Chapter 39

Wearing their black suits, Sam and Dean walked into a small church building near the beach. Everyone inside was wearing dark colors and acting very somber. The brothers took their seats in a pew in the back. The people around them looked at them as if they weren't welcomed.

"Ever feel like people are staring?" Dean whispered to Sam.

"They don't know who we are. They're probably just curious how we know Karen and Chester."

"I guess." Was all Dean said.

A church service started, a funeral for both Karen and Chester Sonova. Both Sam and Dean could see Leon and Cassie sitting in the first pew of the church, right by both caskets. They were crying bitterly. It could be heard over the preaching of the pastor. Dean's heart broke for them both. He thought back to when Sam had died in his arms. It was an indescribable feeling. It was a feeling he wished they didn't have to go through. He thought about all the people that must have gone through this because of the things he had done as a demon. He had broken so many families. He had left so many children without their parents, without their siblings. He cried, not just for the Sonova family, but for all the families he had destroyed. He cried for his own miserable existence. This wasn't the first time he had done terrible things. You're so weak, Dean! First you torture the souls in Hell, then you become a demon yourself and ruin people's lives on earth. Some hunter you are... He cried until he felt Sam's hand take his. Then he wept. Sam looked around. People were staring at them now. Dean was making quite the scene, giving the impression he was really close to Chester or Karen. Somehow, Sam didn't care. Whatever was on Dean's mind and heart needed to be let out, and Sam was determined to be there with him when it was.

The service came to an end and the preacher asked that all pall-bearers would step forward. Dean and Sam sat watching as strangers stood and took their spots by the casket. Karen's casket was taken out first by several middle-aged people, whom they assumed were police officers. One of them was the sheriff.

Then it was Chester's turn. The bartender from the Tiki Torch Tavern stood by the casket, as did someone Sam and Dean had never seen before, probably a friend of Chester. Then Leon stood behind the casket and scanned the crowd until he made eye contact with Dean.

"Sam, Dean..." Was all he said. "Please?"

Dean and Sam looked at each other, smiled shyly, and stood up. They took their places, and with the other two, lifted the casket and carried it slowly out of the church.

They followed the first casket to a small cemetery. It stopped next to two other grave markers. Dean glanced at them. They both read the bold words "SONOVA". They were Cassie's and Leon's parents. There was another down where they were placing Karen's casket that also said "SONOVA". It was their grandfather. Dean couldn't help but feel bad for these kids. Their entire family was lying in the ground here. Now they were putting more members down into the dirt.

The caskets were placed nicely, and the service went well. Leon and Cassie cried more, but they weren't the only ones. The crowds cried. Karen and Chester must have been really loved. Sam and Dean stood off to the side and watched as crowds of people hugged, kissed, and comforted Cassie and Leon.

"They sure have a lot of people around them." Dean commented.

Sam smiled. "They're loved."

"It's not hard to believe. We've only been here for a few days and I feel like we've been close to them for years and years."

"I know it." Sam laughed a bit. "They're extraordinary kids."

Dean laughed too. "Y'know. They're not really kids. They're just short."

Sam chuckled at that comment. "They're young too."

"I guess. Maybe we're just old." They smiled at each other. "I'm glad we could be here for them." Dean said, more seriously.

"Me too."

Sheriff Summers approached the brothers with a quizzical look on his face. "I'm a bit surprised to see you here." He commented. "And as pall-bearers. I didn't know you knew the Sonova family."

"We're friends of Leon and Cassie." Dean said, trying to tell the vague truth.

"So, Sam and Dean," He put emphasis on their names. "Not the names you told me."

Sam and Dean tried to speak, but both were flustered and at a loss of words. "Sheriff..." Dean started.

"Don't." Summers said. "No lies. I'm not gonna' ask who you are. Leon already explained to me how you saved him and Cassie when they got kidnapped. I'll just give you the same lecture I gave them."

"What's that?" Sam asked through his puppy-dog eyes.

"When something like that happens." The Sheriff looked at them both in the eyes, one-by-one. "Call the police. You could have gotten hurt."

"We're sorry." Sam apologized.

"No harm this time. I'm just glad you were there. I can see how much you mean to those kids. So whoever you are, thank you. Those kids need someone they can rely on right now. Someone they can call friend, or even better, family."

"I'm not sure that's us." Dean said sheepishly. "We're not that great."

Sheriff looked over at Leon, who was smiling at Dean. "He seems to think you are. Don't let him down, or you'll be answering to me. Karen was a dear friend of mine. I'll be keeping my eyes on those kids. I hope you'll be there for them too." With those words, Sheriff Summers retreated back to the crowd.

Sam and Dean looked at each other, dumbstruck. Leon and Cassie walked over to them. Leon threw his arms around Dean, and Cassie did the same to Sam. They stood like that for a while, which did not go unnoticed by the crowd.

"Thank you for everything." Leon said.

"Don't mention it." Dean told him, pulling him in a bit tighter. "We're happy we could be here for you. I just wish things weren't like this."

"Me too. But they are. That's just life." Cassie said, looking teary-eyed at Dean. "But it's okay. We'll see them again."

Dean smiled at her and nodded. "You guys going to be okay?"

Leon nodded, tears in his eyes, arms still tightly around Dean. "You're leaving, aren't you?"

Dean sighed heavily as they broke their embrace. He looked Leon in the eyes. "Yeah, sorry champ. We've got to. You saw the kinds of things out there. We gotta' keep hunting. There's others out there who need saved."

"I know." He took a deep breath. "I still hate to see you go. You've been a good friend."

They hugged again. "You've got my number. Call or text anytime." Leon nodded.

Dean and Sam sent the kids back to the crowds of loving friends waiting for them, and then snuck out unnoticed back to their motel. They packed their bags and called a taxi.

"We've got a plane to catch." Sam smirked at Dean.

"Oh, joy..." Dean sighed. "Can't we walk back?"

"Walk all the way to Ohio from Florida? Sure, Dean. We'll do that."

"Really?" Dean's face glowed.

"No." Sam said flatly. "We're flying."

Dean groaned loudly. "You better have Ozzy!"