For half of the ride, they rode in tense silence before he eventually broke the ice and growled, "Who was that prick, anyway?"
"He's not a prick." Colette spat back, "And if you had just left like I said, he wouldn't have gotten all touchy."
"What, you're saying this is my fault?!"
She scoffed and didn't respond, turning her body and staring out the window. Her head was still throbbing, but she chose to ignore it. See, she was more concerned with how the fuck Mark would get home in one piece. If Dean had just left when she asked, Mark wouldn't have seen them together and wouldn't have began to get handsy; trying to show the older Winchester she was taken. Pft, as if Dean cared. Colette concluded Mark's whole scene to be rather ridiculous as Dean didn't even think of her in that light. Hell, she sometimes had disputes with herself on whether or not he liked her in general.
Once again, the ride shifted into uncomfortable awkwardness before Dean let out a hum of annoyance and turned to her, "Where'd you even meet your boyfriend, anyway?"
The way he said it, as if he was talking about demons or monsters, made Cole grow angrier, but she chose to keep her cool and calmy, simply responded, "Boston."
"Massachusetts?" He snorted, "What the hell were you doin' up there?"
"What's it to you?" She snapped, that calm exterior deteriorating quite quickly. "Look, Dean, we would've been fine, Mark and I, if you had just gone when I told you too. You don't know him like I do and he's sweet and kind and-"
"Colette," He growled, filled with so much raw anger it froze her in rant. Dean couldn't focus on the road and knew he'd end up drifting, so decided to park on the side of the road and completely shifted so now his full attention was placed on her, "he hit you. Hit. Bobby would've murdered him, Cole. No exaggeration; there'd be missing reports everywhere. I don't give a tap-dancing fuck what he's like sober, it's the fact he's clearly an alcoholic with anger issues who can't control his liquor. And you know where girlfriends of these sickos end up? In ditches."
She snarled deeply. Who was he? Who the fuck was he to tell her about Mark James; the man who helped her through one of the toughest times in her life? She was homeless, shuffling from hotel to hotel and barely getting enough money to get by. She could only win so many poker games, and then Mark came along and helped her. She owed him. She... she was pretty damn sure she needed him.
Refusing to put up with Dean's disgusting attitude, she opened Baby's door and slammed it shut. Just as she did that though, the previous pain from hours earlier slammed into her and she groaned aloud. She'd rather walk in torture than deal with his prissy-smartass comments. As Cole began walking though, she wasn't sure if she hated him right then and there because of what he had said so many years ago and deep down she hadn't forgiven him or because his rude remarks hit too close to home. Sighing deeply, she came to the conclusion that all she knew was that Dean was now tailing her with the car, calling from the window for her to get inside Baby. Her legs were still aching and throbbing and because she began to sway due to the pounding pain to the side of her head, she obeyed and climbed in.
Dean knew when Cole got out and began to sway, she was exhausted. He knew it had to do with the pain she was undoubtly working through, but something he had always found amusing was how she would sway when she was tired and walking. When they were younger and he'd usher her to bed, she'd always wobble around like a penguin without realizing it and would sleepily place one unstable foot in front of the other. The majority of times, the older Winchester was forced into the position of either having Cole lean on him as they walked towards her bedroom, or just down right carrying her into bed. Smirking slightly to himself, he turned his attention back to the road and began to drive and within in minutes, Colette was out like a light; fifteen minutes later, her head was against Dean's shoulder.
At first, the Winchester went to shrug her off, not realizing she was asleep and quickly looked over expecting to see her either attempting to annoy him or distract him. He hadn't expected her to go to sleep that quickly so when he turned and saw her asleep, he froze. Sure, he knew she was tired, but... this quickly? Dean bit the side of his cheek to stop himself from smiling and very carefully lifted his arm to turn the volume of the music down. Her curled position in the passenger's seat reminded him of when they were younger and Bobby would be taking the three of them home after eating out at a small shack nearby. Sammy always insisted on getting shotgun which left Colette and Dean to share back seat. Cole always was exhausted after eating such a big meal and ended up falling asleep on Dean's shoulder, or lap, or sometimes would sprawl out on the back seat, her head by her door and her feet on his lap.
Those memories though turned sour when the one of their fight clouded everything else and he sighed, gripping the steerwheel with his one free hand tightly. He really didn't mean it. God, he didn't. And when days flew by and she didn't return, the guilt began to swallow him inside out. And just picturing that buffed up idiot, Mark- what type of name is Mark?-, cooing her and holding her and allowing her to rest her head against his shoulder only angered him. Not to mention the asshole had the audacity to lay a hand on her. Dean was beyond pissed when his hand was on her thigh, but when it met her cheek and she collapsed to the ground, he lost it. No one hurt her like that and got away with it. No one.
A sudden wash of jealousy waved into his body and he shook it off as instantly as it came.
Deciding to forget everything once and for all, he took a deep breath and kept his attention on the road and soft music rather than their memories. At some point during the ride it occured to him to call the hunters and tell them he was on his way home with Cole, so he did. He also, to focus on something else, counted a few of the cars that'd pass by and would guess their occupation. A lot of them he deemed as fat alcoholics. God, he disliked alcoholics. Hypocritically considering he wasn't necessarily one of the most sober people in the world, but so be it.
Colette was surprisingly light. Not that she was fat in any way shape or form, it was just that Dean expected a woman to be... a bit heavier. He hasn't necessarily had the best record with women, and carrying them in his arms the way he was with Cole wasn't something he did often, so he just assumed them to not be as light as she was. But she proved him wrong, even sleeping, and he was now closing Baby's door with his foot, her head slumped against his chest as his arms secured her to him underneath her legs and underneath her back. He knew she'd yell at him if he woke her, and deciding it was probably best to let her sleep, he resorted to this option.
Dean placed her in her bed after getting her to her room and closed the door, trudging back to the fridge and grabbing a beer. His fists were still slightly clenched and when Sam and Bobby walked into the room they both gaped. The older Winchester rose his eyebrows before getting easily fed up with their stupid looks and grumbled, "What?"
"Dude... what the hell happened to you?"
He furrowed his eyebrows for a second before registering what his brother was saying and shrugged, "I'm pretty sure Cole doesn't have a boyfriend anymore."
Bobby's face twisted with anger and disgust and was cut off when Sam growled, "You killed someone?!"
"What- no, no. Just... talked some sense into him." He paused, rethinking his statement before altering it and saying, "Without the talking part. More with physical contact hand gestures."
"She has- had a boyfriend? She's not allowed to have one of those until she's married!" Bobby snarled, "Boys are stupid and ridiculous and'll break her heart!"
Dean shrugged before sipping his glass, "I dunno. Some Mark dude. Complete alcoholic who can't hold his beer. Ended up throwin' one at Cole and I made him regret i-"
"He hit her?!" The two shouted, both clearly showing signs of unpleasant emotions.
Dean nodded again before pursing his lips, "She's asleep now. Long day. I don't think she'll be leaving this time either, she was out." He bit his lip, contemplating whether or not he should ask before he concluded with a what the hell and looked to Bobby, "What are we going to do with her? She doesn't want to stay here, but we finally have her back..."
Bobby adjusted his cap, cracking open his own beer before looking to the table, thinking hard, and then answering, "I know my Cole. She'll come around." He muttered something under his breath neither of the boys caught but they decided to shrug off.
Sammy nodded before announcing that he was exhausted and headed off to bed. Dean emptied his bottle, patted Bobby on the back, and headed to his own room which was across from Sam and next to Cole's. Bobby stayed in the kitchen, shaking his head with frustration and polishing another bottle before heading to his own bed. The boys would be up in a few hours and every minute of sleep was crucial in the hunter life-style.
Colette woke up the next morning with a spearing headache and a shit ton of memories from the previous day that slammed into her like a brick wall. Cole noticed her body seemed to have lost the fizzle-effect to it and she silently thanked any source bigger than herself for that and stretched. She groaned, rolled out of bed, and headed towards the bathroom. It was quite early, maybe five fifteen-ish, and she was positive everyone else was asleep. She shuffled into the bathroom, stripping of clothes and double checking to make sure she had a towel. Too many times had she forgotten that ghasted thing and had to either ask Mark for one or sprint to her room before he saw. Thankfully, the few times she was unfortunate enough for it to happen, he was always else where so never witnessed her naked flee.
The shower was hot, blistering and she jumped from how it practically melted her skin off. She attempted to play with the knob, adjusting the temperature until it was perfect and then beginning to cleanse and hum to herself. The water seemed to grow cool over time, however, and as she turned it hotter and hotter, she realized the temperature was getting abnormally hot. The issue was, she couldn't feel it. Well, she could, but not to the extent of the heat she knew the water was at. It felt like a nice, hot shower but she knew that the water was probably boiling. Her skin was glowing red and in some spots it was searing hot, but to the rest of her body it was just a typical half-way-turned-knob shower.
Eventually, she got out and dried herself. Cole wrapped the towel around her body before wrapping her hair into one of the smaller towels meant for that purpose and tying it at the top of her head. She walked out of the bathroom to be greeted by the line of two shirtless Winchesters, one in boxers and the other in sweats, and her father at the very back with pajamas on. They all glared at her and she rose her eyebrows and shrugged, "What?"
Sam scoffed, being first in line, and walked into the bathroom. Dean stepped forward and narrowed his eyes slightly, "We've been standing out here for God know's how long waiting for you to get out of that damn bathroom."
Colette shrugged and tightened the towel around her before a smirk appeared on her face, "It takes time looking as pretty as I do." She then walked off to her room laughing about her stupid joke and shut the door.
Bobby grumbled and when Dean turned, he smiled at the grin that was on the older hunter's face, "At least she's in a better mood today."
Once everyone had gotten cleaned up and had all shaken off the exhaustion mornings bring, they all headed to the kitchen. Cole, Dean, Sam, and Bobby all sat around the table eating breakfast when Sam pulled up a case in Georgia. Cole hadn't really thought of what would happen after all of this flew by; whether she'd go back to Mark or stay with the boys or just head off by herself. One case with them, wouldn't hurt though... plus she still wasn't in perfect shape and really didn't want to see Mark right now. God, her head still hurt. Sighing, she stuffed her face of toast and eggs and listened to Sammy as he spoke.
"Get this. Husband of the local bakery woman in a small town in Georgia, Senoia, was reported missing a few weeks back and was found cracked apart behind a grocery store."
"Excuse me?" Dean muffled between pieces of eggs.
"Cracked?" Bobby echoed, "What do you mean?"
Sam shrugged as he took his own bite of the toast, "I don't know. It just says, '...was found cracked apart a few hours ago after police discovered his decaying body behind a grocery store. His body was broken into a million pieces like shattered glass, but everything was perfect and precise. Almost as if they were puzzle pieces...'." He shrugged again, "I dunno, but it sounds like our kind of thing."
The other three shared glances before they each nodded in agreement. People cracking apart was definitely up their alley and Colette was sure she'd be sticking around for a few more weeks only because she wanted to see what creature makes people into puzzles and she swore to herself she'd only stay for the case. That's it; nothing more and nothing less.
