I don't own Sam or Dean or John or the Impala or Supernatural…..that's all the CW. So if they would be very kind to let me borrow it all for a bit, I promise to give it back….eventually…..well, maybe. Also, I lack an editor, so any mistakes are mine and please kindly overlook them (or let me know). Thanks.
Sam is 16 and Dean is 20.
-ff-
Sam woke early the next morning. He remembered dreaming about girls with black eyes and people his age dying with blood rushing down their faces. It sent a chill up his spine as he sat up.
Dean cracked one eye open. "S'barely light out." He sat up on one elbow. "You okay?"
"I'm fine." Sometimes Sam hated that Dean always knew when he woke up, when he fell asleep, knew so much about him,
He looked at Sam for a few more seconds before he flopped back down onto the mattress and went back to sleep.
Sam slipped out of bed and went to shower. There wasn't a lot of water pressure, but he'd had worse showers. The events of the night, at the park, seemed less scary than they did in the dark. He could focus on the facts without all the fear and think about what needed to be done.
He wrapped the towel around his waist and braced his hands on the edge of the counter. He looked into his eyes in the reflection of the fogged mirror. He liked those rare mornings when he didn't have Dean or his dad beating down the bathroom door for him to hurry up.
He pulled on jeans and a tee shirt and went to the kitchen. He started a pot of coffee for his dad and brother and sat down at the table to go over the notes. John came into the kitchen not long after and looked at his boy.
"Dean up yet?"
Sam didn't look up from his notes. "It's just barely seven."
John poured himself a cup of coffee instead of starting an argument. He sat down across from his son and looked at what he was working on. Sam had listed the names of everyone he met last night and was in the process of labeling them with symbols and letters. He glanced up once at his dad and sighed. John leaned back in his chair and took a drink of coffee.
"I don't know if it's related to any of the kids from last night." Sam said after a long silence. "I need more time." He looked up at John.
"I don't want you getting completely wrapped up in this. Dean and I are in this, too." He slid a necklace to Sam, a rough symbol carved into a metal disk.
Sam recognized the added protection and put it on. "But I'm the only one who can get close."
John leaned forward and met his son's eyes. "And I need you safe."
A quick flash of anger and defiance flickered in Sam's eyes before he nodded. He gathered up his notes. "I'm gonna spend the day in town and see who's around."
"Not alone."
He sighed, his jaw set. "I'm fine."
"Sam."
"Do you want to know who's involved in this, or do you just want to screw around as more people die? Have Dean trail me if you need to, but having my older brother hang out with me won't win me any friends." The words were sharp and hard.
"Watch your tone."
He scoffed and headed towards the bedroom to get his shoes.
"We're not done, Sam."
Sam spun around. "What do you want from me? I focus on the hunt and you tell me not to, I focus on school and you pull me out for a hunt. I'm sixteen, Dean was going on solo hunts at sixteen."
"Not demons. None of us are doing this one alone, least of all you."
His anger deflated some. "Yeah, all right." He turned towards the room and saw Dean in the doorway.
Sam pushed past him and went to find his shoes. Dean met John's steady gaze.
"That boy is going to be the death of me." John muttered and reached for his coffee.
Dean smirked as he poured himself a cup of coffee. "Makes damn good coffee, though."
"How'd you know this was his?"
"Dad, yours is closer to engine oil than coffee. I could use it in the Impala."
Sam came into the room and stood by the door. He looked at Dean for a few minutes before he sighed and threw open the door.
John looked at Dean. "I'd stay out of sight as you follow him today."
"I gathered that much from the conversation you two had this morning." He stood and took a last drink of coffee. "I use the term 'conversation' loosely."
"I'll be back tonight, I have a few people I need to look into and some police and medical records to get a hold of." John stood. "Stay out of trouble and watch out for Sam."
"I know." Dean followed after his brother out the door.
John stood a moment in the empty silence of the room before he gathered up his notebook and left.
-s-
Sam had spent enough time in new towns to be able to find the places kids gathered without hardly trying. Little kids stuck to the park during the day, older kids were at a lake if there was one. This town had a rec center, everyone would be there. Sam glanced back and saw Dean about a block back. It wasn't so much that Sam honestly thought he could take on a demon on his own, he knew he couldn't, it was more that he never had any time on his own. He was either in a hotel room or the car or going over notes or the library and all of those places contained Dean and his dad. He couldn't remember the last time he had gone anywhere, besides school, alone.
He saw Nick and another boy playing basketball at the rec center. Jack sat on a bench nearby. Sam walked over to the boys and sat down next to Jack.
"Anything new?" Sam glanced over.
Jack shook his head. "Not that I've heard, yet. People sort of figure that Emily is next, being that her brother was the most recent one and all. Her mom's keeping her pretty close to home." He kept his voice low, as though even saying the words out loud would condemn someone to their death. He shook his head. "This is all so messed up."
"Yeah." Sam sighed. "Who's Nick with?"
"Danny. He couldn't sneak out last night. I've known those two since we were all in kindergarten." He blew air through his teeth. "I think the worst part is just waiting for whoever is next."
Nick came over with the basketball tucked under his arm. "Sam, wanna play two on two?"
"Sure."
Sam and Jack joined the game. They played for a few hours and then went to the benches for a break.
Jack pulled his wallet from his bag. "I'm gonna get a soda. Anyone want anything?"
Danny tossed him a crumpled bill. "Coke." He grabbed the basketball and started making free throws.
"Sam, Nick?"
Sam shook his head.
"I'm okay." Nick muttered.
Jack disappeared into the hall. Sam looked over at Nick. He had his head rested in his palm.
"Nick?" Sam moved closer. "You all right?"
Nick nodded. "Just tired." He looked up, but there was fear in his eyes.
"You sure?"
He swallowed and then shook his head slightly. "I don't wanna go like Shawn, like the others." He clenched his jaw. "It could just be a normal headache, right?"
"Yeah." Sam hoped it was. "I mean, you haven't gone anywhere weird or anything?"
"No. Just the usual places with the usual people." He closed his eyes for a moment. "I'm so fucking scared."
"I bet I could call my brother, we could drive you home."
He opened his eyes and looked at Sam. "Nah, I'll just walk." He stood.
"I'll walk with you."
"Sure." He stood. "Sam, don't tell anyone. Don't want them to worry about nothing." He tried to smile.
Sam nodded. "Let's go."
Nick turned to Danny. "Hey. I just remembered, I have to get home or my mom worries. Catch you tomorrow?"
"Sure." He looked over at Sam. "You leaving, too?"
"Yeah. See you later."
Nick and Sam stepped outside. Sam didn't miss how Nick winced at the light, how he reached for the wall for support.
Sam looked for Dean and saw him across the street, pretending to be reading a book, but he knew better.
"Sam?" The fear in Nick's voice was unmistakable.
He turned and saw Nick leaned against the wall with one hand up to his face. He met Sam's eyes and pulled his hand away. Blood ran from his nose. His knees gave out and Sam caught him before he could fall. He eased Nick to the ground and looked over this shoulder for Dean.
"I don't want to die, Sam." Nick's hands shook.
"You won't."
He closed his eyes and whispered. "Everyone else did."
Sam heard Dean's footsteps behind him and turned. "We have to get him home."
"Help me get him up."
"Nick?" Sam rested his hand on Nick's shoulder. "My brother's here, we're going to take you home."
Nick nodded. "Thanks."
Sam and Dean eased Nick to his feet and helped him the three blocks back to his house. By the time they reached his front door, he was shaking and blood continued to flow from his nose. Sam knocked on the door and Nick's mom opened it. She didn't even ask what happened, the fear and knowledge was already in her eyes when she took him inside.
Dean and Sam were left standing alone on the doorstep.
"Sammy?"
He turned to Dean.
"I'm sorry."
"Let's just go home." Sam's voice was low.
-ff-
I'm trying this update sooner thing, but I don't think I'm very good at it. Thank you for following me with this story, thank you for reading. I always sort of knew where it would end, but now I'm excited to get there.