They stopped at a small 24-hour diner called Frannie's which was a few blocks away. "I'll be right with you," the waitress called as she raced by them with an order. It was a typical, busy weekend night with the locals.
"Thanks," Sam replied as he opened his menu. Brinley climbed into the booth next to him, as Dean sat across from them.
"Get whatever you want," Dean mentioned to Brinley as she studied the menu in front of her.
"A cheeseburger, fries, and a piece of apple pie sound really good," Brinley commented with a hint of excitement to her voice.
"Sounds like my kind of meal," Dean replied with a chuckle. The waitress, a tall, older woman with graying hair, arrived back at the table and took a second glance when she saw Brinley.
"Aren't you Lydia's kid?" she asked. Unaware that the woman had been looking at her, Brinley looked up from her menu and nodded her head. "I was so sorry to hear about your Mom. She was a regular here."
"Yeah, uh…..thanks," Brinley replied.
"Aren't you living with Doug now?" she asked as she uncomfortably looked at Sam, and then Dean.
"No, he kicked me out," Brinley replied nonchalantly. "He was a real loser." Sam sensed the waitress' worry, and immediately felt it necessary to clear the air.
"We're her brothers," he commented.
"Right," the waitress replied, "I'll be back in a minute to take your order."
"Dean, we need to go," Sam commented as he scooted off of the bench. "Come on Brinley."
"What the hell Sam?" Dean questioned. Sam glanced around nervously and could see the waitress on her cell phone through the small, order window in the kitchen.
"She's calling the police," Sam replied urgently, "She thinks we're kidnappers."
"Damn it," Dean sighed with annoyance as he slid off the bench, and then both boys motioned to Brinley to get up.
"No…I'm starving," she whined, "I'll just tell her I'm fine."
"Brinley now," Dean ordered with urgency to his voice. When she didn't budge, Dean reached into the seat and pulled her out by the waist, and then tucked her under the crook of his arm and hurried out of the diner with Sam close behind. Eyes of curiosity watched as the door closed behind them.
"Put me down!" Brinley ordered. Sam opened the back door and Dean set her inside and quickly buckled her into the seat. "Seriously?!" she groaned as she crossed her arms against her chest. "Paranoid much?!" Within seconds they were speeding away while police sirens blared in the distance. "You guys need some serious help," she commented, "I could've just told them the truth."
"And then you would've ended up back in Doug's care or foster care," Sam commented.
"Listen kid, next time we tell you to move, you MOVE," Dean stated angrily.
"Dude, what is your problem?" Brinley demanded. She looked into the rearview mirror and could see Dean glaring back at her.
"My problem?" Dean questioned with annoyance, still glaring at her.
"Dean….," Sam said calmly from beside his brother. "Let it go." Dean sighed and moved his eyes back to the road in front of him. "We should probably drive for a few hours before we stop to make sure we're in the clear," Sam suggested, "Maybe we can run through a drive through and get Brinley some food."
"Yeah," Dean agreed, his eyes heavy from a lack of sleep.
"Isn't this kidnapping?" Brinley questioned from the backseat, "I never agreed to go a road trip."
"It's not kidnapping when you're family," Dean snapped, shaking his head with disgust, "I would think you'd be happy we were taking you away from that shit hole." Brinley's lack of gratitude was starting to get under his skin.
"Whatever," Brinley sighed as she rested her head against the back of the seat. She yawned, and within minutes she was sound asleep. Sam turned in his seat and glanced back at her. His heart ached for her and he wished they had found her sooner before she was exposed to the harshness of the real world. She had put a wall up around her, and he knew it was going to be difficult to get inside.
"Now what?" Dean questioned quietly, as Sam faced forward again.
"We find Dad," Sam replied. They stopped after a few more hours at a motel with a vacancy sign hanging lopsided from a single hook. The motel was old and rundown, nothing out of the ordinary for the Winchesters. Brinley woke as soon as the engine stopped rumbling. She grasped her stomach as it growled with hunger.
"After we get checked in I'll see if I can find food somewhere," Dean commented as he swung his door open. "I'll be right back." He headed into the lobby while Sam hopped out and opened the trunk. Half asleep, Brinley climbed out of the back seat. She was met with a cool breeze that woke her instantly. She headed to the trunk where Sam was unloading the duffel bags.
"I don't have anything," she commented. "I didn't know we were leaving for good or I would've grabbed my things."
"We'll get you some things tomorrow," Sam replied reassuringly as he placed his hand on her shoulder. Brinley shrugged his hand off awkwardly, and took one of the bags from him. "Thanks," Sam commented, surprised by her gesture.
"Room 6," Dean announced as he met them at the car. "They'll bring a rollaway in a few minutes." Dean grabbed a few more bags, and closed the trunk. An old, musty smell welcomed them as they entered their room. Sam clicked on the light and they were surrounded by flowers…flowered quilts, flowered wallpaper, flower paintings, and even lamps that resembled flowers. "This is a first," Dean grumbled.
"I hope you guys like flowers," Brinley commented with a laugh. She dropped the bag she was holding onto one of the beds. "Do you think I could use the shower first?" she questioned.
"It's all yours," Sam replied, thinking it had probably been weeks since she had seen a shower.
"I'll see if I can find us something to eat," Dean stated as he tossed his bags into the other bed. Brinley headed into the bathroom and closed the door behind her.
"There's a nearby Walmart that's open 24 hours…she could use pajamas," Sam suggested to Dean. "She has nothing." Dean grumbled under his breath. "Dean," sighed Sam. "Just pajamas, and we'll get her more tomorrow."
"Fine Sam, but it's going to look really weird when I buy pajamas for a little girl at 2am," Dean groaned. Sam laughed and Dean threw him a dirty look. Dean shook his head and headed out the door. Meanwhile, the rollaway arrived, and Sam made up the bed for Brinley. Twenty minutes passed, and he could still hear the water running in the bathroom. He had a moment of panic, thinking maybe she took off out the bathroom window. He hurried to the bathroom door and knocked.
"Brinley, everything ok in there?" he asked.
"I'm fine," her voice replied back.
"Ok, take your time," he replied with relief. "No rush."
"She's going to use up all the hot water in the motel,' Dean's voice boomed from behind. Startled, Sam spun to face him. "Here," Dean said as he tossed a pair of pink, unicorn pajamas toward Sam. "Hopefully she likes magical creatures." Sam caught them and nodded. "You have no idea how ridiculous I felt."
"You're such a good big brother," Sam chuckled. The words "big brother" resonated with Sam as he said them. He was always the "little brother", and now he had a new role to fulfill. A role that he knew wasn't going to be easy. Dean walked past him and knocked on the bathroom door.
"2 more minutes kid," he stated, "We need to get in there too."
"Whatever," Brinley snapped back. Dean turned and rolled his eyes at Sam with frustration.
"Sam, I'm going to lose it," he sighed. "You'd better handle this."
"Let her enjoy her shower," Sam urged. Dean narrowed his eyes at Sam wondering how his brother became such a pushover. "Dean, come on, she's fragile right now," Sam commented.
"I realize that Sam, but we can't let her walk all over us," Dean replied with annoyance as he banged on the door again. "Time's up kid!" his voice boomed.
"Don't get your panties in a bunch!" she yelled back.
"That's it," Dean snapped angrily as he stormed out of the motel room. His made his way to the office and requested that the hot water be shut off to their room. The old man working looked at him weirdly, but finally gave in to Dean's request since he was so adamant about it. Dean headed back to their room to find Brinley standing outside the bathroom wrapped in a towel and shivering uncontrollably. Dean couldn't hold back the smirk that appeared on his face.
"That was rude!" she yelled.
"Rude, huh…well maybe you should do what you're told," Dean replied sternly.
"Right, and like I would ever listen to you," she snapped.
"Ok…ok," Sam intervened. "Here, Dean went to the store and bought you pajamas." He extended them toward Brinley. She rolled her eyes as she took them from him.
"Ummmm…..unicorns?" she questioned, "I'm not a child." Dean sighed with annoyance.
"Maybe you could show some gratitude," Dean commented. "A thank you would be nice. And yes, you are a child." His voice was firm.
"Whatever," she sighed as she spun around and headed back into the bathroom. Dean paced back and forth in front of the beds in an effort to calm himself. He always liked kids, and thought he connected well with them, but not this kid. She knew just how to get under his skin. He wanted to be patient and understanding like Sam, but that was going to be difficult.