That's The Hunter's Life

Chapter 4

Sam and Dean had just defeated a Mayan monster after they kept sacrificing for a Cacao God and were driving down the highway. Nova was laying down on the backseat with her eyes closed but she couldn't sleep, truth was even with going through therapy she still had trouble sleeping.

"Wow, back in business. Got the win. Admit it, it feels good right? You know, I was thinking about what Randa said about uh, you know, what it feels like to be a warrior. I get it man, I do."

"I know, I know you do. But I don't." Sam scoffs. "Not anymore. Hell maybe I never did."

Nova had opened her eyes and noticed Dean glance back at her and she sighed as he looked back at the road.

"Comes on Sammy, don't ruin my buzz, would you?"

"Dean, listen, when this is over- when we close up shop on Kevin and the tablet I'm done. I mean that."

"No, you don't."

"Dean,  the year I took off, I had something I never had. A normal life. I mean I got to see that felt like. I want that. I had that."

"I think that's just how you feel right now." He says as he looked at Sam then glanced back at Nova.

Nova seen him glancing at her again then she looks over at Sam and noticing him staring out the window.

Sam, as he was staring out the window thinking back when him and Nova was living normal and had decided to take the dog they were fostering to the park.

~~~~

"Nova! Nova, this isn't funny. Nova!" Sam called out looking around, just then the dog took off, "Riot?" Which was what name was on the tag on his collar but unfortunately no address on it. "Riot!" He whistles but the dog ignores him.

Sam takes off after the dog but when he comes around a bush he finds Nova and Riot on a blanket with a basket and cake.

"Happy Birthday!" She calls out throwing her arms in the air and laughs.

"What is this?"

"You can't tell me you don't know what a cake looks like. Sit, eat." She pats the blanket beside her.

~~~~

Nova sits up and wraps her arms around Sam's shoulders, breaking him out of his thoughts, "Babe, a normal life isn't all that it's cracked up to be. Helping people, saving life's is so satisfying."

"Yes but can be stressful."

"Yeah and so can living a normal life." She kisses his cheek, "We went through a lot of stress." He started to say something but she continued, "I'm not trying to bring up the past, I'm just making a point about the stress issue."

"I know." He sighs.

"So, what was you thinking about? Positive thoughts I hope?"

"It was." He nodded, "It was when we were." He cleared his throat, "At that park on my birthday and you took off but I found you sitting on a blanket in a meadow with food and cake."

"Wow." Dean smirked.

"What?" Nova smirked back at him.

"That's something we never do, is celebrated birthdays. We just kinda forget about them." Dean smiled with a shrug.

"Yeah, well we had the opportunity. And I wasn't going to miss it this time. You know how hard it was to keep that from Sam here?" She patted his chest, "To keep him from finding out me ordering his cake and making the food."

"How did you pull that off exactly?" Dean raised an eyebrow. "And let me guess it was all fruit and organic crap."

"It was hard and no, no it wasn't all organic. There was salad with peanut butter and banana sandwiches."

"Oh gross." Dean shuttered.

"Hey those are good." Sam told him.

"Oh I know, you for some unknown reason like those."

"Why do you think I made them." Nova giggled laying her head against Sam's.

It was silent for a little while then Nova spoke again.

"Hey Dean?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you, do you blame me?"

"Blame you for what?"

"When Sam was talking about living a normal life I seen you glancing back at me a couple times."

"No, I dont blame you." Dean sighs, "I looked back because of what happened when you two were living that normal life. And, because of that fact you guys had to suffer like that since Cass and me weren't around. If we were, Cass could have hopefully worked his magic and made you better. And you two wouldn't have had to suffer like that."

Nova sighed, "But you guys weren't and that's okay because I got better on my own, well and with the support from Sam." She ran her fingers through Sam's hair. "So you got out, what happened with Cass anyway?"

"He uh, things got pretty bad down there and he just let go. Unfortunately he didn't make it."

"Oh... damn." Nova frowned. "Wait, he could zap from place to place so why didn't he just zap you guys back out of there from the beginning?"

"It's not that simple Nova. Don't you think that if that was possible he would have done that? But it wasn't possible." Dean snapped.

Nova seen him gripping the steering wheel where his knuckles were turning white, "I'm... I'm sorry for asking. I wasn't sure."

Dean sighed, "It's okay, sorry for snapping at you."

"It's all good, I'm sure it was rough down there with all those...monsters." She reached over and rubbed her hand down the back of his head.

"It was." He nodded slightly, "So let's drop it."

"Okay."