Hi, guys! :) Time for a new chapter. I really hope you'll like it :) Irishlass07, thank you for the review :)
I'm waiting Dean in the car. We have only couple of hours to prove Benny's innocent and I hope this is enough. Dean went to check the café Benny's working at. Five minutes later I see him coming back.
"We're going to Mill Creek" he says as he slides in and starts the car
I don't bother to answer him but after a while I look at him. Dean looks concerned and I sigh in realization how immature I behaved with Martin. But I won't apologize for believing in my friend.
"Do you believe he did it?" I ask
"I hope he didn't. For his own good"
"You hope…" I repeat
Benny's our friend. We should believe in him but his very nature makes Dean question him, no matter how much we owe him. I understand this, but deep down in my heart I refuse to believe Benny's capable of something like this. I sigh and stare out of the window as the car rumbles up the road.
"Did you mean it?" Dean asks in a while, his face blank and his eyes focused on the road "Are you in love with him?"
If I didn't know him, I'd think he's jealous. But that's Dean Winchester we're talking about – a womanizer who doesn't want any attachments involved. So I think over his question carefully.
"I like Benny." I slowly say "I like him a lot. And I care about him…"
"But?" Dean hesitantly asks
"But… c'mon!" I chuckle, a memory crossing my mind "Bobby always said I'm incapable of having such profound feelings as love"
"That's because you've never had a serious relationship"
"Look who says that" I look at him in amusement and see a small smile is playing on his lips "What?" I ask but he shakes his head "What? Dean, what?"
"I just realized Sam is right" he says with a smile
"About what?" I furrow my brows
"That we are much alike" he casts me a glance and sees my raised brows "We're not the relationship sort of people. Still, we're hitting on whatever moves" he chuckles
"Yeah, well… I can't resist when there's a handsome guy around me" I shrug and we both laugh
But my happy face soon falls. I look at Dean but he's too concentrated on the road to notice. To say he's handsome is an understatement. There is so much more to his good looks and I admire that. The thought of never flirting with him makes me wonder why we never came to hook up. We're both on hit and run basis and being who we are gives the assumption that sooner or later we'd hook up. But that has never happened and now I wonder why. The answer comes too quickly. Because he's my friend and I have never seen him in that kind of way. He's good and kind, and caring, and overprotective, and selfless, always ready to help and sacrifice himself for others, and there is a heart of gold deep down under this rough outlook. He's always been like that and I look up to this. I smile, glad to find the answer for myself. The rest of the trip we spend in silence.
Dean takes two machetes from the trunk and hands me one of them but I shake my head refusing to take it.
"You sure?"
"I trust him, Dean"
He nods but takes the machete with him. I sigh and follow him. I know that deep down Dean wants to believe it isn't Benny who killed that man but he's so used to be let down by the people he cares about that he can't risk the possibility Benny's responsible for that kill.
We find the vampire near a fresh grave. My heart sinks and I bite nervously my lips hoping this is not what it looks like. We're behind Benny but I know he's aware of our presence.
"Do I need to tell you what this looks like?" Dean asks holding the machete behind his back
"Well" I tilt my head eyeing Benny's ass "It looks like a nice behind"
Dean ignores my attempt for a joke and I roll my eyes. Benny turns to face us putting his hand on his own machete. I sigh. Men are such morons sometimes. I step between them and reach my hands to both of them motioning to give me their weapons but they just stare at each other.
"C'mon, we don't have all day" I say and look at them with raised brows
After couple of seconds, knowing me well enough, they give up and hand me the machetes. I throw them on the ground before me.
"Good" I nod "Now, Benny, tell us what the hell is going on. I know you didn't do it"
"So you've got something to prove I'm innocent?" Benny asks
"No" I shake my head
"Then how would you know it's not me?" he insists as if he's trying to convince me he's a monster, but I know better
"I just know" I shrug
"You've got too much fate in me, sweetheart" Benny shakes his head
"So you did it?" Dean asks
"It's not me, Dean"
"So my amount of fate is just right" I nod and cross my arms
"Now, which "me" are we talking about – Benny, or Roy?" Dean insists, his voice too emotionless
"I'm just trying to blend in." the vampire explains and I nod in agreement, it sounds logical
"Blend in? Who'd you plant, Benny?" Dean's voice is full of accusation and hidden pain
"Victim number two." Benny looks sad, regret shining in his eyes "If you're concerned about the missed calls, I didn't want to get you involved."
"You're a friend, Benny" I say and offer him a reassuring smile "We're involved, like it or not. Tell us what's going on"
"Rogue vamp." Benny says with a sigh "Came into the café a couple nights ago. Youngster goes by the name of Desmond. He, uh, he remembers me from the good old days."
"The good old days?" Dean and I ask in unison
"I know it's hard to believe," Benny looks at us in irritation "but I haven't always been this cute and cuddly. He's chasing a memory, Dean. That's all. He's crewing up a new nest. He's hoping I can give him some cred. I told him no."
The rogue vamp didn't like Benny's answer and now is trying to make him change his mind by leaving dead bodies around. Benny admits this is his hometown and he's not ready to be kicked out of it by some amateur. I understand this is important for him and he confirms – he has found family here, his great-granddaughter, Elizabeth – the girl who Dean talked to at the café. I realize she means a lot to Benny. I know that after Purgatory he finds it hard with his hunger but obviously thanks to Elizabeth he sees the light at the end of the tunnel and I'm happy for him. Benny wants to deal with this Desmond on his own but Dean and I persuade him to leave this to Martin and Sam so they will finally understand Benny's not responsible for the two dead bodies.
But the conversation we had with the half-wit, as Benny called Martin, and Sam didn't go as planned. They still believed Benny's killed those people and the existence of second body only confirmed that for them. I cried and yelled at them furious because of their prejudice against Benny. And this only because he was a vamp - this was nothing more than pure racialism. Dean was acting really calm trying to reason Sam and Martin. But the argument turned into a fight when out of nowhere crazy Martin knocked out Dean. I jumped on Martin but Sam tried to stop me and obviously Martin hit me too because the last thing I saw before blacking out was Sam's worried face.
Now I'm trying to free myself from the handcuffs. I have severe headache and I'm really pissed. I hiss in irritation and sigh. What the hell was Sam thinking? It's almost like he doesn't know me and Dean. These handcuffs won't hold us for long. I only hope it won't be too long to be late to help Benny. Next to me Dean groans and wakes up only to realize he's handcuffed, too. He looks at me, squeezing his eyes, trying to focus.
"Good morning, sunshine" I say and suddenly my handcuffs open with a click and I grin widely
"Where are Sam and Martin?" he asks when I hand him the bobby-pin I used to free myself
"Martin's a dead man" I hiss in anger "I'll finish him myself!"
"Don't be ridiculous" Dean snaps at me "Call Benny."
"What the hell you think I'm doing" I look around for my phone
After an argument with the vampire Dean and I head out to meet him. Benny insists this is his fight and I can't disagree with him even though Dean wants him to lay low until he and I finish the job. But Benny's the only one who knows where the rogue vamp is so Dean and I have no other choice but to follow his lead no matter we like it or not.
The fight with Desmond is quick and less bloody than I expect. Benny is the one who decapitates him after he tossed me and Dean around like ragdolls. My shoulder's hurt and Dean's got a cut on his neck but these are minor injuries. We exit the building.
"My life here is over, isn't it?" Benny asks trying to hide the sadness in his voice
"Afraid so. Once word gets out..." Dean says, regret all over his face
I step aside giving them some privacy. I take a look at the night sky and sigh upon the shining stars. Why should everything end in pain? Why should Benny give up on the best thing he has in his life… Sadness and anger rage inside me. It's not fair. Life isn't fair.
"Life's a bitch" I mutter under my breath and go back to Dean and Benny
I know how hard this is for them – one being a hunter, the other a vampire. In Purgatory this didn't matter but in real life… I sigh. I see the regret, misery and a bit despair in both of them. Benny has to go deep underground. Where nobody knows him.
"I got one last thing I got to do." The vampire says and walks away
He has to say goodbye to Elizabeth. I shake my head, deep regret drowning me. We, hunters, destroyed Benny's happy peaceful life. He doesn't deserve this and I clench my jaw trying to calm down. In front of the café, Benny watches with a sad smile Elizabeth who's working inside. Dean approaches him and I stand next to them.
"Time to go, buddy" Dean quietly says and my heart sinks knowing he's right
They shake their hands for goodbye, both of them stoic but sad expressions on their faces.
"Thanks for not giving up on me, brother." Benny thanks Dean
"Don't give me a reason to" Dean answers in gruff voice; how typical, I roll my eyes
I go and hug Benny for goodbye.
"Promise, you'll call when you settle down" I ask him and put a kiss on his cheek
"Okay, sweetheart" he nods and lets go of me, going to his vehicle and sliding in the seat
I go next to Dean and wrap a hand around his waist. He gently puts his arm around my shoulders and gives me a light reassuring squeeze. I feel so empty and hollow inside, still I'm sad. We raise our free hands in farewell as Benny drives away. I try to muffle my shaky breath. Dean hugs me and puts a kiss on my forehead.
"He'll be just fine, Braeden."
I nod, wishing to believe that.
"Let's go now" Dean gently pushes me to the Impala
I don't dare to call Martin or Sam and tell them everything's over, I'm too emotional right now, so Dean does it instead of me. The conversation is short and Dean is quite edgy, his voice sharp and full of warning. I smile, content that we managed to protect our friend and don't pay much attention to the fact he's talking to Martin, not Sam. I believe everything's fine. But that's until Dean gets a call from Elizabeth.
So what do you think about this chapter? What about Braeden's relationships both with Dean and Benny and the fact she stands up for our favorite vampire? Drop me a review and tell me :)
