How Wonderful Life Is

chapter eighteen- EPILOGUE

wow wow wow. this is it. goddamn - it's over. well... enjoy

Dean raced into the clearing, a gunshot spurring him faster, Buffy and Dawn right behind him. Damn his twin for heading out alone - and she'd stolen the Impala! She'd pay for that. He skidded to a halt at what he saw.

His little brother was kneeling alone in the clearing. Dean's heart stopped at the sight of the body a few feet away from Sam. Sam's sobs echoed throughout the emptiness.

As he neared, never stopping his break-neck pace, Dean recognized the body of Azazel. The now dead yellow eyes stared up at him, but he couldn't celebrate yet at the death of his mother's murderer; he had to find his twin sister. The sprinted steps slowed to a stumbling walk.

"Where's Grace?" He whispered. Sam's eyes remained downcast. "Sam, where is she?" Dean insisted; dread turning his blood to ice. Sam slowly raised his tear-filled eyes to his older brother. The misery said it all.

"No." Dean sobbed. "No!" Dean fell to his knees like a fallen man before God, all the life whooshing out of him like a gust of wind. Tears spilled freely from his eyes, soaking his cheeks. He bowed his head, all the energy gone from his body. He was an incomplete set without his twin. He already felt his harsh absence from his life like his heart had been ripped from his chest by a rabid dog.

Buffy covered her mouth with a manicured hand, attempting to stop a wail from erupting between her lips, but failing. She was reeling in shock that her sister-in-law was gone. She'd never laugh with her best friend, never go out hunting together, Grace would never hold her unborn baby.

Dawn collapsed next to Sam, weeping into his shoulder. Grace had been another mother figure she'd lost, a friend when she'd had none. Grace had put up with Dawn's fits when no one else would, and was always willing to lend an ear when Dawn needed to talk. And now she was gone.

The couples clung to each other, their cries sounded out for their lost friend, sister, other half.

Cas stood apart from the broken family, his hands limp at his sides staring at the place where the love of his life jumped into Hell itself to save her family. A lone tear slid down his cheek.

Fin