She sat on the edge of the bed in a hotel room in the middle of nowhere. Two months ago if you said this would be her life she'd tell you that you were crazy. If you had said to her two months ago she would be running across the country in the backseat of a black Impala hunting the unimaginable with two men she just met she would have you locked up. This was her life though, and oddly enough, she loved it. Juliet Marcus had always felt out of place in her little country town outside of Jefferson City, MO. She had no idea what would happen when she stumbled upon the wreck of a '67 Chevy Impala entombing the Winchester family. She had no idea the things she would see, literally. Being blind since early childhood, Juliet had gotten used to making her own images of things. Her sight was through touch and sound and she was used to that. Then Dean Winchester crashed into her life and threw everything for a loop. She saw him, really saw him. It was then she learned of her abilities and that there were others like her, Dean's brother Sam for instance. The fire that her father would never speak of, that killed her mother was the work of a demon. When her father died at this thing's hands as well she made a decision. She wanted to stay with Sam, and Dean, she wanted to help their fight.
That's what she's been doing for two months. Her home was now the backseat of the Impala, listening to Sam and Dean bicker, it's the most normal she's ever felt in her life. Now, sitting on the edge of the bed, with Sam tapping away at the keyboard and Dean in the shower she felt at home. Dean had changed her world when she saw him. There was a connection there, something between them. Then when he woke up she had to start over. He didn't remember anything, which meant he didn't remember her. That wasn't the most painful part of it though. Part of her hoped Dean would never wake up; a very small part of her mind you. Dean was the first person she had ever actually seen. When he woke up she lost that ability and her world was black once more. That shred of light was gone. Still, he took to her quickly, probably because it was his father's wishes shortly before he died. Oh yes, John's death. Juliet didn't really understand the dynamics of the Winchester family until after John's death. Though it may not seem to outsiders, the Winchesters were incredibly close, bound by more than blood. Dean was still hurting, though he hadn't said anything. There was something bothering him, and it was more than just the circumstances of their father's death. Juliet wasn't going to push it though. She had learned a lot about the boys over the past few months. If Dean didn't want to say something he wouldn't, no matter how hard he was pushed.
The life of a hunter, Jules was quickly learning, was not an easy one. Though she had the disadvantage of being blind she had incredible hearing and intuition, in dealings with spirits Juliet was incredibly useful, since she could see them when others couldn't. She was easily able to hide her blindness; most couldn't even tell she was blind. When she spoke to the boys in public she was able to look them in the eye as if she could see them. Still, the job wasn't without its dangers and Juliet wasn't used to the incredible physical demands of hunting, though she was slowly getting there. She sat on the edge of the bed with cuts, scrapes, and bruises. Nothing was as bad as the sore muscles though. She looked up from her thoughts when she heard the door open. Dean was done with his shower. The room was silent. See, Dean learned something about his father that destroyed him. Juliet wasn't even sure what to say to Dean at this point to make it better. How could she make it better? So she decided to let him be. It scared her though because she wondered if Dean would really sell his soul to bring his father back. Her thoughts and worries were interrupted when Dean finally broke the silence.
"Jules," he called to her sitting on the other side of the bed she was on. "Come here."
Juliet stood, she had gotten pretty used to this routine. She took her shirt off and sat in front of him. Dean was usually the one to clean up her wounds when she'd get hurt. Dean stopped making jokes about it a while ago. Sometimes Jules wished he would. She heard him sigh and felt the sting of the peroxide on her back. After a few moments she put her shirt back on and sighed. "How do you do it," she asked quietly, falling back on the bed.
"Do what," he asked just as quietly, almost as if he were trying not to wake someone up. That's when Jules realized she didn't hear the keyboard anymore. She hadn't heard Sam walk across the room. He must have fallen asleep at the computer. Juliet felt the bed move, indicating that Dean had lain down next to her.
"One of you isn't a chiropractor by chance," she asked with a laugh. She turned toward him as if to look at him, though she couldn't see him. She still had the image in her mind from when she could. It was something she didn't have with Sam.
Dean laughed and shook his head with a loud sigh. "As a matter of fact," he said with a laugh. "Sit up," he told her and watched as she sat up silently. There was an incredible grace about her that Dean couldn't help but notice. Ever since he first woke up in the hospital and saw her standing by his bed. Who was this girl and what was she doing with Sam and his dad? His father told him she took care of him and that he had to take care of her. So he would. He would protect her like he'd protect Sam. His father told him to take care of the two of them, to keep them together because they'll keep each other in check. What that meant, Dean wasn't really sure. All he knew is that somehow in that short amount of time Jules, as he called her, had worked her way into the Winchester family almost as if she had been there all their lives. He wasn't quite sure how to explain that, she just did. With that affection also came constant bickering. The two were always at odds with each other. Dean couldn't help but notice how much like him she was at times. He always pictured her as a quiet girl, but when they got in situations, such as spending time at a bar or something, she was incredibly social. Men just seemed to swarm her. To be honest, Dean was almost jealous. Not of the other guys that surrounded Juliet, no of course not jealous of them, but of her ability to make them surround her. He wished he could be half that successful with women. Of course she never went home with any of those guys, even if she wanted to. Sam and Dean wouldn't let her. They're reckless, not crazy. Dean would never let her leave with some stranger, not after what his father told him.
That may not be the only reason but Dean was far from ever admitting there was any other. Juliet and Dean had a very different relationship that her and Sam. Their relationship seemed more complicated because there were aspects of it that Dean felt, but couldn't remember. They had a history, however short it was, that impacted the both of them even if Dean couldn't remember it. Sam and Juliet had the connection of their abilities and their pasts. Dean and Juliet had something else. She knew what he looked like, and more than just through touch. She could still see his green eyes, the freckles on his face, the cut along his head. He gave her sight, if only for that short amount of time. It added a whole new layer to their relationship. Then there was the bond of hunting that joined the three of them. All three of them have lost both parents to the same thing. It was what brought them together essentially. If the Winchesters were never hunters they never would have been in that accident and Juliet never would have found them. However that means that her father could very easily still be alive and she'd be living a somewhat happy life. Jules didn't want that though. She didn't want average, she wanted what she had on the road with these boys. Dean could see it in her eyes and he called her on it every time she tried to deny it. All those thoughts ran through Dean's head as he sat behind Juliet, kneading his knuckles into her back trying to work out the knots in her back. "Holy crap Jules," he said with a laugh. "Could you possibly be any more tense?" He smiled and laughed. It was almost normal. They weren't worrying about the Demon, his father, Sam's abilities, the danger that lay ahead of them. It was just Juliet and Dean and for once he was happy. He'd never, ever let on though. Dean just didn't do relationships and he wasn't about to start now, no matter what kind of affect this girl was having on him. He sat there, looking down at her small, fragile form and smiled to himself. He wondered if she had any idea how strong she really was. The things she had put up with and adjusted to in the last two months were things that no one would believe, yet she took to the hunting lifestyle as it had been her whole life.
So he sat there with his fingertips grazing her heated skin, she probably didn't even realize it. This wasn't the first time he had taken it upon himself to help her relax. His massages were legendary, at least to him anyway. Every time he got close, whether it was with the back rubs or cleaning the small cuts she might get he had to fight it. She was almost like a magnet, so hard to resist sometimes. Even now, sitting behind her with his hands on her shoulders he could feel his lips press lightly against her neck, even though they didn't. He wanted to. He wanted to so badly but he knew better than that. This was not right environment for relationship. It's exactly why things could never work out with Cassie. Still Juliet seemed to call to him. He fought it well though. She didn't mean to do any of this and Dean was sure of it. It just happened. He couldn't help it. There was something about Juliet that was incredibly attractive to Dean. Of course she was beautiful, and it was an almost innocent beauty too. She didn't know how gorgeous she truly was so there was no way she could go around flaunting it. Then there was her personality. Dean thought he was a charmer; he had nothing on what Juliet was capable of. She'd talk to you and look you straight in the eyes and it was almost as if she could see you. It was almost frightening what she was able to do with people. Dean was almost proud of it. It made the many illegal activities they did much easier when he didn't have to worry if she could lie or not. Juliet was strong, incredibly strong.
He remembered the day shortly after his father's death when he and Sam had been fighting. Sam walked off and Dean was left with a lot of pent up anger. That added with the tire iron in his hand meant for something destructive. He took one swing at the car next to his but that didn't seem good enough. When he looked at the Impala, almost finished all he could think was if he hadn't been in that car maybe his dad would still be alive. He almost blamed the car for the whole thing. With one swing at the backend he took off, swing after swing until he couldn't do it anymore and there was a whole in the trunk.
"I sure hope that wasn't the car your brother says you have an unhealthy attachment to," Juliet said with a faint smile, standing a few yards from Dean. She had her arms crossed over her chest, wearing a black tank top and a pair of old blue jeans. She looked very much a Winchester.
"It's not unhealthy," Dean answered with a small laugh. He still felt it inside though, that rage, that hatred, the pain. He almost jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder. "I'm fine."
"I didn't ask," she said simply. Dean looked up at her with a baffled expression. Sam asked, Sam asked incessantly. Didn't Juliet wonder if Dean was all right? "All I wanna know is were those blows meant for Sam? Cause, that could be deadly," she said with a laugh. Juliet leaned against the back of the battered car and smiled at him. "I know you don't want to talk about it, and I don't blame you because I don't want to talk about my father's death either, but," she paused and sighed. "Dean if you don't say something eventually you'll explode, probably literally," she said with a slight laugh. "And if… if for some reason you can't talk to Sam about it you know I'm here right? I mean seriously where else am I gonna go… I have no idea where we are."
Dean smiled and wrapped his arms around her, not out of affection or for her sake, but his. Juliet could feel it, it was the same trembling feeling she felt with Sam in the hospital. If he didn't hold on to Juliet, Dean felt as though he might fall apart. Then it was silent, he couldn't talk about it but that was okay. He was content to just stand there and let Juliet hold him up, the way she had with Sam when Dean flat lined in the hospital.
She's held the boys together the past few months and for that Dean could not be more thankful. With that though comes the double burden. He's responsible for two lives now, not just one. If it were just Sam that would be a different story, but now it's Juliet. She hadn't said anything yet about nightmares or conversations with the Demon. Dean wondered if she was hiding them or if she just hadn't had any yet. He sighed softly and looked down at her. Her eyes were closed and she was leaning back against Dean. At some point he had stopped and just sat there with her. Dean didn't even realize it until he looked down and saw that she appeared to be asleep. He smiled and got up, laying her down on the bed. "Finally, I get a bed for the night," Dean whispered with a smile. He had every intention on leaving Sam in the chair at the table with his face planted on the laptop's keyboard.
"You know I can sleep on the floor," Juliet said quietly without opening her eyes. "We can alternate. You don't have to sleep on the floor every night."
"Me and Sammy alternate," Dean said with a smug smile. Though it was more like Dean slept on the floor most of the time to avoid arguing with his brother. "Besides, I have a moral code… or something… that says that I can't make a woman do that."
"I know Sam doesn't like to let me sleep on the floor, don't even try your moral code on me. You'd kick me out of bed in two seconds if it meant you got a mattress."
"Not true," he said with a smirk. He heard a sigh coming from Juliet and smiled. She obviously heard the smirk and recognized the vague innuendo in what he had said. "Sam I would kick out of bed, you…," his voice trailed off and he laughed along with Juliet. "Get some sleep Jules we gotta wake up early tomorrow."
"Why," she asked turning to face Dean.
"Cause Sammy went to bed early which means he'll be up at the crack of dawn and make us all suffer," he said with a laugh. "Besides you gotta get up and get in the shower before Sammy takes all the hot water." Juliet laughed and smiled closing her eyes and trying to drift off to sleep.
It didn't take long, she was exhausted. The last few months were certainly taking their toll on her mentally and physically. Juliet wasn't sure how much more of this she could take, but she would try, for Dean, for Sam. She'd do anything for those boys.
"Don't you wish they'd do the same for you," a faint but somewhat familiar voice whispered in her head, in her dreams. Juliet saw nothing in the darkness though she knew exactly who it was.
"They would," she answered simply, her voice unwavering. Juliet understood Dean's dedication to protecting Sammy and she also saw it in protecting her. "You can't scare me."
"My dear child, I'm not trying to scare you," the voice said softly. "I'm merely telling you the truth. Dean would do anything for Sam, and if that meant killing you he would, in a heart beat. See Juliet, I know you like to pretend you're a hunter but you're simply not and you never will be. You're too much a liability and if that puts Sam in danger you know Dean will stop at nothing to protect Sam. It would be best just to leave them to their job. You can protect Sam and Dean better that way. Just leave, go back home to the farm where you belong."
