Traveling Buddy [Destiel]

chapter 17

The train began to slow down. They had just passed into California.

"Your last chance is here. Are you sure you want to do this?" Dean asked.

"Yes. One hundred percent." Cas replied. He had never felt more sure about any other decision in his life. Even choosing to run away was harder than this. He somehow knew, deep in his heart, that he was meant to stay with Dean. Through anything and everything. He had to be with Dean.

Dean sighed. He didn't want to lead Cas down this road, but there was no arguing with Cas. Secretly, Dean was excited to be able to spend more time with Cas but he was still very scared that something bad was going to catch up to Dean and that Cas would get caught in the crossfire.

When the train stopped moving, both boys stood up and grabbed their possessions. They walked off the train, without knowing what they were getting into.

The train station was basically empty. They were in a small town on the very eastern border of California. They didn't expect to end up anywhere huge, but this town was painfully tiny.

"I think this is the town." Dean said. All he could see is the train station, a convenience store, and two houses.

"Wow. And I thought that other town we stayed at was small." Cas replied. "There's going to be no buses or anything leaving from this town, so how do we get to anywhere?"

"Illegally." Dean said. "We're going to steal that car." Dean gestured to a black 1967 Chevy Impala in the parking lot of the train station.

"Dean, we can't do that. That's someone's car!" Cas said.

"But look!" Dean walked over to the car. "Everything here is wet, so it have to have rained. Since we didn't see any rain today, then it must have rained last night. But there is a dry spot under this car, so that means it hasn't moved since it rained last night. That means that there's probably no one using it." Dean put his hand on the hood. "Plus it's one hell of a car and it's a shame that no one is driving it."

"Still it's morally wrong." Cas said.

"Okay but Cas, buddy," Dean said, grabbing both of Cas's shoulders and looking him straight in the eye. "We're in this situation called an emergency, and we need to maybe do things that you'll not like. But they're all for the greater good. Okay?"

Cas nodded. He may not like Dean's actions right now, but damn did he like being able to look straight into Dean's eyes.

Dean pulled away and grabbed something from his backpack. "I shouldn't really carry this with me everywhere I go, but you never know when you'll need to steal a car." Dean showed Cas a long, flat, piece of metal that he's seen in movies and television shows.

"I've seen those, you can unlock a car door with that right?" Cas asked.

"Yep, it's called a Slim Jim." Dean said, already sliding the tool into the space between the window and the door on the driver's seat. "Ridiculous name, but it's a pretty good tool."

Dean fiddled with the car door until there was an audible click. Dean slid the Slim Jim out and was able to open the car door.

"Hey, could you grab my bag and throw it in the back seat?" Dean asked while sitting in the driver's seat. Cas picked up the backpack from the ground and opened the car door, which Dean had unlocked. He threw the bag onto the back seat and walked around the car to sit in the passenger seat.

Dean had somehow already managed to hotwire the car. The engine was purring and Dean really seemed to be enjoying himself.

"I love this car so much." Dean said, rubbing his hand on the dashboard. His eyes were wide, taking in the curves of the leather and the way the steering wheel felt in his hands. He noticed Cas staring at him from the passenger seat and quickly changed his expression of wonder.

Dean put his seatbelt on and put the car in reverse. Cas tried not to show it, but damn was he falling hard for this boy. The way his eyes lit up when the car started was the same way Cas looked at the fairy lights a few nights ago. And the way Cas is looking at Dean now is the way Dean was staring at Cas. It was the feeling of complete love.

***

Dean drove north for the rest of the day. He flew up the interstate, loving the freedom of being in a car. The train could only go so fast, but the car could move at 70 miles an hour if Dean wanted. And Dean really wanted.

Cas, on the other hand, was fearing for his life as Dean tore up the road at speeds Cas had never felt before. Cas kept telling Dean to slow down, but he could never keep a speed lower than 80 mph for more than a minute or two.

Dean flew down the road until it started to get dark out. They spent the whole day listening to music, as the previous owner of the car shoved the glove compartment full of classic rock CDs. The day turned to evening and Dean decided to call it a night. The car, which he already started calling baby, was in desperate need of gas. Dean pulled into a gas station that was right next to a hotel, just in case he couldn't get the car started again.

While the car was fueling up, Dean opened up the trunk to see if there was anything that the previous owner might have left.

"Cas, there's a key back here!" Dean said.

"What?"

"A key! Like a key to this car is back here!"

"Wait, seriously!"

Dean walked up to Cas's window and showed him the key. "There was this note attached to it too. 'I'm starting my new life. You'd better treat her well.' So this person must have run away and left the car."

"Well that would explain why it was at a train station." Cas said. "They must have been going somewhere new, just like we were."

"But why would they leave such a nice car?" Dean said. "If I was going anywhere, this car could be going with me."

"You don't know their story, Dean."

"Yeah, yeah. But hey, now we have a car to call ours!" Dean said. "Do you just want to stay at that hotel for the night? I know it's not the best but it's close and I think we should give the car a little bit of a rest."

"Sure." Cas said. "Can I go check us in while you finish up here?"

"Alright." Dean said, giving Cas a wad of his cash. "Use this to pay. And give a false name. Please."

"I'll do that." Cas said, getting out of the seat and walking towards the hotel.