Babysitting - A Dean Winchester Love Story

Chapter 3

"Dammit, Dean. Did you have to throw that at my leg?" Cora yelled at the man before her. As soon the TV remote touched her wound, Dean flinched as he witnessed Cora yelp slightly. Mumbling sorry, he walked over to the kitchen, phone in hand, and began to dial Bobby's number.

"Bobby? Hey, it's Dean. Look, Sam and I met this ex-hunter, Cora, and..."

"Just get to the point, idjit."

"Right, sorry. We think Cora is the werewolf's next victim, but she knows things...about me and Sammy. We're about 20 miles from your place; do you think that maybe you could get down here...?"

"What, and help out? Fine. I'll see you soon."

Hanging up the phone, Dean walked over to his brother and told him about Bobby's near arrival. Sam and Dean began to discuss some of the facts from the case when Cora interrupted.

"So, how long are you guys staying here?"

"For a while." Cora stared at Sam in disbelief. "We need to make sure that you're safe."

"With all due respect, Sam, I can take care of myself," An amused smirk spread across Dean's face. "What? I can?"

"With all due respect," Dean said, mockingly, "I don't think you understand the situation here: there is a werewolf, and you are the next victim."

"Don't patronise me. I've looked after myself ever since I was 10 years old - I've had to deal with abusive arseholes as well as the odd monster, ghost or demon...so you can leave now: you're no longer needed." She smiled and gestured to the door with her eyes. Ignoring her, Dean sat next to Cora on the sofa, a bottle of beer in hand, and changed the current television programme.

After watching 2 hours worth of re-runs of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, the three heard a knock at the door:

"That'll be Bobby." Sam muttered to himself.

"Bobby, this is Cora." An average sized man, who appeared to be in his sixties, walked in to the cramped apartment. As Bobby turned to the girl Sam had gestured to, he stopped in his tracks.

"Boys, get away from her."

"What? Why?" Dean questioned, a concerned look plastered on his face.

"She's dead. She has been dead for 14 years." At that, Dean hastily rose from his seat and joined Sam on the opposite side of the room. Both men were confused to say the least, however Cora simply rolled her eyes at this entire event: "To be honest, I'm surprised you even remember me. But no, I'm not, nor have I ever been dead."

"Can someone please explain to us what in the hell is going on?" Dean interposed.

"Fine: I was on vacation in London - "

"When did you ever go to England?"

Glaring at Sam, Bobby replied: "Sit down and shut up." Abiding by Bobby's instructions, the brothers sat around the small dining table. "Now where was I? Right...I was on vacation in England and before I knew it, I was involved in a case about a nest of vampires - nasty things. Anyway, I knew Cora's family and I didn't realise that they were being targeted by one of the vampires. By the time I became conscious of this, it was too late; Cora's mother had been murdered, but I walked in on the vampire sucking the blood out of the child's wrists. After killing it, I called the paramedics but they wouldn't let me go with her. The last I heard about little Cora Jenkins, she was dead, so if you don't mind, lady, tell me who you are."

"I am 'little Cora Jenkins'."

"But thats not possible."

"Well, it is. And, anyway...how would you know? You're the one who left a dying girl alone in a hospital."

"Now hold on one darn minute..."

"You left me there," Cora got to her feet and started making her way towards Bobby, ignoring the sharp pain that was shooting up her left leg. She could feel the anger rise inside of her and the adrenaline of this circumstance wasn't helping, "You left me alone to die. I was 10 years old and had no family...did you know I was in a coma for a month because I had lost so much blood?" Cora was now a foot away from the man and was unaware of her audience getting more and more agitated. "The first person I saw when I woke up was a freaking social worker. All they wanted to do was sort out a family for me as soon as possible and make it seem as though nothing had happened; they were obviously oblivious to the fact that I have scars from where that bitch bit me. So thanks for nothing, Bobby."

"Hey!" Dean raised his hand to try and calm the situation, but failed dismally, "He did save your life, Cora. You should be more grateful. God, did your mom ever teach you manners?"

"Did yours?" Cora replied, arrogantly. She was fully aware of their mother's death, however she felt slightly betrayed by Dean's flamboyance; Bobby had informed the two brothers, during his story, that Cora's mother had been killed, yet he completely ignored that significant detail.

"Listen, you bitch," Dean had pinned Cora by the throat, against the wall, "Don't you ever talk about my mom like that, again. D'you understand?"

Struggling to breath, Cora managed to form a response: "Honey, you're hardly one to talk."

"Dean, let go of her now." Sam tried to force his brother to release his grip from round Cora's neck but Dean just stared at her with such disgust. Letting go, he walked over to the window in an attempt to calm himself down.

"I want all of you out of here now."

"Cora, we can't leave you on your own." Sam tried to reason with her but her stubborness was turned up a notch.

"I won't tell you again: get out, now. And I want you to leave completely - no stake outs."

"I'm sorry, but at least one of us needs to stay with you."

"Sam, what do you not understand about 'no'? I don't want any of you here. Like I said: I can take care of myself. I don't need babysitting."

"Look here, Missy, you need someone here to supervise you." Bobby intervened. "I understand that I'm not in your good books and I probably won't ever be, but you need one of the boys to look after you. They can protect you if the werewolf tries to get in here."

"No offense, but this isn't some Disney story; I'm not some damsel in distress. Honestly, you people need to get this through your thick skulls: I don't need saving."