Working Hard

Dean had finally fallen back to sleep in the backseat of his car- Ashley had spent hours working with Dean to try and relieve his feelings. With his head on her lap, Ashley began to work on Dean's gray cloud around his head. It took hours for her to remove the gray as well as the negative energy, but she was finally able to.

Dean slept soundly despite the cramped conditions. The angry mark on his arm also stopped glowing and went back to just looking like an awful brand someone might put on their goat. Ashley couldn't help but run her hand through the short cut hair Dean always modeled after John's own cut. "I'm sure if my hair was brown and less like Mom's, I would have gotten the same cut" she whispered. "I'm terrified De. I'm mortified of losing you again and this mark is pulling you away from me again, just like those hellhounds. Don't you dare pull away from me, let me keep helping, please!"

Her please and confessions were becoming more and more desperate as she continued to speak. No matter how she tried, Ashley wasn't able to keep her tears inside. They began to fall all around her and soak her neck in salty water as her chest began to heave. "I won't leave you" Dean mumbled out. "So stop being a damn girl."

Ashley smiled at the sound of her brother's voice. "I woke you, I'm sorry."

"I should go anyways. Got a witch or reaper on the loose. Sammy up?" he groaned as he moved his sore muscles to a seated position.

"Yeah. Texted asking if everything was okay around 7. How are you feeling?"

Dean looked over at his finally composed baby sister as she tucked her hands into the pockets of her jacket. "No longer going to rip out a throat. Thanks, Killer."

"My pleasure. Wake me up anytime you start to feel bag again. You uh, you won't have to go far anymore" she shrugged, hoping to get a nod from Dean.

"No" he said as he got out of the car.

Castiel

I understand why Dean refused to allow Ashley to stay too close to him. With how erratic and sudden his behavior can become, it's best no one stands too close to Dean for too long right now. But I am surprised he responded so quickly and so soon after Ashley bared her soul to him. He heard every word, felt every shake, yet Dean didn't care in the least. Perhaps it was the mark on his arm; perhaps it was something real, something truly inside Dean's heart.

As Sam and Dean drove away, Ashley couldn't help but pay attention to the growing apprehension in her guy. Ashley may have cleared the negativity from Dean's energy, but that doesn't mean she changed how he thought. "Castiel," she sighed as she looked up towards the sky "you there?"

"Yes Ashley. How are you?" the angel answered from right next to Ashley. "Dean, he's not good, is he?" she asked, afraid of the answer she might get back. Judging by the look plastered on Castiel's easily readable face, "I'm not going to like the answer, huh?"

"I'm sorry Ashley. What you did helped him, but he still has the curse in his blood stream. That isn't anything you can change."

"Well you can, right? Change it, that is."

"For the same reason I can't help you heal, and more. Dean's blood is tainted. I cannot change his whole essence" Castiel admitted. "I am sorry, Ashley. Dean must fight this curse on his own."

Ashley hated that Castiel's angelic hands were tied, but nothing else could be done. "Just- keep close? Take care of him today?"

"As you wish" Castiel agreed before zapping to wherever Dean and Sam was now.

"Just bring him home safe, Sammy too. I need them both."

They will be fine and home soon Castiel sent a thought down into Ashley's head.

"Thanks, buddy" she sighed before walking back into the hotel room.

Ben was right, it was a rouge reaper killing off anyone who shared blood with the Roberts or was once a Roberts. The first victim, Ericka was adopted by Chuck and Marylyn Roberts moments after she was born. Dean and Sam made the mistake of not checking into the birth mother, because the fact that, the real Roberts and her cousin also died the same way.

"It was the birth mom all along. Thought you checked her out?" Sam whispered from the wall he was standing behind with Dean.

"No thought you did, geek" Dean grunted as he reached for his gun with his marked arm. Dean peeked around the corner to make sure the reaper was still coming. "Alright, I'll lead him off, you shoot the bitch controlling him" Dean yelled as he took off towards the direction he reaper was coming.

"No, dammit Dean!" Sam yelled after his brother.

"Just shoot her, Sammy!"

Sam

How am I supposed to tell Ashley that I lost Dean? He led the reaper away while I went after Lisa Butler, Ericka's birth mother. I was able to shoot Lisa in the head and went to go look for him; he was gone- along with the Impala's keys.

I pulled out my cell phone and dialed Ashley's number from memory. Yeah she said into the phone. "Ash, hey. Have you heard from Dean?" Why would I have heard from him? I knew I was going to be in for a world of hate, but we had to work on finding him. "Alright, I'm on my way back. I'll fill you in when I'm back." Sammy, you're scaring me. Are you guys alright? "Ten minutes, Ash" I said before hanging up the phone.

AN: Tell me what you are all thinking, please! Home you all enjoyed the chapter!