A/N: Thanks for the reviews, favorites and alerts! It always gives me warm, fuzzy feelings when I turn on my computer and see that people like what I am writing. So, here is the next chapter for you. You will notice that it is shorter, but I hope you will like it all the same and will let me know what you think!
Sophie was lying in a rare patch of grass in the backyard playing with Cooper when the distinctive rumble of the Impala echoed around the salvage yard. With an enthusiasm that was lacking while she was playing with him, Cooper darted towards the front of the house, recognizing the car as Sophie had and wanting to be the first to greet his favorite floppy haired human.
Jumping to her feet, Sophie dodged the random car parts that littered the yard as she chased after the dog, unable to blame Cooper for his eagerness—if she were a dog, she would probably find the excitement of a teenage boy who didn't have his own dog to dote on far more interesting than herself. Hopping over an old bumper, Sophie reached the front in time to see Cooper circle the Impala in confusion, cocking his head when he couldn't find his boy and only Dean stepped out, a large grin plastered to his face.
"Hey!" Sophie shouted happily, rushing forward to envelope him in a hug that he permitted for the agreed upon three seconds before he started fidgeting. Releasing him, she patted Cooper on the head as he returned to the backyard, his expression one of disappointment―he knew from the beginning that the taller one wasn't a dog person and no matter what he tried, the boy just didn't like him.
Taking a quick peek inside of the car to double check that no one was with him, Sophie asked in confusion, "What are you doing here? And where are Sam and your dad?"
Dean gestured towards the Impala and was unable to hold back, "She's mine."
Sophie blinked slowly, alternating between staring at him and the sleek black car still radiating heat from Dean's trip. "Did you kill your dad?" She asked honestly.
Dean's already wide grin stretched further, "Nope," he popped the p. "Dad bought a truck and gave her to me! Sam can finally stop kneeing me in the back!"
Sophie's face morphed to match Dean's, "That's amazing!"
Dean nodded quickly and then surprised her again, "Go pack a bag."
"Apparently we aren't on the same wavelength today, because I have no idea what you're talking about," Sophie tilted her head.
"Dad and Sam are in Wyoming while Sam finishes up the last few weeks of school, I'm now the owner of a kick ass car, you just graduated, and for some god unknown reason you're heading off for even more school in the fall—pack a bag and get your ass in my car," Dean explained, placing his hands on her shoulders and directing her towards the house.
Sophie laughed, Dean's excitement infecting her. "I have to ask Bobby before I just hop in a car with you and disappear."
Their progression through the house stopped when Bobby stepped out in front of them, halting the Dean propelled momentum. "He already called me and asked. I didn't think you'd object, so I let him keep it a surprise. But, before one pair of socks hits your duffle, there are a few ground rules."
Dean listened in as Bobby listed off an abbreviated version of the rules that he had received two weeks ago.
"So, your daddy finally did it," Bobby said happily. "Congrats, you deserve her."
"Thanks," Dean's smile could be heard through the phone.
"I'm imaginin' that you wanna talk to Sophie and let her know the good news?" Bobby started to get out of his armchair where he had parked himself to watch the news.
"Actually," Dean got hesitant, "I kinda wanted to ask you something."
Bobby settled back into the chair, his suspicion levels growing, "Shoot."
"Since we got held up and couldn't make it to Sophie's graduation and Sam still has some school left," he paused and then quickly asked, Bobby straining to understand him, "Iwasthinkingthatmaybe,ifit'sokaywithyou,Icouldtak eSophieonaroadtrip?"
Silence. "Huh?" Bobby's brow furrowed as he tried to dissect the question from Dean's ramble.
Dean took a deep breath and forced himself to ask it slower, "Can I take Sophie on a road trip?"
This time there was silence, but not because Bobby hadn't heard the question.
"Bobby?" Dean asked uncertainly.
"You, a teenage boy, wanna take my niece, a teenage girl, on a road trip. Alone." Bobby clarified, positive that he could hear the sound of Dean's swallow over the phone.
"Uh…yeah?"
"And where exactly would you be going?" Bobby asked.
"I haven't planned that far," Dean admitted sheepishly. "I just kinda thought we would start driving and see where we end up."
"So, teenage boy, teenage girl, alone, with no destination…oh yeah, I can't see any way that could go wrong," Bobby drawled sarcastically with an eye roll thrown in.
"It's not like we're gonna end up in Vegas and all of a sudden you're going to be related to a Winchester," Dean defended. "And besides, technically we aren't teenagers anymore―we're both 18, and in the eyes of the U.S. government, legal adults."
"Is that supposed to make me not worry about Vegas?" Bobby asked dryly.
Dean paced the length of the cheap apartment that they had been using as a base for the past three months―giving Sam some time in the same school and allowing them to do short hunting trips in the area. Sam had left for school a few hours earlier and his dad was gone on a hunt, leaving Dean to spend his days thinking of things he would rather be doing—which was how he came up with the Sophie road trip idea. Now, he was determined to convince Bobby to let them go.
"Come on, Bobby. We'd check in everyday, hell we'll call you every hour if you want," Dean nearly pleaded.
Bobby pulled the phone away from his ear and sighed, glaring at the receiver—the boy might've been lacking his brother's puppy dog eyes, but damned if he didn't have the ability to make you agree with him on words alone, "You will check in at least every other day."
"Thanks, Bobby!" The excitement was back.
"Hold your horses; you have to agree to all the rules first. One: no hunting. Anything. I don't care if a werewolf walks in front of your car—you ignore it, get Sophie to safety, and then call me and I'll get it taken care of. Two: no reckless driving. Three: you call every other day or I'll hunt you down and you'll never see that pretty car again. Four: no kissing, no sex, no babies."
Dean chuckled, but managed to keep quiet enough that Bobby didn't stop his list.
"Five: no hunting."
"You said that already," Dean pointed out.
"Yeah, well I'm making sure it sticks in your thick skull," Bobby said gruffly. "Six: no Vegas, no hookers, no marriage."
"Bobby, it's a road trip, not a bachelorette party."
"Seven: keep her safe," Bobby ordered, ignoring Dean's quip. "I mean it, Dean. I don't care if you have to put someone in the ground―I want her back here in one piece."
"Got it," he promised seriously.
"Finally, keep yourself safe. I've noticed you have this martyr thing lately where you like to dive in front of danger like a damn sacrificial lamb, but how about you work on going a few weeks without needin' stitches?"
"Sheesh, are you sure you don't want to round it off to a nice ten? I feel like I should've been writing all of this down," Dean joked rather than agreeing to Bobby's last rule―if it came down between him or Sophie, there wasn't even a question.
"You weren't?" Bobby asked seriously, knowing that his last rule would be ignored. "I guess I'll have to start from the beginning."
"No, no, no, I understand!" Dean amended quickly.
"Got it?" Dean tuned back in to Sophie eagerly nodding her head. "Good, go get packed before Dean leaves without ya."
An hour later, her bag tossed in the backseat, Sophie let her body sink onto the leather seat with a wave goodbye to her uncle, smiling as Dean turned the key over and the Impala roared to life.
"Okay, rule one, driver picks the music, shot-gun shuts his or her cakehole."
Sophie turned to Dean, her arm resting on the open window sill as they drove down the driveway, "How about, rule one we forget all the rules and just have fun?"
"So…you're all good with the hookers?" Dean asked in teasing seriousness.
"Hookers? Just what kind of rules did Bobby think he needed to give you?"
"Oh, you know, just the standard," Dean told her, his lips tugging upwards at her amused huff of laughter. He pulled to a stop at the end of the driveway and pointed in both directions with a shrug, indicating that Sophie should pick.
A moment later, the rear tires of the Impala kicked up dust and gravel as Dean swung it out of the driveway and officially began their road trip.