I have been working on a text about Dean’s grief, and I realised something that I’d like to remind everyone of - something that we may have forgotten because we have been living in the feeling of loss and emotional craziness since May, and it ok. Nevertheless we need to remember that in-universe it has only been a few days since the events of the finale.
“Lost and Found” literally covered one day (sunrise to sunset).
Then, after they burnt Cas and Kelly at sunset, they most probably took off and started going back to Kansas (from Washington). North Cove to Lebanon is 25 hour drive. In episode 2 they are in Wyoming, which is more than halfway home (18 hr drive from North Cove)(no wonder Sam thought it’s high time for Dean to get some sleep).
On the third day they went to Jasper, Jack opened the gate of Hell, let the Shadim out, then closed it again. Another day has passed.
Of course Jack did the math for us in the hotel (he’s been alive for 3 days, 17 hours and 42 minutes), so let’s go with Bucklemming here and assume they arrived in Wyoming the fourth day after the finale.
Then they got back to Kansas, and we know that Dean closed himself in his room, drinking, and Jack stayed in his, examining walls.
I really don’t think Sam waited several days to go check on Jack, so I think it was just a few hours/a day, tops.
Then Missouri called, Dean went to meet her, took Jody and drove to Omaha, met James and Patience, Patience got kidnapped, everything went down in Omaha, they left Patience to be normal, probably came back to pick up Jody’s car (and attend Missouri’s funeral?), and drove back home.
Even with all the adjustments it couldn’t have been more than two weeks. Probably less than that.
Normally when you lose a loved one, you have more time to adjust. Usually the funeral arrangements take several days at least, and then you have stuff to think about, and your brain has some time to process what just happened. Cas and Kelly’s funeral happened in less than 24 hours after their deaths, and the boys had stuff to do ever since. Dean had literally only enough time to drink a couple of six-packs and listening to some Rolling Stones before he was on the road again. At least he got away from the kid who literally looked like Cas’ Mini Me.
They cope differently. Dean had to get out, Sam had to start the task at hand, but what they both need is time which they really didn’t have before now. I really don’t get people who criticize either of them. Considering everything, they are doing amazingly well with the grief - especially since with their Mom, neither of them had a chance for closure. Dean is grieving, Sam is bargaining, but they both are hurting. Give them a break.
I also wonder how long Cas has been between life and death before Jack woke him up, and how long he will still stay in the Empty, since we know time is going very differently there.
Actually, most probably Dean will be without Cas just a few weeks before Cas comes back - unless we’re having some huge time jump ahead of us (doubtful). At the same time, Cas may spend years or millenia in the Empty. No wonder he comes back changed. I am very curious about how this plays out.
