Cheer Up ✔️

God Save Sam Winchester

Its been little over a year since Sam Winchester had a nice hot shower. Yes, he's showered in the time since leaving his brother and ______ to rehabilitate whatever experience God had put them through, but all of those showers he stood under weren't nice showers - the kind where the water pressure is just right, and the knobs adjust the heat more than on the general scale of scalding to chilling...and if he was being picky, tall enough for him. Sam even dreamed of a shower, one night, and woke to think of something his father John Winchester would have said - it's just a shower. You've gone without worse luxuries, son.

But more than a shower, Sam misses his brother. And the carefree ______ ______ who had fooled them back in that diner a few years ago that she wasn't one of Bobby Singer's better protégés/only daughter. How she brought out the jokey side of Dean, and he the light back into her eyes.

Why Sam is thinking of showers and his brother's longtime girlfriend mid-hunt is beyond him. Maybe it's like in the movies how the hero gets flashbacks of what they would miss if they die, just before they die. Or maybe he genuinely wants to, as his father would say, get killed, boy.

It had started off simple, a salt and burn. Turned out the ghost was the grandmother of a local banshee, a young girl with long strawberry blonde hair he'd interviewed for the hunt, and she wanted vengeance. Sam understood. It was personal for her. If his family's remains were destroyed, he'd be pissed too.

The thing was, he didn't know this end of Beacon Country, California as she did, and it seemed worthless, hopeless to try and run when she knew the area better. Without glancing back, Sam knows she's gaining on him. He's confused for a second, because - have more joined her?

Peeking, he sees three wolves - werewolves - around her.

"Oh God," he utters. Sam has a feeling he's walked into the wrong pack. All of his military-like training and the years of rote learning how to get out alive have evaporated. He knows this is the end.

They're gaining on him. He can hear the wolves' snarls. Their growls. What kind of pack are they?

And suddenly, it all stops.

Like a bad movie where he's stuck in a freeze frame, Sam can't believe his eyes. Cautiously, he turns and gasps. The chase has been halted, the teenaged wolves and the banshee stopped mid leap. If they had continued, Sam knew that he'd become chow for them.

"Wasn't quite the call was expecting, but I came," a familiar voice says beside Sam.

He starts, and turning, sees someone he thought to be dead. Standing there, still curly haired and wide eyed with eyes the colour of chocolate, or black coffee, is Chuck. Chuck-the-prophet who Sam and his brother couldn't save.

"God! Chuck?" Sam breathed.

"All jokes aside, I'm the first, not the second. It's high time I finally tell you guys that Chuck was just me. Kevin Tran is the first prophet." The bearded man smiled.

"Who?" Sam frowned.

"You'll meet him soon. But that's beside the point! The Vinculum, _______ ______ has awoken. She's aware of her true purpose, and needs all the guidance for her journey ahead."

Sam's frown deepened. "______? What's a Vinculum? I thought she was a prophet? What -,"

Chuck shook his head. "I did say, I had plans for her, didn't I?" He beamed. And before Sam could say another word, the powerful deity had reached up and touched Sam's temple.

Sam went to protest, but he found he couldn't. Mainly because God wasn't there to protest against, and that he was standing in the middle of an apartment block's roof, in some city and there weren't any wolves and their banshee friend behind him anymore. Glancing down the side of the building, he saw his car, parked beside a familiar Impala.

"What -," Sam frowned.

"Sammy? Where've you been? We've missed you!" He turned, and behind him, stood a band of familiar faces. His brother's freckled cheeks, ______'s (h/c) hair, Castiel's bright eyes, Gabriel's smirk, Balthazar's lithe form. "Sam?"

He blinked, and instead of welcoming his brother, walked to ______. He watched her for a moment; it's been ages since he, Dean and ______ had been together. But from what God told him, he can't find any time for pleasantries.

"God has plans for you," he breathes, "You are The Vinculum, aren't you?"

______ nods. "I found out, like, thirty seconds ago. Where'd you come from? Did you speak with God-Chuck?" She asks him. Sam can't help but think she looks so much more tired than the last time they'd been hunting together.

"Yeah. It's weird." Sam admits, and turning to his brother, gives him the biggest hug he can give - which is pretty big, since he's above 6ft. "I thought she was a prophet, though? It's so confusing."

Dean nods. "Who knew this one can unite demons and angels? Who'd have thought?"

Balthazar laughs, but it sounds like a hiccup. "I knew, for the record."

Sam glances to the blonde wine-loving angel, just as Castiel frowns at his brother. Sam's sure that if Castiel was one to use physical methods of atonement to chasten others, Sam would be sure to have seen him whack the back of his head for the unnecessary comment.

"So, what, now I have a Council of Elrond because I've found out that I can't run away from my problems anymore?" ______ broke the silence that was bordering on awkward. "What now?"

"You save the world." Castiel stated.

Gabriel rolled his eyes. "So dramatic! First, ______, Dean - I suggest we go downstairs to your lovely apartment and make an exit plan." The honey-haired angel suggested.

Sam hummed. "Exit plan?"

"Now ______ is aware of what she is, and what daddy dearest has planned for her, she's a beacon. A radar that all monsters and magical stuff now can gravitate toward." He grinned grimly. "So, ladies first?" He gestured to the fire escape.

Sam was joined by Castiel on the way to the exit. "As much as Gabriel claims it, he's more dramatic than me," he assured Sam. "Like what Dean said, we've missed you. It's good to have you back." He drew the younger Winchester in for a hug. "Sam! You need a shower, what have you been doing, running with wolves?" The angel waved his nose.

Sam couldn't argue. A shower would be blissful.