Hi! Welcome to Heaven's Grace! I just wanted to say while I am a veteran to the site and writing fics I am new to this particular fandom and a little nervous. This idea has been in my head for over a year, before I even got that deep into Supernatural, and because of that reason I have really grown attached to this story, Gracie in particular. I worked really hard on her, giving her a unique identity and making her as dynamic an OC as possible. She will change and develop throughout the story as much as Sam and Dean. It'd mean so much to get some feedback. Please just try not to rip me apart, though, okay? I have a LOT to learn, I know… (I have the first seven seasons on dvd). I also know about major plot development mainly through spoilers in Fanfiction, but I don't know every tiny detail.
I don't own (the rights to) squat related to Supernatural—it's Eric Kripke's brainchild. But, I do own Grace and any other minor characters I may make up for placement sake.
Warning! This is gonna have heavy Wincest later on! But probably not of the SamxDean variety. No, it will be SamxOCxDean (M/F/M). And possibly (not guaranteed) CastielxOC later as well. Same OC—lucky bitch, right?
Please don't read it if you don't like sis!fics, 'cause this is definitely gonna be one. However, I will try to keep it as original as possible, bearing in mind the types of sister characters I've seen so far. But Gracie's definitely not a "kick-ass" type character, nor is she an under-developed Sue. So I'd like to think it should be interesting. I did a lot of research about a lot of things before I even started this story—I really wanted to nail it. I may still occasionally need help from time to time and will ask reviewers (assuming I'll get some) when that time comes. To be honest she's kind of the first original character I've had that really just wrote herself.
P.S. I took a lot of liberties with the angel stuff in the beginning. Yes, I realize Gabe left heaven when pagan gods were big on Earth, so that's changed a little but probably won't effect the overall story very much. I just needed to throw in some familiar faces for the sake of Gracie's development later on. XD So I took a lot of liberties with this first part, which was extremely difficult for me to write and I literally have like a dozen different versions of this first chapter alone. Please no flames for now, kay?
Summary: Gracie Winchester is Sam's twin sister and an empath. She loves her family more than anything, but like Sam, she longs for a life without the constant dangers of hunting. Over the years, she struggles to come to grips with the fact that she's different, even by Winchester standards. Fearing that she may not be completely human, she decides to hide her special powers from her stern father and protective brothers. But can she continue to keep her secret safe without their help, especially when she becomes caught in a war between Heaven and Hell with their very souls on the line?
In Heaven
Selphiel was currently one of the youngest angels in heaven, and so was treated as such by all the others. The others saw her as a newborn that had yet to prove herself, and she was generally disregarded when tasks came down the ladder. No one had ever even allowed her to go down to the world she loved viewing so much. Still she waited patiently for the day she'd be assigned something and her purpose would be revealed. Not all angels were warriors…though most had some kind of training. A select few were made guardians to special humans. Selphiel delighted in the thought of having a human all her own to watch over.
But there were none who found her more simultaneously intriguing and perplexing than the angel Castiel.
Selphiel was one of the few that Ariel opened up to, and so he had became acquainted with her through the stoic older female. He had met the odd fledging on several occasions. Shortly after being introduced to the others and written off as "the queerest angel in heaven", he was told one day that it would be decided he would teach her to spar. Gabriel hadn't been doing enough to appease his fellow archangels in training the fledgling, and it was seen as a mockery. From what he'd been told, she barely knew how to wield her angel blade.
Ariel brought the timid female along and turned her over to Castiel. "Castiel, this is Selphiel. You are to teach her how to become a proper warrior. Do not hold back."
That command had been simple enough. Castiel never held back when it came to his duties. He had a great deal of respect for Ariel, and while he found it odd that he of all soldiers should train the awkward fledgling, he didn't object.
Figuring she was unpolished and he would need to start from the beginning, he refrained from drawing his angel blade. Sword fighting could wait until a later lesson. "Have you been taught how to smite demons yet?" he asked.
The blank look he got told him all he needed to know. This fledgling knew nothing. "Follow me," he beckoned, not waiting as he fluttered his way to one of Heaven's interrogation rooms. The gust behind him told him that she had followed obediently. Castiel glanced behind him and fixed her with a look that told her to come closer, so Selphiel slowly crept forward, gasping at the sight of the hideous creature bound to a chair, coal black eyes glaring menacingly. "Is that—"
Castiel nodded. "Yes, concentrate your grace into your fingertips."
Confused, Selphiel began channeling her grace to her open hand. An odd thrumming was beginning to fill her, and she felt a sense of power she'd never known before.
She looked at Castiel's stoic face, "Now banish it."
The demon squealed as Selphiel brought a glowing hand to its head. The young angel watched in horror and awe as the demon's eyes glowed and it seemed to explode under her touch. There was a rush she'd never known before. So that was how to smite…
She turned to Castiel, who gave her an imperceptible nod. "Good. Let's move on." Selphiel swallowed. She knew this was what angels were always intended to do. They were soldiers first, and smiting demons was part of that job description, but she wasn't sure what unsettled her more. The fact that banishing it gave her an overwhelming rush of power or the fact that she felt actual glee.
That was the moment things changed for Selphiel. She knew she was being prepared, but she couldn't imagine what for. Castiel was a firm instructor. He gave her orders, but he never guided her through what she was expected to do, just let her figure things out on her own. She came to understand when he was pleased or disappointed by the small ticks of his expression. She also sensed emotions like they were second nature; touching her brethren made their emotions flow into her as if they were her own.
It made the other angels wary. Only a select few chose not to keep their distance. Gabriel personally helped her learn to meditate, to better reign this ability under control. He also appeased her curiosity about earth and its most amazing inhabitants by telling her stories of the times he'd been there over the millennia.
Over time these stories only made her desire to see the human world grow stronger. "But why won't you take me?" she asked the archangel one day.
Gabriel gave her an impish grin, shrugging. "Sorry kiddo, Dad's rules. You have to stay here until your training is complete."
Selphiel felt slightly betrayed. She knew Gabriel went to earth whenever he pleased, doing Father only knew what, with or without permission. "But…But you go when you want, don't you?"
The archangel smirked, clearly amused. "Well yeah, but that's one of the perks of being me." Selphiel gave him a disappointed frown. "Oh c'mon don't give me that look. It's not to be mean, it's just…you're safe up here." Selphiel wanted to protest but Gabriel raised a hand to silence her, "Down there is another story, an untrained angel with clumsy control of her powers at best could easily be taken off guard and overwhelmed." The archangel raised a brow and Selphiel hung her head, unable to deny that she had still far from perfected control over her grace, or her combat skills. She could probably take out low ranking demons, but when she sparred with Castiel he was still besting her more often than not, even when she went all out. He was far from the most powerful of Heaven's warriors, as strong as he was. If she couldn't take down Cas she probably couldn't take down one of hell's tougher agents. "Demons crawling around like cockroaches down there, causing pain. So the best thing you can do for now is be prepared."
Selphiel knew he was right…it wasn't worth it. Seeing earth up close could get her killed. The fledgling unfolded her wings. "Where are you going?"
"I…I need to meditate." She answered quietly.
Gabriel sighed, watching her go. He had a soft spot for the fledgling, he really did. At first it was boredom that made him take interest. She was probably the most amusing angel Heaven had seen in millennia. Then he took pity on her, watching her struggle to fit in. That was something they had in common, both a little too close to humanity. He could sympathize. Now as Gabriel watched over her, saw her sparring with Castiel, the enthusiasm and curiosity mirrored in her soul that reminded him so much of himself during the beginning of his creation he realized there was a growing fondness. Maybe that was why he told her the stories and spent so much time with her, even though it probably wasn't helping her in the long run to feed her curiosity.
"Oh Dad, what could you possibly have in store for that one?" he mumbled.
Ariel found her tucked away in her coveted spot, perched above the cluster of personal heavens where the human souls dwelled. It was where Selphiel spent a good amount of time, because it was the closest she could get to humanity. She never understood the young angel's fascination, nor did she understand her own fascination with Selphiel, but being near the fledgling was what she imagined would be considered soothing. There was a healing quality to her grace that just drew her in. So maybe her reasons were selfish, more than likely.
Ariel just knew that the angel, rumored to be a seraphim, had captivated her in the same way she imagined Castiel was. He had expressed to her that through training the fledgling, he felt he was seeing things he had missed for so long. Ariel thought she understood what he meant. They were angels, but most of them still had stained themselves in blood in the name of their Father long ago. She herself had taken the lives of humans and demons alike. It didn't matter if that was what orders dictated she do. It was hard to have the kind of unobstructed, pure glow that Selphiel possessed after seeing and doing so much.
"I knew I'd find you here." Selphiel jolted, looking behind her to see her older sister approaching. Ariel sat beside her, eyes distant.
"Hello Ariel, I was just watching them…it calms me."
"I know," she allowed herself a small chuckle. Most of Heaven did. "Since your creation you have found great fascination in humanity, haven't you?" Selphiel looked embarrassed, though it was really no secret. The others knew, and she was sure they frowned upon how preoccupied she was with the lives of mortals, but no one had ever come right out and said it. She braced herself for Ariel's admonishment.
"You misunderstand. I don't point it out to chastise you. I…the others find it reprehensible, yes. But lately I have come to also see the appeal of humanity."
Selphiel was surprised at the least, but with Ariel so close, there was no hiding it. The normally stoic female was genuinely curious about humanity. A swell of relief washed over her. Maybe she would have someone besides Gabriel to confide in now!
Ariel continued, "Ever since your arrival I've watched you, and in doing so, my own interest in them has been piqued. They are far from graceful and susceptible to deeds of great wickedness, but they also have something we lack…It was our Father's wish for us to love them, but many have forgotten that. They find genuinely cherishing humanity hard to do, and admiring them has become almost a taboo." Selphiel listened to Ariel in wonder. She was normally not so open with her own thoughts, even among those she respected.
"But you embrace them openly, even if you've never been to earth. You find loving humanity, loving all of God's creations simple. I envy you." Selphiel was speechless. "I think the others do as well, to an extent. You are clumsy and caring, traits that make fulfilling duties as a soldier hard, but you have not lost sight of Father's true intentions, and that in itself is enviable."
"Sister, I—"
Ariel smirked, a glint of amusement in her eyes. But Selphiel sensed something deeper. Something like yearning and sadness. "I may have said too much. You came here to meditate and I'm filling your mind with all kinds of complex questions, I'm sure. I will leave you now." She stood fluidly, her wings arching behind her. "Don't think anymore on what I've said. You do not have to change to fulfill His role for you. I see that now. You were made this way for a reason."
Ariel left her in a powerful flap of wings, but Selphiel knew that no matter what she'd said about forgetting, her words wouldn't leave that easily.
Selphiel's eyes lit up, bright with hope and disbelief. "A mission?"
Castiel nodded. "Yes, you've been given your first assignment on earth. We'll be leaving shortly." She didn't know what to say, her heart thundered and her wings flapped restlessly.
"What part of earth?"
"The continent of Europe. It's being ravished by plague right now, and we feel demons may be to blame. Our orders are to investigate if this is true and if possible, eliminate the threat."
"I understand." Selphiel replied. "But don't we need vessels?"
Castiel sat down and motioned for Selphiel to join. "Yes, we'll need to acquire permission first, so we'll try reaching out to the two suitable potential vessels I've been observing."
"What should I do?"
"Concentrate on the human you wish to communicate with. A young girl named Amanda Rodale that lives in England."
Selphiel concentrated as Castiel talked about Amanda. What she looked like, where she was, her fear as she watched the plague spread around her and her devout belief in God. It wasn't long before the image of a young girl appeared before her, kneeling in a modest church and praying fervently.
Selphiel saw her startle as she sensed the celestial presence communing with her, and when she explained that she was an angel and asked to use Amanda's body, the girl began weeping tears of joy, nodding happily. "Yes!"
Selphiel felt like she was being sucked into some kind of vacuum as her grace funneled into Amanda. She blinked, and suddenly her world was different. She was seeing through Amanda—through human eyes. Slowly climbing to her feet, Selphiel glanced around for Castiel, but she was alone in the quiet church.
"Castiel?" she called, venturing outside. "Castiel?" A hand clamped on her arm, dragging her out of the way of an incoming carriage.
Selphie gasped, staring up into the face of a jolly-looking pastor. But the stoic expression that didn't match his round face was all too familiar."I advise you not to openly refer to me by name. For the sake of the mission we must be as inconspicuous as possible. We must appear human."
Selphiel nodded stiffly. "Yes, where should we start then?"
"This air, this city is rife with such sickness I'd say it's the work of a Horseman if I didn't know better. But I've heard murmurs of this town being overrun with witches."
Curious, Selphie tilted her head in thought. "Are witches really powerful enough to cause something as massive as this? The whole continent has been effected."
"Maybe not on their own…but with the work of a powerful enough demon, it may be possible. The coven more than likely is working in league with one. We'll start by searching out a member of the coven. Look for anyone suspicious."
Selphiel nodded and the two angels set to work looking for anyone who looked like they were involved in witchcraft. Castiel quickly became annoyed with the amount of humans who approached, asking Pastor Dane to pray over their houses to protect them from the plague. But Selphiel was simply immersed in the sights and sounds of the human world. There were people peddling their goods, some milling around and children chasing a cat.
She hardly noticed when she wandered away from Castiel, too fascinated by what she saw around her. It was only when she bumped shoulders with another human did she take notice of her surroundings. The girl cried out in pain as the pail of hot water she'd been carrying splashed on her hand. The angel rushed to help her up, taking her uninjured hand as she pulled her to her feet. "Forgive me."
The human, a dark-haired, pale girl of about eighteen, shook her head and hastily pulled away. "Yeah, just watch where you're going…" she mumbled, rubbing her scalded hand. Only, the pain she'd felt a minute before was gone. She glanced down, expecting to find blotchy red skin, only to see her hand looking just as pale and normal as the other.
"H-how?"
Selphiel gasped, realizing she must have inadvertently healed the girl through touch. The girl studied her quizzically and Selphiel took a cautious step back. "Hey, you're the baker's daughter, aren't you? Amanda, isn't it?"
Her human heart thudding in her chest, Selphiel nodded quickly. "Y-Yes! I'm Amanda Rodale."
"I thought I recognized you…I buy bread from your father every Tuesday. My name is Ruby, remember?" Searching Amanda's memories, Selphiel was able to find out that this Ruby was a regular visitor to the bakery, and also one of the local girls rumored to be a practitioner of witchcraft. Amanda had a healthy dose of fear for this girl and tried her best to avoid her.
"Yes I do, Ruby. I should be going. My father set me on an errand and I should have been back by now." She curtsied, darting off into the crowd so Ruby wouldn't see her disappear into thin air.
She didn't notice the glare Ruby sent toward the ground as she picked up an obsidian broach she'd dropped when she fell and pocketed it.
"You've found one of the witches?" Castiel had to admit that he was impressed. She was doing better with this assignment than he'd anticipated.
"Yes! Her name is Ruby. I looked through Amanda's memories. Ruby and four other girls have been seen going into the forest during full moons, and one of the girls was caught performing a satanic ritual and hanged."
"Selphiel, are you sure of this? It's very important we don't give away our cover if this information is simply spawned from unfounded paranoia."
"I understand Castiel, but I touched Ruby and there was something wrong with her soul…I didn't recognize what until after seeing Amanda's memories."
"Hm…So she's branded. Good work. It'll be that much easier to locate her master, most likely the demon we're looking for."
"When will we strike?"
"If they operate under a full moon, that's tonight. We'll ambush them then."
After finding and capturing the coven, they learned that the who had collected the souls of Ruby and the other young witches wasn't the one who had unleashed the bubonic plague on Europe. Castiel still felt vindicated in killing her, though. The remaining witches Selphiel wanted to spare. Their souls were already doomed to an eternity of damnation, and with their master gone they couldn't finish learning to be powerful witches. Somewhat disappointed that the fledgling still retained her gentle nature, he struck each of the young witches down anyway. Only one, the girl named Ruby had escaped. Instead of hunting her down, Castiel decided they'd return to heaven and report.
It would be a long, long time before Selphiel saw earth again...
Angels didn't need sleep, so Selphiel spent her time watching. She was always restless. Having been to earth once and then being forbade from going back for some reason...she was bored and itching for an adventure, two things combined that usually meant getting up to mischief with Gabriel. The archangel was something of a free-spirited prankster, which amused Selphie to no end, though he told her his brothers thought that he didn't conduct himself the way an archangel should.
Selphiel secretly thought it was a good thing that Gabriel wasn't as self-righteous as the others. She continued to enjoy the company of Ariel and Castiel, but sometimes she preferred Gabriel's easygoing demeanor. It was the closest thing she had to fun since she couldn't visit earth. She just wondered why no one would tell her she was on celestial lock-down.
She'd try to ask only for the question to be avoided. This time she was determined to get a clear answer though. That was why she was playing Gabriel's ridiculous version of hide and seek...she had to find all the clues to reveal his whereabouts, and if she did, he'd promised to answer one question. It was just too bad she'd managed to get herself lost like she was...
There were still many parts of Heaven she hadn't seen before, and some places she was told she shouldn't concern herself with seeing. The more she thought of it, the more it irritated her that she was confined in a protective bubble, even in the supposedly safe realm of their Father. Wherever she was now, it was definitely one of those places she'd been advised not to visit. The atmosphere was different, for one, it felt like her grace was being repressed somehow. It was still there, but it was like it'd been forced to be dormant inside her.
Angels stood guard everywhere and she thought to ask them for help, but they honestly intimidated her. Their wings were raised aggressively and they had tight grips on their angel blades, ready to cut down intruders. She decided she'd rather find her own way out and slipped by them as quietly as she could. Now, she was in a large, stone hall where shackles where barred rooms were lined in a row along the walls.
If she didn't know better she'd say it was some kind of prison...but what would heaven need with place like this? Then she remembered the time Castiel had showed her how to smite a demon and it all came rushing back to her. This was a prison, probably used to torture and interrogate heaven's enemies...This wasn't somewhere she should be.
Selphiel turned around and retraced her steps opening a door that looked vaguely familiar, hoping it would lead to outside. Instead she found herself peaking into a room with an angel strapped to a cold table, cut up and begging to be released. That wasn't the most disturbing thing, but the fact that she recognized one of the angels as Castiel, standing there in his most recent vessel.
Selphiel willed herself to be absolutely quiet. She didn't even think his name for fear that he'd hear it. She watched in muted horror as the angel she vaguely recognized from Castiel's garrison as Uriel repeatedly nicked the squirming angel with an angel blade Dozens of shallow cuts from what she could see. His grace bled through, not enough to kill him, but enough to cause pain. Why wasn't Castiel stopping this; what was going on? They were torturing one of their own kind!
"You must understand the position they've placed you in. They used you as a scapegoat. Now, tell us who is involved in this rebellion and we'll handle this master civilly."
"I-is that why I'm strapped to this table?" the wounded angel gasped. "So we can have a civil talk?"
"Talk, you cowardly worm," Uriel hissed, slicing a deeper cut across the angel's abdomen. Selphiel flinched as he screamed in pain. "Who. Is. Leading. This. Rebellion?"
"I-it's not a rebellion. W-we just...wanna be free." he wheezed. From her place, crouched behind the door, Selphiel contemplated his words. She thought they were free. Sure they had missions, duties handed down to them by God, but they still had free will. That was freedom, wasn't it?
"So you plan to fall?" Castiel sighed. "The most despicable act an angel can possibly commit? You do realize everything you'd been giving up, all you'd be throwing away."
"What does it matter anyway? Falling, rebelling...anything is better than...than here!"
"Silence!" Uriel boomed, slicing the angel across the forehead. He groaned in agony, practically begging for the torture to stop. Uriel ignored the cries, "Castiel, words are wasted on this spineless leech. He'll never hear reason."
There was a long pause and Selphiel hoped Castiel wasn't thinking what she thought he was. "...Yes, I'm afraid you're right." Castiel agreed quietly. "If there really is no other way, then make it quick Uriel."
Uriel raised his angel blade, "With pleasure," he replied. "So long traitor." he spat at the quivering angel. In that moment, Selphiel didn't know what happened as she flew to the restrained angel without hesitation and shielded him just as the angel blade plunged through her.
There was a strangled gasp as the worse pain she'd ever known cut through her. Selphiel looked down, sighing as she saw the shaken angel underneath her, still alive. She stumbled away from the table, instinctively calling for Gabriel as she felt herself weakening. She wanted to see her older brother one last time.
Castiel was stunned by what he saw. Selphiel's countenance, pale and stricken with shock and betrayal, her mouth gasping for air as she convulsed violently. Uriel's face portrayed the proper amount of panic, for once, as he stared at his fellow angel impaled by his blade, watching the light dim from her eyes.
Gabriel ran to support her as she slumped forward, hearing her call and feeling her agony.
Normally playful, Gabriel's features were clearly marred with worry as her tremors grew worse. It was a miracle she was still struggling to hold on. Maybe it was because she was a seraphim, or the angel of healing. But she was still dying, just slower than most. He tried to steady her as best he could; swiping long pieces of hair from her face and watching helplessly as blood slowly stained her vessel's lips and trickled down her chin. There was already a bright crimson stain on her clothes.
"Foolish fledgling," Uriel muttered bitterly, stepping away.
Gabriel shot Uriel a contemptuous look from over his shoulder before returning his attention to the quickly fading female. "Selphiel," he muttered, placing pressure on the wound in vain. "Don't do this."
Selphiel, her eyes already losing focus, found Gabriel's pained face and in an effort to comfort him, gently placed a hand against his face. "I…" she coughed, shuddering with the effort it took to speak.
Castiel felt he should make his presence known, but he was too transfixed with watching the angel he had always found strangely captivating, bleeding out in Gabriel's arms.
Gabe's jaw set in determination. The normally mischievous archangel carefully lifted his dying sister into his arms, cradling her close to himself as if the connecting of their graces alone would be enough to save her. "Hold on, kiddo…I know what to do." He flashed away before Castiel's wide eyes, taking the fading presence of Selphie's grace with him.
On a special area of cloud that overlooked earth, one of her favorite places, he gently lay her down. By now she was fighting for breath, her eyes all but completely glazed over. Somewhere inside his heart seized up at seeing the once bright and compassionate angel withering into no more than a husk before him. He worked quickly in disrobing her, knowing if she was more cognizant she would probably be flustered and scrambling to cover herself.
The thought made him smirk slightly as he finished removing her clothing until the ugly hole that was sapping her life away was fully exposed. Gabriel glared at it, willing it to close, knowing it wouldn't be enough. If only their Father wasn't always absent. He gritted his teeth. How could He just watch one of His children, the most selfless of them all, suffer?
Now wasn't the time though. There was only one way to save Selphiel. And it was dangerous… "Selphie…if you can hear me, then this is goodbye for a while, ok?" he whispered with gentleness he never knew he possessed, stroking her now waxy cheek. Her breath hitched again and he hurried on, "I'm going to send you to earth," he swallowed, "You'll be reborn…completely human. You won't remember me, Heaven or any of us. But I'll remember you. And don't worry, I'll hold onto your grace for you. You'll get it back one day."
From the hidden spot where he watched, Castiel could not believe what he was hearing. Taking the grace of another angel, or even voluntarily removing one's own grace, was perhaps one of the highest crimes an angel could commit. Was his brother, one of heaven's most powerful archangels, really willing to make such sacrifices for a mere fledgling? Surely this wasn't just about losing a soldier and a healer?
"Castiel," The aforementioned angel jerked in alarm. "Come here. I'm sure she'll want to say goodbye to you as well." Obedient to his superiors, Castiel trudged forward, kneeling to stare solemnly into the face of his dying brethren. Her dimming eyes glittered like embers on cooling coals, alive for just that moment. She placed a hand against his cheek, giving him a final, watery smile. Castiel reached up to cup his hand over hers as he felt the warmth of her grace fading, his eyes troubled for the first time in eons.
"Good…bye Cas…C-Castiel," he heard her whisper. She turned to Gabriel with eyes that barely opened and he nodded, knowing it was time. Gabriel reached a hand into her body and began pulling something out, his arm nearly translucent. Castiel watched in silent horror as she began screaming in pain, Gabriel grit his teeth against the noise, removing her grace bit by bit. When nothing more than a thread of her grace remained, the archangel began chanting a spell in Enochian, so old not even Castiel knew what it meant.
Then she was plunging backward, falling. Falling to earth. Reflexively, he reached for her just as she shimmered out of reach, gone. When he next saw her, many years from then, she wouldn't remember him, or their talks, or the heavenly realm they'd called home. She would be human.
Lawrence, Kansas— 1983
Winchester Household
Mary Winchester perked up as she heard the familiar rumble of a Chevy Impala pulling into the drive, setting aside the small outfit she'd been knitting. She stood, excited, rushing to the door to greet her returning husband and son with a hand on her bulging stomach. John Winchester blinked as his wife all but flung the door open before he could so much as reach for his keys, an ear to ear grin on her face. "There you are! My two men. Welcome home," she greeted them, hugging them both and kissing her young son on the forehead. She stopped bouncing long enough to give her husband a lingering kiss on the lips, conveying her happiness through it.
"Ew," Dean giggled.
John pulled away to smirk down at his son. "You know, son, one day you're going to find a girl you really like and want to kiss."
Dean shook his head stubbornly. "No way, daddy! Girls have cooties."
Mary playfully arched a brow, carefully leaning closer to her son's height. "Really? So you don't wanna be mommy's big boy anymore? Since I have cooties?"
The little boy's green eyes instantly became wide with panic. "No mommy! I am your big boy!" he quickly clarified.
Mary giggled, hoisting her son into her arms to hug him affectionately. "I know; that's my good boy. Now, go put away your book bag, ok?" she told him, setting him down.
Dean nodded and raced to his room as soon as his feet touched the ground again. John watched him go, pride clearly evident in his eyes before he turned to his wife, smiling lovingly as he embraced her, resting his chin on her shoulder. "So, what did the doctor say?" he whispered. "Everything okay in there?"
Feeling her excitement returning, Mary managed to partially turn in his arms and kiss his cheek. "He gave me a clean bill of health. Says I'm doing great. The babies are developing normally and everything should go fine." John nodded, kissing her neck gently, before her words sank in. He pulled away slowly, fully turning her so he could look directly into her sparkling blue eyes.
"Honey…d-did you just say…babies?" he stuttered slightly.
Mary's eyes only brightened as the shock slowly registered on his face. She tried and failed to stifle a small laugh. "That's right," she nodded.
"Then, that means…?"
Her smile was so wide her cheeks were starting to hurt as she watched a similarly dopey smile spread over her husband's face. "Yes, in the next four months, we'll be the proud parents to a set of healthy twins." She confirmed.
John couldn't hide his excitement as he carefully picked Mary up and twirled her before setting her back down. Dean returned to the living room to find his parents embracing and laughing like drunks. "Daddy?" he ventured closer curiously.
John turned to look at his son, beaming. "Dean…come here, buddy." Dean ran to his father without hesitation, and John lifted the boy into his arms so they were eye to eye. "Remember what we talked about? You being a big brother?"
Dean nodded excitedly, the gap from his missing tooth showing as he smiled. "Yeah! I wanna have a little brother!"
Mary laughed, rubbing her stomach as she felt the slightest movement. "Well, now you're gonna have two new little siblings to play with!"
Dean cheered, clapping.
Four Months Later…
May 2, 1983
John tapped his foot impatiently, scrubbing his hands over his face as he waited for any news regarding his wife's delivery. He glanced at his son, who was coloring eagerly at a small table in the corner. Several other soon-to-be parents were also waiting in similar states of stress. Normally, he would've been in the delivery room coaching Mary through it. But he couldn't leave Dean alone, and there was no way his young son was ready to see a woman give birth.
He was on the verge of pulling his hair out when a nurse came for him, "Mr. Winchester? You can come back now," he grabbed Dean's hand and followed the nurse through the double doors onto the maternity hall. The faint sound of crying came from no particular direction and there was a long, pained groan as they passed a closed door.
Luckily, it was the third to last door that the nurse led them to. The anxious man hustled his small son into the room, letting out a breath of relief when he saw his tired wife lying on the bed, blond hair limp and damp with perspiration, face looking hollow. He frowned slightly, used to her dimpled smile and twinkling eyes. Mary wearily locked eyes with her husband and smiled. "John," she sighed, "Come here…and meet our babies."
Suddenly, it felt like a great wave of emotion was rushing through his chest as the man walked forward, seeing the doctor who had performed the delivery smiling at him, several nurses standing by, also giving him congratulatory smiles. Dean eyed the two tightly wrapped bundles the nurses held, curiously. "Congratulations, sir." The doctor said to John. "You have a beautiful and healthy baby boy and baby girl."
John's jaw dropped as he accepted one of the bundles the nurse held out to him, staring into the little pink face. They had decided they didn't want to know the genders until the babies arrived, though a small part of John was hoping at least one would be another son. Mary hadn't cared either way, ready to love the new children they were bringing into the world regardless.
"So both, huh?"
Mary nodded, eyes drooping slightly. The nurse handed her the other baby, wrapped in a light pink blanket. "Well, we couldn't decide what we wanted anyway, so this works out, doesn't it?"
John smiled as his new son grabbed at the finger he held out to him. "Yeah, I guess it does…" he kneeled lower so Dean could get a better look at his new little brother. "See Dean, this is your little brother, Samuel Winchester." They had already decided that if they had a boy, he would be named after Mary's father. "Say hi to Sam,"
"Hi, Sam!" Dean waved.
"You're gonna have to look after him for me, ok?"
Dean nodded solemnly, seeming to understand he had a new sense of responsibility. "Okay, Daddy."
Straightening up again, he set baby Sam in the crook of his mother's arms on the opposite side of the sleeping baby girl. He then lifted Dean so he could be closer to her. Mary stroked her daughter's cheek softly. "I can't believe we have three beautiful children now." she said. "But honestly, I don't know what to call her…"
"Something short and simple, that's for sure," John chuckled, thinking of how they all had relatively common names.
"Actually, you know I'd been thinking…from the minute I found out we were having twins, I'd hoped by some miracle one would be a girl. I almost didn't believe it would happen, but I prayed for a little girl, and now here she is…by the grace of God." A thought seemed to strike her then. "Grace… Gracelyn." She nodded to herself. "Her name will be Gracelyn." She saw John opening his mouth to say something and interrupted, "We'll call her Gracie for short." She winked.
"Gracie," John said, trying it out. "I guess that is pretty,"
"Of course it is!"
"Gracie! Gracie!" Dean chanted, looking at his sleeping sister.
John hefted Dean higher into his arms and gave the boy a serious look; Dean immediately turned to give his father his utmost attention. "Dean, you have to look out for Gracie and Sammy from now on. I'm counting on you, bud. And don't forget, if any boys come near your sister, you beat them up, got it?"
Dean gave him a confident thumbs up, "Got it!"
"John!" Mary frowned in protest. "What are you telling him?"
John Winchester grinned sheepishly. "How to look after his little brother and sister."
Sighing with a roll of her eyes, the blond woman settled back on the hospital bed as the full exhaustion of her delivery finally caught up with her and she yawned, "Well, he doesn't need to be pressured…they'll have us there, won't they?"
John smiled tenderly as he watched Mary's eyes flutter shut. Dean looked at his mother, then up at his father. John put a finger to his lips, still smiling, and Dean nodded eagerly.
He nodded at the team who had helped his wife give birth and shook hands with the doctor, balancing Dean on his hip with one hand. As he helped Dean buckle into the Impala, an overwhelming sense of gratitude struck him, and he knew he was truly blessed to have the perfect family that he did.
November 2, 1983
Winchester Household
Mary carried her young son into the babies' nursery, setting him down, "Okay Dean, let's tell the babies goodnight."
The bouncy little boy eagerly ran to one crib, climbing the bars and planting a kiss on the small forehead. "G'night, Sam." He ran to the opposite crib and did the same, "G'night, Gracie."
Mary smiled warmly before kissing both children. "Goodnight, angels."
Dean hopped down and stood beside his mother, studying the small face that was watching the spinning mobile with fascination.
He didn't notice the nursery door open again, "Hey Dean," John greeted, entering the room.
"Daddy!" Dean squealed happily as he ran to his father.
John chuckled, picking up his son and looking between the two cribs. "So what do you think? You think Sam and Gracie are ready to throw a football with you yet? Or maybe play some soccer?"
Dean looked up at his father with big green eyes and shook his head, grinning. "No daddy," he said innocently.
"No," John laughed in agreement.
Mary's heart warmed as she stifled a small yawn.
"Hmm…you got him?" she asked quietly.
John leaned over to kiss his wife's cheek, "Yeah. I got him." he assured her as she made her way to their bedroom. He figured he'd give her a break since she was always so busy with the babies lately.
John hugged his son closer, smiling at the faint cooing noises coming from one of the cribs. He walked to the door, still carrying Dean. "Goodnight Sam, Grace, sweet dreams," he whispered, turning out the lights in the nursery.
The Winchester home settled into a peaceful silence soon after. John had put Dean to bed and gone down to watch some TV while his wife made herself comfortable and drifted off to sleep in their own bedroom.
It wasn't until the early morning hours that crying coming over the baby monitor caused Mary Winchester to stir with a tired moan. She sat up and turned on her bedside lamp, yawning. "John?" she asked softly, only to notice the space beside her was empty.
'Great…' she thought, lifting herself from under the cozy blankets and shuffling down the hall towards the nursery. When she got there, she noticed a stooped figure leaning over one of the cribs and blinked curiously, trying to let her eyes adjust. "Hey," she called quietly, "Is he hungry?"
"Sssh…" the man told her.
"Okay," Mary stated simply with a tiny shrug. She slowly backed out of the nursery and into the hall. She stopped by Dean's bedroom door only to hear soft breathing. Satisfied that her husband was handling the babies, she was prepared to go back to her bedroom, only to notice the light at the end of the hall flickering.
She approached it slowly, tapping the bulb a few times before the flickering stopped. "Huh," In the stillness, she could hear the faint sound of voices from downstairs and knew John forgot to turn off the TV again. 'Might as well,'
Her eyelids were slipping shut again, but she was instantly wide awake the moment she noticed John slumped over and asleep in the armchair. Cold terror ran through her veins as she raced back up the stairs. "Gracie! Sammy! Oh God, Sammy! Gracie!" she yelled, nearly stumbling as she reached the top step and practically flew to the nursery.
The shrill scream of his wife had John bolting upright several minutes later, "Mary!" Just as his wife had, he ran up the stairs and burst into the nursery in a panic, panting heavily. The adrenaline started to slowly dissipate as he glanced around the nursery to see the babies lying quietly in their cribs. He sighed, approaching Gracie's crib first and stroking her cheek. She was sleeping peacefully, her chest rising and falling languidly.
John bent to kiss his daughter's cheek before moving on to check on Sam, who was awake and grinning at him. "Hey Sammy," he smiled, stroking his son's soft cheek as well. Sam babbled softly and John was about to step back when he noticed a dark spot suddenly appear on the blanket near Sam's head. John's brow furrowed in confusion and he moved his hand closer to inspect it, only for several more drops to fall on his hand, bigger than the first and an eerie dark red color he could just barely make out.
The dread coiling knots into his stomach again, he glanced up at the nursery ceiling, only to scream in horror as Mary stared back at him, her face ashen white and her stomach slashed open. "Mary!" he screamed, noticing she was still taking shallow breaths. Before he could even comprehend what he was seeing, the ceiling erupted into flames and Mary's figure was devoured in the hungry orange fire. "Mary! Mary, NO!"
It was at this point that Sam began crying in earnest and Gracie woke up whimpering and struggling to breathe through the smoke. Running purely on instinct, John snatched Sam from his crib before getting Gracie and running out into the hall, almost tripping over his eldest child, who was standing in the hall, eyes wide and full of fear. "Daddy?"
John quickly shoved Sam at his older brother, hastily bending down to Dean's height, "Take your brother outside as fast as you can and don't look back," he instructed urgently, "Now! Go, Dean!" Dean barely had time to nod before his father was pushing him toward the stairs. The little boy clumsily ran downstairs with Sam still crying in his arms and the crackling fire and smoke behind him.
Dean had just made it onto the front lawn and was staring blankly up at the nursery window, where the bright orange of the flames was engulfing everything, when John rushed out and grabbed him around the middle, Gracie tucked securely under the other arm as he ran across the grass just as the nursery window shattered and glass rained down from the second story.
By this time, someone had called the fire department and people were gathering on the street and looking at the burning house in shock. Police ushered curious onlookers back behind the yellow tape as firefighters worked to put out the blaze. John Winchester sat with his children on the hood of their car after talking to the police and fire department and being checked over by paramedics. Dean leaned heavily into his side, shivering, with Gracie hugged tight to him.
The baby studied her older brother's face and whined quietly, feeling his sadness, fear and confusion. Dean shushed her as best he could in his own state while John rocked Sam to sleep, a spark burning deep in his eyes. Mary's death wasn't natural. And he silently vowed to himself in that moment that he would find out what was really responsible and have his revenge.
I'm in season 6 currently and still learning about the angel's lives in Heaven (if they're ever even fully explained), so for this reason I took some creative liberties in how I described them. For example, I'm envisioning them having slightly more tangible forms in heaven. At the same time I tried to make them purposely vague, 'cause I'm having a hard time picturing it the way the show describes. I know in Supernatural the angels true forms are supposed to be much different and more terrifying then the vessels they take, but in my story, for the purpose of not confusing myself and probably my readers, I'm gonna write it as if angels in heaven appear as we imagine them in the Bible. You know… the whole beautiful (but terrifying) people in flowing white robes deal. lol ;P
And I don't know what her true angel name was, but Ariel is a canon angel, I didn't make her up. I'm sure most of you recognize the only other female angel with a significant role in the show thus far (besides Naomi, who may appear when I know more about her than just what I read on the wikia), so figuring out who she really is shouldn't be too hard.
And also, sorry if anyone's personalities were shot to hell… Like I said, not all the angels have come in yet where I am in the show, so I'm relying on a combination of fanfics and the descriptions of their characters given online to base their interactions in the first part of the story off of. Hopefully by the time they all come in again, I will be more up to speed and everyone will mold true to form. For now, please work with me! And review of course! Just nothing brutal…
Around the time I started this story, I bought season 1 on dvd to help me learn more about the characters. And when the time comes, I will be using select episodes (not every episode) that I feel are most important in advancing the show's plot and exploring the themes I'll be focusing on in this story. They probably will not be tags that retell the episode in verbatim, they'll just cover the events of those episodes, but likely shortened some.
I will have a list of said episodes in case it's been a while for anybody. Also for me to refer back to…
Pilot
Skin
Home
Scarecrow
Faith
Route 666
Nightmare
The Benders
Shadow
Hell House
Something Wicked
Dead Man's Blood
Salvation
Devil's Trap