Ben Braeden

You know, it's weird. When you're in high school, you tell every girl you date that you love them and they are the only one. For some guys, they mean it. Some it's just a way to get into the girl's pants. And some guys just fall in "love" with a new girl every week.

I had a few girls in high school I thought I was in love with, sure, but now I know it wasn't love. Love is a completely different feeling that I didn't understand back then. Hell, I still don't really get it now.

It's knowing that a single phone call in the middle of the night can keep me sane...
It's the relief holding her in my arms when I thought she was lost...
It's staring into her eyes knowing that the love in them is for me...
It's holding hands as you walk and not caring what anyone says...
It's stealing kisses while washing dishes and getting water all over us...
It's trying not to laugh in a dorm room to wake up the roommates while having a tickle war...
It's watching her sleep in my lap when the movie she picked isn't finished and I can't reach the controller to turn it off...
It's knowing that I can screw up and she will not just walk away from me...
It's having her as the focal point of my dreams and what our future can become...
It's hearing her whisper my name against my ear as we cling to one another...
and it's knowing that no matter if we're in the same room or across the country, that there is an invisible bond that always keeps us connected.

That is how I know that with Anna, it's love. I've never had that with anyone else, and if I'm lucky, I never will.

He had forgotten the day where the change had happened; couldn't remember if it was gradual or a switch that was just flipped. Either way, that wasn't the point anymore. The point was the same thing his father had started to teach him.

Save People. Hunt Things. Family Business.

Not much left of the family, besides him and well, of course his daughter. But the Winchesters were a cursed breed, and for her own safety he sent her somewhere in which nothing could harm her. She'd have to face this world eventually, but at least he could let her live in ignorance as long as she could.

The same his mother had done for Ben. He now understood the pain his mother must have felt when faced with telling Dean about his son, but that was decades past and there was no point in regret.

Instead, he had to worry about the present. The demon that had taken out his father and uncle was still on the loose. His brother was a loose canon and Ben only hoped that he could find him one day and save what might be left of his human side, if the soldier beast had not taken over completely.

"Sire?" A black eyed man walked up to him, staying a few inches away from Ben and bowing his head respectfully. "A word?"

"What is it?" Ben asked, not looking up from the complicated spell he was working on conjuring.

"I just... we are worried that this will not work. Caim is strong and -"

"And what?" Ben lifted his head to look at the demon, his eyes fading to white a moment in anger before the blue iris came back into focus. "You are afraid of going back to hell, Cyrus? Hell is walking on Earth now, and without this fight, it will only get worse. We have no choice. I will be ready to take him on. Now stop your sniveling and make sure that the warriors are ready with the traps."

The demon nodded, bowing a bit before retreating out the door. Ben waved his hand, using his powers to slam the door shut behind him before reaching for the wine glass beside him and sipping the dark red liquid.

No, he would be ready for Caim and avenge the deaths of his family. That he was certain of.

"Shh..." Ben held his finger to his lip, looking at the offensive lamp that had dared to trip him. No, someone had decided to rearrange all the furniture on him while he had been away at the bonfire party at the river.

The soon-to-be Senior Class had gathered for a night of music, swimming, grilling and beer. However, Ben hadn't exactly mentioned that last piece to his parents.

Now did he warn them that he would be stumbling in at two in the morning.

The lights flipped on and blinded him a moment, and then he was able to make out his father on the stairs, shotgun aimed at home. His mother was only a few feet behind him, scowling.

"Awww shit..."

Camping - Ben had always wanted to go camping with his father. With the boy scouts, or an RV trip with Mom cooking the fish they managed to catch.

Sitting around a campfire telling scary stories while making s'mores. Dad pretending there was a bear in the forest that would come out and get them, then crawling into his lap for safety at every cracking twig.

Falling asleep trying to count the stars, no matter how many times Mom said there were too many.

Skipping stones. Boating. Fishing. Hiking. The whole nine yards.

That would be Ben's perfect dream vacation.