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Mary knew that witches had their worth. The Campbells had drilled it into every child’s head how to tell the good witches from the bad witches, and how to keep the good witches in your pocket. Not every hunter had the knack for spellcasting, and some spells just needed the power a witch could bring to the table.However, the witch who had just waltzed into the bunker like she owned the place was none other than Rowena MacLeod. The worst part was that both of her sons hugged the witch like they hug her. It was too familiar. It was wrong.Sam brought Rowena over to reintroduce them. “Mom, you remember Rowena?” He smiled and gestured at the redhead who had politely bowed her head. “She’s…”“A witch, I know.” Mary interrupted. “Rowena MacLeod.” She looked at both of her sons before continuing. “I may have died, but I didn’t forget things.”“Aye, apparently my reputation precedes me.” Rowena had the courtesy to blush. “Not all of it is true, but I’d be more than happy ta talk ta ye.” Her violet eyes were hopeful as she gestured to the war table.Mary watched Sam and Dean shoot concerned looks at each other before she returned her attention back to the petite witch. “Perhaps another time.” She walked past the group and headed towards her room, upset at the intrusion the witch had brought upon her restored life.***The next morning Mary found herself about to interrupt a light-hearted conversation between Rowena and Dean in the kitchen. She paused right outside the kitchen and peeked in. The witch looked impeccable, her hair neatly coifed on top of her head, sipping at what appeared to be a cup of tea. Dean was smiling – genuinely smiling – over a cup of coffee, his amusement at whatever Rowena had just said evident.The scene felt like a mother and son bonding. Mary couldn’t take it. She entered the kitchen and cleared her throat. “Morning.” She walked over to the coffee pot, and grabbed a mug from nearby, checking to make sure it was clean.“Good Morning Mom.” Dean smiled at her. He turned to Rowena. “I’m going to go check and see if Sammy’s back from his run. Cas should be coming back with Jack today too.”“Aye. I’ll be here, dearie.” She patted his hand.Dean stopped and kissed Mary on the cheek before exiting the kitchen. Without him in the room, the tension skyrocketed. Rowena sat quietly and stirred at her tea while watching Mary make her coffee.
While she didn’t feel threatened, she didn’t like the scrutiny that came with her drink preparations.“Am I doing something wrong?” She huffed.Rowena’s eyebrow raised, an elegant gesture of confusion. “I’m sorry?”Mary finished pouring her cup of coffee and turned to face the witch. “You’re staring. What am I doing wrong?” She brought her mug to her lips and took a sip.“Nothing.” Rowena smiled. “I was appreciating the view, mo teine.”Mary choked on her coffee, spitting some of it back into her mug. She slammed the mug back on the counter, staring at it, wishing it would have broken.“The boys buy shatter proof ones for that reason.” Rowena quipped, as though she had heard the hunter’s thoughts. “Ye’d be surprised how oft the boys be throwing them. Anger issues.” Her eyebrows raised briefly.“Anything else you care to tell me about my boys, witch?” Mary glared at the smaller redhead.Rowena placed her cup on the saucer in front of her. “Aye, there are many things that I can be tellin’ ye mo teine.” She got up and sauntered gracefully over to Mary. “But it ain’t my place.” She gently placed a hand on the taller woman’s cheek. “I mean ye no harm. I dunnae know why ye think I do.” Rowena walked out of the kitchen, leaving behind more questions than answers.***Mary’s mood didn’t improve after Cas and Jack returned. Even the Angel and the Nephilim were cozy with the witch. Jack was chattering away happily with Rowena about what he and Cas had done on their hunt. Rowena’s smile was genuine as she listened to Jack, and she encouraged him to continue with his story. Cas stood back with Dean, his head on the hunter’s shoulder watching the scene unfold.It warmed Mary’s heart to see this little family blossom, but at the same time it was shattering because it wasn’t her sitting where Rowena was. She knew she had missed so much. She didn’t get the chance to be a parent to her children. She didn’t know them. She was trying, but why did they look to a witch for a maternal support?She quietly turned to walk out of the room and bumped right into Sam.He let out a quiet oomph at the impact but was able to grab Mary before she fell backwards. “Sorry Mom.” He looked at her questioningly for a moment before pulling her into a hug.“What’s that for?”“You look like you need it.” He looked over her head and saw the familial scene in the library. “Come on.” He took her hand and led her to kitchen. He guided her to the table before walking over to fridge and grabbing two beers.Mary sat down and ran her fingers through her hair, sighing as she took the beer from Sam. “Shouldn’t I be the one mothering you?”“That’s what’s bothering you, isn’t it?”“It’s that obvious huh?” She cracked her beer open and took a swig. “Am I that easy to read?”“Well, you are our Mom. And Dean takes after you a lot. And I can read Dean like a book. So yes.”Mary snorted. “So, what else can you tell?”“You want to blame Rowena.” Sam didn’t hesitate in his answer. “You don’t like that we know her. You think she’s an evil person. You probably wonder if she has us under some kind of spell.” Mary nodded, and Sam continued. “The way you acted when I tried to give you a proper introduction, sounds like you’ve heard of her.”“She was a known entity when I was a teenager. Looks exactly the same now, as she did then. Beautiful, fiery, dangerous.” Mary sighed. “No one could catch her. We didn’t know how. It was as if she could disappear into a puff of smoke.” She looked back towards the library. “I admired her, but I was so fearful of her. It was drilled into me. And to see her just so casual with you all. I’m terrified.”Sam nodded. “It hasn’t always been good times with her. But she has come a long way. Dean calls it her redemption arc.” Mary scoffed. “Mom, look, I know you’re wary. Why don’t you spend some time with her? She actually expressed interest in getting to know you as well.”“So, you want me to get to know the woman who’s been more a mother to you than I have?”“Aye, ye think that. But I’m just someone they could turn to.” Sam and Mary turned to face the entrance to the kitchen. Rowena was standing there holding her teacup. “Samuel, could ye give me and yer mum a moment please?”Sam looked back at his mom and offered her an encouraging smile before standing up and leaving the kitchen.Rowena had grabbed another teacup and set it in front of Mary. “I know that ale is the go-to around here, but I promise I make a good cup of tea.” She had put the kettle on and started mixing some tea leaves with some other herbs that they kept in the kitchen. “Ye have every right to not trust me Mary. I cannae say that I blame ye. The hunter lifestyle teaches you black and white with few shades of grey in betwixt.”Mary watched as the witch skillfully put the blend into tea infusers, before bringing them over to the cups. “What do you want with the boys?” She quietly asked.“Nothing.”“What do you mean nothing?”“I mean, yer boys are family. I don’t want them for some grand scheme. I mean they have been spending the better part of the past 14 years making their own family. For some crazy reason they want me in it. They showed me redemption and I took it. I’ve been helping them.” A kettle whistled and Rowena went to get fetch it. “We dinnae see eye ta eye at first, clearly. But I’d do just about anything for them.” She poured hot water into each cup. “Three minutes mo teine, and not a moment more.”“I don’t understand.” Mary looked up at Rowena. “You just changed?”“No one ever truly changes. But we grow, and we evolve, and we become the best version of ourselves.”“That’s not change?”Rowena slowly and gently cupped Mary’s chin. “Did ye mean what ye told Samuel?”Mary swallowed. “What did I say to him?”“That I’m ‘beautiful, fiery, and dangerous.’”“You are indeed dangerous.” Rowena raised an eyebrow. “And you haven’t aged. So yes, you are still beautiful and fiery.” Mary admitted.“So, have I changed?”Mary involuntarily licked her lips. “No.”Rowena leaned in closer, her lips now a hair's breadth away from Mary’s. “And would ye change me? Knowing that I wouldna harm ye?”Mary’s eyes flickered to Rowena’s lips before looking her in the eyes again. “I don’t think I would.”Rowena planted a kiss on Mary’s forehead. “Good.” She grabbed the diffusers out of their teacups. “Now, let’s talk. And perhaps, mo teine, we can get to know each other better.”