Totally AU, Dean came and went in the pilot, and Sam and Jess stayed home, got hitched, grew normal. Doesn't mean the demon wasn't going to come.

Well, exams are over, for the moment, so a quick opportunity to ring up a chapter. Please review and tell me what you think.

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It had seemed inappropriate to Sam that the day of her funeral wasn't the coldest and gloomiest the world had seen. Instead it was crisp, and breezy, but the sun shone brightly, as though it didn't truly understand that Sam could never be whole again.

The minister had spoken well, Jess's sister had said a few words, but been unable to finish due to the tears pouring down her face and the choking in her voice. Sam's speech had been fairly short, knowing he would be unable to say enough good things about her; he opted for very few, his own throat constricting as he began his final tribute to the woman who was his soul.

"Jess was an incredible person," he paused briefly, overcome with emotions, "and I loved her with everything I had in me. I can't say enough about all the wonderful things that she was, because there was almost nothing that she didn't do well. She was bright, had a smile that lit up the room, and a laugh that was infective. She made me a better person for the time I spent with her." tears began to silently pour down his face, and he knew that he had little time before the grief overwhelmed him, "I am lost without Jess, and Jamie will always miss the woman who was an amazing mother. I'll miss you Jess."

He moved back over to Dean with sobs choking in his throat. But held them in for the rest of the service. Now, as he stood by the grave, Dean holding Jamie just far enough away that he could have his own privacy he let them out, great, racking anguished cries. And came the promise that whatever did this to her would pay. When he stood, eyes red and puffy he was calmer than he had been since that night 3 days ago. He knew what he had to do. Revenge, the need to kill this demon burned within him.

Sam Winchester was back in the business, and he was gonna whoop some ass.

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It felt odd, seeing Jamie lying in a car seat in the back of the Impala. Sam had never really considered the car something that babies would be anywhere near. It was filled with memories of Dean, of long road trips to hunts, and speeding trips to hospitals. No babies figured very closely in any of that. But, thinking back, this car had been their dad's right from the beginning. Dean spoke of brining him home from the hospital in this car.

When Dean had fitted the car seat he had done it with ease, muttering in a hushed tone that he had helped dad fit Sam's, and knew what he was doing. It occurred to Sam that along with trips to hunts, and drives to schools, and long haul journeys to the other side of the country for a new job that the Impala, for Dean, was also filled with memories of his mother, of drives to picnics, and Little League games.

A surprising amount had been able to be salvaged from Sam's house, and what they could fit was crammed into the boot of the car. Sam hadn't wanted to keep a lot of it, everything made him think and see Jess, and it hurt so much it felt like someone was tearing out his heart. But Dean, quietly and supportively had suggested that he take the stuff with them. Dad had left without bringing much of their mums stuff with them, and then when the memories became harder to find, and just for a second you lost the sound of her voice, there was nothing but three or four photographs to make it so you could remember her.

Sam had nodded vaguely and along with everything that could be saved of Jamie's and his he piled Jess's things in. The photo albums had been kept in a cupboard downstairs, and were untouched by flames, and Sam had picked up them and the camera that she loved so much. Other things too, books of hers, her favourite mug, the one with bugs bunny on it, the video camera and all the tapes, the scarf she had been trying to knit herself though she wasn't really sure how. It was all placed in a box, and shoved to the back of the Impala. The rest of their things, furniture and whatever else were put into storage.

Right before they left his mother in law had called, to say that she understood he needed to take off on a 'road trip' with his brother for some time, but did he really need to take Jamie with him? She wanted to look after the baby, until he came back and was able to function a bit better. Just so that' Jamie was as well looked after as he could be'. Sam had floundered a bit then, unable to believe that the woman who had been so nice to him when he and Jess were married had just called him a bad parent and wanted to take his son. Dean, who had heard the conversation was unable to help himself.

"Listen lady" he said, grabbing the phone from Sam before his brother could stop him, "I don't know who you think you are, but if Jamie is going anywhere it's with me and his father. He doesn't need some old coot looking after him, when he has a wonderful parent right here who can do it for him. And if you ever, ever suggest to anyone ever again that Sammy here isn't as amazing a parent as you think you are, there will be a serious problem."

Sam looked over shocked but thankful.

It was only once they were on the road, jumping into the car straight after the funeral, that Dean pulled out his cell and called his father again.

"Dean? I see you're finally ready to join me."

"Yeah dad, we're all done here. Sammy and I are coming to meet you. Where are you?"

He wrote down the coordinates his father gave him, and hung up the phone.

"Ok Sammy, Dad's near San Diego, so we are on our way there."

"Do you think he's close to it again Dean? Do you think we'll be able to get it?"

"Little gung-ho there aren't you Sammy boy? You're more eager for a hunt than I've ever seen you."

"I need to get this thing Dean. I need to kill it so I can go back to living a normal life."

Dean had paused, and shrugged his shoulders a little.

"Sammy, if Dad isn't close to it, if he's lost the trail, what are you gonna do?"

"Chase the damn thing down till we are close. What else?"

"Sam, you hated our lives growing up, moving from place to place to place, if you keep chasing the Demon, won't that mean that that's exactly how Jamie grows up?"

Sam had paused, unsure of himself for a minute. "We're closer this time Dean, we're closer to the demon. We won't lose it. I'll get the demon, and then Jamie and I can move back home and try and start again."

Dean nodded, hoping that Sam was right.

There was an awkward silence.

"Dean, I just, I need you to understand just how much I need to get this thing. I want to avenge her death. I let it kill her Dean, it's my fault it came for her. I need to make things right."

"Somehow Sammy I don't think that's true. Listen to me, and listen closely. It's not your fault she's dead, it's the demons fault. You can't blame yourself for something you couldn't control." Though I'm sure as hell gonna blame myself for not being faster.

"You don't understand Dean, she died over my bed. It's my fault; I need to make it right."

"I met her once, you know" Dean said, deciding to make his point another way.

"When!" Sam was incredulous.

"Just after Jamie was born." He was tapping Highway to Hell on the dashboard as he began the story.

"I wanted to see Jamie, so I swung by town to have a looksee. I didn't want you to see me though, figured you'd be angry at me for coming around. So I waited for you to leave the hospital, all giddy and excited, and then when Jess was asleep I snuck into the room and had a peek at Jamie. Of course, just my luck, just as I walked into the room he started crying and she woke up to find me standing there. A little awkward.

I think she was weighing up if she could throw the lamp to hit me or whether she should scream for help when she recognised me.

"You're Dean, aren't you? Sammy's brother."

"Sure am sweetheart."

She smiled and then gave me that excited beam that most parents give and asked me if I wanted to hold little James Dean Winchester."

"By the way Sammy, James Dean? Please. Poor boy's gonna be beaten up in school."

Sam laughed. "Get on with the story Dean."

"Anyway, I woulda been there an hour maybe, before you rang and said you were coming back. Then I high tailed it outta there. She said she wouldn't tell, and told me that if ever I wanted to sneak into your house and see my nephew I was very welcome. Nice girl. Turned out I really liked her."

Sam nodded, eyes glistening with tears.

He really missed her.

He had to get this demon.

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Well, there you have it ladies and gents, the next chapter. In our next instalment we will be meeting with daddy Winchester, and, hopefully, meeting up with our lovely demon friend.

All that and more in…

Ha, I sound like a soapie promo.

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