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"You shut up!"

"No you!"

The sounds of imaturity drifted into the room an woke Sam up. He groaned and shifted in bed to find the time. It was very late afternoon and Dean was fighting with Layla. Albeit not articulatly in the slightest.

"I said shut up first!"

Sam stood. "both of you shut up." He glared at the pair of them. He didn't care how traumatising their week had been or if they didn't like each other, he wasn't going to let them fight like this.

Both of the arguing pair snapped their mouthes shut. Dean looked surly and rolled his eyes. Layla sast her gaze down to the floor sheepishly. She did this for a number of reasons. One Sam had been so nice to her an obviously she had disapointed him and two, he wasn't wearing a shirt. Layla hadn't had much experience with real life half naked guys but the ones she had seen didn't look like they belonged on MTV.

She gulped and tried to focus on the actual words coming out of the younger winchesters mouth. "We're stuck together for now and we're just going to have to get along. Now what was the fight about!"

Dean and Layla both opened and closed their mouthes in unsion. Both were at a loss as to what to say. Dean was perfectly content to remain silent but Layla caved under sam's authorative stare.

"Tampons," she whispered.

"What?" Sam demanded.

Layla's face flush red and she forced herself to say it again.

"I heard you the first time but how you two can possibly be arguing about it I have no idea!" Sam's disapointment was splayed across his face.

Dean shrugged. Sam stared scrutinisngly at each of them before sighing. "Whatever," He muttered.

"I'm going to try the clothes on, Layla said quickly and hurried in the bathroom.

Sam glared at Dean. He could guess who started the argument.

Dean felt the hard gaze on his face. "Oh come on Sammy. Lighten up. It wasn't a serious argument!" He started rumaging through his suitcase.

Sam felt his shoulders tighten at his childhood nickname. Dean only used it when he want sam to feel young and stupid.

"I don't care. It may start as joke but who knows how she might react. You were the one so adamantly believeing she was insane. What's to say she doesn't cut your throat in the middle of the night."

Dean stared at his brother in surprise. "hey I thought you were on the she's not crazy team!"

"She's no raving lunatic but she isn't normal so let's not taunt her," Sam advised, knowing too well that Dean would strugle to follow his advice.

"Sure thing lil' bro!" Dean agreed, pausing from his rumaging to slap Sam on the shoulder. Sam could tell he was just humouring him but he let it go.

Layla was in the bathroom with her ear pressed against the door but she couldn't discern any individual words. She could only hear a low rumbling of voices then silence. Layla returned her attention to the task at hand. Selectecting clothes to wear from the pile.

She finally settled on a shirt and jeans. 'Let's keep it simple' she thought before going back into the room. The brothers paused to stare at her. Layla savoured the moment, imagining it was like a movie moment when the beautiful girl enters and all boys stare.

Of course that wasn't what was happening here and she knew it. The boys were just startled to see her in something that wasn't disheveled or that belonged to them. She looked like a normal girl. Like she should be heading off to school or to the mall with friends.

Sam felt real regret that she had been dragged in to this life. He felt that bitter pull in his heart whenever he thought of the life he could have had. A lawyer with a beautiful girlfriend. A normal life with Jess. He shook his head to keep his eyes free of tears.

Dean admitted that she looked different now. She looked clean and more comfortable. And much younger. For the first time he percoieved that she was actually only a teenager. Didn't make much difference to him though. He had started hunting well before puberty hit.

"We should probably get a move on now," Sam stated. They had payed for a second night in the room but were just keen to get out of this dump of a motel.

"Yep. Let's move!" Dean agreed and grabbed his bag of the bed.

They piled into the car and the engine roared into life. They were off and down the highway at speeds that made Layla consider praying. The stereo was blaring rock and Dean was enthusiastically banging on the steering wheel in time to the beat. Sam kept shooting him irritated looks as he tapped away on his laptop, searching for information that might lead them to a case.

Layla was had stuffed abread roll down her throat and now she wished she hadn't. She felt every bump in the road. She had never travelled well. But she'd rather suffer in silence than tell the brothers. They already thought she was a weak and a burden and she wouldn't do anything to encourage that image of herself. She tried to focus on the scenery but there was nothing except dirt and dust.

After about half an hour, Layla had turned an even paler colour, causing the cuts to stand out vividly on her face. Sam had peaked back to check on her after she had been quite for so long. She was bitting down hard on her lip.

"Are you alright, Layla?" Sam asked fearing the worst. She had been eltrocuted, drugged and burnt recently and by all rights should be in a severe state of shock.

Layla didn't stop biting her lip but forced the word "fine" out through clenched teeth. Dean cut his eyes to the rear view mirror to look at the girl. She wasn't 'fine' but if she didn't want to share than he didn't care. Sam grudgingly returned to his lap top.

They continued for another half an hour.

"Stop the car! Stop the car!" Layla was green now.

Not understanding exactly what was happening, Dean slammed on the brake. The car skidded to a halt and Layla threw open the door, racing away from the car. The brothers exchanged quick glances and ran after her.

"Layla, wait!" Sam yelled.

"It's no use," Dean breathed running next to sam. "She's gone crazy again and running away."

At that moment Layla collapsed onto her knees on what was probably the only peice of shrubbery in the area and threw up what she had eaten. Dean stopped running as soon as he saw the vomit. Sam however moved forward and held back her hair.

Layla could feel the wretching wracking her already eshausted body. Eventually she had nothing left to throw up.

"I can't believe you get travel sick," Dean stated drawing level.

Layla was wiping her mouth and trying to reclaim her dignity.

"When god was handing out pathetic qualities at the beginning you were standing at the front of the line, waving, shouting, 'oh pick me. I'm over here. Pick me!'"

Layla tried to give him a withering glance but it lacked force. Sam helped her to her feet, sliding one arm around her waist. Dean sighed. He hated this Knight in shining armour crap. But Sam's display also made him feel paticularly obligated to assist.

He moved to the other side and put his arm around her waist to. She had her arm slung over both brothers shoulders. Layla had been surprised when Dean had come over and aided her, especially when just Sam's help would have been adequate.

Sam insisted on her riding in the front. He gave her a bottle of water and cranked the window down to let the fresh air in. She gave him a water smile of thanks which he returned. Dean slid back into the drivers seat.

"If you feel sick, like throwing up, you tell us to stop." Dean commanded.

Layla blinked at this compassionate statement.

"I don't want anythign on this leather and besides it will stink the car out," Dean finished and started the car.

Layla rolled her eyes. The sun was setting and the warm night air was making driving pleasant. If Layla tilted her head she could see the stars. The only light was from the impala's head lights and Sam's laptop.

Sam fell asleep after a while. Layla could here his gentle breathing. Dean was shifting uncomfortably in his seat. He could feel himself growing tired. He couldn't drive much longer. There was a town up ahead but they wanted to travel further than that. Sam was too tired to drive as well. That left one person.

"hey Layla," he finally said. "I'm feeling a little tired. You think you could take the reigns for a while." Each word was forced with great effort out of his mouth. He didn't let just anyone drive his car and he was loathe to let her take the wheel but what options did he have.

He noticed a pained expression on Layla's face. "What?" he demanded.

"I can't drive." She said it quickly as though if she said it fast it would be less inconvinient.

Dean tried not to wince or twitch but he didn't do it succesfully.

"Sorry," Layla spat out swiftly.She opened her mouth to say more but Dean held up a finger bringing silence. Layla twisted her head so she was facing forward once again and slouched in her seat. She couldn't fight, she couldn't be sane and now she could drive for them.

Dean tried to control his annoyance. He tried to think rationally. She was probably in no state to drive either. Even if she could. "It's ok."

Layla heard the effort it took him to say that and she smiled gently. Dean pretended not to see and tried to remember if he had stayed in any good hotels in this town.

Sam was startled awake by the ceasing of movement and the slam of the car door. He was disorientated by sleep. Was Layla sick again? Were they fighting again? He stared up into a flashing sign of a hotel. He supposed Dean had decided to stop for the night then.

"I thought we were going further?" Sam asked, his voice groggy with sleep. Layla swiveled in her seat to face him.

"Dean was too tired and I can't drive!"

"Ok." Sam stretched in his seat and ran a hand through his ruffled hair.

Dean came back dangling a key. Sam and Layla got out of the car and followed him to a room, dragging their stuff.

Dean dumped his stuff on one of the double beds. "I'm gonna take a shower." He shut the door behind him with a curt click.

"He's cranky!" Layla obsererved.

"As opposed to what?"

"Good point."

Dean turned the shower on hard and made the temperature so hot he could barely stand it. He felt the heat ease into his tense muscles and he tried to let go of his frustration. What he needed was a holiday. Him and sam. A week where they could sleep and recover from one stressful case after another.

But He couldn't stop. They couldn't afford to rest. They were advancing at a snails pace because they were exhausted but it was still progress.

Dean rested a hand on the wall and leaned on his arm. The water splashed over his face making it hard to breath but he didn't move. Something had to be done about Layla too. She was here now, he couldn't change that. What he could do was make her a better fighter. Make her useful. Besides this little mission would give them something to tide them over until they found an actual case to pursue.

He got dressed and walked out. Layla was watching TV and Sam was tapping away at his computer. Well no time like the present. He was tired and aching but this meant there was less chance of him forgetting himself and hurting her.

"It's you lucky day, Layla. I'm going to teach you how to fight!" He announced striding into the centre of the room. Sam ceased typing to stare at his brother. Sam couldn't help but wonder if his brother had an ulterior motive. Stil he would not deny that layla needed training if she was going to survive in their world.

Layla looked incredulous. She had flunked PE with a vengance. "You're joking right?" she asked sounding hopeful.

"Nope. Get up. Help me clear some space!"

Layla made eye contact with Sam and mouthed, 'help me.'

Sam smiled and shook his head.

"Ok lets start with basics. A punch and a block. Most trained fighters will hit you with a straight punch none of this wild round bullshit!" Dean began circling Layla, who was beginning to feel like a hunted animal. Dean paused to examine the teenager.

"Ok your stance is weak and you look scared! The first defence you have is confidence. Confidence and attitude is key!"

Layla couldn't help but snort. She was a tubby teenager nerd at high school. How much confidence and attitude did he expect her to have. Her self esteem probably couldn't be lower even if Frankenstein had said he thought he was too good for her.

Dean sensed her train of thought. "Fake it till you believe it. Spread your legs, hands on hips and shoulders back."

She did as instructed and the brothers anaylsed the result. She had more of a presence now but there was something lacking.

"Look Layla. I don't care if you don't believe it in here," he pointed to his heart, "but they gotta see in your eyes that you think you're it. Use your eyes to lie."

"Let your anger out," Sam threw in.

"I'm not angry!"

"Liar," Dean snapped. "You're sucked through a TV to a place where we think you're crazy and there is a real chance of you dying."

Layla seemed to shrink into herself. She hunched her shoulders and looked defeated.

"Don't slouch," Dean cried. Layla winced and Sam remembered the way their dad had yelled at them to get them so mad they could beat anyone.

"Well I can't blame you for thinking I'm a lunatic really," Layla shot back!

"Oh you're so understanding. Is that why you're just a doormatt at school? Why your boyfriend dumped you? No wait, I forgot, it's because you're just pathetic."

Laylas jaw dropped.

"You can't fight, you can't drive. What have you got going for you? Nothing. Hell someone with as little talent as you could at least be devestatingly gorgeous and become a model. You're nothing!"

"I'm not nothing! I'm smart!"

"Good for you... but who really cares. Do the boys? Does your sister? Do your parents?"

Layla slapped him hard across the face. Sam let a huge smirk cross his face as Dean raised a hand to his red face. Layla's eyes grew wide and she started stuttering apologies. She trailed off when Dean smiled. It resembled a bit of a grimace but she knew it was more or less a smile.

"Good. We've got the agression! Now let's give it a place to go!"

Layla did endless punches and blocks until her arms ached and she was sweating heavily. Dean didn't even look flustered as he easily deflected her punches. Each of her blocks sent pain up her arm and Dean wasn't even trying. For the first time she appreciated how strong and well trained the older Winchester was. Sam was pretty focused on his laptop but occasionally he'd say words of encouragment or advice.

Eventually Dean let her stop. "You did ok," he said and let her go to the shower.

"What do you think?" he asked Sam.

Sam didn't take his eyes of the screen. "Well she's not exactly a fighter but she wasn't bad either."

"Yeah I know. With training each day she could become adequate. Probably more than adequate!"

"But she'll be up agaisnt people who've been training their entire lives or have the luxury of having magic."

Dean sighed. He knew this and that's why they would have to protect her. "Guess we could teach her how to shoot."

"Uh let's not give her a gun for a while!" Sam said. Dean grinned and started getting ready for sleep.

"Dean!"

"What?"

"I think I've found a case."

AN: I don't own anything. My first update in ages since I moved to a different country. That's why if their are typos and spelling errors I apologise. I didn't have English spell check!

MD666