Child abuse is alluded to in this chapter.

Chapter Forty-Seven

Dean was frantic with worry, that was what he was. He was trying not to let it show, but it wasn't working. He felt like crying, but he wouldn't allow himself to do that with Bobby, Sam, and Jack in the room. He had to stay strong and focused if he was going to save Aly, and he had to do that.

Aly was on the bed in James' cabin. James had shown up at the main house maybe five minutes after the shot had rung out. He'd wanted to check on them.

The bullet had already been removed from Aly's shoulder and the wound had already begun to heal by the time James had arrived. Once everything was explained James had offered his cabin. They'd moved Alyson there because James had promised medical attention.

Dean had come to think of Alyson as indestructible even though he knew she wasn't. He'd seen her hurt before, of course, but she'd always bounced back. She was strong. Sometimes Dean saw her as stronger than him or Sam. But now? Now she was lifeless on a bed. There was no color in her face and it terrified him.

The doctor James had called wouldn't visit the main house, which was why they were at the cabin. The doctor had known Jim and his family and hadn't been to the house since Jim had moved.

More importantly, the doctor knew about people with abilities and was discreet about it. Dr. Wilson was his name. He and James were old friends. Wilson had told them they should've taken her straight to the hospital, but he'd also understood when James explained that she could heal from most wounds.

The two Johnson men had showed up as well, but Eric was planning on making the main house a crime scene, so he'd taken his dad back home. No contaminating evidence and things like that.

Things had settled now, but Dean was feeling useless and guilty for letting this happen. Sam, Bobby, and Jack were there with him and they were all going through the files in the folder Eric had given Bobby earlier. Dean was having a hard time concentrating on something that wasn't Alyson.

Now that he knew what life was like with her there, he didn't want to let her go, maybe couldn't let her go.

He had to do something.

"Guys," James said, sticking his head through a crack in the door. "The sheriff is back."

"Let him in," Dean said.

He knew the sheriff might recognize him, might even arrest him, but if the guy could help settle this so that Aly would be okay, then Dean was all for it.

"We'll go talk to him," Sam said, ushering Bobby and Jack out, leaving Dean with the unnerving sound of the heart monitor Aly was hooked up to.

Dr. Wilson was great at what he did. Dean didn't know why the guy wasn't some hotshot at a hospital. He'd thanked the man once Aly had stabilized and then Wilson had left the room. He came back now, following after Sheriff Johnson.

Dean hadn't moved from Aly's side since he'd set her up there. He wasn't going to move now either, not just because this guy probably had questions.

"Is she okay?" Johnson asked. Dean was surprised by the question, by the actual concern the sheriff was showing.

"She's alive," Sam said from the doorway. "That's what matters."

Dean looked at him and Sam apologized without saying a word. They obviously hadn't been able to keep Eric away.

"Any idea what happened?"

The thing was . . . they couldn't tell this guy the truth. They couldn't tell Eric that she'd been shot, not really, because her skin had already healed even if the damage to the bone hadn't.

Someone – Sam, Bobby, Jack, or himself – would have to go check for evidence. The sheriff couldn't be let in on this.

Suddenly Dean knew where he needed to be, and it wasn't sitting by the bed waiting for Aly to wake up.

The sheriff, however, didn't want anyone leaving the house. The story they'd given him had made no sense; he knew they weren't being honest, and until he figured this out no one was allowed to leave. He was sticking around, too, to keep an eye on things.

"We're better safe than sorry until we know what's going on."

"She was almost killed. That's what's going on," Dean yelled.

Johnson didn't even flinch and that made Dean's fuse even shorter.

"I know you're worried, but there's nothing you can do. It's better for you to stay here."

Dean wanted to punch something – or someone. He knew the guy meant well and was doing his job, but that job was getting in the way of the only thing that could help Aly.

Dean would find a way out if he had to. He just needed a chance.

That chance came thirty minutes later. Dean was out the window in record time and quickly made his way to the path that led back to the main house.

He needed to find something that could lead to someone – anyone that could've gotten a shot off at Alyson.

It had rained the night before, so Dean hoped to find foot prints or something. But all he found was messed up grass. Animals could've done that.

He searched the perimeter but still couldn't find anything concrete. He was sure this was connected to Sally's case, though, because this had happened right after Bobby and Aly had asked about it.

Someone at the police station, maybe, or James had let someone know.

When Dean got back to James' place, he noticed a new car out front. Dean went in the same way he'd gotten out.

Sam was in the room looking relieved and angry at the same time. He was probably wondering where Dean had been.

"It's easier to cover for someone if you know how long they'll be gone," Sam said.

"Sorry. Preoccupied, I guess."

Sam should've understood that without Dean having to explain it. Sam had lost Jess, and Dean was losing Aly. Women didn't seem to last long around the Winchesters.

Dean should've kept her at arms-length to keep her safe. He never should've let it go as far as it had. But she'd been there for him at the lowest point of his life so far and he couldn't let her slip away. He craved her affection now.

He opened up to her in ways he never had with anyone. She made him feel safe to share his truths. He hid them with her, never fearing them being used against him or shared with anyone without his permission.

He didn't want his haven taken away.

"The older Johnson is here," Sam said. "He came back with his own car."

"Hm. We should talk to him. I think whoever shot Aly is connected to what happened to Sally."

"The guy would probably be in his sixties now, Dean."

"I know. The sheriff's dad is the same age. He might've known the guy."

A knock sounded from the door and Bobby came in holding two cups of coffee.

"Thought I heard your traps," he said, handing a cup to each of them.

"Thanks, Bobby."

"Mm."

"So . . . I read in the police file that they interrogated James and Sally's other grandfather," Sam said. "Both were cleared of suspicion. It was basically routine."

"I was thinking whoever did this is probably connected to the police. They're all on the same server, right. If anyone noticed that Johnson was looking into Sally's death . . ."

"We'll need an employee list from back then," Sam said. "We'll compare it to the people working there now."

"Also need to check to see if James let anyone else know that we're here."

Dean was glad they all seemed to be on the same page. This would move more quickly and smoothly with all of them working together.

Dr. Wilson came in a few minutes later just to check on Alyson. He checked her vitals and bandages.

"She okay?"

"Gut reaction or professional opinion?"

"Whichever's the truth."

"Okay." The doctor took a deep breath. "I don't know what's keeping her alive, but she's holding on for something."

Dean tensed. He felt Bobby and Sam do the same beside him.

"James tells me you're interested in what happened to Sally. Why?"

"Normal version or weird one?" Bobby asked.

"Um . . . the truth?"

"Ever since we got here, she's been connecting with Sally," Sam said. "She's been reliving Sally's injuries."

Dean sat on the edge of Aly's bed once the doctor moved aside.

"Did you know Sally?"

"Yeah. I was her doctor. Treated her a few times. She had sad eyes." Wilson grimaced. "I knew she was hurting, but she never said anything."

"Did you ever have any ideas who'd done it?"

"No. There was talk of files and evidence goin' missing back then. Things weren't computerized back then so once something was gone it stayed gone."

"I thought we had the files," Dean said and pointed to the stuff on the floor and on the table.

"Not from the first investigation."

"How'd you know that?" Bobby asked, suspicion lacing his voice.

"I worked with the police back then. Forensics."

"You worked around evidence," Dean said. "They found evidence but didn't report it to the newspapers."

"Yeah. I was her doctor and I suspected what had been happening. I never did anything. I should've done something."

"Dr. Wilson, that's enough. You don't have to explain anything."

That was Sheriff Johnson. He was in the doorway, fuming about something, and even though he'd been talking to Dr. Wilson he was glaring at Dean.

"You enjoy your walk through the woods? Was it fun?"

In any other situation Dean would've lied, said he didn't know what the man was talking about. Now Dean didn't even try. It wasn't worth his time. Dean could never make the guy understand.

"You know I can't help you unless you're straight with me."

Dean sighed. "She was having nightmares. Someone was after her, hurting her."

"Nightmares? You think she knew this was gonna happen?"

"Yes, I do."

Dean flashed back to when Aly had told him she didn't want to die. He'd told her he wouldn't let that happen. He wanted to keep that promise.

"Has she made any enemies since she's been here?"

"We've been here for two days. She hasn't had time to make enemies."

"She was interested in the Sally Murphy case. You think this is in any way related to that?"

"Yes. They were stabbed the same way."

"Coincidence?" Johnson suggested.

"She dreamed of Sally before she knew Sally existed," Sam said. "Someone shot her earlier."

Johnson whipped his head around and looked at Sam sharply. "Why didn't you say anything earlier?"

"We didn't know how. You wanted us to be straight with you. Someone shot at Bobby, but she pushed him out of the way. It hit her instead."

"She has no wound."

"There's a bullet on the floor in the main house that says we're not crazy," Bobby said.

Johnson clenched his jaw tight before saying, "If you're lying to me . . ."

"I'm not."

"Fine. I'll check it out. Don't leave."

Like Dean was going to leave, not now that he felt like he was being more useful here with Sam and Bobby. He had a plan now. He could focus on fixing this.

"At least he's on the same page," Sam said. "Even if he doesn't believe."

"He will," the doctor said.

With the sheriff gone again, Dean went back to looking over the police reports. They needed to find something that would help Aly wake up. He knew that without Alyson there was less of a chance that they would come up with something new, but they had to try.

He wished he could communicate with her in some way, but he didn't think she'd be able to hear him even if he talked to her.

"Do you think she's . . . aware of us here?" Dean asked.

Sam answered. "Maybe. Research says that coma victims sometimes hear when they're being spoken to."

"Then she might know we're here?"

"Sure."

Then she knew she couldn't give up. The doctor had said she was holding on; Dean just hoped she would continue. She couldn't die and leave him alone. He knew he didn't say it out loud enough, but he needed her with him. He loved her – he didn't say that enough either.

Alyson made him feel as if he was worth something. She had chosen him to give her love to. That had to mean something, right? She'd seen something in him that he hadn't been aware of – still wasn't, really, but she saw it. It didn't matter if he didn't know what that something was.

"Sally, where are we going?"

Alyson had been following Sally for ages. They were still in the woods – Sally's version of them. The path wasn't as long in real life, but they had been to an eleven-year-old.

"Some place safe," Sally answered. "Some place he can't get us."

"Sally, he can't hurt you anymore. You're in my head, right? He can't reach you here unless you let him in. And even if he could . . . I'm here. I wouldn't let him hurt you again."

They reached the end of the path, the end near the main house, of course. Sally had never been touched there. That house was an untainted sanctuary.

Sally grabbed Alyson's hand and began running toward the front patch. They passed a garden near the side of the house and a huge tree that held a tire swing. Neither of those things existed now, but they seemed to be in Sally's memory.

"Daddy used to swing me there. He'd go as high as I wanted." The girl stopped running. "Will you swing me?"

"Sure." That was probably one of the few good memories Sally had. "But Sally, I can't stay here."

"But . . . you're safe here."

"No, I'm dying here. And, sweetie, you're not supposed to be here either. You were never supposed to hold on to all of this. You were supposed to go somewhere safe, but not here. You were supposed to go to Heaven. You would be loved there, and you'd get to see your dad again."

"Daddy?" she whispered. "Daddy loved me."

Alyson had never met Pastor Jim, but from what she'd heard he'd been a good man, a man of faith.

"If you can let go, you'll be finished here. No one will be able to hurt you or scare you again."

"Nothing?"

"Nothing."

With Sally having died so young Alyson didn't know how much the girl knew about Heaven or God or any of it, but she assumed Sally knew the basics, her grandfather and father having been pastors.

"He'll never be able to find you again. Not where you'll be going."

The girl smiled, but it quickly went away.

"Will you be able to live?"

"I think," Alyson said, touched that the girl had thought of her. "I hope."

Sally looked at the ground before looking back up at Alyson.

"I don't wanna stay here anymore. I wanna go."

Alyson patted the girl's head affectionately. "So go."

A halo of light surrounded Sally and her form began to fade. Alyson couldn't stop watching, not until there was nothing left.

Sally had let go. She would never suffer again. Not where she was going.

Dean was alone with Alyson when she woke up. Sam and Bobby had left the room once Dean had begun to shed tears. It would never be mentioned, for which he was grateful.

He had seated himself on a chair by the bed. He was still trying to piece everything together, but most of his attention was on the heart monitor Alyson was attached to. The rhythm had begun to act funny.

"Dean."

Her voice was weak, but he heard it anyway. His head snapped up, eyes glancing at her face to make sure he hadn't been hearing things, or that she'd only been calling out in her sleep. Her eyes were open, and one hand was reaching for him. Her fingers brushed his cheek and went away wet.

"Did you really think I was gonna leave you here?"

He grabbed her hand and shut his eyes, hardly daring to believe this was real. She was awake, she was talking to him, and she was trying to comfort him.

"Dean?"

"I'm . . . really glad you're awake."

Dean opened his eyes to see Alyson looking around in confusion. Her gaze rested briefly on the heart monitor before taking in the rest of the room.

"Why are we back at the cabin?"

Alyson tried to sit up only to scrunch her face up in pain. She obviously hadn't healed yet. Dean rested his hand over the wound on her stomach and felt her settle down. He was also checking to make sure she hadn't pulled a stitch.

No wetness of blood soaked through, so Dean assumed she was okay.

He explained the situation, about how James had come running when he'd heard the gunshot and had offered medical attention if they came back to the cabin.

"Hospital?" Aly suggested.

"James knows a man who knows about people with abilities," Dean explained. "Safer with him than at a hospital."

"Got it. I'd have done the same thing." Alyson jerked a little, as if something had startled her. "Is Bobby okay?"

"He's fine." Dean smiled, the first time in what felt like forever. "He probably thinks you're an idjit, but he's safe."

Dean stood, not wanting to leave her side but knowing he had to get the doctor. Plus, the others would want to know Aly was awake.

"We'll get to work once Dr. Wilson checks you over and the others get to see you."

"Okay." Alyson tried to sit up again, this time more carefully. "I think I'll be okay now. Sally let go and her spirit is at rest."

That meant the girl wasn't in Aly's head anymore. Dean's shoulders slumped, half from relief and half from exhaustion.

"Look, Aly, you've gotta stop doing this, okay? The getting hurt and the passin' out, and the bleedin' freely all over the place. It's just not healthy, and it's gonna drive me insane."

Dean let out a breath and noticed that Alyson was biting her lip to keep from grinning, probably at his outburst.

"Dean, I'm here." She reached for him and stepped closer to allow her to grab his hand. "I'm here, and I promise I'll be more careful from now on."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

A knock from the door interrupted their conversation. Sheriff Johnson opened the door and stepped inside.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" Dean asked, barely even looking his way.

Johnson nodded once. "Nice to see you're awake."

"Just woke up," Alyson said. "What were you looking for?"

"The bullet that shot you," Dean said. "He needed to be on the same page or he couldn't help."

"Can I talk to Alyson alone for a minute?"

Dean looked at Alyson for the answer. If she felt comfortable alone with the sheriff, then Dean would let them talk. If she didn't, he wasn't going anywhere.

"Go tell Sam and the others I'm awake."

Dean kissed her quickly before heading to the door. He stared at the sheriff for a good ten seconds. He was sure this guy was okay, but he still felt he had to warn him.

"Don't badger her."

After Dean left, the sheriff turned to Alyson. "Is he always like that?"

"He's overprotective," Alyson said, hoping he could hear that she would've shrugged had she been able. "I almost died. It's understandable."

Eric stood there shifting from one foot to another, as if he were nervous.

"Look . . . I don't know about this ghost stuff, but I found the bullet Dean claimed shot you. The blood was also evident. I'm assuming the blood is yours. So . . . what happened?"

Alyson sighed. "You won't believe me."

"Tell me anyway."

"Okay. First thing's first. I'm different. Things don't affect me the way they affect others. When I get hurt, I heal fast." She gestured to her stomach. "This is really bad and I'll be healed within a week."

"That's insanely fast," Eric said. Alyson was just glad he hadn't said it was impossible.

"Different," she reminded him.

"And the ghost stuff?"

She explained the dreams she'd been having and the effects of those dreams. He did say that was impossible.

"Really? Then how come I dreamed of Sally being stabbed and then woke up with the same wound?"

"You were probably half awake when you were stabbed and your mind made the connection. Dreams are tricky like that."

"Who stabbed me then? Everyone was with me. I had just been shot, so they never would've left me alone. None of them would hurt me. How could someone have stabbed me without them seeing it?"

"I don't know! I don't know, okay? But it wasn't a ghost."

"The first dream I had happened before I even knew who Sally was. Explain that." Alyson took it even farther. "The newspapers reported that there were no signs of sexual abuse, but they were wrong. The night she was killed was the night she told him no. He got angry. She ran, almost made it back here to her window. The man grabbed her and dragged her back into the woods."

"Okay, that's enough." Eric sounded spooked. "My dad's here. He knows more about this than I do. Maybe he can help."

When Henry got in the room Alyson went through everything again. Eric hadn't told his dad everything. He hadn't mentioned the dreams or Alyson's healing ability. She wondered if that was out of respect or disbelief.

Sam and Dean were there, too, to make sure the two Johnson's didn't pressure her too much. Bobby and Jack were there just because all four guys new stuff she didn't. They could help fill in the blanks.

"That Sally Murphy case was a hard one," Henry said. "Never did solve the thing."

Henry didn't resemble Eric at all. Henry had blue eyes, and soft features. His black hair was almost purely white now. Henry didn't even have the same mannerisms as Eric did. Eric obviously took after his mom.

"Did you have any suspects?"

"Not really. We had a list of people that Sally knew through James and we even interrogated James himself. It was . . . routine. We had to investigate every avenue, ya know? Why are you guys interested all of a sudden, anyway?"

Eric scoffed. "You wouldn't believe her if she told you."

"Try me." Henry looked at her.

"Do you believe in ghosts, Mr. Johnson?"

Henry seemed surprised by the question. "I believe there are some things out there that can't be explained away by science."

Maybe Henry would be more receptive than Eric had been. With that in mind Alyson told her tale, editing the healing part. No one else needed to know about that.

"If any spirit was gonna be restless, it would've been hers. She had a hard life, and a hard death."

"Dr. Wilson said some evidence was stolen. Did you ever find out who did it?" Dean asked.

"Nope. Everybody was questioned, even me," Henry said. "No luck."

"Did you have any hunches? Anyone you wanted to look into but just couldn't because there wasn't enough evidence?" Sam asked.

"Maybe one or two."

"Names?"

"Well, there was only two other people besides me who had the keys to the storage locker. That was Dr. Wilson and another guy who died years ago."

"Okay, so either someone stole a key," Dean started, "or we're dealing with one of them."

"So . . . we investigate both, right?" Alyson asked.

"Yeah. I like the doctor," Dean said. "I hope it's not him."

Dean knew this was Sam's area - background checks on the computer – so he pretty much just sat up shop beside Alyson and waited for Sam to find something.