LAST YEAR
The old radio sat in its usual spot, on the edge of the island, next to the saltshaker and pepper jar, humming a gentle melody. Rachel reached over and turned the dial down, feeling a slight pain in the side of her head. She rubbed her hands together and used her fingers to gently massage the right side of her head. She sighed and continued stirring the small batch of soup that she'd cooked for herself and her boyfriend. Once again, he was working late, so she made another light supper for the two of them.
The tree branches smacked against the window that lead to the fire escape in their small apartment, causing Rachel to flinch. Her hard, blue-green eyes rested on the dark window, glaring the branches that never failed to look like some creature.
The apartment door slammed as well, causing Rachel to gasp and turn sharply in the direction of the front door.
"Calm down, it's me," came the laughing voice of Doug. Rachel scowled at the light-haired man who was setting down his pack and hanging up his jacket.
"Jerk," Rachel muttered. He smiled and came up behind her, kissing her on the cheek.
"How are you today?" he murmured, his head resting on her shoulder. She smiled and leaned her head on his, feeling his fingers trailing through her long, thick brown hair. "Doing well. Just jumpy."
"Jumpy?" he chuckled, his big hands sliding off her waist and reaching around to taste the soup. Rachel shrugged. "I dunno...everything's been driving me nuts lately."
"Maybe this will cheer you up." Rachel turned to Doug's rather snarky smile. He walked back over to his case.
"I don't like that tone. It makes me nervous." Doug laughed at Rachel's deadpanning as he dug around the papers. Rachel leaned slightly to the right, trying to see what he was pulling out. Her eyebrows raised as he held up a contract.
"What is that?" she said quietly.
"I finally made the down payment on that house we've been looking at." Rachel felt the corner of her mouth pull up into a beaming smile, her mood immediately uplifting. "Really?" she squeaked.
"Really! Its ours now, baby." Rachel let out a small shriek of excitement and jumped into Doug's arms, hugging him tightly. "That's- that's great! I'm freaking out right now!"
"New house brings new beginnings." Rachel pulled back and smiled at him as he gently lowered her to the ground.
"New beginnings," she repeated, almost in a questioning tone. Doug smiled again, leaning his forehead against hers. "We'll talk later," he said softly. "For now, let's eat."
Barely an hour later, the two were stretched out on the couch in front of the small TV, letting the television drone on and on, hardly paying attention. Doug's hand was tangled in Rachel's hair, his nose buried in the crook of her neck. She smiled lazily as she felt herself begin to doze.
A firm knocking on the door interrupted the two. Doug stood up and walked toward the door. He took one glance through the peephole, then opened the door cautiously.
"Can I help you?"
"Is Rachel here?"
Rachel sat up urgently, her head turning over her shoulder so fast she thought her neck was going to snap. She knew that voice- that all-too-familiar drawl. She leapt up as Doug continued talking.
"Who the hell are you?"
"I should be asking you that, punk-"
"Dean!" Rachel walked quickly, toward the front door, feeling a twinge of anger flare up at the sight of her brother. Dean looked as broad as ever, with his favorite jacket hanging over his shoulders, blonde hair clipped and a smug grin on his still child-like face.
Doug looked at her in surprise. "Dean? Your brother Dean?"
"Yeah," Rachel muttered, crossing her arms after stopping by Doug's side.
Her brother's green eyes rested on her. "What? No hug for your big brother?"
"What do you want?" Rachel asked, unamused.
"You're not even going to invite me in?" Rachel's glare didn't let down as she jerked her head toward the kitchen. Dean threw a careless glance at Doug as he stepped into Rachel's apartment.
"Nice place you got here." Rachel glared over her shoulder, warning him to keep his mouth shut. Dean continued speaking as though he hadn't seen it. "If you don't mind, Dan-"
"It's Doug."
"I'd like to speak with my sister. Alone." Doug glanced at Rachel helplessly, who shrugged. "It's fine." He glanced at Dean again, then turned and walked into their bedroom.
Dean turned back to Rachel, jerking a thumb over his shoulder and making a face. "Who's this freak?"
"My boyfriend, not that it's any of your business." she spat. "What the hell do you want?"
"You're my sister, you are my business. What does he do?"
"He's a firefighter." she said shortly.
Dean snorted. "You couldn't pick a guy with a better name? That's why out of your two big brothers, I get more girls. Name's Dean, and I'm handsome, while Sam's got a damn sissy name-"
"Dean, stay on the subject. How did you find me?"
"Again, you're my sister. I know how you think." Dean wandered over to the refrigerator, his expression never wavering as he looked at the various pictures of the two. "Sammy knew where he was going- that's why he went straight to Stanford, the furthest away he could go without leaving the country. You never gave me a clue, you just took off one night. Made us think you did the same- see, I went to Chicago a few years back, since I knew you'd always wanted to go back there- figured maybe you switched schools- but you just went to freakin' Andover. Not three hours away from Lawrence. Real smart, Ray, real smart."
"Yet it still took you four years to find me," she said coolly. "Guess I can't outsmart you forever. What do you want?"
"Hey, Sam told me like three years ago that you were here. I've been in town before. Asked around." He picked up the saltshaker, twisting it around in his big hands. "Dropped outta Witchita State, eh? Can't believe you and Sammy are twins. He'd be so disappointed. Whatever happened to medical school?"
"Dean, would you answer my question! If I haven't made it clear, I don't want you here." She said, her frustration rising.
"Still a poet." he chuckled.
"Stop being an idiot! If you have nothing useful to say, you're wasting my time and yours. So spit it out or take a hike."
Dean finally faced her dead on. Rachel held her ground, glaring into the eyes of the person she'd once admired more than anything in the world.
"Dad's missing."
"That's not my problem."
Dean raised his eyebrows, almost looking shocked. "Seriously? That's all you have to say?"
"What the hell do you want me to say, Dean? 'Sure, I'll go after my father who doesn't even want me?'"
"Ray, don't say that-"
"I'm not involved anymore. It's not my problem. I have a life, and you are not apart of it. Neither is Dad."
"What about Sam?"
Rachel shrugged. "We can't really shut each other out, can we?"
"Right. That freaky twin-telepathy thing."
Rachel sighed. "You act like it's a good thing."
"Isn't it? You can see where the other is at. What he's feeling. All the time."
"Which makes shutting you all out so much easier," she said sarcastically.
"Look, Dad never came home on the last trip that he went on. It's been a few days and I'm getting worried."
"Did you try his cell?" Rachel asked.
"No, I was waiting for a damn carrier-pigeon." Dean snorted. "Of course I tried his cell! The number's disconnected."
"Sounds like he got sick of you too." Rachel sneered.
"This isn't a game, Rachel. Dad's missing."
"Again, it's not my problem." Rachel said shortly.
The siblings glared at each other, not wanting to be there any longer but not wanting the conversation to end. "So you're not even going to worry about the fact that your father could be out there? In trouble?"
"My father, I'd break my back for. Not my goddamn drill sergeant, who doesn't give a flying fuck about a kid's life if a demon gets away." Rachel snapped.
"Rachel, you need to let that-"
"Let it go? Let it go? You've got to be-don't try to defend him!" She said, pointing at Dean, who shut his mouth quickly. "I almost get killed and he yells at me for letting the son of a bitch get away! Like I don't matter!"
"If you want to be fair about it, half of it was your fault-"
"Oh, shut up! I was seventeen, I didn't know any better."
"You should have! Dad raised us to have sense! You know what's out there, you knew what the risks were!"
"It was hard, Dean!" Rachel shouted. "The way Dad raised us, I was never allowed to feel safe or-or normal! Especially not around my friends!"
"What? It's not my fault you were awkward!"
Rachel shook her head, trying to rid herself of the memories of the years of unbrushed hair, dirty fingernails and walking around nearly a foot taller than other girls at her school in boy's clothes. "That's not what I mean! Normal kids don't learn how to shoot a shotgun at age ten!"
"We aren't normal. Haven't you learned that by now?"
"Doesn't matter. I have my own life and I'm safe."
"You were safe with your family."
Rachel didn't retort. She just glared out the window. Dean rubbed the bridge of his nose with his thumb and middle finger. "So I can't count on you to come with me and find him?"
"He's fine. He's too smart to get himself captured. You wanna go find him, fine. But I've got my own life now."
"I can't do this alone, Ray."
"The go ask Sam."
He snorted. "Like Sam's any easier to convince than you!"
"That's because we both have sense. Dad told him to kick it and he did. He didn't need to bother telling any of us."
"You're acting like Dad never gave a shit about you."
"Well, he didn't! All he cared about was killing that son of a bitch! More than his own kids! I was just in the way. You know it, Dad knows it."
"Look, I didn't come here to fight-"
"I know. But I can't help you, Dean. Just don't get yourself killed out there."
"Because you care so much," Dean said sarcastically. Rachel rolled her eyes as her brother stood up straight. "I'll come back and let you know when I find Dad."
"No you won't." Dean turned and frowned. "I'm moving in a few days."
"With Darren?"
"Doug and I bought a house, and we're moving there. And no, I'm not giving you an address."
"Fine. I'll just find you when I want too."
Scowling because she knew he would, Rachel walked past him and yanked the door open, not facing her brother.
"At least promise me this," Dean said, walking up behind her. Rachel sighed and turned to face him. "When you move into your new house, make sure you salt the door. All that voodoo shit. Every night." When Rachel didn't answer, he raised an eyebrow. "Didn't tell little Danny about the family business?"
"Get out, asshole." she snarled.
Dean walked out and help up his phone. "You know where to get ahold of me!"
Rachel slammed the door shut.