Epilogue: Lady of Mercy Hospital, Baltimore

Fuller was about to leave when a nurse came in to say Sam had a visitor. Dean demanded a name, but before the nurse could reply, the door opened and the visitor came in.

He was a tiny man, especially compared to Sam and Dean, wearing a cheap suit that was about three sizes too big for him. His tie was brown and hideous. For a moment Fuller thought he must have gotten lost on his way to a Worst-Fitting Suit competition. Then he held a hand out.

"Agent Garth Manning. FBI."

No. Really?

Fuller took the extended hand.

"Detective James Fuller, Baltimore Police."

"Agent Manning," Dean said, his expression more like a murderous grimace than a smile. "I wasn't expecting to see you here."

"I came as soon as I could after I got your call."

He patted Dean's shoulder. Dean shrugged him off. "What do you want, Garth?"

"I came to apologize." Agent Manning looked at Dean and shook his head. "Not much point apologizing to you, is there?" He turned to Sam, who was watching him with drowsy curiosity. "Sam. I'm sorry. I would never knowingly do anything to put you at risk. You know that."

Sam nodded.

Dean just glared at Manning. "Why are you here?"

Manning smiled, turning to Fuller. "I was told a man called Lou West is here. Is that true?"

"He's in the waiting room," Fuller said.

"Good. Can you take me to him?"

"Why?" Fuller asked warily.

"I have to speak to him in connection with an ongoing investigation dealing with kidnapping and attempted murder."

"Are you a real FBI agent?"

"Do you really care?"

Fuller glanced at Sam, who had lost interest in the conversation and was gazing up at his brother like an adoring puppy. Dean was looking back at him like a delighted kid who couldn't believe he'd actually been given the puppy he wanted for Christmas.

Fuller wasn't sure of a lot, but he was sure Sam hadn't deserved to be seized and shaken and called demon-spawn.

"You can have half an hour with him," he said. "And no permanent injury."

"I won't lay a finger on him," Agent Manning promised, following Fuller out.

At the door they both turned back to look at Sam and Dean. Dean was watching them, but it was easy to see that all his focus was on Sam.

Fuller met Dean's eyes, nodded, and shut the door.

It was the sound of clothes rustling that made Dean turn. He knew, even before he saw her, who was going to be standing on the other side of his brother's bed.

"Marguerite."

It was the first time he'd used her name.

She smiled at him, bending to pat Sam's arm. Sam shivered at the sudden coldness, but he didn't pull away.

"Thank you," Marguerite said, her voice softer and calmer than Dean had ever heard it.

"Will you be all right?" Sam asked.

"You and your brother avenged me." She stepped back, away from the bed. "I will find my peace. Now, I will."

She shimmered and vanished in a flash of light.

Dean carefully disentangled Sam's clutching fingers from his jacket. "Get some sleep, kiddo. You look exhausted. I'll be back before you wake up."

"Where are you going?" Sam mumbled around a yawn.

"Going to help Agent Manning with his interrogation."

"Don't kill him."

"Who? Garth or Lou?"

"Don't kill either of them."

"You're no fun." Dean patted Sam's chest. "Don't worry, you freaking hippie. Everyone's going to walk away from this. Of course, in Lou's case 'walk' might mean 'be carried to the Emergency Room on a stretcher', but it's the principle of the thing."

"Dean!"

Dean chuckled. "Sleep well, princess."

THE END