Reckless and Brave

CI. (101) Run Like Hell

[Clap Your Hands if You Believe]

The siblings, and Nate, stood listening to people talking about fairies. Holly had loved the idea of fairies when she was five, but she was grown up, and she couldn't imagine fairies, despite all she'd seen.

"Of course it's not UFOs." Marion said. "It's fairies."

"Fairies." Dean repeated. "Okay. Well, thank you for your input."

Sam turned to Dean before seeing the faces of Holly and Nate. "What? Flying saucers not insane enough for you guys?"

"What newspaper did you say you worked for?" Marion asked.

Holly opened her mouth to answer, but before she could say anything, Sam said, "Okay, if you want to add glitter to that glue you're sniffing, that's fine, but don't dump your whackadoo all over us. We'd rather not step in it."

Dean shot Sam a look. "Okay, we're, we're done."

"The only thing you're missing is a couple dozen cats, sister."

Holly smiled apologetically at Marion. "It's a low blood sugar thing. I apologize."

"What?" Sam asked.

Holly looked up at him. "What? You need to ask? Oh. Right. You do have to ask."

Sam sighed. "Look, I'm sorry, but this is all a big joke, right, and we're not actually taking this UFO crap seriously?"

Dean shook his head. "No, man. ET is made of rubber. Everybody knows that. But there are four legitimate vanishings in this town. Something's going on. And Sam? By the way, it's not the lady's fault she took the brown acid."

"Yeah! So?"

"Empathy, man. Empathy. I mean, the old Sam would have given her some, some wussied, dew-eyed crap."

"Old Sam had a soul--was a soul. Whatever."

"Right! Yes, and, and, but you don't--aren't. Whatever."

"Right."

Nate narrowed his eyes. "You don't care, do you?"

"Well--"

Holly threw her hands into the air. "You gotta care, man!"

"About what, exactly?"

Dean glared. "About everything, man! About being human at least."

"Look, Dean, Holly, Nate. You all obviously care. A lot. And that's great. But I can't care about what--I can't care about it, you know? What do you want me to do, fake it?"

Holly nodded. "Yes. Definitely. Fake it til you make it."

Sam frowned. "What happened to you wanting me to be all honest?"

Dean shrugged a little. "Hey, you wanna be a real boy, Pinnochio, you gotta act the part."

"I was faking it, Dean! Ever since we got back on the road together, I was picking every freaking word. It's exhausting."

"Okay. Alright. But until we get you back on the soul train, H and I will be your conscience, okay?"

"So you're saying you'll be my...Jiminy Cricket and Blue Fairy. What's Nate?"

Nate glanced at Holly. "I'm the Robin to her Batman. Or the Lois to her Superman. You get it."

"Shut up." Dean said. "But yeah, you're our freaking puppet. That's exactly what I'm saying."

They made their way to Brennan's Watchworks and Dean immediately struck up a conversation. "Mr. Brennan?"

"Mmm?" Mr. Brennan said, looking up.