Revelations

Dean backed away, feeling suddenly double-teamed. He looked at Lauren, "You lied to me?"

"No, everything I told you is true Dean. All of it."

"Son," John began again, but Dean interrupted.

"Don't… just don't. Don't even talk to me right now. Lauren, how can you even talk to him after everything he did to us?"

"Dean," Lauren and John both said at once.

"Just shut up, both of you!" Dean screamed, then to John, "You, outside, now!"

"No!" Lauren said harshly. "I told you there was more, maybe you should hear it before you snap to judge…"

Dean wheeled on his father. "I did everything you said, always, my whole life. I lived to make you proud. I always put the family first, always did what you asked. I had ONE thing of my own in my life, and you took it from me. You had to take the one thing that really made me happy. Why Dad? You need to tell me what made you think you're God!"

"Your actions were putting the entire family in danger," John said.

"Dean," Lauren began.

"No, it's okay," John said, straightening up, his face getting a little sterner. "Let him say what he feels he needs to say. It's about time he got a damned backbone!"

Dean's mouth dropped. "Backbone? You want me to have a backbone? You drilled backbone right out of me Dad, and now you're complaining about it? I don't get you, not at all! I was always the good little soldier boy, doing everything Daddy asked!" Dean was pacing now, stalking back and forth in front of John like a cat eyeing its prey before going in for the kill. His hands were shaking, his voice trembled. "Once Lauren was gone, all I wanted was for the three of us to be together. You disappear, I go find Sam, you show back up again, we all nearly die, then you disappear again. Sam and I look for you again, for over a year, and now you show up? Why Dad? Why here, why now? Why her?"

"Valid questions," John nodded his head, but he said no more.

"Don't patronize me, you son of a bitch!" Dean yelled, stepping toe-to-toe with his father, staring him down.

"You think you're man enough to take me down Dean?" John stared coldly at his son.

Lauren stepped up to them, about to get in the middle when they both said, "Back off," without so much as looking at her.

She stepped back, sitting on the couch, head in hands, fingers running through her own hair, trying to figure out what to do. She was glad Sam had taken Angel out. He must have known it was going to get ugly. She also knew in her heart that Dean really needed this. She just hated being the reason for him finally standing up to his father, especially after everything John had done for her family. Dean doesn't know the whole story; a voice in her head reminded her. This isn't fair to either of them. She went into the bedroom to grab something and came back out. The battle waged on in front of her.

"I can't believe I trusted you, never questioned anything you asked me to do. Look at you; you're a pathetic, weak old man. You wasted your whole life, and mine and Sam's childhoods on what? Nothing, that's what. We're no closer to killing that thing that took Mom now than we were a year ago. Maybe I should have let Sam shoot you in the heart when you were possessed…"

"That's enough!" Lauren thundered, slamming a baseball bat down on the coffee table in front of her, then moving in between Dean and John. "You, sit down," she said to Dean, poking him in the chest with the baseball bat before pointing it at a chair behind him.

Dean glared at her defiantly. "Sit down Dean. You have no idea what you're talking about here and I don't want you to say anything else you're going to regret." She raised her eyebrows and gripped the bat tighter, letting Dean know she meant business.

"John, I'm sorry," she began. John just shook his head no, blinking back the tears in his eyes before Dean could see them. But Lauren saw them. Lauren knew the damage Dean had done, even though John tried to hide it from his son.

"Dean, you're going to hear the rest of this now if I have to tie you to a chair. I tried to tell you before."

"I know all I need to know," Dean said coolly.

"No, you really don't. That man saved MY life; he saved Angel's life, Dean."

"What the hell are you talking about, he sent you away. I could have protected you myself!" Dean yelled

Lauren just shook her head, turning away from Dean now as she spoke. "John, may I?" she asked.

"Go ahead Lauren," he answered softly. "He really should hear it from you."

Lauren took a deep breath. "OK," she began, "I was living in this house in North Carolina. Your dad had helped me find the place when I first left. Great house, good neighborhood; I loved the place. I hadn't seen or talked to your dad since he'd dropped me there. Kinda hated him back then, to be honest. Sorry, John, but I did." John shrugged it off. "I was lonely, missing you like crazy, then Angel came along, and she just lit up my whole world. I wanted her to grow up in that place…"

She stopped, taking a deep breath. John looked at her sympathetically as she shook her head, not wanting to relive this again. Dean didn't like this connection she seemed to have with his father, but he was calming her a bit and it was obvious she was very upset.

"So Angel was just a baby, in fact it was her six month birthday," the pitch in Lauren's voice shifted and Dean's heart nearly stopped as he realized what she was going to say (she has abilities, oh God, the demon came after Angel?). "I put Angel to bed that night, just like every other night. A few hours later she starts crying and I go to see what's wrong, and there's this man in her room." Lauren's voice cracked. John walked over to her and put his hands on her shoulders, comforting her. Lauren continued, not quite facing Dean, her profile told him how hard this was. "Well, not really a man, more like a shadow. I screamed, and it turned and next thing I knew, I was up against the wall, like this thing that pinned me when it attacked me at work. I felt myself going up the wall, toward the ceiling and Angel was crying and there was nothing I could do…." Lauren stopped for a moment, then took a deep breath. "And then, your dad busts through the door, shooting a shotgun at the thing and it disappears. He grabbed Angel and me and helped us outside, and the bedroom just exploded in flames. Ten seconds longer and Angel and I would both be dead!"

Lauren leaned her head against John's chest and sobbed. John stroked her hair gently, "It's ok," he said softly. "It's over."

"Thank you!" she said to him. "You could have gotten yourself killed in the process. You risked your life for us and I will never forget it!"

John Winchester smiled at her through misty eyes and said, "I'd do it again in a heartbeat. You're both worth it, all of it."

"This is all very touching," Dean said sarcastically, regretting his tone as soon as the words came out of his mouth. "But how did you know the demon would go to Lauren's house? How did you know Angel would be in danger?"

"Apparently, he knew Angel would be a target because of her abilities," Lauren said, looking at John.

"These abilities appear to run in families, sometimes passed down from generation to generation," John said.

"Angel's abilities hadn't shown up yet."

"The abilities apparently run on Angel's father's side of the family," Lauren said, glancing at John. John was silent. "Her uncle has them…"

"Her uncle?" Dean said, not quite putting the pieces together.

"Jesus, I can't believe you haven't figured this out yet. Did you flunk math in high school or something? Angel will be six next month Dean." Lauren kneeled on the floor in front of the chair Dean was sitting in now, looking a little lost. She took his hand in her own. "Your dad showed up that night to save his grandchild; his son's child. John did all of this to protect you, but to protect your child as well. Angel is your daughter Dean."

Repercussions

Lauren's words echoed in his head. Dean Winchester sat in a chair in her house dumbfounded. He opened his mouth to speak, but there were no words. He was a father and his own father and this bitch had kept the truth from him for more than six years. God, he had almost trusted her again, almost let himself fall for her again, now this?

He looked up to see Lauren looking at him expectantly, and behind her, his father.

"I'm sorry," Lauren said, "This must be a lot to take in."

Dean withdrew his hand from Lauren's and slowly got out of the chair. "Dean?" she said as he grabbed the baseball bat and stomped out the front door, slamming it behind him. Lauren walked past John to follow him.

"Let him go," John advised. "He's going to need some time to process all this."

The next thing they heard was the sound of breaking glass in the drive followed by the roar of the Impala's engine and screeching tires. John just shook his head.

They came back in from inspecting John's broken rear window and headlights. "The things he said to you John," Lauren began.

"Lauren, I'm not perfect," John said. "Dean was right about a lot of things. The truth is I've made more than my share of mistakes when it comes to my boys. You're a parent; you know that sometimes you have to make the best decision you know how and just pray it's the right one for your kids."

"But how do we explain that to them when it rips them apart and destroys their trust in us?" she sighed, staring at one of Angel's toys lying in the corner.

"Maybe I shouldn't have separated you and Dean after all," John started.

"I have as much culpability in this as you do John," Lauren said. "I was a grown woman."

"And I was, AM, a bull-headed arrogant fool. If you hadn't agreed to leave, I would have found a way to separate you two," John smiled a slightly mischievous smile. "This is my doing."

"How did you find me?" Lauren asked. "I mean, here?"

"I kept tabs on you when you moved. I have friends here. Any 911 from your office building and I heard about it. I was in town for what I thought was a lead on the demon. I heard about the nature of the call the night you were attacked and went straight to the hospital. Dean damn near saw me there the night you were brought in."

"You were at the hospital?" she asked.

"Yeah, Sam may have told you he gets these premonitions sometimes, he must have seen what was going to happen to you and brought Dean to help him try to stop it," John replied. "Dean was a wreck Lauren, you should know that. He and Sam took turns in your room with you until you woke up. I guess they figured the demon would come back. Sam would come to relieve Dean and he would pace the hallway for at least an hour before going to get some sleep. On his shifts, he never left your room for so much as a bathroom break."

Lauren smiled a sad smile and shook her head.

"I'm sorry for all of this Lauren," John said. "It's obvious you still love him, and I think his actions while you were hurt confirm he still loves you too."

"I walked out of his life without a word. I kept his own flesh and blood hidden from him. You know how he feels about family John. The things he's done to keep your family together, to keep Sam safe. He would have done the same for Angel and never got the chance. I'm sure right now he's thinking he should have been the one to protect her all those years ago. It doesn't matter how I feel about him, he's never going to forgive me for this."

"I guess the first step would be for you to forgive yourself," John said softly.

"I can't," she said. "I kept him from his child, I kept Angel from her father, her uncle, her grandfather," she said, looking at him again now.

"You made the best decision you knew how to keep your child safe. You gave up everything you loved for her. I don't know much about parenting, but I know that makes you a good mother."

"Once I heard, or should I say thought, Dean had died, I was almost relieved. The weight of carrying this secret was smothering me. Then I had all this guilt that he and Angel hadn't gotten a chance to get to know each other. By the time Angel finally asked about her dad, I told her he was dead, because I thought it was true. How am I going to make her understand this?"

John's eyes widened. "Lauren, I should have told you. I didn't even think about the possibility of you hearing about what happened." He paused before continuing, "Dean has a big heart. One day, maybe he can forgive both of us. Speaking of family, you're going to tell Sam and Angel too?"

"After everything that's happened and the fact that the demon has tracked us down anyway, I don't see a value in continuing the lies," Lauren replied.

"I wonder how Sam is going to feel about being an uncle," John said thoughtfully.

"He and Angel get along great; I'm sure he'll be just fine!" Lauren smiled. "That reminds me, I think they should probably have been back by now, don't you? Would you mind calling Sam's cell phone? I didn't think to get his number or Dean's, so I have no way to reach them."

"Sure," John said, dialing Sam's number. There was no answer; he left a message. "Sam, it's Dad. Lauren's wondering where you and Angel are. The coast is clear so to speak. Dean isn't here so go ahead and bring Angel back. Thanks." John frowned after clicking his phone shut.

"What's the matter?" Lauren asked.

"Sam always picks up the phone when I call him," John replied. "This doesn't feel right. Something's wrong. I'm going to look for them."

"I'm going with you," Lauren said.

"No," John said. "Stay here." Lauren was annoyed. "Does he have a key to get in the house if he gets back and there's no one here?"

"No," she frowned.

A few minutes later John came back into the house with several shotguns and other weapons. "Sam and Dean seemed to have done a good job on the protection for the house, but I don't fully trust anything with this demon. He's more powerful than a lot of the other things we've encountered along the way. DO NOT leave the house for anything unless you're with Sam or Dean, got it?"

"Just find them," Lauren instructed, starting to worry.

"I will," John smiled. "And Lauren?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks," John said.

"For what?" she asked.

"For defending me to Dean," he replied. You have as much right as he does to hate me."

Lauren smiled a forgiving smile and shook her head as she closed the door behind him.

"Help, please, somebody help us!" John Winchester pulled into the parking lot of Dairy Queen just in time to see Angel running away from Lauren's truck screaming and Sam being dragged away unconscious by a dark figure moving quickly behind the building.