3

The Curse

Sunday

"Oh God, not again."

Ohh yes again.

Kat held up her finger as a gesture for Smartass to hang on a second.

"Leave them alone," Sweetie said softly, tugging him away. "They had a hard night."

Kat looked down at Dean, who was still asleep, looking peaceful. She hated to break it, but he'd want to see this. "Dean," she whispered, kissing his ear. "Dean, wake up."

"Mmn, what's wrong?" He asked sleepily, squinting. Kat smiled meekly.

"Um, we have company."

"Tell Cas to stop being weird and go back inside," he groaned. Kat pursed her lips, glancing up at the other Deans before she answered.

"Uh, it's not Cas, it's-"

"I'm not touching yo-ou."

"Smartass," Grumpy barked. "I swear to God, I'll tear your freakin' finger off."

Dean's eyes flew open, just as hers had and groaned. "Please, for the love of God, tell me I'm dreaming." She smiled, kissing the top of his head.

"Yeah, you're not." He sighed, shutting his eyes for a moment before looking at his counterparts through the window. "We'll be out in a minute, go inside and try not to scare the crap outta Bobby, alright?"

"Can do!" Smartass called, turning away. Kat peeked through the window at their receding backs. She knew each one of them simply by that.

Smartass swaggered when he walked, elbowing a rigid Grumpy and receiving a hard shove in the opposite direction when he did.

She saw Cry-Baby's slumped shoulders and Sweetie's caring arm around them, smiling gently while he talked to him. Deanne tossed her hair, no mystery there. Happy had his strut that drove her crazy just looking at him. Damn that Winchester sex appeal… Paranoia was his usual jumpy, jittery, hunched self, babbling the most obscure and deadly things that could happen in the time it took to walk from the Impala to Bobby's front door.

"Maybe if we stay here they'll go away," Dean suggested, eyes still clenched shut. She smiled, stroking his hair again.

"I don't think it works that way. We leave them alone for too long and Bobby's gonna start shooting." He looked at her, smiling a little.

They didn't say anything. They just looked at each other. In that, each apology was spoken and understood, forgiveness was handed out and accepted. He kissed her softly just to seal the deal.

"I'm hungry," he said. She grinned.

"When are you not hungry?" She giggled. He sat up, getting out of the Impala. Kat followed suit, shivering a little at the chill now present of his sudden absence.

"DEAN!" Bobby bellowed. Dean winced.

"That's my cue."


"Kitty!" Smartass grinned, scooping her into a hug.

"Hi, Smartass," she grinned, patting his back.

"C'mere, you."

"Happy, don't-"

Far too late for that. His lips moved slowly, arms holding her firmly. Her knees gave out in seconds, breath gone in less than that. He let her go, almost dropping her when she couldn't support herself.

"I'm good," she sighed. "I'm alright."

She hugged Grumpy and shook Paranoia's hand.

"Hi!" Deanne squealed, hugging her unbelievably tight.

"Oh! Hi, Deanne!" She choked. "Doin' alright?"

"I'm good," she smiled.

"Good." She let go and turned to the next closest Dean.

"Hey, Sweetie." He smiled gently. But he…he looked, weary. His smile was forced, circles under his eyes dark.

"Hello, Katherine." She pecked his cheek, sighing a little in relief when he blushed.

"Hey, Sweetie."

"Hey, now," Smartass warned. "You'd better jump on that, Dean. You remember what happened last time?"

"Shut up," Dean spat.

"Now why is this happening again?" Bobby asked.

"Probably because of the whole Fa-"

Grumpy punched Smartass in the stomach, cutting him off. Kat frowned.

She looked around, looking for those teary eyes she didn't want to see, but knew they needed to see her.

He was sitting on the couch, head bowed. She watched a few tears fall on the rug and bit her lip. She knelt down in front of him, touching his cheek and wiping tears. "Hey, Cry-Baby," she smiled, lifting his chin.

"Hi, Kat," he said softly, voice shaking, looking up at her from under his lashes.

"Aw, honey." She hugged him tightly. "Shh, it's alright, it's okay. Shh…" She leaned back, smiling at him.

That's when she saw the marks on his neck. Ligature marks in the shape of long fingers. Her eyes grew.

"Cry-Baby, what the hell happened to you?"

The Deans and Sam exchanged nervous glances.

Cry-Baby shut his eyes, bowing his head again, that awful memory of Sam's fingers choking the life out of him flooding the forefront of his mind.

The rest of them realized that keeping Kat in the dark wasn't an option anymore.

-Uh oh. More soon!-