Rating: PG-16

Dean gave Missouri a moment to gather herself before he asked the question again; he couldn’t imagine his father was going to die.
“What do you mean?
She shook her head.
“He hasn’t told me anything in so many words, but he seems to think that his death is imminent.”
Dean got up and took the chair near the desk just before Cassie came in with Jessica.
“I can’t believe that this thing is just playing with his mind. What else is going on? Is it something to do with mom or is he sick?”
Missouri was hesitant she had been telling John for years to be honest with the boys. All the times they risked their lives to kill something that may not even help with revenging Mary’s death. She knew he loved them but he was so stuck in the past Missouri thought he was ruining their lives. She looked at Dean’s little girl and was glad he had taken a chance on love.
She thought Cassie was a beautiful lady she would have to let her know that she was glad Dean fell for her.
“Missouri?”

Sam apologized to Joshua for being to loud as he helped John lay down again.
“It’s okay I was reading to Jon Jon, I should go back and finish. I will be back after that to give you a break until Dean gets back.
John looked at the ceiling as he willed himself to stay awake. His sleep patterns were off but he knew that since Cassie and Dean were here that thing might start all over again with something new. He had to focus his mind on something positive. He had to do it for his boys, his family. He knew that knowing what was happening was half the battle. I am strong I’ve fought these things for years. I can do this I should be getting this curse figured out to save my grandchildren. My boys had the same right as everyone else to love and live their lives. I hate that they could lose their little ones because of something that I had a hand in.
Sam knelt beside his father as he lay on the sofa.
“Dad, I know you and Dean don’t do sentimental but I just want you to know that I love you and I am praying for you to get better.” John looked at his son, his youngest and wondered how things had gotten so messed up.

“I’m sorry Dean there are just some things John insisted I keep to myself. I’ve probably said too much already.”
Cassie agreed. “We really shouldn’t push this, Sweetie, it has to hurt her to not be able to tell you what she thinks you want to hear,” Cassie defended Missouri.
Missouri reached to hold the baby and Jessica went right to her.
“Such a cutie. Cassie I wasn’t disappointed that you weren’t blonde or blue eyed. All of the Winchesters have said nothing but good things about you. I think even Sammy maybe harboring a crush on you; you better watch how you treat her Dean,” Missouri teased him knowing that Sam was engaged.
She loved to give Dean a hard time. Dean tried to be amused despite the fact that he was worried about his father.
“I appreciate that I know they all respect your abilities and opinions,” Cassie replied.

Once they were back at the car Dean buckled Jessica in the car seat but noticed that Cassie was standing behind him.
“You okay?” he asked responding to the concerned look on her face as he reached for her hand.
“Just waiting for my kiss,” she replied as she went into his arms.
“The baby isn’t the only spoiled one in the family,” he said as he kissed her passionately.
Missouri thought they had left but noticed their car, Cassie’s Toyota 4Runner, still in the drive she could see them standing inside the driver side door. She was glad Dean had a passionate woman to love; she shook her head as she smiled and closed the front door.
“I married you so I could kiss when ever I wanted, I hope you can deal with that,” she said as she looked in his eyes.
“I think I’ve dealt with it quite well, sassy lady,” he said as he patted her on the behind before going around climbing in the driver’s seat.
They had driven Cassie car, that had belonged to her mom before her death, since she never liked to have the car seat in the Impala.
Cassie noticed Jessica was already asleep again.
“It’s been a busy day for her,” she said to Dean as he backed out of the driveway.
“I’m feeling pretty tired too I hope I can get a nap in before watching Dad tonight,” Dean said.

Dean gave Joshua the Journal to read while he helped Cassie up the stairs again though she insisted she was fine he felt better just being there for her. He carried their sleeping baby then watched as Cassie quietly changed her into her pajamas to put her down for the night in the portable crib. Dean landed on the bed like a brick, he was dog tired from driving all day plus his emotions were in knots from seeing his father and talking to Missouri. He just lay there looking at the ceiling.
“Why don’t you take a shower so you can relax a bit?” she asked.
“That’s a good idea, we can’t leave Jessica alone or you could join me,” he said with a smile as he went into the bathroom.
Cassie laughed to herself as she sat down to watch Jessica sleep until she could have her turn in the shower. He came out of the shower feeling frisky so they made love for the first time in almost a month, the first time since she was attacked. Initially she was a bit hesitant but he was extra gentle with her so she was able to relax and be with the man she loved, completely.

Joshua read the Missing Journal pages then lay the book on the table. He decided he wanted his brothers to read it too before they decided the next step so he went upstairs to give it to Dean. He knocked on the door with no realization of what was going on inside the room.
“Dean I want you to read this,” Joshua said on the other side of the door.
“Um, okay hold on,” Dean said as he looked at Cassie. He got up to put on his boxers before he cracked the door open a bit. Joshua was surprised to see his brother’s bare chest.
“What is it?” he said with his hair disheveled and lingering passion still in his eyes.
Dean cleared his throat, finally Joshua understood.
“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to interrupt your …um…nap,” Joshua smiled.
Dean smiled back as Joshua handed him the Journal and went back downstairs. Back in the room Dean checked on Cassie.
“You okay?”
“I’m fine Dean, really you did well considering how long we waited,” she said with a smile at his concerned look.
“I just didn’t want to hurt you, Cas.”
“I know,” she said as he hugged her close to him.

Dean and Cassie read the Journal together and they could see clearly the conflict that John had with what he had to sacrifice to keep his child alive. It really helped Dean to see his father in a new light. John was a man in love with his wife that had to give up something to keep her safe. He felt the same way about Cassie and his daughter: he gave up precious moments with them to try to secure their futures. But his father had given up years of knowing his own child that had to be hard, he couldn’t imagine giving his child up to be raised by someone else. His heart broke for his parents as he went over to look at his sleeping baby girl.

Joshua went to speak with John after he passed the journal on to Dean. He let Sam have a break.
“Hey Dad,” Joshua said to John who was sitting up on the sofa having some refreshing water as he tried to clear his head.
“Hey son, I’m starting to feel a lot better, maybe I can sleep normally tonight.”
“Good but Dean should stay with you in case. I just gave him the journal pages that Missouri was holding from you that you wanted her to give me.”
John looked at him like he had no idea what he was talking about.
“The ones you wrote when Mom was away before I was born.”
“Why did she give you those now?”
“She thought it would help us see how to get rid of the curse; though I know it was personal. I think that you believed you were doing what was best for me.”
“Can you forgive me for asking someone else to raise you?” John asked as he looked in to Joshua’s blue eyes that were so like his Mary’s.
“There is nothing to forgive I had a good upbringing, they made sure I knew about you and my brothers. I even have pictures of mom and they even took me to church. I appreciate what you did though the reasons are the problem we have to deal with still today,” Joshua said.

When Dean finished the Journal he took it to Sam who was sitting at the kitchen table reading a bible.
“Hey, Joshua wants you to read these,” Dean said as he picked up the bible and looked at Sam.
“I think what we need may been in here,” Sam said pointing to the bible.
“Maybe, but for now read this so we can get together with Joshua and you will have a clue what we’re talking about. I’ll take this up to the Christian in our family to see what she can find,” Dean said referring to Cassie.
Cassie smiled when she saw Dean with the bible. He sat down beside her on the bed as she opened it up. She looked at him; he looked like a second grader in Sunday school eager to learn the secrets hidden in the Good Book.

Cassie’s smile turned to a frown a moment later.
“Sweetie…”
“You only call me Sweetie when you want to advise me,” Dean interrupted cautiously.
“But I just need to tell you that This Curse has to be fought in a way you Winchester’s have yet to experience.”
“What do you mean?”
“You are used to going out and killing these things using your anger and rage as part of the weapons against them because of what happened to your Mom and Jessica, but you can’t get rid of this situation in that way. It won’t work.”
“How do you know? You haven’t even looked inside yet,” he said pointing the bible.
“I know you have to release your anger you said it yourself when you told me how to deal with that thing. I have been going through the bible to find some solace or a solution. Believe me; I would have never been able to come this far with you without that peace.”
“You mean you would have left me by now?” he asked half joking.
“No, but it takes something extra to be in my position. You know I love you but I’ve needed my faith to deal with the hunting and you being gone but I don’t regret it at all.”

He was glad she had stayed she had always been willing to do whatever it took to be with him, despite their shaky beginnings. For a long time he thought it was just her stubbornness, of course, that wouldn’t have been a compliment to him. She had trusted him to be gone months at a time all over the country, she had to believe that he had changed his MO from picking up women. How else could a woman allow her husband that much freedom? She had to have faith in something outside of herself. He kissed her forehead.

She hesitated as she saw the uncertain look on his face. She was afraid he would be angry, she wasn’t attacking his choices but this would be a different kind of warfare, she decided to take the final leap.
“Don’t forget our baby is in harm’s way also. I have come to believe that maybe your father’s insistence on going after this thing was a bad idea from the onset it’s possibly what has brought us all to this point.”
Dean had been having the same thought as he watched Cassie began to go through the pages of the bible he decided he shouldn’t wait any longer to talk with his Dad.

He wasn’t real comfortable with all them being in the same house either; it was too convenient for those they may want to get rid of all the Winchester in one attack. He told her he wanted to finally talk with his father before she handed him some papers.
“What are these?”
“My research from the last few weeks.”
There was about eight pages but the first one caught his eye. It read LEGAL RIGHTS.
“Legal Rights? What is that all about?”
“You may want to read over them before you talk to your father or go over it with him,” she suggested.
“In those pages you will get a better idea of what you’re dealing with.”
“Why don’t you just tell me?” he asked her frustrated now.
“This seems to be a spiritual battle and you need to be prepared with what is in those pages as well as some of what is in here,” she said pointing to the bible.
“So it needs to be something that means something to me?”
“Exactly, just telling you won’t have the same effect.”
“Dad has never been religious.”
“It not about religion, it’s about what you believe inside with all of your being.”
“But the closer we get to the truth of this thing the more chance he will come calling again.”
Dean nodded as he went to speak with John.
TBC