The Winchester's Hope

1.04 Phantom Traveler

I slowly stir awake as I hear the motel room door opening. I snuggle deeper into my dad's side as I feel him moving around. "Morning, sunshine," Uncle Sam says closing the door. "What time is it?" "Uh, it's about five forty-five." "In the morning?" "No daddy, in the afternoon," I sarcastically grumble with my eyes still closed. "Yep." "Where does the day go?" I feel daddy start to sit up and I whine in protest. "Daddy no."

He tucks the blankets back around me before turning to Uncle Sam. "Did you get any sleep last night?" "Yeah, I grabbed a couple of hours." "You're a liar, Uncle Sammy. 'Cause I got up at 3 to pee, and you were watching a George Foreman infomercial," I mumble as I rub my eyes. I let out a big yawn and slowly sit up gripping the blankets around me. I give Uncle Sam a look as I climb into my dad's lap and snuggle against him. "Hey, what can I say flower? It's riveting TV." Daddy turns the conversation back to Uncle Sam.

"When was the last time you got a good night's sleep?" "I don't know, a little while, I guess. It's not a big deal." "Yeah, it is." "Look, I appreciate your concern-" "Oh, I'm not concerned about you. It's your job to keep my ass alive, so I need you sharp." "Daddy that's mean!" I send him a withering glare. He ignores my glare and keeps talking to Uncle Sam. "Seriously, are you still having nightmares about Jess?"

Uncle Sam crosses the room and sits on the other bed. He passes daddy a coffee and me a hot chocolate before speaking up. "Yeah. but it's not just her. It's everything. I just forgot you know? This job. Man, it gets to you." "You can't let it. You can't bring it home like that." "So, what? All this it... never keeps you up at night? Never? You're never afraid?" "No, not really." Uncle Sam reaches under daddy's pillow to pull out a large hunting knife. My eyes go wide as daddy takes the knife back. "That's not fear. That is a precaution. Especially since I have an eight-year-old daughter to protect and I'll be damned if I get caught unprepared and my daughter gets hurt because of it."

"All right, whatever. I'm too tired to argue." I climb off my dad's lap and go to my bag. I grab some clothes and head towards the bathroom. "Where are you going smalls?" "I'm going to take a shower daddy." "Holler if you need me." "Okay." I go into the bathroom and close the door. I hear a phone ring as I start the shower.

I walk out of the bathroom in different clothes. I'm wearing some black leggings, my brown knee-high boots over some white socks, and a white knitted sweater. I notice Uncle Sam and daddy rushing around packing everything up. "What's going on daddy?" "We got to head out smalls." "To where?" "Kittanning, Pennsylvania flower." I turn to Uncle Sam as he answers. I walk towards my bag and put my dirty clothes in it. I take out my hairbrush and go over towards my dad.

"Daddy, can you do my hair half up half down please?" "Of course smalls. Sit down." I sit down on the edge of the bed. He brushes my hair and does it into the hairstyle I asked for. I go to get up but he tells me to wait a second. I turn around and watch as he walks away and comes back over to me. He slips my white knitted pom pom beanie over my head. "It's cold outside and your hair is still wet. You also need to wear you're thicker coat. It's the beginning of winter smalls."

"Okay, daddy. Are we heading out now?" "Yes, we are." I walk over to Uncle Sam and he slips my army green winter jacket over my arms. He zips it up all the way and hands me my gloves. I quickly slip them on my hands before turning back to daddy. He grabs our bags and we make our way out of the motel.

—

After a few hours of driving, we make it to Pennsylvania. We head inside the hangar and make our way towards Jerry. "Thanks for making the trip so quick. I ought to be doing you guys a favor, not the other way around. Dean and your dad really helped me out." "Yeah, he told me. It was a poltergeist?" A man walking by seems to have heard that last part. He speaks up. "Poltergeist? Man, I loved that movie." I giggle as Jerry gives him a stern look before turning to us.