A Normal Life

Confronting the Parents

Cas shrunk back and little, his hand clutching at Dean’s arm. Sam didn’t blame him, their dad was intimidating. He stepped forward and little and pushed their dad back from Dean. “We can’t leave. We’ll be here whether you want us here or not.” He stepped back and took Dean’s hand “Come on, let’s go buy a room.”

Sam pulled them other two out of the room and back to the front desk.

Dean stared at his brother “What are you doing? You never disobey orders like that!”

“We need to be here, that’s exactly what I intend to do.” Sam replied walking forward grimly. Dean stared at him in disbelief but said nothing more. He paid for a room for the three of them, right across the hall from their parents. Not that the concierge knew that, she just gave them a room.

They walked into the room. This one was a little bigger than the last. It had two beds again, as they had requested and a couch this time. No one would have to share this time. There was a small table right next to a plug for laptops and a non comfy looking chair next to it.

It was like every motel room Sam had ever seen on the television or in real life. Which, for him wasn’t very much.

Sam took one of the beds and Dean pushed Cas toward the other one. “I’ll take the couch. Don’t worry about it.”

Cas stared at him and then shrugged walking away. Sam let a smile take over his mouth as he crashed onto the bed. “We should take shifts though, listening to see if Mom and Dad go out. We have to be with them to make sure they don’t get themselves into trouble.” Sam looked over at Dean “You still have the secret supply of weapons in the trunk right?”

Dean smirked “Love how you ask that when we’re already here. Lucky for you Sammy, I do have them. Never take them out.”

A huge sigh of relief escaped from Sam. He had forgotten to ask Dean before they’d left; somehow it had been the last thing on his mind. Honestly, he knew it should have been the first. If they had any hope or chance of even helping their parents, they needed guns and knives. If not, they might as well go home now. “Good.” He sighed “Good...”

Cas looked back and forth between the brothers and then shook his head “Okay. I can take the first shift it you want.”

Dean shook his head “Don’t worry about it Cas. You get some sleep, I’m not that tired. I’ll take the first one.”

Sam wasn’t sure that was such a good idea. After all he’d been driving the whole time. But he knew there was no way Dean was going to let him take the watch. He always made sure he had enough sleep, food and anything else Sam needed.

It was nice; and very brotherly but Dean needed that stuff too. Sam knew Dean was stronger than him, but still... He worried about his brother sometimes.

He got into bed and closed his eyes.

The dream was the same vividness as the last one. Sam was standing in front of a burning house. His parents were safe. He’d done it; they’d all really done it. Dean was sitting on the side of the road with his head in his hands though. Sam knew why, it hurt him too.

He walked over to his brother and patted him on the shoulder. Lying in front of them was a figure, Sam couldn’t make out the figure but its pale hand was outstretched and it would writhe in pain every few moments. To think that a human had to go through this hurt.

Cas came over and crouched beside Dean “You need to end the pain, don’t you?”

Dean looked up and shook his head “I can’t. I don’t want to.”

“I know it hurts. But Dean, we can’t let someone we know suffer like this. They wouldn’t want what is happening to them anyway.” Sam insisted, tears falling down his cheeks as he looked into the familiar face.

He sighed “Then you do it. Or get Mom or Dad.”

“They...” Sam glanced over at his parents and the cold look on their faces. They were staring at the house, as it burned down. Pieces falling to the ground and collapsing to the ground. They wouldn’t care about this person on the floor, this person who they all had loved “They are a little occupied right now.”

Dean raised his head and stared at the figure. Sam watched his face change as he brought up his blade already bloodied from the other kills they’d been forced to do. All to save their parents that were colder now than they’d ever been. He brought it down whispering “I’m so sorry.” The blade sliced over through their neck. A piercing shriek broke the silence and then all was quiet once again.

Sam sat up, breathing hard. He didn’t want this! He didn’t want to do this! He wanted to go home. This wasn’t the life for them. His parents were right.

He got out of bed and sat beside Dean on the couch, shaking.

“Hey Sammy what’s wrong?” Dean asked, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.

Sam shook his head “Nothing, I...I just think you should go to sleep now. My shift.”

Dean stared at his brother and then nodded “Okay. Wake me up if you get tired, or if anything happens. Right?”

“Right. I promise I will call you if anything happens.”

Dean sighed and looked at the bed longingly. “Right, yeah okay.” He let out a yawn as he stood and stretched into the air. He stumbled toward the beds and collapsed onto the one Sam had just left. He crawled under the covers and fell asleep.

Sam watched him for a few moments and then focused on the door. The motel was silent, the only sounds he could hear was the sounds of his brother and Castiel breathing. The rustle of the sheets as they shifted. It was a soothing sound and he had to force himself to stay awake. He began to softly hum, trying to keep a tune going. Look around in the darkness. He could only make out a few distinct shapes, no details at all.

With the humming and straining to see details, it was easier for him to stay awake.

He listened intently, trying to hear if his parents were moving around or not. But all he heard was silence. Nothing was happening at all.

Sam thought back to the dream he’d had. He knew that he knew the person who had been on the ground. He didn’t know who it’d been though. The face had been distorted, blurred almost. The only discerning feature about the person was that they’d had a tattoo on their arm. A black circle with swirls surrounding it.

He didn’t know what it meant though and so there was nothing to tell him who the person was. He’d never seen the tattoo or the sign/symbol, whatever it was.

Basically he was no closer to understanding what he’d just saw. He was exhausted and couldn’t fall asleep. Sleeping nowadays was a lost art anyway. He’d make Dean let him get some coffee in the morning.

Until then, he would just have to keep his vigil and hope nothing happened tonight.