Thank you to those who followed/reviewed!
BrySt1: Thanks so much! I hope to finish this, so don't worry!
FiammaBee: Thank you! I love dogs too and my dog sort of inspired this story. I thought the boys should have one too.
Chapter Two:
At Riley's vet appointment, the vet, Dr. Owens, gave her heart worm medicine and clipped her nails - which Riley didn't mind. Dr. Owens gave her a physical and when it was done, she smiled.
"Riley's in full health, Mr. Palmer. With a little more TLC and food every day she'll be back to normal in no time." said Dr. Owens, believing the story Sam had told her about adopting her from a shelter.
Sam smiled, "Thank you. Do you happen to know her age?"
Dr. Owens pursed her lips, "I'd guess around two or three."
Sam nodded, "All right, thank you."
They left and headed back to the motel, where Sam noticed the Impala was all packed up. Sam opened the door and let Riley in the back seat, where she quickly laid down. Sam alerted Dean that they were back and ready to go and soon they were back on the road.
In the backseat of the Impala, Riley watched the world fly by - a mix of trees and cars all meshed together in a blur. The purr of the Impala's engine was comforting and almost lulling, and the rock music didn't affect her nor bother her much.
Riley noticed the Impala slowing down and then pulling into a gas station. Riley looked at her surroundings: the people, the cars.
Her ears flicked forward in attention - she knew bad things were out there, practically lurking around every corner. Now, nothing bad was actually at the gas station, but Riley knew there was always that chance.
Dean put the car into park and turned off the engine. "All right, figure we hit Tucumcari by lunch then head south to Bisbee by midnight. . .Sam wears women's underwear."
Riley tilted her head to the side, before letting out a sound similar to a chuckle. She looked over at Sam, watching as he still didn't look up.
Sam, still staring at his phone, said, "I've been listening, I'm just busy."
"Busy doin' what?" Dean asked, opening the car door.
"Reading emails." answered Sam.
Dean closed the door, "Reading emails from who?"
"From my friends at Stanford."
Dean went to the gas pump, which was on Sam's side and Riley, now standing in the backseat, walked over to that side to watch him.
"You're kidding? You still keep in touch with your college buddies?"
"Why not?"
"Well," Dean paused, making his way from the back of the car to Sam's side. "what exactly do you tell 'em? You know, about where you been, what you've been doin'."
"I tell 'em I'm on a road trip with my big brother. I tell 'em I needed some time off after Jess."
Riley cocked her head at the unfamiliar name. She'd heard them talk about their father, but never a Jess. She briefly wondered who she was and what happened.
"Oh, so you lie to 'em?"
"No. I just don't tell 'em. . .everything." Sam replied.
"Yeah, yeah. That's called lying." Dean told him. "Hey, I get it. Telling them the truth is far worse."
"So what am I supposed to do? Cut everyone out of my life?"
Dean shrugged.
"You're serious?"
"Look, it sucks but a job like this you can't get close to anyone, period." Dean said.
"You're kind'a antisocial, you know that?"
"Yeah, whatever. Walk your dog before we hit the road again, yeah?" Dean looked back at Sam and then at Riley, who was watching them.
Sam sighed but got out of the car. He opened the back door for Riley and let her out. Sam and Riley walked back behind the gas station. Riley walked back into the trees for a few moments before jogging out back to Sam.
"Next time we stop for food, I promise I'll throw the frisbee around for you." Sam smiled down at her.
She barked happily, almost smiling, before she trotted behind Sam back to the Impala. Riley got back in the backseat, Sam back in his seat, Dean finishing getting the gas when Sam's phone rang an alert of an email.
"God."
"What?" Dean wondered, leaning close to Sam's door to see what he was looking at.
"This email from this girl Rebecca Warren, one of those friends of mine."
"She hot?"
"I went to school with her," Sam said instead of answering Dean's question. "and her brother Zach. She says Zach's been charged with murder. He's been arrested for killing his girlfriend. Rebecca says he didn't do it, but it sounds like the cops have a pretty good case."
"Dude, what kind'a people were you hanging out with?"
"No, man, I knew Zach; he's no killer."
"Well, maybe you know Zach as well as he knows you."
"They're in St. Louis. We're going." Sam told him.
Dean almost laughed, "Look, sorry about your buddy, okay, but this doesn't sound like our kind'a problem."
"It is our problem." Sam insisted. "They're my friends."
"St. Louis is four hundred miles behind us, Sam."
Sam gave Dean a look and Riley had the feeling they were turning around and heading to St. Louis, Missouri.
She was right.