Chapter Eight

Sam sits on the large over-stuffed couch, his hands resting on his lap. Having scoured the house for any sign of the attacker or Sakari and being unsuccessful, he can't seem to find anything to occupy himself with. So he watches, waiting for...what was his name again? Ayden, that was it-to wake up.

God does he feel useless. The whole day has been nothing but sensory overload for him. And it's giving him one hell of a headache. Was it only a few hours ago that Dean and him were slowly but surely making their way here? It was just another peaceful day in their Twilight Zone lives when Dean had decided to give Sakai a heads up of their approach. Then it all spun out of control.

Sam had found himself smiling at Sakari and Dean's bickering again, unaware of what was soon to transpire.

"Sakari?" Dean said, seeming genuinely concerned about something. Sam threw him a quizzical look.

"What is it?" Dean asked, throwing Sam a dirty look. Sam huffed in annoyance and shook his head, irritated at Dean for not giving him some sort of hint as to what was happening.

Dean suddenly went rigid and bit his lip, speeding up the impala. He adjusted the phone in his hand, and whispered "Who?"

Sam straightened his own back and shifted his weight on the seat, a feeling of dread washing over him. What was going on?

Dean suddenly yelled out, apparently oblivious to the fact that they were in a confined space and Sam was right next to him.

"Call…? Wait, Sakari-!" Dean roars, his eyes wide in terror. He angrily closes his phone and balling his hand into a fist. "Shit" he hissed and floored it.

Sam grabbed onto the door handle with one hand and wraps the other around the leather seat, trying to keep himself from being flung into the dashboard. The sound of tires screeching and the smell of burning rubber envelope him, his teeth gritted.

"Dean they have speed limits for a reason!" he cried, feeling the G-force slamming into his side, pushing him towards the driver's seat. His knuckles are white from gripping the door handle, fearing he might accidentally tear it off.

Dean shoved his phone in front of Sam and ordered him to dial someone named Ayden. Sam, unwilling to piss Dean off any further, did as he was told and handed the cell back to his brother.

"Dean what's going on?" he demanded, wanting some answers for Dean's sudden mood swing. Sam had almost never seen his older brother like this and he wasn't too happy about it occurring while Dean happened to be driving. And Sam found himself afraid for Dean's friend; a friend that he so obviously cared for.

Dean lowered his voice and answered "I don't know Sam…" Sam was once again surprised by the worry in his voice. Sam began to open his mouth when Dean raised his voice again and yelled for Ayden to get over to Sakari's. "I don't know who or what it is but-"he stopped himself, as though keeping himself from uttering his worst fears, as though saying it out loud would confirm it. The call abruptly ended, Dean hung up and placed both hands on the steering wheel, forcing all of his concentration to the road.

A small noise snaps Sam out of his flashback, causing him to jump a little. The blood on the walls, the floor, and their clothing has left him antsy; on edge. He finds himself whipping his head in the direction of the smallest sound, only to find that there's nothing there. The only comfort he has is the gentle ticking of the clock in the room. The silver second hand moves forever in rhythm, never ceasing to do as it's programmed to do, unless of course the clock is smashed to a thousand pieces or the batteries simply wear out. He has to say that he feels like the minute hand, suddenly jerking from one place to the next. Wait…was he comparing his life to a clock? What the hell was wrong with him?

Sam lets out a small, mirthless laugh and massages his sinuses above his eyes, trying to relieve some of the pressure. He feels as though he's been ripped from his own screwed up ghost hunting life and thrown into his brother's, and he has no idea just how deep this wound could be. It's obvious to Sam that something big is going on, and it's also obvious that the only details Dean was willing to share with his little brother he keeps hidden in obscurity. He had at first tried to ignore the secrecy, not let it bother him. After all, everyone was entitled to keep things to themselves-he of all people should know that. Wasn't he the one who had kept the true meaning of his nightmares from Dean?

But he's finding that he can't keep is mouth shut any longer. A burning curiosity as to what happened between Dean and these old friends of his is consuming him.

He hears the crunching of glass and looks up to see his brother walk in, a weary look to his eyes. Dean looks to Ayden and asks, "He hasn't woken up yet?"

Sam sits up and answers, "No. But I've gotta say, I'm just a little confused as to how a small injection of silver can put him in such a comatose state. Besides the more obvious injuries, anyway."

Dean hesitates and turns away from Sam, leaning down to pick up the small syringe near the table.

"Yeah…one does wonder…"

Sam shoots up off the couch, bringing himself to his full height.

"Okay, ENOUGH! You've been hiding something from me ever since you talked to Sakari and I've had enough of it! Stop bullshitting me and tell what the hell is going on Dean!" Sam shouts.

Surprised, Dean turns to face Sam again, his mouth open to retaliate. Upon seeing the look on Sam's face he backs off, knowing Sam means business. He knows that look all too well. Once Sam is set on getting answers he doesn't back down until he gets what he wants. Annoys the crap outta Dean.

Dean sighs and closes his eyes, the adrenaline from the day's events clearly having worn off and asks "Whaddya wanna know?"

Sam looks incredulous, anger overpowering him.

"For starters, who is he?" Sam yells, his voice near hysterics, pointing to an unconscious Ayden. "And second, why did the silver affect him like some monster we hunt? And what the hell happened here? And where's this Sakari, who hardly tell em anything about and then you try to drag me half way across the country to her place, TWICE-"

"He's a shape shifter" Dean interrupts, his voice sounding tired.

Sam takes a beat, his mouth hanging open in shock at what he just heard escape his brother's lips.

"He…I'm sorry, what?"

"Ayden is a shape shifter, that's why the silver affected him the way it did. So technically he is like some monster we hunt" Dean answers, waiting for a reaction from Sam.

Sam blinks stupidly, still trying to comprehend what he just heard. Why was his brother, who had been framed by a shape shifter, protecting one? He clears his throat and shuffles his feet uncomfortably.

"So…he's a shape shifter."

"Um, yeah Sammy, that's what I just said."

"Okay…I'm sorry, why is it still breathing again-?" Sam starts.

"He" Dean says a matter-of-factly.

"What?"

Dean clears his own throat and raises his voice slightly, "He, not it."

Sam scoffs at this, "Okay, he. Now will you please tell me what happened here?"

"I don't know Sam. Seriously, I'm really not sure. I mean I have a few theories but not enough to figure it out" Dean says, thinking about his answer.

"You want to tell me what those theories are bro?" Sam retorts, Dean's hesitancy reminding him of why he was angry to begin with.

"Weren't you listening Sam? She didn't exactly tell me who was in here and what they wanted in case you missed that when I was practically yelling into the phone," his voice rising again.

"Oh, I'm so sorry Dean that I wasn't able to decipher what was going on from the 'I don't know' crap you've been giving me all week-"

"Shut up, both of you" a raspy voice speaks, scaring the living hell out of both Sam and Dean.

A bruised and bloodied Ayden sits up on the couch, putting a hand to his jaw, cracking it with a push of his fingers. His nightmarish eyes pierce the oppressive darkness of the room. The eerie glow bores into Sam's eyes and before Sam can say anything Ayden whispers, "Since you want to find Sakari, I suggest you stop arguing with one another and decipher the clue they left for us."

Sam takes a step back, terrified of the eyes looking back at him.

"Oh yeah?" he asks nervously. "And what clue would that be?"

Dean mumbles something inaudible.

"May want to repeat yourself Winchester, and a little louder this time. Don't think your brother caught it the first time" Ayden says, the glow in his eyes beginning to fade.

Sam tears himself from Ayden's gaze and looks towards his brother.

"What Dean?"

Dean doesn't answer him at first, but walks over to the wall behind Ayden instead. He extends an arm and traces the now dried blood on the wall with his finger, lost in thought.

"It's a message" Dean finally responds to Sam, keeping his back facing his little brother. "A warning, maybe, at the very least" he says, glancing at Ayden.

"Yahtzee" Ayden replies, a small smirk on his face. "Question is, what the hell does it mean? My level of intelligence may be superior to both of yours, but alas, I haven't the slightest idea."

Sam looks from Ayden to Dean, once again feeling frustration and confusion welling up in his gut. "What message? What warning?"

Dean takes a step back, still scrutinizing the blood on the wall. He remains silent for a moment, then turns to ask Ayden, "Does Sakari still practice tarot?"

Ayden's eyebrow's rise slightly, then answers, "yeah, not as much as she used to, but she still does a reading from time to time…"

"Well, does she still have the same deck that she used for my reading?" Dean asks.

"Last I checked-why, you think that they may have something to do with this?" he says, motioning to the wall.

Dean bites his lower lip and pauses, concentrating. A second later he speaks again, his excitement building. "Does she still have the same deck she used when I first met her?"

"Um…Yeah, I think, why-?"

Cutting him off, Dean quickly asks "Could you find them for us?"

XXX

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