Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural, I'm just borrowing them.
Chapter 1: Project Date
"Why is she coming here?" John Winchester demanded for what seemed like the hundredth time that day and the millionth in the last two days. "Why can't you go to the library?" John looked expectantly at his youngest son who was frantically cleaning up the motel room and trying to get it ready for their guest. Dean was hiding all the weapons and the salt lines in the room. John had hid all the booze he dared keep in the motel room last night after his initial argument with Sammy.
"Because Dad, the library is closed on Sundays," Sam answered in a tone that was halfway between pissed off and annoyed. "We have to work on this project some place. Dean may not give a damn about his grades but I give a damn about mine." Dean looked like he was going to say something but John sent him a look that instantly silenced his sixteen-year-old son. Dean went back to looking at the car magazine he had picked up, his job accomplished. Sam sent a glare at him and shoved Dean's feet of the coffee table before wiping it down again.
"Why can't you go to her house?" If Sam had been boarder line pissed before, he was in atomic bomb pissed range now.
"Because Dad she said we can't. She said her father isn't a very nice man and doesn't like little boys supposedly coming over to work on homework so they can flirt with her," Sam snapped at him. Sam's eyes burned with an anger that the older Winchesters rarely ever saw come from the boy. It normally only ever came out if one of them had been stupid and gotten hurt.
"Sammy, is there something you're not telling us?" Dean asked setting his magazine down and staring his brother down. Sam never got the chance to answer that question as there was a knock on the door.
"Who's there?" John called as Sam neared the door. Dean had a knife half slid out of his boot just in case it wasn't the little girl they were expecting.
"Um, I'm Aria Smith. Is Sammy home?" Sam pulled the chain off the door and unlocked the door of the motel room. He cracked it open and smiled broadly before allowing the door open wider. Dean put the knife back in his boot. "Hi Sammy."
"Hey Aria. Here, let me take your books. Come in. Did you walk all the way here?" Sam asked taking the books from the wet arms of the girl hidden from John's view. John knew it was raining outside; it had been raining for nearly three days now.
"Yeah, I walked. I had to find a plastic bag to fit my books and papers. Thanks Sammy." Sammy set the plastic bag contain a two inch thick book, a notebook, a folded up poster, and a bag of pencils, pens, markers and other things used for drawing. John and Dean stared at the little girl that is revealed when Sam moved out of the way. Her short dirty blonde hair is plastered to her head from the rain. A shiner on her eye seemed to surprise Sam but he didn't say anything about it. She wore what looked like a hand me down shirt and jeans. It wasn't all that warm out and John's mind went into fatherly mode. Where the hell was this child's jacket? Why hadn't someone dropped her off at the motel?
"Aria, this is my dad and my brother, Dean," Sam said motioning to both of them. Aria bowed awkwardly in respect for the two older men. John couldn't help but see how her clothes clung to her small frame. The child was obviously underfed.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Winchester. Sam's a good kid. He stuck up for me his first day at school," Aria informed John.
"Please, call me John," John insisted. "Can I get you a towel or something? You look a bit cold." Dean had made that same observation.
"I'll be fine. I'm used to it. Can I take my shoes off? My feet hurt." John nodded and the child worked almost robotically to remove her shoes and set them by the door. John watched as the child awkwardly climbed into a chair at the table and pulled the things out for her and Sam to work with. John noticed the girl was abnormally tall for her age but it was her thin muscles and sunk in features that caught John's attention. Those were telltale signs of long time undernourishment. A pit formed in John's stomach, he had a bad feeling about this. The only reason they were still in town was the boys wanted to finish off the school year here. John had the feeling he just stumbled onto a case that he didn't want to work.
"Dean, can you maybe make some snacks?" John suggested looking over his shoulder at his oldest son. "You know me, not that good of a cook."
"Sure Dad. Sam would you like me to make something for you and your girlfriend?" Dean asked and Sam sent him a look. "Okay, girl that happens to be a friend."
"Sure Dean. Can I get you something to drink Aria?" Sam inquired and Aria shook her head.
"I wouldn't want to impose." This sentence sent off warning bells in all of their heads. What type of kid said that? Especially a girl when she was obviously needing nutrients.
"Dean, I'll be right back," John said and walked out into the rain. Aria looked up at Sam as he glued something onto their poster board.
"Does he do that often?" Aria asked him.
"Just when he needs to clear his head," Sam answered. Aria hesitantly nodded and went back to work on their project. The smell of pizza rolls filled the motel room as Dean cooked in the small kitchenette. Sam swore he heard Aria's stomach rumble but she didn't react to it. John returned about then with two large paper bags. He glanced at the girl's feet as she was distracted by Sam going to help his brother in the kitchen. The kid had large sores, blisters, and calluses on her feet and ankles. John glanced at the kid's shoes; they had fresh blood on them. John looked back at her feet; some of the blisters had broken and were bleeding. What type of father did this to a kid? Sure he was strict with the boys but he was always there when the boys needed something. Sam walked back to the table with two plates full of pizza rolls from the oven. Aria's eyes widen at the food and she unconsciously licked her lips.
"I brought you a plate too, Aria," Sam said and placed the one plate in front of her. "Thought you might be hungry. You don't get lunch." John's heart dropped. He had a sinking feeling and by the look Dean was sending him from the kitchenette, so did Dean. John set the two bags down on the table, causing Aria to jump. She hadn't heard John behind her apparently. He pulled out three pops. Sam took the one bottle without a second word and John tossed the other to Dean. John expected Aria to reach for the third one, especially after he pulled a beer out of the bag, but she didn't. She didn't look at it, intentionally, like she was afraid to touch it. John glanced at Dean before taking the bottle in his hands.
"Aria," John said and she looked up at him. He held the bottle out to her. "Go ahead, take it."
"But, shouldn't one of your sons get it? You have to provide for them…" Aria whispers.
"Aria, it's a pop, not the holy grail of food. My treat."
"What do I have to pay to get it?" Aria asked and cocked her head to John. "There has to be a catch."
"No catch. It's free Aria. What, do your parents not allow pop at your house?" Aria shook her head.
"No pop, no flavored milk, no drink mixes, nothing flavored," Aria answered. "Sometimes he'll offer me a soda but he'll take it away before I can have it, or only let me have half of it. He says that bad girls can't have good things." Dean had to set his pop down before it hit the floor. "Said all parents did it to their kids." John noticed the girl's slight shake.
"You okay kiddo? You seem cold," John noted.
"I'm fine." Aria reached for the drink and John's hand brushed with the girl's cold hands. She was freezing! John pulled something out of the next bag and held it out to Aria.
"Put it on, you're cold," John said. Aria stared at the sweatshirt in front of her.
"You bought me a sweatshirt?" Aria stammered.
"It's not that warm out and you walked here in a rain storm. You need something to keep you warm. Go on slip it on. I have a soft spot for kids." Aria took the sweatshirt from John and slipped it on. The kid smiled at the warmth from the sweatshirt. In truth, John had kept it inside of his jacket while walking back so it would be warm for the kid. Something was off about the kid and John knew it. "What time do you have to be home?"
"Um, whenever."
"Aria, you didn't slip out of the house without permission did you?" Sam questioned and Aria nodded to Sam.
"It was the only way to get out of the house. He doesn't let me go out and I knew we had to work on the project. Please don't be mad Sam."
"I'm not. I'm just worried what he'll do when you go home," Sam stated and looked up at his father. John had a sneaking suspicion Sam had planned a Sunday meet up for a reason, so John could met Aria. Aria took a pizza roll from the dish and nibbled on it, enjoying the flavor.
"What are these?" Aria asked Sam as John walked away into the kitchenette to have a talk with his eldest son.
"They're pizza rolls. You've never had them?" Sam scoffed.
"No." Sam told her to eat more of them, and the kid gladly did once she realized nobody was going to take them from her. John and Dean exchanged a look before going out of the living area of the motel and into John's room in the back. The suites in these motel rooms were oddly big, but John suspected the desk clerk had arranged that since he was traveling with two kids.
"There is something up with that kid," Dean stated peering out the door at the two 12 year olds working on their project. Sam said something that Aria thought was cute because she started giggling. She sipped the pop gingerly, enjoying and savoring each taste.
"She's being abused by her father," John answered. Dean looked at him sharply. "The kid is malnourished, obviously mentally scarred, and did you see her feet? She walks at least five to six miles a day. She has freshly broken open blisters on her feet Dean and blood in her shoes. She seemed amazed when I handed her that sweatshirt. And I'm pretty sure I saw some bruises on her not to mention that shiner on her eye. She hasn't mentioned a mother yet so that has to mean something."
"Do you want me to call Bobby? See what he might be able to dig up for us?" Dean asked as he eyed the girl. He spotted her feet, and they were just like his dad had described from what he could see. Not to mention the few blood drops on the ground under her chair.
"Yeah, do that. You in the mood for pizza tonight?" John asked Dean.
"Yeah, I could go for some pizza."
"I think I'm going to go pick up a couple from the diner down the road. Maybe I can find something out about the kid. Just, keep an eye on them okay? Make sure the kid doesn't go anywhere. Tell her we'll drive her home if she tries to leave. She shouldn't be out in this storm in the first place." John walked out of the room and toward the door again, this time with the keys to the Impala in his hand.
"Where you going Dad?" Sam asked.
"I'm going to go get dinner, some pizza. I saw a good old-fashioned mom and pop pizzeria down the road a bit. Figured I'd pick up one or two. Those pizza rolls are about gone already and by the time I get back I think they'll all be gone," John chuckled.
"I should get going then," Aria said going to stand. John was surprised at the action, she had only been here for a half an hour tops.
"No, Aria, stay for dinner. Another mouth to feed is no problem for us Winchesters. It would be nice to have a girl around for a night. Besides, Sammy likes you. You make him smile more," John laughed and Sam went red with embarrassment. "We'll drive you home when you're ready to go." Aria's face lit up.
"You'd drive me home? Really? Promise?" Aria stammered. John was slightly puzzled by the excitement in the child's voice.
"Yeah, I promise. My Impala may be old but she's a good car. Have far do you live from the motel?" John asked. He planned to make one little stop before picking up the pizzas.
"A couple of miles." John nodded, that would satisfy him for now. He heard Dean say something to Bobby like "tell Dad" so he was sure he should call Bobby when he got outside. John left and Dean sat down at the table, apparently big brother wanted to help with their project. John called Bobby the second he was inside the Impala.
"What you got for me Bobby?" John demanded as the Impala roared to life.
"The girl's mother died under mysterious circumstances, but they couldn't pin the husband for it. Since then, they've been on the local cop's radar. Apparently, Aria's been into the hospital multiple times with wounds from falls, one of which included a six-inch kitchen knife through the front of her leg. Apparently, she fell on it. What's your interest in the child John?" Bobby questioned.
"Sammy brought her over to work on a project and I think he planned it so they'd have to come to the motel to work. Bobby, that kid is living in hell. She didn't know what a Pizza Roll was and thought I was trying to torment her by offering her a soda. And the kid walked miles in the pouring rain in no coat using a plastic bag to protect her books. I went out and bought her a sweatshirt she was so damn cold!" John's fatherly mode was kicked into overdrive. Something about the girl made it kick in. He didn't know what, but he'd figure it out.
"John, before you go find her father," Bobby says and John growls. "I did a bit of digging. Her mother knew Mary. They were next door neighbors as children." So that's why, John had met all of Mary's friends and knew them all. John thought back and he picked out who her mother most likely was.
"Was her name Anita?"
"Yeah, how'd you know?" Bobby wondered.
"That face! Damn I knew I knew that face from somewhere. I also know the bastard that Anita married, a real jackass. Bobby, do you know the address?" Bobby gave him the address against his better judgment. John wasn't going to tear into Markus just yet; he wanted to be sure that it was Markus doing the abusing. John drove the Impala down the street that Aria lived. He found the address and parked the car on the side of the street a ways away before walking back to the house and hiking through the woods. He heard the crack of a rifle and realized it was probably Markus having fun. Sure enough, Markus was out back with his rifle target practicing in the rain. The fact that Markus had a gun in the house did not comfort John one bit. He had a feeling that little girl had seen the barrel of that gun in her face and probably been hit by the butt of that gun. John controlled his anger and hiked back out to the car. The house was located about 4/5 of a mile back from the road. The long driveway was paved so a car coming up it would be quite quiet. It took John about 14 minutes to get out of the woods and back to the car, that would be about 16 if he dragged the kids with him. His plan was starting to formulate in his mind. John got back in the car and continued driving to the pizzeria and waited the forty-five minutes for the pizza to be ready.
"Sam, where's your momma?" Aria asked as they worked on their project. Dean had stepped into the kitchen to get another pair of scissors so he could help the preteens with their project on what seemed to be the Battle of the Bulge.
"She died when I was six months old, house fire," Sam lied. He knew the truth about that night, so did Dean, but the lie would have to do for now. "What's your mom like?" Sam was sure Aria had a mother. Had to have one. The girl was too damn nice not to have a mother.
"Don't know," Aria said glancing up at Sam. "She died when I was a baby. My dad says she was a bad mother and had to be punished. Said she was too easy on me." Both twelve year olds jumped at the sound of Dean kicking a cabinet in anger.
"Are you all right Dean?" Sam called into the kitchenette.
"Yeah. Just thinking about something that ticked me off," Dean answered. He reentered the room with the scissors and set to cutting out a picture the kids had copied from their book. Dean quietly cut the picture out and handed it to Aria who glued it on the poster.
"Dean, can you turn on the radio?" Sam asked. Dean was closer to the radio in the first place.
"Sure." Dean leaned back and the radio was blaring AC/DC. Dean watched as Aria flinched at the radio turning on. "What type of music do you listen to, Aria?"
"Don't. Dad says it's pollution of the mind." Dean was really starting to hate this jackass, whoever he was.
"What about the TV?" Dean asked.
"Same, says it poisons the mind. Does your dad let you listen to anything you want?" Aria questioned looking between Sam and Dean. The boys exchanged glances and nodded.
"We listen to mostly this music. We have identical interests in music," Dean answered. Aria looked down and colored something on the poster. "Doesn't your dad ever listen to music?"
"When I'm not home he does. He thinks I don't know but I've snuck in the house before and he'll be listening to music." Aria looked ashamed for speaking about her father in any negative way. The low rumble of the Impala filled the air and Dean went to the door. John Winchester stepped through the open door with two large pizzas in his arms. Dean closed and locked the door behind him. John placed the boxes at the end of the table before going into the kitchenette and retrieving a stack of paper plates for him and the kids. He opened the top pizza box and Aria's stomach emptied to make room for the food.
"I hope just pepperoni is okay," John said dishing up two pieces and handing the plate to Aria. Dean handed her a fork and she thanked him. John served two pieces to everyone else and set the empty box next to the trash bin. Aria cut the pizza into bite-sized portions and ate it quietly. John, Sam, and Dean all talked about trivial things.
"You know, I was thinking about swinging by Lawrence on the way to see Bobby this summer," John states and the boys turn to him. Neither boy particularly wanted to go back to that area of Kansas ever again. "Just want to stop in on an old friend."
"Lawrence, like Lawrence, Kansas?" Aria asked softly and John nodded. "My parents are from Lawrence. What's it like there? Dad never tells me." John smiled at the little dirty blonde. She was curious about Lawrence. This put the last nail in the coffin; it was definitely Markus from Lawrence they were dealing with. As John recalled, Markus's dad had beat him around plenty of times and Markus swore never to hurt his kids like that ever.
"It's a nice little town. Really nice. Not too far from Kansas City. Has some of the nicest people around," John chuckled. For the next twenty minutes, he told the kids about all hit great times in Lawrence. Dean and Sam had heard little about Lawrence since they were little and they had to tell Sam for the first time what had happened to their mother. It seemed like their father had been talking for hours when he finally silenced. All three children had eaten four slices of pizza and Aria the fullest she had ever been in her whole life. John let the children work on their project another hour before he figured Markus was getting a little agitated and probably curious as to where Aria had disappeared to.
"All right, let's drive you home little one," John chuckled. Aria took the sweatshirt off and put it on the chair. And that's when John saw the blood on the back of her shirt. Aria swayed slightly but kept standing, headed for her shoes. "Sit down Aria." The preteen looked up at him with curious eyes.
"Why?"
"Because you're bleeding. Dean, medical kit, now," John ordered and Dean bolted into his and Sammy's room.
"I'm fine really," Aria insisted.
"That's not the story the blood on your back is saying," John informed her. "Sammy, get one of your shirts, she'll have to wear that. Aria, where else are you hurt?" Aria was silent. John would surely tell on her and then her dad would beat her more. "Aria, I'm not going to tell Markus and I swear to you he will never lay a hand on you again. Where else are you hurt?"
"Everywhere," Aria answered with fear in her voice. "Don't tell him. Please John! He'll kill me if he knows you know. He said never tell nobody. Not even the cops." Aria seemed so young then.
"I won't tell him and I won't let him hurt you. Aria, I need you to take your shirt off so I can look at your back. Sam, get a towel from the bathroom so she can cover up." Sam did as he was told as Aria worked the shirt off her back. John wanted to punch a wall. Her skin was black and blue. There were multiple slash marks on her skin and even more scars. There were belt marks and whip marks. The blood was coming from five slash marks on her back. The welts from the belt hadn't broken yet. When Sam returned with a towel, Aria covered her chest with it. Then Sam saw her back and he proceeded to lean in front of the garbage can worried he was about to lose his dinner. Dean returned with the medical kit and stared at the girl's back.
"What type of monster does that to a child?" Dean demanded.
"One I'm going to beat the hell out of," John answered as he sat down where Sam had been sitting. "Aria, I'm going to clean these wounds. It's going to sting and burn." Aria nodded and barely flinched at the pain from the peroxide hitting the wounds. "Aria, do you have problems with your ribs?"
"Sometimes."
"Tell me if the pain becomes really bad," John instructed Aria before he started to press on each rib looking for breaks and cracks. Aria stiffened at one push and yelped at the next. That answered John's question. John handed Dean his keys. "We'll need more bandages; I'm going to wrap her ribs up. See what else you can get. Get a hold of Bobby and tell him I'm going to need a fake for the kid."
"Dad you're not thinking," Dean started.
"Dean, do it." Dean left and Sam walked around front to Aria's face. He gingerly takes Aria's hand in his and holds it.
"I'm here," Sam said and Aria looked him in the eyes. "I won't let anything happen to you."
"Thanks Sammy." Sam smiled. Aria squeezed his hand as John placed bandages on her wounds. The process was slow. John applied a coating of different creams to help with the bruising and the welts. He then placed the bandages on her cuts. He noticed as he did it that she flinched every time his hand smoothed the bandage. Markus was a dead man. After what Markus went through as a child, he had no right to do this to Aria.
"Aria, can you show me your stomach?" John asks come around to look her in the face. Aria lifted the towel and John examined the bruised skin. Markus wasn't dumb apparently; he didn't cut her stomach up where it would probably show to the teachers at the school. "How bad are your legs?"
"'m fine," Aria muttered. John didn't believe that for a minute. Aria slipped off her jeans and wrapped the towel around her body firmly. John examined the bruised legs. There was bruising on the inside of the thighs. Markus was definitely a dead man. John saw some of the healing slashes and clean those wounds before bandaging the three fresh and opened ones. Aria slipped the jeans back on as John took out a roll of bandages. Sam got out of the chair and John sat down. He put Aria's foot on his jean and cleaned the blood off it. She gripped the chair to keep quiet. John bandaged it up firmly. He did the same with Aria's other foot. Dean and the Impala returned and Dean had rolls of bandages, a shirt about Aria's size, more peroxide and bandages, along with some more pop. He instantly handed the one to kid since her root beer was finished and handed her two pills.
"What are these?" Aria asked him.
"They're for the pain. Getting your ribs wrapped is sometimes really painful, and those feet of yours look really bad," Dean stated. Aria swallowed the two pills followed by a swig of Pepsi.
"Dean, you'll have to help me with her ribs," John said looking at his oldest son. Dean nodded and pulled the chair away from the table so they could pass the bandage from one to the other. Sam helped Aria keep the towel up out of their way as they worked. Multiple times Aria flinched or yelped. Each time was when they neared one of the ribs that John had touched earlier. He was silently thanking his medic training. Securing the last of the bandages, John grabbed the shirt that Dean had bought the kid. It was a simple shirt, black in color, and would effectively hide any blood that happened to seep through. Well, at least it would hide it from anyone that didn't know to look. The kid slipped the shirt on. Aria looked to John.
"What now?" Aria asked.
"Aria, how would you like to never go home again? Get away from your dad? Have a mommy?" John asked.
"Really? You could do that?" Aria asked with eyes wide.
"Yes I can. I know a couple that would love to take you in. All we have to do is grab your things from your house."
"What if Dad tries to stop us?" Aria asked.
"I can handle your father. Do you want to never go back to him again?" John asked.
"I never want to go back there again." John smiled and put a hand on the top of the kid's head.
"Let's go get your stuff, then me and the boys will take you away from here in a few days, okay?" John asked her and Aria hesitated.
"What about school?"
"You never have to go back to school again. The boys will finish up the school year but you don't have to go back," John said. "We'll tell them you're sick. Get you out of school for a few days." Aria beamed.
"Okay!" Aria hugged John, something he wasn't expecting.
"Sammy, you and Aria go out to the Impala and wait. Dean and I will be along in a minute." Sam nodded and helped Aria slip her shoes on and they ran outside and dove in the back seat of the Impala. John looked at his oldest son.
"Dad, you're going to kidnap the girl?" Dean questioned. "What about if the cops come looking for her?"
"They won't. Dean, I don't plan on letting Markus live another day. We burn the house down when we're done getting Aria's things."
"Dad, that's murder!"
"Markus is killing that kid Dean! What do you want me to do?"
"Report him to the cops."
"They won't do jack shit."
"Who are we pawning the kid off on?" Dean demanded as John's phone started ringing.
"I know a retired hunter couple. They have three boys and desperately want a little girl. The wife, Amara, she's a nice woman and can repair the damage Markus has done to the child," John answers. John answers his phone. "Yeah Bobby?"
"I have the kid's new identity made along with all the medical and school data done. What are you doing John?" Bobby asked.
"Getting the kid away from the man doing this to her. Call Amara and Jimmy; let them know that in about two weeks we'll be swinging by. We'll be leaving here in a few days but I'm bringing the kid to your house Bobby. Aria needs some rest and to get some more food in her."
"All right. I don't like it, but I'll do it. Just take care of the kid."
"I'm her godfather Bobby. I'm not stupid." John hung up and Dean gave him a deadpan look. "What?"
"Godfather?"
"Yes, me and Mary were her godparents. Her mother, Anita, was a close friend of Mary's." Dean rolled his eyes and grabbed his gun and lighter from behind the chair. John did likewise, along with hauling a gallon of gasoline out to the car with them. Sam had Aria in his arms wrapped up tight in a blanket. The kid looked nervous as hell but she trusted the Winchesters. John eyed Sam, still trying to figure out why the kid was so attached to Sam.
This is the first Supernatural fic I've done and I'm still working on it. Hopeful people react okay to it... Um, anyway, yeah I'll update soon, I promise. I love Supernatural, even more than my other fandom. Reviews are appreciated.