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Disclaimer: I own nothing but Emily.
I sat in the backseat of the impala watching Dean's heart break for the second time. He was saying goodbye to Cassie. He loved her… I knew back then he did, even if I was only 13. She called us last week, and of course Dean came running. Now here we are… I'll sit in this car for the second time as we leave this town, watching Dean try and pretend like he's un-phased by it.
What's different this time is that Dean still hasn't looked me in the eye once since last week. Instead of climbing up front and sitting next to him, being there for him- I'm sitting in the back avoiding him.
I thought we would just get past this. That he would be mad for a day or so and then he would get over it. But he won't talk to me about it. He won't look me in the eye. I was devastated the first couple of days, begging him to talk to me about it. But, now I've realized that there is just no talking to him right now. Not till he's ready. So I've gone mute. Yeah, okay well maybe not mute. I talk to Sammy. He keeps trying to tell me its okay, that Dean is just in his head, but the truth is I let him down. First I almost killed him, and then I happily let another man take his place. An innocent man. No wonder Dean couldn't look at me.
Another Diner… another motel room… another night I shared a bed with Sam instead of Dean. Another day of radio silence. Another sleepless night. I get up and cake on concealer to cover the bags. I don't want Dean to see them. I don't want to make matters worse.
(DEAN'S POV)
It feels like every hour I'm looking at the clock. Dozing on and off, not really sleeping. I want to talk to Emily. But I also don't. I don't know what to say. The longer I wait the harder it gets. We don't look at each other. At first she begged me to talk to her, then she stopped. Stopped trying. Stopped looking at me.
I don't think she sleeps much. I hear her get up every morning before Sam and me, but then she goes back to bed pretending to be asleep.
I'm so angry with myself for letting it get this far, but I'm too damn stubborn to put it to an end.
It wasn't long before Emily got up and walked into the bathroom, her make up bag in her hand. I can see the bags. She think's she's hiding them but I've stared at the face my whole life. I can tell.
Suddenly Sam flew up out of the bed, causing me to jump up as well. What the hell?
"Dean! Dean we gotta go… we gotta go right now!"
"What the hell are you talking about man, it's only like 4 in the morning."
"I'm serious Dean! Get up!"
He ran over and banged on the bathroom door to get Emily. She looked at him scared, demanding to know what was going on. I wanted to reassure her it was okay. But instead I just started packing my bag.
(EMILY'S POV)
We were in the impala flying down the road. It was raining and pitch black outside. Sam was frantic in the front seat and Dean was giving him the typical speech.
"McReady. Detective McReady. Badge number 158. I've got a signal 480 in progress, I need the registered owner of a two door sedan, Michigan licence plate Mary-Frank-six-zero-three-seven. Yeah ok, just hurry." Sam said into the phone.
"Sammy relax. I'm sure it's just a nightmare."
"Yeah, tell me about it."
"I mean it. Ya know, a normal, everyday, naked-in-class, nightmare. This licence plate, it won't check out. You'll see."
"It felt different Dean. Real. Like when I dreamt about our old house. And Jessica."
"Yeah, that makes sense. You're dreaming about our house, your girlfriend. This guy in your dream, you ever seen him before?"
"No."
"No. Exactly. Why would you have premonitions about some random dude in Michigan."
"I don't know."
"Me neither."
"Yes I'm here." Sam said into the phone.
"Jim Miller. Saginaw, Michigan. You have a street address? Got it. Thanks."
Sam sighed heavily before turning to Dean. "Checks out. How far are we?"
"From Saginaw? Couple of hours."
"Drive faster." Sam said obviously stressing. I reached up and put my hand on his shoulder and squeezed. He squeezed back and held onto it. I leaned my head forward on the seat behind him and dozed off. It was too much to try and figure out right now. We just needed to get there and see what we were really dealing with right now.
The impala came to a stop and we all climbed out walking up to a scene. Police cars, yellow tape, a gathering crowd at the edge of the yard. Whatever happened…. We were too late.
"What happened?" Dean asked a woman in the crowd.
"Suicide." She responded.
"Did you know them?" Sam asked.
"Saw him in every Sunday at St Augustines. He always seems...seemed, so normal. I guess you never know what's going on behind closed doors."
"Guess not."
"How did...uhh. How are they saying it happened?" I asked her.
"I heard they found him in the garage, locked inside his car with the engine running."
"Do you know about what time they found him?" Sam quickly asked.
"Oh it just happened about an hour or two ago. His poor family. I can't even imagine what they're going through."
We looked up to see a woman crying, on the shoulder of what I assume is her son. They look devastated. I look up to Sam. He looks even worse. He suddenly turned and took off, Dean and I close behind him.
"Sam we got here as fast we we could." I tried telling him.
"Not fast enough. It doesn't make any sense man. Why would I even have these premonitions if there wasn't a chance I could stop them from happening?"
"I dunno."
"So what do you think killed him?" Sam asked more to Dean then me.
"Maybe the guy just killed himself? Maybe there's nothing supernatural going on at all."
"I'm telling you, I watched it happen. He was murdered by something Dean. I watched it trap him in the garage."
"What was it, a spirit, poltergeist, what?"
"I don't know what it was. I don't know why I'm having these dreams, I don't know what the hell is happening Dean!" Sam yelled getting obviously worked up… I hated seeing him like this. I hated me and Dean being awkward, it wasn't helping the situation. I know it put Sam in the middle of us.
Dean and I both just stare at Sam without a response.
"What?!"
"Nothing. I'm just, I'm worried about you man." Dean finally says.
"Well, don't look at me like that!"
"I'm not looking at you like anything."
"Though I gotta say, you do look like crap." I rolled my eyes. Wow, could you have picked a worse time to say some shit like that.
"Nice. Thanks." Sam said throwing his hands up. I reached out and grabbed his sleeve, going to stand closer to him. My arm around his waist.
"Come on, lets just pick this up in the morning. We'll check out the house, talk to the family."
"Dean, you saw them, they're devastated They're not going to want to talk to us"
"Yeah you're right. But I think I know who they will talk to."
The next morning I watched as my two idiot brothers put on their most ridiculous outfit yet… they were going to pretend to be Father's from the local church. Idiots. I swear.
Dean handed me a nun outfit but I simply said "No. I'm not wearing that. I'll just come as an intern or something."
Instead of arguing back with me, which I almost hoped would happen, he just sighed and shook his head. Great. I can't even pick a damn fight with the guy now.
We walked up to the front door, Dean knocked.
"This has gotta be a whole new low for us." Sam mumbled before it opens.
"Good Afternoon. I'm Father Simmons, this is Father Frehley and our church intern Emily. We're new junior priests over at St Augustines. May we come in?"
A man who looked much like the dead guy from last night nodded and let us walk in, I'm guessing they were brothers or something.
"Thanks." Dean said following him inside.
"We're very sorry for your loss." Sam spoke softly.
"It's in difficult times like these when the Lord's guidance is most needed." Dean added dramatically. Oh please…. We are so going to hell for this one.
"Look, you wanna pitch your whole 'Lord has a plan' thing? Fine. Just don't pitch it to me. My brother's dead." Well, isn't he pleasant.
Suddenly the woman from last night rounds the corner entering the room, "Roger. Please!"
"Excuse me." He said leaving us with Ms. Miller.
"I'm sorry about my brother in law. He's...he's just so upset about Jim's death. Would you like some coffee?"
"That would be great." Dean accepts with a smile.
"It was wonderful of you to stop by. The support of the church means so much right now." She said to us as we all took a seat in the living room.
"Of course. After all we are all God's children."….. Dean. Dude. You are trying WAY too hard right now.
When I finish rolling my eyes I notice Dean is shoving his mouth full of cocktail sausages that Ms. Miller laid out for us to be polite.
Sam noticed too and was glaring at dean.
"What?" Dean asked him, cheeks full.
"Just...tone it down a little bit, Father."
"So Ms Miller, did you husband have a history of depression?"
"Nothing like that, We had our ups and downs like everyone but we were happy… I just don't understand...how Jim could do something like this."
"I'm so sorry you had to find him like that."
"Actually, our son Max, he was the one who found him."
We all three looked past her into the kitchen where Max was staring out the window, he was young, older than me but younger than Dean for sure. I figured the best way to get him to talk was have the right person, or gender, approach him.
"Do you mind if maybe, I go talk to him?" I asked suddenly, earning a glare from both boys, but I knew better than to meet eyes with Dean.
"Oh Yes! I think it would be great for him to talk with someone around his age about all this. Thank you dear."
"My pleasure." I said getting up with a smile.
At this point I'm really happy that I DIDN'T go along with the nun suit. Instead I have on a black pencil skirt, knee length, and a white button up underneath it. I had it buttoned all the way up, but since I am attempting to talk to Max now and not Mrs. Miller I dropped the top two.
"Max?" He jumped slightly before turning to look at me. He wasn't necessarily attractive but a girl could do worse. He looked me up and down before speaking.
"Who are you?"
"Emily. I work at the church, I'm assisting the Father's with home visits today. We came by to check on you and your mom to see how you were holding up."
"Right… they let you wear that to work for the church?" He asked gesturing to my tight skirt. Damn. Smart one.
"Well no actually, I'm more of an intern. I didn't exactly meet the qualifications to be a nun if you catch my drift." I threw him a wink.
He laughed, "Yeah. I think I do."
"So what was your Dad like?"
"Just a normal Dad."
"Yeah. You live at home now?"
"Yeah. Trying to save up for school but it's hard. I'm sure you can understand that."
"I do." I lied. I moved to sit next to him instead of standing and crossed my hands together.
"So when you found your dad..."
"I woke up, I heard the engine running….. I don't know why he did it."
"I know it's rough, losing a parent. Especially when you don't have all the answers."
"Do you? Really?" He asked me. How can I lie to the kid… guess I'll have to be honest.
"Yes. Actually I do. My mother was killed when I was young. My father is missing. So I do know."
This seemed to take him off guard, "I guess you do… She's my stepmom you know."
"No. I didn't."
"My mom died too. Guess we have a lot in common." He said reaching for my hand. I could feel his gaze fall down from my face and stop, as if willing the 3rd button on my shirt to open. I was suddenly very uncomfortable. I know I kinda dragged him along but this was making me feel like I did with Jake.
"Well, it sounds like the Father's are done, I should catch up to them." I said quickly standing and pulling away from him. I turned towards the doorway.
Luckily Sam entered the room at that moment.
"Ready to go Father?" I asked giving him the look that I really wanted to leave. He looked back at me concerned and flashed down to see Max staring at my ass. Come on Sam move! I pushed to walk past him, tired of feeling Max's eyes on me.
When we got to the impala I shuddered, I felt dirty. Like I needed to shower.
"Em you okay?" Sam asked concerned.
"Why wouldn't she be." Dean asked to only Sam. Again.
"I'm fine Sam… just leave it alone."
"No. I'm not… that guy was practically undressing her with his eyes. Normally you would have been there to put a stop to that, maybe if you'd bother to look at each other then you would have seen it and not left her in there alone." He was talking to Dean, then both of us, then back to only Dean.
I looked down and fidgeted with my hands. Dean said nothing and started driving down the road.
"I swear… you two are the most stubborn people I've ever met in my entire life." Sam mumbled.
The ride back to the motel was silent.
Sam and I left Dean at the motel and we went to the Library to do some research on the house. It wasn't long that we were pulling back in and walked inside to find Dean cleaning weapons again. He's been doing that a lot lately. I think its to keep himself busy so he has an excuse not to acknowledge me.
"What do you have?" He asked Sam…. Again. I'm just fucking chopped liver over here.
(DEAN'S POV)
Sam was frustrated when he came through the door, I knew he had nothing but I asked anyways.
"A whole lotta nothing. Nothing bad has happened in the Miller house since it was built."
"What about the land?"
"No grave yards, battle fields, tribal lands or any other kind of atrocity on or near the property."
"Hey man I told you, I searched that house up and down. No cold spots, sulfer scent. Nada."
"And the family said everything was normal?"
"Well, if there was a demon or poltergiest in there you think somebody would have noticed something? I used the infer-red thermal scanner man, and there was nothing. "
"So what, you think Jim Miller killed himself and my dream was just some sorta freakish coincidence?"
No. I don't. I think there is some crazy shit going on with you and it freaks me out. But I'm sure as hell not gonna tell you that.
"I dunno. I'm pretty sure there's nothing supernatural about that house."
"Yeah. Well, maybe it has nothing to do with the house." Sam said sitting down and rubbing his head.
"Maybe it's just...Gosh... maybe it's connected to Jim in some other way?" He looked in pain.
"What's wrong with you?"
"Ahh. My head!" He yelled falling to the floor, Emily was closer and was right next to him.
"Sammy! Sam!" She said trying to get him to look up, she was scared. I know that girl like the back of my hand. She was freaking out too.
"Sam? Hey," .. I said bending down to his level. "Hey! What's going on? Talk to me."
"It's happening again. Something's gunna kill Roger Miller."
Just like that we were back in baby, my foot laid on the gas. Sam was calling for an address. I flashed my eyes to the rearview mirror to see Emily in the back. Eyes focused on Sam. She was worried about him just as much as I was. I looked away incase she saw me watching her.
"Roger Miller. Uh no no,just the address please. Ok, thanks.."
"450 West Grove, Apartment 1120." He told me.
"You ok?" He was still rubbing his head and looked sick.
"Yeah."
"If you're gunna hurl I'll pull the car over you know, cause the upholstery..." Because I will kill you if baby gets covered in your puke. She doesn't deserve that.
"I'm fine." He said annoyed.
"All right."
"Just drive."
"Dean I'm scared man. These nightmares weren't bad enough, now I'm seeing things when I'm awake? And these, visions, or whatever, they're getting more intense. And painful."
"Sammy… it gonna be okay." Emily said from the backseat, reaching up to hug him from behind.
"Come on man, you'll be all right. It'll be fine."
"What is it about the Millers. Why am I connected to them, why am I watching them die? Why the hell is this happening to me?"
"I don't know Sam but we'll figure it out. We've faced the unexplainable every day. This is just another thing." Except its not. It never has been. And you're scaring the hell out of me.
"No. It's never been us. It's never been in the family like this. Tell the truth, you can't tell me this doesn't freak you out." Damn right it does.
"This doesnt freak me out." I lied, convincingly might I add.
Sam stared at me, but then gave up on the conversation… Him and Emily both were quiet the rest of the drive.
"Hey Roger." Sam calls out the window as we pull up and see Roger carrying in a bag of groceries.
"What are you guys, missionaries? Leave me alone."
"Please!" Sam pleaded to him. But he just kep walking. I jumped into a parking spot and Sam jumped out running after him.
"Hey. Roger. We're trying to help! Please! Hey, hey hey hey hey." Sam runs up to the door right as Roger slammed it in his face,
"I don't want your help." He called from the other side of the door before walking away.
"We're not priests, you gotta listen to us! Roger, you're in danger!"
I looked up and noticed the fire escape on the backside of the building.
"Come on. Come on come on." I called to Sam and Em.
We ran and ran, Emily right behind me and Sam behind her. I could hear some kind of a struggle at his window and I had just about reached it when I heard the noise… Its kind of hard to mistake decapitation. I froze. Emily accidently ran into me and Sam came up behind her. All three of us had our eyes glued to the head laying in the flower box, blood everywhere from the force of the window slamming down.
Suddenly Em started to scream, Sam threw a hand over her mouth. I turned and could see it starting. Not now kiddo… Sam dropped his hand when she stopped the screaming and I watched as her breath came faster and faster. She couldn't tear her eyes away.
"Start wiping down your fingerprints, we don't want the cops to know we were here. Come on, come on!" I yelled to them both, but Em was frozen. Her chest moving too rapidly. Shit.
"Dammit Sam get her back to the car! I'm gonna peak inside." He started to pull her down, but she was barely moving. I stepped inside the apartment and found nothing, no signs that anyone or anything had been here except for Roger. Man. What the hell is going on with these people.
I climbed back down and made my way to the impala. Sam had Emily in the front seat, crouched down in front of her.
"Dean! I can't get her to stop!"
"Just tell her to breathe." I tried to push him. He needs to know how to fix this… what happens if I'm not there.
"Dean I've been doing that since we left you. Its not working! I can't do it like you can." He said getting angry.
"Well learn then dammit!" This whole time we're arguing Emily is still drawing in short fast rapid breaths, I'm getting angrier by the second. Not at her, but because I want to help. But I just… I don't know!
"Dean her fingers are ice cold! Her lips are starting to go blue, shove whatever is in your head to the side and help her already!"
That was enough. I got down and pushed Sam out of the way. Putting one hand on each side of her face. She wasn't getting any air, she wasn't blinking. Her eyes were wide and glistening, she stared ahead at nothing.
"Emily! EM!" I yelled putting my eyes directly in her line of sight.
"Emily breathe! Breathe. You have to stop… come on babygirl. Shhhh… " I think she finally is looking at me instead of past me at nothing. I rubbed a circle on her cheek with my thumb.
"Deep breath in kiddo, you can do it." She took one half breath and then tried for a deep one but I had let this go on too long and she just couldn't get one- she was struggling to slow down.
I moved to sit behind her and leaned her against me, her head against the spot where my heart beats.
"Breathe kiddo.. come on." I held her against me as I breathed in and out slowly, feeling her chest rise but go down slow to match my movements, her whole body trembling.
"There you go… its okay. Its gone." I ran my fingers through her hair and rocked us back and forth. She was finally coming down. Its been a while since she's had one that bad. They exhaust her, and that on top of her lack of sleep was causing her to doze off in my arms. I tossed the keys to Sam and nodded as he picked up her legs and I slid over a little further into the seat, making sure they wouldn't get hit by the door.
Sam drove us back to the motel. By the time we got there Emily was still shaking but was breathing, and to be honest I'm pretty sure she was asleep. I hope that falling asleep right after seeing Roger doesn't give her more nightmares.
I carried her inside and laid her down on my bed, having to pry my shirt out of her grasp before I could stand up straight again. That girl had a death grip even in her sleep. I stood over her, just watching. She needed to sleep so bad. I want to wake her up, tell her I'm sorry. But I can't stand to disturb her right now. Why did I let this go on this long… how could I treat her like that. I know why she said the things she said, whether she meant them or not. Its because like me she'd do anything for this family. Sometimes I hated that, but deep down I was proud. I know that's something she learned from me.
"So are you two going to end this thing now…" Sam asked as he sipped a beer at the table.
"Yeah… yeah I think I'm done."
"Good…. So did you see anything inside?"
"I'm telling you there was nothing in there. No signs either, just like the Miller's house."
"I saw something, in the vision. Like a dark shape. Something was...something was stalking Roger."
"Whatever it was, are you sure it's not connected to their house?"
"No, it's connected to the family themselves. So what do you think, like a vengeful spirit?"
"Well yeah, there's a few that have been known to latch onto families, follow them for years…Angiak. Banshees."
"Basically like a curse. So maybe Roger and Jim Miller got involved in something heavy, something curse worthy."
"And now the something is out for revenge. And the men in their family are dying."
"Hey you think Max is in Danger?"
"You mean besides the fact that I might kill him if he looks at Emily again…" This caused Sam to chuckle.
"Let's figure it out before he is." I suggested.
"Well, I know one thing I have in common with these people."
"What's that?"
"Both our families are cursed."
I scoffed at him, "Our family's not cursed! We just...had our dark spots."
"Our dark spots are...pretty dark."
"You're...dark." Dammit. That was dumb.
Sam went to bed and I finished off the last of my beer before crawling in bed myself. Emily had been asleep for a few hours now, but it seemed like when I laid down it might have woken her up.
She moved around and suddenly turned over, meeting my gaze for the first time in days.
"Dean… I'm sorry." She whispered.
"Me too kiddo."
"Well when we do something we sure do it right huh De?" She grinned.
"Oh you mean like fighting? Yeah. I'm pretty sure we nailed that one." I smiled back.
She moved to lay her head on my chest and drifted back to sleep, I pulled her close to me and shut my eyes. Her and Sammy… my whole world. I protected them, taught them, disciplined them, raised them… loved them both more than I ever imagined I could.
Sam, he turned out good. He's strong. He's independent. He knows what he wants and he's not afraid to go after it… whatever is going on with him. I know he'll beat it. He always does… But Emily. She's still so young, so impressionable. SO damn stubborn. I could push too much if I'm not careful, or not push enough. There are so many things in this world I want for her. I want her to be loved, to be happy.
God. I don't know if your real… I don't know if you're up there, or if you're listening. Or if you really even care… but I need to do right by this girl. Please… don't let me lose her. Don't let me mess this kid up.
(EMILY'S POV)
It was bright outside the next morning. Dean was snoring lightly in my ear, I woke up still curled into his side. I'm glad we set things right. It had gone on too long. Poor guy looks exhausted. I carefully peeled myself away without waking him.
I felt better than I had in days. I actually slept and didn't need to cake on concealer this morning. Which is a relief cause that shit is expensive! I can't afford to wear it every day.
I went and sat next to Sam who was drinking coffee, gross. I loved the smell but couldn't stand its bitter taste. Sometimes he would make me a cup just so I could hold the warmth between my hands and smell it. Then of course Dean would steal it and drink it.
"You okay Em?"
"Yeah. I'm good. I'm sorry about last night Sammy.."
"Its okay. I'm sorry I couldn't really help… I tried but."
"No.. its okay. It's not your fault at all… I wish I could control it myself… but I can't."
"Emily. Are you ever gonna talk to me about them." Sam's question threw me way off guard.
I blinked at him for a second before looking down at my hands.
"I-I don't know. I don't know if I can to be honest with you." I said not looking up.
"You can tell me anything Em. But… in your own time."
"Thanks… So what's the plan for today."
"Well. You're not gonna like it but we need to go back and see Max. He might be in danger."
"You're right. I don't like it." Fuckin creeper, the last thing I wanna do is go back to his house.
Sam and Dean were dressed as Father's again but instead of the skin tight pencil skirt, I opted for dark wash jeans and a long sleeve black V-neck. I wasn't as much worried about my cover as I was not getting perved on. This time Dean told me not to leave his sight.
"My Mom's resting, she's pretty wrecked." Max said as he let us in the door.
"Of course." Sam said.
"All these people kept coming with like, casseroles? I finally had to tell them all to go away. You know cause nothing says I'm sorry like a tuna casserole." He spoke to Sam but had his eyes on me the entire time. Creep.
"How you holding up?" Sam asks him as we all sit in the living room.
"Ok."
"You're dad and your uncle were close."
"Yeah I guess. I mean, they were brothers. They used to hang out all the time when I was little."
"But not lately much?"
"No, it's not that. It's just...we used to be neighbours when I was a kid, and we lived across town in this house. Uncle Roger lived next door, so he was over all the time." I could sense something change in Max as he talked about his old house and having Roger close by. Somethings not right.
"Right. So how was it in that house when you were a kid?"
"It was fine. Why?" His mouth twitched. He's lying.
"All good memories? Do you remember anything unusual? Something involving your father and your uncle maybe?" Dean joined in asking.
"What do ya...why do you ask?" Max said getting suspicious. Oh yeah. This guy is hiding something.
"Just a question."
"No, there was nothing. We were totally normal. Happy." Liar liar pants on fire. Ew. No. Actually lets make sure his pants aren't on fire. They can stay on till hell freezes over as far as I'm concerned.
"Good. That's good. Well you must be exhausted. We should take off."
"Yeah… good to see you guys again." Max said again speaking to us all but only eyeing me, and I'm pretty sure that he was focused on my chest. I crossed my arms, which signaled to Dean that I was uncomfortable. He quickly laid a hand on my back and turned me towards the door, so that I was leading us out.
"I swear to God I'm going to rip his eyeballs out myself." Dean mumbled as the door shut. He instinctively walked right along side me. Usually that's annoying but right now I didn't mind so much.
"No one's family is totally normal and happy. See when he was talking about his old house?" I asked them.
"He sounded scared." Sam answered.
"Yeah Max isn't telling us everything. I say we go find the old neighborhood, find out what life was really like for the Millers."
"Agreed, just as long as we get the hell out of here." I said quickly climbing into the impala.
We went back to the old house and I wandered around as Dean and Sam talked to an older man who lived next door. This house was cute, it seemed like a quiet neighborhood. I wondered what it was like to grow up in a place like this. What was max so weird about?
Suddenly I heard the man ask if someone was okay… I turned to see Sam grabbing his head. Oh no. Another one. I rushed back to them as Dean and Sam waved goodbye and we climbed in the car.
"Max is doing it. Everything I've been seeing." Sam said finally coming out of his vision.
"You sure about this?" Dean asked him.
"Yeah, I saw him."
"How's he pulling it off?" I asked.
"I don't know, like telekinesis?"
"What so he's psychic, a spoon bender?"
"As long as he doesn't have X-ray vision." I said aloud more to myself then anyone.
"I didn't even realize it but this whole time he was there. He was outside the garage when his Dad died, he was in the apartment when his Uncle died. These visions, this whole time - I wasn't connecting to the Millers, I was connecting to Max! The thing is I don't get why, man. I guess - because we're so alike?"
"What are you talking about. The dude's nothing like you." Dean argued.
"Well. We both have psychic abilities, we both..."
"Both what? Sam, Max is a monster, he's already killed two people, now he's gunning for a third." I said
"Well, with what he went through, the beatings, to want revenge on those people? I'm sorry, I hate to say it, but it's not that insane. "
"Yeah but it doesn't justify murdering your entire family!" Dean quickly added.
"Dean..."
"He's no different from anything else we've hunted, all right? We gotta end him."
"We're not going to kill Max." Sam said
"Then what? Hand him over to the cops and say 'Lock him up officer; he kills with the power of his mind.'"
"No way. Forget it."
"Sam..."
"Dean. He's a person. We can talk to him. Hey, promise me you'll follow my lead on this one."
"All right fine. But I'm not letting him hurt anybody else."
"Fair enough… Emily that means you too. Don't pull anything in here."
"Okay… I won't Sammy. Promise." I said with my finger's crossed behind my back. Oops.
We busted through the front door, to see Max and a frightened Ms. Miller standing in the kitchen.
"Fathers? What are you doing here?" Max asked confused.
"Uhh, sorry to interrupt." Dean quickly says.
"Max, can we, uh, can we talk to you outside for just one second?" Sam asks trying to hide his nervousness.
"…About what?"
"It's...it's private. I wouldn't want to bother your mother with it."
"We won't be long at all though, I promise." He then said to Ms. Miller.
"Great."
We started walking for the door and just as I was fixing to step out of it it slammed shut almost catching me, Dean was quick and yanked me back, almost pulling me to the floor, Sam flung around to face Max.
"You're not priests!" He yelled backing up.
Dean and I both drew guns but they were somehow ripped out of our hands and thrown across the ground. What the hell?! Did Max just do that.
"Max, what's happening?" Ms. Miller suddenly asked him.
"Shut up."
"What are you doing?" She asked before she was flung into a wall. Oh yeah. This is definitely Max's doing. Shit.
"I said shut up!" He yelled getting frantic.
"Max calm down." I persuaded stepping forward, Dean grabbed the back of my shirt so that I couldn't walk away from him and be out of arm's reach.
"Who are you?" He asked me.
"We just wanna talk Max… please. Lets just talk." I tried to speak softly to calm him.
"Yeah right, that's why you brought this!" he said pointing to my gun.
"That was a mistake all right? So we were lying about who we were… But no more lying Max ok? Just please, just hear me out." I tried taking another step forward.
"About what?"
"I saw you do it. I saw you kill your Dad and your Uncle before it happened." Sam suddenly started up.
"I'm having visions Max. About you."
"You're crazy." Seriously? Said that guy that throws people around with his mind.
"So what, you weren't gonna launch a knife at your stepmom?" Max looked over at his stepmom before Sam got his attention back. "Right here? Is it that hard to believe Max, look what you can do. Max I was drawn here all right? I think I'm here to help you."
Max started to cry… "No one can help me."
"Let me try. We'll just talk, me and you. We'll get Dean, Emily, and Alice out of here."
"Uh-huh. No way." Dean suddenly interrupted.
The room started to shake and Dean pulled me back against him. Eyes on Sam since he was standing just feet from Max.
"Nobody leaves this house!" Max yells.
"And nobody has to, all right? They'll just...they'll just go upstairs." Sam tried to reason.
"Sam I'm not leaving you alone with him." Dean said.
"Yes you are. Look, Max. You're in charge here, all right, we all know that. No one's going to do anything that you don't want to do but I'm talking five minutes here man."
"Sam!"
Max looked to his stepmom and then to me and Dean.
"Five minutes. GO." He said. Dean quickly pushed me up towards the staircase before he went to get Ms. Miller.
My gun was just inches from my feet… If I can just discreetly bend down… I started to move and was about to grab it when yelling startled me and I jumped back.
"Hey! Don't touch that!" Max yelled eyes on me.
"Okay… okay I'm sorry Max… I'm going. I'm going now." I said walking backwards up the stairs as Dean made his way to me. We went to the closest bedroom and shut the door.
"What the hell Em! Right in front of him? Seriously!"
"I'm sorry. I almost had it…"
"I know. It was a good idea, just. Don't pull that shit again."
We sat on the bed and Dean held a rag to Ms. Miller's bleeding head. Suddenly the door flung open. It was Max. Wait…
"Max… Where's Sam" I cautiously asked standing up.
"You know I knew you weren't from the church. When you walked in wearing that skirt… no one with an ass like that works for the church." Max said looking me up and down biting his lip.
"Hey! Watch it." Dean growled
"Max. Please. Where is Sam."
"He's… busy."
"I swear if you hurt him I'll kill you." Dean said.
Suddenly Max pulled out a gun, he held it in the air and then released it, but the gun stayed mid air. It moved towards Ms. Miller and Dean stepped right in front of her.
"This isn't about you… move." Max said coldly.
"You're gonna have to get through me first." Dean matched his tone.
Max grinned. "Okay."
"NO! Max don't! Please… Don't." I walked up to him.
"Emily stay away from him." Dean growled but I ignored it.
I walked up to Max, dropping my voice to a whisper.
"Max… You don't have to do this. We can leave. Me and you. Lets just go."
He stared at me for a second, then started shaking his head.
"I wish you didn't have to die… so pretty." He said reaching up and touching my face with the back of his hand.
I heard the gun cock, realizing it was right behind my head now. I turned to face it- shaking. When I made the turn full circle I looked past it to Dean. My eyes almost as wide as his. "I'm sorry" I mouthed to him before closing my eyes. Waiting to hear the shot.
Instead I heard feet flying up the steps. "Max wait!" Sam Yelled.
"No don't! Don't! Please. Please. Max. Max. We can help you. All right. But this, what you're doing. It's not the solution. It's not gonna fix anything."
Max was crying, sweating, shaking, he was a total mess. I was still staring at Dean with the gun almost touching my forehead. He was eyes wide. Frozen. Knowing if he moved an inch it could cause Max to pull the trigger.
Suddenly I heard Max, "You're right."
It all happened so fast. Suddenly the gun was out of my sight, but the shot was right next to my ears.
"Noo!" Ms. Miller and Sam both yelled. I heard Max's body drop to the floor behind me. Dean crossed the room quickly and tucked me into his shoulder. Then he grabbed Sam and pulled him close to us. Not letting go- as if one of us might disappear if he released.
Ms. Miller was lying to the cops, making sure that we were free to go. Sam filled us in on his conversation with Max. I know he told me his real mom died. But he neglected to share she died the exact same way my mother did. When he was exactly six months old. Just like me. Was I part of his somehow? I mean Sam is the one with the psychic crap going on… but why did mom die when I was six months and not Sam? None of this makes sense.
"If I'd just said something else. Gotten through to him somehow." Sam was musing as we got in the impala and drove back to the motel.
"Ah, don't do that." Dean interrupted.
"Do what?"
"Torture yourself. It wouldn't have mattered what you said, Max was too far gone. He was going to kill Em. Just for being there. He was dead whether it be by his hand or mine."
"When I think about how he looked at me man, right before. I shoulda done something."
"Come on man, you risked your life. I mean yeah, maybe if we had gotten there 20 years earlier."
"Well I'll tell you one thing. We're lucky we had Dad." This caused my eyes to fly to Sam. Did I hear that correctly?
"Well I never thought I'd hear you say that." Dean said sounding just as shocked.
"Well, it coulda gone a whole other way after Mom. I little more tequila and a little less demon hunting and we woulda had Max's childhood. All things considered, we turned out ok. Thanks to him."
"All things considered."
We made it back to the room and started to pack up.
"Dean I've been thinking." Sam says out of no where.
"Well that's never a good thing." I joked, we all grinned.
"I'm serious. I been thinking, this demon, whatever it is. Why would it kill Mom, and Jessica, and Max's mother, you know? What does it want?"
"I have no idea."
"Well, you think, maybe, it was after us? After Max and me?"
"Why would you think that?"
"I mean, either telekinesis or premonitions, we both had abilities, you know? Maybe he was, he was after us for some reason."
"Sam. If it had wanted you, it would've just taken you. Ok? This is not your fault, it's not about you."
"Then what is it about?" Oh how I wish I had an answer to this question. Why did the demon kill mom when I was a baby. Why not when Sam was. Just like Max.
"It's about that damn thing that did this to our family. The thing that we're gonna find, the thing that we're gonna kill. And that's all."
"Actually there's uh ... there's something else too."
"Oh my god what." Geez Dean. Play nice.
"When Max left me in that closet, with that big cabinet against the door ... I moved it."
"Huh. You got a little more upper body strength than I gave you credit for there Sammy." What an ass.
"No man, I moved it. Like, Max."
"Oh." Dean said catching on and going silent for a minute…
"Bend this." Dean said nonchalantly holding up a spoon.
"Dean! Stop it!" I finally intervened.
"I can't just turn it on and off Dean." Sam said getting frustrated.
"How'd you do it Sam?" I asked him nicely.
"I don't know, I can't control it. I just...I saw you die and it just came out of me, like a, like a punch. You know like...a freak adrenaline thing."
"You saw me die?" I asked kinda surprised.
"Yeah. Em. He wasn't going to stop. He was going to kill you… then Dean.. then Ms. Miller."
"Yeah well I'm sure it won't happen again." Dean said trying to play the situation down.
"Yeah, maybe. Aren't you worried, man? Aren't you worried I could turn into Max or something?" Never. My Sammy could never be like Max.
"Nope. No way. You know why?" Dean asked him.
"Why?"
"Cause you got one advantage Max didn't have."
"Dad? Because Dad's not here, Dean." Well obviously Sam.
"No. Me." He said smirking. "As long as I'm around, nothing bad is gonna happen to you. And even if I wasn't here this pain in the ass would keep you in check." Dean said grabbing my wrist and pulling me into his lap as if I was a little girl again.
Sam gave us a small smile with his puppy dog eyes.
"I love you Sammy."
"I love you too Em." He said before getting up and going to pack the car.
I turned and looked to Dean, "I'm worried about him De."
"Me too… but we've gotta show him that he's okay. We gotta hold him up right now ya know?"
"Yeah. I do." I agreed staring down at my feet.
"Hey Em… listen. I'm sorry."
"De I know-"
"No. Just listen to me for a second. When Max had that gun on you… I would have done anything. Killed him. Swapped you and his mom, swapped me and you. Anything. To save you… I get it. I know why you said what you said. It just. I hate to think that I let you down. I let this life make you hard, and I'm sorry for that."
I laughed and he gave me an odd look. "Seriously?! That's why you cold shouldered me for a week now? Dean. You have never let me down. You prepared me. Dean this world is a hard place. You made me tough enough to handle it. You are the one solid stable thing I have. So don't doubt yourself. You made me who I am, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Family comes first, always."
He smirked at me and kissed my cheek.
"Come on. Lets catch up with Sammy."
We hopped up and walked outside, bags in hand.
"Now then. I know what we need to do about your premonitions. I know where we have to go."
"Where?" Sam asked curiously.
"Vegas." He said with a grin.
Sam shot Dean a bitch face and turned to get in the car.
"What? Come on man. Craps tables. We'd clean up!"
"Seriously De?" I said smacking him in the back of the head.
I climbed up front in the middle, I missed sitting up here. I leaned against Sam and turned up Skynrd's Simple Man on the radio.
"And be a simple kind of man… Oh, be something you love and understand" I sang along contently.
"Baby be a simple kind of man…Oh, won't you do this for me, son, if you can."