A/N: Thanks so much for reading! Takes place during chapter 46 of Caught in the Crossfire. From Kelly's POV.
Chapter 34: My Shirt Now - Kelly's POV
You look so good, it hurts
In my favorite T-Shirt
Heart is beatin' harder than it ever has
Wanna put you in a photo, put you on my dash
I put my arm around your shoulder
To see If I can pull you closer
- Favourite T-shirt by Jake Scott
It was sometime after midnight when I was stirred awake by my phone ringing. I groaned while grabbing it off the pillow next to my head. I didn't bother looking at the caller ID, Michelle had passed out earlier, so it had to be Dean.
"Hey," I mumbled into the phone half asleep.
"Hey." He paused, "shit did I wake you up? "
"Hmm, yeah. Everything okay?"
"Yeah, actually Sam and I are 10 minutes out. Go back to sleep. We can let ourselves in."
"See you soon."
I hung up. I laid awake for a few minutes, before deciding to head downstairs. The boys had not been at the house since the changes and would probably be as confused as Michelle and I were when we came back home after Hermione's improvements. I also wasn't sure who was still awake in the house. If Hermione was alone and came across them, she might not know they weren't an enemy and hit them with something.
I shuffled downstairs in my PJs, which consisted of flannel pants and a black Zeppelin t-shirt I'd liberated from Dean's bag. The main floor was mostly silent. Spike was in the living room, with Klaus next to him on the couch, the TV playing quietly. We'd recently gotten cable, which provided much-needed entertainment, but also led to some bickering over who got to watch what and when.
Spike looked over to me, "what's got you awake?"
"The boys are on their way. Didn't want them startling anyone busting in late unannounced. Just you two awake?"
"Three" Klaus nodded to the empty armchair, "Ben's there. Bitching about what we're watching. As usual."
Spike looked from the chair to me and shrugged, "anyway love, no one else is awake and that ponce Eric took off to that bar."
"Didn't want to check it for yourself?"
"Wasn't invited. Don't care."
I had heard the Impala rumble up outside as we talked, and now the door opened behind me. I turned to see Dean leading the way, Sam behind him looking around the house confused, but impressed. I smiled, "hey boys. Welcome to the new place."
Dean had moved forward and pulled me into a hug before kissing me quickly on the forehead, leaving an arm around my waist. "Would have for sure thought we were at the wrong house if you weren't here." He looked past me to the living room, waving to Spike and Klaus, who had returned to watching TV.
"Yeah. Just a few minor tweaks." I looked from Dean to Sam. "Hey, Sam."
"Hey, Kels." I smiled at his use of Mish's nickname for me and guessed he picked it up from talking with her. "So this was all done by magic?"
"Yup. Hermione is kind of a rockstar as I am sure you know. She's sleeping now so you'll have to meet her in the morning." I looked over the boys, realizing they looked even more exhausted than normal. "I'm headed back to bed, but if you guys want there are beers and some leftovers in the kitchen."
Sam smiled down at me. "Is Michelle awake?"
"Nope. She's out cold. Hermione's been giving her this tea to help her sleep. She probably won't wake up for like another 10 hours, to be honest."
Sam looked awkwardly at me. "She mentioned you, uh, all had your own rooms?"
"The best improvement." I grinned looking from Dean back to Sam. "You're good to stay with Michelle in her room."
"Woah, wait. Is that a smart idea? She tends to attack first, ask questions later. Waking up to this giant in her bed," Dean hooked a thumb at Sam. "She might kill you, Sammy."
Sam rolled his eyes. "She's not going to attack me."
I looked up at Sam and admired his foolish confidence. "Maybe just check that she doesn't have any weapons stashed under her pillow before you climb into bed with her."
We said our goodnights to Spike and Klaus, and I Ied the boys upstairs. Normally three adults moving through the house at midnight would sound like a bowling alley, but no more. Our footsteps were muffled by the plush carpeting, all the old creaks of the house magicked away. I mentally thanked Hermione for the umpteenth time. We reached the end of the hall, and I pointed Sam to Michelle's door. He smiled, nodding a wordless goodnight as he closed the door behind him.
Dean had already let himself into our room. I followed him in closing the door behind me. He'd taken off his coat and flannel shirt and was left in a t-shirt and jeans. I hugged him from behind, resting my cheek against his back. He put his hands over mine and we stood like that for a few moments. I could feel he was tense but was relaxing the longer we touched. I felt his finger trace a pattern on my arm.
"What are these?"
"The bruises or the tattoo?"
"Tattoo? I was looking at the bruises. Tattoos are sexy."
I stepped back slightly and he turned to face me, taking a hold of my arm again and examining both the tattoo and the bruising. The colours worked together but made the tattoo pattern slightly harder to discern. "Jane gave me the tattoo. As for the bruises Five got paintball guns. Says it's for evasive maneuvers training but I think he likes shooting at us for entertainment."
Dean's eyebrows rose. "He's just in a kid's body right?"
"Yeah, I think he's actually in his 50s?" I tilted my head, eyes narrowing. "Why?"
"'Cause I'm going to shoot him." He caught my disapproving look, "with his own paintballs." He grinned, "for practice."
I was about to protest when he leaned down and kissed me. It was tender and slow, both of us too tired for more. I broke the kiss as I felt a yawn coming on and he laughed at me.
"Forgot I woke you up. Sorry 'bout that."
I climbed into the bed, "I'm not complaining. You are always welcome to wake me up."
Dean had stripped down to only boxers and climbed into bed next to me. He pulled me into him, my head resting on his chest, my leg over his. He ran a hand under my shirt, his hand resting on my lower back, "I was wondering where this shirt went."
I was already feeling myself falling back asleep. I mumbled a "my shirt now" before passing back out.
I had stayed upstairs after Michelle left with a shopping list, which now included a pregnancy test. Fuck. How had I not noticed my missing period sooner? I had gotten used to not having a period while being a ghost, and I had dreaded its return when I was human again. I'd gotten it sporadically since arriving in this world, but definitely not since we left Bobby's. With everything that had happened since being at the house, I'd stopped paying attention entirely. Missing a period when a virgin was never a cause for concern, but now it was. I was pacing in my bedroom, trying to calm myself down enough to go back downstairs and act normal when Dean came in. He looked at me concerned, "everything good?"
"What?" I stopped pacing and plastered on a fake smile. "Yeah. All good."
He raised his eyebrow, "you're a terrible liar."
My face fell, "sorry, just stressing about...well everything." I smiled more genuinely at him, "I just usually hide it better."
His eyes searched my face. I think he knew I was still lying, but he closed the space between us and pulled me into a kiss. I felt myself melt into him instantly, the distraction welcomed. He lifted me without breaking the kiss and carried me the short distance to the bed. He dropped me on the bed, falling on top of me, and we both laughed before resuming the kiss. He was bracing himself over me with one arm, while his other hand slid up under my shirt. A small voice in my head told me "this is what got you into this situation", but I quickly shushed it as I reached to undo Dean's belt. If I was already in a "situation", this couldn't possibly make it worse. I was halfway successful with getting his pants undone, when I heard a popping sound at the door and shot up, headbutting Dean in the process. Five stood in the doorway, and I realized the bedroom door was wide open. Five slow clapped, while Dean and I both rubbed our heads where we collided.
"Classy you two." He gestured dramatically at the door, stepping forward and pulling on the handle to show how it could close. "This thing here is a door. It closes."
Dean flopped over beside me on the bed, doing his jeans and belt back up while I glared at Five. I was secretly thankful he caught us before things went any further with the door open. I was also thankful it was Five and not Chloe, Derek, or god forbid Logan.
"Surely you didn't just come to warn us about the door."
"No, I was actually going to ask if you wanted to go shooting, but...it seems you're busy."
I looked at Dean, who was still laying back on the bed rubbing his head, and turned back to Five, "actually, Dean was saying he wanted to try out your paintball guns." Dean smirked, following my logic, "two on one seems fair, given your talents?"
"Pfft, you wish Princess. Better put on some clothes you don't care about. See you outside in 5."
A paintball splattered against the tree as I rolled quickly away. I popped back up into a crouching pose, paintball gun aimed at the approximate area the shot had originated. Dean lifted his mask and grinned at me from his spot against a tree, "that was awesome."
I grinned back behind my mask, happy someone not only witnessed the move but that it looked as cool as it felt. "Thanks!"
I quickly ducked again as another paintball splattered behind my head, blue paint flecks landing in my hair. I stayed crouched and moved to where Dean was leaning against a tree, blocked from where we assumed Five was. We had already been outside for close to an hour and our guns were nearly empty. I looked over Dean, he had a few hits from Five, mostly on his legs and arms. If they were bullets, none would have been critical shots as far as I could tell. I had a few hits myself, the most painful being on my right butt cheek after Five popped up behind me early on. We had a brief time out because of it, as Dean couldn't stop laughing at me. He stopped laughing pretty quickly when I got frustrated and shot him in his left butt cheek but that, in turn, set Five and myself off laughing.
I scanned the forest, ears alert for any sounds of Five. Dean shifted behind me, likely scanning the forest the same way I was. I caught the glimmer that preceded Five's appearance and aimed a shot for the centre of it. He popped to full form as my shot hit him square in the chest. He looked from the paint splatter to me, shock clear on his unmasked face as he muttered "fuck that hurts."
I lifted my mask grinning, the gun still aimed. "No shit."
Five raised his gun quickly and shot at me, but I ducked and rolled again. As I popped back up I saw the shot had hit Dean in the abdomen, he shot me a glare through his mask. I looked at Five and shrugged, "Call it a tie?"
"Fine, but only because for once I'm impressed you hit me. I'll see you back at the house."
He popped away, leaving Dean and me alone in the woods.
Dean pulled off his mask, "you're way too happy for someone who just let their boyfriend get shot. You know I'd be dead if this was a real bullet."
I raised my eyebrows and smirked, "Winchesters don't stay dead."
A troubled look passed his face and reality came rushing back to me. Dean had literally just met Death and here I was joking about it. He hadn't told me much about the meeting or their plans since and something in me didn't want to ask, suspecting I wouldn't like the answer. I moved forward, putting a hand on his arm, "fuck that was a stupid thing to say. I'm sorry."
Dean stared off into the forest for a long moment before looking back at me, his eyes were still dark, but he smiled down at me, "It's fine."
I reached up and pulled him down for a quick kiss, before taking his hand and starting the walk back to the house. I felt my own anxiety bubbling back up as the adrenaline of shooting wore off. I'd need another distraction, for both of us. I looked over at Dean, "What do you say we go back to the bedroom and make sure that door closes and locks properly?"
Dean's pace picked up in response, "that sounds like the best idea I've heard all damn day."
[tbc]
