falling like the stars, sam winchester [ 3 ]

049. just in case

They call Crowley and he picks up after a couple of rings.

"You have less than one minute before a very dear, attractive, and slightly tipsy friend of yours snuffs it." Crowley says.

"Call it off, Crowley." Dean demands.

"Because?" Crowley asks.

"Because it's over, you son of a bitch. We want to deal." Dean says.

"30 seconds."

"We stop the trials, and you stop the killing."

"I want the demon tablet -- the whole demon tablet."

"Fine, but then the angel tablet comes to us."

"On what grounds?"

"On the grounds that you're a douchebag and no douchebag should have that much power. Deal or not?"

"First, I need to hear two little words. I surrender."

+++

They pull onto the side of the road where Kevin told them to meet up. There's a sign for a chili restaurant and it has the devil on the sign. Kevin walks out of a shallow hole, holding the demon tablet.

"You hid the demon tablet underneath the devil? Seriously?" Dean asks.

"What? I was delirious." Kevin defends. He puts the two pieces together before giving it to Sam. "You sure this is gonna work?"

"What chance do we have?" Sam asks.

Dean takes the key to the bunker out of the box.

"All right, listen, Miranda's gonna take you to the secret lair, okay?" Dean tells Kevin. "No keggers."

"I don't have any friends." Kevin says.

"Yeah, well, just lay low. Who knows? You'll be a mathlete again before you know it."

"Are we sure about this?" Miranda asks her husband. "I-I mean, I'm sure Kevin could babysit and-- and I could go with you and--"

"Hey, hey, baby. Baby." Sam cuts her off. "I will be okay. I promise." He tells her.

"If you die on me--"

"I won't." Sam forces a smile at her, one they both know is fake.

"I love you." She tells him. "Very, very much."

"I know. I love you, too." Sam says, kissing her. He doesn't pull away immediately, deepening the kiss for a few moments, just in case it is the last time. He relishes in her warm hands held in large ones and the vanilla scent from her body wash.

"I love you." He whispers one more time.

"This is sounding a lot like goodbye." She notes.

"It, uh... it's a just in case." Sam says. Miranda's eyes immediately tear up and she forces a small smile at him. Pushing her tears back, she pecks him on the lips.

"I love you, too." She says.

Sam sighs, waiting until she's out of reach to drop her hands from him. He clears his throat, crouching down.

"Come here, baby girl." He coos, Serena going over to him. "Oh!" He tightly hugs her, rocking her back and forth making her giggle. He presses multiple kisses to her face. "I love you."

"Wuv you." Serena says, kissing him on the cheek.

He lets her go and she goes over to Miranda while Sam gets Wyatt, hugging him.

"I love you, buddy." Sam tells his son, kissing his forehead.

"Love you." Wyatt says, squirming to get out of the hug, Sam reluctantly letting him go.