First off, I apologize for the abrupt switch midway between present and past tense. Present tense just wasn't working for me, and I was too lazy to fix it (hee, read that sentence a few times)
Sami has never been a huge fan of Halloween, for obvious reasons. Having grown up with real witches and goblins, she doesn't get the same kick out of dressing up that everyone else does. Unfortunately, nobody else on campus seems to share her opinions – particularly not her boyfriend, who walks out of their bedroom dressed to the nines – black trousers, white tuxedo shirt, black cape and shellacked hair. And while Sami kind of wants to tell him that out of all the vamps she's met, she's never met one in a cape, she mostly just likes looking at the way his ass fills out those pants.
"Sami," He grins, his teeth almost as white as his painted face. "Get a move on, would you? We were supposed to be there fifteen minutes ago."
Sami sighs. Jes rolls his eyes. "Sami! You coming, or what?"
"Do I have to?"
Jes sidles up to her, cocky grin still on his face. "Yes. It'll be fun. And where is your costume?"
Sami rolls her eyes. "Please. Halloween is just a time for girls to tramp it up."
Jes leers at that, bends down to nip at one earlobe. "Exactly," he says. "So where's the costume?
* * * * *
The bar is dark, which is nothing new. There are also cobwebs dripping from the ceiling, and people dressed like complete freaks milling around. And, Sami notices despondently, the drink prices have jumped, like five bucks. She sips at her beer, wondering if it will be enough to last all night. Jes, broke as ever, is trying to mine free drinks off the bartender, who he claims he tutored in geology. Sami kind of doubts that – Jes, a football player, had been enrolled in "Rocks for Jocks" – and nearly failed.
"So," he says, as if he can read her mind, thinking about him, "heres to Sami, and her awesome LSAT victory."
Sami blushes, because Jes may not be all that smart, but he is smoking, and he's good to her. Case in point. "All right," she says. "It's not that big a deal."
Jes grins at their friends around the table. He's already sweat off about half of the two tons of make-up plastered over his face. "She acts all humble, but she scored a 174."
"Is that good?" Corey asks. Corey did fail geology.
"Scary good," Jes says, and makes a face, all fake fangs and lifted hands.
"So there you go, a first-round draft pick," Corey says with a bright grin through black lips. Sami thinks he's dressed as a zombie. "You can go to any law school you want!"
"Actually, I got an interview here Monday. If it goes okay, I think I"ve got a shot at a full ride next year." Her fingers are crossed under the table. It has to go well, it just has to, because if it doesn't, if she chokes or bombs, or. . .Jes, clearly picking up on her nerves, leans over and gives her fingers a squeeze.
"Hey, it's gonna go great," he says. Sami lets out a long breath.
"It better."
"So, " Aaliyah says, speaking up for the first time in the evening, "How does it feel to be the sparkling princess in the family?"
Sami freezes a moment, not quite sure where to go with that one. "Well. . ." she says. "My Dad doesn't know. And Dee. . .well, you know Dee. . ."
"Yeah," Corey says with a lecherous grin. "I definitely know Dee. Biblically, if you know what I mean."
"Ew, gross!" Aaliyah whaps him upside the head. Sami grins.
True, her father doesn't know about her LSAT scores – or even her aspirations to be a lawyer in the first place. When she'd told her older sister, however. . .
Sami, that's awesome! Good for you! Lots of hot boys in the law department!
Give me a break, Dee.
No, seriously, proud of you, little sis. Now you get to play dress up with the big boys every day.
"Your dad doesn't know?" Jes asks, still a little slow on the uptake.
"Oh my god, no way!" Aaliyah gasps. "If it were me, I would be so totally goating!"
Sami snorts, almost losing a precious mouthful of booze. "I think you mean gloating," she says.
"Yeah, whatevs," Aaliyah continues on, waving one lacquered hand around. "Why not?"
"Well, we're not exactly the Bradys," Sami says, and if that isn't the understatement of the year.
"And I'm not exactly the Huxtables," laughs Corey. "more shots?"
"No!" Sami says, at the same time that Jes laughs, smacks the table and roars "Keep up coming, Richie Rich!"
Corey grabs Aaliyah around the waist, tows her with him to the bar, leaving Sami alone with Jes. Who, despite extreme levels of intoxication, is incredibly keyed in to her feelings tonight. Sami grins, and rubs her foot along the length of his calf. Somebody is definitely getting lucky tonight, she thinks.
"You know, seriously, I'm proud of you," he says huskily, his eyes darker than usual in the horrible lighting of the bar. "You're gonna knock'em dead on Monday, and you're gonna get that full ride. I know you will."
Sami sighs, melting a little. "What would I do without you?" she asks, and reaches out to pull him in for a kiss.
* * * * *
It's one of those unfortunate nights when Jes falls asleep first, and Sami is stuck wondering whether she's better off sleeping on the couch, or sticking her head under the pillow to avoid his snores. It's not so bad in the winter, but it's spring, and allergy season, and
"SNNNNNRRTGGGGGGG."
Jes' snores are almost loud enough to drown out the crash from downstairs. Almost, and Sami knows that it would be enough for most people, but thanks to her beloved daddy dearest she hears it, tenses, wonders if she should call the police, or wake up Jes, or. . .but there's another sound, and if somebody is tripping around that much, he must be pretty drunk, and she's pretty sure that she can handle some inebriated idiot who wandered into the wrong house. It's happened before.
Still, just in case, she grabs Jes' baseball bat, propped against their closet, despite her repeated demands that he stick it in the hall closet. She's kind of glad that Jes can be so dense.
When she gets to the living room, however, it's pretty clear that the intruder isn't just a drunk frat boy. Instead, it appears to be a tall woman, and she is most definitely rifling through Sami and Jes' mail. Which means. . .well, Sami isn't sure what it means, but it definitely isn't something she likes.
Hit first, ask questions later
Her father's voice rings in her ears, and she tries to shake it off, hefting the baseball bat a little more securely.
You're girls, so you ain't never gonna have the strength advantage. Just go in hard, fast, hit the balls, and run.
She swings the bat, aiming for the knees. The intruder, however, is quicker than she is, and turns, grabbing the swinging bat high up in two hands. Before Sami can think, her weapon has been pulled out of her hands, and she's landed ass-flat on the ground.
She rolls as she falls, sticking one leg out and tangling up her unwanted visitor. With a rough crack, the other woman trips over her own ankles and sprawls on the ground. Sami tries to sit up, crawls over to the other woman, who promptly grabs one elbow and flips her onto her back. Sami gasps as all the air in her lungs escapes. The other figure leans over her, surprisingly familiar features, glinting green eyes.
"Easy, tiger," a husky voice says. Air floods back into Sami's chest.
"Dee?" She asks, unable to believe that it's her sister's face that she's staring at. "you scared the crap out of me!"
Dee grins, white teeth glinting in the blackness. "That's because you're out of practice," she laughs. Sami rolls her eyes, reaches up, and slaps her sister hard enough to leave her a little cross-eyed.
"OW!" Dean complains, lifting one hand to her now-red cheek. "Bitch! I take it back!"
Sami shakes her head, stands (only a little unsteadily) and reaches a hand down to help up her sister. "What are you doing here?"
"Uh. . .looking for a beer?"
Sami slapped her again. "What," she said, over-enunciating. "Are. You. Doing here?"
Dee sighs, shrugs, and a little of the fight goes out of her. Her shoulders drop. "We need to talk," she says.
"The phone?" Sami points out, wondering why her sister didn't just call. Dee smiles, a twisted, charming look.
"I called," Dee points out. She lifts one hand, four fingers. "Four times? You kept telling me that you were busy and couldn't talk, remember?"
The lights flicker on suddenly, and Sami squints against the sudden light. Jes is standing in the doorway, arms crossed across his semi-massive chest. He's still wearing just his boxers, and Sami realizes with some annoyance that he's put on the Smurfs ones. Never good.
"Sami?" Jes seems a little confused. Not surprising. Sami walks over, slides under one arm.
"Jes," Sami says. "This is Dee. Dee, this is my boyfriend, Jes."
"Wait, your sister, Dee?" Jes asks. Sami nods.
Dee grins, and shifts her posture, just the tiniest bit. "Hey, Jes," she says, husky voice nearly purring now. Her eyes flicker down to his shorts. "I love the Smurfs," she says. "One girl in a world of men. Mmm. . ." her eyes take in his chest, finally land on his face again, and she's freaking batting her lashes now. Sami clenches her fists. "I've got to tell you," Dee says,"tall, dark, and handsome. . .how the hell did my sister nab you?"
"She was the athletic trainer for the baseball team," Jes says honestly, and Sami really wishes this were just a bad dream so she could go back to sleep. She's pretty sure that Jes is checking out her sister, which is just par for the course. And it's really not fair that she herself has to be standing there with horrible bed-head and an oversized t-shirt while Dee, as ever, looks like a Sports Illustrated Model.
"Right. . ." Dee says, and her eyes flick over to Sami. Tall, dark, handsome and stupid, her eyes say. Sami shrugs. You win some, you lost some. "Anyway, I have to borrow your girlfriend, talk about private. . .um. . .girl stuff. It was really good to meet you," she reaches out one hand, gently touches Jes' wrist. "Seriously."
"No," Sami pulls her boyfriend's hand back, because she learned her lesson sophomore year, when her older sis made off with her prom date. "Anything you need to say to me, you can say in front of Jes." Which is true for a multitude of reasons, not least being that Jes probably isn't bright enough to understand anything, and definitely isn't bright enough to get the facts straight when he's sharing the story.
"Okay," Dee says. She bites her lower lip for a moment, seeming to think. "Dad's kind of. . .missing. He hasn't been home in a few days."
"So he got drunk and hooked up with some ho on the strip," Sami shrugs. "He'll stumble back in eventually."
"No, Sami," Dee says, and all joking has disappeared from her face, and all flirting. She doesn't look as pretty this way – she looks hard, and stern. "Dad's on a hunting trip. And he hasn't been home in a few days."
Sami sighs, pats Jes on the arm. "Go ahead back to bed," she says to her boyfriend. "We're going to talk outside for a minute."
Jes shrugs, probably already half-asleep again, and wanders back to the bedroom. Sami decides that Dee can wait long enough for her to admire the view. When she turns back, it's clear that her sister had the same thought.
"Dee, mine," Sami says firmly. Dee just grins back.
"For now."
* * * * *
It doesn't take long before they hear Jes' snores ripping the small apartment apart. It's enough time, however, for Sami to have scrounged up a pair of Coors, and for Dee to have deposited a pair of foul-smelling boots just outside the doorway.
"So let me get this straight," Sami says with a sigh. "Dad's missing, and you're wigging out."
"No," Dee says, a little petulantly. "It's just. . .the man can't cook, he can't sew, he's barely functional."
"Okay. . .let's ignore the blatant falsity there. . ." Sami sighs. "You're saying that you want me to help you hunt Dad."
"You're not listening," Dee says in frustration, running a hand through short, blonde hair. "He's missing, probably in trouble, and I need you to help me find him."
"You remember the poltergeist in Amherst? Or the Devil's Gate in Clifton? He was missing then, too. He's always missing, and he's always fine."
Dee rolls her eyes. "Listen, when's the last time I asked for your help, Sami? I'm asking, here. You gonna help me out, or not?"
Sami considers. She really does. On the one hand, she made herself a promise, years ago, and she's terrified that if she breaks it now, she'll get sucked back into her family's twisted world. But on the other hand, this is Dee, who practically raised her, who bought her tampons when she got her period, and spread heinous rumors about the mean girls who tried to pick on her, who explained birth control, and who still called every Sunday morning to check in, even though their father forbade it.
"No," she said finally. "I'm not?"
Dee's eyes showed her sense of betrayal, even if her voice was flat. "Why not?"
"I swore that I was done hunting," Sami said. "For good."
Dee stood up, finished the rest of her beer in one chug, threw it in the wastebasket. "It wasn't all that bad, Sami."
Sami laughed at that, sharp and short and bitter. "When I told Dad that I was afraid of the monster in the closet, he gave me a .45."
"Which came in useful when Rick Holter tried to feel you up under the bleachers, if I recall," Dee said.
"I don't care!" Sami yelled, a little too loud. And, sure, she did care, and it had been pretty damn funny to see the look on Rick's face when she pulled out the gun, but at nine years old, in a creepy hotel room with mirrors on the closet doors, it hadn't been funny at all.
"Besides," Dee said. "We save a lot of people."
"And that's what I'm going to do here," Sami said. "Just. . .you know. . .legally."
"Yeah, whatever," Dee shook her head. "So you just want to stay here, live an apple pie type of life? With a hottie to warm your bed?"
Sami shrugged. "Jes makes me feel safe," she said finally. "I can't remember the last time I felt safe."
Wrong move. Dee turned to look at her, green eyes meeting hazel. Softly, Dee said, "Me, neither."
* * * * *
Sami wasn't surprised when Dee opened the back of the Impala to show it filled with weapons. She was a little surprised that the dreamcatcher she'd made it second grade was still hanging from left corner, but kept her mouth closed. Dee pulled out a shutgun, used it to brace the trunk open, started rooting through.
"Where the hell did I leave that thing. . ."
"So while Dad was hunting, where were you?" Sami tried to lean nonchalantly against the Impala's side, but it was pretty hard to be nonchalant when your older sister was haphazardly shoving aside weaponry. Including, Sami realized with a hint of greed, a massive machete. Sweet.
"The voodoo thing, in New Orleans. I told you about it," Dee said. She seemed to find what she was looking for. Sami, meanwhile, was shocked.
"Wait, the voodoo thing was a solo job? Dad let you go solo?"
"Sami, seriously?" Dee glanced up, raised an eyebrow. "I'm 26."
"Yeah. . .I just can't believe Dad would give up decent cooking for that long."
Dee grinned, stood, several papers clutched in her hands. Newspaper clippings, Sami realized. She glanced through them, while Dee pulled out a cell phone. All disappearances, in and around Jericho California.
"Dad left for this three weeks ago," Dee said. "I haven't heard jack from him, which is bad enough—"
Truer words hadn't been spoken, Sami thought. Ever since Dee was sixteen and had gotten in trouble with a boy, their father had been obsessive. Phone calls every night at eleven if they weren't home. Her phone calls had stopped the day she'd packed for Stanford, but she knew from her sister's whining that hers never had. Probably just as well. Dee had a tendency to get in more. . .situations, anyway.
"Then I got this voicemail." Dee held the phone up so they could both listen.
The message was broken up, full of static, but the voice was very familiar. Definitely John Winchester.
"Dee. . .something big is starting to happen. . .I need to try and figure out what's going on. It may. . .be very careful, pumpkin. We're all in danger."
"You know there's EVP on that?" Sami asked, almost wanted to hit herself in the head. Of course Dee knew there was EVP. For once her sister wasn't a smartass, just nodded.
"Yeah. I ran it back, took out the hiss, and. . ."
Played the tape again. This time, a woman's voice, slow and sad
"I can never go home again."
"Huh," Sami said. The words rang true. "Never go home. . ."
Dee threw the papers back in the trunk, moved the shotgun, slammed the whole thing shut. Turned to Sami, hands on hips, scowl on her face. "Seriously, Sami, four years you've been gone, and I never asked you for a thing. Please. I'm begging here."
Sami bit her lip. "Fine," she said finally. "But I have to be back first thing Monday."
"Oh, yeah!" Dee's face lit up in a grin again. "The interview. We can make it work."
* * * * *
Jes, who normally could (and had) slept through hurricanes and tornadoes, woke up while Sami was packing up a duffel. He rolled over lazily, blinking sleep out of his eyes.
"Where you going?" he asked. "your dad okay?"
"Yeah, just holed up with his buddies Jim, Jack, and Jose," Sami said. "Dee needs help bringing him back."
"Oh, okay," Jes said with another yawn. "Have fun." He was back asleep almost before he'd finished the words.
"Sleep tight, baby," Sami said.
Let me know if you like it. I'll finish the episode no matter what, but if no one likes it, we'll leave it at that. This is really just an attempt to stave off writer's block. If you like the idea, let me know what episodes you'd like covered. Some, of course, would be more. . .interesting. . .from a different POV.