Family Secrets: Part three – Old Haunts/New Beginnings: chapter 8

The days grow shorter and the nights are getting long

Feels like we're running out of time

Every day it seems much harder tellin' right from wrong

You got to read between the lines

.

Don't get discouraged; don't be afraid, we can

Make it through another day

Make it worth the price we pay

.

The Good Book says it's better to give than to receive

I do my best to do my part

Nothin' in my pockets; I got nothin' up my sleeve

I keep my magic in my heart

.

Keep up your spirit, keep up your faith, baby

I am counting on you

You know what you've got to do

.

Fight the good fight every moment

Every minute every day

Fight the good fight every moment

It's your only way

Fight the Good Fight - Triumph

... ... ...

"You're gonna have to explain this one to me." Dean stared at the grainy black and white photo turning it first one direction and then another. His eyes squinted as he tried to make sense of it. "I can't see it."

"Dean." Sam gave a small chuckle and pointed to the image in the picture. "Look. This is the baby's head." Sam circled his finger around the line of the baby's head and then traced along the spine. "This is the backbone. See?"

"Yea." Dean's face eased into a little smile of recognition and wonder. "Look at that big ole belly!" He traced his finger along the line of the body of the fetus lying on its side, cradled in Alta's womb.

Sam snickered. "Yea, I know." Alta smiled at the two of them lost in wonder as they continued to gaze at the photograph. She didn't think she'd ever seen Sam snicker, at least not with joy and she'd never seen that look of wonder on Dean's face. It was so charmingly out of character for these two seasoned hunters who'd lived their lives deep in a man's world. She'd lived her own life in the world of hunting, of blood and death, whiskey, guns and blades. The contrast made everything about this pregnancy an affirmation of life… a refreshing new way to feel about the world. Maybe it's just the hormones.

"What's that thing? Is it a boy?" Dean grinned at his brother, his eyebrows raised in question.

"Dean." Sam huffed and rolled his eyes. "That's his leg. He's stretching it out. I guess they caught him in mid kick."

"Oh… I just thought he was a true Winchester. I mean if it was…" Dean's eyebrows waggled and he continued his silly grin, eliciting a similar grin from Sam. "For a leg, it's kinda stubby looking. Must take after Alta… doesn't have your freaky long legs." Dean elbowed his brother and they exchanged a laugh between them.

Alta rolled her eyes. Men!

"Is it a boy?" Dean asked "Can't they tell from these… what'd you call em?"

"Ultrasound." Sam informed his brother. "If the baby cooperates and show's himself… or herself. But it wasn't cooperative today so we don't know yet."

"Well, uncooperative. Imagine that. A Winchester being uncooperative." Bobby snorted as he came into Dean's garage. "I saw your car… thought you'd be in here." He gave Alta a quick hug before glaring affectionately at Sam. "You planning on showing me the pictures?"

"Yea, of course." Sam handed the pictures to Bobby. "Here I'll show you…"

"I can figure it out." He winked at Alta and turned the picture to her as he outlined the image of the baby with his finger. "That's the baby's head… and I can see the spine. Looks like she's sucking her thumb." Alta smiled and nodded.

"Show off." Dean mumbled. "What makes you think it's a girl?"

"Well, I hope it's a girl. I've had enough of you Winchester boys." Bobby huffed. "This time I want a little girl."

"What? Samantha wasn't enough of a girl for you?" Dean grinned at his brother. Sam flushed and Alta looked puzzled.

"Dean." Sam sighed.

"Oh, yea. Sam was so sensitive and touchy feely he was practically a girl." Dean almost howled with laughter at the look of total shock on Alta's face and she realized that Dean was the only person on the planet who would ever even think of teasing Sam so relentlessly. And Sam seemed to like it.

… … …

"It's pretty much a simple 'salt and burn'... more of an irritated spirit than an angry one." Sam handed the notes to Dean. "Prefect to get Ben started." He watched his 'big' brother gauging his reaction. It was later the same afternoon. They came back to Bobby's so Alta could help him man the phones and do a little research. Sam took the opportunity to approach his brother alone.

"He's only just turned fourteen. There's plenty of time..." Dean laid the papers down on the little desk in a corner of his garage. He turned to the vintage Thunderbird he was working on and ran his hand absently along the hood.

"Dean, maybe as many as a hundred demons got loose before we closed the gateway at Carthage and we know that Michael and Balthazar are gunning for us." Sam sighed. "We don't really know if we can trust Tabbris and Zagzagel."

"My gut feeling is no on those two."

"I'm with you on that." Sam gazed at his brother's back. "Look, he's your son..." Sam shifted from one foot to the other. "But we don't have time to ease him into this slowly. I'm surprised something hasn't hit us before now." Dean turned facing his brother. Emotions played across his face. He wanted to argue this point with Sam. He wanted desperately to keep Ben out of the field, keep him pacified on the research end of the business as long as he could. But he knew, deep down in his hunter's bones Sam was right. He wasn't sure how but he knew Michael and Balthazar would make a move and he didn't put anything beyond the realm of possibility. And then there were the demons.

"So far as I can tell it's only strange noises and lights. No death or even injuries related to it. It's a typical restless spirit. Something we wouldn't even bother with except that it's a good training run for Ben… just like Dad used to do for us." Sam could see Dean's face change as memories flooded back to mind. "Better than having him meet a demon first time out… or a vamp."

"Alright, tomorrow's Saturday. Wanna do it then?" Dean picked up Sam's research staring at it before he sighed and dropped it back on the desk. "Might as well take this home, give it to Ben and let him get started." Dean snorted and grinned at Sam. "Maybe he can find something you missed."

"Maybe." Sam smiled. "We'll leave out in the morning."

"Yea." Dean dropped down on the dolly and rolled under the Thunderbird abruptly putting the conversation to an end.

… … …

"It's just a simple 'salt and burn'. Don't you have classes on Saturday?" Sam avoided Alta's eyes. He wasn't sure how she would take the news.

"It's Ben's first hunt. You don't think I want to be there?" Alta hated being left out. She knew she would have to back out as the pregnancy progressed. It wouldn't be safe. She would be off her game but she wasn't ready to give up yet. "Lisa can sub on my classes."

"We could use the money from the classes." Sam looked at the beer he held in his hands, still avoiding her eyes. He didn't want to see the hurt. She knew he was avoiding her. "I thought about getting a job too. We need a lot of stuff for the baby."

"I know, but we still have time. And you can fill in for me for a few months with the classes."

"You want me to teach self-defense to women?" Sam finally met her eyes. "You think the women would go for that?"

Alta snorted. "Yes. Believe me they'll love to have you… for a teacher. Hell, they probably won't want me back after they have you teaching them for a few months."

"What do you mean? You're an expert at self-defense, worlds better than me… and a better teacher."

Alta laughed. "You really are clueless!" The quizzical look on his face was all the proof she needed. He had no idea. "Do you ever look in a mirror? Every woman in Sioux Falls has looked at you." She moved close to him, nudging against him as his arms reflexively moved around her and his large hands rested on her hips. She ran her hands across his chest, moving them to rest on his shoulders. "You'll definitely keep the class's attention but I'm not sure I want to share you with the class."

Sam gazed at her, a smile and a question playing across his dimpled face. "You're kidding." He snorted out a laugh. "One look at all the scars on this body would gross them out."

"Oh, I don't think so." She rolled her eyes at him as she trailed a finger from the dip just below his Adam's apple to his belly button.

"You like my body?" He put his beer on the counter and pulled her against him ducking his head down to brush his lips against hers.

"UmHm." She acknowledged.

"You don't have to share it with anyone." He caught her in an intense gaze. "This body is yours." His gaze traveled over her. "I won't share your body either."

She recognized the eyes that looked down at her now, dark and full of lust. God how he could turn on a dime. She knew he'd successfully manipulated her away from the subject of the hunt. But she was getting better at recognizing his tactics. "You changed the subject."

Sam stopped midway toward another kiss. His brows pinched together; his mouth turned in a frown. "What subject?"

"Ben's first hunt…"

He sighed. "Alta, it was one thing when I knew you were pregnant but now I've seen the baby and it's so real to me." He sighed and pulled away from her. She had a sneaky feeling she knew where he was heading with this. "Anything could happen… I just want you and the baby to be safe." He struggled to find the right words as he paced across the floor. "Ghosts can reach inside you and…" His fist gripped in mid-air. "There's no guarantee it isn't something else… it's always a risk." He ran his hands through his hair. "There were as many as a hundred demons that got out before we closed the gateway in Carthage. Alta… why does everyone seem to keep forgetting that? Am I the only one who recognizes the threat here?" His voice was edged with frustration. "These are black days, Alta… very dangerous times for us." He turned to her; his eyes were dark and hard.

Don't make me the bad guy in this … but if I have to be the bad guy, I will. Sam's words echoed in her head.

He watched as understanding dawned on her face. She knew he wouldn't let this discussion go on much longer. Maybe she was being too headstrong about this. Maybe she was being selfish. She'd felt demons and ghosts reach into her body and squeeze her heart until she was nearly dead. It wouldn't take much to find the tiny baby inside her and it wouldn't take much to… Her mouth fell open at the horrible thought of a ghostly hand wrapping around her helpless baby… Her eyes grew wide and tears threatened to fall. She turned away from him and gripped the edge of the counter, her knuckles turning white. Alta swallowed hard and a soft whisper flowed painfully through her clenching throat. "Maybe it's not the best time to hunt."

"Alta?" Sam moved to stand behind her. He could smell the fear that radiated off her and it didn't take much for him to see the terrifying visions that ran through her mind. "No one… no thing is going to get to our baby." He reached around her to rest his hands on her belly and he bent down to whisper in her ear. "We'll make it through this… I promise… together we'll make it." His hands rubbed her belly, his body wrapped around her cocooning her in warmth and safety and he felt her body begin to relax.

… … …

The Winchester men all piled into the Impala. They met at Bobby's early that morning and packed the trunk together making sure the arsenal was all there, fully stocked, fully functional and properly cleaned. Alta helped with the preparations for the hunt. She watched as the two brothers went through last minute instructions with Ben, making sure he remembered everything he'd been taught. She wondered if one day they would be instructing Sam's child as well. Of course they would. Sam held Alta against his body as he kissed her goodbye. She would stay at Bobby's until he came home and Bobby had agreed he had some things to do in town that would keep him just a short phone call away while Alta taught her classes. Mark and Sophia were still in town and Sophia had agreed to hang out at the Studio while Mark was nearby but Sam still felt better knowing Bobby would be keeping watch.

"I'll be at the library." His gruff voice assured Sam.

"We need to get you an iPad." Sam teased. "Maybe I can hustle up a little extra cash while were out of town."

"You can't find everything online." Bobby mumbled back at him. "You make any extra cash, you better be buying a crib and diapers and stuff for my godchild."

… … …

"This is the house." Sam gazed out the window at a two story Victorian cottage, abandoned and decidedly unkempt. It had only taken a few hours on the road to arrive at the house outside of Rapid City.

"A bit cliché don't you think?" Dean leaned over the seat and followed Sam's gaze up to the house. "I mean… this house is right out of any one of a hundred B horror movies."

"Well, it's been abandoned for twenty years. I'm sure that doesn't help the property value. But there are reports of strange happenings that go back nearly eighty years."

"There weren't any deaths in these articles." Ben indicated the folder of papers on the back seat next to him.

"We need to get inside and take a look." Dean sighed as he pulled the car around to the side of the house.

"Yea and we need to find the local records." Sam added.

Dean parked and the familiar squeak of the Impala's doors filled the air as the three of them exited.

They found a break in the fence at the side of the house and a little muscle work opened it enough for the men to slip through, first Dean then Sam followed by Ben. The yard was overgrown with brush and skinny little naked trees. It would only be a few more years before the house was invisible from the road, hidden by the trees growing wild in the yard. They made their way up a set of steps at the back of the porch that wrapped around three sides of the house. Sam tried the back door while Dean and Ben peered into the windows on either side of the door.

"It's opened." Sam whispered and gently pushed the door in. He motioned to Ben and the boy took his place; gun armed with salt bullets drawn and ready. Ben entered low, sweeping from right to left and Sam was above him sweeping left to right. Dean entered immediately behind the others. The house smelled of years of dust and decaying fabric from the furniture and the drapes that hung rotting on the windows. The house was dark with only small shafts of weak sunlight making its way through the trees and the heavy drapes. Three beams from the Winchester's flashlights shown in all directions and the three of them methodically searched the room. An old painting above the fireplace… a family portrait long since forgotten… a nod from Dean and Ben snapped a picture of the portrait with his phone. Iron tools by the fireplace… Sam nudged Ben and pointed to the potential weapons. Good to know. The sofa and a couple of chairs were covered with white… or what used to be white drop cloths. There was an old upright piano by a door in the back of the room… probably a bedroom or a study. Directly in front of them was a staircase leading to the upper floor and running along beside the stairs was a hall that led to the back of the house, the kitchen… perhaps a bedroom as well.

"Split up… see what we can find?" Sam volunteered.

"You go upstairs. Me and Ben will look around down here."

Sam made his way up the stairs slowly, watching the landing as it came into sight. The stairs led to a large open space with four doors… three bedrooms and a bathroom. The upper floor had more daylight filtering in the windows and Sam was able to quickly assess the rooms one by one...

Dean kept Ben in front of him as they moved down the hallway toward the back of the house. Ben slowly opened the door at the end of the hall. They entered the room in formation with Ben going in low and Dean directly behind and above him. Their eyes swept across the room to an alter on the far wall.

"Shit!" Dean exhaled the curse under his breath. Ben's eyes were wide as he cautiously crept forward, flashlight and eyes sweeping the corners and along the walls to make sure he cleared the room before he stepped out too far. Dean pulled out his phone and hit speed dial for Sam.

Sam felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. When he saw Dean's name he knew his brother had found something. He'd cleared all but one of the rooms. He decided to leave it and he hurried down the stairs to see what Dean and Ben had found.

"Dean." Sam answered his phone as his feet bounced along the steps.

"Dude! It's not a spirit." Dean's voice showed his irritation. "Take the hall by the stairs to the back of the house."

"OK." Sam closed his phone as he hit the floor at the bottom of the stairs and turned quickly to make his way down the hall. Sam joined Dean and Ben examining the alter. It was draped with a black cloth a pentagram embroidered in the center. Two large black pillar candles flanked the menagerie of herbs and bones. Sam ran his fingers lightly over the cloth. "This cloth is old." He seemed to study it for a moment. "But it's not dusty. It's been placed here very recently."

Ben motioned to an odd looking twisted plant. "Angelica root. I bet it's a witch. Angelica root's all about female power."

"Yea." Sam pointed to several chips of deep red resin that lay next to some straw like plants. "Dragon's blood and I think this is Witch grass." His lips tightened and turned into a frown. His forehead wrinkled as he glanced at Dean.

"Someone's making a pact here." Dean's face wrinkled in disgust. "I hate witches." He glanced at his young son. This was supposed to be a simple 'salt and burn' not a witch hunt. "Damn!" The curse slipped softly from his lips and both Ben and Sam's eyes were on Dean.

"A stake out tonight? See who comes to call here?" Sam waited for Dean's reply.

Dean was still gazing at Ben. "Let's fine a motel and suss this out before we make any plans."

… … …

Sophia gazed out of the office window watching Alta as she led the class of women. The workout music drummed out its staccato rhythm as the women simultaneously kicked and punched their way through the routine. She smirked and wondered if any of them… the porky middle aged ones or the perky twenty year olds would do anything but faint if they were faced with a mugger. And the thought of any of them faced with a werewolf or a ghoul was laughable. They had no idea. She glanced back at Sonya who sat at Lisa's desk thumbing a game on her phone and absently rocking to the beat of the workout music. She was going to have to do something about her sister. She just didn't quite know what yet. If they stayed here she would have to put her in school. Sophia cringed. That was a disaster waiting to happen. She turned back to the window… watching… waiting.

Bobby wandered through the archive section of the library. He'd been through here so many times over the years he knew it by heart. But he supposed there was always a chance he'd come across something he missed and he thought as he gazed at the titles one of them might jar a memory and put him on to something. He'd expected more action from the demons that had got loose from Hell before they closed the gate but it was strangely quiet… too quiet. It made him a mite uneasy. Not that there was anything wrong with quite. He liked quiet. It was just the storm that always came after the quiet he hated. Sam seemed convinced that the storm would swirl itself around Alta but Bobby wasn't so sure. He didn't quite have all the pieces and he knew it. He really needed to be rummaging through his own extensive library. He had books that were more ancient than anything here and this thing with Tabbris and Michael and the rest of those Angelic dicks… whatever it was… had to be very ancient. Bobby glanced at his watch. Almost time to wrap this up and he could take Alta back home. He had to admit he liked having her around to give him a break manning the phones and helping with the research.

Mark sat quietly by himself nursing a cup of coffee. He could see the entrance of the studio clearly and he had a view of the street for several blocks in either direction. He steeled himself against the cold sitting on the bench at the bus stop. Sioux Falls was a sleepy town. People came and went on the sidewalk hurrying against the cold and the traffic moved at a disciplined, orderly pace back and forth along the street. It wasn't anything like the often confusing hustle and bustle of big eastern cities. Hard to get lost… or be unnoticed in a western town like this. People tended to know each other… get all up in each other's business a little too much. But he liked the idea of being near family… Sam and Alta he knew and trusted. Bobby and Dean he thought he could reach a place of mutual trust with them too. It wasn't the clan but better than nothing and what was left of his life with the clan was just that… nothing. Mark didn't regret his choices. He'd done what had to be done and he'd live the rest of his life the same way but having some family… a place to be… a place to call home… would be nice. He just needed to convince Sophia.

It wasn't hard to see the Winchesters were taking all precautions to keep an eye on the expectant mother. She was never alone. If Sam wasn't with her, then Bobby or Dean was close at hand. The stake out around the studio now was obvious with the addition of two new players. These two Campbell's… also hunters. It would take some finesse to get to her. But the woman who watched from the coffee shop was formulating a plan. She knew Alta's weakness and she knew how to draw her out… or rather to draw Sam away.

… … …

"Damn it, Sam! This was supposed to be a simple salt and burn." Dean hissed through his teeth as he huddled next to the Impala. The brothers had left Ben in the motel room researching. "How could you be so far off?"

"Dean. I showed you the research. It was good." Sam was trying to talk Dean down from his anger.

"Sam… if you set this up… knowing…" Dean lips trembled with rage. "You know Ben's not ready for something like this."

"Dean! I wouldn't set Ben up!" Sam was hurt. "There's always a chance a hunt can turn into something you don't expect. Dad taught us that. Hell most of the hunts we've ever done turned into something we didn't expect. It goes with the territory."

Dean sighed, reining in his temper. "I know… It just… This is what I didn't want… to be caught with Ben in something like this before he's ready."

"Let's just do the research at the county office and when we come back we can see what Ben's found." Sam raised his hands in a placating gesture as he ducked down to catch and hold his brother's eyes. "I didn't set this up, Dean."

Dean saw the truth in those hazel eyes he knew so well. "Yea. I know. I'm just being over protective… maybe. It's just… if something happens to Ben…"

"I know, Dean." Sam clapped his hand on Dean's shoulder and then walked around to the passenger side of the Impala. When they both settled inside the car Sam watched Dean as he started the engine. "Look, when we get the research done, you and Ben go back to Sioux Falls. I'll finish up here. Best case scenario is it's a bunch of teens playing around and I can scare them off the black magic."

Dean chewed on Sam's suggestion for a moment. "No, you need back up."

"Dean. I've done hunts alone… more than you know. I'll be fine." Sam shifted in his seat.

"Yea. When you were soulless and you didn't give a shit." Dean snorted. "You got a wife and a baby to come home to. You need to be smarter than that now." When Dean saw the look on Sam's face he knew he'd made his point. He just needed to figure out what he was going to do now.

Their research at the county office didn't turn up anything new. Ben had found the family in the portrait researching online… the last family to live there who still owned the house. Apparently their youngest child… the three year old on her mother's lap in the portrait had died of unknown cause in the house. SIDS was the official coroner's report. But they weren't thinking it was a spirit now. It was almost certainly a witch or worse yet, a coven… a long standing one and now they knew of at least one victim… the three year old.

When the brothers got back to the motel, it was Ben who started the conversation Dean dreaded.

"What's the plan?" Ben watched Dean. He was a smart kid and he knew Dean was struggling. His voice was carefully neutral. There was no challenge… no petulant teenage angst in his voice or his actions.

"I'll go for coffee." Sam volunteered to give them time alone.

"No." Dean held up his hand. "We came here as a team." He glanced at Sam. "We'll decide the plan together."

Sam smiled and Ben's face was in awe. He had steeled himself for whatever Dean decided. But he didn't think it would go this way. Finally he gave Dean a grateful smile and Dean smiled back. He raised his hand as if he wanted to make a point but then thought better of it and just returned the smile. If this goes wrong… Dean's mind couldn't shake the thought.

"So…" Sam clapped his hands together reining them back to the situation at hand. He pulled a chair out from the table, turning it around and straddling it. "Let's run through the possibilities and get a plan together."

… … …

If the house was dark during the day, it was pitch black after the sun went down. The Winchesters huddled outside; Sam watched the back door and Dean kept Ben close to him as they watched the front. If nothing happens tonight we'll have to give up this hunt and get Ben back to Sioux Falls for school on Monday... Something about that is just fucked up! Dean pushed the thought from his mind. Can't be distracted about that now! He felt Ben gently nudge an elbow in his side as he motioned toward a couple of dark figures walking up the path to the front of the house. Two more came up quickly behind them. He could hear them talking as they stopped, but he couldn't make out the words. After a moment they proceeded up the stairs and through the front door.

Sam felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and he quickly made his way around to Dean and Ben.

"There's four of them… just went into the front door. Sam, I think it just some teenaged girls."

"Well we better be sure." Sam sighed and rolled his eyes. "…and careful. We don't want any dead kids."

Dean pointed to Sam and then back to himself indicating who should go in first. "Let's roll."

Dean eased the door open slowly and the brothers went in formation with Ben closely behind Sam. Once they were in the empty room, Sam quickly maneuvered Ben between him and Dean so he could cover their backs as they progressed down the hall toward the room with the alter. Outside the door they paused. They could see the flickering of candlelight at the bottom of the door and hear the soft chanting of an invocation.

The soft voice of a young girl lilted across the alter. "Agite Tenebrae Abyssi, Ensis Incendens! Et Incendium Caliginis Umbrae Inimicitiae Destructionis Ultionis!"

"That's a real incantation." Sam whispered, his ear pressed to the door. He tried the knob. The door was locked. Dean noticed Sam's so familiar irritated bitch face.

"Incendant et Me et Eum, Sint Solum Incendentes! Incendium Gehennae!" The words of the incantation continued to float through the door.

Sam stood quickly and kicked the door open with a well-placed giant, booted foot. They entered the room, guns drawn and ready as the four girls screamed and scattered. It was too late to stop the results of the ritual as a thin swirl of smoke began to appear above the alter. The girls were kneeling in a corner, huddled in on themselves, wide eyed as they watched the scene unfold.

The candles sputtered and flashed throwing pale, ghostly, green flickers of light as the thin smoke continued to swirl and thicken. The room was filled with a deep gravelly voice muttering low and menacing and growing stronger as the smoke thickened and began to coalesce into a creature that made the girls tremble. It was the image of the ancient demon they had awakened with the incantation. It had the body of a man but the head of a goat with huge horns that curled around its ears. Its glowing red eyes quickly focused on the girls. One of the girls stood and began to walk toward the alter as if in a trance while the others stared in horror.

"Hey! AssHat!" Dean yelled to the demon as he leveled his gun and fired. The bullet didn't kill, it only distracted. But the demon was not interested in Dean and he quickly flung the hunter across the room and refocused on the girl, drawing her closer. Ben began easing up toward the alter moving in the darkness and shadows at the edge of the room.

"Hey!" Sam followed Dean's efforts to distract the demon, quickly firing. He got flung into the opposite wall from Dean for his efforts. But by then Dean was back on his feet.

"Hey!" Dean fired again and braced himself for an impact with the nearest wall. By this time Ben had made his way to the alter. He was just a whisper away from the demon.

"Hey! Hey! Hey!" Sam was back and screaming at the demon as he fired. Ben grabbed the alter and heaved it over spilling the contents across the floor.

"Hey! Hey! Hey!" Dean had recovered and was screaming, his heart in his throat as he realized that the demon's focus was now on Ben. He fired at the demon and Sam was up again, screaming and firing at the demon. Ben grabbed the alter cloth and set it ablaze with his lighter. Flames licked quickly through the ancient linen fabric and the demon began to dissolve in ashes with a loud scream that trailed into a low whine as the last of the smoke disappeared. The girl came out of her trance and fell limp to the floor and the other three girls continued to stare wide eyed and speechless.

… … …

Ben squeezed between Sam and Dean in the front seat and the girls all piled into the back seat of the Impala for a ride and a lecture from the Winchesters about black magic and making deals with demons. They confiscated the Grimoire that one of the girls had found in the house and left the girls back in town.

Sam ran his hand idly across the cover of the ancient book of spells. "This would explain the eighty years of disturbances." His eyes were thoughtful as Dean glanced at him watching the lights of passing cars flicker across his dark face. "I'm guessing that from time to time someone would find this book and be drawn to that incantation." Sam's face became more pensive as he worked his way through the scenario. "Eventually they would draw up the demon."

They all fell silent thinking about the people who might have died because of the demon. Like the three year old, the reasons for their deaths seeming natural or unexplained, but natural… like SIDS.

"Damn. I'm gonna be sore." Dean stretched his arms out over the dash, finally breaking the silence. Sam stretched his long legs as best he could. It was always like coming home to ride in the Impala after a successful hunt. The engine rumbled beneath them as Dean pushed a little more on the accelerator moving them on down the highway heading back to Sioux Falls.

"Good thinking back there, Ben." Sam was quick to complement his nephew. "What made you think to burn the alter cloth."

"I just figured it would probably break the spell."

"Probably?" Dean cut his eyes toward Sam. "And if it didn't work?"

"That didn't occur to me." Ben replied in a small voice.

"It didn't occur to you it might not work?" Dean rolled his head and sighed. "Reminds me of someone else I know." He cut his eyes to Sam.

"I think he's a natural." Sam laughed.

"Yea. You were brave." Dean sighed and smiled at his son in the rearview mirror. "I'm proud of you, son."

Sam glanced back to see Ben's beaming face. Still a boy… but a very brave one.

… … …

"I think we should stay here." Mark leaned against the counter of the kitchenette sipping his coffee and watching Sophia wrestle with the uncertainties that circled in her head. They only had a short time to discuss this before Sonya finished her shower and joined them in the small motel room.

"I think we're better off on the move… off the grid." The fear on Sophia's face was evident as she paced across the floor. She wanted to protect her sister and she thought hiding her was the right thing. "Things are different now. If we couldn't trust the clan, why would you think we can trust the Winchesters?"

"Look, Sophie." Mark spoke softly trying to calm her fears. He thought she was being overprotective. "She can make it in public school. It can't be that bad."

"She's never been to a public school." Sophia was practically wringing her hands. "All she's ever known is the clan."

"Well same for us." Mark countered. "Sophie, nobody can tell, just by looking at her. She's not stupid. She got schooling in the clan. She's smart… she can catch up."

"It's not the school work I'm worried about." Sophia plopped into a chair at the little table in front of Mark. She couldn't run with Sonya by herself. She needed Mark and she could tell he liked being near family so much more than she did. He was way too trustful. "If they find out…" She looked defeated. "Mark, they'll try to use her… like she's a freak… like Richard wanted to do." Sophia took a deep, determined breath and straightened, throwing her shoulders back in defiance. "I won't let that happen. I won't let Sonya be treated like a freak."

TBC

Sorry to take so long to update but life is like that right now.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Lots of new threads coming into the story now so stay with me to see where all this goes. You know your comments are welcomed and appreciated. Please take a minute and let me know what you think. The encouragement helps.

Many thanks to those who comment… you keep me going… and thanks to those who alert and favorite my story.