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NOT ALL AS IT SEEMS
Chapter 10
Dean and Kerri crept slowly down the alley, the pair barely more than shadows in the moonless night. They had so much going against them at that moment, that it wasn't even funny, but it was what they had been given, and Dean knew that it was what they had to work with. His life was like a patchwork quilt; tattered bits of things sewn together in the hopes of creating something beautiful. He had learned long ago to hold onto thing, remember things, to cherish the moment at hand; because, without fail, he would lose it. Everything he had, everyone he loved was taken away from him, so why should now be any different.
He looked up at the large house, the windows dark, white siding shinning out against the inky night. He'd been forced to lose everything, to watch as his world slipped through his grasp. He had sworn long ago to protect those that couldn't protect themselves, to rid the world of all the evil that crossed his path. But it seemed that no matter how many things he killed, no matter how many spirits he put to rest, there was always more evil, more darkness to take its place. And now Jake.
Dean wanted to save him, needed to save him, but, like always, there was something else waiting in the wings. He thought that he would kill the Korrigan and Changeling, leaving Jake to live a normal, safe, happy life. But now, now that had all changed. Jake was like Sam, like Evelyn, and he couldn't help but feel like he was failing the toddler. Except for Sam, all of the special children he'd met had ended up the same. If they didn't kill the Yellow Eyed Demon, if they didn't put a stop to whatever it was planning, then Jake would become hunted, if he wasn't already.
The Yellow Eyed Demon had watched both mother and child, stalked the family like a panther in the mist, always a few paces behind, yet still never seen. It was after the boy, even now, and as much as Dean hated to admit it, it had probably been the same with both Sam and Evelyn. They'd passed countless people on the street when they were small, hell, it was impossible not to, but all he could think of now was that one of those people was the Demon, one of the strangers wasn't a stranger at all.
It was one of the most terrifying thoughts to cross the young hunter's mind. The Demon had always been there, following them, watching them, and wanting Sam. Saying it wasn't fair would be the understatement of the century; it was wrong on every level of his mind and soul, and Dean had never felt so powerless in all his life. The Demon had come into his life and ripped it apart, not once, but twice, and the more the hunter learned, the more he realized that hunting the Demon could be the last thing he ever did.
Dean was brought back to the moment when Kerri cursed, falling to the ground before he had the chance to catch her.
"Hey, you alright?" He asked anxiously, surveying her as he helped pull her from the ground. He had had reservations from the very beginning. Yes, it had been his idea to take her there in the first place, but he wanted to keep her in the car, behind as much salt as he could find.
But Sam was right, it was the lesser of two evils. Kerri wasn't strong enough to deal with either a Korrigan or a Changeling, but, like the rest of the pieces that made up his patchwork life, he just dealt with it. He still couldn't face what he had done to her, though, couldn't forgive himself for what he had put her through, what he had taken from her. Every time he looked at her now, all he saw was the effects of the painting, and he knew it was all his fault.
"Yeah, I'm fine, just got my jeans caught on the fence."
"You wanna rest?"
"We're in someone's backyard looking for a monster baby, and you wanna know if I need a nap?" Kerri asked, a smirk spreading slowly across her face.
"Hey, I was just asking."
"Like I said, Dean, I'm fine. Stop looking at me like I'm gonna drop dead."
"Excuse me for being concerned."
"You're being way more then concerned."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Ever since Montana you've been looking at me like I'm gonna blow away."
"You almost died, Kerri."
"Almost. I'm still here, Dean, and I'm fine."
"You're far from fine."
"Yeah, but I'm far from frail and dying, too. Look, Dean, I got hurt, it's not your fault, it's just the way it went."
"Yeah, whatever."
"Fine." Kerri shook her head, moving off ahead of Dean.
He watched her as she walked, soaking up everything he could, burning her into his memory. They were on shaky ground, and they were falling further and further each day. It was like he was slowly going blind, his world fading away bit by bit, his past walking off into the darkness that had become his future. He needed Kerri, needed the strong girl he had known since childhood, the girl that had taken on the world, and put it in its place. Ever since his return to Valley, though, she'd been different, lost, and all he wanted to do was find her.
The pair slowed even more as they reached the house, Dean shorting out the security system before prying open an unlocked window. Dean really didn't understand people sometimes, putting all their trust in computers and their own ill conceived ideas of safety, all while leaving themselves completely exposed. It was something he'd seen far too often as a hunter. Evil was everywhere; in dark alleys, distant countries, and living rooms around the world.
Dean slipped into the house first, helping Kerri climb through the window before pulling out a large silver dagger. Kerri gave him a sideways, what-the-hell look before turning towards the hall, following the older hunter as he crept through the house. Dean didn't care that they were going up against a creature less than half his size, he was going to be prepared no matter what. Besides, they had no idea whether or not the Korrigan would show up to make things more difficult.
They had no way of knowing where the larger creature was, or what its plans may be. All they knew was that super baby was gonna go cannibal if they didn't do something, and at that moment, that was the more pressing issue. Whether he was a special kid or not, Jake still needed someone to go back to, still needed a home. Is was the least Dean could do for him, the little bit of the world the hunter actually had the power to control. He didn't know if he'd be able to stop the Yellow Eyed Demon, didn't know if, in the end, he would be able to keep Jake from it. But, at that moment, it wasn't what he needed to be focusing on.
The pair made their way up the stairs, both silent as shadows as they crept around the house. Kerri had always been very quiet, her ability to sneak around a house something she'd been born with. Since the day he first met her she had been the one person that could actually take a fully trained hunter by surprise. It was both a blessing and a curse, since she had used that ability to sneak up on him on more than one occasion. Really, for someone who claimed she wasn't a hunter, she was pretty good at hunting.
Dean scanned the nursery while Kerri quietly clicked off the baby monitor, the pair remaining still for several long moments, listening for the sound of either parent coming down the hall. Once they were certain the coast was clear, Dean spoke.
"So, do I have to make beer in an acorn now?"
"I told Sam not to tell you that." Kerri whispered back, shooting Dean a look before moving to the crib.
"What can I say, I'm a master at getting him to spill."
"What an amazing talent you have."
"So, seriously, what do we have to do? I mean, we found that article that said to stab it, but I don't think thats the best thing to do inside the house."
"I could always just pick it up and run, but something tells me he won't keep sleeping." Kerri contemplated, watching the sleeping form in the crib.
Dean leaned over her shoulder, survey the creature. From where he stood, it looked exactly like Jake, and if he didn't know any better, he would have sworn that it was the little boy asleep in the bed. This entire hunt was so freakishly twisted that Dean didn't even know what to think anymore. The innocent looking child in the crib was actually a monster, waiting to eat its parents, and the real kid was a psychic sitting out in the car. Oh yes, his life was definitely twisted.
"We could always just wake it up and see what happens." Dean commented, nudging Kerri.
"I thought the whole plan was to get the thing out of here without the parents waking up."
"Really, 'cause I thought the plan was to get the thing out of here before it ate the parents."
"Can we just try the subtle approach first, Dean?"
"Subtle, huh, always game for something new."
"You're amazing, Winchester." Kerri chided, moving to the other side of the small bed.
"Thank you."
"It wasn't a compliment."
"Hey, I take what I can get. So, you have an approach yet?"
"I'm thinking grab and go."
"I take it I'm gonna be the one doing the grabbing."
"I did bring you here for a reason."
"Alright, here, take this." Dean rubbed his face with his free hand, giving the knife to Kerri. He knew the thing the crib was a monster, something evil that had to be stopped, but the idea of stabbing it with a silver blade was still sickening to him. After all, it look exactly like a two year old kid.
"You ready?" Kerri asked, moving a few steps back. Dean knew she was scanning for the quickest exit, but it was still a little disconcerting to have you back up backing up.
"As ready as I'll ever be."
"Alright, grab the thing and then follow me."
"Ker, if it goes crazy on us, we gotta finish it, in the house or not."
"I know."
"Ok, up we go." Dean reached down into the crib, grabbing the Changeling under the arms and pulling it up to his chest, pinning the creature there. But, instead of struggling, instead of tossing him around like a toddler on steroids, it just let out a little sigh, and continued sleeping, its little head resting against Dean's shoulder.
"Well." Dean began, looking between the Changeling and Kerri. "That was unexpected."
"Tell me about it. Let's get out of here before it changes its mind."
"Hey, Ker." Dean began as the pair made their way quietly down the hall, the Changeling still sleeping peacefully in his arms. "Are you one hundred percent sure that this is the Changeling? Because, it's really baby like at the moment."
"Maybe it's trying to trick us."
"Yeah, well, let's figure it out at the car. You know, before stabbing it or anything."
"Honey." Kerri and Dean both froze when they heard the voice. "Honey, did you remember to turn the monitor on?"
"Son of a bitch." Dean mumbled, back tracking down the hall just as the bedroom door began to open. They barely managed to slip down the stairs before Candice entered the hall. 'Well,' Dean thought as he and Kerri slipped out a window, 'So much for switching kids before the parents found out.'
Dean and Kerri made it about halfway across the backyard when they heard the scream, Candice Robinson's distressed voice ringing out over the silent neighborhood. They ran back towards the broken fence as fast as they could, slipping through it and vanishing into the dark alley mere seconds before the large floodlights flickered on behind them. They needed to get as far away from the house as they could, because, Changeling or not, they'd just taken a baby from its home.
They had decided to leave the impala a few blocks away, a decision that Dean couldn't have been happier with when he heard the echo of the distant sirens. He followed Kerri quickly through the dark alley, staying to the shadows the high shrubs offered. They were completely concealed from the prying eyes of the Robinson's neighbors; the hunters listening intently to growing voices as curios onlookers awoke to the sound of police cruisers. So much for subtlety.
Through it all, though, the Jake in Dean's arms slept, not a care in the world. And that only caused Dean's uncertainty to grow with each passing moment. Because, if this baby was the actual Jake, then they had a whole new set of problems on their hands. Like, for instance, who the hell was with Sam?