Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Jack Kline did not like being God.

He could’ve been God, if he wanted to. Could’ve changed Heaven and Hell and everything in between for the better for the rest of eternity, but honestly? He didn’t want to.

He was God for a while. Long enough that he cleaned up a lot of the mess that Chuck left behind, rebuilding Heaven to avoid Dean for a while, too afraid to face his disappointment and rightful anger. But, the pressure of being God is suffocating, and Jack broke down from it. 

When Amara offered to take the title of God, Jack jumped at the opportunity. Being God is a daunting responsibility and Jack just wanted to be with his family and live his life.

So, he renounced Godhood and as a final gift, Amara granted something he had never imagined he could have: a childhood.

She used her Godly power to turn him into the child he truly is, at least physically, and when he returned back to the bunker, he surprised Sam and Dean with his new body and his new chance of life.

Of course, he used the last residual Godly mojo to take Castiel out of the Empty. The natural law and order of things doesn’t totally apply when you’re God, and when you have the determination of a four year old who wants his Daddy, well, you can get anything done. 

And so, Team Free Will was reunited at last, and Jack got his happily ever after just like the movies that Dean showed him.

Castiel and Dean spent a few months dancing around each other in a way Jack didn’t understand, but one morning, Castiel came out of Dean’s bedroom with little circular bruises on his neck wearing Dean’s shirt and apparently that meant that Dean and Castiel were together. Like dating together. 

Castiel had sat Jack down to explain what it meant for him and Dean to be together but Jack already understood! They were best friends except they kissed and made each other extra happy and didn’t brood at each other with pained pining gazes anymore.

Jack was just happy that Castiel and Dean were happy. That’s all that mattered.

Castiel and Dean and Jack ended up moving away from Kansas, heading East to a town called Hershey, Pennsylvania. 

Jack was a little disappointed when he found out that it wasn’t a land of chocolate, but then he loved it a lot because their own real actual house that they lived in that had a backyard with a garden and a room just for Jack that he got to decorate himself and a couch big so big that he could cuddle Dean and Castiel at the same time.

Dean was done with hunting full time, now that he had Castiel and Jack. Sam and Eileen stayed in the family business and often called Dean to get a helping hand, but the trips began to dwindle when Dean started to make a life for himself in Hershey.

He got a job fixing up cars at a local autoshop, something that wasn’t necessary with their many avenues of illegal money, but Dean liked having something to ground him into this life and to get him out of the house.

Castiel was more of a stay-at-home-Dad, hanging out with Jack whenever he could. But sometimes he had to go with Dean to help on hunts.

Jack was a big boy who could totally stay home alone, but for some reason, Dean had very strong bad-upset feelings about leaving Jack home alone, so he got him a babysitter.

Which is how Maddie Buckley came into his life!

Maddie was the best babysitter in the whole wide world. She was like a bonus big sister (because he already had a big sister. Claire the most awesomest big sister in the whole wide world!) Dean was hesitant to let someone Maddie’s age to watch Jack, but Castiel said that her soul was bright and she hadn’t been touched by the supernatural, so Dean finally relented. (Mostly because they had somewhere to be and they didn’t have the time to argue.)

Jack spent a lot of time with Maddie when the next Apocalyptic threat came to Earth and his parents needed to do a lot of world saving. 

And, well, Apocalyptic threats and monsters and other supernatural threats don’t really take a vacation, so neither did Castiel and Dean.

Maddie was worried about Jack, he knew that. She was worried because his parents were never around, but Jack knew that Castiel and Dean weren’t bad parents at all! They were the best parents ever. And even when they were on their “trips,” they called every single night just to talk to Jack.

Maddie would do lots of stuff with Jack! They would go to the park or they would play with toys or they would read books or they would watch movies. She even gave him his first nickname! For the longest time, Jack thought Even Stevens was about a guy named Evan Stevens, so Maddie teased him and called him Evan, but Jack liked being called Evan so she started calling him Evan! And only Maddie was allowed to call him Evan. It was his special name for just him and Maddie.

Jack told Maddie all about the hunts that he and Dean and Castiel and Sam went on and she listened to him and told him stories that were even cooler than his! Like one time, Maddie went on a boat and saw a real life dolphin in real life!

And as Jack grew up, he learned the importance of separating civillians from the supernatural, so he made sure to keep Maddie far far away from it all. Maddie was a special thing that was separate from all of the crazy that came with the supernatural. Maddie was something normal and good. 

Jack grew up with Maddie for years. She was an almost permanent staple in his life.

But then Maddie went away with Doug and Jack realized that nothing is truly permanent.

He was old enough to not need a babysitter anymore, but Maddie wasn’t just a babysitter anymore. He wrote her postcards, hoping she would reach back out, but she didn’t. 

So, Jack had to figure out who he was without Maddie.

He tried to hunt, but he didn’t like it very much, so he didn’t do it.

Hunting never felt like something that was his and Dean and Castiel would never force him into the life. Not again. 

Jack was feeling like he didn’t have a purpose. He didn’t know what he was meant to do. And he didn’t want to always feel like he was following in Dean and Castiel’s footsteps. He wanted to do something that was his and his alone.

So, he packed up his things and traveled the world. Well, not the whole world. But South America. He did odd jobs, trying to find something that fit. 

The SEALs weren’t for him. Yeah, no.

But then, he found it.

Firefighting.

There, he wasn’t Jack Kline, nephilim, ex-God, son of Dean Winchester and Castiel. No, he was Buck, doe-eyed but tenacious firefighter to be.

Jack knew that there were real monsters out in the world, but there are people in need who aren’t being attacked by creatures beyond belief. There are mothers in burning buildings to be saved, ones that can be saved. There’s people who are hurt and Jack can save them.

Hunting can be a loveless career, knowing that there are things so powerful and deadly. And sure, you lose people when you’re firefighting too, but there’s so many more that you save.

And Jack can admit that he misses saving people. He misses making a difference.

And he can make a difference doing this, no matter how small it is. Yeah, he can save lives.

And maybe saving enough lives will make him feel like he’s atoned enough for the ones he didn’t before.

Chapter Text

1

“My big sister is coming to visit!” 

Chimney raises a brow at Buck. “That’s not really news. Maddie comes here all the time.”

“No! My other big sister!” Buck says, grinning with excitement.

“I didn’t know you had other siblings,” Hen says, turning to Buck with intrigue.

“She’s my dads’ daughter,” Buck says.

Chimney snaps his fingers. “Right. I always forget you and Maddie aren’t actually related.”

“You aren’t?” Eddie says, shock evident in his tone.

“Maddie was my babysitter for years,” Buck says. “My dads traveled a lot for work.”

“Do you just have the one sister?” Hen asks. “Or do you have any more secret family we don’t know about.”

“Just the sister!” Buck says, his smile not faltering. 

“Will we get to meet her?” Bobby asks. 

“Hopefully!” Buck says. “She’s coming here to pick me up after my shift. We’re getting burgers and then going to the shooting range together.” 

Now, that was a surprise to the team. That is probably the last place they’d imagine Buck spending his free time.

They’re all trying to imagine what Buck’s sister is like. Is she just like Buck? Sunshine and optimism and all around golden retriever? With how Buck is, you can only assume they were raised the same.

They get their answer after a long shift. They’ve almost forgotten about it, too wrapped up in the calls they’ve had to deal with.

A blonde woman in a well worn leather jacket and scuffed combat boots comes in, her eyes narrowed and dangerous as she scans the firehouse. 

Hen almost goes to alert Bobby, the woman sending a twinge of discomfort in her, like a predator constantly seeking prey, but when she catches sight of Buck, she brightens up.

“Hey dipshit!” the woman shouts at Buck, startling everyone who overhears. “No warm welcome for your favorite sister?”

Buck just grins wider and tackles her with a hug. “Hi Claire.”

She reaches up and ruffles Buck’s hair and then immediately latches her elbow around his throat and pulls him into a chokehold. Buck gasps in her grasp but then smoothly disarms her, flipping her around so he has her wrapped in a hug from behind, a fist next to her neck, as if he has an invisible knife held at her jugular. She laughs, wiggling in his hold.

Buck looks up at his team and beams. “Guys! This is my big sister, Claire!”

Everyone gapes at the two. Whatever they were expecting, it wasn’t this.

“Uh, hi,” Hen says. “I’m Hen. It’s… nice to meet you.”

“Oh, I know all about you guys,” Claire says. “The little shit never shuts up about you guys.”

Buck doesn’t seem to be offended by the insult, just beaming even brighter.

“Can’t say the same for you,” Chimney says. “Chimney.”

“Ja—” Claire starts and Buck’s eyes go wide. “—aaa… Buck can be a little tight lipped about the family. Not his fault. He gets it from his dads.”

“Buck mentioned you’re half siblings?” Eddie says.

Claire’s eyes narrow. “...Right. Yes. Half siblings. Because Cas is his dad and my dad…” She trails off.

“Is, uh, ‘Cas’… not your dad?” Eddie asks.

“No. Kind of. Not really,” Claire says. “It’s complicated. Cas is my dad’s… twin? Yeah… twin. They look the same. But they’re not the same. And, uh, my dad died. And Cas was what was left over. So… yeah.”

“My condolences,” Bobby says.

“Eh, it was forever ago,” Claire says. “I was a kid. Plus, he was a bible worshiping asshole who probably would’ve kicked me out for being gay if he hadn’t kicked the bucket first. It’s what got him killed in the first place. And, yeah, Cas may have been holier than thou when we first met, but he got better.”

The tension is palpable and no one is quite sure what to say.

“Cas farms bees!” Buck says happily, breaking the silence and changing the topic not smoothly at all. “I’ve eaten a lot of honey.”

“Ugh, don’t even start about the fucking bees,” Claire says. “I swear to you, Cas has gotten fucking insufferable since he’s discovered the magic of holding bees in his hands. Have you seen that motherfucker pick up bees with his hands? Just a fucking solid mass of bees in his bare fucking hands. He tried to make me do that and I got stung like a billion times. I don’t know why they don’t sting him.”

“They don’t sting me,” Buck says.

“Yeah, but you’re you,” Claire says. “They probably still see you as their divine protector.”

No one knows what that means, but Buck seems to understand.

“Now, c’mon. We’ve got burgers to devour and targets to shoot,” Claire says.

“I didn’t know you knew your way around guns,” Eddie says.

“I’m certified,” Buck says. 

Claire snorts. “You’re more than fucking certified, kid.”

“My dads are hunters,” Buck says and Claire stiffens. “I remember when I was a kid, during hunting season, they would go out and get real venison. They would carve it themselves and everything. I wasn’t really into that, but they still wanted me to be familiar with firearms, which is why I still go to ranges every once in a while.”

Claire lets out a breath. “Right. Yeah. Deer and shit. That’s what we hunt.”

“You any good?” Chimney asks.

“The kid never misses,” Claire says. “It’s unfair considering how out of practice he always is.”

“You’ll have to show off sometime, Buck,” Hen says. 

Buck squirms. “I don’t really like to show it off.”

“You never liked all the attention,” Claire says. “Got too much as a kid.”

“I don’t think getting attention as a kid is a bad thing,” Eddie says, frowning.

“J— Buck’s extended family aren’t exactly the nicest people,” Claire says. “His bio dad’s the literal devil and people thought he’d end up like him.”

“But I didn’t!” Buck says, grinning.

Claire claps him on the back. “That’s right. You didn’t. And I’m proud of you for that.” Claire turns to the team. “And with that, we better be off. I’ll try to get him back in one piece.”

As they walk away, Buck turns around and waves happily.

When they’re gone, the team turns to each other, all exchanging looks.

“Well,” Chimney says. “I definitely wasn’t expecting that.”

“They’re so…” Hen starts.

“Different,” Eddie says.

“Well, hey,” Bobby says. “They’re half siblings. They probably didn’t grow up together.”

“Right,” Eddie says. “That’s probably it.”

They will soon find out that that is definitely not it.

Chapter Text

It’s a typical call for LA traffic.

A car pileup in the freeway, surrounded by disgruntled honking cars and a line of cars smashed together from front to back.

They all split up to check on the different calls.

Bobby starts to assess as he approaches the sleek car. Middle aged woman, center of the crash, possible head trauma from the confused daze she seems to be in but no visible injury.

“LA fire and rescue,” Bobby says to the woman.

She doesn’t acknowledge him.

Shit.

“Ma’am?” Bobby says. “Can you hear me?” He places a hand on her shoulder and she jumps. Her eyes turn to him and she squints at him. 

“Sorry. I didn’t see you,” the woman says, signing as she speaks. “I’m deaf.”

“Do you need a translator?” Bobby asks with rusty signs.

“I can usually read lips,” she says. “But my vision’s a little blurry.

Bobby knows it’s a hassle to get a mandated translator and he could probably get the woman to at least explain how she’s feeling, but as he’s mooring over the different options, Buck heads over.

“Everything alright?” Buck asks, signing as he speaks.

“You know ASL?” Bobby asks.

“Fluent,” Buck says. “I was somewhat of a CODA.” He turns to the woman, probably preparing to ask some basic questions, but he lights up. “Eileen!”

“You know this woman?” Bobby asks.

“She’s the one who taught me ASL!” Buck says to Bobby’s surprise. Buck’s face falls, probably realizing the circumstance of their meeting. Buck turns to the woman and starts signing quickly, too fast for Bobby to even try to translate.

The woman is obviously trying to soothe Buck’s worries from what Bobby can tell from the expressions that flash on her face between signs. 

After a few minutes of signing, Buck turns to Bobby.

“She has some whiplash from impact. Hit her head against her headrest. It’s made her a little dizzy and her vision a little wonky. Uh, she said her vision is blurry, which is to be expected with concussions. I think we should take her in just to be safe since she has had past head traumas.”

“Alright,” Bobby says. “I’ll leave you to it. You know what to do.”

And with that, Bobby leaves Buck as he goes to assess the other cars.

Bobby doesn’t see the woman again until a few weeks later. 

Bobby had promised Buck that he would swing by to taste one of his recipes that Buck is testing out, but when he arrives, it’s not Buck who answers again.

It takes him a few moments to put a name to the face. “Eileen?” Bobby says.

“That’s me,” Eileen says. “And you’re Bobby.”

“I didn’t realize Buck had company,” Bobby says, making sure to not over or under enunciate but talk at a neutral pace. “I can come back another time.”

“No, no,” Eileen says. “He’s being a worrywart. He wants this dinner to be perfect.” She leans in, holding a hand to her mouth. “He hasn’t cooked for me before.”

“Ah,” Bobby says. “And he wants to make a good first impression.”

“It’s not like I did the cooking when he was younger. That was all Dean. But you know him. He never wants to disappoint.”

“Dean?” Bobby asks.

Eileen’s smile falters. “Uh, one of his dads. My husband’s brother. I didn’t realize he hadn’t mentioned their names.”

“I don’t see why he would,” Bobby says. “You don’t usually call your parents by their first names.”

Eileen relaxes at his words. “Well come in. I’m sure he’s dying for you to come approve his cooking skills.”

Bobby steps into the kitchen and when Buck notices him come in, a blinding grin spreads over his features. “Bobby! Hi. You mind giving this a taste?”

Bobby comes over and looks over Buck’s shoulder. It seems to be his bolognese. “Smells delicious.”

Buck ducks his head. “Hopefully I made it right.”

Bobby takes a small spoonful and can’t help the moan of delight that leaves his lips. “Oh, yeah. You got it down. I think this might even be better than mine. Did you do something different?”

“I used sundried tomatoes,” Buck says, looking at Bobby with reluctant wide eyes.

“I’ve gotta try that,” Bobby says. “Great job, kid.”

“Do you want to take some to go?” Buck asks. “This recipe yields a lot and I’m sure you wouldn’t mind not cooking for a night.”

“You’re right about that,” Bobby says. “Thanks, Buck. You didn’t have to.”

“I want to,” Buck says. “When I get this all set, I’ll put it in some tupperware. You don’t mind waiting a bit, do you?”

“Not at all,” Bobby says. He turns to Eileen who is looking at them with a soft expression.

“You’re good for him,” Eileen says.

“He’s good for me, too,” Bobby says. “He’s changed my life for the better.”

“He has a way of doing that,” Eileen says. “Buck was… unexpected. When he was born, his dads were very… well let’s just say they were conflicted. His mother died in childbirth and his birth father was not a good guy. And even though they weren’t sure that they wanted him, he stole a place in all of our hearts.”

“He has a way of doing that, doesn’t he?” Bobb says.

Eileen grins, looking at Buck. “Yeah, he does. He’s always had the purest heart, despite everything he’s been through and what everyone expected him to be. He just loves and loves and loves.”

“It’s an honor to be loved by him,” Bobby says. 

“And it’s an honor to love him,” Eileen says.

“Buck doesn’t talk about his childhood a lot,” Bobby says.

“It’s not because it wasn’t good,” Eileen says. “We’re just a private family.”

“I can tell it’s not because it wasn’t good,” Bobby says. “He’s got a lot of people who care about him.”

“He does,” Eileen says. “You’re one of them too.”

Bobby’s head snaps up with shock.

“Buck doesn’t stop talking about you and your team,” Eileen says. “But he especially adores you. You’ve been like another father to him.”

“I could never—”

“Buck’s already got three dads,” Eileen says. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with having one more.”

Bobby looks at Buck with a wary softness. “Do you really think—”

“I know,” Eileen says. “And I think it’s wonderful that he can have a father figure like you while his are away.”

“Bobby!” Buck says with a big smile. “You have got to see the noodles. They’re like spaghetti but they’ve got holes in them so the sauce goes inside! They’re like little noodle straws!”

Eileen nods towards Buck, almost as if to tell Bobby: “It’s alright. Go.”

And as Buck rambles about the art of pasta-making, Bobby wonders how he got so lucky to have him in his life.

Chapter Text

3

The firetruck speeds down the road, heading to a restaurant and what seems to be a grease fire gone terribly wrong. 

Apparently it has engulfed the entire kitchen. 

By some stroke of luck, half of the kitchen staff was stocking up from the cold storage in the basement and the other half was loading up a cart from the delivery.

How the fire started, well, that’ll remain a mystery since there are no cameras in the kitchen.

The social club had been evacuated which left a crowd of angry people who have paid too much to be kicked out for them to push through. 

The women ogle Buck and Eddie as they make their way through and they can only imagine the sort of marital drama that they’re going through.

They make it into the building, rushing up the stairs with haste, when Buck suddenly stills. “Someone’s still in here.”

“What?” Eddie says. “Do you hear them?”

Buck doesn’t reply. Just darts up the stairs and into the smokey restaurant. 

“Buck!” Eddie calls, running after him. 

Buck heads straight to the blazing pile of debris in the corner and starts digging into the burning debris with his bare hands as if he can’t feel the heat.

Eddie wants to pull him away but Buck is clearly on a rampage, tearing through the fallen ceiling and beams like it weighs nothing.

Finally, a man is uncovered, and Buck pulls him out. 

To Eddie’s surprise, Buck clings to the man, held in his embrace as he says things that Eddie can’t hear.

“Buck!” Eddie says. “We have to take care of the fire! We’ll get him out of here, but we have to quench the flames as much as we can!”

Buck clearly is conflicted but he knows he has a job to do, so he leads the man to the stairway and puts on his work face.

All in all, it’s not the hardest fire they’ve had to put out but not the easiest either. Just a medium difficulty, typical fire. 

When Buck and Eddie make their way back to the main level to meet up with the rest of the team, Buck immediately breaks off to find the man.

Eddie can see, now unobscured by the smoke in the air and Eddie’s hyperfocus on Buck, that the man is notably tall. He’s much older than Buck, maybe even older than Bobby, though he can’t tell from just looking at him. 

Buck is fussing over the man for a few minutes but after what Eddie can tell is soft reassurances, Buck softens and pulls the man in for a hug. 

Buck looks completely at ease in these man’s arms, his head tucked into the crook of his neck. 

Now look. Eddie isn’t jealous. It’s just… he knows that Buck has been into older people before. Or at least, older women. So it’s not a stretch to think that Buck would go for an extremely handsome, obviously fit, man.

It’s just… Eddie didn’t know that he was looking for that. Or that that was what Buck was looking for.

Buck looks up and he motions for Eddie to come over to them and Eddie doesn’t know why Buck would be beckoning them over and Eddie prays that this isn’t some impromptu introduction to Buck’s new partner.

Eddie realizes that Buck isn’t just calling Eddie over, though. He’s calling the whole team.

As Eddie approaches, he overhears mumbles of “proximity rune” and “wendigo” before Buck’s head snaps up to face them. 

“Guys!” Buck says with a blinding smile. “This is one of my dads!”

And Eddie hates the relief that washes over him.

“Dean?” Bobby asks.

Sam looks surprised at the question. “Uh, no. Sam. Dean’s my brother.”

“Ah,” Bobby says. “You’re Eileen’s husband.”

Sam smiles. “Right. She mentioned you had met.”

“So, uh, if you’re married to Eileen then who…” Chimney starts.

“Me, my brother, and his husband raised J— Buck. It’s… a little complicated. We were all living together when Buck was a baby but Dean and Cas ended up finding a nice place in Pennsylvania when Buck turned… into a toddler.” Sam winces at his words, though Eddie doesn’t know why. “I’m more of an uncle than a dad—”

“No!” Buck says. “You’re always gonna be one of my dads. Team Free Will. We’re a family.”

Sam smiles softly. “That’s right. Sorry. I know that.”

Buck turns to Bobby. “Can Sam meet us at the house? I haven’t gotten to see him in a while.”

“I travel a lot for work,” Sam says. “I just happen to be in town for a job.” He pauses. “I’m sure we can meet up later if now isn’t a good time—”

“Our shift is just about to end,” Bobby says. “We’d love for you to join us for dinner.”

“That would be great.”

Apparently, Sam is in their family business, though he never quite says what that business is. From what they can tell, it seems to be some sort of traveling nurse situation. At least, that’s what they gather from the “goes around the country to help people” thing. God knows the hospitals need it since the nurse shortage from COVID. He says that Buck had been part of the family business but he decided to go his own way and that they supported his decision. 

They can almost imagine it. Buck being a nomad that goes around and saves lives. Maddie was a nurse too, though they know that Buck and Maddie aren’t part of the same family.

During dinner, the team learns more about Buck’s childhood than they have in the over a year that he’s known him.

Some of the stories were confusing timeline wise. They aren’t sure if they happened when Buck was young or older, but considering the things Buck does in the stories, he had to be older, right?

They don’t learn much about Buck’s other dads though. They mostly just learn about Sam and his wife, Eileen. Sam mentions that he had gone to Stanford for law but that it wasn’t a fit for him and Eddie wonders if Buck had ever thought about going that route. He can’t imagine Buck as a lawyer. Actually, he can’t imagine Sam as a lawyer either. 

Or maybe he can. He’s charismatic in a way that shows he knows his way around words. He’s quick-witted but also quick-thinking. Though there isn’t much debate, the ones they do have bounce back and forth between them that it’s hard to keep up.

They can see how this man had raised Buck, the man more intelligent than he lets others believe. Confidence maybe not in himself but in his knowledge. And a big bleeding heart that can’t help but want to help. 

The smile could not be wiped from Buck’s face if they tried when he’s with Sam.

They can tell how much he adores Sam and how, even though Sam downplays their relationship, how close the two must be. 

If Buck’s other dads are anything like Sam, it’s no surprise that he is the way he is.

Chapter Text

4

Chimney hates to admit it, but his first thought is that he’s some sort of Mormon missionary when he first comes in.

The man is tall, though not overtly so, with dark hair and striking blue eyes. He wears a suit and a trenchcoat and looks stiff and awkward in a way that makes him seem like he isn’t completely accustomed to socializing.

Chimney happens to be cleaning a firetruck when the man comes in, looking around with a lost expression, and Chimney sikes himself up to turn down a Mormon.

However, when he approaches the man, he gives him a small wave, an almost smile on his lips.

“Hello,” he says, his voice surprisingly gravely. “I am looking for an individual. He is six feet and two inches tall, about twenty six years of age in relation to the Gregorian calendar. One might consider his hair blonde, such as my husband, but I consider it a shade of light brown. His eyes are blue, like mine, but not because I had any part in his conception, at least, not involving any sort of sperm.” Chimney cringes at this man’s words but he doesn’t seem to notice. “He has a mark above his eye and I believe he is going by the name ‘Buck.’” The man uses finger quotations and it takes Chimney a few seconds to process what he’s just said.

“Buck,” Chimney says. “You’re looking for Buck.”

“That is correct,” the man says.

“Uh, why?”

“I am one of his fathers.”

For a moment, Chimney tries to see the resemblance, but then remembers, right, Buck is adopted. 

“Oh!” Chimney says. “Are you… Dean?”

“No,” he says. “Dean is my husband. We have been married for almost two decades.”

“Uhm, congratulations?” Chimney says, confused. “What’s your name?”

“My name is Castiel, but most call me Cas.”

“Uh, nice to meet you, Cas,” Chimney says. “I’m Chimney. I work with Buck, and, uh, I’m with Maddie.”

“Ah, yes, Maddie. What a wonderful woman.” His eyes narrow. “If you are anything like her last romantic partner, I nor Buck will hesitate to smite you out of this plane of being.”

Chimney gulps. “Uh. Right. Well, I don’t plan on hurting Maddie anytime soon, emotional or physically.”

Casl nods curtly. “Good. Because I would hate to have to cease your existence.”

“Thanks?” Chimney says. “Uh, Buck’s upstairs. Let me take you to him.”

The walk is silent, the man following dutifully behind Chimney and glancing politely around the firehouse. 

Buck is at the table with Bobby, Hen, and Eddie, the four laughing with mugs of coffee.

“Buck!” Chimney says. “You’ve got a visitor!”

Buck’s cocks his head curiously and lights up at the sight of Cas. “Dad!”

He runs to Cas and tackles him with a hug. The man who had been stiff relaxes with his son in his embrace, petting his hair softly. 

“You didn’t tell me you were coming!” Buck says.

“Dean and I are passing through,” Cas says. “He was quite exhausted from… work, so he is resting in the motel but I had wanted to come see you.”

“Will you be in town long?” Buck says. “We’re all getting together and I’d love to introduce you and Dean to everyone.” Buck turns to Bobby. “If that’s alright with you.”

“Any family of yours is welcome,” Bobby says. 

“So, uh,” Hen starts.

“Cas,” he says.

“Cas,” Hen says. “We met your niece when she came to visit Buck and we met your… brother in law, Sam, but we haven’t heard much about you.”

“There is not much to know,” Cas says. 

“Well, uh, how did you and your husband meet?” Hen says.

“I pulled him out of Hell.” He clears his throat. “Dean had made a deal that got him in a… bad place, but I got him out of it.”

It’s vague, and they’re guessing because it’s personal. Whatever sort of deal it must’ve been, whatever place he had been in to be considered “hell” must not be appropriate for a first meeting sort of conversation. Their best guess is rather a business deal that left him in money troubles or some sort of substance abuse issues. 

“That’s great,” Hen says. “You must’ve been close after going through something like that.”

“Oh, Dean did not like me at all,” Cas says. “When we had met again, he wanted to kill me. But, because of circumstance beyond our control and my, ehem, family’s interest in him, we continued to meet.”

Family? Like… the mob?

“Though, I began to differ from my family’s perspective and I eventually joined Dean and Sam in their… saving pursuits.”

So he broke away from the mob? That must’ve not been easy.

“So you work in the same kind of business as Dean and Sam?” Bobby asks.

Cas narrows his eyes. “...Yes. I hadn’t before. I was actually working at a… competitor.”

“Traveling nurses have competitors?” Chimney asks.

“You would be surprised… the sort of interpersonal drama there can be,” Cas says slowly.

“Cas is only part time now!” Buck says. “He spends a lot of his time on the ranch.”

“Right,” Eddie says. “You farm bees, right?”

“I farm many things,” Cas says. “Vegetables. Fruits. Other various inedible plants. But bees are truly a passion. Bees are one of the most efficient and prevalent pollinators. Bees pollinate more than just flowers ranging from tomatoes and cucumbers to eggplants to nuts, seeds and even cotton. Bees are critical for the stability of our food systems, supporting over 35 percent of global agricultural lands, which is why their extinction is such a concern. Most species of bees have seen wide-scale population loss over the past 300 years, and 40 percent of invertebrate pollinator species are facing extinction. Currently, eight species of bees have officially been declared as endangered.”

“Wow,” Eddie says.

“I read that in an article,” Cas says. “Bandera, Gerardo. The risks and dangers of bee extinction. Fair Planet. 2022.”

“Did you just… give the MLA citation of the article?” Chimney says. “But like, out loud?”

Cas looks blankly at the man as if that isn’t strange at all. “Yes.” 

“Uh, I’ve still got a few hours on my shift, but I can meet up with you after?” Buck says.

“We do not have any further plans,” Cas says. He presses a kiss to Buck’s forehead. “I will see you in your home when you are finished working.” He nods to the rest of the team. “It was… a pleasure to meet you.” And with that, he turns on his heel and heads down the stairs.

His departure is abrupt and they’re left confused and stunned to silence.

However, they aren’t ones to judge. Obviously the man is neurodivergent in some sort of aspect, and he’s clearly passionate about his hyperfixations and a loving father to Buck.

It’s actually relieving to know that Buck had a parent who could understand his own neurodivergence. 

It doesn’t stop Cas from being a successful, somewhat adjusted man, and he has clearly taught Buck to not let it deter him either. 

And for that, they can tell that Cas is a wonderful father.

They can only imagine what Cas’s husband is like. Maybe someone who helps with the hands on parts of the farm. Or maybe is the chef of the house, cooking up the fruits into jams and roasting the vegetables. 

And so they get the image of a sweet farm husband for the sweet farming man.

Chapter Text

5

It’s Athena who calls them in.

She needs backup at the cemetery. Something about a possible grave robber that she needs some extra light to see in the dark of the night and possible help with the chase.

They try their best to be as inconspicuous as possible, but, well, they are a giant bright red truck.

When they arrive, it seems like Athena doesn’t even need their help, the criminal apprehended and clearly guilty considering how much dirt he’s covered in.

“You alright?” Bobby asks as he steps out of the truck.

“I am now that I’ve caught this fool,” Athena says.

“I told you,” the man says, putting on a smile that would be charming if his face wasn’t streaked with dirt. “This is all just a big misunderstanding. Wrong place, wrong time.”

“You were in a hole in the ground,” Athena says flatly. 

“Who says I made the hole?” 

“Maybe the shovel that was next to the hole.” Athena gives him an unamused look.

“Which was obviously the shovel of the person who dug the hole!” the man says. “I’m just trying to pay my respects here and it’s pretty damn dark if I do say so myself and then what do I know it? I’m in a hole! I tried to dig myself out obviously but I was stuck.”

And as ridiculous as it sounds, it isn’t ridiculous enough that it’s unbelievable.

“Look,” he says. “There’s some sick fuck out there who’s diggin’ up graves and you’ve just tried to lock up some guy that’s just trying to visit someone they’ve lost. I’m not having the best night here either, y’know?”

“And if we check that shovel for fingerprints?” she asks.

He hisses through his teeth. “I had tried to hoist myself out with it,” he says. “So my fingerprints will be on it. But I swear! I didn’t do it! It was just the only thing around!”

Athena is about to argue when she’s cut off by a confused greeting.

“Dad?”

Athena’s head whips around to face Buck. 

“Dad, what— what’s going on?” Buck asks.

“This is your dad, Buck?” Athena says, clearly reevaluating his excuses.

“Yeah?” Buck says, clearly looking worried. “Is he… what did he do?”

“I was just visiting Jess while I was in this neck of the woods,” the man — Buck’s dad — says.

“Jess?” Athena asks.

“Sam’s college girlfriend,” Buck says. “She passed away when they were at Stanford. There was a fire.”

Guilt overtakes Athena’s face. “I am so sorry, sir. I’m sure you can understand my assumptions—”

“Don’t sweat it,” he says. “It did look pretty suspicious. I’d probably arrest me too if I saw me down there.”

Athena unlocks the cuffs, thoroughly mortified and hoping that she can salvage her first impression on Buck’s father.

“You’re Bobby’s wife, aren’t you?” he says.

Athena’s eyes widen in surprise. “How—”

“Buck never shuts up about you all,” he says. “I’m pretty sure he has more pictures of you guys than he has of us.”

“I’m sure that’s not true,” Athena says.

“Nah, it’s alright. I’m glad,” he says. “I was never the ‘capture the moment’ kind of parent. That’s all Cas.”

“And you’re…?”

He holds out his hand. “Dean.” 

“Athena,” she says, shaking his hand, noting the thick calluses. 

“This is definitely not how I expected to meet you,” Dean says. “The kid was telling me all about some sort of get together?”

Athena’s cheeks warm. “That would be our barbecue this weekend. Usually it’s the team and their families, but we were expecting to host you and your husband while you’re in town too.”

“Is it alright if I’ve got a plus two? My brother and his wife happen to be visiting as well,” Dean says.

“The more the merrier,” Athena says. 

“You know,” Dean says, leaning in. “Just between you and me, I wanted to say thank you.”

“Thank you?” Athena says, surprised.

“Buck… he never really had a mom. Not in that traditional sense. Eileen, she’s Sammy’s wife, y’know? But she ain’t the kid’s mom and she never tried to be. The kid didn’t get to know his mom, the one that gave birth to him and all, ‘cause she died when she was pushin’ him out. She named Cas as his guardian.”

“Were you close?” Athena asks.

“Not as much as I wish we coulda been,” Dean admits. “The kid’s bio-dad is Lucifer himself and we knew that he only got Kelly pregnant because he wanted an heir. Which is… it’s fucked. And we knew we had to protect him so that he would never get to him. And, well, we wanted him to be able to grow up with the, uh, resources to help a kid like him.”

Athena assumes Dean is referring to Buck’s obvious mix of autism and ADHD and pictures Buck’s dad as an ableist, misogynistic asshole who believes kids are only good for what they can give their parent.

“Anyway,” Dean says. “I wasn’t good to him those first years. Didn’t want a kid. Definitely didn’t want this guy’s kid. Him and I— we had a messy past. He had it against me and my brother for years. I knew he was just a kid, but I expected him to end up like his father.”

“But he didn’t,” Athena says softly.

“But he didn’t.” Dean says, nodding. “There is not an evil bone in that kid’s body. All he’s ever wanted was to do the right thing. And even if he did the wrong thing to do it, he still was doing it for what he thought was good.” Dean shakes his head. “He’s been through a lot. Too much. So, I’m glad that he’s got people in his corner when we can’t be.”

“We’ll always be there for him,” Athena says.

“Yeah, I’m startin’ to get that,” Dean says. “Like I said. He’s never really had a mom. But I think you’re the closest thing he’s got to one.”

Athena swallows past the lump in her throat, blinking past the tears welling in her eyes. “Thank you. That means… everything coming from you.”

“You don’t need my permission,” Dean says. “No matter what I try, nothing I do will ever reign in that kid. Nothing and nobody controls him. Not anymore. He makes his own decisions and he’s worked really hard to be able to do that. He chose you because he wanted to. Not because he needed a replacement parent or a hole to fill. That kid just loves you because he can. And you just gotta do whatever you can to be worthy of it.”

Dean shoves his hands in his pockets and nods at Athena and the team. “Welp, I will see you at your little shindig. I am going to take a shower.”

“You do that,” Athena says. Dean starts to walk away but Athena calls out to him. “Dean?” He turns around, stopping to look at her. “I will.”

Dean grins. “You better.”

Athena knows that it’s a gift to be loved by Buck, and she knows that Buck is more loved than he’ll ever know.

Chapter Text

+1

To no one’s surprise, Buck’s family charms his other family and the other way around.

Buck had been worried that they would clash. He expected it to be a crossover episode with shows that don’t go together like that episode of Jimmy Neutron and Fairly Odd Parents where they switched animation styles and gave him nightmares.

Instead, it’s a perfect blend. Like when you put gummy bears in your ice cream. They’re two different things that are great but when put together they’re even better.

Dean tells Athena and Bobby about his chosen parents, Jodie who’s a cop like her and his Bobby whose only similarity to Buck’s Bobby is the name. Dean tells stories about Buck’s childhood and Athena and Bobby get to share stories about him now. 

Eileen hits it off with Hen and Karen, something about being badass women that brings them together like a magnet.

Sam catches up with Maddie and gets to know Chimney. Somehow they get on the topic of the law of copyright and intellectual property, Chimney asking Sam about snuggies?

Cas somehow ends up at the kids table, the man still bewildered yet intrigued by the concept of interacting with kids, despite the fact that he had one of his own. Christopher is awed by the many stories that Cas says. Nothing incriminating or grand. The boy is just astonished by his beekeeping and gardening, considering his father has a black thumb and never has live plants in or out of their home.

And Buck is… well, he’s happy. His families are here together and they’re getting along and it’s all he’s ever wanted.

Eddie slides up to Buck and gives him a soft smile. “Hey,” Eddie says. “I got you a beer.”

“Thanks,” Buck says, taking a swig with a soft ‘ah.’ 

“Your family is really nice,” Eddie says. “I’m glad that we finally got to meet them.”

“Me too,” Buck says, looking at everyone laughing at the table together. 

“Were they always like this?” Eddie asks.

“Like what?” Buck says.

“Like… a perfect TV family,” Eddie says.

“God no,” Buck says with a startled chuckle.

 “It just… seems like you all have everything together. And you’re so… close. You know I’ve never been like that with my family. So, it’s nice to see that you are.”

“It wasn’t easy at first,” Buck says, his voice quiet and pondering. “But we figured it out. We had been through a few apocalypses together, but we got through it. And now the world only ends every couple years.”

Eddie snorts. “Well, I’m glad that you made it out stronger.”

“I couldn’t have done it without them,” Buck says. “They weren’t the perfect parents, but they loved me. Eventually.”

“You know, they’re not the only people who love you,” Eddie says. 

Buck’s breath hitches. “Yeah?”

“We all love you. You know, the team, Chris,” Eddie pauses. “Me.”

“Eddie,” Buck breathes, looking into his eyes and seeing just pure adoration and truth, his soul burning so, so bright. “I—”

Shrill screams cut him off. 

Maddie is on the ground, a spirit in smoke form pinning her to the ground.

Athena pulls out a gun and starts to aim it.

“Don’t shoot!” Cas shouts, tackling her down.

“What do you mean don’t shoot?!” Athena says, trying to wrestle out of his grip. 

“What the hell is that thing?” Chimney asks, before running to Maddie but being knocked back by the spirit. 

The spirit growls incomprehensibly, but it must be something for only Maddie to hear because she gasps. “Doug?”

“Shit,” Buck says.

“Where was he buried?!” Sam shouts. 

“What?” Hen says.

“Doug!” Sam says. “Where was he buried?”

“Sam,” Eileen says. “We don’t have time to salt and burn the bones.”

“I was following the wrong lead,” Dean mutters. “Salt! Do you have any salt?”

“Uh,” Bobby scrambles to the barbecue and hands Dean the tub of salt. 

“Great,” Dean says before throwing it on the spirit.

The spirit hisses and howls from the contact, getting far enough from Maddie that Dean can make a circle around her. 

The spirit throws itself at the barrier and screeches with rage when it can’t cross.

“Jack,” Sam says. “I think you’re gonna have to use your mojo.”

Buck closes his eyes, taking a long breath as he reconciles with what he’s about to reveal.

Tapping into the powers that lay dormant but bone deep, he holds out his hand. The spirit is engulfed in gold and white light, thrashing as it is incinerated. Buck feels a scream rip out of his throat, his eyes glowing dangerously.

And then the spirit is gone, destroyed into nothing, its molecules basically disintegrated. 

Everyone catches their breath. Buck leans against the wall, drained from tapping into his unused power. 

Finally, the silence is broken.

“What. The hell. Was that?” Chimney says.

“Would you believe me if I said that was the ghost of Doug?” Buck says. 

“That you just blew up with your mind?” Hen says. 

Buck cringes. “...Yes?”

“You have superpowers?” Chris says.

“I wouldn’t say superpowers,” Buck says. “But, I guess that’s the only way to describe it without, you know, going into the whole complicated—” Buck stops. “Yes. I have superpowers.”

“And you’re all, what? Ghostbusters?” Athena says.

“We prefer hunters,” Dean says. 

“Is it a family business or something?” Bobby says, trying to joke.

“Actually,” Sam says. “It is.”

“So were you hunters too or did you become them after you got together?” Hen asks.

“I was a hunter,” Eileen says. “I tried to kill Sam the first time we met.”

“And I was an Angel of the Lord,” Cas says. 

“Angel,” Chimney says. “Like… angels from Heaven, that kind of angel?”

“That is correct.”

“Heaven exists?” Bobby gasps, the implications dawning on him.

“Yes,” Cas says. “I helped design it.”

“Wait, sorry, can we all just back up?” Maddie says. “That was the ghost. Of my dead ex-husband. Who just tried to kill me.”

Realization hits Chimney as the shock wears off and he rushes to Maddie’s side. The two hold each other as they process what just happened together.

“Sorry,” Eddie says. “I’m still kinda hung up on the angels and Heaven are real thing. Does that mean God is real too?”

“Oh yeah,” Buck says. “I was God for a little bit. Didn’t really like it so I passed it over to the first God’s sister.”

“God has a sister?” 

“God is a woman?” 

“You were God?!” 

Buck sucks in a sharp breath. “I’ve got a lot of explaining to do, don’t I?”

Everyone nods.

“Okay,” Buck says. “Well, where should I start?” Eddie takes Buck’s hand and squeezes encouragingly. “I guess it starts when Cas pulled Dean out of perdition…”