anti-hero, supernatural [ 2 ], DISCONTINUED

040. heartache

The family are at a farmer's market, Dean on his phone as he walks with them. Sam picks up a red apple and bites into it.

"Wow. Guy goes to Purgatory for a year, all hell breaks loose. Check this out. A jogger in Minneapolis gets his heart ripped out." Dean says.

"I'm guessing literally?" Sam says.

"Only way that interests me. And then, there's another article from six months ago." Dean says. "Same thing happens, also in Minneapolis. What does that tell us?"

"Stay out of Minneapolis." Sam says. He hands the woman some money with a polite smile.

"Two hearts ganked, same city, six months apart. I mean, that's got to be a ritual, man. Or at least some sort of a heart sucking, possessed, satanic, crack whore bat." Dean says.

"A what?" Sam and Natalie ask.

"It's a case. Look, I say we hang out the shingle again and ride." Dean says.

"We're on a case, Dean. Kevin and the demon tablet need to be found, so heart guy takes a number." Sam says.

"Uh, we just spent a week chasing our asses trying to lock Kevin down, okay? And look at us. We're--" Dean looks around. "Where the fuck are we?"

"Farmers' market." Sam holds his apple up. "Organic." Dean gives him a look. "What? I had a year off. I took the time to enjoy the good times."

"While avoiding doing what we actually do." Dean retorts.

"Wow, Dean, does it makes you feel that much better every time you say it?" Sam asks.

"Dude, seriously, let it go." Natalie says.

"All right, look, I get it. You took a year off to do yoga and play the lute, whatever, but I'm back. Okay, we're back, which means that we walk and kill monsters at the same time. We'll find Kevin. But in the meantime, do we ignore stuff like this? Or are innocent people supposed to die so that you can shop for produce?"

"Well, I mean... they didn't die in the time that we were here. So, really--" Dean rolls his eyes and walks off, ignoring Natalie's response.

+++

They're at Paul's place and he's making a smoothie while Sam and Natalie sit by. Natalie has Justin on her lap and Briar is on Sam's lap.

"Sorry. I kind of try to stick to a nutrition and workout schedule. Do you want a hit?" Paul asks.

"I'm good. Thanks." Sam says.

"No, thanks." Natalie shakes her head.

"So, Paul, you passed a runner who was later killed. Did you speak with him at all?" Sam asks.

"Yeah, I went over this with the cops. I-I didn't know him. I had never spoken to him. I ran past him. I never saw him again. The end." Paul says. He takes a drink of his smoothie as Dean walks into the room. "Mm, oh. It's disgusting. It tastes like shit, but it keeps you young."

"Thanks, uh-- uh... too much fiber." Dean says.

"No such thing." Paul says.

"Thank you." Sam says. "See?" He asks Dean. "Now, Paul, we couldn't help but notice that the jogger you outraced was a good deal younger than you." Sam says.

"Yeah, and less, uh..." Dean says.

"Full figured? You should've seen me before. Yeah, hugging a desk all day and watching TV all night, eating fried everything was killing me. I had a health scare about a year ago." Paul says.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Sam says.

"No, it changed my life. I mean, I started taking care of myself." Paul says.