A/N: I should have better internet access towards the end of the week. Thanks to everyone for liking this story!

Part 10 – first lessons

I couldn't help myself. I started talking then, grunting, meowing and chirping.

…you came back for me…

My body wiggled from side to side and my tail twitched back and forth.

…you didn't leave me…

I know Dean didn't understand what I was saying.

…why'd you leave me here in the first damn place…

But maybe he did.

The skin around his eyes crinkled a little and he got that soft look in his eyes again. "We don't leave anyone behind. And you needed to get patched up." He slowly ran his good hand down my back as I stood on his hurt arm. His arm felt solid, heavy, like the white stuff around my hurt leg.

I stretched my neck out until we were nose to nose. He smelled a little sad and mostly happy at the same time.

"You didn't have to get hurt like that. I was gonna shoot the sonofabitch, but I couldn't because you were in the way." He skritched me behind my left ear. "If you wanna run with me and Dad, little girl, you gotta learn the rules."

Oh. I closed my eyes, did a head butt against his hand, and then I scooted closer until I was hanging over his shoulder. My sides hurt but none of that mattered now. I grunted at him again.

Dean nodded. "Okay. Let's get the hell outta here."

The rest of the dogs and cats started yipping and yowling at us. I ignored them all. I was leaving this place, and they weren't. Too bad.

On the way out we met this human woman. She wasn't like the others. They wore dark clothes. She had on a white coat, just like some of the humans in that bad place I was in before. They're called doctors, I think.

I don't like them either.

She showed Dean her teeth. I guess that was supposed to be friendly. I wasn't fooled. I turned around to look at her, laid my ears back and glared at her.

She looked at me and raised her arm a little. I think she wanted to reach up and pat me, but the dirty look I gave her made her think twice about that. She kept her damn hand to herself.

"Oh, Mr. Plant! I was hoping to see you before you left. So she's your cat, eh?"

"Yeah, she is." Dean smiled back at her. I didn't like that either, so I hissed at her.

The doctor woman laughed. "Oh, I've got a cranky little one just like her at home."

I hissed at her again. I seriously doubt there's another one like me anywhere.

Dean frowned at me. "Hey. All right now."

I ignored him.

The doctor stared at Dean's injured right arm, and then she looked at my hurt right leg. She frowned up a little. I could tell she was thinking: What the hell did these two get into? At the same time?

Apparently Dean could tell what she was thinking too. He smirked. "You shoulda seen the other guy."

That made her blink. "Well, the leg should heal just fine. It was a closed break. No infection. No internal injuries, just bruising. Any complications, you're welcome to bring her back." She showed Dean her teeth again. "Any time."

Dean nodded, and he smiled at her again.

Damn.

"Thanks, Doc. I will."

I dozed off on the ride home. The big black car rumbled like a big mean dog, but it didn't sound angry to me this time. I woke up when the car got quiet and we weren't moving. We were on a parking lot somewhere.

"Okay," Dean said. "First lesson." He grunted a little as he reached into the back with his good arm and pulled out one of those duffel bags, then spread it on the seat between us. "A lot of the places we stay in aren't exactly pet friendly, so you've gotta lay low. That means you go in the bag when I tell you, in and out."

I stood up slowly and sniffed at the bag. There was a thick brown towel down in the bottom. It smelled safe. I hopped forward until I was sitting in the bag. Moved a little slow because of my leg.

Dean skritched me behind the ears again. "That's my girl."

Remember I said before that the trick with humans is to make them think that what I want is what they want? I would have gotten in the bag anyway. I like closed in places like that, cloth or paper bags and cardboard boxes. Under beds and on top of high places too. I can hide and watch everything around me.

Dean picked up the duffel by the handles and I went along for the ride.

I could already tell the big man was in the room. I heard the door close and then Dean put the bag on what felt like a bed.

I didn't want to come out just yet. I poked my head out through the opening and looked around.

The Dad got up from where he was sitting and came over. I stared up at him. He put his fingers under my nose and I sniffed at his fingertips. That spicy stuff he puts on his skin made me sneeze. The skin around his eyes crinkled a little and that look in his eyes was almost as soft as Dean's look. Almost. I knew what he was thinking: Damn. She's a tiny little thing. Something like that.

I laid my ears back. Hmph. I helped save your ass, Mister. Never gonna let you forget that.

I reminded myself to cough up a hairball on his pillow later, or maybe in his shoe. Still hadn't forgiven him for that holy water thing. Besides, I was part of the group now and he seemed trainable.

The man looked at me and rumbled. "Looks like we've got ourselves a cat."

"Yes sir," Dean said proudly. "Looks like it."

"So what are you gonna call her?"

Dean smiled. "Cujo."

His Dad laughed.

Cujo. Okay. Beats the hell out of "Hey You." Or "Fluffy."

TBC next week. Or maybe this weekend, if RL and the fickle internet gods permit.