Catching Up
Chapter 8 – Night at the Bunker

"I got some extra blankets for you mom," Sam announced as he entered her room. Dean was helping to make the bed and Cas had obliged with some flowers to brighten up the space.

"Thank you boys," Mary beamed with maternal pride. "This is lovely. Do you stay here as well Castiel?"

"Not generally no since I don't sleep," Cas told her.

"You still have your room here Cas," Dean said. "No one's touched it, you can hang out if you want."

"Thank you Dean but I am concerned the Men of Letters may return since they appear to have access to the Bunker. I should stand guard while you all rest."

"Well actually," Sam said before he could stop himself and he faltered. All eyes were now on him and he dared not say what really was going on, not yet anyway. Suddenly his pocket felt very warm and he reached in. He smirked as he felt heated metal and knew almost immediately what it was. He was right too as he produced a key similar to the one they used. He waved it a little in front of his family's awed faces, "I might have picked Lady's Toni's pocket."

"Atta boy Sammy," Dean gripped his shoulder.

"When did you do that?" Mary patted him.

"I was...um…fading in and out but when she took me out of here, she locked up the place and slipped the key into her pocket. I took it."

"That is excellent Sam but that might not stop them from coming here," Cas said. "I still I think I should stay in the front just to be cautious."

"Well get some rest if you need it," Mary held his cheek and he nodded before leaving.

"I should get to bed too." Sam kissed Mary's cheek, "Goodnight Mom."

"Goodnight Sammy." Sam left and Mary turned to Dean. "You should sleep too."

"I will," Dean looked down and swallowed. "I missed you mom."

"I'll be here when you wake up and every morning after that for as long as possible." Mary promised and Dean looked torn.

"How long is that? When will we lose you again?" Dean said hoarsely.

"I can't say never but I can say that I will do everything in my power to make sure it's a long time from now. As your mother, I can't – won't – risk losing you boys, not again." Mary bit her lip, "Dean, where's John? I have a feeling I know but…"

"He's gone mom." Dean cleared his throat, "You'll see it in the show. He did it to save me, it was my fault."

"That's no fault of yours Dean, that is a parent's love," Mary insisted. "I just wish I could remember if I saw him on the other side. All I remember is the demon attacking me then everything goes black until I woke up in the woods."

"I don't know what Amara did to resurrect you or how it worked to help," Dean raised his hands helplessly.

"It's fine really, my last of memory of John is him being a great father and a good husband and now I know the last thing he did on this Earth was be that great father again. Let's hope that makes the middle bearable because I am definitely not thrilled with him." That broke the tension and the two laughed.

"Didn't think you would be," Dean bobbed his head. "We had our moments."

"I guess that's something," Mary allowed. "Now bed young man, how does pancakes in the morning sound?"

"Awesome," Dean hugged his mother tight. "I love you mom."

"I love you too sweetheart," Mary pulled away and tilted her head to the door. "See you in the morning."

"Night mom."

"Goodnight Dean."

*CU*

When Sam got back to his room, he tossed the spare Bunker key onto the desk. "Thanks." I can't believe I let you take the credit for it. "Come take it back then," Sam challenged. In due time Sammy. Truth be told, I was going to give you the key anyway, get it away from here. "Trouble still coming for us?" What do you think Winchester? Sam snorted, "Right. A little privacy?" Go ahead princess. Shaking his head, he shrugged off his plaid shirt and switched to sweat pants before laying in bed. "Okay I'm decent." Yes, heaven forbid you lose your modesty while speaking to a voice in your head. "Don't pretend you don't adore me," Sam winked at the ceiling and the voice groaned. Drop it Sam, I mean it. "Anybody got a peanut?" Oh har, har. You have none of Andre's charm. "And you have all of Wally Shore's." Oh you son of a sasquatch and a giraffe, I'll get you for that! Sam laughed outright, "You know where to find me." I do and I will have my revenge. "Now that is purely inconceivable," Sam snickered. Go to sleep Sam, you're tired. "Night," Sam called as he turned over. Okay so talking to disembodied voices wasn't precisely healthy or normal but Sam knew it could be worse, it all depended on the voice.

*CU*

Mary flopped in bed for the fourth time. It had been a couple of hours and the Bunker was silent. Perhaps being dead for so many years had something to do with it but she just wasn't that tired. Maybe it was all the information she'd learnt but none of it was particularly troubling...yet. Her heart ached for John but it was a dull throb, the kind that comes with having known something subconsciously for a while even if it was only confirmed recently. Perhaps that meant they had seen each other in the afterlife. She simply didn't know and couldn't sleep. Getting up, she padded quietly to Dean's room and looked in on him. He was sprawled just like he used to as a child and she couldn't help tiptoeing in. Moving that dangling arm onto the bed and fixing the covers. Looking around, she noted the weapons but also spotted her photo on his desk. Warmed, she blew her eldest son a kiss before leaving. Next she checked on Sammy who was on his stomach with a slight smile on his face. She sat down on the edge of his bed and watched him awhile. It was hard to link this fully grown man with the baby she knew but here he was. She let herself stroke his hair a bit and adjust the blanket. She got up and went into hall. She whispered, "Sleep well boys, angels are watching over you."Well one was, she amended to herself and she found him at the table with a pot of tea and a book in hand. "Hello Castiel."

"Mary," Cas looked up. "Are you alright?"

"Fine. May I join you?"

"Of course," Cas invited and she sat down. "Would you like a cup of tea? I brewed it myself with some lovely honey I found at a farmer's market."

"Sure." Cas summoned another mug, filled it with his special tea, and gave it to her. "Thank you," Mary sipped some. "This is delicious. So you drink tea?"

"Yes, I told you earlier I'm able to handle with fluids. This is one of the few things I can have comfortably, that's why I got the honey. It's a preference of mine. I am sure however you're not here to discuss tea."

"I just couldn't sleep," Mary shook her head. "So much has changed. Where do I even begin to fit in? The boys are all grown up, John is gone, and the one thing I wanted my sons not to become, they have."

"I understand your apprehension about them hunting but your sons are much more than hunters," Cas told her. "I have been fighting alongside Sam and Dean for nigh on a decade and yes I've seen them kill monsters and save people. But I've also seen their compassion for the benign supernatural because they have good hearts and respect life more than any other. Sam has so much strength within him that he could overpower the strongest of my kind to overturn destiny and Dean, he was known as the Righteous Man in heaven and he still is in my eyes."

Mary regarded the angel fondly, "You really care about them."

"They are my truest friends, brothers even." Cas replied.

"They're all I have left in this world Cas," Mary propped her chin on her hand. "Where do we go from here? How does a person just start living again after literally just starting to live again?"

"Resurrection can be jarring," Cas sighed. "As I recall, Christ didn't have an easy time with it either."

Mary almost spilt her tea, "How old are you Castiel?"

"I was a fledging when Lucifer fell, a billion or so years," Cas shrugged. "Doesn't matter. While these last years haven't been the most pleasurable, they have been the most meaningful. I began to think for myself and I made a lot of mistakes in the process but I was free. I didn't know what to do with myself at first but it fell into place as time when on. I just had to keep moving forward. Perhaps the same could be said for you…"

"I hope so," Mary held up her mug, "A toast to the times ahead."

Cas clinked mugs with her, "To the times ahead."

A/N: Hey guys, if you can hear me from under this mountain of fluff I just buried you in clap three times… Great. There's a spoon somewhere in there, it should help with the digging. Once you get out, drop a review about the experience and let me know what you thought. Until next time, ENJOY! R&R PLZ!