily. His heart breaking.
"Jimmy, I.." Dean looked from both versions of his best friend. Cas stood there. Mary now beside him. Hugging him tight. Ramiel slowly making her way up behind them. Dean's heart thumped with worry. She shouldn't be up. But this was his family. It made him question the trench coat one. Family was worth fighting for. Worth the risk. Dean looked at Jimmy's face again. One he could learn to fight each night to keep vivid. To remember. Let it leak through. Fight for. "Jimmy, I do love you. And I would fight sleep for you." Dean pulled him close. Taking in his smell. He smelled of wild wind, daffodils, and gasoline. If anything he could remember this. He breathed deep again. Jimmy squeezed tightly back.
"Dean," trench Cas asked. Dean looked up with sad eyes to him. "We must go." Dean nodded. He stood up and looked at this world. Was this what is was like to sleep every night. To let this life slip away. Was trench Cas always there to beckon him to sleep. Was it time to sleep?
One last look to the family. One last time to dream. Question the truth. If he was wrong. He would just wake up to this and learn all over again. What was there to lose? Maybe everything.
"Let's go." One last look. Castiel raised his hand and touched his forehead.
L6:3
Dean woke up with a start. The surrounding he didn't recognize. Yet through a haze nothing looked familiar. Blinking several times to wake through it.
"Dean?" a voice called him. "Dean." The voice called with more force. A voice he hadn't heard on the farm. Blinking more the ceiling came into view. He knew this ceiling. It was the farmhouse. He remembered. Pregnant Ramiel. Hunter Castiel. Wannabe mechanic Jimmy, his nephew. Light haired, baker, Mary, his niece. Sam's one last bit of humanity. And a farm right where Kansas City use to be. He remembered. How?
"Dean," a voice called again. A voice that wasn't there the other day. Maybe he was sleeping. When he wakes up again for real it will fade. Rewind day. "Dean." Looking for the voice. To the one person who wasn't really there. He saw Sam. Not Lucifer Sam but Sam Sam. His Sam. His brother. He was on the farm though. Wait a minute. Dean sat up quickly. Closing his eyes when the room tilted. Sam quickly steadied him. "Whoa, slow down." Dean opened his eyes. Sam was there.
"How?" How are you here Sam? Sam didn't answer that question the one he did answer though.
"Cas brought you out. Ram had to be the conduit. She said you would respond better to Cas then her poking around." Dean just watched Sam as he spoke. He reached for him and laid a hand on him. It made contact. "Dean you ok?"
"You're you?"
"Yeah, I'm me. What happened?"
"A long story. Where are they?" Dean's eyes searched the room. They weren't there. But the room was his from the dream? He guessed. Getting up he moves to the wall. Runs his hands over the blank peeling wallpaper surface. No news articles, no Polaroid's, no homemade pictures made by two amazing kids. The wall was a clean slate.
Sam had gone to the open window and stuck his head out. He shouted both Angels name. Dean turned at the shouting. The calling of people he desperately wanted to see. Making his way to the window he looked down. It was the farm. The barn looked completely different. The roof was caving in on itself. Not flourishing. The whole landscape was wrong. The fields' dead. A tire swing in half. Rope flayed and dangling. The tire half buried under the earth. No signs of recent play. No signs at all of his dream. His Impala the only thing reminisant of his dreams. Perfect pristine and whole. Cas came out of the barn. Trench coat and all. He looked up at them and waved. Dean leaned over Sam's shoulder. He took a deep breath. Breathing in his brother's scent. Old books, lavender, vanilla. Hhmm. Dean breathed his brother in. a memory. Sam looked to him. What, written on his face.
"Nothing." Cas had turned back into the Barn.
"The locks closed." Both brothers turned from the window. There stood Ram and Cas side by side. Cas holding Ram up a little. His one hand resting on her flat stomach. No child on it's way. No children, period.
"Am I awake?" Cas looked to Ram then back.
"You are awake."
"Did you," see?
TBC….
