Running Up That Hill Δ SPN [2]

026. THREE FEET

Sam and the girls sit in the library as Cas paces and tells them about the Novaks.

"She barely speaks to me. She's like a wounded animal, just watching me." Cas says.

"What about Nathan?" Ophelia asks.

"He's pretty much fine. He talks, he eats, he's... acting like an average teenage boy, I suppose. Eats copious amounts of junk, sleeps half the day, his room is a mess." Cas lists. "Haven't you been texting him?" He asks her.

Ophelia looks like a deer in headlights as Cas gives her a quizzical look and Sam has a small smirk and interested look on his face.

"They text every day." Libby grins.

"Shut up." Ophelia hisses.

Sam lets a small laugh out before turning back to Cas, his mood returning serious.

"Look, Cas, you know what? You really tried to do the right thing that night. You did. This guy Claire was hanging out with, uh, Randy, all he dad was use her." Sam says.

"Well, she thought he was kind. And for that, she loved him. Shows how little kindness there was in her life. You know, whatever Randy did, he didn't deserve--"

"No, yeah, I know, I know. I hear you. Dean has had to kill before. We both have. But that was--"

"That was what?" They all turn to see Dean walk in.

"Dean." Sam says.

"That was a massacre. That's what it was." Dean says. He glances at Ophelia who diverts eye contact. She doesn't mean to, but that night set her PTSD off and she's been having nightmares of him killing her since.

"There was a time I was a hunter, not a stone cold killer. You can say it. You're not wrong. I crossed the line. Guys, this thing's gotta go." Dean looks down at the Mark.

"That won't be easy." Cas says.

"Well, then burn it off!" Dean roars making Ophelia flinch. "Cut it off."

"It is more than just a physical thing. It will take a very powerful force to remove the effect." Cas says.

"Dean, we have been through all the lore. There's nothing." Sam sasy.

"This reaches back to the time of creation. It may pre-date the lore. If we had the demon tablet, maybe." Cas says.

"But you said it was missing." Sam says.

"It is." Cas says.

"Okay, well, who's gonna read it?" Ophelia asks.

"There may be another way." Cas says.

+++

Nathan and Claire have conjoining hotel rooms, Cas figuring they'd both like their privacy. Claire barges into Nathan's room, grimacing in disgust at the mess.

"Dude, you're a pig." Claire says. She picks a T-shirt up and chucks it at the back of her brother's head.

"Hey!" He exclaims. He's lying on his stomach on the bed and is on the phone that Cas got for him.

"Who are you texting? Your girlfriend?" Claire asks, referring to Ophelia.

"She isn't my girlfriend." Nathan argues, throwing an empty fry box at his sister out of annoyance.

"Then stop making heart eyes at her all the time." Claire retorts. "Pack your bag, we're leaving."

"What? Where? Why?" Nathan asks, sitting up.

"Look, I can't... I can't be around Cas or-or whoever or whatever. Not when it's dad's body." Claire says.

"Okay... so you could leave and I could stay. Doesn't bother me as much." Nathan says.