Bonds Tested

Long-Distance Call -- The Call

~*****~

I hum softly as I wait for my hotdog to be made. The vendor looked irritated, but my cravings were starting up again, so he'd have to suck it up. "Here's your American frank with mustard, ketchup, mayo, relish, jalapenos, and sauerkraut."

"Thanks!" I chirp and toss him my cash before shoving one end into my mouth with a delighted coo. I trot back over to Dean as Sam approaches from across the street. "So?" I ask with my mouth full.

"So, the professor doesn't know crap." Sam explains with an amused expression on his face. "Shocking."

"Pack your panties, Sammy. We're hitting the road." Dean explains as he plucks a jalapeno off of my hot dog and eats it.

"What? What's up?" Sam and I echo.

"That was Bobby." Dean mentions. "Some banker guy blew his head off in Ohio, and he thinks there's a spirit involved."

"So you two were talking a case?" Sam asks.

Suddenly my hot dog isn't so appealing. "So, we were actually talking about our feelings and then our favorite boy bands. Yeah, we were talking a case."

"So, a spirit-- what?" Sam asks.

"Yeah, well, banker was complaining about some electrical problems at his pad for, like, a week-- phones going haywire, computers flipping on and off." Dean explains and grins.

"Uh-huh..." I trail off.

"This not ringing your bell, baby?" Dean asks.

"Well, sure, yeah, but Dean, we're on a case." I explain.

"Whose?" Dean asks.

"Yours." I retort as if it were obvious.

"Right, yeah, could have fooled me." Dean hums.

"What the hell else have we been doing lately other than trying to break your deal?" I ask irritably, my hot dog now completely unappetizing. The baby in my belly flutters as I toss the frank into the trash.

"Chasing our tails, that's what?" Dean retorts. "Lottie, we've talked to every professor, witch, soothsayer, and two-bit carny act in the lower forty-eight. Nobody knows squat. And we can't find Bela. We can't find the colt. So until we actually find something, I'd like to do my job, and make sure our kid is safe."

"Well, there's one thing we haven't tried yet." Sam mentions.

"No, Sam. No." Dean snaps.

"Dean, we should summon, Ruby--"

"I'm not gonna have this fight with you."

"She says she knows how to save you!"

"Well she can't!" Dean bellows.

"Oh, really? You know that for sure?"

"I do." Dean snaps.

"How?"

"Because she told me, okay?" Dean snaps at Sam. My lower lip wobbles as Sam's face falls. He echoes out in confusion. "She told me... Flat-out that she could not save me-- nobody can."

Sam nods, his jaw tight. "And you just somehow neglected to mention this to me?"

"Well, you know, I really don't care what that bitch thinks, and neither should you, so..." Dean trails off.

"So what-- now you're keeping secrets from me, Dean?" Sam asks.

"You really want to talk about who's keeping secrets from who?" Dean shoots back. Sam strides past him. "Now where are you going?" Dean asks.