[AU] dark gonna catch me here

[gavemea_45]

Not two seconds after the door closed, Dean started demanding answers. Sam explained pretty much everything, although he glossed over the part where Wynonna'd threatened to shoot him, and for the most part Dean took it pretty well.

Until he made the suggestion of bringing Wynonna - and Peacemaker - to a crossroads and forcing the demon there to give up Dean's contract.

By the time the fight's over, Sam's certain of two things. First, that Dean's not willing to listen to reason because he doesn't want to risk Sam. And second, that he's not going to let his brother go to hell.

He makes sure Dean thinks he's asleep first, and waits until he hears his brother start snoring... then waits another half hour to make sure. Once he's certain Dean's not faking, Sam sneaks out and borrows the Impala.

There's a crossroads three miles north, an isolated one with an abandoned gas station nearby that he can use to get to the bar.

It'll do.

Comments

[gavemea_45]

"Cupcake? Really?" Sam slants her a look.

"Anyway, it's not that. You know that, right?"

[pacificator]

"Yeah, I know."

But all she can think is that she wouldn't want Waverly to be alone, if it were her. "I walked into this with my eyes open. I'm not looking for an excuse, or an out."

[gavemea_45]

He darts another look at her, and whatever he sees - well, it doesn't make him feel any better, but maybe a little less alone.

"As long as you're sure."

The neon of the cheap motel's sign flickers ahead at the side of the road, and Sam slows to make the turn into the parking lot.

[pacificator]

When Sam pulls turns the engine off, she reaches for the the door handle and pushes her way out. It's not until she's closing the door behind her that she realizes one of the motel room doors is similarly open, a solid-looking guy leaning against the frame with his arms crossed, watching them.

"Let me guess," she mutters. "That's Dean."

[gavemea_45]

Fuck. "Yeah, it is." Sam mutters back. "Here we go."

He circles around in front of the Impala to put himself between Wynonna and his brother, and tosses the keys to him.

Dean snags them one-handed and glances past Sam to the car. "You better not have hurt my baby." It sounds a little absent, probably because the look he's giving the two of them is anything but. "Who's this?"

[pacificator]

She stays where she is, near the hood of the Impala, and meets that hard glance with a level one of her own.

"If anyone even scratched this car, I'd shoot them myself," she says. "And I'm Wynonna."

[gavemea_45]

There's a flicker of surprise at that, and a little more of appreciation in the look Dean gives her. "Oh, you would, would you?"

Sam shifts, drawing his attention. Dean looks at him. "I'm waitin', Sammy," he warns, before something strikes him. His eyes narrow. "Is this about that witch bitch? Is Waverly okay?"

[pacificator]

"Waverly's fine." For the moment, anyway. She injects ease into her voice, trying to take his focus off Sam. "Why don't I buy you a drink, tell you the whole story?"

[gavemea_45]

Dean studies Sam for a second or two longer, then turns to Wynonna. "Yeah, why don't you do that." He slants a sharp look at his brother. "The whole story sounds like somethin' I should definitely know about."

[pacificator]

Dean doesn't know about it, she remembers Sam saying. Whether she'll be able to distract him from finding out is anybody's guess. De-escalation isn't really one of her strengths; suggesting they get a drink and have a chat is the kind of thing Doc might do.

Dolls would stonewall him. Waverly would tell him the truth. Doc might not be much for advice, but it's all she's got to work with, here. "Sounds good to me."

[gavemea_45]

"Might as well come on in, then," Dean invites, standing aside for her - and keeping a sharp eye on his brother. "Unless you're thinking of a local bar, instead of the other one."

"Dean. Wynonna came to help." Sam stands braced, ready for the fight he's sure is coming. "If you're going to be pissed at anyone, be pissed at me. Not her."

[pacificator]

"Oh, come on, Sam." Her voice is still light, but there's steel in her eyes. "He's a big boy. He can be pissed at who he wants."

She directs her next comment to Dean himself. "Yeah, I came to help. What can I say, I don't like sitting around owing people favors."

[gavemea_45]

"I can also be pissed at more than one person." Dean gives Wynonna a flat look. "And you don't owe us any favors."

"Dean--"

"Not here," his brother interrupts. "Save it for five minutes. Then you better be ready to talk."

[pacificator]

Not anymore. But she gets the feeling they'll be trading favors back and forth like baseball cards. Wynonna shrugs and comes closer.

"Either way, can we get out of the damn parking lot?"

[gavemea_45]

"Like I said. Come on in." Dean gives Sam a level stare, silently ordering him not to argue.

Sam looks at Wynonna. "Go on," he murmurs. "We'll reopen the door to the bar once we're all inside."

[pacificator]

She shrugs, and makes her way past Dean and into the motel room, which smells like industrial cleaner and boy.

Sam's brother gets a lingering glance as she moves by. He's cute, in a square-jawed, pretty boy kind of way. Too bad this won't be the fun kind of visit.

[gavemea_45]

She sizes him up as she walks past, and Dean can't help but appreciate her confident, rolling stride. Too bad she's hip-deep in the mess Sammy's making.

Damn it, he'd told him --

He stops right there before the fear that's clenching his gut can rise up to choke him. Dean waits for Sam to come inside, then closes the door. Hard.

When he yanks it open again, the sound and bustle of the bar comes through.

[pacificator]

This time, she walks past the bar itself and towards one of the booths in the far corner, where there aren't so many patrons sitting around waiting to listen in. Wynonna slides into one seat, then shifts to lounge in the corner against booth and wall, one leg slung up on the seat, and waits for the brothers.

[gavemea_45]

Dean jerks his head sideways to indicate Sam should slide in first. There's no point in arguing, although he recognizes that he's being deliberately cornered. Sam swallows a sigh and scoots across the booth bench, then gives Wynonna a speaking look while Dean takes his own seat, hoping she'll be discreet.

"So," Dean says, breaking the momentary silence. "Talk."

[pacificator]

"So the skull was the from the Stone Witch's son, right?"

She knows she's walking a fine line, but she'd never promised to tell Dean the whole story of why she'd been in his world with Sam. He'd asked about Waverly, so that's what she'll tell him. "Turns out she's been excavating for their skeletons. Something something raising them back up from the great beyond, whatever. Mom of the year."

[gavemea_45]

Dean rolls his eyes at that. "Oh yeah, she's a real prize-winner." Sam thinks he manages to keep any surprise from showing, and just listens.

As he does, he catches the eye of a waitrat and tips his head back to signal for it to come over when it can.

[pacificator]

"Just so you know, I got all this story second-hand from Waverly after the fact," Wynonna tells them. She stretches her legs along the booth seat and crosses one boot over the other. "So who knows if I've got all the details. She kicked me off the homestead so she could throw an engagement party."

[gavemea_45]

Sam startles. "Wait, she's engaged?" Dean gives him a curious look.

[pacificator]

"What? No."

The expression on Wynonna's face eloquently expresses how she'd feel about that possibility of her baby sister marrying the sentient rodeo belt buckle, Champ. "I think she just broke up with the idiot she was dating. She was just hosting for a friend."

Wynonna peers at him, trying to determine if he's happier about that news than she would have expected. She didn't get much of a read on what Waverly thought about him, but she's got to admit he'd be an improvement on Champ.

[gavemea_45]

Now they're both looking at him. Sam stares back. "What?" he says, a little defensively. "I was surprised, that's all. She'd said she'd broken up with her boyfriend."