"Hey." Sam appeared in the doorway to the bathroom when I was almost done with redying my hair brown. "How ya feeling?"
"Dean wasn't going to let me go without telling him, was he?" I asked.
"No, he tends to get stuck on things." Sam leaned against the door jamb.
"Has Bee stopped crying?" I asked.
"She has. She went back upstairs. Dean said she's sleeping," Sam said.
"Can you help me get the back of my head? I have some gloves for you. I just can't reach it and don't want it to come out splotchy," I said.
Sam took the gloves and stepped behind me with the bowl of dye and brush. "Are you going to answer my question or just keep asking your own?"
I swallowed hard. I hoped he hadn't noticed. "I'm still pretty upset. Reliving those memories is tough. I wish Bee hadn't said anything."
"As much as you hate hearing it, Dean does care about you." Sam swiped the cool dye across the back of my head. "I think Bianca freaked him out."
"They can't understand what it feels like," I said.
"What went through your head the first time it happened?" Sam asked.
"I thought I'd lost it." I tilted my head down so Sam could get a better angle at the area near my neck. "We were trying to get details from a victim's family when I started hearing things that she wasn't saying. I tried to forget about it, but it just kept happening."
"I had pain with my first vision. It still takes a lot of energy out of me and leaves a bad feeling in my gut," Sam said. "I'd rather have your power."
"No, you don't," I muttered. "Sometimes, people's thoughts should stay private."
Sam put down the dye bowl and brush. "I suppose none of the demon's 'gifts' come without a price."
"Thanks for helping." I jumped onto the counter and checked my watch. "I have to let this marinate. And, I don't really want to go back out there."
"Dean feels bad about what he did." Sam took the gloves off and threw them away.
"He should." I took my gloves off as well.
Sam placed his hands on either side of my hips and leaned on the counter, giving me a severe look. "I'm not saying I agree with how he handled things, because I don't. But, I think you need to let some of this hostility go. It's not going to get us anywhere. I know you're upset with Bianca, but everyone here just cares about you, as much as you hate hearing that."
I met his eyes. Quit being stubborn. I narrowed my eyes as a smile spread across my lips. "I heard that."
"That's why I thought it." Sam grinned. He shifted away from me and knelt down. "How's your ankle?"
"Sore. Ah. Why are you messing with it?" I leaned over to look at what he was doing.
"I just wanted to look at the swelling and bruising." Sam retightened the brace.
"Still purple and puffy?" I asked.
"Yep." Sam stood up and twisted me so my legs were on the counter. "You should be elevating it as much as possible. I'll go grab you some more ice, too."
"My hero," I called after him.
"Shut up." I could practically hear his eyes rolling.
After my hair processed, I rinsed it out in the tub. When I looked in the mirror, I felt like me again. With a deep breath, I crutched out into the living room. Dean was still sitting out there. Sam had joined him on the couch researching his laptop. He looked up as I appeared.
"Melanie, I'm so sorry—"
"I forgive you. I understand why you did it." I crutched closer to him. "Bianca is a loving woman, but she's not going to wait around forever."
Redness rose to Dean's cheeks. "What are you insinuating?"
"Come on, Dean. I see the way you look at her when you think no one is watching...Plus I can read your mind." I sat down between the boys and whispered to Dean, "I know you like her."
"Like you don't like Sam," Dean said.
Sam casually draped an arm around me without looking up. I cuddled up next to him with goosebumps lighting across my skin. "You were saying?"
"When did this happen?" Dean asked.
"When you were asleep," Sam said.
Dean's face took a disgusted form. "You didn't..."
"No, we didn't. The couch is safe," I said. "For now."
"Did you find anything yet?" Dean asked, clearly ready to be done with this conversation.
"Yeah, this Baltimore lawyer was found with his throat slit," Sam said. I looked at his computer
Dean shrugged. "He lost a big case and someone got mad."
"There were no fingerprints, the room was clean, and no other DNA was left behind." I scanned the rest of the article.
"The security cameras also failed to catch anything," Sam said.
"Now, that sounds like a case," Dean said.
"Did I hear you say we have a case?" Bee appeared from the door to the stairs.
"Just in time. Pack up. I'll fill you in on the way," Dean said.
Bee turned to leave then quickly turned back. "Wait a damn minute." She walked over to where Sam and I sat. "When were you going to tell me about this?"
My cheeks burned. "When you woke up. Surprise."
"You're so lucky I'm leaving. When I get back, it's interrogation time, Winchester." Bee shot Sam a look. I giggled.
Bee vanished upstairs with Dean hot on her heels.
"Should I be concerned?" Sam asked.
"No, she's all bark," I said. "She'll probably also forget by the time they get back."
"I hope so," Sam said.
In a few short minutes, the other two appeared in the living room. Bobby also came out of his study to wish them goodbye. I nudged Bee and nodded to the kitchen. She followed me.
As soon as we stopped walking, I hugged her rather awkwardly in an attempt to keep my crutches upright. "I'm sorry I was such a jerk. I should've never said that to you after what I put you through. You had every right to tell Dean. I appreciate that you let me tell the story."
Bee squeezed me tight. "It's water under the bridge. I think we just need some time apart. We haven't gotten a break in so long."
"But you're coming back whole, right?" I asked.
"Duh, they can't catch me." Bee grinned as she released me.
"I love you, sis," I said.
"Love you too, sis," Bee said.
"So, I guess the saying is wrong," Dean said as the guys joined us in the kitchen.
"What saying?" Sam asked.
"Blondes have more fun." I rolled my eyes. "We all know blonde wasn't my color."
"Yeah, now your eyebrows look normal." Dean ruffled my hair.
I jabbed him in the side. "Too bad hair dye can't fix your problems."
"Brutal." Bee walked around him as he clutched his ribs. She waved to Bobby and Sam before she exited the house.
"That was a good punch. Sure you need a break?" Dean asked.
"Bee will leave you," I said.
"How? I have the keys," Dean said.
I crutched into the living room. "I wouldn't be sure about that."
Dean patted all his pockets. The Impala roared to life outside. "Son of a bitch."
"Be safe!" I hollered as he sprinted out the door.
"You didn't bring her into the kitchen just to find a way to piss off Dean, did you?" Sam asked.
I sank down onto the couch. "No, I apologized to her. The keys were his fault. We used pickpocket scumbags all the time with that little trick. Bee saw an opportunity and took it."
Sam shook his head as he joined me. "You two are pretty devious."
"Hey, stay on our good side and you'll be safe," I said.
Sam rested his arm around me again. "Is this okay?"
I saw the goosebumps on his skin, too. "Yeah, it calms down after a while."
Bobby walked back to his study. As he passed us, I caught a little grin on his face.
"What are we going to do without those two here for entertainment?" I asked.
"I have an idea," Sam said almost too happily.
"Listen, neither one of us is in any condition to be doing anything. Plus, Bobby is just in the other room, and I don't think it's a good—"
"Have you ever played chess?" Sam asked.
"Oh, no, my dad tried to teach me when I was young, but we lost some of the pieces," I said.
Sam got up and pulled the coffee table closer to the couch. Then he disappeared up the stairs. When he came back, he had a decent-sized wooden box in his hands. He opened it to reveal rather cheap plastic chess pieces and then flipped it over. On the other side was a chessboard.
"Want to learn?" Sam asked.
"Sure." I leaned forward.
"One stipulation." Sam held up a finger. "You have to keep your leg elevated while we play."
"Yes, nurse Sammy." I lifted my leg off to the side.
Sam sat on the other side of the coffee table, picked up one of the small pieces, and began explaining how the game was played.
~
A/N: Photo is our beautiful leading lady, Mel, happy to be back to brunette.