Author's Chapter Notes:
A/N: Spoilers for Skin in Season One, plus Spoilers for Season Two Crossroad Blues which is the idea I used to write this fic to begin with. Also, I am NOT anti Christian I am in fact a believer but as far as what happened on the so called retreat keep in mind we all make stupid, sometimes life changing mistakes so this is just an example of an extreme point of misjudgment for those involved. More will be revealed as the story goes along. Thanks.
An added note: Amber has never met her father.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
She stood up and behind her chair with tears in her eyes.
“You live in my home and I love you, please tell me that what I believe about you is true.”
Dean tried to hold her, but she pushed him away to stand in front of him with her arms crossed. Oops, did she say what I thought she did?
“Tell me the truth, please.”
“First I have a question.”
“Okay,” she said as she held her stance though she seemed to be weakening a bit as her chin went down.
“Do you think I could hurt those women?”
She shook her head before he completed the question as her hands went to her sides.
Ari nodded. She wanted to believe him, but was hesitant. She looked in his eyes and couldn’t stop the tears this time. He wasn’t the monster that killed those women she was sure of it even before she asked him. But she had needed to hear what he had to say.
“Come here,” he requested.
He motioned for her to sit in his lap.
“Thank you for believing in me. I think I am falling for you too and I have never in my life killed another human being.”
He hadn’t mean to say it, it just slipped out. Boy, why did I go and say that? Though he meant it just wasn’t something he wanted to declare so soon. Last time he had said he loved a woman it had been Cassie, that had not worked out well at all. Besides, what did he know of love? He had no experience except for what his mother had shown him as a little boy. His father’s brand of love had meant taking his orders and not asking questions. Not that John Winchester had been a tyrant, but he had been a man obsessed with his dead wife. Was love obsession? Or was it passion? He knew Sammy had loved Jessica but that had turned out bad too. Was he putting Ari in harms way by being involved with her? What about Amber? What had he done? He took a deep breath, and then realized she was talking to him.
“Then explain the article. Who is this Dean Winchester?”
“If you’ll seat down I will tell you what happened, please.”
She sat down and looked up at him like a lost little girl that wanted to believe that Santa Claus existed. He held her as she looked in his eyes. He had no desire to lie to her though the truth was a strange tale to tell. He took another deep breath and told her about St. Louis. The man was a shape shifter who changed himself to look like him. At first the thing would turn into the woman’s husband or boyfriend to get in the home then at some point he decided to change into him. He went on to tell her that at one point he had been arrested because of this shifter and when they told them the truth of the matter, of course, no one had believed them. There was only one detective out there who knew that they had told the truth, she was the one who helped them escape when they had been arrested because of what happened in St. Louis.
“Can you believe I went to the funeral, no one saw us there but it was weird.”
“What?”
“Yeah, I mean how many times can you go to your own funeral, I know its morbid, but my curiosity got the best of me.”
“So you are legally dead?”
“Yes, I was going to mention that next.”
Ari shook her head before she kissed him, long and hard on the mouth, but she had to laugh. How could she not love this man? He was like a lost little boy at times when he wasn’t arrogant. She could only imagine not having a mother as a child. They heard a noise then turned around to see Amber in the doorway. Ari got up to get water from the refrigerator and prepared Amber a glass of milk.
Amber stood by the door to look at Dean a moment before she stood by his leg. Dean patted his knee and she climbed up into his lap effectively taking Ari’s place. Ari smiled from the sink.
“So are you Mommy’s boyfriend now?”
She had obviously seen the kiss. He smiled before he nodded. She looked small and lost in his lap. He hugged before she got down to go drink her milk. He was the first man besides her father, who she had seen with her mother, though her father did not know where they lived now because he had not been a consistent part of the little girl’s life.
“Yes,” he said as he smiled at Ari.
“Good,” she said with a grin as she finished her drink.
“I’ll be right back,” Ari said as she took Amber back to her room when she was finished.
Ari watched him from the door when she came back to the kitchen. He sat comfortably in the kitchen chair as he drank the beer he had originally came in the room to get.
“So, how do you and Sam fund your quest for vengeance?” Dean almost choked on his beer.
Ari was more like Cassie than he gave her credit for at times. She did not hesitate to ask the hard questions.
“Um, lets just say its not the most legal of ways to get money, but it works.’
She sat in his lap again as she played with his hair.
“Oh something like credit card fraud? I mean you are dead,” she stated with a small smile.
He nodded, he wasn’t quite sure were this line of questioning would take them so he decided to divert it.
“So who sent the info about us? Should we be leaving in case the cops show up?’
He asked as he looked in her eyes. How had she pulled him in so close to her so easily?
She lowered her eyes a second later.
“I actually mailed that to myself from work, I needed time to think about it.”
“What?” he said as he struggled to get up as he removed her from his lap.
She stood in front of him so he could not go around her without knocking her over.
He seemed to have hard time breathing though he should have been relieved that someone else had not found out about him.
“I erased the info on the computer at work, I have not dated in so long I ……was kind of checking you out.”
Dean walked away from her, down the hall into the bathroom.
He needed a moment to think. Ari on the other hand, followed him into the room and found him relieving himself.
“Privacy?’ he said as what had begun as a steady stream of urine changed to a trickle.
Ari covered her mouth as she giggled.
“Oops, are you shy?”
Dean smirked, as he shook his head.
“Can I pee in peace?’ he asked as he tried not to laugh.
The situation was funny he had to admit but she had to leave. She looked at him as he waited for her to exit. He waited another moment impatiently as she saw he made no move to continue before she left the room.
She waited outside the door, and surprised him when he came out.
“I have something to tell you,” she said as she took his hand and led him to the bedroom.
He leaned against the door once it was shut.
“Go ahead,” he said as she sat on the bed with her hands in her lap looking like Amber.
“I can fund your hunting if you like.”
She looked at him as various expressions played on his face. From curiosity, to uncertainty, to why are you saying this?
“Ari we don’t need….”
“Just listen okay,” she said as she patted the spot beside her.
He sat down as she told him what she meant by her statement.
Her grandfather, who was her mother’s father, used to be a big time Chicago investor. He not only had stocks and bonds worth thousands but his home was a mansion and no one had lived there since he died as a widower. When he died half of his estate had gone to Ari the rest to Ann. That alone was enough to fund a small country she laughed. Now that her mother had passed away she also had received that share.
“I only moved to this small Podunk town to stay with mom. We both knew she was ill and I thought it would be good for us to all be together as a family. She loved small town living more than I ever have. Now that she is gone I want some of the money to be used for something that benefits others.”
Dean looked at her, she really meant what she had said. It was in her eyes that look of concern and humility that he saw only rarely in his dealings.
“You don’t have to do this,” he said as he touched her face.
“I want to. Dean what you and your brother do is a service. You should not have to do anything illegal to help others. I mean even Robin Hood had allies,” she said with a smile.
How had he been so lucky? There is no way he could turn down the offer though he would need to talk so Sam. He kissed her as he pushed her on the bed. Maybe she will go with us since she has no real ties.
The next morning he shared Ari’s revelation with Sam after Ari left to take Amber to pre-school and gone to work.
“So what does she want in return?” Sam asked with suspicion in his voice.
“Return?”
“I mean is she going to give us a blank check?”
Dean shook his head, why wasn’t Sam getting it?
“Sam have you met Ari?”
“Yeah and I know you like her, but remember what happens to women in our lives, Dean.”
Dean took a deep breath. This would not be the moment he shared what Ari had said about loving him.
“I want her to come with us, Sam. We can protect her that way.”
It was time for Sam to shake his head.
“I would consider it if she did not have a kid, Dean. What about Amber?”
“Amber needs protection too.”
“Well I agree that we cannot stay here much longer. I’m going over to Chicago to check out that last contact later. I think Paris said she would ride with me if you want to stay here.”
“Paris?”
“Yes, I am going to go over some things with her as we drive.”
“You are staying the night?’ Dean smirked.
“Yeah, but, gutter mind I can spend time with someone unlike you and not have sex,” Sam said as he smacked Dean on the head.
“We will see, Sammy.”
“It’s Sam.”
***
Once they got to Jarvis Johnson’s house Sam made sure that Paris knew he had to do all the talking. He had not given her many details on this new case because it was personal to Ari. He didn’t feel it was right to share too much consider the situation and the things they already had learned. They sat on the sofa in the living room of the two story ranch house as Mr. Jarvis gave his version of the events at he “retreat.”
He insisted that the intention had been to get away for a weekend with a few close friends that were pastors and a couple of worship leaders. They had begun by having bible study and chatting about the various congregations. After dinner, the first night they played a few hands of Spades before someone teasingly asked about strip poker. He did not recall who had suggested it but they had all just laughed. He never took the idea seriously he had actually gone off to his room and gone to bed. The next day when he woke up he thought the mood was different. Things were more playful. There was a pool at he hotel and some had gone swimming but a few, including him had taken a hike. There was a wooded area not far from the hotel where the shuttle could drop you off and pick you up. It had been touted a great place to enjoy nature he added with a grim face.
They found some caves that seemed off the beaten path. He followed several of men inside to where one of the women had stopped. In front of them was a large boulder that looked as though it could serve as an altar. There were carvings on the wall and what he believed to be a dead animal lying on the floor in front of the slab. He was overtaken and turned to throw up. Some of the others wandered around to the other side of the altar and found large ornate carving knives and what they believed was an old skull.
“I had no interest on those things so I left to go back to the original trail,” he said with a sigh.
“Mr. Johnson, we were told that there was a ritual at some point during this time. Are you aware of any details about that?”
He shook his head but his eyes betrayed him.
“I know this is personal, but we are trying to help someone who could be affected by what happened all those years ago.”
The older man stood up with fire in his eyes.
“You should leave. I have told you more than I should have.”
“Please…” Sam pleaded.
“I’m sorry that is all I can say,” he insisted as he walked them to the door.
“Well, thanks for seeing us,” Sam said.
“That was intense,” Paris said as they got in the car.
“Yeah it can be that way.”
He was distracted and did not see the expression on his passenger’s face. Everyone that has spoken too referred to a ritual. He knew by getting this people to talk they were putting them in danger. He wanted to limit that danger; they drove around a few times as he watched Mr. Johnson’s house. Should they stay in case something happened? How would they know outside? He had been glad to hear from Mr. Harris that he had not gone back to his room that day. But what if the man had been right, just because he was saved that day it did not dictate they he wouldn’t die a similar death the next day. If Sam really thought about it, it would only make him wonder if they were doing any good at all. No, he knew the people they helped appreciated them.
“Earth to Sam,” Paris said.
“Sorry, I guess we better get to the hotel and check in,” he said.
His drive with Paris had not been what he had expected. She talked a lot and reminded him a young girl. Her voice had gotten to him after the first few miles because of it nasal quality. He smiled and grinned as he gave her tips and hints as answers to her endless questions. Something about her did not seat right with him, she seemed different then the times they had talked on the phone and when he had seen her at her parent’s house. He couldn’t put his finger on it. He was glad he had booked two rooms for the night, originally he had considered that they might only use one.
Unfortunately, Paris showed up at his room after they checked in and said their good nights.
“Hey, I really need to get some rest,” Sam insisted as she stood at his door in her robe.
Her room was two doors down, “I had hoped we could talk a bit,” she said with a grin.
Sam was beyond disinterested but he decided to be nice as he let her in the room. He turned around to see she had dropped her robe and she stood naked before him.
“Sam, are you going to turn me down?”
Sam blinked as something flashed behind her eyes. What was going on? He pretended to not see the thing as he edged toward his bag. He needed to get rid of whatever it was without hurting her. Damn it.
“I’m sorry I am just tired,” he said as he pulled her hands behind her back as he kissed her with the hopes she would be lost in that moment long enough for him to tie her with something. He kept his eyes open as he saw his belt on the chair. He practically dragged her to the bed by the arm as the kiss continued. He hogged tied her hands with the belt a second later.
He grabbed the duct tape out of the bag to cover her mouth. He needed to think.
“I’m sorry, Paris, I know you are in there, give me a minute.”
He could exorcise it but he needed somewhere for it to go. She squirmed on the bed and almost fell off. She had opened her self up to this by getting involved in things she had little knowledge of. He shook his head as he looked at her.
“This is why amateurs should not get involved in these matters,” he said more to himself then her.
He helped her back on the bed before he covered her with the robe. If they had not been on the second floor he may have been able to walk her outside to the wooded area so no one would be the next victim. Instead he made sure the outside was clear of people before he freed her.
She came around after she was released from the hold of the demon that had inhabited her.
“Why am I here naked?” she asked as Sam sat beside her on the bed.
“Because you were playing with things you have little understanding about,” Sam scolded.
She put her head down.
“Paris, you could have been really hurt if I had not known what to do,” he said before he held her to his chest.
“I’m sorry,” she said as tears rolled down her cheeks.
He looked in her clear green eyes before he kissed her. His lips brushed softly against hers as she raked her fingers through his hair. This was the Paris that appealed to him.
“Sam?”
“You’re okay now,” he said as he pushed her on the bed and put his lips to her neck.
Maybe Dean was right, a little nookie might not be so bad.
TBC