Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural or the characters that come with the show. I do however own the characters I paired the boys with and the plot.

"You look tired but thankfully I know a good doctor."

Those are the first words out of their mother's mouth. Marie looks over at Kaida and the look on her face said it all without saying a word. Told you so.

"Hey mom!" Kaida smiled, greeting the more seasoned Ford woman. "We missed you!"

"Did you now?" She asked, her eyes flickering over to Marie who stared at her with empty eyes. She turned to look back at her youngest. "And I missed you, my darling girl. Come inside, tell me what you've been up to."

Marie rolled her eyes, scooped up her bags and followed them inside. Up the stairs, down the hall to the last room on the left. This is where she spent the majority of her life. It hasn't changed a bit. Black walls with quotes scribbled all over in neon colored markers. Makeshift rope made from bed sheets still lay rolled up next to the bay window, tethered to the bed as an anchor. It was her way of sneaking out when she was younger. Empty hangers in the closet from when she tore them out shortly before fleeing. Broken picture frame she shattered by throwing at the wall nearest the door in hopes of hitting her mother. Too bad she missed.

Tossing the bags onto her bed she took a moment to lay down next to them and closed her eyes. She didn't want to be here. Stepping foot into this house made her skin crawl with anxiety. Two days, that's it. She could make it for two days, right?

God she was already itching to leave.

She stood, leaving her room to find the door that would lead to the attic. It'd been converted years ago, about a month after she'd left this house behind to be more specific. As she climbed the stairs her heart began to pound knowing what should would find within this new addition.

A steady rhythm of sharp but quiet beeps grew more prominent as she ascended the stairs and stopped at the top of the landing. Once a stuffy attic full of boxes, treasures untold and family knickknacks now gave way to a room that resembled a hospital room. The sterile smell, white walls and that steady beat assaulted her senses. And in the room, in the middle of the bed, hooked up to various machines and monitors lay her 46 year old father. A man she admired, looked up to and loved more than she could describe. He looked small. And weak. Nothing like the vibrant man she'd once known. Nothing like the hunter he used to be. He deserved so much better than this.

"Hi daddy." She said after taking in a shaky breath and once again wishing she were anywhere but here.

She approached the bed which was flanked by more machines than she cared to count. A wall of various medicines, equipment and replacements for everything in this room stood to the side. She took the only seat and pulled it up to the side of his bed, sat and took his hand in hers. She could feel the bones. He'd lost weight. He looked so sickly. She swallowed her pain.

"Happy Birthday, daddy." She whispered, but in this room it sounded as if she'd yelled. "I think about you all the time. I.. got trapped fighting a Djinn. Crazy, right? But it uh.. it led me to the Winchesters. Can you believe it? The freaking Winchesters, dad. I'm okay, by the way, I made it out alright. Kaida saved me." She cleared her throat as her eyes skimmed over his figure eventually coming back to rest on his face. "I know you didn't want her hunting, but she's good dad. She's got a good head on those shoulders, good instinct. Bobby says hi." She let out a sigh, her body starting to shake as the emotional toll caught up to her. "I miss you so much, daddy." She sobbed, dropping her head into her hands and letting out a deep guttural cry that needed to be let out since the day she ran off.

She didn't know how long she sat there crying for but when someone's hand came down softly on her back she sobered up and stood, it was Kaida. Her younger sister had tears welling up in her eyes as well. She looked desperate, like she wanted to talk. But Marie couldn't. Not here, not now. Not with him laying right there. So she stepped back and then moved around her sister, swiping angrily at the tears still streaming down her face as she left. Fleeing the house once more if only to get away for a little while. It didn't take her long to find the nearest bar, after all, this was her hometown. And nothing here ever changed.

It took her even less time to find an old flame, a flame that went out a long time ago but it would do in a pinch. And right now, she needed one hell of a pinch.

Kaida stood the moment Marie slipped into her room. "Where have you been? It's been 5 hours since you took off! You could've called. Told me you were alright, I was worried!"

Groaning Marie slipped off her jacket, when she tried to hang it off the back of a chair it slipped down and pooled on the floor instead. Shrugging the older Ford sister giggled and stumbled to her suitcase. "I needed a drink." She laughed this time, at what? Who knows. Kaida made a face. "Great, drunk Marie just what I need."

Marie shrugged, "I only had two beers. Patrick was there. He said to say hi." She laughed again and stumbled as she tried to shimmy out of her jeans.

"Two beers? Bullshit. You have the tolerance of an ox. How many did that pompous asshole feed you?" Marie shrugged and this time she fell over from the gesture. Laughing when she landed. "I don't know, God! What are you my mother? Just leave me alone, Kai." She groaned, giggling as she kicked out of her jeans finally and crawled back to her suitcase to get some pj bottoms out and an oversized shirt.

"No I'm not your mother, but I worry about you! What the hell did you do?" The younger sibling tried helping her up but only got grief for it. "Leave me alone, K! You're hovering!" Marie snapped, swapped shirts and finally stumbled to her bed. "He still can't last longer than a few minutes! Oh god he's such a terrible laa-" She faded out and within moments of her head touching the pillow she was out like a light with Kaida to take care of her.

Kai left two asprins and a glass of water on the bedside table before slipping out of the room. She didn't sleep a wink though. She popped in to check on Marie throughout the night, talked with her dad when she wasn't checking on Marie and sitting at her window in her room much like she used to growing up. She missed how close the family used to be, Marie had every right to be angry but Kai just felt it was time to let it all go. Let it go and move on and love and comfort each other the way their dad would have wanted. But nobody was going to listen to Kaida. It was easier for both of those women to be angry at each other than it was for either of them to be the bigger man and forgive.

In the meantime, Kaida did her best to remain Switzerland on the subject and simply be there for both which hardly ever worked in her favor. When dawn finally broke Kaida did one last check on Marie, changed and went for a run. A run that took nearly two hours for a total of 7 miles to complete but she made it back in time for breakfast. God she was one hell of a rusty runner.

Four bites into her waffles she heard a scream and then, "OH GOD I SLEPT WITH THAT POMPOUS ASSHAT, PATRICK!"

Dear Readers,

I'm so sorry for being gone for so long. I've had very sporadic updates on a couple of other stories, but I haven't actually touched this one in 6 years. I'm sorry I let it crumble in my absence. Hopefully I can fix that with your help of course.

I know that maybe I don't have to explain myself, but I would like to. In the beginning of 2014 my mom's illness got really, really bad, she'd been sick for a very long time but it got worse as the year progressed and I've been taking care of her since her diagnosis way back when I was in middle school. She fought hard and I'm not ashamed to say that everything was put on the back-burner in order to be by her side. The beginning of that year she was in and out of the hospital and it took it's toll. She passed away July of 2014 and everything I love died with her. It's been really hard, getting back into everything she used to support me so fiercely on. I cannot tell you how many times I would sit down at my laptop, write up half a chapter, delete it and go lay back down just to escape the pain.

I'm sorry I left everything for so long. But if you have stuck with me this long, if you are still here and willing to read, then I am still willing to continue writing this story.

Let me know that you've enjoyed reading this story by following, adding it to your favorites or sending me a review! :)

XoXo
W.S.