Four years ago

The wind was howling outside – the rain pounding against the windowpane.

It had been 68 days since she'd last heard from him.

After calling a few times and only getting his voicemail, she broke down and called Sam.

Sam was at college now and he no longer talked to his brother very much. He didn't talk to his father at all anymore. He had the right to live life how he saw fit, making something of himself besides being a ruthless killer.

No. His brother and father were the ones who took pleasure in slaughtering anything that dared to cross their paths. But not Sam.

She envied Sam's newfound freedom.

The youngest Winchester had no idea where Dean was but assured her that he was probably wrapped up in some job and would call her as soon as he could. Dean had never turned his back on her before, and he wasn't about to start doing so now.

But then…he had missed her birthday.

She broke down and called John. Naturally, she got his voicemail, too. Days continued to tick by, but at least he had the decency to call her back…eventually.

John was a bit hesitant to offer any information, which was beyond strange. How bad could it be that they found the need to avoid her at all costs? It was hard to keep the tears at bay when reality started to sink in. As much as she loathed Dean and his many violent faults, he was her one true constant. She had no real friends and only had her neglectful father to fall back on. It was an absolute nightmare; the thought of Dean disappearing on her.

Branding was the only hope she had in getting away from Ike once and for all. It was the only benefit that fate seemed to offer as a reprieve.

John told her that Dean was safe and that he had some stuff to work out. He'd have him call her. The pity in his voice was nearly her undoing.

What did it all mean?

The days were relentless, the nights endless.

Even though John said he was alive, she couldn't help but worry. Something had to be wrong.

Her phone never did ring, but on that storm filled night – 68 days after she had last spoken to him, a knock sounded on the front door.

She was home alone, her father at the local pub, she was sure. No one ever knocked on the front door.

She rose slowly from the couch, tossing her novel to the side. She was only half reading the pages, anyhow. Leaning down to grab the gun tucked beneath the sofa, she cocked it slowly while making her way to the foyer. Pulling the white curtain to the side and gazing out the glass door, there he was, rain pouring down his beautiful face that had a deeply troubled look settled upon it.

Her heart nearly stopped at the sight.

She was half tempted to not open the door. She was so angry that there was no way a rational discussion could possibly come out of this interaction. But she had been waiting for him to call. She had waited for…anything from him. A small sign that showed he still cared.

And here was her 'anything,' standing on the front porch in her little Illinois town. The sign she had been waiting for.

Reaching up, she clicked the bolt unlocked and opened it wide enough to peek her head through.

"What do you want?" she asked, her voice more tired than angry, much to her own surprise.

Dean's green eyes seemed to soften considerably at the sight of her after his features had been harsh only moments ago. He opened his lips to speak but paused when he noticed the gun in her hand.

"Isn't Ike home?" he asked, his mouth once again set into a hard line.

"I'm not a kid anymore, Dean. I don't need a constant babysitter."

Instead of shouting about her pathetic excuse for a father, which is what he usually did, he surprised her by bowing his head down, placing his hands loosely on his hips. If she wasn't mistaken, it almost looked like he was…guilty.

"Can I come in?" he finally spoke again, much quieter than she'd ever heard him speak. "We need to talk."

We need to talk.

Those words echoed in her mind and would forever haunt her after tonight, she was sure of it. So, something had been wrong. He'd been avoiding her for a reason, and she was about to find out why. Was she even sure that she wanted to know after all?

Reluctantly, she opened the door wider to allow him entry. Shrugging out of his leather jacket, he let it fall down his toned arms, revealing the wet clinging t-shirt underneath. Her cheeks instantly flushed at the sight and she had to look away to calm her racing heart.

She hated these new emotions so much, both physically and mentally. It wasn't supposed to be like this. Not yet anyway. After all, she was only thirteen and in that horrible awkward phase where she was a kid, but she wasn't. It absolutely sucked.

It was normal for her to develop a crush on an older man, even if those feelings wouldn't be reciprocated for years to come – if ever.

"Sky," he said her name, reluctantly bringing her back to the present. She hadn't noticed she was still standing with her back to him after shutting the front door, completely lost in her own thoughts.

Clearing her throat, she adverted her gaze and walked back into the front room and past Dean, leaving him to follow behind her. Doing her best to lighten her voice, she said rather too quickly, "what do you need to talk to me about? I'm sure a phone call would have worked. That is…if you still have a phone."

She cringed as the words just flew from her mouth. Dammit. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction of being upset that he hadn't called her, not once, in over two months. And now he just shows up on her doorstep without any warning.

"I'm sorry I haven't called," he said, immediately picking up on why she was so agitated. "I was trying to work through some things in my head. I…I wasn't sure what to say."

In defense, she crossed her legs on the sofa and picked her book back up. Staring at the blurred pages of Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. She had a report due on Wednesday for English.

"Where were you?" she pressed softly, curiosity getting the best of her and starting this dreaded conversation.

The knots in her stomach tightened further as Dean moved to sit on the coffee table directly in front of her. His scent was intoxicating. It always had been. She cursed ever having picked the book back up, because now, her hands were visibly shaking. She didn't have to look at Dean to know that he had noticed her unease.

"Mississippi," was all he said.

Mississippi? This entire time?

"This entire time?" she mimicked her own thoughts.

Reaching up by two fingers, he gently pulled the book from her hands and sat it beside him face down so her place wouldn't be lost. Great. Now she would be forced to look at him.

He nodded, clasping his fingers in front of him and leaning forward on his knees. Once again, he looked guilty about something. She could sense that he wanted to tell her what was ever on his mind but wasn't sure how to go about it.

"And you couldn't call? Not once?"

"I was trying to find the words, Sky," he said so softly that her heart ached at the way his voice cracked. He'd always been so self-assured and confident before this. She wasn't sure she liked this side of Dean.

"What's happened?" she breathed heavy, her vision blurring once again in panic.

"I just want you to know that…"

"What's happened?" she asked again, more firmly this time. "What's so important that you had to drive hours and hours to come and tell me in person that you couldn't say over the phone?"

He paused briefly before her entire life came crashing down around her. He flinched at her angry tone before the words came spilling from his full lips. "I met someone."

She stared at him blankly, blinking several times, certain that she had misunderstood what he just said. When she failed to speak, he continued.

"Her name is Cassie. I was working a job with Dad down in Mississippi. I never meant for this happened, Sky, I swear it. She was just supposed to be a…a ummm…"

"I get it. You don't need to paint me a picture." she said quickly, not needing to hear him say the words 'hookup.' She knew he slept around. That was evident. He was breathtaking and women dropped at his feet with every turn. It was no surprise that they wanted him. But him returning their feelings? No, that wasn't supposed to happen.

He swallowed, which was a difficult task for him, she could tell. He was waiting for her to speak, but what was she supposed to say?

That's okay, it happens?

Sam and Olivia called things off so obviously being branded isn't as serious as the hunter world makes it out to be. I guess after thirteen years, this is goodbye?

See ya?

Instead, she said none of those things. "What does this mean?"

Reaching out hesitantly, he grazed his finger on her bare thigh where the mark glowed bright against the fire blazing in the hearth. She instantly flinched involuntarily, causing him to pull back as if the blemish burned his own skin.

"I thought that you were owed an explanation as to why I haven't called. I needed to see you face to face."

"Do you love her?" the words spilled from her mouth despite fearing his answer.

"Baby Girl…" he began, his eyes shifting downward in guilt once more. That was all the answer she needed.

"So, this is it?" she began, willing herself not to cry. Her and Dean had rarely seen eye to eye. Maybe this was a blessing in disguise. She hated hunting, which only Dean ever made her do. She'd watched him kill without mercy, slaughter countless, most who deserved it, and some who weren't that bad on society.

She had seen him kill a human.

And even though a part of her had enjoyed the sight of him dripping in blood as he had made him way towards her, it wasn't right, no matter what Dean's victim had done.

"I'm still going to do what's right, Sky," he said, his brow coming together in desperation. "Just because I fell in love with someone else doesn't mean I care for you any less."

She shut her eyes to the onslaught of words. And there it was. 'I fell in love with someone else.'

He was still going to do right by me? How? He was hell bent on being with someone else.

"How?"

"Hmmm?" Dean questioned, shutting his mouth from the words that were attempting to form. He looked lost despite being the one at fault.

"How can you make this right if you're going to be with someone else?"

"I'll tell her about you, I swear it. I just don't know how you explain this to – to anyone! I mean, a life of fighting evil and the fact that I'm all but engaged to some kid? She's amazing, but I think that would be a lot for anyone to take in and…I still intend to marry you one day, Sky. That hasn't changed. I just…I can't let her go. I've been thinking a lot about this. I think we can make this work if…"

"Get out," she said suddenly, cutting off his words. She may only be thirteen, but there was no way she would ever share him after they were legally married. It was one thing to know he was screwing women daily; she was sure of it. But he wanted them both? No way. And considering she was nothing more than an obligation to him, something that he promised his father and her mother that he would see through…it was over.

And to top it all off, she couldn't take another moment of hearing about how perfect this other woman was. This other woman that was stealing everything from her.

"What?" he said, pleading in his voice. "Skylar?"

She rose from the sofa and made her way back towards the foyer, grabbing his familiar leather jacket from the hook on the wall. She knew he had followed behind her, so she turned sharply and through it back at him, watching as he caught it one hand and looking down like he was seeing it for the first time.

Opening the door, the wind and rain still howled outside as she waited for him to leave. Instead, he stood there in shocked silence, as if he hadn't suggested the most asinine and disgusting thing ever.

"Sky, I never meant for…"

"Leave," she said more firmly, trying not to break down at the sad expression in those magnetic green eyes. "Please," she finished.

She needed him to leave. The tears were beginning to pool in her eyes at the realization at what was happening, and she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

"No," he said simply, reaching out to take her by the arm. She attempted to jerk away, but he held firm, catching her by the wrist and looking like he was really seeing her for the first time. "I'm not leaving. I told you that I care about you, and I mean it. You know I've always cared about you. I'm not leaving until you and I work this out."

"Work it out!?" she screamed, unable to hold it in any longer. "You are the one who fell in love with someone else, Dean! You told me you love her! What more could you possibly say?"

"Baby girl," he breathed her familiar nickname, but any anger he had shown moments ago dissipated quickly.

"I'm not going to watch you love someone else while married to me, branded or not. I'm not going to turn a blind eye to it. And I'm sure as hell not going to turn into some little wife who watches their husband spend his entire life wishing he could fully be with someone else. Branding happens so that the bloodline isn't weakened."

She pulled from his grasp which had loosened considerably. Turning around, she began sprinting up the stairs, leaving him behind to show himself out of the front door, and out of her life once and for all. Stopping suddenly, she turned, pinning him with one last look of pure hatred.

"I'd rather kill myself than ever have your child."

Present day

Dean gripped the seat tight, closing his eyes as the airplane once again hit a rough patch of turbulence.

"Son-of-a-bitch."

They were heading back to North Dakota to pick up their belongs, and of course the Impala. They had to fly down to Kansas. Once they had found out that Lucifer had taken Skylar to Lawrence, they would have never made it in time if they hadn't flown.

Dean hated flying. It was one giant death trap waiting to burn you in a fiery crash. Hell, give him evil to face any day of the week. But 10,000 feet in the air where he had no control over his own fate? Hell no.

And to top it all off, Skylar wasn't speaking to him. Big surprise. It was like he couldn't do anything right lately, and the truth was, he couldn't. He sucked at being her husband. He sucked at a lot of things actually.

There she was, several rows ahead and on the opposite side of the isle with Pam. She wouldn't even look at him, let alone sit next to him.

When he had tried, Pam stopped him, saying that for right now, she just wanted to be left alone. Apparently, Pamela was poking her head into the mind of his little wife and he wasn't sure how he felt about it.

He craved Skylar's presence. He wanted to touch her so bad that it hurt. But he kept telling himself over and over that she was alive, and that's all that mattered.

"You can't blame her for being angry, Dean."

"What?!" he barked; half hearing Sam's words cut into his thoughts.

Sam scoffed, amused, before going back to typing on his laptop as if flying on an airplane was the most natural thing in the world.

"I said, you can't blame her for being angry. It's only natural. Give her some time."

"I don't have time, Sam! If you haven't noticed, time hasn't really been on our side lately."

"You told Lucifer you would take care of it," his younger brother said quickly, sighing in agitation. "No woman wants to hear her husband say something like that."

"You know that I only said it for that demonic son-of-a-bitches' benefit. Otherwise, he would have taken us all out without even blinking. You saw the way he stopped me! My fucking shoulder still hurts," Dean grumbled, rubbing the sore spot as he spoke. "Pam couldn't have taken him on either like we'd hoped she could. There was no use. She'd already lost her sight because of us, I wasn't going to let her lose her life, too."

"So, you don't mean it?" Sam asked, ignoring Deans words regarding Lucifer and Pamela.

"What?"

"Getting rid of the baby?" Sam's gaze was so intense that Dean was starting to feel like he was on trial for murder. Rolling his eyes, he looked away from Sam, once again gripping his arm rests tight.

"Is this not the longest flight in history, or what?" he blurted out as another batch of turbulence hit and the seat belt sign dinged.

"You're avoiding the question," Sam pressed, closing his laptop and focusing solely on Dean's answer. Sometimes, his little brother was the biggest pain in the ass.

Remind me why I went to hell for him again? He asked himself. "You honestly think I would do something like that?"

Sam cocked an eyebrow, shrugging. "I mean, you have said on numerous occasions that there was no way in hell you would ever bring a kid into this world with how much evil is in it."

"I never meant once they were already created," Dean bit back, astonished at Sam's words. He lowered his voice considerably so that no one could hear what he was saying around them. "I did this. I forgot how to use a damn condom and what little sense I have completely goes out the window when it comes to Skylar. So, no, I didn't mean it. What kind of man do you think I am?"

Sam immediately began to open his mouth, but Dean stopped him. "Don't answer that."

Seconds ticked by after that, neither of them speaking. Dean loosened his grip slightly and sat up straighter, thinking carefully about his next words. "If it wasn't for that kid, Sky would be dead."

That statement seemed to hang in the air between them for what seemed like an eternity. Dean knew that Sam was waiting for him to continue. "You heard what Lucifer said. The portal to hell can't accept more than one heartbeat at a time." Tears began to prick his eyes at the thought that he had come so close to losing her and failing her once and for all. "That child saved her life…my child. So no, I didn't mean it."

Dean could feel Sam's eyes on him. He risked a glance, and as suspected, his brother was looking at him with a mixture of awe, bewilderment, and understanding.

"Do you remember Cassie?"

"Of course," Sam said in confusion at the drastic change in conversation.

Dean pinched the bridge of his nose, dreading the words that were about to come from his mouth in confession. He'd never spoken about that night out loud.

"Back when you were in school, and I ended up falling in love with Cassie…what I thought to be love. I told, Skylar, and she freaked out."

"You told her?" Sam repeated his words back to him. "How have you not told me this? I didn't even know about Cassie until we took a job there."

"I had to tell her, Sammy. I couldn't lie to her. I told her that I intended to still marry her, but…but that I wasn't going to give Cassie up either. Once I suggested having them both, she threw me out. But not before telling me that she would rather kill herself than have my child one day. So, I left her alone for a while after that like she wanted, Cassie and I eventually broke up, and slowly Sky and I mended our relationship. But…we haven't talked kids. Not once since that night. What if she still feels that way?"

"She doesn't," Sam offered instantly, but changed the subject back to Cassie. "Does she know that you went to Mississippi and saw her? That the two of you…you know…"

"No. And that's what I expect Lucifer meant about hiding her from Skylar. I told her about her once, but when we finally got back on decent terms, it was too late to ever bring Cassie up to her again. After that night four years ago, we were so strained until after we were married. It was never easy between the two of us again. Not until things began getting – physical."

"Skylar loves you, Dean," Sam said. "Cassie is in the past, where she needs to stay. She has to know that no other woman would ever come close to how you feel about her. It was a while ago. She was just a kid then; a kid who was pissed off that her crush had eyes for someone else."

"Crush?" Dean said as if he hadn't heard anything else Sam said. His younger brother smiled.

"She's had it bad for you, even back then, and you know it."

Dean smirked. Risking a glance in Skylar's direction, he could only see her dark silky locks peeking out from over the seat, and he wondered if she had fallen asleep? He desperately hoped that she was able to rest, even for a little while. If she wasn't resting, he wondered what was going through her mind? She had to know that he was going to figure a way out of this. They all were.

Dean wouldn't let anything happen to her or his child, even if it meant paying a little visit to Castiel for help once again…and possibly Michael.