Sorry for the late updates. I hope you all enjoy reading, and have a wonderful day!
Stomping boots echoed through the abandoned building. They were loud, booming. Sounding thunder when they ran through the halls. And, they were fast. Dean and Sam couldn't keep up with the young Winchester, running after the vampire that they've been hunting. Kidnapping teenage girls and storing them in a cage. Blood banks. They even tried to get Max, but they didn't know who she was and what she does. Working in the family business. But something more important than her title as a Winchester, it was more important than just her name. The Demons and Angels know her, and her title spread from the top of the food chain, to the lowest monster.
Max Marilynn Winchester, the Girl Who Escaped. Hell's Number One. Hell's Doll. Whatever the title was, she was just Max. She's an expert hunter, and a master in killing. Trained by her father, by her uncles, and whoever was in her family of hunters. She wasn't a little girl who always thought she was in the way, not anymore. She was now one of the best hunters in the world, and she even surpassed her own father with her improved skills. She had her mind set on getting rid of all the monsters people believe lurk under beds and in closets. This included Demons. She killed them. Every opportunity that involve sending the damned soul back down was a pleasure to Max Winchester. She hated them. Hated all of them. That was her strive. Become the best hunter to be rid of them all and more.
Though, questions remain unanswered for the rest of Max's family. Many questions. What happened to the young Winchester in the Pit? And why would she still not talk about it? About any of it? Something wasn't the same about her when she got out of her cage. It was obvious, to Dean. To Sam. The way she hunted. The way she killed with no emotions, no thoughts. Just one swipe on the blade, or the simple movement of pulling the trigger, her job was done and it was on to the next then the next.
A dead end came up. There was no way out for the vamp, there was no escape from the Hunter. All walls around him, one door, no exit now that the Max had cut him off. His eyes were only on her. Watching her breathing, smelling the blood that dripped from her small cut on the face. He saw the smile appear on her face and the blade raise up.
"No back up, little girl," he said to her, growing nervous. Desperately trying to think of a way to escape.
Max smirked, noticing that he was nervous and his hands were shaky. "Don't need it," she said calmly. Her voice was low and steady. She her breathing was normal, no panting or signs of distress. It wasn't shaky. She was calm, scary calm. Max spoke like Dean, even sometimes sound like him when it comes to arguments or smart ass remarks.
"Hell's Number One Girl," he called her.
"Shut up," she growled.
"Don't like that name?"
"After years of being call that, it gets annoying," she shrugged at the boring titles she had for four years.
"Do you want to know why you're called that? There's a bounty on you. Someone wants you alive. I wouldn't be too cocky in the near future, if I were you," he warned. He knew he wasn't going to make it out alive, he might as well have some fun with her.
"What do you mean?"
"A demon hunts you. They say she knows you like the back of her hand. And she's been watching you all this time, waiting. Be watching your back girl, she can strike at any time, you know."
"Who," Max demanded. She grew frustrated at the vampire and his little game.
The vamp saw, and smiled at her. "You should know her. They say she's the best when it comes to killing hunters and she always gets what she wants. She wants you back in your chains, Girl," he taunted, and that was all he was going to say.
The vampire jumped towards her, suddenly. Max, with no other choice, swung her blade. And with one swift move, that vamp was dead, and his head rolled to her feet. Eyes wide open and his mouth showed a little smirk. He made it easy for her, he wanted to die, with half the puzzle along with him. She swore, wanting the answers to all her questions. A chill went up her spine. Max got a strange feel that she knew who he was talking about. But it couldn't be. Max shook her head and pushed it all aside. The vampire was dead, the girls were safe, and the day was saved. Just a regular day at the office.
The hunter looked down at the smirking face, and glared into his dead eyes that stared back at her. "They can try to drag me back, but I'll kill them before they have the chance," Max said down to the head, as if he were still alive to listen to her words.
She heard the sound of stomps running towards her. She listened, only one pair echoed. It was either Sam or Dean running towards her. Her job was done, and Max walked out of the room with a stained blade and questions on her mind. Questions she'll keep to herself for now.
Dean stopped when he saw his daughter walking towards him in the dark hallway. His tall, proud daughter walking towards him with her head held high, and her bloodied blade in her hand. "Oh, come on! I called dibs," he whined.
The girl smiled, "You can't call dibs on those you can't catch, old man."
"Hey! Watch it, I taught you all I know and I can still take you down. No sweat," Dean stated as he stood and waited for his daughter to walk beside him.
"Is that a challenge, gramps? That's adorable." Max saw Sam run around the corner and had the face of despair when he saw that the kill had already been done. "Hey, the body is back there. See ya outside, garbage boys," Max waved as she descended down the stairs, leaving Sam and Dean to deal with the heavy work.
Dean rolled his eyes and walked back to the room, with Sam following close behind. "Cleanup duty. This is starting to get really old," the annoyed father groaned.
Max was outside alone, in the dark, waiting for the guys to finish up. She repacked her weapons and strapped them to the back of her motorbike. Yep, Max had her own ride now. But it wasn't a cheap sports bike or nothing too fancy. A 2013 black Harley-Davidson slim, a birthday gift when she turn 17 years old. When she was old enough, and experienced enough to hunt on her own. It wasn't the Impala, but it was a way for Max to get around quicker when other hunters near her requested help.
What the Vamp told her pounded her head. Hell's Number One is the best hunter. Whatever this Demon can do, they won't get to her. Not with Dean and Sam by her side. Even so, whoever this Demon hunter is, Max had to be extremely careful. Though she may be the best hunter, but her mind was still playing tricks on her.
It's been four years, and nightmares still haunt her sleep. Her eyes still make her see what isn't there. Four years, and the feeling that the monster inside her lingered still. She knew she wasn't one. Max didn't torture souls in Hell, but she remembers the feeling of her skin being ripped off. She still felt the shackles on her wrist, cutting into her skin. And she still saw the face of the one who tortured and tormented her in the years down there. Everything still haunts the Winchester. The girl who survived, is still curled up in a ball of fear in her mind. Until Max kills the one who took her, and the one who tortured her, she will never be the same.
"Something on your mind," a raspy voice asked behind Max. Making her jump out of her skin.
"Damn it, Cas," Max squeaked, feeling her heart pop out of her chest. "You need to where a bell or something."
"My apologies," Castiel said. He walked over in front of her and stood, reading her face. "How are you doing," he smiled.
"Same as last month. And the month before, and the months before that," she answered. She took another sip of water and saw that Castiel was still waiting for an answer. "I'm fine, Cas."
"Yes. And all those month and answers you have given were lies, Max," he watched as the girl dropped her arms and rolled her eyes. "Have you talked about it yet to anyone? It's been four years."
"You told me I have to learn to control it. And that's what I did. I taught myself control and they haven't been as bad ever since. There's no need to talk about it."
The angel looked towards the girl again, and saw her eyes, they spoke all the truth to him. "You still see her face. Don't you," he asked an extremely low tone. Watching as her expression when from a grown woman, to the small terrified face of the smallest child. "Why do you humans lie? I never understood that."
It was a good question. Why do humans lie? No answers came to her, except for the face that always haunted her for years in her sleep and in her mind. Max may be strong, but she was very fragile on the inside. Crumbling every time she tries to forget. Curling up in a ball of tears at nights, praying for it all to end.
There was no point in lying to Castiel anymore. He saw it all on her face. "…Yes. All the time."
"And you haven't told Dean this because…"
"Because I just can't. I still can't…" Max's voice cracked. "It hurts, Cas. It always does. Trust me, I've tried to tell Dad and Sammy. But every time I do, I begin lose it. My only solace is hunting. Hunting them all down until they're gone. Every single one. And I will not stop until they are all gone, bleeding and dying at my feet."
Dean's voice caused Max's heart to stop. It was low, dark and angry at her. "Killing relentlessly, that was how you found your peace," he asked. Max turned, looking straight into his glaring eyes, seeing all the small anger, sadness and concern for her that he's bottled up for years. All his questions were finally getting answered. "All those people that you hunted, they could have been saved if you didn't kill them right away."
"They couldn't be saved. They were monsters, dad. And even if we did save them, there still is a monster that lingers deep down inside them. Waiting to be break out again. And when they do show their monster side again, it was just a wasted effort for us," Max said, crossing her arms.
"Why didn't you talk to us, Huh? What's scaring you so much at night that you wander in the halls and stay up all night? What caused you to be like this," Dean demanded.
"You wouldn't understand. You just wouldn't." Max climbed unto her bike quickly. "The things I saw down there, Dad…they won't go away by just having a little family meeting. You will act like you will understand but you really don't. So don't even think that you can help me, because no one can."
Dean quickly reached over, snatched the keys out of her ignition then placed them in his pocket. Max glared at him, and he did the same back. "You're not going anywhere until you talk," he growled.
"Give my keys back," the girl demanded.
"Not until you talk," Dean repeated in a low growl.
"Max, please, we're just trying to help," Sam stepped forward.
The girl rolled her eyes. Scoffing at her family and the Angel that stood before her. Faces filled with concern, waiting for her to speak. Waiting for the truth, and answers that she kept from them. But, Max was stubborn, worse than Dean and her Grandfather, John. Genetics.
"There's nothing you can do to help me," the young Winchester said firmly. "Everything I went through down there, it will never be compared to anything that happens here. Right now. I can still see faces, but you never see me run from them. Not like the first time, at Uncle Bobby's four years ago. I live my nightmares, and they tell me that I am still here. I suffer from that pain. The pain shows that I am alive. Still breathing. You told me those words back then, and I live by them."
"I also said that we would be here when you need to talk," he waved his hand between Sam and himself.
"Talk? Every time I tried I grow afraid."
"Afraid of what," Sam asked, growing angry at his niece like Dean.
Max let out an uneven sigh, dropping her shoulders and head. Looking down at her feet, debating if she should just tell them, or if she should run. True, she can easily outrun Dean and Sam. But the Angel? Not a chance. "Afraid… I'm afraid, that you won't see me… As your daughter anymore. I'm afraid that it will come back and haunt me. That They will come and hunt me down."
Sam raised an eyebrow, confused by her last statement. "Hunting you? Who?"
It was quiet for a moment. Dean, Sam and the Angel waited. Waited for Max to speak. But, she was piecing it all together in her mind before she made the conclusion. She was right. What that vampire said to her. How she knows Max like the back of her hand. How she wants Max back in her cage. Max knew who this demon was, and her fear spiked higher, now that the puzzle and the pieces were all put together. She shook her head from side to side, in denial. She let out a shuttering gasp and slowly began to hyperventilate, both her hands covering her ears, trying to keep the screams out. But they were in her head, always in her head.
"Max," Dean shouted to her. He was down on his knees with her, cupping her face with his hands. Trying to get his daughter to calm down as much as he can. Max looked up and saw her father through the darkness that began to cover her eyes. Then she began to hear his cries for her through the screaming in her mind. "Max! Calm down! Look at me, look at me. Breathe, in… and out…"
The young Winchester did as she was told, and the darkness creeped away and her sight began to clear. Her breathing slowed, as did her heart rate. Her body numb and heavy. Nightmares, for sure were going to be returning. Maybe worse than ever.
"Max, who is hunting you," Dean managed to ask.
"Karen," Max choked out. "Karen wants me back in my cage…"
Kind of a short chapter but still, better than nothing right? Well, hopefully within the next week or so, I can get back to writing for this story and back to Not an Average Teenager soon. This summer was crazy and very busy. I can't believe I am going to say this, but I am so ready to go back to school. Starting at a new university this fall. Thank you for being patient.