Dean watched as Sammy ate half his pancake and all of his juice, all in the same amount of time it took him to eat a plateful of food and a half pot of coffee. Looking over he saw his little brother looking out the window in awe and almost fell over when he heard his brother's next words.
"It's beautiful out there don't you think Dean?" Sam asked, feeling as if he'd never really seen any of it before. Turning his attention to his big brother he saw raw concern on Dean's face and that made him worry as well. "What? What's wrong Dean?"
"You feeling ok Sammy? I mean, you know… should I take you to a doctor, make sure everything's alright?" Dean asked, nervous at how what his brother had just said, sounded more like a farewell speech than casual comment.
"No, I think I'm feeling better actually. Sorry to be such a pain." Sam said, suddenly not feeling so lighthearted, in fact now he just wanted to lie down and not think of anything.
Seeing the sudden change in his brother Dean had to wonder what brought it on. He'd known that the kid was still sick, but something told him that wasn't the sole reason for the mood swing. "Hey, you're not a pain. God Sammy, you almost died! If anyone's sorry, it's me… I left you at Pastor Jim's thinking that everything was ok, but somehow knowing it wasn't." he said, trying to convey to the youngest Winchester his own thoughts about the matter. "Hey, look at me. Sammy… please, look at me." When he saw his brother's face he knew that he stumbled on the problem. "Sammy, I know there's something going on in that freaky head of yours, but I need you to tell me what it is otherwise I can't fix it."
Sam shook his head; he didn't want to ponder the thought that kept ricocheting around in his head. The one thought that kept popping up no matter how hard he tried to push it down. How much time do I have before I go back to Pastor Jim's? He just wanted to sit back and relax for minute, if he closed his eyes he could almost pretend that it was just him and his big brother out on the road just because, and not because somehow he messed up again just by being a freak of nature.
Sighing, Dean knew that Sammy was having trouble dealing with whatever it was stuck in his head, but he had no idea how to pry it out of him without causing more of a fuss than he thought his brother could deal with at the moment. Tapping his finger on the table, he made a decision to figure it all out before they got to the cabin, maybe then Sammy could really rest and get better. "Come on Sammy boy; let's get you back in the car so we can get going. I want to get there before sunset."
Nodding, Sam got up off the bench set and with help from Dean managed to get to the car before he paused. "Uh, Dean… I was wondering if maybe…can I sit up front with you?" he asked, not sure what the reaction was going to be and actually feared the answer.
"Dude, about time! Get your butt in there man, I missed having my geeky little brother next to me." Dean practically shouted as he helped Sammy into the front seat. Smiling, he was more than a little happy by his brother's request, it meant that Sammy was starting to feel better, that he was truly fighting back this illness that had already taken so much away from him. As he shut the door and started to jog around the car he couldn't remember being so happy since before leaving his brother at Pastor Jim's. Pausing, he pondered that for a moment, then felt like something had hit him upside the head. "Ah damnit Sammy."
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Joshua had stayed behind after the 'fight' and continued to watch the parking lot and office areas. Although he hadn't actually seen anything yet, he wasn't going to discount the possibility that Cara was slightly unhinged enough to snoop around. After awhile, he heard Bobby and Caleb talking outside and finally the door opened to let the hunters quietly in.
"Seen her yet?" Caleb asked, but knowing the answer just by the other hunter's stance. "Yeah, didn't think so."
Bobby sat at the small table and tried to piece together everything they knew about Cara and her brother. Chris was a young hunter, but very quick to learn and didn't have a problem helping out if someone else was in trouble. No one really knew how the kid got into the business, and most people who only casually knew him didn't know he had a sister; it was only those that he trusted enough to hunt with who knew about her. Now that he thought about it, Bobby couldn't think of anyone who had really known either of them, but they somehow had integrated themselves into John's life. Knowing John for years he knew when the man was lying through his teeth and when he was just playing his cards close to his chest; and something about the Kline siblings had sent the eldest Winchester to hold those cards very close indeed; so now the question was, how did Cara know about Dean and Sammy?
"So whatcha thinking about old man?" Caleb asked. He'd been watching Bobby gnaw over something for the past twenty minutes, and he was getting bored; now he wanted answers. "Any idea what this Cara chick's real objective is? I mean come on, if she really wanted revenge on John for a bad hunt, then wouldn't there be more efficient ways of doing it?"
Nodding, the other hunters agreed that going to this level of complexity was a little out of the norm, but then again who better to nab a hunter than one of their own. Joshua was just about to answer when something caught his attention.
"Well I'll be damned, she's here." He said, not truly believing what he was seeing. He was joined at the window and they all could see the woman in question walking straight into the office as if she hadn't a care in the world. That didn't bother them too much, at least they knew where she was now, it was the sight of John walking around the corner and seeing her that had them all on edge and rushing towards the door in hopes of catching him before he blew the woman away before they got some answers.
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Cara knew exactly when Matt had betrayed her and it didn't set well with her. Never the less she chose to continue with the plan as she had laid it out and that meant snooping around the town. She missed her brother, one of the reasons was he was the one who dealt with the hunters, saying it wasn't safe for her to be around them too much; he was right of course, but now she was the one who was having to step in her brother's shoes.
As she walked along the sidewalk she felt at ease, she didn't know these people therefore she wasn't bombarded with their lives being played in her head like a manic film in fast forward. Her 'curse' was the reason why they moved around so much, she'd start to get to know a few people and the flashes of thoughts would start to come, driving her slowly insane. If it wasn't for Chris she knew she wouldn't have lasted this long, and she had no doubt that if she wasn't extremely careful she wouldn't last much longer. The only thing they had found that helped was either staying away from people or being so focused on something that nothing else could come through, hence the hunting. Chris loved it because it fed his ego, but she did it to give her a bit of peace in a chaotic world.
Seeing the motel office, Cara casually walked inside as if she was hoping for information. Suddenly though she realized she wasn't alone, and that John was close… very close. Taking a deep breath, she hoped she could find a back way out; she wasn't ready for the game to end so soon.
An older woman looked up from the latest Harlequin romance in her hands and Cara wondered if she'd ever be able to get that image out of her head; she prayed that she would, and soon.
"Hi, I'm looking for my Uncle. He was going to meet my cousins here, you see Sammy's been sick and…"
"Oh my, yes, I know just the boys you're looking for. Poor little guy, he looked so ill the last time I saw him. They're in that room across the way honey, but I'm not exactly sure where your Uncle is at the moment; he went in one direction while his friends went in the other."
Nodding, Cara acted as if this was all new information to her and hoped that she could find a way out soon before the door…
The bell over the door gave out a small tinkling sound announcing someone's entrance and Cara didn't need to turn around to know who it was. Now though she had to wonder how to play it, either way she needed to stay calm.
"Cara, what are you doing here?" John asked calmly, hoping not to rouse suspicion with the elderly clerk.
Turning, Cara smiled widely and threw herself into John's arms all the while thinking 'this is going to hurt.' "Uncle Johnny! Thank God I found you, I've been so worried."
John knew something was happening, but had no idea what it could be, it was almost like a pressure in his brain and then suddenly it was gone. Looking down at the young woman he had to wonder what just happened. He didn't hear the others join them, didn't feel Bobby's hand on his shoulder, and didn't see their worried glances; all he knew was this woman in front of him was the key to what he was searching for, and she was somehow killing him.
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They were sitting in the Full Service Lane at the gas station down the road from the diner and neither one had said a word; Sam being too tired and Dean being too deep in thought. Dean had no doubt in his mind that whoever was keeping track of them had orders not to do anything until some predetermined time or signal, but that wasn't what had him truly disturbed; it was the revelation he had while getting back in the Impala at the diner, his Sammy thought he was going to be left again.
Dean hated not knowing what to do when it came to his little brother, the same brother who had been his sole responsibility since he was four and Sammy only a baby. Now though he thought he was starting to understand some of the nervousness that he's sensed in his brother, but he wasn't sure what he could do to alleviate it. Finally he decided that if they were going to do this they needed to do it before they hit the road to face whoever it was that was out there.
"Sammy, we need to talk buddy." He said quietly, hoping not to alarm his brother. Seeing Sammy look at him with tired eyes he started to back out, but then he realized it wasn't only fatigue he saw those wide expressive eyes, it was acceptance. "Aw Sammy, don't… really man what the…" Dean couldn't get his mind and mouth to sync up and he could tell it was worrying his little brother more than he thought possible. "Sammy, you're not going anywhere!" he blurted, then thought about that and shook his head. "I mean, without me… you're not going anywhere without me. Ok?" he saw that his words had penetrated his brother's brain, but there was something lacking in Sammy's response.
"Ok Dean."
That was it, no long winded argument; no questions, just 'ok Dean', and that really got the warning bells going off in Dean's brain. "I'm serious Sammy, we're in this together. I don't care what I have to do, but there is no way you're going to be left somewhere with me, got it?"
Sam nodded while looking out the window. He heard the words, but had to wonder about the catch. He'd always known that if it was a choice between him and Dad, Dean would choose their dad every time; it was just a fact he lived with and gave up questioning it a long time ago. He hadn't realized Dean had moved until he felt a hand turn his head, and what he saw shocked him; his big brother looked like he was going to cry, and it scared him.
"I swear to you Sammy, Dad's not going to do that to you again. Do you hear me? We're a team, and that's the way it's just going to be until one of us becomes old and decrepit. Hey, it can't be me… I'm too good looking to become old… or decrepit." Dean said with a smile. He watched as his baby brother looked into his eyes and saw the truth in them, he wasn't going to be abandoned; not ever again.
Nodding, Sam smiled, "Thanks Dean."
"Yeah, well don't get carried away otherwise we'll be like those chick flicks, then you'd have to shoot me, ok?" Dean joked, happy to see Sammy looking as if he wasn't carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders anymore. 'Definitely worth the chick flick moment kiddo.' He thought as he pulled the Impala out onto the road and started the next leg of their journey.