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jackhues · 5 months

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you can miss it - mockingbird! au (platonic! hughes)

requested by: @rowdyhughesy

summary: in which y/n wonders what life could've been like if her parents were better

notes: continue sending in requests for the au! check out the request rules below! thanks for requesting <3, this takes place in may/june. 2024

likes are good, reblogs are better <3

mockingbird! au request rules!|| mockingbird au! masterlist

gif not mine

"how about your aunt from colarado?" you asked, going down the list of random hughes members you'd heard of.

"which aunt?" jack responded.

"the one that gifted ellen that green vase," you reminded him. "are we inviting her to the wedding?"

jack thought about it, "i mean, we can invite her. i don't think she'll come honestly. she's like my mom's something cousin, i can't remember."

"we'll at least invite her," you decided, jotting that down on the second list.

you and jack were sitting on the couch in the lake house, trying to get together the final guest list for your wedding. there were still a few months left, and most invites had even gone out. but with so few people coming from your side, there was still space for more of jack's relatives.

"do we have to invite her?" luke asked, sitting on the floor in front of the couch. "she's always complaining and telling me to cut my hair."

"it's her or aunt griselda," quinn told him, leafing through the invites. "take your pic."

luke made a face, "neither is better, but i'll take the green vase lady."

you and jack shivered, remembering 'aunt griselda'. she was just some random neighbour or something who called herself the boys 'aunt', and often pinched their ears. she was not fun.

"wait, do you guys even know the green vase lady's name?" you asked the boys.

luke looked at jack, who looked at quinn, who tilted his head in thought.

"honestly, i have no idea," he realized. "we've always just called her aunt, or that one from colorado."

"well, i guess we're not inviting her," jack took the list from your hands and crossed out 'colorado aunt'.

you sighed, wondering what it would be like to have so many relatives that you didn't even know their names.

after cutting contact with your dad, your mom decided she didn't want to talk to you either. you had a feeling your mom was left no choice by your dad, but sometimes you wished she'd pick you over him.

if you had a better relationship with either of them, then you'd have someone to walk you down the aisle.

you loved jack and his family, truly. they were everything you didn't have growing up. but sometimes, you just wished you could've had that feeling of love your whole life.

you wished that your dad cared about you, that your mom tried harder for you, that they both loved you and showed it.

you dreamed of them being present on this big day, with smiles on their faces and tears in their eyes. you dreamed of your dad warning your husband not to hurt you, but then hugging you both and saying he wouldn't trust anyone else with his daughter.

you dreamed to have an uncle who was going to drink more than he should and then flirt with his wife, you dreamed to have cousins who'd be dancing even after the music was off, you dreamed to have little kids who'd hide in your dress and ask you not to leave with your husband.

they were such small things, but it seemed to hit you that you weren't going to have these moments.

all because your parents failed you growing up.

jack nudged you softly, "what's on your mind?"

you looked up, snapping out of it. "nothing."

it wasn't anything. you'd chosen to give up contact, and they'd chosen to pretend you don't exist anymore. you'd accepted that, and you were okay with them not being in your life.

"y/n, you've been a part of this family for years now, and you're going to legally become a part of this one in only a few months," quinn looked up. "even if it's stupid, you can tell us what's on your mind. i assure you, jack and luke have stupider things on their mind at any given moment."

you smiled as luke threw a pillow at quinn, ducking quickly to avoid retaliation.

"i was just being emotional," you shrugged. "like, growing up, i always thought my mom and dad would be here, on my wedding day. i didn't expect much from them, but i imagined them being there and being happy for me. i guess i always dreamed of our relationship becoming better by that point. but now... it's not like i want all of the stress again. it wasn't healthy and i don't regret cutting them out. i just, sometimes i wish they were better parents."

your voice grew soft at the end, but you realized how much better you'd gotten at communicating. before meeting the hughes, you'd often bottled everything up. you never spoke your mind, and you were forced to keep your opinions to yourself.

but now, you were proud at how well you'd explained your rambly thought process to the boys. you wished you'd had the love of parents growing up, but you didn't want them back in your life right now.

quinn smiled a little, tapping your hand in comfort.

"just because they weren't good to you, doesn't mean you're not allowed to wish they had been," he said.

"you're allowed to miss them," jack assured you. "you can miss them, and not want them in your life because of everything they did. there's nothing wrong with that."

"we're always going to support you, y/n/n," luke promised. "whatever you want, whatever you feel. we're here."

you smiled, wiping the corners of your eyes. "you're all so sweet and mushy, you're making me cry. oh god, i'm going to end up ruining my makeup on my wedding day because of you three."

"there's still months until that," luke waved it off. "we'll be sure to be even more sweet and mushy and get all the tears out before the wedding day."

"god, i love you three idiots."

---

tags:

@svechnikovvv , @hockeyboysarehot , @mysticaldonkey , @lam-ila , @babydollmarauders , @starjoyyy , @moldenhauers , @hischierdevils , @jackhughesily , @equallyshaw , @power2myheart , @lynnismypseudonym , @beccaiscold , @akengii , @hischierhaze , @cinnamonpancakes , @luvmmarner , @lifeofpriya , @marshmallow-babe , @starsandhughes , @thatoneblog , @hughesmedicine , @qwanelledingele , @mindless-rock , @ireadthensuetheauthors , @huggy-hischier94 , @slaythehousedownboots , @diary-of-jj , @fandom-oneshots-etc , @ajbird18 , @cherrysodadevils , @cixrosie , @xcicix , @wbkz3gras , @cole-mcward48 , @idontlikelizards , @bitchy55 , @privatemythss , @shaysucksatlife , @dancerbailey3

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starsandhughes · 10 months

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Omg since i saw the quinn Pic from the wedding. I need an AU where reader is seated w ellen and Jim instead and they keep sending glances to each other (boys reading quinn for being whipped 🤭) cus they're sitting far apart. And during the reception quinn and her finally get to be with each other where's he's like it'll be there wedding next(not proposing but yk)

(quinn was a groomsman and jim and ellen didn’t sit with the boys at the reception so i’m assuming you meant like when everyone was dancing or something so i’ll just do a lil blurb on that)

———

you couldn't keep your eyes off Quinn before the wedding ceremony started, then you focused on Emma and Brady, but before? you had tunnel vision for Quinn. the way his hair was styled and the little curl dangling down on his forehead. he was mesmerizing.

when you all sat down at your assigned tables, you were a little displeased at the fact that you would not be sitting with your boyfriend. throughout all of dinner, you two kept looking back at each other and smiling or making funny faces or exaggerating flirting from afar.

you saw Jack and Luke tormenting their older brother, mimicking some of the things you were doing and undoubtedly adding dialogue to it.

the second people started to hit the dance floor, you practically jumped out of your chair to go to Quinn.

"hi beautiful," he greeted you with a kiss. "i missed you."

"you two where thirty feet apart!" Jack shouted.

"thirty feet too much!" you fired back.

you looped your arms around Quinn's neck and kissed him soft and slow, "i can't wait to take this suit off you."

"you're crazy if you think that dress isn't hitting the floor first."

"we can hear you!" Luke proclaimed.

"just you wait moose, we'll be worse at our own wedding," Quinn said, tucking your hair behind your ear as he spoke before leaning down for another kiss.

"tease," you smirked.

"you can't even prove that."

#kaylin answers <3 #quinn hughes #quinn hughes x reader #quinn hughes blurb

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luke-hughes43 · 5 months

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hughes little sister and went second in the 2023 draft and maybe just her brothers realizing how much their sister has grown up and it’s not the little girl who use to hide in their beds when she was scared or would cling to them when they had to leave

oh yes!

she ends up at the ducks with trev (which scares luke and quinn and excites jack) and the boys are so happy for her.

after her draft party, the 4 of them end up in the same room, all semi drunk/tipsy, and cuddling on the same bed like they did when they were kids.

they all just have one big pile of each other and just reminise on their childhood and how much fun they had together. jack says, "remember when quinn ripped off my braces and y/n, you clung to me for days and refused to talk to quinn for like a week."

"i remember. and i remember me and luke always being paired up during mini sticks so you two could beat on us. it's why i became a forward. to be better than you jacky."

"how'd that work out 2nd overall?"

"pretty damn good. we all know it won't matter until games start. as long as my rookie year goes better than yours, i'll call it a win." y/n snides back at jack jokingly.

quinn and luke laugh while jack pouts. luke pulls y/n as close to him as he can. those two were inseperable growing up, being the youngest. luke says quietly to no one in particular, "this is the last time we're gonna be in the same room until next summer."

"no it's not. we have the rest of this trip and the rest of the summer."

"y/n you have dev camp in a few weeks so you'll be gone. i'm going to see dylan and a few of the guys for a few days beofre dad starts training. jack is going to new york to see trev. and quinn is going god knows where. we all have plans for the rest of the summer. and you guys won't be in new york/new jeresy at the same time, ever."

"i guess your right luke." quinn says.

there's a silence over the room that gets broken by y/n, "i'm gonna miss you guys. i wouldn't have gotten where i am and i don't know what i'm gonna do without you guys."

"we're gonna miss you too y/n."

"at least you'll have trevor in anahiema and quinn isn't that fair away and you'll see him 4 times next season." jack says trying to look at the bright side. y/n scoffs, "because having trevor around is supposed to make me feel better? i'll end up babysitting him."

"yea she has a point jacky." quinns says. luke stays quiet not wanting to think about losing his baby sister to the nhl. jack and quinn are the first pass out but y/n and luke can tell that they are both still awake. y/n can also tell that luke is lost in his thoughts.

"penny for your thoughts lukey?"

"i'm not ready to lose you yet. not to the likes of zegras anyways."

"you're not gonna lose me. especially not to trevor. luke, i'm your little sister, i'm always gonna be the biggest thorn in your side and your best friend at the same time. besides, who else am i gonna go to when there's a big spider in my room or who's bed am i gonna hide in during thunderstorms or who's gonna be my first call after my first game? it's gonna be you moose, my big brother who basically my twin. i'm not going anywhere."

"you're going to anahiem."

"i know. but this was the dream luke. we're finally living it. this is a good thing, i know it's sad in the moment but this is a good thing. we're finally living the dream that we've talked about for i don't know how long. we're always gonna have each other and we'll never really lose each other either."

"i know. i just hard seeing you grow up."

"i know. have i told you what number i want in anahiem?"

"no." he shakes shaking his head. she responds softly, "43."

"really?"

"yea. after my big brother, twin flame, and partner in crime."

there's no words said after that. both of them letting their exhaustion consume them. later on that night/early the next morning, ellen pops her head in to check on her kids and see them all cuddling in one bed like the used to when they were little. she snaps a few pictures before leaving them be.

she shows the pictures to jim and gishes about how her babies are all grown up now. jim just says softly, "we did good honey. we did real good. the rest is up to them."

once all the kids wake up, they decide to spend that day as a family and deal with their friends and thte media later. today was about the family and they loved the idea of that.

#hughes little sister #luke hughes #jack hughes #quinn hughes #nhl hockey #anaheim ducks

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jungle-angel · 4 months

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Lessons In Nursing: Part 2 (Calvin Evans x Reader)

Summary: You and Calvin have a little surprise for your nursing students

Tagging: @floydsmuse

Two days back at work and you and your husband already had a pile of lessons to get through. New semesters meant new lessons, new papers to grade and often times a new batch of students mixed in with the old.

Across the snowy campus you went with Ellen safely in your arms and Six-Thirty being led on his leash by Calvin. You hadn't expected the snow to be this bad with the encroaching storm coming down from the Great Lakes, yet here you were, you, your husband and daughter all bundled up in your hats, coats, boots and mittens, ready for another day on the job.

"Meet me in the cafeteria later for lunch?" Calvin asked, opening the door for you.

"Of course," you chuckled. "I wouldn't want to miss what's on the menu this afternoon."

"Mmm mac'n'cheese and a grainy dinner roll," Calvin hummed.

You kissed your husband and Ellen giggled and squealed like crazy as Calvin playfully nibbled at her soft, round little cheeks. "You go ahead and get to class (y/n)," Calvin said. "I'll see you both later."

"Stop in and see us if you want," you told him.

"I'll try," he answered as you began making your way down the hall with Ellen.

He waited until you rounded the corner and were out of sight, a little saddened that he wouldn't see you for the next three hours. Only when he looked down and saw Six-Thirty pawing at his leg, did he really start to make his way towards the chemistry wing.

"Alright boy let's go," Calvin chuckled. "Lets see if we can beat the bell."

Six-Thirty replied with a bark and soon, he and Calvin were both hurrying down the hall towards the wing.

********************

The sudden chattering of the girls in the lecture hall suddenly died down when you entered, taking your place at the lecture pit.

"Good morning girls," you greeted.

"Good morning Professor Evans," they chirped.

"So," you began. "As per usual, before the Christmas respite, I said we'd be starting our unit on pediatrics. Now, I've brought a little guest with me today who's going to help demonstrate, so come on down here and we'll begin."

You were practically blushing when you heard the delighted squeaks and squeals from your students as you carefully placed Ellen on the railed gurney. All of them thought she was the cutest little baby they had ever met with her big, gummy smile and her adorable laugh.

"Alright ladies, I know she's cute, but we've gotta get down to business," you told them. "Make sure you take notes because these questions will be on the midterms."

Some of the ones you had previously groaned while the newer ones simply stayed silent. You asked every question that you could think of, quizzing your girls until you were sure that they understood.

"Now it's important to remember that in the first few months after birth, weight gain for the baby is absolutely necessary," you explained. "However, not all are the same or will grow at the same rate, every baby is different....."

You continued the lecture even amidst Ellen's flurry of squeals and giggles. You yourself, had tried not to laugh as she attempted to fit her little foot in her mouth.

The bell rang just a little while later before you reminded your girls that Ellen would be joining for lessons for the next four weeks. You gathered her up, lifting her into your arms before making your way down to the cafeteria. It still surprised you how people couldn't get enough of Ellen. Professor Broussard, the art history professor, had often stopped to visit with her while Mrs. Petty, the receptionist, had gushed about how much Ellen looked like her great-granddaughter before slipping you one of the mini chocolate bars she kept in her desk drawer.

"Ladies and gentleman, the queen has arrived with the princess!" Calvin exclaimed as you entered the cafeteria.

You blushed and giggled as your friends and colleagues jokingly applauded. Calvin eagerly took Ellen from you, pressing a kiss to your lips before you were able to go and get in line for lunch.

"Mon bébé, tu deviens plus jolie chaque jour, tout comme ta mère," Professor Broussard chuckled, tickling Ellen's cheek.

"Thanks Professor, I'm sure her mother will appreciate it," Calvin answered.

"Think nothing of it," Professor Broussard answered. "My own were all just like her."

"Maybe I should take her home in that case," Dr. Powers chuckled. "Mother won't stop asking when Doris and I are gonna have one of our own."

You returned moments later to rejoin Calvin, Professor Broussard and Dr. Powers for the lunch hour. Sandy and Mei showed up along with Dr. Powers's fiancé, Doris Sperber. All of you went back and forth about the goings on in your lives, while you, Cal and Ellen enjoyed a close little moment with just you and your friends.

#calvin evans #calvin evans x reader #lessons in chemistry

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huggybug · 1 year

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it's so hard to say goodbye - luke hughes

word count: 1.1k words

note: not sure how i feel about this but it’s too upsetting to keep trying to rewrite it. obviously, lyrics from i'll always remember you by hannah montana

The game ended, Michigan's season is over, some of the guys will never play another college hockey game again, and Luke's signing his contract to join the NHL. What a fucking night.

I always knew this day would come We'd be standing one by one With our future in our hands So many dreams, so many plans

"Flight's at 9" Luke said quietly, his arm tightening around your waist, pulling you impossibly closer to him.

"You wanna go to your room?" After the game, the guys gathered in Mackie and Dylan's room and slowly had been retreating back to their own rooms for the night, saving their goodbyes for the morning. It was just the sophomores now and you could tell Luke didn't want to leave but it was getting pretty late and he had a big day tomorrow.

"I... yeah we should" Luke hesitated but you nodded, sending Mackie a look which he understood immediately.

"We should all get to bed, early morning tomorrow" Looking around, the boys all had sad smiles on their faces and your heart broke for them all. They were all best friends, they came into this together and now Luke's the only one leaving, breaking up the group forever.

"We'll see you in the morning?" Dylan asked Luke and you could feel your boyfriend tense beside you.

"Yeah, I'll stop by before..." Luke trailed off but everyone knew what he meant. Mark and Eddy patted him on the shoulder as they passed by on their way out and after a quick goodnight to Mackie and Dylan, you and Luke were on your way out as well.

It was a silent walk back to his room, you had your own down the hall but there was no way Luke was letting go of you for the night. He let you into his room first, following close behind and letting the door fall closed as he crawled right into bed with you, laying as close as possible.

"I don't want to go" He said it so quietly you almost couldn't hear him.

"Luke..."

"No, Y/n seriously how am I supposed to wake up tomorrow and say goodbye to my best friends? How do I walk away from Michigan? I'm losing everything I love" You felt his breathing accelerate and you knew that he was getting himself worked up but you didn't know how to stop it, you could only say so much.

"You're not losing anything Luke, you're gaining so much. I'm not going anywhere and I know the boys aren't either. I know its hard right now but just think about all the great guys in Jersey, Jack's gonna make sure they're all nice to you, you're going to be okay Lukey"

"College was just the step before the NHL, it didn't seem like that big of a deal. I never thought it would be so hard to walk away from. I should be used to it by now though, it's what we do. Hockey's business" His voice sounded so broken and you wished you could do something to help.

"Just because you've done it before doesn't mean its going to be easy" You say gently. The room was quiet for a moment and you're almost sure Luke was asleep until he speaks up again.

"I love you, I'm gonna miss you" He whispered and you squeeze your eyes shut, not allowing any tears to fall.

"I'll miss you too Lukey"

I always knew after all these years There'd be laughter, there'd be tears But never thought I'd walk away With so much joy, but so much pain And it's so hard to say "goodbye"

The morning came faster than expected and before you knew it, you were standing in the lobby with Ellen, waiting for the boys to say their goodbyes. Luke had been standing with Dylan and Mackie for a few minutes and you didn't want to be the one who broke them apart.

"You're not going to forget about us?" Dylan grinned and Luke rolled his eyes.

"I could never, Duker" Luke pulled his best friend into a hug, messing up his hair just like he always does. He'd already said his goodbyes to everyone and he knew it was time to go but he couldn't bring himself to step away from his friends.

Nolan walked up from where he had been talking to Rutger and Adam, dropping a hand onto Luke's shoulder. "Yesterday sucked but you've got things to do today kid, big contracts to sign. You better get going before your mom loses her mind" Nolan nods back to where Ellen has been stressing over Jack not having everything organized in their apartment like he promised he did. She was trying to figure out how to rush-order a mattress for Luke to sleep on tonight.

"Thanks Moyle. You're a good captain, even if we doubted you in the beginning" Luke chuckled and pulled Nolan into a quick bro-hug before finally pulling himself away from the boys. He pulled his suitcase out of the hotel, not letting himself look back. Maybe he was being dramatic but if he waited any longer, he wasn't sure he'd actually go.

One day, we'll look back We'll smile and we'll laugh But right now we just cry 'Cause it's so hard to say "goodbye"

Luke signed his contract and was on the plane to Boston in the next hour. Ellen and Jim were going straight to New Jersey to get things ready for Luke while he was going to meet the team for their game Saturday night. You said your goodbyes before they all got on their flights, being the only one headed back to Michigan, at least for a couple days.

You headed back to the hotel and attended the Hobey Baker ceremony with the guys. You sat with the families as they announced Adam as the winner and you watched as the whole team went up for a picture.

Luke was sitting in his new hotel in Boston, looking at the picture on Instagram. It was crazy how just last night, that was his team, his best friends and now he's in another city while they continue on together. He reposts it on his story before shoving his phone into his pocket.

"Ready bud?" Jack poked his head into the room and Luke nodded, grabbing his stuff and following his big brother out the door. "First team dinner, you excited?"

"Yeah" Luke choked out, ignoring his phone buzzing in his back pocket, notifying him of all the things he's left behind. "Let's do it"

Yesterday's gone We gotta keep moving on I'm so thankful for the moments So glad I got to know you

#luke hughes #luke hughes x reader #luke hughes imagine #luke hughes fic #umich hockey #new jersey devils #hockey fic #hockey writing #nhl players #nhl fanfiction

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thebisexualdogdad · 1 year

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Taking care of marcus baker while hes drunk?

Marcus Baker x GN!reader

● Marcus can be a bit of a messy drunk

● he can handle his weed just fine but alcohol is a different story

● you're at a party and you notice he hit his final drinking point

● "Okay babe I think it's time I get you home"

● "Y/N if you wanted to get in my pants all you had to do was ask" he giggles

● "that's not what I meant and we both know you're the one who can't keep it in his pants"

● "what can I say, sex with you is really really great"

● you smile and roll your eyes before finding Max to tell her you're taking Marcus home and to see if she wants a ride too

● she's not done partying yet so you head back to the Baker house, Marcus in the passenger seat snoring against the window of your car

● you wake him up when you arrive "Alright Marcus you're gonna have to walk on your own now cause I can see your parents in the living room"

● "you're really cute you know that"

● "thanks but now's not the time sweet talker," you say helping him out the car

● you run into Ellen and Clint on the way to his room, Marcus barely able to stand up straight and obviously leaning on you

● "Uh hey Mr and Mrs Baker… Marcus isn't feeling so great I think he ate some bad meat at the food truck we went to and-"

● "save it Y/N we know about the party, Max posted videos to her public instagram stories instead of her secret account she thinks we don't know about, you didn't drink and drive did you?"

● "no ma'am I didn't drink anything"

● "good now get Marcus up to his room we'll talk to him in the morning"

● you carry your stumbling boyfriend up to his room and tuck him into bed

● "can you stay?" He asks as you attempt to leave

● "just for a little bit, your parents aren't thrilled about you being drunk"

● "Ugh they are so lame," he dramatically sighs trying to imitate Max which makes you laugh

● you lay on top of the covers next to him but he cuddles into your side not letting you move

● you play with his hair and in less than five minutes he's asleep and snoring again

● an hour later Max comes home and peeks into Marcus' room holding two bottles of water

● "I'm here to relieve you of watching Marcus," she says equally as drunk as Marcus but better at hiding it, "my parents say thanks for taking care of him tonight"

● you remove Marcus' arm from your waist and slip out from under him, kissing him on the forehead before walking towards the door

● even though he's asleep he's missing holding onto something so he grabs his pillow and hugs it tightly in your absence

● "by the way Max… you should be more careful about posting on Instagram, your parents know about your secret account"

● "Oh crap"

#ginny and georgia imagine #marcus baker imagine #marcus baker x reader #x gender neutral reader #headcanons

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dylan-duke · 4 months

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do we want angsty/sad reaction from Ryleigh or something happy???

Maybe a little bit of both

definitely more angst then happiness but oops

"they won?" ryleigh asks her mom softly,

"yah baby, and rutger called," ryleigh's eyes fill with tears as ellen hands her, her phone,

"oh," she mutters, "i missed it?" ellen sighs,

"yah i didn't want to wake you up. you looked so peaceful," ryleighs hand comes to cover her mouth as a sob escapes,

"i missed it-" she cries out as her tears begin to fall rapidly,

"oh baby," ellen coos reaching towards her daughter pulling her into her chest, "its ok darling. he'll understand,"

"BUT HE DOESN'T KNOW!" ryleigh cries out desperately,

"shhhhhh," the mother of 4 hushes, "it's ok baby we'll figure it out," ryleigh loses track of time as she clutches to her mom.

once ryleigh is calmed down, ellen hands her her phone,

"call him," the mom whispers, she then gets up and leaves the hospital room.

ryleigh can't help the smile on her face as rutgers smiling face pops up on her phone,

"SHE LIVES!" he yells. ryleigh giggles taking in the scene surrounding her boyfriend,

"yah i'm sorry i fell asleep," rutger gives her a small smile,

"thats ok baby," he lifts a medal and bites it. immediately ryleigh screenshots it beaming,

"oh rut im so happy!" she says happily tears in her eyes, "you did so good!"

"thanks ry," rutger gets jostled,

"RYLEIGH!" seamus yells,

"RYLEIGH?" gavin screams both boys pushing into the frame,

"hi boys," ryleigh says softly, "congrats im proud of you!"

"did you see rogs goal?" ryleigh frowns,

"no..." she admits, "i uh was asleep," rutgers face goes serious as he pushes gavin and seamus away from him,

"are you ok?" rutger asks softly, "you look tired, sick, baby," he points out. ryleigh nods,

"yes rut," she lies, "go celebrate with your team. ill see you when you get home," rutger sighs a small frown on his face,

"ok," he says hesitantly, "i love you ry,"

"i love you too,"

#rutger mcgroarty #ryleigh hughes #rutger mcgroarty x ryleigh hughes #rutger mcgroarty x hughes sister #rutger x ryleigh

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jmagnabo92 · 6 months

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Five times Alex and Henry made me laugh BEFORE they even got together:

There are so many funny moments and statements between Henry and Alex, even when they're not together:

1. Alex steals his phone and puts his number in:

"Here," Alex says. "That's my number. If we're gonna keep this up, it's going to get annoying to keep going through handlers. Just text me. We'll figure it out."

Henry stares at him, expression blankly bewildered, and Alex wonders how this guy has any friends.

"Right," Henry says, finally. "Thank you."

"No Booty calls," Alex tells him, and Henry chokes on a laugh.

2. Henry texts him about the 'Is Alex going to be a dad":

"Is Alex Claremont-Diaz going to be a father?" - "But we were ever so careful, Dear."

3. The time Alex sent Henry a bunch of buttons for the campaign:

Henry: "I've just received a 5-kilo parcel of Ellen Claremont campaign buttons with your face on them. Is this your idea of a prank?"

Alex: "Just trying to brighten up that wardrobe, sunshine."

Henry: "I hope this gross miscarriage of campaign funds is worth it to you. My security thought it was a bomb. Shaan almost called in the sniffer dogs."

Alex: "Oh, definitely worth it. Even more worth it now. Tell Shaan I say hi and I miss that sweet sweet ass. xoxoxo

Henry: "I will not."

4. The Great Turkey Calamity:

Henry: "Please send photos."

Alex: Sends picture of Cornbread.

Henry: "I think he's cute."

Alex: "That's because you can't hear all the menacing gobbling."

Henry: "Yes, famously the most sinister of all animal sounds, the gobble."

Alex - calls Henry: "You know what, you little shit..."

Later,

Henry: "I'm really going to have you offed," Henry tells him. "You'll never see it coming. Our assigns are trained in discretion. They will come in the night, and it will look like a humiliating accident."

Alex: "Autoerotic asphyxiation?"

Henry: "Toilet heart attack."

Alex: "Jesus."

Henry: "You've been warned."

Alex: "I thought you'd kill me in a more personal way. Silk pillow over my face, slow and gentle suffocation. Just you and me. Sensual."

Henry: "Ha. Well."

And ...

Henry: "Jaffa cakes, my God," Henry says. "I'm having my entire life haunted by a deranged American Neanderthal and a pair of turkeys, apparently."

and then continues to share with him anyway.

And five:

5. Alex calling Henry's dad a babe:

Alex: "You know there's a bond marathon on and did you know your dad was a total babe."

Henry: "I BEG YOU TO NOT."

LMAO These two are so funny. The no booty calls really gets me knowing that's ALL they do once they kiss.

#rwrb #rwrb book #prince henry rwrb #alex claremont diaz #First Prince

35 notes · View notes

layce2015 · 1 year

Text

Supernatural (Dean Winchester x Female!Reader)

Playthings

Masterlist

"Yeah. Okay. Thanks, Ellen." Sam said into his phone as I look at the wall in my safehouse that we decided to stay in. The wall was covered in maps, hand-written notes and missing posters showing Ava's face.

I sighed as Dean comes into the building, holding a drink carrier with our coffee. "What'd she have to say?" Dean asked Sam. "Oh, she's got nothing. We've been checking every database we can think of—federal, state, and local. No one's heard anything about Ava, she just...into thin air, you know?" Sam said as Dean hands over mine and Sam's cup of coffee.

"What about you?" I asked Dean. "No, same as before. Sorry, guys." Dean said and I look down, sadly. "Ellen did have one thing. A hotel in Cornwall, Connecticut. Two freak accidents in the past three weeks." Sam said. "Yeah? What's that have to do with Ava?" Dean asked as I give Sam a curious look.

"It's a job. I mean, a lady drowned in the bathtub; then a few days ago a guy falls down the stairs, head turns a complete one-eighty. Which isn't exactly normal, you know?" Sam said and Dean gives him a curious look. "Look, I don't know, Dean, it might be nothing, but I told Ellen we'd think about checking it out." Sam said.

"You did?" Dean asked, surprised. "Yeah. You seem surprised." Sam said, curiously. "Well yeah, it's just, you know...not the, uh, patented Sam Winchester way, is it?" Dean said and Sam gives an exasperated look towards him.

"What way is that?" He asked, mildly challenging. "I just figured after Ava there'd be, uh, you know, more angst and droopy music and staring out the rainy windows, and--" Dean said as Sam gives him a look. "Yeah, I'll shut up now." he mutters.

"Look. (Y/n) and I are the ones who told her to go back home. Now her fiancé's dead and some demon has taken her off to God knows where. You know? But we've been looking for a month now, and we've got nothing. So I'm not giving up on her, but I'm not going to let other people die either. We've got to save as many people as we can." Sam said and I give a small smile towards him.

"That was beautiful, Sammy." I said, faking tears. "Yeah, that attitude is just way too healthy for me, and I'm officially uncomfortable now. Thank you." Dean said and Sam ducks his head and laughs while I shake my head, smiling. "All right, call Ellen. Tell her we'll take it." Dean said to Sam and he nods.

We park the Impala in front of the inn, which looked like something out of a horror movie. You know the kind, the ones that look grand and beautiful and creepy all at the same time.

Dean gets out of the driver's side and looks at the building. "Dude, this is sweet. I never get to work jobs like this." Dean said. "Like what?" I asked as Sam and I get out of the car. "Old school haunted houses, you know? Fog, and secret passageways...sissy British accents. Might even run into Fred and Daphne while we're inside." Dean said then he closes his eyes briefly. "Mmm, Daphne. Love her." He said and I shake my head.

As we go up the steps, Sam notices an urn on the side of the porch. "Hey, wait a sec." He said as he inspects it more closely. "I'm not so sure haunted's the problem." Sam said. "What do you mean?" I asked him. "You see this pattern here?" He said as I come up to him and see him tapping at a five-point symbol engraved in the urn.

"That's a quincunx, that's a five-spot." Sam said. "Five-spot." Dean and I said, questioning. "Yeah." Sam replied. "That's used for hoodoo spellwork, isn't it?" I asked and Sam nods. "Right, yeah. You fill this thing with bloodweed and you've got a powerful charm to ward off enemies." Sam explains. "Yeah, except I don't see any bloodweed. Don't you think this place is a little too, uh, whitemeat for hoodoo?" Dean asked and Sam shrugs. "Maybe." He said.

As we enter, looking around at the quiet interior, a woman enters briskly. "May I help you?" She asked us. "Hi, yeah, I'd like a couple rooms for a couple of nights." Dean said to her as Sam and I move in and a little girl darts in front of our legs. "Hey!" The woman shouted at the girl then she turns to me and Sam. "Sorry about that." She said, apologetically.

"No problem." Sam said and I nod. "Yeah, that's fine." I said and the woman looks between us. "Well, um, congratulations, you could be some of our final guests." She said and we give her a curious look. "Well...Sounds vaguely ominous." Dean said. "No, I'm sorry, I mean we're closing at the end of the month." She said then she looks between us.

"So...is it you two or...?" The woman asked as she gestures between Dean and Sam, this makes me chuckle. "No, it's me and him." I said as I take Dean's arm. "These two are brothers and we're just on a cross-country trip together." I said. "Oh. Oh, I'm so sorry. So, one king size and a single for the other room." She said and I nod at her.

"It's okay." I said. "You know, you have a really, really interesting urn on the front porch. Where did you get that?" Sam asked her as Dean pays for the rooms. "Oh, I have no idea, it's been there forever." The woman said as she hands two keys to Dean. "Here you go, Mr. Mahagov." She said. "Thanks." Dean said and the woman dings the bell.

"You two will be staying in room 237. And he will be staying in room 238. Sherwin, could you show these three to their rooms?" The woman said and we turn to see an old, balding man in a black blazer shuffling up behind him.

Sometime later, Sherwin drags Dean's clunking duffel bag behind him, up the steps, as we follow. "I could give you a hand with that bag." Dean said to him. "I got it." Sherwin said. "Okay." Dean said.

"So the hotel's closing up, huh?" Sam asked him. "Yep. Miss Susan tried to make a go of it, but the guests just don't come like they used to. Still, it's a damn shame." He said to us. "Oh yeah?" I asked him. "It may not look it anymore, but this place was a palace. Two different vice-presidents laid their heads on our pillows. My parents worked here, I practically grew up here. Gonna miss it. Here's your room." Sherwin said as he slips the key in the lock and opens the door, handing the key to me as I brush past him.

"And your room is here." Sherwin said as he turns to Sam and leads him into the room next to ours. Dean turns to shut the door and Sherwin comes back to our door, his hand extended expectantly. "You're not gonna...cheap out on me, are you, boy?" He said to Dean and I chuckle as Dean pulls out his wallet.

Later, Sam had come in our room and starts sifting through papers. I help him as Dean paces around the room. "What the—" Dean said, shocked. "What?" Sam asked. "That's normal." Dean said and he gestures to the wall and I look up to see an antique wedding dress displayed on the wall.

"Huh?" I muttered. "Why the hell would anyone stay here? I'm amazed they kept in business this long." Dean said and I shrug.

"All right. Victim number one: Joan Edison, forty three years old, a realtor handling the sale of the hotel; and victim number two was Larry Williams, moving some stuff out to Goodwill." Sam said. "Well, there's a connection: they're both tied up in shutting the place down." Dean said. "Yeah. Maybe somebody here doesn't want to leave, and they're using hoodoo to fight back." I said.

"Who do you think our witch doctor is, that Susan lady?" Dean asked us. "No, doesn't seem likely. I mean, she is the one selling." Sam said and I nodded. "So what then, Sherwin?" Dean asked. "Don't know." Sam and I said as we flip through some more papers.

The boys and I poke around the hallways until I see another urn and picks it up. It too, has a quincunx inscribed. "Hey. Look at that. More hoodoo." I said as I show them the urn.

Then we approach a door marked PRIVATE and Dean knocks and Susan opens the door a moment later. "Hi there." Dean greets. "Hi. Everything okay with your rooms?" She asked us and the boys and I talk over each other.

"Yeah. Yeah, yeah, everything's great. Yeah." We said and she looks between us. "Well, I was, I was just in the middle of packing." She said and Dean looks past her. "Hey! Are those antique dolls?" Dean asked and Sam and I look over to see a shelf full of antique porcelain dolls.

"Because this one..." Dean said as he gestures to me. "...this one here, she's got a major doll collection back home. Dontcha, honey?" Dean said to me and I give a quick look at him before I give a fake smile.

"Big time." I said and Dean chuckles. "Big time. You think she could come — or we could come in and take a look?" Dean asked Susan, who looked a bit uncomfortable. "I don't know..." she said, unsure.

"Please? I mean, she loves them. She's not gonna tell you this, but she's, she's always dressing 'em up in these little tiny outfits and, um, you'd make her day. You--" Dean said he turns to me. "She would, huh?" Dean asked me and I glanced at him again then said. "It's true." I said, giving a fake smile again.

"Okay. Come on in." Susan said as she opens the door wider for us. "All right. All right!" Dean said as he goes and slaps my ass. I turn to him and I raise an eyebrow at him and he shrugs. I give a playful scoff as I turn to face the shelf and look at the dolls.

"Wow. This is a lot of dolls. I mean, they're nice, you know. Not super creepy at all." Dean said and Susan chuckles. "Yeah, I suppose they are a little creepy. But they've been in the family forever. A lot of sentimental value." She said.

"What is this? The hotel?" Sam asked as he points at this very large dollhouse which did look alot like the hotel. "Yeah, that's right. Exact replica, custom built." Susan said as Sam leans down then stands up and holds up a broken doll. "His head got twisted around. What happened to it?" Sam asked.

"Tyler, probably." Susan said as the little girl, from earlier, runs in. "Mommy! Maggie's being mean." Tyler said to Susan. "Tyler, tell her I said to be nice, okay?" She said, in a nice but firm voice.

"Hey Tyler. I see you broke your doll. You want me to fix it?" Sam asked her. "I didn't break it. I found it like that." Tyler replied. "Oh. Well, uh, maybe Maggie did it." I said to her. "No, neither of us did it. Grandma would get mad if we broke 'em." Tyler said. "Tyler, she wouldn't get mad." Susan assured her.

"Grandma?" Dean asked her. "Grandma Rose. These were all her toys." Tyler said. "Oh. Really. Where's Grandma Rose now?" Dean asked. "Up in her room." Tyler replied as I turn to Susan. "You know, I'd, I'd uh, I'd really love to talk to Rose about her incredible doll —" I said when Susan speaks, quickly.

"No. I mean, I'm afraid that's impossible. My mother's been very sick and she's not taking any visitors." She said, quickly.

Moments later, we exit the room and started talking in hushed voices. "Well, what do you think? Dolls, hoodoo, mysterious shut-in grandma?" Dean asked us. "Well, dolls are used in all kinds of voodoo and hoodoo, like curses, and binding spells, and..." Sam said and I nodded. "Yeah, maybe we've found our witch doctor." I said to them.

"All right, (y/n) and I'll see what we can go dig up on boomin' Granny. You go get online, check old obits, freak accidents, that sort of thing, see if she's whacked anybody before." Dean said. "Right." Sam and I said. "Don't go surfing porn -- that's not the kind of whacking I mean." Dean said and Sam rolls his eyes while I give Dean a seriously? look and Sam turns back to the room as Dean and I leave.

After digging around the hotel for alittle while, we make it to the front lobby only to see a coroner vehicle in front of the door. The two of us meet Susan as she comes back in towards the inn. "What happened?" I asked her. "Oh, the maid went in to turn down the sheets and he was just...hanging there." She said.

"That's awful. He was a guest?" Dean asked and she nods. "He worked for the company that bought the place. I don't understand." She said. "What?" Dean and I asked her. "Had a lot of bad luck around here. Look, if you'd like to check out I'll give you a full refund." Susan said and we shake our heads at her.

"No thanks. We don't scare that easy." Dean said to her and she makes a small smile towards us.

Later, Dean and I enter Sam's room to see he was sitting alone in the dark. "There's been another one. Some guy just hung himself in his room." Dean said. "Yeah. I saw." Sam replied, darkly. "We've gotta figure this out, and fast. What'd you find out about Granny?" Dean asked him. "You're the boss." Sam said and Dean and I look at him, surprised.

"What?" Dean and I asked. "You're bossy. And short." Sam said to Dean and he laughs sloppily. "Are you drunk?" I asked him. "Yeah." Sam said, laughing. "So? Stupid." He said and Dean and look around to see several empty bottles on the floor.

"Dude, what are you thinking? We're working a case." Dean said, angrily. "That guy who hung himself. I couldn't save him." Sam said, tearful. "What are you talking about? You didn't know, you couldn't have done anything." I said to him then he shifts his gaze to me.

"That's an excuse, (y/n). I should have found a way to save him. I should have saved Ava too. We should've saved Ava." Sam shouts and Dean approaches him. "Yeah, well, you can't save everyone. Even you said that." Dean said and Sam slams the table.

"No, Dean, you don't understand, all right? The more people I save, the more I can change!" He shouts. "Change what?" Dean asked and Sam leans forward and places his hands to his chest. "My destiny, Dean!" He said. "All right. Time for bed. Come on, Sasquatch." Dean said and we lean over and haul Sam up by the shoulder.

"Come on." I said as I help carrying him to his bed. "I need you to watch out for me, Dean." Sam said. "Yeah. I always do." Dean replied. "No! No, no, no. You have to watch out for me, all right? And for (y/n). And if we ever...turn into something that we're not...you have to kill us." Sam said.

"Sam." Dean said, dismissively, and Sam shoves Dean to face him. "Dean! Dad told you to do it, you have to." Sam exclaims. "Yeah, well, Dad's an ass." Dean said as Sam frowns in confusion. "He never should have said anything. I mean, you don't do that, you don't, you don't lay that kind of crap on your kids." Dean said.

"No. He was right to say it! Who knows what I might become? Even now, everyone around me dies!" Sam said. "Yeah, well, I'm not dying, okay? And neither are you and (y/n). Come on, Sam." Dean said and we push Sam onto the bed but he stays seated. He reaches up and clutches Dean's jacket as Dean's right hand curls in the fabric at Sam's shoulder.

"No, please! Dean, you're the only one who can do it. Promise." Sam pleads. "Don't ask that of me." Dean said. "Dean, please. You have to promise me." Sam said and Dean stares at him then at me before he says. "I promise."

"Thanks." Sam said as he reaches up and grabs Dean's face with both hands. "Thank you. You are..." Sam slurs as I said. "All right. Come on." And Dean bats Sam's hands away and we shove him back on the bed.

Sam falls back, then turns over on his stomach to plant his face in the pillow, hugging it with both arms. Dean rubs a hand over his face and I chuckle then we leave the room.

*3rd Person POV*

"He's gonna have one helluva hangover." (Y/n) said and Dean chuckles. "Yeah, he'll get over it." Dean said and she chuckle a bit before her smile falters. The two stood in silent, both in their own thoughts, as they walk down.

(Y/n)'s mind starts to wander as she starts to think what Sam said about how he was worried about him becoming bad and honestly, she was too. But not only that, she also found out this past month that she had developed a new power.

Not only could she get visions, she could move objects without touching them. Right now, she could only move small objects, she hadn't tried bigger objects or humans. She hadn't told them and now she started to think maybe she should tell Dean. She knows she can trust Dean as much as she trusts Sam; but she feels once she tells Dean about her newly discovered powers, it would make him worry even more. And she didn’t want to burden him with what’s been happening to her.

Dean, however, knew she was holding something back, he could tell on her face that she was in deep thought. And usually when she was in deep thought, she had something on her mind. He was concerned and wanted to know what’s going on but he didn't want to force her to tell him. He trusts her to open up to him when that time comes but something in the back of his mind was eating away at him.

"Something wrong?" Dean asked her, cautiously. "Just thinking." She replied, quickly. "About?" He asked. "About what Sam said..." She said and Dean let's our an exasperated sigh. "Oh brother, don't you start." He growls. "No, no, it’s not like that." She said.

"Well, what is it?" Dean asked her, worried, and she sighs then looks down a bit. "As I was saying before you rudely interrupted me." She said as she gives a pointed look to Dean, who rolled his eyes. "What I meant by when I said I was thinking about what Sam said, was that I was scared..." she admitted and Dean raises an eyebrow.

"Of what?" He asked. "I'm scared of what lies ahead for my destiny, when that time comes. What my powers could do when that happens. I don't know what could happen. I mean what happens if I lost control and I end up hurting innocent people or you or Sam or both of you?" She said as she looks over at him and he gives her a slight frown at this.

"God, just thinking about it makes me feel sick to my stomach. What if there's more to what I think it is. I'm still figuring out what the hell's been happening to me, Dean." She said to him. "What do you mean by that?" Dean asked her and she sighs once again. "I-I...This past month, I found out that I can move objects." She replied and Dean looks st her, shocked.

"I'm sorry, what?" He asked, shocked and confused, then she looks up at him. "Y-You've got a new power?" He asked and she nods. "Seems like it." She said. "And when exactly were you gonna tell us about this little information?" Dean asked, alittle angry but it was more out of fear for her than him being angry.

"Well, I'm telling you now!" She said and Dean scoffs and rolls his eyes. "I was scared, Dean, and I didn't want to burden you with this information. I just...I saw what Max Miller could do and that scares me..." (y/n) said and Dean places a hand on her shoulder and makes her face him. "(Y/n), look...you're not gonna become a monster, alright? We'll figure this out together. I'll protect you and Sam." Dean assured her.

(Y/n) stares at him for a moment and realized, oddly enough, that his words gave her comfort and it calmed her down her nerves. She nods then smiles at Dean. "Thanks, Dean." She said and he nods then the two began to walk again.

Dean and (y/n) go down to the antique, empty bar to see that Sherwin is behind the bar. "Evening, lovebirds." He said and Dean and (y/n) share a glance then they look back at Sherwin as they now remember that they were acting like a couple.

"Evening." Dean said as they go and sit down. "Have a drink." Sherwin said to them. "Yeah, thanks." Dean and (y/n) said and Sherwin pours a drink for the two. "So, poor guy, huh? Killing himself?" Dean said to him. "That kind of thing seems to be going around lately." Sherwin said. "Yeah, yeah, we heard about the other ones. It's almost like this hotel is, uh, cursed or something." (Y/n) said.

"Every hotel has its spilled blood. If people only knew what's gone on in some of those rooms they've checked into." Sherwin said to the two. "You know a lot about the place, don't you?" Dean asked him. "Down to the last nail." Sherwin said. "We'd love to hear some stories." (y/n) said. "Honey, you should never say that to an old man." Sherwin said, smiling.

*(y/n)'s POV*

Sherwin leads me and Dean up the wide staircase, showing us some old framed photographs on the walls. "This is little Miss Susan, and her mother Rose. Happier days." Sherwin said. "They're not happy now?" Dean asked him.

"Well, would you be, leaving the only home you ever knew?" Sherwin said to him, questioning. "I don't know. I never really knew one." Dean said. "Well, this is Rose's home. It's been in the family over a century. Used to be the family estate. And now she gets to live in some senior living graveyard, and they tear this place down." Sherwin explained.

"Yeah, that's too bad." I said and we start down the stairs. "We hear Rose isn't feeling well, either." I said to Sherwin. "No, she isn't." He said.

"What's wrong with her?" Dean asked. "It's not my business to say." Sherwin said. "Oh." Dean and I said, nodding. Then Dean looks at another photo of two little toddlers. "Who's this?" He asked as I look at the photo.

Sherwin picks up a yellowing photograph of a girl sitting on a chair with young black woman; the woman has a quincunx necklace. "That's Rose, when she was a little girl." Sherwin replied. "Who's that with her?" I asked. "That's her nanny, Marie. She looked after Rose more than her own mother." Sherwin said and Dean and I frown in concern as Sherwin replaces the photo.

The next morning, after staying up and doing some more research, Dean and I walk into Sam's room to see him kneeling, miserably, in front of the toilet, his hair hanging in his face. "How you feeling, Sammy?" Dean asked, loudly, after he grins over at Sam, who groans. "I guess mixing whisky and Jäger wasn't such a gangbuster idea, was it?" Dean said as Sam groans again.

"I'll bet you don't remember a thing from last night, do you?" Dean asked, hopeful. "Ohh, I can still taste the tequila." Sam groans and Dean smiles in relief.

"You know, there's a really good hangover remedy -- it's a greasy pork sandwich served up in a dirty ashtray." I said and Sam starts heaving. "Oh, I hate you." He said with a groan as Dean laughs then he and I high-five each other. "I love you, Sammy." I said and he groans.

"Hey, turns out when Grandma Rose was a tyke, she had a Creole nanny who wore a hoodoo necklace." Dean said to Sam. "So you guys think she taught Rose hoodoo?" Sam asked. "Yeah we do." I said. "All right." He said and he stands up. "I think it's time we talked to Rose, then." Sam said as he walks towards the doorway. "Oh. You can brush your teeth first." Dean said, grimacing, and Sam glares at him.

Later, we approach the door marked PRIVATE and I knock on it. "Hello? Susan?" Sam calls out and Dean and I look around furtively. "Clear?" Sam asked us and we nod at him.

Sam kneels before the door and picks the lock. We enter the creepy doll room and go to the door in the back; it's open, and we go through to find a dimly lit staircase. We creep upstairs and to the end of another hallway, into a small room whose door is ajar.

Rose was seated in a wheelchair facing the rainy window, her back to us. And we approach cautiously. "Mrs. Thompson? Mrs. Thompson?" I asked as I see her trembling, and staring at nothing. "Rose? Hi, Mrs. Thompson, we're not here to hurt you, it's okay—" Sam said but she does not respond, just trembles harder.

"Rose?" Sam said then turns to us. "Guys." He said, quietly, as he draws us over to the side. "This woman's had a stroke." Sam said. "Yeah, but hoodoo's hands-on, I mean, you've got to mix herbs, and chant, and build an altar." Dean said. "Yeah. So it can't be Rose. Hey, maybe it's not even hoodoo." I said, shrugging

"Or she could be faking." Dean added. "Yeah, what are you gonna do, poke her with a stick?" Sam asked and Dean frowns then nods. "Dude! You're not gonna poke her with a stick!" Sam exclaimed at him.

"What the hell?! What are you doing in here?" Susan's voice growled and we turned to see her coming into the room and we talked, quickly.

"Oh, we just wanted to talk to Rose..."

"Well, the door was open..."

"We're so sorry..."

"Look at her, she is scared out of her wits. I want you out of my hotel in two minutes or I'm calling the cops." Susan said to us, firmly, as she goes over to Rose and we leave without hesitation.

We packed up our things and loaded it up in the Impala then drove away.

We didn't actually leave as we knew that that ghost was gonna do something, so we stayed behind but hid from Susan. We came back just as she was staring at swingset, which begins moving on its own.

She approaches the playground cautiously; all the playsets start moving, and we hear her car, behind her, started behind her. She lays a hand on the teeter-totter to stop it while we get out of the car and Sam starts to run.

Everything starts moving faster, and suddenly the car revs its engine and comes straight at her. At the last moment Sam tackles her out of the way just as Dean and I run out of the Impala towards them.

"Are you okay?" Sam asked Susan. "I think so." She said. "Come on, come on. Let's get inside, let's go." Dean orders and we help her into the inn then guide her into the bar and to a table.

"Whiskey." Susan said, breathless. "Sure. I know the feeling." Sam said as I go and pour her a glass of whiskey. "What the hell happened out there?" She asked us. "You want the truth?" I asked her. "Of course." She said and the boys and I exchange a look before Dean speaks.

"Well, at first we thought it was some sort of hoodoo curse, but that out there? That was definitely a spirit." Dean said as I hand her a glass of whiskey. "Here." I said to her. "You're insane." Susan said and I chuckle. "Yeah, it's been said." I said.

"Look, I'm sorry, Susan. We don't exactly have time to ease you into this, but we need to know when your mother had the stroke." Sam said to her. "What does that have to do with any—" Susan asked but Sam talks over her. "Just answer the question." He said and she thinks.

"About a month ago." She replied. "Right before the killings began." I said and Sam turns to Dean. "See? So what if Rose was working hoodoo, but not to hurt anyone. To protect them." Sam said to him. "She was using the five spot urns to ward off the spirit." Dean said. "Right, until she had a stroke and she couldn't anymore." I saud and Susan looks between us, confused. "I don't believe this." She mutters.

"Listen, sister, that car didn't try to run you down by itself, okay? I mean, I guess it did, technically, but, but the spirit can — forget it." Dean said to her before Sam interrupts him. "Look, believe what you want. But the fact is you and your family are in danger, all right? So you need to clear everybody out of here: your employees, your mother, your daughters, everyone." Sam said.

"Um, I only have one daughter." Susan said and I give her a confused look. "One? I thought Tyler had a sister named Maggie." I said to her, questioning. "Maggie's imaginary." Susan replied and the boys and I look at each other again.

"Where's Tyler?" Sam asked her and she gives us a terrified and worried look to us.

Later, Susan leads us up to the room with all of those dolls. "Tyler!" Susan yells as we go into the room; only to see that the floor is littered with broken dolls. Susan starts to panic. "Oh my God. Tyler!" She yells as she runs out of the room. "Tyler!" She yells as the boys and I look around the room. Then Susan comes back. "She's not here!" She said, panicked.

"Susan. Tell us what you know about Maggie." Sam said to her, as calmly as he could. "Uh, not much. Um, Tyler's been talking about her since Mom got sick." Susan replied. "Okay, did you ever know anyone by that name?" I asked her. "Uh, no..." she said, shaking her head.

"Think, think, I mean, somebody that could have lived here, might have passed away?" Dean asked her and Susan's eyes widen "Oh my God. My mom. My mom had a sister named Margaret. She barely spoke about her." She replied.

"Did Margaret happen to die here when she was a kid?" I asked her. "She drowned in the pool." Susan said and Dean looks at us. "Come on." He said and we run out of the room then out of the building.

We run through the gardens to the pool house and reach the door, I go to open it but it was locked. "Damn it!" I said and the boys started pounding at the glass to break it.

"Tyler!" Susan shouts as the boys kept pounding at the door. "Tyler!" Susan shouts and a moment later we hear a scream. "Is there another entrance?" Dean asked Susan. "Around back." She said. "All right, let's go." Dean said then he turns to me and Sam. "Keep working." He tells us and we nod at him.

As they run around the building, Sam and I continue to pound at the door; he looks back and comes back with a heavy pot. "Stand back." Sam said and I step aside then he starts pounding the door with it.

He does this for a few more moments until finally he breaks through the glass and we wriggle through the opening. Without hesitation, Sam and I leap over the railing and into the pool. We pushes past the plastic covering the pool to reach Tyler, both of us lift her up, and I notice she is unconscious.

We get her out of the pool just as Susan and Dean run in and we set Tyler on the edge of the pool. Susan starts to gasp, tearfully, as all of us give a worried look towards Tyler until she starts to cough and wake up.

"Thank God! Thank God, thank God." Susan said, in frantic tears, while Tyler looks over at her. "Mommy!" She cries and Susan goes to hug her. "Yeah, baby, I'm here." She said.

"Tyler, do you see Maggie anywhere?" I asked her once her and Susan pull out of the embrace. "No, she's gone." She said and we all give a confused look.

Later, we make it back to the hotel and Susan holds Tyler close to her as we go up towards Rose's room. "Don't worry, honey, we're leaving in two minutes, we've just got to get Grandma." She said as the boys and I stay back.

"I don't get it, did Maggie just stop?" Dean asked, confused. "Seems like it." Sam said. "Well, where the hell did she go?" Dean asked but before we could reply, Susan screams.

The three of us share worried looks and go running up to Rose's room to find her slumped in her wheelchair, dead.

Minutes later, the paramedics came by and did some test on Rose before the coroner came by and took her body away. Susan was talking to them before she come over to us. "Paramedics said it was another stroke. Do you think...Margaret could have had something to do with it?" She asked us.

"We don't know." Dean said, shrugging.

"But it's possible, yeah." Sam said.

"Susan, I'm sorry." I said to her, apologetically. "You have nothing to apologize for. You've given me everything." Susan said just as Tyler comes out of the house.

"Ready to go, kiddo?" Susan asked Tyler. "Yeah." Tyler replied. "Now Tyler, you're sure Maggie's not around anymore?" Dean asked her and she nods. "I'm sure. I'd see her." She said.

"I guess whatever's going on must be over." I said to the boys, as we walk over to the taxi near us, and Dean nods while Sam holds the taxi door for Susan. "You two take care of yourselves, all right?" He said.

Before getting in the taxi, Suaan turns and gives Sam a full-body hug and Dean and I smirk. "Thank you. All three of you." She said and she gets into the taxi then Sam shuts the door behind her.

"Think you could have hooked up some MILF action there, bud." Dean said and Sam scoffs and I shake my head. "I'm serious, I think she liked you." Dean said to Sam. "Yeah, that's all she needs." Sam grumbles. "Well, you saved the mom, you saved the girl. Not a bad day. 'Course you know, I could have saved 'em myself, but I didn't want you to feel useless." Dean teased and Sam scoffs. "All right, I appreciate it." Sam said and I chuckle.

"Hey, I helped saving Tyler." I said and Dean pats my shoulder. "You did good, too." He said and I roll my eyes. "Feels good getting back in the saddle, doesn't it?" He asked. "Yeah, it does. But it doesn't change what we talked about last night, Dean." Sam said.

"We talked about a lot of things last night." Dean said, feigning ignorance. "You know what I mean." Sam said as he gives us a knowing look. "You were wasted." I said to him. "But you two weren't. And you promised, Dean." Sam said and we all share a look before we go into the car then pull away from the inn.

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minefield-of-a-ninja · 1 year

Text

28 DAYS: FINAL CHAPTER

Summary: Dean Winchester is an addict and an alcoholic, a USMC veteran, a father, and an older brother. As Battalion Chief with Lawrence Fire & Medical, Dean comes under investigation when he makes a dangerous and impulsive decision, defying his superiors and abandoning the team he is supposed to lead. He is given the choice to go to rehab for 28 days or jail. His lawyer insists on rehab, and Dean begrudgingly abides.

Characters in this chapter: Dean Winchester, Mrs. Butters (mentioned), Jack Kline, Meg Masters, Billie Pilgrim, Pamela Barnes, Rowena Macleod, Gabriel, Crowley (seen but not heard), Missouri Mosely, Alex Jones (seen but not heard), Lydia, Emma Winchester, Benny Lafitte, Castiel Novak, Bobby Singer, Ellen Harvelle, Casey Wood, Jo Harvelle/Victor Henriksen/Nick Iblis/Zeke Gadreel (mentioned), Sam and Jess Winchester (mentioned), Tessa Porter

Warnings/tags for this chapter: if you've read this far, you're golden xox

Words in this chapter: 5K

Author's note: Cute Sparkle Gryphon Meme

Emma driving is for @stusbunker. Love you, sis.

Thank you to Stu and to my 12yr ride or die @brrose-apothecary for read-throughs and late-night convos and for being my friends.

CHAPTER TEN

A week to the day before Dean is to be released, he and the others say goodbye to Jack. Mrs. Butters in the kitchen helps Dean bake and decorate a cake with a very cool screen print of Red Hood that Pamela found online, and Meg commandeers Jack's phone to add Pamela's, Dean's, and her own contact info to his address book.

"Hope you don't mind if I call you sometime, kid," Dean mutters.

There's a tight, heavy knot in his chest that he can't loosen. He wants to keep in touch with Jack so he can celebrate his successes. He doesn't want to be the old Dean who keeps in touch out of fear that Jack will stumble with no one around to catch him.

But deeply woven within that knot is an intense foreboding, stoking Dean's fear of letting Jack walk out the door.

"Of course," Jack answers, distracted by his pinging phone, telling him his Uber is one minute down the street. "I'll text you."

Dean nods and chews his lip. "We can trade me-mes," he says, watching the kid not watch him.

Dean has to actively restrain himself from pushing the flop of hair from across Jack's forehead and demanding the kid's attention. The knot spirals around his organs and rib cage into his gut.

"Meme," Meg says, trying to help Jack straighten the strap of his bag.

"What?" Dean asks.

"It's pronounced meme. Like theme," Meg answers, stepping back into place next to him.

Dean shakes his head as his heart jolts and dives at the sight of the white Honda pulling up in front of the big glass doors.

"Good luck, Jacky." Rowena appears at Dean's other side, looping an arm through the crook of Dean's elbow. "We'll miss you, sweet boy."

Meg mirrors Rowena, hooking her arm through Dean's. Dean drops his chin to his chest with a sigh, realizing how transparent his anxiety is to his friends.

"Ciao, baby," Meg bids the teenager a farewell, watching him stumble over his own sneakers toward the door.

"Bye, guys," Jack calls with a wave. "And thanks for the cake; it was really good!"

And then he's gone.

Dean starts a list of everyone with whom he needs to make amends. Emma's at the top of that list, so he always remembers how far he's come and can fall.

Castiel is the closest second.

Before Emma walked in on him with Max and Anna last year, Dean could sleep at night by telling himself he hadn't imposed on anyone or lied, cheated, or stolen. He told himself that he cleaned up his own messes and that he was just fine with death, closure, and a whole fuckin' bottle of Jack.

Then he broke his little girl's heart.

"Do you think you were trying to prove something to Castiel that day?" Billie asked.

"I think you know what I was doin'. Why don't you tell me what I was tryna prove?"

Billie was right as usual; Dean wanted to prove to Cas that he wasn't worthy of Cas's respect. Dean knew that kid was going to die if someone didn't go in there — and probably even if someone did — and he decided to be the kamikaze pilot because fuck everybody who still had faith in him; he wasn't worth their concern.

"The list!" Meg plops into a seat next to him with two cups of coffee. "Dean Bean, that list is hella long. You should pare it back for your first round."

She takes a sip of her coffee, handing him his as she peers over the rim of her cup.

Dean chuckles, shaking his head. "Every single person I think of makes my stomach hurt."

"Did you show it to Billie yet?" Meg slides her stocking feet into Dean's lap.

"Not yet. Meetin' with her in 10." He twists in his seat to accommodate her.

Meg nods. "Drink your coffee and keep me entertained ‘til you gotta go."

She burrows into her seat with an impish grin, and Dean smirks back as he sets to work, kneading her heels and thumbing the knotted muscles in her arches.

Four days after Jack, Meg is discharged. Pamela decides to stay beyond her discharge date for extra support from Billie and Cain.

After their morning hike, Meg and Pamela say their goodbyes, and Pamela heads to Billie's office to plan another family session for the coming weekend.

Dean waits with Meg for her sister Dani's arrival. Meg is keyed up and wide-eyed in the best way. Her fresh face is framed with braids on either side, compliments of Pamela, her sky blue backpack secured over her (Dean's) too-big hoodie, scuffed-up but neatly tied hiking boots, and softly worn jeans.

Dean thinks she looks like she's headed off to college with her entire life ahead of her, and he thinks that look is fitting as fuck.

"I put Dani's number in your phone; she still has a landline." Meg rolls her eyes as she absently twists the straps of her backpack.

Mere days before Meg was admitted to rehab, Dani inherited their childhood home and land after months of legal battles surrounding the farm. After she and Meg made amends, they planned to renovate the old farmhouse together. Meg told Dean how thankful she is to have the project to keep her on her toes, not to mention her adopted niece Kaia.

Meg's phone chimes with a text from Dani.

"She's just around the corner," Meg breathes, flicking her eyes to meet Dean's. "Three days?"

"You got it, sister." Dean pulls her in for a hug. "I'll be outta here, and we'll be 2.1 together. Right?"

"Right."

Last week, Dean and Meg realized that they had grown up less than 10 miles apart. There's not even one excuse Dean can think of to not continue their morning hikes and coffee at least once a week, and he can't wait to witness Meg's inevitable bloom outside this place.

He sees Dani pull up and releases Meg.

"Keep an eye on PB," Meg murmurs, pulling away and not quite meeting Dean's eyes.

Dean nods silently as Meg drops her gaze to her feet and shuffles toward the door.

"Goodbye, love!" Rowena calls from the lobby's catwalk, and Meg looks up with a wide grin and a wave.

"Take care, kiddo!" Gabe waves from beside Rowena, with Crowley lurking behind them both.

Dean wins Meg's gaze one last time before she finally climbs up inside her sister's Jeep.

"How are you feeling about everything, Dean?" Billie asks.

He's nervous and excited, a little bit scared but mostly hopeful. He's determined to make amends with people and looks forward to seeing his little girl outside therapy and hugging his niece and nephew.

"Good," Dean answers.

Dean doesn't fool himself into believing he can repair all of his faults in 28 days. His provisional relationship with Billie was hard-won. He respects her knowledge and advice, but he'll never be open enough with her to tell her everything.

"Good," she replies. "Don't forget — 90 meetings in 90 days. Look for a sponsor..."

Billie rattles off the rules that Dean used to consider common sense. After the last few weeks, though, Dean has realized how bogus the phrase common sense is because so many people walk around without knowledge that Dean's taken for granted since he can remember knowing anything. The fact that that phrase masquerades itself as a universal truth is kind of bullshit, in Dean's opinion.

"Yeah, I remember: how long have they been sober; are they full of shit; do I like them—"

"You know I have to say these things, right?" Billie smirks and arches a brow.

Dean chuckles and nods. "Am I stealin' your thunder?"

Billie actually laughs.

The night before he leaves, Dean does all his laundry except his pajamas and packs his bag. He leaves the bag on what was Jack's bed six days ago, denying the 47th urge to call the kid because he promised himself he wouldn’t call Jack before Jack called him.

In the dark of night, the emotions he accepted earlier at face value become garbled and daunting. He starts to see the edges of rational thought being peeled back by the demons lurking in his subconscious, slithering out to tell him that he's foolish and undeserving and will fail.

The sober experience of his darker cognition is fascinating and frightening. He takes a good chunk of time lying there, stunned to his core that he was ever blind enough to fall for this.

"Fuck off," he mutters as he rolls to his side. "I'm gettin' the fuck outta here and on with my life."

The next morning, Dean and Pamela go for a hike like usual. They have coffee, and she sits with him while he smokes.

"You gonna be OK?" he asks.

"What, without you and Megan, the 2.1 twins?"

Dean startles at Pamela's tone and arched brow.

He never meant for anyone, not even Crowley, to hear his and Meg's 2.1 mantras. It was never about their lack of faith in anyone else. It was always about their bond and shared need to hear it from the other one to get them through.

"You're not subtle, either of you," she drolls, shifting her gaze to the woods.

"PB..."

"It's fine, Dean." She peeks back at him. "And, yes, I'll be fine, too. Once I get my ground legs back and earn more trust from my mother-in-law."

"Sammy can help, ya know," Dean reminds her of when Sam visited and heard her case. He told Dean on the spot that he wanted to help her, and Dean wasted no time relaying the message and ensuring Pamela had Sam's phone number and email address.

"He can, legally, and I'll call him." Pamela nods, keeping her eyes on the wooded area just beyond the deck where she and Dean had just walked and laughed. "But Jesse's mom hasn't let me forget for one second how much she doesn't trust me."

Dean doesn't take his eyes off Pamela's trembling profile. "Then make her."

Pamela blinks and inhales a stuttering breath before glancing over at Dean with watery eyes. She sniffles as she accepts Dean's open, outstretched hand to squeeze.

"Thank you," she whispers, letting the tears fall. "I'm gonna miss you, ya little shit."

Dean laughs as he pulls her in for a hug.

At 12:25 PM, Pamela is seated on the desk, arching across the expanse to help Alex pick a dress for her sorority's spring formal, Rowena is explaining to Missouri the plot of the last murder mystery she starred in, and Gabriel is practically gnawing Dean's ear from the side of his head with small-talk.

"Gabe?"

"Yeah, man," Gabe turns to face Dean head-on, cracking his knuckles and bouncing on his toes.

"I'm gonna need you to dial back the Tigger impression by at least five clicks, OK, because I'd like to be somewhat chill when my kid gets here to pick me up."

"Oh! Right. Yes." Gabe salutes Dean before shoving his hands in his pockets and turning back to watch the door. He mutters chill to himself a couple of times before the familiar deep blue BMW rolls up in front of the door.

"Oh, my word, look at that," Rowena marvels as she and Pamela join Dean and Gabe at the door. "The wee lass is all grown up! Ye must be so proud, Dean."

Dean nods. Emma's a gift that he'll work the rest of his life to deserve getting, and he'll always be proud of her. But his heart fumbles over the fact that he missed the milestone of being the one to teach her to drive.

Lydia steps out of the passenger side, waving from the curb.

"Well, go on," Pamela encourages Dean. "Get out there and show 'em what you're made of, Daddy."

Dean's heart swells to near bursting as he hugs everyone goodbye, including Missouri and Alex.

"You take good care of yourself, Dean Winchester," Missouri says with a kind Missouri smile.

"Yes, ma'am," he nods before scanning the faces of his friends and walking out the door into his future.

"How's the Casbah sound?" Lydia asks from the back seat.

Dean loves the Casbah, and Lydia knows that, but he can't answer her; he's too busy watching his baby girl drive a fucking car.

Lydia shifts forward as Emma signals, checks her mirrors, and carefully changes lanes.

"Pretty wild, huh?" she mutters over Dean's shoulder. "Just yesterday, you were teaching her to ride a bike."

Dean huffs a small chuckle and nods his head. "Straight from a trike to a two-wheeler. No trainin’ wheels for my girl."

Emma rolls her eyes over a blush and a sheepish grin. "So. Casbah?"

"Casbah," Dean confirms with a grin of his own, turning his shaded gaze toward the horizon.

"Hi," he starts, glancing around a circle of people of all ages and walks of life. "I'm... Dean. And I'm an alcoholic and addict."

"Hi, Dean," from the crowd.

Dean nods and draws a deep breath, struggling to keep his head up and maintain eye contact with each person. Ugly fears and insecurities threaten his spirit, but he shoos them away.

"I'm 28 days sober, and I feel... good. Went to dinner with my little girl tonight. She and her mom're waitin' for me down the street at the ice cream place."

The strangers in the circle fidget, mumble, and nod. The tension he feels is all about himself and his inability to just blend the fuck in. He knew doing this all over again with a new group of people would be hard. Then, his eyes land on a burly, bearded guy with clear blue eyes and an encouraging smile. He holds the man’s gaze like it’s a life raft.

“I’ve only been out a few hours, so I still have to call and apologize to everyone for fuckin’ up so bad.”

The man nods, shifting forward in interest. The kind of attention the man is giving him might make him feel like a bug under a microscope under other circumstances, but the man’s earnest compassion and engagement serve to embolden Dean.

“The first call’s the biggest, but they’ll all be tough. My buddy — my best friend and former boss — that’s kinda the eye of the storm. I think if I call him first, that’ll help me get through the others.”

It feels good to think out loud and strategize, knowing his audience has been there and done that. Dean’s especially keen to learn where his potential new friend has been.

After the meeting is done, Dean makes his way over to the man in question. There are two other people trying to talk to him, and Dean starts to worry that he’s one of those guys Billie told him about who accepts everyone’s sponsorship request for status or whatever.

“...I know someone I think’ll be a good fit f’you, Sorento. Lemme reach out and see when he might could grab a cuppa coffee.”

“Thanks, Benny. Never thought my sponsor’d fall off the wagon, ya know?”

“I hear ya, brother, and I’m sorry. You take care, and I’ll get right back, ya hear?”

The taller, darker-skinned man nods before backing away, and the other person Dean thought was waiting to talk to Benny follows.

“Hey, Dean.” Benny smiles, extending a hand. “I’m Benny. Glad you could make it tonight.”

Dean nods, accepting Benny’s hand and shaking it. “Thanks, man. I appreciate your support.”

“You’ve got it, brother.”

They chat about the ins and outs of meetings and sobriety for a few minutes until Dean realizes that Emma and Lydia are still waiting for him.

“Well, I gotta go catch up with my daughter, but uh... thanks again.”

Dean shifts his weight, having flashbacks to his teen years and the first time he asked someone out on a date.

“But I was wonderin’ if you were a sponsor to anyone else? Or... if you had room for one more?”

Benny smiles wide and bright. “It’d be an honor, Dean. What’s your number?”

On his first full day outside, at 9 AM, Dean starts dialing numbers.

"Hey, Cas," he pauses to cringe at the tremor in his too-eager voice. "It's uh... it's Dean."

There's a split second of silence, and Dean almost hangs up.

"I know, Dean. I have your contact in my phone with a picture of you and Claire from Thanksgiving."

The memory of that day is bittersweet to Dean for a dozen reasons, not the least of which was Claire's mental health at the time. She'd run away from home less than a week after her mom lost her months-long battle with ovarian cancer. Cas had just gotten Claire back and decided to have a small gathering at their home to celebrate her return.

Claire didn't feel like celebrating.

"He just doesn't understand," Claire whispered through the tears that Dean worked overtime to wipe away.

"Maybe he doesn't understand exactly how you feel, honey, but he does love you."

"Does he even miss her?" Her trembling lip broke Dean's heart all over again.

"I know he misses her. He loved your mom, Claire. So much."

"He's so... happy."

Dean nodded. "Yeah. 'Coz you're home. You're his little girl and his only family. Try to understand that."

"Dean? Are you— are you there?"

Dean jolts from his reverie and shrugs off Cas's matter-of-fact mention of that day lest it gives his demons the upper hand again.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm here. I'm calling..." Dean takes a deep breath and looks out his kitchen window to watch a couple of squirrels chasing each other through the parking lot.

"Cas, I'm sorry. You're my best friend, and I love and respect you, but I defied your order and endangered the team. I broke at least four laws that day and put you and the department under scrutiny 'coz of my own fucked up mess. I'm sorry it took me so long to figure out that I could help myself and that I'm worth helping, and to stop hurting other people."

Cas is quiet for longer this time. Dean yearns to fill the silence or turn back time or run away and hide. Instead, he breathes through it and waits for whatever response Cas gives him because this is sobriety.

"You made it.” Cas’s tone is full of pride and satisfaction.

Dean anticipated 17 scenarios, but this takes him off-guard. Before he can ask what he means, Cas fills in the blank.

"I read about rehab and the likelihood of people making it through their prescribed programs. The statistics are 30%—"

"Yeah, and my group was only seven people, so 30% is 2.1." Dean can't help but chuckle. Cas doesn't know about his and Meg’s joke, but it doesn't matter because Cas is family, and family just gets it.

"Well, apart from the impossibility of the existence of .1 of a human being, it's good to hear your voice, Dean. I missed you."

Dean smiles so wide his face hurts. "Missed you too, man. How's Claire?"

Through Cas's heavy sigh, Dean can hear the smile in his voice. "Claire is Claire. She missed you as well. Once you're settled, we want you to come over for dinner."

Cas doesn't rebuke Dean. He doesn't rehash the past. He doesn't tell Dean he can't come back to work — because Cas knows that Dean already knows all of that, and neither of them has time for anything but catching up and reconnecting.

"I'd love it," Dean replies. "Thank you. For accepting my apology and letting me say what I needed."

"Always. I knew you'd make it and that our relationship would endure another shift. We will always be friends, Dean."

After his call with Cas, Dean calls Bobby and Ellen. They're less gracious than Cas with their acceptance, which doesn't surprise Dean.

"You were supposed to protect your team, Dean, not put them in danger!"

Dean doesn’t argue, and he doesn’t make excuses. He listens to Ellen yell and damn him to Hell until she’s crying so hard that Bobby takes the phone away from her.

As Ellen’s sobs fade in the distance, Bobby speaks. “How you holdin’ up, boy?”

“I’m good, Bobby. Thanks for takin’ my call.”

“Never wouldn’t,” Bobby answers. “Stay strong, kid. We both love ya; she just needs some time.”

“I love you, too, Bobby — both of ya.”

Jo flat-out blocks his call. Her resistance surprises him even less than her mother’s ire. He won’t give up on Jo, no matter how hard she makes it for him. He knows deep down that she hasn’t given up on him either.

Casey’s gasp is her answer.

“Case.”

“You OK?”

“I am. Now.”

He lets the memories of her soft, dark eyes and gentle, capable hands loving him more than he could bear carry him through the call.

“I’m sorry, Case. I hurt you so many times, and I never made it easy to be with me. You’re a beautiful, beautiful woman, whip fuckin’ smart, and so good.”

“We’ve been over this, Dean...”

Dean doesn’t cut in where she’s left a vacancy. He won’t take advantage of her anymore. He waits for her to pick up her thoughts. He wants her to say what she means.

And she does.

“Dean, I... I’ll never regret you or resent you.”

After a moment.

“Thank you,” she whispers, and Dean knows she’s crying.

He calls Victor, Nick, and Zeke, each awkward, compulsory, and hostile, respectively, but being uncomfortable is Dean’s new normal. And, for some reason, he kind of digs it. So, he’ll continue to make amends, no matter how it makes him feel.

After a week outside, Dean and Meg finally find a hiking trail they like and a coffee place they love before hitting the Lowe's Garden Center.

“Is this a joke?” Meg pokes at the limp lavender plant with indignation. “I can’t even believe they have this out for sale.”

“What do you care? We’re not here for lavender.”

Dean wanders a few paces down the aisle. He’s never tended a plant in his life, so he researched and decided on a spider plant to start.

“Maybe I’m here for lavender.” Meg continues to inspect the small section of drooping topiaries.

Dean stops and glares at her over his shoulder. “You told me you wanted a buncha succulents. You said you wanted a ‘cool little terrarium’ or some shit.”

“Maybe I decided to also get lavender.” Meg shrugs, lifting one of the pathetic florals.

“Now that you’ve seen the stellar selection of lavender?” Dean arches a brow.

“Maybe I want a challenge,” she mutters, squatting with one plant to compare it to another.

“Maybe, maybe, maybe...” Dean rolls his eyes and turns smack into Castiel.

“Hello, Dean.”

“Cas!” Dean takes a step back, gripping Cas’s shoulders. He can’t believe his luck at seeing him while he’s with Meg.

“Hey, this is my friend, Meg.”

He motions to Meg, who is now sitting cross-legged on the ground with three dead plants in front of her.

“Meg..." Dean snaps her to attention. "This is Cas.”

Meg blinks up at the men from where she sits on the ground.

“Well. Hello, Cas.”

She abandons her brief fascination to stand up and swipe her jeans and hands clean before shaking Castiel’s hand. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

The fire chief looks adorably confused as usual, as he takes her hand in his. “And I have heard nothing about you.”

Meg side-eyes Dean, and he almost laughs out loud. She’ll drag him later for not telling Castiel about her, but the only reason he didn’t was to let her show him herself.

“Whatcha here for, Cas?” Dean watches his friends reluctantly release each other’s grip.

“Tomato plants and strawberry plants. You know how much sun our side patio gets.”

Dean nods. Before he can reply, his phone buzzes with a text. It’s the notification he set for Pamela, and his gaze darts to Meg, who’s pulling her own phone from her back pocket.

“Hang on, Cas — got a message I need to look at.” Dean pulls his phone from his pocket. When he looks down, his world tilts.

Jack’s back.

“Fuck,” Dean mutters with a sigh before snagging Meg’s worried gaze.

“I take it you’ve received bad news?” Cas asks.

“Well, it ain’t good,” Dean replies, pocketing his phone. “Dinner Thursday?”

“Yes. Claire wants dumplings. I’ve had two failed trial runs making them, so it could be an... interesting meal.”

Meg snorts at Dean’s side, drawing his attention. “Cas’s a terrible cook.”

“No shit?” Meg exaggerates with her hands on her hips.

“I need to go — get the plants and ingredients for tonight’s test.”

Meg stifles a cackle, and Dean hip-checks her. “OK, well, lemme know if I can help with the dumplings, Cas.”

They say their goodbyes, and barely before Castiel is out of earshot, Meg starts in.

"You didn't tell me your 'weird little friend Cas' was hot, Dean."

Dean chuckles and rolls his eyes. "I thought it was implied when I said you'd like him, Megan. Just gather your sad little flowers so we can go."

“Meh, I want succulents.”

Dean spends the entire rest day bashing himself for waiting to call Jack. He wanted to give the kid space. He wanted to respect him, and... fuck, he can’t save everyone.

He calls Benny so he doesn’t drag Meg down his rabbit hole.

“Whaddaya want outta this, Dean? To call the kid and gloat?” Benny asks.

Dean cringes. “Is that what it sounds like?”

“Little bit.”

“Man, I’m not tryna be a martyr here; he’s a kid!” Dean really believes what he’s saying just as much as he tries to see what Benny sees.

“He’s a kid, but he ain’t yours, and he ain’t you. Remember your boundaries and your goals.”

Benny’s right, and Dean’s reminded of why he chose him to be his sponsor.

“Thanks, Benny. Thanks for takin’ my call, and thanks for being a great sponsor.”

That night, Dean stumbles across something online that stuns him for a second. It’s labeled as Cute Gryphon Sparkle Meme. It’s a greyscale drawing of a cartoon gryphon with a sort of paint-by-number chart of how to color it based on your own interpretation of the instructions like “the color that best describes ‘cute’” and “the color that first comes to your head”.

Dean shares the link with Jack, hoping he gets his phone back soon so he can appreciate just how cute it is.

One month, eight hikes with Meg, and three trips to the garden center for more plants (because Dean has now decided that he fucking loves plants) later, a familiar, feminine voice jolts Dean from his reverie in the produce section.

“Dean?”

He turns from where he’s filling his hand cart with all he needs for the guacamole he’s bringing to Sam and Jess’s tomorrow to find Tessa Porter.

“Tessa!” Dean smiles easily at her smile and how she moves closer to him without hesitation.

She’s fresh-faced, her hair’s in a ponytail, and she’s wearing workout clothes. Dean drops three good-sized avocados into his basket and turns his back on the vegetables to focus on the woman facing him.

“You look great, Dean. How’ve you been?”

“Thanks! You just come from the gym? You look great, too. Not at all like you just worked out or anything, but fit. Like healthy. And glowing.”

He bites his tongue to stop from shoving his foot down his gullet.

Tessa grins and chuckles quietly, peeking into his basket. “Yoga class. Making some guac?”

Dean draws a breath and nods, looking down at his ingredients. “Yeah. My brother requested it for a cookout tomorrow. He says I make the best guac in three counties.”

Tessa tilts her head and purses her lips. “Hmm. I’ll have to try it sometime.”

She snags Dean’s gaze, and he’s suddenly out of breath.

Does she know what he did? Is she hitting on him? Have her eyes always been that color?

“Yeah. I’d uh... I’d like to make it for you sometime.”

Dean swears her irises change color as they stand there — honey to jade to turquoise to cerulean.

After a few beats, Tessa raises her eyebrows. “Are you going to ask me for my number?”

Dean blinks then chuckles, shaking his head. “I gotta ask somethin' else first — you know about rehab, right?”

Tessa nods. “I know. And I know you aren’t supposed to date right away, but... I’d like to be friends. If that’s OK? I’ve missed seeing you around, Dean.”

“Friends,” he echoes skeptically.

He and Tessa never discussed dating before because it would have been against department policy, but that didn’t stop him from flirting with her every chance he had. Still, they had a genuine connection — which is the real reason, even in Dean’s most reckless state, that he never crossed a line with her.

Tessa nods again. “For now — friends. Think you can handle that?”

Dean holds her soft, kaleidoscope gaze for a moment before shifting his basket to his other arm and reaching into his pocket for his phone.

“Here.” He hands his unlocked phone to Tessa. “I would very much like it if you’d add yourself to my contacts so I can call ya sometime.”

Tessa grins again as she accepts the proffered device to quickly input her name and number. She flicks her eyes to his again as she hands him back his phone.

“I look forward to hearing from you. See you soon, Dean.”

Tessa looks him up and down before turning on her heel and sauntering away.

Dean’s eyes drop to the sway of her hips, and he shakes his head.

“Hate sayin’ g’bye but love watchin’ her walk away,” he mutters under his breath with a hearty chuckle before heading to the aisle with chips and crackers, stifling the urge to Leprechaun kick next to the bananas.

Fifty-eight days sober feels pretty damn good.

Epilogue: coming soon

Please let me know what you think!

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