In the Life Afterword: A Supernatural The Long Night Sequel

Issue #17: Alternation...a Supernatural TLN Sequel

Guess what!? They're back...and ps I'm in love with the video in the corner! :D

An open meadow was filled with tall grasses, a few trees, a soft falling rain, and an unmarked grave. Sam stood at the edge of the grave, tears streaking down his face, his neck. Dean wasn’t much better at the moment, red bloodshot eyes from no sleep.  Bobby stood silent, a single rose he held in his callused hand, and a bottle of brandy in the other.

This was only days after Hope had died. Two alternate worlds, two unique time frames. Very rarely do the dates and times collide.

Dean stood bitterly, looking at the grave where Hope lay buried. Would every person he’d meet have to leave or die? His mother, Jo, Lisa and Ben; all gone from his life, either dead or gone forever. He reminded himself, no one lives an “apple pie life,” no one has a happy ending. This is reality, and his reality was getting darker by the minute.

Sam crouched at the edge of the grave, thinking of Jessica, and of Hope. Both had died. One had saved him from his past; the other had saved his life.

Sam still had cuts and welts running down from the hellhound’s razor sharp claws. Did it bother either of them that Hope had shifted into a wolf and tore the hellhound apart? Yes, it scared the hell out of Sam and Dean; to think a girl could have done that. To think Hope could have done that.

A girl with visions, and she didn’t see what was coming next for her. A blade in the spine. If either of them saw Crowley again, he would die.

Sam remembered the conversation he had with her days before her death.

He walked along side Hope, her long brown layers drifting in the breeze as she strode alongside him.

“Let me just say I think you’ve done really well. Some of the normal people I know would go screaming towards the nut house with some of the stuff that’s happened since you’ve gotten here.” He stared out across the beach, "It's a wonder I haven't yet." He was thinking about hell, she stared at him, her blue eyes softening and she understood.

“Well, I might still yet,” Hope said, “Sam I—” She frowned, uncertain of how to say it.

“What is it?”

“Sam, I can’t go home. I was having a vision last night, and Balthazar popped in and told me the only way I could go home was if I die. ” Tears brimmed her blue eyes like an ocean, “And then I’m not going to care if I’m home or not then, ‘cause you know…I’d have bigger issues to worry about.”

Sam knew that she was distressed, he wanted this girl to feel better. He thought of the day in the alley, before he had been knocked unconscious by the demon waitress. He had seen his brother, and this girl who had held her ground.

“Hey it’s alright,” He said, then he had wrapped his arms around her. He rested his head on top of hers, she was probably a foot shorter than him. Part of him smiled, it was as if he was looking down on her all the time.

  “What would you do if you knew you could never go home?”

  “When I said yes to Lucifer, I knew I would die, but I did it anyways.”

 “How could you?”

 “Because it was better to know that I’d die instead of having to watch the world burn.” Plus, there was always a chance that you could win. Sam thought, then looked at Hope, this girl is invincible.

Now he scorned himself, he should have told her to leave. Go back to Bobby’s place; would it have been so difficult? Yes, because he wanted her to stay.

Bobby looked sadly at the earth. He tossed the rose from his callused hands. It fell, heavily onto the ground. It figures, he thought bitterly. He had grown used to her during that summer. In the living room, where she was sprawled out and reading book after book, waiting for her stitches to heal. Damn he was gonna miss her and her wise ass comments.

 Dean thought of the kiss, when he had wrapped his arms around her waist and crushed his lips against hers. Then he thought about all of the little things she did that he liked so much about her. Drawing, turning up Dean’s radio; the way she bite her lip when she was thinking, her wise ass comments and not ever giving in.  She had proved it to him once more, by killing a hellhound with the daemon inside her. Her leg had been bleeding from the hellhounds razor claws but she continued. Then she had her back turned, and that’s when she died. Some of her best qualities had been her undoing.

Dean turned, now a silhouette as he walked away.

Bobby patted Sam sympathetically on the shoulder as he turned to follow Dean.

The guest room had been claimed by Hope with her summer of staying with them. Books were stacked together in a small little heap. Then he saw it, her leather-bound sketchbook. He flipped it open and saw the first picture she had drawn, a landscape of tree’s and rocks. There were other sketches too, but they weren't finished, and they never would be.

Damn it, tears fell from Dean, Bobby stood in the edge of the doorway. Dean’s eyes averted his gaze, he went to the side of the bed and placed his hand on his shoulder.

His voice was gruff as he spoke, “Now I wish I could tell ya that we could bring her back. But you and I know damn well that if we did, there’d be hell to pay. In more ways than one.” Dean nodded, knowing not only would they have to exchange their soul for the deal, but Hope would be pissed if she knew what had brought her back. Plus, there was always the chance they may only bring back the daemon...not her.

 “Still,” Dean said, “We have to try, Bobby. There’s gotta be something we haven’t tried yet.” Bobby looked at him sympathetically.

 “I know Dean, but its time to get going.” He said. “We can’t just keep sitting around with our thumbs up our asses.”

“Dammit Bobby!” Dean snarled. “I know alright? But leave me alone for today, okay?”

The older man nodded in return, he just needed some time, that was all.