…
When you look to the past for life's long hidden meaning
For the dreams and the plans made in your youth
..

Claire speaks

'I don't want to talk about that now!' I hissed into the phone, so ready to scream down the line at Lance. It had been a while since I had spoken with him and the concern in his voice was drowned out by his disappointment.
'Lance, alright, I am sorry. It was wrong what I did…' I bit my bottom lip until I thought it would fall off, 'What I am doing, but there are bigger things afoot here! Yes, that's why I want your help, need it.'

I softened my voice now, my eyes scanning over to Ben and Jesse lying on the beds. Blood soaked towels and cotton buds were everywhere, it looked like a messy emergency room. In a way I guess it is.
'Please Lance, something is going on and it is bigger than anything normal.' I sighed as Lance agreed and hung up.
My one true friend that was always there for me and I was treating him like shit. All I wanted to do right then was go to him, sit in that dark cold room with him on that old springy couch with those annoying flashing lights. Not long ago nothing would have been able to stop me, but Bens groan from the bed made me jump to attention, gulping down the last of the whiskey.

'Claire?'
'Hey, I'm here,' I said, gently trying to ease him back down onto the pillow, 'just try and stay relaxed.'
His eyes were all over the place but then they settled on me, a weak grin on his face as he slowly closed them.
'What the hell happened?'
I sat on the edge of the bed, checking his forehead and bruises. Luckily he didn't get anything too serious in the way of flesh wounds, Jesse more than made up for that.
'Uh, Jesse got us out, were back at the hotel. I don't think your hurt too bad, got any pain?'
Gesturing to his head, I felt a bit of relief that I hadn't missed anything and Ben chuckled.
'Got the nice hotel all bloody ay?'
I looked around and laughed gently.
'Yeah. Last time I stay anywhere nice.'

Ben sat up slowly, stretching gently before his eyes scanned over me. I had to admit I wasn't looking too glamorous; hair pulled back messily and a baggy wool jumper with some blood; I probably looked scary as hell.
'Are you alright?' he asked, and I nodded.
'I was alright, someone helped me…' it was only then at that moment that I really stopped to think about it.
'Who?'
I shook my head, standing up now as I let my hair down, fiddling with the laky.
'I have no idea. She just, came in and help me fight those demons.'

Leaning forward a bit more, Ben watched me with sharp green eyes.
'Another hunter maybe?'
Again I shrugged, biting my lip again and pulling out my phone. I could still see the person, the details of her when I closed my eyes, I could get Lance to check for records. He was already doing enough for me and I slid the phone onto the table.
'Whoever it was, I wanna thank them.' Ben said genuinely and I slowly looked at him, his eyes still watching me and I suddenly felt sick. Was it a sick feeling? I couldn't tell, I don't think I had felt this before. Whatever it was it curled in my stomach and made my hands shake.

Clearing my throat, I distracted myself by checking on Jesse who was still unconscious on the lounge.
'How is he?'
'I, I don't know.' I murmured, my hands lifting the bandage on his side to check the wound, but it was almost healed. How was that possible?
Checking his temperature and pulse, everything was a lot steadier than a few hours ago when I stitched him up. Maybe it was his demon side? I didn't care, as long as he was getting better.

'Got anything to drink?'
Sheepishly I looked to the empty bottle on the table and Ben groaned, leaning back.
'You drank it all?'
'No, half went on you and Jesse and I thought why should I go without?'
'Brat.'
'Bastard.'

With a yawn, Ben sank heavily into the pillows, eyes following me as I yawned myself, checking the door was locked and curtains closed from the darkening outside. Jesse had warned me not to come back here, but I didn't want to risk him dying in the car from blood loss. Besides, I had my gun at my side, Latin in my head and salt along every crack and window there was. So if we were attacked we were probably screwed.

'Try and get some sleep.' Ben said and I was about to say the same thing but he was already asleep, head lolled to the side and arms folded against his chest. All I could think about was the idea that Ben, a hunter could go to sleep; trusting me enough with his injuries and life. Smiling, I tucked a blanket up over him and pushed some hair from his eyes.
He was so handsome, even with a black eye and split lip, it made him look sexy.
'Claire!' I growled at myself, moving away from Ben incase I did something stupid and got caught.

Placing my phone and gun on the table, a sat down with a heave and angled my chair so I could see everything. Windows, door, Ben and Jesse, nothing was going to get past me.
Unless of course I couldn't keep my eyes open.
Which I didn't.
A heavy feeling dropped over me and I laid my head in my arms, eyes burning too much to keep open. Pain shot through my arm, making me wince but it didn't wake me enough.

I fell for what seemed like hours, days.
Was I falling? It felt so real, I couldn't remember the last time I had a dream this vivid. Cold air gushing past me, whipping my hair around my face and the sensation of being weightless.
I didn't like it.

Trying to turn myself around from looking up at the broad expanse of pale blue, I found myself too weak to even twitch my finger. I was getting close to the ground now, I could just tell and I began to panic. What was going on? Why couldn't I wake up?

I hit the ground suddenly, myself already braced for the pain or to wake up but nothing happened. There was no pain, like I had simply landed in cloud.
Grass tickled my cheek and I dragged myself to my feet, steadily standing in the large field. A nearby tree stood proud, singing gently as the breeze blew through its rich green leaves. I could feel a smile breaking onto my face; I remembered this place.
A small swing hung from a thick branch, old now as it swayed.

The sun beat down on the ground but I couldn't feel its heat, nor the wind but I could see it and hear it. There was something else there to, in my ear but I ignored it. Instead I ran to the tree, hoping, praying that he might be there, that this was not a dream.

I stopped abruptly when two figures materialized suddenly, the small girl laughing happily as the tall man pushed.
I used to love visiting my grandmothers, her farm always had things to do, things to see and so many of the happy things I could remember were from here. It was strange, standing there watching myself as a child play with my father; the swing well-loved and the green fields much preferred to the cold cement of home.

I opened my mouth to call out to them but nothing escaped my lips. This was a bizarre dream, normally I could control it, send this one away and wake up but nothing was working.
That noise in my ear returned and all my fears rolled into one as I recognized it.
'No, no!' I screamed, an odd thing to not hear one's self screaming but I did none the less.
The pain became unbearable and I fell to my knees, the world around me evaporating in a blink of an eye.
'Leave me alone!'
Claire
I pressed my hands harder to my ears, desperate to ignore the voices but they were undeniable. Heat began to swirl around me, I could feel it bubble my skin and I cried out again, I wanted nothing to do with these asshole angels.

Claire Novak, listen to us.
'No, no. Wake up Claire, wake up!' The voices merged into one now, resolute as it angrily spoke to me.
Do you not want to save the world Claire? Don't you want to just go home to your family?
I tried not to get suckered into it, this is exactly what Castiel had done, bribed my father into saying yes. But why would they want me?
We need you to do something for us Claire…
'No!' I roared, forcing myself awake.

I jolted upright at the table just as there was a knock at the door.
'Claire!' Ben hissed quietly from the bed. He was sitting up, eyes intent as they watched me and I wiped sweat from my forehead.
Please just let have been a nightmare.

Another sharp series of knocks and I straightened out my mind, quietly getting to my feet and readying my gun. It was too late for any staff, and no one knew where we were, besides Zeno.
Carefully I pressed my eyes to the key hole, hoping I could see whoever or whatever it was without breaking the salt line.
A young woman stood there, arms crossed as she waited for the knocks to be answered. It looked like the woman that had helped me back at the apartment, but my instincts were still the same; untrusting. It felt like electricity burning the ends of my nerves and I held my breath, hoping she would just go away. I didn't care if she was a hunter or the mother Teresa, no one was crossing this threshold.

'Come on I know your kneeling behind the door.'
I had to blink a few times, feeling a bit stupid but remained still.
Lucky guess.
'Is this how you always treat the people that save your life? Cause it's rude.' Still I didn't open the door, Ben shaking his head slightly at me, his hand wrapped around his gun, ready for anything.
'Well that's fine, just if ones of Zenos dogs sees me out here then you know, don't hold that over my head.'
I groaned, looking to Ben who frowned angrily at me as I stood, opening the door.

The woman walked through instantly, not waiting for me to question her anything and I hissed, putting the salt line back around the door.
'Hmm, nice room for a couple of hunters.'
As she stood in the room, eyes looking and taking everything in, I reached for the cup in the sink, a batch of holy water ready to be tested.
'Alright so down to-' as she turned to face me, I emptied the cup onto her, her mouth open in shock and dark straight hair clinging to her cheeks tanned.
'Business.' She hissed, spitting water from her lips. I just frowned as she put a hand on her hip, lifting one slender eyebrow up as I tried to put on my own bitch face.
'I'm not a demon.'
'A hunter?' Ben asked and the woman slowly turned on her heels, a smile forming on her face. Ben was standing up now, gun relaxed by his side, but I could see his finger twitch, ready to be fired any given second.

'Hunted.'
I could feel my eyes narrow on her; hunted?
'Vampire?' I asked, getting ready to pounce for my knife. The woman turned slightly to watch me, making sure I didn't make a move.
'Not quiet. You probably don't recognize me, last time you saw me… you saw you.'

My scowl deepened and I aimed my gun, snarling as she turned to face me fully now.
'You better have a dam good reason for showing up here.'
Slowly she lifted her hands in surrender, keeping them above her shoulders but I didn't trust her, shapeshifters were fast.
'I saved your ass back in that apartment!'
'You tried to kill me a month ago!'
'Only because you tried to hunt me down and kill me like an animal.' She snapped and I cocked my gun, so ready to shoot her. Ben behind her was reaching for a knife in the duffle bag, and I edged closer to the shifter, hoping to keep her distracted. My gun wasn't loaded with silver, the worst it would do to her would be to piss her off.
'Last time I checked, you were killing like an animal so we had to put you down.'

Eyes darkened and I tensed as Ben fumbled in the duffle bag, the noise sharp in the quiet dark room and the shifter turned around sharply as Ben made a lunge for it. She was ready though and knocked Ben back onto the bed with a hiss, the knife falling from his reach. Panicked, I didn't know whether to shoot the gun and wake up the whole hotel or if the shifter was really wanting to help or just trying to get revenge on us. Deciding against them all, I flicked on the light, disorientating the shifter for a moment as I grabbed the knife from the floor, pressing it to her throat.

The shifter stopped, eyes burning through me as I held the silver unwavering to her neck, angry.
'What the hell do you want?'
'To help.'
Ben scoffed, rubbing his shoulder before he stood from the bed, arming himself now with a dagger as he circled to stand beside me.
'Yeah right.'
'It's the truth!' she yelled, going to move but stopped when she realised I wasn't kidding about slitting her throat.
'Look, I know we have some history, and that I am a shifter. But I also know a lot about what is going on and I want to help.'
'Help who? Zeno or yourself?'
The shifter glared at me, 'Everyone, dumbass. What's the point of being in a world where I can't have some fun?'

Ben gave me a look and I relaxed my arms slightly, the shifter looking a little more nervous now so I guess it made me happy.
'Tell us what you know.'
'Alright, just loose the knife and I'll talk.'
I lowered the knife, but I didn't let it from my hand. Having a shifter standing before you was one thing, having it talk about a plot that could involve the whole world made me angry. My instincts were to kill it before it did us or any other innocent person but as I looked to Ben and Jesse, we were three people that didn't have a clue if the world was turning left or right anymore.

'Understandable but seriously, you can lose the attitude.'
'I'll lose it when your head isn't on your shoulders.' I hissed, gesturing to the chair for her to sit, which she did with a snicker. Ben gave me a smile as he hobbled over to the table, unsteady on his feet as his leg caused him pain.
'Looks like you only just got out with your own heads.'
She scanned over Ben, a seductive wink from her but I dropped the knife onto the table, drawing her attention back to me.
'Jealous? It's ok, I can be whatever you want...' she said, sliding a hand closer to mine. Revolted I shook my head, 'I want you to be truthful. Tell us everything.'
The shifter crossed her arms and leant back in the chair, brown hair spilling over one shoulder.

'Sure. I think I'm twenty seven years old. My star sign could be either Gemini or Leo, I never knew, I like cocktails and olives and love to cause a little bit of trouble.'
It took everything not to kill her there. This had to be a joke, a shifter wanting to help us? Why was I buying into this?
My hand gripped the knife and I was so close to her heart with the tip when she laughed, waving a hand.
'Oh please, have a bit of a laugh. Be more specific with your questions.'
'Zeno. Tell us what you know of Zeno and his plans.' Ben growled, frustrated also as his jaw set hard. The shifter looked up at him, her mask of jokes and confidence slowly falling away to something different entirely.

'I assure you, this is the truth and I really, really do want to help.'
We both gave the shifter a look and she held her hands out in surrender.
'Seriously? I come to you hunters because you are too stupid to figure this out yourselves! Would I be doing that if I were lying?'
I twisted some hair around my finger as I stood straight. It had a point and it wasn't like she would follow us half way across the country to play a silly joke on us.
'Ok,' she shifter relaxed once again, her eyes flicking between Ben and myself.
'Bear with me, it isn't going to be the whole shiz and kabang, but its enough. A few months ago this Zeno guy shows up out of nowhere, recruiting all the badass things he could.'
'How?' Ben asked and the shifter slowly turned her gaze to him.
'Let me finish.'

I grinned slightly; if it hadn't been a shapeshifters and such a cocky attitude, I would have liked her, it, whatever.
'Of course the demons were more than happy to go crawling to the next big thing. He does it by simply being. Whatever he is, it's bad.'
Crossing my arms again I leant back against the wall, trying not to yawn or look uncomfortable; my ears still ringing from my nightmare.
'Why does he need so many?'
'Man, I knew you guys were behind but really?'
When neither Ben or myself took the bait, simply remained still and unblinking, the shifter sucked her bottom lip as she nodded her head.

'Like I said, I don't know exactly but whatever he has planned it is huge. The demons are everywhere and Zeno is wanting to do... something to the human race.'
I glanced at Ben who looked to me now and scratched his chin.
'The scales?'
The shifter looked at us oddly, waiting for us to explain but still we remained quiet.
'Any way... from what I heard it sounds like the guy wants to take over the world, by whatever means.'

Blinking a few times I tried to connect everything we knew with what this shifter was telling us and I couldn't quiet get it. If he wanted to just take over the world, why experiment on bodies? Why not just get it over and done with?
The shifter stood slowly, myself bracing but she shook her head.
'I know it sounds crazy and it isn't a lot to go on, but that's a serious problem for everyone.'
'Why you? Wouldn't Zeno want you on his side?' Ben asked, frowning as the shifter turned to face him.
'I don't want to live with a collar around my neck like a subservient dog until I die.'
'You could die now.' I hissed and the shifter rolled her eyes to me.
'I want to help. Really, I can get some inside information for you and your end can be to...' she took a deep breath, shoving her hands into her pockets, 'not kill me, end this thing. Take it or leave it.'

Gesturing to Ben, we stepped aside and Ben moved closer to me, my eyes still locked on the shifter as it rolled her neck, watching Jesse.
'What do you reckon? We could do with an extra hand.'
'You're serious? You're going to trust a shifter? The same shifter that hit me with a car?'
Ben shrugged before he hardened his gaze on me.
'What do we have to lose? The minute we find out she double crossing us were the ones with the gun.'
I glared at him, 'She has a gun to, and we aren't only allergic to silver.' I sighed heavily, weighing up my options. 'I don't like this, every part of me wants to kill her, it.' I rubbed my shoulder, not missing the wink the shifter gave me.

'Fine.' I almost gagged on my words, putting the knife down and rubbing my forehead. The shifter rubbed her hands together before she held one out, waiting for me to shake it. Ignoring it I started to pack and dump bloodied cotton into the bin, needing to get out of here. If she could find us, what was stopping Zeno?
'Fine.' the shifter groaned, standing in the center of the room as Ben and I moved round her.

'What now?' she asked as minutes passed.
'Have you got anything else to tell us?' Ben asked and the shifter shook her head. 'Then I guess you can leave.'
She smiled sarcastically at us, re-zipping her jacket and heading towards the door.
'Where are you going from here?'
I grabbed the car keys and my duffle bag, opening the door for her.
'Like hell you're going to know.'
She stared for a long time before smirking, stepping out of the room. We made our way down the few steps and out into the cold air.

'I am telling the truth.' the shifter turned and leant on the car as I chucked my bag onto the back seat. I just nodded and the shifter sighed, reaching into the car. Instinct kicked in and I grabbed her wrist, ready to break her arm but the shifter shoved me aside, pulling out a pen and pulling a scrap of paper from her pocket.
'I'll leave you this, and you give me a call when you're ready.' she smiled, holding it out but I just watched her, not trusting her one bit. Mouthing ok the shifter put the piece of paper on the roof of the car.
'You know a thanks shouldn't be so hard.'
'I'll say thanks when you deserve it.'
The shifter forced a chuckle before she turned, walking away.
'Thanks, shifter.' I said quickly, knowing that regardless if she was lying to us or not, she had risked a lot to come here.
'Call me Tia.' she waved a hand over her shoulder, 'call me.'

Once she was gone, only then did I pick up the paper, shivering as the night slowly got cooler and moved back upstairs to help Ben carry Jesse down. Every part of me was itching to kill te shifter, not to trust it but another half of me thought the idea of a shifter on our side would be fantastic, imagine how much easier some things could be with such a creature working for us? But then it would be defying everything it meant to be a hunter.
What was going on to make a shifter turn to hunters?

I'm sorry if there are many mistakes, my word wasnt workin :(
Thanks for reading and let me know what you think

Silver-Kirin
xXx