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

The Third Man

In the apartment, I walked into the room to see Dean using a door frame as a pull up bar, shirtless.

Dean saw me, letting himself land on the floor. "Hey."

"Hey to you, too," I told him. "But please don't stop on my account."

Dean laughed. "I'm done."

"So, you're serious about all of this?" I asked. "Hunting with Sam, coming back to at least a half-way home."

Dean stepped closer. "Half-way home? What are you talking about? This is literally the only home I've had."

Dean stopped within inches of me.

I smiled a small smile. "And you're not leaving it behind. You're just... taking a lot of hunting trips."

"And you're sure you don't mind?" Dean asked.

"Of course not," I answered. "It's my idea, and it was my life before I gave it up for all of this. Who says that you can't do it, too?"

"How did I end up with such a cool chick?" Dean asked.

I smiled teasingly. "I just have really low standards."

Dean mocked offense, kissing me lightly. After a moment of gazes meeting, he pushed a few strands of hair back out of my face, the kiss turning long and passionate. His phone rang.

I pulled away, half-way pouty.

Dean smiled at the reaction, pulling out his phone, seeing it was Sam calling, answering. "Hey. I thought you were heading out to the Campbell Base. What are you doing in Pennsylvania? A case? When? It's been, like, a day and a half. Apparently." He looked at his phone. "Who died and made you boss?" I chuckled. Dean hang up, putting his phone away, looking at me. "Apparently Sam needs more than just my help this time."

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"Sam has no idea what is happening to the vics in the job his working on," Dean told me. "He thought that you would've seen or at least heard something about it. I mean, you wouldn't technically be hunting. Just, uh... giving some well-needed advice. That very well could turn into hunting."

I didn't even have to think about it. "I'm in."

Dean didn't seem surprised, chuckling.

~~~~~

Dean and I drove up to the police station where Sam was waiting outside his Charger, all of us in suits.

Sam looked at me, smirking. "Look at you. Getting back in just as easily as Dean has."

"I'm not getting back in... technically," I told them. "I'm just..." I looked at Dean, using his words. "Giving some well-needed advice." Sam smirked. "Now, what was so important that you told Dean to drag my ass out here?"

Sam nodded to the building, leading the way.

Dean and I followed.

Dean looked at Sam's Charger. "See you're still driving the plastic piece of crap."

Sam pointed at the Impala. "What's the mileage on your car, again?"

"Shut up," Dean told him.

I smirked.

Sam led us inside, down to the morgue. "Officer Gerald Hatch, 17-year veteran, found dead in the ready room three days ago."

Dean read the file. "Whoa. Somebody over-hydrated."

Sam chuckled. "Basically, yeah. The guy just... liquefied. Most of the meat, bones, dense tissues. They just turned to blood."

"Okay, I don't get it," I told him.