Supernatural Little Sister

Another Bad Hunt

Allison: 14/17
Dean: 23/26
Sam: 20/23

     "Dean, you go through the back while me and Ally go up front," John commands, pointing his knife at the old industrial building.
     "Sounds good, Dad," Dean confirms and Allison nods, trying not to show her concern.
     "This is a huge family of ghouls and they usually aren't altogether in one place. If we can pull this off tonight, it'll make almost all of the Midwest safe—from ghouls at least," John says with a smile as he slings his arm around Allison. "I believe in you, kids. Now, let's do this."
     The family of three walks towards the old building. Windows are broken, the cement walls are stained and crumbling, and the smell of nearby sewage covers up any suspicious smells; a perfect place for monsters to nest. As they near the front entrance, Dean playfully punches Allison's arm.
"See ya on the other side," he says with a wink and runs behind the building. Allison's heart is pounding in her ears. This is a huge hunt.
     John and Allison, weapons cocked, walk in through the dimly lit entrance. A big man suddenly comes out from around the corner and snarls at John. He shoots at the ghoul's head and it suddenly drops to the ground. The loud sound of his heavy body crashing to the floor draws out several other creatures.
     "Get ready!" John yells. Allison grips her gun tight and feels for her machete on her side. The monsters come at them and John rapidly fires bullets at the group of ghouls until one grabs him and bites into his arm.
     "Dammit!" He yells out in agony and drops his gun. "Shoot it!"
     Allison turns to her father and stares. She had seen her father scared before but never like this; he was terrified.
     "Shoot, God dammit!" John shouts, jolting Allison back into reality. With perfect aim, she quickly shoots and kills the creature.
     "Watch out from behind!" John yells. As she turns, a creature knocks the gun out of her hand. It takes her to the ground, dislocating her kneecap. Allison screams, her knee throbbing with a sharp pain. John decapitates the ghoul and looks to his daughter with spite.
     "The others must have escaped," John says, catching his breath as Dean comes bursting into the room.
     "Are you okay?" Dean asks, running to Allison's side.
     "We're fine. Allison was just a little too slow and got herself—and me hurt. Also, let the rest of those bastards get away." John sighs, looking out one of the broken windows. Dean scowls at his father and brushes hair out of Allison's face. Dean doesn't hesitate as he puts a gentle hand on her knee and examines the damaged joint.
     "I'm fine, Dean," Allison says, swallowing the pain.
     "I think it's dislocated—her knee," Dean says to their father.
     "Dammit!" John punches the wall. "I bet me and you could've gotten this done by ourselves. She's just dead weight."
     "Dad..." Dean starts.
     "She ruined this hunt, Dean. Now, we'll be chasing down the rest of these fuckers for months," John says.
     "It wasn't my fault!" Allison yells confusedly.
     "Time after time you ruin hunts! I don't know why I keep giving you second chances. You're just not a good hunter, Allison."

*******************************************
3 Years Later
*******************************************

     "Remember, Ōkamis are really fast and strong. Just because we killed one of 'em doesn't mean we got this in the bag," Dean says as the three siblings head into the woods. As Dean leads the way through the dimly lit forest, Allison's brow furrows.
     "You okay?" Sam whispers to his little sister.
     "I just don't feel good about this. Maybe we should—"
     "Shit!" Dean shoots at a wolf creature that pops out from behind the trees. It tackles Dean to the ground and knocks him unconscious.
     "Allison, get back!" Sam yells, cocking his gun. Allison steps back and watches as Sam kills the creature. Sam then turns around to check on his sister. His eyes worriedly search for her and once he sees that she's safe, he allows himself to relax.
     "Sam!" Allison yells and he turns back around to find another huge monster that slams him up against a tree.
     "Shoot it!" Sam yells.
     "You killed my family! Now, you suffer!" The Ōkami brings Sam to the ground and quickly bends his leg backwards until a loud snap is heard. Sam screams for help but Allison is completely frozen.
     He's going to die. Do something.
     Dean awakens on the forest floor, hearing Sam's agonized screams.
     "Sammy!" He runs towards the screams and pushes past Allison. He shoots the creature in the heart and it slumps to the ground, dead. Dean runs to his sobbing brother and sees bone protruding out of his thigh. Dean looks back at his sister, horrified.
     "Why didn't you do anything?!" He yells.
     "I—I d-don't—" Allison stammers. Dean stands and goes to her.
     "Y-you w-what?" He mocks angrily.
     "I froze, dammit, I froze!" Allison yells, a tear gliding down her face.
     "He could've been killed, Allison!" Dean yells.
     "Dean, stop," Sam says hoarsely and Dean looks to his broken little brother.
     "We need to get you to a hospital," Dean says and helps Sam up on one leg.
     "Here, let me—" Allison says.
     "No, no, I got it," Dean growls, leading the way back to the Impala.

*******************************************

     The car ride back to the motel from the hospital was quiet. While Allison wanted to break the silence, she couldn't bring herself to say anything. What could she say to fix this?
     Now, sitting in the motel room, Allison reads quietly while Dean pretends to sleep on the other bed. Allison looks up from her book and sighs.
     "Dean? Can we talk?...I know you're not asleep," Allison says. Dean sits up and looks at her, still silent. "Please, just talk to me."
     "What the hell was that, Al? You could've killed him! And yourself!" Dean yells.
     "I know! I don't know what happened..." Allison holds back tears as Dean glares at her.
     "It honestly makes me sick, thinking about what you did today," Dean says.
     "I'm really sorry," Allison says quietly. "But I know that doesn't fix anything." Allison crosses her arms over her chest as Dean sighs and worriedly runs his hand through his hair.
     "No wonder Dad always lost his shit after hunts..." Dean mutters.
     "It wasn't always my fault," Allison says. "He had a temper and liked to blame me. You know that."
     "But this time it was your fault, Ally! No good hunter ever makes a mistake like that. It's truly incredible that you're a Winchester but this bad of a hunter!" Dean yells.
     "Jesus, you sound like Dad," Allison says, looking away. Dean suddenly grabs her face and Allison winces under his tight grip.
     "If I was Dad, I would've hit you already," Dean growls, looking down at his powerless little sister's face. Tears brim in her big, green eyes; her chubby cheeks squeezed together by his strong hand. He can feel her trembling under his grasp. Dean stops himself and sighs.
     "You're just not a good hunter, Allison," Dean scoffs.

     'You're just not a good hunter, Allison.'

     "Dean? Where are you going?" Allison asks as he starts to leave, tears spilling out of her eyes. He looks at her with both hate and regret and exits the room.
     "Dean, please! Come back!" Allison sobs. "I-I'm sorry! Please!" Dean winces as he hears the pathetic sobs behind him. Nonetheless, he gets into the Impala and drives.
     "I don't want to be alone." Allison cries, shriveled by the quiet of the room. She shakes uncontrollably, clutching her knees on the cheap motel carpet. Through her sobs she barely gets out: "Cas? Could you—"
     Wings lightly flutter behind her.
     "Hello." Castiel says sadly.
     "I don't know why I'm so terrible at hunting," Allison cries.
     "You are not terrible at hunting. You are a Winchester," Castiel says.
     "A poor excuse for one," she mumbles.
     "Hey. Listen to me." The angel cups the girl's beautiful face in his hands. Unlike Dean's grasp, Castiel's touch is gentle, comforting. Her salty tears lightly glaze his palm. "Don't let anyone tell you that you're not good enough. You are a magnificent creature that is irreplaceable in this vast world." He hugs her tight. As nice as his words are, his warm embrace is what makes Allison feel calm once again.
     "You need some sleep," he says and wipes away one of her last tears. She gets under the covers and he sits at the end of the bed as she settles in.
     "Will you stay?" Allison asks.
     "Of course," Castiel says and takes her hand, fondly gazing at the precious human drifting off to sleep.