The Song Remains The Same
Chapter 2
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Disclaimer: See chapter 1
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Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake - Napoleon Bonaparte
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Kristine lay awake in one bedroom of the suite, staring at nothing in particular. She'd heard John in the living room earlier and could smell the scent of coffee brewing. It was going to be a long day of John making phone calls and trying to track down Gordon. She never had any trouble entertaining herself, even now that her drinking was greatly curtailed and her more exotic sexual escapades were over.
Ever since her older sister and nephew were killed by what she now knew was a demon, Kristine had been in an out of mental hospitals. She'd been extremely close to Lauren and, as a teenager, even a natural death would have been difficult for Kristine to get past. Several years later her mother was killed by the same demon and her brother-in-law, Patrick, was injured while trying to save her. His reward for the chivalry was being sentenced to life in a wheelchair. A few years later, Patrick was possessed by one of the demon's children and nearly killed Kristine. Sam and Dean had come to her rescue and though Patrick was successfully exorcised, the trauma inflicted on his already broken body during the possession was too much for him to survive.
Kristine managed to get through college and became a therapist. She used her skills to help the hunters that came to the safe house, but, until just over a year ago, she also had a practice in nearby Ashville. She took a leave of absence when her symptoms became too extreme. Dean happened to come for a visit while she was spiraling toward rock bottom. If it hadn't been for him, she probably would have killed herself by now.
In an effort to feel something, anything, she had begun to drink to extreme. She also would search out ways to inflict physical pain, including cutting and burning herself and engaging in violent sex with strangers. With Dean's encouragement, she went to her supervisor at the Asheville clinic and he arranged for her to be admitted to an exclusive hospital in Colorado that specialized in her particular disease.
It was an intensive six-week program after which she returned to Mountain Lodge and began her life again. Dean was there when she got home and spent almost three months with her. The people in her small town were convinced that he was planning to stay for good, but Dean and Kristine didn't even talk about the possibility.
It wasn't that Kristine didn't think about it; she did. She sometimes even thought it would be nice to have him around all the time. But she realized that Dean's calling would always be the hunt and that the Impala would be more of a home to him than any house ever could be. She wasn't sure she minded because she knew she still had a long way to go in her recovery. A few months after returning home from Colorado, she gave up her position in the Asheville clinic. She still had twice-monthly sessions with a psychiatrist and was on an antidepressant and mood stabilizer. And though she managed to somehow still help the hunters that came to her, she was afraid to deal with average patients and didn't think she would ever be able to again.
She knew that John had told Dean she was with him and wondered why he hadn't asked to speak to her, or call her phone. She also wondered why she hadn't made the same call to him. They'd been together a few weeks before and hadn't parted on bad terms. There had been several phone calls a week since then. Sighing, and deciding that she didn't want to think about it right now, Kristine got out of bed. In the half-bath in her room, she cleaned up and put on jeans and an oversized sweater. As always, she avoided looking at the scars on her arms as she dressed.
John was on the couch, phone in hand and a lap top computer set up on the coffee table in front of him. He nodded and smiled as Kristine slipped by on her way to the coffee pot. She grimaced at the small cup provided by the hotel and poured the coffee. By the time she settled in a chair on the other side of the coffee table, John was off the phone.
"Why, John Winchester! Look at you; all high-tech and what-not," her lips stretched into a friendly grin.
"It was a gift from the boys and I have to say, it's come in handy. That idiot at the Roadhouse gave me a few pointers."
Kristine had never been to the Roadhouse or met Ash, but she heard a lot about him from Sam and Dean.
"I hear he's more of an idiot savant," she joked.
"Whatever he is, he's annoying as hell. He helped with the demon, though, so…."
Kristine put her bare feet on the edge of the coffee table and sipped at her coffee.
"Dean already called this morning. He, Sam and Bobby still have about 12 hours on the road; they should be here around 6:00 tonight if everything goes okay. They haven't seen anything."
"That's good. If you're right about Gordon, he's probably casing the safe house or maybe the Roadhouse. You talk to Ellen yet?"
John nodded, avoiding looking at Kristine. She grinned into the cup, but said nothing. Trying to get him to talk about Ellen would only lead to him wanting to talk about her and Dean; that was something she wanted to avoid.
"So, how have you been doing?" John asked, still looking at the computer screen.
"All right."
"Just all right?"
"Good and bad, like anyone else."
Kristine knew that John was a skilled observer and she wondered what he might have noticed about her. Six months before, she would have not been as willing to see him because no matter what kind of makeup she used, her face had a very haunted look to it. She was still struggling with the medication and suffering side effects while her doctor adjusted the doses to find the right combination.
"You know, I tried to call you at the clinic." John's tone was still nonchalant. "The receptionist said you hadn't worked there in quite a while."
"Yeah, that's true. I'm spending more time at the house."
"That all there is to it?"
"John, you know I love you and I'd do just about anything for you, but…."
He nodded. "I got it."
"Thank you," Kristine said quietly. "What's for breakfast?"
As if in response, there was a knock at the door and someone called, "Room service."
Kristine laughed. "You ordered room service?"
"It's even better than an honor bar," John said as he headed for the door.
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Sam lightened up as the day went on. By noon he was almost joking and when they stopped for lunch, managed to eat half of a ham sandwich. Bobby was following in his truck and joined them for lunch; Sam always enjoyed being around the old man. In some ways, Dean understood it. Bobby was a lot like their father, only without the orders and the secrecy. The relationship his brother had with Bobby was what he might have had with their dad had circumstances been different.
"You talk to Kristine yet?" Sam asked when they were about three hours outside of Richmond.
"No," Dean said, feeling somewhat uncomfortable with the question.
"Why not? You guys are okay, aren't you?"
"Yeah, we are, but….I don't know."
"What?"
"It's complicated."
"You make it complicated," Sam muttered.
"Maybe," Dean admitted. "I think she likes me with her, but she's just as glad when I leave."
"I know how she feels."
Dean looked over to see the grin on his brother's face. "Bite me, Sam."
"Why don't you call her before we get into town," Sam suggested.
"I've been thinking about it."
"Think about it much longer and we'll be there."
"Bite me, Sam," Dean said again. He sighed. "We need gas anyway."
---
Sam insisted on pumping the gas and after a nod to Bobby, the older man went into the store. Dean didn't like that they seemed to be working together, but knew there was nothing he could do about it. He walked to the side of the building, trying to figure out why he was nervous about calling Kristine. They'd been through so much together, and had spoken just a few days before. His discomfort made no sense. Squaring his shoulders and chastising himself for being stupid, he dialed her cell phone number.
"Hey." All of Dean's nervousness evaporated when he heard the familiar voice and he felt all the more the fool for letting it get to him.
"Hey. I should have called before."
"I could have called."
"Yeah. So, why didn't you?"
"Why didn't you?" Kristine countered.
"We could do this all day."
She laughed. "Where are you?"
"Two, three hours out. I'm sorry you got mixed up with this."
"It kind of goes with the territory," Kristine said. "Besides, I don't like someone using my place to go after other hunters. Especially Winchester hunters. How's Sam doing?"
"He was pretty moody for a while, but he's better now. Have you been cooped up with Dad this whole time?"
"Not exactly. He's gone out a couple of times to do whatever. I went out for a while. We had lunch together."
"Huh. You two are pretty chummy."
"I've always liked your father," Kristine hesitated. "I was thinking about telling him about the hospital."
"Oh yeah?"
"He knows I'm not at the clinic anymore."
"I didn't tell him –"
"No, no. He tried to get in touch with me at the clinic and found out."
"It's up to you if you tell him or not," Dean said gently, knowing that Kristine didn't want her latest hospitalization to be fodder for gossip. Other than her former supervisor and a couple of friends in Mountain Lodge, only he and Sam knew about it.
"Yeah, I know. So, Sam was moody. How are you doing?"
Dean sighed. "I don't know. Things have been different since we destroyed the demon. Sam and I – I finally see him as an equal and not my little brother, but having someone after him like this has brought up all those old big brother habits."
"That makes sense."
"I guess. I'd better hang up; we just stopped for gas and the longer we hang out here, the longer it will be before we get there."
"Drive carefully."
"Always. See ya soon."
"Feel better?" Sam asked when he and Dean were back in the Impala.
Dean didn't answer and pressed the gas pedal harder.
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John was pacing angrily when Kristine came into the suite later. She'd been wandering the shops in the lobby when the call from Dean came. She wasn't particularly interested in shopping, but John's constant phone calls were beginning to make her nervous and she needed some time away. There were a lot of times like this before the demon was destroyed; times where the family and trusted friends banned together to fight something. Kristine always felt honored to be included on the short list of friends, even though being on that list often made her a target. She wasn't a hunter, but the Winchesters trained her in some basic techniques and she'd learned a lot over the years on her own and with the help of the hunters who came to the safe house. She could be depended on in a crisis and was proud of what she'd accomplished.
After slipping her cell phone back into her purse, she went to the main lobby and settled on one of the oversized chairs facing the front doors. Never keeping her back to a door was something she'd learned from Dean, but it was difficult to keep an eye on the multiple entrances and exits in the lobby.
She'd never seen Gordon in person, but she'd seen a few pictures and her blood ran cold when she spotted someone who looked very much like him standing across the room. She had no idea how he would have found them here; Kristine knew John was too good to let himself be followed and she was confident in her own skills as well. John had been very specific about making sure she wasn't followed while making her way from North Carolina.
After watching him for a few minutes and becoming more certain that the man was, indeed, Gordon, Kristine pulled her cell phone out again and dialed John's number. She grunted in frustration when the call went straight to voice mail. She left a message, keeping an eye on Gordon.
He still stood across the lavishly furnished room. There were many kinds of people wandering about and he was not out of place in a leather coat and jeans. He was near a large bank of windows, his back to the room, seemingly staring at the people walking past on the sidewalk. She didn't think he'd seen her, but she didn't want to take any chances so she moved to a more secluded location from where she could still see him.
He stood straight, his hands clasped behind his back. He didn't seem to have a care in the world; like any other man on vacation. Kristine knew his being in a posh Richmond hotel was not a coincidence. After a few minutes, she tried John's cell phone again. This time he answered.
"I'm a few paces behind you," John said. "That him by the windows?"
"Yeah."
"Go back to the room."
"What are you going to do?"
"Kristine." John's tone was firm. "Go back to the room. And don't call the police."
"All right," she sighed to herself, knowing better than to argue. "Be careful."
---
John saw the change in Gordon's body language as he got closer and he knew he'd been spotted. Normally he'd be more covert, but he had no interest in dragging this thing out. If Gordon fell, he suspected the rest of the hunters would quickly lose interest in his son. John didn't think that, after spending time in prison, Gordon wanted Sam because of the visions. He was convinced that Gordon wanted revenge; it was Sam who called the police and even made sure they knew about his hidden arsenal. John understood revenge. He'd spent over 20 years of his life trying to avenge his wife's death, after all. But he wasn't about to let someone, especially a loose canon like Gordon, get anywhere near his son.
"John." Gordon's tone was congenial as the other hunter took a spot next to him.
"Gordon."
They both stood with their hands clasped behind their backs, facing the window. John noticed that there was no reflection and he briefly wondered how Gordon noticed him. It was his intention to be seen, so the way it happened wasn't important at the moment.
"What brings you to Richmond?" John asked after a moment of silence.
The hunter turned toward him and smiled broadly, his mouth all white teeth and gums. "I heard you were here and I thought I'd say hi. I know we'd never met in person before now, but every hunter knows of the great John Winchester."
"You're out of prison a little earlier than planned."
"I didn't want to be there any more," he answered, as if he'd been at a party instead of a maximum security prison. "It actually took me longer to get out than I thought it would."
"Well, congratulations, then. What are you plans?"
"I thought I might kill your son."
"I can't let that happen." John matched Gordon's still jovial tone.
"I don't recall asking your permission."
"Yes, well, here's the thing. I don't care what you want. You're not going to hurt my son."
Gordon smiled again. "You're right. I'm not going to hurt him; I'm going to kill him. I happen to know that he and Dean are on their way and should be here within the next hour or so. Bobby Singer is with them, following in his own truck."
John felt sick, but he didn't let on to Gordon.
"How is Kristine doing? This is a nice place she picked for everyone to stay."
"I could snap your neck and be out of here before you fall to the ground," John said, his tone menacing.
"Don't forget about the hidden security cameras," Gordon smiled.
"I haven't."
Gordon hit John on the arm. "It's been good talking to you. We'll see each other again."
As John watched, Gordon walked toward the revolving door, a smile on his face. On his way to the elevator, John took out his cell phone and dialed Dean's cell number.
---
"How did you pay for this place?" John demanded as he barreled through the suite door.
"One of the credit cards we set up –"
"Start packing."
Kristine knew better than to ask questions right now. Almost everything was still in her bag so it didn't take long to pack.
"Where are we going?" she asked once she'd rejoined John in the living room.
"Did you rent a car?"
"No."
"My truck is nearby. Let's go."
Kristine couldn't help but notice the change in John. He was in full hunter mode and she knew that he expected her to fall into line. She wondered what would happen when they met up with Sam and Dean; Sam had made a concerted effort to be less antagonistic toward his father, but this was just the type of situation that would test his resolve.
She said nothing after they got into the truck and John navigated the Richmond streets. Using back roads, they headed in a generally west direction and John pulled into a diner parking lot about an hour later. Kristine saw the familiar Impala parked near the door and Bobby's truck close to the road.
There were only a few other customers in the restaurant; Bobby and the Winchester brothers were easy to spot at a table near the back, next to a window. The brothers stood up and hugged their father as he approached the table, then Dean took Kristine's hand and led her to a chair next to where he'd been sitting.
"Dad, how did Gordon find us?" Sam asked once they were all settled around the table.
John shook his head. "I don't know. You two didn't see anyone following you?"
"No." Dean was emphatic and Bobby agreed.
A waitress came to take their order and once she was gone, they began to discuss a strategy. No one was particularly interested in food, but the coffee was good and strong. The waitress ended up leaving a pot at their table and when they decided to move on, Kristine left a large cash tip for her.
They had decided that since Gordon was already on their trail, the best way to defend themselves would be to do so at the safe house. They knew the building, the area and it was one of the few places where they had home field advantage. The next best place was Bobby's salvage yard, but the safe house was closer.
"Kristine, you'll call the safe house and have the arrangements started?"
"Yeah, John, I'll do that."
He nodded. "You're sure the staff can be trusted?"
"I hope so. But I know the one person I'll be talking to can be trusted.
"Okay. Let's head out then."
In the parking lot a few minutes later, Sam announced that he would ride with his father so that Kristine could go with Dean. Before giving anyone a chance to comment, he moved to John's truck.
---
"How are you handling this, Sammy?"
There was a time when the childhood nickname would have caused Sam to bristle, but he'd learned that it was a term of endearment used by his father and brother. Most of the time, Dean remembered to call him Sam, but their dad rarely did. It didn't bother him anymore; in fact, it made him feel loved.
Sam shrugged. "I'm trying not to think about it."
"I thought once the demon was gone, you and your brother…."
"What, Dad?"
"I wanted you and Dean to settle down and have normal lives."
Sam smiled at his father's choice of words. He had always talked about having a normal life, dreamed about it, even ran away to California to try to have one.
"Dad, we're fine. We're doing what we want to do."
"You know this isn't the life I wanted for you."
"I know that. Dean does, too."
"I –"
"Dad, where is this coming from? We've had this discussion before."
"I just want you and your brother to be safe and happy."
"Dad, we are happy. We're fine. Hell, we could be living anywhere and doing anything and people like Gordon could find us. Or we'd run into some supernatural thing. We know too much. And by knowing what we do, we know how to be safe."
John looked at his son. No matter how volatile their relationship had been in the past, there was always an undercurrent of love. Sometimes neither one recognized it, but it was always there. Sam reached out and touched his father's arm as John's eyes went back to the road.
---
"So, Sam was subtle, huh?" Kristine smiled.
"It's hard for someone so tall to be stealth. Did you tell Dad about –"
"No, I didn't get the chance."
Dean nodded. "You okay?"
"Sure. No. Damnit, Dean, how did Gordon find us? I keep thinking it was something I did. I'm not as good at all this covert stuff as you guys and –"
"Dad never would have asked you to meet him in Richmond if he didn't think you could do it without being followed. Gordon knew were Sammy and I were, too. All it takes is one little leak; it could have been anything."
"I guess." Kristine slumped in the seat.
Dean glanced at her, then reached for her hand.
tbc