A Human Worth Falling For (Book Three)

In Which The Truth Is Revealed

{Louise's POV}

"'I'm ready for anything. As long as we're together,' I told him. And he never left my side once." Cas smiles warmly at Dean.

"So, did you two ever have a family?" I ask. "Was Sam right when he said you'd need that box soon?"

Dean wheezes a laugh. "Yeah, we did, though it wasn't soon. We waited about three or four years before we adopted Elizabeth."

"Elizabeth?"

Cas nods. "Mary Elizabeth. We named her after Dean's mother, though she's always gone by Elizabeth."

"Well, you two... I think we should call it a night. You've already taken your medication, so go ahead to bed and I'll see you tomorrow morning at breakfast."

I wish them a good night, then close the door on the two old men.

I think about their latest string of tales, and shake my head.

I've been working here for three years now, and I've heard their life stories about seventy-five times, each of which is different than the previous one. The last version of their lives they told me, they lived in California and Cas was a pilot. The time before that, they met in college in London.

After that accident that brought the two of them here to Quiet Valley Nursing Home fifteen years ago, they've lost every memory of the past. In all reality, they were a couple who met in a small town in Kansas when they were fresh out of college. They dated for a while before they moved to New York where Dean was an author for the New York Times and Cas was a kindergarten teacher. There were no pilots, no London, no war, no prison, and definitely nothing supernatural. The "Mark" that Dean has been telling me Sam took is just a tribal tattoo.

I feel bad for Sam. He has to go along with the stories that Dean and Cas tell whenever he visits them. He has to be really careful too, even more so than the rest of us. In their stories, sometimes he's married, sometimes he isn't. Sometimes he's with a man named Gabe, sometimes he's with Jess. Sometimes Cas and Dean think Jess is dead, so she can't come in to see the two of them. Jess and Sam's sons and grandchildren don't come by that often, so it's not as bad for them. Though Elizabeth, their adopted daughter, has a harder time not seeing her fathers. In some of their lives, she doesn't exist, so she can only come around when they think they have at least one daughter. Liza never wants to come alone, but most of the time, her fathers' stories don't involve her, nevermind her husband or three children.

I pass by Adam on my way to the break room and offer him a sad smile. I think Adam has the worst part on this side of the story. Ninety percent of the time, Dean forgets about his younger step brother. Adam only visits once or twice every couple months now due to how little Dean remembers him. When he does visit, if Dean doesn't know who he is, Adam will pretend like he's volunteering at the nursing home.

I feel so sorry for the Winchesters' whole family.

But I push these thoughts aside and clock out.

~~~

The next weeks go by fairly smoothly. Dean and Cas still live in the last lives they told me about. Sam doesn't come to see them again in that time frame, but Liza does. She brings her husband this time. Thankfully, they both remember him.

I'm astounded yet again by how they seem to remember the same things. I've never seen one have a single memory that differs from the other's.

"Louise!" I hear as I walk in the front doors.

It's David, one if my coworkers.

"Yeah, David?"

"It's Dean Winchester." He pauses.

The way he says that causes the blood to run from my face. "What's wrong with him?"

"He passed away last night. You need to talk to Cas: no one else has gotten a response from him."

~~~

"Cas?" I ask cautiously, pushing open the door slowly. "Could I come in?"

"Oh, Louise. Yes, come in."

He is sitting on his bed, holding Dean's wedding ring in his hand.

"I wanted to check on you and see how you are doing. Do you need anything?"

He points to a few envelopes on his nightstand. I pick them up and shuffle through them.

"Give those to Sam and Elizabeth and Adam," I look up at Cas, yet he doesn't seem to notice what he said, "and that young man, David. And there's one for you to read, too."

"What are these for?"

"They're goodbyes. My brothers and sisters will be taking me home very soon. I'm going to be with Dean again." He sighs and stares out the window for a long time. I finally give him some peace and leave.

~~~

Dear Louise,

Dean and I would both like to thank you for everything you've done in the past couple years. You're our favorite out of everyone who's worked here. I know you think this is crazy, but I will be leaving this world soon. Don't worry; I'll be with Dean. I've prayed to my siblings, and I trust that they'll follow through. We both love you like a daughter, and we're both going to miss you.

Thank you again.

Castiel Winchester

~~~

"How's Cas doing?" I question David first thing in the morning.

He just shakes his head.