THE SAVED AND THE SAVIORS

Surreal Late-Night Drives

"You know, I look up to you," The redhead admitted sweetly.

"...Is it because you're short?"

Dakota scoffed playfully before slugging Sam in the arm. The brunette howled with laughter while the feisty girl rolled her eyes, a smirk playing on her blue-red lips. Dakota swung her backpack on her shoulder before walking out of the motel. "Whatever, moose."

"Hey! Come on now!" Sam jogged after her.

Dean started up the Impala and started driving and watched Sam attempting to flag him down. "You run every morning! Put those long legs to use, Moose!" Dean cackled.

Sam sprinted after them before Dean slammed on the brake and, "The Moose is down for the count!" Dakota giggled before sliding out of the car to help him.

Once everyone was in the car, Dean began driving again, chuckling lowly. Sam huffed at his brother before grinning. The older brother switched on the radio, and "Back In Black" by AC/DC began to play. Nodding his head to the beat and tapping his thumbs against the steering wheel, Dean hummed along.

Dakota watched the world whiz by for a while before opening up her current reading book, "Sherlock Holmes." Sam chatted with his brother quietly, occasionally catching glances at Dakota. Dean noticed this, and his apple-green eyes lit up with joy. Seeing his brother falling for someone made him feel like a kid again. And feeling like a kid again reminded him of memories with Boston.

Four hours passed, and they stopped for a refuel. Dean filled up the car while Sam and Dakota went into the gas station for coffee and snacks. Inside, Dakota paid for her food and coffee, including some pencils and a small sketchbook. Hurriedly, she returned to the Impala. Sam paid for his and Dean's food, slightly confused by her rushing out. The cashier looked from Sam to Dakota inside the Impala.

"Is she your girlfriend?" the man asked.

"What? Oh, no, she's a friend of ours," Sam coughed.

The cashier quirked an eyebrow at him. "Is that why she looked at you like you're her everything?"

"Why are you telling me this?" Sam's eyebrows furrowed.

"Just an observation," the man handed Sam his bag of snacks and coffee. "My only advice is: Don't lose ones like her. They're rare, but oh so amazing."

Sam nodded at him before trotting back to the Impala, his face written with confusion. Dean grabbed his coffee and took a lengthy swig. Looking at his brother, Dean coughed, to get his attention. "Are you okay, Sammy?"

Sam glanced back at Dakota to see her drawing in the sketchbook with earbuds. He looked back at Dean. "Yeah, just in need of some coffee." He took a large drink as Dean pulled out of the gas station and continued toward South Dakota.

For the next few hours, Dakota's nose was in the sketchpad drawing. Neither Sam nor Dean could tell what she was working on, but they decided not to bother her. According to the doctor's report from the psychiatric ward, sketching was a coping skill for her. Whenever she needed to get her mind off of things, she'd draw; specifically, she'd draw people.

After a while, she fell asleep, and the book slumped to the floor. Sam reached back and picked it up. He was about to put it on the backseat when the drawing caught his eye. He set the moleskin book in his lap, and his eyes widened in shock. The first page was a sketch of Dean driving from her view. He had his gaze on the road and a small smile on his lips. "Dean, you gotta look at this," Sam said breathlessly.

The green-eyed man looked at the drawing. "Good lord, she's good."

Sam nodded vigorously. "Yeah." He flipped to what she was working on before she dozed off. The drawing was of Sam's nap earlier in the drive. He grinned before writing something on the inside cover. Closing the book, he set it on the backseat.

"How long is the drive going to be?" Sam looked at his brother.

"Well, it's a day drive from Connecticut to South Dakota, and we've been on the road for about eight hours now."

"Do you want me to drive for a bit?"

"Ask me in an hour."

"Fair enough," Sam let his eyes drift back toward the road. 

As an hour rode by, Dean pulled over for gas, and Dakota woke up. She yawned and stretched before leaving the Impala to use the lavatory. Dean followed her, muttering something about wanting coffee. Dakota chuckled as she returned to the car a few minutes later. Sam was leaning against the hood, and the redhead's heart fluttered. "He looks good right now," her mind flirted. 

Sam slid into the driver's seat while Dean flopped into the backseat. "I'm snoozing, so watch the potholes," he grumbled.

Dakota gazed at Sam driving for fifteen minutes, and he glanced over and waved a hand in front of her. "You alright there, Dakota?"

She blinked a few times. "Hm? Oh, I'm fine. I just zoned out, I guess, my bad." She sheepishly turned her attention to the world outside. 

The sunflower-eyed man's mouth twitched into a smile before he turned the radio on low. He fiddled with the nobs before "Halo" by Ane Brun began softly playing. Dakota began to sing along, and Sam joined in. Neither of them noticed that Dean was awake, and listening to them sing. Dean grinned lazily before drifting back to sleep. 

Another eight hours passed before Dakota offered to drive. Seeing that Dean was out cold in the backseat, Sam agreed. As she drove, she hummed along to "The Scientist" by Coldplay. In less than a minute, the tall brunette had dozed off. The small redhead noticed this and smiled to herself. She pulled her coat over him before returning her attention to the road. 

An hour later, Dean awoke from the backseat. He yawned and stretched, taking notice that Dakota was driving. He scooted across the seat and cleared his throat. "How long have you been driving?"

"About an hour now, we've got a few hours left to go." 

Dean decided that now was a good time to get to know her because he could tell her about Sam being head over heels for her. "You know, Sammy really likes you."

Dakota nodded. "He and I have become good friends in the past while, yeah."

"No, I mean, he likes you."

"You're bluffing, Winchester."

"Nope."

"I don't believe you."

"Why?"

Dean heard Dakota let out a small sigh. She glanced at Sam before, "My whole life, the only person who ever loved me was my grandpa. He was my single-family and my only friend. His death, well, you know what it did to me. It wrecked me." Dean hung his head, his heart panging with sympathy. "But now, I feel like I'm finally part of a family again. I don't want to lose that, no matter what. I'll do whatever it takes to stay with you boys."

The apple-green eyed man looked back up, a small smile tugging at his plump lips. She looked at him from the rearview mirror and grinned softly. 

"Well, if that's how you feel, then you'll take Bobby's famous words to heart."

"And that is?"

"Family don't end with blood, but it sure doesn't start there either. Family cares about you, not what you do for them. Family is there. For the good, bad, all of it. They got your back, even when it hurts. That's family."

Dakota sniffed before wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her jacket. "Thanks, Dean."

"Hey," he rubbed her shoulder. "That's what family is for, right?"

She nodded. "That's what family is for."