Chapter 6 – Come with me if you want to live.
Dean tumbled to the ground. "Dammit Cas. A little more warning, next time."
"I didn't have time." Castiel hit the ground.
"What the fuck." Claire gripped her middle.
"When are we?" Dean got Castiel over his shoulders and looked around. They were in an alley. Castiel was already passed out. 'Shit."
"What do we do with him?" Claire gripped a wall and waited for the nausea to pass.
"He's burned out." Dean hefted him and looked around. The alley let out to town streets. Claire found a phone book and they got Castiel into a motel room in Fishers, Indiana. Dean paced. "Fishers. Sounds familiar."
"1998." Claire motioned to the newspaper. "I asked to use the internet and they directed me to the town library."
"Fishers." Dean groaned. "Castiel didn't say anything to you about who we're looking for."
"Just that you might… not want to do this."
"Let's go get a car while we puzzle this one out." Dean hung the do not disturb sign as they left. At the convenience store on the corner, Dean picked up a map while he waited for Claire to freshen up. He eyed the parking lot and this store didn't have cameras. Claire peered over his shoulder. "This area is familiar. Really familiar."
"Indiana. Ben always talks about living in Indiana."
"Fuck me." Dean snapped the map shut. "I used to run to Fishers for fucking sports equipment when the Cicero shops ran low. Lisa had a doctor she saw in Fishers, too. 1998?"
"Yeah."
"Fuck."
"Dean, what is it?"
He grabbed a newspaper and looked at the date. Then he counted on his fingers. "Ben. We're here about Ben." His jaw trembled. "She'd be pregnant by now."
Claire did the math. "She'd just be finding out." She turned to the clerk. "There a Planned Parenthood in town?"
"Fuck."
Claire drove while Dean stewed. "You okay?"
"No." Dean breathed. "Maybe it's not Lisa."
"Coincidence? I stopped believing in those."
"Me, too."
Claire pulled in and just watched for a long time. "Maybe I should go in."
"What?"
"To have a look around."
"Why are we even here? Lisa said she never considered this."
"It's a doctor's office." Claire glared at him. "Maybe she's got an appointment to confirm she's pregnant."
"What?"
"Dean, the first time a woman walks into a Planned Parenthood? It's to find out if she's right about being pregnant. They don't do abortions on the spot. You have to have counseling and read pamphlets and wade through a bunch of folk who don't want you to have a decision about it."
"That's shitty."
"That's a woman's world for you." Claire chugged a bottle of water. "I'm going in. You want to wait here or you want to come in?"
"I'll… fuck." Dean followed her inside. Everything inside made his skin crawl. He studied the faces. Scared, anxious, nervous… and one hugely pregnant woman with a thick book on her belly and a bag of chips by her side.
Claire sat next to him with a clipboard. "She's not in the waiting room but she might be inside. I saw her name on the list."
"Maybe she's already gone."
"It's early in the day." Claire shook her head. "Look at that one, she's about to pop. I remember those days. Big and full of baby. Uncomfortable."
"But you get to eat all the time."
"And the heartburn. Sleepless nights." Claire leaned on him. "When I was pregnant with Sebastien… I thought it would never end. So horrible at the end and then… he was here and I held him and… he was so perfect. You never see such a perfect thing in life except a newborn baby. Oh… and when Erica was born. That look on Caleb's face. I'll never forget it."
"The first time I saw Emma… I was… struck."
"I'll bet she was pretty."
"For some reason I thought she'd be more… menacing. She was just… pretty. Scared. Least she pretended to be, I guess." Dean settled into his chair. "I wanted to bury her properly but Sam wouldn't let me give her a hunter's funeral. We buried her like a monster."
"I'm sorry." Claire started to lay her hand on his arm but movement caught her eye and she sat up. "There she is."
Dean stared. She was so young. "I was just up to see her a month or so ago."
"What are the chances that's your kid?"
"She said it was some other guy she met around the same time." Dean lifted a brochure to cover his face.
"She told me the story of her misspent youth. Wild times and casual encounters."
"We spent three days together, locked in her loft. We barely came up for air."
Claire grinned. "Wow. Dean. I didn't know you had the stamina."
"I was all stamina back then."
"Lisa's my friend. I think she's beautiful but man, she was smokin' as a pretty young thing." Claire tilted her head at the young brunette. "She could do so much better than you."
"Where are you right now? The '98 you."
"Kansas City. I'm trying to do a double course load while potty-training Sebastien."
"So… your kid would have been around the same age as Ben."
"Just about." She nodded. "He was born in '96. I got sent home to get my life together and I ended up requesting discharge. I hadn't dealt with my parents' estates yet and when I tried to get word about his dad…"
"The Navyman?"
"He was fun for a night."
"Mrs. Bailey?"
Claire hopped up to the counter. "I'm sorry, Ma'am. We're a little booked today. Appointments, that is. You'll have to wait a while to be seen."
"How long?"
"I don't know. If someone cancels, we can squeeze you in. I can get you a cup to pee in for the test but a doctor can't see you until there's a room."
"Got it. I got all day. Week. You know."
"Bailey?" Dean asked when she sat down again.
"I didn't want to use a name that would get recognized."
"She doesn't know us now."
"Shut up." Claire picked up a magazine and put it in his hands. "At least pick something that's got more than two pages." Claire worked a crossword from the newspaper she brought with her. She watched Lisa fiddle with her nails. Do some math with her fingers. Lift her eyes to the ceiling to pray, probably. When she was called back, her hands were shaking. Claire kept working on her puzzle. She took the cup to the bathroom when it was given to her. She bumped into Lisa on her way out.
"Sorry." Lisa sniffed.
"No big. Just glad I didn't spill." Claire set the cup on the counter and waved at the nurse.
"I hate this place." Lisa muttered and signed her paperwork and glared at the nurse when she gave her the script.
Claire followed her out when she stormed out. "You okay?"
"I'm sorry. I just… that doctor…" Lisa scrubbed at her face. "He wants me to take these pills and I know what they are. It's too late if… what an asshole. He also made me an appointment for next week even though I said I didn't want it."
"It's an appointment." Claire held her hands out. "You don't have to go."
"Shouldn't I?" Lisa held her hands out. "I'm a slut. I get it. I'm too young to have a kid but… what if I want it? What if this is a sign?"
"You want to go somewhere? Talk? You look like you need to talk."
"Don't you have an appointment?"
"I'm waitlisted and … I'm pretty sure this can wait. I got nine months on my sentence. Waiting another day to see the doctor is not going to change that." Claire held her hand out. "I'm Darlene."
"Lisa." Lisa took her hand. "This is so… overwhelming and I can't talk to my mom or my sister."
"It's okay." Claire moved in and put her arm around her. "Look there's a shop at the end of the block. We can get a bit of coffee… or tea. Cause I think we're both better off with tea around now."
Lisa leaned on her as they walked. Claire was a bit startled at how trusting Lisa was. Waitress took one look at them and took them to a corner booth hidden away around a corner. Waitress leaned on the table. "You girls got that look. You been around the corner?" Claire nodded. "I'll keep the strays away. Coffee, tea, soda?"
Claire ordered for them. Tea and French fries. Claire used a glass of water to clean up Lisa's face. "What happened? No judgment. Just get it out."
Claire could see Dean settling in at the front of the café. Lisa sniffed. "I missed my period and I freaked. I've been out more than usual. My dad passed away and I just… anyway. I'm pretty sure I know which guy but he had that look. No way to get a hold of him and that's just what I was looking for. Someone I could use and forget. There were a few."
"That's okay. We all go through it. We all have those days." Claire brushed her hair back. "I was your age when I enlisted. My folks died when I was overseas. Hooked up with the next guy I saw. Left me a present before he ran off and got himself killed."
"Oh my god."
"I'm not saying my story is worse than yours. But we've all got them. Okay?"
Lisa nodded and sipped her tea when it appeared. She stared at the fries for a long moment before she gave in and ate five in quick succession. "I never eat junk food."
"It's hard not to. Twinkies are my weakness. When I was pregnant with my first, I ate them all the time… Then I spent hours running around to burn them off. When I was pregnant with my second... Nachos… all the time… I don't even like nachos."
"You have two kids?"
"One. One kid. My first… he died when he was little. Then I went a little… shacked up with one of those sketchy dudes that hang out in bars during the day. Met my love through him. That was fast and furious and then my darling girl was on the way. She's nine now."
"I'm sorry." Lisa nibbled on a fry. "The one… that I'm sure is the father. I met him in a bar. He's cute. I think he thinks he's hard. But he's got such a baby face. Like… it hasn't settled yet. Lips too big for his face, eyes though… green and bit intense. There's a darkness there."
"Handsome?"
"Oh yeah. His smile… could make you melt. I did. I melted… right into bed, for three days. Barely even came up for air." Lisa grinned to her cup, chewed on her lip for a second before taking a small sip. "I thought I was being careful. I didn't realize what time of the month it was… and then my time of the month came and went and nothing. I had my follow-up today and the doctor was a complete asshole."
"Yeah, what happened there? It sounded… weird."
"He went on and on about my reckless behavior and I was too young to do this kind of thing. So he says he's going to prescribe me some pills. It's late but they could solve the problem for me. Then he set an appointment to follow up on the pills and possibly take care of it if they didn't work. He didn't even ask me what I wanted."
"Just another man trying to tell a woman what to do with her own body." Claire sipped her tea. "What do you want?"
"Time to think about it. I know there's not a lot of time to think about it before it's really too late. He's not wrong. I'm too young but when am I going to be ready? Never?"
"You're never ready." Claire sniffed. "I was alone, totally, when I had my son. Everything was new and terrifying but I did it. He was… five when he was killed. I never thought I'd want kids again. I met a man… it was bad, it was good, it was… not real but I got to that place where I wanted to have kids. I found a man that I loved and fucked it up. We tried to stick it out after I found out I was pregnant. We… were… working it out. Then she came and even though I'd done it before… it was like I hadn't. I knew baby boys. I didn't know baby girls."
"I could do this." Lisa sat up. "I can do this."
"Good."
"What?"
"That you know what you want. That's the first part. Knowing what you want." Claire furrowed her brow when Dean straightened up and put his hand on his gun.
"You expecting again?"
"I hope not. Too old to do it again."
"But what if you are?" Lisa sipped her tea and reached for more fries.
"Then I guess… I'll handle it. My girl could probably use some company."
"What happened to her father?"
"He died. Sometimes I feel like death is everywhere but then… my girl smiles at me. Best feeling in the world."
"I want that." Lisa sniffed again. "I just… I feel like I disappointed so many people."
"So… don't disappoint that bun in your oven."
"I'm so glad I met you." Lisa reached for Claire's hand.
"Me, too."
"They're here!" Dean called across the room.
Claire grabbed Lisa's hand and yanked her out of the booth. They ran through the kitchen and out the backdoor as Dean fired a few shots at the three demons who stormed the entrance. Lisa screamed but followed Claire out. Claire pulled out her gun as they broke into the alley. Dean was right on their heels. "Lisa, you have to trust me."
"What's happening?" Lisa wrenched her hand free of Claire's.
"My friend and I are going to keep you safe. There are people who want to hurt you." Claire kept in Lisa's face even as she scanned the alley for demons. "You have to trust me."
"Why should I? I haven't met a single person I can trust today." Lisa held herself and started to back away.
Claire reached for anything she could use. "Your mother's name is Susannah. Your sister's name is Theresa. You used to call yourselves the Susasas."
"How did you know that?" Lisa's face paled.
"I know you… or… I will. Our children will be friends someday." Claire promised. "We'll supervise sleepovers and gossip over wine together. We'll support each other through bad times and celebrate good times together."
Lisa stopped moving. "Why would someone try to kill me?"
"Because that doctor wasn't a doctor. He tried to get you to take some pills that would be bad for the baby and then to schedule an abortion, right?"
"Right… but why?"
"Your son… grows up to be… amazing and they don't want that to happen."
"Let's go!" Dean shouted as he walked out of the backdoor. "We can't circle back around front. Just keep going."
"Dean?" Lisa stepped away. "What are you doing here?"
"Long story." Dean led the way down the alley. Claire kept Lisa walking in time. He snorted. "Come with me if you want to live."
Lisa let Claire tuck her under her arm. "I just don't understand any of this."
"I know. Let's get someplace safe so we can talk about it." Claire shushed her.
"I'm going to have a son?" Lisa asked her. "It's going to be a boy?"
"Yeah." Claire nodded.
"I'm going to name him after my father." Lisa decided as they walked.
"It's a good name." Dean nodded as they paused so Claire could break into a car while he kept his eye out for more demons.
"What?" Lisa blinked at him. "What happened to you?" Dean just stared back at her. "I saw you last month… you were baby-faced and…" She stepped forward to touch the scars on his face. "Young."
"Get in." Claire told them as she slipped beneath the dash to get the car going. Dean shoved her out of the way so he could drive.
Claire peered over the backseat at Lisa. "We're the good guys, I want you to remember that."
Lisa nodded, her eyes on Dean. "Is he from the future too?"
"Yes." Claire nodded.
"Are we…" Lisa trailed off as she motioned to Dean and herself. "In the future?"
"No." Dean barked out and hunched over, refusing to look at anyone while he drove and kept his eye out for demons. They had to get out of town.
Claire cleared her throat as she remembered something Castiel said. "I want you to remember something after we get you out of this… Never tell anyone who the father of your child is. No one. Ever. Don't get a blood test. Don't give out theories. No one."
"Why?"
"They've come after you and we're going to save your life. The only other way to prevent Ben from living… is to kill the father of your child before he meets you."
"What?" Lisa's eyes flicked to Dean and Claire's eyes widened.
"Don't." Claire held out her hand to Lisa. "Don't say it." Claire looked at Dean but he was still too hunched over to see the backseat through the rearview. "She never told you who his father was, right?"
"Nah." Dean shook his head. "Just always said it was some barback she met in a biker bar."
"Okay."
"I've only been to two biker bars… ever." Lisa shook her head.
"Don't say it out loud." Claire warned. "Never say it out loud. Not even to us. A demon gets near us… they'll pluck it right out."
Lisa nodded. "Did you say… demon?"
"It's complicated." Claire looked to Dean. "She knows about this stuff?"
"No. Next time I see her… no." Dean shook his head. "I know what that means." He kept his voice low. "At some point… some Angel is going to wipe her memory of this visit."
"Hopefully." Claire sighed and gave him a look. "This is a pattern that I don't like… for my friend."
"Lisa's fine." Dean shrugged her off.
"I meant you, too."
"Can you just… explain this?" Lisa took a breath and then covered her mouth. "I'm gonna be sick."
"Do it out the window. We can't afford to stop." Dean shook his head.
"Head to Ohio." Claire told him. "My family's cabin is empty. I don't think I sell it until next year. I'll even bet the power is still on."
TBC
