Disclaimer: All characters belong to Eric Kripke.

AUTHOR: FRUIT PLATY

TITLE: REDEMPTION – Chapter 12

Dean drew the curtains back to look outside, and stared at his cell phone. He turned back to the bed where Bela still lay sleeping, but now she was shaking and murmuring. Her blanket had half fallen to the floor, and Dean moved to readjust it.

"Dean..."

"Yes?" He crouched beside the bed and watched her face. She still had her eyes closed, but her mouth was open, and words kept spilling out.

"No! What are you—? Why are you—?" Her eyelids twitched. Her right hand stretched out, and Dean caught it before she touched his face. Bela cringed, "Please don't."

Dean squeezed her hand, "Bela? You can wake up now."

She swallowed before opening her eyes. She blinked a few times, dug her nose into the pillow and let a few tears run down her cheeks.

"Was it...?" Dean let go of her hand and stood, "Were you back there?"

Bela felt the soft mattress beneath her, "You woke me."

Dean shrugged, "Like you wanted."

She picked up the bottle of water on the bedside table, "You saved me."

Dean shook his head as he sat on the other side of the bed. "I didn't save you. That was Cas—"

"No, you didn't." Bela swallowed, "Nobody could save me."

Dean emptied the plastic bag on the bed, "I don't know why he did, but he—"

"I should still be there."

"But you're not," Dean grabbed her wrist. Bela stared at him. He swallowed, "And I don't know why you're not, but you're not. Be thankful. Eat something." He chucked a chip packet at her.

Aside from the crunching of potato chips, no sound came from either mouth for almost three minutes. Bela drank from her water bottle and then settled it between her knees. Dean flipped open his cell phone, sighed, and put it away again. Bela finished her packet first. She flattened it between her hands and placed it on the bedside table.

"Sorry," Dean glanced at her as he stood. "You probably need to vent."

"I just need to talk," she drank more water and then put the bottle on the flattened chip packet. She coughed, breathed into her hand, closed her eyes, and sat up straight again. "This is my third day out."

Dean walked to the television and put his cell phone on top of it. "I couldn't tell how long I've been—"

"You were there four months?"

"I was gone four months," Dean returned to sit on the bed. "I was there forty years."

Bela nodded, "Time's irrelevant, though. Every day was the same." She brought her knees closer and rested her forehead upon them. "I'd wake up, all there, feel peaceful. And then I'd hear the screams. A pretty face would appear, every day; sometimes the face would change, but they'd always do the same thing to me. They'd burn my back and push me onto this... contraption." Bela sniffed. "I'd hang in the air for hours. Wires stuck everywhere, pulling at me. There was smoke, everywhere – black, but red. They'd tear at my flesh... the demons. I'd scream for mercy, for help... Then I'd pass out." She closed her eyes and wet her lips. "Then I'd wake up, all there, feel peaceful..."

Right hand suspended above the chip packet, Dean stared at his reflection in the television screen.

"Until I saw you," Bela lifted her head. "You were the only one I knew. I didn't know why you were there, but I thought you might've... I swear you looked hurt. You were angry, but you were sad."

Still not facing her, Dean blinked away a tear. "I didn't want to, Bela."

"You had it easy."

"I'm sorry," he turned to her. "I truly..."

Bela coughed, "I know you are. I just..." she rested her head upon her knees again. "The pain won't leave."

"You were the first." The words were out before Dean could restrain them. He cringed. "I was so tired of it, I didn't think that..." Dean coughed. "Alistair picked you, but I'd already accepted."

Bela stared at Dean, "Alistair?"

"He's dead."

"He came to me after you..." Bela grabbed her water bottle and drank. She emptied it before looking back at Dean, "I gave in. But nothing changed."

Dean blinked. He passed her the chip packet, and leant his back against the wall, "I'm sorry. I hate myself for—"

"I would have done the same," Bela shrugged. "I did. I just didn't get to..." She shook her head and passed the chip packet back to him, "I forgive you."

He stared at the packet until he felt the mattress move. He looked up to see Bela smiling at him, and he smiled too. Then he felt her lips upon his, one hand upon his head and another on his left thigh. He felt awkward in his position on the bed, but continued reciprocating the kiss until...

She slipped down beside him; her head resting on his shoulder and the wall. Dean moved slowly off the bed and watched her as she slept clumsily on the pillows. He shook his head, touched his lips and pocketed his cell phone. Dean walked to the door, opened it and turned back to the bed.

"I'll return soon, Bela."