Hello again :) (Finally)
Chapter 21
-oOo-

This time it wasn't the quiet knock laced with sadness and shame that let Hope know her breakfast was outside the door to her room. For once her uncle's knock was loud, no nonsense firm and very determined. The sudden unexpected sound startled her, making her whole body flinch. Joel's voice when he spoke sounded equally resolute.
"Hope. Your breakfast's ready and on the table. Don't let it get cold."
Astonished, Hope stared at her door listening to her uncle's departing footsteps as he returned to the kitchen. She couldn't recall him ever speaking to her so abruptly before, certainly not since she'd turned sixteen. The difference left her feeling uncertain and undecided how to answer. That is, until she realised any response from her would, by then, be directed at an empty hallway. It was obvious to her what had got Joel so riled but still, his tone had certainly raised her curiosity; or was it that she was simply keen to let rip and have an argument? Hope wasn't altogether sure. By the time she got to the kitchen her rebellious, fiery nature was very much to the fore.

Although he had his back to her, Joel knew when Hope entered the kitchen. Intuition and the lack of the sound of a chair being pulled from under the table and sat on meant he also knew what Hope's intended action was. He spoke without turning.
"Put that plate back down Hope. You eat at this table, or you don't eat at all."
Carrying her breakfast, Hope pulled up short as she was about to exit the kitchen. She and Joel each turned to face one another simultaneously, Joel with his expression blank while, in response to her uncle's words, Hope had curled her lips into the classic teenage sneer.
"Really? Why? What you gonna do? You gonna physically stop me taking this to my room?"
Joel rolled his shoulders, lowered his head a touch and glared at the teenager who was the only family he had left. His voice came out almost as a growl.
"If I have to."

The prospect of an imminent challenge for authority hung over man and girl like a dark cloud as the two werewolves glared at one another in silence. It was Joel who spoke first in an effort to break the tension.
"Sit down and eat...Please...You and I are going to talk."
He turned his back on Hope and returned to washing pans and dishes. Hope hesitated momentarily, then slowly and reluctantly returned to sit at the table, immediately pushing her full plate of food to one side and folding her arms across her chest in an unconsciously defensive posture while she waited, her eyes never leaving her uncle's back.

Finally moving to sit opposite Hope at the kitchen table, Joel ignored the abandoned plate full of food deeming it irrelevant. Instead he took a moment to study his niece's face in silence. He successfully kept an amused smile at bay when it dawned on him that his niece was growing up to be a real head turner...Or at least she would be, if it wasn't for her perma-scowl! Feigning boredom, Hope had taken to gazing up at the ceiling, determined she wasn't going to make things easy for her uncle during their pointless 'talk'. She had said she was going to leave this house, this town and, since saying it, she had decided that she actually meant it.

As though reading her mind, her uncle's voice sliced through Hope's thoughts.
"I knew you'd eventually decide it was time for you to leave home, it's only natural. I just wasn't expecting it would come so soon, or so suddenly...I take it you're sure it's what you want and you're certain you're ready to live independently?"
This wasn't the reaction Hope had expected and it irritated her that she wasn't fast enough to completely hide her surprise.
"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it, would I?"
She could have kicked herself, Mature much? Joel answered as carefully as he could, not wanting to scare the headstrong and angry teen into immediately storming off,
"No, I suppose not...Have you already found yourself some place to live?"
Hope's irritation grew, she should've expected him to ask this kinda dumb stuff.
"I'm still looking, but it won't be anywhere near this town, alright?"

A big part of Joel was suddenly able to relax, relieved when he realised with 99'9% certainty that Hope's bombshell had been a spur of the moment announcement on her part. Words designed to hurt him, shock him, worry him, sure. But they were words spoken without the benefit of forethought, preparation or plan. Even so, he wasn't about to ignore them. Doing that would be the surest way to push his headstrong niece into turning what had been impetuous words into equally impetuous actions. He took a deep breath.
"I don't blame you for hating me Hope; you've got every right."
Hope pointedly rolled her eyes but didn't automatically get up to leave. Encouraged, Joel pushed on.

"I don't hate you though Hope, I need to make sure you know that. There's nothing you can do, nothing you can say that will make me hate you, ever. You're my family Hope, the only family I've got. I know I'll never be able to make up for what I've done to you, for turning you, for...Everything. The only thing I can do is be there for you whenever you need me and look out for you. So, when you're ready to leave? Whether that's now or sometime in the future, I'll help in any way I can. I'll drive you to look at places to live, however far away. I'll help you to get set up, pay your deposit, whatever you need. I'll drive you to job interviews, coach you on interview techniques if it'll help...What I'm trying to say here is, I'm not about to stand in your way. But, there's one thing I'm asking in return, ok?"
Interested despite herself, Hope merely 'humphed' to show she was listening.
"I'm asking that you don't leave until you've got some place to move into where you can be safe, and a job that pays enough for you to live on. And I want you to promise me you'll stay in touch, even if it's just an occasional brief phone call to let me know you're ok...Ok? Hope?"
Unblinking, Hope answered her uncle in a flat, monotone voice.
"That's three things."

Joel's shoulders slumped. He smiled sadly and lowered his eyes before answering Hope's accusation in that softly spoken way of his that she was more familiar with.
"You're right, again. Sorry...Again."
Hope cringed internally, she much preferred it when Joel's voice didn't sound so...Lost?
"How am I supposed to know you mean it? Everything you've said about letting me leave?"
Joel stared at the table top thoughtfully for a moment before finally returning his gaze to his niece.
"How about this? You want to be independent? Right, as of tonight, when we're transformed each of us goes our own way. You become entirely your own Alpha. Do what you want, go where you want. Zero interference from me."
Hope didn't need time to think.
"Good."

It wasn't much, but it was the first positive response Joel had heard from the teen in far too long; he felt like cheering.
"Ok then. Tonight's the night Hope, your first big step. Time for you to run free."
Hope gave a single nod of acknowledgement before getting up and walking out of the kitchen. The moment she knew she was out of sight she punched the air victorious, grinning with delight Tonight's full moon couldn't rise soon enough for her.

The phone in Dean's duffel began to ring, he and Sam shared a glance, it wasn't Deans main phone.
"You'd better answer it."
Already on his feet Dean muttered,
"Yeah? Hadn't thought of that."
Following the sound, he rummaged the phone out of the duffel and checked the number ID before turning to look at his brother while he answered the call.
"Sheriff. What can I do for y...?"

Sam couldn't hear what the Sheriff was saying, but he got to his feet and hurried to Dean's side when he saw his brother turn pale. Putting his head next to Dean's he listened in.
"...now either the man's gone full on, rip tide, loony tunes or, you've got him actually believing this shit pile you've been feeding him. Either way, Agent, you get both your asses down here, now! Don't force me to send a patrol car to pick you up or I swear the two of you'll be walking out that hotel in cuffs. Also, if you try pulling a disappearing act? I'll put every one of my officers on to tracking you down and hauling your assess back here; dead or alive! Am I making myself clear?"
"Yes ma'am, real clear. We're on our way."
The Sheriff cut the call. Sam stared at his brother.
"Dean? What the Hell?"
Dean was close to launching the phone at the wall.
"Phil."

Putting two and two together, Sam dropped down and sat on the edge of Deans bed looking stunned.
"He's told her the killer's a werewolf, hasn't he?"
Dean had retrieved the car keys from his bedside cabinet and was already heading towards the door.
"Among other stuff. C'mon, let's go."

Worried by the turn of events, Sam hurried after the older Hunter.
"What're we gonna do Dean?"
"We're gonna tell her the truth, not much else we can do now."
"Right...Ok...Should be interestin'."
"An' then afterwards Sammy? I'm gonna shoot Phil."
"Not right in front of the Sheriff I hope?"

-oOo-
Chick xxxx
Next chapter coming up very shortly. Reviews equal happy Chick :D