"Rise and shine, Dean!"

I groaned and shielded my eyes as the sun streamed in through the motel window. "What the hell, Sammy?!"

"Get up. It's half past noon already." My little- in no sense of the word but age- brother Sam stood above me, bed sheets clutched in hand. He dumped the sheets on the other bed and crossed his arms, staring down at me.

"Nngh. Fine." I rubbed my eyes and swung myself out of bed, stretching. Ah, beautiful sleep. Despite the fact I didn't exactly… need it anymore… it felt good. Not that I was gonna go down the road of why I didn't need it anymore.

"Eat up, if you want anything." A plastic container of pastries was tossed in my general direction and I caught it. Making my way to the small table the motel provided, I dug in as Sam pulled out his laptop.

"So remind me why you interrupted my beauty sleep?" I asked.

Sam snorted. "Please."

I glared, knowing what went unspoken between us. That the sleep wasn't needed, and more specifically, what that implied. "I'm serious."

"Amazons," he reminded. "Remember? We managed to track down a few more."

Now I remembered. "Right. Are we any closer to where they might be hiding?"

Sam's brow furrowed. "Better. I found their nest."

I froze. "Where?"

"Louisville."

A smirk slowly spread over my face. "And we're in Clemont now. We can kill these bitches without even leaving the state."

Sam's tone instantly erred on the side of caution. "Dean…"

"What?" I demanded.

"One of those 'bitches' used to be your daughter," he said quietly.

"Emma was not my daughter," I growled.

"Yes she was, like it or not," Sam replied. "You need to accept it."

"Damnit, Sammy, she's dead now. Let's not talk about this."

"We have to talk about-"

"Shut up, Sam."

"Dean, we really need-"

"I said SHUT UP!" I bellowed, and Sam flinched.

Suddenly aware of what I had done, I hesitated. "Did I…" I trailed off, and slowly blinked to convey what I didn't want to put into words.

Sam shook his head, and I exhaled in relief. "Sorry."

He shrugged. "Just… try to control the anger next time."

"Bitch," I said.

"Jerk," he shot back, and I knew I was forgiven.

AC/DC blared on the radio as we drove down the road, me singing along with Brian Johnson as we went. It took me a minute to notice that Sam had been looking at me for a while.

"What?"

"You heard anything from Cas recently?" he asked.

"Why?"

He shrugged. "Just trying to make conversation."

I sighed. "You know I can't exactly pray to him anymore, Sammy."

I thought that would shut him up… no such luck.

"I was just wondering- y'know, since he's got his original grace back he can poof his feathery ass down again, and I was just wondering 'cause of your 'profound bond' or whatever he calls it-"

"Sam," I said quietly. "Not now, please."

He finally caught on. "Alright."

I glanced over as he turned to look out the window with a sigh. I wasn't trying to be cold. I really wasn't. But the last time I talked with Cas- about two months ago it hadn't exactly gone well.

I was sitting on the front hood of the Impala, downing a beer and feeling better than I had in ages, when I heard wings flapping behind me.

"Cas," I said, not turning around.

"Dean," the familiar voice replied. "How are you?" His tone had taken on a more formal edge, but how could I blame him? He was being cautious. Times had changed.

"Better," I responded, turning around. It was nice to see him as I once had- now that I had control over this whole 'new me' crap that the Mark had made, I could see him as I had before- no Grace, no fancy wings, no true form. Just Cas, the old Cas. I could tell he felt a bit more comfortable too. Because now that I had control over myself, I could hide my true form. "No more ugly sonofabitch, huh?" I said, somewhat bitterly. "At least, not that you can see."

He tensed. "Dean-"

I groaned and carded a hand through my hair. "So just because I have control over this thing now, I've lost the right to be annoyed? Cas, this is frustrating!" I sighed. "The whole damn thing is."

Cas frowned. "I know. That's what I came to discuss with you."

Pause. "What?"

"I'm going to try and fix this."

Now I was confused. "We have fixed this."

"We've found a temporary solution to a major problem. There's a difference, Dean."

"Then what're you getting at, feathers?" Okay, I admit it- I had purposefully used one of my taunting names for him from when I was still going full on sulfur-sucker. Spite and nerves, I guess.

Cas looked hurt, but continued. "We're going to try and turn you human."

I stiffened. "The cure won't work on me, Cas. We've already tried. I'm no ordinary black-eyed bastard, I'm a friggin' Knight of Hell and-"

"Dean-"

"-and you know it," I finished.

"Yes, I do. That's why I'm searching for something stronger."

I stiffened. "Cas. We've tried every trick in the book. I'm stuck like this. I can handle the violence, I've even got my damn emotions back, so why can't we leave well enough alone?"

"Because-"

"Is it because you hate what you see?" I whispered, my heart sinking. "Is it because you can't stand looking at your best friend and seeing nothing but a monster? Seeing nothing but this?" I flicked my eyes to black, he shuddered, and I knew he could see my true form.

"Dean," he said cautiously, "Just let me-"

"I think you should go," I said, and he did.

"Dude."

I snapped out of my reverie to find Sam staring at me. "Yeah?"

"You're sixty miles over the speed limit."

I glanced down at the speedometer and realized he was right. "Crap. Sorry. Just… thinking."

He narrowed his eyes. "Uh-huh. Thinking about what?"

"Like I'm gonna tell you."

He huffed, and opened his mouth to speak when my cell rang.

Throwing traffic laws out the window as usual, I picked it up. "Yeah?"

"Dean? It's Jody."

My eyes widened. "Sheriff Jody Mills?"

Sam glanced over. Jody? he mouthed.

I shrugged.

"How many other Jodys do ya know? Don't answer that. Knowing you, several."

I chuckled. "Always the charmer. Long time no see. How's Alex?"

Her tone grew fond. "Alex is wonderful. Actually, she's staying with some friends since I'm down in the Southeast."

That caught my attention. "Southeast? Why?" Sam's eyes shifted towards me in surprise.

"Well I heard that's where you boys were."

"And...? Something tells me you don't just want to chat."

Her tone grew serious. "No. Dean… Where's an airport that you can make in a day's drive?"

I groaned. "Jody, we're on a hunt."

"Screw the hunt!"

Her tone was urgent and angry enough to be heard through the phone, and Sam and I shared concerned glances. Jody sighed. "Look, just… airport, please?"

"We're a day's drive from Louisville," I said. "Why?"

"I need you to meet me at LIA."

I tensed up. "Why the hell? I am not getting on a goddamn airplane-"

"No, actually, you're not. You're meeting someone who is."

Pause. "What?"

Jody sighed. "You might want to put me on speaker. Sam needs to hear this as well."

Puzzled, I complied. "Okay, you're on."

"You ever remember a girl named Aki Hinata?"

"Nope," I responded.

"Figured not. You've had so many flings by now nobody could keep track of 'em all."

Sam chortled. "And why would a fling Dean had be coming up now?"

"Because she's dead. She's dead and now you're meeting her daughter at LIA."

I groaned. "Just because I decide to get down and dirty ages ago with some chick doesn't mean that her getting knocked up by some other guy is my business."

Jody quieted for a moment. Then,

"It is your business, because it's not some other guy. She's yours."