DISCLAIMER: Another reveal to Bridget in this one. I still don't own them :)
S1 EP20 DEAD MANS BLOOD
Bridget continued drawing in her sketch book, putting the last details to the crashed car in her drawing. She couldn't tell what type of car it was, but she knew a semi truck smashed right into the poor thing. She had that picture four times in the last two weeks since leaving New York and having the dream of the gun lying on the table, a gun she'd never seen before in her life. Something told her she would soon though. Sam was sitting next to her, pulling up articles on his computer while Dean researched in the local newspapers.
He sighed, putting the paper down, "All right, dude. Not a decent land in all of Nebraska. What do you got?"
"Well, I've been scanning the West Coast, nothing much yet. Except in Manning, Colorado – a local man by the name of Daniel Elkins was found mailed in his home."
Dean frowned at Elkins and Bridget froze at Manning, Colorado. They'd have to pass through Denver to get there. Dean reached for his dad's journal, "Elkins? I know that name."
"Doesn't ring a bell," Sam shook his head. "It sounds like the police don't know what to think. At first, they said it was some sort of bear attack, and now, they found sign of robbery."
"Mm hmm," mumbled Dean, scanning through. He paused on a page turning it for Sam and Bridget to see. "Here. Check it out." There was the name D. Elkins with a number next to it.
"You think it's the same Elkins?" Sam asked.
"It's a Colorado area code."
"Looks like we're going to Colorado."
Bridget closed her eyes a moment touching her necklace. She'd be going back to the state she lived in, past the city where her family lived and died.
It was a two day drive to get to Denver and it was still bright out, not far past four. They'd be in Manning by nightfall. She twisted the chain back and forth, not bothering to react to the fact she'd been in New York two weeks ago and saw Will's grave, but now she was in Denver, where her brother was buried. Back to the start of it all just as Sam and Dean had been a couple months before when they investigated their old house. Except hers wasn't haunted, Missouri had guaranteed that.
She glanced up and saw the street quickly approaching, almost losing it in the mixture of thoughts. "Stop the car!" Bridget shouted suddenly and Dean hit the brakes, twisting around to find out what the hell she was yelling about. Her eyes were glued out the window as she stared at an open house sign, balloons decorating a lawn down that street. The blood drained from her face and her heart skipped a beat. It was her house, it was for sale…she'd be able to go inside it.
"What?" Dean asked.
"Go down this street," she directed pointing.
"Bridge -."
"Just do it, please," she said.
With a shrug to Sam he turned the car down the street and stopped across the street from the open house. Bridget was already out of the Impala walking up to the house and standing on the sidewalk staring at it. Sam looked at the house then at her, "Bridget…is this…"
She nodded, "This is my home…was my home…"
Dean stayed silent, not sure of what to say.
"I never came back after they stopped the fire…I couldn't…after the funerals I up and left, never looked back. I haven't been here in years…not since it happened…"
"Come on," Dean tugged on her hand. "We should go."
"No," she shook her head and took a deep breath. "I want to go in."
"You don't have to."
"Yes, I do…" Bridget nodded. "I need to do this."
She walked across the lawn and up the stairs, and walked in through the front door. Everything was built the same layout wise. The kitchen was to her left, she was in the living room. The dining room was to the right through the foyer. The den was on the other side of the kitchen with the breakfast bar. The only difference was the walls were painted a light blue instead of egg shell white and the floor was made of wood instead of dark blue carpet. She knew the basement door was down the small hall just a bit to the right where the staircase led up to the hall and rooms above.
A woman wearing pointy glasses came up to them in her sleek business suit. "Hello, I'm Abigail Darlin. Are you interested in purchasing a home?"
"Actually," Bridget managed to speak. "I used to live here."
"Really? I know the Johnson's. I don't recall ever seeing you," she said with a bit of an attitude.
She shook her head, "No…I lived here before them. I was just in the neighborhood…thought I'd look at it one more time."
"Before the Johnson's, that would mean…" she trailed off looking at Bridget an O forming on her mouth as her hand covered it, face paling. "I apologize. I didn't know…umm…take your time…it was rebuilt to the original layout."
"I can see that," she walked past her and down the small hall, opening the door on her left. It was a bedroom…her old bedroom she'd stay in when she was home from school with the window Will used to go in and out of. She could almost see him, climbing through, sideways grin on his face and her telling him he could use the front door, but where was the fun in that he'd say. With a sad smile she traced the window. This room hadn't been destroyed at all by the fire.
"Was this your room?" Dean asked, looking around. It even had its own bathroom.
"Yeah," she tapped the window. "I didn't grow up here but it was the house my brother bought and built on…our first real home…nothing's really changed." She walked out towards the staircase. She stared up it, at the dark hall above. A hand slid into hers and she looked up at Sam. He looked up the staircase. She kept her eyes on the living room, seeing it like a movie. She and Will had been sitting in there…laughing, snuggled on the couch waiting for Derek…until she heard him yell. Bridget walked up the stairs. She touched a door to her right, her brother's and Lydia's room. It was the room straight ahead that haunted her as she got closer. She could see her brother yelling at her to run, holding his son, the flames swallowing the room, the ceiling above her caving down just as his caved down on him, those yellow eyes in the background, fading away.
With a deep breath she stepped in the room, now a bedroom instead of a nursery. She looked up at the ceiling where Lydia had been, her family had died in here. She ran a hand over her face, letting the ghostly images go, hoping they'd no longer haunt her dreams.
"Bridge?" Dean said her name carefully.
"I'm okay," she said, rubbing the back of her neck. "I'm okay."
"This is the room I take it."
"This is where my brother and my nephew and my sister-in-law died…" she pointed out the door. "I was standing at the top of the stairs and I saw it just fall on them…it's playing in my head like a bad movie…I can see it all…him yelling at me…those yellow eyes fading away, the fire blazing hot, Will tugging on my arm…" she let out a breath and touched her necklace chain.
"It's okay," Sam squeezed her hand and just like that the memory faded back into her, not as strong as it used to be, the pain was there but the memory resided.
"It's over…at least this part of it is…let's go," she said.
They managed to get out of the house without Abigail bugging them again. Bridget froze on the front lawn halfway down the walkway, that cold dread feeling in her gut as she slowly turned and looked just to her right. Without pause she fell to her knees and touched the grass then looked over her shoulder at the streetlamp twenty yard away…where Meg had stood and killed him. She saw it…felt the choking sensation and burning from the smoke, heard Will shout her name and heard the blast of the gun. She could see the blood running over her hands, sticky and hot though his skin was getting so cold and so pale…and she saw those eyes…Meg's eyes gleaming and fading into shadow. She'd kill the bitch next time she encountered her, she was determined.
"Bridget…it's okay…" she heard Sam say and looked up into his eyes. He was crouched down next to her, examining the grass. She could tell he knew what this place was.
"This was where I had the best times of my life and she took it all away from me and made it the worst, made this the place where my life ended," she ran her fingers over the grass.
"It's not over," Sam took her hand and helped her stand up.
She looked at him then at Dean waiting at the Impala, knew she'd see John again soon. That was where her new life had begun five years ago and still forged on today. She squeezed his fingers, "No, this one is just starting…let's get this case goin', shall we?"
They were in Manning by nightfall and drove straight to D. Elkin's house. Picking the lock was easy and there certainly was a mess inside as they swung their flashlights around the ransacked place.
"Looks like the made didn't come today," Dean said.
Sam crouched down by the door, "Hey, there's salt over here – right inside the door."
"You mean, like, protection- against – demons salt, or, uh, "oops, I spilled the popcorn" salt?"
"It's clearly a ring," Sam noted and stood back up. "You think this Elkins was a player?"
"Definitely," Bridget said, thumbing through Elkin's journal. The brothers came up next to her, looking at the pages as she turned them.
"That looks a hell of a lot like Dad's," Sam said.
"Yeah, except his dates back to the sixties," Bridget pointed out.
"Whatever attacked him, it looks like there was more than one," Sam said as he continued to look around the house.
"Looks like he put up one hell of a fight, too," Dean said and knelt down, grabbing a revolver box that was empty. There were several scratches carved into the wooden floor right beneath it.
"You have something?" Bridget asked, flashing the light his way. Her necklace briefly got warmer but not in the warning way and she frowned looking out the window but saw nothing in the darkness…still she felt something.
"I don't know, just some scratches in the floor."
"Death throes, maybe?" Sam asked.
"Yeah, maybe," Dean shrugged and grabbed a pieces of paper and a pencil from the desk. He put the paper over the marks and moved the pencil over it to trace them. "Or maybe a message." He held the paper up to the other two. "Look familiar?"
"Three letters, six digits – the location and combination of a post office. It's a mail drop," Bridget pieced together, ignoring the feeling she had moments ago.
"That's just the way Dad does it," Dean said and stood up.
"Looks like another car trip," she said and they headed out of the wrecked house.
At the post office, Bridget had waited in the car while Sam and Dean got the letter. It just seemed a little too personal for her to butt into, more of a family deal than hers. They were back in the car minutes later and she leaned over the seat to see what they had. It was a letter with the letters "J.W." addressed to it.
"J.W.," she read. "Is that for your dad?"
"I don't know," Dean shook his head. "Maybe we should open it."
Before either of them could move there was a knock on the window causing the three to jump and then stare in shock as John Winchester slid into the backseat of the car with Bridget. She put a hand on her chest, "Don't go sneaking up on us like that, sheesh. Get yourself killed that way."
"Sorry to startle you Bridget," he mumbled and apology.
"Dad, what are you doing here?" Sam asked in shock. They hadn't seen him in well over a month and here he was in the backseat out of nowhere."Are you all right?"
"Yeah, I'm okay. Look, I read the news about Daniel. I got here as fast as I could. I saw you three up at his place."
"Thought I sensed something," Bridget said under her breath, touching her necklace.
"Why didn't you come in, Dad?" Sam asked.
"You know why – because I had to make sure you weren't being followed, by anyone, or anything," he looked at Dean. "Nice job covering your tracks, by the way."
He shrugged proudly, "Yeah, well, we learn from the best."
"Wait, so, you came all the way out here for this Elkins guy?" Sam asked again.
A sad look crossed John's face, "Yeah. He was…he was a good man. He taught me a hell of a lot about hunting."
"You never mentioned him."
"We had, uh…we had kind of a falling out. I hadn't seen him in years," he pointed at the letter Sam held. "I should look at that." Sam handed it to him and John opened it, eyes scanning the page. "'If you're reading this, I'm already dead.' That son of a bitch."
"What is it?" Dean asked.
"He had it the whole time," he growled.
"Had what, Dad?" Sam asked.
"When you searched his place, did you see a gun? An antique – a Colt revolver, did you see it?" he asked.
"Uh, there was an old case, but it was empty."
"The Colt?" Bridget frowned and then it suddenly dawned on and she grabbed her shoulder bag, pulling out her sketch book. She reached across the front seat and grabbed the flash light from Sam. She turned to the page she had drawn on a couple days ago and tucked her hair behind her ear, handing the sketch book to John and switching on the flash light. "Is that the Colt?"
John looked at the drawing and she saw the look on his face that told her it was, "Where did you see it?"
"In my picture dreams, psychic part of me, we mentioned it awhile ago. But in the short version, anything I see in pictures happens. So, apparently, we find this gun. I've drawn it about three times now." She turned the pages so he could see.
"Quite a gift you got there, Bridge, in more ways than one."
"Thank you."
John cursed despite the premonition, "They have it."
"You mean, whatever killed Elkins?"
"We've got to pick up the trail," he said and handed Bridget her book back, getting out of the car.
"Wait," Sam leaned out the window. "You want us to come with you?"
"That's why I left the door opened for Bridget," he said point blank. "If Elkins was tellin' the truth, we've got to find this gun."
"The gun? Why?"
"Because it's important, that's why," he said with a tone that even caused Bridget to retreat back into the car an inch.
"Dad, we don't even know what these things are yet."
"They were what Elkins killed best – vampires," he said simply.
Dean seemed stunned. "Vampires? I thought there was no such thing."
Bridget rolled her eyes, "Of all the things we've hunted you have a hard time believing in vampires."
"You never mentioned them," Sam said.
"I thought they were extinct. I thought Elkins had wiped them out…I was wrong…"
Bridget nodded, "We'll help you."
"Good…let's get a hotel, get some sleep while you can."
They got a two bedroom hotel, John stating he wasn't going to bother with sleeping, that he had slept during the day though to Bridget she swore he hadn't slept in days by the look of him. She didn't argue. She just stripped off her boots, dumping her hand bag next to the bed. She felt the bed move on the other side of her and laid back, curling up next to Sam. His arm instinctively went around her, pulling her closer and dozing off within minutes. Both had been more tired than they'd admit.
John had watched the spectacle with a muse of shock until they fell asleep then gestured at them as Dean yawned on the other bed. "When did that happen?"
"Uhh, 'bout two weeks officially, but they've been foolin' around for months," he mumbled, eyes drifting closed.
"Really? Sam and Bridget…never would have thought that…I always thought…" he trailed off, glancing slightly at Dean who was already dozing. He turned on the police scanner and sat back in the cushioned chair, watching his children and listening for the call.
It didn't take more than two hours for a call to come over the radio and Bridget finding herself being pulled from her sleep by John calling her name along with Sam and Dean's. She lifted her head from Sam's chest, brushing the hair from her face.
"What's goin on?" she yawned.
"Picked up a police call," John said, already standing, ready to head out the door.
"What happened?" Sam against, stretching and standing to his feet.
"A couple called 911. They found a body in the street. Cops got there, everyone was missing. It's vampires," he said.
"How do you know?" Sam questioned of course as Bridget picked up her shoulder bag.
"Just follow me, okay?" he said and left the room.
Dean chuckled, "Vampires – gets funnier every time I hear it."
Sam, Dean and Bridget stood waiting by the car while John went over to talk to the police, ordering them to stay put. Bridget and Dean shrugged, staying without a problem to the contrary. It didn't set with Sam though.
"I don't see why we couldn't have gone over with him," Sam said.
Bridget rolled her eyes along with Dean, "Oh, don't tell me it's already starting."
"What's starting?" Sam asked densely as John walked back over to them.
"What do you got?" Bridget asked him when he was in close enough range.
"It was them, all right. Looks like they're heading west. We're gonna have to double back to get to a detour."
"How can you be sure?" Sam asked.
"Sam…" Dean said in a warning tone.
"I just wanna know we're goin the right way."
"We are," John promised.
"How do you know?"
John took a fang out of his pocket, "I found this."
Dean took it from him, "A vampire fang."
"No fangs – teeth. The second set descends when they attack," he looked at Sam. "Anymore questions?" Sam was silent and John went on. "All right, let's get out of here, we're losin' daylight. Hey, Dean, why don't you touch up your car before you get rust? I wouldn't have given the damn thing to you if I thought you were gonna ruin it." He got in his truck.
Sam laughed and Bridget giggled but Dean glared.
For once Bridget was allowed to drive the car while Dean sat in the middle and Sam in the passenger seat. She loved the feel of being in control of so much power, feeling the engine purr as she stepped on the gas, it was enough to make her grin, even with Dean reading some of the research they had.
"Vampires nest in groups of eight or ten. Smaller packs are sent out to hunt for food. Victims are taken to the nest, where the pack keeps them alive, bleeding them for days or weeks. I wonder if that's what happened to the couple that called 911."
"That's probably what Dad's thinking. Of course, it would be nice if he just told us what he thinks," Sam said.
"So it is starting," Bridget said and Dean nodded.
"What?" Sam asked,
"Sam, we've been lookin' for Dad all year. Now we're not with him for more than a couple hours and there's static already?" Dean asked.
"No, look, I'm happy he's okay, all right? And I'm happy that we're all workin' together again."
"Good, try to keep it that way," Bridget told him.
"It's just that he treats us all like we're children."
"Oh God," Dean sighed and rubbed at his eyes.
"He barks orders at us, Dean, even at Bridget. He expects us to follow him without question. He keeps us on some crap need-to-know deal."
"He does that for a reason," said Dean.
"What reason?" Sam asked.
"Our job! There's no time to argue, there's no margin for error, all right, it's just the way the old man runs-."
Sam cut him off, "Yeah, well, maybe that worked when we were kids, but not anymore, all right? Not after everything you and I and even Bridget have been through. I mean, are you tellin' me you're both cool with just falling into line and letting him run the whole show?"
"If that's what it takes," Dean said.
Bridget nodded, "I agree. He's been doing it for a lot longer and who am I to argue with the only male adult figure I have left in my life."
That seemed to shut Sam up and he sunk back into his seat staring out the window. Bridget pressed on the gas, trying to make herself feel happy again.
Less than fifteen minutes later, Dean's cell rang breaking the tension of silence around them. "Yeah, Dad…all right…got it," he hung up the ten second phone call and looked at Bridget. "Pull off at the next exit."
"Okay," she nodded, putting the blinker on.
"Why?" Sam asked.
"Because Dad thinks we've got the vampire's trail."
"How?" Sam asked.
"Jesus, Sam, even you're questioning annoys me sometimes," Bridget growled, running her fingers through her hair. "All you ever ask is why and how. We don't know the answer. We just do it."
Sam grabbed Dean's cell phone hitting redial on it. Bridget and Dean shook their heads at the argument. "Pull over, Dad. We need to talk. Now!"
He handed Dean the phone back as John pulled the truck over and Bridget pulled the Impala over. Sam was out of the car before she had it in park.
"Oh crap, here we go," Dean said to Bridget and both scrambled out of the driver's side. "SAM!"
"We need to talk," he was already saying to John.
"About what?" John asked at the tail end of his truck.
"About everything. Where we goin', Dad? What's the big deal about this gun?"
"Sam, come on, we can Q and A after we kill the vampires," Dean said, reaching for his brother's arm.
"And do you think if it wasn't important, I wouldn't be drawing pictures of the damn thing," Bridget pointed out. "We apparently need it."
"Your brother and Bridget are right, we don't have time for all this," John said.
"Last time we say you, you said it was too dangerous to be together. Now, out of the blue, you need our help. Now, obviously, something big is goin' down, and we wanna know what!"
"Get back in the car," John ordered.
"No!"
"Here we go…" Bridget mumbled next to Dean.
"Any chance you're emotional enough to knock him out?" Dean mumbled back.
"I said get back in the damn car," John yelled.
"Yeah, and I said no."
"All right," Dean intercepted, grabbing his brother's arm. "You made your point, tough guy. We can talk about this later. Sammy, I mean it, come on or I'll have Bridget toss you into the car. We both know she's getting angry enough to do it."
"Come on, babe, don't start this," she told him.
Sam shook his head, speaking under his breath as Bridget put her hand on his chest. "This is why I left in the first place."
Bridget and Dean both winced and John spoke. "What did you say?"
"You heard me," Sam said turning back to him, breaking free of them.
John nodded, "Yeah. You left. Your brother and me, we needed you. You walked away, Sam, you walked away!" he grabbed Sam by his shirt.
"Stop it!" Dean yelled. "Both of you."
Nether seemed to hear, "You were the one who said "Don't come back", Dad. You're the one who closed the door, not me! You were just pissed off you couldn't control me anymore! And you still can't!"
Bridget felt her anger hit that boiling point, especially when she saw the hurt Dean was in, how badly this was affecting him and how these two were too blind and dumb to see. The look on Dean's face was enough to build her power to a boil. With a growl she pushed her power out at the two who were toe to toe. The power moved between them, shoving them apart with enough force to send John back against the truck and Sam tumbling to the floor.
"BUT I CAN!" She yelled and stepped forward next to Dean. "I am sick of this! You two act like children. Get over it! You're adults." She looked at Sam, pointing at John. "He is your father! The only parent you have and you need to respect him because you won't have him around forever, you never know when it will end, trust me on that. And no, you didn't have a normal childhood, but grow up and move on." She looked at John. "And you, he's your son and I know you love him but you can't hate him or be so angry with him wanting something more with his life. Hunting isn't what he wanted, he wanted something more and you can't blame him for it. Not all of us want this life, some of us have a choice while others don't get to choose, he was one of the lucky ones for awhile until it pulled him back like me. The only difference is, he can go back to it when this is done. He got accepted into Stanford. You should be proud of him for that…and you too, need to grow up." She ran her fingers through her hair as Sam got back to his feet. "Do either of you even see what this is doing to Dean or are you both so blinded by your resentment for one another? He hurts every time you two fight…he loves you both and it kills him to see you at each other's throats because he won't pick a side…each time you fight you destroy the hope he has for you three ever being a family. So stop it, if not for your own sakes, then for your love for him…let's just drop this for now and get this done. You two can kill each other later for all I care…"
Both Sam and John glared at one another, less intense and got back into their own cars. Dean stood next to Bridget. "Uhh…thanks…for that."
"Well, I knew you weren't going to say it so might as well."
"Yeah…throwing them apart was kind of cool too…"
"It was fun," she smiled a little. "Sam's gonna be pissed at me now though…"
He put his arm around her shoulders. "You did the right thing, they needed someone to say that."
She patted his back, "Thanks, Dean…it's really sad when me and you are the normal ones."
"Eh, we used to always be on the same side back in the day of doing this."
"True…very true…" she said, biting her lower lip, noticing how close she was to Dean.
He cleared his throat, dropping his arm from her shoulders. "We should probably get to the car."
"Yeah," Bridget and Dean headed to the Impala when a voice stopped her.
"Bridget!" she heard John yell from the truck. "You're ridin' with me…"
She winced slightly and Dean whistled patting her shoulder. "Have fun…"
"I hate you," she chuckled and walked to John's truck, opening the passenger side door and sliding in.
She stared straight ahead, biting the inside of her lip and keeping her hands firmly in her lap. She tried to keep her nervousness from affecting her but doubted she was doing well on that. She cleared her throat slightly as they drove in silence for a minute or two. "Look…I'm sorry if what I did back there upset you, but -."
"Stop," he said and she shut her mouth. "I don't want you apologizing for that. I didn't bring you in here to yell at you. I wanted to talk to you because you understand them more than I do."
She blinked a few times, "Uhh…ok…"
"You've known Dean for years and you two have always been close and you're dating Sam, so you know him and you're not scared to voice your opinion…or physically do so."
She bit her lip, "Sorry for that. I can't always control it, I can only do that when I'm upset."
"What you said was true though…and…I am proud of him…I just…it's hard to let him go," he said with pause as if each statement was painful to say. "Dean is a hunter, he loves it…Sam though…he never liked it, always rebelled against it, always wanted something different…and in a normal life I could be proud of that…but…it's easier to look out for him when he's close."
"He doesn't need you watching his every move though, John. He can handle himself, just like Dean."
"But he's quick to jump to conclusions."
Bridget thought back to the Meg incident and nodded, "He can be a bit rash. But he does love you and the only thing he ever wanted was to make you proud of him."
"I am proud of him," he argued.
"Yeah, but you never said it," she countered and he fell silent as it dawned on him. "That, that thing you can do, with your mind."
"The telekinesis you mean?"
"Yeah, that. Can you always do that?"
"Like I said, only when I'm emotional, why?"
"We might need that with the vampires if things go bad."
"If things go bad, then trust me, I'll be able to do it."
"Good to know," he said. "I knew you'd come in handy."
"You mean besides the time you first met me after I had saved Dean's ass from being killed? And that I'm a good hustler? And that I was able to get you two through more doors because I'm female? And because I can fight better than Dean or Sam? You mean other than that, right?" she asked with a smile.
He smiled a little, a twitch of his lip, "Yeah, besides that."
They had found the lair not long after, just ten miles down the road and they had to trek the rest of the way to the abandoned warehouse they were living in. They hid amongst the trees watching, waiting to see.
After watching two of the vampires talking outside in the daylight and heading back in did anyone talk. "Son of a bitch," Dean cursed. "So, they're really not afraid of the sun?"
"No," John shook his head. "Direct sunlight hurts like a nasty sunburn. The only way to kill them is by beheading. And, yeah, they sleep during the day. It doesn't mean they won't wake up."
"So I guess walkin' right in is not our best option," Dean said.
"Actually, that's the plan," John said.
The three looked at him stunned as he walked back towards where they had parked. Bridget shook her head, "You're joking right."
"Nope, I'm dead serious."
"Yeah, it's the dead part of that I'm worried about, because if you're trying to get me worked up so I can use my power or whatever it is, then it's working!"
Dean removed the weapon case from the trunk. "Here, Bridge, take a shiny machete. Make yourself feel better," he teased handing one to her. She took it from him with a glare and grabbed one of the guns, tucking it in the back of her skirt and hiding a bottle of Holy Water in her boot. Dean held up another one towards his father. "Dad, I got an extra machete if you need one."
John held up a very shiny, very new blade. "Think I'm okay. Thanks."
"Wow," Bridget gawked in awe.
"So…you guys really wanna know about this Colt?" he asked. The three froze, Bridget in mid flip of her sketch book while looking for clues as to how this was going to turn out, Dean and Sam while grabbing weapons.
"Yes, sir," Sam spoke for the three of them.
John sighed, "It's just a story—a legend, really. Well, I thought it was. Never really believed it until I read Daniel's letter. Back in 1835, when Halley's Comet was overhead, the same night those men died at the Alamo, they say Samuel Colt made a gun—a special gun. He made it for a hunter—a man like us, only on horseback. The story goes he made thirteen bullets. This hunter used the gun a half dozen times before he disappeared, the gun along with him. Somehow, Daniel got his hands on it. They say—they say this gun can kill anything."
"Kill anything? Like supernatural anything?" Bridget asked.
"Like the demon," Sam asked in disbelief.
"Yeah, the demon. Ever since I picked up its trail, I've been lookin' for a way to destroy that thing. Find the gun…we may have it," he said.
Bridget's eyes drifted to the picture of her home on fire so many years ago. She flipped to the back where the Colt drawing was, more determined than ever to find it. She touched her necklace, she wanted to end this for all of them.
Bridget crawled through the window, following after Sam, closing it quietly. Her eyes widened a bit. There were at least six or seven vampires sleeping in hammocks around the room. Dean gestured to different areas and Bridget followed Sam as Dean ducked under a hammock but knocked over a glass and bumped the hammock. They all held their breath but the vampire just snorted. They cautiously walked into another room and find one of the women the vampires had captured. A noise, startled them to a cage like door where several more men and women were tied up.
Dean grabbed a crowbar to break the padlock while Sam untied to the woman on the bed. "I don't know if that's a good idea," Bridget whispered.
"We need to help her," Sam argued as the woman began to stir.
"Not so sure that's smart," she said.
The woman woke, her eyes going wide as she looked at Sam. "Shh," he hushed her. "I'm here to help you."
She screamed and Bridget jumped, watching as the vampires woke.
"RUN!" they hear John yell from somewhere in the nest.
Without a second thought, the three ran out the door and into the woods but the vampires didn't follow.
"Dad?" Dean yelled into the woods. "Dad!"
"They won't follow," he said appearing a moment later. "Once a vampire gets your scent, it's for life."
"That's reassuring," Bridget grumbled.
"What the hell do we do now?" Dean asked.
"You got to find the nearest funeral home, that's what?"
Bridget frowned looking at Sam and Dean who held similar expressions.
"Why me? Why am I always used to get through doors?" Bridget asked walking with Dean back to the car.
"Because you got the ass and chest to do the job," Dean answered and she smacked him, careful not to drop the jar of blood she had in her hand.
"Yeah, well, to be honest I only came with you because your brother and dad need a heart to heart. I'm hoping it goes well," she said, getting into the car.
Dean nodded, driving back to the hotel. "Yeah me too, or else your efforts would be wasted since the alternative is they've killed each other."
She chuckled, holding up the jar. "I think this is the weirdest thing your dad has ever made us do in the last 4 years."
"I don't know, when he had us steal the raw meat from the zoo, that was pretty weird."
"Yeah, I've never seen you so afraid of a kitty cat."
"It was a lion," he defended himself. "Those things can tear you apart."
"It was sleeping," she argued. "You did look pretty funny running up that wall to get over it though."
"You'd have been scared too, if it was you."
Bridge put the blood in the paper bag she had and set it on the seat. "Just like the old days…"
"Yeah," Dean nodded. "Funny how things can change but still stay the same…"
She nodded her head with a smile and glance at him, "Yeah, it is…except we aren't getting smashed at the bar after this."
"I'm up for that when this is over."
"You would be," she snorted as they pulled in to the hotel parking lot. Dean grabbed the bag and opened the door for her to the hotel room.
"Whew," Dean said. "Man, there's some heavy security to protect a bunch of dead guys. Lucky for us, Bridget still has complete power over guys."
She grinned, "Amazing what a little bending across a table, sweet smile, and batting eyes will get you…usually goes well for drinks but apparently I can see dead guys too."
"Did you get it?" John asked with a snort at their comments.
Dean held out the bag and took out the jar. He handed it to a smiling John. He set it on the table and looked at Bridget and Dean. "You know what to do."
She sighed, "Just like old times after all…I'm still bait…"
Thirty minutes later Bridget stood leaning against the car near Dean who had the hood popped open looking at the engine, "How's it lookin'?"
"Not good," Dean grumbled.
"I could say the same for you," the vampire Kate said with a smile. They spun in her direction where she stood with a grin next to another male vampire. "Car trouble? Let me give you a lift, take you guys back to my place."
Dean shook his head as she stood closer to him. "Nah, I'll pass. I usually draw the line at necrophilia."
"I'm not much into dead guys nowadays either. Had enough of them for one night," Bridget said to the male vampire.
"Oh," Kate nodded and punched Dean knocking him to the floor.
"Dean!" Bridget stepped to help him, but tall guy back handed her, sending her to the floor. She watched Kate grab Dean.
"Well," Dean went on as usual. "I don't normally get this friendly 'til the second date."
"You know, we could have some fun. I always like to make new friends," she smiled, kissing him.
The other loomed over Bridget and she scooted back slightly, "Really, I'm not interested. The whole human – dead thing just wouldn't work out real well."
Kate ended the kiss and Dean shook his head, "Sorry, I never really stay with a chick that long – definitely not eternity."
Suddenly the vampires were struck with arrows in their chest and Sam and John came out from behind some trees holding their weapons. The guy vampire collapsed to the ground while Kate mused over it. "Damn…barely even stings," she smiled.
"Give it time, sweetheart," John promised her. "That arrow's soaked in dead man's blood. It's like poison to you, isn't it?" Her smiled suddenly faded as her eyes glazed over and she fell backwards into Dean's arms. "Load her up. I'll take care of this one."
Dean carried Kate to the car while Sam gave Bridget a hand up, inspecting her face. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, I've taken worse hits than that before, it won't even bruise," she told him and turned when she heard a fleshy wet sound. She watched the vampire's head roll across the ground with the same look she'd give a ball. Sometimes it disturbed her that these things didn't disturb her.
They only drove a few miles up the road to a clearing. Dean and Sam tied Kate to a tree while John started a fire. He went to the back of his truck and handed Bridget some things. "Toss this on the fire, Bridge. Saffron, skunks, cabbage, and trillium – it'll block our scent and hers until we're ready."
Bridget gagged and threw it on the fire. "This stuff stinks."
"Well, that's the idea. Dust your clothes with the ashes and you'll stand a chance of not being detected."
Bridget looked glum as she did so, knowing she'd have to wash these three times just to get the stench out.
"You sure they'll come after her?" Sam asked.
"Yeah," John nodded. "Vampires mate for life. She means more to the leader than the gun. But the blood sickness is gonna wear off soon. So you don't have a lot of time."
"Half hour ought to do it," Sam said.
"And then I want you out of the area as fast as you can," he ordered.
"But-." Sam started until Dean cut him off.
"Dad, you can't take care of all of them by yourself."
"I'll have her and the Colt," he said.
"But after – we're gonna meet up, right? Use the gun together right?" Sam asked and his dad remained silent, speaking the answer more than his voice could. "You're leaving again, aren't you? You still want to go after the demon alone? You know, I don't get you. You can't treat us like this."
"Like what?"
"Like children."
"You are my children. The three of you. I'm trying to keep you safe."
"Dad, all due respect, but that's a bunch of crap," Dean said. Bridget, John, and Sam stared at him in surprise.
"Excuse me?" John said, not sure he heard him right.
"You know what Sammy, Bridget, and I have been huntin'. Hell, you sent us on a few huntin' trips yourself. You can't be that worried about keeping us safe."
"It's not the same thing, Dean," he said.
"Then what is it? Why do you want us out of the big fight?"
"This demon? It's a bad son of a bitch," he told them. "I can't make the same moves if I'm worried about keeping you alive."
"You mean you can't be reckless," Bridget filled in.
"And you'll be if we're there," Sam added
"Look…I don't expect to make it out of this fight in one piece. Your mother's death – it almost killed me. I can't watch my children die too."
"What happens if you die? Dad, what happens if you die and we could have done somethin' about it? You know, I've been thinkin' – think maybe Sammy's right about this one. I think we should do this together. We're stronger as a family, Dad. We just are. You know it," Dean said.
"We're running out of time. You do your job, and you get out of this area. That's an order." He walked away, leaving the boys feeling helpless.
Bridget clucked her tongue, arms folded over her chest. "Sometimes orders are meant to be broken…"
It didn't take long to kill the vampires left at the nest and free the humans who had been locked up for feeding. They had parked the car around the bend and used the woods as camouflage, the ashes working to cover their scent. Dean had the crossbow with the dead man's blood arrows. Bridget had the machete in one hand and the Holy Water still stuck in her boot. She grabbed it holding it in her other hand.
"You ready for this?" Dean asked her. She knew he was talking about her object moving abilities.
She watched Luther hit John, causing him to hit the door of the truck and collapse to the ground unconscious. She felt it quiver inside her. "I'm ready."
Dean shot an arrow, striking a vampire and they moved out of the woods. Dean shot another and Sam and Bridget moved forward. Luther hit Sam and grabbed him by the throat, choking him. Bridget raised her knife to strike at him but he stopped her and Dean, squeezing Sam's neck harder. "Don't! I'll break his neck. Put the blades down."
Bridget reluctantly set the blade and bottle down on the ground, watching Sam desperately trying to breathe as Luther held him close. Movement near the truck caught her attention and she saw John inching towards the gun. He met her eyes and she looked down at the Holy Water then at him then back at the Holy Water at Luther then back at John. He nodded his head in understanding. She focused her eyes on the Holy Water, it started shaking slightly. She focused harder on that until she felt she had a grip on it.
Luther was talking, "You people – why can't you just leave us alone? We have as much right to live as you do."
Bridget threw the bottle, breaking it in the grip at the same time. It splashed into Luther's face and he dropped Sam, screaming and clutching at his face. He hissed at Bridget through red eyes and a boiling face. "I'll kill you, bitch." He took two steps towards her.
"I don't think so," John said and fired the Colt. The bullet hit him in the middle of his head and everyone watched as he sunk to his knees.
"Luther!" Kate screamed and there was a flash of light as he completely died. Livid, she started walking towards John.
"Kate, don't!" another vampire grabbed her, dragging her back to the car.
The three turned and looked at John who smiled triumphantly. "Nice team work there, Bridge."
She shrugged, "I'm a natural."
"You're getting' better at that too," Dean said.
"Not really," she rubbed at her head. "Still gives me a headache, not as big as I used to get though."
John stood up with a slight wince, "We better get back to the hotel. Get out of town before they decide to have their revenge."
They nodded and walked around the bend to the Impala driving back to the hotel.
Once there, they started packing their things away. John entered the room and Bridget got the feeling of being grounded after being busted for something they weren't supposed to do – like stick around.
"So…"
"Yes, sir," Sam asked, standing up. Bridget and Dean fell in line with him.
"You ignored a direct order back there."
"Yes, sir," Bridget nodded.
"But we saved your ass," Dean added and Bridget grinned as Sam looked surprised.
"You're right," John nodded.
That caused them t be full on shocked, Dean blinked a few times, "I am?"
He took a deep breath, "It scares the hell out of me. You two – three including Bridge – are all I've got. But I guess we are stronger as a family. So…we go after this damn thing – together."
Bridget grinned and nodded, speaking at the same time as Sam and Dean. "Yes, sir."
She glanced at her sketch book I her hands, where she had drawn a set of yellow eyes a few days ago and another of Meg. They would find them, she was sure of it. Whether they lived through it or not was anyone's guess.