Chapter Three
The Phone Call

Dean stepped inside the motel office a little shaken up. Why did he allow his insecurities to control him like that? It was pretty obvious that the furthest thing from Sam's mind was whether or not they should have Rae with them. He recalled the way Sam held on to Rae, like he might reach over and snatch her away. Dean chuckled at his own stupidity as he approached the desk.

After securing a room with two beds, Dean headed back to the car. At a glance he could see Rae bouncing in the seat next to Sam. His brother liked being an uncle, huh? Well, maybe that meant Sam wouldn't mind looking after Rae for a few hours while he hit a couple of bars. Their cash funds were running low. As he slid back into the driver's seat, his cell went off.

Dean pulled out his cell as he started the engine. He did not recognize the number. "Hello?"

"Is this Mister Snyderson?"

Yeah, okay. "Yes, this is Snyderson. Who is this?" It could be one of Dad's contacts. He couldn't keep all those names straight.

The professional voice at the other end was, unfortunately, not exactly what he expected. "Sir, we are contacting you regarding a Mister Bobby Singer. You are listed as his emergency contact."

Panicked, he turned to catch Sam's eye. "Why? What happened? Where's Bobby?"

"Bobby?" Rae squeaked as Sam pulled her into his lap.

"Sir, I am calling from County General where Mister Singer is currently unconscious. He was found…" Found? Found? Dean's brain short-circuited about that time, tuning in just in time to hear, "…still unconscious."

"Where?" Dean repeated. "Where are you?" He motioned to Sam who dug through the glove compartment to retrieve a pad and pencil. Dean scribbled down the information, hoping he would be able to read it by the time they Minnesota.

He ended the call, staring at the damned contraption in his hand with pure hatred.

"Dean?" Sam's calm voice cut through his rage. "How about if I drive for a while?"

Stunned, Dean took a moment to process Sam's suggestion. He climbed out of the car on automatic, trading places with Sam. Numb fingers buckled Rae's seatbelt.

"Minnesota, right?" Sam asked.

Dean nodded dumbly. The car ride out of this town, wherever they were, was too sedate. Dean felt like flooring the gas pedal, ripping out of this accursed place and over anyone stupid enough to get in his way. Instead he wound an arm around Rae, who seemed to know exactly what he needed as she leaned against him. One of her hands patted his leg and, though he knew he shouldn't, he felt comforted by it.


Sam watched Dean and Rae out of the corner of his eye. He saw the fury drain away as she patted Dean's leg and leaned into him. If it weren't for the fact that something clearly happened to Bobby, and judging from Dean's scribble was in the hospital, he would smile at the influence Rae had over his brother. To see Dean melt for a little girl like that renewed his faith in human nature. Actually, it did a lot to renew his faith in Dean's nature.

He knew his brother was a soft touch. After all, how many kids with an absentee father and no mother were as spoiled as Sam was? Granted, they never had much in the way of money or things, but he always got his way. Last bowl of Lucky Charms? Sam's. Who decided what they ate? Sam. Even now, if Sam wanted them to go somewhere or do something, Dean went along. There might be some complaining and grumbling, but Sam almost always got his way with few exceptions. Of course, when there was an exception it was usually a big one.

A glance to his right assured Sam that the biggest exception to that rule was comforting her new father. "We should eat," Sam suggested, not remembering how long ago they had lunch.

"What?" Dean asked, turning his head slowly to the side.

"I said that I'm hungry," Sam said. "How about you, Sunshine?"

Rae looked up at Dean imploringly. "I am if you are, Daddy."

If it were possible, Dean would be a puddle in that seat right now. Sam clenched his jaw shut not to laugh. This wasn't the time or place.

"See a drive-thru, Sam?" Dean asked weakly. "We should eat."

"Coming up," Sam announced, seeing one just up ahead. Dean wasn't picky at all and there were only a few things Rae wouldn't eat. Sam suspected she would eat those too if he pointed out that Dean liked them. Once they had greasy bags of food, Sam headed back for the interstate that brought them here.

"I figure we'll be in Minnesota by daybreak if we drive straight through," Sam offered as they drove by a mile marker.

"Good," Dean snapped, cradling Rae's fries in one hand while he ate with the other.

"So…" Sam cleared his throat, wondering the best way to phrase his question. "What's going on with Bobby?"

Dean let out an aggravated huff. "They don't know. Frigging doctors."

"The hospital called you?" Sam asked, still fishing for information.

"Yep." Dean shifted in the seat. "Something about Bobby not waking up."

"Snyderson?" Sam asked, wondering if his brother would get the hint.

Dean shrugged, his mouth wide open for another bite of burger. "It was Bobby's idea."

"The name?" Sam asked as Dean took a huge bite. Dean nodded as he chewed noisily. This was certainly not teaching Rae table manners. Hell, they would have to actually eat at a table occasionally for that.

"He came up with it," Dean said around the food in his mouth. "Probably didn't want me to pick a rock star or actor."

"For what?" Sam persisted. God, his brother could be dense sometimes. "Why did Bobby need a name?"

He felt Dean's eyes on him long before glancing over to confirm the fact his brother was glaring at him. Dean swallowed hard. "His emergency contact, Einstein."

"Emergency contact. Right." Sam nodded to the road as he ate his own burger. Since when was Dean Bobby's emergency contact? Bobby didn't have family? He seemed to remember a brother or cousin someplace. He waited until the food was gone and Rae was sound asleep before trying again.

"Dean? Why did Bobby need you for his emergency contact?" Sam kept his eyes on the road as he asked, trying to sound perfectly casual.

"Why not?" Dean did not sound upset. "It's not like he had anybody else to put down."

"I thought Bobby had a cousin or something?" Sam asked, purposefully not looking over.

Dean snorted. "Like she would know anything about what Bobby might be hunting? Please."

"Good point," Sam replied with a nod at the road. Wait a minute… "She? Bobby's cousin is a girl? I didn't know that."

"Yep. She looks better in a dress, though."

Sam smiled, glancing over, but Dean remained somber staring out at the night road. "So you met her?" He waited until Dean gave a tight nod. "When?"

When Dean shrugged, Sam had his answer. When he was in school, of course. Duh. "Oh," he said softly. "Was that when this Snyderson thing started, too?"

"Yeah." Dean cleared his throat while Sam tried to wait patiently. "He just wanted someone in the business he could trust."

Sam nodded at the road. "Makes sense." It did make sense, a lot of sense. He wondered if they dared to put an emergency contact card in their wallets listing each other, under an alias of course, and Bobby. The only problem being if they were both involved and the alias did not match whatever current insurance card they might be carrying. There had to be a way to make that work. Rae was the biggest problem, of course. How could he possibly put down two semi-permanent names on her card when Dean's last name had to match hers? Then again, she didn't talk to anyone but them, so it might not matter. It wasn't until he noticed how late it was that Sam realized they had been driving in relative silence for hours while he ran numerous scenarios for the emergency contact cards through his head.

The lines marking the lanes were starting to cross. "Uh, Dean? Dean?"

He heard movement from the passenger seat. "Huh? Whassamatter?"

"Let's switch," Sam said, slowing down. "My eyes are starting to cross."

"You've been pretty quiet," Dean said as Sam pulled off the road.

"Just thinking," Sam said honestly. "I've been trying to figure out how we can carry emergency contact cards considering all the aliases we use." He stopped the car before turning to face his brother. "Now that we have Rae, it would be a really good idea."

"Yeah, it would," Dean replied, relief flooding his features.

Dean headed around the car before Sam could say anything else. Once they switched positions, Sam studied his brother in the wane light from the dashboard. Dean seemed more relaxed now than earlier. He wondered if it had anything to do with the fact Sam kept reinforcing the status of Rae as a family member.

"So you figure it out yet?" Dean asked as the car pulled back into traffic.

"Maybe," Sam replied, stifling a yawn. "I'll tell you about it in the morning."


Dean drummed his fingers against the steering wheel, his stomach twisting into knots. What the hell was wrong with Bobby? Was it supernatural or just a nasty knock to the head? Why wouldn't he wake up? He clutched the steering wheel tightly, as if it might escape from his grip.

"He'll be fine," Sam assured him from the passenger seat, still looking asleep. That big faker. "We'll figure out what's going on when we get there."

Dean wanted to believe it, he really did, but something kept him from taking Sam's words to heart. There was something wrong. It took more than just happenstance to take out Bobby. He guessed Sam felt the same way, otherwise his brother never would have said they would figure it out when they got there. Crap.

Okay, Bobby was in the hospital and they couldn't wake him. Parents were drowning. Kids had disappeared. There was definitely something going on and it had to be related. What the hell did Bobby get himself into? And did he do it protecting them?

Yes, Dean recognized that familiar feeling washing over him. It was pure unadulterated guilt. Great, first it was Dad and now Bobby. No, he decided, not Bobby. They would get there in time and Sam would figure it out. Nobody could figure things out like his little brother. Well, except for Bobby, but that was just because Bobby had so much more experience. Dad was probably better at it than anybody, but Dean didn't want to think about that right now. So he concentrated on the road and ignoring the guilt as best he could. Why the hell did he head out so far away from Bobby in the first place?


Sam pretended to sleep in the passenger seat while he watched his brother through slitted eyes. Dean was not taking the news about Bobby well at all. They lost way too many people in the past few years, so Dean having a negative reaction was not exactly surprising. Sam felt pretty anxious too, but the way Dean was acting you might think it was Rae or Sam in that hospital instead of Bobby. He decided that his brother had just been through too much and could not afford to lose even one more person. That alone would be enough to make Sam want to solve this case. The fact it was Bobby was cause for a whole new level of determination in Sam. They had known Bobby since they were kids; Sam used to call him Uncle Bobby. No, he didn't blame Dean for taking this so hard; Sam blamed himself for not taking it as hard. Had his priorities shifted? Was he a bad person for feeling some measure of relief that it was Bobby and not Dean? Was it terrible that he felt gratitude for Bobby heading out on this case and not wanting them there? That Bobby drew whatever-it-was out and not his brother?

He shifted in the seat, Rae's head a dead weight on his ribs. How could the kid possibly weigh more asleep than awake? Sam tried to move her to a spot that wasn't sore yet.

"How much longer?" Sam asked as Rae's head lolled back to rest between the seat and his side.

"I'm guessing we'll be there by daybreak," Dean replied, his voice flat and devoid of emotion. Great. His brother was emotionally shut down.

Sam let out a sigh. "How long have you been driving? Is it my turn?"

Dean's shoulders stiffened. "Nah. I'm fine."

Sam seriously doubted that, but driving was probably the best distraction for Dean. Rae was sound asleep so at least they wouldn't have to make any emergency stops until she woke up.

"Any ideas about what we're after?" Dean asked after a considerable silence.

Sam didn't even pretend to sleep any more. "Well, I doubt it's a coincidence that we're going to a lake and it's the parents of the missing kids who are drowning. We're probably dealing with something that likes water."

"Water wraith?" Dean asked, voice tight and controlled. Sam had the feeling that his brother just wanted to go out and kill something.

"Not sure. Taking kids isn't exactly a water wraith's style." Sam found his hand protectively wrapped around Rae's shoulder. When did he do that?

"Come on, Sam. You always have a theory. I'll even take a stupid one right now." Dean sighed at the windshield.

"Yeah, thanks," Sam huffed, rolling his eyes.

"Sam, I didn't mean it like that." Dean cut his eyes over briefly. "Come on, man. It's Bobby."

"I know, Dean." Sam stared out at the dark blur that represented trees along the interstate. "I know. We'll figure it out." When his brother didn't answer, Sam felt compelled to say, "We will."