A/N; Thanks to those who reviews…but only 5 reviews for last chapter *pouts*… Come on, it's not that bad, is it? So why aren't you guys telling me if it's not bad…I'll be cool even if you tell me you hate the chapters…it's just I kind of live off reviews and it makes me sad when I don't get many…it doesn't take long reviewing just a few minutes so be nice and take the time to review…
Chapter 9 –
Morning came too soon for the Winchester clan as they were all still exhausted. None of them woke up until Bobby came to check on them. And only then one of them got up. Sam was the first to get out of bed.
'Dean, when I get out of the bathroom you should be awake. We've got work to do.' Sam smacked Dean's leg on the way to the bathroom.
Dean made an angry whining noise in the back of his throat. He heard Sam mutter something intelligible and tried to go back to sleep. He didn't want to get up. It was so nice and warm in the bed. He felt Lara move in his arms so he opened an eye to take a peek. She had her face pressed against his chest and was trying to get comfortable in her sleep. Sam's grunting and yelling for Dean to get up hadn't affected her, which was a relief.
Dean gave up on sleep after trying for a while without any luck and instead watched his baby sister. She looked younger than her 12 years in her peaceful slumber. He knew from when he had watched over the kid Sam that watching a kid sleeping was something special because the true beauty of the child's soul shone bright when they were at their most vulnerable. Dean realized then that he could have spent all day watching her and not got tired from the sight of his cute kid sister.
Dean grudgingly looked at the time and then thought to what Sam had said. Sam was right, they did have work to do and issues to discuss with Bobby. He decided that he might as well get up before the bitch came out of the bathroom yelling, since he was going to have to get up anyway.
He slowly pulled his left arm from where it was resting around her waist and tried to get his other arm from under her body without waking her. It was a difficult task but he managed it only to have her sleeping body follow his body heat as he tried to get out of the bed. She stirred and sleepily snaked her arms around him pulling him back into the bed. She put her head back on his chest and contently sighed, immediately going back to sleep.
Dean was amused by his little sister's lack of inhibition in her sleepy state. He knew she would never allow herself to show she wanted something from anyone if she was fully alert. Lara seemed to prefer using his chest as a pillow and she wasn't letting him up. He tried to get away again and this time Lara opened her eyes, squinting and looked at him with a sulky expression adorning her face. She was making good use of her pout too.
'Hey, baby. Did you sleep well?' He wrapped his arms around her to give her a hug. She nodded. He withdrew his arms from around her. 'Right, that's great. Lara, you mind if I get up now?' He looked at her body clinging to his, pointedly. She bit her lip and blushed in embarrassment as she started to untangle herself from him. He saw the look of shame on her face and he tossed his plan of getting up to hell. He pulled her back in his arms.
Lara was utterly confused by her big brother. He seemed to have a split personality disorder; one minute he was doing something and the next he was doing the opposite. First, he had so obviously pointed out the reason he was still in bed and when her dazed mind had registered it, she had quickly tried to rectify her mistake but it seemed as though big brother had changed his mind and now wanted to stay in bed instead.
She tried to get up but Dean stopped her by tightening his arms around her. She looked at his closed eyes and smiled. She resigned herself to the comfort her big brother's cuddle provided and let it calm her. 'I thought you wanted to get up.' She said. She shoved him half-heartedly, only to have him retaliate by pulling her closer.
'I didn't want to get up. It's just the bitch will be out soon and he's going to piss me off all day if I don't get up now. We have some work to do and we need to talk to Bobby too.' Dean sighed, looking at her.
'What work? We have a hunt to go to?' She inquired, batting his hand away that had made its way to her hair where it started to play with the tangled mess.
'No, this is grown-up work. You don't need to know about it. It's not for kids.' He went back to playing with her hair and silently thanking Sam for taking one of his long showers. This way he got to spend time with Lara alone. He seriously didn't want Sam teasing him about being touchy feely with his sister.
She huffed. 'I'm not a kid…I'm 12 years old.'
'Exactly. That's the age for kids.' He grinned at her, seeing her pouting. 'You should be glad, you're a very cute kid…must take after me in the looks department.' He winked at her.
She rolled her eyes. 'Dean, is this work something to do with the angel and demon war…the apocalypse?' She changed the subject back to what her initial inquiry had been about.
Dean looked like a fish, opening and closing his mouth. She saw different emotions play across his face. Shock, guilt, panic and finally his face settled into an angry glare. 'Has Sammy been telling you something he shouldn't have? Wait till he comes out of…'
She cut him off before he started telling her details as to what he might like to do to her other big brother. 'He didn't tell me anything. I heard you guys talking. I am not deaf, you know. We all live in the same place it's natural for me to pick up on things. Anyway, Dean I need to know what's happening.'
'No, you don't.' He replied stubbornly.
Sam came out of the bathroom and saw his siblings glaring at each other with arms wrapped around each other. It was a funny sight and Sam would've laughed if Dean wasn't levelling that same angry glare at him now that he had seen him. Sam gave them a sweet smile. 'Morning, I see you guys are up.' Not getting a response from them, he looked at them nervously for a long time before asking about the angry look on Dean's face. 'So, what's up?' He tried nonchalance.
'Lara knows about the apocalypse, that's what's up.' Dean snorted.
'Well, we couldn't have hidden it for too long anyway.' Sam let out the breath he didn't know he was holding.
'Oh yes, we could've. Now, she wants to know everything.' Dean told Sam with a horrified look on his face. Sam just shrugged; he didn't know what else to do or say.
'I'm still here, you know. Can you not talk as if I'm not here?' Lara buried her face in Dean's chest to hide her unshed tears.
Dean instantly went into big brother protective mode. 'I'm sorry, baby. I didn't mean to exclude you.' He started rubbing her back in a soothing manner.
Sam couldn't believe his eyes or his ears. Had Dean just called her baby? He cleared his throat. 'Lara, don't worry I'll tell you everything.'
'No, you won't.' Dean shook his head, after which he resumed comforting his sister.
'Dean, it's best if she knows.' Sam argued giving Dean his best puppy-dog look.
'Everything?' Dean asked.
'Everything.' Sam nodded.
'Fine, have it your way. But only a toned down version of everything, okay?' Dean relented.
Sam nodded, again.
'Right, I'm getting up now.' Dean declared, sadly.
To his amusement and shock, Sam saw Dean give Lara a quick kiss on her head before pulling away from her and getting out of bed. Dean didn't meet his eyes as he grabbed some clean clothes from his bag and left for the bathroom.
When Sam was sure his brother wouldn't come out anytime soon, he went over to Dean's bed and sat beside Lara. 'You want me to tell you everything now or later?'
Lara sat up in the bed feeling excited and happy that her brothers were willing to do this for her. It was the first time her wish had been granted by someone. She was grateful to Dean who was letting Sam tell her the things she wanted to know. She was aware of the fact that without Dean's permission Sam would not tell her anything. 'Tell me now, please.' She answered enthusiastically.
'Long story short…' Sam paused before resuming. 'I was killed so Dean brought me back by striking a deal with a crossroads demon, selling his soul. He went to hell nearly a year ago and was brought back by the angel Castiel because according to him Dean is the righteous man, the only one who can save the world from Lucifer.' Sam said quickly and glanced at his sister to gauge her reaction.
'Lucifer...you mean Satan?' Her eyes widened in fear.
Sam nodded. 'There are 600 seals holding him in hell and only 66 need to be broken to let him loose. There is a demon called Lilith who is breaking the seals as we speak. That was why Dean was brought back. We're all just trying to stop the apocalypse. So, you're pretty much up to date with everything now.' He let out a deep breath.
Sam saw tears in Lara's eyes and gathered her up in his arms. She rested her head on his shoulder and met his eyes. 'Does Dean remember hell?' She asked sadly, chewing on her bottom lip.
He thought about the question for a minute. He didn't know how to approach this one. Should he tell the truth or pretend that Dean didn't remember anything. He knew the truth always came out in the end so he confessed. 'Lara, Dean has told me he remembers hell but I'm not exactly sure how much.' Sam looked away. 'We haven't really talked much since he got back. And when we do talk, it's about the jobs.' Sam tried to swallow back the lump that had formed in his throat.
Lara saw the hurt look on her big brother's face and squeezed him. 'He'll talk when he's ready.' She reassured him.
At that very moment, Dean came out of the bathroom, fully dressed and looking ready for the day ahead. He rubbed his hands together and smirked at his siblings like he didn't have a care in the world.
Lara was seeing her eldest brother in a new light. She saw his fake smile and cheery mood for what it really was, a way to cope with the nightmares he had been through. She was finding it hard to believe someone could love another person so much that they would willingly sell their soul to demons for them and go to hell. But Dean had done that for his little brother. She wondered what Sam had thought about the deal and how he had coped after he was left alone. She knew if someone did that for her, she wouldn't be able to live with herself. But she didn't have to worry; no one loved her that much anyway.
She had so many questions that she wanted to ask her brothers but knew she had already been granted her wish for answers once, twice would be pushing it.
'Come on Sammy, let's go down and check out what's for breakfast.' Dean said to Sam whilst throwing his dirty clothes in a separate bag. 'Lara, get ready kid.' He left the room, throwing a sideway glance at his younger siblings on his way out.
