Fifteen years later….

Fifteen years is a long time. Time heals, it ages people, it moves forward. The Winchesters are not excluded from its effects.


Dean's black 1967 Chevy Impala rolled into Pontiac, Illinois more quietly then it had in its earlier days of existence. Sam had recently tried to convince Dean to get rid of the car after the engine died but Dean had refused. The Impala was sixty years old and Dean had always traveled in it. He wasn't about to let "her" go. Instead, Dean agreed to a compromise. He got an engine and new parts for the Impala that would help them save gas in a world where eco-friendly fuel was rising in popularity. Dean would not go without an engine that roared when it started. He had been satisfied. Sam was just glad they wouldn't have to steal as much.

Sam sat in the passenger seat looking out of the window and Dean was listening to one of his AC/DC tapes as he drove. Much was the same but much was also different.

Sam and Dean were "Over the Hill" as they say. The Winchesters had survived their fortieth birthdays, a milestone they thought they'd never reach. Days after Dean turned forty Sam found a gray hair on Dean's head and two months after Sam's big birthday, Dean found his. Each reacted with horror at their first signs of aging. Neither of them had been quite ready to realize their youth was behind them and neither of them were ready to face the future, especially not Dean, who had personally experienced the health issues senior citizens had.

Dean and Sam were still hunting. They hadn't settled down and had kids. They didn't want to because of their lifestyle. The closest thing they had to home was Bobby's old house which they had automatically inherited when he had died seven years before.

Bobby's death had been devastating. It took nearly a full year for the brothers to truly move on and adjust to life without him. He had been almost like a surrogate father to Sam and Dean since their father, John, had died. Without Bobby, the brothers were alone.

Even after seven years Dean and Sam still missed Bobby. They still missed so many people: their parents, Ellen and Jo, Rufus, Castiel,...the list went on.

Sam and Dean had made more friends and allies since, but none like those they'd left back in the past.

Despite this, the brothers were happier than in the years before. After the Apocalypse everything seemed better. The angels had left Earth and demonic possessions had lessened. The Winchesters were back to hunting ghosts and vampires instead of being hunted by Heaven and Hell.

When Dean spotted a Café he pulled up in front of it and pulled his keys out of the ignition. He got out of the car and Sam joined him as he headed into the building.

Inside, Sam spotted a newspaper stand and grabbed two newspapers-one local and one state-as Dean bought them coffee, one black and the other with sugar.

They then sat down in the nearest booth and began reading the newspapers as they sipped on their coffee.

As Dean was reading the local newspaper one of the major stories caught his eye. He threw the paper down in front of Sam.

"Look at this," he said pointing at it.

"Woman stabbed during burglary…" Sam began reading. "Amelia Novak was found stabbed in her sister in law's house July fourteen at nine-oh-five pm….Why does that name sound familiar?"

"Look at the picture," Dean told him.

Sam studied the picture of the victim, a forty-nine year old with long hair and a rounded face.

Sam raked his brain for the answer to why he felt he knew her, and gaped when it came to him. "She was Jimmy's wife."

Sam began skimming the rest of the article silently. His eyes widened as he spotted the word sulfur.

"There was sulfur found in the house."

Dean nodded. "Demons went after her."

"But why now?" Sam asked. "The Apocalypse is long over with. The angels are gone…."

"Beats me," Dean shrugged. "But we should definitely check it out."

Sam agreed.

"Does it mention where their daughter, Claire, lives?" Dean inquired.

Sam shook his head. "No, but I'm sure I can find the address on internet."

"Good."


Claire Novak lived only a couple of blocks away from where she had been raised. Her home was painted gray and half the size of her parent's old house but very cozy looking. It made Dean wish he could sleep in Bobby's house that night.

After Sam and Dean climbed up the steps to Claire's front door they glanced at each other before Dean knocked on it and waited.

They could hear someone's footsteps on the other side and in a few moments a young woman around the age of twenty-seven swung the door open.

"Who are you?" the young woman asked. "What do you want?"

"You're Claire Novak, right?" Sam inquired.

"Yes," she answered.

"I'm Sam and this is my brother Dean," Sam said. "We need to talk to you about your mother's death."

Claire's eyes widened. "Not Sam and Dean Winchester?"

"You remember us?" Dean was surprised.

"Come in," Claire said instead of answering his question.

Sam and Dean walked into the house and Claire had them sit with her at the kitchen table.

"How much do you remember from our last visit?" Sam questioned her.

Claire sighed. "Not a whole lot about you. Just your names, and well, I remember riding in your black car with my parents. I remember being so frightened after those demons attacked. I was grateful you had arrived to take us to safety."

"What else do you remember?" Dean prompted.

"My mom being off after you left us behind. She slapped me, and I knew then, something had gotten in her like our neighbors. My parents never physically disciplined me. And then I remember saying yes to Castiel."

Dean snapped to attention when she mentioned the angel's name. His friend's name.

"He came to me, whispered to me in the warehouse when the demon in my mother left the building for a moment, after tying me up," Claire explained. "He told me my parents were in danger and that he could save them if I let him control my body. He promised it wouldn't hurt."

"Was that the truth?" Sam asked curiously.

"Yes," Claire replied. "It was unnerving to have no control over my body and Castiel's true form was too hot, but it didn't hurt. He also shielded my mind. I don't remember anything else from being possessed until Castiel left me to go back into my Dad."

Dean and Sam nodded in understanding. They both knew what it was like to be possessed.

"Speaking of is….is Castiel still around?" Claire inquired hesitantly.

Sam shook his head sadly. "He was killed by another angel."

Dean closed his eyes at those words. Regrets filled him as it had when he'd run away with Sam the day it happened.

"That means Dad's dead too…" Claire said as tears sprung to her eyes. "I missed him so much…I was hoping…"

"We're sorry," Sam apologized.

Claire sniffled. "It's okay. I'll be okay."

"We know it must be hard finding out both your parents are dead inside a week."

Claire forced a smile at him. "I'll be okay, Sam."

They were all silent for a moment.

Claire wiped her tears with her hands. "So what did want to ask me about my mother's death?"

"Do you know what happened?" Dean spoke up.

"No," Claire answered. "I wasn't there. She was babysitting my aunt's kids. You think it's demons, don't you?"

Dean and Sam nodded.

Claire sucked in a sharp breath. "I suspected that. May I ask you guys something?"

"Sure," Sam said.

"When did Castiel die?"

"May two thousand and ten," Sam replied.

Claire stared at him.

"What is it?" Dean inquired, becoming nervous of the way she was looking at his brother.

"It's probably just a coincidence but…" Claire trailed off.

"But what?" Dean and Sam asked in unison.

"My cousin," Claire told them. "He was born February twenty-four, two thousand and eleven."

Dean was confused. "What's wrong with that?"

"My Aunt Sally named him Castiel," Claire said.

Sam and Dean's eyes bulged out of their heads.

"Claire, where does your aunt live?" Sam inquired.

"I'll give you the address." Claire grabbed the notepad and pen that was on the table and wrote it down.

After ripping it out she passed it to him.

"Thanks," Sam gave her a nod. "We'll be in touch."


Once they had stepped out of the house, Dean spoke his mind.

"There is no way this kid is Castiel!" Dean exclaimed. "People can't be reincarnated."

"Angels aren't people," Sam pointed out as they reached the car. "Where do they go when they die, Dean?"

Dean shrugged. "I don't know; Heaven I'd think!"

"That doesn't make sense Dean," Sam argued. "They already live in Heaven."

Dean threw his hands up in the air.

"Let's at least go interview Claire's aunt…" Sam said. "Dean."

"Fine," Dean rolled his eyes.

He got into the Impala, slamming the driver's door closed, and Sam sighed. It was going to be an exhausting day.