The Lives of Hunters {--Dean Winchester--}

Things had been a complete wreck since Dean was cast into Hell. Our attempt to kill Lilith failed miserably...I didn't exactly trust this demon Ruby either. Sam did though. For some reason, he did.

All of us were sort of in a funk. Not sure what to do, only knowing we had to get Dean out somehow.

But, for now, I was staying with Bobby. After all, he was probably the one that could figure out anything.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the front door and I got up to answer it before Bobby could. I practically had a heart attack when I saw who it was. Dean. Looking winded, maybe a little nervous. But he was all right. He was back.

I couldn't help myself as my arms wrapped around his neck and I gave him a tight hug. "Thank God you're back..." Tears threatened to prick my eyes but I blinked them back.

He returned the embrace for a moment, murmuring something about he was glad to be back himself before asking, "Hey Cori, where's Bobby?"

I pulled away just as Bobby came up behind me to see who was at the door.

"Surprise." Dean said simply. There really wasn't much to say, after all.

Bobby was obviously shocked as I was, "I, I don't..."

Dean entered the house, closing the door behind him. "Yeah, me neither. But here I am."

As Dean approached, Bobby moved me out of the way and slashed at Dean with a silver knife.

"Bobby, what the hell?" I managed to yell before Dean grabbed his arm and twisted it around. Bobby broke free, backhanding Dean across the face.

"Bobby! It's me!" Dean was trying to convince.

"My ass!"

Dean took a chair, shoving it in between the both of them and held his hands out. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait! Your name is Robert Steven Singer. You became a hunter after your wife got possessed, and... you're about the closest thing I have to a father. Bobby. It's me."

"Bobby, he's telling the truth." I interjected.

Bobby lowered the knife, stepping forward slowly. He placed a hand on Dean's shoulder and I assumed everything was all right until he went in for another slash and Dean quickly disarmed him.

"I am not a shapeshifter!" Dean exclaimed.

"Then you're a Revenant!"

Dean shoved Bobby away, now holding the knife in his hand. "Alright. If I was either, could I do this – with a silver knife?" He rolled up his left sleeve, grimacing before he made a slice above his elbow.

Now Bobby was starting to believe when he questioned, "Dean?"

"That's what I've been trying to tell you."

Bobby pulled the Winchester brother in for a tight hug as he said, "It's... It's good to see you, boy."

"Yeah, you too."

"But... how did you bust out?"

"I don't know. I just, uh, I just woke up in a pine box..." Suddenly, Bobby splashed some water in Dean's face. He just paused and then continued, "I'm not a demon either, you know."

"Sorry. Can't be too careful."

We walked into the house, and I grabbed a towel before handing it to Dean. He started to wipe his face off.

"But... that don't make a lick of sense."

"Yeah. Yeah, you're preachin' to the choir."

"Dean. Your chest was ribbons, your insides were slop. And you've been buried four months. Even if you could slip out of hell and back into your meat suit -"