Chapter 11

Laney stepped inside Bobby's house and took several cleansing breaths to steel herself for the impending talk with her brothers. After her talk with Gavin, she felt better about her decision, but she also felt that after all that her brothers did for her, she owed it to them to let them have their say; even though they were wrong. She could have been a little more mature about it, especially if she was trying to prove that she was a capable hunter, accepting of her limitations and open to criticism. But since the accident she'd been much more prone to emotional outbursts. Something that amused and irritated both of her brothers at times. She still hadn't gotten used to it. The wildly swinging moods. If this was what being "normal" was like, she didn't particularly care for it.

Taking one last deep breath she walked into the living room where she was both surprised and not surprised to see her brothers packing up their weapons bags and going over their inventory. It had been awhile since they'd been anywhere and while they never let those kinds of things slide, they couldn't afford not to be vigilant.

Dean briefly glanced up at her as he filled some shot gun rounds with rock salt. Sam offered her a neutral smile before returning to his cleaning and packing away their impressive collection of knives.

Laney surveyed the room; the weapons laid out everywhere, the different herbs and potions and ancient texts. This was her life now. Actually always had always been. But this was different. She was really a part of it now and not just a witness to it.

Laney cleared her throat. "I'm sorry."

Dean quirked an eyebrow in surprise, while Sam frowned.

"You don't need to be sorry for having an opinion," said Sam, putting down a silver blade he was polishing. "You have every right to get upset or be mad."

Laney offered her brother a warm smile before she sighed and took a seat in the chair between the two of them.

"I'm not mad really," she said, "Frustrated maybe, but not mad."

"Frustrated?" asked Dean.

"All those years of sitting around and getting left behind while you two and Dad went out on hunts. I had to sit and wait and pray every single time you guys walked out the door that you would come back alive and in one piece. All of that time knowing what you faced and not being able to really do a thing about it. The not knowing. It's just unbearable. I can't do that anymore and when you talk about leaving me behind... that's how I feel again. Like I'm sitting back and waiting for that phone call telling me something happened to you."

"You never told us that before," said Dean, quietly. He'd never actually thought of it. His sister had always seemed so well adjusted, so rational and reasonable and calm. She never let it show that any of it got to her. It came as a surprise to him. Suddenly he felt filled with a whole new level of sorrow, but also more importantly, understanding.

Laney got up from the chair and started pacing in front of the table. "I never said anything because I knew you would have tried to fix it Dean. The both of you would have and there was no solution back then. Dad never had any intention of letting me hunt and if he'd known any of that he would have shipped me off a lot sooner than he did...and I didn't need you guys worried about my feelings while you were out on a hunt. I needed you to be focused."

Sam reached out and grabbed his sister's arm to still her pacing. She stopped and looked up at him and gave him a small smile.

Dean rubbed a hand over his tired face. When had their lives become so complicated? It used to be hunt the bad guy, get the bad guy, celebrate the win, and move on ot the next bad guy. Nothing was that simple anymore.

Laney grabbed one of the shot gun rounds off the table in front of Dean and began fidgeting with it. Pausing for a moment before she spoke again.

"Listen this is our life now. This is it. You and Sammy are hunters. I'm a hunter now too. And you know what? I may have a lot to learn still, but I don't think I'm half bad. And I know I was just very sick, but I'm well again. I'm fine now." Laney paused, still making sure she had her brothers attention."But this is it," she continued, her voice growing stronger. "This is my life. This is what I choose. End of discussion. After everything I have gone through this year I feel like I have a right to make some decisions for myself for once. I think you both owe it to me. I'm tired of sitting around like a target. I am a part of this and I want to fight. I don't want to wait for you to fix it for me."

"Laney –"

She put a hand up. "I'm not finished Dean."

Dean bit his lip and canted his head for her to continue.

"I understand this is hard for you – for the both of you. Its like hardwired in your DNA to take care of me and protect me. I get it. I know I'm asking a lot. I really do. You just want to keep me safe. But what I really need, is for the both of you to support me."

Dean waited a moment before he finally spoke. "You finished?"

Laney blushed slightly. "Yeah, that about sums it up."

"While you were outside with that dick, I mean – Gavin - Sam and I were having a discussion of our own. And we came to the same conclusion as you, more or less."

Laney's lips formed an O as her eyebrows nearly went to her hairline in surprise. "Really?"

"Yeah really. Just know that this isn't easy for either of us. But hiding you or sending you away is not the answer, especially when they keep bringing the fight to you. This isn't just your fight, this is our fight and it's better we're with you than away from you," said Dean.

Laney looked her big brother in the eye. "We're a team then?"

"We're family," said Sam, standing up to hug his sister.

Laney smiled and squeezed him tightly, kissing him on the cheek.

Dean rolled his eyes. "Ugh, spare me the chick flick moment."

Laney chuckled and then grew serious. "This is it right? Can we not revisit this discussion ever again?"

Dean shook his head with enthusiasm. "It's a deal, kiddo."

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"So is it all clear, can I come back in?" asked Gavin, poking his head around the door.

Laney laughed. "All clear."

Gavin walked in, ignoring the icy glare that Dean threw his way.

"So what's our next move?" he asked, eyeing the weapons cache on the table.

"Our next move?" asked Dean, incredulously.

"Didn't we have this discussion already?" asked Gavin, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"No, we didn't actually," said Dean.

"Yeah, well I'm coming whether you want me to or not."

Dean took a threatening step forward.

Laney cleared her throat and stepped in between the two before turning towards Gavin. "You know, my brother's right on this one."

Dean smiled triumphantly.

"Really?" asked Gavin, with a frown.

"You have no idea what you're up against," Laney said, seriously.

"I thought we just talked about this," countered Gavin.

Laney rolled her eyes and snorted. "Not really. You have no idea what you're getting into."

Sam shook his head in agreement. "No idea."

Gavin canted his head and put his hands out in invitation. "So enlighten me then."

"I'll put it simply," said Laney. "You get involved, you end up dead."

Laney's eyes glassed over when she thought of the latest casualty of the Winchester curse. Steve Wandell, the hunter Meg had killed while wearing Sam as her meat suit. He hadn't even been involved other than knowing her and it had gotten him killed.

Gavin watched the emotions play out on her face. There was sincerity in every layer of her voice and in the look in her eyes. She was worried for him. Scared even. Maybe he didn't have a clear idea about what he was up against, but he wasn't about to abandon her again. And for reasons he hadn't quite worked out for himself, he wanted nothing more than to be with her.

He cleared his throat and looked her dead in the eye. "Remember what we were talking about before? About making our own decisions."

Laney pursed her lips knowing exactly where he was going and not liking it one bit. But she could see from the serious set of his jaw, it was a battle she was not going to win. She turned away from him and looked at each of her brothers giving them a look only they could interpret. Dean's head sagged to his chest and he heaved a resigned sigh. Sam shrugged his shoulders, indifferently. Gavin had been warned, that was all they could do.

Laney gave them a faint smile before she turned back to meet Gavin's expectant gaze.

"Tell us everything you know."

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As it turned out, Gavin didn't know much more than he'd already told them, which amounted to very little. He knew about the Supermax prison Calvin Greeley had been held at and the date of his escape and that was it. Not much else to go on.

So Sam had booted up the laptop and got to work researching, while Gavin and Dean begrudgingly began talking strategy.

Sam glanced over at his sister, who hadn't been contributing all that much to the conversation and studied her face. She was staring off into space with a serious look. It reminded him of when she was really young and trying to put some kind of puzzle together, whether it was a complicated programming issue or a particularly ancient text she'd been studying. Her mind was working overtime on something.

"What is it baby?" Sam finally asked.

Dean and Gavin stopped mid-discussion to look over at Laney. Dean's eyes narrowed scrutinizing her. Had he missed something?

"Laney?" Sam urged.

"Huh?" asked Laney, coming out of her daze.

"You're thinking pretty loud," smirked Sam.

"Sorry."

"What is it?" asked Dean

Laney heaved a sigh. Damn overly perceptive brothers.

"It's just you know, we've gotten to know demons pretty well – how they behave for the most part right?"

Dean nodded. "Yeah," he said slowly.

"With them it's always about playing games with their prey. It's never about the straightforward attack. It's just not in their nature," Laney continued.

"True enough," agreed Sam.

"So what are you thinking?" asked Gavin.

Laney shrugged her shoulders. "What's their angle? I mean, Greeley, he's pure evil, psychotic and all, but he's not too bright, not very disciplined. Doesn't take orders. Does his own thing."

"How do you know all that?" asked Gavin, narrowing his eyes at her.

"I read his case file," said Laney, not missing a beat. Actually, it was because she'd seen into his mind, when he'd tried to kill her. Relived Darla's death time and time again. A death she'd experienced thanks to a psychic link with reapers, and a demon that had plans for her.

Laney didn't miss the approval in Dean's eyes at her quick thinking.

"Anyway," Laney continued, "It was just dumb luck that the guy didn't get caught sooner. Being a trucker and always on the road all over the country turned out to be a pretty good cover for a serial killing rapist."

"Yeah, but now he's getting direction from the demons now," said Gavin, not following Laney's thought process.

"But what direction? I am sure they know by now that we know he's out. But he's just a plain old human being. I mean really, what's the use? What if they just cut him loose and didn't tell him anything?"

"You think they want him out for something else?" asked Sam.

"I think they just let him out so he can keep doing what he's always done and it has nothing to do with him coming after me."

"But what's the point then, if he's not actually coming after you?" asked Dean.

"Every woman he kills from this point on is blood on my hands," said Laney.

"What do you mean?" asked Dean.

"I got him put behind bars and they let him out because of me. As a way to get to me. They're messing with my head. They know that we're not just going to sit around and let this guy run around on the loose. We'll have to find him and we'll have to stop him."

Understanding dawned on Dean's face. "It's a distraction," he said, matter of factly.

Laney nodded her head. "Exactly. Simon's text said they were trying to take care of things on their end, but they're spread thin."

"Divide and conquer," said Sam, softly. Damn, it was a good plan.

"Who's Simon? What's really going on here?" asked Gavin, clearly confused.

Laney took a deep breath. "Sit down," she told him.

"Why?"

"You're going to need to sit to hear this."

Dean's eyes widened. He knew exactly what was about to happen. "Laney, no. Don't."

Sam shook his head, also realizing what his sister was up to. "Think about this a minute."

"There's nothing to think about. If he's going to risk his life than he deserves to know why."

"Will someone please tell me what the hell is going on?" demanded Gavin.

Laney took a deep breath and looked him straight in the eyes. "I have special abilities."

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All in all, Gavin took the news in stride. He had lots of questions, mostly having to do with making sure one of her abilities wasn't the ability to read minds, which had her wondering what it was he was so afraid of her discovering. If it wasn't that he'd seemed uncomfortable and embarrassed she would have been worried about it. But the truth was out and he knew why the demons were after her now. More or less. Sam's part she kept out of it. It wasn't her secret to tell. And she would protect him to the grave. Her first loyalty was to her family.

Now that Gavin knew what he was facing, he could make an informed decision about joining the hunt. And she couldn't feel guilty about it, in theory anyway. If something did happen to him, she'd feel responsible for the rest of her life.

"You just about ready?" asked Dean

Laney looked up from packing her bag. "Yeah, almost."

Dean watched his sister as she packed her bag, the steely determination on her face and the sure grace with which she moved. She had really grown up on him. It made him incredibly sad, but proud.

"You know we could stay, have Christmas like we planned. It's just a few hours," he said.

"He's right," said Sam, standing in her bedroom doorway, duffel bag on his shoulder.

Laney shook her head. "Greeley's already ahead of us. No telling what he's already done. We can't waste any time."

Her brothers were silent in their agreement.

"Doesn't mean I can't still give you your gifts though," she said, with a smile, as she turned to both of them.

Dean raised an eyebrow. "Really? It's not even midnight yet," he joked.

Laney rolled her eyes before she reached into her bag and pulled out a package and handed it to Dean.

"You first," she said.

"That's cause I'm the oldest," he smirked.

Sam rolled his eyes.

"Just open it."

Dean put his bag down and opened the box. He pulled out an object wrapped in velvet and unwrapped it slowly. Inside was a silver flask. He ran his hands over the smooth polish, stopping abruptly when his hands felt the change in texture. There was an engraving.

For Dean

My brother, my friend, my hero

Dean swallowed the lump in his throat. He wasn't the kind of guy who liked gifts and he wasn't easy to shop for as he was a man of simple tastes. But his sister had gotten it just right.

Laney cleared her throat, worried for a moment at her brother's silence. Maybe she had misjudged. He already carried a flask, one that belonged to their father. She had just thought maybe he'd like something of his own.

"It's – uh – an antique from the 1800's. Pure silver. It's a little heavier than the other one, but I thought, you know, double duty with the silver and filled with holy water -"

"It's great," said Dean gruffly, cutting off his sister's rambling, knowing it was out of nervousness. "Absolutely perfect."

Laney smiled brightly as he pulled out his old flask, carefully putting it in his duffle bag and placed the new one in his pocket.

Sam smiled too. He had read the engraving over his brother's shoulder.

"I'm glad you like it," she said softly. She turned around and reached for Sam's gift handing it to him. "For you Sammy."

Sam grabbed the package from her and opened it.

"Wow," he said, slightly breathless. "First edition, really?"

"Yeah," said Laney, shyly. She'd searched high and low and spent a pretty big chunk of change on it.

"What is that?" asked Dean. "A book?"

"First edition of To Kill a Mockingbird."

Dean rolled his eyes. "Nerd porn."

"Shut up jerk," said Sam, as he opened it. "It's my favorite book."

On the inside of the book was an inscription in his sister's handwriting:

For Sammy,

It will never be too late to follow your dreams.

Love,

Laney

Sam reached out and hugged her tightly. "Thanks," he said thickly.

Laney turned around and finished packing her bag, happy and content that her brothers had like their gifts. She'd spent a lot of time thinking about what to get them. You could never get them something big. All of their possessions had to be mobile and take up as little space as possible. It was a necessity born out of life on the road.

"Let's hit the road," she said, turning around and shouldering her bag.

She came up short when she ran into a wall of Dean, who shoved a small box into her hands.

"What's this?" she asked.

"Duh, your present from me and Sammy."

Laney smiled and took the package. She carefully opened it and promptly froze.

"Where did you – " she started, her voice barely whisper.

It was a silver locket with two pictures inside. One of a newborn Laney being held by her radiantly smiling mother. The other, of Sam and Dean holding a newborn Laney, their father in the background.

Laney swallowed the lump in her throat and tried again. "Where did you get these pictures?"

Dean cleared his throat. "We found them with Dad's stuff. We never knew he had them. We had the locket specially made for you."

"It's beautiful," she said, unable to help the tears that fell.

Sam grabbed the necklace from his sister and fastened it around her neck.

Dean wiped the tears from her face with his thumb. "Glad you like it."

Laney threw her arms around both of her brothers and held on for a good long minute and prayed they'd all live to see another Christmas.

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"So, you want to ride with me? I could use the company," drawled Gavin.

"Too bad. Get used to traveling solo," snapped Dean, before Laney even had a chance to respond.

Laney sighed inwardly.

"Dean, can you try to be civil?" she asked.

"I am being civil," he answered. "He's still walking ain't he?"

"I should just put myself out of my misery now," muttered Laney.

Sam offered a sympathetic smile as he passed her on his way to the passenger side of the Impala.

She couldn't help but return the smile. She knew she could count on Sam to keep her brother under control. Still, it would make things easier if Dean could relax a little. Then again, Gavin was no angel either. He'd been deliberately antagonizing her brother all night.

Dean slammed the trunk shut and headed for the driver's seat. "You ready?"

"Gimme a minute," she said, walking over to Gavin's truck.

Laney didn't miss the way Dean's jaw clenched as she walked away.

"Change your mind?" Gavin asked, as Laney approached.

She shook her head. "No, I came to give you some advice."

"Can't wait to hear it."

"Listen, under the best of circumstances Dean doesn't play well with others and well, he doesn't like you."

"I hadn't noticed," said Gavin, with a bright smile.

Laney rolled her eyes. "Seriously, he's going to be a monster pain in the ass as long as you're with us and he's not going to stop giving you crap for a second. So, really, you may want to rethink the tagging along thing, because he's not going to give you an inch and the second you make a mistake or put any of us in danger, he will drop you or shoot you, and it won't matter to him which one."

Gavin studied Laney for a moment. The glare of the porch light was making her honey eyes shine like gold, and again he was fascinated by them.

Laney cleared her throat, clearly waiting for some kind of response from him.

"Is that all?" he asked.

Laney grunted and walked away. "It's your funeral," she muttered just loud enough for him to hear.

Gavin laughed as he got into his truck and revved the engine, feeling more alive than he had in a long time.