A/N: This chapter is gonna pick up somewhere in season 8 of Supernatural, except we still have Bobby, because dammit it's better with him around to smack some sense into the idjits, dontchathink? :)

Chapter 5

Dean PoV

Bella squeezes my hand tightly every now and then, but she's a trooper. She doesn't complain of the pain or even make any noise other than deeply breathing occasionally. "Not bad for a first timer," the artist comments.

"I've had worse pain," Bella replies. "It helps to compare it."

Makes sense to me. I'd imagine the pain of getting bitten is pretty damn bad. Bella takes a break after a couple hours and rushes to the bathroom. She probably has to pee something fierce after drinking so much juice and crap and breakfast. Once she's out, she huffs a sigh of relief. Maybe she had to go for a while.

"Hey Dean, what do you think about cutting my hair?" she asks as she lays back down on the table to take the next bit of ink.

"Uh, Bells, I don't think you want to let Dean anywhere near your hair with a pair of scissors," Sammy says, teasing me.

"Bitch."

"Jerk. Anyway, Bells, if you wanna cut your hair, it wouldn't be a bad idea. I mean the less hair, the less work, right?"

"Says the man with a mane," Bella retorts. Yes, she's one of us alright. Already in on the teasing Sammy about his ridiculous hair. "But you're right. Hair this long is a pain in the ass. All I can really do with it is put it in a ponytail or braid it. And I figure, it could get caught on something or someone could yank it. Also, do you two always call each other bitch and jerk?"

"Sure do Bellsy-poo," I reply.

"Ick, I don't like that one," she retorts, turning her head towards me and sticking her tongue out in disgust. "Any nickname but that… please." I laugh at her disgusted face. She's so damned adorable it's almost sickening. All that innocence still there even after what she's been through. Attacked by vampires multiple times and lives… she's a Winchester alright.

Before long, she's all done and we admire the artist's handiwork. Even with a stencil and fairly unforgiving design requirements, he's managed to turn the symbols into a work of art on Bella's back. She had given him artistic freedom as far as adding any extras but made sure to let him know that the symbols themselves could not be altered in any way. He added some colored flames behind the anti-possession mark and then angels wings on the outside of the whole design. It covers her upper back from shoulder to shoulder. The flames lick up the back of her neck and disappear below the line of her tank top. Sammy snaps a picture with his phone before the artist bandages it up. "It looks awesome Bells. Can't wait to see how it is all healed up."

She smiles sweetly at him and then turns to me. "What do you think, Dean?"

"I think it's badass, Hells Bells. Demons and Angels alike are gonna run far away from you." She nods, accepting that and then allows the artist to bandage it up.

Sammy is next and while the artist is getting prepped, Bella and I run down to the market to get some food. Her tattoo took about six hours, so we're all getting a bit hungry. She grabs the items to make a few sub sandwiches and puts them together at one of the picnic benches outside. We also get sodas, chips and dip, and a package of cookies.

Back at the shop, we offer sandwiches to the artist and Sammy and we all take a break and eat in the waiting room. "This is real nice, Bells," Sammy says. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," Bella says around a mouthful of chips. The artist, who I learn is named Gio, is very thankful for the sandwich.

"I think I can count on one hand how many clients brought me food," he says. "And if that, it's like a cookie or a handful of chips. Not a whole meal."

Bella shrugs. "Well, you're taking care of all three of us today, which we're very thankful for. And it'd be rude if I brought food back for us but not you. I'm just doing what any decent person should do." And that's what Bella is. A decent person. Sam and I share a glance, both knowing what the other is thinking. She'll be corrupted in this life. It won't be long before she loses her selflessness and goodness and ends up just like us. But, then again, maybe not.

"Sweetheart, there is a huge shortage of decent people in this world," I tell her. "Make sure you stay one of them." She furrows her brows at me, but continues to eat her sandwich. Sammy and Gio have finished so they head back to the other room.

"Sammy, do you want me to keep you company?" Bella offers, standing up.

I hear his low chuckle. "No thanks, Bells. I'm good." She nods thoughtfully and sits back down, right next to me on the bench. Her thigh is pressed against mine, much like at the diner and for some reason it's driving me bonkers. I move my arm around behind her and grip the back of the bench. Somehow she actually responds to this and leans against me, tucking her feet up on the bench under her legs. The feeling of her body against mine has my mind going places it has no business going just now.

"Bella, do you wanna go take care of that haircut while we wait for Sammy?" I suggest. She nods and gets up from her perch against me. I already miss the feel of her next to me, but it's for the better right now.

"There's a salon two doors down," Gio calls out. "Tell 'em I sent you and you'll get a discount."

"Thanks Gio! Sammy, we'll be back. Try not to cry too hard," Bella teases.

As Gio said, the salon was right down the block from the tattoo shop. We walk in and the girl behind the counter immediately brightens at seeing me. "Lemme guess. Three on the sides and scissors on top?" she asks.

"Ah, no thanks… she's getting a cut," I say, gesturing to Bella.

"Oh… your sister?" Bella bristles. I can tell this isn't the first time someone has assumed she's related to the man she's with. I'll bet it happened with Ediot Cullen all the time.

"Girlfriend," I correct. Bella turns to me, smiling brightly. And now I'm wondering if she wouldn't officially like that title. Maybe… God knows I'm attracted to her. I'd only hurt her though. Dean Winchester is not made for relationships. Lisa and Ben are a testament to that.

"Okay, so what would you like? A trim?" The girl sneers.

"Ah, no. Actually I was thinking of cutting off a lot of the length."

"For a locks of love donation?" the girl asks, rolling her eyes at the mere idea. Bella stiffens again.

I place my hand on Bella's back, offering my silent support. "Okay, is there another stylist here that I can speak to? Clearly you have an issue with me and I don't appreciate your tone. We came here because Gio at the tattoo shop suggested it. But if you're going to sit there and get all snarky with me because you have the hots for my boyfriend, then you can sit on it and spin. Or do I need to take my business elsewhere?"

"Um no, I'm… I'm sorry… Ah... I'll get Brian, the other stylist." She hops off her stool and scurries into the backroom, like a scolded dog with her tail between her legs. Serves her right, the bitch. If she were a supernatural monster I'd have ganked her on the spot. A young man comes out, all smiles, and greets Bella like she's an old friend.

"Is she your girlfriend?" he asks me. I'm thinking, oh great, here we go again.

"Yes she is," I confirm.

"Good job. She's a hottie. Hold on to her." He winks at me. I can't tell if he's just placating Bella or if he's being sincere. Well, he should be sincere she is a hottie. I'd be damned lucky to call her mine.

I sit in the waiting area while Bella gets her hair cut off. I'm interested to learn how short she's going to cut it. The shorter the better in this business for the most part.

Half an hour later, she emerges from behind the curtain, looking as beautiful as ever. Her hair falls to just below her ears in an edgy but very sexy style. My fingers are itching to run through her shortened locks. There's less to pull on, but hell I'd make it work. "How's it look, babe?" she asks, winking at me.

"Amazing, doll face. You're beautiful,"

"Looks like he's a keeper, too!" her stylist states, bouncing around with glee. "Aww, you two are just so adorable together. I can't even stand it."

'Um, thanks," Bella says, blushing furiously. "So how much for the.."

"Oh sweetie, I wouldn't dream of charging you," he says, cutting her off. "This was just too much fun. Watching Jennifer get all pissy about you two was just far too entertaining. Consider that my payment. She does this shit all the time, hitting on men that are so obviously with the women accompanying them. Even when they have wedding rings. She needed to be taken down a peg, and you did just that. So thanks, that's all the payment I need."

She thanks him again and we leave, heading towards the tattoo shop. After another hour, Sammy is done. "Wow Bells! Nice hair!" He shows Bells where he put the symbols and she grins approvingly. He simply had them listed across his back like a book page. No muss, no fuss, just getting it done. Now it's my turn. Bella follows me into the other room and takes up residence in the same chair I did. She doesn't ask if I want company just provides it. I wonder why she had asked Sammy, but doesn't ask me. It's not like I personally have spent any more time with her than my brother. Why does it seem as though she's bonded to me more deeply? Not that I'm complaining… not in the least. I just don't get it. Sammy's younger, he's more compassionate and considerate. He should be her go-to choice, but for some reason she's sidled up to me more often than not.

I decide to do what Sammy did and just get the ink done without any extras, but only because it's getting late in the day and I just want to get it over with. Maybe once it's all healed, I'll have someone else add a few more images to it. I take off my shirt and turn towards Bella. "Where do you think, Bells? Right here on my chest?" I point to the opposite side of my chest from where the other tattoo is. She blinks at my chest, her mouth dropping open. Yes, I did it on purpose. "Or across my back like Sammy?"

"Um… on… on your chest is good," she splutters. I smirk and wink at her before laying on the table. She then rolls her eyes at me, realizing what I've done. And I'm not even sorry. Even though I've clearly annoyed her, she absently takes my hand when Gio starts poking me with the tattoo machine. I squeeze every now and then, just to assure her that I appreciate the gesture. The pain is whatever. Bella keeps me entertained by strategically not looking at the area being tattooed and breathing through her mouth.

"Can you really smell the blood, Bella?" I ask.

She nods. "It smells like rust and salt. It's nauseating. Here it's not so bad because the smell is diluted a bit. I'm guessing by the ink, but yeah. I was breathing through my mouth nearly the entire time during my tattoo."

Gio stops for a moment and gazes at Bella. "I've never known someone who can smell blood. That's a first." Bella shrugs, but gives me a knowing look. Yeah, we both know all kinds of things that can indeed smell blood.

When all is said and done, Bella pays Gio in cash and offers a generous tip. He thanks us for our patronage and says he guarantees tattoos for life, so if we ever need a touch up, just come see him again. We stop at the diner again for a quick dinner before we all go pass out at the hotel. "Tomorrow we'll head out again, Bella," Sammy says as the waitress has left with our drink orders. We've only been in town a day and we're already regulars. She knows that Bella and I want coke while Sammy the freak wants Mello Yello. Nobody likes that shit. And, I heard it makes your pee glow in the dark. That's just not right.

This time Bella orders a club sandwich with sweet potato fries while I get my usual bacon double cheeseburger with a fried egg and french fries. Sammy surprises no one by getting a Salad. I guess he's no longer in Rome. Before our food comes, my phone rings. It's Bobby.

"Bobby, what's going on?" I greet.

"Got something for ya. Where ya at?" he asks

"Northern Cali," I answer. "Picked up a groupie on the way." I wink at Bella who sticks her tongue out at me.

"That gal you saved from them crazy vamps in Forks?" he asks.

"The very same," I answer. "Her name's Bella. We just got done at the tattoo shop actually. So she's protected."

"Cas got the venom out of her system?"

"Yep, she's fully vamp-free now. Decided to roll with us."

"Wait, you're gonna turn her into a hunter? What the hell is the matter with you, boy?"

I roll my eyes. "Nothing, Bobby. She wanted it. We told her what it entails and she agreed. Who am I to deny a person what they want?" I wink at Bella, causing her to blush again. God I love that color on her. "Now what have you got for us?"

"Well, I got a man in my basement claiming to be Henry Winchester… father of John Winchester. Any bright ideas?"

"Um, we'll head out at first light and be there as soon as possible," I say hanging up the phone.

"What's he got?" Sam asks.

"Well… sounds like he's got our grandfather."

Sam tips his head back in surprise. "What? Samuel Campbell? He's dead, though. Not that that's ever made much of a difference."

"Yeah, not that grandpa, Sammy. Dad's dad. Henry Winchester." Sammy's eyebrows hit his hairline. "Yeah, kinda what I thought. He said he's got a man claiming to be Henry Winchester, father of John Winchester."

"But Dad said his father abandoned him as a child, fell off the face of the earth, and was presumed dead. Plus he'd be super old now. How could it be him?"

Shaking my head, I reply, "No idea, Sammy. Stranger things have happened to us, you know that. But we've got to check it out. You with us, Bells?"

She nods emphatically. "Of course. Sounds like an adventure. Let's go!"

I laugh at her enthusiasm. "Let's get a good forty winks first, doll face. We'll head out in the morning. Grab breakfast on the way outta town. Plus, we've been here long enough as it is. Don't want your vampy-ex, Ediot Cullen to catch our trail.

"Ha! Ediot! I love that! Oh that's perfect!" She starts laughing hysterically, which has me chuckling harder and even Sammy is having a yuk or two at it.

Bella PoV

I love love love my tattoo! And I love love love my new haircut. Bye-bye Bella Swan, hello Bella the Hunter. I am Charlie's daughter, but I don't really feel like Bella Swan anymore. Maybe I could get a fake ID that makes me a Winchester. That'd be rich; plus the boys probably wouldn't like that. Maybe I should pick some other gun name like Colt or Walther. Bella Colt? Bella Walther? Hmm, Bella Winchester really does have the best ring to it, but I am already partial to that name. Any of them would be far better than Bella Cullen.

I don't know how the boys feel about me exactly, though. I mean, they've said I'm one of them now, but to what extent? And what is the deal with all the flirtation between me and Dean? I don't have that with Sam at all. In fact, he feels more like a big brother, while Dean… Dean is like forbidden fruit, but one that I would totally indulge without a second thought.

But I worry about him thinking of me as a kid sister. Or some young girl to look after and nothing more. But the way he looks at me sometimes, and the way he was holding me in bed this morning… that contradicts what I'm thinking. That and the fact that he full on called me his girlfriend in front of the hot-blonde hair stylist. Maybe he is into me or maybe he was just trying to assuage the feelings I was having. I likely was not hiding my ire one bit when the girl insinuated I was his sister. But how will I know for sure unless I ask him? And if I ask him, will it ruin everything? I'd almost rather have the flirty cuddly fun-loving friend than a distant brother type.

The stylist and I were gushing about him during my whole haircut.

"He's a hottie, too, if you don't mind my saying," Brian said as he began shampooing my hair. "You're well matched from what I can see."

"You really think so? We're not actually together, he just said that so that blonde bimbo at the counter would lay off. Then she got all snarky anyway."

"She's a bitch and she deserved it. And the way he looks at you… honey it's only a matter of time before he makes you his. In all ways. Damn. I can only imagine how amazing the sex would be." I blush six shades of red. "Oh sorry… Well, let me tell you. That man has got to be an animal in bed. I can tell. So be warned. Your nights are about to get a lot hotter once you get him in the sack."

"I think I want a drastic cut," I had told Brian, changing the subject. "Like, almost all of the length gone. I want something edgy and sexy, something that doesn't require a lot of work as we're on the road a lot. Long hair gets in the way and takes a lot of care."

"I think I know just what you need," he replied. After rifling through one of his style books, he turns the page towards me. It's a short cut… very short, and parted far to one side. The longest part is right at my ear. "With this you can do this far side part and make it edgy or you can part it higher up and make it more conservative, but still short enough to be easy to work with."

"Yes, that. Do it now!" Brian laughed and got on with the haircut. He dried my hair and styled it with some pomade. Once it was done and I saw the look on Dean's face, I knew I'd made a good decision. And I had a pretty good idea that Dean did not see me as a sister.

All this runs through my mind on the way back to the hotel. Before going to bed, I reference the tattoo care handout that Gio had given me. "This says to keep the bandage on overnight then wash it carefully to get rid of the excess ink and… er… blood that will accumulate overnight. So yeah, I'm gonna need some help with that, I think."

"No worries, sugar plum, I gotcha covered," Dean says, winking at me. Oh lord.

"Sammy, you'll need some help, too, since yours is on your back." He nods and says we'll figure it out in the morning.

Without even needing to ask, Dean gathers me in his arms once we're under the covers. He lays on his back and settles me against his chest. My head is directly over his anti-possession tattoo while the other side of his chest is covered in gauze and tape. I'm laying more on my stomach now, so my tattoo is fine this way, too. Despite my overstimulated skin being in a bit of pain, I fall asleep almost instantly, warm and safe in Dean's embrace. He kisses my forehead before falling asleep himself.

In the morning, Dean and I have not moved from our spots. Which is very strange considering I tend to roam around the bed in my sleep. "Morning, sweet cheeks," he says, realizing I'm awake. "How'd you sleep?"

"Great. You?"

"Best night ever," he replies. "Should we work on your bandage?" I nod and get up off the bed and head towards the bathroom.

"Bella, your hair!" Dean says, laughing hysterically. I look up and into the mirror and see it's spiking in all directions on my head. Well, I guess this is what short hair bed-head looks like. I start laughing with him. Sammy wakes up then to our laughter and sees my head.

"Welcome to bed-head, Bella," he says, chuckling.

A couple minutes later, Dean and I are both in the bathroom to get my bandage off and clean up the tattoo. He's behind me, helping to remove the tape, being as gentle as he can. Once the bandage is off, he tosses it in the garbage and then pushes me to the side so he can get at the sink. "This is going to be a bit tender, and my fingers are kinda rough, but I'll be as gentle as I can." He washes his hands first and then dobs a bit of the soap Gio gave us onto his fingertips. Softly he spreads the lather across my sensitive skin. I can feel goosebumps forming on my arms, and I'm not entirely sure it's to do with the pain from the tattoo. Sure it stings, but the feel of Dean's fingers on my skin is… something else. I wouldn't think his rough, calloused, hunter's hands could be so gentle but damn. I remember the few times Edward would rub my shoulders or caress my skin and that has nothing on this. I could melt into a puddle right here and be perfectly happy for the rest of time.

"Alright, dollface. All clean. You can shower and then Once the skin is dry, we'll add some tattoo balm to it. In the mean time, wanna help with mine?" I could swear I felt his lips press against my neck before he declared he was done. I nod at his question, turn towards him, and gently remove the bandage. I know he's fully capable of doing this himself, given the placement of the tattoo, but I don't dare complain. Any chance to touch Dean I'll jump at with both feet. As I pull the gauze away, the symbols look smudged with the excess ink. I follow his steps and wash my hands before dabbing the soap lather on his skin. His eyes are on mine the entire time, seemingly burning a hole into my skull. I know if I look at him, I'm going to lose my cool and kiss him, whether he wants it or not. But the vibes I'm getting are telling me that he definitely wants it.

I rinse off the tattoo and pat it dry lightly with a clean towel. "Wanna shower first?" I offer.

"Nah, you go ahead, princess," he says, smirking at me. He leans in and kisses my cheek before heading out of the bathroom. Thankfully, I'd had the forethought the night before to set out an outfit on the bathroom counter. My blushing face doesn't have to be seen again until after I'm done showering. And then I can blame it on the heat of the water.

Then I remember that we'll have to do this all over again when he puts the balm on my tattoo. And every day until it's healed. Oh lord… what have I gotten myself into. What was supposed to be a simple necessity to prevent possession from demons and being pestered by angels has quickly become the most erotic thing I've ever done in my life. And why… it was only a man washing excess ink and blood off my skin, and me doing the same to his. But somehow it ended up being the most intimate thing I've ever done and I can't wait to do it again.

Once I'm out of the shower, Sammy steps up to me. "Bella, can you just help get the bandage off? I'll wash it in the shower." I spare a glance at Dean who seems to have a satisfied smirk on his face. It's like he's thinking, That's right Sammy. She's only washing off my tattoo, not yours, bitch. Then Sammy would call him a jerk. For some reason I feel like that exact conversation happened while I was showering. Really I don't mind helping Sam clean his tattoo. I already know it won't be nearly as intimate an experience as it was with Dean.

But as it stands, Dean slathers some balm on Sam's back while he gently applies it to mine. Then he hands me the container so I can cover his tattoo. Another thing he can definitely do on his own and he's fully aware of that fact. Again not complaining, I smear some balm on my fingers and gently rub it into his skin. I take extra time to make sure every single sigil is covered. At least that's the excuse I tell myself.

Now as we're packing up and getting ready to head out for Bobby's, where a certain Henry Winchester is at, I'm feeling giddy with excitement. My first real adventure with the guys. Deciding to help, I start putting together one of Dean's hand guns that had been laying in pieces on the table. It's a Beretta, so I'm familiar with it as it's what my dad always carries. I've put it together in record time and am checking the sights when Dean steps over.

"Whoa, slow down there, Remington! Where'd you learn that?" Dean asks, placing his hand over mine. The look in his eyes tells me he's turned on by my skills.

"Remington! That's it!" I exclaim.

"Uh, not sure what you know about guns, shortcake, but that's a-"

"Beretta, I know," I retort, cutting him off and rolling my eyes. "My dad's a cop, Dean. I know what a Beretta is if nothing else. He taught me how to use and clean all his guns, so I'd know to be safe with them. Never shot at anything but paper targets, but I can shoot straight. I'll tell ya that much. No idea how I'll do when faced with an actual monster to shoot at, but at least I have some training to back it up. But Remington… that's the perfect name."

"Name? what for?"

"I figure I need to change my name to keep the Cullens off my tail. Your last name is Winchester, which we all know is a huge arms company. So is Remington, right? So How about Bella Remington? I'll need fake IDs and stuff, right? I'd really rather not be Bella Swan anymore. I don't feel like her now. I feel like a new person." Dean is speechless, and staring at me as if seeing the sun for the first time.

"You are. I've seen you change so much in the past few days," Sammy says as he pops out of the bathroom, his toiletries in tow. He gives Dean a quizzical look. I wonder what that's about. "You went from a shy teenage girl living under her boyfriend's thumb to this awesome independent and beautiful woman ready to take on the world by storm. You're going to be a hell of a hunter, Bella. We both know it." I notice the distinction between girl and woman. I certainly don't feel like a teenage girl anymore, despite being eighteen still.

"Sammy's right. I like the name Remington. Hey, we can call you Remi!" I smile at Dean, approving of his new nickname for me. Maybe this one will stick. Now that has me thinking of the name Remi Winchester and liking that even more. Ah, maybe someday. "Bobby can take care of getting the IDs for ya. I'll let him know so he can have them ready when we get there." He makes that call while Sammy and I grab breakfast to-go from the diner.

We get all our stuff in the trunk of the car and Sammy offers me shotgun. "I can stretch my legs out in the back," he says by way of explanation. But it's written all over his face that it's so I can sit next to Dean. Sammy is far more observant than I've given him credit for. I don't know if Dean even knows how into him I am yet, but Sammy seems well aware. Then again, maybe Dean does. He did pull that stunt at the tattoo shop with yanking his shirt off and exposing his bare torso to me. Dear god he's gorgeous though. Sinfully so. The abs…and the arms. Good lord, the arms.

I learn that I have to lean forward in the seat in order to keep my back from pressing against it and irritating my tender flesh. Sam said the discomfort will only last a couple days then it'll start scabbing over and start to itch. But if I turn slightly in the seat, and rest my shoulder against the seatback, all is good. And it gives me an excuse to look right at Dean without being so obvious about it. "How's the back?" Dean asks.

"A little tender," I reply. "Feels like sunburn, I guess. Sam said it'll go away after a couple days." Dean nods thoughtfully.

We drive for a few hours, listening to classic rock. I sing along to the songs I know much to Dean's happiness. He seems pleased that I like the same music he does. Edward had good taste in music; one of the few good things about him. So I learned a lot of these songs while with him. I had taken it upon myself to learn all or as much of the music in his collection as I could. Some of it was awful, but this kinda stuff I liked. Plus I remembered some from when I was a kid and my mom and I had karaoke rock concerts in our living room.

Rather than crashing at another motel, we decide to drive straight through to South Dakota where this Bobby lives. Sam takes the wheel for a few hours so Dean can sleep in the back. With my inability to sleep in cars, I strike up a conversation with Sam.

"So, where do I fit in all this?" I ask.

Sam turns to me briefly before keeping his eyes on the road. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you guys offered to let me tag along and learn the ropes of hunting, which I'll be forever grateful for. I know I haven't been on my first hunt yet, but I can already feel that I'm made for this. Maybe after my first hunt I'll feel differently. But rather than being afraid, I'm excited. You say this life is hard and it's not all unicorns and rainbows, which I get, but at least you're making a difference. Even if it's only to save one life, that person will go on living and thriving in this world, where without you, they wouldn't.

"I guess what I'm trying to ask is, am I like part of a trio of hunters now or once I'm trained are you guys gonna send me off on my own like a fledgling eagle? You said I'm one of you now, which doesn't exactly make me a 'Winchester' but kinda makes me feel like family, I guess."

Sammy nods. "I think I know where you're going with this, Bella. I can see you're the mother-hen type. You're going to be fussing over me and Dean. Always making sure we eat enough and get enough sleep and helping patch up our wounds once you get over your aversion to blood. And I think we both need that kind of care, to be honest. Also, to me, you're like the kid-sister I never had, and I can already feel that brother-sisterly bond forming between us. I feel protective of you the way Dean always has over me. I wouldn't dream of sending you away, or off on your own. Now, Dean, on the other hand, does not think of you as a sister. Not at all. And something tells me you don't think of him as a brother, either." He winks at me then, and I know for a fact he's seen right through all my attempts of being stealthy about my attraction to Dean.

"Yeah, but do you think he knows that?" I ask, turning towards the back seat and peeking at the man in question. In sleep he seems so young and innocent, but still gorgeous.

Sammy chuckles. "Oh yeah Bells, he knows exactly how he feels about you. But like you, he's unsure if it's reciprocated. My advice, let him know in the most obvious way you can." I furrow my brows at him. "Kiss him Bella. He'll know for sure then." I ponder his words for the rest of this leg of our trip.

By late evening, we arrive in what looks like a junkyard with a house in the middle. I guess this Bobby person was in the scrap metal business at one point. There are so many cars around, I can't begin to count them all. Most of them just old hunks of junk, but a few could have been great if someone took the time to rebuild them. When we get up to the door, Dean knocks.

Bobby greets us and allows us in. Dean introduces us. "Bobby, please meet Bella Remington, AKA Remi."

He grips my forearm in the traditional hunters' handshake. Dean had taught me while we were waiting for Sammy's tattoo to get done. "Use some force in your grip, Bella," he'd said. "Don't just place your hand against my arm, you have to grip it. Even with your tiny hands, you can grip my arm." I did so and he'd smiled proudly. "Perfect. Now you know how to greet hunters."

"Pleased ta meetcha, Remi," Bobby replies, smiling lightly at me. I can tell he's still wary of me, which I hope will go away once he gets to know me. "Now we've got Dean and Sam Winchester, both guns, Bella Remington, also a gun, And I'm Bobby Singer the damn sewing machine." We share a laugh at that and Bobby pops open the fridge offering up beers to the group. I take one, fully knowing I've never had a beer in my life. But if I'm gonna be part of this motley crew, I'll need to get used to it, I figure.

Then a man in his mid thirties, dressed like he walked off the set of MadMen enters the kitchen. When he sees me, he takes of his hat and bows at me. Holy crap, what a gentleman. "Hello, Lady and Gentleman. I'm Henry Winchester, and I'm told that I'm your grandfather."

A/N: Fun fact… Tattoo artists get upset if you refer to the tattoo machine as a "gun" Apparently it's a huge point of contention for a lot of artists. I learned this the hard way, of course. Also, props to Holidai for coming up with "Ediot" as the perfect nickname for Edward. If you google "Kristen Stewart short hair" the first handful of pics are what I have in mind for Bella's new 'do. ANd if you google, "anti possession symbol wings" the first image is pretty close to what Bella's got on her back. I've just added the enochian symbols all around the sun and some colored flames. Maybe I'll add that to my list of art projects ;)

Up next will be Henry telling his tale of the Men of Letters, including his battle with Abbadon. In this fic, Dean will not be getting the Mark of Cain, there's another way to kill the Knights of Hell, and Bella will be involved.

Reviews are just about as good as Dean covered in engine grease after working on his Baby.