It had been a month since Ireland.
It had been weird, seeing Dean so much younger, but it was nice. He wasn't quite as burdened as the Dean Martha had first met. He was sweet and naïve, but just as ready to help.
But she had no idea that the Dean she was about to see was the polar opposite.
They hadn't even meant to find him. The last time they sought him out in Ireland was a bit of an emergency. And even then, the Doctor tried to go back far enough that the kid was still kinda young, and wouldn't say no to joining them. He didn't know as much as the older Dean had.
This time, they were actually trying to go to Hawaii, somewhere Martha had never been. But the TARDIS started acting weird.
"Doctor? What's going on?" Martha stood behind him in a pink dress over a bikini, hands on her hips. She was ready for a vacation, not whatever problem was about to arise.
The Doctor was still in his suit. He hadn't had time to dress yet, because he had been working on the TARDIS. "I'm not entirely sure, and I hate not being sure." He frowned, squinting his eyes at the console. "She's just not cooperating with me."
"Should I go get dressed? I feel like the beach isn't happening today."
"No, nonsense, I'll figure this out. Just give me a minute."
"Can I help?" She layed the palm of her hand on the machine, and suddenly it felt as if the whole thing jumped at her touch, and the TARDIS started to move. "Uh, I didn't press anything, I promise." She pulled her hand away.
"Did you... fix it?" The Doctor looked at her questioningly before returning to the console. "No, I don't think you did. We're not going to Hawaii. We're going to America...? 2008?"
"Why in the world would we be going there?"
The TARDIS came to a halt, but neither of them moved. After a few moments the Doctor said, "The TARDIS always has her reasons."
Martha glanced down at the screen. "I know, but what could possibly be her reason for taking us to the middle of Midwest America?" As soon as she spoke the words aloud, both she and the Doctor figured it out. There's only one reason they'd ever go to Midwest America.
As if on cue, a knock came from the front door. The Doctor was the first to the door. He unlatched it without hesitation, and opened it wide. "Dean?"
Dean, covered in dirt and sweat and breathing heavily, grinned a very Dean-like grin and held out a cut-up hand. He cleared his throat before speaking, but even so his voice was scratchy. "I've never felt so happy to see you, Doc."
The Doctor took his hand and pulled him in, checking outside briefly before shutting the door. "Are you okay?"
Dean shrugged looking down at himself. "I've been better."
"Dean," Martha came forward, looking him over.
"Martha!" Dean accepted her hug. "You look good. Especially in that dress."
She ignored his flirtation. "I wish I could say the same to you. What happened?"
Dean shook his head. "You wouldn't even believe me if I told you."
"Try us," The Doctor was mentally trying to figure out how old he was, trying to piece together his complicated time line in his head.
Dean met the Doctors eyes, and he knew the kid was different. Maybe it was the fact that the last time he had seen the hunter he was only 19, but he didn't just looked older, hardened. His eyes weren't as soft and his voice wasn't as lighthearted. Something bad had happened.
Dean held his gaze. "Hell. Hell happened."
"Hell?" He repeated. He didn't know about Hell. Purgatory, yeah, but not Hell.
"Hell? As in Hell hell?" Martha stared at him, wide-eyed, mouth gaped. "Am I missing something?"
"Nope, I think you're all caught up."
"Why were you in Hell?" The Doctor asked. He figured there was a Hell, he had heard of demons. He had even met some. But up to this point in his own time line, Dean has never told him he had gone to Hell. And now that he's out, did that make him a demon? Or something else?
"I don't think I can tell you, Doc. Spoilers, you know?"
He nodded. "Of course."
Martha was desperately confused by the whole situation. Here she was, in a bikini and a dress that barely covered her ass, heading to the beach, and now Dean was back from Hell. And he was different, she knew it. He was different from either of the other times they had met. He had accepted her hug, but after that he hasn't so much as look back over to her, even when he answered her.
"Where's Sam?"
Dean shrugged. "I'm not sure. I haven't seen him, since..." For the first time since he'd shown up out of the blue, he stopped smiling. "But, uh, yeah... How did you guys find me? Why did you guys find me?"
"We didn't. She did," The Doctor pointed upward, referring to the TARDIS. "We were on our way to Hawaii, and she had other plans. Now we know why."
"Guess she's always lookin' out for me, huh?" Dean said it with some kind of warmth, but he didn't visibly show it. Finally, he turned to Martha. "And that must explain your outfit."
Martha's mouth opened, but no sound came out.
"Do you need something to eat? Or drink?" The Doctor asked, not sure of what else to do. The whole situation was odd and awkward.
"I would love that," Dean's eyes lingered on Martha, but eventually flicked over to the Doctor. "It's been a long... long day."
"I know. I'll be right back."
That left Martha and Dean alone.
"So... How long's it been?" Dean asked, not needing to explain any further.
Martha cleared her throat. "Um, about a month since Ireland."
That made Dean smile, genuinely. "So you finally got there, cool. That goddess was a bit of a bitch, huh?"
"Yeah. But you were great. You were so young."
Dean nodded, looking down. "I was still going home to my brother and my dad. It's been a long time since that." Martha took a few steps closer to him, so that she could almost touch him, but he shifted away. "Martha... When I saw the TARDIS appear in front of me, and when I knocked on the door... I didn't know you'd be here."
"Oh," Martha felt her face go hot. "Wow, okay. Just putting it out there, huh?"
"No, no, not like that. I'm just... Not myself," He looked embarrassed and it was enough to make her believe him. "Things have... A lot has happened since the last time I saw you, Martha. I promised you I'd be back, but... I didn't think it would be like this."
Martha frowned. "What happened to you, Dean?" He just shook his head.
"Here we go," The Doctor suddenly returned. "Come on you two. Let's eat."
