Heaven And Hell{Sequel to "Born to Be a Hunter"}

Just a Dream

Sam and I got to Denver with the roads surprisingly empty and the weather very clear in the night. Sam had fallen into an uneasy sleep, but my eyes couldn't even shut. My mind was racing too much and I felt that if they did close, my plan and my life would be lost.

I drove back to the diner and found it old, rundown, and empty, the power completely sucked from it since it went out of business. I stepped out the car, gun loaded and ready to fire and knife handy, and walked behind the building.

Storage units were the last things I saw before passing out, so that was where I started my search for the djinn. I shot the lock on the sliding door and found the back of the storage units. It was completely empty, but when I turned to leave, Sam was standing there his arms crossed.

"I told you, you're crazy." He said, shaking his head. I started to panic.

"No. No, this is just a dream. I'm in here, this is some kind of an acid trip and if I don't wake up, I'm be sucked dry in a few days." I said, searching for some clue as to how to get out. Then it clicked. "You're not even real."

"This is all real. Believe me." Sam said, walking closer. He grabbed my shoulders and shook me. "See? This is all real. I'm real, you're real."

I shook my head at him, "No." I put away the knife and looked down at the gun in my hand. "None of this is real. And I'm getting out of here." I pulled back the hammer of the pistol and heard it click.

"Jack? What are you doing?" Sam asked backing away a few steps and holding his hands out as if to stop me.

I frowned down at the gun, "It's an old, wise tale. If you die in a dream, you wake up."

"That's insane!" he said, trying to convince me otherwise.

"Might be, but it's my only choice."

He started to pant frantically, "You're gonna kill yourself!" He reached for the gun, but I aimed it at him to stop him.

"Or I'm going to wake up. One or the other." I said, doubting my choice now.

"This isn't a dream, alright? I'm here . . . with you . . . now." He breathed, working his way closer. "And you are going to kill yourself."

"No, I'm pretty sure that I'll wake up. Like 80%. But that's sure enough for me." I said turning the gun to my head and putting my finger on the trigger.

"Wait!" Sam yelled, but footsteps approached behind me. I turned my head and it was Mom. She walked in front of my and lowered the gun to my side. "Why couldn't you have left 'Well Enough' alone?" he said. To my left, Dean walked closer, but stopped about ten feet away. Matt walked up and stopped behind Sam.

"You were happy." Dean said, looking at me through a sorrowful face.

Mom looked down at me, "Put the gun down, Jackie."

Tears spilled out of my eyes, "You're not . . . real, either." I whispered. "None of it is." She brought one hand up to my cheek and wiped away some tears.

"It doesn't matter, sweetheart." She tried to convince me. "It's still better than anything you had."

I looked up at her, "What?"

"It's everything you've ever wanted and more. I'm alive and we're a family." She put a hand on the gun and tried to take it from me. "Let's go home."

--------------------------------------------------------------------

The djinn tried to shoot, but his rifle jammed and he swung the butt at Dean in attempt to knock him out. Dean ducked in time and punched the bodybuilder in the stomach, but to no affect. The djinn smiled and kicked Dean back into a tower of shelves. The djinn grabbed Dean's collar and brought him close.

"Not as strong as you thought?" he said, bringing his fist back for a punch. He threw it and cut Dean's lip. The demon blood he was drinking made him 10 times stronger and it showed. Dean recovered quickly and pushed the djinn off, giving him a taste of his own medicine with a roundhouse kick to the temple, knocking him out cold.

"Don't you ever, "Dean growled, grabbing his silver knife. "come near me or my family again." Them he plunged the knife into the djinn's chest, killing him for good. He stood, wiped his lip, then went to Jack.

He first inspected her face, then pulled the needle from her neck. She looked very -well, dead- to her father.

"Oh, God." He whispered, feeling tears welling in his eyes, "Come back, Jack."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I can't, Mom." I cried, gripping the gun even tighter. "I can't go back. I'll die. The djinn will suck the life outta me in a day or two."

Mom shook her head, "But in here with us, it'll feel like years, a life time even. I promise to you that there will be no more pain, no fear. Just love, comfort, and safety." She put both hands on my face and brought me closer. "Jackline, stay with us. Be happy."

"You don't have to worry about us anymore." Dean said, walking to my mom. "You can watch Sam and me live a full life." They moved out the way and Matt walked up and kissed me slowly.

"Not you too." I begged.

Matt smiled, "We can get married, have kids, and live old together -once we're old enough, that is. We could have a future together." I looked down, but he brought my gaze back up to his. "I love you, Jack. Please." He moved and Sam came last, looking me in the eye.

"Why is it your job to close Hell and save Heaven?" Sam asked. "Haven't you done enough?" He looked down at my pistol. "Please, give me the gun."

I looked at everyone. Matt, my uncle, and my parents. Dean's arm was around Mom's shoulders as it would have been if she was actually alive. I backed up a few steps and shook my head.

"I'm sorry." I said, then I put the gun to my head and pulled the trigger.