Sam walks into his and Larissa's bedroom, stopping at the differences. There's pictures set up on top of the dresser -- Jo and Larissa; Sam, Larissa, Bobby, and Dean; Athena when she was born; and Larissa & Sam when they got married.
Athena's crib sits in the corner of the room, her stuff neatly set up by the crib, yet it still looks like a complete mess at the same time.
Larissa is currently standing by the crib, her back to Sam.
"Really? You and Dean both?" Sam asks.
"Okay, if we're living here, I'm taking advantage of it." Larissa quietly says. "And shut up, she's sleeping."
"She's two weeks old. She's always sleeping, babe." Sam chuckles, walking over.
"She's three weeks in two days." Larissa says.
"Ugh, don't remind me." Sam whines. He looks down at the peaceful baby in the crib. "Why is it going so fast?"
"Well, we still have eighteen more years. Get ready." Larissa says.
"She's never dating." Sam states.
"Yeah, okay." Larissa laughs.
"I'm serious." Sam says.
"Yeah. No, she'll-- she'll definitely fulfill your demand on that." Larissa sarcastically remarks.
"Did your dad let you date?" Sam asks.
"He said no dating until I was 60." Larissa says.
"And?" Sam asks.
"Well, exhibit A." She points between them. "But I also had a boyfriend in kindergarten, so, if she's anything like her amazing momma... you're in for a lot of heart attacks." Larissa says.
"Oh, God." Sam groans, burying his face in his hands as Larissa quietly laughs.
+++
Sam and Larissa are sitting in the library and Sam is holding Athena while he uses his free hand to go through the multiple books on the table.
"What are you reading?" Dean asks as he walks in while balancing three plates.
"Sort of, uh, everything." Sam says.
"Oh, good. Somebody's gonna have to dig through all this, and it ain't gonna be me." Dean says.
"I hear that." Larissa mumbles as Dean puts a hamburger in front of her.
"You made these?" Sam asks.
"We have a real kitchen." Dean says. "Which also means more baking, am I right?" He asks Larissa. "You know, especially a, uh... a certain dessert. Three letters Rhymes with die."
"I get it, Dean." Larissa says.
"I-I just didn't think you knew what a kitchen was." Sam jokes.
"I'm nesting, okay? Eat. And since she can finally eat them without puking now that the rugrat's out, baby mama's got extra tomatoes." Dean states.
"Aww, Dean-o... you do love me." Larissa gushes.
"Shut up." Dean rolls his eyes and she smirks a little.
Sam takes a bite of the burger while Dean watches with a smile.
"Huh? Yeah." Dean nods.
"Wow." Sam says, his mouth full of food.
"You're welcome." Dean says. He goes to take a bite of his burger, but his phone rings. He sighs and puts the burger down, pulling his phone out and answering it.
"Yo. What? Kevin? Kevin?!" Dean pulls his phone away.
"Something wrong?" Sam asks.
"Guess." Dean says, walking out. Larissa grabs her burger and stands up.
"I'll go get her bag." Larissa says, walking out.
Sam starts to leave, but turns back and grabs his burger.
"You'll understand when you're older." He tells Athena.
+++
They're on the boat and walk inside, looking for Kevin.
"Kevin? It's us." Sam calls.
"Found him." Dean says. Sam and Larissa walk over, finding Kevin vomiting into the toilet.
~ ~ ~
Kevin is sitting at the table and wipes his bloody nose.
"Here." Larissa hands him a water that was in the diaper bag.
"Thanks." Kevin mumbles, taking it.
"Wow. You look like hammered crap." Dean says.
"Yeah." Kevin says.
"Are you sleeping?" Sam asks.
"Not really." Kevin answers.
"Are you eating?" Dean asks.
"Hot dogs, mostly." Kevin says.
"Sure, yeah -- breakfast of champions. Look, I'm gonna feel dirty saying this, but you might want a salad and a shower." Dean says.
"I know, and I've been getting bad headaches and nosebleeds, and I think maybe I had a small stroke. But it was worth it." Kevin says.
"What was worth it?" Sam asks.
"I figured out how to close the Gates of Hell." Kevin says.
"You--" Dean smiles. "Come here, you smelly son of a bitch." He hugs Kevin, lifting him off the ground making them all laugh.
"Okay, okay. So, what does this mean? What are we looking at?" Sam asks.
"It's a spell." Kevin says.
"And?" Dean asks.
"And it's just a few words of Enochian, but the spell has to be spoken after you finish each of the three trials." Kevin says, handing Dean a piece of paper.
"Trials like, uh, like Law & Order?" Sam asks.
"More like Hercules. The tablet says, "Whosoever chooses to undertake these tasks should fear not danger, nor death, nor..." A word I think means getting your spine ripped out through your mouth for all eternity." Kevin says.
"Good times." Dean says.
"Basically, God built a series of tests, and when you've done all three, you can slam the gates." Kevin says.
"So, what? God wants us to take the SATs?" Sam asks.
"I-I guess. Uh, he works in mysterious ways." Kevin says.
"Yeah, mysterious, douche-y ways. All right. Where do we start?" Dean asks.
"I've only been able to crack one of the tests so far, and it's gross. You've got to kill a hound of Hell and bathe in its blood." Kevin says.
"Awesome." Dean says.
"Awesome?" Sam asks.
"Yeah. Hey, if this means icing all demons, I got no problem gutting some devil dog and letting Calgon take me away." Dean says.
"Where are you gonna find one?" Kevin asks.
"Well, Hellhounds like to collect on crossroads deals. So all we got to do is track down some loser who signed over his special sauce 10 years ago, get between him and Clifford the big dead dog -- easy."
"Doesn't sound easy." Kevin says.
"It's not." Sam says.
"Look, you get on the net -- see what you can dig up. I'm gonna go for a supply run because we need goofer dust, and the kid needs to eat something that's not ground up hooves and pig anuses -- not that there's anything wrong with that." Dean leaves.
~ ~ ~
Kevin walks out of the bathroom, showered and clean shaven as well as wearing clean clothes.
"Okay, I feel a lot better." Kevin states.
"Hey, Kevin, buddy, you got to slow down." Sam says.
"What?" Kevin asks.
"Get some shuteye. Take a day off. Open a window." Sam says.
"I second that." Larissa says.
"No. You said nuking Hell -- that's how I get out. That's how I go home." Kevin says.
"Right, it is, but you can't live like this." Sam says.
"You think I want to? I hate it here. I can't leave because every demon on the planet wants to peel my face off. I can't talk to anyone except you guys or Garth when he swings by or my mom. Right? And when she calls, all does is cry. I just... I need this to be over."
"I know. I do. But trust me on this -- this whole saving the world thing -- it's a marathon, not a sprint. You got to take better care of yourself."
They hear the door open and Dean walks in with some shopping bags.
"Hey. Did you know there are like 6,000 kinds of tomatoes?" Dean asks, putting the bags down. "Did you find anything?"
"Yeah, demon signs, 10 years ago, all centered on Shoshone, Idaho." Sam says.
"Okay, well, big time mojo means a big time freak. So, anybody have a horseshoe shoved up his ass?" Dean asks.
"That's one way of putting it." Sam chuckles. He turns his laptop to Dean. "Meet the Cassitys, small time farmers who struck oil on their land in February of '03, which is weird because geological surveys--"
"Yeah, you had me at "weird." All right. We thinking deal?"
"Best lead we've got."
"Well, let's go visit the Beverly Hillbillies." Dean turns to Kevin. "You stay here, work on step number 2, and, uh, if you come across anything about Hellhounds, drop a dime, okay? Cause between the-the claws and the teeth and the whole invisibility thing, those bitches can be... real bitches."
"I got you a present." Dean pulls out two bottles, giving one to Kevin. "The, uh, blue ones are for the headaches, and the greens are for pep." He gives him the second bottle. Sam and Larissa share a look. "Don't O.D."
"Thanks?" Kevin's eyebrows furrow.
"You and Athena good?" Sam asks.
"Yep. Don't die, please." Larissa says.
"I will see you both later." Sam says, pecking Larissa on the lips. He softly kisses Athena on the head before following Dean.
+++
After finding something, Kevin calls Dean. Larissa is sitting next to him and Athena is asleep in her mom's arms.
"Hey, Kev, what's up?" Dean asks.
"Hey, Dean, good news, uh, I think... kind of." Kevin says.
"Don't oversell it." Dean says.
"Sorry. Um, I found something on the tablet, uh, about Hellhounds. Uh, this mean anything to you? "The dire creatures may be seen only by the damned or through an object scorched with holy fire"?"
"Like with holy oil?" Sam asks.
"It's got to be. We could use a window." Dean says.
"Or glasses." Kevin says.
"I think we've still got some Jesus juice in the trunk. All right, I'll take care of the, uh, the X-ray specs. You stay here. Do not let J.R. and the gang out of your sight, all right?" Dean says.
"Right." Sam says. "Hey, Kevin, uh, you did great, man. Get some sleep."
"Okay. Tha--" Kevin smiles, but it disappears when Dean ends the call. Larissa rolls her eyes at the man's behavior. Kevin grabs the green bottle of pills.
"Ah-ah. No." Larissa snatches the bottle from him.
"Larissa--" Kevin tries.
"No, you are going to sleep, young man. You did great, we have what we need, now go lay down and shut your eyes, count sheep, whatever, dream nice things. Go." She orders.
"I need to do this." Kevin says.
"You heard Sam. It's a marathon, not a sprint. You start out full speed, you're gonna kill yourself, Kev. Go to sleep." Larissa says, her voice still stern but also softer.
"What if I don't?" Kevin asks.
"I'm gonna knock you out with a frying pan." Larissa says.
"You wouldn't." Kevin scoffs.
"Try me." Larissa says.
Kevin stares at her, realizing she's serious.
"Fine." Kevin sighs, getting up and going to his bed.
"You will thank me later." Larissa says.
"Yeah, whatever, mom." Kevin sarcastically grumbles, rolling his eyes.
+++
"So... what's our play?" Sam asks.
"Well, you camp here, figure out who whored their soul. I'm gonna go scout the grounds -- see if I can't gank Huckleberry Hound before he makes his next move." Dean says.
"Wait, you're not going out there alone, Dean. I'm gonna come with you." Sam says.
"Wrong." Dean argues.
"Uh, they're on lockdown, and you need backup." Sam says.
"No, I don't." Dean says.
"Yes, you do." Sam argues.
"No, I need you to be safe, Sam, okay? That's what I need." Dean says.
"What? What am I-- when are we ever safe?" Sam asks.
"This is different."
"How?"
"Because of the three trials crap -- God's little obstacle course. We've been down roads like this before, man -- with Yellow Eyes, Lucifer, Dick fucking Roman. We both know where this ends -- one of us dies... or worse."
"So, what? You just up and decided it's gonna be you?"
"I'm a grunt, Sam. You're not. You've always been the brains of the operation."
"Dean--"
"And you told me yourself that you see a way out. You see a light at the end of this ugly ass tunnel. I don't. But I tell you what I do know. It's that I'm gonna die with a gun in my hand. I want you to get out. I want you to have a life, become a Men of Letters, whatever. And you-you have a kid now, Sammy. And you have Lissy."
"And I want you to get more kids and-and grandkids, living till you're fat and bald and chugging Viagra. That is my perfect ending, and it's the only one that I'm gonna get. So I'm gonna do these trials. I'm gonna do them alone -- end of story. You're staying here. I'm going out there."
"If landshark comes knocking, you call me. If you try to follow me, I'm gonna put a bullet in your damn leg."
+++
"Dean, even if she can dodge Crowley, as soon as Ellie dies, her soul is earmarked for Hell." Sam says.
"Not if we shut it down first." Dean says, grabbing Sam's bloody flannel.
"The spell's not gonna work for you, Dean." Sam says. Dean ignores him, pulling the paper Kevin gave him out and he says the spell, but nothing happens.
"Doesn't matter. We'll track down another Hellhound, and I'll kill it." Dean states.
"No." Sam denies.
"Sam, I didn't pass the test." Dean says.
"But I did... and I'm doing the rest of them." Sam says.
"My ass you are!" Dean exclaims.
"I'm closing the gates. It's a suicide mission for you."
"Sam..."
"I want to slam Hell shut, too, okay? But I want to survive it. I want to live, and so should you. You have friends up here, family. I mean, hell, you even got your own room now. You were right, okay? I see light at the end of this tunnel. And I'm sorry you don't -- I am. But it's there. And if you come with me, I can take you to it."
"Sam, be smart."
"I am smart, and so are you. You're not a grunt, Dean. You're a genius. When it comes to lore, to-- you're the best damn hunter I have ever seen -- better than me, better than dad. I believe in you, Dean. So, please... please believe in me, too."
"You realize you're gonna have to break all of this to Rissa, right?" Dean asks.
"She'll understand. Or I'll be sleeping in a different room, but-- but I want to live through this. For-For her and for Athena. She'll get it." Sam says.
Dean gives Sam the spell and he says it.
There's a whooshing noise and Sam falls to the floor and groans in pain.
"Sammy?" Dean asks. "Sam!"
The veins in Sam's right arm become bright white under his skin.
"You okay?" Dean asks.
Sam gasps in pain, the white light disappearing, his skin looking normal again. Sam grabs the paper he dropped and stands up.
"I'm good. I'm okay. I can do this." Sam states.
+++
The brothers get back to the boathouse and go in. Kevin is still asleep and Larissa is sitting at the table and eating.
"Hey." Sam softly greets.
"Hey." Larissa stands up. "How'd it go?"
"Can I, uh... can I talk to you?" Sam asks.
"Sure." Larissa says. She transfers Athena to Dean.
"Oh-- uh, okay." Dean mutters, holding the baby. He watches the couple leave before looking down at his niece. "How you doing? Please don't put anything in your diaper."
"What's up?" Larissa asks Sam.
"Okay, so you... you know how Dean was gonna do the trials?" Sam asks.
"Yeah." Larissa nods.
"Well, it... he's not. I am." Sam states.
"What?" She asks.
"I-- look, it's suicide for him. He-He doesn't want to live through it. But I do. I want to live through it and I'm gonna make sure I do with every bone in my body. I couldn't just let him go through with it when he-- he doesn't have any hope or anything, you know? I... I couldn't let him do it."
"Okay. Uh... yeah, I-I get that. I don't want him to die either." Larissa says.
"So you're okay with this?" Sam asks.
"I... I mean, as okay as I can be, I guess. Wha-- what if these things kill you, though?" She asks.
"They won't. I'll be okay. I'm not leaving you and Athena. I promise." Sam tells her, rubbing her shoulders.
"If they do start killing you, Sam, then--"
"Then we'll stop. I'll drop it. If they kill me, I'll drop it." Sam says.
Larissa hugs Sam, her arms around him tightly. Sam hugs her back, his chin resting on her head.
"How do you feel now?" She asks.
"I'm okay." He quietly tells her. He brushes some hair away from her face, his hand staying on her head. "I'm okay."
========================
The amount of comments when I posted this was 666
Who's your favorite/least favorite SPN character/s?