Lies For My Protection
Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, it's so good to know people are still reading. And they really do make me write faster!
A huge thank you to my beta ArabellaWhitlock. She is a fantastic lady!
Any way I hope you enjoy this chapter, any mistakes are completely my own. I do not own any characters you may recognise.
Chapter Thirty-Six
New Hope
Sam, Dean, Bobby and I had been looking through books for at least two hours before anything of note happened. I was learning more about things I'd never knew existed than I wanted to. Things like pixies, Norse gods and Rickshaws. Hoped to heck that I never came across one of them nasty bastards.
I finished the book that I had been reading on Greek Mythology and pulled out a heavily bound black book that was battered and aged. Unwinding the string that it was held together by and noting the pretty metal heart charm attached I opened the book, disheartened to see that it was hand written. Those books were the worse. It took so much more effort to read someone else's hand writing, especially if they'd written while in distress. As hunters tended to do.
I scanned the first page, my mouth dropping open in surprise. Damn.
"Dean, Sam." I said uncertainly. I didn't think this was going to end in sunshine and unicorns.
"What!?" Both guys replied looking up from whatever they had been reading.
"I think you guys should see this."
"What is it?" Sam asked as Dean got up and came round the table to join me.
"Here." I said pushing the book into Deans hands. "It's your moms journal." I whispered.
"What?" Sam was on his feet and next to Dean in second.
Dean was holding the book with a reverence that was close to holy. "Sammy, its moms book." He whispered, leaning so that Sam could see as well. I picked up the rope binding that had a small heart charm attached to it and passed it to Dean.
"You know what Bella? I think me and you should see if we can help Bonny and Clyde in the basement. Four heads are better than two, right girl?" Bobby asked his voice quiet and holding emotion. We all knew what this meant to the boys, so giving them some time alone to process it was a brilliant idea.
"Sure thing." I agreed going to follow Bobby up the ladder. "You know where I am." I said to Sam and Dean holding onto their arms briefly as I passed them. They both just nodded neither taking their eyes off of the journal.
I followed Bobby through the house and down the stairs leading to the panic room which still had electricity running to it thankfully. Though it wouldn't hold out for much longer. Maybe one of the guys could make my rig-up permanent cause I sure as hell couldn't.
I walked in after Bobby taking in the room quickly before covering my eyes "Ah! Jeeze!" I screamed still with my hands over my eyes. "I'm scarred for life now!"
When I'd walked in it was to see my dad and Ellen making out like a couple of teenagers on top of the safe. Guess I knew what was going on with them now. I'd suspected of course but to have it confirmed like that? Yeah, I needed mind bleach. Or a shotgun.
"Real mature kid." I heard Charlie's voice sure there was a smirk across his face from the tone, making me want to hurl slightly.
"She's got a point though. Put a sock on the door next time." Bobby said making me giggle and retch at the same time.
"You can uncover your eyes now Bells!" Charlie's voice came again.
"You sure its safe?" I did not want to see something like that ever again.
I heard Ellen give a pointed cough and quickly took my hand away, I was fairly sure she'd still been in the next room when Dean and I had made up earlier. Probably not the best idea I ever had to piss her off.
"Glad you're back kid." Charlie smiled at me genuinely from next to the safe where he was holding Ellen's hand. That was cute. And didn't require a .45 to deal with. "You okay now? And more importantly do I get to shoot Dean?" He almost looked hopeful at that.
"No dad, you can't shoot Dean. I'm sorry I split, I just needed some time alone."
"Yeah I get it kid, just let me know next time rather than the Hardy boys there telling me and being all dramatic about it." Charlie said with a kind smile. It felt so nice to be getting back on track with my dad. Like finally my life was coming together.
The only downside at the minute was how much the Winchesters were hurting. Sure they'd found some connections with their past, their family but this research trip was also highlighting how much they'd lost, I could see it was taking its toll in them. I didn't have any idea as to how to help though other than sticking around this time and being there for them. To stop thinking of myself and putting them first, shamefully I realized I should have been doing that all along.
"So the guys tell me that you're Cat Woman in your spare time Ellen?" I asked moving closer to the three other hunters and the safe which I was damn sure I didn't want to touch after Charlie and Ellen's little scene there. Bleuh.
"I know a little something about safe cracking. Sure." Ellen smirked at me a twinkle in her eye that hadn't been there before. Guess her and Charlie were a new thing then, or an old thing restarted. I didn't really want to think about it too much. I was happy for them, glad they were happy and all that jazz but I didn't wanna have to see it. Or think about it. Ever.
"So have you managed to get into it yet?" I asked.
"Not yet. It's the hardest safe I've ever tried to get into. Makes me think that there's something worth our while in there." Ellen's eyes narrowed at the safe as though it was personally insulting her by protecting its contents.
"You need any help? Bobby and I can make ourselves useful." I volunteered us earning myself raised eyebrows and a grimace from the older hunter, as well as a badly concealed chuckle from my dad.
"Nah, Im good. Tell you what though, we haven't been through half this stuff down here yet. There's still papers and crap in that desk?" Ellen said.
"I'll take the desk girl, you make yourself useful and go through them draws." Bobby told me gruffly while nodding at a set of filing cabinets near to the power box that I was praying was going to last while we were down here; I hadn't thought to bring my torch. Rookie move.
I opened the top drawer on the cabinet closest to the power box first, grimacing at the squeal it gave off as it slid out. I wondered if Dean would let me use some oil from his car. Probably not, given my recent destruction of it. Or not without another lecture anyway, I could do without one of those again, thanks. Inside the draw were mounds of old papers, some of them yellowing and crackly with age. I let out a sigh. This was going to be a ball ache and a half.
I pulled the dozen or so papers out being careful with them so I didn't destroy them and carried them to the cobwebbed table. Dusting down a chair with the sleeve of my jacket and trying not be a girl and squeal as a huge spider ran away from me. It was ridiculous, I'd hunted monsters, faced things that nightmares were made of, I'd cut off the heads of vampires and I'd been tortured, yet a spider - that would do no harm to me- had my heart racing twice as fast as any of those sons of bitches.
It took me thirty minutes to get through the papers, sorting them into keep, throw and ask the brothers piles. The throw pile was old receipts for mundane things like nails and bandages. The keep pile were more interesting thankfully. Two of them contained deeds to the property, which according to one paper was to be passed down through the Campbell family. They just may come in handy. They also contained detailed descriptions of each hunter that had lived in the property.
The third pile I wasn't sure of, some I would personally throw away and others I'd keep, however I thought the Winchesters had the right to make that final decision. After all, they were records mainly pertaining to their family. When the brothers had had some time alone with their mothers journal, then I'd speak with them. However, I vividly remembered the first time Dean had passed me Charlie's journal and how emotional it had made me. Not to mention how engrossed I'd been in it. Which was a point, I still had to return it to it's rightful owner.
I went to the next draw which only had one document within it, so I picked that up and went to the final draw in this particular cabinet. It was jam packed. Great. I pulled out two binders stuffed full of paper and headed back to my table.
After a quick glance through the first binder I started to get excited. If we were going to find anything in this house then it was going to be in here. "Hey guys." I called across the room to the three other hunters.
"You found something girl?" Bobby asked looking up from the desk at me.
"Maybe." I replied. "These files are lists of all the weapons and stuff in this place as well as detailed instructions on what they kill and how. If we're going to find something to gank Eve or Lucifer then its gonna be in here."
"Slide that other folder over here then kid." Charlie said taking a seat opposite me, I tried not flinch as I saw some cobwebs clinging to his jacket. I did as was asked and slid the other folder I'd picked up across to him while Bobby went over to the draw that I'd left open and pulled out his own folder.
Half an hour later and I hit pay dirt. Or at least I was pretty sure I had anyways.
"Ellen?" I called trying hard and failing to mask the excitement in my voice. "How are you coming with that safe?"
"Its still being a bitch, why?" Ellen asked looking up from where she was sat in front of the safe that was giving her so much trouble.
"Because there are two colts in that safe."
"Yeah and? We've got guns coming out the wazoo." Ellen replied.
"Hang on, you mean Colts?" Bobby growled looking more hopeful than I thought I'd ever seen him.
"As in modeled after Samuel Colts gun, complete with instructions on how to make more ammo. I don't know about Lucifer, but I'd bet you that they'd take out Eve." I said not even trying to contain my enthusiasm now. That bitch would finally be out of my life and maybe some of the nightmares I was still suffering from would cease as soon as she was gone.
"Does someone want to fill me in here?" Charlie asked looking between Bobby and I.
"I'm gonna go tell the guys if you fill dad and Ellen in?" I said to Bobby. He just waved me away with one of his hands while reaching for the record of the colts with the other.
I ran up the basement stairs feeling energized now that we finally had something. Finally had some hope.
I climbed down the ladder into the library to see Dean and Sam sat side by side, both still engrossed in their mothers journal. "Hey." I said softly so as not to startle them. Dean shot before asking questions when he was startled and I really didn't want to be killed in an accident when we were so close to ending at least one of our problems.
"Hey B." Dean said taking his eyes off of the journal and looking me over. "You okay?" I couldn't help the shiver that went through me as a small but genuine smile crossed his handsome features. I was fairly sure I was the luckiest woman alive.
"Yeah, how about you?" I asked sincerely.
"Yeah."
I went over and sat next to Dean taking his hand then reaching over him and squeezing Sam's hand as well. "How you doing Sammy?"
"I'm good Bells. This stuff in here its incredible. Mom was an amazing hunter." Sam smiled fondly.
Dean nodded before wiping a hand over his face as though he was beat, which after the very long day he'd had I was guessing that he probably was. "Has Ellen got into that safe yet?"
"Not yet, but I'm guessing she's going to get into it soon now, one way or another." I said with a smirk wishing for a beer. Or some food. It had been a while since breakfast earlier, almost twelve hours actually.
"Hmm?"
"I found a list of weapons and what they kill in the basement. And in the safe are two colts, as soon as Ellen gets to them anyways." I said with a huge smile.
"Colts?" Dean asked.
"As in the modeled after The Colt that you two told me about." I beamed.
"You're freaking kidding me!" Dean exclaimed his eye widening in shock and hope.
"That's… That's amazing!" Sam said his eyes also popping.
"We can killed that bitch Eve now!" Dean was on the same page I was as normal.
"I know!" I couldn't hide my glee.
Dean stood up before picking me and spinning me round, placing a kiss to my face and declaring loudly, "you rock sweetheart!"
I giggled and replied his sentiment. "I love you too."
"Do you think it'll do any good against Lucifer?" Sam asked more somberly after he'd finished chuckling at his brothers and my antics
"Well right now it's pretty much all we've got." I answered still enjoying the feeling of being in Dean's arms, my head nestled in his broad, muscled chest.
I heard Dean's stomach rumble and carefully peeled myself away from him. "I'll go pick up some food, no-one's eaten in a while. Seeing as there's a washing machine here as well I'll swing by the motel and pick up our laundry."
"How very domesticated of you." Sam mocked me while standing up and stretching.
"You want me to leave you with dirty boxers I'm cool with that Sammy."
"What my brother there meant was thanks sweetheart." Dean said to me with a smirk and a wink. "I knew you'd be picking up my dry cleaning from the start." He added still smirking, referencing the first hunt we'd ever been on. Which seemed like a life time ago now. I guess for me it was a life time ago, a different person ago.
I smacked him in the arm with my own smirk before heading for the ladder.
"B!" I turned round just in to catch the keys that Dean threw at me. "If there's one scratch on her then you're riding with Charlie for the next month." Dean bitched at me.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." I waved him away with a smile heading on up.
~0~
For a change the town we were staying at wasn't some backwater dive with only one diner. In fact there seemed to be multiple eateries. So I picked up Sam's, Dean's and my laundry before asking at the motel desk where was good to eat that did take out. The receptionist pointed me to a restaurant a few blocks away that he said was good before asking if we wanted to book our rooms for another week as we'd only paid up for another two nights. I informed the guy, who was starting to leer and freak me out that we hadn't decided yet and got out of there.
Pulling into the restaurant parking lot a few minutes later after stopping by a seven eleven for some drinks I smiled. The hunters were going to be happy with my choice tonight. The restaurant was kinda fancy looking which meant a real meal instead of burgers for a change. Burgers were great and everything but I was started to worry slightly about scurvy.
The restaurant inside was just as fancy as inside and I was out of place, feeling awkward as people starred at my worn boots, beaten and dusty jacket and jeans combo.
"Hi there miss!" A really overly friendly waitress with pretty brown eyes and a huge smile greeted me, her hair an unnatural but flattering shade of red. "Table for one?"
"No. Thanks. I'm just looking to get some take out?" I asked coming across just as awkward as I felt.
"No problem, if you head over to the bar just over there, Jed will be happy to help you." She smiled while pointing out the bar in a far corner. I so couldn't be a waitress anymore, that kind of enthusiasm was exhausting to even contemplate after months of being a hunter. At least I could have crappy days doing my job now and no-one would bust me for it.
I sat at the bar ordering my drink and a meal that should feed ten instead of just six, as well as two different pies for dessert, knowing Charlie and Bobby wouldn't eat any.
"So what brings you to town?" The bartender, Jed asked me, he was five foot nothing with a wicked grin and sparkling eyes. He was also possibly the campest guy I had ever met. I instantly liked him.
"Just checking out some property on the edge of town." I answered vaguely.
"Not the old Greywood place?" He asked sounding stunned as he passed over the beer I'd ordered.
"I'm not sure?" My interest was up.
"Cute white house with a huge garden, a porch to die for and this grotty old shed thing?" Jed asked his hands embellishing for me.
"Yeah, that sounds about right, why is there something up with it?"
"Its had three different families live there in like two years. People are starting to say its cursed. Nice girl like you shouldn't want anything to do with that."
"How come its had so many different owners?" I asked, there was no way it was because of anything supernatural, that place was warded to the hilt.
"Strange people turn up there looking for some mobsters or something." Okay now that didn't sound good. Or plausible. My guessing was it wasn't mobsters we had to be worried about.
"Yeah? How are they strange?"
"I don't know, you could always ask the Greywoods, they're an adorable family. They left the place a year ago, just ran from it one day. They live over on Oakland street now." Jed said before turning to leave to serve another customer who'd come to the bar.
Guess we had something new to look into now. Just what we needed.
Thats this week's chapter for you, though I've almost finished the next one. I hope you all enjoyed it. I would love to know what you thought so if you've got time then please leave a review. Until next time, Tametiger x