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CHAPTER FOUR- CHANGELING

Sam sat on the bed, and I flipped through the research we'd gathered.

"So, changelings can perfectly mimic children," Sam chewed his lip.

"According to lore, they climb in the window and snatch the kid," I added.

"There were marks on the windowsill at one of the kid's houses," Sam noted.

"Looked to me like blood."

"The changeling grabs a kid, assumes its form, joins the happy fam just for kicks?"

Dean raised an eyebrow.

"Not quite," Sam slammed the book shut.

"Changelings feed on the mom: synovial fluid. They have these odd bruises on the back of their necks. Changelings can drain them for a few weeks before mom finally croaks."

"And then there's dad and the babysitter," Dean reminded Sam.

"Yeah," I nodded.

"Seems like anyone who gets between the changeling and its food source ends up dead."

Dean held up the torch.

"And fire's the only way to waste them?"

Sam nodded.

"Great," Dean groused.

"We'll just bust in, drag the kids out, torch them on the front lawn. That will play great with the neighbors."

"They stash them underground somewhere," Sam supplied.

"I don't know why, but if it's true, the real kids might be trapped."

Dean's eyes flashed.

"I gotta check on someone."

~Supernatural~

Dean rang the doorbell, and an unusually pretty brunette opened the door, bewildered.

So this was Lisa.

"Dean?"

Her eyes swept over me curiously.

"I was thinking…" Dean blinked.

"Ben's birthday. I didn't bring him a present."

"That's okay," Lisa shifted uncomfortably.

"No. No, no, I feel terrible, so, uh…."

He handed her a credit card.

"Here. Take a long weekend—just the two of you—on me."

"What?" Lisa squawked in disbelief.

"I hear Six Flags is great this time of year," Dean said casually.

"Go now, avoid the traffic."

She read the name on the card dubiously.

"'Siegfried Houdini.' Whose card is this?"

"Mine." Dean grunted.

"Never mind. It'll work. I promise."

"I think you should leave," Lisa said slowly.

"Lisa….."

Ben came down the stairs.

"Mommy, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, Ben," Dean interrupted. "It's cool."

Ben ignored him.

"Make them go away, Mommy."

Lisa turned back to us.

"You heard him. Get out."

"Lisa," Dean spoke rapidly. "I don't think this is a good idea."

"Get out!"

She shut the door on our faces.

We ran back to Sam.

"They took Ben," Dean said. "He's changed."

"What? Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure," Dean clenched his fists. "I checked his windowsill."

"Blood?"

I looked up.

"I don't think it is blood, and I think I know where the kids are."

~Supernatural~

"They're here," Cas confirmed, staring at the unfinished house.

Inside, Dean and I found the children in cages.

I recognized Ben, calling for Dean.

"Ben… Ben," Dean crouched down.

"It's okay, I'm gonna get you out of here."

Dean picked the locks, and I shepherded the kids out.

"It's okay," I said calmly. "Get out of here, okay? Come on, come on!"

Dean cleared off a windowsill, preparing to smash the glass.

"Everybody back! Everybody back!"

Ben helped me usher them away.

"Cover your eyes!" I called.

Dean broke the window with a plank of wood, brushing the glass off.

Ben took off his jacket.

"Here. Use this."

"All right. All right, Ben. Come on."

Ben indicated the boy standing next to him.

"Him first."

Sam and Cas ran in.

"Hey! Dean! There's a mother."

"A mother changeling?" Dean exclaimed incredulously.

Cas nodded.

"It's best if you get the children out as fast as you can."

"Right there," I pointed.

"There's one more. You got to open the lock."

Cas flicked his wrist.

The cage door swung open.

"Ben, get them out of here!" Dean yelled.

He helped the other kids out the window, and Cas stepped in front of me as the mother changeling approached.

It was over in seconds.

Cas threw the torch at the woman, and she wailed, bursting into flames.

~Supernatural~

We dropped off Ben at Lisa's place, and I patted Dean's arm as he stared at her house wistfully.

He looked down at me absently, and I led him away, pulling Cas along with me.

Cas blinked at me.

"What are you doing?"

I smiled.

"Dragging you along, of course. We have cases to take care of."

I wasn't sure, but I think Cas might have looked pleased.