7| T A L K S

THEY WERE NOW back inside the motel, her brothers and Donatello were discussing what happened back at the tattoo shop. Jack was sitting quietly on the couch as he listened in to their conversation.

"It was a reflex. He didn't do it on purpose.", Sam defended.

"Who cares if he didn't do it on purpose? He did it. I mean, you didn't see Cas smiting someone every time he got his teeth cleaned.", Dean scoffed.

" Dean...", she warned but as always he ignored her.

"I'm right here, you know.", Jack spoke up but all the boys ignored him. Zen frowned at the men and looked at Jack, giving him a small smile.

"Yeah, and what about the vanishing tattoo?", Dean questioned.

"An archangel healed himself.", Donatello replied.

"Another reflex.", Sam tried again.

"Or maybe he didn't want to be warded.", Dean countered.

"Okay, look, yeah, Jack is on Lucifer's family tree. But we don't know if that DNA is stronger than Kelly's, or his connection with Cas."

"Oh, you mean the connection that got Cas killed?"

Zen frowned as they mentioned the late angel. " Jack doesn't have to be evil. We can teach him not to be.", she spoke up.

"Ah. The nature versus nurture conundrum.", Donatello sighs as he rests both of his hands on Zenja's shoulder.

The two brothers glared at the prophet, their protectiveness towards her was clear as day.

"Hey."

"Dude."

" Hands off."

The Winchester trio stated simultaneously and Donatello puts his hand down.

"Oh. Speaking not as a prophet but as a scientist, I don't think teaching him is in the cards.

It's like asking a lion not to be a lion.", He tries to reason.

"But this is not a lion! This is a human!", Sam states angrily.

"With a strong dose of God juice.", Donatello added.

" Guys...", Zen says slowly when she realised Jack wasn't in the room anymore, but she was ignored...what was new?

"Okay, that's it. I'm done, all right? 'Cause he's not God, he's not Cas, he's not Simba. He's the friggin' Devil!", Dean snapped as he turns to address Jack but stopped when he realised that he was gone.

"Jack?", Sam calls and was not surprised when no one answered.

"Uh—oh.", Donatello muttered.

Zen walked up to her older brothers with a glare set on her face. " You all sometimes forget he's just a kid. He was born three days ago for God's sake! You don't have the fucking right to judge him just because he's the devil's spawn. The last time I remembered, we are hunters. We hunt monsters and protect the innocent. Jack is innocent! He's clueless and scared! He was brought to this world as a teenager because the world is too fucked up for him to be a child. And the first impression you give him is a gun to the face? Jesus! We're lucky he doesn't give two shits about Lucifer cause if he did we wouldn't be standing here talking about how much of an abomination he is right in front of his face!", she snapped.

The men stared at her with wide eyes full of regret and shock. The second emotion was because of the way her eyes glowed gold the angrier she got.

Before they could get a word in, she stormed out of the room and looked for the boy, leaving them standing there like idiots.

" That was interesting...", Donatello commented, earning him a glare from the two brothers.

>•<

ZENJA WALKED AROUND the motel as she looked for Jack. She could sense him somewhere near the motel but she just couldn't pinpoint the exact place. She soon caught him sitting in a corner outside of the motel. His arms crossed over his legs as he stared at the ground sadly.

" Jack?", she says as she slowly approaches him.

Jack looked up. "I'm sorry. I... Everyone was so angry—", he started.

She frowned and sat beside him. " No, J, It's okay I understand. I...I suppose you wanted to be away from it."

"And suddenly, I was.", Jack muttered.

She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and he relaxes to her touch. " J, your powers...they can do things no normal person can. We just need to make sure we get a grip on 'em so you don't hurt anybody. And I know you won't hurt anybody...but...my brothers—"

"Is that why Dean hates me? Because of my powers?", He asks softly.

She shook her head. "Dean doesn't hate you. It... Look, sometimes the wires in Dean's head get crossed and—and he gets frustrated, and then he mixes frustration with anger, and—and fear.", she explained.

"Why would he be afraid?"

She sighs. "Because Dean feels like it's his job to protect everyone. And right now, we need to protect you. But we may also need to protect people from you. "

"Maybe—Maybe I'm not worth all this.", he muttered.

" J, your mom thought you were. So did Cas...So do I.", she says softly.

" I'm the son of Lucifer... maybe they're right, maybe—"

" Jack—"

" No! I'm a monster...", he states sadly.

She frowned. " You're not a monster Jack."

" How do you know? How do you know I wont end up like my dad and use my powers...for bad?", he looks at her as tears glistened in his eyes.

Zen places her hand on his cheek and looks at him straight in the eye. " I hunt monsters for a living and you are far from it Jack Kline.", she says softly.

Jack stared into her eyes with a small thankful smile before wrapping his arms around her torso. She stiffened for a moment before she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer. The two then sat their in each other's friendly embrace, unknowing of the figure lurking in the shadows.

>•<

ZEN NOW SAT with Sam as they researched a few things. Dean had gone out to drink while they left Jack in Donatello's room to rest.

" Listen, I'm sorry about Dean's behaviour towards—", Sam started.

" You don't have to explain for our brother Sammy. I know Dean's just as scared as both of us about the whole thing. So, I don't blame him if he lashes out sometimes, that's just how he copes with everything. Screams and alcohol.", she finished.

Sam chuckles. " You always know what to say Zen..."

She smiled. " Of course I do. I'm your sister. I'm always going to be here to keep you idiots in check.", Sam laughs and the two sat in comfortable silence and beer.

Zen got up from the chair and stretched her arms. " Well, I'm gonna go and get my ' hunter beauty sleep' now. Wake me up when Hell breaks loose...oh wait.", she jokes as she finished her drink.

Sam chuckled. " I'll wake you when something comes up."

She nodded at him before plopping herself on the bed. Her eyes getting heavier until she fell into a dreamless sleep.