The Year of Redemption

Chapter 9: Call Your Name

Dean revved the Impala's engine and pulled away from Lisa and Ben's house. Slowly, his tears dried up and his head stopped hammering. Dean turned into a deserted parking lot in front of several closed stores. He got out of the Impala and slammed the door shut. Dean leaned against the door, rubbing his eyes and wondering what to do. He had to figure out why he was having visions. It terrified him. He didn't want them to overtake him like they had tried to do with Sammy. He didn't want his brother's freak powers.

"Cas..." he let out softly and instinctively. He was almost surprised he had said it. Did he really rely on the angel that much whenever he needed help? He dismissed the thoughts and decided that Castiel probably could, in fact, help shed some light on this situation. "Cas?" he called out a bit louder and more firmly. "Cas, I could really use your help, buddy."

Dean felt a slight breeze, cold against his wet face. "Hello, Dean." Castiel appeared in front of him. "You call--..." he started, but cut himself off, noticing Dean's tear-stained face. "What is wrong?" he asked, suddenly worried.

Dean was looking at the ground now. "I didn't know who else to call," he said helplessly, almost embarrassed.

"I don't mind," Cas stated sincerely.

Dean stared at the ground for a long time, finally deciding to actually say what had been on his mind. "I just feel like you help me so much and I don't ever do anything in return. I wish I could help you for once." Dean looked up at the angel, almost as if that last sentence was a question.

"Matters of Heaven should stay in Heaven. You've seen what happens when they are dragged down here. There's nothing you can do, Dean," Castiel asserted.

"Thanks for the boost in self-worth," Dean joked, trying to lighten the mood.

Cas saw through his charade. "Dean, what's going on?" he asked, a look of concern still plastered on his face.

"I'm having... visions," Dean said uncertainly. "About Lisa and Ben."

Castiel didn't question him like Dean thought the angel would. Like almost any other person he could have talked to would. Instead, Cas simply asked, "What happens in the visions?"

"Lisa and Ben..." Dean started, as the images came back to the forefront of his mind, and he hunched over, suddenly dizzy. Cas stepped forward and put a hand on Dean's shoulder. Dean continued vaguely, not wanting to recall the details, "There's all this shit happening to them and it's all my fault." He choked on the last few words and struggled to keep the tears at bay as the images became clear in his mind again.

"When did the visions start?" Cas asked.

Dean thought about it. "Yesterday, when I was leaving to go back to Lisa and Ben. They were happy at first..." he said, remembering the first two series of images and straightening up. "Then..." Dean trailed off, his eyes faraway.

Castiel removed his hand from Dean's shoulder and took a step back, aware of Dean's issues with personal space. "It sounds like someone does not want you to return to Lisa and Ben."

Dean looked at Cas pleadingly. "Do you really think all that stuff is going to happen if I go back to them?"

"Visions have a strange way of coming true if you remain on the same course of action. Even angels have trouble manipulating visions," Cas began to explain. "There are a host of beings who can implant visions in your mind, but it is almost impossible to manufacture images in someone's mind that aren't true in at least one timeline of the universe."

Dean looked at Cas as if he had just discovered the Earth revolves around the Sun and not the other way around. "You mean... in some timeline out there... all this shit actually happens to Lisa and Ben because of me?"