A/N: I would like to give a special shout out to Dimac.31, AlyssaWrites96, weregirl21, and Fanoudusud for your wonderful and kind reviews! Most of you have been loyal readers and invested in Dean and Skylar's story from the beginning. I hope you all continue to read and review, along with those that are new to Branded. Thank you!
Dean sat on the edge of the hospital bed, gazing down at the flask in his hand that he kept in the glovebox for emergencies. It was 3 am, the moon and parking lot lamps the only light illuminating the room. His hands were soaked in blood from the torture he had unleashed upon Ike only hours before. He hadn't bothered to wash himself clean, racing a damaged Baby to his wife's side.
The beeping from the machines were all too familiar. Only shortly before this moment, he had been in the same situation after Alastair's assault.
Dean had taken matters into his own hands and slaughtered her father in cold blood. Hunters weren't meant to be stone cold killers. And while he tried to find an ounce of remorse inside of his frozen heart, he couldn't. Nothing had felt sweeter than dragging that piece of shit through the broken window and hearing him plead for his life as Dean brutally attacked him with his fists, before finishing him off with the machete like he was one of the monster that he had killed countless times before.
Ike had attempted to scream his innocence, literally, telling him that he had no idea Skylar would be sacrificed. He only thought she was bait. But the fact remained; he had used her. In a way, he had sold her to himself, Lilith, Lucifer, and Ruby.
The only punishment fitting for the crime was death.
Dean lifted the flask to his lips, taking a long swig, relishing in the burn that traveled down his throat. He hadn't had a strong drink in over a week and the whisky was welcomed. Considering what he had just done, going back to hard liquor was the least of his problems.
Ever since he could remember, Skylar had loathed her father. But somehow, Dean was uncertain how she would take the news of his newest victim. Dean couldn't necessarily call the killing senseless. Ike had it coming. He'd had it coming for far too long and it wasn't until this moment that he had a damn good reason to off the ass hole.
Dean gazed down at his wife. She really was a beauty with her flawless skin, dark hair that fell right above her waist, and eyelashes that were so long they kissed her cheeks. Her normally rosy cheeks were pale and her lips cracked from dehydration despite the IV that dripped steadily into her arm.
Her heart beat was uniform, thank God. Sam had filled him in on what he had missed. She was given a blood transfusion and her vitals were stable. However, she remained unconscious and no one could give him a damn answer as to when she would wake up – if she would wake up.
Tears pricked the back of his eyes and he took a shaken breath to clear his vision.
Seeing her like this…it made him realize just how much she actually meant to him. Throughout the years, Skylar had always held a special place in his heart. He always chalked it up to being branded to her. Naturally, he would feel deeper emotions for her than any other girl.
She had the tendency to get annoying and sassy, helpless and moody; but the more she grew, the less nerve grinding she actually got. Dean realized that it was simply her growing up that bugged him. Now that she was on the verge of being a women, he saw her in a whole new light.
Dean smoothed back a stray hair from the side of her cheek, taking a moment to let his touch linger against her silken skin. She was the definition of perfection and he couldn't imagine going a single day without her by his side. He would move heaven and earth for her; even hell if it came down to it.
"Hello, Dean," the deep sound drew him from his thoughts as a ferment expression took over his hardened features. He turned his gaze away from his wife and placed a callous gaze upon the angel.
"Where in the fuck have you been?" Dean asked in a low growl.
Castiel slumped his shoulders in defeat, looking sheepish. Considering his usual posture that was excellent, it was clear that he felt guilt and remorse for the current change in events.
"I'm sorry, Dean," Castiel looked away sheepishly. "Heaven called and I had to leave. I knew that you and Sam could take care of it. I had faith."
"Did you know?"
"Know?" he looked confused.
"Did you know that Lilith's death was the key to opening the cage? The whole time we were talking about offing that bitch, and not once did you have a clue that that's what she actually wanted?"
"No. Of course I didn't know. How could I?"
Dean scoffed. "Oh I don't know…because you're a fucking angel."
"Just because I'm an angel doesn't mean I can see the future, Dean. Lilith was a threat and death seemed like the correct course of action. And as for Skylar, there was no way of knowing they were going to use her as part of the ritual."
"You're damn lucky she's alive. Otherwise, I would be forced to gut you, you spineless piece of shit."
"Now is not the time for violence amongst ourselves. Lucifer is walking the earth. It is only a matter of time before he finds a vessel and begins…"
"Stop!" Dean shushed Castiel into silence. "I was forced to get back to work and gank Lilith. Turns out, all you needed was Sam. However, Lucifer is now free and all hell broke loose, literally. So we're going to do it my way."
"And what way would that be?"
"I'm going to hunt this son-of-a-bitch down and drag him back to hell myself, if I have to. Shoot first, ask questions later."
"And get everyone killed in the process," Castiel objected. "Your impulsiveness is going to be your greatest downfall."
"Then so be it. We're all dead anyway." His last testament quietly lingered between them, but it was the truth. Lilith had been one obstacle that seemed possible to get rid of. But now…now Lucifer was a whole new issue that they weren't equipped to kill. They were hunters, not Gods.
"Going in there with guns blazing will be a suicide mission," Castiel stated as he drew closer to Dean's side. "Perhaps it was meant to happen this way. It only makes sense. You were to break the first seal…Sam was to break the last. Now it is up to you to finish it."
"You've already said that before," Dean scoffed. "But this time, I do plan to finish it once and for all."
"I'm glad to hear you say that – as long as your mission doesn't involve a senseless ambush."
"Heal her," Dean stated, changing the subject back to his wife.
"Dean…"
"Do it!" Dean turned a hardened and demanding gaze to the angel. "It's the least you could do considering that you disappeared when we needed you most."
Castiel lifted his chin and reluctantly came forward, placing a gentle hand onto Skylar's forehead. Within moments, she opened her eyes, slightly gasping for air. Dean breathed a sigh of relief as his wife took in her surroundings, uncertainty etched into her young features.
"Hey, Baby Girl," Dean said with a sincere smile and a slight shake to his normally hardened voice.
"Dean?" she asked as her eyes adjusted to the dark.
"And now that she is awake, it's time to discuss pressing matters…" Castiel chimed in immediately.
"Later!" Dean challenged.
With a heavy sigh, Castiel disappeared. Dean took a moment to thank the angel for giving him the space he desperately craved at the moment for what he was about to do. He weighed his words carefully before telling Skylar of how he had just slaughtered her father like the animal he was.
As Skylar heard the door quietly click shut, she allowed herself to breath deep and let a silent tear fall from her eye. Considering the fact that Dean had saved her life, she felt a little guilty for giving him the cold shoulder.
But then she remembered him grabbing her harshly and physically hurting her and how he had told her that her father was dead; that he had slaughtered him in cold blood. Skylar knew that he told her the truth because it would have been a billion times worse if she had heard it from someone else.
In all honesty, she felt very little loss for Ike. She hated him with every fiber of her being, and he had offered her up to the enemy so that they could 'be taken care of,' whatever that meant? He was on the side of hell, which was more than enough to condemn him.
But her husband was proving to be evil in his own right, and it scared her more than she cared to admit. Despite everything he had done, she still loved him more and more with each passing day. What kind of person did that make her?
It was too frightful to comprehend; how she could simply forgive him instantly for every terrible thing he had done.
But she had to continue keeping her distance for the moment. If she gave into him, and told him that it was okay for him to lay a hand on her and kill humans ruthlessly, then she would be condoning his actions. He would never calm down if she allowed herself to do such a thing.
Sam entered the quiet room that was gently lit from the sun outside. She glanced to her right, looking at him with interest, realizing that he was the only person at the moment that she cared to talk to. He had made his own mistake by trusting Ruby, but he had been sincere in his regrets.
Dean held no regrets what-so-ever.
"Are we still not talking?" he asked with a gentle smirk. Sam held a large bouquet of purple and pink flowers. They appeared to be lilies with a few roses peeking through. He placed them on the table by her bedside, a get well soon balloon floating in the air amidst the arrangement.
"They're beautiful," Skylar croaked out, finding her voice foreign to the ear. Sam's eyebrows shot up in surprise.
"She speaks."
"It's the first normal thing either of you have done for me since I tagged along; flowers, a balloon, and a real hospital bed that doesn't consist of whisky and home remedies."
Sam scoffed. "Yeah, I guess you're right. We live a rough existence, Sky. This is only the tip of the iceberg."
Skylar blanched at his proclamation, but nodded her head in understanding. The life of a hunter, which was fairly new to her, had proven to be more hellish than she had prepared herself for.
"Am I going to be checked out?"
"Considering you had a transfusion less than eight hours ago, I doubt it."
"Cass healed me. I feel fine."
"He woke you up. By the looks of you, he wasn't able to heal you fully. You need time to mend like everyone else," Sam responded.
Skylar breathed out. While she was grateful for a sense of normalcy, no matter how small, she felt confined and trapped at the moment.
Sam continued, "you can't be angry at him forever, Skylar."
She lifted her gaze, raising one eyebrow in the process. "He just killed my father…literally hours ago. I don't think a few moments of giving him the silent treatment constitutes as forever."
"You and I both know that you could care less about Ike. The guy was a total dick bag and had it coming."
Skylar gaped open her mouth, surprised to hear Sam's declaration. He was always the sensible one; the voice of reason. He sounded like Dean at the moment.
"You're pissed off because Dean manhandled you," Sam said with a shrug. "I can understand why you're mad. I was there and he had no right to treat you like that. But you need to tell him the real reason on why you're angry…and it has nothing to do with Ike."
Skylar looked away, embarrassed by Sam's words. Dean saved her from the pits of hell and he saved her from the clutches of her father once and for all. She supposed that Sam was right. While she should be grateful, she currently held a sense of resentment because Dean had shown his potential to turn violent towards her.
She nodded her head sheepishly before biting on her bottom lip. "I'll talk to him."
Dean knew that he looked lost. Everything was pink, fluffy, and covered in ribbons.
He was currently in the hospital gift shop, thanks to his brother's 'thoughtful' nature and gigantic bouquet he had bought for Skylar. One again, Sam was making him look bad. He was the only customer, a bored looking employee watching his every move. Dean stared her down until she finally looked away and began reading her magazine.
He turned back towards the gifts in question. He couldn't get flowers and a balloon like Sam had. That would only cheapen the sentiment. After several dozen minutes of deliberation, he decided to purchase two large stuffed animals, one teddy bear and one giraffe. He bought a five pound box of chocolates, and a wicker basket full of Hershey, skittles, reese's, butterfinger, and more. If the loss of blood didn't kill her, then she was bound to develop diabetes.
Dean wrapped his arms around the gifts, holding tight. On his way to the elevator, he nearly dropped the contents three times, but he was determined to make it the rest of the way.
Castiel had healed Skylar somewhat, but she was still weak and needed to be looked after. He had prayed for the angel to come back, but he was being ignored. While he was grateful that she was awake, Castiel could have done a better job of making sure she was alright.
The elevator dinged, signaling that he had made it to the fourth floor. He began gingerly walking down the hallway towards his wife's room. Several onlookers gave him a puzzled look as he held the giraffe's neck beneath his chin. Dean reached out his pinky finger, opening the door.
When he walked inside, he was surprised to find his brother gone and Skylar sitting up in her bed. If nothing else worked, the look on his wife's face was worth the $113 dollars he had just spent in the gift shop. Apparently he was a funnier sight than he had initially thought because she burst out laughing.
Her head was thrown back in amusement as he continued holding tight to the items, nearly crab crawling to the bench located beneath the window before dropping everything in relief. His arm's felt like they were about to fall off.
Dean smirked at her laughter, relived to find that she could still find amusement in this difficult time. He chose the teddy bear to give her, appeased when she took it and hugged it close. Her eyes still shown as she watched him closely. Dean chose not to speak first, hoping that she would finally end the grueling silent treatment.
"Can I have that gigantic box of chocolates, please?" she asked sweetly.
Without taking his eyes off of her, he reached down and felt for the red heart, handing it to her eagerly. She opened the lid, popping one into her mouth with a genuine grin.
"Have I done something right, for once?" he asked abashed.
With a mouth full, she nodded her head before swallowing hard, her laughter dying. Shit. What did he say now?
"Can we talk," she asked softly. Despite the seriousness in her voice, Dean was grateful for the inquisition.
"Of course, Baby Girl. We can talk about anything you want." Dean sat on the edge of her bed, looking at her expectantly. She took a shaking breath, refusing to look him in the eye.
"I…I'm not angry for what you did to daddy," she began. Dean furrowed his brow at her sentiment.
"You're not?"
Skylar shook her head. "No, I'm not. And I'm grateful for what you did last night. You risked your life for my own. Thank you."
Dean shrugged his shoulders in embarrassment. He wasn't one to welcome thanks, but coming from Skylar, it meant more than he could imagine.
"I'd do anything for you," he answered, reaching out a hand and gently laying it against her thigh that was covered by a thin sheet. "But something tells me that there is more than just forgiveness and thanks that you're wanting to talk about."
She gazed up at him from beneath those long lashes that adored so much. She looked scared to speak, which broke his heart. However, he stayed silent, not wanting to ruin this moment. If she was taking the time to voice her thoughts, he wasn't about to stop her.
"You can't treat me like that," she spoke barely above a whisper. Dean closed his eyes against her words, instantly wincing. He knew exactly what she meant. Dean had foolishly thought that murdering her father would be the worst thing imaginable, but it paled in comparison to the way he touched her early last evening.
Dean opened his mouth to speak, closing it again, trying to weigh his words carefully.
"I'm so sorry, Sky," he began. "The last thing I would ever want to do is hurt you."
"But you did," she quipped back quickly. "You can't do that…ever again."
Her words were forceful, bringing back a portion of the old Skylar that he loved so much. Dean paused at his own thoughts. It was the first time he'd ever allowed himself to think about the word love in relation to his wife. But he was willing to sacrifice himself for her, and the only other person on this planet that could say that was Sam.
Dean wouldn't have gone to hell for John, his father, despite John selling his soul for him. He felt guilty to admit that he'd never sacrifice himself for his father, but Skylar and Sam were his reasons for living. They were the only ones who truly mattered, who would always matter.
Dean paused before speaking. He cleared his throat, willing his voice to be steady.
"I know that I'm not perfect," he started, reaching for her hand and taking hold in a desperate attempt to reassure them both. "You have always meant a lot to me, Baby Girl. I'm a fuck up…I know this. I drink too much and the only time I feel whole is when I'm violent. It's the way I've always been. But that's no excuse for the way I treated you. I'm sorry, Sky. I promise I'll never lay another hand on you again."
"I'll leave if you do," she said with tears in her eyes despite the seriousness behind her words. Dean tried to keep his own tears at bay as he nodded his head in understanding.
"I wouldn't expect anything less," he laughed to keep from crying.
Skylar leaned forward, wrapping her arms around Dean's neck in a tight embrace. Dean closed his eyes, relishing in the moment. He wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her back, burying his face against her neck.
"I love you," Skylar said in a hushed whisper against his ear.
Dean froze, his heart beat accelerating. Her sweet words were his undoing. He was unprepared for this moment, though he had allowed his thoughts to drift towards those words lately. His perfect young wife had spoken the words that he hadn't realized he was longing to hear until this moment. A genuine smile spread against Dean's full lips.
"I love you too, Baby Girl."