The Forgotten Daughter
~Chapter Nine: Little Moments~
September 23th, 2008
*Nicole's POV*
The room was dark and only filled by the moonlight outside of my bedroom window. Turning on my side, I sighed as I stared at the stars illuminating the night sky. I couldn't sleep.. For the past two days I craved sleep, however nightmares flooded my dreams making it damn near impossible.. I had a history of having nightmares, but none were as vivid or as horrifying as the one reoccurring in my sleep as of late...
Every time in the dream, we were hunting.. Every time, I could see bodies rise from the ground, and people slaughtered before me. I was always bound and crying, unable to help any of the people screaming in agony and terror. Limbs and heads lay scattered around me and blood soaked through my clothes as if it had rained down upon me. The worst part, was watching my brothers kill one another over and over as they called out for me to save them. The sight of their dead bodies mangled in every way humanly possible, was an image Unpleasantly burned into my mind and I prayed it was one I would never encounter..
After a while of tossing and turning in my bed, I reached over to the nightstand to strap on my leg braces. Swinging my legs over the side of the bed, I stood and reached for my crutch. Putting on my house shoes, I limped across the bedroom floor to pale white door, trying my best to avoid the old creaking boards. Opening the door, I walked quietly to the bathroom and jumped as I turned on the light. Sitting on the floor with a bottle of whiskey next to the bathtub was Dean.
"Hey sis," he choked out looking at me with tear stained eyes.
My heart felt heavy as I looked at him. Walking in front of the bathtub, I carefully lowered myself down to sit in front of my brother, with my crutch laid next to me on the cold tile. Dean was always the strong one of the three of us and rarely did he cry unless something terrible was wrong.
"What's wrong?" I questioned moving the half drunk whiskey bottle away from him.
"Nothing Nickel, I'm fi-"
"Dean don't even tell me you are fine, I can see through your bullshit and you know it.." I interrupted staring worriedly at him," Look, I know your upset with me and disappointed, but you can still talk to me."
"I'm not upset or disappointed with you Nick.. If anything I'm disappointed with myself," he explained reaching for the whiskey bottle.
I shook my head no and pushed the bottle further away from him. He sighed as he looked at me and fresh tears began to fall from his eyes. Crawling next to him, I wrapped my left arm around him as he laid his head on my shoulder and cried. His body shook as he sobbed and gingerly I ran my fingers through his short sandy hair.
I hummed Hey Jude as I held him against me. His body quaking against mine brought me to the verge of tears as I hummed.
"I remember.." He sobbed after a few minutes," I remember hell Nick, every single minute of it."
"Shhh-... Its ok bubba you're not there anymore," I soothed as he cried.
"It still f-feels li-like I am.. Time is dif-different down there Nick," he muttered clinging to me.
" You don't have to explain if it makes you too upset bubba."
"I ne-need to," he began sniffling, " Up here it was only four mon-months, down there it was like fo-forty years- ... "
Tears began to fall freely down my face as I listened to him. I couldn't imagine one day in hell, let alone forty years. He was so broken, but yet so strong.. He had stayed on the rack for thirty years being tortured he explained to me. Then one day he began torturing souls, just to get the pain to stop.. Sitting there in that very moment, As he explained the unimaginable horrors of hell, I wished I could take all of his pain away.
"I wish I couldn't feel a damn thing Nick," he sobbed hugging me tight.
"Listen to me, and I mean listen... The things that happened there, are done and over with. You don't have to suffer through that pain and hurt anymore Dean... I can't imagine what you went through, but I will tell you that I wouldn't be as strong as you. To be honest I doubt Sam would be too.."
"Nick -" he began sitting up and wiping his face.
"No Dean listen please," I began looking at him seriously, " That pain, that hurt, and that anger bubba, it made you to be a stronger person.. I've had to learn that the hard way myself.. Life is gonna be hard, it's like it's full of tests.. Many of the tests in life will be a breeze... But those hard ones, the ones where you feel like there is no hope or way to get through them. The way you respond and try to get through those tests without giving up, make you to be the person you are meant to be.. It makes you stronger, it makes you more brave, it makes you more caring.. Everything you went through, God saw the person you were meant to be and that is why he cares so much.. Its not the amount of mistakes he sees Dean, it's how you respond and learn from them."
He sniffled and after a few seconds began to smile at me," You know, you're too damn wise for an eighteen year old."
"Well it's probably because I don't feel like one to begin with," I chuckled wiping his cheeks.
"I believe in it all now, you were right ya know."
"About what?" I questioned.
"God, angels, the whole shebang.. I've been reading non-stop the past two days since you got home from the hospital... I'm so sorry for leaving like I did Nick," he explained holding my hand.
"Don't be sorry... Just don't do it again, ok."
"So you and Cas? Do you really love him?" He asked nervously.
"I do.."
"Can we trust him?"
"Yes bubba, we can," I replied grinning slightly.
"Well I guess it could be worse, at least he isn't a demon," Dean said with a smirk upon his face," Just know I will kill him if he hurts you. "
"Yeah, we both know how well that worked last time."
"I take it he told you?"
I smiled as I looked at him, " He didn't have to, I saw the bloody mark on his shirt... He can heal himself Dean."
"Of course he can," Dean muttered standing from the floor and reaching for my crutch.
He held his hand out to me and I smiled as he helped me to stand.
"Why are you up anyways Nick?" he questioned," Its only a quarter till five in the morning."
"Nightmares," I replied taking my crutch from him and walking to the kitchen.
He followed behind me and as we entered the kitchen, he sat down at the table. Walking to the sink, I filled up the coffee pot and poured the filled pot into the coffee maker. Opening the cabinet above, I pulled out the coffee tin and scooped out the ground coffee, before flipping on the coffee maker. Looking back at my brother, I saw he was slumped forward with his head in his hands.
I sighed as I looked at him and turned back to the faded green cabinets. Grabbing a glass from the cupboard, I filled it with water from the tap and sat it down next to him. Holding my finger up to him, I limped once more to the bathroom and reached for the aspirin in the medicine cabinet. Closing the cabinet, I walked back to the kitchen and placed the aspirin next to the water for my brother.
"Thanks Nick," he said thankfully as he popped the aspirin into his mouth.
I smiled at him and reached for two coffee mugs filling them both with fresh hot coffee. Picking up a spoon from the utensil caddy, I stirred both cups before picking up Dean's and taking it to the table to him. Walking back to the counter, I carried my coffee back to the table and sat across from my brother.
"You ok?" Dean questioned as I sat down.
"I will be, one way or another I always am," I smiled," Is Sam still asleep? "
"Yeah, but knowing him it won't be for much longer," he replied sipping his coffee.
"Dean, I'm sorry so much has changed since you got back."
"Hey its not your fault ok.. Remember I told you both to move on, and I'm happy you both did as I asked.. Shit happens remember," he said smiling slightly as he sat his coffee down," Now about these nightmares missy."
"Dean no.. I don't want to talk about it," I replied sadly taking a sip from my coffee.
"Nick.. Tell me.. I told you about mine now its your turn to start talking sis," Dean said urging me to talk.
Setting my coffee down, I sighed and looked towards the ceiling with my eyes closed. Opening my eyes I stared at my brother to see him looking worriedly back at me.
"Fine.. It began at the hospital while I was unconscious.. Every night like clockwork I keep having the same nightmare."
"And?" Dean questioned motioning with his hands for me to continue.
"And every time in the dream, I am bound and covered in blood watching people get slaughtered before me. Every time I see bodies rise from the ground, and limbs along with heads scattered around me. Every time, I watch you and Sam kill each other whilst screaming out for me. And every damn time, I can't do a damn thing to stop seeing both of your bodies mangled in everyway humanly possible," I explained with hot tears pricking the corner of my eyes.
"Oh baby girl, " he whispered as he reached for my hand, rubbing his thumb across it as he held it.
"I try to sleep and can't.. Most of the time, I lay in bed looking at the stars or read, but tonight I felt the need to get out of bed and move around. I haven't walked much since getting home ya know."
"You know I'm proud of you, don't you?" He began with a smirk on his face, attempting to lighten the mood," Three years ago I never thought I would see you walk again, and all of a sudden once I'm vertical again, you're walking. I'm proud of you for not giving up sis. Even though it kills me to admit, I'm proud of the woman you have become."
"Thanks Dean," I smiled wiping my tear filled eyes with my shirt sleeve.
"So about your boyfriend," he quipped staring at me attempting to change the subject.
"What about him?" I questioned curiously.
"You two are up early," said a voice from the doorway.
Looking up, I smiled at Sam standing in the doorway wearing his black and gray sweats with a Stanford hoodie. Reaching for my crutch, I hobbled over to my brother and wrapped my free arm around him.
"Good morning Nick," he whispered kissing my temple as wrapped his arms in return around me.
Pulling away, I brushed his cheek with my thumb and smiled to him," Let me guess, you're going out for a run?" I asked knowingly.
"Yeah, its supposed to be nice this morning, figured I would get a run in before we have to leave later today," he replied smiling slightly.
"Wait, what do you mean leave?" I asked suspiciously eying both my brothers.
"Bobby has a friend a couple hours away. She hasn't been answering his calls, so he wants us to go check on her. Nothing we can't handle sis," Dean explained nervously sipping his coffee.
"Uh huh.."
"Hey, I got an idea," Dean quipped setting down his coffee," How about we go down to Pop's for breakfast. We haven't gone there together in close to a year."
"Uh huh, way to change the subject Dean," Sam muttered.
"Well?" He said waiting for a reply as he stood from the table.
"Sure, why the hell not," I sighed grabbing the keys from the table next to him," I'm driving though."
Sam laughed as Dean's face turned white as a ghost itself, and I smiled mischievous at my oldest brother.
"I'll meet you both there," Sam informed us as he kissed my temple, " It will take me about thirty minutes, the sun should be up by then."
"Awesome!" Dean spat and then looked at me with a fake smile," I'll meet outside in fifteen."
"Awesome," I mocked teasingly limping from the kitchen with a smile.
I forced a chuckle as I walked from the kitchen back to my room. However, as I shut my bedroom door, my happy facade disappeared. I had to seem happy in front of my brothers, I had to be the strong one right now... Deep down, I was far from happy... I was terrified, and nervous, but mostly worried. Not just for my brothers, but for Cas.
Rummaging through my dresser, I pulled out a pair of boot cut jeans and a worn out ACDC shirt. Opening the closet, I pulled out my dark red plaid shirt to wear loosely over my t-shirt. Fall was upon us and Sioux Falls this time of year was always chilly from the constant wind.
Standing from my bed once my pants were on, I grabbed the keys from my bedside table and walked back down the hallway. Stopping at the desk in the main room, I hurriedly scribbled a quick note to Bobby. As I pinned the note to the fridge, I rolled my eyes at the sound of Dean honking the horn to Baby. Quickly I limped outside to meet my brother and hopped inside behind the steering wheel.
"You're not gonna hit another mailbox are you?" Dean questioned worriedly taking my crutch from me.
"Chill Dean. I got this," I assured him as I turned the key over, smiling as I saw the sun began to rise.
"Uh huh, that's what you said last time."
I chuckled at my brother as I put the shifter into drive. Cautiously I pulled out of the driveway and onto the main road, honking as we passed Sam ahead of us.
The drive to Pop's was relatively short, but was unfortunately long enough for Dean's music to give me a headache. As I parked the impala, I looked over to see my brother smiling at me.
'What?" I questioned confused.
"Nothing, I just think you may be a better driver than Sammy," Dean chimed happily," Who's been helping you? "
"Cas," I muttered reaching in the back for my crutch.
He didn't say anything after that, he simply opened his side of the car and walked around to help me. His lack of words however was enough to show me that he wished it would have been him instead of Cas to help me drive again.
As we walked through the diner door, a bell chimed above us. Looking to the left, I smiled as I saw the corner booth was empty for us and motioned to Dean to follow me.
Taking off my jacket, I sat down in the booth on the side against the wall and propped up my crutch. Looking up from the table, I smiled as Sam entered the diner and waved my arm to get his attention. He looked around for a moment before noticing me and immediately walked over, urging Dean to scoot over.
Dean grumbled to himself about moving and I rolled my eyes at their childishness. Somethings would would never change between them.
As the three of us ate breakfast, I couldn't help but think about the past. It brought back so many memories of the three of us growing up. Most of the time it was just the three of us, and most of the time we were eating macaroni or ramen noodles. On Sundays though, no matter what the circumstances, Dean always found a way for us to go out for breakfast together. To many people, little memories such as this one, would be taken for granted. But to me, those few memories (no matter how small they were), were the ones I cherished the most. That however, was long before the accident and before the apocalypse.
While eating my blueberry pancakes, I listened intently to my brothers. Dean was talking about a hunt from a few years ago involving a psychotic clown and a fun house. I snorted as Sam's face paled immensly as Dean told me the story. Sam had been terrified of clowns since we were little, and it was mostly due to Dean watching the movie It one too many times when we were kids. After hunting for so many years, one would think he would have gotten over his fear, but thanks to the psychotic clown case, he hadn't.
Soon Dean's phone began to ring, and I sighed as Bobby's name lit up. Wiping his mouth, Dean quickly answered his cell.
"Hey Bobby," he greeted into the phone, his mouth half full of pancakes.
I looked to Sam knowingly and he nodded at me, frowning as he stood from the booth. Standing from my side of the table with Sam's help, I limped over to the cash register and paid for our breakfast alongside my brother. Sam opened the door to diner and together we waited outside for Dean in the impala. This time I sat in the back and Sam sat in the passenger seat as we waited.
"Can I come with you both?" I questioned breaking the silence in the car.
"I don't see a problem with it, " Sam replied reaching back and grabbing my hand," I'm sorry we didn't tell you about leaving sooner. "
"Don't be, I get it ok. I mean I've basically been stuck behind these last few years and couldn't hunt with the both of you... Its weird being able to walk again and hopefully hunt again.. That's if you both will let me."
"It will be like old times," Sam chimed smiling at me.
"I've missed hunting," I explained to Sam as Dean walked out of the diner," Now its just getting the warden on board with it."
Sam chuckled as he looked at Dean walking towards us, still on the phone with Bobby.
"We will be there in ten Bobby calm down ok," Dean spoke into his phone, hanging it up as he sat down in Baby.
"Let me guess you have to leave sooner rather than later?" I questioned as he looked at Sam and me.
"Sorry kiddo, " he apologized as he tousled my hair," Apparently Olivia isn't the only one ignoring phone calls. Bobby has tried three other hunters and so far no one has answered. He wants us to head out as soon as we get back to the house."
"Hey Dean, " Sam began looking at Dean eagerly," Why don't we bring Nick along with us. She can defend herself now, and I think it would be good for us all to be together. It would be like old times."
Dean looked at Sam and then back at me with a straight face before simply saying, " No."
"Why the hell not?" I questioned disappointed.
"Because you just got out of the damn hospital Nick. You need to get your strength back before you go on any hunts," Dean explained," Before you hunt again, I want to spend at least one day refreshing you over the basics. You've been out of the game for three years, and I don't want you hurt."
"Dean, come on man she will be fine with us, Nick can handle herself," Sam said defending me.
"Like she handled herself the other day when she fell and wound up in the hospital," Dean spat clearly not budging," No! I mean it, no! I don't want to risk anything happening to you ok."
Sam sighed and looked back at me with saddened eyes. Leaning back in my seat, I looked down at the bracelet upon my wrist. I wished at that moment my angel was with me and could whisk me away from it all. I knew however it was not possible under the circumstances.
The car ride home was silent, except for the music quietly playing from the radio. Before long we arrived back at home, and just as quick as we arrived, I found myself saying goodbye to my brothers and Bobby. The unwelcome silence drew near as I waved to the familiar tail lights of the impala. Now all that was left for me to do was wait, something I had learned well to do in the past few years.
* Normal POV *
As the day went by the brothers and Bobby departed from each other. It was just after noon when the three of them arrived at Olivia's to find her body laying dead and split open. After several unanswered phone calls the three of them began to worry about the hunters nearby. Something wasn't right and something was targeting hunters.
"We're in Jackson. It's not pretty. Jed and Todd both look even worse than Olivia. What about you?" Dean questioned speaking into his phone as Sam pulled into a service station.
"I checked on Carl Bates and R.C. Adams," Bobby replied sadly from the other end of the phone, as he headed back towards Sioux Falls," They've redecorated... in red."
"What the hell is going on here, Bobby? Why did a bunch of ghosts suddenly want to gank off-duty hunters?" Dean asked aloud turning off Baby and while he waited for Sam.
Dean put Bobby on Speaker and listened intently as the older man spoke," I don't know, but until we find out, you guys better get your asses to my place. We have to get to Nick before what ever the hell started this gets to her."
" As soon as Sam's done in the bathroom, We're on our way," Dean replied now even more worried about Nick than before.
"I'm only an hour from the house, if I step on it, I can make it there in about forty. You two idjits take care of yourselves, I'll see you soon."
Dean waited for Bobby to hang up before dropping his phone in his lap. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out a worn picture. The picture was the same one he had found just days prior in his sisters clothes. He smiled at the old picture of the three of them. Those were simpler times and Dean missed them very much.
After about ten minutes of waiting for Sam, Dean started to lose patience with his little brother.
"Damn it Sam," He cursed under his breath as he climbed out of baby.
Walking towards the bathroom, Dean heard yelling. The voices only got louder the closer he got to the door. Grabbing the handle of the door, he shivered at its touch, it was unusually cold. Opening the door, Dean drew his gun and gasped at the sight of his brothers head being slammed down onto the sink. He stared at the figure hovering above his brother and recognized the figure as none other than Agent Henrikson. The FBI agent who had trailed him for over two years.
"You did this to me. It was your fault. She was after you, and I paid the price. You left us there to die!" Henrikson's ghost yelled angrily.
As fast as he could, Dean fired rock salt at the ghost and watched as it disappeared into thin air. Quickly he helped Sam up from the floor and hurried to the impala. Reaching in the back he grabbed an old shirt for Sam to hold up to his bloodied nose.
"Damn it, Bobby! Pick up!" He yelled as he started the impala and drove off.
He looked worriedly at Sam and held up four fingers," How you feeling, huh? How many fingers am I holding up?" He questioned while driving.
"Four, I'll be fine, Dean stop worrying," Sam replied wiping his bloody nose.
"What about now?" Dean questioned, this time holding up none.
"Zero," Sam sighed leaning his head back.
"Of all the people in the world, it had to be Henrikson," Dean said aloud in disbelief, "Why? What did he want?"
"Revenge, 'cause we got him killed," Sam replied looking at his brothers irritated face,"Well, we did, Dean so stop looking at me that way."
"Fine, but whatever the hell is going on, it's happening to us now, okay? I can't get ahold of Bobby, and Nick is at home alone. We have to hurry Sam and guilt tripping ourselves isn't going to help anything."
Sam frowned at his brother, he knew Dean was right. He just hoped whatever was after them, hadn't reached Nicole yet. He tried calling her and much to his dismay couldn't get through to her. When the line went straight to voicemail, panic set in and he looked at Dean terrified.
The two brothers drove as fast as they could back to Sioux Falls making a two and a half hour trip in only an hour and forty. Turning the key off to baby, both brothers slowly drew their guns and climbed out of the black Impala. Quietly walking to the door, Dean turned the doorknob and walked into the house with Sam behind.
"Bobby? Nick??" He said aloud, walking through the foyer.
Dean peeked into the main room while Sam scanned the kitchen. Walking through the main room and the study, Dean's breathe hitched at the sight of the iron fireplace poker on the ground.
"Dean," Sam said aloud rounding the corner to the study.
Suddenly he stopped as he saw Dean's face overcome with worry staring at the poker on the ground.
"I'll check Nick's room and upstairs," Dean said to Sam orderly, his voice filled with emotion.
"I'll check outside, and meet you back here," Sam replied taking in a deep breathe.
As the two of them split up, Dean tip toed to Nicole's room and began to tear up at the blood on the floor. The room was destroyed and his baby sister was nowhere to be seen. Dean prayed she was alright and that no ghosts had gotten to her.
Searching through the house and up the stairs, he gasped as he saw the ghost of Meg, a college student who had been possessed by a demon a few years ago.
"Meg?" He questioned eyeing the woman curiously.
"Hey Dean, you remember me?" Meg questioned coldly.
"Where's Nick?" He questioned her angrily.
Meg smiled at him before chuckling," Wouldn't you like to know. "
"You Bitch!" Dean yelled shooting her with rock salt.
Meanwhile Sam walked through the junkyard yelling for Bobby and his sister. With each passing minute he became more and more worried for Nicole and Bobby. He searched for close to fifteen minutes before seeing movement through one of the car mirrors. Looking closely through the mirror he saw the ghost of a young girl with black hair.
"Bobby! Nick!!" He screamed.
Grabbing a nearby crow bar, hurriedly Sam ran to a pile of cars and climbed to the crushed van atop the pile.
"Hold on I'm coming!" He yelled out prying the door to the van open.
As the lock popped, Sam came face to face with not just one young girl, but the twin girls Bobby had failed to save a year ago.
"Sam!!" Bobby yelled as he saw Sam thrown down onto a windshield by the youngest twin.
Bobby watched in fear as Sam wrestled with one of the ghosts, barely managing to fend her off with a crowbar. As one of the twins disappeared, the other holding him let up on her grasp, just long enough for Bobby to fight her off with a crowbar himself.
Climbing down from the totaled van, Bobby grunted in pain as he walked to Sam.
"Are you ok?" Bobby questioned Sam helping to pull him up off the car windshield.
"I'm fine Bobby," Sam replied painfully as he looked around," Nick? Where is she?"
"I don't know, I didn't even make it to her room before being ambushed by those twin girls," Bobby replied looking sadly at Sam.
"Damn it! Where could she be Bobby?" Sam questioned eagerly.
"If she's not in her room and the ghosts didn't get her, she should be in the panic room."
"Since when do you have a panic room?" Sam quipped.
"Since your brother died and you left.. Nick insisted on one and I agreed to it," Bobby muttered walking inside the old house.
"Dean!" Sam yelled out watching Dean stumble down the stairs blood dripping from his mouth.
Hurrying to his brother, Sam helped Dean the rest of the way down the stairs.
"Sam! Its Meg, she's here," Dean explained spitting blood from his mouth.
Sam's eye grew wide at the mention of Meg and looked eagerly at Bobby," Where is it? " he questioned.
"The basement," Bobby replied scanning the study," We better hurry!"
"Oh Dean!" Meg sang looking wickedly at the brothers.
"Meg?" Sam stuttered looking at the blonde haired ghost.
"Hey there Sammy, aren't you a sight for sore eyes," Meg smiled at him before looking at Dean annoyed, " Now come on, we both know you can't shoot me with bullets."
"Who said anything about bullets," Dean said smiling, shooting the chandelier above her and trapping her," Iron baby."
"Are you two idjits done?" Bobby questioned irritably," We got to go now! Hurry! "
"What about Nick?" Dean asked," I'm not leaving her!"
" Bobby thinks he knows where she is," Sam explained following Bobby.
"Where?" Dean questioned.
"Just follow me damn it," Bobby yelled from the basement stairs.
Together the two brothers followed Bobby thought the study and down into the basement. Dean prayed that Nick was alright and at the present time, couldn't help but picture the worst...
TO BE CONTINUED...