Dusting off an old muse

[hasthateffect]

[Aggrivated hunter here.] I don't care. I don't care how much time you do or don't have. The boys need me. Mary needs me.

Make this happen.

Comments

[chosenfamily]

[And surprised hunter here.]

Uh...well. I can't say this is as unexpected as it should be.

[He shares a head with his mun, after all.]

Hi, Dad.

[hasthateffect]

Sammy. [Have a somewhat pained smile. All your fault for waking him up, kid.] These places kind of take unexpected to a whole new level.

[chosenfamily]

[It's just awkward, okay? Really, really awkward.]

Just a bit, yeah. [He's not even protesting 'Sammy'. Things have changed a lot, after all.] I'd say you get used to it, but you really don't.

[hasthateffect]

[At least they're not fighting right off the bat? He'll take that. Hell, he'll take whatever he can get that doesn't involve fighting.]

No. I can't imagine you do. How've you been, son?

[chosenfamily]

[It's hard to want to shout at John when things have gone so around the bend that it's not even funny any more. And he wonders just how much his father knows about everything that followed opening that door to Hell.]

I'm...still working on that, actually. I seem to be okay. Place I'm at is weird, but...well, things aren't going too badly. Have Dean, Mom, Bobby and Cas there. It's a good start.

[hasthateffect]

[He knows some, not all. It's been harder than he can really say to watch his boys suffer. Then Sam mentions Mary and he visibly startles.] Mary? She.. she's there? Your Mom?

[chosenfamily]

[Sam nods after a moment.]

Yeah. She's...really something. Driving Dean crazy.

[Because Mary seems to rub Dean the same way John always rubbed Sam. It's sort of weird, honestly.]

[chosenfreedom]

[Yeah he's doing a double take.]

Dad. Been a while.

[hasthateffect]

[Considering the last time he saw Dean? Can't exactly blame him.] Yeah. Too long.

[chosenfreedom]

Got no idea. [He ran a hand over the back of his head.]

Seen all kinds of weird crap since.

[hasthateffect]

I've been hearing a little of it. [Enough that he'd break right out of heaven if he had to.]

I never got the chance to tell you, Dean. But I was damn proud of you. For what you did.

[chosenfreedom]

[ Have a look of utter disbelief from your eldest, John.]

Christo.

[Well considering the last time... the caution might be understandable.

[hasthateffect]

[John quirks a grin.] Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii, omnis legio, omnis congregatio et secta diabolica

Better?

[notyourpromdate]

[Bobby's just going to throw holy water in your face John.]

[hasthateffect]

[Oh good. It's you. Look how excited he is, Bobby, as he mops water off his face.] We gonna need to run through the whole list, Singer?

[notyourpromdate]

[The excitement is equally reflected in Bobby's face as he hands over the flask. The SILVER Flask because he might be saying no to going through the whole list, he's still going to do it. For shame John, you should know him better than that.]

I'm satisfied. Have a drink, I promise that one's the whiskey.

[hasthateffect]

[He unscrews the flask and tips it back. Grimacing, he hands it back.] Still buying the rotgut and spiking it with holy water. Some things never change.

[notyourpromdate]

Better t'be safe than sorry.

[He takes the flask back and takes a drink himself.]

Now, what the hell are you doin' here?

[hasthateffect]

Hell if I know. I was asleep. [Resting. Finally. Then his mun had to go and talk to Sam and wake his ass up because the boys were having a rough go of it.] Next thing I know, here I am. Dusted off and from what I can tell, getting ready to get sent.. somewhere.

Damned if I know where.

[was_a_hunter]

[She may have been pissed at him...but she was still so very glad to see him. Especially with all the hell that had been happening recently.]

Hey John~.

[hasthateffect]

[Give him a second, Mary. He knew you were here, but it's taking him a moment to process. He can only stare for a very long moment at a face he adores, even to this day. His return smile is only a bit shaky.] Hi babe.

[was_a_hunter]

[Letting him have a few moments, she took the time to look him over, almost afraid that this wasn't really happening.

He was here and all of the angry words she'd rehearsed went out the window for the moment.]

It's so good to see you, John.

[hasthateffect]

[Salt. Holy water. He should go for any of the above, but God help him he can't. Disbelief swamps everything else. His hand raises twice, but he can't quite close the distance between them. Almost as if he expects her to disappear if he touched her.] You too, Mary. My God. You're as beautiful as I remember.

[was_a_hunter]

[Don't worry, John. Your eldest already went through the whole routine and tested everything he could on her.

It was all she could do to not simply break down and never let him out of her sight again. Seeing his hand raising but never touching her...she didn't need any more of an invitation. Moving forward, Mary wrapped her arms around his waist, her frame trembling softly with the realization that he was really here. This wasn't a hallucination or a dream like the last time she'd seen him.]

Don't leave again...please. [Emotion clouded her voice, her weariness seeming to catch up to her with the most recent turn of events.]

[hasthateffect]

[It was like a dam breaking, her touch. John wrapped his arms around her shoulders, crushing her against him, choking off a sob into her warm hair. Mary. It was Mary. She was warm and perfect and exactly as he remembered.

[Mary was alive.]

Never. Nothing on this earth is going to keep me away this time, I swear.