Being Alone (D. Winchester)

"Couple Hours, Dean. No More"

A few days later.  In front of a drive in. 

Dean carried a tray of food from the drive-in window to the car. Sam and i were sitting in the car. Sam was in the back and talking to an old hunter friend over the phone. 

Sam " And you're certain? You sure? Okay. Great. Just, uh, just hang tight till you hear from me, okay? "

Dean got into the Impala and looked at me "Who is it? "

I shrugged "A hunter"

Sam "No, listen to me. I said hang tight. "

Then he hung up and sighed.

Sam "We got to get. "

Dean "Can I at least finish my burger? "

Sam "We got a vamp kill, Dean – Carencro, Louisiana. "

Dean sighed "Huh. It's been a while since I've had some étouffée. Who's the source? "

Sam "Martin Creaser. "

I turned around to look at Sam and Dean did the same. 

Dean "Sorry – for a minute there, I thought you said Martin Creaser. "

Sam didn't say anything. 

Me "Crazy Martin from the loony bin? "

Sam "Glendale Springs discharged him last month. "

Dean "And? Shouldn't he be assembling toys in a padded room? What's he doing back on the job? "

Sam "I asked him. "

Dean's jaw dropped "You what? "

Sam "Look, he called me when he got out, okay, asked if I had anything for him that might help him ease back into the game. He seemed okay – mostly – so I said yes. I've had him tracking Benny for the past week."

Dean froze " You put "mostly okay" Martin on Benny? What is "mostly okay" doing hunting at all? "

Sam shook his head "Not hunting, Dean – tracking. Observe and report only. I was crystal clear about that. "

Dean shook his head, not believing what Sam was saying "Wow. I can't believe that. "

Sam "Really, Dean? You don't believe that? Because Benny's a vampire. And any hunter worth his salt isn't gonna let one just walk around freely. So I had Martin keep tabs on him. And right now, it's looking like I made the right call."

 Dean "So Martin's saying Benny did this? "

Sam nodded "Yeah. "

Dean nodded "Okay. "

Sam asked confused "Okay? "

Dean "If Benny's in Louisiana draining folks... we should look into it. "

I looked at Dean who put the tray on my lap and started driving. 

In Louisiana. At a motel. 

Dean pulled up and we walked inside. 

We walked down a hallway. 

Sam raised his hand to knock on door number 2 but Martin opened it. 

Martin "You said look for an eruption. How's Mount Vesuvius? "

We walked inside and Martin closed the door behind us. 

I looked around. 

Martin "I got into town about a week ago. Up until last night, nothing. He's been clean. "

Dean "Doing what? "

Martin "Just minding his own business. Working at the gumbo shack. "

Dean asked confused "Benny's working at the gumbo shack? "

Martin nodded "Yeah. Slinging hash, pouring coffee – the whole bit. And he may be Benny to you. Folks around here call him Roy. "

Dean "Martin, you sure you're running on a full charge? "

Martin nodded "Y-yeah. L-l-little s-shock therapy in the morning, and I-I'm good to go. "

Dean and i looked at each other and then at Sam. 

Sam took a deep breath "Tell us what happened last night. "

Martin "So, I followed him home, just like every night. He turned up a path. I hear a scream. I catch up. Then, boom – there he is. The old coot that Roy was eyeballing at the joint – vamped. "

Dean "Wait – did you actually see Benny kill the guy or not? "

Martin "I saw enough. "

Dean "Well, then, how can you be sure it was Benny if you didn't actually see him do it? "

Martin "B-b-because I saw Benny turn up the path, and then two seconds later, I trip over a body with its throat ripped. Look, man, you – you ever hear of Occam's Razor? "Keep it simple, stupid"? It's not that complicated. "

Dean "There's a lot of holes, Martin. "

Martin "Holes? The only holes we should be looking at are in the vic's neck. "

Dean looked at Sam " This sound like the Benny you know? "

Sam shook his head "I don't know Benny. "

Martin "The Benny you know? Say what? Why am I getting the distinct impression that your brother is vouching for a vampire? "

I rolled my eyes, ironically "oh really?"

Sam "Guys, let's not argue. "

Dean shook his head "Nobody's arguing, but if this is Benny – and that's a big "if" – "

Martin "Oh, it's him. "

Dean "I got history with the guy, okay? I'm not signing up for a witch hunt."

Then he looked at Sam "  I owe him more than that. "

Martin "What in God's great creation could a Winchester possibly owe a vampire? Am I hearing this right? "

Dean "Look, until we get the facts, we stow the bloodlust and we work this case right, or we work it separately. "

Martin "Doing it right would be separating his head from his shoulders. "

Dean "I just need some time, Sammy. "

Martin "Oh, yeah. Let the fang take another life? I don't think so. "

Sam "How much time do you need? "

Martin asked angrily "You're not actually considering this? "

Dean "Couple hours, tops. "

Sam "And what if it turns out to be Benny? "

Dean "Then it's Benny, and I'll deal with it! "

Sam took a deep breath and then nodded "Couple hours, Dean. No more. "

Dean nodded "I'll be in touch. "

Then he left. 

I followed him out. 

Dean opened the Impala door but then froze when he saw me "You on my side?"

Me "You think i'm gonna let you face a vampire alone?"

Dean nodded "fine. Get in"