The sky was a bright sapphire blue without a cloud blemishing it as Jimmy and Alicia walked through a grove of trees far away from the nearest group of visitors, talking indistinctly between themselves as they slowly made their way down a worn dirt path. Hanging back, following at about twenty yards, were Dean and Sam. They didn't say much as they watched the two like hawks.

"They're rather protective, aren't they?" Jimmy asked, his hands in the pocket of his trench coat.

Alicia smiled, but didn't look back at the brothers. "They mean well," she replied. "We've been through a lot together recently." She shook her head slightly. "To be honest, I don't know where I'd be without them."

Jimmy glanced at her, but didn't respond as the two of them walked into a small clearing. He headed over to a circle of rocks with Alicia close behind. The stones had been placed deliberately, spaced evenly apart and in a perfect circle about nine feet in diameter; each stone had a separate symbol on it. "This is where she cast her protection spells—it was the centermost part of the property. It was also one of her favorite spots when she came to visit. She used to sit in that circle for hours, just…just being, if that makes any sense."

Alicia smiled sadly. "It does," she replied as she stepped into the circle, glancing up as the wind picked up slightly, rustling through the trees, before everything went still again. She knelt in the circle, eyes closed and arms outstretched. She mumbled some unintelligible words for a few seconds, then the symbols on the rocks began glowing. The young woman opened her eyes, which were glowing a bright purple. "Please, sit." Jimmy hesitated, but then he sat cross legged outside the circle, and Alicia shifted into that position inside the circle. He watched as the young woman reached out and put her hand on one of the symbols. The light seemed to flow out of the symbol into Alicia's fingertips and up her arm before fading. She moved to the next symbol, repeating her previous actions as Jimmy just sat and watched her.

"Did you see that?" Dean asked as he and Sam stood on the edge of the clearing, glancing around.

"Yeah," Sam replied. He saw Dean take a step into the clearing, but he put a hand on his chest, stopping him.

"Dude, what the hell?" Dean asked.

"Why don't you let them have some space?" Sam suggested.

"Why?" Dean asked. "You actually trust the guy?"

"Yeah, kinda," Sam answered. Dean looked at him incredulously. "Dean, look at him." The hunter looked over, watching as Jimmy just stared at Alicia while she continued with whatever she was doing. "Look at how he looks at her. It's—"

"A little creepy?" Dean interrupted.

"Sad," Sam replied, "but also…," he tilted his head slightly, "like a protector." He shook his head. "I don't think we have to worry about him—I think he'll do whatever it takes to keep her safe." Dean didn't look convinced, and Sam sighed. "Look, if you wanna stay here and keep an eye on them, fine, but I'm gonna go do some research, try to find something about…," he exhaled, "a case, or…or something." He left his brother and headed back down the path, leaving Dean by himself. The hunter leaned against a nearby tree, arms folded, watching the two like a hawk.


After Alicia finished her ritual, she and Jimmy remained in the clearing for the entire day, undisturbed by Dean or anyone else. They spent the entire time talking as if they were two friends who hadn't seen each other in a long time, which bothered Alicia at first; she didn't know the man, but she felt safe around him, something that she rarely felt with anyone. The sun began to dip low in the sky near the horizon when Dean finally was getting impatient enough to walk over.

"So, are we done playing Twenty Questions?" the hunter asked, slightly annoyed and impatient.

"For now," Jimmy replied. He put a hand on Alicia's shoulder, smiling at the young woman before getting up. "It was really nice talking with you, Alicia." He turned, accidentally bumping Dean's shoulder. "My apologies." He walked off, leaving Dean and Alicia alone.

"Douche," Dean muttered before glancing down at Alicia. "So?"

"So?" Alicia asked slowly.

"You got what you were looking for?"

Alicia raised an eyebrow, recognizing the annoyed tone. "I did," she replied. "Not that it matters to you."

Dean looked insulted. "Look, I get this is important to you, but it doesn't mean I have to understand it." Alicia just stared at him, her jaw set, then looked away. Dean sighed. "Come on, Allie, don't you think this is kinda irrational? She was your mother, but you didn't even know her."

Alicia closed her eyes for a few moments. "Get in the circle," she said quietly.

"What?" Dean asked.

"Get in the circle," Alicia repeated more forcefully. "Sit down, facing me." Dean raised an eyebrow, but he followed her instructions. He opened his mouth, but Alicia stopped him. "Shut up." Dean raised an eyebrow, a little surprised. "Hold your hands out, palms facing me, and close your eyes." Dean hesitated, but he did what she told him. Alicia put her palms against his, interlacing her fingers with his as she closed her eyes. "Ostende quisnam esset." A purple glow engulfed her hands, and Dean cautiously opened one eye a little. "Shut your eyes, Dean." The hunter gave her a slightly startled look, then quickly complied. The glow in Alicia's hands slowly flowed from her fingers into Dean's, then moved down his hands and snaked up his arms. When the glow hit his chest, Dean gasped as he was hit with an overwhelming wave of emotion. The glow faded, and the hunters opened their eyes, Dean looking shaken, his breathing ragged.

"What the hell was that?" he asked, pulling his hands away from Alicia.

"That was my mother," Alicia replied softly. "Her essence, anyway." Dean looked a little confused. "What you felt was everything that made her who she was—her strength, her compassion, her determination…her love. I think that's why her magic here has lasted beyond her death: she didn't just leave a spell here, she left a part of her spirit." She shook her head slightly, blinking back tears. "You know, for all my life the only things I've ever known about her are words on pages or images in photos—or memories my dad shared with me. I never had any idea what she was really like until now." A tear slipped down her cheek, and she quickly wiped it away. "I know, that sounds stupid."

"No," Dean said, a lot calmer than earlier. "It's not stupid." He inhaled deeply and then sighed. "Look, uh, I know I haven't really been on board with this whole 'find out more about your mom' thing." Alicia raised an eyebrow. "Okay, I thought this whole thing was a load of crap."

"Why?" Alicia asked.

Dean tilted his head, thinking, then he chuckled. "Because your dad wasn't an asshole like mine."

"Oh, my dad had his asshole moments," Alicia replied, "believe me."

"Yeah, but not like Dad," Dean said. "You know he wasn't exactly Mister Rogers, so I can count the number of conversations we had about Mom on one hand—and my memories of her aren't that great to begin with, so it's hard for me to want to learn about someone I don't even really remember."

"So, if you ever got the chance to meet her," Alicia asked, "would you want to?"

Dean shrugged. "We kinda did earlier this year." He hesitated a moment. "We were investigating a case at our old house, thought it might have been Azazel. Turned out to be a poltergeist, but there was another spirit there—turned out it was our Mom's ghost."

"What was she like?" Alicia asked, intrigued.

Dean shrugged. "She was…there," he replied. "We didn't really get a chance to talk, but she sacrificed herself to save us from the poltergeist." He shook his head. "Honestly, it hurt seeing and losing her all over again…and I couldn't even really remember what she was like as a person." He sighed. "I don't know. I mean, at least your dad shared memories about your mother with you."

"Not this side of her," Alicia replied. "For me, it was mostly about their hunts and her magic. He never really shared this side of her with me. It's like…she was this amazing person—not a hunter, not a witch, but a person—and Dad kept her hidden from me." She looked a little sad and hurt. "Why would he do that?"

"Maybe it was too painful for him," Dean guessed. "I think that's why Dad hardly talked about Mom."

"How much do you have to love a person to the point where it becomes too painful to even share your memories of them?" Alicia asked. "It hurts to talk about Dad, but I still talk about him."

"Maybe because when you love someone the way our parents loved each other," Dean replied, "it fills a space you didn't know you had, and when you lose them, that space becomes empty again—only this time, you know it's there—and remembering them brings that emptiness and pain back."

Alicia looked at him, surprised. In the entire time they'd known each other, Dean had never opened up like that about anything, much less his family. "Yeah," she replied lamely, not sure what to say.

"You know," Dean continued as he shifted, moving closer to her, "for the longest time, I was mad at Dad for not talking about her…for keeping her all to himself, thinking he was nothing more than a selfish bastard, but then something happened, and I finally got it."

"What happened?" Alicia asked softly.

Dean chuckled a bit. "This crazy chick in a black Chevelle saved my life," he replied. He brought a hand up, gently cradling Alicia's head. "And when Ramiel had you on the ceiling, and I thought I was gonna have to watch you die…that scared the crap outta me." He shook his head slightly, his eyes flashing with an honesty Alicia had never seen. "Look, I don't know what's happening, but the one thing I do know is I can't lose the people I care about: Sammy, Bobby, Dad…and you." He cradled her face with both his hands as he kissed her with the same urgency he had a month ago the night he'd helped cure her.

Alicia was a little startled, but she quickly brushed it aside as she returned the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck. Their tongues intertwined with each other as Dean moved his hands down around her waist, pulling her to him until she was straddling his lap. The world outside the stone circle disappeared from the minds of the two hunters, their focus solely on each other as they continued making out.

"Dean?" Alicia mumbled against his mouth after some unknown amount of time had passed.

"Mmm?" Dean asked, his arms wrapped around her, pressing her against him.

"Is this really us?" Alicia asked.

Dean paused, pulling back. "You think this is whatever's been messing with us?"

Alicia nodded sadly. "Don't get me wrong, this is nice," she said softly, her eyes bright, "but…what if it isn't us?"

Dean glanced at the stone circle, then he looked back at Alicia, giving a small chuckle. "Because of your mom," he replied. Alicia looked confused. "You said witches use circles to channel magic or offer protection or both, right?" Alicia nodded. "Doesn't that mean whatever happens here is all us?"

"Well, yeah," Alicia agreed, "but—"

"Then just shut up for a while," Dean interrupted before kissing her again, pulling her close to him. Alicia tried protesting, but quickly decided against it as Dean gently flipped her until she was on her back on the soft grass, caging her with his own body. She tilted her head back as he moved his mouth down her neck, sucking gently on the smooth skin. After a few moments, he paused and met her eyes, panting a bit. "Marry me."

Alicia froze, staring at him in shock. "What?" she asked.

"Marry me," Dean repeated.

Alicia propped herself up on her elbows, looking confused. "Dean, I—"

"Look, I know this is way outta left field for me—"

"Just a little," Alicia replied, looking a little nervous.

"Just hear me out," Dean continued, before pausing and exhaling. "Look, Allie, this life—hunting, monsters—we both know there's nothing but pain, horror, and death. So, if you get a chance at normal, you take it. Sam and I make a great team: we get to act like normal stupid, idiotic brothers, and I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to him, but it was still a lonely life," he smoothed some strands of hair from her face, "until you showed up." He shook his head. "Look, I know we frustrate the hell out of each other—a lot—but I can't imagine my life without you in it...and I don't want to." He paused, shaking his head. "You can't tell me you don't feel the same." Alicia just stared at him, unsure what to say, and Dean's expression faltered slightly, and he chuckled nervously. "Look, say something, I'm kinda baring my soul here."

Alicia just stared at him for a few moments before smiling and leaning up to kiss him. "Yes," she said against his mouth.

Dean paused and pulled back. "What?"

"Yes," Alicia repeated.

Dean just stared down at her, a little confused. "Really?"

"You're right," Alicia replied. "You annoy the hell out of me so much, it's ridiculous." Dean's smile disappeared, and the young woman grinned as she grabbed Dean's shoulders and pulled him close, kissing him hungrily. Startled, the hunter gave a muffled grunt of surprise, but he returned the kiss with the same amount of fervor. After some time, they pulled apart, just staring at each, their expressions radiating a happiness neither of them had ever felt.

"You know what we get to do now, right?" Dean asked.

Alicia raised an eyebrow. "What?" she asked slowly with a smile.

"Well, first we gotta tell Sammy," Dean answered, "then, once we figure things out, I guess we can head to Vegas to make it official."

"Or we can make it official here," Alicia suggested. Dean gave her a curious expression. "My parents got married here, remember?"

"You think we could?" Dean asked.

"Look, why don't you break the news to Sam," Alicia suggested, "and I'll go talk to Jimmy?" She kissed Dean once more before wiggling out from under him, getting to her feet, and heading off to find the caretaker. Dean shifted to a sitting position, watching her for a few moments, a goofy smile on his face, then got up and went to find his brother.

(End of Chapter 13)