Dean held the ice pack to his chin. He looked at Sam who had on his hand. He shook his head still not believing that his brother had clocked him one.
"I'm not going to apologize, you needed it," Sam said.
"What I said was-," Dean started.
"A bunch of crap and if you keep it up, I'll hit you next," Bobby said.
Sam saw Dean look away. He was watching Ruby with Sloane. Sam had to admit that seeing Dean hand his child over to a demon to hold had been a shocking moment. Although Dean kept staring at them making sure that Ruby was never too far away.
"Can't believe you let that demon hold that precious baby," Ellen said coming in carrying coffee on a tray for everyone.
"As much as I hate it, she's Sloane's family too. Plus without Ruby, we would of never met... Peri, and I wouldn't have Sloane," Dean answered saying Peri's name for the first time out loud in months.
"Glad to see you haven't forgotten her name," Sam quipped.
"Sam-."
Dean was cut off by a flash of light. The light disappeared and there stood Anna in the middle of the room. She held Peri in her arms. Dean stood up and stared at Peri. She was wrapped in a white sheet. Well, it had been white but it was slowly turning a deep red. Dean dropped the ice pack. There was his love.
"Is she-," Dean started scared of the answer. He couldn't lose Peri now.
"She's still alive, Dean. She is a warrior; she fought hard and will continue to do so."
Bobby stepped forward and took the prone girl in his arms. He looked down at her. She was so pale, Bobby would of thought she was dead if not for the slight movement of her chest. He looked up and looked at Dean. The boy walked over and held out his arms. Dean had tears in his eyes.
"I got her," he said when Bobby didn't hand her over.
"Dean, might be better if Ellen and Ruby-," Bobby said.
"I need to do this Bobby. I need to help her."
Bobby placed Peri in her lover's arms. Dean held her close. God, she weighed practically nothing. He leaned down and kissed her forehead. He pulled away and saw her eyes flutter.
"Dean?" he heard her whisper. The sound of his name on her lips again... He had missed her.
"Shh, I got you. I'm going to take you upstairs and patch you up," he answered.
"I told you I'd... Find you."
"Yeah, you did."
Peri tighten her hold on Dean. He felt so real, she prayed this wasn't a dream. She let the blackness come around her again. She was glad that at the moment she didn't feel any pain.
***
Peri awoke to the sun shining though the open curtains onto the bed. She bolted up and looked around the room. She realized she was no longer Lilith's captive; she was no longer tied down. She felt soft fabric against her skin and looked down. She was wearing a t-shirt, she smelled it. Dean's.
"Come on, Sloane. Give Daddy a break. I was up with Mommy all night," she heard Dean say.
Peri turned her head slowly and saw Dean standing by the crib. He held their daughter in his arms. He looked so natural doing it. Tears came to Peri's eyes. He had protected Sloane.
"Maybe she just needs her Mommy," Peri said.
Dean whirled around. He saw that Peri was awake. He felt tears come to his eyes. Anna had stayed behind long enough to explain to Sam and the others the horrors of Peri's capture. Dean had gotten to see it up close. He had seen the scars over scars, the burn marks and worse the slashes on her back that had literally had left no skin behind.
"Dean, don't look at me like that. I'm fine," she said.
"Like hell you are. It took me hours to stop the bleeding."
"No in front of Sloane."
Peri climbed out of bed. She winced but held out her hand when Dean would have come to help her. She needed to do this on her own.
"I spent months tied to a bed. I need to walk."
Dean watched as she took shaky steps towards him. Her legs were wobbly. She almost fell twice but balanced herself. When she reached him, he pulled her into his arms. Peri rested her head on Dean's chest. She closed her eyes and let tears fall. He was there and he was real.
"Dammit, Persephone, why didn't you tell me what was happening in the dreams," he said holding her close.
"No, I couldn't hurt you like that. Plus, I handled it."
"Handled it? You almost died."
"And I would of. Anything to protect my family," Peri said pulling away.
"Peri-."
"It wasn't your choice. She would have sent you back to Hell. I... I couldn't let that happen. I need you here."
Dean pulled Peri close again. He never wanted to let her go. He heard someone clear their throat. He looked up and saw Sam and Ruby. Peri turned and saw Sam and Ruby. She smiled.
"I never thought I'd-," Peri started.
Ruby cut her off by stalking over to her and yanking her into her arms. Peri hugged Ruby back and smiled.
"Don't you ever do that again. We were scared shitless," Ruby said.
"I had to protect my child. You understand, right?"
Ruby pulled away and nodded. She wiped away her tears and shook her head.
"A demon crying, no one would believe it."
Sam walked over. He smiled at Peri. He hugged her against his tall frame.
"Glad you're alright. Dean couldn't even say your name for six whole months," Sam squealed.
"Really? I'm touched."
"I'm going to hurt you, Sammy. I mean it," Dean said.
"Enough, I want to hold my precious girl."
Dean nodded. He waited for Sam to let Peri go. He then placed their daughter in her arms. Peri looked down at Sloane's green eyes, so much like Dean's. She reached up her hand to Peri. Peri took it and smiled when Sloane wrapped her hand around Peri's index finger.
"She got big," Peri said.
"That's Sam's fault. Keeps giving her those damn baby cookies," Dean said.
"She's teething, Dean," Sam said.
"No, she isn't."
Ruby ignored them and watched Peri. Tears came to Peri's eyes. Ruby saw that the girl was shaking. This wasn't good.
"Persephone?" Ruby asked.
"Take her," Peri said.
Ruby took Sloane. She watched as Peri rushed off to the washroom. She slammed the door. They could hear her throwing up. Ruby shook her head. She could only imagine too well what Lilith had put Peri though. Dean looked confused. He walked over to the door. He knocked on it.
"Peri?" he asked worried.
"I'll be fine just give me a couple of minutes," Peri yelled from inside the bathroom.
Sam looked at Ruby. She motioned for them to go. Sam nodded. They left the room with Sloane. They shut the door behind them
***
Peri rested her head on the cool toilet seat. She wiped her mouth and took deep breaths. She tried to close off her memories of her months of torture. She couldn't though. Sitting there holding her daughter, she felt like she was tainting Sloane with those memories.
"Peri, I will break down this door," Dean said.
"Just a couple more minutes, Dean. Please," Peri asked.
She was shaking. She looked at her wrists and saw the raw tissue. The bile rose in her throat again. She threw up and cried.
"That's it. I'm coming in," Dean said having enough.
Peri barely noticed when Dean kicked the door in. She was too busy emptying the contents of her stomach. Not that there had been much to begin with.
Dean dropped on his knees beside Peri. He stroked her hair and waited till she was done throwing up. He then took her in his arms.
"What happened?" Dean asked.
"I...I feel dirty, Dean. The horrible things Lilith did to me. I... I don't want that to touch Sloane. She's so innocent."
"You aren't dirty, Peri. What happened to you, our daughter never has to know."
Peri rested her head in Dean's lap. She closed her eyes and wished that she could believe that. She knew Dean was trying to make her feel better but it wasn't working.
"I'm not so sure about that."
"I am. Nothing is going to change our kid, Peri. She's strong like you," Dean said.
"You mean like you."
"Like both of us. And I don't ever want to hear you say you're dirty, tainted or even broken. You aren't."
Dean hugged Peri. He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead.
"It's still not over, Dean. Lilith is still after Sloane."
"I know. And we'll fight when we have too."
"Lilith is mine. I'm going to tare her head from her body."
"Peri, honey, you do realize Lilith is the demon just possessing the body right?"
"I know. But it sounded cool."
"Nice to have you back."
"Good to be back."
Peri closed her eyes and held in her tears. She wasn't to same and no matter what Dean said, she knew she was broken. Lilith had made sure of it.