A/N: I'm baaaaaaaaack! Sorry I was gone so long but my muse has her meds regulated and decided to hit me upside the head with the frying pan of inspiration. There's not a lot of action in this chapter. This was just me getting back to business. Thanks for sticking with me and I hope you enjoy!
Dean was frustrated and it was making him cranky. They had left without him. His ribs were mending but if he were to get hit in the chest with any type of force, he risked a punctured lung. So Sam and Raven had decided Bobby's was a safe place for him to stay while they went to hunt. He wasn't about to admit this to anyone but he felt just like he did when Dad went on a hunt. He didn't even have Sam there to look after. So, he lay in bed and pouted. Bobby had tried to amuse him by asking for help with research but after a few hours of that, Dean was over it. So he slept or watched TV.
Sam checked in with Dean often. He knew that Dean would be worried and bored so he made a point of calling whenever he could. He and Raven had caught this case purely by accident.
Walking out of the library in Cleveland, a newspaper caught his eye. The headline read, "Gremlins Causing Accidents". For a hunter, stuff that like just screams to be read. Sam scanned the article in the Montgomery Advertiser-Journal.
Montgomery, AL (AP) – The Safety Management Team at the local Hyundai manufacturing plant are blaming a string of near fatal accidents on worker inattentiveness and a lack of proper safety screening of equipment but workers are telling a different story. The workers are saying that the plant has gremlins. Four workers were injured on the ninth when a completed vehicle rolled off the assembly line with no driver behind the wheel. Two days later, three workers were injured as a robotic arm swung out of its prescribed position and knocked the men off of a ladder. Just three days later, one worker was critically injured when a rear seat fell from a conveyer, paralyzing the man from the waist down. The accidents are being investigated and the plant remains open.
Sam ripped the page out and returned to the hotel room excited. He gave a brief look inside to see if Dean was sleeping, "Dean, glad you are awake. I found us a case." He paused and saw that Raven looked frustrated and decided to put a stop to Dean's childishness. "Dean, I know you were badly hurt but you need to be nicer to Raven. She saved your life, you know."
Dean looked at Raven, the question plain on his face. The look she shot Sam was murderous. He did a mental facepalm when he remembered they had agreed to keep that fact to themselves. Sam gave her his puppy dog look and she smiled a little. He knew he was forgiven.
"I'll tell you about it later," She whispered to Dean. "So, what's the case?"
Sam handed her the paper. Reading in silence, she looked amused and then perplexed. She handed the article to Dean, turning her attention to Sam.
Dean finished reading quickly, "Gremlins… seriously?"
"Well," Raven began, "There is a lot of lore on the subject. The term originated with World War Two pilots, some of whom swear to seeing small creatures inside the aircraft and later the plane would have some sort of mechanical malfunction. It's worth a look."
Sam nodded, "I agree. Raven, you up for a hunt?"
"Raven? What about me? I'm ready." Dean pouted.
"You are ready for nowhere but a bed, Dean." Raven answered. She knew getting Dean to stay in bed and rest was going to be a tough job. It wasn't in his nature to be still. "Maybe we should take you to Bobby's while we are gone. That way you can rest somewhere comfortable and Bobby can keep an eye on you."
Dean's face fell, "You are leaving me behind? I can stay at the motel and do research."
"Dean, you should be taking it easy and you and I both know that if you go on a job, you are not going to stay put. I agree with Raven. Rest at Bobby's and we'll wrap this up in no time."
He grumbled but accepted he was not going to win this fight. And he hadn't. So far Sam and Raven had been gone less than twenty-four hours. If they didn't get back soon, Dean was going to go crazy.
Sam and Raven had been driving for almost an entire day when they saw the Welcome to Alabama sign on the side of I-65. They had been taking turns driving and sleeping the entire way, only stopping for gas and food. This case was moving fast and there was no time to waste. Raven was currently driving the Impala and was sincerely hoping not to be around when Dean found out. He had pitched enough of a fit about being left at Bobby's.
There had been no time to finish their earlier conversation so she had not answered his question about her feelings. Which was good because at the moment, she had no idea. She glanced at Sam, who was sleeping quietly in the passenger's seat, and her heart sighed. Sam was… everything. He was so much more than a friend, more than a lover even. He was part of her and had been from the moment they met. She loved him so very much but was unsure if she was falling IN love with him. She was attracted to him. Who wouldn't be? He was chiseled perfection with the face of an angel. The strange thing was there wasn't really any chemistry. She hadn't had the urge to kiss Sam, not like she had with Dean. Dean… Wow. Talk about chemistry. He turned her insides to mush with a look. Her brain went on auto pilot when he was around and her hormones took over. Looking into Sam's eyes brought her peace. Looking into Dean's eyes made her wet. The term was crude but accurate. "Too bad I can't put them together," she thought, "then I would have the perfect man."
Sam decided to wake up in that moment which was convenient because Raven was no closer to figuring out how she felt than when she started. She was going to just have to let this play out.
"You ready for a nap?" Sam mumbled, still groggy.
"No, Sam. I'm good actually. She drives like a dream."
Sam grinned, "Let's keep that fact between ourselves. I believe Dean would actually blow a gasket."
"Agreed. We just passed into Alabama so it shouldn't be too much longer. Why don't you go back to sleep and I'll wake you here in a little bit?"
Sam yawned loudly and nodded. Even without enough room to stretch out, he was asleep in minutes.
Twenty minutes later, while they were stopped for coffee, her cell phone vibrated in her pocket. Seeing Dean's name on the display actually made her heart skip a beat. He had been calling Sam exclusively since they left Bobby's.
"Hello?"
"Hi," Dean said, making her stomach quiver, "What are you guys up to?" She excused herself from the table and went outside to get some privacy.
Raven replied, "We stopped to get some coffee. We're almost to Montgomery. Why did you called me instead of Sam?"
Dean sighed, "Dunno. Trying to change things up a bit I guess. I am bored out of my mind."
"We've been gone twenty-four hours, Dean. The boredom is only going to get worse."
"Yeah, I know. But…"
"But what?" Raven prompted.
"Well… but…. it's like…. eh, never mind." Dean was searching for words and it was all Raven could do not to laugh.
Raven sighed and took him off the hook, "You wanted to continue the conversation we started in the hotel room?"
"Yeah, I guess." Dean confessed.
She took a moment to glance at the diner, Sam had already paid the bill and was on his way out. Now was not the time to get into a deep discussion with Dean about her completely mixed up emotions.
"Dean, Sam is coming. I'll call you when I have some privacy, ok?"
Dean sighed, "Ok. Be safe. Both of you."
"We will. Good night, Dean." Raven replied with sincerity. She heard the click as Dean disconnected.
Sam walked up behind her, patting her shoulder, "Everything ok?"
"Oh yeah. It was Dean. He was bored." She laughed but her eyes did not warm and she knew Sam sensed her discomfort.
Instead of pressing the point, Sam suggested they get back on the road and she readily agreed.
Sam crawled in behind the wheel, leaving Raven to her thoughts. Realizing that Dean was going to be expecting an answer to his question sooner than planned, she let her thoughts wander hoping that something would come to her.
Sam broke her train of thought with one of his own, "Raven? Can we talk about something?"
"Sure, Sam. We can talk about anything."
"Now that we are both awake and have a quiet place to talk, I really want your opinion on what's going on between us."
Raven's thoughts screamed, "Not you too!" and took a very deep breath, trying to prepare an answer.
Not really a cliffy but I wasn't real sure what's gonna happen next. It will come to me and as soon as it does, you will know about it. Thanks for reading. :)