Written by: gooberlanes13

Edited by: KariGorsuch

"Why are we awake?" Bri yawned, rolling out of bed and rubbing her eyes. "I was actually sleeping for once..."

"...I just fell asleep." I muttered, tossing on a light jacket as I passed one to her. "But we've got stuff to do, I guess."

We both shuffled down the stairs, heading into the office where Sam was still snoring on the couch.

After about ten minutes of brewing, I handed Bri a mug of tea and grabbed a cup of coffee for myself, sitting at the table with her.

Bobby stomped into the room, newspaper in hand, and whacked Sam on the stomach. Sam bolted upright, eyes wide, and I couldn't help but jump too. "Morning," I said, snickering quietly. "Coffee's on."

Sam grunted in acknowledgement, stretching before moving like a zombie into the kitchen.

There were footsteps from upstairs, followed by low voices, and soon Bobby reappeared with Dean in tow. I glanced up, my eyes going wide as I took in Dean's bare chest. Bri, ever the blunt one, held her mug up to her face, hiding her amused grin.

"Morning, Dean," Bri chimed, eyes twinkling.

Dean looked down at himself, shrugged, and gave me a small wink before heading into the kitchen for coffee. "What? It's early," he muttered, a grin tugging at his lips.

"Fuckin' A." Bri scoffed, her voice laced with disbelief, and I burst into laughter.

"How do you manage to look like that this early?" I asked through the giggles.

"I'm just that good," Dean shot back without missing a beat, getting his coffee.

I leaned my head on Bri's shoulder, savoring my coffee. Bobby picked up his own cup, took a sip, and getured for everyone to gather.

"Alright, bring those chairs in here, girls," Bobby said, waving us in. "You two can stand. We need to get a game plan together before we start fixing that car. We've got some things to talk about."

"That's fair," I said, lifting my head from Bri's shoulder and giving a small nod.

Bri stretched her arms before asking, "What are you thinking, Bobby?"

Bobby's face darkened, his brows furrowed as he scanned all of us. "Well, we need to address a few things before we jump into any more messes."

"So, you two weren't exactly part of the plan, but you are now..." Bobby nodded as Bri and I raised our mugs in acknowledgement, both of us still feeling the weight of exhaustion.

He held up the napkin with the address we'd gotten from Morrie's bar. "You two got what we needed- the address," he said, his tone less gruff but still serious.

I couldn't help but glance over at Dean, who was already watching me, eyes locked onto mine. As soon as our gazes met, he shot me a quick wink, and I felt my cheeks heat up involuntarily.

Bobby cleared his throat, breaking the moment. "Now, if we understand this correctly Brianna -"

"- Bri -" She corrected gently, her tone slightly playful.

"- Bri -" Bobby muttered, his voice tinged with mild frustration before continuing. "He's your Great Uncle, right?"

"I think so." Bri answered, tilting her head slightly. "Honestly, I'm not sure."

"If I'm understanding the boys right," Bobby pressed, "You two have no clue why Dean needed this?" Bobby held up the napkin again, his expression unwavering as he waited for a response. When silence greeted him, he pressed on. "Bri, you're related to one of the most unique Hunters in our world, and you're one of his last living relatives."

Bri nodded slowly, her eyes flicking nervously from Bobby to me. I glanced between them, unsure where this was heading.

"Did you know Brad was a Hunter?" Bobby asked, his voice now more serious. Bri shook her head slowly. "Then you didn't know he's the only Hunter that has had an encounter with Eve?"

I froze at the mention of my name, a sharp tension running through me. I knew he wasn't referring to me- at least, not directly- but the weight of that name stirred something in me. I kept my focus, but there was a knowing shadow that crept over me.

"Eve, as in...Adam and Eve?" Bri asked, her voice trembling slightly as she flicked her gaze from me to Bobby. "What?"

Bobby nodded gravely. "Your Uncle Brad had an encounter with Eve. He didn't know who she was at the time- thought he was just hunting like any other monster. But Eve, well, she had her own plans. He got her pregnant, had a kid, and only then did she reveal who she really was. She's Eve."

The room felt heavier as Bobby placed the napkin down on his desk, crossing his arms. He let the information sink in before continuing.

"So, this is the deal with Eve," he said, eyes now focused on Bri. Bri shifted uncomfortably in her seat, and I could feel the same unsettling tension in my stomach as I processed Bobby's words.

Dean and Sam exchange a glance, their usual confident demeanor slightly shaken by Bobby's words. Dean, who'd been leaning against my chair, took a slow sip of his coffee, his eyes never leaving me as if waiting for some reaction.

"So, if legend serves valid, Bri you're the only one that can take this Bitch down." Bobby explained, his voice heavy with the weight of the truth.

Bri looked stunned, her face a mixture of confusion and disbelief. I could see the wheels turning in her head as she tried to process everything Bobby was laying out.

"What does that have to do with Sam and Dean?" I asked, glancing at Bri, whose face told me she was still trying to process everything.

"Eve," Dean spoke up, his voice low as he moved to stand next to Bobby. His eyes briefly flickered toward me, making sure I was listening. "She wants to control everything. Heaven, Hell, Earth..."

"I had an unfortunate run-in with a Demon when I was a baby," Sam added, stepping in between us and Bobby. "That Demon, Azazel, murdered our Mother...gave me Demon blood. And he's the Demon our Father has been hunting ever since."

My jaw dropped as the gravity of Sam's words hit me. I glanced over at Dean, who was staring down athte ground, his posture tense. His gaze snapped back to mine, and I could feel the weight of his emotions- he hadn't spoken about this before.

"So, what does Eve want with you two?" Bri's voice brought me back into the conversation.

"Sammy has Demonic blood," Dean explained, his voice carrying a certain heaviness as he spoke. Bobby uncrossed his arms, slowly nodding as he watched both of us. "Which gives him abilities that only a select group have. But Eve can't make a move until she has all the pieces...and she's missing Sammy."

"So she's after you." I said quietly, my heart sinking as I looked at Sam, who dropped his gaze to the floor. Bri's wide-eyed expression was full of confusion, but I could see the fear in her eyes as well.

"Wow...okay, uh...what can this Eve do?" Bri asked, trying to shift the conversation.

"Well," Bobby began, leaning back against his desk. "Eve can pretty much do whatever she wants. She's got enough of her 'children' to the point where she's not confined to one place anymore-"

"- so she's walking Earth as we speak?" I cut in, feeling a shiver crawl up my spine. Bobby nodded grimly.

"Ew," Bri shivered, wrinkling her nose. "That's... creepy. Sorry..."

"...get used to that," Dean muttered, but Bobby shot him a sharp look, causing Dean to throw up his hands in mock surrender.

"Bri," Bobby sighed, his tone turning serious again as he rolled his eyes at Dean. "You're the last living relative of Eve, as far as we can tell. It's got to be a blood relative who takes this bitch out."

"Wh-what?" Bri's eyes went wide in shock, and she instinctively grabbed my knee for comfort. I flinched at her sudden grip. "Why?"

"You won't be alone." I immediately reassured, draping my arm around Bri's shoulders. "I'll be right there with you, every step of the way -"

"- Kind of." Dean interjected, cutting off my sentiment.

"What?" I raised my eyebrow, glancing back at the room.

"Sam, Dean and I have talked," Bobby sighed, shifting his gaze between Sam and Dean before looking over at us. "You'll be here for about a week before the Mustang is up and running again. Sam and Bri will go find Brad and figure out what we need to do to take this bitch down."

"What about me?" I piped up, frowning at Bri.

"You and I," Dean chimed in, "Have a possible Vamp infestation to take care of in Casper, Wyoming. Once you're healed, of course.It'll also be a good chance to train you two a bit more for this..."

I nodded softly, trying to process it all, but Bri sighed heavily beside me, her face mirroring the same internal struggle. Slowly, she started nodding, her resolve setting in the more she understood the weight of what was on her.

"Okay, let me get the Mustang up and running, we can take the 'Stang," Bri said, sitting up straight in her chair. "You two can take the Impala -"

"- obviously -" Dean muttered, sipping his coffee, earning a playful slap from me as he brushed past. "What?"

"This... this is alot to take in," I said, turning to the group.

"You two need to know this too." Sam spoke up, moving closer to Bri. "She can also appear as anyone...so we need -"

"- safe words!" Dean interrupted, causing the entire room to give him hard glares. He leaned against the counter, sipping his coffee, clearly embarrassed.

"Essentially." I shrugged, not wanting to completely leave Dean hanging.

"We can figure that out later," Bobby interjected before anyone could elaborate further. "For now, get yourselves awake, - and we need to get started on Mustang," he nodded toward Bri, who returned his nod. His gaze shifted to Eve. "We'll need to organize the office and research this stuff in Casper."

I mirrored Bobby's nod, understanding the urgency. As Bobby turned back to his desk to shift through papers, Bri and I exchanged a brief determined look.

"God, my back hurts..." groaned Sam, moving toward the kitchen to join Dean.

"..Mine too," Dean grumbled. "Maybe we would have slept better if we weren't alone!"

Bobby shot him a stern glare. "My house, my rules."

"So..." I smirked, tugging Bri's light jacket towards the entryway. As she followed, we both glanced over our shoulders to see both Dean and Sam watching us walk away before we disappeared out of the front door. Bobby began to reprimand them for checking us out deliberately in front of him. "...how's it going?" I teased.

We settled onto the front steps of the house, sipping on our respective mugs as the first rays of morning light began to haze over the horizon, casting a soft glow around us.

"How's what going?" Bri smiled, absentmindedly playing with her tea string.

"Sam." I whispered, nodding over my shoulder toward the house behind us.

"There's nothing to tell." Bri shrugged, avoiding my gaze as she focused on the pile of cars beside the Impala. "Besides, I'm fine -"

"- say that one more fucking time." I warned, my tone sharp. Bri chuckled at my intensity.

"I don't know, Eve," she sighed, shaking her head. "Seriously though - I've been 'fine' for so long. He doesn't let me be 'fine'. I don't know how to be anything else. I've spent so long being the strong one, the one who doesn't fall apart. But with Sam, it's different. It's like he sees the cracks, and wants to.."her voice trailed off as she stared at the ground. "I don't know, like he wants to pull them down."

I leaned back, resting my head against the top step as I listened, offering a soft expression of understanding.

"I get it," I said after a long pause. "It's like he can see the parts of you that you'vekept hidden all this time, and he doesn't want you to keep retnending. He wants to see the cracks because that's where the real you is, not the mask you've been wearing."

"I don't even know what 'the real me' is anymore," Bri admitted, swallowing hard. "I've been pretending for so long, trying to be what everyone else needs me to be- strong, tough, unshakable. I've built up these walls, and Sam... He makes me feel like it's okay to let them come down. But what if I'm not ready for that? What if I don't know how to deal with what's behind them?"

I sat up a little straighter, sighing sharply. "You don't have to have all the answers. No one's asking you to have it all figured out. Sam's not trying to force anything, Bri. He just wants to be there for you. And if you're not ready to open up, that's fine. But you need to stop pretending that you're 'fine' when you're not. You deserve more than that- even if it's just for yourself."

I placed a hand on her knee, giving her a gentle smile. She looked over at me, my words sinking in, but I could see she was struggling to process them. Her expression softened, though, as if she was starting to realize something.

"I'm scared," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'm scared of letting him in. What if he sees me for what I really am and he... doesn't want it? Doesn't want me?"

I turned to her, making sure she met my gaze- soft, but firm. "If Sam's the right guy, then he'll want all of you. Even the parts you're hiding from him. The broken pieces, the messy parts, the ones that are still healing. He'll want them because that's who you are. And you don't have to be perfect for him to love you."

Bri jerked away from me, her eyes wide with terror, "Love?"

I chuckled lightly. "Yeah, love. You don't have to say it out loud yet, but it's there, Bri. It may be small, but it's there... you've been through too much for someone not to see you for who you are, cracks and all. If Sam's sticking around this long, I don't think he's just here for the sex."

"SEX?!" Bri gasped, and I erupted into loud laughter, throwing my head back.

"That hasn't even happened yet -" she started, but I cut her off.

"- but you think about it." I narrowed my eyes as she tilted her head, looking away with a distant thought. "Yeah...Bitch. You got it bad for the tall Winchester."

"Shut the fuck up." Bri smiled, nudging me as we fell quiet for a moment. "You think I have it bad, how does the man like his coffee?"

"Black. Like my soul." I signed dramatically, closing my eyes as I leaned back. "The difference is, Bri..." I smirked, glancing at her knowing smile. "...I've made my feelings known."

"Eh." Bri shot back, shrugging as we both settled back into a peaceful silence. The morning sun weas creeping higher in the sky, casting a warm glow over us. Bri finally broke the quiet.

"How the fuck did we get tangled up in this again?"

I sighed dramatically, pretending to ponder. "Well, if my memory serves me right, I think it started with me asking you, 'What the hell are you doing?' and then you, in all your glory, threw the Mustang in gear and said...and I quote...'We're going to check out this Impala.'"

Bri shot me a glare, but I only grinned, placing my head on her shoulder. We both smiled into the morning sunshine, as it soaked into our skin for the time being.

For a moment, it felt like we were back on Joint Base Lewis McChord in Washington State- minus the Military corruption. It felt nice, like the calm before another storm, like we'd made it through hell and back together.

"Do you regret it?" Bri's voice broke the silence as I lifted my head from her shoulder to sip my coffee.

"Regret what?" I asked, not looking at her at first.

"Meeting them?" She gestured over her shoulder, nodding toward the house "I mean, since we've gotten involved with them... this Hunting side gig -"

"- it's not a side gig -" I interrupted, but she kept talking.

"- we've left everyone behind, it feels like..." She sighed, causing me to finally turn to face her. I bent one leg up on the step, balancing myself. "Everyone- Mom and Dad, your parents -"

"- or lack thereof." I smirked, looking down for a moment. "Mom's the only one that's solid."

"Yeah, fuck your dad," Bri said flatly. "I'm not a fan of the Step Dad either." We shared a silent nod before she asked, "But do you ever miss them?"

"Well, yeah." I moved a little closer, placing my hand on her shoulder. "I miss them, but I also feel like this-" I gestured around us, "- is part of me now too." Bri held my words for a moment before I added, "Also kind of hard to miss them when I can't even call them..." I tilted my head at the memory of trashing my phone for Nick's sake.

Bri smiled, rubbing my hand gently as she sighed, "Yeah, me too - I just...miss the normalcy of day- to- day life."

"I miss the idea of when a guy likes you, flirting with you...then actually making a move on their own accord, eventually." I grumbled, glaring over my shoulder at the house.

"Still nothing?" frowned Bri, sipping her tea slowly. "Even after the kiss on the cheek yesterday?"

"Nope." I popped the /p/ to emphasize my frustration with a light blush creeping up my cheeks. "I'm not throwing myself at him again -"

"- well, no. After Cripple Creek's pull away...you have more self-respect than that." Bri chimed in and I nodded in agreement.

"- but I've made it clear that the attraction is mutual, right?" I asked, the ache in my chest making my voice falter. "Maybe I should just stop waiting for something to happen with Dean, maybe tell myself to stop hoping for something...but I can't look away... you know?"

"I know exactly what you mean..." Bri nodded, her gaze drifting toward the salvage yard.