Sorry for the wait, but here is the final chapter for this episode.

I wouldn't say I'm completely happy with this chapter, as I was having a little bit of writers block with this, but I don't think it turned out too bad, just not quite how I wanted it to be.

Anyway…

Please enjoy :)

Chapter 36.
Episode 18 (Something Wicked).

The hospital had been a bust because the old woman was just an old woman…smelled like an old woman too much to Alec displeasure. However, when they got back to the motel it turns out that the Shtriga had attacked the motel owner's youngest son. Ben and Alec felt sorry for the poor woman because she seemed nice, and Dean…well Dean was more than pissed at this thing.

He took her up to the hospital to see her son while Sam and the twins headed to the library to try and get some more information on this monster.

Sam, Ben and Alec sit around one of the computers at the library, digging their way through any information they can find. Ben notes down, in his most recent notebook, all the places and years that the Shtriga has popped up.

Alec moves closer to Sam when his phone rings, so that he can hear his dad's side of the conversation as well, while Ben continues looking at the information on the computer.

"Hey. How's the kid?" Sam asks.

"He's not good", the strain on Dean's voice is easily heard through the phone, "where you at?"

"I'm at the library with the boys. We've been trying to find out as much as I can about this Shtriga".

"Yeah, what have you got?"

"Well, bad news. I started with Fort Douglas around the time you said Dad was there?"

"Yeah?"

"Same deal", Sam flicks through Ben's notes, "before that, there was, uh, Ogdenville, before that North Haverbrook, and Brockway. Every 15 to 20 years it hits a new town" Sam shakes his head and sighs, "Dean, this thing is just getting started in Fitchburg. In all these other places it goes on for months. Dozens of kids before the Shtriga finally moves on. The kids just…languish in comas and then they die".

"How far back's this thing go?"

"Ah, I don't know. The earliest mention I could find is this place called "Black River Falls" back in the 1890s. Talk about a horror sh-".

"Uncle Sam!" Ben's eyes widen as he looks at the picture of the doctor he saw at the hospital when they went to see the old woman. The doctor that was supposed to be looking after the children.

"Whoa" Sam sits straighter in his chair as he looks at the picture.

"Sam?" Dean's voice calls through the phone.

"Hold on…Ben's found a photograph on the computer and I'm looking at it right now, and it's of a bunch of doctors standing around a kid's bed. One of the Doctors is Hydecker".

"And?"

"And this picture was taken in 1893".

"You sure?"

"Yeah. Yeah absolutely" Sam confirms before he hears Dean hang up.

Ben turns to Sam, "dad's not stupid enough to attack a doctor in the middle of a hospital…right?"

"This case does seem to be affecting him more then normal" Alec points out.

"We'd better head to the hospital and pick him up" Sam says hastily.

Sam enters their motel room first, followed by the twins and then Dean. Ben and Alec shrug off their jackets and take a seat on their dad's bed.

"We should have thought of this before. A doctor's a perfect disguise. You're trusted, you can control the whole thing" Sam says.

Dean throws his jacket off and starts pacing agitatedly, "that son of a bitch".

"I'm surprised you didn't draw on him right there".

"Yeah well, first of all, I'm not going to open fire in a freakin' paediatrics ward".

"Good call" Ben nods.

"Second, wouldn't have done any good, because the bastard's bullet proof unless he's chowing down on something. And third, I wasn't packing, which is probably a really good thing cause I probably would have just burned a clip in him on principle alone" Dean practically growls.

"You're getting wise in your old age Dean" Sam wants to smirk.

"Damn right. Cause now I know how we're going to get it…I don't like it, but I know how".

"How?" Alec frowns.

"Shtriga, works through siblings, right?"

"Right" Sam nods.

"Well last night…".

"It went after Asher".

"So tonight, it's going to go after Michael" Ben realises and he remembers the conversation they had yesterday about being bait.

"Well we gotta get him out of here" Sam says.

"…yeah…and replace him with Ben or Alec" Dean could barely get the words out. The thought of either of his boys being bait for the Shtriga made him feel cold all over…but it wasn't like they could have Michael be the bait.

"What? You wanna use the twins as bait? Are you nuts? No! Forget it. That's out of the question".

Ben and Alec's eyebrows shot up, almost comically, in surprise. They were more than hundred percent convinced that they would have had to fight their dad tooth and nail over letting them be bait because of how overprotective he is of them…yet here he is, being the one to actually suggest them being bait.

What the hell was going on with their dad. Ben and Alec look at each other and frown, they should feel over the moon that their dad is finally letting them have a bigger role in hunts…but they don't because something was up with their dad and it was unsettling. He's been acting odd since they found out what the monster was. It wasn't the same kind of odd that he was back when they had to go to Laurence and deal with the ghost in their old house. That was a more…panicked and anxiety ridden sort of odd.

This…was more like a skittish sort of odd. Or at least that was the best way they could describe it. It was like their dad wanted to be here and kill the Shtriga but at the same time it seems like he just wants to get out of here.

Something about this hunt, or maybe just this monster, had their dad uneasy, and neither boy liked it.

"It's not out of the question Sam it's the only way. If this thing disappears it could be years before we get another chance" Dean stands firm. Like hell did he want to use his kids as bait…but he can't let this son of a bitch walk away. Not again.

"Seriously Dean? Just yesterday you were saying that 'over your dead body' would you let the twins be used as bait" Sam stares at Dean in disbelief, "they are kids Dean! Your kids! I'm not going to dangle either of them in front of that thing like a worm on a hook".

"Dad did not send me here to walk away".

"Send you here? He didn't send you here…he sent us here".

"This isn't about you, Sam. I'm the one who screwed up, all right. It's my fault. There's no telling how many kids have gotten hurt because of me".

"What? How is this your fault dad?" Ben's eyebrows frown in confusion.

The room goes quiet for a minute and Sam sighs when he sees that Dean isn't going to answer Ben, "Dean. You've been hiding something from the get-go. Since when does Dad bail on a hunt? Since when does he let something get away? Now talk to me, man. Tell me what's going on".

Dean lowers his head and sighs, "Fort Douglas, Wisconsin. It was our third night in this crap room and I was climbing the walls. Man, I needed to get some air. I saw that you had fallen asleep…so I left, and I made sure to lock the door behind me…I just need to get out for a few minutes. There was this arcade game in the reception, so I started playing on that and before I knew it the owner says that they're closing, so I head back to the room".

Dean pauses for a moment and rubs a hand over his face, "when I got back to the room…there was this strange light coming from your room. When I got closer…that thing, the Shtriga, was leaning over you. I grabbed the rifle, but the son of a bitch heard me cock it and it looked up at me and…and I hesitated…but then dad came barging in and shot the thing a bunch of times. The bullets didn't damage it, the bastard just jump out the window and disappeared. You were okay, didn't know anything happened because you were still asleep until dad woke up to make sure the Shtriga didn't hurt you".

Dean takes in a deep breath to keep himself composed, "after that, dad just…grabbed us and booked. Dropped us off at Pastor Jim's about three hours away, but by the time he got back to Fort Douglas the shtriga had disappeared, it was just gone. It never surfaced until now. You know, Dad never spoke about it again, I didn't ask. But he…ah…he looked at me different, you know? Which was worse. Not that I blame him. He gave me an order and I didn't listen, I almost got you killed".

"You were just a kid" Sam says softly.

And that solves the mystery of why their dad is acting the way he is. The Shtriga almost killed uncle Sam and of course dad being who he is was obviously blaming himself for his brother almost getting killed. Dad feels like he failed…but uncle Sam is right, he was just a kid. It's not his fault, but Ben and Alec know that saying that to him won't make him think any different. Their dad has a guilt problem.

"Don't. Don't" Dean shakes his head, "dad knew this was unfinished business for me. He sent me here to finish it".

"But using the boys…I don't know Dean. I mean, how 'bout one of us hides under the covers, you know, we'll be the bait" Sam suggests.

"No, it won't work. It's gotta get close enough to feed…it'll see us. Believe me, I don't like it, but it's gotta be one of the boys".

"I can take Michael's place" Ben pipes up and he sees Sam frown and open his mouth. It's strange, he's used to reminding his dad that they are super soldiers and they'll be fine, not his uncle. "I'm a super solider, I'm faster and stronger than normal kids…I'm faster and stronger than you and dad. Plus, my healing ability and the fact that I've been trained by both Manticore and dad".

Sam groans, "you've made your case Squirt".

Ben grins, "So, it's settled? I'll take Michaels place".

"Wait a second" Alec butts in, "I want to be bait".

"No" Ben shakes his head.

"Yes" Alec frowns at his brother.

"No".

"Yes!"

"No, I'm the oldest, it's my job".

Alec groans, "you're only older than me by like…like…well I don't know, but obviously not by long".

"Doesn't matter, I'm the oldest so I'm doing this".

"That's not fair! You can't use the 'I'm-The-Oldest' card like that".

"I'm the big brother it's my job to keep you safe and you won't be safe if you're the bait".

Sam snorts, "he sounds just like you Dean".

"Unfortunately" Dean mumbles. This would be one of the few times he wishes his kids weren't like him.

"This isn't fair because now he's going to pull the 'Big-Brother' card whenever we go on hunts to stop me from getting to do anything" Alec pouts at Sam and Dean.

"Sorry to tell you this Al, but it's something you'll have to get uses to" Sam sighs, fully understanding the boy's annoyance. He's had 23 years of it.

"Plus, the Shtriga may find it a little odd that the kid he's about to drain of life has bright red hair" Ben adds.

"I'm annoyed at you" Alec glares at his brother, "I'm so annoyed at you that I'm having to count to twenty in my head…that's two sets of tens!"

Ben shrugs, he doesn't care as long as he's bait and Alec isn't, because it's his job to keep Alec safe. Like dad keeps uncle Sam safe, and the Michael kid looks out for his little brother.

"Okay" Dean sighs, "Ben will be bait…now we just need to talk to Michael so that we can get into his room to pull off this switch-a-roo and gank this monster".

Once they, Sam and Dean, had gotten Michael to believe that monsters in the closet are real, they were able to start setting up Michaels room with cameras so that they would be able to keep a close eye on Ben.

To be better safe than sorry, they decided that Michael would stay with them, sitting next to the pouting Alec, just encase the Shtriga could sense where the boy was. They didn't think that the Shtriga could sense the child, it just went for whatever child it could find, but it pays to be cautious.

So, Michael and the pouting Alec are currently sitting next to Sam, in the room next to Michael's bedroom, while Sam is checking the security feed he's getting from the camera's that Dean is putting up in Michaels room.

Dean finishes hooking up the camera in the corner and turns to Ben, who is sitting on Michaels bed, "this camera has night vision on it, so we'll be able to see clear as day…just like you and Al do", Dean raises his voice so that Sam can hear him, "are we good?"

"A hair to the right", Sam's voice calls from the other room and Dean adjust the camera, "there, there".

Dean moves away from the camera and his hand starts nervously tapping against his leg. He doesn't like this one bit.

"I'm going to be fine dad" Ben sees that his dad is trying to keep calm.

"What are you going to do?"

They have been over this plan a dozen times, but frankly even going over it a thousand times isn't going to satisfy Dean. Not when his son is bait for a life essence eating monster.

"I stay under the covers".

Dean sits on the bed next to Ben, "and if it shows up?"

"You and uncle Sam will be right next door and you'll come in gun's blazing if it shows up, and as soon as you come into the room, I will roll off the bed and crawl under it" Ben recites. He had tried to get dad to give him a gun so that he could shoot the Shtriga as he would have a good shot, but apparently there was only so much that his dad would 'allow' and that being bait was more than enough excitement for one hunt…his dad's words.

"And don't worry, neither me or uncle Sam will shoot you".

Ben smiles up at Dean, "I know you won't shoot me. You're good shots".

"Thanks Squirt", a soft smile twitches on Deans mouth as he ruffles Ben's hair, "just please, do not come out from under the bed until I say it's okay".

Ben nods.

"…Benny…are you sure you want to do this. You don't have to if you don't want to…I won't be mad or think of you as a 'bad solider', cause you're not".

"I'm sure dad, let's just get this son of a biscuit".

Dean snorts, "cute".

They have been waiting for the Shtriga to show up for almost five hours and Alec was way past feeling angsty. He didn't say it out loud, but he was scared for his brother. He didn't want Ben getting hurt, and that was part of the reason he wanted to be bait, but then his stupid brother had to play the stupid 'older-brother' card… He's barely older than him!

Now he's stuck in the next room waiting for a monster to show up to try and basically eat his brother soul, while he is stuck on babysitting duty…

Yeah, Alec was way past feeling angsty.

"What time is it?" Dean asks, his eyes never leaving the security feed from the camera.

"Three. You sure these iron rounds are gonna work?" Sam checks.

"Consecrated iron rounds, and yeah it's what Dad used last time".

"Hey Dean, I'm sorry".

"For what?"

"You know, I've really given you a lot of crap, for always following Dad's orders. But I know why you do it".

Alec fake coughs, "chic-flick moment", more fake coughing.

"Oh, god, kill me now" Dean shakes his head, a smirk on his face.

Sam laughs softly but doesn't make another comment, so the room falls into silence for a few moments.

"Wait, look" Dean leans forward, followed by Sam and Alec, to get a closer look at the camera footage.

"Is that the monster?" Michael asks in a hushed voice.

"Think so" Sam mumbles.

"Dad" the worry in Alec's voice is clear as they watch the window slide open.

"Don't worry" Dean says, as he and Sam pick up their guns and stand up, "I promise Ben's going to be just fine".

The Shtriga is now in Michaels room and is moving closer to Ben.

"Now?" Sam asks. He can feel panic creeping into his chest as the Shtriga get's closer to his nephew.

"Not yet" Dean can feel his heart beating erratically against his rib cage. He wants to burst in there now and empty his gun into the bastard, but he can't. If this thing gets away, then all the kids at the hospital are going to die. Michaels little brother will die.

Sam and Dean move towards the door to the bedroom so they can get inside quicker, and Dean briefly turns back to Alec, "keep your eyes on the camera footage. When the Shtriga starts to draw Bens energy, tell us".

"Got it".

"And stay with Michael, no matter what" the 'encase the Shtriga comes after him' part left unsaid.

The Shtriga is now standing over the bed and Ben slows his breathing down to keep himself calm. He's a super solider, he's not scared of this thing. He has complete trust in his dad and uncle that everything is going to be fine. He is going to do this and show his dad that he and Alec can do more on hunts.

He can sense the Shtriga lean over him and then he feels the duvet start to be pulled down away from his face, until he isn't hidden anymore and the Shtriga is standing so close to him…and yeah…okay, admittedly the Shtriga looks really creepy. Especially as it leans closer to his face.

As the Shtriga opens its mouth Ben freezes and starts to feel a little fuzzy.

"Dad now" Alec almost cries as he watches the Shtriga start to eat his brother's 'life essence'.

Sam and Dean burst into the room and Sam shouts, "hey!"

"Benny, down!" Dean yells.

Ben rolls off onto the floor, and crawls under the bed as Sam and Dean open fire on the Shtriga. Shooting it multiple times each, before it falls to the ground.

"Benny, you all right?" Dean asks.

"Yeah" calls from under the bed.

"Just sit tight" the Dean raises his voice, even though he knows Alec can hear him anyway, "Al, you stay there with Michael".

Dean approaches the Shtriga, his gun still raised. When the Shtriga shows no movement, he relaxes slightly and turns to Sam only for the Shtriga to suddenly jump up and grab him by the throat, throwing him against the wall.

"Dean!"

The Shtriga moves and throws Sam to the wall, knocking him down onto the bed. The Shtriga straddles Sam and forces his mouth open. Sam struggles to reach his gun but the Shtriga begins drawing his energy, silver mist floating from his mouth to the Shtriga, making him freeze and his skin start going grey.

Ben eyes the other gun that had been knock around in the scuffle. He shuffles closer to it and once it's in his hand, he slides it across the floor to Dean.

"Hey!" Dean growls, picking up the gun.

The Shtriga looks up at the interruption and Dean takes the opportunity to shoot it between the eyes, causing it to fall back and for Sam to gasp for a breath.

"You ok, little brother?"

Sam nods and unsteadily holds up two thumbs-up, that was a little close for comfort. They both pull themselves to their feet and look over at the Shtriga. All the children's energy the it had stolen begins to escape and Dean raises his gun, shooting the creature three more times, attempting to release his pent-up anger at it.

Once all the energy has left the Shtriga, it body starts collapsing and sinking in on itself until it just disintegrates.

"Dad?" Alec calls from the other room.

"It's okay Buddy, it's gone" Dean sighs, "you can come out to Benny".

Ben crawls out from under the bed and stands next to his dad with a grin on is face. Dean wraps Ben up into a side hug, letting out a breath of relief that he was okay. Then he stumbles back slightly as Alec barrels into him and Ben. The red headed boy throwing his arms around his brother, hugging him tight.

"I'm still annoyed at you" Alec mumbles into Ben's shoulder, "I'm just glad you're alive so that I can be annoyed at you".

Ben rolls his eyes.

"And I'm being bait next time".

"No".

"You can't play the 'Older-Brother' card every time".

"Watch me".

"I'm going to have to count to twenty again".

The twins help Sam and Dean pack up the Impala, shoving their duffels back into the truck and throwing their backpacks onto the back seats.

"You know dad" Ben turns to look up at Dean, "now that we've successfully done this hunt and proved that we are capable and useful-".

"Not that we had to because we are super soldiers, so we already knew we were capable and useful" Alec interrupts as he adjusts his hat.

"-you're going to have to let us help on hunts more" Ben finishes his sentence.

"Key word, us" Alec points out, "I didn't really get to actually do much this hunt, so I want more to do on the next hunt".

"Al, you may not have been involved with the action, but you stayed with Michael" Dean says, "that's what I wanted you to do and you followed what I said. You listened to me and didn't go against my orders showing me that I can trust you".

"And if you trust me…you'll let me do more on the next hunt?"

Dean sighs, "yes…if it isn't too dangerous".

And overprotective dad was back, Ben and Alec share an eyeroll. They had been wondering how long it would take for normal dad to make a reappearance and tell them they can't help on hunts because it's 'dangerous'.

"…I did do good though, didn't I dad?" Ben asks, biting his lip.

"You did more than good Squirt" Dean ruffles his hair.

"Dean" Sam nods his head in the direction of the reception. Dean looks to see Michael and Asher's mother, Joanna, heading towards them.

"Hey, Joanna. How's Asher doing?" Dean asks.

"Have you seen Michael?"

"Mom! Mom!" Michael runs up to the group.

Joanna hugs her son, "hey!"

"How's Ash?"

"Good news. Your brother's gonna fine".

Michael grins, "really?"

"Yeah. Really. No one can explain it…it's a miracle. They're going to keep him in overnight for observation and then he's coming home".

Dean and Sam share a look before Dean grins, "that's great".

"How are all the other kids doing?" Sam inquires.

"Good. Real good. A bunch of them should be checking out in a few days. Doctor Travis says the ward's going to be like a ghost town" Joanna smiles.

"Doctor Travis? What about Doctor Hydecker?"

"Oh, he wasn't in today. Must have been sick or something".

Dean shifts his feet slightly, "yeah. Yeah must have".

Joanna looks down at Michael, "so, did anything happen while I was gone?"

Michael glances at Sam and Dean briefly before shrugging at his mom, "nah, same old stuff".

"Ok, good" Joanna run's a hand threw Michaels hair, "you can go see Ash".

"Now?" Michael bounces on his feet with excitement.

"Only if you want to".

Michael doesn't answer, instead he runs over to the car.

"I'm going to take that as a yes" Dean chuckles.

Joanna laughs, "I…ah, I'd better get going before he hotwires the car and drives himself".

Alec's head perks up at that mention. Did Michael know how to hotwire a car too? If so, then he like the boy a little bit more than before.

After some mutters of goodbyes, Joanna leaves and heads towards her car.

"It's too bad" Sam sighs.

"Oh, they'll be fine" Dean says as he turns back around to face Sam and the Impala.

"That's not what I meant. I meant Michael. He'll always know there are things out there in the dark…he'll never be the same, you know?" Sam pauses, "…sometimes I wish that..."

"What…?"

"I wish I could have that kinda innocence" Sam frowns and then looks at the twins, "I wish you boys could have that innocence".

"Hate to break it to you uncle Sam" Ben begins slowly, "but we've never had that".

"A messed-up world is all we've ever known" Alec points out, "frankly, I'd take knowledge over innocence. More likely to be safer that way. Knowing what's out there means we can protect ourselves better".

"No…I wish you boys could have had some childlike innocence" Dean sighs…he really does wish his boys could have gotten the chance to have a proper childhood, "or just any kind of innocence about the world…I sometimes regret telling you boys about the supernatural because I feel like I took the last bit of innocence you had".

"No, you didn't" Alec shakes his head, "we are happy knowing about the supernatural".

"Trust us, any innocence we had died long before we met you" Ben insists.

Dean nods sorrowfully, not actually agreeing with the twins.

"I wish you could have that innocence too, Sam" Dean says softly.

Sam and Dean exchange a look, the mood now somber.

"You sure now how to liven the party uncle Sam" Alec mutters.

Sam bitch faces the boy, "shut up, carrot top".

Alec glares at Sam, while Dean and Ben start to snigger, "ha…freakin…ha", Alec huffs.

"One of the best pranks ever" Dean grins as the four Winchesters finally climb inside the Impala, and he starts the engine, pulling away from the motel.

Now we've started to see Ben and Alec (or at least Ben) become more involved in the hunts, and I promise that their involvement will continue, and they will have more to do in future hunts, even if it means going against Dean's orders *insert gasp of horror*.

The next episode will be episode 20, Dead Man's Blood. Which means grandpa John will be back!

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Thanks for reading :)