In the Life Afterword: A Supernatural The Long Night Sequel

Issue #36: Grievance...a Supernatural TLN Sequel

“What’s wrong with cartoons?” Dean said roughly, and gave me the sad face. Those puppy dog eyes were as nearly as priceless as Sam’s.

  

“I actually like watching cartoons. At first I didn’t, but they kind of grow on you. Besides, Naruto is pretty freakin’ awesome, they only have a couple of dumb episodes here and there, but for the most part they are pretty good. Kinda like a ninja soap opera.” I grinned as I saw Dean’s smile falter.

“You did not just compare it to a soap opera!”

“Maybe I did,”

“What the hell is so wrong with a soap opera, at least those have actual people and not those friggin’ drawings.” Bobby claimed and we all shut up. Bobby loved him some soaps, I had learned that during my time there. I guess if your life is already filled with so much action, maybe you’d want to take a step away from that and watch some people argue and cry about their daily lives.

Either way we sat back and watched Naruto. It was an episode I vaguely remember seeing before, but it was fine. After all that, you almost begin to forget you were torn away from your home so some sadistic angel could use you for a revenge plot.

Soon the show was over, and Bobby had decided we were going to an antique show. I gave him a funny look, trying not to be too judgmental, but then he explained, “It’s a good job to do when you got nothing better, plus you never know, might be some relics or some shit that we can buy and destroy for an easy bargain.

 

I put on jeans to cover my stitches and a jacket to cover my bandaged shoulder. I never liked people asking questions, so it was just easier to hide it.

The impala’s windows were rolled down as we all enjoyed the fresh air on our trip to go to the antique show. All of the displays were outside, which on a rainy day would have been a shame, but it was wonderful today.

 I walked alongside Dean and Sam. Bobby went to go find the antique guns and knife displays “If you start to hurt too much let us know.” Dean said and I smiled in return.

 

“I’ll get over it.” I replied. A little pain will be fine.

 

"Yeah, whatever, don't pull that "it doesn't hurt crap just 'cause you think you're wonderwoman."

We continued to walk along, all of us taking time to stop and look at something we were interested in. I found myself staring at a wooden bow. I was impressed. I ran my hand down the limbs and they were all amazingly smooth for their age, and had been designed for people that were left handed shooters.

“You like to hunt?” Dean asked me curiously.

  I shook my head, “No, but I shoot, it’s a bad habit of mine. However it’s very relaxing. I shoot a compounded left handed bow half the time.”

  “And the other half?”

 “Well I spend the other half of my time drawing.” I smiled, “You saw my sketchbook.”

 “Hell I bought your sketchbook.” He replied.

 “Technically, your credit card bought it.” I corrected and he shook his head in irritation and walked away, going to look at kunai knives and other ninja weapons.

  

“Hope, have you looked at this?” Sam asked, he was holding out an arrow. I walked slowly over, trying not to catch my stitches against the jean fabric of my pants.

The arrow was very cool and oriental looking but the person selling the item had forgotten something. I looked at Sam and gave him an unimpressed stare. “Wait to go Sam, you found a Native American made arrow made in china.”  I peeled off the sticker on the end off the “native American crafted” arrow (at least that’s what it said on the one end of the arrow) and flicked it at him. The seller of the items turned several shades of red when he realized he had forgotten to take the sticker off.

Sam walked ahead but he too became distracted. He forgot about my most recent injury and went ahead, leaving me behind to look at old paintings. There was a close up painting of a grassland and wildflowers and clovers. The frame on it was ancient, but the painting itself looked relatively new.

“It kinda reminds ya of paradise don’t it?” I jumped, till I saw it was Bobby looking over my shoulder.

“It looks like the fields I have in my back yard.” I admitted.

“Well, ya see, that uh kinda paradise I would go to and I would never leave, I only wish that was the case for Sam and Dean."

"Yeah...me too," I muttered. We had all been through alot but if anyone deserved a break, it was them.

Bobby looked at me briefly, "If you ever have the chance, take them to place that would make them happy, where they could take their minds off a case for a little while.”

I smirked, “Sorry I don’t think there’s a place where I could find both a strip mall and a bookstore in walking distance.”

 Now Bobby chuckled and put his hand on my good shoulder, “Come on, let’s go find those idiots.”

***************************

Now I had to go find Sam and Dean on my own again, but I had no idea how to get the Knife of Faint, how to get back to the people that needed my help the most.

And on top of all that...Bobby was dead.