Chapter 1

Flashes of images. Shouts of pain and terror. Of destroyed buildings, overturned vehicles and debris scattered across the road. A familiar face, twisted and turned into a grimace; a mask of pure terror and malice.

He then woke,with no memory or recollection of anything that he saw. He tried to think back at what had frightened him or why but he could not.

Sam Winchester felt confused and afraid. He remembered a time when he had a similar experience and it didn't end up too well for him or for the world. He sat on the bed trying hard to think, frozen in that position. Until the view before his eyes suddenly registered in his head and he broke out of his daze. He looked around the room he was in and suddenly felt a strange pang of familiarity. It was not that he had stayed there before; like yesterday or last week or a few years ago. But it was a familiarity that came from the furtherest corners of his mind.

It felt strange.

It felt wrong.

He kept looking around, not believing his own eyes, and then he sprung out of his bed and ran out into the corridor.

Outside the room, he felt that same strange sense of familiarity. He knew that every inch of the place was known to him. Every ornament, every picture and every item neatly arranged. The strange thing was, he also knew that there was no way he should be this familiar with the place; which, in his experience, was never a good thing.

He was gripped in the fear with which he woke as he rushed towards the stairway and then downstairs.

He knew where he was going to but not why.

He moved through the house, giving nothing around him a look or even a glance. Everything was neat and orderly, and the bright rays that flowed in through the open windows gave the house a chirpy and sunny feel. But he didn't care. His eyes were focused on the path ahead.

So far he had been alone. Not a sound or shadow was found to indicate that anyone else was there. But now standing in the kitchen he had found an occupant and the sight of the beautiful blonde woman, dressed in a flowing dress concealed by a white apron made him freeze.

Her back was turned to him when he first stepped into the kitchen, as she continued with her cooking. And then she turned around and his jaw almost dropped. A single solitary word jumped out from his mouth before he even had the chance to stop it:

"Mom!"

"Oh Sammy you're finally awake" she said turning around with a bowl of something in her hand. For some reason he knew that it contained ham made to her special recipe as Dean liked it, and demanded each day. "I was afraid you were going to sleep the day away."

"Mom, it's you?"

"Of course it's me. Who else would I be?" she asked with a smile which disappeared as suddenly as it came. She stared at him with an identical expression of confusion and concern.

"Are you all right?" she asked.

She put down the bowl and started towards him.

It felt strange having her standing so close to him that he could reach out and touch her. He wanted to but he found himself frozen in place.

He opened his mouth to say something but he found no words would come out.

And then she reached out and touched his forehead. It was quite the reach for her but she somehow managed it. When her delicate hands touched his own skin he closed his eyes. Her touch was soft and cold. It was soothing. It felt so wrong but at the same time so good. He wanted to forget all his fears and concerns but they refused to die down.

"You're warming up, would you like to go back to bed?" she asked, bringing him back to the present.

"No…no…I" he started but couldn't finish. What could he really say he was 'Ok'?

"I'm fine. I just…feel a bit tired, but I'll be Ok" he said.

"Good" she said, but she continued to watch him with that same expression on her face.

She then walked over and picked the bowl back up and then again moved back towards him.

"Here, you can take it to Jessica and help her set the table" she said and he just managed to catch himself before he repeated the same process as before.

He took one last long look at his mom, just in case, before turning around and walked back the way he had come.

He had passed the dinning table before on his way to the kitchen. But then it had been empty and there had been no one around. Yet, when he reached it this time it was already arranged somewhat and there, a few chairs away, placing plates was Jess. She looked exactly as he remembered her. He almost dropped the bowl in his hand when Jess looked up at him and smiled. She asked him to place the bowl anywhere and he did as quickly as he could.

It was hot, but his preoccupied mind barely registered it.

"Where's…where's Dean?"

There was so much else he wanted to ask her, he wanted to do, but he restrained himself.

"Where else," Jess replied after staring at him for a while, with the same expression as the one his mom had just a few seconds ago. "Outside with dad working on that car" she finished and smiled.

He thanked her, without returning the smile, and rushed out of the house before she could finish whatever it was she was about to say…or ask.

He felt like he was losing his mind.

Sam stepped out of the house and instinctively headed towards the garage.

The sight that greeted him as he stepped around the house was nothing new to him. At least, it would have been if it weren't for the other bending over the car next to him. It made him pause, as he took a second to take it all in.

Then he slowly edged his way towards the Impala and towards Dean and their father.

"Dean" he called out nervously. Afraid not only for what would happen to him when his father were to turn around as well, but also what he would learn about Dean.

So far he had worked on the assumption that Dean was in the same situation as he was. From the moment he woke up and realised where he was, he had sought Dean out hoping that together they could resolve things. He had believed that Dean would be in the same conundrum, that he would, not be part of all this.

However, now that he was there he was having second thoughts.

'What if he was wrong?'

'What if Dean was part of this?'

And then Dean turned towards him and he knew he was right to trust him. The look on Dean's face told him everything he needed to know.

"Dean I need to talk to you?"

"Sam, I am glad to see you up" said his dad as he looked up with Dean. "How are you feeling?"

"I am good, thanks" said Sam and then turned to Dean "Dean" he said and Dean nodded his head.

"What are you two up to?" asked their dad and the both of them turned towards him.

"Nothing dad, we just…" said Dean and turned towards him but he had nothing either. They never had reason to lie to their dad; if this was their dad.

Their dad didn't turn his gaze away from them; the hunter was still inside of him somewhere. And then a shadow crept over his face.

"I see what you two are up to and there is no way I am going to let you" he said.

"You two are planning something for your mom's birthday," he said to their relief "and there is no way I'm going to let the two of you ruin my own surprise. I've been planning this for a very long time."

"Sorry dad, we promise we want get in your way" said Sam as the two of them walked away.

He and Dean gave their father one last look to make sure that he had returned back to work on the Impala. As they continued walking.

The two of them walked away from the house as far as they could, until they were certain that they were alone and there was no stray ears around. But even when they were certain that it was safe to talk they couldn't find the words to say. For a few seconds they just stood staring at each other.

Before finally Sam spoke: "Dean!"

"I know Sammy".

"This is wrong!"

"Is it?"

"Yes, it is and you know it?" but Dean didn't reply he just looked away.

"After everything we went through, isn't this what we wanted?"

"Yes, but Dean this is not possible."

"You don't think I know that. But…we finally have it all Sam: our mom, our dad…and…Sam. You remember Lisa?"

"Lisa the girl who you thought was the mother of your child?"

"Yes, well she is…well Ben's also my kid now?" said Dean and Sam laughed and turned away.

"Dean Winchester settled down. Now we know this is not natural" Dean just gave him a cold stare.

"So what do you think this is?" Dean finally said after another long and awkward silence.

"Maybe a Djinn?"

"Do you remember what you did last time you were caught by one?" Sam continued. Dean just nodded his head. He turned towards the house in the distance and Sam followed his gaze. They were both caught in the moment.

"We need to do this Dean?"

"Why? Why do we need to do this? Don't we deserve this life?"

"It's an illusion?"

"So what?"

"Dean if we don't stop this thing then someone else will be caught by it, and another and another, innocent life is going to be lost."

"But why has it got to be us. There are other hunters out there?"

"Are there?" asked Sam. He hated having to argue with Dean, but it wasn't just for the innocents that he was fighting for, but for Dean as well. He had to remember that: "Dean, how many hunters have we come across over the last few years. How many had survived? For all we know, we could be the last and even if that is not true" he continued as Dean opened his mouth "we are here and we know it exists. We need to do it."

Dean didn't say anything.

Sam could see there was turmoil inside Dean's head. He wished he could do something about it but he knew Dean would come to the right decision eventually.

"All right, fine. If we are going to do this at least give me one night"

"Dean" Sam said with a grin.

"Fine!" he said, "Let's go get this son of a…."

"Good to see you boys," said a familiar voice before Dean had the chance to finish what he was going to say.

"You're dead" Sam was the first to say what they both were thinking.

"Yes," Castiel said.

"This is beginning to become a habit with you" Dean said and Castiel gave him a puzzled look.

"You're the one to speak" he replied

"Touche"

"What are you doing here?" Sam asked

"I came to see how you two are adjusting to your new life?"

"You did this?" asked Sam

"In a way"

"Why? Not that we are grateful but why?" asked Dean

"Because you earned it, after everything you did for us?"

"Care to elaborate exactly which 'everything' you're referring to?" asked Dean "Because there is so many I'm starting to lose count."

"You two ended the war, defeated the demons finally. What you two did will save all humanity?"

"I am sorry what exactly did we do?" asked Sam and as he said it he thought he saw a look of confusion appearing in Castiel's eyes.

"You defeated the Antichrist!"