Cassandra | d. winchester [1]

NINE

Tiffany and Cassandra sat down in the living room. Cassandra sat criss-cross on her couch, bare feet tucked under a blanket as she stared at the TV hanging on the wall. She fiddled with the blanket and the brothers sat in the other room, listening quietly, giving them privacy. They both knew Cassandra needed this. Cassandra nibbled on her bottom lip and sighed.

"My family's dead, Tiff. They were murdered. Those two saved me."

Tiffany blinked twice. "Wh - huh? How - who killed them?!"

"I don't know. I found them when I came home from work one day and my world fell apart. Sam and Dean saved me. They're old family friends that I never told you about."

Tiffany placed a hand on her's and hugged her tightly.

"Oh honey, I am so sorry." She sniffled. Cassandra started crying again and leaned her head on her's. The girls were quiet for a bit, her best friend comforting and processing the new information. Tiffany couldn't believe what she just heard. They had been best friends since high school and to hear people who she thought of as family being murdered was awful. The guilt of the lie was eating Cassandra alive, but she knew that if anything ever happens to Tiffany or her family, she will lose it for good. She will not allow them to get sucked into the supernatural world. She cooked up the story in the car with the Winchester brothers' help.

A little lie never hurt; not if it was to keep her safe.

Tiffany sniffled and wiped her eyes as she looked at Cassandra.

"Well, we could have a girls day. How long you staying in Tennessee?"

Cassandra's heart broke. "After we leave here, we're going back to Kansas. That's where I live now."

"On your own?"

"With them."

Tiffany's eyes popped out of her head. "WHAT?! You live with them both and haven't - oh my God, your sex drive is broken. Wait, you said they're old family friends? How exactly?"

Cassandra snorted but said, "My mother knew their parents. I called them when I found my mom and grandma in our old . . . kitchen and they packed me up and moved me in with them."

Tiffany's heart broke as Cassandra nibbled on her lip. She hated lying. She felt awful but she had to remind herself she was protecting her.

"Wanna go to the mall? My husband is working late and I just got paid extra this week. Victoria's Secret is havin' a huge sale." She smirked and Cassandra smirked back, wiping her eyes.

"Let me go tell the brothers." She stood up and padded into the dining room where they talked quietly. Dean was still stuffing his face and Cassandra stopped in front of them.

"We're goin' to the mall. I need some alone time with her."

Dean stopped eating and stared at her.

"Nope, ain't happenin,' princess. You know why. What if somethin' happens?"

Cassandra sighed. "Well, either you two come and follow -- distantly -- or I go alone with her. Dean, I need this."

"Ya got money?" He asked her.

"I told you college savings. That's how I'm able to do this stuff."

"How much in college savings?" Sam asks.

"Ten grand."

Both of them nearly stopped breathing as their eyes poppes out of their heads.

"TEN GRAND??!" They both speak.