MIKA
Mika knew Dean wouldn't like hearing the true but shortened rundown she gave Duke, but she still slightly flinched when he shouted his protest of almost suffocating Anna. The poor girl was struggling to breathe and talk, scrambling to get out of his grip, so in her eyes he almost suffocated her. She knew in her heart he would realize he was wrong and he would have apologise to Anna eventually, even if Anna wouldn't want to hear any words out of his mouth. In this moment she was also glad that Duke stepped in because she didn't know how well she could get through to him on her own this time. She listened to the two of talk, watching both their actions intently and seeing how Dean kept fighting with his urge to then attack Duke for being called out.
She really hoped he wouldn't go for Duke as she knew deep down she would have stepped in between them and taken the punch for Duke to really shake Dean out of his anger. Dean never intentionally hurt her, he knew better than to lay a finger on her so if she had to step in and take a punch, it would shake things up and showed she was determined to make a very strong point. That Dean can't use violence and his fists to get out of tough situations. Hearing Duke's words, he was echoing her own thoughts and what she would have told Dean if Duke hadn't stepped inside. Anna was hurting, she was struggling to accept what Dean did...what they all did. It was only a matter of time until she spilled everything out to Natalia.
Mika glanced at Duke as he pointed his hand at her and asked if she was alright. The moment he gave her a look she knew far too well, she knew he was deliberately stirring the pot and annoying Dean all the more for the sake of it. When they were done talking she stepped between the two of them. "Okay, both of you cool off a bit okay?" she began, then turned her head to Duke, "I'm fine, he didn't hurt me in any way so please don't challenge him, not tonight" she asked of him softly and calmly. She understood why he was doing it but she was really not in the mood. It broke her heart when the two of them fought so if she could put a stop to it by simple calm words, she would. She then looked to Dean, "but, and don't be mad when I say this, but he has made some very valid points. Everyone needs to cool off, even you. Especially you. Yes it sucks that this secret has come out the way it has. Believe me, I would have loved to have told Nat in any way that wasn't this. But we can't pretend we could hide it from her forever." she started calmly telling him.
"You know as well as we all do how persistent Nat is when she wants information. If Anna didn't let it slip then eventually Nat would have been asking questions until one of us just caved into her. Yes I'm angry at her for punching you and for what she did to the impala, but think about it. She came out of that horrendous place-" she couldn't even bring herself to say the word 'asylum' anymore. "straight into recovery and hunting whilst also trying to accept she has two older brothers. Just like you and Sam had accept you have a little sister that was kept from you both. That girl has been lied to all her life. That's why she can't cope with the lies and lashes out. She doesn't know how to control any of these strong emotions because she spent so long drugged to high heaven that kept her docile." she finished explaining.
She hoped it would bring some kind of rational thinking to Dean's mind. Mika didn't even know how much of Nat's history Duke knew, but everyone had to know or at least, be reminded of it. Even herself. Mika was so ready to lecture Natalia for punching Dean and act like a mother. Hells, she probably would have slapped the girl but then a heavy hit of reality came to her head. That girl was hurting in ways they couldn't ever begin to understand. Sure, Dean was struggling with his time in Hell, they all went through bouts of intense grief in one way or another, but Nat never had a chance to know the real John Winchester, had a lot of her memories wiped, never got the chance to say goodbye to her mother or learn how to be a normal teenager before she even hit her twenties.
"So yeah, Duke is right. We need you to just take a breather and calm down. Please darlin'" she half begged of him, looking at him with sad but pleading eyes.
NATALIA
The way Cason didn't rush her into talking gave her memories of when he'd do the same in the asylum way back when. The nights of him sneaking into her room, pulling up a chair and just sitting there after giving her slightly better food than what she was being fed until she could feel strong enough to try and talk. The few memories that only ever got stronger in her mind the more he came to her side. It was the one reason why it didn't take her too long to start talking to him now on the hood of her car. She didn't expect him to scoff at her words about Mika, but she knew he was right when he explained why the woman stayed with him and sided with him seemingly blindly. What she didn't know was that in the kitchen, Mika was actually defending her whilst sticking by Dean's side.
As he spoke yet again and called her baby whilst stroking her cheek then to her hair, she closed her eyes as she took in the soft touch. Another tear fell down her face as she made herself believe his words over everything else she had heard this night or would possibly from Dean for damaging the car. She gripped onto him tighter as if his words would cause some cruel fate to rip him from her. "I believe you" she muttered just as Esme came over, Cason explaining in a very short way what happened. At first she couldn't look at Esme, she was one of the group in that barn that prioritised Duke over Cason, even after Cason gave her a damn pet hellhound and saved her life at one point. She couldn't understand due to her anger and hurt how Esme could do something so hurtful. Yet Cason wasn't holding any of that against the woman, so maybe she shouldn't either.
Nat could hear the concern in Esme's voice as she addressed her personally, she didn't know how she could possibly answer that question. She wasn't okay, she was so far from okay. "Yeah...no...I don't really know" she replied, lifting her eyes up to Esme but not moving her head. "I'm so sick of him lying to me, of everyone lying to me. I can't take it anymore Esme." she told her a bit more truthfully than she actually planned to tell Esme, but something in her told her she could confide in her. She had been trapped in the same as her, at the same time even so maybe Esme could understand how she felt more than anyone- other than Cason. Her eyes stung as she attempted to stop the tears from falling, not wanting to cry anymore but she couldn't.
"I don't know how to process these emotions, it's like I just see red and explode" she explained, before realising her words may not have been the best to use to the blonde. "Sorry, bad wording" she added. "How did you cope being around Dean so long? He's a nightmare".
SAM
Sam felt how tightly and desperately Anna gripped onto him when she knew it was him and not anyone else who went running after her. It made him hold onto her more firmly and comfortingly, lifting one hand and placing it on the back of her head. The moment the floodgates opened and she began sobbing he refused to let go of her, just letting her cry it out. "I'm here babygirl, I'm here" he kept cooing to her, stroking the back of her head.
"I'm not going anywhere, I'm on your side okay?" he added as he yet again pressed his lips to the top of her. He knew he couldn't do much in this moment other than hold her but the way she was sobbing and shaking in his arms that wasn't from the cold air, this was all she needed. That much was clear to him. So he decided to keep a hold of her and say soothing things every now and then, glad to have her out of the house and the angry vibes that were circulating in the air. He had to stay here with her, so it really drove home that for once, he did keep his promise and he chose her over his brother. He didn't lie to her like Dean lied to Natalia. That although this whole mess blew up like C4 on a wall, he didn't blame her like Dean was doing. If anything, he was glad Anna opened the dam and told Nat the truth.
It made him feel like they didn't have to keep tip toeing around Nat whenever they watched her be so happy with Cason as if he hadn't almost died because of their blind following of Dean's orders. He felt guilty for siding with Dean in that barn, he hated himself still for ignoring Anna's pleas and cries and dragging her out of there to save her over Cason and that guilt would take a long time to fully disappear. So all he could do for now was try and do everything he could to show how guilty he felt by making it up to Anna as much as possible. Even though he knew there was still one pretty major secret he was keeping from her because he didn't accept it was a reality. He wasn't ready to tell her about Ruby, it was bad enough she knew about Ruby giving him vials of blood and convincing him he was part of the endgame with Lilith, he couldn't bare the thought of Anna finding out just how close he and Ruby had gotten when Anna wasn't around.
"We don't have to go back inside. We can probably stay in Mika's car or go get a room in town at the b&b if you'd feel more comfortable with that for the night" he finally suggested to her, knowing the house would be the last place Anna would want to be in. He also knew there was absolutely no way he was leaving her alone. He was going to stay by her side the entire time. He was even picking her over Natalia this time round.
Mika knew Dean wouldn't like hearing the true but shortened rundown she gave Duke, but she still slightly flinched when he shouted his protest of almost suffocating Anna. The poor girl was struggling to breathe and talk, scrambling to get out of his grip, so in her eyes he almost suffocated her. She knew in her heart he would realize he was wrong and he would have apologise to Anna eventually, even if Anna wouldn't want to hear any words out of his mouth. In this moment she was also glad that Duke stepped in because she didn't know how well she could get through to him on her own this time. She listened to the two of talk, watching both their actions intently and seeing how Dean kept fighting with his urge to then attack Duke for being called out.
She really hoped he wouldn't go for Duke as she knew deep down she would have stepped in between them and taken the punch for Duke to really shake Dean out of his anger. Dean never intentionally hurt her, he knew better than to lay a finger on her so if she had to step in and take a punch, it would shake things up and showed she was determined to make a very strong point. That Dean can't use violence and his fists to get out of tough situations. Hearing Duke's words, he was echoing her own thoughts and what she would have told Dean if Duke hadn't stepped inside. Anna was hurting, she was struggling to accept what Dean did...what they all did. It was only a matter of time until she spilled everything out to Natalia.
Mika glanced at Duke as he pointed his hand at her and asked if she was alright. The moment he gave her a look she knew far too well, she knew he was deliberately stirring the pot and annoying Dean all the more for the sake of it. When they were done talking she stepped between the two of them. "Okay, both of you cool off a bit okay?" she began, then turned her head to Duke, "I'm fine, he didn't hurt me in any way so please don't challenge him, not tonight" she asked of him softly and calmly. She understood why he was doing it but she was really not in the mood. It broke her heart when the two of them fought so if she could put a stop to it by simple calm words, she would. She then looked to Dean, "but, and don't be mad when I say this, but he has made some very valid points. Everyone needs to cool off, even you. Especially you. Yes it sucks that this secret has come out the way it has. Believe me, I would have loved to have told Nat in any way that wasn't this. But we can't pretend we could hide it from her forever." she started calmly telling him.
"You know as well as we all do how persistent Nat is when she wants information. If Anna didn't let it slip then eventually Nat would have been asking questions until one of us just caved into her. Yes I'm angry at her for punching you and for what she did to the impala, but think about it. She came out of that horrendous place-" she couldn't even bring herself to say the word 'asylum' anymore. "straight into recovery and hunting whilst also trying to accept she has two older brothers. Just like you and Sam had accept you have a little sister that was kept from you both. That girl has been lied to all her life. That's why she can't cope with the lies and lashes out. She doesn't know how to control any of these strong emotions because she spent so long drugged to high heaven that kept her docile." she finished explaining.
She hoped it would bring some kind of rational thinking to Dean's mind. Mika didn't even know how much of Nat's history Duke knew, but everyone had to know or at least, be reminded of it. Even herself. Mika was so ready to lecture Natalia for punching Dean and act like a mother. Hells, she probably would have slapped the girl but then a heavy hit of reality came to her head. That girl was hurting in ways they couldn't ever begin to understand. Sure, Dean was struggling with his time in Hell, they all went through bouts of intense grief in one way or another, but Nat never had a chance to know the real John Winchester, had a lot of her memories wiped, never got the chance to say goodbye to her mother or learn how to be a normal teenager before she even hit her twenties.
"So yeah, Duke is right. We need you to just take a breather and calm down. Please darlin'" she half begged of him, looking at him with sad but pleading eyes.
NATALIA
The way Cason didn't rush her into talking gave her memories of when he'd do the same in the asylum way back when. The nights of him sneaking into her room, pulling up a chair and just sitting there after giving her slightly better food than what she was being fed until she could feel strong enough to try and talk. The few memories that only ever got stronger in her mind the more he came to her side. It was the one reason why it didn't take her too long to start talking to him now on the hood of her car. She didn't expect him to scoff at her words about Mika, but she knew he was right when he explained why the woman stayed with him and sided with him seemingly blindly. What she didn't know was that in the kitchen, Mika was actually defending her whilst sticking by Dean's side.
As he spoke yet again and called her baby whilst stroking her cheek then to her hair, she closed her eyes as she took in the soft touch. Another tear fell down her face as she made herself believe his words over everything else she had heard this night or would possibly from Dean for damaging the car. She gripped onto him tighter as if his words would cause some cruel fate to rip him from her. "I believe you" she muttered just as Esme came over, Cason explaining in a very short way what happened. At first she couldn't look at Esme, she was one of the group in that barn that prioritised Duke over Cason, even after Cason gave her a damn pet hellhound and saved her life at one point. She couldn't understand due to her anger and hurt how Esme could do something so hurtful. Yet Cason wasn't holding any of that against the woman, so maybe she shouldn't either.
Nat could hear the concern in Esme's voice as she addressed her personally, she didn't know how she could possibly answer that question. She wasn't okay, she was so far from okay. "Yeah...no...I don't really know" she replied, lifting her eyes up to Esme but not moving her head. "I'm so sick of him lying to me, of everyone lying to me. I can't take it anymore Esme." she told her a bit more truthfully than she actually planned to tell Esme, but something in her told her she could confide in her. She had been trapped in the same as her, at the same time even so maybe Esme could understand how she felt more than anyone- other than Cason. Her eyes stung as she attempted to stop the tears from falling, not wanting to cry anymore but she couldn't.
"I don't know how to process these emotions, it's like I just see red and explode" she explained, before realising her words may not have been the best to use to the blonde. "Sorry, bad wording" she added. "How did you cope being around Dean so long? He's a nightmare".
SAM
Sam felt how tightly and desperately Anna gripped onto him when she knew it was him and not anyone else who went running after her. It made him hold onto her more firmly and comfortingly, lifting one hand and placing it on the back of her head. The moment the floodgates opened and she began sobbing he refused to let go of her, just letting her cry it out. "I'm here babygirl, I'm here" he kept cooing to her, stroking the back of her head.
"I'm not going anywhere, I'm on your side okay?" he added as he yet again pressed his lips to the top of her. He knew he couldn't do much in this moment other than hold her but the way she was sobbing and shaking in his arms that wasn't from the cold air, this was all she needed. That much was clear to him. So he decided to keep a hold of her and say soothing things every now and then, glad to have her out of the house and the angry vibes that were circulating in the air. He had to stay here with her, so it really drove home that for once, he did keep his promise and he chose her over his brother. He didn't lie to her like Dean lied to Natalia. That although this whole mess blew up like C4 on a wall, he didn't blame her like Dean was doing. If anything, he was glad Anna opened the dam and told Nat the truth.
It made him feel like they didn't have to keep tip toeing around Nat whenever they watched her be so happy with Cason as if he hadn't almost died because of their blind following of Dean's orders. He felt guilty for siding with Dean in that barn, he hated himself still for ignoring Anna's pleas and cries and dragging her out of there to save her over Cason and that guilt would take a long time to fully disappear. So all he could do for now was try and do everything he could to show how guilty he felt by making it up to Anna as much as possible. Even though he knew there was still one pretty major secret he was keeping from her because he didn't accept it was a reality. He wasn't ready to tell her about Ruby, it was bad enough she knew about Ruby giving him vials of blood and convincing him he was part of the endgame with Lilith, he couldn't bare the thought of Anna finding out just how close he and Ruby had gotten when Anna wasn't around.
"We don't have to go back inside. We can probably stay in Mika's car or go get a room in town at the b&b if you'd feel more comfortable with that for the night" he finally suggested to her, knowing the house would be the last place Anna would want to be in. He also knew there was absolutely no way he was leaving her alone. He was going to stay by her side the entire time. He was even picking her over Natalia this time round.