Selfless // Dean Winchester

6. Skipping Town

   She flipped on the basement light switch. The damp air on her bare arms sent chills down her spine, but she lifted her duffel bag onto the table and started to load it with various spell ingredients, substances lethal to certain creatures, and even hex bags.

   A scuffling noise came from behind her, followed by a few mumbled words. Y/N stopped what she was doing. "What did you say?" she asked, turning around, annoyed.

   John Winchester sat in a wooden chair, wrists tied behind him and ankles tied to the chair legs. His head hung and there were holes in his bloodstained shirt, made by Y/N's very own knife. He mumbled again.

   "I can't hear you when you don't speak up," commented Y/N, walking over to him and lifting his chin so he looked up at her. A certain gash on his forehead looked painful. "Before I go, we should check that out, make sure it doesn't get infected. Not that I care, but we need you looking somewhat nice by the time your sons get here."

   "What?" he rasped.

   She tilted her head to the side. "I'm going to miss our chats. They always did seem a bit one-sided, though." She walked to the sink in the corner and returned with a wet cloth. "So, it turns out I do have a conscience, Johnny. When Dean and Sammy showed up this morning, I thought I could help them out with the case, then they'd leave and never know you were here. They've been looking real hard for you, y'know."

   "Sam was at college."

   "Dean went to get him," explained Y/N, dabbing the blood on his forehead. "Y'know, they're loyal people. Hell, I don't think they even know you left on your own. I'd say you raised them well, but we both know what a terrible father you are. They saved my life. And in return, I'm handing you over to them. Because, despite what your first impression may have been, I am not a bad person."

   John scoffed, then winced.

   Y/N continued to talk, more to herself than to him, as she moved from the wounds on his head to his shoulders. "How long have you been here? About a week? Sam and Dean have been looking for you for a month. Now..." she tossed the rag onto the table and glanced at the clock on the wall, surrounded by warding symbols. "I've got to go, but I'll be keeping an eye on you. Honestly, we could have had such an easier time if you'd given me the information about Azazel from the very beginning. We both want to get him. And I'm finally done with the copy of your journal. Goodbye, John."

   She slung the duffel bag strap over her shoulder and left the basement, leaving the door open. As she reached the top of the stairs and made her way to the front of the house, she sent a message to Dean on her cellphone. The message included her address, basement, and you're welcome.

   She stuffed her duffel and two other backpacks in the Mustang and minutes later, she had left town. Where could she go? She'd never spent more than a week away from home. Perhaps she'd pay Bela a visit. Bela was still dealing with that stingy old man who wanted to buy a valuable object.

   Leaving home was hard, but the reason her eyes smarted with tears was that Sam and Dean would always hate her. She had hurt them, she'd hurt Dean, who, even after nine years, had gone out of his way to visit her. Y/N had a theory that the reason he hadn't come until now was because he'd been with John, and as soon as John went missing, he was able to do what he wanted for the first time.

   Maybe Sam and Dean were better off without John. Y/N knew a toxic relationship when she saw one.

   No turning back now.

   She pressed her foot even harder on the gas pedal.

____________________________________________________________

   She didn't get the call until that night, standing on the veranda of her hotel room. It must have taken John that long to explain to his sons what happened...or to think up a lie.

   "You kidnapped our dad," Dean said. The emotion in his voice was unmistakable. "Tortured him, too."

   "Straight to the point, I see," Y/N replied with a roll of her eyes, even though he couldn't see it. "Please. I only tortured him once. And I stopped as soon as I realized I could get the answers from that handy journal of his."

   "Then why didn't you let him go after that?"

   "You two showed up to save the day," she admitted. "Y'know, what you don't understand, Winchester, is that I didn't run into him until last week. You've been looking for him for some time, haven't you? I'm getting the feeling he didn't want to be found. I handed him over to you. I did you a favor. Who knows how long you'd be searching if I didn't lead you to him?"

   "You don't know what you're talking about," he said.

   "Believe what you want, sweetheart."

   "We're hunters. We're going to hunt you down and-"

   "Don't spoil it." She grinned. "I like surprises. But I've gotta go." She hung up. She could see her breath in the crisp air. Bright, neon lights from the motel were reflected in puddles in the parking lot. She sighed wistfully and went inside to get ready for bed.

   Dean would never understand how important it was for her to find Azazel, who had ruined her family. When John showed up and started asking around about the demon, she knew she couldn't let the chance slip away. She tried to play nice, but John didn't cooperate, so she resorted to desperate measures.

   Now, there was nothing to do but get as far away from the Winchesters as possible and go on living her life.