The 3rd Winchester

8. Suspicions

Dean sat in an angry bubble of silence on the drive home. I didn't test him, instead I went through the clothes I bought. It was the essentials along with some other stuff that I thought was cool or comfortable.
"So," I said to break the silence, "how have you been?"
Dean glanced at me from the steering wheel, he had the most confused expression on his face.
"Sorry, I was just trying to make things less awkward." I confessed.
"How 'bout you shut your trap next time we're in a situation like that," he snapped.
"I was defending myself!" I yelled, "that demon in there had no right to start saying stuff like that, I was only-"
"So, stab him in the neck or something, no one is meant to know where you are!" He cut in, obviously not wanting to hear anymore.
I sighed, was he always this snappy? I believed we had a good amount of time to get out of the area before Satan showed up. I had heard some stories of the devil from Remiel. He, of course, always referred to him as his brother. This was because, well I assume, he still felt that his big brother could be saved.
"How did Lucifer get out, Dean?" I asked softly.
"Why?" He seemed somewhat shocked as if he was unsure how to answer.
"Just curious. It's just someone must've let him out, and, well, the angels say you guys cause a lot of problems."
"What gives you the idea that someone let him out?" It was then that I realised he WAS unsure how to answer. They did have something to do with it.
"He is Satan, Dean, I doubt God or Heaven's Arsenal would've just let him out." I bit my lip as I waited for his answer.
"Well, how did you get out of Heaven? That's the real question isn't it," he said, "you'd think the God Squad wouldn't just let people walk out? You were dead, weren't you? What exactly is it like up there?"
I sighed again, "it's timeless up there, Dean. Beautiful, amazing, wonderful, everything you expect Heaven to be like. But it's timeless."
He went quiet. I looked out the window, what Remiel said repeated in my head. Again and again. 'I'm giving you a year', is the part I was focused on. A year, a whole year of living. Then I die again and go back to Heaven.

*

We arrived at Bobby's after 15 minutes of uncomfortable silence. I didn't bother asking Dean about how Lucifer got out, I had a rough idea. Besides, he would just get angry at me again.
When we got out of the car I looked up at the rickety house and waited for Dean to lead the way. When he walked passed me he stopped for a moment and turned around.
"So you're my sister?" He asked as if it was the first time he was realising it.
I nodded, "and you're my big brother."
"At least I'm still in charge." He smirked before continuing to walk into the house.
I smiled to myself. You're my big brother, I say in my head, and I am alive and I get to meet you. The idea is still uncanny but so amazing.
I follow him through the door.

Sam was leaning on the bench when we walked in.
"Where were you?" He said quickly.
"Ran into some demons, Sammy," dean scoffed, "nothing to worry about."
"Hi, Sam," I waved from beside Dean.
"Clare," he acknowledges me with a nod.
Before there was a chance at yet another awkward silence I quickly said, "well, I'm going to put some clothes on."
They both nod.
"Where can I do that?" I asked.
"Right, there's a bathroom upstairs," Sam told me, "do you want me to show you how to use the shower?"
"That would be good."
When Sam takes me upstairs he takes me to a bathroom that didn't look like it is used as often as it should be.
Once Sam left I stripped and got under the current of hot water. It was nice, I quite like showers.
As soon as I was satisfied I turned it off as Sam had directed and began to go through my bag of new clothes. I picked some plain bras and black underwear, I also chucked on a pair of jeans, that were easy to move in compared to the others I tried on, and a plain black shirt covered with a warm jacket. On my feet I wear a pair of brown army-styled boots, Dean had helped me pick them out. He said the brand made shoes that were easy to run in and more comfortable than the other pair I wanted. It was about the only time he had talked to me on that trip before the liquor-store-incident.
Before I left the bathroom I quickly tied back my long blonde hair with a brown hair-tie. Some strands strayed from the rest, so I tucked them behind my ear.

I decided that I looked ok, and made the descent back downstairs.When my foot hit the last step was when I heard the hushed voices. I strained my ears to try to understand what my brothers were saying with such secrecy.

"Cas, says she's for real," Dean said, "and she looks so much like mom did when I did 'the time warp'."
"Really? Rocky horror?" Sam retorted.
"Shut up. That's not the point."
"Bobby's looking into it," Sam said, more seriously this time.
They didn't trust me? Of course they didn't they had been trained their whole lives to be suspicious. Why keep me around though?
I decided to pretend I didn't hear them. No use fuelling the fire and causing them to distrust me even more. So I waited until it was silent for a while to walk in.
"Showers are amazing," I said as I walked in.
"First time?" Dean asked.
"Well, you don't really need showers in a place where you never get dirty."
"Really?" Sam noted, "that's...uh... Interesting."
"Aha, you boys will love it up there."
"Then why-" Sam was cut off half sentence by a beeping noise. Although, I did have a feeling where the end of the sentence was going.
"What is it, Sammy?" Dean said, very alert now.
Sam pulled out a strange looking little box that glowed when he opened it.
"What's that?" I asked.
"A cellphone," Dean replied quickly.
"It's Ellen," Sam said a confused edge to his tone, "she says to meet us at a house in Ohio."
"Why?"
"I don't know but we better go quickly, she says its a matter of life and death."
"Sammy, get some gear. I'll go get baby's keys!"
I suddenly felt very confused. Who was Ellen? What kind of trouble was she in.
"Can I come?" I asked as I followed Dean out to his car.
"No way! You're staying here where Bobby can keep an eye on you!" He replied.
"What!" I cried, "but-"
"You're too inexperienced and you'll slow us down." He cut me off, "no buts."
"Wouldn't it be better if I got some experience?" I pleaded with a smile.
"No, it would be better if you stayed here where you can't get killed," he ignored my smile.
"I'm sure it's not that bad," I pleaded some more, "if it is you can call your little angel and he can zap my ass back here, alright?"
He made his noise of frustration, "life and death!" He repeated, "life and death!"
"Please," I smile.
"No!"

*
"So who is this Ellen, anyway?" I asked from the backseat of the impala.
Dean grumbles, "a friend. Whom you are not going to meet because you will be sitting in the car?"
"Alright, no need to get your tights in a twist," Dean glared at me when I said that, "so is she a girlfriend, or something?"
They looked at each other and their eyes widened.
"No, definitely not," Sam replied as we turned the corner. "I think this is it."
I sat up straight to peer out the window. We had pulled up at a two storey house, painted white with a red roof and a green garden.
"This doesn't seem like your kind of place," I frowned.
"No," Sam replied, "it doesn't."
I went to open the door.
"Stay here!" Dean barked, "there is no way you are getting out."
"Come on, Dean!"
"No, it's bad enough that you've forced me into bringing you-"
"I don't remember there being any force," I cut in as I folded my arms over my chest.
"Oh there was force," he snapped, "of the mind."
Sam sighed, "can we get to the point, Dean? Ellen said this was a crisis."
"Fine then, Sammy, lets go."
They both got out of the car and shut the doors behind them. Then they went to the boot and pulled out a couple of knives and guns before cautiously entering the house.
As soon as the carved mahogany doors slammed shut. I eased open the door and ran after my brothers.