Chapter Eight: Disaster's in the Air
"Some roads, once taken will never lead you home."
Bobby had a feeling as he woke quite suddenly, that his day had already gone to hell in a hand basket. Not bothering to change, he simply put on the clothes that he had been wearing yesterday before throwing open his bedroom door. He winced, as the raised voices only got louder.
"Why the fuck are you here?" Hailey Winchester snarled.
Shaking his head Bobby managed to start walking down the stairs seconds before the rest of the Winchesters appeared out of their rooms. Of course the youngest still had to be an insomniac. And, of course, Fíona Bennett would choose the ass crack of dawn to make her appearance.
"I'll have you know I was invited," Fíona retorted, her posh English accent only serving to make her tone sound colder.
"Like hell you were," Hailey scoffed. "Clearly you stole a new identity, and if you want to survive to take another one you'll get the hell out of this house."
"Or you'll what?" Fíona laughed. "Gonna shoot me, Hailey?"
Hailey opened her mouth to no doubt issue what would be a scathing retort, only Bobby had finally had enough, "Shut up! The both of you!"
The youngest Winchester whirled around, her lithe body shaking in fury, "What the hell, Bobby? What is she doing here?"
"Excuse you," Fíona growled. "I'm standing right here."
"She was invited, Hailey," Bobby sighed. "I take it you know each other?"
"I would call it a pleasure…" Fíona began.
"But it fucking wasn't," Hailey interrupted.
"Clearly," Bobby sighed.
"No fucking way," Dean growled from the top of the stairs.
Hailey looked past Bobby knowing that she had at least one person on her side. If anyone would be angrier with Bobby's houseguest it would be Dean.
"Bela Talbot," Dean sneered. "Come to procure more unique items for what was it? A select clientele."
"You're right about that last part, Dean," Fíona grinned. "Except Bela Talbot was just another alias."
"How do you know her, Dean?" Bobby asked.
"Hailey and I were working a case in Massachusetts about five years ago," Dean explained. "Remember, Dad? You sent Hailey and I up there while you dealt with the rawhead out in Nevada?"
"Aiden and Sam were in Stanford by then?" John responded.
"Yeah, it was just the three of us," Dean said. "And the rawhead was taking kids left and right while the ghost in Massachusetts was killing with a vengeance so we split up."
"That's where we ran into Bela," Hailey said. "She conned Dean, took the one thing that could stop the ghost. It was a hand of glory of all things, gross looking thing. She would've sold it to the highest bidder if the ghost hadn't turned on her."
"As fun as this trip down memory lane has been," Fíona sneered. "Can we focus on the present?"
"Including the fact that you're lucky you even have a present, you duplicitous bitch," Hailey sneered. "The amount of blood on your hands."
"You're one to talk," Fíona responded. "Trevor Moore. Lucy Mackenzie. Abigail Chase."
"Aw shit," Dean sighed. "Hailey, don't."
Dean's plea came a moment too late as Hailey tackled the mercenary with brutal force, slamming her to the ground. Without bothering to wait, she punched Fíona dead in the face, bloodying her nose. The youngest Winchester was about to do far more damage when Dean finally closed the distance between himself and his sister, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her up and away.
"Calm down," Dean scolded.
Calm was the last thing on Hailey Winchester's mind, however as she clawed at her brother's restraining grip. She flailed and squirmed but nothing broke the hold her eldest brother had on her waist. Hailey was a woman possessed, with only one thing on her mind.
"I'll kill you, you bitch," Hailey snarled.
"Dean get her out of here," John ordered sharply.
"God damn it, Hails, watch where you're swinging your feet," Dean grunted, as her feet had come dangerously close to the family jewels. Placing Hailey back on her feet before he frog marched his sister out of the room.
"If we can get back to why you're here?" Mary asked.
"I'm here at Bobby's request," Fíona stated. "You needed Samuel Colt's journal? I tracked it down. My brother and sister are on their way."
"And the reason you came by yourself is?" Aiden responded.
"Because I remembered your brother and sister and figured whatever fireworks our reunion wrought it was best served without my siblings bearing witness. They're protective. I'm sure you understand."
"Last I heard you stepped away from your family," Bobby said.
"My siblings have seen the light," Fíona shrugged. "Big sister leading the way to redemption. Last check in they were about an hour away from Sioux Falls."
"Lovely," Bobby scoffed. "There's still a trailer out back for you to freshen up, Fíona."
"A trailer?"
"Calm down, princess," Bobby laughed. "I just figured you didn't want to tangle with Hailey again."
For a moment, Fiona's collected mask fell displaying the rage underneath. The next it was a gone as she dabbed a tissue to the blood that was slowly trickling out of her dainty nose. Turning on her heel, Fíona flung open Bobby's front door, storming out into the dusty yard. In the morning light her red hair looked like fire, matching the Brit's temperament.
Fíona walked into the trailer, wrinkling her nose in distaste. Her family had been wealthy all her life and separating herself from her father had placed her in new environments. Some were worse than others, however. She wandered into the bathroom, using the lowly hand towel to wash the blood off her face. Hailey Winchester had a right hook like a freight train and was no slouch when it came to dealing blows. The bitch.
Her cell phone ringing interrupted the small pity party that she had been in the process of throwing. "Fíona Bennett."
"Fi, we're here," Her brother Bellamy greeted.
"You found it?" Fíona questioned.
"Of course we did," Bellamy scoffed. "Where are you?"
"Trailer out back."
She ended the call, making sure that there was no more blood on her face before she walked out of the trailer to meet her siblings.
"Hello there, stranger," Bellamy smirked.
"Bell," Fíona grinned.
Bellamy closed the distance between them to hug her tightly. It had been a few months since she had last seen her little brother. Bellamy sighed into the hug, feeling calmer now that she wasn't alone against the Winchesters. He knew of their reputation. Or at least Dean and Hailey Winchester's reputation, they were lethal and held grudges. After Fiona's run in with them years ago, Bellamy went out of his way to avoid the rest of the family. Because if the rumors were true John Winchester was worse. If the rumors weren't true, the entire hunting community seemed to agree that he was not a man to be trifled with.
"Where's Ro?" Fíona wondered.
"Scoping the place out," Bellamy shrugged. "The Winchester's reputation precedes them. Speaking of who hit you?"
"Bellamy, it's fine," Fíona sighed.
"Doesn't answer the question, Fi," Bellamy noted.
Before Fíona could tell him to back off, Bellamy grabbed her chin, tilting her head to the side to angle it closer to the light. His gaze darkened as he took in the bruise that was no doubt beginning to develop over her eye.
"Who hit you?" Bellamy demanded.
"You might as well answer his question, dear sister," A new voice suggested. "You know he won't drop it until you do."
"Hailey did," Fíona growled, swatting his hands away in order to turn to greet her sister. "Good to see you, Rowan."
"Good to see you too," Rowan replied. "Though I don't understand why we have to drop everything to do Bobby Singer's bidding. Dad isn't his biggest fan you know. And he's also had run-in's with both John and Mary Winchester, who are apparently back from the dead."
"They're not the only ones," Fíona replied. "Hunters are getting resurrected all over the place. This favor puts us in the know on what's going on, if it's permanent, and what's doing it. It's the smartest play."
Both Bellamy and Rowan contemplated their big sister's words. Following her example in separating themselves from their father. Still the Bennett patriarch had a strong hold on all his children. The way he maneuvered in the supernatural world made a lot of enemies, and had damaged a lot of people. Moving out from his shadow was for the best. But, the people that Raymond Bennett ran up against and lost made the siblings wary. Most notably the Winchester family and their associates.
Meanwhile in Bobby's kitchen, Hailey Winchester was still fuming. Dean had chosen to take a seat at the table, watching his sister carefully. She had the shakiest hold on her temper, and Dean knew that if their father chose to confront his youngest then there would be fireworks. Honestly at barely seven in the morning, Dean was of the opinion that it was just too early for this shit.
"Why the fuck would Bobby even reach out to her?" Hailey growled. "The fact that there's a family of Bela Talbots? Fucking hell."
"The hunting world is a big one, Hails," Dean sighed. "You know this. I mean the amount of people we saw come and go from the roadhouse when we were younger should've cleared that up for you."
Giving her eldest brother a dark look, Hailey snapped. "She's not a fucking hunter. She's a murderer, a thief."
"It's been years."
"Why are you defending her, Dean?"
"I'm not," Dean replied. Though he was quickly losing what little patience he had. Especially when it felt that she was going to continue to stay mad no matter what he said.
"Then why-"
"Hay, come on," Aiden called, coming into the kitchen through the swinging door. "The man hasn't even had his coffee yet."
"And you almost kicked him in the nuts," Sam filled in helpfully, walking in on Aiden's heels. "Speaking of coffee, is there some on?"
Both Hailey and Dean rolled their eyes at Sam's less than subtle conversation change. Especially since Bobby always had coffee on, he was as good as the Roadhouse for being prepared.
"Dean wouldn't have almost gotten kicked in the nuts if he had stayed out of my way," Hailey muttered crankily.
"Screw you, Hay," Dean retorted.
"Oh, spare me," Hailey sneered.
"Hay," Aiden scolded.
"No, Ads," Dean said, rising to his feet and turning to meet his sister. He took note of her tense posture, her fists clenching and unclenching. She was spoiling for a fight, and if she kept picking at him, then Dean was obliged to give her one. "You got something to say, little girl? Say it."
"Don't treat me like a child, Dean," Hailey growled. "I'm not some damn kid having a temper tantrum."
"Could've fooled me," Dean replied, sharply.
If anything Hailey became even more combative, her eyes becoming to sapphire pits of fury, "The amount of shit that bitch put us through? The rabbit's foot? The hand of glory? She almost killed you."
"I know, Hailey," Dean scowled. "But this whole thing is beyond personal feelings. Everything we're dealing with? We need all the help we can get."
"Help?" Hailey scoffed. "The only 'help' that bitch knows is how to help herself."
"You think I actually trust her, Hailey?" Dean demanded. "Last time I checked she shot you and every run in we had with her left us in the cold, scrambling to save people. I don't like her but she has connections we don't. And if Bobby has her on the hook for a favor then that's all the better!"
"Dean Winchester defending my honor, how sweet," Fíona laughed coming through the unlocked back door.
"That is not what I did," Dean snapped.
"Could've fooled me," Hailey muttered.
"You know, Hailey Jade, I'm getting really fucking sick of your attitude," Dean hissed.
Her eldest brother was saved from whatever Hailey's response was going to be as their father entered the kitchen. He took note of his daughter's demeanor and frowned. He grabbed her arm and unceremoniously dragged her out of the kitchen and through the back door.
"Get off me!" Hailey snarled, shaking out of her father's grip.
"Control yourself, Hailey Jade," John ordered.
The last thing Hailey wanted or needed to hear was more orders. No one seemed to understand where her rage was coming from. Treating her like a kid trying to be at the adult table. At twenty years old, that treatment was far from placating. Still John Winchester was the last person to start screaming at. Hailey sighed, knowing that John wanted to go back to the way things were. But it was more difficult than that. Hailey and her brother's had their own way of doing things. The whole family was on shaky ground as they tried to find a new equilibrium.
"I understand," Hailey stated. "If everyone could stop treating me like some child."
"Why don't you go for a run?" John suggested. "Burn off excess energy."
"Dad," Hailey started.
"I don't know what that girl did to you," John replied. "But showing her how much she affected you is not how you maintain an edge. Lock it up."
"Yes, sir," Hailey frowned.
She was still dressed in short terry cloth shorts and one of Aiden's old Stanford shirts. Pausing only to grab a pair of tennis shoes, Hailey took off towards the back entrance of Singer Salvage. A quick mile run did calm her down, loathe Hailey was too admit. She also knew that her father was right. Giving Fíona the knowledge that she had gotten to her was giving her way too much power.
Hailey slammed her way back into Bobby's kitchen. It seemed that everyone had once again settled back into the study. Taking a minute to grab a glass of water, then drinking it, Hailey maneuvered back into the study. There was a new book there based on Fiona's smug look it must've been Colt's journal.
Scanning the room became a habit years ago, even in a safe place like Bobby's it was a habit that wouldn't break. It was only when she locked eyes with a familiar face that Hailey felt herself stumble.
"Bellamy?"
"Hailey?" The man in question exclaimed. "I'll be damned."
His voice was different taking on the posh accent of his older sibling. But, Hailey knew that tanned skin, dark-haired, devil-may-care grin anywhere. The last time she had seen Bellamy Blake, obviously partially an alias, was in Spenser Academy. He had been a junior to her sophomore and though her father had put her in the school to keep her safe. Hailey had found a case; unfortunately Bellamy had been tailing her.
It had been her lucky day that he had knew what had gone bump in the night. That and he had been willing to keep her sneaking out of Spenser's grounds a secret from her cousin and his friends. Apparently he had been working something that even Hailey hadn't known about, Americanizing his accent and using an alias.
"You're British?" Hailey laughed. "Why did you hide that?"
"It's good practice," Bellamy shrugged. "Fi's not the only one who wanted to break out from the family."
"And you took Rowan with you?" Hailey asked. She shifted her attention from Bellamy to Rowan.
The girl in question looked up and smiled, "Hey Hails."
The petite red head seemed fully content to let her elder siblings run the show. The younger girl had been the year behind Hailey in Spenser and had kept her head down not making any waves or drawing any attention to herself.
"So, Blake is Bennett?" Hailey asked.
"Yep," Rowan said. "And you seem to have met our older sister."
Seeing the resemblance between Rowan and Fíona and even the same mannerisms between all three of the siblings it was almost impossible to reconcile the fact that they were actually related.
"Blake was our mother's maiden name," Bellamy shrugged.
"How do you three know each other?" Dean asked. He was frankly dizzy at the one eighty in his sister's attitude.
"Spensers'," Hailey shrugged. "Bellamy was the year ahead, Rowan was the year behind."
"What are the odds," Dean frowned.
"There's no such thing as coincidence," John growled.
"Ordinarily I'd agree, sir," Bellamy replied. "Except Ipswich is safe haven for everyone. Supernatural, hunter, or my family. The witches keep the peace."
John still looked suspicious he narrowed his eyes at Bellamy before glancing towards Aiden. "Junior call Reid."
"Yes, sir," Aiden replied.
Aiden quickly moved out of the room flipping open his phone. Hailey watched the Bellamy; if John not taking him at his word offended him he didn't show it. Instead he took a step closer to his sisters to lean against the wall.
"Enough of this!" Bobby grumbled. "Every one take a deep breathe and chill out. The enemy is not in this room. Now Fíona do you have what I asked for?"
"Of course I do," Fíona scoffed.
"Samuel Colt's journal as requested," Rowan said, pulling a weathered, leather-bound book out of her pocket.
"Thank you," Bobby said, taking the book out of Rowan's hand.
"Why did you need it?" Fíona asked.
"That's none of your concern," John growled.
Fíona was about to say something when Aiden came back in the room, interrupting the eldest Bennett before she could say a word, "Bellamy's story checked out." Aiden replied. "Reid didn't seem thrilled about that knowledge being common."
"Now that our story checks out, can you please tell us what's going on?" Bellamy asked.
"Honestly?" Hailey shrugged. "We don't know."
"That's comforting," Bellamy grimaced.
"All I know is that it happened before," Hailey said.
"And you know that how?" Fíona asked.
Hailey spared Fíona a look before purposefully turning away. While Hailey liked both Bellamy and Rowan, it was clear that the youngest Winchester still held a grudge. Bellamy turned to look at his older sister, noting that being ignored hadn't sat well.
The youngest Winchester took the offered journal looking deep in thought. She tapped Aiden's shoulder and together they both walked out of the room.
"Family of little words," Fíona groused.
"Something like that," John said. "Aiden, stay sharp."
"Yes, sir," Aiden replied as he followed his sister out of the house.
It seemed strange that the other Winchester's didn't seem concerned that their youngest members were leaving. If anything the entire family seemed on the same page. Bellamy wondered what it was like to have a family that tight knit.
Though it didn't make sense. How could they be working this well together when John and Mary Winchester were back from the dead? Instead if you hadn't known any better, you would think that it had always been this way.