American Noise

44. Despair

Sam was supporting Jack as he rushed him into the map room and said, "All right, I got you."

Jayci followed with a terrified expression as she followed Sam and her brother.

"Ooh, here we go," Sam said as Dean and Castiel followed. "Let's get you a seat."

Jack grunted as he was pushed down by Sam.

"Jack, deep breaths," Castiel instructed. "Just try to focus. Try to slow this down if you can."

Jayci whispered, "Please be okay, Jack. I can't lose you."

"What do we do?" Dean asked. "What do we do?!"

"I don't know," Sam admitted.

"You have to let me go," Jack told them. "Just -- Just get me outside. I'll -- I'll try and get as far away as I can." His face crackled bright orange.

"No, Jack!" Castiel argued.

"No! Leave me! I can't stop this. I'm coming apart. I don't want to hurt you." His voice dropped to a broken whisper. "Don't let me hurt you."

"Hey, hey, we're not giving up on you, okay?" Dean said. "Um, magic, magic. One of Rowena's spells? Come on, we got to do something!"

"I think you've done enough," Billie said, appearing, and Castiel stood. "We were so close."

"Chuck saw it coming," Dean replied angrily. "All of it -- your whole plan!"

"It was doomed," Sam added.

"Because of you," Billie told them. "It was doomed because of you."

"You led Jack through his trials," Castiel said. "You know what's happening to him. You can stop this. Please." Jack breathed heavily and Jayci clasped her hands together tightly.

"I can't stop it." She waved her hand, turning Jack to face her as she walked up to him. "But there is something I can do." She placed a hand under Jack's chin, lifting his face up and stared at him a moment before he disappeared.

"What'd you do?" Dean asked. "What did you do?"

"Jack?" Jayci called. "Jack!"

EMPTY

Jack found himself in the Empty and called, "Billie?"

"Hey, kid," Empty called. "How'd you get in here?"

Jack groaned and continued breathing heavily.

Empty chuckled. "You're not looking so hot."

"I'm sorry," Jack apologized.

Empty's face fell. "Oh-"

"Aaaah!" Jack cried, exploding.

BUNKER - MAP ROOM

"Billie, where the hell is he?" Dean demanded.

"The Empty," Billie answered.

"What?" Castiel questioned angrily.

"Jack was a bomb, designed to annihilate cosmic forces." She stepped back as she spoke. "Chuck and Amara are gone. The Empty was the only player on the board that could possibly absorb that impact."

"So it's done?"

"It's done."

The group fell silent a moment before Castiel asked, "Is he dead?"

"Maybe."

"You said this was a suicide mission," Dean said.

"No. I said taking out Chuck and Amara would be fatal."