CHAPTER TEN

It's been nearly a year since Nyx died, and the expiration date on Dean's deal is only a day away. These past twelve months have been hell for the hunters and the few supernatural creatures that they now call their friends.

There's been days spent drinking in bars and trying to find anything​ to distract himself from his pain. Nights spent crying because her babies couldn't​ see her loving smile or feel her when she touched their cheeks. Not to mention the countless fights about the right and wrong things to do.

"I'm dead, Jeremy. You want your big sister, call Elena."

"What the hell, Nyx?" He shakes his head as he gets in front of her. "What happened to I'll be here if you need anything?"

"I'm dead!" She snaps. "Without you and Sam, I am all alone! I've got nothing!"

"You have us!"

"And I love you guys, Jeremy, but that's not enough. I want to be alive. I want my kids to know that I'm here." She tells him. "I hate this!"

—

Dean grabs his arm, and Jeremy spins around and punches him in the face. He stands up straight after the force of it knocked him to the side, and Jeremy grabs him and pins him against the wall.

"We all lost her, we are all mourning her." He says as Dean looks down at him, though he's not much taller. "But she lost everything! She lost all of us! And unlike you, she doesn't have a bar to get drunk at all day to numb herself of the pain. So, take advantage of the one thing that she wants more than anything, and be a father to your kids. Stop wasting what little time you have left and stay with the twins!"

—

"It's October 10." He says as Dean looks up at his younger brother from the floor. "The twins' birthday, you jackass."

He rubs his jaw as he pushes himself to his feet. Dean looks at Sam and then just turns away from him.

"You wanna hunt? We'll hunt." Sam tells him. "Carter will stay in the motels with the twins, and me and you will kill some monsters. But when we're with the twins, you will be a father. They deserve that much out of you, Dean. After everything, you owe​ that to Nycole."

There's been plenty of that hopeless feeling to go around. As well as that urge to kill any evil thing that he can get his hands on.

Dean's arranging the weapons in the trunk of the Impala. He stands up straight and glances at his brother who's leaning against the side of the car.

"We got work to do." He then closes the hatch.

Sam sighs as he watches his older brother walk toward the driver's side of the car. He's not just hurting, he's broken. A piece of him died with Nyx in that basement cellar.

—

"Is he gonna be alright?" Carter asks as he and Sam watch Dean with the twins. The three of them decided to bring the kids to the park, figured they should get out of the motel for a while.

"Honestly, I don't know." Sam tells him. "He loved Nyx more than he's ever loved anyone before, and her death broke him... And the promise that she'd always be there, watching over us... It's just not enough."

"And there's nothing we can do for him?"

"We can do exactly what we have been. We can help with the twins and pick up some of the slack." He says. "But other than that..."

"Yeah, that's what I figured." Carter nods.

Of course, it hasn't been all bad. They've all had their ups as well as their downs.

"Hi." Nyx smiles as she pops up in front of her brother. "How's it going?"

"Stop doing that." He whispers as he keeps walking through the grill.

"You love it." She says as she does it again. He can't help the smile that makes its way onto his face as he chuckles.

"You're annoying."

"It's my job as big sister."

—

"We're in college, Caroline." Elena smiles as she looks at the Whitmore campus.

"We actually made it. We're here." Care says, smiling just as bright.

"We're all here together." Bonnie tells them, and even though they can't see her, she's genuinely happy.

"There's my girls." Nyx chuckles before going to find her brother.

And there have been moments — even in the heartbreak — where they've found a little bit of light to keep them all going.

Nyx and Bonnie rush over to each other and hug as soon as they're close enough. It's the first physical contact Nyx's had in three months, but it means just as much to Bonnie. Even though she was able to talk to Matt while he was on the other side after Silas killed him.

"They're together." Jeremy tells the others, who are all relieved that they have each other, at least for now.

—

"Dude." Sam smacks his brother's​ arm. "He's walking. Alex is walking." He says, and Dean looks up from the picture of him and Nyx.

"That's my boy." Dean smiles as he slips the picture into his flannel pocket. "Come here, Munchie. Walk to Daddy." He says, and Alex slowly makes his way to his father. He smiles as he picks Alex up. "That's my boy!"

Alex smiles as he looks at his dad, who's beaming with pride. And Nyx chuckles as she watches the look of total adoration on Dean's face. She's really missed seeing that smile of his.

—

Everly then grabs Dean's face, and he looks down at her. "Yes, Princess?"

"Dada." She smiles, and his face softens as he looks into her big brown eyes.

"She has Nyx's eyes, don't you think?" He asks. "Not just 'cause they're brown, but the shape too?"

"Yeah, man." Sam nods. "She does."

But then tragedy strikes again, and they're reminded that they're not invincible. And sometimes the good guys do lose.

"No." Nyx cries as Caroline runs over.

"Oh my God." The blonde pushes her hair back as she kneels down next to them.

"Damn it!"

"Somebody help me! Please. Oh my God. Oh my God." She sobs. "No. Somebody help!"

"Oh." Vicki puts her hand over her mouth as she appears behind her best friend.

"This wasn't​ supposed to happen." Nyx's shaking her head. "He's always been the one to help us. He's always the one to save us all the time. I should've been here." She says as Vicki walks over to her.

"Nycki." She kneels down beside the distraught brunette and puts her hand on her shoulder. Vicki pulls Nyx to her, and the younger girl leans into her best friend as she sobs.

But there's still hope. There's always hope, there has to be. It's what they cling to, how they stay sane. Hope is the reason that they keep going, even when the worst things happen to them.

"Bonnie, the spell's started." Nyx says as she shows up in her dorm. "I've gotta get to the others, help Stefan and Elena stay alive, but I wanted you to know."

"Well, what about helping yourself come back?" Enzo asks, gaining her attention.

"What are you talking about?" She questions as she looks at him. "I made that up. There is no way back."

"I think I may have found a way to save us." Bonnie tells her. "Just like when Markos came back."

"What are you talking about?"

"I know of a Traveler on the Other Side who might be willing to help. If she can tell us the spell, we can get back before the Other Side collapses." She quickly explains. "It's a long shot, but it's better than nothing."

"I'll take it." Nyx says as she looks between the two of them. "What do you need me to do?"

"You go and save your friends. I'll work on saving us." Enzo tells her, and she looks at him skeptically​. "Don't you worry your pretty little head, love. I promise, I won't try to leave you here. I happen to actually like you."

"Mm. I don't know if I like that." She smiles at him and then disappears.

Things seem to be falling into place for their friends in Mystic Falls. After all, sometimes miracles do happen. But is pulling off this next trick asking for too much?

Unfortunately, their luck may have run out.