"Where to?" Benny asked.
Dean considered. Benny would need a ride home eventually anyway if he had his friend drop him at Bobby's, so as much as he wanted to get back home and make sure everyone knew he was okay, it made sense to drop Benny off and then Dean could just drive himself home. "You can drive yourself home, if you like. Makes sense for me to drop you off and then drive myself home."
"You sure you're feeling okay to drive?" Benny asked. "The spell seemed to suggest you might feel under the weather for a few days."
"Yeah. I'm feeling totally human. You were right about the hamburger," Dean said.
"Alright. Well, remember you're on the hook to drive with me to pick up the camper sometime soon," Benny said.
Dean glanced at his friend. Unspoken was Dean's promise to be there for Benny and make sure he stayed human. "Yeah, of course," Dean said. "I wonder if Bobby has something he could loan you for a while."
"I don't know," Benny said, turning into his driveway. "I kind of like the idea of having a chauffeur at my beck and call."
"Yeah, precisely why I'm already thinking about getting you a loaner," Dean said, laughing. He wondered how lonely Benny had been, though, isolated from his own kind by the way he chose to live and unable to get close to humans in case they found out his secret.
They got out of the car and Benny grabbed his stuff. Dean felt something was off, and looked questioningly at Benny, who shrugged. Dean remembered the spell, the one that Bobby had done to mask heartbeats. He wondered if it also masked smell. He pointed to his nose and Benny shook his head negatively. Dean got fed up. He couldn't see or hear anything and obviously Benny couldn't either, but his instincts were screaming that they weren't alone.
"Who's there?" he called. "That you, Bobby?"
Rufus and Martin stepped out from behind the trailer, both holding machetes. "We're going to have to take you out, kid," Rufus said. "We're sorry."
"He ain't a vampire," Benny said.
"What, it was all a misunderstanding? Huh? People always say, it's a misunderstanding, but it's always just what you think. What you originally thought. He's a monster and he has to die," Martin said, his voice crazy-intense.
Dean reached out for Rufus. "Feel my hand. I'm warm. I'm not a vampire. Benny knew a spell that can change a vampire back if he hasn't killed yet. He used it, and I'm human. Promise."
Rufus reluctantly pointed his machete downward and reached for Dean's hand. He looked at Martin. "He's telling the truth. This ain't no vamp."
"We still have to take out the other one," Martin insisted, jerking his head to indicate Benny.
"No way. No one is killing Benny. He gave us the information to get those murderous vamps. He makes it so other vampires don't have to kill to live. And he kept me from turning all the way into one of them. If I hadn't been afraid you hotheads would try to kill him, he would have come with us and helped us taken those other vamps out," Dean said.
"We have our orders. We know what's right," Martin said.
But Rufus was nodding. "It sounds like the whole situation is pretty-well handled, Martin. We better hit the road. Maybe letting a vamp live in our neighbourhood isn't the way we'd do it, but this is their town, alright? Get in the truck."
Martin twitched a little but did as Rufus asked. "Is he going to be alright?" Dean asked.
"He's been pretty jittery for a while, and his most recent brush with death didn't help. Maybe it's time he took a break from hunting…maybe went to rest somewhere. I'll make sure he gets somewhere safe," Rufus said. He glanced at Benny. "Thanks for your help, I guess."
"Dean's a friend," Benny replied.
Rufus got in the truck and they rode away.
"Do you think they really mean that, or do you think they'll be back to try to kill you?" Dean asked.
"Difficult to say," Benny said. "This was when the camper came in handy. I'd just go stay in the woods somewhere for a few days—wait 'em out. Anyway, I'll be fine. You've never seen me in a fight, but believe me, I can handle myself, and two old men shouldn't be any problem."
"Don't be fooled. They're pretty sprightly for their age," Dean said.
"I'll keep that in mind. I'll let you know if I need a ride anywhere," Benny said. He moved closer and Dean stepped into his hug, holding the vampire tight in return.
"Alright, man. Call me," he said.
A short time later when Dean arrived at Singer's Salvage, he saw the two people in the kitchen, Bobby and Sam, spring up and rush out to meet him. Bobby was holding a machete, which, as Benny had once said, was rarely a good sign.
Dean got out of the car and held up his hands in surrender. "I'm not a vampire," he said.
"Prove it," Bobby said.
Dean reached out and his hand to Bobby, who took it. A look of pleased disbelief flashed across his face. "How in Sam Hill…"
"Didn't you tell him it was Benny?" Dean asked his brother.
"I did, but he didn't believe me," Sam said. "I'm so glad you're safe, Dean."
He came closer and Dean pulled him in for a crushing hug. He'd never thought he'd see his little brother again.
Bobby came for his hug next, and he whispered in Dean's ear, "I'm sorry I didn't listen to you. You were right about the vampires. We should have gone after them full force. Sometimes it feels funny listening to a seventeen year old, but you've got good instincts and good sense. Natural born hunter, just like I told them."
Sam must have heard at least part of what Bobby had said, because he looked at the two of them in alarm. "You two seriously aren't talking about hunting still, are you? Isn't this enough for you? Doesn't this prove to you that hunting is the wrong kind of lifestyle for us?"
"Sammy, you can look at it like that, or you can look at it like I saved people's lives. Phil has been in torment for years because of something two of those vampires did for fun one night. One night out of a thousand! They've been alive since at least the twenties. How many kids are going to be able to grow up with their parents around because we took those vamps out? How could I quit now?"
"I don't care about those other people. I want you to be around!" Sam said. He spun on his heels and ran up the stairs to his room.
Dean went to follow him, and Bobby put a restraining hand on his arm. "If you're not going to go up there and promise never to hunt again, maybe give him some time. He's not wrong, you know? You're the most important person in his life. He doesn't need you to be a hero. He needs you to be his big brother."
"Even though I became a monster, taking out those vampires…taking out that demon. It felt right. It felt like my destiny. I know it worries Sam, but I can't turn my back on hunting. It's who I am," Dean said.
"Come on inside, Dean. I'll make you a sandwich," Bobby said.
Dean went inside and sat down heavily on a kitchen chair. "That was a long couple of days," he said.
"Yeah, you missed school today. You want me to write you a note about how you were recovering from vampirism?" Bobby asked.
"I should probably call Phil and let him know we took care of Lenny and Ed," Dean said.
"That can wait, Dean. Here, eat this," Bobby said. He plopped a ragged-looking tuna sandwich in front of Dean.
"You're worse than Benny. You know how weird it is being mothered by a vampire?" Dean asked, taking a bite. It actually wasn't half bad, and Dean took another bite.
"Why'd you call Benny for help?" Bobby asked.
"I didn't want to hurt any of you. Ellen had a cut and I wanted to kill her so bad…you have no idea. I knew that Benny could do something to help me without my putting him in danger. I called him and then locked myself in the trunk of the impala. He got the spell ready and then came and got it for me. I drank it and passed out. Then Benny drove me back here," Dean said.
"I guess you were right about him," Bobby said reluctantly.
"I do not want any hunters coming after my friend," Dean said. "Did you send Martin and Rufus out there?"
Bobby shook his head. "After everything went to rat-shit, I had to tell them the whole story. Benny's involvement came out. I guess they took it upon themselves to put him in the ground. I suppose you got them to leave him alone?"
"I hope so. I mean, not only did he stop me from hurting anyone, but I would be a vampire without this guy. He's earned my trust. And yours," Dean said.
"Don't think I'm not aware that I made some bad decisions on that hunt. I should have never told you to go with Gordon. It's true, most nests only have about ten vamps in 'em, but we should have known there might be more. They were acting strangely enough as it was, working with the demon. Well, with two demons," Bobby said.
Dean updated Bobby on Cas' latest news about demons, and Bobby didn't quite know what to make of it.
"I guess time will tell," Dean said. He went up to bed, and peaked into his brother's room before going into the bathroom to get ready for bed. Sam was studying with his headphones in. Dean knocked on the door, and Sam looked at him.
"Hi Dean," Sam said.
"Sorry I scared you," Dean said.
Sam sighed. "I just don't see why you have to take risks like that. Why not let someone else do it? Someone who doesn't have people depending on him."
"If everyone did that, who would be in the army, or work as police officers or firefighters? Bill and Ellen, this couple we hunted with, they have a girl around your age. You think they should quit hunting, too? Someone has to step up, and Sammy, I'm good at this. I swear. I knew that hunt was going to go wrong from the start, and I should have spoken up louder about it. I'm just a kid so they didn't listen to me, but I know how to do this. I won't let anyone put me in a situation I know is that dangerous again. You know what it's like, when you find what you're meant to do?"
Sam shook his head. "No, I don't," he said.
"I hope you find out someday. But hunting is what I'm meant to do. Hell, I even have divine confirmation on it. Castiel says the angels want me to be hunter. I'm sorry that it scares you."
"I guess I have to just learn to deal with it. I guess I can't argue with you and angels. If you were a cop or a firefighter I guess I'd deal with it, too," Sam said. "Sorry I freaked out."
Dean leaned against the doorjamb. "You're the most important thing in the world to me, Sammy. I love you, and I'll make sure nothing bad happens to you again. I promise."
It broke Dean's heart that Sam's thirteen year old smile was wise and wry, and that his answer to Dean's promise was, "You know you can't keep a promise like that. No one can."
"I promise that I'll try," Dean said thickly.