Along the way

Verse: Crossover Supernatural/Nikita

Genre: Hurt/comfort/Angst

Rating: PG-13

Pairing: Bobby/Alex

Song: Second Chance by Shinedown

Summary: Bobby Singer wasn't like the boys, he didn't need damsels in distress. But hell if he wasn't a gentleman and gentlemen didn't leave half exhausted and half beaten girls on the side of the road.


The Winchester boys liked their road trips and Bobby Singer, never once being the type to get all over sentimental, couldn't blame them. It was their thing and for all the things he could say about the old son of a bitch that was their father, Bobby knew it kept Dean and Sam close. It was how their father treated them and in the end besides being demon hunters, it was all they knew.

Him on the other hand, well Bobby liked driving by himself, if he had to drive any where at all these days. He didn't like or hate the fact that the boys took on the bulk of the demon hunting. Bobby was old but not that old.

But the boys, they had the edge he was losing and it wasn't like he told them that from time to time he would go out on the road, searching out minor things that would probably be passed off by them. It was the cards they had been dealt and considering some of the shitty cards they had been dealt lately, Bobby felt it was easy to handle.

Not that he was happy about driving along the roads of the middle ass of nowhere, but it was what had to be done.

The road he had turned on to was dark, in the back water of some god forsaken town and it was a hella long. The music had been switched off two hours ago when yet another nameless band sang another nameless song that Bobby didn't remember. One thing with the boys, the music was always good with them, if not a little full on.

The only music Bobby had and needed was the sound of his truck. John had been the first to point out, years ago, that Bobby in his truck was something out of a horror movie.

He snorted but had to agree he did look like he had a house of horrors somewhere and unless he came across a demon or two, he didn't stop.

And he wouldn't have stopped when he spotted that lone figure, because damsel in distress just wasn't his thing. They were old school and he was out of school and it was the boys who did all the saving the day. But hell, he was a gentleman and when he saw the limp, the way she held herself and the fresh bruises, he knew he was going to be a gentleman.

If she even spoke to him would be up to her and he wouldn't push, people had reasons to hide things and unless she was sporting black eyes, he wasn't going to push.

Slowing to a crawl, the truck wasn't happy and because he didn't give a rats ass wither the thing cared or not, he rolled his window down and shuddered at the coldness seeping through. For her part, the girl was most hidden by the shadows, but he knew how to find things in the shadows, albeit monsters but that was a mute point right now.

"Where ya headin'" she wasn't just exhausted, she looked bone tired and the bruises just looked worse this close up. Her large doe eyes darted around and away from him. It was easy to guess that if he was cold in the truck she had to be down right frozen.

"No where" and with that she was turning and slinking away. He tried, he did his duty but it was her lose and not his. But he couldn't force the truck to pull away, couldn't force himself to leave her.

"Look darlin' I'm too god damn old to be pulling any kind of moves with ya; if your heading some where along this road I'll take you there and nufing more" it was the nicest he was going to get and from the way she looked at him, he figured it might have been the nicest anyone had been with her for a little while.

"The truck stop" her voice was strong but he could hear the hitch hidden in there and he knew that maybe he wasn't over that damsel in distress part of the game just yet. But hell if he was going to do anything about it, the girl was old enough to be his daughter, hell she was old enough to be his granddaughter. Leaving the truck to ideal, he waited several seconds before she nodded to her self and quickly ran to the other side of the truck and climbed in.

he rolled his window up and was glad to see the heat had an effect on her straight away. It also gave him a chance to finally see the bruises up close.

As he pulled away and carried on, he came to a few conclusions, her pale skin made her bruises look worse and she darted her eyes around like a hunter and prey. The exhaustion, fear, anger and power rolled from her and he gave her some respect considering the times they were going through that was a hard combination.

"You ain't gonna pass out on me are ya?" if she did he didn't know how the hell he was going to explain himself and her if he had to go to a hospital or doctors. Bobby loved John like a brother but he hated how right he was in that moment.

"No" short and sweet but he just raised an eyebrow at her. Ducking her head she at least checked her self out and he clenched his jaw when he saw the raw marks on her legs. He knew those marks and he was debating about if he needed to get the police involved. A lot of bother when he had a couple of sawn off's in the back and a ticking anger at the thought of someone hurting a little slip of a girl.

"No" she was assuring both him and herself and it was enough for him. They drove in silence for nearly twenty minutes before a sigh echoed around the truck. Glancing at her, he saw her worrying her lip and he guessed he could offer another nice act on top of his ride.

"You need to call someone; there should be one of those cell phones in there. Don't use it much, don't see the point just trouble they are" he grumbled and noted she almost sagged with relief. Pointing to the glove box again, he gave her the best privacy he could afford in the truck. Who ever she was calling picked up within two rings and he was scared she might start crying.

"I can't talk much... I... they... please could you come. Nikita, please I need to get out. They made me... Thom, and it was all my fault, I couldn't stop them" he tried figuring out the story of this girl but guessed it was hers to tell and he didn't really needanother story.

He could write an epic novel all by himself.

She gave the location of the truck stop as best as she could and after bidding farewell, hung up the phone and put it back in it's long home. Tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, she glanced to him and he shifted.

"Thank you" he feared she would get emotional and start pouring out her story to him then and there. Women and girls were fine in his books, probably better then just fine but they were also a mystery and a lot scary when they got emotional.

"'s nothing" he grunted, attempting to brush off the moment and either she got that or she didn't do those things because she nodded to her self and looked out the window. Rubbing her wrist and then her arms trying to get some heat, which he guessed was a mind thing because the truck was always toasty.

"Got a name" he questioned and he feared she would get whip lash from the way she snapped her head around. Her hand went to the door handle and he wanted to let out a bark of laughter but simply just smirked and shot her a look.

"Ain't gonna turn into no stalker. Not if you give me your first name. I'm Bobby, don't be calling me sir or Mr" he ordered as her small hand slip from the door and she gave him a half smile before looking down at her feet.

"Alex" and that was that, he didn't need to know anything more, despite the itch starting to come to life, and she looked like she could just be best left alone.

"You need to call someone else" he cleared his throat and scrubbed at the back of his neck "You need the police or sumthing" hell if he would willingly get them involved but if she wanted them he would help her get them.

"They wouldn't be able to help... I... I" chewing her lip she clamped up and he left her be. Didn't push her and ignored that god damn voice telling him to do something to get that look from that girls face. After a few minutes of silence, Alex looked at him again and studied him. He didn't like it but it didn't bother him all that much, just yet at least.

"Have you ever killed someone?" the innocent tone to her voice made him think of all the times he wished him and Karen had a little girl of their own. He shifted again and wanted to snap at her for the thought of his wife, but he knew hell had already visited this girl a thousand times already by the look of her.

"Yes; ain't something I'm proud of but damn if I wouldn't do it again" he offered, no airs or graces about it. She just nodded and looked out towards the road. Her eyes looked beyond that road and from the way her muscles tensed he figured she wasn't going to a good place.

"I didn't want to kill him" she might have been talking to him but he guessed she probably wasn't.

"I just... I wanted it to stop and Thom was laying there and then... I just want it all to stop" Alex dropped her head and wrapped her arms around herself. Bobby refused to look at her in fear of tears but he cleared his throat to gain her attention.

"The way I see it; the world is going to hell anyway right? I mean I've seen it, but that don't mean people can't still do good and wrong. You just have to look at things as they come. Was it gonna be him or you" hell if he knew the moment picking up a strange little girl meant he would be talking about killing people.

"You might be one of those crazy little girls in all the papers or you might just be the little girl who thought she was gonna die but proved to be stronger. Like I said, the world is going to hell and it needs strong people who know right from wrong" he offers, his eyes darting to her for a second and was relieved she wasn't crying.

"But I killed him... I'm becoming just what they want me to become" ah hell if he needed a cult but like he said before, them were the cards they had been dealt.

Shitty ones at that.

"You enjoy it? Want to do it again" if it was possible, her whole body grew pale and he thought she might throw up but luckily she just shakes her head and stares at him with wide doe eyes.

"Then you ain't becoming any thing your not meant to becoming. Life gives you these cards to play and like 'em or not we have to play 'em. Sometimes you get a shuffle but it is what it is" he offers and for good measure he studies her for a second before muttering a 'Christo'. He bit back the sigh of relief when she just frowned at him and remained human, a strange one but human none the less.

The rest of the trip was silent and he was grateful because he didn't do soul searching, sometimes he feared how much of a soul he hand left. The lazy lights of the truck stop came into view and Alex gave him a smile when he pulled in. he just snorted and gave her a look that meant he wasn't lying. Hell even before he found out that she had killed someone, he wasn't about to try anything.

"Thank you Bobby" she offered when he stopped and scanning the area he decided he would wait, he needed a rest and he might give the boys a call. They needed a boot up the ass every now and then and his boot fitted just right.

"You can wait here until who ever comes to pick you up; you might need it and these places don't offer the nice people of the world" she just smirked and glanced around the few people littered around the truck stop. He didn't know why but he did know that she could probably take them.

"She'll be here; I'll stick to the shadows" she offered and he nods. The silence hangs there now and he doesn't know what else to say, what could he say. Stick with him and he'll get rid of her monsters. He didn't know what monsters she meant and she might run screaming if it isn't the kind that he deals with.

"Be who you are Alex, don't be letting anyone think they can change that. And don't be, you know, doubting yourself or nufing. You do only what needs to be done and you'll see that it's OK" he offers, refusing to look at her or even make this moment anything more then it already was.

She nods and opens the door but before she climbs out she reaches across and places a small kiss on his scruffy cheek and flashes him a real thankful smile.

"I really wish there are more people like you Bobby, it will make what I'm doing so much more easier to handle" she offers and like that she slipping away and closing the door. He watches her jog towards the stop, never once glancing back at him and he's kinder proud of her. Like hell he was going to get sentimental but the girl did cheer him up.

The boys only half listened to him now and sometimes it rubbed him wrong but he couldn't stop them from living their lives.

He waited as she looked around, and he spotted that lithe tall dark haired woman make her way steadily towards Alex. For a second he was tempted to hit his horn and force her back into the truck but then Alex is waving at her and all but running to her.

He was about to pull away and leave Alex to her mission, what ever it was but then that dark car is pulling up to her and the dark haired woman is ducking and hiding and Alex spins. It takes all of him to grip the steering wheel and not fling himself out of the car with his guns when that sappy, pansy looking man got out of the car and caught Alex.

He had his hand on the handle before he understood but Alex isn't fighting the man talking to her and when he grips her arms she almost collapses against him. Bobby doesn't like it but he can't be fighting someone else battle who needed to learn, hell he didn't like it but he had learnt that kids like Alex and the boys needed these road blocks to make them who they were.

After the car has pulled away with Alex, Bobby looks up to find that nimble woman staring at him. Studying and he studies her, finds everything he needs to know from her eyes.

With a nod to each other they go their own ways.

It was strange and would make for funny thinking on the long trip home, but Bobby had honestly come to like that little slip of a girl he picked up and the woman she had gone to met seemed like she had things under control. He wasn't gonna look for Alex or her mysterious friend, they had their things and he had his but he knew enough to know that Alex had someone looking out for her.

And for how shitty the cards were, sometimes that ace got chucked in and Bobby could only hope he would live long enough to see that Alex would make it out OK in the end.

In fact it was something he was sure of.

The End