Could it be Vertigo Ch. 3
Disclaimer: Supernatural and the Winchesters belong to Erik Kripke and the CW. I am just playing with them for a little while. I own nothing recognizable in this story, nor am I making a profit.
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Previously: After talking over the hunt with Joshua some more, he decided to hit the sack himself. Walking into the boys room to check on them, he heard Dean whisper that Sammy was sleeping and that he should hit the hay himself. Nodding his head, he returned to his and Joshua's room and shucked his boots and jeans before climbing in the bed himself. He found sleep to be a little elusive however as his mind centered on Sam and what could be happening with him.
Early the next morning found John and Joshua up just after sunrise, both hunters eager to get the hunt started. Deciding to allow the boys just a little more time to sleep in, John took a quick shower while Joshua gathered his things together. Standing under the pulsating water, John hoped that Sammy would be feeling better today and ready to start the hunt. He didn't need the aggravation of worrying about his youngest when things were going to be bad enough already as it was. Turning off the water and stepping out of the shower, he quickly toweled himself off and dressed in a torn pair of jeans and his olive drab USMC t-shirt. Upon opening the bathroom door and exiting the bathroom in a cloud of steam, he was surprised to see both of his boys dressed and ready to leave, their duffle bags in hand. "Hmm, guess the sound of the shower woke them up." He thought to himself as he picked up his boots and carried them over near his bed.
Sitting on his bed to pull on his sock and boots, he took the time to visually assess how his youngest child looked. He was happy to note that he didn't seem to be quite as pale this morning and the dark smudges under his eyes weren't as pronounced as they had been the night before. Maybe his baby boy really was just carsick like he had claimed, but he had to be sure. "Sam, you up for this hunt this morning?" He questioned wanting to hear from Sammy himself that he felt fine enough to hunt.
"Yes Sir, M'fine." Sam replied as he looked his father in the eyes. He had actually gotten a full night of sleep and it left him feeling more rested than he had felt in a long time. Sure, he had felt a wave of vertigo upon waking, but it quickly passed and he saw no reason to bother his family about it. His dad would just tell him to suck it up anyway, so why even bother.
"Glad to hear it kiddo." John stated as he retrieved his duffle bag from the floor and hefted it onto his shoulder. "Let's get this show on the road." He stated with a smile as he turned and walked out the door and over to the gleaming, black Impala. Opening up the trunk, he slung his duffle bag inside and waited for his boys to do the same. "Joshua, you take the lead and we'll follow behind you." John informed his hunter friend as he climbed in behind the wheel, with Dean taking the shotgun position and Sammy sitting in the back.
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Following Joshua down the road approximately an hour later, John couldn't help but take furtive glances at Sam wondering how his youngest was truly doing. He looked to be healthy enough, but if he had taken anything, John knew it would take a little while for it to kick in. "At least he doesn't seem to be disoriented at all." Thought John knowing that would be one of the signs that Sammy was high.
"Dad, I told you I'm fine, you don't have to keep looking at me." Sam stated noticing how much his dad had been watching him through the rearview mirror. Honestly. It was making him feel uncomfortable to be under such close scrutiny and he wondered why in the world his dad was suddenly so interested in his health all of the sudden. Hell, every other time it was always left up to Dean to take care of and watch over him.
"Just making sure Sam, we don't need things going south on this hunt." John replied as he glanced at Sammy once more.
Sam became angered at hearing his dad's words. He knew what his dad was really thinking. "What you really mean is you don't want ME screwing up on the hunt."
"Sam don't start with me." John ordered with a forceful tone as he glared at his youngest through the rearview mirror. "I am in no mood for your attitude today so just knock it off."
"It's what you meant and you damn well know it." Sam muttered under his breath as he stared daggers at the back of his father's head.
"Damn it Sammy, don't make me stop this car and deal with that attitude of yours." John seethed to his insubordinate son.
"Alright you two, that's enough." Dean said as he rolled his eyes. He knew it was too much to hope for that this hunt would go off without his dad and Sammy fighting once again. He couldn't blame his dad for being upset with the way Sammy was talking back to him, but then he couldn't blame his brother for feeling the way he did either since their dad had been on his case for a while now. He wondered if the fighting would escalate to the point that would shatter their small family one day. "Sammy, please, just give it a break for now." Dean pleaded as he turned around to face his sibling.
Crossing his arms in front of his chest, Sam gave Dean a hurt look before turning his misted eyes to the scenery outside the window. He wished Dean would back him up more often in the arguments he had with their dad, but no, he just always played the peacemaker between the two of them.
Sighing, Dean turned back around and stared out the front window. He wondered if his dad and Sammy would ever see what their bickering and fighting was doing to him. He hated being caught in the middle all the time and having to negotiate the peace between the two of them. An uncomfortable silence took over the Impala as the occupants inside sat lost in their own thoughts about the incident that had just occurred between them, each feeling they were justified in their reasoning.
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Arriving at the base of the mountain where most of the killings had occurred, Joshua pulled his metallic blue, king cab pickup truck into a remote area that was relatively well hidden from view by the brush surrounding it. Climbing out of the vehicle, he watched as John pulled in beside him and parked the classic car before the Winchesters clibed out themselves. Gathering his hunting gear together, he waited for the Winchesters to do the same. As he waited, he noticed the tenseness that seemed to radiate between them. "Everything alright?" He questioned of John as the hunter walked up beside him.
"Teenagers." John grumbled as he stuck his flare gun into the back of his jeans and then slung his bag over his shoulders. He figured he didn't have to say anything more knowing that one word should get his point across sufficiently.
Joshua just shook his head as they started the trek to the area where most of the deaths had occurred. He knew how stubborn John was and had noticed more than once how hard he was on his boys at times. He couldn't blame them for rebelling against their father's way of doing things once in a while, he just hoped it wouldn't affect the outcome of the hunt. The last thing he wanted was to see either of John's boys hurt because their minds were occupied with hurt feelings instead of being on the hunt like they should be.
Hanging back a little so that his little brother could catch up to him, Dean wrapped an arm around his brother's shoulder and asked "Are you okay Sammy?" He could feel the despondent vibes coming off of his little brother and he couldn't stand to see him so unhappy.
"M'fine." Sam stated simply, shrugging off Dean's arm as he began to walk at a more brisk pace. He didn't feel like talking at the moment and he just wanted to concentrate on what was going on, especially since he was now hearing a slight ringing sound in his ears. He didn't worry about it however figuring it was because of the pressure build up he had been feeling over the last day or so. Making a mental note to himself, he decided to ask Dean to get him some ear drops when they got back to town.
Sighing once again, Dean jogged to catch up with his brother and walked silently beside him hoping Sam would see it as a show of support. He knew with the mood that Sammy was in now, that it was just best to leave him alone so that he could work things through on his own. But one thing was for damn sure, Sammy was going to talk to him when they got back to town whether he liked it or not.
It took the better part of the early afternoon to hike to the site where the killings had actually taken place. Scanning the perimeter of what had been an abandoned camping area, Joshua and the Winchesters took a few minutes to sit down and discuss their plan to find the wendigos, if indeed there was two, as well as get a few moments of rest. Placing a map on the ground, Joshua pointed to their present location. "As best I can figure, this is about the area where we are now. From what I have been able to establish, the wendigo is most likely making it's homebase in the Crystal Cave Mines, which is located here." Joshua informed the others as he pointed to an area a little north of where they were now on the small map.
"What makes you think that?" Dean questioned, intrigued as to why Joshua mentioned a specific place instead of circling a generalized area.
"Wendigos like to stick to a certain area when it comes to hunting prey. They feel more secure when they hunt in their own environment as opposed to a location unknown to them. And seeing as how this mine is the only one located within a fifty mile radius of the killing, I figure it's our best shot." Joshua replied.
"Shhh, did you hear that?" John questioned as his ears picked up a barely audible sound and his eyes began to quickly scan the area around them.
"Hear what?" Joshua whispered as he too began to scan the woods around them. He knew that the creature they were hunting could be hiding behind, or even up in any of the trees which surrounded them and it left him feeling the rush of adrenaline that always came with the hunt.
"I could have sworn I hear a guttural growling sound." John answered just loud enough for the others to hear as he pulled his flare gun from the back of his jeans. He didn't need to look to know that the others had done the same.
Flare Gun in hand, Joshua quickly scanned the direction opposite of the one John was facing knowing that they needed to keep all sides covered since wendigos were known to have inhuman speed. The last thing the needed was one of the damn things surprising them from the back with them totally unaware. "Anybody see anything?" He queried as he kept his eyes moving in a constant search pattern for the wendigo.
"Nothing yet" Dean answered as he took a quick glance Sammy's way to check on him before returning his attention to the dense wooded area ahead. He couldn't help but worry about his baby brother since he had been sick the day before. Sure, it could have just been carsickness as Sammy claimed, but he had a gut feeling that it was something more.
Catching a glimpse of a quickly moving shadow out of the side of his eye, John never bothered to answer the question as he pivoted to the right and took aim just ahead of the fast moving blur. He was just about to pull the trigger on the flare gun when the unthinkable happened.
Seeing his father pivot to the right, Sam turned in the same direction and experienced a sudden and severe attack of vertigo which made him feel like his world was spinning. Losing his balance, he automatically reached forward to keep from falling, bumping into his father's arm causing his aim to go wide as the flare was fired.
TBC
