AN: Hope you all like this one... don't hate me for the ending... ok?
Sam was having a hard time concentrating on the conversation going on around him and it didn't take a genius to figure out why. Sitting exactly across from him was Layla who was more beautiful now than she was when they first met and he couldn't seem to take his eyes off her. He felt like some sort of dork sitting there hanging on her every word while his brother kept the conversation going in his normal Dean fashion. Occasionally Ellie would grab his hand to help her with a particular complex design that she made and wanted colored, but otherwise everything else was ignored.
Dean watched his little brother fall deeper in love with the woman across from him and he had to admit that on it seemed that Sammy had found someone special. Now if they would just wake up and admit it instead of dancing around the subject then everyone would be happy. Although he was used to keeping a conversation going with a member of the opposite sex when the situation warranted it, he was definitely not used to acting as matchmaker and his new self imposed title stunned him. It wasn't that he'd never seen Sammy with a woman, on the contrary; before Ellie, Sammy could rival Dean in the 'dating' department. However, as soon as their little princess walked back into their lives then he and everyone else around them noticed the change in the youngest Winchester. Now his little brother was a much more serious person, which was good in a way, but frightening in many others.
"So Layla, you've lived at the cove for several years?" Dean asked, hoping to more information about the woman he was starting to hope would be a part of the family.
Layla smiled a moment before nodding. "Yes, most of my life actually. Dad was determined to make his dreams a reality, now though there's nothing left." She said sadly, momentarily lost in her thoughts. "He had to take a position on a research vessel in the Pacific and I've been trying to keep up with the place until he gets home but he called me a couple of weeks ago and admitted that what he had planned for many years hadn't worked out the way he had envisioned so he agreed to stop fighting the judgments against him."
"Judgments?" Sam asked, wondering what could have happened to make someone give up everything.
"Remember I told you that Dad thought dolphins could help people? Well, that was Dad's goal all along. Unfortunately, he ran into a few people who couldn't accept that their loved ones couldn't be helped. It turned into a media circus for awhile and even now the locals will whisper behind his back that he's a fraud. They don't realize that he never claimed to be anything more than a researcher; that he was just as amazed by the cases that worked as everyone else."
"So you're going to have to leave your home soon?" Logan asked already knowing the answer since he had taken a few minutes to talk up a chatty clerk earlier in the day.
Smiling, Layla nodded, "Yes I'm afraid so. It's actually going to take a little bit of getting used to, but I have a secret." Seeing Ellie perk up she whispered, "I don't like living on the coast so much."
The table broke out in light laughter after Layla's revelation, leaving Dean to wonder more about this girl as well as the expression on his brother's face. If he didn't know better he would have thought that Sammy was seeing something far off, but then it passed as quickly as it came leaving Dean wondering if he should be concerned.
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John hated the idea of leaving Mary alone at the house, but with another summer going into full swing then the garage was busier than ever with people wanting to make sure their cars were at its most fuel efficient peak. So instead of trying to help find out what happened to not just one, but both boys, he was loaded up with tune-ups and tire rotations.
Sighing in relief, he pulled the Impala into the driveway and prayed that tonight would be the night that Dean would have the presence of mind to call and let them know what was going on. If they had to wait any longer, he didn't think he'd be able to keep Mary off the next plane to Orlando. The last call they had to go on was when Dean called asking about Disney World. That had been a couple of days ago and he and Mary knew that their oldest boy would have broken every speed limit to get there in record time. Now they just had to wait until their son called again to find out what was going on.
As he walked into the house however he knew something was wrong and it didn't take him very long to figure it out. "Mary, what are you doing?" he asked as he watched her fold more clothes into a suitcase.
"Dean hasn't called back, the attorney is getting frantic, and even that nosy neighbor behind us has an opinion about Sammy's actions. I'm going to find out what's going on and if you know what's good for you then you'd either help me or move!"
Not sure whether he should be shocked or amused by his wife's outburst, John reached out and stilled her hands pulling her closer to him. "Sweetheart, give Dean one more night. If we haven't heard from him by morning then we'll both go."
Mary paused only long enough to see the promise lingering in her husband's eyes before she gave a quick nod and continued with her packing, this time including John's clothes as well. "One more night John, that's all."
Knowing that tone, John could only agree and pray that Dean called. He didn't want to unleash Hurricane Mary on an unsuspecting Florida.
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After seeing Layla off, the remaining group headed back towards the hotel. Before actually entering though, Dean knelt down and whispered into Ellie's ear. Seeing her smile and nod, he smiled and handed his niece to Logan.
"You two go on ahead, we'll be there in a bit."
Logan knew what was about to happen and he was more than willing to keep Ellie out of it. He just hoped that whatever did happen helped the two brothers instead of tear them apart.
Before Sam had a chance to object, Dean grabbed his arm and pulled him off to the side to avoid unwanted attention. "So, care to explain why I had to chase after you?" he asked, trying to stay calm but so many different 'what if' scenario's were playing out in his mind it was hard not to hit something.
Sighing, Sam knew that this was coming and had actually hoped that it could wait… like forever! "Dean, can't this wait at least for a little while?" he asked, but then saw the set look on his brother's face and knew there was no way he could put it off any longer. "I had to leave Dean. If I had stayed then we would have lost Ellie, and Mom and Dad would have spent every dime they had to get her back. I couldn't let that happen, I couldn't lose Ellie, and I damn sure couldn't be the one that our parents threw every last bit of what they'd built away on. I don't know why Cade is back Dean, but everything that I've worked so hard to accomplish has been based on him not being alive. How sick is that? I spent so much time mourning my best friend, then basically took over his life only to find out he's not dead and he's more than anxious to take it back!"
Dean wasn't sure what to say, he'd suspected something like that, but to hear it first hand was something else. "Sammy, Cade said that he isn't going to take Ellie away, that he still wants to see her, but that's all."
Sam stared at his brother for a full minute before he started laughing so hard he had to wipe the tears from his eyes. "Right, so he's dead for a year, walks out of witness protection, comes back and doesn't plan to destroy my world. Right… tell me another one Dean."
Stunned, Dean wasn't sure why he felt the cold dread in the pit of his stomach, but what he just heard brought back some doubts that he had about Cade's return. Seeing his little brother tearing himself up over this whole situation made him even more aware that this hadn't been an easy decision for Sammy, that he'd been wrestling with it every step of the way. "Ok, so why do you think he's back?"
Shaking his head, Sam could only watch the flickering expressions on Dean's face while he pondered the same question. If Cade was in some sort of protective custody, then he had to have walked away from it in order to see Ellie; the real question was why. Thinking about what Cade had told him, he had to wonder what trouble he had gotten into that would warrant a deal with the government. "The only thing I can think of is to get Ellie back."
Something told Dean that what Cade had planned so far was only the beginning and that somehow Sammy was the real target.
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Feeling the need to lighten the mood, John had decided that it was past time for him to take his wonderful wife out on a date. After spending almost an hour convincing her that it wasn't a betrayal to their boys and Ellie if they spent a few hours having fun themselves, it was agreed that a quick dinner and a nice leisurely drive was in order. In the effort of reliving their first date, they immediately went to the small local pizza parlor whose main clientele was college students and enjoyed a small pizza with extra toppings just as they had so many years ago.
Leaving the small establishment, Mary hung onto John's arm as they strolled along the sidewalk enjoying the feel of the warm evening air. She had to admit that the time away from the house had helped her get a better grasp of what had been happening lately and strengthened her resolve to make sure they were on the first plane out in the morning if they hadn't heard from Dean by midnight. At the moment though, she was content in the here and now and continued to watch John's face as he reminisced about how they first met even though it was complete and utter crap. Then she thought about it and knew that there was no way John could have figured out that they had met once before.
"No John, it wasn't at the post office, it was Kelly Jameson's party." She saw his confused expression and smiled. "I was dressed up as…"
"An angel." John said softly before stopping and looking at her. "You were wearing a white dress with makeshift wings and mask made out of glitter, right?" he asked in awe. He remembered seeing her that night, but had never made the connection. "Why didn't you say anything?"
Mary smiled and shook her head. "Because silly…"
The sound of screeching tires and a revved up engine approaching drowned out Mary's words but not her fear. As she looked beyond the row of cars they were walking next to she saw a dark van speeding towards them too fast to stop even if it wanted to; the problem was it didn't seem to want to.
John heard the engine and the tires but could not believe what he was seeing. Acting purely on instinct, he grabbed Mary and tried to push her out of the way at the same time the van smashed through the car next to them sending everyone in close proximity off their feet.
The rear doors opened and a lone figure ran from the scene, easily getting lost in the confusion. He had known that his timing was perfect and had used every second to his advantage. Pausing only for a moment across the intersection he glanced back to see people trying to help the injured while others called for help, but what caught his attention was the couple trapped underneath the once parked car. Yes, his boss would definitely be happy; he might even get a bonus for his ingenuity. Turning, he quickly lost himself in the crowd of onlookers until he was no longer discernable from any of the other spectators.