Linking Lives / Book 12 / The Life Series / Supernatural Season 13

Tombstone

Sam, Dean, Aiden, Amara and I were still looking at Castiel in shock.

"Cas, is that really you?" Dean asked.

"It's him," Amara answered. "I can feel it."

"But you're--you're dead," Sam told him.

Castiel nodded in agreement, walking closer. "Yeah, I was. But then I... annoyed an ancient cosmic being so much that he sent me back."

"I don't even know what to say," I told him.

Dean sighed in relief. "I do. Welcome home, pal."

Dean hugged Cas, then Sam, Amara and me.

Castiel looked at Aiden in surprise. "This is Aiden?"

"Yeah," Aiden answered. "Long story."

Castiel looked between us in confusion. "How long was I gone?"

"Too damn long," Dean answered.

"Where were you?" Sam asked. "In Heaven?"

"No," Castiel answered. "No, I was in the empty."

"Really?" I asked. "Apparently, it's where angels and demons go when they die."

"What was it like?" Amara asked.

"Well, it's dark and nothing," Castiel answered. "It's like... nothing. I was sleeping, and then I heard a voice that said my name, and I woke up. I thought you... had done something."

I shook my head. "No, we... we didn't even think we could bring you back."

"So who was it?" Aiden asked. "Chuck? Uh, God?"

"No," Castiel answered. "No, he has no power in the empty."

"Well, then, who does?" Amara asked.

Sam looked at us in realization. "Jack."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning, we returned home. Jack and Brandon were sitting at the tables.

"Hey," Jack told us. "Brandon came by with a case for us if we were interested."

"Thanks, Brandon," Amara told him.

"Yeah..." Dean trailed.

"Jack, um..." I trailed off.

"What's wrong?" Jack asked.

Castiel walked in. "Hello, Jack."

Brandon looked at him in shock. "Castiel?"

Castiel sighed. "Yeah, it's me."

Jack and Brandon stood.

Jack frowned in confusion. "No. We burned your body, and what's burned stays dead. How..."

"Well, that's the question we've been asking," Aiden told us.

"Jack, did you, uh..." I trailed off. "Did you bring Cas back?"

"I don't know," Jack admitted. "I wanted him back. I... begged for him to come back, but..."

"Well, here he is," Brandon told us.

"Because of me?" Jack asked.

"We don't know," Amara told him. "We don't know, Jack."

"But we--we--we think maybe," Sam answered.

"Thank you, Jack," Castiel told him.

Jack walked over to hug Castiel as we watched, smiling in relief. "I missed you so much."