Chapter 13

The next morning, they are packing their stuff. Sam is busy to arrange the trunk. Dean lays down on the ground one of their duffels, waiting his brother to finish. Eli closes the little apartment door behind her, carrying her own luggage.

The boys' mom comes to meet them. "Hi, Joanna… How's Asher?" Dean asks.

"Much better… He seems to have recovered a lot since last night… They still want to keep him a couple of days in observation, but otherwise he is doing fine… The other kids too, by the way… Dr Travis has no explanations on this fast healing." She explains.

"Dr Travis? And Dr Heideker?" Sam questions innocently.

"He was not in today. He must have been sick or something… Have you seen Michael?"

Eli knows where to find him. She goes behind the building and there he was, sitting on the same bench again. "Hey, Mickey… What's up?" She starts.

"You're leaving, isn't it?" He sadly says.

"Yeah!... We have finished this job…"

"OK, well 'bye then…" He distractedly waves, his eyes pinned on the ground.

She sits next to him. "Hey, don't do that kinda face at me… Why are you mad?"

"I'm not mad… But, just go now…"

"Mickey…" She sighs. "I really don't wanna leave, knowing that we aren't friends anymore." She softly expresses.

"Friends, huh?" He slightly smirks.

"Good, loving and caring friends, yes… And for your info, I don't have lots of them around, you know… In fact, I only have one!"

"Who?"

"You… Silly!" She wears a tender smile.

"And Sam? And Dean?... You shouted yesterday they were family." He claims with a little bit of jealousy in his tone.

She keeps silence for a moment. "Yeah, sort of… I guess…"

"So, you love them?"

"In a sort of brotherly kinda way…" She finally hugs him. "I will never forget you Mickey… My one and only… You take good care of yourself, okay… Continue to look after you mom and brother, you're doing a great job… Family is important, you know… And you see anything weird in the neighbourhood… You know what to do, right?"

"Yeah, yeah… Call Dean!" He recites with a little smile.

"Come on… Let's go say goodbye to the guys… And, your mom is back from the hospital too… You don't wanna know how Asher's doing?" She holds out her hand for him to take it.

They run together to join the rest of the group. "Where've you been up to?" Dean asks Eli. She just smirks mysteriously. Michael rushes into his mother's arms.

"So, are we all set? We got road to do today…" Dean requests. The brothers high five Michael. "Take care of yourself, Mickey…" The elder says merrily.

"Don't call me that…" The boy retorts with a serious look in this eyes.

"But, I though… " Looking at Eli.

"Yeah… Only her…" Michael flings. "Oh and one last thing, Dean…" He stares at him, a daring gaze on his face. "I'm warning you… If I hear that you don't take good care of Eli… I'll hunt you down and fix you up good! Got me?" .

Sam and Joanna bursts into laughter at the surprised face Dean was making.

Eli kneels in front of the kid and softly kisses his cheek. He instantly blushes and runs away to his mom's car. "Can we go see Asher now?" He pleads.

"Yes… We're going." Joanna smiles. "I'll better follow him before he starts to drive the car!... Have a safe trip you guys." She turns around and rejoins her son.

The trio back in the Impala, are leaving the motel too. "That was a job well done!" Dean says.

"Yeah! Blessing that I was there to save your ass!... Just saying!" Eli points out.

"What?... No way!"

"Yes way!... You were lying there, on the floor, taking a nap; the whole time that thing sucked the life out or your brother's body!" She continues the joke, seeing it was working on Dean. Sam just looks at them, amused by the scene.

"I was fucking knocked out!" He raises his voice.

"Oh, poor little thing!… One slap around your ear and you're playing Sleeping Beauty!... What a man!..."

"Oh… Shut up, will ya!…"

"And did you see that, Sam… I got the bastard just between the eyes!" She raises.

"Just pure luck!" Dean bursts out.

"Really?... Well, I dare you… On our next stop… Six shots in the red spot of a target, 100 yards away… I bet I put them all in there…"

"Deal!... I'm already quivering with pleasure to kick your sorry little ass!"

"OK… OK… We got both your point now… So, please stop! I heard enough… From both of you… Jesus! You just sound like an old couple!" Sam finally comes out.

Eli bursts into laughter, satisfied.

Dean, not making any other comment, turns on the car radio, a soft rock tune coming out of it.

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