Torn between two (A supernatural fan fiction)

Chapter 20: Burlington

I get off the bus in Burlington, Vermont. The familiar old concrete stones bringing back memories of living here with Rick. I walk towards Mrs. Carmichael's house, the one he bought for her after he made his first million. The wind blows cold against my face and I wrap the leather jacket I took from one of the brother's bags closer to my body. I get to her house and knock on the door. It's closed but when I try to open it after waiting for several minutes it's open. I knew it would be, since this is a small town and people usually leave their doors unlocked, unafraid of the world outside. "Mrs. Carmichael?" I call into the immaculately clean house. "Erin!?" I yell louder, starting to get worried. I wander from room to room wondering were she could be. I check the garage and see her car, the purse still by the door with her keys next to them. "Erin!?" I call louder as I slowly walk up the stairs. I go straight to the master and find the room in a bit of disarray. "Shit." I rummage through the things on the floor, trying hard not to think about what happened here. My stomach knots even further though, knowing this was Rick. He must've had her phone tapped or something and heard me call her. I shouldn't have called her, I should've stayed out of it. I plop down onto her bed and put my hands between my head feeling disappointment in myself. I'm not sure how long I sit there for but the sound of the front door opening and closing jolts me out of my selfish thoughts and back to reality. If Rick is back here now then I can't be seen. I run towards her closet and shut myself in. I stay close to the door, peaking through the little vents and listening as a voice draws closer to me.

"Yes, I've tried her old number. Alright, alright, yes I will let you know if I hear from her. Goodbye son." She hangs up.

I open the door to her room and startle her "Erin! You're alright!" I rush to give her a hug. She slowly accepts it once getting over the shock of me being in her house. "What happened, is everything alright?" I ask her, looking her over to see if something was wrong.

"I'm fine dear, what are you doing here?" She asks me, concerned.

I look at her with wide eyes "well after the way you hung up on me, I was worried. You weren't answering my calls either, I had to make sure you were okay." I explain.

She smile sweetly in return "I'm fine dear, Rick came over to check on me and I was worried he would learn who I was talking too, I know you are hiding from him." She tells me.

I sigh, wishing she wasn't so aware of her son's dark side "I'm not hiding, I'm just protecting myself." I tell her.

She nods "I understand dear, but I will say in his defense, he's doing a lot better now." I go to say something in return but she holds up a finger "I know it doesn't change the past but he is trying, he's in anger management classes, you know?" She tells me.

I shake my head "I didn't know that. That's great." I lie, not really caring about the classes. He's an evil man through his bones to his soul, no type of therapy can change that.

She reads me like a book "I know what you're thinking, but you should see it for yourself. I'm going to grab lunch with him in a bit, if you'd like to come along." She offers the idea.

I don't even allow the thought of it to wrestle long "no, it's okay Erin. He can't know I'm here. I just wanted to make sure you were okay." I put my hand on her shoulder.

She smiles softly "I understand. Well, it was lovely to see you again Emma, please take care of yourself." She leans in for another hug and I hug her in return. I go to leave and as I get to her bedroom door she calls over "there's something for you on the kitchen counter!"

I look over my shoulder at her but she isn't looking at me. I continue my way down the stairs and to her kitchen. I find an envelope on the counter and quickly open it. Inside is an invitation for a benefit honoring the children. I smile to myself, knowing she gave this to me for one reason. Richard Roman will be at this benefit, and she just gave me her ticket. I slip it into my bag and leave her house. I quickly walk a few blocks away to the Vermont Inn and get a room. Once inside, I dial Dean's number "Where the hell are you Emma?!" He yells into the phone as he answers.

"How'd you know it was me?" I ask him, dialing from the motel's phone.

"Damn it Emma, where are you?" He asks again, his voice stressed.

I smile, happy he can't see it "I'm fine Dean, really. And I got something!" I finally get it out.

"What do you mean, you got something? How?" He asks instead of what.

I roll my eyes "There's a benefit happening in New York on Saturday. My source told me that Richard Roman is going to be there."

"Your source?" He questions.

"Yeah, my source. I got an invitation to the event, this way you can get up close and personal to him!" I explain.

I can hear his sigh through the phone and wonder why he's not happier then I am. "Where are you Emma?" He asks again.

This time I answer him, his tone eager to know "I'm in Burlington, Vermont. At the Inn." I simply say.

"We're coming, stay there." He directs and hangs up the phone. I hang up as well, my brain racing with what he could be so bummed about. I was able to get information on Richard Roman faster then they could and he's not as excited as I thought he would be. I curse myself for calling him and not Sam, knowing he would have been the reasonable one to talk to. I place the phone down back into the cradle and take a hot bath, knowing how long it would take them to get here.