AN: Last chapter... I finally made it. Thank you again for reading!

***SPN***

John Winchester closed his hand around the coin and held it tight, before placing it in an inside pocket of his jacket. Death nodded and walked a few steps.

"Castiel, I trust you return these three people back in their times before the sun rises," he explained and pulled the scythe up to his side.

"Yes," the angel simply replied with a nod.

"Alright. Then I dare say I hope to not see you again anytime soon, boys. Because the next time we'll meet, I will have to reap you."

With that Death vanished.

"Wow," Mary exhaled. "Death really doesn't like you," she said, looking at her sons.

"Oh, he likes us alright," Dean chuckled. "He only doesn't like us messing with his job."

"Dean," Sam hissed, shaking his head disapprovingly. Dean just shrugged and grinned sheepishly.

"So, Castiel," John cleared his throat. "Do we still get a moment or are you going to take us back right away?"

"I should," Cas replied. "But I know Sam and Dean would want to talk a bit still, and the sun's not coming up for another few hours."

"Great," Sam rubbed his hands together briefly. "Then maybe y'all can fill me in on what happened after we spell proofed the bullets. I'm kinda drawing a blank. The only thing I gathered from Death and his little talk is... you did it, Dean. You killed Amara and saved the world - again."

"Dammit Sammy, don't make me sound like a freaking hero here. I was just cleaning up my own mess..." Dean was flustered somewhat.

"Our mess," Sam corrected.

"Whatever," Dean shrugged. "Right. What do you remember?"

Sam sighed and sat on the big table, dangling his legs like a small child for a moment. Then he crossed them at the ankles.

"Earthquake. Cas disappeared. You were out cold. Then Henry... wait, what happened to him, by the way? What Death said... he's gone?"

"My father was fatally wounded, protecting Dean," John chimed in. "This Death person already returned him to where he came from and reaped him. From what I understand he was dying there, too?"

"Yeah," Dean nodded.

"Well, couldn't you have fetched him before he was dying? Cas here volunteered to heal him but since he was dying where he was taken, he'd have had to take his life again." John's face betrayed his inner turmoil. He was sure his sons would have done it differently if possible, but he just had to know for sure.

"Sadly, no, dad," Sam looked down. "You know, we only had a short time of knowing him. When he... time travelled into our lives, he did it to protect this bunker. He was looking for you. But you were... gone. So, his spell took him to us. Blood to blood, you know."

John's eyes grew wide, then he nodded slowly. "Okay," he rasped.

"When Henry appeared, he was being followed. Abaddon... she wanted that key to the bunker. She fatally wounded him after he set up a trap that allowed us to defeat her and keep the key safe," Dean continued.

"Abaddon?" John and Mary asked in unison. Samuel raised an eyebrow.

"A knight of hell. Like, a demon, only worse," Sam explained. Dean blinked for a moment before taking over once more.

"No matter when we would have fetched him, dad, he would have died in that incident."

"You see, when Henry found his grandsons instead of his son, and discovered we were hunters, he didn't like us much. The men of letters, apparently they didn't think much of hunter methodes," Sam supplied.

"He called us apes," Dean muttered.

"I... didn't get that impression from him at all," John frowned. What did he miss?

"Henry changed his mind about hunters when we helped with Abaddon. That's why he volunteered to set up the trap. And eventually died for us. We could only fetch him at a point in time where he trusted us."

John nodded. "I think I understand."

Sam smiled briefly. "Alright. So... what else do I remember? Oh, Henry showing us the unicorn dust and us performing the spell."

"Okay," Dean inclined his head. "Amara took you. She kinda abducted you and we had no idea where to find you because Cas here was still awol."

"I had fought Amara to buy you time to perform the spell," Cas defended himself from the accusation in Dean's voice. "When the earthquake hit, I caught a glimpse of where Amara was hiding out. I got there and we faced off. I did the best I could, I was close to defeating her, but eventually she overpowered me. When I had recharged my grace sufficiently I came to the compound as soon as I heard your prayer."

Dean blinked again, then nodded at the angel. "Yes. Thank you for that, and for healing Sam. Henry knew a blood spell to locate Sam so we drove to the compound and fought the most epic battles of all," Dean explained dramatically.

"Dean!" Sam fought the urge to roll his eyes. Mary chuckled.

"From what I've seen I can only say he's right, Sam. Your brother battled his way through a compound filled with zombie like soldiers that all wanted to kill him. He was wounded badly but he still ploughed on and eventually he killed that evil woman, even though she threatened to kill you."

Sam looked at his brother who averted his gaze after a few moments, clearly uncomfortable.

"Dean," Sam started. "You're gonna have to get into detail there... just what went down? I have to know."

"Later, Sam. I might tell you the fairy tale before I tuck you in, bugger," Dean recovered and deflected with a trademark sarcastic grin. "Right now this reminds me, Cas, I need you to get me back to my Baby. Can't leave her out there unprotected."

"I could just...," Cas started but not for the first time in that day, Dean cut him off.

"I'm not gonna let my Baby be mojo-ed around, Cas. How about you zap us," Dean motioned to Sam and their parents, "to the cars and take Samuel there home?"

Samuel nodded. "Yeah. Good plan. I'm ready to go back to my normality. It seems less like a headache than this place," he joked. "John? I know you always thought I didn't think you were good enough for my daughter. And you were right. But I know things now that I had no idea of then. You're a good man!"

John smiled and went to shake Samuel's hand. "Thank you, Sir. Much appreciated."

"Right Cas... could you, please?" Dean looked at the angel.

"Of course," Castiel nodded. Touching the four hunters to their foreheads, sending them back to the compound, he then turned to Samuel. "Let's go."

***spn***

"No matter how often I travel angel airlines, I will never get used to the weird sensation in the pit of my stomach," Dean said and resisted the urge to shake himself like a wet dog. Then he saw his car and walked up to her. "Hey, Baby, did you miss me?"

Sam just shook his head, smiling, earning himself a somewhat reproachful look of Mary. He shrugged.

"What? Dad never used to talk to that car like Dean does. It's a car."

John chuckled and Mary glanced from him to Sam and then Dean. "No, he didn't. But I did. That car is a sweetheart." Sam's eyes grew wide like saucers at her words. Mary grinned and took John's hand in hers, pulling him to the Thunderbird parked behind the Impala. "Guess we'll take this beauty home, eh?"

When they reached the car, John gently spun Mary around, leaning her against the door and stepping closer to her.

"I know I'm not the John you know," he started. "But, you're the Mary I know and love... and I've been missing you all these years so very, very much. I..."

John couldn't finish what he was trying to say because Mary pulled him close and kissed him on his lips. "You are the same John," she told him. "I can see it. And feel it. And I love you, too." This time he responded to the kiss and for a moment everything around them disappeared.

"Don't have too much fun," Dean called over from the Impala, "or I'll take the T-Bird away."

John and Mary both looked at their older son and chuckled when he winked at them. "I didn't know you listen to the Beach Boys, Dean," Mary laughed.

"Classic, like these cars. Let's head home. Try not to crash the T-Bird, dad," Dean laughed and sat in his car where Sam was already waiting.

***spn***

Cas was waiting in the bunker when the family returned. Dean walked right up to him when he saw him while Sam hung back with his parents, chatting.

"Look, Cas, thank you for all you've been doing to help here. Really appreciate it."

"You don't have to thank me, Dean," Cas replied. "You might have been just an order for me to follow when I pulled you from hell, but your brother and you taught me about free will, thinking for myself instead of following orders without question. You all feel like family."

Dean nodded. "Yeah. About that. I know Death said you have to wipe their memories, but can't you just do something? Like... make them remember parts, kinda like a dream?" He looked hopeful.

"Technically I could," Cas replied. "But I shouldn't."

"Damn, Cas, what happened to free will?" Dean all but pleaded. Cas stared at him, then at the three other Winchesters.

"Alright, Dean," he then said. Dean grinned happily.

"You're not half bad... for an angel, you know."

Cas blinked and then returned Dean's smile. Sam, John and Mary walked over to them and Dean quickly steeled his expression to neutral, eager not to give away too much of his feelings.

"We're ready to return home," Mary announced, running her hand over Dean's arm. Dean turned towards her and enveloped her in a big hug.

"You take care of yourself, mom," Dean said, kissing her on the cheek. "We're gonna miss you."

"I know, Dean," Mary replied, a tear running down her face. "I know I won't remember this, but I'm proud to see our boys turned out perfect, right John?"

"Right," John confirmed.

They all hugged and then Cas touched his fingers to Mary's forehead and the two disappeared. The three Winchester men stood in silence for a moment.

"Okay, boys. I take it your angel will be back soon," John said, fumbling with his jacket pocket. Then he took Dean's hand in his and closed his son's fingers around the coin he had just received from his father.

"What are you doing, dad?" Dean asked.

"You've heard that the coin gets passed on from father to son. I'm passing it on, now." John smiled and then looked at Sam. "Look after your brother, Sam."

"Dad," Dean frowned, staring at the coin in his palm. "I can look after myself."

"I know, Dean. I always told you to look out for Sammy. It's just fair I tell him to do the same for once." John slapped Dean's shoulder and then smiled at his boys. "I see Cas is back. So this is good bye, I guess."

The boys turned to see Cas a few steps behind them. Cas nodded to Dean, who nodded back. Sam stepped up to John and hugged him, before moving back to let Dean do the same.

"Good bye, dad," Sam said as John walked up to Cas and the two vanished.

It was quiet in the bunker for a few minutes as neither brother moved nor spoke, both lost in their own thoughts and musings. Then Dean cleared his throat and turned to walk towards the kitchen.

"Care for a cold one, Sam?"

Sam followed him and grabbed the bottle when Dean held it out to him. Taking a seat at the table, the brothers kicked up their legs and took a sip of ice cold beer.

"To family," Sam said, holding out his bottle for Dean to clink it.

"Family don't end with blood," Dean replied and the boys grinned. "Cas, get your feathery ass back here and drink with us."

"I don't require nourishment," Cas deep voice replied as he materialized in the room, but he took the bottle anyways. "But I like the way the bubbles tickle my throat. What is it you say? Cheers!"

The brothers laughed and finished their bottles.

"You know, Dean, I always thought you were just like dad. Turns out you're just like mom," Sam pondered.

"What? Because I call my car Baby?" Dean raised his eyebrows.

"Not just that," Sam chuckled.

"Yeah well, you're just like dad in that regard. That's why you two always clashed so badly," Dean replied.

"At least I take after a guy, not a chick," Sam grinned teasingly. Dean glared at him, knowing good and well his brother was only joking.

"Says the dude with long hair, bitch!"

"Love you, too, jerk!"

THE END