Penny and Summer move in around her, steadying her, grounding her.
Cas steps closer to Dex.
“I know Jude’s…” he trails off, rubbing the back of his neck. “Well, he’s Jude.”
Dex huffs a quiet breath.
“But if anyone can get through to him,” Cas continues, “it’s you.”
A pause settles between them.
“Call if you need anything.”
Dex nods. “Always.”
They pull into a quick hug.
Dex takes my hand, and we leave.
???
We pull up in front of Jude’s house, the tires crunching softly over the gravel as Dex slows the car to a stop. He doesn’t turn the engine off right away. He just sits there.
His gaze isn’t on the house. It’s fixed further down the road.
I follow it.
A smaller place, a little worn, the porch light still on even though no one’s there to walk up those steps anymore.
Dex exhales slowly, his jaw tightening as he nods toward it.
“D used to live there…”
The words hang heavy between us.
For a moment, neither of us moves.
“I can’t believe he’s not on this earth anymore…” he adds, quieter now, like saying it out loud might somehow make it more real.
There’s nothing I can say to that. Nothing that wouldn’t feel empty.
So I reach for his hand instead.
His fingers are cold when they lace with mine. I bring them to my lips and press a soft kiss against his knuckles, holding them there for just a second longer than necessary.
“I’m here.”
Dex looks back at me.
“Thank you, Tinker.”
“No need to thank me, Pan. I’m right where I want to be.”
I pull him into a hug, holding him close, and we stay like that for a while before I let go.
“Let’s go and see what we can do for your brother.”
Dex nods and gets out.
