thepicketfencecliche | canon au } { post-920: bloodlines, of old friends and chicago families

[When Bela hears about the murder of Sal Lassiter, she quietly nudges Sam and Dean in the direction of the case, as though she has no personal investment at all. Because she doesn’t. Nope. She comes with them to poke around with some of her contacts on her own, and when they wind up at the wolf family’s house and sees David and David sees her and … it all goes downhill from there.]

David: How are you even alive?!

Bela: Very long story. You don't really want to know.

David: Um, no, I want to know. Really curious. Sal was devastated when you disappeared.

Bela: [one hand comes up to brush her hair away from her face, covering the awkward that came with that statement] Well, I did die. Hellhounds, dragged to Hell, all that. And ... I got brought back. About five years ago now.

Sam: [is just giving her the 'you have some explaining to do' look]

David: If it was for good behavior, I'm going to have serious doubts about Hell being a bad place.

Bela: [yep. awkward. she'll explain later, she promises.] It wasn't for good behavior. Crowley wanted me to do something for him, and after I did it, he let me stay living. He's very generous that way. [so, so much sarcasm]

Sam: [just gives Dean a look because what is this place and what is their lives?]

David: Well, I hope it stays that way because I heard Crowley isn't the big guy making deals anymore.

Bela: So far so good. But we should get back to Violet. [and not on her personal life because Dean is starting to give her that suspicious look he hasn't given her in a while]

David: [blinks. right.] No, you're right. We can have a drink and catch up later. [because he can drink legally now, Bela. You missed his 21st birthday ;;]

Bela: [she missed a lot of things, she nods before glancing back to the boys] So where to?

Sam: Need to figure out where this guy would be holding her, and what he is so we can take him out.

Bela: Do we know anything about him? The autopsy indicated that there were some kind of claws involved, yeah?

David: Silver claws.

Sam: How do you...

David: [points at Roth] cut his jacket and there was residue. I burned myself. [puppy eyes at Bela]

Bela: [there's a pause because she's pointedly not looking at David right now. stop that] Most monsters are hurt by silver, why would they create claws like that. It rules out ... most of the families right off the bat. Never mind the fact that most of them would be wanting to take credit.

David: Margo and Julian aren't not taking blame about Sal. They want this war to start.

Bela: They do. But Julian was there that night, if he was going to kill Sal, he wouldn't have done it as a masked man with no one knowing his identity. He's a wolf. There is such a thing as pride in the kill. [there's a beat] And Margo is cold, but she's not that cold. At least not from what I remember.

David: A lot's changed since you've been gone.

Bela: [an eyebrow raises] She'd kill her own brother to start a war?

David: I don't think she did it. But I do think she'll use it as an excuse to start a war.

Bela: That doesn't surprise me. But the point stands that neither Julian nor Margo actually pulled the proverbial trigger. Ghouls and djinn aren't crafty enough for something like this - and again, they'd take credit. They'd want to make alliances. The ones that are forming now are more reactionary - out of necessity. I think this is someone outside the families.

Sam: Someone doing it to start a war, but from none of the families? It wouldn't be the first time we came across something like that.

Dean: Still begs the question who. Who has something to gain from a war that isn't someone trying to control Chicago?

Bela: Another hunter?

Sam: Or someone who's been hurt by both families and wants to see them destroy each other.

David: So basically a third of Chicago... [sees all the looks] What?

Bela: No, he's right. The families don't become families without making enemies.

Sam: Well, let's figure out abandon places within running distance of here, because I don't think anyone would want to carry a struggling werewolf for long.

David: Good, I'm coming.

Bela: We have two cars, it'll be better if we spread out.

David: [choices] I'll go with you.

Sam: [look, but nods] Fine. Roth, come with us. We'll call if we find something.

Bela: [nods as she makes her way back over to the car, pointedly ignoring the look for now.]

David: [easily slides into shotgun]

Bela: [slides into the driver's seat and waits for the Impala to drive off before sighing] That timing could have been better.

David: Yeah, well sometimes it's never the right time for what you want.

Bela: [a hum of acknowledgement, before glancing over to him] I'm sorry about your brother.

David: .... Thanks. I hadn't seen him in a while but Sal was a good brother to me.

Bela: He was. He always worried about you the most - I'm sure he was relieved when you got out.

David: [looks] How'd you know that?

Bela: [a bit of a look] I may not have been working for your family anymore, but that doesn't mean I don't still have connections.

David: Oh. Cause I figured if you were working with the Winchesters, you had gone hunter.

Bela: I'm not exactly working with them. [but she's not exactly ... not either?] I more facilitate than anything else. I still have my business - the client list is just much smaller.

David: [thinks, then smiles] It's the one with the hair mop, isn't it?

Bela: [confused] What?

David: Mister Tall and Sexy Eyes? That's why you're with them, isn't it?

Bela: [that gets him a look] It's more complicated than that.

David: Hey, I'm the one who fell in love with Violet, was left waiting for her at the train station, and left to go be human only to end up back here in the middle of a civil war. Everything is complicated.

Bela: And they're Winchesters. [which ... pretty much says all that needs to be said]

David: Well, Sal did say you used to like playing with fire.

Bela: [there's a noncommittal noise at that] I've become less fond of it lately.

David: Too many burns?

Bela: Something like that.

David: [nods and goes to look out the window. Just for a moment, he wished he was better at tracking]

Bela [and we'll time skip a bit for actual finding of Violet and things that already happened on the show?]

David: [works for him. Except the tortured part because that isn't fun at all and he should have known better to split up from Bela and wait for backup]

Bela: [and they skip to Sam and Bela having to talk about Things at some point or should David and Bela talk first?]

Sam: [they need to talk. David can go fawn over Violet and hear from Roth about Sal's last words and such]

Bela: [deal. she's just going to hang back by her car and avoid eye contact]

Sam: [walks over while Dean talks to the boys and girl] So, should I ask questions or you just want to tell me what I should know?

Bela: [she looks away for a moment before shrugging] I worked for the Lassiters. Occasionally, when it came to Sal, it was more than working. It was before I died.

Sam: [nods, leaning against the car] That's why you pushed us to take this job then? Because of Sal's death?

Bela: I suppose when your ex-boyfriend gets murdered, you have a bit of a vested interested in finding out who did it. Particularly when he is ... one of very few that actually get to be called that.

Sam: [nods] I know that feeling very well. Did you... see him at all when we came back that time?

Bela: [pauses, before shaking her head] Given the circumstances under which our relationship ended, it didn't seem like the best idea. It had been two years, things were changing so much with the way the supernatural was operating, I didn't want to be a distraction, or a target. Besides, I had other things to worry about.

Sam: Right, your soulless, anger management issue of a soon to be boyfriend.

Bela: Precisely. [besides, the way their relationship ended was Sal being the call she made right after Dean hung up on her, so. It was better to just leave that where it was. She's regretting it now, however, considering he's dead.]

Sam: [sees that and reaches over, taking her hand and squeezing it] I'm sorry for your loss.

Bela: [slips her fingers between his, but beyond that, she doesn't really respond] Technically I lost him a long time ago.

Sam: Doesn't make it any easier when they die. [Sam knows that. Sarah being the recent example]

Bela: [nods, because he's right.]

Sam: You can stay for a while if you want. Try and see if you can help those two figure out what's really going on.

Bela: [glances up and pauses, before shaking her head] There's a reason why I didn't put the families back on my client list in the first place. It's probably for the best it stays that way. [she glances back to him] David knows how to contact me if he needs me.

Sam: He's a good kid. I hope he stays that way.

Bela: I don't think you'll have to worry about him. [he got out. Then again, so did Sam, and look where that left them.]

Sam: I hope you're right. I don't think Dean has a big forgiving nature, and if this gets out to all the hunter network...

Bela: David isn't here to start a war. He's here to try and prevent one.

Sam: I know. But he left the family for a reason and if he is back, he may have to make choices he doesn't want to.

Bela: Maybe. But I have more faith in him to make the right ones than his sister.

Sam: [nods]

Bela: [and she glances over as Dean gets the phone call from Cas, and he turns to look to Sam] Looks like that's the call. You better go.

Sam: I'll text you where we end up.

Bela: [nods] Be safe.

Sam: [stops to pull her into a quick kiss, then staying close] You too. I'll talk to you soon.

Bela: [nods a bit into the kiss before letting him go]

Sam: [runs a hand along her cheek a moment, giving her an 'it's going to be ok' smile before pulling away and heading to Dean.]

David: [smirking because he called it]

Bela: [watches him go before glancing over to him and rolling her eyes] Don't start.

David: I didn't say anything.

Bela: It was all over your face.

David: I can change my face if you want. [oh so so smug]

Bela: [a look]

David: [shifts to look like Sam. Only shorter] See?

Bela: [closes her eyes] David, don't.

David: [shifts back] Sorry, too soon?

Bela: They're a bit testy about their faces, you know.

David: I thought they were testy about everything. I mean, the stories we hear…

Bela: Oh, they are. But especially their faces.

David: Bad run ins with the mid-west factions?

Bela: One framed Dean for murder, a long time ago. Sam's been possessed before.

David: [wince] Ew. They know they can get tattoos for that, right?

Bela: They have them now. They didn't then.

David: Ah.

Bela: Lately they've had bigger things to worry about.

David: I've been out of touch for the last few years. You know, after the whole apocalypse and all.

Bela: So you missed the Leviathan then? Or the fact that Heaven is closed for business.

David: [eyes widen] Are you fuckin serious?

Bela: [nods slowly]

David: Wow. I mean, I knew things were screwed up but that's pretty much taking it to a new level. Suddenly I feel like a better person.

Bela: How so?