Killing Me Slowly

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“Feels wonky” Dean commented as we approached the crime scene.

“What?” Sam asked.

“Working a regular job”

“Yea, it really does” Brit agreed.

“Bobby'll call if anything flares up on the Leviathan front. In the meantime, you all know you want to work this case. Cop on the wire sounded dumbfounded” Sam said.

“No arguments. It's kind of nice, you know? We're due for a little cut and dry. And…” Dean started as we all flashed the cop our FBI badges so he would let us pass the Do Not Cross line. “You two seem good”

“We are…for us anyway” Brit said.

“By the way…” Sam said, stopping in his tracks so we turned to face him. “Thank you” he said to Dean.

“For?”

“Amy. I know you didn't want to let her go, but it was the right thing to do. So, thanks”

I noticed he shifted in his spot and was doing his best to keep eye contact with Sam and keep his head up but he still said, “No problem”.

All I did was stare at him in disbelief…in anger…in hurt. Then, Sam headed inside the apartment building and they all went to follow but I just stood there, watching Dean. “Mel, you okay?” Brit turned and asked me. Dean walked up a few steps but stopped as well to turn and look at me.

“Yea…I just feel like I’m going to be sick” I said and I got to her side as we headed on in and I pushed passed Dean.

I felt him staring at me weirdly but I ignored him. What I told her was true. I did feel like I was going to be sick…but it was because of what I knew. I knew Dean had gone to kill Amy and I knew he was lying to all of us…and just knowing he went to go kill her and knowing she had a son to take care of…it made me feel ill. I could barely look at him, let alone be around him.

We got up to the tenth floor and found a detective to talk to. “Welcome to Crazytown, population: one dead guy” he said. “Who was he?” Brit asked.

“Uh, Matthew Hammond. Seems to have been crushed to death”

“By?” Dean asked.

“Well, if we weren't on the tenth floor, I'd say by a car”

We all exchanged a look and then walked a few feet away as Sam took out the EMF. It started to go crazy. “Some kind of ghost?” Sam wondered.

“With a license?…A license to kill” Dean quipped.

Brit rolled her eyes at him but smirked lightly…I couldn’t even do that right now. “Seriously?” Sam asked him.

I noticed something over on the carpet. I walked over to it, crouched down and pinched it between my fingers. “What do you got?” Dean asked.

“I don't know. Looks like some kind of powder” I said, monotonously.

“Sulfur?” Brit asked.

“No. Just dirt. Could be ‘Christine’-like I replied as I stood to my feet. I admit when I replied to her, there was some more variation in my tone.

“Ugh. Even possessed cars can't do stairs. It's something spectral…check this out. AA, 10 years. Dead and sober” Dean said, picking up a chip from the coffee table and he tossed it to Sam.

“Double crappy”

“There's a charge keeps coming up. 50 bucks a month at a place called Jane's. All right. Congrats on your sobriety” Sam read off some papers and tossed Dean back the coin.

“I'll go find out what Jane's is”

“I gave up AA for Lent”

“We're not Catholic”

“Always with the details. AA gives me the jeebs”

“Wow. Shocker”

“Shut up”

“Fine. I'll hit the meeting, you go hit on Jane”

“You know, I’ll go with you, Sam” I voiced.

He hesitated as he looked back and forth between me and Dean but I just kept my eyes on him and I felt Dean’s eyes on me, questioning me. “Yea?” Sam asked me.

“Yea, wouldn’t hurt to switch it up a little. I miss our best friend time” I grinned at him and he just smiled.

“Okay uhh yea, lets go…we’ll meet up later, I guess” he said, directing it at Brit and I saw them having a silent conversation with their eyes. “Yea…” she voiced and he kissed her.

I didn’t even bother to walk over to Dean though…for a small goodbye kiss. Maybe he wasn’t expecting it…we don’t always kiss goodbye whenever we leave each others side but it’s a good amount of times that we do. I didn’t even look over at him…Sam and I just headed for the door, he stepped to the side to let me out first and I did feel him look back at his brother to shrug his shoulders and then follow me out but I pretended I didn’t notice.

So we got to the place and talked to this woman that basically just told us Matt was a nice guy with a tortured soul…yea, yea, whatever, who isn’t? Apparently before he died, he called this woman from a bar called Neal’s Tavern and was close to drinking himself off the edge but she talked him off it. Dean and Brit were more successful though. A couple days ago, he paid the florist three years in advance to keep a monthly delivery going to some Elizabeth Duren. They got the address of this girl and that’s where we were meeting up now.

“So…what’s going with you…you and Dean, I mean?” Sam asked.

“You need to make a left up here” I said, instead. He was driving my truck, I just wasn’t in the mood to be behind the wheel.

He sighed. “Mel…”

“Sam” I said, sternly.

“You said you missed best friend time so this is what best friends do, you’ve done your part, always being there for me when I need you. You’re like a big sister to me, Mel and now it’s just my turn…”

“Yea, well last time I checked brothers don’t kiss their sisters in this country” I muttered.

“Okay…I deserved that one”

I hesitated…and then I sighed as I looked over at his puppy dog face. “I’m sorry…I’m just in a crappy mood”

“I’ve noticed” he chuckled.

“Why?” he asked.

“It’s nothing…it’s just your brother…he’s a pain in my ass sometimes” is what I stuck with.

“Yea, I know…but he means well. Everything he does is in our best interest. He does everything for you, me and Brittney…so whatever it is that you two are fighting about…you’re going to have to forgive him sometime”

“Yea, we’ll see about that” I smiled at him.

I was glad to have Sam to talk to. It was easy. Sometimes he just listened to what I had to say. Sometimes he gave his input. And when he did, that was the end of it. He let it go after that.

The address was a cemetery and we found Elizabeth’s tombstone. Turned out she only died at ten years old. We still had a lot of questioned that needed to be answered though so we headed back to the motel room and Sam and Brit got right on the research. The whole time, Dean was watching me so carefully I was afraid to move or even breath.

“Elizabeth Duren. Killed 10 years ago when a neighbor backed out of his driveway. Didn't see her bike. No one was ever charged. Police ruled it an accident” Brit explained.

“Let me guess. The neighbor's our tenth-floor pancake” Dean said.

Sam nodded. “At least we know he felt bad. I mean, the flowers…”

“Kind of makes you wonder if the guy wasn't drunk when he ran her over” Dean replied and then just stared down at the beer he was drinking.

“Yeah. All right. Well, regardless, now that we got a decent bead on ghost rider, let's go”

“What?”

“Burn her bones. Put her to rest”

“The fun never stops”

Then, we all went to walk out, but before I could follow Sam and Brit out, Dean grabbed my wrist lightly to make me face him. “Hey…” he said, gently.

But, I spun around quickly and pulled my wrist away from him. He looked at me as if I had just slapped him. “Don’t touch me” I glared up at him.

“What the hell is your problem with me lately?” he snapped.

“My problem with you?” I started to laugh without humor. “Oh, well, lets see, where do I begin?”

“What are you talking about?” he tried to step closer to me.

But, I put my hands on his chest and pushed him back hard. “You killed Amy!” I hissed at him and then looked back and down the hallway to make sure Sam wasn’t around to hear. “Yea, I know, Dean. I know you went back to kill her. You know how I know? Because I know you. It’s who you used to be. It’s what you would’ve done years ago with your father, not caring about what or who you kill. You didn’t have to kill Amy. We do know monsters who can control what they are…”

“You never came face to face with a kitsune before, Melissa. You don’t know what they’re capable of!”

“You’re wrong, Dean. I met Amy. She was a really sweet, caring mother who was just looking out for her son”

“Are you even listening to yourself right now? She was killing innocent people!”

“Umm not exactly innocent!” I narrowed my eyes at him.

“Okay and that means they deserve to die”

“No, but you killed her after she had already done the deed, I mean, sure kill her when she’s in the act but when she says she’s done, you cant just take a persons word for it?”

“Are [iIyou really giving a lecture on how to trust right now? Oh this is just priceless”

“Well, at least I’m getting somewhere, you’re still stuck! I’m learning to trust…”

“Yea, monsters”

I just ran both hands over my face and they led into my hair as I wanted to rip it all out of my roots. Then, I noticed he lightened up. “Look…Mel, you’re looking at this in a mother’s point of view and I get that, I do, but you need to also see the hunter side of it…”

“Right now…I would give anything to see the Dean side of it…that way I can really know who this person is that I considered to spend the rest of my life with” I said and my tone was pretty venomous. I saw some pain flash in his eyes but I just spun and walked out of the room, leaving him there.

I got to the truck where Brit was waiting in the passenger seat and I put both hands on the steering wheel as I took a deep breath in and let it out. “You okay?” she asked, lightly and cautiously.

I hesitated with my answer. “Yea” I said, stiffly and just started up the truck as I saw him come walking out of the motel slowly and then I just rolled out of the parking lot.

By the time we got there, it was pretty cold outside as the moon filled the sky but I was still heated from before…both literally and metaphorically. We dug up this poor girl’s bones, salted them and then burned them, just like that. Honestly, I cant remember the last time we did this. It all just came so naturally it’s all a blur.

When we finished, we got back to the motel room and Sam was reading a newspaper. “Oh, another night at the office. Why don't one of you girls take the first shower?” Dean suggested.

His eyes held mine and I had a pin straight face on as I just stared at him. We were trying not to act so weird around Sam and Brit…see how well that was going?

“Wait, listen to this. ‘A local man, Christopher Fisher, was ripped to shreds in a wild animal attack last night.’” Sam read.

“It is a dangerous world out there” Dean commented as he flopped onto the bed. I went to the freezer, grabbed some ice cream and started eating out of the container.

“He was in the restroom of a diner” Brit said as she read over Sam’s shoulder. Then, she came over to me, took my spoon and took some ice cream for herself. “Yeah, that doesn't sound right” I said as Dean sat up, suddenly interested.

“Apparently none of the patrons saw anything. Guy calls 911, screaming about a dog, but the operator didn't hear anything, either” Sam said, now on his laptop. This kid was a well-oiled technology-using machine. “Wow. Looks like this guy had a history with dogs”

“Meaning?” Brit, Dean and I all asked.

“Five years ago, he was arrested for running a dog-fighting operation”

“Classy. All right. So, what? He causes so much misery that some Rottweiler goes Cujo on him from beyond the grave?” Dean read over his shoulder.

“Do dogs even have ghosts?” I asked, staring down at my ice cream.

“First I've heard of it” Sam said.

“That sounds weird. Ghost dog?”

“No weirder than ghost car” Brit commented.

“You know what does make sense? Vengeance on the guy that Michael Vick'd you. I mean, I'm no one to judge, but it sounds to me like that guy had it coming” Dean said.

“Maybe...but maybe not. So, he got busted, got probation, started volunteering at an animal shelter” Sam said.

“Yeah, 'cause he had to” I voiced as Dean got up and faced the bed.

“At first, yeah. But he kept going long after he served his time. Looks like he got really into it. Raised a lot of money for the cause. People change”

“Yeah, tell that to ghost dog” Dean said.

“All right. Get suited up. Let's go check out the body”

“What?” Dean asked and it sounded like he was complaining.

“What?” Sam asked.

“What?” Dean asked back and turned toward Sam.

“What?” he asked again.

Brit and I exchanged a look and shrugged. “Nothing. I...you okay?” Sam asked him. He looked at me first, then back at Sam. “Peachy. Yeah, let's do this” he said and walked out.

We got to the coroner’s office and I went to walk in with Sam and Brit when Dean said he would wait outside but Brit gave me a look. “No, I think you two have some things to work out. I don’t know what it is that you’re not telling us and frankly I don’t care but it’s obviously not good if it’s making you two act like this toward each other. Now, stay out here and talk while Sam and I go check out the body and remember…this is only cause I love you both” she ended with a smile and turned to hook an arm around Sam’s as he was grinning and they walked away. I sighed as I leaned against the Impala beside Dean.

“So…” he started.

“Don’t talk to me” I said, right away.

“Melissa, come on…”

“Don’t Melissa, come on me”

“You’re being ridiculous”

I faced him, slamming a hand on the Impala. “No, I’m really not, Dean. You are just being a child”

“I’m being the child?” he scoffed.

“Yea. Ya are. Keeping secrets? Lying to all of us? I thought we were trying to get Sam and Brit to be honest with us? How can you expect them to do that when you can’t even do it with them?” I questioned.

He just stared down at me. This time…I saw some betrayal in his eyes. I was usually always on his side whenever he may have needed me to be…and I kind of was for this one…but at the time, I wasn’t. I was keeping his secret…I just wasn’t agreeing with the choice he made to keep it.

“We interrupting something?” Sam asked.

“Some making up in action, maybe?” Brit asked with hope.

“Did you find anything?” I asked and I looked at them but I still felt Dean’s hard eyes on me.

“Yea, umm red dirt. Under his nails. On his shoes, too” Sam said and Brit was eyeing Dean.

“Just like the car-crash guy's floor”

“Yeah. So, gotta be someplace around here they both walked” Brit said.

So I went to get back in the truck. “Ya know what? Sam and I are going to take the truck. You and Dean take the Impala” Brit said, ripping the keys from my hands.

“What? Brit, come on, stop this…” I started but she had already gotten in the driver’s seat and locked the door. Sam got in on the other side. “Brittney Alexis Hails, get out of the truck!” I ordered.

“Oh, look at that, Sammy. Mel is pulling the mom card on me. Guess what, though, hon. I have your keys and you don’t” she stuck her tongue out at me and raced away.

I looked over at Dean as he was still crossing his arms, leaning against the Impala. He opened the passenger door and then simply walked over to the side and got in. I sighed and walked over to the car and got in.

~~

“I had to do it, Melissa!”

“You never have to do anything, Dean!”

“She was going to kill again, what did you expect me to do, just look passed that?”

“You don’t know that she was going to kill again, we could’ve kept an eye on her just to be sure”

“Yea, between dealing with the Leviathan and Sam and Brit losing their minds, we definitely could’ve fit into our schedules watch to make sure this monster doesn’t kill anybody”

“I would’ve done it though. You all could’ve done this case by yourselves and I could be watching Amy by myself, making sure the only thing she’s doing is taking care of her son the human way”

“Is that really how you’re going to make me feel guilty? By using the she had a son card?”

“If it works” I shrugged.

“That is a whole different kind of low. Even for you”

“Yea, killing Amy was a whole different kind of low for you too…guess we both changed more than we thought”

I looked over at him and he looked back at me as our eyes held each other’s. But, then some movement caught my eye as something jumped in front of the car. I turned my head forward again and saw a man holding his hands out for us to stop.

“Dean!” I yelled, grabbing his arm.

“Whoa!” he yelled as he slammed onto the breaks.

We kind of skidded to a stop and I could hear the truck do the same behind us. “Hey. Uh…you okay?” Sam asked the man.

I saw how shaken up he was…but it wasn’t from us almost hitting him. It was from something else. He kept looking out to the field. “The guy just jumped in front of a car, Sam” Dean pointed out.

“You want us to help you, sir?” Brit asked. The man leaned over, breathing hard. “Okay, well, why don't we get you out of here?” I suggested, lightly. “Yea, before you get road-killed” Dean added. “Yeah” he agreed.

So we got him into the Impala and we got back to the motel room. I sat him down on the bed and Brit got him a glass of water.

“So, Warren. Just take a minute” I said, lightly.

“And then tell us what's going on” Brit added.

“Look…you're good people…very sweet…” he gestured to me and Brit. “I can see that, but you can't do anything for me. No one can”

“Why not?” Dean asked.

“Cause it's all impossible. You won't even believe me”

“Well, try us” I smiled.

“I was just put on trial and sentenced to death”

“What'd you do?”

“Held up a liquor store. I killed the owner and his wife. I wasn't thinking…” We all exchanged a look. “I was young”

“Young? When was this?” Dean asked.

“1981”

“And they just put you on trial?” Brit asked.

“No, no, I just got out of prison”

“Okay, you're making less sense the more you talk” Dean said, getting up from his spot. Sam held out his arm to him though to stop him. “No, it's okay. Just…go on” Sam encouraged.

“Did 30 years. I just got paroled. Not that you're ever free of that. I think about it every day”

“So, then, what were you running from?”

“Well, I told you. The trial! All I know is, one minute I'm at the bar, and the next, I get jumped, wake up in a damn courtroom”

“Courtroom? Like a…courtroom?” I asked.

“Well, no. There was a judge. Everything was crazy. It was in a barn”

“At the apple farm?” Sam asked…and the apple farm was where we were heading before we almost ran over this guy, by the way.

“Yeah”

“And this bar where you were grabbed?” Brit asked.

“Neal's Tavern”

“Same place Matthew Hammond went before his... car accident. Think maybe dog guy went there, too?” I wondered to all of them aloud.

“I was thinking the same thing… is there anything else you can tell us?” Sam asked.

“You believe me? Who the hell are you?”

“We kind of…specialize in crazy. So, this judge, he got a name?” Brit asked.

“No. But there was these weird symbols”

“Symbols? Do you remember any of 'em? Can you draw them?” she got him some paper and a pencil.

“Excuse us a sec. Can I talk to you?” Dean asked and we went to head outside.

“I’m sorry, I just want to talk to my brother alone…” Dean gave me attitude, narrowing his eyes as he put a hand on Sam’s back to lead him out. “No offence to you, Brit” he added quickly.

“None taken” she sighed and they both left.

“Look, you and Dean have got to stop this. It’s getting ridiculous now. You’re acting like children. What happened, anyway? Did you catch him with another woman?”

“Yea, if only” I muttered and walked over to the fridge to get a beer. She was about to say more but then Sam walked back in…without Dean.

“Where is he?” I asked.

“To check out the bar” he sighed.

“To work or drink?”

“He hasn’t decided yet” he said and it sounded like he was mocking him because, well it did sound like something Dean would say. I took another sip of my drink. I sighed. “I’ll be back” I grumbled, grabbing my jacket.

“That’s my girl” Brit said.

Yea, whatever” I said and walked out the door. Somebody had to watch his ass.

I wrapped my arms around myself as there was a small chill in the air. I finally saw the bar in the distance and rushed a little so I could get the warmth. When I got inside, I scanned the place and it wasn’t that hard to find Dean, really. He was at the bar, on a stool…talking to a pretty blond bartender. I was about to walk over to him but I stopped. I saw how he was smiling as the two of them were talking. I couldn’t help but smile as well. He was flirting, yea, but so what? And maybe so what if he were to hook up with this girl tonight? I know he loves me. He’s on the road with me, seeing me 24/7. Maybe, that’s how damaged I really am…or maybe that’s just me wanting to see him happy and be himself, the way he used to be.

I took a breath and started to head over to him. He was chuckling about something and then I took a stool beside him. “Hey, there you are. I’ve been looking all over for you, I wanted to kick your ass for leaving no cold water for me at home this morning” I said, just to play around a little.

I noticed the girl started to shift in her spot and look slightly disappointed. “But, I’ll let it slide if you let me have the place tonight because I’m thinking about taking that guy home with me tonight” I said and was trying with all my might not to just burst out laughing at the look Dean was giving me and then when he shot to his feet to look around to try and find this “guy” I was talking about.

“Wait, so you two aren’t together?” the girl asked.

“What? Us? No!” I laughed and Dean sat back down, slowly, still looking at me weirdly.

“Really? You two just seem like that perfect couple that would just seem amazing together…the chemistry and all that” she said.

“No, we’re just really good friends. Have been forever. Name’s Melissa” I offered my hand.

“Mia” she smiled. “Can I get you something?”

“I’ll have what he’s having”

“You got it” she said and walked off to get some more.

I couldn’t help but laugh a little. “What the hell are you doing?” Dean hissed at me.

“Umm you want to get with that girl so I’m just trying to help you out. God knows you’re out of practice…and boy, do we need a new saying”

He lightened up. “Melissa…”

“Come on, Dean…just flirt with the girl some more…go to her place, have some fun. It’s okay”

“But, why?”

“Because maybe…this is what we need…a break. It could be good for both of us” He didn’t know what to say. I put a hand on his cheek and kissed his other cheek. “Just remember, you are Dean Winchester, this is what you do” I whispered in his ear.

Then, I backed away slowly and he just stared at me in awe and Mia showed up again and poured me a glass. “Thanks Mia” I winked at her, downed my drink and walked off.

“Wow…well, she’s something” I heard Mia comment.

“Yea…she is” Dean chuckled.

I was kind of just moving around on the dance floor, content with dancing by myself, having the people dance around me. But, then a very cute guy came up to me. “Hi! What’s your name!” he yelled.

I swallowed my…fifth drink? And then yelled back, “Melissa!”

“It’s nice to meet you, I’m Dan! Do you want to dance!?”

“I would love to!” I grinned.

I handed off my glass to some random person and Dan started to lead me to the middle of the dance floor. We started to dance extremely close and actually…it wasn’t too dirty…we kind of started to just talk. I had my arms draped over his shoulders as he had his hands on my waist.

“Have you ever felt so guilty about something before that you actually felt it eating you up inside?” I asked him and I could feel this was the…however many shots I took…talking.

“All the time…what do you have to feel guilty about?”

“Oh so, so, so many things. I’m a bad person. I hurt people. Especially the ones that I care about the most”

“I don’t believe that”

“Well you don’t know me” I smirked.

“Well, can I?”

“I don’t know. I can be a lot to handle” I sang.

“I think I can handle it” Yea right. But, then he kissed me.

And suddenly, my eyes shot open as I realized what I was doing…and I realized I couldn’t do it…and it was because of Dean. “Oh my god…I’m so sorry…I…I can’t do this…it’s not you, it’s me…and I know that line is so old and out of the book but it’s true, it’s not you, but I just…I have to go” I said quickly and raced out of the bar.

I was fighting the tears as I started to pace back and forth on the sidewalk and I saw Brit was calling me, so I went to answer…but when I pulled it out of my pocket, something grabbed me…and everything went black.

~~

I looked around and saw I was wrapped in chains, chained to a chair with a table in front of me in a barn with Egyptian statues standing around, with a throne a few feet in front of me as well. “Really, Warren? All you noticed were the symbols?” I questioned aloud.

“Melissa?” a voice asked. I turned my head and saw at the table about four feet away from the one I was at, there sat Dean, chained to a chair as well.

“Dean…what the hell is going on?”

“Yea, like I know. Maybe if you weren’t too busy sucking face with that boy band reject then you would’ve noticed I was gone for five minutes”

“Oh do not blame this one on me. You really want to bring this up now?”

“You two really do fight like an old married couple” a third voice said. We looked forward and saw a pharaoh-looking guy sitting on the throne. Dean was trying to break out of the chains. “Quit squirming, Mr. Winchester. They're Houdini-proof. Now, you want to talk charges, or…”

“I'd rather talk about your Bukowski schtick at the bar. What, you can't jump a guy when he's sober? And taking advantage of a woman when she’s sauced up is hardly fair”

“You and that waitress had quite a talk, huh? Get a couple drinks in you, and the guilt comes pouring out…and how about you and that boy band reject as Dean said, Melissa”

“Oh, eavesdropping. That's cute” Dean and I both commented.

“Speaking of…you gonna skulk all night, Sam? Brittney?”

I heard a door slide open. “Sam?” Dean asked. “Brit?” I added.

“Nice job finding us. I assume you figured out who I am, too?”

“Yeah” they both said and came closer so we could see them.

“You want to fill us in?” Dean hissed.

“Osiris” Brit said. He's an Egyptian God” Sam added. Fantastic.

“Ta-da! Now, go about your business, Sammy and Brit you can go too”

“Look, if anyone should be on trial, it's us” she said.

“That's for me to decide. Now go away”

“But they…they have the right to an attorney Don’t they?” Sam said, suddenly.

My eyes widened up at them. “Huh” Osiris said, intrigued by the idea. “Yea, let us defend him” Brit said.

“Well, that's unusual”

“Are you gonna respect their rights or not?”

“Why not?” Osiris shrugged.

So, Sam and Brit looked at each other as Dean and I looked at each other and Sam walked over to Dean to sit beside him as Brit walked over to me to sit beside me. “Brit, you’re not a lawyer” I whispered to her.

“I was pre-law”

“Yeah, pre…and that was after you thought you wanted to be a doctor so really you only have a year and a half of knowing this stuff”

“It’ll have to do. Now shhh” she shushed me.

I furrowed my eyebrows at her. “All right, then. Let's get started. Now, the list of witnesses I can call is endless…” Osiris started.

“Objection!” Sam called.

“Are you gonna let me finish my sentence, Sam?”

“No. This isn't fair”

“Fair? I'm sorry. Moving on. I can make it very simple. Three witnesses per defendant”

“Objection!” Brit called this time.

“Grounds?”

“Witness is being called without prior notice”

“Oh that was a good one” I whispered to her.

“Nice, Brit” Dean hissed, giving her a thumbs up.

“I saw that on ‘The Good Wife’” she whispered to me.

“Yes. Very fine objection. Denied!”

“What? Why?” Sam asked.

“Because I'm the judge, son. Now stop you two better stop objecting, or I'll find you in contempt. That is, kill you. So I advise you to let me move it along” I grabbed Brit’s hand and nodded. “The prosecution calls Lindsey Georgia Stern” he said and I felt my heart drop.

I saw my sister’s ghost appear right in front of me, next to the throne and as soon as she saw me…she smiled. I haven’t seen the real her ever since she died. I’ve seen many different versions of her over the years ever since her death…but this was really her…it was who she was. She still looked sixteen and beautiful. I felt everyone’s eyes on me.

“Hey, Mel…Brittney…long time, no see” she said and her voice was kind of angelic.

Osiris gestured to the seat beside his throne and she sat down. “State your name for the court”

“Lindsey Stern”

“And your relationship with Melissa?”

“She was my big sister” she smiled.

I had to smile back at her as I felt tears form in my eyes. “And as a big sister…wasn’t her job to protect you from anything that goes bump in the night?”

“Obj…” Brit started.

“Brittney!” I yelled over her.

She looked at me and I just shook my head at her. Osiris smiled a nasty smile our way and then looked back at Lindsey to let her continue. She had a sad look on her face now.

“I would say yes…but Melissa did protect me from the things that she knew she could protect me from…boys, mean girls, school stress, even the parents when they got too much for us to handle” she smiled again and I grinned and nodded.

“But, that night you…met your fate…she saw it coming…she knew it was going to happen. Don’t you think she could’ve prevented it?”

“No…because she tried preventing it. I remember every night she made sure we weren’t in the house for that whole month…but I forgot a necklace that I just needed to wear the next day. It was my key necklace you gave to me on Christmas that one year. I felt naked without it on…so I went back home that night and noticed you were asleep…the rest just came. I don’t bla-…” she started but Osiris snapped his fingers before she could finish and then…she was just gone.