Chapter 12

Castiel sat by Ryn's bed, where he spent most of his time, idly stroking his thumb in slow circles across the back of her hand while she slept. Amy was curled up on her mother's other side, Kit nestled between them. A somber silence had pervaded the house since the others had gone off to confront the British Men of Letters. Castiel didn't like staying behind; it was against his nature not to be out there fighting to protect his loved ones. But he would be lying if he said his heart wasn't also torn with the desire to stay and keep his family close. So he didn't begrudge the Winchesters for insisting he stay behind this time.

He still worried, though, and kept glancing at the clock, gauging when they should have arrived at the compound, how long it might take for them to infiltrate it, allowing for complications and setbacks… Castiel had half a mind to fly over there and see what was happening, but he restrained himself. He wouldn't leave Amy and Ryn unprotected. And they were still within the timeframe where the others could very well be on their way back, having completed their mission.

Castiel sighed. Yet before his mind could devolve into another cycle of imagining worst case scenarios, the sound of tires on gravel and the rumble of engines pricked his ears. He stood quickly, adrenaline spiking with both cautious relief and trepidation, and his hands tensed with readiness to summon his blade as he hastily made his way downstairs. He reached the front door just as four vehicles pulled to a stop in front of the house. There was Jody and Donna in their trucks, and Charlie and even Alex in their own cars.

Castiel strode toward them, whipping his gaze over each of them anxiously as they climbed out, but so far they were all walking and moving without problem. "Is everyone okay?" he asked urgently, eyes seeking out Claire when he didn't spot her, but she came around the back of Jody's vehicle at that moment, looking completely fine. Castiel did a mental count, finding them all accounted for.

Dean walked up to Castiel, expression sober with obvious release from the burdens that had been weighing him down. "Yeah," he said, and reached out to clasp his shoulder. "It's over."

Castiel felt some of his tension loosen. They were safe. They could go home.

"For now," Sam said grimly. "The London chapter might decide to send more."

"You think they'd be that stupid?" Claire asked.

Sam shrugged one shoulder helplessly.

"Then we'll deal with it," Dean said.

Castiel agreed with his tenacity, but a small part of him wondered if they had another fight in them, after everything they'd been through.

Jody cleared her throat. "We got one last loose end to tie up." She nodded toward the cellar where their prisoner was being kept. Castiel had almost forgotten about him.

"Let him go," Amy spoke up, stepping out of the house. These past several days had aged her with a solemn maturity that bespoke of new wisdom and understanding. Good things to have, but Castiel's heart ached with how his daughter had come to possess them.

Amy descended the steps and came forward. "Let him go back to London and tell his people to never come here again."

Castiel glanced at the Winchesters. Dean's jaw ticked with reluctance, but Sam looked thoughtful.

"Okay," Sam said after a moment.

He and Jody started toward the cellar, and Castiel decided to follow. The basement was rank with mildew and damp air, and the man called Mick Davies inhaled a large breath at the influx of fresh oxygen. He eyed the three of them warily, shifting uncomfortably in the wooden chair he was chained to.

"We're letting you go back to London," Sam informed him.

Mick just gazed at him dubiously.

"Your little American operation is over," he went on. "We blew up your base."

The man's eyes widened. "The others—"

"Toni Bevell and Ketch are dead," Sam cut him off. "Most of your squad is dead."

Mick sputtered soundlessly.

"But we're gonna let you go, so you can tell your colleagues back in London to stay the hell out of our country. This is our home, and we'll defend it our way. And any supernatural being who wants to live a peaceful life minding their own business, well, they're welcome here too. We are the land of the free, after all."

Castiel watched with shrewd eyes as Sam moved forward and unlocked the cuffs around Mick's wrists and ankles. The man continued to regard them with mistrust as he slowly stood, rubbing his wrists.

Jody grabbed his arm and started guiding him toward the door. "I'll drive you to the airport."

They headed back outside where the others were still gathered, and several pairs of hostile eyes skewered Mick the moment he stepped into the sun. His gaze swept over them anxiously as Jody escorted him to her truck and around to the passenger side.

She opened the door and shoved him inside. "By the way, it was the kid's idea to let you go." Jody glanced at Amy long enough for Mick's gaze to follow before she slammed the door shut.

Castiel stepped up on her way back around the front of the vehicle. "Thank you," he said. He turned to the rest of them. "Thank all of you for what you did."

Jody gave him a heartwarming smile. "Any time."

Donna broke into a beaming grin and spread her arms. "Group hug."

Castiel quirked a look at her, but Charlie and Amy immediately swarmed into her wide embrace.

Claire rolled her eyes, but at a pointed smirk from Alex, those two joined in as well.

That hug certainly seemed big enough, but nevertheless, Jody moved in, and Castiel followed. Their arms weren't wide enough to reach all the way around this mass huddle, and Amy and Charlie were probably being squished in the center, but nobody complained.

Donna craned her neck and said sternly, "Come on, you two."

Castiel glanced to where Sam and Dean were standing, Sam with an amused expression and Dean shaking his head.

Donna started shuffling them all toward the boys, and they finally relented, Dean with a put-upon sigh, and wrapped their arms around the rest of them.

It was awkward and tight, but Castiel didn't mind. In that moment he was reminded that they did, in fact, have another fight left in them. Because they had friends like this standing beside them.

And together they could accomplish anything.

Dean finally broke away, his chick-flick moment rule being violated, and the rest of the hug dissolved, but there were several smiles brightening their motley group.

"Alright," Jody said. "I'm gonna make sure this guy gets on a plane." She cocked her head toward her truck.

"I'll go with you," Alex said, and tossed her car keys to Claire. "Don't ding it."

Claire scoffed indignantly. "I'm a great driver."

"You can't parallel park to save your life."

"Parking's overrated."

Alex huffed, but climbed into the backseat of Jody's truck. Castiel noticed she had a gun holster on her hip and that she slid over to sit right behind Mick. She may have been training to become a nurse, but she had good soldier instincts.

Charlie clapped her hands together and turned to the rest of them. "Well, what do you say we start packing up so you guys can go home?"

Dean and Sam shared relieved smiles.

"That sounds awesome."

Castiel agreed.

Castiel wove through the bunker library and down the hallway toward the dormitory wing, Ryn in his arms. After all they'd been through, they were finally home.

He reached their bedroom and nudged the door open with his foot. "I believe I'm about five years late carrying you over the threshold," he said, bringing her to the bed and easing her down.

Ryn's lips twitched. "Five thousand years for our first kiss. Five years for this. I'd say that's progress."

Castiel smiled down at her fondly. His heart swelled with joy to see her old spark returning. Her fever was finally gone, but she was still utterly spent from the ordeal. She would be okay, though, in time. They all would.

"Can I bring you anything?" he asked.

Ryn settled back against the pillows. "I'm okay. Let everyone get settled in, and then let me know what's for dinner."

Castiel quirked his mouth, and nodded. He grabbed a book from the desk, some Russian romance novel Ryn had been reading off and on for a while, and set it on the nightstand within reach in case she wasn't tired enough to sleep at the moment. She smiled, and he leaned down to give her a quick kiss before heading back out to help the others.

He passed Sam and Charlie in the corridor as they made their way toward the kitchen, Kit scampering ahead of them with demanding yowls for food. Castiel knew he didn't need to translate that one.

He entered the library just as Dean came in from the war room and deposited an armful of bags on the table. They had been living minimally at the safe house, so there wasn't a ton to unpack. But…

Castiel walked over. "First things first?" he asked.

Dean nodded, and together they made their way up the stairs to the landing in front of the door. Dean pulled out his key and held it out to Castiel.

"You can do this?" he asked a tad skeptically.

"Yes."

Castiel took the key and gripped it tightly in one hand, while he placed the other over the lock. Both began to glow as he summoned up his grace. Simmering heat wafted from his palms, heating the metal enough so that he could manipulate it. Castiel closed his eyes and concentrated on refashioning both the lock and key with different notches.

After a few moments, his grace receded and the metal cooled. Castiel handed Dean the new key.

Dean held it up and examined it, brows lifting in appreciation. "Awesome. I'll make copies."

He turned and headed for the garage where the tools were kept.

Amy came up the stairs and stopped next to Castiel, gazing at the lock. "Will this make us safe?" she asked.

"It's a precaution," he answered. "One I think will work." Castiel hesitated. "But we can never be one hundred percent safe," he added honestly.

Amy nodded silently as if she already knew that.

"But as long as we're here for each other, we'll be okay."

She finally looked up with a small smile, and Castiel put an arm around her shoulders. Together, they walked across the landing, pausing in front of the garage. Inside, Dean had veered away from the tool cabinet and was approaching the Impala.

"Hey, Baby," he said, reaching out to run a hand across her sleek frame. "We're home."

Castiel glanced at his daughter, and they shared another smile.

Yes, they were.

A/N: The end. ^_^ I have fic #4 for this verse brainstormed, but didn't get around to writing it yet as planned. It'll happen at some point. But in the meantime, next up is a fantasy AU crossover/blend featuring dragon!Castiel. Should be interesting. ;)

Thanks so much to everyone who's been following this verse and reviewing! I'm really glad you enjoy it. :)