Legal Disclaimer: I own my stuff, but not the original source material. That belongs to whoever. Also, the opinions and interpretations I use here may not reflect the same in said whoever that owns the source material. Look, I'm just a poor college librarian. Suing me isn't going to get you anything but tears.

Warning: This work may be offensive to some readers. Additionally, there is references to past child abuse, Dean's time (and its aftereffects) in Hell, and continuing themes from previous chapters. Feel free to back out if need be.

Author's Note: So. Not dead. It just took longer than anticipated to get the forum year wrapped up & switched over. Well, and then I got a really bad cold that took me down hard. Dunno what it was, other than not Covid (because we checked). Also, this chapter ended up being more exposition heavy than I wanted, but hey, enjoy the blatant profound bond in this chapter.

Submitting Info:
Stacked with: Hogwarts (Term 16); MC4A (Year 5)
Individual Challenges: Ohana Means Family; Fire Extinguisher; Red Lights; Red Bull [x2]; Red Wave; Missing Rainbow; Gryffindor MC; Magical MC; Hunter MC [x4]; Criminal MC [x3]; Neurodivergent (x3); Immortal MC; Nonhuman MC; Bi Bi Bi (Y); Booger Breath; Ship Sails; Hold the Mayo; Zed Era; Old Shoes (Y); Old Shoes; Above Average Natural; Endings; In a Flash; The Real MC (Y); Two Cakes (Y); Eating Cake (Y)
House: Slytherin
Assignment No.: Term 16 – Assignment 07
Subject (Task No.): n/a
Other Hogwarts Challenges: 365 [353](Inaudible); 1000 Prompts Challenge [232](Terror); Hogwarts Gardens [Equipment 03](Confusion)
Other MC4A Challenges: SpB [2E](Hand); TrB [5D](Old Eyes); Ship (Mixtape)[SpMic1 (Fusion/Crossover)]; Chim [Reta] ("The Anonymous Ones" - Dear Evan Hanson; Sienna);Hunt [Sp Set](Small Town/Village);
Representation(s): Team Free Will as Family; Dean Winchester/Castiel; Chimera Song
Primary & Secondary Bonus Challenges: Found Family; Nontraditional; Machismo; Peddling Pots; Second Verse (Persistence Still); Chorus (Wabi Sabi)
Tertiary & Generic Bonus Challenges: Once (Santa Fe); T3 (Terse; Tether); SN (Rail; Negate)
Word Count: 899 words

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Needs and Wants
Chapter 19: Remember
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Dean thought about deflecting the question like he would have if Sam or Bobby had asked it. Covering up his sore spots with verbal slight of hand was an old habit that his father had approved of as much as he had Dean taking advantage of the free first aid classes offered by various community centers near wherever they were staying. Both were just another way of taking care of his brother. That was what Dean did best: take care of others.

Yet under Castiel's gaze and with his hand still locked around Dean's wrist, Dean couldn't bring himself to even try. The scar on his shoulder ached with the repressed memory echoing through him of the flames flickering in Castiel's eyes, a leftover spark of the grace that the angel claimed was gone. Dean's gut clenched with something he was not going to examine right then, if ever. Having those kinds of thoughts for an angel was definitely going to earn him another trip to Hell.

"Tessa," Dean managed before he had to lick his lips and swallow hard to fix the sudden dryness of his mouth. He took a deep breath. It steadied him as much as Castiel's grip on his wrist did. "Tessa needed a little something to heal the kid."

"Something?" Bobby asked. Sammy looked like he was going to be sick, probably remembering the last time they dealt with a reaper's way of healing. But it was Cas who really had Dean worried. His face had taken on that blankness that he had worn before he had begun questioning his entire existence. Dean hurried to continue his explanation.

"A sliver of my essence, was her exact phrasing." Dean looked between the three of them before sighing. "Look, you think Harry looks in bad shape now? This is after he's been healed. A sliver of my life is a small price to pay."

"To make this mark," Cas said, lifting Dean's palm up and stroking the new scars with his thumb, "she didn't take a part of your life. She took a part of your soul." The fingers wrapped around his wrist trembled. Castiel's gaze flicked downwards at Harry, drawing Dean's gaze towards the kid. The grayness was visually fading from his sienna skin. Cas continued in a flat tone. "I can sense it spreading through him already."

The silence in the wake of that announcement was as heavy as a corpse. Dean slowly raised his gaze to meet Castiel's once more. The heat where their skin touched felt like it was going to leave another burn on him. Cas looked like he had before sacrificing himself. Dean hated seeing that expression in the angel's eyes.

"What's got you worried, man?"

"Your soul is not like those of other humans."

"You've mentioned that," Dean agreed. He frowned. "Tessa mentioned it, too. But it's just a sliver. It's fine. I don't even feel it missing."

"Dean," Cas said, somehow packing what felt like the weight of the Impala into the single word. His eyes seemed even bluer than they usually were. Dean's breath hitched as the cord between them that he worked to ignore pulled tight. He couldn't make himself look away.

"Sorry to interrupt the incredibly awkward sexual tension," Sam interrupted without sounding the least bit sorry, "but why does it matter? How bad is it if it's spreading like you said?"

"Angels leave behind traces of their grace after they leave a vessel." Cas didn't look away as he answered Sam's question. He traced his thumb over the pulse point on Dean's wrist. "The traces are not completely stable, as they are not meant to share space with a human soul. Without an angelic mind to contain the grace, it sheds in small amounts over time. With close and consistent proximity, a developing soul might absorb the traces."

"Dad," Dean breathed at the same time that Sam did. Cas nodded. His thumb pressed harder against Dean's skin. Dean swallowed as something nagged at the edge of his memory, something he didn't want to look at directly.

"Dean," Cas whispered more gently than Dean had ever heard him be, "you went to Hell. Humans are not meant to leave once there."

"That didn't stop you," Dean answered, aiming a small smile at the angel like they were sharing a secret and Dean wasn't trying to cover up the terror bubbling within him with bravado. Cas gave another of his very serious nods. Dean tried to replicate the tone that Cas had used when he had said the next words. "You gripped me tight and raised me out of perdition."

Castiel didn't look any less serious.

"I also held your soul safe within my grace as I rebuilt your physical form. Such close exposure during an act of Creation was not without consequence. The amount of grace that your soul ended up absorbing is unprecedented. It was only acceptable, even seen as a boon, because it would fortify your body to serve as Michael's vessel."

"Well, at least it's not demon blood," Sam muttered bitterly. Dean opened his mouth to reply only for Harry let out a near inaudible groan as he began to come around. The attention of all four of them snapped to the twitching boy.

Other than the blood still soaking his clothes, Harry looked the same as he had at dinner earlier.

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To Be Continued
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