𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 ❂ j. kline

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐬𝐢𝐱

DEAR JACK,
How far can we run until we fall?
Or are we stuck running for the inevitable?
Losing this fight can be the end for us all.
You and me, we were only just getting started.

❂

AFTER THE ESCAPE, JACK, MARY AND ROSE HAD RAN AS FAR AS THEY COULD. Each of their hearts were pounding through every quick breath they had taken. Mary was the first to hold out her arms, slowing the other two on either side of her. Turning into a quick paced walk, she took in the world around her, unsure where they could head to next.

"How long until we're safe?" Jack questioned. His hope that they'd make it out of this world had still managed to stay high.

Looking up towards the sky that had cracked with lightening, Mary had her doubts. "Out here? I'm not sure there's such a thing." She had been the first to spot the car from the thick fog around them and put the other two to a complete stop. As the footsteps came from the car, Mary had grabbed each of them by their jackets, dragging them over behind a large tank.

Rose had been sandwiched right between the two, feeling as safe as she could with the arrival of new people. Holding her breath, she looked over Jack to try and see if anyone was approaching. From the sound and looks of it, no one was going to be spotting them.

Jack had relaxed as he peered around the tank and spotting no one in sight. Turning back to the two, he had delivered his best news. "I think they're gone."

Proving him wrong, guns had cocked as red dots had landed on their chests. Looking ahead of them stood the two men with guns pointed their way. Not taking chances, the three had all raised their hands in the air as they slowly got to their feet.

"You angel, demon or human?"

Looking straight at the man before them, Mary had slowly stepped forward, allowing for Jack and Rose to hide somewhat behind her. "Human. We're humans."

Narrowing his eyes at the woman before him, the man had lowered his gun, unable to process what he had been seeing. It was an all too familiar face he had thought was dead. "Mary Campbell?" Seeing her confusion, he lowered his mask from his face. "It's Bobby Singer."

Hearing the name without the mask muffling his voice, Rose had tensed up. Creeping closer to Jack, she lowered her hands and grabbed onto Jacks jacket.

"My boys. They told me about you. Dean and Sam Winchester," Mary said calmly.

"Oh, I remember. The daytrippers, right?

"You called me Mary Campbell. Do you know me?"

Sighing loudly, Bobby gave a nod. "Well, knew you, the other you. She..." Memories of the Mary he had known came flooding back. With this one staring back at her, he hated to relive any old memories. "Well, hell, I thought you were a damn ghost. Turns out, you're just from a whole other world, which is weirder when you think about it." Taking notice of the two hiding behind Mary, Bobby decided to ask. "Who are the kids?"

"I'm Jack," he said cheerfully, raising his hand up as a clear greeting.

Standing back from the two, Mary gestured to Jack as he spoke before motioning to Rose. "And this is Rose. Friends of the family."

The polite smile had washed off Bobby's face in an instant. Holding his gun up, with a strong grip, he only had his eyes locked on Rose. "You sayin' she's friends with you?"

Holding her hand up in front of Rose, Mary grew careful as she spoke. "She is. She's a good kid."

"Step aside," he instructed. "Don't wanna get involved with this one. Where'd you find her? Should be six feet under as far as I'm concerned. Who knows with that hoodoo magic though."

"Find her? She's..." at a loss for words Mary turned to Rose in question. "She's from my world. She came here with Jack. She lives with my boys."

Bobby grew hesitant about lowering his gun. He only had a few more questions to ask, but he was sure he'd keep a close eye. "From your world, eh? Killed the one here myself. For good reason too."

"You can test me," Rose offered up. "I mean, if you're not sure whether to believe us. The Rose here, she was a demon, right? So test me."

Hearing her suggestion had caused Bobby to lower his gun finally. Taking a step forward, he took out a bottle from his waist band as he gestured her forward. Rose had dropped Jack from her grip as she walked up to Bobby, extending her hand out with uncertainty.

Pouring the water over her hand, Bobby kept an eye on her, watching for any reaction. Yet she had remained still. Tucking the holy water away, he soon tossed a rag towards her. "Well, good enough for me. You better come with us."

Bobby had turned from the group as he headed to the car, expecting them to follow along. Rushing back over to Mary and Jack, all three of them had linked arms as they followed. Despite knowing Bobby and his good intentions, in this world they remained hesitant.

At the car, Bobby had gestured for them to all climb in. Just as Rose had been ready to head in last, he had shut the door right before her. "I'm sorry, kid. You can never be too careful."

"I get it," she whispered, attempting a weak smile. "The Bobby from our world, he'd be the same. He sort of was, actually. I know you can't trust me yet, but... I'm not that person. Whoever she was... it's not me."

"Good. I'd hate to have to put you down a second time." There was a silence after Bobby's comment until he had broken out into laughter and held the door open for her. Uneasy, she managed a small laugh and climbed right in beside Jack and Mary.