AN: Tuesday chapter! Hope you enjoy it.
.46.
"Right so I'm just supposed to stand here while he's tied up to a chair? That's the plan here?" Lilly asks skeptically not for the first time questioning the intelligence of this plan.
"Yes, look Lilly, I know this isn't ideal but it's the best we got for right now so can you please just try it?" Sam asks placatingly. "This is new for us too, I promise we're just trying to help."
Lilly just lifts her brow, hips cocked and arms crossed as she stares at him. "I'm here."
Mae hides a smile, understanding Lilly's hesitance completely. She puts her hand on Sam's arm in a calming gesture. "Sam she's trying, let's just get this done."
Sam smiles down at Mae and glances around the sitting room one last time, checking on the equipment, making sure it was all functioning properly. "Alright we'll be right outside the doors." He finally says, escorting Mae to where they'd be watching in the dinning room.
"Super." Lilly responds popping the 'p' in the middle of it obnoxiously as she looks down at Dean who was doing his best to be reassuring but the sight of him tied to the chair with a budding bruise from her violent outbursts early turned her stomach.
"It'll be fine Hufflepuff, don't worry about it, b'sides it'll least help build up my tolerance, right?" Dean assures her with a smile.
"Um yeah… I thought there was going to be duct tape involved with this endeavor…" Lilly frowns shifting uncomfortably before deciding to to go sit on the chair furthest from Dean. Gods what the hell made me agree to this- Oh yeah guilt… is there a pill for that? To just smother it to death.
Over the computer Sam responds "We decided that that would be a last case type of scenario. Sorry."
"Are we sure duct tape or a gag isn't necessary?" Mae whispers quietly in his ear, sending shivers down his spine.
"Yeah. We kinda need to know how long it takes and when it starts getting to a point of no return." Sam responds just as quietly.
"Maybe I should give her my headphones." Mae offers, biting her lip.
"It may not be a bad- Oh she just put her own head phones in." Sam says.
"Yeah, but mine are noise canceling…" Mae pouts, concerned for her friend's mental well being.
"Worse case scenario she punches him again." Sam shrugs though his voice wavers a bit with uncertainty.
"Worse case scenario she locks herself in her room and refuses to talk to anyone for a month." Mae pouts, watching the screen in concern.
"Lilly do you want Mae's headphones?" He asks louder, leaning into the mic.
Lilly ignores the question and picks up the book she had brought with her cracks it and starts reading.
"Come on Lilly, cheer up. At the very least, I'm work on building up my resistance to an hour. Then there would be no need for lines and scarred siblings." Dean says with a suggestive wink, doing his best to flirt even while restrained.
"That's awfully presumptuous of you Tex, don't you think?" Lilly snarks back with a withering glare, brushing off his teasing too anxious to become flustered.
"My charming good looks and winning personality not doing it for ya? I could turn up my smoldering glance." She is going to end up punching me again...
"Let's not shall we? But glad to see you have some self worth, as sad as it is." She responds, her attention back to her book.
"Ouch hufflepuff, be nice to me. I'm all helpless over here." He says, doing his best to look pitiful.
"Who's idea was that? 'Sides bondage on the guy isn't my idea of a good time." She shrugs, refusing to acknowledge his current predicament.
"Well then, next time we can switch places. I just thought this would be safer, you know, restraining the beast from the beauty." His wiggles his brows vaudeville villian style.
"Yeah no, hard line. We're not ruining Disney today, I mean-Unless you're grimm-ing it, in which case ew." Lilly responds as she starts taking notes from the book.
"Ah, come on Lilly. Just passing time. This could take awhile."
"I figured." She sighs before an amused glint appears in her eyes. "So how was Sam tying you up? Do anything for you?" She quips with a satisfied smirk, knowing the comment would bother him.
"Whoa whoa whoa. One, ew. Two, the banter is to pass the time. Three, I still mean it." Dean glares at her, albeit a bit pouty.
Lilly just rolls her eyes. "I'm sure you did. I figured tapping this with out killing me would be quite the challenge." Lilly adds, having decided his advance was some type of weird personal challenge.
"Uh guys, we can hear this." Sam cuts in, reminding them of their presence.
"Shut up Sam!" Dean growls, as Lilly snaps "No fucking shit."
Mae rubs Sam's shoulders as he shrugs it off with a glower. "I think they're just nervous." She adds, trying to be helpful.
"You think? Wait, can you not read them?" Sam asks. Well, I guess more than one experiment is happening today.
"No. It doesn't work over the phone or skype." Mae responds absently, watching her friends on the screen.
"Ah I guess that makes sense. Lilly's doesn't either." Sam says nodding his head and starts making notes in two separate documents. "You would be so helpful to have along when we have to talk to people. It's always a guessing game trying to tell if they're lying or just don't believe what they saw."
She smiles at the thought of being helpful, but it slowly falls as she says,"People can lie to me. I can't always tell why a person is feeling the way they are. And some people can lie without it affecting their emotions."
"Yeah, but some people are better at lying and acting than others. Wonder if you could read supernatural creatures… have you ever met someone you couldn't feel?"
"Nope. Just Lilly." Mae responds without hesitation.
"Huh… So either you've never run into anything supernatural or you can read them. I'd be interested to find that out. We've run into some shit." Sam comments, adding a couple more notes to his doc before the two lapse into a tense silence as they continue to watch their family on the screen, both worried about the outcome of these 'tests' Dean was adamant about performing.
"So whatcha reading?" Dean asks still trying to puzzle what the girls last comment had meant but with Lilly it was usually hard to pin down where the side comments came from.
"A book? Surely you've seen them, even cracked a couple... " She breaths as she thumbs to the next page of her homeopathic remedies book.
"Ha ha-funny, I meant what's it about." Dean responds rolling his eyes to her snipe.
"Plants and herbs and the best way to use them for home remedies. You know it's hard for either of us to go the hospital. And I mean, sure I know a lot, but I can always learn something new. Try to improve them, but keep them palatable, some of the herbs are really bitter…" She supplies, her tone softer now that he was no longer teasing her. "I usually prefer fiction though…I just figured today was a learning kind of day."
"Ah. Smart." Dean admires her thoughtfulness. "Sam and I used up our first aid kit, maybe you ladies should teach us how to make it. Sam is all about that stuff. I can atleast say I healed a lot faster using it."
Lilly's lips curve into a smile at that. "I'm glad it helped, if things were different for me I probably would have gone to school for…" She shakes her head, banishing the thought. "I'd happily show you both, it's not that hard and most of the plants are pretty common. I'll whip more up either way, before you guys have to hit the road again, to replenish your supply."
"Should I make collection rounds later Lilly?" Mae asks into the mic.
"Would be good. I should start tonight. Some of them take time." Lilly responds turning to the camera.
"No problem. During a break I'll run out and start." Mae offers.
"Starting to feel it." Dean adds cutting them off as a familiar feeling washes over him. He shoots a concerned look to Lilly and pulls against the restraints for reassurance.
Sam writes something down in one of the documents. "Lilly, it's ok if you don't want to hear this, but I am going to be asking him questions." He warns gently.
Lilly shifts nervously in her seat watching Dean with curiosity, not thrilled about the situation but there had never been a time where she could watch the person she affected so carefully, lest the repercussions of that foolishness get her killed. I never realized how much I actually wanted to know why… I mean sure this is going to suck but… Yeah. I want to know, and it's not like I don't know he's going to say some fucked up shit. Cause he is. I know he is.
"Anytime now Sammy, I don't like this feeling. This isn't what I really think." Dean snaps out, muscles bunching and loosening under the restraints as he gained and lost control of himself.
"So what are you feeling?" Sam asks over the mic.
"Angry, very red anger. Hatred. Disgust." Dean growls.
"Why?" Sam asks he writes it down.
"She, she did something. Traitor. Conniving bitch." Dean's eyes bulge as he locks eyes with the girl.
Sam shoots a concerned glance to Lilly who was watching Dean. Oh god I don't want to ask this but if we are going to get anywhere with this... "Traitor?"
"She's deceptive. False. Untrustworthy. She, she, God, MAE!" Dean cries out.
This isn't as bad as I thought it was going to be… Dean has a lot more control than I gave him credit for… It's certainly easier when it's feelings. Lilly sighs, some of her tension lessening with the thought. Her eyes still observing Dean with curiosity, intrigued by what was happening. I didn't know there was more to it than just blind hatred…Huh.
They hear the door slam open and Mae bursts into the sitting room. Dean immediately relaxes in his seat, closing his eyes.
"You okay?" Lilly walks over to Dean hesitantly, concerned for him; respecting him a bit more than she had previously.
"Sorry Hufflepuff." Dean says quietly, without opening his eyes.
"It's okay, that wasn't nearly as traumatic of an experience as I thought it was going to be." Lilly admits, with a wide smile.
"I aim to please." He responds short of breath, but happy she wasn't offended.
"Yeah right cowboy. Whatever." Lilly responds flippantly unsure how to feel about that, but recognized she was infact pleased.
"You three let me know when you're ready to reset." Sam says over the computer.
"You okay Tex? I know you're just trying to help. Still this can't be healthy for your visceral system." Lilly comments looking him over in concern. There was no way his heart was healthy with how he ate, and surely her affect on others raised blood pressure exponentially. She was worried about what the stress of forcing him to restrain his anger would mean in the long run, and was curious if they had really thought this through.
"Hey, what doesn't kill me, right?" He chuckles in response, brushing off her concern. In all actuality, he really hadn't thought about it, but he would be willing to take the hit for her. "You good to go again." He winks at her.
"Cute." She scoffs, before she pats his head. "Let's do this." She sighs, as she turns and returns back to her book.
"Great." He sighs, a slight glare marring his face. Yay, a pity pat. "Thanks for moving so quick Mae. We're ready when you are." He nods, smiling up at her.
Over the mic they hear "Lilly can you sit closer to him? I'm curious if that will set it off quicker. Sorry." Sam asks as he finishes the last of the notes.
Lilly turns, making a face at the camera. "How close?"
"Well not in his lap. Your discretion." Sam concedes.
Lilly quirks her brow at that, before she stands up and hip checks the couch gently moving it in the general direction of Dean, before she plops backwards over the arm. "Done."
"Lilly!" Sam can't help but smile at her antics. I saw that coming...
"What? Your brother is like fucking houdini. Do you know how many times he's broken into our house?"
"Once!" Dean says in exasperation.
Lilly turns to glower at him "Bull shit…" She mutters, but decides to roll off the couch, moving it back before she sits in the chair closest to him glaring at the ceiling and blowing at her bangs petulantly, just wanting to end this quickly.
"Seriously Lilly, my headphones are just in the kitchen." Mae offers again.
"No they're not, they are on that table… I borrowed them." She says gesturing to the end table by the couch she had just vacated.
Mae rolls her eyes, "Then why aren't you using them?"
"Curiosity?" Lilly admitted simply.
"Of course. Ready?" Mae asks with a last look at Lilly.
Lilly rolls her eyes at the question but nods as she settles in her chair.
"Ok, I'm coming back in Sam." Mae says, closing the door behind her. She walks back towards Sam and their equipment, unable to dampen her feelings of nervousness.
"Ok, take two." Sam whispers as he starts typing on his computer again.
"I just thought about something. And maybe I'm just slow with this realisation, but… Is Dean going to be the only person getting tied up and questioned?" Mae inquires curiously.
Sam looks to her and thinks about it. "No probably not. Bobby and I are should be doing the same. If you can think of someone else that can be near her though that would probably be helpful."
"Well, no. I mean her parents but… I don't think they'd agree to it. Well, Dale might… Oh, Mother Superior might, but I don't know how I feel about tying a nun to a chair…"
Sam makes a face but concedes to her point as they both watch the camera feed.
Mae racks her brain trying to think of anyone else. "Oh Todd… Todd would probably agree."
Sam tilts his head. "Who's Todd?"
"Who the fuck is Todd?" Dean chimes looking to Lilly expectantly.
"Why would Todd agree to that?" Lilly says looking to the camera confused.
"He's an old friend, and he's got a thing for Miss Mara." Mae provides playfully.
Lilly facepalms. "No he doesn't, why do you keep pushing that? Please stop shipping people with me, please."
"Just because you don't return it doesn't dismiss the way he feels. And I totally don't ship that, you'd eat him alive."
"What's shipping? Someone else likes you? Wait, you have other friends b'sides Mae? How does that even work?" Dean rapid fires.
"Ra, Dean seriously don't act like that's completely inconceivable I have, like five friends thank you and no-" She turns to glare at the camera. "He doesn't like me like that, Mae's just being Mae." Lilly interrupts indignant even though if she were honest she could admit he had a point, what type of socially-emotionally stunted moron would like her.
Mae pouts, unsure if Lilly is doubting her abilities or telling her to shut up. "But he does like her, I feel it everytime he sees her." She whispers.
"Right. Well maybe he'll agree." Sam interjects unable to hide his smile at his brothers obvious dislike of the situation.
"We might be able to pay one of our employees to do it." Lilly adds with a shrug.
"Ooh that's true the new Van driver has already hit you, and felt awful about it." Mae agrees.
"Yeah, why not. Pay fedora-boy to be tied to a chair. I mean cause who wouldn't be agreeable to that." Lilly says rethinking her suggestion. That's an odd request even by my standards.
"Well, we could always ask Ellen, Jo and Ash." Sam supplies, uncertain how it would be received.
Lilly sighs and rubs her temples feeling a headache coming on as she wracks her brain for an actual helpful suggestions.
"Hey, lets just focus on this set up for now." Dean snaps. "Oh, and I'm feeling it again."
"Really wouldn't have guessed that…" Lilly mumbles with an eye roll. This can't be healthy to do this to Dean… "Oh Marie! Duh!"
"Oh, yes, She'd do it in a heartbeat. She's so curious about you anyway." Mae chirps happily.
"Marie?" Sam asks Mae.
"Her counselor."
"You mean the one that's fine with this stupid bitch cutting?" Dean asks voice heavy with disdain.
Mae just takes a breath and shuts her eyes. "Well, this escalated fast."
Lilly just raises her brow at Dean, torn between being hurt or amused. Yes that's more like it. She smiles settling for the latter emotion.
"Sorry, I mean, SAM. Ask the fucking questions." Dean growls, giving Lilly a half apologetic look.
"How are you feeling?" Sam asks Dean.
"Murderous. Angry. Betrayed." Dean spits out.
"Why do you feel that way?"
Lilly turns slowly to shoot the camera her own murderous glare. That had to be the follow up question?
"Sorry Lilly." Sam whispers.
"Because she's sitting next to me. She doesn't deserve to be free. She needs to be punished." Dean grits out between her teeth.
"Kinky". Lilly deadpans, with an eyeroll.
"Why? Why doesn't she deserve to be free?" Sam asks.
Dean growls before answering "She's a liar. She can't be trusted."
"Dean, focus, is this personal experience talking?"
"No. Yes- well no no no… MAE!" Dean yells out again.
Mae takes off running for the family room again.
.47.
"Does this crap have to stay here? It's so... Cluttered." Lilly remarks glowering at the pile of technolgy littering the table she was itching to clean and polish.
"Sorry, but until we collect all of the data it would just be easier." Sam says patting her shoulder as Bobby, Dean, and Mae all sit around the table.
With a pout Lilly sighs and nods her head resigned, taking a seat trying to ignore the useless crap at the other end of it.
"Alright, what have you jits figured out so far." Bobby asks arms crossed as he looks at the kids in front of him expectantly.
"So from what we gathered from yesterday's sessions with Dean; is that the crux of the curse has something to do with a feeling a strong distrust and more than a bit of disdain. The person is driven with a need to punish and hurt her. And it brings up strong feelings of betrayal." Sam supplies as he looks at the two in question carefully.
"So it's more than intense anger?" Bobby clarifies.
"Seems like." Dean affirms with a nod.
"We were hoping that you'd help as well. I kind of want to figure out if pack mentality happens as well. You have been ganged up on before… I want to know if the drive is the same in those situations." Sam adds looking to Lilly for affirmation.
Lilly looks at Sam, nodding her head as she shrugs. "It happens. I mean less now than as a teen, but I think that's just because I learned pretty quickly to avoid people in groups, they're certainly easier ta avoid than one-on-ones."
"Also we're curious to know if everyone has the same reaction, or if it's different for each person." Mae adds.
"Makes sense. I'll do it, but you have to wear them noise cancelling headphones-" Bobby agrees, his eyes piercing Lilly's. "And I'm not negotiating on this."
"I- okay. I get it." Lilly agrees, knowing a lost battle when she saw one.
"Well, ok then. When do we start?" Bobby says hesitantly, not sure if he can believe that she didn't argue.
"No better time than the present I guess, if that works for everyone. Lilly did you get a hold of Marie?" Sam asks.
"Yeah, she seems interested. Whenever you want her, after six though, she's at work til then." Lilly shrugs.
"Right let's get this done then." Bobby gruffs his features grim, as they all get up and head to the family room.
.48.
"Well that was enlightening." Lilly snarks more than readily leaving the room, happy that Mae was sticking to Marie to get her to calm down.
"I'm sorry Lilly. I'm so sorry. God that was awful. I don't understand why I felt those things, said those things. I don't think or feel that way about you at all." Marie cries out, following after her.
"It's fine Marie, wasn't expecting anything less if I'm honest about it. No worries." Lilly reassures her softly.
"I well, I've been curious about this for a while, so thank you for asking for my help." She continues, looking at the girl miserably.
Lilly just does a once over of her counselor. "Oh that's reassuring, thanks."
"Lilly! We need to work on this, you're a wonderful girl, the things that happen to you in this area of your life? They aren't your fault." Marie chastises caringly.
"Right. I'll add it to the ever growing list. Thank you for letting us tie you up." Lilly quips brushing off the older womans concern.
"Well, that sounded strange." Marie says with a scrunched face, chuckling a little.
"Well just don't add it to my file and I won't tell anyone else." Lilly teases reaching the door and opening it for her.
"Deal. Have a goodnight Lilly, Mae. Gentlemen." Marie waves as she lets herself out.
Sammy, and then we're done with this shit. Great. Lilly sighs as she shuts the door behind her, and walks back to the sitting room, eager to be done..
"I would never have guessed how loud she could scream." Mae comments with an unsure smile, trying to gently tease Lilly as she falls onto the closest couch.
"Yeah, bitch has a set of pipes that's for sure." Lilly smiles as she plops down next to Mae, laying her head on her lap.
"I'm sorry Lilly. This is awful." Mae frowns, gently combing her fingers through Lilly's hair.
"It's fine, 'sides just a few more with Sammy and we're done." She sighs, purring in content as Mae played with her hair.
"Yeah…" Mae trails off, still not thrilled about the situation. Even though she had been supportive of the idea of learning more about what made people so, violent, towards Lilly; watching as people fought against restraints trying to get to her sister was awful. The worst though was listening to people attack Lilly verbally, which apparently got so much worse when you took away other options. Growing up with Lilly she'd just accepted that something happened when they weren't together, breaking the situation down to study was strange.
"Really Mae, it's for the best, and it's not like I haven't heard it before. It kind of all just bounces off at this point. Promise." Lilly assures her sister, her hand coming up to caress her face, her thumb stroking her jaw gently trying to assuade Mae's obvious apprehension. Then after a moment she adds, "You were petting me. Continue." As she nuzzles into Mae's hand in reminder, much like a cat.
Mae giggles as she goes back to running her fingers through Lilly's hair, using both hands to gently comb the knots from her hair.
Lilly hums happily, closing her eyes and as she allows herself to relax, feeling safe this close to her.
"Need a break Lilly? We can start back up tomorrow." Dean offers, looking at the two girls on the couch critically.
Lilly forces herself to sit up at Dean's question, . "Nah, two days of this is enough thanks, let's do this." She shrugs.
"You good to Mae?" Bobby asks, knowing how hard this must be to watch for. Even he was feeling drained from watching it, so he couldn't imagine how hard it was on her. Especially after learning of her empathy, not sure it was healthy for her.
"I'm fine, we can keep going if Lilly's good." Mae looks to them with a small smile, smoothing Lilly's hair back into place before she stands up to join them by the door.
"I'm fine, so seriously let's get this done. I still need to make dinner." Lilly waves dismissively. "I doubt it'll take much to set him off anyways." She adds with a shrug, having observed Sam enough that if Mae wasn't around his short fuse rivalled hers.
Sam's nose crinkled as he looked to Lilly. "I'm not that bad."
"Uh huh." Lilly nods placatingly.
"Right… Okay Dean, Bobby. Soder me to the chair." Sam chuckles nervously as he sits in the
"That's extreme..." Mae pouts worriedly.
"Way to one eighty there, Sammy. Lovin' that confidence." Lilly snorts.
"Hey, you seemed nervous, and you think Dean can get out of anything, I want to know that I can't." Sam shrugs as Dean and Bobby begin to thoroughly tie him to the chair.
"I am not nervous, I am just confident this round isn't goin' ta take long." Lilly huffs, offended by his observation.
"Right. Can you do me a favor though?" Sam asks, doing his best to completely relax as they wrapped his arms the the chair's arm rests.
"I really s'pose that depends on what the favor is." She responds hesitantly.
Sam closes his eyes before he calmly requests. "Please just wear Mae's headphones."
"Nope." Lilly quickly declines.
"Oh come on! You wore them for Bobby."
Dean lightly punches Sam's shoulder. "Hey, relax until we're done." He teases.
"Are you really putting yourself on the same level as Bobby?" She skeptically. "You're Mae's fuck boy, not mine. You ain't special ta me." She scoffs abrasively.
Bobby's back straightens with a snap, "What!" He yells, turning his glare to the defenseless idjit.
"Yep, knew this was how I was goin' ta die, tied to a chair… Wasn't expectin' Bobby to be killin me though." Sam sighs, resigned as he looked to the stunned Mae.
"Calm down ol' man, just meant they're dating. Hathor, take some glycerin for that shit Bobby." Lilly scoffs, as she can watches the vein in Bobby's neck throb angrily.
"This is not what I wanted, I swear, worse day of my life when ya'll met. This is why I don't sleep. I don't need ta hear bout that shit." Bobby gruffs in exasperation, before he sulks out of the room.
"Right, so back to what really matters here. We good ta go with this?" Lilly sighs, trying to get back on track.
Sam takes a deep breath, "Look Lilly, all I'm sayin' you should have just been wearing them the whole time. Please, after that bus, please just wear the fucking headphones."
"Fuck no, this whole thing wasn't even my idea, if we're doin' this I'm listenin' ta it." She snaps, her arms crossed over her chest defiantly.
"You good?" Dean asks Sam, testing the hold with a few quick jerks.
"Ow, yeah, it's good Dean. Can't move a muscle."
"How about you?" Dean asks Lilly.
"I'm fucking fine! Can we just get this over with?" She snaps in frustration. She blinks as Dean and Mae watch her in concern. "That was me, dismissing you." She comments as she sweeps her hand towards the door.
"Come on Mae, let's get this done." Dean gently takes Mae by the shoulder and guides her from the room.
"Just, yell when you need me." Mae tells them both, looking back at the two over her shoulder as Dean shut the door.
AN: Leave us a review to let us know what you think and we'll see ya again on Thursday.