38

The burning torment lasted forever. All I remembered was pain for the longest time. And then falling for even longer. Nothing but fear and screaming for Dean and Sam to help me.

I landed hard. I couldn't move. I didn't move. I waited for death to take me and hoped it would be quick. I closed my eyes and waited, but death never came.

Bobby

Bobby sat at his desk, looking at a laptop at a story of a guy in the middle of nowhere in some part of Michigan who said they saw someone fall to their field from the sky. He picked up his phone.

"Sam, I found a case I want you to look into."

"Is it that thing in Michigan?" Sam asked.

"Uh, yeah." Bobby replied.

"Already headed there." Sam said before hanging up.

"Well, aren't you just a ray of sunshine." Bobby said to himself.

He set his phone down and it rang again. "Hello?" He answered it.

"I'm looking for a Bobby Singer."

"And who's this?" Bobby asked.

"I'm Dr. Gunderson at Paul Oliver Memorial Hospital in Michigan. We've got a girl here-"

"Girl?" Bobby's heart sped up. Could it be her? Could she have finally returned after all this time?

"Uh, yeah, she arrived in our care with extreme burns scattered around her body. She was found in the middle of a field, unconscious. All we found on her was a card with this name and number. We're kinda hoping that you can help identify her."

"Is she awake? Can I talk to her?" Bobby said as he was already getting a bag ready to hit the road.

"Uh, no. She's not awake. We've got her heavily sedated for her safety. Is there anyway that you could get here?" Dr. Gunderson asked.

"I'm already on my way."

"Great, then we'll see you when you get here. Should anything change before then I will use you as her contact."

"I appreciate that Doc." Bobby said before hanging up and calling Sam back.

"Bobby? I said I was-"

"Shut your trap, boy! It's Dee! At least I'm pretty sure it's Dee. I'm calling Dean, time you told him you were back. Guess we'll see you there."

"Dee? Are you sure?" Sam asked flatly.

"At this point… No, but I can hope." Bobby said as he hung up and dialed Dean's number.

"Bobby? Why are you calling me so early?" Dean answered his phone sleepily.

"Get your ass to Michigan! I think I found Dee!"

"What?!" Dean yelled, suddenly sounding more awake than before. "A-a-are you sure?"

"I'm pretty sure. I got a call from a doctor said they found her in a field in Michigan. The guy who owns the field said he watched her fall from the sky. Doc said she was covered in burns."

"Bobby…" Dean sounded hurt and sad, he had lost hope a long time ago in finding her, Bobby knew that.

"I know what you're feelin' Dean. But she was found with my card. My name, my number. I don't know of any other girl who would have that, but Dee. Can you?"

"No." Dean replied, his voice stronger. "I'll meet you there."

"She's at a Paul Oliver Memorial Hospital. And, uh, Dean… there's gonna be another surprise waiting for you."

"What do you mean?"

"You'll see. Just know it wasn't my idea not to tell you." Bobby said softly before hanging up.

Bobby rushed to his car and hit the road, every fiber of his being holding out hope that it was finally her. It was strange for him to care for this girl. She had blown into his life like a whirlwind and had… somehow, become the closest thing to a daughter he had.

Losing her had nearly broken Dean. They had spent weeks that turned into months looking for her. Bobby had given up hope so long ago. Dean… had broken, running to the only other woman he had ever cared for. He tried to start a normal life and had come as close to any hunter Bobby had known of that tried to get out. It was why he and Sam had decided not to tell him that Sam was back.

Dean

Dean was rushing grabbing things for his bag. He stopped for a moment as his heart was racing. He clutched her pendant against his chest as he took out the picture he had from so long ago of the two of them. His thumb caressed her image. He could still remember how soft her hair was and that it always smelled of vanilla and lilac. He could still remember the thrill of her kiss and everything about her. How stunning she was and how much she had loved him, and how much he still loved her.

She was why his relationship with Lisa hadn't worked out. Why the house he was in was now empty of Lisa and her son, Ben. He couldn't get over Dee. Not that he ever really let go of searching for a way to get his brother back, but Dee had been in the front of his thoughts.

Lisa and he had fought almost daily. She would either catch him staring at Dee's picture or yelling at him to throw the pendant away. Lisa didn't understand how important the pendant was to Dee's life. Lisa and he hadn't even been together for four months before she left.

He grabbed his bag and went to the garage. The impala sat under a tarp. He pulled the tarp off and shoved his bag in the trunk. He opened the garage and got in the car and hit the road with hope in his heart.

Sam

"You were the first officer on the scene, correct?" Sam asked the officer after he had flashed his fake FBI badge.

"Uh, yeah. Poor girl was unconscious and had burns everywhere. Pretty little thing, even with the burns. Took her to Paul Oliver Memorial. Hope she's doing better. Hope they find her family too."

Sam nodded, "Thank you for your time."

"So, hospital next." A woman said as he turned around.

"Yeah, let's go, Gwen."

Gwen Campbell was a family member of Sam and Dean's. A third cousin or something like that. When Sam had returned from the cage he had found his grandfather, Samuel was returned from heaven as well. Samuel had taken Sam into the family as a fellow hunter.

Samuel had wanted to go straight to Dean, but Sam had seen Dean with Lisa and Ben and assumed he was happy living a normal life and had made sure that even Bobby didn't tell Dean that he was back.

"So, Bobby thinks this girl is Dee?" Gwen asked. "As in the Dee. The one who helped you stop Lucifer and the apocalypse?"

"Yeah. Cas had said she would be returned. No one thought it would take this long." Sam replied flatly.

Sam had returned… different. He couldn't find it in him to care about much. He tried, but it didn't really work. He had done some terrible things hunting with Samuel. But he hadn't cared. Even now, the hope of finding Dee… he couldn't bring himself to care all that much whether he found her or not.

"You don't seem very happy? I thought she was like the love of your life, or something." Gwen said as they climbed into Sam's car.

"Guess I've moved on." Sam said flatly as he got in the car and drove off toward the hospital.

Ten minutes later Sam was walking into the hospital. He flashed his badge to the nurse. "I'm agent Bennet, my partner agent Scotts. We're here to see the woman found in the field."

"Oh, I know which one. Come on. I'll show you." The nurse said.

"Is she conscious?" Gwen asked.

"Oh, uh, we were forced to sedate her for her own safety. Poor thing was terrified as could be, and in so much pain. Dr. Gunderson thought it would be better to keep her sedated until her burns began to heal a bit better. She may end up in the psych ward though. Poor thing."

"Uh, why the psych ward?" Gwen asked.

"Uh, she wouldn't stop screaming about angels burning her and throwing her from heaven." The nurse said. "Think it was just a way to cope with whatever happened to her." She stopped outside a room. "She's in there. I'll get Dr. Gunderson for you."

Sam nodded, "Thank you." He slowly stepped into the room.

His heart was pounding erratically, yet he didn't know why. When he stepped around the curtain and saw her lying there, he felt nothing.

She was still stunning, her face practically untouched, her hair still shining and perfect as always.

"Wow, she's really pretty." Gwen said. "So, is it her?"

"That's Dee."

"Wow, Sam, you look… unfazed." Gwen said in surprise.

"Hello, I'm Dr. Gunderson. Are you agent Scotts and Bennet?"

Sam turned around and nodded. "What can you tell us about her?"

The doctor shrugged, "Not much, I'm afraid. We found a single name and number on her, already called him, a Bobby Singer, he's on his way now."

"And her burns?" Gwen asked.

"Not really sure what happened. The burns don't really have any pattern that would follow a fire. They're just scattered. The worst being the ones on her back. Those were scorched through the shirt, the rest of the clothing untouched. Her hair undamaged even in the least, which was the strangest part. But feel free to look through her chart." The doctor handed Sam the file. "I unfortunately have to get back to work."

"Thank you." Sam nodded as the doctor left.

"So, what do we do know?" Gwen asked.

"Call Samuel. Dean's on his way. Might as well get the family reunion out of the way." Sam replied as he stepped toward Dee lying unconscious on the bed.

He reached out and brushed her cheek, hoping he would feel something, but he didn't. Nothing but the usual desire of the flesh he felt for a pretty woman. One that he usually quenched by visiting a prostitute. Dee was still the most stunning woman ever, but he didn't have anything left but lust for her.

Bobby

Bobby arrived at the hospital in the middle of the night. Sam had already by then been to the hospital and he knew, but he wasn't answering his phone for Bobby to know if it was Dee or not.

He went straight to the nurses station. "I'm Bobby Singer, a Dr. Gunderson called me about a girl."

"Oh, yes. I'll take you to her. Dr. Gunderson isn't here right now, but he'll be in early in the morning." The nurse stood up and Bobby followed her. She stopped outside a door. "She's in there. Just let the nurses know if you need anything."

Bobby nodded as he swallowed hard. He walked in slowly, stepping around the curtain. When his eyes fell on her a wave of pure relief flooded him.

"Dee…" Tears welled in his eyes and he forced them down as he stepped toward her.

He placed his hand on her forehead, his other hand taking her's in his. "You finally came back to us, girl. Think you made us wait long enough?"

She was still just as beautiful. And sleeping, she looked more like an angel than before. He let a single tear fall over his cheek and he quickly wiped it away and pulled out his phone.

"Bobby?" Dean answered.

"Dean… it's her. She's here." Bobby said softly, his voice cracking.

"Bobby, don't be messing with me!" Dean yelled.

"I'm not, boy. I'm here right now. Got her hand in mine even."

"Show me!"

"Alright." Bobby hung up and snapped a picture and sent it to Dean.

Dean

Dean opened the picture and nearly had a heartattack. It was her! His girl. The only woman he ever really loved and ever would. Tears of relief stung his eyes and he drove faster, only an hour away from the hospital.

"I'm coming, Dee. Just hang in there, baby." He said to no one.

He parked next to Bobby's van and ran inside. Bobby had told him what room number and he fled there. Stopping just outside the door, his heart hammering and threatening to burst from his chest.

Bobby stood up and and smiled warmly. Even his gruffness had grown attached to her. That was how amazing Dee was, people just loved her naturally.

Dean stepped around the curtain and his eyes fell on her, his heart swelled and he rushed to her side. He took her hand in his and brushed her cheek tenderly with his other hand as he leaned down and kissed her forehead, tears falling over his cheek.

"They're keeping her very heavily sedated. I mean, enough sedatives to knock out a football team." Bobby said.

"Why?!" Dean said through clenched teeth as he leaned his forehead against her's.

"She, uh… it's for her safety they said. Apparently, she keeps yelling about angels burning her and then throwing her from heaven. They think she's gone a bit crazy from whatever was done to her."

"She's not crazy, Bobby!"

"Oh, I know, but I wasn't about to explain to the doc that she's telling the truth. They'd lock me up with her."

Dean sat up and removed the oxygen hose from her face and slipped the pendant from his neck.

"Hold on there, Dean." Bobby said as he got up and closed the door. "Alright."

Dean nodded and slipped the pendant over her neck and fixed it on her chest. The pendant started to glow faintly and brightened, filling the whole room. When the light faded Dean waited in anticipation, but she still didn't wake up.

"Why isn't she waking up?!" Dean snapped.

"Sedatives, Dean. She's still human. They've got her doped up pretty well. We'll just have to wait until Dr. Gunderson returns. He said he would take her off the sedatives in the morning, just to see if my being here will calm her down."

"What did you tell them?" Dean asked.

"That she was my daughter. And I'm here to take her home." Bobby said tenderly.

"Good, we need to get her outta here. Somewhere she can heal properly."

"Dean, there's more. She's got burns on her back… like she had wings."

"Like angel wings?"

"Exactly."

Dean put the oxygen hose back on her face, his fingers brushing her cheeks tenderly, the same familiar energy flowing at the touch. He closed his eyes and kissed her forehead. "I'm here, baby. Not going anywhere."

When the sun was shining through the windows the doctor returned.

"Good morning, Mr. Singer. Oh, and who's this?"

"I'm, uh,-"

"Her husband. I called him once I knew it was her." Bobby said quickly.

"Oh, well, more family the better. When I take her off the sedatives… it'll still take a while for her to regain consciousness, if she displays the usual… violence, I'll be forced to sedate her again. It'll be on you two to keep her calm."

"Don't worry about that. Just take her off the sedatives!" Dean snapped.

The doctor smiled and walked over the to the drip and set it to slowly take her off the sedatives over the next two hours. "Alright, nurses will monitor her and once she wakes up they'll call for me." He nodded and walked out.

Dean waited impatiently for the next few hours to pass. He sat on the bed by her, refusing to let her hand go.

When Dee squeezed his hand, he nearly jumped.

Dee

I still felt the pain of the burns, but it was faint… distant. Someone was holding my hand and it felt familiar and then I felt the energy. And my pendant warm against her chest.

I squeezed the hand as I slowly regained my senses.

"Dee? Baby, can you hear me?" Dean's voice was the sweetest sound I had ever heard.

I slowly opened my eyes and looked at Dean leaning over me, "Dean…" I said my voice very weak and my throat dry.

"God, it's good to hear your voice, baby." He kissed my forehead, his hand tenderly caressing my cheek.

I wrapped my other hand around his neck weakly and he brought his lips gently to mine. The energy flowed through me, erasing whatever pain remained. And chasing the grogginess away.

"Do I, uh, need to leave?" I heard Bobby say.

Dean chuckled and pulled away as Bobby stepped toward me.

"Bobby." I said softly with a smile as he took my other hand in his.

"Good to see you, sweetheart. We've been looking for you for over a year now, darlin'."

"A year?" I asked.

"What do you remember, Dee?" Dean asked me softly.

I closed my eyes and opened them weakly. "Fire, and then falling. Before that… I think Cas was saying something about me returning and gave you my pendant."

"What about everything before that. Lucifer? The Apocalypse?" Bobby asked.

"We were going after Pestilence for the rings. That's it."

"Well, on a good note, the apocalypse was stopped." Bobby said.

"Yeah, thanks to you, babe." Dean added with a soft smile.

Someone else entered in, "Good, she's awake. Do you remember me? How you were brought here?"

I shook my head as I looked at the doctor. I could tell he was a doctor from his badge and his white lab coat.

"Well, I'm Dr. Gunderson. I've been keeping an eye on you. We found your father's information in one of your pockets."

Bobby squeezed my hand, "Good thing, too. Been worried sick about my little girl."

I squeezed his hand back and smiled.

"What do you remember from before you got here?" The doctor asked me.

I took a deep breath. "A fire. That's it. Then now… waking up here."

"Hmm, alright." The doctor said as he fiddled with the IV monitor. "How's your pain?"

"Don't really have any right now." I said softly.

"Alright, I'll lower the morphine drip. I've turned off the sedation entirely. If the pain worsens just call for a nurse and we can increase the morphine for you."

"Thank you." Dean said as the doctor nodded and left, closing the door behind him.

"Where's Sam?" I asked softly.

Dean glanced at Bobby, "Uh, Dee… he's-"

"On his way here." Bobby said quickly.

Dean flashed him a glare, "Bobby?"

"That's kind of the other surprise I was talkin' about. Sam's back." Bobby said.

"What?! Since when?"

"About a year."

"Whoa, whoa… he's been back nearly this whole time and you didn't bother to tell me? What the hell, Bobby?!" Dean got off the bed. "How could none of you tell me that?"

"You were trying to have a normal life. It's what you always wanted." Bobby said.

"I wanted my brother alive and Dee back!"

"Well, then today's a good day. You got both, now stop your bitchin' and spend time with your girl." Bobby headed toward the door. "I'm gonna see how long before we can get her outta here."

Dean shook his head and sat back down beside me.

I tried to sit up.

"Whoa, hold on there, babe." Dean grabbed the control for the bed and raised the head part up for me. "How's that?"

I smiled as I took his hand, "Better."

He leaned toward me and kissed me again. Tears falling over my cheeks in joy at being back with him. "God, I missed you so much, baby."

"I missed you too." I replied as I wrapped my hand around his neck. "What did you mean by Sam being back? Where'd he go?"

Dean sat up, "He, uh, he said yes to Lucifer and with your help managed to fight back long enough to get Lucifer and Michael into the cage. He was in hell… as far as I knew. Apparently, wasn't there that long."

Bobby came back and had Sam with him. I smiled warmly at Sam and expected him to rush to my side, being my usual soft and tender guy he had always been. But he gave me a cold smile and nodded.

"Good to see you awake, Dee." He said, just as coldly.

Dean got up and hugged his brother. "We'll talk about you not telling me sooner, later."

Sam nodded after he released his brother. He walked over and sat in a chair.

"Well, aren't you gonna say something more to Dee?" Dean asked.

"I did. It's good to see her awake." He smiled at me and squeezed my hand briefly before sitting back and crossing his arms.

The energy I felt was different. Still there, but weak and strange. He had been in hell so I chose to shrug it off.

Dean sat beside me on the bed and took my hand.

"How long till she can leave?" Sam asked.

"Doc's not too sure." Bobby said. "Depends on her really. He's decided to forget the psychotic rants she had before and chalk it up to fear."

A few other people walked into the room.

Dean looked up. "Uh, who's that?" Dean asked and then saw two other guys there. "And them?"

"Gwen Campbell." Sam said. "Christian and Mark… Campbell."

"Wait… Campbell? As in… mom? I didn't think she had any family left." Dean said.

"'Cause they didn't know about you. Not until I brought you all together." Another man entered.

"Samuel?" Dean asked, standing up.

"Guys give me a second with my grandsons… and Dee?" I nodded. "Please."

Gwen, Christian and Mark headed back outside, closing the door behind them.

Samuel tilted his head at me and then looked at Dean, "Lot of resurrections in your face today. It's alright. take a minute."

"It's gonna take a little more than a minute. I mean, what the hell? H-how did this happen?" Dean asked sitting beside me again and taking my hand in his.

"We're guessing whatever pulled Sam up pulled me down. So, whatever this is, we're both a part of it." Samuel said. "Probably her too."

"But you don't know what that is." Dean said.

"Bingo." Samuel said.

"And you have no leads? Nothing? Well, this- this is, uh… No more doornails coming out of that door, is there?" Dean asked.

"As far as we know, it's Samuel, and it's me. Then Dee." Sam said.

"Dee I knew about. I just didn't think it would take this long for her to get back here. Am I the only one here that- that- that thinks this can't all just be fine?" Dean asked.

"Believe me, you're not alone. I wanted to come get you, of course. Sam was adamant about leaving you out, so we did. Until her." Samuel said.

"Why Sam?" Dean asked. "We could've been looking for her together. I could've told you she would be coming back!"

"I saw you with Lisa and assumed you were picking a normal life. I figured you had given up on Dee coming back. I thought she was gone." Sam said as he sat on my other side.

"I tired." Dean said. "I kept looking for Dee. Lisa got fed up, she left. I really didn't care by that point. I just kept hoping Dee would show up." He brought my hand to his lips and kissed the back of it.

"So, this is real?" Samuel said pointing to the three of us. "I mean Sam told me… But, uh, it's a bit weird to see it. You still got those daggers?"

I took my hand from Dean's and held it out making the dagger appear standing upright on my hand. Then I multiplied it ten blades in a line.

"That's impressive." Samuel said. "Hear you're good with guns too."

"Good? She's better than good, and that's without her power." Dean said.

I willed the daggers into one and made it disappear.

"I hear you know Thedore Markson." I said, all the guys froze.

"That's right, I forgot about that." Dean said.

"Yeah, I knew him. Good guy, good hunter. One of the best. How do you know him?" Samuel asked me.

"He kind of became like a dad to me. I didn't know he was a hunter until after I became one and he died." I replied.

"He left her everything." Sam said. "I kind of forgot about that too."

"Actually, Dee was the case. I just drove over here to see her for myself and pick up Gwen. We'll get outta your hair. But I'll be calling when we get wind of something." Samuel said. He shook Dean's hand then mine and nodded at Sam before leaving.

"Any other surprises you gonna throw my way today, Bobby?" Dean asked, my hand still in his.

"Not that I know of." Bobby smirked.

The doctor returned. "So, I hear you're eager to get out of here."

"Not too fond of hospitals." I said softly.

The doctor chuckled, "Not many that are. Why don't you lean forward and I'll check the worst of your burns."

I did as I was asked and Dean moved to the other side of the bed and winced as he saw the burns.

"They're actually much better than they were when she arrived. I think I'll have the nurse come in and bandage you up. You're husband can stay if he wants, but your father and… Agent Bennet… They should leave, just for privacy." The doctor said. "Hopefully, we can get you outta here tomorrow or the next day." He smiled as he gently leaned me back.

"Thank you." I said as the doctor left.

"Told you the burns there were bad." Bobby said. "Doc showed me a picture of them when she was first brought in… they were worse."

"It doesn't hurt that much anymore." I said softly.

"Once we get you out of here, we can get you healed properly." Dean smiled tenderly at me.

Sam stood up, "I'll just go back to my hotel room. Let me know once she can leave."

"Wow, Sam… I would've thought you'd be a bit more happy to see her." Dean said, raising an eyebrow at him.

"I am happy to see her. But I've got stuff to do. You seem to have it under control here. So, call me once she's released." Sam smiled at me and left.

"Gotta understand, hun, he was in hell." Bobby said to me. "He's a bit rough around the edges right now. Sure it's nothing some time with you won't take care of."

"Rough around the edges? Really? I don't know about you, Bobby, but he seemed… cold toward Dee. Like he didn't really care." Dean said flatly.

"It's fine." I said as I moved Dean's hand to my lap.

"I'm gonna go and get us some food." Bobby said standing up and leaving just as the nurse entered in.

The nurse brought over a cart and set out a ton of bandages. "Alright, sweetie, we're just gonna get you bandaged up." Another nurse came in with more bandages. "Do you want him to stay here with you?"

I nodded.

The nurses set to work applying a salve to the burns on my back and covering it with layers of gauze. They slipped the gown from my shoulders and Dean turned to stare out the window, a blush rising to his cheeks before he had turned.

The nurses wrapped bandages around my torso, leaving me covered with the cotton bandages over my chest. They put the gown back on and tied it around my neck.

"Alright, sweetheart, all done." She smiled. "You've got a rather handsome husband, if you don't mind my saying so."

"Uh, thank you."

"Are you kidding? She's the gorgeous one." Dean said as he returned to sit beside me.

"No argument here, hun." The nurses smiled. "Just let me know if you need anything. I'll bring you some water."

"Thank you." I said as she walked away.

Dean moved to sit beside me and I scooted over for him. He leaned back with me and wrapped his arm gently around my shoulders as I leaned against him, wrapping an arm around him.

"I was beginning to think I'd never have you in my arms again." He said softly.

"I'm sorry." I replied.

"What for, hun? None of it was your fault. I just missed you so much, babe." He held me a little tighter.

I moved to my side and curled up against his chest. He pulled the blanket over me and laid the bed back a bit more.

"If I fall asleep… will you still be here?" I asked him as my eyes closed.

"I'm not going anywhere, Dee. I have no intention of letting you out of my sight for a while." Dean replied.

"Good." I said just before I drifted off to sleep.