Ares and the couple following close behind. Dean's eyes darted around the dimly lit space, desperation etched into every line of his face.

"All right, see if you can find a radio or a phone," he ordered, his voice tight with urgency.

He moved swiftly to one of the armchairs, carefully lowering Jovi down, trying to be as gentle as possible. She let out a quiet whimper, her face contorting in pain as she shifted slightly. Her skin was ghostly pale, her lips almost ashen, and her normally bright, sharp eyes were dull and heavy with exhaustion.

"Stay here for a minute, okay? Kid, watch her," Dean said, earning a nod from Ares, his tone gruff but full of underlying concern.

Jovi glanced up at him weakly, forcing a smirk despite the agony twisting in her gut. "Not like I can run a marathon," she murmured.

Dean shot her a deadpan look, not even slightly amused.

"What? If I'm gonna die, at least I'll go out laughing," she mumbled, her smirk faltering.

Dean's jaw clenched, his throat tightening. "You're not dying," he said, his voice like steel. He turned sharply before she could argue, stalking off to search for a phone.

Ares dropped into a crouch beside her, his usual smirk nowhere to be found. His brown eyes were stormy, his usual sarcastic confidence replaced by something unnervingly serious.

"There's a time and a place for jokes, Jov," he said, his voice quieter than usual.

Jovi frowned at him, confused by the raw emotion on his face. She had assumed he hated her — or at least found her endlessly irritating. Sure, they'd started acting like friends after he helped her through her breakup, but she didn't think her dying would actually affect him. She could totally use this moment of weakness in future arguments...if there were any — she hoped so.

She studied his face, her breath coming in short, pained bursts. "...I could almost swear you look sad," she said, her voice small and weak.

Ares' jaw ticked, his fingers twitching slightly against his jeans. "Believe it or not, I don't want you to die," he muttered.

His words hit her harder than she expected, warmth blooming in her chest despite the pain. Maybe he didn't hate her after all?

Dean, meanwhile, grabbed the landline off the wall, pressing it to his ear. Nothing. He tapped the receiver, trying again. "Anything?" Sam asked, still searching through drawers and cupboards. Dean exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "No. It's dead."

Frustrated, he turned back to the cabinets, rifling through them until he found a box of candles and matches. He tossed them onto the kitchen island, lighting two lanterns for what little comfort they could provide.

Jovi shifted again, sucking in a sharp breath as a fresh wave of pain crashed over her. Her fingers trembled as she clutched at her side, trying to steady herself, but it was useless.

Ares, without thinking, reached over and took her hand in his, giving it a reassuring squeeze. His grip was warm and firm, grounding her in the moment. Jovi's breath hitched slightly, but she didn't pull away.

"Hey, we gotta keep moving," Corbin spoke up, his eyes flicking from Dean to Jovi, his face set in grim determination. "Those of us who—who can."

Dean's head snapped up, his expression instantly hardening."What did you just say?" he hissed, his voice dangerously low.

Corbin hesitated but didn't back down. "I—I mean, look. Michelle's real sick, but she's got a chance. She's slowing us down, and if they find us—"

Ares was on his feet joining Dean, stepping up to Corbin with a deadly fire in his eyes. "We saved you!" Dean growled, jabbing a finger into Corbin's chest. "We saved both of you!"

"It's five lives versus one!" Corbin insisted, voice rising in panic.

Dean shoved him, forcing him a step back, eyes burning with rage.

"We're not leaving her because of a mistake you made!" Ares snapped, his entire body tense as he squared up to the older man. His hands were clenched into tight fists, his entire being radiating anger.

"Dad! Ares!"

Jovi's shaky voice cut through the tension like a blade. Both men immediately turned, watching as she weakly tried to push herself up from the chair — only for her arms to give out beneath her, sending her crashing to the floor.

"Shit—Jovi!" Sam was at her side in an instant, but she shoved his hands away as she struggled to prop herself up on her elbows. "I—I'm fine," she forced out, though her face twisted in pain and embarrassment. "But he's right."

A silence fell over the room. Dean's glare faltered, his face twisting in a mixture of disbelief and pain.

"Jovi" Sam spoke in a soft voice, she shook her head "you guys need to — to go. Move. Go find help, come back for me. I can't move without it hurting"

Dean's eyes darkened, his hands balling into fists at his sides."no, Jovi! No!" His voice wavered slightly, the weight of the situation pressing down on him like a vice. "I'm gonna go outside, I'm gonna find some wood, gonna build you a litter and we are going to carry her the rest of the way!" His green eyes snapped back to Corbin, venomous and full of warning."it's only a couple of miles" With that, he turned sharply, storming to the door and yanking it open before slamming it behind him.

Jovi exhaled shakily, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. She turned her head, looking up at Sam with a pleading expression.

"Sammy... please, go check on him," she whispered.

"Jovi, I'm not leaving you," Sam argued, brows furrowing.

"I'm fine," she insisted weakly, her voice barely above a whisper. She turned her head slightly to glance at Ares, offering a small, tired smile. "Ares is here. J-just... go make sure he's okay, please."

Sam hesitated, searching her face for any sign that she'd change her mind. But he saw how much this was hurting her — not just physically, but emotionally.

She needed Dean to be okay just as much as he needed her to be.

With a heavy sigh, Sam gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze before nodding, standing up and making his way toward the door, leaving Ares alone with her.

☆

𝑫𝒆𝒔𝒏 𝒉𝒖𝒓𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒔 into a haphazard pile, his movements sharp and aggressive. Each branch cracked loudly as it landed, the noise echoing in the stillness of the early morning. His breaths were harsh, ragged — anger and fear coiling tightly in his chest until he thought he might choke on it.

The image of Jovi — his little girl — lying so pale and broken flashed in his mind, and he threw another branch with even more force.

Sam approached slowly, his footsteps cautious as if one wrong move might shatter his brother completely. The empathy in his eyes was unmistakable.

"Dean?"

"Not now, Sam," Dean snapped, not bothering to look up. His hands clenched around the rough bark of another branch, his knuckles turning white.

Sam sighed, shifting his weight as he tucked his hands into his jacket pockets. "She wanted me to come and check on you," he said softly.

Dean's jaw tightened, his eyes burning as he shook his head. "Well, you shouldn't have. You should've stayed with her."

"Ares is with her. Dean, we'll figure this out." Sam's voice was steady, a lifeline in the middle of Dean's storm. "She'll be okay. Jovi's strong."

Dean swallowed hard, the lump in his throat growing. He knew Jovi was strong. God, she was the strongest person he knew. But even the strongest people fell. Even they could be taken from you without warning, without mercy.

"I know," he whispered, the words strained and brittle. "I know. I just can't lose her, Sam." His voice broke, eyes closing as he tried to hold himself together. "I won't lose her."

Images of Jovi from when she was younger flooded his mind — her first steps, her first hunt, the way her eyes would light up when she'd managed to tease a rare, genuine laugh out of him. She was the sunshine in his storm, the one person who could break through his walls without even trying.

"Jovi's one of the only people keeping me sane," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. The fear was raw, unfiltered. "Without her..."

He didn't finish.

He couldn't finish. The idea of a world without Jovi in it was too horrifying, too suffocating to even consider.

If he lost her, he'd lose everything.

Dean drew in a shaky breath, pushing the thoughts away before they could consume him. His hands were still trembling as he bent down to grab more branches, trying to focus on the task instead of the dread gnawing at his gut.

Sam stepped closer, his presence a comforting weight. "We'll get her out of this, Dean. We always find a way."

Dean didn't reply, but he nodded, swallowing hard as he forced himself to keep moving. He had to believe that. He had to believe that his daughter — his world — would pull through, that they'd get to hear her sarcastic remarks and see her stubborn smirk again.

"Let's just get back to her," Dean finally muttered, hefting the bundle of branches in his arms.

Because every second away from her felt like a lifetime, and he didn't have time to waste. Not when his whole world was bleeding out just a few hundred feet away.

☆

𝑱𝒐𝒗𝒊 𝒍𝒂𝒚 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌 on the cold, hard floor, her head resting in Ares' lap as she stared blankly at the ceiling. The pain in her stomach had dulled to a distant throb, her body too weak to fight anymore. A cold sweat clung to her skin, making her shiver despite the warmth of Ares' presence beside her. Every breath she took felt heavier, more laboured, and deep down, she knew — really knew — she wasn't going to make it out of this cabin alive.

She wanted to believe she would. She hoped she would. But a quiet, unshakable voice in the back of her mind told her the truth.

Ares' hand pressed gently against her forehead, and she barely had the strength to react. His touch was warm, steady — something to ground her as the rest of her world slipped away.

"Jov, you're freezing," he muttered, his voice lined with worry.

Jovi tried to give him a reassuring smile, but even that was too much effort. "I-I'm f-fine," she stammered, her body betraying her as another violent shiver wracked through her.

Ares frowned, his eyes scanning her face before he gently moved her head from his lap. "No, you're not. I'm gonna find you a blanket, okay? I'll be right back."

She wanted to tell him not to bother. That it wouldn't matter soon. But the words never left her lips as he rushed off.

Her mind wandered as she lay there, her breaths coming slower, her body feeling lighter. This isn't how it's supposed to end, she thought bitterly. She was supposed to grow up. She was supposed to keep hunting with her dad and uncle, keep annoying Ares, keep living. She had a whole future waiting for her, and now? Now she was just going to fade away on the cold floor of some godforsaken cabin. Alone.

A shadow moved into her line of vision, pulling her from her thoughts. Corbin.

Jovi blinked up at him, trying to focus through the haze. "Is Michelle okay?" she croaked, her voice weak, barely audible.

"She's sleeping," Corbin answered, his tone unreadable. He glanced toward the window, then toward the room Ares had disappeared into, a strange look flickering across his face. "They won't leave you. And we won't last out there without either of them."

Something in his voice sent a cold spike of fear through her already failing body.

Her brow furrowed. "W-what?"

Before she could react, his hand clamped over her mouth, the other pinching her nose shut.

Panic exploded in her chest as she gasped, but no air came. Her heart slammed against her ribs as she thrashed, clawing at his hands, her nails digging into his skin. She tried to scream, tried to call for Ares, for her dad, but it was useless — her cries were nothing but muffled, breathless sobs against his palm.

Her lungs burned, every fibre of her being begging for oxygen. Her vision blurred at the edges, her strength draining as Corbin's grip stayed firm.

No, no, no — this isn't how it's supposed to happen!

She was supposed to go down in a fight, taking out some monster, something worthwhile — not like this. Not because some coward was too scared to fight for himself.

Her limbs flailed weakly, every movement slower, weaker than the last. She thought of her dad. She thought of Sam. She thought of Ares and how she never got to tell him that she didn't actually hate him, that he was one of her best friends.

She thought of all the things she'd never get to do, all the moments she'd never have.

She wanted to scream.

She wanted to live.

But her body had given up.

Her arms dropped to her sides, her head lolling slightly. Darkness crept in, and she let it take her.

The last thing she heard was Corbin's shaking voice:

"I'm sorry."

And then Jovi Winchester was gone.

Corbin stumbled back, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he stared down at the girl's motionless body. His hands trembled, his stomach twisting with something close to regret. Slowly, hesitantly, he reached forward and pressed two fingers against her neck.

No pulse.

He swallowed hard.

"Corbin?"

Michelle's voice was soft, uncertain. She stood behind him, her wide eyes locked onto Jovi's still form.

"Is she..."

Corbin exhaled shakily. "Dead."

Ares pushed open the door, a small, triumphant smile on his face as he held up the blanket. "Hey, so I found this old blanket—might be a little dusty, but I'm sure it'll help—"

He stopped mid-sentence.

The blanket slipped from his fingers, his entire body freezing as he took in the sight before him.

Jovi.

Jovi, unmoving.

Jovi, pale.

Jovi, lifeless.

The world tilted on its axis as he let out a strangled sound, his feet carrying him to her before his brain could even process what was happening. He dropped to his knees, his hands shaking violently as he reached out, pulling her body into his lap.

She was cold.

Too cold.

His breath hitched, his chest tightening in a way he'd never felt before. It felt like someone had reached inside him and ripped something vital out, leaving nothing but a gaping hole where it used to be.

No.

No, this wasn't happening.

"Jovi?! Jovi! Please!" His voice cracked as he shook her, desperate, begging. She had to wake up. She had to. Any second now, she'd open her eyes, punch his arm, tell him he was an idiot for worrying.

But she didn't.

Her body stayed limp, her skin deathly pale. Her chest didn't rise.

She was gone.

A choked sob tore from his throat, raw and broken. His hands clutched at her, as if holding her tighter would somehow bring her back.

"Dean! Sam!" he screamed, his voice full of panic, of grief, of pure agony. "Help! Please!"

There was no response. No miracle. No last-minute rescue.

Just silence.

Just the weight of her body in his arms.

Ares buried his face in her hair, his tears falling freely, his whole body trembling as he whispered through his sobs,

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

The door to the cabin burst open, the cold wind rushing in as Dean and Sam stumbled inside. But Dean came to an abrupt halt, his heart slamming against his ribs. The world around him seemed to blur as his eyes locked onto the scene before him — his daughter, lifeless, cradled in Ares' shaking arms.

"No—no, no, no."

His breath hitched, his vision tunnelling, his knees threatening to give out beneath him.

"Jovi?" His voice was barely a whisper, but the desperation in it was deafening.

He was moving before he realised it, dropping to his knees beside her, his trembling fingers pressing to the side of her neck. He prayed — begged — for a pulse, for even the faintest flicker of life. But there was nothing. Just cold, empty stillness beneath his fingertips.

A breath shuddered from his lips, his entire body breaking as he looked up at Ares, his green eyes drowning in grief.

"What happened?"

Ares swallowed hard, his throat raw from crying. His hands were still wrapped around Jovi, as if he could somehow hold her together, keep her here. "I—I went to get her a blanket. It was only a minute. And when I came back, she was just—" His voice cracked, his head shaking in disbelief. He still couldn't process it. One minute she was there, and the next...

Dean's jaw clenched as his gaze shifted to Corbin, his expression demanding an explanation.

Corbin's eyes darted around the room, panic and guilt flickering across his face. "I—I don't know. She just... went."

Dean barely heard him. His focus was on the girl in his arms, his baby girl, limp and cold. Tears spilled down his face as he ran a shaking hand over her hair, pressing a kiss to her temple. "Jovi? Baby? Please." His voice broke, the weight of his grief crushing him. He rocked her gently, his body wracked with silent sobs.

She died alone. In pain. And he wasn't there.

The realisation shattered him.

This wasn't a wound that would ever heal. He had lost people before, but this — this was different. This was his daughter. His little girl. The one bright thing in his dark, miserable life. And now she was gone. She had dreams, hopes, an entire future ahead of her —and it had been ripped away before she even had the chance to live it.

"I'm so sorry, babygirl," he choked out, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm so, so sorry." He pressed another kiss to her forehead, his tears landing on her pale skin. She looked so peaceful, as if she was just sleeping. But she wasn't.

She never would be again.

A broken sound escaped Ares' throat as he turned away, his fists clenching at his sides. He couldn't stop crying, but now, beneath the grief, there was something else. Something boiling, twisting inside him. Rage. He wanted to scream. He wanted to fight. He wanted to kill something.

Sam wiped at his own face, but the tears kept falling. His hands trembled as he ran them through his hair, his whole body weighed down by guilt. "I shouldn't have left," he whispered, his voice hollow. "I shouldn't have left her."

Outside, the distant sound of an approaching car snapped them back to reality.

Michelle and Corbin clutched at each other in fear. "It's them!" Michelle gasped, terror in her voice.

Dean's expression shifted. He slowly pulled a knife from his belt, his grief burning into something dark, something dangerous. He looked down at Jovi one last time before his jaw tightened, his green eyes steeling with fury.

"Let 'em come."

"I second that," Ares growled, unsheathing his silver dagger. His hands still shook, but not from sorrow anymore. He needed blood. He needed revenge.

Michelle let out a choked sob. "No! What?!"

Sam hesitated, torn between the overwhelming need for vengeance and the responsibility he had to the people still alive in this room. His heart ached with the loss of his niece, but he knew staying meant risking more deaths. —ones he wasn't sure he could handle.

"They want to stay," Corbin said urgently.

"No, you can't!" Michelle pleaded, her voice frantic.

Corbin knelt beside Dean, his eyes wide with desperation. "Hey, hey—you stay, you fight, you die. And so do we. Look..." He glanced down at Jovi, his voice softer now. "She's gone."

Dean's eyes snapped up, burning with unshed tears.

"I'm sorry," Corbin continued, "but she's gone. Help us. Please."

Dean's breath came in heavy, uneven bursts, his