Sam paced the room for what felt to Bobby like the thousandth time. Bobby had tried to get Sam to calm down, but it was impossible. Bobby couldn't blame him. Sam was the only one who really took care of Evy every day, and Bobby was amazed Sam hadn't fallen apart yet. When Sam looked out the window yet again, Bobby decided to try and get him to talk.
"Sam. Come on, buddy. Sit down."
"I can't, Bobby." Sam argued.
"Yeah, you can. Come on."
Sam joined Bobby at the table in the room. The sun was just beginning to come up. Sam had put Evy to sleep at 8pm the night before, and it was almost seven now. No one had gotten any sleep at all. As tired as Sam was, all he could focus on was the fact that he didn't know where Evy was or how she was doing. He didn't know if she was tired, sick, scared, hurt, hungry, or, most importantly, safe. He felt as if he wouldn't be able to sleep until she was back with him, safe and sound, cradled in his arms and sleeping peacefully,
"Sam, I know you think this is your fault. It isn't."
"Yes, it is." Sam insisted stubbornly. "Bobby, she was right under me."
"Sam, you didn't know." Bobby said. "She didn't get taken because you weren't doing your job protecting her. You did what you could with what you knew at the time."
"But that didn't stop it, Bobby!" Sam answered, near tears. "She's out there somewhere, alone and scared and maybe hurt or…" Sam stopped himself before he said what he was truly thinking.
"Sam, you can't think like that." Bobby said. "Listen, Baitfish might be little, but she ain't dumb. I think she's gonna be just fine."
There was a long pause before Sam spoke again. "I just keep thinking that she's out there scared, Bobby. What if she's crying for me right now?"
"Then you help me and your dad and Dean find her. And when we do, you grab and hold her and don't let her go until you're both ready." Bobby said.
Before Sam could reply, John and Dean stepped back inside the room. They had left to investigate possible places where Evy was being held. John had insisted Sam stay behind with Bobby. Sam had protested, but eventually relented at John's promise to allow him to come when they found Evy. John had barely closed the door before Sam was on top of him.
"Did you find her, Dad?"
"Sam, give me a little space, son." John said, gently pushing Sam away from him. He placed a map on the table and spread it out, grabbing a marker from out of his pocket. "Alright, this is us." John said, marking an X in the middle of the map that indicated the motel. "Here is an abandoned warehouse," he said as he marked an X on one end of the calendar, "and here is an abandoned prison." John marked an X on the almost exact opposite end of the map. "Alright, those are the two most likely places she's being held. They're the only abandoned buildings in town isolated enough to take a hostage without being seen."
Sam visibly flinched when John said 'hostage', but refrained from saying anything.
"Dean and I are stuck on where to go. If we waste time going to one place and Evy's at the other, we've wasted time. What do you two think?" John asked.
"The prison."
Sam said it so automatically that even he was surprised. John, Dean, and Bobby stared at him, waiting for him to explain his reasoning. Sam gathered his thoughts before talking; his reasons made him feel sick to his stomach.
"He'll underestimate Evy because she's so little, but not by too much. It'll be too easy for her to escape from the warehouse. He'll try to put her somewhere where she won't even try to escape. And if he takes her to the prison, and she does find a way out of whatever cell he's kept her in, she'll have a hard time finding her way out. She'll get lost…."
Sam finally broke down, a sob escaping his throat. He turned away from John, Dean, and Bobby, his stupid pride not allowing him to let them see him cry. He knew his reasons made sense, but he couldn't really explain why he felt so certain of them. All he could think about, all he could focus on, was finding Evy and holding her and never letting her go again. Sam felt a hand on his shoulder and expected to see Dean or Bobby standing behind him. But it was John.
"I think you're right, son." He said simply. "Let's go."
Had the situation not been so serious, Sam would've said "Really?". But he did allow himself to hug John's waist, grateful that John was listening to him. John returned Sam's hug. He wanted to hug him longer, as such close moments between John and Sam were rare now. But the fact remained that Evy was in trouble, and needed them.
"Let's go get your sister, son."
Everyone went outside and piled into the Impala, Bobby and John in the front, Sam and Dean in the back. John raced towards the prison as fast as he could. Sam stared out the window, thinking to himself the entire time Hang on, baby. Just hang on. We're coming.
