For probably the fiftieth time Sam asked Alex, "are you sure you're alright?" as they trudged through the forest towards the house. Sam walked beside Alex with Dean on the other side of her. Dean was quiet.
Alex sighed and replied with a chuckle, "Yes, Sam." She glanced down at the dried blood on her shirt then back at the trees, "I can heal a lot faster than humans remember?"
"Yeah but still." Sam answered with a shrug.
The three of them continued through the forest. A strange smell lingered in the air and Alex came to an abrupt stop. She stared at orange lit trees in the smoke ridden air. Sam and Dean followed her watery gaze. Her jaw and hands clenched. The brothers looked at her with worry and their hands moved to hold her back. She breathed shakily and tears started to fall. "No!" Alex shouted. She forced Sam and Dean's grip off her and sprinted towards her blazing house. "No, no!"
"Alex!" The brothers called, dashing after her. They sprinted through the smoke, dodging the burning trees and flamed which jumped from the house to the ground. Narrowly managing to reach Alex in time before she dived into burning the house, they grabbed her tight by the waist. They had to grab her arms as she struggled in their grasp to try and wriggle free.
"Let go of me!" She yelled attempting to kick them off her with her might.
Dean shouted, "Don't be an idiot! You'll get killed!"
Alex yelled, "I know!" squirming violently under their grasp. Alex almost wiggled free but Dean pinned her against a nearby tree. She tensed up and tried to push Dean off with a free hand but he didn't relent his pressure.
"I know your stuff is in there but running in is suicide!" He shouted forthright.
Alex snarled loudly and her eye flicked to the house. "But-"
"No buts!" Sam shouted matching Dean's temper, "We know everything you have is in there but look at the house," Alex broke eye contact with the Winchesters and looked at the house through the trees. Smoke and fire encased the house; no way would anyone survive going in the house not even a Shifter. She closed her eyes solemnly and looked down.
Dean released his arm from her chest and watched her slump against the tree. She swallowed hard passed the lump in her throat and opened her eyes. She clenched her fists and inhaled deeply blinking away the tears. She wiped her face with her sleeve. Alex put on a brave face and straightened up, "What do we do?"
"Get out of here before the fire department arrive and start asking questions." Dean answered earnestly.
Alex really didn't want to leave but Dean was right if they started asking questions they might learn more than they needed to. She steadied her breathing as she exhaled. She nodded regrettably and sniffed, "Ok."
They stepped away from the tree. "Look..." Sam started, "it's not much but," out from his back pocket he produced a folded photo, Alex looked at him confused, and he gave it to her. "I might have borrowed a photo."
Alex unfolded it tentatively. Her expression soften as she saw the photo- it was one of Marcus, Renée and young Alex crowded around a fireplace attempting to roast marshmallows. The corners of Alex's mouth twitched into a small smile. "Thanks." she said gratefully. She folded it and put it in her pocket.
Fire engines sounded in the distance. "Shit, we gotta go!" Dean exclaimed.
Alex composed herself enough to run to the Impala with Sam and Dean and drive away. Whilst they drove away she watched the flames and smoke dance around the crumbling, old house. A tear ran down her cheek but she quickly wiped it away with her smoky sleeve.
The trio reached the furthest motel on the outside of city and booked in. Alex immediately collapsed on one of the beds, both emotionally and physically drained from the day. They couldn't blame her, she was shattered. Just as the rain began to patter against the shabby windows, Dean and Sam sat at the table talking about what they should do with Alex. They each had half a mind to let her come with them- if she wanted- but the other half wanted her to stay or at least help her get on her way away from the city. They talked about helping her get some of her belongings back but they both deemed it unsafe while the house was being investigated for the cause of the fire and no doubt where its inhabitant went to.
"Letting her come with us could pose a risk." Dean had said. "She is completely shattered and God knows what she could do."
"Yeah but that doesn't mean she'd fall of the wagon and start killing." Sam did reply. "She might be fine."
"Might is the keyword there, Sammy. We really don't know what'll happen to her."
They continued talking until they got too tired, which came in the early morning, and went to bed.
A few hours later they awoke to the loud slam of the motel room door. The brothers jolted upright and leaped to their feet. Dean grabbed his gun and aimed it at the empty space in front of the door. "What?" He mumbled and raced to the window with Sam. Alex was hurrying down the street a few blocks down. By the way she hurried it was clear she didn't want to be seen or followed.
Sam headed for the door but Dean grabbed his arm to stop him. "Sammy, let her go. Clearly she doesn't want us going after her" Sam slowly nodded and pried off Dean's hand. "Just let her clear her head and figure out what to do." Sam sighed. "In the meantime we'll keep this place free in case she comes back when we're not here."
"Hang on," Sam said raising a finger, "you're saying we should go?"
Dean nodded his head, "Yeah. I don't think she's needs a Hunter presence here."
Sam thought for a moment before agreeing with Dean. "I doubt she trusts Hunters anymore then she did. It's like we're cursed."
Dean concurred, they certainly are. "Grab our bags and pack 'em into the Impala. I'll leave a note to tell her we're off."