A/N: We hope you are enjoying our work and any feedback would be greatly welcomed. We do not own Supernatural or its characters. We just own Libby. This chapter is brought to you by Hailstorm3. Thank you for reading and for your reviews! We are enjoying your feedback!
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"Libby...wake up." (Who was that talking to me?) "You're dreaming honey...sleepwalking." (Sleepwalking?) I couldn't move. I was being held back. I struggled to free myself. I had to go to my Dad. I had to protect them. "Libby." The voice was louder and firmer. "Wake up!" I recognized the voice. It was Dean's. He shouldn't be here.
"No!" I cried out. "He's going to kill you!"
"Libby, there's no one here, just us." It was Sam's voice, so calm and comforting. Now they were both in danger. I was going to lose them both. (No, no, no...I couldn't.)
"He...he...he's out there," I trembled as I reached for the handle on the door. "I need to go to him. You need to leave!"
"Libby stop!" boomed Dean's voice, "And wake the hell up! We have cameras all over this place. I can assure you, NO ONE is out there." My Rugaru Dad's voice suddenly stopped chanting in my ear; I could no longer hear it, just a deafening silence. He was no longer telling me to come to him. (What was happening to me? Where was I?) I felt cold, empty, and alone. I looked down at my trembling hands and then at my pee soaked sweatpants. (Was it a dream?)
"Libs, you ok?" It was Sam's voice and it brought tears to my eyes. "Dean and I are right here...behind you." I turned slowly to find them both standing there, both looking concerned. I instantly lunged my body into Sam's and clutched him tightly around the waist. I rested my head on his stomach and sobbed quietly into his red and black flannel. He gently stroked the back of my head. "You're safe," he said reassuringly. "We're here, we won't let anything happen to you." Then I could feel it, my terror was slowly turning into anger. Anger toward them. I released the death grip that I had on Sam and took a few steps backward. My whole body tensed up and I clenched my trembling fists. "Libs?" he questioned, obviously alarmed by my behavior.
"I f%*&ing told you I didn't want to sleep!" I screamed at both of them. I continued to scream several more profanities. It was as if I had no control over the words that were flowing out of my mouth. But in a weird way, it felt good, almost therapeutic.
"Hey, watch yourself kid!" Dean warned, taking a step closer to me and grabbing my arm.
"No, no I won't!" I snapped. "THIS is what happens when I f%&*ing sleep!" Dean turned my body slightly and landed two swats to my butt with his free hand.
"Ow!" I cried out angrily as I threw my free hand behind me to cover his target. I pursed my lips together and narrowed my eyebrows in his direction. (How dare he? He didn't even give me a strike first!)
"There will be more where that came from if you continue with this behavior," he warned. "Now I suggest you get yourself calmed down and cleaned up, and then we'll talk." (Talk, talk, talk...that's all everyone ever wanted to do around here.)
"Fine," I snapped with a stomp of my foot. I looked up at Dean, he stood firm with his eyebrows raised, and he still didn't look convinced. (Ugh! Why did he have to be so intimidating?) At that moment I decided to back down; I definitely didn't want another Winchester spanking. "Ok...I'm sorry...I'll go get cleaned up," I said calmly. Dean nodded and released my arm. I started to walk away, but Uncle Sam stepped in front of me. I looked up at him, waiting for him to say something, but he didn't, he just frowned and then stepped to the side so I could get by. Quiet Uncle Sam was never a good thing.
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I placed clean clothes on the counter and tore off my wet clothes. I tossed them into a pile onto the bathroom floor. These accidents were really getting pathetic. I hadn't realized it earlier, but my stomach ached, but it was different, it didn't feel like a regular stomach ache. I figured the lack of sleep was really starting to affect me in every way. I climbed into the shower and stood there for a while and just let the water pour down onto my head and face. I just couldn't go out there and face them again. I looked down and noticed a pinkish tint to the water below. Then I saw blood trickling down the inside of my right thigh and suddenly felt terrified. (I was dying! No sleep was killing me! Or maybe they lied? Maybe I WAS turning into a rugaru and this was the beginning.) I quickly finished up my shower, hoping and praying that the blood had stopped.
I climbed out of the shower and sat down on the toilet. Dripping pink water pooled on the floor around me. I examined my legs and thighs, but I couldn't find where the blood was coming from. There was a knock on the door and then Uncle Sam's voice. "Libby, you've been in there long enough, save some hot water for the rest of us." (Should I tell him that I'm bleeding for no reason? That I'm dying? Or worse yet, that I was turning into a rugaru?)
"Ok," I replied back to him. I was relieved that there was no more fresh blood on my legs. (Maybe it had just been my imagination? It wouldn't be out of the ordinary considering my life. Stranger things have happened to me.) I stood up from the toilet and reached for my clothes on the counter. At the same time, I noticed drops of bright, red blood in the toilet. I was horrified. (My butt was bleeding! Dean must have made my butt bleed when he smacked me! Ugh! Now I was really mad at him!) Thinking quickly, I wadded up some toilet paper and placed it in my underwear and then put on my sparkly pink sweatpants and matching t-shirt. I flushed the toilet and wiped up the floor around the toilet with my towel. (I was going to give Dean a piece of my mind!)
I marched out of the bathroom with the wad of dirty clothes in my hand. After dropping them in the washer, I heard voices, happy voices, coming from the kitchen and the smell of something baking. I stepped into the doorway to find Dean, Jody, Sam, Alex, and Claire gathered around the table. They were all holding a plate with what looked like a slice of pie on it. "Hey there sweetheart," Jody greeted, noticing me immediately. "I made an apple pie. Want some?"
"No," I snapped without looking at her, my eyes making contact with Dean's.
"Whoa...I can see the attitude has not disappeared," Dean commented tensely.
"You friggin made me bleed!" I yelled accusingly at him as I pointed my finger in his direction.
"Libby, watch yourself," Uncle Sam warned calmly before Dean had a chance to respond.
"Dean smacked my butt and now I'm bleeding," I growled.
"What? Bleeding?" Dean questioned as he set his pie on the table and took a few steps closer to me. "What are you talking about little girl?" he demanded. "Why are you bleeding? You didn't purposely hurt yourself, did you?" I felt my face flush red with embarrassment. (This all sounded so crazy the more I thought about it...Dean didn't even leave a mark when he had smacked me. He couldn't have made me bleed. So it was true, I WAS turning into a rugaru!) I looked around uncomfortably at everyone, all of them looking at me with eager eyes, and at that moment I wished I could just disappear. Tears burned my eyelids.
"I think I'm turning into a rugaru!" I spat out as tears fell from my eyes. I covered my face with my hands. "And now you have to kill me," I mumbled into them. I felt a gentle hand on my back and I immediately recognized it as Uncle Sam's. The next thing I knew I was being lifted up and whisked away from the kitchen. I recognized my bedroom immediately as Sam set me down gently in a sitting position onto the bed. I adjusted my legs into a crisscross position. I heard my door close and looked up to find Dean standing impatiently in front of it.
"You need to tell us what is going on in that head of yours," Uncle Sam ordered as he pulled out my desk chair and set it directly in front of me. "And are you really bleeding?" he questioned worriedly as he sat down.
"I'm turning into a rugaru," I sobbed.
"Stop saying that," Dean interjected firmly. "We already told you that it's not possible."
"Ok...well here it goes...my...ummmm...my butt is bleeding," I mumbled quietly, looking down at my comforter. "I saw it in the shower and in the toilet. Big, red spots." I looked up at them when I didn't get a response right away. Both their faces were flushed and they were looking at each other and using their secret language. "What's wrong with me?" I asked worriedly. Uncle Sam looked back over at me.
"Honey...there's nothing wrong with you," he replied gently as he grabbed my trembling hands from my lap. "It...well...it sounds like you may have gotten your period."
"My period?" I questioned worriedly.
"Hey Dean, can you grab my laptop?" Uncle Sam asked. "This may be easier to explain with some visuals. It's on my nightstand."
"Sure Sammy," Dean replied.
"So it's normal for me to bleed?" I asked impatiently. I wanted to know it all and I wanted to know it right away.
"Yes," Uncle Sam replied. "Probably for the next 30-40 years, once a month, for a few days at a time," he explained. "And sometimes girls can get extra cranky and have bad cramps." (That explained the pain I was having earlier in the day.)
"Do you bleed too and get extra cranky?" I asked.
"No," he replied. "Men don't have the privilege."
"Privilege? I think it's gross and stupid," I mumbled.
"It may seem like that but there's actually a pretty incredible reason on why you have a period every month," Sam replied. Dean returned with the laptop and handed it to Uncle Sam. Uncle Sam moved so that he was sitting next to me on the bed while Dean took his vacated chair. He set his laptop on his lap so that I could see it and put his arm around me, making me safe and relaxed. He began sharing information and pictures with me on what a "period" was and why it was important. Once the talk was finished, they asked Jody to show me how to take care of myself when I had my period. I thought it would be awkward, but Jody made me feel comfortable and joked around the entire time. However, I still wasn't sure how I felt about "becoming a woman". But I wondered - did it mean I didn't have to follow their silly rules anymore? I mean, I WAS technically a woman now. They said so themselves.
Once I was finished with Jody, they called me back into my room. (Talk, talk, talk...ugh!) Uncle Sam was sitting in the chair and Dean on the bed. I plopped down next to him on the bed. "How are you feeling about everything?" Dean asked.
"Ok," I replied. "But...I was wondering, since I'm a woman now, does it mean that I don't have to follow your rules anymore?" I heard Dean snicker.
"Sorry kiddo, but it doesn't work that way," Dean replied. "You are still a kid in our eyes and will be for a long time." I pouted at his response.
"Which brings us to why we wanted to talk to you," Uncle Sam stated. "We need to talk about your behavior today."
"My period made me do it! You said it can make me extra cranky!" I replied quickly and matter of factly. I heard Dean snicker again and Uncle Sam rolled his eyes at him.
"Come on Sammy, she's good," Dean laughed. I smiled when Uncle Sam threw him a dirty look. Dean cleared his throat and turned his body toward me. "He's right Libby, your behavior earlier was unacceptable."
"I know, I'm sorry," I replied in my most pathetic voice. "I really am."
"There are a lot of us living in the bunker right now which means a lot of extra housework," Uncle Sam replied, his voice was stern which meant he was about to dish out my punishment. "So for the next week, after your schoolwork, you're responsible for washing and drying the dishes, and then tidying up the kitchen, the bathroom, and the TV room." I sighed with disappointment.
"But I didn't get any strikes," I protested.
"You have THREE, one for the swearing, one for the way you talked to me in the kitchen, and one for slacking on your schoolwork," Dean replied firmly. "Consider yourself lucky that your only getting chores. We were feeling lenient today."
"Well...you couldn't spank me anyway...I have my period," I sassed back. (Wow, I was really soaking this up!)
"Just so we're clear, having your period will not save you from a spanking if we feel you deserve it," Sam stated firmly. (Ugh! Why were they such hard asses?) "There are no excuses for your behavior. You, and only you, are responsible for the choices you make. Do you understand?" I looked over at him and pouted. (Couldn't they let me win an argument? Just once?)
"Yes Uncle Sam," I replied.
"Libby, you also need to trust us, you will not turn into a rugaru. EVER," Uncle Sam stated firmly. "Are you still worried about that?"
"Yes...no...I don't know," I replied as tears filled my eyes. "It's just so scary every time I think about it."
"I know honey," he replied as he extended his arms toward me. I stood up and accepted his hug. "But you have nothing to worry about. Let Dean and I do the worrying for you." He held me tightly for a few minutes and then finally released me. Dean gently pulled me back down onto the bed and put his arm around me. He squeezed me gently and kissed the top of my head. (How could they love me so much?)
"And we have a special friend stopping by later tonight," Dean added. "His name is Castiel and he's going to help you so that you can sleep peacefully."
"Oh, Claire's Dad, well her fake Dad," I replied. "Claire told me all about him. I can't wait to meet him, but honestly, I don't think anyone can help me sleep peacefully."
"He will, you'll see," Dean replied. They relaxed on the rules and schoolwork for the rest of the day and allowed me to snack on Jody's apple pie and chocolate milk while watching Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. I figured having my period wasn't too bad if it meant I got special treatment.
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Third Person POV
Cas arrived at the bunker later that evening. Libby was still watching the movie with Jody and Alex, while Sam and Dean spoke with Cas in private. They explained everything to him. "Think you can help her?" Dean finally asked.
"I will try," Cas replied. "I'm just not sure how effective it will be until the rugaru has been destroyed. Somehow he is using telepathy to reach her in her sleep. I have never heard of a rugaru having these powers, but it could be because they are blood related."
"Well...we definitely need to try," Sam replied feeling devastated that Libby may still not be able to sleep peacefully, even with Cas' help. "Oh, and Cas, maybe you could have a talk with Claire while you're here. She's been upset with Libby for the last few days and refuses to forgive her. Libby's been really upset by it. She looks up to to Claire."
"Of course," Cas replied. "But you should know, teenagers are not my strong point."
"Ours either," Dean added with a quick laugh. "And neither are twelve years old."
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Sam called me into the Library once my movie was finished. I sighed with annoyance. I really didn't have it in me to talk anymore. I was exhausted and my patience was wearing thin. I entered the room to find Sam and Dean sitting at the table with another man. He was dark haired and very gentle looking, and wore a long tan colored trench coat with a shirt and tie underneath. "Hey Libs," Sam greeted. "This is Cas."
"Oh...hi...ummmm...Mr. Castiel," I said shyly. It wasn't everyday that I was in the presence of an angel (or at least that's what Claire said he was).
"Hi Libby," He replied as he stood up from the table and approached me. He stopped in front of me and extended his hand. "It's very nice to meet you." I hesitantly took his hand. His grip was tight and firm.
"It's nice to meet you too Mr. Castiel," I replied. I wasn't sure what the proper etiquette was when addressing an angel. "Claire told me all about you."
"I hope it was all good things," he replied with a smile. I liked him immediately.
"Libs, Cas is going to try and help you sleep without any nightmares," Sam explained as he approached us.
"Will it hurt?" I asked worriedly.
"No, it will not hurt," Cas replied. He reached his hand toward my face and then placed two fingers on the side of my head. He was done within seconds. I didn't feel any different. "You can now try to sleep," he announced. I decided to trust him. I mean, he was an angel.
"It's past your bedtime Libs, off to bed," Uncle Sam said as he put his hand on my shoulder..
"Wait, I just have one more question for Mr. Castiel," I pleaded.
"What's your question, Libby?" Castiel asked.
"Have you ever seen my Mom or Grandma in heaven?" I asked.
"No child, I have not," he replied.
"Oh," I replied disappointedly.
"There are a lot of souls in heaven," he replied. "And I haven't been spending much time there lately."
"Next time you're there, can you look them up and tell them that I miss them and that I love them?" I asked.
"I will do that," he replied.
"Thank you," I said as I trudged away toward Dean's room. My mattress was still on his floor so that he could keep an eye on me at night. Both Sam and Dean tucked me in for the night. I still fought falling asleep. I was still scared of the nightmares.
But eventually, sleep must've taken over because I woke up late the next morning, feeling well rested and my mattress and blankets were dry. Castiel did it; he helped me! I sat up excitedly and glanced into Dean's bed to share the news, but he wasn't there. I rushed from his room and almost took Alex out in the process. She screamed and dropped her pile of clean clothes onto to the floor. "Oh geez, I'm so sorry," I said as I reached down and quickly scooped up things.
"Thanks," she mumbled hoarsely as she took her things from me. I could tell she was still barely awake. I heard voices coming from the main room and sure enough, that's where everyone was gathered. Sam and Dean were standing with their duffle bags slung over their shoulders. (Were they going somewhere?) Claire was headed in my direction direction while Sam and Dean spoke with Jody. She was dressed in her blue, flannel pajama bottoms and a blue t-shirt. Her hair was still neatly braided from the day before.
"Hey kid," she said stopping in front of me. "I'm sorry for being a bitch."
"Oh," I replied, surprised by her apology. "I'm sorry too...for getting you in trouble."
"Don't sweat it," she smiled as she ran her fingers through my disheveled hair. "Stop by my room later and I'll get this hair under control." I smiled and she wandered off. I hurried over to Sam and Dean.
"Are you going somewhere?" I demanded with their backs still to me. They stopped their conversation abruptly and turned to face me. I could tell by the way they were looking at me that the news wasn't good. I immediately intertwined my arms around one of Sam's. "You can't leave," I pleaded as tears filled my eyes. "What if he comes here? Or what if he hurts one of you? Or kills one of you?!"
"We have a solid lead," Dean replied, "And we need to move quickly. We may be able to end this Libby...for good."
"And Libs, you are safe inside," Sam stated calmly. "Remember? It's the safest place on Earth. Nothing will happen to you here. I promise. And Dean and I, we'll be fine too."
"No, no, no!" I cried, feeling panicked. I gripped onto Sam's arm even tighter. "Please don't go! I need you to stay!" Tears fell from my eyes and onto my cheeks. I didn't want them to leave. The thought terrified me.
