Chapter Eight – What To Do / Amy's Advice

Philip's jeep and Dean's impala were parked side by side at the Paramount Café. It was three-thirty in the afternoon and business was slow. People had already come in for lunch and it was too early to be dinner. A few customers sat at the counter drinking coffees or hot chocolate to escape the coldness from outside.

The only large booth that was occupied had Amy, Sam, Philip and Lori sitting in the half-circle cushioned seat. Philip kept his arm around Lori's shoulder; her head was gently resting against his arm. Sam looked sadly upon their melancholy faces. They're too young to know about all this…Sam thought. He tried to give a hopeful smile but instead gave a glance that just made Philip and Lori sigh back.

Amy had Dean's jacket across her cold shoulders. She tucked her hair behind her right ear and stared down at the clean yellow table. Her eyes followed the small yellow and brown square-patterns.

There was an aroma of strong coffee and burnt bread within the diner. It was the horrible scent that kept the four from thinking back at what had previously happened at the manor.

Dean was making his way to the table; he had come back from the counter. He carried a small white case that read FIRST AID across it.

He sat down beside Lori – across from Amy – and placed the First Aid on the table.

His eyes looked across the table. They didn't meet Amy's, but instead Dean watched Amy looking gloomily at the table.

Opening the case, Dean pulled out two band-aids and turned slowly to Lori.

"Give me your hand," Dean asked nicely. He held his hand out and Lori slowly reached up and allowed the twenty-six-year-old to take her hand.

He opened up the two small packages and took out the band-aids. He removed the sticky coverings and slowly placed them over two scratches across the back of the teenager's hand. Lori gave him a small smile and nodded a thank you.

"Anyone else?" Dean asked.

Philip seemed fine, quiet, but he was okay. Sam seemed to be handling things well – no cuts or bruises at least.

Amy was the one Dean was concerned about. She had barely spoken in the car while they had rushed to get a place where everyone could calm down.

"Amy…" Dean asked slowly. "You okay?"

Her eyes looked up slowly and she stared at Dean for a moment. She then met Sam's glance and gave the table a small smile.

"I'm okay…I just…I just hate seeing things like that…" Amy whispered.

"Like what…" Philip asked gently.

She gave the boy a wink and Amy shook her head. "Don't worry about it, kid."

"What did you see in the attic?" Sam asked. He understood Amy wasn't ready to talk about everything just yet – but he was unaware of how much time they had on their hands to figure everything out.

She took in a deep breath and the young professor touched her forehead for a moment. Amy breathed slowly and rested her hands on the table. Her fingertips touched one another and Amy looked around at the curious four.

"In the attic…I saw Billy Walker hanging there…" Amy admitted slowly. "I saw his ghost or whatever…"

"An echo…" Sam explained. "Ghosts usually don't appear in the position that they died…you would most likely see them like you would see others…"

"What's an echo?" Lori asked.

"It's basically a replay of what happened," Dean added. "It's part of the ghost's memory…to us it just replays because the ghost hasn't crossed over yet…"

"Well then, echo or not, I definitely saw Ana Maria Delacroix in the room where Lori and I were stuck in…"

"What?" the Asian teen whispered. "I didn't see anyone…"

Amy slowly looked up. Her eyes met the teenager's and Amy asked, "Wait, Lori, you didn't see Ana Maria? Why were you screaming-"

"The portrait on the wall was banging against the wall…and the fire…it kept roaring and growing bigger…" Lori whispered.

She exhaled a deep breath and Amy buried her face into her hand.

"You saw Ana Maria?" Dean asked. "What happened?"

Amy took in another deep breath. "I saw her…I saw her in a pretty dress…she was covered in claw marks and blood…she told me... 'why is he causing so much pain'…and 'you must stop it…you must set the devil free'…she screamed it too… 'set the devil free'…" Amy paused and touched her neck with a sigh. "Set the devil free…"

"Set the devil free?" Philip asked.

"I was under the impression that Ana Maria basically assured me that Billy Walker is the wolf…and that Billy is the one responsible for the attacks…and even in the attic…when I saw Billy's echo…he said 'I'm sorry'…he said he was sorry…

"But 'set the devil free'? What does that mean?" Amy asked.

She turned to Dean and Sam who were both searching each other's face for an answer.

"Could be demonic…" Sam offered.

Dean nodded in agreement.

"Wait, I thought this was an angry ghost – it clearly is-" Amy started.

He shook his head and Dean explained, "There are different types of demons…different ways demons come into our plane…I think in this case, in Billy's suicide, his spirit was angry…but he was angry at himself…"

"And most religions believe that all cases of suicide…spirits go directly you-know-where…" Sam added.

"So wait, Billy Walker is a demon?" Lori asked exasperated.

Dean leaned in closer to the table as a waitress walked by.

"Listen," Dean whispered. "Billy Walker's spirit is back…but it has a new form…he probably avoided going to hell…and in the way he came back…he became a demon…a really depressed one…"

"See," Sam jumped in, "demons care about one thing…killing…that's all there is to it. Find the target and destroy it. Most demons have a purpose. But in this case…"

"I still don't understand what the hell is happening," Dean finished. "We know it is definitely a demonic possession…Billy is taking over this wolf…we know that because the wolf talked…the lips actually moved…"

"See! See! We're not crazy!" Lori exclaimed happily.

Amy gave the teenager a small smile.

"See…if it was a ghost possessing an animal…the spirit would talk but we would just hear the voice…the lips and mouth wouldn't move."

"And the wolf definitely talked with its lips moving," Dean added. "So…finding Billy Walker's corpse and burning it won't help…we're dealing with a demon now."

"And what can be done? An exorcism?" Amy asked.

Sam nodded. "Right. We need to get our hands on that wolf…and try not to get attacked…"

"So what do we do now?" Amy laughed. "Go back to the manor…tie the wolf down?"

Dean leaned back into the cushioned seat and thought for a moment. "It still doesn't make sense…why just attack males…for about sixty-five years after Billy's suicide…only three couples attacked – the men though – and if Billy blames himself you'd think he'd kill the men…"

"Maybe there's more to it…" Philip added. "Maybe we should talk to the couples who were attacked…the couple from the nineties should be around, right?"

"We?" Dean asked. "Listen kid…this is dangerous stuff…and we're going to make sure you and Lori go home to your families-"

"Hey, we're involved in this too," Philip fought back, leaning over the table, "if you push us out…we'll tell the police…"

"Good," Dean offered, "and tell them what exactly?"

"You…" Philip thought for a moment. "You impersonated environmental journalists…"

"And you two snuck into a manor without permission," Sam added.

"Could you just think of what would have happened if you two were caught?" Amy asked seriously. "You two are both lucky the security system was deactivated…and Philip, geez, you just got out of the hospital…you're obviously still weak…"

"Please…" Lori slightly begged. "At least let us know what's going on…this is scaring the crap out of me…I just want to make sure this kind of thing won't happen again-"

"Three couples in over sixty years…" Sam said randomly. His voice was quiet and his eyes were staring out the window.

"Sammy?" Dean asked oddly.

Sam turned back to the table and said slowly, "Three couples…why not more…what is it about the attacked couples…Philip, Lori, you guys have something in common with why the others were attacked too-"

"That's why I suggest we go and try to track down the other couples-" Philip began.

"Enough," Amy ordered. "Look…let's all have an early dinner…my treat…"

She stared around the table sadly and stood up. "I'll go get my wallet from the car…"

Leaving the table in a rather abrupt way, Dean made the move to follow her. Sam, Philip and Lori stared after them. Lori felt rather guilty for butting in; Philip just wanted to be a part of what was happening. Each teenager didn't want anyone else to be attacked again. Sam felt this. He felt their worry and concern. A part of him was proud and grateful there were actually teenagers who cared this much about others. Philip and Lori weren't the types to go into a haunted house for the heck of it…they wanted to investigate and stop the attacks from happening again. Philip's scars would always be a reminder. That night would always be burned into Lori's memory. Sam knew this. Sam believed that whether or not Philip was a part of this case…this would be a new beginning for Philip. Lori too. The two forever would learn and know about the scary side of the world. A world that young people should never have to know…

O.O.O.O.O.

Amy sat in the backseat. Her legs dangled out the side of the car and the door was wide opened. Dean knelt down in front of her. She had been quiet since she had opened the door and merely sat down. A part of him wished he could be psychic too…that way it could be easier to read what was going on inside.

She kept quiet and stared down at her hands folded over her knees.

"Amy…" Dean whispered. "C'mon…talk to me gorgeous…"

The corner of her mouth smiled at him. She sighed and said, "You can make any girl smile by calling her that."

"Well, you are…" Dean grinned. He gave her the classic Dean Winchester smile. A smile that swept girls off their feet. But Amy wasn't the type to fall for it. She loved that smile but Dean felt for Amy it was just a way to get her to smile too.

"What's going on in that pretty head of yours, eh?"

Amy leaned her head against the backseat leather cushion. "I hated seeing that…"

"I know," Dean answered sadly.

"Why is it that no else saw it?" Amy asked slowly. "I mean…I know you two have seen ghosts…"

"When ghosts want to make themselves known…anyone can see them…Ana Maria and Billy didn't want the publicity…they just wanted you to see them…"

Her gentle face had turned back into that despondent expression.

"Remember the girl back in Evanston…" Amy whispered slowly. "Zoë…we found her body in the street…it took me a while to get over that image…but…seeing Ana Maria covered in blood….Billy hanging there…"

"These are images you'll learn to get over, I promise," Dean comforted calmly. "You just have to think of getting through this and helping end these attacks…"

She nodded slowly. Amy sat up in the seat and she opened her hands up for Dean. He took them slowly into his own.

"Dean…" Amy asked slowly. "How…how on earth did you handle seeing your mom…"

He sighed. Dean looked away for a moment. His eyes fell on Sam through the window. He took in a deep breath and faced Amy. "I uh…didn't…" He laughed "I never really handled it…look at me…I've devoted my life to kill every evil thing until I find the thing that killed her…and Jessica…"

"And what will you do when it's done?" Amy whispered.

Dean shrugged and gave her a cocky grin. "Retire."

She smiled at him, pink lips pressed together in an embarrassed way.

Amy squeezed Dean's hands. She narrowed her eyes at him and asked, "Promise me something?"

"Anything."

Her eyes gazed into his for a moment. "A lot of things are going to happen in your life…and listen carefully…no matter what…take care of Sam…you both have each other…he's the most precious thing you can look after and the same goes for him about caring for you…here's another thing…in everything that you do…all the hunting and investigating and saving lives…remember what you're doing…are you doing this in an act of revenge and saving lives is just a plus…or are you doing this to bring good in the world…there's a difference between a vigilante and a hero…"

"Why are you telling me this…" Dean asked slowly. "I usually hate these sappy chick flick mom-"

"Dean," Amy said clearly. She gave him a small smile and whispered, "It's imperative that you know this for the rest of your life. I know you're going to end up the man I'd always know you'd end up to be…"

He gave her a small smile.

"The old woman I met in Evanston…the one who has been helping me through this whole psychic mess…she told me something similar…and she told me that I would have to give the same type of advice to you and Sam…"

"We're all going to make it through this…" Dean reassured. "Sam will be the same Sammy…I'll be okay…and you…you're going to get through this…I promise…"

"I'm scared for you and Sam," Amy admitted weakly. "Sometimes I don't know what to do…or what needs to be done…I wish the two of you could live normal lives…have normal jobs…"

"Normal is highly overrated…" Dean grinned.

Amy smiled and tucked her hair behind her ear once again.

"Just remember what I said…" Amy begged playfully.

"I will," Dean said in a confidant way. "Now c'mon, lets get something to eat…we can plan demonic tactics later…"

O.O.O.O.O.