#042817

While Dean was processing what Wren had done in the garage, Sam returned his focus back to his laptop.  Dean was quickly approaching livid. He also felt the worry for Wren increase. He hated this.

This was beyond needing a drink. He didn’t want to be numb. He wanted to make something hurt. He needed to punch something or someone. The only person around was Sam and he wasn’t going to hit him. His only other option right now was the punching bag down in the gym. He turned and was going to directly to the gym so he could at least relieve some of the tension. That’s when the white envelope propped against one of the table lamps in the corner of his vision seemingly called out to him.  

He walked over to the far table and just looked down at the stark white envelope. It was addressed to “The Winchesters”. He knew that handwriting. There was no mistaking it. He had seen it dozens of times on grocery lists, notes for cases and post-its stuck to seemingly random places in her room. Little notes to herself so she wouldn’t forget something that suddenly popped into her head. Wren. Dean’s heart dropped into his stomach.

The sequence of events started to play through his mind. She purposely stayed back from a case. She made sure that she was alone. She had left them. She had finally had enough of either the Winchester men or the hunter’s life. Possibly both. His mind reeled at the thought. It was one of his deepest fears.  Losing someone else he had considered a family member. He hated watching his family grow smaller and smaller over the years. Now it had happened again.

Dean slowly reached forward as if the envelope would burn or sting him the moment he touched it. He knew it wouldn’t physically harm him. He was afraid of the emotional pain that this letter was sure to cause him. He picked it up and just stared at it.  He couldn’t bring himself to even open it. Just the thought of rejection from her was too much.

“Sam.”

-Sam’s POV-

Sam’s thoughts were flying around inside his head.  He was trying to reach out to other hunters to find out if they had seen or talked to Wren in the past couple of days.  Maybe someone had called for backup on a case. That was Sam’s best scenario and he wasn’t going to let go of it unless something presented itself to indicate otherwise. Wren would have thought nothing of going to help another hunter that she trusted.  Not that she trusted many but there were a few that had her number. He had contacted the hunters that fell into that category. Most of them had gotten back to Sam already but so far none of them had good news. They did promise to let Sam know if they saw or heard anything.

He picked up phone up intending to call Jody about tracking the car.  As he unlocked the phone he heard Dean call his name.  “Yeah?” He looked up from his phone towards his brother across the room. He noticed that his head was bowed and shoulders were slumped. Dean looked defeated. This surprised Sam. It wasn’t often that anyone saw this side of Dean. Not even Sam. That’s when the cloud of doom descended.

Sam put his phone down on the table and sat up straighter in his chair, “Dean, what’s going on?” That’s when the eldest Winchester turned and held out an envelope.  Sam looked back and forth between the object in Dean’s hand and the devastated look on his brother’s face.  Sam swallowed thickly and approached Dean across the room.

Dean pushed the envelope towards his brother as he approached. “Here, I can’t open it, man. I just can’t.” Sam took it and slowly turned it over. Sam didn’t want to read it either. He didn’t know it but he was thinking the same things that Dean had upon finding the letter. He recognized the handwriting as well and immediately the feeling of rejection washed over him. No, this was worse because it was Wren. And that killed him.  

With a quick glance up at Dean, Sam opened the flap and pulled out the letter. As the paper pulled free, something fell to the floor. A bounce and a slight ting sound, it rolled on the floor towards one of Dean’s boots. Dean slowly crouched down and carefully picked it up. Sam watched as Dean stood again and opened his right palm for Sam to see.

“No,” Sam breathed out. He couldn’t believe it. There was one object on this planet that Wren was fiercely protective of and wouldn’t let out of her sight ever. Yet, there it was. Wren’s ring. That circle of silver was Wren’s most precious possession in the world and yet Dean now held it in his palm.

The brothers locked eyes. What did this mean? Why would she take off but leave this behind? There was only one way to find out apparently. Sam took a deep breath and opened the piece of paper that had been folded up with the ring. He began to read aloud:

Dearest Winchesters,

I’m sure that I have made you worry and I’m sorry about that. Something came up in New Hampshire that I need to handle.

“New Hampshire?!?” Dean yelled interrupting Sam and began pacing around the room, “Seriously?!? A case? She went on a case? Why would-”

Sam returned the favor to Dean by interrupting him. “Dean, would like me to finish the letter or not? I’m sure there’s a perfectly good reason as to why she did this. It’s not like her to just run off on her own like this. She’s too smart for that. We trained her better than that.”

Dean held up his hands in surrender. Sam raised an eyebrow at his older brother and continued…

I'll text one of you when I get there. I promise. Don't worry about me. Yes, I know that was futile to write but I did it anyway. I’ ll handle this on my own. You guys have given me the confidence to do it.

I will never be able to tell you enough how much that means to me. I literally owe you guys my life. You could have left me behind after saving me, but you didn't. I was able to find myself again with your help. It was a rocky road. For all of us. On top of everything else, you gave me hope again. And a family. A real one. It doesn't meet the definition of a normal family, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Dean slammed his hand on the table and filled the room with his booming voice, “What the hell, Sam? Family? If we’re such a good ‘family,’ then what is this bull?” Sam started to wonder if reading this letter out loud to Dean was such a good idea anymore. However, when he looked down and saw the next line, he knew that he had to keep going.

Dean, please stop yelling and listen.

Dean jumped out of the chair he had just sat in moments earlier,  “Don’t tell me to stop yelling, Sammy! She could get herself hurt. Or worse.” He started pacing around the library again. It showed that he was trying to get a handle on the anger inside of him right now.  All because of Wren. Neither of them wanted to think about all of the gruesome things that they knew could happen to her out there.

Sam looked at Dean across the room, “I didn’t say that.” Dean whirled around to look at his brother. Sam pointed to the letter and grinned slightly. “Wren did.”

Dean narrowed his eyes and approached Sam. He glanced down at the letter in Sam’s hand. “Son of a bitch. She really did write that down.”  This seemed to take some wind out of Dean’s sails as he dropped into the chair across the table from Sam. He then wearily gestured for Sam to continue reading. Satisfied that Wren in her own way knew how to calm Dean down even just a little, Sam began the last of the letter. Sam cleared his throat.

Just to prove that I am planning to return once this is over, I'm leaving Lark’s ring with you. You know what it means to me and that I wouldn’t leave it behind lightly. I expect you to take care of it too. I mean it. Talk to you soon.

With love, Wren