DEAR JACK,
People and monsters are not so different.
All stem from either good or bad.
Some of the time that is apparent.
To me, everything is a mixture of each.

❂

BACK AT MIA'S WORK, SAM AND ROSE HAD BEGUN TO HEAD INSIDE, UNAWARE TO THE SHIFTER THAT HAD WATCHED THEM ARRIVE ON THE SECURITY CAMERAS. Dean had desperately tried to get a stir from Jack as he had still been drowsy from the blow to the head. Now, he had no choice but to put his whole faith into Jack in order to save his brother from the shifter that had them locked up and in line to kill.

As the shifter had focused his gun onto the door, Dean had heard laughter from both Sam and Rose echo from down below. His heart had squeezed in pain as he figured this could very well be the last he'll ever hear from them. "Sam, no!"

Dean's calls had called for the shifter to knock him across the head with the barrel of his gun. Now with Dean out of it, the shifter put on his act once more. Calling out Sam's name in Dean's voice, he had hoped for both to come walking in, unaware to the fate they would stumble across.

Coming to his senses, Jack had felt his anger rise with the man's hand wrapped around Mia's mouth for her silence and his other, holding the gun that would kill two that had cared for him.

The second that the door had cracked open and Sam's head first began to peek from the door, Jack felt his instinct kick in. All that work he had put into moving a pencil had felt impossible, but knowing his friends would die, he knew his powers were immeasurable.

Without even taking a moment to consider, Jack raised his hand out as his eyes shined a bright gold. Sending the same waves of power, he had lifted the shifter off the ground and a flick of his eyes sent the bullet in a different path.

As the bullet had hit the wall beside them, Sam jumped, using his arm to push Rose out of the way in case more had came. And with the other, he was swift in pulling out his gun, shooting the shifter as he started to scramble back to his feet, taking him down for good.

Instead of processing the chaos that had only happened in a matter of seconds, Rose had rushed over to Jack, falling onto her knees before him as his head lobbed to the side. Grabbing the side of his face, she gave him a small pat until his eyes had slowly met hers. "Hey," she breathed out, a smile breaking across her face.

"Hello," he whispered in confusion. "I tried to save you and Sam..."

"You did," she assured. Dropping her hand down from his face, she dug into her pocket in search of a pick to free him from his cuffs. "Remember that whole thing about you being evil? Someone evil wouldn't have done that for us."

❂

ROSE HAD FOUND HERSELF IN HER ROOM AND READY TO TURN IN FOR THE NIGHT AFTER THE CASE. It had felt like a relief to be back after listening to the struggle of Dean's issues being tossed towards everyone around him. Now he had seen the pain he had caused the others. The weight on his shoulders had felt heavier knowing that he had been the reason for the distant attitudes and cold shoulders.

The relationship he had with Sam was unbreakable. Come whatever, he had Sam's back just as much as Sam had his. They were always going to be brothers. However, the relationship with Rose had been slipping through his fingers. His initial reaction was to set the blame on the newest addition to the group but that had only allowed her to drift away faster.

Today, he had learned it had all been him.

There was a hesitant knock on Rose's door from Dean Winchester. After his knuckles had made contact, a thought popped into his head to just head back to the kitchen and find himself a beer. It was much easier than opening up. But it had been too late the moment the door had opened up.

After seeing who had been at her door, Rose left the door a crack as she made her way back to her bed. This was an obvious enough sign to Dean he was allowed in, but she was not happy with his arrival.

Making his way in, he slowly shut the door behind him. He had figured if he had taken his time, he'd have enough time to be able to come up with a quick speech or a possible apology. None came to mind before the door shut so he settled on winging it.

"Kid did great back there." Not even a glance was given his way as she kept her eyes focused on her book. With a soft sigh, he took a seat at the end of her bed. This had been uncomfortable but Dean knew best to work through it. Monsters had often knocked him back more than a few times, so there shouldn't have been any difficulty in talking. Yet, Dean had always had the most difficult time saying what he truly meant.

"So," he began nervously once more. "Nice book."

With a quick glance up to him, not even Rose could understand how he could lack so hard in conversation. "Thanks," she mumbled quite unenthusiastically.

"I talked to Jack. Settled some differences."

"You mean, your differences?"

Dean cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Sure. We're cool now. Simpatico."

Rose flashed him a smile with a set of eyes that told him she truly didn't believe him and refocused back on her book, hoping he'd end up dismissing himself. She was wrong.

"Look, I know I've been an little bit of an ass lately."

"Understatement of a lifetime."

"Okay, sure. I've been a huge ass towards everyone. You and Sam, you're just trying to help the kid. I see that. I thought he couldn't be saved... I was wrong. He saved us back there. And I get it, you're pissed. I pushed you away, made you feel like crap."

Rose shut her book which instantly stopped Dean midthought. Her attention on her book had felt as if it were easier to talk to her. That way, there was a chance she wouldn't catch every bit of regret he felt. Then maybe, he'd still be tough in her eyes.

"I didn't really care about you needing space. It's just... how you did it. What you said to Jack, how you made him feel... very uncool."

"Uncool," he repeated in confirmation. "And that's where the ass comes in."

"Yeah," she drawled on. Finally getting settled into the conversation, she sat up straighter with her legs criss-cross as she stared to Dean with a deep frown. "But, then, you out assed yourself. We heard what you told Sam."

"Kinda gotta narrow it down... I tell Sam a lot of things."

"How, Jack and I, we don't deserve to be saved..." A quick shrug came along after. "But, you know, you brushed off the fact that you didn't mean to say me. But you still said it. So you must've felt it."

"I wasn't thinking..." Deans excuse had quickly fell flat. It didn't help that he didn't believe himself, but before his eyes, he saw the pain and the disbelief that she had in him. "I say a lot of crap, okay? Crap I don't really mean. And I'll be honest, I've felt that before. That you weren't worth it. I've told Sam Let her loose. She's not our problem. But that kinda crap, that's not me anymore. You don't gotta believe me. Hell, I wouldn't blame you. But you are our problem. And I'd take you as a problem over never seeing you again."

Pausing, Dean pulled his eyes away from as they settled on his lap. "I didn't mean it is what I'm trying to say. Just like I don't mean it anymore about Jack. And you can take it or leave it."

There was a silence that had filled the air as she weighed out her options. It was something she wouldn't forget about, but Dean was someone she didn't want to forget about. And there wasn't a chance she wanted to lose him over this when they had already lost so many. "Then I forgive you... even if you can be an ass. It's what makes you Dean."

"Okay, good," he whispered, but there was no hiding the relief on his face. "And, hey, I know Sam's playing mom right now, but I'm here too. You know, if you wanna talk. You lost people too."

Dean had noticed the emptiness take over her eyes as she thought about it. Instant regret had hit him, but then he had realized, they had seen that look on his face plenty and they had all worked to help him. "You don't gotta talk about it."

"I lost my family," she whispered. It had felt as if a pit had taken over her stomach. Helping Jack and putting work into a case, it had all been distracting that truly feeling it had been pushed away.

"You still got some left," he said gently. "Sam and I... we're not perfect. Not blood. That really doesn't matter, does it?" Clearing his throat, Dean stood up from the bed. "And, if Sam and I have too much crap... You always got Jack. I'm sure he'll stick around."

"Are you only sure because he's practically invincible?"

"Yes, now shut up, put the book away, and come out and eat. Got some pie, figure I can slide you a slice of I'm sorry pie." He smacked the wall on his way out the doorway before looking back over his shoulder. "Jacks out there too. Get your hang out time in cause there's no chance in hell you two are ever allowed alone in a room."

Rose tossed her book to the side with a soft scoff. Kicking her legs over the side of her bed, she got to her feet, coming up to Dean to give him a shove out the door. Despite the constant teasing and bickering between the two as they had made their way to the kitchen, they were moving passed their difficulties. Any words exchanged before was something of the past, not forgotten, but learned from.