Wayward Daughters

Chapter Twenty

The girls pulled up in front of the bunker just after dark, feeling emotionally spent and exhausted. Greer knew that if she felt that way, she couldn't possibly imagine how Norah felt. They knocked on the bunker door and waited. Neither of them had talked to any of one here since they left that afternoon, Greer doubted that they had any idea what had happened.

The door creaked open and Clair met their eyes, knowing instantly that look of grief and loss....of defeat.

"Damn" she said, "Come on..." She led them downstairs.

Norah immediately walked off towards her room, wanting nothing more than to be left alone. Jody stood up to go follow her; but Greer stopped her. "Let her go." she said quietly. "She just needs some time."

Jody sat back down and looked up at Greer. "What happened?"

"Crowley. That's what happened."

"You didn't make it in time?" Clair asked

"Oh no, we did....he just killed them anyway...saying he was doing us a favor by teaching us a lesson about being a Winchester."

"That's harsh....even for Crowley." Ben said looking at her.

"Actually that doesn't sound like Crowley at all." Jody said puzzled. "He always keeps up his end of the bargain...at the very least, he's at least dependable there...good and bad."

"Sounds like his bed with the devil is starting take its toll." Clair said.

The group sat silently, trying to take in all that this meant; for Norah, for them...for Sam and Dean. Nothing would ever be the same from this point on.

Only minutes passed, and everyone began to retreat to their rooms, lost in the thoughts that haunted them about the people lost to them over the years. Greer stood up and began to head in the direction of her room, more than ready to crawl into a safe bed and fall asleep.... Even if she would be met with the nightmare reminder of what Crowley had done to Norah's grandparents....and what he could do the people she cared about most in the world.

"Greer..." Ben started before she got too far away. She stopped and turned around to look at him, her heart pensive as he started to walk towards her. His usually optimistic eyes were grounded and dark, which was exactly how her heart felt. She couldn't deny it; Ben seemed to mirror her in every moment. She looked at him, sensing what was coming.

"I'm sorry, about before..." He looked up into her eyes. "I never meant that we shouldn't do anything...I was just worried about you" he paused, "both of you...." He said as if he was trying to correct himself.

She smiled at him and reached out to grab his arm in a reassuring way, "I know." She looked for the hopeful Ben in those dark eyes but wasn't finding him. He looked sadder than he had ever seemed before.

"We aren't that kind of group...." He said "It's kind of our fatal flaw, something your dad knew all too well."

She moved her arm and crossed them in front of her...waiting for an explanation.

"My mother and I were attacked once...again. This time it was different, and when Dean realized that he almost lost us... he had our memories wiped and sent us away. I don't think he ever intended to come looking for us again."

She nodded....understanding. Crowley's words resonating in her head... "A lesson in the life of a Winchester." She stated as she looked at the floor.

Ben watched it sink in. "They lost a lot of people, Greer. They even lost each other time and time again....." He reached out and grabbed the sides of her arms, bringing her closer to him, "But their greatest weakness was also their greatest strength...."

She looked up at him, and there it was.... His hope.... "They survived things people should never survive because they loved....even through pain...even through loss. They never gave up."

A tear slid out the corner of her eye, he brought his hand up and wiped it away with his thumb.

"Don't give up."