Ch 4
During the short trip back to their cabin River told Dean about his forgotten hours starting at the drive-in and ending with him trying to run off and meet Regina. "How'd you figure she was a succubus?" Dean asked her.
"I didn't. I thought it was a Hex or some love spell gone wrong." River answered. "Samuel told me you were poisoned by a Succubus. Regina was the one you were hot to trot for so…" She shrugged her shoulders. "Guess there's going to be another waitress spot open at the bar."
Dean nodded, "And Bobby knew about Sam?"
"Yeah and that reminds me I owe that old fart a verbal ass kicking," River mumbled pulling her phone out of her pocket and punching in Bobby's number.
Several hundred miles away Bobby Singer debated for five rings of his cellphone whether he should answer River's call or let her cool down for a few days. "Balls," He muttered. "Hey sweetheart. How are you?"
River laughed, "Well Papa Bear let me tell you it's been a doozy of an evening. I gotta a joke for you. Ready?"
"Uh-"
"Knock knock," River said.
Bobby wiped at his suddenly sweaty forehead, "River-"
"Knock knock Papa Bear," she repeated.
"Who's there?" He replied.
"Sam fucking Winchester!" River yelled and Bobby almost dropped his phone. "You didn't call us, you didn't think maybe we would want to know he somehow miraculously escaped Hell?"
"I didn't know how to tell you and I knew if Dean knew…"
"You knew if Dean what?" She asked.
The older hunter sighed. "You two were givin' it a go. Settling down, having a life, a place to call your own. You two deserve that. Hell that's all Dean's ever wanted and that idjit hit the jackpot when he met you. I didn't want to see him lose that. I just wanted one of my boys to have a damn chance."
River shook her head and looked across at Dean as they pulled back up to their cabin. "God damn it, Bobby. You should've told us." She hung up the phone and followed Dean to their broken front door. It fell off its hinges and fell to the floor with a loud thud when Dean pushed it open.
"Son of a bitch," He muttered angrily picking the heavy wooden door of the floor and carrying it back outside to the porch. River leaned against the fractured doorframe and smiled at him as he cursed under his breath. "What's wrong?" Dean asked wiping his hands on his jeans. Her smile had turned from amused to sad.
River chewed her bottom lip, "I tried to summon Cas. He didn't answer. You were dying and he didn't come."
Dean leaned against the opposite side of the doorframe and looked inside at the remnants of the circle of salt River had drawn around him. "Maybe he's busy. You've been prayin' to him for months and he hasn't answered….I'm sure he's fine."
She shook her head. "I summoned him Dean. I sent an S.O.S and a fucking emergency flare to Heaven and got bupkis. What if he isn't fine? What if he went home and Raphael made him explode again?"
"Not much we can do about that is there?"
She shot her fist out and punched his arm making him grumble "Ouch" before she continued. "You're not making me feel better. I'm worried about him."
"I think we got bigger things to be worried about than Cas. He looks like a dweeb but he can handle himself in a scuffle." He replied. "It'd be nice if he stopped in for chat, though. I'd like to get the skinny on who busted Sam out of the pit. Someone knows something."
River yawned and rubbed her eyes, "You think you can monster proof this door so we can get some sleep? I'd like to enjoy the rest of our weekend before the tide of shit completely swallows us again."
The tide of shit abated for almost a week. A week spent with River and Dean calling off sick at their perspective jobs and spending every waking minute trying to find any breadcrumb that might give them a clue as to who or what brought the younger Winchester and Old Man Campbell back from the dead. Except the breadcrumbs were none existent. What ever trail might have been had disappeared under months of benign news stories.
Instead they found scores of potential cases. Real cases that needed a couple of hunters to follow up on. Their conscience nagged at them until they'd made a short list of what appeared to be the most serious cases. Even though neither one would admit it; they were getting ready to say goodbye to the life they had tried to build. "Yeah, Lydia. Look I'm sorry Dean and me ate at that Indian buffet attached to the Gas 'n' Sip off the 12. A couple more days and we'll be right as rain…." River paced the kitchen nervously rubbing her neck. Her boss was not happy, classes were full at the studio and she needed River to help with the waiting list. Dean walked circles in the living room giving his boss at the mechanic shop a similar excuse, he'd already called Mac and been told to show up by Friday or not bother coming back.
Steven, their landlord, had also stopped by that morning. The first time he'd graced them with his presence since they'd signed the lease agreement. He had a thick stack of paperwork with him which was couldn't be a good sign. "Hey, I'm sorry but money talks. People want to stay at the 'Curlew Lake Haunted Death House'. I'm getting hit up left and right since I gave that interview to the Ghostfacers crew. I'm gonna turn this place into a boutique bed and breakfast." He smiled jovially as he handed them their 60 day eviction notice.
"But this place isn't fucking haunted, Steven. Trust me. We're kind of experts in that area. The Ghostfacers are fucking idiots." River had told him dropping the stack of eviction papers on the kitchen counter. Dean had slammed the door in Ed's face when he and Harry had shown up unannounced. So they stalked their cabin from outside for most of the night until Dean had had enough and threatened to beat the snot out of them. "That 'ghost' they caught on camera was Dean going to the fridge for a beer in the middle of the night."
Steven laughed, "They might be idiots but they have a loyal fan base. Sign the papers or I'll be back with the Sheriffs in 59 days."
River plopped down on the couch angrily tossing her cellphone on to the coffee table knocking the stack of papers that still needed dozens of their signatures onto the floor and waited for Dean to finish his call. Her eyes fixed on their waiting duffel bags, crammed with everything they might need on a long hunt. They hadn't discussed which case they would head to first just that they were going. "What the fuck are we doing?" She asked as Dean sat down next to her draping one arm across her lap and the other over his eyes trying to drown out the headache that was blossoming across his forehead.
"Hmm?" He mumbled.
"What. The. Fuck. Are. We. Doing?" She repeated. "Calling these schmucks to try and keep our shitty jobs?…Jobs? Bills? Worrying about finding another place to live after that fuck Steven evicts us? Sam was right; This isn't us."
Dean sighed. "The stripper pole in the living room is kind of us." He said lowering his arm and smiling cockily at her.
She smacked his chest, "You know what I mean. Playing house, trying to act like responsible adults...it was a nice break but it's different now. I know you know that. I can feel it. Everything changed the second we laid eyes on Sam."
"What do you want to do?"
River let her eyes roam over the room they were sitting in. "I want to hunt things. I want to save people. I want to do it with you."
He sat forward resting his elbows on his knees. "This place was supposed to be our home."
"It was and now it's not. We've got 60 days to pack up what we want to keep and put it in the storage locker in Bigfork." River replied taking one of his hands. "This is just a place. Home is wherever we are together."
"What do you want to do first?" He asked.
River smiled at him and pulled her Motörhead shirt over her head. "First I want to get as much use out of this couch as we can. Then I want to go kill those vampires in Alpharetta." She popped the button on her jeans and kicked them off. "Take your pants off Winchester, unless you want me to get started by myself?" She asked hooking her thumbs under the band of her panties. Before she could say anything else snarky Dean swopped her off her feet and pinned her underneath him.
"Just the couch?" He murmured leaning down to kiss her. River squirmed under him, pushing his jeans off his hips when his cellphone buzzed from the fold of his pocket. "Son of a bi-"
"Fucking ignore it, you're busy…" River snapped when Dean turned his head away from her lips to check the caller ID.
Sams name flashed across the screen. "It's Sam," Dean told her picking the phone up and climbing off her.
River let out a frustrated breath and untangled her self. "Fucking Winchesters and your perfect fucking timing." She grumbled grabbing her clothes off the floor.
"Hey, I'm not done with you-" Dean called as she retreated to their bedroom. River flipped him off and continued down the hallway. "Hey Sam what's up?"
"I gotta case. I really need your help on it," Sam said.
Dean leaned forward resting his elbows on knees again. "What sort of case?"
Sam smiled. That had been easier than he thought. "Four dead couples. Three missing babies. I caught the monster in the act. Slashed it with a silver blade and its skin burned."
Dean nodded, "So that narrows it down to ghouls, zombies, shifters and about a dozen other monsters. No missing kid on the fourth case?" River returned fully dressed and clutching her favorite shotgun, which she had affectionately named Betsy. She sat on the coffee table and stared at Dean.
"Look it'd be easier if you and River just met me so we can go over the specifics in person." Sam told him. Dean looked at his wife and raised his eyebrows in a silent question. She nodded once.
"Alright, we're in."
They decided to meet halfway at of a small town in Wyoming. Dean opened Baby up for the first time in months, her engine growling as she devoured the empty highway. They turned the music up loud, rolled the windows down and let the miles disappear until they reached the agreed upon meeting spot. Sam was leaning against his car drinking coffee from a to-go cup when Dean pulled up next to him. He and River shared a brief silent look before climbing out of the car. "Sam. What are we doing out here?" Dean asked. Sam finished his coffee and tossed the empty cup into the brush at the side of the road. River blinked several times in shock. In the few years that she had known Sam, he had never so much as discarded a gum wrapper in anything but a designated trash receptacle. Even muttering under his breath about 'litter bugs' whenever he'd seen someone carelessly tossing trash wherever they please.
"I looked up the cases you told Dean about on the way here. I only found three cases and three missing kids. No word on the fourth case you talked about," she said crossing her arms and looking up at the taller Winchester.
Sam shrugged, "Cops must not've found 'em yet. It's only been about twelve hours, too early for anyone to request a welfare check."
"Wait a minute," Dean said. "Are you saying you just left them there? You didn't make an anonymous call?"
"I was kind of occupied." Sam answered.
"With fucking what?" River demanded.
Sam huffed, "Like I told Dean, I caught the thing, sliced its arm and it ran away-" He was interrupted by a high pitched wail from the backseat of his car.
River's face paled. "Is that a-" The baby let out another cry and she rushed to the passenger door and flung it open. The five month old baby boy's bottom lip jutted out and trembled as fat doleful tears ran down his face. "Oh shit," she breathed out as the baby wailed again. "Sam what the-what the fuck! The car seat is facing the wrong fucking way." She yelled over her shoulder as Dean poked his head in beside her and Sam opened the other door and looked at them. River fumbled with the straps tethering the car seat in place and turned the carseat around so that the baby faced the seat behind it and not the windshield.
"It's not like it came with an instruction manual." Sam told her.
"There's a fucking picture right there, Sam." She responded pointing at a supposed-to-be-idiot proof diagram on the side of the car seat. Sam rolled his eyes as the baby cried again. "Where's his diaper bag? You got a bottle or a binky or something?"
"I uh…what the fuck is a binky?" He said his eyebrows scrunching in confusion.
Dean stood up and checked his watch. "There was a 24 hour Piggly-Wiggly off the highway couple miles back. We'll get supplies then we'll find a spot to hunker down and regroup."
"I got an arsenal in the trunk. And I know you're packing the same-" Sam said.
River climbed out of the back seat and pushed her wavy hair out of her face. "Me and Sam will go get supplies for the baby. You go find us a room and text us were to meet you. No point in taking two cars everywhere."
Dean rubbed the back of neck. "How about you take the car and the kid and get us a room? And we'll go on the diaper run."
River laughed, "Yeah. 'Cause two baby-less flannel clad giants going to the Piggly-Wiggly at midnight for diapers and butt cream won't be suspicious." Their newly acquired baby let out a warning cry of impatience. "I'm ok. I got this. Get us a room and a bed with magic fingers." She said standing on her toes to kiss his lips then gently pushing him away. Dean gave them one final long stare before driving away. "Alright Guttenberg. Lets get this party started."
A dozen or so scattered cars were parked in the Piggly-Wiggly's well lit parking lot. Sam's giant form unfolded from his sleek black car before leaning into the back seat to retrieve the baby. He held it out in front of him like it might explode if he made too much contact. "You hold him." He said trying to pass the baby off to River.
She stepped back, shaking her head and making a cross with her index fingers. "Nope. I don't hold babies. You found it. You hold him." She grabbed a shopping cart with a baby seat attached and nodded to Sam to put the baby down. " 'kay. We need diapers, wipes, butt cream, bottles, formula…and alcohol, Funyuns and Chile Cheese Fritos…" She read from the hastily typed list on her phone and steered the cart towards the liquor aisle. The baby cooed happily sucking on his fist as they rolled past the multi-colored bottles of alcohol. "Ohh you know what this? This is Dean's favorite whiskey." River babbled to the baby holding the bottle up as Sam put a large glass jug of dark rum in the cart. She reached down and picked the bottle back up. "And this, this is Kraken Rum. We're not gonna get that one because that's not the type of weekend we're having." She told the baby and Sam as she put the bottle back on the shelf.
Sam rolled his eyes. "Baby shit's on aisle 4." The baby's bottom lip jutted out and trembled, another infantile meltdown seconds from imploding in the middle of the Piggly-Wiggly. "Shit, shit, shit, we're runnin' out of time." He said commandeering the shopping cart and leading them towards the Baby Shit aisle.
"Everything's cool little dude. Ok just keep a pin in it." River said shaking the bag of Funyuns in front of his face trying to get the baby not to cry. He took a deep breath in and let loose. Angry, tired cries echoed off the cold tiles and filled the quiet grocery store. Sam started tossing the required items into the cart at light speed.
"Pick the kid up or something, River!" Sam barked.
River shook her head, palms sweating. She wasn't emotionally ready for this, she didn't know if she ever would be. "Shit. Alright, alright fuck just don't wiggle too much…." River muttered unbuckling the crying baby and scooping him into her arms. His cries lessened by an octave and he hiccuped. She rested the baby next to her chest and cooed, patting him on the back as Sam charged towards the checkout lanes. The woman ahead of them had a stack of 50 or so cans of cat food and a coupon for each one. The bored to tears cashier slowly slid each can across the barcode scanner. All the while the baby in Rivers arms grew more indignant, his little face red and scrunched up as he wailed like he was being beaten within an inch of his life.
"River, do something about the kid!" Sam hissed at her as he tossed their basket full of diapers and various items onto the conveyor belt.
"What the hell does it look like I'm doing Sammy?" River yelled back gently rocking and bouncing the baby. How the hell did people do this full time? How the hell did she ever think she could do with this two when she couldn't handle one baby for an hour? She thought as she fought off her own frustrated, embarrassed tears. It felt like every eye in the nearly empty store was on her, especially Sam's angry hazel glare. River blew out a long breath and turned away from Sam and came face to face with an older, smiling Black woman.
"My, my you seem like you have your hands full." She empathized.
River smiled unsurely, "Yeah it's not like they come with instruction manuals."
"I was talkin' about him," she nodded to Sam. River laughed. "The little one sure is fussin'. What's his name?"
"Bobby." River answered as Sam stood over her shoulder answering "John" as he tossed money at the cashier then started stuffing their items into plastic bags.
"Bobby-John, it's an old family name...I don't think he likes me." River said.
"Nah...he's just trying to tell you something. Would you like me to hold him for a minute. Give you a breather while your man gets the bags?" She asked holding out her hands.
River handed the baby off with a sigh, "That would be amazing because I have no idea what I'm doing."
The woman took the baby, looked him over and patted his butt. "Well his diapers a bit wet..." She murmured. The baby took a deep breath, his crying abating for a moment as he studied the woman studying him.
"Holy shit, Sam check out this Jedi master." River said looking back over her shoulder as Sam gathered up their bags. Her eyes drifted to the panel of security monitors behind the cashier where she saw herself and Sam in the first monitor and the woman holding Bobby John in the second monitor. The woman adjusted the baby in her arms and inadvertently looked right into the security camera above her head causing her eyes to shine unnaturally bright on the grainy black and white monitor. A shocked chill rippled up her spine and she spun back towards the woman who had begun to inch away with Bobby John still clutched to her chest. "Give me back that baby or I will stab you in your fucking face!" River hissed pulling her silver knife from the folds of her jacket. The cashier let out a startled scream and dove beneath her register, the few patrons standing patiently in line also darted for cover.
"River, what the-" Sam yelled. River didn't take her eyes off this shifter holding the knife with her right hand and pointing toward the monitor with her left. The shifters eyes shined again and Sam struggled to untangle himself from the half dozen bags of groceries he had hanging from his arms. The shifter sneered and shoved River hard in the shoulder sending her careening into Sam and their bags of baby supplies.
"No! You bitch!" River lashed grabbing the Shifters as it streaked past. The flesh on its thin arm peeled off in thick goopy strands. "Gross!" She grumbled flinging the mucousy layer of skin away from her and running after the monster. She shouldered into an intricate Eiffel Tower shaped display of TaB soda sending cans of the pink diet cola cascading down and blocking the Shifters planned escape route. "Give me the baby, freak!" She yelled again as Sam finally got his arms free and grabbed his gun causing the cashier and other shoppers to scream again. The night manager and the very over weight security guard came running through the snack food aisle towards the commotion at the front of the store. The Shifter spun around still clutching Bobby John and was caught by the hair by Sam. The big hunter yanked back hard on the things short hair and tore a chunk away from its scalp.
"Help! Help! He's hurting me!" The Shifter screamed at the two approaching men. River jumped through the fizzing cans of soda and slashed the arm cradling Bobby John. The Shifter hissed in pain loosening it's hold on the screaming baby allowing River to steal him back.
"Sammy incoming!" She yelled over the crying baby towards the manager and gasping security guard. Sam grabbed the Shifter by its fuzzy pink sweater and tossed it into the running men sending them all sprawling to the ground. "Get the diapers Hi and let's get the fuck out of here!" River hollered wrapping both arms protectively around Bobby John and running towards the motion sensored doors. She ran across the dark parking lot not looking behind her to make sure Sam was following and tore towards his shiny black car. The car beeped and unlocked as they got close signaling Sam was right behind them. She flung the passenger door open and jumped into the tight backseat. She barely had time to place the screaming infant in his car seat and yank the door closed before Sam had them barreling out of the parking lot.
"Guess we know what the monster of the week is." River mumbled nervously as she buckled Bobby John into place. "You think that's the same one you slashed at the crime scene?" She asked leaning over the seat and digging through the bags until she found a bottle and the instant formula. She gave the baby the bottle after she mixed it and smiled as he drank greedily.
"Yeah. Definitely could've been." Sam answered. "You think it's been tracking me this whole time though? How? I didn't fuck it." River dropped her phone in shock and it slid under the seat. "Did Dean get a room yet" he asked either not realizing or not caring that he'd just said something incredibly hurtful. She could feel the heat flaring across her face and chest with anger as she leaned under the seat to get her phone. When she found her phone she saw that Dean had indeed got them a room and texted them the address.
They arrived at the motel 10 minutes later. River quietly watching Bobby John finish his bottle then giving him a pacifier as Sam pulled into the New Corral Motel's parking lot. "What took you guys so long?" Dean said opening the door and ushering Sam who was again laden with grocery bags followed by River holding a once again crying Bobby John. "What's wrong with the kid? What's wrong with you Sweetheart?" He asked seeing the unhappy red faced baby and his pale wife.
"I don't know what's wrong. He probably needs a new diaper. He drank a bottle in the car...he just cries for no reason." River told him holding the baby out to him. "Just take him
please...I need a minute." Dean took the baby and placed him on his shoulder. A few gentle pats on the back and Bobby John let out a loud burp and quieted down. "We're calling him Bobby John by the way." She said closing herself in the bathroom.
Dean turned to look at his younger brother who was unloading baby supplies. "What happened?"
"We got cornered at The Piggly-Wiggly by a Shifter. Pretty sure it's the same one that killed his parents." Sam answered.
"Shit." Dean muttered snatching a diaper and pack of baby wipes out of the pile of supplies. "What would a Shifter want with a baby?"
Sam shrugged, "No idea. Want a drink?" He asked twisting the cap of a bottle of Hunters Helper.
Dean nodded as he laid Bobby John down on the bed. "Yeah pour one for Riv too." He said as he changed the baby's diaper. "I haven't changed one of these since I got you potty trained." Dean said as he slid the fresh diaper onto a now content baby and picked him back up. When he turned around River was leaning against the door wearing a smile usually reserved for when he got out of the shower or killed a monster in a particularly awesome fashion. "What?" He asked her.
She sucked her bottom lip between her teeth and blushed. "That's the sexiest thing I've ever seen you do." She answered.
It was Deans turn to blush. "Well I got a lot practice. Dad wasn't so much into changing diapers."
River pushed off from the wall and took the glass of whiskey Sam offered her. "We've got to protect this kid, D. And we need to figure out why a Shifter is after him." Dean adjusted his football hold on the cooing baby and nodded.
"I'll go back through the files. It's almost dawn; it's not like we're gonna get any sleep tonight anyways." Sam answered gathering the case files of the murdered couples and missing babies.
"Me and the kid are gonna catch up on Dr. Sexy while you do that riveting work." Dean said as Sam handed River half the stack. "You hungry kid? 'Cause I could go for a snack." He grabbed a few fruit flavored hand pies and tossed them onto the bed then one handedly mixed a fresh bottle for Bobby John. River couldn't keep the look of intense longing off her face as Dean settled onto one of the Queen sized beds, propping himself up on a stack of pillows and the baby on his chest so they could both face the TV. After finding a station playing reruns of Dr. Sexy, he fed Bobby John with one hand and himself with the other. River settled next to the duo intent on reviewing the case file. Dean gave Bobby John the run down on the last three seasons of Dr. Sexy while Sam stayed at the wobbly wooden table in the center of the room.
They got through an episode and a half before Bobby John fell asleep in Deans arms and Dean himself was snoring softly. "These people are vanilla, Sammy." River finally said. "No domestic disputes. No history of violence or shady relationships…no reports of assaults for any of the mothers." She stretched and stared at a group of curbside photos of the family homes. "Shit….look at this." She said slowly climbing off the bed to not wake the sleeping baby or giant man. She handed Sam the stack of photos and pointed to a small, barely visible sign in each photo. "Looks like one of the home security signs. I bet it's the same company on all of them. All of the police reports pointed out that the security alarms weren't tripped."
"So maybe our Shifter works at the security company as cover? Maybe that's how he picks his targets, couples with young babies?" Sam said looking through photos in his stack of files to confirm each of the homes also had the same metallic blue and white sign posted in the front yard. "Wait a minute...damn it. How did I miss this?" He grumbled pulling a police report from the pile. "Wendy Johnson, dead. Baby Mia missing. Wendy's estranged husband, Frank, wasn't living at home at the time of the attack. Per the report he moved out a few months before the baby was born and hadn't even bothered to meet his daughter."
River quickly read through the report. "Police report says he's got an airtight alibi. Out of town at a softball tournament, shared a room with some buddies. You think he knows something he's not telling?"
Sam leaned back in his chair, "Worth a shot. Maybe he knows something he doesn't know he knows. It's only a couple of hours from here. Why don't we suit up and see if Frank has another version to his story?"
"And should we tell him it's bring someone else's baby to work day?" River replied. " Take Dean. You two should have some brother bonding time while listening to classic rock on the open road. I can handle babysitting."
After waking Dean and updating him on the small leads they had found the brothers suited up. Dean was even able to successfully get Bobby John into the crib he had specially requested from the motel manager without waking the baby. "You sure you got this?" Dean asked one last time before they left.
"He weighs twelve pounds and sleeps intermittently. I got this. Go. I need a shower before he wakes up." She told him ushering out him the door.
"You got your knife?"
She nodded, "And Betsy. And the Ruger you loaded with silver bullets and Baby's keys in case we need to bug out. Goodbye, I love you, don't die." She closed the door before he could quiz her on anything else and slid the chain lock and deadbolt into place. She peered down at the sleeping baby, resting her hand on his chest to feel his calm breaths and strong heart beat before double checking the diaper box next to the crib to make sure she had enough supplies to last. She almost got all of the shampoo rinsed out of her hair before Bobby John woke up crying loud enough to set her teeth on edge. "Damn it...alright I'm coming little dude."
"So you and Wendy were having some problems?" Sam asked the man in front of him.
Frank Johnson laughed humorlessly and wiped the engine grease of his hands. " Yeah you could say that."
"Your wife was pregnant when you moved out, you never even met your daughter and now she's missing and your wife is dead." Dean said.
"Look, I loved Wendy. I've loved her since we were in middle school but Mia wasn't mine. That's why I left." Frank answered.
"You're saying Wendy chested on you?" Sam asked pretending to scribble something on his note pad.
Frank nodded, " We were at the doctors when they figured out her conception date-"
"They can do that?" Dean asked.
Sam rolled his eyes and said, "Please continue."
"Um... yeah. Well the weekend Wendy got pregnant I wasn't even home. I was out of town for a softball tournament." Frank answered taking a deep breath and shaking his head. "She made up this stupid story trying to cover herself..."
"What was the story?" Dean asked.
Frank scoffed. "She said I came home early. We fucked all weekend like on our honeymoon... except I didn't come home early. In fact we made it to playoffs and I was gone a day longer than we planned." The brothers shared a silent knowing look before thanking Mr. Johnson for is time.
River jumped out of the shower and quickly wrapped a towel around herself. "What? What is it? Are you hungry? Are you wet? Both?" She scooped the crying baby up trying to console him. She jiggled the baby on her shoulder, patting his back like Dean had done to see if he needed to burp to no avail. "Ok...how about cartoons? I love cartoons." She said turning the TV on and quickly scanning through the channels until she landed on something that appeared to be a children's show. A cute little African American baby crawled around a brightly colored CGI wonderland surrounded by strange looking flowered aliens. "Look, look at that crazy shit. Kids love crazy shit." She murmured rocking Bobby John slowly as he quietened down and became enthralled by the dazzling colors. The baby on the TV screen cooed in delight at a singing sunflower with three eyeballs. Bobby John babbled in response and shrieked happily.
Then he exploded. Bits of stringy, gooey flesh flew across the room like a monstrous sneeze. A huge splatter of the baby's ruptured skin smooshed across River's face and dripped down her cheeks. She blinked in stunned silence, on the brink of screaming in terror and laughing in full blown psychosis, too afraid to look down and see what remained of the baby. Until Bobby John fussed unhappily at the goo covered TV. River's eyes slowly drifted down to the baby who instead of being pale with rosy cheeks was the spitting image of the adorable African American baby from the trippy kids show. "Oh fuck…" she murmured realizing they were now officially up to their necks in shit. Her phone rang loudly with the intro to "Whole Lotta Love" and she finally screamed in shock which startled Bobby John making him wail loudly. "Shit, shit, shit…Dean what is it? Where are you?" She asked juggling the phone and the baby.
"Hey Princess, everything ok there?" He asked. Bobby John hollered louder and River finally set him down on the mostly clean carpet and squeegeed the TV screen clean with a swipe of her hand.
"Yeah. No. No everything is not fine." She said as Bobby John again was hypnotized by the bright colors and nightmarish puppets. She prayed he couldn't shift into one of the giant, freakish flower aliens.
Dean shot his brother a worried glance and Sam responded with more pressure on the gas pedal. "What happened?"
River sighed and wiped more baby goo off her face. "It's kind of hard to explain over the phone. "
"Bobby John is a Shifter baby. And you just figured that out somehow?" Dean said.
River laughed, "Well I guess it wasn't that hard to explain over the phone. Mr. Johnson must have had an interesting story. How long 'till your back?" She dug around in the pile of baby supplies and realized she had no clean clothes for the Bobby John. "Shit…we didn't get any clothes for BJ. I need you to stop and get him something to wear."
"No, we're coming straight back to pick you two up-"
"D, baby, trust me we need clean clothes for the little dude. We're cool here. I got everything under control. Just don't drag ass…Bobby John don't put that in your mouth. I gotta go, sexy." River tossed the phone onto the bed and dove for the slime covered infant before he could swallow a discarded bottle cap. "We need to get cleaned up." She decided picking stringy bits of shedded skin out of BJ's curly hair.
After once again showering and getting the rest of exploded baby out of her hair she put a fussy Bobby John back in his crib and offered him another bottle. The baby cried angrily, tiny fists and feet kicking into the air swatting away the bottle. "Fine. Cry it out dude. I'm getting dressed and we'll try this again." River told him walking away from the crib to search through her own duffle bag for a change of clothes. The baby's cries grew louder with each passing second as River tossed on a shirt and shimmied into a pair of panties as fast as she could.
A loud knock shook the motel door and startled her as she moved toward the crib to try and figure out why the infant was crying now. "This is the manager. Is everything ok in there?" A voice asked following the knock.
"Shit!" River hissed rubbing Bobby John's stomach. "Look you got us in trouble. Hush big guy."
The manager knocked again and jiggled the doorknob. "You need to open this door now. We've had noise complaints. I need to know everything is ok in there."
"We're good. I'm sorry about the noise, the baby has colic." River yelled back.
The door shook on its frame as the man outside tried to force the door open. "Open the door now!" he yelled.
"I'm not opening the door. So fuck off." She yelled over Bobby John's frantic cries. The door splintered inwards as the person outside kicked it in. A man wearing a bloody police uniform strode in. River snatched her knife from the foot of the bed. Her gun sat uselessly on the nightstand five feet away.
"I've only come for what's mine." The man said blinking his second set of eyelids revealing his evil yellow eyes. "A child belongs with his father."
"You're not touching that kid," River growled holding the knife out in front of her.
The Shifter took another step into the motel room and swung the door shut behind him. "I'm not just talking about me. Our father is calling us home."
"I don't got all day T-1000. If we're gonna dance, lets dance." The Shifter was on her in an instant crossing the small room as she sliced the knife out defensively. The blade caught his upper arm and he recoiled spitting in pain. She slashed again and this time he was ready ducking out of the way and and landing a solid punch into her stomach. River let out a pained breath doubling over at the waist. The Shifter charged her knocking her back into the ancient TV and sending them both crashing to the floor. Her knife was knocked away in the ensuing melee. The Shifter pounced on her chest and slammed one big fist into her cheek knocking her head to the side. Before she could recover his hands were around her throat and began to squeeze. She clawed at his hands and face, raking away strips of his flesh. She could dim still hear BJ screaming from his crib over the pounding of her own heart. Her vision was starting to fade, her hands relaxing and falling to her side when her fingers brushed the cool grip of her silver knife . Willing the last bit of her energy to make her hands cooperate, she curled her fingers around the knife. Then she willed her tingling arm to raise and shoved the blade through the Shifters ribcage. She felt the thick pop of flesh as the blade found its mark, the flesh popping and sizzling where the silver touched. The Shifter let out a stunned grunt, blood bubbled between lips. His grip on her throat loosened and River shoved him off of her, ripping her knife out as he toppled sideways still gurgling.
He stopped gurgling when she shoved her blade into his heart. "Alright kid." She grumbled as Bobby John's cries broke through her own deafening, frightened heart beat. She slowly pulled herself to her feet and found a pacifier in the upturned diaper box and popped in his mouth effectively quieting him for the time being.
"She's not answering her damn phone. What the hell size clothes you think that kid wears?" Dean grumbled as picked out several different sized onesies at the Salvation Army, hoping at least one of them would fit. He tried to call River again after they checked out and again got no answer. "Son of bitch. Why isn't she answering?"
"Maybe she's elbow deep in diaper duty?" Sam responded as they drove back towards the motel. An empty Police car was parked along the side of the motel, which in their experience was never a good sign the five-o was so close. The Impala was still parked in the same spot Dean had left her meaning at least River and the baby hadn't made a run for it. The door to their motel room however was not how they left it. The doorframe was dented and splintered.
"River!" Dean yelled as the broken door refused to open more than a few inches. With his brothers help they shouldered into the room, pushing the wooden table Sam had sat at earlier that morning out of the way. A bloody trail led away from the broken TV to a sheet wrapped body, too large to be Rivers, tucked between the two beds."River! God damn it!" Dean yelled again.
She appeared from the foggy bathroom a second later, fresh from her third shower of the day with a towel wrapped her body and hair still dripping wet. "Dean Winchester, I swear to the gods if you wake that baby up I'm going to have two bodies to salt and burn." She hissed at him pointing to the baby sleeping peacefully in his crib.
"God damn it sweetheart. What happened?" Dean said lowering his voice. "Who is that?" He jabbed a finger at the bloody sheet wrapped body. Sam crept towards the crib and couldn't keep the look of surprise off his face at Bobby John's new appearance. Dean also quickly gave the baby a once over as River gathered up another set of clean clothes and retreated to the bathroom. "Hey! River, what the hell happened?" He demanded barging in after her. The ugly fluorescent bulb in the bathroom accentuated the bruises blossoming on her cheek and around her throat as she tossed her wet towel into the tub and started to get dressed. "Jesus fuck, are you ok?" He asked running his fingers along her swollen cheek.
"I'm fine. Trust me he got the worst of it." She said brushing his hands away so she could finish getting dressed.
"Who?" Dean demanded again.
She pulled her shirt over her head and looked up at him. "BJ's real dad…Shifter fuck. We need to get out of here. We need to find someplace safe." She gave his tie a hard yank to bring his face down to her level and kissed his lips. "Get out of that monkey suit. We gotta a body to burn and then we need to skip town." She said releasing his tie and stepping back out of the bathroom just as the baby woke with a low whimper. She leaned over the crib and picked up the baby telling him, "Little dude you pee more than I do." The brothers changed out of their fed suits while she changed Bobby John's diaper and found some clothes he could fit from the pile Dean had picked up at the thrift store. Then she bounced him on her hip and they sang along to the radio since the TV was beyond repair while Sam and Dean loaded the dead Shifter into the Impala's trunk.
"Looks like your Adventures in Babysitting have gone pretty well." Dean quipped as they returned to the room.
River hummed "Rock Lobster" and looked down at the baby that was trying to touch the purplish bruise under her eye . "I'm no Elisabeth Shue but me and the kid seem to have come to an understanding." She responded handing Bobby John a protective talisman from her duffel bag to play with. There was nothing they could do about the busted TV or blood stains in the carpet so they made sure the curtains were closed and put the "Do Not Disturb" sign on the door hoping to buy a few more hours before the maid alerted authorities.
Then they found an abandoned, half finished housing development fifty miles away which provided the ample supplies and cover to dispose of the Shifters body. "That dead fuck said something funny before I ganked him." River said watching as Sam splashed the sheet wrapped body with kerosene.
Sam lit a match and flung it onto the body. "Yeah? What?"
River tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear. "He said 'their father was calling them home'. Like a Charlie Manson cult or something. Weird, right?" She asked looking between the brothers.
Sam nodded, "Yeah. Weird."
Dean scrubbed his hands along his jaw. "I think we should go to Bobby. That old bastard might know someone who can keep the rugrat safe."
Sam nodded as he wiped his hands clean. "I was thinking we take the kid to Samuel." He said looking between his brother and River. "They've got a compound not far from here. If we leave now we can get there before midnight."
River crossed her arms over her chest. "Samuel? You want us to take a baby monster to a group of hunters?"
"How would Bobby be any different?" Sam asked.
"Because he's Bobby. And I trust him." Dean responded.
"And I trust Samuel. He's closer. He's better armed and we've got more backup then we would at Bobby's." After a quick phone call to their grandfather Sam led their two car caravan to the Campbell compound. River sat quietly in the front seat across from Dean watching as the sun set and darkness crept in around them.
"Tabula rasa," River muttered after a long stretch of silence.
Dean took his eyes off the road to look at her. "What?" He asked.
"Tabula rasa." She repeated. "Blank slate. Nature versus nurture." She swallowed thickly. "When Cory and I...when we were tracking the Shifter we knew it was a group. We just didn't know there were kids until we caught them." She said running her tongue over her dry lips and looking at Dean. "We were too late to save that last family...maybe if we'd driven faster or hadn't turned the wrong way on that roundabout. A fucking roundabout. No one knows how to get off those things." She shook her head. "He had two kids. They couldn't have been more than 13."
"Those weren't kids." Dean said.
She nodded. "No, you're right. They weren't. When we caught them... they had this little girl tied to a chair. She was still wearing her princess nightgown...the rest of her family was already dead. But she was still breathing. They were taking turns stabbing her with steak knives while he watched." River cleared her throat and wiped at her suddenly wet face. "I shot them. I killed both of them in front of him without a second thought. It was instinct they were alive and then they weren't. I made that monster watch his children die. I guess in hindsight I should have shot him first ...I held that little girl until she died in my arms. I can still see her nightgown and smell her blood." She looked down at her hands as if they were still stained. "And now I look at the baby and I know what he is...and still all I see is a baby, Dean. We don't know what or who's he's going to be. He deserves a chance... I won't let them hurt him."
"I know. We'll figure something out." Dean said reaching across the seat for her hand. She squeezed it as Sam's car slowed ahead of them and they turned off the paved road onto a long secluded dirt path. Ryan Campbell was waiting behind a 15 foot chain link fence when the cars rolled to a stop. Two other hunters whom River didn't not know appeared from a shed being led by two of the biggest snarling Rottweilers she'd ever seen. Ryan pushed the rolling gate open wide enough to let the two men and their dogs through. Sam rolled his window down and spoke to one the men as the other led his dog to check the undercarriage of the car. Sam got the 'all clear' and Ryan pushed the gate further open allowing him and his Charger to roll through. The second man and his beast of a dog approached the Impala. River leaned forward grasping Betsy from the floorboards and laid the shotgun across her lap, the blasty end facing towards the door to shoot if necessary. The dogs strained harder against their chains the closer they got to the rear of the car. One of the dogs surged forward, pulling the chain out of the hunters grip and jumped at the rear passenger window. His huge paws cracking the glass and ferocious barks loud enough to wake Bobby John, who let out a high pitched terrified wail. River raised her shotgun and aimed for the barking dog, "Get that fucking mutt off our car or I will blow you both away!" She yelled over the baby's cries. The hunter grabbed the giant dog's collar and wrenched it away from the glass while the other one quickly waived them through. "This is a mistake." River said lowly as Dean gunned the car through the gate and away from the guard dogs. "Hey it's alright little dude. Everything's gonna be good or I'm gonna have to kill someone else tonight." She promised the baby as she unhooked him from his car seat and cradled him to her chest. The baby continued to fuss and Dean held out his arms to take him for a few minutes. River handed the baby over with a defeated sigh.
"You sure this is a good idea?" Dean asked his brother as he strode towards them as the hunters at the gate finally wrangled the dogs back to their kennels.
Sam nodded. "Yeah. Samuel will have a plan." He said leading them to a large metal building that looked like a decommissioned airplane hanger. The few windows were reinforced with steel chain link, blindingly bright floodlights lit up the surrounding area as bright as the midday sun. Sam knocked on the metal bunker door. A hidden view panel slid open and Samuels stern face appeared before the door swung open.
"Took you long enough to get here." He grumbled at the group as they trudged inside. "You get rid of the body alright?" Sam confirmed that they had. "Sounds like you did good. Shifters can be nasty sons of bitches."
"Yeah. I'm aware." River said standing next to Dean, one hand on his lower back her fingers inches away from his gun should they need it. Dean had been able to get the baby to relax and Bobby John sucked quietly on his pacifier eyeing the strange bald man in front of them warily.
Samuel took a step closer and Dean felt her fingers shift on his back "This is it? You saw it Shift?" Samuel asked looking to River.
"We've been calling him Bobby John and yes. We were watching "Happy Fun Planet" and he changed in my arms. Exploded is more accurate." River smiled. "Scared the piss out of both of us."
Lisa walked out of a metal caged-in area along one wall followed by Christian. The area appeared to be a weapons locker, filled to the brim with pistols, rifles and knives of every kind.
"I think your woman's got some explaining to do cuz," Christian said coming to stand beside Samuel. "I don't exactly see the family resemblance." He chuckled.
"Can I hold him? I've never seen a monster baby before." Lisa asked.
"No. " River answered.
"What's your problem?" She asked crossing her arms over her chest. "Sam told us you don't exactly have an affinity for Shifters. So why the Mama Bear act?" River cut her eyes towards Sam as angry red heat filled her cheeks.
"Because you're hunters." Dean answered.
Christian shook his head and looked at Dean, "Funny I thought we were family."
"Enough." Samuel cut in.
"No. I seem to remember a couple of hunters saving your ass when she couldn't figure out what the hell was wrong with you." Christian said pointing at Dean. "Is it because we're the wrong kind of hunters? Not playing house and pretending the world isn't still crawling with things like that kid killing innocent people?"
"Christian I said enough!" Samuel said loudly his voice edging on anger. "Let me hold him, Dean." He told Dean holding his hands out for the baby.
Dean shook his head. "No."
"Jesus son, who do you think we are?" Samuel asked.
Dean shrugged. " I don't know. I know what you and Sam told us. And sorry but there's a lot of holes in your story and it kind of seems like me and Riv are the only two bothered with you two being here at all. Have you gotten any closer to figuring out who brought you back or why? Do you even care?"
"Of course we care Dean." Sam told him. "You two have been out of the game for the most part. Things are rough out here. It's not like we've had a lot of down time."
"River, unless you plan on pulling that gun on us you can relax. We aren't going to hurt you and we certainly aren't going to hurt a baby." Samuel told her. She looked up at Dean who gave her a slight nod before she lowered her hand and grasped his. Samuel held his hands out again towards Bobby John and Dean handed him over. "Wow. You are a solid little guy aren't you." Samuel said holding the baby up to inspect him. "Mary, you mother, she was tiny." He said quietly sighing at the memory. "Bald as a cueball too."
"So what's the plan, Samuel." Dean asked.
Samuel smiled down at the baby. "We keep him safe. We raise him. When he old enough and if he wants to help out, we train him...think of the possibilities-"
"Possibilities? What are you saying? You want to make him a hunter?" River asked taking a step towards him.
"Hell yeah, Uncle Samuel. That's a great idea. Send this little monster in to scope nests out." Christian said looking down at the baby with new interest.
"No. Fuck no. Give him back," River yelled. "He's a baby you assholes. You aren't gonna turn him into an experiment, into a fucking killer." Samuel held onto Bobby John. The baby's bottom lip trembled warning the adults he was close to another meltdown.
"River, the only way he'll be safe and not grow up to be a killer or worse is if he stays with us." Sam said. "You and Dean could have another chance-"
"No. Don't even fucking say it Sam. Absolutely not." River said cutting him off. "That kid needs to get as far away from us as possible." She shook her head in disgust and turned away pushing her hair out of her face.
"Me and Liz'll take him. We've been trying for a while now and haven't had any luck." Christian offered. River spun back around as Samuel clapped his great nephew on the back.
"Congratulations its a boy!" Samuel laughed and added, "Sometimes," handing Bobby John to the bedazzled cowboy shirt wearing hunter. The baby's face scrunched up, his little mouth opening to let out an ear piercing cry. River stood in place squeezing her hands into tight fists.
This was insane. These people were strangers. Bobby John at least deserved a father that didn't dress like a douchebag.
"Who the fuck-" She started walking back towards Samuel and Christian when the guard dogs started their ferocious barking again. The men still stationed at the gate yelled out a muffled warning and a barrage of automatic rifle shots sounded outside the steel bunker.
"What is going on out there?" Dean yelled over the gun shots and the crying baby. The mens warnings turned into screams that were abruptly cut off. The snarling barking dogs were silenced a second later. Christian dumped the screaming baby on River as he and Lisa pushed past running back towards the weapons locker. Dean grabbed Rivers arm and pulled her and Bobby John further away from the bunker door as someone on the other side banged out three loud knocks. The hunters returned to Samuel's side handing him his own bolt action rifle before the older man slid the small latched window open. His own hazel eyes reflected back at him as the blood splattered Shifter on the other side smiled. Samuel slammed the window shut and skipped back several paces aiming his rifle at the door as the monster hit it hard enough to buckle it away from the hinges. "It's here! Sam, take them to the panic room!" Samuel yelled over his shoulder as Lisa and Christian took their positions and flanked him. Sam did as he was told and grabbed River by the elbow dragging her away from the commotion.
"Wait! Wait a god damn minute!" Dean yelled. "Who's here? What the hell is out there!" The door was torn off it hinges before anyone could answer.
"Dean! Come on!" Sam barked pushing River in front of him and down a narrow set of stairs.
River rocked the baby, trying to hum loudly over the gun shots that rang out above them as Sam unlocked another thick steel door and ushered them inside. Dean jogged in before Sam slammed the door and spun the lock into place. A shrill scream echoed through the air vents.
"Their being slaughtered up there...what the hell is going on, Sam!" River yelled.
"I don't know. Shut that kid up so I can listen." He hissed at her as the gun shots petered out. "I'm going to check it out."
"The hell you are." Dean answered. "We wait for the all-clear." Heavy footsteps thudded down the stairs and stopped outside the reinforced steel door.
Sam walked towards the door to check the bullet proof window to the hallway brushing his brothers arm aside. "Cover her and the kid. I'll be back." He said. His doppelgänger appeared in the small window glowering back at him. The Shifter tore the panic room door off its hinges and tossed it aside before Sam could draw his gun. Sam rushed forward, silver knife in hand and charged the monster. The Shifter swatted him and the knife aside. Sam flew like a rag doll into the steel wall with a hollow thud and lay still.
Bobby John screamed louder than ever as the Sam shaped monster strode into the panic room. Dean pushed River behind him drawing his gun and aiming it at the Shifter. He fired a half dozen silver bullets hitting the monster in its heart. The baby was stunned into silence, hiccuping quietly in the sudden silence. The Shifter smirked as Dean adjusted his aim. Then it began to shimmer and melt changing its shape in front of their eyes. When the shimmering stopped it had turned into Dean. "You have something of mine. Give him to me." It said in Deans voice. River shook her head retreating until her back hit the wall, grasping the baby to her chest, feeling his heart thundering against hers. Before Dean could fire another round the Shifter wrenched the pistol out of his hand. In the next instant Deans feet left the ground as the Shifter grabbed him by the throat and calmly carried him towards River and the baby. Deans face began to turn a funny shade of purple as the Shifter tightened its grip on his windpipe. "Give me the child. Or he dies and I take the child anyways." The hand not killing Dean reached for the baby and took him effortlessly from her numb arms. He looked at the baby and smiled Deans smile, emerald green eyes crinkling at the edges. Pleased with his cursory inspection of the baby he dropped Dean into a wheezing, coughing puddle and turned and left without another word; the broken humans at his feet too pathetic even for further threats.
After pulling both the brothers to their feet and making sure they weren't permanently broken anywhere they cautiously returned to the main floor of the bunker to survey the damage the Shifter left behind. All in all three hunters were dead; Ryan and the two guards along with their dogs had all been slaughtered. Gathering up the pieces to salt and burn left the survivors silent and grim. The shock of such a spectacular fail leaving little room for reflection on what they could have done better. River sat on an overturned carton of ammo drinking from a half full bottle of whiskey, she twirled a red dart between her fingers and stared at the pile of empty silver shells still scattered over the bunker floor. "What the hell was that thing?" She finally asked Samuel.
The older hunter crossed his arms over his chest. "I have a theory."
"Well, Professor we'd love to hear it." Dean said taking the bottle of whiskey from River and setting it on a shelf out of her reach. She rolled her eyes in annoyance.
"An alpha Shifter." Samuel answered. "The original. Their king."
River laughed mirthlessly and rubbed her tired eyes. "An Alpha? So basically a super monster. Thats fuckin' great."
Samuel shrugged, "It fits the stories I've read. Stronger. More powerful. The ability to psychically find another Shifter anywhere."
River shivered hugging herself tightly. "I need some fresh air," she said standing up abruptly and walking out of the bunker through the hole where the reinforced door used to be.
"How do we kill it?" Dean asked watching her retreating form.
"I don't know if we can." Samuel answered.
River sat on the hood of the Impala staring at the night sky when Dean and his brother emerged a few minutes later. "Dean, you two shouldn't leave. Not now that we know that thing is out there." Sam was telling his brother.
Dean shook his head as they stopped in front of the car. "I'm not ready for this. There's a lot not sittin' right with me. With him. With you….there's too many secrets in this family." Dean turned away from his brother to look at River. "You good?"
"No. I'm definitely not good." She said shaking her head. "Tell me something, Sam. Did you know about Samuel's theory?"
"What?" He replied.
"Did you know about the Alpha being out there? Is that why you brought us here instead of Bobby's?" River slid off the hood of the Impala and looked up at him, "Did you use that baby as bait?"
Sam laughed. "She's just as paranoid as you are." He said giving his older brother an amused look.
Dean's face remain stoic. "Answer the question, Sammy."
"No. I didn't know. Samuel's got a lot of theories. Some pan out, most don't. I thought this place would be safe. Safer than Bobby's anyways."
River nodded and handed him the red dart she'd carried outside with her. "We got a vampire nest in Alpharetta that's not going to hunt itself. Why don't you come with us? We still haven't had a lot of time to catch up."
Sam shook his head. "Samuel's got a list of stuff for us to hit up here. I'll call you if I need backup."
Dean and River left without saying goodbye to the rest of the Campbell clan. "That kid…it was never gonna work out. You know that right?" Dean asked her several hours later after they'd found a cheap motel to crash in.
She nodded sadly. "Yeah. I know, D. Doesn't mean I don't feel shitty about it." She lay down on the bed next to him and he pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her. "You know if there's an Alpha shifter that probably means there's Alphas of everything else. Werewolves, Vamps, fucking Windigos. What are supposed to do if their all as tough as that son of a bitch"
Dean rested his chin on the top of her head and shrugged. "Same thing we always do: we fight and try and save as many people as we can."
Authors note: Is it just me or has anyone else been in a funk since they announced next season is the last? Writing has been both cathartic and sad since they made the announcement.