Disclaimer: I do not own SPN or any of its characters. But I do enjoy playing in Kripke's sandbox!
AN: Hi, all! SO sorry for not updating. This has been sitting on my computer for a week or so, but I've been so busy with a billion and one things ya'll don't care about, so instead, I'll just say, NEW CHAPTER! YAY! And there you go... LOL
December 27
Dean POV
He sighed out a breath as he grabbed another lore book. He hated research. Luckily, Sam and Ryan were doing the hard part, he was just getting them coffee and snacks. He walked back into the war room to the dulcet tones of Andy and Sam arguing. Again. His eyebrow rose as he dropped next to Ryan, handing her a bottle of water and the book in the process. "Damn. They're really going at it. What about this time?"
She shrugged her shoulders. "Personally, I'm keeping my head down and ignoring it as much as possible. I did hear a comment fly around about 'Dean got them a dog, why can't we get one' and a follow up of 'so, if Dean jumped off a bridge, would you'?" She shook her head. "They're downgrading their arguments to childlike status."
"Well, we were once that bad, so, I guess there is hope for them to come out the other side," he added as he took a drink of his coffee. At her raised eyebrow, he asked, "What?"
"You and I argued about the proper way to store toilet paper in the bathroom cabinet this very morning."
"You stack it like a pyramid on top of each other. If they're lying on their sides, they get squished on the bottom and the roll bounces when you unroll it. It's like, physics or something, Ryan."
She let out a groan and an eyeroll. "Well, as I said, I'm staying out of it."
"Wonder if it's like a soulmate thing? Cas!" he called.
The angel appeared before him. "Yes?"
Dean grinned. "I like having you on angel-cell, dude."
The angel shot him a look. "Did you need something? I was in the middle of…"
"In the middle of interrupting Tory's case?" Ryan questioned with a knowing smile. At Castiel's questioning look, she added, "I know, because I know she and Charlie are out hunting a wendigo and Charlie called in to say they'd taken five from research and she had to blow out of there because Tory decided to call you down and get her rocks off," Ryan told him with a smirk.
He cleared his throat. "As I said. I was in the middle of something."
Dean's nose curled. "Hopefully not literally. I'd hate to be a cockblock, man."
Cas smiled. "No, we were…concluded with business."
Dean let out a bark of laughter. "Who knew she would finally remove the stick from your ass, Cas? I gotta buy that girl some weed as payment."
"No, she is not using drugs as much. She says she has found her bliss and it is usually tied to, well, me being tied up."
Dean and Ryan shared a look, Ryan chuckled and ducked her head, and Dean's smile grew. "I gotta admit, in the beginning, I wasn't sure, but, man, I kind of like you high on Tory Allard."
The angel smiled again. "Is there something you needed?"
"Yeah. Is it normal for soul mates to bicker and shit as much as Ryan and I do? As much as Sam and Andy do?"
Cas thought a moment before the argument just beyond the archway reached a crescendo and he moved closer.
"Cas! Man, don't get any closer!" Dean warned.
Cas looked at him. "It is indeed, a soul mate thing, as you stated." He took a step closer to the arguing couple, both who were tossing their arms around as they argued, gesturing wildly.
"Cas, man, don't get involved in their shit!" Dean called after him.
Ryan leaned back in her chair and propped her booted feet up on the table. "Oh, this'll be worth the price of admission. Wish I had a beer…" she trailed off as Cas began talking.
"May I make an observation?" Cas pipped up, stopping the arguing in its tracks.
Sam looked pissed as he bit out, "By all means. Please do."
"I've noticed in your pursuit of a healthier diet, you switched to soy milk, Sam."
Sam's brow's furrowed. "Yeah? A year or so ago. And?"
"Well, soy milk contains compounds similar to that of estrogen."
"What's your point, Cas!? I'm kinda in the middle of something, here!"
"Well, with the slight higher pitch your voice has now taken on, and your daily consumption of bran cereal as your breakfast in the morning, I can only conclude that the soy milk is, in fact, turning you into a hysterical woman."
You could have heard a pin drop in the room only a moment before Sam got in the angel's space, backing him into the wall as his hand went around Castiel's throat. "Look, Cas, I usually leave your ass beatings up to Dean because you two have some sort of weird love/hate thing going on, but I'm about two seconds away from pounding your face."
"I didn't realize you were so sensitive. Yes, I do believe you need to perhaps take a dose of testosterone to counteract the estrogen…"
Sam drew his fist back and Dean grabbed his arm, tugging gently to pull him away from Cas. "Okay, man, walk it off, let it go."
Sam let out a growl and walked about five feet away. That was when Dean shot Ryan a pointed look. She held up both hands. "Look, I may be guilty of sneaking you vegetables, but I'll be damned if I switch your milk, which you rarely drink, anyway. I swear I never will. I don't need no girlie man."
Andy, who had been staring at Cas like he was some kind of green Martian, narrowed her eyes and swung her body toward Ryan. "Excuse me?"
Ryan shrugged. "What?"
"Like Dean hasn't had so many hissy fits over…well, everything, that you didn't consider birth control to regulate his cycle?!"
"Well, I admit to slipping him some pamparin and buying him some manpons on occasion, but at least his voice hasn't gone up an octave!"
Dean felt the offense deep in his damn gut as he rounded on her and said, "I'm not listening to this…this nonsense wrapped in crazy!" He pointed to Cas first. "YOU. Quit pointing out the obvious. Sam, sorry, but he's not wrong. Ryan? BIG talk with you later about stowing couple's therapy. And Andy? Just…take a pill. No, I tell you what, you three continue talking about your lady parts and work through your issues. C'mon, Cas. Let's go."
"Where are we going?"
"You said you finished with Tory, right? You ain't gotta rush topside, do you?" At Castiel's nod, then head shake, Dean said, "Good. We are going to drink something strong enough to start my car in a pinch while NOT being a hysterical woman."
He had put his arm around the angel's shoulders to guide him away when Andy tossed out, "Yeah, sure, Dean. Resort to typical alpha-male bravado. What's so wrong with a man talking about his feelings?!"
That got him to turn around. "What am I? A hippie at a love-in?! Nah-uh. I'm out." He thought a moment and stopped. "Wait just a fucking minute. I'll have you know I'm leaving because this is stupid, not because of my feelings. Ryan has taught me how to open up and shit so this ain't got a thing to do with that." He caught Ryan's eye and added, "Baby, I appreciate you defending my honor, because I'm sure you were gonna, but it's not necessary. She's entitled to her opinion. Hell, I'm a married man with kids. I could care less what she thinks. You like my equipment, that's good enough for me. Boom! Eat that, bitches."
He paused once more before he stated, "And another thing? My honor doesn't NEED defending. Not by her or anyone else. I mean, come on, it's like you guys don't even KNOW me. Besides, it isn't about MY manhood, it's about Sam's. The only reason any of you are arguing is because it got called into question and apparently Cas hit a nerve because SOMEONE in this room thinks he might be right."
Dead silence filled the space. Dean gave them all a flat smile. "That's what I thought. Can we drop this ridiculous conversation now? Or do I gotta go get plowed to forget about how stupid everyone is being?"
Cas blinked. "So, how about that sports team?"
The room was once more filled with silence before a computer beeped. Ryan glanced down at hers and muttered, "Shit."
"What?" Dean asked, all thoughts of the past few minutes forgotten as he raced to her side.
She blew out a breath. "It's a case. Definitely." She looked at Dean. "You boys 'rock, paper, scissors' this to see who will go. Me and Sam, or you and Andy."
"What?!" Sam exclaimed.
She glared at him. "After the past few minutes? There's no way in hell I trust you and Andy to go out on a job together, and I don't really trust the two of you to look after my kids just now."
"Ryan," Andy stated, hurt evident in her voice.
Ryan shook her head. "No, Andy. It's not you, I promise. It's the situation. You two need a time-out from each other, at least for a little while."
"Me and you could…" she began but Ryan shook her head. "No. Not this time. We're gonna need some muscle I think, especially since I don't know what the fuck this is."
Dean looked at his wife. "Ry…you sure you want to hunt?"
She paused before she nodded. "I said I'd know when I'm ready. I'm ready. Best guess? This is a werewolf. It's got some weird stuff going on with it, but it's not natural, that much is for sure."
Dean glanced at Sam and shook his head. "Take her. Andy and I will look after the kids."
"You sure?"
Dean nodded. "As long as you can keep your head on straight to keep her safe."
"My head is always in the hunt, you know that, Dean."
Dean nodded again. "I know. Just…make sure it stays there, alright?" He looked at Andy. "What you say, Doc? Up for watching the rugrats with me?"
Andy looked from Sam to Ryan and he could tell she was still hurt. From the fight, from Ryan's somewhat cold hard facts about the argument, all of it. "Yeah, Dean. That sounds fine."
He pursed his lips in thought. "Alright. Go grab a bag. Camp out with us. We'll make oven s'mores and drink fire whiskey after the kids go to bed."
That got a half a smile on her face. "Whiskey with cinnamon in it? That's a chick drink."
"Let's see how drunk I can get you off it. You won't be whistling that tune when you wake up with the headache from Hell."
"You'd know all about Hell, seeing as you've been there."
His mouth fell open before he smiled. "You've been holding out on me, Doc."
She winked at him. "I got a few tricks up my sleeve, Wyatt."
He held out an arm for her and walked her up the steps. They made it outside before the smile slid off her face. "Shit."
"Breathe," he commanded as he handed her the keys to the impala. She blinked. "Go on, burn some rubber. Let my baby soothe you. Having control of her helps you control your own shit. I should know. I've been using her my whole adult life when I have issues."
She swallowed hard and took the keyring. "They won't need it?"
"You think Ryan will hunt in anything besides her Falcon?"
Andy did smile at that, even if it was a small smile. "Good point." Her smile grew. "I'd love to see Sam squeeze in the front seat."
Dean let out a bark of laughter as he dropped into the passenger seat and grunted as she slid the seat up. "Shit. It probably looks similar to this," he commented as he glanced down at his knees all but in his chest.
She giggled, cranked the car, and tore ass out onto the road, spitting gravel as she went. They were both silent a moment before she blew out a breath. "You're right."
"I know I am," he commented. "About what?"
"Driving her. She makes me feel invincible."
"Just don't go wrecking her, we call it square, alright?"
She nodded. They were quiet once more as she drove through town to the house where Tory was currently watching the boys. "You think we'll get through this crap, Dean? I'm trying here and he just…"
"Rubs you the wrong way?" he provided. At her nod, he sighed. "Look, not gonna lie, this part sucks. But the making up? Definitely makes up for it."
"The sex?" she wanted to know.
He shrugged. "Not just that. It's all of it. Realizing he was wrong, realizing you were wrong, realizing it was stupid. What was the fight about, anyway?"
"He said he wanted to go ahead and get two dogs when we get one, so they're not lonely."
"And?"
"I told him why don't we get one, see how it goes, then get another one. Simple request. And it was said calmly and rationally."
"But he didn't take it that way."
She shook her head. "No. he's being a dick. Just looking to pick a fight." She sighed again. "Maybe Ryan was right. Maybe we need a time-out."
"Nothing in the world wrong with that."
"You were smart, to put them on the case."
"Ryan needs to go out," he stated simply. "And she wanted it. I could see it in her eyes. She wanted it. So? I give them this one." He winked at her when she glanced over at him. "The next one is ours."
"Damn straight," she murmured as she flipped on the radio. The DJ finished talking and a familiar song started. She smiled. "This is your song."
His brow furrowed as The Eagles began singing. "Huh?"
She sang along and when she got to the part that said, "One say's she's a friend of mine," she pointed to herself.
Dean just stared at her, expressionless. She swatted him with her hand. "Fine. Be that way." She continued looking out the windshield, singing under her breath.
He smiled as he thought about it. He'd had women want to own him, more than his fair share that would have loved to stone him, but she truly was a friend. "You know you are, right?"
"Damn right I am."
"Seriously. I don't have a long list of people I call friends," he began. "And even the ones who manage to make the list, aren't necessarily people I'd make an effort to spend time with."
Luckily, they'd made it to a red light as she turned to him and stared, her expression part shock, part 'ohmygodyouaresosweet'. He cleared his throat. "Don't get me wrong, you're a smart ass comment away from a strangling about ninety percent of the time, but…I'm, uh…" He looked down at his boots on the floorboard and finished quickly, "I'm glad for the ten percent."
The car was dead silent as the song finished. Finally, he chanced a quick peek at her. Her lip quirked and he was praying she wouldn't give him shit for opening himself up. They talked a lot, but they never talked about what they meant to each other. Well, rarely, anyway. Usually they were sounding boards for bitching about their spouses. She licked her lips, still that damn smile growing bigger by the second. "We done here?" she asked softly.
"Yeah."
"Thank God," she muttered as she flipped off the car behind them honking their horn due to the light being green.
"So, fire whiskey after the monsters go to sleep tonight?" he asked to offset the uncomfortable air in the car.
She let out a snort. "Bring it, Princess."
"Princess nothing," he growled. "If I'm a chick for drinking cinnamon whisky, I'm at least a damn queen."
The comment did what he wanted and she let out a big belly laugh. He hated to sound like a chick, even in his own head, but he wished Andy and Sam would work through this crap. He really did hate seeing them at odds.
Later that night, he got a text from Ryan letting him know they'd gotten to the motel safely and they would be researching probably through the night if he wanted to call her for some…dual self-loving. He cleared his throat as he read the text.
"Ryan?" Andy asked from where she was sitting at the table, open bottle of Fireball in front of her. She had begrudgingly admitted how damn smooth it was and she'd put a damn fine dent in his bottle. Luckily he had a spare in the back of the cabinet. He pulled it out and walked back over to her. The youngest kids were sound asleep, Krissy and Jesse were both still at work, and Hope was helping Ben with his Latin.
"Yeah, it was Ryan." He saw her phone sitting next to her on the table. "You heard from him?"
She nodded. "He texted me, I texted back."
"You two good?"
She shrugged and downed another generous glass of the whiskey. "I suppose."
He thought a moment before he snagged a piece of paper from the side of the refrigerator. He found a pen in one of Ryan's pieces of pottery and walked them both over to Andy. "Here."
"I'm about half-ass drunk, Dean. You want me to do math or some shit?"
He smirked. "No, but you'd still kick ass at it, Andy. Nope, sit your ass down."
"I am sitting, asshat."
"Oh. Yeah." He plopped his own ass down and twisted the cap off the whiskey before pouring himself another glass. "Now that I'm sitting, pick up that paper and pen, start a list."
"Of what?"
He took a swig of his drink. "Of shit you like about my brother."
"What are we? In grade school?"
"Nah. Saw this on a movie once. Write a fucking list. Keep that shit with you. Then, when he pisses you off, take the damn thing out and read it."
Her eyes widened as she looked at him like he was nuts. "You serious?"
"As a damn apocalypse. And I've been through a few of those."
"Bite my ass, Winchester."
"You first," he stated with a smile.
She snatched up the paper, scowl on her face as she began writing, then, as she continued, her face softened until about ten minutes, and almost a full sheet of paper later, she said, "Damn it, now I miss my moose."
He nodded. "Yeah. I know what you mean. Ryan can warm a bed like nobody's business."
"Oh! Yeah, Sam's like a space heater. Lemme add that. He always keeps my feet warm…"
Dean snorted. "No, not like that. She gets my motor running, you know?"
"Eww! No sex stuff, Dean! We made a rule!"
He smirked. "Yeah, I know."
"I hate you."
He puckered his lips at her. She threw the pen at him. He smirked. "So…gotta ask, because, this shit's been bugging me for months."
Her eyebrow popped as she sipped her glass. "Okay…"
"When we were playing that stupid ass game, you and Tory…"
She chuckled throatily. "You wanna know if me and Allard actually did the deed?"
He nodded.
She smiled. "I'm surprised at you. I thought we said no sex stuff?"
"I'm a guy. I'm curious."
"You're drunk."
"I'm lit," he countered. "I know what I'm doing."
"And you're broaching uncomfortable territory, Dean."
"You don't wanna answer, I'll respect that."
She eyed him.
"What? I will!" he exclaimed. "I'm just…I can't say I've ever been friends with anyone enough to fool around with. Girl, guy, alien."
She laughed throatily. "Ah, shit. It was one of those nights, you know? We'd gone out on a hunt. Me, Tor, Ryan. Only time I got Ryan out on a demon hunt. We kicked their asses straight back to hell, went out drinking afterward. This was before Bobby. Hope had a babysitter. We hit Reno. Fucking blast, by the way…"
He blinked. "You took Ryan to Reno on a demon hunt and then got her wasted?"
"What? No. She only got lit. Me and Tory? We got wasted. Anyway, so, Tory got some guy off in the bar, mainly because she likes giving head. I never understood that. But then, I'm a selfish lover. I get mine, or nothing. Usually first, ya feel me?"
He nodded. "Yeah."
She looked him over again. "You sure you wanna know this?"
"You sure you wanna tell it?"
She poured another shot, downed it, wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and shrugged. "Not my proudest moment, gotta admit, but I'll share it. Only because I like ya."
"Thanks?"
She chortled and ran a finger over the rim of her glass a moment. "So, anyway, we managed to get back to the hotel, we rock-paper-scissored who would sleep together since it was only a two bed room. Ryan won, fair and square. We settled in with a nightcap because I always bring booze. We played a few games of Quarters. Ryan kicks ASS at that game. Don't ever play her. You'll get fucked up like nobody's business." She smiled. "Anyway, so, I don't know if you know this, but I'm a horny drunk."
At Dean's obvious look of alarm, she chuckled. "You're safe from me. I'm a one-moose girl. Squirrel is not my forte."
"Thanks."
She grinned. "So, I'm a horny drunk. I was just out of it enough to not realize I was alone in the room. I started, well, I just needed a quick fix, just to get to sleep. Next thing I know, there was a hand joining mine. And well, hell, why not, you know? We added a few sloppy kisses. It was kind of weird, but no biggie. It was almost like a dream. Even looking back on it, I wouldn't have believed it had Ryan not told us we actually did it."
"And she was there? In the other bed?"
Andy's lip quirked. "Well, let's say I'm not the only horny drunk. I don't know with certainty she got herself off, but, hell, a live porn show going on next to you? Why wouldn't you?"
Dean blinked. "Holy shit."
She shrugged as she poured another drink for him. "Drink up, bub. You just got some knowledge."
He downed the shot she poured and poured himself another. "Holy. Fucking. Shit."
She smirked.
"So…no…I mean…you and Tory are just friends after that?!"
She glared at him. "Some women are capable of being friends afterward. It was a little awkward for all of us, not going to lie. But I told her I wasn't into her that way, she told me I'd make a terrible lesbian, we kind of laughed it off."
"And Ryan?"
She shrugged again. "You know Ryan. Anything that doesn't involve sex with you, she's a little prudish. Me and Tory understood. She didn't tell us her whole life story, but she gave us enough info for us to figure it out. That fucks you up. We got that."
"You think…" He stopped and blew out another breath before downing another shot.
"What?"
"You think I'm good for her? Seriously?"
She sat back and just looked at him. "Well, look at that. I thought you were unshakable, Dean."
He laughed flatly. "Seriously? You really don't know me very well, do you, Doc?"
She leaned forward and grabbed his hands. "Look, I'm not the smartest person on the planet, but I know one thing. You? You're the best damn thing that ever happened to her. Don't ever doubt that shit, okay?"
He nodded. "Same goes, Andy." At her scoff and attempt to pull away, he gripped her hands. "I mean it. This shit you two are working through? It ain't gonna go away, not fully. But you get better at it. Hell, me and Ryan argued about damn toilet paper this morning. We worked through it. Marriage? It's the hardest job ever. Hell, wrangling kids is much easier, in my opinion. Marriage is WORK. But it's worth it. And you got your soul mate. That's the main thing. Hold on to him, yeah? Cuz I'd hate to beat your scrawny ass."
"In your dreams, Wyatt."
They shared a smile and sat back, downing another shot each. The bottles were getting a little too low and he knew they'd need to stop soon.
They sat quietly a moment before she asked, "What do you think they're doing right now?"
He glanced at the clock. "Research. And they're probably both worrying their asses off that we're okay, just like I know we're both doing about them."
"You know, it's kinda nice having someone worry about ya. Even if it is hella annoying sometimes."
"Too true," he commented on a nod as they clinked glasses. "Damn. We are two of the biggest idiots on the planet. Instead of sexing it up with my hot wife, I'm wiping snotty noses and drinking with your sorry ass."
"You are an idiot, but this is all on me. Me and Sam."
"I don't mind being here with ya, Andy, truth be told, but I got needs."
"You think I don't? The things that man can do to my body…"
"Thought we agreed no sex stuff?"
"I just told you about how me and my best friend had sex and now you're pulling out the no sex rule?"
"Not when it's my brother you're talking about! Hell, you wanna talk about every Tom, Dick, and Harry you fucked? I'll listen all damn day and offer commentary. But Ryan and Sam are off limits."
She rolled her eyes. "Fine. Who's the prude now?"
He contemplated throwing his shot glass at her but decided to be the bigger man.
They sat there sullenly a moment before she took a big gulp of her drink, spilling almost half of it down her front. He let out a laugh. "What the matter? Got a hole in your lip, Winchester?"
"Not funny, Winchester," she shot back. "And furthermore, you're the wrong Winchester I wanna be with right now."
"Same goes, Winchester."
"Why the hell we keep saying 'Winchester', Winchester?"
"Hell if I know, Winchester."
They looked at one another and dissolved into a fit of giggles.
"You know, we should make a list of things we hate about them," Andy piped up.
"Hate is a strong word," he commented as he poured another drink.
"Dislike?"
"Better." He thought a moment. "Like how Ryan has to dry her hands after she washes them before she brushes her teeth. Who does that? What the hell difference does it make?"
"And how Sam has to suck on his teeth when he flosses them?"
Dean's lip curled. "That shit has bothered me for decades, Andy. Glad you get to deal with it now."
"Fuck you."
He eyed her. "Nope. Sorry. Out of all the people I'd screw? You wouldn't be one of them."
She snorted. "Same goes." She looked at him critically. "Although, if I were drunk enough…"
He let out a laugh. "Yeah, alright. There's been enough of those I've had, I can agree with you on that."
She sighed. "I guess I'll go to bed. I'm tired."
He yawned. "Yeah. They'll be up soon."
She stood and swayed a little. He was up in a flash and caught her.
"I'm denying to my grave I swooned in your presence," she muttered into his shirt.
He chuckled and picked her up bridal-style. "Come on, Doc. They call me the oak, but they ain't got nothing on you."
"Fuck off."
"I'll beat off, but I don't think you're interested."
She pulled a face. "Just deposit me on a damn bed and then get those hands away from me with your hairy palms."
"They only got hairy once."
"I know. I read the book."
"Damn Chuck Shirley," he growled.
She giggled. "Thanks for being my best friend, Dean. I always thought it was Ryan, but it really is you. You get me, you know?"
He had taken her downstairs to the basement bedroom and he gently placed her on the bed before he kissed her forehead. "Same goes, Doc. Same goes."
She rolled over and he covered her with the afghan Ryan had put on the bed. "I miss my Sammy," she murmured sleepily.
He blew out a breath. "I know you do." He put her out some water and aspirin, just in case the booze came back to kick her ass in the morning, and walked back upstairs. He really wanted to talk to Ryan. He missed her.
Ryan POV
Ryan sat back and rubbed her eyes. "Ugh. I'm cross eyed."
"Well, you're the one that reads Greek."
"I thought we were going to teach you how to read it," she growled.
"I got busy."
"Busy getting laid," she threw out with a grumble.
He smiled at that. "Yeah. I guess so."
She smiled, too. "He'll get her back to good, you know?"
Sam sighed. "I just wish I knew how to stop this constant stream of arguing we're doing."
"It's a new relationship. You two jumped in with both feet and you didn't get to know one another that well."
"You aren't saying…"
"No!" she exclaimed. "It wasn't a mistake, Sam. I'm just urging you two to give each other a bit of space. In the span of a few months, you've met, hated one another, slept together, fell in love, got married, got a house, and now you two are arguing over dogs and babies." She threw her hands up in exasperation. "It's a lot, dude. Give her some damn space."
His mouth fell open. "You of all people should…"
"What? Go along with you because you and I are alike? News flash, sugar, I don't agree with you. I'm not taking sides in this matter, but I don't agree with you rushing her to do anything."
"I'm not…"
"You are," she stated softly as she reached across to take his hand in hers. "You're in such a hurry for your happily ever after before you lose it, you're about to lose it before you get it!" She took a deep breath and blew it out. "Look, I'm just saying, you can't rush her. She's enough like Dean to put on the breaks completely. The fact you talked her into marrying you two months after you met? Astounding. And, again, let me reiterate, I don't think it was a mistake. But the fact remains, you two are like at warp speed over here. Just…pump the breaks a little bit."
"I want what you have, Ryan. What you and Dean have."
She shook her head and gave him a smile. "Do you have any idea how lucky you and Andy are?! I mean, you can just do…whatever the fuck you want to do, whenever the fuck you want to do it. My God, Sam! Think about it! No screaming in the middle of the night waking you up…you two decide to get frisky in the middle of watching a show on National Geographic? You can do it on the damn couch! I mean…you get to sleep in if you want, you get to go on hunts without worrying about babysitting, you get to come and go as you please without a pint-sized tyrant screaming because they don't want a cheeseburger, they want pizza…you two have this very small window of opportunity, Sam. Take advantage of it while the getting is good. Quit bitching over what you don't have, and enjoy what you do!"
He sat there a moment and blinked. "My God…"
She smirked. "And there it goes. I love watching the wheels in your head turn. Glad that hamster got up off his fat ass and started turning them."
"Fuck off, Ryan."
She blew him a kiss before she glanced at her phone, which was buzzing. She read the text with a smile. "Looks like your girl passed out for the night. You'll have to talk to her later."
He stood and stretched. "I need caffeine. Want me to make a run to that all night gas station a few blocks over so we can burn the midnight oil?"
"Sounds great, Sam."
He picked up the keys to her car and shot her a grin. "I'll just wait in the car until you open the door, just in case your…conversation with Dean turns into something that might embarrass me."
She giggled. "Well, I'd tell you we aren't going to have phone sex…"
"But you'd just be lying to me. Just, uh…not on my bed, alright?"
She laughed out loud and gave him a mocking salute. "Smart ass," she murmured as he walked out the door. She picked up her phone as she stood and walked to her bed. She needed to talk to Dean, and she had the distinct impression Sam was right.
After her talk with Dean, she took a shower and slipped into pajama pants and one of Dean's tee-shirts. They weren't going out tonight, anyway. Tomorrow they would interview witnesses and talk to the local sheriff's office. She opened the door to find Sam lounging against the car, furiously texting. Her eyebrow shot up. "Who you talking to?"
He jumped. "Damn it, Ryan!"
She let out a giggle. "You're not much of a hunter if I scared you."
"I was…"
"Concentrating. So I see. So, I repeat; who you talking to?"
"Andy. She's, uh…" He broke out into a grin. "She's drunk sexting me."
Ryan giggled. "I'm not sure I want to know."
"Well, if she could spell when she was drunk, it would help," he told her.
Ryan just shook her head. "Can you concentrate on the case, or do you need some alone time? I'll loan you the car, but only if you wipe everything down with a Clorox wipe afterward. They're in the trunk next to my machete."
"First off, I don't want to know why you need Clorox wipes in your car, and second, she just told me she was going to sleep."
"And do you now have…issues, bro? Or are you good?"
He smiled. "Well, it would have been sexier on my end if she wasn't stumbling all over. As it was, I…helped her, so I'm good."
"You two made up?"
He grimaced as he slipped his phone in his pocket and followed her into their room. "Yes and no. I mean, sex is never the issue."
"Tell me about it," she muttered as she took the coffee he handed her from the tray that had been sitting on the hood of the car.
"Yeah, so, that isn't the problem. All the other crap is and she's too drunk to deal with it, so we're in limbo."
"Everyone handles their crap their own way. Dean will help her. He probably talked to her about everything already, but Andy's a horny drunk, always has been."
He looked at her. "What?" she asked on a shrug. "It's true. I've known her a long time, Sam. I know her pretty well." She thought a moment. "Maybe not the same way Dean knows her. The two of them are thick as thieves. But I know what she likes, what alcohol she prefers depending on her mood, and how she acts in certain situations. I know her."
He sighed. "I just wish…"
"Know what my daddy always said?"
His eyebrow popped.
She smiled. "Wish in one hand, shit in the other. See which one fills up faster."
He stared at her a moment before he burst out in laughter. When he calmed down, a few minutes later, he wiped tears from his eyes. "I needed that."
"My pleasure," she stated in amusement. "But seriously. Don't wish, Sam. Make it happen. You want her to talk? Then screaming at her and trying to assert your dominance over her isn't going to cut it." At his surprised expression, she added, "Don't tell me you don't wish, just a little bit, that she wasn't so damn headstrong. I know. I've been there. Dean may be alpha-male, but I like to control things. We butt heads. It's the way we work. We work through them. Compromise is your best friend."
"Thanks, Ryan. I'll…give it a shot."
She smiled. "It also helps to make her think it was her idea."
"Does that work?"
"Did we paint the bathroom aqua?"
His eyes widened. "I bow before your awesomeness, Ryan. You're evil."
She smirked. "I just know what I want and I've lived long enough to know how to get it. And that's how I have to do things with Andy as well as Dean. So, keep that in mind, yeah? Now, let's get to researching."
They worked for a few more hours before Sam yawned long and loud. "I can't anymore. I need sleep."
Ryan yawned as well. "I couldn't agree more. Let's call it, get a few hours rest, then we can hit the witnesses and sheriff's office."
Sam nodded and walked to the bathroom. Ryan continued reading until he came out wearing a tee shirt and a pair of flannel sleep pants. She figured it was her turn, so she snagged her pajamas, changed, brushed her teeth and put her hair in a braid to sleep in, then came back out. Sam was already under the covers and glanced over at her. "This is weird."
She smiled. "What's weird?"
"I've just…got this déjà vu thing going on."
She had noticed it, too. "Yeah, same goes."
"Well, Dean was right, we probably did hunt a lot together, the other timeline."
She nodded. "Yeah. I suppose so." She walked over to her bed and slipped her pants down her legs.
"Whoa! What are you doing?!"
She shot him a dour look. "I'm taking off my pants, Sam. What does it look like I'm doing?"
"Wh-Why?"
"Because I don't sleep in pants?" she offered.
"You don't?"
"No. I don't. I really don't like sleeping in a shirt, but since you probably wouldn't be able to stop yourself from trying to cop a look, I decided to wear one."
"How kind," came his flat reply.
"Are you gonna be weird about this?"
"I…don't know."
"Well, at least you're honest."
"It's just…you're Dean's girl."
She sighed in exasperation. "We're not sleeping in the same bed here, Sam. You weren't weird before!"
"That was before you took your pants off!"
"I'm not putting them on," she ground out. "You can get the hell over it." She slid under her own covers and turned to face his bed. "Besides, you know Dean and Andy slept in the same room, right?"
"Yeah."
"And you trust the two of them didn't do anything besides hunt, get plastered, and try to start a bar fight, right?"
"I'm still pissed about that."
"They hunted well together, admit it."
"They ganked the monster," was his response.
"They did fine. And now we are hunting and it's fine."
He sighed. "I know. I just…this déjà vu thing, and damn Gabriel for the memories he gave me…"
She swallowed. She had moments of that, too; feelings that were out of place on occasion, especially about Sam. But she knew how absolutely she loved Dean. Knew, too, despite the fights he and Andy were having, Sam loved his wife implicitly. "Okay, so, we good?"
"Yeah. We're good."
"Good. Now I need sleep." She flipped off the light between them and she reveled in the silence and dark a few minutes.
"Hey, Ryan?"
"Yeah?"
"You ever think about that time?"
"Truthfully? Occasionally. But Gabriel came to see me a few months ago and mentioned that one wasn't the only time he screwed with the timeline."
"You think…?"
"I don't know. But it ended badly, so I'm assuming something pretty catastrophic happened."
"More so than you taking a turn letting Lucifer run around in your skin?"
She winced. She knew, because she and Dean were both purified, she didn't have any demon left in her, but still, some times, she could almost recall instances of the power, and it scared her. "I guess?"
"Wonder what?"
"He was rather close-lipped about it."
"That must have been hard for him since he can't seem to shut up."
She let out a little laugh at that. "Maybe he's less…verbose as an adult than he is as a child."
"Doubtful. He was a chatty Cathy before, too."
A thought occurred to her. "You ever think about that time and hate him?"
"Bobby? No, I don't hate baby Gabriel, our little Bobby for that. If my life thus far has taught me anything, it's that sometimes, we screw up and we try to do the damn best we can. Sometimes it doesn't turn out like we want, but it works."
She was silent a moment. "You know, I am sorry for what he did to you, Sam. Dean, yeah, sure, but you especially. But he's always been there for me. I mean, I let him possess me for a while. We talked a lot. I think I know him pretty well. And he really did hate that he had to. Not that it excuses it, but he really did think he was doing the best he could."
Sam was quiet for a bit before he said, "I never realized how much like Dean he is."
She couldn't help the smile. "It's amazing, huh? I mean, during the apocalypse, it was always 'Dean is like Michael' but I never saw that. Well, I don't know Michael, but Gabriel always reminded me of Dean, even before he took on a vessel baring the bloodline."
"How fascinating is it though how everything wound together? You and Dean, both of you with the bloodlines, Gabriel, It's just…" He sighed. "Kinda makes me scared to think about kids."
"What? Why?"
"Lucifer isn't dead. He'll continue plotting, Ryan. And, yeah, it wasn't me, and it isn't you, but who is to say, down the road…maybe Andy and I shouldn't…"
"Don't you dare finish that sentence, Samuel Winchester or I'll come over there, tie you up in the sheets, and beat your ass with this god awful lamp."
He didn't have a response for that.
"Look, I know it's scary. You wanna talk about scary? How about having an angel of the lord come to you in the middle of the night and tell you he gave you a uterus, you got knocked up, and had to leave the love of your existence all in one night? How about the fact I was scared shitless sitting on an exam table for a miracle I didn't ask for? How about having to raise not one, but two kids, basically on my own! You're scared, Sam, I get it. And you're a logical thinker. Dangerous combo, but the fact remains. You got it pretty damn good and I don't want to hear you whining about it."
Silence reigned for a moment before he muttered, "Wow. Been holding that one in a while, huh?"
"Yes."
He chuckled. "Thanks, Ryan. You're terrific. You know that?"
"So I've heard."
"Seriously." He let out another yawn. "Okay, well, if you're not going to molest me in the night, I guess I'll go to sleep."
"Bite me, Sam," she told him affectionately.
"Nope, sorry. I'm a one-woman man."
"You'd better be. She knows about fifteen different ways to murder someone without a conventional weapon."
A pause, then, "I…didn't know that."
She chortled. "Well, now you do, slugger."
Three days later, the two managed to limp home in a busted ass car. Ryan let out a whimper as she stood, and it was only partially due to the concussion and bumps and bruises. "Fucking ghoulpires," she growled as she fingered the bent hood of her car. She chanced a glance at Sam. "How well is he going to take this?"
"Plus side?" Sam managed as he stood on a groan, "It ain't his baby. Downside?" He looked at her and she knew he was cataloging the cuts and bruises on her face. "He's going to tear me a new one for bringing you back to him looking like that."
She swallowed hard and nodded. "Yeah…sorry about that." About that time, she heard Baby's engine coming down the road. She shot Sam a glare. "You texted him and let him know we were coming home!?" she winced as pain lanced through her. She and Sam both looked like shit. Who knew the woman was in on it the whole time? And then decided to take her for a joyride after beating the shit out of her?
"Uh…yes?" he offered.
"Fuck you," she growled.
"Nice. Real mature."
She stuck her tongue out at him as Dean stood from his car. "Oh my God. Ryan!"
"I'm okay, I'm alright," she managed as he crossed to her in three strides and crushed her to him.
"Are you sure?! I almost lost my shit when I was on the phone with you and you were being attacked by that thing."
"It's because of you and Andy we figured out what it was. Thank you. And I managed to at least rip his head off. Give me some credit."
"I don't give a shit about any of that. What the fuck happened?"
"Ryan saved us," Sam put in on a wheeze. She had bandaged his ribs, but she knew at least one was broken. "She managed to take out the big daddy."
Ryan's nose curled. "Who knew Deputy Dumbass was smarter than we gave him credit for?"
Just then, the Expedition pulled up, half on the lawn as Andy threw the vehicle in park, darted out, and leapt into Sam's arms. Ryan saw him grimace in pain only a second before his mouth fused with his wife's.
Ryan's eyebrow shot up. "So…they've made up I guess?"
"Funny how your spouse almost getting themselves killed makes you see how much you'd miss them if they died!"
She just looked at him. "We're hunters, Dean. Don't play that card."
"You got your ass handed to you."
"Like you don't almost every time you go out on a hunt? I let it slide, how you and Andy came back last time. Don't make this a thing."
"Andy was fine and so was I," he stated defensively.
"So am I. So is Sam."
He clenched his jaw before he blew a breath out of his nose. "Okay, so, exactly why did you feel the need to fuck up the Falcon?"
"Because it was the only way I could stop the car when Deputy Dumbass stole it and I was handcuffed in the backseat?"
He looked at her, eyes widening slightly a moment before he broke out into a grin. "My girl. Always the badass."
She winked. "You know it."
January 5
She heard the back door shut, causing her to look up from playing with Jon on the floor with his baby Legos. She and Tory were hanging out at home with the little guys. Sam and Andy were taking a few days to spend alone together, which everyone thought was a good idea. The lore was taking a backseat while the older kids were at school and Dean worked on repairing the Falcon. It had been less than a week since her and Sam's return, but Dean hadn't wanted to waste time. The weekend before, over New Year's, he and Ben had gone up to Bobby's old place and got some more stuff they would need to fix up the cars. Hope's baby was getting closer to needing a paintjob and Dean didn't trust anyone else to paint it, especially since Hope knew the exact shade of baby blue she wanted for her car. Plus, they'd salvaged around for parts to Ryan's metal baby, finally finding what they needed on an abandoned Falcon in Bobby's lot.
"How's it going?" Tory asked as Dean broached the door, beer bottle to his lips.
Ryan's mouth went dry and she swallowed hard before her mouth fell open. She watched, transfixed, as he tossed his head back. She couldn't even blink as his Adam's apple bobbed when he swallowed and saliva pooled in her mouth as she watched a lone bead of sweat travel down the side of his neck to disappear under his grey tee.
He fixed his gaze on her as he pulled the bottle from his mouth and opened it. She blinked once, twice, then said, "Huh?"
He smiled. "I said, 'she's going good. Won't be too much longer'. But, damn, you fucked her up nice and proper, babe."
"I apologized," she stated, somewhat breathlessly. She couldn't quite control her lungs. It was as if all the air had left them. Her eyes couldn't help but roam as she took in the sweat staining his shirt, the grease and dirt tracks criss-crossing their way over his chest and arms.
"Alright, well, I'm going back out there after I make me a sandwich."
Still, she stared at him. She felt Tory jab her in the side and she blinked again. "I made you one. It's sitting under a napkin on the table."
He walked over to her and pecked her lightly on the lips. "You're the best, babe."
She leaned in a bit more and he moved just out of her reach. "Careful, peaches, don't want to get you dirty."
She bit her lower lip and looked up at him from under her lashes before she licked her lips, tasting the tangy flavor of his sweat on her lips.
His smirk grew. "On second thought…" He grabbed her and pulled her to her feet. She let out a squeal as he tossed her over his shoulder. "Allard, keep the boys busy."
Ryan looked at Tory as she gave a chuckle. "I take it you'll be busy ravaging? Well, hang a rag on the door to the garage, give people some warning, alright?"
"Can do, chief. Thanks. I'll owe you one," he murmured as he walked Ryan through the kitchen, back in the direction of the garage.
Ryan couldn't help herself and gave his ass a gentle squeeze. He let out a hiss and Tory laughed out loud. "I'll put it on your tab!" she shot back as the backdoor shut behind them.
Ryan was jostled about as he bounded down the steps and across the yard to the garage. The smell of grease, gasoline, and oil assaulted her senses only a moment before she felt him shift her, a hard surface under her ass, and his mouth fused with hers.
She let out a moan as she sucked on his tongue. He plundered there a moment as she felt her clothes quickly disappearing. Her nipples hardened as the cold air of the garage brushed them, but then he pressed himself back to her and she felt warmth radiating through her. He leaned back but only to pull his shirt over his head and they were gloriously skin-to-skin.
"Lay back," he commanded and she felt the cold metal of the trunk of her car. She watched him as he pulled her boots and jeans off before she was completely naked and exposed to him. He stepped back and licked his lips. "Fucking hell, you're like a damn model, Ryan. Stay right there. I wanna remember this moment forever."
She smiled at him and put her arms over her head in what she hoped was a sexy pose. She blinked and blew him a kiss somewhat seductively and she enjoyed watching him shiver. He was still in his jeans and boots. He had grease on his cheek and arms, sweat on his chest, and he looked like a fantasy standing before her.
She licked her own lips as he slowly unbuttoned then unzipped his jeans. She let out a gasp as he slipped them down just enough to free his cock and she let out a moan when he pumped it once, twice, three times, a bead of precome pearling at the tip.
"Breathe, Ryan," he commanded and she sucked in a deep breath before slowly blowing it out. He smirked and swaggered back to her. He bent over and took one languid lick of her core before diving in, thrusting his tongue into her.
She uttered his name on a cry as her hands dove to his short hair, tugging as best she could. He'd gotten it cut, so she barely had enough to grab, but it got the job done.
He took his time and she didn't give two shakes of a rat's ass that anyone could walk in and see her naked, being feasted on by Dean. Besides, she was making enough noise to warn anyone away. She couldn't help it.
When he finally pulled away, he was smiling widely as his facial hair glistened with her come. He'd recently grown out a goatee and she loved every inch of that hair, especially the beard burns he left her with, and she knew she would be sensitive for the rest of the day.
He slowly moved up her body, kissing her stomach, taking care to pay attention to both her breasts, before, finally, he pulled her up just enough to fuse his mouth with hers once more.
She loved tasting herself on him. It had quickly become, not necessarily a kink of hers, but something she found herself liking more and more, enough that, occasionally, she tasted herself when he was on a case and she needed to get herself off.
"God, Peaches," he moaned as he laid her back down. "You're perfect."
"So are you," she panted as he took himself in his hand once more. She whimpered anew as he brushed her sensitive nub with his head.
"You ready?"
"For you? Always," she purred.
He moved his hips and they were connected. She wrapped her legs around his waist and he bent over her, taking turns sucking, nipping, and biting her nipples, leaving one cold and exposed as he moved to do the same to the other. Back and forth, back and forth, all while continuing a steady push and pull as he rocked them both to oblivion.
Her hands found purchase on his biceps and she massaged them as he continued to move, taking her through two more orgasms before she felt him stiffen as his own rocked him, triggering a final one from her.
He blew out a breath as he laid his head on her chest and she gently ran her fingers through his hair. "I love you," she whispered.
He looked up then and caught her eye. "I love you, too. So fucking much."
January 7th
It was only two days later, another potential case crossed their desks. Hope happened to be in the bunker at the time and read the report over Ryan's shoulder. "I think I've seen this before."
Ryan blinked and looked up at her daughter. "What?"
"Give me a minute…" She stared off in space as she consulted her internal data banks.
"That's creepy as fuck when she does that," Ben commented as he looked up from the math homework he was currently working on. Ryan and Dean weren't ready to let him out to hunt yet, but he was working diligently and Ryan knew, by the time he graduated high school, he would be ready. Maybe even before.
"Shush," Ryan scolded with a smile.
"It's true, and you know it."
"She's buffering," Dean added on a snort.
"Got it!" Hope crowed a few moments later. "I know what, or should I say, who, it is." She gave a grim look. "But we're gonna have to hurry."
"Who is it?"
"Calliope."
"Who?"
"Calliope." She blushed. "We, uh…we had a thing, back in the day."
Sam started tapping away at his laptop, supposedly pulling up the info. "Got her. Says here she's a goddess and the muse of epic poetry in Greek mythology." His brow furrowed. "Get this. She's the daughter of Zeus and Mnemosyne." He glanced up at Hope, who nodded.
"Wait…" Ben stood and walked over to them. "Daughter of Zeus. Weren't you one of Zeus' sons?"
"Yeah."
"And you two had a thing?!"
"It was in ancient Greece! Things were different back then!"
"Yeah, but incest?! That's nasty."
She shot him a look. "We were born centuries apart."
"Doesn't matter. Still nasty."
She rolled her eyes. "I was a different person then."
Ryan chuckled. "Further proof Gabriel chose well when he chose a Winchester as your vessel." When her daughter looked at her blankly, Ryan said, "Apparently back in the day, you, like your father, would bed anything that stood still long enough."
"Hey, I didn't do incest and I didn't do dudes. That's gotta count for something," Dean murmured on a pout.
Ryan smiled. "And now you're a one-woman man."
"Damn straight."
"So, how do we kill her, Hope?" Sam asked. "We are going to have to kill her, right?"
Hope grimaced. "I could try to talk to her. She's kept a pretty low profile as of late. Last time I saw her was about three centuries ago."
"But on the off chance we can't talk her down?"
Hope's face was grim. "A stake that's been blessed will work."
"Blessed? By you?"
Hope's face took on a mask of incredulity. "Me? Seriously?"
"You're an angel, aren't you?"
"That does not automatically make me holy," she countered. "No, I suggest getting an actual priest to bless that bad boy."
Ryan clapped her hands and rubbed them together as she stood. "Okay, well, me, you, Andy and Kris can handle this."
"Girl's trip?!" Hope exclaimed.
Ryan nodded. "Girl's trip."
"What?! No! How is that fair?!" Dean whined as he leaned back from where he, too, had been looking over Ryan's shoulder.
"How about because this is an all girl's school for starters?"
"Dude. I call dibs," Ben stated.
A chorus of 'Shut up, Ben' rang around the room.
"Man. I'll drive." When no one answered him, he said, "I'll buy the snacks." Still, no one answered him. He tossed his pencil to the table. "No one ever lets me have any fun."
Ryan chortled and glanced at Hope. "Alright, you take point on this."
"No offense, but if you want me to take point, why are you and Andy going?"
Ryan thought of how she wanted to phrase it before she said, "I realize you are a different person than you were, but seeing her again might bring up old feelings. I don't want you compromised. If she needs to be taken out, I want her taken out. And I don't want you waffling."
Hope's eyes burned angel blue for a moment. "I know how to kill a monster that needs killing!"
"Not when she was related to you!" Ryan exclaimed. She blew out a breath. "And if you two were…" She grimaced. "If you two were lovers," Dean winced as well, "I don't want you having to be the one to gank her. Sam can tell you, that's no fun."
Sam shot her a bitchface but nodded. "She's right."
"It was a dalliance," Hope insisted. "It didn't mean anything."
The men in the room let out a low whistle. She glanced around at them. "What?"
"Has being a chick this time around not taught you anything? You can't go around saying that shit to women."
She shot her brother a look. "Duh, Ben. I know that. But the fact remains. Besides, it's not like she was looking for anything other than a good time…"
"Hope!" Dean sputtered. "For God's sake, can you not?"
She shrugged. "Just saying…"
Ryan held in the chuckle. "Fine, fine, let's just get our crap packed so we can go. Go home and pack you and Kris some stuff. We'll leave as soon as she gets off work."
"Yes!"
Ryan rolled her eyes as her daughter poofed out of sight on a flutter of wings. "I think you're right, Dean. Winchester plus angel equals nothing but trouble."
"Told ya."
Since Hope wasn't yet strong enough to fly anyone without a fountain of blood gushing from her nose, they drove. The drive to Flint, Michigan took them a while, but since they knew what they were going in for, it made things a bit easier. The bad news was, Calliope likely wouldn't show herself until the curtain closed for good, which meant watching and waiting, something none of them were particularly good at, especially when the second victim went missing.
"We don't move until show time," Hope told them as they prepared for the play. "I know Calli. She won't hurt them. She will only hurt Marie."
"Thanks," Marie stated drolly as she adjusted her 'Sam' wig. When they had gotten there and realized Marie was putting on a 'Supernatural' show, they were more than a little surprised, especially Ryan and Andy. Ryan was still a tad affronted that Marie hadn't believed her when she told her the truth of what happened to Sam and Dean. Andy found the whole thing amusing, especially when Marie called their story 'the worst fanfiction she'd ever heard'.
"I just wish Dean was here to see the 'Destiel' live and in person," Andy muttered as she watched the girls prep for the curtain to go up. Krissy was just standing there smirking. She had enjoyed the whole thing immensely. Hope had too. Had, in fact, gone to get a copy of the script so she could show it to Sam and Dean. She was particularly interested in the abomination that was the terrible second half, complete with the tentacles and outer space.
Ryan shot her the bitchface, causing Andy to grin. "That one was worthy of Sam! Makes me miss my moose. I may have to make out with you tonight, instead."
"So, wait, you're admitting I'm Sam and you're Dean?"
"Well, you are taller…" Andy countered, causing Krissy to roll her eyes.
"T minus two minutes!" Maeve shouted.
Ryan looked at the scared faces as the girls all gathered around. This was a ludicrous idea, the whole play, but it was Marie's baby, and Marie reminded her enough of Hope, especially as a younger girl, to respect her vision. "Alright. Bring it in." They all looked up at her expectantly and she found herself at a loss for words.
That was when Andy spoke up; "Alright. I know I have expressed some differences of opinion regarding this particular version of Supernatural." Ryan snorted. Andy had, in Dean's stead, been offended by the whole 'subtext' thing.
"But tonight," Andy continued, "It is all about Marie's vision. This is Marie's Supernatural. So, I want you to get out there, and I want you to stand as close as she wants you to, and I want you to put as much sub into that text as you possibly can. There is no other road. No other way. No day, but today."
She heard Maeve whisper, "Did she just quote 'Rent'?"
"Yeah, but not enough to get us in trouble," came Marie's reply.
"Now," Andy went on. "I want you to go out there and kick it in the ass!"
"Nice speech, Aunt Andy," Hope told her as they all moved to their places.
Andy smirked. "I was channeling your father."
"You succeeded. Scarily," the girl deadpanned.
Andy shot her a look as they moved into position. Krissy and Andy were going to be on the other side of the stage while Ryan and Hope took point on this side. Then all they had to do was lay in wait.
Ryan kept her eyes peeled as she waited. She saw Andy across the stage bobbing her head with the song and she rolled her eyes. Suddenly, Andy stopped and made some kind of movement. Ryan shook her head and gave her a thumbs up. Andy tried to yell something at her without yelling but Ryan couldn't hear it. "What?"
Just then, she turned. The Scarecrow had appeared…and spirited Ryan away.
She regained consciousness in a room with two others she immediately recognized as the missing student and missing teacher. "Agent Smith?"
Ryan blinked and nodded. "Are you two alright?" They both nodded as well. Ryan stood and brushed herself off. "Where the hell are we?"
"School basement."
Ryan tried the door and the Ms. Chandler said, "Yeah, I tried that days ago."
"So, what? We're stuck here?"
Just then, a lovely woman in purple arrived. "That's right," she said and Ryan's eyes narrowed. "You're gonna miss the big show."
Ryan walked toward the goddess, but she felt herself being moved by an invisible hand as she was shoved into the door, pinned there.
"You know," Calliope went on, "I've consumed many authors. Many stories. But tonight, soon as that curtain opened, I knew something special was brewing with this one. Maybe it's because the story's actual inspiration is part of your story. Isn't that right, Ryan?"
"Let them go. You want the inspiration for the story? Just keep me hostage. They'll come running."
Calliope grinned. "I may consider that…after I've enjoyed my meal."
"Don't you have to wait, until the vision has been realized?" Ryan asked as she sensed their time was running out.
"Oh, gods! If I have to sit through that second act one more time…There's robots. And tentacles. And space. I can't even."
Ryan was frantically trying to call out for Hope, that their connection, human to angel, mother to daughter, was strong enough she could call her. She really needed to get Gabriel's angel sigils removed off her ribs so the angels could find her faster… "So why this story, huh?" she asked to buy time. "Why Supernatural?"
"Supernatural has everything! Life. Death. Resurrection. Redemption. But above all, family. All set to music you can really tap your toe to. It isn't some meandering piece of genre dreck. It's…epic!"
"Calliope, stop."
Ryan glanced at the man and her brow furrowed. Who was it? And how did he get here?
"D-Dionysus?"
"Yes," the man stated as he walked toward her.
Ryan's eyes widened. "Hope?" she whispered. The man looked at her and gave her the smallest of nods.
"Dionysus, where have you been? I have searched. We all have."
"Where I have been is not of your concern. Let these people go. This isn't the way."
Calliope laughed. "You've gone soft! Where were you? Shacked up with some floosy who made you rethink your whole life story? The things you've done and now you dare say to let these people go?"
"They are but silly humans, Calli," his voice softened as he reached her. He put a hand to her face. "Let them go, then you and I may spirit away from this place. Let us find somewhere to go where we can hide away from the world."
Calliope gasped and all but jumped from his grasp. "Never. I refuse to hide away. I will have my meal and then I will go find the Winchesters and complete my journey. They will be the finest delicacies I've ever tasted!"
Ryan felt the grip on her leave as sudden as it came. She quickly jumped into action and picked up the stake she had dropped on the floor when she was forced to the wall. She looked up at Hope once more and he caught her eye. With a grim smile, he said, "That's what I was afraid of."
Ryan didn't waste any more time and thrust the stake into Calliope's back.
Hope grabbed her as she gasped, but then let go and stepped away quickly as Calliope exploded in a burst of purple goo.
Hope let out a sigh and her image seemed to shimmer for a moment before she reappeared as herself, pink plaid over shirt, white lace camisole, skinny jeans, hiking boots. "Hope!" Ryan cried as she ran to her daughter. "What the hell was that?"
"I had to try. When I saw she wouldn't see reason…" The girl trailed off and hugged Ryan for all she was worth.
Ryan returned it and patted her back. "Not that I'm complaining, but did you know you could change your image?"
Hope leaned back and smiled. "Little spell Loki taught me a few centuries ago. It comes in handy on occasion."
Ryan's eyebrow popped. "You're scary, you know that? Brilliant, but scary."
Hope grinned. "And a Harry Potter reference to boot? Best. Hunt. Ever."
Ryan chuckled and wrapped her arm around her daughter's shoulder. "Come on, let's get out of here, see how everyone else fared."
They tried the door, which opened easily enough, and dashed toward the auditorium where they met Andy coming to find them. "You okay, Winchester?" Ryan asked her.
Andy blew out a breath. "I'm getting too old for this shit. I'll be fine. But my damn rib is like a magnet for trouble."
"Here, I gotcha," Hope murmured as she touched Andy's forehead.
Andy smiled as she stood a bit straighter. "Thanks, kid."
Hope winked at her.
"So, you two saved our bacon, huh?" Krissy asked as Hope touched her forehead as well.
Hope glanced at Ryan and smiled. "Teamwork."
"Thank God for that. Can we go now?" Andy inquired.
"Yes! I now have an idea for our spring play!" Hope enthused.
"Whoop-de-do," Krissy intoned with sarcastic excitement.
January 13th
Hope POV
She was all but vibrating with excitement as she gathered Ben, Jesse, and Krissy in their room. The boys had just finished reading their copies of the script.
Ben looked up from the papers and smiled. "This is kinda halfway awesome. Do I get to be Sam or Dean?"
Jesse let out a snort. "If you have to ask, you get to be the asshole."
Ben narrowed his eyes at the other boy. "I was being polite. But if we're being honest, the hair alone earns you the gender-bent version of Sam, hands down."
"Oh, I'm playing Dean," Hope told him. "Ben, you're playing Bobby."
"The hell, Hope?! That's not fair!"
She shrugged. "Whoever said life was fair?"
He thought a moment and his brow furrowed. "Wait. If I'm playing Bobby, who's playing me? And just how elaborate is this production of yours that a toddler needs an understudy?"
She shot him an exasperated look. "No, you dumbass. Not OUR Bobby, Bobby Singer! I'm not bringing US into it! For God's sake, man, we're supposed to be keeping our stuff on the down low!"
"But you are changing things," Krissy commented as she picked up Hope's copy of the script. "You're scrapping the whole second act and writing your own."
"So, wait," Ben stated as he tossed his copy of the script to the ground. "What's wrong with the version the chick wrote? I kinda like the robots in space thing. The only thing that's missing is the trip back in time to make it a western. That would really put a cool spin on it."
Hope narrowed her eyes and growled. She had been contemplating a trip through time to the 1800's, but now that Ben had suggested it? No way in Lucifer's sweet Hell. She'd be damned if anyone was going to take credit for her work. "This is MY production now! And her version was so stupid and…"
Krissy jumped up and stood between Hope and Ben. Hope hadn't realized how close the two had gotten during their argument.
"Alright, everyone just…cool your jets. Seriously, Ben, isn't the family story ridiculous enough without throwing spacebots in the mix? This is Supernatural, not Buck Rogers."
"Yeah, but robots. And we gotta keep that bit about him becoming a woman in act two…"
"That actually happens," Kris shot back.
Ben blinked. "What?!"
"Yep."
"Hell, forget robots. A full-blooded, gun-toting, menstruating Dean Winchester is ANYBODY'S worst nightmare."
"FYI, short bus, PMSing women don't NEED guns. I swear, were you BORN on thin ice?!" Krissy fired at him.
"Which is why I will be playing him, duh!" Hope shouted.
"Well, you're the big emotional roller coaster, Hope, so I guess it fits," Ben sniped back.
Hope gasped and she felt the tears prick her eyes.
Krissy glared at him. "Are you really that stupid?! You want a PMSing Winchester ANGEL on your ass? Idiot."
Ben looked from one girl to the other a moment before he shook his head. "I just became the idiot who ain't touching this with a ten-foot pole. Sorry, sis, but this has 'disaster' written all over it. You go parading a bunch of Winchesters around, telling their life stories? It's gonna become an in-your-face documentary. Quick. And no, I wasn't born on thin ice, but it sure as hell has our numbers."
"On second thought, maybe you should play Dean," Hope stated smarmily. "After he becomes a woman. I've never heard so much whiny, nagging emoting shit come out of a man in my life!"
"Yeah? Well at least I'm not some kind of know-it-all bitch who thinks she can lord over everyone!"
Hope moved her hand and Krissy gasped as only a second later, Ben was hanging, six inches from the ground, body shoved into the wall, blood dripping out of his nose, trying to fight off an invisible hand. "You can…be pissed all you want…you know I'm right."
Hope felt the raw power coming out of her and she sighed as she moved her hand again and he fell to the floor.
Jesse's eyes were round as saucers and black as night. "Watch it, Angel," he snarled at her. "Ben may be your brother, but he's my best friend. Don't make me fight you."
Her eyes narrowed at him. "I'd love to see you try."
"Ask Cas how he liked being a game piece. You can be the tree topper in act two."
"Oh yeah?!" she shouted, getting into his face. She didn't have to look up far. He was tall, but her vessel was, too. "Last I heard, you need dear, sweet brother Luci's mojo in order for you to get it up!"
His smile was cold, evil, calculated as he stated, "Trust me, sweetheart, I got enough juice to skewer me a baby angel."
"Baby angel!? You…you…"
Jesse's smile grew. "What? Got your dad's talent for witty retorts, I see."
"OH MY GOD!" Krissy shouted, breaking the two out of their argument. "This is supposed to be fun, but just like everything else that comes within sniffing distance of this family, it's giving me a damn migraine!" You guys wanna insist on this douchey tween version of Power Rangers? Fine. But I. Am. OUT." She glared at Jesse, poking him with a finger. "And as for YOU? The average demon's got nothing on you, no doubt…but I've been practicing. And I've got a spell that'll render you about as scary as a Viagra side effect," she snapped her fingers, "Just like THAT. So go at her. I dare you." With that, she turned on her heel and walked out of the room.
The three watched her go before they looked at one another sheepishly. "So, uh, how about we do Wicked instead?" Hope offered.
Both boys just shook their heads.
A week passed and the drama group decided they would put on "Into The Woods." Hope wasn't happy about it. She had been dying to play Elphaba since she saw Wicked with her mom and Jody, but she sucked it up. For the most part. The biggest problem she faced at the moment? Riley Waters. Jesse's girlfriend.
The chick was a mean girl bitch who used and abused Jesse for her own gain. She was the head cheerleader and she was also in the drama club with Hope, so, unfortunately, she was always stuck with the skank. And she always had to hear about the girl and Jesse's love life.
"I mean, okay, so he's a little emo and shy and stuff, but he's just like a little puppy dog. I tell him where to go, he goes. I tell him what to do, he does it. It's kind of nice having a robot for a boyfriend. And he's so sweet, I know he wouldn't cheat on me."
"Like you are on him?"
Hope gasped as she overheard Riley talking with her bestie, Reagan. She kept her head in her locker as she listened in.
"Well, it's not cheating. It just happened. A girl has needs."
"And those needs are in the backseat of Todd Swearingen's backseat?"
"Gah! Reagan! You're so bad."
Hope suddenly saw red. She wasn't sure what came over her. Later, Krissy would declare it a 'Ginger Snap' due to Hope's mahogany hair, but Hope couldn't stand to see this whore hurt her friend anymore and just like that, Riley screamed.
"What?"
"I just can't believe how much prettier I am than you," Riley stated.
"Huh?" Reagan asked, confused.
"Well, I am. I mean, I'm kind of a bitch, and I'm a whore for screwing your boyfriend behind your back, but I'm just so much prettier than you…"
Hope's smile was evil as Reagan slapped Riley's face and stomped away, crying.
"Come back! I know I'm your only friend!"
Hope almost felt sorry for the hell she'd unleashed. Almost. But not that much.
All morning, Riley kept admitting things she did, thoughts that should have stayed in her head, things that, if it weren't for the effects of Hope's spell, she would have kept buried in the deepest recesses of her asinine brain.
But it was in the afternoon, during basketball and cheerleading things got interesting. Jesse had somehow managed to score a spot on the basketball team with Ben. The cheerleaders cheered through football and basketball, so they were running through some of their drills while the boys practiced. Todd, who was also on the team, walked past and said, "Looking good ladies."
Riley smiled at him. "See you after school, Todd."
Jesse, who had been warming up very close to them, looked at his girlfriend. "I thought you had to go home and help your mom with your baby brother while she painted the living room."
"Oh, that's just what I told you so I could go have sex with Todd." Riley blinked and almost looked surprised at herself before she added, "And I lied about this weekend, too. We're going to the mountains with Josh's family. He's always a good lay and his mom doesn't care if we do it, as long as we're safe. You don't care, do you? I know you don't, because no matter how many teams you're on, you'll never be popular enough to want to dump me because I own this school and I own you."
Hope chuckled under her breath and Jesse's eyes clouded over as he looked at her. She swallowed hard as she realized he just may have been smart enough to figure out her game.
She managed to hitch a ride with Claire, who dropped her off before heading home to Tory, who was learning to cook. Hope was glad her new friend was settling in so well.
But of course, that didn't stop Jesse from attacking her the minute he walked in the front door. "Hope! Hope Deanna Winchester, get your bony ass down here right now!"
She groaned but stood from her bed. "What?!" she bellowed from the top of the stairs. "I'm studying."
"Bullshit. What the hell did you do to Riley?"
"What?" She tried for an innocent tone as she started walking down the stairs. "What are you talking about?"
"You whammied her with some kind of hoo-doo, didn't you?"
"No, I…"
He walked up three steps so he was in her face. His eyes turned black as he snarled, "TELL. ME. THE. TRUTH."
It was the first time she was actually afraid of him. "It was just a truth spell."
"Hope…" he groaned and walked back down the steps.
"She was telling all sorts of shit in the locker room, Jesse! I couldn't let her talk about you like that!"
"D'ya ever think it wasn't your business?!"
"Of course it's my business! You're my friend, Jesse!"
He shook his head adamantly. "Look, I realize you're still kinda new at human relationships, but you can't go around cursing people and you sure as hell can't fight all my battles for me!"
"Why not?! You seem hell-bent on not fighting them for yourself!"
He threw his hands up in the air. "This is a non-issue! If I want to let her go parading it around to the whole damn school, it's none of your business!"
"You knew?!"
"Of course I knew. I'm a demon, sweetheart. We know shit. And I could smell that douchebag's cologne on her a mile away!"
"Then…why?!" Hope gasped. "Why let her do that to you?!"
"Do you think I actually care about her? She's a means to an end. A glory hole and a mouth, Hope!"
She felt as if she'd been slapped. She had thought Jesse hadn't, wasn't going to… "So, the sex? That's the only reason you stay with her? Why? All you and Ben have to do is smile at a girl and her damn panties burst into flames! Why the fuck would you stay?" Realization dawned and she spat, "Don't tell me you LIKE taking abuse from that manipulative bitch?!"
"Tell me one thing that is different from the way she treated me and the way you are now!" he screamed back at her.
"Oh. No. You. Didn't."
Ben POV
"Oh shiiiiiiittttt," Ben muttered. In the beginning, it had been almost comical, Jesse bitching the whole ride home. Ben knew Riley was trouble when she propositioned him in the boy's locker room when he was running late to practice one day. And he'd told Jesse that. But Jesse was hell-bent on having a chick, if only to keep his mind off the one person he was burning a damn candle for. The person currently cursing at him and railing, all blue angel eyes and red hair. His baby sister. Jesse had a thing for Hope and Ben was the only one that knew it. But at the moment, they were fighting like it was going to turn into world war three. It was like watching an epic showdown between heaven and hell right in front of his face, and he wasn't sure the damn house would be standing if something didn't intervene. So, he did the only thing he could think of. He dialed Krissy's number. She'd stayed late at school to tutor a freshman in English and he knew she should be just about to finish up.
She picked up on the second ring. "What? I'm busy."
"Dude! Neo is fighting Morpheus!"
"What?!"
"Hope cursed Riley with some truth thing and now Jesse's pissed at her, and honestly, Kris, I'm kinda terrified they're gonna kill each other."
"Son of a bitch," she muttered.
"You better come save your girl because I've never seen Jesse this pissed off in my life." He paused as he watched the two. Powers were going to come out in about three seconds. He just knew it. His eyes narrowed. "He lays a black eye or a hand on her, he's gonna have BOTH of us to deal with."
She sighed. "You do realize this is what they train for, right?"
"I don't care if they trained for it. He hurts her, he's gonna have to answer to me, demon or not. Blood's thicker than that to me. She doesn't have all her powers yet. He does."
That must have struck a cord with the girl on the line because she said, "Give me five." He heard her talking to the freshman as she closed the line.
He watched and waited as the two continued trading barbs, yelling more prevalent than powers for a minute.
By the time Krissy arrived, spells and powers were flying everywhere and Ben had retreated to the safety of the kitchen where he could watch and listen but not be hit by any stray…anything. Krissy came in the side door. "You didn't try to stop this?!"
He looked at her and shook his head. "I value my life too much and I don't know that hoo-doo shit you do."
"Imbecile," she muttered as she walked to the doorway, muttering Latin and slitting a cut into her palm simultaneously as she went, breaking the two apart and both of them against separate walls. "Alright. Will you two idiots stop for a minute?"
Ben swallowed as he watched her. He'd never been more turned on in his whole damn life. She looked like a real witch in that instance. Magic seemed to sizzle off all five feet, two inches of her and the leftovers of the power in the room made her hair blow out behind her. "Fuck," he muttered as he watched her approach Hope.
"I'm ashamed of you, Hope."
"Me?! Jesse was the one…"
"Silence," Krissy murmured and the angel fell silent. Whether it was a spell, or Hope was just shocked Krissy would take Jesse's side, Ben wasn't sure. But it was hella effective. "You shouldn't have done it. You know our powers for magic and your powers with your grace are for good, not evil. You aren't to use them for petty shit like getting a girl to reveal the fact she likes it doggy style so she doesn't have to look at anyone's face!"
Ben snickered but she shot those brown eyes at him and he felt the heat from them all but burn his soul. He couldn't help but quote Deadpool in his head. Yeah, that look was gonna make him have to touch himself tonight. He gave her a half smile and a thumbs up.
She rolled her eyes and focused on her best friend. "Look, I get it, okay? She's not good enough for Jesse." Krissy smiled at the other boy. "No one is. We love Jesse like he's our brother. But that doesn't mean you curse a poor stupid human for being a selfish, manipulative bitch." Her eyes narrowed at Hope. "Especially when you are being such an incredible hypocrite."
Hope broke Krissy's hold and said, "Are you done now?"
Krissy waved a hand and Jesse was able to move as well. "Once you apologize, sure. But you need to realize, just because you can do it? That doesn't mean you should."
"Jurassic Park? Really? You're quoting that?"
"It's an apt quote. So?"
The two girls glared at one another so long, Ben was about to believe Armageddon would come before Hope blew out a breath and turned to Jesse, who was popping his neck, no doubt, due to the spells that had been shot his direction. "I'm sorry, Jess. I should have stayed out of it, or at the very least, come to you with what I knew. But she's such a…a…"
"Careful," Jesse said with a smile. "You don't want to be a hypocrite again."
Hope shot him a look but then smiled. "I'll reverse it."
"What?" he asked before he huffed out a breath and doubled over.
"The STD I gave you a few minutes ago."
"Is THAT what it is? That's cold," he growled as he winced. "Hell. You'd think I'd at least have sex first before I got one of those…"
Hope gasped. "You mean you…"
He shook his head. "No. I didn't…I don't love her. That's something…it should be with someone I love. The first time, at least, you know?"
Hope nodded. "I agree." She waved a hand at him and he stood straight.
"We good?" he inquired.
She nodded once more. "Yeah. We're good."
Krissy blew out a breath as they two walked up the stairs and to their separate bedrooms. "Well, that was close."
"That was hot. I knew you were learning, but you're really good at this magic stuff, Kris."
She smiled grimly. "Too good. It's worrying Dean."
"Don't let it. You're a woman of letters. Some of them are just gifted at magic. And you're one of those. It's an awesome talent. Wish I was half as good."
Krissy smiled. "Well, if you'd apply yourself to the spell work, instead of getting into girl's pants, you'd do a hell of a lot better."
He shrugged and smiled. "Maybe I'd just rather you back me up if I need help."
She smiled, too. "I might, if you're lucky."
That smile. Those eyes. Those lips. She was so damn beautiful. Yeah, he'd need a little self-love with that image in his head.
January 24th
It was Dean's birthday, and he'd decided he wanted to go out for his birthday instead of anyone cooking. So, most of them gathered together to go out to the local steak place. Ben smiled at his dad and Ryan. They were both so damn happy. He wanted that. He glanced at the empty seat next to Hope.
Krissy'd had to work at the diner, so she wasn't able to join them for Dean's birthday supper. The more Ben thought about her, the more he was certain he wanted to do something about whatever was between them.
"Ben, thanks, man," Dean stated, knocking Ben from his reverie. Ben had bought him a new utility knife in the shape of a Batarang to replace the one Ryan had bought him. He'd broken it on a hunt and he'd been pretty damn pissed about it, too.
Ben smirked. "Thought it was just geeky enough for you, Dad."
Dean beamed and Ben was once more glad he'd started calling him 'Dad'. He missed his mom like crazy, but he loved this weird ass life he'd somehow been gifted with.
"Who knew thirty-seven would be so awesome? Thanks, everyone for the gifts and for just being one awesome family."
Everyone was all smiles and happy as they loaded up in their various cars to go home. Since their fight, (and Jesse breaking up with Riley) things were settling down between Hope and Jesse once more. They fought almost like Sam and Andy or Ryan and Dean, and Ben began to wonder if maybe they were soulmates without the souls. That was food for thought for another day. He let out a belch and rubbed his stomach. He'd eaten a huge steak and baked potato and had handed over his keys eagerly enough to Jesse, who didn't look quite as bloated as he felt.
"You disgust me," Hope growled from her place in the backseat.
"Bite me, Angel-face."
"Jackass."
He smirked in her direction and she returned it. He rubbed his stomach again. "Damn. Why did I eat that third piece of cake?"
"Because you're a pig?" Hope offered.
"I resent the snark."
"It's not snark when I speak nothing but the truth," she fired back.
"Alright, knock it off," Jesse warned. "We're almost home. Just, uh, don't puke, Ben. Alright?"
He groaned. He really shouldn't have eaten that much. Twenty ounces of beef, plus a potato, plus a salad, plus all that sugar may have tipped him over the scale, even if he was a teenage boy. "No promises," he managed on another burp.
"Ewww! Roll down a damn window!" Hope cried.
Ben couldn't help the grin as he rolled down his window a half inch, letting in the cold January air. "Better?"
"A fraction," she told him.
When they got home, he walked over to the Impala where Ryan was getting the leftovers out of the trunk. "Can I help?" he offered.
"Want to take the cake, or Jon?"
He eyed the toddler. He wasn't certain he could handle the weight of the kid on top of his over-stuffed stomach. "I'll handle the cake."
"Don't eat all of it," Dean commanded as he hoisted a sleeping Bobby onto his shoulder. "Some of that I'm eating later. Off Ryan."
"And on that note," Ben stated as he snagged the box from his step-mother. Just because he liked knowing Dean and Ryan had a happy life, did not mean he wanted the imagery associated with it.
Ryan chortled as she picked Jon up and patted his back gently. He, too, was sound asleep. Well, it was no wonder, as much bread and chicken nuggets the kid ate. He was a glutton. It ran in the family. "Be a dear, Ben, and open the door for us?"
He nodded as he jingled the keychain still in his hand. He walked up the steps and quickly opened the door. His mouth fell open and the box of cake fell out of his hand at the sight before him. Some guy. Laying on the couch. Under Krissy. Who was currently half undressed.
"WHAT IN THE SWEET HELL IS GOING ON HERE?!" he heard from behind him. He glanced back at his father, who was passing Bobby off to a wide-eyed Hope. Dean barreled past him into the room, loading a clip into his 9mm as he went. "I hope you're into necrophilia, Kris," he growled. "Because this motherfucker's as good as dead."
"D-Dean…"
"Don't even!" he snarled. "You wanna be a grown up so bad? Fine by me! But not where I can see it!"
Krissy glared at him. "I AM a grown up!"
"Really?!" he shot back. "That's kind of hard to do when you've got your arms wrapped around your chest to hide your rack from the guy who's loved you like a father for the past year! I'm all for you being a grown-up, I just don't want to SEE it! Go do it in the back of your jeep like all the other horny teenagers in the world."
She stared at him, at the crowd, (minus Hope and Jesse, who had the common sense to take the little boys upstairs to bed) a moment before her eyes filled with tears. She ran out of the room and up the stairs.
Dean took one look at the dude on the couch and said, "Did you think I was playing, boy? Get your ass out of here before I murder it!"
The kid, Drake, Ben thought his name was, obviously didn't move fast enough because Dean pressed his gun to the boy's temple. "You must be a virgin or just plain hard up for tail if she convinced your dumb ass to come here." At whatever expression crossed Drake's face, Dean smiled coldly. "Wait. Let me guess. This was your idea, huh? Mom and Dad weren't home, let's go take advantage of her, huh? You mean to tell me my reputation didn't proceed me? I'm offended. Clearly you're up for 'moron of the year'. Move your ass. You' ain't getting laid. Not in my damn house. Not by her. And certainly not on my watch. Only thing you're sure to get here is a serious case of amnesia after I beat your ass. Ever been pistol-whipped?" He shook his head. "Trust me. It ain't fun…and it's exhausting." Dean paused a moment and Ben could almost see the wheels turning as he added, "Yeah, you know what? I'm gonna save myself a workout and just put a hole in your stupid skull. I'll hide the body when I'm good and damn ready."
Ryan managed to grab Drake, who had a suspicious wet spot on the front of his pants, and whispered conspiratorially as she led him to the door, "Come on, sweetie. I can't afford for him to go back to prison. He's got babies to support. Run along now and don't come back." Her eyes turned to steel as she added, "Oh, a word to the wise? I catch you sniffing around my girl again?! Well, let's just say I ain't afraid to do time, either. I'd be the baddest bitch to hit that cell block. You feel me?"
Drake tripped over himself in his hurry to run out the door and off the porch.
Ryan turned to Dean. "You know, that's the most fun I've had since that salt and burn last week."
Dean gave her a knowing smirk. "You mean the one where you and I…?" He got a far off look on his face. "Yeah, we need to do that again."
She nodded. "Definitely.
"But, babe," Dean whined, "You couldn't let me get one lick in?"
"You literally made him piss his pants, Dean. He probably shit himself as he ran down the road. Isn't that good enough?"
"No. It's not. And you wanna know why? 'Cause just once, I'd like to make an example outta one of these asshats. Good enough that word spreads and the next time one of our girls decides to scratch an itch, the bastard turns tail and runs."
She smiled but Ben could tell she wanted to laugh. "Please. After that guy with Hope? Trent whatshisface? Now this? Trust me. Word will spread. Ain't neither of our girls getting anything from any boy at that school anymore. Add that on top to what Ben and Jess did to that guy who spread that rumor?" She shook her head.
"Wait. What guy? What rumor?"
Her eyes widened and Ben was glad for the moment Dean seemed to forget he was standing there. He and Jess had handled the fucktruck who spread the rumor about Hope going down on him in the parking lot of the Gas N' Sip. It was, after all, only a few broken bones. And maybe a concussion. And Trent, well, Hope handled him. He and Jesse hadn't even needed to get their hands dirty on that one.
"Dean, the boys handled it."
"What was it about and who? I need names, damn it."
She shook her head. "No way in hell, hun. Trust me. The boys handled it."
"Not. Fucking. Good. Enough."
Ben swallowed and tried to disappear up the stairs but he heard, "Benjamin Isaac, I wanna know what was said about your sister and by who!"
He stalked over to Ben and got in his face. "And if you act like you don't know what I'm talking about, I'll start busting heads." He glared behind Ben and he felt sure it was Jesse standing behind him now as he added, "Or maybe I'll throw some salt around. See if that jogs your memory."
"Why don't you take a Geraitol, Dean? Trust me, the dude's taken care of."
Being human, Ben took Dean's threat a little more seriously and he started to fess up. "A-Alright. Here's what happened…"
"Dude!"
"What?! I can't just poof my ass outta here if he goes postal!"
Jesse's lip quirked. "Good point." He moved one more step and grabbed Ben's arm. "Sorry about this, Dean. But some things you're just better off not knowing." And with that, they both disappeared.
They reappeared in their bedroom. "Dude!" Ben whisper-yelled, but just then, thunder boomed outside. They snuck to their door and opened it in time to hear Dean growl, "Aww, hell," as Hope stormed back down the stairs. They watched, transfixed, as the fight between father and daughter began.
"Daddy! Why can't you just…"
In a move Ben had never seen Dean do, he twisted Hope's arm and pinned her to the wall. Jesse's fists clenched and Ben said, "Wait. Don't get into it."
"He'll hurt her!"
"No, he's making her see reason. Why else did we pummel the shit out of Nathan?! He's gotta have a say in this, too."
Jesse's nostrils flared, but he remained calm as Dean told Hope, "Listen, angel face…you and your mom may have some issues with a lot of shit. But this?! You're gonna listen to me. You and your sister, both." He turned his head and Ben glanced over to see Krissy at the top of the stairs, now with a tee shirt on over her jeans.
"I get that you're both growing up. I've accepted the fact you've aged yourself to be the same age, physically as Kris. I get that. I do. But trust me when I say, this isn't a war you wanna fight. Not with me. Not about this. So suck it up. You only have a few more months and…" His voice cracked and he cleared his throat. "And then, you'll all be out hunting. Then no more arguments about what you're doing and who you're doing it with. But for now, please, for my sanity, please, let me look after you two okay? I know neither of you need it, but, damn it, at least make me feel like I've got some form of control, okay?"
When she didn't answer, he let her go and said, "Kris. Here. Now."
Krissy swallowed hard and walked down the steps to stand next to Hope. Dean turned his attention to her. "I gotta know. In what universe did you see a version of this play out that DIDN'T end in me flipping my shit?!" When she didn't answer, he chortled. "You expected to be done before we got back, right? Didn't figure it would take the two-minute-man long to get off and be done with it, right? Exactly what would have happened if we HADN'T walked in right then? Really? On my couch? Or would you have had the decency to take it upstairs? Would you have let Bobby or Jon walk in on that? Tell me. Please. I want to know."
"You've got such a double standard!" Krissy shouted all of a sudden. "You let Ben…"
"Ben has enough sense not to bring it into my house, UNDER MY ROOF." He ran his hands through his hair. "For God's sake, you two. You're supposed to be the smart ones here!"
Hope leaned against the wall, closed her eyes, and blew out a breath.
"Exactly," Dean muttered. "Now, like I said, give me the time I'm asking for…or you and Kris can keep rubbing my face in this shit, and some poor asshole ends up dead because you managed to find my breaking point. You two really want that blood on your hands for the sake of proving you're a big girl?"
"I'm trying to be human, Daddy, just like you said! And Kris…"
"You saying this ain't human? Because this is as human as it gets, including Kris being grounded for seriously thinking she could get away with doing this under my roof!" He sighed and began pacing, something Ben knew he did when he was thinking. "I'm not against you wanting to act human, but why do you have to choose a version that's a constant pain in my ass? Walking through a damn mine filed, giving your old man grief, wanting me to protect you from the live ones, just so long as I don't have a say in how you navigate it! You're doing all KINDS of human things. But they all suck. OUT LOUD."
She hung her head a moment before it defiantly rose and she shouted, "I'm an angel of the lord!"
He stopped and turned, causing Ben's blood to run cold as their father stated, "One who is so petty she curses a teenage girl?" At Hope's surprised look, Dean nodded. "Yeah. I know all about that shit. You may think you're so smart, but guess what, you aren't."
"I…I…"
"DON'T!" he yelled. "Look, kid, YOU are the one that chose me as your dad. Personally, I think you shoulda thought about that a little more, but here we are. Now suck it up, cupcake, and deal with it. If I have to tell you two again, I'm gonna consider it an act of defiance and reconsider your MOL tatts until you're ready to shoulder the responsibilities."
"But…"
"I know you're not about to argue with me when I'm being SO generous…"
The two eyed one another and Ben knew Hope was gauging if he was bluffing or not. She swallowed hard and nodded. Dean then rounded on Krissy. "Look, I get it. You're a teenager. You got all those damn hormones flowing through your head. Maybe he said some flowery shit to get under your shirt. Maybe you just said, 'what the hell' and decided to give it a go. I don't care. I really don't. You're not my kid, Kris, no matter how much I love ya like one. So, yeah, you're grounded for this stunt, for a week. And please, extend me the courtesy of never seeing that much of you naked again, okay?"
"Okay," she squeaked.
Dean cleared his throat. "Fine. Go on upstairs. I'm so fucking done with tonight. Forget hellhounds. Teenagers are the fucking worst."
Krissy opened her mouth to say something, then shut it before she turned on her heel and ran up after Hope.
Dean leaned against the wall he'd shoved Hope into and beat his head against it a few times. "Fucking teenagers," he muttered.
Later that week, things settled down and everyone seemed to be getting along well enough. They'd all finished their homework and were just chilling out. They were currently talking about superheroes. The Deadpool movie was coming out in a few weeks and the boys were more than a little excited to see it. Ben was a huge fan of the comics, and since Ryan Reynolds was such a big fan, he had high hopes it would be awesome.
"Well, Tobey Maguire will always be the Spider-Man for me," Hope stated in way of argument as they discussed his return in the Captain America movie coming out later in the year.
Krissy's eyebrow shot up and Ben just looked at her. "Dude. You weren't even born yet when that one came out."
She glared at him. "I was alive, dipshit. And trust me, I wasn't the only one sitting in that dark theater getting myself off to his cute little ass."
Krissy fake vomited and Ben shouted, "Dude! Quit! That's doubly weird, you know? Thinking of you as a guy, thinking about stuff like that!"
She rolled her eyes. "Well, I sure as hell wasn't celibate my whole life before!"
Krissy curled her lip. "First of all, Tobey Maguire? Ew. Second, I'm gonna grab an ice pick and carve out my mind's eye. That's one mental image I coulda done without, and I've been hunting with Tory as she tells stories about her and Castiel's sex life that'll turn your hair white!"
Hope crossed her arms. "I'm not talking about that third movie with the greasy haired Peter Parker. I'm talking the first one. I was so jealous of Kristen Dunst. Or maybe I wanted to BE her? Or maybe I wanted to be a sandwich with them both?" Her eyes got a far off look. Ben chanced a glance at Jesse, who was currently looking at her like she was some sort of goddess.
Ben's mouth fell open. "Well, hell, Hope. If I ever doubted you were our father's kid, I damn sure don't now."
She ignored him and asked Krissy, "Alright Miss High and Mighty. Who's your 'Spider-Man'?"
"Please," Krissy stated on a huff. "No woman worth her salt wastes time on a pussy like Peter Parker, even if he is in his super-suit. Wolverine, on the other hand…" A shy smile graced her features. "Two hundred pounds of anger and Adamantium, giving the term 'mutant' a whole new meaning…" She blinked and looked back at Hope. "But, yeah, Spider-Man's for frustrated virgins who jack off in theaters."
"Excuse me?! I was a god!"
Krissy's eyebrow shot up. "Then why didn't you have some follower help you out, then, huh?"
Hope didn't answer and Krissy's expression changed. Her voice softened as she reached a hand out to grasp Hope's. "Look, I know we've talked. Gabriel did you a solid giving you this new life. You were unhappy with…things before. But seriously. Please tell me your new make and model comes with built in better taste."
Hope's eyes discreetly slid Jesse's direction before they went down to her lap with a small nod. "Yeah, I guess it has."
Ben, sensing the need to alleviate the sudden…whatever in the room, spoke up and said, "Like you'd even know what to DO with Wolverine, Chambers."
Her eyes narrowed and Hope muttered, "Awww, hell, here we go…"
"I know EXACTLY what do, Ben!" she growled.
His eyebrow popped. "Oh yeah? What's that?"
"Any damn thing he wants. Eagerly. And Obediently."
He swallowed, but came back with, "Didn't take you for the submissive type, Kris. Gotta say, I'm disappointed."
"The man has razor claws that come out of his hands, Braeden. One wrong move, you're ripped to shreds? Trust me, that's one person I'd obey when I was naked and exposed."
Ben refused the sudden rush of hormones when he imagined Krissy naked, as he remembered the feel of her body pressed to his, the feel of her in his arms the one time they'd kissed…
He cleared his throat, thankful he hadn't changed into pajama pants that didn't restrict him as much as the jeans he was currently wearing. "So, self-preservation aside, you like to take charge? Or like to be directed like the little lady?"
She held up a hand. "Just stop. Wolverine's presence and…assets command subservience. You?" She gave him a coy smile. "Not so much."
He was insulted and he felt sure his look reflected it. "You ain't SEEN my assets. If you did, you'd change your tune."
She fired back with, "A big cock won't do you much good if you don't know what to do with it."
He smirked. "You admitting I got a big one?"
She put her head in her hands as this time, Hope fake vomited. "That's it. I'm done. This conversation needs to be removed from all our brains."
Jesse finally spoke up to poke some fun. "You like Wolverine, Kris?" He smiled somewhat evilly. "I can make that happen."
"Pfft. My ass," Ben muttered.
"I turned an angel into an action figure, Braeden. I'm pretty sure this ain't above my pay grade, pal."
Ben gave Jesse a smug grin as his eyebrows shot up. "Yeah, Jess? How about it? And while you're dealing in fantasies, I'll take Catwoman. The Michelle Pfeiffer version." He looked at Krissy. "Whip. And. All."
"Yeah," Krissy deadpanned. "Like she wouldn't eat your ass alive."
"Damn straight she would. Otherwise, what would be the point?"
"OH MY GOD!" Jesse shouted. "Will you two hit it already? All the UST is about to make me barf!"
Ben leaned in and motioned between Hope and Jesse. "You first, Turner."
Jesse's face was a mixture of horror and alarm and he sputtered, "You're kidding, right?! I mean, come on, Hope is a child! I may be a demon, but I'm not a damn pedophile, as I've stated before!"
Hope looked like she'd been slapped. Shame and anger colored her face. The pictures on the walls began to rattle as she stood. "My vessel may be young, Turner, but I am NOT A CHILD. I'm eons older than you and my body is aged to the same as Kris so that makes me OLDER THAN YOU. You're not interested in me? Fine! Trust me, sugar, I wouldn't be caught DEAD with a stain like you!" She stormed out the door, slamming it shut behind her without touching it.
Ben let out a low whistle. "Wow. Dick move, Turner."
Jesse's mouth fell open as he seemed to finally realize what happened. "Oh shit. I-I gotta…"
"Apologize?" Krissy offered. "No kidding. Go. Now."
He was on his feet in a blink of an eye. He was almost to the door when he turned and waved his hand. "Almost forgot." He smirked and motioned between Krissy and Ben, who were now clothed in Cat Woman and Wolverine costumes. "She and I may have shit to sort out. The two of you? The only thing standing in your way, is you. Sort this shit out. Tonight."
Jesse POV
He ran out of the room and stopped. Where would she go when she was mad? He closed his eyes and reappeared at the bunker, where Ryan and Sam were currently burning the midnight oil. Dean and Andy had left on a hunt. Andy had called the case a birthday present for Dean before the two hauled ass out the morning after his birthday, and though it seemed as if neither of the spouses were thrilled with it, they had accepted sending them on the hunt for a couple of vampires stirring up shit near Jody when she called for help.
"Hey, you two see Hope?"
Ryan gave him a scathing glare as she sat back in her chair and crossed her arms. The bruises and cut on her face from her and Andy's fight were still present. Hope had asked her to let her heal them, but she and Andy both had worn them like badges of honor. He wasn't exactly sure what the fight was about, all he knew was he heard Sam and Dean going on about their 'prizefighters' and how they were actually the winners in the end. Jesse had decided he really didn't want to know. "Do I want to know why my daughter showed up in tears needing to destroy something?"
He winced. "I'm an ass?" he offered.
Ryan blew out a breath. "Training room. She's decimating a punching bag at the moment. Not sure I'd go in there if I were you…"
"I'll take my chances."
"Your funeral," Sam muttered. Ryan glanced at him. "What?" he added. "She's got her Dad's attitude and your temper. She's screwed."
Ryan shot him a dour look. "No comment."
Jesse was grinning as he jogged down the hall. He could hear her grunts as she worked out her aggression. He chanced a glance inside and saw she had changed into workout gear already, probably using some of that grace she was building up. He knew he needed to talk to her, but he had to just stand back and watch her a moment. She was light on her feet, lithe, lean, with Ryan's build. She had on some tiny shorts and a sport's bra with a men's tank over the top that left very little to the imagination. She was slim, yes, but had small curves in all the right places. Finally he knocked himself mental up beside the head and cleared his throat. "Hope…"
"Take one step inside that door, I'm smiting your ass on principle!" she shouted.
He held up both hands, but stepped inside anyway. She moved and he caught a knife he hadn't known she carried. She threw two more which he caught in rapid succession. "Hope."
"Don't!" she cried and he hated hearing the way her voice caught as she looked at her shoes. "Just…don't."
He took one step closer. "Hope, let me explain."
Her eyes lit to his, fire burning within them. "Explain? Explain?! How you think I'm a child? How I'm worth less than the dirt on your boot?!"
He gasped. "What! No! Of course not!"
"Or how about how you don't see me as your equal, let's start with that…"
He held out both hands. "Hope, I…"
She held up a hand before she put up just one finger, pointing it slightly at him. "I don't want to hear any of your bullshit excuses. Either you change clothes and work out with me, I kill you, or you walk away. Choice is yours."
He blew out a breath. He knew her well enough to know she wouldn't back down from this. Not until she blew off some steam. And he was afraid he had done irreparable damage to their relationship as it was. So with a thought, he changed his clothes to some simple basketball shorts, tank, and running shoes. He didn't forget the cup, though. He wasn't stupid. "Fine. Fight me."
She let out a roar and attacked.
She was a damn good fighter. Ryan had taught her from the time she was old enough to hold a position for more than a minute, but he was used to fighting on the streets. He didn't like using his powers if he could get by with it, and being a skinny runaway in big cities all over the world meant he'd had to learn how to use his fists more than he'd wanted. He let out a grunt when she landed a blow, then he managed to get one past her defenses. He wasn't sure how long they fought, but they were both dripping sweat and bleeding in a few places when she managed to catch him off guard and swept his feet out from under him.
She pounced and landed on top of him. He huffed out a breath as her weight settled on him but then he lost his breath completely when he looked up at her. Some of that glorious hair had slipped free of her ponytail and stuck to her damp skin. She had that fire of battle in her eyes and a determined set to her mouth as she managed through clenched teeth, "Do you yield?"
"Never," he snarled as he flipped them. He held her there, underneath him and as she squirmed, he couldn't help himself, he lowered his mouth to hers. And then the whole world cracked open.
A blow to his head knocked him off of her and he fell to the side as she stood, spitting that fire and venom at him as she roared, "WHAT WAS THAT!?"
"Hope…"
Her eyes narrowed. "NO! You do not get to just…just…talk shit about me and tell everyone you know how I'm a kid and then KISS ME, Jesse! It doesn't work that way!"
He swallowed hard and looked at her wide-eyed. "I'm…"
"You say you're sorry and I'm smiting you."
That made him smile. "I don't think you've got enough juice."
Her eyes burned angel blue. "Wanna try it?"
They stood there, panting, staring at one another before it really hit him what he'd done. He licked his lips and tasted her on his tongue. The sweet, angelic flavor of her. He hated the comparison, but he could almost liken it to angel food cake. Soft, sweet, and utterly delicious. Ben gave him shit for being a demon liking angel food cake, but it was his favorite. And Ryan made the best…
That's when it hit him. He was a demon. She was an angel. There was no way in any of the four plains this would work. He closed his eyes and groaned as his shoulders slunk and his head went down.
"Jesse?"
He took a few short breaths before he looked up at her again. She was so damn beautiful. Every inch of her. But not just on the outside. She was caring. She was compassionate. She was kind. Most of the time. She had a sense of justice unlike anything he'd ever witnessed and she drove him batshit crazy most of the damn time. But there was no way in hell he could have her. So, he was prepared to apologize and earn the smiting he so richly deserved. Instead, his mouth said, "I'm crazy about you."
"What?"
He blinked. "What?"
"What did you say?"
Instead of clamming up, the floodgates opened. "I'm crazy about you. You're perfect. Your eyes are like chocolate diamonds. Your hair is like the burning coals of a campfire. Your skin looks like it was made from the purest porcelain and I can't stop thinking about you. I want you. All of you. I want to do things I never, in my wildest dreams, imagined. I want to spend every waking moment with you. I want to learn what it's like to fall in love. I want to be a better man. I want to…" his voice was soft as he said, "I want to learn how to make love to you."
She gasped and both her hands went to her mouth. "But you said…"
"It's not gonna work," he stated sadly. "You're an angel. I'm a demon, Hope. Come on. Catch a clue here, sweetheart. It's never gonna…"
"Who says?"
"Your dad, for one."
"Fuck him."
His eyes widened. "WHAT?"
"You heard me. Fuck. Him. The only thing keeping me here is the fact I love this family. I could go off on my own already."
"You don't have all your powers," he started. "You can't…"
She took in a breath, closed her eyes, and slowly, he watched, transfixed, as her wings unfurled behind her. Light emanated from her in a blinding display. She opened her eyes and they burned blue for only a moment before it passed and it was just her human visage standing there. "I'm stronger than I've let on. Partly because of them, partly because of me. I could…we could…"
He approached her but didn't touch her, not yet. "No, Hope."
"But…"
He grasped her upper arms then, and the grace still sizzling off her burned his hands, but he had to get this through to her. "No. We can't. We can't hurt them like that."
She shoved him and turned away from him as she walked a few steps away. "So it's better to hurt ME instead?!"
He walked to her and wrapped his arms around her waist as he put his head on her shoulder. "No. I never want to hurt you, Hope. I tried, do you know how hard I tried to keep this in?"
She turned in his arms and put a hand to his face. "Why did you think you had to?"
"Because I…" he blew out a breath and closed his eyes. He couldn't handle looking into the richness of hers. "Because I'm stained, Hope. You need something pure and light and I'm stained and dark and I just…"
She silenced him with a kiss. He gasped in surprise only for a moment before his arms tightened around her as the kiss gently deepened. He'd never felt anything like this before. This was…it was everything. This one moment would hinge the rest of his life. Good or bad, this was it. He could either take a leap of faith, be with her, or damn them both to the hell he'd been living in currently.
When he pulled away, he opened his eyes. She still had hers closed, but she had the cutest, goofiest smile on her lips. She opened her eyes lazily and her smile grew. "I think I'm crazy about you, too," she admitted.
He felt like his world exploded, but only in the best of ways. He had a moment where he felt like the Grinch. His heart grew more than three sizes, though. It grew about ten. He swallowed hard. "You mean it?" he managed.
She nodded. "I do."
He had a flash, just then, her in a wedding dress, murmuring those same two words. He wasn't sure if it was to come, or happened in the past, or what, but it filled him even fuller with hope. He smiled at that. Hope. Of course. "So…what? We're…dating?"
"Yes?" she answered in way of question. Her eyes narrowed. "None of those skanks at school better not have their hands on you."
"Only if you quit with the douchebags."
"Me?"
"Gideon. Leo. Mark. Chris. How many others?"
"They were a means to an end," she murmured as she looked away.
He grabbed her chin and gently forced her to look up at him again. "Did they…were they…" how could he ask her how far she'd gone with them?
Her eyes grew wide as she shook her head. "This," she motioned between them, "This is as far as they've gone. I haven't…I knew I couldn't…I wasn't ready for that, okay? I'm not enough like him, like Ben for that. Not yet."
He blew out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. "Okay. Good. I mean, not that I cared, but…" He trailed off and gave her a sheepish smile.
She was quiet a moment before she whispered, "So, you either, huh?"
He shrugged. "Timing wasn't right. I want it to be with someone I love. And if it didn't happen, it didn't happen. I mean, I'm normal enough, I think, I just…"
She silenced him with another kiss. "Shut up and kiss me," she murmured against his mouth.
He didn't know how long they made out, but when they pulled apart, both panting, it was due to the fact the light in the hallway flickered once, then once again, not demonic, but as a warning. Hope's eyes widened and she giggled as she disappeared.
Ryan chose that moment to appear at the door. "Are you two done?"
He felt his face heat and was pretty sure his face was the same shade as a tomato. "Ryan…"
She held up a hand. "The writing was on the wall for this one, sugar. It's fine."
"But she's…I'm…"
Ryan smiled. "Young and in love?"
"I don't know. Maybe?" His eyes widened. "What do you know? What did you hear?"
"Enough," she told him with a wink. "It's fine. Same rules go as for Ben, okay? You two have to continue with your schoolwork, I'll keep a close eye on how much time you spend together, and…I won't tell Dean. Not yet."
"You won't?"
She closed one eye in thought a moment. "This between you two? It's so new. And he's…he doesn't know how to be a father to a daughter. Not a teenage one. I know you're a good guy, Jess. You'll do right by her. But I'm not naïve, either. The two of you have to be careful, alright? And while I won't tell him the two of you are together, you still need to be cautious."
"Why?"
"Because he doesn't know how to be a father to her, he may damage what they have if he reacts badly to this. I'll condition him, but don't flaunt it, either, okay? It's nothing personal. No one is going to be good enough for her. Remember that, and you'll be fine. But, ah, a word to the wise? Start making a tad more effort to show him you are good enough, alright?"
"But, I'm not, am I?"
Something passed on her face before she crossed to him and hugged him. "You're a great guy, Jesse. I wouldn't give you my blessing if I thought you would hurt her. Truthfully, I'm much more worried about her hurting you."
"Me? How?"
She seemed to choose her words carefully. "Winchesters are awesome creatures, Jesse. They love unconditionally, but they're notoriously self-sacrificing. It's not out of the realm of possibility for her to do something stupid for someone she loves. And that can lead to disaster for the people that love them. Just…remember, they tend to lead with their hearts, not their heads."
He nodded. "Okay."
She smiled. "But go have fun. Forget the angel and demon crap. Enjoy this. Carefully. Cautiously. Because I'm still watching. And I'll bust both of your heads if you hurt one another."
He chuckled. "Yes ma'am."
"Go on. I'll drive home. Poof yourself back there."
He was insulted. "I'm a demon. We don't 'poof' anywhere."
Her eyebrow rose. "Then what do you call it?"
"I…"
She grinned. "Exactly. "Poof home, boy."
He was about to go, when he stopped. "You may want to hurry. I might have left Ben and Krissy in a…let's say odd position."
Her eyebrow rose and he rubbed his neck as it heated. "I, uh, may have left them in a Wolverine and Cat Woman suit to settle their shit."
She crossed her arms at him again and the look on her face was one of disapproval.
He sighed. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm about 0 and 2 tonight. I'll fix it."
She shook her head. "Those two…I don't know what to say about them."
"The writing is on the wall with them, too, isn't it?"
She smiled at that. "Winchesters love. And they love fiercely. Ben is one, whether he takes the name or not."
He winced. "I'll head back now, see what kind of damage is going on. Hopefully not too bad…"
"My kids are asleep in that house, Jesse Turner," she stated in way of warning. "You go check them. Personally."
He nodded. "Yes ma'am," he murmured as he winked out of sight.
