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Sam hissed as he pulled Dean’s body off the pole of rebar that had impaled him, gently laying him on the floor of the barn. The wound was really bad. The rebar narrowly missed his spine and heart, but he was sure it broke through at least one rib and punctured his lung.
He knew he’d have to get his brother to a hospital immediately if he had any chance of saving him. With his last bit of strength, he hoisted Dean into his arms and hurried to the Impala.
Laying Dean across the backseat, Sam rummaged in his pocket for the keys before shutting the door on his brother and hopping in the driver’s seat.
Dust kicked up as he sped off towards the nearest hospital. He kept glancing in the rearview mirror to keep an eye on Dean. He looked like he was passing out.
Other than subconsciously praying that his brother would be alright, only one other thought rang through his mind.
Y/N was going to kick both their asses.
Y/N parked the antique truck in the large parking lot of the hospital. Sam called her as soon as he got Dean to the hospital. She immediately took off to meet them, several hours away.
Sam shot up from the waiting seats in the hall outside Dean’s room as soon as he saw her enter. He stood and waited for the yelling, but she rushed to him and crashed into his chest, wrapping her arms tightly around him. He was surprised, but grateful, as he understood her fear.
“He’s in here,” Sam said as he pulled from the hug and led her into the room. She walked through the door and her eyes landed on Dean in the bed. He was covered in bruises and bandages and so many things.
Her breath caught in her throat and she choked back a sob.
“Hey,” Dean croaked with a small smile.
“You could’ve died,” she blurted out in a whisper. She took several steps closer to him, speaking louder not but not quite yelling, “You almost died.”
“I know,” Dean rasped, “But I’m okay-”
She raised a hand to silence him, “I did not travel across the universe for you to turn around and die on a hunt Dean Winchester,” she chastised, “You saved the world countless times. You’ve replaced God. You’re frickin’ free!” she huffed, “So be free Dean, with me. please,” she begged, carefully taking one of his hands in her, tears streaming down her face.
“I can’t handle seeing you like this. I can’t handle not knowing if you’re coming back. Please, please,” she sobbed, dropping her head to his chest and holding him as carefully as she could.
Dean carefully draped an arm over her back, holding her to him as she cried. It broke his heart to see her like this. She didn’t know, but Sam had had a similar conversation with him when he woke up.
He glanced at Sam then over Y/N’s shoulder. His brother gave him an ‘I told you so’ look and Dean minutely nodded, looking back at Y/N.
“Okay,” he said, brushing her hair back and looking into her eyes, “You’re right.”
He may never feel like he could completely quit hunting. But he trusted them and they both said he should. So he’d try. She was right. She was here, with him. After he had missed her so much.
It would be dumb to throw that all away. He almost died on that hunt. He swore to himself to never do that to her again.
Sam drove Dean and the Impala back to the Bunker, Y/N following behind in the truck. She was angry, hurt, scared. Sam hoped the drive back might give her time to calm down.
Dean was certain she didn’t believe him and was gonna leave him. They all do eventually.
When they finally parked in the Bunker’s garage, Dean was surprised to see Y/N there, helping him out of the car and offering to help him to their room.
Sam followed behind with their bags, ready to help if Dean seemed to falter. But he and Y/N seemed to make it to their room just fine. Sam set their things inside and helped Y/N get Dean settled onto the bed.
He still had a long way to go to heal. They were back to doing things old school. Just another reason not to take so many risks. This hunt made Sam realize that any day could be the last now. For real.
It was sobering. It made him want to seek out all the things he couldn’t before because of the life, because of Chuck. He wanted that for Dean too.
Y/N sat on the bed next to Dean, taking his hand and Sam smiled.
“I’ll just leave you two to it,” Sam said, going for the door.
“Hey Sam,” Y/N said, turning to look at him, “Thank you for your help, and for keeping him alive.”
Sam grinned and nodded, “Always.”
Y/N smiled then turned back to Dean once the door was closed, “You’re gonna be laid up for a while,” she sighed.
Dean swallowed hard, “Are you gonna leave?” he asked in such a small voice it surprised her, “Are you gonna go back home?”
She stared at him as if he’d grown a second head, “I am home,” she responded, “I’m not going anywhere, Dean. But I am not above nagging and a little shoving and smacking if you put me through this again. I’d kick your ass now but looks like someone else did me the favor.”
Dean laughed, taking in her playful smile. She called this home. She was staying.
“Now, do you want food or do you want to get comfy and watch some mind-numbing entertainment?”
“Pizza and Netflix in bed with you sounds fucking perfect,” Dean groaned, letting his head drop back against the headboard with a lazy grin.
“On it, Babe,” she responded, pecking his lips. Dean drew her back to him, reigniting the chaste kiss and deepening it. She pulled from the kiss and giggled, “Oh, no stud. You’re out of commission for the time being,” she patted his chest and he groaned once more, before taking off to set up for their relaxing evening.
Dean actually enjoyed the break he got while healing. Spending time with Y/N was just like back at her farmhouse. Except he was practically an invalid for weeks, Sam and Y/N having to help him with everything.
Now that he was healed, he was restless. He promised he wouldn’t hunt, and he knew Y/N was still wary that he could or would even keep that promise. But he was determined.
Instead, he started picking up odd jobs around town: handyman, car repair, lawn maintenance. Whatever people needed, Dean offered a hand and started making a decent amount of money.
That’s when the idea struck him.
If he could make and save enough money, maybe he could find a small home in the area. Maybe even a little farmhouse on the outskirts of town. Y/N would love that.
Suddenly, the apple pie life seemed attainable, tangible. So he turned to Sam for help with his plan. Sam was completely on board and started making all sorts of suggestions on how they could make the money: side jobs, part-time gigs, hustling, and selling a few non-dangerous artifacts from the Bunker.
Sam was certain they could make enough for Dean and Y/N, and for him and Eileen. Dean was over-the-moon when Sam told him he and Eileen wanted a home and to start a life.
Everything finally seemed to be falling into place.
Dean found Y/N in their room, folding and putting away laundry. He smiled at her, always loving the small moments of domesticity. They were new and refreshing and he didn’t want to take any of it for granted.
“Hey, Babe,” Dean caught her attention. coming up behind her and grabbing her by the waist as he placed a kiss on her cheek, “Can we talk for a minute?”
Y/N stopped what she was doing, turning to Dean with trepidation. She knew Dean wasn’t a big talker. She nodded, giving him her full attention. He sat her on the edge of the bed and joined her.
“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking since that last hunt. You’re right. It’s time I left the life behind. It’s time I focused on our future.”
“Dean-” she interrupted, feeling incredibly guilty, “I’m sorry I said what I said. I know you hunt. I know that-”
He raised a hand silencing her, “I want to. I want a life with you.”
She smiled brightly, leaning in and kissing him deeply with relief. Maybe they could have a simple, domestic, safe life.
“Rise and shine, Sweet Thing,” Dean said as he swiftly pulled back the covers, revealing Y/N. She groaned as she wiped her mess of hair from her face to glare at him with barely open eyes.
Dean chuckled and pecked her lips before handing her a mug of coffee and sitting beside her on the bed.
“Why are you so chiper so early?” she groaned, “I thought that was Sam’s thing.”
He laughed again, “Well, I’m in a good mood and I’m really excited.”
She raised a curious brow at him, taking a hefty gulp of her coffee to help her mind, “What’s going on?”
“Get up and you’ll see,” Dean said, getting up from the bed and beginning to go through the closet and dresser, pulling out clothes for her. She decided arguing with this crazy person wouldn’t get her anywhere, so she just went along with it.
Whatever it was, at least it made him smile so brightly. That tugged on her heart strings a bit.
She took turns getting dressed and gulping her coffee, trying to move as swiftly as her body would allow. Dean was practically vibrating in place, like a kid ready to go to Disneyland.
An hour later and she understood why.
Dean stopped the car at the end of the long driveway - practically a private road - to the charming yet dilapidated farmhouse in front of her. She climbed out of the car, her eyes taking in the property around her.
It reminded her of her own farmhouse in a way. Or it would if it wasn’t so rundown and overgrown. That didn’t deter her though. She wouldn’t shy from a fixer-upper. Hell, her home was one too.
“I bought it,” Dean said, coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her middle. He rested his chin on her shoulder as they both looked over the house and property.
There was plenty of land. She could already pick out a few good spots for a garden. The property was surrounded by woods too, so there was a sense of privacy and quiet.
“I figured we could fix it up together,” He said as he took her by the hand and led her inside, showing her around and telling her all the ideas he had for the place. Her face hurt she was smiling so hard so long, “Sam said he’d come by and help too.”
“He’s not coming with us?” she asked, wondering why Dean would leave his brother behind.
“He bought a house too,” he grinned, “For him and Eileen. It’s in town.”
“Wow,” she huffed a laugh, “So you really were serious. About leaving it behind? Building a life with me?”
“Yes. We can be happy here.”
She looked around once more before settling on him again and smiling brightly, “I think we can,” she agreed.
Y/N groaned as she placed the bowl on the floor, petting Miracle on the head with a smile. She stood up straight, a hand on her lower back for support, the other on her large belly.
She perked up, hearing a car pull up the drive outside. She opened the front door and went down on the porch, smiling in greeting at Sam and Eileen as they exited the car.
Sam reached her first, giving her a hug and kiss on the cheek. He rubbed a hand over her belly in greeting to the baby, before stepping aside for the women to hug and coo. They laughed, barely able to hug each other as their matching protruding bellies got in the way.
“Dean in the garage?” Sam asked and Y/N nodded with a roll of her eyes.
“Is he ever anywhere else?” she joked. She ushered Eileen inside, Miracle happily greeting them both.
Sam made his way to the garage. It was a large barn previously, but he and Dean had converted it. Sam smiled at the sign above the entrance: Family Business Auto Repair & Restorations.
With Baby and a few cars from the Men of Letters Bunker, Dean was able to showcase his skills locally - and eventually regionally - which allowed him to really take off with cars professionally. He always thought about it, but never thought it could be a reality.
After a quick hug and greeting, the brothers made their way back to the house. The four of them tried to have dinner together at least once a week.
The brothers stopped in the trek, spying the women sat on the porch chairs, sipping at lemonade. A pitcher and additional glasses sat waiting. Dean smiled at his brother.
“Living the dream.”