Driver picks the music

“It’s strange how all television turns to commercials after two AM. Aren’t there many humans still awake during the night? I know teenagers certainly are. Although why they would want to watch three minutes of a balding man chopping onions is past my capacity to understand.”

“I don’t know what to tell you, man. Sometimes you’re watching something and you get distracted. Suddenly it’s 4am and onion guy has been static background noise for two hours without you even noticing and somehow you’ve bought a new set of knives that are so sharp they can slice the skin off a tomato.”

“i did it all on my own. took me a long time, but when i want something doing, i get it done.”

“What do you want? A cookie? Pat on the back? Wherever your ass was, it’s going back there. You can count on that.”

“wasn’t god that brought me back, idiot.”

“Yeah? And you know who popped your ass out of oblivion, do you?”

“Dean-? Dean. Of course I had to run into you.”

His gun was out before she had even finished speaking, “Who are you?” This wasn’t Ruby. Ruby was already back in her other vessel, so who the hell was this?

Sweetheart if the next thing outta your mouth is about me being a ‘sight for sore eyes’, I’m gonna smack you. Not sayin’ where. Hey, don’t go all grumpy on me with the Hell talk and immeasurable pain. It’s your own dumb, sexy ass that bought the ticket for down below. Mhm, just whiskey and tolerance with you boys. Oh, I’m sure it is really good to see me. But yeah, it’s really good to see you too, Dean.

You know, I was going to, but I figured that might be too much. I- [ cue stupid grin ] Yeah? Then maybe I should reconsider. Hey, okay, I wasn’t fishing for sympathy, but good to know where you stand on that. Just know I’d buy that same ticket again if Sam’s life was on the line... again. Speaking of... maybe some whiskey could help cure that hangover. [ laughs ] Sorry, I’ll stop with the sight jokes. I’m glad you’re back, Pamela. I’m sorry we couldn’t protect you back then.

[ She doesn’t want to but she smiles, letting out something akin to a laugh. She and Dean… She and the Winchesters, they had history and most of it wasn’t good but still. She could stand by her choices, the ones she made for them. ] Sure, if you’re counting that whole ‘water into wine’ rumour. Show me that and you’ll make a believer out of me yet. Oh, I’m sure they are but what can you do when you’re ass is on the line except try and keep it in one piece? Nice reference. Shut up. … You’re here to save the day though, right?

It’s good to see you too, Dean.

“You might have a point,” Matt said quickly, addressing the gruff voice without actually turning to see who it belonged to. “But- Oh, that’s right, I don’t care.” And as if to make a point, he started punching harder, ignoring the pain shooting up his arm.

“Right, yeah. Obviously.” Dean rolled his eyes, knowing he should probably just turn and walk away, but there he was moving towards him. With one hand resting on his shoulder, Dean caught his un-cast fist- with greater difficulty than he expected- and moved him back from the punching bag. “Seriously, kid. Chill for a sec, would you?”

mary would recognise the sound of her eldest sons voice anywhere, and she when she turned to see him coming towards her, her smile growing as she reached out for him and pulled him into a hug. “hi, dean.” she said softly, closing her eyes as she relished in the moment. she had her boys back again, she couldn’t be happier.

Without any more hesitation, Dean was pulling his mother into a hug. God, it was so good to see her. Honestly, Dean didn’t have the slightest idea of what was going on in this town, but he couldn’t help but not care. At least for now. Everyone he had ever lost seemed to be coming back and, while he knew there was probably going to be a catch, he was simply too happy to worry. He pulled away a little, a smile on his face. “Mom, Dad’s here.”

There was a part of John that was entirely ready to bolt, his fingers already searching for the door handle behind him. How long had it been since he’d really seen Dean? It had been decades since he’d died, but even before that, how long had it been since he’d taken in his son and how much he’d grown. Hell, John could still remember when Dean barely reached his knees.

After sacrificing himself a second time for his oldest son, John had gone to Heaven. It was a quaint little place; a perfect world where John could have the life he always wanted. There was some essence of his family there. The kids (6 and 10, respectively) were still children, their minds protected from any of the crap that had happened in the real world. Mary was there, too. He knew they weren’t real, that his wife was dead and his kids were off fighting monsters, but he couldn’t shake the pure joy he felt when he was playing ball with Dean or building some little lego contraption with Sam.

It was hard to forget the kind of innocence that radiated off of the kids he saw in Heaven. And yet that look in Dean’s eyes in that diner, it was enough to wash all of that away. John’s perfect world came crashing down with one look into those hazel-green eyes. 

He felt his chest tighten, but against his own will his feet started to move across the diner, bringing him to the table that his eldest sat at. He allowed himself to sit in front of the boy, offering him the faintest of smiles.

Just as he opened his lips to say something, anything, the waitress appeared at his table with a bright smile. The name tag read Tina, but John didn’t think this woman needed that- as she had introduced herself the moment she arrived. “I don’t s’pose you’ll be wantin’ a slice of that pie, would’ya?” She asked, tilting her head just the slightest in the direction of Dean’s pie.

John offered the woman a smile. “Just a coffee, is fine.” And when she left, he finally spoke to Dean. “I still don’t know how you can eat that sugary crap.” But it was all in jest- a reminder of the light back and forth that they used to have in diners just like this one.

Dean sat there, shell-shocked, as John walked over and sat down. He didn’t even look up at Tina as she offered his father pie- a pie he knew he wouldn’t take. “Well, usually with my mouth, dad.” It was a joke, obviously, but try telling his face that.

“Running? Oh man, he definitely doesn’t deserve donuts.” Jo laughed as she dropped the bag on the bed next to Dean and sat down on Sam’s. She wasn’t getting closer just for the sake of being closer, she wasn’t. “He gets enough exercise from hunting, doesn’t he? Why bother with cardio when nothing’s chasing you?” She didn’t want to take his words too seriously, had spent years reading too deeply into things to no avail, but she couldn’t help winking at him. It was easy to fall back into old patterns, even after their time apart. “That a promise, cowboy? We can make a date.”

“He probably has a smoothie in the fridge.” Dean shrugged and sat up, reaching towards the bag for the first of, what he hope was, many donuts. He did, however, notice that she had sat down on his brother’s bed, and he couldn’t deny that he felt a little disappointed that she hadn’t chosen to sit closer to him. Of course, he wasn’t going to say that, but his slightly faltering smile could threaten to give him away. “Exactly why I choose to stay in bed instead of going with him.” Dean’s smile grew as she winked, but he hid it behind the bite of a donut. God, he was so glad she was back. He simply couldn’t take his eyes off of her. “Hell yeah. You get me access to a kitchen, I’ll even make it myself.”

gabriel smirked when he added her order to his. oh this was going to be fun. and dean was going to hear about this from now until eternity. she slid next to him at the bar, putting her hand in his. “gabrielle,” she replied playfully, ordering herself a strong drink. maybe she could at least get a tiny buzz but didn’t hold out much hope. “so do you come here often? haven’t seen you around before,” she asked him, leaning forward on the bar. 

“Gabrielle.” He smiled as she shook his hand, “Not often enough, I guess. Been here once or twice while passing through, but I don’t usually get a lot of down time. What about you? You live here?” Their drinks came and Dean lifted them both, passing Gabrielle’s to her as he took a drink of his own.

kahli knew she was pushing him and she enjoyed the baiting of the famous dean winchester. any creature worth their salt would know about him. he and his brother didn’t exactly keep a low profile. she knew she wasn’t acting like emma anymore but he seemed to not care. for all he knew she was the little red head and had played into whatever monster thought he had thought for her. this was going to be easier than she thought. 

she laughed as he dodged her hit. she wasn’t even really trying. she let out a muffled oof when he punched her and snarled. she righted herself and quickly kicked him in the stomach. 

It took a few more hits back and forth, including Dean dropping his angel blade, but he managed to knock her back and quickly pulled his gun on her. “Guess we’re gonna have a repeat of last time.” Good. He wanted this to be over. He wanted to stop having to look at this girl every time he went anywhere and he wanted her away from his family.

Pausing for a moment, the smuggest of smiles appeared over his face. “I don’t know. I called that place home for quite a while. It’s hard to think of anything as bad, you know?” He tilted his head, looking around for a moment. “Apart from this place. This place is pretty awful.” 

“I lived there long enough to call it a home too, but if you’re not thinking of it as bad, then you gotta be pretty messed up.” Dean’s eyes narrowed into a glare as he tried to figure out who this guy was. “You hate it so much, why don’t you take your ass back to Purgatory?”

“Something must have gotten muddled up in the process. Maybe I shouldn’t have copied the patented Winchester method of sacrificing, then. You boys just make it look so fun.”

“Surprised the reapers are still letting that method slide.” Dean paused for a moment, a smile playing on his lips. It was good to see him alive again- not that he would ever admit that. “Welcome back.”

seeing him refuse to even look at her was actually worse than him avoiding her. at least then she could pretend he just hadn’t seen her. she couldn’t get away with that anymore, but she had to explain to him. even if he couldn’t forgive her, and she wouldn’t blame him if he couldn’t, he had to know the truth. he deserved that much after all he’d done for her. “no, i’m not in any trouble, i’m just a really, really shitty person and i want to try and fix it.” the redhead replied quietly. she debated on whether she should spill it all out now or wait to let him speak again for a moment before deciding to keep quiet. she wouldn’t force him to listen to her if he didn’t want to.

“Well well well, this certainly is a mess you all have gotten yourselves into. And all because of the Winchester boys. Tell me, was it worth it?”

“You know when you sacrifice yourself for people, it’s supposed to stick.”