Killing Me Slowly

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The afterlife. It’s kind of a funny thing. So is death. You could think you’re rid of your past…the ones who were involved…but it’ll always be there…they will always be there…whether it’ll be to haunt you…or just be there for you. Even if you can’t see your loved ones once they die, they’re still there…judging…being skeptic of your choices…maybe they’re proud…maybe they’re disappointed…but either way they’re always watching. You can’t salt and burn their bones all you like but they’ll still be here. And most of all they’re doing they’re best to protect you. Think about it…when you drop something heavy and it’s ready to fall on your foot, you think it misses because you were too fast for it. But maybe it was that split second of your loved one being there for you and moving it slightly to the right. Or when we get a bad feeling about walking down one walkway and then you decide to go down another…then an hour later you find out someone got mugged at the same time you were supposed to be on that walkway. It isn’t just because you have “good instinct”. Everyone needs some help to make these good decisions…to stay out of trouble…to keep from getting hurt. And if our parents can’t be the ones to get the job done…then who’s the next best thing? Guardian angels? If there is such a thing…. Sure, it can be your guardian angel, if you believe in that stuff…but I’d say it’s the afterlife that’s among us that helps us gets by…but who helps them…?

~~

Our last case we were dealing with some kind of Japanese freaky ass ghost that apparently you could only see when you were plastered. Usually I would think that was awesome…but since it just made my job harder…it wasn’t so awesome. Plus we ran into that Garth guy again…remember, when Sam tried to marry that psychotic Becky girl? Yea, him. So that just made things even more…interesting. One beer for him and he was gone. But anyway…while this case progressed…things started to get…weird. Too weird. Even for me. We encountered the ghost and well…I could’ve easily ended up in the hospital…again.

The ghost shot me across the room in the warehouse we were fighting her in and I flew into a rope that snapped and a bunch of crates started to fall…but right when I was expecting the worse…I saw they were just floating in the air and then fell to the side of me. And when I stood up I tried to push them myself and I could barely do it with my strength alone. I could’ve been really badly hurt…but I wasn’t…and the way the crates fell was just…illogically impossible…if that makes sense. And then Dean goes on to say that his sword (to kill the ghost with) was a good five feet away from him but then slide over to him so he was able to pick it up and stab the ghost. I mean…what other kind of forces were in that warehouse with us that night? Is it too ridiculous to think we had some help from the other side? It just seems too crazy to me….

I’ve already had my thoughts filled with the idea that Bobby is still around but I don’t tell the others because I don’t want to sound crazier than I already am. And besides, Dean has already made it clear that he has taken the role of believing Bobby is still around. We did salt and burn his bones…but Dean has that damn flask…but Sam said he used the talking board and nothing happened…I just…I wish he would make it more clear to us if he was really here. Even when he’s dead, Bobby is still a pain in the ass.

“Are you pregnant…again?” Dean asked as we all got on the hood of the car to eat our tacos. Mine just happened to be over flowing.

“Umm one: I’m insulted. And two: no. I’m not you moron” I smacked him upside the head. “I’m just starving because someone couldn’t decide if he wanted a friggin taco or a burger” I argued.

“It’s a delicate decision to make” he defended.

“Yea whatever…at least we can always count on one thing…the world may be screwed to hell but our tacos will still be the best no matter where we go” I groaned in pleasure as I took a bite.

They all laughed at me. “Amen to that” he agreed and took a bite as well. Then he looked at me and started to smile so I smiled back…kind of wondering why he was looking at me the way he was. “Why do we take you anywhere?” he wondered as he grabbed a napkin and wiped my mouth for me.

I let out a small laugh. “Because I make the party” I winked.

Suddenly I could hear a ringing in my head…and then my cell started to ring. It was starting. I was getting so strong…when it came to my strengths…that I was developing other powers. I was scared honestly. It was almost like I couldn’t control my power development or how powerful I got. It was all just a part of me now and that wasn’t the worst part. The worst part is wondering if Dean notices. If he looks at me differently. If Sam and Brit see me differently. I guess with these new powers come more insecurities. I’ve become such a girl! It sucks…and I blame Dean, Brit and Sam…they’ve made me go soft…and it’s horrible….

“Hey Annie, what a nice surprise, how you been?” I smiled into the phone.

“Well I’m still kicking if that’s what you mean…I heard about Bobby…” My smile faltered and I didn’t reply right away. “Sorry…”

“Yea…us too” I spoke.

“Well I have some of Bobby’s old books if you want them”

“Yea, that’s be great. Where you headin?”

“Bodega bay. You near?”

“Near enough. Wanna get lunch?”

“How can I say no to you? How about we meet at the Clearwater Restaurant at the pier at one”

“Sounds good. See you there” I said and hung up. I bounced around a bit in my spot.

“You seem weirdly happy” Brit commented.

“We have a case my friends” I said.

“And is this going to be unlike any other case?” Sam asked.

“Maybe…how should I know? I do know though that you guys bore me so I need some excitement in my life” I said, hopping off the hood and Brit and Sam laughed at me as Dean chuckled and shook his head.

“Yea, coming from the girl who would rather stay inside and watch crappy chick flicks” he commented.

“And coming from the guy who cried during all of Titanic” Brit smirked and I laughed hard.

“Hey that shit was 3D! It was more realistic” he defended.

“Doesn’t really make the story line any different though, hon” I rubbed his back.

“Whatever” he huffed and threw his taco wrapper at me.

So then we all got in the car and hit the road. It’s been pretty rough lately…what with Cas and with Dean feeling like Bobby’s always around. So I’ve been trying to keep their minds off of stuff for a while…we even went to the movies to see the Titanic in 3D just to make fun of how bad it would look…but Dean was bawling and holding me closer and closer as we got toward the ending with every minute. I was almost being smothered by his jacket, he was holding me so tight. And he ended up crying into my hair, whispering “If you ever let me drop into an ocean abyss I’ll haunt your ass forever”. I probably shouldn’t have laughed but I did…and he wasn’t too happy with that response. But he got over it. He could be such a sap and a baby sometimes. It’s a side that not many people see…I’m just so lucky…sarcasm.

But I guess I should tell you…it isn’t just Dean who feels Bobby around. I feel him too…and in fact…I’ve had my fair share of incidents where I’ve seen him. But I forced myself to believe I was hallucinating. It couldn’t be real. I refused to believe it….

We were at the restaurant and as we waited, Dean was reading up on Dick Roman…like he always is. So I took the paper from him and gave it to an elderly couple passing by as I smiled politely at them. “It isn’t healthy to obsess” I told him.

“And what do you think he’s doing?”

“And are you a flesh eating monster who will stop at nothing to get what he wants? No. I didn’t think so…now I’m going to call Annie because she isn’t usually this late and I’m starting to worry” I said, pulling out my phone.

“You’re always worried” Dean muttered, sipping his coffee.

I just glared and stuck my tongue out at him. “You know uhh she and Bobby had a thing” Sam brought up to Dean.

“Yea I knew…” he shifted in his seat.

“No you didn’t” Brit and I both laughed.

“Shut up” he snapped at us. I wasn’t getting anything from Annie so I hung up. “Really?” he
asked Sam.

“Yea it was kind of a fox hole thing…” I started to smile in amusement as Dean made a face.

“It happens…” Sam shrugged…but started to make a face too.

“Wait you too?” Dean asked him. Brit choked on her coffee a little. “Well we were working a case, she was stressed…and I didn’t have a soul” he explained.

“That’s a lot of fox holes…” I said, laughing as I tried Annie again. “Ew! That’s like…so they all…” Brit said, looking at me, making a face. “Yep and yep” I laughed hard.

“Oh shut up. It’s not like you two have never slept with the same guy before” Dean mentioned. “Well yea but it’s different with girls” I shook my head at him, hanging up again.

“Yea…remember that one guy in tenth grade…” she said. “Oh and then that other one after that homecoming game in Woodbury” I added.

“Oh and then the two during…”

“Oh when we were…”

“Yea!”

We both started cracking up…probably making a scene…but who cares? I was reminiscing with my best friend. I mean, when was the last time we did this? When was the last time we even had time to do it.

“Wait…have you two ever…?” Sam started.

“Well obviously” I said.

“Yea, come on, Sammy. I must have told you” Brit said.

“Umm no I think I would’ve remembered that one”

“Everyone has their own kind of experiments right? Ours just happened to be with each other. Who better?” I shrugged.

“Umm I think I want to hear this one” Dean said.

“Yea, me too” Sam added, eagerly.

“Honey, I don’t think you can handle this one” I smiled. “Annie’s not answering. We’ll wait
outside while you two get the check” I winked and kissed Dean’s cheek as I got up and went
to walk out.

“Don’t worry, sweets. Me and Melissa were just a one time deal, you’ll always be my number one” Brit joked, kissing his cheek as well and then got over to me and we both walked out, laughing.

It was nice to have a moment of just us being us. No supernatural-related problems…we were just a bunch of normal people…being normal couples…too bad it couldn’t last long…. As soon as we got to the car…I froze.

“Mel? You okay?” Brit asked as she turned to face me.
But my eyes didn’t leave the old crotchety man who was sitting in the back seat. I felt my heart aching. It was really him. It wasn’t a hallucination…unless I was just going legitimately crazy, of course.

“Melissa?” Brittney shook me.

“Yea…” I forced myself to look at her.

“Are you alright? You’re as pale as a ghost” No comment….

“Yea…I’m fine. I just got a sudden cramp in my leg…” I stretched it out. She laughed lightly at me. “It’s okay now…” I whispered.

We got to the car and stood outside it, waiting for the guys. I kept glancing back inside and he seriously wasn’t leaving. He was still there and he was just as fidgety and easily annoyed as the real one that used to be with us…I could tell.

The boys got to us and I got in the front right away. With Dean in the drivers seat and Sam and Brit in the back…Bobby was right in the middle of them. “If you two try to start making out back here I will make you two bump heads faster than you can say idgets” he said. I tried not to respond to the comment and just keep my eyes forward. Maybe he really wasn’t there and if I just pretended he wasn’t there he would go away…I mean what kind of sick joke is this anyway?

We got to the motel where Annie was staying and got into the room she was using. I was trying to focus on the case…on the fact that Annie had already found all the info…the kids that had gone missing and where they had gone missing at…but with Bobby in the room the whole time, it was just so hard. He was moving the curtain, trying to actually get our attention. He was trying to contact us! I tried not to make it so obvious that I was staring at him because I didn’t want any of them to know that I was able to see him. It was just too weird. But why now? Why not any other time that he was around?

“Well…lets go then. We know the where right? Come on” I urged and they all followed me out. But I noticed Bobby wasn’t there. Then something occurred to me. “Umm Dean…get your jacket, it might be cold later” I said.

He narrowed his eyes. “Yes mom” he mocked. But when he patted down his pockets, he didn’t argue. And when he went back inside to grab his jacket…which had Bobby’s flask in it…Bobby appeared outside with us. This was going to be a long case.

Night fell as we got to the mansion and we all headed inside with our weapons. As soon as I walked in though…I could see all of them. All the ghosts that just seemed…lost…and abandoned. I suddenly had goosebumps going up and down my arms and tried not to make eye contact with any of them. They didn’t seem harmful though. They were just…there.

“My people” Bobby said as he looked around at all of them as well. The others split up but I stayed frozen. “Hi…I’m Bobby. Kinda new…I was kind of hoping for some kind of ghost orientation or something”

I felt my heart racing and my head was pounding. “Hey umm guys…I’m just going to head outside…maybe I’ll find something out there…” I said and quickly headed out before any of them could respond. I could feel Bobby’s eyes on me though as I went out.

I paced around a bit as I waited for the others. This was too much now. I can’t go on being the Ghost Whisperer. I mean what the hell! “Hey…” a voice said and I spun around quickly, ready to knock out whoever it was.

“Whoa, easy there killer” Dean said in defense. I let out a sigh of relief.

“Sorry…just a bit jumpy”

“Yea, I see that. Is it because of the house?”

“Yea, I guess…it’s been a while since we worked a real haunted house” I shrugged.

“Well try to pull it together” he chuckled.

“Yea…” I smiled.

“Did you umm find anything?” I asked as Sam and Brit came out as well.

“No nothing. Any idea where Annie got her Intel?” he asked as Bobby suddenly appeared as well.

“Damn flask” he muttered.

“Bodega bay heritage society. Auction house” Sam said as he pulled up the website on his laptop.

“Guys, all the action is back in the pool, lets go” Bobby urged.

My eyes flashed to him and then back to the others. “Are you…sure you found nothing?” I asked them.

“You can see me…” Bobby realized aloud. I didn’t respond though. So he stepped right in front of me and started to stare me down. “Girl, you tell me right now if you can see me or not, I’m going crazy here! If you don’t blink twice for yes then I swear on my ashes that I will do nothing but haunt you for as long as you live” he threatened.

I blinked twice. Same old Bobby. I couldn’t imagine what it was like for him to have us not know he was there. “No, absolutely nothing” Brit said. “Lets go to this auction place. Maybe they can tell us something” Sam suggested. Lets just say the ride there was very uncomfortable.

~

When we got to the auction house we got someone to explain the back story of the mansion to us. But I noticed Bobby standing a good 15 feet away as he was focusing so hard on just making a simple lamp move. I walked over to him and pretended to be looking at a painting as I also listened in on the other’s conversation.

“Ya know, there’s no reason for threats, Bobby. They are getting pretty old” I told him.

“Well I’ll be damned…it’s about time one of you idgets saw me”

“Yea…I don’t know how but I can…and I could see all your buddies back in the house too…this thing is getting out of control, Bobby…and seeing you again? I mean…” I was trying so hard not to start crying in front of him and keep my voice low at the same time.

“I know Mel…I know…but right now lets just try to focus on the task at hand and then we’ll do the whole reunion thing later”

“It’s just…how long have you been here…with us?”

“I never left” he admitted. And so I remembered the times we got ourselves out of the jams we were in…it wasn’t us getting ourselves out…it was Bobby. “Even dead you’re still saving our asses…you just can’t die in peace can you” I shook my head.

“Not when it comes to making sure you idgets keep your asses off death’s hit list…”

“But why am I seeing you now then? And why can’t they?” I asked.

“Who knows? You know your special, Melissa. And with each day your getting stronger so it
gives you a connection to everything around you…it’s the only explanation I can think of”

“I didn’t see Annie in there though. Is she alright? Do you know?” I asked quickly and noticed some people were starting to stare so I averted my eyes away from him quickly and back to the painting.

“Well…yea and no. You kind of bolted out too fast before she showed herself. She’s on my side now, Mel” “Damn it” I muttered.

“Which is why you all have to get back to that place. She’s trapped there. Along with the rest of those ghosts. I just don’t know why…I saw that guy, Whitman talking to the chubster, Dexter, last night and it seemed pretty heated”

“Okay and how do I convince all of them to go back to the house without them going off on me because you and I both know they will if I bring you up. If you hadn’t noticed you’ve been a pretty sore subject”

“I know…and I’m sorry…but you need to say something because I can’t”

“They’ll never believe me…I already called Dean out once on being ridiculous for believing you were still here…no offence…” “Melissa Stern, you need to try”

“Hey…” Dean voiced and I jumped slightly, looking up at him. “Talking to yourself again?” he smiled.

“Just uhh admiring this…ugly painting…ready?”

“Yea…” he laughed. “Are you alright? You’ve been acting pretty weird lately. More than usual” he commented as he slung his arm over my shoulders.

“Yep…I’m perfectly fine” I lied.