Disclaimer: I own the peanut butter and jelly sandwich I just ate. Does that count for anything? No? Okay then on with the story.
They made it to Vinita late the next afternoon after taking turns driving through the night. Jack grew conspicuously quiet the closer they got.
Dean pulled to a stop at a red light as they entered the town. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the soccer mom in the minivan next to them glance at them and push the button for the automatic locks.
"I love it when they do that." He snickered.
"You know maybe the locals would be more inclined to talk to us if we didn't scare them." Sam pointed out.
"Says you." Dean hmphed.
"We still look like we've been in a bar fight, they'd be scared of us if we drove in here in a Volvo." Jack said slouching down further in her seat.
"This is nice place." Sam said changing the subject looking out the window at the greenery that bordered the town, thick forestry gave it an almost isolated feel. Sam couldn't picture Jack in a place like this.
"Too green." Jack said wrinkling her nose.
Dean was raising an eyebrow at Sam. He just shrugged.
"Whatever."
Jack almost told Dean to keep going when he stopped in front the first motel they came to. She had to bite her lip not to. What were the odds the owners would remember her? She wondered to herself. Just in case though when she saw the owner walk around the corner just outside, she popped her hood up discreetly and stayed in the car while Sam and Dean ran in to get two rooms.
Too bad that the owner caught a look at her face as he was passing by.
"Can I help you sirs?" The older man asked them while trying to place the face he'd just caught a glimpse of.
"We need a couple of rooms for the week, one single, one double please." Dean said pulling out his phony credit card.
"Um sir? Hello?" Dean waved his hand in front of the old man's face to catch his attention. Sam looked in the same direction the man was and saw Jack's blue hood covered head leaning against the back window facing away from them.
"Oh sorry thought I saw someone I knew." The man said apologetically. "A single and a double you said?"
"Yes sir, preferably next to each other." Sam added flashing his trademark boy scout smile at the man.
"I think we can so that." He smiled at Sam taking his credit card from him.
"So do you get many out of towners 'round here?" Sam asked conversationally, fishing for information.
"We get people passing through from time to time. Enough to keep the business going." The man answered.
"Friend of mine passed through awhile back. She told me it was a nice place to stay." Sam told him. Dean looked at him wondering what the hell Sam was up to.
"You mean the redhead?" The man asked nodding towards the car. Now he remembered that face. Dean looked sharply at the owner.
"You've got a good memory, it must have been months since she came through here." Sam said.
"A year or so. She stayed here for a couple months I recall. Its pretty hard to forget a face like that." The man said with a chuckle. Sam smiled and nodded, filing away the information for later.
"You're all set, Mr. Newton. Round the back and to your left." The owner said giving Dean the receipt to sign and the room keys.
"Thank you sir." Sam said taking the keys from Dean, silently thanking him for proving Sam's theory about Jack being in Vinita before right.
"Your welcome and tell your friend its good to see her again." The man called to Sam as he reached the door.
"Yes sir." Sam lied. No way was he tipping his hand this early in the game(oh no, I'm starting to sound like Dean, he thought). He wanted to know why Jack didn't want them to know about her time in this place.
"What was that?" Dean asked Sam.
"Just making conversation." Sam said innocently.
"No, you were fishing." Dean accused.
"Don't you think its weird how Jack's been acting since we got here. She's been here and doesn't want us to know that." Sam said lowering his voice as they got closer to the car.
"Bad idea Sam." Dean warned. "Besides how do you know she didn't just forget staying here? Do you remember every town we stay in?"
"And the behavior?" Sam asked.
"Could it be the demon who tried to kill her with her memories in my body a couple of weeks ago?" Dean asked sarcastically.
"Maybe." Sam muttered begrudgingly. He shut up because they were back at the car and Jack was eyeing him from the backseat.
"Got the rooms." Sam said unnecessarily as he got in the car.
"Good to know." Jack said. "Nice chat?"
"I guess." Sam answered shrugging casually. "Lets go, we still have to find out where they found the bodies so we can take a look around."
"Yeah okay." Jack said after a beat. You're way to on edge, she silently chastised herself. They did it all the time, chatting up the owners so they didn't look too close at the credit cards they were passing them.
Dean gave Sam a look that said Bad idea and started the car.
Jack walked quickly into her room and closed the door. She busied herself with pouring salt lines and laying down runes. Trying to block out the fact that she was only one level and three doors down from the room she'd lived in last time she was in that motel.
She remembered the exact position of the room because she'd counted out the steps dozens of times to make sure she had the fastest escape routes down on her mind after checking in the first time. Jack shrugged off the thought, chose twin Beretta's to hide beneath her dark hoodie and a fake student I.D. for the nearest University and went out the door. Once she crossed the threshold she looked at the staircase leading up to the second floor. Unbidden a memory came.
Soft, eager kisses. Laughing as she squirmed from his grasp to run up the stairs, gesturing for him to follow, letting the straps from her tank top fall down as a silent invitation. Brian grinning up at her. By the time he followed her inside the salt lines were hidden by her clothes and he wouldn't have noticed a bomb going off when she pulled him to her.
Jack laughed at herself and tapped out the rhythm to 'Love In An Elevator' on the boys door.
"That an invitation?" Dean asked when he opened the door.
"Of course," Jack smirked, "But not for you. What d'ya say Sammy?" She asked flopping into a chair.
"No thanks, barely legal." Sam replied. "Besides there's no elevator here."
"You're making me doubt my seduction skills Sammy." Jack said mournfully.
"See behavior like that is exactly why we got a divorce." Dean scolded her with a grin.
TBC…..
AN: Yes I suck, this a shamefully short chapter, but I'm trying to wean myself back into things after a temporary but very unpleasant sick time, bleh. I'll probably have something longer and better tomorrow, if not late tonight. Till then good things come to those who wait. Yeah I don't believe that shit either but bear with me.