27

When I woke up, I was in the bed alone. I got up and showered and braided my hair. I grabbed my simple blue dress and pulled it over my bra and underwear. I put a black blouse over it and my black boots.

Downstairs, Bobby and Sam were talking. I checked the clock and it was going on noon. I must've been really tired.

"Morning sunshine." Bobby said warmly.

"More like afternoon." Sam said with a smile. "How'd you sleep?"

"Good. You?" I asked as I sat on the armrest of the chair he sat in.

"Great." He said as he slipped me onto his lap. "So, what's this about a mark that can bind you?"

"We can't really find any information on it. There's nothing in any of Bobby's books that even remotely look like it and even Castiel couldn't find anything on it. It wasn't entirely impenetrable. I was able to scratch it and break it. And Famine even said it wouldn't hold me for long." I shrugged. "Aside from that, we don't know anything else. It doesn't necessarily bind me, but it binds my power."

I heard a car pulling in and climbed off Sam's lap and headed toward the window. I caught a glimpse of the impala and went outside, Sam following me.

I stood on the top stair of the porch and waited as Dean got out and walked toward me. He wrapped his arms around me tightly and I wrapped my arms around his neck. He released me and walked toward Sam.

"How you feeling, Sammy?" He asked, placing his hands on Sam's shoulders.

Sam nodded, "Better."

Dean smiled and they hugged briefly.

Bobby rolled out, "Uh, Dee… you got a call." He said, handing me my phone, with a solemn look.

I furrowed my brow and put my phone to my ear. "Hello?"

"Dee? It's Kelsey. Um, we kinda need you back here, hun. It's not good." Her tone made my stomach drop hard.

"Kelsey, what's wrong?" I asked turning away from the guys.

"It's Lucy and Ted, hun. Lucy passed away and Ted had a heart attack and it's not good."

My heart pounded painfully. These were people that had become parents in a way to me. I even believed that they meant more to my than my own mother. Not that I didn't love my mom, but Ted and Lucy had filled a void in my life that I had been missing. Tears instantly welled in my eyes.

"You're Ted's power of attorney, hun. So, we really need you here to handle some things."

"Um, yeah…" I wiped my cheeks with my free hand. "I'm on my way."

"You might wanna hurry, hun. Ted's not doing very well and he's asking for you."

I walked passed the three in the doorway and headed upstairs. "I'm leaving now. I'll be there as fast as I can."

Kelsey sniffled. "Alright. The bar and hotel are closed right now. The whole town's kind of gone into mourning."

I shoved things in my bags and tossed it over my shoulder and ran down the stairs. I ran into the kitchen and grabbed the keys to Aphrodite. "I'll be there soon. Call me if anything changes."

"I will." Kelsey said before I hung up.

I looked at the concerned faces of Sam, Dean and Bobby. "I have to go back to Montana."

Dean and Sam looked at each other and nodded. "We're going with you." Dean said and turned around and headed to the impala grabbing his bag.

I opened the truck and we put the bags in.

"What's going on?" Sam asked.

"Lucy passed away and Ted had a heart attack." I said tears streaming down my face. "I-I...need to be there."

Sam wrapped his arms around me. "I'm so sorry." he said softly.

"You want me to drive?" Dean asked.

I pulled away and shook my head. "No."

A few minutes later I was shifting Aphrodite into first and heading back to Montana.

Sam was in the back seat and Dean was in the passenger's seat. I shifted Aphrodite smoothly into her highest gear as I hit the highway. The car was silent as I drove.

Memories of Ted teaching me to shoot a shotgun, working in the bar; Lucy teaching me how to make her pies, or just brushing my hair in a motherly way. Christmas dinners, thanksgiving dinners. So many memories shared with them.

We arrived in Montana in the middle of the night. Kelsey had texted me the hospital room number and I went straight to the hospital. Once I parked I didn't even stop to wait for the guys I ran straight in.

I didn't even wait for the elevator, I ran up the five flights of stairs to the ICU. Kelsey was waiting right outside the room in a chair and stood up when she saw me. She brushed her hand down my arm as I walked past her and into the room.

I took Ted's hand in mine and held it against my cheek as tears streamed down my cheeks. I let some of my energy flow through him and his breathing became less labored and he opened his eyes slightly, his hand gripping my gently.

"There's my girl." He smiled. "No tears now, sweetheart. If it's my time then I'll happily go to be with my Lucy."

"I'm so sorry, Ted." I said through my tears.

"Don't be, kiddo. It was her time and soon it'll be mine. I'm just happy I got to see you. You look good, really good. Them boys taking care of you, darlin'?"

"Yeah." I managed to say.

"I wanted to tell you… you've been like a daughter to Lucy and I. She loved you so much. We both do."

"I love you both too."

"I know you do, sweetheart. I've left you everything. The bar, the hotel, the house, the retirement fund, savings… all of it's your's darlin'. You do what you want with it. Doesn't matter to me. It's your's now."

I cried harder, "Ted…"

"No, none of that, sweetheart." He closed his eyes.

"Ted!"

"Just tired, hun. Not leaving yet… just need to sleep." He drifted off to sleep as I cried, my tears slowing only because his heart monitored stayed beeping steadily.

I stayed there. The guys were there with me, quite, but present. Bringing me coffee and trying to get me to eat, but I wasn't hungry.

I fell asleep leaning over Ted's bed, his hand still grasped in mine.

In the morning, a man came, I recognized him. "I'm Frank Robinson, I'm Ted's attorney. Do you remember me?"

I nodded, "Yeah."

"I know that this isn't a good time, but I have some paperwork I need to go over with you. The hospital has a room we can use."

I stood up and Kelsey came in. "I'll sit with him."

I leaned down and kissed Ted's forehead then followed Frank into a room, Dean and Sam behind me.

Frank held the door open, "Uh…" He said as Dean and Sam came in.

"There're with me." I said.

Frank nodded and closed the door. We sat across from eachother at a long table, Dean and Sam on either side of me.

"Alright, well first, let me go over what Ted has done. He's made you his power of attorney, you know what that means right?" I nodded. "Alright, he's leaving you everything. The lawyer slid over the deed and keys to the house, bar and hotel. "They're all yours. As well as his substantial accounts. Are you aware that Ted had a retirement fund?" I nodded again. "Are you aware that the fund is worth almost 3 million?"

I nodded again. I had known how much was there because I was also adding to it myself. "He's not dead yet." I said harshly.

Frank folded his hands. "His heart is failing, Ms. Cavanaugh. He's not leaving this hospital. And as harsh as that sounds, it's the truth."

I cried, Dean and Sam both slipped a hand onto my leg near them.

"Wow, seriously, man?" Dean said.

Kelsey burst through the door, "Dee!"

I jumped up and ran out and went straight back to Ted's side. His body was spasming and the nurses were trying to help him. His body finally stopped spasming and with my eyes full of tears, Ted reached out toward me. I grabbed his hand.

"You're a good girl, Dee." He said breathlessly. "Remember your strength." He winced in pain. He pulled my hand and kissed the back of it gently. "Be the good in this world. That's what you are, sweetheart."

I wrapped my hand around his cheek and he pulled me gently toward him as he hugged me as tightly as he could. "I'm gonna go be with Lucy now. It's where I belong."

I nodded as my vision was blurred entirely by tears. His breathing grew shallow and then slowed to a stop. His heart monitor flat lined and I kissed his cheek and stepped away.

A doctor came in and readied the defibrillator. "No, let him go." I said softly.

"She's his power of attorney." Frank said from behind me.

The doctor nodded and put it away.

Sam wrapped an arm around my shoulders as I cried.

Frank handed a file with keys on top to Dean. "Have her call me… when she's ready."

I pulled away from Sam and went out into the hallway. Kelsey was crying too and she wrapped her arms around me as we both slid down the wall and crumpled on the floor in a pile of tears and sobs.

After a few minutes we both stopped. We wiped our cheeks and Dean and Sam helped us to our feet.

"Come on. Words gonna travel fast. People are gonna need a place to grab a drink." I said and Kelsey nodded.

I stopped off at the nurses stationed and signed the papers I needed to for Ted and Lucy's cremation and headed out.

We piled into my car, Kelsey sitting in the back beside Sam. I drove to the bar and grabbed the bundle of keys for the bar from Dean's lap and he put the file and the other keys on the floor board.

We got out and I unlocked the front door, there were a few people outside already. I flipped the light on for the sign.

I turned to Kelsey. "Everyone drinks for free tonight." I said softly and she nodded. "Call the others." I said and she took out her phone to call the other employees.

I took my blouse off and draped it over the chair in the office and went out front behind the bar. On the wall behind me were tons of pictures of Ted and Lucy, a few of Ted and I and other employees.

Dean and Sam both took their jackets off and started passing out beers to people as they showed up. I wasn't the only one mourning their loss, the entire town had loved them and the bar quickly filled up, although it stayed mostly quiet.

All the employees showed up to help. The cooks started making food and the waitresses started serving beers. Everyone that came in offered me their condolences, as though I were, in fact, their daughter.

Harold came, walking right up to me and wrapping me in a hug. "It's good to see. Even if the circumstances aren't good. I'm sorry, darlin'. I know how much you cared for them both, and they for you."

He wiped my tears as I nodded and Dean handed him a beer.

Kelsey set out two trays and we both started filling them with shot glasses and filled those with whiskey. Her and another waitress took them and started passing them out. I got four more glasses and filled them up and gave one to Dean and one to Sam.

When everyone in the bar had one, they all seemed to turn toward me.

I raised my glass, "To Lucy and Ted, forever in our hearts."

The bar rang with voices, "To Lucy and Ted." And we all downed the shots.

By the time it was growing dark people were mostly gone, back home to mourn the loss of their friend with their family. The waitresses and cooks stayed to clean up. No one worrying about hours or even getting paid.

I walked onto the stage and picked up the guitar that was there, one of Ted's. He had taught me one song on it. His and Lucy's song: I Will Always Love You. It was a strange choice, but at one time Lucy and Ted weren't together because Ted believed Lucy needed someone better than him, but it played at their wedding and became their song. The original Dolly Parton version was their favorite and while I wasn't a fan of her voice… I knew I could sing it, and I knew Ted and Lucy would like it.

I turned the mic on at the controls and pulled up a stool.

I took a deep breath and those that remained, either drinking or cleaning stopped as I started to sing softly and played the guitar. The bar was silent except for my voice and the guitar.

After the first chorus, tears streamed slowly down my cheeks. My emotions filling my voice with a strange resonance that filled the whole bar.

When I held the last note, I felt the whole bar seem to hold their breath. My fingers strummed the final note. Tears blurring my vision.

Sam walked onto the stage and took the guitar setting it aside and wrapped me in his arms as I cried. Eventually, my tears stopped and I pulled away to finish cleaning up.

I ended up in the office, perfectly organized the way Ted liked it. He had a picture on his desk of Lucy, me and himself. We looked like a family. I ran a finger down the glass, remembering that day well.

Kelsey peaked her head in, "Everything's all cleaned up, Dee. Do you need anything?"

I shook my head, "No, you all can go. I'll lock up. Oh, and Kelsey… Thank you."

"For what, hun?"

"For being here, for helping."

"I'm always here for you. You're like my closest friend, Dee." She paused. "If you need help with any of the arrangements, I'll help with that too."

I nodded, "We'll probably just do a wake here."

"Ted and Lucy would like that. Just let me know what you need."

"I will. Thank you."

She smiled and left. I took a deep breath and quickly catalogued what I had to do in my mind. From getting the wake setup, to getting the hotel and bar set with managers and staff to manage things while I was gone. I refused to close them down, but I wouldn't stay to manage them myself. But I knew I could find people perfectly capable.

Dean stepped in the doorway. "How you doing, hun?" He asked softly.

"As well as I can." I replied.

Sam stepped up beside Dean. "Bar's all cleaned and empty… except for us."

I nodded, "Thank you, both of you."

"Not at all, babe. We're here for you."

I smiled. "You two can take the keys to the hotel and go get some rest. I have a lot of stuff to do."

"Dee, it can wait till tomorrow." Sam said softly.

"Sam's right, Dee. You've been through enough today. Take a break." Dean said.

"You realize I have a ton of stuff to do, before we can leave here, right? I've got to get the staff for the bar and hotel situated with new managers. I have to plan Lucy and Ted's wake. I have to get their house into order. Their accounts. I have to see the lawyer." Tears streamed again and I didn't even know where they were coming from anymore.

Dean kneeled in front of me and wiped my cheeks, "It can all wait one day, hun. Why don't we go back to your apartment? Get out of here for a while?"

I still had the apartment, Harold had told me it would stay the way I had left and be mine until I decided otherwise.

I finally nodded and Dean pulled me gently to my feet. "Sam take her out to the car. I'll lock up."

Sam nodded and wrapped an arm around me and led me to the passenger's side of my car. I sat down and he went to help Dean lock up. I picked up the file on the floor and looked at Ted's accounts that were now mine. Not only did he have the nearly 3 million in a retirement fund, but between his other accounts, not including the bar and hotel's, there were a few more million. Apparently, Ted had been very good at his investing and had made sure that he and Lucy would be fine should they ever truly retire… not that they got the chance.

Ted's accounts combined with mine would give me borderline millionaire status. I started feeling overwhelmed and closed the file as Sam slipped into the backseat and Dean got behind the wheel.

We got to my apartment and went up stairs. Everything looked exactly the way I had left it. I went into the bathroom and took a shower. I was officially out of tears and steeled myself for what I had to accomplish so that Sam, Dean and I could return to doing what we do.

I dried my hair and wrapped my bathrobe around me as I left. Sam was sitting at the breakfast bar as Dean poured drinks. I grabbed underwear and a large t-shirt that hung off one shoulder and quickly put them on.

I sat beside Sam, and Dean handed me a drink. "Feeling any better?" Dean asked.

"Yeah." I replied. "Ted's with Lucy. Their together, that's what matters." I took a deep breath. "I don't think either of you grabbed my laptop from the impala?"

"Actually, yeah. I tossed it back there." Dean said. "You want me to go get it for you?"

"Please?" Dean nodded and headed back downstairs.

"Is there anything Dean and I can do to help you?" Sam asked.

"Just having both of you here is enough for me." I replied with a smile.

Sam wrapped a hand around my neck gently and kissed my temple. "We'll always be here for you, Dee."

"I know." I said as I leaned against him and he wrapped his arm around me.

Dean returned with my laptop and set it down near me as he sat on my other side once he got his drink.

Eventually, I got tired and walked over to my bed and laid down. Sam and Dean both laid down with me. One on either side of me. I laid on my back staring at the ceiling.

Dean's phone rang and he got up, taking it outside. I rolled onto my side, facing away from Sam and reached back tugging on his shirt. He moved closer and wrapped an arm around me.

Dean returned and laid back down beside me on his back. I reached out and took his hand. He rolled to face me, taking my hand and lacing our fingers together.

I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.