Stand Still // [tw/spn/sh/twl] [HIATUS]

Chapter 10

MEN OF LETTERS BUNKER, SATURDAY, 7:02 P.M.  

"Shouldn't Cas and Jack be back by now?" Sam questioned, glancing at Dean, who was sitting across from him with a beer in his hand.

Dean looked up and toward the door, shrugging as he said, "Who knows what they're doing. Either Jack got lost or Cas lost him. Either way, they're figuring it out themselves."

Sam opened his mouth to reply, but, as if it was a cue from a drama movie, Cas came stumbling through the door, Jack laying limp in his arms, who seemed barely conscious and was groaning in pain.

"The hell happened?" Dean was the first to question, jumping up from his seat and his beer nearly spilling as he clumsily set it on the table.

"I'm not sure," Cas grunted as he laid Jack down on the table, the boy wincing. "We lost each other for a few seconds and, when I found him, he was laying on the ground."

"Any wounds?" Sam asked, and Case pulled up the boys shirt to reveal a small hole in the boys left pec, which had nasty black lines spreading from it and decorating his skin. The veins in his neck had turned black as well, the color slowly moving to effect his face.

"That's not good," Dean said, shaking his head. "What is it?"

"I don't know," Cas said frustrated, "but every time I go near it, I get this nauseating feeling. I think it's something meant to effect non-humans.

Sam reached out and touched the wound. It was swollen, and Jack winced as soon as the man's fingers grazed his skin.

"He's in a lot of pain," Sam stated, and Dean gave him a look that said, "really? We couldn't tell."

"I thought you two may know what it is, but clearly we're not gonna find any answers here," Cas said. "I think the fact that he's nephilim is slowing the effect. The black veins didn't start appearing until a few minutes ago."

"So we have some time then," Dean replied.

"Yeah, but who do you know around here that may have the slightly knowledge of what's happening to him?" Sam asked, gesturing toward Jack, whose eyes were still closed, and the three men could tell he wasn't hearing anything they were saying.

"No one around here," Dean said, looking at his brother, who immediately understood.

"Are you sure?" Sam asked.

"Do you two know something I don't?" Cas asked curiously.

"We know an emissary in California, it's a-"

"-a person who provides supernatural knowledge to a pack. Yes, I know." Cas interrupted before letting Dean continue.

"He'll probably know what's wrong," Dean said.

"You think he's gonna like us just showing up?" Sam asked, and Dean rolled his eyes.

"We can't just let him die," the eldest of the brothers said, looking at Jack, "and so what if he's upset or happy? He called out of the blue first, and you wanna meet him, don't you?"

"Well, yeah," Sam said slowly, "but not under these circumstances."

"We either let him die or we go to California," Dean said. "Make your choice."

Sam thought for a moment before looking at Jack. The nephilim was in an indescribable amount of pain, and it was hard to watch. He didn't want Jack to die, but going to California and seeing Deaton would be so...abrupt. He didn't know what he would say, what he would do. Deaton knew everything about him and Dean. He knew nothing about the man other than his name and the fact that he knew Mary.

"Fine," Sam eventually said. "We'll go to California."

[EDITED]