A/N: I am epically lame for being so long in updating - I know. Here beginneth the groveling :( (Better explanation in second A/N at end)

Episode 16 – 'Shadow'

His boys had been caught in a trap. He'd seen them, trapped in that warehouse with that girl and those shadows. He hadn't had to see it to know that the demon was trying to stop him again. It had happened before and he was sure it would happen again, right up until he ganked the son of a bitch.

He had waited long enough to see the girl fall and some evidence that the boys had made it through mostly in one piece. Then he had left; going to the motel he had already discovered they were staying in, breaking into their room carefully, wary of the fact that it was likely to already have an occupant.

The boys had covered their tracks well. It was doubtful that anyone else would have been able to find the room or even discover which motel they were staying in. And even if they had found the room, it would have been difficult to get into and once they had, there was no evidence inside to suggest who was staying there.

He had managed it, though. John Winchester was just that good.

Now he was waiting, standing in the shadow by the window, watching the street below, the room behind him in darkness so there was no revealing silhouette cast by the light. He had been right in suspecting that Grace would be asleep in one of the beds, Dean had kept his word, as John had known he would.

The patriarch of the Winchester clan had checked on the girl when he had first entered and was glad to see she appeared to be well enough, although completely unconscious. He had suffered a few qualms about pitching Grace straight into the middle of his family and the hunting lifestyle, for themselves as well as her. They had been a tight knit group for a long time. Well, tightish, Sam the unraveled thread wandering away from the pack when he had left for Stanford.

Sam was back now though, and John was looking forward to seeing him. His youngest boy, so hotheaded, so different from himself, having been made to suffer so much so young.

John took a moment to think about Dean, but he wasn't worried. Dean had rarely given John much cause for worry. Fights in high school, more girls than anyone could keep track of, drinking more than was really necessary to unwind, were all things John could explain away. And Dean had always followed orders. Here was evidence of it. Sam was back with his family, hunting again like he was supposed to. Grace was alive, well, and, John hoped, happy enough. And that was down to Dean. Dean had been looking after and protecting them, and the three of them had got this far together.

All the poor boy wanted in return was his family back together again, and John suspected Grace was now part of that bargain. He sighed, the simple wish was not so easy to fulfill.

But this brought him back to Grace again. He did hope she was happy, or at least sufficiently content, with this new lifestyle. Although, it had been months, it wasn't exactly new anymore. The thing was, even if she didn't feel that way, there was nothing that could be done about.

John had been keeping his ears open and, judging by the rumors he had heard concerning a certain Grace Jackson, there was no way she was going to be safe off on her own. No, it was best for her to stay with hunters, ones he could trust, and to keep moving, not to settle anywhere for too long.

He had briefly considered sharing the vague knowledge he had acquired, at least with Dean, but had dismissed the idea. The fact was that it was too vague and there was no need to worry them before it was time, not when there was nothing they could do about it. When someone would profit from him sharing, he would tell.

Seeing his boys again was even more of a relief than he had thought it would be. He had been too long away from his family.

Gleaning the full story from Sam and Dean, John's thoughts of what had been behind the plan were confirmed. The demon knew he was getting closer.

It was hard for someone like John Winchester to admit fault. It was almost as hard for someone like Sam Winchester to do so, but, somehow, without either of them actually apologising or taking back their angry words of four years ago, they were reunited and back to their proper relationship.

The three men stood together in the grungy motel room, family, strong and tall together, a moment of twisted happiness and strong hope.

Far too quickly, it was shattered.

John's feet were whipped out from underneath him and he was thrown brutally hard against the cabinets on the other side of the room. Before Sam could react he was also slammed to the floor by invisible hands.

Dean uttered a heartbroken "No!" as he watched his so recently reformed family being ripped apart before his eyes. He could do no more before the carpet vanished from beneath him, slamming into his back moments later. Unseen claws began to rip at his flesh and through his pain he could see his father writing in agony.

No. This wasn't what was supposed to happen.

Sam struggled onto his stomach and groped for the duffle bag of weapons he had insisted they brought inside, despite Dean's protests. He scrabbled around frantically for a few agonizing seconds, before his hand closed around what he was looking for. He pulled it free of the bag and held it above his head.

"Shut your eyes!" he instructed. "These things are shadow demons, so let's light 'em up!"

On the words he lit the flare in his hand and flung his other arm over his eyes to shield them. The room was immediately filled with blindingly bright light and smoke.

As Sam had hoped, the light was enough to cause the vicious shadows to flee. It wasn't long before it was safe for them to try and escape the room and the smoke that was already beginning to choke them.

"Dad!" Dean gasped out between his coughs.

"Over here!" John replied, voice calm even though it was weak with pain.

Dean struggled across to his father and helped him to his feet.

"Sam, get Grace," he yelled as they struggled through the door. Sam hurried to the bed and picked Grace up unceremoniously in his arms before hurrying out after his father and brother.

A/N: Mostly John orientated, hope you don't mind. I know a lot of people don't, but I love John and also Jeffrey Dean Morgan. I know he does stupid things a lot of the time (John not the adorable Jeffrey Dean who must give the best bear hugs ever) but I still love him.

Anyway - I could easily rename this chapter "The One That Was Like Getting Blood Out Of A Stone" (but that would probably be childish let alone misleading and that it wouldn't fit into the gap) and that added to my coursework/exams/I-have-no-where-to-live-next-year-holy-freaking-hell stress it took a while. So I'm really sorry, but hopefully as I am now on my extensive summer holidays it will go better from now on :)

Thank you for reading and hope you enjoyed it a little bit :)