Be Made of Salt And...
Tommy rolled his eyes at his oldest brother. "You know, I sometimes seriously question if you are related to Sam and I." He pointed to an article beneath the red-headed young woman. "She's dead Dean. Apparently ripped to shreds by something the authorities are calling a 'possible wild animal or rabid dog'. Scares me sometimes what people are willing to believe instead of seeing what is right in front of their face."
Dean snorted. "Yeah well, some people believe it's better to be oblivious than to get involved." He frowned. "She looks familiar." He walked over to his duffle and pulled out their dad's journal. After the first time Tommy had linked with Sam, he'd made it a point to keep the pictures that had been drawn that night. "Damn." He held one of the drawings out for both of them to see. "I knew that I had seen her somewhere before."
Sam sighed. "We probably should have tried to find her."
"We didn't get the chance to Sam, remember?" Tommy stated. "Considering that I spent the next week and a half in the hospital because of being stubborn. So don't go blaming yourself for this. If you had one vision about it, if we start for--" He re-read the name of the town. "Mission Falls, Washington it might help. Either way, I think we should look into it." He looked at his oldest brother, who nodded.
"I agree." Dean said, putting the journal back up. "And the sooner we get going the better."
Two hours later found them almost a hundred miles from where they had started in Montana. Tommy was stretched out asleep in the back sleep. Well, as stretched out as his 6'2" frame would allow him to be. Like Sam, he had shot past his oldest brother, but like Dean, he remained shorter than his youngest. Figures he'd have to be in the middle height wise as well. Sam was in the front seat with Dean, reading over some stuff they'd printed out at the library before they'd left.
"From what I've read, it could either be a black dog or a hellhound. Nothing else really fits with what's being said." Sam stacked the papers together again and set them between him and Dean.
"Well, either way, we know how to take care of it." Dean glanced in the rear view mirror, checking on his younger brother. He still worried that Tommy might not be entirely ready for another hunt just yet, but he knew that both of his brothers would be at his side during the upcoming fight.
"He's not going to disappear Dean." Sam had caught his oldest brother checking on their other brother several times since they started towards Washington. "If you keep looking at him though, he's liable to wake up just from you staring."
Dean snorted. "I can't help it. Might have been over three weeks since he found us, but it still feels like yesterday. Keep wondering if this is all a dream and I'm going to wake up with you driving us to get rid of the poltergeist back in Lewiston."
"I know what you mean, but what happened that night in the hotel and again today is more than enough to convince me that he really is here with us again." Sam rubbed at his eyes for a moment, catching Dean's frown. "I'm okay. Just a little tired."
"Why don't you try and get some sleep? I'm okay driving for another few hours at least and once it starts getting dark, we'll be stopping anyway."
"You sure?"
"Yeah, I'm sure. There should be another blanket back there with Tommy."
Sam turned and started to reach for the spare blanket when he got a good look at his older brother. He was sweating heavily and breathing in short, quiet pants. "Dean! Pull over!"
He didn't hesitate at pulling the Impala to the side of the road and coming to a stop. Something in Sam's voice had him reacting almost instantly.
Sam was out of the car and at the back door as soon as Dean stopped. He hesitated only a moment before reaching out to shake his brother's shoulder. As soon as he made contact with Tommy, he started seeing what his brother was dreaming.
Tommy glanced around the clearing. He knew that his dad was no more than 20 feet away, but that didn't stop him from feeling like he was alone. The urge to check his weapon again was pressed down by years of training not to give into such things. Pain was the next thing he knew as something landed on his back and forced him to the ground. Blackness threatened to engulf him and he called out to the one person who could help him. Only, instead of calling out vocally like he had thought, Tommy mentally sought out his father with his urgent plea for help.
John Winchester was a man that few things surprised anymore. The sound of his middle son's voice in his head, as if Tommy were right next to him speaking and calling, no begging, for his help, almost sent him to his knees. Only the fact that one of his sons was in trouble kept him on his feet and sent him moving towards the last place he'd seen Tommy. Several minutes and two shots later, he was kneeling next to his son, who had several scratches on his back from the hellhound and was unconscious. He didn't let himself think about how he'd come to find in his son. For the moment, all he cared about was making sure that the boy was okay and his wounds tended. The rest he'd deal with later, but one thing was very clear. Tommy, his son, his own flesh and blood, was capable of doing things that were strongly related to the dark side of things. The very things he hunted and taught all of his sons to hunt as well. There was no question in his mind that the boy would have to leave and the only person he knew to trust with something this important was Pastor Jim.
Dean frowned as Sam gasped and sat back a bit, then watched as Tommy settled slightly and seem to drift back off into a deeper sleep. "What the hell happened Sam?"
Sam looked up at his oldest brother, tears standing unshed in his eyes. "I saw what happened that night Dean. The one before dad sent Tommy away."
He wasn't sure if his knees gave way or if he knelt next to Sam on his own, but Dean could really have cared less at the moment. "Sweet Jesus." Dean was rarely at a loss of what to do or say, but the knowledge of what had caused his dad to send his brother away was enough to jerk the world out from under him. Slowly, he met Sam's eyes. "Tell me."