Greenwood, South Carolina
Present day
Fall has arrived, certainly in the Northern states of America. Rain is pouring down and a stern wind from the east makes being outside far from comfortable. The night fell hours ago and it´s quiet in the woods outside the city of Greenwood. On an empty road far from life, a car is parked. The black Chevrolet Impala seems abandoned, but next to her, a Harley Davidson Road King rests on its centerstand. The two different forms of transportation seem nowhere close to their owners, but this sight deceives. Inside the '67 Chevy Sam, Zoë and Dean are resting. Zo – who has conquered the entire backseat – is fast asleep, as Dean, who found a less comfortable spot in the driver's seat. But Sam on the other hand is everything but at rest. Pondering the young man stares through the window as drops of rain haste down the glass on the other side. He checks his cell phone for the time; it's almost 4 AM. They pulled over round 1 in the morning. The rain was coming down with buckets at the time like now and both Winchester brothers started feeling sorry for the motor chick, who doesn't have the luxury of a roof and a heater. The three of them weren't really going anywhere anyway and after three cases in less than three weeks, they needed a good night sleep. He looks over his shoulder and smiles by the sight of the young woman, all cuddled up in her blanket. She looks so peaceful, so sweet, so not Zoë. Sam grins, but on the other hand, she has changed over the last couple of weeks. She became more understanding, friendlier. Suddenly she wanted to come along on their hunting trips, while before she always preferred hunting alone. She flies solo, that's her motto; apparently not anymore. The 180° turn she made did surprise him a bit, but maybe Zo now too realizes that teaming up sometimes is better than struggling alone. Dean has been grumpy about her company for about a week after that strange fight they had outside that diner near Boston. Sam figured that he's probably still worried about Dad's warning for this girl. He's truly proud of his older brother, for finally having a mind of his own. Still, Sam can't help to wonder, on what ground was Dad's order based? Why does their father want Zoë dead? The same question is probably haunting Dean as well. It must be tough for him, with a drill sergeant like Dad on his back, knowing what his response will be if their father ever finds out he's ignoring his orders.
Yet there's something about Zo, she did something to earn Dean's trust. Whatever it was, it's a big first for his brother. He has never trusted anyone over Dad, not even him, not even himself. Sam's gaze shifts to Dean, who's still far off with his shoulder resting against the door and his head against the cold glass. Could it be that the reason why Dean trusts Zo so much, is the same as Sam's? The youngest of the two is passed denial, he knows he feels something for the smart girl from California. He feels guilty as hell and thinks about Jessica and her death every day, but he can't keep his mind of the new girl that walked into his life. Dean wears his mask well, but could it actually be true that he also has feelings for her? He treats her differently than other girls, yet he believes in her. He doesn't have the best way of showing her, but what can he say; subtle and Dean don't go well. But then Sam shakes his head; he's getting paranoid. He sure hopes his brother isn't in any way interested in Zoë Sullivan. If Sam wants to give it a shot, he can't have a womanizer like Dean around to steal the crown jewel. He stole his prom date before, he won't let it happen again. Even now that Sam has his mind set on Zoë, he still thinks about Jess. It's strange, he swore that he saw his former love standing in the streets the other day, just looking at him driving by, but she disappeared into thin air. A hallucination, nothing more, probably a result from the lack of sleep. Talking about sleep, he'd better catch some. With a sigh he lays his head back and closes his eyes, but as the thunder rumbles louder, he realizes that it's no use. It doesn't seem to bother Dean though, who on top of it all starts to snore. As a finishing touch, a Nokia ringtone sounds from the back seat. It awakens Dean, who lifts his head with a confused and nothing close to awake look on his face, his hair all messed up. But Zoë is so fast asleep that she doesn't even hear it.
"You've got to be kiddin' me", Dean grunts as he rubs his face.
"Zo, wake up", Sam leans over and pads her against her leg.
She looks up sleepy. "What?"
"Your Goddamn phone", the eldest brother muddles.
"What time is it?", she asks hoarse, searching for her cell.
"To freakin' early to be popular", Dean returns smartly and not in the best mood now that she has disturbed his nap.
Zo doesn't respond and looks at the display of her phone. She doesn't recognize the number, but picks up anyway.
"Sullivan".
"Zoë? It's Danny".
From Zoë's reaction Sam can tell that she knows the person on the other side and he has caught her off guard. She stares ahead with wide-open eyes, a bit overwhelmed.
"Danny…", she stutters, speechless. "I… ehm, it's been a while".
"Ooh, ex-boyfriend?", Dean teases.
He turns around like a curious kid and rests his arms on the back of the seat, but Zoë hushes him by bringing her finger to her lips.
"I'm so glad that I've reached you. How are you?", Danny asks uncomfortable.
How do you think I am? It's the comment she'd most likely would have given anyone, but not Danny. The feeling of guilt and anger overcomes her and she's lost in words, yet she doesn't want to show that she's scared to death and so she cuts to the chase.
"Why are you calling, Danny?", she asks upfront, knowing he wouldn't phone her without reason.
There's a moment of silence on the other side, but after a few seconds of awkwardness the young guy replies.
"I think I need your kind of help".
"My kind of help?", Zoë plays dumb.
"Listen, Abs told me, about what she did for a living, and… well, with her gone, I thought you might be able to help".
Zoë swallows apprehensively and keeps silent, waiting for more. She considers it, she knows Danny pretty well, it would be unfair not to help him. And after what happened with Abby, she kind of owes him. It's just too damn close! This is her sister's area here, her sister's, not hers!
"You're the only person I know of who might be able to help, or at least know someone who could. Please", Danny asks desperately.
"I can help", she decides. "You still live down the West Coast?"
"San Diego, yeah", Danny confirms relieved. "Thanks, Zo. I know this must be hard".
"Thank me when I've got rid of your problem. I'll be there tomorrow".
She hangs up, still a bit struck by the conversations and stares at her phone for a few seconds. Then she looks up at Sam and Dean, who – like twins – both have their arm over the back of their seat and gaze at her, waiting for some kind of response or explanation, obviously curious what's going on. But Zoë doesn't want to talk, so she turns her head and looks away to avoid the glares and puts her cell back in her pocket. Lightning flashes followed by thunder break the silence and Dean already turns around to face the wheel, losing interest and not feeling like asking.
"What was that all about?", Sam, who hasn't taken her hint, asks confronting.
"Nothing, just an acquaintance", Zoë cuts off.
The youngest of the two Winchester brothers keeps looking at her. His curious yet worried green eyes penetrate hers, eventually it pays off.
"He's a friend of Abi's, he needs my help", she tells without using too many words.
"Why can't Abs?", Dean interferes, who happens to have met Zoë's sister.
"She's unavailable", Zo replies shortly, clearly not in the mood to talk about it.
Dean opens his mouth again to throw in a perky comment, but when he receives a warning glare, he raises his eyebrows, but drops it anyway.
"Okay…", he rolls his eyes and tucks in against the door again.
"Get your ass up. We're leaving", Zoë decides.
"We are?", Sam dares to question.
" We are if we want to get to San Diego before tomorrow night", she adds up.
"San Diego?", Dean shoots up and puts his foot on the break in order to start his precious car. "Well why didn't you say so in the first place".
"So, we're going?", Zoë checks with the brothers.
"I guess", Sam presumes.
"Then lets get this show on the road", she sighs, not really that enthusiastic.
With reluctance the young woman gets out into the pouring rain as a flash of lightning lights up the area as the water hits her leather jacket. Quickly she puts her helmet on and rushes to her bike. Not that she'll get less wet if she hurries, she just wants to get away from this cold rainy place as soon as possible. Fall in the North; the downside of riding a motorcycle. The boys watch her walk towards the black Harley as the rain taps on the hardtop, then Dean backs up. As the V8 engine growls, Sam instinctively glance aside.
"Why the sudden change of heart?", he asks.
"Are you kiddin' me? We can't allow darkness in the sunny state. We've gotta save those poor people", Dean says dramatically while he puts his car in forward motion again and follows Zoë's trail.
"You're thinking bikini's and Daisy Dukes, aren't you?", Sam guesses with a glare.
"Oh yeah!", the eldest grins.
He turns on the radio and pumps up the volume. Axl Rose starts to sing the lyrics of Paradise City as soon as Dean turns the Impala on the main road and gasses up. He bangs his head on the beat with that typical expression on his face; boyish and up to no good. He's in the need of some sun, because they have been working cases in the cold nonstop now. Dean doesn't care that he has to drive all night and day, he doesn't care what the case is or why Zoë's acting so strangely quiet. Those are concerns of tomorrow, but right now they are going to California, no complains there.