Apocalypse averted! Here's the last chapter for a little while. i'll try to get part 2 up and running in a few months. Nag me for it and I'll probably go a little faster. Thanks for all the reviews and reminders that someone is reading the story! It means a lot! I'll be back soon!

E. Nigma

The Seals were voided. Everything had gone haywire and Castiel watched the violent disruption break out in Heaven. Half of the host were celebrating while the other half seethed without giving a source for their rage.

Castiel was taking careful note of those ones. He sensed something was amiss in Heaven and a sinister feeling emanated from those in upper management. Perhaps he should contact Anna again. She seemed to understand more than he did about their brethren. He had no desire for Lucifer to be set free on the world but it seemed that not all of his brothers and sisters shared his feelings.

Perhaps some cautionary protections were in order for the Winchesters. All of them. Castiel wondered if those who were wrathful at the turn of events might seek vengeance on the newest member of the Winchester clan.

Alec was young and had changed very much since Castiel had first met him. Or, perhaps it was that Castiel hadn't truly seen him to begin with. He saw much of Dean in the boy, much of the same goodness and desire to help others. That needed to be protected. He needed to be protected, just as much as Dean and Sam.

The followers of the Adversary were no doubt in similar states. Already several disasters had taken place on Earth in protest or out of frustrated impatience. They would be seeking those responsible just as fiercely as the wrathful of Heaven.

It was decided then, he would contact Anna and find those who he could trust until he had evidence and had accomplished his new self-assigned mission.

He would protect the Winchesters, he would expose the corruption of Heaven, and he would find answers.

He would find his Father.

Eyes were locked onto the screen in a mixture of fascination and worry. The figure on the street cocked their head to the side as the news reported the strange events taking place all around the world. Storms and earthquakes seemed to be epidemic and others reported strange lights and meteor showers in the sky for no reason.

The world was far more bizarre and wonderful than they'd guessed in their bedtime stories all those years ago. It was also very randomly dangerous. There had never been accidents more than once behind those walls, there weren't any chances for second mistakes. With disasters becoming commonplace, it was clear that things were changing more than anyone seemed ready for, X5 or not.

The news changed to an ongoing story of a bill someone was trying to pass and the X5 lost interest. They slid into the shadows to join the others in their gang for the night.

Bobby's house was a welcome sight to Alec.

They'd come close to popping into a clinic to check Alec's ears since he'd confessed to hearing problems. Apparently, he'd lost most of his hearing for nearly ten hours after the smiting of Lilith but sound had started returning to normal and the brothers were satisfied for now. If it didn't completely return, they'd go to the hospital, but for now, they had their minds on a much different issue.

Dean and Sam were trying to be happy about the defeat of Lilith but a tension had seeped between them. The BIG question hadn't been asked as far as Alec knew: Would Sam stop whatever psychic stuff he had now that Lilith was gone? Now that the biggest threat was vanquished?

Alec hoped so. He wasn't sure how he felt about Sam's powers on their

own, but it put Dean on edge and Alec hated when the brothers were anxious about something. It made him tense.

Bobby's house settled the Winchesters and Alec. It was secure and safe in more than just a physical sense.

That, and Bobby had books. Lots of books. With the Apocalypse on hold, Alec was practically purring at the prospect of curling up with a stack of novels on Bobby's ratty old couch (blame his cat DNA, he didn't care).

A cloud of dust lazily shrouded the car as they climbed out of the impala. Alec was already zooming up to the steps where Bobby and a chubby-looking Rumsfield waited expectantly for belly scratches. "BOBBY!"

The older man stumbled a little as Alec nearly tackled him in a hug and the teen felt slightly guilty for losing track of his strength. After steadying the old man, Alec felt a calloused hand fluff his hair. His short hair was slightly prickly from his last haircut to keep it manageable... and to match Dean. "'S good to see ya, boy," Bobby rumbled with a grin.

Alec stepped back as Sam and Dean made their way over.

"Hey, Bobby." Dean's easy-going smile looked a little… off to Alec after hugging their friend.

"Bobby, how've you been?" Sam asked, fortunately a little more normal.

Bobby adjusted his cap and scratched his beard. "Good enough. Been tough trying ta sort through all the crazy fallout of the demons losing their best chess piece."

"Better that than the end of the world," Alec pointed out.

The grizzled hunter nodded, wrinkles around his eyes becoming more prominent as he smiled and nodded. "Much better. I ain't calling this anything other than a win by any means. And a Hail Mary if there ever was one," He gestured to the door. "Let's get you boys settled in here and then we can discuss this a bit more over a few beers."

"Sounds good to me," Alec marched into the house.

"Not for you, half-pint!" Bobby called after him.

Yeah, Alec loved staying at Bobby's.

Turns out, dinner came first but Dean didn't seem to mind and neither did Alec.

Sam was Tired.

He was more or less still waiting for the satisfaction of avenging Dean/stopping the big bad to kick in. Not to mention it had been days since he'd been able to see Ruby and get his fix.

No. Not fix. Yeesh, that made his sound like some sort of addict. And wouldn't Dean just have a field day with that.

He just needed-er-wanted a little pick-me-up; a bit of extra energy, just in case he needed the extra power soon. He'd need to be strong enough to protect Dean and Alec if something happened. And something was bound to happen. The demons weren't likely to just give up.

But for now, he had chili dogs which were okay in the meantime even if Sam couldn't help wondering what this level of grease and fat would do to Dean's cholesterol. One panic about Dean's heart had been more than enough for the younger Winchester and Alec was undoubtedly following in Dean's dietary footsteps. Sam just prayed that genetic enhancements included plaque dissolvers in the bloodstream.

"Hey, Samantha, your face got stuck on 'sour lemon' mode. What did chili dogs ever do to you?" Dean teased.

Sam declined to answer and instead started eating again. It was a special enough occasion to indulge a bit.

"Samantha?" Alec asked, shoving another dripping bite of chili dog into his mouth. A glob of melting cheese splattered on his plate.

Yep. Dean was responsible for this one.

"Not if you want me to buy you peanut M&M's on the next hunt," Sam warned.

Alec turned his attention back to his food but Sam caught a knowing exchange between him and Dean. That was nice and ominous and not at all a herald of a prank war.

He'd have to appeal to Bobby.

"Speakin' of squirt, here: you boys know anything about a 'Chuck Shurley'?" Bobby asked suddenly. "I meant ta tell ya earlier but I didn't know what to make of it." He stood and rifled through a stack of mail on the counter.

"Chuck sent you something?" Dean asked, confused.

"So he's cleared? I did the usual tests as well as a few… others considering the addressee."

"Who's it for?" Sam asked.

Bobby set an envelope on the table. "One 'Alec Winchester'."

Alec had never received a letter, package, or even an email in his entire life, but he pretty sure it was weird to write a letter to someone when you had their phone number.

"You gonna open it, kid? Or do you hear some sort of high frequency tracker hidden inside?" Dean prodded.

Alec shrugged and started tearing at the lip of the envelope. This was weird. What would Chuck have to say to him that he couldn't say over a phone? He removed the piece of paper inside and his eyes widened.

"What is it?" Sam asked. Alec turned the paper around. "Random numbers?"

"No." Dean carefully plucked the paper from Alec's hands. "It's the '05ers coordinates."

Hearing Dean come to the same conclusion let Alec breathe again.

The 05'ers. The runaway X5's that he'd been wishing to find for nearly a year were suddenly within reach. There were others like him, others that weren't in Manticore's clutches.

He had to help them.

"We'll find them, kiddo," He looked up at Dean's reassuring words. "Even if they leave, we can stay in contact with Chuck for updates. We'll find them if that's what you want to do."

"But then what?"Alec found himself asking. They didn't exactly drive a schoolbus. "We can't take them all with us. There's a dozen of them."

"We'll figure that out. Maybe we can get 'em in contact with good hunters nearby; ones we can trust," Dean suggested. "We can find a system."

Alec wasn't sure what to feel about this whole thing the more he processed. What if they refused? What if none of them trusted him? Or, worse, what if one of them had had enough and wanted to get back into Manticore's good graces? Alec didn't want to go back there, even if Cas would break him out again.

His eyes locked onto three numbers: 493. His twin. His twin was out there. He had a brother somewhere out there. A brother who might need his help.

Alec looked between Dean and Sam and finally up to Bobby. "How soon can we leave for Michigan?"