canon au } { post-1202: mamma mia

[hasperkynipples]

Dean: [glances up at the sound, before glancing over his shoulder] You didn't hear anything about a nest of 'em, did you?

Michael: [shakes his head] They don't travel in nests. [but he's going for his gun anyway]

Mary: [and how did she where is she oh god it's so cold and dark and she is going to stumble out of the bushes in her white gown looking around with trained eyes trying to figure out what is happening and if she is in a dream or worse some djinn nightmare and it's changed scenes on her.]

Dean: [also turns ready to fire, but when he actually sees her his hand immediately goes up to force Michael's gun down] Mom?

Mary: [her head snaps up and she looks at him, because no, her boys are 4 and not even one. This is a man in front of her, and a younger man next to him with a gun. She takes a step back, shaking her head] No, I'm sorry I don't think so...

Dean: [right, the angels made her forget that time they met, and he tries for another option instead] Mary!

Michael: [just squints between Dean and Mary like "are you serious?"]

Mary: [that gets her attention, and she will step closer, watching the older one carefully] Who are you? How do you know my name? [and then she sees Baby] And what are you doing with my car?

Dean: [Dean clears his throat before straightening a bit] I'm ... Dean. Which I know is going to be a bit of a head trip considering the last time you saw me I was a lot smaller, but you've been gone a while. [which is the hard part so he'll just go back to proving himself] I was born January 24, 1978 in Lawrence, Kansas, my father's name is John. He gave me this car when I turned twenty and had proved that I could take care of it. [another beat] You named me after your mom, Deanna Campbell, and you named my brother Sam, who was born on May 2, 1982, after your dad, Samuel Campbell.

Mary: [she just blinks because that is a lot of information to rattle off] No, my boy is four. You look older than me.

Dean: I was four. In 1982. Right now, it's 2017.

Mary: 2017. [because it isn't really the weirdest thing that's happened to her. She looks at Dean again] Dean. [and then at Michael.] Sam?

Michael: No!

Dean: [laughs] No, but close. This is actually Michael. Your grandson.

Michael: [and gives him a look like "why did you tell her that???? women never like to be old."]

Mary: Grandson? [looks at Dean again] Sam's younger than you. He’s not old enough to have a son in his twenties. Give me some credit that I can still do basic math.

Dean: Yeah, it's a little more complicated than that, and I'm dumping a lot on you as it is, so just ... take my word for it for right now, and I'll explain it later?

Michael: [sighs] Dad's at least old enough to have Liv. Maybe she should have been on this hunting trip.

Dean: Shut it.

Mary: Where's John? I want to see my husband and have him tell me all this, Dean. [saying his name shows she's still not ready to believe him]

Dean: [looks away for a moment, swallowing hard, and his nephew steps up to fill in the blanks]

Michael: John Winchester died about ten years ago.

Mary: [and that hits her hard, and she goes to sit on the bench nearby]

Dean: [sighs and moves to go with her, not sitting at first because he doesn't want to crowd her and then not really sure he wants to keep standing because he doesn't want to loom over her, but eventually he just sits, giving her some space on the bench. Michael just stays back by the car, leaning against it casual while he waits and debating if he should call his dad] Look, I know this is ... a lot. And I'm not really sure why you're here now, after all this time, but ... if you're really you, then ... it's really good to see you.

Mary: The last thing I remember was going to check on Sammy because he was crying. Then I woke up here.

Dean: Yeah, uh. [there's a beat] There was a demon in Sam's room. He killed you and set the house on fire, but Dad managed to get me and Sammy out okay.

Mary: [and she closes her eyes, remembering that night now] He had yellow eyes.

Dean: Yeah. But here's one obituary you'll actually be happy about - he's dead now too. Killed him myself.

Mary: [she looks up at Dean and smiles at him a bit] Your dad must have been proud of that.

Dean: [smiles a bit at that, before nodding] Yeah. Wherever he is now, I'm pretty sure he is. [he swallows a bit] I know this is going to sound pretty harsh, but you know I have to test you, right? Just to be sure? It's probably ninety five percent of what's making Sasquatch Junior over there so antsy.

Mary: Think you can do it with a holy watered down shot of whiskey?

Dean: [laughs] That I can definitely do. I'll be right back. [and then he'll shift his shoulders a bit and offer her his coat if she wants it. and once that's done, go off to bicker with his nephew as he gathers what he needs]

Mary: [and she will wrap it around her shoulders, his fingers rubbing the soft leather. She goes to smell the collar and smiles] You use the same cologne John did.

Dean: [smirks as he returns with the silver flask carrying holy water whiskey] We're big on hand me downs in this family. [and he'll hand it over to her, watching her carefully]

Mary: [rolls her eyes as she takes the flask with her bare hand and sniffs it before taking a nice, long drink from it. She's nice and human, boys.] That's good. Blue Label?

Dean: [was right, and Michael does relax considerably after that, though he's still a bit testy because he is his father's son. Dean relaxes as well, then nods with a smirk] I get it when I can. [and with that he'll hold his hand out to her] C'mon. We should get you back to the bunker. I think we might have some clothes that'll fit you.

Mary: [nods, not planning on giving that flask back just yet because it's been a long day] Sure. So where is Sam if he's not with you? [as she gets up]

Dean: Back at the bunker. He was getting lost in some kind of nerd spiral so I grabbed Michael to go with me instead.

Michael: [and almost on cue, Michael's phone rings and he fishes it out of his pocket with a sigh] Hey, Mom .... no, it's just me and Dean, why?

Mary: [nods, letting the boy talk to his mom - who she will be curious about in a bit, but for now she's going to just reconnect with baby, remembering her times in the car much to Dean's discomfort]

Michael: [yep, Dean's already making faces. And Michael's phone call is going to go from casual conversation to frustrated worry very quickly] Have you tried calling him? ... Wait, you found what? Mom? Mom. Bela! [and he pulls the phone away from his ear as he yanks open the car door] We gotta go. Now.

Mary: [concerned] What's wrong?

Dean: [eyebrows go up, but he's getting in the car]

Michael: Mom says she got back to the bunker and dad was gone. Whatever she found there was freaking her out, so we need to go, now, before she takes off without us.

Mary: [gets in the car, and then it hits her] Sam's gone?

Dean: He probably just ran out to check on something, forgot to leave a note. I'm sure Bela's overreacting.

Michael: Dad overreacts. You really overreact. Mom doesn't overreact. Not unless it's really bad.

Dean: Do I have to remind you that they met when Bela shot him?

Michael: No. She was proving a point. You were being overly cocky. I wouldn't call that an overreaction.

Dean: [grumbles and starts the car]

Mary: ..... So Sam is married to a woman named Bela who shot him?

Michael: He moved past it.

Dean: She also stole my car and did a bunch of other shit, but her shooting him was the one I had hoped Sam would get stuck on.

Michael: [deep breath, exhales slowly] Look, how many times have you heard Bela sound actually scared?

Dean: [there's a long pause as Dean considers that because it was only the once, and that was the night she died. And after that, he kicks it into gear and peels away] Yeah, we gotta go.

Mary: Except for shooting Sam, I think I like this girl.

Michael: [smirks] She's not as bad as Dean makes her out to be. They just aggressively dislike each other.

Dean: I just have principles, where clearly my brother does not.

Mary: You sound like my father.

Dean: [and there's a wince because that's not something he's actually happy to hear. Samuel was a giant bag of dicks, but moving on] I'm mostly kidding. She shot Sam almost ten years ago now - she's become less of a pain in the ass over the years.

Mary: Yeah. Winchester men do have a bad habit of loving difficult women.

Dean: [smirks a bit as he glances in the rearview mirror at her] Speaking from experience?

Mary: I'm sure John's told you interesting stories.

Dean: [his eyes go back to the road and he shrugs] He actually didn't talk about you much, after.

Mary: That's a shame. I guess I have a lot of blanks to fill in.

Dean: Guess you do. [and they'll drive for a bit until they pull up to the bunker, parking in the garage.]

Michael: [glances over to what is usually his mother's spot and] She's already gone.

Dean: Damnit, Bela. [and he'll climb out to go see what it was that freaked her out so much]

Sam: [and look at the blood trail and Sam's broken cell phone, bullet holes with no bullets, and a missing moose]

Dean: Jesus.

Michael: ... Yeah, I'm pretty sure that would freak her out. [there's a beat and he goes for one of the laptops] I'm gonna see if I can track her phone, see where she's heading.

Mary: [watches him] Is that a computer?

Michael: Yep.

Dean: They've gotten a lot smaller since your day. [a beat as he eyes her attire for a moment] We should get you some clothes.

Mary: And a gun.

Dean: That too. But pants first. [And with that he will head towards the bunks, going through Bela and Liv's stuff to find what he needs. Liv has no hips so jeans are out, but she has the flannels and comfortable clothes that his mom is used to, where as Bela's jeans are more likely to fit her and a few minutes later, he'll emerge and hand them off to her] Let me know if they don't work.

Mary: They'll be fine. Boots?

Dean: [nods and goes off to grab a pair of Liv's and one of her spare nine mill's] That should do it.

Mary: [and she will get into them, ending up looking like a mom having a mid-life crisis but whatever her son was in trouble] Alright, let's go. I'll drive.

Michael: I'll quarterback from here, because she's still moving. I'll see if I can get Cas to meet up with you.

Dean: [nods] No offense, Mom, but I always drive. [always. because bad things happen when Sam drives]

Mary: This was my car long before it was yours.

Dean: Yeah, but I'm the one who's been tuning her up for the past twenty years. She's not the same old girl she used to be.

Mary: Dean, don't argue with your mother.

Michael: [totally amused behind the laptop] Tick tock, guys.

Dean: [sighs and tosses her the keys] Fine.

Mary: [and she will smile and off they go, with Dean being navigator and Mary driving like the devil was chasing them]

Dean: [totally passenger seat driving, and not even subtle about it. he's sorry, baby, he loves you, he promises]

Mary: Dean, relax. Put on some music or something.

Dean: [sighs and shoves in the AC/DC tape that's hanging out there because it's one of the only things that might calm him down]

Mary: [oh, this is nice. She can drive to this. And eventually they will catch up to Bela?]

Bela: [yep, who has used her knowledge of the Brit Men of Letters to track down one of their holdings where Sam is being held and is about to start kicking doors down when she's yanked violently off to the side by ... Dean, and she slumps against the wall with a growl] Hasn't experience taught you by now never to sneak up on me?

Dean: Yeah, well, I was trusting you not to actually kill me.

Mary: [come up beside her son] I take it this is Sam's wife?

Bela: [her eyes dart to Mary, and since she's definitely seen pictures of her before her eyes go wide and:] Is that ...

Dean: Yes, and yes, but can we focus on actually getting Sam right now? Is he in there?

Bela: [nods as she glances back to the window] Likely in the basement, where he can't be seen by any random passerby.

Mary: How many people are inside? Do we know what they are?

Bela: Human. And at least two - they usually have an operator and someone with actual people skills working as a team.

Dean: [....] Do you know these people? [and then, because he's Dean and distrusts people always] Is this your fault?

Bela: [rolls her eyes] No, Dean. As always, things are all about you and Sam. But I've ... tangled with them before, so to speak.

Mary: You know them well enough to get them to release Sam?

Bela: No. I haven't seen any of them since I left London.

Dean: Who are they?

Bela: They're Men of Letters. Or Women of Letters in this case. One of them definitely left their perfume behind in the bunker.

Mary: Men of letters. They're long gone.

Bela: Not in England they're not. Sam and Dean may be the only ones left in the North America but in England they are quite thriving.

Dean: Doesn't that mean we're on the same team, then?

Bela: You don't want to be on the same team with these people. Trust me.

Mary: How come?

Bela: It's too complicated for me to explain right now, but I do know that right now they're likely trying to get information out of Sam that he won't give them. If they get frustrated enough, their methods of extraction will only get worse. So can we discuss this when we have him back and he's safe?

Sam: [oh look, as if on cue there's a screaming Sam]

Mary: [winces] I'll get the back.

Dean: [deep breath] I'm with her. You go in the front.

Bela: [nods and she will go and cat burgle her way inside, and there's a definite gunshot as Ms. Walls goes down, which definitely distracts Toni from her dedicated torturing]

Toni: Ms. Walls? [and she'll start to move towards the basement door]

Sam: [and he will use the distraction to try and get himself free from the chair because that has to be Dean or Bela]

Toni: [she pauses outside the door, and hears nothing but silence, and when she slowly starts to open it, all she sees is a muzzle before the gun goes off and sends her tumbling down the stairs. she's not dead, if the cry of pain is any indication, but she's not getting up anytime soon]

Bela: [just strides right past her, not caring, and goes straight for Sam] Are you alright?

Sam: [and relief hits him as he looks up at her] As long as you're actually real, I am now. Get me out of this.

Bela: [smirks a bit at that and does as she's told, going to cut the bindings]

Toni: [actually gets a good look at her as she struggles to get herself into a defensive position, and her eyes widen] You!

Bela: Not now, darling. I'm a little busy.

Sam: You know her? [to Bela, not Toni]

Mary: [working with Dean to clear the upstairs, and heading to the basement stairs]

Toni: I thought you were dead!

Bela: Unfortunately, I do. It's a shame that she hasn't changed much. Still no imagination.

Toni: You sold your soul, there's no imagining about it!

Sam: Tell me about it. I've been pretty bored. [yes, they are ignoring her on purpose]

Bela: [and once Sam is free, she'll actually address Toni herself] We're leaving. I spared you because we're dear old friends, but also because I need you to deliver a message. If you or your associates come near either of us again, I will kill you. Or them. Whichever it happens to be.

Toni: You won't get away with this.

Bela: Watch me, sweetie. [and with that she will go and help Sam towards the stairs]

Sam: [and he'll just glare at Toni while Bela speaks, needing her help to walk. However, before they are able to get to the stairs...]

Mick: [Just sort of stunned, and before he can get anything else out:] Abby?

Bela: [her head snaps up and her eyes narrow] Not anymore. Out of my way.

Mary: [and that's a gun to Mick's head from where she had been hiding] You heard the lady.

Mick: [his hands come up quickly and he will absolutely do as she says, stepping to the side so Sam and Bela could get through] I had no idea. This ... she went rogue, Abby, you have to believe me.

Bela: [and that gets him a look as they pass and she hands Sam off to Dean, because stop calling her that name, but her tone is civil as she turns to face him] You know why I can't do that, Mick.

Mick: [his eyes falter for a moment, before he nods and steps away] Right. We'll give you some space. Come back to this at a later occasion. [he then reaches out and shoves his card into her hand] Just in case you need it. A free favor, whatever you need.

Bela: [she takes the card, glancing down at him for a moment, before sighing and turning back to Dean] Let's get out of here, shall we?

Dean: Uh-huh. [that's his "you're so explaining this later" tone] Let's get out of here.

Sam: [just excuse him while he stares at Mary, because nope, he's hallucinating. But if it gets him out of the basement, let Michael or Cas or whoever that is look like his mother.]

Bela: [and once they surface, she points towards where her car is parked] I'm over here. He can ride with me if you like. [and she'll glance to Mary, and then back to Dean.]

Dean: [does the same and looks to his brother] Up to you, Sammy.

Sam: [nope he's going to ask it] Mom?

Mary: [nods] Yeah, baby, it's me.

Sam: [looks to his brother] How?

Bela: Also what I would like to know.

Dean: ... No clue. Yet. We should definitely talk about ... all of this mess back at the bunker. So who's riding where?

Sam: if I don't go with Bela, she will shoot me. So I'll stay with her.

Bela: [smirks a bit as she leads Sam over to the car to slide him in the passenger's seat] We'll see you at the bunker.

Dean: [tips his head towards the Impala] Mom, guess you're riding with me.

Mary: Guess so. [and she still has the keys]

Dean: [and off they go to ride home]

Bela: [will slide into the driver's seat and hands him her phone] You should call your son, I'm sure he's worried sick.

Sam: Yeah, let me do that... [he goes to take it, but his hand is shaking from the drop in the adrenaline that's been his only fuel for a while now]

Bela: [takes his hand in hers and gives it a small squeeze] I'm sorry I didn't get home sooner.

Sam: This isn't your fault, Bela. Don't be sorry. [he is calling Michael, so his phone will be ringing]

Michael: [answers immediately] Mom?

Sam: No, it's me. We're safe.

Michael: Oh thank God. Did you catch up with Uncle Dean?

Sam: Yeah, they worked with your mother to help save me.

Michael: Oh, good, so you know that too. Well, Cas is here, so he can fix you up when you get back.

Sam: I actually don't know anything but what I saw, and seeing that they gave me a high powered hallucinogen I'm still not sure.

Michael: Well, as far as Uncle Dean and I can tell, she is your mom. We tested her.

Sam: Any idea on the how?

Michael: Nope. She just sort of walked out of the bushes like hey, I'm here!

Sam: [looks at Bela] Just out of the bushes? That isn't good.

Michael: You're telling me. But Dean tested her for both demons and shapeshifters and she came up clean.

Sam: Have you been looking in the library for reasons?

Michael: Little preoccupied with tracking Mom's phone so we could find you.

Sam: Well, I've got your mother now. Get some rest, and then see if you can start figuring this out.

Michael: Alright, I'm on it. See you when you get back.

Sam: See you then. Oh, and send your sister and cousin a heads up to stay wary of anyone coming at them with a British accent. Just until we have an idea on what's happening with these people.

Michael: You got it. [definitely sends them a text that says "STAY AWAY FROM BRITS NOT GILES."]

Ben: [gets this and shows it to Lindsey, and then texts back] Giles real name is Brittney? [he knows what Michael means but he's going to be an ass for a bit]

Lindsay: [gives him a shove, and shakes her head]

Ben: I know, I'm just playing with the boy. Keeps him on his toes.

Lindsay: Uh-huh.

Ben: [and he will send a follow-up text] So why should we be scared about the British coming?

Michael: Don't know, we're still figuring that out, but one of them just kidnapped my dad, apparently.

Ben: Wait, what? Sam got kidnapped?

Michael: Yeah, but we got him back. I don't know what happened but I'll fill you in when I have the details.

Ben: [deep breath] Well thanks for the adrenaline rush.

Michael: Anytime. Talk to you in a bit.

Ben: Yeah, later. [and he is going to just flop back]

Michael: [And he will continue his drive back to the bunker were everyone is settled for explanation time]

Dean: I say we should start with Bela. [Dean turns and points] Who are those goons and how do you know them?

Sam: British men of letters.

Bela: [sighs, because she really didn't want to talk about this, but guess we're going to, thanks Dean] And I know them because my father used to be one of them.

Sam: Welcome to the club.

Dean: And you're just mentioning this now?

Bela: The British Men of Letters aren't good people, and my father was the worst of them. The woman who tortured Sam was likely trained by one of my father's protégés, if not one of them.

Sam: Oh fun. I'm glad I got to kick her ass just that much more.

Dean: So I take it since they were Men of Letters, they knew how your parents actually died, which explains why they were so surprised to see you?

Bela: [she nods] His protégé at the time, Arthur Ketch, was particularly displeased.

Sam: Well he can deal because I'm keeping you alive.

Bela: Oh, I think he was satisfied with the hounds getting me. He'll be very disappointed when he finds out it didn't take.

Dean: Well, that'll make two of us.

Sam: [glares at his brother]

Dean: You're the one who married her, not me. And you didn't even invite me to the wedding, so you lost your right to censor me.

Sam: i did that to a. Avoid you from objecting and b. Because you would have demanded a bachelor party as an excuse for strippers.

Dean: A) I would not have objected, your wife would have shot me if I tried, and b) That is my right as your best man. You even went to Vegas for Christ's sake. It's like you were trying to spit in my face.

Sam: You can throw one for all three of the children.

Dean: [huffs] What about the guy who we ran into on the way out? Mitch?

Bela: Mick. He's harmless - more of an academic and an idealist than a threat. He's not going to be a problem.

Sam: So what are the odds we can just avoid them?

Bela: That depends on what they want. If they follow their usual MO that they have in England, they'll be looking to convince hunters to work under them to ... eradicate as many cryptids as they can as quickly as possible. Which may become a problem if they decide to set their sights on Beacon Hills.

Sam: [rubs at his face] We need to warn Ben.

Michael: I talked to him on my way back, but I didn't know any of this.

Sam: Well, we can wait until the morning and tell him after we have a plan in place.

Bela: We'll have time. They'll want to establish a presence before they go after a town that ... entrenched.

Sam: Still, we should send word up to them so they can make sure they keep things from exploding for a few weeks.

Mary: Are the Hale family still in control of that area? They were a strong presence.

Dean: Kate Argent killed the Hale alpha about ten years ago now and took a lot of the pack with her in a house fire. There's a few Hales left but the alpha there now is a true alpha named Scott McCall.

Mary: [nods] Does he have a lot of experience with hunters?

Dean: He dated an Argent. Does that count?

Bela: [rolls her eyes] In terms of being an alpha, he's fairly new. He's only twenty and he became an alpha when he was seventeen. But he also has enough of a reputation to insulate him - he walked away from a confrontation with the alpha pack alive when most of them ended up dead, and when assassins beset the town not that long ago, his pack came out intact as well. I think that will keep him safe for now, but he'll have to make a plan for it eventually. That branch of the Men of Letters does not discriminate. If it's not human, they intend to kill it.

Sam: Yeah, and I have a feeling that their definition of human is just biological, and not those who still are human with the blood of a creature in them.

Dean: They're not cold enough to go after babies, are they? Amelia and Joy aren't even close to being old enough to show yet.

Bela: Mick? No. He's much too soft for that. But Ketch? Absolutely.

Mary: [closes her eyes because she's still trying to figure out what is happening here and now they are thrown in this and she just gets up] I'm going to make more coffee.

Dean: [sighs and goes to follow her] Yeah, I'll show you where it is.

Mary: Thank you.

Sam: [and when they are both gone, he is going to just slump in his chair a bit]

Bela: [moves over and rubs his shoulders gently] I know Cas healed you but you should still get some rest.

Sam: No, I need to figure all of... this out. [makes a hand towards where Dean and Mary had exited to.]

Bela: It will be there to figure out in the morning. You need to sleep.

Sam: [and he wants to complain, but he can feel the weariness in his body. Between the injuries, the mental torture, the drugs, and his own adrenaline crashing, he knows Bela is right.] Just make sure they don't do anything stupid while I'm asleep?

Bela: [she nods, getting up to go and take him to bed so that he can rest] I promise.

Sam: [and he is going to pretty much pass out the moment his head hits the pillow]

Mary: [meanwhile, she is grateful that the coffee maker is one of the old fashioned things because she can do that without any help]

Dean: [and he will just linger in the kitchen, because he can hear Bela and Sam talking] So how're you doing with all of this?

Mary: I think you may need to specify which part, Dean.

Dean: Well, let's start with Bela and work our way down.

Mary: I don't know why you don't like her. She and Sam seem perfect together.

Dean: [he rolls his eyes a bit, not because he doesn't disagree that they may even be good for each other, but because he hates being reminded] We met during a really bad time for all of us. And she's always been a bit of an opportunistic snake. It's just old bad blood.

Mary: She reminds me a lot about how I was at that age. I guess I see a bit of me in her. [gives Dean a small smile] What about you?

Dean: What about me?

Mary: Wife? Girlfriend?

Dean: [shakes his head] No, not me.

Mary: But you have a son... from the same world Michael and his sister come from?

Dean: No, he exists in this one too, actually. His names Ben Braedan.

Mary: And his mother...?

Dean: Alive, in this universe. But, it uh. Didn't work out.

Mary: Do you see him though?

Dean: No. [shakes his head a bit] His mom's not so fond of what I do. Would rather I kept my distance, and he didn't know he was mine anyway, so no harm done.

Mary: I'm sorry to hear that.

Dean: It's probably for the best. My life back then wasn't exactly the safest. And I didn't learn that Ben was mine until the alternate universe version showed up a couple years back.

Mary: Still, I'm sure he's always going to want to know. Maybe when he's older, you could see?

Dean: [there's a beat and he rubs the back of his neck] Yeah, maybe. But the Ben I do know is a good kid. You'll like him.

Mary: I can't wait to meet him. [and she will pour them coffee] Should we take some to Sam?

Bela: He's asleep. [will come in to make herself some tea] But I'm sure he'll appreciate some come morning.

Mary: Good thing about old stuff - I at least know how to use it.

Bela: Don't worry. Your boys don't exactly prefer them either. And most coffeemaker have stayed the same.

Mary: Thank God for small favors.

Bela: Mmmm.

Dean: [takes his coffee] I should go call Liv if Michael hasn't already. Make sure she doesn't charge down here guns blazing to save her dad. [and with that he'll quietly bail and throw Bela to the wolves]

Mary: [watches Dean go and then just focuses on stirring her coffee. Even though she drinks it black] They aren't handling this well.

Bela: [just fixes her tea] In my experience, Winchesters aren't exactly prone to handling things well. Especially when there are a lot of unanswered questions.

Mary: They get it from me. Though John had a bit of that too.

Bela: I'm also sure there's a lot about their life that they don't want you to know, given the life you wished for them to have. They don't want to disappoint you.

Mary: I can understand that. [she thinks a moment] You said something about death not taking.

Bela: Mmmm. [sighs, because she knows it's going to come out eventually so she might as well be honest] I sold my soul when I was fourteen years-old. When I first met Sam and Dean, I was heading into my final stretch, so to speak.

Mary: How long were you gone before you came back?

Bela: Three years, give or take. But in Hell it feels longer.

Mary: Did it take you a long time to adjust when you came back?

Bela: [she nods] I was lucky in that I was brought back for a very specific reason. It gave me purpose.

Mary: [nods] Yeah, that would probably be something to focus on.

Bela: Oddly enough, it was to get your father to heel when it came to your son, which I have to say was a lovely challenge.

Mary: My father? He died a long time ago.

Bela: After the boys stopped the Apocalypse, it was a fun time for we dead people. Quite a few of us got caught in the aftermath.

Mary: That sounds ominous.

Bela: Certainly wasn't nice warm reunions. Some of us weren't ... complete. Missing things that were rather important, due to where they had to pull us from. That's why Crowley wanted me ... back on the board, so to speak.

Mary: And Crowley is...?

Bela: The king of Hell. I'm sure you'll see him around at some point.

Mary: First an angel, and now a visiting king of hell? What have my boys gotten caught up in?

Bela: [sighs, as she gestures to the table for her to sit because she's going to want to sit] Your boys were destined to be the vessels for the Apocalypse. Michael was to wear Dean, Lucifer, Sam, and they were going to end everything.

Mary: .... My boys? Why them?

Bela: A cruel trick of fate, mostly. Angelic vessels run in bloodlines. Michael's and Lucifer's just so happened to run in the Winchesters and Campbells.

Mary: So if John and I had never met, none of this would have happened.

Bela: [... does she tell her that the angels were never going to let that happen? No, not a good idea.] Perhaps. But I think it's at least forty two years too late to start regretting that decision now.

Mary: Forty years. [rubs at her eyes] I just can't wrap my brain around that still.

Bela: [she nods] It will take some time. Coming back from the dead isn't easy, no matter how long you've been dead.

Mary: I just need to find something to distract me. [because dealing with 40 years of catchup, adult sons who don't know her, angels and demons... yeah]

Bela: [purses her lips for a moment] What did you have in mind?

Mary: I don't know. Yet. Maybe just a hunt or something to clear my head.

Bela: [she nods once, before picking up her tea and gesturing for Mary to follow her] Well, if you do decide to hunt, there are a few areas you should avoid.

Mary: I didn't know there were bad hunting areas.

Bela: Well, the playing field has changed a bit since you were on it. [and she'll find one of the large maps in the Men of Letters archives and will use her finger to point] New Orleans is a no hunter zone. Anyone who goes in trying to take down Marcel Gerard doesn't come out alive and hasn't for the last five years. The rumor is that he's managed to ascend to something stronger than an Original vampire through some kind of modification of the Original spell, he killed Elijah, Kol and Rebekah and kept Klaus as a trophy. For now, most are just letting him have the city, as the body count is fairly low and hard to prove and things have been ... fairly quiet as a result.

Mary: [nods] What happened to the witches there?

Bela: They're still there. Their leader is a man named Vincent Griffith and he's managed to broker a peace with Marcel somehow - probably having something to do with how they got rid of the Mikaelsons.

Mary: So just stay out of New Orleans. What else?

Bela: Mystic Falls is actually fairly quiet these days. But there is a school there that's just starting to find it's feet for ... supernaturally inclined children? We tend to give them a wide berth as they're trying to help them not be dangerous.

Mary: Avoid the supernatural academy in Virginia.

Bela: [nods again] And then there's Beacon Hills. The history lately has been messy, but they've got enough supernatural firepower to contain things. There are a few Slayers living there now, in addition to the remains of the Argent family and Scott McCall's pack. They tend to get a bit defensive and testy about unknown hunters coming in, telling them how to run their town, especially after the deadpool a few years ago. But, if you wanted to go there to see your grandson, I would call first.

Mary: This one was already mentioned to me. Ben is the one living there, right?

Bela: [nods] And Olivia comes through there quite a bit. Most of the pack is her age, and her boyfriend goes to Berkeley.

Mary: Anyone Else I should know about? Great grandkids? John's second wife's kids?

Bela: [her lips purse] John never remarried but there was another son, Adam. He's deceased, though. Ghouls. [honestly that's the simplest way to put it, let's not talk about where Adam actually ended up] But no, other than Michael, Olivia and Ben there are no other surprise Winchesters that we know of. [she says that because your oldest son was rather prolific in his sexual adventures]

Mary: [her face is sad hearing about Adam, mainly because John had a chance at being happy again and, like Dean, it didn't stick. But she takes a deep breath, nodding as she files it all away. You can see which son takes after her] Alright. So maybe just stay local for a bit. So the boys don't worry I'm not here when they are around.

Bela: [nods] Michael is usually the one who keeps tabs on interesting local stories - he could probably let you know what's nearby.

Mary: Yeah, but I don't want to put him in a position to lie to his father about me going out hunting.

Bela: Why are you going to lie to them?

Mary: You really think either of them will let me go out there and hunt alone?

Bela: I think they understand what you're feeling more than you think, and they can understand you needing space.

Mary: I hope so. But I should probably get some sleep first. It's been a crazy day.

Bela: [she nods] There's an empty room at the end of the hall. I'll show you. [and they will head down to do that, placing her on the other side of Olivia and across from Michael]

Mary: Thank you, Bela. [she puts her hand gently on the other woman's arm]

Bela: [nods] Of course. Sleep well.

Mary: [and she will go to lay down, but sleep is going to be hard for her]

Bela: [and she will go curl up with her husband and pass out herself]