Stevie stood in front of her mirror with her right hand clutching her side, fingers grounding themselves with the feeling of her bandages wrapped tightly around her ribs.
"Christ." She allowed her eyes to slip shut; she'd planned to say more to divert the pain, but she cut herself off with a hiss of a breath. Stevie had abandoned that hospital with a dislocated shoulder, which she was very aware of, and had still pulled off the sling holding it in place. She refused the support given to her and gritted her teeth, her eyelids scrunching up more as she just stood, breathing. The skin of her shoulder had blackened from the dislocation and a yellow ring outlined it like a highlighter pen had ran over her skin. When it happened, Stevie hadn't seemed to notice. Honestly, she would've popped it back into place herself if she'd been given the time but she was violently clawed in the face the moment after it happened.
She sighed. Her entire body was uncomfortable. It didn't make her want to cry, it wasn't an agony that made her scream from its existence; everything just hurt and it was uncomfortable to be awake. She could wholeheartedly admit, she'd probably been in worse shape in her life. In her first life? Stephanie sighed again with a roll of her eyes. She plucked up the courage to pull at the loose black vest still dangling from the hanger she put it on. She'd done that a year ago, before her death, and she'd been glaring at it while she spent all this time pulling herself together. Eventually, she ripped it from the hanger and slid it quickly over her head. The material fell over her stomach with a satisfying comfort that wasn't provided from her hospital gown. It didn't cling to her body, it hung loose, allowing there to be no unneeded pressure against her bones and the sigh that followed after putting it on was half in content. The other half was in aid to release pain, the movement was not thanked by her body and she hissed when she jerked it down over her skin. Stevie dressed herself in a pair of dark, maroon-ish jeans and slid her feet into the battered worn boots Bobby had kept at the door all this time. Boots side-by-side waiting to be used. Even though she had died with them on her feet, he still hadn't let them go, she thought about his excuse for not throwing them away, but she already knew his reasons: they were hers.
A groan reluctantly fell out her throat when she opened her eyes. She hadn't looked at herself properly in this time; she'd looked at her body like it was somebody else's but now she allowed herself to accept it was a reflection and squinted into the mirror. There were dark strands around her face, falling disorderly about her shoulder. Stevie had made an effort to improve any part of her she could, she'd brushed out the blood and knots in her hair, attempted to shower but could only half-step into the room. She added the make-up that had been left messily on the bathroom counter from her last use to cover the parts it could, and hoped that when she opened her eyes again she didn't resemble how she felt: like complete shit.
The brown of her hair made no cooperation in her struggle, it seemed to amplify her atrocities. He eyes looked darker in this light, the bags beneath them blacker and larger than she'd thought they were. She followed the bruises that danced in the space between her eyelid and eyebrow and she scowled, she couldn't recall when that was put there. She lifted her finger to it, prodding it lightly and she hissed again. "God." Stevie grimaced, shivering with a sigh. She looked completely and utterly battered, and her efforts were painful and useless and she wished she could believe an, 'it could be worse' if one was thrown her way. But from the face that was staring glumly back at her, she really didn't think it could.
What a way to make a return, she thought, but she eyed herself sceptically once more in search of a positive and happily, she plodded out the bathroom. No blood, at least. "How're my boys?"
Stephanie introduced herself as her feet pounded down the wooden stairs. She waltzed in to the kitchen with a genuine effort she hoped she was concealing.
"I think that's actually what we should be asking you." Sam smiled gently, lifting his beer upwards as a greeting while Dean just turned with the expectancy of seeing no one. But his eyes found her figure, sauntering in to the space he was in and he never let his eyes move from her once they captured the brunette. Bobby on the other hand, placed his hand on his face, as if rubbing his beard but forgot to move it. He was hiding the smirk spreading across his lips; that was her: Stephanie Cale.
"If you ask me once more Sammy, I swear I will genuinely break both your legs." Bobby barked a laugh, her words sickly sweet.
"It is you then, eh? Feels like I've lost another bet." He walked forward in big, heavy footsteps and wrapped the girl up in an uncharacteristic and bear-like hug. Stephenie squeezed him tightly, ignoring the way her muscles protested with a fiery pain, and burrowed her head deeply into the old man's chest. He smelt like ash and smoke and oil, warm and rough and loving. He smelt like books and wax and soil and coffee; he smelt like home. When she pulled away and Bobby took a step back, staring at her with some whimsical disbelief hidden by his facial hair, Stevie jumped up and on the kitchen counter, her eyes returning to Sammy and a grin plastering her face. Her arms shook when she'd lifted herself up, much too thin now and no muscle to help her, but then she turned to face the oldest hunter and Dean forgot he was thinking about that. He saw Sam with his hands defensively in the air, and followed her stare ending at his brother watching the intensity they exchanged between them.
"Food." Stevie spun suddenly, tearing herself away from the other Winchester lifting her legs to spin herself on the counter top. Coming back to face the two brothers and pouting, "Before we go, I want food." Sam nodded, while Dean dropped his eyes, inwardly cursing himself when his tongue fell over his words.
"Y-y'know" he scanned her fragile state over quickly, "You don't have to do this, if you're not ready, you don't have to. You should be in bed, you shouldn't even be down here."
"Demons don't wait Dean." Stephanie said before he'd finished his sentence in an empty tone. But then the life was back in her words and she smiled with a little mischief, "and, I want to. Teach those little shi-"
"Food it is." Sam interrupted, placing his bottle down and reaching out to his right, grabbing for his coat.
"Are you sure you're okay doing this?" Dean caught the brunette's arm when Sam was out of earshot, grimacing at the feel of his hand being able to wrap around her forearm and feel the bone underneath. He looked up, searching the hazel of her eyes he expected to be white and empty from death. They weren't, so he tried to push every word he said into them, making her listen.
"Yes" Sincerity didn't calm the Hunter but reluctantly, Dean released his grip, pulling the duffel bag he'd dropped at his side over his shoulder. The Goodbye's to Bobby lasted longer than they usual did, but they were indeed appropriate. The circumstances weren't exactly ordinary today, so they made sure to make the most of it.
"I've never been happier to smell calories." Was the first thing Sam heard when the brunette popped up beside him, hearing her dramatic inhale of the air around them. An equally dramatic 'ah' as they pushed through the doors. Sam scrunched up his face at the smell of grease and fryer oil being propelled out of the fans in the walls, but couldn't help chuckle a little as his older brother joined her side.
"I don't," Sam paused, opening the second glass door they passed to get into the diner. The other two walked through before him, "I don't think that's normal." Stevie scoffed, guiding the pair to a booth she easily could slide into, she wanted to lean against the window and the decision pleased her when she felt the glass cold and harsh against her back. It soothes her wounds in a way, her body felt like it was on fire.
"I haven't eaten in a year, Sammy." The Winchester nodded, seating himself opposite his brother and the female.
"Jesus Sammy, Give the girl a break." Dean's words made Sam lift a menu to his face, pouting when he was ganged-up on by the pair and with a shrug, he hid his smirk from their behaviour - he supposed they had fair a point.
"What can I get you?" The waitress was a slim woman with blonde hair pulled into a tight ponytail at the very top of her head. Stevie tried to ignore the internal groan she felt as her eyes fell to the young women, she hadn't missed seventeen year old waitresses with an attitude, she still wanted to shove it right up their ass- "Do you want more time or..?"
Dean picked up the menu, finding somewhere the ability to stop his not-very-discrete gaze on the Hunter beside him to order a burger, the usual when he craved food but couldn't think. He was always very pleased by a good burger, especially when he made it a large.
"Can I have the meat platter-" She paused, pointing to the dish she meant for the waitress who had her nose turned up at the brunette.
"Um-"
Stevie overspoke the waitress, wafting her hand, "Large fries, a small cheese burger and....whatever the Hell that 'House Milkshake' is-" She grinned and kept her gaze with the blonde, dismissing both the Winchester's open-mouthed stares. "It sounds wonderful."
"It sounds fattening." The teenager muttered, wrinkling her nose at the female and offering a smile at Sam. Stevie wondered if she'd seen him do the same before and thought this would work in getting his attention. The woman tilted her head upwards a little as she wrote it all down, still scowling at the brunette beneath her eyelashes. The woman felt slightly sick at her order, knowing how much she'd be giving her. Stevie looked back down at the menu and flashed the girl a sly grin, her voice suddenly much too sweet for their Hunter. "You know what," Stevie added, turning the menu to the blonde, "I'll have the ribs, too." The waitress hesitated, using her pen to point at the Hunter with slight disgust, "You know that the platter's already for like, five people-"
"Just bring me the food."