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NOTE1: I apologize for not posting this chapter sooner. Something was wrong with my profile so I couldn't do anything with it… ugh!

NOTE2: Thanks for the continued reviews, and adds to favs and alerts. Special thanks to hotshow and T.L. Arens, ya'll know why!

Chapter 7

They drove all night and it was about noon when Dean pulled into a café parking lot in Sioux Falls and put the car into park. Then he turned and faced Cas, "What if it's gone?"

Cas knew what Dean was talking about, the amulet-Sammy's soul, "Dean… You will be ok."

"But will Sammy?" Dean asked then turned and looked out the driver's side window.

Cas leaned back against the seat as he watched Dean and waited.

Several minutes passed, creeping closer to an hour before Dean turned back, "Let's get some food… I need to…" Dean finished in his head, Pull myself together, get my game face on, "Eat." Dean settled on as he stated aloud the next word to pop into his head. It hadn't escaped Dean's notice that Cas hadn't answered Dean's question about Sammy.

Cas got out of the car and waited quietly by the driver's door for him to get out noticing as he waited for Dean that the parking lot was steadily emptying. He listened to the gravel crunching under tires as various cars left the parking lot.

Dean slowly reached over and locked Cas' door then got out of the car locking his door as he looked at Cas he told him earnestly, "Thanks, dude."

Cas smiled, following him into the café.

Dean walked to the last booth in front of the windows and sat on the side against the wall so he was facing the café patrons and the door as he's eyes quickly scanned the cafe.

Cas sat down across from Dean and stared silently at him, folding his arms across his chest.

Dean tried to ignore him as he waited for the waitress. Then he decided it was pointless to ignore Cas so he told him. "I was surprised by how fast we got here, it seems like we got here faster than normal. It's almost… like I missed parts of the trip." Dean had that look like he was trying to figure out a puzzle. He glanced at Cas as he asked in a semi-accusing tone, "You didn't knock me out again did you?"

"Dean? Dean Winchester." A voice asked coming towards him and with it Cas was able to avoid answering Dean's question.

Dean flinched, recognizing the sheriff as she walked towards him.

"Sheriff. How you been?" Dean asked pleasantly, not really wanting to talk to anyone right now, he needed to sort some things out in his head before arriving at Bobby's house.

"Better. Good days… bad days. More good then bad now. I guess I passed the hurdle. What's up with you and where's that brother of yours? I thought you boys were inseparable." She stopped for breath and stared at Cas, "Who's he?" She asked, jerking her thumb Cas' direction.

Wow, Dean thought, she's suddenly became talkative. He smiled as he told her, "Sam's with Bobby. Working on a… case." Dean looked around meaningfully. Leaning forward and lowering his voice, "He couldn't go with me. So, I went to get our cuz, Cas. Thought I'd show him around a little on the way to Bobby's place.

The sheriff nodded, "Well, tell them Hi for me. I'll be around to Bobby's in a few days. I found a classic car for him to restore. A '67 Charger." She grinned as she thought about her car.

Dean whistled, "Damn that'll be nice cherried out."

She nodded in agreement, "I know. Bobby tells me you're good at that kind of thing, maybe you can stick around awhile and help him restore it?"

Dean smiled back at her as he told her in a half-joking voice, "Maybe I can do that… then you'd owe me…" Dean winked. He smiled wider when she actually giggled.

Then she surprised him by saying, "I think it might make you even… you owe me."

He raised an eyebrow as he bantered back and forth with her, "I thought you did those things for us because you owed Bobby?"

She grinned and winked at him, "Yeah I did, but that's Bobby's tab, but your tab on the other hand…" She spread her hands wide.

Dean threw his head back and laughed before looking at her still chuckling, "Join us for lunch?"

She tilted her head as she considered doing just that.

"I'll buy." Dean added.

She gave a quick nod with a grin as she motioned Cas to scoot over. Looking at Cas she asked him, "You the strong silent type?"

Cas just stared at her.

"Ok." She said raising her eyebrows as she turned back to Dean. "What cha been up to? I haven't seen you in…" She chewed her lip, "A little over a year? Has it been that long?"

Dean nodded as he grin clouded over to a frown as he muttered, "Tried the white picket fence complete with apple pie… didn't work out." Dean shrugged like it didn't matter.

She crinkled her nose, "Mine didn't either." she stated, with a glance down at her nails, as she feigned intense interest in them. Not looking up she nudged his foot with hers.

His head jerked up to stare at her as they both fought their tears back. Still Cas had yet to say anything. She smiled as she said softly, "Eventually the pain lessons… a little." thinking about her son and husband she'd lost in the zombie fiasco where she'd first arrested Dean and Sam only to let them out for Bobby.

Finally, the waitress arrived to Dean's immense relief. Popping her gum, she nodded to the sheriff, "Jodie… who are these handsome fellas?"

"Bobby's nephew and his cousin." Jody replied shortly.

"Bobby Singer?" The waitress looked at Dean with renewed interest. "Damn! Amazing that he…" Then she clamped her lips shut before anything offensive popped out.

Dean chuckled, "Yeah he has another one of us at the house with him right now."

Jodie glared at Dean, "Don't encourage her, Dean." Sighing, she placed her order then glanced again at Cas.

"Well both take the specials with large coffees." Dean stated motioning between him and Cas with his index finger.

"Sure thing hon." She stated, smiling down at Dean.

"Candy." Jodie snapped as she sighed out her frustration.

"You're no fun when you're on duty, Jo." With that statement, she stuck her nose in the air and stalked off.

Within a few minutes Jodie received a call on her radio. She yelled at Candy to make her order to go. Standing she told Dean, "Tell Bobby I'll get that car out to him."

"Sure thing hon." Dean said with a smile.

Jody raised an eyebrow as she said with a grin, "That's Sheriff Hon to you."

Dean put his arms across the back of the booth as he told her, "I'll be sure and keep that in mind."

She snickered as she walked away.

Dean watched her exit the café before focusing on Cas. "What's wrong with you?"

"She sat by me." Cas said in a shaky voice, sporting his confused face.

Dean laughed as his hands dropped and he leaned forward onto the table.

"Cas you are a mighty angel of the lord and now the sheriff of heaven and that little slip of a woman scares you?" Dean asked his voice tinted with wonder.

Cas leaned forward as he nodded solemnly.

"Cas we are so going to have to talk about this when all this is over." Dean said sitting back.

"Why can't we talk about it now?" Cas asked confused.

"Cause it would take too long. It's got a lot of complicated pieces involved." Dean stated seriously.

Candy walked up and sat down Cas and Dean's plates, as she told Dean with a wink, "I get off in an hour." tilting her head to her side as she waited for Dean's answer. Then she looked at Cas as she added, "You can come along too babe."

Dean gave a kinda half smile as he told her softly, "I'd really love to… "He sighed, "really… I would, but duty calls. I got a job I'm working on and I'll be… I don't know where I'll be in an hour."

"Yeah, Jodie says your like Texas Rangers or something, maybe she said... U.S. Marshalls?" She said as she tried to decide which one she'd been told.

"Yeah, that'd be us, one of each." He smiled as he added. "Big case."

"Maybe next time…" She said as she wandered away.

In less than ten minutes Dean was finished and looked at Cas' who hadn't eaten anything, "Are you done?"

Cas nodded looking down at the untouched plate in front of him.

Dean shrugged as he pulled Cas' plate over and handed Cas' his empty plate. When he'd finished Cas' plate he looked up with a serious expression, "You ready to tackle this bitch?"

Cas looked stricken and glanced quickly at Candy then back at Dean, "Dean I really don't think that would be a good idea…"

"Dude." Dean chuckled, "Not her. This soul thing."

"Oh." Cas said as he stood.

Dean shook his head as he tossed a twenty on the table as a tip and slapped Cas on the back on the way out. "I can't wait to tell Sammy about this."

Dean unlocked his door, climbed in and unlocked Cas' door. As he watched Cas as he climbed in, a wave of nostalgia hit Dean hard enough that tears sprang up. He could see his Sammy climbing in, folding himself to fit as he looked over with that full, dimpled smile that would light up his whole face. Dean sighed and pulling the car into drive and headed to Bobby's. He'd stalled long enough. He had to see if Sam still had the amulet. To Dean it seemed he'd blinked and they were driving into the salvage yard and had pulled up to Bobby's house. Dean sat a second or two before turning off the car debating if he was really ready to know if Sammy's soul was lost to them forever. Squaring his shoulders as he climbed out; Dean went straight to the front door. Looking back he was about to tell Cas to hurry up when he heard Sam bellow in fury from inside the house.

Dean barged in, screen door shutting behind them with a bang as the front door slammed against the wall. Dean looked quickly around, skidding to a halt when he spotted Sam handcuffed to a chair. "What the hell?" he snarled, forgetting for just a moment this was Sam-not Sammy.

Both Bobby and Sam turned to stare at Dean. Both looking pissed off and spoiling for a fight as focused on Dean instead of each other.

"I…" Dean started to say only to stop himself and start over, "what the fuck? Bobby?" Dean looked at him as he waited for an explanation.

TBC