Just a short little epilogue to wrap up the story and give you extra feels :) Thanks SO MUCH to everyone who read this and faved and reviewed! You guys are always so awesome and I'm always surprised at the response my stories get so again, thank you! You always make my day ^^

Epilogue

Sam started his long recovery over the next few weeks, able to leave the hospital after a few more days of observation. Once they got back to the apartment, Dean was almost unbearable with all his mother-henning toward his younger brother, but at the end of the day, Sam wouldn't have traded any of it for the world, even if Dean was incredibly annoying on occasion. It was better than not having an older brother at all.

Many times during his recovery, he found himself thinking about Paul and Chris and how the teenager hadn't been lucky like Sam had. Sometimes, he thought he took Dean for granted, and he decided he should never do that again after what happened to Paul. It actually scared him to think about what could have so easily been his life and he was continuously thankful that it was not the case.

Paul actually stopped by several times during Sam's recovery. He seemed more subdued, but he was completely changed from the mean bully Sam had met when he first started going to school there. Jeremy visited too, and sometimes did so at the same time as Paul, and the two boys slowly became good friends with their former enemy.

Of course, the Winchesters couldn't stay there forever, Sam had known this, but it would be one of the harder places to leave. Despite what had happened to him, he had also made good friends and he would be sorry to leave them.

Paul and Jeremy came to see them as they were packing the Impala, Dean doing most of the work as he still wouldn't let Sam lift anything; he decided to enjoy that while it lasted. Besides, he was still sore. Broken ribs and internal bleeding would do that.

"Hey!" he greeted the two boys with a smile as they rode their bikes up, waving at him.

"We thought we'd come to see you off before we go to the park," Jeremy told him, clasping his hand in greeting.

"Yeah, Jeremy invited me to go play basketball with them," Paul said, beaming. "Wish you could come."

"Yeah, me too," Sam told them regretfully. But he had been really glad to see Paul and Jeremy become friends. Maybe it would keep the former bully from turning to old ways. Though Sam didn't think there was any risk of that after what had happened. Paul was a new person, and he was glad to see it just as much as he was glad to see Jeremy taking to the other boy. He knew how hard it was to forgive past hurts, but Jeremy was a naturally kind person, and he wasn't the sort who held grudges. He hoped he would be able to give Paul a new family since his old one was broken.

"We'll sure miss you, man," Jeremy said sincerely. "And I think Clara Powell is going to be upset you left before the dance."

"You should ask her," Sam said with a grin, as Jeremy blushed slightly.

"Yeah, you think she'd go with me? I think she likes the hero types more."

"Just ask her and see," Sam chuckled, punching him lightly in the arm.

"Sam, we need to get going," Dean called and Sam turned back to his friends regretfully.

"I guess we need to leave," he said with a sigh, clasping their hands and embracing them a bit gingerly with his still healing injuries. "I'll miss you guys. Stay good, Paul."

Paul grinned and nodded sincerely. "I will. I have you to thank for that."

"Well at least my injuries did some good," Sam teased, letting Paul know he didn't blame him. "If either of you ever need help, just call," he added.

"We'll do that," Jeremy told him with a nod.

They said goodbye, and then Sam crossed to the Impala and slid into the passenger seat. Dean waved to the other teenagers before he got behind the wheel and started the engine. Their dad pulled out in his truck first and Dean followed behind. Paul and Jeremy waved to them, and Sam lifted his hand in farewell before settling back against the seat and letting out a sigh.

Dean looked over at him. "You good?"

Sam nodded after a while. "Yeah, I'm good."

"You're not gonna cry on my shoulder then?" Dean asked, barely hiding a smirk.

Sam swatted him. "No way, jerk."

"Let me know if you change your mind, bitch," Dean grinned before sliding a tape into the cassette player and turning up the volume as AC/DC blared from the speakers. Sam sighed in fond annoyance and settled back against the seat, but a smile spread over his lips anyway.

Some things never changed.

The End

Keep a lookout for my new story which I should start posting next weekend, a typical adventure case fic where I strand the boys out on a mountain and there might be lots of problems. Thanks again for sticking with this story!