"So what's going on Cas?"

"That girl…how do you know her?" Dean noticed the worried look on Castiel's face.

"Alex? We've known her since we were kids. She's Bobby's daughter." Dean looked at Castiel questioningly. "Why?"

"She's has a strong presence…are you too involved?"

"What? Why do you ask?" Dean look confused. He had no idea what Castiel was getting at.

"I found out why Lucifer hasn't been around causing chaos. Yes he has risen, but he is in a weaken state. Apparently he needs the blood of a human sacrifice to regain his strength. It's some sort of ritual."

"So, what's he waiting for? I'm sure the demons would gladly find him a sacrifice."

Castiel stood shifting his weight from right to left and looking at the ground rather then at Dean.

"Cas?"

"In order for Lucifer to regain his full strength and power, he needs a special sacrifice. Any old person won't do. Originally, that person was suppose to be Sam. According to the ritual, love is the most powerful thing in the world. Since the love you and your brother share is unbreakable, it will make for a greater sacrifice if Sam's blood is used, making him stronger when he is filled with that love."

Dean's eyes widen as Castiel's words sunk in. He opened his mouth to speak but when the words didn't come out he close it again. He looked at Castiel hoping what he was thinking wasn't true.

"Wait, you said originally. Has the planned changed."?

"Well," Cas began looking back into the dinner. They both could see Sam and Alex talking inside. Suddenly Dean turned green, as if he were going to puke.

"Your not serious. They can't know."

"Dean, I don't know how they found out. Apparently the love you and Alex share is stronger in some ways than the love you and your brother share. You and Sam are brothers, family; you're expected to love each other. But you and Sam chose to love each other. It seems a decade apart did nothing to change that." He gave a slight shrug and looked down again. When he looked up at Dean again, Dean was looking at Alex inside. "You should tell her Dean. She has the right to know."

Dean looked Castiel in the eyes now, "Yea, cause 'I love you. By the way, Lucifer needs your blood to regain his strength, so demons will be hunting you. Oh and this is why your father was attacked; they were looking for you.' will go over well. I can't tell her. I don't know how."

"She needs to be guarded. Without her, he remains weakened, giving us a chance to figure out what to do next, so you have to tell her. It'll be easier to protect her."

"I know." Dean and Castiel looked at each other for a second before Dean turned back towards the diner. "See ya, Cas."

With that Castiel left and Dean headed back inside. He walked slowly back to the table. As he approached them, he could here her and Sam laughing. I need to protect you now. Your life is in my hands. I promise I won't let you down.

"Hey, did you guys order yet?" Dean sat and they both looked at him waiting for more.

When he didn't answer, Alex responded, "Yea. I ordered you the same as myself. Hope that's ok."

"Yea, it's fine. Thanks."

They ate while reminiscing about the past. However, when they were getting ready to leave, Dean told Sam to go back to the hospital with Alex. Sam looked at him questioningly but Dean said he had somewhere to go. Dean headed for the Impala and drove away. Sam had no choice now but go with Alex. He didn't go to the hospital though; she dropped him off at Bobby's where he waited for Dean.

She sat on the steps of the front porch of her father's house.

I can't stay out here all night though, I have to go in there and talk to Dean. But I don't want to, it's too hard. There is so much history there. I mean, we both have reasons to be angry. I just up and left because I didn't want any part of the hunting lifestyle. He apparently thought it was a phase. When it didn't seem to be just a phase his visits and phone calls became less frequent and then there were none.

The door opened behind her and she gave a slight jump. She turned around slowly and saw that it was Dean.

"Hey, what are you doing sitting out here?"

"Do you really need to ask?"

"Oh right. This is your thinking spot. I remember all the hours we spent here growing up. Thinking…most of the time anyways."

She gave a little chuckle and smiled as she looked back on those moments. "Yea, the good old days. Life was less complicated then."

"You're telling me."

She shifted uncomfortably, and then said, "So we're alone now. I guess now is as good a time as any to talk. We have some things to discuss."

"We do. You wanna go first."

She laughed at this. It reminded her of their teen years, when he always made her start, never willing to put his feelings out there without knowing how she felt first. "Sure." She paused for a moment as she wondered where to start. She took a deep breath and looked out into the lot full of broken down cars. She felt him sit next to her.

"I tried calling you several times when your dad died." She didn't look at him as she spoke, just kept looking at the dark lot. She continued before he could interrupt her. "You never answered or call me back. I left you a message. I know how much your dad meant to you, and I wanted to give you my support, but you made that a little hard."

She took another deep breath. "And I know that when I left things weren't the same. You were pissed at me for taking off. And that you thought when I said I didn't want any part of the supernatural, it meant I didn't want you either. But that's not the case Dean. You know that, don't you?"

She turned to him then, "You can see it when you look in my eyes, can't you?" The look in her eyes was a mixture of pleading and sadness. "Dean, you can, can't you."

When he didn't answer, she got up and squatted in front of him and took his face in her hands. "I, Alexandra Singer, love you, Dean Winchester. Always have and you know it. Now say it back!"

"I really wished you hadn't said the Alex." He took her hands away from his face and got up. Alex stayed in her same position looking up at him with hurt and confused eyes. He could see the tears beginning to fill her eyes, but she turned away from him. He didn't want to hurt her.

"It's just that I found something out today that will change our lives forever," he continued. She turned to look at him again. "Castiel, the guy today from lunch, well he's an angel. Well, kind of because he sort of, chose to go against the other angels when he helped me…it's a long story. Anyway, he was looking into why Lucifer and the demons haven't started anything. And well he found out that Lucifer is in a weaken state. In order for him to regain his strength and power, a ritual sacrifice must be performed."

"I don't get it. He could have gotten a sacrifice a long time ago. He's been out for 3 weeks now. What's he waiting for?" She looked at him confused once again.

"Well it turns out that in order for Lucifer to regain his full strength and power, he needs a special sacrifice. Any old person won't do. According to the ritual, love is the most powerful thing in the world. Lucifer therefore wants someone that the man who broke the first seal loves. And this person must love him back because it makes their bond stronger and more powerful. So since I broke the first seal, originally Lucifer's minions were to hunt down Sam." He looked at her waiting for a reaction.

"Oh my god." She looked at him with compassion. "Well don't worry I will help you protect Sam." She gave him a small smile. Then she looked confused again. "Wait a minute, you said originally. Did something change?"

He could see she was looking at him expectantly, but he didn't know how to go on. He just knew that he must and so he did. "Don't you see, if love is the most powerful thing, the stronger the love the more power he gets. And who do you think they'd feel I'd have a stronger love for than Sam?"

"Oh... right usually the bond or love between a couple is stronger than family because you chose to love." She said it so casually. Her voice calm, no fear in her eyes.

"Don't you see that I've put you in danger, Alex?" He looked away from her then. The thought of anything happening to her repulsing him.

"Dean, this is not your fault. I love you too. Otherwise, it wouldn't matter that you loved me." She got up and took his hands in hers.

"Still." The look of guilt on his face said it all.

Her eyes widened then and her look was one of horror, "Oh my god! The demons, they were looking for me. This is why they hurt him, because of me." Tears began to fall down her face. She ran past Dean into the house, up the stairs and into her old bedroom.

Sam walked out into the hallway after hearing the commotion. He gave Dean a questioning look as Dean began to follow after her.

"I told her," he said calmly to Sam. He walked past him and headed upstairs after Alex.

"Alex, I'm coming in."

He opened the door and saw her curled up on her bed. He went over and sat on the bed next to her.

"I know this is a lot to take in, but blaming yourself won't change anything. Your dad taught you to be stronger than this."

"I know. But he sent me to get ice cream, which I thought was weird but I went anyways. Had I not gone, I would have been here when the demons came. He knew something was up and he stalled me."

"He just wanted to protect you. He's gonna be okay, so don't worry about it." He gave her a small smile.

She looked up at him and shrugged. Her voice was groggy from crying. "We talk every day. Did you know that?"

"No, I didn't," he said.

"Yep, every night. Sometimes for just 5 minutes to say goodnight, but most of the time, we talked longer. It's how we kept in touch. His voice was comforting, brought back home. Him saying goodnight, felt like when he used to tuck me in as a kid."

He pulled her to him and held her then. Whispered that everything was gonna be okay. She looked up at him, and kissed him. As he kissed her back, she pulled him down into the bed with her.

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The next morning when he woke up, Dean realized Alex wasn't next to him. He put on clothes and headed downstairs. Upon entering the kitchen he saw Sam sitting at the table. Alex turned to look at him and smiled.

"See Sam, I told you. The smell of bacon would wake him up." Alex and Sam laughed, as Dean smiled at her and took a seat next to Sam. Alex walked over with a cup of coffee for him. "Good morning handsome. Chocolate chip pancakes or plain old buttermilk."

"Chocolate Chip please," Dean responded with a smile.

"Coming right up." She put a plate with eggs and bacon in front of him. "Eat!"

"Why aren't you eating?'

"I am eating, just eating while cooking. We gotta hurry up. I want to go back to the hospital and see how dad's doing."

A few minutes later she was placing a large stack of chocolate chip pancakes in the middle of the table. "Dig in boys." Sam and Dean both helped themselves. After they ate, Dean went upstairs to shower, while Sa m helps Alex with the dishes.

"Sam, is that your phone ringing in the living room?" The ring could only be slightly heard.

"No, that's Dean's. I'll go get it." He dried his hands and headed for the living room.

Alex could hear Sam talking from the living room as she began putting the dishes away. Her mind drifted to her father.

Maybe I'll get some good news today and he'll have woken up. She sighed. But how do I tell him the reason for his attack. He must know they were looking for me or he wouldn't have stalled my arrival. But did he know the reason why they were looking for me. That I am the "sacrificial lamb" Lucifer needs to regain his strength. How do I tell him that? I can see the upcoming fight with Dean already. Dad was never too happy that we were, well we were never technically anything, but regardless Dad didn't like it. "Danger and trouble follows the Winchester men, you can't get to close or it will follow you too," he always said, and now I would have to prove him right.

But he let himself get close. He's like a father or uncle to Sam and Dean. His boys he calls them. He's been there for them more than anyone else since their father died. If he couldn't let them go, how did he expect her to?

"Hey Alex, that was the hospital. Bobby just woke up." Sam came into the kitchen and interrupted her thoughts.

"That's great! I gotta go… right now… to see him." She was running around to the living room and back to the kitchen gathering her things. "Wait for Dean. I'm gonna go and you guys can meet me there. Bye Sam," she yelled as she ran out the door. Less than a minute later, he heard her car engine turn over and her car screech out of the lot.

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When Dean came downstairs, Sam couldn't help but laugh at him. 'Dude-," Sam began with another chuckle.

"What?"

"You blow dried your hair?"

"Her blow dyer was there, so I figured, why not?" He looked around then, "Where's Alex?"

"Oh the hospital called while you were in the shower. Bobby woke up. She left like 10 minutes ago. Here's your phone." Sam handed Dean his phone, and grabbed his jacket. "Let's go then."

Dean followed Sam out the door. He climbed into the Impala, turned the engine over and drove out the lot. Dean knew he was smiling like an idiot but he couldn't help it. Once on the road, he could feel Sam looking at him, giving him that goofy puppy smile.

"What, dude?"

Sam laughed, "Nothing." He laughed again when he saw Dean's eyebrows furrow with annoyance.

'What's so funny, Sam?" The frustration was clear in Dean's voice.

"It's not really funny, just amusing." Sam smiled at Dean, who looked not at all amused.

"What's amusing?

"The fact that you can't stop smiling. You got lucky last night, didn't you?" Sam smiled at Dean again.

"Dude, seriously? You can't be asking me that. Alex is a respectable young woman and I will not degrade by talking about our sex life."

"So you totally did get laid!"

Dean looked over at Sam annoyed. "Whatever, bro."

Sam laughed. "I'm happy for you bro. Alex is great, you guys have been pining for each other far too long. It's good to see you too back together."

"Wow, Sam. Back together again? We were technically never together before, so there can be no again. Plus, I don' t know if this is us together, she does have a history of running away before getting too close, you know?"

"Well, I don't think she'll be going anywhere this time. And it's not like you're known for you ability to commit either."

Dean gave Sam a look that said it was time to drop the subject. Sam dropped down in his seat, with a pout playing on his mouth.