Taking a deep breath in Charlie heard the sound of a door slamming shut behind her. She swung her head around, only to see what had been expected. A beautiful, bright landscape of rolling hills surrounded her and a light breeze brushed past her cheeks carrying with it a sweet scent. There was no wall any more. No portals or doors; nothing to show that the bunker had ever been there. Nothing to show that Sam and Dean had ever been there.
Letting her shoulders relax she turned back to her left to see Dorothy grinning at her, analyzing her every move.
"They aren't there." Dorothy said slowly. "I'm assuming you still want to come?"
Charlie's eyes narrowed at the hint of certainty in her voice. The Winchesters were the only family she had. They had shown her an amazing and terrifying new world, and had made her truly see the things that most people barely notice out of the corners of their eyes. Were it not for them, she'd probably still be working at a desk, living vicariously through the characters on her screen.
In a way this was the reason she had to go. For all of their worrying and their protective nature, they all knew this would make her happy. To live out her own adventure was the sweetest thank you she could imagine.
Charlie let her eyes come back in to focus, realising that her face had become a plain canvas; she wasn't sure how long it had been since she had been spoken to. Dorothy was staring at her, her lips parted half an inch open as if she were about to speak, but had lingered on the first syllable.
"Yeah, of course." Charlie smiled. "Besides, you're probably going to need my help."
"Is that so?" Dorothy mused, throwing back her neck to look up at the sky and placing a hand on each hip. Her feet were shoulder width apart, her posture straight and her balance steady. With the wind freeing small wisps from her tightly pinned hair and a look of pure triumph on her face, Charlie could only see her as a strong hero; an unimaginable contrast from the frightened little girl in the checked pinafore dress.
"So..." She began, "Toto right? Where do we start?"
Dorothy brought her head upright and smiled at the girl before her. Such potential, yet so blissfully unaware.
"Well, I'd say that the beginning is a very good place to start indeed." Having tucked a loose strand of dark hair back behind her ear she stretched an arm out in Charlie's direction, an open hand. Charlie lingered for a moment then placed her own left hand firmly in its place, forcing both sets of fingers to curl around the others palm.
"Are you ready?"
"Ready for what?"
"Ready for your very first quest."
