Monsters and Men

4. Letting Go

The next thing Lacey knew, she was staring up at the ceiling, and feeling the bed beneath her. She was back in her body, awake, alive. Sitting up, she glanced back and found an empty bed, she was in her body for sure.

Stepping down to the floor, her legs shook and she made it to the door before having to grab on to keep herself up. Only then realising her arm was lacking a cast. Daylight lit the hospital, and she could hear voices coming from Dean’s room.

“. . . edema's vanished. The internal contusions are healed. Your vitals are good. You have some kind of angel watching over you,” the doctor was saying.

“Thanks, doc,” came Dean’s voice and Lacey smiled, almost falling into the room.

“Howdy boys,” she greeted.

“Lacey!” Sam hurried over to support her, the doctor muttering a few surprised curses. “You shouldn't be out of bed.”

“I’m fine,” she waved Sam off, “Mind telling him that Doc?”

“Well your condition improved drastically overnight, though we weren't expecting you to wake until tomorrow.”

“See,” Lacey beamed.

“Um, i’ll leave you to it,” the doctor said, probably giving up.He wandered out the room, pausing as if he wanted to speak to Lacey, but thought better of it and kept going.

“So you said a Reaper was after me?” Dean asked, “And Lacey?”

“Yeah,” Sam nodded, making Lacey turn her head to the side, didn’t Dean remember?

“How'd I ditch it?” the man in question asked.

“You got me. Dean, you really don't remember anything?”

“No. Except this pit in my stomach. Sam, something's wrong.”

Lacey wanted to tell him he couldn’t be more right, but if he didn’t remember, then John wanted it that way, and despite all his bad qualities she knew he’d done the right thing.

“What about you Lace?” Dean asked. “Digging the hair by the way.”

“No, nothing,” she lied, then lifted her hands up, "Thanks is guess."

Most of her hair was brushed over to the left, a shaved strip she’d forgotten about above her ear. The stitches were still in, but the wound was almost healed. There was a knock on the door, and John leaned in the doorway with a smile. Lacey smiled back, feeling tears build in her eyes.

“How you feeling, dude?”

“Fine, I guess. I'm alive,” Dean replied.

“That's what matters,” John nodded, “Lacey?”

“I’m good,” she murmured.

“Where were you last night?” Sam asked angrily.

“I had some things to take care of,” John said softly. Lacey heard the pain in his voice, the tears, John knew what was coming, he knew Sam would be angry and he didn’t want to fight.

“Well, that's specific.”

“Come on, Sam,” Dean complained.

“Did you go after the demon?” Sam asked.

“No,” John replied.

“You know, why don't I believe you right now?”

“Sam, stop it,” Lacey said firmly. “Don’t fight, not now.” Sam frowned, ready to say something else but John beat him to the punch.