Monday: The Winchesters
You sighed, leaned back in the chair and ran a hand across your face. Whose bright idea was it for me to go to college? You thought, a little hysterical, oh, right I did. Shoving away from the library table You gathered up all the books and notes then stuffed them into your bag, and with the gait, only a stressed-out college student could pull off, you left the library and headed toward the Psychology room for your first final of the week. Halfway between the Library and the Psychology room, your phone rings.
"I'm a cowboy, on a steel horse I ride, I'm wanted dead or alive, Wanted dead or alive, Sometimes I sleep, sometimes it's not for days, The people I meet always go their separate ways, Sometimes you tell the day-"
As if You didn't recognize the ringtone you look down at the phone before you answer and see a rather rare looking picture of Dean smiling on your screen (you had totally sneaked that picture while Sam had Dean distracted).
"Is everything, ok? Do you need me to bail you out of jail?" You ask instead of a 'hello', You hear a deep chuckle and the faint roar of the Impala's engine.
"Easy Sparky, everything's fine on our end, I'm on a food run," Dean said, you release the breath you had been holding.
"Then why are you calling Dean? I'm starting my finals, you know that."
"That's exactly why I called," Dean informed you cheerfully "you and Sam are too much alike, so I called to help."
"You mean to distract me," You said with a small smile as you stood outside the classroom, you had another five minutes before you had to be in there.
"Ehh, tomato, tomato. Whatever you want to call it, I know you're going kick these tests ass, you know with shrinky stuff and that, uh, that stuff with how we store information and shit."
"The term your talking about is Cognitive, and it's a perspective on how our brains encode, process, store, and retrieve information. The 'shrinky' stuff" you made sure to heavily imply air quotes around "shrinky", is clinical psychology. And that's just one branch of -"
You get cut off by the sound of Dean's laughter, then you realize what he did and chuckle just a little.
"And you're worried because?"
"You're a jerk," You say but you are too amused and thankful to put any heat behind it. "Thank you, Dean, I needed that."
"I know," Dean responds with the warmth he only uses on special occasions or Sam. "Good luck Kid,"
"Back to you Dean."
You hang up, and the stress you had on the way here was gone thanks to Dean's call, you take one more deep breath then walk into the room ready to tackle your first final.
~After the test~
As soon as you turn in your test you book it to the old junker '60's Ford truck the Winchesters had found so you could drive it to school and back. Humming happily to yourself you grab a random cassette out of the glovebox and slip it into the player, tapping out the beat to 'The Final Count Down' you back out of your parking space and headed into Beloit for lunch before your Orientation and Safety final. Not long after you're on the road your phone rings again.
"Six foot six, He stood on the ground, He weighed 235 pounds, But I saw that giant of a man brought down by, A thing called love-"
Grabbing your phone out of the cup holder you see it's Sam calling this time, the picture you grabbed while Dean had him distracted.
"Heya Sam,"
"Well sounds like you're in a good mood. Ace the test?"
"Don't know yet, just turned it in the first one, I'm on my way to Sonic's now." You answer the taller Winchester, "I won't know anything until Wednesday."
"I have a pretty good feeling you ace it though," Sam offers. You can hear some muted talking in the background and figured Dean was there too, there was some shuffling over the line then you could hear Dean clearly.
"You kick its ass?" Dean asks
"Dude, she just said she didn't know," Sam told Dean
"Well, sorry princess I didn't hear that part" Dean jabs, you roll your eyes.
"Thank you both for calling, really, but you didn't have to do that," You told them and got synchronized scoffs.
"I remember how stressing finals are," Sam explains shedding just a little bit of light on his past.
"Please, I just wanted to make sure you weren't all jacked up on stress and wrecked that truck just after we got it running." Dean scoffs, you giggle. "But seriously, you good?"
"Yeah," You take a deep breath, "yeah I am."
"Good, we should be home Friday in time to take you out and celebrate the ending of those finals," Dean tells you
"You don't-" You start
"We want to," Sam stresses "there should be money stashed in the kitchen in case you guys need anything before we get back, ok?"
"Ok, got it," You reply
"Good, now remember to get some sleep for the rest of your test, no staying up past midnight to cram study." Dean orders
"Aye, aye captain" You salute, not that they could see you.
"See you Friday,"
They finally hang up and you can't help but smile all the way to Sonic's. You made the right decision, you can't help but think back to when the Winchesters first found you trying to control the powers you didn't understand or want at the time. You flex your fingers on the steering wheel and little bolts of electricity spark off your fingers, yeah, you're really glad you came with them, you think to yourself, the brothers you've always wanted.
Tuesday: The Sheriff's
Why the flip are Brakes so complicated? You ask yourself silently as you scan over your notes for your Brakes 1 final, glancing down at your watch you see it's already 9:30, with a sigh you gather up your stuff off the diner's table and head for your truck so you can get back to campus in time for your 10:15 final.
"Forget the bull in the china shop, There's a china doll in the bullpen, Walk with a switch, fire in her fist-"
Juggling your books, you manage to get your phone out of your pocket glancing at the screen and seeing Jody's picture before you answer.
"Jody?"
"Hey, Bay, how are you doing?" Jody asks and the noise in the background lets you know she's calling from the Sheriff's station,
"I'm fine, I'm heading for my Brakes final now," You answer as you climb into your truck and toss your books and notes into the passenger seat.
"I still can't believe there a class just for brakes,"
"You would if you've seen all these different types of brakes they put on cars and the different ways they put them on. It's ridiculous." You say as you back out of the diner's parking lot. You'd put Jody on speaker and clipped your phone into the phone holder She had gotten you for your last birthday.
"It's good to know if I ever have any trouble with my brakes you'll know how to fix them."
"Ehh, Dean probably is still the better bet to call," You shrug off
"Uhh, but he's teaching you right?"
"Yes,"
"And you're doing well in your class?"
"Yes, but Jody-"
"Your understanding and can do the things you've gone over?"
"Yes but-"
"No buts, Bay, and quit putting yourself down."
You parked her truck in the parking lot of the college with a half-smile on her face.
"Have you talked to Dean and Sam?"
"No, why?"
"They called and did this same thing yesterday," You said with a chuckle,
"Great minds think alike,"
"Yeah, they do, thanks, Jody"
"Any time kiddo, now get to that final, ok."
"Yes ma'am"
Hanging up You had the same warm feeling that you had when the Winchesters called yesterday. Smiling to yourself you got out of the truck, locked her up and walked to your class a lot lighter.
~After the last test of the day~
"See you tomorrow Bay!"
"See you tomorrow Lisa,"
Waving goodbye to the only other girl in your Electrical 1 class, you make it to your truck just as the sun is starting to set. Man, I hope they have something cooked back the bunker, you think as you pull your truck away from the school and on the road for the 40-minute drive back to the bunker.
"I used to think maybe you loved me now baby I'm sure, And I just can't wait till the day when you knock on my door, Now every time I go for the mailbox, gotta hold myself down, 'Cause I just can't wait 'til you write me you're coming around-"
You had put your phone in the cradle, so you saw Donna's picture pop up before the phone started ringing.
"Hey Donna," You great
"Heya sugar!" Donna greeting brightly over the phone, "How are those nasty tests going for ya?"
"So far so good I think," You can't help but answer with the same cheerfulness the Minnesota Sheriff had.
"That's good to hear, ya," Donna says "Do you need me to bring you anything?"
"Donna, it's nine hours from Stillwater to Lebanon, there's really no need for you to make that trip just to bring me something," You protest, knowing full well if you said yes, the chipper Sheriff would do it.
"Aww just calm down, sweet cakes, I was just asking"
"I know Donna" You reply a warm smile on your face
"Now what I was really calling for, was to remind you to eat a good meal tonight. You need to replenish your energy after stressing all day,"
"Why does everyone think I stressing out?" You ask with a small wine, "You're the third person to remind me this week."
"Well, I'm sure it has nothing to do with the last time you were studying for a major test and ended up fainting, because someone hadn't slept, or ate very well that week."
You wince remembering what she was talking about. You had been studying for GED, Sam and Dean had been on a hunt that week and had come back to find you passed out on the library floor. To say everyone was worried is an understatement, Sam and Dean refused to let you out of their sight and Dean made sure you ate three meals every day. And even after you took the test and passed they wouldn't leave you on your own, whenever the boys went out on a hunt they made sure, to leave you with Jody or Donna, or that Charlie and Kevin were in the bunker.
"I still can't tell you guys how sorry I am for worrying you,"
"I know. Now, are you sure you don't need anything? I can take off tomorrow and cancel my plans tonight."
"I'm sure Donna, and what plans for tonight? Are you going on a date?" You ask grateful for something else to focus on, "is it Doug?"
"Don't the to change the subject, troublemaker" Donna says "and it's none your beeswax what my plans are... or who I date."
"It's totally Doug, isn't?"
"Yah, it's Doug,"
You laugh loudly and tell Donna that you called it, and that Dean owes you ten bucks. Your silent as Donna goes on about something, your listening but only partly.
"Hey, Donna?" You interrupt
"Yah?"
"I have to go, but thank you, really. For the phone call and the unnecessary worry."
"Your welcome Bay, and even if it's unnecessary you always worry about family."
You say your goodbyes and hang-up. Thinking back on the other calls this week you can't help the pleased feeling of knowing that they cared enough to call and check up on you.
Wednesday: The Prophet, The Woman of Letters, and The Wayward Mother
You stumbled into the Bunker's kitchen covering a yawn with your right hand and running your left through your short hair, way too early because you had an eight o'clock final, you're only final for the day. You freeze just across the doorway and blink your eyes rapidly, think what you see is an illusion, it's not.
"Uhh..." You say intelligently
"Come on, Sparky, we made breakfast!" Charlie calls from the table with a grin that says she is way to awake for this early.
"Uh," You say again really not awake enough for this.
A pair of small, but firm hands grabs your shoulders and steers you to the table and pushes you into a chair. You look back and see Mary, Sam and Dean's Mom, behind you smiling gently. A cup being sat down loudly got your attention, turning back in front of you, you see that Kevin had sat a cup of coffee in front of you.
"Drink that," Kevin orders you with his 'teacher voice' and you do it without hesitation.
As you drink the other three pile food onto plates, and one is sat in front of, more awake now you are finally able to ask a question.
"Not that I don't appreciate this, but why did you do it? And Mary I thought you were in Georgia?"
"I was, I got back late last night" Mary answers you
"And dude you told us this was the final you were the most worried about," Charlie explains. "So, we made Breakfast for you"
"Finals suck," is all Kevin gives
Never one to turn down free food, You decide to deal with all that after you've eaten, and dig into the delicious smelling food in front of you. After all, the food is gone and a second cup of coffee is placed in front of you, you eye the three other people in the room as they clean up. You can't help be suspicious that Dean called them and told them to do this, but you know that Dean would rather be here himself and do this than let anyone else cook if he could help it. You slip out with your Coffee unnoticed to get dressed, and when you get back their still distracted, you leave your cup on the counter along with three little wooden carved figures that you hardly ever let anyone have, then you leave for your final.
Thursday: The Wayward Sisters and Castiel
You sit slumped in the diner in Beloit not ready to go back to the Bunker. Sitting at a corner booth by yourself you look sullenly into your Sprite, stirring it with a straw, not really drinking it and completely ignoring the piece of pie you ordered. Four people slide into the booth with you, three in front of you and one beside you, jerking up in surprise your hand automatically goes for the knife Dean and Sam insisted you always have one you, only to relax when you see it's just Claire, Alex, Patience, and Kaia. You slump and go back to staring at the table, an arm reaches across your vision as Claire steals your pie.
"Mmm, Cherry," She says after she takes a bite, you don't react or move and miss the looks traded by the girls.
"Bay?" Alex says softly
You look up then and try to give them a reassuring smile.
"How'd your clinicals go Alex?" You ask
"They went good, I'm pretty sure I passed" Alex answers
"Good, good. Patience your finals?" You ask
"The same for me," She answers, you nod then go back to stirring you Sprite that has undoubtedly gone flat now.
There was a beat of silence before, "Your last one didn't so go well?" Kaia asked
"Pretty sure I just bombed that test," You scoff frowning hard at the table
"So? It's just one test," Claire says from beside You
"It's not!" You snap a little louder than you meant to as you look at Claire, "If I fail this test, I fail the entire class. I didn't do so hot in the class, it'll bring my GPA down, I'll have to retake the class and, and ..."
The girls are silent after you trail off, you hear Claire sigh before she tugs you out of the booth. You don't fight, Alex puts some money on the table as Claire pulls you out of the diner. Claire tosses Alex a set of keys then grabs yours out of your jacket pocket and pushes you into the passenger seat. Claire drives your truck for a while, you don't where you're going all you know is that Alex and the others are following in Claire's car and you hope she isn't taking you back to the Bunker. After a while of driving and you starring out the window Claire pulls off on a dirt road, drives for a while then stops your truck.
"Out," She orders in a voice you know she learned from Jody and Dean.
You climb out without protest and walk to the front of the truck to stand in front of her.
"Clarie, what are we doing out here?" You ask sounding tired
"It's just a test," Claire says instead of answering you, "and it's a class you can retake it."
"It's not just a test our class!" You shout throwing your arms in the air
"It's a piece of paper, it doesn't reflect on your skill, ya know," Kaia says
You turn to glare at her and retort but you don't get a chance.
"Bay, you have a 4.0" Patience says "grades are everything anyway."
"Bay, your if you fail this test, this class? You won't have failed Dean or Sam." Alex says
You duck your head, your anger fading to guilt and fear.
"They won't care about it Bay, what they will care about is you, and the fact your tearing yourself up over something that doesn't really mean anything in the long run," Claire says
And with Claire's words, it's like the dam has broken and you start to sob, the girl surround you, putting you in the middle of a group hug.
"T-t-they've done so much for me, I-I-I-I don't want to fail t-t-them," You sob
The girls just hold you close and let cry it You out. When you've cried all, you can Claire gets you back into your truck and drives you to the Bunker and somehow gets you to your room without running into anyone else. You fall asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow.
~Later~
You wake up slowly, you're groggy and your face hurts. You remember why your face hurts and make no move to get out from under your covers, content for the moment to stay in bed and wallow.
"I do not understand why you are upset, but I have brought Ice cream and something called 'I Love Lucy'."
You fail and fall out of bed tangled in your covers when you untangle yourself, you see Cas standing at the foot of your bed holding a pint of Ice Cream and a box of DVD's. You pause taking in the items then Cas.
"Did Claire send you?" You ask
"No," Cas says, "she simply informed us that you were upset and needed to "sleep it off"."
How Cas was able to use air quotes while his hands were full You might never know.
"Then what are you doing here?" You ask
"I've learned that young humans when they are sad need company, even if they wish to be left alone." Cas explains, "and from watching you I know you like to eat Ice cream and watch this 'I Love Lucy' when you are sad."
Hearing the fallen angle explain himself You feel a smile work its way onto your face for the first time since your last test. You straighten up your bed and take the ice cream, Ben and Jerry's Peanut Butter Cup, set it on your nightstand as he goes and puts the first disk in. When Cas sits down next to you on your bed, you lean into him, press play and take the first bite of your ice cream.