I touch down in Wellington, Ohio. I took a cab to the motel the boys were staying at because Bobby gave me all of the information he knew and told me to stay safe.

It was late at night as I stood in front of the correct room. Duffle bag and plastic bag in one hand, the other raised to knock on the colored door. The wind blew softly as the night went on, pushing a few strands off my shoulder. I wait a moment before saying screw it, pounding on the entrance vigorously.

It swings open and I see both boys standing at the door. Shocked to see me beyond belief, they weren't expecting me to find them or come back at all.

"Hey Winchesters." I give a small smile as my nerves built up. My confidence in my decision plummeting at the sight.

Dean wordlessly begins to shut the door but I place a firm hand on it, sticking my shoe in between the door and frame. Just like he did to me during our first encounter.

"Wait- let me explain." I call as the door slams on my foot. I wince slightly at the firm pressure.

"Dean, please." I hear Sam make an effort to help which causes a smile to spread amongst my lips.

Dean sighs and yanks me inside, slamming the door behind me. My eyes rake over the room for a split second.

"Talk." He orders as I sit down at a wooden table. I clear my throat as I begin to formulate my nonsense.

"As you boys know, I left everything behind to run around with you both. I was still being charged for my old house and whatnot so I went back and got rid of everything." I shrug at my simplified half truth.

"That doesn't explain leaving without telling us, and you going missing for three months." Dean yells while Sam stares at me, already understanding I'll tell him everything later.

"You wouldn't have let me gone by myself after I got possessed. So I left with no warning and took my phone apart so no one could track me in case the demons wanted to find me again, or if you two wanted to take me back. It took a while to sell my stuff and clean things out... but I brought gifts." Dean immediately switched gears when he heard the word 'gifts' leave my lips.

"What'd you get us?" He rushes to my bag but I slap his grabby hands away.

"Unless you wanna dig through my undergarments to find them, I don't think so. Can I at least get a welcome back?" I laugh as I stand to go hug Sam. He holds me for a moment and I release him with a smile.

"No chick flick moments." Dean scolds as I walk over to him.

"I haven't seen you in months, we'll go back to bickering soon enough, and I got you a present so hug me- goddammit." He releases a breath before wrapping me up in a hug. I breathe in his scent and automatically feel relaxed.

I've missed them.

Dean holds one hand around my waist as the other cradles my head.

"I'm glad you're ok." He whispers and suddenly I didn't believe he was all that bad anymore. Clearing my throat in an attempt to detach from the thought, I pull away and smile at them.

"Ok, so now that we're all caught up with me, and I'm caught up with the whole apocalypse thing, what is this case?"

"Dead guy, ripped head, the works. So, presents?" I laugh with a nod and go through my bag. I stack all the books I had and hand them to Sam.

"Knowledge for you, I want notes on this one because I'll read it after you do. The rest are mine and finished." I turn to Dean with a smirk.

"And for you, I brought pie." I give him the plastic bag with three different pies.

"Thank you." Sam says with a smile.

"Yes!" Dean excitingly yells like a child and begins unboxing one, shoving it into his face with the stray plastic fork inside the bag.

I clear my throat expectantly which causes Dean to slowly turn to me with wide eyes.

"Thanks." His mouth full causing me to grimace at the sight.

"So dead guy with his head ripped off?" I turn to Sam with amusement, watching him delicately trace the spine of the book I accidentally stole.

"Heart, get over here. Dr. Sexy M.D. is on." Dean whisper yells to me as Sam was getting ready in the bathroom; he was the last to do so.

"Ooh- scoot over. What episode is this? Oh my god... he's kissing the nurse. Last I checked, he was banging the blonde." I sit down next to Dean on the bed.

"The other nurse?" He asks as our eyes never leave the screen.

"No, the surgeon." My confusion present at his assumption.

"The heart surgeon?" His face matches mine as we both quickly glance at one another.

"No, the brain surgeon." Dean hums in delight at the reminder of what she looked like.

"She had a great rack." He confirms.

"Yea, they're fake though." I shrug in dismissal, my annoyance festering inside my stomach.

"No, they can't be." His denial breaks my trance from the screen as I look over at him with an unamused face.

"Not when they sit like that." I shake my head in disappointment to his lack of knowledge.

"Fake ones sit differently from natural?" He gasps as he turns to meet my gaze.

"I'm gonna hold your hand when I say this," I fake my empathy but grab his hand on his thigh regardless, "yes." His jaw drops but his focus returns to the screen. I let go of his hand and laugh at his reaction.

"You break my heart." He mumbles with sadness and a hint of humor.

"What else am I here for?" I quip which earns a glare.

Our focus turns back onto the drama and romance of the hit show.

The only time Dean and I never argued was when we watched this show together. It was an unspoken truce amongst two beings who couldn't seem to get along, at the forefront not seeing anything in common.

It's not like we open up to each other as often as we should to find those common qualities. Naturally, it isn't within our background to do so. There's a set tone to our relationship, skepticism and dislike. I'm not the type to negatively judge quickly. Not only do I have all the skills to figure people out but I'm normally patient with complexities.

Yet Dean is complex beyond belief, to the point where I couldn't figure him out. I've tried but the coils of his behavior, beliefs, and personality strung themselves in a twisted dark knot. Unable to be toyed with or dissected.

Nevertheless, the shared appreciation and wonder for an unrealistic show kept our bickering at bay. A moment for us to relax and somewhat enjoy the company.

Dean explains what I've missed since my time away, the subject of several women being under Dr. Sexy's appeal.

"Oh and they killed off the drunk nurse." He smiles with a nod.

"I hated her anyways, she botched up the meds so many times." I grimace, reminded of the episode where she gave a man medication he was allergic to.

"Yea that wasn't pretty." He mutters in thought.

Sam leaves the bathroom, chastising us on our choice of viewing. I tune them out as the show held me in a chokehold.

"Heart, you coming?" Sam asks as he's holding the front door open, waiting for me to join his side.

"Actually, I might stay. I'm feeling jet lagged and someone has to keep up with the show." He nods and the boys leave.

I sigh as I look back at the screen, it would be simpler if I was in a show or movie.

I lied to Sam due to the fact that I'm genuinely just tired. Erasing my past was exhausting plus the flights, and running into Spencer fucked me over.

I never truly gave myself the time to latch onto the last fact.

Stirring in my feverish desire to see the Winchesters, I wasn't letting myself acknowledge or cope. There was something about the boys that was so addictive. Any other woman would say it was their charm or their attractiveness; to sum up the usual interaction between them and any women they meet. It was undeniable and I'm obligated to admit that it's true.

But as for someone who was in close proximity to them for a substantial amount of time, that wasn't my answer. It was their humor, their sibling antics, their loyalty, and more.

When I was gone, I needed that break at first. The boys can be suffocating at times. Not only that but them being my everyday normalcy made me stop appreciating them as much as I should. And I say this wholly; them together. Sam by himself still felt that way, but Dean? He was not necessarily in the same ballpark.

The memory replayed in my head of when I saw Spencer last. I barely got a glimpse but his voice was the first different part I had noticed.

It seemed darker, holding so much weight that he couldn't bear it. The innocence had left him, it was the worst sound imaginable.

Whatever he was going through now must be the end of his pain, I know that more so than most. With the trauma points he had tallied, it was already more than enough, but he shouldn't gain more from this point on.

He doesn't deserve that... especially after I ran from him. After I left him unwillingly, then willingly deserted him at the bookshop.

I still wanted to hold onto him. The sweet boy that studied me, who would give up his life for me, who fought to understand and know me. The man that loved me for years and didn't tell me. The man that made sure I fell for him as well.

Spencer Reid was many things. He'll always be my first love. But the one thing he wasn't, was home. For a time, I could see him morphing into that... but it needed time which was something we didn't have when it mattered most.

The boys are my home. It wasn't just a feeling, it's a fact. One that made my head spin and heart ache. How the Winchesters could make that realization the truth in so little time gave me chills. An answer I'm not possible to give when it's a question I ask myself often.

The Winchesters had broken me in a thousand ways, I could never be the same person I was before I met them. But the Winchesters stitched me together in a beautiful way. Dental floss, whiskey, and all. I'm mentally stronger.

It wasn't like the feeling wasn't mutual either. I knew that from the moment I called Sam, Sammy. He didn't protest or show disgust, he smiled. The moment Dean had coerced me to watch the show alongside him, I knew. Those two memories are when Sam and Dean showed me that I was long term company.

As a group, we completed one another. Sam reassured me like no other and Dean pushed me farther than I imagined I could. People change their minds and feelings all the time, but us choosing to maintain our three person pact never did. It felt inevitable, undeniable, and chaotic.

I'm not inclined to dictate whether or not they see me as home as well. Granted home was more foreign for them than it was for me.

The thought of the boys not viewing me the same made me sick, I really could just be in over my head.

An idea flew through my mind, I doubted it for a fleeting moment, but nevertheless I bowed my head and closed my eyes.

'Castiel, send your fluffy ass down.'

I heard wings flap, my eyes snapping to its origin.

Castiel stood for a moment while I was shocked that he listened and actually showed up.

"Cas." I addressed with his nickname that Dean started using. But what I hadn't prepared for was when the angel stated my full name in return.

"That's not my name anymore." I decline with discomfort.

"You lied about your name, why?" His brows furrow while his voice maintained a steady husk to it.

"I didn't lie, I simply changed it. I'm Heart Hunter now and I'd rather you not share my old name." I cross my arms in defense.

"Ok, what do you need help with?" His mission oriented nature shining through.

"I want more insight about the Lucifer and Michael ordeal. The boys only shared a few details." I huff in frustration.

Castiel begins to share the information and even answered my questions on the topic.

"Will the Winchesters be ok?" My words heavily loomed in the air, creating a thick tension in the room.

"I can't answer that. I do not know." He shakes his head with sadness undertoning his statement.

"Thank you, Castiel. For sharing and showing up." My hand playing with my bracelet in nervousness and jitters.

"Of course, Heart. I'll always show up when you call, Dean too." This peaked my interest.

"Why is that?" My confusion fully displayed as my worry lines showed.

"Your destiny proves the importance to answer you." The feeling grew deeper as he answered.

"What do you mean by my destiny?" He was still for a moment, debating if it would be wise to answer me.

"You are destined to make sure Michael's vessel stays safe." He said that so casually that I had to replay the words in my head to understand what I had just heard.

Looking down as the more questions I ask, the more I have. My heart felt caught in my throat. The pressure in my chest buzzed while I swallowed thickly to comprehend the information.

"I protect Dean?" I look up but Castiel was gone with the lingering sound of wings flapping.

How could I be destined for Dean? I mean, I would protect him but I barely tolerate the guy most of the time. If it were Sam, say no more because I'd understand- but I'm Dean's protector?

I've heard of some people having angels protecting them, and truthfully, I believed it was Cas' job with Dean. Was I wrong to assume that my fate wasn't in line with the brothers? That me joining them wasn't destiny but a simple coincidence?

"The Incredible Hulk?" I attempt to confirm Dean's explanation of their investigation. He had let Sam take his car to canvas the victim's house.

"Green, spikey hair, and all of his glory." He smiles as he sat down at the dining table, laptop opened to research.

"Bana or Norton?" I ask with amusement dripping past my lips.

"Lou Ferrigno." He smirks with confirmation causing me to scoff.

"Huh," that's a new one, "anyways, you wanna know what happened in the show?" I ask as I sit down across from him.

"Hit me." He sits on the edge of his seat, leaning in as the suspense latched onto him.

"Dr. Sexy had sex with four other nurses, one new guy made fun of his cowboy boots and then got stabbed with a scalpel, and the front desk lady did it because she's been in love with Dr. Sexy despite being married." Dean gasps at the news, horrified at the fact that he missed the episode.

"He is such a player, also I knew that lady was stabby... she had that look in her eye." His own eye twitched to apply emphasis.

"Right! She was insane." I laugh as I snack on my small bag of pretzels from a nearby vending machine. My laughter ceased once I was reminded of my activities after the show.

"Anything else happen while we were away?" One thing I hated about Dean was that it felt like he could see right through me sometimes. I hated it, I didn't want him to read me... I didn't want to feel seen by him.

"Nope, not really." I dryly chuckle, shaking my head before popping a pretzel into my mouth.

"Heart." I slowly lift my gaze up with a hum.

"What?" I ask as I noticed his piercing eyes analyze my face. My heart thumped in a panic. He rested his elbows on top of the table, cracking his knuckles in deep thought.

"What?" I ask again, a small laugh escaping my lips at the absurd silence.

"You know, you get this look in your eyes when you lie. And that look, is the reason why you avoided looking at me. You are aware of your tells." Damn. He would make a great FBI agent at the BAU.

"Did you know that when you call Dr. Sexy a player, I bite my tongue instead of telling you you're being hypocritical?" My defense mechanism being an insult. But it didn't matter what I said, his silence afterwards bothered me most.

We stared into each other's eyes, testing one another's limit. But thankfully, he gave in.

"Is that so?" His condescending tone articulated my next statement.

"Yes, you are worse than he is sometimes." I shrug maintaining the intense eye contact.

"You sound so bitter, sweetheart." He half-heartedly chuckles, almost the same way I did earlier.

"It's hard not to be when I have to be near the only person I've ever come to hate." I was definitely overcompensating. The doom of being his protector haunted me and I want no part in it.

"Glad to know I'm just that special." His sarcastic smile deteriorating any hope of friendship.

"It isn't that you're special, there's just nothing special about you." I return the favor while propping my elbows onto the table as well, folding my arms as I lean forward.

In a quiet moment, I analyzed him. The small wince he made when I said those words. His jaw clenching roughly. The deep inhale he took. I grasped it all in, finally realizing he had freckles as well. I glanced over his pouty lips, the stoic face still holding some sense of his upset feelings. My eyes flickered back up to his intense eyes.

His eyes made me realize why I seeked comfort in Spencer and Sam's eyes. The brown and hazel had darker tones that didn't make me feel like I was being observed under a microscope.

Anger and tension built as we were having an infuriating staring contest.

"Why do you hate me so much?" His pupils dilated as he tried to absorb my facial expression, although I never faltered at the question.

"Why do you?" I fired back, slowly enunciating my words. Not enough to taunt him but enough to make him halt.

He swallowed thickly as his eyes watched my lips but returned my gaze soon after.

I hated when he did that. It felt odd to know that he was trying to obviously set me off balance. I would never give him the pleasure of achieving it, so I leaned closer. Now taunting and gauging a reaction.

"Do you really wanna know?" My mind drew a blank for a split second. Did I?

"Yes." I rasp as my curiosity built itself brick by brick.

"It bugs you, don't it?" He smirks, thinking he has me right where he wants me.

"How do you mean?" I lowly speak in order to make him feel obligated to answer.

"You can't handle not knowing something, you are greedy for knowledge." He states it as if it's the world's most known fact.

"Maybe you're the only one thinking that because I'm smarter than you." I matched his tone with nonchalance.

"Maybe... or maybe you say that because you wish it were true." What I said was the complete truth, I had the degrees and Ph.D.'s to prove him otherwise. But I couldn't admit that, so I settled for behavioral logic.

"You could just be pushing your insecurities onto me, self projecting is a real reoccurrence with you." It was only then did his smirk falter and drop.

"You know, sweetheart, while I'd love to bicker with you, someone here has to research on this dead vic of ours. So I'mma take a raincheck, ok princess?" He mocks me, belittling with nicknames, while knowing how much it bugs me.

I give a sickly sweet smile, knowing I won this one, for now at least. We had better things to do, for instance, eating my pretzels and reading one of the books Sam took from my old house while he researched.

Before I joined the Winchesters, my brain was too distant to read books and stay focused. Now, it was all I ever did to pass the time. Boredom was a new look for me, and books temporarily cured that.

The loud clicks and keyboard clacking that emitted across from me made my blood boil further. I huffed as I turned a page in the book. Scratching at my forehead when I read a word I didn't understand. The context gave me ideas and clues, but not enough for me to say the word in confidence. While I do drink in knowledge, I'm very forgetful. Leading to words I can't remember, or bringing up random facts I've learned from Spencer, at the wrong time.

Although, Dean's loud noises made it harder for me to focus on the book. So it wasn't necessarily my fault for not comprehending as quickly.

It was Dean's.

"What did the laptop ever do to you?" I murmured the words under my breath, strong distaste consuming them, hoping it would fall on deaf ears. But I am unlucky when it comes to Dean Winchester.

"Excuse me?" He quirks a brow at my direction, testing my waters.

"Nothing." I shrug while holding back a smirk.

"No, I heard you." He looked at me dumbfoundedly.

"Then why would I have to reiterate myself?" The smirk grew evident as I saw the fire burn bright in his eyes, the simple glance was enough for him to scoff.

"I swear, you are getting on my last nerve." He grumbles, looking back down at the laptop screen.

"I know, and it is so easy." I laugh, truthfully amused by his reactions that only I can easily pull from him.

"Will you just-" he didn't get the chance to speak as Sam had returned.

"I'm gonna go get more snacks." I mumble as they start talking about the case.

While bickering with Dean momentarily tore my mind away from my "destiny", the questions and thoughts irked me as I walked past Sam.

I made my way back outside the motel room and headed straight for the machinery that spewed snacks. The tension from my time with Dean, and my time with Cas, had overwhelmed me.

After it took me five whole minutes to choose what I wanted, I watched the machine eat up my dollar. To shorten the explanation, I had to flatten my last dollar as much as possible.

"Screw Sam's wallet that folded up my cash." I grumble in frustration as I use the corner of the snack box to even out the kinks of the paper.

"Need some help with that?" A tall blonde man walked up to me, crinkling up a candy wrapper.

"That would be great." I sigh in relief, it's not everyday you wrestle with a dollar. I hand him the bill and watch as he magically fixes it, metaphorically speaking.

He inputs the bill and I punch in the right letter and number for some candy.

"Candy, got great taste." He mutters as the snickers bar falls down into the shoot.

"I'm just having some cravings." I shrug.

"Wanna see something cool?" My skepticism slowly building as I'm now alert that he's a stranger continuing a small interaction.

"Uh, sure..." I trail off as he smiles. He presses a combination of the buttons and all the dispensers unwinded, dropping a few of each of the options.

"Where'd you learn that trick?" I ask amused, scoffing in delight as I pick up a few.

"Online." He beams as he picks up the rest.

"The internet amazes me. Anyways, thank you for your services." I state as I start heading back to the room.

"No problem, Hear- sweetheart." I ignore his stutter and enter the motel room.

"Do you guys want some of," my eyes catch onto Dean shaving a wooden spike, "...these. What's going on?" I turn to Sam who was on his laptop.

The boys glance at me and my arms full of candy.

"What?" I noticed their weird looks and started to feel self conscious.

Dean wasted no time to push me against the motel door, pinning me to it with a deadly look in his eyes. My collection of candies and snacks dropping to my feet as I grab a hold of Dean's collar on his jacket, desperate to keep him at a distance.

"Dean!" I gasp as the air had been knocked out of my lungs.

"You're the trickster, aren't you?" He applied more force from his forearm to my chest and collarbones.

"Trickster? What even is that?" I rasp as my chest sunk deeper, drawing small amounts of air. I search his eyes while he angrily searches mine.

"You know what we're talking about." Sam adds as he stood from his seat to watch.

"Not really, I'm still getting the hang of memorizing creatures. You even said some of the ones you boys have hunted isn't in John's journal." I ramble confusedly.

"If you're not the trickster, what's something only Heart would know?" Dean grits out before clenching his jaw, gnashing his teeth.

"Uh, Sam watches porn on television when we're gone... it's called 'Casa Erotica', and you have... yea I got nothing for you 'cause I don't pay that much attention to you." I watch Sam's face get slightly pink while Dean is unamused.

"That's not a secret. Try harder." Dean sarcastically smiles.

"Ok... the first time I ever bonded with Sam was the night after we first met. We talked about our mental health and struggles, it's why I consider him to be my best friend. The only time we get along is when a certain show comes on. When you first asked me to watch along with you that when I recognized that you both will keep me around. Before I believed you were ready to ship me off whenever, but that was the first time you seemed like you accepted me." Dean finally released me as he was caught off guard by my rambling, pulling back without an apology.

"Good enough for us." Dean mumbles as he walks back to the bed to make the wooden stakes. Lost in thought over my fearful attempt.

"Um hello?! What was that?" I rasp out as I slowly drop down to my knees to collect all my snacks.

"Sorry, Heart, it's just we realized what we're hunting is a trickster. Tricksters tend to have a sweet tooth and you were gone for a worrying amount of time." I stared at Sam as he explained, wide eyes and mouth slightly agape.

"I was gone for ten friggin' minutes! That's it-" I rush in confusion.

"Well it was enough time to make us doubt you, from now on you're sticking with us." Dean orders.

I huff as I toss all the goods onto the wooden table.

"So I'm assuming wooden stakes is a way to kill it?"

Sam begins to explain their experience with the trickster and everything he generally knows about it. I sit at the table alongside him but steal a few glances at Dean who was carving the wood and missing the trash can terribly. He seemed truly upset, not in a saddened way, but something was definitely troubling him. While I wouldn't like to be self-centered, I couldn't help but believe that I'm usually the cause of it.

I frown as I play with my bracelet again, self conscious and wondering if I should be here.

"He sounds like a real joy to be around." I sarcastically mutter at Sam's explanation.

"Yea, like you're any better." Dean gruffly replies as his knife knicks at the wood. I turn back to Sam with a slight frown. The ceiling light providing a soft white glow over him. He smiles pitifully at me and I give him a short one back.

"Anyway, so what's the plan? We just wait until another body drops?" I sigh as I grab a snickers bar.

"Uh, yea, we kinda have to wait until we get more information." Sam nods disappointedly at me.

"Is there anything I can do?" I offer my help without hesitation.

"Wanna help? Here," Dean tosses the third stake to me, "start this one up for me." I huffed in disappointment, pulling out my pocket knife and boringly start shaving.

"So we wait, find him, then what? Ice him? Didn't you boys believed you killed him, how would this time be any different?" I raise a brow while my attention remains on the stick.

"Well, actually, uh, I wanna talk to him." Sam slowly admits. My gaze lifts from the wood as I looked at Sam, he couldn't be serious.

"He killed your brother every day a thousand times in a thousand different ways just to prove a point... and you wanna talk to him?" I scoff as I shook my head in disbelief.

"See, Sammy?" Dean relents his point of view.

"Look, he may be able to help. He's powerful and we could use anything we can get to stop this massacre that's heading our way." I tilt my head at the idea. I wasn't fond of it but it wasn't bad so to speak.

"You think a trickster will be willing to slam Lucifer back in the cage? That's... a thought." Sam sighs as he realizes he's the only one for the plan.

"He might hate this as much as we do." I itch a spot near my forehead, clear frustration pounding against my skull.

"Right and what if he doesn't? Then what?" Sam frowns as Dean points the stake he was working on at me.

"She gets it." I offer a fake sarcastic smile to Dean before returning my attention on Sam once more.

"Look, Sam, I get that all of this is... a lot, but if he really hates all of this, why would he want any part of it? If anything, he'd say screw us and disappear. Who knows when we'd get the chance to find him and kill him officially. Don't get me wrong, your optimism is refreshing but you have to understand the flaws here... you might chase him off." I shrug as Sam thoughtfully stares at his laptop.

His silence beckons me to say more but I bite my tongue on my views, instead exchanging it to acceptance.

"If he says no, we're killing him, right?" Sam's lips upturn at my change of heart.

"Definitely." I nod slowly and get back to working on the wood.

"One-eighty seven, you said?" I look around at the paper mill building. No cops were in sight as we looked around the area.

"Yea, that's what dispatch said." Sam confirms with a frown.

"That means a murder, why is no one else here? Something is off." I attempt to justify my beliefs as we get out of the car and round the trunk.

"There's a murder here, and there's no police cars- there's nobody. How does that look to you?" Dean's confusion only worsening my gut feeling.

"Crappy." Sam concludes while Dean hands us each a bloody stake and flashlight.

"You're telling me... I'll round back to the other exit. You boys take this one." They don't complain as I walk off and move to the other side of the building. I open the door that had a number three on it, it swings and as soon as I enter, I'm in a weird run down motel room.

"What the hell..." I mutter as I look around, I race to the window and absorb my surroundings. It was the end. No one was in sight as cars were crumpled or abandoned. It was a ghost town. I no longer held the bloody stake or flashlight and I wasn't in the same area I was previously searching.

"Oh my god-" I choke out, bile rising up my throat as my stomach lurches forward at what I'm witnessing. I thickly swallow it back down in hopes I don't hurl. I shakily look back up and see Dean across from me, in his own broken down motel room.

"Dean?" I call out and his eyes snap to mine. Shock infiltrating his senses, not only at our surroundings but... at me?

"Heart? Where have you been? Why did you leave Sam and I two months ago? What is going on?" My lungs squeeze at his words... two months ago?

"Hold on... let me get to you." I leave the window and race through the halls of the motel. The stench and dust depriving me of fresh oxygen.

Dean meets me in the street, our confusion tangling with each other.

"Dean... what is happening?" I rasp out as we digest our environment.

"I- I don't know... what are you doing here? You clocked out after you got possessed." My brain floods with more questions. Am I in the past?

"What? I came back after three months- we were just working on a case... I don't understand." I rasp out as my breath hitches.

We start walking through the street as we try to figure out what the hell is going on.

"You're... in the past?" I look around at the vacancy, the gray and brown coloring of our surroundings add a darker concept to it all.

"I'm talking to a past version of you? Is this around the time you and Sam were separated? What time are we both in currently?" I huff as we trek our way through the eerily quiet city.

"Yea, how'd you know? Wait... future Heart. Ok so why don't you know about this before you got here?" He quizzically glances at me.

"Dean, you aren't exactly the sharing type. This experience of yours, you never told me." I clutch my leather jacket around me tighter, seeking solace in any familiarity. The clouds covered the sun as it seemed as if doom's day was upon us.

We hear glass shattering and we quickly make our way around a corner into an alley. I'm immediately concerned as I spot a young girl on the floor, hair matted and clothes worn down.

"Little girl-" Dean calls as he skeptically assesses the situation. I take a cautious step forward alongside Dean.

"Are you hurt?" My tone unwaveringly empathetic.

Dean takes a step closer, crouching down as she heaves slightly. Thick blood dripping from her lips.

"You know the not talking thing is kinda creepy, right?" He lightly chuckles but his face drops as she whips her head to him with a screech, grabbing a sharp piece of the broken mirror and slashing his arm.

"Dean-" I warn but he quickly dodges her second attack and punches her, knocking her out.

She lands on a mattress and Dean grunts as he checks his injury.

"What in the psychotic murder child was that?" I half heartedly chuckle but my mood drops as I spot Dean staring off at a brick wall with graffiti. 'Croatoan.'

"Is that what I think it is?" I shakily ask, praying it wasn't what was happening. Sam had explained the demon virus to me once.

"Oh, crap." Dean grumbles as he holds his wound.

Suddenly a group of infected people walk to the end of the alley. Eying us like we're lunch.

"Dean... we gotta move... now!" I tug on his left arm, backing away in fear.

We break off into a sprint, knocking a few things out of the way. I stumble slightly behind him but let my feet take me as far and fast as they can go. I hear the pounding steps behind us, gaining as we try to find a place to get away.

But as we slow down to a large fencing area, we were stuck.

"Shit." I turn around as Dean faces them as well.

Adrenaline pumps through my veins as we hesitantly try to think of something, but there was no time as the Croatoans walk towards us, teeth bared and guttural growls.

Suddenly shots were fired at the infected and Dean pulls me down to avoid the shootout. Military trucks with men firing at the crowd. We crawl over to an open alley to avoid getting shot.

Dean grunts as he pulls himself against the wall. And we wait for it all to be over. By the time the infected were dead and the military men had left, it was dark out.

"C'mon." Dean gains my attention as we carefully make it to the large fencing. He crawls through the loose corner and helps pull me through.

"This is stupid." I mutter as I dust myself off. I freeze as I notice Dean staring at a sign.

'Croatoan Virus Hot Zone: No Entry By Order Of Acting Regional Command, August 1st, 2014, Kansas City.'

"August first, two-thousand fourteen?" He rasps out in confusion.

"I'm dealing with a past version of you... in the future?" He ignores me as he gets into a car that doesn't look that bad and out of shape.

I follow him and get into the passenger seat as he tries to hotwire it. I whip my phone out, hoping to get some signal but I huff as I have no luck.

"Nothing." I mutter as Dean drives and turns the radio on. Static sounds come from it and he shuts it off immediately.

"That's never a good sign." He adds.

"Croatoan Pandemic reaches Australia." A man says behind us, causing us to jump in fear.

"I thought I smelled your stink on this "back to the future" crap." An angel brought him here? Then how did the trickster... son of a bitch.

"President Palin defends bombing of Houston. Certainly a buyer's market in real estate... let's see what's happening in sports. That's right— no more sports. Congress revoked the right to group assembly... what's left of Congress, that is. Hardly a quorum, if you ask me." The angel's behavior doesn't sit well with me.

"How'd you find us?" Dean asks, not bothering with the previous information.

"Afraid we had to tap some unorthodox resources of late— human informants. We've been making some inspirational visits to the fringier Christian groups. They've been given your image, told to keep an eye out."

"Bible freak outside the motel- he what? Dropped a dime on me?"

"Onward, Christian soldiers." I shudder at the fact that an angel manipulated people's faith for God to track down a human.

"Ok, well, good, great. You have had your jollies. Now send us back, you son of a bitch." I interject the conversation.

"Oh, you'll get back... all in good time. We want you both to marinate a bit." Excuse me?

"Marinate?" Dean asks.

"Three days, you two. Three days to see where this course of action takes you." The angel looks between us and my heart drops.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I hesitantly inquire.

"It means that your choices have consequences," he tosses the newspaper into my lap, "this is what happens to the world if you continue to say 'no' to Michael, and if you don't keep him on track. Have a little look-see." I turn to the angel but he was long gone.

"Damn it." I huff as I stir in my seat uncomfortably.

"What did he mean by keep me on track?" I sigh, knowing that if I avoid it, it won't be pretty.

"A month from now, when I join you boys again, I have Cas pay me a visit. He surprisingly answers my prayer despite me meeting him once," I connect my eyes with Dean's as he glances at me, "he told me that my destiny is to be your protector. And as much as I hate to admit it... I'm assuming he was telling the truth." I cross my arms defensively over myself.

"What, so we all have destinies to fulfill and you're supposed to be my knight in shining armor?" He scoffs at the thought.

"Trust me, I don't like it either." I grumble as I slide further down my seat, preparing for the long drive ahead.

I hear Dean call out for Bobby in his house. I stand a few feet away, staking out the area to make sure no one infected was around.

I let him look around and try to find any clues where anyone may be. He finally comes back out with a card in his hand. He hands me the photo as we both get back into the car.

"Camp Chitaqua?" He nods as we set off for that destination. I knew this was gonna be a long three days, technically two now but it doesn't matter.

It was finally night time, as we slowly make it to the camp. Dean spots his car completely wrecked.

"Oh, Baby, no." My jaw drops at the sight of Baby.

"That's unfortunate." I mutter as Dean walks over to a broken opening in the fence. I watch him slip past and look at me expectantly.

"What are you doing?" He whispers as I stand back.

"I'll trail in five minutes after you... trust me." I answer, he shrugs and checks his car out while I hide behind a shrub.

I cover my mouth as I watch... older Dean knock Dean out. Future Dean? Why the hell is time travel real?

Future Dean looks around and I cower back so I wouldn't be spotted. He eventually carries himself into a nearby building, and I take that as my cue to slowly follow behind.

Does this mean that future me is here too?

I look through the window as Dean handcuffs his past self to a ladder bar. And running the whole 'is he human' test. I gather enough courage and knock on the door. Dean opens it and once he spots me, he shares an endearing smile.

"Hey Heart, back so soon from the supply run?" I give an awkward smile back as I walk past him into the cabin.

"I actually decided against going, they seem alright without me..." I shrug as I eyed past Dean.

"Oh, that... he's gotta wake up so we can get some answers. I found him snooping near Baby." I huff with a fake amused smile.

"That's... a new one." He lightly chuckles as he offers me a seat at the table. It was odd for him to be so... nice?

Not long after Dean starts to stir awake as future Dean preps and cleans a gun.

Dean looks at the both of us, concerned on why I'm not cuffed as well.

"What the hell?" He gruffly rasps out.

"We should be asking that question, don't you think?" Future Dean's tone changes to what I'm normally used to being directed at me, but now it was directed to himself.

"In fact, why don't you give us one good reason why I shouldn't gank you right here and now?" I nervously fiddle with my bracelet, looking between the two as older Dean points his gun at his younger self.

"Because you'd only be hurting yourself." I smirk at the comment.

"Very funny." Older Dean continues to put his gun back together as I sit on his right side, sharing a small look with past Dean.

"Look, man," he nervously chuckles, "I'm no shapeshifter or demon or anything, okay?"

"Yea, I know. I did the drill while you were out. Silver, salt, holy water-- nothing. But you know what was funny... was that you had every hidden lockpick, box cutter, and switchblade that I carry. Now, you want to explain that? Oh, and the, uh... resemblance, while you're at it?"

"Zachariah." The name causes older Dean to stand from his seat.

"Come again?"

"I'm you from the tail end of 2009. Zach plucked me from my bed and threw me five years into the future-" I slowly shake my head, warning him to not add me into the mix.

"Where is he? I want to talk to him." He walks forward.

"I don't know."

"Oh, you don't know."

"No, I don't know. Look, I just want to get back to my own friggin' year, okay?" Older Dean runs a hand over his mouth, muttering an 'okay' as he crouches forward. I lift a brow as I spot the gun holsters, Dean when he had ghost sickness was right...

"If you're me... then tell me something only I would know." Younger Dean scoffs with an amused smile, licking his lips before answering.

"Rhonda Hurley, we were, uh, nineteen. She made us try on her panties. They were pink... and satiny. And you know what? We kind of liked it." My mouth drops as they've clearly forgotten I was here.

"Touche." Older Dean nods and that's when I busted up laughing. Their heads snap at me.

"I'm sorry... please continue." I calm my laughter as older Dean smiles brightly at me while younger Dean rolls his eyes. Older Dean gets up and walks over to me and continues fixing his gun.

"So, what-- Zach zapped you up here to see how bad it gets?"

"I guess. Croatoan Virus, right? That's their endgame?"

"It's efficient, it's incurable, and it's scary as hell. Turns people into monsters. Started hitting the major cities about two years ago. World really went in the crapper after that." Future Dean packs a duffle bag with all of his weapons as I sit back and watch.

"What about Sam?" Older Dean freezes at the question, warily looking over at himself.

"Heavyweight showdown in Detroit. From what I understand, Sam didn't make it." I frown at his words.

"You and Heart weren't with him?" My breath hitches.

"No... no, me and Sam, we hadn't talked in... hell, five years."

"We never tried to find him?" Dean's glassy eyes looks up at us.

"I got other people to worry about."

"Where are you going?"

"I got to run an errand."

"Whoa, you're just gonna leave me here?"

"Yes, I got a camp full of twitchy survivors out there with an apocalypse hanging over their head. The last thing they need to see is a version of 'The Parent Trap'. So yea, you stay locked down."

"Ok, all right. Fine. But you don't have to cuff me, man. Oh, come on. You don't trust yourself?"

"No, absolutely not, I trust my gorgeous girlfriend to keep you in line." My eyes widen before future Dean walks back over to me.

He gives me an affectionate simple kiss on the lips with an adoring smile. It took me a moment to gather my thoughts and realize I had to reciprocate. I let my hands hesitantly rest on his shoulders before I pulled away; awkwardly flushed.

"You can deal with younger me, right?" I shockingly couldn't bring myself to speak but reigned my feelings in.

"I handled you then, what's different about it now?" I rasp out, faking a sweet smile.

"I'll be back soon, sweetheart. Keep him here. I love you." He steps back with a smirk and turns to leave.

"Ok, I- I love you too..." Me and younger Dean share a disgusted look as future Dean had left.

"I can't even look at you right now." Dean grimaces, avoiding my gaze.

"No way, I become your girlfriend in five years. We seriously need to rethink our choices from here on out." I shudder as I wiped my mouth, still tasting him on my lips.

"How was it?" Dean smirks, smugly nodding.

"I think I'm gonna have nightmares." I shake my head as I immediately grab a couple bobby pins from my hair.

"Yea, I think I will too." I roll my eyes as I crouch down, starting to pick the lock.

As I'm about to get him out, I blink and I'm not where I was before.

"Heart, you good?" Sam huffs as I stand alongside Cas who looks beaten and bruised.

"What the hell..." I mutter as I see the man from the vending machine surrounded by a 'holy oil' ring of fire.

"Okay, we're out of here. C'mon Sam." Dean grumbles as he backs away.

"Uh, Okay- hey... guys? So— so what? Huh? You're just gonna- you're gonna leave me here forever?" We all stop by the exit, I'm still confused on what happened but I'm leaving regardless.

"No, we're not. 'Cause we don't screw with people the way you do. And for the record... this isn't some prizefight between your brothers or some destiny that can't be stopped! This is about you being too afraid to stand up to your family!" Dean yells before breaking the fire alarm glass and pulling it.

I look up as the alarm started to ring, the water taking a second to spray down upon the guy.

"Don't say I never did anything for you." We all file out behind Dean who clearly had a huge problem with whatever was going on. I've dealt with far too many 'Deans' in one day, and I'm exhausted.

As we get back to Baby, who is thankfully in better shape than the last time I saw her, the boys start talking about whatever crap they went through.

I go to the back seat of the Impala, just wanting some time for myself right now. My mind was swarming with more questions but I'm way too tired to even attempt filling in the blanks.

I huff as I wait in the car to get back to the motel room.

"So... the trickster was the guy I met at the vending machine, but he's actually an archangel named Gabriel, who also sent me five years into the future. And he sent you boys into a t.v. show, multiple actually, to prove a point that you need to play your roles?" I massage my temples on my forehead as I try to soothe the fact that I'm mentally being put through the wringer here.

"Basically, yea. Wait five years into the future?" Sam was the one to explain to me as we all sat around the wooden table, open beer bottles in our hands.

"Yea... Dean about a month ago, do you remember getting zapped into the future by Zachariah?" Dean grimaces as he chugs the rest of his drink.

"Can we not talk about that?" He shakes his head, wiping his lips with the back of his hand.

"Wait, what?" Sam furrows his brows before sipping his own beer.

"You- you don't want to know. I will never tell another soul about it." I grimace along with Dean.

"Yea, if I ever have to prove a different version of myself that I'm him again, I'm gonna use that one." I scoff at the thought of time travelling... again.

"We really gotta make sure we don't go down that road..." Dean hums in agreement as Sam simply shrugs, understanding that we will never utter a word about whatever happened.

"Was it really that bad?" Dean frowns in thought, replaying the memory of watching me kiss his future self.

"Shut up, Dean." I sip my beer quietly in disgust. In a way, I can still taste him on my lips and I shiver in dismay.

I've kissed Dean two times in all of the time that I had known him. And that was the worst part about it all, the fact that I hated him, couldn't even stand him, each time.

"It was better than last time." I admit before leaving the brothers at the table.

"Wait- are you, Heart!" Dean calls out as I rush into the bathroom and turn the shower on to drown out the noise.

"Damn Winchesters..." I mutter as I tiredly wait for the water to heat up.

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Author Speaks!!
I'm itching to write the season 5 finale and the season after that. Much love<3