Sam was staring at the ring. He had purchased the ring a few months ago and was planning to ask Piper an important question. They been dating for the past two years and Sam felt it was time that he take the the next step for their relationship. But he felt guilty. Phoebe was ill and Sam felt like it would be inappropriate to ask. He knew his brother was planning to propose to Jenna who was hinting at a proposal, since they dated a few months longer than Sam and Piper. Sam had wanted to use their mother's old rings, but Dean wanted them instead since he was closer to their mom than Sam was. So Sam picked up side jobs and saved money, knowing that Piper would disapprove of Sam using the special credit card Dean liked using to buy things with. It took him months, but ended up choosing a antique ring he picked up at a estate sale.
Looking at the ring, Sam remembered when he and Dean had inherited a house from an distant relative.
Both were riding in the Impala, talking about their latest hunt. Sam joked to Dean that he may get stuck living with the sisters in San Francisco since neither had a permanent place to live. Dean joked back that they had a home, their car. Since there was nothing better to do, they stopped by Jody's for a quick visit, plus to get something to eat plus to crash for a few days.
Sam and Dean were watching TV at Jody's when someone knocked on the door. When Jody answered it, he introduced himself as a barrister. He asked Jody if she knew the Winchesters. Sam, Dean and Jody were suspicious, understandably, all three wondered if their pasts finally caught up to them. Seeing Jody's hesitation, he handed her his card. When she saw the name, Jody recognized him as a local lawyer. When she called them to the door, both Sam and Dean were puzzled when he handed them as USB stick as well as a letter.
Once he left, and after they both signed some papers, they used Sam's laptop to see what was in that USB stick. When they saw a sick man sitting on a couch, all three wondered who he was.
Daniel Campbell was breathing hard with a oxygen mask on, but took it off to talk to the camera.
"Sam. Dean." He was breathing really hard, he was wearing a oxygen mask to breathe. "It's been years." He took a deep breath. "I. Fuck this." Daniel rips off the mask. "Its been too long, last time I saw you both was at Mary's funeral." Daniel shifts his body to a more comfortable position. "There. If you don't recognize me, I understand, I made John promise to never tell you who I was." Daniel slowly bends over to pick up something in front of him. "Name's Daniel, I'm your long lost uncle."
"Uncle Daniel? Did we have a uncle Dad never talked about?" Dean asked. He thought back at their mom's funeral. He was only four, but remembered a tall man crying silently at Mary's closed coffin.
Sam shrugged.
"It's okay, I'm not offended. Trust me, leave the ghosts in the past." Daniel smiles when he took out a picture. "This is a picture of you two. Mary sent me pictures of you two when you were small." Daniel showed baby Sam being held by a four year old Dean. "The reason I'm talking to you is I don't have much time left in this world, and I want to give you something." He smiled ruefully at the camera. "Do either of you have a place to live? Knowing John, I doubt it." He opened a box in front of him. "Here." He pulled out two keys. "The letter will tell you everything, I'm too tired to talk." He starts coughing violently. "Do yourselves a favor, keep yourselves healthy. Don't fuck up your lives like John and myself." He puts on his oxygen mask. "Don't make hunting your life. Get married, find a career, hell build a boat. And for the love of god, don't start smoking. Or you'll end up like me, sick and alone." Daniel smiled at the camera. "I already made arrangements for my death, so don't bother with a funeral." He waited a few minutes to catch his breath. "One of my biggest regrets is never being there for you both. Being away from your mom is the other." He teared up. "Sam, Dean. I love you boys so much. I wish I can meet you one last time before I go." He waved goodbye. "Take care of one another, don't take life for granted. Goodbye."
Neither man said a word. Jody was crying, Daniel's goodbye reminded her of her dead husband and son.
"Sam. Sammy. You want to open the letter?" Dean's eyes were shiny, hearing Daniel's regret about their mom touched Dean's heart.
"What? Sure." Sam didn't tear up, but felt sorry for Daniel. John, he died too with lots of regrets. "Dean listen to this." Both were surprised at the contents of the letter.
In Daniel's letter, he told Sam and Dean who he was, Mary's estranged older brother. He explained that they met once long ago at their mother's funeral; he and Mary barely spoke over the years. The reason they never heard of Daniel because he was disowned by his father, Samuel Campbell for rejecting the family business, aka hunting, and both Deanna and Mary was forbidden to mention Daniel's name ever again once he ran away from home. He was a few years older than Mary, who was only a toddler when he was thrown out. Daniel wrote in the letter the last time he saw Mary's face was when she was a crying three year old, begging her older brother not to go.
Daniel said their grandfather wasn't totally heartless, he arranged for Daniel to live with other Campbell relatives, since he was just a teenager. Funnily enough, hunting called to Daniel, he embraced the hunting lifestyle once he settled in.
Secretly he kept in touch with a cousin who was friends with John Winchester, who sent him pictures of them when they were babies. When Mary died in the fire Azazel started, he tracked down his other relatives who told them that his dead father Samuel Campbell was brought back to life and was working with the rest of the Campbells. He was saddened to hear about John's death, and never had a chance to meet his nephews growing up. Daniel wrote that he regretted not fighting for custody, knowing John's lust for revenge when Sam and Dean were kids. Knowing he was dying, he made up a will and still keeping up with the same relative wrote he wanted his nephews to inherit his house since he died without any heirs.
Sam and Dean were saddened that they hadn't had a chance to meet Daniel Campbell but were curious to see the property. Saying goodbye to Jody, they took Baby and drove to Lawrence, Kansas to see the house. It was a two bedroom bungalow that was a decent size for a small family. Dean immediately claimed the master bedroom with a exasperated Sam. They were surprised that the house itself was nice and clean, they half expected Daniel to have books and newspaper clippings of mysterious deaths. They then went and checked out the storage locker and saw Daniel's stash. Weapons, spells and books were stacked up in neat rows and boxes. There was even a key to a bunker somewhere, but when they checked out the location it was in rubble. They wondered what that location was.
Sam and Dean were living together for a few months when Dean decided he needed to be on his own. Sam was hesitant since they were never apart, but since both brothers were in relationships, they needed privacy. It wasn't that necessary, since both of their girlfriends lived in California, but Jenna and Piper came over a lot thanks to magic from Prue and Paige who can teleport them anywhere at anytime. Prue creating portals, and Paige orbing herself anywhere she wanted. Both Sam and Dean had a long convo on who would get the house, since it was willed to both of them.
In the end, Dean agreed to leave. He wanted nothing but the best of his brother, and knew Sam would be happier in that house more than Dean. Sam refused to have Dean leave homeless, and begged Dean to stay behind till he found a place to live. Dean agreed, as much as he loved his car, winters sucked.
It took Dean months, he was determined to have a place to live. But thanks to hustling, part time work, and scams, Dean found a place to live.
Dean managed to buy a house close by to Sam thanks to Dean's gambling and luck. The housing market took a nosedive and Sam helped Dean find a house. It was smaller than Sam's place, but was very cheap. It needed to be fixed up, but when it was livable, Dean was going to ask Jenna to move in with him.
Sam knew Piper was the one. He missed his old college sweetheart Jessica, but it was time he let her go. He knew this was it. He dated over the years, almost came close to being with Ruby, but changed his mind when his heart told him no. He was glad he listened to his consciousness, that relationship would have ended up in disaster. Sam always was kicking himself for thinking with his hormones instead of his heart.
Sam wanted to take things slowly, he and Piper weren't intimate till after a few months had passed. He made sure their first night together was special. He had cleaned up the house, set up his bedroom in the master room with candles and rose petals; he didn't light them till he and Piper were ready. Then he cooked a romantic dinner. Piper was flying in town and was coming to see Sam. After a romantic evening they moved their activities in the bedroom, where Sam took a lighter and created a romantic atmosphere. The night was special and both had said 'I Love You.'
Sam was worried about Phoebe, but he was worried about the world. He had studied magic on a regular basis since the news broke out. He had a small knowledge of magic, thanks to Ruby, but never took it seriously till he met the Charmed ones. They told Sam he had a gift. He had asked Rowena for magical training, even some dark magic, just in case they needed a edge to save the world. He was working on a spell to open a portal to another world, but he didn't know how. There was rumors that such a spell existed, but was forbidden and lost over time. Jack had said he might know how to perform it, but was shushed by Gabriel. Who then denied such a spell existed.
Sam was pondering on the future, when he got a text from Dean. They were going on a trip to visit Castiel and Hannah. They said they had news but wanted Dean and Sam there in person. Something was just discovered. Sam put the rings away, put warding spells all over the house and locked up to meet Dean, who was sitting in the Impala. They then hit the road with Dean's classic music playing.