The stars were twinkling brightly in the heavens above as the figure burst out of the small home's side door and into the midnight hour like a bullet down the barrel of a gun. Tears stained her cheeks and she used her sleeve to wipe them back, her hands trembling. She shifted the backpack weighing her down like the world's biggest secret and leaned against the brick wall, taking a few deep breaths for she slid down to the damp concrete beneath her running shoes.

Like all the other times, she felt this invisible tie to him slow her actions. The sound of disappointment in his voice when she told him begged him to stop this. She loved him, but not how he treated her.

You made me upset.

I had a bad day.

This wasn't my fault.

He knew damned well she had no place to go. No one to call. He was methodical in doing this and she hadn't worked a job in the last two years, so she couldn't fund a one way trip the hell away from him. He'd nearly succeeded in isolating her from all friends and what little family she had.

Nearly.

She'd been good friends with Garth Fitzgerald since she was little and had hunted with him as well as several others over the last decade, save for the last two years since she'd met Rick. That world was secret from him and she intended to keep it that way.

Two of those hunters, Garth always said, you could trust with your life and call on, no matter what.

Sam and Dean Winchester.

She wiped a fresh wave of tears back and looked down at her watch. It was nearing midnight now; she could be gone in the wind.

Or she could go back inside and unpack her bag and get into their bed and forget this whole half cocked plan like she'd done so many times in the past...

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"Hi." The blonde woman stepped forward and gave a hesitant smile to the elderly man at the train station window. Her hoodie was up over her blonde ponytail and he looked up from his worn paperback book, startled to see a pair of hazel eyes sparkling with tears. He dogeared the page to mark his spot and set his book down next to him.

"Hello." His usually gruff tone softened a bit. "Can I help ya?"

"Ticket to Chicago, please."

He glanced at the computer screen and gave her the total. His blue eyes watched as she pulled out a wad of crumpled bills, smoothing them out a bit before counting them carefully. She could feel his watchful gaze focused on her as she handed over the money and he spoke softly. "You alright, miss?" When she looked back up, he could see tears sparkling in her eyes.

"My mother passed away... I have to get home..." The lie rolled off her tongue and he smiled sympathetically.

"My condolences." He typed in a few keystrokes and her literal ticket to freedom popped out on his side of the glass, He slid it underneath the opening and into her cold fingers. "Take care, m'am."

"Thank you." Her grateful tone made him smile again before he picked up his paperback again.

She moved to the corner of the bus station, her purse tight in her hand and the perfectly manicured fingers on her left hand clutching the blue and white striped one way ticket. The bench was cold beneath her as she sat down off to the side of the ticket window so she could watch the entrance to the bus station, her heart thudding in her chest as if he may burst in at any moment to take her back home to the nightmare she'd endured for the last two years.

The cell phone Rick gave her was sitting on the kitchen countertop at home. It felt strange to set her cell phone down near the coffee maker before she looked around the kitchen for the last time. She'd made him dinner before he had to leave for work and she'd nearly broken down and admitted her plans to leave him when he'd looked at her strangely before asking her why she was so quiet. She mumbled some excuse about having a headache because of the weather change and he'd accepted that without a second thought.

With trembling hands, she pulled out her charger and the burner phone she'd gotten at the gas station earlier that day. There was an outlet next to the bench and she plugged into it, waiting for the phone to turn on. The screen lit up at about thirty percent life and she breathed a sigh of relief.

Their cell numbers were fresh in her mind and she dialed Sam.

He answered after two rings, sounding like she'd woken him up. "Yeah?"

"Sam Winchester?" God, she hated how her voice broke. There was a rustling on the other end and his voice sounded more alert.

"Yes and this is...?"

"Uh... Finn Gallagher. Garth's friend? I'm not sure if you-,"

"Of course." Sam cut her off. "Are you alright? No one's heard from ya in a couple years..." She heard another male voice on his end, knowing it was his brother. "Finn?"

"I need some help."

"Anything." Pause. "Whats going on? Where are you?" His questions were full of concern and worry, not venom and suspicion like Rick's always were. "Finn?"

"It's a long story..."

"You can tell me later." Sam assured her. "Are you in some kind of trouble?"

Finn sniffled. "I just needed someplace to stay until I figure out some things... I'd have asked Garth, but he and his wife have the baby..."

"Where are you?"

"Bus station in Cleveland."

"Where ya headed?"

"Chicago."

"Can you get to St. Louis? When's your bus leaving?"

"In an hour." She glanced at her watch. "Sam, I can't.." He heard her start to cry.

"Listen," Sam clicked on the motel lamp and opened his laptop, squinting at the bright light. "Let me just look here a sec..." There was some furious typing on his end. "What bus line ya on?" She told him and another half a minute passed. "Okay. You leave at 1:10 am?"

"Yeah."

"Arrival in Chicago is 6:52." Sam cleared his throat and spoke again. "You immediately get on another line to St Louis and you'll be there by noon." That made her stomach drop. "We'll pick ya up in the St. Louis terminal. We're actually down in Nashville."

"Sam, I can't thank you..."

"Anytime Finn."

"Tell your brother thank you too... I guess I'll see ya in twelve hours?"

"If you need anything before then, please call me."

"Can't come soon enough." Finn murmured, but he heard her.

"This your new number?"

"It's a burner. I got thirty minutes on it."

"Gotcha. We'll see you soon. Stay safe." The line disconnected and she felt weak with relief.

"So where's she been all this time?" Dean sounded gruff as Sam shut the lamp back off and flopped back onto his bed. "She was off the grid for two years. I thought she got outta this life."

"There's more to it than that." Sam rolled onto his back. "She sounded scared, Dean."

"Of what?"

"I don't know."

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The halting motion and the whistle startled Finn out of her twenty minutes of sleep and she realized they were pulling into Chicago. She exited the bus with the handful of other passengers and looked at her watch again. She had a couple minutes to use the facilities and get another ticket.

She hurried through the terminal and took care of business before counting out enough money for another ticket. It had been her plan all along to go to large terminals to leave Rick, hoping he'd never figure out where she'd gone. Finn was handed another ticket before she headed to the next gate to wait for the next bus.

The one that would bring her to the Winchester brothers.

She had three dollars worth of change left and she said a silent prayer for having barely enough money to pull this off. Finn bought a coffee from a nearby vendor and added a creamer before taking a sip of the hot, bitter alertness that the paper cup housed. She was running only on adrenaline and anxiety at that point and remembered her granola bars in her purse. As soon as she got on, she'd eat one.

Her hazel eyes moved around the area and she saw people like her, waiting for the bus to take them to their next destination. A couple young men in suits were nearby with laptop bags over their shoulders, emailing on their smart phones, presumably waiting to go to their workplace.

The screech and grind of the bus breaks startled her and she nearly dropped her coffee. She waited in line, her hoodie keeping her warm in the early morning air. Finn sat alone, her backpack on and her purse in her lap, watching the other passengers discretely. She sipped her coffee and looked at her watch again. 7:15 am.

She'd been awake for over twenty four hours and she was emotionally exhausted. Just five more hours and she'd be safely in the company of two men she could trust.

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"Hello?" Her voice sounded hesitant.

"It's Sam." He was holding his phone as his brother drove, her voice on speakerphone.

"And Dean." The older man spoke up. "How are ya, kid?"

"I'm okay." The two men shared a look. "Just having coffee."

"You need anything before we meet you?" Dean spoke again. "I can grab ya some lunch or something..."

"I just need a nap." That made Sam smile, knowing she'd been awake all night.

"We just wanted to check on you." Sam spoke again. "I guess we'll see ya in a couple hours."

"I'm counting the minutes."

"Stay safe and keep your head down." Dean spoke. "We'll see ya soon."

"Thanks, you guys." They hung up and Sam immediately dialed Garth.

"Hey Sam, how are you guys?"

"We're great Garth." Dean smiled. "How's the family?"

"They're great. I'm really blessed." He paused. "But that isn't why you called, is it?"

"It's Finn. She called us last night. I know she's been off the grid and outta the life for a couple years..."

"She got with this real piece of work, Rick. He's a parole officer over at the jail and he's this controlling jerk and they moved out of town awhile back and she quit her job and dropped off the face of the earth. Her cell was disconnected and the last time I called, he told me in no uncertain terms where to go."

Dean's jaw tightened and he glanced at his younger brother. "He hurt her?"

"That I don't know, but from what I've heard, it wouldn't be far-fetched." Garth sighed. "Why'd she call you guys?"

"She said she was in trouble and was at the bus station. Needed a place to crash until she figured things out."

Garth sucked in a breath and they heard a baby start to cry. "Look guys, I appreciate you looking out for her. If I can help in anyway, please let me know."

"Will do, buddy. Thanks." Dean spoke and Sam hung up. "I feel like driving out to Ohio and kickin' this guy's ass."

"Same here." The were quiet or a couple minutes before Sam spoke again. "Dean, she's gotta stay with us for awhile..."

"Absolutely. If this dick is the reason she dropped off the map, I'm gonna kill him. I mean, it's one thing to get outta the life and have a life, but this..."

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Her head was pounding and she figured it was because of the lack of sleep and she kept seeing signs for St. Louis, each mile under the tires bringing her closer to safety. Her eyes watched the watch turn from 11:59 to noon and she knew his phone would vibrate with the timed facebook status update.

Rick-Josie Volant

Relationship status changed from in a relationship to single.

Just wanted to let you all know what a controlling bastard Rick is. He puts his hands on me and controls my every breath and has done so for the last two years. I left his ass and am gone in the wind. Just wanted to let you know what kind of family member, coworker and friend you all really have. Have a nice life.

Josie

The bus slowed to a stop and Finn rose slowly, scanning the small crowd below for the black stallion and the two white knights that drove her. Her hand came up to tuck her hair back some and and moved up the aisle way to disembark the bus. The sun shone high above her and she shielded her eyes for a moment before she spotted them. Sam held up a hand in greeting and she headed towards them.

Sam leaned down to hug her first, his hair longer than she'd remembered. Finn gave him a one armed hug before turning to Dean. His eyes sparkled in the sunlight and there was a hint of a smile on his mouth. "Hey sweetheart." He hugged her tight and she closed her eyes, almost weak with relief.

Both men chose not to comment on her appearance; she was thinner than they'd recalled, now blonde instead of brunette and the shiner she was sporting certainly didn't belong there. Finn looked exhausted and Sam spoke up. "Let me get your bags for ya." He took them without protest and Dean's fingers linked into hers.

The trio headed to the car and got inside. Dean turned the key over in the ignition and glanced at his brother. Sam looked at him for a long moment as the engine roared to life before they both glanced in the backseat. Finn was out cold, snoring lightly almost as soon as she hit the leather.

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Hello lovely readers!

So excited for this story to unfold! I hope you enjoy. :) Please review and let me know what you thought.

Shout out to jloh217 for your review! Have a great night!

CitrineMama