Chapter Nine

"Who are you kidding? Even if you knew where dad was, you wouldn't tell me," Annie pointed out

"Bingo," Dean confirmed. "But I don't so there's no point in arguing about it. Dad is doing what he has to do. He left us the journal. He wants us to continue to hunt while he tracks down the thing that killed mom."

"Right, the mission is all. Nothing must come before that. Ever," Annie rolled the window down and took a deep breath to try and calm the nausea churning in her stomach. "Not even your daughter's wedding. It's a Goddamn retarded way to live, Dean."

"Whoa, someone has a bit of a memory problem. Dad had to find out you were getting married from me and the only reason I found out was because Sam has diarrhea of the mouth. I guess dad's invite got lost in the mail like mine," Dean scowled.

Annie clenched her teeth, guilt keeping her nausea company. She stiffened her spine. She had absolutely nothing to feel guilty about, dammit! "Do you really think I was gonna want him there after he lied to me for all those years? He didn't even have the decency to tell me who my real family is before he booked!"

"All right then. Don't bitch about him not being there and then bitch about the fact that you didn't want him there to begin with. You can't have both."

"Sure I can. Watch. He should have been there so I could have told him off and kicked him out. See?" Annie snapped.

"Nice little fantasy world you live in, Annie. How can the rest of us poor bastards in the real world compare?"

"So how come daddy didn't want his little soldier to help him on his great mission," Annie taunted feeling a stab of satisfaction when his hands tightened on the wheel.

"He wants me and Sam to work together," He replied. "Take over for a while."

"Heartwarming," Annie sneered.

"Baby, it is gonna be a long drive if you're hell bent on making me want smack you in the mouth every time I look at you," Dean warned.

Annie bit back her retort. He had a point. If they were going to be working together, she had to reign in her urge to tear his head off every five seconds. Not that she'd admit he was right to his face.

She closed her eyes and leaned back in the seat, letting the breeze from the window wash over her and alleviate her queasy stomach. It lurched dangerously and she bit back a whimper.

"What's wrong?" Dean asked.

"Can we stop for a minute? I'm feeling a little nauseous." Annie admitted, swallowing.

"Hey, don't you dare throw up in my car," Dean ordered, pulling over to the side of a thankfully empty side street.

Annie kicked open the car door and doubled over, retching. Nothing. The urge was there but nothing was materializing. She vaguely heard the driver's side door shut and a few seconds later, Dean appeared beside her.

"False alarm." Annie assured him, groaning.

"You're not...uh...you know." Dean asked uncomfortably.

"No!" Annie burst, red faced. Though it would be a few weeks yet before she'd know for sure. She and Jack had always been very careful. "It's these." Annie lifted her wrists, which had started to seep with fresh blood again. "I get really nauseous sometimes when they bleed. Can't keep a damned thing down."

"Well shit. Then those burritos were a huge mistake. Why the hell didn't you say anything?"

"Because I was feeling fine then. I told you, I only bleed when I get stressed out."

"Oh, if you think you're gonna use leaking wrists as blackmail to get me to be Mr Happy Sunshine, you've got another thing coming, Sweet Cheeks," Dean said.

Annie glared up at him. "Don't call me that. You know I hate that nickname,"

Dean smiled at her. He knew, and it had always given him great pleasure to tease her about it. "We'll find a store to get you some water or gingerale or something." He walked back around the driver's side and got it.

Annie bit her lip when the car was mobile again. "I hate your fucking car."

"Hey, don't blame the car. Blame Jesus," Dean cracked. "She didn't mean it, baby." He patted the steering wheel lovingly.

"I did mean it and your car knows it. We're just renewing a mutually satisfying relationship based on loathing and resentment. Isn't that right, you potential rust bucket, you" Annie replied patting the dashboard.

"Seriously, Annie, you've gotta let that go. You were...what...four when you got locked in the trunk?"

"I was five and who's fault was it that I got locked in there, huh?" Annie pointed out as they pulled into Sam's street.

"Yours," they both replied at the same time.

Dean's eyes widened. "Are you kidding me? I did not lock you in the trunk."

"Sure you did! You hid my pink pony in there and when I went in to get it, you shut the door on me!" Annie hissed.

"I did not! The door closed on its own," Dean replied defensively.

"And you didn't let me out for half an hour!"

"I couldn't find the key. I wasn't taking an ass whooping for you"

When John had noticed that Annie wasn't in the house, he'd been frantic. He'd been getting ready to grab his shotgun, afraid some demon had taken her when Dean 'innocently' mentioned he thought he could hear sounds coming from the car.

The traumatic experience had left Annie with claustrophobia and a deep dislike for the Impala that had carried on into her adult years. Irrational, she knew, to hate an inanimate object with such intensity, but hate it she did.

And she did have a feeling the car hated her back.

Missouri, a psychic friend of the family believed that everything had an energy.

Annie definitely believed there was a certain vibe about the car that just rubbed her wrong.

Or maybe it was Dean's adoration for the damn thing that bothered her so much.

Jealous of a car? As if Annie need more excuses to see a shrink.

"Nice to know things haven't changed one bit." Sam Winchester retorted, leaning his elbows on Dean's car window.

Annie jumped in her seat and felt a rush of warmth and affection when she saw Sam. Finally, someone she didn't want to run through with a poker. "Sam!" She got out of the car and threw her arms around him.

He hugged her tightly. "Dean told me what happened. God, I'm so sorry, Annie,"

Annie buried her face in his neck, blinking back tears. "He told me about Jess. God, Sam. How are you holding up?"

"I'm sort of in the numb stage right now. We're gonna get this thing, Annie. I promise you."

"You bet we are." Annie agreed. "I'm coming with you."

Sam pulled back and looked from her to Dean.

"Don't look at me, you're the one she listens to." Dean pointed out.

"Oh, so that's why you agreed to bring me along," Annie sneered in annoyance. She kicked the wheel of Dean's car.

A.N:

Jforce: There will be times, I promise, that you're very right! (laughs) Thankie for you feedback! Hope you like this chapter.

fading phantom: Thankie muchly for your feedback. I'm thrilled you're enjoying this story! Hope you enjoy this chapter too!