Kingpin Motel (Supernatural G/T)

Chapter Two

Sam and Dean both sat at the motel table, Sam's salad and Dean's slice of pie set out. But they weren't eating, not yet. Currently, they were watching Starla eat probably the first decent meal she's had in a while. It was silent though until Dean quietly snickered and shifted his body in the creaky chair. "It's still surreal. I mean, when we found her first it was crazy. But now look at this. She's older, and she actually exists."

Starla was about to take a bite out of a chunk of pie she ripped off but stopped to respond to Dean. "I don't like being-"

"Talked about like she's not a person. She told us that a long time ago." Sam interrupted, offering the tiny girl on the table a gentle smile. "I might remember a lot more than Dean. I paid more attention after all while he was out chasing girls his age."

"Shut up! I paid plenty of attention! It was just crazy! All the shit we hunt and neither us or dad knew anything about whatever the hell she is!" Dean exclaimed while he folded his large arms over his chest, glancing down at Starla.

"You've gotta be- She's a Borrower Dean!" Sam looked at his older brother in disbelief, more concerned about how Starla might be feeling at Dean's idiotic comments. 

"It was ten damn years ago, how was I supposed to remember every single-" Dean stopped as his green eyes locked onto Starla, whose head was hanging low and her shoulders were shaking. "Shit. Starla, it's not like I completely forgot stuff. I didn't mean...I'm bad at these things, Sam, you talk." The gruff hunter leaned back in the squeaky chair, averting his gaze from both his brother and Starla. Maybe Sam was right. Maybe he didn't pay enough attention.

"Dean's just a horrible person sometimes," Sam mumbled with a playful smirk, gently reaching out and placing the tip of his finger on her back. "We wouldn't forget about you. Try and ignore the dumb stuff that comes out of his mouth, and mine even. So, yeah. We good?" He leaned to one side of the table to try and peek at the teen's face and smiled when she turned her head to look at him.

"O-Okay Sam. I-I understand." Slowly, she pushed herself to her feet and set the chunk of pie she had ripped off on the edge of Dean's plate. She was still starving but didn't really feel like eating anymore. "I think I've had what I can eat for now. How...how old are you guys now anyway?"

"Sam's twenty-two, I'm twenty-six. Ten damn years. Wow." Dean carefully plucked Starla by the back of her shirt from the table. Once he had her in his palm, he stood up from the chair. "So you'd be about seventeen now." He was trying to distract himself from the fact he had made their little friend cry. 

"Mhm. Where's your dad? Is he going to be coming here too?!" Her eyes widened in complete fear as she looked back and forth between the brothers. The thought of John Winchester showing up terrified the hell out of her. "H-He was so strict, a-and he's cautious, what if he makes you leave me here again?!"

"We're not here with dad, we're looking for him. We haven't had contact with him for a few weeks now. Dean at least. He went on a hunting trip and never came home." Sam spoke up quickly, remembering just how much their dad had scared her before too. He didn't want her to be in a total panic.

"Dean! Dean, come here you have to look at this!" Twelve-year-old Sam left the glass cup placed over the being he had found, busy watching it through the see-through glass.

"Did you find a cockroach? They're common in places like this. Wait, whoa." Dean stopped in his tracks, watching the tiny moving figure under Sam's cup. It looked human. "Sam, Sam move the glass! Are you stupid?!"

With a slight scowl, Sam lifted the glass and used his hands instead to keep the tiny creature from escaping. "What do you think it is?" He asked his older brother. "Do you think dad would know?"

Without giving Dean a chance to respond, a very quiet voice piped up, fear lacing the voice. "P-Please let me go! Please, I-I don't wanna die, mommy and daddy haven't come home yet!"

"Move your hands," Dean ordered, yanking Sam's hands off of the tiny thing and staring at what looked like a very small little girl. "What, and who are you?"

"I-I'm a Borrower. I-I...I don't have a name. Mommy and daddy usually call me 'sweetheart' and 'cutie' though." The little girl whispered, just loud enough for the two humans holding her hostage to hear.

Sam's eyebrows furrowed and he reached out, lifting her off of the motel carpet. "Everyone has a name." He said in a matter-of-fact tone, tilting his head to the side as he watched her.

"Let's just call her Starla for now. Set her down on the table, let's try and talk to her before dad gets back." Dean watched the Borrower and his little brother closely. He hadn't known then he'd gain what he thought to be a younger sister.

Sam pushed a hand through his hair with a warm smile, recalling the fond memories. "I never apologized for sticking that glass over your head." Speaking with a deep chuckle, Sam looked at Starla.

"No, but it's fine," Starla spoke calmly. She hadn't felt this safe in a long time, despite Dean not remembering key details she had told them. Not for maybe ten years since these boys had gone before had she felt this secure. But now, hopefully, she wouldn't have to be alone ever again.

"It's after midnight. Maybe we should all get some sleep." Dean looked at Sam then at Starla and could see tiny black circles lining her blue eyes. "You especially midget."

"I'm not a midget," Starla mumbled softly, her eyelids suddenly growing heavy as she realized just how tired she actually was. She did wake up from a nightmare after all. Without hesitation, she laid down in Dean's palm and curled into his warm hand.  "But okay."

Dean and Sam both watched the teen with gentle eyes before looking at each other with the same look. Both of them could see in the other's eyes that they'd do anything to keep her safe. 

"Night Sammy," Dean said as he sat on the edge of one of the motel beds, keeping Starla pressed firmly into his chest to keep from jostling her around too much. 

"Night Dean," Sam responded, watching his brother closely to ensure he didn't accidentally hurt the tiny teen. He trusted Dean, it was just he wondered how much his older brother had actually forgotten about her. He just couldn't believe him. In truth, it actually made him a little angry.