Chapter Nine: The Roadhouse
We walked back to the car. I was walking between my two men. We were all so exhausted I could hardly believe it. Dean took my hand in his. I smiled at him and he gave me the best he could muster up. It had been a tough kill. The spirit was more corporeal then we would have hoped. It had been nice enough to shove me into the flames of its burning bones before it disappeared. Dean, naturally, jumped in after me which made Sam jump in. So we cooked ourselves momentarily before dragging our sorry asses out of the fire. I was the only one with a legit excuse for the burns. Dean was stupid enough to follow me and Sam was even stupider then him and was the third to follow suit. Apparently he was attempting to save us. He didn't jump in but fell after trying to grab his brother. Who really knows? I still think he was just too stupid and followed suit.
"You okay?" Dean asked when we got into the car.
"Mildly burned. I'll be all right." I told him. "Though you are in some serious shit when we get back to the hotel."
"What? Why?" He asked.
"You jumped in after me." I told him.
"What was I supposed to do? Let you burn?" He countered.
"I could have gotten out by myself but no, you jumped in and made your brother jump in." I replied. "Sammy, if he jumped off a bridge would you do it too?" I asked him.
"Probably." He said tending to some burns on his hand.
I frowned at his brother and crossed my arms only to feel pain sear through my arm. "Damn it." I said looking at the burn across the top of my right forearm. "Ouch."
"You okay?" Dean asked me again.
"You can kiss it and make it better later." I smiled at him.
"Yeah?" He grinned.
"Yeah." I replied, kissing him gently.
We spent the rest of the night tending to our burns. My arm was the worst but at least my back wasn't burned. Poor Dean had a nice burn on his left shoulder blade. I gently rubbed burn ointment on it. I kissed his neck as he flinched a little from the pain.
"Poor baby." I whispered.
"I'll be okay." He told me.
"That's what you get for jumping in after me." I told him.
"I'd do it again in a heartbeat. I'd do anything for you." He replied sweetly.
I smiled and kissed him deeply. "I'd do anything for you too."
I waited while Dean went on a coffee run. My hand moved to my neck, so happy to feel the metal against my neck. Sam was still asleep in the other bed. I had a sketchbook open on my lap and turned my attention back to it. I smiled as I continued to draw. The book had filled up fast. Most of them were of Dean but Sam made more then one appearance as well as what I remembered of John and of the people I met in heaven. Bella even made an appearance. It was a nice way to pass the time between jobs. Drawing and journal entries. Well, those and Dean. My mind moved to him again, like it usually did. I was happily drifting into a fantasy when the door opened and my fantasy came to life.
"Hey." I smiled at him.
He put down the coffee and walked over to me. "Morning beautiful." He smiled and kissed me.
I grinned as he handed me my cup of coffee. He took the sketchbook from my hands and paged through it. I just watched him and sipped the yummy beverage.
"I know you went to school for this so I assumed you could draw but jeez…" He said and stopped.
"What?" I smiled at him. "Didn't actually believe I had talent?"
He smirked at me. "It's not that. You're just much better then I thought you were." He said and kissed me again.
"Gee, thanks baby, I really appreciate that." I smiled at him.
"You know what I mean." He frowned.
"Yeah, I do." I said getting off of the bed. I walked over to the bed Sam was in and crawled into it next to him. He was on his stomach. I laid on mine and ran my fingers through his hair. "Sammy." I whispered. "Oh, Sammy." I said and kissed his head. "Time to wake up." He groaned a little. I smiled and kissed his head again. "Sam." I said a little louder. He cracked open his eyes and looked at me. "Morning sunshine." I smiled at him. He smiled back. I kissed his head again before smacking his ass. "Come on, the coffee's here." I told him as I rolled off of the bed.
"Hey you…" I said walking over to Dean. I put my lips next to his ear and whispered, "I'm going to take a shower. Are you going to join me?" I gently bit his ear as I set the coffee down, making my way to the bathroom.
He made no time in following me. I grinned when he slammed the door behind him. The shower was the most fun I'd had since I'd been back. Maybe that was just because I was with Dean. The bed sex was great but sex in the shower was fantastic. Only it was over much too soon and I heard Sam in the other room. Our third wheel. I had a better sense of guilt now that I was back. Knowing that Dean and I were so wrapped up in each other that he was left behind. I didn't want him to be left behind anymore.
We were in the car again on our way to some roadhouse. The name sounded familiar but I couldn't place where I'd heard it from. Other then that it must have been from John. I darkened the line across John's jaw as I finished the drawing.
"I'm almost sorry I got you that." Dean told me teasingly.
"Why?" I smiled at him.
"You're very distracted when you're drawing." He replied.
I smiled at him. "Yeah, but one word from you or Sam and I'd be nothing less then attentive." I replied.
"We're almost there." Dean smiled taking my hand.
I kissed his palm before putting the sketchbook into my bag. He parked in front of the Roadhouse and I looked at it. I was nervous again. Not as much as with Bobby but nervous enough. Dean got out and I looked over my shoulder at Sam. He winked and smiled before opening the door. I took a deep breath and got out. I walked around and stood next to Sam. Linking my arm with his, I rested my cheek against his arm. He kissed the top of my head linking his fingers with mine.
"We need to talk, have a few drinks." I told him.
"Something wrong?" He asked.
"No." I said shaking my head. "We haven't talked much since I've been back, or before I was gone, and feel the need to spend some time with my Sammy." I smiled up at him.
He smiled and kissed my forehead. "Sounds good."
I grinned and let his hand go. I went to Dean's side and he wrapped his arm around my waist. Mine did the same and I kissed his cheek. I fell behind him as he stepped through the door. I was perfectly happy until I heard a voice that made me frown.
"Dean!" A young woman said rushing to him.
It was an immediate and involuntary reaction. My eyes narrowed and it took all of me to keep the smile on my face. She was shorter then me and was a skinny blond. The type I could see Dean with. Only he was mine and that was the way I was going to keep it. I was staring at them, not realizing that I had stopped abruptly. Sam walked into me and I glanced at him over my shoulder. He already could see what caused my stop. He moved me from the doorway and stepped past me.
"Jo." He said friendly enough.
The blond let go of Dean and put her arms around Sam. I was just as possessive of him. Even though it wasn't very fair. I crossed my arms, watching. I was starting to stare when someone else came out. She was older, clearly the blonds mother. She seemed equally as happy to see the boys as her daughter. I just waited to be noticed. I saw the blonds eyes move over me but she was busily keeping the Winchesters attention. I frowned, drumming my fingers on my arm. But a moment later Dean was at my side. It took me out of my angry thoughts. He put his lips in my hair, telling me to be good. He must have noticed my expression before I could erase it. I smiled at him and let him lead me forward.
"This is Evy." He told them. "Evy, this is Jo and Ellen."
"Hi." I smiled at them.
"Evy?" Ellen said with an odd expression on her face. I nodded. "Your dead girlfriend?" She asked Dean.
My smile all but disappeared and I looked up at Dean. His face was hard. I put my hand on his chest my other moving to the back of his head. "It's okay." I whispered as I gently played with his hair. He looked at me and smiled. I smiled back before turning back to them. "Yes." I said stepping up to them. "I'm the dead girlfriend."
"You look alive to me." Jo said with a somewhat cocky look on her face.
My smile didn't falter at her words. I was proud of myself for that. "I was dead. A distant friend of ours made a deal with a crossroads demon and I was brought back. Lost my memory for a while but was reunited with the boys here almost a month ago." I explained.
"And you two just thought of bringing her around now?" Ellen told them with a smile. "It's good to meet you." She said putting her arm around me. "Come on. Let's have a beer and talk." She smiled.
"Sounds good." I grinned and followed her to the bar.
We spent the next several hours drinking, eating and talking. I wasn't afraid to confide in Ellen. I was more leery of Jo and was vaguer when she was around. Ellen seemed to catch on to this and usually had something for her to do. Maybe it was because of the way Jo looked at Dean. The way she walked around and "cleaned" the tables. It was driving me crazy. But truth be told, I did really like Ellen. I was mostly drunk when the night was already half over. I was laughing at something we were talking about, but it got serious faster then I would have liked.
"Are you happy to be back?" She asked.
"Of course I am." I told her.
"Don't you miss it?"
I looked at her before finishing off my latest beer. I opened another and took a swig before I leaned on the table. I nodded and looked at her. "Of course I do. There were things there that were wonderful. The power to be able to do anything you want but still feel human. The feeling of being whole and that you had lived a good life." I said and frowned. I felt myself pull away, feeling the distant look in my eyes as I recalled my heaven. "Knowing that it was okay to be gone. That you were complete." I said and looked at her.
"So that's what heaven is like?" Ellen said with a small smile.
"Yeah, but there was also a lot of pain. A lot of sadness."
"Dean?" She asked.
I smiled and nodded. "Even an afterlife isn't any good without him. In time you adjust but for me, in life or death, without him is nothing. I had a lot of dark days in heaven." I replied. I heard footsteps and then felt his lips against my hair. "Hey, baby." I smiled closing my eyes.
"Hey." He whispered in my ear. I looked up at him. His lips met mine in a sweet kiss. "We were thinking we should get going."
"Okay." I smiled at him, kissing him again. "I'll be right out."
"Okay." He said kissing my forehead before he left.
"We should talk again." I told Ellen. "There is more to say."
"You were with John for a while weren't you?" She asked. I nodded. "You know something I don't?" She asked.
"I don't know if you know it or not but I need to say a few things about something. In John's memory if nothing else." I told her.
She nodded and just looked at me. "I think I understand what you're saying."
I smiled at her. "Thank you, Ellen, for the nice evening. I almost forgot what it was like to talk to another woman."
"Anytime, sweetie." She smiled back.
She stood and walked me to the door. We hugged briefly before I stumbled out to the car. Sam had the door open for me while Dean started the car. I slid in and sunk low, putting my knees against the dash. We had barely been moving five minutes before I was asleep. I barely remembered when we got to the hotel. Dean tried to wake me up but I was perfectly intoxicated and wasn't going to be moving myself anywhere.
"Come on, baby." Dean said kissing my hair before pulling me out of the car.
I vaguely remembered him carrying me into the room but as soon as my head hit the pillow I was out cold.
When I opened my eyes Dean was holding me. I had my arm draped across his chest. He was gently running his fingers through my hair. My eyes felt heavy but I lifted my head enough to look at him. He grinned and kissed my forehead. I smiled and rested my head back on his chest. I could hear his heartbeat under my ear. My eyes felt even heavier as the sound became the only thing I could hear. I closed my eyes and fell asleep again.
We were running. Me, the Winchesters, as well as the Harvelle's. The Roadhouse came into view and we rushed inside. We locked the doors and the windows. A sound was heard as they sped around the building. The sound of their steps swiftly circling. The five of us took a position at different points of the building. Soon there was the sound of breaking glass and fire erupted in the roadhouse. I moved to put out the flames nearest to me as the others did the same. That was when the door opened and shots rang out in the room. I raised my gun and shot them, but it did no good. They came and I was thrown. I scrambled to my feet and dashed for the bar, a knife sitting on the table. The beheading started and didn't end for several minutes. It wasn't until the threat was gone when any of us stopped to assess the damage. Dean was missing. I ran through the wreckage and found him. Bullet holes littering his body. He was gone before the fighting had stopped.
I shot awake, gasping as the throbbing in my head dulled. Dean was still holding me. I leaned back against him as I wrapped my head around what I just saw. I thought I was going to be okay but then a wave of nausea hit me and I ran to the bathroom, vomiting into the toilet. When I was done I sank to the floor and leaned against the tub. A moment later Dean and Sam were there with me. I had tears in my eyes and I didn't want to open them in fear of the tears falling. I didn't want to cry before I could explain. I felt Dean's arms on mine and I opened my eyes. The tears slid down my cheeks and he wiped them away.
"What did you see?" He asked.
"You…dead." I told him. They didn't seem to be phased. "I think it was vampires. A large group of them. They chased us to the Roadhouse and threw flaming bottles through the windows. They came in with guns. They emptied them before the fighting began. The beheading…" I said and trailed off. "When the fighting stopped you weren't standing with me." I said and looked at him. "When I found you, you were gone. Shot to death."
"It's fine." Dean told me.
"How can you say that? I am so sick of seeing you die." I said standing. "I didn't come back from the grave to put you in yours."
"It's fine because we're going to leave town." He told me.
Sam's phone sounded and he left the room. I watched him go; knowing that it would be the call that would keep us here.
"This is terrible." I told him.
"Don't worry about it." He replied.
"Dean." I said taking his face in my hands. "Please take this seriously. I don't think we can find a faith healer fast enough to save you from this one."
He smiled and kissed me deeply. "We'll get out of dodge."
"We have a problem." Sam said coming back in.
I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair. My hangover now showing itself. "Don't tell me, Sammy, trouble with the Roadhouse?" I asked.
"Near the Roadhouse." Sam replied.
"Vampires?" I asked.
"Jo caused some trouble." Sam told us.
"Figures." I said crossing my arms.
"I'll kill her." Dean replied.
But it didn't matter. We needed to help Jo out of her mess. Help Ellen keep her daughter around for a while longer. It didn't take much to realize that my premonition was going to come true. There was little in the area but Jo managed to pick a fight with the leader of a rather large vampire gang. By the time we got there she was surrounded and nearly monster chow before we interceded.
"Hey, Cujo, pick on someone your own size." I yelled as I got out of the car.
"Like you sweet cheeks?" The leader grinned as he stepped toward me.
Dean and Sam appeared at my sides. I grinned at the vampire as Jo tore away from one of the others. A moment later there was a honk and Ellen appeared. It was, of course, a bad idea. She attempted to help by hitting a few of them but that only fuelled their tempers and the gun shots started to sound. I didn't want to go to the hospital but I foresaw a full room of friends. I'd be happy if we all stayed out of the morgue. It was only a few minutes later when the running started.
"Dean! It's happening!" I shouted to him.
"It'll be fine." He shouted back.
We returned to the Roadhouse and did what I had seen us do. Made sure everything was locked.
"Do you have a fire extinguisher?" I asked Ellen.
"What?" She asked rather shocked.
"A fire extinguisher, do you have one?" I repeated more frantically.
She ran and retrieved one from behind the counter. I held tight to it and walked toward where the first one was supposed to come through. A moment later the first one came. I put it out quickly and then a few others that were thrown. But the number of bottles that came through was nothing like what I saw in my vision.
"Shit." I whispered.
"What is it?" Dean asked from my side.
"The future is subject to change." I told him.
"Meaning?" Ellen asked.
"I think we should drop to the ground." I told them.
"Are you serious?" Jo asked me.
I didn't have a chance to ream her out when the shooting started. I knocked her to the ground. It was only a few rounds before it stopped. I immediately thought of Dean. I whipped around and saw him looking at me. I took a deep breath and moved into a crouch. I was going to move toward him but the shooting started again. I dropped to the ground but watched as he made his way toward me. I shot up and ran at him knocking him down.
"What do you think you are doing?" I whispered harshly to him.
"Me? What about you?" He shot back.
"Don't move." I told him.
"What are you going to do?" He frowned at me.
"Find a way to kill these bastards." I told him and crawled toward the nearest broken window. I looked out and saw several vampires surrounding the Roadhouse. "Shit." I said again and went too move back to Dean. I was nearly there when the shots started to fire again. I moved back against the wall. "Get behind the bar!" I yelled to them. "Go!" I yelled. I watched as they started to move toward it. "This is great. This is really great." I whispered to myself. "I can do this. All I need to do is make a diversion." I said convincing myself.
"Evy, come on." Dean told me.
"Just go." I told him.
"Don't do it." He told me.
"Remember what I told you about saving people?" I asked him. He nodded. "Well, this is one of those times. Now go." He just looked at me. "Go." I told him harshly.
He moved toward the bar and I stood and quickly pushed off, running across the perimeter of the building. The firing had started as soon as I had taken the first step. I raced the bullets as I heard them penetrate the walls and windows behind me. It seemed to be going well, but that could never last. The day something actually went as planned would be the day demons no longer existed. I was nearly to the bar when I tripped, my ankle throbbing. I got up but fell again.
"Damn it!" I yelled. "Why is it always the ankle?" I yelled and looked behind me. The vampires were starting to come through the windows. The leader stepped up to me. He was about to give me a nice backhand but was stopped. Someone stood next to him. The lights came on and I stared at the vampire in front of me. "Kate…" I said looking at her.
"Evy." The vampire said holding out her hand.
"What are you doing here and why the hell are you helping me?" I said but took her hand anyway. I recognized one or two of the others.
"This is my new family." She told me.
"We ruined your life. Why would you help me now?" I asked her.
"I kind of like you." She smiled.
"Why?" I smiled back. "Because I can handle being fed off of?"
"Evy…" I heard Dean say but his tone was cold only I knew it wasn't toward me.
"You have guts. And I know you didn't mean for Luther to die." She told me.
I looked at her and my smile faltered. "No, I wouldn't wish that on anyone." I told her sadly.
"Are we honestly going to let them escape?" The one who I thought was the leader asked her.
"Yes." She shot at him. Clearly Kate was the one running the show.
I gave a short laugh. "Thank you." I told her.
"Mind if we stay for a drink?" Kate asked. "For my trouble and all?"
"It's on the house." I told her and went to the bar.
Everyone was standing up now, looking extremely nervous. I seemed to be the only one who wasn't. I sat on a stool while Kate sat next to me. I reached behind the bar and grabbed a bottle of whiskey. I looked at her and she nodded. I grabbed two shot glasses, filling them. We took the shot and smiled. Though we could feel the several sets of eyes on us.
"Hey, boys. Why don't you clean this place up?" Kate told her men.
They started to right the tables and pick up the debris while my group continued to watch unbelievingly.
"Hey Kate, long time no see." Dean grinned moving to my side, though it wasn't a happy grin.
"Dean." She smiled. "Sam." She said when he stepped next to his brother.
"Kate." Sam said but his tone was unsure.
"Does anyone else find this the slightest bit odd?" Ellen asked.
"Not so much." I smiled at her. Jo was behind her mother still looking rather afraid.
"So, I hear you died." Kate told me.
I took a shot and nodded. "Yup, did the whole heaven thing but it just wasn't for me." I replied.
She laughed. "Yeah, I'm sure that you just decided to be resurrected."
"What do you know of it?" Dean asked.
Kate looked at him before taking a shot. "We know a lot actually. It's no a secret that you're back." She told us. "We know about Riley and what he did. We know about good old yellow-eyes and the whole bit."
"Hmph." I said and looked at her. "Does that mean someone is going to kill him before me or are they going to help him?" I asked her.
"Depends. You've made some friends along the way but I don't think you've made enough to make a difference." She replied.
I nodded. "Do you know of a witch named Annabelle?" I asked.
"Nope, why?" Kate asked.
"I ran into her a couple times. Kind of curious to know what happened to her."
"You're an odd hunter." Kate stated.
I laughed. "Yeah, yeah I am." I told her. "But I know enough to know that not everything needs to be killed. Sometimes exceptions can be made."
"Like me?" She grinned.
I laughed again. "Yes, like you." I told her and took another shot.
We talked until the bottle of whiskey was gone before they took their leave. But that wasn't the end of the night. Sam, Dean and I sat at a table and listened while Ellen yelled at her daughter. It was very entertaining to me. The boys didn't seem as entertained but I opened up another beer and listened. What I didn't expect was Ellen to turn on me. I practically spit the beer out of my mouth when she pointed her finger at me.
"What were you thinking?" Ellen yelled at me.
"What? Why are you yelling at me?" I said taken aback.
"You're friends with vampires now?" She yelled.
"Yes!" I yelled getting to my feet. "As a matter of fact I am. You don't know her or what went down. You can't pass judgment when you don't understand."
"You're right. I don't understand. What hunter makes friends with what their hunting? I just can't seem to wrap my head around that." She said putting her fingers to her temple.
"Ellen, back off." Dean told her, standing next to me.
"I get that you're back from the dead but maybe your priorities are a little skewed." She told me.
"My priorities?" I said stepping up to her. "My priorities are perfectly fine. My first is Dean my second is Sam and my third is getting the job done. Just because I have alliances doesn't mean I don't have my priorities in line. You don't get very far without making friends. I have some on both sides. That doesn't mean I'm any worse for it." I told her and crossed my arms. She didn't say anything. "Dean, can we go?" I asked him.
"Yeah." Dean said and I went to the door.
I went outside and waited for them. Though I wasn't alone for very long.
"You may have Kate fooled." I heard a man say in the shadows. "But I'm not convinced."
"I wouldn't suggest going against your queen's wishes. There's a good chance that you won't see daylight." I told him.
He didn't show himself. I had turned toward the sound of his voice. I was waiting for a response but all I got was a gun shot. Pain seared through my left shoulder. I fell back. I rolled onto my feet and tried to pinpoint where he was. I heard the door of the Roadhouse open and Dean came rushing out.
"Dean, get inside!" I yelled at him.
"I heard a shot." He replied.
I rushed toward him as another shot rang. I didn't make it to him. I felt the pain but I kept myself from yelling out. I stumbled forward. It wasn't the way I had seen it but it was going to happen anyway. I had stopped Dean from getting hurt, again.
"Evy!" Dean yelled as he caught me in his arms.
"It's good. It's all good." I told him.
"Call an ambulance." Dean told Ellen.
"It'll never get here in time." She told him.
"Oh, come on. It's not even that bad." I told them. I had the urge to cough only with it came a warm liquid. I thanked my lucky stars that it was dark out so I was the only one who knew.
"Come on." Dean said helping me to my feet. "I'm not losing you again." He said his voice panicked.
He practically dragged me to the car. I fell into it and tried to stay calm. Adrenaline would keep me going for now but that would only last so long. Everyone was in the car as Dean ripped out of the lot. He sped down the road. I sat there keeping my breathing steady. This was nothing compared to what I'd been through before. Besides, it was about time I had a hospital stay. My life wouldn't be completely normal without spending some time in the frickin hospital.
"How you doin'?" Dean asked me, putting his hand on the back of my neck.
I looked at him and smiled. "Honey, I'm fine. A couple of gunshot wounds are not going to kill me." I told him. "I'm tougher then I look you know. I've been through worse. We all have."
He sighed and took his hand back. "I know." He replied but his tone was coated with worry and I heard the engine work harder as his foot floored the gas pedal.
I made it to the hospital and through the doors. Though as soon as the light hit me Dean could see the blood on my lips. It was bad enough that it had spilled over at the corner of my mouth. The look he gave me made me almost afraid for myself but I wouldn't give into it. I would be fine. I was always fine. I got to play on the gurney and go get x-rayed. Then get moved into the prep room and then got to take a nap while I had surgery. I loved days that ended like this. Nothing like a white room and beeping monitors. This was exactly what I woke up to. It was almost a comforting sound. My hand was held and Dean's head was resting on my abdomen. I smiled and ran my fingers through his hair. I was almost afraid to wake him up. I didn't want to argue but I knew I was going to get an earful. Sam was the first to see me.
"Hey." He smiled and walked over to me.
"Hey you." I grinned and kissed his cheek when he bent down to do the same.
"How are you feeling?" He asked.
"I feel really good actually. A little tired but I figure the anesthesia is probably still wearing off." I told him. "It wasn't so bad, was it?" I asked him.
"Nah." He told me, but I knew he was lying. I raised my brow. "Nothing you couldn't handle." He told me. "Some internal bleeding and all but you've done that before."
"Yup." I told him. "It got the best of me the last time though."
He frowned and then I felt Dean's head rise. "Hey." He said, his hand finding my face.
"Hey, baby." I smiled and ran my fingers down his face. He smiled and kissed me gently. "Oh, come on. You can do better then that." I grinned at him. He grinned back and kissed me deeply. "That's better." I told him.
"Not that I'm not thrilled to see you awake but uh…what were you thinking?" He asked more calmly then I had expected.
"Couldn't let you get hurt." I told him. "It's as simple as that."
"As simple as that?" He said raising his brows.
"Uh huh." I smiled. "You're not going to yell at me are you?" I asked now pouting.
He just looked at me before kissing me sweetly. "No, I'm not going to yell at you. I'm just glad you're okay."
"And the others?" I asked.
"We'll live." Ellen said walking into the room.
"Hi Ellen." I smiled at her.
"I should thank you for what you did." She told me. "Sorry I yelled at you."
"It's not a problem." I told her. "I'm just glad it all worked out."
It was one big happy reunion. A normal act that I wished wasn't so normal. We talked, we laughed, and we played cards until I finally convinced the doctor to let me go. I didn't argue when he told me it wouldn't be for a few days but I wasn't going to wait much longer then that. I was ready to go. Dean kept his word and didn't get after me for what I did. He knew what he meant to me and he also knew that he would have done the same if our positions had been reversed. I loved him and I would have done it again in an instant.
