(Disclaimer: Don't own anything; following story is mine)
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Forsaken.
Chapter Twelve.
"What the hell are you talking about, Sammy?" asked Dean "Of course we're getting off the freakin' mountain"
Dee stood, passing the beer back to Riley "I'm gonna shower" she glanced at Riley before going to the bathroom and closing the door behind her.
"Sam?" asked Dean, taking a step towards his brother.
Sam slumped into one of the chairs at the table, rubbing his hands down his face and resting his elbows on his knees. He didn't know how to explain to his brother what had happened, he didn't understand it…and now he was beginning to wonder if it had really happened at all. He'd hinted a little to Dee, trying to see what she knew but all she'd said was that he'd started screaming and clutching at his head and she'd yelled at him… a lot…and then he'd just slowly come round. He wasn't sure if he believed her though; she'd held eye contact with him, there'd been no hesitation when she'd spoken…but he couldn't shake the feeling that she knew more than she was letting on.
"Sammy?" asked Dean; he was starting to get that sick feeling in the pit of his stomach again and he grabbed Riley's beer as he went to his brother.
"Okay then, no beer for me" said Riley as she got off the bed "You got a spare shirt for Dee?"
Sam looked up from his hands "In the bag at your feet" he said tonelessly. She nodded, grabbed a shirt and went into the bathroom, closing the door behind her, giving the brothers some privacy.
"Well?"
Sam sighed then looked up at his brother "You alright? You're not hurt?" he asked.
Dean grinned "Nah, nine-lives, dude"
"Dean, that storm…there's no way you got out of it unscathed"
Dean shrugged "Few cuts and bruises, same with Riley but someone must've been smiling on us, cause, dude…we seriously dodged that many bullets out there, we're like superheroes" he grinned then stopped at the look on his brothers face. He knew that look, Sam wanted to tell him something but needed to be prodded, pushed into telling him; and as the fingers of foreboding traced up Dean's spine, he had a small flash of understanding "Although the way that storm just stopped like that…weird" he watched for Sam's reaction and he saw the slightest hint of colour-change in his brothers eyes…and a wariness creep into them; he had to tread carefully; not push Sammy too hard…but hard enough for Sam to know Dean wasn't too worried; that he was still his smart-ass older brother. He looked at the bathroom door as he heard the lock click into place and he grinned at Sam, went to the fire and moved Riley's clothes further away from it.
"Dude…what are you doing?" whispered Sam as he glanced at the bathroom door.
"Are you kidding?" he whispered "She's staying in just the shirt for as long as possible" he grinned "Or less if I can mange it" he said quietly. He went and pulled out a chair, sitting in front of his brother "Now tell me"
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Riley opened the door to the bathroom "Just me" she announced as she shut and locked it behind her. She threw the shirt over a hook, went and put the toilet seat down and sat as her friend showered "So what the hell happened out there?'
"Major shit storm" came the muffled reply.
Riley laughed softly "Yeah, kinda got that…but tell me about Sam"
"Like I said, major shit storm" she stuck her head out from behind the shower curtain "You see the way that wind stopped?"
Riley nodded "We were in the middle of it and I mean the middle of it; 'Toto' had nothin' on us. And then the damn thing just died around us" she shook her head "That storm was unnatural and the way it stopped was too. Now tell me, what happened with Sam…you take a look around?"
"Dean been alright? No blue-eye flashy business?"
Riley sighed, 'here we go again' she thought, Dee wouldn't give out any info until she had all the facts; it drove Riley crazy when she did that but it also meant that whatever Dee knew was big "I was knocked out for a bit so unless he did it then, then no. He's been fine…but something's bothering him, something he won't talk about"
"You tried?"
"Aaah, not really…been a bit pre-occupied with the weather lately…you know, trying to stay alive, keeping all bits where they're supposed to be, blah, blah, blah…"
Dee stuck her head out again as she lathered her hair "Well find out. You're in nothing but a shirt and he's been staring at your arse all afternoon" she grinned at her friend "And he ain't half bad on the eyes…" she grinned at her friend "you shower by yourself?"
Riley laughed "Yes. Now tell me!"
Dee ducked back under the shower "Go talk to Dean…you've got the C4, you'll need help laying it out"
Riley stood and pushed the curtain aside, the steam from the hot water forming a smokey barrier between the two friends "Why the secrecy, Dee? What the hell did you find out?"
"Do this for me, Riley" she looked into her friends eyes and paused "Please"
Riley cocked her head and frowned; this was bigger than big, Dee never said please…well she did… 'please, let me hit him' or 'please don't make me hurt you' but not like this. Riley sighed "Okay, but you owe me"
Dee grinned "I'll get Dean to repay you…saw you checking out his arse as well"
"Shut up" said Riley with a grin as she headed to the door "I want answers when I get back" and she unlocked the door and went out.
Sam was leaning against the bench in the kitchenette drinking a beer while Dean was going through a weapons bag, lining up a small aresenel on the bed after checking each weapon. He looked up as she walked out, his eyes dropping to her legs as she went and checked her clothes, Dean grinned to himself and looked at his brother who just rolled his eyes at him.
Riley turned from her still wet clothes "Dee shouldn't …" she sighed "aah, geez, she's gonna be ages, Sam. Sorry" she smiled and Sam gave her a short smile in return.
"S'Alright" he sipped his beer distractedly.
Riley went to the ammo bag, put it on the table and started taking out the C4; Dean stopped his weapons check, placing a sawn-off shotgun on the bed as he watched her "Aaah, what are you doing?"
"Just gonna make sure we're safe" she grinned "Big boom"
"No shit" he grinned back.
"You wanna give me a hand? It'll be quicker"
"Sure" grinned Dean again. Playing with C4? Like he was going to miss out on that! Sam never let him play with explosives.
She passed him some wire and grabbed the C4 "Come on, if you're good, I'll let you make little animals with the stuff"
"You need a weapon, Riley?" asked Sam quietly.
Riley laughed softly "And where would I put it, Sam?" she put a hand up "Actually, don't answer that" and she laughed again as he blushed "Besides, your brother'll watch my back" she looked at Dean "My back Dean" and she tried not to laugh as he grinned at her. She followed Dean to the door; he opened it and checked outside before moving quickly down the stairs, Riley close on his heels.
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Sam pushed himself away from the counter and padded soundlessly across the room to the window and watched as his brother and Riley headed off to lay the explosive around the cabin. He rubbed absentmindedly at his temple as he sipped his beer. He could hear the shower running in the bathroom, the sound of the water hitting the tub, a staccato against the porcelain and his mind started to beat along with it. A steady tattoo that lulled his mind; a mind that was starting to drift again. He shifted his gaze to the landscape below him; there was nothing but destruction and devastation as far as the eye could see. There were a few trees that had escaped the wrath of the raging tempests and black flood, standing defiantly, their survival amidst the ruination a shocking reminder of what the place had looked like before nature had unleashed its fury on them.
And it was that fury that built inside Sam as he looked at the decimation below him and he remembered all he'd been through; every ache and pain; every bruise and scratch, gash and puncture wound seemed to burn into him; igniting a fire that slowly licked up his skin; his blood simmering as it moved round his body, singeing his nerves, his muscles contracting as the fire moved ever upwards. He rested his forehead against the window pane, the beads of sweat trickling down the glass and his brow. He closed his eyes as the salty liquid snaked through his lashes, stinging his eyes painfully and he let out a low moan as the fire found its oxygen, engulfing his mind and burning bright.
The sound of the shower was now background static; white noise and he cocked his head as he heard a soft whisper, a sweet lullaby above the static…he listened, trying to hear the words, to find understanding amidst the chaos; to find a way out of this pain …and as he listened to the words, the whisper now a gentle caress, the pain started to lessen, the flames drawing back on itself and he understood…if he listened to the mantra…the pain would stop…he'd be free.
He was distrubed by a sound from his left and as the fire roared again, taking hold of him, his eyelids snapped open; he didn't notice the blue of his eyes as he turned from his reflection and towards the interruption to his healing…
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"This way" said Riley as she headed towards the trail she'd seen one of the men take when he'd been sent to 'the cave'. She found a spot that looked well travelled and crouched "Cut a piece of wire that'll go across this track" and she broke off a small piece of C4 as Dean measured and cut the wire with his dagger. She attached the C4 to a boulder that was wedged into the ground, stuck the wire into it and ran it along the path and into another piece of C4 on the other side of the track as Dean covered the wire with forest litter.
They moved quickly, placing traps in strategic positions around the cabin. Dean looked up from cutting another piece of wire and laughed.
"What?" asked Riley with a grin "And stop tyring to look under my shirt"
Dean grinned "Ain't gonna happen" he paused and laughed again "Tell me, how did someone named 'Cinnamon' get into demon hunting?" he shook his head "Cinnamon" and laughed softly again.
Riley sat back on her heels and sighed; give a little info to get a little info "My mother's a dope growing, macramé weaving, llama rearing greenie whose armpit hair could clothe a small South American country and my father's an Elvis impersonator …and I'm talking fat, hamburger-gorging, dying-on-the-toilet Elvis…so, believing in demons really wasn't a big leap" Dean stared at her, his mouth dropping open a little and Riley laughed "Yeah, that's the usual reaction…" she smiled "although the dope-growing part has its advantages" she stood "Come on, just a few more"
Dean watched as she worked quickly; he could tell by the way she handled the explosive that this wasn't something she'd just learned; she was an expert at it. He needed to know more about her and Dee, especially as they were now dependent on each other for their survival and all he had now was more questions than answers. If they were gonna get off this mountain he needed to know just who they were ...they needed trust and at this stage, trust was a small creature and he needed it to be a raging beast.
"Riley" she looked up at him "That weapons cache, the dagger throwing" he grinned "awesome…and the C4…come on, you gotta give me more info than your freaky family tree" he grinned "and you did promise"
Riley stood and sat on a small boulder, pushing the bottom of the shirt between her legs "Tell you what Dean, I'll answer a question of yours if you answer one of mine" she smiled "seems only fair"
He sat opposite her and nodded "Me first" and she nodded "You gave more of a bio for Dee than yourself…she's military, I can see that…you…" he shook his head "you all over the freakin' place. How'd you get where you are?"
Riley smiled "That's a pretty loaded question, Dean" he raised an eyebrow and she laughed softly "Okay, I grew up in a small country town, kinda like a hippie-commune, I guess…my Mum…" she laughed "My Mum's …hell I can't explain her, no-one can, but she's alright… in a weird kinda way, had no idea about raising kids though" she shrugged "and my Dad…met him a few times, he lives here, in the States, Tennessee somewhere, surprisingly. So I was pretty much raised by my Uncle…he was a hunter. Taught me everything I know. He started teaching me when I was about four…he was an expert with knives, daggers, swords…blades of all kinds. He passed that skill and a few others onto me"
"And you and Dee?"
Riley smiled "That's two questions, Dean. My turn now" she looked into his eyes "What's going on with Sam?" she saw him stiffen slightly.
"Nothing" he said evenly.
"Bullshit. I answered your question truthfully…and I don't often do that…so spill" he said nothing "Dean, in case you forgot, I'm on your side, we're all on the same side here and whether we like it or not, we're stuck with each other. If we don't start trusting one another, then Sam's right, we're never getting off this shitty mountain"
Dean stared at her, she hadn't raised her voice, hadn't got angry and she was looking at him directly, she wanted an answer and he guessed she kinda deserved one…but this was Sam he was talking about, his brother "What makes you think something's going on with him?" he asked evasively.
Riley smiled as she stood "Okay then, keep it to yourself, 'cause secrets now are really gonna help us" she crouched and finished attaching the C4. She picked up the equipment and went to the next spot, Dean following her, neither of them saying anything.
"Riley" she looked up again, he expected her to be pissed, she wasn't "He's my brother"
"I understand that, I do. But there's something going on with him; you know it, I know it and I'm pretty sure Dee knows it too. Sam doesn't strike me as being forthcoming with the info so I was hoping you might be. But…" she shrugged "Can't force you" she finished laying the C4 "Alright, that should do us" she stood and rubbed the dirt from her hands "Lets head back, I'm hanging for a coffee" and she started to walk carefully towards the cabin.
"He's not himself" said Dean softly.
Riley stopped and turned "What do you mean exactly?"
"He means I've discovered a new and improved me" said Sam as he stepped quickly from behind a partially demolished tree, pistol-whipping Riley and knocking her out.
"SAM!! Jesus!" he went to Riley "What the fuck are you doing?" he knelt next to her, putting a finger to her throat.
He fell across her as Sam smashed the butt of the pistol against the back of his brother's head.
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Dee finally and reluctantly turned the shower off, she could have stayed under the scalding water for hours but she guessed Sam was probably just as desperate as she had been to get herself clean again. She laughed softly to herself, it had been a hell of a job, she'd found mud where there should never be mud. She stepped from the bathtub and grabbed one of the towels from the hanger and started to dry herself, the heat of the shower had given her skin a pink hue, making the bruises, scratches and gouges that littered her body stand out like neon signs. Lovely. She dried her long, red hair, threw on the shirt Riley had left for her, grabbed her now clean clothes and headed out of the bathroom. All she needed now was food and some JD and she'd feel almost human again.
She padded out of the bathroom and stopped, the cabin was empty, well except for the unconscious man that was now turned towards the door. She went to the fire and placed her clothes next to Riley's "Sam?" she stood "Sam? You about? The shower's all yours" she got no response and headed towards the kitchenette and grabbed an apple, biting into it, the crisp crunch of it making her smile as she headed towards the window. She'd been in the shower for ages and if Sam needed to take a piss, he'd have had to go outside, she laughed to herself as she looked out the window, it'd be a bitch to find a tree. She bit into the apple again…then frowned and stepped back. She looked at the window pane and saw a smudge on it, she put her finger to it …sweat, it had to be. She put the apple on the window-sill and went to the ammo bag, taking out her pistols as she felt the familiar tightening in her stomach…something was very wrong.
She stepped towards the door, glancing at the man in the chair and stopping, a frown creasing her forehead as she stared at him. Forget the fact that his throat had been slit expertly from ear to ear or that a dagger was lodged up to the hilt in his forehead…the man was now old. The man that had been sitting in the chair when she'd gone to shower was in his mid-twenties…this one was easily in his eighties…but there was no doubt it was the same man.
She couldn't deal with that now, she had to find Riley. She went cautiously to the door and opened it a fraction, scanning the area before moving quickly down the stairs, her pistols at the ready. She looked down, saw the foot prints and two sets of boot prints in the mud…all heading towards a trail off to the right of the cabin. She turned and headed quickly up the mountain, taking a higher trail…one that would give her a view over the one Riley, Dean and Sam had taken.
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Sam stared at the two figures on the ground as he put the pistol into the waistband of his jeans. He crouched next to them, pushing the man off the woman, his gaze going between the two. He reached out and put a finger to the blood that ran from the gash to the woman's head. He lifted his finger to his eyes and watched transfixed as the blood trickled down his finger and pooled between his knuckles. He cocked his head as the whispers started again and he bought the finger to his lips and closed his eyes, smiling at the sweet, coppery taste.
He opened his eyes and looked at the unconscious forms again; he could only take one…but which one? He could carry either easily...but not both. He shivered involuntarily as he felt the presence of another moving through the forest. He didn't have much time…he had to decide which one was more important…which one was needed.
He nodded to himself as he made the decision, picking up the body and throwing it over his shoulder and moving as quickly as he could through the squelching mud at his feet; his mind knowing where it had to be and telling his body which direction it had to go.
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Dee moved quickly through the remains of the forest, her fingers held firmly to the triggers as she scanned the trail below her. She didn't feel the sharp jabs to her feet from the half-buried sticks and rocks; she was focussed only on finding her friend. She cursed herself, she'd been the one that had sent Riley out here just because she was still working through the Sam shit in her head; wanting all the facts before she let Riley in on her suspicions. She saw a flash of colour through a small grouping of smashed trees she was moving past and changed direction quickly, heading down towards it.
She swore as she jumped down the from the small ledge, landing quietly. She ran over, placing one of the pistols on the ground as she checked for a pulse. Strong and steady. She slapped the cheek softly…once…twice before she got a response; a small groan escaping lips before eyes snapped open "Where the fuck is Riley, Winchester?" she asked angrily.
Dean sat up, putting a hand to the back of his head, feeling the large lump that had taken up residence as he looked around for Riley... his stomach sinking as he realised both she and Sam were gone.
"Where the fuck is she!" Dee demanded.
Dean looked into furious green eyes "Sam…" he said disbelievingly.
To be continued….
