Summary: After the car accident, Blaire discovers things about herself that really begin to frighten her, but on their quest to stop the yellow-eyed demon, the Winchesters realise they have to be stronger than ever before. Please R&R.
Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or its characters. I only own Blaire Winchester. I don't own some of the lines used either.
A/N: Oh, holy christ! I'm so sorry for the late update! My God, I've not had the motiviation for this fic, however, I have plenty of scenes saved for the later fics and I can assure you, I'll try and update this every day or so.
Here's chapter nine, and again, I'm so sorry for my late update!
Hope you enjoy! xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The Paths We Tread: Facing Our Truth
Chapter Nine
Blaire awoke in the spare bed at Bobby's head snapping up at the sound of Dean's voice.
"What happened to her? Is she okay?"
She groaned and slammed her head into the pillows, not wanting to face her concerned brothers as they stood in Bobby's hallway.
"Dean, she just had a nightmare that really freaked her out and she wanted to check that nothing was gonna go wrong with you guys," Bobby said, covering the truth quite well so as not to worry her brothers, "We've checked, there's nothin' going on, so just leave her be, okay?"
"Where is she?" The older Winchester asked, Bobby sighing in response.
"Asleep upstairs...although, I bet she isn't now you two boneheads have come in screaming and shouting like that," he told them, "Just don't go charging up there all guns blazing, let me go and wake her up, huh? Make yourselves at home."
Blaire sat up slowly, hearing the knock on the door and seeing her father's friend enter with a gentle smile.
"Thank you." She whispered, Bobby nodding in response, holding on for a moment so it seemed like they'd had a conversation before leaving her to get dressed.
She pulled her clothes on quickly and packed her bags, freshening up before heading downstairs only for Dean to sweep her into his arms.
"Blaire, you had me worried sick, you idiot..."
"I'm sorry...I was just really freaked out..."
Dean sighed and gripped his baby sister tighter, releasing her and kissing her forehead.
"Don't you ever run away like that again...ever..." He said, trying not to sound too much like a parent telling off a child.
"Sorry, Dean...I'm sorry..."
Dean smiled and kissed her cheek, patting her back and saying his goodbyes to Bobby, as Sam and Blaire did before they all headed out to the Impala.
The Impala sped towards Philadelphia, the Winchesters all sat in an awkward silence in the car as they drove.
"Blaire?" Dean began, "You need to talk to us about anything?"
"No." Blaire replied, turning to gaze out of the window.
"You know you can if you need to, right?" Sam said, Blaire humming and nodding in response.
She wasn't exactly going to come out with what she'd gone to Bobby about. That was something not to be discussed in her mind; shove it to the back with the rest of the crap she'd been through recently.
"I know." She said, "Thanks, guys."
Dean didn't miss the tears that slid down her cheeks, ones which were quickly wiped away out of shame and embarrassment. She shouldn't be embarrassed about crying. She had a damn lot to cry about and both brothers knew they'd treated her poorly over the past few months. She needed their support, not to be ordered around and used as a slave by them. He focussed back on the road, both he and Sam unable to stop checking on her for the rest of the way.
They hadn't expected to run into Jo, but here she was, and Blaire was grateful for the female company. She and Jo got on okay but sometimes had their spats, and even though Blaire knew Jo wanted Dean she didn't mind because the girl seemed Dean's type. She was pretty, she was tough, but she did have a small lack of common sense. It wasn't safe to take on a case if you didn't know what you were doing, but she had a feeling that Jo would shine through.
"I'll flip you for the sofa." Jo said, Dean sighing and shaking his head.
"Does your mother even know you're here?" He asked.
Blaire knew the answer to that. Of course Ellen didn't know Jo was here. If Ellen knew Jo was there she'd be on her way up to drag her back to the Roadhouse by her hair.
"Told her I was going to Vegas." Jo said, Blaire huffing out a laugh.
"She really gonna buy that?"
"I'm not an idiot." Jo huffed, "I got Ash to lay a credit card trail all the way to the casinos."
"No way!" Blaire laughed, "Let me tell you, your mom ain't an idiot either. She'll never buy that."
"You know, you shouldn't lie to your mom." Dean said, Blaire and Sam nodding in agreement, "Shouldn't be here either."
"Well, I am. So untwist your boxers and deal with it."
"Hey, don't talk to him like that, okay?" Blaire spat, Jo turning and glaring at her, earning a scary glare back from the middle Winchester.
"Where'd you get all that money from, anyways?" Sam asked, trying to cool things down before Blaire lost her temper.
She'd been really touchy about things recently, things getting her angry to the point where she'd walk away from him and Dean with tears rolling down her face. He knew there was something really...awful going on in her head and he wanted to know what so he could help her, but it seemed she just wouldn't open up. She was turning into Dean. Sam could see it every day, watching her slowly become more like her older brother both in looks and personality, except of course, less perverted and more compassionate. It worried him.
"Working, at the Roadhouse." Jo said, sounding really proud of herself.
"Hunters don't tip that well." Dean told her.
"Exactly," Blaire replied, "We have to hustle pool to earn our notes, so where the hell did all yours come from?"
"Well, hunters aren't that good at poker, either." Jo said smugly, Dean turning when his cell phone began to ring.
"Yeah?"
"Is she with you?"
"Oh, hi, Ellen."
"She left a note she's in Vegas." Ellen said, "I don't believe it for a second."
Blaire could tell what was being said and she smirked at Jo.
"Told you." She mumbled, Jo throwing her a poisonous glare before sighing.
Dean covered the mouthpiece of the phone and he looked to Jo.
"I'm telling her."
The pair broke into a muttered argument before Dean heard Ellen again.
"Dean?"
"I haven't seen her." Dean lied, hating himself for doing so.
He shouldn't lie to Ellen, he knew that, but he just gave in to Jo that once.
"You sure about that?" Ellen asked.
"Yeah, I'm sure." Dean replied.
"Well, please. If she shows up, you'll drag her butt right back here, won't you?" Ellen begged, Dean nodding and swallowing thickly at the desperation in the older woman's voice.
"Absolutely."
Blaire and Jo decided to head out while Sam and Dean did a little research, going for a coffee in a nearby coffee shop just to have a chat and try and get to know each other better.
"What's it like being able to hunt all the time?" Jo asked, "I always wanted to but my mom...she was so protective. I never understood why..."
"It's not as awesome as it seems, Jo." Blaire replied, "I know that better than anyone."
Jo knew that something bad must have happened to Blaire. She could see a tragic grief in her eyes all the time that was more than the loss of her parents. There was something that cut into her so much deeper and Jo had been yearning to know what it was, but had never had the opportunity to ask. She had now...so she took it.
"What happened?"
Jo didn't know about Ashley. Blaire hadn't mentioned the baby to anyone other than Ash and Ellen, because really, Ellen had been a good friend to her and Ash had overheard.
"My father..." Blaire began, "He...I got pregnant...by a vampire. I didn't know the guy was a vampire; he didn't bite me or attack me...he just kissed me and held me like I was the most precious thing in the world."
Jo nodded as she tried to empathise and understand, letting Blaire continue but not missing the tears in her eyes as they brimmed to the edges of her eyelids.
"My dad's pissed, and he lets me carry this baby...then I get to the fourth month and I start to show..." Blaire continued, Jo's stomach dropping as she thought of what horrible event could be coming next in this story, "It's a few weeks before I get to find out if I have a boy or a girl...and he stabs me while I'm asleep...and kills the baby."
Jo gasped and covered her mouth, tears spilling down Blaire's face which she quickly wiped away.
"I never knew what my baby was...so I called it Ashley..."
A tear fell down Jo's face, the young woman unable to stop it falling. This poor girl had been stabbed by her own father, and had lost her child...she'd lost her baby. That was horrific for anyone but for Blaire to go through it like that? Good God, it was barbarick!
"I'm so sorry..." She whispered, "I had no idea..."
"No, it's fine..." Blaire replied, wiping her eyes and drinking the rest of her coffee, "Come on...let's go have a look at that file, huh?"
Dean was pacing, the movements making Blaire uneasy so she got up and joined Jo who was looking at some blueprints. Blaire took out her knife, spinning and flipping it around in her hand.
"This place was built in 1924." Jo explained, "It was originally a warehouse, converted into apartments a few months ago."
"Yeah?" Dean asked, "What was here before 1924."
"Nothing. Empty field." Jo replied, Sam and Blaire sharing looks before the youngest Winchester spoke up.
"So, most likely scenario, someone died bloody in the building, and now he's back and raising hell." Sam suggested, everyone growing tired of Dean's pacing.
"I already checked. In the past eighty two years, zero violent deaths." Jo told them, "Unless you count a janitor who slipped on a wet floor."
"Would you sit down?" Blaire asked Dean, the older Winchester sitting straight away before turning back to Jo.
"So, have you checked police reports, county death records...?"
"Obituaries, mortuary reports and seven other sources." Jo said, "I know what I'm doing."
"I think the jury's still out on that one." Dean scowled, turning to Blaire who was still spinning that knife, "Could you put the knife down?"
Blaire slammed the knife on the table, making everyone jump before she just stood glaring at her brother, making him a little uneasy while Sam, bless his heart, yet again tried to break the tension.
"Okay! So, uh, it's something else, then." He suggested, anything to stop a fight, "Maybe some kind of cursed object that brought a spirit with it."
"Well, we've got to scan the whole building." Jo said, "Everywhere we can get to, right?"
"Right. So." Dean began, standing and looking at Jo, "You and me, we'll take the top two floors."
"We'd move faster if we split up." Jo protested.
"Oh, this isn't negotiable." Dean replied, the two sharing long looks before Jo bit her lip and went to get ready, Dean turning to his siblings, "You guys just chill for a while, huh?"
"I'm sorry about Ash..." Sam said as he and Blaire looked through some books in the apartment, his older sister glancing up from hers at him, "That you guys didn't work out...you were a good match..."
"It's fine, Sam." Blaire replied.
"Blaire, I know you're hurting..."
"It's fine, Sam."
Sam kept quiet for a moment before joining his sister at the table, taking her book away from her hands and holding them in his own enormous ones, giving her those puppy eyes she couldn't bear to deny.
"Don't look at me like that." She told him, "Please, Sam..."
"Blaire, I...I'm worried about you, okay?" Sam whispered, "Please, let me help you..."
"Sam...I don't need help, okay?" Blaire replied, "I don't, I'm fine...honest."
She was lying, and Sam knew she was, but he didn't push her any further. She needed a clear head, plus, he didn't want to hurt her or upset her. It was bad enough she was still upset about the fact he and Dean hadn't told her about his powers until she found out from the yellow-eyed demon as he possessed their father. Blaire was suffering before their eyes and the brothers were powerless to stop it, Sam trying his best to find ways to help her.
"What do you think of Jo?" Sam asked, Blaire sighing and smiling.
"She's cool." Blaire said, "Certainly knows a thing or two, but the question is...is she a good enough hunter? And I'm talking about the actual fighting..."
"Yeah, she's cool and all..." Sam replied, "But we all know who she's got her eye on here...and it's not good...not on a job like this."
"Exactly." Blaire sighed, "I just hope Dean can keep his best friend in his pants and Jo can keep her jeans on while we're here...if they end up in some weird kind of relationship and Ellen finds out, we're all screwed."
Sam laughed as Blaire did, the older Winchester looking at her baby brother and kissing his cheek.
"C'mon, Sammy Boy." She laughed, "Help me clean my knives and guns, huh?"
"Okay." Sam smiled, the pair heading over to a decent space before beginning their work, chatting and happily discussing music and movies until the job was done.
It was rare that Blaire and Sam got to spend time together, so for this, Blaire was grateful. She just hoped that these powers of Sam's wouldn't get in the way and that her own wouldn't get any worse...because she was growing fearful for them all, especially after what she'd found out at Bobby's.
Blaire had some time in the apartment alone that night, the others going out for a beer. She sighed and rested against the couch, looking upward and closing her eyes.
"Mom...what do I do?"
"Be strong, baby." Mary replied, sitting by her daughter, "It's all you can do."
Blaire looked at her mother's spirit, the gorgeous woman stroking a hand through Blaire's blonde locks.
"My God, you're so beautiful..." Mary whispered, "You're just like Dean...you've got your daddy's smile, I know that much."
Blaire sighed, and let a tear fall down her face.
"Mom...Mom, I don't know what do about...what we spoke about," Blaire said softly, "I don't know if I can take the strain of keeping that a secret..."
"Your brothers can't find out, Blaire." Mary replied, "You've gotta be strong, honey. Be strong for me...for your father..."
Blaire felt her mother's lips against her temple.
"So, Sammy doesn't believe you yet, huh...about your powers?" She asked, the middle Winchester sighing.
"He...he took me up on it...and I got too upset, so I got out of the car, but I don't know if he does or not," Blaire replied, "I think though, in time...he'll have to believe me."
"I'm sure he will." Mary replied, kissing her daughter's cheek gently, "Goodbye, sweetheart."
"Bye, Mom." Blaire said softly, "Love you."
"Love you too, angel."
With that, Mary was gone, leaving Blaire with her conflicting thoughts raging around her head like a huge storm, mixing into an enormous tornado which she knew would just destroy her state of mind, so she shut it in the back of her mind, locking it away for as long as she could.
She really was becoming more and more like Dean.
-TBC-
Hope you enjoyed this very late update!
Please feel free to review! I'll update ASAP!
Thanks for reading so far!
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