I know it's been a long, long time since I've posted a chapter. I said I would not abandon this or my other story and I am standing by that. I'm hoping to update more so over the coming holidays. Hopefully some of you are still out there and interested! Enjoy :)

Grace eyes opened slowly. She tried to move, but winced. Her entire body ached. She turned her head to the left and saw Sam sitting next to her. He was reading something, she couldn't tell what.

"Sam." She whispered, a smile forming. Her throat was dry. He looked at her and shot to his feet. His lips turned into a grin and it made her feel better than she should. He leaned towards her and pushed her hair out of her face.

"Grace, you're awake." He murmured.

"Yeah, what happened?" Her mind was fuzzy, still not processing what was going on. She was not even aware of where she was.

Sam frowned, "We got in a car accident."

Then it came rushing back to her. Her mind jumped to John being possessed, Dean bleeding out while she tried to nurse him and then she woke up. She moved to sit up, even though Sam tried to stop her. She pushed through the pain she was feeling. An IV was in her arm, her abdomen felt the worst and her head wasn't too much better.

"Where's Dean?" Grace asked hastily.

Sam hesitated.

"And John? Sam answer me."

"Dad's fine," he paused, "Dean isn't doing too well. I just talked to the doctor and he's afraid Dean might not wake up." The words hit Grace hard. It was not an option that Dean didn't wake up.

"What's wrong?"

"There's internal damage and he's lost a lot of blood. The doctor is worried that fluid will build up in his skull. He's surprised that Dean's made it this long, but he's fighting." Sam explained.

Grace had become numb at some point. "I want to see him."

"Grace, you just woke up. You have a concussion and two broken ribs, you need to rest."

"Sam," Grace stared at him, not believing what she was going to say next, "I need to see him, okay. Can you just please help me? Get a nurse or a doctor, just help." She felt tears beginning to form and she was too tired to wipe them away.

Sam stared at her. He shrugged, "Alright, I'll get a nurse and we'll go together. Then we'll go see Dad." She nodded as Sam walked out of the room. She let out a shaky breath, not believing what was going on. Why was she so emotional? Crying even?

A nurse and Sam walked back into the room, an empty wheelchair accompanying them. Grace was grateful for Sam in that moment. "Hello Grace, I'm Liz, your nurse. Sam tells me you want to go see your brother?"

Grace stared, initially not understanding, but then she nodded.

Liz nodded slowly, "I think you should just stay in bed for a little while longer."

"I feel fine." Grace responded.

Liz nodded, "I understand that, but we just want to be sure that you are okay."

Grace clenched her jaw, "I'm getting up with or without your permission."

Liz nodded slowly, "Let me give you a quick once over and then I'll take you to see him."

Grace glanced back at Sam and he raised his eyebrows at her.

"Okay." Grace conceded.

OoOoOo

Sam slowly pushed her into Dean's hospital room. The pain she had experienced upon waking up had dulled. Her grip on the wheelchair tightened. Dean lay before her. It was strange because she had seen him sleeping dozens of times before this, but now it was different. Now there was a chance that he wouldn't wake up.

She stared at him for a long time, thoughts running through her mind rampantly. Sam and John were okay, and so was she. Why was Dean the one who wasn't? He held the group together and now he was probably not going to make it.

Grace let out a shaky laugh, "How fucked up is this?" She paused, "We're all okay Dean. I really need you to wake up because we have a lot to do. And we can't do it without you." Sam just stood there, giving her space.

She wanted to cry again, but she wasn't going to let herself. Instead she kept talking, "You know before I actually met you and Sam, I thought about meeting you guys all the time. What it would be like and if we would get along. I thought since I was so connected with John, we'd automatically get along. But at first you didn't like me, remember? And I thought you were kind of a jackass. But now we're friends. How strange is that?"

She let out a breath. She gently touched his hand, his skin warm against hers. "Dean…please wake up soon. If you don't I don't know what we'll do. I don't know what I'll do." Grace whispered. It was the thought that she might never argue with him again or see him awake and laughing that really got to her.

She looked back at Sam, "Let's go see John."

Sam nodded.

OoOoOo

John lay in his hospital bed, his arm in a sling. He was a little bruised up but from aside that he looked perfectly okay. He smiled when he saw Grace, but he was worried. She felt a little strange seeing him now since the last time he was possessed. She hadn't focused on him at all once Dean began bleeding. She shook the thoughts away.

"Hey Gracie."

"Hey old man, they treating you well?" She teased.

He chuckled, "I'm fine. You sure you should be up and about?" John asked, letting his paternal instinct show through.

"Technically I'm rolling around and the nurse cleared me. I think I heard her say something about insurance though."

John awkwardly leant over and grabbed his wallet off the table beside his bed. "Give them my insurance." Sam took the card from him.

Sam read it over and grinned, "Elroy McGillicutty?"

John kept his smile, "And his three loving children. So, what else did the doctor have to say? Any word about Dean?"

Grace looked at Sam. She wondered how much John knew, because he didn't seem too worried. "Nothing. Look. The doctors won't do anything, then we'll have to, that's all. I don't know, I'll find some hoodoo priest and lay some mojo on him." Sam was grasping at straws.

"We'll look for someone." John didn't sound all too convincing.

"Yeah."

"But Sam, I don't know if we're gonna find anyone." John told the truth. Finding someone to deal so easily with life and death was not easy. Especially since the Winchesters were so involved with the yellow eyed demon.

"Why not? I found that faith healer before." Sam pointed out.

"All right, that was, that was one in a million." John said. Grace frowned. The situation was looking bleak.

"So what? Do we just sit here with our thumbs up our ass?" Sam started to get emotional.

"No, I said we'd look. All right? I'll check under every stone." John paused, "Where's the colt?"

Sam gave his father a look that could kill. Grace stared at him, "Your son is dying, and you're worried about the colt?" She was sickened by his concern for that gun. It had gotten them in enough trouble since they found the damn thing and it was still all John cared about.

"We're hunting this demon, and maybe it's hunting us too. That gun may be our only card." John argued.

Sam frowned, but answered, "It's in the trunk. They dragged the car to a yard off of I-83."

"All right. You've gotta clean out that trunk before some junk man sees what's inside." John ordered.

"I already called Bobby. He's like an hour out, he's gonna tow the Impala back to his place." Sam explained. At the mention of Bobby, Grace tensed. She hadn't even talked to him yet. She felt guilty that he had not even crossed her mind.

"Does he know I'm okay?" She looked up to Sam.

"Yeah. It took a hell of a long time to convince him not to come down here." Grace smiled at that.

"I'll call him soon to let him know I'm alright." Grace murmured, not really feeling that okay.

John nodded and then looked at Sam, "All right. You go meet up with Bobby, get that colt, and you bring it back to me. And you watch out for hospital security."

"I think I've got it covered." Sam said confidently.

John nodded and then picked up a sheet of paper that was near his wallet.

"Here. I made a list of things I need, have Bobby pick them up for me."

Sam grabbed the paper and skimmed it. Grace watched his expression change. "Acacia? Oil of Abramelin? What's this stuff for?" Sam questioned. Grace knew immediately. She turned to look at John to see what lie he was going to come up with now.

"Protection." John responded.

Sam was ready to leave, but asked, "Hey, Dad? You know, the demon, he said he had plans for me, and children like me. Do you have any idea what he meant by that?"

"No, I don't." John responded.

Sam nodded. He turned to Grace and put his hand on her arm, "You'll be okay?" He asked softly. She appreciated Sam's nurturing nature and his sensitivity.

"Yeah, thanks Sam." She smiled.

Without another word Sam left. Grace stared at John until he looked at her. She raised her eyebrow at him. There was never a dull moment with this group of men. "He's going to find out and he won't be happy. Just like I'm not." Grace bit out, her voice dangerously low.

"It's not up for discussion." John responded.

"Why are you summoning it?" Grace asked.

John shook his head, "It's our only shot."

"Fine." Grace disagreed and started to wheel herself out of the room. John was only upsetting her and she would rather rest and recuperate then further stress herself out.

"Gracie, did you see him? Dean?" John asked.

She let out a breath, "Of course I did, but I'm going to guess you assumed that." She thought back to what the demon had said. John was more sure about her feelings for Dean than he had let on. At this rate everyone in the world knew except Dean.

"Dean's a lucky man." John said.

Grace flushed, "Yeah, lying in a hospital bed, dying. He won the lottery on this one." She was deflecting.

"That's not what I mean. He's lucky to have you."

"He doesn't have me. We're friends. If Sam were in Dean's position I would be just as worried." Grace lied through her teeth, but it was a moot point.

"You'll look out for each other?" John asked.

"John."

"Promise me."

"Yes."

She left the room without another word, too exhausted to talk anymore.

OoOoOo

Grace awoke with a start. Sweat drenched her body as she breathed unevenly. She had gone back to her room after speaking with John and taken a nap in hopes of feeling better when she woke up. Instead she felt sick to her stomach.

In her dream she looked a little older and she felt completely alone. Bobby was gone, so were Sam and Dean, John as well. She was just walking through a house all alone looking for them. She walked down a long hallway; it struck her that it was the house she had grown up in with her parents. There was an empty cradle in the middle of the room. Grace felt a sense of urgency in the dream as she went over to the cradle, only to find no baby.

Now that she was awake she felt like she was crawling in her skin. She wanted her clothes, she wanted to shower and eat something. She was sick of the light blue hospital gown they had put her in. She hit the call button beside her.

Liz came into the room almost immediately. "When can I leave?" Grace asked pointedly.

Liz smiled gently, "By tomorrow morning. We just want to make sure that you're good to go."

Grace nodded slowly, "Can I change clothes?"

"I'm afraid not. While admitted you have to wear the gown." Liz was incredibly sweet, even though Grace was feeling the exact opposite.

Grace was about to say something else when Sam came running into the room. He looked panicked and his eyes were teary. Liz looked between the two of them, smiled politely once more and left the room without another word.

"Sam?"

"I have a plan." Sam said as he helped Grace up and into the wheelchair that was beside her bed. She noticed a brown paper bag under his arm.

"What's going on?" She asked, imagining the worst.

"Just hold on, two minutes." Sam offered no explanation.

"Did you see Bobby?" Grace tried as Sam began to lead her out of the room.

"Yes, you didn't call him yet." Sam muttered.

"I'm getting to it." Grace muttered.

OoOoOo

Sam moved her to sit at a table at the foot of Dean's bed. He looked exactly the same, his breathing was even and his color normal. Her stare lingered a little longer and then she turned to Sam. He had set the bag on the table between them and took a seat.

"What's going on?" She asked again.

Sam took a breath, "Before I tell you, I have a question."

"Okay, shoot." She tried to be patient.

"Did you know that Dad was trying to summon the demon?" Sam looked her squarely in the eyes. She couldn't lie, not to him.

"Yeah I did."

"You weren't going to tell me?" Sam asked.

"Would it have made a difference?" Grace countered.

Sam shook his head, "I guess not."

"I'm sorry Sam. But can you please tell me what's going on." Grace was at a loss.

Sam nodded, "While Dad and I were talking, Dean stopped breathing," he paused. Grace hated her reaction because her eyes widened and she looked at Dean, making it all the more obvious.

"And?" She asked hurriedly.

"I thought he was going to die and then all of a sudden he started breathing again, and I felt him in the room. It was like he was standing there with me." Sam continued to explain.

Grace asked, "Like his spirit?" She knew she sounded skeptical, but she couldn't help it.

Sam nodded, "And if that's not enough, Dad and I were fighting this morning and suddenly, out of thin air a glass flew off the table and broke."

"He didn't want you two fighting." Grace connected the dots and ignored the fact that John and Sam were at it again.

Sam nodded and smiled, "Exactly. So I went and picked up something that I thought would help."

"Well you've been busy today Sam." Grace smiled.

Sam rolled his eyes as he pulled a Ouji board out of the bag. He set it on the table and put the bag on the floor. Grace stared at it and then laughed outright. She had never used one personally, but she had heard they had their uses.

"You think this is going to work?" She asked skeptically.

"Guess we'll find out." Sam gave her a quick grin.

"Dean? Dean, are you here?" Sam called out. Sam's fingers were steady on the wooden triangle that would hopefully convey Dean's responses. Grace watched eagerly. She couldn't control her grin when the pointer slowly moved to "YES" on the board. Sam let out a relieved chuckle.

"It's good to hear from you, man. It hasn't been the same without you, Dean." Sam murmured.

"I'll be damned." Grace said in complete awe. She had seen demons and vampires yet the Ouji board surprised her. They both watched as the pointer began to move to more letters.

"Dean, what? H? U? Hunt? Hunting? What, are you hunting?" Sam asked.

The pointer slid back to "YES"

"It's in the hospital, what you're hunting? Do, do you know what it is?" Sam rushed out.

"Slow down Sam." Grace chided.

Sam sighed, "Okay, what is it?"
The pointer slid again to the letters: R, E, A, P.

Grace paled, "A reaper? Dean, is it after you?"

The pointer slid to "YES".
Sam frowned, "If it's here naturally, there's no way to stop it.

Grace muttered, "Sam, this isn't good. If he's marked for death there isn't a way around it." It was like another blow to the stomach.

Sam shook his head, "There's gotta be a way. Dad'll know what to do. I'll go talk to him, are you good here?"
Grace nodded, "Yeah, go ahead." Sam nodded quickly and left the room leaving her alone with the board and Dean. She wondered where he was in the room, if he were still there.

"Dean, are you here still?"

The pointer slid to "YES".

She chuckled. "Did you hear what I said to you this morning?" She hoped not. It was too personal and embarrassing.

The pointer unfortunately slid to "YES".

"Did you hear John and I?" She prayed not.

The pointer didn't move right away, but it slid to "NO".

"Are you telling me the truth?" She asked to be sure.

The pointer slid to "YES".

She bit her lip; "We'll get you out of this. I'm getting discharged tomorrow so I'll be able to help Sam a little bit more. I'll talk to you soon, okay?"

The pointer slid to "YES".

Grace laughed, "This will be the easiest conversation we ever have because you can't argue with me. Be careful Dean."

She just hoped they could help him.

OoOoOo

Grace turned over restlessly and glanced at the clock on the wall. It was midnight. She had been in her room for the last five hours with no word from John or Sam. She had called and texted of course with no response. She had gone to John's room earlier but she was not there. There was a pit in her stomach, a feeling she couldn't shake. Her mind would not slow down as thoughts of Dean ran rampantly. She was not one to pray, but she found herself doing just that.

Her phone vibrated beside her causing her heart to jolt. She answered hastily thinking it would be Sam or John. Instead Nora's shrill voice rang through her ears.

"Grace Bradley!" Nora shouted.

Grace closed her eyes and sighed, "Nora…hey, I am so sorry-" Grace could not even finish her sentence.

"Sorry? Sorry? I get a phone call from Bobby, who was inconsolable by the way, saying that you are in a hospital bed! He thought you were going to die! And I didn't know what to think!" Nora didn't take a breath.

Grace bit her lip because she almost laughed. Instead she cleared her throat, "Nora I'm fine, I have a concussion. Well they say I have a concussion, I'm not sure I believe them." Grace tried to make light of the situation.

"That's not funny."

Grace's smile fell, "I know," she paused, "Dean's in pretty bad shape. And I'm afraid John is going to do something he can't take back."

Grace imagined Nora shaking her head. "Grace, damn it, I'm all for the Winchesters but you are my family."

Grace felt her throat tighten, "I know. You're mine too. But I'm okay. I've been up and moving around and I have gotten some sleep too."

Nora grunted in response, not convinced.

"Remember when we went on that hunt in Texas? How bad I got hurt?"

"Yes? How is that helping?" Nora asked, frustrated.

"I'm not anywhere close to that. I have a minor concussion and a few broken ribs. That's all. I promise."

There was a silence amongst them. Grace waited for a response. Nora tried not to be emotional or act like she was too attached, but Grace knew otherwise.

Nora let out a groan and Grace smiled.

"Tell me what's happening with the Winchesters." Nora conceded.

Grace couldn't believe how much she began to share.

OoOoOo

Grace felt like herself again. She wore a black t-shirt and jeans with her old pair of converse. Her hair was clean and fell in loose waves around her face, she even put on a little bit of makeup. She was actually happy. After talking with Nora the night before and the news she had received today, things were turning around. At around nine in the morning, the nurse had come into her room informing her that she could be discharged. And Sam had texted her that Dean was awake. She felt better that they could all leave the hospital.

Grace glanced back at the hospital room and then made her way down the busy hallway and into John's room. She tapped on the doorframe before she walked in. John lay in his bed, dark circles under his eyes but his smile was bright.

"You still mad at me?" John asked, slightly teasing. He was dressed normally as well and looked ready to go.

Grace sat on the edge of the bed and huffed, "I guess not."

"Good," he gave her a once over, "You look ready to go."

Grace nodded, "Yeah I am. Listen John, I know the last few days have been a mess, but I'm really happy we're all okay."

John nodded, "Me too. I'm really proud of you Gracie."

"Don't." She flushed.

He shook his head, "I'm serious. I never praised you enough, but ever since you were a kid you were something special. Thank you for looking out for my boys too, both of them. Keep that up will you."

Grace frowned, "John?"

He shook his head and kissed her forehead, "No, come on let's go see Dean."

Grace was weary of their interaction, but she was ready to see Dean up and about. She nodded and stood up. She hooked her arm through John's and they walked down the hall side by side. Grace knocked on the doorframe and walked in. Sam and Dean had been mid conversation but they stopped talking.

"How you feeling, dude?" John asked.

Dean smiled at Grace and looked at John, "Fine, I guess. I'm alive."

"That's what matters." John said.

"You remember anything?" Grace asked. She had mixed feelings on whether or not she wanted him to, but maybe it was for the best he didn't.

"No. I remember bleeding in the backseat and…" he paused, "That's it."

Grace nodded, "Probably best that way." Dean stared at her and Grace felt uncomfortable by his scrutiny. She had thought of the way he felt in her arms, his body heavy against her and his warm blood pooling onto her. A brief flash of talking to his unconscious form struck her, but she shook it away.

Sam glared at John, "Where were you last night?" Grace turned to John. She hadn't known that he had been anywhere but his room.

"I had some things to take care of." John said cynically.

"Well, that's specific." Sam responded dryly.

"Come on, Sam." Dean sounded tired.

"Did you go after the demon?" Sam kept on.

"No." John gruffly responded. Grace glanced at him.

"You know, why don't I believe you right now?"

John took a breath and said, "Can we not fight? You know, half the time we're fighting, I don't know what we're fighting about. We're just butting heads. Sammy, I, I've made some mistakes. But I've always done the best I could. I just don't want to fight anymore, okay?"

Grace's stomach tightened. She had never really heard John talk to Sam like this before. According to the looks on Sam and Dean's faces they weren't prepared for the sentiment either.

"Dad, are you all right?" Sam asked, now sounding concerned.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm just a little tired. Hey, son, would you, uh, would you mind getting me a cup of caffeine?" He asked Sam.

"Yeah. Yeah, sure." Sam said and left the room.

Grace suddenly felt the exhaustion of the day. She squeezed John's hand, "I'll go help Sam."

She hugged him. She wasn't sure if he really interacted with the demon or not, but she had a feeling and it was not good. John squeezed her tightly, causing her to wince. She kissed his cheek, "I love you." She said it so quietly that Dean couldn't even hear her. She had never told John she loved him, or Bobby for that matter.

John whispered, "I love you too. Remember what I said. He needs you."

Grace reddened. She glanced back at Dean who was watching the scene before him in utter confusion. Grace just nodded and left the room. She felt like she could cry, but she was not sure why.

She walked down the hallway, kind of in a daze. Her nurse, Liz gave her a small wave but Grace could only nod in reply. The doctors and nurses passed her in a rush. She felt immensely sad. Since meeting up with John and hunting all together, finding him, being in the hospital. It was more than she bargained for and she wasn't sure she was cut out for all of it.

She walked down a flight of stairs to the cafeteria and saw Sam standing at a coffee machine. She watched him briefly and then walked over to him. "Need any help?" She asked as she grabbed a cup for herself. She clicked a button for decaf and watched the cheap coffee drip into the Styrofoam.

Sam chuckled, "No I don't. Did you get booted out too?"

Grace shrugged, "No and you weren't booted out."

Sam rolled his eyes, "So, uh Dean doesn't remember anything."

"I heard."

Sam continued, "You two…"

"Sam, let's just not today. Any other day I could do it, but right now I can't." Grace said as gently as she could.

Sam frowned, "He feels the same."

"Sam…" she took a breath, "Come on let's go back. They're probably wondering what's taking so long."

They walked in silence. Grace sipped her coffee and thought about what Sam said. Dean couldn't possibly feel anything similar. Hell, it took him nearly dying for her to realize that she wanted him.

They walked up the stairs and down the hall. And then everything changed. Sam stopped in a doorway to a hospital room. Grace heard Sam yell and when she looked over she ran to Sam's side.

John was on the floor, not breathing or moving. His skin was still warm, which gave Grace a false sense of hope. Grace yelled for help, tears falling onto John's shirt. He had been saying goodbye, this whole time. He had gone and seen the demon and he traded himself for Dean. How could she not have seen it?
Nurses and doctors crowd into the room and push Sam and Grace out of the way. They move John to the bed and begin to try and resuscitate him. Grace didn't even notice Dean had come and stood beside them. A nurse tried to move them out of the doorway, but Dean was the first to resist.

"No, no, no, it's our dad. It's our dad!" Dean pleaded. Grace couldn't look away. John Winchester was dead, his body was right before her. She squeezed Dean's hand out of fear, not comfort. She couldn't take her eyes away from the scene before her.

"Okay, stop compressions." One of the doctors said. Grace was bothered by how indifferent he sounds.

"Come on, come on." Dean muttered.

"Still no pulse." A nurse responded.

"Okay, that's it everybody. I'll call it. Time of death: 10:41 am." The doctor announced. A nurse scribbled the time down on a clipboard.

Grace thought she was going to be sick. The tears in her eyes were coming down in silent streams. She couldn't move. This man who saved her and raised her was gone. And for the last two days he had been dropping hints that he was leaving. He knew all along.

"Come on Gracie." Dean pulled her out of the doorway and brought her closer to the wall of the hallway. He hugged her tightly to his chest. She wasn't sure if it was to comfort her or himself.

They stood there for what seemed like hours.

Grace didn't stop crying.

OoOoOo

Grace dealt with death differently than others did. After her parents died she was quiet and withdrawn for a long time. There were just no words when death struck. She felt the loss deeply and with John Winchester it was no different.

She had no desire to watch his body burn. Instead she sat on the back steps of her home with Bobby and watched the flames and ash from afar. She had a small glass of whiskey, just to take the edge off. When they had gotten home she showered, cried, and then she sat in her room. The whole day seemed like a horrible dream. It was only within the last half hour that Grace had moved outside. She thought fresh air would do her good.

The screen door creaked open and then slammed shut. She didn't even look back as Bobby rubbed her back gently, "How ya doin?"

"I don't know." She stared ahead.

Bobby nodded. It broke his heart seeing Grace like this. She saw smoke start to rise from just past the tree line. She had told Sam earlier that she didn't want to watch. Maybe it was selfish, but she wasn't ready to say goodbye. And watching John's body burn just seemed too final.

Grace stood up and let out a breath, "I don't know what to do now."

Bobby cleared his throat, "Get some rest. We'll regroup later."

Grace nodded and was about to make her way inside. She turned towards Bobby and said, "I'm sorry I didn't call. I'll do better," she took a breath, "I love you Bobby, thank you for everything you've done for me." She saw Bobby's eyebrows rise, but did not stay to hear what his response would be.

Instead she made her way upstairs in a daze.

OoOoOo

She awoke with a start to the sound of glass breaking. Grace slowly got out of bed and rubbed her eyes. She wore a tank top and shorts, nothing fancy. She was surprised how easy sleep had come to her, but she remained restless.

The light hurt her eyes as she made her way downstairs towards the kitchen. To her surprise Dean was in the leaning against the countertop. His head was in his hands. Grace leant in the doorway, watching him. His shoulders shook and she knew she was witnessing a personal, private moment. He hadn't even changed clothes from this afternoon.

Grace shook her head slowly as she made her way over to the broken glass. She leant down and began to pick up the pieces. Dean looked down at her and cleared his throat.

"I'll get that." He whispered.

"I've got it." Grace murmured as she tossed the pieces of glass into the bin beside them.

She crossed her arms and leant against the counter. Dean poured some more whiskey and knocked it back in one gulp. He exhaled roughly and set the glass down. He poured another one, but before he could drink it, Grace put her hand on his and lowered it. He stared down at the counter top and closed his eyes. She could smell the alcohol and the familiar smell that a fire emits. She kept her hand there and stayed quiet.

"He's gone." Dean muttered brokenly.

"I know." Grace tilted her head and looked at him.

His thumb traced circles on Grace's hand. His skin was rough compared to hers, but his touch was gentle. Her body warmed and she looked up at him. His eyes met hers and her stomach tightened. Just by the look he gave her she suddenly felt not alone. If anyone understood her, how she felt, it was him.

"He loved you Dean. And he was proud." Grace spoke with conviction and sincerity. She believed that to be the absolute truth. Dean stared down at her, and without thinking any further, he kissed her.

Grace still had her eyes open, but as soon as Dean's hands moved to her waist and pulled her closer to him, she relaxed and gave in. It was in that moment she realized she wanted Dean. She had been confused about her feelings for him, but something about the way it felt to be in his arms provided her with clarity. In this moment, she realized it was much more. Her inexperience didn't halt her as she often thought it would.

Dean's lips were soft and warm against hers, his taste inviting. She pushed closer to him and let out a soft breath. Her arms wrapped around him, it was as if she couldn't get close enough to him. His arms were strong around her. Dean's tongue slipped over hers. Grace felt a rush of intense lust.

Dean stopped and rested his forehead against Grace's. "I'm sorry." Dean whispered.

Grace shook her head and looked at him, "Don't be."

"We can't do this."

"Do what? Kiss?"

"I don't want to just kiss you right now." Dean spoke softly.

Grace's cheeks flushed. Excitement made her heady as she looked at Dean. "I don't want you to either."

Dean took a step back, "I told him I'd look after you and I'm doing the exact opposite." Dean suddenly turned bitter. He turned away from Grace and took the glass of whiskey. He drank it too fast for Grace to attempt to stop him.

Grace bit her lip, "I'm sorry. I'll see you tomorrow." As she turned away, embarrassed, his hand grabbed her wrist and he pulled her back.

"Can I stay with you tonight?" Dean looked at her. And while Dean asked the question, Grace instantly knew that she would not be able to say no.

"Yes, but only after you shower and change your clothes." She didn't want to sleep next to Dean with him smelling like the fire that burned John. Dean nodded, understanding her reasons.

They walked upstairs quietly. Grace sat on the edge of her bed as Dean walked into his room. He grabbed a change of clothes and then followed Grace to her bedroom. "I'll be out in a minute." Dean said softly.

Grace nodded. As soon as he closed the door to the bathroom, she exhaled and lay back on the bed. Her heart beat fast. What were they doing? She feared Dean would walk into her room, laugh, and leave. She tried to tell herself this was all being done out of grief. She was finding comfort in Dean and he was finding comfort in her.

Suddenly, he walked out of the bathroom, over to the bed and got under the covers. His hair was still wet and portions of his body were not completely dry. He motioned for Grace to follow suit without a word. In stunned silence she laid underneath the covers like she had done hundreds of times before. He effortlessly pulled her into his arms. Grace relished his warmth and felt like her skin must be burning his. She could feel his breath on her neck. Their bodies fit perfectly. Grace slid her hand over Dean's and held it over her stomach. She wasn't sure how long they laid there together in the most comfortable silence. Once her body relaxed, she began to think about John and his death. What did his loss mean? She didn't feel like she could keep hunting, not right away.

"He told me that I might have to kill Sam." Dean said it so softly Grace was sure she misheard. She tensed.

She rolled over and faced him, "What?"

"He said I had to watch out for him, save him. If I didn't I might have to kill him." Dean explained.

Grace couldn't imagine that Dean would ever be capable of something like that. She was shocked that John would even ask something that of her. She twisted her head back to look at Dean.

"Any idea why?"

Dean looked at her, "Maybe it's something with what the demon said. I don't know. But I'm not losing Sammy."

"We'll figure it out." Grace whispered.

She kissed him gently and swiftly; short enough so he wouldn't have a chance to pull away. Dean wrapped his arms around her more tightly. Grace closed her eyes and tried to relax.

"Gracie I'm so tired."

"I know Dean."

"I just…." Dean trailed off.

"Don't Dean, it's okay. Just for tonight sleep and we can talk about this later." She spoke soothingly.

"Thank you."