They drove in silence for miles, and as soon as they were out of the town Alida realized that she had no idea where they were going. No idea why she had gotten in the car. She had obviously just put them in danger, and sure they had handled it in like two minutes, but their lives were dangerous before you added in Erasers chasing you down. She started gnawing on her lip, her grip on the seat belt tightening as she watched the world fly by. It was a different experience than flying, everything was so distant in the air. Now she was close, far too close.
"Max!" she suddenly exclaimed with a horrified gasp and Dean accidentally swerved at her loud outburst. He righted them back into the right lane before sending her a look that if the world had any justice really should kill but she didn't even notice as she scrambled for her phone.
She lifted it quickly, hands shaking as her fingers slid over the screen and clicked on the only contact. It rang, once, twice, three time, and she felt her heart contract as no one answered. What was wrong, what if they found them, what had she done, and then there was a click and a sleepy voice came through the line.
"Hello?" came the young voice, obviously just woken up, and she squeezed her eyes shut in relief as her breath rushed out painfully. They were okay.
"Hello?" came again, this one slightly more panicked and Alida realized she hadn't answered.
"Hey, I'm sorry I woke you up," Alida answered in a rush, and she could hear the nerves and warmth far too evident in her voice. She cleared her throat, eyes darting self-consciously to Dean who wasn't even trying to be subtle about the completely baffled look he was giving her.
"What's wrong?" Nudge asked, and this time she sounded strained, obviously trying not to panic. Alida swallowed feeling herself calm, and take a deep breath.
"They found me. Three Erasers, two were still alive. They didn't mention you and they claimed they were only trailing me, but they said they had found a trace of me a few months ago? Either way, you need to be careful. Where's Max?" Alida asked, voice steady and she heard Nudge's breathe evening out at how Alida was handling it.
"Okay, I'll round everyone up and tell them. Here's Max," Nudge told her and there was a grunt and some grumbling before a tired voice came through.
"Seriously, you had to pick a fight at three a.m.?" Max asked irritably but Alida heard a flurry of motion as if the girl was moving around, presumably packing.
"Like I had a choice? And it's the afternoon here," Alida told her and she could practically hear Max roll her eyes.
"Whatever, just tell me you kicked some butt," Max replied and Alida felt her lips twitch before she looked at the three men in the car with her. Sam was fiddling with something, obviously trying to give her some privacy, but Dean kept shooting her glances between watching the road obviously not feeling the need. Castiel was fixedly watching her, and she cleared her throat nervously.
"Yeah, kind of. I met some people who helped out," Alida said and she couldn't help the slip of worry that came out as if she was asking for permission. There was a moment of silence and Alida worried her lip nervously.
"You made friends?" Max asked and Alida sighed at the completely surprised tone.
"I think I would be offended, but they are actually well. They thought I was trying to kill people and I thought they were lunatics. So," Alida paused, not quite sure how to explain but Max just made a hum noise.
"Yeah, that's how people like us tend to make friends," Max replied, seemingly happy for her even and Alida squinted at the windshield as she tried to understand the other girl.
"I suppose? I don't' really have much experience except with you. And I tried to kill you, so," Alida told her and Max laughed on the other line, the sound making Alida smile. Max needed to laugh more often, the girl was far too young for so much responsibility.
"Alright, well good luck with that. And thanks for the heads up, do you need back up?" Max asked and Alida shook her head although she couldn't see it.
"No, I'm good. You just take care, I'll text to check in," Alida told her and this time Max's eye roll was joined by and audible sigh.
"OF course you will. Hey, just tell us if you want to meet up, okay?" Max ordered gruffly and Alida fought the grimace. That was just her way of showing she cared.
"Of course. Take care," Alida ordered back and she was sure Max was responding in kind.
"You too," Max replied and then there was a rush through the speakers, presumably the sound of air and Alida sighed in relief. They were in the air, they were warned, and they were fine.
"Bye," she told her and with a short bye the call was cancelled and now she was the focus of two very curious stares.
"Keep your eyes on the road," Alida snapped, but Dean just ignored her, going so far as to take one of his hands off of the steering wheel and pointedly dangle it out of the open window.
"Is Max your boyfriend?" Castiel asked, his voice sounding unsure as he tried out the word and Alida blinked at him for a moment before snorting.
"No, definitely not," she replied with a chuckle.
"You seemed to be emotionally attached," Castiel clarified his reasoning and Alida wrinkled up her nose before shrugging.
"One of the only people I am attached to," Alida answered honestly and the angel nodded.
"Is Max like you?" Sam asked, honest curiosity in his voice and Alida turned to talk to him. His long hair fell across his face, annoyingly well for someone who had just been in a fight and was now in a windblown car. Hers looked like she had been through a hurricane. She couldn't' be annoyed however because the look on his face was bright and friendly, making her smile at him.
"Yeah," she replied and he lit up in curiosity, reminding her of Iggy and Gazzy whenever they found something that interested them. For them it was usually something pertaining to bombs though.
"So, what the hell were those things back there? Erasers?" Dean asked and Alida turned to him. Thankfully his eyes were on the road, although when she started to talk his green eyes found her, watching her intently.
"They were from the School. The place where they created, experiments," Alida told them and Dean grimaced, "so, I suppose they were telling the truth when they were saying they were like me. Erasers are the name Max and the others gave them. Essentially, they were sent out to kill. Erase."
"So, wolf man back there, that's what you thought the werewolves were isn't it?" Dean asked. His serious eyes found hers and she stared at him for a minute, surprised at how perceptive he was. And then she cleared her throat and he turned back to the road.
"Um, yeah," she answered lamely, face heating at the expression on Sam's face. Cas seemed unmoved but he was suddenly peering at the two of them as if noticing something for the first time.
"Look, I'll head out on my own whenever we get, wherever we're going," Alida told them and Dean turned to look at her inquiringly.
"Why would you do that?" Dean asked and she shifted guiltily in her seat.
"If you didn't notice, the attack back there was because of me. I'm kind of being searched for unfortunately, and you are in danger as long as I'm with you," Alida told them, and Dean gave her a stern look, that made his lips curve downward in a way Alida found sad.
"Look, our lives are in danger, basically all the time. That back there? That was nothing. Honestly, if you want to leave us you should, because we probably put you in a lot more danger than you do us," Dean told her and for some reason she felt almost. Insulted. When did this turn into a, whose life is more dangerous contest?
"Okay, look, I can obviously handle myself," Alida told him and Dean clicked his tongue interrupting.
"Oh yeah! About that, your whole Psycho thing back there, are you okay? Because you seemed pretty damn scary," Dean told her, pulling a worried face that turned into a flinch as Sam reached up to smack him in the back of the head.
"Damn it, Sam! Do not hit the driver, come on!" he exclaimed angrily, and if he could've reached without crashing them he would've turned to retaliate. As it was, Sam leaned back, out of reach with a stern glare and a smirk.
"Dean, come on," Sam complained but Alida waved him off. She fixed Dean with a stern lip, quirking an eyebrow up pointedly.
"Considering that you effortlessly stabbed a shifting Eraser in the throat without blinking, I don't really think you have room to talk, Winchester," Alida told him primly and Dean stiffened, opening his mouth to retort but he couldn't seem to think of anything to say. Sam threw his hands up with an ooOOOHHhhh. Alida's cheeks flamed, really it hadn't been a good come back but she couldn't think of anything else, but it didn't seem to matter to Sam. He crossed his arms, obviously on her side. Little brothers, man.
"Fine," Dean relented with a huff, and Alida grinned at Sam. Castiel tilted his head, fixing her with stare.
"Alida, it seemed as if you were familiar with them," Castiel said, and she turned around, wondering if it was morally okay to curse at an angel for calling her out. She decided she didn't want to risk it however, and sighed.
"Yeah, I knew them. They were my generation," Alida admitted, jaw clenched and Castiel shifted forward.
"Your generation?" he asked and she wished he would just let it go, but his dark eyes were waiting for her to answer, dark hair ruffled by the wind, and there was no judgement there, or menace, or much of anything except for acceptance. Just calm acceptance.
"Of lab rats, Cas. We were created around the same time, we were generation H," Alida told him and Cas nodded, eyes solemn and deep. Ageless. She saw Sam's face soften in sympathy, brown eyes trying to melt her into spilling her sob story. She turned around but that wasn't any better, because then there was Dean, steadily looking at her with something akin to understanding.
"I think they are using dna from supernatural creatures to create live weapons," Alida blurted, to distract them from ruminating on her, or pitying her, and the reaction was instant. Castiel frowned, expression briefly hardening into the angel warrior from before, before it faded to simply worry. Sam and Dean shared a hard look.
"Sam?" Dean asked and Sam mouth twisted in uncertainty.
"I don't know Dean. I mean, I wouldn't think that was even possible, but that was before I saw those things. It makes too much sense, you know?" Sam told him and Dean nodded, car screeching for a moment as he took a quick turn. Alida felt the car lurch, and she cursed as she grasped onto the seat, her heart leaping into her throat.
"Dean!" she scolded but he ignored her, revving the engine and she tried to catch a sign to tell her where they were headed.
"Where are we going?" Alida asked, and Dean didn't even spare her a glance as he answered.
"To Lebanon, Kansas."
Dean looked in the rear view to find Sam fast asleep. Cas had poofed off the who knows where a couple of hours ago with the promise that he would meet them at the bunker and Sam had taken that as the opportunity to stretch out and get comfortable. Dean let himself worry for a moment, about the tired cast to his little brother's face, before looking over to the passenger seat.
It was almost unnerving to see her sitting there she was so quiet, or she was whenever she quit arguing, but after Sam had drifted off she had remained silent. Not that Dean had tried to talk to her, but really, neither had she. He had expected more questions at least but she had decided to just accept his answer and watch out the window like some beautiful princess in some stupid tower.
He took the moment to actually look at her again, take in the light skin and bright hair that was a darker color in the dimming light. Charlie's hair had been bright, like her personality and the thought of her made Dean's heart hurt so he focused on the girl now in front of him.
She didn't really look anything like her, which was probably good, because he would have been an ass at the reminder of the little sister he lost. Alida leaned her head on one hand, and as Dean watched her head tilted forward before jerking upright, obviously trying to fight off sleep. He frowned as he saw the tired look on her as well, but he knew she had been too tense to even relax for the first hour, much less get some rest.
It was like she was on red alert, watching his every move out of the corner of her eyes, and tensing whenever she thought someone might be making an untoward move. If she didn't criticize his driving he would have felt guilty for startling her, but as it was she was just being unreasonable. Which he couldn't' really fault her for, he thought with a glower out the windshield, thinking of the men that had come after her.
Erasers. What the hell had they stumbled onto this time, Dean wondered running a hand over his face. It was hard enough to handle monsters, and now some psycho had come up with the idiotic plan to make new kinds. Just what they needed, Dean grumbled, before he looked back to Alida. He caught her reflection in the mirror, and it made his heart clench. She was unguarded, not knowing that anyone could see her, and just the extreme exhaustion on her face tugged at him.
She had been living with this on her own? He had always had Sam, and even when they were separated, the thought that Sam was out there was enough. Alida had Max, whoever he was, the jackass wasn't even with her, Dean thought with a shove to the gas. Alida popped up, startled, and he sighed in irritation, easing off of it.
"Everything okay?" Alida asked, voice a soft whisper in deference to the sleeping Sam. He could barely make out the color of her eyes in the darkening light, but the memory of the light blue made him avoid her gaze.
"Yeah, just ready to get there," Dean replied, and she nodded, leaning back against the seat. She shifted once more, trying to get comfortable but she plucked at the seat belt irritably.
"We'll be there soon," he told her softly, even though she hadn't ever complained and she smiled at him gratefully. The expression was sweet, and he couldn't help but frown. It was like no one was ever nice to her.
"What's in Kansas?" Alida asked, grateful that they had only been a state over. They had been on the road for four hours already, with only a couple of stops to stretch their legs. It had become torture to crawl back into the car instead of taking to the sky to stretch her wings.
"It's a Men of Letters bunker," Dean told her and at her pointed look he explained, "They were a bunch of scholars that collected information on everything creepy and crawly. We kind of inherited the place. It's well protected and we use it as home base."
"Oh," Alida said, and Dean turned to find an odd look on her face.
"What?" Dean asked and she rolled her eyes at his confrontational tone.
"Nothing, I was just thinking," Alida told him.
"And I wanted to know about what," he badgered her, not quite sure why he actually did.
"Whatever, nosy. I just didn't want you to take any of my baggage home with you, but then I realized you were probably use to dissuading followers, considering your line of work and all," Alida told him and his expression cleared.
"Oh. Yeah, don't worry about it," he told her and she nodded, leaning once more on her arm. He looked at her sideways, watching as she covered a yawn, arching back in a stretch. He cleared his throat, feeling his cheeks heat, as he stared forward again.
"Hey, you can get some rest you know," Dean told her and she nodded.
"Okay, thanks," she told him and although she curled up a bit more she didn't close her eyes.
She was still awake when an hour later they pulled up outside the bunker, the Impala quietly purring as they stopped. Alida looked about curiously, opening the door and getting out with a stretch and a sort of bounce to get her leg to wake up. She grimaced at the almost painful tingling sensation, looking around but it wasn't very impressive. She was actually disappointed, having imagined some sort of fort or something.
"Come on sleeping beauty, we're home sweet home," she heard Dean say from behind her, and then Sam was clambering out of the car, rubbing sleep from his eyes. Dean grabbed their bags, passing Sam one before shutting the trunk and heading past Alida. She hefted her own bag onto her shoulder before following, catching his quick grin.
"What'd you expect? It's a secret bunker," he told her and she grinned ruefully, following him to a door she hadn't noticed. She followed him in and then blinked as he flicked on the lights and stepped out of the way, letting her see the Men of Letter's bunker for the first time.
She gasped, eyes wide as she looked around large bright room. She wasn't sure if it was just her, or if it was enormous, but she was in awe of the room, columns supporting the ceiling with a large dark wooden table in the center. It was long and rectangular, meant for many people and to her were book cases on either side, filled with books. Arches opened up to other rooms, and staircases on either side made it clear that this place was huge.
"This is amazing," she breathed, and for a moment she just took it in that they had let her come here. Embarrassingly she felt herself start to get emotional, but before she could do more than tear up, Dean was grinning at her, wide green eyes excited.
"It's our own Batcave," he told her seriously and she had to laugh. He was just so pleased.
"It really is," she agreed, moving into the room for the first time. Sam moved around her, a small smile, before heading down the hall supposedly to find his bed.
"Come on, let's get you settled in," Dean told her and she blinked at him in surprise before clutching her bag.
"I can sleep on the couch, I mean if there is a couch, if there isn't a couch I don't want to be a bother," Alida told him, and he felt himself grin at the return of the ramble. For someone so succinct when angry, whenever she was nervous she talked a lot.
"There is a couch, but you are not sleeping on it. Come on, there are a dozen or so rooms here, you can have a guest room," Dean told her and once again he was tugging her bag off of her shoulder to lead her away. She let him reluctantly before following him down the hall. Only then did she realize that she was going to be farther away from the escape and she felt her breath catch in a panic. When had she become so trusting?
"What if there is a… emergency?" Alida asked, freezing in spot and Dean turned confused before he saw her. HE took in her tense pose, and her totally blank expression before his own cleared.
"Ah," he told her, realizing that she was panicking, "you know, I couldn't sleep without a knife in under my pillow for the longest time. Still do when we're out but it's so safe here, I usually don't bother. Now, my room is full of weapons but still, small steps."
He told her as he led her to the nearest door. It was simply down another hall, too branches from the front door and easy to reach. He opened it quickly, showing her the bare room, empty except for a bed, a nightstand, and an ancient dresser in the corner. It looked aged, as if it hadn't been touched in decades, although the mattress was definitely newer.
"Updated a couple of the rooms, well, barely. It's the closest to the exit, but you will have to put up with being neighbors with me," Dean told her and she glanced over to where he was gesturing. He jerked his thumb down the hallway.
"I'm number eleven, so I won't be able to hear your snoring," Dean told her and she rolled her eyes, relaxing as she moved into the room. She sat her bag at the foot of the bed, actually taking in the fact that she was temporarily getting her own room.
"Thank you, Dean," she told him and he nodded, before up and running down the hall. She hesitantly went to the door, leaning out in time to see him heading back, a blanket tossed over his shoulder and sheets in his arms.
"Here! I almost forgot," he told her, handing her the sheets and piling the blanket in her arms.
"Thanks," she told him with a chuckle, raising her chin to look at him and not be smothered by the comforter. She stepped back when she realized how close they were, having stepped close to hand her the bed things, and at the motion Dean backed up as well, in the direction of his room.
"You need anything else?" Dean asked and she shook her head. He turned around them, walking down the hall and opening his door, but he was stopped from entering by Alida's voice.
"Hey, Dean?" Alida called and he leaned back to see her, hovering in her doorway. She seemed uncomfortable there, not quite sure how to belong but it made him smile to see her hugging the comforter to her chest. She nibbled on her lips for a moment.
"Yeah?" he asked, instead of staring at her, and she smiled, a genuine smile that transformed her face into something breathtaking.
"I really meant it. Thank you," she told him and he nodded, not trusting himself to actually say anything but she only nodded back before entering her room and shutting the door behind her. He was pretty sure he heard the lock click.
He entered his own room with a sigh, running his hand over his face before sitting on his bed. What was he thinking?
They barely knew her, sure, she was a sweet hurt beautiful woman that needed their help. She was also a kickass science experiment, who was a pretty vicious fighter. That didn't really add up to trust, not the kind that let him sleep peacefully and not expect her to murder him in his sleep.
He wondered for a moment about locking his door. In the end he didn't, just slipped off his shirt and pulled on his pajama pants before climbing into the bed. He wondered if everything was all right down the hall. He probably should have asked her if she was okay after the attack earlier, she had already been injured by the werewolves, but she hadn't said anything. Now that he had heard her protest the need for a bed, he was pretty sure she wouldn't bring up an injury even if she was bleeding to death.
But she had handled being by herself for a long time, she didn't need him to come knocking with band aids, he decided with a scowl, at himself for worrying so much and at the thought that she had to patch herself up all this time. He was sure she had been injured more than once, if anything those Erasers had said was true. He turned over, shoving his face into his pillow and telling himself to get some sleep. But when he finally went to sleep his dreams were filled with varying shades of red.
Down the hall, Alida couldn't sleep. She snuggled into the blankets, actually warm and comfortable, and worn out from the long ride, and couldn't sleep at all. She was wide awake, listening to the noises of the old bunker and on high alert, expecting something bad to happen. Her knife was in place in under her pillow, per usual, and she almost chuckled when she wondered if Dean had one under his at the same time.
Really the showdown with real live werewolves and then sudden entrance into the paranormal world should be enough trouble for two days, and then add on an Eraser attack after months of peace, and that should be enough excitement for anyone. But for some reason she still felt as if everything was going to well.
Suddenly, monsters were real but so were hunters and angels. She had been found again, but she had met people who knew what she was, well mostly, and didn't think anything of it. She wasn't the weirdest thing they had ever encountered. That was what was going to well, the acceptance that these men were showing her. Not just, okay you can escape with your life, but we actually want to help discover what is going on.
Maybe even friendly overtures, even thought they had seen her fight. She had seen them fight as well, and they were dangerous. Even though she had known it, seeing them in motion was different and it was almost shameful how relieved she was that they could kill her if they really needed too.
And now here she sat, waiting for one of them to sneak into her room and try to kill her. Or maybe the angel would just appear and end it quickly. She rolled over, curling up into a tight ball. Or maybe this was really happening, and she could just accept the fact that she was making real friends like Max had said. What would that even look like?
Her life was so messed up she wasn't even sure. Maybe it was the way Sam smiled at her, siding with her as she teased his brother. Or the way Castiel seemed to understand her. Or maybe it was the way Dean seemed to make her forget everything else, effectively annoying the hell out of her. She supposed she would find out one way or another tomorrow. Every noise kept her awake, long into the night, until exhaustion finally tugged her into sleep. Her last thought was that Dean would probably be even more annoying in the morning.