Edward lifted Faith's body into his arms, her head resting lifelessly against his chest. He walked stoicly, heading towards the motel, using every ounce of strength to keep his grief at bay.
Priestly stood, seeing Edward with Faith and he stepped forward, holding his breath.
"Mom..."
"I'm sorry," Edward told him, looking down at Faith's face. "I was too late."
He placed Faith's body in Priestly's arms, and then turned to leave. Before Priestly could say anything else, Edward was gone.
Priestly held Faith for a long moment, looking down at his mother's face, her eyes closed, and if she hadn't been so cold, he would've sworn she was sleeping peacefully.
Choking back tears, he walked up to the motel room and opened the door, kicking it shut behind him, not caring if he woke Sam or Dean up.
He lay Faith down on his bed, brushing hair from her face.
Dean & Sam
"What the?" Dean jumped awake, hand going to the knife under his pillow by instinct.
Sam grunted as his eyes blinked open and he pushed himself up.
Priestly
"It's Mom," Priestly managed to get out between sobs.
"She's..."
Sam & Dean
"Faith?!" Sam's eyes fell on her and he was suddenly wide awake.
He scooted over to the bed, putting a hand on her forehead and another over her heart.
Dean was out of bed and at his side in an instant.
Priestly
"He didn't get there in time," Priestly murmured, running his hand through her hair.
"I should've gone with her tonight. I should've been there. I could've helped her."
Sam & Dean
"No. No no no no no," Sam shook his head, his hands shaking against her cold skin.
Dean slipped his knife into his jeans, looking her body over carefully. He stepped around to her side and lifted her wrist to inspect it.
Priestly
Priestly looked over at Sam through tear filled eyes.
"Dad?"
Sam & Dean
Sam looked up at Priestly, eyes mirrored.
After a moment, he looked down again and nodded.
"I can fix this," he said under his breath.
"Excuse me?" Dean's eyebrows rose as he set her arm down again.
"I can fix it," Sam said, standing up.
He went to put a shirt on.
Priestly and Airlia
Priestly just nodded.
"Please."
There was a knock at the door.
Sam & Dean
Sam ignored the knock and grabbed the impala keys.
"HEY!" Dean launched at him, wrestling them back, "you're not going anywhere!"
"Dean I have to!"
"STAY!" Dean yelled, jabbing him in the chest as he went to answer the door.
Airlia and Priestly
"Hi Dean," Airlia greeted.
She stood in the doorway, the streetlight outlining her silhouette.
Priestly looked up in confusion.
Dean & Sam
Dean stood dumbstruck, staring at her in disbelief.
"A... A..." he gulped, "Airlia?"
Sam hesitated, then made his way over.
Airlia and Priestly
"In the flesh," Airlia smiled slightly. "For a little while, at least. Tru should be on her way."
Priestly's eyebrows furrowed.
"Who...?"
"I'm..." she paused, tilting her head slightly. "I was your sister."
Sam & Dean
"I've got a better question," Sam said darkly as Dean stepped aside to let her in.
"How?"
Airlia and Priestly
"Turns out Mom is going to be given a choice, and so are you," Airlia said, walking in and leaning against the counter.
"Tru and I were called in to help with the decision. On both sides."
Priestly just looked confused.
"But I thought once you were gone, you were gone," he said.
"Family connections," Airlia told him. "Mom's saved the world enough for us to pull some strings with The Powers That Be."
Sam & Dean
"What are the choices?" Sam demanded, looking almost ready to attack her.
Dean's eyes finally fell from her, and he slowly went to retrieve his silver-loaded Taurus.
Airlia, Priestly and Tru
"Whether or not you want her to come back," Airlia said, unphased by the threatening atmosphere.
"Of course!" Priestly spoke up.
Airlia turned to him and smiled sadly. "Sorry, Zeph, you don't get to weigh in here. This is pretty much Sam's choice."
Another knock at the door sounded, and Airlia's smile faded.
Sam & Dean
"Of course I want her back," Sam scorned, "I'd give anything."
Dean silently went to answer the door, and opened it wide to let Tru in.
Tru, Airlia and Priestly
"Ooh, family reunion," Tru commented, walking into the room.
"Did you see her?" Airlia asked.
Tru nodded. "For a second. They're explaining the rules."
"Who? What rules?" Priestly looked agitated.
Sam & Dean
"Just tell us what we've gotta do to get her back already!" Sam demanded.
"Steady," Dean said in a calming tone.
Tru, Airlia and Priestly
Tru looked over at Sam with a sad smile, and reached out for him with one hand.
"That is, if she wants to come back," Airlia said.
"Of course she does!" Priestly protested, getting his back up with his sister already.
"Don't be so sure," Lia told him. "She's tired. And she has a choice here."
Sam & Dean
Sam ignored Tru.
"Then what are you doing here if we don't get a say in the end?" he went on.
"Rest assured that if you don't bring her back - however you plan to - then I will."
Dean closed his eyes and clenched his jaw.
Priestly, Airlia and Tru
"Bring her back, now," Priestly demanded, staring his sisters down.
"It's not that easy, Zeph," Airlia told him, shaking her head. "Firstly, she has to accept the offer to come back. And secondly... only Sam can help her do that."
Tru nodded. "She's only holding on for Sam. That's why we're here. To help you with the decision."
"There's only one decision really," Airlia interrupted. "Let her go."
Sam
"What part of what I said did you not understand?" Sam said darkly.
"If you don't bring her back, I will. So go and do whatever you have to, or I walk out right now."
Airlia and Tru
"And how angry do you think she'll be if you bring her back against her will, Sam?" Airlia snapped at him. "You don't see it, but we do. She's tired Sam. There's a part of Mom that wanted this. That wanted to stop fighting. She wanted to - "
"Stop it!" Tru interrupted her sister. "You accused Zeph of being selfish, but you're being selfish too. You want Mom back."
"I've earned the right to be selfish, Tru," Airlia said coldly. "I died in your place, remember? And your intentions aren't exactly honourable either."
Sam & Dean
"You just said she was holding on. That means she wants to come back," Sam cornered, "and if I get my way, she won't remember dying at all."
"Sam," Dean grabbed his arm, "if you think even for a second that I'm going to let you go to the crossroads-"
"You're not gonna let me?" Sam demanded.
"No, I'm not."
"How are you gonna stop me?"
Airlia and Tru
"She's holding on because you're holding on," Airlia told him. "She can't let go completely, not while there's something tying her here."
Tru glanced at Sam and then Dean. "You remember what I could do? How people would ask for help and the day would rewind? It's kinda the same deal. Only... no rewinding. She just gets to come back. And I need you, Sam, to hold on. A little longer. Help bring her back."
"No," Airlia argued fiercely. "You need to let her go. Let her rest at last."
Sam
"You don't get a say in this," Sam pointed at Airlia.
"I've made up my mind. You asked me for a decision, and now if you don't like it, then tough. I don't care. She's not done here."
Airlia and Tru
"She's not done here because you want her for your own selfish reasons," Airlia scorned.
"Think about what she wants. She wants to rest. Can't you see how tired she is? Or do you just not care?"
"Sam..." Tru said softly, ignoring her sister. "You just need to hold on a second longer so she makes the decision to come back here. If you falter for a second, she won't come back. Please. Hold steady. I can't... this will affect me."
Sam
"Don't worry Tru, I'm not going anywhere. And neither is she," Sam said defiantly.
He turned back to Airlia.
"Who are you to decide what Faith wants?" he demanded, "this is her decision, not yours. She will rest when she is good and ready, and it is not now. She still has work to do. She has a ton of unfinished business here, and you know it. So don't you dare talk down to me when my selfish reasons are the exact same as yours. Only mine involve a lot more lives being saved as a result of her continuing her work."
Airlia and Tru
"I'm her daughter, Sam," Airlia said coolly, eyes flashing angrily. "I'm more than that. I'm made from her. So if anyone knows what she wants, it's me. Don't you remember how you felt when Dean brought you back?"
"Stop it!" Tru exclaimed again. "Lia, leave it. I want Mom back as much as you do, but if... if she doesn't come back here, then I can't leave. I need her to solve my murder. She is the only one who can."
Sam
"Like I said," Sam indicated Tru, "Faith still has work here."
Airlia and Tru
"Then we're done here," Airlia said, glancing at Tru. "I wasn't trying to be horrible, Sam... but you had to know there were two sides to it."
Tru nodded slowly.
Sam & Dean
"I only see one," Sam insisted, backing off vocally a little.
"So what happens now?" Dean looked between them.
Airlia, Priestly and Tru
"She'll make her decision soon," Airlia told Dean. "Then it takes some time to come back."
"But she will, right?" Priestly asked, his voice cracking slightly.
"Sure will, bro," Tru said, flashing him a smile.
Dean & Sam
"We should give them some time alone with their brother," Dean said to Sam, who'd taken a deep breath.
Priestly and Tru
Priestly looked up as Dean said that, and nodded.
"We won't be long," Tru assured Sam.
Dean & Sam
Dean grabbed his brother by the shirt, making sure the impala keys weren't within reach, and pulled him from the room.
Priestly, Tru and Airlia
"So..." Priestly looked awkward. "You guys are... were my sisters."
Tru nodded. "Yep."
There was an awkward silence between the three of them before Airlia laughed.
"So... want to know some awkward family history?"