**Hey! I hope you all like this one! I really like this chapter, and I have so much in store for this season! I really hope you all love it. Season 2 is one of my favorite seasons. I have a small flashback to season 1 in here, and, in case anyone is confused I thought I'd mention that it happens right after the episode 'The Benders'. Please review or PM me if you have any concerns, ideas, or questions about the story. Thank you so much for reading! To everyone who reviews or PMs: I'd really like it if you could write one flashback that you want to see me write in future chapters along with whatever else you want to write. Thank you so much! Love you all!**
Hunted
-3rd Person-
"Before dad died, he - he told me something," Dean took a deep, steadying breath before continuing. "Something about you," He stopped then, not sure if he could tell him the rest. They were standing on the leafy ground on the bank of some river; he didn't even know where they were at this point. And Mel...
"What?" Sam pulled him from the dark road his thoughts had been traveling down. Dean found he couldn't meet Sam's gaze, but whenever he looked away, his mind drifted to her. "Dean, what did he tell you?" It had been a week since the demon virus caused the destruction of an entire town. A week since…
"He said that he…" Dean struggled to find the words. "…wanted me to watch out for you…" He stated, glancing out over the river before meeting Sam's confused gaze. "…take care of you and…Mel," His eyes flicked to the ground as he attempted to swallow the flood of emotions that threatened to consume him at the mention of her name.
"He told you that a million times," Sam pointed out, not understanding Dean's hesitance but knowing that whatever was eating at him had to be important for him to bring up Mel.
"Well, this time was different. He said that I had to…" Dean's mind jumped back to when he'd told her what John had said. The word he'd used. "Save you both," His eyes met Sam's again, and he saw Sam frown in confusion.
"Save us from what?" Sam asked gently, not wanting to upset his brother. The past week had been a blur of phone calls, searching for any sign of Mel. Dean had taken her disappearance hard. Already he looked paler than he had a week ago. He barely slept at all, and he claimed he wasn't hungry, although Sam could count the number of times he'd eaten in the past week on his hands. Sam was forced to hold it together enough to take care of his older brother as well as himself.
"He just said that I had to save you both and that nothing else mattered and that if I couldn't, I'd…" Dean trailed off, training his eyes on the ground for a moment, remembering how Mel had took the news. She'd left. Sammy couldn't leave. He couldn't loose both of them. He just couldn't do it.
"You'd what, Dean?" Sam demanded, growing more impatient at Dean's choppy, cryptic sentences.
"I'd have to kill you," The confusion dissipated from Sam's face in a heartbeat, all thoughts of finding Mel and helping his brother disappearing along with it. "He said that I might have to kill you, Sammy," Dean silently begged him not to turn away. He could see the same emotions flicking across Sam's face as he'd seen on Mel's.
"Kill me?" Sam echoed uncomprehendingly. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" He could feel a dark pit of anger rising inside him. Dean glanced down again, unable to meet Sam's eyes.
"I don't know," The words came out as barely a whisper.
"I mean, he must have had some kind of reason for saying it, right? Did he know the demon's plans for me? Am I supposed to go dark side or something? Is Mel supposed to go dar side?" Dean just shook his head, still not meeting his brother's gaze. "What else did he say, Dean?" Sam's voice raised to a yell, not able to contain his shock and anger.
"Nothing. That's it, I swear," Fury ignited in Sam, preventing him from hearing anything Dean had to say.
"How could you not have told me this?" He yelled, glaring harshly.
"Because it was dad and he begged me not to," Dean defended himself.
"Who cares?" Sam was sick of his dad being used as an excuse. "Take some responsibility for yourself, Dean! You had no right to keep this from me! You had no right to keep it from Mel!" And that's when something clicked in Sam's brain. All at once Dean's actions over the past week, his self-loathing, the blame, the guilt, it all made sense now. "You told her?" Dean's silence confirmed it. "You told her and she left!" It wasn't a question anymore.
"You think I wanted this?" Dean snapped, finally fighting back. "Huh? I wish to god he'd never opened his mouth!" Dean shouted, his anger boiling over. "Then I wouldn't have to walk around with this screaming in my head all day!" Sam turned away from him, and Dean looked out over the water, his hands shoved into his pockets.
"We just got to figure out what's going on, then. What the hell all this means," Sam faced his brother again, trying to keep a clear head about all of it.
"We do?" Sam's eyes snapped to Dean in surprise. "I've been thinking about this… a lot. I think we should just lay low, you know. We could find Mel and just work small cases. At least for a while - it would be safer. That way, I could make sure…" Dean cut himself off abruptly, knowing he'd misspoken.
"What?" Sam prompted, a humorless smile twisting his lips. "That I don't turn evil? That Mel doesn't turn evil? That we don't turn into a pair of killers?"
"I never said that," Dean told him quietly, trying rid himself of the small voice in his head that said Sam might be right.
"Jeez, one day you will have to waste us one day, Dean," Sam snapped.
"I never said that!" Dean shouted his words from earlier, having had enough. He wouldn't waste them. He couldn't. "Damn it, Sam, this whole thing is spinning out of control. All right, you and Mel are immune to some weirdo demon virus, a-and Mel's… she's gone, and I don't even know what the hell anymore," Sam just took a drink of beer without speaking. "And you're pissed at me and I get it. That's fine. I deserve it, but we lay low until we figure out our next move, okay?"
"Forget it," Sam spoke with a note of finality that made Dean's stomach twist in fear. Mel was gone. He couldn't loose Sam too. He would fall apart.
"Sam, please, man," Dean begged him as Sam turned to face the water. "Hey, please," He grabbed Sam's arm, pulling him around to face him. Sam studied Dean for a moment as he spoke. "Just give me some time. Give me some time to think, okay? I'm begging you here. Please, please," Sam couldn't remember the last time Dean begged for anything, but he couldn't just lay low and not do anything. For the first time, Sam understood why Mel had left, and a plan formed in his mind.
"Okay."
-SPN-
-1st Person-
I splashed my face with cold water, having had a nightmare for the third night in a row. I threw on jean shorts, a tank top, and a flannel before heading downstairs for breakfast. When I reached the bottom, I saw Jeremy and Macy sitting at the kitchen table, each with a big stack of pancakes in front of them.
"Mel!" Mace saw me first, and hopped down from the chair eagerly, sprinting to where I had stopped to tackle me in a hug. I wrapped my arms around her tightly, laughing at her happiness, but my laugh sounded odd and detached as if it had come from a stranger's mouth. Mace released me, climbing back up on her chair before digging into her pancakes.
"Morning, little man," I greeted Jeremy, ruffling his hair, which caused him to send me a sour look that didn't last long. He acted as though he hated it, but I knew he secretly loved it.
"Mornin'," He managed to get the word out around a mouthful of pancakes and syrup, making me crack a smile.
"Hey, you want some?" Jez questioned, holding up the frying pan a little higher for me to see the half cooked pancake that sat in it.
"You know I do," I answered as if it should have been obvious. When we were kids, Jez used to make pancakes for Sam, Dean, and I when she was with us while our dads were hunting. The sudden memory sent a pang of nostalgia through me. Dean. I could barely stand to think about him. I'd originally planned to stay only a few hours, but this house, being back with Jez, seeing her life… it was all so homelike.
"Morning, beautiful," I glanced up as I heard Dustin come hurrying into the room to kiss Jez lightly. Jeremy made a childishly disgusted noise while Mace was too wrapped up in her pancakes to even notice. "Mel," He nodded to me, and I offered him a slight smile. Dustin and I got along well, but I could tell he was nervous about me being here. More specifically, he was nervous about what it meant for his family. I knew I was going to leave soon, though I didn't want to. Every second I stayed here I put them in danger.
"Good luck with your meeting," Jez told him, smiling before kissing him again and adjusting his tie. "Knock 'em dead," He smiled, pecking her on the lips for one last time before kissing each of his children despite their protests and heading for the door. I closed my eyes for a moment and an image of Dean's face flashed across them, causing me to open my eyes hurriedly and blink the image away. "Crap," My eyes snapped to Jez as I heard her mutter the word. Her wide eyes were focused on the clock, and I followed her gaze to see it was 7:45. I quickly grabbed the two empty plates from the table and placed them in the sink as Jez grabbed their backpacks. "I'm going to take them to school. I'll be back in a couple of minutes," Jez called over her shoulder as she ushered Jeremy and Mace out the door.
"Bye, Aunt Mel!" Jeremy yelled back, his yell echoed by Mace's long, drawn out, "Bye,"
"Bye, have fun!" The door slammed shut, and I smiled slightly before ascending the steps to the guest bedroom that I'd been staying in. I had just shut the door behind me and opened the laptop Jez had leant me when I caught sight of my lit up phone. My heart sunk. I had another voicemail and two missed calls. Both Dean and Sam had been calling me a lot the past week, leaving me voicemails when I didn't pick up. I couldn't pick up. I couldn't talk to them otherwise I would go back. Leaving them had nearly killed me. I flipped the phone open and pressed it to my ear.
Mel, Sammy's gone. My heart gave a painful lurch as I heard Dean's hoarse, slightly drunk voice come through the line. I told him and he took off… just like you did. I pressed back against the wall, not wanting to hear the brokenness in his voice. I screwed up. I get that. I should've told you both, but it was dad. What was I supposed to do?! I heard a crash in the background and felt tears pricking in my eyes at Dean's pain. I just… His voice broke, and I slid down the wall till my butt hit the floor, my knees pressed to my chest. I just need you to come back. We can figure out what's going on, but I need you to come back. I-I need you. I pressed my hand against my mouth to smother the sob as if he'd be able to hear me if I made a sound. I need you, alright?! Please, Mel. The line went dead, but I didn't move. It was as if my fingers had frozen around the phone. Tears were falling freely down my face now, and I didn't bother wiping them away. I'd promised I would never leave him and here I was half a country away.
I'm not sure how long I stayed there, back against the door, knees pressed to my chest, but it felt like eternity. Finally, I forced my fingers to move along the buttons of the cell phone to check my missed calls. Sammy. Twice. My resolve hardened, and I stood, walking to the bathroom to splash cold water on my face again, trying to rid myself of any traces of tears before I dialed 2 and pressed the phone to my ear.
"Mel?" Sammy's voice answered quickly, and I squeezed my eyes shut in relief at hearing his voice.
"Sammy," I answered, knowing he'd want confirmation that it was me before he said anything else. John had raised us well.
"Damn it's good to hear your voice," He sounded relieved as well, which made me smile slightly. "Where the hell are you? Are you okay? Look, Dean told me what John said-"
"Sammy, slow down," I let out a small laugh as his words started rushing. "Where are you?"
"I'm pulling up in front of the Roadhouse. I'm going to try to find out what Ash can find about others like us," I nodded, knowing it was time that I left Jez's anyway. I was putting her at risk just by being here.
"I'm going to come to you," I told him as I began to throw things in my suitcase before finishing the sentence.
"Alright. I'll keep you posted," Sam replied, and I was about to hang up when Sam's voice came through again. "Mel, Dean… he's really messed up. We both were," Sam started hesitantly, making me feel even worse about myself.
"I had to, Sammy," I stopped moving around and sat heavily on the bed. "I couldn't… I couldn't risk hurting him," I confessed, knowing Sam would understand what I was feeling. He always did.
"I know," Sam's voice sounded small and resigned, making me frown.
"Look, I'm coming to you, okay? We'll talk when I get there," I returned to tossing things into my duffel bag as I heard Sam's sigh. "And, Sammy, be careful. Stay safe,"
"I will if you will," He replied in a very Sammy-like fashion, which made me smile.
"Deal," I agreed before I snapped the phone shut and returned to packing.
"You're leaving?" I spun around to see Jez standing in the doorway; I had been so preoccupied I hadn't heard her come in. "You've only been here for a week,"
"I know. I wish I could stay longer, but I really have to go," She looked at me with a sort of sad acceptance. "Besides, you know as well as I do that the longer I stay, the more danger your in,"
"Something's going on," She deduced, making me glance at her in surprise. "Something you're not telling me," I had to look away from her, not being able to hold her gaze.
"We're hunting the demon," I confessed; it was pointless lying at this point. "The one that killed mom," I elaborated even though I didn't need to. "It's best if you don't know anything more than that," I tried to stick to the truth as much as possible; I hated lying to her.
"No, there's more than that," Again, my eyes widened at her deduction, and she held up a hand as I began to speak. "I don't want to know anything that would put me or my family in danger. Just promise me that you'll be careful,"
"I promise," It was the one promise I could make.
"I know you want to catch the bastard. I know it means a lot to you… and Dean and Sam, but it's not worth your life," She searched my eyes intensely, trying to make sure I understood. "It already took mom… and dad. Don't let it take you too," I nodded despite the bad feeling that twisted my stomach.
-SPN-
-3rd Person-
Sam walked into the Roadhouse self-consciously. Hunters turned their heads to look at him briefly before going back to whatever they had been drinking or whatever stories they'd been telling. Sam felt better than he had all week. Mel was alright. Dean… he'd be alright. He felt horrible for leaving his brother, but he'd had to. There was no way he could just lay low and hope it blows over. He had to find answers.
"Sam." Ellen greeted him shortly.
"Hey, Ellen," He answered quietly, almost shyly. A smile overtook his face as he realized the irony in the situation. A week ago, he'd been furious at Mel for leaving, and now he'd left as well and was meeting up with her. "You don't seem that surprised to see me,"
"Your brother's been calling, worried sick, looking for you and Mel," Ellen informed Sam of what he already knew.
"Yeah, I figured he might," Sam replied, glancing around.
"She with you," Sam shook his head quickly in answer to Ellen's inquiry. "What's going on between you three?" Ellen questioned, leaning on the counter and narrowing her eyes at Sam.
"So, um… how's Jo?" Sam made the change of subject painfully apparent.
"Well, I don't really know," Sam frowned at her reply.
"What do you mean?" He questioned, and Ellen didn't meet his gaze, instead focusing on the glass she was drying.
"I haven't seen her in weeks. She sends a postcard now and again," Ellen finally looked up at him, her face holding only sadness.
"Well, what happened?" Sam asked, having had no idea Jo had up and left.
"Well, after she worked that job with you three and Max, she decided she wanted to keep on hunting. I said, 'not under my roof,' and she said 'fine'. She packed a bag and went to find Max," Ellen remembered, setting the glass down.
"So I'm probably the last person you want to see right now," Sam figured, taking a seat at the bar and causing Ellen to chuckle.
"Oh, don't get me wrong. I wish I could blame the hell out of you three and Max. It would be easier. The truth is, it's not your fault. Sam, none of it is," Ellen spoke sincerely, letting Sam know that she wasn't just talking about Jo anymore. "I want you to know that I forgave your daddy a long time ago… for what happened to my Bill. I just don't think he ever forgave himself,"
"What did happen?" Sam wanted to know, but Ellen just shook her head, glancing down.
"Um, so, why did you come here, Sweetie?" She made the subject change equally as apparent as Sam had.
"I need help," Sam admitted hesitantly. "Where's Ash?" It only took two minutes for Ellen to call Ash out and for Sam to tell him he needed a search done.
"So, what am I looking for, Sam?" Ash questioned as he set his homemade computer down on the counter in front of them.
"Other people, other… psychics like Mel and me, as many as possible, and I need a nationwide search," Sam explained quickly. The faster Ash worked, the better.
"But I thought there was no way to track them all down," Ellen frowned at Sam's request. "Not all of them had nursery fires like you and Mel,"
"Well… no," Sam conceded reluctantly. "But some had to," He went on, turning to face Ash, his eyes widening slightly as he got an idea. "You can start there," Ellen got Sam a beer while Ash took his computer back to his room to do some quick research to find any other psychics. He was half finished with the beer when Ash came sauntering out of the back, his face filled with pride and smugness.
"Done… and done," Ash announced as he came over to the table with a piece of paper.
"That was fast," Sam commented, impressed.
"Well, apparently, that's my job. Make the monkey dance, keyboarding," Sam glanced at Ellen, not quite sure how to respond to that.
"Just tell us what you got, Ash," Ellen ordered, cutting the crap.
"In '79 there was only one, Melody Scott. In '83 four folks fit the profile nationwide. Mother died in a nursery fire, six month birthday, the whole shebang," Ash told them the information he'd found.
"Four? That's it?" There was no hiding the disappointment in Sam's voice. He'd hoped there would be at least ten.
"Sam Winchester from Lawrence, Kansas," Ash continued, ignoring the ungrateful remark. "Max Miller, from Saginaw, Michigan, Andrew Gallagher from Guthrie, Oklahoma, and another name - Scott Carey," He threw the paper down in front of Sam so the boy could take a look.
"What? You got an address?" He questioned hurriedly, snatching up the paper to study the name.
"Kind of," This was the hard part, and Ash didn't look at Sam as he spoke. "The Arbor Hill Cemetery in Lafayette Indiana. Plot 486," Sam's heart fell at the news.
"So he's dead?" Sam checked, trying to ignore the weight that settled in his stomach. Max was dead. Andy's twin was dead. Now this guy was dead too. What did that mean for him? What did it mean for Mel?
"Killed about a month ago," Ash informed him, causing Sam to focus on the present.
"Killed how?" He asked, still trying to swallow the news that this guy was dead.
"Stabbed," Ash told him, a bored tone in his voice. "Parking lot. Fuzz don't have much - no suspects,"
"All right," Sam drank some more of his beer before standing. "Thank you," He began walking away as Ash picked up the glass and downed the remaining beer.
"Where are you going?" Ellen called after him.
"Indiana," Sam told her as he headed to the door.
"Are you going to meet Mel?" No answer. "Sam, I got to call Dean," That got his attention. "I've got to let him know where you are,"
"Ellen, I'm trying to find answers about who I am, and my brother means well, but he can't protect me from that," Ellen leaned back as she thought about it for a moment.
"And Mel?" Again, Sam didn't reply. She'd noticed that about both boys in the short time she'd known them. Whenever she'd ask about Mel or bring her up or even talk to her, they'd tense up. She hadn't realized it at first. It was a very small change, but it was there. "Dean's going out of his mind, you know," Sam glanced down at the paper in his hands, remembering how his brother had been acting the past week.
"Please, Ellen," Ellen let out a breath at his answer before finally nodding, making Sam smile slightly in gratitude. As soon as he slid into the driver's seat of his stolen car, he dialed Mel's number.
"Sam, what'd you find?" Mel didn't bother with greetings, and Sam smiled slightly at the sound of her voice.
"Lafayette, Indiana," He informed her. "A guy named Scott Carey, but he's dead," He heard her let out a disappointed breath. "I'm heading there now,"
"I'm actually just a couple towns over from Lafayette," Sam's eyebrows furrowed in surprise and slight suspicion. What'd she been doing for the past week if she hadn't gone to the Roadhouse and hadn't been searching for others like them? "I'll get a motel room and text you the address," He nodded even though he knew she couldn't see him.
"Okay," He snapped the phone shut and began driving.
-1st person-
Jez drove me to a motel in Lafayette, Indiana, that happened to be only a half hour away from where she lived, which, I could tell, made her nervous. The motel was called the Blue Rose Motel, and, lucky for me, it had just one room left. I checked in and threw my black duffel onto the twin bed closest to the door.
"I should be leaving soon," I turned to face Jez as she spoke sadly. She hugged me tightly, and I wrapped my arms around her as well, unwilling to let go. "Be careful. Just promise me you'll be careful,"
"I'll be careful," I promised as she released me. We just stood there, looking at each other for a moment before she turned to go. "Jez," I called, causing her to turn back slightly. "I love you," She smiled back at me.
"Love you, too," Then the door shut, and she was gone. Four hours of crappy TV later, I heard a car pull into the parking lot in front of the room. I pushed the curtain aside slightly to see Sam was getting out of the busted up pick up truck that he'd probably stolen from some hillbilly. He knocked on the door, and I didn't hesitate in opening it.
"Mel," Sam whispered my name softly. I'm not sure who made the first move, but in the next second I had my arms wrapped around his neck tightly while his were around my waist, pressing me to him. I felt his face nuzzle into the side of my neck as we staggered a few steps back. We stayed that way for a few more moments before I finally pulled away, smiling widely. I had missed Sam so damn much. And Dean. His name brought a wave of pain that I had to work hard to suppress.
"Get changed," I got back to the problem at hand. "We'll go to Mr. Carey's house first. I was thinking we'd go as high school friends of Scott's-"
"Mel," I broke off, turning to look at him questioningly as I shut the door. "Slow down," I studied his face for a moment, my eyes narrowing.
"What?" I asked, and his brow furrowed in confusion. "You're not telling me something,"
"It's probably nothing, but I had Ash check the year your mom died. There weren't any others," I was surprised to find the news hurt. Sammy had more kids that were the same as him. He knew that. We'd found some. I could be alone. I could've been the only one. Why?
"Maybe none of their moms died in a house fire," I suggested, hope lining my voice.
"Maybe," Sam echoed, but I could hear the doubt in the word. He grabbed some clothes from his bag before heading into the bathroom. It took him ten minutes to change and get ready to leave. The drive to Mr. Carey's house was another ten minutes, so by the time we got there it was five in the afternoon.
"You said you went to high school with Scott?" Mr. Carey checked as we sat in front of him on the couch.
"Yes, sir," I answered, with a sad smile on my face. "We were friends. We just heard about what happened, and we had to come down. We're really sorry,"
"Scotty was a good boy," Mr. Carey began, looking down at his hands. "He changed a lot since you knew him,"
"What do you mean?" Sam asked.
"It started about a year ago with these headaches. Then he got depressed, paranoid - nightmares," The last word is what caught both Sam and my attention.
"Nightmares?" We echoed at the same time causing Mr. Carey to look at us with a frown. "What kind of nightmares?" I questioned, trying to cover for our over-eagerness.
"I don't know. He closed up on me. I tried to get him help, but nothing took. He'd just… lock himself in his room for days," Mr. Carey reflected, sorrow lining his voice.
"You think maybe we could see his room?" Sam asked him.
"Yeah," He answered after a long pause, getting up from the armchair he'd been sitting on. "Yeah, follow me," He led us to a door along the side of the hallway and opened it for us, flicking on the light. I glanced at his bookshelf, scanning the Stephen King novels that were stacked up before I made my way to his closet. I heard a rattle, which caused me to glance back at Sam to see him pocket one of Scott's pill bottles. I opened his closet and caught my breath as the images pasted on the wall behind the clothes caught my eye.
"Sam," I whispered, causing him to come to stand next to me as I moved the clothes out of the way. Eyes. A lot of them. They were cut out of magazines and colored in yellow. One particular pair caught my eye. This one was a whole woman cut out of a magazine, not just the eyes like all the other clippings. She looked strikingly like me aside from her bright yellow eyes that stared at me accusingly. Is that what I had looked like when I'd been possessed? The thought sent a shudder through me and I closed the doors to his closet, turning back to Sam. "We should go," He nodded, and we thanked Mr. Carey before heading back to the motel. We didn't talk on the car ride back, both of us just taking in what we had seen. Sam parked the car a short distance away from our room, and we began walking.
"Where have you been?" I glanced at Sam in surprise as he broke the silence. "You clearly haven't been hunting. You haven't been looking for answers. So where have you been?" I stayed silent, not sure how to answer. "What was so important…?" He trailed off, but I knew the ending. What was so important that I had to leave them.
"Jez," I told him, and his confusion and anger ebbed.
"You were seeing your sister?" He realized, a note of understanding entering his voice.
"I was saying goodbye to her," I corrected, and I heard a slight squeak from behind us as we reached our door. Footsteps. There were footsteps following us. I met Sam's eyes as he began to open the door. I waited until the footsteps were right behind me to whirl around, slamming the person against the wall with an arm against her throat.
"Who are you?" I snapped.
"Please. You're in danger," She begged in a high, airy voice, and Sam and I glanced at each other.
Twenty Minutes Later
"Okay, look, I know how all this sounds, but I am not insane, and I'm not on drugs," She defended herself as Sam and I listened. "Okay, I am normal, and this is way, way off the map for me,"
"Hey, hey, just calm down. Take a breath," I tried to get her to breathe and stop pacing so much. "Do you have a name?" I questioned, raising my eyebrows at her.
"Ava," She answered, taking a deep breath. "Ava Wilson,"
"Ava, I'm Sam Winchester and this is Melody Scott, all right?" Ava nodded at our introduction. "Now, you were telling us about these dreams of yours?"
"Oh, yeah, uh, okay, about a year ago, I started having these, like, headaches, and just… nightmares, I guess and I really didn't think much of it until I had this one dream where I saw this guy get stabbed in a parking lot," Sam and I glanced at each other. Scott Carey.
"And this was when?" I questioned.
"Uh, about a month ago, but anyway, a couple of days later… I found this," She rummaged through her purse for a moment before finding the crumpled article and handing it to us. It was the article about Scott getting stabbed. Sam took it from her, scanning it for a moment before looking back at Ava. "I saw this guy die days before it happened. I don't know why. I don't know. It's just for some reason, my dreams are coming true, and last night, I had another one,"
"Okay," Sam prompted, and she took another deep breath.
"About the two of you," She stopped moving and looked right at us then. A chill ran up my spine and a bad, mistrusting feeling twisted my stomach. "I saw you both die,"
"How did you find us?" I asked after a moment of silence.
"Oh, uh, you were carrying motel stationary, and I googled the motel and it was real, and so I just thought that I should warn you," Sam glanced at me again and let out a small chuckle.
"I don't believe this," He muttered. Neither did I. What were the odds that we go looking for one psychic only for another to drop into our laps.
"Oh, oh, of course you don't. You think I'm a total nut job," She threw her arms into the air as she walked a small ways away from us.
"No, no, no, I mean, you must be one of us," I winced at how bad that sounded.
"Sorry, one of - one of who?" Her eyes were beginning to narrow suspiciously.
"One of the psychics, like us," He gestured to me and him as he spoke. "Look, Ava, I have visions, too, all right? And Mel has abilities as well. So we're all connected," Ava started laughing.
"Okay, so… you're both nuts. That's great," This was pretty much how all our 'the truth is out there' speeches go.
"No, hey, all right. Did you're mother die in a house fire?" I questioned, wanting to see if she matched.
"No, my mother lives in Palm Beach," She exclaimed, not understanding what we were talking about.
"So she doesn't fit the pattern either," Sam muttered to me while Ava looked at us like we was crazy.
"Well, looks like we're going to be here for a while. I'm going to get some snacks from the vending machine," I turned to Sam. "I'll let you explain the rest," I patted him on the shoulder before heading out the door with the room key. As soon as I was out of earshot and vision I pulled out my phone and dialed, pressing it to my ear.
"Hello?" Her voice came through loud and clear, but, somehow, my voice didn't seem to work. "Hello?" The woman repeated, and I forced myself to respond.
"Ellen," Silence met my reply, and then...
"Mel. Where the hell are you? Dean's going out of his mind looking for you and Sam," She informed me, sounding angry.
"Yeah, listen. I need you to tell him we're in Lafayette, Indiana. At the Blue Rose Motel," I whispered as I fed the vending machine singles.
"Sam know you're telling me this?" I hesitated for a moment, glancing back at the motel room door.
"No, and he's not going to find out," I spoke confidently. "You can't tell Dean I asked you to call. It's just… we're in way over our heads,"
"You have a feeling," Ellen realized, and I swallowed hard.
"Yeah. I do. And it isn't a good one," I told her as I collected the three nutrition bars I'd just bought. "Just call him. Please,"
"Okay," She finally agreed. "And Mel..."
"Yeah?"
"Be careful," I frowned. Lately, everyone had been telling me to be careful.
"I will," I promised, snapping the phone shut and going back inside to Sam and Ava. I tossed Sam and Ava each a bar before opening one myself and beginning to eat it.
"Why can't you both just leave town, please, before you blow up?" Blow up? It took me a moment to figure out that that must be the way we die in her vision.
"We can't," I answered her, knowing it's what Sam wanted as well.
"Oh, God. Why not?" She asked, sounding annoyed with our stubbornness.
"Because there's something going on here, Ava, with you, with us. I mean, there are others like us out there, and we're all a part of something, and I've got to figure out what,"
"Okay, you know what? Screw you, buddy," Ava spoke directly to Sam now, and my eyebrows raised at her sudden anger. "And screw your girlfriend, too," I opened my mouth in protest, but Ava went on before I could. "Okay, cause I'm a secretary from Peoria, and I'm not part of anything. Okay? Do you see this?" She gestured to the ring on her finger. "I am getting married in eight weeks. I am supposed to be at home addressing invitations, which I am way behind on, by the way. But instead, I drove out here to save you and your girlfriend's weirdo asses," Again I tried to cut in, but she wouldn't let me. "But if you just want to stay here and die, fine," She stood and snatched up her purse as she finished. "Me? I'm due back on planet Earth,"
"Don't you want to know what's happening? Why it's happening?" My word's stopped her cold. "I mean, doesn't this scare you? Not knowing? If you walk away right now you may live the rest of your life never knowing," She turned to face me, and I could see my words were having an effect on her. "Look, we need your help,"
"Fine," She finally relented.
-SPN-
"So, Ms. Wilson, you're new in town?" I listened to the psychologist prompt Ava to begin the session. I was currently outside on the ledge that ran along the building's side. Sammy was to my left as we carefully moved across the building. This was one of the crazier things we've done. And that was in a long line of crazy things.
"That's right," She answered, her voice dripping with anxiety.
"And what made you decide to seek out therapy?" The psychologist questioned.
"I have no idea," Ava replied in a tense, strained voice. She was doing an excellent job of being anxious and jumpy like we'd told her, although I wasn't quite sure it was acting.
"No?" The therapist sounded bored.
"No, I mean, I'm feeling really, super… anxious right now," I approached the window that led into the room they were talking in as Ava replied to him.
"Okay, anything else?" I passed the window, going slowly so as to be sure I didn't slip. That would not be good. I reached the other end and let out a sigh of relief when I was out of view again.
"Holy crap!" I heard Ava's exclamation, and I grabbed Sam's arm, yanking him across the window before the therapist could see him. We staggered for a moment, trying to regain our balance before continuing to the room we wanted, which was the next one. It was open, thankfully, and we crept inside. I rummaged through the files for a moment before finding the one labeled Carey, Scott. I grabbed it, almost dropping the tape that was inside but catching it in time. We headed back down the building and to the car to wait for Ava, who only took a couple minutes more. The drive back to the motel was five minutes, and the entire time my mind was either on the tape or Dean.
"You alright?" I questioned as I saw Ava put a hand to her chest, breathing hard. Sam set the file down on the table before looking at her in concern as well.
"Am I alright?" I nodded, confused at the rhetorical question. "I just helped you steal some dead guy's confidential psych files. I'm awesome!" I laughed along with Sam at her adrenaline rush before Sam popped in the tape, and it began to play.
"It started a little over a year ago," Scott's voice started speaking. "Migraines at first. Then I found I could do stuff,"
"What do you mean, 'do stuff'?" Dr. Waxler questioned.
"I have this ability. When I touch something I can electrocute it if I want," My breath caught at what he was confirming.
"How do you know?" Dr. Waxler asked him, and I focused completely on the tape, trying to hear anything that might help.
"Did it to the neighbor's cat. It's insides fried up like a hamburger," There was a scrawling sound, like someone writing. "You don't believe me,"
"Well, I believe that you believe it," Dr. Waxler told him sensibly.
"Then here. Want to shake on it?" My mouth twitched at that. Whoever Scott had been, he'd been smart.
"Why would you want to kill the neighbor's cat, Scott?" Dr. Waxler, apparently, hadn't shaken his hand.
"I don't," He answered, and I heard the squeak of the couch as he leaned back. "He wants me to, and he doesn't want me to stop there,"
"Who?" I forgot to breathe as I awaited his answer.
"The yellow-eyed man. He comes to me in my dreams with a woman," Scott responded, sounding haunted.
"What else does the yellow-eyed man and the woman say?" Dr. Waxler asked him.
"He has plans for me. He says there's a war coming, and people like me - we're gonna be the soldiers. He says the woman is going to lead us into battle. Everything is about to change," Sam clicked the tape off, making me look at him with wide eyes.
"He's not talking about us, right?" Ava's voice was strained and scared.
"I think he is," I replied darkly.
"Well… but how can we turn into that?" Ava asked a very good question. Suddenly, I heard something strange. I had a moment to realize what the sound was before something fast flew through the window and embedded itself in the wall two inches to my right.
"Get down!" Sam pulled me to the ground, covering me with his body while Ava tried to make herself small in the corner behind the table. The glass of the second panel of the sliding door shattered loudly as Ava started freaking out.
"Oh my god, oh my god. What's happening?! Sam, Mel, who's shooting at us?" I got an idea and grabbed the leg of the table, yanking it to me and causing the thing to fall sideways, giving us more shelter. Sam began to move up from his crouch only to have me pull him back down.
"Don't," I whispered harshly, my ears still ringing from the shots. I'd been so focused on the tape, that my hearing had been enhanced, making the glass shattering ten times as loud.
"You do that to my brother or my girlfriend, I'll kill you!" My head snapped up at that sound, and I scrambled out of Sam's arms.
"What the hell are you doing?" Sam's arms wrapped around my waist tightly, pinning me to him.
"It's Dean," Sam's face twisted into confusion.
"What?" Was all he could come up with.
"It's Dean. I just heard him," Sam didn't let me up. "Sam, let me go. It's him!"
"You don't know that. It could be a trick," I froze, considering his point for a moment.
"It wasn't a trick," I was sure of it. It was really Dean.
"Just wait five minutes," Sam pleaded, and I reluctantly froze again, waiting. Five minutes passed and we made our way to the roof. It was deserted except for empty shells on the ground.
"Wait, I don't understand. Shouldn't we be talking to the cops?" Ava questioned as we walked cautiously across the roof.
"Trust me, they wouldn't do us much good," Sam told her as I picked up an empty shell.
"They're .223 caliber. That's subsonic rounds," Ava just stared at me uncomprehendingly. "It means he had to have put a suppressor on the rifle,"
"Who are you people?" Ava exclaimed, throwing her arms to the side.
"Oh, we just, uh - we just watch a lot of 'T.J. Hooker'," Sam covered for me as I dropped the shell, dusting my hands off on my jeans and standing.
"Who are you calling?" Ava asked, making me glance up at Sam, who had the phone pressed to his ear already. I'd told Sam what I'd told Ellen, and he'd seemed to accept it. He couldn't argue that we needed help.
"My brother. See how far away he is," Sam explained, and I opened my mouth to protest when Dean's voice answered the phone.
Hello? I opened and closed my mouth a few times before finally letting out a sigh of relief. He was alright.
"Dean," Sam replied.
Sam, I've been looking for you. Is Mel with you?
"I know you know we're in Indiana. How long till you get here?" Sam asked, ignoring Dean's question about me.
Actually I just got here. It's a real funky town. My eyes met Sam's, and my smile dissipated. Look, is Mel with you?
"Yeah, she's fine, but right now, there's someone after us," Sam told him.
What? Who? Dean questioned, but it sounded slightly strained. Someone had a gun on him. That much I knew for certain.
"We don't know. That's what we need to find out," Sam filled him in on the gunman that I was 90% sure had Dean tied up somewhere. "Where are you?"
I'm staying at 5637 Monroe Street. Why don't you two meet me here? He sounded calm, but I knew him better than that.
"Yeah, sure," Sam replied, snapping the phone shut.
"What is it?" Ava asked as Sam stowed the phone in his pocket, and I headed for the stairs.
"Dean's in trouble," I informed her over my shoulder.
"What?" Her and Sam hurried after me.
"He gave me a code word. Someone's got a gun on him," I heard Sam writing on the notepad he'd brought from the motel behind me.
"Code word?" Ava echoed in disbelief.
"Yeah. 'funky town'," I told her.
"How did you…" She trailed off as she remembered what I told her. "Right the…" She gestured to her ears as I glanced back at her with a raised eyebrow.
"Come on. We've got to go save Dean,"
-SPN-
-3rd Person-
"Gordy, I know me, Sam, and Mel ain't exactly your favorite people, but don't you think this is a little extreme?" Dean questioned Gordon from where he was tied to a chair in the middle of an abandoned, decrepit house.
"Oh, you think this is revenge?" Gordon asked, and Dean raised his eyebrows.
"We did leave you tied up in your own mess for three days," Dean chuckled as he said the words. "Which was awesome," He added, just to get under Gordon's skin. John had raised Dean, Mel, and Sam to act unafraid of their captors. It was one of his first lessons. "Sorry, I shouldn't laugh,"
"Yeah, I was definitely planning on whupping your ass for that," Dean nodded, knowing that they'd had this coming for a while now. "That's not what this is. This sin't personal. I'm not a killer, Dean. I'm a hunter. Your brother and your girlfriend are fair game," Gordon finished, jamming the ammo into the gun as Dean's face lost it's cocky smile.
"See, I was doing an exorcism down in Louisiana," Gordon started after he was done checking all the guns. "A teenage girl. It seemed routine. Some low-level demon, but between all the jabbering and the head-spinning, damn thing muttered something about a coming war. I don't think it meant to. It just kind of slipped out, but it was too late. It piqued my interest, and you can really make a demon talk, if you got the right tools,"
"What happened to the girl it was possessing?" Dean asked, already knowing the answer.
"She didn't make it," Gordon replied apathetically as he sat there with his rifle across his lap as if nothing was wrong.
"Well, you're a son of a bitch," Gordon stood swiftly and walked over to Dean, slamming his fist across the younger man's face and making Dean grunt.
"That's my mama you're talking about," Despite everything, Dean had to smile slightly at the man's comeback.
"Anyway, this demon tells me they have soldiers to fight in this coming war, humans fighting on hell's side. You believe that? I mean, they're psychics, so they're not exactly pure human. But still, what kind of worthless scumbag you got to be to turn against your own race?" Dean just stared at him, not saying a word. "But you know the biggest kick in the ass?" Gordon asked him, and Dean remained silent. "This demon said I knew two of them - our very own Sammy Winchester and Melody Scott," Dean started to laugh, shaking his head at his captor.
"Well, this is - this is a whole new level of moronic, even for you," Dean told him, trying to hide how scared he really was.
"Come on, Dean. I know about Sam's visions, Mel's hearing. I know everything," Gordon informed him matter-of-factly.
"Really? Because a demon told you?" Dean chuckled. "Yeah, and it wasn't lying,"
"Hey, Dean, I'm not some reckless yahoo, okay? I did my homework. I made damn sure it was true. Look, you got your Roadhouse connections. I got mine. It's how I found Sammy and Mel in the first place," Gordon walked back to his chair and sat down comfortably. "About a month ago, I found another one of these freaks here in town. He could deep-fry a person just by touching them,"
"Yeah, did he kill anyone?" Dean asked, his mind going to Mels and Sam in the motel room.
"Besides Mr. Tinkles, the cat, no. But he was working up to it. They're all gonna be killers, Dean. We got to take them all out, and that means Sammy and Mels, too," Gordon cocked the gun loudly, making a spike of fear shoot through Dean's heart.
"You think either of them are stupid enough to walk through that door?" Dean tried desperately to play his last card.
"No, I don't," Gordon's answer surprised him. "Especially since I'm sure you found a way to warn him," Gordon laughed at the fear that flashed across Dean's face. "You really think I'm that stupid?" Dean raised his eyebrows at the man in an obvious yes. "No, Sammy and Mels are gonna scope the place out first, see me covering the front door, so they're gonna take the back, and when they do, they'll hit the tripwire. Then…" Gordon went to his bag and took out a small hand bomb. "…boom," He finished.
"Sam and Mel aren't gonna fall for a frickin' tripwire," Dean spoke confidently, trying to throw Gordon off his game.
"Maybe you're right," Gordon agreed, rummaging through his bag for a moment before he pulled out another small bomb. "That's why I'll have a second one," Dean's cocky smile faltered as he realized what was about to happen. Sam and Mel were good, but not that good. They wouldn't check for a second. "Hey, look, I'm sorry. I wish I didn't have to do this. I really do, but for what it's worth, it will be quick," Gordon disappeared momentarily to set the tripwires, leaving Dean to his thoughts.
"What're you thinking about?" Dean glanced down at Mel, who was curled up in his arms, her head on his chest. He smiled softly down at her as he gazed into her hazel eyes.
"You. I was worried about you," He answered honestly, making her smile and turn her head to kiss his shoulder gently. "The guy that had you - did he…" Her eyes widened at what he was insinuating, and she propped herself up on her elbow to look at him, her chestnut hair spilling down her bare shoulders. His eyes were fixed on the ceiling as she studied his tight jaw and tense muscles.
"No," She told him truthfully, and his eyes snapped to hers. "No, not like that. Never," Dean let out a breath, his muscles relaxing. "Is that what you thought?"
"I didn't know what to think, Mel," He admitted. "When I found you-" Mel kissed him to stop him from finishing that thought. She remembered how he had found her. In a black lace bra and dark skinny jeans tied to a chair in Jared Bender's room.
"I'm okay because you found me, Dean. I knew you would," He looked into her eyes for a moment before smiling and kissing her, rolling them over so he was on top of her.
Dean blinked into the present as he heard Gordon come back. He tried to keep the thoughts of Mel at bay and focus on the problem at hand. That wasn't easy to do. He was exhausted. He'd barely slept seven hours total in the past week, and he was now feeling it intensely.
"Come on, man," Dean tried. "I know Sam and Mel, okay? Better than anyone. They've both got more of a conscience than I do. I mean Sam feels bad surfing the internet for porn, and Mel wouldn't hurt a fly,"
"Maybe you're right," Gordon conceded, not sounding at all like he was going to change his mind. "But one day they'll be monsters,"
"How? Huh?" Dean protested desperately. "How's a guy like Sam and a girl like Mel become monsters?"
"It beats me, but they will," Gordon spoke assuredly.
"No, you don't know that!" Dean's voice raised to a shout. The more he thought about it the more he became convinced they wouldn't find the second wire.
"I'm surprised at you, Dean, getting all emotional," Dean turned away from him, trying to reign in the fear that threatened to consume him. "I had heard you were more of a professional than this," That made him scoff. "Look, let's say you're cruising around in that car of yours, and, uh, you had little Hitler and… Queen Mary riding shotgun, right? I mean, they killed hundreds upon thousands of people. Not yet, of course, but you knew that they would. Now, they are just goofy children. You take them out," Gordon snapped his fingers for emphasis. "No questions, am I right?"
"That's not Sam or Mel," Dean told him without any note of doubt in his voice. Nothing Gordon could say would convince him that this was justified. And nothing would stop Dean from killing him if it worked.
"Yes, it is. You just can't see it yet," Dean glared at the arm that Gordon rested on his shoulder. "Dean, it's there destiny. Look, I'm sympathetic. Their your brother and your girlfriend. You love them. They're your family. This has got to hurt like hell for you," Gordon took something out of his bag and stood. "But here's the thing," He tied the gag tightly around Dean's mouth, ignoring the muffled grunts of protest. "It would have wrecked him, but your dad, if it really came down to it, he would have had the stones to do the right thing here. So, you're telling me you're not the man he is?" Dean just turned to give Gordon an icy glare.
-1st person-
I walked toward the old, decrepit building slowly, Sam following close behind me and holding the slip of paper in his hands tightly. I crouched to look through the window blinds and saw Gordon sitting with a rifle across his lap, watching the front entrance. Gordon. A rush of hatred made me shiver and stand again. I followed Sam to the back of the house and knelt down to pick the lock skillfully, opening it with a slight creak that made us freeze for a moment.
"You hear them?" I heard Gordon from the other room say in a quiet whisper. "Here they come," Sam threw his shoe at the tripwire, causing a bigger explosion than I'd thought. Sam turned, wrapping his arms around me to shield me from the flying debris. The dust settled, and Sam and began to walk in. "Hold on. Not yet. Let's wait and see," I caught Sam's arm as I heard Gordon speak again. My eyes dropped to the ground where there was a tripwire not two feet in front of us. I jerked my chin at it, and Sam and I backed up, throwing Sam's other shoe at it, causing it to explode loudly.
"You get Dean. I'll deal with Gordon," I nodded without questioning. I pressed myself to the wall next to the entrance to the second room as Sam prepared for the fight. Gordon looked at the shoe for a moment before turning to face me. I waved as he lifted the gun only to freeze when he felt the cold metal of Sam's gun pressed to the back of his head.
"Drop the gun," Sam ordered Gordon as I slipped into the other room. I untied Dean's gag hurriedly, throwing it unceremoniously to the floor.
"Are you okay?" I asked him, running my fingers lightly over the bruise that was forming on his left cheek before my head snapped to the side as I heard a thud followed by Sam's pained grunt.
"Go, make sure he's alright," I froze from where my fingers were about to begin working on his bonds. I heard another thud followed by a crash. I stood, running back to where I'd left Sammy and Gordon.
"You're no better than the filthy things you hunt," I heard Gordon say as he held the dagger up to plunge into Sam's heart. I grabbed the nearest object, which happened to be a wooden table leg and swung it into Gordon's head. He collapsed, dazed, onto the floor and I grabbed his gun, pointing it at him. "Do it," He muttered. "Do it!"He snapped furiously. "Show your boyfriend the killer you really are, Mels," I slammed the butt of the gun into his face, efficiently knocking him out.
"Damn that felt good," I confessed, glancing at Sam who laughed tiredly. I reached down my left hand to help him up, considering he'd broken his right one a couple months ago.
"Let's go untie Dean," Sam and I headed back, each of us untying one of his hands before moving to his legs. He stood, first gazing at my face intently and then Sammy's, his eyes growing darker, a look I knew all too well.
"Son of a bitch," He swore, starting towards where Gordon was knocked out.
"Dean, stop," I stepped in front of him, putting a hand on his chest to prevent him from killing Gordon.
"I let him live once. I'm not making the same mistake twice," Dean's voice contained fury but also fear.
"Trust us. Gordon's taken care of," Dean turned to face Sam as he spoke. "Come on," He pulled Dean by his jacket to walk in front of us. I paused as I passed an unsteady Sam, putting a hand on his arm to steady him.
"Are you okay?" He nodded tiredly, following me out the door. I walked between Sam and Dean away from the house but froze as I heard a gunshot. Reacting on instinct, we bolted.
"You call this taken care of?" Dean snapped at Sam and I angrily as we ducked behind a boulder for shelter. "What the hell are we doing?" Dean asked, glancing up occasionally to see how close Gordon was as I pressed my back against the rock.
"Trust us," I repeated Sam's words from earlier, looking at Dean. I felt a stab in my heart as he looked back at me. I'd missed him. "It's taken care of," I glanced down, breaking eye contact. I knew he was pissed at me for leaving. I didn't blame him. John had told me if I couldn't take care of them anymore I'd have no choice. I wasn't sure I could take care of them. What if I turned evil? What if I hurt one of them?
The gunshots were replaced with the screeching of tires as the police arrived. They began screaming at Gordon to get down on his knees, which I'm assuming he did, for I didn't hear any further gunshots. I glanced at Dean again to see him smiling widely at the scene that was unfolding before him.
"Anonymous tip," I told him, and I couldn't help smiling as he grinned at me in boyish excitement.
"You two are fine, upstanding citizens, you know that?" Dean joked, making me cover my mouth to stifle a laugh. We drove back to the motel, and Dean went outside to make a phone call while I cleaned up Sam's face.
"What're you thinking about?" Sam questioned, probably seeing my furrowed brow and tight lips.
"He was convinced we were going to turn into monsters," I muttered, tired of keeping my thoughts to myself. "So convinced that he would have killed us before we'd even done anything,"
"Maybe Dean's right," I glanced at Sam in surprise. "Maybe we won't. Maybe we can be saved,"
"Maybe," I agreed, though I wasn't quite sold on that.
"You have to talk to him, you know," Sam sounded slightly bitter about that fact, which made me frown in confusion at him. "Dean," He elaborated, mistaking the object of my confusion for who he was talking about.
"Yeah, I know," I told him softly while he hissed in pain as I drew the hydrogen peroxide wipe over his cut.
"Don't be a baby," I admonished him, making him chuckle before hissing again. I followed his gaze to the phone in his hands. "She'll call back, don't worry," I tried to ignore the bad feeling that twisted my gut. The door opened and shut, but I didn't look up. Sam stood, taking his phone before muttering something about going to get something to eat and leaving.
"Where were you?" Dean asked, breaking the heavy silence that had settled.
"Jez's," Clearly, that was not what Dean had expected me to say, for his eyes widened fractionally. "I was saying goodbye to her,"
"Look, Mel, what John said to me-" He began, but I cut him off.
"It wasn't just what he said to you," I admitted, knowing it was time I told him the truth.
"What?" He questioned, his brow furrowing in confusion. "Then what is it?"
"Before he died, when I saw him in the basement of that hospital, he told me something, too." I took a deep breath, looking at Dean while trying to hide the pain these words were causing me. "He said that if I couldn't take care of you and Sam anymore, I'd have to leave,"
"Screw dad," My eyes widened at his answer. "He had no right to say that,"
"Dean, if I become a monster-" I argued, but he interrupted me.
"You're not going to become a monster," Dean told me, sounding so sure that I almost believed him.
"Not according to John. Not according to Gordon," My words grew more and more heated as I went on. "You don't know that I won't become a monster,"
"I do," I glanced up as I heard him come closer. He came to a stop in front of me and rested his hands on either side of my head, gazing into my eyes intensely. "I won't let you. So Dad and Gordon and every other bastard who thinks you're going to turn evil can go screw themselves. I know you. You still yell at me when I speed. You care about every single life we save. There's no way in hell you're going to turn evil. I won't let you," I slammed my lips against his, feeling his hands drop to my waist as my arms encircled his neck, pressing me against him tightly. For the first time in a long time, I felt completely safe.
An awkward cough behind us caused us to break apart and turn to face Sammy, who was standing there with his hands in his pockets. An array of emotions were displayed on his face, awkwardness, discomfort, but there were other, darker emotions that I couldn't decipher.
"Are we making you uncomfortable, Sammy?" Dean asked, his tone teasing and amused. Sammy just rolled his eyes, glancing down at the phone in his hands.
"Everything okay?" I asked, frowning and stepping out of Dean's arms when I saw the worry on Sam's face.
"Yeah, I hope so," Sammy muttered, seeming to be preoccupied as Dean slipped his arms around my waist.
"I'm going to put my stuff in the car," I told them, knowing Sam and Dean needed to talk, and I needed to make a phone call. I walked outside, throwing my duffel in the car before flipping out my phone and dialing the number.
"Hello?" Maxwell's voice came through the line loud and clear, and I felt a wave of relief. I hadn't spoken to him since we dropped him off at the train station, and I'd been meaning to call.
"Hey, Max," I greeted him and suddenly frowned as I heard a noise in the background.
"Who is it?" The words were slow and groggy, and my eyes widened as the realization hit me like a ton of bricks.
"Is that Jo?" No answer. "Does Ellen know?" I heard his sigh.
"No," He replied, and then his voice grew muffled, as if he were covering the end of the phone with his hand. "No one. Go back to sleep," He then returned to the phone. "What'd you want?"
"I just wanted to check up on you. Make sure you're okay after Ellen kicked you to the curb," I told him.
"Well, isn't that sweet," I rolled my eyes at his teasing voice.
"Shut up," I muttered. "Fine. Next time you get kicked out of the place you'd been staying, don't expect a phone call from me," I joked, hearing him protest. "Look," I continued, not wanting to waste time getting off track. "I just wanted to make sure you were fine. Not doing anything unusually stupid,"
"I'm touched by your concern, but Jo and I are fine," He replied, and I could hear the smile in his voice. "Are you?"
"Am I what?" I asked, not understanding the question.
"Are you okay?" He questioned.
"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" I glanced back to see Sam and Dean coming out of the motel room. "Listen, I have to go. Take care of Jo. And take care of yourself,"
"Will do," He agreed. "Same to you, Sam, and Dean," The line went dead, and I snapped the phone shut.
"Who was that?" Sam asked.
"Max. I wanted to make sure Jo was with him," I explained my reason behind calling him. As soon as Sam had told me Jo left Ellen, I'd had a suspicion she'd found Max. I just wanted to confirm the suspicion so I could stop worrying. During the H.H. Holmes job, I'd begun to think of Jo as a little sister of sorts, and that feeling hadn't quite vanished even two months after the job.
"We're going to Peoria to check on Ava," I nodded my head immediately; I'd been having a bad feeling about her ever since she left. Dean pulled out the keys only to have me take them from his hand.
"I'm driving," I announced, unlocking the driver's door and hitting unlock for the boys. Sammy got in as Dean began protesting. "Dean, you're exhausted. You can sleep during the drive," I pointed out. "And I'll stop for cheeseburgers," I added, smiling slightly at the change in Dean's face.
"Oh, god, yes," He kissed me lightly before going around to the driver's seat. The drive only took half an hour, so I agreed to stop for cheeseburgers after we checked in with Ava. I pulled up in front of their house and parked, trying desperately to ignore the horrible feeling that was twisting my gut.
"Hello?!" Dean called as we flooded the kitchen with light from our flashlights. "Is anybody home?" There was no response, and I kept moving down the hallway until my beam landed across something so horrid that I had to take a step back.
"My God," I whispered, causing the two boys to come to stand next to me. Something by the windowsill caught my eye, and I moved to look at the yellow powder that lined the windows. "Sulfur," I announced, holding up my yellow fingers. Despite everything, I felt relieved at the discovery. It meant Ava didn't do this to her fiancee.
"The demon's been here," Dean agreed, and I glanced back at Sam, who was leaning down to pick something up and hold it out in front of him. My breath caught as I realized what it was. Ava's engagement ring.
"Ava," Sam murmured her name. One thing was overwhelmingly clear: Ava had been kidnapped by demons. As I looked at Sam a chilling question came to mind: where we next?