The sun had just dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in soft pinks and deepening blues. A breeze rustled through the trees near the bunker, whispering like the past easing its grip.
John Harrison stood outside, watching the evening settle in. Selene joined him quietly, her presence calm and steady. They didn't speak right away. They didn't need to. Sometimes silence said more than words ever could.
"I still remember the first time we met," Selene said softly, almost like she was talking to the wind.
John turned to her. "Yeah?"
"I was hunting," she said. "Or trying to. I was tired. Worn out. The bloodlust—it felt like a chain around my throat."
John nodded. "I remember. You looked like you hadn't rested in years."
"I hadn't," she said with a small smile. "And then you offered me water. Just that. Not a weapon. Not a fight. Just water."
"I figured everyone deserves a chance," he said.
"That tea you made—it helped. More than the herbs, it was... the way you saw me. Not as a monster."
"You're not," John said firmly. "You never were."
Selene leaned against him. "You gave me hope. Something I didn't think I'd feel again."
Back inside the bunker, the air was filled with gentle conversation and laughter. Dean had brought out some old records, and classic rock played softly in the background.
Amara sat beside him, laughing at one of his old hunting stories. She looked freer now—lighter. Like something dark had finally lifted. It had. With John's help, Lucifer had taken control of the cursed mark's lingering madness. And once Lucifer had steadied, Amara had been released—still powerful, but now centered. Contained, but not caged.
Dean poured her a drink and handed it to her. "To being human. More or less."
She smiled. "It's not so bad, after all."
In the corner, Sam and Jessica sat together, arms intertwined. They were flipping through an old journal, laughing at some of the scribbled notes from their early days.
"You were such a nerd," Jessica teased.
"I still am," Sam grinned. "But you love it."
"I really do."
Lucifer walked in then, holding Jack's hand. His movements were calm. No swagger. No weight of pride. Just a father trying his best.
"I was thinking," Lucifer began, "maybe we could turn that old church into a school. For people like Jack. Like... us."
Sam perked up. "That's a great idea. A safe place to learn. To grow."
Jack smiled. "I'd love that."
Lucifer glanced at John. "I wouldn't have thought like this, before. Before the mark. Before the madness faded."
"It's never too late," John said simply.
Lucifer nodded. "Then maybe this really is a new start."
Later that night, the firepit outside was glowing gently. Everyone sat in a circle. Even Emma had joined them, curled up beside Dean with a soft blanket around her shoulders.
"I never thought we'd be like this," she said.
Dean squeezed her hand. "Me neither. But I'm glad we are."
Amara watched the flames, her eyes reflecting the flickering light. "All that time," she said. "I thought I needed power. Control. But it's this—connection—that makes us whole."
Selene leaned closer to John. "This is what I was missing. For centuries."
John looked around at the faces—some old, some new, all changed. "We've all been through hell. But we're still here. Together."
They sat in peaceful silence for a while, just listening to the crackle of the fire and the gentle sounds of the night.
When they finally headed inside, there was no rush. No fear. Just comfort.
Selene paused at the door, her hand in John's.
"I don't feel the hunger anymore," she said quietly. "Not like before."
He smiled. "Maybe love's the best cure of all."
She laughed softly. "Maybe it is."
And with that, they stepped inside, closing the door gently behind them. Safe. Together. Ready for whatever came next.