CHAPTER 9

PART 2 – Four months later

The phone was ringing by his head. He considered letting it ring since he had just gotten to bed, but decided to go ahead and answer it. "Hello?"

"Bobby, its Lily."

He sat up sharply, turning on his bedside table lamp. "Is something wrong?"

"Not immediately, no. Can you come and see me?"

Bobby wiped his face with his hand and sighed. "I'm a couple of states east of you and we need to finish things up, but I can be there day after tomorrow."

"You aren't at home? Are you with Sam and Dean? Oh crap, that means you're an hour ahead of me – I'm so sorry! Did I wake you?"

"No, darlin', I wasn't asleep, yet. Sam and Dean are in another room." They had talked and emailed each other over the last four months, but she had never asked him to visit, and Bobby pursed his lips worriedly. "Lily, what is it?"

"Is it the boys?" he asked.

"No, no, they're fine." He could hear the smile in her voice. "Look, I'll see you day after tomorrow. Get some sleep. Bye."

Lily Remington hung up before he could ask any more questions.

It was a long time before Bobby got to sleep.

SPNSPNSPN

Two days later, in the mid morning, a black car once again stopped in front of a ramshackle house, but this time, they weren't looking at that house, they were looking at the one across the street.

A woman was standing in the doorway and they heard her call into the house. "Boys, they're here!" She waited a few inches behind her threshold, behind her welcome mat. They knew they would be greeted after they crossed over it.

"Oh, it is so great to see you again! I missed you!" She hugged them each after they entered. Her sons, also named Sam and Dean, were standing at the bottom of the stairs, grinning at them. The men greeted the boys the way men do.

Sam Winchester was the first to speak. "You cut your hair! I really like it."

Dean just lifted his eyes heavenward and Bobby grinned.

Lily tugged at her short hair and smiled. "Locks of Love needed it more that I did."

Dean smiled at her. He had no idea what she was talking about. He turned to the boys. "I'm pretty sure you two were shorter than that last time I saw you."

Sam Remington smiled, "Yeah well, mom keeps telling us we don't have a choice in the matter."

Lily just laughed. "They're nearly as tall as me! I'm gonna be outgunned soon." She gestured into the living room. "Well come on, sit down, I've got food for lunch, but we can talk for a bit first."

Sam, Dean and Bobby all noticed that Lily was smiling genuinely and she was moving more freely. Her body language showed that she was less fragile and there seemed to be much more strength to her. They also noticed that she had gained a little weight. They weren't suicidal though; none of them mentioned that to her.

They talked and caught up for a couple of hours before Lily set out lunch in the dining room. Even there, the talk remained friendly and general. Their curiosity about why Lily had asked them to be there continued to burn, though.

Finally, after Lily set her sons to clearing the table, she gestured the men into the living room again. She turned to Sam and Dean. "I really want to talk to Bobby alone for a few minutes. Is it okay if you stay here for a bit?"

They nodded and she turned and led Bobby upstairs, taking him into her bedroom.

"Lily, what is it? Is something wrong?"

Lily wasn't looking at him, but he could tell she was nervous, "No, not really."

"Then what is it?"

Lily sat down on her bed, pausing for a long moment, and Bobby took a seat beside her. His eyebrows furrowed over the bridge of his nose worriedly and Lily avoided his eyes. "Can I ask you an incredibly personal question?" Lily asked softly.

"You can ask," Bobby said plainly.

"Why didn't you and your wife have any kids?"

Bobby looked at her for a long moment, and then he took a deep breath. "Okay. Ah…." Talking about Karen was always hard. The harsh memories made speaking of her difficult. He stood up, moving to the window, and Lily grimaced as he folded his arms, worried that she'd crossed a line. He sighed, "We tried, but we couldn't," he said finally. "We didn't have time to find out why. I always figured it was for the best." He turned around to look at her. "Why?"

Lily worked her jaw for a few moments before answering. "I'm pregnant."

Bobby had weathered any number of shocks and surprises in his life. But this one had him stunned.