Ketch Me if You Can

Chapter 26

Ketch looked up from an old book as I entered our bedroom. He sat up fully, placing the book gently on top of the sheets next to him as he took in my tattered image. His eyes were full of curiosity and worry as they passed over me.

"You were gone longer than expected," He commented as I leaned against the wall and pulled my boots off. I could feel his eyes trail over the bruises and spots of dried blood that still spattered my skin, "Did he not show?"

"Oh no, he showed." I scoffed, pulling the blood-stained shirt from my shoulders and over my head, wincing when my hand graced a wound.

"Did you kill all of them?" Ketch asked, sliding from the bed and coming over to me, "You're injured." He knelt in front of me and gently took my foot into his hand, studying the bruised surface.

"It was broken." I leaned further into the wall, "Tackled a vampire, and landed weirdly. Lucifer healed it most of the way. Pretty sure it'll still be sore tomorrow." I shrugged as he let it fall back to the floor, grey eyes studying my face, "I'll have Cas look at it in the morning."

He stood and took my face in his hand, gently turning it from side to side to look at the handprint the olive-skinned vampire had left there. I felt guilt shiver through me as I glanced at the bandages that covered his side. They were still white and it didn't seem as though the cut hindered him in any way, but there was still a very large part of me that regretted not probing for more answers before slashing.

I winced, being pulled back to his face as his other hand gingerly touched the new bruise on my rib cage. I couldn't fight the whimper that came from my lips as his fingers ran through my hair, finding the spot where the hook-nosed vampire had grabbed me.

"You're still bleeding," Ketch said softly as he pulled his hand back, slick red blood coating his fingertips. "I thought this was supposed to be a more routine job. What happened?"

"It turned into an ambush. But everyone made it out alive, and we came back with Lucifer. So everything went to plan in my books." I gave a shrug and a half-hearted smile, "I'm going to go shower. I'm pretty sure I smell like the undead." I ducked past him and headed for the wooden door that led to the master bathroom.

"You should be more careful," He sighed, "I almost lost you to that pack of werewolves. I'm not sure I would know what to do if I lost you."

I tensed at the tone of the room. Something about it felt all too serious, and I didn't like it. Sure, I loved him and appreciated the concern. But I had been taking care of myself since I was twelve. I didn't need someone to suddenly try and protect me.

"I'm a Winchester," I joked, "Not even Death herself can keep us down for long."

"Would that change if you become a Ketch?"

I stopped hard, my hand frozen on the brass knob. A million thoughts ran through my mind in a matter of seconds. Even when I had a handle on them, I still managed to babble like an idiot for several seconds before falling silent again. He couldn't just keep doing this to me. I had just admitted to being in love with him not two months ago. Maybe it had been two and a half. But still! Sure we had had our on and off again fling going for a few years now, but this still felt like something we should take time to figure out. What was I even supposed to say here?

"Ketch, I..." I cleared my throat, "I'm not the marrying type, Ketch." I had to force his first name to stay on the back of my tongue.

I opened the door slowly and closed it behind me, neither of us saying another word. I leaned back against it, letting my head softly knock against it. I took a deep breath and pushed the thoughts of what had just happened into the back of my mind. Instead, I focused on something I could easily handle, beginning to heal my overly sore body.