Return of Winchester

Chapter 13 You Can Keep Your Forgiveness

The goddess's hand on Dani's skin left the feeling of small static shocks. All the Hestia had done was lift her head with one elegant finger under the young hunter's chin. Dani wanted to pull away, to scrub at the patch of skin to get rid of the feeling. But she couldn't, her body wouldn't let her. Just taking an inhale of breath sent pain blossoming through her body. Hestia's nail was now digging into the soft flesh of her neck she was slowly adding pressure.

"Come on little hunter, up you get." She cooed.

Dani strained to sit up. She fought against the urge to curl up in a ball not that she could anyway with the goddess's finger so dangerously digging into such a vulnerable area. She managed to slide her knees underneath herself using them as leverage to push herself upright onto her haunches. The pain was agonising. Harsh breaths left her in short little pants. Her eyes momentarily flicked to the two men writhing in pain not far from her, before they flicked back to the golden ones before her.

"Good enough." Hestia rolled her eyes like a spoiled child who had to settle for something she didn't really want. "It is a gift, isn't it? What I gave you? You've worked it out so you might have a little more gratitude for what I did for you."

Dani managed a strained smile.

"Yes." She gasped. "It is."

The goddess looked appeased for a moment before her face fell.

"Then why would you repay me with so much disrespect?" Hestia's composer seemed to slip. The soft tones of her voice had burned away into a harsh growl. "You humans are so ungrateful."

Tears welled up in Dani's eyes, one of them rolling down her cheek leaving a pale path down her dirt-covered face.

"I'm sorry." She gasped. "I'm s-sorry. Thank-thankyou for bringing him back."

"You shot one of my men." Hestia's eyes glowed brightly as her nail dug into her soft flesh.

"I know I'msorryI'msorry." She gasped her words rambling together. Dani shifted trying to ease the pressure. Hestia leaned forward until she was so close that they were practically touching noses.

"Why should I forgive you?" She asked.

Abruptly it was as if a mask had been brought down from Dani's face. A dark smile crossed her features.

"You can keep your forgiveness," Dani hissed wickedly.

A squelchy thunking sound filled the air and the pressure under Dani's chin reseeded. Hestia looked down to see a wooden stake plunged into her chest. Dani had managed to pull it from her waistband when the goddess had gotten close enough and drive it into Hestia's chest. Hestia stumbled for a moment then collapsed to the floor stone dead.

Sam and Dean drew in relieving gulps of air as the twisting in their guts subside. Sam scrambled to his feet. He crouched down next to his niece.

"Dani! Oh god." Dani was getting dizzy so she guessed why he looked so worried. She was losing blood. It had slowed a little but it was still coming. "Come on we have to get you to a hospital." Dani nodded as she looped her hand over his shoulders. He lifted her completely off the floor this time to carry her. The trio made their way to the exit.

"You really had me going there for a second kid," Dean said as he shoved the exit door open. "Thought we were done for."

The impala had been parked about fifty meters down a gravel track just north of the compound. Sam managed to wrestle the keys free from his pocket and toss them to Dean who opened the back door. Sam lowered Dani into the back as gently as he could. Dani let out a grunt of pain. Sam muttered a "Sorry Dans hang in there." before closing the door and climbing into the front passenger side. They sped off down the road with Dean in the front seat.

They had gotten about half a mile from the compound before anyone spoke.

"So you know this kid?" Dean asked. Sam adjusted the rearview mirror so he could check on Dani in the back seat. Partly to gauge her reaction and partly to make sure she didn't pass out.

"Yeah, almost a year now."

She met Sam's gaze in the reflection. She nodded to him.

"She's your daughter Dean." Sam inclined his head slightly in Dani's direction. Dean locked eyes with his brother for a moment then flicked his gaze to Dani then back out the windscreen. Sam studied him. Dean looked rough. His hair had grown out and was a scraggly mess. His usual stubble had grown into a short beard and he looked underweight.

"How do you know?" Dean finally asked his face unreadable.

"Rowena actually, and a blood test to confirm it." Sam's eyes flicked back to Dani. She was far too pale for his liking and the now nervous look on her face made him think that maybe he should have waited to tell his brother about her.

The rest of the car ride to the nearest hospital was uncomfortably quiet. Sam thought to put on the radio but decided against it. He wanted to be able to hear Dani's breathing. She'd hiss every now and then when they turned corners or hit a bump in the road. Dean had been staring blackly out of the window since the revelation. He flinched occasionally when he heard Dani's pained noises. Dean's brain was running a hundred miles an hour.

The moment they arrived at the hospital Sam flew from the driver's seat. Yanking open Dani's door he scooped her up trying not to jostle her too much.

"I know, I know. I got you." He muttered soothingly when she whine.

Dean seemed to snap out of whatever trance he had been in and hurried from the car he was the first one to make it to the front desk.

AN: Shorter than last time I know. Hope you liked this part.

Write again soon

Meg❤️💋💙