Stronger Than Ever Δ SPN [3]

081. EPILOGUE

Ever since Dean's death, the bunker has been quieter than usual. With each of the remaining Winchesters grieving in their own ways, they're barely even around each other. Nathan is mostly checking in on all of them. Given he wasn't the closest with Dean, he isn't as deeply affected as the girls and Sam are.

Sam manages himself pretty well, still taking care of himself and cooking. Libby barely comes out of her room, her depressive state making a return. Sam has to force her to eat and she doesn't talk or really do anything else. She just lays in bed with a random movie or TV show playing on Netflix.

Ophelia, for once, isn't pushing her grief down to take care of anybody else. She doesn't have the energy to. She stays in her room, mostly because she doesn't have the energy to do anything. But also because her grief is overwhelming enough, that being around Sam and Libby set the blonde into a massive panic attack.

Nathan managed to get her through it, his own tears welling at his girlfriend's pain, the scene reminding him of when Libby couldn't go into the library or map table room after Michael possessed her.

So Ophelia keeps herself isolated from her uncle and niece.

Nathan walks into Ophelia's room and has a plate that consists of eggs and toast with peanut butter on it. He has a bottle of orange juice in his other hand and he softly shuts the door.

"Babe?" Nathan softly calls, kneeling next to the bed. Ophelia doesn't respond, staring blankly at her TV. Nathan quietly sighs as her and Libby seem to be in the same state. "Baby, come on. You gotta eat something." He quietly tells her.

Nathan puts the breakfast down and gently rests a hand on Ophelia's head, his thumb rubbing over her hair.

"I'm sorry, Lia. I'm so sorry about your dad." Nathan tells her. He notices the tears prick at her eyes which both saddens him, but also relieves him. She hasn't cried since her major breakdown.

"How did..." Nathan's ears perk up at her voice, glad she's finally talking. "How did you get through it after your... after your mom died?" She asks, looking up at her boyfriend with watery eyes. "I-I mean, I... I know you weren't closest and she wasn't even there the preceding years, but... but, I don't know. She was still your parent."

"It wasn't easy. I had nightmares for a while." Nathan says. "Well, memories for dreams, I guess. Her putting herself in front of Claire... the-the sword." Nathan's eyes get teary as he remembers his mother's death. "But... you know, I... I had people. You know, I had Claire... long distance, but I still had her. Libby was good at getting my mind off of it and-and distracting me."

"I had you." Nathan strokes Ophelia's cheek. "You helped me. You let me cry and you hugged me until I felt better. You talked to me about anything and everything so I wasn't stuck in my head." Ophelia manages a small smile as she recalls how she did what she could do help him.

"And I'm here for you. I always will be. With whatever you need." Nathan assures.

"I know." Ophelia whispers, a small smile on her face, despite the tears in her eyes.

"Hey, you wanna know something?" Nathan asks.

"What?" Ophelia asks.

"You wanna know how you know it's cold outside?" Nathan asks.

"Uh... how?" Ophelia asks, a confused look on her face.

"When you go outside and it's cold." Nathan says, his face serious. Ophelia takes a moment to process before she lets out a watery giggle. Nathan softly smiles, his goal of getting her to laugh being a success.

"Also, hippo milk is pink. You sure your favorite strawberry milk drink is from cows?" Nathan questions. Ophelia softly smiles, but it quickly turns into a frown, a few tears spilling over her eyelids.