CHAPTER 8

It's The End Of The World As We Know It

Title Credit: Lyrics from the song It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) by R.E.M.

"That should do it," Cas said, wiping his hands on the oil-stained cotton rag that Jack handed him. In the dimly lit basement, the scent of oil and metal filled the air, as Cas clicked the unit's switch, and they both watched it rumble into life. With a satisfied nod, he turned to Jack. The room was cluttered with tools, old pieces of furniture, and countless boxes overflowing with books. The walls were lined with shelves that groaned under the weight of all the items that had been stacked on them, looking like they could buckle at any moment.

"Thanks for your help here, Jack," Castiel added.

Jack shrugged a bit uncomfortably at the man's kind words. "I didn't do much."

"I wouldn't have managed to clean the tank and replace the oil without you," Cas countered, his eyes peering at the teen.

He sensed Jack's discomfort, which had less to do with the lingering physical pain from Sam's punishment and more with the guilt the kid struggled to let go of. Castiel didn't attempt to probe into his mind, yet Jack's dysregulated state caused him to project fragments of thoughts and memories from his first ever Winchester punishment. Fragmented images of Jack draped over Sam's knees, sounds of swats echoing, Jack sobbing as Sam's belt came off and finished the punishment, Sam talking to him, a hand rubbing the kid's back, a strong embrace, while Jack was still crying.

"Jack…" Castiel tried, but the young nephilim cut him off.

"I'm so sorry… About everything, Cas. About hiding the save-Kyle-operation, about doing something so dangerous, about knocking you out," his words poured out of his mouth with speed and urgency, and Cas could both hear and sense their deep sincerity.

"And you are forgiven, Jack. By me, by Sam, by Dean, by Jody… You were held accountable, and now it is over," the angel answered reassuringly.

"Then why do I still feel so bad inside?" Jack asked quietly. His blue gaze heavy with guilt, he looked up at Cas, resembling, in that moment, the puppy Dean was so fond of comparing him to. Castiel felt his heart tug at the innocence Jack still had about him.

"Because you are a good kid who made a big mistake, and you now feel remorse," the angel explained, taking a step closer to the young man, his hand clasping around his shoulder affectionately. "Remorse is… good, in a way. It shows you truly understand the gravity of your actions. But you can't let it eat at you, Jack. You were punished; it is over. We are moving on."

"How?" Jack couldn't help but ask, the messy intensity of these feelings leaving him teetering for balance.

"That's something we will all discuss over dinner," Castiel answered cryptically.

As if on cue, Jody's voice rang from the top of the stairs, "Dinner's served!"

Castiel kept his clasp on Jack's shoulder, a reassuring and comforting touch that eased the young man's nerves. The wooden staircase creaked under their weight, as Cas gently led Jack up the stairs of the basement, which led straight to the kitchen through an old wooden door. As the two of them entered the room, a mouthwatering aroma filled their nostrils. Claire had just set a steaming baking dish of lasagna in the middle of the kitchen table, while Dean, who was standing next to her, was setting the plates.

Jack noticed how Dean looked a lot calmer now, his face void of the tension it held a few hours ago, and his movements were smooth and controlled. Claire seemed more tranquil in a way too, even though he sensed some turbulent feelings clashing inside her—some of which were quite similar to his own. Claire glanced at the angel and Jack as they joined them in the kitchen but remained silent. Heading to the kitchen counter, she started opening drawers, searching for forks and knives.

"First drawer on the left of the sink," Dean told her, understanding what she was looking for and remembering where Bobby kept them. Claire shot him a glance before moving to the indicated drawer and retrieving the needed utensils for everyone. Dean, not necessarily expecting an answer, lowered himself into a chair, his elbows resting on the table with his claimed plate between them. He rested his chin on top of his clasped hands as he watched Claire set the table.

Jody, more discreetly than Dean, followed the girl's movements from the corner of her eye as she finished dressing the salad and brought it to join the lasagna. She knew Claire would stay sulky for as long as possible and try her best to minimize interactions with both her and Dean for a couple of days. It was her usual way of coping with feeling like she had screwed up but not being ready to openly admit it. After putting the bowl of salad on the table and freeing her hands, Jody reached out and drew Claire into a short one-armed hug, pressing a kiss on her temple. Claire didn't resist this, even sending the woman a faint smile that lingered on her face for all of a second before vanishing again.

A few seconds later, Sam entered the kitchen with Amber in tow. Dean glanced at his sister before shifting his focus to his brother. Despite Sam's calm facade, Dean knew how much he hated coming down hard on Amber. No matter how well-earned today's consequences were, Dean was sure that between having to dole out a full spanking to Jack and a bonus round to their sister, Sam would be a pitiful mess. Sam's eyes locked with his brother's for a few seconds before he averted them. Yep. Pitiful mess alright.

"Well, grab a seat, everyone," Jody instructed as she brought an armful of bottles to the table and started handing them to everyone as they found their chairs. Beers for herself, Cas, Sam, and Dean, sodas for the girls and Jack. She knew the angel wouldn't drink, but it felt wrong not getting him one when everyone else was getting a drink. Figuring Dean would happily down it if Cas opted not to, she had decided to get him one anyway.

For a few seconds, the room was filled with the sound of utensils clinking against porcelain as everyone dished out their servings. Jody applauded herself for her meal choice. With so many mouths to feed and the taxing day they all had, this wholesome comfort food would not only satiate their hunger but also warm up their hearts.

"The furnace is running," Castiel announced, breaking the silence.

"Why bother?" Claire asked as she munched on her bite. "It's just one night."

The glances exchanged between the adults didn't go unnoticed by Claire or Amber, but no comments were made.

"Hot water?" Amber asked, desperate to shower off the grime and tension of the day.

"Well, Jack already fixed up the power in the house while the three of you were playing the witches of Eastwick," Dean answered evenly. "I've gone ahead and fired up the water heater, so you're good to go once we're done here."

"Can't we eat in peace before we go for round two?" Claire's groaned complaint made both Dean and Jody arch surprised eyebrows. She usually barely spoke a word after a punishment, let alone express herself so openly.

"Round three for some of us," Amber mumbled under her breath, causing Jack's eyes to widen as he realized what she meant.

"There's no round two, Barbie. We've already made it clear what this little chat is gonna be all about. So listen up, here's the deal: Two weeks of complete lockdown for the three of you," the moans from the girls made him roll his eyes.

Leaning back in his chair, his arms crossed over his chest as he addressed them, his authoritative presence filling the room. "You'll be showing up right here every day at 6 am, and you'll be tackling all the chores we throw at you until we whip this place into shape and get it running without a hitch."

Amber's eyes shot up at the second part of his speech, confusion and disbelief furrowing her brow. "And by 'here' you mean the bunker?"

"No, I mean here," Dean repeated evenly, his gaze meeting and holding his sister's. He watched as her eyes bulged and felt a smile tugging at his lips as she struggled to believe what she was hearing.

"Why here? Nobody lives in this place, why the hell would you..." Claire's question hung unfinished in the air as she connected the dots. Mouth agape, she stared at Dean too, her mind trying to grasp the unexpected turn of events. "Wait… Does that mean..."

"We're moving to Sioux Falls," Sam spelled it out, his voice tinged with anticipation, as he watched the trio's reactions. The room felt charged with emotions, the silence carrying a mix of astonishment and uncertainty.

Among the three, Jack seemed the most indifferent. A small smile played on the young nephilim's lips as he sensed Amber's elation, but Sam knew he'd be okay even if they moved to Alaska. For Jack, things were still pretty simple and straightforward. As long as he had the Winchesters and Cas by his side, he was good to go.

Amber's face split into a huge grin, and Sam's smile grew wider as she shot up from her seat and ran to him, hugging him from behind his back as he was seated, before doing the same to Dean while chanting, "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!" Her happiness was contagious, filling the room with warmth and joy.

Jody couldn't help but let out a small chuckle as Amber practically hopped her way back to her seat, even as she sat down a lot more carefully than she had gotten up. The sheriff's eyes moved to Claire, who looked more surprised than anything. Their gazes met, and Claire asked the older woman, "Did you know about this?"

Jody shook her head. "We discussed it just a couple of hours ago while we were trying to figure out how we'll deal with this mess and what should happen next," Jody answered, trying to keep her tone neutral, as she wasn't sure what was going on in Claire's mind right then. She guessed the girl was torn between feeling happy that Amber, Jack, and the boys would live so close, but also realizing all the implications and changes this would bring to her daily life. The two Winchester brothers, and especially Dean, would be able to keep a much closer eye on Claire, and that wouldn't be an easy adjustment for her little rebel of a foster-daughter.

"What's up, Barbie? Not excited to have us around?" Dean teased, catching the hint of reluctance in Claire's expression.

"Amber and Jack, sure. The rest of the bat crew? Not so much, no," Claire replied drily. Despite her words, she couldn't deny the subtle excitement that coursed through her at the prospect of having all of them so close. Even the control-freak dickwad Dean.

"We're gonna give this a go and see how it plays out," Dean continued, not remarking on Claire's comment. His tone carried measured optimism and caution. "If at any point we realize anyone's safety is compromised by this move, we'll go straight back to the bunker," he clarified, his eyes lingering on Amber at this. He didn't want his sister to get too attached to the idea of living here forever. Their lives held no guarantees, and Amber needed to be aware that at any point things could change. "Is that clear, Amber?"

"Yes, yes! Perfectly understandable," the girl eagerly nodded, too excited to care about the what-ifs.

"We'll enroll both you and Jack in Claire's school. You won't have any classes with her, she'll be a senior come September, and you'll be freshmen," Sam spoke next. Noting how Amber's face lost some of its enthusiasm while Jack's grew worried, he added in an effort to reassure them, "But you and Jack will have each other, and you'll be in the same school with her. I'm sure she'll help you meet new people."

"Only the best crowd," Claire smirked at that, her face filling with satisfaction at Dean's weary look upon hearing her words.

"Why freshman and not sophomore?" Amber asked, scrunching up her nose at the prospect of being the oldest in her class by a whole year.

"Because it will be easier for you to catch up, and Jack to ease into it," Sam explained, his voice tinged with empathy. He recognized her worries and wanted to assure her that they had carefully considered the best option for both her and Jack's smooth transition into the new school environment.

"But how will they accept us without transcripts?" Amber asked next. The prospect of school unnerved her and she was desperate for some sort of way out of it. It was the single thorn she found in this situation.

"You'll have transcripts," Dean stated simply and didn't need to further elaborate. It wasn't the first time they'd forged legal papers, and it wouldn't be the last.

"Will we keep up the father-daughter act?" Amber's question hung in the air, and she couldn't help but notice the complex web of legalities that came with formal schooling. Her mind raced with thoughts of the facade they had maintained for so long.

"No. Dean and I will be listed as yours and Jack's legal guardians. We'll keep things as simple as possible. No intricate lies that could complicate things. Now that the word is out about you being a nephilim, there's no point in trying to keep the fact that you are our dad's child a secret," Sam said. His thoughts inadvertently trailed to the fact that without her powers, Amber wasn't even a shiny little collectible anymore.

Jack, on the other hand, was. But, while Lucifer was safely tucked away in the other universe, Jack would be mostly safe. Heaven had agreed to leave him alone as a thank you for the Winchesters getting rid of Lucifer and also as a safety measure, in case the Devil ever came back. Jack being the only more powerful creature than him and whatnot. They had promised they'd keep a close eye on the situation though, intervening if needed. And by that, they meant killing Jack if they felt he was turning evil. Which was yet another reason they needed to settle here as soon as possible, keep training Jack and Amber, and establish a routine that would hopefully keep both of them out of any serious trouble of at least the supernatural kind.

Clearing his throat, Sam brought himself back to the present as he continued, "For Jack, we'll go with the simplest and closest-to-the-truth backstory possible. His mom was our cousin, a single parent who died at birth, and we've been raising him right along with you."

As Sam spoke, Jack's heart sank a bit, the memory of his mother's absence tugging at his emotions. He tried to push aside the sadness, focusing instead on the warmth he felt from the Winchesters, who had embraced him as one of their own. Despite the initial hostility from Dean, he had come to accept Jack. And in this makeshift family Jack felt safe, accepted, cared for, even loved.

"The less you share about your past and our lives before Sioux Falls, the better for all of us," Dean interjected, the two teens nodding in understanding recognizing the need for caution in their new situation.

"So, to recap," Dean continued, trying to regain the family's attention. "Grounded for two weeks. Scrubbing, cleaning, and organizing this place. Claire, you'll be coming here first thing in the morning and working until it's time for school, then back here once you're done with your school stuff. Jack, this goes just for you, no teleporting anywhere without specific permission from me, Sam, or Cas. Tomorrow, you'll teleport Sam, me, Cas, and Amber to the bunker so that we can go get my car and start packing. Then you'll bring yourself, Amber, and Cas back, and Sam and I will drive back here with our stuff. We'll have to do another round of that in the next couple of days so that we can bring at least two more cars here."

"Got it," Jack immediately nodded, feeling a sense of responsibility and eagerness to help with the move.

"Cas will be in charge until we're back," Dean continued, his voice taking on a stern tone. "No funny business, or your asses are grass, got it?" His sternness was met with flustered faces and embarrassed nods from the teens, indicating their understanding and compliance.

"Are we clear on everything then?" Dean asked, seeking their final confirmation.

"Yes," Amber and Jack verbally confirmed, while Claire simply nodded with a huff, her emotions still simmering beneath the surface.

Dean let out a breath as he grabbed his beer bottle, the cool glass felt soothing in his palm. He took three long draughts from it, trying to ease the weight on his shoulders. They had a lot more to discuss and figure out in this new beginning they were attempting, but they wouldn't cover everything in one sitting. Right now, all he wanted was to fill up on Jody's lasagna, finish his beer, and grab some sleep.

"Ace?" The surprised tone that traveled through the phone line warmed up Amber's insides. She could still not believe he was back.

"So, they either forgot to take away our phones, or decided not to…" Amber said conversationally. "I don't plan on asking and finding out, though," she added with a smirk, speaking quietly and standing near her window. Her window. Her room's window. An actual room in an actual house. This was surreal. She had opted for the room with the brass bed and the rocking chair without a second thought. Freshly showered and changed in a borrowed set of Alex's clean sweats that Jody had brought, Amber could feel the tension of the day lift off her shoulders with each passing second.

"So… What's the verdict?"

"Two weeks," Amber answered, her cheeks flushing lightly with embarrassment.

"Not that bad," Kyle commented.

Amber resisted the urge to snort sarcastically at that, the throb in her ass still persisting even after her long shower. But Kyle didn't need to know this. She'd die of embarrassment if he did.

"And do you know how long before you visit again from Lebanon?"

A grin forming on her face, Amber eagerly told him, "We're not going back to Lebanon!"

"What?" His surprise was as intense as hers had been.

"We're staying here. Like, for good. Or at least until something too fucked up happens and we need to hide out again," Amber said excitedly. "So even without our powers, we'll at least get to see each other," she added a bit hesitantly.

She was now realizing that she and Kyle had never had the chance to really 'be' anything. A few make-out sessions, some 'random' meetings, sex, a cosmic battle, an inter-realm saving mission, and an 'I love you' were all they'd ever had the chance to share.

"I like the sound of that," Kyle said, and Amber could hear the soft smile on his lips, right along with his own uncertainty and hesitance.

"How are you doing?" Amber asked next, concern creeping into her tone.

"Been better. Been worse. But Jody brought food, and I soaked in the bath for hours."

"Naked?" Amber asked with a faux-shocked expression.

Her door opened right as she said those words made her jump, but seeing it was just Jack and Claire, she let out a relieved breath.

"Even though I liked where this conversation was heading," Kyle smirked on the other line, "I'm gonna hang up. I can't keep my eyes open."

"Sure. Hey, Kyle?"

"Yeah?"

"Please call me if you need to talk… Even if it's the middle of the night," Amber said, her worry and concern for him evident in her tone.

"Right back at ya. And no need to worry about me. I'm a tough nut," he reassured her. "G'night Amber."

Sending a soft goodnight into the phone, Amber ended the call. She turned to look at Jack, who was standing near her desk, his gaze unfocused but pointed in her general direction. Claire had already settled into the rocking chair, laying sideways against its arms, legs dangling on one end, neck propped up on the other, her ass expertly positioned in a way it made no contact with the piece of furniture.

"You picked a room?" Amber asked Jack, noting his pensive expression, as she moved to the dresser, on top of which laid a bag with fresh linens Jody had brought from her house. Thankful as ever for the sheriff's practical thinking, Amber grabbed the bag and placed it on the bedside table before she started undressing the bed, a cloud of dust rising as the bed linens were stripped off the mattress.

"I'm right next door," Jack said quietly, pointing to the right with his head.

Coughing and waving her hand in front of her face, Amber went to the window, opened it, and then tugged the pile of dirty linens out of her way. "And you have clean sheets, right?"

"Yes, Jody brought enough for all of us," Jack nodded again. Amber watched as he shifted from one foot to the other.

"What's on your mind, Damien?" Claire asked, noticing Jack's distant expression.

"Who's Damien? My name is Jack… You know this," the young nephilim asked, momentarily thrown by Claire's words, causing the blonde to roll her eyes.

"We really need to start you on the classics," Claire commented before repeating her question, "Why the long face?"

Amber shot her a half-annoyed and half-amused look for calling him that, before focusing on Jack, her eyes glancing between him and the crisp white sheet she was now spreading over the mattress.

Jack's face flushed, but no words left his mouth.

"It sucks, doesn't it?" Amber asked knowingly, now tugging the sheet snugly under the mattress. She didn't need her powers to figure out what was eating him. "Does it still hurt?" she asked, trying to figure out what exactly was going through his mind.

"Not really," Jack said quietly.

Claire snorted, "Lucky you," she said with a hint of bitterness.

Amber simply nodded, relieved. Just like Claire's, her own ass was still aching. It was that annoying dull burn that lingered after an intense spanking. Just painful enough to act as a constant embarrassing reminder of the punishment received. It only intensified to an uncomfortable level when she had to sit down, something she had completely avoided doing before or after dinner. Knowing this from personal experience, she was sure Jack was in even less pain, as this was his first-ever spanking.

"It will soon get better. Only giving you some trouble when sitting for a couple of days, at worst," Amber said awkwardly.

"It's not that," Jack shook his head. "I just feel so bad about everything…", his eyes drifting out of the open window.

Amber and Claire exchanged a glance at that. Amber turned her gaze to Jack, regarding him for a few seconds before nodding her understanding.

"You know… After the first time Dean," here Amber paused, unable to bring herself to say the word 'spanked', "uh... punished me like that, I felt so embarrassed, sad, angry, and guilty after it was done. I felt like I couldn't ever face them again. I locked myself up in my room and promised myself I'd never ever get out of it again."

Jack's eyes turned to Amber as she reminisced with him, his fingers nervously drumming against her desk's surface as he was leaning against it. Claire also listened to the story with spiked interest, not having heard this story before.

"How did you manage to face them again?" Jack asked quietly.

"Well… I managed to work myself up enough for my powers to act up. I ended up blowing up a part of my room's wall," Amber said with a wry smile. "Sam and Dean rushed into my room, and I had no option but to face them. And once that happened, it was like it wasn't that hard after all, you know?"

Claire's eyes momentarily enlarged as she realized she had noticed the damaged wall in Amber's room, but had never thought much of it. Her attention refocusing on Jack she turned to him, cursing silently at the effect his kicked-puppy-look had on her.

"I can second that…" Claire begrudgingly added. She never thought the day would come that she'd share this with anyone, but there she was. Damn spawn-of-satan-puppy.

Keeping her eyes drilled to the ceiling, she started sharing her own experience. "After my first ass-handing, I wanted to disappear, too. Never face Dean again… But I talked to Jody. Extensively, 'cause that's what Jody does. Babble and yap at you until you beg for mercy... But, between said yapping, she said something that helped down the line."

Pausing, Claire glanced at her friends, rolling her eyes at their stunned expressions. "What? I can talk and share and shit!" she said defensively. "So, she said to stop thinking anyone was looking down on me for screwing up. She said to man up, admit I was wrong, learn, and get on with my life. She also said that an apology goes a long way, but I get a feeling you've been nothing BUT apologizing ever since Jody caught you this morning…" Pausing to gather her thoughts again, Claire concluded, "So all in all… Just… Get over the fact you screwed up. It happens. It sucks ass, but it happens."

Claire glanced at Jack and then at Amber, noting the latter's thankful smile. Expression turning sour, Claire tacked on, "And if you ever tell Dean or Jody that these words have left my mouth, I'm gonna murder both of you."

"So, what we mean is…" Amber tried to bring it all into perspective, her eyes traveling to the ceiling as she tried to find the words, "Like… We made it much bigger in our head than it had to be. Because, just like you now, we weren't with them for long, hardly knew them really, and we weren't in any shape or form used to this type of… you know… punishment. But the one good thing about this, about Sam and Dean in general, is that once it's done, they don't hold it against you. Okay, they'll probably mention it if you pull the same shit again and again… But they're not out to make you feel bad about it. They move on, and they're pretty good at helping you move on, too. If you let them." Glancing at him, she asked, "Does any of this make sense? I mean, I wish I had someone to say these things to me, back then."

"It does make sense, I guess," Jack said in a hushed tone.

"Just remember that they truly care. They wouldn't bother if they didn't," Amber added.

Both Jack's and Claire's eyes lingered on Amber at these words. As if they both needed this reminder.

A knock on the door made all three of them turn their heads in its direction. "Come in," Amber called out.

The door pushed open, and Sam appeared through it. Amber's eyes glanced at Jack before turning back to Sam. She knew it wasn't like her brother to eavesdrop, but she wondered if he had caught any part of their conversation.

"Just wanted to check in on you three," Sam said, his eyes holding sincere concern.

"We're fine, Sam. Just exchanging our war stories," Amber quipped. Despite her attempted humor, a small flush crept on her face, but she was glad to see Jack's lips tugging in a tiny smile.

"Hmm, I don't know if I'd call it a war," Sam replied without missing a beat. "More like rebellion suppression."

Amber rolled her eyes but felt a sense of normalcy starting to settle back between her and her brother through this lighthearted banter. Things were tense for so long, she hadn't realized how much she had missed some calmness and effortlessness among them.

"Well, suppressor, I was just telling Jack how I blew up a wall at the bunker, after the whole Canada fiasco," Amber said with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "He seems to like the idea… Feels a bit tense too."

"No, I don't," Jack immediately interjected, turning bewildered eyes to Sam.

"Relax, Jack," Sam smiled. "This is just Amber finding her bratty self again. I know you don't plan on blowing up a wall. But if you do feel the urge? That's what we got the panic room for," he told him with a wink. "Just say the word, and we'll blow up as many things as you like."

Jack smiled at the man, and Amber felt a lot of his tension melting away. Damn, she was good.

Turning to Claire, Sam said, "Jody asked me to call you, you're going home for the night," and at the blonde's nod, he added, now glancing at Jack and his sister, "And I want you two getting in bed soon, alright? We got a lot of work to do tomorrow, and you more than need your rest after today."

"We will, Sam," Amber nodded.

With a nod, Sam left the room, leaving the three teens looking at each other.

"See?" Amber asked Jack with a reassuring smile.

"I can't believe you talked to him like that," Jack said with a shake of his head, despite his smile.

"You should have heard some of the stuff Claire has told them over the last couple of months," Amber smirked. "You'll get there too. Sooner than you think. You're a rebel after all, remember? Sam said!"

Brow furrowing, Jack asked for clarification, "Rebel like… the rebel alliance in Star Wars?"

Claire snorted at that, bringing a hand to rub at her forehead. He hadn't seen The Omen, but sure, he was well-versed in Star Wars already.

Letting out a hearty chuckle, Amber shook her head, "Oh, school's gonna be fun."

"May the force be with you," Claire quipped with a shake of her head as she got off her chair and walked out of the room.

So... I know I said this would be the last chapter. And honestly, that's how I intended it to be. But now, I'm not entirely sure I want to end this here!
There are several open fronts that could be covered with a few more chapters... Several of the planned one-shots could be incorporated in future chapters as the story progresses...

And I want your opinion on this.

What would you prefer? This chapter being the last one of the story and post just one-shots and 2shots after this?
Or continue this story delving deeper into the new playfield and explore the opened fronts (eg Amber's powers, her relationship with Kyle, hunts in this new powerless reality etc.)?

Fact: In a week or so the new schoolyear starts and I'll be working full time plus my side hustle and my time will diminish! Which means that any future updates will have an actual waiting period that won't be just 2 weeks. I can't promise how much or how little but you'll definitely have to wait in between chapters/one-shots, so keep that in mind too!

Please include what you'd prefer in a review or PM and help me decide what to do!

Can't wait to hear from you! Love, Marion!