Chapter 8
He found John sitting alone at a table, watching Mary dance with Kit and Trevor.
"Never thought you'd get to see that, did you?" he asked as he sat down. "Mom playing with her grandkids."
John looked over at his son. "Is that icing in your hair?"
Dean smiled. "Probably. She got me pretty good."
John smiled too, which was something Dean wasn't sure he had ever seen. At least not a genuinely happy smile. "You know, your mom and I, we used to joke with Danny and Shari that you and Meredith would grow up and get married someday. You liked her a lot more than you did Jason for some reason."
"Maybe that's why he dumped the cake on us at that birthday party." Dean said.
"You remember that?"
"Vaguely. We found some old pictures in the attic. Everyone thought the bathtub shots were particularly adorable."
"You were cute kids." John agreed.
"Well, yeah, but did you really have to put us in the bathtub together?" Dean asked.
"Easiest way to get you both clean." John said. "And you can blame your mother for that, by the way. It was her idea."
"Who took the pictures?" Dean countered. "Because Mom and Aunt Shari were both in them."
"Probably Danny."
"Uh-huh." Dean didn't buy it. The look on his father's face betrayed the fact that he had been the one to take the now infamous bathtub pictures. Knowing that was weirder than seeing his dad smile, because there was no way he could imagine John Winchester standing in the bathroom doorway taking pictures of his son and the neighbors' daughter taking a bath. It just didn't mesh with the image he had of his father even though he knew John had probably been much more likely to do something like that before Mary had died. "Can I ask you something?"
"If you've got a question, Dean, I think now would be a good time to ask it." John said. "You'll probably never get another chance."
"Meredith's been real curious about her family tree lately." Dean said. "And it's got me curious about ours."
"There's not much to ours."
"I know, and Sam and I have learned a lot over the years, but there's still one person we don't really know anything about."
"You want to know about your grandmother." John guessed.
Dean nodded. "I get why you never told us about your dad. He didn't abandon you, by the way. It was kind of our fault actually. Mine and Sam's."
"I know." John said. "I talked to him earlier."
"How'd that go?"
"Better than I thought it would when I saw him. I gotta say I was pretty mad when I realized you'd invited him." John admitted. "Couldn't figure out why in the hell you'd want him here until he came over and explained everything. Said he tried to get back to me, but you and Sammy needed him more."
"How come you never talked about Grandma?" Dean asked, getting the conversation back on track.
"I guess with everything else going on family history didn't seem like the most important thing to teach you."
Dean looked at him expectantly.
"Her name was Mildred." John finally said. "You're named after her."
"How?" Dean asked. "Last time I checked my name wasn't Mildred."
John chuckled. "Her maiden name was Ross."
"Mildred Ross Winchester." Dean said, making a mental note to see if he could find anything on her later. "Did she ever remarry after Henry popped out of our closet?"
John looked sad. "Not that I know of. There was a man that was sweet on her and always treated us real well, but she was convinced that my father would come back some day. His name was Alan Baker. After your mom died I pushed mine away. For all I know she did marry Mr. Baker."
"Do you know if she's still alive?"
"No, but I'm sure you'll figure it out." John said. "If you do find her could you tell her I'm sorry?"
Dean smiled softly. "Yeah."
John's gaze drifted back to the dance floor where Mary was still having a ball with Trevor and Kit. "That's one cute kid you got there, Dean."
Dean grinned proudly. "Well, she does take after her father."
"Who takes after her father?" Meredith asked as she came over with a half eaten chocolate chip cookie.
She helped herself to Dean's lap, and he helped himself to the other half of her cookie. "Kit."
Meredith ignored the fact that he had just stolen her cookie. "Well, she did get at least one thing from me."
"What?" Dean asked.
"She's a daddy's girl." Meredith said, smiling. She turned her attention to John. "She refuses to go to sleep unless Dean sings to her, and her face just lights up whenever she sees him. She's not real crazy about the fact that he has to work either. Or do anything that takes him away from her for any length of time."
"Dad, I was wrong. Sure Kit takes after me in the looks department, but everything else she got from her mother." Dean said and looked up at his wife. "She's gonna be a handful when she gets older, isn't she?"
Meredith swatted him lightly on the back of the head for implying that she was a handful. "Don't pretend you aren't looking forward to it."
"Of course I am." he smiled, kissed her, and then turned his attention back to his father. "So, what was Grandma like?"
"Happy." John said. "She was always happy. Even after my father disappeared she didn't stay sad for long. Strong-willed, confident, loved to crack jokes."
"Sounds a lot like someone I know." Meredith commented.
"Who?" Dean asked.
"You, darling."
John smiled, happy that Dean had found someone that made him so happy. "And she loved music. Patsy Cline was her favorite. She flirted a lot too, after Dad was gone, but she always put me first. She did whatever she had to do to make sure I was taken care of."
Meredith slipped her arm around Dean's shoulders and smiled at him. "Sounds like you have a lot in common with your grandmother."
"Yeah." he said, hoping she was still alive so he could meet her. "I guess I do."
%%%
"What's up, bitches?" Charlie asked in her usual perky demeanor as she approached Sam a few tables away from where Dean and Meredith sat talking with John and Mary while John bounced Kit lightly on his knee, looking very much like a proud grandfather, and Trevor hovered nearby.
"Charlie!" Sam said, jumping as if she had startled him. He stood up and greeted her with an awkward hug. Sure she had participated in the whole awkward garter situation earlier, but he hadn't really talked to her yet.
"Can I ask why you've been avoiding me the whole time?" she asked as she sat down.
"I got you killed, Charlie." he replied, feeling a fresh wave of guilt wash over him. He still wasn't over what had happened, and he didn't think he ever would be.
"Oh." Charlie said, her cheerful expression fading. "That. Right. Well, that's a stupid reason, Sam."
He blinked at her. "What?"
Charlie smiled at him. "It wasn't your fault."
"But I—"
She held up a hand to silence him. "All you did was ask me to help you find a way to help Dean. I didn't have to say yes. You didn't force me. I don't blame you for my death, Sam."
"Dean does."
"Well, Dean can stuff it." she retorted, making Sam smile a little. "I mean, did he really think I wouldn't do anything in my power to help him? Bobby's right. You two are idjits."
Sam's smile grew bigger at the last comment. "But you love us, right?"
Charlie grinned and hugged him. "Of course I do. And Dean's cured of the Mark now, and has this awesome happy life, so I didn't die for nothing."
"Tell Dean that."
"I will." she promised. "And I get to be with my mom again, so I'm really happy."
"Your Heaven's with your mom?" he asked.
She nodded. "Yep. We read Tolkien and play video games. It's awesome."
Sam smiled, happy that she was happy, and relieved that she wasn't mad at him. "So, we couldn't talk you into coming back?"
"Maybe for a visit." she said, smiling and looking over to the table where Dean was reaching out to ruffle Trevor's hair. "I mean, someone's gotta teach your kids the joys of gaming, right?"
"Right."
"What's that like?" she asked. "Being a father. He seems like a great kid."
"He is." Sam confirmed. "It's definitely different. We're still figuring things out. You know, the co-parenting and the soulmate thing. Brooke's mom hates me, and I'm living with Gabriel because Brooke and I aren't ready to move in together yet. We're not even dating."
"You're living with Gabriel?" Charlie asked. She'd met him earlier and talked to him for a while. She liked him, but she had read the books and knew about the history he shared with the Winchesters.
Sam nodded. "Next door to Brooke's mom. It's actually not so bad. I mean, it's Gabriel and I've walked into saran wrap across a doorway a couple of times and woke up with my hand in a bucket of warm water, but at least he's not killing anyone. As far as pranks go, so far living with Dean was worse."
"He looks just like you." Charlie said, nodding at Trevor.
Sam smiled. "Yeah. He's pretty excited about that."
"And I don't think I've ever seen Dean smile so much."
"Mere's been really good for him." Sam said. "With the Mark, and you dying, and everything else there were times when I thought he wasn't going to be able to pull through. He was pretty serious there at the end about letting Death send him God knows where to keep from hurting anyone, and he came really close to killing me to keep me from trying to find a way to save him. He didn't think he could be saved. And then he came back here, back to Mere. And she somehow managed to do what no one else has ever been able to come close to doing."
"She saved him." Charlie said.
"Literally." Sam said. "She and Claire actually saved us from Rowena when we went to rescue Cas and Crowley. They killed her."
"Good." Charlie said emphatically. "It was kind of cool working with a powerful witch, but it would've been much cooler if she was more like Glinda. Cool chick, by the way."
"Glinda?"
Charlie nodded. "Yep."
"Charlie," Sam said suddenly. "I know you don't blame me, but...I'm so sorry."
Charlie's soft smile was full of love. "I know. Heaven's great and all, but I really miss you guys."
"Talk to Cas about coming back." Sam told her. "We miss you too."
"Maybe for a visit." she repeated, knowing there was no reason for her to come back permanently. "And before I start crying I'm gonna go flirt with your not girlfriend if you don't mind."
Sam chuckled and smiled at her. "I don't think you'll get very far, but go ahead."
She gave him a big hug and went to go hang out with Brooke for a little while before she had a heart to heart with Dean.
About an hour later Gabriel announced that it was time for the last dance and good-byes, and the first notes of Stevie Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)" began to play. Everyone gathered on the dance floor, and Dean couldn't help but be amused at Bobby dancing with Ellen and Cas dancing with Jody. For two minutes and thirty-eight seconds everyone was happy and having fun, and Dean couldn't resist grinning happily when Meredith threw her arms around his neck, smiling and laughing, and gave him a big hug when the song ended. He lifted her off her feet and gave her a kiss.
"Aren't you glad I talked you into a more traditional wedding and reception?" she asked.
"It wasn't so bad." he replied as Pamela copped a feel as she passed behind him. He looked over and smiled at her, not surprised when she winked at him, and then turned his attention back to his wife. "Really I'm just glad Cas came up with the idea to do this. There were some rough patches, but it wasn't a disaster."
Meredith smiled as he finally set her back on her feet. "No. It wasn't a disaster. It was wonderful."
He didn't see who handed her over, but Kit ended up back in his arms, and he kissed her and pulled Meredith in for a one-armed hug. He knew it might not last forever, but right now his life was perfect.
I want to be this happy someday! And I have no idea where I'm going with Grandma Millie except that I'd really like for Mildred from Into The Mystic to turn out to be Millie Winchester if only to see Dean's face when he realizes his grandmother was hitting on him. Not to mention the fact that Dee Wallace really looks like she could be their grandmother. Obviously she isn't old enough, but this is Supernatural we're talking about. And of course Dean's gonna be curious about his own family with Meredith digging into hers. Anyway, last chapter tomorrow. I'm working on the next story, but it's probably gonna be a little while because I haven't actually started writing it yet. And it will be more case driven. Still a lot of family drama, but there will be actual things to hunt and people to save. ~SG
