3.
“Ready? On three okay?” Sam nodded, Dean counted down, and on two he pushed the shoulder back into the socket, causing Sam to curse. “Take it like a man, dude,” Dean joked. Sam glared at him and took a swig from the bottle of liquor they kept for times like this.
“Are you good?” Dean may have been joking, but a dislocated shoulder was fucking painful and he wanted to make sure it was okay. Sam moved his arm carefully and nodded. “Yeah, I'm good. I'm going to take a shower, then I'll stitch your eyebrow?” Dean nodded. “I'm going to go get some ice outside. See you soon.”
He opened the door, stepped outside, and looked over to his right, where the ice cube machine was. On the floor, by the vending machine next to the ice cube machine, sat a girl. A very small girl, wearing clothes that were way too big. She had a mop of messy black hair, round glasses and she was completely soaked. Dean noticed that her arm was in the vending machine. In an instant he realized that this was the girl Sam had seen earlier, he saw her fear of him a mere moment later. Understandable. She couldn't run away right now because he was in the way and he was a big man, who still had blood on his face. Dean saw the fear in her eyes. Okay, this had to be done with the necessary tact.
For the surly hunter, who slaughtered monsters without any remorse, usually shot first and started asking questions later, it took a while to switch to a different mindset. He cleared his throat and said, “Hey kid, you okay?” His voice was a bit gravely. There was no reaction and his experience taught him that she was now thinking of a way to get away.
“My name is Dean, sorry my brother scared you just now.” He made a movement with his thumb towards the door. Her eyes followed the movement. Dean decided to remain calm. That way she couldn't get past him and he might get an answer. “Are you lost?”
No answer, just that same scared look. “Okay... listen kid, I'm not going to hurt you, but you're completely soaked, it's cold, I think you're hungry and thirsty. Am I right?”
Dean watched the girl stand up. She was wearing a short-sleeved shirt, and even though it was way too big, it didn’t cover her entire arm. There was a huge bruise on her forearm, near her wrist. Dean’s gaze darkened. Someone had hurt her.
When she saw the angry look in his eyes, she mistakenly thought he was angry at her and she backed away. But there was the wall and she couldn’t go any further. “Oh, shit, wait a minute. I’m not angry at you, but that bruise, that didn’t get there by itself.” Dean crouched down, trying to seem less threatening. “Listen, I really just want to help you. Will you at least tell me your name?”
It took a moment, but finally, the girl whispered her name. “Dana?” Dean repeated what she said. She nodded shyly, still scared.
“Okay, hi Dana.” Dean smiled the charming smile he used to pick up women.
“Dean? Are you still outside, dude?” The door opened and the giant stepped out. Dana gulped, and the fear and adrenaline took over. No longer thinking she grabbed the wooden railing attached to the wall next to her and swung her leg over it. Unfortunately, the railing was bigger than she expected, and she couldn’t get her leg any further over it. Dean saw what was happening, and shot up to stop her from hurting herself, which startled Dana again, causing her to fall to the ground and slide back on her butt, her hands protectively around her head. “No, please no!”
Dean stopped in his tracks and looked at Sam. Shit. Despite Sam’s size, his brother had always been able to convey more empathy than Dean. Dean was always a bit rougher, and more aggressive. Sam figured out what Dean wanted from him and calmly approached the cowering girl. After showering, he had put on clean clothes and was waiting for Dean to return with the ice. Sam nodded to his brother and sat down on the ground across from the girl, cross-legged. The floor was dry, luckily there was a small roof, because the rain had not stopped. While his brother sat on the ground, Dean stepped aside and leaned against the ice maker. Trying to look very non-threatening.
“I understand that you're scared, but believe me when I say we're not going to hurt you. But you're all wet and I think you're cold and maybe hungry.” Sam looked at Dean, who frowned. “Told me her name is Dana.”
“Okay, hi Dana, my name is Sam and you have met Dean.”
Dana looked through her arms at the man sitting on the floor across from her. This was a situation she had never encountered before and she didn't know what to do. She carefully lowered her arms and pulled her knees up, wrapping her arms around them. Het back was still pressed against the wall.
“I'm sorry,” she whispered. Sam looked at her in surprise. “For what?” Dana shrugged. “Dean, is the bar still open here?” Dean understood why Sam asked. “I can go check it out.” He walked away and Sam stayed behind with Dana.
“Shall we start by getting you something to eat? And something to drink?” Dana looked at him as if he had grown a second head. Sam felt sorry for the girl. She was obviously either lost or abandoned, she was wet and dirty and bruised. From the way she was reacting to him and Dean, it was clear that she was afraid of being hurt.
“I get it. You don't know us, we don't know you, but me and my brother, we help people. And I think you need help.”
Dana really wanted to believe that Sam was okay. That they wouldn't hurt her and that they wanted to help her. But when you're told your whole life that you're a freak and worthless, not deserving of love and care, you start to believe that. She never had an adult who treated her like Sam did now. Maybe the old woman she sometimes had to stay with, who had a bunch of cats. But men were scary. Her experience with large man had been nothing but painful and these two men were bigger than her uncle. She shuddered at the thought that they would hit her.
Still, she could not get away, and she was so very tired, so she asked, “What do you want in return?” Her voice was soft and raspy.
She had an English accent. Sam looked at her blankly for a moment. “Uhm, nothing? What do you think we want in return?”
Dana shrugged. “I don't have any money. I can't pay it back. I can clean or something. Or uhm...I can wash the car?”
Dana knew nothing was free. You only get food if you earn it, or if you steal it. Sam got an indignant look in his eyes and she cringed a little. “No, no wait, you don't have to do anything for it. What's...oh...I get it.” Sam sighed and promised himself that he would find the person who made this little girl think like that and that he would give them a good talking to.
“It's pretty cold. Do you want to wait inside?” Dana shook her head. “Okay, we'll wait here.” Despite her shivers, Sam knew he wouldn’t get her into the motel room and gave in to waiting for Dean outside. She would no willingly come inside, and he didn’t want to scare her any more than she already was by forcing her. He decided he needed more information and started asking questions.
“You have an accent, are you from England?” Dana nodded, looking at him through her filthy glasses with a small amount of apprehension. “Were you born there?” Another nod. “Where are your parents?” There was a pause until she said her parents were dead. “Are you lost?” “No. Yes. I don’t know where I am.”
“Where did you come from?”
”A big city…Kansas?” Sam smiled kindly and Dana felt a little less afraid, for Sam was being very kind to her and he had a nice smile. “Yes, Kansas is a big city, a ways from here. But how did you get here?”
Dana had the greenest eyes Sam had ever seen. Her glasses may have been dirty, but her eyes were clearly visible. Those eyes looked at him with a little less suspicion, which he thought was a plus. She also had an unusual-shaped scar on her head. At that moment, Dean came back, carrying a paper bag with food and a carton of drinks. “Still outside?” He held up the bag, which smelled good. “I’ve got burgers and fries. Come.” And without waiting, Dean walked into the motel room.
Sam could see the conflict in the girl. He carefully stood up and held out his hand. It took half a minute before Dana gave in, took his hand, and stood up. He stepped back a little and she slowly walked around him. At the motel room door, she looked in, where Dean had put the food on the table. Her stomach growled loudly. She looked back, Sam gave her his best puppy dog eyes and she walked in, making Sam smile. Obstacle overcome. He followed her and closed the door.