June 13th, 2008
Absently reaching over to refill his glass from the liquor bottle on the corner of the desk, Bobby Singer turned another page in the dusty tome he was pouring over. When his doorbell rang, he squinted suspiciously towards the front of his house, he typically didn't get visitors. Grunting a little as his body stretched from his hunched position, Bobby pushed up to go answer it.
Taking a gun with him as he moved out of his study, he headed to the door, calling out grumpily when the doorbell rang again, "I'm coming, hold yer horses."
He could see the wavy outline of someone standing at the door. The closer he got, the more suspicious he got. Yanking the door open, he glared at the girl currently standing on his porch. She dropped her hand back to her side as he looked her over. Heavily lined, sharp green eyes glared back at him.
"Look, kid, I'm not interested in buying Girl Scout cookies." Bobby told her.
Her eyes narrowed and she asked, "Bobby Singer?"
Behind the door, Bobby cocked his gun, "Ya. Who's asking?"
The girl crossed her arms, cocking a hip as she continued to glare at him, "My name is Danielle Carlson. You knew my parents, Greg and Sarah Carlson."
Bobby's mind flashed back to last year, to finding the burnt out husk of Harvelle's Roadhouse. Of the hunters who were lost when demons burned it down in an attempt to keep the boys and him from finding out what Ash had found out.
"Awe, hell," Bobby uncocked the gun he was holding, tucking it into the back of his pants before he stood back and opened the door wider, "You better come in, kid."
Twenty minutes later, after testing her to make sure she wasn't a demon or shifter or something, Bobby sat down in the arm chair across from the couch where she was currently sitting. She was picking at the hole in the black tights she was wearing with one hand while the fingers of her other tapped on the arm of the couch. Now that he got a real good look at her, he could see both her parents in her.
"So. Why ya here?" Bobby asked her, sipping at the whiskey in his glass.
Her fingers paused, "My parents both wrote about you in their journals. You were someone they trusted."
"Look kid, I'm sorry 'bout what happened to your parents but I don't understand why you looked me up a year later," Bobby said.
She rolled her eyes, "I want you to help me become a full hunter."
Bobby blinked, "What? Are you an idjit? What are you 12?"
Her whole demeanor turned defiant, "I'm 17."
Bobby snorted, "Fine, 17. That means you are still underage. After your parents died, shouldn't you have been sent to be with family or foster care or something?"
"I have no other family and to go into foster care people have to know that your parents are dead in the first place."
Bobby held up a hand, "Hold up. Are you tellin' me that for the past year you've been on your own?"
She sighed, "Yes. And before you start to lecture, I was perfectly capable and fine."
"Kid–" Bobby began
"Dani." she interrupted.
Bobby huffed, "Dani. I know that your parents took you with them when they hunted from time to time but being dragged along is different than actually hunting."
She rolled her eyes, "They didn't just take me with them and leave me in the room rotting. I did all sorts of support for them. Research, computer hacking, shit like that. I want to do actual hunts. I figured that I could learn from you–"
Bobby listened as she continued to explain what she wanted from him. He probably should say no, he didn't need to take care of some kid. But then he remembered his role in the disaster that caused her parents' death. And he could always use someone to help with research and manning the phones.
Shaking himself out of his thoughts, he came to a decision, "Okay. You can stay with me on one condition."
Suddenly wary, Dani eyed him as she said, "What condition is that?"
"You need to get your G.E.D. I'm not gonna be responsible for having a kid who never graduated high school."
Bobby watched as she mentally warred with his condition. Then she took a deep breath, "Okay. Deal."
He stood up, "Welcome to the family, kid."
September 18, 2008
Looking up at the angry voice from the kitchen, Dani blinked in confusion. She heard as Bobby said, "This ain't funny. Call again, I'll kill ya." followed by a sound that was clearly him slamming the phone down.
When he stomped into the study a minute later Dani raised an eyebrow and asked, "What was that?"
"Nothin'," Bobby's voice was gruff with the answer. Eyes narrowing some, Dani just nodded and returned to the book she had been reading. She knew that tone, and that tone meant that even if she tried to pry he wouldn't give anything. Bobby was stubborn that way. Dani was pretty much the same come to think of it. It was one of the reasons Bobby already felt like she was one of his kids.
Hours later there was a pounding on the back door. Pulling Dani back to the surface of reality. Curious who would be at the back door instead of the front, she got up and trailed Bobby to the kitchen. Just in time to see him slashing a silver knife at the man standing there. The man dodged, grabbing Bobby's arm and twisting it. Bobby broke the grip and backhanded him in the face. She winced in sympathy, Bobby wasn't a spring chicken any longer, but he was a tough fighter.
As the man stumbled back he shouted, "Bobby! It's me!"
"My ass!" Bobby shouted back.
Shoving a chair between the two of them, the man holds his hands out rushing out the words, "Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait! Your name is Robert Steven Singer. You became a hunter after your wife got possessed, and–you're about the closest thing I have to a father. Bobby–It's me."
Bobby paused in his attempt to attack, lowering the knife and stepping forward slowly. He placed a hand on the man's shoulder, and Dani tensed not liking where this was going. Suddenly, Bobby slashed again and they were grappling over it.
The man had Bobby's back to his chest as he twisted the hand holding the knife, shouting, "Whoa, hey! I am not a shapeshifter."
"Then you're a revenant!" Bobby shouts back struggling to break the man's grip .
Having managed to disarm Bobby, he shoved him away and held the knife out in front of him, "Alright! If I was either, could I do this – with a silver knife?"
Rolling up a sleeve, he placed the knife to the area right above his elbow and sliced a cut. The blood leaked red, and there was no reaction to the silver. Then he holds the knife up, "Eh?"
Bobby blinked, staring at the wound in the man's arm for a long moment before he looked up into his face and asked, his voice edged with equal parts disbelief and hope, "Dean?"
"That's what I've been trying to tell you."
Bobby moved forward quickly, yanking Dean into a tight hug. The look on both of their faces were of pure relief.
"It's—it's good to see you, boy." Bobby croaked out.
Dean smiled lightly, "Yeah, you too."
Bobby's face fell into lines of confusion, "But–how did you bust out?"
Dean shook his head, "I don't know. I just, uh, I just woke up in a pine bo–"
Dean suddenly caught sight of Dani where she was standing in the doorway, and when he looked back at Bobby for an explanation, he got a face full of holy water. Spitting the water out of his mouth, he gives Bobby a bland look and says, "I'm not a demon either, you know."
Bobby shrugs a little sheepishly, "Sorry. Can't be too careful."
Wiping his eyes with his sleeve, Dean says, "Right. Anyway, who is the chick?"
Crossing her arms across her chest, insulted, Dani glares at him, "Excuse me? Chick ?"
Bobby slapped the back of Dean's head, "Don't be disrespectful, boy. Dean, this is Dani. Dani, this is Dean."
Dani eyed him, fully understanding now who this man was. Dean was one of two men who Bobby considered like his own sons. Dean, who had been ripped apart by hellhounds four months ago because of a demon deal he made the year prior to bring his baby brother back to life. Dean, whose death caused Bobby so much grief which had only been doubled when Sam had taken off mere weeks after and disappeared.
"Okay, why is she here?" Dean almost felt insulted that she was there. His tone caused her hackles to rise automatically.
Sneering a little she said, "Possessive much?"
Dean glared at her, "Excuse me?"
"Knock it off, the both of you. Dani's parents died in the fire at Harvelle's. She's part of the family now. Deal with it." Bobby threw a towel at Dean, who caught it and used it to wipe the rest of his face and neck as he and Bobby moved into the study.
"But– this don't make a lick of sense." Bobby was saying as he made his way around his desk.
"Yeah. Yeah, you're preachin' to the choir."
Bobby turned back to look at Dean, "Dean. Your chest was ribbons, your insides were slop. And you've been buried four months . Even if you could slip out of hell and back into your meat suit–"
Dean nodded and gestured at himself, "I know, I should look like a Thriller video reject.
Bobby glanced at where Dani was leaning against the wall before addressing Dean again, "What do you remember?"
"Not much. I remember I was a hellhound's chew toy. And then–lights out. Then I come to six feet under. That was it."
Bobby sat down in his desk chair. Dean suddenly looked awkward and concerned, "Sam's number's not working. He's uh–he's not–"
"Oh. He's alive. As far as I know." Bobby said.
Dean nodded, starting to move around and rubbing his nose, "Good—wait. What do you mean as far as you know ?"
Bobby looked at Dani again before he answered, "I haven't talked to him for months."
Dean's forehead wrinkled and he looked incredulous, "You're kidding, you just let him go off by himself?"
"He was dead set on it."
"Bobby! You should've been looking after him."
Bobby looked insulted as he stood up again, "I tried. These last months haven't been exactly easy, you know. For him or for me. We had to bury you." He jerked his thumb at Dani, "If it wasn't for the kid here, I don't know if I woulda been able to do much of anything."
Dean glanced at her again before shaking his head and asking, "Why did you bury me, anyway?"
Bobby shrugged, "I wanted you salted and burned. Usual drill. But–Sam wouldn't have it.
Dean tilted his head, "Well, I'm glad he won that one."
"He said you'd need a body when he got you back home somehow. That's about all he said." Bobby said.
Dean squinted at him suspiciously, "What do you mean?"
Bobby leaned against his desk, "He was quiet. Real quiet . And then he just took off. Wouldn't return my calls. I tried to find him, but he didn't want to be found."
Dean looked up, "Aw, damnit , Sammy!"
Deciding to leave Bobby and Dean to talk, Dani headed up to her room. The way she figured it, they would want some privacy as their conversation continued.
Some time later, Bobby knocked on the door frame, "Hey, kiddo."
Dani pushed up to sit from where she was laying on the bed. Her fingers immediately started to play with the pendant she wore on a long chain, "Hey, Bobby."
Bobby came in, sitting down on the desk chair, "So listen, Dean managed to find Sam. He's in Pontiac, Illinois."
"Isn't that near where you guys buried Dean's body?" she asked.
Bobby nodded, "We are going to go get him. See what bullshit he pulled. You wanna come or stay here?"
She considered it briefly and then said, "I wanna come with."
Bobby nodded, "Alright, let's go kid."
July 10, 2016
Nat and Clint sat on a park bench as the others waited a discreet distance away. She looked at him sadly, "Why don't you come with us?"
Clint shook his head, "Look, I just. I can't. I just don't think I can do this anymore."
Nat nodded, watching her best friend's profile next to her where he stared at the ground, elbows resting on his knees. Clint looked up at her, "These past few years? It's just been blow after blow. I just can't find it in me anymore to continue with all this."
"So, what are you going to do?"
Clint shrugged, "I think maybe it's time to retire. The Sokovia Accords aren't going to go away anytime soon and I agree with Cap, people like us–like the Avengers–they can't be beholden to governments that can be easily corrupted."
They were quiet for a time. Clint glanced at where Sam, Bucky, Scott, Wanda, and Steve were standing around the SUV. Then he looked back at Nat and asked, "What about you?"
Nat smiled and looked towards the others before answering, "We're going to drop Scott off in San Francisco, he needs to be with his family. Wanda is planning on going to Europe somewhere. Steve said that Bucky is going to go to Wakanda. He thinks that they will be able to help him overcome the brainwashing that HYDRA did. After that, I'm not sure what Sam, Steve and I are going to do."
Clint rubbed the back of his neck, "At least we know how to disappear, right?"
Nat laughed, "Right."
Minutes passed in silence again and then Nat said, "You'll keep in touch right?"
Clint glanced up at the sky, "Yeah. I will."
"Super spy skills will come in useful."
They stood. Nat wrapped her arms around Clint for a moment before she turned away and headed back to the others. Clint watched as they climbed into the SUV and Steve drove off. He sat back down on the bench for a time making decisions on where to go next. As the sun began to set, he stood up and headed out of the park.
August 6, 2016
Clint stared into his beer. Or at least to the casual observer that is what it looked like he was doing. But he was paying attention to everything going on around. Eyes tracking and brain analyzing everything. He was in some hole in the wall bar in Des Moines, Iowa. Last week he had stopped in at the old family farm in Waverly.
Years ago he had stashed what he privately called a "retirement kit". It was full of cash, an alternate and clean identity and all the accompanying documents for it. He had also stashed weapons, equipment and a clean vehicle at the farm. He was ready to start fresh. Ready to be retired.
He should have already left Iowa, and he wanted to think that he didn't know what was keeping him in this area still. But he did.
He felt adrift. Lost. Unsure what to do.
So, he was still in Iowa in some seedy bar drinking a warm beer. When his eyes tracked over the room again they fell on a young woman sitting alone at the bar. He had noticed her when she came in. Her outfit screamed 'look at me' and she proceeded to slam back drink after drink.
He wouldn't really care all that much, but he had clocked the man in the opposite corner who had been staring at her as she drank more and more. Clint didn't like the way that he was staring at the woman. Even from across the dim bar he could see the hunger in the gaze.
When the woman stood up, stumbling unsteadily a bit before she straightened and made her way out of the bar, the man followed almost immediately. Clint sighed heavily. This was just great. Clint pushed up from the table he was at, throwing down cash for the waitress.
Out on the sidewalk he assessed the area, trying to determine which way they both had gone. He caught a slight sound to the right and his eyes snapped in that direction. Setting off at a fast walk he turned into the first alley he came across. The man had the woman backed into a corner and Clint could see the fear on her face.
Clint called out, "Hey!"
The man turned towards him, a snarl on his lips and then the woman pulled a machete and swung hard, lopping the man's head off. She spun dainty out of the way of the blood spray as Clint gaped at her.
Several beats passed as the young woman bent down and wiped the blade of her machete off on the shirt of the now headless body.
Finally finding his voice Clint said loudly, "What the fuck!"
The woman looked up from where she was crouching. She had moved to digging through the body's pocket. Then she sighed heavily and braced her hands on her legs and pushed up. She slipped her machete into the back holster that she had apparently had hidden under her shirt.
Then she approached him, like one would a wild and dangerous animal, "Hey, there. Look. I know this is probably a pretty weird thing to come across but let me explain."
Clint stared at her in disbelief, "Weird? You chopped a man's head off. What the fuck was that?"
She rolled her eyes, and even through his shock Clint felt a slight tug at his heart as it reminded him of Tony. Glancing back at the body for a moment she faces him and wipes her hands briefly on her jean mini-skirt.
"Okay, it's time for you to get the talk."
Clint blinked, "Excuse me?"
"Look, I don't really have time for a lengthy explanation so here's the down and dirty. Monsters are real. All those things that go bump in the night? Werewolves, ghosts, zombies, demons, wendigos, shapeshifters, etc? Yeah they are real. Creepy Joe over there," She jerked a thumb over her shoulder, and Clint's eyes immediately tracked back to the body and head, "He was a vamp. A loner. Looking to feed."
Clint looked at her incredulously, "What?"
She sighed, gripping his arm and tugging him over to the decapitated head, "Vampire. He was a vampire."
She crouched down again, pulling out a pocket knife and peeling the dead man's lips apart. Clint winced reaching out to her, "Aw, hey don't touch—"
His voice died in his throat as he watched as she pressed the flat of her blade to the man's gum line and a second tooth descended over his other teeth. He found himself once again saying, "What the fuck."
She stood back up, wiping the blade of her knife on her skirt before she folded the knife back up and tucked it into her back pocket. She nodded down at the head, "Anyway, like I said. Vampire."
She stared into his eyes for a moment before she said, "Look, that's all the time I have to explain this. Just realize that just like how alien species exist, so do monsters. Now, I need to get going. Faster I get to verifying if he made any freshies the faster I can cure them. Speaking of—"
She pulled a couple of needles from somewhere and walked over to the body and started to draw blood into them.
Clint was still trying to process what was going on as she stood back up and started to walk away. As she reached the mouth of the alley he broke out of his stupor and he rushed forward calling out, "Hey! Wait. What the fuck are you doing?"
He saw the way her shoulders moved, as if she was taking a very deep breath and then she turned too him, "I need to make sure the vamp didn't make more vamps. I don't think he did, but if he did I have a cure I can use on them as long as they don't feed on human blood. So, I'm in a bit of a time crunch. Gotta go."
She started to turn away again and Clint, having reached her, grabbed her arm to stop her from walking away, "Just wait a minute, goddamnit."
He wasn't expecting the move, that's what he told himself when he found himself having her twisting out of his grip and holding the machete she had to his throat before he had a chance to blink. He held his hands up, "Shit. Wait. No."
She rolled her eyes again, backing up some but still holding her machete on him. She said, "Look. I can tell you are a good guy. Total white knight. But I didn't need a knight and I have shit to do. So, leave me be."
As she turned away again, Clint moved forward compelled to speak calling out to her as she moved away, "Wait, just—tell me your name."
She tossed her light brown hair over her shoulder as she looked back at him, "Dani. Dani Carlson. Now, I suggest you make yourself scarce before someone finds you near the crime scene."
Clint glanced back towards the alley way, knowing she was right. When he turned back he was surprised to see that she had disappeared. Hurrying in the same direction, Clint felt his forehead furrow as he considered the last eight minutes. What the hell had just happened?
Monsters were real?
How did he know nothing about this? How did no one he knew ever known about this or if they did they never mentioned it. This was huge.
Clint shoved his hands in his pocket and thought ruefully to his plans about retirement. Looks like that would need to wait. First thing he needed to do was track her down again. He needed more than just the rapid fire declaration she had spat at him.
He needed to get back to his room and find out who Dani Carlson was and where she was.
