Prologue
Sam
Rolling over in my bed I noticed that it was 3;25am, I could hear something out in the lounge room. Climbing out of bed I put a shirt on before slowly opening the bedroom door. Walking out I could make out a shadow near the front door. Walking over to him I instantly jumped on his back, before long he threw me to the ground. It was then that I noticed who it was.
"Whoa, easy tiger." He laughed.
"Dean?" I asked. "You scared the crap out of me."
"That's because you're out of practice." He told me, I punched him in the face before rolling over so I was sitting on him. "Or not. Get off me."
I got up; I couldn't help but stare at him. It's been ages since I last saw him... Heard from him.
"Dean, what the hell are you doing here?" I asked waiting to know nothing but the truth.
"Well, I was looking for a beer." He replied with a cheeky smile, should have known.
"What the hell are you doing here?" I asked again.
"Okay, all right. We gotta talk."
"The phone?"
"If I'd called, would you have picked up?" He asked, I just stared at him.
We stood in silence for a few minutes until Dean spoke up.
"Dad hasn't been home in a few days." He told me.
"So he's working overtime on a Miller-time shift. Dean, he'll stumble back in sooner or later." I told him, I was right, wasn't I?
"Dad's on a hunting trip. And he hasn't been home in a few days." He replied, he stood there giving me the look that said 'you know what this means, Sammy'.
He took his time but eventually he told me everything. And when I say everything I really do mean EVERYTHING!
"I mean come on Dean, you can't just break in, middle of the night and expect me to hit the road with you, Dean." I told him, I was being serious.
"You're not hearing me, Sammy. Dad's missing. And I need you to help me find him." He replied as if to say 'you're my brother, Sam. Who else am I meant to ask?'
"You remember the Poltergeist in Amherst? Or the Devil's Gates in Clifton? Dean he was missing then too. He's always missing and he's always fine. Dean."
"Not for this long. Now, you gonna come with me or not?" He asked.
"I'm not." I told him, once again being as serious as ever.
"Why not?" he asked looking at me with the 'Sam I'm serious. Dad's missing and I need your help' look.
I stood there looking at him. Deep down, although I keep telling Dean over and over again that Dad's fine but of me….
"I swore I was done hunting Dean." I told him as I sat down on the lounge. "For good."
"Come on, it wasn't easy Sammy, but it wasn't that bad." He replied as quick as a flick.
"Yeah?" I asked. "What happened when I told Dad I was scared of the thing in my closet—?"
"Come on Sammy there was nothing in there and you know that."
"He gave me a .45."
"What was he supposed to do? There was nothing in there!"
"I was how old Dean?"
"SAM!"
"I was 9 years old Dean."
"Just shut-"
"He was supposed to say, "Don't be afraid of the dark."
"Don't be afraid of the dark?" Dean laughed. "You should be, are you kidding me? Of course you should be afraid of the dark, Sam. You know what's out there, Sam. Come on!"
"Yeah, I know. But still, the way we grew-"
"Are you gonna-"
"…Up, after Mom was killed. And dad's obsession to find the thing that killed her. But we still haven't found the damn thing."
"What's your deal?"
"So we kill everything we can find Dean."
"We save a lot of people doing it too."
"You think Mom would have wanted this for us?" I asked looking at him. "The weapon training? And melting the silver into-"
"Are you gonna help me or n-"
"Man, Dean, we were raised like warriors."
"So what are you gonna do, Sam? You just gonna live some normal, apple-pie life?"
"No. Not—"
"Is that it?
"Not normal. Safe.
"And that's why you ran away."
I sat there looking at him, before long I got up. I walked over to him, standing right in front of my own brother, Dean; I looked him in the eyes.
"I'm not going with you." I told him. "I'm sorry Dean." I continued as I turned to walk away.
He grabbed my arm and walked in front of me stopping me from walking away, even if I wanted to.
"I was just going to college. It was Dad, who said if I was gonna go, I should stay gone."
"Yeah, Well, Dad's in real trouble right now—"
"And that's what I'm doing."
"If he's not dead already. I can feel it. I can't do this alone."
"Yes, you can."
"Yeah. Well, I don't want to Sam."
Standing there with Dean still holding onto my arm, I tried to stop thinking of Dad being dead. But deep down, I had a feeling that it's true.
"What was he hunting?" I asked after a while. "So when Dad left why didn't you go with him?"
"I was working my own gig Sam."
"Dad let you go on a hunting trip by yourself?"
"Dude, I'm 26." He told me as he handed me a piece of paper or, a few actually. "So dad was checking out some forest in Jericho, California. About 3 weeks ago. I haven't heard from him since, which is bad enough, Sam."
I just stood there looking at him, part of me wanted to say something but the other part of me didn't.
"I can't go with you Dean." I told him. "I'm sorry." I continued before walking back to my bedroom.
Stopping at my bedroom door I didn't even turn around, not even once, I wanted to but I couldn't.
"Can't or won't?" I heard Dean ask, but after that, that was it.
A week later
Dean
I watched as the teenage girl shrieked as she tried to untangle herself from the covers of the bed.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" She asked, her blue eyes remained completely focused on me. I gave her an apologetic smile and raised my empty hands up for her to see. "How'd you get into my room?" She asked.
"You're the one that's in my room, kid." I told her, my hands were now stealthily slithered into my jacket pockets.
"Then how did I get here? Did you kidnap me or something?" She asked. "Oh my god, I've been kidnapped! Help!"
"WHAT? I didn't kidnap you." I tried to explain.
Turning around I saw Castiel standing before me.
"Cas? What are you doing here?" I asked him. "What's going on?"
"Castiel.." The girl murmured, as she looked at him. "What am I doing here… with, with this man?"
"He's going to protect you." Castiel replied as he turned to face her. "You're to stay with Dean."
"I don't want to stay with the soldier." She replied, obviously she didn't care that her voice came rather close to whining.
"I didn't get the memo for this job. There's no way I'm gonna babysit some kid, Cas." I told him.
Cas stood there looking at me as if to say 'come on Dean I need your help on this one man.'
"Fine." I huffed out. "I'll babysit the god damn kid, how long is this gonna take till she's off my hands?"
"To be honest with you Dean I have no idea." He told me. He didn't say anything else, instead he just vanished.
"What's your name?" I asked, she didn't reply instead she just climbed back into bed. "It's eleven in the morning, what are you doing going back to sleep?" Once again no response. "Hey, I'm keeping you safe. You should show me a little bit of respect." I told her, she just stared at me. "Starting with answering my questions when I ask them." She just closed her eyes and sighed, as she tried to make her herself relaxed.
Shantelle
"I'm not eating that." I told the guy who stood in front of me, Castiel called him Dean so I assume that's his name.
Dean's face fell from his signature cocky smirk to an angry scowl when I turned down the sandwich that was in front of me.
"Did you really think I was going to eat that?" I asked as I raised my eyebrow.
"Actually yes I did." He told me, he was losing his patience. "You can't order me around like you're the bloody Queen of Sheba. That sandwich contains the most important food groups, look, meat, and bacon, and oh more meat." I couldn't help but roll my eyes as he pointed at the sandwich. "The closest restaurant was some sub shop just down the street. I can't afford to go very far while leaving you unprotected." He tried to explain.
"What are you, five? You didn't have any trouble leaving me alone earlier, now did you Soldier?" I asked getting rather impatient.
"You better smarten your mouth, kid." Dean growled at me.
"Like you?" I asked while laughing. "Come on, you're such a little potty mouth Dean. You know, all I see coming out of your mouth is a load of bull-"
"You little—"
"I'm still not eating that sandwich." I told him as I climbed out of bed.
"What's your name?" He asked me.
"What's yours?" I replied smartly.
"What's your deal?"
"What's yours?"
"Must you be so smart?"
"I dunno, must I?"
I watched as he rolled his eyes, I watched as he walked into the kitchen area. Of course, being in a hotel the rooms were always one massive room, expect the bathroom of course. The bedroom, lounge room and kitchen were all in one big room together.
"So, do you want something to drink?" He asked as he made himself a coffee.
"I dunno, can I?" I asked.
Dean immediately groaned. "Stop that, it's annoying. If you do it again I'll duct tape your stupid mouth shut."
I pretend to be offended and surprised. "And hurt me?" I asked. "Which is exactly what Castie—"
"I'm sure as hell not going to hurt you. Cas told me to protect you."
"I trust Castiel, and Castiel obviously trusts you which is fine by me, but I don't know you. So how am I supposed to trust you?" I asked. "You're not exactly worthy of my trust right now, so don't go giving me your word that you won't kill me just because Castiel told you not to."
"You're forgetting that Cas gave you his word that I'd protect you." Dean replied, I froze and looked at him. "It's not my word you're questioning, it's Cas'."
"I sure as hell am not questioning Castiel's word." I replied after a few moments. "I trust him with my life."
"Shut up and eat your god damn soup before it goes cold and you make yourself look stupid." He interrupted me as he handed me a cup of soup, what makes him think that I'm actually going to eat this?
I got up out of bed and sat down on the lounge placing the cup of soup on the mini table in front of me as I crossed my arms and looked at Dean as he sat down beside me.
"What makes you think-" I started just as he turned up the volume of the TV obviously he didn't want to talk to me.
Dean
"What's your name?" I asked her once again for like the tenth time.
"What's it to you?" She replied instantly.
I couldn't help but shake my head and laugh to myself, she's pretty smart in a weird kind of way.
"So, what's your deal?" I asked as I looked at her. "You're in my room when I get back from a hunt. Hell, your sleeping in my bed when I get back. And then Cas comes in and says that I have to protect you. What I don't get-"
"I have no idea what Castiel is on about, Solider. What's the matter with you?" She asked.
"Hey don't you dare try and turn this around on me."
"What, do I scare you or something?" She asked as she crossed her arms firmly against her chest.
"How old are you anyway?" I asked not knowing what else to say.
"I dunno, how old are you?" She shot back.
"Do you have any family?"
"I dunno, do you?"
"Who are you?"
"I dunno, who are you?"
"Did your mother drop you on the head as a baby?"
"I dunno, did yours?"
"Can you stop that?"
"Argh, just shut up, De—Solider." She shot back, I couldn't help but smile to myself because she almost called me Dean instead of Solider. What's with the solider crap anyway? Do I seriously look like a god damn soldier? Or something?
She laughed for the first time since I'd been here, I paused for a moment.
"What's so damn funny?" I asked angrily.
"Beside how easy it is to mess with you nothing." She told me as she turned back to the TV.
Walking around the hotel room I glanced over at the teenage girl who was curled up on the lounge watching TV. I sat down on the only bed that's in the room as I rummaged through my bag looking for my phone, once I found it I shoved it into my jeans pocket before getting up off the bed. As I walked over to the front door it was then that her crystal blue eyes shot up and looked at me.
"I guess you're leaving—" She started but I cut her off.
"Places to be, monsters to kill." I informed her.
"…Me alone again." She finished off her sentence.
"Well, yeah. I'll see you later." I replied within no time at all. "Hey, if I'm not back by the time you're gonna go to bed. You have the bed, I'll have the couch." I continued before opening the door and walking outside, I quickly closed it within a matter of time before walking over to my black 1967 Chevy Impala car that my father gave to me, it has the number plates KAZ 2Y5. Opening the driver's seat door, which is the left door by the way, I climbed in before shutting it once again. Pulling out my phone I scanned the contacts that I do have which to be honest with you I don't have many I've got Dad, Sam, Bobby dad's friend and a few more of dad's friends. But hey, that's only for now, right? Once I reached his contact I pressed the call button, putting it against my ear I could hear it ring. He picked up on the second ring.
"Dean?" Sam asked through the phone. "This better be important, Dean. It's 2 in the freakin' morning."
"And it's so good to hear from you too Sam, oh how I've missed my baby brother." I laughed to myself because I'm since a funny guy.
"Why are you calling?" He asked. "Have you found Dad?"
"Not yet."
"And it's been how long?"
"Sam I'm not calling to talk about Dad."
"It's been how long, Dean." He asked again.
"It's only been a week."
"Are you sure?"
"Of course I'm sure."
"Have you got any leads on dad yet?" He asked through the phone.
"Not exactly, I need your help."
"Dean I'm not going to help you find Dad."
"You know, in almost 2 years, I've never bothered you, never asked you for a thing.
I could hear him breathing heavily through the phone, I waited for Sam to respond, to be honest I wasn't actually sure if he was ever going to. Looking out the window it was a lot darker than before.
"Dean, I'm sorry." Sam replied after a while.
"Sammy. I replied.
"I can't help you."
"Whatever! Goodnight Sam."
"DEAN!"
"I said goodnight." I replied before hanging up.
Immediately after ending the call with Sam I called Bobby, he answered within seconds.
"Bobby, I need your help on something. So, Cas dumped this teenage girl on me, I don't even know her name, his making me babysit her. Anyway, she's meant to be important or whatever because he's making me protect her." I told him through the phone. "Not to mention she called me a soldier."
"I bet that's the first time a lady's ever called you ugly?" Bobby chuckled. "And in front of Castiel too!"
"What about Cas?" I asked suspiciously, is there something that he's not telling me?
"Oh nothing, nothing." He replied almost immediately.
"She knows Cas, I think she's met him before. Bobby, you've gotta help me find an off button or something. Everything that comes out of her mouth is either stupid or annoying as hell." I told him.
"I'll see what I can do."
"I'll talk to you later. Oh, and Bobby, do you mind if we crash at your place until she's gone?"
"You know you're always welcome here, Dean. Just don't try putting me on babysitting duty; that's your job."
"Yeah, yeah… See you, Bobby." I laughed before ending the call, I put my phone back into my pocket before getting out of my car. I locked it up before walking back to my room that I was staying in.
Walking inside it was a little too quiet, the lights were all off. Turning on the main light I noticed the teenager girl, she still won't tell me her name, asleep on the lounge although I told her not to. Walking over to her I picked her up before putting her in the bed that she slept in the night before. I grabbed myself a blanket before turning off the light, walking back outside and locking the door. Before long I found myself back in my car, laying back I slowly started to drift off to sleep.
Shantelle
It was 7am when I got up, the sun was rather blind but that solider Dean was nowhere to be seen. Maybe he left. I sighed at the thought; he wouldn't do that, would he? I mean Castiel said that he has to protect me or whatever. Looking around the room nothing belonged to me, I made the bed before walking over to the bathroom just as the front door swung open.
"And where have you been?" I asked questionly before I spotted the blanket he was holding. "You slept in the car?
"So what of it?" He asked while laughing.
"I would have quite easily taken the lounge."
"Don't go all agro on me kid." He replied before raising an eyebrow. "Hey, where the hell are you going?" He asked angrily.
"Taking a shower, soldier. Surely you know what that is." I replied over my shoulder before slamming the door. When I locked the door I made the click sound of the lock loud enough so that he could hear before yelling. "Try not to follow me in!"
"Wouldn't you like that?" He yelled back just as I turned on the water.
Walking out of the bathroom once I was changed Dean was sitting on the lounge on the phone, he looked up at me immediately.
"All right, thanks. Well, I've gotta go I'll call you back." Dean told whoever it was that he was speaking to on the phone, before he hung up putting the phone down on the table.
"You know you didn't have to hung up on them for me, Dean." I smiled slightly.
"Oh, come on. Give me a break. As if!" He replied half grinning.
I watched as Dean got up and walked over to the front door just before Castiel appeared.
"How are you's getting on?" Castiel asked.
"Like a house on fire." Dean replied.
"He hates me." I implied.
"I do not." Dean replied.
"He slept in the car."
"I fell asleep there's a difference."
"Castiel you seriously can't expected me to stay here with him, come on."
"She has a point Cas."
I got up and walked over to Dean who was now standing in the doorway, I pushed my way through so that I was now standing outside looking at the both of them.
"She has to go with you." Castiel interrupted. "She needs to be protected."
"I have things to do." Dean argued.
"No matter what you do, demons will find a way to get to her." Castiel replied furious.
"Come on, man, I've got enough to worry about without throwing babysitting into the mix!" Dean barked.
"I'm not stupid." I protested.
"Kudos to you kid." Dean sneered.
My jaw dropped at his rudeness, I crossed my arms. "Whatever. I have school!" I replied before walking out on them both.
I stood at the main entrance gates to my school, barely anyone was around, I was scared. Although it was only the first day back but still, I took a deep breath before walking into the school with my head down hoping and praying that no one would notice me. I stopped once I reached my usual spot by the fountain that me and my friends would always sit at. Christian was sitting on the ledge reading a book; I wasn't quite sure what book to be honest.
"Hey." He smiled as he put the book down when he saw me standing there.
"Good holiday?" I asked him with a smile.
"Did you know Gloria in the cafeteria hasn't spoken to Edgar the cleaner since the passionfruit sponge cake incident of 2002?" He asked me, I couldn't help but laugh.
"So climbing the walls, then?" I asked as I tried to clear my head of what happened this morning.
"Little bit!" He laughed back before staring at something or someone outside the school gates.
I followed his gaze, and to be honest when I saw who was standing there I honestly wasn't surprised. I shook my head and signalled for Dean and Castiel to go away, but they both just climbed into Dean's car and sat there. Any bets they'll sit there all day if it comes to it.
"We close our eyes,
Then the world has turned around again." I heard Sammy sing, I turned around to see him standing behind me smiling widely.
"We close our eyes,
And dream, another year has come and gone.
We close our eyes,
We close our eyes.
Then the world has turned around again.
And dream, another year has come and gone.
We close our eyes,
We close our eyes.
Then the world has turned around again.
And dream….." We sang together but got interrupted, I spun around to see Dean and Castiel standing before me.
"We need to talk." Dean spoke.
"I'm busy." I replied with a simple smile.
"Oh I'm not asking, I'm saying." He continued, I knew now that I had no choice but to talk to them.
Walking away from my friends with Dean and Castiel I turned around to see my friends watching us.
"So when Hailey went on exchange." I heard Sammy say.
I rolled my eyes and yelled back. " Oh, this is Hailey, your imaginary girlfriend?"
"So I got this weird message from her and then nothing. It's not like to go AWOL." He replied as he started to walk down to me, he was being followed by Claire.
Ugh how I hate her.
I turned back to Dean and Castiel. "Now if you don't mind, this is important."
"Who? Oh, your 'girlfriend'. Right. OK, look Sammy. There comes a time when our imaginary friends don't want to play with us anymore." I told him.
"She's on exchange. Claire, you saw Hailey's photo. Tell her." He started but stopped once Claire walked away, he turned to me. "Hey Shantelle, about what happened with Jake before school finished-"
"Sammy, please, don't." I begged him.
"Look, we need to talk about this."
"I—I can't."
Castiel
I spent another hour or so out in Dean's car with him, Shantelle's still inside, learning or whatever.
"Cas." I heard Dean started, I looked over at him. "I've asked her million times already, and I think now she thinks it fun to not tell me, but please, tell me. What's her name?"
"Look, Dean, as much as I want to tell you, believe me I'd love to tell you but I can't." I replied.
"And why not?"
"Because it's not my job to say."
"She won't tell me."
"Then I guess I'm not going to tell you either."
"So, what's so special about this kid? Why does she need to be protected?" Dean asked me.
"I can't explain it right now." I told him before disappearing.