Light's Last Call

Aeschylus said that time brings all things to pass. What do you do though when it brings to pass the thing you least expected; that it brings something that you know could hurt the people you love. Hibah thought about that as she eyed Dean's longtime hunting friend Lee Weber with a quiet calm as they greeted each other.

After everything that had happened, Dean had been itching for a hunt and things seemed to be tense between Angela and Sam. Hibah couldn't put her finger on it but something was going on and it was causing a strain between her adoptive parents. She couldn't blame it on Eileen. The girl was close to both of them and they were both happy she was alive. And Jess was the biggest indicator. No, it was something else.

Hibah was a young goddess, even with her angelic half and didn't understand most of the intricacies that the gods and goddesses knew. All she could do was sense that which was good and which was not good. Dean once told her that it was the gut instinct; that she had a good one and it kept her alive. She was more inclined to believe him since the more recent fights she had been in relied on that instinct.

Now, that same instinct was telling her that Lee was not who he put himself to be. She had accompanied Dean on this hunt saying that she needed the exercise. It was a poor reason since she truly wanted to be away from the tension that plagued her and she was certain that it plagued Jess. She felt cowardly for leaving the baby behind.

She was quiet on the road to Texhoma, Texas, only answering when Dean spoke to her in regards to the plan. She felt a little relaxed, but that changed when she met Lee. She was polite about it. Ima and her mother both instilled good manners were a given no matter who it was. She shook Lee's hand and that was when she had that bad feeling.

Hibah loved her human family and she knew how fragile they could be emotionally. She didn't want to burst her uncle's bubble by telling him that she had a bad feeling about his old friend. Besides, he looked happy when he got up and sang Good Ole Boys with Lee. She always knew Dean could sing. He just liked to hide it under a bush. This was one of the rare times that she got to hear him. It also gave her a chance to look around the bar.

Hibah wasn't a drinker, but she could blend in. She took one beer and held onto it the entire night. She detested the taste of beer, but it was better than drinking the harder stuff. She needed a clear head as she watched the patrons. She spotted the girl that they needed to talk to and went to chat. It ended up being more than that and she was ready to fight those two tubbies until Lee and Dean took care of them. She stood there watching like the girl did. As much as she wanted to say something, she didn't. It affected what she did the rest of the job.

She said that she would look at the bar where the girl was take while Dean and Lee would go to the junkyard and the lake respectively. It was a lie, and it seemed Lee didn't give her a second thought. She didn't go, but instead followed Lee. It was the longest lesson in patience she ever learned. Instead of jumping into the fray, she kept silent and followed.

It took a lot to not react when Lee knocked Dean out when he found the dead girl. Ima had taught her that patience was what got you what you sought. Her bad feeling was confirmed, but it didn't give her the reason why and she sensed that there was more to it than what she had seen so far. It was proven right when she followed them back to the bar.

Abba had always been nervous about the fact that she could be sneaky and deadly. Yet, he utilized it when they looked for Dean when he had been possessed by Michael from that other world. She used that same skill to sneak back into the bar and waited for the opportune moment. She couldn't help but chuckle when Dean jumped when she came up behind and started trying to get the bindings undone. "Relax, Amitz. It's only that sexy creeping through the shadows thing."

"And you're a bit young for that."

Hibah couldn't help but chuckle at that. It was short lived when the creature broke through its cage. It was automatic for her to engage as she stood up. She would never have teeth like Ima, but she could look scary. The marid didn't stand a chance and it was decapitated. She wanted to do the same to Lee, but Dean held her back. Dean could be diabolical when he wanted, and she followed his lead. She also sensed that it was something she needed to do.

It certainly helped when the guns started shooting. They wouldn't hurt her; as long as the bullets weren't silver or spell cast with something that would be painful, she was good. Still, she listened to Dean and remained hidden. She couldn't understand why since Dean knew about her abilities, but she respected his decision. She couldn't resist though when Dean came out from behind the counter. She ended up shouting, "Amitz."

"Hibah."

She stayed where she was as Lee tried to convince Dean to walk away. She was quiet as Dean said he couldn't and that his job was to kill monsters. Being raised as warrior royalty instilled a certain degree of respect for code and honor. Though called hunters, Sam and Dean were warriors and as such they were treated as such. So, while it was difficult to watch, she bore it out of respect for Dean's wishes. She knew it was something that needed to be done.

She didn't flinch when Dean drove the cue into Lee for a deathblow. She didn't flinch, but she felt a sort of sadness, a pity. Pity that the man that Dean once called a friend changed so much that he became the thing that he hunted. She felt for Dean in that he lost a trusted comrade. It was on her mind when they packed up and headed back to Kansas.

"You've been quiet the entire time we were on the job."

Hibah looked away from where she was staring out the window. She looked at the man that was her uncle. "Why talk when you were doing enough for the both of us?"

"Don't be like that, Ninja," Dean countered. "What's on your mind?"

Hibah studied Dean as he drove. She knew he was waiting for an answer but couldn't take his eye off the road. She finally said, "Everything wrong."

"What do you mean?"

"Everything," Hibah repeated. She looked up and explained, "Jack… Abba and Ima… the world going to shits because of Chuck."

"Hey no swearing."

Hibah chuckled at Dean, "Kind of late for that Amitz." She grinned at the scowl he shot her before sobering, "And the fact that when you need a friend, an ally the most, you find that what you knew before… it's gone."

It was the kind of deep thing that most of the time was avoided, but Hibah sensed it was needed. She said, "I'm sorry about your friend. I… sensed something was off but I didn't want you thinking I was causing trouble."

"And why would you think that?"

Hibah took in the look of surprise and replied, "He was your friend."

"And you're my Ninja," Dean declared, calling her by the pet name he had given her when she was a child. "You saved our butts when we were in trouble. You helped save Angie. If anything, your opinion is important."

Hibah smiled a bit, "That's a kind thing to say."

"Ninja… I admit it was good seeing Lee and… I was a little jealous at the life he was leading. That he got out of the hunting business and was living the normal life."

"You got a taste of that too with Haley," Hibah pointed out.

"Yeah but… I still hunted a little. I mean completely out of it. I am a little jealous."

"Why don't you quit?"

Hibah had heard his response before, but she was curious to know what he truly felt about doing the job. There were plenty of others that were doing the work. Hell, they knew someone in government who coordinated with a SAS unit. It was just that part of being a warrior, a hunter, a protector that had to be asked. Of you had a good reason for it, then it was the right one.

She didn't expect for Dean to pull over as abruptly as he did. She did brace herself as he braked and turned to look at him as he looked at her and said, "Ninja… why are you asking me when you heard what I said before?"

"Because I want to know what you really think. Have you thought it over?"

It was blunt, but there was no better way to get to the bottom of things. Ima would do it different, but she had a way of using her words to drive the nails in. Hibah hadn't learned that yet if ever. She looked at Dean and asked, "Have you really thought about why, Amitz?"

It was quiet for a time and Hibah sensed that Dean might be thinking of a way to sugarcoat or make up an answer that he thought she was looking for. She hoped not since they made a pact to always be honest with each other. She didn't want to remind him about that. It was kind of a slight on honor kind of thing.

Finally, Dean replied, "As I told Lee. Someone has to. And before you ask, let me finish." He held up his hand to stop her. He cleared his throat before continuing, "I did want out. A lot of times. Even when me and Sammy were kids. Hell, I was I was like Sam and told Dad that I didn't want to do it. And while it hurt the way it did when Sammy left… I was damned proud of him.

"I know I said things that hurt him and brought him down. Hell, I might as well have said that he was a bad son for wanting normal. Thing was, Ninja… I was afraid. I was afraid of being alone.

"It was always me and Sam against the world and to lose him… It's why I made the deal and started us on this mess. We've had ups and downs and could point the finger at each other hundreds of times, but we're still here, fighting the fight together."

Hibah smiled at that, "With Ima being the dragon, right?"

Dean rolled his eyes at that. "Tell me about it. Thirteen years and she still messes with my system." He smiled fondly at the old joke. He looked at Hibah, "Ninja, I care about what happens because of the things I've seen, and I don't want those things to happen to anyone else. If I can stop it for one person… it's worth it."

Hibah stared at Dean for a time. Slowly she nodded, "I understand."

Dean smiled at her and ruffled her hair gently. He started the car and pulled back onto the highway. "You know… you're a little rusty on the job."

"Oh, I can do it. I was the one that killed that thing, remember?"

"Hey, I was there, and I think I was the one that killed it."

They continued to argue back and forth about the case in a good natured manner. Hibah understood where Dean was coming from. She sensed he still felt overwhelmed about the whole thing with Chuck or God. She heard the anger in his tone when he mentioned the being. And maybe felt a bit of despair at the fact that this may be a fight that couldn't be won. Maybe it couldn't, but she learned one thing about the Winchesters. They fought until they died fighting. That was their way. They kept at it, carrying on.

A/N: Hibah joins Dean on the hunt and understands his reasons for the hunt a little better. Tag to Last Call.