Thanks for the reviews. I wasn't sure if anyone was actually reading this or not.
Chapter Eight : Don't You Dare Say A Word
Elizabeth stood alone in Crowley's bedroom as she stepped into his walk-in closet which had recently become their closet. He had cleared out an entire side of the closet allowing her to fill it with most of her clothing and such.
She retrieved a cheerful looking yellow sundress from a wire hanger toward the back of the closet before slipping it on and tying the thin cotton tie-up straps over her shoulders.
She walked out of the closet a pair of beige sandals in hand as she was once again taken over how strange it felt to be completely alone in Crowley's home.
He had left town two days ago going to New York to spend time with his younger sister for her birthday. If it had been possible Elizabeth would have gone with him.
But given the secret nature of their relationship, going with him to New York had been out of the question. How would they explain the both of them taking vacation time at the same time and the both of them suspiciously being out of town for the same amount of time.
She felt silly missing him as much as she did even though their separation wasn't going to be more than a week long. And they had spent the past two nights speaking on the phone for hours.
Elizabeth had briefly considered going to her own apartment until Crowley came home. But the idea seemed depressing. There was nothing waiting in her tiny apartment for her but stale smelling carpet, furniture that was falling apart, and upstairs neighbors that seemed to choose stomping and yelling at all hours of the day in favor of walking.
She was still amazed by the fact that she was so comfortable having such an attachment to Crowley. Being able to form such a strong relationship with him so effortlessly had surprised her.
Her past relationships had made trusting people hard to do, but trusting Crowley came easily to her.
Crowley was so starkly different from any man she'd ever been with. She just kept praying that her father would be able to see just how amazing Crowley truly was once their relationship came out into the open.
Crowley was everything that Elizabeth had never thought she could have or deserved. He was so different from what people on the outside assumed he'd be.
Yes he could be tough and at times, so harsh when it came to work. He had a strong work ethic. Though he obviously had more than enough money to stay at home and live comfortably, he insisted on working so hard.
He didn't respect those who didn't take their jobs seriously. As far as Crowley saw it he was just being fair. If you had a job to do you do it and you make sure that you do it well. He didn't have time for anyone who slacked off on the job and he made it known at Singer Industries.
Most of the boyfriends Elizabeth had in the past had been more than willing to allow her to support them while they reveled in irresponsibility and childish activities.
There had been more occurrences of this type of behavior than she could count with her last boyfriend. There had been so many days of her coming home from work after a long day only to discover a raging party in full swing at their apartment. With her knowing full well that it would be her responsibility to clean the mess the next morning because Andy would be too hungover to bother getting of bed.
Elizabeth felt secure in her relationship for the first time in a long time. She knew that Crowley wouldn't leech off of her for all she was worth. There was an equal amount of give and take which was refreshing after relationships where she had been forced to give until there was nothing left to give anymore.
Elizabeth slid her shoes on fastening the straps before she made her way downstairs grabbing her purse and a few paper grocery bags before sliding out the front door. She locked the front door sliding her spare key into her purse before she made her way to her old 86 silver hunchback Honda civic.
The old hunchback had a large dent on the right fender and a suspicious dark stain in the backseat. It had been a huge downgrade from the cherry red sports car she had owned in California. The sports car had been the car her father had bought for her when she'd gone to college. That car had been totaled when she'd had her accident and she didn't have the funds to buy a new car after all the damage she had done.
Yes her father had tried to give her a better car, a new car in fact. But she didn't feel that she deserved it, she had already ruined so much and cost her father so much. She didn't have the heart to take anything more.
So she had bought this car herself, at a used car-lot on the outskirts of town. It had come as is with stains, dents, a funky smell (that still seeped through her green pine tree air freshener), and a shifty air conditioner. But she had a sense of pride knowing that she had bought it herself without any help from her father.
She drove out of town making two lefts down some old bumpy paved roads, before she made her way down the rough dirt road to her father's house. She glanced in the passenger's seat making sure that she had remembered the gift. A new mini wrench set wrapped in dark blue wrapping paper.
It was late August and the week of her father's birthday. She was headed to her father's home for a barbeque to celebrate the event.
Elizabeth had mixed feelings about attending the barbecue. She felt like she had to put on some façade when she was around people who were in the dark about her relationship with Crowley. The stress of keeping such a big secret from practically everyone in her life was beginning to get to her. The speed at which lies were able to slide out her mouth was beginning to disturb her.
The guilt of being so deceitful was slowly eating her up inside. She knew that there would be hell to pay when the truth came out and she wasn't sure if she was fully ready to handle the fallout.
She took a deep breath as she pulled up in front of her father's house and put her car into park. She got out of the car being sure to grab the gift before she started to rummage through the mess in the backseat sorting out what she needed to bring in.
Elizabeth practically jumped out of her skin as she heard a familiar voice behind her. "Hey Liz."
She turned around to face the owner of the voice. "Hi Dean."
Dean Winchester quickly grabbed the paper grocery bags from her arms staring down into one of them and speaking up a smile on his face. "Oh pie."
She nodded her head unsure of what to say in response. Her short-lived teenage relationship with Dean still made her feel unsettled.
Mostly because she had changed so much since then and she knew it was pretty obvious that she wasn't the same girl she had been. Also because the relationship hadn't ended pleasantly.
And there still seemed to be an awkward air between the two at times. Mainly because the two hadn't spoken all that much since Elizabeth had come back home from California. It didn't help that Dean still saw Elizabeth as the reckless young woman who seemed to need protection and to always need someone to clean up her messes.
This irritated her more than anything. She had spent the past year of her life trying to grow up and take some responsibility for her past mistakes.
And she had been doing a pretty damn good job if she said so herself. She was doing well at work and slowly putting away money to pay back her father and anyone else whom had bailed her out in the past. She had a stable relationship with Crowley...though it was a secret, which she knew was going to come back to bite her in the ass soon enough.
Elizabeth was thankful that there wasn't a chance for more words to be exchanged between the two of them as Dean's younger brother Sam walked up to the car helping Elizabeth carry party supplies and food inside.
Dean and Sam were total opposites. Dean had worked odd jobs around town after graduating from high school and dated a new girl every week it seemed. While Sam had attended college until the boys father had died suddenly causing him to have to dropout to help settle his father's estate. Sam was now trying to continue his education online and was trying to find the right girl to settle down with.
It was hard at times for Elizabeth to believe that Sam and she were the same age. He seemed to have his life so in order when she compared it to her life. Though he'd had his fair amount of tragedy, his mother dying in a fire when he was an infant and his father dropping dead suddenly. He had persevered through it all and had made good choices.
Unlike Elizabeth who had one nervous breakdown, an accident, and a stint in rehab under her belt.
She frowned not wanting to focus on the need to self loathe and wallow in guilt.
She was embraced with a tight hug by her father as she entered the house. She did her best to give him a bright smile despite her seemingly always guilty conscience. "Hey dad."
They turned to face the other party guests in the room as Bobby Singer released his daughter from his embrace.
Elizabeth studied the happy faces spread out around her father's living room. There was Aunt Ellen and Jo of course. Then there was Castiel whom had come with Jo, though he, Sam, and Dean had been roommates since Castiel had moved to town about five years ago. Sam and Dean were probably outside manning the grill or they were back in the kitchen putting the bags they had taken from her up.
There was her father's friend Rufus who had been around as long as Elizabeth could remember though he and her father were polar opposites.
And lastly there was Sheriff Jody Mills whom had been Sheriff in town since Elizabeth was a teenager. It had seemed that as long as Elizabeth could remember her father and Sheriff Mills had both been dancing around one another neither of them ever quite working up the nerve to make a move.
Elizabeth had hoped that they would get together soon enough. She wanted her father to have someone seeing as he'd been alone, not even attempting to date at all since her mother had died. Elizabeth worried that it was because of her. Her father was so concerned with being there for her and taking care of her messes that he didn't make time for his own happiness.
Elizabeth gave a polite wave to the party guests before she scurried off to the kitchen grabbing the only non alcoholic drink available besides tap water, a can from a twelve pack of coca-cola.
She visited with Castiel and Jo not helping but to feel a little jealous of the fact that though Jo's mother wasn't overly fond of the relationship, they didn't keep their relationship a secret. Elizabeth only hoped that she could one day say the same for Crowley and she.
"So when's your friend you're house sitting for supposed to be back ?" Jo asked casually as Castiel finally left her side to go out to the front yard with Sam and Dean to admire her father's new grill and make sure that the burgers and hotdogs got cooked to perfection.
Elizabeth took a sip of her coke catching on quickly to what Jo meant. "They should be back sometime this week. Then I have Friday the following Monday, and the weekend off after that."
"You're house sitting ? Do you need any help honey ? I know you aren't overly fond of being away from your apartment for too long...not with those upstairs neighbors of yours causing all sorts of trouble." Bobby asked fatherly concern etched in his voice as he overheard a bit of the girls conversation.
Elizabeth gave him a calm smile trying not to outright nag him about the freshly opened can of beer in his hand. (she at worried about her father's health and diet as he got older. There was too much beer, too much junk food, and fast food in his diet. And she didn't even want to start to worry about his cholesterol.)
She knew he hated it when she started to fuss over his diet though. "I'm not getting any younger Lizzie. I may as well enjoy myself while I'm still alive." He'd protest when she started in on him.
Of course that protest just bothered her more. The thought of him getting old unsettled her more than she'd like to admit.
"Just an old friend from high school." Elizabeth stated more than a little disturbed by how easily the lie slipped out of her mouth.
She pushed the guilt deep down in her belly as she tried to convince herself that she would find a way to make up for all the lies she had told. She tried to reason with her conscience that she had no choice but to lie. She very well couldn't tell him that the friend was Crowley and she wasn't just house sitting she was practically living there.
Elizabeth was sure that she'd probably make living with him official and give her apartment up as soon as everything was all out in the open. She just couldn't risk anyone finding out just whose house she was spending all her nights in just yet.
Elizabeth was almost thankful as she heard her phone begin to ring from where she had left it with her purse on the dining room table in the kitchen.
She excused herself from the conversation as she made her way into the kitchen. She grabbed her phone looking down at the caller id, before sliding out the backdoor.
She searched for a place to talk knowing that she didn't need any ears listening in on her conversation.
She made her way across the yard sliding behind the garage knowing that she was partially hidden by parked broken down cars and overgrown brush.
Once she was sure that she was out of eyesight and earshot she answered her phone. "Hey you."
"Hello Darling." His familiar voice replied causing a smile to spread across her otherwise anxious face.
She cleared her throat as she leaned back against the old garage. "Sorry it took so long to pick up. I'm at my father's house."
"It's his birthday right...be sure to tell him happy birthday from me." Crowley stated an amused tone to his voice.
She smirked rolling her eyes slightly as she responded. "I'm sure that would go over well."
They both stayed silent for a moment before she finally said exactly what she was thinking hoping that she didn't sound as pathetic as she felt. "I miss you."
She was relieved when she heard his reply. His voice sounding just as longing as hers. "I miss you too Liz."
She cleared her throat once again hating that she was having to hide behind the garage like a frightened animal just to talk to her boyfriend. "So how's your sister ? She liked the gift we bought for her right ?"
Elizabeth thought of the plum-colored soft velvet blanket they had bought for her in one of the nicer stores in the next town.
She hated how they had to go one town over just to be able to go out and have fun in public with one another. It irritated her that they had to worry about town gossips. Just one of the joys of living in a smaller town.
"She loved it and she's doing well. Although I have been ordered by her to bring you along with me next time. She's excited to meet you."
"I hope I can come along with you next time. I've never been anywhere other than California...and we...we all know how that ended." She stated not helping but to kick herself mentally over mentioning California.
"Me too love. I'd love for you to be here with me right now. I want to take you to London as well. Let you see where I grew up. Though we'd have to go to Scotland too since I spent an equal amount of time in both places." Crowley replied thankfully not mentioning her faux pas mentioning her past.
"I would really like that...you're coming home Friday evening right and I'm still picking you up at the airport in Sioux Falls ?" She asked.
"Yes at nine pm. I've got us a hotel room for the night, and we'll have the weekend to take our time driving home." He stated.
She nodded her head knowing that no the drive home from Sioux Falls wasn't a super long one, but still it was nice to have some time away. "Okay. I better get off the phone before someone comes looking for me."
"Okay. I love you and I'll see you soon." He said reluctant to be off the phone with her so soon.
She nodded her head speaking up before she hung up the phone. "I love you too."
She shoved her phone in a side pocket on her dress before turning around her eyes growing wide as she spotted him.
She ignored the look on Dean's face as panic began to set in. How long had he been standing there and what had he heard ? She spoke up trying to stay cool and collected. "What ?...Creep much."
Okay so maybe she wasn't being so cool and collected and just being childish and jumpy.
Elizabeth moved forward shoving the dead brush aside as she tried to pass Dean. Dean stepped forward a frown on his face as he spoke up. "Who were you talking too ?"
She swallowed the lump in her throat as she spoke up sarcasm dripping from her words. "Fine you finally caught me. I'm cheating on you and running away with my lover."
She stepped forward pushing his shoulder with a somewhat shaky hand as she spoke. "It was no one, now Move."
"Your dad wanted to know where you went. We're starting to serve burgers... So no one. Do you say I love you to no one often ?" Dean stated his curiosity winning over the need to just drop the subject.
Elizabeth rolled her eyes her arms crossing over her chest as her defenses went completely up. She spoke her voice a little shrill as she tried not to freak out "It's really none of your business. Now get out of my way... I'm feeling ill. I'll puke if you don't move."
Elizabeth finally manage to make her way past Dean going inside the house. She ignored the line to the kitchen for food as she went upstairs locking herself in the bathroom.
She sat on the closed toilet as she struggled not to panic. Dean wouldn't go tattling on her to her father would he ? He would keep his mouth shut right ?
She stood up going to the sink and turning on the cold water. She splashed her face a few times removing most of her makeup. She took deep breaths trying her best to push away the panic attack.
She managed to leave the bathroom after what had seemed like an eternity. She ignored the eating chatting party guests as she made her way downstairs to the kitchen.
Her father was standing in the kitchen still serving burgers to Sheriff Mills and Castiel, with Dean by his side. Elizabeth locked eyes with Dean. She narrowed her eyes at Dean in a silent warning don't you dare say a damn word.
Her father looked normal so that was good right ? Bobby Singer was just serving burgers a smile on his face. If he knew surely he would be heading to the car ready to go to New York to kill Crowley with his bare hands. So...so far so good right ?
Bobby Singer was the first to speak as he gave his daughter a worried look. "Are you feeling okay honey. You look a little green."
"Food poisoning...I'm sick...really sick. I need to get home." Elizabeth blurted out.
She grabbed her purse off a dining room chair where it had probably been moved for food to be served.
Elizabeth gave her father a quick kiss on the cheek and was sure to avoid Dean's eyes as she left the kitchen. She waved goodbye to everyone else working out a quick. "I'm sick, have to go...sorry."
She made it out to her car hands shaking as she tossed her bag to the passenger's seat.
She put the car into drive as she pulled out of the drive way making her way down the road going faster than she'd usually dare. It wasn't like anyone would see her panicked mind told her. The sheriff was in the house stuffing her face with a burger for gods sake.
Her hands gripped the wheel turning paper white as she made her way into town to Crowley's house.
What if Dean spilled the beans ? What the hell was she supposed to do or say ? She needed Crowley to be here so badly right now.
Oh god, This was bad. So bad.