A/N – Happy Friday! A little Hell's Bells to start your weekend off right. Lots of you saw Casey coming a mile away. Now that she's out of the way, let's see the shitstorm she left in her wake.

Chapter song: King and Lionheart by Of Monsters and Men


Taking over this town they should worry. But these problems aside I think I taught you well.
That we won't run, and we won't run, and we won't run.

Chapter 6

Dean's eyes widened, his face taking on an ashen tone as he stared at Sam. Charlie rushed over to Bella, carefully stepping over the gaping hole in the floor. He knelt by her side, softly stroking her face, his thumb brushing across the fresh wound Casey had left on her cheek.

"Come on, kiddo. Wake up for me." Charlie looked up at Dean who was still tied up. "What did she do to her?"

"Nothing. She'll be alright. She hit her head really hard against the wall." Rattling the chains, Dean said, "A little help here?"

Sam lowered the gun, his eyes narrowing and brows furrowing as he stared at the Colt. He did what had to be done, but it was like something else forced his hand. For once in his life, he hadn't thought things through. He just aimed and fired, and he didn't even feel bad about it. Dean and Bella were in danger. The was all there was to it.

As Charlie undid the shackles, Dean couldn't help but hide his worry. What Sam did, it wasn't like him. It was more like Dean. Suspicions had been swirling in his mind since Sam came back, and what just happened in this basement confirmed it. After Dean was free, he rubbed his wrists. Charlie was already back on the ground talking to Bella, willing her to wake up.

Sam slowly approached them, rubbing the back of his neck, not really making eye contact with anyone. "We need to get out of here. It's not structurally sound."

Charlie tried to scoop Bella into his arms, but he had thrown his back out a few weeks ago pulling in a large bass. His body was finally starting to betray him, and he didn't like it one bit. He winced as he lifted Bella a few inches off the ground.

Dean placed a hand on Charlie's shoulder. "Here, let me."

Charlie gently lowered Bella. Dean placed his forearms underneath Bella's tiny frame and picked her up bridal-style, cradling her to his chest like she belonged there.

Sam led everyone up the stairs, through Casey's house, and out the front door. Charlie and Sam had taken Bobby's truck, which was waiting outside next to Dean's Impala. Dean could feel the steady rise and the fall of Bella's chest as he carried her outside. She let out a whimper so soft, only he could hear it. He knew she'd be waking up soon.

Charlie scrubbed a hand over his face, his fingers lingering at his mustache. "I'll drive Bella's cruiser back and Sam will take the truck. She'll be more comfortable in the Impala. Dean, why don't you take her back to Bobby's with you?"

Dean cleared his throat roughly. That was the last thing he needed—Bella waking up in the front seat of his car with a head full of questions.

"Fine," Dean replied gruffly.

He hurried over to the Impala, easily maneuvering the passenger side door while he held Bella closer with his other arm. He laid her down, her body curled in across the front seat and center console. Shutting the door quietly, he walked back over to Charlie.

"Have you even thought about what you're gonna tell her when she wakes up?"

"What's there to tell, son? She already knows about what I did...what you and your brother still do. She's no stranger to this world, Dean. She can handle it."

Taking a step into Charlie's personal space, Dean's eyes tightened. "What the hell was with that back at Bobby's? The Cullens...that information I got you...she was with them? How could you let your daughter—"

Charlie took a deep breath and stood taller, sticking his chest out and looking down at Dean. "I handled it. They're not a threat anymore."

Huffing, Dean shook his head and stalked back toward the car. He hopped in and started the engine, the soothing, loud rumbling calming him down.

He drove down the darkened road, the scattered street lights illuminating the car every so often. The way the rays caught the paleness of Bella's skin reminded Dean of the girl in the pictures he'd kept all these years, not the hardened woman she'd become. He tore his eyes away from her and gripped the steering wheel. His mind wandering down the dark path he seemed to find himself since he made the deal to sell his soul.

At first, he had the you-only-live-once mentality, and he wanted to go out with a bang. Sam was frustrated with his attitude and his willingness to just accept his fate. They barely talked about it, and when they did, it ended in a blow out. There was nothing either of them could do about it, so why bother? If it were up to Dean, they'd just keep hunting, taking out as many evil-belly-to-the-ground pieces of supernatural crap, until his time was up. Sam, on the other hand, was determined to find a way out of it.

Now, Dean couldn't help but think about what was waiting for him down stairs. Casey hadn't painted a pretty picture. He didn't want to die, but what other choice did he have? He could put on a good front for Sammy and Bobby, act like he was still fighting, but it wasn't how he really felt. As far as Dean was concerned, he was already dead. He couldn't keep Sammy safe, and that made him feel worthless.

His knuckles turned white as he squeezed the steering wheel so hard thinking about all his failures. He wasn't going to fail when it came to Bella. He'd do whatever he had to, to keep her out of this life. And to do that he had to start at the beginning. Sure, hunter blood flowed through her veins, but it didn't mean she had to pick up where Charlie left off. But just like with Dean and Sam, regardless of who their father was, the supernatural was drawn to them. It had to have been those damn vampires. The Cullens. He reared back and slammed a fist onto the dash. It started a snowball effect, and now Bella was in it deep.

He heard Bella stir beside him, briefly looking over to see her bring her hand to her head. Her eyes strained as she tried to focus and sit back in the seat. She looked over to Dean and scowled.

He grinned. "Hangover from hell?"

"Cut the shit, Dean. Where's Casey."

"Gone."

Bella's jaw slackened. "Gone meaning?"

"Gone meaning she's not a problem anymore, okay?" Dean barked, returning his gaze back to the road.

"Problem..." Bella nodded, letting the word sink in and trying to remember if she really saw what she thought she saw—Casey with black eyes. "So the bar really was a case?" Her eyes were wide, eyebrows raised.

Dean turned his head toward her, his face softening. "Look, we're almost at Bobby's. Let's just wait till we get there to fill in the blanks."

Crossing her arms over her chest, her face pinched in annoyance, Bella said, "I don't need anyone to sugar coat this for me. I'm a big girl and I can—"

Smirking, Dean remembered how brave Bella was when she'd tried to knock Casey out with the candle stick that was almost the size of her. He raised an eyebrow at her. "Take care of yourself? Yeah, I get that. But this...what me and Sammy do...you've got no place in it. You'd be better off if you just forgot about everything."

Flushed skin, nostrils flaring, Bella gritted her teeth. "You don't know anything about me or where my place is..."

Dean let out a dark laugh. She had no idea how much he knew about her. "I know you probably think you're tough because you palled around with vegetarian vampires..." he shook his head at the ridiculousness of it "...but you have no idea what's out there, sweetheart."

Bella turned away from Dean without another word and stared out the window. Who the hell did he think he was? Just because he knew all about the things that went bump in the night didn't mean he had any clue about her or her past with Cullens. He was cocky, bullheaded, and a know-it-all. Even if her gut wasn't telling her to stick around to see this thing through, Bella would tag along on a few hunts just to be a thorn in his side. Someone needed to bring him down a few pegs. Sam didn't seem like he'd be the one to do it. He practically idolized the guy, but Bella couldn't help but notice a sadness to Sam's eyes whenever he looked at Dean, almost like defeat. And Bobby...she wasn't too sure what his role was. Quasi father in John's absence? Whatever he was to the boys, it seemed like he was busy trying to keep Dean's anger in check. Then there was Charlie... Bella loved her father, and they had really bonded over the last few years, but she couldn't even begin to get past the betrayal.

Gravel crunched under the tires of the Impala as Dean pulled down Bobby's driveway. Bella felt the car lurch to a stop and looked up, noticing Bobby standing in the doorway. Sam and Charlie were already making their way up the front steps. Letting out a loud sigh, Bella swung open the car door, got out in a huff, and slammed it shut.

Dean winced as he heard the clank of metal and slowly rounded the car, placing a hand on the hood. "It's okay, baby." Even though Bella had already pushed past Bobby and was waiting for everyone to gather in the living room, Dean scowled at the back of her head.

Bobby shuffled in, followed by Charlie, then Sam, and finally Dean. Bella spun around and faced them.

"This is how it's gonna go..." Her chest heaved with anger as she ran a hand through her hair. "You're gonna tell me exactly what went down with Casey. And if any one of you tries to sugar coat it..." her hands balled into fists at her sides "...I'll...I'll shoot you!"

Dean's eyes lit up with amusement, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. "I think shooting an innocent civilian might get you fired, sweetheart."

Bella clenched her jaw, sending him a narrowing look. Charlie twisted his head to face Dean. "Don't antagonize her. If she's wound up enough, she may do just that!"

Charlie knew his daughter was a hard-ass. She put up with a lot at the Academy and she could handle herself. He'd been on the receiving end on several phone calls over the years. Some hotshot cadets thought they could put her in her place by belittling her. She'd always taken the high road, but if there was one thing that got her riled up the most, it was know-it-all assholes, and Dean Winchester had the market cornered on that particular personality trait. She might just shoot him to prove her point.

Bella motioned to the couch. "Sit."

Sam, Bobby, and Charlie took a spot on the couch. Just as Dean was about to sit in the adjacent chair, she glared. "You can stand..." she swept her arm across the room, pointing to the corner by the bookshelf. That way she could keep an eye on him. Dean stood in the corner, his hips parted slightly and his arms crossed over his chest.

"I know Casey was a demon. The black eyes and satanic chanting sort of gave it away. So what the hell did she want?"

Charlie stared intently at his daughter. "You."

"Me?" Bella took a deep breath, her hand on her chest trying to calm her racing heart.

"And me..." Dean's gruff voice crept up her spine and caused goosebumps on her forearms as he took a step forward, his breath tickling her neck as he spoke. "Kind of like the whole sins of our fathers deal. Dad and Charlie ganked her family. She was pissed off, had an ax to grind."

She shuddered, trying to shake the effect he had on her. "The guy at the bar?" Purposely turning away from Dean, she looked toward her father and Bobby for answers.

It was actually Sam who spoke up. Bella could tell by the little time she spent with him that he was more level headed than his brother and probably the brains of the operation. She did catch Charlie ask him about Stanford, so she knew he was smart.

"Well, they may have been slightly influenced by Casey, but chances are she didn't have anything to do with that guy's wife cheating on him."

Bella felt her cheeks flush and quickly looked down. That lust she felt...it was all her. She suspected as much and her choice to direct it toward Casey was a strategic one—she knew nothing would come of it. There was no way Bella would ever act on what she was really feeling. She didn't even know why she was feeling what she was feeling. Dean had rubbed her the wrong way, gotten under her skin, and when she didn't want to throttle him, she wanted to throw him down on the bed and show him just how he could rub her.

"If you stick around..." Bobby shared a glance with Charlie while Dean shot daggers at them "...you'll come to find demons are easy to figure out, but humans...there ain't no rhyme or reason why they do the things they do."

Nodding, Bella asked, "So what now?"

Dean advanced toward Bella, his face inches from hers. He stared her down with hardened eyes. "Now you march into Sheriff Mills' office and hand over your resignation and go back to Forks with Charlie."

Letting out a dark laugh, Bella lifted her head, tilting her chin in defiance. "You know what I'm going to do? I'm going to call Sheriff Mills and tell her I'm not quite ready to start. I still have another week of leave left. Then I'm going to go on your next hunt with you."

"No. Absolutely not." Dean looked over to Charlie. "Do something."

Charlie pushed up from the couch and walked over to Dean. Putting a comforting hand on his shoulder, he stared at his daughter. "Bella, is a strong, independent woman. I stopped telling her what to do a long time ago. She has every right to go on a hunt as much as you boys do. It's in her blood. You can't escape it, Dean."

Bella smiled proudly as Dean narrowed his eyes. He turned away, letting out a disgruntled sigh, and walked over to Bobby. "Can I talk to you?"

Bobby and Dean walked into the kitchen. Heading straight for the refrigerator, Bobby opened the door and pulled out two beers, popping the top off both of them.

Handing the beer to Dean, Bobby said, "Whatever you're thinking, Dean, save it. Bella is just as stubborn as you. There's no changing her mind."

Dean shook his head and then took a long, slow sip. "It's not safe for her."

"Charlie said..."

"I know what Charlie said," Dean spat. "That's not what I'm talking about. It's Sam...the way he killed Casey. It was cold, Bobby. Like he didn't even think twice about it...about the girl inside that would be dead."

Bobby sipped on his beer and placed it on the counter. "That doesn't sound like Sam."

"No, it doesn't. Maybe...maybe when Sam came back, he didn't come back as Sam at all."

"What are you sayin', boy?"

Dean took a deep breath. "I don't know. All I know is it's not good. Maybe I'm going straight to hell for nothing. But having..." Dean leaned in and lowered his voice "...Bella around isn't going to make things easier. If I'm gone and she's left with a Sam who isn't right...promise me you'll keep her safe, Bobby."

Bobby waved him off, not wanting to believe for a second that one, Dean was really going to hell, and two, that Sam wasn't really Sam. "You don't even have to ask."

Even though it was out of his character, Dean wrapped his arms around Bobby and hugged him tightly. "Thanks, Bobby."

Bobby shoved him away. "Are ya done? Or do we need to go buy a box of tampons?"

Dean gave Bobby a half-smile and headed for the stairs. He didn't notice Bella standing behind the wall, listening to every word they'd said.


E/N – So Dean knows his brother isn't right...but is that all he's worrying about, or is there more to why it's so important to him to keep Bella safe? I'd love to hear your thoughts.