Hey so it's been a while, but thank you to everyone that reviewed! Special thanks to BloodyAvenger21! This one is for you!
Chapter 2
I was never a studier in school. I barely touched my textbooks or took notes simply because I thought it was a waste of my time. Yet as I sit in the back of the Impala listening to Foreigner's 'Hot-Blooded' I can't help but pore over John Winchester's journal.
It took me several days and three cases of beer to persuade Dean to let me read it, but in the end it was worth every second of groveling. John's journal has opened my eyes to everything that lies hidden in our world. Every nightmare, every noise, every chill that travels down my spine may not be as innocent as I once thought.
It's terrifying learning the truth about everything I thought was impossible. But I can't deny the rush of freedom I get when I read about a new creature. It's like a weight being lifted off my chest and I'm starting to wonder if this is what I'm meant to be doing.
"You okay back there?" Dean's voice brings me out of my stupor as I lift my head from the page I'm reading. I catch his eye in the mirror hanging over the dashboard and nod.
"Yeah, you're father took some impressive notes. He really knows what he's doing." I compliment averting my eyes back to the journal.
"He sure does," Dean sighs unenthusiastically. I send him a fleeting glance out of the corner of my eye to find him staring thoughtfully at the road. I've come to notice he does this quite a bit. Dean doesn't say much unless he's making jokes or talking business, but that doesn't take away from the fact that he's worried. I can see it in his eyes every time he looks at Sam.
I can understand his concern, too. As I later found out, Sam's girlfriend, Jessica died in the fire that ripped through his apartment building that night one week ago. And from the very little information Dean has shared with me it wasn't because of a faulty wire. I may have only known Sam for a short while, but I'm not oblivious to the changes in him. I saw the anger and hatred that burned behind his eyes after every lead we followed at Stanford went cold.
We spent a good week searching campus and anywhere nearby for what had killed Jessica. In the end, we came up with nothing and left with even less. Now we're heading to Black water Ridge, Colorado, following the coordinates their father left behind.
I have just flipped to the section on Goblins when Sam jerks awake in the front seat causing Dean and I to look over at him. I sigh, inaudibly, when I see the sadness in his face before he quickly rubs it away.
"You okay?" Dean beats me to the question as both he and I try to keep our worry to a minimum.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Sam mumbles looking from Dean to the road ahead.
"Another nightmare?" I ask closing the journal setting it aside. I catch the subtle glance Sam sends me in the rearview mirror as he clears his throat, but other than that he doesn't say a word.
I don't take it personally as I look out my window and start watching the trees pass. It's silent for a minute before Dean clears his throat.
"You wanna drive for a while?" He offers casually making my lips twitch into an amused smile. The first thing I learned about Dean is just how much he adores his car. The man calls her baby for goodness sake so he must be feeling really generous to let Sam drive.
"Dean, your whole life you never once asked me that." Sam laughs out loud like it's the funniest thing in the world.
"Just thought you might want to; never mind." Dean grumbles defensively returning his attention to the road. I feel a little bad for him.
"Look, man, you're worried about me. I get it, and thank you, but I'm perfectly okay." Sam lies through his teeth. He can say he's fine all he wants, but losing someone close to you leaves a hole that hurts every day.
"Mhmm," Dean grunts not buying his bullshit either. But Sam does a good job of ignoring him as he grabs the map and looks it over.
"All right, where are we?" He asks running his finger over the page.
"We are just outside of grand junction." I answer leaning forward to scan the map over Sam's shoulder. I take in the large red X labeled 35-111 which are the coordinates his father gave us.
"You know what?" Sam suddenly asks turning his head so fast that I have to whip mine back to avoid smashing our noggins together. "Maybe we shouldn't have left Stanford so soon." He suggests hopefully.
"Sam, we dug around there for a week." Dean sighs exasperated with the subject. "We came up with nothing. If you wanna find the thing that killed Jessica-"
"We gotta find dad first." Sam finishes Dean's sentence with a disappointed nod of his head.
"We'll find him," I say laying a reassuring hand on Sam's shoulder. "And we'll find whatever killed Jessica. I know it." I finish seriously looking into his dark brown eyes. I wait as Sam searches my face for a long time before he inevitably gives me a small smile. I return it easily.
"Listen," Dean coughs breaking the moment between Sam and me. "Dad disappearing and this thing showing up again after twenty years, it's no coincidence."
"Wait, you guys have come across this before?" I ask looking between the brothers in confusion.
"Yeah," Dean mutters, looking at Sam briefly before turning back to the road with a hard glint in his eyes. "We have." I nod my head and lean back in my seat. Obviously, there are still things I have yet to learn and I'm not going to push it.
I pick up John's journal and begin to leaf through it again. This time, however, I'm not looking for fun. I'm searching for answers. If the boy's think they are the only ones with a shady past they are wrong. We all have secrets and my secret has been eating away at me for two years. It's time I put it to bed.
"So Blackwater Ridge is pretty remote," Sam remarks skimming the 3D map in front of him. I stand beside him and nod my head in agreement. We're currently killing time in the Ranger Station until the man in charge makes an appearance.
"It's cut off by these canyons here," I observe pointing to the ridge in question. "Rough terrain, dense forest, abandoned silver and gold mines all over the place." I blow out a breath in awe wondering who in their right mind would want to hike that.
"Guys, check out the size of this freaking bear." Dean exclaims from behind us as we turn around to find him standing in front of a gigantic grizzly. He looks like a little kid in the toy store and I can't help the smile that splits my face.
"And a dozen or more grizzlies in the area," Sam remarks, "It's no nature hike, that's for sure."
"You can say that again," I mutter looking up at all the decorations adorning the ceiling when I feel someone come up behind me.
"You all aren't planning on going out near Blackwater Ridge by any chance?" I twist around startled mimicking the boys as they do the same. The tension quickly drains from my body when I find that it's just the ranger.
"Oh, no, sir, we're environmental study majors from UC Boulder, just working on a paper." Sam laughs easily looking to Dean and me for backup. I nod enthusiastically trying to decide if I'm overselling it and from the subtle head shake Sam sends me I am.
"Recycle, man," Dean grins holding up his fist proudly. I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing in his face.
"Bull." The ranger spits after a minute of looking us over. "You're friends with that Haley girl, right?" I raise my eyebrows considering my options before I dive right in.
"Yes, yes, we are. Ranger-" I trail off squinting my eyes to see his nametag.
"Wilkinson." Dean supplies helpfully. I sigh in relief and send him a grateful smile that he returns with a wink.
"Well I will tell you exactly what we told her. Her brother filled out a backcountry permit saying he wouldn't be back from Blackwater until the twenty-fourth, so it's not exactly a missing persons now, is it?" I shake my head no even though I find this park ranger to be a real asshole. "You tell that girl to quit worrying. I'm sure her brother's just fine."
"We will." Dean agrees stuffing his hands in the pocket of his jacket. "Well that Haley girl's quite a pistol, huh?" Dean chuckles and looks between me and Ranger Wilkinson nervously.
"That is putting it mildly." The Ranger sighs exhausted.
"Actually you know what would help is if I could show her a copy of that backcountry permit." Dean suggests persuasively watching the Ranger's face slip into a skeptical mask.
"You know, so she could see her brother's return date." I speak up, smiling sweetly, when the Ranger turns his eyes on me. He's an older man in his late forties, but it doesn't matter the age. Any man is capable of being charmed by a woman.
"That's private information." Ranger Wilkinson breathes being a hard ass. I nod in understanding as I reach up and take the baseball cap off my head. "I don't think it's a good id-" I hear the words die on the Ranger's lips when I release my hair from its band so it falls in fat curls around my shoulders. I make a big show of shaking it out which only helps in making it even more of an unruly mess, but it does the job.
"Are you sure you won't be able to help us Ranger Wilkinson?" I ask, innocently placing my hands on my hips and cocking my head to the side with a rueful smile. "It would really calm Haley down and we wouldn't have to keep showing up to bother you." I say almost laughing when the Ranger sputters and shakes his head.
"No, No, that-that would be quite alright. Just let me go into the back office over here," he points to a door off to the left while keeping his eyes trained on me. I smile encouragingly watching him go until the door slams behind him.
"What in the hell was that?" Dean asks his voice holding a certain amount of wonder.
"That was me getting Haley's address." I bite turning around to face the boys as I mess with my wild locks. I find them both staring at me with matching expressions of surprise and intrigue. I guess this is the first time they have seen me with my hair down, but that doesn't change anything. I quickly throw my hair back up into a ponytail and put my baseball cap back on.
"Alright here's the paper," Ranger Wilkinson comes out of the back room with a big smile on his face, but his smile falters when he finds I'm back to my usual self.
"Thank you so much," I squeal in false cheeriness making sure to snatch the paper roughly from his hands on my way out the door. I open the door and climb into the back of the Impala as I wait for the boys to return.
"I don't know what you did back there," Dean says getting into the car before turning around to grin at me. "But I think you need to wear your hair down more often." I huff at his statement looking back down at the paper in my hands completely missing the disappointment that settles in his eyes.
"So we are going to this girl's house, right?" I ask, holding up the paper and looking between the boys. "You aren't just cruising for a hook-up?" I question mockingly only slightly bitter now about what happened in the Ranger's Station.
"The coordinates point to Blackwater Ridge, so what are we waiting for? Let's just go find Dad. I mean, why even talk to this girl?" Sam interjects, already becoming antsy. I ponder his question myself as I look to Dean for an answer. He must have seen my contemplation because he sends me an unamused glance in the mirror before turning to Sam.
"I don't know, maybe we should know what we're walking into before we actually walk into it?" Dean suggests with a shrug of his shoulders before he pauses filling the car with an unspoken silence.
"What?" Sam barks sounding more annoyed than anything else.
"Since when are you all shoot first ask questions later, anyway?" Dean asks starting the car which thankfully eases some of the tension.
"Since now," Sam says not surprising Dean or me with his chaste answer. Dean just lets this one sit as we pull out of the parking lot and head towards town.
We're standing on Haley's porch not even twenty minutes later. Dean did one hell of a job explaining how not to blow our cover on the drive over. I wanted to laugh when he threatened to throw me out on my ass if I messed this up. If only Dean knew the number of times I've gotten out of trouble by impersonating someone else; maybe then he'd give me a little more credit.
I'm briefly wondering how I've gotten myself sandwiched between Sam and Dean when the door opens to reveal a pretty black haired girl. She looks young, possibly mid-twenties, with alabaster skin and dark eyes that are drinking us in with suspicion.
"You must be Haley Collins." I don't have to look at Dean to know he finds her hot. I could hear the appraisal in his voice when he said her name. "I'm Dean. This is Sloane and Sam, we're, ah, we're rangers with the Park Service." He stumbles but picks himself up quickly. "Ranger Wilkinson sent us over. He wanted us to ask a few questions about your brother Tommy." I watch as Haley hesitates looking over each of us in contemplation.
"Lemme see some ID." She demands nodding to Dean who pulls his 'ID' out of his pocket and holds it up to the screen door. She looks really skeptical now as she turns her eyes on me and Sam. I grant her a small smile and hope there's enough sweet juice behind it for her to let us in.
"Come on in." She concedes making me smirk internally.
"Thanks." Dean nods taking a step back when the door swings open. I catch Haley eyeing the Impala over my shoulder before she flicks her eyes to Dean.
"That yours?" She asks curiously looking Dean up and down.
"Yeah." He answers proudly standing a little straighter if that's even possible.
"Nice car," she shrugs letting go of the screen door to turn around and lead us inside. However, as soon as her back is turned Dean looks to Sam and mouths 'Oh my god' like he can't believe his luck with this girl.
"Oh lord," I mutter low enough so only Sam can hear. He chuckles and looks down at me with an amused smile.
"Welcome to my world," Sam whispers into my ear at the same time he reaches out and snags the screen door before it closes. "After you," he nods still smiling about Dean. I accept his gesture of kindness and follow Dean to the dining room/kitchen. I make myself scarce as I stand off to the side and let the boys handle this one.
"So if Tommy's not due back for a while, how do you know something's wrong?" Sam asks just as Haley enters the room carrying a bowl of food setting it down in front of her brother. Or I assume it to be her brother from the way she puts her hand on the back of his chair protectively. I can't see the kid's face because it's glued to a computer screen right now, but something about him sends my stomach churning.
"He checks in every day by cell. He emails, photos, stupid little videos—we haven't heard anything in over three days now." Haley looks down at her brother like a mother would her child.
"Well, maybe he can't get cell reception." Sam offers quietly.
"He's got a satellite phone, too." Haley's quick to ditch that idea as Dean speaks up.
"Could it be he's just having fun and forgot to check in?"
"He wouldn't do that!" Haley's little brother exclaims choosing that moment to lift his head and reveal himself. I feel my mouth fall open in a silent gasp as my mind reels with old memories that won't be pushed back this time.
We don't need no education
We don't need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the classroom
Teacher, leave them kids alone
"Hey teacher! Leave them kids alone." I mutter bobbing my head to the music as I flip another page in my National Geographic.
"Sloane!" My father bellows from downstairs. "Turn that music down! Your mom's trying to sleep!" I roll my eyes and turn the music down. Any other day I'd turn it up, but mom's going through another one of her spells. She doesn't need her sixteen year old causing problems.
I'm reading a list on the top ten places to visit around the world when a rustling comes from my closet. I glance over at the closed doors suspiciously leaning forward to see if I hear anything else. After a minute of silence I go back to my magazine only to hear a loud thunk. With that, I sigh and jump off my bed walking to the double doors. I pause with my hand on the doorknob when I see a lone claw sticking out from the bottom of the door.
I smirk then, gripping the knob and swinging the doors open before letting out a ferocious growl that has the little boy standing on the other side jumping back in fear.
"Aaaah!" I giggle when Connor squeals in surprise stumbling over his own feet and falling on his butt. He's wearing his, Where the Wild Things Are; footy pajamas making him look like a little monster. His hood is covered in fur like a lion's mane while pointy ears stick out from the top and he has claws for his hands and feet.
"What have I told you about coming into my room?" I ask leaning against the door jamb and crossing my arms.
"How did you know I was here?" He pouts crawling to his feet. Connor is only six and loves to play where he's not supposed to. But I've noticed it's been getting a lot worse lately.
"I know everything," I smile amused when he scowls and storms past me. However, I grab his tail before he can get too far. "Hey now," I tease tugging him back into my arms where I scoop him up and over my shoulder.
"Sloaney!" He shrieks right in my ear before giggling like a little girl. "Put me down!" He cries in laughter loving every minute of his kidnapping.
"But I'm a big scary monster," I roar slinking out of the room while snarling at anything and everything. "I'm going to have you for dinner!" I growl turning my head to nibble on his ear.
"Nooo!" He gasps fidgeting in my hold. "Don't eat me!" He yelps before I toss him on his bed where he bursts into a whole new fit of giggles.
"Then tell me you love me!" I demand jumping on the bed and boxing him in so he has nowhere to go.
"No!" He shakes his head furiously his blue eyes shining with excitement. "I will never say I love you!" He yells with a kidish passion that I wish I still possessed.
I don't say anything as I narrow my eyes menacingly at him.
"Fine then," I shrug casually before pinning him down and tickling the crap out of him.
"Sloane!" His high-pitched laughs fill the room making me snigger. "Sloane!"
"Sloane!" I'm jerked from my memory when I find Dean standing in front of me. Luckily, he's standing so close that he's obscuring me from everyone's view so they don't see the heart crushing grief in my eyes. "Sloane, are you okay?" Dean whispers bowing his head making him that much closer to me.
"I, um…" I can't talk around the lump growing in my throat as I angrily rub the tears from my eyes. "I have to go." I hiss pushing past Dean to jog out the front door. I walk briskly down the sidewalk and make a right at the Impala. I really don't want to have to deal with the fallout from that anytime soon so I decide to get lost for a while.
After walking aimlessly around town for a few hours and dodging the Impala twice. I end up at a shady diner that reminds me all too much of the one in Jericho. Except this one has gaudy yellow walls and a surly waitress that gives me the stink eye when I walk in. I find a booth in the back with a cracked leather seat that hurts my ass when I slide into it, but it does the job.
"What can I get for you?" I look up when the stink eye waitress stops at my table. She's tapping the end of her pen impatiently against her order pad as she sighs loudly when I fail to answer her fast enough. "Are you gonna order?"
"Coffee. Black. Think you can handle that, flo." I bite, my words coming out so hateful that even the waitress is taken aback. I don't think she knows what to do as she looks between me and the order pad in her hand. Eventually, she just hangs her head and walks away to get me my order. The instant she's gone I feel like shit for being so mean. The woman probably hates her job and I know what it's like to be stuck in a place you can't stand.
"Jesus Sloane, get a hold of yourself." I mutter scrubbing a restless hand down my face. It's been a long time since I've had a flashback like that. Hell, it's been a long time since I've let myself think about Connor.
A deep ache starts in my heart and spreads like poison through my whole body. Not a single part of me doesn't hurt as I recall the little details about my brother I miss the most. Like the way he would sneak into my room at night when he had had a bad dream and crawl into bed with me. Or the crooked smile he would give me when I caught him doing something he wasn't supposed to. I miss everything about him and it's this right here, this agonizing pain I feel every time I think about him, that makes me so cold.
I'm staring blankly at my hands when someone sits in the seat across from me. I don't look up or acknowledge the person in any way because I know it has to be one of the two Winchester brothers. I'm crossing my fingers that it's Sam. However, a throat clears at that moment and I know that my luck has run out.
"So do you have a fetish for diners or something?" Dean asks with an awkward lilt to his voice that screams he doesn't know how to handle this situation.
"Oh yeah," I mock lifting my head to look around the shabby building. "The dirty employees and greasy fries really get me going." I scowl looking directly at Dean. I expect the humorless chuckle he breathes out around his tight lipped smile.
"So are you going to tell me what that was back there?" Dean asks leaning forward to rest his elbows on the table. From the hard lines appearing around his eyes he's not too pleased with my attitude, but if he can be a bitch so can I.
"I froze up," I shrug leaning back in my seat, picking up the coffee the waitress must have left when I was having my mini meltdown. "It won't happen again." I say sipping at the lukewarm liquid that tastes like dirty dishwater.
"Huh," Dean guffaws shaking his head in irritation. I'm testing his patience and I want to stop, but I can't. Not when I need more time to myself. "Do you really think I believe that?" He asks narrowing his eyes critically. "I saw the way you were looking at Ben. You looked like you had just seen a ghost. So you can either tell me what happened or you can catch the next bus out of town." Dean's threat sounds convincing enough, but I know he's just pissed about my earlier comments. Despite his hesitation to let me come, he's starting to warm up to the idea of me and I think we are past the idle threats. But I'm just angry enough to challenge him.
"Good luck with the case." I answer void of any emotion as I slide out of the booth and walk out of the door. I half expect Dean to follow me, but I'm only partially surprised when he doesn't. However, I do follow his order and find the bus station. I sit on a lone bench and wait for the bus that I think will never come until I hear it roaring down the street. By now night has fallen and I have one measly street lamp beside me that keeps flickering on and off.
It reminds me all too much of the last time I was in this exact same position and before I know it, silent tears are making treks down my face. I pull my knees up to my chin and weep quietly into my legs for the first time in years. It's amazing how one person can trudge up a whole lifetime of hurt. Ben is exactly what I think Connor would look like today and the thought just rips me apart. I cry a little harder completely forgetting where I am until I feel someone pull me into their side. I'm instantly enveloped in old spice and leather as I lay my head on Dean's shoulder.
He wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me that much closer to him. He doesn't have to say anything for me to know he's there. He just lets me cry it out while he rubs comforting circles on my skin. I'm not sure how long we sit there tangled up together; it may have been minutes or hours. All I know is that I'm a tired hiccupping mess when Dean finally pulls away from me. He unwinds his arm from around my waist to return his hand a second later to my cheek. I bite my lip to keep from crying further when he starts to wipe the tears from my eyes.
I wait for him to say something, but he just looks at me with an understanding I haven't seen from anybody. It's also the reason I can't peel my eyes away from his even when I feel myself wanting to lean forward and close the gap between our lips. He's only an inch or two away. I could make it quick like a butterfly; light and beautiful. He wouldn't know it was happening until it was over. But just as I feel myself tilting forward to complete the deed he pulls away and stands from the bench.
"Come on, we better get back. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow." Dean declares staring down at me through impassive eyes. I nod and wipe my face before coming to a stand. I follow Dean to the Impala where I slide into the passenger seat and he takes us back to the motel.
I wait until he turns the engine off and is reaching for his door handle before I say something.
"Wait," I grab Dean's arm stopping him from going any further as he looks at me carefully. "I just wanted to say sorry for how I was acting earlier and thank you…for being there. I know you aren't a big fan of me at the moment, but without you and Sam I would still be stuck in Jericho. What you guys have done means more to me than you'll ever know and I'm going to start proving myself. You won't be disappointed." I finish sincerely watching an expression I can't pinpoint scrunch up Dean's feature. I give him a small smile before I get out of the car and wait for him to show me to the room.
He doesn't get out of the car right away I note, but when he does he won't even look at me. He quietly leads me to the room where I go inside and immediately get into bed with a sleeping Sam. Sam doesn't stir, luckily, as I pull the covers over me and turn my back on Dean who is getting into the other bed. But that doesn't mean I don't feel Dean staring at me. It's like I can feel him on every part of me and that, right there, scares me more than any monster or demon ever could.
The next morning I wake up in a rather compromising situation.
"Hey! Love birds, it's time to get up!" I groan when Dean's yelling effectively wakes me up, but I choose to ignore him as I scoot deeper under the covers. For some reason, it's surprisingly warm this morning. I'm content with just sleeping all day until I feel something heavy lying across my waist. Only then do I snap my eyes open to first see a very pissed off Dean before lowering my eyes to the long arm encircling me. That's right. Sam is spooning me. And I don't mean friendly spooning either. I mean full blown legs tangled together my back against his chest with his head on my head spooning.
I'm up and standing by Dean before Sam can rub the sleep out of his eyes. I've been sleeping in the same bed with Sam since my first night with them and nothing like that has ever happened. Yet as I look at the crushing disappointment and sadness filling Sam's eyes I know he thought I was Jessica. I feel my earlier frazzled state slip as sympathy fills me and as I look to Dean I see the same in him.
No one really knows what to say as we look at one another, but eventually I have to kill the silence.
"You can have the shower first," I offer with a smile to which Sam nods mutely before grabbing his stuff and going into the bathroom. Dean waits until the door is shut before spinning on me so fast I actually take a step back in surprise.
"I don't think you should sleep with Sam anymore." Dean says looking back at the door to make sure Sam doesn't walk out. "I don't think it's the best idea right now."
"I know. I'm sorry. I just wasn't thinking." I sigh agreeing with Dean completely. "I'll just make a bed on the floor. It's a lot bigger anyways," I try to make a joke out of it, but Dean just shakes his head.
"Don't worry about it. You can sleep with me." Even as the words leave his mouth I know it's a bad idea, but that definitely doesn't stop me from nodding my head and saying okay.
We pull up to the entrance of the National Park not even an hour later. I climb out of the backseat and stretch my muscles. I have a feeling it's going to be a long time before I can sit down again.
"You guys got room for three more?" Dean calls with a much too pleasant tone to his voice for this early in the morning. I look over to where Haley is standing to find a man holding a rifle and Ben. That familiar ache comes back when I see Ben, but I vowed last night before I went to bed that I wouldn't let it get the best of me. So I lift my chin a little higher and walk to where Haley is standing.
"Wait, you want to come with us?" Haley asks in shock. She skims over my attire as I do the same with her. She's wearing khaki shorts and a black tank top with a light blue jacket. While the only hiking clothes I could muster up were green cargo pants, a black V-neck, and my combat boots.
"Sure do," I smile easily slipping on my ray bans while adjusting my baseball cap.
"Who are these guys?" The man holding the gun barks as arrogance drips from him. I, instantly, take a disliking to him.
"Apparently this is all the park service could muster up for the search and rescue." Haley smirks playfully as she looks past me to Dean. I roll my eyes when I see the subtle grin turning up Dean's lips and I can only imagine what his response will be. But I don't stick around to find out as I run after Sam who has snuck past all of us and is walking further into the woods.
"Hey Sam," I call once I'm far enough away from everyone that only he can hear. "Did you find anything out about what we're hunting?" I ask placing my hands on my hips as I watch the relief wash over him. From the way he was looking at me when he turned around he probably thought I was going to confront him about this morning. However, I'm more than willing to let it slide.
"It's fast, like really fast." Sam begins, adjusting the duffle over his shoulder. "Something similar to this happened a long time ago and ripped a family apart. We don't know much else." I chew over Sam's words with only a little hesitance. If it's fast that means we have to be on the lookout 24/7 or someone is getting taken. Without even realizing it, I look back at Ben. "Hey, are you okay?" Sam questions softly touching my elbow. My eyes flash to his hand on my elbow then to his face. He must realize what he's doing because in a heartbeat he drops his hand. "I'm sorry," he coughs.
"No, you're fine and I'm fine." I shake him off and give him a smile. "We'll be okay, Sam." He smiles sadly and looks down at his feet. He doesn't believe me.
"What, you think this is funny?" Sam and I look over our shoulders when we hear yelling. "It's dangerous backcountry out there. Her brother might be hurt." I spot the source of the yelling when I zero in on the stranger. He looks pissed watching Dean stalk toward Sam and me.
"Believe me; I know how dangerous it can be." Dean bites, looking back at the man. "We just wanna help them find their brother, that's all." Dean finishes turning back around and brushing past me. I look back at the man who is staring between Sam and me accusingly.
Instead of saying anything I just shrug and smirk. Dean said everything that needed to be said.
We spend the next hour hiking through the woods with little to no conversation. It's actually kind of peaceful, that is, until I look over to find myself walking beside Ben. I can see the apprehension turning down his face as he searches the trees consistently.
"We're going to find him," I suddenly say surprising Ben and myself with my proclamation. Ben glances at me with a neutral face as he nods his head. "I'm Sloane, by the way." I smile politely gesturing to Dean who is walking ahead of us next to Roy. "I don't think that asshole ever introduced us." This makes Ben crack a small smile as he looks at his feet.
"Ben," he finally says after a long moment of silence. I feel my smile widen as I give a small nod.
"I can tell your close with your brother and sister. That's really nice." I try to make small talk, but it's a measly attempt. I was never good at this kind of thing.
"Yeah," Ben shrugs sadly. "It's just us so we're all we have." I have to look away when he tells me this. I can't bear to see the grief that lingers in his eyes.
"This is it! Blackwater Ridge," I slow down at Roy's words as I scan the trees around me. There's nothing that separates Blackwater Ridge from the rest of the National Park. It's just more of the same as I walk past Roy to stand next to Sam.
"What coordinates are we at?" Sam questions turning in circles trying to hear something that isn't there.
"Thirty-five and minus one-eleven," Roy answers after looking down at his GPS.
"You hear that?" Dean asks walking up to stand between Sam and me. All three of our backs are turned to the rest of the group as we listen to absolutely nothing. We're standing in the middle of the forest. There should be birds chirping, critters rustling through the bushes, hell even a bear would be nice to see at this point.
"Yeah. Not even crickets." Sam scoffs in disbelief.
"I'm gonna go take a look around," Roy says brushing past me.
"You shouldn't go off by yourself," I state hurriedly not surprised when Roy spins around with an arrogant smirk turning up his lips.
"Don't worry about me sweetheart." Roy patronizes me as he runs his eyes over my body hungrily. "I can handle myself." I feel my nostrils flare in disgust at his innuendo.
"So can we," Dean rumbles lowly crossing his arms mimicking Sam's movements beside him. I stare between the two brothers as they glare Roy down and it makes me chuckle.
"Whatever, I'm going to look around." Roy grumbles turning his back on us and walking off. I watch him go with a shake of my head.
"What a dick," I mutter as Sam nods his head in agreement.
"All right, everybody stays together! Let's go!" Dean barks instructing all of us to follow him as we begin our search. It doesn't take us long before we come across the campsite. Or what's left of it.
"Oh my god." Haley gasps when we finally see the wreckage. The tent lies in bloody tatters while loose supplies litter the ground around it. It's obvious that there was a struggle from the mess left behind.
"Looks like a Grizzly." Roy throws out as he pilfers through the things left behind. I stand back and take it all in wondering what could do this kind of damage. It would definitely have to be fast to kidnap all three men without a single one getting away.
"What could do this?" I jump when Ben comes up beside me without so much as a peep. His eyes are raking over the damage in horror and my heart hurts for him.
"I don't know." I answer honestly, "but I'm not going to stop until I find your brother, Ben." I can hear the hard tone my voice is taking as I straighten my shoulders to appear taller. "I won't let anything happen to him." I can feel Ben's eyes stray to my face, but I don't bother looking at him. I can't without a wave of memories crashing through me like a tidal wave. It doesn't matter how strong I think I am. My past will always bring me to my knees.
"Help! Help!" I feel my heart lurch when a man's cries echo through the trees causing everyone to jump into action. Roy is the first one gone as I hurry to catch up to him. Best part about running from the cops is I know how to push myself. Which is why, it doesn't take me long to sail past Sam and Dean who both send me matching looks of surprise. "Help! Somebody!" I stop in a small clearing a little ways from the campsite.
"It seemed like it was coming from around here, didn't it?" Haley asks bending at the knees to catch her breath. The rest of us search the trees wildly for any signs of what could be lurking in the shadows. My breath is coming in shallow puffs the longer nothing comes out of the trees to attack us. It's the wait that's killing me.
"Everybody back to camp!" Sam bellows just as everyone takes off in the other direction. We make it back to camp in no time only to find all of our packs gone. Not a single thing is left as Haley begins to panic.
"Our packs!" Haley yells looking around the small site in hopes of finding something.
"So much for my GPS and my satellite phone," Roy growls angrily.
"What the hell is going on!?" Haley screams to no one in particular. I open my mouth to answer her when I feel a sharp tug on my wrist before I'm being propelled backwards deeper into the woods.
"You know, you could have just asked me to follow you." I mumble rolling my eyes at Dean who still has a firm hold on my wrist.
"But where's the fun in that?" He grins dropping my wrist once we are standing in front of Sam.
"Let me see Dad's journal." Sam asks holding his hand out expectantly to Dean. Dean just looks at Sam's hand before turning to give me a look.
"I've got it," I sigh fishing the journal out of my back pocket and laying it in Sam's awaiting hand. He doesn't waste any time flipping it open to thumb through the pages until he finds the one he wants. "All right, check that out." Sam turns the journal around and points to a poor drawing of a scraggly looking creature with gnarled limbs and a protruding rib cage.
"A Wendigo?" I ask looking up from the drawing to see Sam nod his head furiously.
"Oh come on, wendigo's are in the Minnesota woods or, or northern Michigan. I've never even heard of one this far west." Dean sputters looking truly frazzled by Sam's theory.
"Think about it, Dean, the claws, the way it can mimic a human voice." Sam rushes on making me furrow my eyebrows in confusion.
"Claws?" I question to which they both ignore me.
"Great." Dean mutters taking out his pistol and showing it to Sam and me. "Well then this is useless." I raise my eyebrow, but choose not to say anything when Sam shoves the journal into my hands as he brushes past me.
"We gotta get these people to safety." He declares heading straight for the campsite. I watch him go with a frown turning down my lips.
"What's that look for?" Dean asks watching me curiously making my frown deepen.
"I don't have a good feeling about this. Any of it," I shake my head and cross my arms.
"Yeah, well, you better get used to it." Dean sighs cocking his head to get a better look at Haley. "Because that feeling never goes away," He finishes walking towards the rest of the group when Sam starts to yell at Roy. I hang my head and look at the journal in my hands wondering if I made the right decision. But deep down I know I did.
The fire crackles to my left as I study the symbol Dean drew in the dirt by my feet. Apparently it's supposed to keep the Wendigo from invading our camp which I find only slightly reassuring. I'm not quite sure how a poorly drawn circle with three dots will keep something as lethal as the Wendigo from snatching one of us, but I've learned to go on faith with the Winchesters.
I shift uncomfortably on the rock I'm sitting on and stare thoughtfully into the darkness surrounding us. It's been nearly two weeks since I put Jericho in my rearview mirror and I can only imagine the rumors flying through town about my disappearance. I bet by now I'm pregnant and on the run from the law. The thought makes me chuckle as I look down at my clasped hands.
"What's so funny?"
"Jesus Christ!" I gasp when my heart slams into my ribcage making me jump and whip my head to the side. I sigh in relief when I find Ben standing awkwardly to my right with his hands shoved deep in his pockets and his head down. "Ben," I breathe, releasing the fear clogging my airways.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." He mumbles sheepishly.
"No you're fine." I shake my head and release an airy laugh. "I just didn't hear you come up behind me." I reveal with a tinge of panic as I peer over my shoulder to make sure Dean didn't see my reaction. I relax when I find him across the camp talking to Sam.
"Oh." Ben frowns at the ground making me cock my head to the side when he doesn't move to say more. I can see the anxiety and worry rolling through him like an endless tide. He looks so sad that my fingers twitch with the need to hug him and tell him everything will be okay. However, I don't let my emotions get the best of me as I pat the empty slab of rock beside me.
"Wanna join me in watching the creepy forest?" I ask with an elusive smile that Ben mimics before taking the seat beside me. We sit in comfortable silence while we listen to the fire. I'm so at ease that when I sneak a peek at him out of the corner of my eye I have to remind myself that it isn't Connor beside me.
"Do you think he's still alive?" Ben suddenly asks turning his big blue eyes on me. "My brother, I mean." My eyebrows draw together as an ache begins in my heart from Ben's presence. I force myself to look away from him.
"Yeah." I nod staring at the moon with a growing sense of determination. "I know he is."
"How can you be so sure?" Ben questions more than a little skeptically making me chuckle.
"Because I have a feeling," I smirk rolling my eyes to give Ben a look, "and my feelings are never wrong." This seems to be answer enough for him as he releases a shaky breath. I give him a moment to digest my words before I pounce on him.
"Are you-"
"Are you and Dean together?" Ben executes his question so quick and so flawlessly that I continue right over the top of him.
"-okay?" An expectant beat of silence passes between us before his words finally register. "Wait. What?"
"Is Dean your boyfriend?" Ben inquires with such sincerity that it takes all my will power not to laugh in his face.
"No," I dismiss the thought with a shake of my head, "he is not my boyfriend." Despite, my initial attraction to the oldest Winchester he's made it blatantly clear that this arrangement is temporary. "Why do you ask?" I question with curiosity when Ben grants me a small smile and flicks his eyes over his shoulder.
"No reason." He murmurs, returning his attention to the woods. I raise an eyebrow and look over my shoulder to find Dean speaking quietly with Haley. They're sitting intimately close near the fire and I realize with a small flicker of amusement that Ben doesn't like it.
I breathe out a laugh and look back at him. I'm just about to tell him that he has nothing to worry about when an uncomfortable sensation prickles my side. It reminds me of when I have to shake my foot awake after it falls asleep. Except this time it's not my foot that's buzzing, it's my entire right side. I wince when the feeling worsens and when the pain suddenly explodes through my body I know we're in trouble.
"Ben, get up." I gasp stumbling to my feet when a low growl rumbles from deep in the forest.
"What? What is it?" Ben begins to panic as he follows me off the rock. I grab his arm and tug him behind me as I propel us away from the magical border. My heart is beating uncontrollably fast and it feels like someone injected liquid fire into my veins.
"Ben!" Haley screams before the boy in question is being ripped away from me. My heart slams into my stomach when his hand leaves mine releasing a shot of pure terror through my system. In a flash, I'm spinning around to retrieve Ben when I come face to chest with Dean. I can tell it's him from the necklace dangling around his neck and his stiff posture.
"Are you okay?" Dean surprises me when he grabs my shoulders and gives me a gentle shake until I look into his eyes. "Did you see it?" He questions searching the trees behind me with a troubling amount of intensity.
"I heard it." I confirm just as the prickling pain reappears in my side. "Son of a bitch." I hiss bending slightly at the waist causing Dean to react immediately.
"Sloane!" He whispers fiercely. "Hey," he wraps an arm around my waist to hold me up, "hey what is it? What's wrong?" I bite back a wince when I peer into Dean's worried hazel orbs before I look over his shoulder to find Haley and Ben watching our interaction closely. Roy and Sam are keeping watch behind them and the minute I lay eyes on Roy I know.
"Roy," I croak my eyes widening when the pain in my side subsides with his name.
"What?" Dean's still watching me with no clue that my attention is elsewhere. I'm too busy drinking in the way Roy is crowding closer and closer to the border.
"SOMEONE!" I jump when a man screams from deep within the woods. "HELP ME! PLEASE!" I'm instantly on high alert when the man begins to beg.
"Wendigo." I whisper only slightly peeing my pants when Dean's eyes harden. Before anything else can be said between us, Dean releases my shoulders to grab my hand and drag me back to the middle of camp.
"HELP!" The voice screams again, this time with more urgency. I quickly fish the knife out of my boot while Dean aims his gun into the woods. I find myself creeping closer to Roy who is standing with his gun at the ready like some hotshot. If only he knew what he was really hunting.
"He's trying to draw us out. Just stay cool, stay put." Dean is doing his best to keep everyone contained in the circle, but that quickly proves to be rather difficult when Roy pipes up.
"Inside the magic circle?" Roy taunts making my jaw tick in agitation and fear. I catch the withering glare Dean sends Roy before his eyes land on me. I can tell he's angry from the way his eyes are judging the distance between him, me, and Roy. As of right now, me and Roy would be the first to go if the Wendigo managed to get inside.
"HELP! HELP ME!" I dart my gaze between the trees when a warning growl slashes through the night.
"Okay, that's no grizzly." I can tell Roy's confidence is wavering from the hesitation in his voice.
"No shit." I growl getting a better handle on my knife. I hold it the way Dean showed me with the blade facing out and to the side instead of down. This way I can slice instead of jab my enemy.
"It's okay." I turn my attention to Haley who is cradling Ben to her chest by the fire. Ben clings to her while she clutches him with trembling hands that display how fiercely protective she is of her little brother. "You'll be alright, I promise." She coos, just as something whizzes behind her making the girl shriek.
"It's here." Sam states just as a bush rustles near Roy and me. I whirl around preparing myself for the worst when a bullet zigs past my head.
"Roy!" Dean yells over the ring of Roy's second shot. I can't tell whether Dean's angry because Roy brought a gun to a wendigo fight or because Roy nearly took off my head in his pursuit to kill the thing. However, a low roar draws my thoughts to the task at hand.
"I hit it!" Roy exclaims turning his enthusiastic eyes on me before he makes a run for it. The minute his foot steps over the border I'm jumping after him.
"Roy, no! Sloane!" Dean's warning ghosts across my ears over the rapid pounding of my feet. It's dark and Roy is fast, but I'm faster.
"Roy!" I growl more pissed then scared at this point. I'm in touching distance of him when he comes to an abrupt halt.
"It's over here!" Roy yells turning around when he finally notices my presence. "It's in the trees." He grins triumphantly spinning in circles. I do the same as I survey the small clearing with keen eyes. The fine hairs on the back of my neck and arms stand on end from where I can feel the creature's gaze running over me. He's watching us and there's a good chance we're not getting out of this one alive.
"SLOANE!" Dean's getting closer and from the clench of my gut so is the Wendigo.
"It's over here!" Roy shouts making the breath catch in my throat.
"Roy!" I cry spinning around to tell him to can it, but the words die on my lips when I find two hands on either side of his head. Roy doesn't have the chance to scream before his head is wrenched to the side eliciting the most awful sound I've ever heard. I can't move or say anything when the Wendigo pulls Roy into the trees leaving me alone.
"Sloane!" I continue to stare at the spot where the Wendigo snatched Roy even when Sam's concerned face steps into my line of vision. "Sloane, hey, are you okay? Are you hurt?" His eyes search my body for serious injury as I try to wrap my head around what I have just seen. Roy isn't the first person I've seen die and I know he won't be the last.
"Roy!" Dean's loud hollering finally pulls me out of my reverie as I trail glassy eyes to him.
"He's dead." I cough around the lump in my throat. "We should get back." I ignore the pointed look Sam and Dean give each other as I lead us back to camp. We keep our eyes open, but I know the Wendigo is long gone.
I don't even stop to comfort Haley and Ben who are standing terrified near the fire when we return. I walk right past them to my rock on the outskirts of camp. I just need a minute to collect myself before Dean or Sam comes over here to see how I'm doing. Hell, I don't even know what I'm feeling. I'm angry that I couldn't save Roy, horrified that I knew he was going to die, and petrified because there is a man-eating monster on the loose. I'm a ball of nerves that I refuse to sort out.
"Sloane," I shift my gaze from the ground to Sam who is standing a few feet away from me. His hands are hidden in his pockets and his eyes are staring into mine with sympathy.
"Don't give me that look, Sam." I sigh with a shake of my head. "I'm fine."
"It's okay if you aren't fine." Sam reassures me like one of the victims he comes across on the job.
"But I am." I nod sounding surer of myself as I push to a stand. "Come on, I'm sure Dean is having one hell of time explaining himself." I catch the understanding that flashes behind Sam's chocolate orbs as I brush past him. I walk to the center of camp where Dean has managed to talk Haley down.
"It kind of runs in the family." Dean finishes right as Sam and I walk up. He eyes us suspiciously when we come to stand between him and Haley.
"Hey." Sam holds up his father's journal. "So we've got half a chance in the daylight. And I for one want to kill this evil son of a bitch."
"Well, hell, you know I'm in." Dean gives us a cocky smirk that makes me want to smile, but I don't give in. Haley and Ben are looking between the three of us with so much confusion that it makes me feel sorry for them. However, Sam rectifies the situation when he shows them the Wendigo page in the journal.
"Wendigo is a Cree Indian word. It means 'evil that devours'."
"They're hundreds of years old." Dean cuts in. "Each one was once a man."
"Sometimes an Indian," I provide noting the appraisal in Dean's eyes when he looks to me. "Or other times a frontiersman or a miner or hunter."
"How's a man turn into one of those things?" Haley questions with a surprising amount of calm.
"Well, it's always the same. During some harsh winter a guy finds himself starving, cut off from supplies or help." Dean answers walking around the fire until he's hovering near me. "Becomes a cannibal to survive, eating other members of his tribe or camp."
"Like the Donner Party." Ben speaks up making me wipe my mouth to hide my smile.
"Actually, cultures all over the world believe that eating human flesh gives a person certain abilities. Speed, strength, immortality." I list earning a nod from Sam.
"If you eat enough of it, over years, you become this less than human thing. You're always hungry." Dean supplies which begs the big question.
"So if that's true, how can Tommy still be alive?" Haley asks looking at Ben who is watching me expectantly.
"You're not gonna like it." I sigh and cross my arms to remain impartial to all of this.
"Tell me." Haley demands stubbornly. I nod and look to Dean to answer her.
"More than anything, a wendigo knows how to last long winters without food. It hibernates for years at a time, but when it's awake it keeps its victims alive." Dean explains before pausing long enough for me to jump in.
"It, uh, it stores them, so it can feed whenever it wants. If your brother's alive, it's keeping him somewhere dark, hidden, and safe. We gotta track it back there." I finish with sincerity.
"And then how do we stop it?" Haley fires off another question as I crowd closer to Sam.
"Well guns are useless, so are knives. Basically-" Dean holds up a can of lighter fluid, a beer bottle, and a white cloth he found on the ground. "We gotta torch the sucker." I stare at the items in Dean's hand with doubt. How in the hell are we supposed to get this thing to stand still long enough for us to light it on fire?
"Sloaney! Wake up!" I groan when something small and heavy crashes into my body. I pop an eye open against the onslaught of light pouring through my window. I'm met with the toothless grin of Connor in his Spiderman footy pajamas. His jet black hair is a tangled mess on top of his head and he reeks of chocolate.
"Connor…" I murmur sitting up to rub the sleep out of my eyes. "Why do you smell like choc-" Every thought I have flies out the window when I focus on Connor. His mouth is covered in chocolate frosting and his pajama's are soaked. "Is that…coke?" I ask reaching forward to draw him to me. He snuggles into my chest completely oblivious to the fact he's getting my sheets wet.
"Noooo," he giggles with false innocence.
"Connor," I sigh rubbing my forehead. It's way too early in the morning to be handling messes like this. "Come on, let's go." I demand heaving Connor into my arms who laughs too loud. "Hey be quiet." I shush him as we tip-toe into the hall and past our parent's room. I listen to my father's heavy breathing for a moment before continuing down the hall to the stairs.
"No!" Connor whines fidgeting uneasily in my hold when I jog down the steps.
"Connor, what's wrong?" I ask furrowin my eyebrows when he begins to whimper softly.
"Don't be mad at me, okay?" He rushes out as I walk down the hall to the kitchen. "Promise me, Sloaney!" He cries hysterically completely confusing me with his outburst.
"Connor what is wro-oh my god." My mouth falls open in shock when we finally stumble into the kitchen. "Connor what did you do?" I gap staring wide-eyed at the mess. It looks like a tornado swept through the room with various foods and unknown liquids splattering the ceiling and walls. The refrigerator door lies open letting all the cold air out not that it matters considering all the food is on the cabinets. Hell, even the barstools that line our kitchen island are upturned making me really curious as to how Connor could cause such damage.
"Sloaney?" Connor sniffles drawing my attention to his wide blue eyes that are glistening with unshed tears. His face holds such grief and terror that it instantly melts my heart.
"Connor, what-" I just shake my head unsure of what question to ask first. However, Connor sees the distress on my face and takes it to mean something completely different.
"No! Don't be mad at me!" He cries, fat crocodile tears escaping down his cheeks making the chocolate run down his chin. "They made me do it!" He wails causing such a ruckus that I hear the soft pounding of my parent's footsteps coming down the stairs. "They made me do it!"
"Sloane." My eyes snap open when something nudges my side and I immediately reach for my knife. After last night, I didn't want to take any chances so I stayed awake as long as I could before I inevitably fell asleep. "Whoa there Elektra, why don't we cool it with the knives?"
"Dean?" I squint my eyes against the morning sun and manage to make out the eldest Winchester lurking over the top of me.
"The one and only," he smirks nudging me with his boot again. "Get up. We're leaving." He commands before turning on his heel and walking away. I watch him go before quickly crawling to my feet. God forbid I leave my sensei waiting.
It's been almost an hour since we started our trek into the forest to follow the bloody claw marks and I have to say I'm having my doubts. Not only are the marks incredibly easy to see, but they're in a perfect line making them easy to track. If I didn't know any better I would think we're being led straight into a trap. It's as this thought is crossing my mind that Sam gets my attention.
"Dean. Sloane." I leave Ben who I've been walking with for the last half-mile to go to Sam at the front of the group. Dean is already there when I join the pair.
"What is it?" Dean asks obviously not in the same mind set as Sam and me. I can tell from the suspicious way Sam is eyeing the trees that he's thinking the same thing I am.
"You know, I was thinking, those claw prints, so clear and distinct. They were almost too easy to follow." Sam explains gaining Dean's attention as he peers at the marks himself.
"I'm with Sam on this one. I don't have a good feeling about this." I reveal noting the subtle raise of Dean's eyebrows as he looks at me in disbelief.
"Don't you think that would have been something for you to mention earlier?" He questions gruffly earning a disapproving glare from Sam.
"Well I'm telling you now." I answer coolly refusing to let Dean get under my skin. If I'm going to be a hunter I'll need to put a cap on my anger. Dean merely narrows his eyes like he wants to say more but he doesn't get the chance when a low growl rumbles through the trees. In an instant all of us are on high alert.
"Where did it come from?" I ask before all three of us whip around to face Haley when she lets out a bone-chilling scream. I'm not surprised when Haley leaps away from the tree she was standing under to avoid the corpse falling from the sky. I don't have to look to know it's Roy.
"You okay?" Sam runs to Haley while Dean runs to Roy and I run to Ben. I'm standing protectively in front of Ben when Dean tells us the verdict.
"His neck's broke." He divulges solemnly rushing to a stand when a roar pierces the silence. I latch onto Ben and drag him to my side when the trees begin to rustle around us. It's here and it's pissed.
"Okay," Dean yells gaining my attention long enough for me to see him shooing everyone forward. "Run, run, run!" He shouts making everyone kick it into high gear as we bolt out of there. "Go, go, go!" Dean keeps everyone moving forward as he easily bypasses Ben and me who are last in line to reach Haley at the front. Sam is lagging in the middle and all I want to do is run until I see pavement. However, Ben is having trouble keeping up and even the unadulterated fear coursing through my veins won't let me leave him behind.
This proves to be a good thing because not even five seconds later Ben trips over a fallen log.
"Ben, get up! Hurry!" I cry darting my gaze around the trees as I help Ben to his feet. I almost sigh in relief when Sam appears on his other side. "Where's Dean and Haley?" I quickly ask when I don't see the pair in sight.
"I don't know. They kept running." He answers giving Ben a gentle push to get him going. When I'm sure Sam is keeping an eye on Ben I pick up my pace and book it for where I last saw Dean. I can hear Sam hissing for me to wait up, but I don't stop until I come across the Molotov cocktail Dean was carrying to light the Wendigo up.
"Haley!" Ben and Sam aren't too far behind me as Ben yells for his sister. I bend down to examine the broken beer bottle with well hidden distress. I try not to let the fear I'm feeling seep into my eyes when I look to Sam, but Sam never misses anything. His face quickly turns from one of practiced calm to pure panic.
"Dean!"
"If it keeps its victims alive, why would it kill Roy?" Ben asks no longer sure of himself or us. I can't really blame him considering we lost his sister.
"Honestly," Sam speaks up from beside me. "I think it's because Roy shot at it-
"-pissed it off." I pick up where Sam leaves off as I shoot him a nod. He peers at me curiously for a moment like he wants to ask me something, but he doesn't know how to go about it. Eventually, I can't take his silent contemplation. "Sam, what do you want to know?" I sigh watching his resolve slip as he grabs my elbow and tugs me away from Ben for some privacy.
"Listen, Dean told me about what happened with you back at Stanford and then with Roy last night…" Sam pauses looking over my impassive features with well-mannered speculation. "I just need to know if you have one of those feelings right now?" I stare into Sam's soulful brown eyes briefly wondering why anything would want to hurt that puppy dog face before I remember we're on a job.
"No," I shake my head, "I don't have a feeling." Sam visibly deflates with my words, but straightens up immediately when Ben hollers us over.
"They went this way!" He shouts standing over a peanut M&M that is only one in a long trail of them.
"I cannot believe this." I breathe out a laugh in disbelief. Only Dean would think to do this.
"It's better than breadcrumbs." Sam chuckles turning his head to give me a sweet smile. I return it and look back to Ben who is already following the trail. I jump after him with Sam hot on my heels. No one talks as we follow the M&Ms for a decent two miles before we come to the entrance of an old mine entrance with a warning sign out front.
WARNING! DANGER! DO NOT ENTER EXTREMELY TOXIC MATERIAL!
"Well I don't know about you guys," I say looking between the two men casually, "but I have never been one to play by the rules." I smirk defiantly grabbing the sign before tossing carelessly over my shoulder. "I'll go first." I blow out a trembling breath deciding fake confidence is better than no confidence.
"Wait, hold up," Sam pulls me back at the last second. "Let me go first. If something happens I want you to take Ben and run. Got it?" Sam stares into my eyes so seriously that I feel myself nod without really thinking about it. Truth be told, if something goes down I'm not leaving them behind for anything.
"Got it." I breathe staring Sam down for a moment longer before be buys my story. He nods and begins his trek inside. I make Ben go in front of me so I can watch his back before following suit.
The tunnels are dank and barren creating the perfect place for a Wendigo to store its prey. The rotting stench of wood and dirt fills my nostrils making me curious when exactly this tunnel was last in use. It has to have been a century because this thing has been around for at least that long. However, I shake the thoughts from my head when I fall behind. I jog to catch up to Ben and it's not a moment too soon when a growl reverberates through the tunnel. Sam quickly shuts off his flashlight while I throw Ben into the nearest tunnel and push him up against the wall. Sam hurries and jumps in front of Ben leaving the three of us pressed as far into the wall as we can go.
I hold my breath to remain quiet, but it seems my heart didn't get the memo because it's pounding obnoxiously loud in my ears. I'm sure that we'll be discovered when the thing creeps past our tunnel and Ben's mouth falls open. In an instant, my hand is covering his and I'm tugging him closer to me so he has no choice but to remain quiet. He does thank god, but no one is covering my mouth which has me biting painfully into my lip when I finally see it.
John's picture wasn't that far off. It's hard to believe that the thing was once human considering it has no fat on its body. It's all bone with a thin veil of skin stretching over its protruding ribs. Little pieces of hair hang down from its head making it that much scarier when it creeps past our tunnel and goes into the next one. I release a quiet breath and let go of Ben who sends me a thankful nod over his shoulder before he follows Sam out of our hiding spot.
We begin walking again with me throwing paranoid glances over my shoulder. The Wendigo is still lurking in these tunnels and it's only a matter of time before he finds us. I'd rather he find us after we find Dean and Haley. It's as this thought is leaving my mind that the floorboards under our feet creak. I stop and send Sam a panicked look right before the floor caves in underneath us.
I've never been on a roller coaster or been cliff diving so falling through the floor was about as exciting as running from the Wendigo. My scream lodges in my throat until I hit the ground with a thud.
"Uhh," I groan rolling over when something digs into my back. However, that proves to be the wrong move when I come face to face with a skull. "Oh my god!" I yelp scrambling backwards to get away from the pile of bones we landed on. I see that Ben is having the same reaction as Sam makes a grab for him.
"Hey, it's okay, it's okay." He repeats until Ben gets himself under control and climbs to his feet. This gives Sam enough time to find me. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm cool." I smile meekly pushing to a stand. I gesture to the pile of bones. "Someone's femur broke my fall." Sam seems taken aback by my response but breathes out a short laugh nonetheless.
"Haley!" I spin around when I hear Ben's scream and I expect the worse. However, I almost jump for joy when I find Haley and Dean hanging from the ceiling.
"Dean!" Sam runs to his brother with me right behind him. Dean looks rough and I'm sure that has something to do with him being dragged here. I run behind him and begin to cut through the rope securing his wrists over his head. "Dean!" Sam shouts when Dean doesn't stir. I watch the dread fill Sam's eyes when Dean doesn't move and I don't stop myself from kicking him in the ass.
"Ah," he grunts making me smile in relief. Sam does the same as he grabs his brother's face in-between his hands.
"Hey, you okay?" Sam asks worriedly checking him over. I have to look away from the brotherly affection.
"Yeah." Dean winces still too weak to move which is why I'm glad Sam is there to catch Dean after I cut through his rope.
"Haley, Haley, wake up, wake up!" Ben nabs my attention as I nod at Sam to handle Dean while I move to Haley's unconscious body. I'm in the middle of cutting her ropes when she wakes up. She immediately jerks against her ropes making me grit my teeth when I narrowly miss cutting her finger off.
"Haley, relax, it's just us." I soothe finishing with her rope. She slumps forward where Ben easily catches her. He guides her over to where Sam has discarded Dean leaving me to keep watch. I stand a few feet away and watch the door for any signs of the Wendigo.
"You sure you're alright?" I catch Sam ask his brother.
"Yeah. Yep." Dean doesn't sound too convincing, but he keeps going. "Where is she?"
"It's gone for now." Sam answers unwinding the excess rope from around Dean's wrist. I flinch when Dean's gruff voice cuts through the silence.
"I mean where's Sloane?" This time I look to Dean who has yet to see me. He's watching Sam with an indescribable amount of intensity and I wonder if that's the only way Dean looks at people. However, his question has Sam reacting instantly as he stops fussing over Dean to whip his head in circles.
"Over here, guys." I cough out gaining both of their attentions as they relax upon seeing me. "Just keeping watch." I nod returning my eyes to the door.
"Tommy…" I look to Haley when a small whimper escapes her lips. She's looking at something over my shoulder and I know it's her brother. This time I hang back, unsure of what the outcome will be. Her brother does not look good and I fear the worst as they go to him.
"Sloane." I look back at Dean when he calls my name. Sam is watching Haley while Dean is looking to me. I go to him without much thought and bend down to inspect him myself.
"Nice touch with the M&Ms." I grant him a compliment while I pat his stomach down for injuries. "However, I'm a little pissed you didn't share I'm not gonna lie." I grin despite the situation we're currently in. I need a distraction.
"You never asked." He fires back with only a hint of his usual arrogance.
"I never ask," I smirk leaning back on my hunches when I find nothing wrong with him. "I usually just take." I shrug earning a bemused smile from Dean through his pain.
"Good to know." He nods, his head lolling to the side. I watch his eyes narrow before I turn my head to follow his line of vision.
"Is that…"I trail off and walk over to the small pile of supplies. I begin picking through the items holding up two flare guns when Dean joins me.
"Check it out." Dean shows Sam the flare guns when he comes over to us.
"Flare guns. Those'll work." Sam smiles victoriously making Dean laugh. I merely chuckle and hang back while the two decide what they want to do. I look over their shoulders to find Haley and Ben holding up their brother, Tom. I catch Ben's gaze and nod.
"Okay, we're gonna get you guys out of here. Stick close to us, got it?" Dean barks as Haley nods. "Alright let's go." We file out of the small room and into the open tunnel. My heart picks up the tempo once more as I trail behind Haley and her brothers. Dean and Sam are leading the group as I keep my eyes peeled. My determination to get Ben out of here is slowly outweighing the fear in my gut as I nudge them to pick up the pace. They do, but it proves to be pointless when a growl slices through our running.
"Looks like someone's home for supper." Dean remarks as we come to an abrupt halt.
"We'll never outrun it." Haley states the obvious gaining Dean's attention as he looks over them before settling his gaze on me. From the resolve settling over Dean's features I know what he's planning to do.
"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Dean turns to Sam who nods his head.
"Yeah, I think so." Sam agrees.
"All right, listen to me." Dean begins, "stay with Sam. He's gonna get you out of here." He explains making me come unglued from my spot to push my way to the front.
"What are you gonna do?" Haley asks earning a wink from Dean.
"Nothing without me." I muster up every ounce of will power I possess and put it behind my words when I turn to face Dean's skeptical face. "I'm going with you."
"No you aren't." He hardens. "You're going with Sam."
"Four's a party, five's a crowd." I fire back. "I'm not letting you go alone."
"You'll only hold me back." Dean bites willing to argue with me when we have a monster on the loose. "Besides, you know the deal." I narrow my eyes debating my options. I can't keep playing nice to appease Dean. If I'm going to be a hunter I'm going to need to experience it all.
"Okay." I nod looking back at Sam before turning to Dean. "COME ON YOU BASTARD!" I yell shocking everyone when I begin backing into the tunnel. "COME AND GET ME!" I scream turning around to jog away from them. "LET'S SEE WHAT YOU'RE MADE OF BIG BOY!"
I'm not even ten feet away before I'm being jerked backwards. My first instinct is to wield my knife, but before I can make contact something blocks me. Of course, I shouldn't be surprised that it's Dean.
"What in the hell do you think you're doing?" He growls and tightens his fingers around my wrist.
"Creating a distraction," I offer with a small smile that he doesn't return. Instead he releases my wrist and spins me around in one swift motion.
"Don't even think about leaving my side, you understand?" Dean hisses in my ear leaving no room for an argument. I simply nod and stay close as we maneuver the tunnels. After what seems like forever with nothing coming out of the shadows I get a feeling. It's not as bad as the other times, but it's uncomfortable enough that I begin to fidget.
"We need to find Sam." I stop causing Dean to whirl on me. "We need to go. Now." I nod, not fighting Dean when he grabs my wrist and tugs me back down the way we came. In fact, I almost pass him up until he latches onto my hand and keeps me beside him. I look down at our hands before giving him a 'really' look. He just glares.
It takes us a few minutes to find Sam and the Collins's huddled in a corner of the tunnel. Dean discards my hand to aim his flare gun at the Wendigo that is slowly creeping closer to Sam. Its gnarly limbs jerk and sway with it's every move.
"Hey!" Dean suddenly yells making me tense when the creature turns to face us. It locks eyes with me over Dean's shoulder and I realize with a jolt that this is what death looks like. I'm staring death in the face. Yet, before the creature can move forward and devour me, Dean shoots the flare hitting it in the stomach. I watch with sick a fascination as the monster goes up in flames before its crisp body drops to the floor. "Not bad, huh?" Dean grins at Sam and Haley who just laugh in relief. I don't have it in me to laugh with them. We may have saved the day, but from the stern expression Dean sends me I know he's letting me go.
3rd POV
"So I don't know how to thank you." Haley tells Dean as the pair lean against his car. Ben and Sam are giving their statements to the police officer nearby. Dean merely smirks thinking of all the ways she could thank him. "Must you cheapen the moment?" Haley scoffs in disbelief making Dean laugh to himself.
"Yeah." He grins deviously before sobering up when he catches Sloane out of his peripheral vision. She's standing off to the side talking to the ranger they had run into before they left for their hunt. She's in a deep conversation with him as he points to something on the map she's holding out in front of her. It makes Dean narrow his eyes in suspicion.
Haley watches Dean eyeing Sloane with a knowing smile.
"Don't be so hard on her." Haley speaks up earning Dean's attention once again. "She thought she was doing the right thing."
"Yeah, well, the right thing could have gotten her killed." Dean mutters to himself reliving the rage he felt at Sloane when she ran away from him to be the distraction.
"It could have gotten you killed, too." Haley smiles softly looking at the red-headed beauty. "She's loyal enough to run into a mineshaft with a Wendigo to find you." She nods looking back at Dean who is contemplating her words. "You don't find that very often." Dean furrows his brow, but nods nonetheless.
"You riding with your brother." A paramedic comes up behind Haley.
"Yeah." She nods turning to Ben who is walking over with Sam. "Let's go." She sighs, turning to Dean to place a chaste kiss on his cheek. "I hope you find your father." Dean's visibly taken off guard by the sincerity in her voice, but nods his thanks. He watches them turn to head for the ambulance before Ben whispers something to Haley and jogs over to where Sloane is standing.
She's in the middle of folding up the map Ranger Wilkinson was helping her decipher when Ben comes running up. Before she can say anything he throws his arms around her in a tentative hug. She stiffens in shock before slowly relaxing and returning the gesture.
"Thank you for finding my brother, Sloane." Ben murmurs into her hair making Sloane inhale deeply to keep the tears from springing into her eyes.
"Anytime, Ben." She nods squeezing him gently before releasing him. He gives her a bright smile that lights up his face before he runs back to Haley. Haley gives her a nod in gratification before the pair climb into the ambulance and drive away. Sloane watches them for a moment before reluctantly walking to Sam and Dean who are leaning against the Impala's hood.
"Pop the trunk for me?" She asks Dean while avoiding Sam's intrusive gaze as she walks around to the back of the car. She crosses her arms and waits with emotionless eyes for Dean to follow her. She doesn't want to hear the ass chewing Dean is going to give her before inevitably sending her on her way. She gets it. She broke one of his rules. Yet, the expression on Dean's face isn't one of anger when he finally rounds the corner to the Impala, but one of curiosity.
"What's going on?" He asks suspiciously. He eyes Sloane's stiff posture and the map she's clutching in her hand with dismay.
"I need my stuff." She answers briskly making Dean raise his eyebrows in disbelief.
"You're leaving?" He drawls slowly unsure of what makes her think he'll let her go off on her own.
"I broke one of your rules. I assume this means our deal is off." She shrugs casually giving nothing away as she levels him with an impassive stare. He doesn't like it.
"So what? You think I'm going to send you down the road?" He laughs incredibly. "No that's not how this works. Yes, you disobeyed me and for that I'm royally pissed. You do understand that you could have been killed back there, right? This isn't a game, Sloane. One bad move and you're dead."
"I get that, but I'm not going to learn anything sitting on the sidelines either." She retaliates resting her hands on her hips.
"You will if you want to stay alive!" Dean raises his voice when he sees that he's not getting through to the girl. Ever since she saw Ben he's noticed the shift in her. She's more impulsive and willing to take risks that he will never let her take.
"Yeah, well, some things are worse then death." She whispers dropping her gaze to her feet. Dean swallows his next words with a curt shake of his head. He scrubs an exhausted hand down his face. He eyes Sloane for a long minute before sighing heavily.
"Get in the car." He responds gruffly. "We have a long drive ahead of us." Dean ignores the shock in Sloane's eyes when they snap up to meet his stare. He walks to the driver's side and holds the seat up for Sloane as she silently climbs into the back. No one says a word when he slides into his seat before slamming his door. "Where to next?" Dean finally speaks up when the silence becomes too thick.
"Uh, let's see," Sam nods pulling out his laptop. While he's leafing through the latest missing person's cases, Dean involuntarily flicks his eyes to the rearview mirror. He watches Sloane curl up in the backseat to catch some shut eye and for the first time all day Dean lets himself relax. Sam's okay. Sloane's okay. He's okay.