Thank you so much to those of you who reviewed! It was awesome to see :)
This chapter is a bit longer. Hope you guys enjoy!
The night had seemed to drag on for forever and it had taken Alice for what had felt just as long for her body to stop shaking. It had taken awhile, seeing as how once her body had given in the convulsions, it seemed like they were never going to stop. So the only thing she could do was sit on the beat up leather couch that had come with the place, her knees knocking painfully together, as she continued to wait out the wave of anxiety she'd allowed to overtake her.
When the episode finally subsided it had been close to six in the morning. A whole night of rest had flown by and she hadn't been able to enjoy any of it. It had been Dean's first night home in month's; her body remembering the precise motions of his hands and the way their bodies had melded so easily into one another like puzzle pieces, and the unforgettable feeling of his hard length pressing inside of her, making her body become flush with heat as she made her way back towards the bedroom.
Sex hadn't been anywhere close to her top five things to do that night when she'd finally gotten him into bed. Now don't get her wrong, she in no way hated sex with him; the man was a damn genius in the bedroom, but Dean had been exhausted for fuck's sake and with everything that had been going on…
But then again Dean needed comfort and if that's what he wanted, she was more than happy to give it to him.
As quietly as she could she made her way back towards their room. She stopped and checked in on the boys and Sam to make sure that they were okay.
When she looked in on Sam she bit her lip softly as she noticed the disheveled sheets and his lumbering body missing from the bed. Tip-toeing her way through the door she made her way around the side of the bed to find him lying in a heap on the floor; head and arms clutching fiercely to his pillow as if he was a drowning man holding to a floaty.
"Oh Sam."
Reaching over him Alice took the mangled comforter off of the bed, gently placed it over him, and tucked it in around him until she was satisfied he would get warm. She stayed kneeling there for a few minutes and watched as his shaking body slowly began to calm down until all that was left were a few stray shakes until there was nothing.
"Sleep well, Sammy," she whispered before silently making her way back to the door.
When she got to the door she couldn't decide whether or not to leave his door open an inch or to close it all the way. In another hour the boys would be up and as soon as they were done waking up their father they'd no doubt come and wake up their uncle. Closing the door would at least give Sam a second to hear the knob turning letting him know he was about to receive some company.
Shutting the door it was then.
Once she heard the satisfying click of the door connecting together she resumed her steady pace back to the bedroom.
Dean was still in the same position as when she had left him. Except now he was lying on his stomach with his hands tucked underneath the pillows. As she made her way to the bathroom to take a shower she couldn't help but laugh.
Dean always did have a thing for sleeping on his stomach.
Like clockwork the boys had woken up at 7:01 and by 7:03 she had heard them stampeding towards the bedroom. The bedroom door hit the wall and right after it grew quiet. Leaning against the counter, egg in hand, she listened in the silence for the loud, "Ugh," that escaped Dean as one, or both, of the kids most likely jumped on him. The groaning that followed right after sent a wide smile to curl her lips as she finished cracking the egg; spilling the yoke into frying pan.
Without looking her free hand extended out to the left, grabbing the pepper and lightly sprinkling it into the omelet. She checked on the bacon before flipping over the pancakes and this time, when she went to grab the salt, she did make sure to look.
She handled the salt shaker like a ticking time bomb; sprinkling the contents quickly over the eggs before slamming it harder than necessary back onto the counter.
Over the years it had become easier for her to learn to deal with everyday household items that could kill her or give her away. Salt was always the one that seemed to plague her the most.
Dean had never asked, nor did he seem to care, about her lack of interest in salt when it came to her food. For that Alice had been grateful. She could've been more grateful, however, if Dean himself didn't like the damn condiment as much as she hated it.
One of Dean's favorite foods, besides cheeseburgers or burgers of any kind, was French fries. Regular French fries, chili cheese fries, seasoned fries; he loved them all. Dean loved them just as much as Ruby had, which in a weird way, was hilarious since he hated the bitch so much. But one thing Ruby never put on her fries was salt by the gallon.
The first time Dean had kissed her after inhaling a large fry she'd thought she had been ousted for sure. She had just been so transfixed on him; she'd been teasing him and doing a good job of it too. Dean was laughing, laughing like he meant it, and had just reached over and pulled her in, landing a soft but harsh kiss down on her lips. At first, Alice had let herself slip into the kiss, pressing her lips harder against his.
That's when the sharp pain hit her. It had felt like the skin on the inside of her mouth was peeling off and that her tongue was on fire as their tongues caressed each other, his mouth pushing the salt deeper into hers.
Instantly every alarm in her was firing off; screaming for her to pull away. Dean had already wrapped his arms around her and was pulling her in closer to him. Her eyes had darted open but Deans were still closed. She'd been frantic; knowing in a matter of second her mouth would begin to smoke or he would taste the blood…or worse. Maneuvering one of her hands around his side, her eyes had roamed the area for something, anything, to help her. That's when she'd spotted a lone fork sitting on the table behind them and with a simple flick of her wrist had launched the damn thing at the back of his head.
When it'd made impact with his head it had taken everything she had not to burst into laughter. The laughter had died just as fast as it had come when she swallowed what felt, and tasted, like pieces of her cheek. As Dean had looked around for the projectile that had hit him she'd taken that split second to spit out the rest of what was left in her mouth and washed it down with his shot of whiskey he had sitting on the table.
Looking back at him, Dean had been holding the fork she'd flung at him.
"Someone threw a fork at me? A fork? Really?"
Even though it had been one of the worst slip-ups of her time with the boys, it had also been hilarious, and she couldn't help laughing lightly as she placed the pancakes on separate plates.
Holy water had never been an issue in the house. Sure, they had some safely tucked away under the sink and in a few spare cabinets around the house, but nowhere that would end up on her. Dean and Sam also hardly ever used any Latin phrases or Christ talk in the house.
Even at the thought of it Alice could feel her skin begin to crawl. Shaking her head violently she got rid of the thought but it still left an uneasiness along her skin.
The only thing that she'd found difficult to deal with were the devils traps Dean had constantly marked every entrance to every house they lived in with, and just like every other time he did, she'd always have to run around and change the symbols. Just enough that she could walkthrough them without getting caught and Dean wouldn't notice the difference.
Of course, this did leave the house unprotected, in a sense, to her kind. But she had backups set in place; things that not even the oldest of her kind knew.
After placing a few strips of honey glazed bacon onto the four plates in front of her, she turned and set them on the table two by two.
"Boys! Breakfast is ready!"
Resting her back against the counter Alice took a quick bit of her non-salted eggs and listened as the clamoring sound of little feet came towards her. The boys bounded out of the hallway in record time and when two large arms shot out from behind them she realized why.
Their tiny screams of excitement filled the small kitchen, causing Alice to wince.
"Okay boys, lets settle down, alright?" Dean said, voice ringing with the authority that Alice had realized only a father could carry.
Colton and Wyatt were both still too excited about the chase scene they'd just been a part of to actually take him seriously. But they sat down in their chairs still giddy and giggling. The sound of large feet padding towards the kitchen let her know that Sam was on his way.
Rubbing Colton's head as he passed, Dean made his way around the table, and over to where she stood.
"We gotta teach these kids to wake up at a more decent hour," he told her, voice still raspy from sleep, as he placed a good morning kiss down on her lips.
"Seven is a decent hour, Dean."
"Let's try for eight. That's all I'm asking."
She couldn't help but chuckle, rousing a smile from him. He gave her one more peck before he made his way back to the table sitting on the outside next to Colton; Sam had already taken up the set next to Wyatt.
Alice had turned to grab glasses from the cabinets when Dean's sudden outburst had scared the shit out of her, making her jump.
"Yeah! Alright! Chocolate chips pancakes!"
"Chocolate chips?"
Colton and Wyatt both shouted together echoing their father's own excitement.
"This is awesome!"
Dean continued by having his sons give him a high-five. When he came to Sam Alice couldn't help but laugh at the annoyed stare he gave Dean and then his hand.
"Seriously?" Sam laughed.
She quickly set down the glasses and went to grab the milk and orange juice from the fridge.
"What? Chocolate chips are awesome-"
"How is it that you have kids?"
"Well, if you're a good little boy Sammy, I'll tell you all about it after breakfast," Dean teased giving him a wink for added effect.
Sam just shook his head.
"Can we hear about it too, dad?" Colton asked mouth full of pancake.
"Yeah mhmmamhm-"
The rest of what Wyatt had attempted to say was lost as a mixture of excitement, a mouthful of food, and not knowing the right words muffled all together.
Dean turned ghost white causing Sam to snicker as he took a bit of his bacon. His facing sobering as soon as he swallowed his first bite.
"Alice this is-this is-"he inhaled sharply before he finished. "This is really good."
"I know, right?"
"Thanks Sam. If you want more just let me know. I made plenty for you boys."
"This is totally awesome," he muttered as he took another bite of his bacon.
"So, what do you boys want to drink? Orange juice or milk?"
"I got a drink already but thanks babe."
Somehow Dean had been able to carry out Bobby's old flask without her noticing, but when he gave her a wink, and went to screw off the cap to take a drink of the whiskey inside of it she quickly snatched it away from him. Placing it in the back pocket of her jeans she lifted back up the two jugs.
"Milk or orange juice Dean."
The room seemed to grow increasing quiet; an uncomfortable silence filling the room as they continued to stare at each other. She knew that he was going through a lot and didn't care if he wanted a drink here or there, but not this early in the morning, and definitely not in front of their boys.
This isn't some damn hunt, Dean.
Just as Sam wasn't about to open his mouth Colton beat him too it.
"Daddy!"
Hearing his other name snapped him out of whatever thoughts he had while he was looking at her; quickly putting on a smile as he looked down at his five year old son.
"Yeah champ?"
"You should try mine and Wyatt's morning drink! It's awesome!"
"Is that so?"
"Yeah! You should try it too Uncle Sam!"
Another muffled sound of agreement came from Wyatt's direction.
"Alright count me in."
"Me too."
The table grew silent as Colton and Wyatt looked up at her with anticipation.
"So, uh, what is this drink exactly?" Dean asked while fidgeting in his chair.
Alice had to set the jugs down before she dropped them.
"It's the orange juice and milk mixed together."
Sam and Dean looked at each other from across the table, as if to draw up some strength.
"Great," Sam spoke, clearing his throat as he lifted up his glass towards her. "We've drank stranger things."
Taking the glass from him she began to mix the two drinks together; pouring an equal amount of each until it was perfectly mixed together.
Dean's POV
"You know," Dean began as he reclined back into his chair, "That drink wasn't half bad. Actually, it ah, sort of tasted like one of those sorbet ice cream pops."
"Yeah," Alice snorted, "They'll be great bartender's one day."
Sam had taken the boys into the other room leaving him alone with Alice in the kitchen. For that Dean was grateful.
He watched as Alice moved effortlessly around the kitchen putting away the dishes from the dishwasher and loading it back up with the new dirty dishes to be cleaned. He watched with careful eyes as her long dirty blonde hair fell loosely across her shoulders, the way her jeans hugged around the curve of her ass, and the brief flash of golden skin he saw as she bent down to drop the pans into the dishwasher with her delicate, but powerful hands. He caught glimpses here and there of her face; the pink hue of her cupid bow lips, the soft curve of her chin, always followed by the sudden, and startling, glimpse of her green eyes flashing over at him.
She was gorgeous but that wasn't why he loved her. Hell, it was a bonus that she was but what really did it for him was the fact that he didn't have to lie to her and that alone had made it easier to love her. There were no illusions between either of them; they knew the score but without any real effort was always able to keep him hoping for the little things, the things that made him feel…blessed.
He and Sam had bumped into her when they'd begun investigating the case with the Shifter's who had been robbing banks. She seemed to constantly be one step ahead of them in the case, dropping them small clues and hints, until they'd ended up getting locked in with the damn thing.
He'd made a call to Bobby just to make sure; double checking to make sure she wasn't part of the Yellow-Eyed demons posse or some weird creature double agent. But everything she had told them had checked out. Every single bit of it including all of the signs and demon activity she'd claimed to have been hunting. In the end, she ended up becoming someone they counted on, and no matter what it was they called her for, Alice had always been there for them.
Dean couldn't remember when their relationship and turned into something more than just friends but he did remember the day he had first kissed her.
It had been after Sam had been killed by that fucking dick Jake. For hours, he'd just stared at his brother's body, not knowing what to do but knowing that death wouldn't, couldn't, be an option for him. He'd been pissed off and yeah, maybe a little rash, as Bobby would say but he refused to let Sammy stay that way.
The pain had been claustrophobic; remorse and regret taking a backseat to the complete and utter feeling of being a failure had overtaken him.
He'd had one job his whole life. One real major job: to look after Sammy and he had failed.
So what he had decided to do next Dean would never regret doing. If given the choice he knew without hesitation he would make the same damn deal with that demon to bring Sammy back. The kid was a pain in the ass at times but he was his pain in the ass. His baby brother.
Dean could still remember when Alice had finally arrived at Bobby's with this look on her face like she already knew. He had figured that Bobby had told her and without warning had gone off on her just like he had Bobby. Not stopping to notice the red irritation that was ringed around her eyes; how swollen they were. Once he'd finally noticed it he'd stopped mid-rant not knowing what else to say.
"I understand Dean. You don't need to explain this to me just don't- don't expect me to be okay with losing you, because I'm not. I want to yell and scream at you, call you an idiot like Bobby, and to be angry with you but I know why you did it but Dean…what about the rest of us Dean? What am I supposed to do, huh? I can't let you die, Dean I can't-"
That's when it'd hit him; hit him so hard he didn't understand how he never realized it before. He didn't quite know still if it had been all the adrenaline of everything that was going on or what, but all he could remember was walking over to her, and lacing his hands in her hair and pulling his mouth down onto hers so violently he thought she would protest. Instead she'd only wrapped herself around him with the same kind of frenzy.
She had ended up making him feel like a jackass for making that deal and for the first time he was terrified, truly terrified to die.
Death isn't easy on anyone but suddenly he didn't want to leave Sammy, Bobby, or Alice alone. He hated the idea of some other dick being with her, touching her. From that first moment he had kissed her Dean had felt…complete.
And it was stupid to think that because seriously, he was Dean Winchester and he knew better than anyone that sort of romance novel bullshit just wasn't real. He'd heard about it in movies and seen it done to people by freaky witch love potions and magic but never the real deal, and when Ash had told them about soul mates being able to share their Heaven together, he knew that it was some sort of dick thing made up. Because if the angels made room for it in Heaven you knew there had to be something fishy about it.
So, how did you describe what he felt every time he saw her? When he got to be beside her and when she touched him…
He shook himself out of his train of thought before he made their PG rated kitchen R rated.
Dean and Alice didn't argue about much and he didn't have to explain why they had to move or put down devil's traps to her because she knew.
But at the moment his eyes were glued to her ass and not because he liked the view, but because tucked away in one of its pockets was a flask that he needed back.
He hadn't been parted with Bobby's flask since he'd taken it months ago. His whole body felt off and he was itching to get it back.
"I want my flask back."
Glancing over her shoulder at him he noticed the bags under her eyes. She let out a heavy sigh as she turned on her heels and slowly made her way towards him.
"I'll give it back to you right now Dean if you promise me something."
"Anything."
And he meant it.
"I know it's been hard Dean since Cas died and when Bobby died-"her voice faltered for a split second and he watched as she struggled to regain her composure. "I know since he passed it's been difficult but Dean, sweetie, it's been hard on all of us. Now, I'm not asking you to quit drinking or anything all I'm asking is, please don't do it in front of the kids."
She lifted the worn flask from out of her pocket and held it in the space between them. For a minute he just looked up at her before finally reaching out and taking the flask from her, running his thumb gently over her knuckles.
"I promise."
Alice gave him a small smile of gratitude as she began clear the table, putting their dirty dishes into a pile.
"Hey, come here," he cooed.
She playfully tried to bat his hands away but finally, with his hands on her hips, he got her in front of him.
"Did you get any sleep last night?"
She shrugged.
"A little."
"So that's a no."
"I said a little."
"Which, I know means no. Come on Alice, I know you just as well as Sam-"
"So?"
"So," he continued, "I know when you're lying." Dean snaked an armed around her waist, tugging her in closer, as he laid a quick kiss on her stomach. "What's wrong?"
Absentmindedly she ran her hand through his hair her face scrunched up in thought. He figured she was going to tell him at any second but when he noticed her eyes harden he knew, once again, she was shutting him out.
"It's nothing-"
"You know how you're always telling me to open up and talk to you? Yeah, well, it'd be nice if you did that with me for a change."
His words had come out more severe than he had intended but it was too late for him to take them back. He watched as her face hardened until it was unreadable and this time when she did try and pull away, he let her.
Moving on…
Rubbing a hand over his face he adjusted himself in the seat.
"Would you get mad if I told you we're going to have to move again?"
At first he thought she wasn't going to answer him; just being a hard ass because of what he said, so when he opened his mouth to say it again, he was surprised when she turned around too look at him. For a moment she just stood there, leaning against the counter, her arms crossed in front of her.
"No Dean I wouldn't be mad at you but you are going to have to tell the boys this time," she said pointing at him for added effect.
He nodded slightly.
"Alright, that I can do."
"Why the need to move all of the sudden?"
"Dick-"Alice's brows raised up in surprise. "I don't know if he's still trying to keep tabs on us or what but I can't take any chances. After this whole thing with Bobby-"His fingers fluttered over the top of Bobby's flask; that choking feeling he got burning in his chest and throat. "After what happened with him and those bastards tracking us down and stealing our identity I just-I just don't want to take any chances. I refuse to lose you or our boys."
Dean looked up at her then his jaw clenched tight at the idea of what they'd do if they had ever found Alice and their boys. All that rage and intensity he felt at even the slightest idea, and remembering that they'd taken Bobby from him; he couldn't keep it from showing. So he watched as this registered to Alice and watched as her anger at their previous fight began to dissipate as she made her way over to him.
Kneeling down in front of him she took one of his hands in hers, while she placed a comforting hand on his face.
"It's my job to protect you-" he choked out; not even realizing the threat of his emotions until her thumb brushed away a stray tear that betrayed him.
"Dean, you are not going to lose us. Okay?"
He removed her hand from his face and placed a peck on it before he dropped it down into his lap, giving her a sad smile as his eyes just memorized her face, like it would be the last time he'd get to see it. Dean could tell that she could see he was struggling to believe her words, and really, he was but in the end he just couldn't bring himself to fake it. Not even for her.
"Yeah…okay."
Alice's POV
Jumping down the final step Alice made her way around to the side of the house towards the garbage cans. If there was one thing she'd learned about having two boys it was that they accumulated trash in a matter of hours.
She took in a deep breath of air, enjoying the sharp sent of lavender that filled her nose from the neighbors' yard.
"Well isn't this just a sight for the funny pages," a deep gravelly voice said. "A domesticated demon taking out the trash."
Dropping the trash bag Alice whirled around to face her…attacker? When she finally saw who it was in front of her, however, she wasn't sure whether to cry in relief or to straight out attack him.
Crowley took a few more cautious steps towards her no doubt reading the predicament that was going on inside of her. When he was barely a few feet from her he removed his hands slowly from the pockets of his trench coat as a sign to show he wasn't armed. She could've snorted at the unlikely idea of that.
"Or maybe it's even funnier seeing a demon, married to a Hunter, and not just any Hunter, but the infamous Dean Winchester himself. You gotta tell me what it's like waking up to that every morning."
"Piss off, Crowley," she snapped.
He feigned to be hurt beginning to move around to her side. Alice followed him easily wishing that she had taken Ruby's knife out with her. She was getting careless and that, she had learned long ago, made you reckless.
"Please do tell, what is it like being a mother. Is it everything you dreamed?"
"I swear to God Crowley if you don't tell me what you want I will personally send you back down to your "office" in pieces."
His face contorted at her mention of God but he looked completely astonished.
"Well, well it does seem that the rumors are true."
She refused to play his games of twenty questions.
"Do you really think little Miss Alice, that you can send the King of Hell himself, back down stairs?"
"You're nothing more than a punk ass crossroads demon, Crowley."
"Was-"
"Still are," she snapped cutting him off. "The only reason you are the so called King of Hell, is because all the stronger demons are dead and daddy himself is locked up in a cage. So if I were you I wouldn't get to comfy."
"You think you can threaten me?"His little round face was boiling. "I could have you thrown back into the pit and let you watch your little brats become a hellhound's chew toy."
As the threat left his mouth Alice could feel all that old rage, all that old power she'd forgotten long ago, begin to bubble back up to the surface.
"If you even think about laying a hand on my sons I swear-"
"Oh, what are you going to do, hmm? Out yourself in front of your husband that you love so much? Let me tell you something Curly Sue. As far as I'm concerned I own you. I own everything you touch and ever plan to be because, as far as I can see, you wouldn't want dear old Dean to find out he's been shaggin' a demon all these years and that his sons could quite possibly be part demon. I mean…who knows what he'd do."
She could feel her body shaking uncontrollably but was it with rage or something worse?
She could feel the weight of Crowley's words hitting her like salt filled bullets: every single word ripping her open and filling with salt to keep it bleeding and fresh.
Deep down, she knew he was right, and she hated him for it.
"I'm going to take your silence as your agreement."
"I haven't agreed to anything you dick."
"Wrong, I can already tell that you're beginning to see it my way."
"Alice?"
The sound of Dean's voice tore her away from Crowley and already she could hear his brisk pace heading her way.
"Just think on what I said. I'll, uh, be in touch."
And just like that, right before Dean rounded the corner of the house, Crowley was gone. Alice barely had a second to register that he was in front of her with a bewildered but relieved look on his face as he made his way towards her.
She felt completely numb.
What had just happened exactly? Was she being blackmailed and what exactly was it that Crowley was wanting her to do?
"Alice? Alice?"
Dean shook her roughly as his eyes grew frantic with concern. She could tell, faintly, that he'd placed his hands on both sides of her face. Unconsciously, she wrapped her hands around his wrists, not knowing what to do or say.
"I'm fine."
She'd barely been able to get the words out but she repeated them one more time just to make sure she had said them. Pulling out of his grip she didn't even pick up the trash bag and finish taking it over to the dumpster. Instead she blindly ran back to the house; needing to find some place private so she could be alone before the avalanche of emotions ripped her too pieces before him.
Dean's POV
She was too pale.
He knew, knew that she wasn't fine. Something had just happened and he had no idea what but he sure as hell was about to find out.
Snatching the trash bag up off of the grass he noticed something in the grass by the edge of the house. Slowly, he made his way towards it, and when he was almost on top of the stuff the smell alone informed him of what it was. He didn't even have to put his fingers in it but he did anyways and it only confirmed what he already knew.
Demon.
There had just been a demon out here talking to Alice and the only thing he knew was that whatever it had said or did whatever he had interrupted had done something to her and she wasn't going to tell him.
Throwing the garbage fiercely against the side of the house he ran a quick hand through his hair; pacing back and forth in the yard.
"Son of a bitch!" he muttered as he made his way back towards the house and took the steps two by two.
So what did you guys think of the second chapter? I decided that ALL salt hurts demons. I always found it profoundly weird that Ruby was able to eat fries WITH salt. So I figured if she's a demon all salt is bad for her health.
Any who, I'd love to know what you guys are thinking :)
Much Love