NicoleR85: thanks!
Lena fiddled with the rose in her lap while Taylor's parents gave a rather beautiful eulogy for their daughter which was enough to reduce her to tears. A hand reached across and took hold of hers. She glanced over at Nathan who was sitting next to her. The young woman gave him a grateful smile. Her half-brother had certainly been incredibly supportive to both herself and Lori. He'd also been somewhat overprotective, following her around these past two weeks. She stayed quiet about it though as she knew it made him feel better.
She watched Lori give a short but sweet eulogy and then it was her turn. Nathan gave her hand a gentle squeeze before she stood up. Lena walked over to the priest and started to speak. "T-Taylor…" she took a breath "Taylor was…" she trailed off, tears once again welling up in her eyes.
Nathan got up from his seat and joined his sister at the front. "Taylor was a kind and caring person. She was a great friend to both my sister and Lori. I know she is going to be missed", he said to the mourners.
"Thank you", Lena whispered as he led her back to her chair.
"You're welcome", Nathan said. He knew that these things were hard for her, especially since that she had lost both parents when she was a baby.
Two days after the funeral, Lena prepared to leave Rockford, Illinois with Nathan. She packed up the small amount of things she'd brought with her into her suitcase and left her motel room. Outside, Nathan was waiting for her by the car. While she got into to the dodge charger, her brother put her suitcase in the trunk. He got into the vehicle and drove away.
Given that they hadn't had any breakfast yet, they stopped off at a nearby diner. "Hi, welcome to Ed's Diner", a young woman with a name tag with Tess written on it, said rather cheerfully to the pair.
"Thanks", Nathan said.
"Follow me please", Tess said grabbing a menu before walking through the diner, the two of them following. "Do you need a moment to look at the menu?" Tess asked after the siblings slid into the booth the blonde woman had led them to.
"Uh no", Lena said picking up the menu, quickly skimming it "I'll have a cup of coffee and a stack of pancakes with syrup", she requested.
"I'll have the same", Nathan agreed. Tess nodded, writing down her order and the waitress walked away. Lena sighed, relaxing into the leather padding of the booth. "How's the shoulder?" the man questioned.
"Still tender but I got some more movement in it", Lena answered.
"That's good", Nathan said, glad to hear it.
"So, how much longer are you going to be sticking around me for?" Lena queried after thanking the waitress when she came over with their coffees.
"Until you get sick of me", Nathan answered with a smile.
"Oh, that'll never happen. You're my big brother", Lena said, lightly smacking his arm. Tess showed up at their table 10 minutes later with two plates of pancakes.
"Thanks", Nathan said. The blonde then left them to eat their breakfast in peace. Lena took a sip of her coffee, making a face at the taste.
"Is anyone watching?" she asked quietly.
The 29 year old cast a look around the room before he replied with "no". Lena stared at the coffee in the mug, one hand still clamped around it. Her eyes flashed blue and her fingers heated up. She smiled seeing the steam rise from the mug. Lena picked up the mug and took a sip. Mm... perfect she thought.
"Want me to do yours?" she offered.
"Might as well", Nathan said, pushing the mug towards her. Lena touched the porcelain and reheated his own coffee. "Thanks" he took a sip of the hot liquid "never get tired of seeing you do magic".
"Shame you're the only one", Lena muttered, drinking her own coffee. Despite being a white witch, she had to hide who she was because there are plenty of hunters who wouldn't care that she never hurt anybody with her magic. They would just kill her for not being human.
"I know it's not easy to hide what you are but one day people are going to be a little more open and accepting about your kind", Nathan assured her.
"Not in my lifetime they won't", Lena griped. While they were chatting away, Sam and Dean Winchester entered the diner.
"Hey isn't that Lena?" Sam asked his brother as he noticed the brunette sitting in a booth with a guy.
"Looks like it", Dean replied "who do you recon that is?"
Sam shrugged "I dunno", he answered. For all he knew that was Lena's boyfriend or something.
Tess walked up to them "Hi, welcome to Ed's Diner. If you'd like to follow me please", she said.
"Actually we're going to sit with our friends over there", Sam said pointing to the booth where Lena and her guy friend was sitting.
"Alright", Tess said giving them a menu "give me a shout when you've decided what you want" and with that she walked away.
"Hey Lena", Dean greeted when they approached her booth.
Lena looked up "hey guys", she said.
"You mind if we sit with you?" Sam asked.
The witch glanced at her brother "Nate?" she questioned.
"Yeah, sure", the former soldier agreed and the two brothers sat down.
"Nate, this is Sam and Dean Winchester. They stopped the Hookman", Lena explained.
"Thank you for doing that. I don't know what I would've done if I'd lost my sister", Nathan said "she's all I have".
"Lena is your sister", Dean remarked, giving Sam a look.
"Half", the witch corrected "but yeah, we're siblings. He's also like you guys…a hunter".
"How's the shoulder?" Sam asked nodding to it.
"It's a little better, still hurts from time to time though", Lena answered.
"Lena I'm so sorry, that should've been me", Sam said. He was still feeling rather guilty that she'd gotten hurt.
"Sam, you don't have to apologise. It's not your fault", Lena assured him before raising her arm and waving to Tess to get her attention. Tess came over. "Can I have a refill please?" she asked.
"Of course", Tess replied "what can I get you two?" she asked. Sam and Dean told her what they'd like and the waitress wrote down their order. She then picked up Lena's coffee cup and headed to the kitchen to put in the brother's order.
"So what brings you two to this neck of the woods?" Lena asked between bites of her pancakes.
"We're just passing through", Dean replied vaguely.
"Meaning you're on a case. So whats the beastie? Chupacabra? Or Leprechauns?" Nathan questioned, jokingly.
"Oh Nate, Leprechauns aren't real. You know that", Lena laughed.
"Yes they are", Nathan argued "I fought one during that trip we took during one of your spring breaks".
"No, that was a drunk angry guy who was Irish", the 21 year old playfully shot back.
Nathan frowned "are you sure?" he asked "cos I could've sworn…"
"No he really was an angry Irish human who's nose you broke", Lena confirmed. Nathan chuckled as he remembered.
"Oh, yeah so it was", he said and Lena rolled her eyes. Tess then came over with Lena's refill and the Winchesters drinks.
"Your food will be over in a few minutes", she informed them.
"Thanks Tess", Lena said and the woman nodded.
"It's a haunted asylum", Sam told the siblings "the case we're on". Tess came over once again, this time with Sam and Dean's breakfast. She set their plates down, picking up Lena and Nathan's empty ones.
"Is there anything else I can get for you four?" the blonde asked.
"No, we're ok thanks", Sam replied. Dean, on the other hand, was digging into his breakfast.
"Alright, give me a shout if you need anything", Tess said and walked away.
"So what brings you to Rockford?" Sam asked Lena as he started to eat.
"Taylor's funeral", she replied.
The expression of Sam's face was one of sympathy "how are you doing with all that?" he asked.
"It's been hard. Thankfully I've got plenty of work from the college to keep me busy", Lena replied honestly "it's been pretty tough on Lori though. She's moved back into her dad's house. I'm staying there too for the moment as the Sorority House has been closed down by the University" Lena sighed looking down at the table "it's gonna be difficult these next few months".
Sam reached across, placing a hand over hers. Lena looked up and he gave her a small smile. She returned it, knowing he understood what she was going through having been there himself. Dean paused in mid chew taking in this little interaction. He wondered if there was something starting between them. Nathan also eyed their hands as well. He wasn't sure that he liked what he was seeing.
Lena pulled her hand away from Sam's and finished up her coffee. She took out a piece of paper "here's my number and email", she said scribbling it down "if you wanna have a chat or something" she pushed the paper towards Sam and stood up. "Good luck with your hunt", Lena said and with that she headed over to Tess in order to pay for her meal, Nathan following her.