It's been 15 years since Parker left Dean and rescued their children from his demonic alter ego. But when she disappears in a series of strange events, it leaves her children to ask for help from an unlikely source - their Winchester fathers. But ar...
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Note: I couldn't help but add a picture of Roman and Parker in this one. Hope y'all enjoy the sweet family fluff in this chapter ;)!
The warm water ran through my fingers as I washed yet another dish, the only other sound to be heard the rustling of newspaper behind me as Sam sat at the kitchen table, reading the headlines. Honestly, I hated to say it but I kinda missed Mrs. Butters. I mean, sure, she was an insane psycho killer wood nymph but the woman could cook...and clean... A sigh escaped my mouth and as I leaned over to flop it into the other side of the sink, a pale white hand shot out, catching it before I could.
Glancing over into a pair of brown eyes identical to my own, I smiled.
"Decided to finally help your mom wash dishes, huh?" I teased, bumping him with my hip.
Roman just rolled his eyes playfully in response, reminding me so much of Sam in that moment and began to rinse off the soapy dishes.
"Well, it was that or listen to Yaz and Jack flirting - either way, I would've picked whichever activity was less painful," he told me pointedly, gesturing to the sink then, "Obviously I would rather do manual labor,"
I burst out laughing, shaking my head at my son, "Yeah, I don't think this is exactly what 'manual labor' means,"
Roman stuck his tongue out at me and I just grinned in response. From the corner of my eye, I caught Sam smiling over at the two of us. Roman and I fell into a companionable silence then, the only sound the rhythmic running of water and clanking of dishes being rinsed. It reminded me of simpler times - before I got kidnapped, before the kids had to come rescue me along with their fathers, before...before I came back to the hunting lifestyle. Back to Dean.
It was like two totally different lives - those memories of raising my kids and watching them grow versus myself growing up hunting with Sam and Dean and fighting supernatural creatures. It was hard to reconcile the two into one life.
"Mom...can I ask you a question?" Roman asked me suddenly, interrupting the silence.
"Of course, honey," I replied immediately with a smile.
He was quiet for a moment and I almost thought he had rethought his question when he finally spoke, "Why did you and dad break up?"
The dish in my hand slipped from my fingers, sinking back to the bottom of the sink full of soap suds and suddenly, the sound of rustling from Sam's corner stopped as well. That was not exactly what I'd been expecting him to ask.
"Romy, what makes you ask that?"
He shrugged, dark curls falling across his forehead as he did, "I don't know, just...I guess I was thinking about how you and Uncle Dean are back together and...I wondered why it wasn't you and dad..."
My heart sunk at the dejected look on his face, an expression he was desperately trying to hide. But I was his mother and I knew him well enough to know how much he was hurting now. And I hated that I had been so distracted that I hadn't realized it sooner. Glancing over my shoulder, Sam and I exchanged a look and he got up from his seat, walking over to the sink where we stood.
Wiping my hands on a dishtowel that was lying on the counter beside me, I wrapped one arm around Roman, "Aw baby, I'm sorry. I know how this all must seem to you. And I know that I didn't do the best job at...describing the situation to you growing up,"
Sam stood close behind me for moral support, there if I needed him. Roman stayed silent, glancing down at me through long dark lashes as I continued.
"The truth is - Sam is my best friend. He always has been since the day we met when we were kids. Nothing on this earth could tear us apart...right, Sammy?" I asked, sending a smile over his way which he returned, "And then...then your uncle died..."
I felt my heart clench in my chest at the stabbing pain that memory still brought on and gently, Sam squeezed my shoulder. Even to this day, it was still hard to put into words just what agony I went through, believing Dean to be dead. Putting my hand over Sam's, I squeezed back, grateful as he continued where I left off.
"When your uncle died...he left a hole behind, an emptiness. And suddenly, your mom and I...we didn't know how to go on without him. I guess you could say we became closer in those days - we were all each other had," Sam told our son, his voice tinging with sadness as his own memories of that time resurfaced.
"Your dad and I found solace in each other back then and slowly, it turned into something else. Something neither of us had expected. But then, your Uncle Dean showed back up - alive,"
Roman bit his lip and looked away, finally speaking for the first time since the story began, "So then you regretted it?"
My eyes widened in shock, not believing the words leaving his mouth. How could he possibly think that?
With gentle fingers, I cupped Roman's face, forcing him to meet my eyes, "I don't regret those days - or what came from it. How could I? If Sam and I hadn't ended up together, I never would have had my beautiful baby boy,"
I felt tears start to choke me up, still remembering the scary time when the boys had almost lost me during childbirth and consequently, almost lost Roman, too. But never in my life would I regret being with Sam or having his son. I wouldn't give that time up for anything, that small spark of happiness in such a dark time.
Roman's brown eyes that mirrored mine so much were full of tears as well as I finished, "And even though Sam and I don't love each other in the way you may want, we'll always love each other and most importantly, love you."
Slowly, he nodded and suddenly, the tears spilled over porcelain cheeks and immediately, I gathered him to my chest. Sam's arms encircled us instantly and I felt whole, just being with my little family like this. Ruffling Roman's curls gently, I heard him emit a laugh through his tears and I smiled, holding him tighter.
Because I would always love our son and the family we had created together. Nothing in the world could change that.
