The six months following Eva's arrival at the bunker were proving to be more enjoyable than Sam and Dean thought. The three of them researched cases, hunted, and spent time getting to know each other like family should. Every once in a while Eva would make breakfast for the three of them, and on a couple occasions, even made pie (which had her in Dean's good books for eternity). It had been the morning after a nasty haunting case, when Dean leaned on the counter, watching her move around the kitchen, recalling his year with Lisa and Ben in his head. His thought was almost immediately interrupted by Eva's phone ringing next to him.
"You take that, I'll finish up in here," he insisted, handing Eva the phone.
"Thanks," she smiled as she picked up the phone, "hey bitch, what's up?" Dean raised an eyebrow and realized it must have been a friend of hers before he resumed cooking the bacon she had started. Eva's smile suddenly faltered as she immediately hung up, and took off down the hall, practically shoving Sam over as he came out of the bathroom. He followed her to her room with Dean in tow.
"Woah, woah, Eva what's going on, what's the matter?" Sam asked in a concerned tone as he tightened the towel around his hips.
"I need to go, she's in trouble, I have to go now," she frantically packed a bag of supplies and grabbed her car keys.
"Eva stop. You're not going alone, we'll come with you and get this sorted out, ok?" he grabbed her arm to reassure her.
"We need to leave like…yesterday," she insisted. Dean gave her a nod from the doorway and went to the kitchen to get rid of the food they wouldn't be eating, while Sam quickly went to get dressed and pack a bag.
"Ok where are we going and what are we dealing with?" Dean asked, as the three met in the common area of the bunker.
"Irvine, California, and demons," the worry and panic on her face was concerning to the two men, especially since they'd only ever seen her as relaxed and determined.
Dean loaded the Impala in record time with fresh supplies, and the three were on their way at breakneck speeds to help her friend.
"So…who is this girl?" Sam asked softly. Eva looked near tears. Sam knew this was an important hunt even though she rarely spoke about her childhood.
"It's Sarah. She's been my best friend since we were four," she replied, her throat thick.
"We'll save her, Eva, it's what we do. It's what YOU do, and this team we've got is damn good at getting rid of these sons of bitches," Dean chimed in, reassuring her with a glance in the rearview mirror; he couldn't let her lose a long time friend like that, it would be like losing Sam.
The trio took turns driving and sleeping as to not lose any time in getting to California. She got the address early in their journey by tracking Sarah's phone. It was her turn to drive now. Sam lay across the backseat sleeping, while Dean sat back in the passenger seat, unable to take his eyes off the blonde. He reached out and put a hand on her shoulder.
"We're getting close," she breathed as she headed down the residential street. The street looked as though it was backdrop to Edward Scissorhands. Dean sat up and reached into the back to wake Sam. Eva's knuckles were white with anger and anticipation as she parked the car in front of the blue house. They got out of the car and grabbed supplies from the trunk then headed up the pathway to the door. Dean was ready to kick it down when Eva stopped him silently and kneeled down at the doormat. She picked up the key and let them in quietly and crept up the stairs while the boys cleared the main floor. Dean was the first to join her on the landing, followed by Sam. With weapons and holy water at the ready, they made their way down the hall checking each room before stopping in front of the last one.
Dean burst through the door, catching the demon off-guard and forcing him to stumble backward onto the floor. Sam played the exorcism recorded on his phone as he entered while Eva went to work untying her friend who sat limp in a desk chair. The demon howled with laughter from the floor as he raised his arm and flung the two men backward into the walls, knocking Sam unconscious and disorienting Dean. He got up and dusted himself off then turned his attention to Eva trying to check for a pulse on her friend.
"Oh you're too late," he hissed with a smirk, "should have been here an hour ago. She was screaming and screaming…really getting on my nerves."
"No no no," she choked, and continued looking for the faintest of pulse. The demon grabbed Eva by the hair and yanked her onto her feet, forcing a hard kiss to her lips. She struggled wildly against him, kicking and punching where she could until the demon grew angry. He threw her against the full-length mirror on the wall. Glass shattered and lodged in her skin as he dropped her to the floor. Dean got up and grabbed the knife engraved with Latin and charged at the demon, putting his fist what felt like straight through his skull. They fell onto the floor as Dean plunged the blade up under the demon's breastbone, killing him. Dean got up and went to check on Eva. She was covered in blood and staring at her friend lying dead on the floor next to her.
"C'mon…we need to get that glass out of you," he said softly, reaching out a large calloused hand. She blinked and took his hand silently, standing up. Dean evaluated her injuries quickly then sat her on the edge of the bed. A large shard of glass was embedded deep in her shoulder blade, and a few smaller shards jutted out from her back, but it would have to wait until they got to a motel before it could be taken care of properly. "I'm going to get Sam up and then we're going to get out of here, ok?" He kneeled in front of her, taking her hands as his green eyes searched hers. She nodded a little and sat still, unable to speak. Dean roused Sam and helped his brother to his feet, shaking his head before Sam could utter a word.
The trio left the house solemnly and stopped at a motel nearby. Eva stood with Sam outside the car as Dean went inside to get a room. Sam wanted to tell her how sorry they were for being too late and that things would be okay but her walls had gone up. Dean came outside with a key and led them to their accommodations for the night.
"Sammy why don't you take the car and grab us all something to eat," Dean suggested.
"All right, no problem," Sam nodded and took the car keys, leaving the tense room.
Dean turned his attention to Eva and did a onceover of her injuries.
"I'm gonna have to cut the tank top off to get to some of the glass," he said quietly.
"I know, it's ok," she replied. It was the first think she had said in over an hour. She handed him her knife and turned her back to him. Dean cut the tank top off, and slowly removed the glass shards, disinfecting the cuts with whiskey. He stitched the deepest wounds and bandaged the rest carefully. "…She was my family, Dean," she finally said softly.
"What about your mom?"
"My mom? My mom hated me," she winced and grabbed the bottle of whiskey, taking a drink.
"What makes you say that?"
"I told you she went banana balls after Bobby knocked her up?"
"Yeah…"
"She was convinced I was evil and out to kill her."
"Wait, what?"
"Yeah," she shook her head as Dean began working on the large piece of glass embedded in her shoulder blade. "I used to hide at Sarah's for days at a time when she went on her rampages."
"Jesus," the shock in Dean's voice was apparent, but she couldn't tell if it was because of her story or the wound in her back.
"When I was 8 my mom tried to sell me to some guy at Santa Monica pier," she looked back at Dean. "I took off, and when she finally found me, she tried setting me on fire…hence the lovely burn scars on my legs…After that, Sarah's family took me in…her parents died in a car accident when we were 16 and then it was just us and then Jamie, but you know what happened to him."
"…I'm sorry we didn't make it in time," he said quietly as he finished the stitches in her shoulder. He moved in front of her and brushed the hair from her face.
"I know," she looked up at him, with tears streaking her cheeks. " But I watched the light go out in her eyes, Dean," she choked on a sob, "she was barely alive and I couldn't help her."
"I know how you feel," he pulled her in for a hug, and stroked her hair gently in an attempt to calm her. The sobbing lessened after a few minutes. She pulled away slightly, resting her forehead against his. Dean swallowed hard, clenching his jaw. Eva reached up and cupped his face in her hands, kissing him softly then pulled away when she heard the key in the door.
"That'll be Sam with dinner," she breathed and kissed him again quickly before standing up. Dean rubbed his face and got up, as Sam entered with bags of fast food, helping to distribute sustenance between the three of them. They ate in silence until Sam took a breath.
"I just wanted to say, Eva, I know Sarah was like family…but we're your family too now."
"I know, Sam, thank you," she nodded and finished eating then stood up, "I'm going to have a shower before I fall asleep."
"Just watch those stitches," Dean reminded her, his gaze lingering as she made her way into the bathroom. Sam raised his eyebrow at Dean.
"What happened while I was gone?"
"Nothing."
"…Okay,"
"Just leave it alone, Sammy," Dean insisted. He gripped his eyes shut for a moment trying to put the thought of kissing her from his mind. Sam shook his head and lay down on the bed closest to the door while Dean made himself comfortable on the other. Eva came out of the bathroom in her usual tank top and underwear, climbing into the bed next to Dean and laying on her stomach. Sam nodded knowingly and turned over onto his side and giving them a small amount of privacy to talk or just be for a few minutes. Dean and Eva lay in silence, arms touching gently, for hours before she finally dosed off. He watched silently for a few minutes before closing his eyes, dreaming of the small kiss they shared earlier in the evening. He knew things were going to get complicated from here, but it was worth it to him; and he hadn't felt that way in a long time.
