First Solo Flight
Chapter Three
Disclaimer: They're still not mine. That makes me sad.
A/N: Who can concentrate on a new story when we have a brand new episode to obsess about?
I've got a fairly short chapter for you, but there's quite a bit packed into it. Sort of. Thanks for the reviews; keep them coming. I appreciate knowing what you think!
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"You're up kinda late, aren't you, Son?" John asked as he took a seat next to Sam on the couch.
"I couldn't sleep. Did I wake you?"
"No. I guess I was having trouble sleeping, too."
"You think he's okay?"
"Sam," John said gently. "You've seen your brother in the field. You know how good he is."
"So why couldn't you sleep?"
John looked at him. "Stop being so observant. I get to be worried; I'm the father. You're supposed to be the oblivious little brother."
"I haven't been oblivious since I was nine." Sam said.
John put his arm around Sam's shoulders and it surprised the young man how comforting that felt. John didn't offer many physical displays of affection anymore and Sam didn't realize how much he missed feeling that close to his father. He didn't think about it much because when Dean was around, he always felt safe and loved. It was almost like his father was secondary in his life.
"I know it's hard not to think about it, but that's what you're going to have to do. That's what both of us have to do. Dean will be fine."
Sam nodded, unconvinced.
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Aidan walked around, struggling against panic. He noticed something on the sidewalk ahead of him and bent to pick it up.
"Huh." he muttered, looking at Dean's fake ID. "That didn't take long."
He looked around, hoping to find some clue to where Dean had been taken, but ended up back at his room. He sensed something was wrong as soon as he got out of his truck in the motel parking lot. He checked the gun tucked into the waist of his jeans and touched the amulet he wore around his neck. It was similar to the one Dean wore, but they weren't connected. He tried not to think about how Dean's apparently had done him no good.
Aidan approached the door carefully. He wasn't exactly psychic, he generally couldn't pick up on people's thoughts, but he could usually tell when there was a spirit in the vicinity. He could also sometimes see things that others could not, In addition to all that, he had the training provided by John and the other hunters he'd worked with as well as the experience of many years of hunting. Every instinct he had was screaming. The curtains in the room were drawn, but he was certain when he went inside he wouldn't be alone.
With as much caution as he could muster, Aidan slipped the key into the lock and opened the door, his gun in front of him. A quick search confirmed the room was empty, but he knew he wasn't alone.
"Who are you?" Aidan demanded. "Show yourself."
He turned, hearing a noise behind him. A shadow emerged from the bathroom and as it got closer to Aidan, a shape began to form. Aidan took a few steps back, pointing the gun at the form in front of him.
You won't need that. The voice wasn't in the room, but he heard it nonetheless.
"Humor me."
The shape appeared to sit on the bed. Aidan tried, but he could see no detail in what was before him. He kept the rock salt filled gun aimed at it.
"Where's my friend?" Aidan asked.
We need him. Him and the others like him.
"What for?"
Why did you bring him here? Why would you put him in danger that way?
Aidan slipped his free hand into his jacket pocket. "Who are you?"
There was no answer. Aidan gripped something in the pocket and moved closer to the shape.
What are you doing? There was an edge of panic in the voice.
In one fluid movement, Aidan removed the small vial from his pocket, flipped open the top and tossed it toward the shape. It momentarily flickered, then became more solid.
What did you do?
"You're bound here until I let you go."
Again, the shape flickered, but returned more solid.
This is a mistake.
"Tell me what you're doing with the people you've taken."
We need them.
"So you said. How many of you are there?"
It's hard to put a number to us.
Aidan pulled the chair out from under the desk and sat down, facing the bed. "So back to why you've taken the people."
I told you. We need them. We can't exist without them. How did you know I would come here?
"I'm not giving away my secrets." Aidan stood up.
Where are you going?
"Don't worry, I'll be back. Don't go anywhere." he laughed. "Oh yeah, you can't."
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John was sitting alone outside when the phone rang. He'd convinced Sam to go back to bed, but he doubted the boy would be able to get any sleep. He knew Sam would be worried about Dean's first hunt outside the family, but no one realized just how worried he would be.
"Aidan." John said into his cell phone.
"It's here."
"And Dean?"
"John –"
"Yeah, I know. So what now?"
"It can't leave until I let it go. I'll try to get it to tell me what it wants; Christopher is on his way. I just talked to him; he was delayed but he'll be here."
"I knew it was a mistake depending on Christopher."
"You just don't like him. And I know you don't like being there with what's happening here. How's Sam doing?"
"Not too good. It's almost like he knows we've lied to him." John said, rubbing his face. "So how far out is Christopher?"
"Couple of hours."
"Do you think you can break it before he gets there?"
"I don't know. Let me get back to it. I've got some herbs I can try."
"Keep me posted." John said. He set his cell phone on the table next to him and heard the screen door open.
"What did you lie to me about?" Sam asked angrily.
TBC
