Archive of Our Own

Astonishment lit his face as he walked up to the house. He knew he shouldn’t be surprised to see Rumsfield lying in the yard just like he had always done; almost as if he had been waiting for Bobby to arrive. But for some reason he was. Something just didn’t sit right. But he would be damned if he could figure it out.

As he slowly opened the door and walked inside he couldn’t stop thinking; was he dreaming? Was that it? Bobby’s hand flew to his forehead as remembered pain shot through his head. Well, if he was dreaming he could do without the agonizing pain in his head. The last thing he remembered was being shot. No, that wasn’t it. There was something that had happened after that. What was it? Another wave of pain pierced his skull as he tried to force himself to remember. It was something about Dean and Sam. That was it! The last thing he remembered doing was opening his eyes, raising his head and calling the boys idjits. It probably had something to do with the latest case the boys were on. They probably needed his help. So he might as well get started. But he was obviously doing too much research if he was dreaming about it. If this turned out to be a dream he could tell the boys later and they would all get a big laugh. For a minute he could actually picture Dean and Sam sitting around his table laughing their heads off. On second thought it was probably better if he didn’t mention it to the boys at all.

“Welcome home, Bobby.”

Bobby turned around to see Rufus standing in front of him. How the hell had Rufus managed to get inside of the house without his hearing him? “Was I gone somewhere?”

Rufus stared at his friend. “You do know where you’re at, right Bobby?”

“I’m not a complete idjit. I know my own house when I see it. Now are you going to help me? Or are you going to stand around all day?”

“Help you with what?”

Bobby rolled his eyes as he sat down behind his desk and began reaching for his books. “Now who is the idjit? With the research of course. For some reason I can’t remember all of the details. But the boys are hunting something that can’t be stopped and I have to find a way to stop it.”

“Bobby, that doesn’t make any sense. How can you stop something that you can’t even remember what it is?”

“Well, I.....” Doubt began to gather behind Bobby’s eyes. Maybe Rufus had a point. Bobby quickly shook his head. What was he thinking? Since when did Rufus ever have a good point? “I’m sure it’ll come to me.”

Rufus shook his head sadly. Apparently, Bobby didn’t realize what had happened to him. And for all of their problems he really hated to be the one to break the awful news to Bobby. As a matter of fact he would give anything if he could tell the man in front of him something different. But the sad fact of the matter was it was true. Very true. “Listen, Bobby. I have to tell you something...”

But before he could finish speaking, Bobby interrupted. “Unless it has something to do with the case the boys are on, I don’t have time to hear it. “ He began to flip through pages as fast as he could. Almost as if he knew what Rufus was going to say and just couldn’t or wouldn’t face it.

“Bobby, you have to listen to me.” He didn’t know whether he wanted to hug the stubborn jackass or strangle some sense into him. Just to be on the safe side, Rufus stuffed his hands into his pockets. “You were shot and you didn’t make it.” The words came out of his mouth in a rush. “I’m sorry. But you’re dead, Bobby.”

His head snapped up and he stared at Rufus.What kind of sick prank was this? He knew that he and Rufus had had their ups and downs. With the downs being pretty awful but he would never have thought Rufus would pull a stunt like this. Too many people, a lot of them were his family, his friends, had died while fighting the supernatural for survival for him to ever consider dying as a joke.

Almost as if he knew what his friend was thinking, Rufus began to speak, “It’s not a joke, Bobby. It’s true. You and the boys were on a hunt. A leviathan shot you. Sam and Dean rushed you to the hospital but you didn’t even make it into surgery. I’m sorry.” He reached his hand out to clasp his friend’s shoulder but let it fall before he could touch him. “This is your heaven.”

“Then why are you here?”

Once more Rufus shook his head. It would have helped him out a lot if Bobby could have remembered his visit with the Reaper. “Despite everything that has happened between us, Bobby. I still consider you my friend. Oh, don’t get me wrong, you’re a stubborn jackass on most occasions but you’re still my friend. And I came to make sure you were okay. Sometimes dying takes some getting used to. Granted there’s nothing you can do about it either way. Once you’re dead you’re dead but still it doesn’t hurt a body to have a friend around just in case he needs it.”

Bobby jumped up from his chair and began to pace the room. “Let’s say for a minute I believe you and I’m dead. If this is my heaven, then where is Karen? Where is my wife? I can’t believe I would think any place was heaven without her in it.”

“There’s nothing to believe or not believe. You’re dead and ain’t nothing going to change that. As for Karen, I’m not really sure but I think she will be here as soon as you really want her here.”

Bobby stopped pacing and walked toward the fridge. If that was the case then he knew why his wife wasn’t there yet. He was still plagued by the guilt of what he had done. It didn’t matter that in his head he knew it was a demon inside of her body he had killed but in his heart it was his wife. Hopefully, in time he would get to the point where he thought he deserved to be with her. But right now it was enough for him to know, eventually she would be there. As he opened the door he glanced over his shoulder at his friend. “I think this calls for a beer. You want one?”

Usually he would prefer a glass of Johnny Walker Blue but since this was for Bobby.... Rufus nodded his head.

After they had taken their first sip, Bobby lowered his bottle and stared at Rufus. “Dead huh?”

All Rufus could do was nod his head. After all what else could he say?

“Ain’t that just a kick in the head?”

It was a rhetorical question one Rufus didn’t bother to answer. He raised his beer towards Bobby until their bottles touched and repeated his words from earlier. “Welcome home, Bobby.”

With a wry smile on his face, Bobby raised his beer to his mouth and took a long drink. Not hunting and being there for Dean and Sam when they needed him was going to take some getting used to. But with Rufus and a lot of beer to help him he knew he would get used to it.

Eventually.

Hopefully.

Someday.