Breathe Life Into Me

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Brit’s POV

“Who’s Sam on the phone with?” Mel asked, nodding her head over to him.

I looked over to the car where he was sitting in the backseat while we were waiting for Dean to grab some food and we were just stretching our legs. “I don’t know…”

“Hey…is everything okay?” she made me look at her.

“What? Yea, of course. I’m still just so glad to have my partner in crime back” I said, hugging her.

She laughed and hugged me back. “Well I’m glad to be back, Brit…but let me breathe a little” I pulled away and forced a smile.

Dean walked back over to us and we got back to the car. Sam was still on the phone when we all slid in. “Who is it?” Dean turned around to hiss at him.

He held up a finger. “No, listen to me. I said hang tight” he ordered and then hung up. “We got to get” he sighed, sitting forward.

“Can I at least finish my burger?”

“Yea, what’s the rush, Sammy? I’m starving and would it hurt to just sit for a moment?” Mel added.

He stayed unphased. “We got a vamp kill. Carencro, Louisiana”

“Huh. It's been a while since I've had some étouffée. Who's the source?” Dean asked.

“Martin Creaser”

The rest of us exchanged a look. “Sam…did you just say Martin Creaser?” I asked him.

“As in Crazy Martin from the loony bin?” Mel wondered.

“Glendale Springs discharged him last month”

“And? Shouldn't he be assembling toys in a padded room? What's he doing back on the job?” Dean asked.

“I asked him”

“You what?”

“Look, he called me when he got out, okay, asked if I had anything for him that might help him ease back into the game. He seemed okay…mostly…so I said yes. I've had him tracking Benny for the past week”

My eyes widened at him. “Sam…you didn’t…”

“You put "mostly okay" Martin on Benny? What is "mostly okay" doing hunting at all?” Dean grunted.

“Not hunting, Dean. Tracking. Observe and report only. I was crystal clear about that”

“Wow. I can't believe that”

“Really, Dean? You don't believe that? Because Benny's a vampire. And any hunter worth his salt isn't gonna let one just walk around freely. So I had Martin keep tabs on him. And right now, it's looking like I made the right call”

“Okay, hold on a second!” Mel intervened.

“Are we talking about Benny Benny?” her eyes met Dean’s. He vaguely nodded and she gave him some sad eyes.

“You didn’t tell me he was a vampire, Dean” Her tone was patronizing and yet sympathetic. He looked forward. “I know he’s your friend but if Martin is saying Benny did this…we should at least look into it” she reasoned.

He was silent for a long time. “Alright” And that was that. I’m pretty sure Mel was the only person on the face of the Earth who could get Dean to agree to anything….

~~~

When we got to the apartment building that Martin was apparently renting in for the moment we went up to the second level and found his room number. I only had to knock once before Martin swung open the door just enough to poke his head out and stare at us intently.

"You said look for an eruption. How's Mount Vesuvius?" He quipped as we followed him inside. "I got into town about a week ago. Up until last night, nothing. He's been clean"

"Doing what?" Dean and I both demanded.

"Just minding his own business. Working at the gumbo shack"

"Benny's working at the gumbo shack?" Dean raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah. Slinging hash, pouring coffee-the whole bit. And he may be Benny to you. Folks around here call him Roy"

"Martin...you sure you're running on a full charge?" Mel asked him.

"Y-yeah. L-l-little s-shock therapy in the morning, and I-I'm good to go." he snapped at her. "Tell us what happened last night" Sam said.

He paced a bit. "So, I followed him home, just like every night. He turned up a path. I hear a scream. I catch up. Then, boom! there he is. The old coot that Roy was eyeballing at the joint: vamped"

"Wait. Did you actually see Benny kill the guy or not?" I asked.

"I saw enough"

"Well, then, how can you be sure it was Benny if you didn't actually see him do it?" Dean eyed him.

"B-b-because I saw Benny turn up the path, and then two seconds later, I trip over a body with its throat ripped. Look, man, you-you ever hear of Occam's Razor?”

“Keep it simple, stupid. It's not that complicated"

"Well...there's a lot of holes, Martin" Mel tried. My eyes went to her curiously.

"Holes? The only holes we should be looking at are in the vic's neck"

"This sound like the Benny you know?" Dean asked Sam.

"I don't know Benny"

"The Benny you know? Say what? Why am I getting the distinct impression that your brother is vouching for a vampire?" Martin was incredulous.

"Guys, let's not argue" Sam sighed as the two of hem were getting up in each others faces.

“Nobody's arguing, but if this is Benny. And that's a big "If"..."

"Oh, it's him" Martin objected.

"We history with the guy, okay? I'm not signing up for a witch hunt" I suddenly snapped. all eyes were now on me.

"We owe him more than that" Dean agreed.

"What in God's great creation could a Winchester possibly owe a vampire? Melissa, maybe you could talk some sense into them. I know you just got right side up but words from a Stern..."

"Would it hurt to just hear them out?" She spoke confidently.

Silence fell on the room. "Am I hearing this right?"

"Look. Until we get the facts right we stow the bloodlust and we work the case right or we work it separately"

"Doing it right would be separating his head from his shoulders"

She approached him with her eyes glaring. "No one separates any heads from any bodies unless I give the say-so. You got that?" She hissed.

He stayed silent. Martin was crazy...and he had much more experience and years on Mel...but it didn't matter who you were or what you were...one dirty look from Mel and your turned to stone.

She looked back at me and Dean and I have her a look of gratitude. "We just need some time, Sammy" Dean pleaded.

"Oh, yeah. Let the fang take another life? I don't think so" Martin tried to objected.

"How much time do you need?" Sam sighed.

"You're not actually considering this?"

"Couple hours, tops" I said.

"And what if it turns out to be Benny?"

"Then it's Benny, and I'll deal with it!" Dean grunted.

Sam looked at Mel and she nodded. "Couple hours, Dean. No more"

I walked over to the door and turned to see Dean with Mel. "Thank you" he whispered as he cupped her cheek and kissed her forehead.

She smiled and watched him walk away. My eyes met Sam’s but then I quickly turned away. For him to question Deans judgment, fine...but mine?

"Hey...you okay?" Dean asked as we got outside.

"I think you should go see Benny by yourself"

"What? Why?"

"I've just been thinking a lot about doing the right thing lately...and the right thing would be to let you to alone. You and Benny have more of a connection. I think it'll just be easier for him to confide in you and explain the situation he's in..." I felt him eyeing me.

"Okay...don't beat yourself up too much though...and smack Sam around a little while I'm gone" I nodded.

I watched him drive away and then just stood there...nervous about going back up to see Sam. I cant remember he last time I got butterflies....but now...just thinking about Sam makes me all nervous. Maybe it's because I don’t know what we are and I want to be with him but I don't know of he wants to be with me...because he's still with Emielia...wondering go she's doing and if she's okay...and that's what I love about him...the fact that he's so caring and always there for you...I just wish he would be here for me sometimes....

I looked around the room. "Where's Mel?"

"She isn't with you?" Sam asked me.

"Why would she be...?"

"She said she had to tell Dean something before she left and that she would be right back..." He sighed.

"She's doing what we should be doing! Staying on the trail, keeping an eye on Dean and his killer-friend" Martin proclaimed.

"She isn't going to kill Benny. She wouldn't betray us like that" I defended. At least...I hoped that she wouldn't....

Deans POV

My first stop was the local diner stop that Martin mentioned. I walked on in, casually scoping out the place as I made my way to the counter and took a seat. A young woman who was pretty good looking came over to me right away.

"Actually, I already know what I want"

"Let me guess: gumbo?" she smiled.

I chuckled. "Well it was gonna be the gumbo till I saw…" I pointed over at the pie sitting wonderfully in my view.

"Well, the special's lemon meringue"

I laughed a little to myself. "Of course it is"

She gave me a weird look. "It's just that...my girlfriend...well she sucks at cooking and the only thing she can cook is a nice lemon meringue pie so she would spend hours just baking these damn pies. Our house would be filled with them..." I stopped myself...just reminiscing at the memory....

"Sounds like you got lucky with her"

I looked back up at the attractive woman and suddenly...I just didn't find her so attractive anymore. "Yea...I really did" She turned away to go get my pie.

My eyes went to the cash register that had a photo pinned up on it. It was of the girl...and Benny was standing right beside her. "Bad news hon"

"You’re all out of meringue" I assumed. "Figures. Story of my life. that's all right. Maybe you can make it up to me. I'm actually looking for an old friend of mine. I heard he's kicking around these parts. His name's Roy"

"Well, Roy works the night shift here. I mean, if we're talking about the same Roy"

"Uh, yeah, he putts around in a...beat-up camper. Thing looks like a rolling death trap" I smiled.

“Remember to let the smile come naturally. Your smile can be your most charming feature sometimes" Mel's voice rang in my ears. "And my most charming feature at other times?" "Nope. Your smile is pretty much the only thing you have going for you"

I shook myself out of it and stayed focused on the here and now. "Yeah, I thought I was the only one who gave him trouble over that piece of junk"

"You wouldn't happen to know where he's parking that thing these days, would you?"

"Well, he, uh, was parking it out back, but just called to tell me he's gone up the road to Mill Creek for a few days"

"Okay. Uh, did he say why?"

“Oh... fishing, I think. He really deserves a break. He's been working doubles for the last two weeks straight"

"Um, listen, I, uh, I tell you what. If he pops up before I can find him, you do me a favor and just have him give me a buzz" I wrote out number for her and slid the paper forward.

"Sure thing...Dean"

"And you are...?"

"Work the eyes...girls go crazy and melt for eye contact" "I know that! I've done this before, Melissa" I reminded her.

"Yea and when was the last time you’ve done that? You are so out of practice in the dating field it's sad!"

"Why are we doing this again?"

"Mostly for my amusement..."

"You have a strange sense of humor..."

"But there's also the fact that you lost your touch when it comes to selling yourself in order to get information" I really couldn't help but laugh at her forwardness.

"Elizabeth" she smiled back. Hook. Line. And sinker.

"Elizabeth. All right. Take a rain check on that pie"

"Definitely" I walked out and quickly got back in the car, calling Benny.

"Benny. I got a body here in Carencro with two holes in it, and I just found out you went fishing. Do I need to tell you what this looks like?" I hung up and threw the phone in the back, stressed out about this whole thing.

~

It was getting late and I was running out of time. Martin was probably getting restless and Brit wouldn't be able to hold them all off for much longer. I had to think like Benny...I was the only one who knew him best...I had to really understand what he was thinking...and so I was brought to the middle of the woods. To where Benny was digging a grave, washing fresh blood off of his own hands.

"It's not me, Dean" he sighed, hearing me approach with caution.

"Now, which "me" are we talking about? Benny, or Roy?" I asked.

He turned to face me. "I'm just trying to blend in"

"Blend in? Who'd you plant, Benny?"

"Victim number two. If you're concerned about the missed calls, I didn't want to get you involved. Now...want to safety that thing..." his hand moved down to his machete. "Talk a little bit or what?" I tensed up a little and then reluctantly disarmed myself, setting my own weapon on the wood beside me.

"I'm all ears"

"Yea...and so is someone else apparently"

"What..."

But he just nodded his head behind me so I turned and saw Mel obviously stretching her head out from behind a tree. I narrowed my eyes at her.

"Oh uhh...hey" she smiled.

"What the hell, Mel. You said you were hanging back"

"Yea and you believe me which is pretty insulting. Do you know me at all?" I sighed and ran a hand down my face.

"Why are you here? How'd you even find me?"

"I've been following you all day. You’re looking at the queen of stealth remember?" I just stared at her and gave her a look. “I was also worried! Can you blame me? We’re a team, Dean. All four of us. We don’t just go off to find the killer by ourselves. I’m starting to think you all lost sight of what we’re really about” she put her hands on her hips and stared me down with that knowing look of hers.

Before I met Melissa and Brit…or I guess I should say met back up with them…I probably would’ve said hunting is all that really matters…but with everything we’ve been through together…I know it isn’t. Family is what matters. Sammy…Brit…Mel…Cas when he decides to show his face…that’s what’s important. They’re important. Without them…I probably would’ve gone a long time ago….

“Your girl knows what she’s talking about, Dean” Benny spoke up.

Mel looked around me and over at Benny. I tensed up for a moment wondering how she would react…but then I saw her become so relaxed and she smiled. Seeing her not tense up around Benny made me even more nervous. I watched her carefully as she walked right passed me and stood in front of him.

“You must be Benny” she assumed and just continued to smile.

“I am…and you’re Melissa Stern. It’s a real pleasure to meet you maim…” he started to bow in front of her, showing respect.

But she interrupted him by wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug. “Dean told me about how you pretty much kept him in line…how you were there whenever Brit was in trouble…how you even gave Cas a chance…lets face it that angel can get kind of irritating…” she laughed.

Benny’s eyes met mine in confusion as he was slowly returning the hug, patting her on the back. Just shrugged my shoulders. Like I had a clue what was going on in her head…. She took a step back to get a better look at Benny’s aging face.

“I wanted to say thank you” I was taken back. “I owe you a lot for helping Dean and Brit get through all the shit you guys faced this past year…and no matter what anyone else thinks…you’re okay in my book”

I was almost shocked…but then again…this was Mel I’m talking about…never seizing to amaze me.

“Wow…and for Melissa to say something like that she must like you” I commented.

“Well…I don’t know what to say…” Benny was just as speechless as I was.

“You don’t have to say anything except for what you know about these deaths”

I saw something that was too strange to even explain to myself. The way Mel was looking at Benny…letting him know she was all about being open minded and hearing his part of the story…and the way Benny was looking back at her in awe and like she was the craziest person he’s ever met. It almost made me…jealous…that they were looking at each other like that…. I hated the feeling…but when Benny looked back up at me for some kind of reassurance…the feeling passed and all I saw was a friend in need and the girl I had fallen in love with…she was just working her magic on both of us. I felt like I was falling for her all over again….

I nodded at Benny to encourage him to explain everything to us. “Rogue vamp. Came into the café a couple nights ago. Youngster goes by the name of Desmond. He uhh remembers me from the good old days”

“The good old days?” I repeated.

“I know it's hard to believe, but I haven't always been this cute and cuddly. He's chasing a memory, Dean. That's all. He's crewing up a new nest. He's hoping I can give him some cred. I told him no”

When he spoke he was talking right to me and everything inside me wanted to believe him…it was just hard because I promised Sam I would look into it like any other case. So that’s what I tried to do….

“All right. So far, so good. Let's get to the part about the blood”

“Didn't want to take no for an answer. He's trying to roust me out, leaving dead bodies in my wake till I sign up. Two bodies in two days. No amateur is gonna kick me out of my hometown, Dean. Not this time”

“Hometown? You grew up here?” Mel asked.

He nodded. “Born and bred. With Andrea gone and you hunting again, seemed like the right time for a homecoming – you two being the only ones who keep all my ducks in a row. Went back to my old job at the café. I even found someone to hold myself accountable to. Best kind of someone, Dean. Family”

“Elizabeth” I assumed.

“My great-granddaughter”

“Really?” I made a face, looking away from Benny.

“Dean…you didn’t…” Mel said hopefully. She knew me too well…

“No of course not…” I rubbed the back of my neck. I mean…I might of unintentionally flirted with her…but that was it….

“Does she know” Mel wondered.

“No. No, as far as she's concerned, I was just another drifter. I'd like to keep it that way. It's been tough walking the line here after all those years in Purgatory not having to deal with the hunger. But Elizabeth…she keeps me honest. I finally feel like I got a handle on this thing”

“Handle on things? Benny, you've got two stiffs on your hands and two hunters on your ass” I reminded him.

“Oh, please. The half-wit who found me at the café? I'll take my chances with him”

“That half-wit was sent by my brother”

“And trust me, Benny. Sam is not someone you want to mess with” Mel told him honestly.

The way he looked back at her…I saw that he did trust her…and just for her to be here having a simple conversation with Benny…without any accusations…I could see she trusted him too. I really hoped I wasn’t digging an even ditch…I couldn’t afford to bring Mel down with me if all of this ended up turning bad for us….

“I don't have time to worry about them. I didn't think Desmond had an ounce of steel in his spine, but I was wrong about that. So now I'm gonna do what I should have done two days ago, which is put him back where he belongs”

“You know there's only one way to do that, right? And that is for you to sit on the sideline while we convince Sam and Martin to go after Desmond” I said.

“He’s right. They see you out there, they don't care if you're gonna be collecting for the March of Dimes. They are gonna slice first and ask questions later” Mel added.

“You really think they'll go for that?” he asked us. Mel looked at me with this look of uncertainty and nervousness. I sighed.

Brit’s POV

“Let me get this straight…I follow your boy down a freaking path and trip over fresh vamp kill, and then you practically catch him in the act of burying a second body, and you're still taking his side?” Martin complained.

“Vampires pick people off from the outskirts of town, okay?” Dean snapped and Martin scoffed at him. “Not in the cafés that they work in with their great-grandkids. In fact, killing any human it's not his style”

“Not his style? Not his style? Come on, Melissa. I was hoping maybe you of all hunters would want to end this. Your father would be turning around in his grave right now…”

“Okay lets not bring my father into this, you crazy ass…” Mel started to taunt, obviously getting under Martin’s skin.

Sam stepped in. “Listen, Dean, we came here on a dead body. You asked for some time, and now there's another dead body. Are we just going on trust here?”

“Yes! We are” I snapped at all of them. I was just getting tired of all of this…arguing with each other…doubting Benny….

All eyes were now on me. “Okay…because we've killed for a lot less, and you know how these things turn out for us” Sam said carefully.

“Yes, I do, too well. In fact, every relationship I have ever had has gone to crap at some point” Dean gestured to Mel and she shrugged just agreeing with him.

“But the one thing I can say about Benny is that he has never let me down”

“Huh. Well, good on you, Dean. Must feel great finally finding someone you can trust after all these years” Suddenly everything became tense, I was afraid to breathe.

“Hey…” Mel spoke up so our attention went to her. “You have to believe us when we say Benny is innocent”

Sam stood up from the bed. “No. You’re too close to him and he’s too close to this”

“You're not gonna find him. And if you do you'll be lucky to get out alive. And you go with him, you're a dead man. Period” I pointed to Martin.

“These are innocent lives we're talking about, Brit. And you're willing to risk that on Benny's word alone?” Sam asked me.

“Damn right we are” Dean and I both grunted.

Suddenly, I jumped at the sound of a loud clang followed by a thump. I turned to see Martin had knocked out Dean with the end of his knife and he was coming for me next. I side stepped quickly, grabbing his wrist and putting it behind his back. I threw him against the wall.

“What the hell, Martin!” Mel, Sam and I all yelled at him.

“You and Dean made your choice. We have a job we need to do and we don’t have any more time to waste. You’re either in or you’re out” Martin handcuffed Dean to the radiator and then trudged out the door.

Sam gave me a helpless look and then followed him out. I sighed and then punched the wall in frustration. “Okay look. It’s gonna be okay” Mel approached me.

“How, Melissa?”

“You go with Sam and Martin and just play along with Mr. Crazy. I’ll wait here for Dean to snap out of it” I saw in her eyes that she truly believed it would all be okay.

I just nodded and walked out into the hallway to see Sam pinning Martin to the wall. “You listen to me. I brought you into this. I can bring you out just as easy. So the only thing you're gonna be inclined to do is shut up and follow my lead” he hissed at him.

“Man, I wish you would handle me that way” I commented walking right on passed them.

“What are you doing?”

“Coming with. Martin may have to follow your lead but you’re both following mine. Got it?”

They exchanged a look and then just followed me down the hall. I hope Mel is right about this….