Weeks went on, and no sign of dad. But, somehow the cryptic trail he had lain out for his children led them back towards New Orleans once again. Alex hadn't really wanted to go, and, Sam could see Dean wasn't particulaly keen on it himself, but they both remained quiet about it. And, when Sam finally met Cassie... he was surprised. She didn't seem Dean's type. For one, Dean usually liked women who seemed... softer, prettier...

Though, the way Alex continued making faces everytime Cassie spoke did amuse Sam, until she finally stood up.

"All right, that's enough!" she burst out.

Dean knit his brows slightly at her.

"Alex, sit down." he said.

"No! I will not sit down and watch this anymore! We were done with the 'Cassie experience'!" she burst out. "And, now that she needs something you're just going to let her cozy back up to you?!"

"Now hold on---" Dean tried, but she was already too wound up.

"No! I will not stay here and get treated like that again!"

"Like... what again?" Dean asked, frowning.

Suddenly Alex realized she'd said too much and bit her lower lip. "Um... nothing."

"Alexis Mary Winchester." Dean said sternly, sounding almost like Dad giving an order. Almost.

"She slapped me! Twice!" Alex burst out.

Sam stood up so fast that the footstool he had been sitting on went flying out from under him and halfway across the room, and Dean rose quickly himself, both staring at her with cold fury that made Cassie shrink back.

"Hey! She's not telling the whole story!" Cassie tried to defend.

"Alex, go wait in the car. Sam, you take her."

"No way! This bitch---"

"Sammy, please?"

Sam quickly led Alex outside and sat her on the hood of the car, kneeling in front of her.

"Babe..." he began gently.

"Sam, please don't be mad at me?" she begged. "I was just trying to help..."

"No, nobody's mad at you, okay? I promise..." he said, reaching up to stroke her hair gently. "Just... why didn't you say something before this? Like... when it happened?"

Alex shrugged. "I didn't want it to be because of me." she said quietly. "He liked her... alot. I didn't want to screw it up for him. I figured that he'd figure out on his own how she really was, and I didn't want that to be my fault. Just hers."

Sam sighed, his forehead dropping to her knee, then looked at her with serious eyes. "Never, ever do that again, you hear me?" he said sternly, though his eyes were a little watery. "Dean wouldn't want you to do that, and I certainly don't... we can't protect you if you won't let us. If someone ever hurts you, in any way... you have to come to us. That's what big brothers are for... it doesn't matter who it is, or what happened, you have to tell us, okay?" he said.

Alex nodded, eyes welling up a bit. "I'm sorry... it didn't leave a mark, so I figured it wasn't that big of a deal..."

"Anyone ever laying hands to you? Yes, very big deal." Sam said heatedly, still stroking her hair.

Meanwhile, inside...

"Dean, the kid is mouthy and spoiled!"

"You callin' her a liar, or trying to justify your actions?" Dean yelled back.

"It was only the two times. That brat has a mouth on her, and if you don't learn to get her in line---"

But, Cassie gasped as Dean grabbed her by her arms, holding tight enough it hurt. "She's mine. Well, mine and Sammy's... not yours!"

"She had it coming."

Dean let go, and slapped her hard, right across the face. Hard enough that it would definately leave a mark. Cassie gasped, looking at him in shock and a little fear.

Dean's jaw worked. "You're lucky you don't get what you have coming." he ground out, and stomped out the door.

Nobody, but nobody hurt Dean Winchester's family. He wanted to hit her again, but, he knew if he did he wouldn't be able to hold back, to stop. She would be dead... And that just wouldn't help anybody. Besides, there was that stupid not ganking humans rule...

He walked over to the car, where Alex was laid against Sam's side, and gestured for her to come over to him, so that he could pull her into an embrace. "You listen to me, don't you ever do that again." he said, holding her tightly.

"Dean, I'm sorry, but... I didn't want to be the reason you broke up with her."

"Broke up with? Cupcake, she's lucky I didn't see it happen, or I would have ganked her then and there." Dean spat. "Look, I got a list of importants, and you an' Sammy are at the number one spot. Number two is my baby." he said, patting the top of the car with a smirk.

"Wow, we rank above the car?" Sam asked in mock awe.

"Shut up, bitch." Dean smirked.

"Jerk." Sam shot back with a slight grin.

"Get in the car, we're going to the hotel."

"Are we dropping the case?" Alex asked with wide eyes.

"... no. We're just gonna deal strictly with the ghosts, not the skeevy gutter---"

Sam cleared his throat a bit.

"Right, we'll just leave the humans out of it." Dean nodded. "Friggin humans, man... I'll say it again: Monsters I get;, humans are just nuts..."