Witching Hour | Winchester

Thirty-Nine

After learning that John had been captured by demons, Dean wasted no time. He and Sam argued over their options, and before long, Dean was speeding down the highway. After deciding they needed help, he drove to the place he knew they'd find it. In the late morning, Dean drives into Bobby's salvage yard.

Junk cars are scattered across the lot, and old hubcaps are nailed to the side of the house. A large Rottweiler is chained to a post, lying on the hood of an old tow truck. The brothers glance at each other, remembering the last time they were here. With deep breath, Dean gets out of the car and heads to the front door.

Roxanne has just gotten dressed after a shower when she hears a knock at the door downstairs. She continues to towel-dry her waves as she bounds down the stairs. The sound of the door opening echoes through the house. She walks down the hallway, her bare feet cold against the hardwood floor.

"Bobby, who's at the-"

She stops in her tracks, still holding the towel to the ends of her hair. Sam and Dean stand on the porch, and she quickly realizes her mistake. She didn't tell Dean where she was or how long she'd been here. She desperately hopes this is all a strange dream, but her stomach lurches anyway.

"Roxy?" Sam asks.

She's got that deer-in-headlights look, and the boys watch her, locked in a standoff.

Sam's chest soars, and he can't help but smile. He has no idea how long she's been here, how long she's been refusing contact. But he can be angry and hurt later. Right now he's just happy to see her.

Dean blinks. He didn't think he'd ever see her again, especially not with the way she had ghosted Sam. But then, on that call, everything was almost like it used to be. Seeing her was bittersweet; he had missed her more than he let on, but he knew that she wasn't out. It's gonna be the hardest thing in the world to accept that she's going to risk her life with him.

"Oh, hell," Bobby swears.

Sam brushes past Bobby, walking towards Roxanne with an expression of disbelief. He bends down and wraps her in a tight hug, and she remains frozen, still holding her towel.

"I missed you so much."

She hesitantly pats his back, and he releases her, straightening to his full height.

"I missed you, too, Top Shelf..."

The words die on her lips, and as Sam steps aside, Dean hugs her tightly. She squeezes her eyes shut, enjoying the long overdue embrace. She inhales the scent of leather and gunpowder with a smile. He pulls back, hands on her shoulders, and winks.

"Look, we can all have a family reunion later," Dean says, turning to Bobby. "But right now we need help."

- - - -

"Here you go."

Bobby hands Dean a flask, and Roxanne, now fully dressed, watches from the corner, a book in her lap. She sits next to Sam, who's hunched over a book of his own at Bobby's desk.

"What is this? Holy water?" Dean asks.

"That one is," he nods, holding up another flask. "This is whiskey."

He takes a swig and hands it to Dean, who takes a drink of his own.

"Bobby, thanks. Thanks for everything. To tell you the truth, I wasn't sure we should come."

Bobby waves him off. "Nonsense. Your daddy needs help."

"Well, yeah, but last time we were here, I mean, you did threaten to blast him full of buckshot. Cocked the shotgun and everything."