Chapter 15

Sam

By the time we got to the bunker it felt like we'd been driving all night. We were all tired, though I feel more drained than usual.

Dean grabs a beer and heads for the couch, handing a second one to me before completing his short trip.

Jack looks somewhat like a lost puppy, and I feel for him. I pat him on the back sympathetically before quietly announcing I'm going to check on Ali. I know what I will find, and for the first time I can honestly say that I mildly dread it...I don't know why.

Ali always leaves her bedroom door ajar. She says she wants us to always feel welcome, even when she is sleeping...tonight of course, my angelic brother is also in her bed. What surprises me is he is under the covers and doesn't appear to be wearing clothes. ...except when I think about it, I shouldn't be surprised at all, and given the nature of our...situation, it shouldn't be terribly awkward or upsetting.

Cas lifts his head when he sees me in the doorway. He looks remiss. "Give me just a minute, Sam", he says softly. I nod and point down the hall, letting him know I'll be waiting. I will see Ali afterward. She is sleeping peacefully with Cas's arms around her, the light from the hallway slightly illuminating her face.

"They alright?", Dean asks as I grab my beer from the table, taking a sizable swig.

I don't know how to answer the simple question. I take another drink. "They're perfectly fine. Ali is sleeping sound, Cas is...getting dressed."

Dean raises an honest brow. "Were you expecting that?"

I pause. "I wasn't not expecting that."

Dean nods slowly, before adding "she must have been terrified, today."

I'd already had the same thought a hundred times. "Yet, I couldn't keep her away, Dean."

He looks up at me from the couch. "I know, Sammy. She's um...she's soft but she's headstrong. And... she loves us. She just does."

I give him a clipped nod. "I'm glad you know it." We take a drink simultaneously.

Feeling another presence in the room, I turn to see Cas looking at me earnestly. "I... sent Jack to sit with Alice. You know, in case...", he begins.

"Good", I reply, waving him into the kitchen. Dean is looking at us, I can tell he knows we're about to have that talk. I grab a couple more beers from the fridge, handing one to Cas.

He fidgets with the bottle a little before looking me in the eyes. "Sam, I shouldn't have just taken her like I did. It was not considerate. I'm sorry."

I thank him for the apology. "It isn't going to be easy all the time; what's going on between us and Ali."

Cas considers this. "Perhaps not. Nor does it have to be unnecessarily difficult."

"I agree...I just...look. I don't feel threatened by you, Cas. Jealous isn't the word, either." I sigh quietly, searching for the right word. Cas is patient and genuine.

"A disadvantage", I say finally. "I feel like I'm at a disadvantage."

Puzzled, but only briefly, Cas squints. "I see...because of the imprint?"

I shrug, not entirely certain. "More or less. I think so."

He is silent for a moment. "Sam...do you recall the first night she had the nightmares? How absolutely nothing could bring her back to the present, waking world except your voice? And the way she ran to you?", he looks at me soothingly. "And the way she ran to you the day she saved your life? You didn't see that, but I certainly did. She completely exhausted herself trying to save you. She had no idea she could even do that...we were all stunned. Yet, she did it, for you."

I feel the expression on my face soften. Everything he says is true, though I sense he has more to say, so I wait and listen.

"Back in the warehouse...when we were trapped, I was deep in grief. I was anxious, I felt hopeless and out of control. Utterly overwhelmed, being kept from Alice. And Sam, in that grief, I remembered..."

He tells me everything about her past life, and his part in it. He spares no detail. He looks sorrowful; I've honestly never seen so many emotions cross his face, ever. It explains the imprint, the immediate feeling that he knew her, and the intense draw they feel to each other. At least, it explains them...enough. While it deeply pains me to know she lived through such a horrific experience...had such a horrific end...it also helps to keep me from feeling less than.

I reach out and rest my hand on top of his, in form of gratitude. The gesture feels oddly natural. Then my gears start spinning.

"Cas...do you have any idea why she would be sent back?", I ask. "Not typical for a human...unless you're a Winchester", I add wryly.

"I haven't had much time to think about it, but I am equally stumped. If I come up with anything, you'll be the first to know."

"Does Ali know about any of this?", I ask.

"No", Cas admits. "However, she will. Very soon."

"Sounds good, brother", I say, to which Cas smiles warmly.

Fairly certain he had heard a good portion of the conversation, Dean gives it a minute before saying "are we all one weird, big happy family again?"

I give him a half-hearted eye roll. "We never...weren't".

"Yeah, yeah", Dean waves dismissively.

Ali and Jack come into the room; arms loosely locked together. Ali yawns, and Jack once again has a smile on his face. She can always make him smile; and vice versa. It is really sweet.

"She woke up on her own", Jack reassures. Ali gives him a squeeze before making her way to Dean, who not only stands up to hug her, but also kisses her forehead. It is a welcome sight to all of us.

"I'm glad you're okay, kid", he says. She hugs him tighter "no, I'm glad you're okay!".

I can tell how she's operating. She was traumatized, today. And now she just needs her loved ones and to feel safe, to put some space between it. I understand the feeling, and I want nothing more than to give her exactly what she needs... though it is more than obvious that Cas has already begun to do that.

"Sam!", she cries, sleepily bounding over to me. I see her coming for my lap, so I push my chair back to give her space. She straddles me, wrapping her arms around me, kissing my face. She leans into my ear. "Oh, my Sam...", she whispers lovingly.

I soak in her love, her magical warmth. I breathe in her scent. I then look to Cas, who has nothing but a caring smile on his face.

We are all going to figure this out. We can make everything okay. No more mistakes.