All The Things That I've Done
Dean pulled into the gas station, and anxiously walked around the car to stretch his legs and put the pump in the back. Katie watched him with her eyes, trying her hardest not to draw any attention to her actions. He had been acting weird around her since they shared a bed together about a week ago. She knew it had something to do with what Sam had said to him outside the hotel, but she didn't know how to bring it up without getting into a screaming match with him.
Sam was sitting in the passenger seat playing with his Palm-Pilot. Katie didn't know what he was doing, but it sure had him dazed. Dean continued to talk to him, without so much as a nod from his little brother. "Sam wears woman's underwear." Dean tried, getting a laugh out of Katie before she turned her attention back to the map she was holding.
"I was listening, I'm just busy." Came Sam's response, but he didn't take his eyes away from the faint blue screen.
"Busy doing what?" Dean wanted to know. He didn't like the thought of his brother's mind anywhere but on the case. They had been brought up that way, and it had just stuck.
"Reading e-mails." Sam told his older brother. Katie was amazed that he still kept in touch with his college buddies. Sometimes she wished she had someone else to talk to. Sure she like that simplicity of just looking after herself and the boys, but sometimes she needed to know that there was someone out there worrying about her. It was nice that Sam still had a little bit of normal out there. Dean of course felt that it was best for all of them to be loners. They were all they needed. Dean never thought about having a normal life, with friends and a steady girlfriend, at least not until he saw how happy Sam had been.
"What kind of people are you hanging out with?" Katie asked when Sam explained his last e-mail from his friend Rebecca. Dean turned his attention back to what was being said. Sam said that he had to be there. They were his friends, but both Katie and Dean were apprehensive. This could have nothing to do with them, and it would set them off course. But the look on Sam's face told them that they had to go, just to see. As Dean reluctantly peeled out of the gas station, Sam reread Rebecca's e-mail. He felt bad about making Katie and Dean come with him, but he had to be there for Zack. He knew something wasn't right, and he just might be the guy they need to fix things.
SsSsSsSs
Pulling up to Rebecca's house Katie was in awe. She couldn't believe the size of the house. A part of her couldn't wait to see what this girl was like. Katie had always imagined Sam's friends, but actually meeting one was going to be a little difficult. She didn't want to compare herself to this girl, but she couldn't stop her impulse. Sam was the first one out of the car, followed carefully by Katie. Dean was going to take his time. He didn't know what was going to happen, and the fact that he could be out saving another life instead of helping out his little brother's friends was killing him. Katie had to take charge and pull Dean up to the door, he gave her a glare in exchange just as Rebecca opened the door.
"Sam," she said as she walked over to hug him. Dean couldn't help but check her out, and Katie looked her once over too. She was one of those girls Katie never liked in school, the blonde with the perfect tan. Katie tried to let it go, but this girl had the attention of both boys.
"Becky, this is my older brother Dean and that's Katie." Sam introduced. They said their hello's then moved into the house. All three of them gawked at the size of the rooms.
"Nice place." Dean said. It turned out that it was her parents which helped Katie's self esteem a little bit. They were in Paris, and coming back for her brother's trial. It was all a mess to them. Sam wanted to help her so much, but Dean just couldn't find the supernatural connection. This just wasn't one of their cases. Katie turned to Sam after Rebecca went to get the keys to Zack's apartment.
"Oh you're a real straight shooter with your friends." Dean said as Katie and him stepped closer to Sam. Sam was worried about his friend and they could both tell by the look on his face.
"Zack and Becky need our help." Sam said, Katie gave Dean a look that told him she was on Sam's side.
"I just don't think this is our kind of problem." Dean told them both flatly, trying his hardest to get them both back on the road again.
"We've looked into less." Katie stated giving Dean her most irresistible puppy dog face. It worked like a charm.
SsSsSsSs
Dean pulled the Impala to a stop across the street from Zack's house. Katie and Sam made their way around the car, while Rebecca turned to Dean, "You're sure this is okay?"
"Well I am an officer of the law." Dean said giving Sam a look before heading to the house. Katie tried her best to cover the smile that spread across her face when she heard Dean's comment. She knew how much he hated cops, and the fact that he had to pretend to be one was killing her.
Dean was the first one in the house, followed closely by Katie and Sam. Rebecca on the other hand stayed behind the police tape. Dean was already looking around the kitchen when Sam turned to find Rebecca holding back tears at the door. Katie stood in the middle of the living room looking at the blood that seemed to cover every inch of the room. Once Rebecca came into the house, she too was effected by the amount of blood. She explained to Sam how the police think Emily new her attacker, and that Zack was robbed a week before.
"What the hell is wrong with that dog?" Katie asked Dean as she moved beside him in the kitchen. They both stood there listening to the barking coming from the next yard. Finally Dean decided to check it out for himself.
"You know that use to be the sweetest dog." Rebecca said when she walked over to stand by Dean. They both looked out the front door at the black dog next door.
"What happened?" Dean asked, not believing for a second that the dog in front of him could be sweet.
"He just changed." She stated simply.
"Do you remember when he changed?" Dean asked suddenly coming up with the perfect answer for a dog to change character so suddenly.
"I guess around the time of the murder." That was all Dean needed to hear. He looked at her once more before returning to the kitchen where Katie and Sam stood. Once he explained his theory on the dog, both Katie and Sam knew that he was on board.
"So you think this is our kind of problem?" Sam asked trying to hide the smile that was beginning to form on his face.
"No, probably not. But we should look at the security tape, just to make sure."
"Yeah." Sam said giving Katie a triumphant glance before looking back to his brother.
"Yeah." Dean said rolling his eyes. He couldn't believe he'd let them drag him into this mess.
SsSsSsSs
The four of them sat around the television. The video of Zack coming home was playing and just as the police said. Rebecca and Katie were sitting on the couch as Sam stood in front of the screen. Zack appeared on the screen as the timestamp read 22: 04, making it possible for the murder to take place at ten-thirty.
"Hey Bec can we get those beers now?" Sam asked looking over to his friend. Katie knew something was up by the look on his face.
"Sure," Rebecca said before getting up and heading for the kitchen.
"And some sandwiches too?" Sam asked sweetly.
"What do you think this is, Hooters?" Rebecca laughed, before continuing to the kitchen.
"I wish," Dean said as he got off the arm of the couch. Katie rolled her eyes, getting up as well.
"What is it?" She asked Sam as he rewound the tape.
"Check this out." He said as he played by the spot then paused it on Zack's face. His eyes were shining silver when they were facing the camera.
"Well maybe it's a camera flare." Dean said hoping he was right.
"I've never seen a camera flare like that." Sam stated before Katie spoke up.
"You know a lot of cultures believe a photograph can catch a glimpse of the soul." Katie told them. Suddenly everything made sense.
"It could explain why that dog was freaking out. Maybe he saw this thing, like a dark double of Zack's." Sam finished. Katie was glad that he was on the same page as her.
"Like a Doppelganger?" Dean asked still a little skeptical.
"Yeah, it explains how he was in two places at once." Sam said.
SsSsSsSs
Dean parked the Impala one the side of the street behind Zack's house. Sam got out and started walking toward the building, while Katie and Dean slowly got out of the car. Katie glared at him as he took a sip of his coffee.
"Alright, so what are we doing here at five-thirty in the morning?" Dean asked as he leaned against the hood of his car. Katie walked a little farther, before giving up and sitting on the hood facing Sam.
"I realized something, the security tape shows the killer going in but not coming out." Sam said, and Katie rolled her eyes.
"Sam you really need to start sleeping more." Katie said, only getting an annoyed look from Sam. Dean on the other hand had to stifle a laugh.
"So he came out the back door." Dean stated simply.
Catching on Katie looked from Dean to Sam, "So there should be a trail to follow, one the police would never pursue." Sam nodded in agreement. Looking around him for something that would lead them to the killer.
"Cause they think the killer never left, because they caught Zack inside." Sam continued.
"I still don't know what we're doing here at five-thirty in the morning." Dean said taking another sip of his coffee. Katie once again rolled her eyes at him.
"You at least could have got me one too." Katie gestured to the coffee cup. Dean knew that she was just like him, not a morning person, so he offered her the cup. "Thank you." She said sweetly as she reached for the caffeine. He smiled sleepily at her. Katie let her hand linger a little longer than necessary on his as she took the cup from him, before Sam pulled them back to reality.
"Blood," He stated, nodding to the blood stained pole. "Somebody came this way."
Dean and Katie looked around the Impala, but found nothing. "The trail ends, there's nothing over here." Dean said. An ambulance came down the street from behind them. Katie gave both boys a look that told them they were in big trouble for getting her up this early, and having her do actual work.
"This is just peachy!" Katie said in a less than sarcastic tone as she pushed herself off of the Impala, due to the fact that she still wasn't fully awake.
They followed the ambulance around the corner to another crime scene. Dean walked over to a woman in a jogging suit, hoping she could tell him something. After getting all the information they could, the three of them spilt up. Sam looking behind the house to see if there was a trail like at Zack's, and Dean and Katie went to talk to whoever was around when it happened.
"Okay, remember when I said this wasn't our kind of problem?" Dean said as he rounded to corner to meet up with Sam, Katie following closely behind him.
"Yeah," Sam said confused.
"Definitely our kind of problem." Dean went on to explain his findings as did Sam, another dead end trail.
SsSsSsSs
"Have I ever mentioned how much I hate sewers?" Katie asked as she fell into Dean's arms when she slipped off the latter, and Sam was still coming down.
"Only every time we've end up down here." Dean said looking around the place for any sign of the shape shifter. The shape shifter was using the sewer system to get around was their final conclusion.
"Look at this." Dean said as he knelt down in pulling out his pocket knife. Katie raiser her eyebrow looking down at the slimy much.
"What the hell is that?" She asked as Sam pushed passed her, and knelt down by his brother. Dean picked up a piece of it with the knife.
"You know I just had a sick thought. When the shape shifter changes shape, it sheds." Katie looked down at them both after Dean's statement.
"That is sick." Sam said turning his head away from the stuff.
SsSsSsSs
Dean opened up the truck, going through it to find what he was looking for. Sam and Katie stood on either side of him. Now that they knew what they were dealing with they knew how to kill it: silver bullet to the heart. Dean pulled out the guns he was looking for when Sam's phone rang. By the tone of his voice and what little they could hear, Dean and Katie knew it was Rebecca and it obviously wasn't going so well.
"Don't." Katie said. She could tell that Dean was going to say something the second Sam hung up the phone.
"Don't?" He repeated turning to look at Katie. "What are you talking about?" Dean asked pretending he didn't know what she was talking about.
Glancing at Sam, Katie gave a tired look to Dean. She hated it when he acted like she didn't know what he was thinking. "Don't push him. He has a life, and you can't just come into it and tell him how he has to live it." Her statement made Dean turn to where he was fully facing her. She could tell that he didn't like what she just said, but it had to be done. "Yeah, you know you're doing it. Pushing him into your loner life style isn't going to make anything easier on him."
"Okay, so what do you want me to say? Either way he's going to lie to them and end up hating him. I'm trying to help him." Dean said, his voice low.
"Maybe he just needs to ease into this. Give him some time to deal with it in his own way. Don't act like your…" Katie stopped herself. Dean looked at with disappointed eyes. He knew what she was going to say. He was acting like his father, but he couldn't help it.
"What is with you? You have been acting weird since Sam came with us. Why are you always trying to protect him. He's a big boy." Dean asked, honestly not wanting an answer. Katie closed her mouth, taking in a deep breathe. She didn't want to have this fight, at least not here.
Dean seeing her reluctance just shook his head and walked over to Sam. "Hey man like it or not, we're not like other people." Katie heard him say. She knew he was right. "But I'll tell you one thing, this whole gig, it ain't without perks." Dean said as he slipped Sam a gun. Taking it the three of them went on to find the shape shifter.
SsSsSsSs
Dean lead them through the sewers. Katie following closely behind him. She wasn't afraid of the shape shifter or anything, it was just the sound of the rats crawling everywhere that was getting to her. Sam was behind her checking everything he passed for any sign of the lair. Once they found that then it was a sure thing the shape shifter would be there.
"I think we're close to it's lair." Dean said, as his flash light hit the pipe next to Sam's face.
"Why do you say that?" Sam asked.
"Because there's another puke-inducing pile next to you face." Katie said moving over a little more. That's when they saw all the other piles of the slimy substance and bloody clothes. It was obvious that this thing had lived there for awhile.
"Dean!" Sam called to his brother when he saw the silver-eyed man behind him. It pushed Dean into a near by pipe before running the other way. Katie and Sam tried their best to shoot him, but with all the piping it was hard to get a clear shot. Once he was gone they both turned to Dean.
"Get the son of a bitch." He yelled, Sam ran after him with Katie following, but not before she shot Dean an annoyed glare. He shook of the pain, then followed them up and out of the sewers.
"We should split up." Sam suggested once they got out. Dean nodded then looked at Katie unsure of what to say.
"I'll go back to the motel." She said knowing that's what he was about to say. She tucked her gun back into her jeans near her hip before looking back at them. "Be careful." She said then took off toward the motel they were staying at.
"I'll meet you around the other side." Dean said leaving Sam's side.
SsSsSsSs
After wondering around for thirty minutes Sam stood waiting for Dean. "Hey, anything?" Dean called when he saw his little brother.
Sam shaking his head told him, "No, he's gone." They looked around one last time.
"Alright let's get back to the car." Dean said. Sam was walking in front of him, and crossed the street before a van turned behind him cutting off Dean. As the lights of the car hit his face his eyes turned from green to silver.