Catching Up
Chapter 7 – Hook Man

Cas didn't seem like he really understood but at least he didn't attempt to bludgeon himself unconscious. He found the description in the case with remote poised to press play. "Episode entitled 'Hook Man'. In a small town in Iowa, Sam and Dean encounter the infamous 'Hook Man', a spirit who kills his victims with a shiny hook that serves as his hand."

"This is a good one to leave off on," Dean critiqued. "I'm starting to need sleep."

"Me too now that you mention it," Sam yawned.

"Let us begin," Cas started the show. The episode with two girls, one getting ready to go out and the other convincing her to wear a revealing top.

"Gotta love sorority girls," Dean said and immediately regretted it as the back of his head was whacked. "In the most respectful manner of course. Like look at this," Dean nodded to the guy who kept trying to get under Laurie's top. "Dude when the lady says no, back off."

The Hook Man attacked and the guy, Rich, is strung up, left hanging above his car for Lori to find. "That is horrible," said Cas. "A spirit can do that?"

Dean answered, "Spirits can do a lot of things, mainly it all depends on the strength of it and the nature of its death. Nasty piece of work this one."

"You were still searching for your father?" Mary frowned. "What was he doing that he just disappeared like that?"

"You know we never found out the specifics. It all fell under 'tracking the yellow-eyed demon', dad never said much beyond that." Dean shrugged it off but that only made Mary more concerned about the man her husband had become.

Back on the show, the TV!Winchesters got into the fraternity to find out more about the victim. "Hey look we found the identity of the purple guy," Sam joked but no one got it. "It's a game reference."

"Nerd," Dean snorted.

"I owe you another punch for making that me paint that dude," Sam growled.

The show moved to TV!Sam and TV!Dean at the church service and talking to Lori. "Please don't tell me you desecrate church in some way," Cas made a face.

"Hey pot how are you?" Dean quipped.

"If you're referring to the pot and kettle metaphor, I didn't desecrate it as much as I tried to clean it up," Cas defended. "Whatever desecration occurred was purely accidental and I should think I have paid my penance for it."

"How very Winchester of you," Sam approved.

"So the Hook Man legend was real," Mary half-laughed as the TV!Winchesters did their research. "What's next the Tooth Fairy?" Sam snorted and Dean glared full-blown swords at him. The episode shifted once more to Lori's sorority and her argument with her father.

Cas' did his signature head tilt, "So the reverend isn't worried about the murder his daughter witnessed as much as he is about her drinking and partying?"

"Parental priorities at their finest," Dean said dryly.

"Well technically I should be worried about what you two are doing with guns in the middle of woods at night but I'm honestly more concerned about the girl asleep in her bed," Mary asserted. "And oh look, you're getting arrested, still not worried."

"Mom we're far from normal, the usual rules do NOT apply. Plus, you're right to be more fixated on Lori considering this thing haunting her," Sam gestured to the screen just as Lorie was seen waking up in her bed to find her roommate's dead body and the writing on the wall.

"And you were also right not to worry about us," Dean said smugly as the television brothers walked free from the police station. "Only in a college town could you get away with a hazing prank story. It's awesome."

"If only all your falsehoods carried such brilliance and presence of mind," said Cas.

TV!Sam and TV!Dean were now sneaking around the sorority house. "Dean Winchester for your sake I'm going to pretend I didn't just hear the words 'naked pillow fight'," Mary's voice was rather clipped.

"Can we skip ahead to the virgin case?" Sam lunged for the DVDs but Dean tackled him.

"Don't you dare," he growled warningly.

"Boys…" Mary called and they separated begrudgingly. They stopped arguing in time to see TV!Sam and TV!Dean sneak into the house. "The cop didn't hear any of that? Law enforcement sometimes," Mary rolled her eyes.

"The lore in this case is extremely fascinating," Cas remarked as the show moved on to discuss possible ties between Hook Man and Lorie or her father. "Who is the true conduit here? The person or the poltergeist?"

"It's more symbiotic Cas," Mary explained.

TV!Dean was in the graveyard while TV!Sam staked out Lorie's house. "So not fair," Dean pouted. "I lost out on the party and the cute girl."

"Did you really want to be in my place Dean?" Sam raised an eyebrow. "You know what happens next."

"Well not for that but before, hell yeah," Dean nodded. "Now excuse me while I go throw up." He added referring to Lorie and TV!Sam's conversation.

"Sure being a decent person makes you puke but corpses are nothing to you," Sam said over TV!Dean's salt and burn.

"Well someone doesn't waste time," Dean smirked when Lorie and TV!Sam kissed. "Lucky you're such a decent person or the Hook Man might have come after you."

"Came after the preacher instead," Sam said dubiously. "I wonder who Carnes would have taken more issue with if he had known us properly…"

"What is wrong with these law officials?" Cas questioned when the scene moved to the hospital. "How could they possibly blame Sam?"

"Lorie's dad couldn't speak and Lorie herself was a suspect, none of us were particularly reliable." Sam reasoned.

"But you weren't even around for the first attack," Mary pointed out. "Are these bums so clueless that they forgot about the first victim? Not to mention you were never implicated in the death of the roommate. God, it's like they just want the most convenient excuse so as not to do their jobs."

"Mom relax, we're about to give them legitimate reason not to want us around in second," Dean declared. The TV!Winchesters did some more research, uncovering the fate of the infamous hook, and headed to the church to destroy it. "Oh and Cas? Fair warning buddy, church desecration ahead."

"It has already been tainted sadly," Cas mourned. "I believe it would be in everyone's best interest if the spirit was exterminated."

"Are there avenging angels?" Mary asked Cas during Lorie's monologue.

"Once yes, they were ranked as high as archangels but they died," Cas shifted uncomfortably. "Or so is believed."

"She set the ghost on herself," Dean rubbed his temples. "And you just sat there."

"What did you want me to do?" Sam exclaimed.

"I don't know, kiss her again? Anything!"

I'd hate to mock your show and all, but why is it that everything the Hook Man breaks, is miraculously whole again in the next shot? Sam stared around bemusedly, "Have you been watching this entire time?"

"What'd you say?" Dean looked at him.

"Uh go back for a second to when Hook Man first appeared," Sam requested and Dean took the remote from Cas to rewind. "Watch the doors, magical repair."

"Dude that's hilarious," Dean sniggered. "If only it was like that in real life, thankfully the takedown is always satisfying." He sobered up at the end when TV!Sam and Lorie said goodbye. "Ever regret not staying?"

"No," Sam said calmly. The credits rolled and Mary plucked the remote from Dean to shut the television off.

"I can hear the quiet yawning," she smiled. "Time for bed."