A/N- *waves* Hey, guys! Long time no see. I had all intentions of updating last week, but my week went to shit. Here's a peace offering. New chapter!
Chapter song: Don't Let Your Enemies Become Friends by The Spill Canvas
For the record, I never wanted this. For the record, I wish we never met and opened up this mess.
I couldn't keep up so we cracked down and now everything is worse.
Chapter 7
A taxi pulled up to Bobby's house and beeped. The noise startled Bella and she quickly hurried back to the living room, Dean's plea hanging heavy in the air. Bella rushed down the hall and bumped into Charlie's chest as he made his way toward the kitchen for his goodbyes.
He looked down at his daughter, his brow furrowing with worry. "You okay, kid?"
Sucking her lip into her mouth, she nodded silently and pushed past him, on her way to the front door.
Dean lifted his eyes in time to see Bella's retreating back. His traitorous heart twinged with pain knowing it would probably be the last time he'd ever see her. Charlie approached Bobby, causing Dean to tear his gaze away from Bella and allowing reality set in. Bella wasn't going anywhere. Dean didn't know if he should be angry or relieved.
Pulling Bobby into his arms, Charlie gave him a firm hug and gripped his shoulders tightly. "You keep an eye on her, Bobby. Sometimes Bella thinks she can take on the world and..."
Bobby pulled away, a disgruntled look crossing his already hard features. "Whadaya take me for? Some kind of idjit?"
Charlie shook his head. "It's just...she doesn't know when to quit. If she has her mind set on something..." he sighed heavily "...just keep in touch."
Crossing in front of Dean, Charlie paused and nodded curtly at the elder Winchester, obviously not seeing eye to eye when it came to Bella. "Take care, son."
Bella was still taken back by what Dean had said. She hadn't even noticed her father making his way to the door. Sam came up to his side and they shared a manly embrace.
"When are you going back to Stanford?" Charlie asked as he pulled away.
Sam looked down, a sad smile working its way onto his lips as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm not."
Sucking in a sharp breath, Charlie narrowed his eyes at him. "What's so important that you'd give up a full ride to an ivy league school, son?"
Glancing over his shoulder, Sam stared into his brother's eyes. He had only planned on taking a short break to help Dean during their father's absence. Then shit had literally gone to hell, and well, Sam gave it all up to save his brother.
"Family stuff," Sam answered firmly. Dean coughed uncomfortably in the background. Charlie nodded with pride and continued toward the front steps.
The taxi honked the horn again. Charlie's hand was on the handle as he gave Bella one last glance over his shoulder. He felt horrible for betraying his daughter, and she could see it in those same brown eyes. She willed her feet to move; she didn't want to leave things like this...not with Charlie. He had been her rock for so many years, and she knew she'd need him soon. Charlie turned back around and walked down the front stairs. He opened the door to the cab, but before he had a chance to get in, Bella rushed into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his waist and held him tight. Charlie placed a kiss on top of her forehead.
Charlie pulled away slowly. "I know I should have told you. I was selfish...I..."
Bella held up her hand, her eyes sad. "It's okay, Charlie. I get it. I would have done the same if it were my kid."
"Bells, for what it's worth, I think you're gonna be a great hunter. Maybe that's part of the reason I never told you. I was afraid you'd one-up your old man." Charlie smiled and Bella playfully punched him in the arm, hiding the tears in her eyes, before going for another embrace.
Dean stood on the porch, flanked by Bobby and Sam, watching intently, a part of him praying she'd changed her mind. He couldn't hear the words exchanged, but the twinge in his heart, the one that sped up at the thought of Bella sticking around and the same one that feared for her safety, told him otherwise. She was staying. Somehow she had worked her way into his bloodstream. It could have been from Charlie's letters or the pictures. Whatever it was, he could feel her when he closed his eyes at night. In the morning, he'd wake up and bury her along with all the feelings he had and go about his business like she never existed. Now she was here, and she'd continue to be here until someone or something made her leave, and that thought scared him more than the hell hounds hot on his trail.
Charlie entered the cab and shut the door. Bella tapped on the roof of the vehicle three times before it drove off. She gave him a small wave as they drove off into the distance. A watery smile danced across her lips as she allowed herself a moment for composure. The events of the past few days had finally caught up with her, and for a brief second she thought she might crack under the pressure. There was no way in hell she'd let Dean Winchester see her cry. Her face remained a mask of calmness as she walked back up the stairs, pushing her tiny frame through the small opening between Sam and Dean, paying careful attention to give Dean an extra shove. Dean let out a disgusted huff and scowled. Sam and Bobby both tried to stifle their laughter.
Glaring, Dean said, "Not a word," and then proceeded to enter the house.
Bella had already made herself comfortable on the couch. Even though she felt weird inserting herself into the Winchesters' lives, she wasn't going to back down. If anything she'd go out of her way to show Dean she had every right to be there. It was in her blood after all.
Dean walked right past Bella, not even noticing her as the couch cushions swallowed her up. Bella thought about just ignoring him, but that gnawing in her gut made her want to say something. She shot up from the couch and rushed toward him.
"What's your problem?"
At the movement, Dean turned around and was met with a fierce Bella, her eyes wild and hair a mess from the night's events. He couldn't stop his tongue from darting out across his bottom lip when he took in the sight: her cheeks flushed with a pretty pink, a small V forming on the bridge of her nose. He bit his lip and shook his head, getting those images of her on her back, hair matted to her forehead from sweat, cheeks red from the heat building between them right out of his head.
"You." Dean hadn't meant to be so honest with her, so he quickly added, "You don't belong here."
Bella took a long stride and stood right in front of him, tilting her chin, looking up defiantly. "Why? Because you don't think I can handle it? Because you think you're the only one that can do this? I've got news for you, Dean..." Hatred dripped from her mouth as she said his name, and Dean instantly hardened. "You're not the only game in town. Charlie and John did this together back in the day, so I see this going one of two ways. We either work together or you stay out of my way."
He chuckled darkly, a smirk on his lips. "You're really something, you know that, sweetheart."
She attempted a glare, but the way he called her sweetheart sent tingles deep down in her belly, and she quickly tried to hide the effect he was having on her.
Forcing a cocky smile, her eyes tightening around the corners, she said, "Thanks. I try."
Dean's jaw tensed as he stared her down. Of all the ways he pictured Bella over the years, this woman standing in front of him was never even a thought. She had turned out the exact opposite of what he wanted for her. She was supposed to remain that same doe-eyed girl with the pigtails and chocolate ice cream cone. Of course he knew she wouldn't stay that way forever, but every night he prayed to a God he didn't even think existed that Bella would never become like him. But here she was, staring back at him, unrelenting and demanding all at the same time, and all he could see was himself in the fire that burned in her eyes.
He knew he couldn't make her leave, even if he made her miserable, she'd stay just to prove a point. Dean would've done the exact same thing. For a minute he entertained the thought of actually hunting with her side-by-side, but then he remembered he didn't have much time left and having Bella around would only make things worse in the end. She might have been gung-ho about this whole hunting thing, but she really had no idea what she was getting into. So she knew about vampires and she just had a run in with a demon...but that didn't mean she'd be ready to see hell hounds drag Dean off to hell. The more he thought about it, the more his true feelings started to surface. He let the words slip before he had a chance to tamp them down.
"Who did this to you?" he asked, his eyes softening with genuine concern.
Bella scoffed. "Did what?"
"Something bad had to have happened to you to make you so hard."
"I'm fine." She spun on her heels, turning away so she wouldn't have to tell him the truth.
She was far from fine. If he wanted to know specifics, she hadn't been fine since that day in the woods. The girl she used to be died that day. The woman she had become, the one that could dropkick a two hundred and forty pound man and bring him to the ground, the one that didn't know what it was like really bare her soul to another person, the one that hid behind purpose, that was who she was now and there was no changing that.
Dean reached out and grabbed her wrist, yanking her back to him with a rough tug. Her eyes immediately zeroed in on his grasp. She was sure he felt her pulse pick up under his fingertips. Despite her skin practically burning from his touch, she didn't pull away.
"I know that look, Bella. I see it every day when I look in the mirror. You throw yourself into your work because..." Dean swallowed thickly "...because you know that's all you have. As long as you keep going through the motions, you know you're still alive."
How could someone so infuriating know her so well? Maybe tagging along with the Winchesters was a bad idea. She tried to move but Dean's gaze paralyzed her.
Gritting her teeth, she spat, "You don't know anything about me."
He raised one eyebrow in challenge. "Oh yeah? Why'd you up and leave Forks the first chance you got? Why'd you choose a profession that you knew would leave little time for yourself? Who hurt you?"
With each question Dean uttered, it was like a knife stabbing into her heart. Charlie must have told him. That was the only explanation, and the thought that he had shared something so personal with some she didn't even know existed brought on the rage.
She forcefully yanked her arm out of his grasp. "Let's get one thing straight," she seethed. "You and I are nothing alike, Dean Winchester."
It was the ugliest of lies and it tasted bitter in her mouth. She and Dean were exactly the same, and she didn't know if she wanted to throttle him or run into his arms and take comfort in knowing there was actually someone out there that understood her.
Bella couldn't bare to look at him any longer. Even though she wanted in on the next hunt, she couldn't stay at Bobby's. Not now anyway. She decided she'd go back to her apartment, shower, maybe get a few hours of sleep in. Bobby and Sam came through the door just as she was about to leave.
"Where you headed, Bella?" Sam asked nervously, looking over her head and seeing Dean standing with his legs apart and his arms crossed over his chest.
They'd obviously gotten into it and he was worried his brother had scared her off. Back in Forks Dean was adamant about keeping Bella out of this life, and if had been any other time, Sam would have gone along with whatever Dean wanted. The truth was time was running out and Dean didn't even pretend to act like he was trying to find a way out of his Deal. Whether Dean admitted it or not, Bella was exactly what he needed.
Bella sighed. "Just going home for a few. Give me a call if you have a case."
Sam floundered for a way to stop her but Bobby stepped in. "Actually, John just called and said there was a break-in at his storage unit. You three should go check it out. I know he's got some important stuff there."
Dean's ears perked up at the mention of the case and then his face quickly fell when Bobby insinuated Bella should come along. Sam scratched at his cheek, his eyes narrowing. He was there when his father had called, but Bobby had told John he'd go himself. Maybe the old man had some tricks up his sleeve after all.
"What are you idjits standing around for?" Bobby scowled at Dean, Sam, and even Bella. If she was going to be a hunter, she might as well get used to his ornery self. "The unit is in Buffalo. Better get a move on if you want to get there before something gets stolen."
E/N – I absolutely love writing Bobby! I didn't take enough advantage of his character in She's Everything, so he's back in Hell's Bells...and he has no plans of going anywhere. Things get pretty exciting next chapter. If you kiddos are good, you may even see an update later this week!
