someone to stay, supernatural [ 1 ]

018. dean's old girlfriend

They're at a gas station and Natalie is sitting in the back seat and resting her arm on the open window, her chin on her arm. Sam is standing by the car, a map laid out on the top of the car. Libby and Ophelia are asleep in the backseat by Natalie. Dean stands a few feet away, his phone pressed to his ear.

"Okay. I think I found a way we can bypass that construction just east of here. We might even make Pennsylvania faster than we thought." Sam says.

"Yeah. Problem is, we're not going to Pennsylvania." Dean says, putting his phone up.

"We what?" Sam asks.

"I just got a call from an, uh, old friend. Her father was killed last night, think it might be our kind of thing." Dean says.

"What?" Sam asks.

"Yeah. Believe me, she never would've called -- never -- if she didn't need us." Dean says. "Come on, are you coming or not?" He gets in the car. Sam grabs the map and gets in the car.

~ ~ ~

"By old friend, you mean...?" Sam asks.

"A friend that's not new." Dean says.

"Oh, yeah, thanks. So her name's Cassie, huh? You never mentioned her." Sam says.

"Didn't I?" Dean asks. "Yeah, we went out." He says after a moment.

"You mean you dated somebody? For more than one night?" Sam inquires.

"Well, that's a record." Natalie says.

"Am I speaking a language you're not getting here? Dad and I were working a job in Ohio, she was finishing up college. We went out for a couple of weeks." Dean says.

"Aw, Deanie had a girl for more than 48 hours." Natalie gushes, ruffling her older brother's hair.

"I will sprain your other ankle." Dean threatens.

"Rude." Natalie mumbles. She glances down at her sprained ankle. While playing on the playground with the girls after they begged her to, she ended up trying over a thin air and fell off the playground set.

"And?" Sam asks. Dean shrugs. "Look, it's terrible about her dad, but it kinda sounds like a standard car accident. I'm not seeing how it fits with what we do. Which, by the way, how does she know what we do?" Sam asks.

"You told her." He realizes. "You told her the secret? Our big family rule number one. We do what we do and we shut up about it. For years, I do nothing but lie to Jessica, and you got out with this chick in Ohio a couple of times and you tell her everything?"

"Dean!" Sam exclaims when he doesn't get an answer.

"Yeah. Looks like." Dean says.

+++

The family walk into the newspaper office, Natalie mostly hobbling.

"Are you guys sure she shouldn't stay in the car?" Ophelia asks.

"Yeah, but she's too stubborn for her own good." Dean quietly says.

"Oh, yeah, wonder where I get that from." Natalie rolls her eyes. She puts a hand on Dean's shoulder, holding onto him for support.

"Jimmy, you're too close to this. Those guys were friends of yours. Again, Cassie, I'm very sorry for your loss." The man walks off, Jimmy also walking away. Cassie turns, spotting the three hunters and two kids.

"Dean." Cassie says.

"Hey, Cassie." Dean says, the two staring at each other for a moment. "This is my brother, Sam, and my sister, Natalie. That's my niece, Libby. And you remember Ophelia." Cassie smiles at them, the two adults returning their own smiles. Ophelia and Libby give her small waves.