06 || IRELAND

Summoning Crowley was the last thing Sam wanted to do, but he didn't know who else to call. He couldn't risk calling Balthazar again incase Castiel caught wind of him and he couldn't call Castiel himself either as Vanessa had warned him to stay away from him otherwise the angel might break his wall. So Crowley was the only other person he could think of that could help him.

It had only been a few days since the Khan Worm case and Vanessa was still pretty down, despite managing to save Rufus.

Sam figured she was still mad at herself for not remembering about Eve and for not being able to find Gabriel in time to stop Castiel opening Purgatory, which if she was right, would happen soon.

Little did he know that the reason she was so down was because she'd fallen in love with him and didn't know how to go about expressing those feelings when she had so many secrets from him.

So, unaware of that, Sam decided to do something nice for her, something he knew would cheer her up. Only, he couldn't do it without help, which is where Crowley comes in.

"Moose, this is a surprise." Crowley greeted as he appeared in Bobby's garage. "Where's your girlfriend? Left you already?"

Sam rolled his eyes at Crowley, sighing and starting to regret calling him for help. Castiel and the possible wall breaking didn't sound so bad now.

"She's in her room, where she's been for the past three days." Sam said bluntly, fed up with Crowley already.

"Trouble in paradise?" Crowley's eyebrow arched as he stepped forward, curious as to what they could have done to make Vanessa lock herself in her room.

"A little." Sam sighed, his hand running over his unshaven stubble. "Ness is a feeling down. She blames herself for Eve and for the fact that she didn't arrive in time to find Gabriel so he could stop Raphael."

"That's not her fault." Crowley said instantly, shaking his head a little.

"Try telling her that." Sam replied, a little in defeat. "She managed to save people, people she'd watched die but she still thinks she's failed."

"And you need me for what? Pep talk?"

"God no." Sam couldn't help but huff out a laugh mixed with a scoff at the idea of Crowley giving Vanessa a pep talk. "I thought you could help by getting her a few things, things you can only get in Ireland."

"Shopping? You want me to go shopping?" Crowley seemed almost offended, he was the King of Hell, not an errand boy.

"I can't exactly hop on a plane and do it myself."

"So get your angel to do it. I'm a little busy you know, trying to find Asmodeus."

"You're still trying to find him?" Sam's eyebrow raised, he hadn't expected Crowley to still be looking for him after the last time, when he told them he had no way of tracking him down.

"Vanessa asked didn't she?"

"Since when are you so keen on helping people."

"What can I say? I'm a people pleaser." Crowley grinned, and Sam sighed. "So if that's all-"

"Crowley, please. I wouldn't be asking you if you weren't the only one who could help." Sam was almost pleading, he was desperate to find something that could cheer Vanessa up.

Crowley sighed, he guessed a trip to Ireland wouldn't take that long. And he of all people knew what it was like to be from a different country and not be able to get certain things in America. The amount of times he'd had to teleport to Scotland just for a decent bottle of scotch.

"What do you need?" Crowley sighed again and Sam smiled a little, digging into his pocket and pulling out a list.

"Ness made us this list in case we happen to come across a shop that sells British and Irish food." He passed the list to Crowley who opened it, his eyes skimming the page and his head seemingly nodding as if to say good taste.

"Be right back." Crowley vanished, leaving Sam to wait in the garage, he knew it wouldn't take Crowley long to return.

And he was right. Crowley soon returned, a cardboard box in his hands.

"One very Irish gift box." Crowley dumped the box into Sam's arms, leaving the list on top of it. "You know, you could just take her there instead of doing this."

"And how would I get her there, she doesn't have a passport... or wings."

"Hello, King of Hell." Crowley held out his arms, a wide smile on his face.

Sam's own mouth gaped slightly, his eyebrow furrowed and he couldn't help but wonder if he had something in his ears or if Crowley had just offered to take Vanessa to Ireland.

"You'd take her to Ireland?" He asked, shocked.

"I'd give you a lift. Wouldn't stay, too busy." Crowley replied, his hands falling back to his sides. He hadn't got time to spend the day in Ireland with Sam of all people, he wanted to try and find Asmodeus so he could kill him before the poncy Prince decided to try and take his throne.

"I- I'm not sure if she'd want that, honestly." Sam said with a sigh, still struggling to believe Crowley would offer to do that. "I'd have to ask her."

"Well do it quickly, I don't have all day."

"Right, uh, follow me, I guess." Sam gestured in the direction of the house and the two of them headed in silence, towards it.

Explaining to Bobby and Dean why Crowley was here wasn't the funnest thing Sam had ever done, but once they realised he'd done it for Vanessa, they seemed to be fine with it. At least they didn't complain out loud about Crowley standing in the living room while Sam went up to see if Vanessa would even let him in her room.

"Ness, it's Sam." He knocked gently on the door. "I have something for you, something I think you'll like."

Sam's seemingly cheery tone made Vanessa curious and she slid off her paper covered bed. She'd been working on writing out the entire timeline of Supernatural as she could remember it to see if it helped jog her memory about certain things. Each word written in Gaelic so the boys couldn't read it without the help of Google translate.

To Sam's relief, and surprise, the door creaked open and Vanessa peered out, dark circles under her eyes and her messy hair loosely braided and pinned out of her way.

"What is it?" She asked, her voice a little hoarse from not speaking in three days.

"I, uh, had Crowley get you some things." Sam held the box out further, hinting for her to open the door, which she did, allowing him to step inside.

She didn't even seem to react over the fact that Crowley had done something for Sam. For her.

Sam's eyebrows knitted together at the messy bed in front of him, the papers scattered about and what looked to be colour coordinated. He set the box on the empty corner of her bed and she shuffled towards it, yawning as she reached out to open it.

Vanessa's eyes widened at the first thing she saw. The bright yellow packaging was a dead giveaway as to what was in the box and she nearly cried as she lifted it out.

Tayto cheese and onion crisps (or chips for all you Americans).

"Sam..." Vanessa whispered, her lip trembling a little. She knew it was silly crying over something like this but it more the thought that Sam would do this for her. Would willingly ask Crowley for help just to get her something that he thought would cheer her up. Which it did.

"Thought you could use a little pick me up." Sam said with a smile, his heart warming at her reaction. He reached out, opening the other side of the box to show her what else was in it, not that he knew himself as he couldn't remember what her list said. But Crowley had gotten everything on it, and more.

From her favourite brand of tea, to her favourite chocolate. Other brands of crisps, a loaf of some weird brown bread that Sam hadn't a clue what it was.

There were packets of sweets, some you could get in America but Vanessa complained that they were too sweet compared to the Irish version, and some you couldn't.

"Jaffa Cakes." Vanessa gasped as she pulled out the blue and orange box. "Oh, I've missed you."

Sam chuckled as she held the box close to her chest before setting it aside. He had no idea what any of these things where but if they made Vanessa happy, that's all that mattered.

"That's not all." Sam said, catching her attention from a packet of Wagon Wheels.

"It's not?" Vanessa's eyebrow arched as she set the packet down on her bed, the paper crinkling under it.

"No. Uh, Crowley has offered to give us a lift... To Ireland, just for the day. In case there's anything else you want to get or see or whatever." Sam chuckled a little then held his breath slightly as Vanessa hadn't responded, her expression blank as she absorbed his words.

Did she want to visit Ireland again? Did she want to risk seeing what she'd left behind and risk becoming home sick, as she hadn't really felt like that since she arrived in America. Also, would she be there already? Like, this universes version of her, if one existed? It probably wouldn't matter as in this universe she'd only be like 14 as she was born in 1997, but since she was 26 she was technically now born in 1985. God time and multidimensional travel was confusing.

"I'd love that." Vanessa whispered and Sam let out a heavy sigh of relief. "But only if you come with me."

"You want me to come with you?" Sam blinked a few times, he hadn't expected her to ask him personally to go with her but it warmed his heart that she did.

Vanessa nodded, moving closer to him and wrapping her arms around him, her cheek pressed against him chest. Sam took a second to realise what she was doing before his large arms engulfed her, his chin resting atop her head.

"Thank you." Vanessa whispered, gripping the back of his shirt tight.

"You're welcome." Sam replied softly, hesitating a moment before kissing the top of her head. "And I'd love to visit Ireland with you."

"Good." Vanessa sniffled, pulling back from him and wiping her eyes. "Just give me five minutes and I'll be ready."

"Okay." Sam nodded, smiling and feeling glad that his plan worked.

Vanessa eventually came down stairs, practically jumping the last two as the excitement filled her. Crowley was standing in the doorway to the kitchen and Vanessa did the one thing she'd never seen Crowley do the whole time he appeared in the show, she hugged him.

Sam, Dean, Bobby and Crowley himself almost died from shock seeing her wrap her arms around the demon. Crowley, hesitantly patting her back with one hand. No one had ever hugged him before and it was a little bit much for him to process. But he couldn't deny that it felt nice to be appreciated for once. He also admired Vanessa for even daring to hug a demon, let alone one such as himself.

"Thank you." She said with a smile as she pulled back from him, Crowley blinking in surprise still and unable to form a thought let alone words.

Vanessa was surprised none of them had passed out from shock, although Dean was nearing it as the colour had drained from his face.

"Ready?" Sam cleared his throat, pushing what he'd just seen to the back of his mind.

"Ready." Vanessa nodded with a smile as Sam approached her and Crowley, the demon in the middle of them.

"Have fun." Dean winked towards Sam, who rolled his eyes in return. He wasn't jealous about not going with them, in fact he'd purposely stayed behind so Sam and Vanessa could have some alone time together and maybe realise they were both in love with each other.

Plus, Vanessa had given him and Bobby a task of going to Samuel's old place and searching his library for a journal belonging to Samuel Colt as they'd need it to get the Phoenix ash to kill Eve.

"See you soon." Vanessa smiled and before she knew she was standing in her old town, the wind blowing gently and the sky clouding and dull. "Welcome to Ireland."

Vanessa stepped away from Sam, her eyes gazing over the familiar town, inhaling the fresh country smell. It had been rather late in Sioux Falls when they left meaning it was early morning in Ireland right now. Rest in peace to their sleep schedules, not that they had much of one anyway.

"Text me when you want picked up." Crowley said before he vanished, leaving the two of them on their own. He had also provided them with a credit card, incase they wanted to buy anything. Vanessa hadn't questioned where he'd gotten it from.

"Like you remember?" Sam asked, smiling at Vanessa's own wide smile on her face as he stepped up beside her.

"Down to the smell." She inhaled again, holding it a little before breathing out.

It was still a little early for anywhere to be open yet so Vanessa took Sam's hand, pulling him towards the park where her and her friends would hang out when they were supposed to be at school.

"That swing right there..." Vanessa pointed to the middle swing, it blowing gently in the breeze. "...is where I had my very first kiss."

"Really?" Sam's eyebrow raised, as he looked down at her, her cheeks flushing as she recalled the memory.

"Really." Vanessa nodded. "Marcus Flynn, my first unofficial boyfriend. Didn't last long though, he said he got of me."

"His loss." Sam muttered, sending a wave of butterflies through Vanessa's stomach which she tried to shake off.

"Strange how it's 2011 now, I'd be 14 and probably getting ready to skip school and hang out here instead." Vanessa sounded a touch sad as she stepped forward, her finger grazing the chain of the swing set she'd spent so much time on as a child. Well, in her own universe.

"Are you worried you'll see yourself?" Sam asked carefully as he stepped towards her.

"Not worried, just... I don't know." She shook her head. "I don't even know if I exist here."

"You might. You just might be different, like I am in your universe." Sam said softly, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Sam had finally realised he'd developed some sort of feelings towards Vanessa. Was it love? He wasn't sure yet. He just knew that he wanted to be with her, despite his run of bad luck with women. He wasn't sure though, if she'd be interested in him like that, I mean, wouldn't it be weird for her? Dating someone who she knew mainly as a fictional character, who in her world was a completely different person with a wife and kids? Even he'd find that strange.

"Do you find it weird, being around us when you know we're so different in your universe?" Sam asked, he had to know her answer before he did what he wanted to do.

"Not really, I mean... I never knew my version of you, he was an actor. I only ever knew the you he played on TV, the you that's here with me now." Vanessa said softly as she looked up at him, her eyes flicking down to his lips as she was desperately wanting to kiss him.

Vanessa knew she was in love with Sam, as she'd realised that night outside the bar. She wasn't even that worried about Amelia anymore, as she knew Sam would never meet her and after all, he ended up leaving her so what would even be the point in telling him?

No, she was scared that she'd make a fool of herself by telling him she loved him. She wasn't his type, she didn't know if he felt that same way about her or if he saw her more like a sister. If he did, that would be incredibly embarrassing for her and she would have ended up sending herself to Purgatory should that happen. But the way he was looking at her now made her think differently.

Sam sat on the swing, the seat high enough off the ground so that they were nearly face to face. He took her hand, pulling her slowly towards him before his other hand took her face.

Vanessa knew exactly what was about to happen and she was quickly trying to mentally prepare herself before Sam's lips touched hers, moving gently against them as his hand cupped her face.

Sam's legs parted and he pulled her closer, one hand on her waist as any doubts he'd had about her feelings towards him faded away. Her hands in his hair and his tongue in her mouth was all he needed to know she felt the same way about him.

Vanessa almost melted under his touch, the gentle hums rising in her throat as they kissed was all that could be heard. Maybe she was his type after all.

"I've been wanting to do that from the moment I first saw you." Sam whispered, his forehead pressed against hers.

"Why didn't you?"

"You've seen my life, you know I have bad luck when it comes to woman." Sam chuckled a little, Vanessa mirroring it.

"Well, it's a good thing I'm your lucky charm then isn't it." Vanessa kissed him again, more passionately this time before she pulled back. "And if you ever tell Dean I said that-"

"My lips are sealed." Sam's hands lifted in surrender and she nodded approvingly before kissing him once again.

The rest of their day went better than either of them could have imagined. Vanessa took Sam all over her town, telling him the history of the place along with her own history of certain areas. She pointed out her restaurant where she worked that still had the old name, the two of them had breakfast there, except for them it was more like a midnight snack... Time zones are confusing.

The town was small and was never really a tourist spot but there was one gift shop that they stopped into, getting some things for Dean and Bobby, that looked like Ireland had thrown up on them.

Vanessa pointed out where she'd lived, quickly though as she was worried she'd spot this universes version of her grandmother and herself. They visited the small farm where they fed some lambs and met a few fluffy cows. She showed him the spot where her and her friends hid from Mrs O'Flattery when she'd caught them smoking in the alleyway behind her house. She'd chased them down the street with a wooden spoon in her hand yelling to high heavens about telling their mothers if she ever caught them again.

No one dared smoke near her house again.

Sam had no idea what a 'chippy' was, as Vanessa called it, but it was damn good. The two of them shared a fish and chips, sitting on a bench overlooking the marina with seagulls skulking behind them waiting for dropped chips or pieces of fish.

The day was going perfect until she spotted them...

"Ness, what is it?" Sam had been pulled back a little as Vanessa had stopped dead in the middle of the footpath, as she called it.

"I- It's-" Vanessa exhaled, unable to form words so instead Sam followed her eye-line towards a family sitting on a bench across the street. The father had dark hair, the mother ginger as was their daughter.

"Is that... you?" Sam asked, wide eyed as he looked back at Vanessa.

"No." She shook her head, her eyes glassy with tears. "My mother she- How-"

"Ness, breathe. Just look at me and take a breath." Sam took hold of her face, her eyes finding his as she breathed. "Talk to me."

"It's my family." She hiccuped a little, a tear falling from her face. "They aren't supposed to be here, they aren't meant to be alive." She shook her head, closing her eyes as Sam pulled her into his arms.

"What happened?" Sam asked softly after Vanessa pulled back.

"My mum died giving birth to me, I never knew her." Sam could relate to that. "And my dad, both he and my sister died in car accident, in 2010. They aren- They shouldn't be here, should they?"

"I don't know, Ness. But I'm sorry, if I'd known I would have never brought you here." Sam's hand held her neck gently as her eyes flicked from him to her family.

"I don't think I exist in this world, Sam." She whispered, the sight of her family who'd all died because of her was a bigger shock to her than waking up in an alternate world. "That's why they're still alive. All of them. If I hadn't got in trouble, hadn't snuck out of the house then my dad and sister would never have been driving that night."

"None of that was your fault, Ness. None of it... And you exist now. You're here, with me." Sam's own eyes were glassy watching Vanessa cry, he couldn't imagine what she was going through right now. Seeing her own family alive, together. Without her.

Vanessa's hands gripped his tight, his touch bringing her some much needed comfort.

"I want to go home." Vanessa whispered. "To Bobby's." She added, incase Sam thought she meant her own world which she never wanted to go back to, not again. Not when she had Sam. Now when her family, albeit not her family, were alive here in this world. Not when she had Dean, Bobby, Rufus, Balthazar, hell even Crowley and Castiel. They were her family now.

"Then we'll go home." Sam couldn't help but smile at Vanessa calling Bobby's home.

Because it was her home now, for as long as she was with them it would always be her home.

-i thought we needed a little chapter between the last chapter which was episode 6.16 and the next one which will be 6.18 since she stopped balthazar un-sinking the titanic so 6.17 won't happen

but i hope you liked this chapter and i'm sorry if you were expecting a slow burn, i kinda had planned that but i decided to speed things up a bit so i could focus more on the fixing part of the story but yeah... i hope you still want to read even though they're together now because who knows there maybe be some angst

also if you were in vanessa's shoes, would you tell the boys everything you knew about their future lives or keep some things a secret?