"Simon Said"
Content Warning: language and violence
DISCLAIMER: any words or phrases in bold in the story are not my own and are credited to the writers of Supernatural.
As if on a projector, flashes rang through Riley's sleeping mind. Her mother's death, Riley lying dead on that motel floor, Jackson's funeral, the fire at the diner, Sam and Dean…one after another like flipping through a deck of cards. Then a road sign reading: "you are now entering Guthrie, Oklahoma." It all suddenly went dark and a sinister voice echoed in the abyss. "Riley…"
Her eyes shot open and her breathing was harsh. The nightmares were becoming too much, and the lonely nights felt like slow torture. That wasn't the first time she had heard that voice either. But it was the first she had seen that road sign.
She sat up to lean against the headboard and pulled her pillow to her chest to hold it tight. Riley was a hunter and a strong one at that. But between her growing abilities, the voice, the nightmares and being on the road alone, it was becoming too much.
Riley told the boys she would come back when she was ready, and she knew she still wasn't. And yet, she felt an emptiness without them. She wasn't complete without her family. Dean hurt her so deeply and she needed time to think things through. The worst part was that as much as Riley's mind told her to take some time, her heart screamed to run back into his arms.
Knowing that she wouldn't be going back to sleep that night, she got up and changed. Riley grabbed her things, dropped off her key in the motel mail slot and got in her car. She closed her eyes and exhaled hard through pursed lips before turning on the radio. Music had been her only friend on the road the last few weeks. The engine came to life as she turned the ignition.
The dark grey 1968 Pontiac GTO was beaten up and wasn't running when she found it in Bobby's yard almost two months ago. But with a lot of TLC and a new paint job, she looked pretty damn good. After Riley had left Sam and Dean in the motel that morning, she hopped a bus and found her way back to Bobby's. She needed to get the car but made him swear not to tell the Winchesters. How truthful he was about that, she wasn't sure.
All she knew was she was supposed to be in Guthrie, Oklahoma. Whether that meant it was for a hunt or she was walking into a trap, Riley had to see this one through. Hall and Oates' "You Make My Dreams Come True" came through the stereo. As soon as she heard it, Riley's hand snapped out to change the channel. The last thing she needed was another reminder of how much she missed Dean.
Running a hand through her hair, she gathered herself before turning onto the road as whatever song was on faded into the background. "C'mon, girl. Don't do this to yourself," Riley thought. It was better to keep him off her mind altogether, even though she knew that was never possible.
—
After another terrible vision, Sam knew that another life hung in the balance. The unknown man was a doctor and would receive a phone call before changing his direction and heading into a sporting goods store. Calmly, he would ask for a shotgun and the proper shells before loading the weapon. As the clerk would begin to panic and beg for him to stop, the man would fire a round underneath his chin and end his life.
The brothers thought their best chance for answers was if they asked for help at the Roadhouse. With Ash's ability to find anything they could need, and what little Sam gathered from the vision, they narrowed down their search to the city of Guthrie, Oklahoma. The young Winchester knew that every time he had a premonition, it revolved around the demon. If not the thing directly, then it was always about other kids the demon had visited. He tried not to give away how he knew specifics as he asked if any strange house fires had occurred in 1983 in the same town. Sure enough, there was one that originated in the nursery of a six-month-old baby, Andrew Gallagher. The same year as Sam, Riley, and Max. He had to be tied to it all somehow and they were determined to find out how.
Dean stood near the trunk as he waited for Sam outside the saloon. His head hadn't been in the game at all for weeks. He had gotten easily irritated at times, others, he sat quietly lost in his own thoughts. Every moment he breathed was another that he had to go without her. Another moment that Dean had to remember it was his fault she left. All he could hope for was that they would get a lead at some point. Sam and Dean called everyone they knew trying to find the missing hunter, but always came up with little to go on. Dean's nights alone in bed were filled with worry, guilt, and need. A need for her; just to be near her. He longed to wake up in the middle of the night because she hogged too much of the blankets. Or even just to see the way her eyes fluttered when she woke in the morning. Without the little things he loved about her, it felt like what small bit of light he had left inside him, left with her.
"So, you're already headed out?" a sweet voice asked from behind him.
He turned to see Jo sauntering in his direction. "Yeah. Sorry, it was another short visit."
"Me too." Jo paused. "So, where's Riley?"
Taking a deep breath, he folded his arms and leaned against the car. "She, uh—she'll be back."
"So…you're still together?"
"We are, yeah," Dean replied with a soft nod.
"Oh." Her tone showed her disappointment. "Well, I hope you guys come back soon. Maybe next time you'll stay a bit longer?"
Dean gave her a gentle smile. "Yeah, maybe. Take care, Jo. Tell your mom we said thanks." Seeing Sam walking back to the car, Dean went to the driver's side to get in.
"…alright, thanks, Missouri. Yeah, we'll let you know. Bye." Sam flipped his phone shut and got into the car. "So, Missouri called. She said Riley had swung through town to visit."
Dean's heart raced. "Is she still there?"
"No. She stayed a couple days to get some time in with Finn and headed out. Missouri called after she left."
The hunter's lips pressed together as he placed his hands on the steering wheel and hung his head. "How the hell are we supposed to find her when everyone calls us after she's already back on the road? Bobby did the same damn thing. We're always ten steps behind her because of it." Dean composed himself the best he could before turning to his brother. "It's been three weeks, Sam. Three weeks and not a word."
With a sigh, Sam pulled out a small notebook and John's hunting journal from his bag. "Yeah, but, Dean…the good news is we know she's okay. She's safe. And we know that she was in Kansas earlier today. That's a start," he shrugged.
Dean ran a frustrated hand over his face. "An entire state, that she could already have left by now. That's a great start," he snarked.
"Well, on the way to Oklahoma, I'll make some more calls. See if anyone's heard anything else in the last few days."
Letting out a soft groan of defeat, Dean added, "should'a put a damn tracker on that woman."
Baby's engine roared and Dean pulled out of the Roadhouse lot. In his rearview mirror, Jo stood watching the boys drive away.
—
By the time they had reached Guthrie, it was late into the night. In the smaller town, the stars lit up the sky and the local insects chirped as the Winchesters pulled into another cheap motel. A long day's drive and the stress of everything had exhausted them both. They needed the rest. Besides, Sam and Dean wouldn't get any information out of anyone in town that late.
The motel was a small place off the beaten path with not many rooms and probably wasn't frequented often either. Grabbing the bags, the brothers checked in at the quiet front desk. The clerk was barely awake and seemed even more tired than they did.
As they made it to their room, Dean went to unlock the door when a soft melody played from a few rooms down. There was a voice accompanying the tune and it caused them both to freeze in their tracks.
"It can't be…" Sam said with an exhale.
Both their eyes grew as Dean whispered, "I'd know that voice anywhere."
The window of a nearby room was slightly open as a tune swam through the night air. A cover rendition of Fleetwood Mac's "Without You" brought warmth and light to Dean's chest that he hadn't felt in too long. "I mean nothing without you. Oh, I'm just gonna do whatever keeps us together, oh baby." Sam and Dean quietly made their way closer to the opened window and peered inside. There, sitting in her favorite cross-legged position, was Riley. A soft glow illuminated the room as she cradled the guitar in her lap. "'Cause I love you more than love and I put nothing above you, oh baby. And things, they ain't gonna mean a thing…" Dean's heart leaped into his throat with nerves and excitement. Sam chuckled lightly with joy in seeing her. "And I mean, I mean nothing, no nothing without you…"
There was a final strum and the older Winchester turned to his brother. He let out a sharp breath before going to the door. Dean hesitated and then finally gently knocked. Both of them seemed to fidget waiting for an answer.
After a minute, they heard the soft sound of a gun cock. There was no peep-hole so the door opened only slightly with the chain still on. Riley's blue eyes seemed to glisten like crystals in the motel lights as she lost her breath at the sight of them both.
"Hi…" Dean muttered.
Riley stood in shock before she closed the door to unlatch it. She swallowed the lump in her throat as she stared up at them. The two smiled at her and their shoulders eased from tension seeing her again. "What–" she stuttered. "What are you doing here?" Her tone was nervous but firm. "Did you seriously track me down?"
Not wanting to upset her, Sam quickly jumped in. "No, no, we didn't. We had no idea you were here. We swear."
Dean's eyes refused to move from hers. "We tried to though." Sam cleared his throat and got more anxious at his brother's admission. "We've been looking for you since the minute we knew you were gone. I know you told us not to, but there was no way in hell I was gonna listen to that."
Sam scratched the back of his head and gave an awkward smile. "We–we were worried about you."
Rolling her eyes, Riley got ready to close the door. "Well, I'm fine. Goodnight."
A firm hand met the door and held it open. "Rye, please," Dean's voice was soft and vulnerable as he pleaded. "It was a total accident that we found you. But I haven't been happier than I am right now in I don't even know how long," he said with a smile.
"You are such a stubborn ass, Dean Winchester!" Riley said forcefully as she flew the door open to look him in the face.
He put up his hands in a calm surrender and he shook his head. "You're right. You're right. I am. You have every right to be angry."
"Angry?" she scoffed through a breathy laugh.
Sam looked uncomfortable and reached for Dean's bag. "So–I'm gonna let you two talk. I'll, uh—I'll be in the room. 'Night, Rye," he added nervously as he went to leave.
In a huff, Riley spun on her heel back into her room and put the revolver on the counter. Dean followed and closed the door gently while still watching her every movement.
"I cannot believe you, Dean." Her arms crossed as she lightly paced. "I was there for you. I was there for everything. I waited and gave you space and respected that even when you kept pushing me away. You made me feel like shit! Then I ask for space and you just show up?"
"Sweetheart–"
"Don't call me that," she bit as she interrupted.
Dean felt those words like a punch to the gut and he struggled to pull himself together. "Riley, we didn't find you on purpose. Yes, we were looking but we're here because of one of Sammy's visions."
Riley stopped and turned to him. "…a vision?"
"Yeah. Apparently, there's another guy like you two, here in Guthrie."
She ran a hand through her hair like she always did when she was nervous. "That's why I had that dream," she said to herself.
"What dream?" Dean asked with concern.
Closing her eyes for a minute and putting a hand up for him to stop, she took a breath. "It doesn't matter." Riley grew antsy again and she couldn't seem to stand still. She made sure to keep distance between them.
"Okay…we can talk about that later." Dean didn't care what they talked about, as long as she talked to him at all.
"So, what should we talk about, Dean?" she snapped. "Should we talk about how you broke my heart? How I trusted you and you kept refusing to trust me? Or how you made me feel invisible and like I didn't matter?" Riley fought back the tears she felt ache at the corner of her eyes.
Dean felt he would cry at that moment too. He had never seen her like that. More than that, he knew he was the cause of her suffering, and it killed him. "I'm so fucking sorry, Rye." The hunter walked closer to Riley and studied everything about her. In case it was the last time he would see her, he soaked in every beautiful thing about her. She was intoxicating as her hair cascaded over her shoulders onto her favorite Led Zepplin t-shirt. Her go-to comfy plaid pajamas looked warm and reminded him of nights in bed together. But Riley's eyes, they were like oceans. She was a siren; calling to him like a sailor to the sea.
She sniffled. "'sorry' doesn't fix it, Dean."
Shaking his head, he bit his lip fighting his emotions, "no. It doesn't. I know that." Dean knew he had to open up to her or there would be no hope of saving them. If he didn't give her all of himself, he knew he would lose her for good. A tear ran down Dean's cheek. "Riley…" he sighed. "I–I know I've been an ass since dad died. I know that. Losing him…"
"And, I'm so sorry that happened, Dean. But what does that have to do with—
Dean raised his voice as he blurted out, "because I can't fucking lose you too, okay?!" He looked away and shook his head as he tried to control himself. As he stared back at her again with tears in his eyes, he went on. "I can't–I can't lose you, Rye. It'll kill me. I won't make it." She looked up at him and studied every feature and movement on his face. Riley had forgotten how she could get so lost in Dean. How much he felt like home. "I'm so sorry, Riley," his tone was desperate, and she could feel his broken heart. "I love you…"
She softened seeing the pain he was in. Riley had kept him shut off to her until then. But in that instant, she opened the gates. Like a dam had been released, she gasped as she nearly drowned in everything Dean was feeling.
It was never about his lack of love or want for her. Dean had pushed Riley away out of fear of being too close to her. He had already lost so much and the fear that had settled inside him had taken over. Gnawing at him every day, that fear reminded Dean that she was just one more person that he would one day have to say goodbye to.
Before he could utter another word, Riley quickened her step until she was flush against him. Her arms wrapped around his neck in an instant and pulled him down towards her. Dean's brow furrowed with an overwhelming need. His hand took her waist and the other was lost in her hair without a second thought. He held onto her as if his life depended on it and their lips crashed together. It was months of longing, loneliness, and grief being released as they found each other again.
They both tore off the other's clothes in hunger for each other and gasped for air between fervent kisses. In that motel room, the passion grew with every second as they clung to each other. A soft moan escaped Dean's throat as his wandering hands rediscovered her. He guided Riley towards the bed and held tightly to her as he laid her down.
She felt his comforting warmth against her skin as he hovered above her. It engulfed her like a blanket and made her need him even more. Dean left open-mouthed kisses on her neck, her jawline, her collarbone and on as he worshipped every inch of her. The scruff on his jaw was a perfect and delicious burn against her skin. Riley inhaled deeply as she smelt the familiar waft of leather, whiskey, and gunpowder. That smell alone was enough to make her ache for him.
"You're perfect…" Dean's mind whispered.
He was too connected to Riley for her to not hear him and she looked up at the beautiful man above her. Those green eyes took her breath away. "I love you, Dean," she confessed as she played with the hair on the back of his neck. He grinned from ear to ear and the corners of his eyes crinkled with joy before he dipped down to kiss her deeply.
Dean made himself ready for her and looked Riley in her eyes. "I'm never letting you go again," he swore as he connected them both. Riley's eyes closed as her mouth fell open. Soft gasps and moans escaped them both as they found bliss in each other once again.
—
The next morning, Sam leaned against the Impala as he waited, anxiously. Dean hadn't come back the night before, so he had hoped that things had gone well. He was itching to see her and just wanted them all to be a family again.
Laughter came from the motel room before the door opened. Dean was smiling from ear to ear as he still looked in towards the room. A soft voice spoke to him that made him throw his head back and laugh.
Riley came to the entrance, giggling herself. She stopped when she saw the hunter waiting outside. "Sam…" she said with nearly crying eyes but still grinning so hard that it hurt her face. Riley rushed to Sam and threw her arms around him. He held onto her tightly and looked up at Dean as they shared a moment of happiness together in silence. Sam kissed her head and pulled away to look down at her.
"Do you have any idea how much sleep we've lost worried about you?" Sam asked with a smirk. "I've missed you like crazy," he added as he pulled her in for one more hug. "Don't ever pull that shit again."
Riley let out a soft chuckle. "Deal." She stepped back and Dean joined them by the car. All three let out a sigh of relief just being together again. "So, Dean said you had another vision?"
"Yeah," Sam sighed. "There's another one of us here. Another kid whose mother died in his nursery fire."
"That must be why we're both here. I dreamt about the town. I didn't know why, but I knew I had to be here." Riley bit her bottom lip and her face focused. "We have to all be connected somehow. It's like we're being called to them."
Sam's eyes grew with worry. "So, maybe we're talking about someone else with abilities."
Dean hadn't really been listening during the conversation. His focus was completely on the woman in front of him. Even the little way her lips curled when she spoke seemed to make his heart flutter. The time they spent apart made him need to memorize everything about her.
"…Dean?" she asked pulling him back into reality.
"Huh?"
She chuckled. "We're headed to a coffee shop in town. This Gallagher kid used to work there. Maybe they have some answers on where to find him."
"Yeah, sounds good." He smiled. "Wanna sit shotgun with me?"
A smirk that she couldn't control grew on her face as she looked at the eager and loving hunter.
—
After wrapping up at the coffee shop, the three walked down the small-town sidewalk and went over what little they had found. Dean stood as close to Riley as possible with his fingers laced with hers. It was like he needed to be touching her to know she was still there. Riley could feel the love and contentment that seemed to illuminate around Dean, and it continued to feed her soul.
"So, Andy's been able to somehow avoid debt collectors for some time now even though he owes a shit ton of money. He's not even employed right now, so I'm not sure how that's working. But there's no flags up in the collection agency system either. It's like they just let him walk," Riley said in confusion.
"The waitress, Tracy, used to a be a good friend of Andy's. She said we could find him just a couple blocks down in a van we 'wouldn't be able to miss'." Sam added. He was focused and tense since they had started the case that morning.
As they turned the corner onto the designated street, Dean laughed in surprise. "Oh…I like this guy." The van just ahead of them was dark blue with a large mural painted on the side. The picture was that of a large breasted barbarian queen riding a polar bear into battle.
Riley chortled to herself. Sam's face looked stressed and filled with worry as she turned to him. "What's going on with you?"
He pulled her to the side to hide them behind a building and Dean followed. "Doesn't it bother you, Rye?"
"…what?"
"The demon told us he had plans for kids like us. Maybe this is his plan. Maybe we're all just a bunch of psychic freaks and we'll all just turn out to be–"
"Killers?" she interrupted in annoyance.
"…yeah."
Riley tried to control the eye roll and frustration that was building. "First of all, we've always been freaks, Sam." She scoffed and threw up her hands. "Look at the lives we have! It's freakish!"
Dean shook his head. "Sam, neither of you are murderers. You both don't have it in you."
"Last time I checked, Dean," Sam started, "we kill things all the time."
"That's not the same, and you know it," Riley replied firmly.
In perfect timing as Sam wanted out of the conversation, the man matching Andy's ID picture came out of a house with a spring in his step. "Guys, it's him."
Andy's silk embroidered robe blew behind him and revealed his pajamas and slippers. He seemed free of all care or worry as he walked down the street with a grin on his face. Andy came across an older dark-skinned man in a suit and they shook hands as Sam realized who his acquaintance was. "That's him, the older guy, that's the shooter." The young Winchester got nervous as the man began to walk away.
Turning to his brother, Dean told him, "alright, you go after him, we'll stick with Andy."
Sam hurried in the stranger's direction and with Riley's hand still in his, Dean headed for the Impala. Just as they got in and started up the car, Andy got into his van and pulled away. Staying far enough not to be noticed, they drove after him.
A few blocks later, the van stopped at a stop sign and Andy got out. He walked towards the couple with a smile on his face, "hey!" Andy leaned onto the car through the open window. "Man, sweet ride. This is a serious classic. '76 was Impala's best year if you ask me." His disposition was friendly and cheerful.
At a closer look, Andy was an average guy with the body and height to match. His hair was short and curly, and his days-old shave was left unattended. There was nothing extraordinary about his appearance but he still was slightly quirky or awkward. Like the kind of guy that was most likely teased as a kid.
"Yeah, I know," Dean smirked with pride. "Just rebuilt her too. Can't let a car like this go." His hands ran over the steering wheel admiring his handy work.
"Damn straight." Andy looked the hunter in the eye. "Can I have it?"
At that moment, Riley heard static. The same static she picked up on with Max. She shook her head trying to understand why the peculiar man would ask such a ridiculous question and she sneered.
"Sure." Dean was delighted to give in to his request and started to get out of the car.
"Wait, what?" Riley asked stunned.
Andy leaned back into the car and locked eyes with the auburn-haired hunter. "Wow. You are gorgeous. You come with the car?" he hinted in a confident and flirty tone as he looked back at Dean.
With another cheesy smile, Dean answered, "I mean, yeah…go ahead take a ride with her, man."
Riley's eyebrows scrunched and she scoffed. "What the fuck, Dean? Get your ass back in the car!"
"But…he wants it."
"I don't give a shit. Get back in here."
With confusion, Andy stared at her. "Come on, we'd have fun together."
It was obvious she had lost her patience with the psychic. "Yeah, I don't think so. Your little mind games don't work with me." Riley waved him away as she got out of the car to grab Dean. Andy's mouth hung open as she took the confused hunter to the passenger's side and put him in. As Riley went to get in the driver's seat, she set her gaze on Andy to watch his every move. He was in shock and she shot him a nasty look as she settled onto the seat.
"Babe…he wanted the car," Dean added softly.
Before anyone could say another word, Riley revved the engine and sped around the van ahead of them. A baffled Andy was left in the middle of the road as he watched them drive away.
As soon as they were away from him, Dean started to snap out of whatever state he was in. "Did–did that douchebag just try to Obi-Wan me?" He growled as he pivoted in his seat to look behind them.
"Mm-hm. You almost gave him the car and me, you, dumbass." Riley laughed as she shook her head. "It's mind control."
"Yeah, I think I caught that." He turned to Riley still disoriented. "Wait, it didn't work on you?"
"Nope. I just told him," she imitated the infamous Jedi, "'we weren't the droids he was looking for'." She gave a sly smirk as she kept on driving.
Dean sat dumbfounded as he stared at her. "…you are literally the perfect woman."
—
Several blocks away, Sam had followed the man from his vision. His nerves shook him to his core as he waited anxiously for the events to unfold.
As his phone rang, the doctor answered and spoke to someone on the other line. It was happening just like in Sam's premonition. Across the street sat the sporting goods shop. The hunter jogged in its direction and ran up the steps to the entryway. Sam looked around before pulling the fire alarm by the door to get everyone out of the building.
The man in the suit crossed the street and looked puzzled as he listened to the alarm go off. After realizing he couldn't go inside, he turned to leave.
Sam pulled out his own phone as it rang in his pocket. Dean's irritated voice came through. "Andy asked me for the Impala and I almost let him fucking take it. The dick bag even tried to get me to give him Riley for fuck's sake."
"What?" Sam asked in a daze.
"It's mind control, man!"
"Wait, his abilities don't work on Riley?"
"Not even a little bit."
While the brothers continued their conversation, only a short distance away, the man from Sam's vision answered another call. After hanging up, he calmly walked into the middle of the road. A loud horn wailed before a bus rammed into him and sent him through the hair with a loud crash.
—
Riley and Dean went to meet up with Sam. He was distraught over not being able to prevent the doctor's death. Riley hooked into his arm that ended in his pocket as his head hung low. Dean walked at their side, guiding them back to the car.
Sam's voice was muted and hallow. "The guy was a doctor. He helped people. I stopped him from going to get the gun. I—I thought he was past it. I thought he was okay. I should have stayed with him."
"Sam, you did everything you could." Riley rubbed his arm in comfort and leaned into him.
As they got to the car, Dean studied the Impala. Still remembering how he almost gave her up to Andy, he seemed to plead with the Chevy. "Oh, Baby. I'm so sorry I almost left you." His hands spread over the opened window as he caressed the interior. When he looked up, Riley was there, guiding Sam to his seat as she glared at Dean. He swallowed and chuckled nervously before raising a nervous finger in her direction. "But you—you are much more important."
"Mm-hm," she mused as she bent to sit inside the car. Once they had all settled in, Riley ran a hand through her hair. "Well, it looks like Andy can't just wiggle his nose to get what he wants. It has to be verbal commands."
"The doctor had just gotten off his cell phone when he stepped in front of that bus." Sam sighed. "Andy must have called him or something."
Dean fumbled with his keys before replying. "I don't know if he's our guy, Sam."
"Dean, you had O.J. convicted before he got out of his white Bronco and you have doubts about this?"
"He just doesn't seem like the stone-cold killer type, that's all…you know." Dean went on the defensive knowing he was right about the infamous football player, "and O.J. was guilty."
Riley rolled her eyes. "Okay, the point is, Sam…I think Dean's right. He's an awkward dude, for sure. But a murderer? I just don't see it."
With a scoff, Sam conceded. "Well, we still gotta track him down…"
"Oh, finding that guy will not be a problem," she dismissed.
—-
With just a short drive around town, they had quickly found the van. The three sat in wait for Andy to show up. Dean chowed down on a burrito wrapped in foil while Sam worked through all his research on Andy.
"It's not exactly an inconspicuous ride," Riley joked as she twirled her hair around her finger. "The Gallagher Love Mobile."
Dean crumpled the now empty wrapper in his hands. "Blegh. You know, one day I'd love to just sit down and eat something I didn't have to microwave at a minimart."
"If we ever stay in a place with a little kitchenette, I'll cook for you. Over the years I learned way too many of Deb's recipes by heart." She smiled at him and he reached out to squeeze her hand.
Sam's eyes were glued to the papers in front of him and he shook his head, flustered. "What I don't get is the motive. I mean, the doctor was squeaky clean, why would Andy waste him?"
"If it is Andy," Dean responded.
"Dude, enough. The doctor was mind-controlled in front of a bus. Andy just happens to have the power of mind control. You do the math."
Knowing this was his chance to prove that Sam and Riley wouldn't go off the deep end, Dean pushed. "I don't think the guy has it in him. You're wrong about him, Sammy."
Just then, an angry Andy popped into Riley's window and slammed his hands down. "Hey!" he tore into them, and the hunters jumped in response. "Do you think I haven't seen you all? Why are you following me?" His tone was deliberate and strung out. Andy's voice echoed in Dean's mind.
Clearing his throat, Sam leaned forward to answer, "you see, we're lawyers and a relative of yours recently passed—"
"Save it! Tell me the truth!" He demanded as Dean felt Andy's abilities rush through him.
"We hunt demons," Dean replied calmly. Sam and Riley's heads whipped in his direction in shock.
"Dean…" Riley whispered through her teeth with an uncomfortable chortle. "What are you doing, honey?"
"Demons and spirits," he went on with zero control of his actions. "Things your worst nightmares wouldn't even touch. Sam here, he's my brother. And the one you tried to take from me earlier, is my girlfriend, Riley."
"Dean, shut up!" Sam ordered.
"I'm trying." Dean's words spilled out of him like an open faucet. "They're both psychic. Kind of like you. Well, not really like you, but see, Sam thinks you're a murderer. And he's afraid that he and Riley are going to become one themselves 'cause you're all part of something that's terrible. And, I hope to hell that he's wrong, but I'm starting to get a little scared that he might be right." An awkward smile curled up Dean's face as he hated himself for what he just said. Both Riley and Sam stared at him slightly horrified.
"Okay, you know what?" Using his abilities, Andy commanded, "just leave me the fuck alone."
"Okay," Dean answered as Andy walked away. The hunter groaned and his head fell in his hand as he was finally released from the psychic's hold.
Riley's eyes grew and she got out of the car, slamming the door behind her. An irritated Sam followed close behind. They marched towards Andy and he turned around to face them.
"Woah, Woah. What are you doing? I told you to leave me alone!" Trying to use his powers, Andy grew more nervous with his orders. "You all just get in your car and drive away and never come back." He was walking backward, terrified that he couldn't control them.
"Your Jedi mind tricks don't seem to work on us, Andy." Riley's eyes were fixed on him.
"…what?"
Sam went into intimidation mode and felt an urge to rip the smaller man a new one. "You can make people do things, can't you? You can tell them what to think."
Andy tried to get a hold of his anxiety as he tried to mock the tall hunter. "That's–that's crazy."
Not wanting his partners to deal with the situation alone, Dean got out of the Impala and slowly strode in their direction. Riley put a hand up asking him to wait further back and he nodded in acknowledgment. Dean respected her and knew to trust her order.
"Is it, Andy?" Riley asked. "About a year ago, you started to realize you could do things. Little things, but over time you gained more control. It was after you turned 22."
"How do you know all of this?" Andy couldn't believe they knew his darkest secret.
"Because the same thing happened to me—to us." Riley pointed between her and Sam. "Both of our moms died in a fire too. We both have abilities like you. Somehow, we're all connected."
Shaking his head nervously, Andy tripped over his words. "No, just—just…just leave me alone. Just get out of here!"
A familiar headache grew in Riley. It was bearable, but she knew what was about to happen. "Sam?" she asked with a slight panic. He was about to have another vision.
Ignoring her call, Sam went on. "Why did you tell the doctor to walk in front of a bus?"
"what…?" Andy questioned, bewildered. "I would never do that!"
As he turned to look at her, Sam grabbed his head in pain and groaned. Riley grabbed him to steady him and Dean rushed to help. The suffering Winchester went to the ground, unable to stay standing.
"Sam?" Dean's voice was worried. "What is it? You okay?"
Breathing heavily, Sam collected himself as best he could. He panted, "a woman. She was burning alive. It was at a gas station." Finally, able to look up, but still squinting, he added, "she gets triggered by a phone call. She's gonna kill herself."
Andy's eyes were wide with confusion. "Going to? What the hell does that mean?"
Riley barked, "shut up, Andy."
"When?" Dean asked Sam.
"I don't know." The young hunter answered as the others helped him stand. "But as long as we keep our eyes on this son of a bitch, he can't hurt her."
"I didn't hurt anybody." Andy's voice cracked in surprise.
A loud siren wailed down the road behind them as a firetruck flew by. Sam, Riley, and Dean looked at each other. "Go," Sam told them. "I'm gonna stay with him." Dean's hand found the small of Riley's back as he turned them around and to hurry back to the car.
—
Firefighters surrounded the gas station and worked to clean up the spilled gasoline. The woman from Sam's vision had poured it all over her body before lighting herself on fire.
Riley ran a hand through her hair again as she studied the scene. It was brutal, that much she knew. The smell of burning flesh still lingered in the air. The voices of the crew working around her and the splashing of the hose surrounded them.
Dean called Sam. "Hey, it's me. She's dead. Burned up just like you said. It was only minutes before we got here. What's going on with your visions, man? I mean this wasn't even a head start."
"I don't know, all right? I can't control them, I don't know what the hell is going on."
"Listen, you were with Andy when this whole thing went down, so it can't be him. It's gotta be somebody else doing this."
"That doesn't make any sense."
"What else is new? Well, I'll dig around here, see what else I can find."
Not far away, and still where the others left him and Andy, Sam hung up the phone. His face looked distressed and a part of him blamed himself for not being able to save her.
Andy sat on an abandoned car nearby and the young Winchester joined him. With a scoff of disbelief, the psychic smiled at him. "I can't believe it. You get premonitions about people before they die, don't you? I mean…that's impossible."
"A lot of people would say the same thing about you."
"But—death visions? Dude, that sucks. I mean, like, when I got my mind thing? It was like a gift, you know, it was, it was like I won the Lotto." Andy paused. His eyes scrunched in the sunlight. "So, your brother's hot girlfriend? She's like us too?"
With a small laugh, Sam replied, "yeah. Just don't say that around my brother. But, Riley's uh—kinda different though. She has multiple abilities. We think they're somehow tied to souls."
"What the hell does that mean?" Andy chuckled, perplexed.
"It's only a guess, really. She's an empath—and a telepath. Riley can feel other people's emotions, even their physical pain at times. It's like she's developing something new every few months now. Little things here and there that just—blow my mind."
"Remind me not to piss her off."
Sam nodded with a smile. "Yeah, with or without her abilities, you wouldn't wanna do that." The hunter realized how different Andy was than he thought. "So, you're really not a killer, huh?"
Andy chuckled. "That's what I've been trying to tell you."
The sound of Baby purred around the corner as Riley and Dean pulled up. As he killed the engine, Dean got out of the car and she followed.
"Alright, Andy…" Riley's hands found her back jean pockets and she sauntered over. "The victim's name was Holly Beckett. Do you know her?"
He shook his head. "Never heard of her."
"Called Ash on the way over here," Dean started. "He came up with a little something. Apparently, Holly Beckett gave birth when she was eighteen years old, back in 1983. The same day you were born, Andy."
Turning down to face the psychic, Sam asked, "Andy, were you adopted?"
"Yeah, I mean, I never knew my birth parents. And like you said, my adopted mom died when I was a baby. Wait," he stared at Dean. "Do you, do you think this Holly woman could actually be my…"
"I don't know." The older Winchester shrugged. "I tried to get a copy of the birth records, but they're hard copy only, sealed in the county office."
"Well fuck that."
—
With the power of suggestion, Andy was able to get them all into the back room of the county office. The walls were covered in racks upon racks that had been stuffed with boxed files. A small light that sat on a desk in the middle of the room seemed brighter than the main glow above them.
They sifted through the boxes looking for the right one, and Sam pulled one out to go through it. After only a moment, he told them, "Got it." Andy, Riley, and Dean gathered around. The young Winchester exhaled before he continued. "Andy, it's true. Holly Beckett was your birth mother."
Shocked rushed through the psychic at the news and Riley felt it. His face went vacant as he gasped. "Okay, well does anyone have a Vicodin?"
"Dr. Jennings was her doctor, too, I mean, he oversaw the adoption. You have a solid connection to both of them."
"Yeah, but I didn't kill them."
"We believe you," Dean told him, and Riley reached out a hand to cover Andy's in comfort.
Sam opened up the file in front of Andy to show him the rest of what he found. "I think I know who did though. Holly Beckett gave birth to twins.
Andy sat with both hands on his head, staring straight ahead, completely stunned. "Holy shit. I have an evil twin."
"Holly put you and your brother up for adoption. And you went to the Gallagher family, obviously. And your brother went to the Weems family from upstate."
"Uh–okay. What's my brother's name?"
"Ansen Weems. And he's got a local address."
"Wait…he lives here?"
The anxiety Andy was consumed by made Riley have to focus on breathing through her own. She had to take a minute and gave herself some distance to go stand by Dean. He always helped to ground her. The hunter looked down at her as he waited for the printer to finish what they needed. They had found a copy of Ansen Weems' ID. "Hey, you alright, sweetheart."
"Yeah," she sighed. "That is just one anxious little man over there."
Dean laughed under his breath as the paper finished. He gave her a sweet kiss on the forehead before heading back to the table. As he handed it to Andy, he asked, "ever seen him before?"
Andy's eyes grew nearly two times their size. "Oh, my fucking god."
"What?" Riley asked.
"He–he works at the coffee shop…with Tracy."
—
Dean drove the Chevy with the pedal to the metal as they all made their way back to the coffee shop. It was night and the headlights gave off the only gleam down the dark road.
Riley sat in the back seat with Andy, hoping she could help to calm his nerves. "Alright, you gotta tell us everything you know about this guy."
"Well, I mean, not much. Goes by the name Webber. Shows up one day, eight months ago? Acting like he's my best friend in the world. Kinda weird, like–trying too hard, you know?"
"Maybe he knew you were twins. But that doesn't make any sense. Why wouldn't he tell you? Why change his name and everything?" Just as she finished, Riley felt another small headache and she reached for Sam. "Hold on, bro. I got you." Another vision ripped through Sam's mind and he moaned in agony.
Tracy from the coffee shop was on a bridge over a large dam. She sobbed and shook with fear as she made her way to the edge. Stepping up onto the ledge, she looked down at the intense drop. As more tears ran down her face, she lept off to her death.
The pain was too much, and Sam yelled out. He grabbed his head in desperation to make it stop. Gasping through his discomfort, he uttered, "the dam. We have to go to the dam bridge. Now…"
—
Parked at the edge of the large bridge, the hunters got out to head towards the back of the car. There was little light around them as Dean unlocked the trunk.
"Dean, you should stay back." Sam reached into his bag and pulled out two handguns. Before cocking his, he handed the other to Riley who did the same before putting it in her waistband.
"No argument here. Had my head fucked with enough for one day."
Though he was filled with fear, Andy made his way over to them. His voice shook as he tried to be brave. "I'm coming with you. If Tracy's out there…I'm coming."
Riley felt Andy's emotions swell before they flew through her. The fear, anxiety, uncertainty…and then love. Her eyes met his. "Andy, you love her."
He scoffed nervously. "Wow. You really can read minds."
"Actually, I can't read yours. With others like us? I just hear static—interference. But I can feel your emotions, and they're strong."
"Except for some frustrating reason," Sam teased. "She can get in my head once in a while."
Riley let out a small laugh before grabbing Dean's jacket to pull him down for a kiss. "Stay here. Stay safe."
"Be careful, sweetheart," he replied lovingly.
Sam and Riley led the way as Andy trailed behind them. Knowing they had no time to waste, they rushed across the bridge, seeing a car parked further ahead.
Without any hesitation, Sam shattered the glass of the driver's window. His gun was aimed at Webber as a scared Tracy sat in the driver's seat. She was crying and terrified. "Get out of the fucking car! Now!" Sam yelled at him. Riley was behind him as backup with her weapon ready to fire.
"You really don't want to do this," Webber muttered as he used his ability.
Angry and fed up with the man already, Sam backhanded him with his pistol.
Andy flew to Tracy's side to get her out of the car. His voice was soft and sweet. "Tracy, it's me. Come here, come here. It's okay." Andy held her tight while she sobbed.
"Andy, I couldn't control myself," she replied hysterically.
Sam pulled Webber from the car and threw him to the ground. As he held his arms to restrain him, Riley hurried to put a piece of duct tape over Webber's mouth. She then stood above him with the gun near his head.
Filled with rage for hurting people he loved, Andy charged at his brother and kicked him hard. "I'll fucking kill you!" Sam let go of Webber to stop a furious Andy and held him back. "Do you hear me?! I will fucking kill you!"
Using a silent command, Webber forced Tracy to pick up a large piece of wood that had been left on the bridge. Not being able to control herself, she sent a powerful blow into Sam's head that made him fall to the ground. Before Riley could react, a foot swept underneath her. She fell backward, hitting her head on the pavement.
When Andy turned to face her, Tracy was crying trying to fight the command she was being given to hit him too. "Tracy, stop it!" he shouted. She shook in terror but was ready to swing. "I said stop it!" Andy used his power of suggestion on her and in shock, she dropped it. He swiftly looked back at his brother. "How the hell did you do that?"
"Practice, bro. If you'd just practice, you would know. Sometimes you don't need to use your words. If you have to," Webber tapped his bloody temple, "All you need is this. Sometimes the headache's worth it."
"You twisted son of a bitch!" Without any hesitation, Andy bolted towards his brother and grabbed him.
"Back off, Andy," Webber demanded. "Or Tracy's gonna do a little flying. Aren't you, Trace?" Andy turned his head to look behind him. To his horror, Tracy stood on the bridge railing, ready to jump. "I'm stronger than you. I can do it."
"Okay, okay." Andy backed away with his hands up in surrender. "Okay. All right, just–just please don't hurt her."
"Don't be mad at me, okay? I know, it's, it's all wrong. I didn't mean for this to happen, it's just… Tracy? She's trying to come between us."
"What?!"
"They all were. Dr. Jennings, our birth mom…they all tried to keep us apart." Webber was trying to appeal to Andy; to show him it was all done out of love. "We could have always been together. They had to be punished for what they did, Andy."
Andy shook his head. "You're insane."
"She's garbage! Man, they all are! We can, we can push them, we can make them do whatever we want." Webber stepped closer. "I wanted to tell you. I did. But the man—the man with the yellow eyes, he wouldn't let me."
"What are you talking about, man?"
"In my dream. He said I was special. He told me he's got big plans for me. Wait 'till you see what's in store, Andy, for both of us! See, he's the one who told me that I had a brother. A twin."
Dean had waited long enough. He scrambled through the shadows with a sniper rifle, keeping his distance. Finding a place to take cover, he readied to fire.
Webber turned as he heard something in the brush. He peered into the distance; into Dean's hiding place. With a smile, Webber used his ability to send a command to the hunter, "I see you. Bye-bye."
As he tried to fight it, Dean tucked the weapon under his chin and placed a finger near the trigger. His breathing quickened knowing he was no longer in control.
A loud shot rang through the night air and a shell clattered on the ground as Webber's body jerked. Behind him, Andy stood with a smoking gun. As his brother's body collapsed to the ground, Andy shook and lowered the gun.
—
The morning had finally brought an end to that terrible night. Riley, Sam, and Dean stood nearby as the first responders took over the scene. Putting his arm around his girlfriend, the oldest Winchester pulled her close to kiss her head.
"Ouch," Riley hissed with a chuckle.
"Oh, man. Hit your head good, huh?" She rubbed over her hair and nodded at Dean's question. "Maybe we should get you a helmet. You got a tendency for brain injuries."
Playfully, she pushed him away. "Shut up."
Andy walked over to the hunters, solemnly. "Talked to the cops. Told them Webber shot himself. Obviously, they didn't argue." A soft laugh escaped his throat. "But, uh—Tracy…she won't even look at me. I've never used my mind thing on her before. She's scared of me now."
"Hey, Andy, I hate to do this, but um, we have to get out of here. Here." Sam handed him a small piece of paper. "I wrote down my cell. You don't have to be alone in this, all right? If anything comes up, just call me up."
The three began to walk away as Andy scoffed behind them. "Wha–what am I supposed to do now?"
"You be good, Andy," Dean replied. "Or we'll be back."
Once they were out of earshot, Sam cleared his throat. "Looks like I was right. Andy is a killer."
"Sam," Riley started from underneath Dean's arm, "he's a hero. He saved Tracy and he saved Dean. He was forced—pushed to make that decision."
"Webber was pushed too, in his own way. Max Miller was pushed. Hell, I was pushed by Jessica's death."
Dean huffed and stopped in his tracks. "What's your point, Sam?"
"Right circumstances, everyone's capable of murder. Everyone. You know, maybe that's what the demon's doing. Pushing us. Finding ways to break us."
"Sam, we don't know what the demon wants, okay? Quit worrying about it." Dean patted the side of his brother's arm before starting back for Baby.
"You know, I heard you before, Dean when Andy made you tell the truth. You're just as scared of this as I am."
Taking a deep breath, Riley went to her side of the car waiting for Dean's answer. What he said earlier was still definitely hanging over her.
"That was mind control! I mean, it's like, like, that's like being roofied, man, that doesn't count." The keys jingled in Dean's hands as he went to unlock the car. "I'm calling a do-over."
"What are you, seven?!"
"Doesn't matter. Look, we've just gotta keep doing what we're doing, find that evil son of a bitch and kill it."
"He's right," Riley agreed. "Dwelling on it all is just gonna drive us nuts. We focus, we do the job, we find the bastard."
Smiling in her direction, Dean replied, "that's my girl."
He and Riley got into the car, but before Sam could join them, his phone rang. "Hello? Ellen…what's going on?" He paused. "Yeah, we'll be right there."
—
The Roadhouse had its same smoky feel as always. A smooth rock song played in the background as glasses clattered while Jo and Ellen cleaned up. The young blonde was having a hard time not staring at Dean as he, Riley, and Sam sat at the bar enjoying a beer.
Riley wasn't blind and she could feel the things Jo felt for her boyfriend. She tried to be patient with her, knowing that Dean didn't return Jo's affections. Taking a deep breath, she sipped at her beer.
"Jo," Ellen said looking at her, "go grab another case of beer from the back."
With a face of annoyance, Jo went to follow her mother's instructions.
Ellen stood in front of the three hunters and leaned on the bar into them. "You three wanna tell me about your last hunt?"
"No. Not really. No offense, it's just kind of a family thing," Dean answered as he swallowed his drink.
"Not anymore." Ellen dropped a stack of papers onto the counter never looking away from them. "I got this stuff from Ash. Andrew Gallagher's house burnt down on his six-month birthday, just like yours and Riley's. You think it was the demon all three times, don't you? You think it went after Gallagher's family?"
Sam's head fell and he muttered, "yeah, we think so."
"Ellen," Dean started as he interrupted his brother and shot him a look. "It's just none of your business okay?"
"You mind your tongue with me, boy," she stated firmly. "This isn't just your war, this is war. Now, something big and bad's coming and it's coming fast, and their side holds all the cards. Now, at best all we got is us. Together. No secrets or half-truths here."
Everyone fell silent as the three decided what to say. Sam was the one to finally tell her the truth. "There are people out there, like Andy Gallagher," he paused to gather his courage. "…like me and Riley. And um–we all have some kind of ability."
"Ability?" she asked in confusion.
Dean became more uncomfortable and rolled his eyes. He hated that Sam was telling her everything when she wasn't family.
"Yeah. Psychic ability. Me, I have, um, I have visions. Premonitions. I don't know, it's, it's different for everybody."
Ellen's eyes found Riley. "…and you?"
With a heavy sigh, she wasn't sure how to answer. "Mine–mine's different."
"Different how?"
"I, uh–" Dean rubbed her back letting her know he was there with her. "I'm an empath–and a telepath…and some other things we don't understand yet." Riley sucked at her beer bottle hoping it would calm her nerves.
Flipping the bar rag over her shoulder Ellen folded her arms. "That's more than one ability there, honey. Why is it different for you?"
Riley shook her head. "We don't know."
"The demon said he had plans for people like us," Sam added.
"Plans? What does that mean? And these psychics—they dangerous?" The motherly side of Ellen was coming out. She needed to know what to expect so she could do what she could to protect the young hunters as best as she could.
"We don't know that either," said Dean. "And no, they're not all dangerous."
Sam eyed his brother. "But some are. Some are very dangerous."
"So how many are we looking at?" Ellen asked.
"We've been able to track a clear pattern so far." Finally caving in, Dean decided to join his partners in their honesty. "They've all had house fires on the night of the kid's six-month birthday."
"That's not true," Sam interjected. "Webber? Or Ansen Weems, or whatever his name is – I looked at his files, and there was no house fire. There's nothing out of the ordinary."
"Which breaks pattern. So, if there's any others like him, there'd be nothing in the system." Ellen shook her head lightly. "No way to track 'em all down."
As Riley played with the label on the bottle in her hand, she bit her bottom lip. "Which means, there's no way to know how many of us are out there."
"For fuck's sake," Ellen thought. "These poor kids. I don't know how, but I gotta help 'em."
Putting her hand out to touch Ellens, Riley answered her thoughts. "You are helping…and we're grateful."
A look of shock sat on Ellen's face and she froze. It was true. She didn't know how to handle everything she had just learned and her eyes focused as she thought to herself. Finally, breaking the silence, she called out over her shoulder. "Jo, scratch that order for beer, we're gonna need whiskey."