AN: I had no idea just how long it had been since I updated this fic! I am so sorry it's been so long! But I'm back with a new chapter, which feels like a bigger accomplishment for me than it probably should be. Thank you so much to everyone who has read this fic and everyone who has commented. Enjoy!

Chapter Fifteen

We Don't Deserve Love-Arcade Fire

Keep both eyes on the road tonight

Cause I'm driving home to you

Terrible song on the radio

Baby what else is new?

I've been hiding my scars in broad daylight bars

Behind laugh tracks on TV

If you can't see the forest for the trees

Just burn it all down, and bring the ashes to me

Keep you waiting, hour after hour

Everynight, in your lonely tower

Looking down, at all of the wreckage

When we met, you never expected

And you say, maybe we don't deserve love

Jesse turned around to see Elain holding the door open, tears pouring down her cheeks. She moved aside as he entered the kitchen and sat the food and booze he had in his arms down on the table before turning around to wrap his arms around her. He held her against him as she clutched the front of his shirt and cried into it, rubbing his hands up and down her back in an attempt to soothe her.

"This is why I didn't want you seein' him. I knew he'd hurt you." Jesse said softly.

Elain pulled back to look at her brother. "I'm pretty sure I hurt him too."

"You're sick. That's not your fault."

"No, but I should've told him sooner. This is exactly what I was afraid of," she sniffed as she stepped back, wiping her eyes and cheeks with her fingers.

"He'll come around. And if he doesn't, I'll kick his sorry ass."

Elain chuckled but then stopped herself, "Not funny."

"Yeah it was and I mean it," he smirked, pulling her in for another hug. He spoke again after a moment, "Come on, I got honey chicken, your favorite," Jesse said, reaching for the Chinese take-out bag on the table.

Elain smiled, thankful that her brother was there for her, as she went to the sink and washed her hands. She hissed when the water hit her hands, finally noticing the cuts she'd accidently given herself during her therapeutic rage in the attic. She cleaned them carefully, some were little more than paper cuts while others were a little deeper. When she was done she grabbed a glass of water and went to join Jesse on the couch.

"You know, most people would think we're weird for being able to eat while watching Hannibal," Elain told Jesse as she grabbed a plastic fork and her carton of honey chicken.

"Yeah, well, we aren't like most people are we?"

~O.O~

Elain had fallen asleep on the couch at some point the night before and Jesse had carried her to her room and tucked her into bed. Now he was shaking her awake.

"Come on Elain, we've got another big crowd comin' to hear the sermon today," Jesse said.

He sounded so happy Elain didn't even have a smart remark as she rubbed her eyes. As she got ready she wondered if she'd see Cassidy today. Before she'd fallen asleep on the couch watching TV with Jesse, she'd thought about how much she just wanted to see Cassidy so she could apologize for not being honest with him sooner. And if he didn't want anything to do with her anymore, the thought making her heart ache, she'd respect that.

She didn't see him at the service, which sure enough was packed again. She listened as people murmured that they wondered if Quincannon would show up, talking about his bet with Jesse for the church. She'd heard about what happened at last Sunday's service and had all but blessed her brother out for making such a stupid bet. She didn't think a man like Odin Quincannon would keep his word, especially when he'd been under the influence of Jesse's power. There were rumors going around that he was going to take what he was owed, which Jesse brushed off.

What Elain didn't know was that while Jesse was tucking her into bed the night before, Cassidy had shown up, watching her intently from the door way. When Jesse turned around and saw him there his mood changed instantly. His first thought was to punch Cassidy, but he didn't want to wake Elain. He left the room and shut the door quietly before grabbing Cassidy by the arm. Cassidy let him pull him along and shove him through the door that led to the church. Jesse shut it and turned to Cassidy.

"What the hell are you doing back here! My sister tells you she's sick and you just leave her in the middle of a breakdown!?" Jesse was furious, his face red even in the dim lights of the church.

"Look Jesse-"

"No. No, first thing you're goin' to do is apologize to her for the way you reacted. Second, you're goin' to stay away from her. I'm not about to let you hurt her anymore."

"And what about me! You're supposed to be my friend, you, Tulip. You all kept this from me!"

"Because it's for Elain to tell, not me. She was crying, Cassidy! You did that!"

"The bloody hell I did!" He clutched his chest, "She could've just told me from the beginning and-and I wouldn't've been sitting there having my heart ripped in two!"

"You left."

"And I came back! I didn't…I don't know what to do. I love her Jesse. I really do love her, but she tells me she's dying and I could…"

"Could what?"

"Nothing. Never mind." His voice was barely above a whisper now, "There's nothing I can do to save her." It would be selfish to change her, just so he could have her forever, so he wouldn't have to go through the pain of watching her die. Those vampire hunters would find him sooner or later and he didn't want to condemn her to a life on the run, a life of feeding off of people to heal. He could barely stomach the thought of her having any of the gruesome experiences he'd had, to be injured in ways that would kill a human, to experience pain like that over and over, even if she'd be fine later. No, he wouldn't let her become like that, like him.

"I just need some time," Cassidy finally said.

"Well she doesn't have that," Jesse said quietly and both men felt pangs in their chests at the words.

Now Elain was in the dining room talking with one of the church members, a nice elderly lady who always asked Elain how she was doing. When she saw Cassidy enter the kitchen in a raggedy shirt and black lounge pants she froze in her seat. Her brother was standing at the sink, drinking a glass of water.

"Oh, busy," she heard Cassidy say.

"Mm-hmm."

"Corleone family wedding day busy," he chuckled.

She couldn't hear what else they were saying and she didn't want to interrupt, afraid that if she approached Cassidy he would leave. She'd ask Jesse what Cassidy said later. Whatever it was, neither one of them seemed to want anyone else to overhear. Soon though, Jesse came to the dining room to lead Bible study for those who had elected to stay. As she sat there she could see Cassidy was commenting on the food Tulip, who had arrived just as Jesse left the kitchen, was pulling out of the tote bag, but not much else.

"So, Tulip, you didn't tell me about Elain."

"Tell you what?"

"Oh, let me see…that she's got cancer and that it's killing her and there's nothing that can be done for it."

Tulip opened her mouth to reply but stopped when she caught Elain's eye. Cassidy watched as something dawned on Tulip. Her eyes narrowed. "Can you make people like you?"

"Oh no. I mean, yes, yes I can, but I'm not doing that to her. I won't."

"Have you talked to her about that? Or did you take it upon yourself to make that decision for her?"

"I won't do it. I mean it. And I haven't really talked to her since she told me."

Tulip's brow furrowed and she looked back at Elain, this time noting the dejected way she was looking at Cassidy. She looked back at him. "What the hell did you do?"

"I left."

"You what!?"

A few people turned to look at them and Tulip lowered her voice. "That's exactly what she was afraid of! Why she didn't want me or anyone else to tell you and you just proved to her she was right!," Tulip hissed. "I oughta kick your sorry ass to next Sunday."

"I'll talk to her, I will, I just don't know what to say," Cassidy said, running a hand through his hair while continuing to avoid looking at Elain, knowing she'd been glancing at him since he entered the kitchen.

Elain could see they were arguing about something and she wished she knew what as she worried her bottom lip. After Bible Study Quincannon showed up and Elain left. Tulip and Cassidy were still talking in the kitchen, but she avoided them and went to her room and laid down, suddenly feeling very tired.

Tulip came and woke her and before they could leave the room Elain stopped her. "What were you and Cass talking about?"

"You, mostly. And how he still hasn't told Jesse he's a vampire."

"Yeah, I know."

"I think he should."

"That's up to him." Elain said. "And I'm a little afraid of how Jesse might react."

"It's not much different than you and Cassidy I guess."

Elain nodded.

Tulip put an arm around Elain's shoulders. "He'll come around," she reassured as she led her to the kitchen.

Dinner was tense. Elain sat next to Tulip with Jesse to her left. Cassidy talked like his usual self, as if everything was fine. She didn't miss the glances he sent her way, but she avoided looking at him as much as she could, preferring to look at the food on her plate as she pushed it around with her fork. Things got interesting when the sheriff showed up, but then turned from interesting to terrifying when Jesse came back from outside and Cassidy did not.

"Where'd Cassidy go?" Elain asked, eyeing the fire extinguisher Jesse had sat down on the table. It was the first thing she'd said since coming to the table.

He ignored her.

"Jesse, where's Cassidy?" Tulip asked.

Panic. That was pure panic flowing through Elain's body as she stared at her brother.

"Jesse!" Elain and Tulip said together.

"You know about him?" He asked Tulip before looking to Elain. "Do you?" He asked his sister, breathing heavily. "What he is?"

"Jesus," Tulip whispered.

Elain was frozen.

"That's right. You both did." He turned to Emily. "You know?"

"I-I-I don't know anything."

"Jesse Custer what did you do to him?" Tulip asked.

Elain would have asked the same, but she was already thinking of all of the possible answers to that question while she stared at her brother.

Tulip leaned over. "You son of a bitch. Throw someone out on their ass, just cause they don't live up to your uptight redneck Christian standards. Your daddy would be proud."

Elain didn't hear what else was said as she jumped up, grabbed her oxygen tank, and ran out of the room. She'd finally managed to get her body to do something and when she found Cassidy, or what was left of him, she screamed.