Chapter 61

Dean was observing the two women and he noticed Mark was doing the same thing. He had to wonder how this was going to play out long-term, or at least for the next few months until Claira left for her gap year he'd join her on. Claira had stepped up as 'woman of the house', he knew there could never be two women as heads; women got scary over that.

"Dad, you have to get the AC fixed today." Claira reminded him, ignoring the chuckle from Dean, having no idea what he had been thinking. "Or else I'm calling someone to come do it."

He knew exactly where it came from, her mother. She was just like her mother. "Yes… ma'am." Mark was the one yelping next. She had kicked his shin with her stupid shoes.

She smiled sweetly, bringing her foot back beneath her seat. "Good."

"Don't worry, Claira, it'll be fixed."

One thing about Brooklynn was she HATED the heat. Sitting out in it for a little while sunbathing was different than boiling in the house. And it was summertime, not happening. As soon as breakfast was over with, she was making the call since she knew Mark wouldn't. He was never good at that sort of thing and always left it up to her when she lived here. Claira had a 'take charge' attitude, same as Brooklynn, but she would also tread carefully the next couple months until everyone was used to her being back in the house again.

"I'll clean up, sweetheart, since you cooked." Brooklynn wanted to get reacquainted with her kitchen again, spotting the fryer and arched a brow. That was…different.

"No, it's fine Mom." Claira got up, watching as her Dad slowly rose, his own plate gone. "You, AC now. Dean can help."

"Whoa, babe, why do I have to help?"

She smiled sweetly, fluttering her eyelashes. "Because, you said you wanted to learn how to be handy, and he needs to be handy. You can learn, he can… do, it's good for you both."

"Come on, Dean, quicker it's done, the quicker she'll get off our balls." Mark rolled his eyes, smirking when Sonya yipped at him. "Yeah, you will too, won't you, gorgeous?" Claira also obviously wanted time with Brooklynn, now that Brooklynn was back to normal.

"Then let me help you at least."

Brooklynn began putting the leftovers in containers while Claira ran the water in the sink, rinsing the dishes off and made sure it went down the garbage disposal. She smiled when Claira conceded, still feeling somewhat weird in this kitchen again. It didn't feel like home yet and probably wouldn't for a couple weeks.

"Go ahead and ask the questions burning on your tongue, Claira. I know you're dying to." Her daughter looked like she was bursting at the seams and that made her chuckle harder.

"Why…" Claira sighed, she had a million questions, but there was one on the forefront of her mind. She knew it was probably a horrible question to ask, but she had to know. "Mom… why… Okay, I know Dad is IT for you, he's the most important person in your life, to you. I'm grown now, so I guess you think I don't need you. I mean, I know I act like it a lot, but…" She crouched down when Sonya came to her, wrapping her arms around her Familiar and felt a flush of strength and warmth course through her. "I still needed you. And you left… you didn't just leave him, you left me. Even when you were around, you weren't THERE. So why… why are you… why are you MOM again? Because of Dad? Because he 'fixed' you?" Her voice got very tiny. "Why wasn't I enough?"

"Because I was broken, Claira. I was shattered, fractured and…there were times I didn't even want to live anymore. For 17 years, I was with your father and we were happy, blissfully and blindly happy. And because of Taker, it all came crashing down and blew apart. I went from being in love and married to the man of my dreams, the love of my life, to…nothing. The things I did with Undertaker…I was ashamed, especially after finding out HE was responsible for you being in danger and Bastet's death." Her eyes lowered from Claira's, knowing this wouldn't be easy for her to hear, but the truth was always best, and she learned that the hard way. "He fucked me up, sweetheart. I couldn't trust your father completely, not until he found a way to subdue Taker, and without trust, there's no room for a relationship to grow. And then…when you moved back in with your father, I thought you didn't need me anymore. Even though I knew it was dangerous, because you didn't have your magic at the time, I didn't have it in me to fight you. I was damaged. It wasn't because of you, it was all on me." She sighed out shakily, tears forming in her eyes. "Your father and I had a lot of communication issues that Taker brought to the surface. A lot of problems we had swept under the rug. I wasn't honest with him and he wasn't honest with me. It…ruined us, for a time. And when he brought the merging idea to me, I…panicked because there was a chance he could die…and I'd rather him live and not be with him than for him to die and not be here anymore, especially for you. That was another reason why I stayed away because I didn't want him to do the merging and risk his own life…and he did it anyway. I made a lot of mistakes with your father and especially with you." Tears slid down her cheeks at the hurt in her daughter's eyes. "I…didn't think you needed me anymore, so I left you alone and let you come to me, if you needed me. And you didn't because you stayed away, not that I blame you. You were angry, I can see that and I saw it throughout the year, even though you tried to hide it. I just…didn't have it in me to be a mother to you, to be there for you…and I'll never be able to get that time back. And I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for what I did to you, Claira Beth. You and your father are my world, my whole universe. Without both of you, I'm incomplete. Please forgive me for what I did. I swear to you, I'm here now and I'm not going anywhere."

Claira considered her Mom, wiping tears out of her own eyes. "You know," She said quietly, sniffling. "I spoke to Dad… well, Taker…" She knew this was a terrible subject, but… her Mom needed to hear it. "He didn't know about Bastet or me… he's an asshole or was, but he… he did seem remorseful over that. I think that, and you leaving, is why he was all right with merging. He'd been locked away all my life. He would talk to me about the things he had seen when he woke up properly, but he wasn't there and I think it bothered him… or do you think he was lying?"

Brooklynn sighed heavily because it was always so hard to tell when Taker was lying through his teeth and when he was telling the truth. HOPEFULLY, those traits were long gone, and they hadn't been passed on in the merger. She backed up to sit down in a chair, sliding fingers through the top of her silver hair.

"I don't know. And that's the honest truth. I don't know if he was telling the truth or not when he spoke to you. That part of your father, that…darker half, he was vindictive, manipulative and volatile. He made me feel so guilty for having him locked away all these years, even though it wasn't totally my decision. He convinced me the 'Mark' part would destroy him if I told he was back." That made Claira's eyes widen. Taker had kept that information from her, apparently, which wasn't surprising. "He told me about the time he visited you in your dream and spoke to you about your magic. I do believe he did love you…to an extent, but…Taker always – ALWAYS – loved himself and put himself first before ANYONE or ANYTHING. He was so desperate to get out of his cage from Bastet, he had to make a deal with Rollins, not knowing or understanding the consequences of those actions. Do you know why? Because he didn't care as long as he got his freedom. What Taker wants, Taker gets, that type of thing. And somehow, someway, I still love him as much as Mark…I love them both equally. Your mother is…messed up." That was putting it mildly.

"Yeah, a little." Claira held up her thumb and forefinger, a little gap of space between. "He never spoke badly about Mark, or you. That is SO weird, calling one Taker and the other Mark, but they were both Dad… I'm glad he merged." Made things easier, simpler and less complicated. "Okay… okay, I forgive you. I get you were in a bad place. Dad did explain to me, and Aunt Mickie did too, that you were always a loner… reclusive, so I guess it makes sense. I just…" She reached out, fingering a strand of gorgeous silver hair. It looked like starlight. "I felt locked out, Mom. I've never seen or known you that way. But I understand why you did it. I was… pretty bad after Seth," Nightmares, lots of those. "Love can suck."

Honestly, Brooklynn was hoping Claira approved of her hair or she would've asked Mark to change it back to black. The silver was already growing on her though and he seemed to thoroughly enjoy it. "He's right, I was a recluse and a loner for many years, mostly because of my gift. I didn't want to burden anyone with it, including your father. It took us a long time before we realized we couldn't live without each other. You're right too, love does suck." Reaching out, she pulled her daughter into her arms, after standing, hugging her close. "I'm so sorry about Seth, sweetheart. I really am, but you know what?" She pulled back to cup Claira's face in her soft hands. "Dean is so much better than him. I really like him and I think he's a good match for you. Your Dad agrees though we haven't discussed it. I can tell since he allows that young man to call him 'pops'." That cracked her up, actually, and they both began to laugh. "I promise to never shut you out again, Claira. I'm here, I'm back and if you ever need ANYTHING from me, don't hesitate to come to me."

"Deal." Claira agreed, her eyes sparkling happily. She felt so much better now that she had that off her chest. Jumping when she heard boisterous laughter from outside, Claira peered out the window to find her Dad and Dean chuckling it up about something. "I'm glad you like him. I um…" She bit her bottom lip.

Living with just her Dad for the past year had been interesting… and with him being merged… doubly so, she had learned quite a bit, especially after Mickie had left and he had resumed training her on things that Mickie hadn't. She was very well-rounded. However… Claira couldn't talk to her father about sex. No, she could've, but there was no way Dean Ambrose would have lived afterward. He might've liked Dean, but Dad was Dad and overprotective to the fullest.

"So… about Dean… remember, when I was 16, and we had all those talks about, um, sex?" She smiled nervously, really hoping her Mom saw where she was going with this.

Brooklynn might've been a little out of the 'mother' game recently, but she DEFINITELY picked up on what her daughter wanted to talk about. "You and Dean haven't…"

She breathed a silent sigh of relief that her daughter actually kept her word about waiting until after she graduated high school. Honestly though, after Seth Rollins showed his hand and told them what exactly was required to open the dimension Nemesis was trapped in, Brooklynn had silently and secretly hoped Claira lost her virginity already. Dean was a good young man and, as much as her daughter having sex scared her, Nemesis and Seth Rollins lurking out there scared her more.

"Well sweetheart, you're almost 18…" That made her feel incredibly old suddenly, fingering part of her ponytail that hung over her shoulder. "If you want to have sex, you know the consequences and you know what to do, so you don't make your father and I grandparents. Wrap it up, ALWAYS, and you're still on birth control, right?" Another sigh of relief at Claira's nod. "Good, you should have Fort Knox security during sex with both birth control and condoms. Happy fucking!"

"What the HELL?"

They had come in to get drinks, it was hotter than a whore in church out there and they had walked in at that last bit. Mark stared at Brooklynn and Claira and then glanced down at Dean. The poor guy's face was beet red and his mouth was wide open.

"Flies will get in that way, son."

"Um, hi Dad…"

"Babe…" His eyes moved to Brooklynn. "Did you really just say happy fucking?" That was the best blessing ever.

"I will pay for a honeymoon suite at a hotel, just not in my house… while I'm here." Mark grunted, shaking his head as he retrieved a beer. He needed a beer. He didn't care how early it was. "Or in a car…"

"No! No, no, nooooo I don't want you guys knowing when we're…" Claira's face had turned the same shade as Dean's, both incredibly embarrassed about this. "Umm…"

This conversation was meant for her MOTHER, not father and boyfriend too! Brooklynn was trying, really hard, not to laugh at her daughter, but…her shoulders were shaking, and her own face was red from holding back laughter. If she knew what Dean was currently thinking, she would've busted a gut and accepted the beer Mark set down in front of her.

"Yes, I did. Not that you two need permission since you're practically adults now, but…yeah, happy fucking!" She raised her beer and went to take a drink when Claira had a spaz attack.

"MOM!"

"What? You know what happens if you stay a virgin, might as well get it over with."

Claira could only GAPE at her mother like a regular fish out of water.

That was the safest and subtlest way to say it because she didn't know if Dean was aware their family was supernatural.

"Wait, wait, wait, you WANT her to lose her virginity? This related to something magical and witchy?"

Mark knew what was coming this time and tossed out a hand, watching as the beer Brooklynn spewed just kind of froze in midair. He smirked as Claira and Dean both moved the hell out of the line of fire before unfreezing it. The beer and spit splattered on the wall and floor where Dean had previously been standing.

"He knows, Lynn, darlin'."

"It was hard keeping it a secret when he kept showing up all the time."

Dean had honestly thought he was losing his mind the day he had stopped in unannounced and found her and Mark having a water balloon fight. Without actually using their hands or balloons. It had just been balls of water.