Work Text:
Dean watched as Crowley left to find the Blade. Back to being on his own, then.
"The Mark can be transferred to someone who's worthy."
Dean rolled up his sleeve and stared at the scar--no, the Mark on his arm.
"You mean a killer, like you?"
"Yes."
Well in that case, if anyone was worthy, it was Dean.
"But you have to know, with the Mark comes a great burden. Some would call it a great cost."
Good, then. God knew he deserved it.
Dad. Ash. Ellen. Jo. Bobby. Benny. Sam. Kevin. Death and pain he was too slow to stop or too stupid to prevent. He had hurt so many--too many. He tried to do the right thing, always had. But the cost was too high, and if he was going to try to continue to do the right thing, he couldn't drag anyone else down with him.
None of that meant he wanted to be alone, though. Who does?
He missed Sam.
But Dean knew there was no way in hell Sam missed him, not after everything. Not that Dean could blame him. Besides, this was all for Sam's own good. His and Cas'.
Everyone around Dean died, and he couldn't lose Sam and Cas. Not again.
Dean remembered the burning sensation as the Mark traveled up his arm, embedding itself in his skin. His soul. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he wondered what Cain meant. What this "burden" was.
Then he decided it didn't matter. It would help him kill Abaddon. That was all that counted.
And if he couldn't kill Abaddon? Well, there was no one left to miss him, anyway.