Breathe Life Into Me

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"Okay guys, you really don't have to watch my every move" Mel said, chowing down her burger.

"You’ve been through a lot, Mel. How can we just leave your side the day after you get out of a spirit-less coma?" I said. She just smiled at me.

“You guys have been through a lot too though…”

"You need to take it easy..." Dean added.

"Since when do any of us 'take it easy'?"

"But you lost your spirit, Mel. Literally. You were stuck in Purgatory the longest and needed help to get your spirit shoved back in place. It couldn't have been easy on you..." Sam brought up.

"Not like I felt it. I don't even remember much of it" she ate another fry.

"What do you remember?" I asked.

She tensed up slightly and I noticed she curled and then uncurled her fingers. "Umm nothing really...just the moment it happened...then waking up...that's it" she shrugged.

"So nothing in between?" Sam asked.

"If she said she cant remember anything then she can't remember anything, Sam" Dean snapped. "The important thing is that you’re here" he said, staring into her eyes. She smiled, placing a hand on his cheek.

"I thought you said you were just getting coffee" I jumped slightly when Cas appearing in between Mel and Dean, separating them. Dean huffed, sliding over as Mel chuckled. "Melissa got hungry. Why are you being a baby about it" Dean defended and Mel gave him a look.

"You know you don't have to stay in the car whenever we make pit stops, Cas" she told him.

He just stared down at the table though and didn't look up at her. We all exchanged a look. "Are we looking for a case?" He moved on.

"Calm down there, speedy. We're trying to wait for Mel to get back on her feet" Sam explained.

"Guys for the last time I'm..."

"It’s been over 24 hours. She hasn't self-healed yet?"

We all looked at him. What was his problem?

"Ya know what? He's right. We don't have anymore time to waste" Mel agreed, wiping her hands on the napkin.

"No. You’re not ready for a case yet. Don't you have somewhere to be?" Dean snapped at Cas and he popped back into the car.

"Don't you think that's for me to decide?" Mel said with slight attitude.

"Mel, we can all see it. You aren't ready to hunt"

She looked at us. "I'm gonna have to be ready sometime. You guys can't keep babying me"

"Melissa. Please" he begged her and just stared into her eyes as they shared some telepathic thoughts and had a moment.

"Okay...I'm not ready" she agreed lightly.

He nodded, looking down to the table. I noticed how his whole body relaxed when she gave in. "So...what are we doing today then? Cause I'm definitely not staying cooped up in that motel room again" Dean looked up at her and then at us.

"How about...you two go out and hang for the day" I suggested.

"What? But..." She started to refuse.

"Mel, I had you all last night and we were pretty much attached at the hip for most of the day. I think it's Deans turn" I forced out my words making eye contact with her to show I was serious.

It was killing me to think we would even have to be apart for a single day but I knew this would be the right thing. Dean and Mel have been so weird toward each other things aren't what they used to be.

I looked up at Sam and I could see that he saw the pain in my eyes so I tried harder to hide it and I tried to signal for him to jump in and help me out.

“Yea. I think that’s a really good idea…as long as I get my turn with Mel after” he winked at her. She smiled and then looked at Dean.

“What do you say?” He tried to smile back but he just looked like he was in pain.

“Well…I’ll take that as a yes. You guys can a find a way back, right?” she said, sliding out of the booth.

I laughed, nodding as she walked out the front. Dean gave us a Help Me look. “Go on!” I hissed and he reluctantly followed her.

“Why is he being so weird? He’s like a little boy going on a first date with someone he doesn’t even know”

“He’s scared” Sam told me.

“Of what?”

He shrugged.

“Of how she might be different…of how she might not be the same Melissa he once knew…”

“Well they fell in love once…they should be able to do it again”

“What if…Mel doesn’t know how to be…Mel…would you be disappointed?”

“What do you mean?”

“Brit…she hardly touched her burger…” was all he said. I looked at her half eaten plate and felt lost.

In my eyes it seemed like she was starving and scarffing down everything…like the old Mel would…but her plate still had leftovers on it. Sam’s just over-reacting…right?

Dean’s POV

"Are we seriously here right now?" she asked me and bent over to pick up her pink golf ball.

"What...you’re not having fun?"

"It's not that...of course I'm having fun...it's just that I feel like I missed so much. More than anyone realizes. And with all the danger lurking out there...and with the gates of Hell issue…I just don't know if we should be mini golfing" I picked out my next few words carefully.

"Mel...we need to focus on one problem at a time..."

"Am I a problem?" I looked up at her and saw a sad look on her face.

"What? No, you’re not a problem...there might be a problem..."

"With me..." she assumed.

"No...well...I don't know..." I was getting flustered...and frustrated and I wasn't sure if she even deserved it so I backtracked.

"Melissa. Why did you pick the pink golf ball?"

She looked down at it and shrugged. "Because...I wanted to? It looked nice?"

"And that's just it! You thought the pink ball looked nice!" I threw my arms out as we moved to he next hole.

"So…you’re saying something's wrong with me just because I have a different favorite color?" she mocked a little. Maybe I was pushing it a little....

"But...what if this is just the beginning. What if there's so much other stuff that's different about you and we don't even know..."

The thought of not having my Melissa back really scared me.

"Dean, my favorite movie is still Hancock because Will Smith kills it, I still love mint chocolate chip ice cream, I’m still the worst cook ever and I still think Channing Tatum is one of the hottest guys around. Not much has changed" she chuckled at me.

Maybe she was right...maybe I was just thinking too much....

"But what if this was too easy...bringing you back..." It had to be too easy....

"And what if…for once things just turned out in our favor? Why are you looking a good horse in the mouth? Let it go and try to enjoy me while you still can" she grinned and pulled me over to her.

She wrapped my arms around her so as I stood behind her I placed my hands on hers while she gripped her club. I took in her touch...her scent...that look in her eyes when she looked up at me....

"Hole in one!" she cheered excitedly and spun around to jump into my arms.

Then she kissed me...and I tried to let myself go and just enjoy it…but I found myself analyzing it. It was almost as if she was trying too hard…like she wanted to be rough and passionate but at the same time she was being gentle and sweet…and that was never like her. She would always say…or act…the way she felt…or at least I was always able to tell what she was feeling. But then again…maybe I was the one holding back….

Brits POV

"We're back" Mel sang as her and Dean came walking into the room. She jumped onto the bed, causing me to bounce in my spot. "Hey, how was your day" I sang back.

"It was nice...I learned a lot" I wasn't sure what that meant but I guess it was good in her case.

It had to mean that she must have been caught up with the present.

My eyes went over to Cas who was just staring hard at Mel. "Dean, can I speak to you for a moment?" Cas asked Dean. I saw how Mel’s eyes met Dean’s and she tried to catch Cas’ but he wouldn’t look at her. They both walked out.

“What’s up with them?” she asked me.

“Who knows” I forced a smile at her.

“Where’s Sam?”

“Went out to get some food. I figured you’d be hungry…”

“Can we please stop talking about me for a second?”

I hesitated about the answer. “Sure…” I slowly agreed.

She hung her head and then brought it back up to look at me. “How are you and Sam doing?”

“We’re umm…we’re okay I guess…as okay as a dysfunctional relationship gets” I shrugged and eyed her.

“Do you really not remember anything from when you were down under?”

She eyed me back. “No…why?”

“Well…you were the one that told me about where Sam was this passed here…you told me she was with this girl and you even gave me her name: Amelia”

“Me?”

“Yea…well you didn’t tell me about her. Sam did that. You were just giving subtle hints and you really did give me her name…”

“How could I have possibly done that, Brit?” she laughed a little.

“You were…coming to me in my dreams…” She just stared at me for a long moment.

“Do you know how crazy that sounds?” she chuckled. I furrowed my eyebrows at her. Crazy? We fight against crazy every single day and you think this is crazy…?

“Mel…are you feeling alright?”

“I’m feeling fine, Brittney” she sighed and got to her feet.

She walked over to the mirror on the wall and friggin checked herself out. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Sam, Dean and Cas came walking through the door and I looked at them and then back at Mel, incredulous. Was this really happening right now?

“What are you all looking at?”

Then…Cas approached her and placed a hand on her head. A bright light started to illuminate from her eyes and her mouth. “What are you doing?!” I exclaimed. No one acknowledged me. My eyes went to Dean as he cringed and looked away.

Cas let go of Mel and she fell onto the bed, passing out. “It’s not her”

“What do you mean it’s not her?” Sam asked.

“Not the true her anyway. She’s unbalanced. Her other personalities are fighting for dominance”

“You mean those other Melissas we saw in Purgatory?” Dean voiced. Cas nodded.

“Can someone please fill me in?” I requested.

“No. It’s only a matter of time before these counterparts destroy Melissa from the inside. I knew this was too easy” he shook his head.

“So what do we do?” Dean stressed. Just when we thought we were in the clear….

“You can’t to anything…” Cas rolled up his sleeve.

“Cas…”

“Dean, I promised myself and you that I would save Melissa…I owe Melissa a lot…and I owe you more…” With that…he was gone….

Cas’ POV

I was in a familiar setting. The houses…the people…the trees…the skies…. I was standing in front of Dean and Melissa’s old house. Walking forward I could see inside to the dining room where Melissa, Dean, Jesse, Abbey and Chris sat around the table, having dinner. Melissa got up to clear the table and then I even watched her take out the garbage. She had a huge smile on her face. When she turned around…her eyes met mine.

“Cas? What are you doing here?” she hissed, rushing over to me.

“Melissa, you need to listen very carefully to me”

“Should I go get Dean…?”

“No. Just listen. You’re in trouble…”

“What? Why? Is something coming?”

“Something is…already here…?”

I wasn’t sure how to explain myself…. “Listen to me…all of this is just a dream”

“What? Are you trying to be funny because…”

“No, Melissa…” I gripped onto her shoulders. “Back in the real world you’re in a very serious condition where your other personalities are trying to take over your body and if you don’t take control soon you will be destroyed for good. You have to remember”

“Remember what?”

“Purgatory”

Her eyes widened at me and she pushed me away. “I don’t know what you’re talking about…”

“You’re shutting down your systems and letting your stronger emotions take over for you because you don’t want to remember what you went through…I know…”

“How could you possibly know…”

“I was there with you…when it was happening” She stopped herself. “Running away won’t fix anything, Melissa. Staying here won’t fix anything. Brittney and Sam need you. The real you. Dean needs you…” I could only hope I was saying everything right. “Why torture yourself with this dream fantasy when you have…a…real fantasy back on Earth” I cracked a smile.

She laughed at me. “Don’t ever say that to me again” My smile dropped. What was wrong with it?

She looked back inside the house and shut her eyes as a tear slid down her cheek. “I didn’t realize how much I missed all of them…Sam, Brit and Dean…this Dean isn’t nearly as accurate as the real one…”

“And that’s how the rest of us feel about you”

“Can you take me back?” she wondered.

“Only if it’s what you want”

“It is”

“Then I can...but you should know there are consequences..."

"They're always are, Cas. But I dont want to know what they are. Please, just take me back to my family" she sighed, smiling. How could I deny her request?

"As you wish" I nodded.

“Cas, how did you become such a guardian angel?”

“I don’t think I deserve such a compliment”

“You deserve so much more” she grinned at me. I had to look away because I felt my face getting hot as she kissed my cheek. “Lets go home” she decided.

Brit’s POV

We were all waiting anxiously for something to happen. Anything at all. Dean was pacing, Sam was trying to calm him down and I was getting closer and closer to Mel, trying to talk her out of this ridiculous coma that she fell into thanks to Cas. Suddenly Cas reappeared from behind us.

“Well?” we all asked him.

“I wouldn’t sit that close to her” he warned me.

I spun back around quickly to see what he was talking about but right as I did she shot up in her spot, gasping for air and her head collided with mine so hard I fell backward onto the floor. Sam had to help me back up.

“God damn it, Brit. A little personal space would be nice, don’t you think?” she snapped at me, heaving a little but still gave just enough attitude.

“Mel…is that…really you?” Dean asked her.

“And just who were you expecting? Some other diva who’s just as cool as I am?” she flipped her hair and winked at all of us.

We all cheered, letting out exasperated sighs of relief and then jumped on top of her.

“Okay…guys I’m really loving the love but I can’t breathe” she gasped and the guys got up but I just hugged her even tighter.

“Okay, Brit. Let give her some space” Sam suggested, pulling me off.

Dean helped her off the bed and their faces were centimeters apart. “Hey there tiger. You miss me?” she smirked.

“You have no idea” he pulled her in and hugged her so close, you could hardly see her in his arms anymore. She was surprised by the sudden embrace but gladly replied.

“So which one of you really knew it wasn’t actually me?” she asked as she walked over to Sam, hugging him tight and then turning to just have his arm slung over her shoulders.

“Actually…it was mostly Cas…the rest of us needed a little more time” Sam informed her.

“Well…at least I know Cas will always be able to tell who the real me is” she walked over to him and hugged him.

He wasn’t sure what to do at first so he looked to Dean for guidance and he was giving him some signals with his hands…one of them was for him to grab Mel’s ass but he was too slow.

“So…where’s our next case?” she asked all of us.

We all exchanged a look. “Are you sure you really want to…jump right into it…?” Dean approached her.

“Why wouldn’t I? I feel great” she laughed. He looked back at us and we shrugged. “Cas?” she asked.

“Well…there is a case in Oklahoma City. A man's heart jumped 10 feet out of his chest. It sounds like our kind of thing, right?” he wondered.

“It sure does!” she said excitedly.

“You’re coming, Cas?” Sam inquired.

“I still want…I still need to help people. So…I'm gonna become a hunter” he grinned.

“Really?” I grinned at him.

“Yeah. I could be your fifth wheel”

“You know that's not a good thing, right?”

“Of course it is. A fifth wheel adds extra grip, greater stability. I even found this case. It’s a good start for me, isn’t it?”

“He has a point” Mel sang.

“Excellent. I'll see you there” Cas turned to walk out.

“Wait, Cas, Cas! If you want to play cowboys and bloodsuckers, that's fine. But you're gonna stick with us, okay? None of this zapping around crap. Capiche?” Dean instructed.

“Yeah, I capiche” he sighed.

“And on the way you can all fill me in on what I missed” Mel grinned wickedly, skipping out the door. Dean, Sam and I exchanged a look and I could just smell the tension fill the room….