Family Don't End With Blood /Destiel//Sabriel//Michifer

Gone

The following Saturday trapped the earth in a thin layer of early frost. 

The ground had turned a dull white, glinting every so often when the pale sun caught it at the right angle.  The air was sharp with an icy breeze sweeping elegantly across the town; it seemed as through the world had gotten fed up with autumn and had decided to switch to winter overnight. 

At that moment, Alex managed to hate the hospital a little less. 

Its central heating system had sprung into action during the night and she'd woken to the presence of a pleasant warmth.  On top of that, she thought that she was feeling perhaps a little better than the previous day, though this could easily be put down to the visitors she was expecting. 

Her two best friends had promised to visit again, this time brining a couple of others with them. 

Jody had been a little concerned that too many people may exhaust Alex, but she'd insisted that she needed all the friends she could get.  This much was true.  Just being back in the hospital again was already driving her insane.   Especially as her hopes of returning home were slowly diminishing.

~~

Alfie and Elsa arrived just after ten o'clock, bringing Dean, Cas, Sam and Gabriel with them. With the addition of two more Novaks, it was almost exactly like the day Alex had first met them. 

Alex smiled. 

At the time, it would have seemed completely unrealistic to think that they'd all end up friends. 

"I brought cards," Dean announced, taking a seat, "But I've been told we're not to play for money."

Alex had a much bigger room now, the doctors having viewed her as a higher priority than before, and so there were plenty of chairs to go round.  She even had a small window.

"That's alright, I wouldn't want to deprive you of your savings," Alex smirked.

"I would've liked to see you try."

Sam dealt out the cards and the seven of them started a game of 'Go Fish.'  The rules were pretty simple, and the game easy to follow, so they soon started up a conversation as well.

"At this rate, it'll be Christmas by November," Elsa commented, having again caught sight of the frost through the window.

"It better not be, we haven't had Halloween yet — all that candy wasted."

Sam rolled his eyes at his boyfriend, before proceeding to ask whether Cas had any eights. 

Begrudgingly, Cas handed over two, glaring at Dean when he threatened to laugh.

"Yeah, well, Halloween isn't that great anyway," Alex yawned, already feeling the tiredness creep back.

Gabriel gasped. "You take that back!"

"Nah, it's the truth."

The Winchesters seemed to sided with Alex, and the conversation died down for a little, as everyone refocused on the task at hand; Dean ended up winning the first game, but Alex managed to win the second within minutes.