Chapter 10
"Do you like action movies?" Ree asked flipping through the channels.
"I guess."
"Horror?"
"I live enough horror as it is, so no."
"The new Captain America movie is on demand."
"Sounds good."
"Want some popcorn?"
"Yeah."
Ree jumped up, found the pop corn in the cabinet and tossed it in the microwave. She grabbed a couple of waters out of the fridge and grabbed the bag as the microwave stopped. Skipping back to the family room she plopped down beside Sam, started the movie and shared the popcorn.
"Ree." Sam said snaking an arm around her shoulders.
"Yes."
"I just wanted you to know..." he started trying how best to tell her.
"What love? You know you can tell me anything, I'll listen."
"I love you." he blurted out quickly.
"Oh Sammy, I love you too." she cried planting a wet kiss on his lips. "I have to ask you one thing."
"Ask away." he smiled.
"Can you tell me your story?"
Sam looked at her wide eyed. What would she think after hearing even half of their lives? Would it make her look at him differently?
"Hey, don't be afraid." she whispered. "I love you no matter what, it won't chase me away."
"Our Mom was killed by a demon when I was 6 months old. Dad became obsessed with finding him. I think it made him a little unstable. Dean, he took care of me, raised me, protected me. He was more like a father than our Dad ever was. He did his best with us, taught us to hunt, to fight, to be warriors. Dean was injured and dying, so Dad sold his soul to a demon to save him.
I died; Dean did the same thing to save me. I tried to save him, but he went to Hell. I tried everything to get him out, but couldn't. An angel saved him, Castiel, he's a friend. I made some really stupid decisions, really bad ones. I let Dean down and I can't forgive myself for that.
I set Lucifer free and had to stop him. I let him possess me and jumped in the cage in hell to save the world. I was rescued, but not all me came back. I was soulless for a year, Dean had Death retrieve my soul and put it back with a wall to keep the memories at bay. When the wall broke, I just about went crazy, Lucifer haunted me, I almost died. Cas saved me. I've…I've let Dean down so many times, but he's still there for me, protecting me, saving me." he sniffed as tears threaded their way down his cheeks. He knew she would probably hate him now, not want to have anything to do with him.
Ree just looked at him with such compassion as she took her hands and wiped away his tears. "I'll never leave you." She pulled his face to hers and gently kissed his lips before pulling him into her embrace. He let his body melt into hers as she cooed to him and comforted him, letting him cry freely. Her tears dripped into his hair as she rubbed his back giving him her love and her strength. Ree was more determined now to keep this brother in her life. They stayed like this in each others embrace until Dean and Natasha finally came back inside.
"Get a room." Dean teased.
"You're just jealous." Ree answered as Sam got himself together.
"Why, I have my main squeeze right here."
"Are you going to watch the movie?"
"No, I came to tell you we're going on the job Bobby sent us."
"When are we leaving?" Sam asked trying to get up.
"You're not going anywhere but to bed. Nat's going to cover my back."
"Dean I'm coming!"
"No Sammy, you're not."
"But…"
"It's final; Nat and I will handle this. You guys are the research team, check Bobby's emails and get us everything we need to know. That will be your jobs. Ree you have to promise me to keep Sam here."
"Ree that means you stay here too." Natasha added knowingly.
"Aw Sis." Ree complained poking out her lip.
"We're heading for bed, want to get an early start in the mornin'." Dean said taking Nat's hand and leading her upstairs.
"Come on love lets head up too, you're probably tired." Ree suggested holding out her hand. Sam slipped his hand in hers and followed her.
spn
Natasha was making coffee when Dean walked into the kitchen. "Hey Hot Rod."
"We the only ones up?" he asked rubbing sleep out of his eyes.
"Yep, coffee will be ready in a couple of minutes. Want an egg sandwich for breakfast?"
"Sounds good." he said standing in front of the coffee pot waiting for it to finish.
Ree and Sam strolled in whispering quietly to each other. They took seats at the bar as Natasha continued to make sandwiches.
"You guys want egg sandwiches too?"
"Sure, I'll help Sis."
"Coffee's up." Dean stated pouring two cups. Ree grabbed two cups and filled them, handing one to Sam so he could doctor it.
"Here we go." Natasha said sitting plates in front of everyone.
"Nat, you need to wear this." Dean said handing her a necklace.
"What's this?"
"Anti-possession sigil protects against demon possession. When we get back you girls need to get inked."
"Excuse me?"
"You need to get a tat like we have and I have a hex bag for you too."
"Guess we have a lot to learn." Natasha said sipping her coffee in thought.
Dean and Natasha packed and Natasha went through her weapons picking out certain ones to go in the bag. She grabbed her bow and quiver of arrows to add to the bags by the door.
"Ok kids we're heading out do your thing and email us anything we need to know. Sam promise me you won't follow." Dean commanded standing toe to toe with him letting him know her was serious. "I mean it Sammy."
"Promise." he finally mumbled madly.
"Ree, same thing. Promise."
"Ok promise." she signed giving her a hug.
spn
Natasha and Dean picked up their bag and put them in the Impala so they could head out. It was about a three hour drive to McCook, Nebraska. Dean picked up Route 6 and speed down the interstate.
"Nat, tell me about yourself." Dean asked.
"Well, our parents were killed when I was five and Ree was two, our grandmother took us in and raised us. She let us discover our own paths; we were allowed to be free, to make our way. I tried everything, archery, martial arts, yoga, guns, swords, racing, gymnastics and Ree got into computers, research, programming, she could hack anything. I was the wild one, loved speed, loved to explore. While I was taking an engine apart; Ree had her nose stuck in a book or on a computer.
Then we were both out of school, early by the way and my cousins were kidnapped. They were only four and three. The police didn't have any leads, that's when Ree and I started looking into what happened. We were not limited by the police rules and we found out they were taken to be sold. We found out where they were and decided to rescue them before it was too late. I guess that's what started us into this line of work. We saved our cousins and some other children as well."
"And the ones who took them?"
"Let's just say they won't be taking any more children." she said quietly looking out the window. Dean glanced over at her and took her hand in his. She squeezed it tightly.
spn
"I hate being left behind." Sam muttered as he set his lap top on the dining room table. Ree put hers beside his and waited to see what they were going to be researching. "Bobby sent some articles from a paper from McCook, Nebraska about some deaths and possible haunted house."
"What makes a haunted house?"
"Well, someone could have been killed there or someone died in the house and never left. After time, spirits who are trapped or stays here can become vengeful spirits. That's usually when people start dying."
"So things like this are what Dean and you investigate?"
"Maybe."
"Does it ever lead to normal things?"
"On occasion it's been just crazy people, nothing supernatural, but not very often."
"So where do we start?"
"Well we see what we can find out about the deaths, was there any connections, would be nice to see the police reports, but gee I'm not there."
"You have names?"
"Yeah why?"
"Just give me the names." she said typing rapidly on her computer. Sam wrote down the names and handed her the paper. She glanced at them and then started doing what she does best, getting information. Sam heard a printer spitting out paper in the other room and went to get the pages. He was shocked to find the police and autopsy reports on the killings.
"Should I ask how you did that?"
"Sam, a woman has to have her secrets." she smiled sweetly.
"I'm not going there." Sam said sitting down with the papers. "You wouldn't have a white board or something would you?"
"Let me check." she said going into the garage. "Sorry why don't you use the wall over here?"
"I wouldn't want to mess anything up, let's just use the table." Sam said spreading out the papers. "Can you find me a street map of McCook, Nebraska?"
"No problem." she said.
spn
Dean and Natasha pulled into McCook after ten am and found a hotel to stay in. Dean gave Sam a quick text they had made it and was going to check the house out.
"What repels ghost?" Dean questioned.
"Rock salt and iron." Natasha answered.
"Good, now stay behind me when we go in." he instructed.
"I know, you've told me. Hot Rod this isn't my first rodeo, maybe not of this kind, but close enough."
They found the house without much problem. It was on the outskirts of town on a wooded lot away from other houses. It didn't look like anyone had lived there in years. Dean got out of the car and waited for Natasha to join him.
"So what's the first step?"
"We check it out, probably won't be any activity during the day, but we can see better." Dean said stopping at the locked door. "Would you do the honor?"
"Of course." she said taking out her lock pick. The door swung open on creaky hinges and they entered the dark foyer. Dean took out his flashlight and started looking around on the first floor. Natasha followed suit staying close behind him.
They found nothing in any of the rooms that appeared out of place. Dean headed back to the car and slipped behind the wheel.
"Did we find anything?"
"No, lets head back to the motel, see what the kids have found." he said cranking the car and heading back to town.
spn
"Ree sent the police reports and autopsy reports."
"How did she get them? That was goin' to be our next stop."
"I don't even bother asking anymore."
"Anything good?"
"Well, they were attacked at that house. There were no witnesses from the reports."
"Are there any connections to the victims?"
"The kids didn't find any so far. Says they'll keep looking."
"So all the victims were killed in this house, we need to check to see if anyone was killed or died in the house." Sam told Ree as she began to type commands on her lap top.
spn
"Let's see if Nattie and Dean have found anything at the house."
"Ree how did you and Natasha start doing what you do?"
"Is this show and tell?"
"I was just curious."
"After our parents were killed, Grandma B took us in. She let us try anything once and if we really excelled in something she made sure we had the best instructors. I found I had a knack with computers, they intrigued me, I wanted to know what made them tick. Natasha she was more physical, you showed her something once and she had it. She fenced, took martial arts, archery, guns, rock climbing, fast cars, she was sort of wild back then. We've both settled down since then. We both could read people and seemed to have a psychic link ourselves. We graduated early from high school, I went to college and Natasha stayed with Gram. Then our cousins were kidnapped. The police came up empty that's when Natasha called me and we got involved. I was in college but took time off. We saved our cousins and half a dozen other children who had been kidnapped. The kids never saw us, so no one knew it was us. That started it, I did the research, finding the predators and Natasha rescued the helpless."
"Wow." Sam said softly. "Your grandmother must have been some woman."
"She was and I miss her all the time."
"Yeah, I understand, we've lost a lot of people too." Sam said pausing in thought.
"I might have found something. In 1957 a man by the name of Josiah Hooper went crazy one night and killed his family and then himself." Ree read.
"Print out everything you can find and we need to send it to Dean and Nattie." Sam said reading over her shoulder.
"It set empty until 1962 when a family bought it and fixed it up. They didn't stay long, they complained of noises, things being moved, electrical problems, sinks stopping up, man can a spirit do all this?" she questioned.
"Yes, some are stronger than others, but some spirits are evil, some could be looking for justice, if they were wrongfully killed and they want the person responsible caught. It all depends." Sam said speed dialing Dean.
"Hey Sammy, got anything for us?"
"Yeah Ree found a man named Josiah Hooper killed his family in '57. That may be who killed the ones in the house. Ree sent Nattie the articles."
"Thanks you two, we'll check it out." Dean said hanging up. "Check you email got clues."
"Ok," she said pulling up her account. Dean leaned over her shoulder to read the articles as she skimmed them. "What would make a person do this?"
"Who knows, some people are just evil. Does it say where he is buried?"
"Yes, behind the house, family cemetery."
"Looks like we have a date with a grave."
"You do know all the classy places to take a lady." she giggled.
"Let's get this done." he laughed checking his bag before heading for the door.
"Do we need to wait until dark?"
"With the isolation of the place, I think we'll be ok. Then we can hit a bar, grab a bite, maybe a couple beers, the room's paid for might as well make use of it."
"Sounds like a plan to me."
spn
Dean parked the car around back of the house out of site. Natasha jumped out and met him at the trunk accepting the shovel, container of salt, and Sam's sawed off shotgun. He grabbed a second shovel, gas and his shotgun. He made sure they had extra rounds of rock salt before closing the trunk and heading for a fenced in area he could see up behind the house.
Natasha was jumpy, but was excited and could feel the rush of adrenaline racing through her veins. She knew she had to be at her best to protect Dean's back. She surveyed the area as they made their way to the graveyard. Every sense tingled as she sent feelers out to checking for anything threatening.
The tombstones were small, but it looked like they had names on them at least. Dean slowly made his way down the row looking at each name. At the end of the second row he found a J. Hooper.
"What year did he die in again?"
"It was 1957."
"Looks like this is the one. Let's start digging." he told her laying down everything but the shovel. "You need to watch out and keep the gun ready. Josiah may not take kindly to us burning his bones."
"Right." she said heeling the shovel in the ground and tossing aside the dirt.
spn
After twenty minutes of digging, Dean glanced over at Nat and watched her match his shovel of dirt with her own. Sweat was dripping down her face, dirt covered her clothes, along with a good portion of her face, but she still looked like a million dollars to him. His heart swelled with pride knowing she was his girl. He watched her scan the area every five minutes for any threats.
Natasha watched Dean remove another shovel of dirt. This seemed like old hat to him, she wondered how many graves the brothers had dug up over the years. She was somewhat apprehensive, this being her first salt and burn job. She couldn't help the feeling they were being watched and kept glancing around them.
"Ok, hop out and I'll get this last bit." he instructed her. "Keep watch, he's bound to appear now that we're close."
"I got your back." she said checking the shot gun.
Dean threw the last few shovels of dirt up and began to break into the wooden coffin. Natasha felt a chill run over her and aimed the shot gun over Dean's head. She saw an apparition forming behind him, waiting for it to completely appear, she fired hitting him in the chest.
The spirit disappeared and Dean jumped out of the hole grabbing salt, tossing it to her to throw on the bones as he poured the gas. Before he could light it, the spirit appeared and tossed Dean back into the fence. Natasha rolled and grabbed the book of matches, lit them and threw the book into the grave. The bones caught fire and began to burn before the spirit could attack again. She watched it began to burn also and disappear completely.
"Hot Rod, are you ok?" she cried dropping down beside him.
"I'm good." he wheezed letting her help him up. "Are you ok?"
"I-am-awesome!" she cried out happily. "That was unbelievable."
"Glad you got your kicks, let's get this filled in and get out of here." he said grabbing up the shovel. She picked hers back up and quickly worked on filling in the hole.
Natasha picked up the salt and gas can before following him to the car. "I for one want a hot shower and then let's find a bar and throw back a few."
"Sounds good to me."
"Call the kids and let them know one evil spirit taken care of and we're spending the night."
"Will do." she chirped digging her phone out of her jacket pocket.
spn
"Sammy that was Nattie, one spirit dispensed with. She said they were going to spend the night and head back in the morning."
"Neither of them were hurt?"
"No, Dean has a few bruises; it threw him against a fence."
"Good, then we have the house to ourselves tonight?"
"That we do, just what do you have in mind?"
"Well, we could have dinner under the moonlight, soft music, maybe early bedtime…" Sam listed as he pulled her close.
"I think I can manage that." she commented circling her arms around his neck.
spn
"So what looks good?" Dean asked as he looked over the menu.
"I'm thinking I would love a good medium steak, baked potato, salad. Hunting gave me an appetite."
"A girl after my own heart."
"Good evening, welcome to Stone Wood Grill, what can I get you to drink?"
"Two beers and we'll have two steaks, medium, fries with one, baked potato with the other, and two salads, ranch dressing."
"What would you like on your baked potato?"
"Butter only."
"I'll bring those beers and put this order in. Would you like rolls?"
"Please."
spn
"Want another beer Sammy?" Ree asked taking his plate.
"One more, let me help."
"No, sit here, I'll put these in the kitchen and grab us a couple. Be right back." she told him taking the stacked dishes to the kitchen. Sam moved to the swing, stretching out and relaxing while he waited for Ree to return.
spn
"I have to say that was a good steak." Dean commented pushing his plate away.
"It was at that." Natasha agreed.
"I need to hit the head."
"Want me to order some dessert to go?"
"You know it." he said sliding out and heading for the restroom.
Dean came out of the restroom and heard shouting outside. The emergency door had been propped open partway. He looked out into the alley behind the restaurant and saw three guys attacking another guy. There was a girl standing off to the side looking frightened.
"Hey!" Dean yelled walking toward them. "Three to one is a little over kill."
"Stay out of this." one of the guys growled at him.
Dean grabbed the guy's arm before he could throw another punch and pushed him away. "I'm only going to ask nice once." he started.
Dean didn't see the fourth guy come around the van until it was too late. He felt a needle being shoved into his neck as a guy grabbed him.
"Sammy! Help!" Dean screamed in his mind hoping their connection was strong enough to be heard. The thread that linked the brothers hadn't been used in a long time. They had always had a connection from the time Sam was born. He just hoped Sam was still in tune with him. He dug the keys out of his pocket and managed to throw them under the van out of sight before the drug completely knocked him out. "Nattie." he silently called out before slumping into the guy's arms.
A/N: Thank you for following, favoring and reviewing. Reviews are always welcome. NC