SAVIOR COMPLEX
i. THE FAMILY BUSINESS
❝GRUDGES ASIDE,
WE HAVE A DEMON TO CATCH.❞

ISLA CARTERS COULD TELL SOMETHING WAS BOTHERING THE MAN BESIDE HER WHEN HE STAYED QUIET ABOUT HER FEET BEING ON THE DASHBOARD. Normally, he would make a fuss and overreact about her dirtying his Baby ━━ the name he had lovingly dubbed his 1967 Chevy Impala. Yet, he stayed silent as he drove down the empty roads of Oregon. It had been almost one year since Isla had joined Dean Winchester on the road. They had met on a cold winter night in January back in Weston, Missouri. By some fate, both Isla Carters and Dean Winchester had been hunting the same nest of vampires that led them to work together on the case. With them both being on their own and Isla being out of a car after the vampires had torched it, the two had decided to stick together for a while. It had been one year since that event, leaving the two closer than ever as they traveled throughout the United States as they continued the family business. Yet, things had gotten too much for the duo to handle.

For some time, Dean had been searching for his father, John. Isla didn't know all the details, but she knew enough to piece together the story. John had gone on a hunting trip and hadn't come back, leaving Dean distraught as he tried to look for his father. However, he had to get the help of his younger brother, Sam ━━ the one who had gone off to college to become a lawyer. But, things never worked out the way they're planned. His girlfriend at the time, Jessica Moore, had been killed (the same way their mother had been) and that had pushed the younger one back into hunting. The rest had been stories here and there, retellings of the hunts they had been on. Apparently, the boys had gotten the help of an old friend ━━ a woman named Birdie Fowler. She had joined them on their hunts, staying with them for months. Dean had told Isla one thing: Sam and Birdie, the two have always had a thing for one another but they're too damn stubborn to do anything about it. Dean had also mentioned a few things about their falling out, recalling the events that had almost gotten Birdie killed.

It had caused a rift to form between the two brothers, leaving them to separate as Dean continued to search for his father and Sam stayed to take care of Birdie. It had been over a year since Dean had left them, but it was clear to Isla that he missed his brother. Yet, he rarely spoke a word about it. Over the past year, Isla had gotten to know Dean well. If she dared to say it, she may even love the man. However, she kept her feelings to herself. Dean had enough on his plate already and if she confessed any kind of feelings to him, the man would surely leave her in the dust. Though, she had been so close to admitting it.

Their last hunt had started off simple. Everything pointed to witches, making Dean and Isla think it was an open-and-shut case. However, they had been lured to the small town by a demon that called itself Dàinn. He had almost gotten killed while Isla had been left relatively unharmed (other than a few mental scars that would probably take lots of therapy to heal). It was then, Isla had wanted to tell Dean. I love you, but the words had never left her lips. Instead, the demon Dàinn had left them with a threat. He had threatened to kill them and everyone they cared about, holding hatred in his heart as he tried to enact his revenge on them. However, they had been able to overpower it at the last moment and sent it crawling back to where it came home. But, it had promised to come back. It was out for their blood. And, in its wake, the demon Dàinn had left them with a symbol on their inner wrists that marked them as his. No escape, at least none they could find.

It had been a few days since that night. Dean was healing from his wounds, but still had some discomfort from his bruised ribs and countless bruises. Yet, no complaints from him. His biggest worry was his brother as he sped down the streets to reach Cannon Beach. It was late at night with Santa and presents being on everyone's mind as Christmas Eve drew to a close. They had passed a few cars here and there, but it was mostly quiet as they drove. She had offered to take the wheel a few times, knowing he was bound to be tired after the hours on the road. But, he had denied it each time. Isla cleared her throat, turning toward Dean to catch his clenched jaw and emotionless expression. "No music tonight?" the young woman asked, raising a brow as she tried to lighten the mood. She flipped through his cassettes, pulling out a random one as she read its label. "How about some Metallica to lighten the mood?"

It earned a chuckle from Dean's lips as he briefly looked in her direction. "You want to listen to Metallica?"

"Why not?" Isla asked, pushing the cassette into the player as she leaned back and waited for the music to start playing. She knew Dean would hum the band's tunes here and there to calm his nerves. Perhaps, it would help him now as well. Heavy metal began to flood the speakers, causing the woman to nod awkwardly to the beat as Dean's grin widened. "Pleasant melody, don't you think?"

Dean laughed, shaking his head as he drummed his fingers against the wheel. "Says the one who only listens to pop music."

"Not true, asshole," Isla huffed, hitting his shoulder. "I do like some of your music, Dean, but what can I say? No one can beat Madonna or Britney Spears."

"Britney Spears?" Dean asked, shaking his head. At least, the man's anxiousness seemed to be fading. Still, she didn't appreciate him hating on her music taste. "I don't know what's worse at this point."

"Hey, I have never said anything bad about your music taste," she retorted, crossing her arms over her chest as she looked out the window. It was a beautiful sight as they drove alongside a cliff with only the street lights and the Impala's headlights to pave the way. She could see the beach below, crashing against the rocks as the Pacific Ocean waved hello. A glance at the skies showed the pretty sight of snow, making it seem as if the stars were falling to the ground. Dean had cranked up the heat and his leather jacket was around Isla, keeping away the cold on the outside of the metal. Winter had always been Isla's favorite season.

"Because there's nothing bad to say," Dean grinned, stealing a glance at her to gauge her reaction to his words. When he realized she still stared out her window with a small pout, his own smile had turned into a frown. "Oh, come on, Isla, I'm messing with you."

"I don't think you're very funny, Dean," Isla said, looking back at him. For a moment, her eyes softened as she stared at him. In such a short amount of time, Dean had made a home in her heart. She never had the best experience with love, falling for the wrong people at the wrong time. Isla hoped it would be different with Dean, but neither one of them were ready for what a relationship entailed. They behaved like a couple, spending all their time together as they traveled the country. She and Dean had slept together many many times, but it branded them more as friends with benefits than anything else. The two were similar, liking the same food, watching the same TV, and just about everything else (except music, of course). She looked to the road, watching him pull off the interstate and onto a side road. Suddenly, the temperament from the two dropped and Isla sat up straight as she put her legs down. "We close by?"

"It should be one of these houses," Dean muttered, looking out the window at the brightly decorated homes. Unbeknownst to them, they two had the same feeling of homesickness coursing through their hearts ━━ the homes making them wish for simpler times. Isla remembered the life she had before she learned about the monsters that roamed the Earth, those were better times. Dean cleared his throat, nudging her arm. "What's the number again?"

"1964," Isla responded, looking at the sticky note they had stuck on the dash to make sure they wouldn't get lost. She hummed, staring at the numbers on the houses. "We just passed 1960, so I think it should be at the end of the road."

Dean nodded, staying quiet as he turned his headlights off before he pulled up to the house. 1964. It was a decent-sized home that overlooked Oregon's beachy coast. According to Bobby, Sam and his now girlfriend, Birdie, had rented it for the time being as they took a break from hunting. Isla had heard a lot from Dean, knowing how much he cared for the two despite the drama between himself and Sam. She, herself, was excited to meet the ones from Dean's stories. She had seen pictures of them, but it was always a different experience to meet someone in person.

"Here we are," Dean sighed, turning off the car before he tucked his gun into his holster. He took a few moments, taking in a deep breath as he tried to find the courage to step out into the cold. Isla, on the other hand, had already jumped out of the car as she closed the door behind her, looking up at the house.

"Pretty," Isla whispered, looking at the Christmas decorations that had been hung up. She shivered, pulling Dean's leather jacket closer to her body as it tried to keep out the cold. With a glance back, she noticed he had gotten out of the car and had begun to make his way over to her. "It is almost Christmas, Dean," the woman reminded, intertwining her arm with his as she kept him close. She looked up at him, flashing him a toothy grin. "You got me anything?"

Dean scoffed with playful vice, glancing down at her as tightened his grip on her. "I thought I was good enough to be your present?"

Her smile turned into a frown, shaking her head as the two began to walk up the driveway. A thin layer of snow had dusted upon their clothing and hair, but the two didn't seem to notice as they clung to each other for warmth. Though, Isla did find it cute to see a few snowflakes rest on Dean's long eyelashes. "You know, you're lucky you're cute."

Waves crashed against the shore, echoing throughout the quiet neighborhood. It built a sense of anxiety inside Dean as his footsteps began to slow as he stared at the front door, noticing the red, white, and green wreath attached to it. However, the situation only filled Isla with excitement as she quickened her pace. She reached the door first, looking back to see Dean stood in the middle of the path.

"Dean?" Isla called out softly, frowning. "Everything okay, darling?"

"I..." Dean looked up at the house, tucking his hands into his pockets as he let out a heavy sigh. Isla didn't say a word, waiting for Dean to gather his thoughts. It was a normal occurrence for the man to bottle of his emotions, but he had started to become more often with Isla ━━ only after the two had spent every day together for the last year. He met her gaze, shaking his head. "I think coming here was a mistake."

"Why?" Isla asked, taking another step toward the door which caused Dean's eyes to widen. It made Isla pause as she raised a brow, watching as he shuffled from one foot to the other. "Dean, a demon threatened to kill everyone we love," she reminded, "I think whatever grudge you have against him trumps that."

"I know," Dean sighed again, staring at the ground as he tried to come up with the words to explain his thoughts. "Look, you won't understand but Sam and I have always had a rocky relationship," a beat of silence passed as he bit the inside of his cheek, "He never wanted this ━━ hunting, you know? Hell, he wanted to live a normal life, go to college, and become a lawyer. But, I came back into his life and ruined everything."

"You can't blame yourself for something out of your control. Sometimes, life gives us hardships that may seem like they're too much for us to overcome, but we're only given what we can handle," Isla reminded, letting out a sigh as she watched her breath manifest itself in the air due to the cold temperature. "My point is that it's not your fault how things turned out, Dean. You tried your best, alright? We all mess up sometimes. It's okay."

"But..."

"Look, you can't spend your whole life avoiding Sam. He's your brother, Dean. Regardless of the paths you two take, you two should be there for each other," Isla added, crossing her arms as she glanced back at the door. She could tell the lights were off inside, allowing her to assume the inhabitants had already gone to bed. Dean went to speak, but she held up a hand. "I know what it's like to have bad blood between family, alright? It's too late for me, but if I had the chance to see them again despite how things ended, I would take it in a heartbeat."

"Isla..."

"I don't want you or Sam to go through the same thing," Isla said. "You almost died, Dean. We're dealing with something big here and grudges aside, we have a demon to catch."

Dean didn't say anything. Instead, he turned around and began to walk back toward the Impala. "Come on," he said after his silence, stealing a glance back at her. "We can do this on our own."

Isla took a step to follow Dean, but her mind was buzzing as it caused her to pause in her tracks. Dean, halfway to his car, feared meeting his brother again, but they had traveled over 500 miles for this reunion. He needed to make sure his brother had not been branded with the same mark of death as them. So, Isla turned around and rang the doorbell.

"Isla!" Dean whisper-shouted, rushing up the driveway before he took her hand as he prepared to pull her away from the front door. "Are you crazy? Why would you do that?"

She shrugged.

"Come on! We can still get out of here!" Dean began to rush toward his Impala, barely looking back to see if Isla was following. "Isla, come on!"

"We can't just ding-dong-ditch!" Isla shook her head, standing her ground as she crossed her arms over her chest to show Dean she was serious. "Dean!"

And, just like that, the pair were illuminated with yellow light from the porch lamp before the door opened to reveal a tall long-haired man. Isla immediately smiled, despite the awkward position Dean was in as he stopped mid-pull of her hand. "Hi," she greeted, pulling her hand out of Dean's grasp before holding it out for the man to shake. "I'm Isla. You must be Sam."

"Uh, hi," Sam said, taking her hand to shake it as he looked over her features and clothing. Then, he stole a glance behind her as he noticed his older brother. He sighed softly, nodding his head. "Hey, Dean."

"Sammy, hello," Dean cleared his throat, taking a few steps forward to stand beside Isla. He towered over her, but still came in short when compared to Sam. He looked around the porch, stealing a peek inside the house. "Nice place you got here."

"Thanks, I guess," Sam muttered, pushing his hands into the pockets of his pajama bottoms. He wore a gray tank top while his pants were a dark red in color, shivering as the cold winter air hit him.

"Who is it, Sam?"

A voice called from inside the house, making Isla's ears perk as she tried to get a peek inside the house. She could see a Christmas tree, but no sign of the woman the voice belonged to. It could only be Birdie, Isla assumed. "It's just," Sam started, stepping to the side as he let the two inside. "Dean and... Isla, I think."

It was a woman dressed in pajamas ━━ the same as Sam ━━ with reindeer on the shirt. Her curly brown hair was tied up in a loose bun with a few strands framing her sharp features. She stood in the hall, holding a loaded shotgun in her hands. A hard glare as she met Isla's hazel eyes, but the glare instantly softened when she looked at Dean. "It's about damn time," Birdie smiled, lowering the shotgun before letting it lean against the gray wall. She moved past Sam and Isla, making her way straight to Dean before she gave him a tight hug. "It's nice to see you again."

"Yeah, you too, Bird," he replied, patting the woman's back. It made Isla happy to see Dean reunited with his family, albeit a bit awkward. But, she knew how much Dean cared for Sam and Birdie. They were his whole world.

Finally, Birdie looked at Isla. "So, who's the girl?"

"She's my girlfriend."

"I'm his friend."

Oh. The two had answered at the same time, causing them to look at each other in confusion. Perhaps, it would have been best to have a quick chat in the car about their personal relationship. After all, they were bound to ask but neither Dean nor Isla had thought that far.

"She's my friend."

"I'm his girlfriend."

"It's complicated," Dean and Isla said again, speaking at the same time as their voices overlapped on another. Yeah, complicated was the right word for what the two of them had.

Sam and Birdie shared a look, having the same thought before they looked back at Dean and Isla's awkward smiles. "Okay, girlfriend-slash-friend of Dean's," Birdie was the one to speak, moving behind them to close the front door. She moved closer to Isla, narrowing her eyes slightly as she looked over the brown-haired woman. Isla smiled, lowering her gaze as she readjusted Dean's jacket that she had been wearing. It felt too hot in the room all of a sudden. "How did the two of you meet?"

"Oh, it's quite a story actually," Isla started, letting out a dry laugh as she met Dean's eyes for the briefest moment. He stood straight, staring at anything else to avoid meeting his younger brother's gaze. "It was in Missouri about a year ago, I think. Dean and I were hunting the same thing, so we teamed up and then, kind of, just stuck together for a while."

Birde hummed, crossing her arms. It did not seem like she was too pleased with Isla's answer. "So, where are you from?"

"New York," Isla responded, shrugging her shoulders. "I've always been a city girl."

"Can we actually come in or are you going to make us stand in the foyer all night?" Dean asked, placing a hand against Isla's back as he led her deeper into the house and into the living room where the Christmas tree was.

"Make yourself at home," Birdie said, gesturing to the couches where Isla and Dean took a seat. She felt herself sink in, trying not to compare the couch to the seats in the Impala. The curly-haired woman cleared her throat, looking back at Sam. "Babe, why don't you get us some water?"

Dean sighed, but Isla was pleased. All Dean had in his car were bottles of beer and cans of soda, considering all the bottles of water would be gone within the day if Isla was there. She glanced around the living room, noticing the burning fireplace and the TV above it. "Beautiful home," Isla complimented. "How much is the rent?"

"It's about fourteen-hundred," Birdie responded, taking a seat on the couch in front of them. A coffee table separated them, holding a few books and candles on top.

"Where are you getting the money?" Dean asked.

"A few gigs here and there," she replied, shrugging her shoulders. "It paid for a few months, but we got some jobs nearby at a local bar where the pay is nice and the tips are even nicer. And, Sam tutors the neighbor's kids twice a week. It pays enough for the rent and everything else."

"I see," Dean mumbled, feeling worse as he sunk deeper into the couch. Isla gave him a small smile as she took his hand in her own, giving it a small squeeze. His hand trembled, but his face stayed unchanging as he stared at Birdie.

"You don't have a job, Isla?" Birdie asked, directing the attention back to the woman again. "I mean, before all the hunting. What'd you used to do?"

"Oh, I used to be a teacher at an elementary school," Isla replied, shrugging her shoulders as she remembered how her early twenties were spent. She had gotten out of college at 22, gotten a teaching certificate, and began at the kindergarten level. It was only three years of her life, but she enjoyed how peaceful her routine had become.

"You lived in New York with a teacher's salary?" Birdie asked, pulling Isla out of her thoughts. She wore a suspicious glare, making the woman straighten as feelings of discomfort began to brew. It wasn't innocent questions anymore, Isla could tell. It felt more like an interrogation.

"I had help, lived with my family for a while," Isla replied, forcing a smile to her face as she tried to keep the peace. She didn't want to give Birdie or Sam a reason to dislike her, but it seemed as if they didn't trust her at all. It made sense, considering their past and the jobs they led.

"Why'd you decide to start hunting?" It was a question Isla did not have an answer for, but luckily she did not need to reply as Sam entered the room with four glasses of water.

"Here's the water," Sam said, placing the tray in the middle of the coffee table. He picked one up before he handed one to Isla. "For you."

"Oh, thank you," Isla said, taking it from his hands. She peeked inside, noticing three ice cubes floating inside. As if it wasn't cold enough outside. Still, she didn't want to be rude as she took a sip. A cough left her lips, feeling the cold hit the back of her throat. She glanced up, noticing the wide eyes on each of their faces as they stared at her. She frowned, taking another sip comfortably. "What?"

"Nothing, nothing," Dean said, breathing a sigh of relief as he spared a glance in Birdie and Sam's direction. They had broken out of their trance, sipping on their own drinks as well.

"Hey, I like your earrings," Birdie said suddenly, causing Isla to look up at her as she gently reached up to touch the piece of jewelry to remind herself which pair she was wearing. One of the worst things about being on the road was the limited storage space. Perhaps, she could convince Dean to invest in an attachable RV. It wouldn't look too good with the Impala, but it still meant more space for them. "What do you think they're made out of?"

"Very subtle," Sam coughed, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. They shared a small look, giving each other a smile. It was cute, making Isla smile to see the two of them happy. She may not know them as well as Dean knew them, but she wanted the best for the two of them.

"I don't know what it is made out of," Isla confessed, shrugging her shoulders. It had become obvious what Birdie and Sam were trying to do ━━ something every experienced Hunter was used to do. They had already checked to see if she was a demon, but now they were starting to cross off every other monster in the book. "But, if it will give the two of you some peace of mind, I do not mind touching something silver to prove I am not a monster."

"I would have known if I was traveling with a monster," Dean added, shaking his head as he shot Sam and Birdie an incredulous look. It was tense in the living room despite the homey atmosphere the Christmas decorations provided. "I'm not that stupid."

"Hard to tell sometimes," Sam muttered, giving Dean a hard glare. His jaw was clenched while his eyes focused on Dean, making Isla feel slightly threatened. Usually, she was used to Dean giving people that look and not having one directed at him. Yet, Dean did not shrink away as he continued to stare back at Sam. Isla did not have the full story, but she could tell it would take a lot more than a family reunion to fix.

"So," Birdie interrupted the tense silence, patting her lap as she created more sound to defuse the situation. "Isla, how'd you get into hunting? You weren't able to answer the question before."

"I had someone close to me be killed by a demon," Isla confessed, feeling Dean's hold on her tighten as he let out a heavy sigh. She had told him snippets of what had happened before, but she could never find it within herself to tell the full story. It hurt too much to remember. "Ever since, I have been hunting the supernatural."

"On your own?" Sam asked suddenly, raising a brow as he stole a glance at Dean. It seemed as if he was remembering something, letting out a small shudder as he held Birdie close to himself. "You're not scared?"

"At first, I was," Isla said, smiling to herself as she recalled some of her first hunts. Though, she always had something pushing her forward and that made her courage stronger than her fear. She looked at Dean, giving him a small smile. "But, then I met Dean, and I haven't been alone since. He watches out for me and I've saved his ass a few times too."

"How long has this been a thing?" Birdie asked, noticing how close the two sat to each other. It must seem strange, considering Dean's love interests before were nothing more than flings here and there with a few serious girlfriends. He had told Isla a bit but had never gone into detail.

"About a year," Dean responded, shrugging his shoulders as he stared at Birdie's narrowed expression. "I guess time flies when you're on the road."

"So, you two met shortly after we split ways?" she continued, stealing a glance at Isla as her suspicions grew higher. It made Isla shift in her seat, clearing her throat as she tapped her fingers against her thigh.

"Yeah."

"Interesting," Birdie mumbled, taking in a deep breath as she shared another look with Sam. They seemed to be silently communicating with one another, discussing Isla and Dean no doubt. "Not that we're not happy to see you, Dean," she started slowly, clasping her hands together. "But, why are you here?"

Isla felt her smile drop, feeling tense as she waited for Dean to continue. It would be best for him to explain what had happened to the two of them on their latest hunt. After all, Sam and Birdie were more likely to trust Dean than herself. "We were following this demon called Dàinn ━━ nasty son of a bitch ━━ throughout the states. We were able to track it to Nevada, but we couldn't handle it on our own."

"A demon?" Sam asked, taking in a sharp breath as he ran a hand through his long hair. His expression had changed, turning into one of distress as he waited for Dean to continue.

"Almost killed the two of us, but then he decided not to," Dean muttered, rolling up his sleeve to show the mark imprinted deep into his arm. It started off as one etched line before it forked into two in crooked lines and in the middle, there was a symbol that resembled a star but looked strange as if someone had carved it themselves. He showed it to Birdie and Sam, making them wince. "Isla has one too, same spot and the same thing. He threatened to kill us and everyone we loved, so we're here to make sure the two of you don't have the marks either. Or else, I wouldn't have bothered the two of you."

"It's always like this, huh," Birdie sighed, shaking her head. Exhaustion was clear on her expression, making her rest her head against Sam's shoulder before she took his hand and gave it a squeeze. "Peace never lasts, I suppose."

"I'm sorry," Isla said softly, feeling guilt brew deep within her heart as she watched their saddened expressions. It made sense why Dean didn't want to come. "I can't even imagine."

"It's okay. We're Hunters, it's what we do," Birdie responded, smiling at the two of them. "We'll send this demon back to Hell where it belongs then get back on with our lives. No time to die, right?"

"No," Dean said, standing to his feet as he forced Isla to do the same. She looked confused, moving as he began to make his way toward the door. But, Birdie was the one to stop them as she grabbed the sleeve of Dean's jacket. He pulled himself out of the woman's grasp, shaking his head. "Sam and you are safe here," he explained. "No mark, that's all we came here to check. Isla and I can handle this on our own."

"You said it almost killed you two," Birdie reminded, looking back at Sam for help as he joined them. He didn't say a word, deep in thought as he stole a glance at his bare arms. "We're comin' with, I don't care what you say. I'm not going to let you go on this suicide mission alone."

Isla smiled. She liked Birdie, the woman was brave and it was clear that she cared deeply for Dean. But, she did agree with Dean. It wouldn't be wise to bring in outsiders into their battle. "I think it would be best if Dean and I dealt with this on our own," Isla added, causing Dean to nod at her words. "We're already stuck, but the two of you don't need to be."

"Isla, no offense, but we're family," Birdie said, standing her ground as she shook her head. Of course, Isla did not feel offended at Birdie's words. She understood. She would do the same for her own family, going to the ends of the world to keep them safe. "If Dean goes into trouble, we all go."

"Why don't we sleep on it?" Sam said, placing a gentle hand on Birdie's shoulder. He stood tall, meeting Dean's gaze. "It's too late to do much of anything and I'm sure sleeping in the car isn't ideal."

Birdie cleared her throat, nodding her head as she looked back at Dean and Sam. "Well, lucky for the two of you, we have a guest room. I'll show you where you can sleep and we'll talk more about this tomorrow."

"Alright," Dean sighed, stealing a glance at Isla. He knew it wouldn't be nice to spend another night in the car, considering how uncomfortable it could get. "Lead the way."

━━ ━━ ━━

"I DON'T THINK THEY LIKED ME MUCH," Isla mumbled softly, nestling her face into Dean's neck as she let out a small sigh. The lingering scent of his cologne and the bourbon he was drinking earlier filled the woman's nose, making her smile at the scent that was distinctly Dean. The heat had been turned on, but the cold still seeped through the walls and into the room. Yet, it was better than sleeping in Dean's car. She loved the Impala, but it was restless nights in there and she always woke up with an ache. She grinned, stealing a glance at his sleepy gaze. "So, you really think I'm your girlfriend?"

"Hey, I didn't know what else to say without them getting too suspicious," Dean said softly, taking in a deep breath as he instinctively kept Isla close to him. His arm wrapped around her waist, holding her flush against his chest. "And, it's been a year since we started traveling with each other and I thought it would be the easiest thing to assume."

"And, here I thought we were only friends with benefits," Isla whispered, placing a gentle kiss against his jaw. It made a small smile appear on Dean's face, making Isla hum as she rested her head against his chest. "On a serious note, how do you feel? About seeing Sam and Birdie again?"

"Still mad at you for ringing the doorbell," Dean replied, letting out a small chuckle that vibrated deep within his chest.

"Hm, sure you are," Isla mumbled, closing her eyes as she stifled a yawn. She let out a heavy sigh, feeling a weight being lifted off her shoulders. Her aching limbs finally had the chance to rest in a decent bed. "You can be honest with me, you know?"

"Isla, I'm fine," Dean sighed, staring up at the ceiling as he avoided her calm expression. She kept her eyes closed, but the man still felt guilty looking at her as he told a lie. "Though, I don't know if you noticed, but Sam isn't too happy to see me."

"He's your brother," Isla said, keeping her eyes shut as she snuggled into Dean's side. With the warmth radiating off him, she felt sleep come closer and closer. "I think you're overthinking it."

"Sam can hold a grudge."

It wasn't long till the woman in his arms had fallen asleep, causing a sigh to escape Dean's lips as he gently stroked her hair. He wished that he could sleep as well, but something was keeping him away. It ate away in the small crevices of his mind, making him glare at the ceiling as a million thoughts ran through his mind. He jumped, hearing a knock at the door. With a raise of his head, he watched the door open before Birdie popped her head in.

"Is she asleep?" the woman asked quietly, stealing a glance at Isla that had her arms wrapped around Dean. He nodded his head. "I wanted to talk to you."

Dean moved slowly, easing Isla off him before he tucked her in with the comforter. She mumbled a few incoherent words underneath her breath, but remained asleep other than that. He walked toward the door, stepping out before he closed it behind him. A sigh left his lips, noticing that Sam was leaning against the wall with an angry expression. "Look..."

"What the hell are you thinking, Dean?" Sam spat out, speaking too loudly for Dean's liking. He didn't want Isla to wake up and see his family drama up in the air. Still, Sam continued. "How could you think it's okay to bring someone like her into our lives?"

"Sam..." Birdie sternly said, placing a hand against his arm as she tried to calm the man down. She muttered a quick 'we talked about this' but it didn't have an effect on the man.

"No, Birdie," Sam said, pulling himself out of his girlfriend's grasp. The anger in his expression made Dean feel uncomfortable, remembering all the times he had seen the expression whenever Sam was angry with their father. "Dean knows the consequences of what happens when you bring innocents into a life like ours. Look at Dad! He's been missing for almost two years. And, have you forgotten about Jessica? She was killed because of me, Dean. Because of our life!"

"Sam, it isn't like that," Dean gritted out, forcing himself to look up to meet Sam's gaze. His anger was justifiable, but his relationship with Isla was nothing like the one Sam had with Jessica. "I didn't bring her into hunting. We ended up traveling together after her car was torched by a couple of asshole vampires. Since then, we've just been together. Look, she would have gotten killed on her own. I think it's better if we travel together anyway. She knows what she's getting herself into."

"No one knows what they're getting into!" Sam shouted, causing Birdie to send him a quick glare but she stayed quiet as she let him speak. It was what Sam and Dean needed after one year apart, the chance to yell at each other and get their anger out. "Do you think Mom expected us to get into hunting? Do you think this is the life she would have wanted for us? For Dad?"

"Don't bring them into this," Dean snapped, feeling an ache in his heart at the thought of his mother. It was rare that he allowed his mind to drift in her direction, trying to forget what had happened when he was a young boy.

"We can't step away from our lives, Dean," Sam sighed, speaking quieter than he had been before. Something in his expression had changed. His gaze had softened as he stole a glance in Birdie's direction. "We'll always have something after us. Something that won't rest till we're dead. And now, you have another demon targeting you. You put a target on that girl's back."

"I didn't ask for that," Dean spat out, narrowing his eyes as he felt the pressure of the blame that Sam was putting on him. It wasn't his fault. Right? "Isla and I... It wasn't anything serious at first, okay? I don't know what happened, but it just... happened."

Sam and Birdie remained quiet, keeping their eyes focused on Dean's conflicted expression. He stared at the wall for a second, trying to find the words that would explain his haywire thoughts.

"I never wanted to put her in danger, but she made things better," Dean shrugged, finishing his thought as he wet his dry lips. "But, now, we're both stuck in this mess and I can't leave her until we figure this out."

"I want you to be happy, Dean," Sam started, placing his hands against his hips as he stared at Dean with an unmoved expression. "But, I can't forget that Birdie almost died because of you."

"Sam."

He shook his head, quieting Birdie as she unconsciously ran a hand over her stomach. No doubt, remembering the scars that had been left on that fateful hunt where she had almost lost her life. No one wanted to admit it, but it was Dean's fault. He had acted too quickly, leaving them all to fend for themselves as their plan had failed and resulted in multiple casualties. "You're reckless, Dean," Sam reminded, driving the final stake in Dean's coffin. It made the older man flinch, causing the memories to flash in his mind. "You always have been."

"It wasn't my fault," Dean said, unable to find the words to say much else. It felt as if he was young again, trying to pass off that the expensive vase their mother had owned broke on its own. But, it was bigger than that this time. And, the man knew it was his fault.

"You know damn well it was," Sam advanced, giving Dean a harsh shove. However, Dean did not react as he hit the wall.

It was what caused Birdie to get in the middle of the two, keeping them apart to the best of her ability. She stared at her boyfriend, shaking her head. "Sam," she said, "it's in the past."

"No, you don't know what we went through," Sam defended himself, taking a step back as he continued to stare at both Dean and Birdie. He let out a heavy sigh, feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders. "You were in a coma for weeks. The doctors had lost hope, telling us that you wouldn't make it. If they hadn't done an emergency surgery, you would have died, Bird. You'd just be... gone."

No one missed the tears that brewed in Sam's warm eyes, making Dean feel the hole in his heart grow tenfold as he stared at his brother. He remembered. It had been brutal those four weeks as they waited for Birdie's condition to improve. But, she remained stagnant until her state had significantly worsened in the last couple of days. The doctors had lost hope, telling them that she was approaching death if things didn't change for the better. But, she had recovered enough for them to operate and save her life. Despite Birdie moving toward recovery, Sam's anger had not diminished. "I..." Dean met Sam's gaze. It was why Dean wanted to leave. He did not want to bring Sam and Birdie into his mess. He would never forgive himself if anything happened to either one. "I won't make that mistake again."

"No, you will, Dean. It's who you are," Sam said, taking in a sharp breath as he clicked his tongue. "You're going to get that girl killed. Just watch."

The door cracked open, causing the three to freeze as they faced Isla's sleepy gaze. She yawned, looking at Dean before she faced Birdie and Sam. "I didn't know we were having a secret meeting," she teased, leaning against the doorframe. But, she quickly straightened up when she noticed the sadness lingering on Dean's expression. "Hey," she said, nudging his arm as she ignored the other two. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything's fine," Dean reassured, forcing a smile to his lips as he took Isla's hand off his arm and gave it a light squeeze. It made her smile as she stared at him, oblivious to the tense situation in front of her. "We were just catching up, you know?"

"Aw, I'm glad. I knew it wouldn't be too long before the three of you got along," Isla returned his smile, nodding her head as she faced Sam and Birdie. With a turn back to Dean, she gave his hand a squeeze back before she let go. "Well, don't stay up too late. Come to bed soon."

"Will do," Dean replied, giving him a nod as he watched her return to the room. The hallway was dark again, leaving the three alone. Isla had been able to relieve the tension that had been brewing, but she could not expunge the bad blood between the two brothers.

"Getting along, yeah," Sam muttered, scoffing before he began to walk off. He muttered something about a crappy Christmas before he disappeared into his room. It left Birdie and Dean alone.

"He doesn't mean that, you know?" Birdie whispered, moving closer to Dean. Sadness lingered in her gaze, seeing both sides of the debate. Birdie was used to playing the mediator between the boys, trying to remain as neutral as she could when it came to the Winchesters. "People in love say a lot of dumb things, but I have to admit that Sam was out of line for what he said."

"But, he's right," Dean muttered, staring at the woman beside him. Scars littered her skin, making Dean look away as he took in a deep breath. It was the price they paid because of the life they lived. "I almost got you killed, Bird."

"Well, I'm still here so I forgive you," Birdie said, patting Dean's back as she kept the man close. She grinned at him. "You're gonna have to try a lot harder if you wanna get rid of me."

He cracked a smile, meeting Birdie's soft gaze.

"I want you to be happy, Dean," she added, stealing a glance at the closed bedroom door. "I don't know Isla well, but you seem different when you're with her. It's something I've never seen on you, Dean. And, if you're happy with her then I'm happy for you. Sam will come around."

"Yeah, I hope so," Dean mumbled, looking in the direction that Sam had walked off. His words still stung, imprinting themselves into Dean's mind.

"Get some rest, I'm sure Miss Sunshine is waiting for you," Birdie chuckled, making her way down the hall toward her own shared bedroom with Sam. She stole a glance back. "Merry Christmas, by the way. It's going to be a long day tomorrow with our favorite, hunting down a demon. So, actually sleep tonight."

Dean nodded, giving her a small smile. "Alright, goodnight, Bird."

"Goodnight, Dean."

♡

SO, I'VE HAD THIS CHAPTER WRITTEN SINCE APRIL, but I wanted to pre-write some of the book before I posted so I could be consistent with updates. But, I have only pre-written one other chapter and then was stuck on chapter three for months. So, I decided to post the chapter and call it a day! Pre-writing has never been my strength, so it is what it is. But, here is chapter one of Savior Complex.

So, let's talk Birdie Fowler! I love her character so so much! She is created by the amazing samwnchesters and she has a book called "No Time to Die" which stars Birdie! It is a Sam Winchester book, so please go check it out! It is an amazing book and I love it with all my heart! Birdie will make frequent appears and she is the girlfriend of Sam in this book!

I know that Isla and Dean are already together and somewhat in "love" with one another, but I really did not want to write a slow-burn fic. I feel like this book is more of a comfort book, so I could just write Dean being happy and being in a relationship. So, if they act too in love sometimes, then that's just my feelings coming out.

ALSO, I DID CHANGE THE TIMELINE A LITTLE BIT. So, it still takes place in season one but I split it up in two sections. So, Sam did still date Jessica and she did die. It caused Sam and Dean to start hunting together and eventually, Birdie tagged along. However, somewhere after episode 10 of season 1, they were on a hunt where Birdie almost died. It caused Sam and Dean to split. During that one year, Dean ended up meeting Isla and the two have been hunting together ever since! When we start following the show again in chapter 4, it will be season 1, episode 11! IT IS A LITTLE CONFUSING, but it's okay! We won't focus on exact dates too much.

━━ AMARA
[ CHAPTER PUBLISHED ━━ 10.07.2021 ]