The car ride home from Shreveport was quiet, Lexi slept in the backseat most of the way, and it was after lunchtime when they finally decided to stop and grab some food to go. Dean pulled the Impala to a stop in front of the Mexican restaurant.
"Any special requests princess?" Dean questioned before he climbed out of the car.
"Just the most fattening burrito they have on the menu," she replied as she attempted to sit up straighter, she winced a little from the movement, "and nachos, with cheese dip."
The older brother gave two thumbs up and made his way into the restaurant. Lexi noticed a small electronic store two stores down in the little shopping center they were parked in front of.
"I'll be back," she stated and opened the car door to climb out, the pain from moving too fast caught up to her as she stood up, "Son of a…"
Sam was out of the front seat before she could slam the door shut, "Here, let me help."
He offered her his arm for her to steady herself. Lexi gave him a half smile, and slipped her arm over his.
"This way," she pointed toward the electronic store and they made their way inside.
It didn't take long for Lexi to find what she was looking for and she waved the cassette tape with an auxiliary cord attached at the tall man beside her, "Bingo!"
"That's not a good idea," Sam replied shaking his head, "I've tried, there's no way Dean's going for it."
"I don't give two craps what Dean thinks," she laid her purchase on the counter for the sales clerk to ring up, "Don't get me wrong, I love some classic rock as much as the next person, but there comes a point when too much of a good thing, makes it a bad thing."
Sam just shook his head with a laugh, "Good luck with that."
By the time Dean made his way out of the restaurant, both Sam and Lexi were back in the car as if they hadn't moved. He handed his brother the drink carrier through the window then climbed in with the sack of food.
Sam took the sack of food and started to divide it out among the three of them while Dean turned the key in the ignition. The engine roared to life and he turned the volume knob on the radio but no music was coming from the speakers. That's when he saw the cord that trailed out of the cassette deck and into the seat beside him, where it was plugged into a cell phone.
"What the hell is this?" he questioned looking at Sam.
Sam held his hands up in defense, "Wasn't me this time."
Dean cut his eyes to the backseat where Lexi was stuffing a cheese topped nacho into her mouth. She smiled innocently as she chewed.
"Rule number one," the older brother said as he held up one finger, "Driver picks the music."
"I respect rule number one, but I also live by rule number two," Lexi held up two fingers, "If one of the passengers has been shot, stabbed, or beat to hell and back, they trump rule number one."
Dean slowly started to shake his head, "Hell no."
"Just one album, then we can go back to Clapton or Seger, I don't care," she replied as she gave him the best puppy stare she had, "Please."
He sighed and looked over at his brother who was eating his burrito in silence, he didn't want to be involved in this conversation, so Dean looked back to the dark-haired girl in the backseat, "As long as it's not any teeny bopper crap."
Lexi smiled victoriously, "I promise none of that."
Sam looked surprised and finally spoke, "Really!? After all this time you're letting her break rule number, no offense Lex."
"None taken," she said before she shoved another nacho in her mouth.
"Shut up Sam," Dean replied as he put the Impala in reverse.
"You're going soft," Sam retorted.
"Shut up Sammy," Dean said, "Or you can ride in the back."
"Will one of you just press play on my phone please," Lexi interrupted from the backseat.
Sam grabbed the phone, did as she asked, and shook his head in disbelief.
"Can I have my taco now?" Dean questioned his brother as Chris Stapleton's "Traveller" started to play from the speakers.
The younger man passed his brother the food as the chorus began to play:
I'm just a traveller, on this earth
Sure as my heart's behind the pocket of my shirt
I'll just keep rolling till I'm in the dirt
'Cause I'm a traveller, oh, I'm a traveller
I couldn't tell you honey, I don't know
Where I'm going, but I've got to go
'Cause every turn reveals some other road
And I'm a traveller, oh, I'm a traveller
The next morning Sam carried Lexi's belongings out to her car, where she stood smiling.
"Thank you," she said as Sam closed the trunk on the Challenger.
"You sure you want to go?" he questioned as he leaned against the back of the car and shoved his hands in his pants pockets, "You're welcome to stay here as long as you want while you heal up."
"I don't like to stay in one place too long," she replied with a smile, "Do me a favor though?"
"Sure, anything," he said with a smile.
"Take care," she stated with a sincere look, "Stop being so hard on yourself about everything."
Sam looked at the ground, smiled a little, then nodded his head, "Deal, on one condition."
The dark-haired girl placed a hand on the hip opposite of her stab wound, "What's that?"
"You be careful out there," he said, "Solo hunting isn't a good idea, so stay in touch will you?"
She smiled warmly, "I promise."
The younger brother opened his arms and Lexi moved in for a hug. Lexi squeezed tightly before stepping back. Dean approached the two of them and Sam gave Lexi another smile before he walked off to let his brother have a moment alone with her.
"You left this on your nightstand," Dean said as he pulled her journal from inside his jacket pocket.
Lexi took her journal and smiled, "Thanks."
"You don't have to go you know," he stated as he crossed his arms.
"Yea, I really do," Lexi responded with a sly smile.
"Is your massive crush on me that bad?" the green-eyed man joked, "You have to run away?"
The dark-haired girl laughed, "Don't flatter yourself Winchester. You're the one trying to get me to stay."
He shrugged his shoulders innocently, then flashed her a heartfelt look, "Take care out there will you?"
"Always," she replied, then Dean enveloped her in hug.
"Take care of each other," she stated once she let him go.
"Always," he replied, then walked around to open the driver's side door for her.
She moved to the front of the car and leaned up on her tiptoes when she got close to him and gently kissed his cheek. Dean was a little shocked by the action, but smiled as she climbed in the car and he carefully closed her door.
Lexi waved to Sam who gave her a warm smile and waved back, as Dean approached him. The two brothers stood there watching as she pulled away in the Challenger.
Dean noticed the goofy smile on his brother's face, "What?"
"Looks like big brother met his match," he responded.
"Shut up," Dean stalked back off toward the bunker.
"Dude," Sam called after him, "you broke rule number one."
Dean just flipped him his middle finger as he went down the steps into the bunker.
The End.