Well, this took forever! I'm finally finished with this story! I'm horrible at multi-chapter stories but I am so proud that I finished this story, however short it may be. Thanks to everyone who has read or is just now reading this little story. It is very much appreciated. Let me know what you guys think!
As always, the only thing that I own is Annabel.
Annabel sat quietly as the doctor checked her to make sure she was ok. She couldn't help but think back to how good it felt to help Sam and Dean with that ghost. It felt like she was finally making a difference in the world. She has never hated the disease that plagues her more than right then. She wanted to continue to make a difference in the world but knows that it just wasn't realistic. It didn't take long for the doctor to finish examining her.
"Annabel, I don't know why you thought it was a good idea to be walking around so much when you know how weak your body has gotten. I'm ordering bed rest for the next week." The doctor was giving her a very stern look. She wanted to argue but knew that there would be no point. Of course she was upset that she probably wouldn't be able to take walks for the next week but it was worth it. Annabel nodded her head to the doctor's orders. The doctor patted her on the head which caused Annabel to roll her eyes; she was a teenager, not a child. She watched as the doctor walked out the door and it didn't take long for Sam and Dean to come walking back through the door. She watched Dean's mouth open, she assumes, to nag her again so she puts her hand up to stop him.
"I know, Dean. I shouldn't have interfered and should have let you guys handle it."
"Damn right, you should have." Sam nudges his brother hard in the ribs and clears his throat.
"What he meant to say, is Dr. Harding is now at rest and that was partially thanks to you. You did good, Annabel." Sam walked further and sat on the edge of Annabel's bed while Dean moved to the other side of her bed and sat. Annabel felt pride swell in her chest before she took a good look at the brothers in front of her and tears came to her eyes. Dean noticed them first and began to shuffle nervously in his seat. He shot a look at his little brother in alarm. Sam rolled his eyes at his brother and moved closer to Annabel in concern. "Annabel, what's wrong?" She quickly wiped the tears away and locked eyes with Sam.
"Thank you." The brothers flinched back in shock at the words and Annabel didn't miss the looks on their faces. "You guys just put your lives in danger to save the people in this hospital, myself included. And I have a feeling you go up against stuff way more dangerous than ghosts and you do it all to save people. So, thank you. Thank you so much." Before she could think it through, she struggled to move forward and give Sam a hug first, which he returned hesitantly. She then turned and went to give Dean a hug when she slipped and he caught her.
"Woah, kid. Take it easy." He went to lay her back down on the bed but she held fast and started hugging him. He looked to Sam, not sure what to do. Sam nodded his head toward the girl silently telling his brother to hug her back. He slowly put his arms around the girl in a weak embrace.
"Thank you." She whispered in his ear. Dean's response to tighten his arms around her.
The boys stayed with Annabel for a little while telling her stories of the less gory hunts they had been on. She was enjoying every second of it but she could feel herself getting more and more tired. She tried fighting it but the brothers were able to tell. They finished their current story about the rabbit's foot that gave Sam extremely back luck and then got to their feet.
"You need to get some rest. We really appreciate your help on this case, Annabel." Sam leaned down to give the girl a goodbye hug. She knew they would have to leave and continue to help people but she was still sad to see them leave. She gave Sam the biggest squeeze she could muster, which wasn't very strong. He pulled back and moved toward the door while Dean gave his goodbye.
"You stay out of trouble now, ya hear?" Annabel gave a little giggle which pulled a small smile from Dean. "I mean it. Don't go giving the nurses and Doc a run for their money." She gave him a little salute and he leaned down to give her a hug bye. He quickly pulled back and went to meet up with Sam at the door when he stopped. He turned back around and looked around the room for a paper and pen. He quickly wrote his and Sam's numbers on the paper and handed it to Annabel.
"Call if you ever hear anything strange going on." Annabel took the piece of paper and gave him another little salute. She didn't bother telling him that she was pretty sure she wouldn't live long enough to use it. Instead, she tried cracking a joke.
"Strange? Like me?" Sam gave a little chuckle and Dean shook his head in amusement.
"See ya around, Annabel." She gave a little wave to the boys as they walked out the door. She laid back and immediately fell asleep, still clutching the little piece of paper Dean had given her.
It had been a few weeks since the boys left Wilcox, Arizona and the teenage girl they befriended behind. They had heard from Annabel once since they left and it was "to just check and make sure the numbers were real." The boys had just finished a hunt when Dean's phone began to ring. He saw it was from the hospital Annabel was in and a small smile lit up his face. He quickly swiped to answer.
"Annabel! Like I told you last time, yes, the number is real." His smile was quickly wiped off his face. Sam noticed the look on his brother's face and was immediately concerned.
"Hello, is this Dean Winchester? I'm calling from Northern Cochise Hospital about Annabel Williams." Dean felt his inside freeze. Why would the hospital be calling him? Is Annabel alright? These thoughts were flying through his head.
"Yes, this is he." He listened intently to what the lady on the phone was saying and his eyes closed once she finished talking. He cleared his throat and thanked the woman for letting him know before hanging up. Sam kept looking at his brother waiting for him to say something. He had a pit in his stomach and he was hoping his brother wasn't about to confirm his fear.
"Dean?" He looked over to his little brother and wiped his hand down his face.
"Annabel passed away this morning. She put us down as next of kin so we would be informed." Sam closed his eyes and felt the sadness wash over him. They weren't around the teenager for too long but she still had an impact on the brothers.
"Did they say if they were having a funeral?" Dean shook his hand and made a noise of disbelief.
"They said her body was ours if we wanted to go pick her up, since we are her next of kin and all." Sam looked at his brother apprehensively.
"So, are we going to go?" Dean looked over at his brother. He thought about it for a second before nodding his head.
"Yeah. She deserves a hunter's funeral, don't you think?" Wordlessly the boys got up and started getting their things ready for the drive back to Wilcox.
It was surprisingly quick work in getting Annabel's body from the hospital. When the boys saw her they noticed a drastic difference in how she looked. She was skinnier and had little bruises all over the skin they could see. Nobody said anything as Dean carried the girl's body to the impala.
They placed her in the back seat and drove a little while before they found a clearing. They quickly built the pyre and Dean gently laid Annabel's covered body down before taking a step back. Sam lit the lighter and threw it down onto the white mass. They watched the fire for a little while in silence. Sam looked over at his brother and saw the hard set to his jaw.
"You know we couldn't save her right, Dean? I mean, she had cancer, there was just no way." Dean finally looked away from the burning body and looked at his brother.
"I know, Sammy. But it doesn't make it any better. She was innocent and she didn't deserve to die." Sam sadly nodded with what Dean said and turned back to Annabel. They stayed quiet for a little while longer before it was broken by Dean this time. "You know, she told me, back when I got after her for fighting that ghost, that if she had the ability and the knowledge to do something then why wouldn't she do it. I didn't really know the answer to her question until now and that answer is I would. We know a way to stop the Devil and we have the ability to do so." Sam was following what his brother was saying and turned to face his brother in shock.
"Dean, what are you saying?" Dean looked his Sam in the eyes.
"I still don't like it Sam, but your plan to say 'yes' to Lucifer? It's the only thing we have. I-I'm with you on this." Sam couldn't believe it but he was relieved in a way. Finally, they could defeat Lucifer and Sam can clean up the mess he started all those months ago.
The boys stayed in silence waiting for the fire to go out and when it did they packed everything back up that they had taken out of the car. They got in and started the long drive to Bobby's. They had a Devil to shove back in a box.