Chapter 123

"I see you've found him."

Jack eyes Michael warily. He hasn't seen much of this world's Michael, but the Michael from the apocalypse world was definitely not a nice person. He's not sure he should expect much better from this version. He seems harmless enough at the moment, but, then again, he can't bring the world crashing down from inside the Godly-warded bunker.

"I did," Castiel says, and he seems to feel the same way about his older brother, which perplexes Jack. What did Michael do to him? He never saw the apocalypse world because Jack was never here to open it up for him. Has he seen Michael before, or is it just heavenly instinct to fear the ruthless leader?

"Where was he?" Michael asks.

"Just in the hallway," Castiel says.

"Why?"

"He used to live here," Castiel says, "in his old world. I guess it gets confusing."

Jack can't help but wonder if they even remember he's here. They were specifically looking for him, and now that they've found him, it's like they couldn't care less. It's weird, and he doesn't like it. It's what Sam and Dean used to do to him, though. Dean still does — or did, until the universe switch, though he'd be surprised if this world's Dean doesn't keep it up.

They don't know him. They still think of him as an outsider. Jack does, too, of course — he knows he's not from here, as much as he'd like to trick himself into thinking he was. But he also knows he's just him. He's not evil or murderous or an all-powerful threat they need to keep an eye on. In theory, Castiel knows that, too, but it doesn't mean anything if whoever he's taking to doesn't feel the same about him.

Next to come back is Dean, who gives a grin when he sees the kid. That's a nice change. Jack's universe's Dean wouldn't be happy to see him at all. He's not entirely sure why that would be different here, though. His world's Dean was suspicious because all he knew about the kid was his heritage and that Castiel had claimed him. This world's Dean doesn't even have the latter to hold on to.

"Where was he?" Dean asks, once again directing it to Castiel as if Jack isn't standing right there.

"In the hallway," Castiel says.

To say Dean looks confused would be an understatement. "He's been missing for days. You can't tell me he's just been standing there this whole time."

"Uh, no, he's been with..." Castiel glances at the kid, then says, almost sounding defeated, "He was with Gabriel and Lucifer for most of it."

Dean scoffs. "Oh, great. I'm glad the whole 'Lucifer means nothing to me' thing held up."

"He's just working with them to understand his powers," Castiel says. "They hope he can take down Chuck's warding and get us out of here."

"What? No!" Dean practically yells.

Jack takes a step back instinctively. He's seen Dean angry a lot, and it's often over things that Jack doesn't understand, but this is the weirdest so far. He would have thought Dean would be happy. He's trying to free them. Chuck is holding them in a cage like birds, and Jack is trying to open them up to the world. Isn't that a good thing?

Evidently, Jack isn't the only one to feel that way, because Castiel says, "What? He's trying to help us!"

"He's working with the devil and an archangel-turned-trickster who kills people for sport," Dean reminds him. "Now, as much as I've grown to tolerate Gabriel, these are the last two people I would trust to teach anyone about magic."

"But he's trying to help us," Castiel repeats. "Do you want to spend the rest of your life in here?"

"I would rather spend the rest of my life here knowing the world is safe than leave the son of Satan to his own devices after overpowering God Himself," Dean says. "That's a powerful enemy, Cas — more powerful than anyone or anything we've ever fought. I'm not risking that."

Jack frowns. His Dean has been blunt about not trusting him, too. Hell, his Dean saw him stabbing himself repeatedly and his response was to threaten to kill him. Needless to say, he did not expect much from any Dean of any variety. But talking about being his enemy while he's right here? All Jack has ever done is try to be people's friends. Why can't he see that? Why does he just assume he has some ulterior motive?

Fortunately, Castiel has his back. "He's not an enemy, Dean. He's good. I know he is."

"Yeah, for now," Dean says. "We've seen this story play out more times than I can count. I'm not making that mistake this time, and I'm sure as hell not helping charge the weapon."

"If I may," Michael cuts in, much to Dean's dismay. "Jack is standing right there. Maybe you should talk to him before deciding whether or not he's going to be a world-ending evil."

"Right, I'm sure he's just gonna say, 'Oh, hey, by the way, I'm evil.'"

"I'm not," Jack says. "I promise, I just want to help."

"Help us or help yourself?"

Jack frowns. How is he supposed to convince this Dean that he can be trusted if he can't even convince his own?

"Show him," Castiel says. "Show him what you showed me."

"Oh, good idea!" Jack says. "Dean, give me your hand."

"What? No!" Dean says immediately. "If you touch me, I swear to god..."

"Dean, please, just do it," Castiel says. "For me."

Dean eyes the angel for a moment, then reluctantly puts his hand out. Jack takes it in his own and closes his eyes. He can see his world clearly — the world he made, the world full of peace and happiness. He holds onto the vision for a few moments, waiting for Dean's reaction.

And there is none.

Jack opens his eyes, confused, only to see an equally as confused Dean watching him. Jack sighs and drops his hand.

"I'm sorry, I can't," he says.

"You can't ?" Dean asks. "Cas, man, what the hell is going on?"

"He showed me something," Castiel says. "Something... wonderful. I don't even have the words to explain it, but it was... ."

"You want someone to show you something good, I'll give you my porn stash," Dean says. "The hell does that have to do with anything?"

"Dean, I don't want to see your pornography," Castiel says.

"And I don't want to see whatever the hell the kid's trying to show me," Dean says.

"Look, Dean, I understand where you're coming from," Castiel says. "I was just as wary of him as you were. But in his universe, the universe we would have been in if Chuck hadn't intervened, he lived here, with us."

"What, in the dungeon?" Dean asks, only half joking.

"No, just down the hall," Castiel says. "He was one of us. "And he was good. He still is. I can feel it."

"I don't buy it," Dean says.

"Really?" Castiel scoffs. "I thought you'd changed, Dean. I really thought, after these last few months together, you'd finally learned to trust me."

"Of course I trust you, Cas," Dean says. "But this is son. That's a lot bigger than when to go to bed or what to have for dinner."

"Jack," Michael says, interrupting a fight that probably could have gone on for the rest of eternity. "Can you show me what you showed Castiel? Maybe it only works with angels."

"Oh, maybe," Jack agrees. He hadn't thought of that. It hadn't even occurred to him to try it with anyone, human or not, once he was born.

Jack takes Michael's hand and closes his eyes. He summons the image again, trying to transmit it to Michael.

"Well?" Dean says impatiently.

Jack sighs and drops the archangel's hand. "I don't get it. It worked with Castiel earlier. Why can't I do it anymore?"

"Try it with Castiel again," Michael suggests.

"Okay?"

So they do. Jack isn't quite sure what they're trying to prove. He can't do it. Whatever he tried last time, it doesn't work anymore. He can see his imagined world clearly, but he can't show it to anyone else.

"Holy shit," Dean whispers.

Jack opens his eyes immediately to see Castiel's yellow irises. The angel blinks once, and they're gone, but Jack can feel the energy shift in the room. It definitely worked. He saw it again.

"I don't get it," Michael says. "Why can only Castiel see it?"

"And what is it?" Dean asks. "Because that's the one that's bugging me right now."

"I don't know how to describe it," Castiel says. "It just... I just know that Jack is good, Dean. I do. You just have to trust me, just this once."

Dean hesitates, then sighs. "Fine, but if he steps out of line once —"

"I know," Castiel says. "But he won't. I can feel it."