Life's Betrayals / Book Five / Supernatural / The Life Series

You Can't Handle the Truth

I was at TJz, on the phone with Dean. "So you were a vampire in our own apartment, and I didn't even know."

"Yeah, but Samuel had a cure for vampires in transition, thank God." 

"Yeah, well, I'm glad you're okay."

"Me? Ness, I could've killed you."

"Yeah, well, you didn't, okay? I call that a win. Now, this thing with Sam, are you sure that you saw him just threw you to the vamp?"

"Yes."

"We tested him. Salt, silver, everything."

"I'm telling you, it's not my brother."

"Well, then he's something we ain't seen before."

"Yeah, or it's freaking Lucifer."

"Did you call Cas?"

"Of course I called Cas? He's not answering. Screw him. I can't wait anymore."

"Look, I get it. You're rattled. You're right to be. But let's be professional--"

"Professional? He watched me get turned."

"What you saw... are you sure that's what you saw?"

"Yes, Ness, I know."

"Well, 'you know' ain't the same as proof. 'Cause we're talking about--"

"We're talking about doing something about this, and fast. It's not just the vamp, okay? He has been different from the jump. You know he has. You noticed something up with him, too, with him trying to get you back in because it'll get me completely back in."

"All right, I'm with you."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I'll hit the books, hard. Just don't shoot him yet, all right? Watch him. We need facts. 'Cause if it ain't Sam... we don't know what it is. And if we're gonna put him down, we need to know how."

"I don't even want to ride in the same car with him, much less work a damn case."

"Get in the car. He's your case. Hey, Dean. Look, don't be too hard on yourself about the whole vampire thing, okay? It wasn't your fault. Not really. Just... I guess I should be grateful that you cared enough to say goodbye."

"Bye, Ness."

I smiled a small smile. "Bye, Dean."

I hung up, going back to work.

~~~~~

I was back home in the apartment the next day, looking through books at the desk, on the phone with Dean.

"Hey, you got anything?"

"I've been up all night looking. Nothing fits."

"Awesome."

"You got anything else to go on?"

"Yeah, my skin crawls being in the same room with him. I don't know how much longer I can do this, Ness. You got to figure out what the hell he is and fast."

"I'm trying. But, Dean, there's a worst-case scenario."

"What, Satan's my co-pilot? Yeah, I know."

"Well, that'd be the other worst case."

"Well, then what?"

"Maybe it's just Sam."

I heard a door opening in the background, no doubt Sam walking in.

"I got to go."

Dean hung up.

I sighed, looking at the article titled on "Doppelganger" on my laptop, closing it.

~~~~~

The next day, I was in the kitchen, getting a beer from the fridge, on the phone with Dean again.

"Hey, anything you're itching to tell me?"

"Not really. Sorry to disappoint."

"Ah, that's all right. I'm just testing a theory. What are you doing?"

"Just getting a beer and getting ready to watch a telenovela." 

I sat down on the couch, taking a drink of beer.

"And, uh, what have you found on anything today."

"Not much, but I've looking nonstop. Truth is, I've been worried and worked up... well, not as much as you, but still. But now I'm starting to worry that we got all worked up over nothing."

"Okay. Hey, before I go... Uh, Ness, what do you really think about us getting back into the life."

"Well, uh, I'm cool with you, like I've told you before. In fact, it's great, because you seem more happy than I've ever seen you, except where Sam's concerned, because you have a home, me, and the job."

"But what about you?" 

"I already told my dad that I would help you and help him when the time was right, or I was needed, or whatever. And I told him that if something came after me again, I was gonna do whatever it took to defend myself, and others. But truth is..." I sighed. "I'm kinda relieved that we have ties to a normal life and the hunting life. I mean, for the past year, yeah, we were good, but it felt like something..."

"Was missing." 

"Yeah. And while I told Dad I wasn't gonna go hunting like I used to go hunting, that's kinda all I wanna do now. Like making up for lost time or whatever."

"But you're cool with everything else?" 

"Yeah. Of course."

Dean sighed in relief. "Guess I just wanted to know how you really thought. But it's basically all you've told me. You know you're one of the most honest people I've met."

"Yeah, well, you're not. You have a terrible case of lying, to everyone."

"Hey."

I smirked. "But I guess I'm cool with that, too."

"All right. Just freaking out over nothing. I'll talk to you soon, okay?"

"Yeah. I love you."

Dean sounded like he was smiling. "You, too."

I hung up, smiling a small smile, watching the telenovela.