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chapter five:
⤵︎ ⤹
⤷ BLOODY HANDS AND RESPONSIBILITY ⤶

̔ ̔ NICE TO MEET YOU, SAM ̓ ̓

̔ ̔ YOU TOO, EIRENE ̓ ̓

❏❐❑

THE TIME after her parents' death was difficult, to say the least. Very difficult. Once the shock had settled in, came the grief. And oh, did it come alright. Eirene was sure she'd never felt anything like this before. It was agonising. She wanted it to end. The woman didn't know what was worse, the feeling of finding her parents' bodies bloodied and mutilated or finding nothing of her sister. There was nothing there except from a blood smeared blanket the little girl used to love. One Eirene had gifted her. One she'd never be able to use again.

At least for her parents, she knew they were dead and gone. But Lydia? Eirene would never know what happened to her sister. And that . . . that was worse.

So, this is where the hunter found herself now. Huddled in the back of an ambulance, watching as her parents' bodies were wheeled out of the house on stretchers and in black body bags. Her dead parents.

However, nothing could compare to the feeling of seeing a cop walk out of the house with said blanket. Suddenly filled with an undeniable amount of rage, the brunette got up and shrugged the warm cover off of her shoulders and marched over to the man, ignoring the protests of paramedics and fellow neighbours who decided they had nothing better to do than watch her suffering.

Tapping the man on the shoulder harshly made him turn around and look down at the woman with guilt. "Can I help you, miss?"

Eirene scoffed and nodded bitterly. "Yeah, you can actually, sir."

The man looked in front of him to see his fellow workers look to him in confusion. He cleared his throat and adjusted his posture to a more professional stance. "And how can -- ?"

"-- Why do you have that?" she demanded sharply, not giving him the chance to finish speaking, not thinking he deserved it.

The officer looked hesitant to reply but did anyway. "It's for evidence, miss."

The woman laughed harshly. "Evidence for what? That my sister is gone?" she questioned, voice breaking mid sentence.

"No, we - ?"

"-- Listen officer," she began, taking a step closer to the man and glaring up at him. "I don't fucking care what evidence you think you need. But I must be one hell of a detective if even I can work out that my sister is gone! She's not coming back! So the least you could do is leave me what little I have left of her."

"Miss -"

"-- and stop calling me miss!" Eirene shouted, onlookers peering eagerly in on the scene, listening in more as they heard yelling.

With that, the hunter snatched the blanket from the officer and marched back to the ambulance, sitting down once more, tears falling freely down her face. The sound of police sirens ringing in the background, the lights emitting from them painted the scene red and blue.

EIRENE BLACKWELL always enjoyed a good party. So, when she heard that there was going to be one at the college she went to, the brunette could not stay away. Admittedly, it might have been quite boring to some, wondering around the halls alone with a single drink in hand and no one to talk to, but Eirene found it enthralling. The woman had left all of her old friends at school and wherever else they all got to, so making new ones was rather difficult (the demise of her family not exactly being a good talking point). Enter Sam Winchester.

Eirene had come across the man out in the back of the building, lying against the wall with a drink in one hand and his phone in the other. She'd overheard a rather tense call between him and the person on the other line, it ending with the teen hanging up and kicking a stone roughly that was on the ground.

"Woah, what'd that rock do to you?" the brunette mused as she looked towards him with a grin.

Sam immediately looked up, startled by the sudden voice. Now, don't get him wrong. He definitely knew how to defend himself, what with John Winchester as his father and Dean aa his brother. The hunting life was instilled into him when he was barely a child before he could even walk.

Sam's hand reached for his pocket, discarding his red solo cup of alcohol which clattered to the ground, spilling out its contents. Noticing this, the female hunter held out a hand in shock.

"Calm down, man, I'm not going to do anything. I just wanted to see if you were alright. That call back there sounded pretty rough."

The youngest Winchester sighed slightly in relief, but his hand was not faltering away from the weapon readily stored away in the denim material. You could never be too careful after all.

The brunette cleared her throat and stepped forward carefully. Slowly, she put her drink down and pushed her back on the wall next to the man. "Eirene Blackwell." she introduced with a small, tightlipped smile. Sam frowned slightly but took the hand she had held our for him.

"Sam Winchester." he replied, now shaking her hand.

Eirene furrowed her brows, deep though taking over her face. Winchester. Why did that sound so familiar?

"Nice too meet you, Sam."

"You too, Eirene."

By now, both college students were smiling.

Sam's face suddenly changed to suddenly that of confusion. "Hey, I've never seen you around before. Are you new or something?" he questioned, suspicion laced in his tone.

"Well, I've never seen you around either Winchester."

Sam tilted his down to her, raising an eyebrow.

"Alright, fine," she caved. "I am new, okay?"

Sam looked like he didn't have anything mkre to say as he turned back to face the many cars that lined the building.

"So, if you don't mind me asking, who was that you were on the phone too?" Eirene intrigued, deciding on testing the waters between the two.

Sam sighed and looked rather hesitant to answer her question but replied anyway. "My older brother, Dean."

Eirene chuckled slightly and then grinned up at the man. Despite him being years younger than her, he was still rather tall. "Brother, huh? He sounds like a real piece of work."

Sam laughed and nodded. "Yeah, he definitely is. But I wouldn't have it any other way, y'know?"

The female hunter listened intently to his words, finding she couldn't agree more. Her sister may have been annoying at times, but she'd do anything to get her back.

"Yeah . . ."

THE FUNERAL of Brian and Clarissa Blackwell was a bleak one. Many people attended, including fellow hunters and even some people of whom they had saved a while back, which Eirene appreciated greatly. Though she knew nothing would bring back the lives of her parents. All throughout the day, the brunette received people's grievances and apologies. And all throughout the day, it rained. This did not help her feel any better. She knew nothing ever could except to be able to see them again, alive. Yet that obviously wouldn't be able to happen. So, there was nothing left for Eirene Blackwell to do but suffer in silence as she usually did. With no one to talk to about how she was feeling and no one to turn to, the woman sought out someone who would. Someone who had to listen. Someone who had no choice but to let the hunter talk. A therapist of sorts.

Once a week, Eirene would travel to said woman and just let it all out. Let it all out. And it helped for a little while. Until it didn't. And it was bad.

Eirene was on her back from seeing the woman. The session had gone on a lot longer that day, but neither party minded. Consequently, the brunette would soon find out that she would very much mind. As waiting at home for her was a big surprise.

"EIRENE. EIRENE!"

The woman in mention was broke out of her sombre thoughts that usually consumed her dull mind as a hand was waving in front of her face at a rapid speed.

"Hm? What?" she asked.

Sam looked slightly worried as he glanced at his friend, who seemed all too out of it.

"I asked what you wanted." Sam replied. He then gestured to the waitress stood by their booth. She was holding a notepad and a pen in her hands while shifting her weight from one foot to another. The sound of her chewing gum echoed obnoxiously loud throughout the small diner. The waitress looked annoyed.

"I can come back if you're not ready." she suggested while twisting a strand of her blonde hair laying over her uniform clad shoulder.

The teen looked from Eirene, who still looked to be somewhat shook up, then back to the blonde.

"Yeah, I think that's for the best." he replied wearily.

The waitress sighed and began walling away, but not before sending a smile at Sam as she did so. However, the man didn't seem to notice it as he remained blissfully unaware.

Before Sam got a chance to speak, the brunette beat him to it. "Uhm, hello!"

"Yeah?"

"Did you not see the way she was looking at you just now?"

Sam furrowed his eyebrows. "Who?"

Eirene glared at him, giving him a look as to say, 'You're so stupid'.

"The old lady in booth nine, who do you think Winchester?"
she deadpanned.

This time, Sam glared at her but couldn't hold it as he let a grin come through.

"Need I remind you that you have a girlfriend Sammy." she reiterated. Doubtful that Sam would ever do something like that to Jessica but also wanted him to see when he was being flirted with.

The college student peered over to where the blonde waitress was. She was standing by the counter, leaning back with an arm hanging off the surface. Not once had she looked away. Instead, her staring only increased, making the female hunter scoff in annoyance.

"Are you not going to put her in her place? Tell her you're taken?"

Sam looked hesitant. "Yeah . . . next time, she comes over for sure."

Eirene narrowed her eyes at him. If Sam wasn't going to do anything, then she sure would. Turning around, she beckoned for the woman to come over, signifying they'd chosen their order.

The youngest Winchester leaned over closer to his friend with wife eyes. "What are you doing?"

"You'll see."

The waitress had now reached their table with a tight - lipped smile as she glanced at it. It looked genuine when she turned to Sam. Eirene scoffed.

The blonde, who she now knew to be called Stacy from the name badge pinned on her uniform, glared at the brunette. "I'm sorry, do you have a problem with me or something?"

The Blackwell woman nodded and leant her head on the palms of her hands while looking up at her. "Apology not accepted. Now, I'd appreciate it if you'd stop oggling at my friend. He's taken."

Stacy looked shocked, not knowing what to say. Eirene, however, just smiled up at her innocently. Stacy seemed to have gotten the hint and stormed away and burst through the kitchen doors.

"Really?"

"What?" she asked. "If you weren't going to take action, I found I'd have to do it myself. And it worked rather successfully, might I add." the brunette defended brashly.

Sam chuckled and leant back in his seat with a defeated look on his face.

Eirene picked up the menu in front of her and began skimming the options. "Besides," she began, eyes not looking up to meet his once. "I think Jess'll rather appreciate what I did just now."

"Yeah, whatever you say."

"Oh, shut up. I'm right, and you know it.

"Mhm."

"I THINK that's enough introducing for today." Sam interrupted his brother and best friend's locked gaze on each other as he grabbed her by the arm and started to drag her away. Eirene turned back and waved at the man. "I'll see you later, Dean."

Sam groaned and pulled the woman away even faster.

"Saaamm," the brunette dragged out. "you didn't tell me your brother was that hot."

"I didn't think I needed to."

Eirene laughed coyly. "Oh, so you agree? You think he's hot?" she teased.

The man sighed and turned to face her. "That's not what I meant, and you know it."

"Yeah, whatever," she waved off with a dismissive hand.

"You really are something else, Blackwell, you know that?"

"Tell me something. I don't already know Winchester."

Instead of replying, he just laughed it off and started to walk away in amusement. Eirene followed after him. "Hey, wait up!"