The Goodbye Girl

Dean finally brought Sam back to Missouri's around noon. He had listened to Sam bring him up-to-date on the status of the Leviathans; how he figured out he had to be in Purgatory, and then his searching in vain for him. He had asked Dean to tell him about it, but Dean had told him there would be plenty of time for that later; and to get to 'the girl'.

Sam told him about how she had just suddenly appeared at the exact moment Dean had disappeared, and the month long search to find her. "Sam, just get to the part about who, or what, she really is!" Dean finally said, knowing his brother well enough to know when he was stalling.

Sam already knew Dean had figured out how he felt about her. It irritated him no end that Dean could still read him like a book. He debated how to tell him the rest. "Mother Nature." Was all he said.

They just stared at each other as Dean absorbed what his brother had just said. He briefly thought about their history of dealing with 'Gods', and his brother's tract record of sleeping with supernatural beings. But he also knew there was more; he could read his little brother like a book. "And?"

"And? Well, there's that she's leaving her vessel sometime later her today." Sam paused, and decided it was best to just tell him. "Oh yeah. And, you're going to be an uncle."

X

Charlie, Jody and Cassie had already arrived to help set-up for the gathering. All of them were thrilled to see Dean again; because they had only seen him for a minute this morning before the second ritual; and then again after they woke. But, he had been so pre-occupied with Sam by then; and they all knew better than to come between Dean and Sam. They had all decided to greet him when he was calmer.

Now, Cassie led the charge to run and embrace him. She stopped short as the smell reached her just before she was going to throw her arms around him. Missouri stood on the back porch. "You are NOT coming into my house like that. You leave those clothes out here, so we can burn them, and then come in and shower."

Sam looked for Amelia while Dean was being greeted fondly by friends and a cranky psychic. He could almost feel their minutes ticking away. He noticed Missouri nod her head towards the window of the room he had shared with Amelia, and tried to slip away. Now that his brother knew everything; Dean made a big enough scene to let Sam get away from their friends. Nothing would ever stop him from trying to help out his little brother; that was and always would be his job.

Sam went through the deserted house to what he now considered their bedroom; and opened and closed the door, locking it as quietly as he could. Amelia was stretched out on the bed, seemingly asleep. He doubted she was, there were still moist tear tracks on her cheeks.

"Are you and Dean okay?" She said with her eyes still closed; but then sat part way up and leaned on her elbows. She had asked; but she already knew Sam had told his brother what they had been through together; and that Dean was "on board" with whatever Sam needed from him. The goddess hadn't meant to see his thoughts, trying for a little normalcy in their last few hours. But, it was like his mind was now an extension of hers, the connection so strong; it no longer could be broken.

"Yeah. We're good." He said as came and sat down on the edge of the bed. She lay back down and let him wipe at her tears. "But, you already knew that, didn't you?"

"You hunters think you're so clever." She teased. "Or, is it a Winchester thing?"

"Nature versus nuture, it's hard to know; since we were raised as Hunters."

As he bent over to kiss at her tear tracks, she said. "Sam. I know you loved your father, but I don't think nurturing had much to do with your childhood." He raised his head and was going to defend his dad, but before he could, she added. "Please, just promise me you won't raise this girl like that." And she put one hand on her abdomen.

He just bent down and kissed her. He figured he didn't need to say he'd spend his whole life protecting both the child, and the mother; and if she hadn't already seen that in his future, then there was something seriously wrong with her visions.

She pushed him up. "I do know both you, and Dean, and all your friends, will protect them. There's nothing wrong with my visions." She stopped long enough to look into his eyes, before she whispered. "I just needed to hear it out loud."

Sam climbed into bed and enveloped her in his arms. "Missouri will skin you alive, if you soil her bedspread with your shoes." She teased him again.

"Maybe. But, it will be worth it."

Mother Nature got as close as possible to him. She'd seen that Dean had accepted the, now vacant, amulet when Sam had asked his brother if he wanted it back; but as she put her head against his chest, it felt strangely empty without the little piece of metal.

X

By 3 PM everyone had returned to Missouri's house. Tables full of food were set up in the back yard, and since there were Hunters present, there were at least a couple of chests of cold beer. Dean and the few others who knew Mother Nature could be leaving at anytime, tried to deflect anyone who asked about Sam or Amelia.

Mother Nature put on the dress again, and Sam placed the wreath of flowers on her head. They took deep breaths and left their small sanctuary to face the crowd. They met Jody in the hall

The sheriff embraced Amelia. "You did good." As she let the young woman go, she turned to Sam. "You both did."

The goddess saw that Dean had told her she was leaving; and that the sheriff would also be part of the extended Winchester family. It occurred to her, that was the best gift she was leaving Sam and Dean; a family bigger than just the two of them.

Jody led the pair through the house; meeting and greeting a few members of the cadre that had helped them rescue Dean. They made their way to the backyard, and a chorus of "Sam" and "Amelia" rang out from the happy crowd. They both smiled and joined the party; but never let more than a few feet separate them.

Most of the hunters were unused to partying with 'civilians', not to mention having a powerful goddess in attendance. But in short time, they were sharing experiences and stories. Cassie and Charlie, in particular, paid rapt attention. By the time the crowd started thinning out; both women had almost doubled their contacts and sources for the projects they were working on.

Mother Nature was the first to notice the weather rapidly changing. As the temperature dropped and a storm seemed to be building, people used it as an excuse to leave. By the time the wind kicked up, only the core group of Jody, Missouri, Cassie, Charlie and Garth remained at the house with the Winchesters and Mother Nature.

Dean and Sam tried to get them all to leave, even Missouri. They tried to convince them they shouldn't take the risk. Missouri outright told them 'it's my house, I'm not going anywhere'. The others didn't have the same argument, but made it just as clear they weren't leaving. So, Sam and Dean had tried to load Amelia in their cars and leave. They found neither the Impala or Tahoe would start. They were driven back into the house by the torrential rain.

They all knew what was going to happen; but, nobody knew exactly how or when they'd lose their friend. What they didn't know, was that this was new territory for the goddess; usually she just left without saying, needing or wanting any good-byes. She didn't tend to make a lot of friends. She actually wished The One would just get it over with; this way was so much harder.

Just sitting around waiting for it to happen was totally unacceptable to Dean. He was going to be an uncle, and maybe that wouldn't change after Mother Nature left this vessel; but his brother was in love her, the goddess; and he wasn't going to let his brother lose another woman; not if he could help it. He tried to get Garth and Cassie, since she now knew so much about the supernatural, to help him find a way "to stop this". To make matters even worse; Sam and Amelia, and Missouri, seemed so resigned to this, and it drove him freakin' crazy.

The storm hit the house almost violently, shaking it with wind and bombarding it with rain. There was a blinding flash of lightning and an ear-splitting crack of thunder; and the lights went out. When they came back on a few seconds later, Amelia was gone. They all stared at the spot where she had just been. None of them had known what to expect; but this, this wasn't what they had expected.

While they were all still in shock, there was a knock on the door. Missouri wondered why another neighbor would come by in this weather to complain about all the noise earlier in the day, and sighed as she got up to answer the door. The psychic didn't notice the way Sam stared toward the door, but Dean noticed the sudden tension in his brother.

"Yes?" Missouri asked when she opened the door to a short, nearly drowned, white man with a scruffy beard.

X

"CHUCK?" Dean said as Missouri stepped aside to let the man into the foyer.

"Of course not." He said as he shook once and was instantly clean and dry. "I just thought you might be more comfortable if I took a shape you recognized. " He said to Dean.

"You're The One?" Sam asked.

"What is it with you humans and titles? I just am. Well, not this." And he pointed to himself. "Although, I did have a good time slipping Mr. Shurley the visions of your adventures."

"I thought that was God?" Dean asked.

"Again, with the titles." He replied.

"Where's Amelia?" Sam said taking a step forward, Dean instantly right next to him.

"I think you mean Mother Nature. But, both are correct in this case. They're having a chat. One of them will be back soon enough." He said as he sat down, and then indicated everybody should sit down again. "I wanted to meet the man that finally awoke her heart."

"What?"

"Okay. Would you all please sit down?" And he waited until the Winchesters, and Missouri, sat back down. The others had been sitting and staring in shock at the small man who was basically claiming to be God. Chuck smiled at each of them as the others found seats. "Good. Now, I'm going to tell you all a story; you want the long or short version?"

"Oh my God. Why is it you all like to hear your own voices so much?" Dean groaned.

"Dean. It is a very good thing I like you." He said, the threat being openly implied. "Now, shut up and listen."

Dean opened his mouth, but closed it without saying anything. The rest of them not sure if he finally learned discretion; or if there were another reason he kept quiet.

"Mother Nature, " and he looked around the room, to make sure everyone was listening, "you know that's too cumbersome. I'll call her Amelia, since that's what you've been calling her. Anyway, Amelia isn't the first goddess I created, and this planet isn't the first one I've chosen to enhance." He stopped, and looked at both Winchesters. "Save your questions until the end, please.

I think Amelia is the…, oh I've lost track of how many there were before her. Anyway, do you know how I created her?" He turned to Jody, sitting just to his right, and asked. She just shook her head. "She was an acolyte in a cult, basically like the young Amelia Stone is, but to the previous goddess, on the previous planet I gave a little kick-start. When the last goddess found her heart, she asked her vessel if she could stay, and your Amelia took her place.

So, that's where your goddess is now. Your Amelia is talking to the other Amelia…I'll call her Miss Stone, to see who comes with me when I go pick out my next project, and who stays here."

He reached for Garth's beer sitting on the coffee table in front of him. "May I?" Garth just nodded his head in stunned silence. After taking a long swallow of the cold beer, he smiled. "Now, where was I? Oh yeah, I thought she, your Amelia, was almost ready a few thousand years ago; and I brought her and Apsu together. Who knew the fool would think killing her kids would win her heart." He took another sip of Garth's beer. "Then, I watched two brothers stop the angel's pissing match; and I knew one of you would be just what she was waiting for.

Oops. You'll have to excuse me; they're waiting for me." And there was another flash of lightning and he was gone. They all just stared at the empty chair.

"Dick!" Dean swore, just because found he could. He looked down at his brother, not surprised to find Sam sitting there in a state of shock.

"The prick took my beer." Garth said as he headed to the kitchen to get another beer.

X

Mother Nature thought she had been blinded by the light of the flash. But almost instantly realized her vision was different because she was no longer corporeal, she was back in the void. Except, it wasn't exactly the void, and she wasn't alone. She seemed to be sitting on a warm, sandy beach and Amelia Stone was right there next to her.

"Are you ready?" The young woman asked the goddess.

"Ready for what?"

"Ready to decide." The One, still in the shape of the former prophet, asked as he joined them.

"Decide? Decide what?"

"My bad, I forgot to show you." He said and wished this illusion could take another sip of Garth's beer.

Mother Nature gasped as memories of a life she had forgotten thousands, or maybe millions of years ago came back to her. She could see a small planet, similar to this one, and family and a sisterhood she had been completely devoted to. She remembered willingly giving her body to another goddess, the one she had worshipped all her life; that goddess had asked to stay on her planet because she had found her heart.

Her essence had traded places with the goddess and awoke in the void. Then she had been given her 'pretty little blue-green rock' and spent an eternity occupying vessels and helping it grow. And now she, Mother Nature, Terra, Gaia, Isis, Demeter, Tiamat had found her heart, her faith; and they lived on this planet in the form of a tall Hunter named Sam Winchester.

"Your final test; was, of course, that you refused to "take" the vessel; that you honored your commitment to her above your own happiness. But, Amelia Stone is ready to take her place, to help me start life on a different planet, to be another Mother Nature. But, it is your choice. If you stay, you will take her human form; but you will have no powers, you will feel pain, you will grow old and die."

"But, all the visions I saw of Amelia and Sam?" Mother Nature asked.

"Look again." And he took advantage of having a form, even if it wasn't real, and rolled his eyes.

She saw the long and happy life she had seen for Sam and Amelia, only this time she saw herself looking out through the young woman's eyes. She looked at the young woman. "Are you sure you don't want that life?"

"Goddess, I am used to being alone. I would not be happy with Sam, well, other than sexually. He really does seem to fit my body perfectly." She whispered to the goddess.

"Amelia, focus here." The One scolded.

"Yes, of course." She said but winked at the goddess. "I could not make him happy; but I would try, if that is what you want." She turned to the One. "I would like to see another planet, and think that I would be as good a mother there as she has been here."

X

Garth had almost reached the door of the kitchen, to replace his beer, when there was another explosive flash of light and window-rattling peel of thunder, and the house was put into total blackness. Nobody moved waiting for the lights to come back on, expecting Amelia or Amelia Stone to be there when they did. Then the lights were back on, and neither was there.

For the second time in less than 24 hours, Sam was screaming 'NO'. Dean was only a half a step behind as Sam leapt up to search …

There was a knock on the door. Sam changed direction and raced to the door and threw it open. She was there, soaking wet, her blue-green gown clinging to her body, her hair plastered to her face. Sam stared, did he pull her into his arms, or did he introduce himself?

"The prick sent me back through the rain." And she threw herself into Sam's arms and kissed him until they both gasped for breath when she finally let him go.

"I think Missouri is going to skin you alive for getting her rug so wet." Sam said as he rested his forehead on hers, catching his breath.

"Maybe. But this is worth it."

xxxXXXxxx