Don't Go Eating My Heart

Grumpy Old Men

This chapter takes place during Season 5 Episode 7. I am not responsible for spoilers in the comments.

37 flights of stairs. All because the elevator was out of commission. Bobby was stuck downstairs by himself. Marley had offered to stay with him, but he said that was pointless and so she had gone up the stairs with the brothers. Currently she was leaning against the wall, focusing on getting her breathing to level out as Sam picked the lock. Dean sounded like he was going to have a heart attack, or pass out, or both.

"So... many... stairs." The old man breathed out.

"I freaking carried you up the last 15 flights grandpa!" Marley said in disbelief, remembering the piggyback ride she had given him.

"I still had to climb the first 22 myself." He griped back, squinting his eyes at her.

"You're right. That's so tough." Sarcasm was dripping from every word she spoke. "Maybe I'll just shove you out the window, take the express way down."

Sam got the door open and they began searching through the house looking for where the chips were stashed. Dean finally located them in a safe, but a smell reached Marley's nose and she froze. She couldn't call out to the boys and warn them Patrick was here, all she could do was possibly attack him and keep him from finding the boys, but that didn't seem right. So she made her way to the boys just as Patrick and some other chick showed up. The girl looked like she was going to kill the boys but Patrick stepped in and stopped her. Marley walked into the room and stood beside Sam as Patrick continued talking.

"If you want to score chips, do it the old fashioned way. Texas Hold 'Em."

Patrick's eyes held a challenge in them especially when Dean wouldn't let Sam take up the torch of poker playing. Surprisingly Patrick let them go and they all went back to the motel in one piece.

The next morning they were headed towards the parking lot of the motel. Marley saw the steep incline up ahead and slowed her pace until she was behind Bobby. The transition was seamless and she pushed Bobby up the ramp without the boys even noticing. Marley glared daggers at the back of Dean's head- this was what she was talking about. Just doing small things that went a long way in making Bobby see he wasn't a burden. He shouldn't need to ask for help to get up a ramp and Marley didn't expect him to say thank you either. It really wasn't that hard to adjust to make things easier for him. They got to the top of the ramp and Marley immediately let Bobby have control over the wheelchair again.

"I still think I should play." Sam spoke with a soft tone, knowing the argument that would start.

"No no no. I'm better. Bobby's way better. We both lost."

Marley felt like bringing up the fact that despite Bobby being better, Dean had still tried his luck. So how was that fair to Sam? But she decided against it as Dean seemed particularly crabby since he became an old guy.

"So I don't get a say in this anymore?" Sam glanced between the two guys.

"Sammy when you get to be our age-"

"You're 30 Dean!"

Marley snorted and couldn't help herself. "'Your day' was yesterday."

Dean glared at her but gave his attention back to Sam as his little brother spoke. "Look I've watched you hustle plenty of poker."

"Knowing the game is not enough Sam." Bobby said, annoyance tinging his words. "It's not about playing the cards."

"It's about playing the other guy. I know that."

Marley had to admire how calm and sure Sam was remaining despite being told off by two old men.

"Well hooray for you." Bobby brushed him off. "All I'm saying is, I played this guy. I know his style. I can take him."

Marley's eyes flickered around the group. Bobby seemed dead set on a rematch, Sam had his hands on his hips and was clearly annoyed they were treating him like a kid, and Dean well he was old and he knew it. Marley zoned back into the conversation.

"So what if I do die? What exactly am I living for? The apocalypse?! Watching men die bloody while I sit in this chair, can't take a step to help 'em?"

Marley's jaw ticked. Everything she had been noticing in the man was suddenly pouring out through the floodgates.

"Bobby..." Dean began to speak.

"No, no. It's the facts."

The boys stared at the man who raised them as his own, sadness in their eyes.

"Bull crap."

All eyes turned to look at the girl who had finally spoken up.

"Yeah you're old. And you're stuck in a chair. But guess what? You're still a freaking hunter Bobby. It runs in your blood just like it does theirs." She took a step towards the man. "You may not be going out and hunting monsters anymore, but you are still a hunter. You've got 5 phones on the wall and a ridiculous amount of lore books in your house that prove hunting is about more than just being able to gank a monster. And you're right. It's the apocalypse. So that means all hands on deck."

A silence fell over the 3 men. Sam finally spoke up, his voice quiet. "She's right Bobby. We need you. So I am not letting you play again. There's another way out of this, and I'm gonna find it."

Marley glanced at Bobby before going after Sam. She didn't want to leave Bobby alone with Dean, but right now Sam was worrying her. Once she caught up to him she fell in step beside him.

"Please tell me you're not gonna do something stupid."

"Haven't decided yet."

"Okay well how about this. Walk with me for an hour and then you decide."

Sam looked over at her with raised eyebrows, but nevertheless he shrugged and agreed to it.

After about 30 minutes Sam's phone rang- it was Bobby. The old man quickly explained that the other witch had given them a reversal spell that would erase all the years given and taken as long as the person was still alive. They could get every ingredient needed except for DNA from Patrick.

"So we have to play another game." Sam spoke, his voice slightly distant.

"Looks that way yeah. You saw how clean that hotel room was. Our best shot is something in that poker room." Dean's voice came through the phone.

"I'll do it." Marley spoke up.

"What?" Sam asked her incredulously.

"Like heck you will." Dean's voice was hard.

"Marley we are not letting-"

But Marley cut him off. "All of you shut up. You've all had your argument already, now it's my turn. Bobby you want to play because you know his style. Well so do I. I've been there for both yours and Dean's game. Dean you can't read the cards so you're out."

"You don't even know how to play poker Marley." Bobby spoke up, and she swore there was a hint of concern in his voice.

"Look, you guys are just gonna have to trust me on this. Just get the other ingredients." With that she reached over and hung up the phone before they could say anything else.

Sam stared at her, shock written all over his face. "You don't know how to play and you want to go up against this guy?"

"You said it yourself Sammy," Marley began walking away and he followed, but he didn't see the smirk that grew on her face. "It's all about playing the other guy."

Shorter chapter, sorry! But next chapter we get the poker game and Marley is playing 😬

Also just out of curiosity do any of y'all watch Cobra Kai?