Third Person POV
The POV pans over an old painting of an historical family and then back to reveal a young couple in formal attire in their lounge room.
The man is adjusting the frame. "Okay, right about there." the man says.
The woman is giggling. "I can't believe we actually bought this thing." she tells her husband.
"There's a reason charity auctions have an open bar." her husband tells her.
They stare at it for a moment.
"Don't you think...I don't know, it's kinda creepy?" she asks her husband.
Her husband is fondling her back and pulling down the zip of her dress. "It's okay, I'll keep you safe." he says.
"Maybe you're the one I oughta be scared of?" she tells her husband. They kiss.
"Let's go upstairs." she tell him.
"Give me two minutes to lock up." he tells her.
She kisses him lingeringly.
"Give me one minute." he tells her.
He pinches her behind, she squeals and runs upstairs. The eyes of the father in the painting follow her, then his head turns to watch the man lock up. The man looks around as if he hears a noise, then continues to key the security code in.
Point of View changes to show someone moving slowly up the stairs.
"If you don't hurry up, I'm gonna start without you!" the wife says from upstairs.
A shadow appears in the bedroom doorway, she smiles. A gust of wind blows out her bedside candle.
The man moves up the stairs, undoing his trousers. He enters the darkened room.
"Babe, get the lights. I can't see a thing." the husband tells her.
He throws his shirt aside and kneels on the bed. There is a squishing noise.
"You spill something?" he asks his wife.
He leans to turn on the bedside lamp. His hand is dripping with blood.
"Ann?" the man calls out.
She is lying on the bed covered in blood, eyes open and staring.
"Ann? ANN!" the man shouts.
He falls backwards onto the floor, freaking out. A shadow appears over him. He turns to look and begins screaming.
Rhiannon POV
June 21, 2006
It was a nice normal day, when mom suddenly puts Gwen, Altair and Gryphon in my arms and tells me to teleport to daddy.
"I'm not leaving you!" I tell mommy. Suddenly, something evil comes in the house, and uses his powers to put momma on the ceiling, and cut her stomach, and soon starting a fire. I teleported to Daddy with Gwen, Altair and Gryphon, scared.
Inside, Bar
Raziel POV
Dean and a young woman lean close together at the bar.
"Seven, Four, Two Zero." the woman tells him.
Dean is keying the number into his phone. "Seven, Four, Two, Zero. All right, you're in there. Perfect. So, is that Brandy with a 'y' or an 'i'?" Dean asks her.
Sam sits at a table strewn with papers. He gestures to Dean, who gives him a 'wait' gesture as he laughs at something the woman whispers. Sam gestures again and Dean's smile drops.
"All right, listen, I gotta go. Hold that thought, I'll be right back, okay?" Dean tells the bimbo.
He approaches Sam, holding two beers.
"All right, I think we got something." Sam tells him.
Dean glances back at the bar. "Oh yeah, me too. I think we need to take a little shore leave, just a little bit. What do you think, huh? I'm so in the door with this one." Dean tells us.
"Great, our dad's a pig." a voice says. I turn to look and see a teen retreating with a little girl.
I follow them and catch them and take them to their dad's motel room and plan to come back, but I am called by Harry at another bar as he was tracking a demon.
Sam POV
"So, what are we today, Dean? I mean, are we rock stars, are we army rangers?" I ask Dean.
Dean grins. "Reality TV scouts, looking for people with special skills. I mean hey, it's not that far off, right? By the way, she's got a friend over there. Possibly hook you up. What do you think?" Dean asks me.
"Dean, no thanks, I can get my own dates." I tell Dean.
"Yeah, you can but you don't." Dean tells me.
"What is that supposed to mean?" I ask him.
"Nothing. What have you got?" De asks me.
"Mark and Ann Telesca of New Paltz, New York were both found dead in their own home, a few days ago. Throats were slit. There were no prints, no murder weapons, all..." I start telling Dean.
Dean is distracted, continuing to check out women in the bar.
"Dean!... No prints, no murder weapons, all doors and window locked from the inside." I tell Dean.
Dean is drinking his beer. "Could just be a garden variety murder you know, not our department." Dean tells me.
"No. Dad says different." I tell Dean.
"What do you mean?" Dean asks me.
I point at the map. "Dad noted three murders in the same area of upstate New York. First one here in 1912, second one right here in 1945, and the third in 1970, the same M.O. as the Telescas. Their throats were slit, doors were locked from the inside. Now so much time had passed between murders that nobody checked the pattern, except Dad. He kept his eyes peeled for another one." I tell Dean.
"And now we got one. All right, I'm with ya. It's worth checking out. We can't pick this up til first thing though, right?" Dean asks me.
"Yeah." I tell him.
Dean heads back to the bar. "Good." Dean tells me.
"Dean..." I start to say, growling.
"Ladies...did you miss me?" Dean asks the woman.
"Well yeah." Brandy tells Dean.
"I'm just kidding. Listen, I talked to my producer, and it is looking good." Dean tells her.
"Great. Cool." she says.
I snigger.
Outside, Street, Early Morning
Raziel (Raguel) POV
June 22, 2006
Dean sleeps slouched in the passenger seat of the Impala, sunglasses on. Sam walks around the car, leans in and honks the horn. Dean jumps a foot. Sam sits in the driver's seat, laughing.
Dean is adjusting his sunglasses and mumbling. "Man, that is so not cool." Dean tells Sam
"I just swept the Telescas with EMF. It's clean. And last night, while you were...well...out..." Sam starts to say.
Dean smirks. "Good times." Dean says.
"Where have you been!" I yell at them, Rhiannon Bronwyn Winchester (Dove Cameron with emerald, green eyes) and Gwendolyn Brenda Winchester (Sarah Jeffrey with blue eyes).
"Checking history for me." Sam tells me.
"Well, since there's three kids here..." Dean tells me.
"Dean, meet Rhiannon, your twelve-year-old daughter, and Gwendolyn, your five-year-old daughter, and Gryphon Nehemiah Winchester and Altair Cynfael Winchester, your newborn sons." I tell Dean.
"What are you talking about?" Dean asks me.
Rhiannon gives him a locket, holding a photo of him twice one of him as a teen and a teen female (Cote de Pablo), who we find out from Dean that her name is Liliwen Iona Mordecai and a grown Dean and Lili.
"Oh... Um... Welcome to the family I guess?" Dean says while inwardly he's screaming why are they here? Yes, he knows of them, and he has days where they visit, but it wasn't supposed to be until December!
"Dean? Didn't dad tell you to be careful and look where we are. With a 12, 5, and 2 as they are twins, two-year-old daughters and two newborns!" Sam rants at Dean
"Anyway, I checked the history of the house. Nothing strange about the Telescas." Sam tells us, angry.
"All right, so if it's not the people and it's not the house, then maybe it's the contents. Cursed object or something." Dean tells Sam.
"The house is clean." Sam tells De.
"Yeah, I know, you said that." Dean tells Sam.
"No, I mean it's empty. No furniture, nothing." Sam tells us as Harry comes at that moment, seeing the kids, then looking at Dean.
"Where's all their stuff?" Dean asks, ignoring him, talking about both his kids' stuff and the couple's stuff.
Outside, Day, Car Park
Third Person POV
The POV pans across a line of expensive cars, including one with the number plate "The Krip" and ending on a dust covered Impala. It pans up to show upper class people mingling. Classical violin music plays.
Inside, Auction House
Rhiannon POV
June 23, 2006
Uncle Sam, Uncle Harry, Uncle Razzie, and Daddy wander around, looking out of place in their casual, rough clothing. Daddy takes finger food from a tray. One man especially watches them pass then excuses himself from his companion and moves toward them.
"Consignment auctions, estate sales. Looks like a garage sale for Wasps if you ask me." Daddy tells the others; I roll my eyes. Daddy takes more food from a tray on a table as the man moves up behind them.
"Can I help you gentlemen?" the man asks.
Daddy looks him up and down and then puts more food in his mouth. Daddy puts on a posh voice. "I'd like some champagne please." Daddy tells the man.
"He's not a waiter." Uncle Sam tells Daddy sharply.
Daddy cocks an eyebrow. Uncle Sam holds out his hand to the man.
"I'm Sam Connors." Uncle Sam tells the man.
The man just looks at him, not moving. Uncle Sam moves the hand he's holding out to point at Daddy, Uncle Harry, and Uncle Razzie.
"That's my brother Dean and our friends, Harry, and Razzie. We're art dealers, with Connors Limited." Uncle Sam tells the man.
"You. Are...art dealers." the man says, not believing us.
That's right." Uncle Sam tells the man.
"I'm Daniel Blake, this is my auction house. Now gentlemen this is a private showing, and I don't remember seeing you on the guest list." Danny tells us.
"We're there, chuckles. You just need to take another look." Daddy tells Mr. Blake, holding Gryphon.
A waiter goes past with drinks on a tray.
Daddy swipes a glass. "Oh. Finally." Daddy says. Daddy turns back to Mr. Blake, sniffs the glass, raises his eyebrows then turns and walks away. Uncle Sam hastily follows, shooting Daddy dirty looks while holding Altair.
"Cheers." Uncle Sam tells Mr. Blake.
Uncle Sam, Uncle Razzie, Uncle Harry and Daddy check out the items for auction and are drawn to the painting of the family.
"A fine example of American Primitive wouldn't you say?" a woman asks the adults.
Uncle Sam, Uncle Harry, Uncle Razzie and Daddy turn to see a sleek, classy, extremely good-looking young woman in a black dress coming down a spiral staircase. They both stare at her as she turns her back while taking the final part of the stairs. Uncle Sam turns back to look at the painting again and Daddy, ogling, slaps Uncle Sam on the back and continues staring.
"Well, I'd say it's more Grant Wood than Grandma Moses. But you knew that, you just wanted to see if I did." Uncle Sam tells the woman, flirting.
"Guilty. And clumsy. I apologize. I'm Sarah Blake." Sarah tells Sam.
"I'm Sam. This is my...brother, Dean." Unca Sam tells Sarah.
Daddy continues to stuff his face from passing trays.
"Dean. Can we get you some more mini quiche?" Sarah asks Daddy, I giggle at that.
Daddy is chewing the food. "I'm good, thanks." Daddy says to Sarah.
"So, can I help you with something?" Miss Sarah asks Uncle Sam.
"Yeah, actually. What can you tell us about the Telesca estate?" Uncle Sam asks Miss Sarah.
"The whole thing's pretty grisly if you ask me, selling your things this soon. But Dad's right about one thing, sensationalism brings out the crowds. Even the rich ones." Miss. Sarah tells Uncle Sam.
"Is it possible to see the provenances?" Uncle Sam asks Miss Sarah.
Mr. Blake comes up behind us. "I'm afraid there isn't any chance of that." Mr. Blake tells us.
"Why not?" Uncle Sam asks him.
"You're not on the guest list. And I think it's time to leave." Mr. Blake tells us; well, our dad and uncles weren't.
Daddy puts on his posh voice again. 'Well, we don't have to be told twice." Daddy tells Blake.
"Apparently, you do." Mr. Blake tells them.
"Okay. It's all right. We don't want any trouble. We'll go." Unca Sam tells Mr. Blake.
Daddy raises his eyebrows and walks off. Unca Sam and Miss Sarah exchange a long look before he follows.
"Dad that was just rude." Miss Sarah tells Mr. Blake.
"Mr. Blake? Do you have any of the Mordecai stuff? Liliwen's stuff?" I ask Mr. Blake.
"Why do you ask?" Mr. Blake asks me.
"I am her 12-year-old daughter, Rhiannon, this is my 5-year-old sister Gwendolyn. Our mother left us the ability to get three things each from the jewelry collection." I tell him.
"Ah, you don't know, do you?" Mr. Blake asks me.
"Know what? She would usually have daddy take us some days, but I thought she had a certain glint in her eyes." I tell the man.
He just takes us where we can claim three jewelry pieces, I choose to give mother's Amethyst and White Sapphire Halo Oval Pendant to Gwen, as well as her Oval Lab-Created Emerald Sunburst Frame Ring in pure gold and her 14K Yellow Gold-Filled Diamond 20mm Heart Locket Pendant Necklace, w/18-Inch Chain while I take her vintage locket red rose gold heart, her Amethyst and Enhanced Black and White Diamond Accent Butterfly Pendant in Sterling Silver with 14K Rose Gold Plate and her "Forever Yours" Women's Ruby Pendant Necklace she got from daddy.
We never notice the eight journals he put in until we get to the hotel as we run back to the waiting car.
Outside, Motel
Sam POV
Raziel, Harry, Gwen, Dean holding Gryphon, Rhi is holding Altair, and I approach a room.
"Grant Wood, Grandma Moses?" Dean asks me.
"Art history course. It's good for meeting girls." I tell Dean.
Dean unlocks the door. "It's like I don't even know you." Dean tells me.
We enter the room; the Pov stays on the back of the door as it closes. The do not disturb door hanger is a silver outline of John Travolta from Saturday Night Fever. Disco music accompanies the Pov as it pans across a totally over the top retro 70s disco fantasy room. We all look from one side of the room to the other and pause.
"Huh." Dean, Harry, Razzie, and I say together.
We move into the room, dumping our bags.
"What was...providence?" Dean asks and Rhiannon face palms.
"Prov-e-nance. It's a certificate of origin, like a biography. You know we can use them to check the history of the pieces, see if any of them have a freaky past." I tell Dean.
"Huh. Well, we're not getting anything out of chuckles, but Sarah..." Dean starts to say.
Dean snaps his fingers at me, smirking.
I smirk back. "Yeah, maybe you can get her to write it all down on a cocktail napkin." I tell Dean.
Dean laughs. "Not me." Dean tells me.
"No no no, pickups are your thing Dean." I tell Dean.
"It wasn't my butt she was checking out." Dean tells me.
We exchange a look.
"In other words, you want me to use her to get information." I tell Dean.
"Sometimes you gotta take one for the team. Call her." Dean tells me.
"Hey, what's wrong with you?" Dean asks Rhi, staring at her oddly from across the motel room where she's curled up on my bed nibbling at the Hershey Kisses, she somehow always has a stash of he can never find.
"Dude!" I hiss, recognizing the signs Dean is oblivious to.
She glares at him, though he honestly sees it as more of a toddler's-tired pout with how drawn her face is. "Biology, idjit," she mutters, rolling over to turn her back to us guys.
Dean turns to me. "What the hell is wrong with her?" he asks, seeing as I seem to be quite happy to have fully escaped that brief interaction with her.
I twitch nervously at being addressed. "Oh... um, she... just doesn't feel good right now. It'll pass in a few days," I try to answer evasively.
"Sam, answer me or I'll get the answer out of her," Dean warns.
Rhi huffs, rolling back over to look at us again. "Fine! I got my period, and my gut is cramping, my back is killing me, my head is throbbing, and I don't know if I'm hungry or want to throw up on top of bleeding like I've been gutted by a werewolf! So just leave me alone!"
I get up to lay down behind her, pulling her close to wrap myself fully and tightly around her. "Hey, easy, kiddo," I whisper, tucking her head under my chin to slowly massage her back. Just as it had once worked for Jess, it works for Rhi and she almost instantly relaxes.
Inside, Upmarket Restaurant, Later
Sarah and I sit at a table.
"Nice place." I tell Sarah.
"Yeah." Sarah says.
There is a long awkward pause.
"Glad you called. Surprised, but glad." Sarah tells me.
"Yeah?" I ask her.
"Although you seemed to have a hard time getting out the words "Would you like to have dinner"." Sarah tells me.
"Ahh...yeah. I haven't really been on a date in a while." I tell her.
"Welcome to the club." Sarah tells me.
"You're kidding me." I say, surprised.
"Here we are. The wine list." the waiter says, interrupting us.
I look totally uncomfortable, flipping the pages randomly.
"I don't know about Romeo here, but I'll have a beer." Sarah tells the waiter.
"And you?" the waiter asks me.
"Make that two." I tell the waiter, smiling.
Later
"So, you studied art in school huh?" I ask Sarah.
"It's true. I was an artist. A terrible, terrible artist. And that's why I'm in the auction business. And you were pre-law?" Sarah asks me.
"Yeah." I tell her.
"But you didn't go to law school. How come?" Sarah asks me.
"Ahh, that's a really, really long story for another time." I tell her.
"You're not like any art dealer I've ever met." Sarah tells me.
We exchange another long look.
"So, what did you mean when you said you haven't been on a date in a while. Trying to make me feel like I'm not such a loser?" I ask Sarah.
"I'm sure you're many things Sam. I'm also sure loser isn't one of them." Sarah tells me.
More long looks are exchanged.
"It was my mom. She died about a year ago. Totally unexpected. It really threw me. I went into this shell. A nice warm safe shell. But lately I've been thinking. It's not what she would have wanted for me. So..." Sarah tells me slowly.
More long looks are exchanged.
"So, what about you? You're a reasonably attractive guy." Sarah asks me.
I laugh, embarrassed. "Reasonably?" I ask her.
"Why haven't you been out and about?" Sarah asks me.
I think, look at her, lose my smile, and think some more.
Sarah watches me. "Another long story for another time." She says.
I nod slowly.
Inside, Motel Room
Gwen Winchester POV
Daddy is sharpening his blade on a rock; Uncle Sam is looking through some papers.
"So, she just handed the providences over to you?" Daddy asks Unca Sammy.
"Provenances." Sam says.
"Provenances?" Daddy asks, halt-in-gly
"Yes. We went back to her place; I got a copy of the papers..." Unca Sam starts to say, Rhi covers my ears, "Just in case." she says.
"And?" I read daddy's mouth.
"And nothing. That's it. I left." Unca Sam says, or so I see by reading his mouth.
"You didn't have to con her or do any...special favors or anything like that?" I hear daddy say after getting Rhi's hands off my ears.
"Dean, would you get your mind out of the gutter, please?" Unca Sammy tells Daddy.
Daddy laughs. "You know when this whole thing's done, we could stick around for a little bit." Daddy tellls Unca Sam.
"Why?" Sammy asks.
"So you could take her out again. It's obvious you're into her, even I could see that." Daddy tells Unca Sam.
"Hey, I think I've got something here." Unca Sam tells Daddy.
Daddy goes over, Uncle Sam hands him the papers.
"Portrait of Isaiah Merchant's family, painted 1910." Daddy reads.
"Now compare the names of the owners with Dad's journal." Unca Sam tells Daddy.
Daddy checks against the journal. "First purchased in 1912, Peter Simms. Peter Simms murdered 1912. Same thing in 1945. Oh, same thing in 1970." Daddy says.
"Then stored, until it was donated to a charity auction last month. Where the Telescas bought it. So, what do you think, it's haunted? or cursed?" Unca Sam asks Daddy.
Daddy gets up. "Either way, it's toast." Daddy tells Unca Sam.
Outside, Auction House, Night
Dean POV
Heavy rock music plays as I leap and easily scale the meters high metal gates and sprint into the mist.
"Come on!" I tell Sam.
Sam follows. Sam, wearing gloves, disarms the security alarm.
"Go ahead." Sam tells me.
I, also with gloves, pick the lock.
We shine our flashlights around inside, quickly searching for the painting. I spy it upstairs and we sprint up the spiral staircase. Holding my flashlight in my mouth, I flick my switchblade and cut the painting from its frame. We're in and out within a couple of minutes. The whole scene screams expertise and many years of breaking and entering.
Outside, Dirt Road
The painting lies in the dirt, Sam holding the flashlight as I ready the matches.
"Ugly ass thing. If you ask me, we're doing the art world a favor." I tell Sammy.
I drop the match, and the painting ignites.
As it burns the POV switches back to the auction house and we see the painting reforming in the frame.
Inside, Motel Room
Sam POV
Dean rushes in from the bathroom. "We got a problem - I can't find my wallet." Dean tells me.
I am packing my duffel. "How is that my problem?" I ask Dean, Rhi looks up and Harry and Razzie drag her and Gwen shopping, to keep them innocent in any plot of Dean's apparently. Plus, Gryphon needs baby things.
"'Cause I think I dropped it in the warehouse last night." Dean tells me.
"You're kidding, right?" I ask Dean, horrified.
"No. It's got my prints, my ID, well my fake ID anyway. We gotta get it before someone else finds it. Come on." Dean tells me.
Inside, Auction House
Dean and I hurry around, looking everywhere.
"How do you lose your wallet, Dean?" I ask Dean, frustrated.
Dean throws his hands in the air and keeps looking.
Sarah walks in and sees us.
"Hey guys!" Sarah tells us, smiling.
We both spin around, then try and act cool.
"Sarah! Hey." I tell Sarah.
"What are you doing here?" Sarah asks me.
"Ahh, we... we are leaving town and, you know, we came to say goodbye." I tell Sarah.
"What are you talking about Sam, we're sticking around for at least another day or two." Dean says, strolling over.
I look at Dean, confused.
Dean gets his wallet out of his pocket and looking meaningfully at Sam. "Oh, Sam. By the way. I'm gonna go ahead and give you that $20 I owe you." Dean tells me. "I always forget, you know." Dean tells Sarah.
I look at him, disbelieving.
Dean holds out the cash, smiling. "There you go." Dean tells me.
I snatch the cash from Dean, glaring at him.
"Well, I'll leave you two crazy kids alone, I gotta go do something...somewhere." Dean tells us.
Dean leaves quickly.
"So..." I say awkwardly.
"I had a good time last night." Sarah tells me.
"Yeah, yeah. I did too." I tell her.
"Maybe we should do it again sometime." Sarah tells me.
"You know. I'd love to, I really would, but Dean, he was just screwing around. We really are taking off today." I tell Sarah.
"Oh. Oh. Ah that's too bad." Sarah tells me.
I see the painting being carried past. "OH MY GOD!" I can't help but shout. We burned it!
Sarah Jumps and turns to look. "What?" Sarah asks me.
"The...that painting...looks so good!" I tell her, covering up my slip.
"If you can call that monstrosity good, then...yeah, I guess." Sarah tells me.
"So... what do you know about that painting?" I ask Sarah.
"Not much - just that it creeps me out. We sold it to the Telescas at a charity auction the night they were murdered." she tells me.
"Yeah, and now you're just going to sell it again?" I ask, raising my voice.
"As much as my dad wants to, no, I won't let him. I think it'd be in bad taste." Sarah tells me.
"Good. Yeah. You know what? Don't. Don't. Make sure you don't, okay?" I ask her.
"Why? Don't tell me you're interested in that?" she asks me.
I get flustered and back up. "No. No, God, no. Not in buying it, no. You know what, I gotta go, I gotta take care of something. But umm, I will call you back...I will call you; I'll see you later." I tell her.
"Wait, so you're...not leaving tonight?" Sarah asks me.
"No-o-o, I guess not. I'll see ya." I tell her.
Sarah looks after me, confused. "O... kay." Sarah tells me.
Inside the Impala
"I don't understand, Dean, we burned the damn thing." I tell Dean.
"Yeah, thank you Captain Obvious. All right, we just need to figure out another way to get rid of it. Any ideas?" Dean asks me.
"Okay, all right. Well, um, in almost all the lore about haunted paintings it's always the painting's subject that haunts 'em." I tell Dean.
"Yeah. So, we just need to figure out everything there is to know about that creepy-ass family and that creepy-ass painting. What were their names again?" Dean asks me.
Inside, Secondhand Book Shop
"You said the Isaiah Merchant family, right?" the proprietor asks us.
"Yeah, that's right." I tell him.
Dean approaches, smiling and flicking through an old book with pictures of guns.
The proprietor lays a huge book of newspaper clippings on the table. "I dug up every scrap of local history I could find. So, are you boys crime buffs?" he asks us.
"Kinda. Yeah. Why do you ask?" Dean asks him.
"Well..." the proprietor starts to say. He holds up a newspaper article. The lead story on the front page is "New Titanic Sinks, 1304 People Go to Watery Graves: Only 866 saved from 2,170 Aboard Liner Which Collides with Iceberg. Disaster Proves to Be the Greatest in Marine History of the World."
He points at a side article. It reads 'Father Slaughters Family, Kills Himself'.
"Yes. Yeah, that sounds about right." Dean tells the guy.
"The whole family was killed?" I ask him.
"It seems this Isaiah, he slits his kids' throats, then his wife, then himself. Now he was a barber by trade. Used a straight razor." the proprietor says.
"Why'd he do it?" I ask him.
"Let's look. Ahh..." he begins to read. "People who knew him describe Isaiah as having a stern and harsh temperament. Controlled his family with an iron fist. Wife, uh, two sons, adopted daughter..." he reads. He skims on...
"Yeah, yeah, yeah..."There were whispers that the wife was gonna take the kids and leave." Which of course you know in that day and age, um ...so instead, old man Isaiah...well he gave them all a shave." the proprietor says.
He draws his hand across his throat with appropriate noises, laughing. Dean joins in but stops when I give him a bitchface.
"Does it say what happened to the bodies?" Dean asks the guy.
"Just that they were all cremated." the proprietor says.
"Anything else?" I ask.
"Yeah. Actually, I found a picture of the family. It's right here... somewhere. Right - here it is." the proprietor says.
It's the picture of the painting.
"Hey, could we get a copy of this please?" I ask him.
"Sure." the guy tells us.
Inside, Auction House
Sarah POV
Dad watches as the painting is packed into a moving crate.
I approach. "Dad! You promised you wouldn't sell that painting." I yell at dad.
"I know sweetie, but Evelyn's offered a persuasive amount of money." Dad tells me.
"You're shameless, you know that?" I tell dad.
Dad smiles at me. "For that sort of money, I can afford to be." Dad tells me.
Inside, Motel Room
Rhiannon POV
Uncle Sam and Dad sit at the table while I tend to the babies. Bobby has sent the others since I guess he thinks I can handle all of them.
"I'm telling you man, I'm sure of it. The painting at the auction house, Dad is looking down. Painting here, Dad's looking out. The painting has changed, Dean." Uncle Sam tells Dad as I feed Cathy.
"All right, so you think that Daddy dearest is trapped in the painting and is handing out Columbian neckties like he did with his family?" Daddy asks, Harry is changing Joan.
"Well yeah, it seems like it. But if his bones are already dusted then how are we gonna stop him?" Uncle Sam asks Daddy.
"All right, well, if Isaiah's position changed then maybe some other things in the painting changed as well. You know it could give us some clues." Daddy tells Unca Sam, Razzie burping Vicky.
"What, like a Da Vinci Code deal?" Unca Sam asks.
Dad gives Uncle Sam a totally blank look. "I don't...know. uhh...I'm still waiting for the movie on that one. Anyway, we gotta get back in and see that painting." Dad tells Uncle Sam.
Dad rises and moves across to the bed, throwing himself onto his back and crossing his arms.
"Which is a good thing cause you can get some more time to crush on your girlfriend." Dad tells Uncle Sam.
"Dude. Enough already." Unca Sam says.
"What?" Dad asks Sam.
"What? Ever since we got here, you been trying to pimp me out to Sarah. Just back off, all right?" Unca Sam tells dad.
"Well, you like her, don't you?" dad asks Uncle Sam.
Uncle Sam raises his arms and eyes to the ceiling.
"All right, you like her, she likes you, you're both consenting adults..." Dady tells Uncle Sam.
"What's the point, Dean? We'll just leave. We always leave." Uncle Sam says in a frustrated, rising voice.
"Well, I'm not talking about marriage, Sam." Daddy tells Sam.
"You know, I don't get it. What do you care if I hook up?" Uncle Sam asks, agitated.
"Cause then maybe you wouldn't be so cranky all the time." Daddy tells Uncle Sam, calmly.
Uncle Sam stares at him, then huffs out a breath and looks away.
Dad is sitting up on the bed. "You know, seriously Sam, this isn't about just hooking up, okay? I mean, I, I think that this Sarah girl could be good for you." Dad tells Uncle Sam.
Uncle Sam sighs and scratches his head. Dad watches closely.
"And... I don't mean any disrespect but I'm sure this is about Jessica, right? Now I don't know what it's like to lose somebody like that... but... I would think that she would want you to be happy." Dad says softly.
Uncle Sam is quiet and listening now, tears in his eyes.
"God forbid have fun once in a while. Wouldn't she?" Dad tells Uncle Sam.
"Yeah, I know she would." Uncle Sam says, softly. Uncle Sam gives a half smile, then sighs heavily.
"Yeah, you're right. Part of this is about Jessica. But not the main part." Uncle Sam tells Dad.
"What's it about?" Daddy asks Uncle Sam.
Sam refuses to answer.
"Yeah, all right." Dad says. He lies back again and crosses his arms. "Well, we still gotta see that painting, which means you still gotta call Sarah, so..." Dad tells Sam.
Sam picks up the phone, clearing his throat. Dad shakes his head and closes his eyes, settling in.
"Sarah, hey, it's Sam." Sam says awkwardly. "Hey, hi." Sam says after a pause. "Good. Good, yeah. Umm. What about you?" Sam says after a pause.
Dad opens one eye slightly, watching Uncle Sam.
"Yeah good, good, really good." Sam says, repeating himself.
Dad whispers across the room. "Smooth..." Dad tells Uncle Sam.
"So, ah, so listen. Me and my brother, were...uh...thinking that maybe we'd like to come back in and look at the painting again. I ..." Uncle Sam stammers.
Dad once more shakes his head and closes his eyes.
"I think maybe we are interested in buying it." Uncle Sam says. There's a pause. "What!?" Sam shouts.
At Uncle Sam's tone Dad, Harry, Razzie and I snap to attention.
Sam stands up. "Who'd you sell it to?" Uncle Sam asks her.
Dad rises up, listening closely.
"Sarah, I need an address right now." Uncle Sam says urgently.
Inside, Mansion
Third Person POV
Evelyn, from the auction house, sits reading in her lounge. The painting is on the wall above the fireplace. Isaiah turns his head, watching her. Evelyn puts down her book and places her glasses on top of it before picking up her cup of tea. In her glasses there is a reflection of a straight razor sliding past. Evelyn hears a shuffling noise and looks up, gasping in horror.
Outside, Evelyn's House
Harry (Ramiel) POV
The 1967 Impala, 1996 Impala SS, and 2004 Ford Mustang Mach 1 roar up and Dean, Sam, Razi, and I jump out. Sarah appears from the car waiting in the driveway.
"Sam what's happening." Sarah asks Sam.
Sam runs past her. "I told you; you shouldn't have come." Sam tells Sarah.
Dean, Razi, and I join Sam and we run up the stairs to the front porch. Dean and Razzie start banging on the door.
"Hello, anyone home?" Dean and Razzie ask.
"You said Evelyn might be in danger, what sort of danger?" Sarah asks Sam
"We can't knock this sucker down. We gotta pick it." Dean and Razzie say.
Dean and Razzie start to pick the lock as Sam and I bang on the windows, which are covered with metal security bars.
"What are you guys, burglars?" Sarah asks us.
"I wish it was that simple. Look you really should wait in the car. It's for your own good." Sam tells Sarah.
Dean and Razzie get the door open, and Sam, and I quickly follow them inside.
"The hell I will. Evelyn's a friend." Sarah tells Sam.
Sarah runs in after us.
"Evelyn?" Sarah calls out.
"Evelyn." Dean calls out to Evelyn.
We enter the lounge; Evelyn sits half turned away from us. The painting has changed, Isaiah now looks at his daughter rather than straight ahead.
"Evelyn? It's Sarah Blake...Are you alright?" Sarah asks Evelyn. Sarah reaches to touch Evelyn's shoulder.
"Sarah don't. Sarah!" Sam tells Sarah urgently.
Evelyns's head tips back, exposing that her slashed throat. Sarah screams.
"Oh my God. Oh My God!" Sarah says.
Sam puts his arm around her and shepherds her out of the room.
Inside, Motel Room
Gwen POV
Dad sits at the bar with the laptop, Uncle Sam paces. There is a knock on the door. Uncle Sam opens it and Miss Sarah storms past him.
"Hey. You alright?" Uncle Sam asks Miss Sarah.
"No, actually, I just lied to the cops and told them I went to Evelyn's, alone, and found her like that." Miss Sarah tells Sam.
Dad smirks while Uncle Sam looks relieved.
"Thank you." Uncle Sam tells Miss Sarah.
"Don't thank me, I'm about to call them right back if you don't tell me what the hell's going on. Who's killing these people?" Miss Sarah asks Unca Sam.
Unca Sam looks at Dad, who raises his eyebrows.
"What." Unca Sam says.
"What?" Miss Sarah asks.
"It's not 'who'. It's 'what' is killing those people." Unca Sam tells Miss Sarah.
Miss Sarah looks at Uncle Sam like he's insane.
Uncle Sam sighs. "Sarah, you saw that painting move." Unca Sam tells Miss Sarah.
"No...no I was...I was seeing things. It's impossible." Miss Sarah says, agitated.
"Yeah well, welcome to our world." Daddy tells Miss Sarah.
"Sarah, I know this sounds crazy...but we think that that painting is haunted." Unca Sam tells Miss Sarah.
Miss Sarah sniggers but with tears in her eyes. "You're joking." Miss Sarah says. She looks from one to the other of them. They both just stare at her.
"You're not joking. God, the guys I go out with." Miss Sarah says.
"Sarah, think about it. Evelyn, the Telesca's, they both had the painting. And there have been others before that. Wherever this thing goes people die. And we're just trying to stop it. And that's the truth." Unca Sam tells her.
Miss Sarah takes a deep breath. "Then I guess you'd better show me. I'm coming with you." she says.
'What? No. Sarah no, you should just go home. This stuff can get dangerous and...and I don't want you to get hurt." Unca Sam tells Miss Sarah.
"Look, you guys are probably crazy, but if you're right about this? Well, me and my dad sold that painting that mighta got these people killed. Look I'm not saying I'm not scared because I am scared as hell but...I'm not going to run and hide either." Miss Sarah tells Sammy.
Miss Sarah strides to the door.
Miss Sarah turns back. "So, are we going or what?" Miss Sarah asks the adults. She walks out.
"Sam?" Daddy asks Sammy.
Sammy looks across to where Dad is sitting. Dad points out the door after Sarah.
"Marry that girl. Rhi, babysit the young ones, we'll be right back." Daddy tells Sam the first part then the rest to Rhi.
"Sir, yes sir." Rhi tells daddy.
Outside, Evelyn's House, Day
Lorelai POV
Laila and I see Sam picking a lock.
"Ahhh... isn't this a crime scene?" the woman we'll come to know as Sarah asks our brothers.
"You've already lied to the cops. What's another infraction?" Deano tells her.
"Wow! Someone lied for one of you? It must be love!" I pipe up from behind.
"Lorelai don't do that!" Dean tells me.
Once inside Sam lifts the painting down from the wall and we examine it.
"Aren't you worried that it's...gonna kill us?" Sarah asks us.
"Nah, it seems to do its thing at night. I think we're all right in the daylight." Sam answers for us.
Dean compares the picture in the book with the painting. "Sam, check it out. The razor, it's closed in this one but it's open in that one." Dean tells Sam, Harry and I notice it too.
"What are you guys looking for?" Sarah asks us.
"Well, if the spirit's changing aspects of the painting, then it's doing so for a reason." Dean and Razzie say.
"Hey, hey look at this. The painting in the painting." Sam and Razzie tell us.
"Looks like a crypt, or a mausoleum or something." Dean and Harry say.
Dean and Harry look around, grab a thick glass ashtray and use it as a magnifying glass.
Dean reads the name on the Mausoleum. "Merchant." Dean tells us.
Outside, Graveyard
Sam, Sarah, Dean, Harry, Laila, Raziel, and I walk through the graves.
"This is the third boneyard we've checked. I think this ghost is jerking us around." Dean and Razzie complain.
"So, this is what you guys do for a living?" Sarah asks us.
"Not exactly. We don't get paid." Sam, Laila, Harry, and I tell Sarah.
"Well, Mazel tov." Sarah tells us.
Dean spies the mausoleum. "Over there." Dean and Razzie tell us.
Dean breaks the lock, and we enter, pushing aside the cobwebs. There is a number of name plates as well as four urns in front of little glass fronted boxes. Sarah looks into one of the cases at a doll.
"Okay, that right there - is the creepiest things I've ever seen." Sarah tells us.
"It was a... sort of tradition at the time. Whenever a child died sometimes, they'd preserve the kid's favorite toy in a glass case, put it next to the headstone or crypt." Sam tells her.
A wind blows in.
"Notice anything strange here?" Dean and Razzie asks us.
"Ah ... where do I start?" Sarah asks us.
Sam sniggers, looking at her.
"No, that's not what I mean. Look at the urns." Dean tells us.
"Yeah. There are only four." I tell them.
"Yeah, Mom and the three kids. Daddy dearest isn't here." Dean says.
"So where is he?" Laila asks.
Day, Outside Office Buildings
Sam, Sarah, Laila, Harry, Raziel, and I sit on a small wall, waiting.
"So, what exactly is your brother doing in there?" Sarah asks us.
"Searching county death certificates trying to find out what happened to Isaiah's body." Laila tells Sarah.
"How'd he even get in the door?" Sarah asks Sam.
"Lying and subterfuge mostly." Sam tells Sarah.
"You have a... uh...you have an eyelash on your right...no... uh...you know what..." Sam tells Sarah.
Sarah reaches but has no idea where it is.
Sam laughs. "Do you mind if I - get it?" Sam asks Sarah.
"No." Sarah tells Sam.
Sam reaches for it and holds it on his finger. "Okay, I got it. Make a wish." Sam tells Sarah
Laughing, Sarah does so, and blows it away.
"Sam, can I ask you something?" Sarah asks Sam.
"Yeah, sure." Sam tells Sarah.
"I don't mean to be forward, but a girl could wait here forever. Is there something, here, between us? Or am I delusional?" Sarah asks Sam.
"You're not delusional." Sam tells Sarah.
"But there's a but coming." Sarah says.
"But... I don't think this would be a good idea." Sam tells Sarah.
"Can I ask why?" Sarah asks Sam.
"'Cause I like you." Sam tells Sarah.
"Wait. You lost me." Sarah tells Sam. They both laugh.
"Look, it's hard to explain. Ah-It's just when people are around me - I don't know, they get hurt." Sam tells Sarah.
"What do you mean?" Sarah asks Sam.
"I mean like physically hurt. With what me and my brother do, it's..." Sam starts to say. Sam breathes. "Sarah, I had a girlfriend. And she died. And my mom died too and my stepmom. I don't know, it's like, it's like I'm cursed or something. Like death just follows me around. Look, I'm not scared of much, but if I let myself have feelings for anybody..." Sam says.
"You're scared they'd get hurt too." Sarah tells Sam. Sam looks down. "That's very sweet. And very archaic." Sarah tells Sam. Sam looks back up.
"Sorry?" Sam asks.
"Look I'm a big girl Sam, it's not your job to make decisions for me. There's always a chance of getting hurt." Sarah tells Sam.
"I'm not talking about a broken heart and a tub of Haagen Dazs. I'm talking about life and death." Sam tells Sarah.
"And tomorrow I could get hit by a bus. That's what life is. Look, I know losing somebody you love - it's terrible. You shut yourself off. Believe me, I know. But when you shut out pain, you shut out everything else too." Sarah tells Sam.
"Sarah, you don't understand. The pain that I went through... I can't go through it again. I can't." Sam tells Sarah.
Dean suddenly appears. "Am I interrupting something?" Dean asks us.
"No." Sam and Razzie say.
"Not at all." Sarah says with Harry.
"Yes." Lei and I speak.
Dean looks between all of us. "Huh. Apparently." Dean says.
"So, what'd you get?" Sam asks Deano.
"Paydirt. Apparently, the surviving relatives of the Merchant family were so ashamed of Isaiah that they didn't want him interred with the rest of the family. So, they handed him over to the county, the county gave him a pauper's funeral. Economy style. Turns out he wasn't cremated; he was buried in a pine box." Dean tells us.
"So, there are bones to burn." Sam says.
"There are bones to burn." Dean tells Sam.
"Tell me you know where." I ask Dean.
Graveyard, Night
Laila POV
Dean and Sam dig, while Sarah, Razzie, Harry, Lore, and I hold flashlights. Sam crawls out of the grave to stand next to Sarah.
"You guys seem to be uncomfortably comfortable with this." Sarah tells us.
"Well, ah, this isn't exactly the first grave we've dug. Still think I'm a catch?" Sam asks Sarah.
Sarah laughs.
Dean taps his shovel on something hard.
"Think I've got something." Dean tells us.
Dean cracks open the coffin lid to reveal a body.
Dean, Harry, and Razzie pour the salt, Sam, Lore, and I the kerosene. Sarah watches.
Dean strikes a match. "You've been a real pain in the ass Isaiah. Good riddance." Dean tells the bones. He tosses the match in.
We all stand and watch it burn.
Evelyn's House
The 1967 Impala, 1996 Impala SS, 2005 780-mile Porche Carrera GT, 1994 Jaguar XJ220 and 2004 Mustang Mach pull up. Sam opens the passenger door to the '67 Impala.
"Keep the motor running." Sam tells Sarah.
"I thought the painting was harmless now?" Sarah asks Sam.
"Better safe than sorry. We're gonna bury the sucker." Sam tells Sarah.
Sarah gets out of the car decisively. "I'm gonna go with you." Sarah tells Sam.
"You sure?" Sam asks Sarah.
"Yeah." Sarah says.
Dean calls Sam back. "Hey! hey hey. I'll stay here, you go make your move." Dean tells Sam, Sarah, and I.
Sam scoffs and gets out of the car.
"Sam. I'm serious!" Dean tells Sam.
As Sarah, Sam, Razzie and I move up the stairs Dean turns on the radio. A love ballad is heard. Grimacing, Sam turns around and gives Dean a "wtf" gesture. Dean makes a 'what?' gesture, Sam motions him to cut off the music. Sighing, Dean turns it off.
Sam, Sarah, Razzie, and I move inside and stop in front of the painting, looking surprised.
"Ahhh, Sam? You're the expert on all this ghost stuff. Is that painting supposed to look like that? Where's the little girl?" Sarah asks Sam as I am on the lookout.
"And the razor." Sam says.
We hear noises and laughter and look around in time to see the front door shutting on them.
Dean POV
I run up the stairs and start shoving at the door.
Harry POV
Inside Sam and I also run to the door and yank on it.
"Dean! Hey! Is that you?" Sam asks Dean.
"Sammy, Laila, are you guys alright?" Dean asks them.
Sam pulls out his phone and calls Dean.
Dean answers, I hear Razzie and Lore in the background. "Tell me you slammed the front door." Dean asks us.
"Nope, it wasn't me. I think it was the little girl." Sam tells De over the phone.
"Girl? What girl?" Dean asks Sam.
"Yeah, she's out of the painting. I think it might've been her all along." Sam, Laila and I speak.
"Wasn't the dad looking down at her? Maybe he was trying to warn us." Dean tells us.
"Hey, hey, hey, let's recap later all right? Just get us out of here." Sam tells De.
"Well, I'm trying to pick the lock, the door won't budge." Dean tells us.
"Well, knock it down." Sam and Laila tell Dean.
"Okay geniuses, let me just grab my battering ram." De says sarcastically.
"Dean, the damn thing is coming." Sam says.
"Well, you're just gonna have to hold it off until I figure something out. Get some salt or iron." Dean tells us.
Sam grabs Sarah's hand and I grab Laila's. "Come on." Sam and I tell the women.
Sam and I rummage through the kitchen drawers, Sarah and Laila the lounge cupboards.
"What kind of house doesn't have salt? Low-sodium freaks." Sam mutters. "Hey, d'you find any iron?" Sam asks Sarah.
"No. What's it for?" Sarah asks us.
"Iron repels evil spirits but it's gotta be pure. Hurry." Sam tells Sarah. "Uh, Dean, give me a sec, don't go anywhere." Sam says into the phone.
Outside Dean leaves the front door and starts walking the front porch looking for entrances.
"Look in the chair. Sometimes the seats." we tell Sarah.
The lounge doors slam shut; wind blows papers everywhere. The girl appears, dragging her doll along the floor by one foot, a razor in her other hand.
"Sam?" Sarah asks Sam.
Sam backs up, keeping Sarah behind him.
The ghost comes closer, moving in an inhuman manner.
"That is just so wrong." Sarah says.
Sam backs into the fireside implements, grabs the poker. The girl's face shivers, and she roars. Sam swings at the ghost. She disappears.
"Iron?" Sarah asks.
"Yeah." Sam tells Sarah.
"Sammy, you okay?" Dean asks on the phone.
"Yeah, for now." Sam tells De.
"How we gonna waste her?" De asks Sam.
"I don't know, she was already cremated. There's nothing left to burn." Sam tells De.
"Then how's she still around?" De, Lore and Razzie ask from the phone.
"There must be something else." Sam says.
"Sam, wait. We used to handle antique dolls at the auction." Sarah says.
"Well, that's fascinating Sarah but is it important right now?" Sam asks Sarah.
"Well back then they use to make the dolls in the kids' image, I mean everything, they would use the kid's real hair." Sarah tells us.
"Dean, Sarah said the doll might have the kid's real hair. Human remains, same as bones." Sam tells Dean and the others.
"The Mausoleum!" we all say together.
Dean POV
I race the Impala toward the graveyard, driving through the locked gates.
Sarah POV
Back at the house the wind rises again. Sam raises the poker. A heavy cupboard comes across the room, knocking him over and pinning him on the ground. I run to help, calling his name. I hear a noise and spins, coming face to face with the ghost.
Dean POV
I screech the Impala to a halt and leap out of the car, running into the mausoleum. I pound at the glass container, then smash at it with the butt of my gun but it doesn't break. I turn to run back to the car, gun in hand, then stops and looks down at
I grimace in realization that I could shoot with the gun. "Come on Dean!" I tell myself.
I shoot the glass, lifting my other arm to protect my face. I use the gun to knock out the rest of the glass until I can grab the doll.
Sarah POV
Back at the house I am thrown through the air by the ghost.
Dean POV
I grab the doll, reach for my lighter, it refuses to light.
"Come on, come on!" I chant.
Sarah POV
I pull myself along the floor and pushes myself up against the wall, watching the ghost approach while raising the razor. Sam uses all his strength to push the cupboard slowly away from him.
Dean POV
My lighter finally catches and I hold it under the doll's hair. It begins to smoke and then to burn.
Sam POV
The ghost raises the razor, preparing to strike.
"No!" I yell.
I dive for Sarah pulling her out of the way just as the ghost is about to bring the razor down. At the same moment the ghost rears back, burning up. As she burns her figure reappears back in the painting.
Sarah, Harry, Laila, and I lay on the floor together, looking around, then at each other.
Dean POV
I look at the burnt doll on the floor of the mausoleum, then pull out my phone. Sam answers.
"Sam, Laila, you good?" I ask Sam and Laila, as well with Laila's condition...
"Not bad." Sam tells me.
He leans back against the wall next to Sarah, Laila, and Harry, all of them looking exhausted.
Auction House
Laila POV
Dean approaches where Sam, Sarah, Razzie, Harry, Lore, and I are standing, watching the painting be crated up.
Dean holds up some papers. "This was archived in the county records. The Merchant's adopted daughter Melanie. Know why she was up for adoption? 'Cause her real family was murdered in their beds." Dean tells us.
"She killed them?" Sarah asks.
"Yeah. Who'd suspect her? Sweet little girl. So, then she kills Isaiah and his family. The old man takes the blame. His spirit's been trying to warn people ever since." Dean tells Sarah.
"So, where's this one go?" the worker asks Sarah.
"Take it out back and burn it." Sarah tells the worker.
Everyone stops and looks at her.
"I'm serious guys. Thanks." Sarah says.
"So, why'd the girl do it?" Sarah asks Sam and Dean.
"Killing others? Killing herself? Some people are just born tortured. So, when they die, their spirits are just as dark." Sam tells Sarah.
"Maybe. I don't really care. It's over, we move on." Dean says.
"Ahh... I guess this means you're leaving." Sarah says.
Dean looks from Sam to Sarah. Sam stares at Dean until he gets it.
"I'll go wait in the car. See you, Sarah." Dean tells Sarah.
Dean stands awkwardly for a second, looking at Sam, then nods and walks away.
"I'm the one that burned the doll, destroyed the spirit, but don't thank me or anything." Dean grumbles.
"There are a million things I wanna say to you but for the life of me I can't think of one." Sarah tells Sam.
"Yeah, I'll miss you too." Sam tells Sarah.
"You know there's a lesson in all of this." Sarah tells Sam.
"What's that?" Sam asks Sarah.
"We all got through this in one piece. I didn't get hurt." Sarah says to Sam.
"Yeah, I'm glad for that." Sam says, laughing.
"So, maybe you're not cursed. Maybe... maybe you'll come back and see me." Sarah says to Sam.
"I will." Sam says.
Ouside
Dean is leaning against the car. He watches Sarah letting Sam out and closing the door. Shaking his head, he turns to get into the car.
Inside, Sarah leans against the door, thinking, looking sad. There is a knock. She opens the door and Sam is there. She smiles and he steps in and kisses her.
Dean hears the knock and turns around to see Sam kiss Sarah.
"That's my boy." Dean says, smiling.
Dean gets into the car. Sam and Sarah continue kissing in the doorway.
Gryphon Nehemiah Winchester and Altair Cynfael Winchester, born June 20th, 2006
Rhiannon Bronwyn Winchester, born July 4, 1994
Gwendolyn Brenda Winchester, born September 5, 2001