Millie caught up with Sam as he walked back into the camp area. He immediately began speaking, "Alright, listen up. It's time to go. Things have gotten more complicated." He stood staring off into the distance as his sentence trailed off. Millie nodded in agreement as Hailey looked at him in confusion and asked in an unbelieving tone, "What?" Roy chimed in, "Listen, kid. Whatever's out there, I think I can handle it." Sam answered back, "It's not me I'm worried about. If you shoot this thing, you're just gonna make it mad. We have to leave now." Sam looked over at her as he said it again. Millie started to say something about nightfall but was cut off by Roy, "One, you're talking nonsense and two, you're in no position to be giving orders." Dean had appeared back in camp, "Relax." Millie walked slightly in between the two, "Honestly, both of you need to calm down. We will figure this out." Sam looked at her a pleadingly, "Mills, you know we shouldn't have let them come out here in the first place. We need to get them back safely." Millie smiled at him gently, "We will protect them, Sam. I promise." Roy scoffed, "You protect me?" he moved towards her, "I was hunting these woods, when your mommy was still kissing you good night."
Sam and Dean made to separate them but what they didn't expect was what happened. Millie narrowed her eyes at Roy as she also took a step up to him; closing the space completely. She straightened her body as tall as it would go, confidence exuded from her as she looked up at him. "Oh yeah...it's a damn-near perfect-hunter. It's smarter than you," She gazed around at the others before going back to Roy, "It's going to hunt you down and eat you alive...unless, we get your stupid sorry ass out of here." Roy laughed at her, "You know you three are crazy right?" Millie retorted, "Oh, yeah? You ever hunt-" Dean intervened cutting her off, "Alright you two, chill out." Roy continued to chuckle hysterically as Hailey ran over to them. She made eye contact with Millie, "Everybody just stop. Look, Tommy might still be alive. I'm not leaving here without him." Millie shoulders dropped as they stared at each other. She sighed and kicked down at the ground, "It's getting late..." Dean nodded, knowing where she was going, "This thing is a good hunter in the day, but an unbelievable hunter at night. We'll never beat it, not in the dark."
Sam took in a deep breath as he clasped a hand on Millie's shoulder, "We should settle in and protect ourselves." Hailey nodded and followed him as he walked around, "How?" Millie bit her lip, holding in her anger towards Roy. She spoke softly as she walked away, "I'll get firewood..." As she ventured around picking up kindling and other pieces she could feel her eyes begin to burn. Before she knew it the tears had started to fall. Leaning against a tree Millie let the fear of the creature they were about to face take over. That night, several years ago, she had been all alone in a dark forest. Having managed to twist her ankle, she had been forced to limp and crawl; hiding every few minutes. Trying to avoid being taken alive. What that creature would have done to her was the worst thing she could ever imagine... it would have eaten away at her flesh while she was alive. The thing had tracked and hunted her all night; toying with her. The only reason she had made it out alive...was because of a young man setting out on one of his first hunts; Garth Fitzgerald. Garth had also been employed by another one of the families with missing persons. He had decided to make camp near the trail head and had heard her crawling around. Luckily, he had brought some alcohol and they were able to torch the fucker. That night was the night she made one of her best friends and tonight she would have to relive the nightmare that had come before.
As she stood there crying against the tree, she felt arms wrap themselves around her, turning her into the embrace. By the smell, she knew it was Sam. He held her close, softly sushing her and rubbing circles on her back. She wrapped her arms around him, "Sammie...I'm so scared..." Sam's eyebrows drew together as he spoke softly, "Millie Katherine...you have nothing to be afraid of. Dean and I will always protect you. We will always be here for you. You have my word.." He pulled back and looked into her reddened eyes, "Don't you know how much you mean to us..." Millie nodded as the tears started to dry up, "Yes, I know." She wiped the tears away and sniffed with a slight chuckle, "I'd rather Dean didn't know that you found me crying. It would only make him worry." Sam smirked softly at her, "Of course." He kissed her forehead and then the two headed back for camp, not forgetting the firewood of course.
~Dean~
Dean watched Millie head out to get firewood and decided to go with her. As he proceeded to catch up with her...he heard her soft cries. He decided to stand from a distance, not wanting for her to be embarrassed at having been found. His heart broke at watching his childhood friend breakdown in such a way. She hated crying in front of them. She always tried to be so strong...so brave. Sometimes he just wanted to hold her to him, calming her by running his hand through her hair. His warmth mingling with hers and lulling her to a peaceful sleep. Whatever had happened that night he would make sure she never had to go through something like that alone again. Before Dean could turn around and head back to the others; he watched as his brother approached Millie. Slowly and cautiously Sam wrapped his arms around her. Dean's heart wrenched as she wrapped her arms around his brother. He didn't know why, but the scene upset him way more than it should have. Without making himself known, the older Winchester made his way back to the others.