They drove for the entire day. After listening to Dean's cassettes a couple times, Alex and Dean quickly agreed that the three best songs were Ramble On, Eye of the Tiger, and Wanted Dead of Alive. Dean tried to vouch for Traveling Riverside Blues, but Alex quickly threw it out. Sam listened to their heated debate quietly, not bothering to add his opinion.
...
September 25th, 2008
Detroit, Michigan
Around midnight, Dean pulled the Impala into the parking lot of a small motel. While Sam got a room, Alex helped Dean unload their duffle bags from the trunk and they made their way towards the rooms. Sam joined them, and unlocked the door. He stepped inside and turned on the lights. "So how are we suppose to sleep?" Dean finally asked, looking around. "See, this is why you don't come along." He motioned towards the two beds.
"You don't want me because there's not enough beds?" Alex could barely contain her disbelief.
"I can sleep on the couch." Sam tossed his bag onto the worn piece of furniture.
"Cool. I'll take this one." Alex launched herself onto the farthest queen-sized bed.
Dean said nothing, but swung his duffle bag onto the remaining bed. "Well, I'm heading straight to bed." He glanced at the clock, and proceeded to collapse on the mattress. Alex yawned and closed her eyes, not really bothering to change into more comfortable clothes; she was too tired.
...
She woke to hear movement in the room. She opened her eyes to see Sam slip on his jacket. "Where you going?" she whispered.
Sam jumped, and adverted his gaze guiltily. "Nowhere."
"Ruby?" Alex guessed. It wasn't hard to tell; she didn't think Sam would look so guilty getting a beer.
"Don't tell Dean," he whispered back.
"If I was going to, I would have told him long ago," Alex promised. She propped herself up on her elbows. "Now go. You don't want to miss your date." She watched Sam quickly leave the room. The door locked with a small click. She closed her eyes and lay quietly for a few more minutes. On the other bed, Dean tossed and turned. Alex opened her eyes and watched him worriedly. After a few seconds, Castiel appeared. Alex quickly shut her eyes, watching him through barely closed eyes. The angel sat down on the bed next to Dean.
Suddenly, Dean gasped and jerked awake.
"Hello, Dean," Castiel spoke. "What were you dreaming about?"
"What, do you get your freak on by watching other people sleep?" Dean struggled through his tiredness to sit up. "What do you want?"
"Listen to me. You have to stop it."
"Stop what?" Dean was silenced as Castiel reached out and touched him gently on the forehead with two fingers. Both Dean and Cas disappeared.
Alex sat up with a start. "Great," she spoke out loud. "Just leave me here alone." After a small pause, she added, "Oh yeah. By the way, Cas, don't know if your listening, but I'm sorry if I insulted you. So yeah. And remember to bring Dean back. He's my ride." With that, she slowly fell back to sleep.
...
"I couldn't stop any of it!"
Alex groggily rolled over at the sound of Dean's voice. "Keep it down," she grumbled, but sat up and glanced at the clock. 2:52. Alex groaned. Two hours. He'd been gone for two hours.
Dean had sat up and was staring at Castiel, who was standing at the foot of the bed. "She still made the deal. She still died in the nursery, didn't she?" He ignored Alex.
"Don't be so hard on yourself," Castiel spoke quietly.
"You couldn't have stopped it anyways," Alex cut him off, connecting the fuzzy dots. She thought she remembered what was going on. She kept her statement vague just in case. "Now please, keep it down?"
"What?" Dean stared at Alex.
"Destiny can't be changed, Dean," Castiel explained. "All roads lead to the same destination."
"Then why'd you send me back?"
"For the truth. Now you know everything we do."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Dean challenged. Castiel didn't answer, but turned to look at the couch. Dean followed his gaze. "Where's Sam?" He looked over at Alex.
"We know what Azazel did to your brother. What we don't know is why - what his endgame is. He went to great lengths to cover that up."
"Where's Sam," Dean repeated, stepping towards the angel.
"425 Waterman."
Dean jumped out of bed and grabbed his jacket. Alex followed slowly.
"You're brother is headed down a dangerous path, Dean, and we're not sure where it leads. Stop it, or we will," Castiel warned. He glanced at Alex. Dean grabbed his keys and ran out the door.
"All roads lead to the same destination," Alex quietly quoted back to Cas. With that, she walked out the door, leaving the angel standing in the darkened room, alone.
...
Alex climbed into the front seat. Dean started the car and pulled out of the parking lot, taking off down the road. "Would you like explaining all of this to me?" Dean asked tensely.
"Promise not to kill me?"
"That doesn't make me feel any better." Dean tightened his grip on the wheel.
Alex took a deep breath. "Sam's been, um, hanging out with, well, a demon," she began, "and um, getting stronger? Killing-demons-with-his-mind kind of stronger." She decided not to tell him about the demon blood part. Not quite yet.
"You're lying," Dean whispered quietly. He pushed down on the gas petal, and the car accelerated.
"I don't lie." Alex didn't say anything else, and Dean didn't press her, too angry to form words.
...
They pulled off the main road and drove up to a warehouse with the address 425 Waterman. Dean jumped out of the car and crept around to a window on the near side. Alex followed close. Peering inside, they saw Sam, a young woman, and a man, tied to a chair. As she watched, Sam stretched out his hand, and the man in the chair began to cough. Thick black smoke poured out of his mouth, burning into the floor. It stopped, and a small smile formed on the woman's lips. Sam reached over to the man. Dean looked at Alex in disbelief, who looked back at him sadly. He walked over to the closest door. He slowly opened it, revealing Sam, who was helping the man to his feet. Sam stopped cold. His gaze flickered over Dean's face, then down to Alex's, where it hardened. Alex knew he blamed her, but didn't have time to explain.
"So, anything you want to tell me, Sam?" Dean said quietly, voice tight.
"Dean, hold on, okay? Just let me-"
"You gonna say, 'let me explain'? You're gonna explain this?" Dean's voice rose. "How about this? Why don't you start with who is this and what the hell is she doing here?" He slowly walked over to them. Alex followed at a distance.
The dark haired woman looked over at him. "It's good to see you again, Dean."
"Ruby?" Dean turned his attention to her. She smiled in acknowledgement. He turned back to his brother. "Is that Ruby?"
Sam didn't respond. Dean looked over at Alex, then suddenly flew at Ruby, pinning her against a wall. He drew the demon blade, and tried to kill her. "Don't!" Sam flew forward and tried to wrestle the knife out of Dean's hand. Dean shoved him, and Sam flew back into a wall. Ruby took the opportunity to shove Dean against the wall, hands at his throat. Alex stepped forward, ready to help. "Ruby, don't!" Sam yelled. Ruby stopped, but continued to stare at Dean. He glared back. Ruby dropped her arm, and Dean straightened up.
"Well aren't you Sam's obedient little bitch," he said coldly. Alex opened her mouth to say something. "Don't," Dean warned her. Ruby turned her attention to Alex.
"I don't suppose we met." Ruby echoed Dean's coldness.
Alex said nothing.
"The name's Ruby." The demon extended a hand. "You must be Dean's bitch, then."
"I don't trust you." Alex pulled the corner of her lip into a snarl. "Never have, never will."
"Nice to meet you too." The demon held Alex's gaze.
"Ruby." Sam stepped in. "He's hurt." He motioned to the man on the floor. "Go."
"Listen to Sammy," Alex sneered. Ruby glared at her, and her eyes flickered black. Alex resisted looking away; that was much creepier in real life. After a second, Ruby did as Sam asked. She helped the man to his feet, and began walking him to the door.
"Where do you think you're going?" Dean asked.
"The ER. Unless you want to go another round first." When Dean didn't respond, Ruby led the man out of the warehouse.
Dean glared at Sam. "Dean," Sam began.
Dean said nothing. He just headed for the door.
"Dean!" Sam called. Alex glanced back at Sam. He glared at her angrily, and she ran out out after Dean.
"Leave me alone," Dean growled as Alex opened the passenger door. He started the car.
"No. You can't leave me here." Dean paused at the note of desperation in her voice. "Dean, Sam will kill me. He probably thinks I told you about him and Ruby." She took a deep breath. "I'm not kidding. He will kill me. He'll make me wish I was dead!" Her breath grew ragged at the thought, and she looked at him desperately. "You can't leave me here, man."
The hunter let out an angry breath. "Get in."
Alex got passenger seat and closed the door. They drove off down the street.
...
So, shorter chapter today. In case you haven't noticed, each chapter is named after its episodes because I'm lazy :)