w i n c h e s t e r

She felt the weight of the mattress release, eyes snapping open as she laid, facing the wall. She knew that it was just Sam getting up, but they both couldn’t sleep lately. Not in comfort, at least. Only out of necessity when exhaustion became too much to fight, and for Gen this was one of those nights, but she still got up, feet stabilizing on the chilly hardwood floor before she then went to check on her husband, trying to reassure herself her husband is what she would see. She exhaled, just a little, when he saw his frame over the crib, and leaned against the door frame, “At least she’s sleeping,” Gen commented, a tired smile managing to crack on her features.

sam looked up at the sound of gens voice, just a glimpse of fear in his eyes before he relaxed and his shoulders slumped. “sorry. i didn’t mean to wake you.” he whispered, fixing the blanket around parker before he stood up and moved to the door, leaning against the other side of the frame and looking down at gen. they were both exhausted, but sam couldn’t sleep. not since he’d known that lucifer was out there. he wouldn’t be able to sleep until the bastard was back in the cage, or even better, dead. “you should go back to bed, baby.” he said, reaching down to push a strand of hair behind her ear. sam knew there was no point for him, he’d probably head downstairs and make himself some coffee. no doubt he’d end up on his laptop, looking through the mountains of lore he’d gathered on the cage over the years. it was kind of obsessive, the way he wanted to know everything about it. for security maybe, he didn’t really know. there was a lot he knew about being in the cage, but not a lot of lore existed about the creation itself. or how to get it open without the four horsemens rings, which had conveniently gone missing not so long ago. without them, he couldn’t even figure out how lucifer had gotten out in the first place.

it was late at night, and sam was sat on the floor beside parkers cot, back against the wall and head resting against the wooden bars as he fought to keep his eyes open. azazel had come for him when he was a baby, leant over his crib and dripped demon blood into his mouth. the youngest winchester would be damned, if he ever let anything like that happen to his child, so he was watching over her as she slept soundly. 

“what? no. sammy, i’m fine.” he practically scoffed, taking another big bite from his burger before his eyes looked towards him. those friggin’ sad little brother eyes. dean rolled his own and slouched his shoulders. “alright, one look.” he scoffed, speaking with a mouth full of food, as he often did. his table manners were never the best no matter what company he was around. “yeah, i mean..” shrugging, he swallowed the food. “i booked the motel up for four days so i’ll be here at least that.” nodding. “besides, i got a lot to catch up on. all things you, gen and parker… and there’s some people here i like to check in with.” he was being vague. his brother didn’t need to know that there was a hunter here trying to track a demon. as messy as the town was, it did somewhat.. well, at least considering that over half the population was supernatural. “you talked to jodie lately? she’s been on my ass for months, she wants me to drag you all up to hers for a night. i mean, she’s playin’ it like she wants to see us but really she just wants to meet bubbles.” he nodded to parker, who was looking at him. he crossed his eyes and pulled a face that made her giggle, washing such a relaxed expression over his face, a rare look of contentment that only ever surfaced around those he really trusted. little parker was like a fresh air breeze, so innocent, so much life ahead of her, she was one of the reasons dean knew why he couldn’t stop hunting. it was to protect people, families like sam’s, it was all he knew.

“you know you don’t have to stay at a motel when you’re in town, right? there’s always space for you here.” sam knew that dean had his weird little complex about getting in the way of sams family, but he didn’t seem to understand that he was an important part of the family. sam would never have gotten to this point in his life if it hadn’t been for dean. he’d always had his back, saved his life, brought him back to life. he’d seen him through hell and back. dean was a part of this family, no matter how often he was away. “should get her here for christmas, make a real occasion of it. you too. maybe i can convince cas to stay around for more than ten minutes at a time.” sam said, putting his chicken salad down on the coffee table. a proper family christmas, that would be nice. parker was old enough this year to really enjoy it, and understand the concept. sam would try and not ruin the christmas dinner. everyone together, and happy. sam watched dean and parker interact with a smile on his face, he was so glad that his brother had come back to visit, for her sake. “she misses you when you’re not here, you know?” he said, turning eyes onto dean. “when she hears your voice, or sees a picture of you.” 

“she was asking after you. i told her you traded hunting for crappy diapers and puke. she seemed pleased.” as in, elieen, along with dean, was happy for sam, getting a mostly apple pie life after everything he had been through. grateful for the mouth full of food, he chewed and used the seconds to collect himself before he answered. “rugaru.” nodding, he shrugged. “we thought it was a wendigo at first. but we got it wrong.” and oh, both him and elieen paid for that mistake. the rugaru slaughtered his wife and his three children only minutes before they busted through the door after figuring it out. the sight was one of the many dean wouldn’t forget. just like it was one of the things he wouldn’t forgive himself for - he should have connected the dots sooner; he should have saved the wife and three children before the husband managed to turn on them. “he didn’t go down easy. nearly wiped elieen straight out of the ball park.” and by his own physical injuries, it showed that he nearly wiped dean out too. “yeah, you’d limp too if you had your knee cap was smashed with a hammer.” with an eye roll, he shook his head. “i’m fine. just need a couple days to recharge. maybe some more grease and a visit to the bar. you know if stacey still works at the grill? she was a good time. you know, friendly, i mean.” obviously that wasn’t what he meant at all. 

“well, at least let me look at your knee. to make me feel better.” sam said, turning patented puppy dog eyes on his older brother, the puppy dog eyes he knew dean had never been able to resist. honestly, sam couldn’t help but feel a little more guilt every time dean came back to him with an injury. he felt like he could have prevented it if he was with him. “so you’re gonna be here for a couple days, then?” he said, reaching over to pick up a chicken nugget that parker had dropped on the floor. it was good to know dean was planning on sticking around this time, he never knew whether it was just going to be just a flying visit, one night in and then back on the road. even after all these years, sam felt safest with his big brother by his side. 

“probably.” he hmpfed out a brief chuckle, that typical noise, half-laugh that he did when he didn’t want to elaborate, when he didn’t want to get into the things he was running from. hunting without sam was fine, hunting on his own was fine, but every now and then, a case didn’t go as planned… every so often, he lost and he ended up back here, at sams door, looking for a reminder of his family, of the reason he continued to hunt. his jaw was bruised, his knuckles were half-broken, bruised with dried out blood. he even walked with a little limp which he was sure sam noticed on his way in. “an only child, huh?” dean smirked towards parker who was shuffling and giggling in his lap as he tickled at her ribs. “maybe that wouldn’t be so bad. you know, only children get more presents. you remember that next time you sit on your dads lap.” he chuckled. it still sounded weird to him, referring to sam as a dad, but it was a pleasant feeling. his brother always wanted a family of his own and looking at parker, dean would never, ever deny how much he loved P too. “… no i wasn’t - i wasn’t gonna say anything.” dean lifted his brows and waited till he was passing before he shouted back. “hey sam, can you get me a joo joo, too?” he burst into mocking laughter as he unwrapped his burger. “uhh, oklahoma, you remember eileen? she needed help, i was near by.” 

sam rolled his eyes at deans cackle, stabbing a piece of lettuce with his fork and putting it into his mouth. “oh, nice.” eileen was a good hunter, and sam felt better knowing that dean was with someone who had his back. “what did it end up being?” he asked, raising his brows. whatever it had been, it had taken it out of dean, that much was obvious. sam had started to pick up on a kind of.. habit of deans. whenever a hunt had been particularly draining, or he’d been in the fight of his life, he came back to them. he wondered if dean knew he did that, or it he just subconsciously came to family. “you gonna let me do a full MOT after dinner? cause you know if you don’t let me, gen will make you. don’t think i didn’t see you limping when you came in.”

“i eat all the sugar all day and look at me, picture of health. don’t you listen to him, burgers are the holy grail, bacon is good and people don’t eat rabbit food.” he spoke to parker, as if she could understand him. he knew once she was a little older sam wouldn’t be pleased if he taught her any bad habits. he knew he would have to get his language in check too. how hard could not swearing be, anyway? 

a warm grin broke out on his face, one he reserved only for family. “come here, jellyfish.” leaning forward with his hands open ready to sweep her up, it was hard to hide the fact he’d been itching to hold her since he walked through the door. he’d never have his own but having a niece was enough. more than. he was proud of sam and what he’d done with his life. “ca ca? close enough. let’s teach you to say impala then i’ll be impressed.” picking her up, he was gentle, careful not to squeeze her too hard. 

“don’t act like that’s not what banana bread is for, what are you, a grown man?” he chuckled, tipping his head in a nod at the offer for a beer. “hey, little one.” dean looked down, smiling at the life in his hold. a warm chuckle rumbled his chest when parker hugged him. there was something so soft and pure about it, something that made the tension in his shoulders slip away. “yeah, i missed you too, kid.” 

“yeah, but you’re also running from god knows what every day of the week. probably cancel each other out.” sam tried not to think about the hunts that dean was out there on his own, he’d tried to convince his brother on multiple occasions to find a partner to work with, but he’d made it pretty clear that he didn’t want anyone but his own brother sat beside him in the impala. sam grabbed two beers from the fridge and went back to the living room. “hey, babygirl. you gonna sit in your chair and eat your nugs.” they had recently upgraded from the highchair to a little plastic chair that they pushed up to the coffee table. it caused a lot of messes, but it was easier than hauling the big high chair around the house, depending on where they were eating. parkers response was to send one of her patented pouts his way and jump up and down on deans lap. “you should be careful, she’s gotten into the habit of climbing on my lap, she’s jumped on my crotch about ten times already. think she’s trying to make sure she’s an only child.” sam opened the bag and placed parkers food down in front of her chair, looking at her with raised eyebrows. “i’m not bringing it to you, so you’re gonna have to come get it.” parker pushed herself off the sofa on her stomach and paddled over to her chair, sitting down and grabbing a nugget. “good girl. i’ll get you some joo joo.” before he went back to kitchen to grab a juice box, he looked at dean and pointed a finger towards him. “not a word about the joo joo thing. it’s what she calls it. not a word.” once parker was settled with her food, he grabbed a fork and his own chicken salad and sat down beside dean. “so where you coming in from?”

“yeah but that takes the prize out of surprise.” his eyes floated over to his niece and his features softened as he saw her smiling. he lifted his free hand to tickle her cheek and poke her nose. “she’s gotten huge.” dean was tempted to hold his hands out and take a hold of her but he would wait. until sam offered or maybe even if she came to him on his own. he strolled into the home and put the bag of food on the table. “what’s wrong with a happy meal? it’s a meal and it’s happy what’s not to love?” pulling a face, he planted his backside on the sofa and looked around. “where’s the wife?” he asked, pointing to the bag. “the greasy burgers are ours. i got you a chicken salad and some nuggets and banana bread for the kid. i wasn’t sure what she likes.” he shrugged. dean knew he needed to check in more frequently and not just after a bad hunt brought him here to remind him why he continued to fight. 

“i dunno, the dozens of additives and the high sugar and fat content.” sam said with a roll of his eyes, closing the door after dean. he acted like the put out little brother, but really he was always thrilled when his big brother came to visit. when he had first told him that he was hitting the road, it had come as a bit of shock to sam, and he had almost wanted to beg him to stay, but then he’d realised that was selfish of him and dean was never a home bird. they always kept in touch, and sam always had a bag packed in the trunk of the car so that if dean ever sent out and S.O.S, he’d be the first one on the road. 

parker was wriggling in his arms, he put her down on the floor. “go give uncle dean cuddles.” he said, watching her little legs waddle over to where he’d sat down. parker where was getting their with words, she could say mummy and dada, but ‘uncle dean’ was a bit too much for her to get tongue around. “ca’ ca’!” she said, grabbing a hold of deans pant leg to try and clamber on top of him. thanks to the magic of technology, they facetimed as much as possible, more for parkers sake than his own, he didn’t want his daughter to forget her uncles face. 

“chicken nuggets are fine, she might take the banana bread and try and mold people out of it though, so that’ll be your job to clean up.” he said with a chuckle, rolling up the sleeves on his plaid shirt. “gen’s out with the dogs, she had to deal with a poop emergency this morning while i was on a run, and decided she was taking the afternoon off. you want a beer?” he asked dean, moving towards the kitchen and the big freestanding smeg fridge. 

sam winchester verses: 

verse 1: (post iotdrpg) continues on where the RPG left off. he’s happily married to genevieve, raising their daughter parker and looking after their two dogs. he works part time at the rescue centre, but found himself dragged back into hunting when the murchadha buildings in town caught his attention.

verse 2: (the lone hunter) set around season eight when sam and dean split up and weren’t talking, sam ended up in mystic falls after word from a fellow hunter about the vampires in town. he plans to stay at a motel in town, keep his head down and try and figure out what’s going with mystic falls.

Things had been pretty peaceful lately, in the context of Mystic Falls. No weird town spells, no natural or unnatural diasters, no rogue horsemen showing up to wreak havoc on their lives…things were quiet. Which meant, usually, that something soon would change. Gen always seemed to hold her breath as they lived their life, just prepared, just in case. But now, she was asleep, perfectly unworried for once when she heard one of the dogs, too. Usually, she would have stayed asleep, but the continuous barking that didn’t stop made it impossible. She groaned into the pillow, swatting at Sam to go take care of it, “Give them…treats,” she got out while she yawned, before nuzzling her face back into the pillow.

sam groaned in annoyance, climbing out of bed and rubbing his eyes sleepily. they had probably spotted a fox in the backyard, so he’d let them out to run around until they realised it was gone, and then fetch them back in. he paused to check on parker, who sleeping soundly in her cot. he walked downstairs, dressed in a pair of sleep pants and the pair of slippers that he kept beside his bed. “alright, alright.” he mumbled, hearing the dogs barking in the kitchen. when he rounded the corner, he didn’t expect to see lucifer stood in the kitchen, leaning against the island casually. sam felt his heart drop into his stomach. there was no way. it couldn’t possible. they had thrown his ass back in the cage. “this is a dream.” he said, shaking his head. the dogs had stopped barking now, and had moved over to sam, sitting beside him in protective stances. “you can’t be here.” 

“what? you thought the cage would be foolproof this time? i busted out twice before, honestly it was stupid of you and your brother to think it would ever stick.” lucifer pushed off the counter and took a step forward, making sam stumble a step back. “heard about your brother, by the way. everyone downstairs was really disappointed when he didn’t end up there. alistair was really looking forward to seeing him again.” sam could feel his body shivering, this couldn’t be real. “this isn’t real. this is a dream..” he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to will himself out of this dream. when he opened his eyes, lucifer was walking towards him, and all sam could think about was his wife and daughter sleeping upstairs. dream or not, he had to protect his family. he grabbed the table lamp on the side table beside him and smashed it over lucifers head. “gen!” he yelled, running towards the stairs. “get out of he-” he cut off when lucifer threw him clean across the room and into the bookcase in the living, shelves and books clattering to the floor. sam groaned in pain and started to climb to his knees, he just had to keep lucifer away from the stairs.