Chapter Text
How long has it been since Chuck screwed them? Sammy probably knows what day it is, but Dean doesn't really give a fuck anymore. There's nothing left here for him, or for any of them. He feels like he needs to keep the façade going for Sammy, but he can't do it anymore. He's drunk all of the time, at least he thinks. He can't remember.
This morning, or this afternoon maybe, he's decided to start drinking early and sits down in the library with a cold one. He almost feels ashamed when Sammy walks in and gives him a look.
"Hey man, a little early for that?" Sam suggests, as he crosses to the other side of the table and takes a seat at a teetering tower of books, half opened with notes attached to all sorts of pages here and there. He's been catching up on his reading with his time. Dean wishes he had the motivation.
"It's never too early if you don't know what time it is, right?" He tries to joke, but it sounds about as pathetic as it gets. He only gets a sigh from Sammy.
Cas makes his way into the library too, and hey, since when is this their hangout? He sits beside Sam and rolls a bottle of water across the table to Dean. He picks it up and gestures a one-sided, "Cheers!" and takes a swig of it. Then he downs his beer too. Cas and Sam exchange a sad look before they hear footsteps approaching.
Dean straightens a little in his chair. He should hold it together in front of the kid.
"Guys-" Jack appears from the hall behind Dean. "I'm getting a weird feeling; I don't think we're alone."
Cas tilts his head, "Chuck? Why would he even bother after what he said?"
"Not Chuck, something else. I think there's someone out there!" Jack says excitedly. That's when Dean notices that the kid is dressed and ready to go. Maybe there really is a purpose or a way out of this hell hole. The kid could be wrong but what's the harm is checking it out?
"Where?" Dean asks, standing up, and leading the conversation towards the exit. "I'm ready to go when you are, Kid."
Cas and Sam follow into the map room- "Dean, maybe I can drive?" Sam interjects.
Dean doesn't say a word, he just looks Sam up and down. "You're still in your pajamas, dude. And sure, you can drive. Whatever."
Sam disappears towards his room to get ready for their little road trip as Cas approaches Jack. "You're sensing a person?" He asks, touching Jack's shoulder. "I don't think Chuck could have missed anyone, Jack."
Jack shakes his head, "I don't know what I'm sensing, but I know we need to check it out, Cas. Trust me."
Dean looks at Cas, and then back to Jack. He pats Cas on the shoulder and says, "We trust you." If Jack is right and they aren't alone, this is what he needs right now. If he's wrong, he doesn't know how much longer he can last like this.
. . .
Sammy pulls into a gas station. One good thing about the world ending is that gas prices went down tremendously. Sam pumps the gas as Cas and Jack head inside for a snack. Dean makes his way over to the men's bathroom outside of the gas station. It feels less sketchy to go in one of these bathrooms when all of the creeps of the world are gone. Just as he's about to try the knob, he hears a weird noise.
A whimper? He turns his head to look around, and that's when he sees it.
A dog.
Not just a dog, a purpose. Someone to save. This dog is a fucking miracle.
He kneels and reaches a hand out to the dog, "Hey buddy, what are you doing out here?" Dean cracks a smile the size of his face, bringing the dog to the car. "Sammy's gonna love you."
Sam asks, confused. "You found a dog?" The confusion immediately slips into joy- "Maybe not everything is gone."
Dean can't help but smile. "He's coming home with us."
"You're not seriously letting a dog ride in the Impala." Sam shakes his head with a laugh.
"This isn't just a dog Sammy." Dean helps the little miracle into the back of the car and closes the door. He shakes his head. This was worth the trip.
Just as the joy on their faces appears, it just as quickly melts when the dog disappears from the seat.
That's when they see a figure standing ahead of them. A beautiful field just past the station, completely ruined by this piece of shit.
Fucking Chuck.
Dean readies himself for a fight, but all Chuck does is a simple 'salute' gesture. Then, he was gone.
And suddenly, the fight left in him was gone too.
. . .
Later, as they kept on the road to where Jack asked them to go, Dean can't help but think about the dog. "Can't even save a fucking dog." He shakes his head and looks at Sammy for something, anything, that will make him feel better.
"I think that's the point, Dean. No one left to save." Sam stares forward at the road, a sad expression on his face.
"Dean we could still be onto something with Jack's feeling- there's no reason to throw in the towel when we still have a chance at something here." Cas reaches forward from the back, his hand on Dean's shoulder. "I'm sorry about the dog. Chuck is..." He pauses. "An asshat."
Sam chuckles, "That's definitely an understatement. Dean, Cas is right. Jack seems really certain about this."
Dean peers into the back and sees Jack, sleeping soundly. Everything fell onto Sam and Dean with Chuck's weird obsession, but now it's all on Jack. He kind of feels bad for the kid. He's done so much for them, and he's still trying to find a reason for them all to keep going.
. . .