You were speechless, and that didn't happen very often. In fact you could count on one hand the number of times you had been shocked speechless, and that included today.

Sam seemed to be in the same boat, his mouth opening and closing as if he was trying to speak but nothing was coming out.

"Say something. " Dean pleaded, knowing that the two of you wouldn't be happy with his impulsive decision.

Finally, as if a spell had been lifted, you were able to speak. "Let me get this right. You went behind our back, and involved Crowley. The two of you met with Cain, the one and only Cain, and asked for his help."

Dean nodded, letting you know your summary was exact. "So what happened? Did he say he would help?" You asked, curious.

Sam watched the exchange quietly, his hazel eyes taking in everything.

"Not exactly." Dean uttered, and those two words worried you. Knowing nothing ever worked in your favor, you raised your eyebrow, waiting for Dean to continue.

Before he could, a deep, cracked voice spoke from behind you, making you jump in your sleep.

"Sam, Y/N, I'm afraid I lost track of..." Your friend and Angel Castiel started to say before he stopped. "I see he returned."

Cas came to stand next to you, and you looked up at your other best friend. Cas may be awkward, and unique, but he had always been there for you, and you enjoyed all his weird characteristics. He was still wearing the trench coat over the suit, even though you had tried talking him into wearing jeans. His dark hair was nowhere as messy as it had been when you had first met, and his blue eyes were more trusting and human.

"Yeah he just did," Sam replied, finally speaking up.

Cas continued to look at Dean, his eyes squinted and his head titled to the side in serious thought. Before you could ask what was wrong, Cas strode around the table and grabbed Dean's arm, yanking up his sleeve. Dean tried protesting and pulling his arm away, but the Angels grip was ironclad, and Dean's arm was going nowhere.

"Dean what did you do?" Cas growled, and that's when you got a glimpse of Dean's arm. On the meaty part of his forearm, there was an angry red tattoo, small in design, but standing up like a brand. It was made up of one long curved line, with a smaller line tucked into the side.

"What is that?" You asked, concerned. Cas finally dropped Dean's arm, and Dean pulled his shirt back down, subconsciously rubbing the mark.

"It's a means to an end." Dean said, turning away so none of you could see his face. He grabbed the whiskey decanter, pouring a generous amount in the crystal glass before downing it in one shot.

"It's more than that. It's the mark of Cain, isn't it Dean." Cas said.

"So that's how Cain is helping, by freeing himself and trapping you with  his toubles." Sam muttered angrily, pushing away from the table. You stayed in your chair, confused and shocked, hoping this was all some nightmare, and you would wake up cuddled next to Dean. But his next words assured you that you were wide awake, and the nightmare was real.

"It doesn't matter. It will help me kill Abaddon, and that's all that matters. Nothing else. She needs to be stopped, and if I have to become some type of monster than so be it." Dean growled, a rare rage to his words that scared you.

Walking carefully towards him, you tried to see reason, but for the life of you all you could see was Dean throwing his life, and your love away.

Standing close by, you gently touched his shoulder. "We would have found another way. You matter, our love matters, more than some stupid mark."

"It's not stupid." Dean roared, accidentally knocking you backwards as he turned to yell at you. His strength had doubled, you noticed, because a simple arm out knocked you clean off your feet, and you watched in slow motion as the edge of the table moved towards your head, unable to stop or twist your body away.

Your forehead struck the edge of the wood, before the rest of your body collided with the floor. Sam came racing forward, and gathered you in his arms, gently touching your forehead. Your head ached, and you noticed Sam's fingers had come away red with your blood.

Sam turned to glare at Dean, and your gaze followed his, slowly moving up Dean's still body, before resting on his face. Dean stood there frozen, guilt and shock turning him into a statue. Sam helped you up, and the sight of you leaning into his brother finally broke Dean out of his stupor, and he moved towards you, an apology ready on his lips.

You shook your head, the movement causing two things, a headache the size of Texas throbbing through your head, and Dean stopping with his hand still raised in the air.

"You okay?" Sam asked gently, his arm still supporting you.

"Yeah, I just want to go to bed." You replied, and Sam started guiding you down the hallway, towards your room. Behind you you heard Dean start to come after you, then Castiel telling him that wasn't a good idea.

Sam stayed with you, sitting you on the edge of your bed, and grabbing the first aid from your bathroom. As he dabbed your cut with alcohol, he tried apologizing for his brother.

"I don't know what got into him, but Dean would never mean to hurt you. He would die before he hurt you." His hazel eyes grief stricken.

Placing your hand on Sam's forearm, you quickly assured him. "I know Sam. I might have pushed him too much. But the mark has already changed him, there's an anger in him, a strength that wasn't there before. It scares me."

Sam went still, and you knew he had noticed it too. "I know, I don't think this mark is a good thing. But if it gets rid of Abbadon then..." Sam said before trailing off.

"Then we come to that when the time comes. Right now we need to be there for Dean, to make sure he doesn't get worse." You stated, and Sam nodded before leaving you alone in your room.