Little Wing
āI did it.Ā Iām back.ā
Sleep cleared away.Ā Dean focussed on the figure in front of him - Jack, carrying a large bundle of something.
āYou did it?āĀ Ā
What the hell?Ā He was definitely awake, but his brain didnāt want to catch up.Ā He should really have eaten.
āI did it.Ā But I thought - he needs some time.Ā Some time to heal.Ā So Iāve given him that time.Ā See?ā
Dean pushed back his chair, its whining scrape hurting his ears.Ā He stood up, swayed, got his balance, rubbed his eyes again, blinked and tried to make sense of what he was seeing.
Jack spoke to the bundle in his arms.Ā āLook, Deanās here.Ā You remember Dean, donāt you?ā
The bundle had feet.Ā Small, bare feet with pink toes that wiggled.Ā Then the whole package changed shape and a tangle of dark hair emerged from the crumpled tan cloth.
āCome out and say hello.āĀ Jackās arms shifted, adjusting his grip and suddenly, with a snap, two black, shiny, somethings shot out from either side of the cloth wrapping.Ā Jack looked up at Dean, his mouth twisting into a rueful smile.Ā āHeāll learn to control that.Ā Itās because heās so little.ā
Wings.Ā They were wings.Ā Little black, shiny wings.
āIs that?āĀ He cleared his throat.Ā āIs that Cas?ā
āYes,ā smiled Jack.Ā āI thought this was the best way for him to heal.Ā To have a kind of vacation.āĀ He smiled at the little boy - little angel - curled up in his arms.Ā āHe can play and have fun!ā
āUhā¦āĀ Dean rubbed his forehead, his thoughts losing their race toward understanding.Ā One thought made it to the finish line.Ā āIsnāt that going to be a problem?Ā Like⦠if he doesnāt get candy, wonāt he, like, smite everything?ā
āOh.Ā Oh no.Ā Heās just a cherub.Ā That is, he has very limited power.Ā Itāll be fine.ā
āOkay.āĀ Ā
Dean took a step closer.
Jack smiled.Ā āTake him.ā
The little wings had sagged.Ā One of them flapped and twitched and then fell limp again.Ā And then they both disappeared.
āBye bye wings,ā said Jack to the tiny Cas.Ā āHeāll learn to control that soon.Ā Take him, Dean.ā
Dean found himself with two arms full of little boy.Ā Little angel.Ā He was wrapped in Casās trenchcoat.Ā He looked up at Dean with clear blue eyes.Ā And he smiled.
āDean!Ā Heyo, Dean!ā
All of the circuits in Deanās brain shorted out completely.Ā Ā
āCas?āĀ The small, happy face dissolved into a watery blur.Ā Deanās throat closed up and he felt his face crumple, as a loud, messy sob burst out, ripping through the silence of the Bunker.Ā āCas.ā
His chest heaved.Ā His eyes streamed.Ā His nose streamed.Ā He couldnāt stop.Ā And the kid was heavy.Ā Cas was heavy, so that Deanās arms ached, but he held on tight, hitching up the small figure and holding him as close as he could, wrapping his arms around and rocking him and kissing him and sobbing.Ā And he wasnāt even embarrassed at the noises he was making.Ā He just didnāt care.Ā Ā
āDean?āĀ Sammyās voice, worried and urgent.Ā āJack?Ā What?Ā Jack, is thatā¦?ā
āYes, itās Cas.Ā I brought him back.Ā Heās a kid at the moment.Ā Just for a while.ā
āHeās aā¦Ā Right.Ā Okay, then.ā
āItās just temporary.Ā So that he can play.Ā And have fun.Ā And get better.ā
Deanās whole body shook.Ā He still couldnāt stop.Ā There was a hand on his shoulder and something pushing behind his knees.
āDean, sit.ā
He sat.Ā And he held Cas on his lap and Casās little arms were around his neck, squeezing hard enough to strangle him, a little bony shoulder pressing into his throat.
Cas was back.
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