CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO: Abundance Of Information
"Are we almost there?" Jo moaned, wanting nothing more than to stretch her legs and get the hell away from Meg who had not stopped humming Highway to Hell no matter how loud Dean blasted the Metallica. The brunette to Jo's right had her feet propped up on the dash, some random magazine she had found in the back seat occupying her hands.
The middle Winchester rolled his eyes, trying to ignore the fact that this was the third time the blonde next to him had asked that same question in the past two hours. "I told you half an hour ago we were about an hour away. Get comfy sweetheart, you still have to suffer through another 30 more minutes." He said, his tone dripping with sarcasm as he checked their gas level. "Scratch that. We have to make a quick pit stop." He added hesitantly, not wanting to tick off his easily agitated passenger as he switched lanes to the next exit.
Jo leaned her head back, groaning as they pulled into a run-down gas station.
"Can you two play nice while I go pay for this?" Dean questioned after he started filling up the tank. Meg and Jo shared a quick glare before nodding curtly towards the middle Winchester. "Great. Meg, keep your hands to yourself please."
With that, Dean took off inside, leaving the two girls alone.
...
Sam had to admit, doing stuff without his brother had its perks. He smiled quietly to himself as he ran his hands along the worn leather of the steering wheel. He glanced over at his father, who was fast asleep next to him, missing out on seeing the early morning sunrise. Because the demon hadn't wanted to waste any time, he insisted on driving through the night. But he didn't mind, he got to see the brilliant shades of pinks, oranges, and yellows all mixed together to light up the morning sky.
Just as he was really starting to relish the utter silence that filled the classic car, John snorted suddenly and sat up, fists raised in a defensive position.
"What?! I'm up!" He exclaimed, shaking his head, his eyes wide.
Sam chuckled slightly, giving his father a sideways glance as he continued to barrel down the deserted country road. "Everything okay?" He asked, amusement evident in his tone.
"Peachy." John said gruffly, wiping a rough hand down his face in hopes of waking himself up. "Where are we?"
"Just passed the border into Kansas about an hour back." Sam stated, feeling sentimental about his home state.
The hunter perked up, clapping his son on the shoulder. "Mind if we make a short stop? I would love to see the house again without being there for a job." He said, sadness enveloping his voice as he remembered the last day he had spent in that house almost two decades ago.
The house was quiet as John entered, trying to be as silent as he could as he slowly shut the door and relocked it.
He was caught off guard by light suddenly flooding the hallway. Turning quickly, he felt his gut fall to the floor when he saw Mary standing there in her favorite white night gown with her arms crossed in anger.
"Where were you?" She asked, trying to keep her voice level. John could see the way she clenched her fists, trying to hide them underneath her arms.
The hunter tried to remember the excuse he had given this time for why he had been gone for two weeks, but wasn't quite recalling. "I told you. Another business trip."
She scoffed and pulled something off the table from behind her and threw his sacred hunter's journal at his feet with a heavy thud. "Just thought I wouldn't find out?" She accused, her voice shaking as she tried to keep it low as to not wake their three year old upstairs.
"I can explain-" John started, only to be cut off by Mary walking forward abruptly.
"I told you my secret, yet you couldn't tell me you were a damn hunter? Is that what all these business trips were? Hunts?!" She couldn't help how her voice rose. John looked into his wife's eyes and saw nothing but betrayal and anger, something he never wanted to see.
He shook his head and took a step forward, grabbing Mary's shoulder gently only to have her pull away. Putting his hands up in a gesture of peace, he took a deep breath. "I tried to quit, I really did. I didn't know you can never really leave."
"You know what you can leave, John?" Mary asked bitterly, taking a step back.
John waited, praying that what he thought was going to come never would.
With as much malice as she could put into the statement, Mary's eyes flashed black for an instant before she turned away from him, continuing quietly."This house."
"John?" Sam asked, confused why his father had suddenly checked out.
The hunter shook his head to clear it of the memory that still haunted his nightmares. "Sorry, just reminiscing." He apologized, forcing a smile.
The demon nodded, figuring if John wanted to talk about it, he would. "Uh, I think it's a good idea to see the house again. Maybe they have more of our stuff."
"When did you move out?" John asked, wanting to get to know Sam as well as he could. He wanted to become closer with his boys because dammit, since he wasn't a good father when they were younger, he'd be damned if he wasn't there for them now.
Sam looked thoughtful, trying to remember. "I think it was when I was about six. That's when mom had to go back to making deals and hunters started to pick up on our demonic nature." He laughed at the end, shaking his head. " Dean had such a hard time leaving the house, mom had to pry him off of the railings."
John wished he could hear more stories like that about his eldest son, the ones that showed his humanity.
...
Dean strolled into the gas station with a wad of cash crumpled in his hand. As he opened the door, a bell signifying a new customer rang and the guy covering the counter looked up with a bored expression.
"Welcome to Gas N' Sip. Can I help you?" The pale, lanky teenager asked with the least amount of enthusiasm the demon had ever heard in his life.
Giving the kid a look of pity, he tossed the bills on the glass counter top. "Pump number three-"
"Aw shit sorry man!" Some tall guy with glasses apologized after spilling his steaming cup of coffee all over the side of Dean's clothes. He grabbed a hold of a bunch of napkins from the slushie machine counter and tried to help the demon clean up.
Feeling extremely uncomfortable by the guy's grabby hands, Dean shoved him off. "It's cool. I'll just go clean up." He said, rushing off to the bathroom to try to get the sticky substance off his leather jacket.
Dean had been in such a hurry he hadn't even noticed the man's black eyes following him as he closed the bathroom door.
"Gotta be fuckin' kidding me." Dean mumbled, grabbing a paper towel from the dispenser of the incredibly dirty men's bathroom. The demon's head snapped to the door suddenly, hearing the soft click of the door locking from the outside. "Hello?" He called as a slim blonde exited one of the stalls.
"Hi Dean-o. Miss me?"
...
Jo tapped her fingers impatiently on her thigh, wondering what on earth could be keeping Dean so long.
"Maybe I should go check on him." She offered only to receive an eye roll from the demon beside her.
"You can't follow him everyone. Plus, the whole lost puppy thing so isn't attractive." Meg noted, a smirk playing at the edge of her lips.
Jo looked shocked, her mouth open as she slid farther away from the brunette. "What the hell are you talking about?" She demanded as Meg's laughter penetrated her ear drums.
"Really? Playing dumb? I mean, it used to be cute but, I didn't think it was really a hunter's style." Meg said in disbelief, eyeing the blonde with amusement.
Jo crossed her arms, her lips pursed as she slumped farther down in the seat. She glanced to the gas station door, where a man with black eyes was switching the paper sign hanging from the door from 'Open' to 'Close'.
"Meg, we've got a problem." Jo pointed to the door, the amount of panic in her voice enough to get the brunette's attention. Peering through the window, Meg saw a muscular demon locking the door.
After sharing a look, the girls jumped out of the truck.
...
Sam and John decided not to visit the house, especially after the lady had yelled at them for even showing their faces there ever again.
"At least we tried." John offered as they walked back to the Impala.
The young demon shrugged as he climbed into the driver's side. "Yeah, I guess. Ready to hit the road?" He asked, starting the car and hearing the familiar roar of the engine.
John looked thoughtful before a small smile tugged at his lips. "Actually, can we stop by and see an old friend of mine?"
Not seeing any harm, Sam agreed and they were soon parked outside the small home of one Missouri Moseley.
"Where are we at?" The young demon asked as they approached the suburban house. Although he couldn't explain it, the closer they got, the weirder the vibe he picked up on.
John chuckled as he knocked on the door. "You'll like her."
The door opened to reveal a average height African American lady who seemed delighted to see Sam, but not John.
"Sam!" She exclaimed, grabbing his arms. "Let me get a good look atcha. My, have you grown up pretty." She noted, giving him a warm smile before turning to the old hunter with a glare that could kill. "I was wonderin' when you'd show back up here." She stepped forward and swatted the hunter on the arm before pulling him into a hug. "Good to see you. Please, come in."
As she ushered the pair in, Sam was overwhelmed by the voodoo feel of Missouri's home and by how much power the woman in front of him was radiating.
"I'm a psychic, Sam. And yes, I know what you are." Missouri answered, even though the demon hadn't actually said anything. The woman led them to a cluttered living room, having had to walk through a entryway with beads dangling from it. The youngest Winchester sat carefully on the edge of a flowered couch, his father joining him.
"So," Ms. Moseley started, smirking. "What can I do for you?" She stopped, looking suddenly serious. "Is it about your mother?"
Sam looked puzzled, his brows furrowed in confusion. "Um, I didn't think-"
Missouri turned her attention to John, cutting off the tall mop-head. "John, you didn't tell Sam why you really wanted to come here? Shame on you. No manners." She shook her head, narrowing her eyes at the embarrassed looking hunter before readdressing the demon. "I saw your mom a few weeks ago. She was shook up. Talked some nonsense about being on the run."
...
"Dammit, really?" Dean asked, meeting Ruby's fierce gaze with one filled with annoyance. "I'm seeing you guys more now than I will when I actually get downstairs." He backed up to get closer to the window, a plan already in motion.
The blonde smirked, a cruel glint in her eyes. "You only have four months left, Crowley's hoping you'll come early."
"Why is he so focused on one demon going to Hell? Doesn't he have a full time job keeping him busy?" Dean asked, genuinely curious.
Ruby laughed at his ignorance as she stepped forward. "He has plans for you, Ken Doll. He's anxious to get them in motion." She explained, her tone smug.
"And what exactly does he want?" The middle Winchester demanded, losing his patience.
The blonde's brows shot up, stunned by his rough tone and prying eyes. "Can't ruin a good surprise." She teased before continuing. "I will tell you this, I hope you aren't against tattoos." She said vaguely, mischief shining in the eyes.
Dean's expression hardened as he tried to digest what she had said. "There's no fucking way. He's crazy."
Ruby shrugged, crossing her arms and causing her leather jacket to crinkle. "I'm just here for Meg. I heard you guys are pals again." The blonde said with amusement in her tone as she switched the conversation.
The middle Winchester flicked a brow up as he tried to act unaffected by his newly acquired information, a sly grin playing at his lips. "Last time I checked, she's not in here." He quipped, putting out his arms to indicate the men's restroom.
"True, but you are. So she'll come running in to save your ass." Ruby said, oozing confidence.
Dean scoffed, stepping toward Ruby. "One flaw in that little plan." He started, meeting Ruby's smug, questioning gaze. "My ass don't need saving." In a quick motion, he flung Ruby up against the wall, his eyes becoming enveloped in black as he moved towards the window. "It's been great seeing you, see ya in four months." He sent the fuming demon still suspended on the wall a cocky wink as he slipped out the window, landing on his feet outside the building with ease just in time to hear Ruby's cry of frustration.
The demon made a beeline for the truck, skidding to a halt when he saw it completely unoccupied.
...
"What's the plan?" Jo said with earnest as they ran toward the door. Meg suddenly stopped, remembering the fully-packed arsenal in the back of Bobby's truck. Quickly returning to it, she opened it up and scanned the many weapons. The young hunter popped up beside her, her hands instantly finding a flask of holy water and the demon killing knife. Meg settled for a sawed off with rock salt rounds.
With their weapons in hand, they rushed to the gas station where the brunette proceeded to close her eyes.
"Um, Meg now's really not the time to take a nap." Jo joked, her anxiety levels rising when she saw no sign of Dean inside.
Choosing to ignore her comment, the demon raised her wrist and twisted it slightly, the lock on the door clicking shut, the glass door flying open. With a sense of arrogance, Meg walked in with a brooding Jo behind her.
The pair searched the store for any signs of Dean, but the only thing they found was a bag of chips on the ground. Meg crouched down, examining the mound of yellow powder next to it on the floor.
Jo kneeled next to her to get a better look, her hunter instincts not picking up on the person who approached them from behind with a wrench raised, positioned to hit Meg.
Thankfully, at least one of the girls was on their toes and the brunette quickly turned around, gripping the wrench in her hand right before it collided with her face.
"That was a close one." She quipped right as she yanked on the tool, bringing the muscular demon down on his knees as the duo stood up, both in defensive stances.
The man glared up at her, black eyes shining with anger as his lips twitched with irritation. "Crowley wants to see you." He hissed, his voice full of venom.
Meg looked unbothered as she stood there with one hip popped out, resting the tip of the wrench in her other hand. "You can tell Crowley I've decided to take a play from the Winchester playbook and go free-lance." She answered, her lips twisting into a malicious grin.
Jo stepped forward, adjusting her grip on the engraved knife. "Where's Dean?" She demanded, her features hard. The man stood up slowly, backing away from the feisty hunter. With a cruel grin, the man faced Meg. "Your boyfriend is with Ruby."
The brunette stiffened, knowing that that definitely wasn't good. Just as she was about to respond, Ruby came storming out of the bathroom, a scowl plastered to her face as her gaze landed on Meg. "He's lose and on his way. Grab her and let's go." Ruby barked, pointing a shaking finger at the brunette.
It all happened so fast as Dean bursted through the front door; eyes feral as he spotted the three girls right as the man lunged at the brown-haired demon and disappeared.
"Meg!"
...
John shook his head in disbelief. "That can't be possible. You said a few weeks ago?" He questioned, trying to make sense of the situation. Sam watched intently, wanting nothing more than to know the truth.
Missouri nodded sadly, a regretful smile on her lips. "Yes, she rushed into my store and asked for a warding spell. I know she's been alive for quite some time now but I didn't-" She was cut off by Sam standing up suddenly.
"Wait. Quite some time?" He said with exasperation, trying to keep his anger under a cap.
Ms. Moseley seemed unsure as she met the demon's gaze. "Yes, I felt her soul return here a year or two ago but when I tracked her down she begged me to keep it a secret." She trailed off, ashamed of her actions.
John chuckled darkly. "You listened to her? Missouri that's my wife! I thought she was dead!" He yelled, standing up next to his son with such ferocity in his eyes that it scared Sam, too bad it didn't have the same effect on Missouri. Instead, it seemed to just piss her off.
"If you and Mary had been switched, I would've done the same thing. I knew there was an important reason she didn't want you to know and I didn't ask." She defended as she watched the anger slowly recede from the hunter's gaze.
Sam exhaled deeply, breaking down the situation in his head. "So she wanted a warding spell?" He asked, wanting to know more.
Ms. Moseley nodded, wishing she could give them more information. "All she said was that she finally got away and never wanted to go back."
After sharing a look, both Winchesters nodded their thanks to the woman and said they better take off. Once in the car, John turned to his son.
"We've got work to do."
...
TBC
Thanks for all the lovely reviews! You guys are honestly too sweet! Thanks aswell to those who read, favorite, and follow. I hope you enjoyed this longer than usual update but I decided to make this chapter longer because I won't be in town this weekend so I won't have time to write. Special thanks to Nina Ferraro (Did he pick up on my little foreshadowing hint?), General yumi (Thanks! I'm so happy you like it(: ), LeeMarieJack (Hopefully that was a compromising situation. Don't worry, we will see more of Meg. Just.. not for four months.), Souless666 (There hopefully was some Sam and John bonding!), babyreaper (John is still a bit sketchy when it comes to his opinion of Dean, hopefully they'll resolve it before Dean goes to Hell.), VattaKeto (There's some Mary teasers. Cas and the angels will be appearing soon... But not for another four months. I'm glad you like my story!), ncsupnatfan (I loved Meg towards the end, I was quite sad they killed her off.), 1983Sarah (Thank you! I hope you continue to enjoy it!) for reviewing. It means a lot!