A/N: I know this final chapter is REALLY late coming. Once again I pulled an eleven day stretch at work, while going through the worst cold/flu bug I've had in a while. Not exactly great writing conditions. But here's the epilogue of this story now at least! Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read, review, add this to their favorites, etc. You guys are awesome! And now, without further ado, the conclusion!

Nineteen

"Sam! The party's in half an hour and you haven't even showered yet!" Jess's voice echoed through the tiny apartment and Sam rolled his eyes playfully. "Throw on a clean shirt and jeans. Voila."

"God, you are so like your brother it's scary."

Sam chuckled. Then smiled sadly. As predicted, as soon as he was healthy enough, Dean had left Palo Alto to go back to hunting. It was in his blood, after all. The Winchester Family Business. Of course, Sam had hoped his brother would use his brush with death as an excuse to finally ditch the job and settle in California. Maybe start his own automotive business or something, find a girl of his own and start a family. He had proposed to Jess shortly after Dean's recovery, and Sam had wanted his brother to be his best man. But the former hunter knew in his heart that the scenarios he had concocted were nothing but fantasies. Dean had stayed a few weeks out of courtesty, not wanting to hurt his brother by leaving as soon as he was healthy enough to walk a few feet without losing his breath. But the telltale signs were there, clear as day: the restlessness, the scouring of the internet and twenty-four hour news channels for sings of anything out of the ordinary, the way he would always volunteer for grocery or take out runs just to get out of the house. Sam's older brother was bored out of his mind, and waiting rather impatiently for the right time to bail without seeming rude.

And now the two bedroom apartment that had seemed cramped earlier was now eerily quiet. Of course, Sam was grateful that the lack of commotion was the result of his brother's recovery; he would gladly trade the loneliness of missing his brother for his health in a heartbeat. But the several months with Dean had been a reminder to Sam: one of a life with his older brother by his side, always there, sometimes even when he didn't want him to be. Sam had always wanted to be independent, to live a life free of hunting and living outside the law. To have the wife and children and great job, one where he'd still get to help people without the dangers of hunting monsters for a living. But he wanted Dean, too. And those few months with his brother, with the constant fear that each day might be the last, were a constant reminder of that.

"Earth to Sam!" Sam blinked, almost startled to see Jess standing before him. She looked gorgeous in a tight, black mini skirt and red, sequined blouse. Her soft, blonde curls cascaded gently over her shoulders, her silver hoops peaking from behind the locks. She was wearing just a hint of makeup, and a touch of a warm, citrus perfume. For a moment, Sam forgot about his brother as he gently pulled his fiance in for a kiss. "Wow," he said softly, and Jessica smiled. "Typical male. Spaced out but the minute a hot chick enters the room..."

"Touche." Sam smiled, looked down at the faded jeans and tee he was wearing. "Maybe I should change, huh?"

"Great detection, Sherlock," Jessica grinned.

XXX

Sam was never really one for parties. Dean had convinced him to attend a few in high school, but for the most part, they had ended with him feeling out of place and bored. He'd sit in the corner counting down the minutes until he felt it was an appropriate time to call his brother to pick him up. A few of his college buddies had also invited him out, which hadn't been a complete waste of time, as it was at one of those gatherings where he had first met Jess. And even though the social events were becoming less painful over time, Sam had never been one to make a point to attend. He'd go for Jessica's sake, pretend to have a good time, and have a few drinks to make the night at least somewhat tolerable. But if he'd only known that this night would be the last gathering he would attend, he would have made the most of it. But at the time, Sam Winchester had no clue that the world as he knew it was about to come crashing down. So he sat at a table in the corner of the bar, munching on stale pretzels and making polite conversation while Jess showed off her new princess cut solitaire to her friends and chatted about floral arrangements and wedding gowns. Every now and then he'd subtly steal a glance at the time, and wishing for the first time that his bride to be would just stop chatting about a wedding that was well over a year away and take him home. If Sam had known that this would be the only time Jess would get to talk about her wedding day, he would have let her go on for hours. But he had no clue that in a few short hours, his life would, for the second time since June, come crashing down like a house of cards.

XXX

The wheels had been set in motion in the early hours of the following morning.

Sam had only just fallen asleep, the couple having returned from the party only a few hours before, when the sound of someone rummaging in the kitchen. Quietly, he reached under the bed for the pipe he had kept hidden and stealthily made his way out of the bedroom, Jessica snoring away in oblivion. No matter how many years had passed since he had last hunted, the mindset simply didn't vanish overnight.

Sure enough, Sam noticed the silhouette of a figure carefully make his way down the hall, in direction of the bedroom. Not happening, Sam thought to himself, mentally preparing for the fight. Without hesitation, Sam tackled the stranger, surprised by the strength and agility. Fuck, this guy's good. In less than a minute flat, he was pinned to the floor, and a familiar voice, one he'd heard for the last time, greeted him.

"Whoa, easy there, tiger!"

"Dean?!"

There stood his brother, the brother he remembered from before Stanford, the one who looked much healthier than he did for his grand entrance last June. Who was suddenly back at his place when only a week earlier, he had left for what Sam had believed to be the last time. Immediately yet another array of scenarios flashed before his mind. The odds of Dean being in remission were slim to none: there were no traces of the cancer since that night their father had abandoned them. Was something after him, then? The thing John had been after right before his trip to California?

"Dean, what are you doing here?" The eldest Winchester opened his mouth to speak, only to be interrupted by the soft shuffling of footsteps, followed by a flood of light. "Sam? What's going on?" Jessica appeared in the room, once again dressed in sleep pants and her favourite Smurfs t-shirt. She gave a startled gasp at the sight of her brother-in-law, the one who looked like one on death's door a month earlier, tackling her fiance. Immediately, the brothers scrambled to their feet, and Dean smiled at Jess, not as one admiring a beautiful woman, but as a little sister. "Hey, Jessica," he greeted her. "Sorry to barge in here, but I need to borrow your boyfriend for a minute."

"Sure," Jess agreed, but Sam interrupted her. "Dean, you've lived under the same roof as us all summer. Whatever you have to tell me, I'm sure you can tell her." Dean narrowed his eyes. Nope. Not this one, Sammy. But Sam had moved to stand beside the young woman, one arm wrapped protectively around her shoulder. Beside him, Jessica nodded slightly, as if daring him to keep her in the dark. Dean sighed, cleared his throat. He didn't want to tell him. Though boredom had been a factor, one of the main reasons he'd left California was to allow his brother to return to the life he had been forced to abandon following his diagnosis. And what he was about to ask of his brother could very well lead to his leaving that life a second time. Could he really do that? Could he ask so much of the brother who had dropped his life, his chance for a future away from hunting, for him? But he needed Sam's help. Of this Dean was certain. Across the room, Sam was becoming impatient, and the hunter steeled himself. Now or never, Winchester.

And it was then that Sam Winchester heard the words that would change his life forever.

"It's Dad, Sammy. He's gone."

Well, folks. This is the end of this one. I deliberately left it as a cliffhanger because I have a sequel in works. If by any chance you don't want a sequel and just want a happy ending to this, I can add another chapter to this one. But I have big plans on something featuring John and his year left to live, and the boys' journey on finding him. My twist on Dean's demon deal from season three. Anyway, thank you so much for sticking with this one. One of my hardest stories to date. I think I will retire the whole cancer fic thing now. This was an experiment, after all. Anyway, thanks again for your support! - Jojospn