Killing Me Slowly

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I crossed my arms and leaned against the dresser as Dean was pacing a little and I just stared down Brittney and Sam who were so beaten up, they both looked disgusting just sitting in the two chairs, we tied them up in. They were both grunting in pain as they started to come to while Cas was inspecting them.

“You’re right. They look terrible. You did this?” he turned to look at me and Dean.

“Cas? What’s…” Sam started. “Hey! Let us go” Brittney grunted as she tried to rip her hands out of the rope.

“Have they been feverish?”

“Have you?” Dean asked them. “No” Brittney replied with some attitude and I could see how she was annoyed. But, ya know what? So was I.

“Why?” Sam asked. “Are they speaking in tongues? Are you speaking in tongues?” Cas inspected them some more.

“No…”

“Are you diagnosing us?” Brittney narrowed her eyes at him but they landed on me. “You better hope he can” I pushed myself off the wall and put my hands on my hips.

“You really think that this is…” Sam started. “What, you think that there's a clinic out there for people who just pop out of hell wrong?” Dean said.

“He asks, you answer! Then you both shut your hole. Understand?” I snapped as well. I saw how they both lightened up a little. “How much do you sleep?” Cas continued.

“We don’t” they both said.

“At all?” Dean and I questioned.

“How you four do that is beyond me” Cas muttered.

My eyes went to him but quickly went back to Sam and Brittney. “Not since we got back” Sam added. “And it never occurred to you that there might be something off about that?!” Dean snapped.

“Of course it did, Dean…” Brittney said lightly. “We just never told you guys”

“Sam, Brittney…what are you feeling now?” Cas asked. “Like my nose is broken” Sam scoffed. “And like my jaw is dislocated” Brit added and I saw she cringed when she tried to move her jaw back into place.

“No, those are physical sensations. How do you feel?”

“Uh I think…” Sam started.

“Feel”

They both exchanged a look and Sam shrugged slightly. Brittney looked back up at Cas. “We don’t know” she shook her head, answering for both of them.

Dean glanced at me and my eyes went up to meet his but then we just kept our hard stares on them as Cas got a belt, folded it up and put it in Sam’s mouth. “Bite down on this. This will be unpleasant. If there's someplace that you find soothing, you should go there. In your mind” he instructed.

Then, he put a hand on Sam’s stomach and it sunk down inside him. He started to yell out in pain as cracks showed in the sides of his neck but then Cas pulled out and Sam was breathing heavily. “Did you find anything?” I asked.

“No”

“So, that’s good news?” Dean asked.

“I'm afraid not. Physically, he's perfectly healthy”

“Then what?”

“It's his soul. It's gone…” He looked at Brittney. “I would assume the same thing for Brittney but if you want me to check…” he looked at me. “Check” I said quickly and sternly.

Her eyes widened and before she could refuse, Cas put the belt in her mouth and pushed his hand into her stomach. She yelped and groaned as Cas did his search and then came back out. “Her soul is gone too” he sighed.

“But, hold on a minute. I'm sorry. One more time, like I'm 5. What do you mean, they have no soul?” Dean asked.

"Somehow, when Sam and Brittney were resurrected, it was without their souls" Cas explained. "So where are they?" I asked.

"My guess is...still in the cage with Michael and Lucifer"

"So, are they even still Sam and Brittney?" Dean asked.

"Well, you pose an interesting philosophical question"

"Well, then, just get them back"

"Dean"

"Hey, you pulled him out" I reminded him. "Yea!" Dean grunted.

"It took several angels to rescue you and you weren't nearly as well guarded. Sam and Brittney’s souls are in Lucifer's cage. There's a difference. A big difference. It's not possible"

"Well, there has to be a way" I stressed. "So, are you gonna untie us?" Sam asked. "No" Dean snapped.

"Listen, we're not gonna..."

"Sam, how the hell are we supposed to even let you two leave this room?" I asked him.

"Mel, we're not some psychos. We didn't want Dean to get hurt. We were just trying to stop the vamps" Brittney said. "I'm sorry. She's sorry. It won't ever happen again. Please let us go" Sam sighed.

"You're kidding, right?" I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Well, what are you gonna do, just keep us locked up in here forever?"

"You say that like it's a bad thing" Dean said. "Okay, look, we get it. We were wrong. But the thing is we're trying to get right, guys. It's still us" Brittney said.

"Is it?"

"Yes. So just let us go"

"No way in hell"

"I didn't want it to come to this..." Sam sighed.

Then, just like that, the ropes fell off their wrists from behind the chairs and they both stood up. We stared at them in shock even though I was trying to keep up my poker face. “You're not gonna hold us guys" Britney sighed, putting her hands on her hips.

"Not here, not in a panic room, not anywhere. You're stuck with two soulless people so you might as well work with us...let's fix this" Sam said.

Everyone was silent while we contemplated and they stared at us...I would say they seemed to have hope in their eyes but can soulless people feel hopeful? "We are going to be watching your every move" I said, still stiff as my hard eyes went back and forth between them. Dean glanced at me and I didn't look at him but I think he looked at me like I was crazy.

"Of course" Brittney said, right away. "Sounds about right to me" Sam nodded, agreeing. "Cas, clean them up" Dean sighed, waving a hand in their direction as he turned and walked a few feet away.

Cas walked forward, placed a hand on each other their foreheads, they both groaned and in a blink of an eye, the blood was gone, I heard the cracking of their bones being fixed and they looked brand new.

“Okay…if we’re going to figure out what happened to your souls then we have to find out who yanked you both out. You don’t know who that was?” I asked, monotonously. “No idea” Brittney answered, shrugging.

“Then we start a list. If it's so hard to spring someone out of the box, then who's got that kind of muscle?” Dean asked. “I don't know. You both have no memory of your resurrection?” Cas asked.

“We woke up in a field. That's all we got” Sam said. “No clues? At all?” I made sure. “Well…I’ve got one” Brittney said and looked up at Sam, before looking back at me. It was kind of hard just to look at her….

~~~~~

We got to the Compound as it seemed to get even darker outside and there were a lot of guys at the gates, acting as guards or something. They let us in though once they saw Brittney and Sam and we walked on in. We were greeted by Christian…and then Katherine. I immediately crossed my arms and lost my polite smile I was giving Christian and Gwen. She had her arms open, ready to greet us with a big entrance and everything but one look at my face and she stopped herself and put her arms down. Then, Dean was at my side and even though there was still tension between us, he put an arm around my shoulders, glared at her and led me away as Sam and Brittney followed. We got to a room and knocked.

“Come on in” Samuel called.

We walked in and saw him and George facing each other in front of a desk and they seemed to be discussing something. “We need to ask you two a few questions” I said. “What's wrong?” George asked.

“The day you got back, what happened?” Dean asked. “We've been over this” Samuel reminded. “Well, recap it for our wingman” I said and Cas popped up.

“This Castiel? You're scrawnier than I pictured” George commented. “Got a cute butt though” a voice said.

I saw Cas jumped slightly as Katherine walked in, smacked Cas’ ass and walked over to sit on the desk. “This is a vessel. My true form is approximately the size of your Chrysler building”

“Alright, alright, quit bragging…” I quipped. “Hmmm huge and firm” Katherine still tried to joke but Cas didn’t understand it.

He looked over at me and then glared at Katherine, stepping half a step closer to me. I think that was his way of trying to comfort me and be on my side. “Don’t you have somewhere to be?” Dean glared as well.

“You’re asking them about the day they went top side, right? Well, don’t you think you should be talking to me too? The same thing did happen to me”

“Yea, but no one cares about what happened to you” I murmured venomously.

She looked hurt by it but tried to seem un-phased. “Even when you were the thing that happened to me” she retorted…but then she seemed to be taken back by her own words and she seemed to regret them…but it’s not like I was going to believe anything she did or said.

“Okay, okay. Lets try to stay on task here” Dean said but mostly just looking at me, staring into my eyes. I just nodded.

He looked back at George, Samuel and Katherine. “So, you were dead, and…”

“And, pow, we were on Elton ridge” Samuel said. “All three of you?” I asked. George nodded. “Don't know how. Don't know why”

“We got nothing to hide, guys” Katherine voiced. “Why don’t you shut your trap…” I snapped at her. “…mind if Cas double checks?” I asked George and Samuel.

But, before they could answer, Cas did the same thing to Samuel and George that he did to Sam and Brittney. Katherine stared, mortified and wide-eyed but before she could try and refuse Cas, he shoved his hand into her stomach. She seemed to be in more pain for some reason…and I know I shouldn’t be enjoying the pain she was going through…but I was…and I think it kind of made me nervous. All of a sudden, Christian came rushing in and tried jumping Cas.

“Hey, hey, hey, it’s okay” Brittney said as her and Sam held him back.

“What the hell?”

“Angel cavity search” Dean told him. Cas pulled out and Katherine was breathing hard. “We’re fine, Christian. Just give us a minute” George breathed out.

“But…”

“Just give us a minute” Samuel repeated. He nodded and then left, shutting the door. “What the hell was that about?” Katherine snapped, still trying to get her breath back.

“Their souls are intact” Cas informed us.

“What? Of course we have…” Katherine started. “What's going on, Sam? Brittney?” Samuel asked. “Whatever dragged us out...left a piece behind” Sam said.

Katherine crossed her arms as George shifted in his spot and Samuel groaned. “Did you all know?” Brittney asked them. “No but we…knew it was something” Katherine said. “You two are excellent hunters, there’s no doubt about that…” George added, looking at Sam and Brit.

“But...the truth is, sometimes you scare me…scared all of us…” Samuel finished.

I noticed the two of them shifted slightly but it didn’t look like it phased them too much. “So, what's the deal here? How do we fix this? How do we get their souls back?” Katherine asked.

“We don't know yet, but we have to” Dean answered. “Well, we’re here to help, of course” George said. “What leads you working?” Samuel asked. “A bunch of dead ends and you three” Sam said. “Well, then, we'll just have to dig” Katherine smiled.

“Sam, Dean, Melissa, Brittney...I have to get back” Cas said. “You're leaving?” I asked

“I'm in the middle of a civil war"

“You better tear the attic up, find something to help Sam and Brittney” Dean said.

“Of course. Your problems always come first. I'll be in touch” he replied and then disappeared.

I wasn’t sure if he was sarcastic or not, to be honest…I never know with that angel. “Would've asked him to stick around for a beer” Samuel said.

“Or to just mess around a little” Katherine smirked. I just glared at her. “I’m kidding. Geez, my daughter is such a stickler”

“You don’t have the privilege to call me your daughter”

“Okay if we’re going to get anything done, you two need to quit your quarreling” Samuel voiced. “She started it!” we both claimed.

“Well, I’m ending it!” Dean grunted. “Mel, you want to get Sam and Brittney’s souls back, right?”

“Yea, but…”

“Then, you have to cut it out and at least try to act professional…and Katherine…” He looked over at her. “Why don’t you go screw some poor sap” he waved his hand at her.

She scoffed. “Well, that’s not fair, of course he’s going to side with…”

“Katherine!” George scolded.

She just sighed and shut her mouth. I tried to hide my smirk as Dean was eyeing me and giving me a look. I gave him a look back and he just looked back at George and Samuel.

“So, what's with the book club outside?”

“Putting together a hunt” George answered.

“That's a lot of guys for one hunt”

“You found him, didn't you” Sam and Brittney assumed. “Who?” I asked. “They’ve got a lead on the alpha vamp” Sam said.

“Do you?”

“Maybe…yeah” George chuckled. “How'd you track him down?” Dean asked.

“We're good”

“That's all I get? ‘We're good’?”

“When's the run?” Brittney asked. “Dawn” Katherine answered. “Why didn’t you call us?” Sam asked. They didn’t respond right away.

“They don’t trust us” I said simply, like it was nothing. It really wasn’t, I could care less if they trusted us or not. “Especially when it comes to big game like this” Dean added.

“That's not true” George said and it looked sincere. “Then, we’re in” I said. “No offense, but…” Samuel started. “So you don’t trust us” Dean said. “No, we just don’t know you. Not like we know Sam and Brit” Katherine said.

“Awww no mommy comments? Nothing about how you and I have this strong connection?” I quipped.

Dean snapped his eyes at me. I knew I shouldn’t have said that. “Sorry” I murmured. Then, I sighed. “You guys call the shots and the plays, do whatever you have to do. We’re here to listen, 100%” I said.

“Since when?” Katherine laughed sarcastically. “Big daddy blood sucker? Cant miss that” I smiled but it was directed at George and Samuel.

Dean shrugged, smugly. “She’s right. But this is your deal. We get it. We’ll follow your lead. We trust you” Dean said. Then, he looked at me, I read his mind and I nodded. Yea, like we actually trusted these guys. Fat chance. We looked back at them awaiting an answer…alpha vamp, here we come.

Dean, Sam, Brittney and I all walked outside so Dean and I could tell Sam and Brittney that we didn’t trust any of them. They were hiding something…and if Sam and Brittney weren’t so robotic, they’d get the same feeling. We have to hang close and blend in to see what we can pick up. They were the only leads we had right now. When we walked back in, some hunters gathered around a table, getting weapons and dead man’s blood together and ready to head out. Sam and Brittney sat down to join them. I paced a little and then leaned against a wall with my arms crossed. Dean grabbed some coffee took a few sips and then casually walked down the hallway once he set the cup down on a shelf.

“Ya know…I’m really not the same whore that cheated on your father back then” Katherine’s voice chimed as she walked over to me.

I sighed. “I don’t want to talk to you about my father…frankly, I don’t want to talk to you at all but I’m trying to play nice” I narrowed my eyes.

“Well, so am I, hon but you make it really hard” she chuckled. I didn’t even look up at her. “Okay, look…your daddy was big on commitment…I was still young and still wanted to just have fun and party…Will’s heart was someplace else, we just weren’t compatible anymore…and I made a mistake…a big one, at that…and I am sorry…”

She paused. “But, Melissa…I didn’t come from Hell, I was in heaven…and if God could forgive me at the time…then why cant you forgive me now?”

I didn’t answer. I didn’t want to see this side of her…a nice…caring…sincere side…I wanted to keep the image of her being a cheating whore in my head. I don’t know why but I think it was because I had all of this suppressed anger that I need to throw it onto someone else…and who better than my cheating whore of a mother?

Before I could even think of some kind of response, I looked up to see Christian get up and follow the direction Dean went in. I sighed internally. “I’ll be right back” I whispered and my eyes twitched to her but I didn’t even look at her face, I just headed down the hallway.

I stopped behind the corner as I heard Dean and Christian talking. “…who you calling?”

“Your wife. Let her know I'm not gonna make it over tonight” Dean quipped slightly. I sighed and shook my head. Why does he have this impulse to just pick a fight?

“You know, I've tried playing nice, Dean, but I think I'm done”

“Wait, are you trying to tell me that you're a bigger knob than you've been letting on?”

“I'm the guy who's been here, doing my job. Who are you? You think we need you here? You walk around like you're playing pro tennis. Only action you seen lately is between your slut girlfriend's legs” Oh, hell no.

I put on a face and came around the corner but Dean grabbed Christian by the shirt and threw him up against the wall. "Don't talk about her like that" Dean hissed, venomously.

“Something wrong, boys?” I sang slightly as I swayed my hips a little as I sauntered over to them. I’ll give him slut....

“Nope. Just talking to your boyfriend, that’s all…you sure you want to come with us tomorrow? Accidents happen” he said and eyed me as I wrapped an arm around Dean and put a hand on his chest so he let Christian go to wrap his arm tightly around my waist.

“Hmm. Don't worry, man. I got your back” he said to him and we walked away, staying close together. “You have to do that and make every guy want you?” he hissed to me.

“You have to do that and instigate fights with everybody?” I contorted. He just stared at me, at a loss for words cause he knew I was right.

It was time to leave so Brittney and I got in the truck, Sam and Dean got in the Impala and we followed all the other hunters as we piled out of the compound. The sun came up when we got into the woods, shut the engines off and were ready to go.

“The house is just over the hill. About a dozen vamps and the alpha. We got one shot at this son of a bitch” Samuel said.

“Christian take flank. Half of you go with Katherine and Brittney, the other half are with me, Samuel and Sam. Dean, Melissa and Gwen...hang back, sweep any stragglers we flush out” George instructed.

I noticed both Dean and Gwen had a problem with that as I just crossed my arms. “Something wrong, Dean?” George asked with slight annoyance in his voice. We did agree to follow their instructions…for the most part….

“No sir” he said, stiffly. “I'm in the rear with the rejects?” Gwen complained.

But, they all just headed off without us. I paced around a little and sighed as a few minutes went by. “Sorry about the "reject" thing” Gwen addressed to me.

“Eh I’ve been called worse” I shrugged, putting on a pleasant smile. “It’s true” Dean agreed. I rolled my eyes at him and hit him in the stomach.

Gwen chuckled. “It’s just that I get sick of getting left behind. Think it's probably 'cause I remind Samuel of his daughter or something”

“Well, you do speak your mind” Dean said.

“I'll take that as a compliment”

“You should”

But, then I heard slow footsteps and some branches snapped. “Wait” I said, grabbing onto Dean’s arm from impulse. He looked down at me as I stared at the ground, listening carefully.

“She okay?” Gwen asked.

He put a hand up to her so she would stop talking. I put up two fingers to Dean so he pulled out his machete and so did I. “What’s…” Gwen started but I pulled her out of the way quickly, right when a vampire lunged at her.

Then, I spun and sliced off his head with ease. Another lunged at Dean and they went falling to the ground and it pinned him to the ground. But, then Gwen swung her machete and sliced its head off as well. He grunted as he pushed the bleeding body off him and I helped him to his feet.

“Are you always like that?” Gwen asked me.

“Like what?”

“Always sensing everything around you…I know about your demon side” she said, bluntly.

I shifted in my spot as I felt Dean’s eyes on me. “Yea, I always know what’s going on around me” I said, blankly. “It saves our asses” Dean added.

It got me to look up at him and I saw he was staring into my eyes with that reassuring look that made me feel a little better. No matter how awkward it was between us…or no matter how mad or annoyed I was at him, or how mad or annoyed he was with me...he always made me forget about it and made me feel better…and I hated him for making me forget that I was mad at him. We seemed to never be able to stay in a fight longer than a day or two anymore and I kind of liked it…but I have to admit I did miss punching him in the face….