Cupcake

Chapter 17

The lack of sleep was officially catching up with Charlotte. Heavy dark circles sat beneath her brown eyes. Her head pounded constantly and she couldn't keep focused. She was living off of black coffee.

A loud scream erupted from the car seat next to her and she was jerked from her daydreams. Cassie had woken from her nap. Dean cringed slightly and Sam turned to see what was wrong.

"Cassie, calm down. What's wrong?" Charlotte tried as she moved in from her seat to be in front of her daughter. Her words were indecipherably through her sobs.

"I can't understand you cupcake."

Charlotte was beyond exhausted, the boys could hear it in her voice. They were worried. Cassie continued to cry as both Sam and Charlotte attempted to figure out what was troubling the young girl.

"Dean, can you pull over?"

Dean obeyed Charlotte and pulled to the side of the road. Charlotte immediately got out of the car her head spinning. She leaned one hand against the impala and brought the other to her head, massaging her temples.

"You okay?" Dean asked exiting the car. She nodded unconvincingly before walking over to Cassie's car door. She opened it and expertly unclipped the car seat. She lifted her from the seat and rocked her. Sam watched from the window of the car and Dean stood by his door, one foot leaning on the frame of the impala.

Swinging her body back and forth Cassie's sobs reduced to sniffles. "What's wrong?" Charlotte whispered in her ear.

"I-I want to go home. I don't wan-want to be in the car any-m-more." Cassie hiccuped. Charlotte shut her eyes in an attempt to hold herself together.

"I know baby. We're going to a friends house for a little while. I promise you'll like it." Charlotte's voice was quiet and smooth as she spoke to her daughter.

"When are we going home?" The young girls voice cracked.

"I don't know cupcake."

Cassie lifted her head and looked at her mother. "Did you do something bad?"

Her question was innocent. She didn't have a clue what was happening, but that one question broke the dam. Yes, she did do something bad and she couldn't forgive herself for it.

"No, honey. Everything is fine."

With that Charlotte put Cassie back in her car seat, silently connecting the straps as the boys watched. She stepped back and closed the door. Instead of walking around to the other side, she walked back a few feet from the impala and slid to the floor. Sitting on her knees on the side of the road she sobbed into her hands.

Sam and Dean got out of the car. They watched her shoulders shake. They didn't know what Cassie had said, but they could guess. They looked to each other, both of their faces filled with guilt.

"Should one of us-" Dean cut his brother off, knowing what he was suggesting.

"Let her be, there's nothing we can do." He spoke sadly.

"She's exhausted Dean. That on top of being wanted for murder, leaving her life behind, ruining Cassie's? She's broken. We have to do something."

Dean nodded. "We will. We're gonna fix this."

Sam saw the look of determination on his brother's face. He knew he cared just as much as he did and they would both do anything for the two girls. Charlotte's shoulders had stopped shaking, she was no longer crying.

As she stood, Sam and Dean got back in the car. She wiped her eyes and took a deep breath before walking back to the impala and taking her seat. Without a word, Dean drove off.

Charlotte was thankful neither of the boys spoke. They just didn't know what to say.