Broken, a Destiel Story

Part 22

"Jack,"he started, his voice shaking, tears falling.  "Jack, We need you.  Sam's hurt.  It's bad.  It's really bad. And Cas, Cas can't save him, and . . . we need you.  We need you, Jack.  I need you.  Please.  I know you have every reason to hate me right now, and ignore me, but please don't ignore Sam.  Please, Jack.  Please," he trailed off and hung his head in his hands, sitting on the edge of Sam's bed.  

A moment later there was a flutter of wings and Jack appeared.  Dean stood up.  

"Jack," he said, somewhat surprised that the Nephilim had come.  

Jack walked over to Sam.  He didn't say a word.  He just held his hand out over his stomach and closed his eyes.  His hand began to glow brightly and then his eyes opened and they were glowing as well, a dim yellow.

There was a loud gasp and Sam sat up in bed.  He breathed heavily, and looked around him.  He was surprised to see Cas, Dean, and Jack, staring at him.  "What happened?" he asked, putting his hand on his stomach, noticing his infection was gone.  

"Jack saved you," Dean said, gripping the boy's shoulder for a brief moment.

Sam looked at Jack, and then Cas, and then back to Jack.  "Thank you," he said.

"You're welcome," Jack stated simply, and then walked out of the room.

Cas followed Jack, and Sam gave Dean a look that said, Go after them. 

Dean rolled his eyes but left the room.  He found Cas in the kitchen but there was no sign of Jack.  "Hey, Cas," he said awkwardly.  He didn't even have the courage to look the angel in he eyes.  He'd screwed up so royally, he knew, but he had never been good at apologies.  Cas looked at him, but didn't say anything for a long moment, and neither did Dean.  It was just awkward silence.  

"I'm glad Sam is safe, Dean," Castiel said.  He stood up from the table and made his way to the door.  "I'll get Jack, and we'll be on our way."

Dean had to swallow every ounce of pride.  As hard as it was he knew it would be even harder to let Cas and Jack go again, to have the bunker so empty, to have his bed empty.  He couldn't do that anymore.  

"Cas, wait," he said, grabbing the angel's wrist before he could leave.  Cas turned back and looked at him.  "Please," Dean said.  There must have been something in the tone of his voice that convinced Castiel of his sincerity because the angel nodded.  "Can we sit?" Dean asked, gesturing back to the table.  

Cas sat back down and rested his arms on the table in front of him.  Dean sat across from him.  He didn't speak for a long moment, but Cas waited patiently.  The hunter was looking down, rubbing his face with his hands, letting out a deep breath.  When he looked back up Cas was surprised to see tears in his eyes.  

"Cas, I'm so sorry," Dean said. He hated that he was crying but he had been holding so much grief and sorrow, and hurt and guilt in for weeks now, and it was all spilling out in front of the angel.  "You, and Jack, you didn't deserve what I did to you. I messed up. I know that. I just . . . I get so angry, and I don't know how to handle it. You were right, about Mom. It was an accident.  I know that. I thought that having Jack gone would make things better, but it didn't. And losing you, too . . . God, I missed you so much," he said, looking down and wiping tears from his eyes. He wanted to reach for the angel's hands but he wasn't sure if Cas would accept his touch. Or if he even deserved it. "Cas, I'm so sorry," he said again, lifting his gaze to meet the angel's once more.  "I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, or Jack's. Especially Jack's. But I don't want you to leave again. I don't. I want you to come home."  More tears fell.  "Please, Cas, please come home."

Castiel looked at his beautiful hunter.  He reached across the table and took Dean's strong hands into his, squeezing them gently, and he could feel the hunter's hands trembling.  "I forgive you, Dean," he said.  "I will always forgive you."

Dean tried to move his hands away from Castiel's, feeling like they didn't belong there. But Cas just gripped them tighter.  "Cas, I don't deserve your forgiveness," he said, his cheeks streaked with tears.

"That's for me to decide, Dean," Castiel replied.  "You've forgiven me for far worse.  On multiple occasions. And I love you. Even when you're an assbutt." He grinned, and saw Dean smiling through his tears.  He felt the hunter squeeze his hand back.  

"So, you'll stay?" Dean asked hopefully.

"I'll stay," Cas said, "As long as Jack agrees to stay, too.  But you have to apologize to him, too, Dean.  He needs to hear it from you, not me."

Dean nodded, looking down again, wiping away his remaining tears, once again trying to gather up his courage.  He felt Castiel squeeze his hand again in reassurance, and he went to find Jack.