Definitely A Hunter {2}

THIRTY-THREE

He was trying to find every reason he could to convince her that he wasn't a good enough father. That she should've had a better life, one filled with happiness and love, not fear and death. Dean feels like he's failed at being a responsible dad.

"This life...it makes me feel strong and brave. I mean, of course I'm scared sometimes, but the feeling I get when I save someone? That trumps every bad emotion. I think, at least." Dakota pulls away, looking up at Dean with intense green eyes. "Dad, I'm okay. You've been the best dad anyone could ask for. I'm okay."

Dean stares at her with vulnerable eyes.

"I'm okay." She repeats in a quiet voice.

Dean wants to believe her, but when he has dreams like that, it's really hard to see past them. They shake him greatly, seeing his child like that.

<><><><>

Dean's Dream

The three Winchesters sit around the library table, a laptop between them plays an old movie. Dakota laughs loudly at a joke, a really awful one, Dean looks at her and shakes his head.

"I don't know where you get your tastes in jokes from, because it's not from me." Dean drawls, Dakota crosses her eyes and sticks out her tongue.

"Now that, that's from you." Sam points out, chuckling at his niece.

"Moving on from the sassiness in this family," Dakota says, giving each of the boys a look. "I got something for dad."

Dean gives her a confused look, she simply smirks and rushes from the room toward the kitchen. The oldest Winchester turns to his brother with raised brows, silently asking what that was about. Sam retorts with an innocent look and shrug. Dakota comes in holding a cake with some candles placed into it, she melodically begins to sing 'Happy Birthday' to her dad, Sam joins in--pausing the movie and standing to help her.

"Happy birthday dear dad, happy birthday to you." Dakota finishes, Sam claps his hands in an over exaggerated manner. Dakota's soft smile turns into a bitter smirk, Dean's brow furrows in confusion. Dean glances at Sam, only to find is brother on the ground covered in blood.

The man stares at his daughter in horror as her eyes slowly turn from their beautiful green color, into a pitch black color that stops Dean stone cold.

"No." Dean whimpers, reaching out to touch Dakota's cheek, but she simply starts to giggle--the sound that use to make Dean feel warm, makes him feel nothing but coldness.

"What? Did the great Dean Winchester fail?" The demon taunts, sticking out her bottom lip in a pout. "You should've known this was gonna happen, Deano." The demon sits on the table, swinging her legs as she picks at her nails--acting like she couldn't be less interested in the conversation. "I mean, we've all been taking bets on how long sweet Dakota would last with. Look at your record, Winchester, everyone you love dies."

Dean's jaw clenches, trying to ignore the fact that it's his daughter's face that the words are coming from. It looks and sounds like Dakota, but there's no sense of warmth and love in her tone--not like there usually is when she's talking to Dean.

"That's not true." Dean spits, his eyes redden and water slightly.

"Isn't it?" The demon mocks, furrowing her brow and cocking her head to the side. She genuinely looks confused before a snicker spills from her lips. "First it was losing your mom, and then your dad, and losing adorable Sammy. See it, now? No? Let's see...next it was losing Lisa and Ben, remember them? Well, they don't remember you. Aw sweet little Charlie was the next one, wasn't she? Now it's your baby girl? The child you raised? Dude, that sucks."