AN: Thanks everyone for your patience as I wrapped up this epic. Special thanks for everyone who reviewed, especially LilyBolt, Michelle847, OldGirl-NoraArlani, PriWinchester, scootersmom, and DeanBean

Megan, with a quick glance at her partner, asked a question. "So, if you are the two guys from the diary, then who killed Maurice?" Dean's mouth was full of pie, so Sam squirmed uncomfortably, cleared his throat and answered.

"That was our Dad. We were trying to save your mother and Maurice was going to shoot us. Dad came in at the last moment and saved our lives," Sam said as matter of factly as he could. Then Megan leaned forward with a realization.

"So, your Dad killed her Dad," she said quietly.

Sam shuddered. An old memory flashed through his head. He remembered when he was possessed by the demon Meg, listening, trapped in his own head as she taunted Jo Harvelle with something similar. "My daddy shot your daddy in the head." He clenched his hands in his lap, trying to shove that horrible memory back into the deep hole where he tried to forget it.

Dean was eyeing him carefully over the rim of his coffee cup. Sam gave him a barely perceptible nod to let him know that he was OK, then turned his attention back towards the two young women. Megan looked slightly troubled by his admission, but Penny seemed gratified.

"Good, the bastard deserved to die," Penny said fiercely. "He murdered his wife and son, killed my brother, molested and then ultimately killed my mother. I hope he is burning in Hell." Penny choked over those last words, her fury tangible from across the table. Megan gripped her hand again, but Penny just swallowed hard and waved her arm as if to clear away her anger. "Sorry, I didn't mean to lose it like that. I'm just glad he's dead and can't hurt anyone else." She forced a smile, and picked up her iced tea, but her hand was still tight in Megan's.

Sam felt terrible. Maybe Dean was right. Maybe it was a bad idea to have reopened ancient history. He'd wanted to help, but all they seemed to be doing was dredging up painful memories for everyone. Sam bounced his knee beneath the table in an effort to let some of his pent up energy out. Dean shuffled restlessly beside him then pushed his mostly eaten pie away. Sam cleared his throat again, and tried to think of something to say. He rolled his drink between his palms, the condensation from the smoothie cool and damp.

"Um, did you ever find out what happened to your grandmother and uncle?," Sam asked gently. Penny sucked in a fortifying breath and Megan slipped a comforting arm around her.

"Yeah. So, Maurice Faubert, was an important member of the local chapter of the Hells Angels. He was involved with drugs, prostitution, protection rackets, that kind of thing, which is where the money my mother took most likely came from." Penny continued when Dean nodded. "When Maurice died, his brother Danny took over his house and used it as a base of operations for the club. Later that year a bloody war began between the Quebec biker gangs. Eventually an informant told the RCMP that the body of a rival gang member was buried in the cornfield. But, when the police raided the house and dug up the field, there were actually a number of bodies buried there, including my grandmother and uncle. They had been murdered, most likely by Maurice." Penny ran out of steam. Sharing the terrible story seemed to take a lot out of her. Megan squeezed her girlfriend.

"Oh, I'm so sorry Penny. I know your mom always thought that they were safe and sound somewhere," Sam said. He reached out as if to touch Penny's arm, but a sharp look from the blonde woman had him change the movement. He let his hand rest his hand on the table. Sam felt a wave of sadness wash over him.

"You know, your mother was beautiful," said Sam. He ignored the slight smirk Dean shot him. "She was petite with long dark hair, and pretty brown eyes," Sam said softly, lost in memory. Penny's eyes sparkled like she'd just been given a gift and Megan squeezed her hand.

xxxxxxxx

"Yeah, you look like her a bit," Dean blurted, feeling slightly awkward.

Penny stared at him almost hungrily. "Really? I only have the one picture of my birth mother, the one I used for the book cover. It was tucked inside her diary when I got it." Penny sounded so wistful that Dean couldn't help feel bad for the young woman.

"Uh, about that," Sam reached into his jacket as he spoke and pulled out a brown envelope. "I took that picture. There were a few more so I scanned them and put them on a jump drive for you. There weren't many, so I also got some prints made." Sam shoved the envelope across the table. Dean could see Penny's hand tremble as she slowly reached for the packet.

Opening it carefully, she pulled out a handful of photographs. The first was similar to the book cover, it was of Penny sitting on her mother's lap. There were a few more of Penny and her mother and a few with one or both of the Winchesters in the photo. Dean couldn't believe how young they looked and he had almost forgotten just how small Sam was at that age.

"You look so young," Penny said, holding out a photo for Dean to look at. In the picture, Dean had the sleeping baby cradled to his chest. It was a beautiful shot of Penny, but the slice of his own face was what drew Dean's eyes. He felt his cheeks warm a little. There was 15 year old him, gazing at the baby with a look of sappy adoration. Turning to Sam, she held out another photo.

"How old were you here?," Penny asked showing them one of Sam holding her infant self.

"Just a few days away from 11," answered Dean for his brother who had turned to peer out the window. Dean could tell from the way Sam was clenching his jaw that the younger man was struggling with his emotions. "Sam was small for his age back then. Now, not so much." His quip brought a ghost of a smile to Sammy's face and the two girls chuckled.

Dean wasn't sure what Sam had hoped to get from this meeting, but whatever it was, apparently it wasn't what his brother expected. The girls might not notice, but Sam was practically oozing anxiety. Dean would be happy to cut things short and pull him out of here right now. But whatever was bothering Sammy, the younger man was willing to tough it out, so for now, Dean would follow Sam's lead. Meanwhile, in reaching for his drink, Dean let his shoulder press against Sam's.

xxxxxxx

Sam felt his brother's subtle attention, and allowed the contact with Dean to provide some relief and help slow his pounding heartbeat. He tried to control his emotions which had unexpectedly risen to simmer just below the surface of his outer calm. When Sam had arranged for this little meet and greet, he had been thinking about how hard it must have been for Penny to grow up. He knew what it felt like to know next to nothing about your mother. Over the years, Dean had opened up a little bit more about his memories of their Mom. Still, Sam had so many questions, and if he could help Penny get some answers to her past, then it seemed like the right thing to do. But he'd underestimated how difficult this trip down memory lane would be.

"So Penny, tell us what happened to you? I guess you got adopted?" Dean's question seemed to Sam like a ploy to change the subject. Maybe if Sam knew how well Penny's life had turned out, it would help. Penny seemed glad for the question. She put down her tea and picked up her phone that was sitting on the table.

"Yeah, I got adopted by two really wonderful people, David and Sherry Mackinaw. My parents already had two kids when they adopted me and so I have an older brother and sister; Josh and Emily." She passed over her phone to show a photo of a group of smiling people. "That's my mom and dad," she pointed, "and that's Emily with her husband Paul. They're expecting their first baby in a few months. And that's Josh with his girlfriend Sarah and her little guy Noah." Penny was obviously proud of her family and the love she felt for them was evident.

Dean took a quick look and passed the phone to Sam. Sam had to smile at the image of Penny's family clustered on top of an around a cozy looking sofa. They seemed so happy and normal. He passed the phone back as Penny continued, unwittingly echoing his thoughts.

"I had a normal, happy childhood. I knew I was adopted, but Mom and Dad never made it a big deal. When I turned 18, the RCMP released my birth mom's diary that they had been holding on to. It was written in French, but Mom found someone who translated it all for me. After I read it, I knew I had to find out more about my birth mother and my past. Dad's a professor, so he really helped me research all the information for the book. I wrote it over a couple of years and they've been nothing but supportive, I can't imagine my life without my family, or Megan." Penny gave her girlfriend a quick kiss on the cheek. "We met in first year and we've been together ever since."

"Yeah, Penny is quite the brain, she finished her honours degree in two and a half years while writing the book. And now she'd working on her Masters," Megan bragged about her girlfriend fondly.

"That's really great," Sam said with as much enthusiasm as he could muster. Penny was obviously doing fine, happy and successful with a great family, and a loving relationship. He felt like an idiot thinking that he had anything she needed. His heart was still pounding, his palms were sweaty and he felt like he couldn't get enough air all of a sudden. He needed to get out of here right now.

"Well, it was really great to see you again, and uh, to meet you Megan," Sam stammered. He practically shoved Dean to let him out of the booth as he spoke. Dean stood, letting Sam get to his feet. "Good luck with your degree and, if you need anything, or if the jump drive doesn't work you, uh, have my email," and with that Sam turned and practically threw himself out of the door.

Once on the sidewalk, he quickly turned around the corner of the building and sagged against the brick wall. "Smooth, Sam," he thought, embarrassment twisting his gut as he panted to try and catch his breath.