Dean opened his eyes and the warm feeling that had engulfed him was gone. He sat up and panicked at his surroundings. He was in a dark motel room, and rain was hitting the windows. His clothes were strewn all over the floor. He became even more alert when he noticed movement in the bed next to his. He saw Sam turn to face him and relaxed.
"Dude, it's like 4 in the morning. Could you please go back to sleep?" Sam asked drowsily, turning once again to face the window. In a few minutes, Dean heard snoring.
Dean was puzzled. Wasn't he dead? Or was Carthage, dying, being a ghost, all just a nightmare? He pinched himself and winced. Well, he was real.
Dean got out of the bed and walked over to the door and opened it. The car was there, looking as beautiful as always. The air smelled like rain. He could feel his head getting wet. He shook his head and closed the door.
Once back in the room, he went over to the sink and washed his face. Did you really dream it all? he queried in his mind as he inspected himself in the mirror. Nothing was different. He turned on the TV.
"-ere's gotta be another way," a woman cried from the screen.
"No, Sandy. This is the only way," the man next to her said, and Dean heard shuffling behind him.
"Dude, if you're gonna keep me up all night, the least you can do is put on something decent. Not this Robert Vaughn crap," a drowsy voice said behind him. He turned to see Sam rubbing his eyes.
"Watch your mouth, Sammy. Vaughn in U.N.C.L.E. is a classic."
He saw the corners of Sam's mouth turn up into a smile. He put his hands up and let out a breathy laugh. "Guess it's safe to assume I'm not going back to sleep," Sam said as he stretched. He sat down next to Dean.
"Not my fault you're a light sleeper. Hey, you remember that time I-"
Dean saw movement out of the corner of his eye. He looked to see Hannah sitting in a chair next to his bed.
"What the Hell are you doing here?"
"I've been here the whole time, Dean."
"What? Spying on us like some peeping Tom with wings?"
"No, just you. And I prefer the term 'watching over'."
Sam laughed, and Dean turned back to look at him. "Yeah, like I could ever forget that. I had poison ivy everywhere, AND I had to clean the car for a week. All because of you."
"What the Hell? It's like he doesn't even see you." He looked back at Hannah. "What did you do to him?!"
"Nothing. Your brother is perfectly safe. And asleep. On earth." Dean stared at her, confused. "Does this not feel familiar to you? This happened about 6 months ago, Dean."
Suddenly, the memory came to the forefront of his mind. Nightmares were keeping him up, he woke up Sam, and they spent the rest of the night telling stories and watching old C-List movies.
"So what, am I in some kind of loop?"
"You're in Heaven, Dean. Heaven is what you make it to be. This, in particular, is a good memory for you."
Sam, or the fake-cutout-clone Sam, was still talking to the space where Dean had previously been sitting. His shoulders fell as he realized that it wasn't his brother at all. He sighed.
"So how do I get my body back?"
"We have to find the exit of your Heaven. It'll lead to a hallway, and I can take it from there."
"Couldn't you just've dropped me there?"
Hannah smiled. "I have to follow the rules. There has to be an order to how things are done."
"Yeah, yeah. How do we get there?"
"I have no idea what the exit would be. You actually know more than I do."
"So you're basically saying we follow my gut?"
Hannah nodded her head. "More or less, yes."
Dean motioned to the hotel room door. "Alright, sister. After you?"
They walked out. Dean stood a moment, looking back at fake Sam, who was still laughing and talking with nothing. An empty feeling began to stir in Dean, and he prayed that he'd get to see the real Sammy again soon. He shut the door.
"Let's roll."
"You say this is all up to me, right? Like, it'll probably be something that means a lot to me."
"Yes."
"Alright. Let's try Bobby's house first. Get in." Dean got inside the Impala, but he realized he didn't have the keys. He started to go back to the hotel room, but Hannah stopped him.
"Just pick one of these motel doors, it'll take us there."
"Really?" Hannah nodded.
They went through the door of the room next to them, and instantly were in Bobby's kitchen.
"You know," Dean started as he walked past the refrigerator. "You guys do this top notch. Matches Bobby's place down to the smell."
"We're 10,000 feet tall ancient angelic beings with exorbitant amounts of power. Trust me, it isn't difficult."
"Whatever, sister. Let's just git to lookin'."
After a while, Dean and Hannah met again at the bottom of the stairs, neither one finding the exit.
"I mean, I didn't check the bathroom, but I don't think it's in there," Dean said.
"What other locations could it be at?" They started walking towards the door. "Maybe at this- no, that bar is definitely NOT in my Heaven. We could try-"
The door burst open, and a younger, happier looking Bobby Singer stepped through it.
"Dean!" Bobby said smiling. "Your pop told me he dropped ya off already. No surprise he didn't hang around." Bobby clapped his hand onto Dean's shoulder and pulled him in to a hug. "So, you're ready to learn how ta fix up cars?"
"Can't wait, Uncle Bobby," Dean said, smiling. He looked over at Hannah who was watching the scene with intrigue. Bobby walked over to the refrigerator, and Dean walked over to Hannah.
"I remember this, I was 13 and Dad was with Sam at a soccer tournament the whole weekend. Bobby taught me the basics to fixing a car," he said. Nostalgia filled his voice. "Made me want to start fixing things." He paused. "I want to find this exit, but can I just have a minute?"
Hannah smiled. "I actually have to leave now, duty calls. But I'll be back." She squeezed his arm gently. "Take all the time you need." With that, she vanished.
Dean looked back to find Bobby sitting at the table, holding a beer and talking to the empty chair on the other side. Not missing a beat, Dean joined him at the table, where at his spot sat a glass of lemonade.
"Yep, that's all the tools ya need to get a car runnin' again. But that don't mean she'll purr like a kitten, just means she'll run."
"That's awesome," Dean said. "Can we go now?"
"I s'pose we can go take a look at one of 'em," Bobby said after he took a sip of beer. He motioned for Dean to follow him. "Well c'mon, then."
As much as he'd hate to admit it, Dean was having a great time in Heaven. He'd had lunch with his mom, went to the movies with his dad (granted, it was PG because he was like nine at the time, but he didn't care), and had relived countless memories with Sam. But as he went, he made sure to check each place for the exit, and he still found nothing.
Now, Dean found himself leaving the Russellville High School senior prom, letting fate decide where to take him next. The first thing he registered was the scent of old wood, whiskey, smoke, and leather. He didn't even have to open his eyes to know where he was.
The Roadhouse.
From what he could tell, it was around 3 in the afternoon, and business was slow. The ceiling fans spun lazily and a small breeze drifted through the opened windows. The jukebox was playing softly. Jo was wiping down the bar. Dean immediately knew what memory this was. He made his way over to the bar.
"Y'know ma'am, I'll take the strongest thing you've got."
Jo whipped around and looked at him, and her expression softened. A small smile tugged at her lips as she pulled out a bottle of Jameson and pretended to read it.
"Musta been a helluva day if you want this stuff," she said. "Do tell."
"Well, I was driving by this place when I realized, I should maybe stop by. And as soon as I get out of the car, this crazy old lady assaulted me and accused me of not calling her enough," Dean said.
"I heard that!" Ellen yelled from inside the kitchen.
Jo rolled her eyes as she put the bottle up. "I don't see Sam with ya, so I'm giving ya beer. Y'know, can't have ya crashing your car and all." She handed him a bottle and made her way out from behind the counter to clear off tables and get the few customers there more beer. Dean began looking around for anything that could be an exit, all while keeping an eye on the blonde in the dirty apron. After about a minute, he heard humming. He looked out from behind a pile of boxes and saw Jo start swaying along with the song on the old machine. All of a sudden, she seemed to bump into nothing. Her face turned red.
"Uh, I-I ah... Sorry Dean," She mumbled. Dean jumped up from where he was and walked over to where he would've been. "Don't apologize for hitting me. Apologize for liking this song."
Jo scoffed. "I'll have you know, Mr. I-Love-The-Oldies, that Patsy Cline is a classic, and this song just so happens to be one of the greatest dancing songs of all time."
Dean raised his eyebrows.
"Slow dancing, ya perv." Jo's lips began to follow the flow of the song again, and this time she was softly singing as she continued around the bar.
Days may not be fair, always
That's when I'll be there, always
Dean followed her. "That's not dancing, sweetheart. That's cleaning."
She snorted. "Dancing ain't something you can do on your own, Dean." She sighed. "Guess I'm just waitin' for the right partner."
She moved on into the kitchen, and Dean sighed. He wished he could grab her hand right there, pull her in, and dance with her to as many songs as she liked. He listened to the song finish, then stepped out the door.
Not for just an hour
Not for just a day
Not for just a year, but always
Always.
Dean was sitting in a park in God knows where, about to give up on finding the exit. He looked everywhere he thought it might be, and now he felt hopeless.
"Hannah, if you could come back now, I'd really appreciate it."
"Couldn't find it, huh?" Hannah asked
"JEEZ!" Dean yelled as she appeared beside him. He grabbed his chest and gasped. "Don't do that. You'll give a guy a coronary."
"Sorry I startled you. I figured you'd be used to it from Castiel."
Dean laughed sarcastically. "Yep. Never gets old. By the way, I searched all my memories, and I can't find this damn exit."
"You do know that Heaven is more than just your memories, right?"
Dean shook his head.
"Heaven," Hannah started, "Is beautiful and complicated. Yes, it's part memories, but it's also connections you have with other people, dreams, wishes, shared Heavens, alternate realities, and many other things."
"Well that's just awesome," Dean said sarcastically.
"Well usually, if an exit isn't in a memory, it's in a wish. What's you're greatest wish?"
"That my mom hadn't died in that fire."
"Then we should try your house in Lawrence."
"But I was already there."
"Yes, but you were there in one memory. There are multiple houses in multiple memories, and they would all be different. This includes the house that would be in any other category."
Dean rubbed his temples. "You know what sister? You're making my head hurt. Can we just go?"
"I'll follow you."
The next door lead to the back entrance of the Winchester's home in Lawrence, Kansas. It didn't look much different, it just felt homier. He looked over at the sink to see a blonde woman cleaning something. He felt his throat close up.
"Mom?" he said, at a barely audible whisper.
The woman looked back at him and smiled.
"Jo?!"
"You know, Dean, I know you think it's funny to compare me to Mary but it can get kinda old," she said as she put down the plate she was cleaning.
"What're you doing here?!"
"Well I got off work early today, so I thought I'd come home and surprise you with dinner. And it looks like, once again, you've found me out." Dean just stared at her. Her face grew serious.
"Dean, are you okay? You look sick. Here." She grabbed his hand and led him over to the table, where he noticed the gold band on her finger. His eyes went to his own hand, where he found a larger matching gold band. He looked at Hannah. "What is this?" he whispered.
"Don't look at me, Dean Winchester. This is all what you want."
"Did you say something?" Jo asked as she went back to the sink.
"Heh. Uh, nope. No, nothing-nothing said over here." he reverted back to a whisper. "Can she see you?"
"No. Only you can."
"Great." He brought his voice back to normal. "Hey Jo, I think I'm gonna go rest for a while."
"Okay," she said as she dried her hands off with a towel. "Just remember, your mom and dad are coming over tonight. So try and be down here when they get here, okay?" She kissed him softly on the lips before returning back to work. He and Hannah left the room.
"I can't believe it. Me? Married? To Jo? Having... dinner?!" He exclaimed to Hannah. Hannah cocked her head.
"Isn't dinner customary for humans?"
"And-and you! You angels! What is it with you guys and cocking your heads every time you ask a question?!" He sighed. "Let's just find this exit. You take top floor, I'll stay down here." He walked over to the front door and grabbed the handle. As he pushed it open, a brilliant white light began pouring in to the room.
"Well, I don't think I'll have to go search anywhere," Hannah said. "Let's go." She walked out the door.
"Dean! Where are ya going?"
He turned to see Jo enter the room. He felt himself longing to stay.
"Just-just stepping outside for some air. I'll be back in a minute," he said shakily.
"Alright," Jo said forcefully. Even though not the real Jo, she could still tell that something wasn't right with Dean. "Don't do anything too stupid." She walked back into the kitchen.
He took one last look at the house before stepping through the door.
"Love you!" she shouted from within the house as he closed the door.
Dean looked down the hallway and clapped his hands together.
"Where to next?"
Carthage was quiet at this time of night, and with over half of the town dead, the town's roads and buildings were eerily silent. The full moon illuminated the sky, and a single car drove a little too quickly through the unlit street. The car drove past the shell of an old hardware store covered in caution tape.
Inside, Dean Winchester opened his eyes and looked around him, praying this wasn't some mind-trick or twisted part of Heaven. He stood up and brushed ash off of his clothes and looked out at the town.
"Dean Winchester's back, bitches."
Soooooo... DEAN'S BACK! I know a lot of you are like, "Omg finally." But I had to drag it out :)
Once again, sorry for lack of updates! I don't have a good excuse... I just lack motivation.
I promise, I have NOT given up on any of my stories. I just, well... see line 2 :D
ALSO, I feel like I wrote 'Jo' a little OOC in this chapter, but it was Dean's Heaven, plus I have creative freedoms because this is my story and I am the author.
ANYWAY, feel free to give me feedback on what you liked or didn't, and also maybe follow or favorite? (Unless you already did follow/favorite, because you can't do that twice because then it'd be a double negative... I'm gonna go to bed now.)
-WhatTheHeckyPadalecki