Jack had arisen from slumber earlier than anyone expected, but even more surprising, Hope was in the room before anyone else.
The brothers had moved him back to his own bedroom and as it was the first time that Hope had ever been there, she couldn't help but examine it.
It was almost as bland as hers, if it wasn't for a prettier touch of paint on the walls and a framed picture on his bedside table.
''May I?'' She looked to the boy, still lying on his bed and unfortunately, breathing through an oxygen mask when his many fits of coughs allowed.
Jack nodded over the hand that pressed the mask to his face and Hope reached out for the picture.
She sat on the side of the bed, her legs dangling off of it.
The woman was smiling at the camera and although she stared into those blue eyes longer than she should have been, Hope instantly felt jealous of her. She was smiling, happy and gleeful because as far as she was concerned, Jack wasn't dying.
''Is that your mom?'' The girl asked after a minute of silence that was only cut through with the ragged breathing behind her.
Once again, Jack nodded at her and even though Hope was facing away from him, he could catch her reflection on his mother's face. She was smiling.
''She's beautiful,'' She breathed out and put the frame back on the bedside table. ''You look a lot like her.''
Jack doubted that it was true. Because if he'd ever have Kelly's beauty, he'd never have so much as a bit of her kindness, courage or even toughness.
''I'm sorry,'' A crooked breath behind her sounded and the girl immediately felt alarmed when she looked back to his face. Alas, he pushed her hand away when she tried to put the mask back on his face.
''For what?'' She gave up at last and propped her left leg on the bed so she could see him better.
''For everything,'' Jack's eyelids felt heavy all of a sudden but he didn't cower. Instead, he fought to keep them open and the mask by his side. ''For taking your soulmate away from you. Your happiness,''
Hope's head went down at his words and her hand found the comforter to linger there. Jack was such a sweet kid and fairy tales only had taught him that love, no matter what kind, brought happiness.
''Castiel said that when one soulmate dies, the other stays alone. I don't want that to happen to you.'' He continued to croak out from his deathbed, catching the glances the girl sent sideways to him.
Castiel had effectively told Jack that once a soul bond was broken, the parts took time to adjust.
They'll eventually find love again if they so choose but it just... won't be who they were meant to be with.
''I talked to Castiel too,'' Hope started as she patted the blanket beside Jack's pillow, ''He also said that kind of bond takes a while to break.'' She assured as she finally looked back to the boy and he nodded weakly.
''He said it depended on the individual. From a few hours to-''
''A few years,'' Jack finished for her.
Alas, unlike any other thing that bond had wrought, the rupture of it seemed to be the only one that'd be purely accidental.
There was no factor commanding it, whether it be the time you've spent with the soulmate, the bond you had with them or even the strength of your feelings toward them.
No, if the bond was to be broken, the magic linking the two would simply seep its way out until it faded completely.
''I don't want to feel like this for years, Jack.'' Hope had reached out and grabbed his hand already. They were closer than ever but the girl told herself that it was for a good cause. After all, she would never see the boy again.
She was mentally prepping herself, even though she didn't know what she'd do afterward.
'Probably go back to school,', she'd told Dean. 'Get my life back together', she'd told Sam. But now, she didn't know so much as what to think.
''I'm sorry,'' He repeated again when her eyes started to well up with an unknown liquid.
''It's not your fault, Jack.'' She assured while she bit back the tears that struck in the corners of her eyes.
Jack's fingers seemed colder than ever but it didn't bother Hope at all. In fact, she only took her own back once the door creaked open.
She peered over her shoulder, only to catch a glimpse of long hair and a plaid shirt.
''Uh, Dean and Cas are just at the door,'' Sam started as he strode to the bed and Hope put her fingers around Jack's again.
''They'll be here in a minute.'' The giant assured and took place beside the bed so he was facing the girl.
They'd both squatted on the floor, so they could be eye-level with Jack but the boy must have thought that he was a terrible sight because he shoved the oxygen mask back on his mouth.
''Please, don't be sad,'' He pushed it back just slightly as he looked to one of his father figures, however, he never let go of the girl's hand.
''Maybe this is how things are supposed to be,''
A bang was heard on the other side of the door and even though Hope jumped slightly, she didn't let it be the break between their hands.
''Dean doesn't seem to think so,'' Sam said but before Jack could retort, a fit of coughing erupted from his lungs and he had to put the mask over his head again. Hope helped him as he coughed into the item and almost dropped his hand in the process but he just squeezed it tighter, almost crushing it while he struggled to breathe.
''You tell him, and Cas that it's okay,'' Jack finally put the mask away and rubbed his thumb over the hand holding his as he spoke to Sam. Whether he was aware of it or not, Hope wasn't going to stop him.
''You'll tell them yourself. They'll be back in a minute.'' Sam nodded as his eyes too became blood shot.
''JP and Darren too?'' The boy turned to Hope but she'd spent the past two days so worried about Jack that she didn't know exactly what the two goons she called friends were up to. But Luckily, Sam did.
''Darren was locked up in his room but uh, JP got him out of it to convince him to make you a mixtape. The Who, on every tracks.''
Jack chuckled and put a hand to his mouth when once again, he was interrupted by a fit of coughs.
''Sam?'' He turned back to the man, ''What happens next? For someone like me?''
Hope looked back to him too because she had to say, she was curious about that as well.
''I don't know,'' He shrugged alas and fought back probably even harder than the girl to not shed a tear.
''Then it's going to be an adventure.'' Jack smiled at the man and lay back down wearily as his fingers slowly slipped away from Hope's.
Dean and Castiel were back in the room a second after the boy breathed his last but the girl was already crying.
One tear had slipped and then another and she didn't know how, but her eyes would never look away from Jack.
Seeing his face now, it seemed as though he was sleeping but alas, she knew he would never wake up.
Her fingers desperately grabbed onto his limp ones, almost making the bones crack there as they slipped all the way out of her hand.
Another hand came to rest on her shoulder but she didn't know whose it was; nor did she care anymore. Because Jack was gone.
☀︎
''They want to give him a hunter's funeral.'' JP started when he walked in the room, efficiently breaking the heavy silence that seemed to have taken place everywhere.
Hope was on her bed, staring at the wall ahead but suddenly she didn't care that her back was hunched down or that she looked like the least attractive version of a girl.
''That's cool.'' She went out of her daze at last. She didn't know how long she'd been in here for, just staring ahead, but she couldn't bring herself to go back in Jack's room, where the boy's body still lay, fresh dead on his bed.
''They just had a get-together in Jack's memory. Happy hour, if you'd call it that,'' JP couldn't even bring himself to chuckle as he stared at the girl's side profile.
''They asked if you wanted to join,'' He continued even though her eyes were somewhere else, ''I told them you weren't in the mood. Was I wrong?''
''No,'' She shook her head and took back the biggest sigh she'd ever let out. ''No, you weren't.''
She wasn't in the mood for drinking or anything else, really.
She wasn't even sure that she was in the mood for the funeral altogether.
JP and Darren were halfway through the mixtape they'd play during Jack's wake already but Hope wasn't even sure that it mattered now. They'd made it for him, but he would never hear it.
She didn't even have the heart to call Clarisse now, after everything, and even though one part of her dreaded the funeral to come, the other part was eager to say goodbye.
She'd never lost someone before, and it made it all the weirder that it was her so called soulmate that had passed on her.
Technically, she could finally say that she'd outlived someone.
A dark chuckle left her lips and JP put a hand on her shoulder.
''Do you think he's in heaven?'' She hoped and looked back to the vampire.
The older boy just sighed while he pondered and tuned her question over in his head.
As far as he knew, and what class had taught him the rare times he'd been listening, there were three possible afterlives.
First, there was the traditional Hell that every bad human -or simply those who'd been stupid enough to sell their souls- went after they passed.
They usually spent an eternity of suffering down there, enduring punishments so inimaginable, even JP himself, from his hundred and plus years of life had never seen before.
The possibility number two was Heaven.
Good people went there to spend forever with their loved ones and such, the usual deal that was.
And then, there was Purgatory.
Although hunters and such knew only one side of purgatory -the bad one where all monsters magnified and concentrated in camps to survive being eaten by other monsters- there was another side that they had yet to discover.
A side of it in a secluded area below the mountains of this cast out territory where all monsters, the good ones, the ones that had kept a pure soul no matter how their monstrous instincts had pushed them forward to sin, stayed in a chorus of happiness and purity.
Unlike the other monsters, those weren't entrapped within purgatory, at least not in the way some would think.
The ones who'd found peace within themselves after escaping who they were, could visit the earth once in a while under the form of spirits, invisible entities or even take the shape of something as random as a bush of roses.
Those were the truly happy monsters and JP hoped that someday, when he'd be ready to die, he'd find back all the people that he'd lost -and maybe even more.
But as of now, and to answer Hope's question, he didn't know whether Jack Kline was in Heaven or not.
For the time being, he would just console his friend and make sure that she made it through because she had to; because she was strong.
A knock on the door interrupted their embrace but before Hope could grant entrance, Darren was already barging in, with surprisingly no leftover of tears on his face.
''Guys! You're going to want to see that!'' He said and pointed to the hallway behind him as, unbeknownst to any of them, far away into the depth of the universe, a boy woke up and crossed a door, in Heaven.
☀︎
''You want to do what?''
''He's been dead for like, a day! Can't you give her a little time?''
''We're all crushed here, kiddo-''
''Do it.'' Hope intervened at the fight that had been going on for far too long already.
''Can you really do it?'' She turned to the old woman that had introduced herself as Lily Sunder. She'd been claiming that she could bring back Jack with some soul magic but Hope's mind had turned blank after the mention of maybe bringing him back to life.
Back home.
''Yes,'' The woman answered as she stared at the girl with her only functioning eye. ''As soon as you guys get me into Heaven.''
Hope looked around the map room. The boys seemed skeptical because, apparently, that Lily woman had murdered a lot of angels over the centuries, using the same soul magic she claimed could save Jack.
''Hope,'' Sam started as he looked back to the girl, ''If it works and Jack comes back, and if he uses that magic-''
''Yeah, I got it. His soul burns away. But you've heard her!'' The girl pointed at the woman and she looked back to the youngest Winchester brother.
Castiel and Darren were conversing quietly in a corner of the room but JP and Dean kept their wary eyes between Lily and Hope.
''As long as he uses it to sustain his body, he won't lose much of it.''
Sam looked back at the girl and down to his shoes. Deep down, he knew that she was right.
''Okay,'' He nodded and the girl let out a sigh.
''We'll do it.'' He said to Lily but both Dean and Castiel turned to him.
''Can I speak with you?'' It didn't seem much like a question when Dean said it but Sam nodded anyway. He put a reassuring hand on Hope's shoulder before he left to another corner of the room with his brother and the angel.
Hope stayed behind with the woman and JP while Darren sank into a chair.
''Why did you kill angels?'' He asked from his spot and his witch friend sat down at the opposite side of him. Lily's head snapped to Darren as the boy looked back at her, his arms folded on the map table.
''I thought they were the good guys.''
Lily's eyes went to the drawings in an unknown language on the table, apparently translations of some tablet a prophet had made, and inspected them further as she answered the boy.
''Your logic contradicts itself. You see, the Devil is an angel too.''
''Was.'' Hope corrected immediately as JP went over too and examined the boxes on the table.
He'd never seen writings quite like this in his whole long life but he could tell that the woman before him had experience.
''Was,'' Lily agreed, ''But my point is, angels sometimes do things- things no one, even monsters, should do.'' The woman didn't go on further as she looked back down to the writings. She had a feeling the boy before her wasn't exactly human, but his soul showed that he was a lot more than a lot of angels she'd known.
''Jack's a nephilim.'' Hope said as she looked up to the woman.
Lily could tell, only by looking into those eyes that the girl had been through more than most people her age already.
''But you're going to bring him back anyway?''
Lily paused dramatically as her gaze wandered to the boxes JP had his hands in. She quickly threw him a look and he took them back immediately.
''As long as the boys secure me a ticket to Heaven, then yes,'' She looked back to the girl over the boxes. ''I will.''
And then, Hope's hard gaze did something it had almost never done since she'd been at the bunker. It softened.
Her brows frowned upward and her lip started to tremble lightly.
Lily looked back when her teeth came out to stop it and she rose her eyes with a long sigh.
''Thank you.''
A silence ensued but Lily didn't hesitate to nod.
She would do right by this girl, just like she had done right by her little May.
☀︎
JP was trying to grasp his mind around the fact that 'all doors in Heaven were open' as Castiel had said, or more on whatever that meant, but he had a feeling they had to rescue Jack from there -he now had the certitude that the boy was there- before things went down in a-
''Total shitstorm!''
''JP!'' Darren scolded as he took a hold of Jack's feet.
''What? It's true!'' The vampire grabbed his own hold of Jack, just under his arms and he lifted the corpse easily, much to Darren's temper.
''He's going to come back and everything will be fine.'' He assured, more to himself than to the vampire while, together, they limped Jack's body to the library.
Dean, Castiel and Sam were planning on summoning a God or whatever to know if Lily belonged in Heaven and Hope was already there with them while Dean was getting set to paint the sigil on the floor.
''I'm not cleaning that up later.'' The man grumbled before he wiped his red finger on his flannel shirt.
Hope was about to retort but JP and Darren were already barging into the room with the boy's body.
Her face immediately searched his own but looked away quickly once the tears began to sting in her eyes again.
He didn't seem asleep now, he just looked straight up dead.
His skin had lost all colors but grayish and he was cold as ice.
The boys put the body down on the table behind Hope, but she dared not to look as she leaned against it. Instead, she stared at Dean's painting but the man was already looking up at her.
''Hey, kid. Wanna paint?'' He shook the paintbrush in his hand and her own neck almost craned to look at Jack before she nodded.
She took the free brush beside the hunter and continued to face away from the table as she sat on the floor and followed the instructions Dean gave her. Of all people here, he was the most skeptical about this whole thing, much more than he had been when he'd first met Hope.
He was more or less in a war against Lily, since he didn't trust her at all -no matter how their first encounter had gone- but the woman had seemed pretty willing to help and Hope hadn't thanked her enough for that.
The brush slid easily on the floor but no words were spoken -aside from Dean's instructions once in a while- while the girl concentrated on making the perfect signs with the tool.
''It's almost set,'' Lily called at last and Hope finally turned around, even though her eyes battled not to wander south. The older woman looked around the room, a book in her hands as her gaze settled on the girl.
''But we need... her.'' Lily pointed directly to the blonde hair around Hope's head, making her immediately frown and everyone's gaze turn to her.
''What?''
Even Castiel, the angel of all people, seemed bewildered at the news.
''Why?''
''Because,'' Lily started as she rounded the table that had Jack's body on it.
''Time's ticking once I start the spell. We need to find that boy quickly in Heaven,''
And Lily advanced the theory she knew to be true when her eyes had first set on Hope, ''Your souls are connected. Think of yourself as a soul compass.''
''Wait,'' JP intervened as his eyes wandered to the freshly painted sigils on the floor.
''What you're saying is that the soul bond isn't broken.''
''Not yet,'' Lily nodded at the boy as she turned back to her own book of weird sigils, ''So we have to use that to our advantage. Your soul is seeking, searching for its other half,'' She flipped a few pages over before handing the book to Sam, beside her and then turned to Castiel, ''Once up there, the girl will lead you to him.''
''No!'' Darren immediately blurted as he looked between the woman and his friend. ''You mean she has to die to go up there?''
''No one is going to die,'' Sam assured and looked back to Lily Sunder, ''No one.''
The woman's eyes cast downward at the man's threatening eyes but before she could speak, Castiel did.
''She doesn't have to die,''
Everyone turned to him when the words left his mouth.
He seemed to be already thinking as he looked back up to the brothers.
''If her soul is connected or in some ways similar to Jack's then... Heaven will recognize it. And with how haywire it is right now...''
''Heaven will think she's Jack,'' Lily completed for him but no one thought they understood well. ''This is genius.''
''But... isn't it... dangerous?''
''Hold on, she's not goin-''
''Let's do this.'' Hope cut off whoever had started as she looked from the dripping paintbrush she was still holding to the older woman and the angel.
''If it can save Jack; I say it's worth a shot.''
The brothers knew they didn't have a say anymore. And neither did Darren and JP.
Hope knew she'd won, and she was coming for Jack.
☀︎
Of all the things Hope would have imagined as the Gates of Heaven, a playground's sandbox was not one of them.
''Aren't there supposed to be guardians or whatever?'' She asked as Castiel took her hand to hoist her up in the sandbox.
''No,'' He started once the girl's feet were safely in the sand, ''Jeremiah's at Jack Daniel's.''
''Come again?''
The angel looked up again at the girl when he took a hold of both her hands.
''Long story. This may swing.''
''What may swin-'' She hadn't even finished that a soft, white, smoke engulfed the pair of them and suddenly, her feet had left the ground.
Unlike Castiel who'd landed perfectly still and standing in the white hallway, Hope had been thrown on the hard and cold floor.
She formed a mess of black and yellow as she rose slightly, only to sway again and fall, palms toward the floor.
''I hate this place already,'' She mumbled and Castiel offered her a hand to haul her up easily.
This time around, she didn't sway and instead walked behind the angel while he showed the way.
They'd landed in some random hallway but there were no clouds around or even golden doors.
No, everything was sickeningly white and Hope almost felt the urge to throw up at the scent that floated in the air.
''It smells like-''
''A hospital,'' Castiel nodded, ''It's because you're alive. Angels and souls perceive this scent differently.''
Hope nodded even though she wasn't sure that she'd understood completely and looked around for two more seconds, since there wasn't anything really worth seeing, as they continued walking through the hallways.
''Is this place only hallways?'' She asked when they turned another corner.
Castiel nodded before her as they turned again, but this time, when Hope looked around, her eyes caught a door. Her feet stopped dead in their tracks and Castiel only realized it two doors later.
''Hope?''
The girl's hand had reached her mouth and she stared at the door before her but Castiel had to frown when he read the name on the plaque.
''Do you know this woman?'' He asked as he looked back with a crease between his brows.
A smile started to spread on Hope's face, the first one he'd seen there since Jack had died but he didn't question further because the girl shook her head.
''No, I don't.''
Clock was still ticking and Castiel was the first angel to know all about how humans were weird in every circumstances so he didn't press on and took the girl's hand to lead her farther down the hallway.
Her smile hadn't wavered quite yet until they turned again and she caught sight of the puddles of dark goo on the floor.
''Is that normal?'' She asked before letting go of Castiel's hand.
The angel's frown hinted her in the idea that it wasn't normal at all but as they kept moving, they caught sight of another unusual thing.
''Is that-''
''Dumah.'' Castiel immediately ran to the other angel as the female lay on the floor, next to another puddle of goo and unfortunately, beside a dead-looking man.
Hope examined him with her eyes as Castiel helped the other angel get to her feet but even if she was in Heaven and that everything she'd seen so far was new, the dark goo that dripped down the man's eyes and nose seemed definitely not natural.
''Is he-''
''Dead,'' The woman named Dumah that had just arisen with the same goo dripping out her nose answered weakly as she looked back to the girl.
Her eyes opened wider suddenly and her eyebrows rose slightly when she caught sight of her soul.
''And who are you?''
''Dumah,'' Castiel started and parted from her once she could stand steadily on her own. ''This is Hope. Jack's soulmate.''
Dumah's eyes widened even more as a hint of a grin started to appear on her face. A chuckle of surprise left her lips but Hope rose from the floor with a frown.
The girl certainly stood out from all of the other angels with her black jeans, tank top and jacket.
No one ever wore jeans here- at least not the angels.
Dumah found herself staring right back at the blonde mane that fell on the girl's chest. This could be exactly what it needed.
''Soulmate?'' She repeated but immediately, Castiel was cutting her off.
''What happened?'' He asked his sister as she looked back to him, seemingly startled and in shock.
''I don't know,'' She started, ''We were just... This stuff!'' She looked about to the puddles around them, ''When it touched me everything just went black!'' She looked up suddenly and stared at Castiel as he looked toward the end of the hallway.
''I thought you were supposed to be on earth.''
''I'm looking for someone,'' He said before he started to walk away slightly.
''Jack. We have to find him.''
''Don't leave me!'' Dumah pleaded just as Hope passed her.
Castiel threw a look at the blonde and she took a minute too long before she lightly nodded.
''Come on, then.''
He led the way and the two girls walked behind as they turned more hallways.
Hope didn't feel cold, neither did she feel warm but subconsciously, her arms wrapped around herself.
She felt eyes on her all the way to Jack's Heaven but didn't even throw one glance back at Dumah until they finally reached the door.
''This is it?'' She asked as Castiel pushed the door open.
''It has to be.'' He said and together, they walked in.
Instead of having a normal hallway or a doorstep, this door barged directly into another dimension where they landed before a Beach Cafe.
The infamous impala stood, parked on the side of it and take out bags were put on the hood of the car as Castiel, Hope and Dumah walked farther into the dream.
Dumah reached for the hood immediately and touched the food.
''It's cold.'' She stated as Hope and Castiel looked around. There didn't seem to be anyone else in here.
''He's not here.'' A voice echoed from behind the trio and Hope turned, the most startled of them all.
''Who the hell are you?'' She asked once a short haired woman stood before them. She wore clothes similar to Dumah's and given where they were, Hope knew immediately that she was an angel too.
''I'm Naomi,'' The woman started and her gaze wandered briefly to Hope, ''And you'll be kind enough not to say that word here. Hello, Castiel. Dumah,''
Her gaze wandered back to the girl while her eyes went up and down her form.
''Oh! I'm-''
''I know who you are,'' The woman interrupted, ''You're Jack's soulmate.''
''Hope.'' She completed because, yes, as crazy as it sounded, she had a name too.
Naomi didn't send so much as a smile at the trio and instead turned back to Castiel.
''Jack's gone.'' She stated, making a frown etch on Hope's features.
''How's that possible?'' Castiel asked.
''Perhaps the angel side of him knew he was in Heaven.'' Could that be possible? ''In any case, he left.''
''Naomi,'' Dumah started and looked back to the woman, ''What is happening here?''
''We're under attack.''
''Heaven?'' Hope asked as she frowned further. How the hell did you even attack Heaven?
''All of us. It stormed the gates and defeated our defenses. There's so few of us left we couldn't even stop it!''
''It?''
Naomi looked back to Hope as if she were considering her for the first time.
''The shadow,'' She started and looked back to Castiel, ''The thing that rules the empty.''
The empty?
''I'm surprised you didn't recognize its handiwork, Castiel. I thought you were old friends.''
''Which old friend?'' Hope asked but Naomi straight up ignored her.
''Castiel, you're the only one of us who has ever escaped!''
''Okay, you're not making any sense,'' Hope raised her hands at the woman and Naomi's gaze went back to her. ''But right now, we have to find Jack.''
''The empty wants that too.'' She said before the blonde could take a step forward.
''What?''
''The empty considers Jack its property. And who knows? Maybe its right.''
Castiel stepped forward then, despite Naomi's glare.
''The empty's another dimension. Another version of an afterlife, but for angels. Thing is, it has its own cosmic entity and it gets... rather mad when it's disturbed.'' He explained to Hope, all the while looking back to the angel of higher rank.
The girl felt dumbstruck at his explanation but there could be a thousand more versions of an afterlife, and she wouldn't be surprised anymore.
''So... it wants Jack because he's a nephilim?'' She asked as she crossed her arms and frowned, yet again.
Of all people, Naomi nodded.
''He is half angel. And our only shot at salvation is to give it what it wants.''
''No! Not going to happen, lady.'' Hope took a menacing step forward but Castiel held her back by her arm and turned her to face him.
''Hope, I don't mean to sound rude, but this is a high rank angel. And right now, she feels like she's being threatened by an ant. Please, I'll fix this.''
Hope shrugged her arm out of his grip and stepped back violently. Castiel stepped forward and continued to converse with Naomi as the girl plopped down on the hood of the car that was parked there, Dumah on her trail.
''So?'' The angel asked as she looked to the girl, whose frown was angrier than ever.
''So what?'' Hope looked at Dumah from the corner of her eyes and the angel picked at the impala's window.
''Are you and Jack close?''
''What's it to you?'' The witch bit back but the angel chuckled.
When she looked up again, a strange glint was sparkling in her eyes.
''More than you can ever imagine.''
Hope's frown didn't last long because Castiel was quick to come back and break it, assuring that he'd settled things with Naomi.
Hope looked back at the angel, a few feet away from them who was seemingly fuming with anger.
''I'm sure you did.''
''She's headstrong, is all. I'm sure you know someone like that.'' Hope rolled her eyes to Heav- uh, well to the sky as she pushed the conversation she'd had with Dumah to the back of her head. After all, all angels she'd met so far had done weird stuff, Castiel and Jack being on top of the list.
''Castiel!'' Naomi called back suddenly and Hope rolled her eyes but when she turned back, the woman's skin was only partly visible.
Something was crawling up her face. Something black that resembled goo.
''Holy shi-''
''Naomi?''
''Castiel! Run!''
If Hope was stuck in her spot, Castiel immediately took a hold of her hand and ushered her to the door. As they stepped back into the white, deserted hallway, the girl stopped to catch her breath and the door to Jack's Heaven was sealed shut.
''What the hell was that?'' She screamed between two rapid breaths.
''The empty,'' Castiel answered as her head turned and caught sight of another door, farther down the hall.
She couldn't explain why, but she suddenly felt this warmth in her chest and her legs started moving on their own.
Castiel stayed back with Dumah for a minute while he watched the girl walk to another part of the hallway.
The feeling in Hope's heart couldn't be described with words even and she stopped before the door.
''What is she doing?'' Dumah asked but the girl just stayed motionless before the door.
''Her soul,'' Castiel started as he squinted his eyes at her back.
''It's calling out to Jack's. That means-''
''He's in there.'' Hope said over the strange buzz that seemed to come out of the room.
She didn't even wait until the two angels had reached her before turning the knob and crossing the threshold.
Even though Jack's Heaven had been beautiful, this place was all the more.
There were flowers lying around, all kinds, and Hope immediately felt drawn to them on a personal level.
They were in broad day light and her feet carried her to the house even before the angels arrived in Kelly Kline's Heaven.
Of course, Hope didn't know that, nor did she care, because the feeling in her chest just kept growing warmer.
She knew where to go now.
It was like an instinct, a sixth sense if you will; but before she even caught the eye through the window, it had already caught sight of her and the door opened immediately.
''Jack?'' The girl didn't have so much as a second to express how happy she was because the boy had already jumped and wrapped his arms around her.
As her sixth sense faltered to nothing and the warmth in her chest glowed to disappear, her own arms went around his back.
He was hugging her shoulders, as if not grasping the idea of gender roles just yet but Hope didn't mind at all. If anything, she was too happy.
She pushed back slightly as the scent of fresh laundry hit her nostrils and smiled brightly at the boy while her hand went up to caress his cheek.
''You're okay.'' She spoke in a whisper but Jack didn't even pay attention, so he could focus it solemnly on her eyes.
Little wrinkles were creased beside them as she smiled and the orbs... oh, those orbs, he'd have stared at them all day if he could.
He sent her back her smile of his own as a cough broke them apart, only it wasn't one of his; which Hope was thankful for.
The pair turned around and Jack allowed the girl to step into the house properly.
''Oh,'' He looked back to the woman in a purple cardigan and Hope instantly recognized her as the woman from the picture; Jack's mom.
''Mom, this is Hope,''
The girl reached for the woman's hand and she smiled back. However, a frown started to lace at her features at Jack's next words.
''My girlfriend.''
Both Kelly and Hope looked back and forth between Jack and one another, letting their eyes grow wide freely.
The girlfriend looked between the mother and the boy as he sent her a smile and a glance from the corner of his eyes, and she immediately knew.
She knew that the kiss had meant more to him, but he wasn't to blame since movies had taught him that, all it took, was a peck of the lips to become a couple.
But surprisingly, Hope didn't have it in her heart to contradict him, or perhaps she just didn't want to.
Either way, she prepared herself for whatever would come out of the woman's mouth.
''Is that a joke?'' Kelly started as she frowned at her son and the girl immediately fumbled with apologies.
''Oh, I-uh, I'm...''
But then, Kelly's eyes stopped glaring daggers and the corners of her mouth twitched upward in a big, warm smile.
''Joking, I'm joking.''
Hope released the breath she was holding and Jack let out a chuckle beside her. She reached out and immediately smacked his chest with the back of her hand but it just made him chuckle all the more.
''It's really nice to meet you, Mrs Kline.'' Hope turned back to the woman but Jack's mother just took two steps and engulfed the girl in a tight hug.
Hope awkwardly patted her back until eventually, the embrace broke and she looked up to her.
''It's so great to meet you, too. But please, call me Kelly.''
Was it a trap?
Her mind pondered with questions but one look to the side and Jack seemed to have guessed her thoughts.
He shook his head lightly and she nodded.
''Alright, Kelly, it is.''
''Or mom.'' The woman assured, making the witch's eyes widen like saucers.
Jack frowned at his mother's back. He didn't understand why she would want his girlfriend to call her mom; he was sure Kelly had never had any other kids.
''Kelly will do it, I think.'' Hope assured as she bit down on her lip and said woman nodded before she let out a chuckle.
''Alright.'' The mom looked over the girl's shoulder and her smile dropped suddenly as she caught sight of movement behind the window.
''Why are you here?'' She pondered at the girl suddenly, ''How are you here?''
Her lips parted slightly but she needn't say anything as Castiel himself barged into the house. His gaze caught Jack and the two instantly jumped into hugging each other until the boy breathed out his name.
Once the hug was through, the angel turned to Kelly.
''Hello, Castiel.''
''Kelly,'' The woman reached and they both were embracing each other suddenly while Hope stayed behind, with a small smile blossoming on her lips already.
A weight appeared in her hand and when she looked up, Jack was staring at his parents too.
His fingers closed themselves around the girl's while his thumb ran absentmindedly over the smooth surface of her hand but obviously, he was almost somewhere else -perhaps too conscious of his actions to do anything about it.
Hope's smile dropped slightly and subconsciously, her lip went and snagged behind a tooth.
Her gaze caught the floor and at last, the angel and the human broke apart.
''I'm so sorry,'' Castiel started immediately, ''I failed you.''
''You didn't,'' Kelly assured as she cast a look to the pair behind the angel.
''You didn't. Jack is... he's wonderful. And he has a girl! My boy has a girlfriend.'' Kelly broke in a series of chuckles as Jack turned back to Hope with a sudden frown.
''About that... What are you doing here?'' There, he asked the dreaded question.
''Sam, Dean and Castiel,'' Hope started and she turned to face the boy properly. ''They found a way to bring you home.''
Kelly breathed out a sigh of relief but Jack's hand immediately slipped from Hope's hold as he turned back to his mother.
''So I'll be... alive again?''
''Yeah,'' Castiel nodded and Hope and Jack walked closer to him.
''To do so we-''
''Need your soul.'' Hope interrupted the angel.
She knew it was wrong but somehow she craved Jack's attention ever since the second he'd dropped her hand.
The trio turned back to her as she stepped forward between Castiel and the nephilim.
''This... magic we'll use to bring you back... It uses your soul to function.''
''So I'll lose it?'' Jack shook his head and was quick to frown.
''No,'' Hope started again while Kelly looked back and forth between everyone around. ''As long as you use it to stay alive, your soul will be safe.''
''Uh, I don't know,'' His mom started and she shook her head at the girl.
''It's not just Jack's life,'' Castiel backed Hope up, ''The empty has invaded Heaven. Because it wants you.''
''Why him?'' Kelly asked, although she didn't know what the empty was. But all that she needed to know was that it was coming after her son.
''Because he's half angel,'' Hope turned to her with a shake of her head.
''That thing, it's like an afterlife for angels.''
''Only it's empty,'' Castiel continued, ''It's alone and dark and-''
''And it looked pretty pissed off just now.''
''How pissed off?'' Kelly asked as she turned back to Castiel.
''Heaven could fall. That's how pissed off it was,''
Kelly let out a breath as she turned back to Jack and Castiel went on.
''But if you're not here. If you're alive...''
''Then it'll leave Heaven.'' Jack nodded but before this could go on further, a voice broke through their family reunion.
''Smart.''
''Dumah,'' Castiel turned to his angel friend and so did everyone.
Her eyes wandered briefly over to Hope before they set on Jack.
''Try again.'' The woman marched into the room, closer and closer it seemed.
Hope frowned but Dumah's face was quick to morph completely black as the same goo that had climbed over Naomi's skin appeared and spread on her form.
''You're the empty.'' She stated and the thing that possessed the angel looked back to her.
''Pretty good, uh?'' She turned to Jack and took a step forward but Kelly's hand wrapped around her son's that was already on her shoulder and together, they stepped back.
''You're ready to go?''
''He's not going anywhere, bitch!''
''Oh,'' The empty looked back when Kelly's free hand grabbed a hold of Hope. ''Hopey, you have no idea what I have in store for you.''
''Stay away from them!'' Castiel warned as he stepped closer and the empty looked back to him with a smug, insanely, crooked smile.
''Castiel, you know how this goes! The good souls here, the bad souls there... but angels are mine.''
''Enough.''
''Stop interrupting!'' The thing suddenly burst and looked angry at that. But somehow, it was even more worrying than the calm it had shown minutes before.
Kelly's hand tightened around Hope's and her son's while it went on and it almost hurt, but the girl didn't let anything show.
''Start paying attention,'' Dumah's face turned back to the boy and his mother.
''I'm taking him. And where I'm taking you is worse than Hell. Because at least Hell is something.''
Kelly shook her head and even Hope snickered as she let go of the woman's hand at last.
''Not a chance in Hell.'' She raised her hand before the thing but a second passed, and still, nothing happened.
Her brows furrowed as she looked back to the empty but Dumah just had a satisfied smile on her face.
''The irony of that word, Hopey... but we're in Heaven, honey. Your witchy-woo doesn't work here. But this-'' it interrupted itself as it took a hold of the girl's hand and twisted it downward.
Hope let out a hiss and Jack screamed.
''No!''
''Does.'' The empty finished as Hope's body went flying toward a wall, crashing in a masterpiece and finally landing on the floor, breaking a few vases in its path.
''Hope!'' Both Castiel and Kelly had screamed but no one could go near her since the empty fought back immediately.
Her vision was blurred and her head throbbed slightly but she could hear noises over the sting throughout all her body.
''Oh, oh he looks scared! She looks hurt... Does it hurt you? Good. Because I want it to.'' Something -or rather someone- was pushed back onto the opposite wall as Hope's fingers twitched and grabbed at a shard of broken glass.
There was even more struggling but when her sight came back to her, the empty had a hold on Jack's throat and was lifting him off the ground.
''No!''
The thing's head peered under the boy's armpit at the girl but it looked back toward Jack with a smug smirk.
However, already, behind it, Castiel arose.
''Take me.''
''A little louder, please.'' The empty demanded while Jack struggled to breathe. Hope tried to stand up but her legs wouldn't let her.
''Take me in his stead! Take me!'' Castiel's voice echoed and bounced off the walls as Hope looked up toward the angel.
''You?'' The empty wondered but still, Jack's hand tried to fight it off.
Hope could crawl a few feet until finally, the sting in her legs started to fade.
''I'm the one you want! I'm the one who woke you up.'' Castiel continued when, finally, the girl reached Kelly.
''Are you okay?''
''Yes. Jack!''
The empty seemed to think for a minute before it looked back around to Castiel and lessened its hold on Jack's throat. The boy fell to the ground and finally, Hope could examine him.
''Are you okay? Just breathe, it's okay. You're okay.''
Kelly touched her son's cheek as well and he grabbed a hold of her elbow while he nodded and panted before Hope.
''You?'' The empty continued, now facing Castiel. ''But you're already mine.''
''Not for years,'' The angel bit back as Hope looked back with a frown, a hand still secured around Jack's arm.
''Eons, maybe. But if you agree, I will go now and I will go willingly.''
''Castiel...'' But he didn't even cast a look at Hope before he sealed the deal. Under one condition, though.
''Not now,'' The empty started and it put its ultimatum on the table, ''No, no, no, no, no. You see, I meant what I said. I want you to suffer. I want you to go back to your normal life and then forget about this, forget about me. And then, when you finally give yourself permission to be happy... and let the sun shine on your face... that's! When I'll come. That's when I'll come to drag you to nothing.''
Castiel didn't even hesitate. His eyes, however, cast a look over Dumah's shoulder and landed on the three people he'd grown to love, all in a different way.
Hope shook her head at him but he'd already made his decision.
''I accept.''
The empty let out another crooked smile and suddenly, the form of Dumah fell to the floor. Some black goo crawled out of her body and climbed up until it left the house, and hopefully, Heaven too.
Jack was the first up, followed by Kelly who immediately offered a hand to Hope.
''Why?'' The nephilim demanded as Castiel helped the, now real, Dumah rise off the floor. ''Why did you do that?''
''Because I made a promise,'' Castiel looked to Kelly and back to Jack. ''Because I love you, Jack. Sam, Dean, JP and Darren, they love you,'' The angel had purposefully let Hope's name out of it so when -because it was a when - she would tell him that she loved him, it would be special to Jack.
''And they're fighting for you at this very moment. And uh,'' His eyes wandered between the boy and the girl. ''They don't need to know what happened here.''
''You can't seriously ask us to-''
''Hope, what I did, I'm in peace with my choice. I don't want them to worry.''
Jack's eyes studied Castiel's for a minute and at last, he nodded.
''I won't tell them,'' He promised and reached out for the girl's hand.
''We won't tell them.''
Castiel looked to Hope as she bit on her lip and begrudgingly nodded when she squeezed back the nephilim's hand.
''Then we should go.''
She nodded again and Jack turned back to his mother.
The girl let go of the boy's hand to give them more privacy, only to come and stand beside Castiel.
''We didn't get enough time.'' Jack breathed out but his mother went to caress his cheek.
''Shh, it's okay. Go. Have a great life. I'll be waiting.'' Kelly enveloped her son in a hug and Hope shifted her weight from one foot to another as tears sprung again. They didn't fall this time though, because she looked back to Castiel.
''You're a moron.''
The angel didn't seem the least bit affected -even went as far as to think of it as a compliment- and turned back to the girl.
He even smiled at her and cocked his head slightly to the side.
''It runs in the family.''
Hope let out a chuckle -however dark and humorless- and looked back just when Jack planted himself before them.
''You ready?''
He didn't even have to nod for Castiel to press his hands on either sides of his head. His eyes wandered to Hope for a second and she sent him a reassuring smile.
''See you on the other side, buddy.''
Castiel's hand glowed a bright golden and Jack's eyes found the ceiling before he suddenly disappeared.
Kelly looked back at the angel and Hope while somewhere, far away from Heaven, a boy arose from the dead.
☀︎
The ride back to the bunker had been short and silent. Naomi had caught both Castiel and Hope on their way out of Heaven but barely cast so much as a glance to the girl when she'd told the angel about the whereabouts of the alternate universe's archangel Michael.
She had called it a small reward for Castiel's sacrifice but Hope called it a way to ease her guilt. Angel or not, the woman didn't have half the kindness that Castiel did.
After going back to the bunker in a record time despite Hope's whines that angelic teleportation wasn't her thing -they'd had to steal a few cars to lessen her pleas- they had welcomed Jack back with open arms.
JP and Darren had been playing cards with him and Sam, watching from a benevolent eye as his son had fun with the first few friends he'd ever had.
With Hope's arrival, the boys had quickly scattered -even though JP had had to tear Darren away from Jack- to fetch the present they'd spent the day making.
Everyone else had settled down in the kitchen and Hope, Sam, Dean, Castiel and Jack were now having burgers and beers.
The witch watched as her boyfriend took a big bite out of his burger and seemed to be back in Heaven for a split second.
When Jack looked up, everyone else was staring at him too.
''Is... something wrong?''
''No!'' Sam answered immediately and Hope took back her burger to bite into it too.
She stared ahead at the board before her since she sat at the edge of the table, right between Sam and Jack.
''Not at all.''
''We're just glad to have you back.'' Dean assured from the top of his beer.
''Yeah,'' Jack nodded and Hope put the burger down again when she felt something drip its way out the corner of her mouth.
''And,'' Dean was beaming now, ''We know where Michael is! Not quite sure how you pulled that one off.'' He turned to Castiel for the second half of the sentence and the angel shrugged.
''Well, we still don't know where dark Kaia is or the spear-''
''Yeah, but we will,'' Sam continued, ''We'll figure it out. We'll find her. I mean we've found her before.''
''That's right,'' Dean nodded, ''And then Michael. And that son of a bitch is going to pay. Come on.'' He brought his beer in for a cheers and everyone joined in.
Hope laughed but just as she took back her bottle, a thumb -that wasn't her own!- reached up and pressed on her lip.
''You've got something,'' Jack started as he concentrated on the corner of the girl's mouth. ''Right here.'' He said as he wiped at her mouth and brought his thumb to his own lips.
Dean's mouth went wide and so did Sam's eyes when the boy looked around the table, all the while sucking off his fingertip.
Even Hope herself, sat dumbstruck.
''What?'' Jack asked and dropped his hand back on the table, ''I saw it in a movie.''
Castiel broke the tension with a chuckle and pretty soon, Sam joined in. And even Dean.
But when Hope caught it and sent him a pointed look, he closed his mouth immediately, pretending that none of this was funny.
The chuckles came to a stop and a music started on instead, somewhere just before the door. All heads turned to it and surely, Darren strode in, a stereo between his hands.
He stopped just before the table and put it down, but Sam reached over to lower the volume a bit.
Darren looked to Jack just when JP entered the room as well.
''This was supposed to be your funeral track but- Ow! Hope!'' The girl had smacked him on the arm but he nudged her back so he could sit beside her on the bench.
There was just enough room for them both and Darren turned back to Sam.
''Pretty cool, uh?''
He rhetorically said but the hunter looked over his burger and raised his brows at the stereo.
''Oh, come on, man! There's only old pricks who don't like this music!''
Both Sam and Dean turned to Darren, the latter one with daggers in his eyes and the boy quickly sat up straight.
''Okay,'' JP said as he reached in his pocket, ''It's gift time, everyone.'' The vampire handed a wrapped up rectangle to Jack, who looked at it before he put his burger down.
''First time dying's always the best,'' JP continued as the resurrected boy took the gift carefully in his hands, ''It's like a rite of passage around here.''
Hope rolled her eyes while the vampire glanced at the brothers and Castiel.
Technically, Darren and Hope were the only ones who hadn't died at least once.
All eyes turned to the package when Jack's fingers started to tear through it, only to reveal a board game.
''Cosmic Balance, seriously?''
''It's a classic.'' JP defended himself before Hope as he crouched down next to Jack's seat. ''Thought it'd be better than your card games. You like it?''
''Yes! This is great!'' He opened the box immediately on the table and Hope pushed back his dish toward her so he wouldn't knock everything over.
''Thanks!'' He looked up at the vampire with a bright smile and the girl put the wrapping paper away.
''Can we play it now?'' Jack asked and he looked back to the three grown men around the table.
''Listen, kid, why don't you eat up fir-''
''Yeah, sure,'' Sam interrupted Dean as he opened a new bottle of ketchup, ''Go with your friends.''
Jack didn't need to be told twice. He immediately took the game with him before he sprinted to the door with still, the same dashing but childish smile.
Darren followed but ran back last minute to take back the stereo which earned him a grateful glance from Sam.
JP too and he cast a look to Hope for her to rise as well.
''We'll clean up,'' Sam started when the girl left her seat.
''Thank you.'' She threw them a look and nodded before leaving. She followed JP through the hallway until the last twist.
''I'll catch up later.'' She said and the vampire turned back to her with a frown.
''Why?''
''Girl stuff.''
He frowned but she had already disappeared down the hall.
She continued until she'd reached her door and stormed in. She hadn't been in there in two days so the room smelled like dust and old wood but she barely even paid attention to it when she reached for the switch.
The light was dim, but just enough so she could see her duffle on the side of the dresser.
The front pocket was almost ripped open but after a few minutes of intense rummaging, Hope finally found what she was looking for.
The yellow paper stared right back at her while she took a hold of the small glass recipient beside it.
Her legs carried her to the conjoined bathroom and once she'd reached the toilet, she put the seat up and unscrewed the cap.
The liquid poured into the bowl like tea poured from a pot when held from far up; swiftly and satisfyingly, and once the vial was empty, Hope flushed the toilet.
Her eyes followed the movements until the last of Clarisse's tears disappeared in a spiral of water.
☀︎
Hope had found the boys while they were playing Cosmic Balance on the floor of Jack's bedroom but they'd seemed to be having so much fun that she hadn't wanted to disturb.
Jack's laugh had echoed off the walls when she'd walked away without making her presence known and she was now in the kitchen, nearly two hours later and against all odds, baking.
Lily Sunder had died saving Jack, Kelly seemed to have accepted Hope into the family already and Castiel had straight up sold his soul, which made it a lot of thoughts to bake away.
''What're you doing, kid?'' She'd been so engrossed in her preparation that she hadn't even noticed Dean until he strode into the room.
''Oh,'' She looked up from the mixture she'd stirred all around. She had a bit on her face too but luckily, Jack wasn't around to catch it with his fingers and bring it to his lips.
''I'm attempting to make nougat.'' She answered as she looked back to the weird dough she'd stirred with the pistachios and almonds.
Dean opened the fridge and took a beer for himself before he walked to the counter.
''That doesn't look like nougat,'' He assured and his nose crunched in distaste.
''That's why I said 'attempting'.'' The girl sighed and pushed back the wooden spoon. She made room around the counter and hopped on it, next to the sugar bag.
The mood had turned serious and she let out a long sigh but Dean didn't dare break it with a bad joke about the bits of attempted nougat in her hair or even the stains on her robe.
The first time she'd showed up in pajama shorts in this room, Jack had collapsed to die.
''What's wrong?'' Dean asked as he took a sip of his beer and pushed back on the counter with his back.
His neck turned slightly to the girl while she stared at her own dangling legs.
''Nothing. I just- I thought that I could get rid of all these pent up feelings but,'' She threw a look at the bowl in which the nougat lay, ''It's not working.''
Dean grimaced as he looked back to the mixture. He'd seen supernatural beings before, but whatever was in that bowl scared him beyond belief.
''You're going to make Jack eat that? 'Cause we just got him back. Wouldn't want him dying again so soon.''
''Hilarious.'' Hope sighed and he chuckled over the bottle.
She stared up ahead again and her hands went to roam before her as she finally let the nerves out.
''It's just... Clarisse does this,'' Her neck craned so she could look to Dean, just as he looked up from his beer. ''The whole, 'waking up at unholy hours of the night to bake her stress out'. And it worked!'' Her head went to meet her palms as she groaned in her hands, nearly knocking over the honey bowl.
''So why don't I feel better?'' She asked as she turned to Dean, her head propped up by her hand.
The man pursed his lips gravelly, but before he could answer, the girl went on.
''I mean, I suck at cooking anyway. I just like stirring the stuff together and pretend I'm a chef!''
Dean's eyes wandered back to the bowl for a split second and he had to nod quickly.
''Well,'' He started again as she hopped off the counter. ''I'm no Clarisse, but if it helps... come on. Talk to me.''
''You?''
''Yeah, me,'' The man moved over to the table and once he was sat, he patted the flat surface.
''Come on. Just between us girls.''
The witch chuckled before she walked and sat before Dean, the only separation being the table between them.
There was a minute silence and he had to take another sip of his bottle as he tilted his head to get her to start.
''I called Clarisse... again.''
''And?''
''She still hasn't called back.''
''Just give her ti-''
''It's the eighty-sixth voicemail that I leave, Dean. And counting.'' Hope's voice wavered at the end and she brought her hands together on the table. Her gaze got lost on the brand of Dean's beer as the man put it away to another corner of the table.
He leaned slightly forward too, even though she could have sworn his beer wasn't even halfway through.
''Look, Sam would tell you that your friend's just angry. That she cares about you but needs time to cool off. That she'll call you the second she's better.''
Hope thought for a minute while her eyes darted between Dean and her hands.
''But you're not Sam.''
''No, I'm not,'' He answered truthfully and somehow, her lungs felt compelled to draw a deeper breath.
''My job's to tell you the truth. And truth is, I don't know what Clarisse's doing. Hell, I don't know if she's still mad at you. But what I do know is that... you've got folks here too.''
A frown suddenly creased in her features and her head rose slightly to meet his eyes.
''I do?''
''Yeah,'' Dean reached out to scratch at his stubble, almost nervously, as he leaned back in his seat.
''I mean, what you did today, for Jack... that's what we do here-''
''Put your life in jeopardy for no reason at all?''
''Save lives,'' He corrected and the bottle of beer reappeared in his hands somehow. ''You didn't have to, but you did it. You saved the kid,''
Her eyes couldn't help but meet the table as she remembered what else she'd done for him today.
''So, if it doesn't work out with your girlfriend, you've got a family here. I mean, as long as you don't break the kid's heart. I forgive but never forget.'' He brought a finger up and slashed it against his throat as he spoke, looking directly at the girl.
''I got this.'' She nodded and her lips pursed. ''Thank you, Dean.''
''Alright,'' He sipped at his beer again until stars appeared before his eyes. He quickly shook his head and the blurred face of Hope became normal again. ''Don't tell Sam about this, please. I have a reputation to uphold.''
The girl chuckled again and Dean was glad he could get noises clearly now. He'd been having his vision blurred and senses dulled for a while now, but as the tough man that he was, never once formed so much as a complaint to anyone. Even though we, the quiet little viewers, knew that he should have.
''And you have Darren and JP too.'' He continued, pushing the uneasy thoughts in a corner of his brain.
Hope nodded as he threw his head back and dawned the last of his drink.
''Yeah,'' A small smile slipped out to directly turn into a grimace. ''Oh, crap! JP! How could I forget?''
Dean didn't even have time to process what was happening before she got up and dashed for the door, only turning back once.
''Thanks for the talk, Dean.''
The older man nodded and grabbed himself another beer as the girl's footsteps echoed down the hallway.
''Kids.'' He muttered under his breath just as, a few feet away, Hope reached JP's room.
She didn't bother to knock and barged in immediately.
Whoever didn't bother to lock the door in a secret bunker inhabited by professional killers deserved a good slap back to reality anyway.
''Hope!'' The vampire almost jumped up and veins stood out under his cheeks, his eyes turning red pretty soon but his fangs weren't out just yet.
''Vamp instincts! Just knock, next time!''
The girl fumbled with apologies -well, one apology, but that was more than what she gave most people- as the boy's face turned back to normal.
He had taken off his shirt already and was about to kick off his pants as well but she didn't even stop on that fact.
''Your mom,'' Hope panted as she looked back to him, still holding onto the doorknob for dear life. ''Your mom's in Heaven,'' She croaked out and the vampire's head snapped up suddenly, when she thought back.
''I saw her door.''
☀︎
''Anyways, I was just walking along those awfully white -and I mean, sickeningly white- walls and then there was that door that just- just stood out. I mean, I noticed it because I happened to be standing there but if we had any doubt, we don't anymore. Celine Benoist is in Heaven. Heaven, Clarisse! I mean, I'm not that excited about that place 'cause it's not that... great. But anyways, I'm acting so girly right now, please shoot me when you get back. Because... you are coming back, right? Anyway, I miss you, oh and about Jack... maybe you were right. I mean, he called me his girlfriend... and before his mom! Right... dead mom... uh, I'll have to fill you in on that later too. Take care. I love you.'' Hope finished the voicemail and hung up at last, eager to breathe after her long rant.
She'd braced herself and left another message, the most joyful one she'd ever left, at her friend even though she still dared not to call her back.
She tried, and that's all that mattered now; after all, she was officially a moron.