The house that built me. Chapter 49

As Jade sat on the pier she felt a breeze behind her. She knew what it was. She turned her head, Cas was sitting on the bench. "I am sorry if I frightened you." he said looking over the water. She turned back looking at her feet in the water. "You didn't. I actually felt you coming." They were silent for a few minutes. Then Cas looked at her. "You humans confuse me." Jade looked back at him. "Where did that come from?"

Cas: "Women want the good, righteous man. The one that will love you, do anything for you. And when he does, you get angry. Men want a beautiful, smart woman. But only as long as they are not smarter than them or challenge them."

Jade:" I am not angry. I am so tired of it all. The greater good and all that shit. When do we get what we want. When does Sam and Dean get to have what all the people they have spent their life saving have. Love, family, happiness."

Cas: "You turn simple emotions into something very confusing. When God created humans, there was a mate for each one. You were meant to fall in love. Nurture, love and honor the other. But you make love with ones you don't really love. And you spend more time arguing with the one you should be making love with. Like the pizza man in the movie."

Jade stopped him, "I told you, those things you take up with Dean. But, sometimes the one you love is the one that can make you the angriest. That is not always a bad thing. If you didn't love them so much, they couldn't make you feel so much. I am not angry at Dean or Sam. I am angry that God has laid this on them. I am angry that even if Dean comes back to me after this, he will not be the Dean that I fell in love with. I am angry that Bentley is never gonna know his dad. Lexie is never gonna love another man like she loves Sam. I am angry because the one person Dean has held so tight to his whole life, he has to let go of. And even if I could help him, he wouldn't let me."

Cas looked up at the house, he could see Dean in the door, "I am sorry. I have learned a lot about Dean. I know why he was chosen. He does the right thing, no matter what it cost him. But I also learned something from him."

Jade looked up at him, "What's that?" Cas looked back at her, "I have learned what real love is. Unconditional love. The kind my father has for humans. I see it when he looks at you." Jade looked back at the water, "You really know how to make a girl feel like shit." Cas turned his head to the side looking at her. Jade smiled, "Just an expression. Your right, that is why I fell for him. He always does the right thing. When he loves, he loves with all he has. All the time. Even if he had to do it from afar." Cas looked back out over the water, "I can't find Adam. They have hidden him. I went to talk to Chuck. He doesn't know anything. He has not been given any visions. We are out of options. The fight between the brothers has to happen. The best outcome is that Sam can hold on long enough to get Lucifer back in the cage. Dean seal it and destroy the rings." Jade wiped the tears from her face. "I know." They both sat silent. Letting it sink in.

Dean stood at the door. "What are they talking about?" Bobby stood next to him, "No telling. It looks pretty serious." "What could they have to talk about? So private." Bobby looked at Dean, "He is not just your personal angel. She was right you know. This isn't just about you and Sam anymore. They are as deep in this as we are. Give them a little credit. It seems they have paid attention all those years, not just tugging on the coat tails of their grand dad and uncle." Dean looked at Bobby as he walked back to the kitchen. "I know that. She has more in that brain of hers than I could read in a life time. And it just sits there till she is ready to use it. She amazes me everyday." Bentley made a sound and Dean looked down at him, "Woman, man, the ninth wonder of the world. Stay clear." Bentley smiled. Dean smiled back, "I know, impossible. You are a Winchester."

Cas walked behind Jade into the house. As he looked up at Dean, Dean raised his eyebrows. "What were two talking about?" he asked as he met him at the door. "I think it is private but she may tell you." Jade walked back the stairs with the her purse. Dean looked at her, "Where are you going?" She stopped and looked at him. "I am going to get some food. I am starving. You want to go?" Lexie and Sam walked down the stairs. "I would love Zaxby's." Lexie said as she picked up Bentley. Bobby leaned on the doorframe. "Why don't you go out and eat." Lexie looked at him, "I don't think I ready to take Bentley out just yet." Bobby smiled, "I know that. I can watch him." Bobby looked at her. "I can handle it. When was the last time all four of you actually went out and sat somewhere and ate." Sam placed his hand on the small of Lexie's back, "Sounds good. We won't be gone long." Bobby held his hands out as Lexie handed him Bentley. "Are you sure?" she asked. "I am positive. Just bring me something back." Lexie smiled as she kissed him bye.

They all four sat at the table waiting on their food. Dean leaned to Jade's ear, "What were you and Cas so deep in conversation about earlier?" Her chin was propped in her hand as she looked at him and smiled, "Jealous?" He smirked, "Me, no." She smiled and laid her hand on his leg under the table. "Just life." He raised his eyebrows and waited a few seconds. "That's all? Life?" Before she could say anything else, the waitress came with the food. Dean smiled and winked as she sat his food down. Jade shook her head, he really didn't even know he did that. Automatically flirting. "Can I get some Ranch Dressing?" Jade asked. "Me too." Lexie said. Dean smiled at Jade, "Do you have to have that on everything?" Jade pointed at his pie, "Do you have to have pie with everything?" He nodded, "Point taken." They spent the next hour talking and eating. Of course the girls noticed that every woman in the place was staring at the boys. They were used to it. Every where they went it happened. And of course Sam and Dean would smile when they noticed it. Just out of habit. Dean cleared his throat and pushed his plate away. "While it is just us four and no distraction, we really need to make sure we are all on the same page. This plan is not set in stone, but we need to be prepared. The plan is for Sam, Bobby, and Cas to go the warehouse where they are storing the virus. I am going to get the ring from Death." He shook his head, "Me saying that should be weird. But sadly, it isn't." Jade took a drink of her water, "I am going with you." Dean shook his head, "No way. You are not going." Jade looked at him, "Are we really back to that?" she said as her voiced got louder. "Shhhh" Dean said as he placed his hand on her leg. Jade's eyes widen, she looked at Lexie and Sam, "Did he just shush me?" She looked back at Dean who had hung his head realizing what he had done. "You just shushed me." She turned her head, "You have lost your mind." Then she looked back at him, putting her hand on his leg and squeezed. "Don't do that to me again. I am not a child." The waitress brought the ticket and Dean laid some cash on the table as he stood. She slid out of the booth and headed out the door. Lexie begin to laugh, wrapped her arm around Dean's waist. "You are slipping. Lesson, don't ever shush a woman. Especially a southern woman." Dean smiled, "Now you tell me. Something tells me this isn't over." Sam smiled as he grabbed Lexie's hand, "Not by a long shot. And you can bet your not getting laid anytime soon." Dean smiled as he looked at Jade propped against the car, "Good thing I got it the other night. And plenty to last a while. Two can play that game. I am good for at least a week." Jade looked at him as she opened the door, "What is so funny. What were you talking about?" Dean open his door and looked at her and shrugged, "Just life." She rolled her eyes as she sat in the car. Lexie and Sam smiled. Sam grabbed her hand as he pulled out of the parking lot. She smiled as he pulled her hand to his lips and softly kissed the palm of her hand.

Back at the house Lexie bathed Bentley as Sam, Dean and Bobby went to the library for some research and planning. They had less than a week before they would split up on their own jobs. Jade was on her room, reading over some Latin books. Everything was the same. It all stopped at the aftermath of the Apocalypse. They mentioned the Horsemen and their rings. But nothing about how to lock the devil back in the cage. She looked at the clock, 9pm. She had not slept in two days, except the hour she dozed off when Adam went missing. She looked up when she heard the door open. Lexie smiled as she poked her head through the door. "Find anything?" Jade pulled her glasses of and rubbed her eyes. "No, It is like everything stops when Lucifer finds a meat suit. The words are starting to run together." "Yeah, tell me about it. I am going to sleep. I am exhausted. The boys are still in the library. Get some sleep." Jade smiled as she watched Lexie shut the door. She turned the stereo on. Her mind was running wide open. Music always calmed her. She slid her glasses back on and flipped through another book. "The house that built me" by Miranda Lambert begin to play as Jade stood and leaned against the window. She turned when she felt Lexie wrap her arm around her and lay her head on her shoulder. They both begin to sing as they stared out the window over the lake. The boys were headed upstairs when they heard them sing. Sam held his finger to his lips as they both stood outside the door, listening.

"I know they say, you can't go home again. I just had to come back one last time.

Ma'am I know you don't know me from Adam, but these handprints on the front steps are mine.

Up those stairs in that little back bedroom, is where I did my homework and I learned to play guitar.

And I bet you didn't know under that live oak, my favorite dog is buried in the yard.

I thought if I could touch this place or feel it, this brokenness inside me would start healing.

Out here it's like I'm someone else. Thought that maybe I could find myself.

If I could just come in, I'd swear I'd leave, holding nothing but a memory, from the house that built me.

Momma cut out pictures of houses for years. From better homes and garden magazines.

Plans were drawn, and concrete poured, and nail by nail and board by board. Daddy gave life to momma's dream.

Thought if I could touch this place or feel it. This brokenness inside me might start healing.

Out here it's like I'm someone else. Thought that maybe I could find myself.

If I could just come in I'd swear I'd leave, holding nothing but a memory, from the house that built me.

You leave home, you move on. You do the best you can. I got lost in this ol' world and forgotten who I am.

Thought if I could touch this place or feel it, this brokenness inside me might start healing.

Out here it's like I'm someone else. Thought that maybe I could find myself.

If I could walk around I'd swear, won't nothing but a memory, from the house that built me."

"I forgot how much we loved it here. How we used to run and play in the yard. Pawpaw and John on the patio, smiling, like nothing was wrong in the world." Jade said. Lexie looped her arm with Jade's. "When we were here, nothing was wrong." They both sat on the bed and stared out the window. They could see the light on the water from the lamps on the pier. "I thought you were going to bed?" Jade asked "I was until I heard this song. You know, if someone would have told me five years ago, I would be sitting here, with a baby, losing the only man I have ever loved. I would have told them they were full of shit. I always thought me and you would be old, gray, blind and deaf, rocking in rocking chairs staring out at the lake. All day. Never thought I would find the perfect man, much less a baby. But I should have know it was too good to be true." Jade looked at her as she wiped the tears from her face. "Yeah, tell me about it. Who knows, it may be me and you on the patio watching Bentley run through the yard barefooted." Jade took a deep breath and wrapped her arm around Lexie, "No matter what happens, we got the best blessing from all this. We got Bentley." Lexie smiled, "We did didn't we? With any luck, he will have the Winchester's good looks and our brains and attitude." They both laughed, "We better pray." Jade said.

The boys stood outside the door listening until they were quiet. Then Sam entered first. Dean right behind him, removing his shirt. "What are you two talking about?" Sam asked. The girls looked at each other and smiled. Then together they said, "Just life." Dean smirked and shook his head as Lexie stood. "Always with the smart ass." Lexie wrapped her arm around Sam's waist. Looked at Dean and smiled. "Is there any other way?" Sam and Lexie walked to the door as Dean threw his shirt at Lexie. Jade slid her glasses back on and opened another book as Dean walked into the bathroom. She heard him turn on the water and begin to brush his teeth. He rinsed his mouth and stepped to the door and pulled off his pants. "What are you reading?" She looked up at him, "Same ol' shit." she closed the book. She paused and took a deep breath. "Dean." He turned to her, "Yeah?" "When this is over, what do you plan to do?" He threw his bag on the bed and dug for clean cloths, without looking at her. "What do you mean?" "When Sam is gone, are you gonna keep hunting? Or what? Have you thought about that?" The promise he made Sam ran through his mind. "I haven't got that far. I figure I will cross that bridge when I get to it." He walked to the bathroom and she heard the shower cut on. She opened the laptop, "If that bridge isn't burnt." she mumbled and check her emails.