Breath of Life

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Supernatural characters as they are the property of the CW. I do, however, own Artemis, Kiki, Athena, and any other characters introduced within the story as they are sole property of my mind.

Summary: Zombies, ghosts, demons, and all other supernatural she could handle. The disappearance of her best friend and the confused feelings for Dean she wasn't sure she could handle. Drawn back into hunting after nearly a year, 24 year old Artemis Flora Summers sets out once again with the Winchester boys and her old friend, Athena, to figure out who is behind the kidnapping of Kiki and why they want her. However, things begin to take unexpected turns when Artemis finds herself facing more of her past as her connection to Sam becomes more apparent and strong. What happens when she realizes that she's destined to follow in the footsteps of her ancestors? Can she shed those icy layers again to allow Sam and Dean, especially Dean, back in? Or has she finally met her end?

Prologue

"This is so sad."

"This is absolutely awful and it was the worst thing that could have happened to the sweetest and kindest person in the world."

" I agree. She was loved by all. She did everything to make sure that someone else's needs were put before her own. There was not a bad bone in that girl's body."

"I still think her friend had something to do with her death. There is no way she should be cleared of those charges if she's the only one that knows what happened to that poor girl."

"Would it kill some of these ladies to keep their fucking mouths shut when it comes to you?" I glanced up from the album in my lap to look at Dean as he made his way toward me with an irritated look across his face.

"They just need somebody to blame it on. I was with her when she died. Therefore, I'm suppose to be the cause of her death. End of story. Where's Sam and Kiki?" I asked as he sat himself down beside me, causing the wooden swing I was sitting on to swing back and forth gently.

"Sam's doing some damage control inside with the police who decided to show up and ask you more questions and Kiki is trying to keep the bitches from coming over here with pitch forks and torches. I swear it's like you've got a target on your back telling people to come and fuck with you. What are you looking at?" he asked, pointing to the album in my lap.

"Some memories. There's not a lot of pictures growing up. Just some when we were kids, but it's the thoughts and memories that count most of the time I had with her," I replied with a slight shrug.

"Art…"

"We'll wait until the cover of nightfall and then we'll go salt and burn her body. She'll come back to haunt me if we don't do that," I said as I shoved the album into his hands and stood up. Cracking my neck, I headed inside to find Kiki angrily tossing things around the kitchen as Sam stood nearby shaking his head.

"Do I dare ask?" I asked as I side-stepped a dish, wincing as it smashed against the wall where my head had been. I raised an eyebrow as Kiki gave me a dirty look before returning to her task at hand. Looking to Sam, he gently pushed me out of the kitchen and led me down the hall.

"Uh…can I ask why my best friend is throwing dishes around my kitchen?" I asked.

"She's a little upset," he replied, causing me to roll my eyes.

"You think?" I asked, sarcasm dripping off my tongue. I really wasn't in the mood to be dealing with any of this at this point.

"Artemis, she's just going through a tough time right now with…."

"And I'm not? My family friend is dead and I have to salt and burn her body tonight after all of this calms down. People that knew the both of us, more Athena than myself, think that I have something to do with her death, which by the way is pretty much my fault. It…."

"Don't you dare say that, Artemis. Athena's death is not your fault. None of what happened is your fault," he said as he gave me a look of disbelief.

"Oh really? So the demon possessing her and me having to kill her because I couldn't find a way to save her is not my fault? Sam, I could have saved her. I saw her death and I couldn't prevent it from happening. I saw your death, Sam, and I couldn't prevent it. All of these visions I'm having I can't prevent all the bad things happening in them. Apparently I'm suppose to follow in my ancestors footsteps and lead this demon army side by side with you when that god damn bloody gate of hell broke open. All of these visions and this road we are heading down is bearing down on me, Sam. And Dean? He wouldn't be in this mess if I had just prevented your death. You think Kiki's going through a rough time with her being kidnapped and somewhat tortured or whatever the fuck she went through during that time? It's not even close to what I'm going through right now," I snapped as I stormed past him and back down the hall. I almost made it to the stairs when Dean cut me off.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on just one minute. You're not going anywhere," he said, causing me to scowl and try and break from his hold.

"Let me go, Dean. I'm in no mood," I said as I gave him a glare.

"And I can see that. But talk to me, Artemis. What the hell is wrong with you? Other than the fact of Athena being dead. Talk to me. Talk to me, babe," he said, causing me to give him a look before pushing him off of me and running my hand over my face. How could I tell him? How could I tell him with everything going on?

"I know something is turning in that head of yours. I know you well enough to know this. Talk to me," he said as he gently ran his hand along my face before gently kissing me. I felt tears beginning to form in my eyes and I knew I was breaking. I hadn't cried since having to kill Athena and everything that had happened between then and now was catching up and it was all just too much for me. Tears beginning to fall slowly down my face, I looked at Dean as he began to shake his head and I realized that Sam and Kiki were standing in the doorway of the hall looking at us in concern.

"Not now, Sam," he said, causing Sam to nod and gently tug at Kiki to follow him.

"No. Wait. Sam, don't go," I said, causing him to turn to look at me with concern.

"Art?" Dean asked with confusion laced in his voice.

"Dean, I'm going to need Sam more than anything when you go. If we can't find a way out of your deal," I replied as I gave him a look, tears beginning to fall heavily down my face by now.

"This isn't just about Athena and her death. Is it, Artemis? There is something more than just her death that is bothering you," Sam said, causing me to nod.

"Babe, talk to me. What is going on? Of course you're going to need Sam when I die. I would come back and haunt his ass if he didn't take care of you. And he knows it damn well too," Dean said, causing me to shake my head.

"That's not the reason, Dean," I said.

"Then what is it?" he asked, causing me to look between him and Sam several times before I let out a sigh and dropped my head just slightly.

"I'm pregnant," I whispered, causing Dean to go stiff as the four of us just stood there in silence for a good while. It felt like an eternity before he spoke.

"I don't think I quite caught that. Did you just say that you were pregnant?" he asked, causing me to nod as I lifted my head slowly to look into his shocked eyes. Looking over to Sam, I saw that both he and Kiki were just as stunned. No doubt that this was the last thing they expected me to say.

"I'm pregnant, Dean, and the baby is due after you're gone," I replied, causing him to stare at me for about a minute more in shock before he pulled me against him and wrapped me tight in his arms, my face buried into his chest as I began to let go of all the emotions I had built up in the last few days. How was I going to be able to do this by myself without him? Sure I had Sam and Kiki, but that wasn't the same. I needed Dean. I couldn't do this alone. Not with what we were going to be dealing with in the near future. I was losing everything around me and I didn't know what to do. It was going to be a highway full of hell the next couple of months.