Disclaimer: The characters of Supernatural do not belong to me. The original character of Evelyn Winchester does. I also do not own the song used in this chapter, Celine Dion's "Because You Loved Me".

A/N: If for some reason you are reading this chapter and have not read chapter twenty-one, STOP AND GO BACK. RIGHT NOW. FAIR WARNING.

If you did read the last chapter….then you know what happened. I know it was a sad ending, but I feel like it fit. I'm interested to know what you guys think about the ending. Anyway, in this chapter, Evy tells her brothers goodbye for the final time.

Epilogue

It had been two full weeks since Evy's death, and the pain in Sam's heart was still threatening to crush him. Evy's funeral had been the single hardest thing he'd ever done in his life. Right after Evy had died, Sam had refused to let her go. He'd held onto her and sobbed bitterly. Dean had stayed there with them, remaining frustratingly stoic about the whole thing. Sam had cried himself to sleep holding on to Evy, and woken up to find that she'd been moved to her own room by Cass and Dean. The next few days had gone by in a haze. They'd held Evy's funeral in the woods behind the bunker. No one had said a word as her body burned. There was nothing to say. Nothing seemed good enough. Evy had been the world to Sam and Dean. Cass had loved her almost as much as they had. She deserved the best, and none of them had been able to give her that.

Now, Sam stood outside the door of his room. He hadn't slept in his own bed in two weeks. He hadn't been able to face the place where Evy had taken her last breath. He missed her so much that it felt like a hole had been punched in his chest. It hurt to breathe, it hurt to move, it hurt to think. He thought about something Evy had told him once, years earlier. When he'd been in Hell. She had tried to call him one night and the phone had rung, over and over, before she'd realized that he wasn't going to answer. He understood what she meant now. It seemed so unnatural, so wrong, to think that she wasn't there, that Sam wasn't able to wrap his mind around it fully. Taking a deep breath, Sam turned the knob on the door of his room and walked in.

It looked exactly like he'd remembered it. The sheets were still pulled back, as if someone had been sleeping in the bed and not made it when they'd gotten up. Sam sat on the bed and grabbed the photo he kept on his nightstand. It was one of Evy that had been taken the year she'd moved with him to Stanford. Jess had taken it. It was Evy's tenth birthday party, and she had her arms around his neck. Sam remembered the day well. Evy had spent most of it crying because she hadn't heard from John. Sam had planned a small party that night for the three of them, but when Jess had seen how upset she was, she had single-handedly gone out and gotten balloons, decorations, games, a cake, and ice cream. As Sam took Evy to lunch that afternoon, Jess had stayed behind and decorated the entire apartment. They'd spent the entire day focused on her, and Sam hadn't seen the tears from being ignored by John come back. Sam smiled at the memory, but longed for the day when he could think of Evy without it hurting so much.

Something in the corner of his room caught his eye. It was sitting propped up against a wall. Sam put the photo down on his bed, carefully approaching the corner. He cautiously picked up the small case. It was a DVD, marked Sam and Dean. There was a small note inside, which Sam opened.

Sammy, watch this. Love, Cricket

Sam gasped. It couldn't be. Could it? He quickly walked down the hall to Dean's room, who was packing to leave for a hunt. Sam showed him the DVD, and they walked back into the main room to watch it. Sam's heart was thumping hard in his chest as he watched Dean put the disc into his laptop. They watched as it started up, and both of them stopped breathing for a split second when Evy's face filled the screen. She adjusted the camera a little before beginning to speak. She looked about three years younger, and Sam recognized the room as her dorm room at Princeton. Evy smiled before starting to talk.

"Hey, guys." she said. She sighed and looked down before continuing to speak. "So, this sounds pretty cliché, but if you're, um, watching this, then it means…" She looked to the floor and then back up sadly. "It means I'm dead."
Sam felt his heart twist painfully at hearing that. It had been hard enough to admit to himself that Evy was gone, but to hear her say it too…it was all just too much. Sam wanted to run and scream, but felt himself compelled to hear more. So he stayed seated where he was and listened to her.

"So, in case you're wondering when I did this, it's about…" Evy checked something on the wall behind her, "…one in the morning the night I came back to Princeton after we had that big argument on the bridge. I couldn't sleep so I decided to make this video." Evy paused again before speaking. She seemed to be collecting her thoughts. "I want you guys to know something. There's another video at the end of this one that I want you guys to see. I made it a few weeks ago, when I thought Jack was going to propose. It was meant to be shown at my wedding, but I guess that's not going to happen now. But before I show you that, I have some things to say to you. And I need you to listen to me."

Sam and Dean looked at each other thoughtfully. Had she known what was going to happen? How had they gotten the video? Had she had it the whole time? All of these were really good questions, but right now Sam and Dean cared nothing about answering them. Both looked back towards the screen to hear what she had to say.

"I'm gonna start with you, Dean. I know you. Whatever happened to me, you somehow blame yourself for it. Don't. I know you did whatever you could to save me. You've always done that, Dean-protected me and Sammy as much as you could. You've always made us feel safe. I love you, Deanie. Always."

Dean was wiping tears away from his face, a sight that had become all too common in the bunker over the last two weeks.

"And now you, Sammy. Same goes for you. I know you tried. Whatever happened, I know you did the best you could to save me. And that you're feeling guilty. Don't. It wasn't your fault, Sammy. But you need to know. Even when we weren't talking to Daddy and Dean, I never felt alone. You've never made me doubt that I was loved and cared for. I always knew you loved me. And I want you to know, Sammy, I love you too. More than anything. I always have. I always will. No matter where I am, Sammy, whether I'm with you in person or not, I'm always right here." Evy pointed to her heart.

Sam was crying hard now. Dean grabbed his arm to try and calm him a little, but Sam pulled away and cried for a minute into his hands. He missed Evy so badly. Hearing her voice, seeing her face, telling her he loved her. A few seconds later, she continued speaking.

"All right guys, enough chick flick moments." Evy said, laughing gently. "I'm gonna go now. Watch this for me, guys. Dean, no complaining about the music. Good night, guys. Love you."

For all those times you stood by me

It was a music video. The first photo was of Sam and Evy on her first day of school. Sam held her hand as Evy grinned. Two of her teeth were missing. She had lost them a week earlier when she'd fallen down the steps. Sam smiled at the memory. He had heard her fall down and run to her, expecting her to burst out in tears. Instead, he'd found her giggling, holding her teeth in her hand. He could hear her now.

"Look, Sammy! I lost my first teef!"

For all the truth you made me see

For all the joy you brought to my life

The next photo was of Dean and Evy, taken a couple of weeks after Sam had left for Stanford. Dean held her in his lap, tickling her as hard as he could.

For all the wrong that you made right

For every dream you made come true

For all the love I found in you

Christmas Eve when Evy was eight years old. Sam had just gotten back to the house they lived in at the time. They were sitting on Evy's bed, Evy buried in Sam's arms.

I'll be forever thankful baby

You're the one who held me up

Standing outside the hospital right after Evy had been released when she'd been attacked by the Shtriga. Evy sat on the hood of the Impala. Dean was on her left side, Sam on her right. Sam had an arm around her shoulder, and Dean was holding her hand.

Never let me fall

Sam was teaching a six year old Evy how to ride a bike. He had one hand on the seat, and Evy was waving it away. She wanted to do it herself.

You're the one who saw me through, through it all

Bobby was holding a baby Evy. She was six months old, and her face was contorting in an open wail. Bobby looked confused, and held Evy a few feet in front of him as if she was a bomb.

You were my strength when I was weak

Evy in the hospital at age six after having her appendix removed. She was lying on a hospital bed, Sam, Dean, John, and Bobby standing all above her.

You were my voice when I couldn't speak

Sam, Jess, and Evy the night she'd come to Stanford to live with them.

You were my eyes when I couldn't see

You saw the best there was in me

Evy's first day of high school. She was ten, and Sam was leading her up to the door. That one took Sam by surprise; he'd never known Jess had taken it.

Lifted me up when I couldn't reach

You gave me faith 'cause you believed

Evy sat in Sam's lap, age two, watching intently as he read to her.

I'm everything I am because you loved me

You gave me wings and made me fly

You touched my hand I could touch the sky

Sam was throwing a baby Evy gently up into the air. She was mid-air, and had a grin on her face, as Sam waited right below her to catch her.

I lost my faith, you gave it back to me

Bobby hugging Evy as she left to hit the road with Sam and Dean for the first time after Lillith had attacked her.

You said no star was out of reach

The three of them sat on the back of the Impala, looking up at the stars.

You stood by me and I stood tall

Evy riding piggyback on Sam's shoulders, age three, as they watched a fireworks show.

I had your love I had it all

Dean holding a crying Evy at the same fireworks show, after she'd fallen off Sam's shoulder and hit the ground.

I'm grateful for each day you gave me

Maybe I don't know that much

But I know this much is true

I was blessed because I was loved by you

Two year old Evy sitting between Sam and Dean on the couch at Bobby's house. Sam sat on her left, tickling her, while Dean sat on her right, doing the same.

You were my strength when I was weak

Sam hugging Evy, who sat on Bobby's couch a couple days after she'd started to recover from Lillith's attack. She had a sling on her arm and a cast on her leg, but it was the first time Sam had seen her smile all week.

You were my voice when I couldn't speak

You were my eyes when I couldn't see

You saw the best there was in me

Lifted me up when I couldn't reach

Dean holding a baby Evy, bouncing her on his hip as he pointed out something to her above them in the sky.

You gave me faith 'cause you believed

I'm everything I am

Because you loved me

Sam holding Evy's hand as they walked down the street. He didn't remember how old she was, but she looked to be about five or six.

You were always there for me

Evy taking her first steps, towards Sam, with Dean standing right behind him.

The tender wind that carried me

Sam putting a sleeping Evy down for bedtime.

A light in the dark shining your love into my life

You've been my inspiration

Evy leaving for Princeton. Sam on her left, Dean on her right. This was the most recent one of the bunch, taken only four years before.

Through the lies you were the truth

Sam holding a distraught Evy on the couch of their small house, the night that John had told her the truth about the supernatural. Evy was clinging to him, and Sam was wiping tears from her face with a Kleenex. This was another photo that Sam didn't remember having been taken. Dean must have done it without Sam knowing.

My world is a better place because of you

You were my strength when I was weak

Jim Reddicker, who Sam hadn't thought about in years, taking Evy's cast off after Lillith's attack. Sam and Dean hadn't been there, but Bobby had taken the photo and given it to them when they'd gotten back.

You were my voice when I couldn't speak

You were my eyes when I couldn't see

You saw the best there was in me

Another of Evy on her first day of school. This time she was running towards Dean as he picked her up.

Lifted me up when I couldn't reach

Sam lifting Evy up to throw a basketball into a hoop, while Dean stood behind them pretending to block her and take it away from her.

You gave me faith 'cause you believed

I'm everything I am

Because you loved me

I'm everything I am because you loved me

The photos blended into a video clip. Evy was a couple years older, but the same thing was happening. Sam was holding her up, and when she made the shot into the net, she held her arms up in a cheer. Sam laughed and turned her around. He kissed her cheek. Dean, who had been behind the camera, could be seen in the form of hand at the corner of the screen. Evy giggled, kissed both her hands, and blew him an air kiss. The video slowed a bit, and when the music stopped, she faded slowly to black.

Sam and Dean sat in stunned silence for a moment. They had both stopped crying, but were numb with shock. When the video completely ended and closed on Dean's laptop, Dean took it and walked into the kitchen, leaving Sam sitting and staring at the floor. Dean came back in a few minutes later and found Sam sitting in the same spot. He took a seat in front of Sam.

"Sam." he said. "Listen. I've got a hunt in Tacoma. Nest of vampires. I need your help."

"No." Sam said simply.

"Yes." Dean replied. "Sam, listen to me. She's gone. I know she's gone, and I know it hurts. Like you said to me when Dad dies, it hurts so bad you can't stand it. But you cannot sit here for the rest of your life. She wouldn't want that."
Sam swallowed hard. "I just can't…."

"You can." Dean said. "Come on. You can. I'll be here with you. You've got me, you got Cass. And like she said, she's right here." Dean pointed towards Sam's chest the same way Evy had done. Sam sat in silence for a minute, before Dean spoke again. "Come on. What do you say?"

Sam took a ragged breath. Though it hurt, and probably would forever, he knew Dean was right. Sitting in the bunker letting himself wallow in pity would have hurt Evy more than the illness that had killed her did. He took a couple more deep breaths before answering him.

"Let's go." Sam nodded. "Come on. Let's go."