Sam and Dean sat in the great room of the bunker. Dean had gotten back from St. Louis two hours earlier and found Sam buried in paper work. Books lay strewn across the large table seeming to play chess with the empty mugs of coffee littered between them.
Dean had put away his things and joined him immediately, watching rather than helping, contentedly sucking down a beer.
"You seem proud of yourself." Sam muttered glancing at his brother over the screen of his laptop.
"Why shouldn't I be? I had a very successful weekend." Dean said smugly, taking a long sip of his beer and replacing it triumphantly on the table.
Sam knew Dean's complacency had more to do with Kat than saving her life; but he let it go, not wanting to hear any more about his brother's exploits than he had to.
"While you were off vacationing, I mapped out a probable pattern that Rowena is taking. She's moving across densely populated areas. But only cities that have a large Scots-Irish community. Only, I've been checking records and people aren't dying. The missing person's count is slightly higher but I don't think she's killing them Dean." He said as he pushed his shaggy hair back with his hand that he then placed on the table, at a loss for what to type next.
Dean nodded his head to the side, thinking. "Well maybe she's keeping them in reserve. People may not be actually missing but they probably aren't themselves. We've seen that before."
Sam was always astounded that his brother knew exactly what to say to him to get his brain working on another theory. It's not that Dean always had the answers he couldn't see, it's just that he managed to strike up inspiration. Sam sat up with fervor, shaking his finger at Dean before he started to draft an email.
A questioning look passed over Dean's face for a moment, eyeing Sam with his eyebrows scrunched together. "What are you doing?" he grumbled, deterred by Sam's studiousness.
"Sending Kat an email. She could check the lore and see if any of the unusual events correlate to Irish legend. You said the thing after her was a sluagh right?" He said glancing at Dean once more, fingers still flying across the keyboard.
Dean looked momentarily angered and then slightly disappointed. The flicker of emotion didn't go unnoticed by Sam but before he could ask about it, Dean muttered passively "She said she needed some space from all this."
"Ok. So I'll send this and she'll get her info to us when she can." He answered matter-of-factly. He was unconvinced by Dean's distant nod. Dean got up then to grab his computer and help Sam. In reality it was partially to forget about what everyone around him seemed to be assuming about himself and Kat. "Why do I feel like you're not cool with that?" Sam interrupted the silence to ask.
"Dude, I'm fine." Dean deflected, taking another swig of his beer to avoid further questions. Sam smirked and twitched his head to the side knowing there was something eating at his brother.
After a moment of silence the pair heard the familiar whoosh of Cas landing in the room.
"I have news." He said bluntly.
"About what?" Sam questioned without even looking up. Dean didn't react to his presence either, he just continued aimlessly clicking around on the computer he only half knew how to use.
"The girl Katherine." He took a step forward and sat at the table with the brothers. "She's a lot more important than Dean's attachment to her." He finished.
Sam burst out a short chuckle and stared inquisitively at Dean, who rolled his eyes and shut his computer forcefully. "So you keep saying…" he interjected hotly. Castiel didn't pay him any attention and continued speaking.
"It seems her bloodline is sacred to pagans originating in pre-Christian Ireland and Scotland. Before the emergence of Christianity as the prominent belief system, polytheistic worshippers had their world threatened by a druid's son named Balor. Kat's lineage traces back to the man that slayed the beast that laid siege to those lands. I'm sure that means she is of some importance to Rowena." He finished his monologue and looked at the boys expectantly.
"Well, I guess what we do is keep tabs on her and have her look into those legends right?" Sam suggested.
"Yeah…" Dean spoke for the first time since his ridicule, sighing heavily and running his open palm across the top of his head. "So that means it wasn't coincidence that we met her, and Rowena definitely already had Kat on her radar. I'm getting real sick of this destiny crap."
"That just means Rowena knows we're on to her." Sam mused, staring off into nothing.
"I'll keep an eye on the girl." Cas announced as he went to stand and disappear. Dean held out a hand, turning his torso around awkwardly to look at Cas.
"Just don't get in her way, she doesn't want to get deeper into this than she already is." He cautioned.
Cas nodded and knew that Dean was speaking partly about his own presence in her life, hidden beneath the supernatural world.
Kat had cancelled her classes for the day, feeling the repercussions of the previous day's trauma. It was harder to shake than just being the victim of kidnapping because it took place inside her own head. Her mind, her sanity had been claimed by another living thing and it wrought havoc on her emotional state. She didn't like feeling disadvantaged and weak, and that's exactly how she felt.
She swung open the door to the bar where she worked, looking forward to mindlessly serving drinks. The monotonous routine was natural and real to Kat. It calmed her to the point where she felt painfully normal. There was something poetic about serving alcohol to people who wished to alter their state of consciousness when all Kat wanted was clarity. Kat shook her head bemusedly, shaking away her thoughts.
The night progressed quickly and Kat enjoyed the constant drum of voices shouting to be heard over the music, occasionally one breaking through before it was eaten up again. Finally the bar closed and she was startled out of her musings by the girl who worked the bar with her, bumping abruptly into her hip.
"Sorry." She murmured, never making eye contact with Kat as she reach for a tray of empty glasses to take to the washer.
Kat wanted to respond that it was ok, an accident. But she couldn't quite form the words. Somewhere in the back of her mind she heard a voice saying, "I should go home." It was strange because she couldn't recognize it as her own, but she was suddenly compelled to go. Her body was filled with a force that was not solicited by her brain. She felt her muscles and tendons interact with each other and walk her out the front door without a backwards glance.
She heard vague shouting after her but she didn't care. The world felt so dangerous, more so than in the moments she'd met monsters. Everything was filled with orchestral crescendo, signifying impending doom. It was then she had realized she was running and it was only the blood pounding in her ears making that noise.
Sam and Dean had not left their posts opposite each other, continuing to compile research when Cas whooshed into the room.
"Your friend Kat does not seem herself." He stated plainly. The brothers looked up at him, cocking eye brows expectantly.
"Care to elaborate?" Dean prodded bluntly.
Cas stepped forward, excited by their attention and said, "She left work unexpectedly."
"That's it?" snapped Dean, shaking his head.
"Well, yes. She seems like a hard worker…I thought…" He stammered reaching his arms out for understanding.
"Dude, she's probably just stressed. This whole thing has to be taking a toll on her." Sam counseled, sensing Cas' dejection.
"We also don't know her." Dean asserted. "She could do that regularly…it's a dive I'm sure they aren't strict about workplace etiquette, Cas."
Cas face dropped slightly and he stepped away from the agitated Dean and lethargic Sam.
"Just keep watching Cas, We'll give her a call." Sam placated. Cas nodded and disappeared.
Dean had already whipped out his phone. He was more alarmed at the fact that he really didn't know if this was normal for Kat to do, than if she was actually in danger or not. He was disappointed in himself that he had left and assumed that the sluagh would be the last of their worries. But also felt ridiculous getting himself worked up over someone whose characteristics he barely knew, off of Cas' intel. And also, slightly worried there actually was something wrong.
The phone rang twice, and was swiftly answered. He sighed a breath of relief as he heard Kat speak.
"Hey." She simply said.
"Hey" he mimicked. "Just checkin' in…I know you said you needed some space but I just wanted to call to make sure you're good." He hoped she understood his connotation, not mistaking what he hoped was casual for neediness.
"Oh. Good, I guess. Just got off work. I've got classes again tomorrow so I was gonna try to sleep early." Said Kat, evasively.
Recognizing her polite way of departure, he agreed "Yeah, that's probably a good idea. Ok…talk soon?" He wasn't sure why he'd phrased it as a question because he'd usually just state it and hang up the phone. But with Kat, he wanted her to know that her opinion mattered. He wished she would just obey, but something told him no matter what either he or Sam said, she'd have a different opinion.
"Yeah. Soon." was all she said before the other line went dead. He shut his phone, a little disappointed by her coldness.
"All good?" said Sam, expectantly. Dean had forgotten he was sitting there waiting for word on Kat. Looking at the face of his little brother he was reminded of how often he disregarded Sam's personal feelings and kept him in the dark for whatever reason.
"Seems to be." He informed, pushing the digression of his thoughts aside. "I mean, Cas is there right?"
Sensing his brother's indecision Sam supplied "He'll let us know." Sam gave Dean a look of steeled determination and they went back to work.
It had been two days since they had heard from Cas. Dean was aimlessly puttering around in the kitchen. Grabbing at mugs and cups left there without a second thought, not really sure what it was he was doing. He took a sip of his coffee gingerly trying to avoid inevitably burning his tongue. Just as he placed a dish in the sink, he felt a presence appear directly beside him. The noise that accompanied Cas' arrival was overshadowed by his labored breathing. Dean jumped and the plate clattered around as it was shaken from his hand by the force of his surprise.
"Dammit Cas!" he exclaimed but before he could finish the angel spoke forcefully.
"Something is definitely not right Dean. She hasn't left her house in three days and stopped ordering food yesterday." His matter-of-factness and certainty pulled Dean around to face him. He ran his hand through his hair exasperatedly and immediately started out towards the hallway.
"Sam!" he called, his voice bouncing off the walls of the bunker like a pinball machine, lighting up at each bounce.
After about ten minutes Sam and Dean had packed a bag and met back up in the great room. It was a methodic, swift preparation because jumping to action was their life.
"Its seven hours from the bunker to St Louis. We'll start driving and be there by early evening. Cas, you go and start looking for a reason she'd be acting like this. We warded her place to the teeth so she had to have brought something in with her." Dean barked as he strode into the room carrying a small duffle bag and his sawed off shot gun.
"So…perhaps a hex bag?" Cas suggested
"That's the best guess." Dean afforded. The three shared a look and Cas disappeared leaving the brothers to head for the Impala.
Kat's world was in a fog. She sat at her table, staring at the bare wall across from it. The stench of the room wafted around her but she was unbothered by it. Nothing mattered. Not the world she had been thrown into, or the state of disarray in the part of her life laying at her feet.
She recognized a sudden movement in the space around her as if someone was hovering. She couldn't tell if it was standing feet or inches away, she couldn't even register if she was being touched. Her head lolled back and forth on its neck weakly.
The voice that had controlled her for days came again. "Kill him." It said.
Sam and Dean pulled up in front of Kat's apartment seven hours later, exhausted. They got to her door just as Cas swung it open. There was a scissor sticking out of his chest and a bright spot of blood surrounding it.
"What the hell happened?" questioned Sam as Dean pushed past them both into the house.
Castiel and Sam followed as Cas spoke, "She tried to attack me. I had to restrain her. I did manage to find the hex bag though."
Dean didn't notice Cas as he brandished the occult object, all he saw was Kat's limp form tied to one of her mismatched chairs. Her hair was matted and there were bright purple rings under her eyes. They were open but held no life or cognition.
"Kat" Dean said cautiously.
She immediately snapped to attention and looked at him intently. "Winchester." She stated.
"Oh well now you've got me at a disadvantage. You know my name but I don't know yours." Dean responded quickly. Pushing his emotion down and answering with defensive wit.
She smiled sweetly and said "Who I am is not important." Dean moved fast to where Cas was standing, grabbed the hex bag and held up clearly for Kat to see. He took out his lighter and set the small bag on fire.
"Well, then you won't mind if I cut this conversation short...do you?" he quipped
Sam stepped forward and extended his arm and said, "Dean…don't!" But it was too late. As flame engulfed the bag Kat's body sat up pin straight as if it were touched by a live wire. She screamed, strong, seemingly from the depths of her soul, then slumped back down, head hanging, wild tendrils of hair covering her face.
"Dean, if that was a witch somehow possessing Kat, we could've used it for information." Sam grumbled bitterly.
"She's not something that we're going to use as a pawn Sam." Dean commanded and Sam knew he was right. They both stepped forward to untie her as Cas watched, perplexed.
"Rowena has started using magic to project another witch's conscious into a human, we need to know everything about it. Maybe your tattoo also protects against this type of possession." He mused. "Witchcraft, after all, was the basis for any demonic beliefs in the Christian tradition."
Dean nodded, to show Cas he was listening but knelt down next to Kat's chair lifting her head gently, her chin cupped in the palm of his hand.
She snapped up suddenly and ran towards the bathroom. The three men followed suit, flocking around her like gigantic hens. She reached the toilet and violently threw up black bile. The gooey substance forced its way out of her body, purging her from the dark magic. Her small frame was wracked with coughs and Dean stepped forward to gather up her brown hair but she pushed his arm away feebly. She finished heaving for long enough to grab it herself.
"I'm not the girl who got drunk for the first time off too many wine coolers Dean. I got this." She spat. Dean recoiled from her harsh tone but knew anger was her defense just as humor was his. He understood her then, better than he had in the last two weeks. He looked from Cas to Sam who seemed to take his meaning.
"Let's get those scissors out of you dude." Said Sam, "You look like you went ten rounds with Freddy Krueger." They left and Dean slid down the wall to sit on the floor across from Kat. Her breathing had slowed now and the heaves were lessening.
"I did hear something you know. The woman, in my head…her name is Carman. She's with Rowena and they want something desperately here in St. Louis." Her face was full of defeat and Dean pitied it, because he remembers wiping that look off of his face many times before
"Ok" he said. "We'll figure it out."