The Heroes' Paradox

50. Lazarus Rising

"Dean."

A dial tone sounded. Dean took the phone from her and hung up the receiver and dialed again.

"Who is this?" Bobby asked.

"Bobby, listen to me," Dean told him.

"This ain't funny. Call again, I'll kill ya."

The dial tone sounded again. Dean hung up and turned. He saw an old, beat-up white car parked outside. His eyes lit up.

He got in, hot-wired the car, and pulled away from the gas station.

BOBBY'S HOUSE

There was a pounding on the door. Bobby opened it. On the doorstep was Dean, long-winded and apprehensive. He smiled cautiously. Bobby looked at him suspiciously. Reagan walked up to see him and narrowed her eyes.

"Surprise," Dean greeted.

"I, I don't..." Bobby began.

"Yeah, me neither." Dean entered. "But here I am."

Behind their backs, Bobby and Reagan took a silver knife. As Dean approached, Bobby and Reagan lunged forward and slashed at him. Dean grabbed Bobby and Reagan's arms twisted them around. Bobby and Reagan broke the grip and backhanded him in the face.

"Bobby! Reagan! It's me!" Dean cried.

"My ass!" Bobby and Reagan retorted.

Dean shoved a chair between himself and Bobby and Reagan. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait! Your name is Robert Steven Singer. You became a hunter after your wife got possessed, and... you're about the closest thing we have to a father. Your name is Reagan Hannah Bishop. You're a hunter and my sister-in-law. Your sister Madelyn is my wife. Bobby. Reagan. It's me."

Bobby and Reagan lowered the knives and stepped forward slowly. They placed a hand on Dean's shoulders. Suddenly, they slashed again, but Dean quickly subdued and disarmed them.

"I'm not a shapeshifter!" Dean yelled.

"Then you're a Revenant!" Bobby retorted.

Dean shoved Bobby and Reagan away, having taken the knives. He held them out in front of him.

"All right," Dean said. "If I was either, could I do this - with a silver knife?"

Dean rolled up his left sleeve, and, grimacing, sliced his arm above the elbow with one of the knives. A line of blood appeared on his arm.

Bobby and Reagan were starting to believe. "Dean?"

"That's what I've been trying to tell you," Dean replied.

Bobby broke and grabbed Dean for a hug and pulled Reagan in. Dean returned the hug with enthusiasm, relief on his face. They pulled apart.

"It's... It's good to see you, boy," Bobby said.

"Yeah, you too," Dean answered.

Reagan looked at Dean curiously. "But... how did you bust out?"

"I don't know. I just, uh, I just woke up in a pine box..." Bobby splashed water on his face and Dean paused and spit. "I'm not a demon either, you know."

"Sorry," Bobby apologized. "Can't be too careful."

The three ventured further into the house. Dean wiped his face with a towel. Madelyn began walking down the stairs and froze when she saw Dean.

"But... that don't make a lick of sense."

"Yeah. Yeah, you're preachin' to the choir."

"Dean. Your chest was ribbons, your insides were slopped. And you've been buried four months. Even if you could slip out of Hell and back into your meat suit-"