Better Dig Two

XXI

[All in the Family]

Sam, Athena and Dean were confronting Chuck in the roadway with glowing amulet still in Dean's hand.

"What the hell's going on here, exactly?" Dean demanded.

"I'm happy to... fill in the blanks, but maybe we should go somewhere where we could actually sit down," Chuck said.

"We're not going anywhere with you," Athena retorted. "Okay, how do we even know that you're really Chuck and not just some," suddenly, Athena, Sam, Dean and Chuck were in the bunker, "crazy spell or manifest...ation."

Kevin appeared just behind Chuck's shoulder.

"Kevin?" Sam asked.

"Guys!" Kevin exclaimed. "You're looking stressed. Especially you." He looked at Dean. "I-It's cool. Trust Chuck. Whatever it is he needs you to do, he must think you can handle it. I always trusted you."

"Yeah, that ended well," Dean remembered.

"How did you – Are you okay, or – uh?" Sam questioned.

"Um... Yeah, I mean, you know, given the circumstances," Kevin replied.

"Yeah, I don't mean to interrupt. Kind of a plateful here. And, Kevin... you've been in the Veil long enough. It's time you had an upgrade." Chuck waved his hand and Kevin transformed into soul-light, ascending through ceiling.

"Holy crap," Dean and Athena muttered.

"Okay. So, wow, um, Chuck–" Sam chuckled. "Well, I guess we don't call you that, huh?"

"I prefer it," Chuck replied.

"Okay, uh, "Chuck" it is." Sam sighed. "I'm sorry. You're gonna have to, uh, give Dean, Athena and me a moment to start to process. We didn't even know you were around. I mean, we knew about Chuck, but we just didn't know about... Chuck. I mean, I-I-I was hoping you were around. I-I-I prayed and I- but I don't know if they got, uh, lost in the spam or if—"

"Sam?" Dean called.

"Yeah?"

"Babbling."

"Okay."

"I'm getting that not everyone's totally on board," Chuck realized.

Dean frowned slightly. "Here's the thing, um... Chuck... And I mean no disrespect. Um... I'm guessing you came back to help with the Darkness, and that's great. That's, you know – It's fantastic. Um, but you've been gone a – a... long, long time. And there's so much crap that has gone down on the Earth for thousands of years. I mean, plagues and wars, slaughters. And you were, I don't know, writing books, going to fan conventions. Were you even aware, o-or did you just tune it out?"

"I was aware, Dean."

"But you did nothing. And, again, I-I'm not trying to piss you off. You know, I don't want to turn into a pillar of salt."

"I actually... didn't do that."

"Okay. People – People pray to you. People build churches for you. They fight wars in your name, and you did nothing."

"You're frustrated. I get it. Believe me, I was hands-on – Real hands-on for, wow, ages. I was so sure if I kept stepping in, teaching, punishing, that these beautiful creatures that I created... would grow up. But it only stayed the same. And I saw that I needed to step away and let my baby find its way. Being over-involved is no longer parenting." Chuck sighed. "It's enabling."

Athena frowned. "But it didn't get better."

"Well, I've been mulling it over. And from where I sit, I think it has."