Chapter Eleven
"Ready?" Autumn slid a hand over Marc's shoulder. "Marc?"
"Yea, I'm ready."
They had dumped the kids off at the hospital, after a long discussion on what had happened. The local news stations had all dispatched crews to catch the story, the return of a group of missing teens wasn't something that happened everyday and it sure as hell wasn't the typical someone got shot and a convenient store got robbed story. Fred was readmitted, she'd torn a lot of her stitches with her stunt. But Marc had insisted on coming back and looking at the burnt out frame of the Devil's Playpen. Five adult bodies had been found along with the remains of Dusty Pennington, the adult remains had yet to be identified. The count annoyed the hunters, there wasn't really a way out of the building and yet five vampires had gotten away.
"Here." she tossed Marc the keys. "You drive." he caught them and grinned climbing the driver's seat of the Mustang.
"We shouldn't have stayed, should we?" he asked once they were on the road, heading back to the motel where Sam and Dean were loading up the Impala.
"No, but I don't think the kids will rat us out." Autumn answered locking her eyes on the horizon. Marc didn't say anything for a long moment chewing at the inside of his cheek.
"I should have made sure they all got away. Then maybe the kid wouldn't have…" he trailed off. Autumn reached across the front of the car to lay a hand on his arm.
"Marc, we win some and we lose some, okay? Sometimes no matter what you do you can't save a person, and you'll have to deal with that. There was nothing you could have done with out dying yourself." the words sounded like a lie even to her but she said them anyway.
"Maybe I should have then."
"Don't ever say that!" she scolded removing her hand and sitting up straighter. "You're still needed around here."
"Autumn," he started to protest and reason things out to fit his view but they'd already gotten back and the Winchesters were leaned against the car waiting.
"Marc, do you believe in fate?" she asked in a rush turning to look at him.
"Sure, why?"
"Then believe in it now, it wasn't your time, and it was Dusty's ."
"So you want me to just forget it?" she smiled and shook her head.
"Never forget it, Marc, just don't be so rough on yourself."
"That makes no sense."
"I know," she swung open her door and hopped out. "Neither do you."
Back at the Resort
"So your sister is coming home today?" Jimmy asked staring at the puzzle on the kitchen table. Athena had scooted it out of the way and put all the unconnected pieces back in the box but hadn't let him touch it.
"She's leaving Shetland." Athena corrected reaching for her eraser. "It'll be a few days still before she gets back."
"Shame." Jimmy sighed stuffing his hands in his pockets. "I wanted to meet her." Athena looked up and grinned.
"You'll get to meet her soon enough."
"You mean you're going to do it? You're going to come down and check into my sister?" he started bouncing on the balls of his feet.
"We'll come poke around. It's been a while since we were out that way, so even if we can't do anything we'll find something worth while." she quickly looked back to her page, trying to accurately draw this installment's nasty spirit.
"You mean my sister's case isn't worth while?" he asked his face falling.
"We don't kill people, if it's a bunch of little girls jealous over some football muscle head there's not much we can do other than frame them for something, or scare the hell out of them."
"Oh." he shuffled out of the kitchen to the living room dropping into the couch.
"What time is it Jimmy?"
"Almost ten-thirty."
"Get your stuff together, we've got to get moving. You're folks plane gets in at noon."
"Do I have to go home?" he whined rocking back to his feet. "It sucks there." Athena fought not to laugh, she'd had the same thoughts about home at his age.
"Yes, you can't stay here, and I'm not helping to hide you. I could do serious jail time for that." she answered shuffling her pages back together and cleaning up her mess.
"Like that really bothers you. I heard what they say about you and your sister down there in the bar. Jail time don't scare you." he countered headed back to the bedrooms where his few belongs were scattered.
"Who is saying what?" she grabbed for her crutches hurrying after him.
"Oh, nothing." Jimmy shrugged grabbing his book bag and stuffing dirty clothes in it.
"Jimmy."
"Thena, one day you're going to make some little kid very angry."
"How's that?"
"You're kids are going to have no idea what to expect from you." Athena rolled her eyes.
"Get packed babe. I'm going to go find our ride."
Gus drove them to the air port and became wallpaper as soon as they got to the gate. Jimmy stayed as close to Athena as physically possible, nearly tripping her every time she turned around. When his folks plane finally landed he hid behind her clinging to his book bag. Jimmy's dad couldn't deny the boy to save his life. He looked just like an older version of his son, his wife on the other hand reminded Athena of a hawk with her sharp eyes and hooked nose, she was one of those women who would be labeled handsome.
"You must be Miss Hyde!" Mr. Forman, the inspiration for her alias, pumped her hand violently. Mrs. Forman had Jimmy wrapped in her arms kissing his face leaving brilliant red lips all over his forehead and cheeks.
"The one and only." She smiled. "But please call me Athena."
"Athena, we can't thank you enough for calling." Mrs. Forman released her step-son forcing him into his father's arms.
"I'd want someone to do the same for my kid. Besides, Jimmy's a good kid, we had fun." Jimmy broke out of his father's embrace.
"Yea, Athena's really cool. She lives in a log cabin and one of her friends has this huge library of ghost stories! It was awesome."
"Really?" Mrs. Forman asked but was obviously just humoring the boy.
"Is there anything we can do to repay you?" her husband asked immediately.
"No, but my sister and I were planning to make a trip to Georgia, could you suggest a good place to stay?" Mrs. Forman launched into a list of nearly every hotel in the state as she started toward the next gate that would carry the family back home. When Athena couldn't take the woman's high pitched nasal voice any more she interrupted. "Thanks." she softened her annoyed tone with a innocent grin. Jimmy smirked obviously fighting not to burst out laughing.
"Jimmy, you need to tell Miss. Hyde thank you and good bye now." his father nudged him. Jimmy sighed.
"Dad?" Mr. Forman nodded and took his wife by the elbow dragging her out of hearing range. "So, you get why I left now?" Athena ruffled his hair.
"Yea, well they love you rugrat. You shouldn't run away from people who love you that much." she cast a quick look at his step-mother. "Even if their voice makes you want to peel your skin off." He laughed and threw his arms around her.
"Thanks Thena." She gave him a one armed squeeze.
"Don't worry about it, I'll be coming to see you in a few days." he released her and stepped back. "Can you behave till then?"
"I don't know that may be a little difficult."
"Well, try or I'll beat you with this thing." she brandished her crutch at him.
"I'll try."
"Jimmy." His father called warningly.
"You gotta run kid."
"I don't want to." he whined.
"Hey," she took his shoulders in her hands. "What's the first rule of hunting?" his eyes smiled even if his lips didn't.
"Everyone leaves." she nodded.
"That means you too." With a sigh and another hug he went back to his folks. Athena watched him until he was out of sight.
Athena let the door slam behind her more worried about not falling flat on her face. She could see Sammy in the driver's seat of the Mustang , Marc at his side twisting the tip of his dunce cap. The Impala was just behind them Dean's arm hanging out the window. Athena wobbled to the nearest porch post and leaned into it, heavily. Sam had called when they'd made it to the entrance, just as he'd promised, and she'd wasted no time in getting out on to the porch to greet them.
"What no young 'uns?" Autumn asked walking hunched over to keep hold of John.
"Naw, I sent him out after a fire wood last night and he didn't come back. Bears must of got him." Athena grinned, wishing her sister would hurry up.
"We never leave her with the kids." Dean joked looking at Autumn.
"Who said I'd have your kids?" Athena saw the sudden fear in Autumn's eyes at the idea of kids with Dean, or anyone for that matter.
"Yea, you're a big enough kid." Marc swung out of the car like a monkey, holding onto the Mustang's roof. With a quick fluid movement he smashed his hat on his head and dropped his feet to the ground.
"Did you get that puzzle done?" Sam asked taking advantage of his long legs to beat everyone onto the porch.
"Are you joking, you get the torturous joy of finishing that with me."
"Yay me." he winked passing her for the front door. "Well, come on let's get it over with."
Marc started to say something, he wanted to pull Dean aside and threaten him if he did anything to hurt Autumn, but now wasn't the time. He was still behaving. Athena was picking her way back in to follow Sam. As soon as her sister was out of the way, Autumn released John . The dog tore around the cabin watering anything that stuck up out of the ground.
"Dean, give Marc the keys so he can get his stuff." Autumn instructed reaching her arms above her head to stretch.
"Here, man." Dean threw the keys at him and Marc had to scramble to catch them.
"Thanks." Dean shrugged and started up the steps.
"I'm gonna crash." he told Autumn.
" Kay, I'll be in after bit." she watched him go in before coming to lean against the back of the Impala. "How you holding up?"
"At least he didn't suffer. I mean it's not Lexi all over again." Autumn nodded.
"That's the trick, look at the silver lining." Marc slung his bag over his shoulder.
"You really think so?"
"I know so." she grinned. "Do you know how?"
"How, Autty?" she smirked slamming the trunk for him and wrenching the keys free.
"I'm always right."
"Yea, right. If you believe that then you'll believe anything." Marc shook his head. "You comin' to the big house?"
"Nope, going to head out for the range, let Jen know we're home."
"Later, then."
"Later." she waved over her shoulder taking off at a sprint for the ranges.
Autumn and Dean were asleep and John was snoring in front of the front door. The fire roared and crackled in the fireplace, and aside from the snores and the fire the cabin was dead silent. It was a nice silence, one Athena hadn't realized she'd missed so much. Sam snapped another piece into place a triumphant smirk on his face. They were almost finished with the damn puzzle.
"Six pieces." Athena announced turning a white chunk of moon in her fingers.
"How was your week?" he asked conversationally. They hadn't really talked for the past two hours that they'd sat in front of the fragmented picture.
"Different." she leaned back and watched him exaggerate the act of placing the tail on the wolf.
"Good or bad, different?"
"Good, I think. I got a lot of work done, and Jimmy was nice to have around. Sort of like a highly intelligent helper monkey. How about yours?"
"Long. Marc is impossible to share a room with." Athena bit back a giggle.
"I know, he and Autumn used to get into it all the time when he'd tag along with us and Will." Sam's shoulder's tensed at the mention of Will and Athena felt the burst of butterflies in her stomach.
"Where's he at, I didn't see him today?"
"Canada by now, at least if the rust machine didn't break down." she'd meant it as a joke but Sam had spotted the undercurrent of real worry.
"Have you called him?" she shook her head and put the puzzle piece to her lips absent mindedly chewing at its edge. "Do you want to?" she shook her head again sitting back up.
"No, he's a big boy. He needs help he'll give a ring. So besides Will, how was the hunt?"
"We lost a kid. Fifteen or so, left his sister alone in the world too."
"Where were their folks?" she asked sympathy soaking her voice.
"Kate and friends got to them before we got there. They tossed Fred, the boy's sister, out and we found her. But Kate killed Dusty right in front of us." Sam returned his attention to the puzzle and Athena wished she had something better to talk about.
"Did Autumn tell you about Georgia?" his lack of response encouraged her to keep talking. "Jimmy, the boy that was here, thinks there's a case down there. I promised we'd check it out, probably won't find anything but it can't hurt, right?"
"Right." he reached for her puzzle piece, it was the last missing part. Their hands touched and eyes met. Athena sucked in a sharp breath and her bottom lip. "Can't hurt." he repeated. John barked in his sleep making them both jump. Sam laughed when he realized it was just the dog, she rolled her eyes.
"We need to get to bed, Sammy."
A/N:Ha ha! It's taken longer than the others but its done... Finally. Thanks for sticking around for another hunt. I'm not sure what's up next. I know they're headed for Georgia and Jimmy but what they'll do there exactly I don't know. So you'll probably get more Meet the Daemons before you get anything else. Oh, and I can't remeber if I've told you or not but there a link on my profile that will take you to see the dollz they weren't showing up in the A/N's. Thanks again!Sarah