If Heaven Wasn't So Far Away

The Truth Comes Out

Sam and I went back to the Johnson place. The back door was open, so we went inside.
"Well?" Dean asked, raising his eyebrows at Sam.
"I'm not a whore, Dean." I said.
"Didn't say that." He grinned.
I looked down at the corpse, a look of terror on his face. Yikes.
"I have to go now." Cas said, returning the stake to Dean.
"Thank you, Cas." Sam said. "I'm really sorry about earlier..."
"It's okay." Cas turned to me. "I'm watching over you."
He will give his angels charge over you, to guard you. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone. My eyes welled with tears, but I blinked them away. "Thank you." I smiled.
"Goodbye."
"Goodbye." We echoed.
"Well?" Dean repeated.
"No, Dean." Sam sighed, exasperated.
"He just made me talk about feelings." I said. I almost would have preferred to have sex with him.
"He does tend to do that."

We sat down in a little roadside restaurant.
"I know where we need to go. Dean said, looking up from the newspaper he was reading. "Virginia."
"Why?" Sam asked.
"Some guy stepped out of his window."
"Dean," I said slowly. "That's not anything supernatural, love."
"No, no. Six others in the neighborhood have done it also."
"Maybe it's just a bunch of suicidal people, Dean." Sam said. It's not like it's that uncommon in this day and age.
"No, we're going. My car, my destination. Let's go."
"Why, Dean?" I asked. "A girl?" I grinned.
He shifted uncomfortably.
"Ooooh! Who is she?"
"Her name's Scarlett." He sighed. "It's nothing, you know, important. It was only a week. But..."
"Awww, Dean." I smiled.
"Shut up." He said roughly.
"What makes her any different?" Sam crossed his arms, leaning back in his seat.
"Shut up, Sam." Dean said in the deep voice he uses when he's pissed off or pretending he's fine or that he doesn't care.
"Dean, she's just another girl you've screwed and left."
"We're going." Dean said flatly, then got up and walked out.
"Sam," I said, "He's entitled to have actual emotions. Just because he hides them doesn't mean they're not there."
"He's Dean, Lexie. He's a self-centered jackass. He doesn't love anyone."
"He loves you. And apparently Scarlett. Leave him alone."
Huffing angrily at me choosing Dean's side over his, he followed me out of the restaurant.
"Seven deaths, all male. One every day in the same neighborhood. The man who died was the boyfriend of a girl named Scarlett Michaels."
"Damn, she was hot." Dean said, almost wistfully.
The wistfulness in his voice deterred me for a moment, but then it hit me. "You fucked Scarlett Anne?!" I demanded. "Oh, my God. You're Dean! You fucking left her heartbroken, Dean. What the hell is wrong with you? You fucked my best friend?! Oh, my God!" He fucked my best friend!
Scarlett Anne fucked Dean.
That bitch is getting an earful.
"You know her?" He slammed on the breaks, earning blares from car horns.
"Hell yes I do." I got out my phone as he started driving again. I had six missed calls from her. Shit. I'm a terrible friend. "Shut up, I'm calling her back."
"Hello?"
"Hey, there, Annie."
"Shut up, bitch."
I laughed. "Anyways."
"Oh, God, Lexie. He killed himself."
"Who did, love?"
"Josh."
"Boyfriend Josh or brother Josh?" I asked, though I knew full well the answer.
"Boyfriend."
"I'm so, so sorry, Scarlett Anne. Is there anything I can do?" I'm an Internet friend, so probably not, but it's worth a shot.
"You could convince your mom that it's not a suicide mission to come up here and accompany me to the funeral. I really don't want to go by myself."
"Actually, I'm on a road trip with my boyfriend and his brother, and we're headed that way. You want us to come?"
"How did you get your mom to agree with that? But yes please. you can stay with me if you want. I'll text you my address."
"I'm an adult and therefore can make my own decisions. I just had to deal with her guilt tripping me." I lied smoothly. "And Scarlett Anne Michaels, you shouldn't give your address out to everyone you meet.
"Shut up. It's just you."
"And actually we're renting a house, so we're good."
"Okay, but I already sent it."
"Okay." I smiled. "We'll drop by."
"Thank you, Lexie. This means a lot."
"Of course." I said. "But I've got to go. I'll see you later."
"Okay, bye."
"Hey, Scarlett Anne?"
"Yeah?"
"Remember Dean?"
Silence. Then: "Yeah."
"I'm with him."
"Is he your boyfriend? Because I don't recommend that."
Same. "No, no. He's not. But he's the reason we're going up there in the first place. He saw in the paper about Josh and wanted to make sure you're okay. He wanted to see you, but if you don't want to see him, I won't let him near you."
"No, it's fine." She said softly. "It's fine. Actually, I have some stuff to tell him."
"Oh, gosh. Okay."
She laughed. "Don't worry.
"I'll try." I smiled. "Well, bye, love."
"You said boyfriend?"
"Uh, yeah. Sam."
"I'm gonna have to have a talk with this boy."
"Oh, God, no."
"Oh, God, yes."
"Keep it civil."
"Your wish is my command." She laughed. "I'm coming, Josh! God! Stop rushing me!" She yelled. "Hey, Lexie? I gotta go."
"I heard." I said. "Hey, Scarlett Anne? How're you holding up?"
"I'm all right."
"Have you, you know..."
"Have I what?"
She knows what I'm talking about. "I'm in the car. With Sam and Dean."
"Yes," she said. "I have."
"You know-"
"Please tell me you didn't actually write a speech."
"Nah, I didn't have time." I should have. I wasn't expecting this to actually come about. I suck at on-the-spot things.
"Thank God-Okay! I'm coming! Go wait in the freaking car!"
"You gotta go?"
"How'd you guess?" She laughed. "I'll see you later."
"How the hell do you know her?" Dean demanded.
"Internet. I knew your dad too, by the way." I figured this was the best time to drop that. I admitted to knowing his ex (if that's what you call it), so I might as well admit to this too.
"What?" They said simultaneously. I notice he didn't stop the car for this.
"Yeah."
"How?" Sam asked.
"My dad told me to call him and ask him to help me finish a case." I said. "He talked about you guys."
"What'd he say?" Dean asked.
"He said he was proud of both of you and that you were both excellent Hunters, but his youngest was being an idiot and went off the college, and that I'd have to meet you. He said I'd like Sam."
"Why's that?" Dean asked.
"Don't know." I said. "He said he was going to law school."
"Lexie, who's your dad?" Dean asked slowly.
"Joseph Banks."
He pulled over.
"What are you doing?" Sam asked.
He turned and looked at me. "I had no idea." He said. "I'm so sorry. You shouldn't have had to go through that."
"What are you talking about?" Sam demanded.
"Shut up, Sam. Inconsiderate son of a bitch."
"Dean." I said.
"Are you okay, Lexie?" He asked, uncharacteristically gentle.
"I'm fine."
"Are you really?"
"I'm fine." I repeated. "Now, I want to go see Scarlett Anne."
"Me too." He agreed, and started driving again.
"Dean, you can not fuck her." I ordered. "Don't hit on her. Don't even look at her. You will not be alone with her."
"Why the hell not?"
"Because I don't trust you."
"Her boyfriend just died, Dean! That's why!" Sam exclaimed. "And I'm the inconsiderate son of a bitch."
"I don't see the problem."
If he wants to get out of the fucking car, I'll fucking kick his ass. "Then you won't even meet her. I won't subject her to that." Inconsiderate fucking bastard.
"Fine."
"That's what I thought."
"Who wants to drive? I'm tired."
"Damn. I was just about to go to sleep." Sam said.
"I will." I said. "Who do you want me to wake up?"
"Me." Sam said.
"Sammy-" Dean began.
"I'm an adult, Dean. I can take care of myself."
"I know." He sighed, pulling into a gas station.
"Want anything?" Sam asked.
"No thanks." I said.
"I want pie." Dean said.
"Come with me, Lexie. And I'm not getting you pie."
"I want pie."
Sam grabbed my hand and started walking, calling back no. I turned around and punched Dean in this face.
"Ow! Son of a bitch! What the hell?!"
"That's for breaking her heart." I brought my knee up into his gut. "And that's for your fucking smart ass comments in the car." I turned and followed Sam.
"Damn." Sam said.
"Shut up." I said, trying not to feel bad about that.
"What was he talking about? You don't have to answer."
"You want the nice truth, the whole truth, or the story?"
"Either the whole truth or the story, if you don't mind."
"The truth is shorter, so we'll go with that." I said. "Why he was acting so weird is because he thinks I must be mentally unstable from watching both of my parents die."
He was quiet, and I didn't look at him. I wasn't sure I wanted him to say anything. "I'm so sorry." He finally said.
"Yeah... It's okay." I said, then put on a bright smile. "Now let's go meet Scarlett Anne."
As soon as I was sure Sam and Dean were asleep, I started crying. Those really aren't memories I like thinking about.
I took a deep breath and swallowed hard. I braced myself for Scarlett Anne. I wasn't sure what state she'd be in when I met her. Hopefully she'll be pretty okay.
I told her that when we met that she would have to cut me just as she'd cut herself. But I'm not sure if now's the right time to bring that up.
But I may not get another chance.
But I don't want to show her my arm.
But I need her to stop.
But I don't want to traumatize her or anything.
I understand why my parents reacted the way they did.
I've sort of become Scarlett Anne's 'protective mother'. I'm only a year older than her and she's taller than me, but details, right? I'm sure her mom's amazing, but, you know, I can't have her shagging anybody. Especially not assholes. Especially not asshole Hunters.
Eww. She shagged Dean.
That bitch is so getting an earful. She didn't tell me that.
That bitch.
A hand on my leg.
I brought my leg up, slamming the hand into the steering wheel and suppressing a scream.
"Ow! Damn!" Sam whisper screamed.
"Sorry, love." I said meekly.
"You okay?"
"I thought you were asleep."
"I was."
"Why aren't you now?"
"Would you rather I be?"
"Somewhat, yes."
"Well I'm not. You okay?"
"I'm fine. Go to sleep. You have four hours."
"But that's 4:00am."
"Heyy! You can do math! Want a cookie?"
He rolled his eyes. "You shouldn't be up that late. You'll get tired."
"No. That's my schedule."
"Wake me up at two."
"Four."
"Three."
"Fine."
"Thank you."
"Goodnight."