Chapter 2
"Text me when you get there, and once you clean yourself up alright?" I asked, my crying finished as I got myself dressed and somewhat put together for class. Sadly, they were leaving while I was at school, but I rather come back to an empty house than watch them go.
"Alright I will," he sighed, trying not to be a little bit amused at my fussing, but they both knew it was going to happen.
"Sam, make sure he at the very least sends a text." I sighed and looked at him, my brow arching slightly and he nodded, the corner of his mouth turning up slightly.
"He rarely listens to me, but I'll certainly try, I doubt he'll need too much motivation for that." He noted and I smiled a little before walking over and going up on my toes to kiss Sam's forehead, and then Dean on the cheek, lingering slightly.
"Be safe, be swift, and kick some ass." I gave my pathetic pep talk of few words before stepping away and heaving my twenty-pound backpack onto my shoulder and my jacket in hand. "See you in a few days boys." I partially smiled and gave a little wave before starting for the stairs. I paused halfway up and held my phone up, pointing to the screen. "Text me so I don't have to kick your ass. Both of you." I chuckled, trying to diffuse the emotions stirring up inside me before running the rest of the flight and exiting the comforting bunker.
I always tried to be positive when I would leave them, or watch them go on their way to another hunt far away. Thank Chuck that it was never international or else I'd be having a fit, coming with them, sitting in a hotel room all day just to see them come in covered in blood, theirs or someone else' and feel a bit helpless for a moment before jumping in and making sure that they were alright. Of course, a small part of me wants to go, be with them, make sure they're doing alright, but this was their job long before I came along, and if I end up not staying with Dean forever, then they'll be doing it long after I'm gone.
This was their life, I had to respect it. Their mother was a hunter, their father, grandfather- they come from a long line. I bet their kids, and grandchildren and great-grandchildren will be hunters too because there's always something to kill- as Sam seems to say lately. But I took a deep breath of the crisp spring air, glancing at the trees that were just beginning to bud with little brown and green sprouts, coloring the horizon as I climbed into my pickup and started the engine. I appreciated the familiar things in life, I typically made jokes that they kept me sane, no matter how little it was; my hands playing with Dean's as we attempted to watch a movie that he would tire of halfway through, my truck engine, pulling on a lab coat and scrubbing down to begin lab days at school, even just a cup of coffee in the morning. Those kinds of things kept me rooted, kept me smiling and kept me from wandering into the past. Dean knew little about my life as a child, while I knew all about his because he'd talk about it in drunken stupors as I would drive him home from a dive bar. I loved him, but we still had a bit to learn about each other, and I accepted that little piece of uncertainty.
But I shook my head from my thoughts and put my baby into reverse as I began to back out of the long-shielded driveway to the road. I started making a small list in my mind- starting with remembering to park in the garage when I got home tonight. When they were gone, they wanted me to be safe, protected, hidden almost. No one lived in the area bit even then, one never knew what creatures had followed either me or them home. My finger absently moved from the wheel to the radio, gently pressing the on button and allowing calming alt-rock to floor my speakers, bringing a small smile to my face and a sigh from my lips as the tunes began to calm me down from the inside out. I needed to be calm for school, I had a practical coming up, and an internship in a few months, and a life to live. I might've been only twenty-eight, and in college far longer than one needed to be, with so much debt that I shouldn't be allowed to buy anything every again- but in this exact moment, I was happy and that's honestly what mattered. I had the boys, and I had me. What else could I ask for?
To be honest, the drive helped calm down my nerves. I felt better by the time my half hour commute was complete and I was at school. "Good morning nerds." I greeted my classmates and got a small round of laughs as I placed my backpack in the middle of the lecture hall and shrugged off my jacket.
"You look a little well, distracted." One of my friends commented and I glanced at her, giving another shrug.
"Dean left again this morning." I sighed. "Another business trip." I lied, the words easily coming off my tongue.
"There's been so many these past few months, how are you two holding up?" she asked, sitting beside me and getting herself organized before I let out a long sigh.
"I don't know how, but we are. And when he comes home, it's like Christmas and I'm so happy and all over him and it's comical how he's not over it yet." I admitted, a slight chuckle slipping out.
"Well, the boy seems crazy about you- even though it's been a year and I've only met him once…." She hinted at the lack of fusion between my boyfriend and our group of friends. Only thing was, Dean didn't have too many friends. I had the pleasure of meeting Castiel, and I think that he's his best friend besides his brother. They seem to have this love/hate relationship with this elusive Crowley, and Garth was- well, we don't venture down that road with them.
"I think he is crazy about me, at least Sam thinks he is. On their last business trip, he had to tell Dean to shut up because he was just going on and on about how funny it was watching me try and accomplish that twenty-five-page research paper that we had for Canes." I explained, a bit amused as I remembered Sam and Dean tell me this tale in a very animated fashion over beer and takeout, and I was proud that it got her to laugh and change the subject a little bit.
"I hear the next one will be just as crazy…." She sighed and I sighed right along with her, running my hands over my face, glad to have forgotten makeup this morning. I remained in that position until my phone beside me vibrated once, causing me to pry my hands away from my face and glance over just as Olivia did as well.
"Speak of the Devil," she chuckled and I sat up straight, rolling my eyes at her comment before taking my phone and opening the simple message with a small smile.
Don't cry too much in class, okay? I left your favorite beer in the fridge and be sure to take over the entire bed until I get back. He sent and I broke into a bigger smile, singing a fast reply before my teacher entered the room and got us all settled.
I can't promise no more tears, but I can promise that I will save one of my beers for when you get home and sleep in the middle of that damn bed. Love you.
Love you too Ellie. After that I put my phone away in my backpack and got settled into work mode, trying to cram even more information into my tired brain. The joys of wanting to become a doctor, endless debt, and one of the most mentally and physically demanding jobs even invented. I had to admit that being a chef was the next hardest considering my foster mother was a chef in a big fancy hotel- at least she earned a lot of money for busting her ass day in and day out with a bunch of idiots. I guess I wanted to do something incredible with my life, like she did. She created art for the eyes and the stomach, and I wanted to save lives. A little different, but nonetheless the same in my eyes.
"Ellie, come show the class the proper procedure please," I looked at my professor, a little distracted by my own thoughts and he could tell- hence why I was called upon.
"What?" I asked, the word involuntary and I cringed as soon as I said it. Oh, here we go, I messed up big time.
"Come show the class the standard procedure…." He droned again and I sighed, standing up and squaring my shoulders, letting my eyes skim the board before walking up to the dummy on the faux surgery table among a faux surgery room set up. Thank Chuck I read this chapter last night and didn't push it off- if I had then dear God I was so screwed! But, to my surprise I executed it, only a few hiccups here and there and he guided my hands to the right spot only twice and happened to be impressed with me by the time I was finished with the dummy. "I see someone actually read the chapter last night…" he sounded impressed as he turned off the video camera that was hooked up to the projector so everyone could see what I was attempting to do and taking notes.
"Thanks," I softly noted and walked over to the side of the room to wash my hands and then returned to my spot, receiving a generous high five from Olivia and she received a grin back from me.
"Looks like you should space out more often, like damn you did that almost flawlessly." She noted and I scoffed, rolling my eyes at her.
"Almost is the key word. I forgot a few pieces from the reading and just sort of improvised it…. But I think I did alright." I softly said back and then shut my mouth for the rest of the class, I had some new things to learn and a text to send once it was over….
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Make sure you eat something other than pie out on the road. At least have some form of vegetables and I expect a picture… No they can't be deep fried. I sent on my way to my next class and chuckled to myself, for this small moment our relationship feeling incredibly normal even though he and I both knew that it was as complicated as anything. A doctor and a hunter- not exactly a power couple, but we both seemed to hope for the best.
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