Sam sat behind Bobby's table with an icepack on his arm. Angel and Dean were on the other side of the table both groggily holding ice bags to their faces. Deans bullet wounds had fresh bandaging thanks to Bobby.
"By the way…" Sam looked between them cautiously, "You guys really look like crap."
"Yeah?" Dean turned to glare at him a little, "Right back atcha."
Bobby walked in slowly, looking concerned, "You three ever hear of a hunter named Steve Wandell?"
Angel's face went blank, "Why do you ask?"
"Just heard from a friend that Wandell's dead. Murdered in his own house." Sam swallowed hard and immediately looked down, "You wouldn't know anything about that?"
"No sir." Angel immediately answered, giving Sam a 'don't even think about it' look, "We never heard of the guy."
"Angel."
"Sam."
"Good. Keep it that way." Bobby interrupted pointedly, "Wandell's buddies are looking for someone or something to string up, and they're not going to slow down to listen to reason. You understand what I'm saying?"
"Yeah. Come on, boys." Angel stood, placing her ice pack on the table, "Thanks for your help, Bobby."
Dean turned to Sam with another small glare, "You remember where the car is?"
"Here." Bobby stopped them and handed each of them a small metal charm, "Take these."
Sam looked down at the pendent curiously. It was a metal pentagram, or endless knot, that looked to be surrounded by the sun.
"What are they?"
"Charms. They'll fend off possession." Bobby explained, "That demon's still out there. This'll stop it from getting back up in ya."
"That sounds vaguely dirty, but uh…" Dean smiled, "Thanks."
"You're welcome." He patted Dean's shoulder with a smile before accepting a hug from Angel, "You three be careful now."
Sam smiled at him, "You too."
Bobby looked back at him seriously, not returning the smile and Sam faltered but followed his siblings out. At the door, Dean tossed the ice bag back to Bobby, earning a smile from the old man. Angel turned once more and waved a goodbye, she too earned a smile from him. All of which earned a furrowed brow from Sam.
On the road…
Dean drove down a dark stretch of highway as REO Speedwagon's Back on the Road Again played. Angel sat in the backseat with her head leaning back and her eyes closed as Sam sat beside Dean frowning quietly.
Dean glanced over in concern, "You okay?" When he didn't answer Dean looked over again, "Sam? Is that you in there?"
"I was awake for some of it…" His voice sounded pained causing Angel to open her eyes and raise her head to look at him, "I watched myself kill Wandell with my own two hands. I saw the light go out in his eyes."
"That must have been awful."
"That's not my point. I almost carved up Jo too, but no matter what I did, neither one of you would shoot."
"Sam, that wasn't you doing all those things." Angel dismissed, "It was the demon. What we did was the right move."
"Yeah, this time. What about next time?"
"Sam, when Dad told us…" Dean trailed off, his jaw tensing, "That we might have to kill you, it was only if we couldn't save you. Now, if it's the last thing either of us do, we're gonna save you."
After a pause, Dean laughed softly earning a look from Sam, "What?"
"Nothing."
"Dean, what?"
"Dude, you- you like, full-on had a girl inside you for like a whole week."
He laughed again, wholeheartedly. From the backseat Angel shook her head as she too laughed at that. Sam's frown cracked before he laughed along with them.
Dean shook his head, "That's pretty naughty."
"On that note…" Angel leaned forward, "What do you two boys say to stopping at a tattoo shop?" She held up the charm with a smirk, "I got an idea…"
