Ida sat in a patch of weak morning sunshine, a shawl wrapped around her frail shoulders. Setting the old rocking chair into motion, she gazed down at the snow-covered street below. This room had been her bedroom for 72 years and Ida still spent the majority of her time there. Until of course, they began showing up. Anger filled her as she recalled the people that had come into her home, making changes, and even calling it their own. The Greenways had built this house and they would be the only ones to live in it as long as Ida had any say in the matter.
Ida became serene as she thought of her father, he had made her a promise and like all his promises he had kept it. It had been on his deathbed, as Ida had sat holding his hand, tears coursing down her cheeks.
"Ida, this place is your responsibility now. You must protect it, it's your birthright." Albert Greenway had struggled to speak the words, as his body began to wear down, finally betraying the once strong man.
"I'm scared, Papa, how can I care for the house?" Ida had asked, afraid that she would now have to go out into the world. She had spent the first sixty-three years of her life inside that house, and the thought of having to leave; to get a job to support herself or even simply to buy supplies terrified her.
Albert had smiled reassuringly. "Have faith, child, you will remain here and you will be taken care of. Never fear, Ida, I have told you before, as long as you do as you were told, I'll be leaving this body, but I will not be gone from your side."
Ida nodded, as she watched her father take his final breath, she had found herself doubting him and his promise. Her faith in him had been completely restored a week later when she had found a box of goods on the back stoop, from that moment on a box had showed up regularly. Ida had no doubts now. She had found that she was able to carry on without him by her side.
Then the letter had come, the letter stating that Ida had to leave. That the house was to be auctioned off for failure to pay taxes. It was then that she had again become afraid. Hiding from the men that came to bang on her door, and the letters that poured in by the fistful, she became a true recluse. She had not stepped foot outside, except to get her supplies since then.
Eventually, the knocking had stopped. Only to be replaced with people coming into her house unannounced. Ida had stayed in the shadows, not a difficult thing in this house, and had gone unseen by all.
It had been a small miracle that saved her from being spotted the first time, and by the second, she had been expecting the intervention. However, the two young men had thrown her off. She still fretted over what they had wanted from her house. Smiling, she continued to rock, she had taken care of them and they would spend the rest of their lives regretting stepping into her house.
Ida tilted her head slightly as if listening to something only she could hear. Continuing to rock, she spoke aloud, "took care of them, just like you would have wanted me to...Nope, they won't be back, I'm sure...I know, I know I promised." Falling silent at last, Ida rocked content in the knowledge that her house was once again safe.
888
"Get out of the car, Dean." Sam pleaded with his stubborn brother, hating the whiny sound of his voice. It's just he'd been trying to talk his brother out of the Jeep for the last twenty minutes and his patience had fled long ago.
By unspoken agreement, Sara had driven straight to the doctor's office. However, once Dean had seen where they were going he had refused to get out of the car. Claiming that the missing Impala should be their first priority, he had refused to see the doctor. Sam nearly growled in frustration as he, once again, listed at least fifty reasons why, Dean needed medical care.
Sam realized that his tirade had been a waste of time, when Dean had simply put his head back against the seat and closed his eyes. Sam was at his wits end; short of carrying his brother into the office, he had no other ideas. Finally, in desperation he had appealed to Sara.
"My turn Sam?" Sara said as she sat behind the wheel of the Jeep, idly scratching Jacks big head. At Sam's resigned sigh, Sara had simply grinned. Leaning towards Dean, she whispered in his ear, lightly caressing the older hunter's thigh.
Sam watched in astonishment, as a moment later, Dean swung himself down from the Jeep a frown on his face. He had marched up the sidewalk shoulders hunched against the biting cold wind.
"What'd you say?"
Sara shrugged "Do you really want to know, Sam?" She said with a roguish wink and a smile. "Let's just say I bribed him and leave it at that. Now, do you need me to go with you? I was going to go look for the car, while you get him settled."
Sam could not help but grin, nodding he said "Go, look for the car, I've got this." Sam turned and followed his brother up the sidewalk. He had just reached Dean's side, when his foot hit an icy patch. Sliding, he grabbed for the first thing at hand, his brother's shoulder. As they both landed hard on the sidewalk, Sam couldn't refrain from cursing a blue streak. He looked down at his once dry jeans, and cursed once more.
Dean stood up slowly his face a thundercloud of emotion, growling at his baby brother he wiped ineffectually at his wet clothes. "Great, Sam, next time you want to practice couple's ice skating count me out."
"Maybe, I ought to stick with you guys," Sara said, as she hurried up behind them. Sara found herself hard pressed not to snicker at the sight of the two mighty hunters brought low by what appeared to be a tiny patch of ice.
888
"Get off me, I'm fine," Dean growled as he once again, pushed away the liver spotted, hand that held a stethoscope.
Grey bushy eyebrows, lowered over faded blue eyes. "Now you listen here, young man, I've been tending to people for the past forty years, and by god, I am going to have a listen to those lungs regardless of what you think."
Engaging in a staring contest with the older man, Dean lost by default when he began coughing and wasn't able to stop. Waving a hand at Sam to ensure his brother stayed back, Dean finally nodded in defeat.
Doctor Booth placed the round metal disc on Dean's chest, listening intently as he drew a couple shallow breaths. Finally, after listening to both his chest and his back, the doctor straightened. Dean slid his shirt back on and asked, "So what's the verdict, Doc, just a cold right."
Dr. Booth rolled his eyes at the stubborn, young man. He'd had some tough nuts, in his long and varied career but he was beginning to think that this young man took the prize. Gesturing to both him and his brother, he made his way toward the waiting room. "Actually it's not as bad as it could have been. I'll go ahead and write you a script, that should break up the congestion in your lungs. I would like to see you in a week though, to make sure it's working. Keep taking the expectorant for now, that way as the amoxicillin does its job, your cough will get more productive. Steam always helps; plenty of hot showers will help ease any discomfort, as will sleeping elevated as much as you can."
Dean nodded, listening with only have an ear confident, that Sam would all but take notes. Glancing at an array of black and white, photos that hung on the wall, his eye was caught by one in particular. Smiling, he pointed towards the photo. "So, this is you right Doc? Great house," Dean said exchanging meaningful glances with Sara and Sam.
Sam turned, brows drawn down, at Dean's interruption of the Doctor's instructions. That was when he caught a glimpse of the house featured in the center most frame. A slight grin played over his features at the people that stood in front. Most prominent was the doctor and his somewhat less bushy eyebrows.
"Ah yes, that's the Greenway house. Beautiful isn't it, quite a mainstay here in Greenway." The doctor grinned slyly. "Haunted you know, at least that's what the youth of today claim. It's been unoccupied for many a year now, poor Ida Greenway lost possession back in 2000. Ever since it has simply sat, falling apart, it's real shame. The people of this town should be ashamed for driving that poor woman away." Doctor Booth looked up from writing Dean's prescription with a frown on his face. "Many people called her a witch, bah... as if. No she was just a poor old woman, slightly off you know, unable to cope with the realities of living."
Sam and Dean exchanged a glance "A witch, huh, now why would people say such a terrible thing?" Dean asked his gaze focused on the doctor.
"Just gossip, you know, the woman refused to leave the house, especially after her father died. She claimed that he was still alive, even after the old man was put in the ground. Not surprising really, for better or worse he was her whole world" The doctor gazed in surprise at the three young people standing there hanging on his every word.
Sara asked, "Oh, that's really sad...so her father was definitely dead, huh?"
The doctor frowned a bit at Sara's question, handing Sam the prescription he answered, "He was dying from colon cancer, I diagnosed him myself. He refused all treatment, kept saying he wasn't afraid of death that it wouldn't stop him. Anyway, that's why it was so terrible to make her leave, for better of worse that house meant the world to her." The doctor headed back towards the exam room, glancing over his shoulder he said, "Make sure you make a follow-up appointment with my secretary for next week."
Dean nodded at the doctor assuring him he would indeed make a follow-up appointment. Waiting until the doctor had left the room; he turned and headed for the exit. Ignoring the calls from the doc's receptionist, he continued outside with no intention of coming back.
888
Sara walked out of the pharmacy intently reading the information that had come with Dean's medication. Glancing up, she saw him and his brother sitting on a park bench near the top of a large hill. Smiling, she took a moment to watch Dean throw snowballs in the air for Jack. Sam laughed in delight as the big dog sprang up again and again, vainly trying to catch one. Sara took note of the food, lying spread out on the table surface. Throwing a questioning glance at Dean, she handed him his medicine.
Dean shrugged, "I couldn't see leaving him in the car again, and he's not welcome inside the diner, so Sam and I figured, Chinese here in the sun. The table's all but dried and he's having a ball."
Sara smiled as Jack, ran toward her growling and dancing in happiness. "Thanks" she said dropping a kiss on Dean's cheek. As she settled onto the bench, she heard a voice behind her.
"Hey, can we pet your dog?" Sara turned to see a group of kids, ages ranging from seven to ten eagerly watching her dog.
"You bet, just be warned you're liable to get slobbered on." Sara laughed when Jack, as if to prove her point shook his head, long strands of half-frozen saliva spraying everyone. The kids went ballistic over the dog and he could not have been happier to play in the snow with him.
Content for the moment the three of them filled their plates, eating eagerly. Finally, Sam came up for air, pushing his empty plate away with a groan. "Okay, so we know this has something to do with Ida, the question is what she is? We need to know what we're up against; a witch is not something to mess with."
"If she is a witch what can you guys do?" Sara asked, as she pushed away her plate suddenly not interested in the food.
Dean shrugged. "It depends, sometimes they have an item of power. Destroy the item and they loose their powers, sometimes they're simply to far gone. In which case, a silver bullet to the heart works. The night we first met you, we had gone after a witch. We found out she was over one hundred and fifty years old and she was killing children, sacrificing them to ensure her own longevity."
Sara shivered in the afternoon air, focusing on the kids, she never noticed the young girl that approached them.
"Ida's not a witch. She's just a bit...off," The girl stated firmly.
Sara turned and smiled at the teenage girl. "Of course she's not, do you know her?"
"My dad makes delivers to her place, I used to ride along. He'd let me visit with her a bit, in between deliveries. I haven't seen her in a long time though." The girl glanced towards the kids that were playing. Pointing out one of the more rambunctious boys she rolled her eyes, "Kid brother."
Sam studied the girl for a moment, "You mean you're Dad used to make deliveries to the place, before the house was sold."
The girl shook her head, glancing nervously around, she lowered her voice, "I wasn't supposed to say anything. He still delivers out there; a check comes every month paying for it. So, Dad delivers it, I'm not supposed to tell anyone though
Dean smiled gently, "We won't tell, so who pays for it? Does your Dad have any idea?"
"No, though he says as long as the money comes in he's going to make the delivery. Anyway, I'd appreciate it if you didn't say anything. I've got to get my brother, see ya." With a wave, the girl was gone, gathering up her wayward brother.
Dean turned toward the others and grinned, "So old Ida is still living in that house, people start invading her space, so she arranges a couple accidents to get rid of them."
Sam frowned, "I don't know Dean, I mean when we were there the place reeked of an angry spirit."
Sara called Jack to her side, gathering up supplies she offered, "Let's check it out."
Dean turned on a dime to face Sara, reaching out he grabbed hold of her shoulders. "You're not going anywhere, Sara. Sam and I'll check into the house and you'll stay at the hotel safe and sound."
Sara smiled at Dean for a moment, before she turned and headed toward the jeep. Dean glanced at Sam, eyebrow raised. "Do you think it worked?"
Dean rolled his eyes at Sam's laughter. "Yeah, well she's not getting around me this time. There's no way I'm letting her in that house."
Sam simply headed for the car, still chuckling. "Yeah, like there was no way you were going to go to the doctor's right, Dean?"
888
As the three of them made their way around the side of the house, Dean found himself still fuming over Sara's presence. Sam was also on his shit list, after all his brother had done nothing to back Dean up. Sitting in the back seat, he had done nothing but smirk as Sara had deftly manipulated Dean. Crap, Dean had even known what she was doing, and he'd fallen for it. Shaking his head, he once again promised himself that nothing would happen to her. Glancing down at Jack, he felt relieved that the dog would also be there to help keep an eye on her.
