Chapter 5

By LadyGhostWhisperer

I do not own Supernatural or The Winchesters... even though I wish I did... I don't... dammit....

Madeline made her way off the stage returning to her seat beside Sam. Her smiled shone brightly.

She noticed Dean’s smirk.

“Don’t say anything!” she said raising her hand and smiling. He shook his head.

“I was just going to say it was great!” he confirmed taking a sip of his beer. Sam agreed.

“So are you in town for a hunt?” she asked eyeing them suspiciously. She had a feeling that their visit wasn’t meant to be a pleasant one. She noticed Sam glanced at Dean and in turn Dean glance at her.

He had been so distant, and quiet unlike the Dean she had known. Something was wrong she could feel it. She took a sip of her beer.

Placing the glass on the table she cleared her throat.

“Ok guys what is going, I know those looks, what is wrong,” She said sliding her beer away. She threw worried glances at both of them.

“I think we should step outside,” Sam suggested. Dean nodded pulling himself from the booth. Madeline followed Dean. She felt Sam’s tall presence close behind her. As they made there way out the smoky door, the crisp cool air surrounded them.

Madeline headed right towards her car. The late sixties El Camino had seen a lot of hard times but still ran like a gem. “Maddy where are you going?” she heard Sam call to her as the crunching of the gravel underfoot headed her way. “My car” she answered pulling the key from her jacket pocket. She unlocked the door throwing her jacket inside and made her way to the back of the car.

“So are you going to tell me what is going on now?” she asked as Sam and Dean neared her. She snapped open the ragtop cover of the bed and lowered the tailgate. She scooted onto it.

She looked to each of them, their faces solemn. Sam spoke.

“It’s dad, Maddy, he’s uh,” he faltered trying to find the right words.

“He’s dead, The Demon” Dean finished as he scuffed the gravel with him boots.

Madeline froze, as the words register. John was dead, gone. The words seemed so wrong. John had been larger than life to her, invincible. He had been the only “father” she knew. She again had lost another person to the God forsaken Demon. Her heart clenched as she swallowed down the pain. She looked away from the boys.

“How long” she said quietly.

“Four months” Sam answered her, his voice full of sorrow. She nodded.

She shivered though she wasn’t cold and felt the car tip down a little as Sam sat down beside her. She looked to him her eye filled with unshed tears. He pulled her close but she refused to cry. Then she felt another warm hand on the small of her back as the car dipped again. Dean sat down next to her, nodding his head to Sam who released her.

She slipped into Dean’s arms. His warmth filled her as she took in the familiar sent of leather. She left the tears flood her eyes, allowing Dean to pull her closer. When she was younger she had always been more open with her emotions around him, due to the simple fact that she felt that she had to be strong for Sammy. Now though, it was something different, something more.

Her tears dried as she tried to pull away, Dean held her tight. As she laid her head against his chest she took a deep breath. She felt Dean’s grip loosen.

“I’m sorry,” she said as he let go. He gave her a puzzled look.

“For what Maddy?” Sam asked giving her a matching look.

“For not being there, to help” she answered pulling her self up from the tailgate.

“There was nothing you could have done, Maddy” Dean said gently.

She nodded. Maybe there could have been something she could have done, even if it was just helping the boys through it.

She pushed her mourning away, knowing that in the end it was useless.

She pulled the keys from her pocket again.

“Where are you all staying tonight?” she asked looking toward them. They looked at each other then back to her.

“You weren’t staying were you?” she deadpanned. They both shook their heads.

“Your welcome to stay at my place tonight, it’s late, I would feel better if you all stayed even if it was just until morning” she said given them a pleading look.

She had missed their presence in her life, their tough love, horseplay, pranks, and even their overbearing protectiveness.

“So what will it be?” she asked.

“We’ll stay” Dean confirmed and Sam nodded.

“Good” she smiled as she pulled her door closed.

“Hey Sammy, I am going to ride with Maddy” Dean said tossing the keys to his brother. Sam cocked his head to the side and smiled.

“Just follow us,” Dean said walking towards the passenger’s side of the El Camino.

Maddy started the car, letting the engine rev to life. The passenger door opened as Dean bent his head in.

“Mind if I join you?” he asked She shook her head, pointing toward the seat.

He got in and Madeline pulled out the parking spot, waiting for Sam to catch up.

“How far away do you live?” Dean asked as they made there way out onto the highway.

“About twenty minutes south of here” she said keeping her eye on the road. Dean nodded. Silence filled the car, and Madeline sighed. She reached over and flicked the radio on. The smooth rhythms of the James Gang filled the car. Madeline smiled.

Dean knee twitched nervously as they made there way down the road, The James Gang faded into Styx as he reached over and turned the volume down. Madeline’s head snapped toward him. She gave him a curious look.

“Maddy” he said.

“Dean” he rolled his eye.

“I…. I’m sorry,” he blurted. She gave him another confused look.

“For the way I acted when you left” he said. She smiled.

“It’s in the past Dean” she said, “Besides, I would have probably acted the same way”

He laughed. “I’m sure” he nodded.

Silence fell over the car again.

“You know Dad wasn’t even mad about it” Dean said suddenly. “I mean at first he was, then we ended up in Billings and all of a sudden, he was over it”

“That’s because he visited me in Billings” Madeline answered. Dean gave her a shocked expression.

“I was working at a bar in Billings, he showed up there, and we talked,” she said keeping her explanation as short as possible.

Dean nodded.

Madeline’s though drifted over her conversation with John.

Madeline wiped down the bar as the last patrons of the night left. The bell above the door rang out and she glanced up. Her eyes widened.

“John” she muttered.

“Maddy” he said voice tinged with anger.

“John let me explain…” she started.

“Do you know how worried the boys and I have been?” John bellowed.

“John I said let me explain” her voice rose a little.

“You will have plenty of time to explain on the ride back to the motel, grab you stuff”

“John I can’t” she said standing her ground.

“Why the hell not”

“I’m a liability to you and the boys John, especially Dean”

“What do you mean?” John questioned steeping closer to her.

“Dean cares too much for me, I don’t want him getting hurt on a hunt or worse because he’s too worried about me,” she stated.

“I still don’t understand, Maddy, what are you saying?” John shook his head.

“I lo…like Dean,” she confirmed. John nodded his head sitting down on stool in front of her.

“I suspected” he smiled “You make him happy, Maddy, he has been moping around for days, but as much as it pains me to see my son like that, I know that you’re right” he said placing a comforting had on her arm.

She nodded, eyes misting slightly.

“Listen, I will make you a deal, as long as you are comfortable being on your own, I’ll agree, but you have to let me help you along, make sure you keep in touch, if you move, or take up a permanent residence somewhere, I want you to call Jim and give him your address, agreed?” John said holding out his hand.

“Agreed,” Madeline said giving his hand a shake. He pulled her into a hug.

“I’m going to miss you kiddo,” he said ruffling her hair a bit.

“Me too” she said hugging him back.

John had always been so much easier on he then he had been his boys. He was somehow softer around her.

She snapped back to reality when the radio began blaring Black Sabbath loudly. She jumped as it startled her. She heard a soft chuckling from the passengers seat.

“What’s so funny?” she asked tilting her head towards Dean.

“Nothing” he smiled turning to peer out of the window.

A few minutes later she turned down a dirt drive, dodging potholes and mud. Her house came into view. It’s burgundy shutters and white paint chipping slightly.

“Home Sweet Home” she said shifting the car into park.