Family Ties

Chapter 2

Railean woke a few hours later. She was feeling better but wasn't sure if that was the drugs Doc had given her if she was just healing fast. She decided to test that theory by sitting up. Her head felt heavy but there was none of the wooziness that followed. "So far, so good," she muttered to herself.

The lamp was on and Railean could see all the splendor of Ash's room, which wasn't much. She swung her legs off the bed, waited a few moments then stood up. This caused the room to spin but she fought the vertigo with every fiber of her being that wasn't hurting. What seemed like a lifetime, but couldn't have been more then a few moments later, the dizziness passed.

She made her way to the door and opened it, leaning heavily on the frame. "Mal," she called out softly. The bar lights were off but that was nothing new. Usually this early there was never anyone here. She stumbled out into the main bar and looked around, her eyes going to the windows by the door. She couldn't see the Camaro.

Using the chairs and tables as crutches she made it to the door and pulled it opened. The Camaro was gone and so was her Uncle. She stood there fighting to catch her breath and the flow of tears that threatened to fall. He'll be back, she told herself. He just had a few things to do, that's all. She wasn't convincing herself very well. "We'll see." had been the last thing he said to her. He wasn't coming back; he had dumped her and taken off.

Railean heard scuffling behind her, knew it was Jo so she didn't turn around. "He left shortly after you fell asleep," she told her. "Said he had something he needed to do." Railean acted as if she didn't hear her, just kept staring at the spot the Camaro should have been parked. "Railean, are you going to be alright?" She didn't answer her, just crumpled to the ground and cried. She felt Jo wrap her arms around her, telling her it would be all right.

By the time Railean had cried all her hurt out her side was killing her again. Jo helped her back to bed and that's where she stayed.

Over the next few days Railean didn't leave Ash's room for much, normally only for the bathroom or if Ellen threatened her with no food. Other then that she stayed in bed. The words "We'll see" and the Camaro's empty spot running through her head. She replayed the battle with Black Aggie, thinking if she had done something different Mal wouldn't have left her. But that made no sense, she'd made worse mistakes then this, and he had never dumped her. Nothing was making sense to her now. She had called his cell phone once but had gotten his voice messaging. She didn't know what to say and had hung up without leaving him a message. What kind of message to you leave for someone who abandons you?

There was always a flurry of people coming and going through the Roadhouse. Some were regular people just looking for a good place to get drunk, but most were hunters. Railean tried to keep to herself but the place was packed; Jo and Ellen were having a hard time keeping up with it all. So to keep her mind from constantly returning to him Railean volunteered to help them out.

She had finished wiping down the bar and was starting to close up when the front door opened. She looked up hopeful like she always did, but it was just a drunk man. "I'm sorry," she told him in a polite, but crisp tone, "but were closed."

The man didn't seem to hear her and stumbled to the bar. Railean took a step back as he fell heavily against it. "Saw yure light on," he slurred out. "Figured ya must be open." The man reeked of booze and the smell was making Railean sick, and considering the crowed she worked with that was saying something.

"Sorry," she said, "but we closed twenty minutes ago. And the girl who serves the beer ain't here." She reached to grab the towel she had left on the bar and his hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. She jerked grateful it was the one in the cast.

"So what?" he said, leering at her; she was glad the bar prevented him from pulling her too close to him. "Yure here, you get me that beer." He released her wrist with a careless toss.

"I can't serve alcohol. I ain't old enough." She had her back pressed to the counter in the middle of the bar and was backing away from him. Jo had said she would be back to help her finish closing up and Railean was expecting her any minute.

The man looked her up and down, "Yew ain't look so young to me." He stood up, knocking the stool behind him. "In fact yew looks just the right age."

Railean looked past him hoping Jo would walk through the door, she wasn't worried about the guy trying anything, it would just be nice to have a little back up. "Sir you're drunk, and you need to leave."

The man smiled, "And whose gonna make me?" he said as he stepped behind the bar, placing a hand on it and the other on the counter, successfully blocking her escape route. "You?"

With him blocking her only exit route Railean was now starting to get worried. She ignored his comment and started looking around for something she could us as a weapon. Her eyes fell on an empty beer bottle and she lunged for it. But it seemed the man wasn't as drunk as she had hoped and he reached it before her, knocking it off the bar where is shattered.

He gripped her right wrist and twisted it out, so she came swinging with her cast, catching him in the side of the head. He released her but not before swearing and cussing at her. She rolled over the bar and landed on her feet.

"Ah, you're a quick little darling," he told her coming out from behind the bar. "Well sweetheart, so am I." He lunged for her and she tried to sidestep him, but once again underestimating how slow he should have been and he was able to grab her by the back of her braid. Pulling her closer he wrapped his free hand around her waist and she could feel him taking a deep breath into her ear.

Now she was full out panicking, she had no leverage and he had successfully pinned her right arm to her side. She closed her eyes trying to block out his stench. This is not happening she thought. "GET OFF ME!" she yelled.

She felt him torn away from her and heard a loud crash. She turned around expecting to see Jo or even Ellen, but the only other person other then the man, who was now slumped against the wall, was Sam, the guy who had helped Mal drag her into the Roadhouse. It looked as if he had just rushed through the door and there was no way he could have pulled them man off of her and then gotten back to the door.

Another man, with scruffy looking hair and carrying a sawed off shotgun came rushing up behind Sam but Railean still just stood there, not sure what to say or do. She had never done anything like that before but she knew where that power had come from. Her mother.

Two Days Later

"Sam! She's hogging the bathroom!" Railean could hear Dean yelling through the locked door.

"I've only been in here twenty minutes!" Railean was quick to yell back. "So stop your belly aching!" She finished getting dressed, pulling off the trash bag she had used to protect her cast.

"In twenty minutes I could be clean, dried and dressed."

"Well you're not a girl, or is there something you want to tell Sam."

There was a loud thump and Railean could just picture Dean slamming his hand on the wrapped the towel around her still wet hair. She would have been out sooner but washing her hair with one hand was still proving the chore. She flipped the lock and walked out of the bathroom.

"Happy now Dean?" she asked as she passed him heading to her duffel bag.

"This is why," Dean, mumbled more to himself, "I never encourage a girl to stay in the morning."

He closed the door and Railean heard the lock click. "He's never going to get use to having me around. Is he Sam?" Sam had just walked in from the joining room, pulling on a shirt.

He grinned, "Probable not. But give him time."

"Just how much time should I give him Sam?" She asked as she packed up the duffel bag Jo had lent her. "He still pretty much ignores everything about me, unless I'm annoying him or just plain pissing him off."

Sam set on the edge of the twin bed and pulled on his shoes, "Keep in mind that the only kind of women he's been around are... well."

"Cheap, easy floosies?" Railean offered him taking the towel off her head and tossing it on the bed.

"Not all of them, but yea." He finished putting on his shoes and Railean closed up the duffle. She sat next to him on the bed.

"You still think it was a good idea bringing me on this hunt? Because I am having my doubts."

He turned to face her. "If there is one thing I have learned this past year, it's been to trust what I feel. So yea, I still think you needed to come along with us, even if Dean thinks differently."

"AH! Sam! She used all the hot water!"

Railean flopped back on the bed grinning. "This is so going to be an interesting drive today."

Sam grinned back, "I will admit. You are able to push his buttons a lot better them me, and I've lived with him longer."

She closed her eyes, "It's a female thing."She rolled off the bed. "I'm going to stuff the duffle in the car. Need me to take anything out there for you?" He tossed her his bag and she caught it with a grunt. Even with one arm she was still good at catching things. Railean grabbed her duffle and headed out the door.

The crisp air was cold on her hair and she could tell it would be dreary the rest of the day. She set the bags on the ground, tried the door and remembered Sam or Dean had the keys. "Great," she muttered turning to walk back into the room to get them.

Out of no where a fist slammed into her stomach. She gasped and doubled over in surprise and out of breath, her newly healed ribs erupting in pain. Noticing a fist heading towards her head, she dropped to the ground and started crawling towards the room.

"Not so fast." A pair of rough hands grabbed the back of her shirt, jerking her to her feet. The stranger slammed her against the Impala door. Dean's gonna be pissed. "Where do you think your going darling? I ain't done with you just yet." The fist she had dodged before found the side of her head causing stars to jump into her vision. She fought to hold onto concessions, knowing if she could just catch her breath she could yell for Sam. "I'm just getting started." This time he kneed her in the stomach and while she was doubled over brought his elbow down right in the middle of her back.

She went down, her eyesight going black around the edges . Sam! She thought as another kick landed in her stomach. Sam!

"Hey!"

The stranger's feet were being dragged back from her and gentle hands were helping her to stand. She looked up into Sam's face, just beyond her hazy sight, Dean beating the crap out of the guy who had attacked her. Sam helped her back into the room and onto the bed as Dean came rushing back in. "Is she alright?"

"Rai you okay?"

Still out of breath she just nodded. Sam look over his shoulder and ask, "What was that about?"

"It was the guy from the Roadhouse," Dean said as he slammed the door. "Bastard took off. And I wasn't about to go after him wearing nothing but a hotel towel."

Sam turned back to Railean, "Did he say anything to you. I mean before he started hitting you?"

She shook her head feeling her lip, "No." Railean replied breathlessly, "I didn't even know he was behind me until I turned around. What made you come out anyway?"

Sam held up the Impala's keys. "I knew you would have a hard time getting in without these. I was bringing them to you."

Railean nodded grateful they had come to her aide "Thanks, both of you."

Dean paced back and forth. "Yea well, you're lucky. If Sam hadn't come out when he did, who knows what would have happened. You could have been really hurt and then rather then looking into this thing in Minnesota; we would have been spending the time in an emergency room. Girl you need to be more careful."

Railean stood clutching her side. "It's not liked I planned that, Dean. You think I went out there looking for someone to knock me around! Because that's just what my ribs and wrist need, someone else kicking the crap out of them!" She took a shallow breath, breathing too deep just reminded her that she had probable injured a rib again.

Sam stood placing one hand on his brother and the other gently on Railean's shoulder. "Come on guys not now. Let's get you cleaned up Rai, Dean why don't you get dressed and finish loading the car." He took Railean by the arm and led her into the bathroom. He shut the door but she was able to catch a glimpse of Dean. He didn't look too happy.

"Here sit." She sat on the toilet as Sam started the water, grabbed a used washcloth, and soaked it. "Let's take a look." He turned her face up to his and dabbed the cloth onto her lip. She winced as it stung. "Sorry, but it looks like he split your lip and your going to have one hell of a shiner." He turned from her to rinse out the cloth. "Try not to take what Dean said to personally. He's not a big fan of handing out beatings while wearing next to nothing. Tends to take away from the manliness of it" He turned back to her, the tears on her face stopping him. "Rai what's wrong?"

"You mean besides the fact that I just got my face smashed and it hurts or the part where I got my butt chewed for nothing." She could feel the warm tears falling from her cheeks.

He knelt in front of her and placed the cold cloth on the side of her face, it felt nice. "He was just worried that's all. When he gets worried he vents and most of the time he vents at those who… well who don't deserve it. Here hold that there."

Railean held the cloth to her face and tried to stop the tears that were coming. "He ever 'vent' on you?'

Sam smiled, "Yea. More time then I can remember." She grinned but winced at the pain it caused her. "But he's my brother so I guess I am kind of use to it by now."

There was a pound on the door, "You girls ready to go? Cars packed."

Railean stood up as Sam opened the door.

Dean looked at her then back to Sam, "Has she been crying?" Railean shoved passed them both and headed to the car. She heard Sam slug his brother and Dean ask, "What? I'm just asking."

Dean had left the car opened and Railean climbed into the back. Dean and Sam got into the front and closed the door. They pulled out of the hotel without saying much. Dean quickly put in an AC/DC tape and Railean looked out the window trying her best to keep her tears quiet, while 'Highway To Hell' blared through the stereo.

It was past noon when they stopped at a dinner for lunch. Railean's face was sore and felt as if it was on fire, but she didn't dare complain. They climbed out, went inside the dinner not saying much as they took a booth in the back. Minus an odd look from the waitress; nobody gave them a second look.

Railean opened her menu and stayed behind it. She wasn't trying to sulk, she knew that would just tick Dean off more, but her face was really hurting and she didn't feel much like making conversation.

"I'm going to the bathroom." She heard Sam say. "Dean, order a coke and burger for me when the waitress comes back."

"Great," Dean mumbled.

Railean just rolled her eyes. The waitress came. "What can I get for ya?"

Railean set her menu down, "I'll take a Mountain Dew and a double cheeseburger with fries."

"Make that two but bring me a Corona del Sol and also a burger and coke."

The waitress took the menus and left. Railean's eyes roamed the dinner, being very careful to avoid Dean.

Dean started tapping out a beat on the table. "So?"

Railean looked at him, very tempted to say, so what?

He stopped and leaned over to her. "Look, sorry I went off on you like that. I guess, other then Sam, I'm not use to looking after girls."

She grinned at the jab to Sam. "What about Jo? You had to look after her before?"

"True," Dean said and leaned back, "and if you ask I as a complete jerk to her too."

Railean stared hard at him. "Does this mean you'll stop ignoring me completely?"

He grinned over at her, "Only if I get first dibs on the shower in the morning."

She reached her hand across the table and Dean took it, "Deal. You'll get the shower before me, you'll stop ignoring me AND you'll teach me how to fight."

"Deal... Whoa wait, fighting?"

Railean took her hand back. "Too late you shook on it. You teach me how to fight and you'll get dibs on the shower before me."

"She's right," Sam had walked up to the table. "I saw you shake. You get to teach her how to fight." He took a seat next to his brother. Dean looked from Railean to Sam then threw up his hands.

"Fine. So long and I get the shower first."

Railean and Sam both grinned at him. "Deal," they said together.

The waitress brought them their lunch and conversation turned to what they might be facing in Minnesota.