AN: Read, Review, Enjoy especially review.
Disclaimer: If I owned them, I wouldn't be addicted to fanfic. I did make an attempt on the impala once though...
STORYBEGINSHERE
After killing the yellow eyed demon, Dean and Sam decided to stay at Bobby's for a few weeks at least with Ellen and take a break.
All things considered, it had been calm... almost too calm after the gates of hell were literally thrown open and a demon army had been unleashed and only God knows what else had crawled out with it.
They're were things to hunt for sure, but nothing big league that demanded attention or that already wasn't being taken care of.
They'd been there about a month when Ellen got the call on her cell.
"Hello, this is Ellen."
"Who's this? Slow down, I can't understand a word of what you're saying." Long pause.
"What?... Oh God I'm so sorry." Her tone drastically changed to calm the person down.
"I know the roadhouse burned down, where are you now?"
"You shouldn't have gone back there." Ellen was suddenly stern and ridged.
"No, it was a good idea to leave the roadhouse." She sighed.
"Look... just stay where you are, I'll send some one to pick you up... stay calm."
She hung up.
Dean walked in. "What was that about?"
Ellen just rubbed her temples.
"Ellen?"
"Ever hear of a hunter, Michael Faller, went by Mike."
"Uh.. No not off the top of my head." "Why?"
"Well, last I heard he was working a job with a buddy of his. It looked like a couple of shape shifters decided to get together and have some fun."
"Well that's lovely." God Dean hated shifters.
"Yeah, and dangerous too." "Well the guy ditched him last minute and Mike was in deep enough he couldn't leave." "I haven't heard anything in about two and a half weeks... but he comes and goes so I wasn't really worried."
"I'm betting it didn't end well."
"No, actually. It didn't..." Ellen paused to gather her thoughts. "Listen, I don't know the specifics of what went down, but I need you and Sam to go down there."
"What, you want us to finish the job?"
"No, I need you to pick up his daughter and bring her here as soon as you can."
"Wait... What?"
"He brings his daughter on hunts with him... from what I've heard she's pretty damn good at it too."
"Then why can't she make it up here? She's old enough to hunt."
"Look, John kept you out of a lot of hunts when you and Sam were kids... a lot you don't even know about. Mike brought his girl on almost every hunt with him since she was about seven... She's barely eighteen now."
"So she's been hunting-"
"Just as long as you."
"I still don't understand, why doesn't she just hot-wire a car or take Mike's."
"The shifters got his car... hid it somewhere I think. She already stole one just to get to the roadhouse... by the time she made it back to that small town they were in, it was reported stolen with a description of the criminal. She had to dump it. And you know small towns, people don't forget faces easily."
"Damn..."
"So you and Sam get your selves down there fast."
"Where to?"
"Just a couple states over, town's called Cross Junction. They were in the trailer just outside of town by the lake. Her real name is Julia, but she's been changing it every so often. Says it reminds her too much of her old family and it gives an edge having aliases early on."
"Got it." Dean walked to the back door to call Sam. "Get your duffle Sam, we're goin' on a road trip and I'm leaving here in ten minutes."
WE 3KATAMARI...THEMESONGSTUCKINHEAD.
"So I'm guessing the Dad died..."
"Yeah, me too Sam."
"That poor girl... must be tough on her."
"How many miles Sam?"
"About 45 more from here."
"Good." Dean floored it, "We'll make it in about the next half hour."
RESTOFCARTRIPNOTWORTHWRITINGSKIPTONEXTSCENE.
It wasn't hard to find. Just a small trailer behind some trees and a lake.
Sam and Dean pulled up and knocked on the door.
No answer. They knocked again but still nothing and the door was locked.
"Allow me." Dean backed up to kick the door down.
Every piece of furniture that was big enough to block the door way was in place. The windows too.
"Well this'll be annoying."
"Yeah, well she's at least smart."
It took over half an hour to bust in through a window.
They didn't see anyone inside, it was almost like it was abandoned.
"JULIA!" "IT'S OK, WE'RE HERE TO GET YOU OUT!"
Still nothing.
"You think she left?"
"Nah, that'd be stupid... middle of a hunt."
"You're right. You check that end I'll check this one." Dean started with a closet.
"She's not stupid Dean. She's not gonna corner herself like that."
Sam entered a larger room to find an empty swivel chair surrounded by a ring of salt.
"Dean."
"Yeah."
"Come get a look at this."
They both crouched down.
"Well... she may be smart, but salt only repels spirits and demons, wont work against anything corporeal that's not possessed."
Sam studied it a minute, "Unless it's a trap..."
"Sam..." Dean had an alarmed tone, "I think you might be right."
Sam looked up to see a gun pointed at them. Apparently the hiding spot of choice was under the daybed outside of the salt ring.
"Who the hell are you!"
"Just take it easy... Julia, right?"
"Don't call me that!" She shifted to look more threatening. "Now I'll count to three and take you both out if you don't tell me your names."
"Alright, alright, just slow down." Dean held his hands up
"ONE!"
Sam shifted his eyes back and forth, "Uhh... I'm Sam. This is my brother, Dean."
"I heard the banging... musta been real determined to get in... Why are you here!" She still didn't lower the gun.
"We just came to pick you up."
"How do I know you're telling the truth?! You could be the shifters. I only called a few hours ago and unless you made land speed records you're lying. I know you've been watching me!"
"Ellen sent us, alright?" Sam used a calming tone.
"If you were watching you'd know that!"
Dean finally got frustrated, "You could be a damn shifter for all we know! Maybe you dragged her into the woods somewhere!"
"Shut up!" "I'm the one here with the silver bullets... Wanna try me?"
"Alright, alright. We all know that you're the one with the gun. But you're gonna have to trust us." Sam used the eyes.
"No. I need to know for sure. I'm not going anywhere until you can prove who you are and that you aren't the fugly things that got my dad."
"I have a camera phone. You can use it to call Ellen if that'll make you feel better, but I suggest you use it on our eyes. If there's no camera flare then we aren't shifters. Right?"
"Don't move, just slide it over."
Upon seeing no flare, she called Ellen to get the names of the guys that she sent down.
"Yeah, Sam and Dean huh? Thanks Ellen, bye." She lowered the gun.
"Happy now?"
"Alright, I'll go with you. I hid my bag, just let me go get it." She returned shortly later. "I heard glass break. Which window are we going out?"
"This way." Sam lead. Dean was still pissed about being held at gun point-much less being accused of being a shifter-and didn't say anything.
They got to the car and she fell asleep in back about half way to Bobby's.
Sam saw how tense Dean was and finally said something. "Dude. Let it go, what would you have done if you were in her spot?"
He sighed, "Yeah, I guess I can't blame her." "She's a little scary for a girl, ya think?"
"Didn't you tell me she's been in the 'business' for about as long as we have?"
"Yeah... And?"
"And she's not a little girl Dean. This is probably all she knows." "So how long do you think she's been on her own since..."
"I'd guess about three days."
"Damn, no wonder she's exhausted." "You didn't happen to get her name from Ellen did you... I mean, not her birth name anyways?"
"She changes it every so often. And no, I didn't get her most recent name."
"Well this should be sufficiently awkward if she wakes up."
"Then let's shut up so she doesn't."
"Dean."
"No, it's not you, she still freaks me out a little bit. In all honesty I flashed back to uhh... what's her name... the little girl with the knife, you stuffed her in a closet..."
"Missy?"
"Yeah, just for a sec."
"Dude, they're completely different! You just don't like to get beaten by a girl do you?"
"Hey, I've let you win more than you know bitch."
"Yeah, well you're a jerk."
RESTOFCARRIDEWASQUIET
They pulled up at Bobby's and Sam shook her a little.
"Hey, hey. We're here, wake up."
She immediately shot up wide-eyed and swatted Sam's hand away and quickly taking in her surroundings before she remembered where she was. Sam just stared at her, shocked.
"Oh..." she said quietly, "Sorry."
"Hey, it's ok." Sam went around to open her door and get her bag. She was out and walking by the time he got there. Dean got out and offered to carry the massive bag.
"My arms aren't broken, no thanks." She shrugged the boys off and went inside.
Ellen rushed to the door when she heard it open.
"You alright sweetie?"
"Yeah." She dropped her bags as Ellen hugged her.
"Honey, I am so sorry about your daddy-"
"Yeah I know..."
Bobby made his way in and Ellen moved, "It's been over a year since I've seen you last... so what name are you goin' by now?" He attempted to lighted the mood.
"It's Karma. Changed it about a month ago. New town, figured I'd just get a new name too."
Dean finally made his presence known. "So...Karma... I hate to say it but the beds are all taken, you'll have to settle for the couch. Sorry."
"Dean Winchester!... Of course she gets a bed, I'll give her mine if I have to." Ellen snapped and Bobby just glared.
"Uh... no. No, I didn't mean it like that..."
"No, it's cool. Y'all were here first." She started to make her way into the living room.
Ellen and Bobby were still shooting daggers at Dean.
"Uh... Sam, a little help?"
"Here, one of us will give up a bed, rock-paper-scissors ok?"
"Ok."
"Dean... always the rock, you really need to stop that."
"Hey, Karma, you could always take my bed. That is if you don't mind sharing a room with geek boy over here."
"You sure?"
"Well uh..." Sam kicked his foot. "Yeah, anytime."
"Thanks Dean." "Which room is it? Downstairs or the one on the left upstairs?"
"It's upstairs."
"I should let you move out... I'm gonna go take a walk, maybe forage through the junkyard."
After she left Sam talked to Dean.
"You were really gonna make her sleep on the couch. Her dad just died. You were torn apart for months after dad died and you give her the couch?"
"Well... ah... uh... what I meant to say was that-"
"Mmhmm. Go move your stuff Dean."
"Aw crap, you're right. Well, I know one thing Sammy."
"Yeah, what's that?"
"I'm not rooming with an emotional teenage girl." Dean smirked as he climbed the stairs.
Karma came back about an hour later after Dean had moved out.
"Is it alright if I move my stuff now?" She asked Dean.
"All your's."
By that time it was dark so she didn't even bother to unpack, she just collapsed on the bed and slept.
Sam came in sometime later. The light was on but she was still asleep. He didn't want to startle her awake, but she hadn't bothered to take off her shoes or the hat that she'd had on the entire day and the clothes she had on she'd probably been wearing for longer than Sam wanted to know.
Sam cleared his throat, "Um... hey, you might wanna take your shoes and hat off."
Apparently it wasn't a deep sleep. Karma sat up slowly, took her hat off and kicked her shoes off, "Night Sam." She plopped back down and turned away from him.
NIGHTTIMEPASSES
Sam woke up the next morning and something was off. Karma was still sleeping and he didn't want to wake her up so he just got ready for the day as quickly and quietly as he could.
After he was out of the shower and dressed, Sam noticed what was off about the room this morning. He ran downstairs debating whether to get Ellen or Dean. Nah, Dean's freaked out by her enough, Ellen knows her better.
"Ellen, there's something you should see." Sam lead her upstairs and over to Karma's bed.
"You wouldn't happen to know anything about this?"
Karma was fast asleep, only floating about six inches above the mattress.
Ellen gulped, "I'm sorry Sam, but I can't say I do."
"What do you think it is?"
"Oh. My. God."
"What?"
"I never really thought about this before. Faller was a hunter before he met his wife. He pretty much dropped off the map to live a normal life. One day he comes back in with Julia, said he had to some important things and left her with Jo and me for 3 weeks, not a word. He'd changed, I wondered what had happened but anytime I asked he changed the subject or would get angry..."
"You don't think..."
"I can't know for sure Sam, that's something you'd need to ask her."
"You think we should keep it quiet for a bit?"
"Probably a good idea... I'll go make us some breakfast..." Ellen didn't quite slam the door, but it was loud enough to wake Karma and she dropped down on the bed before rising up ready to attack some thing, much like in the impala.
"Morning Red," Sam hadn't noticed the bright, fire engine red hair before under the hat.
"Uhg, what?"
"I just said good morning. Notice the hair there." Sam nodded.
"I like hair dye, what can I say?" She paused, "By the way Sam, don't call me Red, my dad's the only..." She trailed off, "Sorry, didn't mean to bite your head off. I'm not a morning person."
"It's alright, Ellen has food downstairs I'm gonna grab some."
"I'll be down in a few. I need to shower or something...ick."
Sam laughed, "Yeah, I wasn't going to say anything but you really do."
"Go on ahead."
Sam went down and noticed Dean already eating with Bobby and Ellen.
"How's-" Bobby was cut off.
"Showering."
"Ah."
"Hey, I'm not one to let food go to waste... mind if I have the last of the eggs?" Dean asked.
"Karma's gonna be hungry too Dean."
"Oh, well umm... I'm going to go to the store, anyone want anything?" Dean felt like such an ass.
"Just the normal stuff Dean." Bobby replied.
"Be back in a few."
DEANGOESTOSTOREANDCOMESBACK.
Dean came back to find Ellen watching a Soap, and Bobby and Sam playing poker. He unloaded all the stuff he'd bought and then noticed something... the eggs were still there.
"Has she come down yet?"
"I dunno, I haven't been paying much attention." Bobby replied.
"Yeah, and that's why I'm winning." Sam laughed.
"She may have for a minute but I wouldn't have noticed, she's like a ghost when she wants to be." Ellen looked up.
"Right..."
Karma was going through some of the things she'd saved when she heard a knock.
"Come in."
The door opened a little but no one entered so she walked over to investigate. There she found a spoon, cookie dough, two water bottles, and a bookâHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows...
"How the hell..." It's only the 17th she thought, but she didn't question it, she took the gifts and closed the door.
AN: Ok... so I'm not much into fics like this myself, but I had a crazy dream and it grew into a plot bunny that's eating my head. Karma is definitely more than what she appears to be. SHE IS NOT ANOTHER JO! She will never be a romantic interest, she's too young for them and I don't write that stuff currently.
Anyhow, please tell me what you think, I would greatly appreciate anything.