TEN: Suspicions

"One hundred point fourteen," Sam uttered, staring down in disbelief at the thermometer in his fingers. His eyes flickered onto my face as I was snuggled in between the sheets of my bed, looking up at the brothers nonchalantly.

Dean crossed his arms, eyebrows furrowing as he stared at me.

"I'm no medic or anything, but don't you think this is a good enough cause to go to the hospital?" he said.

"Dean, you're supposed to go to the hospital if you're at one point four," said Sam with a worried glance at me. "How the hell did this happen?"

"Something going 'round?" I suggested, perhaps a bit too casually. The pair of their faces transfixed into concern. I pulled the covers up to my chin, staring at the pair of them. "Really, I think all I need is rest and alphabet soup. Maybe some trashy magazines."

"Kat, if you're temperature goes over one hundred point six it can cause permanent brain damage or even death," said Sam, staring at me with wide eyes.

"Alright. You're coming with us," said Dean suddenly, pushing past his brother and catching me by surprise by scooping his arms underneath me and lifting me up. He let out a low breath. "You are hot."

I disregarded this comment.

"Put me down," I ordered, scowling at him.

"Not with a temperature of one hundred point fourteen, I'm not," he said.

"I'll cough in your mouth."

"Good, cause we're going to the hospital," he said stubbornly.

"I'll spit in your mouth."

"Now you're just getting kinky."

"Dean Winchester, put me down right now," I growled. "If something was really wrong with me I would even be able to talk? I wouldn't be resisting, that's for sure. I think that thermometer is broken, anyway," I added to Sam who looked down at it.

I glanced back up at Dean.

"Seriously, guys. It feels more like a bad bug. I just need some rest. The full moon's in less than twelve hours away and you need to get ready. If I was dying, you would know."

The pair of them said nothing and looked unconvinced. It was an odd sensation being in close contact with Dean. Because his temperature was so much lower than my own, he felt oddly chilled beside me. I shifted uncomfortably in his arms, releasing a small breath.

"I don't know. Maybe we should take it again," said Sam slowly.

I wriggled out of Dean's grasp, landing back on the bed and looking between the brothers.

"You guys have a job to do," I said firmly. "That includes hunting down a demon tonight and being prepared for it. Also making me some chicken soup."

They raised raised their eyebrows.

"She sounds like healthy, normal Kat," Dean muttered to his brother in an undertone. "I'm confused."

Sam moved forward and attempted to place the back of his hand upon my forehead again, but I dodged it and jumped back under the sheets once more.

"Please," I said in a smaller, more vulnerable tone. It earned the effect I wished to have upon them.

"I'll get the water on the stove," said Sam.

"I'll get the trashy magazines," said Dean.

I smiled.

"Thank you."

They left the room, closing the door behind them. As soon as I heard it close, my smile faltered. I pressed myself into my pillow, staring at the wall opposite me.

Frankly, I wasn't sure how I would make it out of this successfully. I had no idea how long the brothers were going to be out looking for the 'demon'. I guessed a while since they would be running in circles and searching for something that wasn't there. In my experience, my senses had been heightened slightly but I wasn't sure, wherever they were going to be, whether the scent of Dean's blood would reach me or not. That was also something that led me to biting on my fingernails.

I had considered more than once merely just getting in my car and leaving. The only thing that stopped me from doing this was because I was fooled by my love for both of them. I simple couldn't bear the thought of how confused, angry, or sad they would be if I simply took off. Also I knew them well enough that they wouldn't let me go that easily. They would track me down and maybe even find me. Then I would really have some questions to answer and I know Dean would never let it go until he got all the answers out of me.

I stared at the wall for so long that the corners of my vision began to blur out slightly. I blinked, glancing out the window and releasing a small sigh. It was no longer raining, much to my disdain. I could practically feel the hot, humid air seep its way through the cracks of the window.

As long as I have been under my current condition, I will never grow used to it. Never. A constant dry spot on the back of my throat no matter how many glasses of water I drank, always hearing the heart beat of others as it thuds against their chest like a dinner bell, and having to admit to myself that I craved it. If I wasn't such a coward, I would have checked myself out a lot time ago.

But to some level, I respected myself too much to do that, even if I hated what I became. Also I would never do that to my father. So I was condemned to living this life unless this person that my father had in mind had any tricks of their sleeve, to which I highly doubted.

I deepened myself in the swallow of the pillow, feeling a slight cold sweat trickle along the pores of my face.

My objective? As soon as the brothers left the house to hunt, I would chain myself in the basement and hopefully remain down their until the night is over and not be found. When the effects of the moon wore down, I would sneak back upstairs before Sam and Dean realized I was missing and proclaim that I was feeling better. Then in two weeks time we would drive down to Washington to meet my father and hopefully solve up everything before the Winchesters could find out my secret.

Easy peasy, yeah?

Short answer; no.

.

The store bell rang as Dean entered, causing the porky man behind the counter to look up at him and register his appearance with a small frown. Dean began to scan the racks of magazines, wondering what the hell young women read these days and why they would give a flying fuck to whom big-ass Kim Kardashian was marrying next.

He picked up a nearby one which was covered with some famous celebrity and about her breakup drama. It was bizarre, almost painful, to see people worrying about tacky little drama like this when there was real problems out there; real demons that needed to be fought. He placed the mag back, scoffing under his breath.

"You're not gay," said a voice from behind him. Dean looked around to discover it was the man at the counter. Dean arched an eyebrow.

"Thank you. I wouldn't have known unless you told me."

"No, I mean, not many guys browse them magazines 'less they gay and you don't exactly strike me as the type. You got an angry girlfriend back home? That time of the month again?" He gave a throaty chuckle.

Dean smiled sardonically.

"Yep. This is a new tactic I'm trying out. Usually I just throw bars of chocolate at them until I know it's safe."

"Well, here's a tip, son; they ain't crazy, they just women." He laughed at his own joke. "So, tell me, boy. Where you from? You ain't from 'round here, that much is obvious. I know every face in the town of Dry Prong and you ain't one of 'em."

"You caught me. Just staying at a friend's house for a while."

"Mm. Who's your friend?"

Dean frowned slightly at the slightly intrusive comment but didn't see why it would be bad to answer.

"Kat Thornton. Just staying by that old house on the lake."

The man frowned.

"I don't know no Kat Thornton," he said.

"Full name Katarina?"

He shook his head. "Nope. If you're talkin' 'bout Hummels Lake, then the only person stayin' by there is a girl named Ashley Bence. Heard she was house sittin' for the women who lives there. Nice girl. Comes in here every so often. Buys weird stuff though."

Dean's brow crinkled slightly, resting his hands on the counter and looking uncertainly at the man.

"What does, um, Ashley look like?"

Dean was a bit annoyed by the grin that spread on the man's face.

"Hey, no. I understand. Not a lot to choose from in Dry Prong." He considered. "Um, reddish hair, hazel eyes and—gosh, really pale skin. Girl might pass for a looker if she got a little rays. Also been lookin' really unhealthy last few times I saw her."

Dean nodded stiffly, fingering the magazine in his hands. Why would Kat be using a fake name in a town she had been living longer than a year in? Unless she was that determined to hide from her father?

"What do you mean she bought weird stuff?" he questioned.

Dean didn't like the look in the eye the man got, almost—lustful. He confirmed to himself that he didn't like him that much.

"If this girl is your girlfriend, you guys are into some kinky ass shit. One of the first few months I ever saw her face 'round here she bought four feet long chains along with some shackles and strong-ass bolts. I'm tellin' you; with them chains an' bolts combined, you wouldn't be able to hold back a wild boar. But who am I to judge? I don't tell people how to live their lives."

Dean stared at the man for a full ten seconds. It must have disturbed him greatly because he took a step back, frowning at Dean with concern.

"You alright, son?"

"Yeah, fine," said Dean stiffly, rubbing his eyes slightly. "I'll just take this one, then."

"Right."

Dean paid for the magazine and left the store in a hurry, practically jumping into his Impala and driving off down the road.

Back at the house, he found Sam in the kitchen pouring a bowl of steaming chicken soup. He glanced up as Dean entered the house in a hurry.

"Didn't you get the magazines?" asked Sam who was surveying Dean's empty hands given that he had forgotten them in the car.

"Just give me five minutes, okay?" Dean said, indicating Kat's door. Sam frowned, looking puzzled as he stood in the middle of the kitchen with the bowl of soup in his hands.

Dean forgot to knock before entering Kat's room, but she was merely laying in the same position on the bed as she was when he left her, except that the covers were thrown off her. She did not smile when she saw Dean standing there and he suspected that she already knew something was wrong.

Her gaze was speculative as Dean stood there for a few moments, gazing at her, wondering how he was going to start off. He suddenly regretted not thinking his plan over before barging in like a rampaging bull.

"Trashy magazines?" she suddenly asked, in a nonchalant tone that didn't cope with her expression. He allowed his gaze to meet her eyes, which showed that she was no idiot in knowing trashy magazines were the last thing on her mind.

"In a minute," he dismissed, moving forward to the foot of the bed. "Right now I'm more interested on what 'Ashley Bence' has to say about her new bondage interests."

At first, her face hardened at the mention of the name, but then grew confused.

"What . . . ?" she said.

"Never knew you were the type for chains, Kit-Kat," he said airily. "I guess six years does make a difference."

He watched her expression turn stony and her eyes flicker to the window where it revealed the sunset. She looked back at him.

"Maybe I wasn't entirely honest when I said I wasn't chasing the demon down," she admitted solemnly.

"And why was that such an important secret to keep?" he pressed.

She released a small laugh.

"Maybe I just didn't want to admit that I couldn't catch it."

Dean wasn't buying it.

"But if you were buying chains that obviously means you were more interested in keeping it captive rather than putting it down."

She looked at him with narrowed eyes.

"Well it wasn't killing humans, so why would I kill it? I wanted to interrogate it, find out what it is and wants. But it's damn near impossible to find. For all I know, it could be in the next few states over by now."

Dean smiled slightly, though it wasn't an amused smile. Kat was hiding something and hiding it well. He knew that now. But he also knew better than to go full out on a confrontation with her.

"You're not much different from this demon then, are you?" he asked. He was surprised by the effect his words had on her. Her figure stiffened and her eyes grew icy, skin draining of the little color it already had. She did look quite ill. "You're both determined to stay hidden. I get the fight with your dad. But honestly, using a fake name and hiding out in the middle of Tim buck two—seems to me like you're set on hiding from the world."

She didn't move and her expression didn't shift. It was impossible to decipher what she was feeling or what she was thinking. But Dean continued to hold her with a callous stare, hoping to break her or in the very least get some portion of truth from her.

"Maybe that's what I intend to do," she said finally.

Dean couldn't explain his anger.

"Hide? For the rest of your life? What's the cause for this Kat? Why do you want to hide?"

He didn't expect an answer, and nor did he receive one. He hated fighting with Kat. For too long he had worked the majority of his life to keep a smile on her face and when he had to argue with her it made his attempts seem in vain.

"I'm sorry, Dean," she said sincerely. "I'm really sorry." Her voice wavered on the last word but did not break.

"Yeah," he said straightening up and looking away from her. "I am too."

And he left.

.

I waited until the last second to make sure the Winchesters were out of the driveway. The sound of the crunch of the tires on the gravel eventually faded and I got to my feet, shaking slightly. It must have been the effect of the nearing full moon but I couldn't stop trembling.

I felt weak and disoriented, also a little sick.

I turned off my bedroom lights, then exited the room and proceeded to repeat the same step throughout the entire house. I was so thirsty now that I considered getting a glass of water before heading downstairs, but I knew it would be of no good.

I opened the basement door, shutting it tightly behind me and locking the many locks that I had bolted in. My eyes found the chains on the wall and I heaved a great breath, running my fingers anxiously through my hair.

I can do this. I can do this. You're not going to be found out. The brothers are out and are not going to see or hear you. This night is going to be over soon.

My eyes glazed over the low rectangular basement window that sat just above the shackles. I swallowed. The sun was fully set, and now I just had to wait for the darkness to rise with the moon.

I bent down, taking one of the heavy chains in my hands and staring down at it laying flat in my palm. Clenching it tightly between my fingers, I looked up and ran my tongue over my lower lip.

"Here we go."

Hey there! I hope you enjoyed! I know it wasn't the most eventful chapter but I just needed it to lead up to the next one, which will contain a lot more action and where the plot of the story finally picks up.

I want to thank you all who have read this far and left their absolutely amazing and motivating reviews. They really mean everything to me and make my day! They are also incredibly inspiring.

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Stay crazy.