Chapter 53
The volunteers filed into the tent to have one last meal before packing everything up to head home. Nitro was already sitting at a table waiting on Dean and Trey. She saw them walking in and waved to get their attention.
"I saved you guys a place."
"Great, I'll go get us some food." Dean said moving to get in line.
"Can I talk to you for a moment Trey?"
"Sure, what's up?" he asked sitting down across from her.
"Take this, give it to someone you trust and use it to buys supplies for the clinic and school." she said pushing a wad of Mexican money she had taken from the Cartel over to him.
"This is a lot of money Junie, are you sure about this?" he asked fingering the stack of bills cautiously.
"Yes, it's a donation from someone who doesn't need it anymore. It should be used for some good and to make a difference to those that have been abused and hurt." she insisted.
"I'll get it to the right people and I know they will be grateful for it. It will go a long way to help here." Trey said. "You know both of you are like guardian angels and I don't know how to thank you."
"No thanks needed. You're helping us out here too. I'd say we're even don't you think?"
"Thank you again and enjoy your meal." he said getting up when Dean came back with two plates heaped full of food.
"What was that about?" he asked knowing something had happened from the look on Trey's face.
"I made a donation." Nitro shrugged as she pulled her plate closer so she could start eating. "I'm gonna miss this food..." she hummed closing her eyes and relishing the flavors that exploded in her mouth.
"I know, no matter how hard I try when I cook Mexican, I can't ever get flavors like this."
"So you cook now?" Nitro asked in surprise. "And people actually eat it?"
"Watch it there gimp, I can always take away your crutches."
"I'd like to see you try. You'll be going home with more than a sunburn. Didn't you put screen on before getting on that roof?" she questioned noticing how red Gunny looked.
"I did and sweated it off in ten minutes. It's all good, I tan pretty easily, anyway that's what my Mom always said when I was growing up. Once summertime got here...You couldn't keep me inside..." Dean reminisced a far away look in his eyes for a moment before he shoved the walls up and continue to eat.
Nitro looked at him thoughtfully thinking, 'Yep, there's a human side to him. He wasn't always the superhero'. She didn't say anymore and just sat back to enjoy the food. She knew Gunny was a unique puzzle that very few could figure out, her included.
spn
The vans pulled up to the crossing and stopped at the border crossing, waiting for their turn to pass back into the United States. Two of the vans were pulling trailers with their equipment and suitcases. Dean and Nitro were in the van with Trey and eight other volunteers. They had their fake passports out and Dean checked the area out wanting to see if anything looked out of place or if there seemed to be any unusual behavior or activity with the border agents. The vans inched forward as the vehicles ahead of them moved on through. Trey was driving and pulled out his paperwork showing permission from the Mexican government for their trip.
Dean stiffened and dropped an arm loosely around Nitro's shoulders to give the impression they were a couple. She patted his leg to let him know it was going to be alright and not to worry so. Their passports were checked and a brief search of the trailers was done before they were allowed to enter into the country. Dean let out the breath he didn't know he was holding in when he saw the signs welcoming them to Texas.
"Relax Gunny, another hundred feet..." Nitro whispered feeling his tension and seeing the stiffness in his body.
"It's not over until I step foot on US soil." Dean grunted leaning back in his seat after all the vans rolled into the United States. "Trey knows we want out in this town right?"
"Yes, he's going to stop at a gas station so we can get our bags and get a ride over to the airport to pick up my car. They need to fill up anyway so no one will think anything about us stopping. As far as I can tell no one seems the wiser and accepted our cover story." she mumbled to him smiling to some of the others that looked back their way.
"Had one guy try to get a little too personal and I faked it not wanting to make any enemies here."
"We're good, this is US soil and you can take any of them out in a heartbeat, so just relax." she ordered.
"You're getting kind of bossy there Ni."
"Gotta keep ya in line now don't I?" she smirked.
spn
"It was nice to meet you and glad I could help." Dean said shaking Trey's hand firmly. He had stepped from the van with a look of completion on his face and one of satisfaction that they had accomplished their mission and was back in one piece. They had gotten their packs from the hiding place in the trailer and were parting company with Trey and his volunteers.
"Same here and June Bug, keep in touch. Let's not let another ten year pass before we see each other again." Trey replied shaking his hand and turning to Nitro.
"I won't. I've got your contact information now so I'll stay in touch. Maybe I'll even lend a hand on one of your mission trips." she said accepting a brief hug from him. She leaned on Dean for support deciding their first stop would be to purchase crutches since she left hers in the village where they were needed more.
"You two take care and I hope whatever you needed to do was accomplished. God's speed. Good-bye." Trey said, giving a final wave before getting into the van and driving away.
"Bye." Nitro called waving back.
"I'll go pick up a burner and get us a cab." Dean said steering her to a bench outside the convenience store and pushing her down. "Don't walk on that ankle, that's a order."
"I'll be right here, no other place to be anyway." she said gathering their packs closer and resting her foot on one of them. Nitro watched the comings and goings of customers without seeming to as she waited for Dean to return. She could tell the change in him now that they were home and she felt it too. It always felt good when the mission was over and it was a success. Darkness had already fallen and she was exhausted even thought all they did was ride in a van for eleven hours. Actually, if she admitted it, the ride was the worse part of the whole mission. She could take tromping through the jungle, setting explosives, battling the bag guys, but just sitting for that long with nothing to do was unbearable. She had tried to sleep but some of the roads had potholes big enough to swallow the van and that made for a bumpy ride. Dean on the other hand could sleep through anything, but yet be alert and ready to fight in the blink of an eye. She looked toward the door when Dean came back out pulling a burner cell from a box and tossing the empty box away.
"Our ride will be here shortly." he said not looking up as he worked on activating the cell. Dean was going to wait until they had their car before sending two quick text messages to let the others know they were safe and would call in the morning. They were about three and a half hours from Austin, but before they headed that way, Dean wanted to get a motel room, clean up and get a good night's sleep. That is if everything was alright with his father and Sam. Otherwise, he was heading directly to Austin. He wanted to see Sam, but it was already late and if they left now, it would be the wee hours of the morning before they could get there. He decided they needed a hot meal, soft beds and lots of hot water and soap to feel human again.
spn
"We'll get a motel room on the outskirts of town and head out in the morning." Dean told Nitro as they stored their packs in the car. "But first...How 'bout a milkshake?"
"Now you're talking Gunny. There's a twenty-four hour diner on the way we can stop at. There's a club sandwich with my name on it just waiting for me." she cooed in delight. "And there's a drug store too where I can pick up another set of crutches." she huffed hopping to the passenger side to get in. "This hopping's not going to cut it for long."
"I hear ya. We should be able to get there before it closes, so we better do that first." he said dropping into the driver's seat. Dean looked at his cell when it chimed and read the text from his father. He said they were back at the Roadhouse and the matter was taken care of. He cranked the car and pulled out to head for drug store first and then the diner, his mouth already watering for some real food.
spn
The parking lot was almost empty when Dean pulled into the diner since it was after ten. Nitro got out and adjusted her dirty clothes and pulled her hair back into a ponytail and let Dean fiddle with the crutches to fit them to her height, and then headed for the entrance. They both looked pretty raunchy and didn't smell much better since they hadn't had a shower in nearly a week. Dean brushed some dirt from his cargo shorts and followed Nitro inside heading for the restroom first to at least wash some of the dirt off him. Nitro followed him and went into the women's restroom to wash her hands and check out how bad she looked.
"At least there's not many customers to offend with our body odors." Nitro mumbled taking a seat in a booth away from the other customers.
"Be right with you." a waitress called from behind the counter.
"What's it going to be Gunny?" Nitro asked taking a menu to look it over. "Man! Everything looks so good!"
"I'm leaning toward a double cheese burger with extra bacon and sautéed onions, a side of steak fries and a milkshake and if I have room a slice of pie."
"I'm dying just hearing you say it." Nitro groaned. "If you have room? I have never seen you pass up a hunk of pie since I've known you Gunny. I'm sure you'll find somewhere to put it."
"Good evening, what can I get you to drink?" the waitress asked before getting a whiff of them and doing her best not to cringe and step away from them.
"I know, we're sorry about the smell, but we've been backpacking out in the desert and no access to showers." Nitro apologized to her when she saw her facial expression change to one of dislike.
"We'll go ahead and order if that's okay." Dean said not wanting to wait.
"No problems, you're not the first to smell a little ripe and I'm sure you won't be the last." she laughed pulling out her pad to take their order. "Now what can I get you?"
"I'll have the double cheese burger, extra bacon and sautéed onions, with steak fries and a chocolate milkshake. Oh and a glass of ice water no lemon." Dean said folding the menu back up and handing it to her.
"You want that shake with your meal love?"
"Yes please."
"And for you honey?"
"A club sandwich no mayo, mustard on the side with fries and iced tea please, with lots of ice." Nitro told the waitress.
"I'll be right back with those drinks and put your order in." she replied scribbling on her pad and heading for the window to the kitchen. She came back with tea and water and sat it in front of them before returning to the counter. "I brought you some extra tea since you don't get much with a glass of ice."
"Thank you." Nitro told her eyeing the two glasses as she stripped the paper off her straw and stuck it in the tea. "On my goodness!" Nitro cried softly after sipping several swallows of tea. "It's cold and sweet and I think I'm dying here."
"A bit dramatic aren't you?" Dean teased her as he sipped on his ice water thinking almost the same thing. He never thought he'd miss ice that much until spending a nearly a week in the hot, smothering jungle.
"Let's see how you feel when you get your food." she shot back at him.
"You got me there." Dean confessed with a chuckle.
It wasn't long before their food arrived and they began to eat with gusto, neither talking, only moaning with pleasure and delight. The waitress came back by to check on them and laughed at their mumbling words and nodding that it was good. She brought more water and tea to them as they finished their meal sitting back satisfied and full. She checked to see if they wanted dessert and went to get a large piece of pie they were going to split. Once they were finished and got the check, Dean left enough to give the waitress a ten dollar tip for having to endure their body odors and rather forgotten table manners.
spn
"You can have the bathroom first." Dean told Nitro as he opened the door to their room. He looked to the two beds thinking how inviting they looked, but knew he had to have a shower before turning in. No way was he getting in between nice, clean sheets smelling like a school gym locker room or worse.
"Thanks, I'll be quick so you can get one too." she said pulling over her bag and digging out an oversized tee shirt and shorts to sleep in. She got her bathroom bag and ducked into the bathroom anxious to wash the jungle off of her.
Dean sat his bags down and found something suitable to sleep in. He looked to his jacket when a chiming let him know he had a text. He dug it out and checked it seeing it was from Shadow. It was brief but puzzled him as he scanned it again trying to figure out the hidden meaning behind it. He frowned, his brow wrinkling, but he would wait until morning to call. No need getting into something over the phone, he would rather do it in person and he didn't want to disturb their sleep. He didn't want to sit on the bed, so he took a chair to wait his turn, thinking how good the hot water was going to feel on his tired body.
spn
"Your turn Gunny." Nitro said hopping out of the bathroom twenty minutes later towel drying her hair. "Man! It feels good to be clean again. I'm going to bed, see you in the morning." she said pulling down the covers for one of the beds. "Oh...Yes...I've died and gone to Heaven..." she sighed stretching out on the mattress and relaxing into it. "Enjoy your shower..." she mumbled quietly as she shut her mind down and drifted off to sleep.
"Sweet dreams Ni." Dean whispered before stepping into the bathroom and closing the door. He sat his things on the counter and began to strip out of his dirty clothes, thinking they needed to be thrown away. He glanced into the mirror checking out the beard he had and decided he might let it grow a bit longer. Dean turned on the water and adjusted the temperature before stepping under the hot spray. The water beat onto his face as he tilted his head and just stood there for a moment before tilting it back down to let the water soak his hair. He reached for the shampoo and washed his hair, massaging his scalp to work the dirt and grim from it. The water ran a murky brown until most of the sweat, dirt and jungle crud washed away from his body. He picked up the soap and lathered down his sore body, stretching and moving it to get the tension and strain from it. After a final rinse, he shut the water off and reached for a towel to dry his now clean body. After dressing and towel drying his hair, Dean stepped from the bathroom and to his bed. He turned out the lights and slid under the covers, sighing heavily as he settled onto the soft mattress. It did feel good to be in a real bed again. He drew in several slow steady breaths to calm his mind and let it drift away on a sea of nothingness. His dreams came and went and memories of Mouse filled some of them and then Sam was there, but he could tell something was wrong, but he kept disappearing before he could get to him. Dean jerked awake a few times but let himself go back to sleep knowing it wasn't time to get up and his body was telling him to rest. He knew Sam was safe with Shadow and Storm, so whatever he was feeling had to be prior events and he would deal with them in the morning.
A/N: They made it back without any problems. Paths are going to start merging in the next chapter, I know everyone has been waiting for that. Special thanks to all the guest who have left me reviews, I greatly appreciate them. You know what to do, thanks. NC
