Curious

Chapter Two: Clara

Kicking my legs back and forth, I silently eased myself into the trunk. I had asked Dean if I could sit in the back until the family left, and after much urging, he allowed me. I had tucked myself into the corner of the trunk, legs dangling off the side, and we had waited for a half-hour. We were still waiting, but now it was just Sam and I. Dean had gone off somewhere, opting to see what was taking the family so long. I didn't mind it; I liked Sam's company.

He was staring at my knees. "What are you looking at?" I asked finally, peering down at my own legs, wondering if I spilled something on them. The denim looked fine, and I didn't get any dirt stains on my skin like I had assumed.

"You just..." He shook his head. "You have such thin legs."

I laughed, nodding. I had always been tiny, small - but my knees were the worst offender. My grandma had constantly called them "knobby knees", and that had been my nickname for the better part of my childhood. Hopefully, Sam would never find that out though. "I know. It sucks. It means I can't jump around like I'd want to."

"You like to jump around?" he asked, looking at me with a raised eyebrow.

"What?" I asked, shaking my ankles. "You don't see me as a jumper, do you?"

He laughed. "I don't see you as the type of girl to do anything aside from read," he admitted.

Ducking my head as my cheeks turned red, I shook my head. Did I really look like such a bookworm? "I do read a lot, but I like to get outside too. My hobbies include jumping over fences, chasing my dog when he gets out of the yard, and doing track," I joked, listing over random things on my fingers. "But, honestly... do I look like that much of a nerd?"

"I only guessed that because of your shirt," he said, pointing to where I had scribbled The Great Gatsby on the end. "And because of when you were running to that little girl, you sounded a little... winded."

My cheeks went even darker. "Did I really?"

He nodded, and I dropped my head into my hands. "How embarrassing."

We talked for a few more moments until Dean came back, pointing to where the family was getting back into the car. I slid into the back, and the boys got the front. I honestly didn't mind. We drove off, following them a few ways back, and as I bit my lip, I wondered just what this clown guy was.

I knew it sounded horrible, I really did, but I was excited to see what would happen.

We pulled onto the side of the street just a few inches behind the house. I leaned my elbows on the console in the front, pulling my head up. "What are we doing? Waiting for the clown guy to knock on the front door?"

"We're waiting for the light to go on," Dean told me. "He usually comes through the back door."

I thought for a moment. "Oh yeah. Maggie had opened the back door. I didn't think anything of it at the time but..." I bit my lip and shrugged. "Maybe I should have."

It sounded an awful lot like I was blaming myself, and maybe I was, but I knew deep down there was nothing I could have done to stop it. Gazing out the window, I realize that maybe it would have happened anyway. What if I had still been back at school? Maggie still would have invited the clown in, and mom and dad still would have died.

I twisted my fingers together, letting it rest on my lap.

"So, Clara, where are you from?" Dean had turned around now, looking at me. I raised an eyebrow, wondering where the question came from. "Obviously we don't know that much about you. Why trust you when you could be a... serial killer?"

I rolled my eyes. "Do I look like a serial killer?"

He took one look at my too-thin limbs, the dark circles underneath my eyes, and the book titles scattered along my shirt. "You never know." He seemed serious, and I shifted a little in the back seat.

"Alright, I'll tell you... but you have to tell me your story after." I held up a finger, pointing at both the two brothers.

"Deal."

"Well, my full name is Clara Rose Harkness. I'm twenty-two years old, and I should be in college right now. But... I sort of dropped out after what happened to Maggie. I just... I don't want to go back. I figure after I help you guys figure out what this... clown thing is, and I get some closure, I have to go back and support both Maggie and my grandmother. My parents left us some money, but not enough to live off of, y'know?"

I wrung my hands together in my lap. "So... yeah. Anything else you want to know?"

"What happened... the night..." Sam veered off, but I could tell he was referring to the night my parents died.

I didn't blame him - it was probably vital to know.

Licking my lips, I inhaled. "Well... it was a regular night, honestly. Maggie hadn't really mentioned any clown - well, she did, but that was back at the carnival and we didn't think anything of it. I tucked her in, went into my room... and then suddenly she was downstairs, flicking the lights on. My parents had the door closed, but I had opened it.

Downstairs, Maggie was in... a trance? I don't know. That's the easiest way to think of it. She was heading towards the door, and I saw the clown, so I... I reacted, obviously. I grabbed her, going to tell mom, but she..." My eyes started to sting, and my throat felt sore. "She slapped me. Maggie Harkness, the girl who wouldn't have hurt a fly, slapped me..."

Sam touched my hand, and I gave him a slow, shaky smile.

We talked for a little more. I told them my interests, trivial things. They told me their story. Well, Sam did. Somewhere along the way Dean looked disinterested, his focus going on the gun in his hands and outside. Eventually, the conversation was just between Sam and I. I didn't mind - I could talk with him. His story, however...

"Demon hunters?" I hissed, feeling silly. "You can't be serious."

"I am," he told me, looking so serious that I believed him. "Stick with us long enough and you'll find out."

Letting my head fall into my hands, I shrugged. "I just might take you guys up on that offer. I honestly... don't want to go home. It's not Maggie's fault, but every time I look at her-"

"The memory pops up again?" he asked, and I nodded.

"I would probably have to find someway to give them money, but..." I made a hand gesture. "My aunt promised to take care of both Maggie and my grandmother, and she's loaded, so I guess I'm not too worried."

Suddenly, behind Sam, a light flicked on in the house. I shook Dean's shoulder, waking him, and pointed. "Look, look! The light."

We got out of the car, and I turned to Sam. "Wait... do I have to do anything?"

"Just make sure you get the girl out of the way," he told me. "We'll take care of the rest."

"Alright." I bit my lip. "Make sure you try and get him, okay? Promise?"

He smiled at me. "Promise."

Slowly, we crept inside. I thanked the universe the door was unlocked, but wasn't that stupid? Maybe I'd leave a note for the family before I left. It was dark, and I slipped into the next room, giving myself a clear view of the back room, where the back door was. I decided I'd wait until the girl skipped in first, grab her, and move her out of the way, hopefully before she screamed and alerted the parents of her problem.

My palms felt sweaty, but I inhaled deeply. Sam gave me a thumbs-up, and I smiled.

Suddenly, the small girl entered, and I felt a pang in my heart. Her features changed, and before I knew it, I was glancing at Maggie. I pushed the thoughts from my mind with a small yelp, and I rushed forward, grabbing the girl's shoulders and yanking her out of the way.

The girl screamed, and before I could speak to her, the gun went off, and a shooting pain went up my leg. Oh no, I'm in the way! I pushed myself to get to the other room, falling on my knees, and patted the girl's head, making a smile. "I'm sorry. It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. Please don't-"

And then she slapped me.

My cheek stung, but all I could think about was Maggie. I stared, wide-eyed, and my shock was only broken by the sound of glass breaking. People were running down the stairs, and the girl escaped my arms, running to her parents. Then I was being yanked off the ground, and we were outside. Ignoring the pain in both my leg and cheek, I hopped into the backseat, and belted myself in.

"You shot me," I mumbled to Dean as he sped away.

He glanced back at me. "So you're what I hit before I got the clown."

"It wasn't a bullet though," I said, touching the cut on my leg. It stung, and I knew it'd be hard to walk on my leg, but it wasn't as bad as if it had been a bullet. "What was it? Like... rocks?"

"Rock salt," Dean answered without looking at me.

I rolled my eyes, and gingerly I touched the cut with my fingers. It made a wave of pain shoot up my leg, and involuntarily I kicked. I should just leave it alone, for now. I looked up, only to see Sam staring at me. "Did you get slapped?" he asked.

"Yeah. Just my luck, huh?" I rubbed my sore cheek. "It doesn't hurt as much as my leg though."

We didn't talk much as we drove away. I let my head fall against the window, and before I knew it, my eyes were closing.

"Clara!" Maggie was yelling, eyes narrowed. "Mom won't let me get the chocolate ice cream."

"And why not?" I kneeled down from where I had been standing. It was hot, but I had forgotten my bathing suit, so I opted just to get my feet wet. Maggie's dress was soaked, but didn't seem fazed.

"She says it's unhealthy," Maggie cried, "and that I've already had too many sweets."

I grinned, remembering how Maggie had shoved her face full of cookies and brownies, and then demanded we stop for a cotton-candy. "Well, maybe another good option would be one of those chocolate cover apples." At least those are semi-healthy.

Maggie paused, considering it. "Okay. Can you take me up?"

"Of course." I took her hand and both of us made our way to the line. Halfway through, I held on her shoulders, allowing her to see all the kites in the air. Finally, we made it to the front of the line. "I'd one chocolate- Sam?"

Sure enough, it seemed the person at the front of the line was Sam Winchester.

I frowned. "What are you doing here?"

He didn't say anything.

Maggie had disappeared, and I looked around for her. Two hands fell on my shoulder. One belonging to my mother, the other to my father. I whirled around, gazing at them, a bit freaked out at their plastered-on, fake smiles. "Mom? Dad? Have you seen Maggie?"

"You let her get away, didn't you?" dad asked, looking at me.

"What?" I questioned, feeling helpless.

Slowly, mom lifted a finger to point behind me. I turned, spotting Maggie, holding hands with the clown. I gasped. "Mom, dad, that's the clown that-"

"You let us die, Clara," mom said, her voice a whisper.

"What? No, I didn't! I didn't mean to!" My own voice was a cry.

They were gone, too. Everyone was suddenly vanished from the beach, leaving only myself. I glanced around, trying to find someone, anyone, but I was alone. The waves crashed along the shore, and the soft sounds of music still floated eerily along the dock. Tears had sprung to my eyes, and I wiped them away hastily.

"Clara..."

Feeling completely and utterly alone, I let out a cry. I fall to my knees, knowing that yes, I have let down my parents. I let them die. If only I hadn't been so stupid! If I hadn't let Maggie downstairs in the first place! I shake my head, feeling horrible.

"Clara!"

I shot awake, lurching upwards, knocking my head right into Sam's. I fell back, apologizing. "Oh no, I'm sorry. That hurt... Was I asleep?" I glanced around, noticing we had pulled into some driveway, and that Dean was already outside.

"Yeah... sounded like a bad dream, too." He helped me out of the car, noticing my limp. "A nightmare?"

"Yeah, a pretty bad- ouch!" I winced, looking down at my leg. While I was sleeping, the skin around my cut had turned pink around the edges. That means it's healing, doesn't it? I hoped so. "I guess it's worse than I thought. I can probably walk on it if I hop. And take my time."

I started slow, and Dean grew annoyed.

"Sam, just carry her," Dean said after a moment, glancing at me.

My cheeks went red, and I snorted. "I'm perfectly fine. Don't worry about- ow!" I glanced sheepishly up at Sam, and shrugged. "Do you mind?"

"No." He looked half as awkward as I did, but eventually I was up in his arms, my right arm thrown casually around his shoulders. I didn't mind. It felt better than walking. Somewhere along the way, the two started arguing, and I zoned out.

That dream...

The dream was horrible, and I shouldn't be thinking about it. But how could I not? I did feel responsible, in some sort of twisted way, and I bit my lip. Was I the one to blame for mom and dad's death? Maggie was just a young girl, she couldn't have known. I could have stopped it.

I gripped Sam's shoulder without thinking, and he looked over at me.

"Thinking about something bad?" he asked.

I glanced out, noticing that Dean was further ahead, talking on the phone. "Oh, uh, yeah. Just about... my dream and Maggie. Do you think I was to blame? That I could have stopped it? I... Maggie was young, she wouldn't have known..."

"It's no use thinking about it, Clara," Sam told me. "You couldn't have changed it."

He was right, but still...

Eventually, after some more talking between the brothers, it was decided that Sam and I would go back to the carnival and Dean would find the weapon. I waited until Dean was out of sight to turn to Sam, my worried eyes searching his.

"Do you think we'll get him this time?" I asked, my voice low. He knew I was referring to the clown. "I don't want him to get away."

"I hope so, Clara," was his only reply.

I nodded, keeping my spirits high.

For Maggie, I'll get him.

I grinned.

*sobs*

I'm so sorry it's been so long! I've just been thinking about this story and finally I was like "okay, I should do this". So, here it is! I was also thinking that I feel like while Dean and Clara would seem like siblings, they'd be the type of brother and sister to argue a lot.

But anyways, here you go. c:

Sorry about any grammar or spelling issues!