Ashley was woken up by Tara's cries and screams after the sun had started to shine through the window. As she rolled over to face her daughter, Ashley caught a shadow in the far, dark corner of her room. "The hell?" she shouted as she pulled her revolver out from under the pillow her head was just resting on. Ashley's heart rate sky-rocketed as she pulled the hammer back on her gun, earning her a lighter trigger to pull.

"It won't do much good" Castiel called out from the corner. "It will only upset Tara further and waste ammunition."

"Shit, Cas! What did I tell you about lurking in the dark" Ashley shouted as she carefully released the revolver's hammer.

"I apologize, but I felt as if I needed to be here today. How are you feeling?"

"Uh, aside from a pounding heart, fine" Ashley sighed as she knelt down next to Tara's crib. She had yet to be able to pick her daughter up on her own since her back was still weak and Tara was much heavier now, but she was determined to try since her daughter was crying and Sam or Dean weren't around to assit her.

"Allow me" Castiel said as he lifted the now one year old out of the crib with ease and placed her in Ashley's arms.

"Thanks. So, want to tell me what sparked the hours long talk with Dean last night?"

Castiel looked down at Ashley with a mixture of concern and surprise all over his face. "Didn't Dean tell you?"

"Uh, no" Ashley huffed as she prepared a bottle for Tara. "Are you going to fill me in or not?"

Ashley

Hours after hearing the news from Castiel, I continued to sit and think on the bed With my baby laying on her back smiling back up at me. I could smell the coffee brewing and breakfast on the stove, but I was still too shocked to function Any further than play with Tara. How could Dean not tell me this? He always tells me everything.

After being dormant for over a year, it has become clear to Castiel while he watched over us something was going on with Dean recently. Apparently it wasn't evident until he began to rub his arm more in discomfort whenever he felt his temper rise after my accident. "Am I doing this to him?" I asked the open space, now knowing that we have our own guardian angel always watching us. No he responded silently everything happening around him is. "How can we help him?" I sobbed as I pulled Tara in close to my chest. She was ignorant as to how I was feeling right now, but she continued to giggle and coo against my sweatshirt. Even though she was just an infant, she seems to be my totem my constant, always keeping me grounded. Maybe it was how she smelled or the look on her face when she saw my own.

"You can't" came the answer to my question, but unfortunately it was my ears that registered the broken voice behind me, not the resonance of Castiel's voice in my head.

"Sure I can" I said lifting my head up. If I could have turned without standing, I would have done somto face Dean and look him in the eye. But instead I heard his boots start walking over to where I was and felt the resistance in his energy as he reached me and his niece. "There has to be some way to help" I continued, trying to ease the struggle I felt in his energy.

Dean took Tara from my tired arms once she saw her Uncle's ageing face after sitting down next to me. As he lifted her up to stand on his legs, I caught a glimpse of the glowing mark on his right arm under his thin jacket. He never answered my question but he felt my gaze on his arm and met mine with sad hazel eyes. "Go run with Sam; he's waiting on your lazy ass."

It was hard on Ashley to keep moving one foot in front of the other, but she continued while Sam kept a watchful eye on her movements and the expression on her face. Currently she looked concerned about something and it seemed to keep hitting a stone wall. "What do you keep pounding at, Ash?" Sam asked after stopping next to her, signaling her to hold on.

"Nothing, Sammy" she panted "just trying not to trip right now."

"Bullshit" he said handing her some water. "Just tell me what it is. Is it your back?"

"No, its fine, just a little sore actually" Ashley sighed as she turned back to start the walk home. "It's about Dean and what Castiel had to tell him last night."

Sam followed behind his sister, ears perked at what could be so big that even a run couldn't clear her mind. "Which was…?" Sam goaded.

"Let's go get a beer tonight, all three of us. He will tell you then or so help me!"

AN: Things are rolling now, think this will pose a big problem for the happy family? Tell me what you think, please! ~Ash