I jerked away, unaware of my surroundings. I felt something warm behind me, and I tried to turn to see who it was. I quickly realized that my hands were tied behind me, and my arms were pressed against someone else's. And I was pretty sure those arms were Dean's. I struggled a bit against the rope, but it was no use. Meg had tied us up tight. Resting my head against the pole, I glanced over to see Sam waking up.
"Hey, Sam," Dean's gruff voice was right behind me. "Don't take this the wrong way, but your girlfriend... Is a bitch."
"This, the whole thing, was a trap... Running into you at the bar, following you here, hearin' what you had to say.. It was all a set-up, wasn't it?" Sam sounded angry and annoyed, but Meg just laughed. "And that the victims were from Lawrence?"
"It doesn't mean anything." She assured, and I managed to move around just enough to see her. A smile was plastered across her lips. It was just to draw you in, that's all."
"Kudos." I muttered sarcastically, my cheek throbbing.
"You killed those two people for nothin'." Sam said, obviously upset by her.
"Baby, I've killed a lot more for a lot less." Meg argued, almost if she were defending her actions.
"You trapped us, good for you. It's Miller time." Dean spoke up. "But why don't you kill us already?"
"Was kind of wonderin' why I was tied up." I admitted, tilting my head with a glare.
"Not very quick on the uptake, are we?" She leaned toward us. "This trap isn't for you." A silence blanketed the room for a moment, as I held my glare.
"Dad." Sam said quietly. "It's a trap for Dad."
"Oh, sweetheart, you're dumber than you look. 'Cause even if Dad was in town, which he is not, he wouldn't walk into somethin' like this. He's too good." Dean said surely, his voice confident.
"He is pretty good, I'll give you that." Meg walked over to us, squatting down above Dean's legs. "But you see, he has one weakness."
"What's that?" Dean challenged, ready to defend his father.
"You." She replied with a hint of a smile in her tone. "He lets his guard down around his boys, lets his emotions cloud his judgement.. I happen to know he is in town. And he'll come and try to save you. And then the Daevas will kill everybody. Nice and slow and messy."
"Well, I've got news for ya." The boy beside me was beginning to sound annoyed. "It's gonna take a lot more than some...shadow to kill him."
"Oh, the Daevas are in the room, here. They're invisible. Their shadows are just the only part you can see." The demon explained.
"Thanks for the science class." I muttered, again with the sarcasm.
"I like you." She looked from me to Dean. "I like her, I don't know if I want her dead or not."
"Why are you doin' this, Meg? What kind of deal you got worked out here, huh? And with who?" Sam asked, watching her intently.
"I'm doing this for the same reasons you do what you do." She replied, turning her her to look at him. "Loyalty. Love. Like the love you had for Mommy..and Jess."
"Go to hell." Sam whispered through gritted teeth.
"Baby, I'm already there." She smiled, winking at me before moving over to the younger brother. "Come on, Sam, there's no need to be nasty." She leaned into him, whispering in his ear. "I think we both know how you really feel about me... You know, I saw you watching me changing in my apartment. Turned you on it, didn't it?"
"Get a room, you two." Dean mumbled, and I looked over at Meg.
"We could only wish." I moved a bit, trying to loosen my arms.
"I didn't mind. I liked that you were watching me." She said ignoring me. "Come on, Sammy. You and I can still have a little dirty fun." Meg was kissing on his neck, and I felt sick for him.
"You wanna have fun? Go ahead, then. I'm a little tied up right now." She kept kissing him, and I frowned. I felt Dean moving behind me, and I wiggled a bit, giving him some room. He was moving cautiously, but suddenly a CLINK sound hit the air, and Meg turned to look over at us. Standing from Sam, she made her way over and reached behind us, grabbing Dean's knife. She tossed it across the room, before swinging around to look at him disapprovingly. He chuckled with a guilty grin, as she moved back over to Sam.
"Now, were you just trying to distract me while your brother cuts free?" Meg asked, straddling him again.
"No.. No. That's because I have a knife of my own." He grabbed her by the shoulders and head butted her, causing her to fall onto the floor. Sam groaned in pain, and I tried to move to no avail.
"Sam! Get to the altar!" Dean barked, and Sam managed to get up and stumble toward the table. He grabbed it with both hands, flipping the whole thing over. The altar and everything on it crashed to the floor.
Suddenly, a black shadow appeared flowing down toward her. She began sliding backward, screaming, as she was pulled back by an invisible shadow. Her face was in total fear and shock, as she slid closer to the big glass window, and then she was up in the air. The Daeva tossed her through the glass, shattering it. I could hear her screaming as she fell.
Sam came over to us, and I felt him cutting away at the ropes. The small snap hit my ears, and suddenly I was free from my restraints. Pushing myself from the floor, I stood on my feet, feeling light headed. I took a breath, steadying myself, before following the boys to the window that Meg had been tossed out of. Peering over the edge of shattered glass, I looked down to see her body on the ground. She looked very dead.
"Huh, so I guess the Daevas didn't like being bossed around." Sam muttered.
"I guess not." Dean agreed. "Hey, Sam?"
"Hm?" The younger Winchester turned his head toward his brother.
"Next time you wanna get laid, find a girl that's not so buckets of crazy, huh." Dean smiled deviously, before leaving the window. Sam hesitated a moment, before following him, and I stepped in line behind him. We exited the warehouse the same way we had entered, and reached the Impala.
"That felt...too easy." I said quietly, as I climbed into the back seat.
"Nah, they got what they wanted. Meg screwed up when she started playin' around with those things." Sam assured, and I frowned.
"Whatever you say." I mumbled, my stomach still in knots. "Can we sleep? For at least two days?"
"I can get on board with that." Dean shot me a smirk from the mirror as he turned the key in the ignition. Baby came to life, and we were pulling onto the street, leaving the building. I leaned my head back against the seat, thinking about how lovely our uncomfortable motel bed was going to be when we got back.
"Why didn't you just leave that stuff in the car?" Dean fussed, as we trudged down the motel hallway to our rooms. My clothes bag was still in their room, and I had to get it before heading to my own.
"I said it before and I'll say it again," Sam replied, as we reached the door, "better safe than sorry."
"Beeeddd." I groaned, as Dean unlocked the door and opened it.
"Would you quit-" Dean stepped inside, and we were right behind him, Sam shutting the door. "Hey!" I whipped my head up to see an outline of a man standing across the room from us. My heart began to pound out of pure instinct, my adrenaline beginning to rush. Sam flipped on the light, and the guys turned around, a slight smile on his face. "Dad?"
"Hey, boys." The man said, his voice laced with concern and adoration. He and Dean walked toward each other, and his father grabbed him in for a long hug. After a few moments, they separated, as Sam walked over to stand beside them. "Hi, Sam."
"Hey, Dad." He lowered his bag from his shoulder, allowing it to sit on the floor.
"Dad, it was a trap." The older Winchester warned. "I didn't know, I'm sorry."
"It's all right. I thought it might've been." He countered softly.
"Were you there?" Green Eyes had more questions.
"Yeah, I got there just in time to see the girl take the swan dive. She was the bad guy, right?"
"Yes, sir." The boys said in unison, and I smirked lightly at their manners.
"Good." Mr. Winchester still had that smile in his eyes. "Well, it doesn't surprise me. It's tried to stop me before."
"The demon has?" Sam asked worriedly.
"It knows I'm close." He spoke to them, looking from son to son. "It knows I'm gonna kill it. Not just exorcise it or send it back to hell.. Actually kill it."
"How?" Dean asked, earning a grin from his dad.
"I'm workin' on that." He answered, before looking back at me. "Your friend?"
"That's Evelyn Brannigan, she's-" Sam looked at Dean for help explaining.
"Your boys helped me out a while back." I stepped forward, extending my hand. "So, I've been keepin' them in line ever since."
"I like her already." He shook my hand, his face growing serious again. "Brannigan... I know that last name.. You related to Joel Brannigan?"
"That's my dad..." I nodded, my eyes on his.
"I ran into him once, been years ago. We wound up in the same place at the same time, huntin' a vampire that was nasty as ever. He's a good man." John said surely, and I glanced at Dean.
"Thank you." I looked back at John. I needed to hear that. "I was lucky to run into these two."
"You a hunter?" He asked, and I nodded.
"Yes, sir."
"You been takin' care of my boys?"
"I've been tryin'." I huffed out a half laugh, and he nodded.
"Good..good." He looked back to Dean.
"Let us come with you." Sam said suddenly, looking at his father. "We'll help." I couldn't help but notice Dean's expression, warning Sam to stop talking.
"No, Sam." John said softly. "Not yet. Just try to understand.. This demon is a scary son of a bitch. I don't want you caught in the crossfire. I don't want you hurt."
"Dad, you don't have to worry about us." The younger Winchester said surely.
"Of course I do. I'm your father." John paused a moment, looking from Dean to Sam. "Listen, Sammy, uh..last time we were together, we had one hell of a fight."
"Yes, sir." Sam said, his jaw clenched.
"It's good to see you again." He looked slightly choked up. "It's been a long time."
"Too long." His younger son agreed, and they stared at each other a moment before John grabbed him in a hug. I bit the inside of my cheek, trying not to get emotional. I knew that this had been a long time coming for the boys, finally finding their dad, and it made me happy. Genuinely happy, and I didn't remember the last time I felt that way.
The two let go of each other, their faces a mix of relief and content. I caught Dean's eye, and his lips twitched upward a bit. His green eyes were dark in the dim room, but had a softer look that I hadn't seen before. I glanced back over at Sam and John, when suddenly, John flew across the room. He hit the cabinets with a loud CRASH, and I tensed up, my eyes trying to detect what it was that hit him.
Before I could process what was happening, Sam's head jerked as if someone had hit him hard in the face. I saw a shadow along the wall for a moment, and my heart began to pound wildly. My stomach knotted tight, and I quickly swung my bag around, trying to unzip it. I had barely grasped the zipper, when I was slung across the room, hitting the wall hard with my left shoulder. I yelped in pain, struggling to push myself up from the floor.
"NOOO!" Dean growled out the yell, before being thrown to the floor with great force. John was yelling, and I whipped my head over to see him being pinned by shadowed hands. I was on my feet, but another hit threw me into the wall. My face was stinging horribly, as I tried to regain my balance. I could feel warm blood trickling down my face.
"DEAN!" I screamed as another Daeva smashed me against the wall. My neck was stinging, burning, and I fought to stay on my feet. Lurching forward, I ran toward Sam's bag. Before I could reach it, a Daeva shoved me from behind, sending me on my knees with a THUD. I twisted my body quickly, rolling to the right, trying to avoid being clawed again.
"Shut your eyes!" Sam called, and I noticed that he'd grabbed his bag. "These things are shadow demons, so let's light 'em up!" He lit a flare, dropping it on the floor.
The room filled with a blinding white light as smoke spewed from the flare, and I squinted to see around me. The shadows were vanishing, the bright light driving them away. I began coughing, the smoke making it hard to breath. Pushing myself to my feet, I stumbled around the room, trying to see my way to the others. My foot hit something, and I looked down through squinted eyes to see my bag. I snatched it up, throwing it over my shoulder. Before I could continue, a hand caught my elbow, and I jerked around to see Dean.
"DAD!" He yelled, still holding onto my arm.
"Over here!" John called to him, and we made our way over to where he was. Dean knelt down to John, helping him up quickly.
"Come on!" I grabbed John's arm, as we hustled toward the door.
"SAM?" I yelped, looking back to see him right behind us.
"I'm right here!" He answered, as we left the motel room. Down the hallway and down the stairs, we burst through the motel door, the cold night air entering my lungs. It was fresh, but I was still sputtering and coughing from all the smoke inside.
Dean led us away from the door, and to the back alley where Baby sat waiting for us. He was still holding up his dad, his jaw clenched as he struggled to keep moving. I pulled John's arm up and over my shoulder, trying to take on some of his weight, despite the ache. Sam was at the Impala, dropping his bag from his shoulder as we came around the side. John was back on his feet, his arm slipping from my shoulder as he let go of Dean. "All right, come on! We don't have much time!" Sam opened the door and shoved the bag inside. "As soon as the flare's out, they'll be back!"
"Wait, wait, wait!" Dean growled out. "Sam, wait." He looked at his younger brother, before turning his head toward John. "Dad, you can't come with us."
"What?" Sam barked. "What are you talkin' about?"
"You boys..you're beat to hell. And look at Evelyn.." John's eyes were full of concern.
"We'll be all right." Dean assured.
"Dean, we should stick together!" Sam argued, his tone pleading. "We'll go after those demons-"
"Sam! Listen to me!" He said sharply, cutting Sam off. "We almost got Dad killed in there. Don't you understand? They're not gonna stop. They're gonna try again, they're gonna use us to get to him. I mean, Meg was right.. Dad's vulnerable when he's with us.. He-he's stronger without us around."
"Dad.. No." The younger Winchester put his hand on his father's shoulder. "After everything-after all the time we spent lookin' for you-please. I gotta be a part of this fight."
"Sammy, this fight is just starting. And we are all gonna have a part to play. For now, you've got to trust me, son." Their father explained. Sam shook his head, not wanting to split up. "Okay? You've gotta let me go."
I stood in silence, watching the three of them. They said nothing, just looked at each other with devasted eyes. Dean's green eyes were watery, and I could tell this was breaking his heart. Sam finally nodded, and after a moment he patted John's shoulder before allowing his hand to slip off. John and Dean shared a look, before he started walking away. "Take care of them." He said quietly as he walked past me, and I swallowed hard.
"Yes, sir." I managed to say the words, my throat tight. He walked to his truck, stopping just as he reached the door.
"Be careful, boys." John gave them one last looke, before getting into his truck.
"Come on." Dean gave Sam a gentle push backward toward the Impala, and I followed, climbing into the back seat. John's truck drove away from where we sat, and he made a left as he exited the alley.
Dean backed out of the alley, and hit the gas, taking us away from the motel. I caught his eye in the rearview mirror, and he raised an eyebrow. Closing my eyes, I tried to ignore the stinging on my neck and face. Leaning to my left, I rested my head on the window, my head feeling heavy. I was exhausted, and all I wanted was sleep. Before I realized what was happening, I was enveloped in darkness, drifting into a dreamless sleep.
"Evelyn..." Someone was shaking me. "Ev, get u-"
"Dean?" I jerked awake, grabbing his arm.
"Whoa, whoa, it's me." Dean's voice hinted concern, and I looked into those sweet green eyes, before groaning.
"What time is it?" I asked, noticing the sky beginning to lighten a bit.
"Early." He replied quietly. "Come on, let's get inside and clean you up."
"Sam checked us in?"
"All checked in and ready to sleep." He mumbled, and I felt a little smile creep onto my lips.
"You said the magic words." I forced myself up and out of the car, Dean holding my arm. A thought hit me suddenly, and I looked at Dean wide eyed. "My car? Where's my car?"
"Right there." He nodded behind me, and I turned to see my Firebird parked next to Baby. "Sam drove it."
"You two are the best." I muttered, as he shut the back door and we started walking toward the shitty little motel.
"We know." He countered, and I fought the urge to hit his shoulder.
"So, uh.. What happens now?" I asked quietly, as we reached the door to their room.
"We wait for Dad, he'll come to us when he's ready. 'Til then, we keep huntin'."
"Sounds like a plan." I gave him a thumbs up as we stepped into the motel room, and I saw Sam closing the curtains. "Thanks for drivin' my car here."
"Of course." Sam glanced at Dean, then back at me. "Those Daevas really got us good."
"Pfft." I snorted. "It's just a scratch."
"Just a scratch, my ass." Dean pulled me into the small bathroom, and I sat on the edge of the tub. "I don't like this.." His fingers were along my jaw line, tilting my head at an angle.
"You're next." I fussed, and he gave me a disapproving look.
"I'm fine." He growled, and I huffed out a breath.
"If I have to get cleaned up, so do you!" I argued, and he was silent. The hunter set about preparing the supplies he needed to clean up my wounds, as I sat watching him. He poured alcohol onto a wash cloth, and threw me a sideways glance.
"This is gonna burn like hell."
"I've had worse, just do it." I grumbled, gritting my teeth. He shrugged lightly, before sticking the rag to my face. It felt like a thousand hot needles touching my skin, and I clenched my jaw hard to keep from whimpering in pain.
Dean didn't treat me like baby, but he wasn't rough as he continued wiping the dry blood from my face and neck, along with pressing the alcohol soaked rag against the scratches. My hands were sitting on my knees, my fingernails digging into my palms as I squeezed my hands into fists. Dean's right hand was holding my face, as he cleaned me up with the left. My eyes were focused on the bathroom's dim light, but I glanced at him, unable to look away.
His green eyes were focused, his brow furrowed slightly as he paid close attention to my neck. I noted how perfect his freckles were splayed across his nose, and how his lips had a natural pout. He had obviously wiped his face off before he had woken me up, but there was still a bit of dried blood smeared on his head and face. I noticed a bit at the corner of his lip. I would definitely have to clean him up.
"It looked a lot worse than it was." Dean said, his hand leaving my chin. "But still, they got you good."
"Your turn. They got you, too." I stood from the bath tub, moving around him. Grabbing a fresh cloth, I turned toward him and grinned. "My turn to torture you."
"Oh, I'm ready." He waggled his eyebrows and I rolled my eyes.
"Of course you are." I shook my head as he moved to sit on the tub. I knelt down in front of him, looking at his face. "Do I need to count to three?"
"Hn." He grunted, glancing down at me. "Really?"
"Just askin'." I bit my lip to suppress a smile. I wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, revealing a small cut on the corner of his lip. Pressing the cloth into the cut a bit, I hesitated a moment before moving on to his eyebrow.
It wasn't a small cut, but a small gash, just along the line of his brow. I gently cleaned the gash and the dried blood around it. It began bleeding again, and I grabbed a butterfly bandage, opening it. Using it to close the small gash, I poured more alcohol onto the rag and started cleaning his head. My left had was on his neck, my fingers pressing lightly behind his ear as I wiped the mess away.
He had four long scratches down his forehead, and they were a bit deep. Frowning as I kept cleaning his head, I glanced at him to see his eyes on mine. My eyes darted back to the cut, as I tried to focus on cleaning him up. It was a difficult task, especially when he was looking at me like that. Those green eyes sparkling with mischief.. Damn you, Winchester..
"All...finished." I mumbled, wiping the last bit of dried blood from his head.
"Thanks." Dean said gruffly, his eyes still on mine.
"Thank you." I countered, leaning up to kiss his nose. My body was between his knees, my palms flat on his thighs.
"You can go anytime you want, you know that, right?" He asked, his eyes burning into mine.
"I think it's safe to say you two are stuck with me." I gave him a smirk, before pushing myself up and on my feet. Before I could turn away, Dean grabbed my arm, causing me to freeze.
"It's gonna get a hell of a lot more dangerous than last night."
"Isn't that our lives? It's always dangerous, Dean. No matter who you're with or where you go.. Sometimes.." I struggled to find the words to say. "We get lucky enough to choose who. I'm stayin'."
"Okay." He nodded, letting me go. "If that's what you want."
"It is." I said surely. I gave him a sly grin, putting a hand to my hip. "So... Did I pass the 'Meeting John Winchester' test?"
"I think it's safe to say he seemed quite impressed."
"Good. Because I'm not goin' anywhere." I left the bathroom, and walked toward the door conjoining our rooms. I grabbed my bag from the table before leaving their room. Cracking my door, but not shutting it all the way, I walked over to the bed and sat down. I clicked on the lamp, the dim light brightening my small room. Unzipping the little pocket on my bag, I reached inside and grabbed my little black phone.
Taking a breath, I flipped it open and stared at the screen. It was a picture of my dad, mom, and brother, along with myself, in front of the big willow tree in our front yard. I still hadn't called my mother and told her the news about Nina, and I knew it was time. I couldn't avoid it any longer, and she needed to know. She deserved to know. Finn deserved to know. Hitting the 'Call' button, I scrolled down to my home number, and hit the 'Call' button again. Lifting the phone to my ear, I took a shaky breath as it began to ring.
"Hello?" My mother's voice was thick with sleep, and I felt bad for waking her.
"Mama? It's Evelyn." I said quietly, closing my eyes. It was good to hear her voice.
"Evelyn? Evelyn, it's four somethin' in the mornin'! Are you all right? Where are you?" She questioned me worriedly.
"I'm okay, Mama." I assured. "Where's Finn?"
"He's on a hunt.. He should be back soon. Is everything okay? You sound tired, baby."
"I'm exhausted." I admitted, opening my eyes. I fiddled with a string on my jeans, trying to figure out how to tell her what I needed to. "Mama.. I, uh.. I found the demon."
"What?" Her voice went from concern to disbelief. "You mean... Nina-did you find Nina?" She was frantic.
"I saw her." I managed to say, tears coming to my eyes. "But she's..." I couldn't say the words.
"She's... Oh, God... Oh, God, she's dead..isn't she?" Mama asked, and I knew she was on the verge of breaking down.
"Yes, ma'am." I forced the words out. "I got to see her..one..last time, you know? I killed it, Mama. It's over, it's dead. It won't hurt a-anyone else. It won't.."
"Jesus Christ, Evelyn, where are you?"
"I'm on the road." I replied, regaining my composure quickly. "I had some, uh, help. Two boys I met along the way. They're hunters and they helped me find the demon."
"Are you safe?" She asked, sniffling, and I laughed through my tears.
"I'm safe, Mama." I replied. "I'm helpin' them out, so I'm not gonna be comin' home for a while... Have you seen Dad?"
"He called about two months ago." She replied, and I frowned.
"I haven't seen him out here." I said worriedly. "I've been lookin'."
"He'll come around when he's done with whatever job he's on. Word'll get around that you killed that monster and he'll come home."
"I hope so."
"Baby, are you sure you're okay?"
"I am." I answered, trying to sound strong. "I'm better than I've been in a long time."
"You sound like you need sleep." Mama fussed, and I smiled.
"I do. I do."
"Get some rest and call me more often, okay? I worry." She instructed, and I nodded to myself.
"I will."
"Please be careful out there, Evelyn." She said quietly. "I love you."
"I love you, Mama. Tell Finn I love him, too." My eyelids felt heavy as I spoke.
"You know I will. Bye, honey."
"Bye, Mama." I closed the phone, and threw it behind behind me on the bed. Forcing myself to my feet, I opened my bag and pulled out a pair of shorts and a tank. Changing quickly, I let my dirty clothes fall to the floor, not caring about putting them in my bag. Climbing onto the bed, I grabbed my phone and sat it on the nightstand, before turning off the lamp. Pulling down the covers, I moved my legs under them, laying on my side.
Snuggling into the blankets, I pulled them up to my chin and laid down. My head rested on the pillow, and I closed my eyes, shivering slightly. Despite the warm blankets, I was cold. Curling into a ball, I snuggled deeper into the covers, the bed feeling oddly comfortable for a shitty motel room bed. I was nearly asleep, when a noise made me lift my head, trying to listen.
"It's just me." A gruff whisper hit my ears, and I turned on the bed to see Dean climbing into bed with me.
"Hey, you." I breathed, my head dropping back down to the pillow.
"I wake you?" He asked, his arms going around me and pulling me close. I could feel that he had no shirt on, and was in his boxers. Did you wake me? Pshhh!
"It's a good kind of wake up." I murmured groggily, snuggling my face against his neck. "Goodnight, Dean." I whispered against his skin.
"Night, Ev." He kissed my head and I was drifting back to sleep before I knew it.
I can't believe that we are closing in on season one ! I am so excited about this story and how Evelyn will impact Dean and everyone around her. How things will change/evolve with her in the story. AHHHH ! I am loving writing this !
And of course, you guys are fabulous readers. I love it.
You guys can follow me on Twitter kailabrittFF or like my page on Facebook Kaila Britt Fanfiction.
Reviews are welcomed.
Every READ/FAV/FOLLOW... Gosh, sooooo greatly appreciated ! My readers are the best. Seriously. You all inspire me to write.
Thank you.
~Kaila