Promises and Paper moons

Dean gets out of the car and the rest follow, he leans back on the hood of the car. "Before Dad died he, he told me something — something about you.

Sam crosses his arms, "What? Dean, what did he tell you?"

"He said that he wanted me to watch out for you, to take care of you."

"He told you that a million times." Sam said.

"No, this time was different. He said that I had to save you."

Faith and Hope looked at each other then back to Dean.

"Save me from what?"

"He just said that I had to save you, that nothing else mattered; and that if I couldn't, I'd . . ."

"You'd what, Dean?"

"That I'd have to kill you. He said that I might have to kill you, Sammy." Tears filled Dean's eyes.

"What? Hell no, Dean…" Faith said.

"Kill me? What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Sam asked.

"I don't know." Dean shakes his head.

"I mean, he must have had some kind of reason for saying it, right? Did he know the demon's plans for me? Am I supposed to go Darkside or something? What else did he say, Dean?" Sam was pacing now.

"Nothing, that's it, I swear."

"How could you not have told me this?" Sam said annoyed.

"Because it was Dad, and he begged me not to."

"Who cares?! Take some responsibility for yourself, Dean! You had no right to keep this from me!"

"Hey, calm down Sam. He did it to protect you." Faith said. Hope walked over to Dean and stood by him, linking her fingers through his.

"You knew about this?" Sam said facing Faith.

"No…I"

"And you didn't tell me!"

"She didn't know Sammy! You think I wanted this? Huh? I wish to God he'd never opened his mouth. Then I wouldn't have to walk around with this screaming in my head all day."

Sam turns away from them and takes a few steps, fuming "We've just got to figure out what's going on, then, what the hell all this means."

"We do? I've been thinking about this, I think we should just lay low. You know? At least for a while. It'd be safer. And that way I can make sure —"

Sam turns back to face his brother, "What? That I don't turn evil? That I don't turn into some kind of killer?!"

Calmly, Dean says, "I never said that."

"Jeez, if you're not careful you will have to waste me one day, Dean."

Faith looks at Sam, her face is defeated.

Dean gets up from the hood of the car and lets go of Hope's hands, "I never said that! Damnit, Sam, this whole thing is spinning out of control. All right? You and Hope are immune to some weirdo demon virus, and I don't even know what the hell anymore. And you're pissed at me, I get it. That's fine, I deserve it. But we lay low until we figure out our next move, okay?"

"Forget it." He turns and heads down the road.

"Sam! Stop!" Faith yells, Sam keeps going, she jogs to catch up to him.

"Sam, please, man. Hey, please. Just give me some time. Give me some time to think, okay? I'm begging you here, please. Please." Dean yells after his brother.

Faith catches up to Sam and stands in front of him making him stop. "No, you turn around and get your ass back in that car!" She yells at him, tears form in her eyes. "I am sick and tired of losing the people that I care about. Something is seriously jacked right now, with you, with my sister…I don't know which was is up! So no, you don't get to walk away from this…or us…"

Sam looks down at her pleading face, he studies her eyes. There's something there that wasn't before, something different. There's fire, and passion, light. He sighs and wraps his arms around her. "I'm sorry. I just…I'm sorry."

She breathes in his scent and they walk back to the others. "Now listen, we do what Dean said, we lay low until we get this shit figured out." Faith says.

Hope walks over to her, "What do you think is going on? Is there something wrong with me? Am I somehow tied to the Yellow eyed demon?"

Faith looks at her baby sister, "No, everything is going to be fine. We will figure it all out, I promise." She hugs her sister tight, "Now, I need a drink."

The sisters walked towards the bar, Hope noticing something about her sister was off. She was acting well, human. Her guard wasn't up, she didn't have a scowl on her face and she actually looked…happy.

"Ok Faith, spill…What's going on with you?" Hope said stopping at the bar.

"Nothing, what are you talking about? Stop trying to play Dr. Phil."

"Something is different…There's not a stick up your ass anymore…What gives."

"What do you think about Sam?" Faith asked trying not to seem too obvious.

"I think he liiikes you!" Hope Sang, and they laughed together. "You know I like the guy."

"Honestly, what do you think of him?"

"He's cuter than you" Hope said, with a serious look on her face, she took a drink of her beer.

"Cuter than me?"

"Let's face it your never gonna get anyone on your looks!" Hope sarcastically replied

"Well that's too bad cause my attitude sucks!" They laughed, grabbed their drinks and headed back to the table where the boys were sitting. Faith stopped Hope just out of ear shot from the boys.

"Are you worried?" She asked Hope.

Hope sighed, "No, I'm scared….of everything."

"What do you mean?"

"Of Sam, of me, hell even of you." Faith gave her a weird look.

"Faith, you were going to kill that guy back in Oregon. You didn't see the look in your eye, there was nothing, just…nothing. I understand it still gets to you, what happened in Tampa, but you still let that guy go, and I didn't think you would. I'm afraid of what might happen to me and Sam, to you if something does happen to us. Why where we immune, why does Sam have these freak visions that always lead us to the damn demon….And Dean, what if I fall for the guy, like I already am and he leaves me rode hard and put away wet?" She takes a breath, "I'm just…confused."

Faith put her hand on Hope's shoulder, "Well if he does hurt you I'll castrate him." She said with a grin, Hope laughed some. "Don't worry little sister, I am always going to be here to catch you. Everything will be fine, we'll figure it all out." Hope smiled and hugged her sister

"Thanks." Hope headed for the table.

"Anytime…" Faith's smile faded as they made their way to the boys.

As Hope sat down Dean leaned in to kiss her but she pulled away from him, she was putting up the wall. She was scared of getting hurt and was sure he would get the job done. He looked at her confused, took a big drink of his beer and went to the bar to get another drink. Hope looked at Faith who sighed and headed for the bar to talk to Dean.

"What happened to her?" Sam asked Hope as he watched Faith head to the bar.

Hope wrinkled her eyebrows, "What do you mean?" Sam gave her a 'you know what I mean look' she sighed and took a drink of her beer, "A lot of things Sam. Her life has been hard, I used to hate her for being so cold but truth is, she's the one who kept us going. She's my rock, I just wish I knew how to be hers…"

"About Oregon…"

"I figured you would ask me about that. A couple years back we found a nest in Tampa, a nest of…well truth is I don't know what the hell they were, all we knew is we could kill them. They would take over a humans body, but they weren't demons and there was no way to detect them. There was this young girl, Faith was going to kill her but I told her no. I convinced her she was all human, but Faith was still hell bent on taking her out. Finally I talked her out of it. Turns out that girl ended up killing her family, and then moving on. Whatever IT was, was in her."

Sam sat there for a moment, "You know she was so sure that Duane was not right." Hope nodded her head. "You think she was right?"

Hope took another drink of beer, "I sure hope not."

"Hey man." Faith said as she sat next to Dean."

"Hey."

"Don't let it get to you."

"Whats getting to me? I could careless."

Faith laughed, "Yeah right…." If he wanted to play she was going to let him, "You should know Dean, my sister usually goes after the pretty boys, ya know the ones that can fly her anywhere in the world on their private jets with daddy's money." Faith said. She turned to the bartender, "Shot of Jack please." He poured her one and she threw it back.

"So she's into frat boys." Dean said taking a shot. He turned to look at Hope but she was at the other end of the bar being wooed by someone who was 180 degree opposite of him.

"I guess you could say that!" chuckled Faith "You're just not her type, she knows that you and I are way too much alike and well…she doesn't want to marry her sister if ya catch my drift." Faith said as she motioned the bar tender to pour her another shot.

At that moment Sam walked up to the bar, wrapped his arm around Faith's waist pulling her closer. For never being the romantic type, she didn't mind, because when she looked up into Sam's eyes, she felt safer than she ever had before. She shut her eyes for a moment, taking in all of him.

"Who's that?" Sam asked nodding in Hope's direction.

"Frat boy of the week" Dean belted out taking another swig.

"Oh, we're still pining over Hope I see" Sam laughed. "Thought she turned you down just…over there." Sam said pointing at the table they were just at.

After Dean swallowed a few more shots, Hope bounced over. "You guys ready to go?"

"Yeah" replied Faith "what about this week's catch over there?"

"Oh him? He's a pilot on a layover, he's nice but." She started

"But not looking for someone to layover!" Interrupted Dean taking yet another shot, slamming the glass on the counter he winked at Hope, knowing he made her blood boil.

"What the hell's your problem?" Hope asked.

"Oh I think you know." Dean threw back his last shot and headed toward the door.

Hope looked at her sister and Faith motioned with her head for her to follow him, Hope sighed and trotted after Dean.

"Dean wait!"

"What for?"

"Just stop, please."

Dean turned around and faced her, "You know, for the first time in my life I thought I finally found someone worth a damn, worth letting my damn guard down. But I guess not huh!" Dean yelled.

"I'm sorry ok! I'm new to all this…I….I get to attached to people and I'm always the one getting hurt…so forgive me if I don't trust someone like you."

"Someone like me?"

"Yeah, someone like you! Your just like Faith Dean, you're here for yourself and you don't care about the people you might hurt along the way. Don't get me wrong I love my sister, but Sam, that is the longest relationship she has ever had!"

Dean laughed in an annoyed away, "I'm not your sister Hope, and I sure as hell am not your past. You don't know me, you don't know what kind of guy I am and you never will unless you give me a damn chance!" He took in a breath and ran his fingers through his hair, "I'm scared to alright! I don't know why like you so damn much cause your so damn annoying. Hell, its like having a female Sam running around!" In a mocking voice Dean pretended to be her, "Lets talk about our feelings, lets hug and make rainbows!"

Hope bit her lower lip trying not to laugh, "Are you done?"

Dean sighed and smiled, "Yeah, I think I'm done."

"Good." Hope grabbed him by the jacket and pulled him into her, pressing her lips to his. Sam and Faith were near by watching. Faith was shocked, but in a good way. Her sister finally grew some balls…small balls…but balls none the less.