Hidden.
Summary. . . . . . . "I'm fine Dean!" It was their motto after all, hide the hurts, suck up the pains, tell a few white lies; but this time will those white lies come back to haunt them. As they take on a hunt, with multiple spirits, will Sam's failing health become an issue, as he hides the truth from his brother?
Disclaimer. . . . . . . Still not mine, but I have my fingers and toes crossed. Until then I'll just continue to play with Kripkies toys.
A.N. . . . . . . . I hope that you're all still with me? Believe me the action is coming. I just wanted to apologize for the lack of responses to previous reviews, work pressure and a laptop that quite frankly I would love to chuck through the nearest window, have meant I have had little or no time to even get this chapter written. I do appreciate each and every review I receive and I thank you for them from the bottom of my heart. Hopefully after grand reopening on the 21st, work will get back to normal. As for the laptop, well that's visiting the computer vet at the moment. I hope that this longer chapter makes up for not replying. As always thanks for reading, Peanut x
Dean's concerns about taking this hunt didn't improve as he watched Sam toy and mess with the food on his plate, his brother seemingly thinking that if he destroyed the items enough it would look like he had eaten. Whilst the shower and good food had seemed to reinvigorate him, his aches waning, his headache easing, the same couldn't be the said for his brother. He took a closer look at Sam, noting the tiredness that seemed to age his younger brother, the red rimmed eyes that crinkled every now and then in pain, the firm determined set of his mouth. He looked away as Sam's head rose, almost as if he could sense Dean watching him. He kept his attention on the cars driving by outside until he heard the scrape of Sam's knife and fork start up again. Turning his head back, he stared at Sam once more, nearly jumping in his seat when after a few minutes Sam spoke.
"I'm fine Dean, so stop staring!"
"You could have fooled me Sam, you've barely eaten a thing, you've spent more time making fascinating combinations. Are you sick? Do you still hurt from the hunt? Tell me Sam."
"I'm fine Dean." Sam ground out. "I'm just not that hungry. I just want to leave, and get on with the next hunt."
Dean stared hard at his brother, knowing deep down that he was hiding something from him, but Sam's infamous walls were well and truly erect now and Dean knew he had no chance of getting a straight answer out of his sibling. It didn't stop him from trying though. "Maybe I should call Bobby back, tell him to find someone else to do this, and we can take a break."
"What?! No, Dean! I swear I'm fine, I just have a headache that's all. We have to do this hunt, people could die. I'm okay." Sam answered, his voice rising in pitch as he did so. Trying to take the attention away from him and back onto the hunt, he calmed his voice before adding." Did Bobby tell you anything about the hunt?"
Catching his brothers not so subtle change of subject, but still not liking the answer Sam gave him, Dean dropped the subject for now knowing if he pushed any further Sam would close off completely and he would lose any chance of figuring out what was wrong. He drank the last dregs of his coffee, placing the cup back on the table before answering. "Not much. Something about multiple spirits rising; apparently the good old townsfolk of Chesterville Alabama, didn't like too much the old worn down memorial to a long since past massacre that was "inconsiderately placed" where they wanted to build new houses to expand the town's limits. Stupid idiots decided to just rip the place down. Now they're wondering why they're being haunted, and in some cases attacked. It was Joshua who told Bobby, you know what that guys like! He wanted to leave the townsfolk to suffer, apparently said "it was their own god damn fault for messin' with what they shouldn't."
Sam chuckled as he imagined being there when Joshua spoke. He hadn't seen Josh in a very long time, but could clearly remember that he was a man of few words, a man you didn't mess with, or more appropriately didn't mess with what he considered to be his heritage. Standing like Sam at around six foot four, Josh still made the youngest Winchester look tiny, his heavily muscular frame intimidating most people, down right scaring everybody else; his glossy jet black hair flowed freely and trailed down his back stopping at the top of his belt, only when he was hunting was it ever tied back. He was a hunter in the true sense of the word, a tracker who was deadly and dangerous, fiercely protective of those he thought highly off, vicious, cold and calculated if you bade them any ill will. Sam shuddered as he remembered seeing just how calculated when he himself had been harmed whilst under Joshua's watch.
He was brought back to the now as Dean called out his name. Bringing his eyes up he looked at his brother, feeling guilty as he registered concern in Dean's eyes. "Did you say something?"
"I said that Josh would meet us there in a few days. He has a hunt he needs to finish up." Dean stopped and stared at his sibling, Sam's eyes dropping back down to his uneaten food, unable to stand the scrutiny. "Sam?" Dean eventually asked.
"Hmmm?" Sam replied, his hand dragging his fork back and forth through the congealing mess he had created.
"Look at me Sam." Dean tried again, adding as Sam finally did. "Are you sure that you're okay with this? Are you sure that you're not hiding things from me?" Dean asked, concern and fear lacing his tone.
Sam had to bite down a retort of "I'm fine" knowing that it would piss Dean off no end, making their long journey ahead into a tedious ride. Instead he replied with, "I still have a headache Dean, and I'm tired, other than that I'm fine. I'll get some rest in the car, I promise." He held his breath and forced himself to keep looking at his brother as Dean's eyes once again bored into him looking for any signs of deception; his breath releasing in a quietly drawn out sigh as Dean finally seemed to accept his answer and stood to go pay the bill. As soon as his brother was out of sight Sam allowed his defenses to drop. His shoulders slumped in relief and he dropped the fork that he was having a hard time keeping a hold of, his hand wanting to shake so much from the pain that was resonating from his damaged back and pulsating against his brain. He dropped his head into his hands, his long fingers kneading at his temples in an effort to ease the tension that was resting there; but no matter how hard he tried to ease it, it just seemed to increase.
He straightened as he heard his brother's footsteps returning, and felt his eyes on him once again, scooting across the worn vinyl seat as Dean retrieved his jacket, a muttering of "I'm gonna go the restroom, I'll meet you at the car" falling from his brother's lips, Sam waited until he had turned for the restroom door before standing, not wanting his sibling to see just how much effort that simple task was for him. He stood slowly, his fingers gripping the edge of the table, his knuckles white, as the room began to tilt and swirl, and nausea reared it's ugly head once more, he thought he would pass out as a warmth began to spread within him until it became a fiery heat, causing a sweat to break out. He jumped as their waitress touched his arm, her concerned eyes boring into him as she asked if he was okay. He stiffened his back as he replied, stating that he was okay, that he just needed some air. Walking on still unsteady legs he headed outside, the need to rest now overwhelming him. As he leant on the hood of the Impala waiting for his brother to return, Sam contemplated telling Dean just how bad he felt, contemplated asking him to call Bobby and ask him to find someone else to take the hunt, but as he looked up he caught sight of Dean talking on his cell, looking happier than he had for a long time. As he got closer he figured his brother was talking to Josh, his talk jovial as they planned working together, and he was loathe to do anything to bring Dean's high back down, instead he climbed into the passenger seat, maneuvering his aching body until he felt the most comfiest, and settled in for the long ride ahead which he knew would be hell.
By the time the Impala's big V8 was crossing Chesterville's border, Sam's pain level had been shot to pieces. Pretending to be asleep, his head was turned as far away from Dean in an attempt to hide the lines that creased his forehead. The headache he had been fighting all day had turned into a migraine that rivaled any pain he had ever felt from a vision, even with his eyes scrunched tightly closed Sam still felt as though the sun was blinding him, somehow penetrating his lids to burn at his skull, all he wanted to do was lie down, curl up in a small ball, pull the covers over his head, shroud himself in complete darkness, and sleep until the pain had disappeared. He knew though, that a sleep would be a long time coming, they had research to do, spirits to put names to, graves to find, salt and burns to participate in. He jumped slightly as Dean huffed out a breath beside him, breaking the silence that reigned inside the car; a silence that spoke volumes to Sam, a silence that told him he wasn't fooling Dean at all. Opening his eyes halfway, he blinked rapidly against the light that set off the drum solo in his head once again before asking. "What's up?"
"I don't know! Ever since we crossed the border every person we've past has looked at us as though we're mass murderers or something. It's weird."
"Are you sure they weren't just admiring your baby?" Sam asked in jest.
"If those were admiring looks, I'd hate to see the look they would give a junker. Nah, something's wrong. It's. . . . . . . . ."
"It's what?"
"It's almost as if they don't want us here."
"You're imagining things."
"Am I? Take a look Sam." Dean asked, his arm gesturing to the few motels that dotted the main road through the town, and the hands that were quickly turning vacant signs over to full. "Do you still think I'm imagining things?"
Sam had to admit things did look a bit fishy, the pristine lots in front of all the motels were empty, devoid of any cars, or any other form of transport that would have been needed to get to this back water town. As they traveled further into the town, he too witnessed the stares the few locals were giving them, and although he was loathe to do so, he had to admit Dean was right, they were friendly, pleased to see you looks. He turned his attention away from the people as Dean's foot pressed down hard on the brake jostling him about the car, reinvigorating the aches once again. Looking over at his brother a curse forming on his lips, he froze as his gaze fell through the windshield and the two police cruisers that had blocked their way, just what the hell was going on in this town? His body tensed as one of the officers made his way towards the car, shotgun slung loosely against his shoulder. He jumped slightly as Dean patted his leg.
"It's okay Sam, relax." Dean whispered as he rolled down the window, speaking in a louder voice as the officer bent to look through at him and Sam. "Is there a problem sir?"
They both waited anxiously for the man to reply, Dean about to ask his question again when it appeared that no answer would be forthcoming, only to stop as the man's grizzled voice finally answered. "No problem, just so long as you turn this car around and head on back the way you came now."
Sam was the one who spoke next, cutting off Dean's smart retort. "We just need a place to stay for the night sir, we've traveled a long way and would appreciate it if you could point us in the direction of a decent motel."
"I'm sure you can read boy! All our motels are full." The man replied, his shotgun moving to rest on his arm. "Now as I said, turn the car around and leave. Now!"
Once again Sam stopped Dean from answering, his hand gripping Dean's to steady his gradually angering brother. "We're sorry to have troubled you, we'll leave." He spoke before turning to Dean and adding. "Turn around, there's a motel about twenty kilometers outside of town, we can stay there." He noted Dean's hesitation, knew that his brother's back was up, knew that Dean was reluctant to leave, that he now so badly wanted to stay here and piss people off; but he had spotted something that he didn't like, and the need to get out of there was growing by the second. Pulling out his trump card he fixed a pained look on his face, something that wasn't that hard to do, before adding. "Dean I really need to lie down, please can we leave?"
Dean turned towards his sibling and noted the tired, exhausted and pained filled features, even though he felt he was being played, he was never one to deny Sam anything so he acquiesced. Nodding to the officer he rolled the window back up before turning the big car back round and leaving. He waited until they had once again left the towns borders before asking. "What's going on Sam? What did you see that made you agree to leaving?"
"What would you have rather done Dean? Spend the night in jail?"
"You didn't answer the question Sam, I know you too well. I know that you wouldn't stand for that crap anymore than I would. So I'll ask again. What did you see?"
Sam stayed quiet for a long time, but he knew that look Dean was giving him; knew that there would be no letting up on Dean's part until he had answered. "I'm not sure Dean, I need to check something out in Dad's journal, once I know more I promise I'll let you know."
Reluctant to accept that answer but knowing Sam would give him no more Dean pressed harder on the gas, the need to find a place to stay for the night growing as the daylight began to wane.
A.N. . . . . . . I hope that you all enjoyed, catch you soon, Peanut x