Chapter 10: Soldier On

Soldier On
Soldier On
Keep your heart, close, to the ground

Don't think about it at all
Just keep your head low
Don't think about it at all

The Temper Trap – Soldier On

"Why do you think we're not dealing with a cheerleader-hating ghost?" John asked, nodding slightly.

"Well," Dean hesitated, "The EMF readings were all kinds of wrong, and the murders… There's just too much creativity… Sure, they were all cheerleaders from Lincoln High, and they were all strangled and melted from the inside out… but the details… the details are wrong, dad. If we were dealing with some kind of vengeful spirit, wouldn't the details be the same as well?"

"I see your point," John nodded some more, deep in thought, "Okay boys, this means only one thing: research."

"Dad," Dean groaned. His head was killing him, he was not up for researching.

"No excuses, Dean," John said with a little smile, "If you can party like a man, then you can bear the consequences like one too. Research for you."

"Daddy," Sam gave his father his big-eyed look, "I have an 8000 word essay due Monday… it's really important, daddy… can I please, please be excused for once? … Please?"

John grumbled something and looked from Sam to Dean, "Only for this once, Sam… But only because Dean needs to be taught a lesson."

"Thank you, daddy," Sam beamed. Dean glared at him, like it was Sam's fault he had a hangover.

"Thanks a lot, bitch," Dean snapped loud enough for Sam to hear, yet silent enough that his dad wouldn't. Sam looked slightly hurt and frowned.

"It's not my fault…" he started, but Dean interrupted him.

"Just shut up," Dean grumbled, "All your whiny blahblahblah is making my head throb."

"It's not Sam who's making your head throb," woops, apparently dad had heard him after all, "Get dressed, you and I are going to the library and the newspaper archives."

That being said, Dean and John spent their weekend going through books on local legends and old newspapers, trying to find out if this had happened before. Sam spent two full days working on his essay. Every time dad or Dean crossed him at the library, he was buried in a big pile of books, taking notes on different sheets of paper. By Sunday night Sam was finally finished, and dad and Dean had found nothing. At all. It was frustrating, really.

When Sam woke up Monday morning, he still felt sick. The last two days had been bearable, mostly because he was so concentrated on his essay that he barely had time to think about his upset stomach. On Monday morning though, his stomach cramped painfully and he felt the urge to jam his finger down his throat so he would throw up and get this over with. Maybe if he vomited and he got it out of his system, he wouldn't feel so sick. This was worse than the stomach cramps he had when he was stressed out over an important exam, or that time that ghost had almost ripped Dean to little pieces – because of a mistake Sam had made.

He ate – but only because he didn't want to get into another fight with his father over it – and showered. He checked to make sure he'd put his essay in his bag. He was certain he was going to get a good grade for it. He'd worked hard on it, and he was actually proud of it. It was an interesting subject – witch burnings – and he'd been able to put a lot of himself into it. Yes, this was definitely going to get him a good grade.

His smile disappeared by the time Dean pulled into the parking lot of the school. His stomach knotted and he swallowed hard. He wished Dean would turn around and drive back to the motel. But Dean didn't. His brother got out of the car, yelled at Sam to hurry the hell up, locked the Impala and almost ran to his friends.

When Dean saw his friends, his heart leapt with joy. He couldn't help but get excited and wanting to be near them, listen to them telling about their weekends and joke around and gossip about teachers and other students. They made him smile.

When he came closer, his smile disappeared from his face though. Alexis was wrapped in Amy's arms and appeared to be crying her eyes out, sobbing loudly and brokenly. Paco and Daniel both looked like they wanted to punch someone in the face and glared at everyone who dared looking curiously at them. Dean blinked, confused and concerned. He'd never felt concerned like this over anyone but Sam and dad.

"What's wrong?" he asked quietly. Patting Alexis awkwardly on her shoulder in what he hoped was a comforting gesture.

"It's horrible!" Alexis cried, shaking her head, "It's unfair!"

Dean felt even more confused. He knew a lot of unfair things, but couldn't pick which one would apply to his extravagant friend.

"Can I tell him?" Daniel asked in a low voice. Alexis looked up, tears and mascara running down her face. It made Dean's heart ache, seeing her like this. She nodded and gratefully accepted the tissue Paco offered her, wiping her face and blowing her nose. She took a few shaky breaths and her eyes filled with new tears.

"It's her parents," Daniel said with a worried face, when Alexis buried herself in Amy's arms once more, "They found her a partner."

"… sorry?" Dean frowned, feeling even more confused.

"Alexis is Jewish," Daniel explained, "She's being married off."

"Wow," Dean almost whistled from surprise, "For real?"

"Yeah," Alexis unburied her head to look at him, "All my sisters were allowed to find their own husbands… but me… I'm getting married this summer… to a jerk… that I don't even know…"

More tears fell and Dean felt unbelievably sorry for her. She was barely 18 and she was going to marry someone she didn't love. And then what? Stay at home and take care of the husband? He couldn't believe Alexis would be happy with that life.

"I'm sorry," he said and he patted her shoulder some more. For once in his life, he didn't know what to say or do, "Why you and not your sisters?"

"Because I'm different," she said with a sad smile, "Because I don't listen… because I'm a failure."

"You're not a failure, Alexis!" Amy said furiously.

"But I am," she whispered, hurt written clearly on her face, "To them, I am."

"Never," Amy whispered back, with tears in her own eyes. She hugged her friend more tightly, as if she was afraid that if she let go, Alexis would disappear forever, "Never."

- SPN -

When Dean walked away, Sam was left standing next to the sleek black Chevy. He still had his fingers on the handle and he was childishly afraid of breaking contact with it, as if the car would be able to keep him safe. And in a way, it always had. The Impala was his home.

When he finally found the courage to walk away from the Impala, he felt like everyone was staring at him, whispering about him. When he actually caught a few of the whispered words, he realized that it wasn't him they were discussing. It was the murders. He breathed a little easier at that, and the knots in his stomach loosened a little. Maybe today was going to be okay.

He listened in to as many conversations as he could, trying to hear whom they were suspecting. He heard a boy say something about Mr. Jordan being a total creep. Apparently there was a rumor about him trying to do funny business with some of the girls in the drama club. But that didn't fit any of the rest of the story. The dead girls were cheerios, and the girls had not been sexually assaulted. Sam shook his head. Mr. Jordan didn't sound like the killer to him. But maybe he should whisper Christo to him, just in case. You never knew, right?

He put his essay in his locker and grabbed his books. When he was closing the door, someone pushed him and he slammed against the cold steel with a grunt. His hands started shaking and he accidently dropped his books, which dropped on his foot. Someone laughed loudly and he felt cold and hot at the same time. He slowly turned around to glare at his attacker. Gary, he should have known it.

Sam opened his mouth to say something, but decided against it. It would only make matters worse.

"Just…" he started, "Just leave me alone." Losers.

"Just… Just… just…" Gary mocked him in a high voice, "Leave me aloooone… boohoohoo… I'm Lose-Chester and I'm a crybaby…"

Sam cringed when several people burst out laughing, pointing and whispering. He wanted to punch Gary in the face, but his friends looked pretty solid. He should have been able to take down Gary on his own, but not if his friends – or bodyguards, who knew – would throw themselves in the fight as well. He wondered why no one bullied Gary. After all, he was fat and fatties often got bullied. Maybe, being the bully was Gary's defense system. If only he made everyone afraid of him, they wouldn't dare saying anything to him. Sam almost felt bad for the blond.

Almost.

If the kid's mission hadn't been to make Sam's existence miserable.

Sam sighed and decided that ignoring them would be the best solution. He kneeled to take his books and closed his locker with a loud, angry bam that echoed through his head and the corridor.

"Oooh," Gary sneered, "Is Lose-Chester mad?"

Sam walked briskly away from them, but they followed him, yelling at him. He wished Dean was here, but Dean had been in a foul mood the last two days and he wondered if his brother would stand up for him, or stand aside and watch the show. He wished it wasn't the latter.

The bell rang loudly, interrupting his thoughts and sending his bullies to their classes. Saved by the bell, he thought with a smile tugging on his lips. Sometimes, his life was so cliché.

"Susannah!" someone yelled in his ear. Sam jumped, startled. The girl who'd yelled in his ear walked past him, towards a small brunette, "Congrats on making the cheerios!"

The brunette – Susannah – was petted on her shoulder, hugged and kissed on both cheeks. She grinned widely, her head bobbing up and down in excitement. She looked a little younger than Dean and seemed a bit arrogant to Sam. She obviously knew she was pretty.

"Thank you," she said, flinging her hair over her shoulder, "With Tatiana, Chrissy and Esmeralda dead… Well, I'd say good riddance, but that sounds so… cruel? But at least I'm on the team now, so, yeah, good riddance, I guess."

The girl who'd yelled in Sam's ear laughed and threw an arm around her friend's shoulder, saying: "You're so funny."

Susannah grinned and they both walked past Sam, who stared at the two girls with wide eyes. Did that seriously just happen? That Susannah chick almost confessed to being the killer. Was she for real, or was she just trying to be interesting?

Dude, she as good as confessed! He had to tell Dean and dad when he came home. They would know what to do. They would probably stake out at Susannah's home and try to catch her in the act. He should go to the computer class during lunch and try to hack into the school files, so he could see where she lived. And what her last name was. Dad would be so proud if he was able to solve this.

One of the most beautiful songs I know :)

I wanted to write more, but I ran out of time :) I'm going to Miami for a week (omg I'm so excited, I've never been to the States before :D ) and I'm leaving tomorrow, and I wanted to give you guys a chapter this week, so yeah ^^ this is all I've got :) I'm not taking my laptop, but I'm taking my notebook so I can write on the plane and when I'm there :)

- Lune x