A/N: Well, this is only 3 pages but I thought I had a good place to stop. R&R, and I'll work on the next. If you want to see more of Autumn and Athena from a little different point of view go read Girls Guide to Hunting and Fishing by my most faithful reviewer Posinchik88. Even if you don't want to see more of Autty and Teenie go read it... -shakes fist- or else...
Chapter Seven
"Okay sign here." Dr. Morgan said handing Autumn a clipboard and pen. Autumn read over the document and signed. "Okay, you are released."
"Thank you."
Autumn slid out of her bed and tugged on the lose jacket her sister had brought in. Athena had gone to get their dog, Sam and Dean went to pack up the motel room, and was warming up his truck. She staggered under the weight of the small duffle bag and pushed out past Dr. Morgan. He followed after her until she got to the elevator and she was half afraid he'd get in with her. John was waiting just outside the doors, standing next to his beat up old pick up. Autumn tossed her bag in the cab, and brushed away John's attempts to help her in.
"You're not always going to be around to help me." she said heaving herself into her seat. John shut the door and circled around to the driver's seat.
"We're going to meet up at the parking lot of the motel we've been staying at." he told her as he pulled away from the hospital. She hadn't been prepared for how cold it was and shivered rubbing her arms and inwardly cursing the pain it caused.
"Then you're out of here, right?" she asked.
"Autumn," he started taking the 'you have to understand' tone.
"Don't worry. I get it. You've got to stay far far away because God forbid you're around when your boys need you." John chuckled and reached over to pat her leg.
"That's why I'm leaving them with you. Whatever they need back up for you'll take down, won't you?" Autumn felt a swelling of pride at his words.
"Or die trying." she answered. It was supposed to be confident, nothing can stop me, words. But their effect was the opposite. John looked at her taking his eyes of the road.
"They're not going to just let you die. If they were going to do that they wouldn't have stuck in your room the past few days the way they have. They sure as hell wouldn't have come to meet the monsters you call a family."
"Dad, I didn't mean I was going to die, just that… If that's what it takes that's what it takes. I'm in for the long haul." John shot her the same charming grin his boys sported.
"I know, babe." Autumn scooted closer to the door, to be seated right in front of the air vent and closed her eyes. "When you said you knew where to find out how to stop the demon, where were you thinking?"
"I'm not stupid, John. I've got to take it slow, and easy. Doesn't mean I'm going to pass up a hunt if I cross one just that I need to be a little cautious about them. So I figured we'd head toward Montana. Jen's got some classes up there, and a few beginner hunts laying about. I'll be back in the game full time in no time. In the mean time, she's got a killer library, and family history in the Hunting business." Autumn opened her eyes and twisted in her seat to watch him as she spoke.
"What about Will?" he asked scratching his head. She couldn't stop the gentle upward twitch of her lips at the mention of the boy.
"Jen only hears from him through letters, and voice recordings. He comes in to the Resort stocks up leaves a note or tape and gets out all before day break. She calls him when she needs him but he don't answer her. Whatever Will is doing no one knows where he is, or what he's hunting. No one talks to him, well except…" she trailed off and John shot her a look.
"Except who?" he asked.
"Except Marc." John laughed.
"Marc, the psycho, hunter wannabe? Doesn't he wear a tin hat?" Autumn frowned.
"Yes, that's the Marc I'm talking about but be nice."
"Sorry, didn't know you had a thing for him." John teased. Autumn fumed.
"I don't have a thing for him, but he's been through a lot, and there's not need to make fun of him for what he's…become."
"Autumn, instead of shaking someone's hand he licks their neck, and to show he likes you he gives you a foil hat." John rationalized.
"Whatever. So you dropping me off and leaving or not?"
"I'll follow you out of town, but essentially, yes."
"I swear." Autumn sighed.
"If I could stay I would," he paused and she knew he was getting ready to shift to another conversation. Autumn pressed her cheek against the window and hugged her jacket around her. "You'll call me if you find something?" she wasn't sure he was actually asking.
"John, I'll call you no matter what." she said with a roll of her eyes. He patted her leg again.
"That's my girl."
There was a reason she admired him. A reason she'd put up with anything he did. If he were to treat her the way Billy-Jack had, she knew she'd stick with him. It was times like this she grabbed onto that reason for dear life. She loved him, respected him, and admired him, because he was stronger than her biological father, and he cared more than her legal father. She knew if it really came down to it John would chose his children over all else, and she was honored that he didn't brush her away when she called him 'Dad'. Right now she needed a dad.
"What do you really think about the girls calling you Grandpa?" she asked so she didn't have to listen to Johnny Cash. He shrugged a little, on hand coming up to brush through his stubble.
"I don't know. I like the idea," he looked over at her with a warning almost teasing look. "Not that I'm keen on grandkids anytime soon." Autumn left out a quick snort of laughter.
"Don't worry about that, Dad. Athena and I keep our legs closed and if it comes to it I'll tie you're boys 'equipment' in a knot."
"I didn't say I never wanted them." he chuckled.
"Which is why I'm just going to knot it. A knot can be undone. I could use the bull bander…that'd be fun." she joked.
"What's that?"
"A bull bander? It's this.. It looks like a pair of pliers, and you can slip a wee little rubber hand over these prongs on the end. Then when you squeeze it, it opens up the rubber band and you slid the… umm bull's junk down in the rubber band and roll it off the bander. The rubber band cuts off circulation and…" she let him fill in the blanks. He winced a little and shifted in his seat, causing Autumn to laugh.
"And you've done that before?" John asked still fidgeting with the idea.
"Yes, well not on a person. Goats, sheep, a couple of bulls…" she giggled. "And a very annoying tom cat. When I started high school, I kept a bander on my dash."
"The motel is right up here."
Sam and Dean were propped against the Impala, Sam's jacket was zipped around him his hands in the pockets of his carhart, Dean left his coat open, typical tough guy, on hand stuck in his jeans pocket while the other one swept over his baby. John pulled up next to them, left the truck running and got out. Autumn dropped down to the ground steadying herself using the door. Her body wasn't as stiff as it had been yesterday, and the pain was far more tolerable but that didn't mean it wasn't there. She kept her eyes down so she would have to see the look on Dean's face. He and John had wanted her to stay in the hospital a few more days. Once she was sure she had her footing she grabbed her bag off the seat and shut the door.
"How you doin' Red?" John asked as she made her way up to them.
"I'm doin' Dad."
"You're going to Montana." John announced to his boys. "The Rainings live up there and they'll be able to keep you moving and get Autumn back on her feet. In the time it takes to do that, there is a library there. Anything you could ever want to know about hunting is there, if you can't find it in the books ask one of the hunters themselves." he looked at Autumn. "What's the name of the damn place again?" She smiled, he'd never been able to remember the full title.
"Raining Cloud's Hunter's Resort."
"Right. It's a good place to hide out, and re-coop." he gave Autumn a pointed look.
"Even better place to train and learn." she stuck her tongue out at him.
'Which is why I dumped you there last time."
"I thought, it was because you wanted us out of your hair." she batted her singed lashes.
"Look, Plays With Fire, I'm about this close to making you take custody of those girls and keep your ass here." John threatened.
"What do you mean 'take custody'?" Sam interjected.
"Autumn and Athena are supposed to take custody of Kendra, Kelly, and Kayla." John said not taking his eyes off Autumn.
"And you weren't going to tell us this?" Dean asked.
"I took care of it." Autumn ground out glaring at John. "I took care of everything." Athena pulled in and the moment she opened the door John-Dog was out of the car and on top of Autumn. She hit the asphalt hard the dog's tongue crammed down her throat. "Johnny. Baby. Mommy's hurt you got to"
"Ease up pooch." Dean had the dog by the collar and pulled him back. Sam yanked Autumn back to her feet.
"You okay Autty?" he asked brushing gravel from her back.
"Yea, but I'm sick of Ohio. Let's get some miles between us." she added pep to her voice wrenching John-dog's collar from Dean's hand.
"See you at the next stop?" Athena asked wrapping her arms around John's neck.
"Yea." he hugged her back. "You kids be careful." the other three hugged him before climbing into their cars.
"You going to be alright?" Athena asked as they passed under the 'Now leaving OHIO' sign.
"I hope so." Autumn leaned her head over to her sister's shoulder. "Thanks squirt." Athena laughed.
"Hey, I've got your back, no matter what."
A/N: So that was it. I'll start the next one tonight, but I don't know when it'll be up. It is to be titled Werewolf Territory, so look for it. If you haven't read The Boogeyman or Race to Kill or The Burning Family you should read those and follow the Daemons and Winchesters from the start. MUCH LOVE. Thanks for reading R&R! Sarah and Katie