Disclaimer: None of them. Not. One.

17. Scent-Trails

Jake and Seth took off right away after the scuffle. Jake gave them a mutinous look but Dean didn't really expect anything else from the guy. Seth turned and whined a little but Leah gave him a sharp bark and the kid took off full tilt after Jake. Dean picked up his discarded gear from where he'd left it when he'd pinned Leah to the car. The thought of the nookie interruption made him even angrier at Alpha-Douche if that was even possible.

They hiked up the trail towards the clearing. Leah and Embry were in front leading the way while the third wolf, the one that had sided with Leah and Seth during the fight, trotted along behind them like a rearguard. They all had their eyes peeled for trouble but they made it to the clearing without seeing a thing other than a startled deer.

Carlisle and Esme started jogging over to greet them with pinched and worried faces when they reached the clearing. Jasper and Alice were some ways away talking to Rosalie and a completely upright-and-moving-under-his-own-power Emmett. Both hunters tensed as Emmett broke away and started to head over towards them. Emmett looked like he could crush cinder blocks in his hands and Dean didn't want him near them at all. He actually started to reach for his machete, the wolves started growling and Esme's eyes went wide at the thought of another fight.

"Please…" she begged him, "…don't." She yelled over to her advancing brick-wall of a son, "Emmett, go back."

But Emmett just plastered a cocky grin on his face, adopted a goofy Don Knots-Apple-Dumpling Gang stance and held his arms in the air. "Don't shoowt!" He called in a fake, thick redneck accent as he kept coming towards him.

"Easy there, Chuckles." Dean warned him, his hand still on the handle of his machete and Sam was reaching for one of the knives on his belt. Leah was next to him and growling at the approaching leech with an anger that may be a little left over from earlier.

"I'm not gonna cause trouble. You could ask Lassie, the Littlest Hobo and Wishbone to back off though." Emmett grinned happily at the three snarling wolves a few feet from him. Dean didn't doubt that he was thinking of punting one across the clearing like a football. The wolves and the leeches clearly had little tolerance for each other.

"Emmett…" Carlisle pinched the bridge of his nose in agitation. "Son… don't provoke the wolves."

Except for Carlisle and Esme it seemed – who appeared to genuinely appreciate the wolves' presence.

"I didn't do anything." He defended himself, smirking because he was getting under people's skin.

"Something you want?" Sam asked, hand still on the knife handle at his waist.

"I just wanted to be the one to tell you jokers that there were three more killings in Seattle last night."

"Sonofabitch!" Dean yelled.

"That's it. We are barbecuing that bitch." Sam cursed.

"That's what I thought." Emmett grinned at them and it was kinda creepy to have a linebacker vampire smiling at them like they were old friends. "Not that I'm not pissed at you for everything you guys have done since you came here… But since you're sticking around to fight regardless of the fucking targets on your asses, I'm willing to let go of the poison thing for the time being."

"The time being?" Sam's eyebrow shot up into his shaggy hair.

"There's a bigger problem right now than the poison you shot me with, Stretch."

"So what about later?" Dean asked calmly, wanting to know if they had to worry about Emmett sneaking up on them later.

The big vamp just shrugged. "Depends on how well you guys fight in the morning I guess."

"And what the hell is that supposed to mean?" Sam demanded, the wolves baring their teeth at the bloodsucker.

"Well, if you two suck and we have to save your cans, then I'll enjoy every minute of making your remaining time with us miserable."

"And if we fight well?" Dean asked, smirking himself because he couldn't see them fighting any other way.

"Then no harm no foul and I'll keep my mouth shut." The big guy grinned idiotically at them and if he wasn't a creepy ass vampire, Emmett may have been a fun guy to get a beer with – despite him looking like a roid-popping frat boy. Emmett clapped his hands together and smiled at the snarling wolves before turning a knowing grin back to the hunters. "You guys have fun on the scent trail. Try not to throw Eddie and Bellie off the side of the mountain." He said to the brothers.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Dean's brow furrowed as he tried to work out the implication.

"You'll see." Emmett smirked and started to walk away. He turned and started walking backwards as he called out to them, "But if you two assholes try to take another shot at my woman you'll fucking pay for it." And Dean didn't doubt the silly grin on the dude's face was just for show. That was a very real warning he just gave them. It wasn't one that Dean wanted to test anyway – the more distance between them and Rosalie the better.

"Ignore him." Carlisle said flatly. "He's still a little upset about last night."

"Ya think?" Sam groused.

"Edward and Bella will be here in a moment." Esme spoke. "They're just down the trail a little ways talking." She pointed off towards the far side of the clearing.

Talking. Right. Dean thought acerbically. Teenagers didn't talk.

"I wanted to give this to you." Esme looked embarrassed as she slid a black book-bag off her back and handed it to Sam.

"What's this?" Sam hefted the bag in his hand, feeling the weight of it.

"The hike will be a long one." Carlisle said.

"Edward has provisions for Bella at the top, but you two will have to come back down and I didn't know if you would have necessities with you or not." Esme looked like she would blush if she could.

Dean quirked an eyebrow at mommy-vamp as Sam opened the book-bag and shifted through the contents. Dean leaned over to take a peek when Sam gave Esme a small smile.

Bottled water, apples, granola bars, cookies, "…Is that a bag of M&M's?" Dean asked hopefully, spotting the yellow bag and feeling the corners of his mouth turn up. Leah barked a laugh at him.

"Yes, and there are some sandwiches in the small insulated bag in the bottom. There's an ice pack in there with them to keep them from going bad."

"Cuz Salmonella is bad news." Dean smirked.

"I am a doctor, son." Carlisle said with an earnest severity. "Food poisoning can take a grown man out for days."

Dean had to laugh. They'd poisoned their family, nearly killed their son, and threatened them all with death… and they packed them a freaking lunch. With M&M's! They were so nice it was kinda creepy. Even if they were human – they were so nice it was creepy.

"We know what you're doing is hard for you." Esme turned to him. "You don't trust us and fighting with us goes against your nature." She gestured to Carlisle and herself, "… But we've been going against our nature since we became… this." She gestured at her body and Dean had to admit that Esme had a killer body – for a dead chick. "It's not easy, but we do it so we can live with ourselves. And we want to make sure that you are able to make it back to your friends when this is all over."

"Ummm… Thanks Esme." Sam stammered uneasily.

Are his ears getting red?

"We also wanted to give you this." Carlisle handed Sam a piece of paper. Dean didn't miss the fact that they seemed more at ease with Sam and tended to leave a little more space between him and themselves.

"What's this?" Sam took the piece of paper and unfolded it.

"Our cell phone numbers for when you're up there." Carlisle explained. He looked a little embarrassed. "We know about the… trouble… earlier. Between you and some of the wolves."

"How…?" Sam asked, brow furrowing.

"Some of the wolves were in Edward's range when the altercation started." Esme said. "Since their minds are connected, if one of them is in range, they're all in range."

"You hear that Leah?" Dean plastered an annoyed smirk on his face. "Edward's a receiver for Lupine Radio." Leah rolled her eyes at him in response.

"He does find it fascinating." Esme said softly.

"I'll bet. All kinds of minds he can eavesdrop on." Sam said snidely.

"He can't control it." Carlisle defended his son. "He can't turn it off. He would rather not have his gift than listen to some of the things he's privy to."

"I can just imagine what the guy is subjected to while in a hormone infested high school." Dean grinned evilly, "…Dear Penthouse…" and Leah and the other wolves snickered too.

"Please." Esme frowned. "These are our children you're talking about."

"Sorry ma'am." Sam apologized and nudged him sharply in the arm with his elbow.

"Ow, dude."

"Anyway," Carlisle continued on, "…if there is any trouble up there, please don't hesitate to call."

"Sure Doc." Dean muttered, knowing he'd of burned that piece of paper the second they were out of the clearing if Sammy hadn't just tucked it into his pocket like a frigging keepsake.

"Great." Sam muttered, earning a questioning glance from the Cullens. "Alice is coming over."

"She's sorry she tricked you last night." Esme made to grab at Sam's elbow but pulled back last second.

"Yeah, I'll bet." Sam rolled his eyes as the tiniest vampire in the world skipped her way over.

"Good morning boys." She sang happily.

"Eat me." Sam growled.

"Wrong choice of words there dude." Dean muttered. The wolves were standing closer to the humans now that there were three vamps so close to them and they were vibrating with pent up aggression. It really wasn't their strong suit to be so close to the leeches and to not attack.

"You're still upset with me about last night?" She tilted her head to the side as if she couldn't understand why he'd be mad at her.

"Alice, I would cheerfully set you on fire if Esme wasn't around right now." Sam scowled down at her.

"Is he always so melodramatic?" She frowned at Dean.

"Hey, don't look at me for sympathy Sweetheart," Dean groused. "You're not exactly on my Facebook Friends list either."

"What do you want Alice?" Sam groaned.

"Just to tell you that there's a freak snow-storm blowing in tonight. You'll want to make it back down the mountain before it hits. It won't be so bad down at this elevation, but it's going to be a real mess up there." She nodded at the mountains. "I wouldn't want you two to get frostbite." She smirked.

"A snow storm?" Dean asked incredulously. "It's freaking summer."

"Alice is more reliable than the local meteorologists." Carlisle defended his daughter. "And typical weather patterns don't apply in the Rockies."

"Doc, if you were any more straight-laced…" Dean trailed off. How could a vampire be so vanilla?

"Do you have sweaters with you in case you get cold?" A concerned Esme asked.

You have got to be kidding me. Dean rolled his eyes. They should just get this chick to work in an orphanage or something. Put all those maternal instincts to good use.

"We'll be fine Esme." Sam answered her.

And why was Sam being so nice to the Doc and his wife? Granted, they were being awfully considerate to them, but it was freaking weird to have vampires treating you like you were their kids' friends. He didn't know how to act around them with them being so nice and understanding all the time. Freaking M&M's!

And how can a vampire have dimples? Dean thought angrily as Esme smiled shyly at Sam, said dimples appearing in her cheeks like magic.

"Stop looking at him." Sam said abruptly, turning his head and glaring at Alice. Dean flicked his gaze to the psychic who was staring at him in a way that made him distinctly uncomfortable.

Alice didn't even bother to look apologetic. "Doesn't matter, I can't see a thing. You're shielding him."

"I want you to stop looking for our futures." Sam growled through gritted teeth.

"Don't you want to know what's around the corner for you?"

"No!" Sam spat. And suddenly Dean got it. It hit him in the face like a tanker truck full of lead. Sam didn't want Alice watching him in case she saw what was coming for him in a few weeks time. Dean felt his face pale and his heart rate jack up at the thought of the Hellhounds coming for him and tearing him to bits. Leah leaned into his side, she could probably feel his heart racing as he fought with himself to regain some semblance of control before Sam noticed. The Leah-tendrils floating in his stomach seemed to reach for her at the contact and it helped to calm his rampaging pulse.

"Alice," Esme interrupted, worry marring her pretty face as she looked at him. "…Dear, please don't watch for them. It makes them uncomfortable."

"Sorry Esme." She said to her mother. "I won't do it again." She said to the boys with a sincere look in her eyes that neither brother believed. The thoughts, evil little pixie and fucking hellhounds and Lilith running circles through his head.

"Here they come now." Carlisle clapped his hands together and nodded towards the far side of the clearing. Doc was clearly at a loss of what was going on and Dean was able to put his mask back on before Sam looked at him, confusion and concern written clear as day across his face as Dean wasn't sure that he put the mask up in time.

Edward and Bella were walking out of the trees with their fingers intertwined. Bella stumbled over something, and Edward caught her arm as Bella regained her balance. Dean didn't miss the huff and eye roll that came out of Leah at the spectacle. He had to snicker along with her – the girl was pretty, but an utter klutz. And he had to work hard to act normal because Sam was fucking watching him now and Sam would expect him to laugh at the ditz.

"Please keep your thoughts to yourself." Edward snapped at him as they approached.

Damn it, forgot about the blocks. And he instantly put them up, keeping the mind-reader out of his head. If Caleb were here, he'd give him hell for forgetting and letting the vampire even get a glimpse of his thoughts. He hoped like fuck that Eddo hadn't been listening a minute ago when he nearly started hyperventilating about the hellhounds.

"That means you too." Edward spoke slowly, glaring now at Leah.

Leah only grinned back at him and Dean suppressed his forced laughter as Edward's lips went thin in an effort not to say something back to her. Dean wished he could hear what she was saying – Edward was getting pissed.

A Herculean effort kept the mask up – Sam was still watching him.

Stop looking at me like that Sammy.

"Just ignore her Edward." Bella squeezed his arm in what should have been a reassuring manner, only Eddo continued to glare at the wolves now, clearly getting madder and madder at what they were saying to him.

Eddie looked at Dean and plastered a fake smile on his face. "So… It looks like you're making friends with the wolves."

"Yeah, I heard you were eavesdropping earlier." Dean's voice was thick with sarcasm.

Please don't be listening a minute ago, please don't be listening a minute ago…

"Believe me, I do not wish to be privy to your extra curricular activities."

Leah stepped forward and Edward hissed, "It astounds me how un-lady-like you are, Leah."

But Carlisle stepped in between Leah and the leech, saying, "That's enough. Edward, I believe you have a job to do today?"

"Of course. You're right Carlisle, we don't have time to bicker with the wolves and the humans."

"Alice says there's a snow storm coming in tonight." Esme said to her son.

"She told me earlier. I've already taken up the winter gear."

"The winter gear?" Dean's eyebrow quirked.

"Yes, it's part of the cover." Carlisle explained. "Since we try to live normal lives here, when the sun shines, the kids can't go to school for obvious reasons. So we've adopted an outdoor enthusiast persona. They think we go hiking and camping all the time so we have to buy gear from the local camping equipment store to fuel the rumor."

"We heard about that when we were digging for information on you." Sam bit his lower lip. "I thought you were a family of Demi-Gods and you did rituals in the forest or something."

"Demi-Gods? Really?" Carlisle sounded genuinely amused at the idea.

Sam only shrugged. "We didn't think you were vamps at first. I mean… You're a doctor. Your family is way bigger than other covens and death doesn't follow you around like a shadow. You don't fit the profile."

"I suppose that is why we've never come across your brethren before… Your… Brotherhood."

"If you fly below the radar… No. We never would have a reason to believe a group like yours existed. We've only come across one other family like yours before."

"Really?" Excitement was zinging in his voice. "In Denali, Alaska perhaps?"

"No. Red Lodge, Montana. Lenore and Eli were the heads of that family. They've moved on though."

"More like us? They feed from animals instead of humans?" Doc's face was lighting up like a freaking Christmas tree.

Dean was getting tired of sitting on the outside of the conversation, and he didn't really like how Sam seemed to be warming up to the parents of this outfit. At least the guy was suitably annoyed with the rest of the Cullen family. "Can we get this show on the road please? I wanna make it back down before I lose my bits to frostbite."

"Yes, of course." Carlisle agreed and Dean caught Edward rolling his eyes at his father and Sam – evidently catching some thought in his daddy's mind. "But Sam… If you wouldn't mind later… Could you tell me more about that other family? And these Demi-Gods? They sound like fascinating things to study."

"They're violent and bloodthirsty Doc." Dean cut in, taking the wind out of Carlisle's sails. "Just like most of the things we hunt."

"Please forgive me. I only want to know about what else is out there… And the others like us." And the head vamp had a look on his pale handsome face that made Dean think he'd just kicked a puppy, until he gave his head a shake and shouted at himself that dude was a vampire. Regardless of what his diet was, he was a vampire and thereby earning him a spot on the shit-list if not the hit-list.

"I'm leaving." He stated, turning north towards the path that would lead them up the mountain. "Anyone coming with me?"

They'd been traveling for about twenty minutes – and they'd only traveled a third of a mile – at best. Dean now understood why Emmett had taunted them about throwing the pair of them off the mountain. Bella was aggravatingly slow, stumbling over tree roots and rocks in the path, and Edward was coddling her. His arm around her waist, the picture of patience as he helped her up the trail as if she were made of spun glass or rare crystal. Dean could nearly hear Leah grinding her teeth at the slow pace, and she and Embry were more than ten yards out to their left threading their way through the trees so as not to contaminate the human scents on the path. And they were still in a relatively flat section of the trail! What was gonna happen when the hit the steeper part?

Dean shot a hand out to Sam's chest, halting him in his tracks. Edward and Bella continued on as if they were the only two people in the world as the Winchesters exchanged a look that spoke volumes. Namely, we gotta speed this shit up.

"On three?" Sam asked, holding out a fist.

"Three." Dean agreed, holding out his fist as well as they both chanted, "One, two, three," bringing their fists down on every count the same way they've solved dilemmas since they were kids. The sacred 'Rock, Paper, Scissors' King Solomon-approved method of decision making. Much better and infinitely less messy than sawing a kid in half.

"Goddamn it!" Dean cursed, looking at their hands and knowing he lost. "One of these days someone is gonna hafta explain to me how paper beats a rock." Sam grinned at him and Dean let loose again. "Cuz if I were a rock, I would tear your paper ass up."

"Paper covers rock, Dean." He looked smug as he slapped Dean's closed fist – rock – with his flat palm.

"Who the fuck covers rocks with paper anyways?" He grumbled as he turned to see Edward and Bella only slightly farther up the trail then when he and Sam stopped a moment ago. "Rocks are natural freaking paper-weights dude."

"I didn't make the rules man." He smirked and nodded towards the lovebirds. "What's your plan?"

But Dean just turned and stalked up the pathway, calling, "Eddo! Bella! Wait up a sec."

The pair halted and turned to see him coming up to them. "What do you want?" Edward asked, a hint of acid in his voice.

"We're just wondering if there's anyway we could speed this up. Sammy and I have to get back down before Ice Age hits the mountain tonight."

"Bella is going as fast as is safe for her." Edward answered, the acidity creeping up a notch.

"She's not gonna fall and shatter into a million fucking pieces man."

"Watch your language around her!" Eddie seethed.

"Just ignore them Edward." Bella placed a hand on her boyfriend's dead arm and Dean lost it. These two were really just too much for him to handle.

He dropped and stepped forward at the same time, catching Bella's stomach on his shoulder and clamping an arm around her legs, lifting her up so she was slung over his shoulder in a fireman's carry.

"Dean you jerk! Put me down this instant!" Bella screamed, kicking what she could of her legs and beating the small of his back with her fists. Dean bit back a laugh at the feeble punches.

Edward was in his face in an instant, face cold and deadly as he cocked a fist back. "Put. Her. Down." He spit out through bared teeth.

"You hit me, I drop her." Dean smirked at him, hefting Bella on his shoulder a bit so her breath was pushed out of her on the slight impact. Edward turned his murderous gaze on a laughing Sam. "You hit him, he'll drop you." Dean threatened him, sensing his brother take a ready stance as Edward seemed to consider going after the Ginormatron known as Sam.

"How in the hell am I supposed to lay a scent trail if you're carrying me you jerk!?" Bella demanded, landing a surprisingly good punch in his kidney as she said it. It was hard to come off as in control when you were ass up over someone's shoulder.

Not a bad ass. Dean mused, letting that one out past the blocks to further infuriate Edward as he gave said ass a good once over since it was an inch from his face. You could really take a bite out of it – couldn't you Eddo? …Whoops... Bad innuendo, huh?

"Bella needs to put her scent on the trail." Edward hissed. "Put her down. Now."

"I think she could do it from where she's at." Dean smirked. "Just reach out and fondle the foliage Bella." He said, giving his own ass a little shake as her face was right beside it. "…And just admire the view." He could see Leah with her paw over her muzzle barking with laughter at the display going on in front of her. Dean sent a wink her way and hoped they would have a chance to pick up where they left off earlier. Now Leah had an ass he wanted to take a bite out of…

"Dean!" Bella screamed, kicking one foot up and nearly getting him in the face. He was less than gentle as he dropped her back on her feet, where she stumbled and was caught by a scowling Edward.

"We move faster." Dean glared at them. "I don't care if you grab her by the ankles and drag her up the fucking mountain on her back. We move faster."

They were traveling faster now. Edward had an arm wrapped around Bella's waist and was nearly carrying her up the path. Her feet were trailing in the dirt and she had an arm out, running her hand over the ferns and other foliage as they went. She even ran her hands through her hair now and then and left the loose strands to float to the ground behind her.

Dean was quite content to keep everything silent once Edward refused to translate for Leah, grumbling that he wasn't a dating service. But Sam was Sam and he started asking a million questions like he always did. Dean tried to ignore them and instead concentrated on the wispy tendrils in his chest that meant Leah was near. He didn't even have to see where she was, the tendrils kind of pointed out where she was in relation to him. Like they were reaching for her – however new-agey douchiness that sounded.

It wasn't until Sam started asking him about school that Dean started to pay attention. Apparently, Edward had earned several degrees over the decades – including Law, Medicine, Literature, Music, and Architecture.

"Had to be hard in towns that don't rain as much as this place does." Sam said while ducking under a low lying branch.

"The Literature one I earned mostly by correspondence. It was an unnaturally dry year in Newfoundland that year."

"Yeah," Dean cut in, seeing a good opportunity to take a shot or two at the guy, "…If I sparkled in the sunlight like a little girl's sequined tutu, I'd steer clear of daylight too." Leah, Sam and Embry started chuckling.

"I think it's beautiful." Bella shot back at him.

"Well your mental state isn't all there in my books Sweetheart. I mean… you find out he's a vampire, and you date him anyway? A sane girl would have run away screaming for the torches and pitchforks."

"You don't understand anything!" She yelled at him. "You're just prejudiced."

"That's not true. I hate every supernatural sonofabitch that tries to hurt people. Regardless of what type of supernatural sonofabitch they are."

"Edward doesn't hurt anyone!"

"Bella… Love…" Edward said, trying to get her keep moving. But Dean didn't miss the look on his face. Guilt, regret and shame were looks he'd recognize a mile off. He was a Winchester after all and guilt, regret and shame were right up his alley.

"Who'd you kill Edward?"

"They were all criminals." Bella hissed.

Now we're getting somewhere.

"Bella…" Edward tugged gently on her waist but Bella turned on him.

"They were! Even Rosalie told me Edward. You shouldn't be ashamed of trying to help people!"

"I killed those men Bella. I murdered them." He insisted.

"Murderers and rapists Edward." She argued back, getting right up in his face and poking him in the chest. Dean had to hand it to her, she had guts. No common sense… but she had guts.

"That doesn't excuse it."

"It certainly doesn't." Dean agreed but Bella whirled around gave him a hateful glare.

"You think that only the supernatural can be monsters?" She demanded. "What about the human monsters that prey on the innocent huh?" But Bella wasn't done yet because she tore out of Edwards grip and strode up to him like she had no worries about the machete strapped on his back or the gun tucked into his jeans. Shoving him hard in the chest she yelled up at him right in his face. "You hunt monsters, you kill them. You've said so yourself. Why can't the supernatural hunt the human monsters? Edward has a gift that he can hear the thoughts of these beasts, and there's no question of their guilt."

"But Sam and I have never tried to eat what we took down." Dean yelled back at her. Why didn't this chick understand that vampire equals bad news. "There were no ulterior motives behind what we were doing."

"Dean," Sam grabbed his arm, "…Dude, just let it go."

"No." Dean yanked his arm out of Sam's grip. "She needs to understand the full vastness of her stupid choices."

"I'd be dead right now if it weren't for him." Bella hissed, tears building in her eyes. "He has saved my life over and over and over. He is good. He is kind, and he loves me. So you can look down your nose at us all you want… but he is my choice!"

"Do you understand what being with him means Bella?" Dean shouted, ignoring Sam's exasperated huff in favor of noticing that Edward wasn't trying to stop him from yelling these things to his girlfriend. It was almost as if he wanted Bella to hear these things – for her to change her mind about him. If Dean weren't so busy being mad, he might have looked into it a little deeper. As it was… "You will have to be turned to be with him – do you understand that? And there's no changing your mind about it later Bella. It's permanent. You will have to leave behind everyone you've ever cared about. Your dad, your mom, your friends… Jake."

That one seemed to rattle her the most. "Jake will always be my friend. He promised me." She whispered.

"It'll be kinda hard to be friends when you want to kill each other."

"That won't happen." She breathed, and the tears in her eyes threatened to spill over while Edward still did not stop him from shouting at her.

"A normal life, kids, jobs, vacations to the Grand Canyon, getting older, grandkids." Dean ticked all of these things off on his fingers watching her flinch at every one. "You will have none of that. You are throwing your life away for this guy!"

And Dean was beyond angry at her. She had a chance at a normal life and was pissing it away. He and Sam would have killed to have that kind of apple pie life. One where they went to baseball games with their dad, not clubbing ghouls in old cemeteries with a Louisville Slugger. Going camping and roasting hotdogs on an open fire, not salting and burning the corpse of a violent spirit. Sam had run away to Stanford to get away from this shit-hole life that had been served to them on a fucking garbage can lid – and look what happened there. Yellow-Eyes went after him anyways and incinerated his innocent girlfriend. He would be dead in two weeks, roasting and screaming in Hellfire, and she was gonna throw her life away. Throw it away to become a vampire.

"I've made my choice." She choked out, the brimming tears falling down her cheeks now. "I know who I can't live without. And if that means eternity as a vampire with the man I love… then so be it."

She turned and stomped away from him, but not before Dean saw a shadow of doubt glimmer in her eyes.

And he thought – that maybe – he said something that might have gotten through to her.

A/N: This chapter was impossible. I had the biggest case of writer's block in the world during most of this one. I just couldn't get what I wanted on the screen. I knew where I had to go, I just couldn't get there. I had to have the seeds of doubt start to show between Bella and her choice that we all saw in Eclipse when she was up the mountain with Jake, and I had to show the start of the breaking down of the walls between the Winchesters and the Cullens. Let me know if I was successful or if you think I've lost my ever-lovin mind.