He now stood face to face with the angel. He had stood up to everyone that hurt him, and now the only thing that was holding back was himself.

"Dean, there is still one more task for you to complete."

"I understand." He whispered. "What will happen if I complete it?"

"You will go back home. You will have one last chance to be with the ones you love."

"Okay, I am ready then."

"Before you go, I hope you know that this will not be an easy task for you. You will be facing yourself."

"Myself? Why myself?"

"You must be able to forgive yourself for all that has happened."

00000000000000

The next thing he knew, he was in a room standing above a more broken version of himself. Naked, covered with dirt and dried blood, holding a blanket of what looked like to be the bones of his son.

His other self was crying, surrounded by torn up pictures of his family. Every memory that he had left of them. This is what Dean would become if he were to fail. He couldn't let it come to that.

He leaned over his other self, settling a hand on his shoulder. His head shot up, his eyes staring back at the reflection of himself.

"W-w-what do you want?"

"It is time. We must go back."

"Go away." The other pulled away from him. "I'm not going back."

"We have to. Don't you want to survive?"

"There's nothing left to live for anymore..."

"Our family, Roman...they're waiting for us. We have them still."

"Look around you!" His other self screamed at him. "Look at what we've let ourselves become! Can't you see that there is no turning back, no repairing what is damaged?"

"Yes, I can see it all...I have experienced it all."

Ever since he was a pup life had not been good to him. His mother was cold and uncaring, let him get molested by her alpha boyfriend. He was taken and gone for many years, suffering from more abuse than what someone like him should. And just when it seemed like things were starting to look up, something always went wrong. Life just kept throwing something in his way, kept taking away anything so precious to him.

"This is supposed to be our fate...We must accept it that we are not meant for happiness...Please, just give in. I can't take it anymore..."

"I feel the same way, trust me. You have no idea how much I just want to call it quits and throw it all away. Fuck...I could wake back up and things will be perfect again, won't they? For a while at least, until something else happens."

He sat down with his other self. He understood why he felt this way. He had no way of knowing whether or not things would be alright, what his future would hold for him.

"Believe me...I don't want to go through anymore pain either. I don't know if it will be worth it to wake up. But you know what? I made a promise to myself long ago. That I would be strong. That I would face whatever comes my way. Yes, it would be easier to give up, but I can't. I have come too far to give up the fight now."

"We would finally be at peace. We would be with our son again. My baby. Your baby." His other self said, holding out the bones towards him.

"Tommy wouldn't want me to give up, to just die here. He would want me to live. He knows that I love him and I'll always remember him."

He took the bones from other self, placing them on the ground, laying the blanket over them.

"Please, we still have a future left for us. I know its hard, but we must accept our past for what it is and keep building a better future us, no matter what it is. I would rather die trying than give up."

He grabbed onto his other self's hand, feeling how warm it was. He knew that there was a fire that burning inside, inside of himself. He smiled staring back at a ghost that was his son, who was waving to him.

"Ma Ma!"

"Tommy..." Tears formed in his eyes, knowing that he would soon be leaving him. "I love you, Tommy. I won't ever forget you."

He leaned his head back against the wall, shutting his eyes. Feeling at peace with himself. It was time go back home. And he knew what would be waiting there for him.

0000000000000

It had been almost a whole month. A whole month would go by soon and he was still waiting for comatose mate to wake up. He had hardly left his side, only to spend time with his pups Miracle and her sister Lily. He was bonding with the newborn pup more, starting to love her. He wished Dean could be awake right now, to hold her. He made sure that the little pup didn't forget about her mother, taking her to see him. Her tiny hand grabbing onto his.

Dean's own mother had came to see him. Apologizing for all that she done. The woman hoped that he would be able to forgive her, accept her in his life again. She promised him that she would do better than what she did in the past.

He was sitting by his mate's bedside, holding onto his hand. It felt so cold in his. It almost as if he was slipping away. There still wasn't any progress on his condition. Roman wondered if he would ever wake up.

"Dean, I'm so sorry for all that I've done. I haven't been a good alpha to you lately. I told you I would protect you, but here you are in the hospital...dying..."

He squeezed Dean's hand, hoping for some kind of answer from him. There was none.

"I need you to come back to me, Dean. I can't stand this silence...I want to hear your laugh, want to see your smile. I want to be able to look into your eyes again, see the life in them."

He removed the mask that was helping his mate breathe. He leaned over, kissing him softly.

"I can't lose you now..." He said, pulling up Dean's limp body to his chest. "Come on, baby. I believe in you. Come home to me. Please."

He couldn't stop the tears. He felt so hopeless. There wasn't anything he could do to bring Dean back. This was it. It was all over now. He was hoping that they would grow old together, create more memories with one another, raise their pups together. He didn't know how he was going to go on without him. Would he be able to remain strong enough for his girls?

'I would give anything to trade my life for yours.'

"R-Roman..." He felt a hand against his cheek, fingers wiping away his tears. He opened his eyes, staring down at his mate's face.

"D-Dean?"

"Why are you crying?"

He couldn't believe it. Dean had woken up from his coma. He had came back to him. He was still alive.

"I...I thought I lost you..."

"You'll never lose me."

He pulled Dean closer, rubbing his face against his. Dean nuzzled him back, bringing their lips together. Roman held on very tightly to him. He was so afraid that this could be all just a dream, that he would soon wake up.

"If this is a dream I don't ever want to wake up. I am so sorry, Dean. So sorry."

"I forgive you, Roman." Dean pulled back, smiling at him. "Please don't cry. I'm here now. You won't lose me again."