Dean stretched his arms up over his head, wincing at the alarming pop the movement caused.
"So, Dean, is that what thirty sounds like? Maybe you ought to consider leaving the hunting to us younger guys," Sam said laughing lightly.
Catherine sat up straight and glared at the younger Winchester. "First of all, he's not thirty yet, and second of all, watch what you say about getting old Sam, he's only two years older than me. And I don't take kindly to being called old. Besides, I bet at Dean's ten year reunion he'd be the guy awarded 'most interesting life'." Catherine turned toward Dean and smiled in pride. "He'd also probably take the 'chicks dig scars' award."
Sam's familiar cackling laugh rang out, "Is that a competition, Catherine, who's got the most scars. If so you're right my big brother would win hands down."
Dean smiled at Sam's laughter, and retorted, "Listen, Princess, if I'm wearing out, and I'm not saying that I am, but if, it's because I do all the rough stuff so you don't have to break a nail."
Catherine snuggled closer to Dean's side, drawing a tired breath she said, "You do all the rough stuff. Please everyone knows I'm tougher than both of you combined." Cat grinned at the outraged comments that began flying around the car.
Sharing a glance with Sam, Dean raised an eyebrow in question. Catching Sammy's nod Dean said, "Listen, Tough Stuff, this is the way it works, Sam's the brains, I'm the brawn, and you're the beauty. We haven't wanted to say this before now, but really you're just here because you look good standing next to me."
Catherine snorted in amusement. "I make you look good, I thought that's why you kept Sam around." Catherine laughed outright at Sam's indignation.
"I make him look good; you've got to be kidding me. I'm the one that's had to suffer with his whole ego trip this last year," Sam said grinning broadly.
Dean leaned his head back against the seat and thought back to the last year. It had been exactly one year tonight that they'd sat in this very same Cadillac and made a vow to take the fight to the demon's doorstep. Dean flexed his left hand, feeling the pull of the scar that ran the length of his palm. They'd each made sacrifices, he thought, as he turned his head towards Catherine. The light of the full moon, bathed her skin in its glow. Her hair was pulled back and although he couldn't tell the color of her eyes in this light, he had no problem imagining their bottomless blue color.
Reaching out with his left hand he gently ran a finger down the length of her face, tracing the scar that now ran from her temple to below her left eye. That scar was the only reason he was still alive, let alone had the use of his left hand. If Cat hadn't thrown herself into his attacker, he would have lost a lot more than some flexibility in his hand, he'd have been dead. Unfortunately, it had also left Catherine open to attack and she hadn't been able to parry the blow that caused the scar.
Leaning over he gently kissed his way down the scar, thanking the fates it had missed her eye. He didn't know if he could have stood the guilt if she'd been blinded saving him. Settling back once again, he drew her even closer. Pressing a kiss to the top of her hair, Dean closed his eyes and relaxed for a moment.
"Well, hell if Cat's here just for her looks, then why exactly am I here," A teasing voice asked.
Sam slid an arm around Hannah's shoulders and laughed. "Hannah, now you have an untold number of talents. Plus you make me look good." Sam's breath whooshed out as he took an elbow from the blonde next to him. Calling up to the front seat's occupants, Sam asked, "How come you didn't get an elbow for saying the same thing big brother."
Dean laughed and said, "Cat's got simpler methods of torture, any minute now I'm sure Celine Deon will go on loop and I'll be paying all night."
"So listen, I've been thinking we should celebrate. Right, I mean we're all alive. We've got enough kids on board to film the fourth X-man movie and Dean's a free man. Sounds to me as if a celebration is in order," Hannah said as she once again settled into Sam's embrace.
Sam pulled Hannah closer and dropped a kiss on her waiting lips; he still couldn't believe that she'd managed to pull off the impossible. It had taken her the better part of a year, but she'd managed to clear Dean of all charges, stemming from the St. Louis murders. Finally, he was free to use the Winchester name without fear of reprisals. Well at least for now, Sam thought with a grin.
"I still can't believe you did it, Hannah, I mean you spent nearly the entire year tracking down the cop that was in charge of the investigation, and then having the ME change his report. I gotta say, I really do bow down to your superior power. All I can do is blow stuff up," Catherine said with a laugh.
"Yeah, well I'm just glad it worked. What good is having the power of persuasion if you can't clear a friend of a murder wrap, now and again?" Hannah said reaching forward and patting Dean on the shoulder.
Dean grabbed the diminutive girls hand and squeezed gently. "Like I said, Hannah, soon as you need it, that kidney's all yours. I'm saving it just for you."
Sam laughed and shoved his brother's shoulder lightly. "I don't know if she wants it, Dean, by the time she needs one, yours will be pickled along with the rest of your organs."
Catherine interrupted Sam and Dean's good-natured bickering with a suggestion "I vote Vegas; it's been too long since we made the trip and let's face it that one wasn't much fun."
Dean groaned and shook his head. "Vegas, I don't know, Cat. I mean don't get me wrong, 24/7 booze and gambling is a party as far as I'm concerned but..."
Catherine sat up and faced Dean, smiling she leaned forward and dropped a kiss on his forehead. "Come on, Dean, it'll be perfect. I'll get us a swanky room, we'll spend our days making money and our nights making--" Catherine turned her head as Sam interrupted her.
"Stop, stop, Cat. We know what you'll spend your time doing, my god, every time we turn around that's what you spend your time doing. If it's up for a vote, I say let's go," Sam said shooting his own look at a blushing Hannah.
"You're not getting any apocalyptic feelings yet, Sam, no sign of the demon in that freaky, twisted mind of yours?" Dean asked his face serious.
"Nothing, Dean, it's been quiet for the last two weeks, ever since we lost that kid over in Boise," Sam answered. What a nightmare that had been, luckily they'd been forewarned by Sam's vision. Still, it hurt to watch a young man be seduced by the dark side. By the time the three hunters had gotten there, the only thing to be done was to try to stop the kid from hurting anyone. Unfortunately, the kid's power had made that impossible, at least as far as the hunters could figure out. I mean how do you stop someone that can regenerate. So that meant another soldier siding with the yellow-eyed demon and one less for Dean to lead into battle.
Dean turned in his seat and met Sam's eyes, seeing the determination in their green depths, Dean grinned. "Alright, then we'll leave in the morning. But, I'm telling you all now Bobby's not going to be overjoyed with us taking off and leaving him with the kids.
Settling in once again next to Dean, Catherine smiled and said, "Our youngest 'kid' is twenty three Dean and able to repair any kind of technological equipment. Bobby's like a kid at Christmas he's so excited, he's trying to talk the kid into repairing a motor pool of vehicles for our 'army'." Catherine referred to the fact that they had no less than ten men and women, camped all over Bobby's salvage yard. The hunters had begun referring to the psychics as 'kids'. With their varying powers, many of them had found themselves with no where else to go, when their abilities had left them unable or unwilling to live a 'norma'l life.
Bobby had taken to training most of them to be hunters, and a few had even done a few local hunts. To Catherine's relief Bobby seemed to enjoy teaching the unconventional group of kids the skills of a hunter.
"Damn, I forgot, Tommy's supposed to take a look at the Impala tomorrow. Timing seems off and that kid's a whiz at diagnostics." Dean leaned back and closed his eyes. Content for the moment he had no urge to return to the house.
"I can't believe the great Dean Winchester's going to let a mere boy, touch his beloved car," Sam mocked from the back seat.
"Hey, even I can admit the kid's a whiz." Dean's voice trailed off as he heard a familiar sound start in the back of his mind. As Barry White's 'Can't Get Enough of Your Love Baby' began running through his head, Dean lost all track of what he'd been saying. Glancing down at Catherine, he smiled fully at her.
Catherine actually stumbled the music as the force of Dean's smile lit up her soul. She found herself laughing as he left the car, leaned over, and swooped her up in his arms. Cat waved goodbye to Sam and Hannah, before Dean once again captured her attention.
Sam smiled genuinely as he listened to Catherine's laughter fade in the distance. Pulling Hannah towards him, he whispered softly, "I thought they'd never leave." Touching a hand to Hannah's face he still couldn't believe how lucky he was that he'd found love twice in his life. He only hoped that this time he'd be able to keep the evil that hunted him away from her.
Hannah smiled up at Sam's expressive face; she knew exactly what thought had put that frown on his brow. Smoothing out the line, she said, "We're going to make it, Sam, I know it. I'm not going anywhere without you. And if something does happen to either of us, the one that's left will rejoice in the time that we were given." Hannah watched as Sam nodded solemnly. "Besides, God help whatever chooses to attack either one of us." Hannah nodded toward the departing couple. "With those two watching our backs."
Sam had to agree, over the past year as impossible, as it seemed Dean had become harder and more lethal. His older brother had taken his role as the Guardian seriously, he'd stepped up his training, and had begun scouring every bit of information he could find on war strategys. He was able, in a moment's notice, to size up an enemy and exploit it's weakness. He'd also stepped up and was no longer hesitant to allow Catherine to put herself on the line. It was only with Sam that he still reverted to his big brother routine; somehow always managing to make sure his baby brother was out of the thick of things. Citing the fact that Sam was the Chosen, Dean had so far managed to convince Sam this was for the best. Sam wasn't going to buy that line forever though, and he knew at some point he was going to have to disobey his brother's orders.
Sam reclined on the big back seat and pulled Hannah down on top of him. Grinning, he sang softly in her ear, watching her blush, he allowed his worries to fall by the wayside for a while.
