[h3] Anna [/h3]

Anna glanced over from her peering around like an anxious prey victim, as Sam let out a sigh of relief. The mission had gone well, to get Nat back. She could already tell, by that sigh of relief. But that didn’t change the fact that they were down a man…and a demon, and now they were stuck waiting around to be able to leave this stupid town.

“Good…” Anna nodded, genuinely happy that Nat was safe, but exhausted. But then his next words completely stopped her heart for a brief second, as her eyes went wide and she turned to him, “What? Cason’s alive?!”

She turned back to stare at the console in front of her as tears welled up in her eyes. This whole thing had worked out. The principle of what had been done was still going to linger in the air…for a while. But Cason was alive. As far as Anna knew, they were all alive, somehow. Against all odds, they had all survived such a hopeless situation.

“Wait. Cason is with Dean? I can’t imagine that is anything but Nat twisting arms. Dean tried to kill him. If not for the optics, Dean wouldn’t have left him, he would have killed him.” Anna grumbled, although her breathing was quick and overwhelmed as she grappled the the news, and the confusion of it all. “But at least they’re alive. Now hopefully Duke pulls through and we can all get the hell out of this town. 

[h3] Duke, Dean and Cason [/h3]

Dean lifted his eyes to meet Esme’s as she gave him a look that he echoed. He truly couldn’t believe that Duke was sitting there, whole, in his car. It was odd, still, to see Duke and Esme so close, even if he had felt like they would end up together, if they ever found themselves close enough. They had been huddled up close and cozy ever since Duke had stumbled onto their little family, and part of him was just happy to see both Duke and Esme happy…even if it was awkward after all these years.

Duke tried to ignore the looks he was getting, as he pulled his elbow tighter to his body, holding Esme’s arms to him as she wrapped up on his arm. So, it was true. He had died. Like…dead dead. The way Mika was staring at him. The way Dean was staring at him. The way Esme was clinging to him for dear life. He had died, and the world he had seen after passing out in the Impala must have been Heaven.

“Yeah. It’s like you’re all looking at a ghost.” Cason followed up Nat’s comment, and Duke sighed and gritted his teeth for a second before holding his free hand out.

“Because they feel like they are. I mean…I did die, right?”


Dean tensed suddenly, and tightened his grip on the steering wheel.

“No. No you didn’t. The people at the hospital just made a mistake is all. We…we will figure it all out, alright? But I don’t want to talk about it right now. I just want to be glad you’re with us, man.” Dean stopped the conversation cold. Duke nodded his head, his hair falling into his eyes as he looked down at his lap, staring at the dried blood spatters on the denim. “Alright?”

“Alright.” Duke responded, his voice small and unconvinced. Cason glanced between all four of them, narrowing his eyes. If Duke was alive, and Esme, Dean and Mika didn’t expect him to be…something brought him back. He didn’t dare mention it, as Dean would have likely broken his nose, whether Nat was on his lap or not. But he had his questions that he would be trying to find answers to later.

“Let’s figure out where we’re going from this place. Do we know of any place that’s near us?” Dean asked Mika, trying to help shake her out of her shock, as well. But Cason spoke up and Dean shrugged his shoulders at the answer that came back.

“Sioux Falls is four hours Northwest. Doesn’t your…Bobby live there?”

“Yeah. Meeko, what do you think. Bobby’s?” Dean answered, and Duke suddenly broke his own silence.

“Call him. Let’s go home. Safest place I can think of.” Duke murmured, trying not to drive any sort of conflict. He didn’t want any conflict, while he was still processing his own humanity or…whatever. “I mean, if you guys want to…”

“That sounds great Duke. Really. Now, rest, dude. Snuggle up with your girl. Get some rest. You’re home. You’re safe with us. We got you.” Dean reassured Duke as he glanced back and saw the light that he loved so much about his other half…just missing. Duke wasn’t acting like Duke. Even on death’s door, Dean had never seen him this dark, scared and quiet. No teeth glaring in the headlights on the road, as Duke smiled. No bright blue eyes twinkling. He was just…a shell. “Don’t you forget it, alright? We got you. I’ve always got you.”

“Yeah. Thanks…” Duke muttered, forcing his best polite smile before dropping it and turning his eyes back down to the blood spatters on his jeans.