Dawson's Daughter | {BOOK 1}

3|Come With Us

I swallowed hard, meeting Dean's hard gaze. My eyes briefly flickered over to Sam, who had the same hard expression on his face. When I glanced back, Dean had stalked up closer to the counter until he was practically leaning on it.

"Tell me, Ellie," he began, spitting out the nickname. "How exactly did you acquire this shop?"

My heart was thundering against my ribcage to have Dean Winchester so close to me again after so many years. I had thought that I had gotten over my childhood crush as I got older, but now, seeing him all grown up, it was returning ten fold.

"I-I," I stammered, unable to form a coherent thought.

He was leaning up against the counter now, putting his weight on his forearms as he laced his fingers together, eyes boring into my skull as he held my gaze. Behind him, Sam had quietly walked over and flipped the open sign to closed and pulled down the blinds so no one could see what was happening inside. He finished by locking the door and coming over to stand behind Dean.

"I've got to admit, you really had me going there for a minute," Dean smirked, voice lowering. "But I guess I should have expected nothing less from James Dawson's daughter, huh?"

"D-Dean, I-"

"You were really going to let Sammy and I walk out of here?" he continued, not letting me finish. "Weren't even going to bother helping us?"

"I don't hunt, Dean. I'm just a supplier."

"Our dad is missing!"

"Cry me a river, Winchester."

"Listen, Ellie," Sam started, but I cut him off before he could continue.

"No. You two don't get to call me that like we're best friends. Don't you dare."

"We were, though, at one point," Sam continued.

"That was a long time ago, before you two walked out of here with that son of a bitch you call a father and never came back."

I didn't have time to process what was happening before I found myself pinned against the wall, caged in between the arms of Dean Winchester as he got up in my face. I felt my cheeks heating up at the position, and would have probably enjoyed it under different circumstances. As it was, the fire of anger burned deep within Dean's green eyes, and I couldn't focus on anything else.

"Don't you ever talk about him like that," he growled at me.

"I'll talk about him however I damn well please, Winchester," I hissed back in his face. "John Winchester is a coward and a bastard who only cares about himself! I'm glad he's missing, and I hope you never find him."

It was dead silent in the shop, and it seemed like Dean was debating with himself whether or not he could hit me. I was sure if I wasn't a girl, he would have punched me in the face already.

"Dean, back off," Sam spoke up.

"Sammy, she-"

"I know, but it's not worth it, Dean."

There was a tense moment where I wasn't sure if Dean would listen to Sam or not, but then he pushed back from the wall, releasing me and making his way around the counter to where Sam was standing.

"There still supplies in the back?" Dean asked coldly, not looking at me.

"Yeah, there are," I replied.

"Mind if we take some stuff before we hit the road?"

"As long as you plan on paying."

"Save your breath, Sweetheart. Of course we're paying."

We both avoided each other's eyes as I led the brothers into the back room to grab the supplies they needed. Dean left Sam to pay, heading outside to wait in the Impala.

"I'm sorry, Eleanor," Sam muttered as he handed me a wad of cash.

"Not your fault, Sam," I shook my head.

"What happened to your dad?"

"Hunting accident," I repeated my answer from before.

"But your dad didn't hunt. He was just the supplier."

"Actually, he would take small jobs in or near town. Never too far away. He didn't want to leave me alone for too long. But, uh, this buddy of his that was a regular needed help with a job. He said it would only take two days, tops. But a week went by and I didn't hear anything. Then I got a call from his buddy saying they were ambushed and he didn't make it out."

"I'm sorry," he repeated.

"It was five years ago, Sam. I'm over it."

"But I know how close you and your dad were. And I'm sorry you had to lose him like that."

"Thanks... Do you guys really need help finding John?"

"We wouldn't mind an extra set of hands on the road. We came here to ask your dad for help finding him, but obviously that isn't going to happen."

"I doubt he would have helped you anyway."

"What do you mean?"

"Well our fathers didn't exactly part on the best of terms, Sammy."

"Well, yeah, but things change. That was nearly a decade ago."

"Nine years in four days."

"That's right, it was your birthday... I feel like I should be apologizing again."

There was a honk from outside and Sam rolled his eyes.

"Come with us, Eleanor. Please."

"I have a shop to run, Sammy."

"The shop isn't going to go anywhere without you. Just come with us."

"And what happens if we do find John and he sees me with you? What would he think?"

"Look, I know how you feel about him. I'm kind of inclined to agree with you about most of it. But we could really use the help."

Another longer honk sounded from the Impala and Sam sighed, gathering up the supplies.

"Please, Ellie."

"The second we find him, I'm out, you understand me?"

"Of course. Let's go. Mind grabbing that last bag?"

I grabbed the bag off the counter and followed Sam outside, locking the door to the shop behind me. We walked around to put the supplies in with the hidden arsenal in the trunk. When Sam slammed the trunk shut, Dean was leaning against the driver's side door.

"What is she doing out here?"

"She's going to help us find dad, Dean. Just give her a chance."

"We don't need her help."

"You came here for a reason, Winchester. Might as well get used to me now, or this is going to be a long trip."

Dean glared at me, but didn't say anything.

"She's your responsibility," he snapped at Sam, slipping behind the wheel of the classic car.

Sam and I shared a look, rolling our eyes simultaneously before climbing inside the car as well- him in the passenger seat and me in the back.