If Only We Were Us

5. Family Ties

   
  "Are you even listening boy?" Bobby demanded. Dean snapped out of it as he shook his head. "No. You weren't." Bobby calmed as Dean drug a hand over his face.
     "I'm sorry Bobby. I uh. I just need a walk." Dean was already halfway to the door as he spoke.
     "I know you were close to that girl Dean. But it's been past twenty-four hours-"
     "Has a name." Dean snapped. The room was silent for a moment before Dean sighed. "I'm going to go take a walk or something."
As he walked out the door he pulled his jacket closer to him. It had been cloudy for a long while. It was even starting to snow as Dean walked through the salvage yard to clear his head. He couldn't stop blaming himself for the possibility of Eden being dead.

Dean's breath was a white cloud in the air as he let one out. He stopped in his tracks out of nowhere.
     "What the hell are you doing here?" He demanded while turning around. He was surprised to find an angel and not a demon. "Trickster."
     "I was going to come here to tell Bobby, but you're even better." He was serious, which made Dean question how bad whatever Gabriel had to say was. "This is important. Anything I say within the next few minutes is far from a joke. And I think you might want to... sit down for this."
     "Okay." Dean sat on the edge of the hood of one of the cars. Why was he trusting this man? "What is it?"
     "Lucifer took Eden-"
     "What?" Dean demanded having gotten back to his feet.
     "Sit back down." Gabriel sat him back down. "He saved her life. Him and one of his demons."
     "After one attacked her."
     "Trust me. Luci will make him regret ever taking a breath." Gabriel paused. "What I've been trying to say is that she's at a hospital Dean. Has been since you've lost her."
     "Lucifer took her there?"
     "Yes. And... Ede hasn't been doing well. She needs her father.."
     "Alright then.. Where is the poor bastard?"
     "...  It's you you idiot."
    ~~

A knock came to the door. Sam watched as Bobby opened the door to find Jody. He was about to say something but the Sheriff spoke before he had the chance.
     "Where's Dean Bobby?"
     "Is he in trouble?" Sam asked.
     "Far from it. Is Dean Van Halen a name he'd use? Some man came in yesterday with a girl in bad shape. Said her name was Eden Van Halen. I wasn't sure, but I can see it. I think this girl is his daughter."
     "What?" Bobby gaped.
     "Where is she Jody?" Dean asked hurriedly. His breaths were rushed since he had run to the front yard.
     "The hospital here. Dean she's-" But he had already gotten to the Impala and started off. "Not doing too well..."
     Bobby put on his jacket and Sam followed him out of the house. "Tell us what you know."
     "I'll head back over with you. But when I left things were just going downhill. That was maybe three minutes ago." Bobby raised an eyebrow as they walked to the cars. "I used the lights. It was enough of an emergency." With that she got into her patrol car as Bobby and Sam got to his car.
~~

From the moment he stepped through the hospital doors everything seemed to slow down. Dean could hear his pulse pound in his ears. From the moment he knew her room number he ran past people. He was still rushing down the hall when a nurse stopped him. The blinds were down to her room. A doctor and group of nurses were leaving it. Pushing the nurse's hand away Dean slowly stepped toward the opened door. He almost ran right into Father Abel. The father paused to take in Dean's worried look. Without a word and a sad smile, he stepped out of Dean's way. A ball of nerves the now knowing father urgently stepped into the room. Abel stayed in the doorway as he watched Dean. He watched as the man dropped into a seat next to Eden's bed. Dean took in deep breaths to try and slow his racing heart. The doctors had taken Eden off the machines, but had an oxygen mask in its place. With a heavy breath Able set a hand on Dean's shoulder. The two watched the inside of the mask fog up and listened to the heart monitor.
     "She's a fighter. Always had been, always will."
     "Is she-" Dean's voice dropped off.
     "Dying? Who's to know. Eden always had her spirts of unpredictability. But the doctors are saying chances are slim." Able's lips created a hard line. "Then again they said she wouldn't be able to make it this far. So she could pass any hour now, or she'll be winking at you by morning." Able patted Dean's shoulder before going back to the door. "I'll come back in the morning. I'd very much like to see her have something good for once. That would be you Mr. Van Halen." With those words said Abel walked out.

So Dean was left on his own to hope, to pray that she'd make it though.
The clock ticked as time moved pass. Nurses and the doctor stopped in to check on Eden every ten to twenty minutes. Jody came along with Sam and Bobby. None of them expected to find Dean holding one of Ed's hands with both of his own. None of them knew her necklace was held between both of their palms. Gabriel had made a point to tell Dean about the neckwear.
And so they waited with him. Jody couldn't stay, so she didn't for too long.
The sun went down and the two had dozed off. Undeniably Dean's eyes were becoming heavy too, and before he could fight it he drifted off too.
...
Just so they wouldn't crowd the room, Bobby and Sam went to get breakfast. Not wanting to wake Dean who hadn't slept very well for a while, they left a note.
It would be several minutes after they left Dean would open his eyes.

Pulling his hands over his face he observed that nothing had changed. Eden's feather necklace was in his hand as he picked up her's. Reaching into his jacket he pulled out a dark feather.
    "Hey Acer. Someone gave this to me a long time ago. She was a friend of mine and Castiel's. Saved my life. It cost one of her wings and her life in the process. Remember? I told you about her once. She was the one you got your nickname from." The chain of Eden's necklace was wrapped around Dean's hand as he wrapped her fingers around the feather. The necklace of a single feather, but with a small flash of light, a second one had formed as the angel's feather had formed onto it and became a silver decoration. Placing the necklace in his daughter's hand, Dean held it with both of his own. "I guess I've told you about a lot of things. And I'd tell you a lot more in a heartbeat. But you probably already know it." Dean wiped away the single, rouge tear before he clipped the necklace around Eden's neck. "We spent all that time together... And I haven't had a chance to be a father toward you." Dean shook his head before setting it in his hands. "And you probably saw me as someone far from it."
     "I saw you as one." A quiet voice broke the silence.
Dean's head shot up as his green eyes met with Eden's.
"I understand now."

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