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Chapter 7 - Epilogue

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"You're sure you shouldn't see a doctor?" Hoyt questioned Vic for the umpteenth time as the four of them drove away from the plantation.

"Son." Vic sighed. "This life, hunting, it's messy. This - " he waved his hand to indicate the cut on his head and bruises on his torso, "ain't nothing that a med kit and some scotch can't fix."

"Amen to that!" Dean added from the front. Sam just smirked, glancing at Dean covertly to check that he wasn't sporting any hidden injuries. He merely returned the glance. Right back atcha, brother. Sam nodded and Dean returned his focus to the road. "So, what now?" he addressed to the back seat at large. As the silence stretched, he glanced in the rearview mirror to see Hoyt and Vic just staring at each other. Vic finally cleared his throat and responded, "Well, I think Hoyt and I might have some catching up to do." He stared at his son, willing him to not shut down. Hoyt stared back, finally nodding in acquiescence, and Vic let a sigh of relief escape.

"What about the necklace?" Sam questioned, breaking the awkward pause that had followed.

"What necklace?" Hoyt responded mischievously. Sam swung around to glare at him, and he held his hands up innocently, smiling as he had the first time they met. Dean smirked and smacked Sam's arm, silently indicating he let it go. Sam gave one more glare at Hoyt, grudgingly smiling back, and then turned back to stare out the windshield. Silence settled again in the car, and Dean was just starting to reach for the stereo when Hoyt spoke again, quietly at first.

"Was it worth it?" Vic startled at the vehemence these low words were uttered. Looking at his son, he realized they had a lot of ground to cover before they would be ok. "Was it worth leaving me all alone, thinking you were dead? And for what? What did you gain from this quest?" Hoyt spit the last word, his voice rising as he spoke. Dean took one look at the back seat and pulled to the side of the road. Hoyt looked like a caged tiger about to explode. The minute the car stopped he was out and pacing. Vic glanced at the front seat for support, but finding none, slowly slunk from the car to face his enraged child.

"I thought you were DEAD! I was ALONE! All because of some stupid legacy you had to find. Did you find it Dad? Huh? What do you have to show for all your efforts? Did you find treasure? Purpose? A home? A family? ANYTHING?"

"Son - "

"Don't 'Son' me! You gave up that right when you left me." Vic flinched at that, and Hoyt smirked at the hollow victory he felt. Inside he just felt miserable. He had no idea how to bridge the gap between the hurt and anger he felt at being abandoned to regain the relationship he so desperately craved with his father. Realizing his hands were clenched and he was trembling, he swung away from the car and his Dad, swinging blindly at a nearby tree to release his pent-up anguish. His fist was caught and held just before he made the contact that likely would have broken his hand. Looking up angrily, he found Dean looking back with understanding and compassion. Breaking free, he ran a shaky hand through his hair and blew out a breath to keep from succumbing to the flood of emotions threatening to swamp him.

"I get it." Dean spoke calmly, "Probably more than you'll ever know. Sam too. But we would give anything…ANYTHING…to have our Dad back, flaws and all." This drew Hoyt's eyes back to Dean's, seeing the pain echoed there, feeling honored all of a sudden for this glimpse inside the incredibly private man's emotions. "I'm not saying don't be mad, that he doesn't deserve your anger. Just don't lose sight of the fact that he is here. You have that second chance Sammy and I don't get. Don't mess that up." With that, his eyes shuttered once more, and he walked back to join Sam in leaning against the car. Sam shifted slightly, pressing his shoulder lightly against Dean's in an almost unconscious need to comfort and be comforted. Hoyt stared at these men, whom he had known now for just a few short days, and yet felt like the brothers he had never known he was missing. He weighed Dean's words, feeling the truth and longing in them, looking at Sam and seeing the confirmation of that same loss, yet somehow at the same time expressing understanding for his mixed emotions. Thinking back to their talk last night (was that really just last night?), he realized the Winchesters really did understand. Taking a deep breath, he finally looked over at his Dad, only to be startled to find tears on his face. He had NEVER seen his Dad cry before, ever.

"Hoyt," rasped Vic, "I am so, SO sorry. I know that words won't cut it. But I am." He swiped angrily at the wetness on his face. "Knowing what I do now, that you're exposed to this life now anyway, I never would have chosen to leave. You will probably never believe me, but I truly thought I was protecting you, that I was doing the right thing. I haven't done a whole lot right in your life, it seems, but I was trying…" He paused, staring at the ground. "If you will let me, I would like to try to work to repair our relationship. Please." Finally braving a look at Hoyt, who was looking back with more openness than expected, he released the breath he didn't even realize he'd been holding.

"It's going to take time, Dad."

"Anything worth doing does, Son." Hoyt didn't object to the moniker this time, and Vic counted it as a win.

"If we're done with the chick-flick, can we continue on?" Dean stated, "I'm hungry."

"You're always hungry." needled Sam.

"Bitch."

"Jerk."

Vic and Hoyt just looked at one another, puzzled by the strange exchange that had left both boys slightly smiling, and then climbed back into the Impala, heading off to find food, and hopefully a brighter future.

A/N: Thank you for reading my story! Would love to hear your feedback. I actually have written a prequel of Ophelia's story, I might post it if anyone is interested.