Genres: angst, drama, humor, hurt/comfort.
Warning: dark bits placed through out.
Chapters: (2/?)
Word count: 3,197
The following morning both men were up at seven and so was Athena a bag over her shoulder they were ready to hit the road. As she walked toward them she stopped.
Dean looked at Sam but his brother didn't know either. It was like she was staring into space. "Anya?" dean called to her.
"Anya." Dean called louder and yet again as if waking from a trance she looked up at them. "You alright?" Sam asked as they descended the stairs to the lower level.
"Yeah, it's nothing." She claimed but to both Winchesters it was obviously not nothing. Anya headed over to her car and popped open the trunk removing two bags and walking back towards the boys.
"What are you doing?"
"You're just leaving your ride here?" Dean asked.
"Wasn't mine to begin with. Didn't get caught cause I took my father's tags and put them on the car. Where are we headed and why?"
"We have a friend up in Sioux Falls, South Dakota that can help us a bit. Lets get going." Dean told her.
.::*::.
They'd been on the road for about 30 minutes when Dean reached over and turned on he radio. "There are a few rules while you're in this car, one) don't disrespect my baby, two) you put a single dent or scratch on her you're out on your ass, three) driver picks the music shotgun and back seat shut their cake holes. Got it."
He cannot be serious,Anya thought.
"Well?" Dean looked at her using the rearview mirror.
"Yeah, yeah." She rolled her eyes. Men.
"I saw that." Sam turned to Dean with bitch face #23 the shut up and drive.
.::*::.
The road was long and there was little talking about anything. Athena stared off into space looking out the window so if she had any more episodes the boys didn't see or notice. They drove a while longer before stopping a diner for something to eat and to stretch his or her legs a bit. When the waitress came walking over a seductive smile upon her face as she smiled at Dean and then Sam. "So what can I get for you boys?"
I know you see me sitting here bitch,Athena thought as she scowled at the waitress.
"I'll be right back with that." The woman said not even taking Anya order or even acknowledging her presence. "Um excuse me but I'm here too." Anya called to her.
"Oh I'm sorry I didn't see you there. What can I get for you?"
"I'll have what he's having and a coke." Anya sat down grumbling about how she knew darn well she saw Anya sitting there.
"So where are you from?" Sam asked.
"Georgia."
Since last night Anya really hadn't said much of anything answers were short and questions few in number.
"Where's your family?"
"Doesn't matter I'm never going to see them again. If I can help it." Anya said.
"Why is that?" Dean asked.
"Look my family life wasn't that great okay. But it's not going to matter once my deal is broken I'm going to New York end of story." Athena cast a look at both males in warning. They'd leave it alone for now but there was something much worse that the girl wasn't telling her.
The waitress brought their food a few moments later flashing a smile at Dean deciding she liked him better. "Don't even think about Dean." Sam warned.
"What, I can look."
Dean let his gaze wander over to Athena who was digging into her burger like there was no tomorrow. She was Dean's kind of woman if she wasn't so pissed off. Seriously it looked that if anyone said one more word to her she'd go off on him or her. He was pretty sure that at that moment she could make a drill sergeant cry.
.::*::.
They were on the road again before long. Anya had taken to laying in the back seat since she had it to herself. For a while the brothers forgot she was there. But when the woman shot up in her seat one hand clutching her chest where her heart would be and a pained expression on her face.
"Go away. It's still mine and you can't have it. Go away."
"Sam do something." Dean was still trying to drive on the now busy road looking for a spot to pull over at.
They were clawing for her reaching for her. They were so close she could see it. The flames, the screams, the blood and the think smell of sulfur. They grabbed at her and squeezed dragging her closer making it hard for her to breath.
"Anya. Anya!" Sam shook her shoulders bringing her out of whatever nightmare she could have been having. After a few moments her hand dropped to her side and her breathing evened out as her heart calmed down. Staying on the side of the road they waited for a while.
"You wanna tell us what the hell that was?"
"Nothing we can keep going." she claimed.
"Bull woman, we've seen the glazed over looks it's happened more then once. Not to mention what the hell was that a few minutes ago?" Dean ripped the keys out of the ignition. They weren't moving.
"I said it was nothing." Athena stared off with Dean for a moment.
"Then get out of my car and break your own deal." He finally said.
"Dean." Sam looked at his brother.
"Either you tell us so we can help you or you find someone else." Dean fixed his heated glare her. Athena had no choice she needed their help and they were the only ones who could save me from her pending fate.
"For months now I've had visions and dreams of hell. Not just fire and brimstone either but demons thousands of them and souls being tortured. They know I'm coming they can't wait for it. They keep reaching for my heart trying to bringing my closer causing me pain till I decide I can't take it and pull the trigger." Athena didn't look at either brother but Sam looked at Dean and knew what he was thinking about.
Dean had spent four months in hell (40 years down there) getting tortured and doing the torturing. They both knew that if Athena lost her soul the same thing could happen to her if she could handle it she may even wind up becoming a demon herself. That wasn't about to happen.
"Alright. Lets go." Dean brought his baby to life and Sam got back in his seat. They watched Anya a little closer now watching to make sure she wasn't fading off into another one of her fits but there were none thankfully which could only mean something worse was ahead of them.
.::*::.
It was the final strength to Bobby's and they were already on day two. Dean and Sam and switched seats so Sam could drive while Dean got some shuteye. It was late when they made it almost nine. The sun had already gone and the stars glittered in the sky over head.
"If you see a shot gun or the beer taste a little off don't worry about Bobby's just paranoid." Sam told her as they parked.
Bobby Singer owner of Singer Salvage was standing at his front door watching as two familiar facers got out of the impala and one he'd never seen before. All three walked toward the door the salt was in place and he had holy water beers ready and waiting.
Bobby opened the door stepping aside to let them in. the last one in was a young woman with a large bag over her shoulder. Anya stopped inside the door just enough so Bobby could close it.
"Hi." What else was she really going to say?
"Who are you?"
"Athena but you can call my Anya." She told him.
"Bobby this is well our case that we need help with." Sam said.
"Alright everyone in the kitchen and a grab a beer." Bobby told them. Dean set four beers on the table as they all sat down.
"Now tell me what you told them." Bobby told Anya.
"I'll give you the summary, someone sold my soul, before I was even born, instead of their own but the demon my soul was sold to can't get it till my 21st birthday which is in June." Anya told him.
Bobby repeated the words in his head a few times before looking at her. "Someone else sold your soul?"
Anya nodded.
"I found out a little over a year ago that's when I started hunting demons. I've cut down a few other things but mostly demons looking for answers to break my deal when one told me about these two over here that they were the only ones who have ever broken their deals. So I looked for them, I found them, we're here."
"Alright can you go into my library and bring me any texts you find on demons while I talk to them." Bobby asked. Anya nodded and left the door closing the door behind her.
"She cannot be serious." Bobby said.
"But Bobby you didn't see it yet. She said she has visions of demons and hell…"
"She's a nut case. You boys listen to me and listen good."
In the library Anya had already found four large and rather thick volumes and headed for the kitchen when she heard them talking.
"It's not possible for another human being to sell another human's soul. Where's the proof?" Anya let the books fall out of her hand and drop with thuds to the floor and she snatched the door open.
"You really think I can make this crap up? You really think I could be together such a story just for kicks? Well guess what as of Jane 28th I belong to hell because my father had to give up the soul of his unborn child to save the life of his dying one. His son, my brother and the fact that I'm seeing hell and I'm not even there yet is a bit less believable I guess." She snapped at them.
Anya stormed out the house picking up her bag on the way and heading out into the night.
It stopped her. The pain grabbed at her like it never had before. The edges of her vision were quickly giving away to the hellish scenery. Sam and Dean got up from the table and rushed after her after a moment or two of processing what had been said.
Bobby rubbed his face pushing his hands back through his hair removing the ball cap. Putting it back in place she sighed, "Balls."
.::*::.
Anya had collapsed on the cold ground curled in the fetal position seeking some comfort from the pain. She'd given into sleep having not slept the night before. Dean reached her first placing two fingers to her pulse point.
She was still alive.
Sam carried her back into Bobby's and up to one of the spare rooms laying her down. Sam took one really good look at her and frowned. She was pale and thin, almost sickly.
Sam closed the door heading down stairs to find Bobby and Dean both standing in the living room. "She's sleeping."
"Alright. You two get some sleep I'm sending you out in the morning to stock up on some stuff for the next few weeks. Not to mention that moron Rufus is showing up sometime tomorrow." Bobby finished off his glass of whiskey before heading up stairs. Dean and Sam had already gone to their shared room.
.::*::.
Athena awoke but didn't open her eyes. She remembered yelling last night and leaving then like she had blacked out she didn't remember anything. She was warm which could either be bad or good, she also felt safe but watched. Taking the chance of opening her eyes.
A dark skinned man stood over her being caught off guard Anya fell from the bed with a scream as she detangled herself from the sheets and cover. Rufus a long time friend of Bobby's went to help her but the woman was having none of it as she threw a boot at his head.
"Get the hell away from me." Anya fell over her own feet as she tried to get out of the room her duffle was thrown by the door as she reached in a pulled out a simple revolver taking aim at the man.
Bobby hearing the commotion from outside, on the front porch, came running up the stairs. Taking Anya by her upper arm he helped her stand easing the gun out of her hands. "You can rest easy he's to stupid to do any real damage." Bobby stated.
"Come on down stairs when you're ready. You follow me." Bobby glared at the dark skinned man.
Down stairs Bobby reached for the house phone calling Sam's cell phone.
"Bobby what's wrong?"
"She's awake no thanks to Rufus. She's upstairs now but you boys better hurry up and get back here." Bobby told them.
"Alright we're in the check out line now." Sam said. Bobby heard a voice in the background most likely Dean as he hung up. The old hunter turned back to the stove to fix his houseguest a plate. Placing it on the table Rufus went to reach for it only to have his hand connect with Bobby's spatula.
"It ain't yours so don't touch it." Bobby looked up as Anya brought herself into the kitchen. "Come sit down and eat Dean and Sam went out to get some stuff for the next couple of days."
When Anya still didn't sit down Bobby followed her gaze to Rufus. "Don't mind that idjit he's harmless. Now come sit down and eat we've got a lot to do today."
Anya sat down and dug in she was starving. She didn't get to eat much on the road and being able to eat the last three days in a row were great to her. The food was good and that was an added plus.
"Pretty young thing." Anya's head snapped up to see Rufus watching her a smile playing on his lips and a failing attempt to give her a seductive look. The hand in her lap went to the blade she had strapped to her leg she placed it on the table and gave him a look. The look on Rufus' face told it all as he sat back in his seat and averted his eyes. Bobby broke into a hearty laugh.
.::*::.
Dean put his foot on the gas as they sped down the road heading back for Bobby's. He'd said she was awake no thanks to Rufus they were really worried about the girl but Rufus was stupid enough to do something that could get himself hurt by her.
They drove up the drive towards the house. Rumsfled looked up from where he was sleeping in the shade, Bobby sitting on the porch with Rufus each with a beer in their hands. "Did you boys get everything?" Bobby called.
"Yeah. Where's Athena." Sam called back grabbing the last two bags or groceries.
"In the kitchen waiting for you two. Hurry up and put that stuff away." Both nodded making their way into the house. "You okay?" Sam asked as they entered.
"Besides having people watch me sleep and then try to hit on me I'll live. But I'm keeping my knife with me at all times." She said.
"Well are you feeling okay?" Dean asked. They'd been worried about her after they found her last night. Sam had told Dean about how thin and sickly she looked. Now they were getting a good look. Her to large clothes were drowning her tiny frame and her skin they had not noticed before was pale making her black hair and blue eyes appear darker and brighter.
"Alright lets get this going. Start from the beginning and tell us the truth and everything." Bobby said and he entered the kitchen. Both boys looked at him.
"Rufus is gone he only came for a few things."
"Why should I tell you anything else you think I'm lying to you anyway?"
Bobby sighed, "Because I changed my mind and now I'm going to hear you out but you better tell us everything."
"My father had it in his mind that he only needed one child, a son, and should he produce anymore children should they be sons he wouldn't mind it because having sons was being strong to him. Having daughters was weak. So when my parents found out they were pregnant again my older brother became ill then they found out I was girl what did he need a daughter for? He would not let himself be seen as a weak man so to save my brothers life he sold the soul of his unborn child, me."
But shouldn't they have gotten you the minute you were born?" Dean asked.
"That's what I thought when I found out. But I never got the answer to that yet. So my brother was no longer sick because my soul was promised. He didn't sell his own because if he had he wouldn't have been able to watch my brother grow up and all that jazz. He wouldn't have been able to see the fruits of his labor pay off, when I was five my mother died. I found out little over a year ago, like I told Sam and Dean, when a demon processed my boss and said something about getting me once I'm in hell. That my soul wouldn't stand a snowball's chance."
"How'd you know he was a demon?" Bobby questioned. It was clear to him the girl was a green horn hunter.
"He tried to force himself on me and I stabbed him in the chest. He didn't flinch and his eyes were black. He said something that gave away my father he said, "Your daddy made a good choice in giving your soul up."
"Where's your father now?"
"In some hospital bed dying I hope." Anya smiled at them.
"Alright we need to find out more about this deal your daddy made."
"He is not my father or my daddy. He's a dead beat asshole who I hope is gonna be on a slow fall to hell." Anya spat.
"Don't blame ya. Everyone get ready to hit the road I want you to go see Him and find out whatever you can about the deal. I'm gonna see what I can pull up on my end. Take care of each other and make sure she eats some more. Any thinner she'll disappear." Bobby said walking off.
Dean chuckled and Sam tried to hide his smile but was failing. "Shut up moron." She sneered.
Now Sam laughed. Dean glared at the woman. "You ride in the back seat."
"Where else was I going to ride moron?"
Sam laughed even harder.
"Shut up Sammy."
"All of ya shut up and get going!" Bobby shouted.