ROAD TRIP
A/N/: i couldn't think of a better name for this story, some day i'm hoping inspiration will strike and i will, but until then you're stuck with this on.
CHAPTER ONE
I stand in my living room, stunned by what my friends, my family, are doing to me. Before I can come up with a response to all of this, a Metallica song plays from where I'd left my phone on the coffee table with a small smile, I pick up from the table and answer it. "Wow, you still have impeccable timing."
He chuckles. "It's a gift of mine. One of many. You sound off, what's wrong?" I'm astonished that even after all this time, he still knows me so well.
I shrug, knowing he can't see me. "Nothing I can't handle. Just making your weekly call or…"
"Well, we need your help." he explains, all business now.
"When?" I ask, catching on to the seriousness of the situation.
"We're ten minutes out of town." He explains. "We don't know where the demon is, but we do know we're going to need your help fighting it."
"You've got it." I stand up straight and turn to the stairs, taking them two at a time heading to her room to pack a bag, leaving a roomful of confused people still in the middle of a fight.
"If you've got something going on we don't need to leave immediately." He informs me, not wanting to inconvenience me.
"I have nothing keeping me here at the moment." I tell him, a little of the bitterness I'm feeling seeping into my voice.
"We'll be there in a few." He knows to leave it alone, I'll tell him when I'm ready.
"I'll be waiting." I smile and we say goodbye.
Ten minutes later I make it downstairs having heard the familiar sounds of the Impala, duffle bag in hand, just as the doorbell rings. With a smile I set my bag next to the door and open it with a flourish. My smile falls quickly from my lips as I take in the appearance of the Winchester brothers. "What's wrong?"
Deans eyes darken, but never leave my face as he answers. "Dad."
I inhale sharply. John Winchester wasn't perfect, but he had been the father id never had. "Was it?" he nods his head solemnly. I take a step closer to him and place my hand on his broad chest, the only comfort he would be willing to accept with an audience. After another silent moment, I turn to Sam, sad smiles flitting across both our features. "Hey Sammy." I say, pulling the more open brother into a fierce hug.
I hear Xander clear his throat behind me, standing in the living room. Grudgingly I pull away from Sam and turn to face the people who have betrayed me, gracing them with a look of hatred. "What?"
"Who are they?" he asks uncomfortably, gesturing to Sam and Dean, still standing in the open doorway.
"That is none of your business." Turning my attention to the rest of the room I continue. "I'm going away, don't know how long and I'm sure you don't care. But I expect that as soon as you defeat the first, you will vacate MY house. The only people allowed to stay would be Spike, Dawn and Faith, if she so chooses too." I nod at my sister slayer, hoping to relay that I don't blame her for the mutiny. "Try not to die. And faith, have Spike call me." With that I grab my duffel and follow the Winchester to Dean's '67 Impala. I smile remembering the day John had given it to him, but it fades fast as I also remember why I'm leaving to go hunting.
As I climb silently into the backseat, my emotional exhaustion catches up with me and I fall asleep leaning against the cool window before we get out of Sunnydale. I wake up several hours later blinking the sleep out of my eyes, trying to focus on the dark unfamiliar town. "Where are we?" I ask, my voice raspy from sleep.
"We are currently somewhere in Nevada." Sam answers me. "Somebody got us lost and now we've stumbled across the only middle of nowhere town with out a hotel."
"We are not lost, Sammy." Dean says defensively. "I told you I wanted to take a detour. We really aren't in a rush here. We got no leads and no current cases. Right now we're waiting to hear from either Bobby or Ellen."
"Okay, you took a detour." Sam grumbles. "I just wish we knew where that detour had taken us."
"You guys should invest in GPS." I state, knowing full well Dean would never desecrate his baby by putting a monstrosity such as a navigation system in it.
"Blasphemy!" He shouts, but I can hear the smile in his voice and I chuckle quietly to myself.
"So how did we end up in Nevada?" I ask, settling more comfortably against the seat.
"Ahh come on Annie," I smile at Deans use of that name, I'd forgotten they knew me as Anne. "there is always something weird brewing in Nevada."
I chuckle, we had spent most of our time together in Nevada. "So what, you can't wait for trouble to find you, you have to go looking for it now?"
"Honey," he says, smiling at me in the review mirror. "I'm always looking for trouble, found you didn't I?"
I smile, leaning forward to smack the back of his head. "I am not trouble. I just surround myself with it." I stay leaning between Sam and Dean, crossing my arms on the back of the seat and resting my chin there.
"Whatever you say sugar." He smirks at me, his eyes returning to the road.
"Look." Sam says, pointing out the front window. "Motel." Dean looks at the neon light for a minute before pulling into the empty parking lot.
"Better than nothing." He says, looking up at the building. I not my agreement, silently looking forward to a night of sleep without worrying about getting up in time to beat fifteen teenage girls to the shower. A girl needs her beauty sleep. "Go get us some rooms Sammy." He says, smacking him on the back.
With a grunt, Sam gets out of the car and Dean turns to face me in his seat. "Tell me what all that tension was about." I sigh and put my forehead on my arms. He runs his hand through my messy hair. "Talk to me Annie."
I look up into his eyes and take a deep breath. "All those people in that room, well with the exception of Faith, had just told me to leave my own house. Like they had the right! They were guests, I was trying to help and protect them and they tried to throw it all back in my face." My voice shakes with all the hurt I'm feeling. "I could almost understand the potentials, but my FRIENDS? My own sister? I had to leave." I take another deep breath, trying to calm myself back down. "Thanks for calling by the way." I smile sadly at him, looking at me with a mixture of anger and concern. "I wish it were different circumstances."
He looks down then and takes a couple of deep breaths. "Can I ask about it?" I ask him gently, now running my hand through is short brown hair.
He looks behind him to see Sam walking back to the car. "Later." he answers me. I nod, knowing he can't handle his little brother seeing him weak in any way.
