FicWad

Ari woke to find herself in a bed, tucked in with soft, fluffy blankets. She sighed, sitting up and stretching before looking around the room. It was very bland and utilerian, just like a hotel room. As she thought about it, she realised that the Roadhouse may very well have a hotel-like setup, considering how many people were in the bar area the night before.
Ari threw the blankets aside and stood, jumping a little at the coldness of the floor. She looked down at herself and found that she was still wearing her clothing, but her shoes had been taken off.
She began to look for them, and found the black boots that she had been wearing the night before at the bottom of the bed. She slid them on, and walked to the door, opening it and looked out. Her room was one of many in a long hall, but she was saved the embarrassment of trying to find the bar area again by Ellen, who was walking down the hall.
“Hey, Ari. I thought you’d be waking about now, so I thought I’d come and get you.” Ellen said, and Ari smiled gratefully.
“Thank you.” She murmured, and Ellen nodded.
“I don’t want you to embarrass yourself before even meeting the boys.” The older woman said, and Ari frowned, reminded of the two men that would essentially become her caretakers soon.
“What are they like?” Ari asked, and Ellen smiled.
“Dean’s the oldest, but the shorter of the two. He’s the bad boy of the duo, the one who rushes into things without thinking sometimes.” Ellen said, smiling as she thought of the man. “He’s a bit of a flirter. He’ll be the one who’ll convince everyone to go to the bar after a hunt so that he can find a girl to mess with. That’s just who he is.
“Sam is more of the researcher of the duo. He’ll be the one to remind Dean that research needs to be done. He’s the brains of the two, the one who’ll be more likely to stay at the hotel after a hunt.” Ellen paused, then smiled as she caught sight of her daughter as her and Ari entered the bar area.
“Jo, meet the newest addition to the Winchester hunting party. Ari.” Ellen said, and Ari waved awkwardly, noticing Jo’s cool glare.
“Does she have a last name? Or is she a fiance?” Jo asked. Ellen laughed.
“No last name. I assume she’ll end up using Winchester for her legal docs.” Ellen said, and Ari noticed Jo’s mouth tightened at the corners.
“When will they be here to pick her up?” Jo asked, and Ellen smiled.
“They don’t know about her quite yet. Castiel hasn’t shown himself to Dean yet, though he says it’s only a matter of time before he’s forced to do it.” Ellen said, then shrugged as she began washing dishes. “Castiel said that the boys should show up around noon or so, giving me a chance to introduce them to Ari and convince them to take her with them, teach her the ropes.”
“She isn’t a hunter yet?” Jo asked, her voice incredulous. Ellen shook her head. “No, she isn’t. But, she has to become one, and the Winchester boys are her best bet.”
“You couldn’t teach her?” Jo asked, and Ellen scoffed.
“I was never a hunter, hun. That was your father.” Ellen snapped. “I was never interested in the life, and he never taught me much.”
This time, it was Ari who spoke.
“He didn’t teach you much? So what did he teach you?”
Ellen stopped washing dishes long enough to turn and look at Ari.
“Merely how to protect the roadhouse. There’s a Devil’s Trap painted at every entrance into this building, and salt in front of the windows. I know how to exorcise a demon, but I never wanted to learn more. I begged him not to teach me more until he gave in.” Ellen whispered. “I’ve protected my family with what knowledge I have ever since. I’m no good with a weapon; that’s Asher’s speciality. And I’ve never tried any rituals.”
Ari nodded.
“Will I learn this?” She asked, and Ellen smiled before turning back to the sinkful of dishes.
“I assume you will. It’s logical that you know these things too.”
Just then, the front door swung open, and two men walked in. Ari and the other two women turned to look at who was there, and Ari watched the family reunion as the other females recognised the men.
“Sam, Dean!” Ellen cried, going to the men. Jo smiled at the shorter two, hurrying up to him.
The men were both exceedingly handsome, in their own ways. Ari remembered that Ellen had said the shorter of the two was the eldest, and she inspected him first.
He was shorter than his brother, as Ellen had said. His hair was a dark bronze colour, and his eyes a deep, piercing green. His skin was a deep tan, and his clothes were simple, with a white T-shirt, a red plaid flannel, jeans, and boots.
His brother was the tallest of the two, and had dark chestnut locks of hair that fell however it wanted, mostly into his intelligent brown eyes. His skin was just as tan as his brother’s and his outfit was similar, with a T-shirt, a jacket, jeans, and running shoes.
“What are you boys doing here?” Ellen asked, and the shorter of the duo smiled.
“We came in to talk to you about that case you sent us on, the one with the clown.” He said, his voice deep, resonate. Ellen nodded.
“Alright. Might as well talk about it. Tell everything, all the details.” Ellen said. “And, here, have a beer.”
“You don’t seem like the type to need details, Ellen.” The taller male said, and Ellen laughed.
“You know me pretty well then. It’s been awhile since that hunt, and it seems like it was a pretty easy hunt for you guys.” Ellen said, then looked over her shoulder. “Come meet the Winchesters, hun.”
Ari slowly came out of the shadows, and saw the way the boys gasped and stared at her and she frowned.
“What is it?” She whispered, and Ellen frowned.
“You haven’t gotten to a mirror yet, have you?” She asked, and Ari shook her head.
“No, actually, I haven’t. I didn’t think to.”
Ellen sighed.
“Dean, your phone.” The woman demanded, and the shorter one of the men pulled his phone out and handed it over.
“I’m going to take a picture of you, let you see it.” Ellen said, and Ari nodded. Ellen held the phone up, took the shot, then turned the phone so Ari could see it.
Ari gasped.
Long, dark purple hair framed a pale face. Sparkling gold eyes were surrounded by thick, luscious eyelashes. Full lips parted over perfect, blindingly white teeth.
The only abnormality was the three scars that were carved into her left cheek, starting at her cheekbone and stopping at her jawline.
“Oh, wow.” Ari whispered, and Ellen laughed.
“Yep.” Ellen said, then turned back to the boys, giving Dean his phone.
“Dean, Sam, this is Ari. Ari, Sam,” Ellen pointed at the taller of the two, “and Dean,” she pointed at the man who’s phone she’d taken.
Ari nodded.
“She’s new to the life, needs a mentor. Good contact of mine told me to see if you two would be interested.” Ellen said, and Ari frowned. Why didn’t she just tell them of Castiel?
“We can’t take a newbie.” Dean said, and Ari nodded before Ellen got a chance to say anything.
“I understand if you won’t take me with you. But, apparently, something is hunting me. I don’t know what or who, but I do know about your lifestyle, the things you are forced to confront in order to save innocent lives.” Ari said, then sighed. “All Ellen was asking you to do was help me save mine.”
Dean nodded thoughtfully.
“You sure she isn’t anything?” Sam asked Ellen, and she nodded.
“Positive. She definitely isn’t a demon, and I performed all the other tests while she slept.” Ellen said, and Sam frowned. “Holy water in the drink I gave her. Any newbie to this place gets the same treatment.”
Ari frowned.
“What other tests?” She asked, and Ellen smiled.
“Pure silver pressed to the skin to ensure you’re not a werewolf, a check of the gums to make sure you don’t have fangs, the usual treatment.” Ellen said casually. “It ensures that you’re nothing short of a trickster, and the only way to tell if you’re that is if you’re always eating sugary things.”
Dean chuckled.
“If you were a trickster, though, you would know us, and would probably recognise us.” He said, and Ari wrinkled her nose. He was clearly the “sexy-and-I-know-it” type of guy, the type who thought they could get any girl out there.
“Well, if I was a trickster, I wouldn’t tell you because then you’d be forced to hunt me, wouldn’t you?” Ari asked, and Sam laughed, spitting out some of his beer.
“No trickster would be that cocky, I can tell you that much.” Sam said, laughing and coughing. Ari smiled slightly. At least one of the brothers seemed to like her.
“Alright. She’s human.” Dean said, his tone serious once more. “What are we supposed to do?”
“Teach me.” Ari said, tossing a glare at Ellen, who nodded. “According to-”
“Me.” Ellen said quickly, shaking her head slightly at Ari. The younger woman sighed, then continued.
“According to Ellen, something is hunting me. I want to learn how to hunt so I can defend myself.” Ari said, and Dean sighed.
“How are we supposed to teach you if we have our own jobs?” Dean asked, and Ari shook her head.
“Take me with. If I die, I die. If I die in a hunt, it’ll be better than dying at the hands of whatever is hunting me.” Ari said, and Dean nodded.
“Fine. You’ll have five hunts with us. If you prove competent, perhaps we’ll keep you around.” Dean said, then looked at Sam. “You’ll need the extra help once she’s competent.”
Sam shook his head.
“Dean, don’t start this again. We’re going to find a way-” Sam started, but Dean held up his hand.
“I’ve been saved twice, Sam. Let’s not make it a third time, alright? I’m living on borrowed time already.” Dean said, his tone closing the subject. Ari tilted her head, but said nothing of the exchange. Ellen, however, did.
“Still haven’t found a way to get out of the deal?” She asked, and Sam shook his head.
“No. And, apparently, Dean wants to die.” Sam said bitterly, taking another swig of his drink. Ari sighed, utterly confused, but resigned to not knowing all the details.
Sam seemed to notice, though, and he smiled kindly.
“Dean made a deal with a Crossroads Demon.” He said, then looked at the beer bottle he still held. “A Crossroads Demon is a supernatural being who can be summoned only at a crossroads, such as an intersection of two roads. Dean summoned one and made the deal that I be brought back from the dead, and the demon would collect his soul a year after the deal was made.” Sam said, then looked up at Ari. “I was killed, literally stabbed in the back, my spinal cord severed.”
Ari winced.
“How long does he have left?” Ari asked. Sam sighed.
“Two months.” He whispered. Ari blinked, taking the information in.
“Okay.” She said, and Sam laughed.
“This idget won’t even left me try and find a way around it.” Sam said, and Dean slammed his hand down.
“Because if we fuck with this deal, you’re gonna end up dead again!” Dean yelled. Ari jumped, and her hand went to her waist, but came up empty.
Dean looked over at Ari, having noticed her automatic reaction to being startled.
“You seem to already be accustomed to carrying a weapon.” The eldest Winchester observed, and Ari shrugged.
“I don’t know much about myself. The first thing I remember is waking up outside the Roadhouse.” Ari said. “Anything like that, anything instinctual, is all from a life I can’t remember.”
Dean frowned.
“Well, that’s real helpful.” He muttered, and Ari laughed, then turned serious again.
“Dean, will you allow me to accompany you or not?” Ari asked, and Dean looked at her, appraising her.
“Like I said earlier, five hunts. If you can’t learn in five hunts, you’re out. You can come back here, and Ellen can find you a new mentor.” Dean said, and Ari nodded.
“Alright then.” She turned to Ellen, sighing. “Can I get some supplies off of you?”