Night Out

Ashley struggled into her jeans and pulled a Stanford hoodie over her black bra. The last time she was in jeans, her body was so mangled she had to be cut out of them and they were just tossed in the trash. The fabric felt stiff compared to the running shorts and sweatpants she had lived in for five months, but she felt more like herself now, more whole. With a smile she slipped her feet into her Rainbow flip flops and kissed Tara goodnight before closing the bedroom door behind her.

Dean was waiting right outside her bedroom door in case she needed help getting into her jeans. "Who's driving?" he asked once she stepped out into the hall.

"Hopefully not me" Ashley smiled as she slipped under his unmarked arm.

"Oh Killer, going to get crazy?" Dean asked as he led Ashley towards the stairs and started down them slowly, careful to keep an eye on Ashley so she wouldn't trip or lose her balance.

"No, just not going to stay sober tonight if I can help it" she smiled as Dean grabbed the Impala's keys off the table.

"I wish I could go with you guys" Ben sighed as Sam finished checking over his college common app essay.

"You got another couple years" Dean replied as he glanced over Sam's shoulder at his son's college essay. To say Dean was proud would be an understatement of the century. He never wanted hunting to be all Ben did with his life, and Dean knew if he didn't go to college both Lisa and Ashley would haunt his ass. The only stipulation he had was that Ben stay close to home so he could still protect Ben if he needed to.

"What's the topic?" Ashley asked while the two boys read over it.

"Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood" Sam answered for a suddenly embarrassed Ben once he had finished reading for himself.

"Your Mom?" Ashley asked, catching Ben's glassy gaze.

"No" he choked, swallowing a sob.

"Family business," Dean replied once he also finished reading "alongside his father, uncle, and-"

"and surrogate mom" Ben finished for himself. "I thought you three were going out. Why are you still breathing down my neck?"

"Alright, we're going" Ashley smiled as she gave Ben a hug and kiss on top of his head. "Call if you need anything, then text the problem so someone can maybe comprehend it" she winked.

Dean and Sam smiled at Ashley's remark and followed her out. "It's good, by the way" Dean said once he got to the door. "Should be a shoe in."

Ashley sat staring at the next round of shots sitting in front of her while she played with the peeling label on her third beer. Dean took the responsibility to tell Sam about the conversation he had with Castiel. Ashley couldn't help but feel the uneasy worry flood out of Sam like a dam had just opened, but she could only put a comforting hand on his knee. "He's saying there isn't anything we can do" she sighed after taking another gulp form her beer.

"Course something can be done, Dean! Did Cas have any suggestions?" Sam finally spoke up.

"No, he's a little stumped and angel forum has no threads" Dean joked as he reached for his own shot.

"This isn't a joke, Dean" Ashley lectured. "We can go back to Cain, or I can try and see if some spirit can dig up-"

"No Ash, this is my burden and I will handle it" Dean interrupted as he stood up.

"You didn't let me handle my own burden, the demon blood" Sam spat as Dean got to his feet.

"This is me handling it, so much better than you did" he said as he sauntered up to the bar where a lone blond was sitting.

"Guess your driving tonight" Ashley sighed as she took her own shot as well as Sam's.

"He's got the keys" Sam smirked as he signaled for a new round. "Neither of us are driving, Ben is or we are walking."

Ashley looked over at the bar where Dean was now standing with a group of blonds. He was trying to flirt his way into one of their rooms, but Ashley could see the mark glowing under his shirt again. What if he hurts one of the girls? What if he hurts himself tonight and we aren't there to stop it or clean up his mess? she thought to herself as she took the last gulp on her beer. "He's struggling, think we should do something?" she finally vocalized.

"No" Sam sighed, "as much as I am thankful I'm not on demon blood anymore, quarantining me was the worst way to do it. I won't ever forgive Dean for that. What we need to do is just try and be normal around him, he is also trying to be normal even though that thing is lighting up like a Christmas tree. It's good we don't have a lead on the First Blade, I figure it would be worse if he had that around."

The ride home was long and slow, but Ashley was grateful she didn't have to walk the whole way home. Ben kept glancing at the mirror at her, almost as if he was expecting something else to happen, or could sense something was wrong. "What is it, hun?" Ashley whispered since Sam had passed out on her shoulder.

"What if I don't want to go to college?" Ben whispered out the windshield.

"Then don't," she slurred "but for the record I think you should, and I know you Mom would have wanted you too. This is what she was afraid of, you not finishing school and getting caught up in our line of work. She would have kicked Dean's ass and mine if we said don't go."

Ben considered what Ashley said as well as his own thoughts; of course Dean and his mom would be disappointed, but Ben would be miserable otherwise. "I uh, I found a case while you guys were out. Think it's a weird one and it is by a beach" he muttered trying to change the subject.

"I'll take a look at the file in the morning. Good job, hun" she smiled as Ben pulled into the driveway. "We'll be up once Sam comes round."

"Alright," Ben said tossing the keys back at her "want a blanket? Pillow?"

"Naah, I'm good, got this giant space heater next to me" she smiled as she leaned her head back. "Night, Ben."

"Night, Ash."