Chapter 5

Dean

I'm kneeling in a room, covered in blood as bodies litter the ground around me. I look down at the blade in my hand which is shaking. The sound of Brooke's voice echoes in my ears as I look at the bodies around me.

"What did you do?"

Suddenly, I'm gasping awake, sitting straight up in bed before trying to catch my breath. I look down next to me, finding Brooke stir a little but seems to still be in a deep sleep.

I look at the Mark of Cain on my arm, feeling it throbbing a bit in my arm as my heart races. Eventually, I'm able to calm myself down enough for the throbbing to go away and my body to relax somewhat. I lay back down, wrapping my arms around Brooke and pulling her closer to me as I snuggle my head in her hair.

It was just a dream. It's okay.

I said those words over and over in my head, my ears listening to Brooke's breathing, and my eyes dropping. Eventually, I fell back to sleep, unable to dream which I was grateful for.

Before I knew it, the alarm next to me was going off and a groan left both Brooke and I's lips.

Time to start searching again. Brooke and I had gotten some rest after starring at books and papers most of the night, but now it was back to it.

With a cup of coffee, both Brooke and I found ourselves sitting at the map table, looking at papers and books in hopes of finding something on the Mark. After a half an hour, Sam entered with his laptop, glancing at Brooke who looked to be asleep on her hand in the chair across from me.

"Hey. We good?" Sam asked me.

"Aces," I said, pausing as I closed another book that led us nowhere. "Yeah, I love the smell of parchment in the morning."

"I mean, how much lore is even left? We've got nothing on the Mark?"

Brooke spoke up with a slightly mumble, her eyes still closed, "Nothing, and who knows how many times we've checked these books."

"I thought you were asleep," Sam said, surprised to hear from Brooke.

A yawn left her lips before she opened her eyes and leaned back in her chair, "Just resting my eyes."

Gesturing to the pile, I started to speak. "You'd think these eggheads, with all the crap they amassed over the years, would have actually collected something important, like, maybe the oldest symbol known to man. That's not worth our time. It's not weird enough." I sighed and leaned back in my own chair. "I'ma swallow a bag of knives if I got to keep looking at this stuff. Let's –"

Quickly, Brooke sprung up, hope in her eyes as she cut me off, "Leave, go on a hunt, something, anything but this. Please!"

Sam and I smiled at her reaction, and as if on cue, my phone went off next to me. I glanced at the text before saying, "Cas needs us."

"Great! I'll pack a bag," Brooke said, rushing to stand up and race to her room to pack. Sam chuckled at her reaction while I just watched her little body run with the spirit in her that I love.

We packed a bag before heading off, meeting with Cas outside of a restaurant. He told us about a girl, Claire, who was apparently Cas' vesicles daughter. She diched him and left, leaving Cas to call us.

"This is why you called us? THIS is your emergency?" I said, a little upset.

"Yes!" Cas yelled at me, making me shake my head.

"No, Cas! An emergency is a dead body, okay? Or a wigged-out angel, or the Apocalypse, take three. Some chick bolting on you is not an emergency. That's ... that's every Friday night for Sam."

Sam looked over at me, giving me a face, "Dude."

"Well," I shrugged before focusing back on Cas.

"This isn't just "some chick." I'm responsible for her."

"Since when? You met her once, how many years ago?"

Brooke spoke up, taking a step towards Cas, "Look, Cas, even if we do find Claire ... Then what?"

I nodded in agreement, "She rolled you, and then she ran, okay? It's pretty clear that she doesn't want to play house."

A sigh left Cas' lips, "I understand. But I need to know that Claire is safe. And I need your help."

Sam shifted his wait before throwing his hands up, "All right. Uh ... Why don't we go ask around at the group home?"

"Uh, you know what? We're going to stick here in case she circles back. You go ahead," I said, nodding to Brooke to join Sam. Her face fell, clearly confused.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, Cas and I can have some guy time," I said, putting my hand on Cas' shoulder.

Brooke nodded, moving over to me, "Okay. Love you," She said and gave me a kiss.

"Love you too," I said before she took a few steps back to Sam. Cas thanked them for helping before we watched Sam and Brooke leave.

I turned around, heading inside the restaurant with Cas to quickly follow. We grabbed a table and ordered some food, which I rammed down while Cas barely touched his burger.

"All right, so spill. What's with the family reunion?" I asked with a mouth full of food.

Cas shrugged and sighed, looking at the table, "I don't know. I've just been ... thinking about people. I've helped some, but I've ... I've hurt some."

"So you're having a midlife crisis."

"Well, I'm extremely old. I think I'm entitled."

Finishing my burger, I grabbed a napkin, whipping off my hands and mouth before leaning on the table and looking at the angel. "Cas, listen to me. There's some stuff you just got to let go. Okay? The people you let down, the ones you can't save ... You got to forget about them. For your own good."

"Is that what you do?"

Scuffing, I shook my head, "That's the opposite of what I do. But I ain't exactly a role model."

Cas looked at me sympathetically, "That's not true."

I laugh at him, not believing a single word that came from his lips in the last five seconds. I found myself leaning back in my chair, starring off for a moment until Cas spoke up again. "What's going on, Dean?"

Confused, I asked, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, you usually bend over backwards to make sure Brooke is with you."

Oh, yeah, I kind of hopped no one would notice, but I guess here we are.

"Well, I wanted some time to think, to talk things out."

"What about?"

I paused, debating in my head if I should say something. If I say this out loud, there's no going back. Not that I'd want too, but it's just a scary thing.

"I'm thinking of asking Brooke to marry me."

Cas' face lit up, putting his hand on my shoulder, "Really? That's great Dean, congratulations." But, as quickly as he said those words, he read my distant face and his expression changed. "Something else is wrong."

Wow, nothing gets past you, Cas.

"What could possibly be wrong, Cas? I, I got the girl, I'm doing good, I lost the black eyes-"

"But the Mark of Cain is still affecting you."

My mind flashes to the dream I had and my body shakes a little.

"Dean?"

I blink hard, coming back to the present before I lean in closer to Cas, speaking with a determined voice. "Cas, I need you to promise me something."

"Of course."

"If I do go dark side, you got to take me out."

Cas leaned back, upset, confused, and taken back by my words. "What do you mean? You just said you wanted to marry Brooke, now you're telling me to, to kill you?"

"And I want too, but if I go dark again then you need to take care of me. Knife me. Smite me. Throw me into the freakin' sun, whatever. And don't let Sam or Brooke get in the way, because they'll try. I can't go down that road again, man. I can't be that thing again."

Although Cas was silent, I knew that he knew that I was right. He knew he may have to do that, and when it came down to it, it would be hard but he'd do it.

My phone went off next to me and I checked the text from Brooke. "They found a guy who may know where Clare is. Dustin. Let's go."

Cas stopped me as I started to stand, "Dean, are you sure about this?"

"There's a lot I'm not sure of. But I'm sure of two things. I love Brooke more than anything, and I won't become that thing again."

Cas nodded slowly before standing and joining me as we headed off to meet up with Brooke and Sam.

Sam, Brooke, and Cas were outside of Weiner Hut, waiting for Dustin to come out. I kept watched in case he tried to run, but my eyes caught sight of a vending machine and I stuck a dollar in before grabbing a bag of chips. By the time I returned, Cas had Dustin pushed up against the wall and was asking where Claire was.

"I'd do what he says," I said with a mouth full of chips.

Brooke turned around, noticing my bag of chips and made an "Ooo" face before grabbing a couple and throwing it in her mouth. Sam gave Brooke and I a look to which I just smiled at him and Brooke shrugged as she threw another chip in her mouth.

Dustin revealed where Claire was staying and we headed off. Luckily, she was just walking out of a store when we approached her, making her glare at us before turning the other way.

"Claire, wait!" Cas yelled, hoping to stop her.

"Screw you!"

"Whoa, hey, Miley Cyrus. Settle," I said, stepping in front of her with Sam and Brooke.

Claire glared at me, venom in her voice as she said, "Eat me, Hasselhoff."

Well, I've defiantly been called worst.

Sam held up his hand, "Claire, hold on a second. Look, my name's-"

"Sam. And you're Dean. We've met, remember?" Claire crossed her arms and looked at Brooke, nodding towards her, "Who is she?"

"Brooke Myers."

"You with them?" Claire asked, gesturing towards Sam and me. Brooke nodded in response and Claire scuffed, "Well, you picked a crappy side."

My face scrunched up at the comment and for a second I felt like I was a dad about to yell at his daughter. Thankfully, Cas spoke up and stopped me, "Claire. You were going to rob that convenience store?"

"So?" Claire shrugged.

"So? So, it's wrong!" Cas yelled.

"You want to talk to me about wrong? You killed my dad. Is that "wrong" enough for you?"

"No, I didn't."

Claire rose a brow, "Really? Because without you, he'd still be here. And my mom would still be around."

"Claire, I'm-" Cas starts to take a step towards her but she quickly pulls out a gun and cocks it, aiming it at Cas which surprises everyone.

"Don't!"

"That won't hurt me," Cas sighed.

"Fine," Claire shrugged before turning and pointing her gun towards us. Out of instinct, we all put our hands up and take a step back. Unknowingly at first, I step in front of Brooke, blocking her from the gun. "What? Like you don't have it coming? You stood there while this monster took my dad."

Claire puts the gun down and turns back to Cas, sadness in her voice. "I used to pray to you, Castiel. Every night. I would beg you to bring him home safe."

"I know."

Ah, maybe not the best thing to say.

"You knew? My father was a good man. In what messed up world does he have to die and you get to live?"

"I'm sorry," Cas looked down.

"No. You feel guilty. There's a difference."

Sam took a small step forward, "So what? Now you run back to Randy? The guy you steal for?"

Claire eyed Sam, "How do you know about that?"

"Dustin," I answered, making her sigh.

Brooke spoke up next, "Claire, that man is using you."

"He was there for me. When things got bad, and they got real damn bad, he was there when no one else was. He's my family." Claire turned to Cas, "And you're just... you can go to hell."

With that, we all watch her turn and leave.

We decide to head to a bar near-by and order some drinks as the bartender walks over to us. "Three whiskeys and a beer," I order before we look at Brooke who looks down sad.

"Cas, don't beat yourself up, man. Claire was..." Sam starts but drifts off.

"Right. She was right. Who am I to tell her how to live her life?"

I shrug, "Well, somebody needs to. It's not like we're talking about Mother Teresa here. The girl just about knocked over a Gas n Sip. She's got issues."

"Because of me," Cas tried to justify.

"Well, you are wearing her old man's meat suit. Probably didn't help," I gestured.

Sam shakes his head at me before the bartender places the drinks in front of me. I place the drinks in front of Sam, Cas, and myself before placing the beer in front of Brooke who takes it with a smile.

I know my girl.

Cas sighs, "I thought I could make it up to her."

Brooke took a sip of her drink, "I don't think you can. I mean, Jimmy was her father, and to some people, that's... That's everything, you know?"

"No, I don't. I never knew my father. He was distant, to say the least." Cas turns to me, "What about you? Did you love your father?"

I look at Sam, slightly taken back by Cas' words before I looked back at Cas, "With everything I had."

Sam nodded, "Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it wasn't always easy, but yeah."

"I mean, look. John Winchester's not going to win any "Number One Dad" awards, you know? But you know... damn if he wasn't there when we needed him," I said, truthfully.

Cas nodded for a moment before looking past me at Brooke, "What about you, Brooke?"

There was a pause before she spoke, "My dad was a good man. He'd give a stranger off the street his shirt if they asked him for it. But, he always carried a gun on him, prepared for anything. He was there for everything, but when he wasn't being "Dad of the Year" he was looking for a way to save his family. He died trying to save me, because that's the kind of man he was."

Silence filled us as we all took a sip of our drinks while Cas took the whole shot.

"Do you think Claire is in trouble?" Cas asked?

I looked straight ahead before looking at Cas, "She's hanging out with a guy named Randy. She's in trouble."

We finished our drinks before heading off to Randy's place. One of his men watched us climb out of the car and opened the door, confused. He opened his mouth to speak only for Cas to lift up his hand and the man to go flying backwards.

Randy and a few of his other men looked towards the door just as we walked in. Brooke, Sam, and I have our guns out and pointing at the men, keeping them from reaching for their own weapons.

Cas looks around the room, "Where's the girl?"

The sound of screaming is heard coming from upstairs and Cas quickly runs up the stairs. A few minutes later, Cas is returning down the stairs with Claire who moves away from him, looking at Randy confused.

"Randy?"

Guilt fills Randy's face as he looks at the ground.

I nod to Cas, "Get her out of here."

"Yeah. Go," Sam agreed before Cas and Claire turned and left. I looked at Sam, "Go."

Sam nods before following, leaving Brooke and I to take a step back only for one of Randy's men to reach for his gun. Brooke and I quickly rose our guns again, "Hey, back up! Back up. Don't be as dumb as you look. Brooke, go."

"Dean-"

"Go," I half ordered, keeping my gun on the men as Brooke hesitantly leaves.

"Hey!" I heard a voice behind me, making me turn and see one of Randy's men. He hits me over the head with a bottle, causing it to smash and my body to teeter back. I drop my gun and I feel blood start to drip from my forehead.

The men stand and start to crowd closer around me as flashes of the Mark, killing Abaddon, waking up as a demon, all of it. I look up at the men, shaking my head with a small chuckle, "You guys don't want to do this."

Randy laughs and kicks me in the face, causing my mind to go black. Every part of me is on fire and all I feel is anger and pain. I want to scream, I want to run, but instead everything seems to fade to black.

When I return I'm kneeling on the ground, a bloody knife in my hand. Bloody bodies cover the floor around me and I feel drips of blood on my own face and body.

This was it, this was my dream last night.

A scream makes me look up to find Claire being the one to scream before Cas pulls her into him. Brooke is looking around, her gun at her side as her mouth is parted in shock and fear.

Sam makes his way over to me cautiously before holding my head in his hands, "Dean? Dean. Hey. Tell me you had to do this."

I look around before looking at Sam with a shake of my head, "I didn't... I didn't mean to."

The same voice, Brooke's voice, echoes in my ear just like it did in my dream, "What did you do?"