Stranger

Chapter 3

"You gettin' out?" Dean asks, as he pulls up in front of Sam's apartment. Nevaeh shakes her head. While she waits for Dean to come back with Sam, she texts her boyfriend back. N: Hey babe, how you feeling? She sits her phone down, and her phone dings a few seconds later.

T: Fine. Hangover's a bitch though. How about you? I miss you.

Nevaeh smiles. N: I've only been gone for about a day. And I feel fine. Just tired.

T: Where are you?

N: California.

T: Why are you in California?

N: We're picking up another family friend. Nevaeh's fingers hover over the keyboard. She isn't really sure exactly how much she wants to tell him. Theo isn't one to ask too many questions, which is one of his many attributes that she likes about him, but she also knows that he isn't an idiot, and that he's bound to ask what exactly this trip is about, and what's going on after a while of her being away from him. And she isn't exactly prepared to give him an answer.

N: What are you doing right now? She adds, hoping to switch the subject.

T: Watching t.v. I am so bored. Are you free? I wanna hear your voice.

"...The weapon training? And melting the silver into bullets? Man, Dean, we were raised like warriors."

Nevaeh looks out the window when she hears a voice that isn't Dean's and stares with wide eyes and her jaw nearly on the floor. "That's Sam?" She gawks. "Dude's a fucking sky-scraper now," she murmurs to herself. She texts Theo back. N: Sorry babe, but I'm busy, later though.

"So what are you gonna do? You're just gonna live some normal, apple-pie life? Is that it?" She hears Dean suggest as they move to the back of the car.

"No. Not normal. Safe." Sam counters.

"And that's why you ran away." Dean scoffs.

"I was just going to college," Sam explains, "it was Dad who said if I was gonna go, I should stay gone. And that's what I'm doing." Nevaeh shakes her head. Sounds like something he'd say, she thought. Nevaeh opens the door, and Sam swings his head her way, unaware of someone else being in the car.

Nevaeh grins, "Sam!" She says cheerfully. Sam tilts his head, thoughtfully, before registering who she is. "Nevaeh?" he says, and she goes to hug him. "Wow," she says, "you've gotten so tall, I remember when you were like, this big," she says jokingly, pretending to measure with her hands and Sam chortles. "You sound like an old aunt," he says.

Dean clears his throat and they both turn to look at him. "You weren't this enthusiastic to see me," He frowns.

Nevaeh pats Sam's chest. "That's because he's my favorite Winchester," she says mischievously. Dean rolls his eyes and Sam looks at him pompously.

"Anyways," Dean looks at Sam, "Dad's in real trouble right now. And he's not dead already. I can feel it." Sam stays quiet, and Dean continues. "I can't do this alone," he says, a little more desperately.

"You won't." Sam says, and gestures to Nevaeh.

"Yeah. Well I don't want to," Dean says, "not without you."

Sam sighs and he takes a moment pondering. Finally, he gives in. "What was he hunting?" He asks.

Dean looks at Sam for a moment, triumph dancing across his face before he turns and opens the trunk. "All right," Dean rubs his hands together, looking through all of the weapons in his trunk. "Let's see. Where the hell did I put that thing?"