The Road So Far chapter two: "Driver picks the music, shotgun shuts his cake hole"
Dean and I have the day off today,so I'm sitting quietly at the table reading a book while he goes out on a food run. You'd think that after all the research we do, I'd be sick of reading, but no, I just adore reading, especially for fun. But today is different, I can't concentrate well on my book. Dean and I are worried about dad.
He left for a hunt on his own about three weeks ago, and he hasn't come back. We tried calling him an asked other hunters if they'd seen him or heard from him, but no. We did, however, get a voicemail from dad yesterday. I pray that he's safe wherever he is. The door opens and I catch the bottle of Pepsi Dean throws towards me without even looking.
"How do you always do that?" He chuckles. I smile up at him. "I'm awesome"I smile and shrug. He chuckles and sits down.
"Dean, we have to go find dad. That voicemail he sent us gives me chills, and you know I don't spook that easily." Dean sits on the chair opposite of me. He hands me my food and we start eating.
"Yeah, I know, I was actually thinking that. And...well...We need Sammy." he says gently. I feel my body tense up immediately. I take a deep breath before answering.
"Actually, Dean, we don't need Sam. We're perfectly capable of finding dad ourselves."
"Soph, come on. He should know, he's our brother, he'll help." I give him the Winchester b- face.
"Okay, okay so maybe he won't help, but it won't hurt to ask." He tries to reason with me. I fight back tears and my throat tightens. Talking about Sam has become one of the forbidden topics in our family, like Mary and my mother. The night he ran away was still etched forever in my brain, a painful knife that stabbed my heart constantly.
It's been two and a half years since we last saw Sam and I still find myself grabbing his favorite foods when we go out on food runs, I still see his silly grin and how Dean and I would prank him or he and I would prank Dean or they would prank me. I remember when the three of us would fall asleep on the bed or couch while watching TV after a long exhausting day of hunting. Even when we had nothing, we had each other. But Sam left. He forgot all about us.
And even though Dean won't admit it, it kills him on the inside as much as it kills me, so I don't know why he's trying to reach out to Sam. If he had wanted to talk to us, he would've done so by now. Clearly he doesn't give a crap about us.
"Dean...Sam's our brother, and I know we love him like crazy. He does deserve to know, but...It hurts, Dean it really freaking hurts." I angrily wipe away the tears that try to escape.
Dean gets up and walks to my side. He pulls me up into his arms and I wrap my arms around him. I bury my face in his shirt. His scent engulfing me.
"I know doll, I know, but maybe this is our chance at getting Sammy back. Yeah, it's a long shot, but maybe he'll stick around for a while."
I look up at my eldest brother and Sigh. "Okay...I'll go with you to get Sam. But I'm staying in the car." He smiles. "Sure thing, doll."
The drive to Stanford University was quiet, as neither Dean or I felt like doing our usual karaoke routine. As soon as we arrive, I get this overwhelming feeling of dread. Dean parks the car in the lot and looks at me.
"Still wanna stay all alone here?" He asks, trying to get me to go with him, but I'm not changing my mind.
"I'm fine here." I assure him. "Be careful."
He ruffles my hair before getting out my of the car. I look out the window and watch him until he disappears into the building. I sigh and try to take deep breaths to calm myself down. I bet Sam won't even listen to Dean. Dean would be back soon, and the two of us will look for and find dad, just like we're supposed to be doing right now. I miss Sam with all my heart, but I don't need him, not anymore. Like dad said, if he wanted to stay gone, than that's fine by me.
I don't need him, I don't...I don't..I... I cover my face with my hands, and start sobbing. Sam left, he doesn't want anything to do with us...he's...happy here. he has what he wants, a normal life, and I wasn't going to judge him for that, I know he didn't get along with dad, but Dean and I? we were his best friends, we always stuck together, we were a team. Dean was Batman, Sam was Robin and I was Bat girl.I couldn't leave Dean and dad like that. I just couldn't.
I wipe away the tears with my sleeve, angry at myself for being such a crybaby. I usually don't cry, but it's been way too stressful lately. I need some fresh air. I open the car window and lean back in my seat,closing my eyes. I take deep breaths and the cool night air feels nice on my overly warm face.
I can hear everything; every single sound around me, but I try to focus on the sound of the tree leaves rustling in the wind; the frogs, crickets and owls... It was peaceful... until I hear Dean speaking....to Sam? huh, wasn't expecting that to be honest. They were arguing. Of course. They were still a few feet away from me. I cross my arms and watch them as they cross the lot.
"The weapon training, and melting the silver into bullets? Man, Dean, we were raised like warriors!"
"So what are you gonna do? You're just gonna live some normal, apple pie life? Is that it?" Dean scoffs.
"No, not normal. Safe." Sam says.
"And that's why you ran away." Dean scoffs again. I get out of the car And walk over to them.
"Well, if it isn't the big man on campus." I say sarcastically, glaring at the big Sasquatch in front of me.
"Look, I was just going to college. It was Dad who said if I was gonna go I should stay gone. And that's what I'm doing." Sam defends himself.
"Yeah, dad said it, not us. But I guess that doesn't matter, we're the bad guys, right?" I say sassily. Sam glares at me and I glare right back as he towers over me, despite being only 2 years older than I am. Dean separates us with his arms. He stands protectively in front of me.
Okay both of you enough. Dad's in real trouble right now. If he's not dead already. I can feel it, look Sammy, we cant do this without you."
"Yes you can." Sam says at same time I say, "Yes we can."
"Yeah, well, I don't want to. I want the three of us on the same team again. Sammy, I know you and dad don't see eye to eye, but we're family, family comes first."
Sam sighs and looks down, thinking.
He looks back at us. "What was he hunting?" My cheeks tighten as I fight a smile.
Dean opens the trunk of the Impala and starts looking through the arsenal we have hidden there.
"All right, let's see, Soph, do you remember where I put that thing?" I reach into the trunk and pull out the folder he was looking for and hand it to him.
"Thanks doll." He ruffles my hair. I smile up at him.
"So when Dad left, why didn't you go with him?" Sam asks us.
"We were working our own gig." I reply in a monotone, my smile fading. I'm still upset, but we have work to do. We have to cooperate if we wanna find dad fast.
"Yeah This, uh, voodoo thing, down in New Orleans." Dean says.
"Dad let you go on a hunting trip without him?"
"Dude, I'm 26, Soph is 20. So anyways, Dad was checking out this two-lane blacktop just outside of Jericho, California. About a month ago, this guy." Dean hands Sam a news article. Sam reads it quickly.
"So maybe he was kidnapped?" Sam suggests.
"Yeah. Well, here's another one in April, Another one in December 'oh-four, 'oh-three, 'ninety-eight, 'ninety-two, ten of them over the past twenty years." Dean says.
I get a bag out of the trunk and pull out a tape recorder.
"All the vics were men, all the same five-mile stretch of road." I say without meeting Sam's eyes. I'm too stubbrn to forgive him so easily.
"It started happening more and more, so Dad went to go dig around. That was about three weeks ago. we hadn't heard from him since, which is bad enough. And then we get this voicemail." Dean explains and I press play.
Dean, Soph...something big is starting to happen...I need to try and figure out what's going on. It may... Be very careful, Both of you. We're all in danger.
I press stop and Dean looks at Sam. keep my gaze down.
"You know there's EVP on that?" Sam says.
"Not bad, Sammy. Kinda like riding a bike, isn't it?" Dean smirks. I hand the tape recorder to Dean and go back inside the car. I don't want Sam to see how close to tears I am, partly cause I was mad and partly cause I missed Sam so much, even though he forgot about us.
Sophie gives Dean he recorder and gets into the impala again. I look at Dean.
"Sammy, give her some time....she'll come around soon, she's still hurt."
I guess he's right, Sophie and I did have a big fight, not as big as mine with dad, but still. The fact she even spoke to me was a miracle. And I could tell that Dean wasn't just talking about our sister.
"All right. So, I slowed the message down, I ran it through a gold wave, took out the hiss, and this is what I got." Dean presses play again.
"Never go home" I repeat. Dean nods. He drops the recorder into the trunk and shuts it. He turns to face me.
"You know, in almost three years We've never bothered you, never asked you for a thing."
I sigh and look back at the car. I really wanted to mend my broken relationship with my siblings, Dean is welcoming me back with open arms, but Sophie pretty much hates my guts. I dont blame her, I shouldnt have cut off all ties with them completely.
"All right. I'll go. I'll help you guys find him." Dean nods. "But I have to get back first thing Monday. Just wait here." I tell him and start to leave.
"What's first thing Monday?" I stop and look back at him. I might as well just tell him even though I know he'll give me grief about it.
"I have this...I have an interview." I tell him.
"What, a job interview? Skip it." He shrugs indifferently. I roll my eyes. He would say that, typical Dean.
"It's a law school interview, and it's my whole future on a plate." I say firmly.
I nod. "So we got a deal or not?"
"Yeah ok, whatever." I sigh again and leave to get my stuff. I know I'm gonna regret this, but I want to fix things with my family.
*The next morning at the gas station*
Dean gets out the car and walks into the station, leaving me alone in the car with Sam. Great.
"Um, Sophie?" Sam says turning to look at me from the front seat. I had let him take shotgun as a peace offering, but I'm still angry, I just can't help it.I clench my jaw. And stare at him emotionless.
"Look, Soph, I'm sorry. Really. I feel terrible for cutting you and Dean out of my life, but I'm not sorry for leaving. I had to get away-"
"Save it, Sam.You think you're the only one who wants to get out of this mess."
"If you wanted to leave so bad, You could've done the same as me, and yet you stayed." He points out bluntly.
I glare at him before getting out the car just as Dean steps out the store.
"You okay?" He asks handing me my usual go to snacks.
"Oh, just peachy." I give him sarcastic smile.
"Hey, he's trying, give him a chance." Dean says softly.
"I am. I haven't stuck my foot up his a** yet, have I? Besides, I let him have shotgun, he should consider himself lucky." Dean chuckles and shakes his head. we get back into the car.
"So how'd you pay for that stuff? You two and Dad still running credit card scams?" Sam asks looking at both of us. I shrug.
"Yeah, well, hunting ain't exactly a pro ball career. Besides, all we do is apply. It's not our fault they send us the cards." I say indifferently.
"And what names did you write on the application this time?"
"Burt Aframian, his son Hector and his niece Beatrice. Scored three cards out of the deal." Dean says, closing his door. I stay quiet in the backseat, eating my food.I have to admit, I really missed hearing my brothers banter. I watch as Sam looks through Dean's and my music collection.
"That sounds about right. I swear, man, you've gotta update your cassette tape collection."
"Why?" Dean asks confused.
"Well, for one, they're cassette tapes. And two.Black Sabbath? Motorhead? Metallica? It's the greatest hits of mullet rock." Sam mocks. I roll my eyes and fight a smile. Dean takes a cassette and puts it into the player.
"Well, house rules, Sammy.Driver picks the music, shotgun shuts his cake-hole."
I loose my cool composure when he says that and I choke on my Pepsi. The boys join in the laughter as we drive off. And that moment...it was...the happiest I had been in heaven knows how long. My brothers and I were reunited, and It felt like I was...
Note from admin: The first two parts are up on Kat's page, she was helping me while I fixed up my account, the links are on her pinned post @katerinabythesea95
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