Standing Outside the Fire

43

[Southern Comfort]

Dean was leaning against the Impala checking his phone. Francesca was laying on the hood. Sam walked up carrying a bag of food and three drinks.

"Heads up," Sam said, handing Dean and Francesca a drink before walking to the passenger side.

Dean said, "I caught wind of a case on this police scanner. Sounds like our kind of thing."

Sam frowned. "I wasn't even gone ten minutes."

"Okay. That matters why?"

"I don't know, Dean. How about because you or Frankie haven't said a word to me since Prentiss Island? I don't blame her. And now, what? You want me to shut up and ride shotgun and act like nothing happened?"

"You want to talk about Benny? Fine. Let's talk."

"Okay. How about he's a vampire?"

"He's also the reason Frankie and I are topside and not roasting on a spit in Purgatory. Anything else?"

Francesca looked between them as Sam replied, "Don't pretend I don't get it. I know you two did what you had to do down there."

"I highly doubt you get anything about Purgatory."

"But you and Frankie are out now, and Benny's still breathing. Why?"

"He's Frankie's and my friend, Sam."

"And what about my friend, Amy? She was what? 'Cause you sure as hell didn't have a problem ganking her."

Francesca looked between the brothers. "He does make a good point."

Dean shrugged. "Well, I guess people change, don't they? We let that werewolf Kate go, didn't we?"

"She was different," Sam replied. "She -- you think Benny's different? He tell you he's not drinking live blood, or something? And you believe him. Wow. Okay. You know, you're right. People do change."

Francesca scoffed. "Yeah. He and I got a vampire buddy, and you turn your phone off for a year."

"Don't turn this on me."

"You left Kevin to fend for himself. Where were you? Living with a girl and a dog while your brother and I were fending for our lives, and while trying to protect the baby, in monster land!"

"Frankie, stop it. I don't need a reminder."

"It would seem you do!"

Dean pursed his lips. "Look, Benny slips up and some other hunter turns his lights out, so be it."

"But it's not gonna be you, right?" Sam asked.

"You coming or not?" Dean asked, getting into the car.

Francesca crossed her arms and glared at Sam.

Dean drove to a house and an ambulance left the driveway as the Impala pulled up and parked on the street outside the house.

Dean and Sam were wearing their FBI suits and Francesca was wearing her FBI slacks and blouse.

"So, guy's old lady comes home while he's working underneath his ride, puts the pedal to the metal, and takes half his head off," Dean said.

Sam frowned. "What, that's it?"

"Yeah, in a nutshell. She says she blacked out, doesn't remember a damn thing."

Francesca frowned. "That sounds like insanity."

"Maybe."

"So how does that make this our kind of thing?" Sam asked.