By the time Sam and Dean got back Cas and I had left the library for the night and retired to our motel room. We were curled up in one of the beds, talking quietly, when the boys slipped into the room. For some odd (though certainly not unwelcome) reason, neither of them ushered Cas and I to move away from each other.
They sat wearily at the table, and Cas popped back to their room to grab them beers. Both brothers offered him smiles of appreciation as Cas settled back onto the bed beside me. By now I was sitting up, and Cas reached over to take my hand.
"You could have warned us, you know," said Dean.
I sighed. "I'm sorry; you're right."
"Did you find out anything?" asked Cas.
Dean took a moment to glare at Cas, and my eyebrows drew together in confusion. Yeah, I probably should have warned them that Rebekkah had found Alex, but they'd dealt with harder stuff. So what was the problem?
I glanced over to Sam and saw that he seemed more withdrawn than usual. As though feeling my eyes on him he glanced up, and I could see the raw emotions swirling in his eyes.
"Yeah," he told us. "We found out something. We found out that when Rebekkah found Alex she had a ring in her pocket. Rebekkah was going to propose."
With that he stood and stalked out of the room, letting the door bang shut behind him. For a moment we all simply sat in shock, and then I was on my feet and following.
"Don't." Dean's voice was harsher than normal, and when he next spoke I could tell he was making an effort to curtail it. "Let him go."
I ignored him, stalking from the room. Sam was leaning against the outer wall of the motel several feet away, panting heavily. As I put my hand on his shoulder he tensed and yanked away, then relaxed when he saw it was me.
"You ok?" I asked.
When Sam said nothing I sighed. That was a pretty self-answering question.
"You wanna talk?"
Sam took a minute before responding. "It's just- it reminded me of Jess."
"Jess?" I frowned. "I thought you said…"
Sam nodded. "And I was telling the truth. I moved on from her death. I guess this just reminded me of how I used to love her. Maybe it bothers me that I don't anymore. I don't know. Maybe I'm just realizing how messed up my life is."
I snorted. "If you're only just realizing that then I think you've got bigger problems."
Sam laughed shortly, then sobered up again. "I shouldn't have stalked out like that," he said. "I'm sorry."
I shook my head. "It's fine. Are you good to work this case Sam?"
Sam nodded. "I'll be good. I just need another minute."
I surveyed him quietly for a moment, then nodded. "Ok." I squeezed Sam's hand and left him, slipping back inside.
I found Cas and Dean sitting tersely, looking like they had just finished a fight. I sighed as I returned to where I had been sitting. Why did I have to be the only person who could control their emotions?
Men.
I was about to demand someone tell me what was going on when Dean glanced over. His green eyes had softened considerably, and he offered me a small smile.
"I'm sorry I snapped at you," he said. "It's just, seeing Sammy like that-"
"It's fine, Dean." I waved my hand. "I get it. I'd have done the same. I'm sorry I didn't warn you guys. I didn't think that would happen."
Dean nodded, looking relieved. Beside me Cas seemed happy that Dean had apologized.
When Sam came back a minute later we resumed the case, carefully avoiding any mention of Rebekkah.
"Did you guys find out who Alex had been arguing with?"
Dean shook his head. "Nope. Apparently whatever was going on, Alex was keeping it to herself."
I stood and started pacing. "Ok, so I've been assuming that this is a regular murder. What if it's not? What if it's really something in our domain?"
"Then we get to kill it," Dean said. Beside him Sam shook his head in mock sadness. Despite the rolling of his eyes, I could tell he still wasn't top-notch ok.
"But what kills someone by means of a drug overdose?" asked Cas.
"Maybe they didn't want blood or organs or anything from her," I said. "Maybe she found out that someone was a monster and they killed her to keep her from telling."
"But still, why the OD?" Sam ruffled his hair. "When monsters kill, they don't worry about subtlety. If it is a monster, it would have just ripped out her throat or something."
"Maybe this one has a brain," suggested Dean.
I growled in frustration. "What exactly do we have? Do we know anything?"
"Nothing we can make sense of," said Dean.
Sam pulled out his phone. "We need help," he declared. "From someone who actually knows how to investigate these things."
I raised my eyebrows, but he was already dialing. Just when I thought we were about to go to voicemail the person on the other end of the phone picked up.
"Sam, what is- hold on one minute. Annie Jones, you get your ass back in here now!" There was the sound of furious stomping, followed by the revving of a motorcycle engine. As the sound of said motorcycle departing and its two riders- a boy and girl- laughing maniacally filled the phone Jodi Mills's cursing joined it.
"Uh, Jodi?" Dean took the phone from Sam. "Is this a good time?"
Jodi sighed. "I've got a teenage daughter, Dean. It's never a good time. What do you need?"
Before the boys could say anything else I jumped in. "Hey Jodi," I called.
"Lucy? Is that you? How're you doing?"
I smiled at the happiness in Jodi's voice. "Not too bad. You?"
Jodi made a random noise. "Same old. What trouble are you guys getting into now?"
"We got a case we need help with," I said. "The thing is, we're not sure what exactly is going on here. We're not even sure it's supernatural."
"Then why are you working it?"
"We came in thinking it was," Cas defended. "Now we're not sure. A girl is dead; the police failed to find her killer."
Jodi sighed. "Alright, fill me in."
We did so quickly, and Sam fidgeted slightly when Rebekkah came up. When we finished we waited a couple of minutes for Jodi to collect her thoughts.
"Ok," she said at last. "First thing you want to do is go through her phone records. I take it you lot aren't bothering with a warrant?"
"Nope," said Sam.
"Didn't think so. So go through her phone records, look for any numbers Alex called with a sudden frequency. Cross check them. If it's her dad's phone she kept calling and she called him every Sunday since starting college, move on. Look for something that popped up not too long before her death. The more frequent the calls the better."
"Got it." Sam pulled his laptop out of his bag and started to log on. "What else?"
"Keep digging around. Maybe she told someone who she was fighting with."
"When she didn't tell Rebekkah?" asked Dean.
"You never know," said Jodi.
"Do you have any idea why her killer would move her body from her grave?" asked Cas.
"That's more up your alley if it is something supernatural," Jodi admitted. "Though if we're going with the idea of there being no monsters involved here, there wouldn't be much reason for him or her to take her body. You're dealing with a really messed up person here." There was a pause. "You guys want backup on this?"
"Nah, we'll be good." Dean took a sip of his beer. "Thanks Jodi. We owe you one."
"Uh-huh. I've heard that one before. Stay safe you guys. Come visit sometime, ok?"
"Got it. See yah."
Sam sighed as he hung up the phone, and the four of us traded looks.
"Like I said," I growled. "We got nothing."
Each of the men with me looked like they wanted to object, but clearly I was right, because none of them could come up with anything to say.
My pouting was interrupted by the blare of sirens outside. I turned to the window, watching the flashing strobes race past the motel, red and blue painting the walls temporarily.
"What do you think it is?" asked Cas.
"It's headed in the direction of the college," pointed out Sam. "Do you think…"
Dean shrugged. "Cas, pop to the college, would you? See if anything's wrong."
Cas vanished, and we waited in worried silence for two minutes. When Cas returned he had a grave look on his face.
"It's the college," he confirmed. "Someone has died."
I cursed and grabbed my jacket. Sam and Dean were already at the door, and I followed them to the impala.
The ambulance was sitting outside one of the dorms, still screeching and flashing. All the people trying to sleep must've loved it. Quite a few students had given up on the task and had meandered outside, grouping together at the edge of the police tape that had been set up. Already a body was being wheeled out on a stretcher, a black body bag covering the figure. Still, I could see something dark dripping off of the moving gurney, leaving a trail on the cement.
I shivered as a feeling of being watched hit me. Ignoring it, I stood on my toes to get a better look at the body being loaded onto the ambulance.
"Can you get in and find out what happened?" I asked Sam and Dean.
"Not without our fake badges," Sam said. "Or our tuxes. We don't have either right now."
I nodded and slipped into the crowd, getting as close to the scene as the police tape would let me. There I tapped a student on the shoulder, drawing his attention away from the spectacle.
"What happened?" I asked. "Who was that?"
The kid shook his head. "Derek Nelson. His roommate found him hacked up in his room."
I crinkled my nose. "That's awful. Wait, Derek Nelson?"
The guy next to me slanted me a look. "Yeah, why? Did you know him?"
I shook my head. "Nope."
I quickly backed away, returning to where the boys were waiting expectantly.
"The victim's name is Derek Nelson," I said. "His roommate found him dead in his room."
"Derek Nelson?" asked Dean. "Where've I heard that name before?"
"It was one of the names on Alexandria's facebook page," Cas said. "He was her friend."
I gulped. "That can't be a coincidence."
"Do you think it was one of these guys?" asked Sam. He peered over the crowd, and I stood on my toes so I could do the same.
"There." I pointed to the other side of the ambulance Derek Nelson's body was being loaded into. "Correct me if I'm wrong, cos I've never been to college, but doesn't the faculty get to go home at night?"
"Yeah," said Sam. "They do."
Each boy followed my gaze to where I was pointing. As if feeling our gazes, the secretary Sam and Dean had spoken to the day before glanced over, meeting our eyes. Then, abruptly, she turned and walked away.
We followed. We had to shove our way through the crowd, and by the time we emerged the secretary was gone.
"Shit." Dean scanned around us. "Where'd she go?"
"Her office," recommended Cas. He grabbed our hands, and a moment later we arrived.
I heard the creak of the door opening, and then a light blinked on. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust, but when they did I saw the secretary trying to flee, her way blocked by Cas, who had materialized between her and the still ajar door.
"Nice try," said Sam. "You going somewhere?"
"You're not FBI," she accused.
Dean snorted. "Yes, thank you. We hadn't noticed."
I eyed the secretary. Her brown hair, cut short and greying, was ruffled in disarray. The lines on her face were more pronounced, and stress colored her eyes dark shades of brown.
"Who are you?" she asked. "Are you even here to investigate Alex's death?"
"We are," promised Cas. "Were you the one who killed her?"
The secretary's eyes bugged out of her head. "What? No! Derek Nelson did, that bastard!"
"So you killed him." I stepped forward, watching the secretary closely as I did. "You hacked him up in his dorm room."
The secretary's face paled slightly, but she lifted her chin. "Alex was my niece," she told us. "And that rat Derek Nelson killed her. So yeah, I killed him."
"What?" I blinked rapidly. "Sorry, what now?"
Miss Carter sneered at me. "She was my niece." She said each word slowly, overemphasizing them.
For a minute we all stood in silence, unsure how to react to this change of events. Dean was the first to speak again.
"How do you know he killed her?" he asked. "The police never got anything from the car that even suggested foul play. What makes you so certain?"
"She told me!" Miss Carter's hands were clenched into fists, her face beat red. "Before she died, she told me he was bugging her. Trying to get her to do things with him. Things she wasn't interested in doing."
I felt my own cheeks color in anger at Derek Nelson, but I pushed it down and let Miss Carter continue.
"She told me everything," Alex's aunt confided. "Her parents were judgmental; I never was. Not to her. I was the first person she told about being lesbian. She trusted me." Miss Carter choked off, rocking slightly as she fought back tears.
"Ma'am?" asked Cas.
The woman began to sob. "She trusted me," she cried. "And I'm the one who told her to enroll here. It was close to home, close to me. It was perfect for her. If she hadn't come here then- then-"
Cas wrapped his arms around Miss Carter as her bawling intensified, and Sam, Dean, and I glanced uncertainly back and forth. What were we supposed to do now?
"Does something look off?" whispered Sam. He leaned over to Dean and I, his gaze slanting to Miss Carter. "If she killed Derek, why isn't she covered in blood?"
"She might've changed," suggested Dean.
"No," I said. "Something's not right."
"Aunt Amira?"
We all spun around to see the figure standing in the shadows. Silhouetted by the moonlight coming in the window on the wall behind her, with long hair that shone pale blond under the moon. Something long was clutched in the person's hand; I couldn't make out what it was.
"What've you done to her?" asked the figure angrily. "Get away!"
I cursed quietly as Alex Whittaker stepped further into the room, murder in her eyes. Blood, still wet and red, coated her entire front, staining her white dress crimson. The object in her hand was revealed to be a kitchen knife, blood dripping off its point onto the tiled floor.
Sam, Dean, and I immediately drew weapons, and Cas held Miss Carter back.
"No!" Miss Carter screamed and writhed, fighting to free herself. "Don't hurt her!"
Alex laughed. It was a sweet laugh; I almost softened. A quick glance at the sadistic savagery in her eyes changed that.
"Don't worry Aunt Amira," she soothed. "They can't hurt me. See?"
Alex drew the edge of her knife down her arm, and I winced as her pale skin split open like butter. A moment later it resealed.
"Right," I muttered. "I remember that episode."
"Alex." Sam stepped forward, holding up his hands. "Listen to us. You've got to let go. You don't belong here anymore. It's time for you to rest."
Alex cocked her head. "Why?" she asked. "I feel so alive."
She kicked out and caught Sam in the side; he went flying. I yelped as Alex then leapt forward, at me, and I automatically parried with my own knife. Before she could strike again I shoved her back.
"Can we knock her out?" I asked.
"No!" Dean ducked under Alex's knife, then backed away.
"Alex, stop!" yelled Miss Carter.
Alex laughed maniacally. "No. Why should I? I haven't done anything wrong!"
"You killed someone!" reminded Dean.
Alex's eyes blazed. "He killed me! He wanted to drug me so that he could do things, but he miscalculated the dosage." Alex laughed. "I suppose I should be glad. Better dead than-" she choked off, unable to even say what would have happened to her. I understood anyway.
"I'm sorry," I said. "I can't imagine what that must've been like. But Alex, this isn't right. You're dead. Be dead."
Alex shook her head. "Not gonna happen."
I sighed. "Do you know what will happen to you? You'll become a vengeful spirit, only instead of a soul without a body, you'll be a body without a soul. But you'll still kill people. Innocent people. You don't want that."
Alex scowled. "I won't do that."
"That's what everybody says," informed Dean. "We knew someone who thought the same. When he died he refused to move on. In the end he began to turn into the very thing he hated."
Doubt was shining in Alex's eyes now. A moment later she shook her head.
"I'll be different."
Alex jumped forward again, but didn't make it more than a few feet before jerking to a stop. A bright glow lit up the room, and I squeezed my eyes shut. When I opened them again Cas was standing over Alex's smoking body.
Ok, I thought. I guess angel smiting works on all monsters.
"Alex!"
Miss Carter rushed forward, gathering her niece's body in her arms. Her sobbing came renewed, tears leaking onto her niece's face.
"Alex," she murmured softly. "No. Nononono. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
As Miss Carter's crying intensified I felt a chill run up my spine. I glanced out the still open door, and thought I saw someone standing across the street. Frowning, I made my way closer, but by the time I had reached the door the shadowy figure was gone.
Hey guys,
Sorry it's been so long since I've posted. Life has been crazy. Hope you enjoyed this chapter.
I'm curious; has anyone figured out what the code Lucy left in the phone number was? I promise, the message was strictly for the girls she was talking to. If anyone has any guesses post them and I'll let you know if you're right.
Anyway, Merry Christmas everyone! Or if you don't celebrate Christmas, Happy Hanukkah or Kwanzaa. If you celebrate something I haven't named I'm sorry I didn't mention it, but I hope you enjoyed it as well.
