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Language:
English
Series:
Part 2 of There’ll Be Peace
Stats:
Published:
2026-07-30
Completed:
2026-10-15
Words:
110,990
Chapters:
13/13
Comments:
38
Kudos:
59
Bookmarks:
24
Hits:
1,895

The Road Ahead

Summary:

[A sequel to The Rescue, which should be read first, and recently, prior to beginning this fic.]

In the three months after the world was restored, Sam, Dean, Jack, and Eileen have kept themselves busy with the occasional hunt, a secret project, and cataloging the contents of the bunker. And near summer’s end, Cas finally comes home.

Now that he’s back, life at the bunker has never been better. But some R & R is long overdue, so as autumn approaches, Sam, Dean, Castiel, Jack, and Eileen gather at a secluded lakeside cabin for a family vacation.

In the aftermath of saving the world—for good, this time—Sam, Dean, and Castiel bond with each other, consider their pasts, and look to the future.

[The Road Ahead is intended as a series finale for Supernatural, and features: found family gatherings, long conversations, a Winchester brothers road trip, and a peaceful cabin vacation that our beloved heroes more than deserve.]

Notes:

Written from November 5, 2022 to July 19, 2026.

This story exists because there was a scene that I felt was crucial to (my ideal concept of) the ending of Supernatural, but which wouldn’t have fit into The Rescue. So I thought, “I’ll write an epilogue.” I finished an outline even before I’d posted The Rescue.

What a journey the writing was. After 3 years, 8 months, and 15 days, and 110,000 words, what we actually have here is a sequel.

I had no idea what I was getting into when I started writing, but I never questioned whether I should keep going. The characters knew exactly what they wanted, and who was I to argue? All I could do was write it.

If you were waiting for this, thank you for being so patient, and for coming back. ❤️ I’m thrilled to share this story at last.

Story notes:

  • In case anyone needs to hear it: The Road Ahead does not depict the rest of the characters’ lives—it takes place over the course of three weeks.
  • For the best possible reading experience: I suggest rewatching 15x18, and strongly recommend (re-)reading The Rescue prior to beginning The Road Ahead. These two fics are episode replacements for 15x19 and 15x20, and are intended to be read one after the other, as you would watch episodes of the show.
  • Best viewed with Creator’s Style on—if there’s a button above that says “Hide Creator’s Style,” that means the fic is formatted the way I intended. If the button says “Show Creator’s Style,” please hit that button! (If you don’t, though, worry not—the fic will still be readable.)

Thank-yous:

  • To each and every reader of The Rescue: thank you, from the bottom of my heart—every kudos lifted my spirits, every comment kept me writing, and every rec was an honor! (Special shout-outs to caught-a-dragonfly and zybynarx for your amazing fanart!) I wrote about my experience of writing this fic, and the effect all of you had on it, in this tumblr post. I hope you might read it. 💖
  • The wonderful wearingmywings beta read the Prologue through Chapter 6—thank you for your valuable perspective and advice, and for your lovely comments!
  • My thanks to the experts:
  • Last but not at all least, my profound gratitude to Tom, for alpha reading, and for your patience and support; I appreciate you beyond what words can express. I needed to write this, and I truly couldn’t have done it without you.

Dear reader:
One more Carry On Wayward Son, for the road?

I hope you enjoy The Road Ahead. ❤️

Chapter 1: Prologue

Chapter Text

[One week after the events of The Rescue.]

Dean could easily fall asleep.

Slouched in one of the high-backed library chairs, eyes closed, he can hear Sam and Eileen down in the kitchen as they make a late breakfast. There’s a clatter of cookware and a burst of laughter, and Dean can’t help but smile.

Over at the table, Jack is sharpening his pencil. The crisp, rhythmic scraping is oddly satisfying, and when Jack is finished he drags his chair closer to the table and shuffles his papers.

Right now, Dean’s comfortable enough to fall asleep, but he doesn’t want to. Staying awake means staying focused—and it’s probably for the best, given everything he’s got tucked away upstairs.

He concentrates on the sigh of air coming out of the vents. It sounds like the surf: the sea, eternal and unfathomable, gentling itself to meet the faithful shore with the briefest kiss just before it pulls away.

But the sea always returns.

Dean’s awareness of the bunker fades as he gives himself over to imagining the beach: the wind whipping at his clothes, the foamy splash of waves hissing over the sand, the sunlight glittering off the water, the air filled with the scent of salt. Distantly, he hears Jack’s pencil on the paper.

After some time, Dean registers a silence, and Jack says quietly, “Okay.” There’s a thoughtful pause, and then, “I’m pretty sure I’ve got it.”

Dean opens his eyes, blinking, then straightens in his chair as Jack gets up and crosses the room. He hands Dean a few sheets of paper, and Dean stares down at the first one for a long moment before slowly examining the others.

“I found someone online who can translate these into something we can use,” Jack says, a hopeful note in his voice.

Dean looks up at his son with a smile. “Then we got work to do.”