Part Ten: I See Dead People: Part Two
Reese and the boys made it back to Bobby's long before Athena had. Sam went inside to pack a duffle for his next objective. Reese stayed out with Dean to discuss they're last encounter with her older sister. Dean stuck his hands in his jacket pockets and leaned against his beloved car. Reese crossed her arms and did the same. He let out a long sigh before turning his head toward the woman next to him.
"You know she's only looking out for you." Reese's head snapped around.
"You're joking, right?" Reese took a step forward and turned to face him directly. "She's dead, Dean. Been dead. Still dead. I'm not gonna be throwing myself a pity party because my big sister is suddenly back from the dead. It's not natural." They heard the front door close and thudded footsteps make their way to them. Reese turned her head slightly to see Sam carrying his duffle over his shoulder and a set of keys in his other hand. Sam raised a brow at his brother and adoptive sister. They both shook their heads. Sam nodded.
"I'm gonna head across town and do some more digging. Call me if you need me." he said, taking a step to one of Bobby's cars.
"I'm going with you." Reese said, falling into stride with him.
"Reese…" Dean started.
"Dean, I know where you're coming from because you are a big brother. But I'm telling you, this isn't right and I'm gonna find out why the hell she's back. Stay here and keep an eye on Karen and Athena when she gets back. Bobby is here so you won't be alone." She took a step toward him and stood on her toes to kiss him. Dean grabbed the sides of her face and deepened it. After a moment too long, Sam cleared his throat.
"Guys, we're kind of in a hurry?" Sam said, looking to the sky to avoid watching his brother make out with Reese. Reese chuckled into Dean's lips and pulled away.
"Be careful," Dean said in a low, husky voice. Reese laid her hand on his cheek and felt his light scruff in her palm.
"Always." Reese turned and joined Sam in the car and the two took off down the road. Dean sighed and placed his hands back in his pockets. Not ten minutes after Sam and Reese left, he heard the crunch of gravel beside him. He gasped and tried to catch his breath. Athena was standing beside him, dark and deader than ever. She let out a snide smirk.
"Oops. Did I scare you?" Dean stood up straight and shook his head.
"No! No, no. There's nothing scary about you at all." Dean said sarcastically.
"I'm gonna get straight to the point. Why are you with my sister?" Athena said, crossing her arms. Dean pursed his lips. He wanted to say something sarcastic but he also didn't want his face eaten off.
"What does it matter. She's alive and happy. Shouldn't that be enough?" he lifted his shoulders.
"Not with you, it isn't." Athena kept her stance tight.
"What's your beef with me, huh? What did I ever do to you? We're pretty much the same age. And I don't seem to remember crossing paths with you."
"Dean, I haven't liked you since we met when we were six years old. Our fathers hunted together a lot. It's a shame you don't remember. And as we got older, I realized what a dick you grew up to be and how you treated every piece of ass what walked by. I wasn't going to let my sister become another notch in your bed post."
"Athena, listen…"
"No, you listen!" Athena took a step forward and put her finger on his chest. "If anything, anything happens to my sister while she's with you, I will make sure you end up back in the pit. And it won't be as fun as last time." she said softly. Memories flashed before Dean's eyes and he gulped quietly. Reese noticed his pained look and smirked. "Oh yeah, I know all about the pit, Dean Winchester. I also know how you're the one who started all this." She took a step back from him. "I mean it, Dean. Anything. And I'll see you downstairs." Athena turned on her heel and walked back inside with Karen. He stared after her as her form disappeared into the house. He let out a shiver and leaned back on the trunk of the Impala and silently wished Sam and Reese would hurry back.
Meanwhile, Sam and Reese did some research and found who had risen from the dead first. They walked down the sidewalk from where the car was parked and began searching for the woman named Ezra Jones. Reese tapped Sam's arm as they passed a mailbox with Ezra's address on it. They both walked up on the porch and knocked, calling out her name. Reese balled a fist and pounded on the door. She took a step back when it creaked open. She looked up Sam, who shrugged, and they made their way into the house. They continued calling out her name, Reese stopped when she heard coughing. Her and Sam walked to the sound and found a sick old woman laying on a day bed, looking she like was going to die. Again. Her face was grey and her skin looked like it would flake off is she moved. Sam took the first step forward.
"Um, Ezra Jones?" he asked. She coughed a response. She kept motioning them to come to her. Reese took a step behind Sam and shook her head no. Sam took a few more steps forward, Reese following him, holding on to his jacket. Ezra continued to hack and cough while still motioning to them. Reese gagged. Sam let out a sigh. "What is it?" Her movements became more erratic. "You think maybe you could tell us from here?" She coughed and motioned again. Reese let him go and stepped backwards. "It's all you, Sammy." she gave him a slight push.
"Yeah. I'm gonna regret this." Sam took a deep breath and pushed it forcefully through tight lips. Reese stayed glued to her spot as she pulled her pistol from her waistband. She watched as Sam took cautious steps toward the old woman. She groaned and coughed, urging Sam closer. White thick fluid oozed from the corner of her mouth and Reese could sense the disgust from Sam's face, along with her own. Sam bent down closer and she continued to cough. Reese leaned forward a little before Ezra jumped from the bed, taking Sam to the floor. Reese jumped back, calling his name. She stepped to them but the old woman was a lot faster than Reese would've guessed in her condition. Ezra flung her arm towards her, knocking her to the floor as well,, her pistol flying from her hands. Sam struggled to keep the woman from gnawing at his neck. He reached behind him to pull his own pistol from his waist. White nasty goo poured from her mouth onto Sam's face. He gagged as he continued to struggle. Reese laid limp on the floor next to Ezra's dead husband, Sam guessed, who had his stomach ripped from him. Sam finally felt the grip of his gun and pulled it from behind him. He struggled to get the head of the gun into Ezra's mouth and then pulled the trigger. Blood splattered behind the old woman as she fell limp beside Sam. Sam gagged once more as he wiped the goo from his face. He looked over to see Reese coming too from her own fall. Once Reese was awake, she reached for her gun and placed it behind her.
"What the hell was that?" she yelled, kneeling down beside Sam to help him to his feet.
"The first one to go bad around here. Come on, we gotta get back to Dean and Bobby." The two raced out of the house and headed straight to Bobby's.
"Keep your damn voices down. Karen and Athena are upstairs." Bobby said, wheeling himself into the library. The boys and Reese followed him in.
"Oh, I'm sorry. We're a little tense right now. Some old woman just tried to eat me and Sam." Reese said in a hushed angry tone.
"Who's old lady Jones?" Dean asked.
"The first one to come up." Bobby and Reese said.
"First one to go bad." Sam said, crossing his arms.
"Well, she was always a nutty broad." Bobby passed the comment like it was a casual conversation.
"Nutty like the way she ate her husbands stomach? Was that the level of nutty she was in life?" Reese said, keeping her eyes on Bobby.
"No."
"Look, Bobby, I feel for you. But you have got to acknowledge you're not exactly seeing this straight."
"Bobby, admit it or not, these things are turning! We have to stop them. All of them." Sam said. Bobby shook his head and wheeled to the other side of the room. He looked at the three hunters before him as he pulled his gun from under his leg.
"Bobby…" Reese warned.
"Time to go." Bobby said, holding tight to his weapon.
"What?" Dean asked.
"You heard me, Off my property." The boys stayed silent. But Reese, felt the betrayal and hurt coming up from her throat.
"Or what? You'll shoot?" she asked, her voice breaking mid way through. Tears brimmed on her lids as she looked at the man before her.
"If Karen turns, I will handle it my way."
"This is dangerous." Dean said, reaching for Reese. Bobby pulled the hammer back, but kept his gun on his leg.
"I'm not telling you twice." Dean and Sam shook their heads but Reese finally let the tears fall down her cheeks. Dean grasped her hand in his and led her from the house. They piled into the Impala and Dean drove around the block and parked her not far from Bobby's.
"He's crazy." Dean said.
"It's his wife, Dean." Sam replied.
"So what, he goes Full Metal Jacket on us? We're his family, Sam." Dean argued back. Reese just sat in the back seat, replaying the look on Bobby's face.
"Look, man, bigger fish, okay? We got zombies about to turn this town into a giant chew toy."
"Yeah, and he's alone making pie with one of them."
"All right, so?"
"So?" Dean stopped to think for a moment. "I'm gonna have to go back there and kill her. That's the only thing I can think of."
"If he sees you, you're a dead man." Reese said quietly.
"Well, then I guess I won't let him see me," they were all quiet for a moment. Dean turned slowly in the seat to look at Reese behind him. " You okay?"
"No, I have to find some way to kill my sister. I know I said I'd do it, but I didn't actually think I would have to. Who goes through a point in their life where they have to question whether or not to kill their sibling?" Reese asked nobody in particular. The boys slowly looked at each other and then back to Reese. "I wasn't asking you. You two don't count."
"We will figure it out, okay? Just like we always do." Dean replied, moving his arm over the seat to get her hand. She took it and squeezed tightly before letting go again.
"Okay. I'll head to town and rescue everyone. Should be easy." Sam said sarcastically. The two other hunters nodded. They made their plans and got out of the car. Dean left the Impala where it was and he and Reese made the trek back to Bobby's where Sam made his way toward Sheriff Jody Mills' place.
Reese and Dean silently moved to the house. Listening to every noise, watching for movement, and smelling anything off. Reese kept to Dean's back, watching behind them. Both had their pistols at the ready, just in case something went wrong. As they got closer, a loud gun shot rang through their ears.
"Bobby!" Dean yelled, taking off to the house. Reese went to follow but a hand grabbed her shoulder. She turned around quickly to see Athena standing before her. Her eyes dull and grey. Her hair not as red as it was that morning. And she seemed to be growling.
"Thena?" Reese asked, cocking her head to the side.
"You wanna know the reason I came back?" Athena took a step forward, pushing Reese backwards. "I came to warn you. Again. But this time, Death gave me the message."
"Death?" Reese raised her brow, "Like the Death?"
"One and only. He told me to tell you, if you stick around with the Winchester's, you are going to die."
"If I had a dollar for every time I heard that one…" she rolled her eyes.
"That's if I don't kill you first." Athena sneered as she attacked her little sister. Reese yelped as she tripped over small holes in the ground. She stumbled as Athena grabbed her shoulders. She screamed as she threw her three feet into the air and about five feet away. She landed hard. "You always were the weaker one." she growled, stocking toward her sister. Reese groaned as she stood up. What Athena didn't see was she had her hand on her gun at all times. She just wanted her sister to think she had the upper hand. Once Athena was in a good spot to take down, Reese raised her gun, finger on the trigger and she fired. A single bullet hole landed between Athena's dull grey eyes. She stood there for a moment as the shock of being shot wracked through her body. Her body fell limp on the ground and Reese let out a huge breath "Yeah, but I was always quicker." She tucked her gun back in her waist and ran inside to see Dean, Bobby and a dead Karen, who also had a gun shot wound to her temple. Reese saw the tears in Bobby's eyes a she walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him. Bobby let only one tear fall before he regained his composure.
"We need to get out of here." Bobby said softly. "Pack a couple bags, kids." Reese and Dean nodded as Dean handed Bobby a rifle. Reese began packing. It didn't take long for them to pack what they needed. Reese took hold of Bobby's wheelchair and pushed him outside with Dean close behind. The began loading the van when a loud clatter rang out. Dean reached for a shot gun as Reese pulled out her pistol. Dean shined his light toward the sound and looked for what had caused the noise. Footsteps rang from beside Reese and Bobby. "Dean? Dean!" they both yelled. Bobby raised his rifle and fired. Reese ran for Dean. She knew Bobby could hold his own and she wouldn't be that far away. As she rounded the corner she saw Dean on the ground with a zombie straddling his waist. It leaned down to take a chunk from him as Reese ran up and shot the thing in the temple. Blood splashed on Dean's face and jacket. He looked down and scoffed. Reese clicked her tongue.
"Come on, I'll buy you a new one." she reached down and helped him to his feet.
"You'd better. I liked this jacket." he groaned as he made his way back toward Bobby. They heard a few more shots ring out before they got to Bobby. As they rounded the corner, more zombies started to come out of the wood works. Before they could make it him one pushed Bobby out of his chair. Reese slid on the wet concrete, on her knees and made one shot to the creep about to eat Bobby. Dean helped Bobby back into his chair and they made a run for the house. Once inside, they checked their weapons.
"You got any more ammo? I'm low." Dean breathed. Reese checked her jacket pocket for another clip, but she came up empty also.
"Me too. I have four rounds left."
"We got plenty. Just run back past the zombies. It's in the van where we left it."
"A no would've been fine." Reese rolled her eyes.
"What are they all doing here, anyway?" Dean asked.
"I think I get it." Bobby said.
"What?" Reese and Dean asked. Before Bobby could answer, a window blew out from the top of the stairs and then one jumped through right beside them on to Reese.
"Dean!" she screamed as her gun was thrown from her hand.
"Hang on!" Dean scrambled over to her and took a couple shots before the zombie finally let go. She stood to her feet, grabbed her gun and took a shot behind Bobby. Dean cocked his gun only to find out he was out of ammo, along with Bobby. "I have three. I'll have to make them count." Reese breathed.
"You'd better, sweetheart. Come on." he pushed Bobby through the kitchen before another zombie came through the window. Reese took the shot but missed, so Dean grabbed Bobby's rifle and one good swing, knocked the head off its shoulders. Two more came from behind them as they reached the front door. The window of it was now smashed out with another zombie trying to enter the house.
"God, where are they all coming from!" Reese yelled. Dean opened the closet door and ushered them in, but not before Reese used her last two shots to take down two more zombies.
"Okay. Now I'm out." she said, turning her gun around to use the butt end. Dean shut and locked the door. The zombies banged and pounded on the door. With three grown adults in a little coat closet, Bobby became suddenly claustrophobic.
"Kind of a tight fit, don't you think?"
"It's all right, they're idiots. They can't pick a lock." The pounding on the door stopped and the knob began wriggling unlocked.
"Do you ever get tired of being wrong?" Reese growled as she grabbed the door knob to keep the zombies from getting it.
"I'm making this stuff up as I go. Sue me." They waited a moment before the door was ripped from Reese's hands. She was drug out of the closet and into the crowd of zombies. "Reese!" Dean yelled as he slammed the butt of his shot gun against faces. He could hear Reese screaming through the growls and groans.
"Get down!" a familiar voice rang through the crowd as Bobby and Dean took cover in the door jams. Multiple shots rang out and the bodies began to drop. Once the last body fell, Dean turned quickly out to see Reese standing beside Sam, her breathing heavy. "You okay?" Sam asked. Dean stepped through the bloody pile of bodies to reach Reese. He wrapped his arms around her and swung her around.
"I thought you were a goner." he breathed into her hair.
"I didn't realize it was Sammy who grabbed me and pulled me out. Trust me, if it wasn't for him, I probably would be." she pulled back and looked into his deep green eyes. "But I'm okay." Dean smiled and kissed her deeply. After a moment too long, Bobby chimed in.
"All right, you two. Help me clean up this mess." The two hunters separated and help Sam and Jody move and pile the bodies into another location. Once the bodies were all found and piled in at the cemetery, they were given a hunters funeral. Burned to ash. Reese stayed with Bobby to bury his wife Karen and her sister Athena.
"Is that everyone?" Dean asked. Sam turned around in the direction of Bobby's scrap yard. They could see the smoke cloud rising from his drive way. Reese and Bobby both laid their loved ones to rest with a proper hunters funeral. Athena and Karen were wrapped up in white sheets and carefully placed in the wood pile. They're bodies engulfed in fire as the boys came up behind them. Dean wrapped his arms around Reese's waist and she leaned back into him. Sam placed his hand on Bobby's shoulder.
"So, I've been thinking maybe I should apologize for losing my head back there."
"Bobby…" Sam said, "You don't owe us anything."
"Hey, I may just be finding out what this love thing is, but, at least you got to spend five days with her, right?" Dean asked.
"Right. Which makes things about a thousand times worse." Reese said quietly. They all remained quiet for a moment. Sam took in a deep breath.
"You guys gonna be okay?" Reese nodded slightly, as she had Dean. But Bobby, slowly shook his head no.
"You kids should know. Karen told me why Death was here."
"Athena told me too."
"What do you mean?" Sam asked.
"We know why he took a stroll through a cemetery in the sticks of South Dakota. And why he brought Athena's soul three states over. He came for Reese and me."
"What do you mean you and Reese?" Dean asked, tightening his grip around Reese.
"Death came for us. He brought the girls back to send us a message."
"But— Why you two?"
"Because we've been helping you through this 'let's stop the apocalypse' spiel." Reese finally said. "We're one of the reason's why you two are still saying no to the archangels."
"So this was like a hit on your lives?" Dean raised his voice a little.
"I don't know if they wanted to take our lives or our spirits. Either way, they wanted us out of the way." Bobby said.
"We're gonna be all right." Reese said quietly, hanging on to Dean's arms as her life depended on it. "We're gonna be all right, right Bobby?"
Bobby didn't say a word. The boys remained quiet and Reese let the tears finally fall from her lids as they watched the fire of they're wife and sister burn into the cloudy grey sky.