It was only midafternoon when the town your parents were being held in came into view. It was a welcome relief, but at the same time you weren't ready. You didn't want to go back to the way life had been before they had been captured by monsters. You didn't want to be under their thumb once again. Being beaten and tormented by people who should love you.

"So, I'm thinking we get a room, regroup and figure out our plan." Dean started saying. "We have no idea what we're going up against."

Everyone agreed with Dean's logic. Sure, you knew your parents were being held, by some sort of monster, but until you had an idea what it was, and where, you were in no shape to take it on. You agreed for another reason. You wanted to delay the inevitable as much as possible.

It wasn't until you were safely in your own room, with the boys in the one next door that you let yourself feel. This trip, one that had awoken feelings buried under so much pain and suffering, was coming to an end. Soon, you would be back under the thumbs of your parents, if they were still alive, and you weren't sure if you could take that again. A part of you, a big part, wished that the monster did what you had been too scared to do.

"Y/N, can we talk?" Dean said, as he knocked on your door. Knowing that he would bring up the bruises earlier, you considered pretending you were in the shower, anything to put off the confrontation with Dean. "Y/N, answer the door, please!"

With a sigh, you opened the door, and he pushed inside, a beer bottle in both his hands. Handing one to you, he sat down at the table, making himself at home. But even though he seemed calm and casual, you could sense the tenseness in him. "What's up Dean?" You asked him, hoping he would get right to the point.

"Why don't you tell me? He asked, the bottle sitting forgotten in front of him. "You don't seem that invested in getting your parents back. On top of that, you're a shell of the wonderful, smart ass girl I knew a long time ago. Please, tell me what's going on!"

"Dean, I..." You started, trying to think of another excuse, another way to push Dean away from the truth.

"Damn it Y/N!" He yelled, standing up and taking a step towards you. Unable to help it, you flinched, taking a step back, your knees buckling as they caught the edge of the bed, knocking you on your butt. "Y/N, I never would hurt you, you have to know that." He assured you, his voice soft, his hands up in surrender. "Please, I just want to help you."

With tears in your eyes, you shook your head emphatically, knowing that the second you told him, his attitude towards you would change. The look in his mossy green eyes would turn to pity, and you couldn't handle that. "Dean, it's too hard. I don't know where to start."

Carefully walking towards you, he sat down next to you, making sure that he didn't jostle or scare you too much. "Start at the beginning. Why your parents forced you to leave so quickly. Start talking, and don't stop. I won't judge. I just want to help you."

Taking a deep breath, you started. Telling him how you felt about him when you were a teenager, when your parents found out. You told him how they had started drinking profusely, turning anger and that anger being used against you. As you talked, he stayed silent, his hands clenched at his sides. When you told him about the beatings, all the times you couldn't leave the bed for days at a time, he stood up, pacing the room.

"And you stayed?" He finally spoke up, his eyes red, tears threatening to fall.

"I didn't know what else to do." You whispered, knowing how stupid that sounded. You had considered running many times, but in the end, you had no idea what to do. "You were trying to find your Dad, then I didn't hear from you again. Everyone from my old life was gone, and I just felt alone. And my parents were good brainwashers, often convincing me that I deserved it all."

With a cry, he was kneeling in front of you, his hands grasping yours. "I'm so freaking sorry I wasn't there for you. That I stepped back, when I should have been moving closer to you, making sure you were okay."

"Dean, it's not your fault." You tried telling him, but he wasn't having any of it.

"No, it's your parents fault. And when I get my hands on them. They'll wish that the monster had killed them to begin with." He growled, exactly as you had known he would.

Before you could tell him, you didn't want their Death on his conscious, there was a pounding on the door, Sam's voice rang out. "Dean, we've found them!"

"This isn't finished." He insisted, squeezing your hand. "But don't worry. Your parents will never touch you again. I'll make sure of that."

Opening the door, he stepped out to talk to Sam, as you tried to calm down. Talking to Dean had been so much easier than you had imagined, and you felt better for it.

"Y/N." Dean started, coming back into the room. "We're going to make our move soon. But do me a favor, please. Stay here."

"No." You told him, surprising both him and you. "I need to be there, to face my parents, even if they aren't alive anymore."

"Y/N, I..." Dean started arguing, but you stood up, making your way towards him. "Please, I need this."

Sighing, Dean pulled you to him, holding you tight in an embrace. "Fine. But you stay by my side the entire time. Then, once this is all over with, you and I are going to have a talk. Because I don't want to let you go again."

"I'll agree to that." You answered.