After three days, they had found a Woman in White, and made her face her past so that she could move on, but, not Dad... Dean hated to bring Sam back. He hated letting go--- again. The first time had almost killed him--- how could he do it again?
"Dean." Sam said, turning back around. "You could call me, y'know? I'm right here... and, seriously, if you think a case might get too nasty, bring the Cupcake here. Actually you bring her, and come in. Okay?"
Dean gave him a half smile. "Yeah, sure. But, she's fine. I got her. Can't really fathom why Dad... just... took her like that."
Sam looked at him funny. "What do you mean?"
"Well, I left her in the motel room, on a bed surrounded by salt. She was safe as a bug while I was... um, next door."
Sam's eyebrows went up a bit.
"Anyway, I get a call from her saying Dad came and got her before I even make it back. And, he wouldn't get on the phone." Dean said, looking a little miffed at that. "But, it's all right. Got her now. Got to see you again out of it." he said with a trace of a smile, "and I'm gonna find Dad."
Sam nodded. "Yeah, I know you will. If... just, no matter what, actually call me soon?" Sam asked, trying to hide the pleading in his tone. "At least once a week, I know you're okay?"
Dean sighed. Those damned puppy eyes, man...
"Yeah, yeah. Go back to Smurfette." he grinned, patting him on the arm.
Sam sighed, walking back up to his apartment...
When Alex woke up in the backseat, there were sirens all around her. She climbed out, and there was Sam and Dean, sitting on the hood of the Impala, and Sam's building... was...
"Hey! What's going on?"
"Alex, get back to sleep." Dean said, staring at Sam with concerned eyes.
"You wanna come up front?" Sam asked, attempting to pull himself together. "Come on."
Alex climbed up into the front, sliding under the crook of Sam's arm when he sat down, gripping her tightly but still staring off into space. And, Dean climbed back into the car, peeling out of there. Most other little kids, they'd've been asking what happened, but, she knew. It was obvious... The fire, no Jess... didn't take a genius to put it together, and, having been around Winchester men all of her life, she wisely said nothing.
"We'll, ah, find a hotel." Dean said gruffly.
"No. Get me out of here, Dean. Please."
Dean nodded, and pulled onto the highway, more than glad to leave the monstrosity behind them.
Sam sighed, leaning back against the seat and closing his eyes. He didn't really want to sleep, he just wanted to avoid right now. Avoid talking. Avoid thinking... Jess... The little boy part of him wished he could get Dean to make it better, like when they were little kids. Dean always somehow made everything better. But, now... Nothing could make this better... That freaking demon was gonna pay... for what he'd done to all of them... And, he swore to himself right then that if he could, he'd keep Alex out of it as much as possible. Safe, and try to maintain some semblance of innocence... even if she was a Winchester...