Gunpowder and Lead

LXXVII

[Byzantium]

BUNKER - JACK'S ROOM

Sam, Castiel, Kennedy, Nadia, Robert and Dean waited by Jack's bedside. Jack tried to sit up.

"Hey, hey, hey, it's all right. Take -- Take it easy. Take it easy. It's all right. It's all right," Sam said.

"Please don't be sad. Maybe -- Maybe this is how things are supposed to be," Jack told them.

"Don't give me that "meant to be" crap. This isn't part of some damn plan," Dean replied.

"Dean..." Castiel began.

Jack coughed again, breathing oxygen with a mask, and Dean left the room, upset. Castiel followed. Kennedy left the room and hit the wall angrily. Dean pulled his wife into his arms.

Nadia looked at Jack. "Why do people die? What's dying? Do they wake up again later?"

Jack smiled sadly. "I don't know why. That's just the way the world works. Dying is like sleeping forever. They do wake up, but in Heaven where everything is perfect. Can you tell them... it's okay?" Jack asked.

"Tell them yourself. They'll be back in a minute," Sam replied.

"Sam... what happens next... for someone like me?"

"I don't know."

"Then it's gonna be an adventure."

HALLWAY

Dean and Kennedy had stopped to brood when Castiel caught up to them.

"Dean. Kennedy," Castiel called.

"I can't. It's not right, Cas, you know? It's just -- It's not-" Dean trailed.

"What? It's not fair? I know that. But he needs you two."

Kennedy sighed, tears stinging her eyes. "Yeah, we know, Cas. But-"

Dean, Kennedy and Castiel returned to Jack's room, but they were too late.

"He's gone," Sam told them.

Nadia glanced up at her uncle. "Jack says he's just sleeping for a long time. He's gonna wake up."

Dean pulled Kennedy into his embrace, hugging her tightly and took his daughter's hand.

Castiel, Kennedy, Dean and Sam lingered in the hallway outside Jack's room. Nadia insisted on sitting by Jack when he opened his eyes and Robert wanted to be with his sister.

Kennedy looked at her son and daughter sadly. It broke her heart knowing everything Robert and Nadia had seen. Sure Nadia had seen death, but she had no clue what it meant. She didn't know that gone meant gone... usually.

"Maybe we should... start thinking about next steps," Castiel suggested.

"Wake and a bonfire, hunter style. It's what Jack would've wanted," Dean said.

Sam and Kennedy said nothing and stormed off. Castiel tried to stop them, but Dean stopped him with a hand on his arm.

"Sam," Castiel called, turning to Dean. "Your brother and wife are in pain."

"Just let them be. If they need their space, we're gonna give it to them."

Dean walked the halls alone. He called Mary and got her voicemail. "This is Mary Winchester. You know the drill."

Castiel stood over Jack's bed, next to Nadia and Robert who'd fallen asleep at Jack's bedside, and picked up Kelly's picture.

"Hey, Mom, it's me. Sorry to lay this on your voicemail, but, uh... it's Jack. He... He got sick, um, and he, uh-- h-he died... this morning. I would have called you sooner, but, um, it -- it happened so fast. And we thought we could fix it, you know like always. Anyway, Mom, I'm sorry. I know how much he meant to you and, uh, to all of us. Anyway, to tell you the truth, it would really be nice to hear your voice. If you could, uh, just call us back."