Rev had more faith in him than Karr had in himself.

He knew that because when he pulled up to the warehouse, Rev was patiently seated in the doorway, all of their supplies packed and ready to go. They didn't say a word to each other as Rev got to his feet and packed the few bags he needed into Karr.

He then settled into the Driver's seat and shot Karr's dash a soft smile. "I'm proud of you, Karr."

"We should move quickly." Karr stated, trying hard to ignore that oddly warm feeling that bubbled up in his CPU. "Tony will likely tell them exactly where we are."

"Yeah, pretty sure you're right." Rev mused, settling back in the seat and giving out a soft laugh. "Wake me up when we hit the California border will ya? Head East." Rev instructed.

Karr drove east.

Drove east and kept going.

Poor Rev didn't get in much of a nap.

The night he escaped the lab, Karr saw the sky for the first time in his life. He saw trees and grass and streets and other cars… He saw buildings and bikes and people… He even saw two dogs and a cat. Karr counted.

What he saw as the city began to give away to the desert of southern California beat all of that…

As yards and lawns gave 'way to the reds, yellows and browns of the desert, the sky stretched on for miles and the road seemed to go on forever. It was a taste of pure freedom. Of miles and miles of unexplored roads that satisfied Karr's curious nature in a way that he never would have even thought possible. His constricted world opened to a new range of possibilities.

He never wanted to stop driving!

That was… Until he spotted a sign for something called the mystery spot…

Rev laughed out loud as Karr's curious nature got the best of him and he made Rev investigate what the hell the Mystery Spot was…

If Rev thought that was a one shot moment, he was sorely mistaken as the next sign popped up, advertising the world's largest rubber band ball. Oh well they had to see that!

Karr informed Rev that it was in fact not the largest but it was impressive. Rev was just amazed by the fact that the thing was bigger than Karr.

Rev was also not ready to experience a real live spaceship just outside of New Mexico. Karr informed Rev that the craft was in fact not space worthy, nor had it ever been to space. However, Karr very much enjoyed the plaster Alien that smiled and waved at him, its animatronic arm moving back and forth in a steady rhythm.

Karr claimed that it was a little weird. Something Karr could apparently relate to.

He felt an odd kinship to the cheerful, smiling, plaster creature.

"You're lucky that the people you're going to travel a lot." Rev mused, a soft laugh given out as he unwrapped the plastic, alien bobble head he purchased in the gift shop of that place and put the figure on Karr's dash.

Karr's attention was reluctantly pulled away from the happy, bobbing figure and back to Rev. Rev mentioned before, he would be going with a family. Karr tried not to think about the fact that he would be going with strangers but… Rev made it very clear that they were going to part ways. As if staying with Rev was never really an option.

He had a feeling that Rev intended some kind of penance for the life he had been living. The man looked like hell to be honest. Karr was worried about him, but for the day and a half they had been on the road, Rev was sober the whole time.

It was wearing on the man. The withdrawals of alcohol had Rev moving a little slower. It had him grouchy and he snapped at Karr frequently. Fortunately, Karr had the good sense not to take it personally in this case. Still though, with what Rev now went through… The man was insistent they would be parting ways soon.

"You haven't told me anything about these people… Or why I can not stay with you…" Karr pointed out and Rev chuckled softly.

"Ya can't stay with me, cause I ain't good people. What the hell do I know about raisin' up a car? And it's obvious ya don't know jack." Rev pointed out. "So it would be like raisin' up a kid."

"And these people are?" Karr asked softly, something else then tugging at his CPU. "And who's Jack?"

"They are. They just lost their mama not too long ago. Them two kids. I figure you lost your old man. Maybe it's a good fit. You know that hurt. Their old man, John. He's a good guy. You'll like him." Rev explained. "And Jack… That's a figure of speech."

"You mentioned they traveled a lot…" Karr mused softly.

"I did… Look, remember when I was going on about ghosts and things?" Rev pointed out, a faint smile crossing his expression. "Gotta be open minded ok? You're about to be in the life."

"I understand…" Karr offered softly, not entirely sure he did.

xXx

"Attention all units. Be on the lookout for a black T-Top Trans-Am with California plates reading K. A. R. R. Last seen traveling eastbound just outside of Las Vegas. National bulletin to be on the lookout for a black T-Top Trans-Am with California plates-"

Karr cut the radio off before the dispatcher could finish what she was saying. They made it to about the west side of Texas before the magnitude of what was happening came crashing in, in the form of a nation wide APB. Knight Industries had apparently figured out that they left the state. Karr had never been aware that their influence went as far as to be able to put out a nation-wide APB like that.

Neither did Rev…

They weren't some local company on the rise. They apparently had influence.

"We're gonna have to get John to change your appearance." Rev muttered softly.

"But I like the way I look…" Karr protested and Rev nodded.

"I get that, but you don't want anybody to spot ya either. They're gonna have to change the plates but they should change the way you look too… Another color, somethin'."

"Rev?" Karr pressed after a moment, hesitating even as Rev's gaze dropped from the road, settling onto the dash. "Do you think I made a mistake? Leaving the Foundation?"

Rev fell quiet for a moment, obviously thinking that over. It was something he appreciated when it came to Rev over Tony… Tony had gotten so angry for the same question. Rev was… Considering it…

"I think… They see you as some kinda tool. Somethin' to use." Rev stated after a time. "Same thing with that other car. They see him as a tool. One day he ain't gonna be useful to them no more. Your old man? He decided you already wasn't useful to them no more. So he threw ya out. I think… If you stayed… They would say some pretty words to get you to stay. They might even be nice to ya. Right up to when they switch ya off."

Karr shivered, the memory of Wilton's sad face as Karr's world slowly went dark lingering at the forefront of his CPU.

"Tell me more about hunters." Karr requested. "You keep going on about ghosts but… I've never seen one."

"That's because I salted and blessed the hell out of that warehouse. Trust me there was somethin' dark in there. You'll learn to pick up them things. You were always gonna be ok though." Rev assured, giving Karr's dashboard a pat.

"What makes you think such a thing?" Karr asked curiously and Rev smiled.

"Them symbols I was drawin' all around you? Protection sigils. Didn't want nothin' bad to happen to ya." Rev explained with a shrug.

Karr was actually a little touched by that… Even when Rev was looking at him with suspicion, he didn't want anything to happen to him. "Why Rev, I didn't know you cared." Karr teased drawing a chuckle and a shrug from Rev.

"Don't tell nobody. Can't have em thinkin' I'm goin' soft."

"It will be our little secret." Karr assured. "I'm curious now though… Those things work?"

"You tell me." Rev pointed out. "Whatever was in there was drivin' ol' Tony crazy. Why ya think he was gettin' so grumpy. He wouldn't listen to me though. Now you? You don't know. So I had to take care of it. Tony? He was part of the life. He knew. He didn't wanna know."

"Because of Sadie…" Karr reasoned and Rev shrugged.

"Partly… Really Tony just got a lot of demons in him. Figurative, not literal. If they was literal I woulda exercised 'em right out by now." Rev said softly.

"So there are things that I can not perceive in this world… That is a very troubling thought." Karr mused softly and Rev shot the Trans-Am a smile.

"I need you to listen to John on this one, alright? Whatever he says. He'll guide ya where I can't." Rev assured the vehicle, reaching out to pat the dash.

Karr fell quiet. A good mile stretched on before Rev's gaze slowly turned back towards the dash. "I can feel you want to say something, might as well do it." Rev said with a chuckle.

"Why do you know these things?" Karr blurted out and Rev smiled.

"Yeah, I figured that was comin'. A lot of reasons. There are a few different reasons why people like me get into the life you're about to get into. A hunter's life. Some people… They come up into it because they were born into it. Their families are hunters. Some people… Like me. Like John… We come into it because we saw something. Something we can't explain. A lot of people come into it that way. Something happens. Something big. Something that… Takes something or someone away from you. And in yer grief you start looking for answers. Ya don't find them right away so you start looking deeper. The deeper ya look the weirder those answers get until you can't just… Ignore it anymore." Rev explained.

"So… What was it that you saw?" Karr pressed and Rev fell quiet as he stared out at the road that spread before them just beyond Karr's windshield.

"I was… Respected once ya know." Rev said sadly, a glance given to the dash as he spoke. The lights were still and quiet, signaling Karr was giving the man his full attention. "Before the bottle, before the scary crap. I ministered over a church. I was happy… I gave my life to a higher power, ya know?"

Karr hesitated on that one. He really didn't know…

"Sometimes… Some churches… When ya walk into them, they have this feeling ya know? When churches are full and full of life they feel warm and homey. They feel safe. But some churches… Ya walk into them after hours. When everyone has gone home and the lights are off… Ya walk into them and it just feels wrong. Dark. Sometimes something evil works its way into the building and feeds on that praise and good will. Whatever it is… It ain't God." Rev explained, a deep sigh given out. "Shit happened. Stuff I don't wanna talk about. But it took a lot to drive that thing out. People died. Good people, it's like it just… Fed off of their energy. Them people turned to the church cause they was sick. Hurt… And that thing fed off of 'em. So I left and never looked back. Met up with Tony. He taught me about the life. And here we are."

"Here we are…" Karr mused softly. It was enough to induce a paradox into his system. He wasn't entirely sure he could take it.

"Karr look!" Rev abruptly blurted out, sitting up a bit with a grin. "World's largest beeswax candle!"

"We must find out the accuracy of this claim!" Karr declared, the darker conversation quickly shoved aside as Karr turned off of the highway hard enough for tires to squeal with the urgency of seeing this claim of the world's largest beeswax candle.

xXx

It was edging onto three in the morning by the time the pair pulled into the dusty old parking lot of a twenty four hour truckstop just north of Charleston South Carolina. Karr was exhausted and he couldn't imagine that Rev was faring any better. The man was looking worse for the wear… Sweat speckled his brow and his sleep was fitful as his body protested the length of time that he had been sober. Withdrawals with a bitch as he said…

They had driven until they hit another ocean, then backtracked to the point of meeting. It had been several days since that day that Karr left it all behind. The trip would have taken less time but Karr insisted on stopping at every road-side attraction he could find.

Now they were road weary and tired but as far as they had come, the real journey hadn't even started yet. It was as far as Karr had ever been asked to drive and while all he wanted to do was park and recharge for a while… That was not going to happen any time soon.

Rev had been in contact with a man that was in contact with John, twice already. They were passing messages through a mutual acquaintance who apparently lived up in South Dakota. John was originally from Kansas. They were more in John's territory than the third, mystery contact.

The APBs had been getting more frequent. A fact that John was very well aware and the last time they were in contact he warned Rev that goodbyes would be short and they would need to be on the road again. John's first priority was keeping his kids safe and he didn't need FLAG on his ass for that.

Karr was absolutely exhausted and felt as if his systems were drained. As much as he would have loved to recharge… Unfortunately his very clear, self preservation programming was agreeing with them. Stay on the move. Get away from the foundation. Keep moving, even if it tears your systems apart.

Karr pulled around to the back of the truck stop, following the basic directions that were given to them through that third party. Everything was planned out, down to the minute and there were backup plans upon backup plans should any vehicle look suspicious or even remotely cop-like. For once though, everything was going well.

Which meant that plan A was a go. In the pale light of a fading street light at the edge of the parking lot, sat an ebony, Chevy Impala. It had a few years on it already but was obviously well taken care of and loved with the way the light shone off its finish.

The make and model wasn't what caught Karr's attention though. Not entirely…

What caught Karr's attention was the fact that the moment he pulled into a space near that car, he felt as if he were being watched. It was like that feeling at the warehouse but comforting rather than terrifying. He supposed he was being watched though. There was a man behind the wheel and his eyes were glued to Karr, watching him carefully.

But he could have sworn the car itself was watching him. That was impossible though. He could scan no AI presence. It was just a standard car.

Karr tried to shrug off the feeling, his attention and focus turning instead to the driver of the vehicle who slowly climbed out, shutting the door behind him.

Rev got out of Karr, stretching as he went and pushing a hand through that tussled, hair of his. He stumbled just a bit and for once, it had nothing to do with being drunk… A drink would have probably done the man good right about then.

"Rev… Good to see ya." John greeted, stepping forward and reaching a hand out, which Rev quickly took in a firm shake… That ended in John yanking Rev into a hug. Both of them laughed, as they pulled back and Karr had to admit… This strange man looked happy… Or at least he didn't look mean… He wasn't sure how a human looked mean though… Maybe they were always angry?

"Good to see you too John. How's the kids?" Rev asked, glancing towards the Impala.

John smiled softly and shrugged. "Ya know, it's hard on 'em. Think they're doin' alright though. Dean's having a harder time. He misses his Mama. Sam's still too young to know what's happenin' or why we're on the move."

Rev nodded, pockets shoving their way into his coat as he sighed. "That's hard on little kids, I get it." He muttered softly.

Karr turned his attention to the Impala again, scanning over it. There were two young boys in the back seat. One was strapped into a car seat while the other was peeking out of the back window. He could see a head of tussled, dark blond hair and green eyes set into a small freckled face. Karr flashed his headlights twice at the boy. A grin slowly crawled across that freckled face.

Karr's understanding of children was limited. He was never close to them at the Foundation and he didn't really see them that many until his trip with Rev. The first child who ever approached him, did so at a roadside attraction in Arizona. It was focused around large dinosaur statues that dotted the area. The child walked right past those statues and smiled at Karr and for a moment, Karr felt as if someone in this world didn't judge him. Just saw him for who and what he was.

"This it?" John asked, breaking Karr's focus and pulling his attention back to the two men.

"Yeah… Come on, I'll introduce ya." Rev offered, stepping around in front of Karr and crouching down. John followed, looking hesitant as he watched his friend, now cast in a crimson glow of Karr's scanner.

"Alright Karr… Remember how I said John here was gonna take care of ya?" Rev urged and Karr gave John another scan. He seemed alright… He was human. He was also carrying two revolvers and three knives hidden on his person… What the hell was he getting into?

"John this is Karr." Rev went on. "It's short for Knight Automated Roving Robot." Rev recited and Karr couldn't help but be a little pleased that Rev remembered. Granted he had been saying that frequently.

"Nice to meet ya Karr…" John said slowly. He looked uncertain. Obviously thinking his friend had lost it.

Rev was giving Karr a flat look… He should have said something by now but for the life of him, nothing would come out.

He couldn't explain why. Not a single word would pass his vocals. He did a quick diagnostic scan looking for errors. He must be damaged. When that came up empty he regarded John again. Fear. He was afraid. What if this man turned on him? What if this man gave him back to the foundation? What if this man left him too?

"Rev…" John said slowly, clearly a little confused. Maybe irritated that Rev had drug him out all this way for a fancy sports car. Possibly concerned that his friend needed to be institutionalized.

Rev frowned as he rest a hand on Karr's hood. "He normally won't shut up… He's bein' shy…" Rev said with a sigh, silently rubbing a hand just over Karr's scanner.

And that was where the fear came from. Karr understood it a little more as he rolled forward a half an inch to press into the man's hand.

"Don't go" Karr pleaded, grabbing John's attention quickly enough as those words rumbled out of the vehicle.

Rev sighed, another pat given to Karr's hood. "We talked about this Karr…"

"You talked, I listened." Karr corrected, drawing a smile from Rev. "Don't abandon me. I'll be good." Karr went on in a pleading tone.

"I ain't abandoning you. Sometimes when you know ya can't take care of another person… Ya have to get them to somewhere safe. You gonna be safe, ya hear me?" Rev pointed out firmly. "I gotta go back and do my own penance. Time to stop runnin'. You? You ain't done nothin' wrong. You ain't gotta face that foundation cause you ain't done nothin' wrong. You gotta stay safe. You gotta stay with these here people, understand?"

John finally seemed to get his wits back, the man crouching down and silently reaching out to give Karr's hood a pat, which caused the vehicle to flinch. "What… Are you?" John nearly breathed out and Rev smiled.

"I already did all the tests on him. He ain't a demon… Ain't a shapeshifter or anything else weird he's just… The car of the future. And he's alone and scared. He needs a family." Rev explained.

"You know I don't take in strays, Rev." John pointed out and Karr gave out a soft, electronic whine.

John glanced over to Karr once more and let out a deep sigh.

"He ain't got nobody John." Rev pointed out in a pleading tone for the hunter beside him to understand. "I can't take care of him. He ain't got nobody."

John nodded, slowly crouching down and staring at Karr's scanner before his gaze shifted more to the camera set up higher just about level with the rear view mirror. He looked right at Karr as if he knew exactly where he was.

Karr had other cameras of course. The primary though… That was how he saw the world and John looked right at it.

"Alright… My name's John Winchester. Those are my boys, Sam and Dean. You wanna be a part of this family. You do what I say, when I say to do it. I'll teach ya everything you need to know. You protect our family and we'll protect you. You screw up, you don't get any more chances. You become a problem? A burdon? You can deal with wherever you came from. You carry your own weight. That clear?" John stated, his voice stern.

"Yes sir…" Karr said softly, wondering just what in the hell he had gotten into.

John relaxed a little, a deep breath let out as he nodded, slowly standing up and giving Karr's hood a gentle pat as he walked over to the Impala, speaking softly to the two boys inside.

"You'll be fine Karr. I know he sounds like a horse's ass but you'll see. He'll warm up." Rev assured, a deep breath pulled in. "I'm gonna miss you, ya big hunk of tin."

Karr rolled forward until his prow nudged against Rev, causing the man to smile. Rev glanced over to where John was still talking to the kids, then back to Karr a decisive nod given as he pulled something out of the inner pockets of his coat.

"I found this… The day we found ya, in that room. I know you're pretty pissed now… But someday… Ya won't be. Then you'll want it." Rev explained, holding up a small piece of paper. A scan of it showed that it was a photograph. Karr paused, not entirely sure what to say. It was a picture of Wilton… Wilton and himself… The man leaned back against his driver's side door, all smiles for the camera, in the very lab he had been found in.

Rev smiled and silently pulled something else out of his inner coat. That… He knew on sight. Rev's battered old bible. He opened it and tucked the photograph away in it and closed the book. "Someday you'll need guidance. Maybe this'll help ya." Rev said, getting to his feet and moving around to his passenger side door. The book and the photo were neatly tucked away in the glove compartment for safe keeping. Rev then moved around to the trunk and grabbed his duffle bag out of it. Leaving behind the other supplies and the haul he had taken with him from the bank heists.

The first day they traveled together Karr asked why they took the money with them. According to Rev sometimes a little bad came with a whole lot of good… The family he was going with needed it.

Apparently hunting didn't pay well. This would keep them from credit card fraud for a while…

"Alright kids…" John announced which jerked Karr right back to paying attention. Now this was fascinating… The two boys were watching him. The younger one, Sam, from the safety of his father's arms. A soft, blue blanket was clutched tightly in one arm and the other hand had a thumb stuck firmly in mouth as he blinked owlishly at Karr. He had sleep tussled brown hair and hazel eyes. The older boy, Dean, clung tightly to his father's pants leg as he stared at Karr, more uncertain now that he was out of the car and face to face with him.

"This is your new brother Karr. You don't have to be afraid of him. We're gonna protect him and he's gonna protect us, got that?" John announced and Dean nodded, a somewhat determined look crossing his expression.

Brother? When Rev assured him he would be part of the family… He accepted the fact that the family car was probably going to be his job. He was their brother? He scanned them carefully, memorizing every detail of this little family as Dean finally broke away from their father, coming closer to get a better look.

"Hello…" Karr said softly. Dean grinned at him, and brought up a hand, a shy wave given to the Trans-Am.

John smiled and chuckled softly. "Well, you're a Winchester now, Karr. Welcome to the family."

Winchester? He was a little unsettled as to what that actually meant.

"Alright, Karr…" Rev broke in, crouching down close to Karr's prow. "It's time for me to go. You stay you, ok?"

Karr let out a high pitched, electronic whine and Rev smiled sadly. He leaned forward, letting his forehead rest against Karr's hood as he ran a hand along the warm metal there. "Don't make a fuss. This isn't goodbye. It's just see ya later, ok? We gonna see each other again. We gonna see each other and you gonna tell me about this great life you have with your family. I'm gonna tell you, I finally got my shit together. We'll both have stories to tell, ya hear me? So I want you to remember each and every one so you can tell 'em to me when we see each other again."

"You'll see those stories better if you stay with me," Karr pointed out, causing Rev to smile.

"Yeah maybe… But that won't be good for nobody. You know that as well as I do. I got to make my peace." Rev said firmly, leaning back on his feet. "You be brave now. Just like in the warehouse. You be brave and you do good. I know you got it in ya."

"Yes, Rev…" Karr offered softly.

Rev gave a tight smile and got to his feet, discreetly rubbing at an eye, before offering his hand to John, who shook it firmly.

"You take care of him, John." Rev said firmly. "He ain't got nobody and he's had it rough in his short life. You be good to him."

"He'll be fine, Rev." John insisted. Rev smiled and nodded.

John stepped somewhat closer to Karr as the boys looked at the vehicle curiously and Rev headed off to find a truck to hitch a ride with. It only took a few moments before he found one ready to pull out and head back West.

Karr's attention shifted away from his new 'family' and out onto Rev as the man climbed into a rig, pausing before he shut the door and waving at them. Karr flashed his headlights at the man as that door closed.

Karr's CPU flipped. He wanted to follow the truck. He started his engine, but John reached out and rest a hand gently on his hood.

"Come on Karr, be brave. Like Rev said. He's got his own demons he's gotta chase." John said firmly.

He was right…

Karr sat still, watching the rig leave as John settled the kids back into the Impala. The tail lights were just disappearing back out onto the highway as John started the Impala and pulled around so he could talk to Karr, the driver's side window rolled down.

"Alright, we're headin' for South Dakota. I got a friend there who is gonna help teach you the ropes. Keep behind us and keep up alright?" John asked before pulling away, not really waiting for a response. The man was gruff and tended to speak more like a soldier than anything.

It was weird to think he had a family now…

A Winchester… Had a nice ring to it.