Chapter 4

The three continued on their drive south in search of a good hunt. Lush green trees surrounded the back tar road the Impala zoomed down. Dean sat behind the wheel, next to Skye who insisted on taking the chair by him. After the night before she didn't want to be near Sam in case they caused suspicion. Sam scanned the laptop monitor as he searched the World Wide Web for any sign of supernatural happenings.

"A woman in Illinois says she saw a piano playing by itself…"

"Probably made it up. Either that or she's a bat who can't even see a person playing it."

"Okay… how about crop circles in Nebraska?"

"Crop circles like demon signs, or crop circles like alien encounters" Dean mocked with sarcasm.

"Hey, finding this stuff is harder than it looks, alright? If you want to have a crack at it, then go ahead."

Dean smirked.

"Dude, you just said crack."

Sam rolled his eyes as Skye bit her lip trying not to laugh.

"Dean, stop acting like a child. People will think you have the brain of a six year old."

"Do you honestly think six year olds would even know about half the stuff I know? No, they wouldn't. So continue."

"Thanks. Um… there are cow mutilations in Missouri."

"Is there a story to go with it?"

Sam scrolled down the page looking for information.

"Yeah… oh, never mind. It just states the farmer's quotes about how devastated he was to wake up and find his livestock slaughtered."

"Wait, they happened at night? That could be something."

"Or it could be nothing" Skye cut in.

"What else is there, Sam?"

"Um… there's, ah!"

Sam threw aside the computer and put his hands to his head.

"Sam, another one?"

"Yeah. Ugh… yeah I think so."

Sam scrunched up his eyes and embraced the premonition. It was dark and the vision was scratchy. He heard the same familiar scream that he heard back in the hospital in New York. It was a shriek from a female, he could now tell. This time there was an image to go with the noises.

A girl hung motionless in the center of the room with her wrists tied up over her head. A scruffy black man and a blonde haired woman all dressed in dark clothing tortured the girl. A leather whip cracked against her back with great power. She screamed in agony.

"Come on, let's leave her. She's not going anywhere, nor is she going to die on us."

The two left the woman hanging to ponder her thoughts and feel nothing but pain. She was bruised, scared from being beat over time, and was bleeding all over. Her dark stringy hair hung in her face. She lifted her head and called out to the one she loved,

"Dean…"

"Sam, are you okay?"

Sam's eyes opened fully to view Dean watching over him. Skye still sat in the passenger seat. Her head was down and her face held a depressed expression. She knew something and dreaded it, whatever it was. Sam sat up and looked directly at her, ignoring Dean.

"Skye… you know what's going to happen?"

She nodded.

"I can feel it. A feeling of pain and suffering… it's going to happen. And sooner than I had hoped too."

Dean looked back and forth between the two.

"What are you guys talking about?"

They continued their conversation still taking no notice of Dean sitting next to Sam.

"In my vision… who were they?"

"They?"

"A blonde haired woman and a black man with dreadlocks. Who were they?"

"Sam, I can't read your mind. I just feel bad vibes from your premonition. I don't know them yet."

"Well, you know what has to happen then, don't you?"

"Yeah."

Dean stared at Skye with a questioning look. Then he turned to Sam with a more serious expression.

"What? What has to happen? Somebody fill me in here!"

Skye got out of the car, grabbing her bag as she went. Dean raced out after her. Sam sat in the back seat thinking about what he had seen. He knew that it was Skye that had been tortured in his premonition. He was glad Dean couldn't see his visions. It would kill him to see her like that. Most of all, he dreaded the future. He wanted to protect Skye from her bloody fate. Why did he have to see these things? And why was Skye unable to heal herself? Sam got out of the car to see what was happening.

Dean was trying to pull Skye's bag of clothes and weapons away from her. She was yelling at him to give it back and let her leave.

"Dean, let go!"

"You're not leaving!"

"Yes I am!"

"Why? You still haven't given me answers. Why are you leaving? Where are you going to go, anyway? Why can't we come with you?"

"I don't want to worry you with my business."

"Then you shouldn't have told us so much about you. Skye, we are in your life now, so you'd better deal with us. If you really didn't want us in your way, then you would have left a long time ago. So tell me, what's really going on here?"

Sam stepped in between them and snatched the bag from both of them.

"My premonition is her business, not mine or yours. She needs to sort this out by herself. I think it's best if we stay out of her way, for now."

Dean looked at Sam as if he was crazy.

"What, are you kidding me? If she's in danger, and going by your expressions I'm assuming that's the case, then I'm going to be there. Whether you like it or not, I'm coming with you."

He said this to Skye. She put on a puppy dog look with her eyes, pleading him to stop being over protective. She put her hands on his arms.

"Dean, I'll be okay, but you have to let me do this. I have to do this. And we'll see each other again… I promise. Somewhere along the road we will meet again. And if anything does happen, I got your cell number. So don't worry about me. I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself. I have been my whole life. Now you and Sam go on another hunt and waste as many evil sons of bitches as you can, alright?"

Sam handed Skye back her black backpack. She dropped it to the floor for a moment to have her hands free for a goodbye. She gave Sam a friendly hug and whispered in his ear,

"Take care, Sammy."

Sam held her not wanting to let go.

"I will."

She loosened her grip and moved on to Dean.

"Promise you'll be good and forget about me for a few days?"

He gave a weak smile.

"I'll try to be good, but I won't forget you."

She smiled back.

"Fair enough."

They hugged each other tightly. Dean regretted his decision to leave her, but knew it was what she had to do. Skye had a tear in her eye. Although she said she had to do it, she didn't want to leave Dean or Sam. She knew only hardships awaited her on her solo journey. Dean ran a hand through her soft silky hair. She laid her head on his shoulder.

"You won't forget me, will you", Dean asked, curiously.

Skye closed her eyes and pictured Dean standing by her side forever.

"No. Never."

They parted slowly, savoring the moment.

"I'll see you around."

"Yeah. Sometime soon, I hope."

She picked up her bag and gently rested it on her shoulder. She walked away a few paces, and then turned to get one last look at them. Both men leaned against the trunk of the Impala with their hands in their coat pockets. She raised a leather gloved hand and gracefully in their direction. Dean pulled a hand from his pocket and did the same back to her. She smiled softly. Dean lowered his hand and watched her walk away into the distance with her black cloak swaying in the wind.