Smoke and Ash

6 |UFO

"What? You gotta ask? Right, yes, you do have to ask." Dean sighed.

"Look, I'm sorry, but this is all a big joke, right, and we're not actually taking this UFO crap seriously?" Sam said, looking over at me.

"Not a one." I shook my head.

"No, man. ET is made of rubber. Everybody knows that. But there are four legitimate vanishings in this town. Something's going on. And Sam? By the way, it's not the lady's fault that she took the brown acid." Dean snapped.

"Yeah! So?" I asked.

Dean looked at me and Sam. "Empathy, guys. Empathy. I mean, the old Sam would have given her some, some wussified, dew-eyed crap. At least with Bellamy's hatred for human, I get it!"

Sam rolled his eyes. "Old Sam had a soul—was a soul. Whatever."

"Right! Yes, and, and, but you don't—aren't. Whatever." Dean said.

"Right." Sam nodded.

"Right. You don't care." Dean echoed.

"Well—"

"You have to care!" Dean said loudly.

"About what, exactly?" Sam asked.

"About everything, man! About being human at least." Dean said.

"Look, Dean. You obviously care. A lot. And that's great. But I can't care about what—I can't care about it, you know? What do you want me to do, fake it?" Sam said.

Dean nodded. "Yes. Absolutely. Fake it. Fake it till you make it."

Sam sighed. "What happened to you wanting me to be all honest?"

"Hey, you wanna be a real boy, Pinnochio, you gotta act the part." Dean said.

"I was faking it Dean! Ever since we got back on the road together, I was picking every freaking word. It's exhausting." Sam snapped.

"Okay. All Right. But until we get you back on the soul train, I'll be your conscience, okay?" Dean said.

"So you're saying you'll be my... Jiminy Cricket." Sam said.

"Shut up. But yeah, you freaking puppet. That's exactly what I'm saying." Dean nodded, letting go of our arms and the three of us getting into the Impala.

We drove to one of the victim's fathers store: Brennan's Watchworks.

"Mr. Brennan?" Dean said as we walked in and saw the old man.

"Mmm?" Mr. Brennan looked up at us.

"We're with The Mirror. We would like to ask you—" Sam started.

Mr. Brennan scoffed. "What? Is this about Patrick? Patrick's gone."

"Missing. Right. Yes, that's what we want to talk to you about." I nodded. "Now, your son was the first to disappear."

He nodded. "First to be taken."

"Taken." I echoed.

"Get out! Out!" Mr. Brennan stood up and walked past us towards the front door.

"Mr. Brennan, who do you believe took your son?" Dean asked.

He opened the door for us. "You people can't help me. My boy is never coming back."

"You sound awfully sure." Sam said.

"Excuse me?" Mr. Brennan said.

"Like you know something you're not talking about." I added.