Jericho, C.A.
Tracy
It was a cold day for an October night when her and that boy walked through her bar doors. They would sit in the very back.
He would be in the corner and her very body would protect him from any on lookers. Her long black hair would be down so that it covered her face.
It was as if she was hiding herself from the world. Her body language shouting at everyone to leave her alone. They would order the same thing every night for the last three.
One beer two Pepsi's and an order of fries and bacon cheese burger for the boy. "Hey Lila come over her for second would ya." She hollered at the girl's server.
This was not hard considering there were only three people working in the bar. She was seriously under staffed. "What do ya want Tracy?" The girl asked.
"Go over there and tell that young thing to what here after the bar closes. I wanna talk to her be sure to let her know she not in trouble or anything." Lila smiled at her boss she knew what she was doing.
"Sure thing boss and if you ask me," She stopped and pointed a finger at herself. "Which your not. I think you're doing the right thing that girl and her boy look lost."
With that said, she left to talk to the stranger. Tracy knew what she meant. Not lost in the way of you get lost in town but something else.
To her surprise, the girl had stayed so when every one had gone she walked up to her. "May I sit down?" She asked when she was standing next to her.
All she received was a small nod. Sliding in the booth across from her, she gets her first real look at the girl. Her black hair was curly and it fell down to about her waist.
Her eyes were odd they were the shade of lilacs. Quick as a flash Tracy grabbed her arm and pulled the tight sleeve of her leather jacket up.
Revealing the long scar up her arm and the protection tattoo above it. "You're a hunter?" It was a statement formed as a question. Tracy watched as the girls face crumbled.
She never cried out ever watchful of the sleeping boy beside her. She nodded her head. "How long?" Another statement. "Been in the life since I was born, been doing it since I was thirteen."
"The boy's daddy?" She said tilting her towards the blonde kid sleeping in a ball. "He's alive no thanks to me." She was not meant to hear that, but she did.
You do not survive long if you cannot hear what you are not supposed to. They were done for the night. You could see the strain around her lavender eyes.
"Look you can stay here for the night. There is a job opening, if you want it let me know in the morning. You got any clothes?" A quiet no was her answer.
"Well don't you worry we'll take care of you in the morning. Look the room is third on the left." She started to leave when a soft question was asked.
"Why? Why are you doing this?" the question may have been asked quietly but there was steel behind her words. Tracy smiled a little. "Cause I was you
once upon a time. Except my story didn't end so well." The smile turned sad and with that, she turned around and went up the steps to her bed. Ryce looked at her boy and whispered. "Well baby I think we found a home." Her smile was sad to, but hope burned behind her eyes.
January 24 2003
They had been here for a couple months now. Ryce and her boy. The night was cold like it was when they had first met.
It seemed like a good time to talk to her about what happened. What made her run away like a frightened rabbit?
They sat in the same booth as they did that first night. A bottle of whiskey between them. "What was he like?" She asked.
She could not help it she was curios about the boy's father. Her odd eyes had a shine to them. As she twirled the glass of whiskey in her hands.
"You know what it feels like when you take that first shot?" She stopped and looked at her waiting for the nod. "When the burn of the liquor hits your lips and rushes down your throat." Another pause.
"Then it pools in your stomach sending a warm tingly feeling through your body. Well that is what he's like." She stops to take that first shot and a small far away smile played across her lips.
"Yeah, his like whiskey. You almost cannot get enough of him. His touch burns you like this drink here. Leaving his mark across your body. Possessing you marking you as his." Tracy could get that.
She had someone that made her feel that very way once. "So why did you leave then?" she asked the questions burning at her tongue. She knew not to push to hard. She heard Ryce let a small bitter laugh. "'Cos I almost killed him and my uncle."
Here it was the truth behind it all. She listened quietly as Ryce told her story. How she was possessed how she attacked her son.
Her boy's father and the man she so badly wanted to call daddy. Tracy had heard of Bobby Singer he was a grizzled old man by all accounts.
A kind of go to man of all things supernatural. "Tell me more about your man." Tracy heard the small snort. "He's not my man."
"Ah but he used to be and something tells me you still love him." She said as a bartender you learn to be very observant.
"Yeah I still do. Probably always will he has away of sticking with you." Tracy watched as Ryce's eyes glazed over with her memories.
Watched as she twirled the amber liquid in the glass. "Love him or hate him you can't get enough of him. Lets just say he's my personal addiction,"
She paused to refill her dink and slam it down in one motion. "One night when we were teens we danced in the rain." Tracy smiled at that.
"Oh really?" Ryce smiled too, a small one. "Yeah, to our song nothing else matters. When I was with him, he could make me forget it all.
Make me forget for just a moment that our lives weren't so fucked up." "What about Bobby tell me about him?" Tracy asked. "Uncle Bobby, he is the best man in the world. Took care of me when my folks were too stuck up their own asses to. When I lived with him I so wanted to call him dad. Wanted his last name instead of my own."
Tracy could see the tears in her eyes. Tears she would never let fall. "Any chance I had to call him dad went out the window the night he found me and Bryce's dad in bed.
This probably wouldn't have been so bad if I wasn't sixteen at the time." Another pause and drink. "He practically kicked me out of the house. Well that is how I felt at the time.
Sent me to live with my dad's brother." "You came back right?" "Yeah, I did my mom, dad and Johnny had died I couldn't let him be alone any more, so I came to live with him."
Tracy was about to ask more but someone decided to make the mistake of breaking in. In one fluid motion they pulled there guns out of their holsters.
"Hands in the air ass hole!" Ryce commanded. "Ryce what the hell are you doing here?" A deep familiar voice answered. Tracy heard Ryce sigh though her gun never lowered.
"I live here John. Now what are you doing here?" He looked at the gun then back at her. She lowered it but did not out it away Tracy did the same.
The man Ryce called John just shrugged his shoulders. "Was on my way out of town and wanted a drink. Where's my grandson Ryce?"
"None of your business Winchester now get out of here." Tracy's head was spinning. Did she mean John Winchester? "Wait a second are you saying that he is the John Winchester?"
She saw Ryce's head nod. "Then the boy's daddy is Dean am I right?" That scared rabbit look had taken hold again. "Yes, Tracy you are right." Well now, this was interesting.
Tracy watched John and Ryce for a moment. "You know I think I am going to bed. "I will let the two of you talk. Ryce sweetie if you want he can stay there's a bed down stairs." She saw that Ryce gave her a small smile. Before she could speak, John spoke. "Thank you Tracy I would like that."
"John Winchester what the hell do you think your doing?" she demanded angrily. "Why did you run away leaving my boy?" He demanded just as hotly.
"I almost killed your boy! I thought you be happy that I was gone!" She was near tears but she would not let them fall. "Ryce," He said softly.
"I love you like a daughter why would I want you and my son to hurt like that?" Who ever said that John Winchester was a heartless bastard obviously did not know shit about him.
Because when she finally broke from everything. He was there John Winchester held her as she cried from all the pain she had caused. He let her sob into his jacket soaking the shirt underneath.
He did not think she was weak, no just the opposite. She was strong and she needs to let it all out. She would be all the better for it. When she was done, she let him see her son.
He promised to never tell Dean were she was. Even if he thought she should, she should at least call Bobby. She made that promised to him. It was a promise she meant to keep. In the morning, she said good-bye to the man who taught her many things. She would miss him cause who knows when they would see each other again.