"Dean! Drie!" Sam rushed forward as Ben and Athena glanced up to where he was going.
"Hailey, wake up," Ben pleaded as he lifted her chin up. She groaned before picking her head up and glancing out. All three of them were covered in dirt and mud, their clothes ripped in places.
"Athena, get Dean to wake up," Sam said as he moved over to Adriana. He shook the blonde gently as Athena shook Dean. "Drie? Wake up, hon."
Adriana clenched her eyes shut before opening them and looking around. "Sam?"
"Hey, you okay?" He asked her softly.
Adriana winced as she drew in a breath but nodded. "Yeah."
"What happened?" He asked quietly but urgently. She took in another shaky breath.
"It... it grabbed me. In the forest. Brought me here... and then about ten minutes later, Dean and Hailey were strung up. But in those ten minutes..." she broke off, lowering her head. Sam reached behind her and cut her rope, lowering her gently. She pressed her face into his chest. Sam ran his hands across her hair.
"Shh, Drie. It'll be okay." He glanced behind him. Ben had cut Hailey down and she was looking around the cave, shaking. Athena was conversing with Dean and she looked serious for once. "You all right, Dean?" he called across the cave. Dean nodded.
"Yeah," he said, rolling his shoulder and wincing. "Where is he?"
"He's gone for now," Sam said, still holding Adriana.
"Oh my God, Tommy!" Hailey's cry echoed in the room. She ran across to where her older brother was hanging from the cavern roof, crying. "Tommy," she said quietly, and reached up to touch his cheek. She couldn't tell if he was breathing or not. His head jerked up at her touch, causing Hailey to jump backwards in fright. "Cut him, down, please?" she asked Sam, her voice desperate. Sam released Adriana and quickly crossed the cavern, cutting down the injured man. "We're gonna get you home, okay?" Hailey said to Tom. He groaned in reply, struggling to stay upright.
Dean scanned the cabin. His eyes caught a pile in the corner. He walked over to it, Athena following him. It was their stolen supplies. He leaned down, wincing again and picked up a gun shaped object.
"Check it out," he called over to Sam, who had returned to Adriana. A grin lit up his younger brothers face as he saw a way they might be able to get out alive.
"Flare guns... that'll work."
Dean twirled the gun around his finger as Athena packed all the supplies into one bag and grabbed another gun for herself. She slid the bags onto her shoulder, and handed the last gun to Sam. The group moved out of the cabin, Dean and Athena in the front with the flare guns, Hailey and Ben supporting Tom and Adriana and Sam at the back. Adriana had barely said a word the entire time. Athena paused, halting the group.
"What is it?" Dean asked. His question was answered by a growling coming up one of the many tunnels. "Looks like someone's home for supper," he commented dryly. Sam snorted.
"We'll never outrun it," Hailey said. Dean, however, shook his head. He glanced back at his brother.
"You thinking what I'm thinking?"
"Yeah, I think so" Sam replied, although he glanced at Adriana before he did so. Dean saw his eye movement and nodded.
All right, listen to me." Dean addressed the group. "Sam's gonna get you out of here." As he expected, Athena protested. What he didn't expect is that Adriana didn't contest him.
"What are you going to do?" Athena asked, narrowing her eyes at him. Dean winked at her and turned away, walking back down the tunnel. Sam watched him go, waiting until they could barely see him.
"All right, come on. Hurry!" Sam urged the group as he took the lead, helping Adriana along. They could hear Dean's voice ringing throughout the cave.
"Chow time, you freaky bastard! Yeah, that's right, bring it on, baby, I taste good."
As Sam hurried everyone along, there was some growling noise behind them. He turned around and pointed his gun directly in the direction of the sound, then lowered the flare gun and turned to face Adriana and Athena. "Drie, Thena, get them outta here."
Adriana's eyes widened. "What? Sam, no!"
"Drie, you've gotta."
"Not without you!" She protested, but he shook his head.
"I'll be all right, I promise." He stepped forward and kissed her forehead. "Now, go." She nodded her head tightly, not wanting to leave him, before ushering the Collins family quickly away from Sam. "Go, go, go!" Sam urged more. Sam held the flare gun up, pointing it down the tunnel as more growling was heard. "Come on, come on," He muttered to himself.
He narrowed his eyes, trying to see further down the cave before pressing himself up against the wall, waiting for the creature. Sam heard more growling and turned to his right to see the wendigo right beside him. He jumped back a little and shot his flare at it, missing. He quickly hopped up and hurried down the tunnel toward the group. Hailey turned and saw someone coming.
"Sam!"
"Come on. Hurry, hurry, hurry," He said as he urged them to the end of the tunnel which turned out to be a dead end. Sam stepped in front of the group, holding his arms out. "Get behind me," He instructed the group. Sam could feel Adriana press herself against his side, shaking as the wendigo slowly approached them.
"Hey!" Dean shouted from behind the wendigo. It turned towards his voice just as Dean shot his gun, the flare hitting the creature and watched as it went up in flames. As its ashes fell, Dean glanced at Sam, grinning. "Not bad, huh?"
Sam just grinned back, wrapping an arm around Adriana as he felt her relax against him.
"Thanks for saving our asses Dean. You are a hero, and we worship you," Athena said sarcastically, but grinning slightly to show she was a little serious.
"I know. If I wasn't so modest, I'd be perfect."
Adriana snorted, wrapping her own arms around Sam. He smiled down at her. "What do you say we get out of here?" he asked. The group nodded collectively and made their way into the forest. Tommy squinted when the light hit his eyes, having been in the cave for the longest period of time.
"You okay?" Hailey asked her brother quietly. He nodded, and took another painful step forward, his weight being supported by his siblings.
"So who are they?" he asked in a rough voice, gesturing to the Winchesters and co.
"The two guys are the Winchester brothers. Sam's the tall one and Dean's the other one. Dean's the oldest and they're brothers... the blonde girl is Adriana and the tall girl is Athena... they claimed they were park rangers but they were looking for the Winchester's dad... and they knew it wasn't a grizzly..." she said, shrugging. Tommy didn't reply, trying to understand it all.
Up ahead, Dean was talking to Athena.
"So. You're normal now. Well, as normal as you could be," he said, smirking. She glared at him.
"I'm more normal than you, Dean Winchester," she pronounced, sniffing.
"Doubtful," he said, still smirking. She darted forward and grabbed his bag.
"Hey! What are you doing!" he called, taking a step towards her. She stepped back, unzipping the bag.
"I swear, Thena, if you-" He cut himself off as she cheerily opened the bag and began looking inside until she found what she was looking for. It was car keys. Dean's jaw dropped. She dumped the bag on the ground and tucked the keys into her bra.
"Come and get them," she said before sprinting off through the forest. Dean ran past his bag and chased after her.
"Sammy can you carry my bag?" he called back as he ran past his younger brother. Sam stared after him, bewildered, before looking back at the confused Collinses and his bag, lying on the forest floor. He grabbed his brother's bag, and kept walking. Adriana shook her head.
"And he has the nerve to call me childish."
Despite the fact that Athena had more speed, Dean had a greater motive and he soon caught up with her. He hid behind a tree a little way away from her, and she slowed into a walk, looking around laughing. He jumped out from behind the tree and grabbed her around the waist, hauling her over his shoulder. She screamed and laughed
"You're an ass," he said as he walked them back to the rest of the group.
"And you are an asshole," she said, frowning on his shoulder. He shrugged as best he could with her on his shoulder.
"You have my keys."
"Aren't you a smart one," she said sarcastically. They rounded the corner to see the group. Sam just shook his head.
"Give me back my keys," Dean said, before unceremoniously dumping her onto the ground and rolling his shoulders. As he did, the keys fell out of her bra and onto the ground. Athena dived for them but Dean picked them up first. She glared at him, and he smirked.
"You snooze, you lose," he said, grabbing his bag off Sam.
"Yes, and right now we are snoozing. We should get out of this forest and back to civilisation," Sam said, ever the level headed one. Athena rolled her eyes and stood up.
"So shouldn't we leave Dean here? I mean, civilisation is anywhere he isn't, right?" she asked, smiling sweetly. Dean glared at her.
Adriana laughed. "She's got a point, Dean."
He turned his glare onto Adriana. "No one asked you, Princess."
"Will you stop calling me that?" She questioned, glaring.
Dean smirked. "Does it bother you?" He asked and she nodded. "Good. Then I'll continue doing it."
Adriana rolled her eyes as she turned back to Hailey and her siblings. "You guys okay?" She asked and Hailey nodded.
"Yeah. I think we just wanna get out of here before nightfall," She stated. She knew the wendigo was gone, but it would still ease her mind more once they were out of the woods for good.
Adriana nodded in understanding. "I agree." She turned to Dean. "You should give me a piggyback ride," She told him and he scoffed then smirked.
"Why don't you ask Ben to give you one?" He teased her playfully and she rolled her eyes at him in annoyance.
"Why don't you shut your mouth and go and fuc-" Sam cut her off before she could get any more violent with her words.
"Why don't we all walk a little faster?" he asked, shooting his brother a look. They were all silent after that, making good time. When Hailey saw their cars, she sagged slightly with relief. Dean and Sam helped her put Tommy into the backseat of the car. They climbed into the Impala and pulled away after Hailey's car. Dean was driving, and Sam was in the front with him.
"Are you okay?" Athena asked Adriana quietly. Adriana glanced over at the other girl surprised.
"Why wouldn't I be?" she asked. Athena shrugged.
"I don't know... I just thought I'd check," she said. Adriana looked at her for a moment longer before looking back out the window.
"Someone already checked," she said quietly, smiling to herself. Dean followed Hailey to the parking lot for the entrance to the park. She climbed out of the car and dialed 911. Within the next ten minutes, ambulances surrounded the station. The ambulance officers loaded up Tom quickly. Hailey was talking to them while they treated him. Meanwhile, two police officers were interviewing Ben. Sam and Adriana stood behind him.
"And the bear came back again after you yelled at it?" the officer was saying. ben nodded furtively.
"Yeah. That's when it circled the campsite. I mean this grizzly must have weighed eight hundred, nine hundred pounds," he said. Sam and Adriana nodded.
"That's right officer. It was huge," Adriana added. The officer glanced at her and flipped his notebook shut.
"All right, we'll go after it first thing." With that, the officer walked away as Ben turned to Adriana and Sam.
"Thanks," He said smiling at Adriana then quickly turned to Sam. "Both of you."
Sam nodded while Adriana smiled back at Ben. "No problem," She told him nodding her head in the direction of the other three. "Come on," She said leading the way over to them.
"So, I don't know how to thank you," Hailey told Dean sincerely and Dean smirked causing Hailey to smile and glance down shaking her head. "Must you cheapen the moment?" She asked, gazing back up at him.
He nodded. "Yeah," He said as a paramedic walked up to Hailey.
"You riding with your brother?" She asked and Hailey nodded her head.
"Yeah," She said and the paramedic nodded and turned back to the ambulance and climbed in as Hailey turned to Ben. "Ready to go?" She asked and he nodded. She turned back to Dean and kissed him on the cheek. "I hope you find your father," She said softly.
Dean nodded. "Thanks." She walked back to the ambulance and climbed in beside her brothers.
"Close her up," a paramedic called.
"Man, I hate camping," Dean said as he walked back to sit his car.
"You hate everything, Dean," Adriana said.
"Especially you," he retorted. She poked her tongue out at him.
"You couldn't hate me. No one can hate me," she said, climbing into the car. Athena raised her eyebrow at Dean.
"You can't. And this is coming from one who tried," she said before getting into the front seat. Adriana mock gasped.
"I'm actually quite offended by that comment, Athena," she said. Sam climbed in after Adriana, pushing her over when she wouldn't move.
"And like Dean hates everything, if you had your way, you'd be offended about everything."
"And if you had your way, you'd be sullen about everything. And Athena would be sarcastic about everything," she snapped.
"Athena is sarcastic about everything," Dean commented as they pulled away from Blackwater Ridge.
"Would you like to drop me off at the airport tonight or tomorrow morning?" She asked and Sam turned to her.
"You're leaving?"
She nodded. "I told you I was leaving after this case," She told him quietly. "I need to get back home. I've missed enough classes as it is, Sam."
"We'll drop you off tomorrow morning," Dean told her as he glanced at his little brother and saw his face fall.
Adriana nodded. "Thanks, Dean," She said as he drove to their motel. "I just want some sleep right now," She said yawning and Dean nodded in agreement.
"Today has been a long, crazy day. We all need rest. Drie, what times your flight?" He asked.
"Whenever I can get there and buy a ticket," She told him and he nodded.
"So, we don't have to wake up early?" He asked. "Thank god!"
They drove back to their motel. There was no friendly banter as they made their way up to their room. After a case like this, they were all drained, emotionally and physically. It was a hard job, to be a hunter.
Sam woke first. He stared at the girl lying beside him. This case would be the closest he would ever see her to breaking. He stroked her hair. The plan he and Dean had used was the same one John Winchester and Matthew Tanner had used to kill the Wendigo in Minnesota. Matt had been the bait and Matthew had received the phone call from Adriana, meaning he was distracted. John tried as hard as he could to save his friend, but he still died. He just lay there until Adriana finally blinked her big blue eyes open. The dark marks she'd had under them were rapidly disappearing.
"Hey Sammy," she said quietly before sliding out of the bed.
"Hi Drie," he said back, equally as quietly. She walked across to the bathroom without replying. She knew he wasn't happy she was leaving again. But he had to understand that she wasn't a hunter. He wasn't a hunter either but he felt he had to be for his dad, his mom, his brother. She sighed as she turned on the shower, the hot water helping clear her mind.
Sam groaned as he sat up. He didn't want her to leave. He hadn't realized how much he had missed her hunting with them until she had come with them. Athena made it easier to hunt with Dean, but she wasn't Adriana. It wasn't the same. He needed the little blonde girl there to keep him calm. But she didn't want to stay. Honestly, Sam was surprised that she had stayed this long on the hunts with them. He ran a hand through his hair and groaned again, Dean's voice breaking through his thoughts.
"You gotta let her go sometime, Sam." He looked over at Dean.
"But why?" he asked, giving a puppy dog pout that almost surpassed Adriana's.
"She's not supposed to be doing this, Sam. She's not made for this."
"You say that, yet on how many hunts had Drie saved our asses," Sam said, sighing.
"But you can't make her do something she doesn't want to Sam. I thought I was the unreasonable one, but can't you see she has to leave?" Sam glared at his brother, hating that he was right. Athena rolled over and stood up.
"Morning boys," she said, her trademark smirk across her face.
"Hel-lo Athena and how did you sleep?" Dean questioned with exaggerated manners.
"Rather well, Dean, and yourself?" she asked, adopting an affected British accent. Dean snorted.
"How did you learn to do all these accents?" he asked her.
"Vat accents do you mean, comrade?" she asked, winking in a Russian accent. Dean shook his head, laughing.
"You're terrible, you know that, right?" he said. She paused for a moment.
"Yep. I know."
Dean shook his head as Adriana walked out of the bathroom, ready to go and dressed in a pair of ripped shorts and a plaid collared shirt that tied in a knot in the front, showing off her tan stomach. She sat down on the edge of the bed without saying a word and slipped on a pair of ankle boots with a slight wedge. She sat back, sighing, still not saying a word. She wanted to go, she really did because hunting wasn't for her. But being with the Winchesters, hunting felt right. It felt right behind here with Sam. She wasn't sure if she was ready to leave that.
"You ready to go?" Dean asked her and she nodded her head. "I gotta get ready then I'll take you to the airport while these two clean up the room and get packed. It's not that far from here," He added as he stood up grabbing his bag of clothes. After they had dropped Adriana off, he needed to seriously do some laundry.
Sam watched her walk over to the door, before saying anything. "Drie!" he said, and she turned. He quickly crossed the room and Sam hugged Adriana tightly.
"Don't miss me too much, okay?" she said into his chest. He squeezed her before letting her go.
"I'll try not to," he told her, stepping back.
"See you Thena," she said, lifting a hand to acknowledge the dark haired hunter. She grinned slightly at her nickname.
"See you Drie," she mimicked. Adriana walked out of the room, and a few minutes later, they heard the Impala pull away from their motel. As soon as it had disappeared, Sam sat down onto the bed, a crestfallen expression on his face. Adriana was gone-again. He rested his head in one of his hands, rubbing his temples. This shouldn't have bothered him this much, but it did.
"You'll see her again," Athena told him quietly and he sighed.
"Yeah, but when?" He asked. "Six more years?" He shook his head. There was no way he could wait six more years to see her.
"You'll see her sooner than that, Sam. Have a little faith," She said quietly and Sam shook his head standing up.
"Come on. We need to pack up and be ready to leave by the time Dean gets back."
~Far Away~
Dean drove the Impala to the airport. He glanced over at Adriana who had her chin resting in her palm, her gaze turned out to glance at the trees and clouds outside the windows. The expression on her face was somewhere between sad and happy. He knew she was torn, that much was obvious. He knew she didn't want to leave any of them, and if he was being honest, he didn't want her to leave her either. She was like his little sister and he enjoyed their witty banter. He definitely missed her on the cases she hadn't been on. But, he also knew hunting wasn't for her, and he wanted her to be happy.
"You gonna be okay?" He asked her.
"What's this? Dean Winchester getting all sympathetic in his old age?" she asked, smiling as she turned to face him. Dean smiled back.
"No. I'm just curious to know what's going on in the crazy blonde head of yours," he said lightly. Adriana sighed.
"Yeah. I'll be okay. I'll miss you though," she said. Dean took his eyes off the road briefly.
"I'll miss you too, Princess. But we can't keep you locked up in this tower," he said, playing the analogy.
"Oh, but I will miss my handsome prince," she replied, smiling impishly.
"By the use of the word 'handsome' I shall assume you are referring to me." Adriana rolled her eyes.
"Of course, my liege," she said as the glittering lights of the airport came into view. She sighed as he pulled up to the side of the drop off area.
"Here we are," Dean said.
She sighed again as she pulled out her Glock 26 and handed it to Dean. "I can't get it through airport security," She explained.
"How'd you get it here?" He questioned taking the gun from her.
"Toledo's security sucks." She shook her head. "Keep it. I've got another one back at my apartment," She added as she climbed out of the car, slinging her pink duffel bag over her shoulders. Dean got out as well and stepped around to the passenger's side. He pulled the petite blonde into a hug. "Don't get all emotional on me," Adriana joked with him as she hugged him back.
Dean laughed, pulling away. "In your dreams." He ruffled her hair a little, and she glared up at him.
"Really? I'm not four, Dean." She crossed her arms over her chest, and he laughed.
"Yeah. You're just as short as a four year old," He added teasingly, and she rolled her eyes.
"You're an ass, you know that?"
"I do know that. You and Thena tell me all the time," He told her, and she smiled at the use of Athena's nickname by him.
"Just so you know it's true," she said before turning back to desk. "I have to go Dean," she said.
"I know. Just this time... call maybe? Six years is a long time, Drie."
"The phone works both ways, Dean," she said, hoisting her bag over her shoulder and walking through the lines.
Dean watched her go for a minute before walking out of the airport himself. He quickly drove back to their motel. They had to hit the road again, find a new case. He pulled into the Laundromat and chucked their clothes in, watching it tumble around in the machine. After their clothes had been washed and cleaned, they loaded back up into the Impala and drove into the next town where they had stopped to get some sleep.
They found another case and worked on that. They did that for a few months, just finding random cases to work on until one morning Dean's cell phone rang. Dean wasn't answering it and it had woken Sam up. Athena groaned and rolled over.
"Somebody answer the damn phone," She mumbled into the pillow from the couch.
Sam groaned and reached over, grabbing Dean's phone. He flipped it open and pressed it to his ear. "Hello?" The number was one he didn't recognize.
"Sam? Is that you?"
Sam froze. It was his father's voice. He sat up. "Dad?" He asked, his voice quiet, not quite believing this. "Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine," John Winchester told Sam.
"We've been looking for you everywhere," Sam told his father. "We didn't know where you were, if you were okay..."
"Sammy, I'm alright. What about you and Dean?" Sam glanced over at his brother. He was stirring in the bed.
"We're fine Dad. Where are you?" he asked.
"Sorry, kiddo, I can't tell you that."
"What? Why not?" Sam asked. Dean was finally awake.
"Is that Dad?" he asked frantically.
"Look, I know this is hard for you to understand. You're just gonna have to trust me on this," John was saying.
"You're after it, aren't you," Sam said quietly. "That thing that killed Mom."
"Yeah... it's a demon, Sam."
"A demon?" Sam asked, surprised. "You know for sure?"
"A demon?" Dean's tone echoed Sam as he sat up and leant towards Sam. "What's he saying?"
"I do. Listen Sammy, I, uh... I also know what happened to your girlfriend. I'm so sorry. I would've done anything to protect you from that," John said sincerely.
"You know where it is?" Sam asked, ignoring the apology.
"Yeah I think I'm finally closing in on it."
"Let us help," Sam said.
"You can't. You can't be any part of it," John said firmly. Athena rolled back over in her bed, stretching. She saw the boys looking strained and they both seemed to be gravitating around Dean's cell.
"Why not?" Sam asked, trying to keep the frustration out of his voice.
"Give me the phone," Dean asked, extending his hand for it. Sam ignored him.
"Listen Sammy, that's why I'm calling you. You and your brother, you gotta stop looking for me. Alright, now I need you to write down these names."
"Names?" Sam asked, confused. "What names? Dad, talk to me, tell me what's going on."
"Look, we don't have time for this. This is bigger than you think, they're everywhere. Even us talking right now, it's not safe"
"No," Sam said. "Alright? No way," he said, anger coming into his voice. All the months they'd spent searching for their father and now he was just telling them to stop looking?
"Give me the damn phone," Dean demanded, glaring at his younger brother.
"I've given you an order. Now, you stop following me, and you do your job. You understand me? Now, take down these names." Even over the phone, John Winchester had a commanding air to his voice. Dean lent over and snatched the phone off his brother. Sam stared down at his hands, before looking up to see Athena staring at them, wide eyed.
"Dad it's me," Dean said. "Where are you?" There was a pause. "Yes sir," Dean said, ignoring the look his brother was giving him. "Uh yeah, I got a pen... what are their names?" He jotted down the names, doing exactly as his father instructed. After he had taken down the names, he flipped his phone shut, hanging up on their father. He glanced down at the list of names before turning to Sam who had a hard look on his face. "Sam?"
"I can't believe you let him go, just like that," He stated shaking his head.
Dean ignored him. "Okay. We need to be ready to leave in fifteen minutes," He stated. "Dad's got a case for us," He added before disappearing into the bathroom to change.
Athena glanced at Sam. "You okay?" She asked him. He glared, not at her, just in general.
"He has some sort of hero-worship thing for Dad. You heard him. Yes sir. No sir. Three bags full sir," Sam said sarcastically, standing up and grabbing his bag.
"That's not what I asked about Sam. Are you okay?" she repeated. He gave her a grim smile.
"I'll live," he said, carrying his bag over to the bathroom and waiting outside until Dean reappeared. He didn't say anything to his brother, just sullenly closed the door.
"What's up with him?" Dean asked Athena. She stood up, the duvet falling off her, shrugging.
"Why don't you ask him? You're his brother," she said.
"Because he thinks all I do is follow dad's orders," he said, pulling his boots on and lacing them up. Athena raised her eyebrows as she grabbed her clothes.
"Dean. All you did on the phone was follow your dad's orders," she said. Dean glared at her.
"I'm hoping this is one of the many times you're being sarcastic," he snapped. She smirked at him.
"On the contrary Dean. This is one of the rare times I'm not being sarcastic. So suck it up, sunshine," she said.
Dean glared. "I think I prefer you when you were being sarcastic," He stated rolling his eyes as he grabbed his duffel bag and began to check his guns, a habit he did whenever he was mad and didn't want to talk to anyone else.
Athena rolled her eyes as Sam stepped out of the bathroom and Athena disappeared inside. She came back out a few minutes later ready to go. She noticed that Sam was sitting as far away from Dean as possible and the two brothers probably hadn't said a word to each other.
"We ready to go?" She asked them. They both nodded and Dean began to load the guns back up into his bag and Sam stood up.
"I'll go check us out," He stated before leaving the room.
"Well, this car ride is going to be awkward," Athena mumbled and sure enough she was right. The car ride was quiet most of the way. Sam apparently had had enough so he broke the silence, needing to have Dean explain to him why they were heading away from where their father had been.
"All right, so the names dad gave us, they're all couples?" He questioned Dean, glancing over to the passenger side where his older brother was sitting. These were the rare moments when Sam drove the Impala.
"Three different couples-all went missing," Dean explained as he used a flashlight and looked at all the papers in his lap while Athena sat in the back.
"And they're all from different towns? Different states?" She asked.
Dean glanced back at her and nodded. "That's right. You got Washington, New York, Colorado. Each couple took a road-trip across country; none of them arrived at their destination, and none of them were ever heard from again."
"Well, it's a big country, Dean," Sam said sarcastically. "They could have disappeared anywhere."
Dean nodded. "Yeah, could've," He said as he shuffled through the papers, finding one he was looking for. "But, each one's route took 'em into the same part of Indiana. Always on the second week of April, one year after another."
Sam turned to Dean. "This is the second week of April."
Dean nodded. "Yep."
"So, dad is sending us to Indiana to go hunting for something before another couple vanishes?"
"Yahtzee," Dean said. "Can you imagine putting together a pattern like this? All the different orbits dad had to go through? The man's a master." He glanced back at the papers and Athena watched as Sam clenched his jaw shut, a grim expression on his face. He glanced Dean before pulling the car over onto the shoulder of the road and put the car into park before turning it off. "What are you doing?" He asked his little brother.
"We're not going to Indiana," he said. Dean raised his eyebrows.
"We're not?" he asked.
"No," he said firmly. "We're going to California. Dad called from a payphone. Sacramento Area code."
"Sam," Dean said wearily.
"Dean if this is the demon that killed mom and Jess, and Dad's closing in, we've gotta be there. We've gotta help."
"Dad doesn't want our help," Dean said harshly.
"I don't care!"
"He's given us an order," Dean said, giving his brother a look.
"I don't care," Sam repeated. "We don't always have to do what he says."
"Sam, Dad is asking us to work jobs, save lives. It's important."
"Alright, I understand, believe me, I understand. But I'm talking one week here, man, to get answers. To get revenge."
"Alright, look, I know how you feel," Dean began.
"Do you?" Sam questioned harshly and Dean stared at him in shock. "How old were you when mom died? Four? Jess died six months ago, Dean. How the hell would you know how I feel?" He questioned.
Dean ignored Sam's questioning. "Dad said it wasn't safe, for any of us. I mean, he obviously knows something that we don't so, if he says stay away, we stay away."
Sam glared at Dean. "I don't understand the blind faith you have in the man! I mean, it's like you don't even question him!"
"Yeah, it's called being a good son!" Dean snapped, and Sam opened the door and got out of the car, slamming the door shut. He walked around to the trunk and begin unloading things out of it.
"No, it's called being a good soldier," Sam told Dean who got out of the car angrily at that comment. Athena climbed out as well. She had never seen the two boys fight this much and not to this extent.
"You're a selfish bastard, you know that?" Dean questioned Sam. "You just do whatever you want. Don't care what anybody thinks."
"That's what you really think?" Sam questioned him harshly.
Dean nodded. "Yeah, that's what I think," He said and Athena's mouth hung open in shock.
Sam shook his head. "Well, then this selfish bastard is going to California." He slung his backpack over his shoulder and started walking.
"Come on! You're not serious!" Dean called after him.
"I am serious!" Sam called back, not turning around.
"It's the middle of the night!" He paused. "Hey! I'm taking off!" He warned him and Athena's mouth hung open more in shock. "I will leave your ass, you hear me!"
Sam stopped walking and turned around to face Dean. "That's what I want you to do."
"Goodbye Sam," was all Dean said before closing the trunk and getting in the car.
Athena paused a moment longer, before lowering her eyes and following Dean. Sam hadn't expected any different. Athena was a hunter now, and Dean was going hunting. Sam watched them leave, before pulling his bag onto his shoulders and walking in the opposite direction. Athena glanced over at Dean. He was gripping the steering wheel tightly.
"And then there were two.." she said very quietly. Dean looked over at her.
"Not by our choice," he replied, equally as quietly, his voice low with anger.
"I woulda thought you would have been the one hell bent on finding the demon," she remarked, her voice back at the normal volume.
"I would much rather obey my father's wishes," he said stiffly. Athena had noticed he'd never been one to talk about his feelings, but he was even more tight lipped than usual.
Athena nodded, deciding it best to keep her mouth shut and not push the subject. The rest of the car ride to Indiana was quiet. Occasionally, one of them would try to make small talk but it eventually would die away. After a few more hours, the two pulled up into a small town. Athena glanced over at Dean as he pulled out his cellphone after turning the car off. He went through some of the contacts, and stopped on one trying to decide if he wanted to call it or not. Athena assumed it was Sam's.
Dean decided it against it and flipped his phone shut and shoved it into his jacket pocket before getting out of the car. "Let's go," He said to Athena." He walked up to Scotty's Cafe. Dean sauntered over to a man sitting in a chair outside. "Let me guess," he said, smirking and gesturing to the sign. "Scotty?"
"Yep," the man said.
"Hi, my name's John Bonham," Dean said confidently. Scotty regarded him for a moment.
"Isn't that the drummer for Led Zeppelin?" he asked. Dean looked taken aback.
"Wow. Good. Classic rock fan" he said messily. Athena rolled her eyes and stepped up beside Dean. She was wearing skinny jeans with her combat boots, a ribbed singlet and she had her jacket slung across her arm.
"I'm Anamaria Reichs," she said, trying to defuse the situation. Scotty eyed her up and down but she met his gaze straight on.
"What can I do for you two?" he asked, prompting Dean to take a flier of two people out of his jacket pocket. The names down the bottom read Holly and Vince Parker.
"I was wondering, uh, if you'd seen these people by any chance?" Dean queried. Scotty leaned forward to study the faces.
"Nope. Who are they?"
"They're friends of ours," Dean explained. "They went missing about a year ago. They passed through somewhere around here and I already checked in Scottsburg and Salem-" He said and Scotty handed him the flyer back.
"Sorry," He said. "We don't get very many strangers around here," He added and Dean nodded.
"Scotty? You got a smile that lights up a whole room, anybody ever tell you that?" He said and Scotty just stared at him and Dean laughed nervously. "Never mind. See ya around."
~Far Away~
"What are we supposed to do?" Athena asked Dean as he walked into another store.
"We keep asking people about them. Someone's bound to have seen them before," He told the dark-haired girl.
"But what if they haven't?" Athena asked.
Dean raised his eyebrows. "Since when are you the depressing one?"
"Since we don't have another person to watch our backs now," she retorted snappily.
"Look, I survived as a hunter on my own for a good few years before Sam went to college. I don't need anyone's help," Dean snapped. Athena looked at him.
"You're driving everyone away, Dean, because your dad doesn't want your help," she said quietly. Dean glowered at her.
"I am not and I'd appreciate if you shut up or changed the subject," He stated as an elder man walked up to them.
"Hi, I'm Harley and this is my wife, Stacey, what can we help you with?" He asked them very nicely, and Dean pulled out the same flyer he had shown Scotty.
"We're just looking for our friends, maybe you've seen them? They passed through here about a year ago," He explained.
Harley took the picture from him and he shook his head. "Nope. Haven't seem them," He said as he handed the flyer to Stacey.
"You sure they didn't stop for gas or something?" He asked and they both shook their head.
"Nope, don't remember them," Harley told them. "You said they were friends of yours?"
"That's right," Dean said as a blonde girl of about Adriana's age came downstairs carrying a box.
"Did the guy have a tattoo?" She asked him. "I'm Emily by the way."
Dean nodded. "Yeah, he did. And I'm Dean and this is Athena," He said as he handed the flyer to her.
Emily put the boxes down on a counter and looked at the picture of the couple, Vince and Holly. She turned to Harley and Stacey. "They were just married, you remember?"
Harley nodded his head as if a light bulb had gone off. "You're right, they did stop for gas. Weren't here for more than ten minutes."
Dean nodded. "You remember anything else?" He asked.
"I told 'em how to get back to the interstate," Harley told Dean. "Then they left town."
"Could you point us in the same direction?" Dean asked.
"Sure," Harley said as he stepped outside with Dean and Athena behind him. "Interstate's that way down that road. Can't miss it if you follow the signs."
Dean nodded. "All right, well thank you. You guys have been a ton of help."
They followed Emily's directions out along the interstate. Dean drove slowly, looking at the trees bordering the road. As they passed an orchard, a noise came from the backseat.
"Pull over," Athena said unnecessarily, as Dean moved the Impala onto the curb.
"What the hell is that?" Dean asked as Athena leaned over the backseat, giving Dean a good view of her ass.
"I don't know," she said, grabbing his bag and pulling it into the front. She unzipped it and looked through out, pulling out the EMF meter. It was going crazy. Dean pulled the handbrake on.
"It's worth checking out," he said, climbing out of the car and locking it when Athena followed. The beeping increased as they neared the orchard. They walked through the groves. Dean caught a glimpse of a tall figure.
"What's that?" he asked, before walking over to it without waiting for an answer. She rolled her eyes.
"I don't know. Why don't we go and look at it," she muttered, kicking at the ground as she followed him, the sun streaming through the trees to light their way.
"Dude, you fugly," Dean said to the scarecrow and Athena laughed.
"Very mature, Dean."
He rolled his eyes before studying the scarecrow carefully. He noticed it had a sickle and an odd design on its arm. He glanced around before walking over and grabbing a ladder. He carried it over and propped it up against the tree before climbing up it so he was eye level with the scarecrow. He moved the ripped shirt of the scarecrow aside and saw that the design was in fact a tattoo on its arm. He raised an eyebrow. He had seen that tattoo somewhere, but he couldn't quite place it.
Suddenly, he turned to Athena. "Let me see the flyer," He said and Athena handed it to him without objection. He glanced at the tattoo on Vince's arm in the flyer and turned back to the scarecrow. The tattoos were exactly the same. "Nice tat," He stated sarcastically as he climbed down from the ladder and put it back.
"What is it?" Athena asked.
"That scarecrow has the exact same tat as the missing person, Vince," Dean explained to Athena as he handed the flyer to her so she could see.
"But how's that possible?" She asked.
"I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that scarecrow is the thing that killed Vince and Holly," He told her.
"It... killed them?" she asked, snorting. "Really Dean, the thing might be 'fugly' as you so eloquently put it, but I fail to see how an inanimate object..." she trailed off, realising what she was saying. Dean grinned at her.
"And that is not Athena the hunter speaking," he said. "Spooky orchard playing tricks on your brain?" he asked. She rolled her eyes.
"So what? Hit the library, search for local deaths concerning this orchard, town or scarecrow?" she asked, ignoring his jibe.
"Preferably all three," Dean said as they walked back through the orchard. "First though, I need gas in the Impala."
Athena nodded as they got into the car and drove back into town where Dean pulled up to a gas station. They both climbed out of the car and Emily walked up to them smiling.
"You're back?" She asked.
Dean smiled at her. "We never left."
"Still looking for your friends?" She asked them.
Dean nodded. "You mind filling 'er up there, Emily?" He asked and she nodded then grabbed a gas pump and began to put gas into the Impala. "So, you grew up here?" He asked her.
"I came here when I was thirteen," She told him. "I lost my parents... car accident. My aunt and uncle took me in," She added.
"They're nice people," Athena commented.
Emily nodded. "Everybody here's nice."
"So, what? It's the, uh, perfect little town?" Dean asked.
Emily shrugged. "Well, you know, it's the boonies, but I love it here. I mean, the towns around us, people are losing their homes, their farms... but here, it's almost like we're blessed."
Dean nodded. "Hey, you been out to the orchard? You seen the scarecrow?"
Emily nodded. "Yeah, it creeps me out."
"I can see why," Athena stated and Emily laughed.
"Whose is it?" Dean asked her.
Emily shrugged. "I don't know. It's just always been there."
Dean glanced around then nodded at a red van parked by the garage. "That your aunt and uncles?" He asked.
Emily glanced in the direction he was looking then shook her head. "No. A customers. Had some car trouble," She explained.
"It's not a couple is it? A guy and a girl?" He asked and Emily nodded her head. Athena glanced at Dean as his eyes went wide in concern as Emily stopped pumping the gas and he paid for it.
"We can't let them go out there," Athena stated once Emily had walked away. "We've got to stop them."
"Thanks for that, Captain Obvious," he said, walking through the town back to Scotty's café. She smirked at him.
"No problem, Sargent Sarcasm," she replied. He smirked back at her.
"You know, one day," he began, turning around so he could deliver a full-blown 'Dean' lecture. "Someone's going to take your sarcasm as 'I want to die. Please kill me-" He didn't get any further as he stumbled backwards over a curb. Athena smirked at him, lying on the ground.
"What was that, Dean?" she asked, while extending her hand. He took it grudgingly and she pulled him up.
"That was nothing," he said, glaring. She laughed.
"That was nothing just like the wendigo was a 'grizzly'," she said.
"But Athena," Dean said, wide eyed. "It was only a grizzly," he said in a mock innocent tone.
"Dean, I think you've been hanging around Adriana way too much. You should know only she, and occasionally your brother can pull off the innocent look." At the mention of Sam, Dean's face hardened and he looked away. Athena sighed. "No need to be dramatic," she muttered.
Dean opened the door and walked into the cafe, Athena behind just as Scotty walked away from a couple sitting at a table. "Oh, hey, Scotty. Can we get two coffees, black?" He asked and Scotty nodded his head, a bit annoyed to see the two of them back here. "Oh and some of that pie while you're at!" He called to him as he disappeared. Him and Athena sat in a table next to the couple and Dean turned to them. "How ya doin'?" He greeted them. "Just passing through?"
The girl nodded. " A road trip."
Dean smiled. "Us too," He said as Scotty walked over and refilled the couples' cups.
"I'm sure these people want to eat in peace," Scotty told Dean a little harshly.
"Just a little friendly conversation," Dean told him innocently and Scotty walked away. "Oh, and that coffee, too, man!" He called before turning back to the couple.
"So, what are you guys doing in a town like this?" Athena asked them.
"We stopped for gas," The girl explained. "And the, uh, guy at the gas station saved our lives," She told Dean.
"Is that right?" Dean asked.
The guy nodded. "Yeah, one of our brake lines leaking. We had no idea. He said he'd fix it for us."
Dean gave him a curious look. "Nice people."
The guy nodded again. "Yeah."
"So, how long till you're up and runnin'?" He asked them.
"Sundown," The guy told him.
"Really?" Athena questioned in shocked.
"To fix a brake line?" Dean questioned. "I mean, you know, I know a thing or two about cars. I could probably have you up and runnin' in about an hour. I wouldn't charge you anything," He offered to them.
The girl glanced at her boyfriend before shaking her head. "You know, thanks a lot but we'd rather have a mechanic fix it."
"Sure, I know... You know, it's just these roads, they aren't safe at night," He said and the couple exchanged a glance.
"I'm sorry?" The girl questioned, not understanding.
Dean sighed as he glanced at Athena before turning back to the couple. "I know it sounds strange, but uh... You might be in danger."
The guy was clearly getting annoyed. "Look, we're trying to eat here. Okay?"
"Yeah..." Dean glanced down. His plan of trying to help them was backfiring because they were scared of him. "You know, my brother... he'd give you this puppy dog look and you'd buy right into it. Him and our friend Drie..." He sighed. as a bell above the door jingled and he glanced up to see someone walking inside.
"Thanks for coming, sheriff," He said before whispering a few things into his ear. The sheriff nodded as he walked over to Dean and Athena.
"I'd like a word," He told the two.
Dean groaned. "Come on. I'm already having a bad day."
The sheriff smirked. "You don't wanna make it worse."
Dean sighed as he stood and followed the sheriff out, Athena behind him. "What is it?"
"I want you out of my town, got it?" He said. "You're going to get in your car and I'm going to follow you until you are out. If you come back, I will not hesitate to throw in jail, do I make myself clear?"
Dean nodded, knowing when not to argue. "Got it," He said as he got into the Impala and Athena followed. He turned it on and drove towards the outskirts of town, the sheriff behind him. Once they had reached the city's limits, the sheriff turned around and left.
"What are we going to do?" She asked as Dean turned the car back around and parked it just a little ways away from the orchard.
"We wait until the couple comes this way then we save them. Like always," He stated. "It just makes our job more difficult that we can't go into the town."
"Difficult? Dean, this entire job invented the meaning of difficult. There is always some complication when we eventually figure out what the hell's going on anyway," she said to him. "Look, I've been thinking-"
"Always a bad idea," Dean cut over her, before miming zipping his lips as Athena glared at him
"-for you maybe. Anyway, I had a question," she said.
"Yes?" Dean prompted in expectation.
"Have you ever wanted out of the hunter's life?" she asked. Dean looked at her for a long moment, trying to gauge her thoughts.
"Why? You gonna leave me too?" he said evenly. She rolled her eyes.
"I doubt it, Dean. I love hunting. Brings to mind the quote 'You are never truly alive than when you're close to death.' But answer the damn question."
Dean sighed. "Once I did. A long time ago. But not anymore. Hunting's my life now," he said, shrugging.
"Is it what you want or what your father wants?" she asked. Dean's eyes flashed.
"I suggest we go and do our job now, Athena," he said. Athena noted the use of her full name and sighed again.
She glanced around, noticing that the sun had quickly slipped away and the moon had replaced it in the sky. She sighed and nodded her head, knowing he wasn't going to reveal any more information about himself emotionally. She sighed as headlights came around the bend up ahead, signalling the couple from earlier was on the road. They're car slowed down as it got closer before it pulled off to the side of the road. The couple climbed out of their car and headed down into the orchard probably looking for help.
Suddenly a scream ripped through the night air and Athena turned to Dean. "We should go now," She told him as he grabbed a sawed off shot gun out of his bag and handed her one as well.