Sam swore up and down that he was dreaming.
There was no way in Hell, on Earth, Mars even, that she was standing right there in front of him.
Her.
After all these years.
Sam rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn't at least imagining it.
He didn't even know what had happened. One minute Dean and Mom, who apparently had came back to life, show up and rescue him and then next thing he knew, she's standing on the doorstep.
Her.
She's back. And she still looks exactly the same.
"Sam?"
Dean was calling him.
How was he going to explain this to Dean?
He kept hearing Dean call him. Like a muffled call in the back of his head but he couldn't quite focus on because she was back and she was standing there in front of him.
Here.
In the doorway to the bunker.
She said something, but what it was, Sam didn't know. He didn't hear.
Just like he didn't hear Dean coming up the stairs.
"Who's at the door?"
Dean recognized her right away. Well maybe not right away. He knew she was familiar, but it wasn't until he saw how pale his little brother's face turned that it finally hit.
Sammy was staring at a ghost.
Dean kept his hand on his gun just to be safe.
"Sammy?"
Sam starting blinking rapidly, coming back to reality.
"I'm sorry."
"Are you going to invite her in?"
Sam looked at Dean, a sort of 'are you sure that's a good idea' look.
Dean nodded.
"I don't think she wants to be left out in the rain."
Sam gestured.
She smiled and stepped inside.
Dean took his jacket off and wrapped it around her. Poor girl was still in a nightgown, that was now wet thanks to the rain outside. He draped an arm around her and guided her down the stairs into the den.
"Maybe Mom has some clothes you can borrow."
Dean left.
Sam continued staring at her.
"How are you here?"
"He said to tell you 'you're welcome'."
Sam released a breath of air he didn't realize he was holding.
She spoke.
Like an angel.
Okay maybe not like an angel.
Definitely not like Cas.
But you get it.
"You grew your hair out."
She makes jokes too.
Sam laughed.
"You always liked it long."
She shivered from the cold.
"I'm sorry I'm being rude. I'll make you some tea. You still like the peach flavor right? What am I saying? Of course you still like the peach flavor. You liked it before you died and you'll still like it now."
Sam kept rambling.
She just smiled. Then frowned.
"I was dead."
She said it so quietly that Sam almost didn't hear it.
Sam swore mentally.
Should he not have told her that?
Did he just break some immortality rule?
Oh for the love of Chuck why did Dean leave the two of them alone?
"You're okay. I promise."
She smiled again at the reassurance and wiped the single tear from her eye.
Sam hated seeing her cry.
The tea kettle went off. Sam poured her a cup and she lightly sipped from it.
Dean came back.
"The bathroom's ready for you if you'd like to clean up. Mom found some things that may fit for you to sleep in tonight."
She thanked him and went to the bathroom.
"Should I make her her own room?"
"She's back."
"I know. How are you holding up?"
Sam was speechless. He couldn't settle on one emotion. Happy. Scared. Surprised. Confused.
"I don't know."
But Dean did. Because he felt the same way when he first saw Mom.
"I gotta ask. Are you two still technically a thing?"
Sam chuckled. Leave it to Dean.
"You know I still have to test her right?"
Sam bit his lip and nodded.
He went upstairs.
Sam found a room just down the hall from his and an extra set of sheets.
He ran into her in the hallway just as he finished prepping the room for her.
It was weird seeing her in full on pajamas instead of sweats and a tee shirt one size too small.
"I-I-I got you s-s-set up in h-h-here."
Nice one Sam.
She smiled to thank him and went inside.
Sam wanted to talk to her. To ask her what it was like. What had happened.
He wanted to tell her all that he had been up to. He may not have told her about hunting the first time around but he will be damned again if he didn't the second time.
"Are you coming to bed? Or are you and your brother going to stay up all night talking about me?"
"My room's down the hall."
She frowned.
"So what? We live together and now suddenly it's weird to sleep in the same bed?"
"You were gone for almost thirteen years."
She took a deep breath.
"Yeah, you are definitely not 22 anymore."
That hurt.
"Well stare all you want. I'm going to turn in. It's exhausting coming back to life."
She climbed into bed and closed her eyes.
Sam left her. He ran into Dean on the way.
"What are you doing?"
"I told you I had to test her. Don't worry, I know she doesn't know so I'll wait for her to sleep before I douse her in holy water."
Sam went back downstairs where he made himself a cup of tea. He put the peach tea bag in and took a sip.
Sam may have had his dietary differences, but he definitely sided with Dean when it came to fruity teas.
How could his girlfriend drink this stuff?
Girlfriend.
Sam smiled wide at the thought of the word.
Dean came back downstairs.
"God it took her forever to fall asleep. I don't think she trusts me. But good news little brother, she's clean."
Dean noticed the smile on Sam's face.
"What are you grinning about?"
"She's back."
"She's back."
"She's really back?"
"Okay, you keep telling yourself that and it's kinda freaking me out."
"Jess is really back."
someones-big-sister