Chapter Ten

Christina's heart pounded in her chest as she continued the call with Christopher. Even though a lot of what she was told was something she heard from Dean, but something else stood out to her as she kept her cellphone up against her ear.

"You're telling me," she said slowly trying to keep her voice from getting high and hysterical, "my brother is a monster?"

"No, he's not a monster." Christopher said trying to reassure Christina who he could tell was starting to freak out. "He just has part of a monster in him. Not sure it was something he was born with or if it was injected in him. But that doesn't make him a monster. Who even said he was one?"

"Gordon Walker." Christina said her voice fighting to remain calm as a lot of emotions were threating to explode out of her. "Why would you want to associate with him?"

"I know I made a mistake. He's very charismatic and I thought he was someone to trust."

"Well, he's not. Honesty if he shows up you and your family get the police. He is not a safe man. He threatened my family and you of all people should know what it means to go after ones family." Christina didn't mean to sound harsh but the soft sigh from the other end clearly told her she was right after all. "Look, I'm still trying to forgive you for what you did to me and my brothers back then, and to me this is a good start to that. I'm worried about what would happen to you or your mom and Mama Oakley. I have a lot of respect for them and you."

"I appreciate it, Christina." Christopher said his voice soothing, calming down her deep seeded anger. "As for your brother, yes he has some evilness in him, that doesn't make him evil. Even my mom and granny believe he is a good man. So try and not let this cloud your judgement. As for Gordon...try and stay away from him as much as possible."

"I can try all I want." Christina said with a heavy sigh. "But he's like a STD. Even with protection he finds away to mess with my life." She gave a little chuckle hoping it sounded like a joke as it did in her head. When she heard the replying chuckle she smiled and let out another sigh. "Anyways please take care, Christopher."

"You as well. Also I know you still haven't forgiven me, but I hope that I'm helping you to eventually forgive me."

"Don't worry, Christopher," Christina said smiling, "you are." She felt her cheeks heat up randomly making her feel embarrassed that her hormones were buzzing deep inside her even though she told herself that she wouldn't jump into another relationship since her last one back in college. "Anyways I should let you go. Sorry to wake you up."

"No worries. I was needing to wake up anyways. Talk to you later. Bye, Christina." Christopher said his voice trembling slightly before he hung up.

Her head buzzed making her glance down at her phone and saw it was nearing six in the morning and when she glanced up she saw the early light of dawn peaking over the horizon making the sky a soft blue and grey. Soon she felt her stomach bubble and she chuckled knowing she should most likely get some food for herself and her brothers, which she hoped were okay at the moment. She smiled at another small diner nearby, and after making sure she couldn't see Gordon's car in the parking lot, she hesitantly walked in and sat on a bar stool keeping her guard up and kept looking at the door praying silently that she would be able to gather up some food to take on the road as she just wanted to get food and get out.

Even when a waitress offered her seat Christina, not wanting to have another episode if Gordon ever found her, politely shook her head and just stepped up to the bar.

"I'm sorry to act this way, but I'm kind of in a hurry and just need food. Do you have something that is ready or quick to make? I'm not really in trouble but it's been several days since I ate and I only have five bucks to my name."

"Say no more, sweetie." The waitress said with an understanding look on her face. "I can whip you up something. Do you need some coffee as well?"

"Please, enough for three if possible. With some creme and sugar."

"Coming right up." The waitress smiled and went into the kitchen to gather up some food.

Christina sighed hating that she had to use a line she had to use just three days before she met Bobby. However back then, she also was injured so it helped give her the impression she was incredibly down on her luck.

She fished out her five dollars she truly had and set it on the bar. She hated how she would revert back to when she was all alone and overwhelmed with the fear of not knowing the fate of her brothers and why Gordon claimed that she was in a family of monsters.

After a few minutes of waiting, the waitress walked out of the kitchen with a white bag and a drink holder with three coffees. "Alright I have here a grilled cheese, a large cup of our split pea soup, crackers and a couple slices of our Apple Pie. I hope you don't mind having this."

"Oh man that's way too much for me." Christina said with a shame filled blush on her cheeks. "But I do appreciate what you've given me."

"Not a problem, sweetie. Things will get better soon. I was in your shoes a few years ago so I do see the struggle." The waitress smiled warmly and unprompted quickly gave Christina a hug. "Don't worry about payment. I will cover for you. I just pray that things will get better for you."

Christina smiled and nodded slowly. "Thank you so much for the hospitality." She smiled back at the waitress before taking the bag of food and picked up the drink carrier. "It's good to see there are still good people out there. Please take care."

"Safe travels." The waitress said before returning back to the kitchen not seeing that Christina had left, leaving the five dollars on the counter.

~DSCWIN~

Christina had finished off the three packets of crackers and half of her small coffee when she spotted her two brothers walking down a side street glancing up at the street name. She smiled, rolled down the passenger side window, and slowly pulled up to the side of Dean, who instantly stood in between her and their brother. "You two need a ride? I got Apple Pie and coffee."

Dean's head snapped in her direction and grinned brightly as he watched her stop. "I'm not going to question how you managed to get the car back, but I'm so glad that you did."

Christina had to chuckle from the fact both her brothers had to hop into the back as the front seat was pulled forward and both needed the leg room. "Sorry for being so short." Christina said, pulling back onto the road once her brothers were settled into the back. "But I also think you two might be hungry and so there is some soup, a grilled cheese, and the two slices of Apple Pie."

"Did you eat?" Dean asked pulling out the large cup of soup and had to chuckle when he carefully opened he lid.

"I could only handle some crackers that came with the soup. But I should be alright. If you don't eat the second pie, I'll take that." Christina carefully reached down and handed the drink carrier of the two remaining coffees which Dean quickly reached out and grabbed it. "You two go ahead and enjoy your food. I could hear both of your stomachs demanding food." She let out a chuckle as she pulled out into the light morning traffic. "We'll switch once we stop for gas at a truck stop out of town."

Both brothers let out muffled grunts as their mouths were full of food. Christina kept her mouth shut as she didn't want to disturb her brothers eating and so she turned on the radio on a random classical rock station and drove in relative silence with the only conversation that was happening was the one inside her head. She wondered if she should tell Dean what she had gone through with Gordon threatening her and her brothers and with Christopher telling her about Sam even if it was the same Dean had said before, but with more information.

"Hey, there's a truck stop a head on the right." Dean said making Christina snap back into reality as she carefully pulled off and entered the truck stop. He watched as Christina pulled up to an open fuel pump and turned off the car sending the car back into silence. "How about you go grab something to actually eat, while I fuel up." Dean said gently taking the keys. As he watched her leave the car, and Sam walk towards the gas station he gently grabbed her arm as he could tell she was deep in thought. "You okay?"

"Yeah... Just trying to calm down from watching Sam get arrested back at the hotel. I had no idea what was going on so yeah, I kind of got a little panicky. But I'm good... I'm good."

Dean raised an eyebrow and shrugged knowing she was hiding something else. He had seen it several times in his brother while they were growing up. "Okay. Well Sam said that he'd take the back to sleep some more so you can ride shotgun."

"Sounds good thanks. Do you want anything inside?" Christina asked trying her hardest to change the subject which Dean gave up trying to get her to talk.

"Just something to snack on." Dean answered and watched as his sister heading into the gas station.

"You doing okay?" Sam asked seeing Christina blankly staring at a small variety of beef jerky before walking over to the bags of chocolates and picked up two different types of MM's before Sam pointed to the peanut MM's making Christina smile.

"Thanks. I guess I don't know you two as much as I used to." Christina said rubbing her eyes and letting out a sigh of complete exhaustion.

"Don't worry. It happens to everyone." Sam said with a soft reassuring smile. "Last night was just crazy. I for once am happy you weren't involved plus you getting the car back."

"What ever was the whole Ashland Street anyways?" Christina asked seeing an apple pie in the display case and ignored Sam's rolling eyes.

"Just a girl who was betrayed and killed by a cop who was using her to move heroin. He was found just outside of the city limits and was about to kill Dean when I showed up with another detective. I think her name was Ballard. But she saved us and had us hoof it out of there."

"So was the girl a ghost?"

"Yes and no. She was a death omen, or at least that's what I came to the conclusion for. After all, she appeared to both victims to try and save them by the killer who was the one detective that arrested Dean." Sam helped his sister gather up some of their snacks and they both headed for the register. They paid for their items and with their items walked back to the car, where Dean was sitting inside. "We found out about the detective's love interest in her by the fact he had a necklace for Detective Ballard which was the same necklace that the woman had.

"Well, why don't you get some more sleep. I'll stay up and help with directions." Christina said holding the bag of food. "Thanks for the talk, Sam."

"Hey, I'm your brother. But I was your friend first. You told m that to me." Sam said grabbing his couple of drinks and snacks before climbing into the back to stretch across the seat.

Dean was about to ask what took the two of them so long until Christina pulled out a cardboard box with two slices of pie in it. "Glad to see that time was getting me pie."

"That and getting snacks." Christina said pulling out some jerky and the MMs. "So, where to next?" She asked already seeing Sam falling asleep in the back seat.

"Right now. We're getting out of Maryland." Dean said stepping on the gas and flying down the street. "'Til then. You can tell me what's on your mind."

"I'm just wondering if I'm depending on you and Sam too much, as when you both weren't there I didn't know what to do. I called Bobby just to get me to calm down. I'm also beginning to wonder how I was able to survive on my own at all."

"Well, just like now you're a Winchester. You're stubborn, strong and adaptable." Dean's comment made Christina smile as he could see from his peripheral vision. "Just remember you can always count on Sam and I to be there."

"That's always a comfort to know." Christina said and let out a sigh as she leaned back and watched as the landscape slowly began to change as Dean continued to drive. She began to chuckle as Sam's loud snores filled the back seat making her believe that her brothers were in fact not monsters and it slowly comforted her knowing that.

However she was still scared of what Christopher, Dean, and Gordon had told her about Sam. She trusted Sam and so did Dean, that was the only thing that mattered now, was that Sam was not a monster despite what her brain was screaming at her. But her heart was telling her something different, and she hated when her brain and heart raged war inside her, as she would be the only one effected by it. She only hoped that Dean could help calm her down. She just needed to be alone with him so they could talk.