The Littlest Winchester

Chapter 139

Jack learned how to make a bubble with gum... I regret ever doing it around him. We walked into the library, he popped the bubble,
He said" I just learned how to do that."
Dean said" Probably not."
Sam said" Jack, listen, uh, about Billie's plan, uh, she hasn't been real specific on the details."
" Yeah, when you- when you go up against Chuck, uh, you're gonna what, bob and weave? Or do you go straight in for the full smite?"
Jack said" Yeah, you know, um, something like that."
Cas said" Okay. Yeah. Fine. I owe you." He ended the call," Well, I have information on the occultum from the shaman Sergei."
Dean said" Him? Are we that desperate?"
" I think so."
Sam said" So, what did he say?"
" The Occultum is divine in its origin. It was housed for hundreds of years in an ancient temple before it was-"
Dean said" Plundered by pirates."
" No."
" It was dug up by tomb raiders."
" No."
" It was seized by the King of the Dead and his warlords. Am I close?"
" Looted by invading Mongol hordes for trade on the-"
" Black market. Yeah, that's what... I was gonna say that next. That was the next one."
I said" Idiot."
Sam said" Yeah. So, uh, where is it now?"
Cas said" Until a few years ago, it was owned by the Jacobson family, until Hyram Jacobson's son fell gravely ill. And he was told nothing could be done. And in desperation, he turned to a faith healer. She saved the child, but she would only accept the Occultum in payment."
Dean said" Do we have a name?"
" No, just a description. She was attractive, and she healed the child by laying on hands. Which glowed."
——
I was watching Jack eat, he got a lot of food, then Cas came in.
He said" Hey, Jack."
Jack said" Cas, you know what's good about being dead?"
" Uh, as I recall, very little."
" Well, when you come back, you- you really get into all that life is. Hot, cold, sweet, spicy, funny, scary."
" And are you? Into it?"
" I want to be. But I don't... feel things the way I used to. Before I lost my..."
" Your soul."
" I used to feel things. In my bones. It was glorious, and sometimes unbearable. But I felt them. Now, I understand joy or sadness, but... I know those things aren't in me. I understand why Sam and Dean were angered by what happened to Mary..."
" By what you did to Mary."
" Yes. I see that I've caused them pain. And it's clear that things have changed. Especially with- with Dean. Will he ever forgive me?"
" You know, Dean... he-he feels things more acutely than any human I've ever known. So it's possible he could work through this. One day, he may explode and let it all out and breathe deeply and move on."
" How long will that take?"
" I don't know."
I said" Geez, why do you care what Dean thinks? He's not the one who could actually kill you if they wanted to."
" She's still angry with you."
Jack said" I know. I don't think she'll ever not be angry with me. She scares me, how is that possible?"
" Her angelic/demonic powers, when Sam was soulless he was frightened by her too. Everyone should be frightened by her. She's a force to be reckoned with." I smiled," Her Smile is the most deceiving."
I said" What? No."
" Liar."
" Yeah, definitely." Jack gave me a cookie, I laughed, smiling, Cas looked between us, slightly tilting his head.

Sam and Dean are in hell, Cas is watching the spell, Jack walked in.
He said" So? They made it? Sam and Dean are in hell?"
Cas said" Yeah."
" But?"
" But there are so many holes in Jo's story. Who was Ruby gonna sell the Occultum to? Why didn't Jo try to get it back?"
" So you think she's lying."
" I think we need to ask Ruby."
" Who's dead."
" Yeah. In the empty. I need your assistance."
" Uh, sure. Anything."
" I need you to kill me. Almost."
" Can someone be almost dead?"
" Well, in theory... aha... if I'm brought to death's brink, I should be able to put one foot in the afterlife and contact Ruby."
" Cas, the Empty doesn't exactly like you, remember?"
" Yeah, I do. But our deal- I'm far from happy, so I should be fine. I need you to draw out most of my life force, store it in here, and then keep a close watch. If it seems like I'm-"
" Really dying, not almost dying?"
" Then bring me back."
" Cas, I may not have a soul, but, uh, I know killing you is wrong. What if I screw up?"
" Well, then I'll be lost forever. But I think you'll do fine. Oh, um, you need to feed the spell bowl to keep the rift open for Sam and Dean, or they'll be lost forever. Let's do it."
" Are you sure?"
" Not at all. Give me one hour. Then bring me back." Jack drew in Cas' life force, and Cas was gone, I looked at Jack.
I said" It's fine, Jack. He usually knows what he's doing."