Author's note: I do not own anything having to do with Supernatural, only Leah belongs to me. I tried something different and went with how the episodes flash to different scenes. Let me know what you think I can always change that for up coming chapters!
Chapter 3
I woke up to Sam nudging me, "Babe, wake up we're here."
I stretched as I got out of the backseat, "Where is here?"
"Blackwater Ridge in Lost Creek, Colorado," Sam answered.
"And this is where the coordinates pointed to?" I asked rubbing the sleep out of my eyes.
Dean nodded and we headed into the visitor's center.
"So Blackwater ridge is pretty remote, it's cut off by these canyons here. Rough terrain, dense forest, and abandoned silver and gold mines all over the place," Sam said looking over a three dimensional map of the area.
"Dude, look at the size of this freakin' bear," Dean exclaimed looking at a picture on the wall.
"Well there's got to be a dozen or more grizzlies in the area," I said walking over to look at the picture.
"You three aren't going to go out by Blackwater ridge by any chance are you?" A ranger asked walking out from his office.
"Oh no sir, we are environmental study majors just working on a paper," Sam answered.
"Recycle man," Dean added.
"Bull, you are friends with that Haley girl right?" the ranger asked.
"Yes we are," I answered before either brother had a chance to say anything.
"Well I will tell you exactly what I told her. Her brother filled out a back country permit saying he wouldn't be back until the 24th. So it's not really missing persons now is it," the ranger retorted.
"You know what would help, if we could show her a copy of that permit. You know so she could see her brothers return date," Dean said.
The ranger sighed but went and made a copy anyway and we made our way back out to the car.
"What are you cruising for a hook up or something?" Sam asked with disbelief.
"What do you mean?" Dean asked.
"The coordinates point to Blackwater Ridge so what are we waiting for? Let's just go find dad, I mean why even talk to this girl," Sam asked.
"I don't know maybe we should know what we are walking into before we actually walked into it," Dean replied.
"Yeah since when are you all shoot first ask questions later?" I asked.
"Since now," Sam answered as he got into the passenger seat.
"Well that's healthy," I mumbled and got in the car as well.
We pulled up to Haley's house, grabbed a couple of our fake Id's and knocked on the door. A young girl about Dean's age opened the door.
"Hey you must be Haley, I'm Dean, this is Sam and that's Leah. We are rangers with the park service, we wanted to ask you some questions about your brother Tommy," Dean said.
"Let me see some ID," she instructed and we each held them up, "Come on in."
"So if Tommy isn't due back for awhile how do you know something's wrong?" Sam asked.
"He checks in everyday by cell, he emails, sends photos, stupid little videos…we haven't heard anything in three days now," Haley answered.
"Maybe he lost service," I offered.
"He has a satellite phone too," she answered.
"Could it be he is just having fun and forgot to check in?" Dean asked as he stared at me. I swear you don't call him one time and it's like he will never let me live it down.
"He wouldn't do that," a teenager growled from the other side of the room.
"Our parents are gone, it's just my two brothers and me, we all keep pretty close tabs on each other," Haley said.
"Can I see the pictures he sent you?" Sam asked.
She nodded turning the laptop so we could all the last video he had sent her.
"Damn he's hot," I whispered to Dean which earned me a smack in the back of the head.
"We will find your brother we are headed out to Blackwater ridge in the morning," Dean told her.
"Well maybe I'll see you there; I can't sit around her any longer so I hired a guide and I'm going to find Tommy myself," Haley said.
"I think I know how you feel, I wouldn't be able to sit and wait either," I admitted looking between Dean and Sam.
"Can you send this to me?" Sam asked still replaying the video.
She sent Sam the video and we said our goodbyes. We found a local bar; Sam went to find us a table while Dean and I went to the bar for some drinks. It didn't surprise me that by the time we got back to the table Sam already had information for us.
"So Blackwater doesn't get a lot of traffic, local campers mostly but still this past April two hikers went missing out there and they were never found," Sam started before I even had a chance to sit down.
"Any before that?" Dean asked.
"Yeah in 1982 eight different people all vanished, authorities said it was a grizzly attack and again in 1959 and before that in 1936," Sam answered.
"Every 23 years?" I asked taking a sip of my beer.
"Seems that way and look," Sam said turning the laptop so we could see.
"Do it again," Dean said. Sam did and we could see some type of shadow moving behind Tommy.
"That's three frames; it's a fraction of a second. So whatever it is, it can move," Sam said.
"Awesome," I replied.
"I got one more thing in 1959 one camper survived the supposed grizzly attack, he was just a kid and barely crawled away alive," Sam said.
"Is there a name?" Dean asked finishing his beer as we headed for the door.
"Dude, we were only up at the bar for like 10 minutes tops how did you do all of that so quickly?" I asked.
"You should see the amazing things I can do with a laptop Le," he smiled and patted me on the shoulder.
"Look ranger I don't know why you are asking me about this its public record. I was a kid, my parents got mauled by a…" the guy started until Sam cut him off.
"A grizzly that's what attacked you?"
"The other people that went missing that year, those all bear attacks too…What about all the people that went missing this year, same thing?" Dean asked.
"If we knew what we were dealing with we might be able to stop it," I added. Hoping that it might help him open up since the boys weren't being so nice about it.
"I seriously doubt that girlie, besides why would you believe me anyways…no one else ever did," the man said as he sat down in an old chair.
"What did you see?" Sam asked.
"Nothing…it moved to fast to see and it hid too well. I heard it though, a roar, like no man or animal I have heard," the man admitted.
"It got inside your tent?" I asked encouraging him to continue.
"It got inside our cabin. I was sleeping in front of the fireplace when it came in. It didn't smash a window or break the door, it unlocked it. You know of a bear that can do something like that? I didn't even wake up until I heard my parents screaming."
"It killed them?" Sam asked.
"Dragged them off into the night, why it left me alive…I've been asking myself that ever since," the man answered and you could see the pain written into his face.
"I know that must have been hard for you, thank you for your time," I said as we left the poor man.
"Spirits and demons don't unlock doors they just go right through the walls if they want inside," Dean said as we walked down the hallway.
"So it's something else…something corporeal," Sam offered.
"Cor- what?" Dean asked.
"Corporeal, it means not spiritual it's something you can physically touch," I answered as I jumped on Sam's back.
"Thank you Webster's dictionary," Dean scoffed.
"Which means it could be a skin walker…maybe a black dog?" Sam asked as he held onto my legs.
"Whatever it is we know it's corporeal so we know we can kill it," Dean said as he opened the trunk of the car.
"We can not let that Haley girl go out there," Sam said.
"What are we going to tell her she can't go into the woods because there's a big scary monster?" Dean asked.
"Yeah," Sam answered.
"Her brother is missing Sam she's not just going to sit this out," I said resting my chin on his shoulder. I know that if it was either of them missing nothing would slow me down until I found them.
"She's right man, we go with her and protect her and keep our eyes peeled for our fuzzy predator friend," Dean said.
"So finding dad isn't enough, now we have to baby sit too?" Sam asked as he pulled me off his back.
"What's your problem?" I yelled grabbing onto Dean's arm so I wouldn't fall over. I knew Sam was still having a hard time dealing with Jessica's death and that he needed to find dad but there was no reason to throw me around because of it.
"Nothing," he sighed and got in the car.
"He doesn't start getting a good nights sleep soon I swear I'm drugging him," I said to Dean before we followed suit and got in the car.
THE NEXT MORNING
We pulled up and saw Haley, her younger brother and the guide she had hired.
"You guys got room for three more?" Dean asked as we made our way over to them.
"Wait you want to come with us?" Haley was surprised.
"Who are these three?" the guide inquired.
"Apparently this is all the park service could muster up for the search and rescue," Haley answered.
"You're rangers?" he asked skeptically.
"That's right," Dean answered.
"And you're hiking out in biker boots and jeans?" Haley asked.
"Well sweetheart I don't do shorts," Dean answered and I let out a small laugh.
"You think this is funny? It's dangerous back country out there and her brother might be hurt," the guide said glaring at me.
"Believe me we know how dangerous it can be," Dean said stepping in front of me. I just rolled my eyes, I'm 21 years old and he still treats me like a little kid sometimes.
"We just want to help them find their brother that's all," Sam said trying to diffuse any tension before it became a situation.
We started into the woods and within a half hour I was already cranky.
"I hate hiking," I whined to Sam.
"You could have stayed in the car," he answered coldly.
"What and let you two have all the fun?" I tried to joke but he just shook his head and walked faster.
Well, this is going to be a great day, I thought to myself and made my way up to where Dean was walking.
"So tell me Roy, does Bambi or Yogi ever hunt you back?" Dean asked the guide.
Roy grabbed Dean by the jacket and pulled him back, I instinctively went for the gun in the small of my back.
"Whatcha doing Roy?" I asked taking a step closer.
He looked between Dean and me before taking his walking stick and snapping close a trap that Dean almost stepped on.
"You should watch where you are stepping…ranger," Roy smiled and started walking again. I rolled my eyes and took my hand off my gun.
"You didn't pack any provisions…you guys are carrying a duffle bag…so who the hell are you?" Haley asked.
"Sam and Leah are my younger siblings and we are looking for our father. He might be here we don't know, I just figured you and me were in the same boat," Dean said.
"Why didn't you just tell me that?" Haley asked.
"I'm telling you now and what do you mean I didn't pack provisions," he smiled and started eating out of a bag of peanut m&m's as he walked away.
"You know it's probably the most honest he has ever been with a woman…I mean like ever," I whispered in Haley's ear.
She laughed causing Dean to turn around, "What?"
"Nothing…just nothing," I answered and we started laughing again.
"This is it, Blackwater Ridge," Roy called out.
"What coordinates are we at?" Sam asked.
"35-111," Roy answered after checking his GPS.
"You hear that?" Dean asked.
"Yeah not even crickets," Sam answered.
"Alright I'm going to go take a look around," Roy said.
"You shouldn't go off by yourself," I warned him.
"That's thoughtful, don't worry about me sweet cheeks," he winked and walked ahead.
"Alright everybody stays together," Dean said and then turned to look at me, "And you stay away from Roy."
"I didn't do anything," I said throwing my arms up. It wasn't my fault Roy was a creep.
We walked around a few more minutes before Roy called out for Haley. We all ran towards his voice and saw what used to be a campsite. Everything was destroyed and there were traces of blood everywhere but no bodies.
"Oh my God," Haley exclaimed.
"Looks like a grizzly," Roy said.
"Tommy…Tommy…Tommy…" Haley yelled until Sam hushed her, "Why?"
"Something might still be out there," he answered.
"Sam…Leah…" Dean called us over to where he was squatting down.
"What did you find?" I asked as we got closer.
"The bodies were dragged from the campsite but here the tracks just vanish," Dean said pointing to the ground.
"Ok so it's not a skin walker or black dog," I said rubbing my hand on the back of my neck as we walked back to the campsite.
I could see Haley sitting on the ground crying and I went over to her.
"Hey he could still be alive," I tried to reassure her putting my hand on her shoulder.
Before she got a chance to respond we heard a man's voice screaming for help. We all went running in the direction it came from but didn't see anything.
"It seemed like it was coming from around here didn't it?" Haley asked as we stopped to look around.
"Everybody back to camp," Sam instructed.
We got back to camp and noticed our packs were gone.
"So much for my GPS and satellite phone," Roy sighed.
"What the hell is going on?" Haley asked.
"It's smart it wants to cut us off so we can't call for help," Sam answered.
"You mean someone…some nut job out there just stole all our gear?" Roy asked.
"I need to speak with you two…in private," Sam said to Dean and I ignoring Roy's question.
We followed him to the other side of the campsite so no one could hear us.
"Ok check this out," he said flipping through dad's journal then handing it to Dean.
"Dude, come on a Wendigo? I've never even heard of one this far west," I said reading over Dean's shoulder.
"Think about it the claws…the way it can mimic a human's voice…" Sam answered.
"Great well then this is useless," Dean sighed pulling his own gun out.
"We have to get these people to safety," Sam commanded as he turned and walked back over to where everyone was standing, "Alright listen up, it's time to go, things have gotten more complicated."
"What?" Haley asked.
"Kid don't worry whatever is out there I think I can handle it," Roy said.
"It's not me I'm worried about if you shoot this thing, you're just going to make it mad, we have to leave now," Sam said.
"One you're talking nonsense, two you're in no position to be giving anybody orders," Roy started to raise his voice.
"Relax," Dean said.
"We never should have let you come out here in the first place, I'm trying to protect you," Sam continued.
"You protect me? I was hunting these woods when your mommy was still kissing you goodnight," Roy yelled getting in Sam's face.
"Yeah it's a damn near perfect hunter, smarter than you and it's going to hunt you down and eat you alive unless we get your stupid sorry ass out of here," Sam said not backing down.
Roy laughed in his face, "You know you're crazy right?"
"Shut up!" I yelled and threw a right hook at Roy. I had heard enough no one talks about my mother and no one messes with my brothers but me.
"Chill out," Dean said as he pushed Sam and me back.
"Stop it, everybody just stop. Tommy might still be alive and I'm not leaving here without him," Haley cried out.
"It's getting late; this thing is a good hunter during the day but an unbelievable hunter at night. We will never beat it not in the dark, we need to settle in and protect ourselves," Dean said taking charge.
Haley's younger brother, Ben, and I went to collect some kindling and then proceeded to start a fire while Dean drew symbols around the campsite in the dirt that the Wendigo couldn't pass over. After the fire was started I saw Sam sitting on a log all alone deep in thought.
"What's going on?" I asked as I sat down next to him.
"Leah…" he sighed.
"No don't give me that I'm fine crap. You are like a powder keg that's not like you. Dean is supposed to be the belligerent one remember," I said bumping his shoulder. I hated seeing him so upset and not being able to do anything about it.
"I never meant for you to hit Roy," he sighed.
"Please we both know that would have happened eventually whether you two started arguing or not," I said as I leaned my head on his shoulder. I always did have a problem using my fists to say what words couldn't.
"Dad's not here, I mean that much we know for sure right? I mean he would have left us a message…a sign, right?" Sam asked.
"Yeah you're probably right, to tell you the truth I don't think dad has ever been to Lost Creek," I answered.
"What having a family meeting without me?" Dean asked as he sat on the other side of Sam.
"We need to go find dad, why are we even still here?" Sam asked.
I took dad's journal from his hands, "This is why, this is dad's single most valuable possession he has. Everything he knows about every evil thing is in here and he passed it on to us. I think he wants us to pick up where he left off; you know saving people, hunting things…the family business."
"That makes no sense, why doesn't he just call us or tell us what he wants or where he is," Sam replied.
"I don't know but the way I see it dad has given us a job to do and I intend to do it," I said staring into his eyes. I didn't need any other reason then dad left us coordinates for a job and that's what we were going to go. I never questioned my dad's motives or orders I respected what he had to say and did as I was told.
"Leah no, I have to find dad, I have to find Jessica's killer, it's the only thing I can think about," Sam said and I could see him to start to tear up.
"Sam we will find them I promise but this search might take awhile and all that anger you are carrying around with you, over the long haul it's going to kill you. You have to have patience man," Dean said speaking up.
"How do you do it?" Sam asked looking to Dean and then to me, "How do you?"
"For one them," Dean answered motioning towards Haley and Ben.
"Killing as many evil sons of bitches as we can helps a lot too," I added smiling.
Our little family moment was interrupted by the same cries we heard earlier.
"It's trying to draw us out, just stay cool…stay put," Dean instructed.
"Inside the magic circle," Roy asked and then we heard a menacing growl, "Ok that's no grizzly."
"No shit asswipe," I scoffed.
"It's here," Sam said as the growls got closer.
Roy shot it and ran towards where he fired.
"Roy no!" Dean yelled after him but he didn't listen.
"Damn it, don't move!" Sam instructed Haley, Ben and I as he and Dean ran after Roy.
I could see Haley hands shaking, "Hey don't worry nothing can get us as long as we stay by the fire and in the circle."
She gave me a small smile and in a few minutes Dean and Sam reappeared from the woods.
"Roy?" Haley asked and Dean just shook his head.
I didn't like the guy but I didn't want him dead. We each took shifts through out the night until the sun came just to make sure.
"These things aren't supposed to be real," Haley said breaking the silence.
"I wish I could tell you other wise," I said.
"How do we know it's not out there watching us?" she asked.
"We don't but we're safe for now," Dean answered.
"How do you know about all of this?"
"Kind of runs in the family," he answered.
"So we have half a chance in the daylight and I for one want to kill this evil son of a bitch," I said standing up and dusting the dirt off me.
"Well hell you know I'm in," Dean smiled.
"Me too," Sam added.
"So what do we need to know?" Ben asked. Kind of took me by surprise he's not much of a talker.
"Wendigo means evil that devours. They are hundreds of years old; each one was once a man, sometimes an Indian, a frontiersman or a miner. It's always the same story during some harsh winter a guy finds himself starving, cut off from supplies and help, he becomes a cannibal to survive eating other members of his tribe or camp. Cultures all over the world believe that eating human flesh gives a person supernatural abilities such as speed, strength…immortality. If you eat enough of it over the years you become this less than human thing, you are always hungry," Dean explained.
"If that's true how can Tommy still be alive?" Haley asked.
"You aren't going to like it," I said looking at her sympathetically.
"Tell me."
"More than anything a Wendigo knows how to last long winters without food; it hibernates for years at a time. When it is awake it keeps its victims alive so it can feed whenever it wants," Sam answered.
"So how do we stop this thing?" Ben asked.
"Well guns are useless, so are knives. Basically, we have to torch the fucker," I answered smirking. I always loved hunting, it was a way to let out my anger in a healthy way, well healthier than hitting people or starting fights.
We started walking through the woods looking for some place that it could hide her brother and anyone else it had taken. We started noticing bloody claw marks on the trees so we decided to follow them.
"Hey guys," Sam said.
"What is it?" Dean asked.
"You know I was thinking those claw marks are so clear and distinct, they were almost too easy to follow," Sam answered.
We heard that menacing growl again and Haley screamed as Roy fell out of a tree. Sam ran over to help her up and I went to check for a pulse.
"His neck is broken," I said after checking him.
The growl came again.
"Run…Go…Go!" Dean yelled.
We all started running with Haley and I in the front, I don't know why the boys were so far behind us but when I turned to look there stood the Wendigo. I heard Haley scream as I was hit in the head and everything went back.
"Leah!" I could hear someone shouting but it seemed so far away.
"Come on angel…show me those green eyes," Dean said as he rubbed my cheeks.
"Dean?" I asked as I opened my eyes. I soon realized I was being held up by rope around my wrists.
"Yeah I'm here, you alright?" he asked as he started to cut me down.
"Yeah…" I answered and winced as he set me on the ground.
I could see Haley sitting opposite of me while Sam and Ben cut down who I assumed to be Tommy.
"Are you sure you are alright?" Dean asked again kneeling next to me.
"Yeah where is it?" I asked looking around.
"It's gone for now," Sam answered as he walked over with Ben as they sat Tommy down next to Haley.
"Look what I found, flare guns," Dean smiled.
"Those will work," Sam smiled back.
We started making our way out of the tunnel; I could only assume that we were in some old miners' shaft. I started to get dizzy and grabbed onto Sam's arm for support.
"Hey what's going on?" he asked as I blinked a few times.
"Everything is all fuzzy…" I answered and started swaying on my feet. I felt Sam pick me up and heard him say, "Dean we need to get out of here now," before everything went black again.
When I came to again I noticed we were still in the woods and Sam was still carrying me. I moaned a little as I tried to open my eyes.
"Well good morning sleepy head, how are you feeling?" Sam asked smiling at me.
"I feel like I hit a brick wall," I moaned and buried my head in his chest.
"We're almost to the ranger's station," he answered.
"She awake?" Dean asked.
"Yeah but she is in pain," I could hear him answer.
"Go get her checked out," Dean pointed to the ambulance that was there.
Sam walked over and sat me down next to where Tommy was sitting in the back of the ambulance. He was shooed away by a paramedic leaving me alone with Tommy.
"So would now be the wrong time to ask for you number?" I asked as the paramedic applied liquid stitches to the gash I had on my head.
"What?" he asked looking over to me.
"Never mind," I said waving him off.
Once the paramedic took my vitals and I could prove to her I could stand on my own she let me go. I made my way over to where Sam and Dean were waiting for me.
"Hey Sammy," I said as I sat next to him on the hood.
"Yeah babe," he answered putting his arm around me.
"I hate hiking."