Your Dark Promise

Chapter 33

Dean's p.o.v

The week went on like any other week. Dean felt like the same person he was before when his dad was alive. He felt like he was a little more alone in the world at first, until he remembered John hadn't ever really done anything to make him feel like he was ever on his side, like he could ever count on him. Cas did move Sammy into a safe house, and at the end of the week, the police cleared the scene, and the two men were meeting up at their fathers mansion to move any personal things they wanted. Everything else would stay there until some of the heat from the location died down, and then after, they could do whatever they wanted with the place.

Dean felt oddly nervous to see his brother. He only saw him a handful of times after he was sent away, and then the night their father sold him off to Cas. They had been texting and calling each other, but he felt like he really didn't know his brother anymore. Which was sad, considering how close they were growing up, Sammy always following after Dean, Dean being the protective older brother. But once they were grown, John never let them stay too close. He needed one son groomed to take his position and didn't want anything to get in the way of that. Then Dean went and messed up his plans, and from everything Dean had heard of during his time away from his family, Sammy didn't make the transition easy on John when the man suddenly had to switch sons.

Cas was sitting next to Dean as he was lost in his thoughts on his family. He'd already told Dean he would stay in the car to give them privacy, and Dean appreciated that, it had been so long since him and Sammy had been alone together, it already felt awkward enough without anyone else added into the mix.

Dean flexed at his hand. It was getting more functioning back to it, but not as fast as Dean wanted. He worked at it every day because he had to help Cas in this revenge plot and had to take down Eldon. His fingers were bending more, but his grip was still shit, not being able to hold on to anything for long, his physical therapist just telling him he'd get there eventually.

The car pulled up to his father's mansion, Sammy already there and standing on the steps. They didn't bring a moving truck or anything as this visit was for things they needed or wanted right now. Once all this was over, they were both ready to sell the place and be done with it. Dean stepped out of the car, his fingers tapping on his good hand as he approached his brother. When he was standing looking up at him slightly, Dean smiled before throwing his arms around him.

Sam gave a laugh to this as he returned the hug, squeezing Dean's shoulders tightly. When Dean pulled back, Sam looked him over with a smile until his eyes landed on his collar, and Dean immediately reddened to this. He'd meant to take it off. "He really is still treating you like some dog?" Sammy asked, looking over Dean to the car he'd left.

Dean ran his hands through his hair, blowing out a breath, "it's not like that, Sammy. Not fully."

Sam looked at him with wide eyes in disbelief, "How is keeping you collared not like that? And from what I've heard, he uses a leash, too? Not to mention showing you off at his brothel, where, by the way, you were stabbed!"

Dean nodded, clenching at his weak fingers, "I know. It's a lot. But I'm honestly not all that miserable. It beats being alone out at the villa day in and day out for years. At least I have someone to talk to this time."

Dean hadn't meant it as an insult on Sammy, but it was. Sam never rebeled enough against their father, at least not enough to break the rules to see Dean more. "Dean, you've been through a lot, I understand. But don't stop trying to get out of this. Don't just bow down to the guy."

Dean stood there and shook his head, "You don't understand, Sam. You have no clue what happened to me. And that's fine, Im not sure I want you to know everything, really, but don't stand there and act like you understand me or anything that's going on with me." He glanced back to the car, the windows too tinted to see anything, but he knew Cas was in there, and that kind of made him feel better for some reason, a little calmer. He looked back to Sam, wondering what his brother would think if he knew he was intimate with Cas, that now he was choosing to wear this collar. "Let's just, go do what we're here to do." Dean said, finally moving to enter the house.