Robin had spent last night on the run in the woods. She had just stopped for gas, that was it. Wrong stop apparently. She had tried to leave this town, but they had a hotel California thing going on and shot out her bike, she loved that bike.
A car was pulling up to the barricade, wait, she knew that car. She edged closer to the road, all eyes were on the car, no one saw her. Suddenly it was thrown in reverse. She ran parallel with the car and when it stopped, she made a run for it. She swung open the door, jumped in and held on tight to the handle as it did a 180. She grabbed the door and slammed it shut. She looked over at the driver, "Oh" she said both casually and out of breath, "Hey Dean".
"Robin" he asked confused, "what the hell are you doing here"?
"I stopped for gas" she shrugged, "bad luck I guess".
"You ain't kiddin" he replied, "what the hell is going on here"?
"I dunno" she replied, "all I know is I didn't get a friendly chat. They opened fire on sight. Shot out my bike, I skidded about fifty feet and rolled into the woods. They've been hunting me since".
"Jesus Christ" he snapped, "are you okay"?
"I'm fine" she assured him, "Not my first night being hunted in the woods".
"When we get back to the doctor, she's looking you over" Dean told her.
"Yeah" Robin asked, "So long as you're watchin them, I don't trust anyone in this town".
"Wow Specks" he replied, "you're trusting me now"?
"I have always trusted you" she replied. She stopped and shrugged, "That way".
He grinned at her for a second then slammed on his breaks. "Get out of the car" shouted a man from the street, who had a shotgun pointed at them.
"Friend of yours" Robin asked, her hand in the air?
"We've met" he replied.
"Keep those hands where I can see em"
"Do as he says" Dean instructed. The two slowly got out of the car. "Alright, easy big boy" Dean tried to soothe. Dean pulled out a handgun and pointed it at him "alright put it down".
"Lower it now" the man shouted and pointed the gun at Robin.
"Hey" Dean shouted, the man turned the gun back to Dean, "you point it at her at her again, I will not hesitate". While he was distracted Robin was able to grab a handgun from a holster on her back
"Thanks Dean" she replied, pointing her gun at the man, "he's outgunned" she spoke to the man, "and if I so much as see you twitch, I will drop you dude".
"Are you one of em" the gunman shouted?
"No, we're not" Dean shouted, "Are you"?
"What the hell are you talking about" Robin shouted?
"What's taking over the people in this town" Dean explained. The gunman looked at Robin for a second, "dude I am warning you, do not point that at her. If she had turned, I would be on my ass right now. I've known her long enough and pissed her off enough times she wouldn't have been able to resist if she was one of them".
Robin shrugged. Everyone lowered their weapons.
"My neighbor"
"He's not your neighbor anymore".
"You got that right, came at me with a hatchet".
"We're headed to the Doc's place, there are some people left" Dean assured him.
"Nah" the gunman shook his head, "I'm getting out of town".
"Good ole boys at the bridge will say different" Robin explained, "they took my bike out, I'm pretty sure the bike wasn't the target".
"I don't believe you" he shouted.
"Fine" Dean replied, "stay here, be my guest".
They got in the car, the gunman, Mark, changed his mind and climbed in the backseat, Robin taking the passenger seat. Suddenly they heard two handguns click. "Not outgunned" Robin shrugged.
"This oughta be a relaxing drive" Dean nodded.
Th drive was silent. Sam met them at the front door of the doctor's office, "Did you find a phone" he asked? He spotted the other two Dean had brought, "Robin"?
"Hey Sammy" she sighed as she came in the office.
"I'm gonna have a word" Dean instructed the gunman, Mark, "Doc is inside". He turned to Sam, "We couldn't get to a phone, they've blocked out the roads".
"The doctor thinks it's a virus" Sam explained, "and get this, the virus leaves traces of sulfur".
"Shit" Robin ran her hands through her hair, "I can exercise people, but a virus? And a whole town"?
"I really don't think it would matter" Sam shook his head, "where it's a virus, it's not controlling them, it's throwing off their neurochemicals".
"Come again" Dean asked?
"The chemicals in their brain".
Sam grinned, "Finally".
"Hey, I'm brains and muscle all in one package" Robin shrugged.
Dean shook his head, "So what, it's some biblical plague"?
"It seems like it" Sam replied, "Dad had this theory that Croatoan was a demon's name, that it was a demon of plague and pestilence".
"So, we think this town is going the way of Roanoke" Robin asked?
"That's the working theory" Dean replied.
Mark called, "We've got one".
The trio joined him in the back. "What do you mean" Dean asked?
"The wife was infected" Sam replied.
"We have to take care of this" Mark declared.
Without hesitation, Dean took out his gun and shot the woman cowering in the corner.
Everyone was surprised by the sudden gunshot.
"Just like that huh" Robin asked him?
"What did you want to hold her hand and sing Kumbaya" Dean asked? "I did what needed to be done".
With that he and Mark walked away.
"Was it just me" Robin asked, "Or was that a little cold"?
"I definitely felt a chill" Sam nodded.
When they joined the others, the medical assistant was having a meltdown, thinking she'd become infected. The Doctor was reassuring her she was clean.
Suddenly there was a bang on the door. "Hey, let me in, please", he shouted.
"That's Duane Tanner" Mark said as he went to open the door.
"This is the guy I" Dean asked Sam quietly?
"Yup" Sam replied.
"I'm assuming a vision" Robin asked?
Sam nodded.
The young guy came in, he was blonde, somewhere between Robin and Sam's age, he had a backpack on and was limping.
"Doc" Dean commanded, "Give him a good once over would ya"?
The doctor began her examination.
"Duane, where were you" Mark asked?
"On a fishing trip up by Roslyn. I came back this afternoon" Duane explained, "I . . . I saw Roger McGill being dragged out of his house by people we know! They started cutting him with knives! I ran, I've been hiding in the woods ever since. Has anybody seen my mom and dad"?
"You're bleeding" The doctor mentioned.
"Where'd you get that" Robin demanded?
"I was running" he shrugged, "I tripped. Who are you"?
"Tie him up" Dean instructed.
"What the hell" Duan demanded? "No".
Robin grabbed a rope out of her bag, "Not up for debate sparky".
"Whoa, what's wrong with this chick" He snapped, "She just carries rope in her bag"?!
"There are knives and guns too if you would prefer one of them" she replied.
They tied Duane up and went out into the hall.
"This is my vision, Dean. It's happening" Sam noted,
"What was the vision" Robin asked?
"This guy was tied up, just like he is now" Sam replied, "and Dean killed him, shot him" he turned to Dean, "You can't kill him, all right? Not yet. We don't know if he's infected or not".
"Well, I think we're pretty damn sure" Dean nodded, "Guy shows up out of nowhere, he's got a cut on his leg, his whole family's infected"?
"All right, then we should keep him tied up, and we should wait and see" Sam replied.
"For what? For him to Hulk out and infect somebody else? No thanks, can't take that chance".
"You guys never checked me" Robin piped up, "You gonna ventilate me too"?
Ignoring her comment Dean started towards the door. Then he stopped to look at them "Hey look, man, I'm not happy about this, okay? But it's a tough job and you know that".
"It's supposed to be tough, Dean" Sam shouted, "We're supposed to struggle with this, that's the whole point".
"What does that buy us"?
"A clear conscience, for one"!
"Well, it's too late for that".
Dean started for the door, this time Robin stopped him, "What the hell's happened to you" she demanded? "You might kill an innocent man, and you don't even care"!
"Robin move" he whispered.
"No Dean" she snapped.
Dean grabbed for her, she blocked him.
"Don't you fucking dare" she snarled.
"I'm sorry" he replied as he pushed her out of the way. He spun around, closed and locked the door behind him trapping Robin in the room with Sam.
Sam banged on the window of the door, "Open the damn door, Dean! Don't do it, Dean! Don't"!
The two watched in horror as he headed down the hall.
"This is what happened" Robin asked?
"Exactly this" Sam replied softly.
The two sat in silent fear for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, Dean emerged, and came back to the room, unlocking it and freeing them.
"I couldn't" Dean murmured.
They both let out a sigh of relief.
Without warning, Robin slapped Dean across the face, "Dean Winchester is you ever manhandle me again".
"I'll buy you a drink first" he gave her a half grin.
"Don't you make me laugh right now, you shit" she snapped.
They knew to get out of this town they were going to need firepower, and a lot of it. More than they were packing. Explosives, big time stuff. Fortunately, a doctor's office typically has a supply of flammable materials, so the trio sat preparing bottles with rags to be used as such.
The doctor came in and told them it had been hours and there was still no trace of the infection in Duane's blood. She also let them know she was going to untie him. The three went back to silence momentarily.
"You know I'm gonna ask you why" Sam said. "So why? Why didn't you do it"?
"We need more alcohol" Dean replied, ignoring the question.
Sam got up and went to the dispensary.
"Because of him" Robin said.
"What"?
"You care about your brother Dean" Robin smiled, "You couldn't let him down".
The two heard a commotion and grabbed their guns. They ran to the sound; it was the dispensary. By the time they got there, they saw Pam on top of Sam, placing an open wound onto an open wound of Sam's. Dean kicked the door open and he and Robin both opened fire on Pam. Her body convulsed and landed on the floor. Sam reached out to Dean, who was leaning over to grab him when Mark intercepted him.
"She bled on him" Mark said, "He's infected".
They all stood back for a second. This was probably true; the virus was transferred through blood.
They went to the examination room, where the doctor checked Sam over and bandaged the cut.
"Doc, check his wound again, would you" Dean asked?
"What's she need to examine him for? You saw what happened" Mark argued.
"Did her blood actually enter your wound" The Doctor asked?
"Come on, of course it did" Mark snapped!
"We don't know that for sure" Dean Snarled.
"We can't take a chance" Duane intervened.
"Remember that time I tied you up" Robin asked Duane? He looked at her angrily for a second. She chuckled, "Yeah, you're welcome. We could easily do the same for Sammy".
"You know what we have to do" Mark warned.
"Nobody is shooting my brother" Dean reciprocated.
"He isn't gonna be your brother much longer" Duane shouted, "You said it yourself".
"Maybe we should have gagged him too" Robin snapped.
"Nobody is shooting anyone" Dean shouted!
"You were gonna shoot me" Duane snapped back!
"You don't shut your pie-hole, I still might" Dean growled!
"Dean", Sam said calmly, "they're right. I'm infected; just give me the gun and I'll do it myself".
"The hell you are" Robin replied.
"I'm not gonna become one of those things" Sam argued with her.
"Sam, we've still got some time" Dean said calmly.
"Time for what" Mark shouted? "Look, I understand he's your brother, and I'm sorry, I am. But we gotta take care of this". With that, Mark pulled out a handgun. Instinctively Robin had hers pointed at him before he had his in position.
"Not so fast sunshine" She barked.
Dean pulled out his gun and pointed it at Mark too.
"I'm gonna say this one time" Dean warned Mark. "You make a move on him; you'll be dead before you hit the ground. You understand me"?!
"Then what are we supposed to do" Mark shot back?!
Dean tossed him his keys, "Take my car, and get out of here".
"Robin, you should go with those guys" Dean instructed.
"Hmm" she replied, "see as a woman, getting into a car with strange men isn't really safe. So, I guess I'm stuck with you two"
"Yeah" Sam gave a weak chuckle, "because you couldn't hold your own".
"Yeah well" she gave back a similar pathetic laugh, "I have told you boys, I have your back, always".
"We don't want to hurt you" Dean urged.
"I don't think you want to hurt anyone here Dean" she replied,
"I can lock myself in another room, so you guys can talk, but I'm staying nearby. I will do-". Her voice buckled and she fought back the tears. "I will do what needs to be done. If it's protecting you from Sammy, or-" she trailed off again.
Sam got up and hugged her. Dean came over and hugged her too.
"Ok" she said wiping her tears, "enough mushy shit. I'll be in the next room".
Robin went in the reception area and locked the door. She could see the boys talking in the other room. About a year and a half ago, the boys had been so absent from her life. She probably would have felt something if they'd died, but not a lot. Now they had returned and become a fixture again. As a result, her she sat, alone in a room, potentially waiting to die. She couldn't help but wonder if they could actually kill her or turn her. She wasn't human after all, not completely, she knew she was harder to kill. And what if she got infected? Would it do anything? Would she go nuts and use her powers? Did any of this matter? She stayed for them, if Sammy turned, Dean wasn't going to be able to stomach it, hell, Robin wasn't completely sure she could. Or if they both turned, could she handle that? Robin leaned her head back and closed her eyes. With everything that happened, she forgot how tired she was and quickly fell asleep.
There was a knocking on glass sound that woke her up. She stood with her gun aimed, instinctively. Sam, Dean and the doctor were at the glass. "It's been six hours" the doctor smiled, "he should have turned by now".
Robin let out a laugh of relief but stopped in her tracks. Or they were lying to bring her out and turn her.
"Give me your holy water" Dean instructed reading her face. Robin slid her flask out and the two boys drank without any reaction. Not that Robin knew that would have worked. Dean's reaction to her concern was more of a sell truth be told. She came out and hugged the boys, thrilled with the outcome.
The group went out to the street to get a look at what was happening outside, and there was nothing. Quite literally nothing, this plague had wiped out the whole town. "You three should get out of here" Instructed the doctor, "before real authorities show up and start asking questions".
The three went inside, gathered their things and piled in the car. As they approached the same bridge that Dean had found Robin at earlier, they got their weapons ready, but there wasn't a soul in sight. They drove away from the town. When they'd gotten about five miles out, Robin's phone started to go crazy.
"What is vibrating back there" Dean asked?
"My phone" she replied, pulling it out of her pocket, "perv". She looked at the phone, 73 missed calls. "I should call dad" she said, "I was supposed to be stopping for gas".
"JESUS CHRIST WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN" Bobby's voice sounded through the phone?
Robin quickly explained what happened. She apologized. "Sorry for what" he asked? "This wasn't you. Just get home, I'll see you soon "and he hung up.
"Poor Bobby" Dean said as she put away the phone, "that's the most afraid I've ever heard him".
"I'm his baby girl" Robin replied, "It's a title I doubt I'll ever outgrow".
By mid-morning the next day, the group got out to stretch their legs. Dean grabbed two beers from the back of the car, "So Robin" Dean asked, "what were you doing in that town"?
"I stopped for gas" she replied, "I was hunting with Dad. We'd stuck around to have a little celebration. I stopped to get gas and then you know the rest".
"Good hunt then" Dean asked?
"Yeah, not bad" Robin replied.
"Wait" Sam paused, "Robin, your Birthday".
"Yup" she nodded.
"Dean" Sam smiled, "get her a beer, she's twenty-one".
"Yes sir" he said grabbing another beer from the car.
"So. Last night" Sam got serious "You want to tell me what the hell you were talking about"?
"Sooo" Robin said awkwardly, "this seems like a serious family thing. I gonna go sit in the car, finish my beer, maybe grab a nap" they said nothing, "ok bye'.
The conversation got visibly heated between the boys. When they finally got back in the car, you could cut the tension with a knife. "Well," Robin murmured, "nap time".