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Dean shielded his eyes against the bright flash. Whatever that was, it was distressing. “Cas? Benny?”
“I’m here,” Castiel said. “As are Sam and… Kevin? Hello, Kevin.”
“Dunno what that was, but Cas shielded me,” Benny added, voice rough with pain. “Guess you don’t need me after all, Chief. Glad you’re getting’ out.”
As soon as he could see where to go, Dean closed the distance between him and his brother, pulling Sam into a tight hug and holding on for dear life. Sam held him close, and for a moment, Dean let himself get lost in the feelings. Lost enough to pull back and plant a big kiss on Sam’s lips.
“Huh. I thought Sam was exaggerating,” Kevin said, and Dean snapped back to the reality of his situation.
The situation where… shit. He turned to look, and saw Castiel holding Benny’s arm. “Don’t leave us yet, Benny, at least not till we hear these two’s genius plan for getting us out of here. He may be able to take you with us like I promised.”
“Chief, that promise was a deal. If Sam’s here, you don’t need my end of the deal, so you don’t owe me yours,” Benny said. Dean immediately started shaking his head – that wasn’t how it worked to him. He wasn’t leaving his brother behind, at least not without trying. “You weren’t too sure how Sam would react to me, said that once we were topside we had to go our separate ways because of that. Knowing that, why would Sam agree to take me along?”
Sam cleared his throat. “I think an introduction is in order before we figure out that part? Dean, who’s this?”
“His name’s Benny LaFitte. He’s a vampire, but he’s sworn off blood from violence, and he’s been like a brother to me up here.” Dean stared Sam in the eyes. “In more ways than one.”
Sam raised an eyebrow. “And you thought dumping him back in the world alone without support was the way to go about helping him hold to that pledge? Benny, long as you don’t eat direct from people, I think Dean can use all the friends we can get.”
Benny stared at Sam, and then nodded. “Fair enough, then. Heard a lot about you, Sam, and thank you for giving me a chance. If it works with how you’re getting us out of here, of course.”
“About that…” Kevin stepped forward. “I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we haven’t quite figured that out all the way yet. I know what we need to do, but it has to be done in a specific location and I don’t know how to find it or even where we are. The spell we did to get in here could key in on the blood that Dean and Sam share, but the rift we need to find…”
“This rift… a hole that allows humans in and out, but not monsters?” Benny interrupted. “Because I know where there’s a rift like that, that’s where the three of us were headed. There’s a spell that Dean was gonna use to take me with him and restore me to my body out there in exchange for guiding him and Cas and watching his backside on the way.”
Kevin nodded. “It at least sounds right, and it’s not like I have any better leads. Hi. Since Sam forgot to introduce me, I’m Kevin Tran, I’m a prophet of the Lord, which sucks, and Sam’s been like a big brother to me since he found me after I escaped from Crowley.”
“In more ways that one, and if you’re going to be a dick about it, you can just shut up,” Sam added with a pointed look at Benny. Dean flinched. He deserved that. Their friends with benefits arrangement was never supposed to be exclusive anyway, and it’s not like he’d even been there.
He shoved down the jealousy and found something else to focus on. “What was that flash when you showed up? We were mid-battle, and it looks like you killed everything that was here and hurt Benny.”
“Leviathan bomb.” Kevin’s lips twisted into a smirk. “So Crowley wanted me to translate this tablet. Like the Leviathan tablet, but for demons. I used it to build a demon bomb right under his nose and then escape. Thankfully, Sam answered his phone, and the two of us have been researching Purgatory and Leviathans ever since. I figured out how to adapt the bomb to work against Leviathans, and apparently it takes care of normal monsters too.” He turned to Sam. “How does having Benny with us affect our plans? We can’t use the rest of the bombs…”
“We’ll just have to fight normally until we reach the rift and confirm that it’s the right place,” Dean said. “Once I do the spell for Benny to hitch a ride, should be safe to use to defend ourselves as we go through.”
“Now what?” Castiel asked when they were standing in a forest somewhere. Dean looked around, carefully examining the trees and the air. Felt like Maine. He’d need to get to a road to be sure, but he knew how to do that.
“We’re in Maine, and the Impala’s parked at the edge of the forest,” Sam said. “We were able to figure out where we’d come out, at least, and since we had the spell to find you when we got in we figured we may as well do it as close to the exit point as we could, right?” He looked to Dean. “I assume Benny told you where he’s buried?”
“Yeah, but then… we’re gonna have a problem, aren’t we,” Dean said. “Impala’s a tight enough fit for four, no way we’re getting five of us in there. We’re gonna have to get a second car.”
Kevin looked to Castiel. “Can you fly?” Castiel nodded. “So Castiel flies me to my home base in Michigan. It’s warded against demons, I’ll be safe enough there, and I don’t want to be out on the road with you guys. He can meet up with you in Louisiana or wherever. You’ll let Sam come visit me?”
“Of course.” Dean looked Kevin over. He could see the appeal, if things went that way. “But first… Sam, did you get him tatted up?”
“Yes. Him, his ex-girlfriend, and his mom all got matching tattooes.” Sam gently pulled Kevin’s shirt aside to show the protective sigil. “I also managed to talk Jody Mills into getting one. Dunno how it works for vampires, but if you want to talk to Benny about it, I’m all for that.”
“A demon can possess a vampire, if the vampire can’t block it,” Castiel confirmed. “It would be a good idea to get Benny the tattoo. Speaking of demons, once I drop Kevin off, I’m going to go looking for Meg. I owe her for looking after me while I was incapacitated. Pray to me if you need me.” He took Kevin and vanished, leaving Sam to lead Dean to the Impala.
“You’re gonna love Benny,” Dean promised. “He’s a complete sweetheart, and I think he’ll be good for you. Dunno how things are with Kevin, but Benny can give you all the chick flick stuff that I can’t. And yes I’m playing matchmaker here, because I know he wants more than I have to give him.”
“We’ll see what happens, but I’ll definitely give him a chance,” Sam promised. “Dunno how interested Kevin will be in the type of relationship you have, he and I haven’t had sex, but if things do work out that way, good for both of you.”
“So, what, you’ve been a monk since I died?”
“Dean, you know that I haven’t had any interest in sex for my own sake since I was in the Cage. With you is one thing, because I know how important it is to you, but Kevin’s never said anything about wanting to so I haven’t brought it up. If neither of us are interested, no sense in forcing it, right? We’ll see what happens with Benny when we get him, so… let’s go get him.”
Dean shook his head. He did not want to let himself think about the tortures Sam must have gone through. Alastair had been damn good, and Dean caught on a little too well for comfort, and the things he’d done to some of those souls… Lucifer must have been a million times worse. “Yeah. Let’s go.”