Jay's Pizza in Arcadia was Benjamin's favorite place in the world. It was a loud, neon-lit haven of childhood joy, where the smell of freshly baked pizza filled the air and arcade machines blinked with a cacophony of sound. The pizza slices were massive, almost as big as his head, and the homemade ice cream was always fresh and creamy, the perfect sugar rush.

The twelve-year-old had been practically bouncing off the walls from excitement all day. Add in the carbs and sugar, and it was no surprise that he was on an ultimate high. He was the life of the party—cracking jokes, challenging the boys to games, and even mimicking walruses with straws, much to the delight of everyone, especially Dean, who shamelessly joined in on the fun.

Nadia couldn't help but smile as she watched the boy's infectious energy. With her and Rufus on the road, they didn't often get the chance to be together as a family, and Ben thrived when they were all in the same place.

Having Sam and Dean there made it even better. The Winchester brothers, despite their usual ruggedness, were enjoying themselves, the weight of past events momentarily forgotten. It was good to see them in such a carefree mood, not weighed down by the chaos that had followed them since Dean's return.

"All right," Irene yawned, stretching. "I'm gonna use the bathroom. Then we can head home."

"Quick. One more game of basketball!" Ben held up his last few tokens, waving them in front of Dean and Sam.

Dean slapped the table with a grin. "Let's do it. But I get Sasquatch on my team this time," he said, pointing at Sam, who scoffed in mock indignation.

"You'll still lose," Ben taunted with a grin. "Wanna come, Nadie?"

"Yeah, sure," Nadia began to stand, ready to join the boys when—

"Wait," Rufus's voice stopped her. He was standing just a few steps behind her, his expression unreadable. "Can we talk for a second?"

Nadia's stomach tightened, and her heart rate quickened. She didn't want to have the reconciliation talk with her father, not here, not now. But she couldn't exactly walk away either. She swallowed hard, hoping her face didn't betray her inner conflict.

"I'll be over in a minute," she said to the boys, her voice steady despite the knot in her chest. Then she sat back down on the booth, facing Rufus.

He sighed deeply, clasping his hands together as though gathering the strength to speak. "Nadia—"

"Dad, stop," she interrupted, her voice soft but firm. "Please don't apologize if we're just going to go through this again."

"But I mean it this time," Rufus said, his voice quieter, filled with something that bordered on desperation.

Nadia crossed her arms, leaning back, a trace of skepticism in her expression. "How am I supposed to believe you? I get that you never really got over mom's death, and I understand that it was even harder for you when things started happening to me. I won't pretend to know what that was like. And I wish things turned out differently... better. But you married Irene. We have Ben now."

Rufus ran a hand roughly over his face, his eyes tired. "I know. I know." His voice cracked slightly. "The last time you left, I—I passed out after our fight. I woke up, and Irene was there, ready to take care of me. Of course, I was grumpy, prideful, and didn't want to hear what she had to say. Then you know what she asked me?"

"What?" Nadia's curiosity piqued.

"'Will we ever be enough?'" Rufus's voice was tight, strained.

Nadia was silent for a moment, letting the words sink in. "And what'd you say?"

"Nothing," Rufus replied, shaking his head. "I couldn't answer. I wanted to, but I couldn't. 'Cause I don't know. I want you guys to be enough... but when it comes to your mother's death, I—" He stopped, the words hanging in the air like a thick fog. His face darkened, his gaze distant.

"Her death what, Dad?" Nadia's voice softened as she leaned forward slightly, her hand reaching out instinctively to him.

Rufus opened his mouth, but no words came. He exhaled, his shoulders slumping as if the weight of the years had finally caught up with him.

"Dad, you can tell me anything," Nadia said, her voice gentle, even as she squeezed his hand. "You know that."

"I do," Rufus replied with a sad smile, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Listen, I'm going to do better. I want to. I know it might be hard for you to believe, but I'll prove it. To all of you."

Nadia's shoulders dropped as she felt the tension in her chest ease, but it was still a heavy conversation. She kissed her father on the forehead, a soft gesture of reassurance, though she wasn't sure if either of them truly believed it yet.

Rufus wasn't the kind of man to openly speak about his feelings. He had always convinced himself that he was fine. To say it out loud, to admit how much he was hurting—it would make it all real, and that scared him more than he let on.

Nadia considered telling him about her memories of Vanessa, but she quickly dismissed the thought. He had enough to handle. The idea of his wife—his beloved Vanessa—being something other than what he had always believed could break him more than her death ever had.

"I love you, Dad. And I forgive you. I always will." Nadia's voice was soft but unwavering, a quiet promise that she wasn't ready to break.

Rufus smiled, his lips trembling as he kissed her forehead again. "I love you too, Nadia."

"Hey, Nadie!" Benji's voice called out from across the room, and Nadia looked up to see him standing with the boys, eagerly waving her over.

"I better go," she said, giving Rufus a final pat on the shoulder as she stood, her legs a little wobbly after the emotional conversation.

"You like the short one, don't you?" Rufus called after her, his grin teasing.

Nadia flushed, her cheeks warming. "Come on, Dad."

"I'm just saying," Rufus added, his voice lowering to a more serious tone. "I like him. Don't tell him that, though."

Nadia laughed lightly, shaking her head. "I won't."

Rufus gave her a thoughtful look. "I'd keep an eye on him too."

"What do you mean?" Nadia asked, her brow furrowing as she stopped in her tracks.

"You don't really believe he doesn't remember anything about Hell, do you?" Rufus asked, his voice low, almost like a warning.

Nadia's mind went blank for a second as she processed what he was implying. Dean had lied to Sam, insisting that he didn't remember anything from the Pit. Nadia's gut told her Rufus might be right. Dean had too many secrets, things that he hadn't let anyone in on, least of all Sam.

"Nadie, come on!" Benji called again, impatient now.

"It's all right," Rufus motioned her on. "Go ahead."

Nadia nodded, giving him a soft smile before heading over to join the boys. She put on a grin as she approached, brushing off the heavy conversation, though her mind still lingered on it. Rufus had always been perceptive. She wasn't surprised he could see through Dean's carefully crafted facade.

"You guys good?" Dean asked as she approached.

"We're okay," Nadia replied, slipping her arm around Ben's shoulders. "You guys ready to get your butts kicked?"

Dean raised an eyebrow. "Sorry, what did you say?" He cupped his hand around his ear. "Am I ready to win?"

Ben and Nadia shared a knowing eye roll.

Ben grinned. "Let's strike a deal."

"We're listening," Sam said, exchanging a look with his brother.

"If we win," he said, his voice full of confidence, "I get to drive your car."

Sam burst out laughing. "Seriously?"

Ben raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest, daring them to say no.

The brothers exchanged a glance. "Indulge him," Nadia said with a shrug.

"If you were a few years older, I'd think about it," Dean said, smirking.

"Shotgun?" Ben asked eagerly.

"Deal," Dean said, shaking his hand.

The game was on, and whatever else was going on in their lives, for a brief moment, it was just about the fun of the game—and Ben's future driving privileges.

"That was awesome!" Ben yawned as he trudged into the house, his energy finally waning. Everyone filed in behind him, their laughter echoing through the quiet halls. Winning against Sam and Dean had been the cherry on top of his night, and he'd gotten his shotgun ride in the Impala as his prize. He'd insisted Dean blast the radio and drive fast enough to give him one last thrill before bedtime.

"Let's do it again tomorrow!" he declared, his voice laced with hope and exhaustion.

"Maybe tomorrow," Irene said gently, placing her hands on his shoulders to guide him toward the stairs. "But right now, it's time for bed. Say good night."

"Good night," Ben mumbled, yawning again as he shuffled upstairs with her.

"Good night," everyone echoed, the voices overlapping in warm unison. Jackets were tossed onto chairs, and the group settled into the living room, the excitement of the evening still lingering.

"Beer?" Rufus offered, holding up a six-pack.

Dean and Sam exchanged a look before nodding and shrugging in unison. "Sure," they said, grinning.

"You guys having fun?" Nadia asked, motioning for the boys to sit as she plopped down onto the worn-out couch. She pulled her legs up underneath her, relaxed but alert.

"Yeah," Dean said, beaming as he cracked open a beer. "I'll admit, I was a little nervous at first, though. You know, with your dad and all."

"Right," she chuckled, grabbing a pillow to hug. "Well, between us, he's actually pretty fond of you both. I mean, he'd still shoot you in the ass if he had to, but—"

"Naturally," Sam said, smirking as he took a sip of his drink. "You and Irene seemed to be getting along tonight. At least for the most part."

"Oh yeah," Nadia said, pushing her dreadlocks over her shoulder with a half-smile. "I, uh, had a talk with Ellen last night. Decided I'm turning over a new—"

"No, Mom, don't! Please!" Ben's voice rang out from upstairs, loud and panicked.

Nadia bolted upright as the sound of hurried, angry footsteps pounded down the stairs. Irene stormed into the living room, her expression a thundercloud of fury.

Ben followed close behind, his face flushed with guilt and fear. In her hand, Irene held up a small prescription bottle like a damning piece of evidence.

"Care to explain why I found these under your brother's pillow?" she snapped, her voice sharp as glass.

Nadia froze, her eyes wide as she stared at the bottle in Irene's hand. She glanced at Ben, who stood behind his mother, looking torn between defiance and shame.

"I kept them," Ben admitted in a small voice, "just in case she changed her mind."

Irene's scowl deepened. "I can't believe you involved him in your shenanigans. Telling him to lie to his own mother."

"She didn't pull me into anything!" Ben protested. "I offered!"

"Stop it. Don't lie for your sister," Irene said firmly, cutting him off.

"But Mom—"

"Enough, Ben!" Irene snapped, her tone leaving no room for argument.

"What's going on?" Rufus entered the room, beers in hand, his brow furrowed at the tension thickening the air. He set the bottles down on the coffee table as he took in the scene.

"I found Nadia's meds under Ben's pillow," Irene explained, her voice tight with frustration. "Apparently, he was supposed to get rid of them."

Rufus frowned, his gaze shifting to Nadia. "What? Why?"

"I didn't ask Ben to do anything," Nadia said quickly, her voice steady despite the rising heat in her cheeks. "He offered. Practically begged to help me."

"Why would you want to get rid of them?" Rufus asked, his confusion evident.

"Because they don't help," Nadia admitted, her voice cracking slightly. "They never have. All they do is suppress... whatever I am."

"Whatever you are?" Rufus's expression turned serious. "What do you mean?"

Nadia hesitated, her fingers twisting together in her lap. She glanced at Sam and Dean, who gave her encouraging nods. Taking a deep breath, she spoke.

"Weird things have been happening to me since Dean came back," she began. "A voice in my head led me to his grave. I communicated with an angel. I've been having memories of Mom. She told me about the apocalypse and—"

"Angels?" Irene scoffed, crossing her arms. "And the apocalypse? You've got to be kidding me."

"Actually," Rufus interjected, his voice calm but firm, "I talked to Bobby. Angels are real, and the start of the apocalypse is well underway."

"It was an angel that pulled me from the pit," Dean added, his tone matter-of-fact. "FYI, they're not as whimsical as you'd think."

Irene pinched the bridge of her nose, exhaling sharply as she tried to process the information. "So, we've gone from monsters to angels and now the apocalypse?"

"Crazy times," Sam muttered with a half-hearted chuckle, though his attempt at humor fell flat.

"Why didn't you tell me about any of this?" Irene demanded, turning to Rufus with an accusatory glare.

"Because I know how you get," Rufus admitted, holding up his hands defensively.

"How I get?" Irene shot back, her voice rising. "You mean how I care about what happens to the world? About how it affects our family? How I want to be informed about what's going on in our lives?"

"That's not the point," she said quickly, turning her attention back to Nadia. "What do angels and the apocalypse have to do with your meds?"

"I can't remember things when I'm on them," Nadia explained, her voice trembling. "And when I do, it's blurry. Even the voice in my head—it breaks up like a staticky radio."

"Sounds like the meds are doing their job, then," Irene said, her tone cold and unmoving.

Nadia scoffed incredulously, her eyes flicking to her father in desperation, silently pleading for support.

Dean cleared his throat, standing. "We'll let you guys talk. Ben, how about you come with us? Another car ride might do you some good."

Ben hesitated, his small face set in a determined scowl. "No. I'm staying here."

"Ben, go," Irene said sharply, her eyes never leaving Nadia's.

Rufus sighed, looking between his wife and daughter. "Go on, son," he said gently.

Reluctantly, Ben followed Sam out of the room. Dean lingered, squeezing Nadia's shoulder briefly before stepping away.

"Tell me, Nadia," Irene said, her voice low but piercing. "Do you really want some voice in your head telling you what to do?"

"Well, it led me to Dean," Nadia shot back. "And he's turning out to be a vital piece of what's going on. So, yeah, I'd say the voice is onto something. If it's speaking to me, maybe it knows how to stop the apocalypse for good."

"You can't be serious," Irene said, rubbing her temples.

"Maybe she's right," Rufus said quietly, surprising both women.

"You can't really believe this," Irene said, her voice tinged with exasperation.

Rufus shrugged. "Come on, Irene. This isn't the craziest thing to happen. I fight monsters for a living."

"Look, I know the normal thing would be to drown out the voice," Nadia pressed, her frustration bubbling under the surface, "but if anything, I need to hear it. The pills keep me from doing that. Maybe I won't even need them anymore if I can learn how to—"

"Nadia," Irene cut her off, her voice trembling, "do you hear yourself? Last time you were off your meds—"

"I know!" Nadia snapped, her guilt flashing in her eyes. "I almost killed you. But I was young. I didn't understand what was happening. I'm older now. If I could just hone in and control it—"

"I can't take that chance!" Irene's fear shone in her eyes as her voice rose. "Not with Ben in the house."

Nadia's glare sharpened. "I'd never hurt him. You know that."

"I'm not asking you," Irene retorted coldly. "I'm telling you."

"Now, Irene—" Rufus stepped protectively in front of Nadia, his tone firm. "Let's try to reason here."

"I have had enough reasoning with her—and with you," Irene shot back, her voice cracking under the weight of emotions she had bottled up. "You both throw it in my face every time—that I'm not Vanessa. I've bit my tongue until it bled, loving and caring for you the best I could. Even going as far as forcing myself to get over how my stepdaughter almost killed my unborn child and me."

Nadia froze, her fists clenching at her sides as her blood boiled. The room felt stifling, and Irene's words hung heavy in the air.

Irene's outburst wasn't just anger—it was deflection. Nadia saw through the thin veil. The truth was, Irene had convinced herself she needed to become Vanessa 2.0. She'd made her own insecurities into a war against Nadia, projecting her fears and frustrations into a desperate attempt to control her.

Nadia had shut up and put up plenty of times. For her dad, who didn't need the stress while hunting. For Ben, who shouldn't have had to witness their fights. But this? This felt like the breaking point.

"We might not be close, Irene," Nadia said, her voice low and dangerous, "but you know I'd never hurt you. Not intentionally."

Irene's jaw tightened. "You listen to me, Nadia. I've let a lot of things get swept under the rug, but not this." She held up the bottle of pills. "Take them."

Nadia's teeth clenched as Dean's earlier words echoed in her head: *"Do what you want."*

"No," Nadia said firmly, shaking her head.

Irene's eyebrows shot up. "No?"

"No."

"Girls—" Rufus started, his voice edged with warning.

But Irene wasn't finished. She stepped around Rufus so she could stand face-to-face with Nadia. "I don't want you here or anywhere near Ben."

Nadia scoffed, leaning in closer. "Funny that you actually think you could ever kick me out of my own home. You said it yourself—you're the replacement, Irene. Or did you forget that already?"

"That's enough!" Rufus roared, silencing them both. His voice reverberated through the room. "Even out of frustration, this is not how family talks to each other!"

"Family?" Nadia spat bitterly. "More like a pain in my ass since the day you married her."

"You ungrateful little—"

"I said enough!" Rufus's voice boomed again. "We are not banning Nadia from the house, and we are not keeping her away from Ben."

"But—" Irene started.

"What?" Ben's voice cut through the tension as he appeared in the doorway. His wide, worried eyes darted between them. Sam and Dean trailed behind him, looking uneasy.

"Benji, I told you—" Irene began, her voice softening slightly.

"You can't do that!" Ben said fiercely, rushing to Nadia's side. "You can't keep us apart. I'll never forgive you!"

"You don't have to worry about that, son," Rufus said firmly, trying to reassure him.

"Of course," Irene muttered bitterly, "you take her side."

What started as a tense argument spiraled into a shouting match between Irene and Rufus. He tried to explain that it wasn't about taking sides, but Irene's fears and insecurities fueled her anger.

She couldn't see past the emotional storm clouding her judgment. Meanwhile, Ben pleaded desperately, his voice rising above the chaos as he begged them to listen to Nadia.

Nadia, overwhelmed by the shouting and the oppressive weight of the tension, pressed her hands to her temples. Her head began to pound, the room around her spinning. It felt like all the anger in the room was feeding into something deep inside her.

"Uh, guys?" Dean said, noticing Nadia's sudden change in demeanor. "Maybe we should all just take it down a notch?"

But to Dean's dismay, they ignored him.

"Everybody shut up!" Dean barked.

The room fell silent, everyone staring at him. Rufus raised an eyebrow, his intimidating expression making Dean awkwardly clear his throat. "I mean... if you want to, sir."

Before anyone could respond, Nadia let out a sharp gasp and clutched her head. "Son of a bitch," she muttered, her voice tight with pain.

"Nadia?" Ben stepped closer, worry etched across his young face.

"Honey," Rufus said, reaching out. "Are you o—"

In an instant, Nadia was gone.

The living room was empty where she had been standing. Sam, Dean, and Rufus blinked in disbelief. Ben gasped, his hands flying to his mouth. "She disappeared!" he cried.

Nadia found herself standing on a chilly sidewalk in an unfamiliar town. The air smelled of damp leaves and faintly of caramel apples. She looked around, disoriented. The streets were decorated for Halloween, with pumpkins glowing on stoops and paper bats hanging in store windows. Children in costumes laughed and ran past her.

"Watch where you're going!" snapped a man as she bumped into him.

"Sorry," she mumbled, still trying to rationalize what was happening. Her heart pounded as she walked aimlessly, trying to make sense of it.

A loud blast suddenly echoed in the distance, shaking the ground beneath her feet. She stumbled as the force rippled through the street.

People screamed, clutching onto anything stable as more explosions erupted, each one closer than the last. Flames shot into the sky, the heat searing even from blocks away.

Nadia's stomach dropped. This was part one of the destruction she had seen before. It had to be. But why was she here now?

Before she could fully process, the world shifted again, and she found herself back in the living room, gasping for air.

"She's back!" Ben cried, relief flooding his voice.

The others rushed in. Rufus hugged her tightly, his relief palpable. "Where'd you go?" he asked, pulling back to look at her.

"I-I don't know," Nadia stammered, her body trembling. Her head swam, and her eyelids felt unbearably heavy. "I..."

Rufus's expression shifted to alarm. "What?" Nadia asked weakly, seeing his face. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Your nose," Dean said, pointing. His voice was low, almost scared.

Nadia touched her upper lip and pulled her fingers away to see blood. A lot of it. "Oh," she murmured, her voice faint.

"I'll call 911!" Irene said, panic overtaking her anger.

"No," Nadia said weakly, shaking her head. "I'm fine. I just need to... I just need to..."

Her words slurred, and the last thing she heard was her name being called before the world went dark.