Disclaimer: I still don't own Supernatural or its characters. I and am not making any money on this…I'm just having fun!
Thief of the Night
Chapter 9 – Nightmares
Dean sat in the kitchen and watched as Maddy heated up the casserole she'd brought with for everyone. She'd even brought over some home made chicken soup for his brother. However he was pretty sure it would be awhile before Sam would be hungry. His eyes strayed back to the door to his father's bedroom. They'd decided to put Sam down here since getting things up and down the ladder to the loft would be too difficult.
Besides, the bathroom was closer too. Sam had been sick twice more before the doctor had arrived. Each time Dean had cleaned his brother up before piling him back under the blankets. They'd taken the quilts from both of the upstairs beds to warm his brother but the kid still shivered. His lips were an unhealthy shade of blue while his pale cheeks sported the rosy hue of fever.
The storm had done its damage to his little brother. Between the tree and being out in the rain all night, his brother was a mess. He'd be lucky if he didn't come down with pneumonia. Dean jumped as he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry son, Robert is an excellent doctor. He'll have your brother back on his feet in no time."
"Ah, thanks—so Maddy? How long have you been around here?" Dean asked as he kept his gaze on the bedroom. What the hell was taking so long anyway?
"Forever young man—believe me on days like today I feel every one of my years." Maddy pulled down a plate and put a couple of cookies on it as she poured a glass of milk. "Here you go. Looks like young Sam never got a chance to finish the cookies I gave him yesterday. You know he refused to take any money? He chopped more than half the wood I had and would only take these in return."
Dean looked down at the plate and swallowed. It was just like Sam to do something like that and expect nothing in return. He wondered if his Dad knew that his little brother had worked hard yesterday—harder than he had. While he was enjoying the local patrons at the pub, his brother was going through training exercises with his Dad. He should have come home—should have stood up for Sam.
"Go ahead dear, eat up. You have to keep up your strength to help that brother of yours." Maddy sat down across from him and pushed the plate closer.
Dean was trying to come up with a polite way to say no when the door to his father's bedroom opened. "Dean—get the car warmed up. We're taking Sam to the clinic."
"What's wrong Dad?" Dean stood and grabbed his coat and keys. It had to be bad if they were taking his brother into town. What if they had to put him in the hospital? How would he protect him there?
His father seemed to notice his panic as he walked across the room and placed his arm over Dean's shoulder. "It's okay son. The doctor just wants to do an x-ray of Sam's arm and then cast it. He thinks Sam will be okay with plenty of bed rest…."
Dean let out the breath he hadn't known he was holding. "What about the fever?"
"It's already coming down. The doctor will set up an IV before he leaves to make sure Sam stays hydrated and gets strong antibiotics. He seems to think that should do the trick. Now get the car ready. I want to be back before nightfall."
Dean didn't miss the concerned look in his father's eye as he turned to look at Maddy. "While he's doing that, why don't I give you a ride home? By the time we get back, it will be late."
"Oh don't worry John, I can take myself home. I left your casserole warming in the stove and Sam's soup is in the fridge. You just call me if you need anything else otherwise I'll check in on you tomorrow." Maddy walked slowly towards the door.
Dean knew his father wanted her out of the way so they could do some more research later. They didn't have much time to figure this out if Sam was being affected. He followed the old woman out the door and helped her to her car before he started the Impala. A short time later he saw his father coming out carrying his lanky brother in his arms.
"Let me help!" Dean cried as he moved to intercept.
"It's okay Dean, I've got him. Get in the back and I'll hand him to you. Robert is going to ride with us to the clinic." John nodded at the tall man following behind.
Dean didn't wait to be asked twice as he jumped into the back seat and waited for his brother to be delivered into his arms. He'd make sure his brother stayed safe until they got back. As he looked down at his silent little brother he remembered his wish earlier—he'd wanted to do something without his little brother tagging along. Now all he wanted was to hear his brother's voice and see his smile. How could he have ever thought he'd be happy without Sam by his side…
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Sam blinked slowly as he tried to figure out where he was. The antiseptic smell and white walls along with the hard surface under his tender back practically screamed hospital. He turned his head and saw his Dad, Dean and some stranger talking in hushed tones. Probably talking about how screwed up he was after his spectacular escape to freedom.
He turned his head and sighed. Part of him was mad Dean had ignored his request to let him go it on his own while part of him felt secure in the knowledge that his big brother had come for him. Maybe he still wanted him around even if he couldn't measure up to the Winchester standard of excellence. The hushed words stopped followed by the presence of a warm hand on his shoulder. "Sammy?"
His brother's soft words wrapped around him and made him feel safe. It was amazing how much one word could affect him. He also heard the underlying fear in the timber of that voice. Dean was scared. His breath hitched as he wondered if something was seriously wrong with him. He turned his face and tried to focus. "Dean? What—where—you okay?" Sam's voice was barely above a whisper.
"Dude, I'm not the one flat on his back looking like road kill. Don't worry Sam, this is just a clinic. The Doc had us bring you here so he could run some tests. The pretty nurse will be in soon to put that arm in a cast and then we're out of here." Dean's hand had moved down to clasp his wrist. His thumb moving in small circles over his pulse point in a comforting gesture. He sometimes wondered if Dean needed the contact more than him.
"Cast?" Sam was confused and very tired. It was a battle to keep his eyes open much less think.
"You broke your arm Sammy and well—I'm afraid I have some bad news little brother…" Sam's eyes snapped open as he looked up at his brother. He really couldn't feel his arm at all right now; he'd just thought they'd given him something but what if? He looked down and saw his arm lying beside him. "What?" Sam asked breathlessly as he tried to control the panic building in him.
"They only had neon pink plaster—sucks for you little brother!" Dean grinned and tousled his hair. Sam let out the breath he'd been holding and rolled his eyes. He groaned as the motion brought back the pain in his head. This definitely was not his day.
"Sam, are you okay?" Dean asked again, his face filled with concern as he signaled for someone in the room. He heard his brother talking to the other person. "I think he's in pain, the shot you gave him must be wearing off…"
Sam couldn't make out the other person's response as he let his eyes close. His brother was here and he was safe for the moment. It was all he needed to know for now. The rest would have to wait until his brain could function on all four cylinders.
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It had been a long afternoon for the Winchesters. Sam had received his cast and appeared to be on the mend. The doctor had given him something to help with the pain once his head scan had come back clear and true to his word had started an IV on the youngest Winchester when they had returned to the cabin.
"I still think your son would be better off in the hospital John." Robert replied as he accepted a cup of coffee from the exhausted father.
"I do too, but Sam has a fear of hospitals. Believe me; he will be much better off here. Besides you said he's out of danger right?" John looked towards the bedroom where his two sons now slept. It had been a long night for his oldest son as well. He'd managed to convince him to rest but Dean had insisted on curling up next to Sam on the large king size bed. He wanted to be there if Sam needed him and John didn't have it in him to argue.
"He will be John. He'll be confused for a while due to the concussion but already his fever has broken. The wound on his leg will make it difficult for him to walk but I don't see any complications from the shallow wound. I'd keep applying the ice packs to his lower back for the next 24 hours, then switch to heat. That should help with the swelling from the bruising. I'll stop back tomorrow afternoon to check on him. In the meantime, feel free to call me if he gets any worse. I'm only a few miles away." Robert placed his empty mug in the sink and picked up his bag.
"Thanks doctor. I appreciate you coming out like this." John walked the doctor to the door.
"Well with all the sudden illnesses that have cropped up over the past few years, it's nice that one of my cases doesn't look like it will end up with someone passing on." Robert smiled at John as he walked through the door towards his jeep.
"Wait, I heard about the older man dying from complications of the flu—you were his doctor?" John walked beside Robert as they continued towards the doctor's jeep.
"Yeah, I'm really the only doctor who makes house calls out this way. I don't understand what happened with him. It looked like a simple case of the flu and before I knew it he developed a high fever and died. I've had more than one case like that in this area—people who should get better but don't…" Robert leaned up against the jeep with his arms crossed as he stared off into the distance. "If I didn't know better I would think there was something else going on—but I couldn't find anything to explain it."
"I heard he was hallucinating near the end…" John couldn't believe they might have their first break. He'd found something the victims had in common. He looked closer at the doctor as a chill ran through him. Could the doctor be involved?
"They all did—but you know the really strange thing? They all talked about a black bird attacking them. If I didn't know better I would have thought…" The doctor looked away and sighed before he shook his head. "But it couldn't be—it's just a legend told by old women to scare children…"
"What legend?" John asked.
Robert shook his head as he started to climb into his jeep. "Don't worry John, I'm sure your son will be just fine. The Raven Mocker is an old Cherokee myth. My ancestors simply told the tale to explain why some people who appeared to be healthy, ended up dying." Robert started the jeep and waved as he headed back towards his cabin.
John stared after the man for a moment before he entered the cabin. He quickly walked into the bedroom and gazed at his youngest. It was true, Sam appeared to be sleeping more quietly and he hadn't mentioned the black bird again but then it couldn't be coincidence that the same doctor treated all the people who died.
"Dean—son wake up." John said softly. He smiled as his oldest immediately came awake.
"Sam?" Dean said as he looked over at his sleeping sibling.
"He's fine Dean. But I'm going to take out the IV. I just found out the doctor treated all the other patients who died recently. It might just be coincidence but I don't think we can take a chance. I need you to watch Sam while I do some more research." John quickly removed the IV and placed a bandage over the small wound.
"But Sam needs the antibiotics Dad." Dean rose and looked at his father; his concern was clearly visible on his face.
"We'll use the pills from our own supply. If he wakes up, make sure you try to get him to drink as much as he can. If his fever begins to climb again you call me okay son?" John watched as Dean pulled a chair over beside the bed.
"Don't worry Dad, I'll watch out for him." Dean placed a hand against Sam's forehead for a moment and smiled as he found it only slightly warm to his touch.
"Good boy…" John replied as he quickly left the room. He pulled out his phone and placed his first call to Bobby. He had to find out about the Raven Mocker quickly and his old friend was the best source of information around.
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Sam was once again caught in the strange mist from before. Part of him realized he had to be dreaming but the sound of wings still brought a chill to his bones. He immediately ducked down into a crouch as his eyes searched for the Raven who had attacked him before.
"Where are you? What do you want from me?" Sam called out. He was tired of being afraid. Dean was right; he needed to start acting like an adult if he wanted to be treated like one. Once again the bird swooped down but this time it landed in front of him.
His father's voice once more echoed in the darkness. "You need to stop being a burden Sam…"
"I'm trying Dad—just give me a chance…" Sam whispered back as he searched for his father's figure in the swirling mist.
"Selfish—you don't think about people dying. You need to start carrying your weight if you want to be part of this family…" His father's voice continued to berate him. "Look at Dean; he's able to hold his own…"
"Please no—not real—he wouldn't say that…" Sam tried to convince himself. But some of the words rang true. He knew his father was disappointed in him. Even Dean thought he was selfish. He'd tried to prove himself and look what happened. He'd never be as good as his older brother; in fact he might never be the hunter his father wanted him to be.
"You'll never be as good as Dean…" A strange voice echoed through his head. Sam jumped as his own thoughts were thrown back at him. It was almost as if the thing could read his mind—knew his fears.
"Who are you? Why are you doing this?" Sam called out as he tried to figure out where the voice was coming from. It sounded distorted, but it had a familiarity to it that he couldn't place.
"Your father and brother would be better off without you…"
"No, Dean came after me, he still wants me…" Sam argued against the voice, but deep inside he couldn't help feeling there was truth in the words. Dean had said he was tired of taking care of him. He wanted to leave him with Pastor Jim so he could hunt full time with his Dad. His Dad wanted to leave him with Maddy so they could complete the hunt. His family may want him but they didn't need him.
"They'd be better off if you were gone—do you know what they really think about you boy?" The voice sneered.
"I won't listen—you're lying…" Sam said as he stood and tried to walk away. The Raven flew and slashed at his head, raking its claws across his face. Sam screamed and ducked back down again. He felt blood trickle down his cheek onto his neck.
"You know I speak the truth—they blame you for her death…" The cruel voice flowed around him and through him. It left him feeling dirty. He didn't want to listen, but the voice seemed to echo his inner most thoughts.
"She died because of you Sam Winchester. If you hadn't been born, your mother would still be alive. Your brother would have a mother and your father would have a wife. That's why your father can't look at you the same as your brother—every time he sees you he's reminded of what he lost…"
"NO!" Sam cried as he had his worst thought laid bare before him. He'd never told anyone how he'd felt. Years of his father and brother refusing to talk about his mother around him had left him to fill in the gaps. He'd seen the naked grief in his father's eyes when he thought about his wife. Dean had let it slip one time that Sam was a lot like their mother—so it made sense his father would keep him at a distance.
He was always the odd man out, never knowing his mother—always wanting more than the hunt. The soft side of his nature in constant conflict with the violence that surrounded him. He tried to be like Dean, to accept his role as a hunter. But something inside him refused to cross that final line—to kill first and then ask questions. He wanted to know that killing was the only option before he entered the hunt.
He remembered what the girl April had said, she wanted to help people too but she was doing it by becoming a lawyer. Who said he had to follow in his father and brother's footsteps? If he wanted to go away to school, why couldn't he? It was obvious to him he'd never fit in anyway. If he continued, the person he was would be lost.
Soft laughter surrounded him and filled him with fear as he tried to fight the unwanted thoughts and feelings. He didn't want to believe what was being said by the strange voice. But it was hard when his own feelings mirrored what he was being told.
He stood and faced the Raven in front of him. His mind suddenly clearing as something he'd forgotten came back to him. He'd been researching the hunt for his father and he knew he'd found something important. It wasn't a soul eater—he knew that for sure now. Just like he knew this was not a normal hallucination.
He'd seen the Raven while he was awake in the forest and Dean hadn't been able to see it. The other people hadn't seen the black bird before they became ill, but after. Soul eaters could take on any animal form, but this being only appeared as a Raven. There was no common link between the victims and as far as he could tell no pattern to the killings. As he put the pieces together he began to realize what they were dealing with.
Sam stood and faced the Raven in front of him; a sudden calm came over him as he spoke to the dark entity. "I know what you are. You aren't a soul eater. I remember reading about a local legend. You're a Raven Mocker!"
The soft laughter increased around him, mocking him with his new found discovery. He listened closely; once again the voice although distorted was still vaguely familiar but he still couldn't place it. He wished he'd had more time to investigate it before his father had told him to stop wasting his time. Unfortunately, he never got a chance to figure out a way to kill the monster he now faced.
What was worse, he couldn't tell his father or Dean because they both believed it was a soul eater. His Dad had made it clear he wasn't interested in any other theory. Dean would chalk it up to the fever. A shiver ran through him as he realized he had to figure this hunt out on his own. Once he had all the facts, then maybe his Dad would listen.
"You can't kill me boy—soon your heart will be mine and I will live on for many more years because of you." The Raven flew into the air and circled the frightened young teenager before it flew off into the night leaving him lost and alone.
TBC
Raven524: So now the real villain of the piece is unveiled—mwhahahahaha! So now they know what they are dealing with, but can they defeat it? I guess you all will just have to read on to find out!
