The Opportune Moment
The story finally picks up here. I hope you enjoy.
Once they got back to the motel and told Charlie the good news that Bloody Mary was gone for good and that she was safe, there was a great sense of closure to the case for young Ellie. The relief on the young woman's face was heartwarming and knowing that she helped save her life left the young teen with an uplifting feeling of warmth in her heart making the fear and danger of it all seem worthwhile.
They drove Charlie back to her house and said their goodbyes, Sam even mentioning that she had to forgive herself over her boyfriend's suicide expressing that it wasn't her fault. Dean declared that to be good advice and Ellie wholeheartedly agreed. Despite, only knowing Sam for a short amount of time, she gathered he was good rather selfless man who just had a horrific and tragic thing happen to him like most Hunters she knew. Ellie was tempted to pry, but new that it was impolite, not to mention invasive. Although she was almost positive, he couldn't be at fault for his girlfriend's death as her instincts told her it did not suit the man. She hoped that the pain of it all and the nightmares would soon cease to torment the man as he simply didn't deserve it.
Dean drove them all back to the hotel for a well-earned long night's rest. It had to be nearly one in the morning and Ellie was ordered straight to bed to which she gladly obliged without complaint. The excitement and length of the trying day had the young girl flat-out exhausted. Ellie simply pulled out of her sturdy brown boots feeling her feet ache slightly as her socked feet hit the thin carpet. The young teen pulled off her navy ballcap and placed it on top of her boots neatly. She laid herself down against the lumpy cushions of the motel couch pulling the extra scratchy motel blanket over her tired limps not even bothering to change into her night attire. Ellie's brown eyes blinked heavily feeling a burning sensation behind her iris before tampering off into a deep sleep.
Yet, the young teen was a woken, suddenly, by something unpleasant in her dream that she could not fully recall, but that mattered little when her ears honed in on the distinct whispers coming from the kitchenette area. The couch was positioned on the opposite wall of the galley kitchenette that was only separated by a thin decorative barrier of tainted and poorly designed textured glass which was obnoxiously distasteful, but, at the moment, Ellie was inherently grateful for it, as it gave her the opportunity to eavesdrop on their conversation without being detected.
Ellie lifted her head slightly from her pillow propping herself on her forearms as she strained to capture their words careful not to lift her head too high where her reflection might be seen through the tainted glass.
"We just need to be patient." Sam expressed in a calm logical manner looking up at Dean from his seated position at the small table.
"I've been patient, Sam." Dean reiterated his tone lining with a bite of impatience. "More than I should have. By rights I should've punished her for disobeying orders tonight." Dean expressed with sound regret and frustration in his voice.
If Ellie wasn't sure they were talking about her before, that statement just confirmed it. Ellie found herself squirm slightly under the scratchy blanket feeling her cheeks blush slightly at his clear confession of regret for not punishing her. She, ultimately, knew it was wrong, but the fact remained that she had helped save them and everything turned out alright in the end. She felt adamantly that it should at least count for something. Ellie shook her head slowly in disappointment as she stared at her indented pillow. Why couldn't the man accept that and just let it go? Ellie felt a bit of hurt beginning to form in her heart by the fact that he did not even seem remotely grateful for her contribution to the success of the Hunt. Almost like her interference was highly unwanted and was far worse than her aiding them which ultimately led to their triumph in the end. Was she simply not 'good enough' to help them or something? Or worse not 'old enough'? Too weak, too small, too incompetent?
"She was just trying to help." Sam defended in an even tone of understanding trying to give the scared girl a bit of grace which had Ellie nodding in agreement feeling some hope arise in her chest. However, that hope was thoroughly crushed by Dean's next words.
"I don't give a damn! She could have gotten herself killed." Dean declared in a grave tone of frustration. Fear biting at his nerves as the weight of responsibility pressed harshly on his burdened shoulders.
"I know and I'm not saying she was right." Sam assured putting his hands up in a yielding pose in an attempt to calm his brother's rising temper not wanting him to think he thought she was justified in her rash actions.
"She was definitely wrong." Sam declared raising his eyebrows and widening his hazel eyes slightly at the young girl's boldness feeling a bite of concern and agitation himself. What she did wasn't smart by any stretch and it was undeniably dangerous and worrisome just how brash the teenager was.
Sam sighed heavy as he contemplated their situation.
"I'm just saying she was scared for us. And at the end of the day, it all worked out." Sam expressed trying to shine a light on the positives in all this. Ellie felt an appreciation spread through her chest at Sam's understanding, at least he was trying to see things from her side unlike the eldest Winchester who seemed to be caught up on the negative. Granted, putting herself in danger was a big negative, but still, like Sam said it all worked out. Why was he so against her? The Hunting game was a dangerous business and there were always risks to everyone involved which included herself.
"It could not have." Dean argued strongly his tone deepening to a concerned and serious level.
"I know, but it did. Just give her a bit of understanding right now." Sam expressed in a composed manner trying to give Ellie the benefit in all this. Not because he felt she was justified in her actions, but because the experienced man feared pushing the young teen too far would cause her to clam up even further on them. Or worse, cause her to run which would be detrimentally dangerous for the young girl. They needed answers from her. They needed her to trust them so they could competently protect her.
"I didn't punish her." Dean pointed out in a brisk and curt tone. "Thought that was some real big understanding right there." His deep voice not sounding at all pleased with his decision.
Ellie rolled her eyes in contempt and frustration at his declaration of 'understanding' stifling an irritated groan that was sitting in the back of her throat. What did he want? A metal for not giving her a licking? She helped save their lives which was no small thing, at least to Ellie it wasn't, and the idea of being punished after that was just disheartening and agitating to the young teenager. Her contribution was worth something no matter how much the irked man wanted to deny it. It was downright unfair of him as she was rightly justified in her actions which turned out to be right in the end.
Dean scoffed shaking his head slightly in vexation. "Dad would have wailed the tar out of us for something like that." Dean recollected again feeling a biting regret for being so lenient and letting the grave matter go as his protective instincts were screaming at him to take action. This was not a job where you could take matters like these so lightly. What they did was dangerous and simple mistakes, such as not following orders, was enough to get the bold little girl killed and that was just an overwhelmingly scary and deplorable thought to experienced Hunter.
Ellie crinkled her nose at his unjust conflict. Just because he would've got punished doesn't mean she should. Why was she caring so much about what these men thought? Why was her heart hurting on their opinions towards her?
Sam looked up at his brother, a serious expression lining in a stoic frown. His solid features outlined by the dim pendant light dangling above the small kitchen table.
"We're not her blood, Dean." Sam declared bluntly in a firm tone. "We're practically strangers to her. We're not her family or legal guardians." Sam reminded him trying to keep his brother from doing anything rash on built up emotions. They just had to keep a level head about this and go about the situation fairly. And if Sam was being honest with himself, a part of him was pushing away from the tough way they were raised by the strict firm hand of their father. Sam couldn't help, but want to feel there was a different more gentle approach to the situation.
Ellie bit her bottom lip at the true statement which just confirmed her troubling fears that she was ultimately nothing, but baggage to them. Although, she suspected it, she was not prepared for how much it would sting her young heart to hear it come from the Hunter's mouth.
"We're responsible for her, Sammy. We might as well be with Caleb dumping her on us like some lost puppy." Dean expressed in a disgruntled and frustration tone as he paced away from his brother before rounding back towards him, getting out some build up energy.
Ellie felt her heart lurch in her chest feeling it crack and swell with hurt at being referred to as a 'lost puppy' suggesting to her that she was a helpless, useless, and unwanted child.
"Why the hell did dad even agree to take in the kid in the first place? We don't even know where the hell dad is or Caleb for that matter? We don't know jack shit. For all we know, Caleb might not even be coming back." Dean expressed in frustration letting his fear dictate his frantic and careless words.
"We don't know that, Dean." Sam expressed in calm, but wary tone edged with irritation as he rested his elbow on the table and rubbed his temples with his thumb and pointer finger feeling a grave headache coming on as the stress of everything was getting to him.
Ellie felt her breath stop abruptly in her throat as fear stiffened her muscles at the Hunters words of her uncle not coming back. A grave fear filled her gut making her body grow jittery with severe alarm at the suggestion that her uncle could ultimately be dead. That was just something she could not and would not accept. Ellie shook her head briskly. No. He was a good and experienced Hunter. These Hunters said so themselves, that the demons would not find him so easily. But, were they just lying to make her feel better? Of course, they were. Ellie felt tears well up in her eyes and a biting sting that was eating away at her hope she was so desperately trying to keep alive.
"This all doesn't feel right to me, Sam. There is something fishy about this whole shit show and I don't like it." Dean declared gruffy his voice heightening along with his emotions. Dean knew there was something more going on and being kept in the dark was only increasing his agitation and fear further. He could not fight or protect this little girl if he didn't know what the hell was going on.
"We know nothing about this girl and the kid ain't said one damn truthful thing since she's been with us." Dean expressed in aggravation pointing out that they were receiving no aid from the teenager. "She hasn't been forthcoming about any of the shit we ask her. To be honest, I don't think I can trust a goddam word out of her mouth." Dean declared gruffly before marching away from Sam again pacing back and forth before running a hand down his wary face feeling a grave and unrecognizable fear weigh against his chest.
Ellie swallowed the large knot in her throat feeling a tear drip down the side of her cheek. Ellie reached up swiped it away with the back of her hand sniffling quietly through her nose as she felt mucus beginning to build up. She was not only an unwanted burden, but a lair and a shit show as well. Although, it was true she had not been truthful and a 'shit show' was probably a good description of the situation she found herself in, it still stung her young heart nonetheless. It appeared she was nothing more than trouble to these men who were burdened with her company and her problems. An unfortunate guilt came with that, along with loneliness and painful feelings of discouragement and heartache.
"She did finally tell us her real age." Sam pointed out calmly in her favor nodding his head once at the small progress they made with her. It wasn't much, but to Sam it was something. Although, he sounded collected in his words he was nowhere near at ease and the worry of it all was affected him just as strongly as his elder brother.
Dean scoffed at that, throwing his hand up dismissively at that minor favor. It was of little consequence in the grand scheme of things, not exempting her from any of the other lies, evasions, and deceptions she threw at them.
"Yeah, after I threatened her with damn spanking did she fess up." Dean gritted out in annoyance not in the least bit pleased by her confession as her age was something that troubled him even more. She was just barely a teenager. And if that wasn't enough to the experienced Hunter, she was a little girl, a tough little girl, but a little girl nonetheless and that significant fact unknowingly placed even more instinctive strain on his worried heart. She was practically a baby in the Hunter's mature eyes.
"And thirteen freaking years old, Sammy, acting like she's twenty. She's going to get herself killed." Dean expressed forcefully fear edging his aggravated voice.
Ellie's brows frowned bitterly at that. She may just be thirteen, but she was a lot more resourceful and far less stupid than he was pinning her as. She was not going to get herself killed just because she didn't act like the typical thirteen-year-old relying on everyone. This life did not allow that comforting enjoyment. Not if you wanted to survive. Sure, she took a risk, but that was just part of the nature of the business. She wasn't some fragile doll that was going to break as soon as the pressure got heavy. Part of her was regretting telling them her real age for this very reason, but under the circumstance it was damn near impossible not to under his annoyingly intimidating glare. And besides she certainly did not want a be spanked like some little kid by a grumpy Hunter who needed to take a serious chill pill and mind his own damn business.
"Yeah, she's reckless." Sam agreed in a stoic and blunt manner leaving no room in his grave tone for disagreement. It was a fact and it had Sam nodding his head once in agreement. They could not continue to go on like this without any answers as they were just swinging in the dark. And they most certainly couldn't risk the kid being irresponsible and not following their command on impulse. He knew the danger of it and the serious consequences. This child's life was in their hands and there had to be order or things could get ugly real fast.
"Tomorrow we'll try to get some more answers out of her." Sam declared decidedly before turning and looking up at his brother, his brows stiff with resolve. "But we need to do it patiently. She obviously doesn't trust us yet."
Dean snorted at Sam's insistence on a gentle approach. The tough kid was far from 'gentle' herself and patience wasn't exactly his strong suit at present. He knew they were not going to get any answers by being passive and submissive with the stubborn young teen. This was no game they were playing and if Dean had to get tough, he had no problem doing it. Dean turned away from his brother walking down the galley kitchen.
"You hear what I said?" Sam asked after him not appreciating him leaving without a response of at least his understanding.
Dean stopped his retreat and placing his hands on his hips before turning to look over his shoulder.
"Yeah, Sammy, I got it. Patiently." Dean expressed in a tone that suggested he was on board under protest. He would try it Sam's way, but if that didn't work on the stubborn kid, Dean was determined to get answers and if that meant getting tough on the kid. So be it.
Ellie quickly scrambled laying her head back down on the pillow and pulling the covers up to her neck. She closed her eyes as naturally as she could hear Dean's heavy footsteps enter the bedroom area. Ellie tried to not stiffen with apprehension as she heard his footstep draw closer to her.
Did he suspect she was awake? God, just kill her now.
Suddenly, his steps ceased and she swore she could feel his eyes fixed on her for a few agonizing seconds. However, the heaviness of his gaze soon lifted and she heard his feet pick up again and fade as he walked away from her. Ellie nearly breathed a sigh of relief convinced he believed she was sound asleep.
Ellie continued to pretend to sleep as her ears listened to all the promising sounds of the two Hunters getting ready to crash on the beds. Ellie heard the creak of the cheap mattress springs as a solid body came to rest on it. Soon, another pair of heavy footsteps entering the room which was undoubtable Sam's large frame moving about. Another creak of the cheap mattress sounded before the flicking sound of a lamp clicked sharply feeling the darkness under her eyelids flash then blacken abruptly. Ellie waited a few more painfully long moment before blinking her eyelids cautiously open feeling her blurry eyes adjust to the dark room. The only light form was from the outside street lamps that were illuminating through the cracks of the drawn curtains of the window opposite the couch and beds.
Ellie lifted her head up slowly pushing her palms onto the lumpy cushions until she was slightly upright. Ellie craned her neck over the bed and Dean's large still frame until the digital clock on the center night stand came into her view. The red digital numbers red boldly – 2:33AM. Ellie bit her bottom lip as she eyed the two Hunters laying unmoved on the beds feeling her body flood with strong apprehension as this was the opportunity, she was waiting for to make a break for it.
It was abundantly clear to Ellie that she not only needed to leave to find her uncle and insure he was safe, but get away from these men who thought of her as nothing more than a burden and bother. It was true she was not their blood or their family and she did not belong with them in anyway. She belonged at her uncle side. Screw the danger and risk of it all. There was always danger in this harsh world, but that did not mean you left your family. She had her family and they had theirs. It was as simple and as indifferent as that.
Ellie tried to convince herself that it was nothing personal and it was just the way it was attempting to push down the hurt she was feeling deep inside. Afterall, she could take care of herself. She didn't need them. She was better off alone.
A serious weight laid heavily on her success. She could not be hasty in her attempt to leave. She had to be sneaky and smart or she would fail and her opportunity for escape would be slim to none soon after. Just because the men didn't want her, did not mean they would let her leave out of respect for her uncle, the man they deemed their friend. Ellie laid her head back down on the pillow and waited another twenty long painstaking minutes before slowly sitting up again. Ellie removed the warm blanket off of her body and dared to place her socked feet onto the thin carpet. Ellie stood up carefully pressing her weight into her feet and stood up grateful to not hear even a creak. She tip-toed a few steps towards the beds observing the sleeping Hunters who had not stirred even an inch out of place.
She knew they had to be exhausted from the week-long Hunt where they spent many sleepless nights mulling over research and gathering evidence. Not to mention the countless interviews and investigations they did along with summoning Bloody Mary who strained and drained their bodies harshly. They were dog-tired and Ellie counted on that. They needed their rest and Ellie was only too much obliged to allow it.
Ellie treaded lightly on her feet to the foot of Dean's bed squatting down in front of his black duffle bag that happened to be unzipped and opened due to their long stay. Ellie quietly rummaged through his belongings until her finger tips reached the bottom of his bag and hit against the familiar cold silver of her switch blade. Ellie pulled out the blade and eyed it fondly feeling a small smile tug at the corner of her mouth at her familiar friend. The young teenager pressed her weight on to her knees and straightened her posture as she slipped the sliver blade into her right overall pocket where it belonged feeling comfort as the bulge of the blade rested against her thigh. She began to dig back through his bag thoroughly looking for the keys to the Impala. She did not trust her hotwiring skills nor did it seem convenient or smart to steal another person's car when there was one readily available to her if she could only find the keys.
Ellie sighed softly leaning back on her heels as they were not in Dean's duffle bag. Ellie turned her attention towards the table and chairs that sat under the window. Dean's brown leather jacket that hung over one of the chairs caught her eye instantly. An optimism filled her lungs as she inhaled a deep breath having seen Dean slip his keys into that jacket pocket many times.
Ellie carefully walked past the two beds on the balls of her socked feet eyeing the sleeping Hunters cautiously with every purposeful step. Jittery anxiety tingled her at her nerves as she glanced at Dean's large restful frame that lay on his stomach on the far bed facing away from her. The thought of him waking up with her digging through his coat pocket for his Impala's keys was downright terrifying. She knew he had a fondness for his prized car, to just what extent Ellie was, regrettably, ignorant to, but she knew very well he valued it. And although she, ultimately, recognized taking it was undoubtably wrong, she justified it as a vital and unprecedented need at the moment and the fact that she was only borrowing it eased her guilty mind a bit, but far less than she had hoped.
He had already made it abundantly clear that he was losing patience with her and Ellie just knew if he woke up and found out what she was doing, she feared his threat of blistering her tail would turn into a reality astronomically quick. All the more reason to get out of their hair Ellie immaturely concluded.
Ellie sucked in a breath of courage as she reached down into one of his side pockets, the smooth leather brushed against her hand as she carefully felt around until the tip of her finger touched a ringlet. Ellie gently slipped her small finger through the loop and carefully eased the pair of keys out of the pocket. She pressed the two sliver keys together between her fingers to prevent them from jingling against one and another. Ellie lifted the keys into the streaming artificially light that shining between the break in the curtains. She eyed the sliver pair of keys grasped firmly between her fingers. Score.
Ellie steadily eased the keys in her pocket as her eyes glanced at the motel notepad and pen on the table. Ellie chewed on her bottom lip feeling the weighted guilt push heavily on her conscious. Although, they saw her as burden, they were, in the end, good men and loyal and honorable Hunters. They didn't deserve her taking off without any word. And despite everything there was still a festering hurt that had sunk deep into her core that ultimately stemmed from her cared for them. Even if they didn't care about her, there was this feeling of newfound attachment and fondness that she simply couldn't shake. No matter how unwarranted and painful it felt. It was there nonetheless.
Ellie felt a rawness scratch at her throat which she immediately swallowed shaking her head. The young teen had made up her mind to leave, but she would at least write them a note. She owed them that much at the very least. She jotted down quickly on the notepad that she was alright along with explanation that she would message them the location of the Impala as soon as she got herself another means of transportation. She placed the written note in the middle of the table where they would be sure to see it.
Ellie then proceeded to walk back over to the couch where her boots, hat and bags sat. Ellie quickly slipped on her brown boots and oversized navy-blue zip up. Ellie pushed down her ballcap over her hair and carefully eased her backpack over her shoulder and reached down to grab her duffle bag not bothering to even zip it. Ellie felt a dreaded urgency of apprehension consume her knowing if they were to wake up now, there would be no doubt in their minds of what she was doing and she wouldn't have a shot in hell of lying her way out of it. This was it and there was no turning back now, if she was going to leave, she had do so swiftly and very quietly. Ellie took long swift stride on the balls of her feet towards the motel door. The heaviness of her boots creaking the carpet ever so slightly as her duffle bag swooshed against the side of her denim pants leg as she hastily made her way to the door. Ellie found her body become shaky as her adrenaline pick up and coursed through her veins making her palms and brow sweat under the sickening pressure. Ellie set her duffle bag down carefully before painstakingly slowly sliding the chain lock across it's track off the latch. Ellie's heart was hammering in her chest roughly as her calmy and shaky fingers cranked the strong thumb-turn dead bolt. Ellie's face crinkled up into a grimace of concentration and worry as she fought against the resisting pressure of the stiff and solid lock twisting it as carefully as she could. However, when it reached the end of its release, it made a dreadful popping sound that made Ellie's heart harshly jump in her chest. Although, it wasn't severely loud, in the quiet room, to Ellie, it sounded like a firecracker. With wide fearful eyes Ellie snapped her attention toward the Hunters on the beds expecting them to startle awake and catch her in a very compromising act that was sure to be the end of her.
Ellie's limbs stood frozen in terror, her hand still on the lock feeling her body flinch and tense roughly as Dean's large frame shifted slightly in response to the noise. A small grumbling like moan escaped from the man, but nothing more and his body immediately stilled. Ellie's mouth parted a bit and waited a few very long seconds before the realization finally hit her that the man was still fast asleep and had not awakened. Ellie let out a slow and shaky breath of relief feeling her tense shoulders slacken slightly as she leaned forward and placed her forehead on the back of her hand that still rested stiffly on the lock. Giving into her relief for a moment and thanking the Lord for her luck, Ellie lifted her head feeling her anxiety rush immediately back into her tense limbs. She cautiously twisted the brass door knob until it was fully rotated before tugging the heavy door open. The door popped slightly as it released from its frame, not nearly as loud or as sharply as the deadbolt, but loud enough to make Ellie cringe and wince in fear. Ellie gritted her teeth in a nervous grimace as she looked over at the men, who again, did not stir. Wasting no time, Ellie snatched her duffle bag and swiftly walked over the threshold of the door and out into the chilly night air that immediately bit through Ellie thin zip up. Ellie pulled the door shut as gently as she could deciding not to risk pulling it all the way to the latch. It was a miracle that the two sharp noises of the sturdy door didn't wake them and she sure as hell was not going to hold out for a third miracle. One can only have so much luck especially after breaking a mirror only hours ago.
Once Ellie was satisfied the door was shut enough for her liking, Ellie heavied a heavy sigh of relief. She was damn lucky, but she wasn't anywhere near safe of still not being caught. With her nerves jittery and her heart thrashing against her chest, Ellie marched over to the Impala hastily. She unlocked the driver side door and got in sliding her backpack and duffle bag onto the passenger side of the bench seat.
She closed the driver side door before realizing her feet were exceedingly far away from the pedals. Ellie looked at the floor to the right and left of her frantically. How the hell did you move the seat up in this ancient car? Her uncle drove a black chevy pick-up truck that was from this era and she knew little about old cars from the sixties. Ellie anxiously felt around under the seat until her hand knocked against a lever. Oh. Ellie pulled on the lever sliding the seat forward on its track until her feet hit the pedals which was luckily the closest it would reach.
Ellie sat up straight and shifted on the edge of leather seat putting the keys in the ignition and revving the old chevy to life. Ellie would be lying if she said she was entirely confident in her driving abilities and she wasn't intimidated by the long old chevy. Her uncle taught her to drive around age eleven and she, every now and then, would take the responsibly of driving on Hunts. However, that was only when it was really necessary and her uncle was otherwise impaired. Although, she wasn't completely well seasoned and practicing more would do her good, she understood the fundamentals well enough.
Ellie placed her hands around the large steering wheel hesitantly before reaching up to the right of the wheel and shifting the Impala into reverse. Ellie pressed her boot down on the gas pedal feeling the chevy delay slightly before jerking back roughly. Startled, Ellie gasped and immediately slammed on the break feeling the car jolt forward and back coarsely.
Oh shit.
Ellie was not used to driving cars as old as the '67 chevy and it was a rather long car and noted she had to be a bit more cautious as she got to know the cars dynamics. She did not want to total the car before she even got it on the road. That was majorly suck for all parties involved to say the least.
Ellie inhaled a breath of encouragement. Okay, you got this, Ellie. Concentrate. Focus.
Ellie slowly eased on the gas again and carefully pulled out of the motel parking lot and onto the road following signs towards West Virginia where she knew of a Hunting base in Berkeley Springs. That's where she would start her search for her uncle and perhaps someone there might know something about his whereabouts. He was not dead. Ellie was certain of that. And there was no turning back now and she was determined to find him, no matter how long it took.
0000
Sam blinked his weary eyes open as the rise of the morning light streamed through breaks in the motel curtains. He groaned as he sat his body up into a seated position on the bed, the old mattress creaking against his movements. He rubbed his thumb and pointer finger over his hazy eyes before pushing up off the mattress to make his way towards the bathroom. His tired limbs and muscles ached in protest from the strain the Bloody Mary spirit inflicted on him. After walking past Dean's bed, the groggy Hunter halted dead in his tracks as his blurry eyes spotted the disturbingly empty couch with the brown blanket bunched on one end and the dented pillow where the young girl had once laid. Sam blinked his eyes quickly regaining focus feeling a ping of worry spark within him shocking the man into a state of alertness.
He jerked his head around to glance at the digital clock on the nightstand which read 8:13AM before snapping his attention towards the bathroom praying against all odds that she was in there because of she wasn't, there was nowhere she could be, but gone. Sam hastened towards the bathroom door within three long strides grabbing onto the wooden frame as he turned his body sharply across the threshold only to be met with nothing, but the small dark room.
"Ellie." Sam called a rising panic in his voice.
A rush of sinking distress pressed down against his tense muscles. Panic was surging through his jittery body as the dreadful realization began to hit him that the kid was not in the motel room. He rushed back into the room his eyes swiftly scanning the floor as he dashed towards the motel door noting with foreboding dread that her two bags were gone along with her boots.
When Sam reached the door, his knowing fears were confirmed as the locks on the doors were unlatched and the door was not completely shut against its frame. Sam yanked open the heavy door and rushed out into the cool morning air, the cold concrete of the pavement seeping through his socked feet. The sun was shining low producing a warm morning glow across the horizon.
"Ellie!" Sam bellowed sharply in an edgy tone, pleading against his expectations and instincts that she had just simply stepped out of the room for fresh air.
Sam darted around the corner of the small alleyway that divided the center of the motel building where the vending machines and ice maker sat, but was, again, met with utter dismay.
There was no denying it, the teenager had fled. Sam let out an anxious sigh of distress. Shit.
Hearing Sam's raised panicked voice had awoken Dean up with a start making him flinch harshly out of his state of serenity. Blinking his groggy eyes rapidly Dean pushed his stiff body up onto his palm just as Sam hasted back into the motel room.
"What is it? What's the matter?" Dean inquired with urgency his tired body growing tense with apprehension as his instincts immediately sensed something was terribly wrong.
Dean instinctually twisted his laid body half way around peering over his shoulder to look at the alarmingly empty couch. An agonizing flood of fear crashed over him like a title wave as he snapped his attention back towards his brother who had snatched his duffle back off the floor and onto the bed stuffing his clothes into it.
"Where's Ellie?" Dean demanded tensely feeling his body surge with instant stress and alarm as the awareness hit him like a ton of bricks.
"She took off." Sam snapped in an irritated panic.
"Took off?! What do you mean she took off?!" Dean growled as he shot out of bed like a bullet. It was more out of angry disbelief than he was questioning his brother's skills of observation. Dean snatched his sliver Colt off the nightstand and began furiously gathering his things.
"When the fuck did she leave?" Dean gritted tightly in a hard and cold tone, his voice edging with considerable unease as he packed his things into his bag briskly. A harsh and potent annoyance and disappointment grew and seeped under his skin at his negligence and incompetence for not waking his ass up and catching the little reckless hellion before she took off. He knew she was antsy and unpredictable, and should have never let his guard down so carelessly. Exhaustion was no excuse to the hard man. He saw it as a ridged and dreadful failure on his part. He fucked up and if anything were to happen to the little girl that was on him completely. He was the eldest and saw it as his pressing responsibility to keep her ass safe.
"I don't know." Sam admitted feeling a bite of regret himself for not waking up. The young teenager was undoubtedly smart using the opportune moment to leave when they were dog tired and less alert not having their guard up. Sam gritted his teeth feeling his jaw muscles twitch as he zipped up his duffle bag feeling a sharp spark of annoyance agitate his nerves at her sneaky deception against them. A sharp pain of disappointment hit his gut at the young girl's dishonesty and blatant betrayal of their trust.
Sam turned his head sharply towards the window wondering just how far the little run away had gotten on foot when his acute eyes spotted the motel stationary pad in the middle of the table appearing to have a note scribbled on it. Sam's brows crinkled into a grave frown as he took a brisk step towards the table snatching the notepad off the top scanning his hard eyes over the handwritten words.
Sam's heart plummeted and his eyes grew wide in utter astonishment.
"Oh God." Sam expressed in dismay.
Dean head immediately snapped over to look over at his brother.
"What?" He demanded urgently not liking his brother's dreadful tone.
Sam angled his body towards his brother before glancing up from the note. Dean's chest tightened in distressed anticipation as he took in his brothers rounded hazel eyes and pale stricken expression. His brother appeared hesitant almost fearful towards him making Dean's brows crease downward in confusion feeling a terrible uneasiness blossom in his core.
There was a beat of tense silence before Sam spoke bluntly. "She took the Impala." There was no way for the man to sugar coat that horrifying fact.
Dean body instantly froze feeling his lips parted and his face pale in utter disbelief as his mind began to comprehend just what his brother had said to him. Then the man abruptly felt his muscles constrict harshly and rigidly against his tense body as he marched hastily out the door to witness the atrocity for himself. Dean only took three steps outside before coming to an abrupt halt as he stared at the empty parking space where his previous car once sat. As the appalling reality sank in into his ridged muscles, Dean felt his fist ball at his sides, a fierce and dark scowl cast across his tense features as a rageful fury rose within him like a roaring fire. Not only had she carelessly took off with demons hunting her, but she had the damn nerve to seal his prized car like she was entitled to it. The arrogance and the audacity were astounding to the Hunter feeling his aggravation being set ablaze. He was deeply regretting giving her any clemency on her disobedience last night. He should have sacked up and turned her over his knee right then, then perhaps this would never have happened. Just another failing on his part.
Apparently, this kid did not take him seriously nor did she have any respect for him, his authority, or her own damn safety for that matter. If that wasn't bad enough, she was thirteen years old and far too young to be driving any car, let alone his baby without anyone guiding her. The thought of her losing control and getting into an accident or crashing it into a damn pole was catastrophically terrifying. Not only because his baby was in the hands of a reckless thirteen-year-old, but the unstable kid could break her damn foolish neck.
She was just barely a teenager who was acting like she was a grown adult, a foolish one at that, which was enough to get her killed or worse. Dean clenched his teeth rigidly feeling his jaw muscles stiffen and ache. Right then, Dean made an unyielding promise to himself and the reckless hellion to find her and ensure that this would never let this happen again.
He made up his mind at this moment that this kid needed a serious and swift reality check and he was going show her just what happens when you play the dangerous game of 'fuck around and find out' with him. He had no doubt, demons were scouting for her. This was no game to be played with by anyone so carelessly, let alone by little girls with the mental capacity of foolish and impulsive adolescence. He was done being patient. This was a scary and dangerous world they lived in where taking foolish risks ended lives. He did not have to luxury nor temperament to be lenient or soft, not when a teenager girls life hung in the balance.
"When we find her, I'm gonna kill her." Dean declared gruffly his tone deeply foreboding and downright chilling.
Dean turned on his heels briskly before striding his heavy boots back into the motel room with a fierce immovable resolve. Sam quickly stepped to side of the door allowing his furious brother to pass the threshold certain he would ram right into him if he didn't move.
Sam's hazel eyes stared off into the distance, a firm grimace of worry and disappointment on his careworn face.
"If she puts one just one damn scratch on my baby, I'm taking it out of her ass and then some." Dean proclaimed in a rough gritted tone, grave anger weaving through his words. However, there was clear worry hidden behind his aggravated voice that Sam did not miss.
Sam sigh heavily closing his eyes as he attempted to calm his stressed and panicked nerves. He believed his brother and he just prayed that he would find her quickly, unharmed, and alive.
0000
Dean pressed his heavy boot down on the gas pedal reeving the old tan Honda Accord that they resorted to stealing from the motel parking lot. Dean's brows were frowned in a deep scowl as he kept his hard eyes on the road ahead, fear, frustration, and anger boiling against his frantic and stressed nerves. He rung his palms around the unfamiliar steering wheel in fidgety distress, impatiently waiting for answers as Sam sat in the passenger seat ringing her emergency cellphone for the fifth time in a row.
"Ellie. It's Sam. Pick up your phone, kid. Now. We need to know where the hell you are. I know you think you're making the right call, but trust me, kiddo, you're not. You're not safe on your own. Please, call me back." Sam pulled the phone from his ear with an exasperated sigh as he pressed his thumb on the end call button.
"She's not answering." Sam expressed with worry and frustration feeling his head pound with a strained ache as he rubbed an agitated hand down his face.
Sam looked out at the tree lined highway his mind whirling with possibilities as he attempted to narrow down the most logical probabilities.
"Are best bet is West Virginia. They have a Hunters base there in Berkeley Springs. I know Caleb is familiar with that place and my guess is he must have told Ellie about it. Or she's headed back to Lincoln…" Sam considered rationally trying to get into the young teenager's reckless head.
"She's in West Virginia." Dean expressed curtly not missing a beat, a firm certainty that surprised Sam.
Sam turned his head to look at his brother, his brows lined in a frown.
"What makes you so sure?" Sam inquired wondering if there was something his brother knew that he did not. Although, it made sense to the man for her be in West Virginia, he was not as certain as his older brother seemed to be.
"She ran from us, Sam. She's planning on searching for Caleb on her own." Dean insisted in an irritated and cross tone not at all pleased with her thoughtless decision.
"You sure?" Sam pushed not wanting to head in the wrong direction as a lot weighed on his brother's intuition and certainty.
"It's what I would have done." Dean admitted with no amount of pride in his statement, almost like his flaw in character as a child was annoyingly coming back to bite him in the ass. Which it, ultimately, was as he saw a lot of himself in that little girl, an uncanny resemblance of his childhood, that scared the living shit out of him. He felt this unprecedented, forceful, and strange need to protect her making it all the more pressing on his distress heart to find the little girl and bring her back to them and knock some sense into that reckless little head of hers.
Stupid, carless, reckless, kid.
"I'm gonna try to call her again." Sam expressed pulling his phone back out in front of him unable to just sit there and worry without doing anything productive. By some miracle she may just pick up, not giving up hope that if he could just talk to her, he could convince her troubled mind that she was in the wrong.
"No. Call Bobby Singer." Dean insisted adamantly in an urgent tone as a realization hit him. "He's got connections. See if he can find a way to track her phone. As long as the little shit keeps it on, we should be able to locate her." Dean explained firmly knowing that if that was a possibility then finding her would turn their 'shit out of luck' into 'child's play'.
He just hoped Bobby would be willing to help them after the falling out he had with his dad which was no light matter as it involved being threatened with shotgun. And that is if, she kept her damn phone on.
A lot road on the 'ifs' and he just prayed luck was on their side and Ellie was not in any more danger than she already was.
TBC
Well, she finally bolted and she took the Impala. Not looking promising for little Ellie. Think Sam and Dean will find her quickly?
Thank you for reading. Stay tuned.
Reviews and comments are appreciated.
