ok, so the document manager isnt working right and i had to post this with notepad, so i hope the format is ok. again, i would like to thank everyone for the great reviews, and i hope you enjoy this next chapter. as always, let me know. :)
D: just for fun.
ETERNAL
Chapter 2
Valley was four hours in the boys' rearview mirror. Sam continued to lean against the window, eyes closed as his forehead rested on the cool glass, neither he nor his having spoken since they passed the small town. It was like a million other turnoff on a million other roads, and Sam was getting tired of it. All his life things had been left in the dust, dreams abandoned on the side of the road. And now Kerri had become something else lost in their tumultuous pasts.
He understood his brother's logic, understood his desire to spare their friend from having to bury someone else she cared about. He understood everything his brother had said, but he didn't agree with it. He knew that it wouldn't matter, knew that there was no sparing her the pain of living, the pain that comes with caring, but he didn't know how to make his stubborn brother see that. And so, instead he stared out the window, letting his mind drift over the fields and mountains as they passed.
Dean gripped the steering wheel tightly as they made their way into Hot Springs. It was a lot nicer than many of the towns they had recently been in and he absently though about how much a motel in that city would cost. His mind wasn't really with him though, wasn't there taking in the tourist town that he found himself entering. No, his mind was four hours behind him, four hours back in Valley.
Everything in him told him that he should have stopped, should have gone to see her. He had missed her, there was no denying it, and the first few years after they had initially left had been hard. But, over time, he learned to deal with it the same way he dealt with everything else in his life. He pushed her away, out of sight and out of mind and he knew that if he wanted to get over it, then that was the way it would have to be. It wasn't right and it wasn't fair, to anyone, but he didn't see any other way for their lives to be.
"I think we should try and find a motel in the next town over. This seems a bit out of our range." Dean glanced at Sam as he spoke, his little brother having been quietly staring out the window for the past few hours. He had kind of wished that Sam's selective amnesia had returned after they left, but instead his memories seemed stronger than ever.
Sam had been close to Kerri when they were little, and he knew that the younger man wanted that part of his life back. But it wasn't only that, and Dean knew it. His little brother was tired of the road, tired of the hunt, and Valley was a little piece of the normal he so desperatly craved, hell, it was where that idea of normal had come from in the first place.
And it was just another reason why Dean knew they couldn't go back. He told himself that it wouldn't be safe to be stationary for that long, but deep down the elder Winchester knew the truth. He was afraid that being at Kerri's house, being normal, would fuel his little brother's desire for an apple-pie life once more, the same life that had made Sam turn his back on him all those years ago.
"Sam?"
"Sounds good." Sam mumbled into the window. Dean just rolled his eyes and continued down the road, stopping thirty minutes later at a truck-stop motel.
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"I'm sorry sir, but Mr. Bramhurst is a very busy man." The overly snobbish butler sneered as he tried to slam the door in the Winchester brothers' faces, Dean's booted foot preventing the action. They had been arguing with the man for the better part of the last hour, but he just seemed to get more and more arrogant as the conversation continued. And Dean was definitely not helping the matter.
"I don't really care." Dean ground out, his eyes murderous. He was really getting tired of this guy's condescending remarks. Whatever else the enraged older Winchester was about to say was cut short, however, when Sam sent a well placed jab into his ribs.
"Sir, please." Sam began, turning on the charm the way only he could. "We've heard so much about Mr. Bramhurst's collection. Are you sure there's no way we could see it?"
"Yes, I'm sure."
"Well, maybe not today, but another..."
"No."
"Why not?"
"As I said before, Mr. Bramhurst is a very busy man and he does not have time to deal with children."
"Now listen here buddy." Dean began, pushing past his brother, a grin growing on his face when the butler backed up in fear. Dean really did enjoy the times he got to intimidate people, especially the people who deserved it. And in his mind, this guy deserved it, big time.
"Mr. Chetling?" A strong voice drown out whatever else Dean was going to say as a tall, handsome man appeared in the doorway.
He was everything Dean thought a millionaire would be like. Late forties, sleek, dark, slightly graying hair, and a powerful stance, all topped off by a warm, yet somehow disconnected personality. Yes, he was one of the high rollers all right, and Dean had an instant dislike for him. He couldn't really explain it, but something about the guy just made his skin crawl, even though the man had done nothing to him, yet. Maybe it was the fact that he was the last person seen with fourteen missing girls, or maybe it was the fact that the elder Winchester really hated his snobby butler, whichever it was, he really didn't care. This guy was bad news, and that was all Dean needed to know.
"May I ask what all the commotion is?" He spoke with a soft British accent, his voice trained and proper.
"These boys were just leaving."
"Really, they've been here for nearly an hour."
"I'm sorry sir, I was just about to call security."
"Mr. Bramhurst?" Sam asked, his school boy face and puppy dog eyes trained on the millionaire.
'Wow,' Dean thought. 'Sam really wants to get in there.'
"Yes?"
"Hello, my name is Sam Conners, my brother and I are art dealers with Conners limited." Sam smiled, extending his hand, but the man before him didn't even make a move towards it. "Uh. It's just, we've heard so much about your collection and we were out this way on a trip and well, we were wondering if we may see it."
"I'm sorry, but my house is not open to the general public. Now, if you will excuse me, I have an event to plan."
"Is the event open to the public by any chance?" Sam asked again, looking like a child asking for an extra cookie.
"Young man." Mr. Bramhurst began, looking both angry and irritated. "I cater to a very exclusive, very sophisticated clientele. First of all, the event which I am planning is reserved exclusively for married couples, I have recently acquired several artifacts of the same nature that I would like to showcase. Call me old fashioned but I delight in keeping my parties in theme with the antiquities I am showing. Second, I do not now, nor will I have the time for small town art dealers, my collection is world-renowned for both the number of pieces I possess as well as their social and artistic graces. Only serious artists are allowed to view it."
"But--."
"Let it go, Sam." Dean sighed, turning to his little brother as he spoke. "We should just go. It's a shame, though." He continued, now looking up at the snobbish man before him. "My sister-in-law would have loved this stuff."
Sam's eyes widened in both horror and confusion as his mischievous brother turned back to him, leading him down the front stairs by the elbow. He was about to ask him what the hell was going on when Mr. Bramhurst's voice rang out.
"Sam, is it?"
"Uh, yeah."
"Your wife, she's an artist?"
"Oh yeah." Sam began, scowling slightly when Dean pushed him back towards the front door. "Yeah, but she's really self-conscious, doesn't display her stuff. I keep telling her that she should."
"Really?"
"Yeah, I mean, she travels all over whenever she can, she prefers private collectors, thinks they have better stuff. You know, her first love is antiquities and she always complains that the museums show reproductions. She was really looking forward to seeing your collection."
The middle-aged man stared at the brothers for a few more minutes, his eyes boring into them, almost looking through them. Sam was just about to turn and leave when he spoke again.
"You seem awfully young."
"Aw." Dean began, his face breaking out in a saccharin smile. "They were love birds at first sight. Newlyweds. A lot of people back home like that about them, you know, cute young couple running the gallery."
Sam stared at his brother, his shut-the-hell-up look plainly visible. Dean was digging his grave deeper and deeper.
"I'm sorry we got off on the wrong foot, Mr. Conners." Mr. Bramhurst began, studying Dean for a moment before turning to Sam. "Please, I would be honored to have you and your wife attend the event. It is in three days time, I hope that is enough notice." He smiled, handing Sam an overly ornate envelope.
"Oh yeah, that's great, thank you. She'll really appreciate it."
"I would hope so. And, just to make myself completely clear, the invitation is only for Mr. and Mrs. Conners."
"Completely clear." Dean forced a smile before turning back towards the car.
"Then Sam, I will see you Saturday. And I look forward to meeting your wife."
Sam smiled before turning back to follow his brother, muttering only when he knew he was out of earshot. "Yeah, me too."
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"What the hell is wrong with you!" Sam shouted, slamming the car door closed. He had been bottling it up ever since Dean opened his big mouth outside Mr. Bramhurst's front door.
"What?"
"What? What! Dean, I'm not married!"
"Dude, I know that."
"Then why the hell did you tell him I was?"
"Hey, we wanted to get in there, he's having a party for married couples."
"And?"
"And, he didn't like me. Besides, you know about all that pansy artsy crap."
"Yeah, but Dean, I don't have a wife. And no offense, but I don't think Dean in drag can pull it off."
"Well thank god for that. Besides, I know an artist."
"You're gonna pimp me out to a crazy woman, aren't you."
"Chill, dude, it won't be bad."
"Dean, it's a high class party." Sam waved the open invitation in his brother's face as they spend down the road, hoping that something, anything would bring the older man back to his senses. Because, in all honesty, where was he gonna find a woman that could pull off not only a fake marriage and a hunt, but come across as a fairly talented and sophisticated artist.
"So what! I'm sure you'll charm them all with your dewy eyes."
"And what are you gonna be doing?"
"I'll find some way to sneak in."
"Then why can't we both just sneak in?"
"Because, genius, then we'll have no distraction. I mean, we gotta fool the other guests, keep from being caught, and find the cursed object or whatever it is in that giant as ass house full of crap."
"What if it's not him?"
"I don't know, we get a change of pace for a few days."
"You're nuts."
"It's been said."
"Dude, I have to find a wife in three days! And plan a hunt, and research."
"Relax, Samantha, I got it covered."
"Yeah, you keep saying that. So then, what's your great plan?"
"Well first, we pack up, your honey-bear isn't close." Dean smirked, turning up the music as Sam scowled out the dirty window. He really didn't want to play house with a possible killer.
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A little over four hours later Sam nearly choked to death on an M&M when he finally realized where they were going. He coughed as Dean hit him on the back, trying to catch his breath so he could yell at his hypocritical big brother.
"Chew before you swallow."
"Bite me."
"Last time I save your life."
"You're a freaking jerk."
"What the hell was that for? I let you eat my M&Ms, I take my eyes of the road and risk my car so I can save your choking ass."
"Oh yeah? Well I wouldn't be choking if you weren't such a lying bastard."
"What the hell is wrong with you?"
"I thought you didn't want to see her, didn't want to get her involved in our lives, wanted to keep her safe."
"Dude, stow it."
"No, Dean, you're gonna trick her into going on a hunt, where girls in their twenties go missing."
"I'm not gonna trick her."
"Do you think she'd say no?"
"Maybe. She can make up her own mind."
"So what was all that crap yesterday then?"
"What crap?"
"That you didn't want her to have to watch us die. That we were never gonna see her again. That you told me to take the bus there."
"Well, that was before."
"Before what?"
"Before I said you were married to her."
"Yeah, another thing. Why did you just assume that me and Kerri would play the happy married couple?"
"No reason."
"Dean."
"What, you two do the whole public thing better than I do."
"What public thing?"
"You know, mingling, and looking like you belong there. Dude, honestly, do you think I could pull that off?"
Sam opened and closed his mouth several times, not wanting to lie, but also not wanting to tell the truth. In reality, he didn't think that his brother would be able to pull off the role of socialite, but then, Dean had amazed him before and he was sure that his brother would amaze him again in the future. He just didn't know where the older man came from. Sometimes he was a belching womanizer, and other times he was wise and worldly, and Sam just didn't know what to expect anymore.
"Thought so."
"Dean, you said so yourself, she's not a hunter."
"Yeah, but she's not an amateur either, she'll be fine. She's tougher than she looks."
"What makes you think we can pull it off?"
"Well, you must have some kind of high and mighty social skills to charm the pants off those stiffs at Stanford. And Kerri really is an artist."
"She is?"
"Yeah, she makes stained glass windows. She draws, too. Pencil or charcoal sketches or something like that. Did you forget that, too?"
"No, I guess I just didn't know she was all that good at it. I didn't really pay attention."
"She's good at it. That's how she keeps the house. Sells the windows."
"I thought she made the money off of the ammo."
"Nah, she doesn't charge hunters."
"Really?"
"Never has, her dad didn't either."
"How do you know all this?"
"Dude, we were at her house for like three weeks, I talked to her. You know, open your mouth and flap your gums. Words come out."
"Shut up." Sam crossed his arms, sinking as far down into the worn seat as his tall frame would allow.
Part of him was happy to be going back to Valley, to be seeing Kerri again, but another part of him was both angry and afraid. Angry that Dean was being such an ass, and afraid that Kerri was exactly what the thing they were hunting would be looking for. He had no doubt that she could take care of herself, he just didn't want to have to put her in that position again. After all, the last time they saw her, they all almost burned to death in an abandoned mine, and he really didn't want every one of their visits to involve hunting.
The honest truth was, that he had always remembered her, always had that idea of normal at the back of his mind, that idea of a home and family. And he had never known where it had come from until Dean directed him back to Valley, Wyoming four months ago. Even though every memory he had of her had been suppressed, nearly erased, there was still a shred of her laced through his mind, a small piece of the childhood he had left behind. He sighed before staring out the window once more. He had already lost so much to the hunt, and he didn't want to lose more.
"Dean."
"Aw man, what!"
"It's just, before you said that we'd never see her again, and now you're volunteering her for a hunt. What's up?"
"Nothing's up. She's the best person around for the job."
"And?"
"And nothing."
"Sure." Sam mumbled, his brother locked up tighter than a safe. The younger man knew there was more to it, knew that his brother had other reasons for suddenly wanting to involve Kerri, and he couldn't help but smile a bit when the truth finally came to him.
"What?"
"What?"
"Why are you smiling?"
"No reason."
"Bull, why are you smiling?"
"You were just begging for a work related reason to go back there."
"No I wasn't."
"Oh no? And the fact that you kept telling me that I should check out a library during the poltergeist hunt had nothing to do with her?"
"No, we needed to do research."
"I had all the research done."
"Well, you're the geek-boy, where else would you hang out?"
"Whatever man. You know, not everything has to revolve around hunting."
"You know, nothing says you can't show up to that party with a black eye. Tell people you fell on your paintbrush."
"I'm just saying, you can still visit people without a hunting related reason."
"I'm just saying, paintbrushes are dangerous."
Sam just nodded his head and smiled as the impala turned off the highway on its way to Valley.