Lies For My Protection

So I think I managed to get passed the pesky bit of writers block. Thank you to everyone who sent me enouragement, it was very much appreciated! :)

My beta is poorly sick at the moment so this has not been seen by anyone, which means there are almost certainly some awful spelling mistakes as well as terrible grammer. For that I apologise.

Hopefully you all like this chapter! As always, I own neither Twilight or Supernatural.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

It was slightly surreal and yet kind of comforting in an uncomfortable way to have the Cullen's in the house with our dysfunctional family. Well the remaining Cullen's anyway.

Emmett, Alice, Rosalie and Jasper seemed unaffected by Edwards death but I had a feeling that they were all concealing some emotions, after all they'd lived together as a family for more years than I'd been alive. I wasn't sure how I felt about Edwards being gone for good but I was fairly sure some, if not most of me was relieved. I'd never have to look over my shoulder for him again.

Carlisle and Dean went into the living room where there was some seating at least, quickly followed by the rest of us. I sat on the arm of the sofa right next to Dean biting my lip as the doctor examined his arm gently. Sam stood next to me not taking his eyes off of his brother either.

"Would you two chill. I'm fine. It's nothing, I've got hurt worse from bar brawls." Dean said frowning at both Sam and I.

"Uh huh." I just replied with my eyebrows raised. I couldn't get passed the fact that Dean had been hurt because of me. If it wasn't for me he'd of been safe.

"Would you tell them Doc?" Dean said with a pissed off sounding sigh. I was his girlfriend and Sammy was his brother we were allowed to be worried about him.

"Apart from the injuries that Dean's told you about I can not find anything else wrong with him. He will be fine. Though you will have to take it easy for a while Dean." Carlisle declared. Sam and I shared a smirk, Dean was not going to like that one bit.

"Bella, why don't we go catch up?" Alice suggested from where she was standing by the doorway with the rest of the Cullen's, bar Carlisle of course.

"I'm not leaving Dean." I said with a brief smile to show that I didn't mean anything by it.

"B go." Dean said.

"No."

"Please go. Show the vamps around, have a girly moment. I don't need any hand holding. If I do someone will come get you. I promise. That make you feel better?" Dean gestured to the door with a small smile that was hiding a wince. I knew what he was doing, he didn't want me to see him in pain.

"Fine, but if you need anything…"

"Then I'll let you know."

"Alright." I sighed before kissing him on the head. "I love you." I whispered even though I knew everyone would be able to hear it anyway.

"Right back at you." Dean winked.

I got up and walked out of the room smiling at all the vampires as I passed them, which after months of hunting seemed a really surreal thing to be doing. Alice, Emmett and Rosalie all followed me out of the room, Jasper and Esme staying with Charlie, Sam and Dean.

I walked out of the house to the porch, stopping by the fridge and picking myself up a beer as did. I didn't offer the Cullen's anything, after all they couldn't have anything so what would be the point?

"I'm sorry. About Edward." I said as we all sat together on the porch. "If there had been any other way… But we had to save Dean."

"I'm sad that we lost who Edward use to be, but that was before he tried to rape you Bella. I've mourned him since then, I'm not mourning him any longer. As far as I'm concerned you have nothing to be sorry for." Rose said with a tilt of her gorgeous face, surprising me. I thought I'd have to deal with the most hate from her.

"Yeah, what my lady said. He deserved it." The normally easy going Emmett sounded really bitter.

I raised my eyebrows in question. "It was because of him that Rose and I were punished by that Eve. And you don't wanna know her idea of punishment. Trust me." I shivered and took a sip of my beer, I'd lived through her idea of fun, I didn't want to know what she was like angry.

"You've changed a lot Bella." Alice said looking me over thoughtfully. "For the better. Your fashion sense is still lacking though. What is it with you guys and plaid?" She gestured to my shirt still wrapped around my waist with a look of disgust.

"It's hard wearing." I said with a chuckle.

"So what's new then? You and Dean seem very happy? And this house, what's up with that?" Alice asked speaking a mile a minute obviously not breathing.

I chuckled again. "Like you don't know, psychic."

"I don't actually. I only get visions of you when you're in life threatening danger. Which reminds me, you need to tell us, especially Carlisle about when you almost died."

"I did die. Douche bag angles brought me back." I said annoyed still. I was so disappointed and disillusioned with the whole angel thing. Except Cas obviously.

"Oh yeah, man that angel guy was not what we were expecting!" Emmett was back to his usual self now thankfully.

"Tell me about it. He's the nicest one I've met that's for sure, the rest are kind of dicks."

"This is so weird." Rosalie with a wrinkle of her perfect nose. Honestly it, was unfair how stunning she was.

"What is? Sitting here with me? Sorry if I'm making you uncomfortable." I said not really caring at all.

"No not that, though I suppose how I acted towards you before would make you think that and for that I am sorry." She stressed that making me aware of her sincerity at the same time as letting me know she knew I hadn't meant it. Whoops. "Just how different you are to the Bella we knew. You've got a backbone now, you're confident, you curse, a lot. I don't know, it's just nice to see you so self assured instead of looking for something or looking to someone." I was stunned. That had to be the most Rose had ever spoken to me and the nicest thing I'd ever heard her say.

"Thank you. I am a different person to that Bella from Forks. I had to be, I had to change or I'd have been killed." I said bluntly.

We sat for a minute in silence me drinking my beer and the vampires just still as statues; it was slightly unnerving.

"So, tell us all about you and Dean." Alice said excitedly breaking the silence.

"He better be treating you right firecracker." Emmett said with a stern face that made me want to laugh.

"You don't have to worry about that Emmett, now what exactly do you want to know?" I asked leaning forward.

~0~

DEAN P.O.V.

Charlie brought in Ellen's medic bag for the blood sucking vampire doctor. He immediately pulled out a syringe and filled it with clear liquid which I knew from experience was the good stuff. Oh yeah.

"There will be a sharp scratch." The doctor said before putting the syringe in my arm.

"You don't have to worry about bedside manner with me doc, we normally stitch ourselves back up. A little needle ain't going bother me." I chuckled waiting for the effects of the drug to kick in so that my arm would stop hurting like a son of a bitch.

"Ah, I see." He chuckled a little. "Well I am sorry but this is going to hurt. We need to put your shoulder back in and I don't want to wait much longer. I can wait maybe five minutes for the drugs to kick in but we really need to do it sooner rather than later."

"Just get it over with." I braced myself. I couldn't hide the grunt of pain or the sigh of relief as it was put back in. The arm hurt a hell of a lot less now.

"You okay?" Sam asked me quietly. I nodded in reply feeling the hazy effects of the drugs start to seep into me. It felt freaking great.

While doctor Dracula started going through the rest of Ellen's bag my mind drifted to B as it usually did. She so easily could have been killed because of me. Because I'd been stupid enough to be caught out and captured.

"Bella's fine. And she feels as guilty as you do. I'm guessing neither of you blame the other." The leech that looked like he could do with some of this good stuff said with a Texan drawl.

"Are you a mind reader as well?" I asked my voice coming out heavy and a little slurred. That's what I was talking about.

"No I'm an empath." As I must have looked a bit blank at that. "I can feel other peoples emotions."

"Man that must suck, having to feel when people are pissed off, in pain, mad. And people are jerks, everyone's miserable most of the time. Dude I don't envy you." I said, the drugs turning me into a regular chatty Cathy.

"That pretty much sums it up." The empath chuckled. "You and Bella, you're both feeling guilty when neither of you needs to. And you both love each other deeply I can tell." I was slightly embarrassed by the declaration there. "Don't be embarrassed for loving Bella Dean." Oh empath boy was sounding pissed. "She's special and she deserves someone to love her for her and not what she could be. Bella is like a little sister to me, which may sound strange to you I'm aware, however as someone who does care about her I will say, Bella doesn't need to be hurt again. And if I found out she has been hurt by you? Well when you've got time just research my history." With a cart nod to me the vampire left the room.

Well… That was fun. Not.

"Sorry about that Jasper wasn't threatening you." Mommy vampire said wringing her hands together and looking uncomfortable. Obviously worried we'd gank another one of her coven.

"Yeah he was, don't worry though, we all feel the same." Charlie said with a smirk directed at me. Did no-one have any compassion for the injured party here? I just rolled my eyes, Charlie would never be my biggest fan but I wasn't his either. Dude had hurt Bella as much as I had since I'd known her, probably more. I didn't think he quiet got just how much he had emotionally screwed B up. But that was parents for ya.

Vampire Doc chuckled at Charlie while splinting my fingers together. My trigger fingers too of all the bad luck.

"For the record I do not want to hurt B. She's freaking gorgeous, funny, kind and she kicks ass. She's got pretty good taste in music too. Mostly." Yup the drugs had kicked in and I needed to stop talking.

"Do you want some ice cream while you talk about your feelings Dean?" Sammy ribbed me with a huge smile. Obviously loving every second of my chick flick moment there.

"Bitch." I slurred, I could feel my mouth working into a hazy smile that I didn't want. Everything was going slightly, furry, fuzzy even. Damn.

"Jerk." I heard Sammy's voice coming from a bit away.

~0~

B.P.O.V.

Jasper had joined the rest of us outside on the porch bringing with him another beer for me which was surprising but yet welcomed. We'd spent a nice half hour talking. Alice was begging to take me shopping then to decorate and kit out the house with Esme's help; while Emmett was trying to get me to fight him. Being that I was still just a human I didn't think I would win. Unless I was allowed to use a machete, which Rose wasn't too keen on, probably for good reason.

Jasper had been eager to learn about my training and had offered to watch me spar with one of the other hunters to see if he could make any suggestions that may help. He had also wanted to speak with me about strategy but as we normally flew by the seat of our pants I couldn't really give him a good conversation there. I suggested he speak with the brothers. Sometimes they came up with ideas.

Rose had surprised me by wanting to know all about my relationships, not just with Dean but also with Sam, Bobby and Ellen.

It was a lovely afternoon, except that Dean was being treated by Carlisle and I wasn't by his side.

"Stop worrying Bella, he's fine. He passed out from whatever Carlisle gave him." Jasper said with a lift of his eyebrow.

"Sorry, sorry. Just normally we take care of each others injuries I'm not use to letting him being looked after by someone else." I admitted, knowing that he was perfectly safe with Carlisle and Sam was keeping watch, but I couldn't help myself.

"It's fine, we all understand." Rose said with a small smile towards me whilst settling further into Emmett's arms. Sweet.

I looked out away from the Cullen's understanding faces. I could see Ellen and Bobby bringing the Impala back down the drive, Bobby had obviously filled in the ex nurse. Behind the speeding car I could see about ten people making their way to the drive. Damn. That was not going to be good.

"Jasper, can you get a read on those people down there?" I asked with quiet urgency in my voice.

"Shit.." He muttered my sentiments before speaking louder for my benefit. "They just feel evil. Everything about them has evil intentions radiating off of them." Yup shit.

"Can you see their eyes?" I asked while standing up.

"Yes. They're black." Double shit.

"Rose, can you get Sam and Charlie for me please?" I said walking quickly towards the car which was just pulling up.

"We got company girl." Bobby declared as he got out of the Impala with more grace than anyone his age had business having.

"Yeah, I see." I threw the trunk open, propping it up so it wouldn't fall on my head with a sawn off shotgun, Dean was military careful with his weapons, it wouldn't be loaded. I rooted through the trunk pulling out everything we had for demon removal. Including an exorcism cheat sheet I'd made myself a while back. "Here, take these. The driveway should keep them out I'm guessing after Sam and Dean pimped it out however if we don't take out these sons of bitches you know they're going to start killing people." I announced to Ellen and Bobby passing them shot guns and canisters of salt along with holy water.

"Yeah but how, it's not like they're going to just stand there and wait patiently to be excorsied are they?" Sam said walking down the steps.

"What about something like the prison?" I asked referring to the time Ruby was going to cut my heart out and we got rid of a bunch load more demons.

"They'll just smoke out before then, we can't trap them." Sam said taking weapons of his own.

"So what we do then?" Bobby asked sounding frustrated.

I thought for a minute. "How many shot guns have we got between us?"

"Five here including that sawn off, I've got a couple in my truck." Bobby said.

"I've got two in my car." Charlie said, I looked over to see a war playing across his face. He didn't want me doing this again I could tell. But he was trying to get over it. Good man. Cause I was doing this regardless.

"Then I have a plan." I announced somewhat proudly, it was rare I came up with the ideas, I just normally followed the others leads.

"Well go on then." Bobby growled impatiently.

"What if Alice, Jasper, Emmett and Rose took the other four shotguns? They could circle behind like you guys did earlier then they could take out four, knock them on their asses for a moment or two while we took out the others, then we preform a mass exorcism. Would that work?"

"If they're bottom feeders then yeah sure. But if they're of a higher pay grade then we're just gonna have ten pissed off demons looking for our heads." Sam said thoughtfully.

"They're already looking for our heads." I replied, Sam shot me a look and I just shrugged with a smile.

"Can't you just shoot them?" Emmett asked.

"Not if we can avoid it, they're possessing people. If we shoot them the person dies as well." Ellen explained patiently.

"So what do you think?" I asked the assembled hunters.

"I think it's the only plan we've got." Sam said with a shrug before turning to look at the Cullen's. "Do any of you know how to use a shot gun?"

"I assume they're similar to a rifle only with cartridges'?" Jasper drawled.

"Yup." Bobby said with a nod though I had no idea how he knew. He wasn't that old after all.

"Then both Rose and myself can use them." Jasper nodded.

"I can, I was hunting when Rose found me half dead. Stupid bear." He muttered that last bit but we all heard him anyway. "How is this going to save the people?"

"We're shooting them with salt, should hurt demons enough to knock them out for a few minutes and only give the person it's using a bruise. One hell of a bruise but it beats the alternative. What about you Alice?" I asked.

"I don't but I'm a quick learner." Alice said, Jasper nodded in agreement.

"Alright then, here you go. Can one of you show – Alice is it? How to use her gun then please?" Sam said passing out shot guns which Charlie had retrieved.

"Bella…" Charlie said quietly to me as we started gathering together our weapons and loading the shot guns up.

"Dad."

"It's a good plan you put together. I'm proud of you." That one hadn't gone the way I thought it would and I was pleased. Maybe my dad was finally at peace with me being a hunter, or as at peace as he was going to get anyway.

"Thanks dad." I replied.

"Sam?" I called for the huge hunter. He looked up and walked over flicking the hair out of his face. Dude needed a hair cut badly.

"What's up Bells?"

"You need to stay here with Dean." I told him. "We can't leave him here unprotected while there's a price on his head. What if one of the demons manages to get through?"

"They won't, and anyway there's two vampires protecting him. They won't let anything happen to him you know that." It was true, I knew Esme and Carlisle won't let anything happen to Dean. However I couldn't help but worry. "Plus can you imagine what Dean would do if he found out that I wasn't out here watching your back?" Yeah he'd flip his lid. Guess that was an argument I was losing. I gave a curt nod still unhappy.

"Right gals and guys, you all know what you're doing?" Bobby asked us. We nodded and hoisted our guns up. "Let's get to it then." With that the vampires disappeared, moving too fast for us mere humans to see, or almost too fast anyway, and the rest of us made our way up the long drive.

Sure enough on the other side of the driveway were ten demons waiting for us.

"Well hi there, I'm sorry but we're not taking visitors today." I announced as we got close enough to speak. "Do come by later for the house warming though won't you." I did a quick scan of the crowd, upset to see my barman, Jed as one of the possessed. Hopefully the scum that was possessing him had left his meatsuit well enough alone so that we could save him.

"Yeah, gifts are mandatory." Sam added making me smile. "So what do you jackasses want this time then?"

"We've come for Dean and Bella Sam as you well know." One of the demons wearing a middle aged man replied.

"And you know you're not getting them." Sam spoke again.

"You know we'll kill to get them, you'll try and stop us, we'll kill someone, you'll try to kill us while being eaten up with guilt. Yeah, yeah. Ring a round the roses. Let's skip all that shall we and show our hand as it is?" I did not like the sound of where this was going, not one bit. We had few allies left and I was sure ninety percent of them were here.

At that point two doors opened on a blue Ford parked down the street that I'd noticed but just shrugged off when I didn't think there was anyone inside of it. Apparently I'd made a major mistake there. Two demons dressed as huge men got out of the car and went to the trunk. My heart started beating faster and I could feel everyone else around me tense up, weapons were clutched tighter, shoulders stiffened and stances got harder.

The men pulled out a slim girl from the trunk. No, on second look she was a woman, two or three years older than me maybe with long straggly blonde hair. Her face was familiarly pretty marred only by a nasty looking split lip.

"Jo." Ellen whispered heart break and agony contained in one syllable.

"Right let's get on with it then." I said sounding a hell of a lot calmer and together than I felt on the inside. "You can't have Dean, he's passed out inside and we're not going to drag his ass out here for you. However I am here and if you trade off Jo I will step over this line. I will also put up one hell of a fight."

"Everyone drops the guns and holy water and you have yourself a deal." The leader guy said with a smirk.

"I'm not stepping over that line until Jo is safe over here."

"Bella don't do this." I heard Charlie plead in a low whisper behind me.

"How about on the count of three?" The demon tried to compromise. How very civilized of him.

"I don't trust you."

"Then you don't know your demons, once we make a deal we can't go back on it." Well okay then. I nodded. "Everyone drop your weapons, this is your only chance." I heard a clatter of weapons as my own shot gun and holy water dropped from my hands as well.

"One." The two demons holding Jo stepped closer to the dividing line. "Two, three!" They pushed Jo across the line and I stepped across. Before anyone could grab me though I dropped to the floor. Instantly four shot guns could be heard blasting from where the Cullen's were hiding in wait and the closest demons to me fell, I stuck out my hand and sat up catching the gun that Charlie threw for me and firing at the demon that was Jed. After twenty seconds all the demons were down on the floor and together Bobby, Sam and I started reciting the excorsism that would send them back to hell, holy water being splattered across them and subsequently myself.

A cloud of black smoke shook the air around us as it left the bodies of the fallen, purple lightening mixed in with it. It was not a pretty sight. Without saying a word I got up to check the pulses of the possession victims.

Jed was still alive which was a massive relief for me, so was the leader guy. I went to move on to a petite brunette only to feel a sting in my side. A nasty vicious sting. One I'd felt before. I had time to register the smile on the one demon who apparently hadn't been so low levels face before I dropped to the floor in pain. I was fairly sure I wasn't dying yet but god it hurt. A lot. Today had sucked.

I heard a gun shot and looked to see Sam with the Colt exterminate the last demon, Charlie rushing over to me and the Cullen's still by the tree lines, concern in their faces but not daring to come any closer as I seemed to be bleeding a fair bit.

"Dad, don't worry, I'm okay." I said with a small smile before trying to stand up, the pain making me blanch slightly.

Charlie inspected my wound, his face tighter than I'd ever seen it. He grabbed the knife from the fallen demons hand then picked me up carefully and started running back towards the house with me.

"How bad?" Sam asked running alongside him, hands out ready to take over if I became too heavy.

"It's a cursed knife." Charlie panted out the worry his face was hiding coming out clear in his voice.

Damn.

So, what did ya think? I hadn't really planned for any of that to happen, it just did as I started writing. Let me know what you thought. Until next time, Tametiger xx