A Dark Path

Untitled Part 4

The boys ate pizza for dinner, and Cas mimicked their actions. Though he no longer required substances such as food or drink, he found himself missing the ability to taste the food and he certainly missed the companionship that food seemed to create when being enjoyed together. He didn't understand the power food had over people, just that it did, and he would respect that.

For most of dinner Cas stayed quiet, content to listen to Dean and Sam's tales of recent hunts. Thankfully, it seemed that the hunts had been relatively easy, or at least not as emotionally jarring as Cas had feared. Dean did seem more relaxed now, telling him about a decent werewolf and her crazy sister, eating his pizza with fever, and taking long, savoring drinks from his beer. In fact, if not for the fact that Cas could see his soul, Cas would have thought Dean was perfectly fine. 

Dinner ended too soon in Cas' opinion, and Dean was clearing the dinning room table and heading off for a shower. The angel watched almost forlornly at Dean's retreating back, critically observing the hunter's slow movements up the stairs. "He seems to be doing well. Considering." Cas commented monotonously once Dean was out of sight and earshot. He turned to Sam. "What did you require my presence for?"

Sam frowned. "Cas, we don't always just call you when we need you."

Cas didn't respond to that, but his bright blue eyes were enough of a hint for Sam to know the angel disagreed. The brothers might wish to treat the angel with the friendship they claimed to have with him, but most of the time they were too busy to worry about such things. Truth was, Cas was a powerful ally, even when he seemed to be de-powered, and the hunters rarely got the chance to show Cas that that wasn't all he was to them. 

Under the angel's gaze, Sam became uncomfortable in guilt and shame. Regretfully, Sam replied with the truth. "I think it might help Dean if you stay with us for awhile."

"Why do you think that?" Though Cas wanted nothing more than to stay, he knew for a fact there was nothing he could do for his friend. Cas would be of no use in the bunker. And he had already proven himself to be a terrible hunter. 

It wasn't even about his usefulness, either. Castiel had made a million mistakes over the years, and almost every single one of them had caused the Winchesters pain. Too many times he had betrayed their trust, had fought against them, or had failed them miserably. It didn't matter that every single time Cas had had good intentions. What mattered was that whatever Cas did, the outcome was never positive. 

Again, Sam frowned, seeming to follow Cas' train of thought and not liking where it was going. Sighing, he answered as best as he could. "Dean recently revealed to me what Cain had said to him right before he was given the Mark." Sam rubbed the back of his neck nervously, though Cas couldn't understand the reason behind it. "Apparently, Cain had managed to suppress the Mark for years. I mean, it wasn't a cure by any means, but..."

"But it was a reprieve," Cas finished the thought. Which meant there was something out there that could give them time. Time to find an actual cure. Maybe time enough so that Dean was no longer a ticking time bomb. "What was it that repressed the Mark? I will retrieve it wherever it is."

"Right. Well, it wasn't an object actually. It was a person. A woman named Collete."

"Do you have any idea where she is now? We need to go and get her."

"No, Cas, listen. Collete died." Cas scowled. "But Dean doesn't need Collete herself." The younger Winchester shook his head, appearing to organize his thoughts enough to explain to Cas clearly. "She was Cain's wife. Basically his soul mate, if I'm understanding Dean right. Cain had mentioned how she had loved him even at his darkest point, and that he stopped because that was the only thing she had asked of him." Cas continued to stare, still not understanding how this would help Dean. Sam spoke next part slowly, as if forcing the words to sink into Cas' mind with impact. "I think if Dean had someone like Collete in his life then the Mark wouldn't have as strong of an influence over him as it does. It could give us a chance to find an actual cure."

Cas nodded, understanding what needed to be done. "I could give Lisa and Ben back their memories and Dean could have them near him."

"What?" Sam buried his face in his large hands. Frustratingly, Sam tried again. "No. Dean doesn't need Lisa." Before Cas could comment, Sam quickly moved on. "He doesn't need any woman. What I think he needs is you." Cas tilted his head, confused. Knowing Dean, the hunter would not accept having the male angel as the parallel to Collete to Cain. "You saw him in Hell, what he had been doing, and you still accepted him, still saw him as the Righteous Man, and still, after everything, gave up Heaven for him." Knowing the objections Cas would have, Sam made sure to knock them down before they could be spoken. "It doesn't matter what's happened in the past. What matters is that you've always cared about my brother, and my brother has always cared about you. I think that's exactly the type of bond that's needed to put the Mark on pause. At least to try."

The plan sounded feeble. It didn't sound like a plan at all. There were too many holes and too many objections that the angel had, but it was something, which was a hell of a lot more than the nothing they had so far. So Cas figured he might as well try. He could stay with the Winchesters, stay beside Dean.