Well...I'm 196 now.
My birthday was yesterday, which I couldn't tell the boys because I'd already told them my birthday was in September and it was March.
But I was another year older...
It had been four years since I shared a birthday with my sister.
Last year, I spent my birthday alone. Not even Lilac around. Just me, and a boring office job.
Year before that I was, well, in Equestria stopping an invasion. Decent birthday overall.
Wasn't...wasn't that just shit?
That a decent birthday for me involved some world shattering event?
At least my birthday wasn't on Bugs. That would've been the real world shattering event.
Since we were cleared from that disgusting town, it had been a relaxing 24 hours. The most relaxing day of my life.
But I did get revenge on Sam for the spider incident.
He shot awake this morning- from what I knew was fresh off a nightmare about his childhood home, only to find a clown doll sitting on his stomach. How did I know these things, when Sam woke up in the middle of the night? Easy.
Sam screamed when he woke up.
It woke Dean and I up.
To Sam, cowering from the clown doll.
Dean was actually concerned. My only response was a wide grin of vindication.
"I warned you not to talk about the spiders." I told the brothers before going back to sleep.
==DG==
Anyway, back to the story.
So Dean was working on his computer for another case. I was finishing up the Night Mistress boot design from yesterday. Sam was drawing multiple pictures of the tree.
"All right. I've been cruisin' some websites. I think I found a few candidates for our next gig. A fishing trawler found off the coast of Cali- its crew vanished." Dean explained. I hummed, vaguely paying attention. "And, uh, we got some cattle mutilations in West Texas. Hey."
I looked up from my designs. Sam also looked up. I wonder if the matching movement freaked Dean out.
"Am I boring you with this hunting evil stuff?"
"Yes."
"No." Sam gave me a look. "Raven."
"What? Just find a case so we can go."
"I'm listening. Keep going." Sam told his brother.
"And, here, a Sacramento man shot himself in the head. Three times." Dean explained. I continued to ignore them, finishing yet another equation. "Any of these things blowin' up your skirt, pal?"
Sam didn't reply to his brother. "Wait. I've seen this."
"Seen what?" Dean asked.
Sam got up, rushing to his duffel bag.
"Sam? You good?" I asked, blandly.
Sam pulled out the family photo. He stared at it, then his drawing. "Dean, Raven, I know where we have to go next." He stated.
"Where?" Dean asked.
"Back home- back to Kansas." Sam revealed.
"Hold on- what." That made me look up from my designs. Folding the notebook away I pushed it into my Bag.
"Okay, random. Where'd that come from?" Dean asked.
Sam showed us the photo. "All right, um, this photo was taken in front of our old house, right? The house where Mom died?" Sam asked.
Dean stared at the photo, hiding his emotions very well. "Yeah."
"And it didn't burn down, right?" Sam asked. "I mean, not completely, they rebuilt it, right?"
"I guess so, yeah. What the hell are you talkin' about?" Dean asked.
I sat up, watching them with a cautious expression.
"Okay, look, this is gonna sound crazy but….the people who live in our old house- I think they might be in danger."
"Alright." I stood up.
"Hold up." Dean told me. "Why would you think that?" He asked Sam.
"Uh…it's just, um….look, just trust me on this, okay?" Sam requested.
"Alright."
"Wait, whoa, whoa, trust you?" Dean repeated.
"Yeah." Sam replied.
"I do. If Sam thinks something is wrong, than it is." I stated.
"Come on, you two, that's weak." Dean scoffed. "You gotta give me a little bit more than that."
"I can't really explain it is all." Sam excused.
"Well, tough. I'm not goin' anywhere until you do." Dean stated.
Sam sighed. I turned to him, giving him a nod of encouragement. He braced himself. "I have these nightmares."
"I've noticed." Dean replied.
"And sometimes….they come true." Sam revealed.
Dean stared. "Come again?"
"Look, Dean...I dreamt about Jessica's death- for days before it happened." Sam revealed further.
"Sam, people have weird dreams, man. I'm sure it's just a coincidence." Dean argued.
"He's telling the truth." I admitted, fiddling with a pen in my hand. "About the dreams. I- I got them too."
Dean gawked at me. He shook his head, looking away from us both.
"I dreamt about the blood dripping, her on the ceiling, the fire, everything, and I didn't do anything about it 'cause I didn't believe it." Sam explained in a rambled rush. "And now I'm dreaming about that tree, about our house, and about some woman inside screaming for help. I mean, that's where it all started, man, this has to mean something, right?"
"I don't know." Dean replied after an uncomfortable pause.
"What do you mean you don't know, Dean?" Sam argued. "This woman might be in danger. I mean, this might even be the thing that killed Mom and Jessica!"
"All right, just slow down, would ya?" Dean stood up, walking away from us both. "I mean, first you tell me that you guys have got the Shining? And then you tell me that I've gotta go back home? Especially when-"
I went up to his side, standing behind him. "When what, Dean?" My voice was calm, and accepting.
"When I swore to myself that I would never go back there?" Dean finished.
I nodded, in understanding of his pain. There had been loads of times I refused to go Home, from the pain of what I would see there. Sometimes home is the last place you want to end up. How can I feel safe there when nobody there believes what I say? Here I am, standing with the Winchester's, and if I told my family (who knew about my powers) that I must still be lying.
When Darcy had died the first time around, I had refused to go back to her home. I was worried I would see her ghost everywhere. In fairness, I did, so I wasn't completely stupid to fear it.
"Look, Dean, we have to check this out. Just to make sure." Sam pleaded.
Dean braced himself, taking a shuddering breath. "I know we do." He turned away from us.
==DG==
We pulled up to the Winchester house.
My heart went out to them, seeing that gnarled tree in the yard. Twisted in all directions without leaves, looking dead to all the world. It wouldn't surprise me if nature had a problem growing around this house.
"You gonna be alright, man?" Sam asked Dean.
"Let me get back to you on that." Dean replied.
I climbed out from the car. The Winchesters joined behind me. Maybe it was bad form to go faster than them, considering it was their old house. Though if I lagged behind with their negativity I would never get anywhere.
But when I made it to the door, I waited for them. They were taking awhile but it was still their house.
Once Dean arrived I knocked on the door.
The door opened after a short moment, revealing Jenny. "Yes?" She asked.
"Sorry to bother you, ma'am, but we're with the Federal-" Dean began to lie.
"I'm Sam Winchester, and this is my brother, Dean. That's- that's our friend, Raven. Dean and me, used to live here." Sam explained. "You know, we were just drivin' by, and we were wondering if we could come see the old place."
Dean gawked at his idiot brother.
"Winchester." Jenny recalled. Realization lit up her eyes. "Yeah, that's so funny. You know, I think I found some of your photos the other night."
"You did?" Dean asked, looking surprised at the idea of having more family photos.
"Come on in." Jenny invited.
She showed us inside. Straight to her kitchen, where Sari and Ritchie were sitting. The toddler was chanting for juice. Sari ignored us.
"That's Ritchie. He's kind of a juice junkie." Jenny excused. She grabbed a sippy cup, handing it to the child. "But, hey, at least he won't get dirty." She smiled at her daughter. "Sari, this is Sam, Raven, and Dean. Sam and Dean used to live here."
The girl gave us an uninterested awkward smile. "Hi."
My phone called out to me, begging me to call Lilac. Begging for just a moment to reach out- a moment to speak with her.
I steeled my resolve- there was time for that later.
"Hello." I waved. Dean did too.
"Hey, Sari." Sam greeted.
"So, you just moved in?" Dean asked Jenny.
"Yeah, from Wichita." Jenny answered.
"You got family here, or...?" Dean asked.
"No. I just, uh...needed a fresh start, that's all." Jenny answered, looking awkward. "So, new town, new job- I mean, as soon as I find one. New house."
It was now feeling incredibly awkward for me, to be standing there. Nervously, I scuffed my shoe on the floor.
"So, how you likin' it so far?" Sam asked.
"Well, uh, all due respect to your childhood home- I mean, I'm sure you had lots of happy memories here." Jenny apologized. "But this place has its issues."
'So do the people who used to live here. OH!'
"What do you mean?" Sam asked.
"Well, it's just getting old. Like the wiring, you know? We've got flickering lights almost hourly." Jenny explained.
"Oh, that's too bad. What else?" Dean prompted. He was smiling kindly at Jenny. Not flirting, just his usual suspicious kindness where he didn't want to freak people out.
"Um…sink's backed up, there's rats in the basement." Jenny explained. Her face fell. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to complain."
"No." Dean shook his head, still smiling an assurance.
"Umm, excuse me for asking. Did you see the rats, or just heard the scratching?" I asked, just so I wouldn't feel so useless here.
"It's just the scratching, actually." Jenny answered.
"Mom?" Sari spoke up. Jenny went to her daughter's side.
The brothers and I exchanged glances. While I knew something was wrong, Sam also, Dean was becoming more convinced.
"Ask them if it was here when they lived here."
"What, Sari?" Sam asked.
"The thing in my closet." Sari answered.
"Oh, no, baby, there was nothing in their closets." Jenny explained. 'Except Angels. OH!' "Right?"
"Right. No, no, of course not." Sam declined.
Dean shook his head.
"She had a nightmare the other night." Jenny excused.
"I wasn't dreaming. It came into my bedroom- and it was on fire." Sari stated.
Now Dean was completely sold.
And Sam was panicking.
==DG==
"You hear that? A figure on fire." Sam ranted the moment we walked outside.
"And that woman, Jenny, that was the woman in your dreams?" Dean asked.
"Yeah." Sam ranted. "And you hear what she was talking about? Scratching, flickering lights, both signs of a malevolent spirit."
"We noticed!" I snapped.
"Yeah, well, I'm just freaked out that your weirdo visions are comin' true." Dean waved his arm around.
We made it to the car by then. Sam's ranting was getting louder. "Well, forget about that for a minute. The thing in the house, do you think it's the thing that killed Mom and Jessica?"
"I don't know!" Dean yelled.
"Well, I mean, has it come back or has it been here the whole time?" Sam asked.
"We don't know!" I snapped, trying to keep my voice low. "There hasn't been time-"
"Well, those people are in danger, Raven!" Sam snapped back at me. "We have to get 'em out of that house."
"And we will." Dean assured him.
"No, I mean now." Sam demanded.
"And how you gonna do that, huh? You got a story that she's gonna believe?" Dean questioned.
"Then what are we supposed to do?" Sam growled.
"Boys!" I snapped, getting their attention at last. "Here is what we are going to do: shut up! We're in the middle of the street. We are getting in the car, and driving someplace else. Take a few minutes. Get our heads straight so we can think. Dean, we needed gas right?"
The boys were panting now, letting the anger seep out. It seemed to stew around Sam though.
"Yeah." Dean answered.
"Fine. We'll go to a gas station. Sam. Get it the car." I instructed, bordering on the mom voice. "Dean. Drive."
The boys obeyed with no further complaint.
I huffed. "How the hell did John get them to adulthood with them murdering each other?" I sighed, before climbing in the back.
==DG==
"There. We've had our breather." I remarked. Leaning on the side of the car, I observed passing cars on the road. "So let's imagine it like this. We've just seen this case in the news. It talks about the flickering lights, the scratching below, and a girl claiming she sees a ghost on fire in her bedroom closest. Sam, what do we do first?"
He sighed, leaning on the other side of the car. "We'd try to figure out what we were dealin' with." He answered. "We'd dig into the history of the house."
"Exactly, except this time, we already know what happened." Dean pointed out.
"No. Stop. Don't assume anything. You were four. What four year old knows anything about their house?" I asked.
"About that night, you mean?" Dean countered.
"Raven's got a point, Dean." Sam agreed with me.
"I'm not saying she doesn't. I don't remember much. I remember the fire…the heat." Dean paused. "And then I carried you out the front door."
"Oh."
"You did?" Sam asked, surprised.
"Yeah, what, you never knew that?" Dean asked.
Sam shook his head. "No."
"That's...really sad." I stated.
"And, well, you know Dad's story as well as I do." Dean continued on. He turned to me. "Do you know?"
"Sam told me- back on that first case." I explained.
Dean nodded, a more solemn look on his face now. "Mom was...was on the ceiling. And whatever put her there was long gone by the time Dad found her."
"And he never had a theory about what did it?" Sam pointed out.
"If he did, he kept it to himself. God knows we asked him enough times." Dean sighed, shaking his head at his father.
'Welcome to the Hating-John-Winchester Club!'
"Then there's where we start." I stated. "Back at that night. Figure out what happened then, we'll get a better idea of what's happening now."
"Yeah." Dean nodded, seeing the reason it what I was saying. "We'll talk to Dad's friends, neighbors, people who were there at the time."
I nodded in agreement. "So who would-"
"Does this feel like just another job to you?" Sam asked.
Dean didn't answer. "I'll be right back. I gotta go to the bathroom." Dean walked away.
Sam turned to me. "Raven. Is it to you?"
I hesitated. "Sam. The truth? Yes. I'm doing my best not to be emotionally invested, because then I could miss something. One of us needs to-"
"Are you saying I'm, what, not gonna focus on this because it's about family?" Sam snapped.
"Neither of you will." I countered. Walking around the car, I stood in front of Sam. With complete confidence I stared into his eyes. "And I've seen you both- when it comes down to it, you focus on the hunt. But now? I don't know if you'll do it fast enough, and it'll be healthier if you let them out." I interrupted him before he could say anything. "I'm not trying to be a bitch. I'm trying to help."
"Then maybe you should consider that this is our family!" Sam snapped. "The family that's in that house, it's real people!"
"And what, I wouldn't understand?"
"No!" Sam raged. "You wouldn't!"
I stood silently for a moment.
Sam's rage froze. "Wait-"
"I wouldn't understand losing everything? Having everything you love torn in half?" I went on. "Losing the thing that made life worth it?"
"Raven I-"
"See Sam? You both get emotional." I stated before climbing in the back of a car. "Don't worry. I won't take it to heart. I've been informed I don't have one of those."
"Ra-"
I slapped the door shut.
No I wouldn't understand losing everything in a single night.
I wouldn't understand having my family treating me like a monster because of my abilities.
I wouldn't understand having one shining light, then having it taken from you because nobody trusts you with her anymore.
I wouldn't understand losing your sibling- your world- your other half of life.
The pain of waking up in a world without them, not remembering just yet that she's gone.
And even when you kill the thing that killed her...it doesn't make it better. It just takes everything else away.
I wouldn't understand what that's like at all.
Because apparently Darcy made me whole.
But Lilac she- she made me better than whole.
And most days I'm not allowed to see her.
Because everyone thinks I'll kill her next.
I don't have a heart- they're right.
Because they're keeping mine in a cage.
==DG==
Not long after, we'd made it to John's old place of work. Lucky for us that same man who worked with John still worked there. Which I guess in this small of a town isn't so surprising. Just a nice bonus, then.
I stood on Dean's side, far away from Sam. Dean showed no sign of having reached out to John. No shaking voice, no hesitancy towards this case. Just marching on like a soldier.
Sam was somewhere between impatience to finish the case, and remorse towards me. He was trying to channel it towards rage but everyone knows that Sam's more open about his bleeding heart.
Which is why I was doing what I do best. Showing no emotion, no matter what I'm feeling inside. 'Sometimes it's easier to admit that you feel nothing.'
"So you and John Winchester, you used to own this garage together?" Dean asked the owner.
"Yeah, we used to, a long time ago. Matter of fact, it must be, uh…twenty years since John disappeared." The owner explained. "So why the cops interested all of a sudden?"
"Oh, we're re-opening some of our unsolved cases, and the Winchester disappearance is one of 'em." Dean excused, even though I feel like we could've gotten away with a twisted form of the truth.
"Oh, well, what do you wanna know about John?" The owner asked.
"Well, whatever you remember, you know, whatever sticks out in your mind." Dean explained.
"Well…he was a stubborn bastard, I remember that." The owner laughed fondly. "And, uh, whatever the game, he hated to lose, you know? It's that whole Marine thing." The boys nodded. They probably knew all about the marine thing- I say as President of the Hating-John-Winchester Club. "But, oh, he sure loved Mary. And he doted on those kids."
"But that was before the fire?" Sam asked.
"That's right." The owner nodded.
"He ever talk about that night?" Sam asked.
"No, not at first. I think he was in shock." The owner looked more hesitant now.
"Right. But eventually? What did he say about it?" Sam pressed.
"Oh, he wasn't thinkin' straight. He said somethin' caused that fire and killed- well you know." The owner brushed off.
"It's alright. We won't judge, whatever he said did it." I explained. "He was- grieving."
Blegh...coming to John's defense.
I hate him.
I hate him.
I hate him.
I hate him.
There, now I feel clean.
"Nothin' did it. It was an accident- an electrical short in the ceiling or walls or somethin'." The owner explained. "I begged him to get some help, but-" He stopped himself.
"But what?" Dean asked.
"Oh, he just got worse and worse." The owner answered.
"How?" Dean asked.
"Oh, he started readin' these strange ol' books. He started goin' to see this palm reader in town." The owner explained.
"What was their name?" I asked him.
The owner scoffed, as if the idea of him knowing her name was stupid. Shame on him, for shaming Missouri like that. "No idea."
==DG==
Sam was searching the phone book for psychics. Dean was leaning against Baby. I was at Sam's side, looking also.
"All right, so there are a few psychics and palm readers in town. There's someone named El Divino. There's, uh-" Sam chuckled. "-there's the Mysterious Mister Fortinsky."
"Stop." I spoke. My finger pointed to Missouri's name.
"What?" Sam asked.
"Dean. Missouri Mosely?" I prompted him. "I got a feeling about this one."
Dean was about to no doubt make a comment about how weird the psychic stuff was, but he caught the name I said. "Wait, wait. Missouri Moseley?" Dean asked.
Sam looked to us both in confusion. "What?"
"That's a psychic?" Dean asked.
"It's her yeah?" I asked Dean, who went to the backseat of the Impala. "It's gotta be."
"What makes you think that?" Sam asked me.
"I think I don't just get psychic dreams." I excused, not looking Sam in the eye. "Think I get psychic insight too. That's cool, right? I mean when it's not depressing. Dean?"
Dean came back up with the journal. He walked it over to us. "In Dad's journal…here, look at this." He showed us the journal. "First page, first sentence, read that."
"I went to Missouri and I learned the truth." Sam read off.
Sam turned his head to Dean. His brother shrugged. "I always thought he meant the state."
"I love it." I agreed. Taking the phone book away, I closed it. Sam closed the journal. He went to the car.
Dean hesitated before following. "You get the psychic crap too?"
"I dreamt about a lot of the people that died on our cases." I revealed. "And sometimes insight. This is actually kinda terrifying for me so could we just drop it?"
Then I went off to the car, ignoring him and Sam.
==DG==
So...we were in her house.
Like, actually in Missouri Moseley's house. How awesome it this? I love it. I love this place so much. You could feel it in the air, if you opened yourself to it. The strong psychic energy she had around herself, spread out into every spot in the house as though it was an over soaked sponge. It made the house more welcoming, felt like you were a bee being invited into a hive after your last one died.
Missouri's house rocked.
The boys were sitting on the sette. I was sitting on a chair across from it. My arm was clutching tight to the Bag, the fingers clenching along the strap. On the floor, my feet were shifting between rubbing the carpet and silently tapping over it. I was 196, you think I would stop being nervous about meeting psychics. Apparently some fears stick around.
The Winchesters looked as bored any normal person. This was understandable. They hadn't met Missouri yet. Then again, they were still hesitant around her even after meeting her. Had she died yet? I couldn't remember. This should be a thing I checked whenever I go back Home.
Probably a good idea to close off my mind again, just to be sure Missouri didn't see too much. Or anything. Actually her seeing anything in my head was freaking me out.
Was I freaking out? I should stop.
People get weird when I start freaking out.
Maybe I'm freaking out because I know John Winchester is somewhere in this house and I can't show him my eternal undying hatred of him.
Yeah. That was it.
No other reason to be freaked out in a psychic's house.
Footsteps came from a nearby hall. Missouri came by, walking with the man before us. She was smiling kindly at him. "All right, there. Don't you worry 'bout a thing. Your wife is crazy about you."
The man gave her his thanks as he left. Missouri closed the door with a sigh.
"Whew. Poor bastard. His woman is cold-bangin' the gardener." Missouri shook her head, sadly.
"Why didn't you tell him?" Dean asked.
"People don't come here for the truth. They come for good news." Missouri told him. The boys stared at her, as if startled by the idea now that she wouldn't give them the 'truth', instead give them 'good news' about the case. "Well? Sam and Dean, come on already, I ain't got all day." She gave me a look. "Don't think I'm ignoring you, little missy. You come here too."
I followed with any further prompting.
She led me to the next room. My hand traced on the beads of the bead curtain, as I passed it.
"Well, lemme look at ya." Missouri reached out to me. I let her take my hand. "Poor girl...went through so much, a lot of hurt on the spirit." She looked me in the eye. All I saw was compassion and sympathy. "I'm so sorry. To both of you."
It was so startling- because I knew I had my head on lock down. When it was like this, not even the Doctor himself had been able to get past it. The most he could tell was that I wasn't brain dead. How- how had Missouri gotten all that she did?
"No offense, ma'am, but I don't like people in my head." I stated, feeling shock wash over me. "Please leave it."
Missouri shook her head. "Ain't no secrets in the mind to me, little missy."
"I'm not little." I argued, voice shaking.
"Yes you are." Missouri rubbed her hand in assurance on my arm. "Oh, just a little thing. People forget that you're still just a kid inside, don't they? 196 is old, but you're barely sixteen where it counts."
I stiffened under Missouri's touch. The boys came in at that, looking around the room.
"I know, sugar, I know." She let go of my arm. "Don't like touching when you're anxious. I'm sorry." She turned to the boys. "Mind taking a seat, so I can talk to them?"
Numbly, I nodded. I let myself plob down on the seat. My mind started racing from all that Missouri had said. Barely a few sentences but...wow.
"Well, lemme look at ya." She told the boys. "Oh, you boys grew up handsome. And you were one goofy-lookin' kid, too." She told Dean. Sam grinned. The corner of my lips turned up too, quickly falling. "Sam." Missouri took his hand. "Oh, honey…I'm sorry about your girlfriend. And your father- he's missin'?"
Both Winchesters were as shocked as me. In fairness, my shock was for something different so it wasn't the same kind of shocked but...shock.
"How'd you know all that?" Sam asked
"Well, you were just thinkin' it just now." Missouri excused.
"Well, where is he? Is he okay?" Dean pressed.
"I don't know." Missouri answered plainly.
"Don't know? Well, you're supposed to be a psychic, right?" Dean prompted.
I snickered- as everyone did when they knew someone was about to get a beat down.
"Boy, you see me sawin' some bony tramp in half? You think I'm a magician?" Missouri asked him. Dean stared at her in more shock now, because Missouri was awesome and a tiny bit terrifying. "I may be able to read thoughts and sense energies in a room, but I can't just pull facts out of thin air. Sit, please."
The boys did so. Sam smirking the same as me.
"Boy, you put your foot on my coffee table, I'm 'a whack you with a spoon!" Missouri snapped at Dean.
"I didn't do anything." Dean defended himself.
"But you were thinkin' about it." Missouri warned him.
Dean was surprised.
Sam was grinning still. Then we made eye contact, both our smiles dropped.
"Okay. So, our dad- when did you first meet him?" Sam got back to the case.
"He came for a reading. A few days after the fire." Missouri explained. "I just told him what was really out there in the dark. I guess you could say…I drew back the curtains for him."
"What about the fire? Do you know about what killed our mom?" Dean asked.
"A little." Missouri answered. "Your daddy took me to your house. He was hopin' I could sense the echoes, the fingerprints of this thing."
"And could you?" Sam pressed.
"I-" Missouri cut off, shaking her head.
"What was it?" Sam prompted.
Her voice was soft. Yet to me it was a loud bell. "I don't know. Oh, but it was evil."
I could barely hold back a shiver, thinking about Azazel. His plan for children..wondering just how many demon blood tainted adults were wandering the streets just barely able to control their new powers.
"So…you think somethin' is back in that house?" Missouri asked us.
"Definitely." Sam nodded.
"I don't understand." Missouri hummed.
"What?" Sam asked.
"I haven't been back inside, but I've been keepin' an eye on the place, and it's been quiet." Missouri explained. "No sudden deaths, no freak accidents. Why is it actin' up now?"
"I don't know." Sam admitted. "But Dad going missing and Jessica dying and now this house all happening at once- it just feels like something's starting."
Because it was starting.
The psychic kids are growing up.
Dean will sell his soul for Sam's life.
Then the Apocalypse will begin-
And I-
And I-
And I-
And I-
Oh Chuck why can't I stop it why-why- WHY!?
"That's a comforting thought." Dean scoffed.
It promoted me to action. If I couldn't stop the Apocalypse or every other awful thing around here, I could at least help to save Mary Winchester from that Crowley damned house.
"We need to go." I stood up, rushing to the door.
"Little missy!" Missouri called out.
But I was already out the door.
==DG==
Jenny through open her house door. I stood there, the Winchesters flanking me. Missouri was just behind me, waiting to be introduced.
"Sam, Dean. What are you doing here?" Jenny asked, panting. She clutched onto Ritchie tightly.
"Hello Jenny. Sorry to barge in just now. But we brought our friend, Missouri." I stepped aside for the psychic. I made sure to avoid the Winchesters.
"If it's not too much trouble, we were hoping to show her the old house." Dean explained. 'You know, for old time's sake."
"You know, this isn't a good time. I'm kind of busy." Jenny excused.
"Listen, Jenny, it's important-" Dean began to bark harshly. Missouri whacked him on the back of the head. I got his arm. Go team! "Ow!"
"Give the poor girl a break, can't you see she's upset?" Missouri scolded him. She turned to Jenny. "Forgive this boy, he means well, he's just not the sharpest tool in the shed, but hear me out."
Dean stared at Missouri, once again shocked at her.
"About what?" Jenny asked, brushing down on Ritchie's hair.
"About this house." Missouri explained.
"What are you talking about?" Jenny asked, cautiously trying to step away from us.
"I think you know what I'm talking about." Missouri pointed out. Jenny stopped. "You think there's something in this house, something that wants to hurt your family. Am I mistaken?"
Jenny gawked at her. "Who are you?"
"We're people who can help, who can stop this thing." Missouri assured her. "But you're gonna have to trust us, just a little."
==DG==
Jenny did.
We walked into Sari's bedroom, what had been Sam's bedroom way back when. I shivered, holding back from reaching in my Bag for a jacket.
Missouri walked around the bedroom, hand outstretched. "If there's a dark energy around here, this room should be the center of it."
"Why?" Sam asked.
The psychic glanced at me, giving me a long stare. I averted my eyes to the floor. "This used to be your nursery, Sam." Missouri explained in a slow voice. "This is where it all happened."
Dean got out the EMF. I walked towards the door, practically hiding behind the Winchesters.
"That an EMF?" Missouri asked.
"Yeah." Dean replied.
"Amateur." Missouri snarked. "Little missy, come here."
Startled I took a step forward. The Winchesters took steps aside to let me through. Then I walked the rest of the way to Missouri.
"Now tell me the truth now." Missouri asked, in a very low voice. She leaned in close to me, whispering so low not even the Winchesters could hear. "Do you know what's happening here?"
"Yes ma'am." I answered, in a lower voice.
"Do you know how to stop it?"
I hesitated. "Ma'am-"
"Because there is something bad is this house." Missouri interrupted me. "And I can see the kind of person you are. You're scared for them, and those boys back there. So tell me. Do you know how to stop it?"
"Yes ma'am." I answered. "But- it's not on us. I mean there's- it'll involve using us as bait."
Missouri paused. She held out her hand, over Sari's desk.
"I'm sorry-"
"No, little missy, you got nothing to be sorry about." Missouri assured me. She turned over her shoulder, raising her voice so the boys could hear her. "I don't know if you boys should be disappointed or relieved, but this ain't the thing that took your mom."
"Wait, are you sure?" Sam asked. Missouri nodded. "How do you know?"
"It isn't the same energy I felt the last time I was here." Missouri explained. "It's somethin' different."
"What is it?" Dean asked.
"Not it." Missouri walked into the closet. I flinched away, headed back to the door to hide. "Them. There's more than one spirit in this place."
"What are they doing here?" Dean asked. He glanced at me, but a glare sent him back towards Missouri.
"They're here because of what happened to your family." Missouri explained. She came back to the boys and me, watching us as she explained this tragedy. "You see, all those years ago, real evil came to you. It walked this house. That kind of evil leaves wounds. And sometimes, wounds get infected."
"I don't understand." Sam replied.
"This place is a magnet for paranormal energy. It's attracted a poltergeist." Missouri explained. "A nasty one. And it won't rest until Jenny and her babies are dead."
"You said there was more than one spirit." Sam pointed out.
Missouri glanced at me. I worried my lip. "There is. I just can't quite make out the second one." She went back towards the closet.
"Well, one thing's for damn sure- nobody's dyin' in this house ever again." Dean stated. "So whatever is here, how do we stop it?"
==DG==
Missouri brought us to her house. As she gathered the herbs, she was talking with me. Only stressing me out more, but what are you gonna do?
"Do you know what the second spirit is?" Missouri prompted.
"Yes."
"Well don't just say yes. Who is it?" Missouri asked, gathering up more of the herbs.
I winced. "Mary Winchester."
Missouri paused in her herb gathering. She turned to me, brown eyes wide. "Mary? Just Mary?"
I nodded, worrying my lip with my teeth. My thumb moved up to trace on my necklace. "Yeah."
Missouri glanced at my thumb and lip, before going back to looking at my eyes. "You know, they're not mad at you." My eyebrows furrowed. "Sam and Dean, they're not."
"Sam told me I don't have feelings." I argued. "And Dean thinks I'm a freak because I have psychic powers too."
"Those two are back in their first ever home, finding out something it attacking people all over again. You were right when you said they were too close to this to be thinking straight. And you have more power than that, that you're hiding from them both." Missouri reminded me. As if I needed reminding. It only made me feel worse- fu- "Don't you cuss at me, Morgan Spencer, I'm not afraid to whoop you with a spoon."
I froze.
My breathing began to rush, trying hard to take in air but this wasn't working clearly. Why couldn't I just take in air from my skin? That would be easier than my useless lungs. In my eyes, I was starting to lose sight from water. Fucking useless water- what's the point of it in your eyes what does it even do? Now if that wasn't bad enough, my legs decided to become bastards and stop working.
Missouri lowered me to the floor, sitting with me as I curled in on myself. She rubbed circles on my back, trying to calm me down only that wasn't working. See, this is why I wanted a different kind of air intake.
"There now, little miss, there now." She soothed. "I gotcha. I'm sorry. Shoulda known you wouldn't like people saying it. That's on me- not on you."
I didn't mean-
I didn't mean to-
"I know you didn't. It's alright now."
I want to help them- Jenny and her family. I don't know how.
Mary Winchester has to stop it.
She stops this- I swear- but only because Sam is being hurt and I don't know how to do what she did-
"Don't you worry about that." Missouri assured me. "You just listen to me, now, listen to my voice. Take in a deep breath now."
I did- letting it out almost with sobs.
I have to save-
"Take another breath. Right now." Missouri instructed. "In for seven seconds, out for eight."
I did so.
Missouri whispered assurances the whole time.
I have to-
I have to-
I need to-
Then I started to cry.
Missouri started rocking me on the floor. She held her arms around me tight as she did so, still rubbing circles on my back as we did so.
"Missouri what's taking so-" Sam walked in.
I curled tighter.
"Stay out." Missouri ordered a shocked Sam. "Tell your brother the same. Go on. Get out!"
I heard his panicked footsteps running away. Missouri hadn't stopped rubbing on my back.
==DG==
Minutes later, Missouri came out of the kitchen with the herbs she needed.
Sam and Dean watched her come out, with jars of herbs. Slinking behind her, looking like a corporeal ghost, was Raven.
"You just go lie down, little missy, Dean will help me with this." Missouri instructed. Raven opened her mouth. "I won't hear nothing about it. You go get yourself on the couch, there's a blanket on the back. Get some rest."
Raven closed her mouth. She walked off to another room. She never even looked at Sam or Dean once.
Sam watched her walk away. He wanted to say something- anything- to their friend. He hadn't even apologized for how rude he'd been at the gas station. She had been right, of course she'd been right. Raven had only been trying to help, and he'd shouted at her. He couldn't get the image of her crying out of his head. To Sam it looked like a doll that had it's string cut and didn't know what to do with it's new freedom.
Dean- he wasn't into chick flick moments. Didn't like them. They were awkward. But he got that sometimes people needed to let go. He hadn't liked any of these new psychic powers popping up in his brother, much less in his best friend. Sam telling him that Raven was crying? That made Dean want to punch something.
But one look from Missouri had told Dean to not even start with that. This was a battle that Dean couldn't fight.
There was another fight that needed Dean's focus.
"So, what is all this stuff, anyway?" Dean asked.
Missouri got on explaining.
Sam walked off, towards the room where Raven had gone away.
"Don't you do that, Sam." Sam turned to Missouri. "Let the poor girl get some shut eye. There's plenty of time to do all that while we get these ready."
Sam hated it- but he went back to standing by the table.
Didn't stop him from glancing at the door though, wanting to go help Raven.
==DG==
In the next room, Raven was lying down on the couch. She stared with unseeing eyes at the coffee table. All she could think about was Mary Winchester, and how this episode reflected on so many episodes after.
==DG==
Ages later everyone made it back to the old Winchester house.
I had gotten my rest, both on the couch and on the drive over. Missouri must have said something to the brothers because neither of them would look at me.
Granted, while it didn't make me feel worse I wasn't feeling much better by it either. Missouri kept herself somewhat distant, but she had her hand outstretched to me. I accepted it, squeezing it once before pulling away.
Once she got Jenny and the kids to leave the house she brought me downstairs.
"The boys'll be upstairs putting these away." Missouri explained. "You just stay with me, okay?"
I nodded. Slinking back against the wall, I let myself slump to the floor.
Should I- I glanced upwards, thinking about what Chuck must be writing right now. Should I ask Mary Winchester to help now?
"No, don't you worry nothing." Missouri explained. "It'll all be fine. You know that."
"Do I?" I asked.
Missouri gave me a smile. "You do."
That made me turn away from Missouri.
There was a disturbed quiet in the house, as Missouri moved about the basement. It was a proper horror movie disturbing. Especially without the scary music playing in the background.
She brought up the bag of herbs, moving it to the wall. No sooner had she moved towards the right corner did the table go flying.
I leapt out in it's path, pushing Missouri out of the way. The table struck me in the stomach, pushing me into the corner.
Missouri gasped.
I yelled out in pain. My hands tried to push at the table, nothing really happening. This thing was strong in it's anger. I tried kicking it with my feet, which only made my feet ache.
"The bag!" I grunted in pain.
Missouri tossed it to me. I threw it over my shoulder into the corner.
A moment after, The table stopped pressing down on my hips. I fell onto my knees, groaning in pain. My arm wrapped around my stomach.
"Morgan!" Missouri ran to my side. She took my other arm, helping me to my feet. "There you go, steady now."
"I'm fine-"
"Yes you are, sugar." Missouri helped walk me towards the stairs. "Yes you are. Keep moving."
==DG==
Sometime later the four of us were sitting in the destroyed kitchen.
"You sure this is over?" Sam asked.
"I'm sure." Missouri turned to Sam, and myself besides him. "Why? Why do you ask?"
"Never mind." Sam sighed. I turned, headed towards the closet. Now I was barely limping. "It's nothin', I guess."
"Little miss?" Missouri asked.
I shook my head.
Jenny came back with her kids. "Hello?" She called out. "We're home." She gawked at the state of her kitchen. "What happened?"
"Hi, sorry. Um, we'll pay for all of this." Sam apologized.
"Our bad." I winced, walking towards the pantry for a broom.
"Don't you worry. Dean's gonna clean up this mess." Missouri instructed. Dean gawked. I turned to stare at her. The psychic gave me a look to let Dean handle it. "Well, what are you waiting for, boy? Get the mop." Dean huffed, moving to walk. "And don't cuss at me!"
I took a deep breath, beginning to get chills.
"Sam, help little miss. She got hit hard." Missouri instructed.
Sam nodded. He turned to me, reaching out then hesitating. I stretched my hand out to him. Sam gave me a thankful smile as we walked to the closest non-destroyed chair.
==DG==
Later, the three of us were sitting in the Impala. The family had settled down to sleep.
Except Sam, or me. Nah we knew shit was wrong in that house.
"All right, so, tell me again, what are we still doin' here?" Dean asked.
"I don't know. I just…I still have a bad feeling." Sam excused.
"I thought Raven was the one getting 'feelings'." Dean argued.
"Yeah and they say this isn't over." I argued back at him.
Dean huffed. "Why? Missouri did her whole Zelda Rubenstein thing, the house should be clean, it should be over."
"Yeah, well, probably. But we just wanna make sure, that's all."
"Please?" I asked.
Dean sighed. "Alright, whatever...even though it's stupid and I could be sleeping in a bed right now."
"Thanks." I moved towards the door. "Also Jenny is screaming."
The brothers shot into action.
"You grab the kids, I'll get Jenny." Dean instructed as we ran.
The three of us ran inside. Sam rushed to the first bedroom for Ritchie. I went to Sari's room.
As I arrived, Mary Winchester walked out from the closet.
I hesitated for only a second. "Sari, come here!"
The little girl was crying.
"Sari, she won't hurt you. Come on!" I ran over to her bed, sweeping her into my arms. She held on tight. "Don't look. Don't look!"
As I ran to the stairs, I ran alongside Sam. Ritchie was held tight in his arms. We made it downstairs, stopping at the bottom of the stairs.
It was that real life horror movie feeling again...except I heard the music and it was getting closer.
Sam and I exchanged a quick look. Clearly we agreed on whatever it was we were feeling.
I put down Sari, as Sam lowered Ritchie to her side.
"All right, Sari, take your brother outside as fast as you can, and don't look back."
"Go!" I instructed, just as the thing grabbed our ankles.
The poltergeist dragged us away from the screaming Sari.
==DG==
The poltergeist brought us to the kitchen. Once we were inside it tossed us around.
Sam was flung onto the cabinets.
I was thrown up onto the ceiling.
Just before I hit the ground I was pushed against a wall. Sam was on the wall adjacent.
Before I could say anything the force holding me up pushed against my throat. A rasping noise came out of my mouth. Again, I need a different set of lungs. This way was inefficient and shit.
Mary Winchester walked in, still on fire.
She turned towards us. As we gasped for air, she made slow steps our way. The poltergeist lessened it's hold on my neck the closer Mary came.
"Sam? Sam!" Dean called out. "Raven!"
Dean ran in. He spotted Mary Winchester. He raised his gun.
"No, don't! Don't!" Sam pleaded.
"Stop!" I gasped.
"What, why?!" Dean yelled.
"Because I know who it is. I can see her now." Sam revealed, sounded awed.
"She's...yeah." I nodded, still flailing under the poltergeist's hold.
The fire vanished. It revealed to Dean Mary Winchester, in exactly the same state as before she died.
"Mom?" Dean exhaled.
Mary's ghost smiled. "Dean."
Mary walked to Sam them. Dean's eyes followed Mary, in disbelief. I could understand that...to them, she'd been dead as long as they knew.
"Sam." Mary spoke kindly.
Sam smiles weakly, crying. She turned her blue eyes to me. There was some recognition, a spark of something profound. Her smile faded.
"I'm sorry."
"For what?" Sam pleaded.
"I'm sorry." She apologized, looking at me with ghostly tears in her eyes.
"I...don't get it." I admitted.
She didn't answer.
She walked out of the kitchen. She glared up at the ceiling.
"You get out of my house." Mary told the poltergeist. "And let go of my babies."
Mary was consumed by flames. As soon as they reached the ceiling, gathered force over us dropped us.
I caught myself before I could hurt myself. Dean went to his brother's side, helping him up. So I pushed myself to my own feet.
"Now it's over." Sam stated.
Thank you, Mary Winchester.
==DG==
The next morning, after the dust had settled, Jenny gave Dean those old photos she had found.
Sam and I were perched on the stairs. Sam had been quiet since Mary had gone. Again, I could understand why.
Missouri sat herself down beside Sam. We had brought her back one last time, for assurance that this was truly over. "Well, there are no spirits in there anymore, this time for sure."
"Not even my mom?" Sam asked.
"No." Missouri replied, her usual kindness and sympathy in her voice.
My hand went over to Sam's arm. He accepted the touch, putting his own hand over mine.
"What happened?" Sam asked.
"Your mom's spirit and the poltergeist's energy, they cancelled each other out." Missouri explained. "Your mom destroyed herself goin' after the thing."
"Why would she do something like that?" Sam asked.
"Well, to protect her boys, of course." Missouri replied. Her smile too wide, wider than in the episode.
Sam's eyes watered again. He turned his head to the side, staring towards the tree.
"No. She said her babies." I spoke up, looking at Missouri. She looked back at me, eyes shimmering. "Why did she say babies?"
She reached out her hand. She stopped at the last second. "Sam, M- Raven...I'm sorry."
"For what?" Sam asked.
"You sensed it was here, didn't you? Even when I couldn't." Missouri replied instead, because I knew why she was apologizing.
"What's happening to us?" Sam asked.
"I know I should have all the answers, but I don't know." Missouri answered. She didn't even glance knowingly my way. I could tell that she knew that I knew, not much else beyond that. The sentiment was nice all the same.
"Sam, Raven, you ready?" Dean called out.
I nodded, getting up off the stairs. Sam followed me to the car.
"Don't you kids be strangers." Missouri called out to us.
"We won't." Dean called back.
Missouri waved us goodbye. I did too. "See you around."
The car drove off from this house...letting go of one of their many ghosts.
==DG==
Dean pulled off at the side of the road.
Sam and Raven turned to him. Raven actually had to pull out her headphones.
"Dean?" Sam prompted.
Dean parked the car.
"What's wrong?" Raven asked. She adjusted herself so she could lean over the side.
Dean reached into his pocket, pulling out one of the photos he'd gotten from Jenny. "Take a look."
He showed them the picture.
It was Dean, at four years old, sitting in a chair. In his arms, two babies were positioned.
==DG==
Missouri walked back into her house. She paused in the hallway.
"That boy, that girl." Missouri remarked, shaking her head in wonder. "They have such powerful abilities." She turned to the next room, where her guest was hiding. "Why they couldn't sense their own father, I have no idea."
John Winchester sat on the couch, looking nearly as bad as Raven did all those hours ago.
"Mary's spirit...do you really think she saved the kids?" John asked.
Missouri paused. "I do." She answered.
John Winchester looked off, toying with the wedding ring on his hand.
Missouri huffed. "John Winchester I could just slap you. Why don't you go talk to your children? Why couldn't you just tell them yourself who Raven was- who she really is? Your daughter has gone her entire life not knowing she could have had a family that loved her."
"God, I want to." John sighed. "You have no idea how much I want to see them- to see her." John ran his hand over his face, to brush off any tears that were pushing him to let go. "Thought she was dead, you know? Everybody thought the fire took them both. Both my girls...gone...I want to see them...but I can't. Not yet."
Missouri shook her head at him, in disappointment.
"You didn't tell her?" John asked, looking down at his feet.
"No." Missouri answered. "But they're gonna figure it out themselves."
John sucked in his lips, blinking rapidly as tears began to fall.
==DG==
AN: So...that was supposed to be revealed in my season 2 fanfic...except well...Home. It gives me Feels(™).
Thanks to Wastelandyoda for favoriting and following