The Shape-Shifting Winchester

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

The next morning Trinity didn't wake up on her own, or because of sunlight, since there were no windows.

Sam woke her up, albeit accidentally.

"Ow!" was followed by a sharp curse, and Trinity jolted.

"You don't know the room well enough to walk around in the dark," she sighed, rolling over.

"Sorry, Trinty," he grunted, lowering himself on the far end of the couch.

"You could've just sat on my feet you know," she mumbled.

"You always curl up when you sleep," he chuckled. "Not once have I ever found you stretched out."

"That comes from sharing a bed with my older brother, who just loves to starfish."

He laughed again. "He does. I'll let you get back to sleep."

Rubbing her eyes, Trinity blinked a few times and propped herself up on an elbow. "Why're you up? What time is it?"

"About five. Woke up and listened to a voicemail; we've got another job."

"Couldn't it wait for another four hours?"

"Sorry. I'll do what I can now though, so we can get going when you and Dean get up."

As he started to walk away, Trinity called after him, "Why is it so important?"

He froze and sputtered, trying to decide whether to lie or not. Finally decided, he said, "I just couldn't sleep. Figured I'd better do something instead of sit there for another couple hours."

She shrugged and laid back down. "Fine by me. Just try not to knock anything else over."

He reached the door into the next room and swallowed a heavy sigh as his heart sank. Lying to her would never get any easier.

Dean was waiting on the other side of the doorframe; he'd easily skirted everything, and hadn't woken her up. Hastily he grabbed his brother and ran outside into the faint light of a rising sun.

"Careful, Sammy! What did I say? Careful! Now we didn't just leave her, we lied to her!"

"She's always been okay with us leaving her here for shifter cases though, Dean. Why can't we tell her about this one?"

About twenty minutes ago, Dean had burst into his room and ordered him to get up, throw on some clothes, and get outside. When Sam had asked why, Dean had only said that it was a shifter case.

Dean's jaw worked. "It's in Sacramento."

In one swift jerking motion he was inside the car, and Sam jumped inside after him. "California?"

"No, Alaska."

The engine roared to life and they raced away, Sam glancing back a couple times to make sure Trinity hadn't heard and run out.

"But that's where-" Sam said.

"I know. Which is why we can't tell her."

Sam relaxed against the seat. It still didn't feel right, lying to her. Even if they were headed to her hometown.

Trinity woke back up at eight and took a shower. It was eerily quiet, so she just assumed Dean was still asleep and played along.

"Sam?" she called out quietly, walking into the library with two cups of coffee. "Sam, where'd you go?"

Her eyes narrowed and she stalked out of the library to the front door, slamming down the cups as she went. The Impala was gone.

Angrily she grabbed her phone and called Dean. Voicemail. He didn't want to talk to her! After just leaving her, no explanation? He didn't want to talk to her? She deserved an answer!

Sam picked up with a sigh. "Hi, Trin."

"Where the heck are you guys? Why the heck couldn't you tell me you were leaving? Or why not just take me with you? Put it on speaker, Sam! I want Dean to hear this too!" She was screaming so loud her face was turning red.

"Yeah, okay," he said guiltily, and it gave her a sort of sick satisfaction.

"Listen, Trinity," said Dean, but she cut him off.

"No, you listen! Every time I turn my back, you guys are gone again! For six years I watched you drive away and not come back for months on end, and in the past two years, I can't count the number of times you've decided for me that I can't handle something!" Her chest started to constrict and she took a deep breath. "I can handle whatever you can; I'm not a little girl!"

"Trinity-"

"Just shut up a second, will you?" She gasped out, and then dropped the phone as she collapsed to the ground. She felt like she couldn't breathe. Her chest was tightening, her vision was swimming, and all that she could hear was the melodic thumping of her pulse.

"Trinity?" Sam said.

She was focusing too much on breathing to answer. Curling into herself, she buried her head between her legs and tried to take deep breaths. She closed her eyes. Nothing happened. She still couldn't breathe.

She heard Dean hiss, "Give me the phone," and then his voice came through loud and clear. "Trinity, just take a deep breath, okay? Listen to me. Just focus on me, okay? Sam and I just left for a few days. We'll be back soon. I promise. We didn't leave you."

What kind of disorder did she have? She chuckled dryly to herself, although it sounded more like a huff. She couldn't even scream at her brothers for leaving her without having a panic attack.

"Trin, we didn't leave you," Dean said again, slowly.

Now she was able to take deep breaths, and she did. When her head was clear, she sat back against the wall and brought the phone to her ear.

"I still don't forgive you," she said.

"I know. But just remember; Sam and I, we would never leave you. You got that?"

"Got it." She hung up, remembering where her problems came from. At least, being a shifter, she made the marks that crossed her skin vanish. She shuddered.