Air
Jane stared at the Impala, or what was left of it and privately agreed with Bobby's opinion. There was no way of fixing it. She wrapped her bandaged arms around herself, trying to look anywhere but at Sam. If he looked this bad, she could only imagine Dean.
From what Bobby had told her once he had gotten off the phone with Sam, Dean was… dying. She wasn't sure what she was feeling. She barely knew the guy. Sure, she was still married to him, but what she knew of him could fill a thimble. But she didn't want him to die, and the thought of it actually made her chest tighten.
If this was what she was feeling, she could only imagine Sam's pain. It was in his tone, his posture, the way his eyes were on fire as he argued with Bobby about fixing the Impala, and she knew it went beyond the totaled car.
Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt a familiar pull, and she stifled a groan. Bobby was reviewing a list of items Sam apparently wanted and looked skeptical. But the pull was directing her towards Sam, who was probably ready to get back to the hospital.
She needed to go with him.
Jane lingered in the hallway, listening as Sam and his father –John- argued. She poked her head past the doorframe, wanting to get a look at her father-in-law, the man Dean said would kill him, and wasn't surprised to find he was as good looking as his boys. Or that he was just as banged up.
The tug happened again, and she frowned, wondering what the hell she was supposed to be following. There was something, she could feel it, the Knowing was prodding at her, trying to either give her a migraine or understanding and she wished this semi-psychic crap came with a user guide.
"Goddamn it Jane, look at me!" Of all the people to walk in those doors with Sammy, his wife was not who he had been expecting. She still looked a bit rough around the edges, and under her sweater, he could make out the bulkiness of her probably still bandaged arms. Why was she here?
Dean rubbed his forehead, tempted to try swatting her upside her head. She was frowning, looking around as if trying to find something. "I'm right here Jane, for Christ's sake, see me."
And she looked directly at him.
"Dean?" She whispered, sounding uncertain.
"Yes!"
"I'm insane…" She shook her head. "Talking to air…"
"Crap."
"Who is she?"
Jane shrank away from the fire in John's eyes, glancing at Sam for help. Sam wasn't even looking at her. He was just staring at his father, his face unusually pale. Dean's heart had stopped, and that was the longest period of her life, waiting in agony to see if he would die or if the doctors could get him going again.
She had felt it again, that damn tug, and she was sure Sam had felt something then too. But as quickly as it had been there, it was gone.
And now she was being advanced upon by John, feeling like he might just crush her.
"Dad, she's fine, she's not a demon!" Sam finally stepped in, moving to shield Jane.
"How can you be sure? It wouldn't be the first time they used a pretty face to-"
"Because we've already checked, and she's Dean's wife!"
John froze.
After hearing the shortened version, and there wasn't all that much to edit, of how Jane and Dean had met and gotten drunkenly hitched, all John could do was shake his head as he stared at the daughter-in-law he hadn't been aware of. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry you got dragged into this mess."
She shifted uncomfortably, but nodded. "Thanks."
"It felt like Dean was there."
And all eyes were on Sam.
"Like, just out of eyeshot, but there." Sam looked hopeful. "Is that even possible?"
"Anything is, but-"
"I felt it too." She almost wished she hadn't said anything when it was her turn to get stared at. "I- I feel him, sometimes."
"What are you?" John demanded, sounding suspicious all over again.
"Apparently unemployed, a wife, and mildly psychic." That was the first time she had acknowledged it outside her own mind and she was shocked with herself. But… it was also a relief, even it was going to land her in the nuthouse if anyone who was actually normal –and where were the normal people these days?- found out.
Sam shifted uncomfortably. She wasn't like him, she was too old for one, but somehow, it wasn't surprising that of all the women to pick, Dean got the one who was 'special'. "Psychic how?" He asked, before John could.
"Like, I get feelings. Or I just know something, it doesn't happen very often, or it didn't. When I'm around Dean, it seems to go into over drive, probably because you guys are um, well… you're Hunters, that what he called it, right?"
John nodded slowly.
"Or it happens when something dangerous might happen." She remembered when deer had hit that deer way back when, not mentioning it because John probably wouldn't take kindly to the news. He, so far, seemed to be taking all of this in stride, and that was mildly alarming.
"Seven years is a long time to go without seeing someone." He said, stating the very obvious. "And you didn't remember marrying him?"
"No." She remembered other parts of that night, mostly bedroom related. "Well, yes, sort of. But I thought it was a dream or something. I had… drank, a lot."
"And now you're getting a divorce?"
"I was, but with everything that happened, there isn't much point until… well…" She fell silent. There might not be any reason for a divorce. She might wind up a widow within the next few hours.
What was left unsaid seemed to hang in the air and Sam shifted from foot to foot. "Well, if Dean's hanging around, then there's one way to find out." He started for the door.
"Sam,"
He paused.
"I won't go hunting for the demon." John promised. "Not until I know Dean's going to be okay."
"He will." Sam said, with more confidence then he felt. "I'll be back."
"Dean's awake, John's in there with him."
Jane sat up in the uncomfortable waiting room chair that she had managed to curl herself into, wiping sleep snot from her eyes as her brain tried to process what Sam was saying. "He's awake?" She echoed, coughing to clear her throat. "That's great, Sam."
"Yeah." Sam smiled, looking like a weight had been lifted off his chest. "I came down to get some coffee, and get you. Figured you might like to see him."
She nodded, gingerly easing herself out of the chair and stretched, trying to ease the stiffness in her limbs. She could barely recall coming down here. She had been sitting with Dean last night and Sam had come in, telling her to go try to sleep. She hadn't figured she actually would, sleep seemed like it would never grace her with its presence again. Surprise, surprise.
As they walked, they lapsed into silence, Sam sporting a tiny smile and she was just trying to wake up completely.
The silence was broken by a gasp, and the cup hitting the floor.
All oxygen was sucked from the air as she stared past a frantic Sam.
