Home

"Are you okay?"

"…"

"You're… not dressed for hiking, is all."

"I suppose I'm not. I am… a bit lost."

"Oh, well, I can help you there. Where you headed to?"

"…"

"I can take you to the nearest town, if you like. I'm… headed that way myself."

"That would be very kind of you."

"You're welcome. M' name's Holly, by the way."

"I am Cast- just Cas."

"Okay, Just Cas, it's nice to meet you."

"When I said 'just Cas' I meant 'Cas' on its own, not that my name was 'Just Cas'."

"I- okay, Cas."

"…"

"So how did you end up lost out here?"

"Someone I thought I could trust betrayed me and left me with no way of returning home."

"He left you in the middle of the woods?"

"He didn't intend to."

"You should probably be happy you're not around him anymore."

"I understand his motives. I merely wish he'd… gone about achieving his goal in another way."

"Then you're a bigger man than most I know."

"I know taller."

"I didn't mean hei- you don't get out much, do ya?"

"…"

"Yeah, I shoulda known you wouldn't have understood that either, I- so where's 'home', Cas?"

"I… I'm not sure."

"Then where you headed?"

"I suppose… I will head towards my… my family. If they'll have me."

"I can't imagine family would leave you homeless."

"They may feel I betrayed them."

"Well, this is a bit of a pickle, ain't it? Need to talk about it?"

"It… it's complicated."

"Ain't it always."

"It certainly seems so."

"I'll listen if you want to tell me. I won't tell no one."

"I'd rather you didn't tell anyone, but it would… be nice to tell someone, I suppose."

"That's what I meant."

"Well, all right. I can't tell you the specific details, but… the two brothers and I were travelling together, for our profession. It's… a family business. It gets a bit dangerous, and a few times… circumstances have become fraught. We've all made sacrifices to continue, but once I… went behind their backs to save them. They were not pleased. After, circumstances meant that we spent a few years apart. A lot happened in that time. I eventually found my way back to them, but… we did not trust one another as we originally had. One of the brothers, Dean, and I ended up… working without Sam, and when Dean had to leave, I stayed. We lost contact again. I ended up back with them, for a short period of time. By this point, we had… taken on different roles within the business, and sometimes our interests differed. I left for a business trip on my own, and I suppose Dean felt it was one time too many that I had left. Once I returned, he was… displeased. Then I met the man who would betray me, and I felt as though he could help me… fix all the problems; not just between the brothers and I, but also the problems surrounding the business itself. Obviously, that did not work out as planned. I… worry that this will count as another time I have left."

"That's one hell of a story."

"'Hell' would be the right term."

"Well, even after all that… well, these boys sound like they care a lot for ya. You always ended up back with them, right? If they turn you away, I'd be shocked."

"That is reassuring, thank you."

"You're welcome. Here's my car, it's about a five minute trip from here to town. You know where you're goin' from there?"

"No, but I'm sure I can find it."

"I can drive you a little further, if ya need."

"I wouldn't want to put you out any further, Holly. You have already been very kind."

"Well, it's my pleasure. My good deed of the day, eh?"

"Is there a limit on how many 'good deed's one must do a day?"

"No, I- these brothers of yours overprotective?"

"I suppose one could consider them such. Under the circumstances we often find ourselves in… I think it would be understandable."

"You the youngest, then? I am, too."

"No. I am older than both."

"Then why are they protective of you? It's usually the other way round, ain't it?"

"I wouldn't know. I… was not raised with the two of them. They were raised into this life. Although I was raised in a similar way, they often say I did not grow up 'in the real world', so they must look after me."

"I suppose that makes sense. Well, these brothers seem good to you. Much better than mine were to me."

"Isn't family supposed to mean loyalty and looking after one another?"

"Sure, but that don't mean they gotta be nice about it!"

"..."

"Hey, it ain't as bad as you seem to think it is. Just 'cause you got lucky with yours, don't mean the rest of us are barbarians!"

"I apologise."

"'S all right. Anyway, this is town. It's pretty small, but you can get to the city from here. Where d'you want me to drop ya?"

"Somewhere they serve coffee, please."

"Not had your caffeine fix recently, eh? Know how that feels."

"I just… enjoy the taste."

"Yeah, that's what I tell myself, too. Here y'are. I wish you the best of luck in getting home."

"And I wish you luck in whatever endeavours you choose to undertake. Thank you for your kindness, truly."

"It's my pleasure. Bye, Cas."

"Goodbye."