AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Okies, so I'm kind of excited about this chapter.

A lot happens, there are lots of emotions, and there's a confrontation.

This chapter is also for Becca because she's wonderful, I love her, and she inspires me always.

WARNINGS: Language, Violence, Sensuality

ENJOY!

xxxx

On the one hand, Aurora understood that Sam wanted to protect her—he always did and she knew that no matter what happened he always would—but on the other hand, Sam should have known by now how much Aurora needed his honestly. She didn't believe that relationships could exist without honesty, and the fact that all of them were in on this secret and she wasn't? It made her really unhappy.

"What do I do now?" Aurora asked her reflection in the mirror.

She took a deep breath and then finished up her business, glancing at herself in the mirror and then readying herself to go back to the others. Even though she wanted to just come out and ask them what was up, she didn't want to start anything in Jen's and Kevin's home. Once they all split up to do more research and snoop around the crime scene, she could ask them what was up…but that didn't mean that they couldn't bring it all up.

Lana looked up as Aurora made her way into the living room and held up a piece of paper, smiling at her. Aurora managed to put a smile on her face and then entered the room slowly, Sam noting that something was up, but not knowing what that something was. Then Lana set in to explaining the plan she'd come up with and Dean and Sam both shot her looks—what was she thinking?

"So Aurora and I will check out the warehouse, and you guys are going to check out the victim's home." Lana said standing up.

Before anyone could say anything, Aurora jumped in, "I like that idea."

"It would be better if we paired off in our normal pair offs—Lana and me, and Dean and Ror." Sam said quickly, Dean nodding in agreement.

"I like changing things up," Aurora responded with a shrug, looking directly at Sam. "Unless…there's some reason why Lana and I shouldn't pair off…"

Sam looked at her. "Um…no…no, uh…I just…be careful."

There it was—Sam had just lied to her face and Aurora felt like blowing her top right then and there, but Dean was grabbing his jacket. He wanted to get this hunt over with and actually get to sleep in a bed that night and Aurora didn't want to take that away from him, no matter how upset she was about what was going down. Not to mention she was feeling mixed feelings about being alone with Lana—all the trust she had for her was kind of teetering on this very fine line.

Aurora had always thought that Lana had her back and though she still firmly believed that, she felt like Lana not telling her ruined things. She was more upset with Sam and Dean because she'd known them longer and felt like part of their little dysfunctional hunting family, but Lana was her friend…Lana and she had been bonding. Why would Lana lie about something as important as this to the person she called her friend?

"Here's your jacket, Ror." Lana told her with a smile, Aurora accepting her coat and Lana fixing her hair as she pulled her own on. "Let's go."

Aurora nodded and followed her out, watching Dean kiss the top of Lana's head while trying to make it look like he wasn't, and then she followed Lana into the warehouse. She was done though. She wanted answers…she wanted them now.

"I heard you and Jen." Aurora said as Lana moved the EMF radar along the wall.

Lana stopped and nodded slowly, turning towards her. "I assume you're pissed."

"Yes…yes I am pissed." Aurora admitted nodding. "Why wouldn't you tell me something that important? Why were you all leaving me out? I mean Jen just met me and she wanted you to tell me!"

"I wanted to tell you to, but it's a sensitive topic!" Lana replied, closing her eyes and shaking her head. "No…no, I'm not going to make excuses. Look, I'm half demon, okay? I can pop in and out of places, I can move things with my mind—I'm like that Jesse kid we ran into only stronger. I'm not going to hurt you, Ror."

Aurora ran her fingers through her hair. "I just…how do I trust you again?"

"I don't know." Lana said sadly.

The two slipped into an uncomfortable silence before they heard a noise, Lana instinctively stepping closer to Aurora to protect her. They weren't finding any residue of a ghost, but at the same time, they weren't expecting anyone to be there and the noise was disconcerting. Still, Aurora smiled a little when she realized that Lana's first instinct was simply to protect her—it made it a little harder to be mad at her, but she was still mad…just thankful.

"You okay?" Lana asked her.

Aurora laughed a little. "I'm fine, really—nothing actually happened."

"I know, but…it's not just the noise that I was asking about." Lana told him softly.

"I know…" Aurora responded with a nod.

The two shared a small, sad smile and nodded, leaving the warehouse and then heading back to Jen's and Kevin's home. They both knew that they needed to explain that they hadn't found EMF or sulfur, and then they'd have to figure out with the boys what was really going on so that Jen didn't have to fight anything—Kevin either. The two of them were still involved with hunting, but with Jen's pregnancy they simply passed along the hunts to Lana, who actually enjoyed them.

Once upon a time, Lana had wanted a normal life…but she knew once she grew into her powers that it would never happen. Hunting was just part of who she was and even though she wanted a life with Dean now that things seemed to be at least a little past just flirting, she was pretty realistic. Things would happen as they happened, and right now her priority was finding this monster and then trying to settle back down into life as best she could before the next hunt…deal with Dean being away as she always did.

"Mind if I yell at the boys?" Aurora asked Lana as they headed back to Jen's.

Lana smiled a little. "I don't mind—honestly watching you rip them a new one would be kind of a highlight for me. We all should have told you sooner and though I know you're still mad, it's nice to know that we're at least already mending."

"Yeah…I'm still mad, but how do I phase out the estrogen friend I've gotten so used to?" Aurora asked her, rolling her eyes when Lana laughed loudly and nodded at her.

"I'm glad you know, you know…" Lana told her as they slipped back into silence, Aurora looking at her and cocking her head to one side. "I really hate keeping this secret from the people that I care the most about. Mostly, I was afraid that you'd run off like Dean did when he found out."

"Dean's a gigantic idiot." Aurora told her, and then laughed a little and nodded so that Lana could finish.

Lana smiled at her. "Yeah, I know that much, I just…Sam and Jen are the only people outside of my family that got it. Sam took off with Dean, but that was only to talk him into coming back, which I was thankful for. Everyone else that found out had to find their way around to it, and some people promised not to tell and then dropped out of contact with me. I didn't want that to happen with you so I just agreed with Sam to wait until he found the best way to tell you—he knows you better than me."

"At least longer…" Aurora admitted.

She couldn't help but feel like she understood, but it didn't stop her from being mad that she had been on the outside. Sam and Dean were always talking about how they had to know their partners inside and out just in case possession happened, or they ran into a shapeshifter—so why was it that they had kept her in the dark about Lana? Why hadn't Lana ignored the boys and told her even with her fear? It was her secret, not the boys'.

"I get why you did it, okay?" Aurora told her, reaching out and squeezing her hand. "I just wish you had thought enough of me to tell me."

Lana nodded slowly. "I deserve that…but for the record you're one of my best friends, Ror—and I trust you."

"Stop sucking up, I still love you." Aurora teased, and hugged Lana to her, feeling like she could do this…they would find a way to patch up this friendship.

"Love you too, Ror." Lana replied as she pulled back. "Now lets go yell at some boys."

Note: So there you go! Next chapter is kind of comedic with a fun baddie and I hope you enjoy! Feedback is always appreciated!