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That night Sam's nightmares started.

I knew they were bound to haunt him sooner or later, I just hadn't expected it to be so soon.

I didn't wake from screams or cries of pain in the middle of the night, but of the restlessness of the body beside me. Invisible waves of terror radiated off Sam's body and woke me from the deepest sleep I had had in a long time.

I propped myself up on one elbow and looked at my fiancé. Even in the dimness of the night, I saw the unknown terrors and agony in his eyes, sensed the rigidness of his body as sat up beside me.

"Sam…" Cautiously I reached out a hand and gently laid it on his arm.

"Just go back to sleep. I'm fine."

I flinched at the coldness in his voice. I had so hoped to never hear it again. "Honey…"

He shrugged off my hand and stood up, noiselessly moving through the darkness as was his hunter's nature. Quietly the door clicked twice, once when opened and once when it fell back into its lock. Even the nightly hustle of the city that crept through the walls couldn't fill the silence that followed.

I pushed off the covers, shivering slightly as the cool air bit my naked skin and followed Sam.

My living room laid in darkness, the furniture only black outlines. Amidst them, standing in front of the window, a huge shadow staring out onto the same Bay that we had this afternoon gazed lazily upon.

I shivered again, not quite able to determine whether the coldness came from within or from around me. Sam didn't move, didn't even turn his head as I approached him. I laid a hand on his shoulder and flinched when I felt his muscles tense dismissively, almost hostile, as if he couldn't bear the touch. Despite the snowball forming in my heart at that, I kept my hand where it was and stood next to him. I decided to say nothing but waited for him to speak first.

"It's only going to get worse, Ral."

I almost flinched at the shattered strength in his voice, the despair and bitterness. "Tell me what I can do."

"There's nothing you can do," Sam nearly hissed, "You weren't down there, Rachel, you didn't see what I saw, what I suffered for decade after decade."

I had only caught a glimpse, once, when Castiel had read my soul; it had been enough to make me crumble. If Sam's soul really remembered everything from the year it had spent in the Devil's Cage… I blinked away a tear. I would have liked to offer comforting words, or anything to ease his pain: but I couldn't. Because there was nothing I could do or say that would help Sam.

So I went with the only option I had left: I stayed with him, waited for the bloody aftertaste of his nightmares to wear off enough as that I could say something without stepping on a landmine that dug deeper into his wounds.

It took two hours.

After the first, I dared to carefully snake my arms around his waist, which he let happen. After another thirty minutes he hugged me in return.

At four in the morning, he finally spoke again.

"You're freezing, Rachel."

I let out an inner sigh of relief at the warmth and care in his voice.

"Let's get back to bed." Sam could even muster up a smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes.

He took me into his arms, his body warmed mine more than the covers could ever have, and I dozed off into a frail state of sleep. I would have woken within the fraction of a second had Sam shown signs of nightmares again, ready to hold him and wait for his pain to pass.

The rest of the night passed uneventful, though; I never figured out whether it was because Sam slept dreamlessly or because he never fell back asleep.

Sometime during the night or early morning, he must have stood up again, because when I opened my eyes, I found him leaning against the headrest and Hazel sleeping peacefully in his arm.

My heart gave a joyful jump at this scene; it finally got what it had always craved. A family. So I hadn't quite gotten it the usual way, nor was it really an ordinary family, but that wasn't what mattered, anyways.

"She squints her eyes the same way you do when you sleep," Sam noted amusedly as way of 'good morning'.

"I do not."

"Do, too. And you call out my name."

"I most certainly do not."

"I'll record it next time."

"If that's the only thing you record of what happens behind closed bedroom doors…" I grinned and trailed kisses up his chest provocatively.

"Whoa, hey, Rachel, not in front of the baby." Sam grabbed my hand that had snuck down his firm abdomen. From the look on his face I could tell he wasn't disinclined for a little 'tête-à-tête' but with his soul, his morals had returned, too, which included no sex while the daughter was in the same room.

"Prude," I teased and hopped out from under the covers. "Should you decide to trust your brother with our daughter for a while, I'll be in the shower."

Seductively slowly, I stripped out of my shirt and shorts before I stepped into the bathroom.

"You're a terrible tease, Rachel, anybody ever tell you that?" Sam called after me.

"If you weren't so stuck up, I wouldn't have to resort to these means," I grinned and stuck my head through the door. "So, I'm going to shower now. If you're lucky, I'll wait with the soaping."

I smiled at the groaning grunt next-door. I didn't have to wait long; one minute later, Sam's arms snaked around my naked waist from behind, his lips placing hot kisses all over my body.

Burying my hands in Sam's wet hair and kissing drops of water from his lips, it occurred to me that this was our first shower together. Now I know that sounded like no big deal, but it kind of turned the spotlight on the fact that, neutrally observed, Sam and I really based our relationship - our engagement - on a few years of loose friendship at college (which seemed ages ago) and some weeks during which Sam inconveniently lacked his soul.

The imprint on our souls was broken, we weren't 'heavenly connected' or anything of that sort. So, yeah, it was crazy as hell that we were headed off to a future together.

But soul mates or not, this was right. One of the perks of love was that it didn't have to be rational.

"Stop thinking so much. There isn't a rational explanation for everything," Sam mumbled as he pressed a kiss to the very sensitive spot behind my ear.

"Out of my head, now."

"Oh, sweetheart, I'm not reading thoughts. You're just doing that adorable pout of your lips that tells me you can't figure something out."

I smiled to myself; in the end, it didn't matter how long someone knew you, it's how well they knew you that mattered. "I think you missed your calling, Sam. You'd have made a great psychoanalyst or psychiatrist."

Sam laughed. "Yeah, not so much. Usually, I'm on the other side of the couch."

When we dried off half an hour later, I debated whether to bring up last night or not. Since Sam seemed to be in a good moment at the moment, I decided I wouldn't.

'There's the slight possibility this was a one-time thing,' I thought, though I wasn't able to convince even myself, which showed just how believable that possibility was. I might as well believe in the Easter bunny.

"You know, you two really should work on your parental instincts," Dean greeted us. He sat at the kitchen table, Hazel on his arm, eating some fatty, carb-overloaded diner breakfast that would make his cholesterol level shoot through the roof. "I could have taken off with your daughter while you were in the shower working on a sibling for Hazel and you wouldn't even have noticed."

"I so appreciate your respect of our privacy."

"You said yes to being part of this family," Dean grinned as he handed my daughter back to me.

I maturely stuck my tongue out at him. After I'd poked at the food and swallowed a few bites of greasy sausage, my stomach revolted and refused digesting just one more bite of artery-clogging food.

"Talking about family…" I started. I hadn't been able to talk about it yesterday, but now I wanted to get it out so I could close that chapter of my life once and for all. "Before you killed the angels, I mean that night it all ended – or started, or whatever – they told me something about my family. Or rather, families."

The brothers looked at me curiously, though with a wary edge, like a hawk hovering over its prey.

"Turns out I was adopted. The good news about that would be that I can honestly say I have no genetic connection to those SOBs. The bad news is that I don't know what I'm throwing into the mix, what I'm passing on to Hazel," I looked at Sam as I said that last part, to make sure he'd understand I was referring to his question last night. Then I looked at Hazel and back at Sam and Dean: "The angel said I carried on a 'useful bloodline', though it's highly diluted. Whatever that means. Anyways, I just wanted to get that out in the open."

A short silence filled the room, only Hazel's happy gurgles were to be heard as I absent-mindedly softly rocked her on my arm.

"You want me to find them?"

"What?" I looked at Sam as if he'd just suggested I die my hair pink.

"I can hack into any adoption register, maybe we'd find your biological parents."

I was about to refuse when Hazel grabbed my forefinger like she always did, and as I watched her yawn and close her eyes, it occurred to me that this might be the only chance she had at having grandparents. "I…"

On the other hand, I didn't want to meet them. "Damn it, I don't know."

"You know, Ral, this is nothing you've got to decide here and now."

"Yes, it is, because if I don't do it now, I'll drag this on with me forever." I took a deep breath, "So: Thanks for offering, Sam, really. But I don't want to know them."

"Not to intrude, Rachel, but your biological parents might be the only grandparents Hazel has. Now I'm not saying she'll miss anything growing up without, but maybe it's something she'd like," Dean cautiously threw in.

"Don't you think I know that?" I replied weakly, "But they didn't want me back then, why would they want me now, or a granddaughter for that matter?"

"You know, Ral, there are many possible reasons why they could have decided to give you up for adoption." Sam took my cold hand in his. "Apart from that, they're the only ones who might have answers."

"I know, I know. It's just that… I don't want to hope and then have it dissolve into nothingness again; that they're dead, locked up in some prison for double-homicide, or that they want nothing to do with their daughter who suddenly shows up after 27 years. I've had enough of family drama. Besides… they have never been part of my life so far, why should I need them now? I have found my family. I neither want nor need my parents to be a part of it."

"Okay." Sam nodded and kissed the sensitive inside of my wrist. That simple word combined with that simple sign of affection was enough to assure me he'd back me up whatever my decision was. He trusted me to make the right one.

Sam cared about me alone, not my shady background or lack thereof.

Unconditional love felt…strange. The good kind of strange. The 'I won the lottery' good kind of strange.

"Name a state."

"What?" I asked, again with an expression on my face as if this time, Sam had suggested I die my hair blue instead.

A mischievous grin played around Sam's lips. "Humour me."

I looked at Dean, hoping he could tell me what had gotten into his brother, but he looked even more clueless than I did. In fact, the look on his face implied he thought his brother ought to get a padded room.

"Okay, um… Tennessee?"

"Alright."

"Sam, what the-"

"Nothing."

I shook my head. I knew when I'd lost a case. "I've got to go out and make a few arrangements, but I suppose we can leave by tomorrow."

"So soon?"

"Yeah, well, nothing's really keeping us here. I mean, I bought this apartment fully furnished, and I'm going to engage a real estate agent who'll take care of the sale for me, I'm in no rush to quit since I'm on paid leave, anyhow, and I think the sooner we'll be out of here the better."

"And where are we going exactly?"

"Wherever the road takes us, I guess, until we figure out something more permanent," I smiled, "Anyhow, I'll be just a few hours."

I got up and carefully handed Hazel to Sam and kissed her forehead. "You be good, sweetie." I kissed Sam. "You, too."

"I'll try me best," He chuckled. When I saw him like that, it was almost as if the Sam who'd taken two hours to recover from his nightmares had been just a nightmare of my own.

0o0

"I thought Rachel said she didn't want have anything to do with her parents," Dean commented as he caught Sam researching in the database of some adoption agency.

"Yes, but she didn't explicitly forbid me to look for them."

"Sam…" Dean said warningly. He was determined not to let his brother slip onto the 'keeping secrets' line again. You should think he'd have learned how much secrets destroyed.

"Just curious. I'm not going to meet them. Even though I'd really like to, to tell them what the hell they were thinking giving Rachel up and giving her to that crazy-ass family."

"You know, Sam, if Rachel weren't so stubborn and had a heart of gold, your own daughter might be in an adoptive family right now, too."

Sam flinched ever so slightly. "Thanks for pointing that out, Dean."

"I'm not blaming you, I mean you didn't even know about Hazel. I'm just saying that maybe Rachel was right and we should just let it be. She doesn't even want to know about them, Sam! And I don't think you're doing yourself a favour by going behind her back."

"I'm not… going behind her back, I'm just…"

"Sam, you're building something here. Let sleeping monsters rest."

The younger Winchester stared at the laptop screen for a moment, before he raised his eyes to his brother. "I'm just concerned what her bloodline might mean for Hazel. And for Rachel."

"Suppose you find out Rachel's carrying on a destiny-loaded bloodline like ours, which, combined with the Winchester line, would seriously suck for Hazel-"

"Are you trying to make me feel better?"

Dean ignored Sam's interruption. "Suppose it is like that. Would it change anything, Sam?"

The younger Winchester sighed and looked at his daughter. The thought of destiny weighing on her shoulders some day… but he'd never let her have Dean's and his life. "No," He admitted, "It wouldn't change anything. Still, wouldn't it be better if we knew if-"

"Sam. No. Self-fulfilling prophecies, man."

"Yeah, yeah. You're right."

Sam wouldn't let it rest completely, though. From experience, he knew that no matter how deep some things or people were buried, that didn't stop them from coming around back and bite you.

"Now what was that talk about Tennessee?" Dean frowned and poured himself another cup of coffee.

0o0

"Cass? Um, I have a little favour to ask… so if you could, well, shine down, that would really be great? Please?"

I just hoped to God I really was alone in the parking garage. Last thing I needed was my nosy New Age neighbour Ms MacAlister thinking she's finally converted me and to offer me crystals to communicate with the other side.

"Hello, Rachel."

"Geeezus! You think you could appear in front of me next time instead of behind me?"

"Jesus does not have the power of teleportation."

"Figure of speech," I rolled my eyes. For Christmas, this angel would get a dictionary; Enoquian – slang, slang – Enoquian. "Hi, Cass."

"What can I do for you?"

"I need to do a little something for Dean, but I don't want him to know about that. You mind teleporting me to…?" I didn't even get to finish my sentence when Castiel already laid a hand on my forehead.

Seconds and a very unpleasant swooshy feeling later, I stood on a porch, facing a green painted door. "Thank you," I mumbled, still trying to get my equilibrium to work for me again.

"Good luck."

Then I was alone, standing on stranger's porch and no clue what I should say, much less if she'd listen. I had to try, though, I'd promised Dean. Well, I'd promised him I'd do everything I could to make it up to him, so here I stood. Without him, I wouldn't even be alive, much less dwell in happiness as I enjoyed my slice of apple pie. Least I could do was give him half the cake.

I took a look around the nice neighbourhood as if the trimmed hedges could tell me how to start this conversation. Surprisingly, the stupid hedges refused to converse with me.

"Well, here goes nothing," I sighed and rang the doorbell.

At first, nothing happened, but then a pretty brunette in her mid-thirties opened the door. "Hello?"

"Hi, um, are you Lisa Braden?"

"Yes. How can I help you?" She leaned against the doorframe, eyeing me neutrally. If I wasn't mistaken, though, there was a suspicious glance in her eyes.

"Hey, I'm Rachel. You don't know me, but I'm a friend of Dean's-"

Lisa tensed and took a step backwards, the neutral mask on her face making way to a hurt and dismissive expression.

"Just hear me out. I'm not here because he sent me; he doesn't even know I'm here. I came to talk to you, not to convert."

Lisa considered for a moment, and I could nearly see how her mind evaluated me, main criteria being my sanity. I must have passed the test to some degree, as her face softened. "I believe you. Dean isn't the type to send others to fight his battles… but if he didn't send you, then why are you here?"

"I just want you to know some things… about hunting and what it really means not only for hunters but the people they love."

"I don't want to have anything to do with that. Not anymore."

"I understand that, Lisa, believe me, I do. But it isn't that simple. And if you feel anything at all for Dean and if the past year meant anything to you, you'll let me explain."

She seemed to be about to turn me away, but then she must have remembered the happy days she and Dean undoubtedly had had. "Alright," She nodded, "Come in."

"Thank you." I followed her through the hall into a living room that seemed to have been recently re-decorated; or rather, as if they'd just moved in. The furniture hadn't grown on the room yet, didn't radiate off that homey feeling.

I should know; I had spent my life in cold rooms like these. Yet, what made Lisa's living room different was that it held the promise of change; this would become a home. Soon.

"Can I offer you anything?"

"No, thank you, I don't want to be of any inconvenience."

Lisa sat down on the armchair while I took the couch. It was an awkward situation, really, but I had built a kind of immunity to those, the way you're immune to a disease once you've had it often enough.

"So, how do you know Dean?" The way she said his name told me more than books could have; she still cared about him, a great deal at that. Why shouldn't she?

I weighed my next words carefully. Lisa had an abhorrence of hunting, that much wasn't hard to guess; additionally, she wasn't filled with love towards Sam, either. That didn't leave me a lot of other options unless I would lie; and lies wouldn't get me anywhere in the long hold.

So it was all cards open. Well, almost all cards, anyways.

"I was hunting with them for a while…"

"You're a hunter?" Lisa asked sharply. It couldn't have been more obvious she wanted me out of the house right now. Couldn't say I blamed her.

"I was, for a long time. I turned from that life ten years ago." When she seemed soothed, I continued: "I know Sam from college and he, um, showed up at my doorstep a year ago. Since then, everything just sort of…happened. I got back to hunting a few weeks ago. But I'm out again, kind of, at least. Anyways, that's how I met Dean."

"Why did you start hunting again?"

Alright, here goes the card 'I'm an instable person with self-confidence issues who chooses boyfriends with questionable emotional balance and sanity': "To save Sam."

"Save…" Lisa shook her head. "I'm sorry. I don't get it."

Playing the 'Yes, I've got to reconsider my taste in men' card: "I love Sam. In fact, we're engaged, but that just aside. I know you think I'm nuts, and frankly, maybe you're not so wrong. But it's not how you think… Things changed, a lot, in the past few days."

"I don't follow."

"Lisa… how much do you know?"

"Of what?"

"Of what the Apocalypse and what happened after that. About Sam."

"I'm updated on the whole Apocalypse thing," Her tone was subdued, "And I know what it did to Dean, seeing his brother go to hell. I used to think we could get past that… but then Sam came back." Lisa huffed humourlessly.

"Yes. Without a soul."

"What?"

I nodded slowly. "Sam was brought back, but without a soul. Dean and I've been trying to get it back for weeks. It hurts like hell, knowing the person you love doesn't care about you, and I was taking it even worse than Dean was. Hunting takes everything out of you, and the only thing that keeps you going is people you love, people that are worth fighting for. I didn't have anyone, but Dean did and still does, besides Sam: You and Ben. I know that Sam showing up again was messing up your relationship, but…"

"That's putting it mildly. Dean and his brother have the unhealthiest relationship I've ever known, and there's just no way anyone can lead a functional relationship with them being so obsessed with each other."

"To some parts, I agree with you." I took a deep breath, "But, Lisa, can we really expect anything else?"

"What do you mean?"

"Dean and Sam only ever had each other to count on their whole lives. Dean practically raised Sam, and they've each died for the other, probably more than once. I know that if it came down to it, Sam would die for Dean in a heartbeat, and even though it hurts like hell to accept that he'd leave me to save his brother, I can understand. I will never hold a place like Dean's in his heart, but that doesn't mean Sam doesn't care about me. What I'm trying to say is… what do we expect, really? We were part of their lives for a few years tops, while they grew up together, had each other's back in every yet so dangerous situation and spent their lives looking out for each other."

Lisa's face softened, and I had the feeling she'd known this all along, deep down. It just took a lot of strength to admit it.

"Lisa… from experience, I can tell you that as a hunter, you don't have a lot to hold on to. Family actually might be the only thing. And I know that family doesn't end with blood, it doesn't even begin with blood, just like I know that Dean would die for you and Ben as readily as he would for Sam. Now, I'm not saying that a hunter is the easiest and most stable man to be in a relationship with, nor that it will be a particularly harmonious and easy one, but it definitely is worth it."

"You grew up with this life, right?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

"Is it a life you'd want your children to live? Is a world of monsters one you'd want your kids to grow up in?"

"Not if I had the choice, maybe. But it all depends on how you raise them into it, and I know Dean wouldn't let Ben get hurt, should Ben choose to want to hunt. It's a decision you, Ben and Dean can make together, you know. Nobody's deciding for you.

If you think about it, they'll never be safer than when they've got knowledge of what's lurking in the dark. My children might grow up with a little less innocence, but they'll know how to protect themselves, and that lets me sleep more peacefully."

Lisa looked at me intensely. "Would you maybe have a cup of coffee with me?"

"I'd love to," I smiled.

She disappeared into the kitchen and returned with two steaming mugs, handed me one and sat down again. "I take it you got Sam's soul back?"

"Yes. Else I don't think I'd be here. I'd have died of a broken heart before that," I let the warming liquid run through my body and enjoyed the warmth the mug radiated to my cold hands.

"You said you dropped out… then how do you and Sam work it out?"

"Well, since trying to get a Winchester stop hunting is about as effective as putting out a wildfire with a watering can, I didn't even bother. So I'll be taking care of our daughter while Sam goes hunting…." I trailed off.

"You think that'll work?"

"Yes. We'll just make it work. I'm not saying it'll be easy, but what is these days." I took another sip of coffee and then added cautiously: "You know… I think Dean and you could work it out just as well. You have been for a while."

"Yeah, until I said so many horrible things I wished had never left my lips."

"That wasn't your fault, I believe… it was a truth curse. Dean doesn't hold that over you, you know. Lisa, you've given Dean more of a family life than anyone ever before. He loves you, and I might be overstepping my boundaries here, but I believe you love him, too. I think you two could make it work."

Lisa sighed and brought up her legs underneath her. I considered it a gesture of trust; as it showed she didn't feel as if she had to be on her guard around me. "I do. It's kind of hard not to." She smiled; probably memories of happy days with Dean, numerous they would have been, crossed her mind.

"I do want him in my life, despite what I might have said back then. But… Apart from him being gone an awful lot, risking his life most of the time, there'd still be the problem of the monsters that tend to be out to get him, and therewith maybe us."

"You really think Dean would let anything happen to you and Ben?" I raised my eyebrows.

"No, of course not. But while he's doing what he thinks is best for us, he more or less puts us on lock down."

"Piece of advice? Tell him you know he wants to keep you safe but that you need to live your life. You could mention that you believe the more you push something away, the quicker it comes around and backstabs you, so maybe he should just let it be... and let him teach you a trick or two, he'll feel better."

"I did," Lisa sighed.

"Some things only take after a few repetitions…" I hinted discreetly. "Something else: Should you let Dean back into your life, you might want to tell him again you know he's trying to protect you but that you're well able to do so yourself. Some things, nobody can protect you of."

"As if he'd believe me." It sounded affectionate, and I agreed with her: No way would Dean cut down his protective instincts just because you told him to.

"Still, it'll help him accept the fact you won't let yourself be put on lock-down." I winked at her. "One day."

Lisa let out a small chuckle.

"But I don't mean to rush you to any decisions, Lisa. It's all up to you." I paused before I quietly added: "Hunting is a dangerous job, and believe me, I would know. But the last thing a hunter would let happen is his family getting hurt." I set the empty cup down on the coffee table. "I've taken enough of your time, Lisa. As I said, I didn't come here to play Cupid; I just wanted you to know why Sam and Dean have the strong bond they have and why we will never be able to change it. And why hunters do what they do. They risk their life to save others, yes, and that doesn't make it easy for us who're left behind. But they'd give their life for their family and would never let them come to any harm. Living with a hunter means work and deprivations in the normalcy department, but if anything was ever worth it, it's this."

Lisa saw me out. At the threshold she said: "Rachel…"

"Yes?"

"What would you do if Sam and you couldn't make it work?"

"That's a bridge we can only cross once we've walked the path that got us there. But because I love Sam and our daughter, and I know that he loves Hazel and me, I know we'll take a sharp turn before we get there."

...

'Angel travel so isn't going on my list of favourite things to do,' I pressed a hand to my somersaulting stomach.

"Thanks, Cass. Oh, and this time, I'd appreciate it if you really didn't tell Sam or Dean any of this."

"As you wish," The angel nodded his head.

"Thank you," I smiled and gave him a hug, chuckling at his awkward rigidness. Castiel would be a sucky Cupid. "Check in with us sometime soon, okay?"

"Of course. I will be in touch." After his standard goodbye line, Cass was gone again, leaving me alone in the parking garage.

Well, not quite alone.

"Rachel! Oh, Rachel! It is so good to see you again! The spirits told me you had gone to the Niagara Falls in hope of clearing your soul!"

Laugh, cry, scream, run, or all of the above?

"Hello, Ms MacAlister," I sighed.

"Did you find salvation, dearie?"

"Yes, with a cherry on top," I smiled sweetly, "Goodbye."

"Rachel, wait, you need to-"

I luckily didn't hear the rest of her sentence as I already jumped into the elevator.

Yes, you've heard right, I voluntarily stepped into a metal monster. I still felt queasy and uneasy, but it wasn't unbearable anymore. Funny how some events in your life qualify your fears.

The positive side-effect was that it didn't take me ten minutes to get to my apartment anymore.

"You were gone for a long time," Sam noted.

"If that's the first step to overprotective measures, better quit it now," I smiled and kissed him lovingly.

"Do I look suicidal to you? Last thing I'm going to do is tie you down, as much as I'd like to."

"If I wasn't going to marry you already, I would do so now." I kissed his cheek, "Where's Dean?"

"On the phone."

"With?"

"Lisa," Sam replied, obviously genuinely happy for his brother. "She called him five minutes ago."

"You don't say," I pulled Sam's half-full cup of coffee towards me, too lazy to make one for myself.

Sam looked up from the papers he'd just been studying. "Rachel."

"Mhm?"

"You wouldn't happen to have anything to do with that?"

"With what?"

Sam's eye twitched as he stared at me mercilessly.

"Sam, come on, I don't even know where they live, let alone would I've gotten there and back again within a few hours. Besides, what should I have told her, anyways?"

Sam obviously didn't believe one word of what I said. He leaned back, shook his head and returned his attention to the print-outs. "You're unbelievable."

"So I've heard."

"Yeah, only this time, I think you outdid yourself."

I smiled in satisfaction. "What's all that?" I nudged towards the various folders and stacks of paper beside Sam.

He grinned mischievously, just like he had this morning. "Lynchburg or Jefferson City? Of course, we could also go to Winchester, which I personally find ironic."

"Sam, what the-"

"Four bedrooms sound good to you?"

"Sam? Are you feeling okay? Cause you ain't making any sense right now."

Sam wordlessly pulled me onto his lap. I looked at the sheets spread out before us, and suddenly had to laugh. "You went house-shopping in Tennessee?" I pulled the outline of one of the houses towards me – and immediately fell in love with the two-story, Southern style house.

"Not just that. A small law firm in Lynchburg's looking for a secretary in the mornings, in case you're interested… we could put Hazel in day-care for that time, in case I'm on a hunt. Unless of course you want to-"

I shut Sam up by kissing him. "It's perfect. When're we leaving?"

"-change your mind about that." Sam finished.

"Hell I will. Let me call the real estate agent." I beamed, "Oh, before I do that: how do you like this one?" I showed him the house I already envisioned us living in.

"You seem to love it," Sam kissed my neck tenderly. "Which is more than perfect for me."

I gave him one last hard kiss before I jumped up and grabbed the phone to make the necessary calls. To think that just a few weeks ago, I'd laying broken on a motel bathroom floor, close to overdosing… now I was about to buy a house with my fiancé.

Curious turns life took.

###

So there will probably be another chapter or two, thank you all for sticking with me this far! :)