Heart of a Hunter

A New Beginning

Sam's POV:

For a moment, I thought the world had ended.

The blinding white light that had erupted from Blair swallowed everything around us—the Arcani, the trees, the ground beneath our feet—and I couldn't see, couldn't hear, couldn't even feel. It was like the world had been ripped apart at the seams, and we were caught in the middle of it, helpless.

Then, suddenly, the light was gone, leaving nothing but darkness and silence.

I blinked hard, trying to shake off the disorientation, my heart pounding in my chest as I struggled to make sense of what had just happened. The clearing felt eerily still, the air heavy with the lingering energy of the power Blair had unleashed. I could feel the earth beneath me, solid and real, but everything else felt like a dream. Like I was floating between two worlds, not sure which one was real.

And then I realized—Blair wasn't in my arms anymore.

"Blair?" I called out, panic rising in my chest. I stumbled forward, my eyes searching the clearing for any sign of her. "Blair!"

The fear hit me hard, threatening to drown me. I had seen her lose control, felt the power tear through her, and for a moment, I had been sure I was going to lose her. That she'd be swallowed by that darkness forever.

But she wasn't gone. She couldn't be gone.

I heard a soft sound behind me, and my heart skipped a beat. I turned, and there she was—standing just a few feet away, her body trembling but whole, her eyes wide and alive.

Alive.

"Blair," I breathed, rushing to her before she could say a word. I pulled her into my arms, holding her tightly, the relief so overwhelming I could barely speak. She was here. She was alive. That was all that mattered.

"I'm okay," she whispered, her arms wrapping around me. "I'm okay, Sam."

I pulled back just enough to look at her, my hands cupping her face, my heart still racing. Her skin was warm under my fingers, her eyes still that beautiful shade of green with gold flecks. She was here. Not lost to the power, not taken by the Arcani—just Blair.

I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding, my voice thick with emotion. "I thought I lost you."

Her lips quirked into a small smile, and she rested her forehead against mine. "You didn't. I came back."

I held her close, pressing my forehead against hers, my heart finally starting to calm. "You scared the hell out of me."

She let out a soft laugh, her fingers tracing lightly along my jaw. "I scared myself, too."

I pulled her even closer, never wanting to let go. The weight of what she had done, what she had faced, was still settling over me. She had destroyed the Arcani, broken the seal, and somehow, she had survived. I didn't know how, but it didn't matter. She was here, in my arms, and we were together.

Dean's voice broke the moment, his usual gruff tone laced with humor. "Well, I'll be damned."

I looked up to see Dean standing a few feet away, leaning on his shotgun with a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. He looked at Blair, then at me, his expression softening in a way that was rare for him.

"Glad to see you two made it," he said, his voice gruff but genuine. "I was starting to think you were gonna go full-on apocalypse without me."

Blair laughed, her head resting against my chest. "I think we've had enough of the apocalypse for one lifetime."

Dean nodded, his smirk widening. "Damn right."

For a moment, the three of us just stood there, the tension that had hung over us for so long finally starting to fade. The Arcani were gone. The seal was destroyed. And somehow, after everything, we had made it through. I didn't know what came next, but for the first time in a long time, it felt like we had a future.

"Alright," Dean said, slinging his shotgun over his shoulder, "let's get the hell out of here before this place falls apart."

Blair smiled, stepping out of my arms but keeping her hand in mine. "I like that plan."

We made our way out of the clearing, the tension lifting with every step. The night was cool, the air crisp and fresh, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I could breathe without feeling like the weight of the world was on my shoulders. I glanced over at Blair, her hand still firmly in mine, and I couldn't help but smile.

She caught me looking and raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Nothing," I said, squeezing her hand. "I'm just glad you're still here."

Her smile softened, and she leaned into me as we walked. "Me too."

As we reached the Impala, Dean hopped into the driver's seat, giving us a pointed look. "You two lovebirds wanna stop mooning over each other and get in the car? We've got a road trip ahead of us."

Blair laughed, rolling her eyes. "Never change, Dean."

We climbed into the back seat, and as the engine roared to life, I couldn't help but feel a surge of hope—real, solid hope. For the first time in a long time, the future didn't seem so dark. It felt open, full of possibilities.

Blair leaned her head on my shoulder, her fingers intertwined with mine. "What now?" she asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

I thought about that for a moment, about everything we had been through, everything we had fought for. The battles weren't over—there would always be more to face—but for now, for this moment, it didn't matter.

"Whatever we want," I said, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

She smiled, and I could feel the tension leave her body as she relaxed against me. "That sounds nice."

The road stretched out in front of us, long and winding, but for the first time, it didn't feel daunting. It felt like a new beginning. A chance to finally breathe, to finally live. And as we drove away from the place that had nearly torn us apart, I couldn't help but feel like we had won.

Together.

Dean cranked up the music, and as the familiar sound of classic rock filled the car, I glanced down at Blair, her eyes closed, her hand still tightly in mine. She was safe. We were safe.

And for the first time in a long time, everything felt like it was going to be okay.

As the Impala sped down the road, the headlights cutting through the darkness, I smiled, the weight of the past lifting off my shoulders.

Whatever came next, we'd face it together.

And that was all we needed.