detroit | chapter four

"God?" Dean repeats as he turns from closing the door so no one would overhear, disbelief evident in his voice.

"Yes." Castiel states, seemingly confused by Dean's skepticism.

"God?" Dean repeats once again.

"Yes! He isn't in Heaven. He has to be somewhere." Cas points out. Dakota looks at Sam for an explanation, because, what the Hell?

"Try New Mexico, I hear he's on a Tortilla." Dean jokes. Dakota hides a snort of amusement behind a cough and gets an amused yet disapproving look from Sam.

"No, he's not on any flat bread." Castiel shakes his head in confusion. This time, Dakota fails to hide her amused snort, earning herself a grin from Dean, a confused look from Castiel, and raised eyebrows from Sam and Bobby- who's name she found out while Dean was closing the door.

"Listen, Chuckles, even if there is a God, he is either dead- and that's the generous theory-" Dean is cut off by the Angel.

"He is out there Dean." Castiel tells him. Dakota looks down sadly, realising that this is essentially Castiel's Father they are talking about.

"-or he's up and kicking and doesn't give a rat's ass about any of us." Dean continues, earning a glare from Castiel and Dakota. "I mean, look around you, man. The world is in the toilet. We are literally at the end of days here, and he's off drinking booze out of a coconut. All right?"

"Enough." Castiel states angrily. "This is not a theological issue. It is strategic. With God's help, we can win."

Dakota sighs, because of course they'd win with God's help, but if he's so willing to help, where is he?

"It's a pipe dream, Cas." Dean sighs.

Castiel advances on the elder Winchester brother, anger evident on his face, and in his voice when he speaks. "I killed two Angels this week. My brothers." Dakota winces slightly. "I'm hunted. I rebelled. And I did it, all of it, for you, and you failed. You and your brother destroyed the world," Sam looks down guiltily, and Dakota rubs his arm soothingly, he grabs it and just holds it as comfort. Dakota smiles up at the man. "and I lost everything, for nothing. So keep your opinions to yourself."

Dakota almost cheers at Castiel's speech, feeling that Dean was being pretty insensitive to the Angel. It's his family they're talking about, for crying out loud!

"You didn't just drop in to tear us a new one, or to drop off the girl. What is it you want?" Bobby suddenly questions.

"I did come for something." Castiel admits, Dakota perks up, not having heard this part. "An Amulet."

"An Amulet? What kind?" Bobby asks.

"Very rare. Very powerful." Castiel explains shortly, Dakota chuckles inwardly. "It burns hot in God's presence. It'll help me find him."

"A God EMF?" Sam suggests questioningly, Castiel just nods.

"Well I don't know what you're talking about." Bobby shrugs. "I got nothing like that."

"I know. You don't." Castiel agrees, he looks to Dean, eyes dropping to the Amulet hung around the mans neck, then looks back up at him.

"What, this?" Dean asks incredulously.

"May I borrow it?" Castiel asks.

"No." Dean growls his refusal, Dakota realises it must be special to him. She then smiles as she remembers the story Sam told her of the Christmas he found out about monsters, and of the Amulet he gave Dean instead of his Dad.

"Dean. Give it to me." Castiel demands, and Dakota rolls her eyes. These people are so demanding and insensitive.

Dean goes silent, as if realising the Angel is serious, and seems to think it over. Finally, the eldest Winchester brother lifts the Amulet over his head. "All right, I guess." He holds it out, but when Castiel reaches for it, Dean pulls it back. "Don't lose it." Castiel takes it, and Dean looks uncomfortable. "Great, now I feel naked."

"I'll be in touch." Castiel states. Dean nods, glances at Sam, then turns back only to find the Angel is gone. Sam sighs.

"When you find God, tell him to send legs!" Bobby shouts up towards the ceiling, obviously meant for Castiel, wherever he's gotten to. Dakota grins slightly.

Dean and Bobby then turn to look at their newest companion. "I need answers, now." Dean states, glaring at the girl.

"My name is Dakota Quinn. I met Sam when we were about fifteen, I think. We immediately had this connection, it was quite weird. Not attraction, not at first anyway, just as if we knew each other. I was taken by demons and Sam saved me, we ended up researching about the connection, because the Demons had mentioned it. But we found nothing." Dakota explains.

Dean turns to Sam, who is looking down awkwardly. "And you never thought to tell me any of this?" He asks angrily.

"It just didn't seem important, Dean." Sam sighs softly. "And you know what Dad was like, anything out of the ordinary was immediately bad. No way was I about to tell him about it."

"Right." Dean rolls his eyes. "Anything else you never thought to tell me? You and your secrets are going to end the world one day, oh wait."

Dakota glares at Dean as Sam winces and looks down.

"Dean-" Sam tries, but cuts himself off at the glare from his older brother. Dakota watches on in pain, from the stories Sam used to tell her, this isn't how the Winchester brothers are supposed to be.

"Just, don't." Dean shakes his head. "I don't want to talk about this, Sam."

Dakota goes to say something, but before she can, Bobby's phone starts to ring. The man picks it up and holds it to his ear. "Hello?" He pauses as if listening to the other person. "I can't hear you." Suddenly Bobby looks quite worried. "Where are you? Colora-Colorado? River Pass, Colorado? Rufus? You there? Ruf-Rufus?" The call obviously ends, as Bobby moves the phone from his ear and looks towards the Winchesters and Dakota.

- - -

"Look, blondie." Dean states as the three walk out into the hospital car park and towards the black 1967 Chevy Impala. "You're only coming with because Cas seems to think you're useful. I don't trust you."

"Fine by me." Dakota shrugs, rolling her eyes at the man. "I'm only here because three angels broke into my apartment."

"Three Angels?" Sam whips around to look at the blonde, eyes wide. "Was it not just Cas?"

"Nah. Some douchebags calling themselves Nathaniel and Ariel. Tried turning me against you." Dakota explains as they reach the car.

"Kota, I am so sorry you've been dragged into this!" Sam sighs, opening the back door for her. Dakota smiles at him and slides into the car and Sam slams the door closed, before getting into the front seat himself.

"Sam. I don't blame you. It wasn't your fault." Dakota shrugs.

"So, what have you gotten up to in the past few years?" Sam questions, turning in his seat to look at her.

"I went home." She tells him with a huge smile on her face. Sam grins happily. "My family missed me and were so happy to have me back. Though I was grounded for three months."

"I am glad to hear that, Kota." Sam sighs, shaking his head. "I was hoping you'd go home. I really wanted to reach out, find you, but I didn't want to drag you back into this and I had no idea where you lived."

"Yeah, well I didn't think I'd be going back so I didn't think to tell you." She shrugs slightly. "What about you?"

"I went to Stanford." He tells her with a smile, and Dakota's eyes light up as she grins at him.

"Oh, I knew you'd make it!" She beams, before her smile drops as realisation strikes. "Why aren't you there now? What happened? Why are you hunting if you went to Stanford?"

"Demons killed the woman he love, can we talk about the important stuff now?" Dean interrupts, and Sam freezes as Dakota's eyes widen. 

"Dakota-" He looks sad.

"No, I get it. Don't worry. Uh, Dean's right. We should talk about this Rufus guy." She cuts him off. "Who is he?"

"He's a friend of Bobby's, and ours I guess." Dean tells her as he starts the engine. "A cranky bastard, but we gotta go help him, still a friend."

"He's also a Hunter." Sam adds awkwardly. "Like Dean said, he's a cranky bastard, so when we find him don't be too offended if he acts like he hates you."

"Right." She nods.

The trio drive in awkward silence for a while, and Dakota can't help but hate it. Thoughts enter her mind about this girl Sam apparently loved. She can't help but feel jealous in a way. She never managed to love anyone the way she loved Sam, and hearing that he was in love with someone enough to get back into hunting, the thing he hated more than anything, when she was killed? It hurts.

Dakota has loved a few people in the past, sure. She loved a guy called Nathan, he was pretty cool, but then he figured out he was gay and dumped her. So, that hurt. But they stayed friends for a while until he moved to Europe with some guy he fell in love with. Then there was Travis, he was sweet and kind, until he wasn't. He got possessive and wouldn't let her even talk to other guys, so she broke it off. He soon also moved, but only to another State. And finally there was Grayson, he was great, until he proposed and Dakota just didn't feel she was ready, or that he was the right guy. So really, hearing that Sam loved someone as much as he must've loved this woman, stings a little.

"You remember how to shoot a gun?" Sam suddenly asks, interrupting her thoughts.

"What? Oh, yeah. I think." Dakota nods slightly. "I mean, I was never great at it if you remember correctly. But I remember how to do it. And I always carry a knife on me. Though the Angels laughed in my face for that."

"That's because a knife won't do anything for you." Dean says, and Dakota can practically hear the eyeroll. 

"It's a silver knife with iron forged into it." She tells him with an eyeroll of her own. "I'm not an idiot, Dean."

"No, but you're an amateur." He retorts, and Sam shoots him a glare.

"Dean, leave her alone." He warns. "She's good, she'll get better. She just doesn't have as much experience."

"Yeah, okay." He agrees, though reluctantly. 

Dakota looks down knowing it'll be a long drive.

- - - 

It takes a while, and a very uncomfortable car ride, but the three arrive in River Pass, Colorado.

Dean stops the car at the bridge, seeing as most of the bridge just isn't there and the trio get out of the car to take a closer look. Dean kicks at a rock, which falls off the edge, and Dakota realises they'll never get the car across.

"This is the only road in or out." Dean tells them as Sam takes out his cell phone and holds it up.

"No signal." Sam adds as Dakota groans.

"Rufus was right. Demons got this place locked down." Dean says.

"Looks like we're hiking in." Sam sighs, making Dakota groan even more at the thought as she glares at the bridge as if it'll magically fix itself. It doesn't.

"And the hits just keep on coming." Dean groans himself as they walk around the Impala to the trunk, and Dean opens it.

They each grab guns, full of rock salt bullets and pack a few things into bags before heading into town.

The trio scan the area as they walk down the street, and Dakota can't help but be weirded out by the sheer ack of people.

There's a car flipped up in the road and Dean ducks down to examine it as Sam goes the other side ready with his gun. When Sam shakes his head to signal it's empty they move on. There's also a sprinkler still going, and Dakota wishes she could just turn it off because it's adding to the creepiness. There's another car in the street, but the right way up, and the drivers door is open, engine running and the radio is playing "Spirit In The Sky". They approach with their guns ready, but again, it's empty. Sam turns off the engine and silence falls before Sam sighs. Next they spot a red Mustang, which both Sam and Dakota lose interest in after noticing it's empty, but Dean still checks it out and Dakota hears him let out an appreciative whistle. Something sparks at the Gas Station and there's someone's blood smeared on the floor by a car with the drivers door wide open. There's a baby's stroller at the wheel. The three approach and continue to scan the area, and there's a hole in the windshield. They move on. As the sound of a gun cocking is heard, they all whip around to point their own guns at the person.

It's a woman with brown hair, and the boys seem to know her. 

"Ellen?" Sam questions, and the three lower their guns slightly, Ellen keeps hers raised.

"Hello, boys." She says, before catching a glance of Dakota. "And girl?" She raises her eyebrow at her slightly before turning her attention back to the boys.

She finally lowers her gun and walks towards them as Dean speaks. "Ellen, what the heck is going on here?" He asks, to which she responds by throwing water in his face. Some splashes off and hits Sam and Dakota, causing the two to flinch slightly. Ellen raises her gun back up to Dean. "We're us." And Ellen once again lowers her gun before walking past them all, so they follow.

They all enter a Church, which has salt in doorways as well as Devil's Traps.

"Real glad to see you boys." Ellen says as she hugs Dean. Dakota watches the woman carefully, unsure of the relationship here. Then, Ellen is stepping away from the hug, and slapping Dean across the face. Dakota smirks slightly. "The can of whoopass I ought to open on you." She shouts.

"Ow!" Dean says in surprise at the slap. 

"You can't pick up a phone? What are you, allergic to giving me a peace of mind? I got to find out you're alive from Rufus?" She continues.

"Sorry, Ellen." Dean manages to get out.

"Yeah, you better be. You better put me on speed dial, kid." She practically demands, and Dakota realises that she definitely likes this woman. 

"Yes, Ma'am." Dean agrees immediately. There's a pause before Sam and Dean share a glance and Ellen leads them all down the stairs. "What's going on Ellen?"

"More than I can handle alone." Ellen admits.

"How many Demons are there?" Sam asks.

"Pretty much the whole town." Ellen tells him. "Minus the dead people, and these guys." She turns to look at the three. "So this is it, right? End times?" Sam and Dean glance at each other again, and Dakota looks down. "It's got to be."

"Seems like it." Sam concedes.

Ellen knocks on the shut door. "It's me!" She calls. Someone looks out the peephole then opens the door. What Dakota sees shocks her. There are ten other people in the room, one of which is pregnant, another is a Pastor. "This is Sam and Dean. They're Hunters. Here to help. And this is, uh." She turns to Dakota.

"Oh, Dakota. Old friend of Sam's. I know a few things." She tells her, Ellen nods.

"And this is Dakota, also here to help." She adds.

"You guys hip to the whole Demon thing?" The man who opened the door asks them. 

"Yeah. Are you?" Dean returns the question.

"My wife's eyes turned black. She came at me with a brick. Kind of makes you embrace the paranormal." Another man in the room tells them before bringing his hand up to his chin.

Dean turns back to Ellen. "All right, catch us up." He says.

"I doubt I know much more than you. Rufus called. Said he was in town investigating omens. All of a sudden, the whole town was possessed. Me and Jo were nearby-" Ellen explains, before Dean cuts her off.

"You're hunting with Jo?" He asks in surprise, Dakota wonders who Jo is. 

She quickly turns to Sam who whispers to her, "Daughter." Dakota nods in understanding. 

"Yeah, for a while now. We got here, and the place—well, the place was like you see it. Couldn't find Rufus, then me and Jo got separated. I was out looking when I found you." Ellen continues.

"Don't worry, we'll find her." Dean assures the woman, and Dakota nods her agreement, not wanting Ellen to lose her daughter. 

"Either way, these people cannot just sit here." Sam points out. "We gotta get them out now."

"No, it's not that easy." Ellen tells them. "I've been trying. We already made a run for it once."

"What happened?" Sam asks.

"There used to be twenty of us." Ellen confesses and Dakota's eyes widen as realisation hits.

"God, that's horrible!" She mutters, Ellen and Sam both look at her sadly as Dean looks around the room.

"Well there's three and a half of us now-" Dean starts, earning an eye roll from Dakota at being considered half. 

"You don't know what it's like out there." Ellen shakes her head. "Demons are everywhere. We won't be able to cover everyone."

"What if we got everyone guns or something?" Dakota suggests, looking at Sam who nods in agreement.

"What, are you gonna arm up baby bump over here?" Dean questions incredulously.

"More salt we can fire at once, more Demons we can keep away." Sam points out, Dean sends him a glance then glances at the Pastor.

"There's a Sporting Goods Store we passed on Maine on the way in. I bet they got guns." He says, seemingly agreeing with the idea. The three drop their bags and Sam turns to Ellen and Dakota.

"All right. You two stay, we'll go." He tells them. Dakota raises her eyebrows at him, but understand where he's coming from.

"What about-" Ellen is clearly worried for her daughter, but Sam cuts her off.

"If Jo and Rufus are out there, we'll bring them back." He assures her, Ellen nods slightly to let him know she trusts them.

The two brothers leave as the man who let them in opens the door and Dakota follows Ellen away as the man shuts the door behind them. 

"So, old friend of Sam's?" Ellen questions as the two sit away from everyone else.

"Yeah." Dakota nods with a small shrug. "I guess. I mean, we didn't know each other long, but it felt like forever. We'd both run away, you see. And I was kidnapped by Demons, he saved me and invited me to stay with him in this place in the woods. He offered to train me, to make sure I could keep myself safe. Those Demons were quite adamant on getting me. And we soon became closer than friends. Then his Dad came and dragged him away, Sam made me promise to go home and I did. It was only today actually that we reunited."

"Ah. And things are okay?" Ellen asks softly, and Dakota can't help but trust her. 

"I don't know. They're awkward. I just, Dean mentioned Sam loved a girl who was killed by Demons and that's why he's hunting again instead of at Stanford. And, even though I've had relationships since him, it hurt. The fact he loved this person enough to give up his dream and go back to the life he hated. It makes me wonder if what we had was real to him." She admits sadly. "I know I loved him, and always will in a way. But, if he felt that strongly about someone else, does he really feel the same?"

"You need to talk to Sam, sweetie." Ellen tells her honestly. "I think that's the only way you'll find out for sure. But just because he loved someone else in his life, shouldn't take away from what he felt for you."

"Yeah. Thanks, Ellen. Just, thanks." Dakota smiles. "So, your daughter? What's she like?"

"Jo is a stubborn brat." Ellen laughs, and Dakota can't help but laugh along. "But I love her. She is adamant that she wants to be a Hunter, and I honestly want anything else for her. But she insists and so I let her, and we do it together. Better than letting her go off alone and get herself killed."

"Yeah." Dakota chuckles. "I can't wait to meet her."

"You'll get along I think." Ellen tells the blonde. "You're both strong women, and both have a thing for a Winchester." She chuckles.

"Jo likes Dean?" Dakota questions, because somehow she just knows it's not Sam. Ellen nods.

"Yeah, it's just a crush though. She'll get over it." She smiles, shaking her head. 

Finally, Sam and Dean return with bags of guns and rock salt. They set everyone up with guns and show others how to make the rock salt bullets. Dakota smiles as she watches the boys in their element.

People are fumbling over the guns and bullets, and Dakota takes her gun off to the side to remind herself how to use one. She sits down aalone for a minute, before Sam comes and joins her.

"Hey." He smiles slightly, sitting beside her. 

"Hey." Dakota echoes back awkwardly.

"About what Dean said in the car on the way here." Sam sighs, and Dakota tenses slightly and looks down as he explains. "At Stanford, I met this girl. Jessica. She was amazing, beautiful and strong. And I fell in love with her. We were together two years, and I planned to propose." Dakota looks up at him sharply at that confession, and Sam smiles at her slightly. "Then Dean showed up in our apartment. Told me Dad was missing and he needed my help to find him. I eventually agreed, he was my Dad after all." Dakota doesn't miss the past tense and she frowns to herself. "So I went. Had to get back for the Monday though, had a big Interview for Law School."

"Really?" Dakota asks happily. Sam nods with a small smile. "I really am proud of you, Sam."

"Thanks, that really means a lot." Sam tells her, Dakota smiles softly. "Well we didn't find our Dad, but Dean took me home. Uh, when I got in I heard the shower running, just assumed Jess was in the shower. I laid on the bed eyes closed, then something dripped onto my face. I opened  my eyes and Jess was on the ceiling bleeding from the stomach. Then it was erupting in flames and next thing I know Dean is dragging me out. I needed revenge for that. But it was more than that too. It was the same way my Mom died when I was a baby."

"Oh." Dakota breathes, tears in her eyes from the story. She may have been jealous or unsure of how Sam feels about her, but she hates seeing him sad or in pain. 

"I'm sorry that Dean dropped it on you." Sam adds. "I loved Jessica. But I never felt the way I felt about you. About anyone. And I never forgot about you."

"Me too. I always hoped to see you when I was in the most random of places, and I hoped that one day I'd see you again. I've had other relationships too, Sam. And I had someone propose to me, I said no. I wasn't ready, and I didn't love him enough. But like you, I never felt about them the way I felt about you." Dakota explains. Sam smiles at her and Dakota can't stop herself from smiling too. 

"Did you tell your family about me?" Sam asks, and Dakota shrugs.

"Sort of? I told them I'd met someone I cared for a lot. And I told Dallas that I had fallen in love. But I didn't feel right telling them about you." She admits, Sam nods in understanding. Dakota looks up and sees Dean approaching. "I'll let you two talk." So she gets up, putting her hand on Sam's shoulder for a minute, sensing the tension and knowing he isn't excited for the conversation he's about to have. But she also knows it's important.

She sits at the table with some of the other residents and starts helping them with the bullets in silence, watching the boys talk. It doesn't seem as bad as she thought it would, but Sam is still distressed.

"I'll be back." Ellen's voice says, and Dakota looks up sharply. She quickly hurries over to where she and the boys are.

"Where are you going?" She and Dean both ask, making them look at each other in slight annoyance as Sam smirks slightly.

"I can't sit here on my ass. My daughter's out there somewhere. I'm not back in half an hour, go. Get these people out of here." She tells them all.

Both boys stand up.

"No, wait. I'll go with you." Sam offers, though it's not much of an offer as it is a statement. Dakota knows he won't let Ellen go out alone.

"Woah, hold on. Can I talk to you a second?" Dean asks, Sam nods slightly and they both go out into the hall.

"Sam's right, you can't go alone." Dakota tells Ellen, she sighs and nods.

"I know. But she's my daughter, I gotta find her." Ellen points out. Dakota knows she's right, but she also knows the boys are.

Suddenly there's a slam from the hallway and Dakota and Ellen turn to see what's happening. Dean is against the wall and Sam looks pissed, it doesn't take a genius to figure out what happened.

"What's goin' on with them anyway?" Ellen asks, Dakota shrugs.

"I don't really know." She admits. "I've only been here a day and they've been like this since I arrived."

Sam soon walks back into the room, Dean following behind, and Sam tells Ellen that he's going with her to find Jo. Dean is staying with Dakota and the others, and he's not happy about it.

"Be careful, Samantha." Dakota smiles, hugging him quickly before he goes. Sam nods. 

"I will." He promises. 

"You too, Ellen." Dakota adds, the woman nods, and then the two leave the Church.

Dakota spends a short while helping out with the bullets again while Dean helps get everyone ready with the guns. But soon enough, Dakota finds herself sitting back where she and Sam had their talk.

"Hey, uh, Dakota." Dean sits beside her after a short while, very awkwardly too.

"Hi, Dean." She nods, just as awkwardly. 

"I should apologise." Dean sighs, and Dakota's eyes widen slightly. "I can tell that you and Sam were more than friends when you knew each other, and when I said about Jessica I saw your face. I shouldn't have said it like that and I am sorry."

"It's okay, Dean." Dakota smiles, bumping her shoulder into his. "I spoke to Sam and he explained everything about Jessica. And it's not like I haven't had relationships. Besides, we're not together anymore. We haven't been in years."

"Right. Well, I had to apologise." Dean shrugs. Dakota chuckles as she shakes her head slightly.

"Dean, what's-" Dakota is cut off by a sudden pain in her head. "Ah!" She reaches up to hold her head and Dean looks at her in worry.

"What?" He asks, suddenly concerned. 

"I don't know." She tells him, her hands gripping her hair like it's her lifeline. 

Just as soon as the pain came, it stopped, and Dakota moves her hands back to her sides. 

"Are you okay?" Dean asks, eyebrows furrowed with a frown set on his face.

"Yeah." Dakota nods, confusion filling her mind. "I'm fine." The two share a confused look, before Dean shakes his head and stands up. 

"Sam and Ellen are taking too long." He states, as he begins pacing. Dakota watches him pace and can't help but smile at the obvious worry he has for his brother. 

There's a sudden pounding on the door and Dakota breathes out a sigh of relief as Dean checks the peephole and opens the door to reveal Ellen. But her relief ends there as she realises Sam isn't with her.

"Where's Sam?" Both she and Dean immediately ask in unison as Dakota rushes forward to the group. Ellen shakes her head sadly at the two as she sits down next to the young woman at the table, who passes her a bottle of water. Dakota freezes, a hand reaching up to cover her mouth almost automatically. 

"They took him?" The pregnant woman asks, clearly scared. "Demons took him? Oh my God. What if they're in here? The Demons?"

Dakota shakes her head as the Pastor inquires, "Could they get in?"

"No." Dean tells him, grabbing a shotgun and heading to the door. "Everybody sit tight, I got to-" He cuts himself off as he looks at the room full of innocent people depending on him and grimaces, then walks back over to the table. Dakota smiles at him. "Okay, we need to get a plan together. Tell me everything."

As everyone explains things they've seen since the Demons first came to Town, Dakota walks off to the corner of the room with a frown. The pain in her head she got earlier, it didn't feel right. It didn't feel like her own pain. Then Ellen comes back without Sam? She knows something is happening, she knows it was Sam's pain she felt and it worries her. 

Dakota sighs, putting her hand to her head, before going back to join the others at the table. She realises she's joining Dean and Ellen in the midst of a conversation and sits on a chair beside Ellen. 

"Do you know why Rufus came to town?" Dean is asking Ellen as she joins them. "Was there a specific Omen?"

"He said something about water. That's all I know." Ellen tells him with a shrug of the shoulders.

"Padré, do you know what she's talking about- the water?" Dean asks the Pastor.

"The river." He responds. "It ran polluted all of a sudden."

"When?" Dean questions, Dakota nods at the Pastor to answer. 

"Last Wednesday." Austin replies instead. "And the Demon thing started up the next day."

"Anything else?" Dakota asks, looking around the room.

"Anything." Dean adds, making sure they know he means it.

"Maybe, but it's pretty random." Austin admits.

"Good." Dean nods. "Random's good."

"Shooting star. Does that count?" Austin inquires, Dean and Ellen share a look as Dakota frowns realising it seems familiar. "Real big. Same night. Wednesday."

"That definitely counts." Dean assures him as he stands and goes to the bookshelf. He returns a moment later with a Bible and starts searching through it, and Dakota nods as she realises why this all sounds so familiar to her. 

"So, uh, you think that all this comes from outer space?" Austin questions, and Dakota just barely manages to refrain from rolling her eyes. Since when are Aliens in the Bible?

"This isn't X-Files, Pal." Dean tells him.

"Sure wish it was." Dakota mutters, Dean hears and snorts softly.

Dean seems to find the page he was looking for, because he stops going though the Bible and starts reading aloud. "'And there fell a great star from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell upon the river, and the name of the star was Wormwood. And many men died.'"

"Revelation eight ten. Are you saying that this is about the Apocalypse?" The Pastor asks, Dakota shrugs slightly, knowing that yes, that is what he's saying.

"You could say." Dean tells him vaguely. "And these specific Omens, they're prelude to what?"

"The Four Horsemen." Both the Pastor and Dakota say at the same time. Dean gives Dakota a look.

"What? I've read the Bible, I have some family who are Religious." She tells him defensively, Dean raises an eyebrow at her before shaking his head.

"And which one rides the red Horse?" Dean asks the Pastor.

"War." He tells the Hunter, who nods slightly.

"That Cherry Mustang parked on Main." He says, and Dakota's eyes widen as she remembers the car they saw as they were walking through the Town.

"You think that a car-" Dean cuts the Pastor off before he can finish.

"It's the way I'd roll." He shrugs. "I mean, think about it. If War is a dude and he's here, maybe he's messing with our heads."

"Turning us on each other." Ellen realises, Dakota narrows her eyes as she tries to figure out what they mean, realising she's missing something.

"You said Jo called you a black eyed bitch." Dean says to Ellen, and Dakota frowns. "They think we're Demons, we think they're Demons. What if there are no Demons at all and we're all just killing each other?"

Dakota's eyes widen in realisation, and covers her mouth as she realises that innocent people have been killed by other innocent people all because of a misunderstanding.

"Wait, just back up. It's the Apocalypse?" The Pastor asks, Dakota nods.

"Sorry, Padré." Dean says, the Pastor just blinks several times clearly in shock and trying to make sense of everything. Dakota smiles at him sympathetically.

"So now you're saying there are no Demons and War is a guy?" Austin asks incredulously, clearly not believing what the professionals are saying. Dakota trusts Dean and Ellen, because she knows they know what they're talking about, or at least they have more experience than anyone else in the room.

"You believed crazy before." Dean points out. Suddenly there's a hammering on the door.

"Open up, it's Roger!" A voice shouts, and Dakota recognises the voice as who he says he is, but an uneasy feeling settles in her stomach.

Austin checks the peephole and lets Roger in, the man is breathing hard, as if he's been running and Dakota frowns as the bad feeling gets worse.

"I saw them, the Demons. They know we're trying to leave. They said they're gonna pick us off one by one." Roger tells everyone, making Dakota furrow her eyebrows in confusion.

"Wait wait wait, what?" Dean questions, clearly as confused as Dakota is. The bad feeling keeps getting worse and Dakota steps further away from Roger, almost unconsciously. 

"I thought you said there were no Demons!" Austin frowns, immediately going back to disbelieving. 

"There's not." Dean tells him. "Where did you go?" He asks Roger.

"I thought someone should go out and see what's going on!" Roger defends himself.

"Leave it to the Professionals!" Dakota states, still feeling uneasy.

"Where did you see the Demons and what exactly did they say?" Dean asks Roger.

"We just sit here, we're going to be dead." Austin points out to everyone and Dakota wants to strangle him for not just trusting Dean and Ellen. 

"No, we're not!" Dean tells him.

"Wold you quit being so pessimistic, Austin?" Dakota snaps, sending a glare towards the man who raises an eyebrow at her. 

"Dakota." Ellen puts her hand on the blonde's shoulder and she sighs.

"They're gonna kill us unless we kill them first." Roger says and Dakota glares at him, still not having a good feeling about him. Something deep in her mind is telling her that he can't be trusted.

"Hold on, hold on!" Dean practically pleads, hoping everyone will just let him figure things out and explain. 

"No, man, we got people to protect." Austin shakes his head. "All right, the able bodied go hunt some Demons." He picks up a shotgun and hands it to the young man sat at the table.

"Woah, woah, woah! Slow your roll! This is not a Demon thing!" Dean shouts.

Dakota's eyes catch on Roger as he lifts his finger and twists his ring, before pointing to Dean, Ellen and Dakota. Her eyes widen. "Look at their eyes! They're Demons!" Roger cries out, and Dakota curses under her breath. 

The pregnant woman gasps and the Pastor raises his shotgun to them.

"Go, go!" Dean shouts as the three rush out of the door, Dakota flinches at the sound of a gunshot. "Move!"

The three run down the streets and Dakota groans as she realises she was right not to trust Roger. But she has no idea why she didn't, it just doesn't make sense to her.

"This way!" Ellen tells them, leading Dean and Dakota in a different direction. "It's where Jo and Rufus are." 

"Okay, we need to snap them out of this, make them see what's happening." Dean states, Dakota nodding along.

"How do we do that?" Dakota questions, starting to run out of breath. 

"Just tell them the truth, hope it works." Dean shrugs, and Dakota rolls her eyes even though she knows that's their best bet. 

The three finally make it to the house, and they split up. Dakota goes with Ellen to find Jo, while Dean looks for Rufus. 

They trigger the trip wires to get their attention, and Rufus goes to the window, where Dean pulls him out through it. "Rufus!" Jo shouts in shock and worry, just before Ellen grabs her from behind.

Ellen and Jo fight and Dakota watches, not really knowing what she should do. She thinks that maybe she should be looking for Sam, so she quickly sneaks off upstairs. 

She looks in a load of rooms, before she finally enters one to see Sam tied to a chair. She rushes towards him. "Hey, Sammy. I got you." She quickly goes to untie him.

Dean then walks through the door, and Sam finally speaks. "Dean, it's not Demons!" He tells his brother, before they both finish by saying "It's War."

"I just can't figure out how he's doing it." Dean admits with a frown as Dakota finally finishes untying Sam.

"The ring." Sam tells the two, and Dakota nods quickly. 

"Yeah, I saw him twist it right before everyone suddenly thought we were Demons." She remembers.

"Yeah, right before he made everyone hallucinate and go Hellbitch." Dean agrees, making Dakota rolls her eyes at him with a small smile.

"Right." Sam nods.

"We got to move. Come on." Dean urges, and the three rush out of the room.

- - - 

The trio leave Ellen, Jo and Rufus to deal with the people who are hallucinating and go off to track down War. 

Dakota walks alongside Sam while Dean walks slightly ahead of them.

"You okay?" She questions the man, he nods.

"Yeah." He smiles slightly "They really didn't do much. Just through holy water and salt at me, nothing that harms humans."

"Yeah, but mentally?" She asks, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm fine, Kota." Sam chuckles. "Let's just go find War, okay?" Dakota sighs, but nods her agreement.

"Yeah, okay." She agrees. 

They finally spot War about to get into his Mustang, and Sam and Dean rush forward to grab him. Dean holds him in place as War laughs and Sam reaches into his inside pocket and brings out a knife with weird engravings. 

"Woah, okay. That's a sweet little knife." War tells them, "But come on. You can't kill War, Kiddos."

"Oh, we know." Dean smirks as Sam slams War's hand down onto the car and slices off all four of his fingers, including the one with the ring on. Blood splatters onto Sam's face and the ring makes a clinking sound as it hits the floor. Dakota leans down to pick up the ring, and when she looks back up, both War and the Mustang are gone. 

But she really can't find it in herself to care as she looks down at the ring she's fiddling with between her fingers. It's nothing special, just a gold band, but Dakota feels almost drawn to it and the feeling scares her so she quickly passes it onto Dean, who takes it without hesitation. 

- - - 

The Winchester brothers and Dakota are all at a Mountain Rest Area, sat at a picnic table. Sam and Dean are sat across from each other, and Dakota is sat beside Sam. Dean is holding War's ring up to inspect it, and Dakota feels the urge to grab it and put it on. 

"So, pit stop at Mount Doom?" Dean jokes, but Sam is silent and pensive, which concerns Dakota enough to shift her focus from the ring in Dean's hand. 

"Dean-" Sam says.

"Sam, let's not." Dean interrupts.

"No, listen. This is important." Sam tells his brother firmly.

"Do you want me to go?" Dakota offers, but Sam shakes his head. 

"No, Kota, you stay." He smiles slightly, and Dakota nods. Sam turns back to Dean. "I know you don't trust me." Dean looks away and Dakota feels her heart clench at the meaning behind the action as she realises that it's true and Dean doesn't trust his brother. "Just, now I realise something." Sam continues. "I don't trust me either." Dean looks up in shock and interest, as Dakota's eyes widen. "From the minute I saw that blood, only thought in my head...and I tell myself it's for the right reasons, my intentions are good, and it, it feels true, you know? But I think, underneath...I just miss the feeling. I know how messed up that sounds, which means I know how messed up I am. Thing is, the problem's not the demon blood, not really. I mean, I, what I did, I can't blame the blood or Ruby or...anything. The problem's me. How far I'll go. There's something in me that...scares the hell out of me, Dean. In the last couple of days, I caught another glimpse... " Dakota furrows her eyebrows, having no idea what he's talking about, but Dean seems to know and for now that's what matters. 

"What are you saying?" Dean asks.

"I'm in no shape to be hunting." Sam admits, and Dakota's eyes widen at the implications. "I need to step back, 'cause I'm dangerous. Maybe it's best we just... go our separate ways."

Dean seems to consider it, which actually makes Dakota feel worse. She frowns as she thinks about the fact that Dean is Sam's brother and he's supposed to immediately protest at the thought of splitting up. 

"Well, I think you're right." Dean shocks Dakota by saying, and she subtly shakes her head. She looks at Sam who looks shocked and heartbroken by the five words that just came from his brothers mouth. 

"I was expecting a figh." The younger brother admits.

"The truth is I spend more time worrying about you than about doing the job right. And I just, I can't afford that, you know? Not now." Dean tells him, and Sam nods jerkily. Dakota bites her lip, knowing that she'll go with Sam, even if she probably should go with Dean. She knows that she was called in by Castiel to help prevent the Apocalypse, and that Dean is the one who is going to be working at that right now, but Sam will need her more, and she knows him better anyway. 

"I'm sorry, Dean." Sam says softly.

"I know you are, Sam." Dean tells him sadly before Sam moves to get up from the bench. "Hey, do you, uh, wanna take the Impala?" Dakota almost chokes at that, she can tell just how much Dean adores that car, and it almost makes her smile as she realises the meaning behind the gesture; he still cares. 

"It's okay." Sam declines as he stands up and takes a few steps away before turning back. Dakota stands up too, ready to follow her favourite Winchester. "Take care of yourself, Dean."

"Yeah, you too, Sammy." Dean nods.

As Sam walks to the Impala to get his bag, Dakota turns to Dean. 

"Why would you allow this?" She asks incredulously.

"Sam's right, Quinn. He's in no shape to be hunting. He's a liability right now. So look after him, okay? I know you're going with him, so please just make sure he's okay." Dean looks the blonde in the eyes, and she nods at him.

"Of course." She smiles. "You look after yourself, like Sam said. And call if you need anything."

"Yeah, you too." Dean nods. Dakota doesn't know which statement he was replying to, but she doesn't ask either, just smiles and walks to join Sam as they get into a pickup truck with a man, Sam had been talking to in order to get a ride to somewhere.

As the driver starts driving, Dakota looks out of her window and sees Dean watching as they drive off and she can't help but feel sympathy for the man.