Disclaimer: I do not own anything recognizable in the following story. The characters that you don't recognize are figments of my imagination and still I claim no ownership. Supernatural belongs to the WB, the CW and all. I haven't made a profit on this story so please don't sue. I don't own anything anyway so there's nothing to gain from it.
Not much happens in this chapter so I'm posting chapter 7 next.
Chapter 6
The quiet alarm rang out in the small room and Matt ran a hand over his face. He was getting too old for this crap, but he would do anything for one of his own and this couldn't even be considered hunting really. It was more like intel gathering. Sighing and pushing away the last feelings of sleep he sat up on the bed. Getting up he slowly made his way to the small coffee maker on the table and prepared a pot of coffee.
Sitting back down on the bed he picked up the weapons bag and placed it beside him. Systematically he began to clean the few guns that he had brought with him. Then he sharpened the two knives he brought with him.
It was a ritual he did every time he was out on a hunt. Cleaning and sharpening the weapons prepared him mentally for what lay ahead in the day. This wasn't like most of the hunts he'd done, but it never hurt to be prepared.
Glancing at the alarm clock that rested on the night table he realized he had two hours before heading out to the service. He got up and made himself a cup of coffee. Taking a sip of the dark brew he pulled a face as he slammed the offending coffee cup down and grabbed his jacket. Somewhere in this small town there had to be a diner that made a decent cup of coffee.
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Joshua paced around the large kitchen. Today was his day off from the clinic and he didn't have enough to keep himself occupied. His mind was running off with the possibilities of what could happen to Abby or with the young horse he had been treating.
"You're going to wear a hole in the floor hun," Anna said. "We just got it done too."
"Great. Add it to the list of chores I have to do," Joshua snapped back.
"Joshua Franklin Becket. Don't you dare speak to me like that. Now come over here and drink your coffee before I cut you off and switch you to decaf," Anna said icily.
Joshua stopped mid pace and glanced guilty at his wife. He sighed heavily and joined her at the table. He knew she was trying to be patient but he had no doubts that she was mad.
"Sorry dear, he said to her and was relieved when her eyes softened.
She passed him his coffee cup. "Now tell me what's on your mind."
Joshua took his cup and looked down into the inky darkness. He stirred in some sugar. "I heard back from Jim a couple weeks back."
"He couldn't help you?" She asked.
"No," he said softly.
"What about Matt?" she asked.
"I haven't heard anything from him since I called and asked for his help," Joshua said.
"Well if Matt can help he will. You know that and besides Abby seems fine," she said.
"For now," Joshua said then slammed down his coffee. "But it's wrong! Don't you get that? She could have something else wrong or suffer an after affect of the treatment. How am I supposed to help her if I don't know how she was cured?"
Joshua pushed back from the table, abruptly stood and moved to the kitchen window. He stared out the small window and took a deep breath to calm himself. He had no right to speak to his wife like that. He wouldn't be surprised if she left the room and not talk to him for the rest of the day. Its what she usually did to give him the space she figured he needed to work through his issues.
He was surprised as arms wrapped around him from behind and felt her cheek press into his back. Bringing his trembling hands up he covered her hands with his.
"It will work out. You'll see," Anna said.
"You don't know that," Joshua whispered as he bowed his head.
"Have some faith," Anna said as she tightened her grip slightly.
Joshua sighed as he closed his eyes and turned in her grasp. "I have faith in you."
"But not Matt?" Anna asked.
"Matt will do his best. I know that," Joshua said.
"But you're expecting him to find nothing?" she asked.
Joshua swallowed and nodded.
"Expect failure and that's what you get. Hope is something you can never give up on. Never," Anna said strongly.
"What happens if she gets sick again? What if she gets sick again from whatever cured her. How can I treat that?" Joshua asked.
"I don't know. But you're worried about something that may not come to pass," she said.
"I need to be prepared," Joshua said.
"Fine. Something may happen. If it does you will either treat her or make her as comfortable as possible. There are no absolutes in life and you know that. Wait for Matt. Give him some time to find the answers you've asked him to find. Give him a chance and you may find that all this worrying is for naught," she said then smiled up at him.
Joshua sighed heavily and leaned his forehead against Anna's. "Ok. I'll give Matt time. It's really all I can do."
"Good. Finish your coffee and then you can take your very patient wife shopping," Anna said.
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She was in a club dancing with a dark haired green eyed man. Serena didn't know his name and she didn't care to because when she woke in the morning he would just be a memory. Hopefully a pleasant one. He pulled her closer and they danced against each other. Sweat dripped from his brow and his eyes bored into hers. He leaned in and licked her face and then he meowed. Loudly. Then licked her face again.
Serena bolted up in her chair and saw her cat staring accusingly at her. Chucky meowed loudly again.
"Geez Chucky. Why don't you just learn how to open the packets of food yourself," Serena complained.
She stood up and pulled her arm up from the keyboard. Frowning she noticed that she'd slept long enough for the keys to leave their lasting indentations. She yawned and slowly made her way into the kitchen. Opening a container she dished out some crunchies and then opened a tin of cat food. Placing the food down on the floor in the usual spot for her cat she then turned and began to prepare a fresh pot of coffee.
A low mewing could be heard from behind her and Serena turned to look down at her pet. She raised her eyebrows at the noise her cat was making.
"Hey it's the dry stuff or the wet stuff. Premium stuff you know I wouldn't feed you just anything. Sides the coffee is only for me. You don't even like the taste and no more human food for you. Or did you forget the mess you left on my bedspread last week?" Serena said and turned back to the coffee pot. She pressed the on button and sat at the table pondering if she was hungry.
The cat jumped up onto the table and rubbed against her shoulder.
"You can suck up all you want you are not getting any other food or catnip either," she said as she reached out and ran her fingers over the cat's head.
The phone rang and she reached over and picked up the handset from the wall cradle. "Yeah?"
"Hey there," a familiar voice said.
"Hey Jim. How're you doing? I haven't heard from you in some time," Serena said. She was very fond of the man. While on school breaks he'd taught her fighting techniques and how to read Latin. But mostly he would really listen to her something that Matt didn't always seem to do.
"Yes it's been sometime. Too long. When are you going to come back and visit?" the preacher asked.
"Well," Serena said giving it serious thought. "I'm kinda involved with this healer thing for granddaddy but maybe when I'm done that I can come and see you? I'd have to talk to him first."
"Of course. Whenever you can make it up I'd love to see you. Door's always open," Jim said.
"I know. Thanks Jim," she said and sighed. "You lookin for granddaddy?"
"Yes but he's not returning my messages. But I'll bet he's not returning yours either by that tragic sigh you just gave me," Jim said amused concern clear in his voice.
"No he isn't. It's been several weeks Jim. I'm worried," she admitted softly and sighed again. Jim was one of the few she could open up to but didn't do it too often. She didn't like looking like she was soft even if she was a girl.
"Matt has been hunting for years and he'll hunt for more to come. He'll be ok," Jim soothed. "Maybe I should come up for a visit?"
"Hey I can take care of myself," Serena said indignantly.
"Of course you can take care of yourself. I wasn't trying to suggest otherwise. But Matt's been gone for a long time and I seem to remember a certain young lady saying she hated to be alone," Jim said.
"That was a long time ago," Serena defended.
Jim chuckled. "It was three months ago," he said.
"Yeah well," Serena said and trailed off. Having the man come to visit was a tempting offer. She was mature for her seventeen years but sometimes being alone had its downfalls. "I'm just worried about Matt."
"You and me both. Look why don't we give it a little more time and if you don't hear from him in another week I'll come up and spend a couple of days. How does that sound?" Jim offered.
Serena smiled. "I'd like that. Will you call me if you hear from him?"
"Of course I will and you'll do the same?" the cleric asked.
"Yeah I will," she said.
"Do me a favour?" Jim asked.
"Anything," Serena said.
"Could you give Josh a call and let him know what you've found out? He's beginning to drive Anna a little crazy," Jim said.
"No problem. I don't have much though," she admitted. "But I haven't stopped looking, there's just so much crap to wade through."
"Well just let him know what you've got. I know he'd appreciate it," Jim said.
"Ok. I'll talk to you soon," Serena said.
"Count on it," Jim said.
Serena hung up and considered calling Joshua right away but decided against it. She quickly made herself a sandwich and a coffee then returned to her computer. There was one more thing she had to check before calling the part time vet and part time hunter.
An hour later with a smile on her face she dialled her granddaddy's cell. The smile turned into a frown as it went to voice mail. She patiently waited through the greeting. "Granddaddy if you had to leave this many messages without a response you'd lose it on me. Call me back. I know where Joshua's healer is but I'm not telling you until you check in," she said petulantly and hit end.
She sat there for a moment then dialled another number.
"Joshua," came the curt reply.
"Hey doc. I have this ornery cat that just won't seem to eat her food. What do you suggest?" she asked.
"Well I'd just like to take this moment and say I sooo told you so," Joshua said laughing. "I told you when I brought you the black beast not to feed her people food as she wouldn't go back to her proper food."
"Oh yeah. Real helpful," Serena said dryly. "How's it going?"
"I don't have a full house here at the clinic so I'd say not bad. What can I do for you?" Joshua asked.
"Well I didn't call for anything really," Serena said.
"Oh. So it's a social call?" he said.
"Oh yeah. A total social call," Serena said. "If you can call hunting social. Which you know could almost be considered social seeing how many people we meet and interact with on a monthly basis. Oh and the perk of traveling to different vacation spots like Kalispell, Idaho; Topika, Kansas; Bismarck, North Dakota; Great Falls, Montana; Yakima, Washington."
"Ok! OK! I get it. It's not really a social call," he said slightly exasperated. This one was worse than a young Sam Winchester. "I'm guessing you found something?"
Serena smiled. "Yeah. Looks like the healer is in Ford City Nebraska. It's a tent healer Josh and I have my doubts but I've come across several accounts of people being healed there," she said.
"Believe me I have my doubts as well," Joshua said. "What did Matt say about it?"
"He hasn't said anything," she admitted.
"He's not returning your calls is he?" he asked concerned.
"No," she said quietly.
"Do you have an address? I think I'll try to head out that way and maybe I'll find Matt."
"You better find him Joshua. I have a few choice things to say to him," Serena said hotly.
"You and me both," he said. "You and me both."
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Next chapter coming up.