_Chapter 4_

"Treading Water"

Dean

I tried to talk Sam out of it. We didn't know this girl. I thought we would've learned our lesson with every single other person we trusted that turned on us. I fought with him on it during our drive.

"Dean, no."

"We can't trust her, Sam!"

"First of all, we're not keeping her around long. Second we can't just throw her on the street, she did get hurt because of us."

"That's not true."

"Not directly, but did we do anything much to help? What happened to saving people?"

"How do we know she's considered 'people'?"

"How do we know she isn't?"

"Well, Sam. Let's see, first off she knows way too much about us and the kind of crap we deal with, second, she had an angel blade and tried to hide it,"

"Bella dealt with things like that and she was human,"

"Pft, if you call that human," Sam tried to interject, but with no prevail, "and let me finish... She also has a shady past we can't seem to find much on."

"Dean-"

"My spidey senses are tingling' man. There's something up with her."

"Maybe. So that should gives us some sort of incentive to keep her around and learn. She might be crucial in her own demise if she is a monster."

"C'mon, Sammy!"

He changed the subject, "Are you hungry, 'cause I'm hungry. Let's get something to eat and bring it back." And with that the case was settled. For now.

Trinity

I. Love. Food.

I hadn't eaten since before my battle with Smelly, and apparently that'd been a little over three days ago. I was out longer than I thought.

The boys sat there for a minute when they gave me some food and watched. I mean I'll admit, I'm not that much of a lady, but I was hungry. After a second they picked up their burgers and salads and joined me.

We ate in silence.

You could almost hear Dean's cautious glare.

"I'm not gonna bite, Dean. Nor am I gonna explode or seize," taking another bite.

"What are you even talking about?"

"That look you have plastered to your face." I hadn't even looked up from my burger.

"What look?" He asked incredulously, "You're not even looking..."

I looked, "Haven't you ever had the feeling someone's watching you, and more in depth, with a certain look?" He sat in shock for a minute. Sam had a small smile playing on his lips, so did Cas, but not as noticeable. Obviously Dean didn't get told off by anyone, let alone a girl, very often.

Sam chuckled a little. "Shut up, Sam!" he then burst into laughter. I joined. Dean looked between us over and over, like Sam was betraying him, then the same steps washed slowly over Cas as he progressively laughed with us. Dean slowly let a smile spread across his voluminous lips. He tried to hold it in, but couldn't contain the laughter.

It's contagious. But it probably had something to with seeing his brother and best friend laugh, even if it was at his expense.

All of our bodies were shaking and our stomachs and sides were surely beginning to ache. As we all started to calm back down, it got awkwardly silent. A glance was passed around and we just smiled this time.

"That was the most I've laughed in a very, very long time," I broke the ice.

"I think that's the most Cas has laughed in his whole existence," Dean winked. I wish he would stop doing that. I don't want to accidentally punch him. Or swoon… but that's another story.

"Maybe the last time was when I glued your hand to that bottle," that made Sam chuckle a little more.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Boy do I miss those days. We haven't pranked each other since then. Never thought I'd say this, I kinda miss it."

I might have made a "the world is ending" joke, but considering the recent events, thought better of it, plus, I'm not even close to being allowed to act like part of the band of brothers. They still would kill me if they knew, literally.

Another silence.

They don't have much fun, do they? Well I suppose neither do I. Probably less since I don't even have a brother or best friend.

I finished my meal and wrapped up the packaging. I wiped my mouth and hands off. "Thanks a lot for the food, but let's get to the point, what do you want to talk about?" I clasped my hands in front of me resting on the table.

Sam finished as well and cleared his throat. "Well, in the time you were passed out, we did some research on you."

"By we he means he did the research and Dean snooped around," Cas interrupted after not having spoken in quite a while. Clearly he was shaken from our earlier episode. It worried me that an angel was spooked by my past, present, and future.

"Oh good," I sighed. "Find anything interesting?" I smiled sarcastically.

"Actually, no," Sam had a curious look about him.

"Which makes me more suspicious. You've shown too much evidence for me not to be." Dean threw his opinion out.

"I mean, all of my hunting gear is out in the open," I gestured to my Wall of Death, as I call it. It had different knives, blades, swords, made of different metals and alloys, infused with different protections. And the dresser beneath it had some amulets, books, maps, and other eclectic things on top and the drawers were open, showing they searched and didn't find my collection of salts and other extra things out of the ordinary. My black leather jacket hung beside it with my combat boots on the floor beneath. And obviously they knew about the angel blade.

"We noticed. So you're just, a hunter?" Sam asked.

"Yup."

"I don't buy it. I mean, how'd you know so much about us? We saw our names and experiences written down on your desk over there," Dean was beginning to annoy me. A lot.

"Duh, you're the most notable and dangerous hunters, like, ever. Don't you think you'd be talked about?"

"Don't answer my question with a question." I scoffed at his offense. He continued despite that. "We've met hunters who knew about us, but never as much as you. And usually they're in groups, meaning more info for them. So spill it."

"What Dean is trying to say is," he tried to calm the mood down, obviously wanting a conversation not an argument, "that we did look you up. It said that you had parents and two sisters. Care to elaborate?"

"Not really."

"Please," I gave me those freaking puppy eyes and I tried to resist.

"It's personal, okay? I don't like to talk about it." My defensive walls started coming up like a bad taco.

"You're not helping your case, hun." Dean nodded towards me his unrealistic green eyes piercing into my core, taking a sip of beer.

Through clenched teeth I retorted "Fine! You wanna know?" My pent up anger let loose before I could stop it. I haven't had anyone to talk to about this, well since it happened, "My parents made a crossroads deal and the same deal ended up killing my sisters along with them! Just... differently... I was the outcome."

Their faces said it all. They empathized and now regretted pushing.

My shoulders slouched. And my vision began blurring with tears rimming my eyes as memories and images came flashing back in my mind. Showing the pictures I'd rather forget. Our excruciating Changes, my sisters and me, then my final one. Persephone's fall, Avari succumbing. Then finally me alone in the rubble. They had asked for better daughters. Stronger, more powerful, instead if regular humans. They knew of the supernatural world and what it withheld. They wanted in. They gave us no choice. The tears began to fall, but I couldn't tell the truth. I glanced up at the three men across from me. Sam looked sorrowful, while Dean had a mixture of expressions I couldn't pinpoint. And Cas, he still understood, and his blue eyes urged me to lie. "My parents wanted better daughters. Smarter, more impressive. They wanted fame and fortune. They didn't care what it cost us. They gave us no choice!" I was yelling now. Still not letting those tears fall. From holding in the truth into letting the anger out, it was so much. I took deep breaths. "They had just gotten engaged when they wanted their fate sealed, they thought that'd mean a lifetime of luxury. The demon gave them three little girls each with a special talent that'd get them somewhere in life. But it also gave them only sixteen years of life from that day on." Keep going, this isn't necessarily lying, just avoiding certain truths, "When the oldest was sixteen, I was twelve, and the little one was only six months old, the hounds came for them. We watched as our parents were torn to shreds. They cursed at us the whole time through their screams. Blaming us, wrongly, for their fates. We saw the beasts too. I don't know why, maybe cause we were part of the deal or something," I knew, it's because we were part of it, but also because of what we'd become.

Shadows of memories cast themselves across all of their faces. Sam had watched the same thing with his brother, without the cursing and blaming, Dean experienced the hounds from Hell himself, and Cas pulled him out of perdition afterward. They all were buying it, well at least two truthfully, Cas was playing along but I could tell he still felt the pain of memory.

"What about your sisters? What happened to them?" Sam asked curiously.

"Like I said, my parents didn't care what became of us as long as they got what they wanted in life. What happens to most successful people after a certain point in time? They either die by their own account, or something tragic happens. Both were the case here." I'm running out of lies... "My older sister Avari, she had become a good actress on stage. But she made enemies. One got to her and took my little sister Persephone with her," I paused, they wanted more, "Why am I still here? The man thought he could use me." This isn't a lie! What are you doing?! Don't say this! "I suffered through his abuse," and experimenting, "for two years, then I ran after I saw his eyes turn red. The freaking demon that made the deal was the same one that killed my sisters and tortured me." I didn't mean to say it, but that last part was true. "After everything went down with my family, the crossroads demon captured me and held me hostage for his own entertainment," and hunger for power, "for two years," More tears fell down my cheeks. The monster used me for pleasure and to try to obtain my abilities, knowing I had become stronger than my siblings. My water works were on full blast and I didn't even know it. The memories still haunt me and invade my nightmares, just like the brothers across from me. I don't think I've shown this much emotion since my Change. I tried to suck it up, and be strong, "So it's now been five years. And I try to forget. But scars leave me with the memories," I pulled my hair back and exposed the scars from his fingernails on the back of my neck. "There are more like this and others," I let my hair back down seeing their faces, all mixed with anger and pity. Cas apparently hadn't see this, just what I am inside.

Through an angry voice, protective almost, Sam asked, "Do you know the demon's name?" Why was he protective? He doesn't even know me really.

As if he read my mind, "I just, we despise demons, let alone sick ones like him." Ah. They're like the people in prison who don't take kindly to rapists and baby murderers.

"Asmodeus. Well a branch of him. The name comes from one of the original princes of Hell. He was the demon of the deadly sin, Lust."

"We ganked him a long time ago, didn't we?" Dean looked to Sam, his green eyes intense.

"Yeah, all of the Sins," his full of the same intensity.

"The one I dealt with was like his arm. A less powerful version who was also a crossroads demon."

"Is he still alive?"

"Yeah," I sniffled, "When I escaped, I… nicked him," that was an understatement, I had been perfecting my... abilities... the ones I had then, while held captive in chains and cages, "but he didn't die. It gave me just enough time for me to escape." I mean I trapped him in his own little Hell for a time being, but they don't need to know that. It was one of the first time I truly terrified myself.

Sam stood up. "I know what we're doing to learn more about you."

"How much more do you need to know?!" I mean, I suppose this was an unfair statement, after all, they still didn't know the real me.

"Yeah, how much longer does she have to be here? No offense."

"None taken." Offense definitely taken.

"We can go send this son of bitch back to hell where he came from and at the same time understand you a little more, maybe help."

"I don't think you want to do that..." I was now terrified, the event might make me lose control. I couldn't let this happen. Especially in the sight of the Winchesters.

"What she said. I don't want to go looking for trouble."

"Dean, c'mon, that's what we do. Look for trouble. We pick fights with demons and monsters, why not one more. Pick up the family business, let's save some people and hunt some things, like you told me all those years ago."

"Sam, that was before everything-"

"Don't pull that crap on me, you know even through all of this, we've tried to stick to those rules as much as possible. Why not now, when there's a depraved demon out there and we know it's name? A name's a powerful thing." I felt like I was intruding on a family moment.

Dean grunted in protest a couple of times, "But, Sammy, I mean, c'mon, just..." he did a double take at Castiel, "Cas! Back me up! You're like our guardian angel," he threw up air quotes, "shouldn't you be against this."

"Actually, Dean, I'm a much stronger power than a Guardian. And you need to do something. You've been complaining if the lack of cases, haven't you?"

"Sass not needed, bud."

"I apologize."

"Don't, you're right, Cas. Looks like you're the odd man out, Dean," Sam concluded with a triumphant grin.

"Fine, but if I die, I'm coming back and haunting all of you," he pointed his finger at all of us.

"Sure." Sam obviously didn't like Dean-Dying-Jokes.

"Quit it with the face Cas," the angel was giving Dean a confused slash hurt look, "It was a joke."

"Well then, let's get packed-"

"Wait a sec, Sam. We're fifty-fifty here," I stood, a little too quickly, and they all took a quick step to me, but I held my hand up, signifying I was steady and gripped the table.

"Finally!-"

"Not for your sake Dean," I stopped him with my hand in the air and that make him look disgruntled. "For one, I don't know what I'll do if I see him again," that was true, but not in the same level as they thought, "two, you guys don't have to put yourselves in harm's way for me," I really didn't care, I just didn't want to be around these terrifying hunters any longer, "and three, I've tried to put it behind me, this might set me back a space on the game board."

Sam turned toward me, blocking a cocky Dean from view, "For one, we will protect you no matter what, two, that's what we do, put ourselves in danger for strangers, and three, we'll help you through this, during and after."

It was silent, even Dean, for a moment.

"Why do you care so much?" Sam was growing on me though. I feel like I could trust him. But Dean was a whole other story, a wild card still.

"I see potential in you. I may not understand or really trust you yet, but I see you're something worth saving."

"Gag me..." Dean rolled his eyes.

"I don't think now is an appropriate time for foreplay, Dean." I had to hold back laughter. Cas really needed to work on his people skills still.

"Oh my G-, jeez Cas... I'm, I'm just done right now," he tossed his arms in the air, "I'm off to bed. I'll give but not until morning."

"Wait where have you guys been sleeping?" It never occurred to me throughout the commotion.

"I've had the couch, and Dean's had the chair."

"Just 'cause you're a giant doesn't mean you get everything."

Sam brushed aside his brother's comment and continued. "Cas, you can stay here or-"

"I have to go."

"Wait, why?" urgency in his voice.

"I... I have to deal with some business." Did he mean me? He looked directly into my eyes. Yes. He definitely meant me. "Take care of them," He glanced at each of us, "take care of each other. I'll see you tomorrow." And with that and a swoosh noise, Cas was gone. So Cas, the angel of the Lord, expected me to stay with them and protect them, even though he knows it could cost me my soul on all four levels of life? That gave me complete faith. He must know something, at least I hope.

Breaking the quiet, "I'll go get the blankets," obviously Cas did this a lot, because the boys didn't seem confused by his actions. Sam walked out of the room, leaving me and Dean alone.

Another awkward silence. I rested my palms and tapped fingers to my thighs. "Welp, I'm just gonna go upstairs now..." I turned and began ascending.

"Wait,"

I sighed, "Yes? Dean?" I half turned and rolled my eyes expecting some smart dialogue.

"Goodnight," he said softly. That was unexpected. I turned fully, I took him in, really for the first time. He was actually quite gorgeous. My eyes couldn't help themselves, I looked from his soft, blonde hair, to his Oz green eyes, to his luscious lips, to his muscle laced shoulders, arms, and chest, hidden beneath a red plaid flannel, to his strong forearms and hands, to his sexy bowlegs. I took no shame.

I hid my eye-candy-induced-pleasure with a look of curiosity and wariness. "Thanks, you too." I turned and started climbing the stairs again.

As I hit the top, I heard from below, "I understand by the way. our secrecy. I've done the same thing. But you can trust us." Was he actually a nice guy? I looked over my shoulder at him and a smile twitched on my mouth. But wait, I can't trust them, my lips drooped again and nodded then turned the corner to head to my room.

"You better not be a freak though," I made it to my room's threshold, "or else I'll kick your a-" I closed my door behind me. There was the reason I can't seem to stand him.

I leaned against the closed door. Starting to think about what he just said, freak. I closed my eyes tightly, letting a single tear fall down my cheek. I started changing into a clean t-shirt and underwear to sleep in. Everything in here seemed to be untouched, meaning the brothers left it alone, thank God. I got in bed and pulled the sheets up around my chest feeling another tear wet my pillow. I looked through my peripheral vision up to the pictures I had taped to my ceiling, my family before everything happened and me with my old friends. Everyone there was dead. And in the center, my two true fears, the Winchesters, and me.