Sam and Dean walked around Bobby's scrap yard. The cold in the air was bone chilling to say the least. Dean rubbed his hands together furiously trying to generate some heat. He looked up at his younger brother who seemed to be tolerating the cold easier than he was.
'Alright, you want to go over this again?' Sam asked Dean.
'If we have to.'
'I say we have to bring Maddie with us to Boston. She's the only one who can get the most concise information from her father.' Sam nodded his head. 'He's not going to tell us where the other notebooks are.'
'You don't know that.'
'I know that.' Sam raised his eyebrows. 'Look, I know Maddie seems to think that her dad's not actually crazy but Bobby said differently. I don't think he will talk to anyone but her.'
'I don't like it Sam.' Dean's feet moved faster as they started another loop of Bobby's property. 'Maddie doesn't want to do it either. She told me she didn't want to go back to Boston.'
'I just don't think there is another alternative here. It has to be her.' Sam could feel his toes tingling with numbness.
'I just think it's too soon. She's been through a lot recently and I'm sure this trip isn't going to be just us visiting her father. Something terrible will happen cause you know no matter where we go trouble always finds us. I don't know if she's ready for that.'
'Really?' Sam squinted his eyes at his brother. 'If ever there was someone who was ready for that it's Maddie. She's pretty capable in the first place. Plus, she's already dealt with our kind of weird. You saw her fight that Vampire.'
'That Vampire almost killed her Sam.'
'She didn't though. Maddie may have had a little trouble at first but that's to be expected. It was her very first time. Do you remember the first time you fought a vampire?' Sam asked Dean.
'Like it was yesterday.' Dean nodded his head remembering his first vampire hunt with his father.
'I'm sure you made a few mistakes.'
'I definitely did.' Dean nodded his head.
'Exactly. I think Maddie deserves a little more credit.'
'I suppose so.' Dean replied.
'What did you expect her to stay at Bobby's until after we returned?'
'I don't know.' Dean shrugged his shoulders. 'Maybe.' Dean took a deep breath and thought about Maddie fighting the vampire, then he thought about the kiss they shared. He tried quickly to push the thought out of his head. Maddie was just a girl, a girl he kissed once. There were hundreds of them out there, she was no different. He looked at his brother who seemed to be trying to read his thoughts. 'Quit it.' He shooed Sam's stare away from him. 'Okay fine.' Dean cleared his throat. 'We'll all go up to Boston together. Maddie can talk to her father and find out where the rest of his formulas are. Once we get the information though, you and I should be the ones collecting the notebooks. I don't want her involved. If she gets killed hunting these things down before we have a chance to work on the formula we're going to be out shit of luck.'
'Gee thanks.' Maddie's voice echoed above them. Sam and Dean stopped walking and looked up at one of the many piles of cars stacked on top of each other. Maddie stuck her head out of a Ford Mercury piled three cars high. 'That's all I am to you? Worker bee, someone you plan to lock in a lab?' She turned her head away. 'I don't think you understand, that's not going to happen.'
'What the hell are you doing up there?' Dean stared at her incredulously. He couldn't believe she had been sitting up there all alone in a junked car. 'You're going to freeze to death.'
'Wouldn't that be a pain in your ass.' She shook her head. 'Who'd work on the formula's then?'
'Cut it out.' Dean huffed. 'That's not what I meant.'
'What did you mean?'
'Will you please come down from there?' He shook his head at her.
'No I won't . I'm just fine up here thank you.' She replied quickly.
'Come on.' Dean exhaled.
'Dean's right Maddie, it's really cold out here.' Sam chimed in. 'And that's a pretty thin jacket you're wearing.'
'Oh, shut up. I'm from New England I can handle it.' She groaned.
'It doesn't matter where your from you can still catch hypothermia.' Sam replied.
'Okay Dad.' She opened the car door and pushed it open. She looked down to where the boys were standing 30 feet below her. 'I think there may be a few things we need to discuss before we go on this little adventure together.'
'Yeah like what?' Dean asked
'First of all, I want you to know I don't have a problem going to talk to my father. But I'm telling you right now, if the two of you think your just going to step in and call all the shots here your wrong.' She began the climb downwards.
'What's that suposto mean?' Dean asked her.
'I'm just saying you two have been on your own for a long time, but if you need my help we're all going to have to work together. I'm not your employee.' She jumped from one of the cars and landed firmly on the ground. 'This whole thing is about my fathers work. So don't think your just going to single me out of it.'
'I don't think you understand the danger were facing here.' Dean began. 'I know the idea of being on the road hunting down all these notebooks may sound exciting but it's not. It's dangerous and risky.'
'Thanks for the head's up.' She replied sarcastically. She put her hands on her hips and raised her eyebrows.
'You don't understand. You've never done anything like this before.' Dean continued to try and explain to her. 'Yes, I know you spent all that time in the FBI and everything but this isn't the same.'
'So you chuckleheads can do this job but you think I can't? What makes me so under qualified?' She took a step closer to Dean narrowing her eyes.
'I just don't want you getting in over your head that's all. You can't just jump into this kind of thing. Sam and I were trained for many years before we started this job. And hunting Demons isn't the same thing as tracking cat burglars.'
'Cat Burglars?' Maddie could feel the rage building up inside of her. She took another step closer to Dean. 'Is that really what you think I did for a living?'
'That's not what he meant.' Sam chimed in trying to save his brother.
'I hunted serial killers you condescending asshole. Not petty thieves.'
'Come on, don't get so worked up, I'm just looking out for you.'
'Thanks a lot, but I can take care of myself.'
'If you say so.' Dean rolled his eyes.
'Can I ask you something Dean? Are you trying to pick a fight with me?' Maddie tapped her foot impatiently on the ground.
'I don't know. Why? Do you want one?'
'Yeah, maybe I do.' She smiled mischievously.
'Okay!' Sam put his hands up in the air. 'Can we not do this?'
'Do what?' She asked not taking her eyes off Dean. She took a step closer to Dean. 'If you think you've got some kind of authority over me here your wrong. You think you can just tell me what to do? Think again. Without me you've got no chance at figuring out this antidote so watch where you step Dean Winchester. If you're not careful I'll make your life hell.'
'You know what?' Dean shook his head. 'On second thought. I don't give a shit what you do. Go get yourself killed.'
'Cut it out you guys.' Sam gritted his teeth.
'You know, I now can see why you spent your whole life alone.' Dean continued. 'I can't imagine anyone could stand to be around you for more than a few days at a time.' He watched as the expression on her face dropped. Dean looked over at Sam who had an expression of shock on his face. Dean immediately regretted his words.
'Real classy.' She turned her head away from Dean.
'Hold on.' He put his hand out to her.
'Nope. I don't want to inconvenience your life anymore than I already have. I think I should go.'
'No. Goddamn it.' Dean could feel his heart start to race with anxiety. 'That came out the wrong way.'
'I think it came out just fine.' She shook her head. 'At least I know now.'
'You don't know anything.'
'Thanks.' She interrupted him quickly.
'No, wait I didn't mean that...I just meant that's not what I meant.' He stumbled over his words. 'Shit.'
'I don't care anymore. So save your breath.' She took a few steps away.
'Hold on a minute!' Sam put his hands up in the air. 'Can we all just take a deep breath here? Seriously!?' Maddie turned around to look at Sam. He looked at Maddie and Dean incredulously.' You guys are being ridiculous. We're all about to get in the car for a really long road trip across the country.'
'I'm not getting in the car.' Maddie corrected him.
'Yes you are!' Sam put his foot down. 'Listen you know Dean doesn't hate you. He's just an idiot and doesn't ever say the right thing. You're getting in that car and coming with us to Boston.'
'Is that so?' She asked him.
'Yes. And the both of you are going to get along because I'll be damned if I'm going to sit in the car while the two of you pull each others hair out. Or worse, sit in silent contempt the whole time.' Both Maddie and Dean didn't say a word they just listened to Sam speak. 'Maddie, no one is excluding you here. Your right, this is your father and it's your case. We're all in this together.'
'Thank you.' Maddie nodded.
'But, you do have to realize that Dean does have a point right? Hunting the supernatural is different than hunting humans. We come into contact with all kinds of beings that are hundreds of times more dangerous than any criminal out there.'
'Exactly.' Dean piped up. 'That's all I was saying.'
'Dean.' Sam put his hand up to him. 'Just shut up for a minute okay?.'
'Yeah.' Maddie interjected. 'Why don't you listen to your brother for once.'
'Maddie you're not helping.' Sam shook his head at her.
'This is stupid.' Dean rolled his eyes. 'I'm not in the he mood for a lecture. Look I'm sorry for what I said but do you have to be so goddamned abrasive all the time?'
'Look who's talking.' She stared back at Dean.
'We've got to leave soon so why don't the two of you pack up the car. I'm going to take a shower. I'll be ready to go in a half hour.' Dean turned to walk away.
