Chrys woke up much earlier than Bella on the redhead's birthday, ready to enact several plans.

Bella was… Perfect. Chrys wanted her birthday to be beautiful, so she'd made sure the bar was ready, called Bella's mom to make sure she didn't have any plans, and carefully crafted a day around her girlfriend.

Chrys just wanted to give something back to Bella. Since they'd moved in together, poor Bella had really seen what a mess Chrys was, even a little over a year after Sam's death. But instead of getting impatient or being judgmental, Bella just held her through the pain, tears, or panic attacks that would alternately overwhelm Chrys.

It was incredibly healing. And as a result, a few months after she'd moved in with Bella, Chrys felt like a new woman. She rarely had panic attacks anymore, and although she was still bitchy, it wasn't because she was depressed or manic. She was just naturally mean.

Bella was a catalyst for healing. Chrys wouldn't say that Bella had healed her personally, that was a bit much to lay on the poor woman. But she made Chrys want to be a better woman.

Ergo, the birthday surprises.


Bella was on cloud nine that afternoon, so in love with Chrys she couldn't stand it.

She'd been given an elaborate breakfast in bed, followed by a gasping, wet, insanely hot round of sex which left her breathless and wanting.

Then Chrys had taken her to a movie in the park. It was still very early spring, so Chrys had brought a huge blanket and wrapped them both up in it. The movie playing was one of Bella's favorites, but she'd barely paid attention to it. As soon as they were hidden from sight, Chrys had begun fingering her slowly, the drag of her fingers moving in and out of her driving Bella crazy. She'd come twice before begging for respite. Chrys had laughed softly and relented, then they had cuddled for the rest of the movie.

And now they were at the bar. Chrys insisted she "just needed to grab something," but Bella hadn't been born the night before, so she just rolled her eyes and followed her girlfriend into the bar.

When they got in, the room was dark, and despite the fact that she knew what was about to happen, Bella felt a little thrill of fear work it's way up her spine.

But not Chrys. Her fearless woman strode in confidently, and the way her hips moved made Bella's mind wander in the few seconds it took for Chrys to flip the light switch.

"Surprise!"

Bella laughed as balloons were released, confetti went flying, and people jumped out from every available hiding spot in the bar. "Aw, you guys!" She said happily. "This is so sweet." She walked to Chrys and wrapped her arms around her waist, tilting her head back to look up into those beautiful blue eyes. "Thank you."

Chrys cupped her face in one slender hand and kissed her gently. "Happy birthday, Bells."


Bella was sitting on the bar, watching Chrys mix drinks and watching the people around her.

Kevin and Serene, who had become as close as family for Bella, were there. So were her mother and siblings. Lisa and Ben were there, too, but Dean was not.

Lisa had told her that Dean had started travelling for work frequently. She said she was fine with it, but Bella could tell it was taking a toll on her from the circles beneath her eyes and the weight she'd dropped. Poor Lis, she thought kindly.

"So, our girl did pretty well, didn't she?"

Bella turned to grin at Kevin, who was leaning against the bar next to her and looking at Chrys, who was still serving drinks at the other end.

"She did great," Bella said softly.

Kevin nodded. "Yeah, she's something special."

Bella nodded, smiling. "She's amazing, she's everything."

Kevin smiled back. "Got it bad, huh, kid?"

Bella sobered a bit. "Oh, yes. I mean it, she's everything. I never want to be apart from her, and I always want to be touching her." Bella smiled again. "Oh, I'm so in love with her I can barely breathe. Even if she doesn't love me."

Kevin frowned. "What?"

Irritated with herself for slipping, Bella rushed to Chrys's defense. "No, no, I don't mean it in a bad way. She loves me, she wants to take care of me and be with me. She's just not… In love with me. You know?"

Kevin looked at her for a long time. Finally, he took a swig of the beer in his hand and nodded. "Yeah, yeah, I know. And for the record, I think you're right, and also for the record, I'm sorry."

"I'm not," she said softly, vehemently. "I love every little piece of her that I can get. Even if he still has most of them."

Bella had tried to keep her curiosity about Sam to herself. Obviously talking to Chrys wasn't an option, but here was a man who had met Bella's mysterious romantic opponent, and maybe he could talk to her about him.

"Kevin, did you know Chrys when she was with Sam?"

Kevin nodded. "Yup."

"Was she… Was she happier? With him?"

Kevin cocked an eyebrow. "You know I can't tell you stuff like that, B."

She sighed. "I know." There was a beat of silence, then, "Can you tell me about him?"

Kevin thought for a moment, then smiled. "Yeah, I think I can do that." He settled himself on the barstool. "Sam was a quiet kind of guy. Only met him once, early on in he and Chrys's relationship. Smart, very kind, and he was crazy about Chrys. He didn't know it yet, but he was head over heels for her already. The rest of us were just waiting for it to sink in."

Bella smiled. "He really loved her, huh?"

Kevin nodded. "He really, really did."

And, rather than be bitter or jealous or upset, Bella was just glad Chrys had had someone to love her.


On the way home, Chrys held Bella's hand, running her thumb across the delicate skin. "Good day?"

Bella nodded sleepily. "Good day."


Months passed like that, peaceful and only eventful when a birthday or event came up. After living as a hunter, where every situation was life or death, the routine was nice.

Living with Bella was amazing. Chrys couldn't put into words how much she loved coming home to her, or how much she looked forward to sleeping next to her. Chrys thought frequently that if she could fall in love with someone again, she would have fallen in love with Bella the first time she'd laid eyes on her.

But something was still missing. Chrys still sometimes woke up with tears in her eyes and an aching chest, missing Sam so much she felt like her heart would stop. She still turned to tell him something in a moment of forgetting, and it would all come flooding back to her when she saw that he wasn't there.

For the most part, however, life was good, and normal, and lovely.

Until, of course, her life was turned upside down.

Again.


Sam woke up alone in the panic room. Frowning, he sat up and looked around. What the hell?

The last thing he remembered was grabbing Michael, infuriated and heartbroken that he'd killed Chrys, and flinging both he and the archangels into the cage. Irritation swept through him, and he wondered idly what the hell Dean had had to give up to get him out.

He stood and stretched. He felt fine… He felt great, actually… He wanted to know what had happened, and his heart ached at the thought of Lucifer killing Bobby and Cass, and Michael killing Chrys, but…

He wandered out of the panic room, surprised to find the door unlocked, and walked into the kitchen. Dean was facing away from him. "Okay, I'm not changing the channel."

"Dean," Sam said softly, still vaguely wondering what the hell was going on.

Dean whirled around and stared. "Sam."

Sam squeezed him back when Dean crushed him into a hug, then turned and hugged Bobby. He stopped and stepped back. "Wait. I saw you… I… I felt Lucifer snap your neck."

Bobby shrugged. "Well, Cass kind of-"

Shocked, Sam interrupted. "Cass is alive?" He turned to Dean. "What about Chrys?"

Dean evaded with no subtlety whatsoever. "How are you feeling?"

"Dean, where the fuck is Chrys?"


Sam somehow managed to sneak away while Bobby was on the phone and Dean was in the bathroom. He took the Impala and drove.

Chrys is alive.

He was still shaking. Chrys is alive. His woman, his soulmate, she was alive, somewhere in Illinois, waiting for him to get to her. He could barely focus on the road.

His phone rang for the umpteenth time, and he finally answered it. "Dean, I'm going to Chrys. I know you said she's not hurt, but-"

"Shut the fuck up, Sam," Dean snapped. "You can't just go barging in to find Chrys. She's not… It's not the same, Sammy."

"What do you mean, 'not the same?'" Sam demanded. "She's still my soulmate, and I have to see her."

"Sam, come on, please, don't-"

Sam ended the call and hit the accelerator.


As soon as Dean realized Sam was gone, he jumped into one of Bobby's cars and beat feet after him.

He tried calling Chrys several times, to warn her, to tell her to run, to tell her something, but his brother's woman was notoriously terrible at keeping her phone on her, so he just left her several voicemails and hit the accelerator harder.

She's going to kill him. And me.


Chrys was helping Bella lock up. They'd closed the bar early because of some minor holiday that Chrys didn't care enough about to learn the name of. So she was supposed to be helping Bella lock up.

Instead, she was getting in the way.

Chrys was on her knees behind Bella, pressing kisses into the small of her pale back. One hand held her shirt up, the other was sliding up her girlfriend's curvaceous, denim clad leg.

"Chrys!" Bella was laughing. "You're ridiculous. We'll be done in minutes." Despite her words, her voice was a little breathy.

Chrys grinned and stood. She took Bella's hips into her hands and turned her around to face her. Then she pinned Bella to the bar with her hips, took her pretty face in hand, and bent down to kiss her senseless.

Bella moaned and went up on tiptoe to kiss her back enthusiastically. Chrys smiled against her lips, then moaned in displeasure as Bella pulled away.

Her green eyes were sparkling. "Chrys," she said with a smile, "If you go get me another roll of receipt tape, we can go home and you can ravish me that much sooner."

Chrys groaned and bent down to kiss her again, hard, then took a step back. "All right, all right, I'll go get the stupid tape."

Bella smiled. "Good, go, shoo. I want to go home."

Chrys winked. "Me, too, Bells."

She turned and walked back to the storeroom, feeling light on her feet and pretty damn close to happy. Maybe everything wasn't perfect, but it was good. It was very good.

She was digging around in the boxes when she heard the bell hung above the door ding! She frowned, but kept up at her task. We're closed, jackass.

"Hi!" She heard Bella's sweet voice. "I'm sorry, sir, we're closed."

"I'm, uh, actually looking for somebody."

That voice.

"Who?"

Oh, God, no.

"Her name is Chrys? Chrysanthemum Summers?"

What?

"Chrys!" Bella called. "Someone's here for you!"

Chrys stood slowly, feeling her heartbeat behind her eyes, and turned to walk out. She did slowly, so slowly, completely unbelieving. It's just a mistake, I'm hearing things, he's dead. Obviously.

But when she rounded the corner of the bar, there he was. Tall, wide, slim hips, hands in his coat pockets, hair tucked behind his ears, hazel eyes devouring her.

"Hey, Chrys," he said softly.

"Sam."


**Feedback gives me the warm fuzzies and keeps me going.