The Winchester Three (S4): Lazarus Rising

Ch 12 Section 14

Flashback: Locksley Motel 1997

Late the next morning, Angel walked out of Asas bathroom drying her hair with a towel. She stayed longer than she anticipated, but she didn't regret it. Their morning festivities were worth it, not to mention before that she woke up to him bringing her breakfast.

Noticing he was sitting at the couch she took a seat next to him, "Who are you writing too?"

On the table in front of them was a box that held written but never sent postcards.

"If i tell you..." His eyes flashed to hers momentarily as he finished writing yet another one, "You gotta promise not to make fun of me."

"Oh..." Angel raised a brow, "That means it's good." She motioned, "Promise. Go on."

"When I was a kid, I, uh, loved taking pictures. Pretty much anything, but we've got pretty dense woods around my house so that's where I spent most of my time. One day I got attacked by a werewolf. That's where the scar came from." He motioned to his face before smiling at her, "This woman came out of nowhere and saved my ass. I mean it was amazing. She was amazing. Kind of got me started into hunting. I haven't forgotten her even after all these years. Don't think i ever will."

"So you write to her? That's cute." She smiled, nodding over to the open box beside him, "Why don't you ever send them?"

"I wouldn't know where. Said she was retiring." He shrugged, "The way I figure it, we'll come across each other at some point. Even if she is retired."

"What do you write?"

"At first, when I was still a kid, whatever case I would find. But now..." He placed the newest postcard into the box, "Just a rundown of whatever case I worked on." He winked, "Even mentioned you in this one."

She smiled, shaking her head at him, before motioning to the box, "May i?" He nodded and she took the newest one out first, immediately her entire body stiffened and went cold at what she read, "'Dear Mary Winchester'... is- is this a joke? What is this?"

"What do you mean?" Asas brows furrowed, "What's wrong?"

"This, Mary Winchester. That's- that's my mother's name."

"Mary Winchester is your mom? That's..." He bulked in shock, "Well that's one hell of a coincidence. Explains why she said she was going into retirement."

"This doesn't make any sense." Her hands shook as she stood up, "My mother wasn't a hunter. She was- she was a normal, white picket fence, mom, not a hunter."

"Was?" Asa asked sadly, "She pass?"

"She died in a fire when I was six... some kind of... thing attacked her. It's- it's why my dad became a hunter. It's why he drags me and brothers around God's green earth for jobs." Tears streamed down her face as she spoke, her heart was broken at the fact that her mother lived this same life, "This is a mistake. It's not the same woman, it can't be."

"I have a picture of her... well, you can't really see her face but..." He took it out of the box and handed it to Angel, coming over to stand next to her, "Maybe it'll help."

The picture was a blonde woman in a jean jacket getting into a blue car. Her face wasn't shown but Angel knew it was her. She knew it was her mother and that broke her heart to pieces.

She handed the photo and postcard back to him before wiping her face dry, "I can't believe this..." He studied her, not sure what to say, his heart hurt for Angel and for the woman he's idolized all these years, but his face softened when her sad eyes met his, "She got out... This means, for years she got out but something caught up with her and dragged her back in. Not only that, but it killed her."

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Angel." He brought her into a tight hug, "I know those words don't mean anything, and this must be like an A-Bomb went off in your head, but your mom was a good hunter, a great person." He pulled her back, "And I may not know you that well yet but she must've been a damn good mother for the time that you had her because you're pretty amazing too."

Angel didn't know what to say. She didn't know how to express what she was feeling. She didn't even know what the hell all this meant, her mother being a hunter. Did her dad know? Did they hunt together before she died? Was her whole childhood with them before her death a lie? It wasn't exactly like Asa could give her any answers, and she wasn't sure she wanted to even bring it up to her father. He didn't react well when they brought her up and if he didn't know about this then it would probably turn everything he knows upside down.

Her cell phone ringing had Angel splitting away from Asas hold. Walking over to the bedside table she saw her father was calling. Taking a steadying breath, she got rid of all the emotion in her voice before speaking.

"Hey dad..."

"You finish your hunt?"

"Yeah... The thing was a Kappa. The girl-"

"You kill it?"

Her jaw clenched, "Yes sir."

"Good girl. Get the boys and meet me in Platteville Wisconsin. I got a case I need your help with."

"Oh... okay-"

Before she could say anything further he hung up. Her jaw clenched again as she looked at the phone before sliding it in her back pocket. Her eyes flashed to Asas as she slipped her jacket on.

"I have to go. Thanks..." She cleared her throat, "For your help with the case, for everything. Sorry about crying."

"You don't have to apologize for that. I understand." He walked her out to the impala and opened the drivers side door for her, "So, do I ever get to see you again or is this just a one time thing?"

"You have my number." She smiled as she shut the door, "Call me if you need someone to save your ass again."

Truman High School 1997

Students filled the school hallway as Sam walked down it. He earned pats on the back as well as 'good job buddy', and 'great job with Dirk the Jerk' as multiple kids slapped his hand. Dean observed this from afar, still brooding from his fight with Amanda.

He sighed when he got a call on his cell, "Yeah?"

"Dean, it's time to go. I'll pick up our stuff from the motel. Get Sam and meet me outside your school." Angel's voice instructed, "Dad needs us to meet him in Wisconsin by tomorrow."

He huffed in relief, "Finally."

After retrieving Sam, they both went outside to wait for their sister. Dean was more than willing to take off, nearly bouncing with impatience as they waited. Sam, however, was sad they had to leave for once. He frowned as he thought about Barry and the fact that he had finally fit in at a school for once just to leave the moment that happened.

Dean paced, glaring at the sidewalk, "I can't wait to get the hell out of here. This place sucks." He caught sight of Angel pulling in with Impala before she beeped at them, "Come on, Sam."

As they got in the car, Sam saw Barry at an upstairs window and waved to him. He waved back down sadly as he watched his friend leave.

"Let's go, Sammy." Angel craned her neck to look at her little brother, "Dad's already on my ass as it is. We gotta hurry it up."

Sam flashed one last look at Barry before turning and getting into the impala so she could drive off to their next destination.