Bring On The Banshee
Chapter Seven
As Sam was walking back to the hotel and Dean was downing his Long Island Iced Tea, at a Hell's Kitchen bar nearby, sat Harry Mulligan, a 24 year old irish exchange student. He was pouring his relationship woes over a few beers. The bartender walked over and leaned in.
"Hey Harry, how are you doing on that beer?" he asked
Harry chuged the last bit in the glass and pushed it towards the bartender. "Lemme have another."
"Harry, they way your going, you're not going to be able to walk home."
"Whaddya talking about?"questioned Harry"I'm not even studdering or slurring. Another one if you please."
"whatever you want Harry."the bartender shrugged and went over to get him another beer.
While Harry waited for his next glass, he felt a pair of eyes on him. He turned to see from which direction it came from. There was only 2 patrons in the bar besides Harry and neither had the capacity to stare at Harry. Both were drunk beyond words. He felt the stare become stronger and he looked outside. There stood a woman with red hair and blue eyes. Harry rubbed his eyes and could swear that maybe what the bartender said was true, he had indeed too much to drink. But when he looked up again, she still stood outside, this time walking down the block.
The bartender turned with the glass of Guiness towards Harry.
"Harry? Where'd you go?"
Harry followed her down the street through groups of people, but somehow managed to keep her within sight. For some reason, Harry could not explain, it was as if she was leading him somewhere. A place that Harry could not figure out. He followed the beautiful girl down a side street, where she finally stood..still staring blankly at him. He walked up to her and kissed her. Harry didn't know why he felt compelled to kiss her, hell he didn't even know her. She pressed him against the side of the building and kissed him back passionate and roughly.
"Being a wee bit rough aren't we love?"asked Harry slurring in his speech.
"Oh you have no idea." she replied kissing his neck.
"Darlin, I don't even know your name. I must be dreamin'"he moaned
"No."she answered in her feminine voice "You're having a nightmare."
Harry looked at her in confusion, then realized, she was right. She was no longer beautiful, she was hideous and ugly. She had limp,dark blonde hair, and where her hypnotic blue eyes were, were replaced with blank white eyes. Her beautiful hands once were, were talons. She was in rags.
Harry screamed.
In any other town, someone would have heard him.
But this was New York City. No one heard a thing.
------
The next morning, Sam was very careful as not to wake his brother. Dean asking him to leave the bar, presented the perfect opportunity to confirm the flight details with Jade. She was on the 9:30am flight from Salem. He had to get there with ample time. So he quickly changed and left around a quarter to nine trying to close the door as quietly as possible.
The click of the door closing only presented the sign to Dean that his brother had left. Dean didn't know where he was off to, this early in the morning, but before getting out of bed, he made sure his brother didn't come back. He waited five or so minutes before pulling back the blanket to reveal that he already had his clothes on. It hadn't been a comfortable night to sleep with all his clothes on, but Sam's face when he saw Sarah priceless. Dean smiled a small victory. He looked at the clock, it was almost 9 o'clock and he didn't know where Sarah was going to meet him, let alone did he know where Grand Central was. He headed out the door cautiously looking to his left and right making sure Sam wasn't around to play another gag.
Sam caught a cab on the corner of 42nd and Broadway. In the cab, Sam breathed and smiled in victory. Unlike the last war, he was winning this one by a long shot. Dean had no idea what was going to hit him. He was using his weakness of chicks against him. As the driver drove uptown, Sam caught only a snipet of the news on the radio, but not enough to realize that the banshee had struck again. It was about a took about a half hour to reach the airport and realizing he had some time to kill before she landed, Sam bought the newspaper. His eyes widened as he read the headline:
Hell's Kitchen's Still Cooking with Murder
Sam reached for his cell and quickly scrolled down to Dean's number, but then stopped himself. He couldn't call him now. Dean would want to know where he was. In fact, Dean was sleeping when he left.
Meanwhile, standing in Times Square, stood Dean trying to ask for directions to Grand Central Station. He zipped up his leather jacket. He had been standing there for almost 20 minutes asking for directions, but no one stopped, they just looked at him and kept walking. Did he have a monkey in his face or something? He looked at the time, it was 20 minutes to 10 and he was going to be late, if not frozen to death first. At the moment, he felt something in his hand and he looked down.
It was a dollar.
"Aww what the hell..I'm not homeless. Jesus Christ." huffed Dean
"You oughta get a hat and gloves man. This cold is brutal."commented a man impeccably dressed in a suit.
"Well I guess that's what happens when your asking for directions for 20 friggin minutes."answered Dean
"Where do you need to go man?"
"Grand Central Station. Someone is meeting me there and I'm gonna be late."
"Well, you walk straight down 42nd Street to Park Avenue and your there. No turns." the man answered with a smile
The brutal wind coming from the city's skyscrapers made the what seemed short journey into a long one. Dean entered Grand Central Station and realized finding a needle in a haystack would be easier than finding Sarah Blake in this terminal. Suddenly his phone rang, he looked at the window and picked up quickly.
"Sarah where are you?"asked Dean
"I'm by the big clock."
Dean looked towards the direction of the big clock and as the people made their way towards where they had to go, he saw her. Looking around for him. Dean could only imagine Sammy's face when he saw her.
"Sarah!" he called out, making his way through another set of people.
"Dean!"she exclaimed, hugging him, then pulling away. "You're freezing cold. Where's your hat..?And your gloves? Are you crazy? It's cold."
"I..left them at the hotel." Dean smiled through chattering teeth.
Meanwhile, at Laguardia Airport sat Sam totally engrossed in the newspaper. The airport was warm and toasty. The loudspeaker blared loudly, bringing Sam back to earth.
"Flight 2131 from Boston landing at Gate 13."spoke the seemingly cheerful robotic voice
Sam got up and folded the newspaper,stuffing it under his arm and he rushed to Gate 13. People were filing out of the walkway slowly and Sam waited a good ten minutes before Jade finally appeared in the walkway. She was wearing her usual black attire, a black turtleneck,black jeans, black boots that went over her knee and a black vest. She looked out at Sam and smiled waving. He rushed over and grabbed her bags.
"I hope you weren't waiting too long." replied Jade as they began walking out of the terminal
"Nah, I didn't mind."Sam replied "It's great to see you again."
"Same here. How long has it been?"she inquired quietly
"About 4, 5 months."replied Sam hailing a taxi then looking down at the petite brunette that stole his brother's heart. Jade didn't ask yet, but Sam could tell, she was wondering how Dean was. After all, Sam kind of over exaggerated Dean's mental state. Not that Dean wasn't a crazy son of a bitch..but he wasn't crazy enough to jump off a building...actually Sam wasn't too sure.
It wasn't until they were in the taxi crossing over the Queensboro Bridge when Jade finally asked the tabooed question.
"How is he?"
"He's as well as could be expected."answered Sam. Suddenly Sam realized that if Dean did see Jade, he may very well jump off a building. "When I left this morning, he was sleeping."
"Oh."trailed Jade staring out the window as the taxi finally hit Manhattan. Finally she turned towards Sam and asked "So what makes you think this is a banshee?"
Sam only smiled. Like his brother, she was all business. They were perfect for each other, but they didn't even know it. It was as clear as day. Then he started on their progress from the past 48 hours, with the exception of the Long Island Iced Tea incident and the Sweedes. She listened intently, throwing in what she knew about the banshee legend, every now and then. The two were chatting like old friends by the time they reached the hotel lobby.
"Do you think he'll be happy to see me?"asked Jade quietly, unsure. They were standing in the elevator going up to the 10th floor.
"I'm sure he'll be thrilled and..surprised. Very surprised."answered Sam
They got off the elevator and headed to the room. Sam began taking out his key when he heard Dean's voice behind it...talking to a..chick..? Sam panicked. Was that Inga? Helga? Or whoever he met earlier this morning? Dean worked fast alright. A little too fast. Quickly Sam turned to face Jade.
"Uh, I think he's still sleeping. I should uh..make sure he's decent."Stammered Sam
"Ok."answered Jade oblivious to the talking on the other side.
"Give me a minute."Sam requested as he opened the door to the room "Dean what the---Sarah?"
The camera phone went off. Dean grinned.
"Gotcha bro." answered Dean getting rather smuggly
"Oh really now?"shot back Sam taking out his camera phone and opening the door fully to reveal Jade.
Dean's smug expression changed as Sam took his picture. Dean's jaw dropped. Jade froze completly upon seeing Sarah, as did Sarah upon seeing her. Jade walked into the room and held out her hand as she said coldly.
"Jade Carrigan."
"Sarah Blake"Replied Sarah just as icily.
The two brothers looked at each other, then at the girls. Realizing what impression the girls had, they simultaneously switched sides so that Sam was next to Sarah and Dean was next to, or rather on Jade's side of the room.
Sam trying to break the ice between the girls, said "Sarah, Jade is a good friend of Dean's."
Dean retorted putting his arm around Jade and saying "Sarah is a good and I mean good friend of Sam's."Sam shot him a look and Dean shot him one back.
"OHHHH!" both girls replied in unison and began talking as if the brother's weren't in the room.
Dean and Sam watched the girls. It was amazing how fast things went from tense to ease. Dean pulled Sam by the arm into the bathroom and closed the door.
"What the hell were you thinking Sammy?!"he demanded
"What the hell were you thinking Dean?!"Sam shot back
"I told you not to call her. We could take care of it ourselves!"answered Dean beginning to pace.
"In the past half hour, I know more about banshees than you do."retorted Sam
"But you didn't have to bring her here."Dean exclaimed
"Would you shut up!? She'll hear you."
"I DON'T CARE!" yelled Dean uncharacteristically
"Why are you making such a big deal out of it anyway Dean? You don't see me going all ballistic on your ass for bringing Sarah down here. As a matter of fact I'm glad to see her." Sam answered
"Sarah's different."mumbled Dean sitting on the closed toliet seat
"And how so?"questioned Sam slyly. Dean wasn't a good liar. Even though it seemed as if he didn't want Jade there, he most certainly did.
Dean knowing all too well that his brother could see right through him, put up a front and said "But I was going to give another crack at the Sweedes." he whined
"Give it up Dean. She's here and your happy. Now go greet her properly."
Dean got up and huffed "Fine." he said lamely trying to keep his front up.
He opened the door just as the two girls were walking out of the room.
"Hey." Dean called as Sam poked his head out "Where ya going?"
"Shopping." they said together as they closed the door and walked down the hall
"Women," Dean rolled his eyes, "You can't live with them and you can't kill them."
"Give me a break, Dean." Sam snapped.
