Part 2
Chapter 4: Don't Tell Sam
"I know I've been pushing this normal thing but I can't just let you go out on a hunt by yourself." Sam stood blocking her way leaning on the driver side door to the Beast.
"Sam. We have been through this already." Elliot sighed and gave him a soft smile. "You agreed this would help."
"I know," He looked down to the pavement at their feet. "I told Bobby that we didn't want any more cases. That we were done."
"Hey." She rested her flat palm on his plaid covered chest. "I asked him for a case. I am trying to be normal Giant. I just… don't know how."
"Your doing great. We are doing great. You don't need to hunt Ellie." His puppy eyes nearly begging her to not go, but she looked away not letting him change her mind.
"I need to do this Sam. I'm having a hard time adjusting is all. Just think that if I ease into it more than it might be easier for me."
"I don't want to make things hard., I just want us to be safe. If this isn't what you want, we can keep traveling, move to another town, or-"
"Sam I already told Bobby I would take this one. It sounds like it's just one rouge vampire that escaped another hunter a town over. There has only been one body drained, I just need to make sure no more bodies drop and it will be a cake walk." Elliott grabbed his hand and laced her fingers with his.
"Then don't go alone. I'll come with." Sam lifted their hands to his lips and kissed the back of hers.
"I told you I won't be alone. Bobby has a hunter meeting me there. An old trustworthy friend of his." She lied smoothly, feeling awful about it. Everything else she had said was the God's honest truth. Just not the part about a partner. "Besides you need to stay here and make sure I still have a job when I get back. Don't want everyone at the bar to think we've run off and replace us." It was as good of an excuse as any, but really Elliott just didn't want to drag Sam back in when he was semi happy playing normal. It would break her if she was the reason Sam couldn't live the way he always wanted to. Well… close to how he always wanted to.
"I don't like this." He mumbled sounding a little defeated.
"You said that one already." She smiled softly up at him and gave his hand a squeeze. "I'll be back to our home sweet motel before you know it."
"Ellie,"
"Please Giant? I'm just feeling restless. I don't know the last time I had this long of a break. I'm not used to this. This will help me adjust to our new normal, being normal." She joked but deep down she was hoping it was true. The cabin fever that had been slowly creeping in on her was getting to be too much. She wished more than anything that she could be what he wanted right now, and this was her way of trying to adjust and do just that. A short weekend hunt should easy the cabin fever and restlessness that she couldn't get rid of.
He sighed in defeat. "Okay, but I still don't like it. You keep constant communication though. If anything seems off you call me and get the Hell out of there."
Elliott smiled at his concern and squeezed his hand. "I promise Giant." Pushing up onto her tiptoes she glided her fingers through his shaggy mane to pull him down to her lips. He responded heatedly bending down slightly to reach her better. His hand gliding across her warm cheek and curling around the nape of her neck to hold her to him. The other hand on her hip pulling her impossibly closer, ridding any space that was left between them.
Sam pulled away first parting for air. "Just be safe." He mumble, breath heavy and lips slightly swollen from the kiss.
After another heated make out session Elliott was off. Although it felt good to be back on the open road, the way her stomach hallowed out at Sam's absence had her second guessing her decision to go on a solo hunt instead of just dealing with her anxiety and staying with him. But it wasn't like she hadn't done this before. Elliott Anders was an experienced hunter and one little rouge vampire wasn't a problem for her. Her foot sank heavier on the gas pedal wanting to get this over and done with so she could get back to Sam as soon as possible.
"Shit! Shit!" Elliott hissed under her breath standing outside the decrepit abandoned lake house. She too another look into the muddy smudged window that gave a burred view of the basement. This wasn't at all what she thought it would be. Both Bobby and her had just assumed it would be a rouge vamp from the demolished nest a town over. It wasn't. Now she had been hunting almost all of her life but she had never seen a creature that looked human and just took its victim by glowing like a damn glowstick and touching them. She had witnessed it do this in the lot of a bowling alley and hadn't been quick enough to stop it. So she had followed at a great distance to this moldy rotting lake house. Through the window she could see the elderly man being strung up by the thing that knocked him out with a glowing blue touch.
She sucked in a near silent breath as the humanoid creature fiddled with something Elliott couldn't make out through the dirty view. When the thing finished whatever it was doing it left the room going up the stairs to the main floor. Elliott ducked out of sight and to the side letting out a shaky breath. Leaning her head back against the house in thought. Fuck, she needed back up, and to get this poor man out of here fast. She couldn't hunt something that she wasn't familiar with on her own.
Quickly she went into action checking the mudded small basement windows. Then cursed, of course they are nailed shut and if she broke the glass the strange creature would hear and be doing his glowstick trick lighting up his eyes and markings and she'd be toast. She had to get that elderly man out of here but she couldn't defeat this thing alone. One vamp she could handle but she didn't know what this thing was much less how to kill it. She hesitated scrolling through her contacts when she saw Sam's name. He didn't know she was on this hunt solo, and she couldn't just tell him 'yeah about that…' and drag him into the life he so desperately wanted to escape. Bobby wasn't an option either. Now that he was stuck in that chair, he wouldn't be able to come down and help like she knew he would want.
The light from the phone screen lit her face in a bluish white light as she continued to scroll up and down her list of contacts. She sighed settling on her only real option and hit dial. It rang a few too many times for comfort and had Elliott worrying for a moment until he finally picked up.
"Hello?"
"Dean!" She hissed into the phone.
"Ellie? What-"
"Dean listen! I need your help. I'm on this case. I thought it was a rouge vamp but it's not! I don't know what it is. I'm at this lake house and it has a man tied up-"
"Hey, hey, hey! Calm down. Where are you?" Dean's tone dropping with great concern.
"Little Rock. But Dean, Sam doesn't know I'm hunting alone. You can't tell him!" Elliott rushed out so fast that her words were blurring together.
"Shit, Ell." He sighed. "I'm on my way., but I'm nine hours out. Where the Hell is Sam? Why the fuck are you hunting solo?" Dean demanded as the sound of the Impala roaring to life in the background came through the phone.
"It's my fault not his. Sam can't know Dee, please?" She leaned heavily on the house next to the small basement window trying to stay calm. If Sam found out he would be beyond mad and she didn't want to be more disappointing than she already felt she was. Because honestly who in their right mind wouldn't just stay in there close to apple pie life, and push down their anxiety rather than go off on their own and lie to the love of their life.
"When I get there you better tell me what the Hell you think you're thinking! This is reckless and stupid." Dean grumbled in away that had Elliott relax some, knowing he wasn't telling Sam.
"Dee I've never seen anything like this thing. I thought it was a vamp until it zapped some poor dude and brought him back here. It just went up the basement stairs but the widows are nailed shut, and it has this guy strung up in the basement like a piñata. I have to get him out of here before it comes back-"
"Damnit Ellie you're at its nest? By yourself? Are mad? Get out of there! You hear me?" Dean barked into the phone, so angry that she wouldn't have heard the concern in his voice if she hadn't known him. "Get the fuck out of there now! Go back to the motel and wait for me to back you up-"
A hand grasped her wrist suddenly making her drop the phone. The human looking thing covered in tribal markings hand gripped her wrist too tight and Elliott yipped at the pressure that was inhuman and could probably snap her wrist. Through the phone in the weeded grass she could hear Dean shouting for her. Without hesitation Elliott swung her free fist at it, landing the punch directly to the side of its temple with a loud thunk. He stumbled back a step but held tight to her right wrist. Needing her hand free of this freak she pivoted and thrusted her booted foot into his stomach, but before the kick could land, he caught her foot midair.
With a smirk he yanked her foot his hand upward, throwing off her balance and making her slam into the dirt and over grown weeds. Landing hard on her back and drawing the air from her. She groaned trying to get her bearing's as the creature loomed over her with her wrist still in his grasp. Struggling for a breath after getting the wind knocked out of her, the creature reached out for her. For a strange moment Elliott thought the thing meant to help her up but that wasn't the case. His hand was aimed towards her face reaching out to her.
"No-" she chocked out before a bright neon blue light shown from his eyes and along the markings on his skin. Elliott couldn't even struggle away as his glowing hand reached out to her and everything went black.
Elliott jolted up with a gasp, on a large comfy bed. Her eyes were wide not sure what was happening, and taking in her surroundings. No longer just outside the abandoned lake house, with… whatever that thing was. Now she sat in an average sized furnished bedroom. She was in a large bed, and across from it was a small dresser with frames and knickknacks on it. A nightstand at each side of the bed held a lamp and a book or two. There was a window to her right covered in a patterned curtain that was next to a closet and next to that was the door that was adjacent to another door. By the sound of the running water and steam floating out through the cracked door furthest from her she could assume led to a connecting bathroom.
Movement near her foot almost made her jump. A medium sized hound dog was stretching out at the end of the bed yawning as it did. The dog noticed she was there and alert and galloped to her from the end of the bed attacking her with licks of affection. Elliott had always been a dog person, but this was all so confusing and had her on edge that she only gave it a few pats before gently pushing it off of her. The dog didn't seem to mind and only followed her as she got out of the bed.
Warily she eyed the bathroom before searching the room for a phone. She needed to call Sam, screw keeping him from knowing she lied to preserve the semi normal life they had. She had no clue where she was or how she got here, just that one minute she was hunting the next… this. Snatching the phone off one of the nightstands she unplugged the charger and dialed Sam's number. A buzzing on the other nightstand stilled her. She hesitated peeking over at the other phone that was going off, peeking at it only to see her own name on the caller ID and hung up quickly. Sam. It was Sam's number, that must mean he's here too she pieced together eyeing the bathroom door with the sound of running water.
"What the Hell is going on…" She mumbled before continuing her investigation. The dog she had forgotten about barked once and scratched at the door. She swallowed thickly glancing at the bathroom not wanting to be seen by whoever was in there yet. Then tip toed her way to the door to open it for the hound dog, but halted as something caught her eye. A row of picture frames and trinkets lined the short dresser. Photos of her and Sam. Photos she didn't remember taking.
The first photo was of Sam and herself, only they were much younger and wearing graduation caps and gowns. His arms were wrapped around her from behind holding her close as the both smiled brightly for the camera. The next one was of the two of them again this time with the same hound dog she had found on the bed. In the photo the dog was sandwiched in between them with both her and Sam kissing the side of its face. There was a few more she didn't recall ever happening, but there was one that had double take. This one was a slightly larger photo in a rustic wooden frame that had her brows shooting to her hairline. It displayed the couple again but this time more professionally and less candid. Sam was decked out in a nice dark grey tux and Elliott in an elegant white laced dress. He was holding her dipping her back their eyes closed and lips locked in a passionate kiss.
Elliott gapped with parted lips then looked down to her left hand to find a diamond ring. It was beautiful and everything a hunter couldn't have. One diamond in the center was encircled by smaller diamonds. She stood there much longer than she realized alternating her stare from her ring covered left hand to the photo.
Startled out of her stupor by a scratching noise to look down at the dog who was now not only scratching at the door by whining as well. Then the hound let out a loud signature hound dog bay.
"Elvis no." Sam hushed and scolded the dog waking out of the bathroom in nothing but a towel swung low on his hips. "You were supposed to let her sleep in."
Elliott jerked not hearing the shower stop. She stared at Sam, he looked normal, uninjured. A droplet of water fell from his damp shaggy hair landing on his bare muscular chest, distracting her thoughts. When her eyes flittered over his body and back up, they caught on his eyes and held her gaze more that his ridiculously hot body. His beautiful galaxies were so bright and happy that she almost didn't recognize them. They no longer looked worn and darker like that of a seasoned hunter. It was like he hadn't been through they tough times they both knew he had. It was mesmerizing. She could just see how much happier he was and it broke her heart that she had never seen them like this before.
"Sorry, Ellie," Sam sighed with a crooked smile. "I was trying to let you sleep in." He patted the dog on head and smoothed its soft ears, before smiling at her. "How about I make it up to you by picking up the ice cream on my way home from work?"
"Supplies?" Elliott parroted with a wrinkled brow too stunned by his eyes to find her own words.
"For the party tonight?" His gaze narrowed at her concern graced his face as he stepped closer. "Ash's birthday party… we offered to have them all over for cake and a small grill out…?"
"Ash…?" She managed to repeat him again her mind whirling. The only Ash she knew died in a fire years ago. What the Hell is going on she tried to process. "Sam?"
"Yeah…" Sam's brow furrowed worry increasing.
"Sam, I don't- I- This isn't right." She stuttered. Forcing herself to blink and tear her gaze away from his eyes so she could talk. "None of this is right," She shook her head slowly trying to push the fuzziness that wanted her to not question this, not break this bubble.
"Baby what's wrong?" His hand cupped the back of her neck. "What's not right? Ash is going to be here in a few hours… if there is something else you need from the store. I can just get it on my way home. It's okay."
"No, no, no. Sam this isn't right. I just woke up here. I was on a hunt in Little Rock, and the thing jumped out of nowhere. I woke up here but it's not right. None of it is." She shook her head feeling like she was losing her mind."
"Hunt?" Sam looked at her like she had grown another head, before his brows knit with concern. "Are you feeling okay?" The back of his hand came up to rest on her forehead and had her looking up into his brilliant eyes that even in his worry looked more carefree and hopeful than she'd ever seen him.
"Yes, a hunt. I don't know what jumped me but it was this blue-"
"Baby, we've never been hunting in out lives." He removed his hand from her head watching her closely. "I mean you can't watch the first two minutes of Bambi without crying. You don't hunt."
"Uh" Elliott stilled, just blinking losing her ability to speak.
"Maybe we should cancel tonight." Sam rubbed his forehead. "If you're not feeling well…. Maybe I can call them to stay at a motel for the night…"
"No, no. It's okay." She answered quickly her gut twisting at the way Sam fretted over this Ash's sleeping arrangements. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to freak you out I… it was just a weird dream. Must still be half asleep." She lied sheepishly
"You sure?" He reached up and squeezed her shoulder looking her straight in the eye to read her.
"Yea, yea. I'm sure." Staring again at the sot hazels that were normally much harder and cautious.
"Hmm," He kissed the top of her head. "Why don't you get back to bed. Get a few more hours of sleep before everyone gets here. Alright? I should finish getting ready for work." He led her back to the bed, his large hand smoothing circles into her lower back. She let him and closed her eyes as he gave her lips a small kiss. Then rolled over and pretended to fall back asleep while she listened to him get ready and let the dog out. She pretended to wake slightly and the hound dog jumped up on the bed and laid at her feet with a humph. After a whispered "Love you," and a soft kiss to her temple goodbye she was on her own in the strange house.
Elvis the hound dog trotted into the room just as she pulled back the too soft comforter and her bare feet touched the soft carpet. His tail started going off thumping against the floor so fast it was a blur, as he just longingly stared up at her. Forgetting for a moment that none of this could be real Elliott smiled at the dogs loving deminer, and sat down on the carpet to give him the proper attention he deserved. He made a noise of approval and want before flopping over on his back begging for belly rubs.
"You like that?" Elliott chuckled giving his belly a few more rubs. "Want to help me find out what the Hell is going on here?" The hound threw his head back and gave a long echoing bay. "I'll take that as a yes, Elvis. Hmm." The corners of her lips lifting as she hummed. "Nice name."
The rest of the morning she spent rifling through every inch of the little two bedroom house, Elvis at her heals giving a whine every now and then. The house wasn't extravagant or huge by any means. It was small and quaint and homey in a way that had Elliott longing for the kind of life she never thought she'd want or have. It was packed with stuff, but well organized to look like it wasn't a mess. The kitchen was small but held all the necessities, with a country style that she didn't realize was a style. Rifling through drawers and cabinets to find anything that would clue her in on where she was or what was going on. Only to find kitchen utensils, a drawer full of notecards full of recipes for things like grilled pizza sandwiches, a bunch of different pie recipes and Christmas cookies that were labeled as 'Mary's Christmas Cookies'.
In the living room she found more framed photos and knickknacks and bills addressed to Mrs. Elliott Winchester, 4738 North Lloyd Street, Palo Alto, California. California? Elliott's mind sputtered, she was just in Arkansas. At least that's was the last place she could remember, hunting a -not vampire- creature at a lake house on the edge of Little Rock. She needed to find out what the hell was going on, she thought exploring the living room further.
Just like before the photos had stunned her thoughts and had her hesitating. There were more frames that held images of just the two of them on vacation on a beach, in the mountains, at some kind of theme park but the others are what had her breath hitching in her throat.
Pictures of Sam and his entire family. She only knew this because one night at Bobby's Sam and her had opened up a bit more about their families. It was one of the only times they openly discussed their deceased loved ones, unlike her Sam had a photo of his family before everything happened. The photo he had showed her was worn from time warped and creasing at the edges, but had been the only photo of his mother that he had. The same photo was displayed in a very small frame only it was nowhere near as distorted almost pristine in comparison. John, and Dean were posed standing on either side of Mary, with a baby Sam in her lap. All smiling at the camera.
That was the only one she could see with his parents in. A few candid photos were framed of what had to be Sam and Dean and a little blonde girl that although Elliott thought looked familiar. When she came across photos of Ellen and her husband Bill, she could place the little blonde as Jo. Then photos of her own family. Her Dad, and Max. All three of them smiling brightly at the camera at some kind of fair. Both alive and happy. They couldn't be alive now… Elliott denied. These photos had to be a couple years old, she scolded herself for even letting herself hope such a thing. This isn't real anyway, she told herself, so it doesn't matter that he isn't alive here too.
"Fuck." She sighed. She needed a cigarette and bad. This was all making her anxious and her emotions felt frazzled which she hated more than anything. What Elliott couldn't find were signs of protection. There were no salt lines, no devils' traps, no form of protection period. Not even a weapon. She had checked all the obvious places like under pillows, couch cushions, undersides of tables and bookshelves before looking deeper only to find zilch. The only think that could be considered a weapon was the set of dulling kitchen knives. Yep, she needed a cigarette, badly.
Unfortunately, it was one of the many things she couldn't find. Right when she was about to give up and take the little Ford Taurus she had discovered in the garage and drive until she found a gas station to by a pack there was a knock at the door.
Hesitating, Elliott deliberated if she should answer it considering she was weaponless and clueless to her surroundings. She eyed the kitchen debating on snatching up the bread knife. That was until she heard the voice of the person on the other side of the door.
"Ellie! You in there? Open the freaking door before I drop all this-"
She didn't hesitate a second longer. Rushing the short space to the front door before flinging it open so fast it bounced off the wall. With one look Elliott flung herself into his arms forcing him to drop the many grocery bags and duffel bags he had been holding. Her eyes stung with tears she was some how able to hold back though lips gave way to silent sobs and gasps for air. His arms wrapped around her hugging her back but not as tightly as she wanted.
"Uh… you okay there, Bug?"
"Max." Elliott huffed and sighed in relief. Still not holding her tight enough. Although her voice came off strong, she could feel the tears burning wanting to fall. After what felt like way too short of a moment, he pulled her back to eye his sister closely. Obviously trying to read her out of character behavior.
"I'm sorry." She smiled brightly clearing her throat and blinking rapidly to push back the tears before they could fall. "I guess I just really missed you." She added feeling the need to play along with this strange but wonderful situation they were in.
"Ellie, we were up here just last month." Her big brother huffed with a wrinkled brow and shook his head dismissing her odd behavior.
"Right…" She smiled anyway, beyond amazed at seeing those lively dark green eyes, and wavy brown hair standing right in front of her alive. Like he never died and left her. "Just happy to see you I guess."
"Aunt Ellie!" A high pitched squeal interrupted them. He was running past Max a little boy maybe four or five years old -she was never good with telling age- with shaggy sandy blonde hair and dark green eyes. The boy leapt up and lunged into Elliott's arms. Luckily with her hunter instincts she had no trouble catching him. "Daddy say's we get to have a slumber party with you and uncle Sammy for a whole week!"
Elliott gapped at the child in her arms stunned, but the kid didn't seem to notice. He yammered on excitedly as she held him on her hip. He looked so much like Max it made her heart squeeze. He suddenly squealed and started squiggling to get down from her hip.
"Elvis!" He squealed again and wiggled in her hold at the sight of the hound dog excitedly bouncing around her feet. "I want to play!" The kid demanded, and Elliott lowered him to the ground gently obeying without thought. Elvis jumped up taller than the boy licking his face and almost knocking him over. The kid just grinned and giggled before digging out a half eaten cracker from his little shorts giving it to Elvis quickly before anyone could stop him.
"Ashton J. Anders. You know not to feed other people's dogs without asking. What do you say?" Max scolded making the little boy duck his head and mutter a 'sorry'.
"Ash are you listening to your father?" Another familiar voice spoke up coming up behind Max.
"Jo?!" Elliott nearly choked, watching her make her way up the small porch and to them in the door way. Jo gave her a wide toothy smile stepping up next to Max and the little boy Ash. Max's arm wrapped around Jo's shoulder and pulled her in for a small kiss.
"Hey Elle-Elle. Thanks for hosting the family party," Jo started before Ash spoke up again.
"My party!" He grinned and cheered. "It's my birthday!"
"Ash is so excited to see you and Sam. It's all he could talk about on the plane." She laughed watching the boy kneeling on the entry way floor so he could give the wiggly hound belly rubs.
"And Elvis!" Ash declared seriously before going back to the happy hound.
"Yea mom, can't forget Elvis." Max sarcastically scolded Jo with a playful eyeroll.
When Elliott was able to fight her shock, she realized they were just standing in the entry way, and ushered them into the little home. She marveled as she let her alive brother and wife Jo in and offering any help she could. Then kept watch on little Ash while they got settled into the spare bedroom.
At first she just stared at the boy playing in the yard with the dog. It blew her mind how much the boy looked like Max. He had his nose, dark green eyes, and even had the same wavy hair that Max did. Although the color was all Jo's, a blonde sandy color.
Her heart had swelled seeing her big brother and then it had almost burst when she realized Max was a dad. Smiling at memories bubbling through her mind of Max taking care of her when their dad was out on a hunt. The smile faded when she realized that here, where ever here was it meant that those memories never happened. Here they didn't hunt. Here Max never had to take care of her. Here he was alive. Happy. A husband and a dad.
"Jo's taking a nap before the rest of the crew gets here. Long plane ride from Nebraska." Max sighed joining her outside on the patio twenty minutes later with a six pack in his hand. He set it down between them and laid back in the other lawn chair. "Beer?" He smirked holding out a can for her. Grateful she takes it and cracks it open, taking a couple long pulls.
"I can't believe you are a dad." She huffs giving him a soft dazed smile before her eyes flit back to Ash running around with the hound at his side.
"I know. Poor kids got me for a dad." Max says jokingly, not taking his eyes off his boy.
"Lucky kid." She smiles taking another sip of her beer.
As the day went on Elliott found it difficult to want to figure out how she got here. Just enjoying whatever trip she was experiencing. She did consider that she could be dead and this could be her version of Heaven, but she dismissed it just as quickly as it popped in her head. The way Castiel and the angels looked at her let alone talked to her she knew she wouldn't be welcomed there.
Sam was home before five and greeted Max and Jo happily before pulling Elliott into a passionate kiss and an even brighter smile than before that just made her insides melt. Elliot and Hon made themselves comfy in the kitchen and spiked their lemonades. Through the sliding glass door she watched as Max grilled burgers and hotdogs as Sam and Ash chased each other around the yard. Elvis training after them barking happily. Just when she thought it couldn't get any better the other Winchester showed up.
"In coming!" Dean boomed from the front door. "Where is that birthday boy?"
"Dee?" Ellie sat up setting her spiked lemonade down on the table and turning the corner out of the kitchen and into the hallway in view of the front door. Dean smiled brightly when Jo and Elliott came around the corner.
Elliott was sure her eye looked like they were about to pop out of her skull but she couldn't help it. Dean had one of his arms draped over a beautiful woman's shoulder that she had never seen before. She had smooth dark skin, curly hair and had a baby bump the size of a basketball under her stretched out tee shirt.
"We brought cake!" The woman smiled widely a sheet cake in her hands, but Elliott couldn't take her wide eyes off of the woman's stomach.
Dean snorted as they got closer. "You know, it's rude to stare," He joked at the shock on Elliott's face.
"Sorry, I-"
"We just haven't seen Cassie in months! You're going to pop any day now girl?" Jo eyed the darker skinned very pregnant woman under Dean's arm with a playful smile.
"God, I hope so. This little diva is over staying her welcome." Cassie huffed with a strained yet happy grin.
"Come in, sit down." Elliott greeted smoothly but her insides were jolting at what she was seeing. Dean Winchester was going to be a dad. Wow. Where the Hell was, she. This was beyond what she could want or hope for.
Cassie was a sweetheart yet a total independent badass Elliott discovered as Ash's birthday continued. More than that she made Dean smile more than Elliott ever thought possible. She had never seen either Winchester like this. They were both so carefree it almost hurt knowing what they were like before -no. Not before, she reminded herself. These Winchesters had never had to live through what she remembered and knew had happened. At least in another version of them.
It was probably one of the best days of her life. Real or not. There was cake, gifts for little Ash, plenty of good food and family. It was beyond perfect, and she didn't want it to end.
Eventually it grew dark and Max went to put a very tired Ash to sleep. Dean and Cassie made their exit after saying goodnight to Ash and promising they would go to the Zoo with him tomorrow. Elliott snuggled up against Sam on the couch with a warm cup of tea in her hands the hound dog curled up at their feet. Feeling so loved and content she forgot, at least for that moment that this wasn't her life yesterday. Jo sat on the lazy boy across from Elliott with her own warm cup.
"So, when are you two going to have a little brat of your own?" Jo hummed taking a sip of her tea.
Elliott internally cringed. Reality of her life crashing back into her brain. Reminder of herself being the mother of the antichrist, of bearing Lucifer's child hitting her like lightning and destroying the peace of mind she had had.
Sam's snort brought her back to their conversation. "Oh no, here we go again." Sam rolled his eyes although the corners of his lips tugged up some.
"Ash needs more cousins to play with." Jo almost pouted.
"Ellie and I are happy. We don't need a kid right now, I just got out of being an intern and landed that paid position at the firm." Sam explained in a voice that told her he had had this conversation many times before. "Environmental Law doesn't pay well, especially starting. Elliott's working on getting that promotion at the university. We aren't ready to afford a kid yet."
"There is no perfect time, Winchester. If you wait for when you think you're ready, it'll be too late." Max said coming back into the room and sitting on the carpet leaning back on Jo's legs.
Sam groaned. "Now you sound like your mom." That had Elliot stiffen, mom? "Just last week she was getting on Elliott's back about having kids-"
"Mom? Dad?" Elliott turned to him with a furrowed brow forgetting to play a roll in this wacky world.
"Oh, you remember." Sam went on explaining but she was too far in her own thoughts. Her parents were alive? Here it seemed everyone was. She let that thought sink in lingering a moment. Before she blurted out the first question that came to her mind a grotesque man standing in the entrance to the living room caught her eye. He was hanging there with dulling eyes and hands above his head. It was the man she'd seen the creature take, in Little Rock. Only now he looked close to death. Dark bags under his dull eyes that were hallowing out and gaunt, the pale grey complexion had her fearing for his death.
Elliott gasped sucking in a gust of cold air at the sight. Abruptly standing from the couch and Sam's warm arms. Her body tense and ready for action.
There was an awkward silence around her that had her glancing away from the dying man to see Sam, Max, and Jo staring at her with confused worry. "Ellie? Are you okay?" Sam questioned his own posture tense but with worry instead of reading for a fight. His eyes flicked from her to the hallway where she had been staring.
"I-" She turned back to the open hallway to find it empty once again. The old dying man no where to be seen. Elliott blinked rapidly and rubbed her eyes trying to clear her vision. "I, uh, I thought I saw something."
"Think it's time we get to bed too babe." Sam gave her a soft but concerned smile before nodding to their company that were watching her just as worried. "You two need anything else let us know. Come on Elvis, lets go to bed buddy." He patted his thigh with his free hand that wasn't around Elliott and they hound obeyed without hesitating.
Too dazed from what she saw she let Sam lead her away and up the stairs to bed.
"You sure you are feeling okay baby?" Sam asked as they got ready for bed.
She had been staring at herself in the mirror for at least a few minutes now. Her hazel green eyes transfixed on her smooth flawless skin. She tilted her head to the side and let her fingers glide over her upper thigh. It was gone. Like it was never there. Her burned rippled scar was gone. Like she had never been subjected to Alistair and his tortures. In fact, all of her scars were gone. The most recent one should have been on her lower stomach, where Bobby had been stabbed and she had jumped to heal him. That one should fade but not completely, and not this fast. The one that was finally thinning out where a vamp had gotten a chunk of her right where her shoulder met her neck. Even the scars from first time she met Sam and healed him were gone. Gone. Now Elliott had never been into or liked her scars, but they were a part of her whether she liked it or not. They told her story. It felt wrong to see herself so bare.
"Ellie?" A hand waved in front of her face snapping her out of it.
"Uh, yeah, sorry. Just tired Giant." She smiled softly.
Sam's face scrunched and he gave her a weird look. "Giant?"
Her insides clenched at his reaction. Then she saw him again. Really saw him. Shirtless, flawless, scarless. This wasn't her Sam, she deflated sadly, stomach hallow. Her Giant was scared and flawed and somehow more beautiful for it.
"Uh, sorry don't know where that came from." Elliott mumbled, feeling a little heartbroken. "Just tired I guess."
He came over and wrapped his long, strong, scarless arms around her and kissed her cheek. "Then let's get you to bed, baby."
Elliott woke the next morning surprised she had even fallen asleep. She thought after the whirlwind of a day she would have been in too much shock to. It felt strange going down the stairs and into the kitchen. Even though it was supposedly her and Sam's house, it felt like a stranger's place, but the happy tail wagging hound dog huffing and pacing excitedly at her bare feet did help.
Max and Ash greeted her at the kitchen table. Already eating bowls of cereal. Ash ever so happy to see Elvis finished his bowl of 'Marshmallow Maties' in such a rush she was surprised he didn't choke. Then left his empty bowl on the table and ran outside to play with the dog.
"You need to get that kid a dog." Elliott chuckled watching the boy making Elvis sit and roll over.
"That's exactly what mom and dad said last Christmas." Max huffed amused and stuffed a spoonful of cereal into his mouth. Once again thoughts of her parents being alive and well took over her thoughts. There was a comfortable lull where her mind wandered. If her whole family was alive did that mean Sam and Dean's were as well?
"What about John and Mary? Do they ever-" Elliott stopped abruptly at the horrid look her big brother was giving her. "What… ?"
Max's brows were raised high his dark green eyes wide looking as if he'd seen a ghost. "Not that it's my place, but damn. Never thought you'd bring that bastard up voluntarily. At least after what you and Jo told me about John." Max shook his head and blinked a couple times before taking a sip of his coffee his bowl of cereal now ignored.
"What did I tell you about John?" Elliott's eyes hyper focused on her own cup of coffee not wanting to look Max in the eye and give away that she didn't know.
His eyes narrowed looking her up and down as if trying to tell if she was joking. "Bug. That dick nearly got Sam and Dean killed. He's a psychopath."
"What? How?" She gripped her mug tightly, intrigued. Instincts buzzing.
"You know the story." Max muttered under his breath to stay quiet in case Sam or Jo were to walk in. "The man lost his mind when Mary died. Almost got himself and his boys killed before he was thrown in that nuthouse." He frowned, thumb nail picking at a hard water stain on his mug. "I gotta say, Jo's parents were saints for taking them in after that."
Her lips parted slightly as she processed, but Ash bursted back into the kitchen cheeks red from the chill of the morning and sandy hair windblown. A proud toothy grin spread across his face.
"Dad! Dad! I caught a spider!" He held up the mason jar of dirt and a little eight legged spider.
Elliott jumped a foot in the air, but not because of the spider. The man she'd seen last night in the hallway from Little Rock was hanging by his wrists right behind the excited little boy. This time he looked much worse. His head hung as if he could no longer support it, and his eyes were becoming lifeless, dulling even more. The short and subtle rise and fall of his chest the only indication the man was even alive.
"Alright buddy." Max laughed clueless to the corpse like figure fading out behind his son. "Aunt Ellie's not a fan of spiders, how about we bring him bac outside, hmm?"
Sam was down a few moments later and Jo joined them soon after. They all ate cereal and toast with their morning coffees as if the world was completely normal. To them Elliott sighed it was, but she stayed silent. With her mind whirling she couldn't even pretend at conversation and eat, not when that man was dying.
Sam announced that he wouldn't be able to join them on their zoo adventure being called into the firm, even though it was a Saturday. It was his first paid law firm so he was trying to go above and beyond. After Sam left Elliott also declined the invite for the zoo, giving them an excuse that she wasn't feeling well and wanted to sleep it off.
The moment she had the place to herself she snatched up the laptop on the coffee table and started searching. At first, she searched for the bodies found in Little Rock, Arkansas but unlike where she was two days ago there had been no bodies drained of blood. So, the dying man wasn't there, if there were no other bodies. Seeing that man now on the verge of death had been the last straw snapping her out of this little fantasy.
After the searches for drained bodies in Little Rock failed, she moved on to search for glowing blue men. Only getting art and stories of glowing blue aliens. Giving up on that creature for now her curiosity and instincts had her looking up a name. She worried her lower lip between her teeth as she typed in John Winchester. Luckily this search had better results. Clicking the first promising link she read the Wyoming Tribune Eagle article dating to November twelfth, nineteen eighty four.
Single father of two goes crazy.
After losing his wife in a house fire John Winchester hit the road disappearing with his two sons. An infant and a four year old. The family essentially disappearing from their family home in Lawrence Kansas. That was until last week, just over a year from the death of his wife John was arrested in Kemmerer, Wyoming for man slaughter.
Eye witness claim Mr. Winchester had been shouting and cursing about yellow eyes before he began chanting in Latin and throwing handfuls of salt and water. When that didn't appease the deranged father, he pulled out an antique gun and shot the man dead. When booked and questioned it became clear that the man was unstable. He was reported telling a detective that it was okay now because he killed that son of a bitch that pinned his wife to the ceiling and set her on fire.
John's children were later found hungry but unharmed in a nearby roadside motel. The now five year old boy watching after his one year old little brother. The five year old tried to attack the officers with a bowie knife as they entered the motel room, but no one was injured.
Mr. Winchester was tried for man slaughter, assaulting a police officer, child endangerment and child abandonment. The trial date will be announced later today.
"Holy shit." Elliott breathed wide eyes scrolling to find another article. Clicking on the next article from the same Wyoming Tribune Eagle.
John Winchester Trial
After not speaking for so long Mr. Winchester opened up to his lawyer wanting to see his kids again. A conjugal supervised visit was scheduled in exchange of John's cooperation in the trial. The trial was underway shortly after and it was clear to anyone listening to Mr. Winchester that he was a madman. Spewing out things about demons, ghost, and monsters. The ruling was quick all the jury unanimously agreeing. John Winchester was declared guilty by reasons of insanity. Sentenced for life in Saint Francis Sanitarium for the Mentally Ill just outside the city.
This drastic action was determined when John babbled on about demons killing his wife who reportedly died in a house fire more than a year prior. What sealed the ruling was the testimony of the five year old son. Claiming his dad was a hero and he wished he had helped his dad kill the 'demon'. The boy is currently seeing psychiatric help.
Both of John's sons would have been split and put into separate foster care if it weren't for the anonymous family friends that have volunteered to take them in.
Elliott read it two more times before scribbling down the address to Saint Francis Sanitarium for the Mentally Ill. She closed out of the searches and pushed the laptop away from her. Fingers finding the hair tie on her wrist nervously fiddling with it as she thought of what she should do next.
Sure, she could go to John and follow where this path may go but part of her really didn't really want to. Here Sam was happier than she'd ever seen him, Dean as well. More presciently Max was here, alive married, and a father. Her parents were alive as well and her inner voice was fighting with her whether she should go to them or John. Would following her instincts and looking for answers from John take away this nearly perfect life? The image of the nearly dead man flashing behind little Ash popped up in her mind forcing her to make the tough decision.
She stood abruptly making her mind up and acting on it before she could changer her mind again. Snatching the keys from the decorative bowl by the garage door Elliott got into the little Ford with a defeated sigh. She had a feeling this was going to be that last time she saw this house, this fake life that wasn't hers. The life she never thought she wanted, until she saw it for herself.
The little Ford Tauris was not Elliott's ideal vehicle but got her from point A to B. If she was being honest the heat worked far better than her pickup The Beast, but she would never say it out loud. According to google maps it was a seventeen hour drive from California to the sanitarium in Wyoming, and she was only going to stop for gas. It was just getting dark. The sun was almost set making the sky purple with a slice of pink in the horizon when her cell started to blow up with calls. She ignored them all. Not sure if she could truly explain what she was doing and terrified that if she did answer even one of the calls Sam or Max would be able to get her to turn back without a second thought.
By the time she had pulled up to the massive stone building it was definitely past visiting hours. The smell of rain on its way was in the air and the storm clouds were easy to spot even in the nights sky. It was a strange concoction of omen like dread and adrenalin that thrummed through her and pushed her on.
Usually as a hunt Elliott always tried to be prepared, but she left the home in California so fast that she didn't have a single weapon on her. Not like there was a single weapon to grab at their home anyway. Home. She sighed knowing it wasn't really that, at least not hers. Not a pocket knife let alone a lock pick to break into the closed psych ward. Luckily this reality Elliott also used hair pins. She pulled out one little metal pin from her head letting a few coppery blonde strands fall into her face. Using a hair pin always takes longer than a lock pick would but Max had had her practice with one over and over as a teenager until it was like riding a bike.
After she was in, she made her way to the abandoned front desk. All the while keeping an eye out for guards and staff. It appeared most of the staff had gone home leaving a skeleton night crew. A binder full of patients with room numbers, and short medical summaries was easy enough to find in the messy desk. She flipped through the W's until she found John. Listed as a disturbed white male with a heavy religious psychosis and paranoia along with a room number.
Elliott wet her lower lip worrying when she saw the long list of drugs Saint Francis Sanitarium for the Mentally Ill had him on. She wasn't so sure the man would be coherent enough for conversation let alone be able to help her. The picture besides his name was obviously older, probably from the day he was admitted. He looked every bit as mad as the articles had described him to be. Wild dark eyes behind darker untamed hair and a scruffy unshaven face.
She pulled herself away from the image in time to hear a night nurse skuttle by on her phone complaining about working the night shift, too occupied to notice her. When the nurse was gone Elliott silently put the binder back and went looking for John Winchester's room.
The room was on the first floor of the sanitarium, and looked like any other room door on the floor. Metal and numbered, a dent here or there but nothing too out of the ordinary. Some part of her had her hesitating, dreading opening that door, but her hunter instincts were going mad, driving her forward. She tried the knob but of course it was also locked. This lock was a little trickier but soon her hair pin did the trick. The moment the door was open she was drenched in water.
"Exortzamus te omnis immudus spirtus-" A deep voice rumbled hurriedly.
Elliott coughed the water he had splashed her with going straight up her nose. "Not a demon."
He hesitated and she could feel his scrutinizing eyes on her in the dark room.
"John?" Elliott spoke quietly not wanting to spook him or draw attention to them. "John Winchester?" The sound of a light switch snicked and they were flooded with a bright white florescent. She squinted and blinked until her eyes adjusted.
"What are you? Why are you breaking into my room?" John growled.
Now that she could see, he was standing near the light switch body stiff, tense and ready for action. He looked much worse than his picture His eyes were still wild but dulled by the many drugs he was on. His hair was greying and a mess sticking up in all directions from sleep. Even his scruff had bits of grey. The matching mustard yellow scrub like top and drawstring bottoms drowned out his complexion making him appear sickly pale. His posture was defensive yet wobbly. Elliott was sure with her hunting skills she could take him despite his massive size, but knew that in his prime she would be no match for him. It threw Elliott a bit more than she had expected.
"I'm a hunter." Elliott said softy, shutting the door slowly behind her for privacy. "… Or I used to be. I'm not really sure what's happening to me and I though you might be able to help. Or at least understand."
John looked bewildered and took a step back his posture still stiff but relaxing some. "Look lady, I don't know what the doc has you on but you got the wrong room. Do you know what floor you're on?"
"No!" Elliott hissed. "I'm not a patient I'm a hunter! I woke up not a hunter. Sam and Dean aren't hunters here, and neither are Max and Jo, and I don't have anyone to turn to about this. You're the only one who might believe me and I-"
"How do you know Sam and Dean?" He demanded his entire being going back to defensive and tense.
"Sam's my… well I guess here he's my husband…" Elliott fingered the diamond ring on her left finger.
"Sammy's married?" John's shoulders dropped his wild eyes softening in awe looking over her in a new light. "You married my boy?"
"Yes. No." She sighed and rubbed her temple. "That's the problem. This can't be real. I love your son but this can't be him. He's not him."
"Hey, slowdown there sweetheart." John ushered her to sit sideways in the metal chair that was bolted to the ground and sat himself across from her on the bed that was also bolted to the ground. "Let's try this again, alright?" He ducked his head to give her eye contact and an encouraging nod.
"Sam and I have been together for a while now. I have been hunting with him and Dean for a year." Elliott tried to speak calmer and slower. She could see John wanted to interrupt and question her but she didn't give him a chance needing to say it all.
"I left to go on a solo hunt that was supposed to be a rouge vampire from a recently destroyed nest. It left two dead victims drained in a ditch, so it seemed like a quick milk run." She ran shaky fingers through her coppery blonde hair before going back to playing with the hair tie on her wrist. Doing her best to not think about how she was unloading her troubles on a crazy person, let alone the father of the man she loved.
"…but he -the creature- looked normal. That is until he zapped me with this blue light from his hand and I woke up in this near perfect fantasy world. Where Sam and I are married, in a normal apple pie life. My family is all alive and none of them know about the supernatural."
"Blue light? Fantasy world?" John mumbled to himself, fixating on that.
"-and I know. I know I should be happy and just embrace whatever wackadoo is going on. I mean who in there right mind goes looking for answers when everything they wanted and more suddenly happens." Elliott continued to ramble on, not stopping for John to speak. "…but I just got this feeling in my gut that I can't get rid of. Especially when I started seeing flashes of this dying guy just hanging by his wrists. Then there's the fact that Sam and I don't even have scars from hunting. It's almost like he isn't my Sam-"
"Wait, wait." John stood interrupted her incensed babbling. "You're probably seeing bits of reality… It makes sense if… if it was a djinn." He muttered again mostly to himself.
"What?" Elliott perked up her heart thumping loudly in her chest.
"That would mean… I'm not real. I'm not real." He repeated his brows scrunched before shooting to his hair line his wild eyes scanning the room around them fascinated. "I'm not real. None of this is…"
"Will you tell me what the Hell you're talking about?" She spoke through her gritted teeth nervously eyeing the room around her and crossed her arms feeling oddly cold. Thunder boomed and echoed in the building making the man in front of her flinch. The storm clouds through the small barred window flashed with lightning and she could hear other patient's cry's and shouts at the storm's appearance.
"You're a hunter, right?" He nodded excitedly at her. "You ever heard of a djinn?" Boom another clap of thunder shook the building raising chaos from the psych ward.
"… like a genie?" She furrowed her brows trying to follow and not let the ominous sounds and feelings creep over her.
John huffed and turned to his small bed frame bolted town in the painted stone room. Then lifted the mattress and pulled out a journal.
"This ain't no fairytale sweetheart. Djinn aren't wish granting creatures that live in a lamp. That djinn has you under a dream like state. Granting your deepest wishes in the form of a dream, so it can feed off of you. It's killing you as we speak." Thunder cracked again this time making her heart pump faster with fear and adrenalin.
"Killing me…" She breathed. "None of this is real… I'm being fed on…"
"Exactly." John exclaimed too excitedly. "That man you saw flashing in your vision, he's dying. That is reality. That's what is going to happen to you if you don't get out." He flipped through the small journal that was barely even half full. Then handed her the open journal with hand written notes and drawings on djinn.
Elliott swallowed the hard lump in her throat. She couldn't die. Sam would be pissed. This was supposed to be an easy hunt. Shit, she cursed mentally Dean was on his way if she didn't get out of this dream induced wish in time, he was going to find the corpse of his brother's girlfriend and have to call Sam. …but Max… She didn't know if she had it in her to lose her big brother for a third time. Flashes of him bleeding out in her arms, and him saying goodbye as she laid in a daze in the back of the Impala cuffed to the door danced across her head.
Two rough hands were grabbing her shoulders shaking her. She flinched as thunder echoed around her, blinking back the tears that threatened to spill over.
"Snap outta it Princess." John's harsh voice growled. "I know that djinn is fighting dirty but whatever wish it has granted it's not real. You hear me? None of this is real!"
A single tear escaped but she wiped it away quickly and cleared her throat so she could speak. "What do I have to do?"
"I think you already know that." His eyes narrowed waiting for a confirmation and turned back to his bed. This time he dug into a small tear in the mattress pulling out a crude shank made from what was probably once a plastic comb.
"Fuck." She cursed. The saying 'dying in a dream can help you wake up' running through her head. Closing her eyes tight she reached out to take the makeshift shank.
"I was saving this for myself… but seeing as I'm not real, you need it more than I do." John set it in her hand cupping small hand in his. "Besides, if were right, you kill you, you also kill me." He gave her a humorless huff.
Before Elliott could even react to that heartbreaking sentiment Max's voice behind her made her jump.
"You'll also kill me." Max stood in front of them right in front of the closed door. The storm outside raged on flashes of light flickered through the small window and thunder shook her bones.
"Baby, stop." Sam cooed now appearing to Max's right. Dean, Jo, Cassie and even little Ash stood around the room now too. "We're finally happy."
Elliott sniffed her insides twisting painfully. "It's not real. This isn't- You're not real." Her voice cracked breaking her confidence and the next bout of thunder had shaken her enough to let her tears fall. Breaking the flood gate as the began to stream down.
"So?" Sam's irresistible puppy dog eyes landed on her laying it on thick, and forcing a wet sob from her throat. "Here we are free. No Lucifer after us, we aren't freaks. If you just embrace it, we could live happily baby."
"I'm alive here, Ellie. Isn't that enough? What about Ash? He won't even exist if you do this." Max softly convinced tearing her heart to shreds.
"Yeah, aunt Ellie, I want to finish our sleep over," Ash begged pushing the wavy sandy hair out of his eyes to give her a pleading look.
Tears streaming down her cheeks her forehead scrunched in mental pain. "Max," She croaked, unsure what else she was going to say.
"Put the weapon down Bug." Max cooed ripping her insides and twisting them painfully.
She pulled her wet eyes away from her big brother to glance at John, but he was no longer there. She let out a shaky breath and looked back at Sam before landing on her big brother again.
"I'm sorry." Elliott choked out a sob before plunging the sharp plastic into her gut.
The sounds of Max, Sam and the other shouting for her faded into one voice. She gasped loudly opening her eyes to see Dean and his bright green eyes. Too light her mind supplied.
"Hey, hey, hey! I got you." Dean reassured in a shaky relieved breath. Elliott winced at the sensation of a needle being pulled from her neck, hardly registering the nearly full blood bag attached to it. Her hands were above her head tied and holding her up so that her toes hardly brushed the floor. Her heart ached the most but all of her muscles were screaming. It felt like she had been hit by a bus. That along with the exhaustion that came with losing too much blood.
"Dee," Elliott moaned softly as he went to work on untying her wrists.
"Shhh, It's going to be okay, Princess. I took care of it. It's gone." When her wrists were free she groaned at the prickling in her very sore arms and did her best to stand on her own feet. Her attempt was laughable, legs too weak to even try, but Dean caught her holding her up. Letting her boots touch the ground as if she was actually supporting any of her weight.
"He, was there Dee." Her voice croaked and cracked her cheeks wet. "Max- he was happy, and-"
"I know, Sweetheart. I know." Dean mumbled swinging his hand under her knees and carrying her out of the basement. She hid her face in his chest as she silently cried, knowing that she should be embarrassed and stop but unable to.
Dean got her to the Impala not mentioning her tears. He opened the passenger side door and slid her in. She expected him to shut the door and go around to the driver's side when he didn't, she turned to him slowly. Lack of blood slowing her down. He crouched down so they were at eye level.
"Wait Dean. That man." Elliott felt a sudden rush of fear. They had left that poor man down there. "We have to go back and save him, Dee. He-"
"Hey." He held her down as she pathetically tried to get up and out of the leather car seat. "Ell. Look at me." When she finally stopped trying to move and looked up at him his light green eyes were soft and sympathetic. "I'm sorry."
"Damnit!" She cried, eyes filling back up. She wanted to hit something, to cry to do something. That man died because she wasn't able to pull herself out of that dream fast enough. She wasn't strong enough to save him and herself. Leaving behind all of that wonderful dream too late, for what? So, she could be stuck here, and live with her guilt and sad excuse for an existence?
"I know how hard that was Ell. I know." He rested a large hand on her dirty jean covered knee. "-but I am so proud of you. You know that? You were so smart, so smart. You realized it wasn't real. You got out, despite how great things seemed in there. That takes more strength than the average hunter has. You did so good Sweetheart."
Elliott's tears slowed and she gave a small nod, the numbness of losing her brother coming back once again. This time it wasn't just him that she lost.
Less than an hour later Dean had her propped up on a motel bed with a bottle of bourbon and a pint of Ben and Jerry's. 'Booze for the soul, ice cream for the blood loss.' He had told her.
At first he had a hard time keeping her awake but when he threatened to call Sam if she passed out she was able to fight off the fatigue. Once she had downed a good amount of the bourbon she became chatty. The ice cream now her main focus at she talked to Dean sitting on the end of the bed across from him.
"Promise you won't tell Sam?" Elliott slurred her question coming out more of a demand than she meant it, but pointed her spoon at the oldest Winchester all the same.
He huffed and shook his head. "Hey, I don't want to be the one who tells that protective bulldog his girl almost died."
"Good." She sighed sinking further into the bed. She stared at the ice cream melting in the pint for a silent minute before finding the courage to ask him what she wanted. "You said, you knew, back there. You said you knew what it was like. Have you…?"
"Been mind fucked by a djinn?" He exhaled sharply through his nose. "Yeah." He tried to play it off as a light heartedly as he could but she could see it had been hard for him too.
"I didn't want to leave." Elliott whispered so quietly she knew he would have a hard time hearing her. She almost hoped he didn't. When he didn't answer right away she assumed he didn't and started digging around the pint of ice cream aimlessly.
"Me neither."
It was gruff and mumbled but she caught it. "I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours?" She half joked still not looking up from the melting ice cream.
"What was it like for you?" Dean questioned not necessarily agreeing. "What was your wish?"
"I guess, it was Sam's recent move of trying to take a break and doing a normal life that got me wanting normal. I've never wanted it that badly, but… I wanted it because I knew it would make him happy. Make us happy."
"Hmm," He smiled sadly. "Sam has that effect of people."
She shifted in her spot against the headrest of the bed. "Sam and I were married. A dog, a house, and you were there too you know."
"In your house?" Dean raised a brow at her making her crack a smile and a small laugh.
"You and your pregnant wife came to visit." She smiled softly.
"Say what?" He blinked like an owl.
"Oh, Dean. She was beautiful. Dark curly hair soft dark skin and an amazing smile. Her name was Cassie. I've never seen you so happy."
Dean choked on his beer and had to pound his chest a couple of times to right his breathing. "Wrong tube." He lied. He hadn't seen Cassie in years. Not since the ghost truck incident. He wanted to contact her but what was the point when he couldn't have a life with her.
When Elliott just stared at him with a yeah right kinda look he rolled his eyes and changed the focus. Regretting it as soon as he let the words slip past his lips.
"Was Max there?"
She flinched, looking away finding the melted ice cream more preferable. It was like someone had squeezed her heart. "It wasn't real. It doesn't matter." She mumbled softly "I'm getting tired… I'm going to crash. I can head out in the morning."
She turned the light out and set the nearly empty pint on the nightstand. Rolling away to face the wall, she was done talking.
Dean let out a long sigh and whispered. "My mom was alive." Elliott turned around to face him soft sad and understanding eyes meeting his. "When a djinn got me. My mom was alive, and happy…"
There was a moment of silence before she spoke, only able to match his whisper with hers. "Max was married to Jo… They had a little boy…"
A sad understanding was met and they left it at that. Not wanting to dive further into the parts of the djinn dream hurt as much as they craved for.
"Night Princess." Dean mumbled and patted the bed before turning the other light out and getting into his own bed.