Nine


Author's note: Thank you to anyone who's reading or commenting, I really appreciate it! Just note that I changed a couple things from the TVD finale, hope it's not too confusing :) I hope you enjoy :-P


Someone's phone is ringing.

Elena feels a sharp irritation as the unnecessarily loud tone continues to echo for several minutes.

For the love of - will someone answer the phone?!

Then she realizes that she's alone in her own head. No dreams, no nightmares, no memories. Just sleep. Mere unconsciousness for the first time since yesterday. She'd experienced only glimmers of it the other day when she felt strong arms firmly around her. Then again when someone slammed her head into something.

She feels relief flood her at the thought that Kai may finally be gone. Confusion and fear bubbles up afterwards when she remembers that she has no idea where she is, let alone the man lugging her around.

RIIIIIIINNNNGGGG!

Okay, seriously, where's that weird guy who was talking earlier? It has to be his phone.

Elena tolerates several more rings until it finally goes to voice mail. Seconds later it begins ringing again.

Look, guy-man-whatever your name is, it could be an emergency. This is the third call, you should really-

"Cas?" A deep, groggy voice answers.

Finally.

She listens as the voice speaks:

"Yeah, I slept, and shut up. I don't wanna hear any 'I told you so's." He sounds rested, much more so than yesterday. Elena had caught snippets of him talking to her. Though why he was talking to her, she doesn't know, but she'd heard bits of several rants about music on the radio as well as a long, winded lecture on the superiority of pie as a dessert.

There's faint murmuring through the phone's speaker as Elena tries to zero in her attention to her fingers. Maybe if she tries hard enough she'll be able to move-

"Yeah, she's still asleep," the man says. Elena hears a ruffle of clothing and inhales a subtle whiff of alcohol. "How's Sam?"

More indistinct words and her stupid fingers won't budge. She wishes she could at least open her eyes.

"Okay, just keep him there. We can't have any more incidents." Pause. "You don't need to be sorry, you're not the one who bit me. Besides, it's not so bad. It was almost like wrestling when we were kids. He was always the one doing the biting, the damn cheat."

The man laughs heartily as if he'd just remembered the greatest joke. The smallest twinge of concern is in his voice as he speaks again.

"Yeah, I'm leaving the motel in a bit. I should be there by tonight, call me if anything happens." There is a beep as he hangs up.

She hears footsteps walk past her and into another room. A door shuts and there's a muffled squeak as water starts running.

Elena listens in amusement as the man powers through two shower performances of a Foreigner song followed by a Jimi Hendrix vocal-guitar solo. If only Elena could giggle out loud.

The humor dies quickly though, and she resumes her attempts at breaking out of her paralysis.

Okay, don't panic. You've beaten much worse than this.

Think, just think. This all started yesterday. What could've pulled me out of my sleep? Kai's own death hadn't even been able to do that.

Has this man broken the spell? Elena wonders if maybe the reason this is happening is because Bonnie is dead. That thought sends a chill through her body.

And where are Damon and Stefan? They said they'd keep the cure safe. Oh, God, what if something happened to them too?

Very briefly, the thought that this stranger, the one now belting out Def Leppard, could have killed Bonnie or Damon or Stefan, crosses her mind. She can't fathom it. She can't find it in herself to be afraid of him. Annoyed maybe, but not afraid.

As if to prove her point, there is an echoing thud as the man drops what sounds like a bar of soap and shouts, "Son of a bitch!"

The sound of water splashing follows.

Still, this is the man that dug her out of her grave and had no problem carrying her sleeping body around. There's no way he's trustworthy.

Seeming to have recovered from the soap incident, the man resumes his eighties ballad with newfound enthusiam.

Elena inwardly laughs.

The water finally shuts off. Panic sets in and she feels her heartbeat quicken.

The bathroom door opens loudly, the man humming. He travels about the room, getting dressed and collecting hi things before she feel him stop next to her bed.

"Time to go, Elena," he says, surprising her. "Up we go. Let's get you in the car . . ."

Then she feels those arms faintly around her again, only this time she can smell him too. Motel soap.

Then he freezes suddenly, and she just feels him looking at her. That buzz as their skin touches returns, warming her body completely.

She wishes she could see what he looks like.

"Hey," he says softly. "Your heart's beating faster."

If she could turn red, she would. Her semi-consciousness prevents that, thank goodness, but she does feel a fluttering in her gut. A very uncomfortable mixture of nervousness and uncertainty and something unfamiliar.

Elena bounces slightly with each step he takes. Soon warmth hits her, feeling vaguely like the summer sun and fresh air.

"Don't look, don't look, please don't look this way," the man mutters hastily, then, "Oh, shit-"

"Hey, what's going on here?" A faraway voice calls. She hears rapid footsteps coming towards them.

The man holding her groans before calling, "Hello, uh, Edward- er, Edmund. Eddie?"

"It's Edwick," the voice says, now in front of them.

"Right. Edwick. The security guy. Don't hear that name often," the man says brightly.

I really don't think you should be mocking him right now, bud. He just caught you sneaking around with an unconscious body in your arms.

"So mister . . . what did you say your name was?" She can almost hear the cross of his arms.

"Uh, Bonham. John Bonham." The man says, adjusting his hold on her. His strong fingers grip her firmly.

Right, like that's not suspicious.

"That's your girlfriend, right?" He asks then. "She's pretty."

Guess he doesn't listen to music.

"Oh, yeah! She just had a late night." Elena can feel how steady his heartbeat is against her ear. An easy liar.

"She was asleep when you checked in last night, wasn't she?" Edwick asks.

"She has a medical condition."

"Okay . . ."

Yeah, I don't think he's buying it.

Clearly, her guy senses this too so he says quickly, "Just what do you think's going on here, Edwick?", his deep voice vibrating in his chest. "Do you think I'm some kind of criminal?"

"Well, I-"

"She's not drugged if that's what you're saying."

"She could be drugged," he suggests feebly.

"Really? What kind of guy would drug a girl up and just carry her around in broad daylight? Do you think I'm stupid enough to do something like that?"

"No?"

"No," her guy says, a subtle but frightening hint of warning in his voice as he starts moving towards the car again. "We're leaving now. I left the keys on the door."

"O-okay," the motel man stutters.

As her kidnapper places her into the back seat of his car, Elena takes back what she thought about him seeming harmless. He might just hurt her after all.

Three food stops and one gas station later, they finally make it to the bunker.

Dean tosses Elena over his shoulder, careful to avoid contact with her skin after several incidents involving extremely unwanted sensations.

Cas meets them at the door, wide blue eyes glad to see Dean, yet tired at the same time. Dean can only guess he's been up for hours researching.

Those wide blues look at Dean with relief before settling on the girl atop his shoulder. "She's pretty."

"That's what everyone says." Dean replies shortly, setting her on the couch. "The motel guy, the girl at the gas station, the biker-"

"What do you think?" Cas asks, eyebrows quirked in curiosity.

"What do I think about what?" Dean says, a hint of defensiveness in his voice.

There is a pause before Cas shakes his head, "Nevermind- where are you going?"

Dean bounds toward their dungeon, "To see Sam."

"He's - wait, Dean!"

Footsteps fade and Elena is left alone.

Sam doesn't look so great.

Fatigue pulls his eyelids closed and his shallow breaths steal his energy. A pain clenches Dean's chest. This had been his fault. If he hadn't jumped out of the way when-

"Dean?" Sam's hoarse voice calls as soon as he reaches the outside of the cell door.

"How did you-"

"I heard you talking," Sam says with a light chuckle. Through the window Dean sees him sitting against the wall, hair slightly strewn over his face.

"Ah. Vamp hearing."

"Yeah. And vamp hunger, vamp sunburns, and freaking vamp diet."

"Whoa, cranky Sam."

"Shut up, Dean."

Dean laughs at an attempt at lightness. "Look, Sam, we're finding a cure. There's one out there, we just have to locate it."

"Yeah," Sam sighs, resting his head against the wall. "Okay."

"Dean," he feels a nudge at his shoulder, and turns to find Cas. "Come take a look at this."

He sends his brother a smile, which he hopes looks comforting, before following Cas into the hallway.

Sam's eyes focus on him momentarily before glazing over and drifting to the opposite wall.

"What'd you find, Cas?" Dean asks.

He thrusts a laptop into his hands. "Elena Gilbert."

Dean scans the page, which is from a newspaper article just a seven years old.

Pictured to the left is Elena Gilbert, daughter of the deceased. To her right is her younger brother Jeremy Gilbert.

Dean stares at the picture for a long while. Elena's eyes are aimed downward at a coffin, still hiding from him. There are no tears on her face, only a stiff mouth forcing itself not to break.

"She and her parents were in a car accident," Dean says, "And only she survived. That's suspicious."

Cas purses his lips, "Scroll down."

Below that article is another one from a few years afterwards.

Fire at Gilbert home. Pictured to the left is the estate before, pictured to the right is what remains as of last night. Neighbors claim that the fire started between the times of nine and ten at night.

"Also a little weird," Dean says cautiously. "Any casualties?"

"Yes," Cas says, pointing a finger at the boy in the picture, "Jeremy, her brother. . . and there's more."

Dean feels a nagging combination of 'what the hell is this girl involved in?' and 'dammit, getting information on this cure from her is starting to sound impossible,' as he continues to scroll through several articles, all involving Elena and death.

One after another. Elena and death, death and Elena.

"Okay, so what are you thinking?" Dean asks with a frown, handing back the laptop.

"There are many different sleeping curses, Dean. All of them have a catch, just like all magic," Cas says with a sigh. "So unless we have some way of narrowing down which curse we're dealing with, we can't be sure what to do."

"Come on, there has to be something else."

"Well, lore has mentioned one solution quite consistently," Cas says, glancing at Dean with hesitation. "A kiss."

"A kiss?" Dean's voice booms.

"That's what the lore says."

"That's stupid-"

"It says specifically a kiss of love."

"Dude, are you sure you're not just reading some Disney shit? True love's kiss is just fairy tale crap."

"Fairy tales come from somewhere, Dean," Cas says impatiently. "And it's not crap-"

"You would think," Dean says heatedly, "That villains would learn to stop making spells that can be broken by kisses! Of course the spell's gonna get broken, everybody wants to kiss a princess, so eventually somebody's gotta be the right person."

"Elena isn't a princess."

"Well, apparently she's a damn hot commodity because everywhere I go people go out of their way to tell me how freaking pretty she is-"

"Do you not find her attractive?'

"Okay, that's not the point, Cas. I'm just saying that this girl is - I don't know, something."

"Something?"

"She isn't normal."

"Not many people are, Dean."

"There's something up with her, man. We could be stepping into some deep shit by getting involved with her."

Cas's eyebrows lower, "Then why did you take her?"

Dean looks away from him and passes a hand over his face. "I . . . wanted to save her."

The look on the angel's face softens minutely, "Dean-"

"And I just hoped that if we could find find a way to wake her up, then she could tell us where this cure is," Dean explains, "But this case is looking weirder and weirder the more I think about it. I mean, death follows her everywhere. And sleeping curses? I don't know-"

"Her life isn't any stranger than yours, Dean."

Dean laughs and says with sarcasm, "Can't argue with that. In fact, let's just adopt her into our family, she'll fit right in." He shakes his head in exasperation, "Look, we either find a way to get her a kiss or we look for some other solution."

"Maybe we should track down the boyfriend. Salvatore, I think his name is."

"Boyfriend was AWOL. I'm telling you that house was deserted when I got there. Doesn't look like anyone's been there in years."

Cas tilts his head, "Why don't you kiss her?"

Dean scoffs, "Because one: It wouldn't do anything, and two: it's creepy."

"We're past creepy already."

"Well, I don't want to get any farther past creepy, thank you very much."

"You could just try it."

"Cas-"

"You want her to wake up, don't you? It won't hurt to try."

"Just do it, Dean!" Sam shouts, tone irritable, from inside his cell.

Dean's jaw locks and he presses his lips together. He mutters several things under his breath and he stomps back to where they left her on the couch.

She breathes deeply in and out, long legs stretched out. Dean eyes her violet blue dress framing her small body as they approach her. Then he looks at her cheekbones. Her thick eyelashes. Dean almost forgot how striking her face is.

Yeah, he feels creepy.

"Fine. One quick kiss," he says, tossing Cas a serious look. "But you have to get the hell outta here, I can't do it with you staring at me."

"All right," Cas says, almost looking amused. "Just call me if you need anything."

"Okay, but if this doesn't work, I'm making you kiss her too!" Dean calls after him. "You too, Sam, I know you can hear me!"

As soon as the door shuts, Dean let's out a heavy breath. He looks down at the young woman, eyes settling on her closed eyes, her nose, then her mouth. She has a pretty mouth. Soft. Sweet.

He kneels next to the couch, staring down any her intently. Each inch that he moves closer to her he feels a tight crackle in the air between them, tugging him closer.

Now he's close enough to feel her cool breaths against his face, and warmth spreads inside of him, starting at the pit of his stomach and reaching up to grab his heart.

His lips part slightly and his mouth is on hers.

The breath gets sucked out of him as his nerves catch fire. His eyes close and he's enveloped in heat, his heart dancing. He pushes farther into her mouth until he feels her tongue and his stomach performs a somersault. He puts a hand on her face, liking the smoothness of her skin against his fingers.

Suddenly she's kissing him back.

She's kissing him back and it tastes fucking good.

He springs away from her, one hand on his mouth. Damn, that felt-

Her eyes are open, and Dean sees that they are brown. Warm. Shimmering like whiskey.

He freezes, not wanting to shock her as she blinks several times. Something, perhaps fear or confusion, shrinks in her gaze before quickly morphing into relief.

She doesn't appear to notice him as she just breathes deeply in and out. Then, shakily, she lifts her hand to feel the pillow behind her head, running her fingers against the fabric. A wide smile breaks across her face.

"Um-" Dean clears his throat.

Her eyes snap to his, startled, and she stares at him with a suffocating intensity until Dean shifts from foot to foot uncomfortably.

"Uh, Hi, I'm Dea-"

Then, without warning, Elena gets up and slaps his arm, eyes on fire.

"You ass! Do you even know how many times you hit my head on something?"

Dean sputters for a moment before returning angrily, "Hey, I could have left you in that damn coffin!"

"I was supposed to stay in there!" She snaps. "Who knows what consequences we'll face now that I'm awake. There can't just be this gaping loophole in Kai's spell, he's too smart for that-"

"I have no idea what the hell you're talking about, but there's no way I'm feeling bad for saving your life you ungrateful little-"

"And don't even get me started on the constant flirting! I mean seriously? The gas station attendant, that girl at the toll booth, the girl at the drive through, and the girl at the car wash! Every single time with me laying right next to you. 'Oh, she's just my sister' you'd say. 'She's just my really tired sister'. And let's not forget that time that-"

"Look, I can't help that I'm a lady magnet, okay?" Then he says, "So sorry for being myself instead of ignoring everyone and carrying you around like the pope!"

"You know what? You probably couldn't go five minutes without hitting on a woman."

"Hey, you don't know me, okay?" Dean jabs a finger at her. "And it's not like you've been some big help to me, Princess. I went out of my way to help you while you just snoozed away on my shoulder."

She runs a frustrated hand through her hair, "What year is it, Dean?"

"2017," He replies. "Wait, so you know all of that- you know my name- because you heard-

Her jaw tightens as the year sinks in. Then she looks up at him, "I heard you."

"You-" Dean cuts himself off and groans. "You heard . . . everything?"

"Almost."

Dean looks moderately horrified as Elena stumbles toward the door with great determination, flipping her hair over her shoulder. Legs still wobbly, she trips and Dean rushes forward to catch her.

She lands in his arms and he instantly shivers at the jolt he receives from the contact with her skin. He quickly let's go of her, causing her to fall back to the floor.

"Gee, thanks. You're a real gentleman," Elena says, wearily standing back up and rubbing the hip on which she'd landed. "And dammit my head hurts!"

"Okay, Lucy, you got some 'splaining to do," Dean says, only slightly sorry.

"No, Ricky, you have some explaining to do."

"You first," Dean says, feeling like a five-year-old.

Elena rolls her eyes, "Why did you dig me up?"

"Why were you buried in the first place?"

"You know what, I don't have time for this. Where's your phone-"

"Nuh-uh, you're not contacting any of your witchy friends until you tell me what's going on."

She scoffs, "My 'witchy' friends? Look, I just need to check if they're okay." She makes her way towards the door.

He moves to stand in her way, arm barring the door, "Explain first."

She frowns, staring at him for a good two minutes before caving, "Fine. A witch put put spell on me and my friend. I stay asleep as long as she's alive. I'm not getting into the ugly details right now so-"

"Okay, but what about the cure?"

She rolls her eyes, "Well if that's all you cared about you could've just asked-"

Dean glares at her, "Just answer the question, sweetheart."

Elena sighs and says reluctantly, "I drank all of it. I'm sorry, I know you needed it for your brother."

But Dean had stopped listening and already left the room, and Elena hurries to follow close behind as he yells, "Cas!"

"Dean?" Cas comes running down the hall. "Is everything okay- oh, she's awake." His eyebrows raise in shock. "I didn't really expect that to work."

"Well, it did," Dean says grumpily, "And there is no more cure. She drank all of it." His green eyes shoot her an accusatory look.

"So you were a vampire," Cas says, looking at Elena curiously. "That makes sense now."

"Okay, I know you guys are upset, but I can help you find another cure," Elena says. "I just need you to take me home. There are people that can help you there."

"What? No way," Dean shakes his head. "You're gonna lead us straight into a trap or something."

"Why would I do that?"

"You were a vampire. I'm guessing your little boyfriend was too, and we all know how trustworthy vampires are-"

"Dean!" Cas says, shutting him up. Dean scowls. Cas turns to Elena saying, "We have an agreement. We'll take you home if you find a cure."

Elena grins at him, "Okay. Sounds good to me."

Dean was much . . . more than she expected.

More tough, more determined, more strong. Elena couldn't see it when she was comatose, but he walks around as if something were pulling him down. As if there was always something weighing on his shoulders.

And he looks at her with quick eyes, never lingering. She doesn't have to wonder why, she feels it too. The insistent buzz pushing against their skin every time they near each other.

But that's something she'd rather not think about right now.

His kiss woke her up and maybe it was him who pulled her from her nightmares. He doesn't even realize what he's done. She doesn't even realize what he's done. She needs to ask Bonnie about this.

Bonnie, she thinks as she follows Dean and Cas down the hall. But what if it wasn't the kiss that woke her up? What if Bonnie did die?

"Hey, is that the girl Cas was talking about?" A voice calls from a room as they pass and she quickly squashes down the panic rising to her throat at the thought that her best friend might be dead.

Elena peers through the window in the door. A tired, weary looking man sits with his head tilted towards them.

"Elena, this is my brother," Dean says.

"Right, Sam," she nods.

"How the hell-"

"You told me, Dean, remember?"

"For God's sakes."

"Just how much did you tell this girl while she was asleep, Dean?" Cas asks as Sam takes a deep breath and cranes his neck to look at them.

"I thought she was asleep!"

"Hi, Sam," Elena says with a smile.

"Stay away from the door, would you?" Dean says as she peeks into the window.

But Sam had already stood up and approached, eyes tired but alight. "So you're the sleeping girl. I guess Dean's kiss worked." He smiles widely, surprising everyone, "That means you loooooove her," Sam sings, causing Dean to scowl.

He crosses his arms, "No. It means I cared about getting the cure enough that I wanted her awake. I loved the idea of her being awake. See, there's a difference."

"Look, we can get answers as soon as we get to Mystic Falls," Elena says. She vaguely senses Sam lean closer to the door, breathing in deeply. "My friend Bonnie should be able to help."

"Okay, fine, whatever," Dean turns to Cas, "Are you staying with Sammy?"

"Wait," Sam says. "I'm coming with you."

Dean let's out a sharp laugh, "I don't think so, man."

"I'm serious, Dean. Take me with you, I need to get out of here."

"We can't risk it, Sam."

Sam's voice rises slightly, "You and Cas will be there! You can stop me from hurting anyone. Please, I think I'm going insane in here." He breathes out a sigh, "Besides, I feel the transition passing. I'm not in so much pain anymore."

Cas and Dean look at each other skeptically and Elena can feel Sam's eyes on her.

"Okay fine," Dean says. "But you sit in the front seat with me and you carry blood bags to keep your appetite down."

Cas unlocks the door slowly and Sam steps out with smile on his face. "And hey, if the cure thing doesn't work out I might get the hang of this vampire thing."

"God, I hope not," Dean grumbles.

Elena laughs, "I can give you some pointers."

"That'd be nice," Sam says.

"Now that that's settled," Elena says. "Before we leave can we get some food? I haven't eaten in two years."

When they arrive at the diner, Elena immediately makes a beeline to the counter, snatching up a menu and disappearing behind it.

"Look at that girl go," Dean says, eyeing her as he, Sam, and Cas sit down at a booth. He counts about twelve people scattered about the restaurant.

Sam shifts uncomfortably, "Wow. I can really smell everything." His tense eyes flit from person to person.

"Hey, if you want to go home, we'll go home."

Cas nods, "I can stay with Elena and Dean can take you home."

"No," Sam says, swallowing. "I need to do this." He looks at both of them, "Just make sure I don't lose it, okay?"

Dean nods, giving his brother firm pat on the back, "We wouldn't leave you, Sammy."

Sam smiles back at him gratefully.

"It helps if you take less breaths," Elena says, now having left the counter and joined them. Dean winces as she slides into the seat next to him and across from Sam and Cas. "And blood bags will be your best friend-"

"Hey, no one asked you," Dean says with irritation.

"I can't say anything unless someone asks me to?"

"No, you can't."

"Dean, she's just trying to help," Sam says, offering Elena a smile. "Thank you, Elena." Dean catches a flicker of relief in his brother's face as Sam leans slightly closer to her.

Dean narrows his eyes at him just as a waitress swoops in, dropping off several plates filled with delicious looking food.

"Where the hell did this come from?" Dean asks.

The waitress gestures to Elena, "She ordered it."

Elena grins at her happily, "Thank you." Dean's never seen anyone this excited to eat food.

"Thanks Elena," Cas says, grabbing the burger in front of him. Sam nods his agreement as he leans away from the waitress.

Dean eyes the burger in front of him suspiciously.

"Oh, just eat it, Dean," Elena says, rolling her eyes.

"I don't know what this is."

"It's a bacon burger," Elena says, "You love those."

"How would you know?"

"Because you ate two on our little road trip together, and seriously debated having a third."

"I feel violated."

"You talked to me. I had no control of it."

"I thought you were asleep."

"Still your fault."

"Eat your damn food."

Elena stuffs several fries in her mouth, chomping loudly, "I am."

Sam chuckles at her as Dean says, "Gross."

"You talk with your mouth full all the time, Dean," Cas points out.

"Doesn't mean I want to see it."

"You know what, I'm not letting letting you ruin this for me," Elena says with a quirk of her eyebrow. "I'm moving to the counter."

She hops up, taking her plate with her and walks over to the counter.

Cas watches her as she sits, "Is that what you would call foreplay?"

Dean nearly chokes on his french fry. "W-what're you-"

"I read online that two people that have constant disagreement between them often have tension of a sexual nature-"

"PLEASE STOP TALKING."

"Are you attracted to her, Dean?" Cas asks. "I was watching Star Wars the other day and Hans Solo and Princess Leia tend to-"

"We need to keep you away from the TV."

"Yeah, what's going on with you two?" Sam asks him. "You practically jump out of your skin whenever she's close to you."

"What? No. Nothing's going on."

Sam smirks, looking like his old self. The guy that would tease of his brother. "That sure looks like something."

"Well, it isn't."

"Why are you so mean to her?"

"I'm not," Dean glances at Elena, chewing on her sandwich and tapping her foot contentedly against her stool. The waitress approaches her and says something, causing Elena's eyes to light up. She erupts into laughter, snorting and trying in vain to reel it in.

Elena says something back to her and she laughs back. The waitress giggles and returns to work.

"Looks like she'd making friends," Sam comments. "She seems really nice, Dean."

He doesn't reply, and picks at his burger.

"What's your problem with her?"

"There's no problem. Damn, can we just drop it?"

Sam puts his hands up in surrender. "Fine. Consider it dropped."

Dean notices Sam swallow as he tries to refocus on his food. His discomfort seems to have intensified tenfold since the conversation had started.

"Sam, are you-"

"I'm fine," he says shortly. He sends Elena a glance like daggers before struggling to finish his veggie burger.

Dean and Cas exchange worried looks. They watch as Sam's eyes flicker between their normal light color and a deep black.

They eat in silence until Elena returns with an empty plate. She slides back in the booth next to Dean, making him stiffen.

"I'm considering ordering another," she says thoughtfully. Her elbow brushes him and he flinches. She ignores it.

Sam laughs heartily, causing both Dean and Cas to jump and stare with extreme confusion at his sudden mood shift.

"You must really be starving," he says.

A corner of Elena's mouth lifts, "I think I'll get a milkshake too."

Sam smiles, "Go for it."

Dean watches his brother carefully for a few moments. Then his eyes slide over to Cas, who seems to notice the strange behavior too and purses his lips. Sam laughs at something Elena says and very inconspicuously inhales and tilts himself closer.

Dean just hopes that they find that damn cure.