【Ａｓｈｅｓ Ｔｏ Ａｓｈｅｓ】

-𝕋𝕙𝕖 ℂ𝕒𝕓𝕚𝕟 𝕃𝕚𝕗𝕖-

Whitefish, Montana

░▒▓█ Three Weeks Later █▓▒░

The morning sun stretches out from beneath a blanket of storm clouds, its warmth a welcome comfort to the rotted cabin that creaks beneath the rays of muted light painting its rain-soaked wood in glistening streaks of pastel. From within, the phoenix reaches out to catch one of the soft spotlights that find its way into the home, fingers lazily dancing along the edges before plunging themselves into the soothing heat of a once-forgotten connection. She could have stayed there all day, lazing around like a calico cat who spent its time dreaming beneath the sun's gentle embrace, however, it was growing increasingly difficult to partake in her favorite human hobby of sleeping. After all, how could one close their eyes when the darkness so closely resembled the blood of the creatures she was desperate to forget?

"What'd I miss, Tweety-bird?"

The moth-eaten cushion of the couch she sat upon shifts suddenly, dipping down near her left to make room for Dean when he finally returns from the bathroom. The phoenix chuckles lightly at the discomfort she finds twisting the man's features when he plops himself down beside her, the woman gently propping up his plaster-wrapped leg across her thighs when no other position seems to alleviate the ache. "Well, based on the music, someone is probably going to die."

"Yeah? Well, let's hope it's that fugly-lookin' dude that keeps tryin' to ruin the wedding."

They both take a moment to shift their focus to the dated television set a few feet away, the sizzling screen creating a glowing amalgamation of black and white pixels that vaguely resemble a man. When the orchestra crescendos, discordant notes filling the borrowed cabin with its shrill dissonance, the man pulls out a revolver and sticks the muzzle between his teeth. Even Sam has to put his book down to watch the scene from his spot in the dining room, the trio all waiting with bated breath until the character that they had grown strangely attached to finally pulls the trigger. Bobby walks through the front door when a woman runs into the frame, his eyebrows raising at the sound of her wailing into a dead man's arms.

"I'm guessin' something bad happened while I was gone?" The older hunter makes his way further into the cabin, shaking off the droplets of morning dew clinging to his vest before focusing his gaze on the show the group had been binging for the past couple of weeks.

"They got Ricardo" Dean explains grimly, the phoenix unable to hide the grin that pulls at the corner of her lips at the look of the genuine devastation she finds in his face.

Bobby seems confused at this, maybe even a little angry when he finally responds. "How? Was it the mom?"

"Sucidio." (y/n) motions towards the screen, "He found out about what happened between Maria and his brother."

"Guess she's gonna have to marry that Alexis fella after all." Bobby sighs, Dean nodding solemnly in agreement before he reaches a hand down into the depths of one of his coat pockets. "By the way, I got you somethin'."

Digging around for a moment, the older hunter yanks out a small ring of silver keys and tosses the jangling pile of metal in Dean's direction. He catches it with ease, the childlike glee he tries to hide refusing to be contained when he excitedly responds, "My Baby..?"

"That outta cheer you up."

"Only thing left is to get this stupid thing off so I can drive her again," Dean grumbles, motioning to the uncomfortable cast still encasing the majority of his leg. When he is done complaining, huffing out the last of his frustration, he turns off the television and questions, "So, how's it lookin' out there?"

When Bobby doesn't answer right away, instead choosing to offer the given silence a sigh filled with exhaustion as he briskly makes his way into the kitchen to pour himself a drink, Sam scoffs in mild amusement.