Chapter One:
The ominous moon had risen to its peak illuminating the damp empty streets. Making it evident how late the evening was. There was no one in sight only the parked cars on the side of the asphalt and the midnight blue 2005 GTO that was making its way through until it came to a complete stop on the side of the road by a stone brick building.
The driver slowly turned off the ignition before taking a deep breath and resting her head against the steering wheel. She took a few moments to just let the events that happened prior to sink in before she began to feel the ache in her muscles. Deciding it was time the twenty-four year old reached over to the passenger seat for her bag. As she did so she could feel warm moisture running down her arm. It wasn't the rain from earlier, this was something thicker and darker. The young woman pulled out a sweatshirt from the bag and quickly put it on. She had a limited window before the sweatshirt was covered in crimson for the world to see.
Exiting the car the woman hurried along to the front door of an old apartment. It wasn't the nicest apartment but it was the best she could afford at the moment. It was better than moving from one motel to another. As she opened the door she caught sight of her reflection from the window of the door. She hadn't realized how bad she looked. Her lip was busted on one side, a small cut located at the edge of her jaw and what looked like a bruise was slowly beginning to form near her eye. If anyone would see her they would have thought that she was mugged. Meaning people would be asking questions and she didn't need her neighbor calling the police. Not again. Pulling the hood over her head she opted out into taking the stairs instead of the elevator….all the way to the fifth floor.
Finally reaching to her floor she slowly opened the door and peeked to make sure that no one had stumbled in from partying. Seeing that the hallway was indeed empty she began to hurry along until she started to get an odd feeling in her stomach causing her to slow her pace. She eyed her apartment door carefully. Something was there. Her gut was telling her that there was somebody or something in her apartment. Her hand slithered its way into her back pocket and pulled out a silver knife, using her free hand she placed it on her doorknob to find that it was not locked. This was confirmation that there was indeed something in her apartment, she never left her apartment without locking it, never. Her heart was starting to pound until it was practically the only thing she could hear. Slowly, she opened the door to her apartment keeping her stance in a fighter position ready for anything. No noise was made as she slid inside, her eyes darted over across her apartment until it rested on the dark figure that was currently standing in her living room. The figure did not seem to notice her presence as she continued to make her way towards it. Step by step she got closer raising her weapon a little higher to get ready to make a killing strike it wasn't until the figure finally turned around to face her that she stopped mid strike.
"John?" She whispered.
The man in question gave her a small smile. "Analeigh."
She blinked her eyes for a few seconds as if expecting for him to disappear, when the initial shock went away in flash Analeigh struck with her knife on his arm.
"I taught you well." He said as he looked at the cut on his forearm. But the wound did not bubble. "I'm human."
"I just wanted to make sure." Was her only response as she crossed the room to flip the switch. It took her eyes a minute to adjust but there he was. John Winchester. He had aged over the years as was expected, the white hairs already beginning to make their presence in his facial hair but his dark eyes after all these years were the same. Sadness with a slight edge of determination. She had known the man for nearly her entire life and while his appearance slightly changed his eyes continued to stay the same.
"It's been a long time."
"More like sixteen years." Analeigh placed the blade back into her back pocket before taking a seat on her three seater leather couch. "What are you doing here, John?"
"Out huntin'?" John pointed his head in her direction purposely ignoring her question.
Analeigh exhaled not in the least bit surprised to hear him skip her question as she followed his gaze to her arm. The sweatshirt she was wearing was already stained with the blood from her arm.
Before she could even answer John spoke again, "Where's your first aid kit?"
"In the bathroom. Down the hall, it's the door to the left of the bedroom."
Nodding his head John disappeared momentarily to retrieve the medkit. Analeigh took the time to rest her back against the couch not looking forward to his return.
If John was here there was something going on, something that he needed from her. She was very reluctant to find out what it was.
It took only a minute before John returned with the medkit as he took a seat on her small coffee table in front of her. As Analeigh took off her sweatshirt as John pulled out the necessary tools to clean her up.
After a moment of silent passing between the two as John began to work on patching her up. Analeigh decided that she was tired of the silence.
"John?"
He looked up at her hearing the sound of his name as he continued to work.
"Why are you here?" She repeated her question. This time a little forceful.
"Like you, I was out hunting. Heard there were vamps a few miles out of town."
"Been there done that."
"I can see that."
"But you already knew I was on the case. It's not like you've never known where I've been. So I'm asking you again. Why. Are. You. Here?"
The atmosphere was suddenly tense as John finished wrapping her arm in the bandage.
"I came to give you something." Was his only response.
With a raised eyebrow Analeigh watched as John reached into his jacket and pulled out a leather bound journal.
"...you can't be serious." She whispered mostly to herself.
"I need to you to hang on to this for me."
"But, you never go anywhere without this. Why are you giving it to me to hang on to?" He didn't answer. This was all she needed to hear before standing up on her feet. "Don't tell me? You're still after this thing?" Again, silence. "John!"
"I finally have a lead." John explained.
Analeigh ran her fingers through her hair, after all these years and he was still after this wild goose chase. It was still his obsession. It looked like John never really changed after all these years. The only thing that was different was the aging. "Then why are you after it alone? Where's your son? I'm sure that he would have gladly be with you on this hunt." She looked over at the journal that was still in his hand. "This is for Dean." Still he didn't say anything causing the woman to raise both her eyebrows in shock. "Sam, too? Are you sure he's gonna come? I mean, Bobby told me what happened."
"That doesn't matter. What matters is that they are going to find you and you are going to give this to them." John finally responded.
"Are you seriously getting me involved?"
"You are the only other person I can trust with this."
"But, John, you remember why I left?"
John gave a slight nod.
"And you still want me to get involved." She didn't state it as a question this time already knowing the answer. Looking down at her hands Analeigh nodded slowly. "Alright, John. I'll do it."
"Thank you." He said with another small smile. Placing the journal beside him on the coffee table he stood up tall satisfied with the completion of what he had set up to do. His attention drew to the young woman to see her gaze fixated to the journal, with nothing else to say he crossed the room to the door.
"John." A voice cried out.
Turning his head he looked over.
"Be careful." She seemed to whisper as if mostly to herself rather than him.
With a tilt of his head he somewhat promised before turning the knob and heading out the door to begin his hunt.
Analeigh was unsure how long she had been seated on her sofa just staring at the journal. It seemed unreal to see John Winchester again. She was fully aware that he kept tabs on her thanks to Bobby, but this was different. Something big was coming, she could feel it. Feel it in her gut. And whatever it was, she was going to get involved somehow, whether she liked it or not. She had been involved since the beginning, she just hadn't known it yet.
Pulling herself from her endless thoughts she picked up the said journal as she stood up deciding that it was time to turn in for the night. If it was even going to be possible to sleep much after her visitor and who she was going to meet later.
As she entered her small bedroom she went over to the closet and opened the double doors to reveal the security box that was decorated with many strange markings in a way to protect anyone or anything to take it. Once she finished unlocking the box she slid the journal inside next to the small black box. Giving it one final look before shutting the thing and turning in for the night. Not knowing what laid in store for her in the near distant future.