Mother, Father, Brother, Sister…Brother?
Chapter 3: Growing Up And Growing Apart
Cassidy was sick of doing the same stuff everyday. Always, obstacle course, shooting practice, self-defense training, weapon cleaning, Latin and creature studies, all after school. It was like she had no life that was outside of the hunting world. At school she didn't have any friends, and no guy even bothered to ask her out because, she had been caught reading a book on demons.
The rumor had spread around that she was some kind of occult member that worshipped Satin, or was even considered a freak. Which in a way she was a freak, and not normal. No way would she ever live a normal life, not since her mom died when she was just a baby. A lot of the times she wished she remembered Mary. When she was younger and she still didn't know why they kept moving around and dad would always leave, she would make up stories or conversations about her mom as if she were still alive.
Dean had seen her one time doing it and ever since then she hadn't dared make up silly things. Right now she was waiting by the Impala as Dean double-checked the essentials in his backpack. In fact she knew he was checking, because she could hear him muttering under his breath.
"Knife…check. Holy water…check. School books…not check," he said stopping and staring into his bag before looking up at Cassidy.
"Oh come on! Dean, we are going to be late!" Cassidy said when he gave her the look that said he needed to go back inside to find his books.
"But Cass," Dean began.
"Nah-uh. Dean, check inside the car. I bet they are just lying around in there," she pointed out. He furrowed his brow as if he were thinking; then he continued his forward motion towards the vehicle.
"Bet you thirty bucks that they are there," Cassidy said getting in.
"You wish. No way they will be--," Dean stopped when there on the floor in the back, were his books. He snatched them up and stuffed them into his backpack before tossing it onto the seat in between him and his sister. Jamming the key into the ignition and revving the engine he pulled out of Bobby's driveway. The Winchester's were currently staying at John's old friend's house for another day and then leaving to go to some other state for school, training and hunts.
"So you gonna give me those thirty bucks or am I going to have to take them by force?" she asked breaking the silence. Dean looked over at her and mimicked her in a weird tone, and doing it in an annoyed way.
He took out his wallet and quickly threw the amount of money into her lap and returning the leather holder in his jean pocket.
"Now you know the routine. When we get home after school we head straight for the backyard. Dad will be waiting there to start the self defense training," Dean said.
"Great. That leaves me bruised and bloody at the end of the day," Cassidy groaned rolling her eyes.
"Hey Cass. I know you can do this. It may be hard, and yeah, dad is being tough on you. But he will be flat on his back or ass today. You've gotten good, you can beat him," Dean encouraged.
"Tell that to Mr. Drill Sergeant," Cassidy mumbled.
The Impala drove into the parking lot and the two got out, heading for the place they wouldn't see after today. Dean veered away from Cassidy as he went to a group of cheerleaders.
'Typical,' she thought. Cassidy figured on her last day of school here, she was all on her own. Like always.
When she arrived at her locker, she was immediately bombarded by the football jocks. "What do we have here boys? A Winchester. What do you say we have a little fun? I mean after all it is her last day," Dan said with a grin. Cassidy shut her locker, tossing her books to the side as she dodged him trying to pin her to where she had just stood.
"Fast for a girl," he spoke, walking over to her. A crowd began to form around the jocks and Cassidy; suddenly she felt outnumbered.
'Remember. You are never outnumbered. Always know you can defeat the enemy. Never let them think they have the upper hand. Stand your ground and always be prepared for a fight,' her father's words rang through her head. Cassidy squared her shoulders, legs spread out, hands balled into fists in front of her.
"Look fellas. I think girly here is gonna fight," he said, laughing hysterically with all his jock buddies.
"Bring it on asshole," she said angrily, knowing the words pissed the football player off.
He pulled off his jacket and flung it somewhere to the side where a bystander had caught it. The youngest Winchester could feel millions of eyes on her, and then she spotted movement in the crowd, where she saw a very worrisome Dean. Dean almost made it to the inside of the circle when suddenly the people in front of him bunched up more to prevent him from doing so. Her eyes fell back onto the threat in front of her and watched his every move.
First, he charged at her head on, but that was a big mistake. Cassidy gracefully spun herself, doing a swinging kick right to the side of his face, knocking him down for the count and returning back to her position. The other members of the team stood in shock as they stared at their unconscious friend, before they too shook off their jackets as well, deciding one at a time was not the way to handle this girl. They came at her two by two and each set of them ended up either groaning on the linoleum floor, or cowering away from her with cuts on their lips.
"Enough!" yelled a male, who by the sound of it, it was a teacher, or worse…the headmaster. The one who had spoke, broke through the kids and was standing a few steps away from Cassidy and did not look happy.
"Ms. Winchester. To my office now!" the headmaster fumed. Cassidy started to walk forward, avoiding everyone's gaze, including her brother's, as she followed close behind.
888
John was pacing in front of his youngest as she sat, slumped on the couch at Bobby's house. He frankly didn't know what to say or even how he felt. Sure there was a fight before school started, and it turned out to be his own child who was involved, yet he wasn't certain if he should be angry, or ecstatic.
"Dad, before you start yelling at me I just want you to know that what I did was all in self defense," Cassidy clarified. The elder stopped in his tracks and stared at her with a puzzled look.
"Look Cass," he began, moving over to her and sitting beside her on the couch.
"I would expect this kind of behavior from Dean. But, as how my training has done you good on protecting yourself, there is no reason for me to be angry with you," he finished.
"What?" she asked with a confused expression on her face.
"Although, you should know that this doesn't necessarily mean you get out of self defense training today. It just means that I need to watch my butt around you from now on," he said with a smile. Cassidy felt the urge to hug him, but knew that was against standard procedures. She wanted to say to him that she loved him and yet she had a feeling, he wouldn't return the heart felt moment.
Instead she stood up and placed a hand up to her forehead in a salute, then retreating upstairs to her bedroom until Dean got home.
John remained where he was and leaned back into the comfort of the cushions, closing his eyes. The sound of footsteps registered in his mind, but he knew that who they belonged to, meant no threat to him.
"Hey Bobby," he said, opening his eyes to look at the older man.
"That girl is real lucky to have you as a father John," Bobby said, taking a seat in a lazy boy across from his friend.
"Yeah. Well, I won't be here forever. Just teaching her the basics on how to take care of herself when she is older," John replied.
"Which reminds me…when are you going to loosen up a bit on Cass?" Bobby asked.
"What do you mean? Do you think I push her too hard? Cause I sure as hell don't," John said sitting up, now that the conversation had taken a turn for the worse.
"Well you are more tough on her than you are on Dean. And Dean is older. It makes me wonder if you are being rough on Cass because--," Bobby stopped knowing he was going too far with this.
"Because what? Seriously, Bobby. Continue. I would like to know," John said anger noticeable in his voice.
"Because she reminds you of Mary," the elder finished.
Silence evaded the room as soon as the words had gotten out, and then it disappeared quickly as a time bomb went off in John.
"How dare you. She does not remind me of my wife! And how dare you think that! I am doing my best for my children and sure! I may be rougher on my daughter than my eldest, but it is in order to keep her prepared!" John shouted, him and Bobby now standing up, face to face with one another.
"Prepared for what? To be scared of her own father! If you would pull your head out of your ass long enough, you may come to realize that she is being pushed away by you! I'll walk by her bedroom sometimes and I'll hear her crying herself to sleep because of all the stress you put on her. She is just a teenage girl and for Christ's sake your own flesh and blood! I believe Dean is the only thing keeping her from falling apart completely or even leaving! He takes better care of her than you ever do John. Now think what I said through, and maybe you'll understand how much of a danger you are to you own child," Bobby said as he stomped out the room and into the kitchen.
Not only was this the worst fight that had ever been dealt out between the two friends, it was the last. The next day, the three Winchester's left Bobby's house, and made a long trip to somewhere new. Ever since that day, Cassidy had grown farther and farther away from her father as he yelled at her more and more, and occasionally beating her up so bad in self defense training, she was lucky to fall asleep without having nightmares.
It wasn't long till Cassidy was 19 that she ran away from her family. Dean was hurt because she never did say goodbye and he was mad at her for leaving their family behind for good. She had never liked school, so college wasn't an option when she left, and hunting was all she knew and all she ever fit into. Hunting on her own was difficult and was grateful that she learned all that she did from her father when she was younger, but it still didn't make her forgive him.
This job…this life she chose…didn't always have its perks.