The timer on the stove quietly counted down the time until dinner was ready, while Dean and Mary continued to send worried looks up towards the ceiling where they knew their Sammy was roaming around. John was on his way back with Ellie and neither of them knew what was going to happen when the two youngest members of the family came face to face.
"It'll be alright," Mary said quietly, not sure who she was trying to convince, Dean or herself.
Nodding, Dean could only hope his mom was right. Right now though, he had to be skeptical because their family wasn't known for their run of good luck. Hearing the Impala pull into the driveway, he felt a sense of relief that he and his mom weren't alone in this. It was a feeling that left him feeling more than a bit unsettled considering he should never feel that way around his own brother.
The sound of car doors shutting outside announced that the rest of the family arrived, but it was the excited chanting of "Johnny, Johnny, Johnny" that told the occupants just how much of a hurry a certain little girl was to get inside.
"Hey Princess, how was your day?" Dean asked as he scooped Ellie up into his arms and swung her around the kitchen, instantly noticing that he was not who she really wanted to see. "Yeah, ok, go on… he's been waiting all day for you."
Ellie instantly ran out of the kitchen and through the dining area calling out for her Johnny, leaving the others to wait until they were either needed or wanted, knowing that right now they were not a part of the world that only had room for Sam and Ellie.
It wasn't long before they heard whispering, then happy giggling; giving them hope that their exclusion would be short lived. The timer on the oven buzzed, giving Mary a reason to move from the spot in John's arms and tend to her family by calling out that dinner was ready and everyone needed to wash their hands before sitting down at the table. The answering silence didn't alert them; neither did the muffled giggles coming from the dining room. No, what sent the chills running down their spine and the warning bells protesting loudly in their heads was the sound of the safety being flipped and Sammy…no, Johnny's voice saying, "I told Ellie we're going to play a game… so, let's play."
The thrum of the classic engine was almost therapeutic and if he was in any better of a mood, Johnny might have enjoyed it a bit more. As it was, he looked in the rearview mirror and was amazed at how much his little princess had grown. He continued to watch her as she pretended to be asleep and he knew that she was going to be mad at him for quite awhile, but he couldn't bring himself to care; her safety was his top concern and being with the 'Winchesters' wasn't beneficial to her. No, better she be mad than dead.
"Sorry Princess, but you're just going to have to trust me on this," he said as he turned his attention back to the road, hoping he hadn't made the worst mistake of his or Ellie's lives. Normally he wouldn't let demons live, but there was something… something about…
"Jeez, kid. You really have gone soft of me haven't you?"
Shaking his head Johnny tried to ignore the voice that was becoming more and more ever present by his side. His head was still splitting and the only thing he had was the prescription that the doctor gave him. He didn't want drugs. He hadn't needed drugs ever since Ellie was born and only took the heavy stuff when nothing else worked for pain. Now though, he couldn't just stop and get some aspirin or heavy duty over the counter pain meds, so he'd have to bite the bullet and take the damn prescription… at least until he could get something else.
"Sammy? What are you doing there, little brother?" Dean asked cautiously as he maneuvered himself between his brother and mother.
Motioning over to the chairs, Johnny reached into the nearest drawer and pulled out the nylon clothesline that he had bought the week before. It was odd knowing where things were without knowing why or how it got there.
Groaning, Dean knew they were in trouble as soon as he saw the clothesline. He'd teased his brother about going all girly on him, choosing a pink and white color, but then he found out that it was for the next time Ellie wanted to build a fort and he felt extremely moronic for trying to make a big deal about it. Now though, it looked like his little brother was about to show them just how far off base he'd gone.
"Mary, I want you to tie them to the chairs tightly… wrists first, then elbows, then ankles and knees. And please… don't fight me on this. For whatever reason, Ellie likes you, so please don't make me shoot you…any of you."
He watched closely as 'Mary' tied the lengths of rope to the chair and ignored the look she kept giving him.
"Sammy, please. I know that right now you're confused. But," Mary began as she finished tying the last length to John's chair.
"Don't! I'm not in the mood for anymore lies. Now sit down. As much as I'd really like to waste all of you, I can't with Ellie in the next room. But don't think I'll hesitate if I think you're going to confuse her any more than you have or try to stop us," Johnny said as he took the rope and came closer to the person who pretended to be his mother. "For what it's worth, you all put on a great show." And then he hit Mary with the butt of his gun and quickly tied her to the chair, ignoring the yells coming from both John and Dean.
"Johnny?" Ellie called out as she slowly ventured into the room, causing sudden silence to descend upon the room. "Johnny?"
Cursing internally, Johnny turned and quickly picked up Ellie and rushed into the other room where their bags were already packed and ready to go. He'd really hoped that they would have been able to leave without her seeing what was going on. As it was, now he had to keep her calm and hope that the people in the next room didn't blow it to hell.
"It's just the game, Ellie. They're alright, see?" He asked as he walked back into the kitchen and let her see for herself that her family was indeed okay.
Knowing that Dean as about to blow his fuse, John smiled as he looked at Ellie. "It's okay sweetheart, its part of the game. We'll see how long it takes for us to get loose and then we'll see you soon. Go with Johnny for right now, ok?"
"NO! Grandma! Dean! Papa! Want stay!" Ellie yelled as she tried to get out of her Johnny's arms. She didn't know what was going on, but she knew this wasn't a good thing. "NO!"
Frustrated, Johnny hauled the screaming little girl out towards the first car in the driveway and got her settled before he peeled out onto the street and didn't look back as he sped his way through the streets of Lawrence and out of town.
He had no doubt that right now there was an APB out on him and the car, but he couldn't bring himself to care. Right now he needed to get Ellie home safe and sound, knowing that Cade would help him figure out what to do next.