AN: Okay, I have no clue if this store chain exists outside my area, but for the sake of this chapter can we just say it does and that Lebanon has one?
Also, quick warning, a lot of adult fear and mood whiplash in this chapter.
It all started when Reason couldn't find a quarter for a shopping cart.
Taking her change purse, a pale pink leather bag she had decorated to look like a pig's face back in the day, she started taking out dollars and cents and found dimes, pennies a few nickels, but no quarter. "Come on, come on." She murmured to herself, pulling out practically everything the diminutive purse. Maybe she could put two dimes in a nickel in the slot and make it work…
That was when someone held out quarter saying, "Here." Reason looked up to see a woman with hair done in a soft blonde bob. She was wearing a dark blue dress suit with matching heels.
"Oh, thank you." Reason beamed, taking quarter and sticking in the lock, freeing the cart and allowing her to pull it out.
As Reason lifted Maudie and put her into the cart the woman commented, "Well, aren't you the cutest little thing. How old is she?"
"Oh, she'll be three in a few weeks." Reason replied, thinking the woman was just making conversation then addressed her daughter, "Maudie, what do you say?"
"Fank you." Maudie responded, peeking from where she had decided to hide her face.
The woman smiled at Maudie. "Aw, you're welcome, sweetie. Well, I better get going."
"Same here." Reason replied, and with that they both took their carts and went into the store.
Going down the aisle where they had crackers and cookies and chocolate, glancing over the offerings briefly, and arrived at the dairy cooler. Opening the door, Reason took a small jug of milk and sat it down. Briefly looking at it, she pulled out her purse and began counting again, doing the math in her head to figure out if she had enough for an extra jug of milk. No one had come forward yet to claim the goat, so they were still needed to feed it. That was when she caught the woman who had gave her the quarter out of the corner of her eye. However, Aldi was rather small store and you could, and she regularly did, cross paths with the same person serval times, so she didn't really think anything sinister of it, and decided, yes, she could spring for the extra milk, placed in the cart, an went to look for rice.
"Hey, baby, have you thought about what you want for your birthday?" Reason asked, making conversation to keep Maudie occupied as she looked for what they needed.
"Uh-huh." Maudie responded, nodding, "Yeah, I want a bank."
"A bank?" Reason repeated, somewhat confused.
"Yeah, like Mommy's fish bank." Maudie elaborated.
Now Reason knew what she was talking about. The dolphin bank that Reason kept up in the cabinet along with a dozen or so mason jars and tins instead of a bank account. It was something Maudie associated with maturity.
"Well, I don't know if I can get you bank exactly like Mommy's but I'm sure we can find something…" Reason smiled.
"Yay!" Maudie cheered.
Neither of them noticed the blue-clad woman coming up behind them, with only a box of crackers in her cart.
A couple of isles later Reason had most of what they needed, and Maudie was contently singing, "8675309, 8675309…" The song had been playing over the speakers and the toddler seemed to have the refrain memorized.
"Do you even know what that means, Maudie?" Reason asked, turning to pick up a can.
Instead of the nonsensical answer she was expecting, Reason heard a distressed cry of "Mommy!"
Alarmed, Reason whirled around to see the woman who gave her the quarter, the woman who had been following them throughout the store, running off with Maudie, who tried to scream again but was stopped by the woman pressing her face into her chance.
"Abi! "Reason shouted, throwing her hands out in front of her, flinging the would-be kidnapper so hard into the sleeves it nearly toppled over, and most of items in spot she hit fell from the shelves, and causing her drop Maudie.
Oh no! Reason though, rushing to her child, Dear Lord, please don't let my baby be hurt. Getting on her knees in front of Maudie, she helps the crying child to her feet while she asked urgently, "Are you hurt baby?"
Maudie shook her head, sobbing two hard to make articulate any other response.
"Come here." Reason said, pulling Maudie into an embrace, "It's alright, it's alright, I got you, Mommy's here."
"Mommy." Maudie whimpered as she buried her face into the young woman's chest, "Oh Mommy—"
"Shhh, Maudie." Reason soothed, swallowing the hard lump in her throat at just how close she had come to losing her daughter and at hearing how terrified the little girl was. She pulled her arms tighter around the small body. It's okay, baby. You're okay now."
"That lady—" Maudie's words were muffled against her mother's shirt, "I didn't want to go—I didn't—"
"I know, honey." Reason assured her, "On the edge of tears herself now, "I know."
That was when two of the store employees came running to see came running up to find out what in the world was going on, accompted by several shoppers who had come either to help or to gawk. "What happened here?" One of the employees, an older man, demanded.
Suddenly Reason felt a terrible rage boiling inside her as she got to her feet, holding Maudie. "What happened is," She seethed, managing to pull off one of her arms to point at the woman, who, in shock, was still trying to get herself off the ground, "That hussy tried to kidnap my daughter!" She thought she was going to be sick just saying the word.
The man walked up to woman, who managed to get to her feet. "That true?"
Dusting herself off, the woman froze for a moment. She hadn't expected to actually be caught. At last she said, "Of course not…in fact, that's my daughter, she's the one who just ripped her from the cart." She marched up to Reason, trying to take Maudie.
Maudie immediately started screaming again. "No! She's not my Mommy! Don't let her take me Mommy! Don't let— "
"It's alright, baby." Reason soothed, taking a few steps back, "I won't let her take you."
"I think that settles that." A woman in the back of the group spoke up.
"No, it doesn't." The woman argued, not giving up, "Sweetie, why would you say such horrible lies?"
The woman in the back spoke up again. "What's her name?"
The woman froze a moment.
"Maud." Reason answered quickly, "Maud Elizabeth McCarthy. Born March 10th, 2012, Mercy Hospital—"
Just then the manager, a woman in her mid-thirties with wavy hair and dark framed glasses, "Frank, Alex, what's exactly happened here?"
"This woman is saying this woman tried to kidnap her daughter, and this woman is trying to say it's hers, but, honestly, I'd say the first one is telling the truth." The older man, Frank, explained.
"Me, too." The manager agreed, "I see them here all the time." Then leading over to the younger employee, she whispered, "Alex, go call the cops, tell them we had an attempting kidnapping."
As they were talking, the would-be kidnapper, deciding to quit while she was ahead, tried to slip away while everyone was distracted.
Reason was not about to let that happen. Whispering the spell under her breath, the woman was thrown against the selves, causing more product to fall.
The employees and customers were able to hold the woman until the police got there, and when they got there, they had a lot of question.
"I heard Maudie calling for me, and when I looked that woman, was-was- "Reason could barely get the words out as the police took her statement.
"It's alright, Miss, take your time." The young police man taking her statement told her.
"She was running off with Maudie, so I ran after her and shoved into the self." Reason finally got out, "I know I could've hurt Maudie but I didn't know what else to do."
That was when a back Impala and blue Nova pulled up, and Hannah burst out of one and Serena Joy the other somehow managing to get past the cops and to Reason. "Are you two alright?" Hannah asked about the same time Serena Joy asked, "What happened?"
"Some nut job grabbed Maudie right out of the cart." Reason exclaimed.
Hannah audibly gasped and Serena Joy asked, "What?"
"That woman over there." Reason elaborated, pointing to where the woman was berating the cops putting her in the back of the police car, "Tried to kidnap Maudie. She followed us in the store and just—grabbed her when I wasn't looking."
Hannah covered her mouth and Serena Joy moaned, "Oh my God." Then realizing what she had said and who she said it front of, "Sorry."
Unable to take not knowing what was going on, Sam began to get out of the car. "Stay here." Sam told the boys, who they had no choice but to bring, then realizing they were in car seats after all thought, like you have a choice.
"How did you guys even know we were here?" Reason asked, still holding onto Maudie.
"Let's just say Hannah caught chatter on the scanner." Serena Joy answered.
"Oh." Reason responded.
"Mommy, can we go home now?" Maudie asked softly. Her face was still red from crying she looked exhausted.
Reason looked to the officer for permission.
"I know you've been through a lot today, but can you hold on for just a few more moments, sweetie?" The officer asked very gently.
Maudie, usually rather biddable, shook her head and buried her face into her mother's chance moaning, "I wanna go home."
Sam was halfway to the when it happen.
"I don't see what all the fuss is about." The woman was ranting in the back of the police car, "The girl would've been off with me than with that white trash over there!" She diblerately said the last part so that Reason could hear it.
Suddenly Serena Joy was seeing red. "You want to repeat that, you Georgia Tam wannabe?" She seethed, actually taking out her earrings and beginning to march over to the car when Reason grabbed her arm.
"Serena, please." She whispered, on the edge of tears.
"She-she's not getting away with saying that you." Serena Joy argued, "Not after what she did."
"Serena, please, you'll make things worse." Reason insisted weakly.
Everyone was so focused on Serena Joy, no one notice Hannah slip off, marching over to the police car with an air of determination, going for something in her jacket.
Everyone except Sam, who met her halfway, and grabbed her by arm. "Hannah, no." He whispered, "You cannot take justice into your own hands, especially in front of bunch of cops and three children."
Hannah took the hand off the blade in her jacket. "Sorry." She conceded, realizing he was right, "When she said that horrible thing after—"
"Yeah, she's going to get hers." Sam assured her, turning her around and leading her away as she murmured something in Echonian that he decided he didn't even want to know what it meant.
"You know what?" The officer taking Reason's statement way saying, "I have just about everything I need here, we can finish this later."
"Thank you so much officer." Reason replied gratefully, getting up.
"Come on," Serena Joy told the younger woman, guiding her to the car, "I'll you a ride home."
"Thanks." Reason responded, sounding exhausted.
"No problem, kid." Serena Joy replied, opening the door for her.
After the girls left Sam realized something. "Hey, did she actually get the groceries she came for?"
"What do you think?" Frank responded.
Sam put his hands in his pocket, going for his wallet. "What did she have?"
A few days later, Reason was mopping the floor with one eye on Maudie, who was playing under the pinball machine, when she heard the dinner door open. She didn't think anything of it until she finished and was putting the bucket up and saw Hannah crouched down by the pinball machine, talking to Maudie. Walking up to them, Reason began, "Hey."
Hannah turned around. "Hey. I'm sorry, it's just, I saw you were busy, so I thought I should wait—"
"Non, no, it's okay." Reason assured her, then gesturing over to a booth said, "Here, sit down."
As they sat down, Hannah explained, "I want wanted to check on you, since we haven't much from since—well, you know."
"Yeah." Reason responded, awkwardly.
"Maudie, seems to be doing well, all things considered." Hannah noted, "Is she?"
Reason was silent for a moment, the admitted, "She's started having night terrors, which she had some before, usually when she doesn't get a good nap, but it's mean three nights in a row now, and the separation anxiety's back, which is probably a good thing, because I'm not ready to let her out of my sight, hence why I started taking her to work again, and she'd firmly told me she doesn't want to go back to Aldi with me ever again. She says crazy people shop there."
"Can't say I blame her for that." Hannah admitted, "Have they—begun prosecution yet?"
"Officer Roberts actually called me with an update on the case." Reason answered, "Apparently, they want to talk to me about them offering plea deal."
"Pea deal?" Hannah repeated, "I don't understand."
"I don't either." Reason admitted, rubbing her forehead, "But they want to come in on Friday explain, which means I'll have to take a day off for this, and I need to do something with Maudie, I mean, I can't exactly take her with me, and wherever I leave her she's going to freak out…."
"Hey," Hannah said, softly, reaching out and taking her hand, "We are here for you and we will do everything we can to help."
Reason felt the wait on her shoulders loosen a bit. "Thanks, you." She breathed, "I just, I don't know how this all became such a mess—"
"You'll get through this." Hannah assured her, "She'll get through this."
At the bunker, Sam was using Hannah's outing to work on the letter, which also got his mind off the grocery store debacle, and wondering if he should have been the one to check up on them instead. He wasn't having much luck. He had gone through half a waste-backet basket of draft and everything he thought of, seemed terribly saccharine, obsessive, or just plain dumb. Once again, he took a fresh piece of paper and began, Dear Hannah, I am so tired….
Sam froze for a moment, furrowing his brow. What? Where did that come from? Well, he had been at this a while. He was about to throw it away, when he got an idea, continued to write. I'm tired of pretending I'm not in love with you…
That was he heard the door open. Sam quickly hid the letter and stood up and asked, "How'd it go? How are they?"
"Maudie's having separation anxiety and Reason's really shaken up and now the police want her to come to talk about this person who did it getting a plea deal, whatever that is." Hannah recapped.
"It's a when prosecutors offer a lighter sentence for a guilty verdict." Sam explained, "Usually because they're afraid they don't have enough to get conviction, which considering she was caught red-handed shouldn't be an issue, or to get them flip on conspirators."
"On the phone they did mention something to her about partners." Hannah responded. After she added, "I think we need to go with her to this meeting on Friday."
"Yeah, of course." Sam agreed.
They day of meeting came, and the McCarthys and Winchesters found themselves crowded into a row of seats at the town courthouse.
Officer, the same officer who had took Reason's statement, officer Roberts approached them. "Miss McCarthy? They're ready for you now."
Reason stood up, only for Maudie to wrap around her leg pleading, "Mommy, don't go!"
"I'm sorry, baby, but I'll just be a little bit, okay?" Reason tried to assure her.
"No!" Maudie moaned, "Someone'll take me away again!"
Everyone's heart broke collectively at that.
That was when Sam crouched down, somewhat wobbling as he did so, saying, "No Maudie, they're not. And you want to know why?" After a beat he continued, "Because me and Miss Hannah are not going to let that happen, and we are going to be the whole time. And there are bunch of police officers and security guards here and their job is to keep anyone from taking anybody."
Maudie loosened her grift, but still just stared at Sam skeptically.
"Come on, you can play with Dean and Cas." Sam told her, "They've missed you."
Maudie looked at her friends. She missed them too, but she was still afraid to leave her Mommy. Eventually she did let got, slowly walking over to them.
"There's my good, girl." Reason praised, trying to keep the anguish out of her voice her, "There's my brave girl. Don't be scarred okay? Mommy will be back soon."
"Love Mommy." The little girl called out sadly.
"I love you too baby." Reason called back as she walked away.
The group sat there for what felt like forever, and even though the boys kept her somewhat distracted, Reason kept asking for her mother. Finally, at last, Reason came back. "Mommy!" Maudie shouted, running to her.
"Hey, baby." Reason smiled back, catching her.
"You okay?" Sam asked, as the family approached in small heard, "What did they tell you?"
"Not here." Reason requested, in a low voice.
At the bunker, they let the kids play while Reason explained what happened.
"Apparently she's has a history of mental instability." Reason explained, "And a desire for a baby. Since her lawyer has a good shot at an insanity plea, the prosecution wants to at least keep intstaulionized for as long as possible, hence why they want to cut a deal." After a beat she added, "At least this way, I won't have to testify, if she goes for it." Which if she was being honest, she wouldn't be completely against. Every day this went on…it just made it worst.
"Alas!" Hannah read a few night later at bed time, sitting in between the beds and the pallet, "I thought I only cared for you as a friend, but now I see I cannot live without you."
Maudie was laying on the pallaet., finally asleep, the goat at her side. Reason was finally able to convince to herself to leave Maudie at the Winchesters, but the toddler hadn't exactly been on board with the idea, but the goat seemed to comfort her, so it got to stay to for now.
"Ah, I think your audience has gone to sleep on you." A voice said behind her. Hannah turned to find Sam standing in the doorway.
"How's everyone doing in here?" Sam asked.
"The boys are asleep, so's Maudie." Hannah told him, "So far no one's woke up screaming. She wanted me to read Beauty and The Beast." She held up the thing book.
"Are you sure that's a good idea given what just happened?" Sam asked.
"Well, this appears to me more of some sort of arranged marriage metaphor." Hannah reasoned.
"I'm still not so sure." Sam responded, "Anyway, Reason just called. The lady agreed with prosecutors that eight years in the nut house was better than 16 years in jail. Reason won't have to testify."
"That's wonderful." Hannah declared, noticeably relieved.
Sam walked into the room, "You staying in here for a while?"
Hannah nodded. "I just—I need to make sure they're okay."
Sam walked over and sat down next to her. "You want some company?"
"Sure." Hannah replied.
Two days after that, the Winchester needed some grocery shopping of their own, and wound up at the same Aldi. Hannah preferred it to Wal-Mart because it was much smaller, for the most part only sold food items, and from a practical stand-point, things were often at least somewhat cheaper. Still, she was more than a little uneasy after what had happened, so she waited until Sam could go with her.
The boys had fallen asleep so it was quieter than it would usually be. Noticing they had some sort of lentils on sale, Hannah picked up a bag. "Hmmm." She mused, "Sam, how do you feel about lentil stew?"
"Huh?" Sam responded, putting a sleeping Dean into the cart.
"Lentil stew." Hannah repeated, "For tonight? Or maybe some night this week. Might be a nice change of pace."
"I'm not sure the kids are gonna eat that." Sam told her.
That was when the rambunctious triplets of the children across the way from them started pushing at their cart.
"Everly! Olympia! Steven!" The mother was scolding, "Stop that now!"
However, it was too late. The triplets, lost control of the cart, which hit Sam, who bumped into their cart sending it flying, somehow managing to make the corner.
Fortunately, the boys weren't hurt, but the thump when it finally stopped woke them up. The cart was one that opened at the end, so, disoriented and a bit scared, they boys crawled out, trying to find their parents.
Which why, when said parents rushed to where the cart had landed, all they found was an empty cart, much to their dismay.
"Alright, you take the right, in case they somehow figured out to go back to that isle, I'll take the left." Sam instructed, trying appear calmer than he actually was and failing as hundred scenarios raced through his mind. What if they were hurt? What if they were lost and alone? What if they somehow got outside and walked into the street? And there was much worst scenario niggling at the very back of his mind….
What if they had been snatched?
Meanwhile, they boys were toddling through the aisles, Dean holding Cas by the arm, both of them getting increasingly upset and crying. "Mommy?" Dean called out softly, "Mommy?"
"Mommy?" Cas repeated, "Mommy? Daddy?"
Finally hearing them, Sam ran to the sound. He turned the corner and saw the boys toddle ring down the aisle. "Dean!" He called out, "Cas!"
The boys turned around and their father immediately crouched down next to him. "It's okay, guys." He soothed, physically picking them both up, "I got you. Let's got find Mommy, okay?"
The boys nodded, still crying.
"Sssh, sssh." Sam urged in a hushed tone, "No need for tears. Daddy's here and he won't let anything happen to you."
Things might be been fine after that point, had not Alex, one of the employees who been present for the earlier incident, came around the corner and saw them. Now, to be fair everyone had been edge since the attempted kidnapping in their store, but it is safe to day there was a lot about what happened next that Alex didn't think through.
Alex ran at Sam tackling him to the ground before the hunter even knew what hit him. Miraculously the children weren't injured, but Sam lost his hold on them and the terrified boys ran off, crying even harder now.
Sam had a couple hundred pounds on Alex and managed to turn around and almost thrown the boy off him, but Alex was scrappy and managed to keep hold, and the pair kept struggling on the floor. In the middle of it out, Sam started chanting a simple exorcism, partly out of instinct, partly because, well, what other explanation was there for what was happening? Hannah had been worried about something like this was happening from day one. Somehow word must have got out…
"What sort of freak are you?!" Alex exclaimed, when he heard the Latin words, that, not actually being a demon, he had no clue what they meant.
"You're not…" Sam began, one though going through his head. Glad I left the knife in the car.
However, that was when Hannah rounded the corner, and seeing Sam being attacked, drew some conclusions of her own and before anyone knew what was happening, pulled Alex off of him, pinning the stock boy to the wall. "Hey!" Alex began to protest, but his voice trailed off, turning into a terrified squeak as the tip of an angel blade was pressed to his throat.
"Where are they?!" Hannah demanded, her very voice like hot venom, her eyes fire, "Where are they?"
"Are you talking about the kids?" Alex squeaked, "They ran off when I—" His voice trailed off as his attacker but down some slight pressure, not enough to break the skin, but enough to remind him how very precarious his situation was right now, as if he needed reminding, and it occurred to him that he probably should have went after the kids to make sure they were alright.
"Don't play games with me you twisted abortion!" Hannah snarled, "Tell me where they are and I might let you live, but I swear if any harm comes to them, you'll die the worst death this world has even seen! The pit will be your happy place when I'm through with you!"
"Hannah, wait, he's not— "Sam began as he watched the boys' eyes widen abject fear.
Just them a voice came over the speakers saying, "Would the parents of the two little boys come up to the front please? Your children are waiting for there. Also, would Alex please come up to the front as well. The manager needs to speak with you. Now. "
A relieve looked pasted over Alex's feature as Hannah let him go and she and Sam both bolted for the restigers. Then, remembering his boss asked for him as well, gulped and started that way as well. Just much more slowly.
When they got to the front the manager was waiting from them with the boys by the first register, and the boys ran to them, screaming Mommy and Daddy.
Kneeling down with arms open wide, Sam catching Dean and Hannah catching Cas. "Are you okay, buddy?" Sam and at the same time Hannah asked "Are you alright, sweetie?" Both of them franticly looked the boys over and were relieved to fine no injuries then just held on to them for dear life.
"Ah, sir, I know this probably isn't the best time, but your boys gave me the impression that one of my employees attacked you?" The manager spoke up.
Sam looked up at her, not sure how she knew that.
"One of your boys mentioned 'the red apron man hurt Daddy'." The woman explained.
Just then, Alex showed up looking around anxiously.
Realizing she had messed up, Hannah began sheepishly, "I... uh…I'm sorry for attacking you like that. I- "
"Wait, you attacked him?" The manger spoke up, again, trying to figure up what exactly happened here.
"When she saw him attacking me my, ah, partner got a little worked up." Sam said quickly trying to make it not look as bad.
"So, she pulls a knife out on me?!" Alex balked.
"She what?" The manager balked right back.
"It's closer to a small sword." Hannah spoke up, before realizing that wasn't helping.
The manager was silent for a moment then said, "Okay, here's what we're going to do. Alex won't press charges against you if you don't press charges against him or sue the store. Also, please next time don't come in here armed."
Hannah and Sam exchanged looks. "Deal." They both quickly agreed together.
After paying for their groceries, Sam surprised them all by stopping at a local ice cream place.
After handing the kids their cones, he opened the passenger door. "Got you one too." He told Hannah, who had been eerily quiet for the entire ride.
"No thank you." Hannah replied, blankly, not even turning to look at him.
"It's your favorite." Sam urged, holding the chocolate cone out in front of her, trying anything he could think of to bringing him back to reality.
Hannah took the cone and started to lick, but she barely even tasted it.
"Hey," Sam continued, "What are you thinking?"
"You mean, other than we can never go to that store again?" Hannah responded, "I just kept thinking, 'what if?'" What if they had been hurt when that cart crashed? What if someone had actually tried to take them? An unhinged person like what happened with Maudie, or worst, a demon? What something took them and tortured them as vengeance for before or just to get to her or Sam?
"I know, I've been thinking that, too." Sam replied.
"There's so many…dangers out there. "Hannah continued. She paused, then suddenly said, "We can't let them out of the house again."
"What?" Sam responded, as in spite of the day's events he honestly did not see that coming.
"It's too dangerous out there." Hannah reasoned, "We were doing everything we possible could and something still happened. There are too many factors, there are not jobs and brats and…those things only we know about. The best thing we can do is just lock everybody in the bunker forever. Reason and Maudie can come too."
"Hannah," Sam began, "That's not a feasible plan."
"And why not?" Hannah responded.
"Well, for one thing, eventually we're going to run out of food." Sam replied, "Give me some room?" As he scooted over closer to her, he said, "Look, you want to protect him for everything, so do I. And as much as we want to, we can't. But, if we're extremely lucky we won't need to. And in the meantime, we'll protect them as much as we can."
Hannah was silent again. She wasn't sure she could come to terms with that.
That was when the silent was broke by Dean exclaiming, "Daddy, Cas' ice cream is bigger than mine!"
"Nuh-uh." Cas responded.
"Uh-huh!" Dean countered.
"Nuh-uh!" Cas insisted.
"Uh-huh!" Dean insisted right back.
Sam sighed. "Dean, your ice cream was the same size then you ate part of yours."
"Weally?" Dean asked, as if guinely surprised by this fact.
"Yes, really." Sam confirmed.
Satisfied, Dean went back to eating his ice cream.
The adults looked at each for a moment, and then, in spite of the seriousness of the situation, they couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"Ah, thank you, little one." Hannah sighed finally.
"You welcome." Dean responded, "What I do?"
That night, the boys wanted both their parents for their bedtime routine.
"I think they're asleep." Sam whispered, closing the book.
Hannah adjusted herself, crossing her legs. "If you don't mind, I think I'm still going to stay here for a little bit." She was still somewhat shaken by the earlier incident, and wanted to make sure they were okay.
Sam crossed his legs as well, "You want some company?"
The angel didn't even hesitate. "Yes."