The Runt of the Litter

backwards

Note: hey babes <3

this one's short, but i've had a pretty rough week, so i hope you like it anyway

anna is eighteen in this one

backwards

She was still on her first cup of coffee when Dean walked in looking pissed. Anna braced herself by chugging what was left in her mug.

"What did you say to our Mom?" Dean asked her angrily. He had his arms crossed over his chest, phone still in one hand.

Anna's eyes widened for a second as she realized what he was talking about. She honestly hadn't believed that would come back to bite her in the ass. But here they were. Dean was going to be even more pissed when she answered him. "When?" she tried anyway.

Dean's eyes narrowed and his voice lowered. "Do not play dumb with me, kid. You know what I mean."

Anna exhaled slowly. "Okay, yeah," she gave in. "She sucks, Dean. I told her she sucks."

Dean shook his head slowly. "You should not have done that. We're working things out with her, Anna."

"Why?" Anna snapped. As she stood up, her chair scraped loudly against the kitchen floor. She stormed over toward the counter and started pouring herself a fresh cup of coffee. "She doesn't deserve either one of you. Least of all Sammy. I don't get why you don't see that."

"Because she's our mother," Dean said impatiently. He'd followed her to the counter and was staring her down again, arms still over his chest. "And it isn't your place to protect me or Sam from anything."

Anna scoffed. "Yes, it is, dumbass."

"Excuse me?" Dean asked, arms falling to his sides as his eyebrows shot up.

"Well, I'm sorry for the dumbass thing, but that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard."

"Not helping yourself," Dean warned her.

"I'm eighteen. You gonna ground me?" Anna challenged, hands on her hips.

"I'm this close."

Anna shook her head in utter frustration. She was not the one in the wrong here, and she was going to get that through her brother's head no matter what it took. "Dean, she's working with the people who tortured our brother. She's not one of us. She deserved everything I said to her."

"I know what she's doing. I don't like it either. Not even a little bit. Hell, I'm not entertaining the idea of forgiving her, Anna. But Sam wants to try working with those douchebags, because he still wants a chance with our mom, and I'm not denyin' him that. Do you hear me?"

Anna squeezed both her hands into fists for a second, trying to work out some of her anger as it returned full force. "She's not worth it. He's not gonna get what he wants from her. She's a piece of shit."

"Hey!" Dean snapped dangerously. He pointed a stern finger at her like he'd done since she was a little kid when he wanted her to know she was out of line. "You need to watch your mouth. I don't know what's gotten into you."

"Dean, stop defending her!" Anna cried. "It drives me crazy, listening to you guys. You know I'm right. She's a bad person."

"Anna."

"She is. She sold you guys out. She sold Sam out. What could those guys possibly have to offer that's worth more to her than her kids? She's disloyal and stupid. That's not how we operate."

"Watch your mouth," Dean demanded again, though it had done him little good throughout their argument. He was still pointing that angry finger at her, still glaring and talking in a low voice. "You don't talk about her that way. I don't like what she's doin', kid. I don't like any of it. But I don't like how you're actin' right now either."

"Oh, give me a break," Anna snorted, lip curling in disgust. Was he really comparing her anger to Mary's betrayal? "Apples and fucking oranges, Dean.''

Dean stared at her for a second, seemingly at a loss. Then he said, quietly, "You love Cas. He's one of us."

Anna was so confused and surprised by the sudden change of subject that she just responded honestly and dumbly. "Yeah."

"And me and Sam," Dean said next.

"What? Of course."

"Cas betrayed us too, Anna. More than once. Because he thought he was doing something noble. Sam ended the world, because he thought he was saving it. I became a demon because of my own shit choices, almost got you and Sam killed."

"That's different-"

"No, it isn't," Dean said tiredly. "It's different to you, because you were a little kid for most of that crap, and you don't remember it the same way. But this anger you got now, it's coming from a place I am very familiar with, Anna. So trust me when I tell you that you don't need to protect us from her."

Anna stared in frustration at her brother. She couldn't think of anything more to say to him.

"You think Cas and Sam and I deserve a second chance and she doesn't?"

She wasn't sure the question was rhetorical, but Anna remained stubbornly silent. Dean knew her answer was yes.

"She'll be worth it," Dean promised, but to Anna it sounded more like a prayer.

La Fin