AN: Well, here we are at the end, I just hope you all like it, and aren't disappointed. Take care... hope to see you all soon!

Steve knew he had to be in the middle of a nightmare, there was no other explanation for what he saw. He stared at the man before him and couldn't utter a word, instead making slight choking noises trying to convey his disbelief.

Caleb looked between the Sheriff and the other man and knew exactly who it was, although he wasn't too clear on the why. Looking at the others he knew they were starting to put the pieces together too.

"Hey bro, how ya doing?"

"N-n-nate?"

Nate nodded and looked around to the other men. "You know, you guys might do better if you actually watched her?"

John saw Cara trying to crawl away and his patience quickly withered. Pulling the woman up, he pushed her closer to the trees not caring that she was bleeding profusely from her wounds; his only thought was to keep her away from his boys.

"Go ahead John, kill me! It won't stop anything though; your boy is still damned just like me." Cara yelled, then seeing his startled look she laughed. "What, you think that he's the only one that Azazel visited, the only one of his chosen? Come on John, you had to know what he's been planning… and you get a front row seat."

Caleb and Joshua tensed, understanding that this wasn't the time or place to start airing out possibilities of Sammy's supposed future, but before either could act Bobby grabbed Cara and pushed her further into the forest away from the others. John stood staring at their retreating backs dumbfounded by what he heard. It wasn't that he hadn't known that something had come for his baby boy that night, it wasn't that he hadn't suspected it was a demon, but now he knew a name and with it a possibility in finding it and sending it back to hell.

"I really hate to ruin a reunion, but I can't stay long." Nate said as he watched his brother. Smiling he walked up to Steve and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You have a job to do and so do I." Sweeping his arm towards the cabin he explained. "This is what I do, Stevie. Call me a caretaker or groundskeeper or whatever, but I'm here when it's needed."

"I don't understand. You and it… you just disappeared, then people kept saying that they'd see it, but it would be gone and I don't understand how you can be here and look like you do. My God Nate, you look the same and…"

"…and I'm dead Steve… I died that day just like I knew I was going to. I didn't say anything because I knew you'd stay with me and never leave, I couldn't let that happen. You went and got help like I told you, but I couldn't wait, but I didn't want to leave you yet. That's why I've stayed, that's why I'm here, and that's why you're going to help that kid in there then walk away." Nate said gently, knowing that this was hard on his brother, but that it also wouldn't be the last time they saw each other.

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Dean heard the yelling, but didn't care anymore; his concern was his little brother and how to get him better. As he watched, Sammy slept, completely oblivious to anything going on around him which terrified Dean since he knew his brother was more of a light sleeper when he was feeling well. Sighing, he settled himself on the edge of the bed and held Sammy's hand.

"That's right little brother, you just lay there and get better, me and dad got your back." He whispered, hoping that Sammy somehow knew that he was there and wasn't leaving for any reason.

Losing track of time, he was slightly startled when he heard the heavy footsteps on the porch. Smiling, he knew that there was no way they would have made that much noise unless they wanted to be heard and was thankful for the warning since he needed to make sure he didn't look like some little girl sitting there crying her eyes out. Turning around he saw Bobby, Joshua and Caleb walking in the door looking relieved when they noticed Sammy breathing.

"Hey guys, 'bout time you old fogies' showed up." Dean smirked; wanting to make sure the others knew that everything was going to be fine.

"I'll show you old boy!" Joshua said as he put Dean in a headlock and ruffled his hair. Turning to the others he asked, "So, who's next?"

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Watching the others walk into the cabin, John knew they were giving him the opportunity to deal with Cara in whatever manner he deemed fit. There was only one problem; he had no idea what to do with her. Sure she was a liability, and she had every intention of harming Sammy, but she was still human and if his suspicions were right then she was as much a victim as anyone.

Sighing, he grabbed her good arm and lead her away from the cabin. Noting that they'd walked a good distance, he turned her around and asked, "Why are you doing this Cara? You know as well as I do that I didn't shoot Chris, that it wasn't me who screwed up. What do you have to gain by going after Sammy?"

Cara let out a feral growl before she yelled, "CHRIS!! All I have to do is bring your precious Sammy to him and I can have Chris back! It's a fair trade, especially as tainted as he is, but then again you already know don't you? You've already found out that your precious wife had secrets too, and are wondering just how badly you all are screwed." She laughed maniacally while stepping backwards away from John. "Don't worry, I'm sure he'll make it quick, not like when he took Mary, he doesn't want you… just dear sweet little Sammy as his own. You know what's really sweet about all of this? I get to watch the big bad John Winchester sweat and I don't have to lift a finger. This is so much better than what I had planned for him, this way he gets to become the very thing you hate so much, the very thing that you kill as often as you can." She continued to laugh at the stricken look on his face. "Now you'll get to kill him, because he'll become one of us John, he'll become…"

The sound of the semi-automatic echoed through the forest although deadened by the thick underbrush that surrounded them. John stood there staring at the person that he thought he once knew albeit briefly. When he shook himself out of his daze he realized it was later than what he initially thought and quickly disposed of Cara in a way we was well familiar, knowing that now she had a chance of resting; although he wasn't sure what price he'd pay for it.

Making his way back to the cabin, he knew that there would be questions, mainly from the Sheriff but he hoped he'd find a reasonable explanation by that time. Seeing the small structure ahead he felt a sense of foreboding within him, one that he had refused to admit to before, but this time he had no real choice in the matter; something was after his son, the same thing that killed his beloved Mary, and that something wanted to turn his sweet boy into something vile and evil.

Praying that Mary would forgive him, John composed himself and knew what he had to do. For Sammy to be protected, things had to change; even if it meant sacrificing all that he held dear.

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Steve and Nate watched as the hunters hovered by the youngest and knew that the boy was in good hands. As they continued their observation, neither wanted to break the silent companionship that they shared since they both knew it would end too soon. Listening to the others talk in muted whispers, they both got a sense of how they all cherished the boy and all doubts about his well being dissipated.

"Look, we'll get him to the hospital, make sure everything's ok, then we'll take him home." Caleb said quietly, sure in the knowledge that John wouldn't travel too much with Sammy still recovering.

Dean looked at Caleb as if he'd just lost his mind. "Dude… home? In case we just met, we don't have a home."

Bobby and Joshua shared a chuckle at the condescending tone that Dean had. They knew that John and the boys were constantly on the road, but there were still a few places that they could hang their hats for a little while. Knowing that it would be foolish to bring that up at the moment, they both wisely kept their mouths shut and continued their vigil close to Sammy.

"Dude, you know I meant Pastor Jim's or even Bobby's. Damn kid if I'd known you were this dense I would have spelt it out for you." Caleb jibed, knowing that Dean was trying hard to keep the conversation going; the kid absolutely hated silence.

Dean looked at the other hunter and was about to give his retort when the door opened to allow his dad to enter. The words that were in his mouth froze on his tongue as he saw the look on his dad's face and knew instinctively what it meant. Mulling that thought over in his brain a moment he quickly came to the realization that Cara deserved what she got. With that train of thought over and done with, he turned back and finished his sentence. "Wouldn't have worked Cal, you can't spell."

John looked around and saw that his boy was still sleeping while the others kept each other company. Looking at the Sheriff he knew that the man was having trouble with the whole 'ghosts are real' bit, but then again, he was probably trying to wrap his head around a lot of things at the moment.

"I've already radioed the Rangers and they're sending a couple of choppers for us. We'll get Sam to the hospital where he can get checked out and treated." Steve said confidently, somehow he knew that the kid would get the best possible care if these men had anything to do about it.

Half an hour later, everyone was loaded onto a helicopter while Sam was in another. When they lifted off to start their journey, Steve and the others couldn't help but look down and watch as the cabin once again disappeared, this time with Nate outside waving to them. John knew that this would be the last time he and the boys would ever be here, and it saddened him to think that they would be giving up so much more in the years ahead. However, for his boys to survive whatever it was that Azazel had planned, then they both needed to be better prepared, which meant no more mistakes from either of them. Sammy would have to grow up, and Dean would have to let him. That thought no sooner formed in his head when another jumped up and attacked it. 'Just not today, tomorrow will be soon enough.'

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Sam had to stay in the hospital for another week, but was doing much better by the time the doctors gave him the word that he could go home. John and Dean had already suspected the good news and had the Impala packed and ready to roll. With Sammy in the backseat snuggled up against the door and looking out the window, John knew it was time to lay down some new ground rules.

"Sammy, it's time we upped your training. I know that you're not back to a hundred percent, but this will help you get there. I want you and Dean to do your normal routine of a morning then combat training after school. We'll be in this town for a little while, but I don't want you boys to get lax, there's too much at stake, understand?" he made sure he got a unanimous reply before continuing. "I also want to start teaching you how to bow hunt, it's useful in more ways than one."

Hearing that his life was already planned out from the time he woke up to the time he was allowed to go to bed, Sam was starting to wonder if he wasn't better off the way he was before. Before he had a chance to really think about it though, they were entering the town limits, but it was another sign that caught his eye. Tuning out his father's voice and even the comforting rumble of the Impala, he wondered if he'd be any good at soccer.