**Nothing from Charmed or Supernatural belongs to me.**

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Dean climbed off the bed, going to look out Melinda's window. He watched as a car pulled up and stopped at the curb. Sam climbed out of the driver's seat, while Ruby exited the passenger's side. Melinda moaned, rubbing her temples.

"It's Ruby, isn't it?"

Dean turned back from the window, walking over and pressing a kiss to the top of Melinda's head.

"Yeah, but it looks like she might be taking off."
"Jesus, I hope so."

Dean watched as Ruby went up on her toes, giving Sam a kiss before climbing back in the car. Sam slid his hands in his pockets and walked towards the house, while Melinda let out a moan, then a sigh of relief.

"She's gone. Thank God."

Dean smiled, then sighed. Melinda looked up to him, letting out her breath.

"It's time, isn't it?"

Dean nodded, then turned to grab a bag. Melinda ran her hands through her hair.

"Are you sure about this?"
"Do we really have another choice, Mel?"

She sighed, watching him pack his clothes.

"I just have a bad feeling about this."
"My brother is addicted to demon blood, and I'm practically setting him up for a fall. Did you expect to have a good feeling?"

Melinda lifted a shoulder and nodded.

"I guess you have a point."
"Sometimes, it happens."

They smiled, and Melinda looked over to him.

"Dean, I don't want to do this."
"I know, baby. I don't either, but—"
"We really don't have another choice."

Dean nodded, with a sad smile on his face.

"I'm going to make our wedding super tacky."

Dean laughed.

"Hey, go all out. It's the only wedding you'll be having, so…"

Melinda smiled.

"You really think so?"
"Damn straight."

She grinned at him, and he zipped up the bag.

"All right. So Bobby's going to find us some hunts, and if not, we'll just crash at his place. I've got him on alert, and he knows to call you if anything happens."

Melinda nodded.

"I hope this works."

Dean smiled at her, running his hand through her hair.

"It has to. Come on."

He tossed the bag up on his shoulder and held out his hand. Melinda took it, and they walked to the top of the stairs. Dean set the bag down as quietly as he could, then turned to her, taking her face in his hands and pulling her to him. He covered her lips with his in an urgent kiss, one that went deeper than he'd originally planned. Melinda could feel everything he felt, the urgency, the need, the passion. The worry. She took it all in and sent him back nothing but love. The kiss stopped, and Melinda had tears in her eyes. Dean sighed, and she whispered to him.

"Just getting into character."

He smiled and nodded.

"Showtime."

Melinda nodded, pulling him in for one more kiss. Behind them, the door slammed shut. After a second, Dean took off down the stairs, as the door swung open before slamming again. Melinda took a deep breath, then went right behind him, going down the stairs.

"Don't you walk away from me, you son of a bitch!"

Sam, who was standing in the foyer, looked up just in time to catch the bag as Dean tossed it to him. He looked to his brother.

"Dean, what's—"
"Get your shit, Sam. We're out of here."
"Like hell you are!"

Melinda stood on the landing of the stairs as Dean turned back to her, an angry smile on his face.

"I'm not staying another minute. You know, Melinda, if there's one thing I hate, it's a liar."
"Oh, because you're such a paragon of truth?"

Dean shook his head, turning back to a shocked Sam.

"Dean, what's going on?"
"We're leaving."
"Why?"

Peyton, Piper, and Leo slowly made their way out of the kitchen. Piper took Leo's hand as Dean spoke, spitting his words at Sam, then Melinda.

"Because she is a damn liar."
"You should know by now that I wouldn't lie about something like this."
"You think I haven't noticed the weirdness between you and Sam? Do you think I'm an idiot, Melinda?"
"Do you really want me to answer that question?"

Dean shook his head, closing his eyes before looking to Sam.

"I didn't see it before, Sammy, but I see it now."
"What the hell are you talking about, Dean?"
"She's trying to pull me away from you. I didn't even notice, until she made up this latest premonition."
"I didn't make it up, damn it!"

Dean whirled around, going closer to the stairs.

"So you're telling me my brother is addicted to demon blood?! He's not a vampire, Melinda. No one would willingly drink blood. Am I right, Sammy?"

Sam's eyes were wide for just a second, and Dean smiled.

"See? I don't know who gives you visions, but you should probably get a refund. Come on, Sam."
"Dean Winchester, I swear to God, if you walk out that door…"
"What? What will you do, O Great One?"

Melinda's eyes narrowed and Peyton rushed over to her.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Why don't we all just calm down and talk about this, hmm?"
"I know what I saw, Peyton. If he doesn't believe me… It's not my fault he's a brainless idiot."
"Oh, yeah. That makes me want to stay."

The lightbulb behind Melinda burst, and Peyton yelped. Melinda walked down the rest of the stairs and stood at the opposite end of the hallway from Dean.

"Fine. Go. It's not like I'm surprised. You're so good at leaving, you might as well just put it on your resume! Wait. That would mean you'd have a job, and you're nothing but a con man. A worthless, good for nothing con."

Dean smiled, then opened the door. He walked onto the porch, never looking back.

"Sam!"

Sam turned and followed, and Melinda slammed the door behind them. Leo let out a sigh, and Melinda blinked back the tears in her eyes. Peyton went to the window, watching the Impala slide down the driveway, then disappear as it sped off. Peyton had tears in her eyes too, and she walked to Melinda.

"Oh, honey."

Melinda smiled and let out a shaky breath. Peyton shook her head.

"I can't believe he said those things."
"We had to make it believable."

Peyton and Piper turned to stare at Melinda as Leo walked over and took her in his arms.

"You did good, kid."
"I was thinking the whole time, pushing it to him, that I didn't mean what I was saying. And he was doing the same thing."

Leo kissed the top of Melinda's head and Piper held up a hand.

"Wait a second. Are you saying that this was all … what, a joke?"

Melinda looked up to Leo, who rubbed her arm.

"Not so much a joke, but a… Setup, maybe?"

Leo shrugged his shoulders and Melinda nodded.

"Dean had this idea to go, just him and Sam to see what's really up with Sam. If he's still on the demon blood."

Piper blinked.

"Honey, he almost killed you."
"Mama—"
"Don't 'Mama' me. He threw you up against a wall, gave you a horrific concussion, and left you for dead. He better be on something."

Piper turned and walked out of the room, and Leo kissed Melinda's head before following her. Melinda looked over to Peyton, who was staring out the window.

"I really think he did what he did to protect you, Peyton."

One tear slid down Peyton's face.

"I really don't care, Mel. I hate him."
"No, you don't."
"Yes, I do."

Peyton turned to Melinda and another tear fell.

"I have to. If I don't hate him, I feel this overwhelming feeling that I'm not going to make it. He was my heart and my life, and everything I had was wrapped up in him, and he walked away from it for a demon. A demon, Melinda! That's—"
"The unforgivable sin."

Melinda looked down and sighed, as Peyton shook her head.

"I was okay, at first. I was so mad, and I was fine. And then I saw him. He was here, and it all came flooding back, and now…"

Peyton shook her head again, running her hands through her hair.

"I don't want to talk about him. It … It doesn't matter."

Melinda wrapped an arm around Peyton and they walked into the kitchen, where Piper was banging around pots and pans while Leo drummed his fingers on the table. Melinda looked from him to Peyton and smiled.

"Hey, Mama?"

Piper turned back, throwing a glance at Melinda.

"Whenever you get done, we've got things to do."
"What kind of things?"

Melinda's smile grew and she glanced down at her hand, where Dean's ring still sparkled.

"Wedding things."

Piper whirled around, and Peyton did too, walking over to Melinda. Leo stood up from the table. Piper took in a breath.

"Wedding things?"
"Dean said that he doesn't want to wait anymore. So he's going to help Sam, and I'm staying here and we're going to start planning the wedding."

Peyton squealed and hugged Melinda, while Piper and Leo exchanged a glance. Leo put on a smile before Piper wrapped Melinda in her arms. Piper blinked back her tears, then smiled.

"Okay. We've got so much we need to do. First off, call your aunts. They're going to want to be all up in this."