❛ ━━━━━━･❪ ☆ ❫ ･━━━━━━ ❜

SHE PARTED WAYS with her brother's at Bobby's, where she picked up her car. She had affectionately nicknamed the Mustang 'Forrest', ( after Forrest Gump and because of the green color ) not that she would ever admit that to Dean. Especially because of her constant teasing of his nickname for the Impala.

We need to talk. Her mother hadn't elaborated, leaving Eleanor to think the worst. Did someone die? Had hunters found her mother? Was something about to go wrong?

She made it to her childhood home in Massachusetts in 24 hours, though she had broken quite a few traffic laws.

Seraphina Cassidy was already standing outside as Forrest rolled to a stop in the driveway.

"Eleanor!" her mother exclaims running to meet her and wrapping her in a familiar hug.

"Hi, Mom." She sank into her mother's arms the way she had so many times before. She didn't realize how much she had needed this until she was here, safe in her mother's embrace.

Seraphina pulled away and scanned her daughter for injuries. Her eyes fell to Eleanor's wrists, as though she knew. The red marks were gone, but she could tell. "Were you hurt?"

"I'm a hunter now, Mom. I get hurt all the time."

"This is different. Magic harmed you, and healed you as well." Her eyebrows furrowed. "Did an angel do this?"

"Couple of demons and a cold iron chain with sigils." She shrugs. "My angel friend healed it for me."

"An angel friend? We really need to catch up."

"Speaking of, you said we needed to talk. Is everything okay?" The anxiety that fueled her trip had returned.

"Everything is fine." Seraphina's smile looked wider than Elle had ever seen it. She led her daughter into the house.

Eleanor was faced with a woman in a flowing, yellow sundress and a myriad of braids with golden beads. She looked like the sun, warm, inviting and enveloped in gold.

Seraphina walked over and wrapped and arm around the woman's waist. "Eleanor, I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Penelope."

Her eyes widen. "You have a girlfriend?"

"Is that a problem?"

"Not at all! It's just...I've never seen you date anyone in nineteen years."

"By design. No one stuck around long enough to meet you. Except for Pen."

Eleanor smiled. "It's lovely to meet you Penelope. I'm glad you've met someone who makes happy, Mom."

They made their way to the living room. Seraphina brought in a pitcher of lemonade and three glasses.

"So, how long have you two been together?" Eleanor asks, settling into her old spot on the couch.

"About a year and a half." They were seated together on the loveseat, Seraphina's legs draped comfortably over Penelope's, head resting on the other woman's shoulder.

"Now that your father's gone," the distaste was clear in her voice, "and there aren't hunters after us anymore, I started reading tarot as a side business. Pen came for a reading and asked if I would teach her. I said 'yes' and the rest is history." She looked into Penelope's eyes, a fond smile on her face.

"You guys seem really happy."

"We are." Her mother's smile never left as her gaze turns to her daughter. "Enough about us, tell me about your angel friend. I haven't seen in angel in..." she trails off, trying to remember. "I don't know if I've ever seen an angel, except for your grandfather, but he was half angel."

Eleanor's eyes go wide and she glances at Penelope in alarm. A mention of hunters was one thing, but angels was entirely different. Seraphina sensed her daughter's fear. "Don't worry, Penelope knows."

Eleanor nodded and relaxed. "His name is Castiel. We didn't become friends until just recently. His kind of an ass but I don't think he means to be, he just has no idea he's being a dick. He seems fond of Dean," she shrugs. "and he's the one who saved him from Hell."

Her mother's eyes narrowed in disapproval at the mention of Dean Winchester. She still didn't trust him. He was a hunter, and tried to kill her daughter. Those things weren't easily forgiven. Though she didn't trust Dean, she did trust Eleanor. "How are your brothers?"

She shrugs. "As good as they can be for hunters during-" she cuts herself off, glancing between the two women. As much as she wanted to tell her mom about the impending apocalypse, she didn't want to worry her. She had never seen Seraphina happier, and she didn't want to be the one to ruin it. "As good as they can be for hunters," she repeats.

If Seraphina suspected she was lying, she didn't push the issue. "You should invite them for dinner."

"I don't know, Mom. They're kinda busy."

"Nonsense, I want to meet the men my daughter spends all her time with instead of being in college."

Seraphina had played the college card and Eleanor didn't think there was any getting out of it. "Alright, fine, I'll ask," she sighs. "Dean wants me to call them every night to check in because he's 'worried about me,' so I'll ask later."

"Good." She gave her a teasing smile. "I'm glad to see we've reached an agreement."

Eleanor rolled her eyes but cracked a smile of her own. "Whatever."

They settled into relaxed and happy chatter until Eleanor's social battery began to run low. "It was lovely to meet you, Penelope, but if you don't mind," she said politely, "I drove here from South Dakota and I really want to hit the shower and my bed."

･❪ ☆ ❫ ･

DOROTHY WAS RIGHT when she said "There's no place like home." After months of going from grimy motel room to grimier motel room, her childhood bedroom was a comfort.

Freshly showered and clad in gray plaid pajama pants and Sam's old Stanford hoodie that she had stolen before she left, Eleanor walked over to the table by the window.

She flipped through her vinyl collection, 21 in total, housed in a wooden crate she had painted with gold detailing. Deciding on ABBA Gold, she places the vinyl on her record player. The opening notes to "Dancing Queen" swept over the room, drawing a content sigh from the girl.

Her gaze falls Yelena Belova poster her friend Jamie had given her. She smiled softly at the memory. Jamie was a comic book enthusiast who always said she imagined Yelena as Eleanor. It became a sort of inside joke, causing her to give Elle the poster for her birthday.

She flopped backwards onto her bed and stared up at the ceiling. Remnants of glow in the dark stars stared down at her. She loved it here, but it was missing something. She'd grown accustomed to her brother's bickering, the sounds of beer bottles opening and weapons being cleaned. She missed them. Maybe dinner wouldn't be such a bad idea.

The moment her eyes close, her phone buzzes.

SAM: Just checking to make sure you're home safe.

It was as if she had summoned them by thinking about them. Grinning to herself, she fired back a text assuring him that she was alright and that they would talk the next day.

She plugs in her phone and turns off the record player, then the light. Exhausted, it didn't take her long to fall asleep.

Screaming. So much screaming. Screams that lingered in the air long after heartbeats stopped.

They were screaming because of her. Remains of purple smoke hovered over still figures.

"No, no, no, no. This can't be happening." She runs a hand over her face. Pulling away, she could finally see the dark crimson coating her hands. "Make it stop. Make it stop." She squeezes her eyes shut and opens them again, to no avail.

Alea iacta est. It was whispered through the chilling wind around her. Her Latin was rusty, but somehow she knew. 'The die is cast.' This was inevitable.

Bodies line the floor. Sam and Dean, dead a thousand times over. Eleanor choked on a sob. "What have I done?"

Through a high pitched ringing, she could hear the words, "What we asked of you."

Her surroundings distort and the bodies of her brothers vanish. She was alone in a forest, fear coursing through her veins.

Purple light builds around her, swirling at her fingertips and temples. And then her power exploded. Like a bomb going off, purple waves of magic zip through the flora, knocking them down in a circle around her as she falls to her knees. Quiet pleas leave her mouth but no one was there to hear.

After all, if a witch falls in a forest, and there's no one around, does she even make a sound?

Eleanor's eyes snap open. She sits up, breathing hard and drenched with sweat. She reached over to turn on the light, only to find the bulb shattered.

She settled for the flashlight on her phone. Dodging broken glass, she left her room and made her way to the bathroom. She flicked on the light and ran the tap until the water was freezing before she splashed it on her face. Eleanor's gaze turns to the mirror, locking with that of the reflection staring back at her.

Dried tears streaked down her face, dripping from glowing purple irises. When she blinked, they were back to hazel green.

She retreated back to her room. She knew she wouldn't be able to go back to sleep. Eleanor desperately wanted to talk to someone and check on her brothers, but they were asleep, just like everyone else she knew. Everyone except...

"Cas?" she whispers into the darkness.

The edge of her bed dips and through the darkness she could make out the figure of Castiel's vessel. "Is something the matter?"

"My brothers are okay, right?" her voice was small and unsteady.

"Your brothers are fine." He tilts his head in confusion. "Why?"

She nods slowly and takes a deep breath to steady herself. "I had this awful dream...I killed them, but there were thousands of them, all dead." She shudders.

Once the horrors of her dreams had been spoken aloud, she immediately felt guilty. "I'm sorry, you were probably busy. I can't believe I called you here over a stupid bad dream," she scoffs.

"It's alright. After all, you and I both know what could happen if you bottle up your emotions."

The seal and her magic. With everything going on, she'd almost forgotten. "Right, right." She fiddles with the blanket on her lap.

They were quiet for a few moments before he spoke again. "You should try to get some sleep."

"I don't think that's going to happen any time soon."

"Would you like me to stay until you fall asleep? I'll watch over you."

She smiled gently. For the first time, Castiel seemed genuinely kind. There was no reason for him to stay and make sure she could fall asleep without nightmares. She didn't even have to ask. "If you wouldn't mind."

"That's why I offered." He watches her as she settles into bed and closes her eyes. Castiel stayed long after she had fallen asleep, keeping his promise to watch over her.

He was gone by the time she woke up and despite the nightmare, she felt she had never slept better than she had with the angel's presence.

The scent of pancakes hit her nose and she grins. Seraphina was famous for her pancakes, or at least in Elle's eyes she was.

She all but ran downstairs and took a seat at the island. "Morning," she said brightly, piling pancakes onto her plate.

"Good morning," Seraphina greets with a laugh. "Easy on the syrup! You'll drown your pancakes!"

"It's fine," she says with her mouth full of chocolate chip pancakes and syrupy goodness. The nightmare was momentarily forgotten as soon as the pancakes hit her tongue.

"Did you invite your brothers for dinner?"

She shook her head. "Not yet, got distracted. I'll do it now." She opens up the group chat on her phone and types out a message.

THE FAMILY BUSINESS
3 Members

ELEANOR: my mom wants you guys to come over for dinner. you don't have to if you're busy but she wants to meet you
Sent 09:32

SAM: Of course we'll come for dinner.
Sent 09:37

DEAN: Is your mom a good cook
Sent 09:38

ELEANOR: the best
Sent 09:39

SAM: We're working a case not too far from you. We could come tomorrow?
Sent 09:41

ELEANOR: sure, see you tomorrow
Sent 09:43

"They're coming tomorrow," Eleanor announced, setting her phone down.

"Excellent!" She claps her hands. "Oh, I wanted to ask you yesterday but with Penelope here I forgot," she starts. "Have you figured out your magic? I know I should have taught you, especially since you were a kid but your father..."

"It's fine, Mom," Eleanor says, cutting her off. "I've kind of been teaching myself. I had some help from a psychic, Pamela..." her voice catches and she clears her throat. "Pamela Barnes but," she shrugs, "I'm not great. I can make balls of energy and move cups but that's about it."

"Would you like me to train you?"

Her eyes lit up. "I'd really like that."

･❪ ☆ ❫ ･

TRUE TO HER word, Seraphina started Eleanor's training that day. What Eleanor had learned from Pamela only scratched the surface of her abilities.

The next day, after training in the morning, they got ready for the Winchesters' visit.

"Just don't tell them about the magic thing, okay?" Eleanor says, setting plates on the table.

Seraphina looks at her with a frown. "You shouldn't hide who you truly are."

"I'm going to tell them. It just hasn't been the right time yet."

Her mother hummed in disapproval but didn't press any further.

The doorbell rings. Eleanor goes to answer it, opening the door to reveal Sam and Dean Winchester.

"Come in, come in." She ushers them inside and closes the door behind them.

Seraphina met them in the hallway wearing a warm smile.

"Sam, Dean, this is my mom, Seraphina."

"Lovely to meet you, Ms. Cassidy," Sam says, holding a hand out for her to shake.

She shakes his hand. "Call me Seraphina."

Dean eyes her up and down. "Ellie, you didn't tell me your mom was hot."

Eleanor gags. "Jesus Christ, Dean! That's my mother!" She says, slapping his arm.

"That's cute, but I have a girlfriend. And you're about thirty five years too young for me."

The air in the room crackled with awkwardness. Sam clears his throat. "Sorry about him, he has no filter."

Dean looked offended as Eleanor nodded in agreement. "He does this to literally anyone with a pulse," she explains.

"I do not!"

"Do too!"

Seraphina couldn't help but smile. They reminded her of her own siblings. Siblings she hadn't seen in a very long time. To keep her and Eleanor safe she had left everything she knew and everyone she ever loved, including her brother, Atticus and sister, Hazel.

"Can I get you anything to drink? Dinner is almost ready," she says, ending the bickering.

"I'll just have a water, thanks," Sam says politely.

"Uh, same."

She nods and walks into the kitchen to get the drinks. "Feel free to make yourselves at home," she calls over her shoulder.

"Ellie, I want to see your room," Dean says, turning to his younger sister with a mischievous grin. "I bet you have a bunch of nerdy stuff like Sam did at Stanford."

"No," Eleanor says firmly. At the same time, Sam says, "I didn't have nerdy stuff!"

Dean gave her puppy dog eyes, though they weren't as convincing as Sam's. Still, she sighed and gave in. "Fine. Follow me."

She leads them upstairs and down the hall to her bedroom. She opens the door and dramatically gestures for them let themselves in. They do, and she follows behind them, taking a seat on her bed.

Their eyes sweep over the poster covered walls of her room. Dean's land on her record player and light up. "No way! You have vinyl?" He walks over and eagerly begins to flip through her collection.

She shrugs. "Yeah. I don't know if you'd like what I have though."

Sam picks up a book from her dresser and flips it over in his hands to read the back. "Dungeons and dragons?" he asks.

"See, nerdy shit," Dean says without looking over from the crate of records.

Eleanor flushes a light pink and shrugs again. "Yeah, I played with some friends in high school."

"Cool," he sets the book down. "I always wanted to play."

Before they could look around any more, Seraphina shouted up that dinner was ready.

They were sitting down to eat when Dean's phone rings. His eyebrows furrow as he looks at the screen. "I gotta take this. Start without me." He wanders off into the other room to answer the call.

When he returns, his face is pale, eyebrows drawn together almost angrily. "Some
guy named Adam Milligan just called. Says he's dad's son."

Eleanor's fork slips from her fingers and clatters against her plate. "Come again?"

❛ ━━━━━━･❪ ☆ ❫ ･━━━━━━ ❜

AUTHOR'S NOTE: vote / comment if you enjoyed !! don't be a ghost reader bc ghost readers suck <3