2 years later…

"Alexa! You need to come back inside!" Bobby shouted, standing at the back door as the rain poured around me. I had been stood like this since I heard the news. The news that my mother had been killed by a vampire while she was hunting. It had been a few years since I had seen my mum, and I tried not to talk about her, but it still hurt more than I expected when Bobby had told me a few hours ago. At first I had just sat on the couch, staring into space. But then he shook my shoulders and I snapped my eyes to him. I only realised he had tears misting his eyes as he wiped one off my cheek. I pushed past him and ran outside, not going too far from the house but far enough to have some space.

It had been raining all day and Bobby had decided to continue my training (I had told Bobby last year that I wanted to be a hunter someday, and wouldn't relent until he agreed to train me) when his phone rang. It was John Winchester, and I instantly thought of something happening to Sam and Dean. But the way he looked at me, I knew it was my mother.

I would've sat in my car to stay dry, but I needed to feel the rain. It was the only way to hide my tears. "Alexa? Alexa!" a voice called behind me, as I sunk to my knees on the wet mud. An arm wrapped around me and I found myself facing the oldest Winchester brother kneeling in front of me. Dean looked as though he was scowling as the rain soaked into us, but he shook his black jacket off and wrapped it around my bare arms. He didn't say anything, and I didn't either. Neither of us needed to. We just sat like that for a moment before I began to cry for my lost mum. Dean pulled me into a hug, so my face was hidden in his chest as he stroked my hair and held me tightly. He didn't say it would be alright, because we both knew it wouldn't be.

"Lexi!" another voice shouted, and I turned from Dean to see Sam run towards me. He pulled me into a hug as soon as he reached me, and my crying only intensified. "I'm here, Lexi. Don't worry, it's going to be ok," he muttered in my ear, and I saw Dean walk past us. I kept eye contact with him over Sam's shoulder as Dean stood near us. He stared for a moment, before he grabbed his brother's shoulder.

"She needs to get inside," he said, and Sam quickly stood up. I remained limp on the floor, staring at the earth. "Go tell Bobby to get some towels and put them in her room," Dean added, and I looked up when Sam ran into the house. Dean kneeled hesitantly in front of me. "Can you walk?" he asked gently, as if trying to calm a scared animal. I numbly shook my head and he chuckled before putting his arms under my knees and round my back. "Any reason for me to carry you, eh?" he joked, and I smiled slightly at his attempt of a joke. His face turned into shock when I wrapped an arm around his neck.

"Thank you, Dean," I whispered, laying my head on his chest. He tightened his hold on me as we entered the house, and went past a worried Sam and Bobby. Carefully, he carried me up the stairs and didn't let me down until he laid me on the old double bed.

He stood and wiped the hair out of my face before standing back. "You'll er, need to get out of the wet clothes," he said, looking anywhere but at me. I smiled tiredly, thinking how funny it was how Dean the womanizer was embarrassed. I nodded, and stood up shakily, only realising how tired I was. Dean moved to steady but I held an arm out to stop him, and he looked at me concerned. "I'm going to turn around, so I'm just here if you need me," he added, giving me a last glance before turning to face the wall. I cautiously threw my sodden top over my head, and peeled my wet and muddy jeans off, throwing them in the corner of the room. Pulling the covers back, I settled myself in bed and pulled the covers over me.

"Dean?" I said, and he waited a minute before turning back to face me. He grabbed the faded towels at the end of the bed and wrapped me in them, intent on his job to keep me warm. I watched his task with a small smile.

When he finished, he tried to leave but I called him back. "Yeah?" he asked, waiting patiently next to the bed. I moved across the bed so there was a space next to me.

"I don't want to be alone," I whispered, and he smiled sadly at me. He nodded, kicking his shoes off. Looking round, he found an old shirt of his and some sweats, and I looked at the ceiling as he got changed. The bed shifted next to me and I waited until he was laid next to me before moving closer to his side. Out of instinct, he wrapped an arm around me, pulling me closer to him as I laid a hand on his chest.

We laid like that for a while in silence. "I'm so sorry, Alexa," he whispered suddenly, and I nodded, unable to say anything. It wasn't long before I fell asleep in his arms.

XXXXXX

It had been a week since my mum had died, and Sam and Dean hadn't left the house. Bobby had gone a few days before, whispering to the boys he had to go get my mum and get ready for the funeral. As expected, it would be a hunter's funeral, and would be in part of the woods near Bobby's house. Dean had taken it upon himself to erect the pyre, while Sam stayed with me most of the time, which was slightly annoying.

"I'm not broken, Sam, I can go get a drink myself," I snapped, as he rushed to my side in the kitchen. He flinched and I sighed. "I'm sorry Sammy," I added more quietly, and he nodded in understanding. It had been like this since I found out, although Dean wasn't as clingy as Sam. I think he understood what Sam couldn't.

It was bright sunshine when Bobby returned. I was sat on the couch with Sam when he jumped up at the sound of the car. I rose more slowly, knowing that my mother's dead body was in the back of his truck. She was covered in a white sheet, and I watched as Dean had come round the side of the house and exchanged a few words with Bobby before he lifted my mum out of the truck. I walked to the back door, Sam behind me, and went into the back yard as Dean got there. He shared a look with me before we followed him to a secluded part of the woods. The pyre was bathed in a ray of light where the sun had broken through the trees, basking my mother's body in light when Dean gently laid her down on the wooden bed. I stood beside the pyre, unmoving. Bobby came up next to me and put his arm around my shoulders. We shared a small smile before I spotted some wildflowers, and went to pick some. The boys watched on sadly as I placed a bunch of them where my mum's chest was. Stepping back, I sighed deeply, before Dean passed me a stick he had set on fire at one end. I took it slowly, and placed it in the middle of the pyre. It didn't take long before it caught the wood and a warm blaze began.

Bobby stood next to me and wrapped his arm around me again. "She did love you," he said to me, and I nodded.

"I know she did," I replied quietly, watching my mum's body burn. "She was just trying to protect me from the dangers in this world, and I hated her for it. Only now do I realise the lives she saved, including mine," I said, tears beginning to roll down my cheeks. Sam came to my other side, placing his hand on my shoulder. I looked over at Dean, who was staring at the pyre, and I wondered if he was thinking about his own mum.

A phone began to sound, and all heads turned to Dean as he answered. "Dad? We're kind of in the middle of something…Can't it wait? Yes sir, we'll be ready," he said, annoyance clear in his voice.

"What is it?" Sam asked, walking over to Dean who was staring at his phone in anger. Dean looked at me before he answered.

"Dad needs us," he said, not elaborating any further.

Sam looked between me and Dean. "Dean, we're needed here," he whispered, but I could still hear him. I shared a look with Dean and stepped closer to them.

"Sammy, it's alright. Go help your dad. I'll be fine here, I've got Bobby with me, and you can check in when you're done," I said gently, and was surprised when he carefully wiped a tear away. He smiled at my shock, before kissing my forehead.

"I'll be back soon, I promise," he whispered, before he began to follow Dean back to the house.

"Dean!" I called, stopping both brothers. Dean indicated for Sam to go get their stuff and walked back to where I was stood.

"Yeah?" he asked. I bit my lip before I threw my arms around his neck in a hug. He was rigid for a moment before he wrapped his arms around my waist.

"Thank you, for everything," I whispered, and he tightened his arms before letting go. His trademark smirk was plastered on his face, and I couldn't help but smile.

"Your welcome, Alexandra," he said, before jogging to the house as I told him off for calling me that. Bobby shook his head as he followed the boys back to the house, leaving me alone for the first time in a week.

My smile fell as I turned to the still burning body of my mother. "I'm sorry I didn't believe in you as much as I should have done, mum. I know you didn't want this life for us, you and dad. But I can't let any of your deaths be in vain," I said, choking as tears fell without stopping. I swallowed before continuing. "I promise to carry on your job, to the end," I vowed, and looked down at my mum's jewellery she had had on. I fingered her engagement and wedding rings, and slipped them on my hand without thinking. If I didn't love my mum enough when she was alive, I was damn sure I would love her with every monster I killed.