Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.

Chapter One

One Year Later…

Sam, Dean, Castiel and Bobby all stared down at the unconscious Adam covered in dirt laying on the cot in Bobby's study. Castiel had just returned from the forest where the angels had revived Adam and everyone was silent with shock.

"What's going on, Cas?" Dean finally broke the silence.

"I don't know," Castiel reached down and placed his hand on Adam's chest, shocking the boy awake. "But we need to find out."

Adam's eyes flew open and he gasped for breath. Looking at the four of them, he scrambled back against the wall, "Who are you?"

Sam held his hands up in a gesture of good will, "It's ok, Adam. We're your brothers, John Winchester's sons. I'm Sam and this is-"

"Dean," Adam finished. "I know. The angels warned me about you."

"Why did they bring you back?" Castiel asked. "What are they planning?"

Adam glared, "Why should I tell you? Zachariah said not to trust you."

"Alright, alright," Sam interrupted, "Why don't you get cleaned up. You just crawled out of the ground and haven't had a decent meal in a long time. We've got some extra clothes you can have and warm shower will calm you down. When you're done, we can talk about this."

Adam looked at each of them, mentally weighing his options. He was hungry and the dirt caking his face was beginning to dry and irritate his skin. Finally, he nodded and let Sam lead him down the hall to the bathroom. When he was done, he returned to the study.

Sam tried to get him to trust them, tried to convince him to work with them and not join the angels, but he wasn't giving in. In his mind, he kept thinking of the long years spent with only him and his mom. He hadn't known any other family until Nicole came along. He couldn't even begin to guess at where she was after all this time. Part of him wanted to see her again but part of him thought she must have moved on. Did she return to her father and keep hunting? Did she go back to college and keep her job at the bookstore? He resolved to find out as soon as possible but for now, he had two brothers insisting that they were family but not knowing what he had been through.

He thought of his final moments, when the ghouls were ripping into him and his mother. Man, he missed her. And the only way he would see her again was if he did as the angels asked.

"Look, Sam," He interrupted Sam's 'we're family' speech. "Growing up, it was just me and my mom. I didn't know any other family. So that's great that you want to call me brother, but I don't know you and I don't trust you. I trust the angels and if they want me to be some vessel or whatever for Michael, then I'll do it."

Sam hung his head and sighed. Adam was definitely a Winchester, stubborn as the rest of them. "Wait," Sam raised his head, glanced at Dean before fixing his gaze on Adam, "You may not trust us, but we do know someone that you do trust."

Adam furrowed his brow as Sam dug into his jeans pocket and pulled out his cell phone.

…

Nicole was out running errands for Bobby in town. She had spent most of the afternoon in the library, gathering books that might help them in their search for a way to stop the Apocalypse and now stood, waiting at the counter in Chuck's Diner for their take-out dinner. The boy behind the counter, filling her order had soft blue eyes and blonde hair. In a way, he reminded her of Adam. As she watched him stuff buckets of chicken into a sack, she felt the empty hole inside her rip open again. She would have burst into tears if her phone hadn't rung and broke her out of her thoughts.

A glance at the caller ID and she answered, "Hey, Sam."

"Nicole," At the other end, Sam was keeping his eyes fixed on Adam, who looked up, surprised and eager at her name. "Where are you?"

"I'm at the diner," Nicole said as the boy waved her over, two large sacks full of food. She smiled in thanks as she took the bags and headed out the door, "I'm on my way back though. Tell Dean I didn't forget his pie."

"That's great," Sam said, "Did you get enough for an extra mouth?"

Nicole tossed the bags onto the seat beside her as she climbed into her truck. "Sure, I only ordered half the restaurant; I know how you guys eat. Who's joining us?"

"Just hurry back," Sam disconnected, leaving Nicole to speculate who it could be.

She mentally ran down the list of hunters she knew but couldn't imagine any of them coming all the way out to Bobby's to help them out. Most hunters were too busy trying to keep a handle on all the demons running around. Nicole herself had just taken out a group of demons that had ventured into town. It had to be someone good though, or else Sam wouldn't have acted so mysterious on the phone.

Pulling up in front Bobby's house, her questions would soon be answered. She grabbed the food and six pack of beer she had picked up in town as well and clambered from the cab. She expected Sam or Dean to come out and help, but no one came and she had to juggle things around to open the door.

"I'm back!" She called out, heading straight for the kitchen. When she found the kitchen empty and the house eerily quiet, she was instantly on alert. She placed the bags on the table and looked around for any sign of a disturbance. Slowly, she headed for the study, muscles tense and ready for anything.

When she rounded the corner, she could see Bobby sitting at his desk piled with books and she relaxed slightly, now walking at a normal pace. As she drew closer, she could see Sam, Dean and Castiel all sitting around the room, facing the mystery guest, who she still couldn't see.

"Hey guys, dinner's-" She entered the study and froze. The air rushed from her lungs as she gazed at Adam. He sat staring just as surprised at her.

Nicole's gaze drifted to silver knife on the bookcase beside her. She heart suddenly kicked into high gear as adrenalin rushed through her veins. She seized the knife and lunged for Adam. Dean, who was closest, leapt as well, wrapping his arms around her waist and holding her back.

"Son of bitch!" Nicole cried out, tears filling her eyes. "How dare you-"

"Nicole," Dean pulled her further away, "Nicole, calm down. It's really him."

Nicole kicked and struggled against Dean, her mind not accepting what she was being told, "No! It can't be. It's a shapeshifter or…or…" Her voice was choked out by the tears.

Adam stood and took a step for her, his eyes begging her to believe, "Nicole."

At the sound of his voice, she grew still. Her eyes raised to meet his and the knife fell from her hand.

"Nicole, it's really me," Adam took another step forward.

At a nod from Sam, Dean cautiously dropped his arms from around Nicole but stayed ready to spring if she attacked Adam. Nicole reached out a hand and touched Adam's cheek. It was warm and the feel of his skin brought memories rushing back of them together, of his arms around her as they cuddled late at night.

"Adam," She whispered his name, almost afraid to say it in case he disappeared.

A smile spread across his face as his eyes moistened and he nodded. Nicole closed the small distance between them and wrapped her arms around his neck. She closed her eyes and breathed in the musky scent of him. It was better than she remembered, having his arms around her and she never wanted to let go. The fierce desire to protect him burned in her chest followed closely by the guilt at having failed before.

"I'm so sorry," She whispered.

"For what?" He asked, still locked in the embrace.

A tear rolled down Nicole's cheek and darkened Adam's shirt, "I failed you."

Adam pulled back and gently wiped the tear from her cheek with his thumb, "No, no, you didn't. Nicole, you were the best thing in my life. You could never fail me."

"But the ghouls-"

Adam shook his head, "It wasn't your fault."

Suddenly, Bobby's loud, commanding voice broke into their intimate moment, "Sorry to break up the reunion, but we have bigger things to worry about right now."

Adam turned to the rest of them, looking at each one in turn as he consented, "I'll stay here. I'll give you guys time."