Chapter 6: Skin
Riley was half asleep as they pulled into a gas station. Yawning, she sat up and moved toward the front of the car.
"SameGas?" She said, reading the sign above, and snickered. "Be more obvious?"
Dean smirked at her and turned off the engine. "Alright, I figure we'd hit Tucumcari by lunch, then head south, hit Bisbee by midnight."
"Sounds good." The blonde said and glanced at Sam who was looking at his PalmPilot. "Hello, Earth to Sam?"
"Sam wears women's underwear." Dean announced and Riley snorted.
Sam rolled his eyes. "I've been listenin', I'm just busy."
Riley leaned up closer. "Busy doin' what?" She asked in an obnoxious voice that made Sam roll his eyes and Dean smirk in their direction.
"Reading e-mails."
Dean got out of the car shooting his brother a confused look as he started to fill the tank with gas.
"E-mails from who?"
"From my friends at Stanford."
The older Winchester brother raised his brows in surprise, bending to look in the window of the car. "You're kidding. You still keep in touch with your college buddies?"
"Why not?" Sam frowned.
"Well, what exactly do you tell 'em? You know, about where you've been, what you've been doin'?" He asked, turning back to the get the gas nozzle from the pump.
"I tell 'em I'm on a road trip with my big brother and Riley. I tell 'em I needed some time off after Jess."
Dean smirked. "Oh, so you lie to 'em."
Sam shook his head, with a frowb. "No. I just don't tell 'em….everything." He muttered.
"Yeah, that's called lying." He said cheekily. "I mean, hey, man, I get it, tellin' the truth is far worse."
"So, what am I supposed to do, just cut everybody out of my life?" His big brother shrugged. Sam's jaw dropped. "You're serious?"
"Look, it sucks." Dean told him. "But in a job like this, you can't get close to people, period."
"Your kind of anti-social, you know that?"
Riley laughed loudly and Dean rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, whatever." He muttered.
Sam glanced back at his email.
"God…."
"What?" Dean and Riley asked at the same time.
Sam was still reading his email. "In this e-mail from this girl, Rebecca Warren, one of those friends of mine."
"Is she hot?" Dean interrupted and Riley rolled her eyes. Sam ignored him.
"I went to school with her, and her brother, Zach. She says Zach's been charged with murder. He's been arrested for killing his girlfriend. Rebecca says he didn't do it, but it sounds like the cops have a pretty good case."
Dean scoffed. "Dude, what kind of people are you hangin' out with?"
Sam frowned. "No, man, I know Zach. He's no killer."
"Well, maybe you know Zach as well as he knows you." He pointed out not unkindly and Riley saw the look in Sam's eyes.
"They're in St. Louis. We're goin'."
Dean chucked humorlessly and got back into the car. "Look, sorry 'bout your buddy, okay? But this does not sound like our kind of problem."
"It is our problem." He protested firmly. "They're my friends."
"St. Louis is four hundred miles behind us, Sam."
The boys held a staring contest for a second, daring one another to call out first.
"You know who's going to win right?" Riley questioned dryly, earning a thump on the forehead from Dean. "Ouch, you asshole!" She shrieked and rubbed at her head.
Dean smirked and started the car, pulling out onto the highway.
"I think you bruised my head!"
"That's what you get for being a smartass! Now stop bitchin'."
"Pull over so I can kick your ass, Winchester!"
Sam only rolled his eyes at them.
A few hours later they arrived in St. Louis and pulled up Rebecca's house.
"Nice house." Dean commented getting out of the car first. He stood and stretched his arms and legs, stiff from driving. Sam noticed Riley's gaze on his brother and nudged her with his elbow.
"What?" She turned to him, cheeks pink and scowled at his expression. "Shut up, I wasn't looking at him."
"Whatever you say. By the way, you were drooling."
"Was not!" She said loudly and Dean glanced over his shoulder at them.
"What are you guys doing?"
"Nothing." They said at the same time, Sam smirking and Riley huffing. Snorting, Dean rolled his eyes.
"…Okay then."
They got up to the door and Sam knocked.
After a minute or so, the door opened and there stood a pretty blonde who immediately beamed in Sam's direction.
"Oh my God, Sam!" She exclaimed in shock.
Sam smirked. "Well, if it isn't little Becky."
Rebecca scoffed playfully. "You know what you can do with that little Becky crap." She smiled and they hugged. Riley noticed Sam's wide smile and couldn't help but feel that even if this turned out not to be one of their cases, it was still good for him. He needed to see someone his knows.
"I got your e-mail."
She tilted her head at him. "I didn't think that you would come here." It was clear she was happy to see him though.
Dean elbowed his way past Riley and she almost fell in the bushes next to the steps. She scowled and then rolled her eyes he thrust his hand out to Rebecca. Jealous.
"Dean. Older brother." He introduced himself and Rebecca took it with a smile.
"Hi."
"Hi."
Sam cleared his throat. "We're here to help. Whatever we can do."
Rebecca smiled. "Come in." She stepped aside and smiled at Riley warmly.
"I'm Riley, nice to meet you." The girl said and rolled her eyes when Dean practically ran her over to get inside.
"Nice place." He said, glancing around and Riley looked around too. It was very nice inside. A large crystal chandelier hung down from the ceiling of the foyer and there was a large winding staircase behind her that led to the upstairs.
Rebecca lead the way into the kitchen. "It's my parents'. I was just crashing here for the long weekend when everything happened."
Riley stopped and looked at a few of the china that was displayed in the large expensive glass case in the living room area before following them into the kitchen.
"I decided to take the semester off. I'm gonna stay until Zach's free." The other girl continued and Sam tilted his head.
"Where are your folks?
"They live in Paris for half the year, so they're on their way home now for the trial." When they entered the kitchen, Rebecca gestured to the fridge. "Do you guys want a beer or something?"
"Hey-" Dean began, but Sam spoke over him.
"No, thanks. So, tell us what happened."
Rebecca frowned, thinking of how to start. "Well, um, Zach came home, and he found Emily tied to a chair. And she was beaten up and bloody, and she wasn't breathing." She teared up a bit, chewing her lip nervously. "So, he called 911, and the police—they showed up, and they arrested him. But, the thing is, the only way that Zach could've killed Emily is if he was in two places at the same time. The police—they have a video. It's from the security tape from across the street. And it shows Zach coming home at 10:30. Now, Emily was killed just after that, but I swear, he was here with me, having a few beers until at least after midnight." She explained.
Sam rubbed the back of his neck. "You know, maybe we could see the crime scene. Zach's house." He glanced at Dean and Riley.
Dean nodded slowly. "We could."
"Why?" She asked automatically before saying: "I mean, what could you do?
"Well, me, not much." Sam began before nodding at his brother. "But Dean's a cop."
Dean laughed, sending his brother a brief "what the hell" look. "Detective, actually."
Eyes wide and hopeful, Rebecca looked at him. "Really? Where?"
"Bisbee, Arizona." He lied smoothly. "But I'm off-duty now."
"You guys, it's so nice to offer, but I just—I don't know."
"Bec, look, I know Zach didn't do this. Now, we have to find a way to prove that he's innocent." Sam said determinedly and she nodded.
"Okay. I'm gonna go get the keys." She hurried off down the hallway and out of earshot.
Dean whistled lowly. "Oh, yeah, man, you're a real straight shooter with your friends." He scoffed.
"Look, Zach and Becky need our help."
"I just don't think this is our kind of problem."
Riley sighed. "Two places at once? Dean, we've looked into less." She pointed out and he looked at her. She cut her eyes at Sam and he glanced over too. His brother looked willing to go it alone if he had too.
"Fine." He said with a nod. "We'll check it out."
"You're sure this is okay?" Rebecca asked Dean as they got out of the car.
"Yeah. I am an officer of the law." He replied and Riley coughed into her sleeve to hide a laugh. He shot her a bemused look and they started across the road to the house. Like Becky's it was nice looking, if only it wasn't wrapped with the yellow police tape.
Unlocking the door and ducking under the tape, Dean led the way into the house. The walls and the furniture were smeared with blood and Riley swallowed hard. The sight reminded her of the blood-stained walls of the motel room...The night Eli died. Pushing back the bile that threatened to come up, she followed Dean further into the house, examining the rest of the living room. The coffee table was covered in playing cards and papers all of which were bloodied as well.
"Beck, you wanna wait outside?" Sam asked gently and Riley turned around. The girl was standing nervously on the porch.
After a second of collecting herself, she shook her head. "No. I wanna help." She ducked under the tape and entered the house.
"Tell us what else the police said." Sam said, trying to distract her from looking at the mess.
She sighed. "Well, there's no sign of a break-in. They say that Emily let her attacker in. The lawyers—they're already talking about plea bargain." She let out a sob as she glanced at the state of the room. "Oh, God…."
"Look, Beck, if Zach didn't do this, it means someone else did. Any idea who?" She started to shake her head, but then paused. Um, there was something, about a week before. Somebody broke in here and stole some clothes—Zach's clothes. The police—they don't think it's anything. I mean, we're not that far from downtown. Sometimes people get robbed."
Riley frowned to herself. It sounded as if could have been someone pretending to be Zach, but she wasn't entirely sure. She didn't mention it, in case it upset Becky. Riley watched Becky approach Dean who was looking back out the front door at the loudly barking dog. It had been barking ever since they had approached the house, sounding extremely aggravated.
Sam was in the kitchen, looking at a photo on the fridge. She walked over to him and glanced at it.
"What are you thinking?" She asked him softly.
"I don't know just yet." He murmured back. "You have any ideas?"
"I didn't want Becky to hear, but it's possible someone was framing him. Dressing like him."
He nodded. "Could be."
Dean walked over to join them, leaving Becky at the door.
"So, the neighbor's dog went psycho right around the time Zach's girlfriend was killed."
"Animals can have a sharp sense of the paranormal." Sam agreed.
"Yeah, maybe Fido saw somethin'."
Sam's mouth twitched at his brother's choice of words while Riley snorted.
"So, you think maybe this is our kind of problem?" He asked and Dean shifted.
"No. Probably not." He said before adding: "But we should look at the security tape, you know, just to make sure."
Sam hid a smirk. "Yeah."
"Yeah."
They turned as Rebecca approached.
"So, the tape. The security footage—you think maybe your lawyers could get their hands on it, 'cause I just don't have that kind of jurisdiction." Dean inquired.
"I've already got it." She said, sheepishly. "I didn't wanna say something in front of the cop." Dean laughed. "I stole it off the lawyer's desk. I just had to see it for myself."
"All right." He grinned and gestured for her to lead the back to the car.
Sam tapped the remote to the VCR against his chin, watching the security footage closely. Riley and Becky sat on the couch, while Dean perched on the back of it.
"Here he comes." Becky announced and they watched Zach walking into the house.
"22:04, that's just after ten." Dean said, looking at the timestamp. "You said time of death was about 10:30."
Riley moved closer to the edge of her seat, frowning at the sight of Zach up close in the left camera frame. Something was off. It was barely there, but she had seen it.
"Our lawyers hired some kind of video expert. He says the tape's authentic. It wasn't tampered with." She said.
Riley turned to her. "Hey, Becky, I hate to bother you, but you think we could take those beers now?"
"Oh, sure." She nodded and got up from the couch.
"Hey." Sam said and she turned to look at him. "Maybe some sandwiches, too?"
She laughed. "What do you think this is, Hooters?" She smirked and left the room.
Dean looked thoughtful. "I wish." Riley rolled her eyes.
"Did you see it, Sam?"
"Yeah." He nodded.
"See what? What is it?" Dean asked.
Check this out." Sam rewound the tape. And Riley got up to see it closer. Sam replayed the tape at a slower scale, inching the video little by little until it showed what he and Riley had seen. Zach's eyes were silver as they peered directly at the camera.
"Well, maybe it's just a camera flare."
Sam shook his head. "That's not like any camera flare I've ever seen. You know, a lot of cultures believe that a photograph can catch a glimpse of the soul."
"Right."
"Remember that dog that was freakin' out? Maybe he saw this thing. Maybe this is some kind of dark double of Zach's, something that looks like him but isn't him."
"Like a Doppelganger." Dean added.
"No, more like a Shifter." Riley scowled and the brothers looked at her. "Damn it, I hate those things."
"You think so, Blondie?' He asked, looking at her.
"Well, it'd sure explain how he was two places at once."
"Ugh it's too freakin' early." Riley moaned, not getting out of the back of the car. Her hair was in a messy bun on the top of her head and she was looking at Sam from the back window of the Impala. Sam had already went over to the dumpster behind Zach's house.
Dean snorted. "You can say that again, Blondie." He leaned against the car, near Riley's head, watching his brother and sipping a coffee. "All right. So what are we doin' here at 5:30 in the morning?"
Sam paced. "I realized something. The videotape shows the killer goin' in, but not comin' out."
"So, he came out the back door?" Dean asked.
Sam nodded. "Right. So, there should be a trail to follow. A trail the police would never pursue."
Riley nodded, stifling a yawn. "They think the killer never left. And they caught Zach inside." She said and he nodded. "I still don't know what we're doin' here at 5:30 in the morning." She grumbled and Dean smirked at her.
"Here, have some real coffee." He offered his cup to her. "None of that girly, sugary mess you and Sam drink." She took the cup from him and sipped it before making a face.
"Ick."
Dean chuckled and took it back from her before seeing Sam looking at something on the telephone pole.
"What is it, Sam?" Riley called out.
"Blood. Somebody came this way." He replied and Dean glanced around.
"Yeah, but the trail ends. I don't see anything over here."
"Can we go back to sleep now?" Riley griped and before Dean could reply an ambulance drove past them, hurrying up the street. She looked at Sam who was looking at Dean and groaned. "Guess not."
They found the ambulance outside a building that was being blocked off with police tape by the officers nearby. Walking up the crowd, Dean looked to a woman next to him.
"What happened?"
The woman sighed. "He tried to kill his wife. Tied her up and beat her."
"Really?" Sam frowned.
"I used to see him going to work in the morning. He'd wave, say hello. He seemed like such a nice guy." They watched the man being led out of the house and into the police car.
Riley frowned to herself and turned to Dean. "I'm going to talk to the officers on the scene. You guys coming?"
"Go ahead." Sam said to Dean. "I'll be around back."
They nodded and he went to check out the back of the building having a gut feeling since the police didn't bother to check that area nor close it off.
Sam checked the garbage cans at the side of the house, but found nothing incriminating inside. He glanced up as Riley and Dean rounded the corner.
"Hey. Remember when I said this wasn't our kind of problem?" His big brother began, and he nodded.
"Yeah."
"Definitely our kind of problem."
"What'd you find out?"
Riley pulled her jacket tighter to her. "Well, Dean and I just talked to the patrolman who was first on the scene, heard the guy, Alex's story. According to him, he was driving home from a business trip when his wife was attacked."
"So, he was two places at once." Sam concluded.
Dean nodded. "Exactly. Then he sees himself in the house, police think he's a nutjob."
"Two dark doubles attacking loved ones in exactly the same way."
"Could be the same thing doin' it, too."
Both of them glanced at Riley and Dean smirked. "Guess you were right, Blondie."
"You know, I'm not that happy about it." She replied and he snorted.
"We've got two attacks within blocks of each other. We've definitely got a Shapeshifter prowlin' the neighborhood.
Sam frowned. "Let me ask you this—in all this Shapeshifter lore, can any of them fly?"
"Hell no and I'm glad they don't. why?"
"Well, I picked up a trail here. Someone ran out the back of this building and headed off this way." Sam pointed it out and Dean frowned.
"Just like your friend's house."
Sam nodded. "Yeah. And, just like at Zach's house, the trail suddenly ends. I mean, whatever it is just disappeared."
"Well, there's another way to go-" Dean said, and they looked at him. "—down." Sam and Riley glanced down at their feet to see the manhole.
"Damn it." Riley cursed. "Now I really hate early mornings."
Sam rolled his eyes.
Dean climbed down first, Sam after him and then Riley who replaced the covering so no one would notice.
Once she was off the ladder, they began to move.
"I bet this runs right by Zach's house, too." Sam said, his voice echoing off the grimy walls of the sewer. "The Shapeshifter could be using the sewer system to get around."
"I think you're right." Dean said from up ahead. "Look at this." Sam and Riley drew closer. There was sticky, sickly pile of skin colored goop on the piping along the wall and Dean crouched near it. Taking out his pocketknife, he lifting some of the mess.
"Is this from his victims?" Sam asked, grimacing in disgust.
Riley gagged as Dean lifted it higher and it made a squishing sound.
"Probably when the Shapeshifter changes shape—it sheds." She said quickly, turning green.
"That is sick." Sam shuddered and Dean slung it off his knife.
Back at the car, Dean was digging through the trunk of the Impala.
"Well, one thing I learned from Dad, is that no matter what kind of Shapeshifter it is, there's one sure way to kill it."
"Silver bullet to the heart." Sam and Riley said at the same time and Dean smirked at them.
"That's right."
Sam's phone began ringing and he pressed it to his ear.
"This is Sam."
Riley loaded her gun as he wandered off to talk and Dean slid a few more bullets towards her.
"Extras."
"Thanks." She smiled at him and slid them into her jacket pocket. He reached across her to get a gun ready for Sam.
"So, still good at shooting? Or have you gone soft?" He asked in her ear, leaning closer, and she snorted.
"I could beat you any day, chump." She smirked at him and he grinned, loading the gun.
"Are you challenging me?"
"If you're scared, say you're scared." She mocked, turning her head to look at him. The smirk faded from her lips as their noses brushed. She had momentarily forgotten how close he was to her and a flush came to her cheeks. His arms were on either side of her, as he had been leaning across her to get more bullets.
"What are you talkin' about?" Sam asked suddenly, startling them and they looked over at him. He looked upset. "Bec-" He paused and shook his head. "We're tryin' to help. Bec, I'm sorry, but-"
Sam lowered the phone, leaning against the car dejectedly and Riley moved away from Dean, who appeared slightly disappointed.
"I'm sorry, Sam." Riley said, guessing what had happened.
Dean cam over to his brother too, avoiding looking at Riley. "I hate to say it, but that's exactly what I'm talkin' about. You lie to your friends because if they knew the real you, they'd be freaked. It's just—it'd be easier if-"
"If I was like you." Sam toned.
Dean shrugged. "Hey, man, like it or not, we are not like other people. But I'll tell you one thing. This whole gig—it ain't without perks." He held up a gun for Sam, smiling proudly and his brother snorted taking it and putting into the back of his jeans.
Riley handed them flashlights. "Let's go."
They stayed silent for a while, searching for the shapeshifter. Riley between Sam and Dean as they went through the tunnels.
"I think we're close to its lair." Dean said suddenly when they had stopped for a moment.
Sam checked the area over with his light. "Why do you say that?
"Because there's another puke-inducing pile next to your face." Sam and Riley both turned and grimaced at the pile of skin on the pipes next to them.
"Oh, God!" He said in disgust and checked his jacket for any of the messy goop.
Riley grimaced and shone her flashlight in the corner.
"Eh, looks like it's lived here for a while." She commented, eyeing the piles of clothing. Sam frowned.
"Who knows how many murders he's gotten away with?" He turned and saw something behind his brother. Shining his light, he and Riley spotted the man from the crime scene and watched his eyes shine silver in the light.
"Dean!" They shouted at the same time.
The Shifter punched Dean just as he spun around and he slammed into the pipes next to him, falling to the ground in pain. Riley darted around Dean giving him a passing glance and chased the Shifter through the sewers.
Sam checked on his brother.
Dean got to his feet, holding his arm. "Get the son of a bitch! And make sure Riley's got back up!" Sam nodded and ran off, Dean not far behind.
The boys met her back up top, where she was scanning the area, gun hidden in her jacket.
"It took off into the crowd across the park." She said to them and Sam nodded.
"All right, let's split up."
"All right, I'll meet you two around the other side." He said and Riley nodded.
"Okay."
Sam and Riley headed off in one direction and Dean in the other.
They headed up the street, trying to look inconspicuous as they searched frantically for the Shifter.
"See him?" Sam asked and Riley shook her head.
"No, but he couldn't have gotten far." She noticed a side street that led down an alley. "I'm going that way." She said and jogged down the alley.
"Riley!" Sam hissed after her, but she was out of earshot. "Of course." He muttered.
After searching his side of the street, he went to the corner to wait for Dean and Riley.
"Hey."
He turned to see his big brother striding up to him. "Anything?" Dean asked, arms splayed out.
He shook his head. "No. He's gone."
Dean scowled. "All right, let's get back to the car."
"What about Riley?"
"I texted her to meet us at the car. She didn't find anything either."
"Right." Sam crossed the street and Dean stopped to wait for a car to pass as it did, his eyes glowed silver...
Riley jogged up the car, spying Dean leaning against the Impala.
"Hey, so I think we have a problem. He's already switched bodies."
"Oh, yeah? How'd you figure?"
"I went up the side street and found a grate, had that same sticky mess nearby. I think he got freaked we were on to him and already found a new victim."
"Smart." Dean muttered and she nodded.
"Tell me about it." She tucked her hair behind one ear and glanced around. "Where's Sam?"
"Went to check on Becky."
"Aw, man. You know I was really hoping she wouldn't find out what's going on." She said, leaning against the car next to Dean. "He seemed...happier you know? And he needed it."
"You could be happier too, you know."
"What?"
He leaned closer to her. "You could be happier too, if you just relaxed." Riley swallowed hard and nervously chuckled.
"Um, okay...Listen, I'm going to find, Sam." She pushed off the car and froze when she saw familiar boots sticking out from behind the Impala.
"Shit." She cursed and whipped around, dodging the crowbar the Shifter swung at her and tripping over the sidewalk in her haste. She yelped as the Shapeshifter grabbed a fistful of her hair.
"Too smart for your own good." It said and slammed her head down into the concrete, knocking her unconscious.
Sam groaned as he started to come back to consciousness, his head aching from the blow from the crowbar. He opened his eyes and then shut them again quickly, before trying again to open them and adjust to the lighting.
Once his head stopped spinning, he took in his surroundings. He was in a dingy, dusty room that smelt like the sewer. Pipes went overhead and behind him, running along the walls. Trying to move, he quickly realized that he was tied to a post, a rope around his neck to keep his head still and another tight around his wrists.
Footsteps caught his attention and he watched the Shifter, still disguised as his brother, carrying someone over his shoulder. The Shapeshifter blocked his view of who he had been carrying until, he spotted the blonde hair. When the thing finally moved, he could see her tied to the post like he was, only without a rope around her neck.
"Riley." He said quietly.
The Shifter cradled her face with one hand like a lover, the other brushing her hair out of her face and tucking it behind her ear tenderly. He could see the bruise and the blood on the right side of her temple and scowled.
"Get your hands off her." He snapped.
The Shapeshifter turned and went over to him, backhanding him.
Sam grunted in pain and watched "Dean" walk over to the other side of the room, rope in his hands.
"Where is he? Where's Dean?"
"I wouldn't worry about him. I'd worry about you." It said and came back by, eyeing Riley. "And her."
Sam frowned. "Where is he?"
"You don't really wanna know." It answered and then chuckled darkly. "I swear, the more I learn about you and your family—I thought I came from a bad background."
Confused, Sam frowned deeper. "What do you mean, learn?" More to his confusion, the thing grabbed it's head and grimaced in pain for several seconds before relaxing and looking back at him.
"He's sure got issues with you." It continued. "You got to go to college. He had to stay home. I mean, I had to stay home." It corrected itself with a smirk. "With Dad. You don't think I had dreams of my own? But Dad needed me. Where the hell were you?"
Sam noticed Riley was blinking behind the Shifter, looking dazed and he wanted to keep its attention from her.
"Where is my brother?" He asked again and the thing leaned closer to him.
"I'm your brother. See, deep down, I'm just jealous. You got friends. You could have a life. Me? I know I'm a freak. And sooner or later, everybody's gonna leave me." It spun around, smiling at Riley. "Even you, Blondie."
She jerked against the ropes, trying to avoid him as he moved closer to her. He started petting her hair.
"I've got a few issues with you as well, Riley. Well, more my issues than yours. I lied to you that night." She jerked, stilling her movements as she gazed up at the Shifter with a glare. "Dean" nodded at her. "Yeah, I lied and it's been haunting me ever since."
"You're a damn liar!" She spat at him. "That's not true!"
"Oh, but it is true, sugarpie." He said, crouching next to her and stroking her cheek. She tried to bite his hand and he grabbed her jaw squeezing hard and keeping her from moving her head.
"Your first kiss ruined him for other women, you know." He said softly and she glared at him. He kissed her roughly, his mouth molding to hers and she reared back her head and headbutted him.
"Shit." The Shifter cursed and rubbed his sore nose, smirking at her as it leant back, releasing her chin. "So, spunky." Riley glared at him.
"What were you talkin' about? Leaving." Sam said loudly, regaining its attention.
"You left. Hell, I did everything Dad asked me to, and he ditched me, too. No explanation, nothin', just poof." It waved its hands like Dean, was just like him and it creeped Riley out. "Left me with your sorry ass. But, still, this life? It's not without its perks." The Shifter chuckled. "I meet the nicest people. Like little Becky."
Sam glared.
"You know, Dean would bang her if he had the chance. Let's see what happens." Reaching around him, he grabbed a sheet and tossed it over Sam's head.
"I'll be back for you, baby. Dean really wants to bang you. He's got a lot of pent up lust for you."
"Shut the fuck up, you son of a bitch!" She screamed at him and he backhanded her.
"That wasn't nice. I'll be back to deal with that saucy little mouth of yours." It winked at her before tossing a sheet over her head as well.
After wiggling for about five minutes or so, the sheet fell off her head and Riley blew out a breath.
"This sucks balls." She said, looking across the room at him, and Sam was startled into a laugh. They both froze when they heard a sound from another room, someone coughing.
"That better be you, Sam, and not that freak of nature."
Sam smirked. "Yeah, it's me."
Riley could see his outline in the dark behind Sam and smiled in relief.
"He went to Rebecca's, lookin' like you." The younger Winchester said and Dean snorted.
"Well, he's not stupid. He picked the handsome one."
Riley snorted. "Yeah, that's why."
"See, Blondie agrees." Dean grunted, tugging at the ropes and Sam rolled his eyes. Both of them were almost free of their ropes and Riley was struggling with hers, unlike them, she had no leverage to get the rope moving.
"Yeah, that's the thing. He didn't just look like you, he was you. Or he was becoming you." Sam continued.
"What do you mean?" Dean asked, getting his top ropes undone and startling on the ones around his legs and ankles.
Sam frowned. "I don't know, it was like he was downloading your thoughts and memories."
"You mean, like the Vulcan mind meld?"
Riley laughed. Of course, Dean would make a Star Trek reference.
"Something like that." She added. "It stopped for a moment earlier like it was...processing."
"Yeah, maybe that's why he doesn't just kill us." Sam added. Dean rounded the corner and started untying his ropes.
"Maybe he needs to keep us alive. Psychic connection."
"Hands." Sam said, grimacing in pain and Dean moved to untie his hands first. Once he was done, he moved onto Riley who avoided looking at him at first.
Don't be stupid. She told herself. This is the real Dean, not that other thing.
He noticed she averted her eyes as soon as he got close to her and frowned slightly. He tried not to let it bother him, but it did. The Shifter must have done or said something to her, and heated anger churned in his chest. It also made him nervous, Sam said it was becoming him...what had it said to her? But suddenly her eyes were back on him and he met them slowly. She wasn't looking at him in fear so that was a relief, but her eyes were still guarded.
Dean got her loose and then grabbed her chin, making her look at him. He had seen the blood and wanted a better look, trying to ignore her stiffness at his touch.
"You all right?" He asked softly, his green eyes so full of concern as he examined the bloodied spot on her forehead.
"Y-yeah. I'm good. We gotta go. He's probably at Rebecca's already." She said quickly and took his hand to stand up. She knew Sam was looking at them, but couldn't make herself face him just then. He had to have questions about what the Shifter was talking about and was probably already connecting the dots.
Sam could see that Riley was very bothered by the shapeshifter's words, though she was doing her best to push back the pain of it's words. It made sense now, the reason she was so adamant that there was nothing between her and Dean. And why Dean was stubbornly ignoring his feelings for Riley. Something had happened that last hunt they had gone on. They had kissed, according to the Shifter, but Sam knew by looking at Riley's pained expression that it was more than that.
He watched Dean glanced at her every once and a while, a look on his face almost like guilt. Like he knew what the Shifter had said. It made him more curious.
She mentally slapped herself as she followed the boys out of the room through a crooked vent, which Sam kicked open. They had more things to worry about than something that thing had said. Even if its words to her about Dean made hope bloom in her chest. But it was a monster and monsters always lied.
"Come on. We gotta find a phone, call the police." Sam urged and Dean scowled.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. You're gonna put an APB out on me."
"Sorry." Sam shrugged with a grimace. He really hadn't thought that out. "This way." He led the way up the street.
Riley jogged ahead and saw a group of people standing near a store front. The electronics store front window had televisions on display and she went a bit closer to see what the group was watching.
"Hey, guys? I don't think we need to worry about calling the police." She said, knowing the boys would hear her as they approached her.
Every television was displaying the same news reporter.
"An anonymous tip led police to a home in the Central West End, where a S.W.A.T team discovered a local woman bound and gagged." He was staying. "Her attacker, a white male, approximately twenty-four to thirty years of age, was discovered hiding in her home." A sketch appeared on the screens and Riley heard Dean curse behind her.
"Man! That's not even a good picture."
Sam met Riley's eyes and then looked around cautiously.
"It's good enough." He said and headed for a deserted street.
Riley caught up to him.
He cleared his throat. "Riley..."
"I don't want to talk about it right now. It's not a big deal."
"Riley-"
"It was lying, okay? There's nothing more to say." She said, glancing behind her at Dean who was kicking angrily at can. "Please don't." She pulled away as Dean moved closer.
"They said attempted murder." Sam began. "At least we know-"
"I didn't kill her." He deadpanned, knowing that didn't really make him feel better.
Sam sighed. "We'll check with Rebecca in the morning, see if she's all right."
"All right, but first I wanna find that handsome devil and kick the holy crap out of him."
Riley smiled briefly. Typical Dean. Her smile faded as the Shifter's words came back to her.
"Yeah, I lied and it's been haunting me ever since. Your first kiss ruined him for other women."
She shook her head to clear it. Monsters lied and that was that. She needed to get over it.
"We have no weapons. No silver bullets." Sam pointed out, regaining her attention.
"Sam, the guy's walkin' around with my face, okay, it's a little personal, I wanna find him." His brother snapped.
"Okay. Where do we look?" Riley spoke up and he glanced at her.
"Well, we could start with the sewers."
Sam rolled his eyes. "We have no weapons. He stole our guns, we need more."
"What about the car?" The blonde suggested.
Dean smiled at her, nodding in agreement. "I'm bettin' he drove over to Rebecca's."
"The news said he fled on foot." Sam added. "I bet it's still parked there."
"The thought of him drivin' my car." He shuddered and Riley patted him sympathetically.
"All right, come on." Sam started off.
"It's killin' me."
He rolled his eyes. "Let it go." Riley laughed and Dean grumbled under his breath.
They made it to Rebecca's house and rounded the corner of the building, spotting the car.
"Oh, there she is!" Dean said with relief. "Finally, something went right tonight." As the words left his mouth, a police car can screaming into view, parking next to the car with flashing lights.
"Well, damn. Should have saw that coming." Riley griped. "They were waiting for him to come back for the car!" Another police car came flying up, parking further down the street to block them from fleeing that way.
Dean turned toward a fence behind them. "This way, this way."
Riley shook her head. "You go. Sam and I'll hold 'em off."
He scowled. "What are you talking about? They'll catch you."
"They can't hold us." She said, waving a hand dismissively.
Dean turned back to her.
"You sure-"
"I'm big girl, I can handle myself." She smirked at him. "Go and, for the love of all that is holy, stay out of the sewers by yourself, dumbass." He gave her once last look, some emotion in his eyes that she didn't know and then he was climbing up the fencing.
Confused by the look on his face, she turned around, she put on her best innocent look and held her hands up as the cops finally spotted her.
"Hiya, fellas."
They were surprised that Rebecca had allowed them to come in as easily as she did, much less let her talk. She had been angry of course, but eventually let them both in.
Now Sam was sitting in the living room, drinking a beer and chatting with Becky, waiting to hear back from Dean about finding the Shifter. Riley was in the guest bathroom, down the hallway, freshening, up.
"So, say this Shapeshifter is real. By the way, you know you're crazy?" Becky snorted and took the empty beer bottle from Sam. "But, um, say it is real. How do you stop it?"
Sam leaned back against the couch, accepting the beer that the woman was giving him.
"Thanks." He sighed and took a swig. "Silver bullet to the heart."
"You are crazy." Becky said and then Sam felt a sharp pain in the back of his head. Everything went dark as he hit the carpeted floor.
"Hey, Sam, has Dean said anything to you yet?" Riley called from the hallway. When no one responded, she stepped further out. The living room was dark, the lights off. "Uh, Sam? Becky?" Cautious, she stepped further into the darkened room. Glass crunched under her boot when she reached the couch and she frowned before reaching for the lamp. Flicking it on, she rounded the couch and froze.
"Oh, shit." She cursed and glanced around at the broken glass and blood on the carpeted floor. "Guess Becky isn't Becky."
Riley went back into the kitchen and grabbed a knife from the wooden block on the counter and went in search of Sam and "Becky".
She found Sam by the pool table, unconscious and hands tied together.
"Sam?" She tapped Sam's face gently. "Get up, Sam. We've got trouble."
He groaned, but didn't open his eyes and she lowered his head back to the floor.
"Okay. Stay here. I'll get it."
Riley stood up slowly and moved quietly toward the back of the house.
She slid through something slick on the floor of the foyer, crashing into the floor.
"Aw, gross." She shuddered. She knew what it was without looking at it, the same sticky, goopy mess that was in the sewers. It had shed again.
"Fuck." She said softly and rose to her feet, moving up the stairs as slowly as she dared. Though she had no weapon other than a knife, she couldn't very well let it roam the house. She had to catch it. She couldn't kill it without a silver bullet, but she could catch it for sure.
Riley ventured down the small hallway to the bedrooms. She slowly opened the door to one of the rooms, and then looked inside. Nothing. Heart-thudding in her chest, she swallowed her nervous fear of the Shifter and continued her search. It had to be up here, there wasn't anywhere else for it to go unless it ran away outside.
She opened the next bedroom door and the bathroom across the hallway, and again saw nothing. The last bedroom had a bathroom attached to it as well and she stepped into the dark room that had to be Becky's parents' bedroom. Holding the knife tightly in her hand, she moved.
The bathroom door was closed, and she moved toward it as a sound came from inside. Wanting the element of surprise, she kicked the door open and went inside. Nothing. The window was open and the sound she heard was the blinds rattling as the wind blew.
Maybe it went out the window...
Riley backed out of the room and then stiffened as the bedroom door shut with a sharp snap. Whipping around, she saw something in the dark, leaning against the door.
"I was hoping it was you." Dean's voice purred from the dark. Riley scowled as it locked the door.
Riley ducked back, swinging her knife at the shifter.
"C'mon, Blondie. Just relax."
"You're not Dean."
"I could be. You could pretend." It said simply, backing her up slowly. "He's too stubborn to tell you he wants you. Think of it as a freebie."
"Fuck you." She snapped and swung out with the knife again. Quick as a flash, it grabbed her wrist and twisted her around like Dean would if he were sparring with her. She planted her feet firmly to the ground and tried not to let him move her and jabbed up with her elbow, whacking the surprised Shifter in the face. She wiggled away from him and bounded for the door.
Her hand barely got the knob, when it tackled her to the ground. Riley hit the carpet with a thud and her knife flew across the room. Winded from the impact of the ground, she made to crawl toward the knife, but the Shifter climbed onto her, flipping her around. she immediately made to punch him, but he grabbed her wrists painfully tight and slammed her hands on either side of her head. She bucked and tried to get out from under him and felt panic rise up in her chest when she could get him off as he settled between her thighs.
"Dean would have banged you that night had dear old dad not interrupted." It leered down at her and Riley tried to look elsewhere. It had Dean's voice, his eyes, she couldn't look at him. "My hot little werewolf hunting cheerleader." It chuckled and the husky, sex-dripping tone of his voice made her shudder and embarrassingly warm in places. Her eyes slammed closed as it nuzzled her neck, inhaling her scent.
"Fuck you smell good." It grunted and thrust its hips into hers. It's tongue followed the path its nose had made and she grit her teeth at the obscene noise it made. "Taste good too, sugarpie. Look at me, Riles. Why won't you look at me?"
It moved both of her wrists into one hand, the other trailing down to slide under her shirt to stroke her stomach. She knew how to get out from under him then and it was going to take a lot of force on her end.
"Get off me!" She screamed as it grab her chin to force her to turn her head. The Shifter kissed her roughly, thrusting its tongue into her mouth. and Riley kneed upward quickly, getting it right between the legs and at the same time, she raised her head and whacked it in the nose. There was a crack from it's nose and the Shifter cried out in pain, releasing it's hold on her. Riley rolled and kicked the creature in the ribs, sending it falling off to the side, still clutching its now bleeding nose.
Running for the door, she unlocked it and flung it open. The Shifter grabbed her arm and jerked her arm, swinging her into the wall hard as she cried out. She groaned as she hit the wall headfirst, sliding down and shielding her head as pictures fell from the impact.
"You little bitch." It swore at her and grabbed her by the hair. Riley kicked out and it slammed her into the wall again, twisting its fingers into her hair tighter. She tried to dislodge it, but it slammed her head into the wall over and over until she didn't fight him anymore.
Sam raised his head from the floor, groaning, and heard a thud from upstairs. Disoriented for a moment, he sat up completely and then heard the sound again louder and a scream.
"Riley." He said and tried get the rope off from around his wrists. It wasn't any use however and he raised his head again when the Shifter entered the room with Riley slung over one shoulder, unconscious.
It laid her on the floor, tying her wrists together. After that, it stood back up, wiping blood from it's nose.
"That wasn't very nice, Blondie. And I'm going to enjoy playing with you some more."
Sam scowled. "Leave her alone."
The Shifter turned to him.
"I must say, I will be sorry to lose this skin. Your brother's got a lot of good qualities. You should appreciate him more than you do." He went over to a cabinet as he spoke and got out a glass and a decanter, pouring himself a drink. "Cheers." He raised his glass to him. Draining, the liquid, it set the glass back down at Riley's moan. Her head moving, but eyes not opening yet.
"Hey, Blondie. Ready for more?" He picked up a knife from the kitchen and stuck it into the edge of the pool table, moving toward her.
Sam waited until it's back was turned and then kicked out, knocking the Shifter over. Riley's eyes flew open as it landed near her and she glanced at Sam who had leapt up, using the knife in the pool table to get free. Once his hands were free, he jerked the knife out and came at the Shifter who got to his feet ready to fight.
"Oh, you son of a bitch." It cursed at him as Sam swung at him. The Shifter grabbed his arm mid-swing and twisted it, making Sam drop the knife. It slid across the floor and under the pool table.
Riley rolled onto her stomach and used her elbows and her knees to get to the knife, while Sam and the Shifter threw punches at one another.
"Not bad, little brother." It smirked at Sam who scowled.
"You're not him."
Riley grabbed the knife and starting sawing at her ropes the best she could.
She heard a large crash and glanced over, gasping. Sam had been thrown into the bookshelf and now lay under a pile of broken shelving and books.
"Even when we were kids, I always kicked your ass." The fake Dean taunted, and Riley finally got her ropes loose. She grabbed a pool cue and started to hit the Shifter, but it whirled around, grabbing the stick.
"Naughty girl wants to play." It grinned at her and used the pool stick to back her into the wall. Riley kicked it in the chest, sending it flying back and dodged the swing it made at her.
It swung again, busting one of the overhead lights and Riley rolled out of the way as it broke the stick in half on the pool table and used one end to hit her in the face.
She spat out blood and looked up as Sam attempted to get back up. The Shifter tried to stab him with one of the broken ends of the pool cue. She unsteadily got to her feet.
"Oh, no you don't!" She snapped and jumped on the Shifter's back using her arms to choke it. It stumbled back from Sam and then rammed backward into the wall, making Riley grunt in pain. It tried again, attempting to dislodge her and breathe with her arms around its neck. She felt something around the Shifter's neck and jerked it off, holding it tightly in her fist.
Using its strength, it pried her arms loose and jerked her upward, sending her flying over it's head and over the couch onto the coffee table, busting it. Glass and wood went everywhere, and she moaned as new bruises and cuts made themselves known.
She barely registered the Shifter taking her legs and rolling her into her back.
"Want to have more fun?" It leered down at her, taking her legs and getting between them. She managed to bite the hand that caressed her face.
"You little bitch!" It cursed and wrapped its hands around her throat. Riley kicked her legs out, gasping for air, her hands coming up to try and pry his hands off her. Her vision darkened as the Shifter squeezed harder, and her eyes rolled back in her head. She felt hands on her waist, but couldn't fight to stay awake as she passed out.
"Hey!" A familiar voice yelled and the Shifter turned, getting off of Riley. Sam lifted his head from the ground, watching as the real Dean rounded the couch, gun raised. Without another word, he shot the imposter in the chest twice. The thing fell to the ground, dead.
"Sam!" Rebecca ran into the room and straight to him and he smiled at her.
Dean knelt near Riley, cradling her head gently in his hands.
"Riles, hey, you with me?" He asked softly, taking her in battered appearance and the ring of bruises appearing around her neck. "God...Blondie..."
"Do I look that horrible?" She croaked and he snorted, his face softening as her eyes fluttered open to look at him or at least one of her eyes, the other had a swelling bruise underneath it.
"No...I'm just sorry I got here so late." There was something else he clearly wanted to say, but didn't and she blinked when he instead, helped her to her feet without looking at her again.
She frowned a little, confused and started to say speak, but Sam was pulling her into a hug.
"Riley!"
"I'm fine, Sammy." She said, patting him with a smile. "I'm okay. Are you?"
He smiled. "Yeah."
She pulled away from him as Becky came back and watched Dean looking at the Shifter. She remembered then, the item in her hand and glanced down at it.
"Hey, Dean."
He glanced back at her and caught what she tossed to him.
"Think you're missing something."
He looked down at the amulet in his hands and back up with a grateful smile.
"Thanks, Blondie." He said sincerely, a warmth in his gaze that made her suddenly nervous.
Ignoring the feeling, she turned to Rebecca. "You gotta any ice?"
"I'm fine, Sam." Riley said, wiping at her face. He had come to check on her after she had disappeared upstairs in the middle of the night.
Rebecca had let them sleep over, getting the full story from them and now understanding what had happened. They had spent most of the night discussing what to do about her brother.
"Your nose was bleeding." He countered and tilted her head back to look at her closer. His eyes widened in surprise when she pushed his hand away from her.
"Seriously, it's nothing. Happens." She shrugged at him, flipping her still shower damp hair over one shoulder.
"Happens when?" He frowned. "I've never seen your nose bleed like that before, Riley. Are you sure that the Shifter didn't hurt your head? i mean, internally?"
She pushed past him or tried too, but he blocked her. "Riley." He said sternly.
She sighed and shook her head. He'd never let it go and she might as well tell him before Dean came looking for them.
"My nose bleeds sometimes, okay? I just hide it. I get these intense headaches and my nose bleeds."
"A couple of weeks ago when you stayed in the motel room instead of coming with us..." He said, connecting the dots about the Bloody Mary case.
"Yeah." She nodded. "I felt it coming."
Sam frowned. "How long has that been happening?"
"For the past year or so." She murmured. "It comes and goes."
She started for the bathroom door and Sam murmured:
"About the Shifter..."
"Don't." She said firmly. "I don't want to talk about it."
"I started thinking back to what you, Dean, and Dad had been hunting that night. Now I remember."
She swallowed hard, still not ready to turn around. Sam realized she wasn't going to talk, but she didn't try to leave either.
"It was an incubus, right?"
"I know what you're going to say." She whispered. "That it made us feel that way."
"That's the thing though." He said just as quietly. "It makes your feelings stronger, it doesn't give them to you. You already felt that way for Dean, didn't you?"
Tears rolled down her cheeks and she couldn't stop them.
"So, what happened?" He asked. "You came back so different." He put his hands on her shoulders, turning her around gently and seeing her tears. "Riley, talk to me. Please."
"What do you want me to say?" She asked, desperately hoping he'd leave it alone. But it was Sam.
"What happened to you, Riley?"
"I got my heart broken, Sam, because I fell in love with your brother!"
He froze, shocked at her outburst.
Riley sucked in a shaky breath, running a hand through her damp hair. "I have been in love with him for a very long time. That's why Eli thought I was cheating on him, because no matter how much I wanted to love him wholly, I couldn't." She paused, looking guiltily at the floor. "So, when it turned out that I wasn't as in love as he thought I was...he cheated on me and I used that as the excuse I needed to get out of the wedding. I was lying to him, Sam, and he knew it."
"Riley..."
"That last case we were on. I already felt that way for Dean. John stepped in when the incubus took us and took care of it before anything happened and sent Dean and I went outside for air. Then I told him I loved him, Sam. I poured my soul out to him, because he had stolen my heart but... then he crushed it." She whispered, hugging her arms tightly. "He said so many truthfully cruel things, and each word was like a knife in my heart. I promised myself to never love anyone like that again. Because he didn't love me as much as I loved him."
Tears still streamed down her cheeks and she turned to Sam. "So, you see? I love him, Sam, but I shouldn't." He engulfed her in a hug, rubbing her back gently.
"Hey, it's okay."
"What that Shapeshifter said...Riley, it was in Dean's head."
"No, Sam." She said sharply and pushed away, frowning at him. "Please don't say it."
"Why not? It wasn't lying Riley. At least not entirely."
"I was fifteen and stupid. And I don't even know why I'm crying about it." She scowled, rubbing at her eyes irritably and trying to get around Sam. "Move it, Samwise."
"Would you just stop for a second? That's what's been wrong with the two of you. You're both stubborn as hell."
"What are you talking about?" She frowned.
He shrugged. Dean was going to have to tell her the truth. Even if she didn't believe it.
"Just talk to Dean." He said and left the bathroom, leaving Riley to scowl after him.
Dean glanced up when Riley when she brushed against his arm. He had been looking over the map, planning their next route.
"How're you feelin', Blondie?"
"Like I fought a Shifter with your face." She smirked and he rolled his eyes.
"Yeah."
"But seriously, I'll be okay." She glanced at the map. "Where we're headed?"
"Dunno yet. Probably get back to where we were heading a few days ago."
She nodded and glanced back over her shoulder at Sam who was talking to Becky.
"I really wish she hadn't had to know about all this. Sam seems happier." She commented and Dean followed her gaze.
"Yeah, I know. I never wanted this for him either." He glanced back at her. "Or you."
She snorted. "You know I would have come with you guys anyway. Still would have learned." She told him, leaning her hip against the car. Her face looked less swollen this morning, though her left eye still looked bad.
Dean snorted back. "Right. You were a bossy kid."
She stuck her tongue out at him and he smirked.
Sam came towards them and they turned, to see Rebecca waving at them. They waved back and she went inside.
"So, what about your friend, Zach?" Dean asked as his brother neared.
Sam smirked. "Cops are blamin' this Dean Winchester guy for Emily's murder. They found the murder weapon in the guy's lair, Zach's clothes stained with her blood. Now they're thinking maybe the surveillance tape was tampered with. Yeah, Becca says Zach will be released soon."
Riley smirked as Dean rolled his eyes.
"Get in the car." He scowled at her and Sam.
Riley glanced out the window, watching the scenery pass by.
"Sorry, man." Dean said and she turned her head.
Sam raised an eyebrow. "About what?"
"I really wish things could be different, you know? I wish you could just be….Joe College.
"No, that's okay. You know, the truth is, even at Stanford, deep down, I never really fit in." He admitted.
"Well, that's 'cause you're a freak." Dean retorted and Sam snorted.
"Yeah, thanks."
"Well, I'm a freak, too. And so is Riley."
She shrugged. "Yeah, freaks stick together."
He laughed and Sam shook his head, grinning.
"We're right there with ya, all the way."
"Yeah, I know you are." His brother said softly, appreciating the words.
"You know, I gotta say—I'm sorry I'm gonna miss it."
"Miss what?" Riley asked.
"How many chances am I gonna have to see my own funeral?" He smirked at his brother and she snorted.
"Let's not make it a habit."
Stubborn aren't they? lol Review?