Let's all count down to the final chapter next week...

Chapter Twenty Six

Sam returned a little while later and saw Dean sat on the bed staring at the paper. He heard his brother return and looked up at him with tears in his eyes.

"She's gone," he whispered.

"I'm sorry," Sam said. "What happened?"

"We were talking and she told me she wanted to start again," he sighed as Sam sat down on the bed next to him. "I went out for pizza and when I came back she was gone. She left this," he handed Sam the paper. "I called her phone but she won't pick up."

"I'm sorry," Sam repeated; not knowing how he could comfort his brother.

"It doesn't matter anymore," he scrunched the paper up and threw it on the floor. "I'm done."

"What?"

"I'm done, I'm through. I'm not gonna do this anymore."

"Not gonna do what?"

"Let people in. It doesn't get me anywhere so I'm not going to do it anymore."

"Dean, you don't have to do that."

"Yes I do. Look at my love life, Sam; every woman I have let in rejected me once they found out what I do. I can't do it anymore; it's too hard."

"Dean, of course it's hard; its life and life isn't easy but you can't just crawl into a hole every time it gets you down."

"Why not?"

"Because," Sam paused; struggling to come up with a reason. "Just because."

"Wow, Sammy; you're really great at coming up with comforting words, aren't you?" Dean gave a small laugh.

"Shut up," Sam laughed back.

"How's Joanne?" Dean asked changing the subject.

"She's good," Sam replied.

"How did she take the whole being possessed thing?"

"Pretty well actually. Dean," Sam stopped; not sure if he should ask.

"What is it?"

Sam took a deep breath before speaking. "I asked her to come with us. Is that okay?"

"You asked her to come with us," there was no anger in his voice; just a weariness.

"Yeah."

"What did she say?"

"She said yes if you agreed to it."

"Its okay, Sam; I'm not gonna say no. You deserve to be happy and if she makes you happy then I'm not going to stand in the way."

"Dean, are you sure you're okay? You seem a little…"

"Tired? That's because I am. I'm tired of it all," he admitted. "I have been for the longest time. I thought that if I had Emma then I could at least pretend that I could be normal."

"I didn't know you felt that way."

"It's okay, I'm just feeling low. A new hunt and I'll be as good as new. So; where are we headed?" He asked; burying his feelings once more and becoming the cocky dean everyone knew.

"I don't know; I haven't looked for any hunts."

"Maybe we could go and see Bobby; make sure he's doin' okay. How does that sound?"

"That sounds good," Sam faked a smile. "I'll go and tell Joanne and we can head off."

"Great," Dean grinned before turning his back on Sam and just for a moment his mask fell and a pained look passed across his face. Just for a moment though; then it went back up and this time it was staying.

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Now that she had had time to think about it; Emma wasn't entirely sure this was a good idea. But even if she wanted to back out it was too late. It had taken a lot of time and effort to procure the items for this and she had just buried them at a crossroads. It was time.

She had found an entry in the journal Dean had about Crossroads Demons and how people made deals with them. She intended to make a deal with one. So now she was stood in the middle of a crossroads on a cold night and beginning to regret it.

"And how can I help you, young lady," she heard a voice from behind her. She turned and saw a handsome young man; tall and dark wearing all black. His eyes were red.

"I want to make a deal," she said with a lot more bravado than she actually felt.

"Let me guess; you want to get rid of that pesky little werewolf problem that's plaguing you."

"How did you know?"

"I'm a demon and I know a lot of things about you. I know that you're scared, you don't want this. I also know that you went out with Dean Winchester and he's not well liked among our kind."

"I'm not with him any more; he doesn't know about this so what does any of it matter?"

"I think it will make a good bargaining chip. You know I'm not going to give you ten years?"

"And why not?"

"Because you're associated with Dean and if it makes him suffer then I'm not going to give you any longer than necessary."

"Then how long are you willing to give me?"

"I will give you until the day your child is born," he smirked; walking up close to her; so close she could feel his breath on her neck.

"Child? I'm pregnant?"

"Just. Now you have a choice to make. Do you want to stay a werewolf; which means that your daughter will also be infected and will become a werewolf herself or you can accept this deal and your daughter will be safe. But you won't ever get to know her. It's a hard choice but you have to decide now."

"I need some time to think about this," she cried; hot tears spilled down her cheeks. How could she make such a choice? She could either curse her daughter or she could save her. "It's not fair."

"Life's not fair, sweetheart but you have to decide what you're going to do. So, what's it going to be? The clock's a-tickin' and I haven't got all day."

"I know what I'm going to do," she sighed and prepared to deal with the consequences of her actions.