❛ CHAPTER ELEVEN ━━ SOULBOUND ❜
𖤐¸𓍢 ━━ ❪ ACT ONE OF SOULBOUND ❫ ˖ ୧ 。
◟ ✦ I CAN'T DO THIS WITHOUT HIM ❞

     IT HAD BEEN THREE DAYS SINCE OLIVE HAD SPOKEN TO DEAN—. She tried calling him on her phone, so many times that the minutes ran out. It would only go to voicemail. Olly called Sam in hopes to get some answers, but like Dean, he was radio silent.

Lisa tried talking to her about it, but Olive clearly got frustrated whenever it was brought up. Ben was waiting for her breakdown, but she couldn't do that either. Deep down she still had faith in Dean.

That just maybe, he'd pull into the driveway and explain why he left. He'd hug her, and apologize. That's what she hoped.

It was the only reason why Olive sat by the window, legs pulled into her chest and chin rested on her knees as she stared at the driveway. Waiting.

Lisa stood there for a moment, watching her with uncertainty. She didn't know what to do. Usually, when something happened Olive would cry and plead, now the child just sat there unmoved, with no emotion.

"Olive?" She calls softly. Olive doesn't look away from the window, afraid she would miss something. "Olive why don't we get something to eat?" She suggests.

"No," Olive says simply. "I'm not hungry."

"You said that this morning," Lisa responds. "And yesterday. . ." She leans against the wall beside her, frowning. "Sooner or later everyone gets hungry."

"Then ask me later." She responds.

Lisa sighs. "Olly. ." She hesitates, unsure. "Dean isn't—"

This seems to anger Olive before she could even finish, her little nostrils flaring as she tried to concentrate on the window. "Then you don't know him."

"I know now that Sam is back things are different," Lisa explains. "You know it, too."

Olive doesn't respond.

She knew things aren't going to be the same now that Sam was around. Dean would be gone more, hunting would be more mandatory but that didn't mean Dean was going to leave completely. It didn't mean that he stopped loving her.

Maybe a year ago, Olive would have believed Lisa. Olive would have instantly assumed that Dean would leave her and never look back, and some days she does think it's possible.

Because they weren't the last ones anymore, because it wasn't just her and Dean against the world. but that didn't mean it wasn't her and Dean at all.

"I think we should talk about what's going to happen next," Lisa says. "You'll go back to school. We'll forget all about hunting and supernatural creatures. No more worrying."

Olive turns towards her. "I am a supernatural creature." She says firmly, "I can't just pretend that I'm like you and Ben all the time."

Lisa frowns. "This isn't you pretending to be someone you're not. . .this is just you moving on. You're human too, Olive."

"Same thing." She says lowly. "And why do I have to be the one to move on? You're wrong about Dad, he's coming back."

"If he comes back then it won't be to stay," Lisa admits. "He doesn't want you to get hurt, Olive. He doesn't want us in his work. Demons and Angels, it's a different world out there."

Olive turns away from Lisa slowly, resting her chin back on her knee. She was already apart of that world, whether she wanted it or not.

Lisa paces in her bedroom, looking down at her cellphone. Dean had called her multiple times. He had left multiple voicemails with multiple apologies.

She had listened to all of it. Some of them were about Olive, telling her that he planned to come back to get her when everything blew over.

He wanted to explain to Olive what happened, just like the child said he would. Lisa didn't think it was a good idea.

"Hey." Dean's voiced after the fourth ring.

Lisa stops pacing. "So. .I saw you called."

"Yeah. It's been crazy."

"Ben won't even talk about it." Lisa holds herself together. "Olive hadn't eaten in three days."

A sigh was heard on the other line. "Lisa, I'm sorry, but this is actually the worst time in the universe to talk. C-Can we do this later?"

Her face heats up. "You shoved my kid, Dean. How about we do this now."

"It wasn't like that." He says after a moment.

"Then how was it?"

"I can't really explain." He sounded defeated.

Lisa scoffs. "You wanna know the truth?" Her voice breaks.

"Probably not."

"You've got so much buried in there, and you push it down, and you push it down. Do you honestly think that you can go through life like that and not freak out?" She questions. "Just, what? Drink half a fifth a night and you're good?"

"You knew what you signed up for." He says lowly.

"Yeah. But I didn't expect Sam to come back! And I'm glad he's okay. I am. But the minute he walked through that door, I knew it was over. You two have the most unhealthy, tangled-up, crazy thing I've ever seen. And as long as he's in your life you're never gonna be happy."

Lisa's eyes widened, "That came out so much harsher than I meant."

"It's not your fault."

Lisa backtracks. "I'm not saying don't be close to Sam. I'm close to my sister. But if she got killed, I wouldn't bring her back from the dead!"

"Okay. Leese?" Dean chimes in. "I'm not gonna lie. Okay, me and Sam, we've got issues. No doubt. But you and the kids—"

"We can't be in this with you," Lisa said firmly. His heart skips. "None of us, especially not Olive. You're going to get her killed. She doesn't need this, you have to do what you said and let her go, don't come back for her."

She hands up the phone instantly, not wanting to hear his reaction because it would only make her feel more guilty.

She throws her phone onto the bed, running her fingers over her scalp. Lisa just wants Olive to be safe. She just wants her to grow up the way she deserved.

Lisa didn't want to break the bond between them, she didn't want Dean out of their lives but she felt like she needed to take action before there was no going back.

Maybe if Lisa stopped to think, she would have realized that another bump in the road wouldn't destroy the bond between Dean and Olive. Maybe if Lisa stopped to think she would have heard the creak in the hallway a while ago.

She would have known Olive was behind the door, listening to her every word.

━━・ ✦ ₊ 🌻 ⊹ ° .  ❫ ━

     DINNER WAS FILLED WITH TENSION—, Ben didn't talk. Olive didn't eat. Lisa would try to make conversation but all she would receive is a heated glare from the girl as she picked at her pasta. There had been times during dinner where Olive wanted to scream, multiple questions swarming her thoughts.

Why would Lisa tell Dean not to come back for her? Was the reason Lisa took away her phone because she wanted it to seem realistic? How many miss calls did she have from him?

"I'm not hungry," Olive says disheartened, pushing the plate away and sliding off of the chair. "I'm going to my room."

"Olive, why don't you at least try to finish your food?" Lisa sighs.

Olive turns around abruptly, "Why do you at least try to stay out of my life?!" The lights above them popped as she shouts.

Lisa and Ben cover their heads, their eyes wide. Olive feels guilt, her chest heaving.

She steps back, eyes watering, "I'm sorry" She chokes, "I'm sorry, I—."

Lisa had waited three days for Olive's familiar outburst but she didn't expect it to be on her.

"Olive." Lisa stand calmly. "Maybe you should go to your room."

The anger rises again and she throws her hands up. "That's where I was going in the first place!" She rushes up the stairs, slamming the door behind her without even touching it.

Olive began to pace. And someone as unstable as her should never be uncontrollably upset. Her lamp light flickers and she pauses, watching with narrow eyes as the light turned off and on to the sound of her heartbeat.

Toula said that her powers were tied to her emotions. She needed to calm down. But she couldn't find it in herself to do so.

Olive pulls open her closet, grabbing her old backpack. She opens her dressers, aimlessly shoving clothes inside. She drops on her stomach, reaching under her bed and pulling out an empty gift box from last Christmas. Inside was the Angel Blade, Cora's Journal, and Dean's Anti-possession necklace that he had given her.

She slowly lifts up the necklace. You're stuck with me. That's what Dean says when things get tough. It didn't matter what they were facing because they did it together.

Winchesters are stuck with each other until the end. And that's what Olive was now, a Winchester.

With a determined nod, Olive clips the necklace around her neck, tucking it under her shirt along with her charm. She places the Angel Blade on the side of her pack and the Journal buried under the pile of clothes.

She opens her window, looking down at the drop from her second-story bedroom to the grassy lawn. She swallowed thickly before turning back towards her bedroom, her eyes locking on the teddy bear that sat on the bed.

Olive ran back and grabbed him, "You first." She throws him out of the window.

She glanced down at him, grimacing when he lands inches from a puddle. "Sorry, Goobie." She then throws one leg over the ledge, readying herself to jump.

The door opens and Olive freezes.

"You're running away," Ben said sadly, a frown on his face as he closed the door behind him, pressing against it.

Olive panics. "No, I'm not."

He gives a light smile. "You're really are a horrible liar."

She sighs, moving away from the window. "I gotta find, Dean. He thinks I probably hate him, and because of Lisa, he's not coming back for me."

"How are you going to get there? Fly?"

"Cas makes it very clear that I don't have wings." Olive mumbles.

"Then how?"

"I don't know how I'm gonna do it, but I have to try. Lisa pushed Dean away. She's keeping me here, Ben. She wants to be normal and it's not fair!" She rants, throwing her hands around as she empathized.

"What's wrong with being normal?" He asks.

"Nothing, I just—," She groans, "I finally figured out who I am, and I need to live up to it like Balthazar said! And I-I know I'm little, and still have pretend tea time but I can also move things with my mind and heal souls with my hands! I'm not normal."

     She drops her hands with a frown. "I would have been dead if it wasn't for Dean. I would have died without knowing what it was like to be in a real family with a real daddy who loves me. I can't do this without him, Ben. I can't stay here and be normal, not when I'm meant to do more."

Ben stays silent, head hung low as Olive tries to control her breathing. She felt horrible for wanting to leave him. He was her brother, blood or not, but she couldn't stay.

"I understand." He says softly. "You aren't like me and my Mom. Everyone thinks you're this big beacon of hope—and maybe you really are, but. ." He looks up at her. "You'll always be Livvy, my little sister. .and I know it wasn't forever but Dean will always be. .the father I've always wanted." He chokes out. "I won't stop you, okay? A-And I won't tell but you gotta promise me something."

Olive's eyes stung with tears. "Anything."

"You'll come back and visit. You and Dean." He smiles. "I don't think I can handle goodbye forever."

She rushes up to him, wrapping her arms around his front. "I promise." She says truthfully. Ben hugs her tightly, being the one to pull away with a smile, "No goodbyes forever."

"My mom is washing the dishes, so try not to make too much noise." He opens the bedroom door, turning back and flashing a grin. "Tell Dean I'm not actually mad, okay?"

"You're the best big brother ever." She says suddenly. He forces a large smile, and she watching sadly as he closed the door behind him, leaving her alone.

Olive completely struggled to get out of the window, her hands dangling on the ledge for more than a few minutes before she mentally smacked herself for remembering she had powers.

"Don't die, don't die, don't die." She repeated to herself before removing her grip on the ledge.

She almost screamed but caught herself quickly but covering her mouth with both her hands as she floated down onto to grass. She lets out a relieved sigh, grabbing her teddy bear and dusting it off before running through the lawn.

She ducked when she saw Lisa in the kitchen window, pressing against one of the trees. Lisa seemed sad. A deep frown on her face as she slowly washed the dishes in the sink, her mind elsewhere.

"I'll be back. .I promise." Olive vows.

━━・ ✦ ₊ 🌻 ⊹ ° .  ❫ ━

     TOULA WASN'T SURPRISED WHEN OLIVE SHOWS UP AT HER DOORSTEP—, she opens the door with her normal smile, and lemonade. The bags under her eyes were more visible, as she guided Olive into her garden and sat with her on the porch.

The witch senses Olive was on a journey, the child glows determination and although she was a child, Toula greets her traveler with respect, a friend.

"Something troubles you, Little Warrior," Toula say, digging her feet into the earth, "Should I be concerned?"

"I'm running away to find my dad," Olive replies bluntly. "I don't know where he is, or how I'm going to find him, but i can't be with Lisa and Ben anymore."

Toula hums, "Something extraordinary shouldn't live as ordinary," She agrees.

"Do you always speak in riddles?" Olive says breathlessly, smiling and kicking her own feet over the porch.

"Yes." The brunette replies.

"Great! I need a favor," Olive stands, pulling at her backpack straps.

"Of course you do." Toula leans back, speaking calmly, letting her long oak cane rest on her lap, the top embedded with different crystals, the shaft carved with Latin symbols, "I foresaw it."

"I need you to look—," Toula raises an eyebrow. "Erm, keep Lisa and Ben safe while I'm gone," Olive states. "Dean isn't there to protect them and if something happens I trust you."

"My job is to teach you, not babysit," Toula says, "I cannot do both."

"Your job is to teach me when I'm ready, right? Grow as I go—,"

"That's not what I meant—"

"So you will? Perfect," Olive says, "I have to make sure everyone is safe."

"You know what you sound like?" Toula asked suddenly.

Olive is taken back. "No. . .?"

She grins. "A Guardian."

Olive turns red. "Really?"

"Mhm. They're protectors. Just like you," She tells her, "However, you should protect yourself, until you're old enough to protect others. If not, it'll be the end of you."

Olive turns her head to the side, her whole body falling with her, "Did you foresee that, too?"

Toula says nothing, keeping her head straight.

"Yeah well, now I have to go find my dad." Olive states. Toula perishes her lips, causing her to frown. "What's wrong?"

"I was right about the two of you." She says softly.

"I don't understand."

"In Cora's journal, she talks about a man named Sylas," She recalls, "They weren't in love, but she still felt bound to him. Like she needed to protect him."

"Because that's what Guardians do right? Protect people?" Olive tries to remember.

"Yes, but your mother was different. She was bound to a human, it wasn't just the need to protect, like the others. She selfishly put him first, that's what bounds do. It makes you bias, and it makes you put that person before the safety of the universe. The Elders would never let that happen, you'd have to be balanced at all times. Humans are too emotional."

It made being bounded very dangerous for a Guardian, who has the power to protect the world, yet chooses to only save the extension of themselves. One person for the universe? It was logically insane.

"That's why it's hard for me to stay in control? I can't balance if I'm bounded to Dean and he's human?" Olive asked.

"The reason you aren't in balance is because you are human, Olive. You throw everything we've ever known off balance. Guardians are soulless beings who make souls, not mate with them. Now you're a guardian with a soul, and you're part human. Double burn," She grins.

Olive falters. The reason this was so difficult was because her mom had to go against all the rules and bound, then got all human-happy with her dad.

The child stopped and thought, that's kinda badass. But then she remembered she had to learn to grow against all laws of nature, thanks a lot mom.

"If there's one thing that was good about your mother it was her loyalty to him, even though he was human," Toula says, "She would follow him to the end of the world and he wouldn't even have to ask. She was his protector."

Olive frowns. "What does that have to do with me and my dad?" She pressed.

"You and Dean. .you're Soulbound." Toula said softly. "Just like your mother was to Sylas. Their souls were physically and universally bonded to one another, each other's literal anchors."

"You make it sound like a bad thing," Olive says nervously.

"It's scary," Toula admits, "The concept of losing someone you love is already agony, but when they're apart of you, it's a whole different kind of pain. It's unbearable, unlivable conditions. If one dies, the other is lost."

"That won't happen to me and my dad," Olive promised, "He's a hero, and heroes don't die. He's saved the world, you can't kill him."

Toula smiles sadly at her innocences, "Not everyone can live forever, you know that."

"He'd never leave me," Olive's voice falters, like she was trying to convince herself.

"I don't think he would either," The Witch vows, "But when an anchor isn't holding down a ship, the ship with continue to drift, but the anchor will stay there forever stuck, rotting away. So because I care about you, I'll tell you this as bluntly as possible. Do not be Dean Winchester anchor. It will kill you."

Olive looks past the garden, taking in her words, "But. . . It's me and him against the world. ."

━━・ ✦ ₊ 🌻 ⊹ ° .  ❫ ━

"Has he been feverish?"

Dean crosses his arms, "Have you?" He demands.

Sam looks between the Angel and his brother, absolutely confused, "No. Why?" He responded, yanking at the rope around his wrist.

The last thing he remembered was getting beat on by Dean back at Veritas. Now his face hurt and he couldn't move.

"Is he speaking in tongues?" Castiel questions Dean before looking back to Sam. "Are you speaking in tongues?"

"No!" He scoffs. "What are you--? Are you diagnosing me?"

"You better hope he can." Dean says coldly.

"You really think that this is gonna—"

"You think there's a clinic out there for people who just pop outta hell wrong?" Dean snaps. "He asks, you answer, then you shut your hole. You got it?" Sam didn't respond.

"How much do you sleep?" Cas asked.

"I don't." He admits.

"At all?" Dean asked in disbelief.

"Not since I got back."

Dean and Cas share an uneasy look. "And it never occurred to you that there might be something off about that?"

"Of course it did, Dean." Sam sighs. "I just. .never told you."

Dean notices Castiel's concentrated gaze, and when the Angel frowned in possibility Dean becomes concerned. "What is it?"

"Sam, what are you feeling right now?"

Sam scoffs a laugh. "I feel like my nose is broken."

"No, that's a physical sensation. How do you feel?" He pressed.

"I think--"

"Feel." He emphasized.

"I don't know." Sam admits.

Cas turns to Dean, who looked more concerned than upset at this point.

He thinks of Olive. He knows that she had the ability to help him test his theory without hurting Sam — even though Dean looked like he wanted to punch his brother right now.

Yet, he knows if he brought Olive here, Dean would turn that anger towards him, and might actually punch him. Right now, a risk he was willing to take.

The Angel sighs, "I will be right back."

"What? Cas!" Dean fumbled.

But the Angel was already gone.

In the lamp-lit streets of Indiana, Olive walks with a cucumber sandwich in one hand, and her teddy bear in the other.

She bites down on the soft bread, and with a small slip of her feet, she hums the lyrics of an AC/DC song. She doesn't know how long she's been walking, but she knew it wasn't as far as she wanted to be.

Olive passes the park, which usually takes four blocks to get to, so at least she was making progress. In the darkness, she thinks she sees a figure by the swing sets. She thinks she sees glimpses of glowing blue eyes, maybe the shape of a woman.

She blinks, it's gone.

Her heart skips a beat, and keeps moving. Dean tells her never to stop, to keep going, even when it was scary. So, she finished her sandwich and shoved her free hand into her pocket, squeezing her knife.

After a long hour of silence, Olive regrets running away. Not because she didn't want to anymore, but because her legs hurt and she wanted to sleep. Still, she keeps going.

In that hour she thinks about Toula's warning. How worried she looked about 'soulbounds'. Olive didn't think being bounded to someone you loved was that bad.

It explains why Olive and Dean always took bites at the same time at dinner without really looking at each other, or when they feel like they've read each others minds and say the same thing.

That's not what Toula meant though, and Olive knew it. The small side effects didn't compare to the real fear of being soulbound.

The concept of losing someone you love is already agony, but when they're apart of you, it's a whole different kind of pain. It's unbearable, unlivable conditions. If one dies, the other is lost.

Olive thinks that sounds painful. She rubs at her chest, that wouldn't happen to them right? Dean could survive anything. There's no way that a bound could destroy what they've built.

She stops, "Ugh!" She huffs, stomping her feet, "This is taking forever!" She shouts. What could she possibly do now? A six-year-old who can't even ride a bike traveling alone at night across the state.

"Olive?"

She spins around, almost tripping backward as she scrabbles for the Angel Blade in a panic, freezing when she makes eye-contact with a trenchcoat-wearing Angel, who looked back at her in concern.

Oh right, she's friends with angels.

"Cas?" She mumbles, eyes going wide. "Cas!" She screams, running towards him.

Cas seemed prepared this time, quickly opening his arms in an awkward attemptt to catch the child that instantly crashes into his chest. "Uh, hello." He pats her back. "Why are you outside in the dark?"

She squeezes him tightly. "I ran away because Lisa lied to Dean. Now he thinks I hate him and I don't. He won't come here to get me, I really really miss him and I don't wanna be at Lisa and Ben's anymore." She admitted fast, pulling him away.

"This past week I learned about The Guardian's and practiced the First Generation's methods, at first I sucked but now I can do all sorts of crazy things that I promise won't end with someone dying," She rants on.

Cas opens his mouth to get a word in, but then she starts to pace in front of him, she reminded him of Dean.

". . .and I'm telling you all of this because I've been keeping it a secret for seven days! and I don't know how long I can keep going without wanting to burst!" She finishes with a heavy breath, pulling back to see his reaction, which wasn't exactly the one she expected.

"I know." He says in his gravelly tone. "Well, I didn't know about you running away but I asked Toula to keeps tabs on you for me."

"So you sent her?"

He seemed offended. "No. I don't send Toula anywhere, she works for the Archangel Gabriel," He pauses. "She's very powerful. Don't tell her I said that."

Olive grins. "I think she knows."

"You're probably wondering why I'm here."

"You promised to play tea party with me whenever you got the chance." Olive smiles.

Cas hesitates. "Yes—well no, that's not why I'm here. Something is wrong with Sam. I need you to do the same thing you did with Aaron Birch, so I can check to see if his soul is intact."

Olive frowned. "I could barely do it the first time. ."

"You'll get better now, with Toula's help." Castiel says. "Besides this is the only way to get you to Dean. Did you really expect to walk all the way to them?"

Olive deflates. "Maybe."

He shakes his head. "You have impossible goals in life."

"Yes, yes I do." Olive grins. "Now let's go help, Sam."

WORDS, 4308!