Dawn – chpt 9
by: sifi.
--
"Where's my razor?"
"Here," Dean rinsed his and handed it behind the shower curtain, "Are you sure you're okay to travel Sam? I mean Bobby's telling everyone to get there by the weekend and the doc didn't exactly seem to WANT us to leave just yet anyway," he wiped the spots of shaving cream from his jaw and neck.
"Believe me he wants us gone, and I'm fine to sleep in the car," Sam answered softly, "And since when are you inclined to agree with a doctor?"
"Since you're still sporting a hundred and two fever that's when... tell you scared the crap outta me last night dude," he frowned and whipped the wash cloth into the sink, "Man this sucks! I want a freakin shower!"
"There's gotta be a rubber band somewhere around here, just relax and I'll find you one," Sam stepped from the shower with what the hospital considered a 'body' towel barely closing around his lean hips.
Dean did a double take as his little brother stood there grinning with a surprisingly thick patch of almost black whiskers on his chin, just under his lower lip.
"Dude..." Dean chuckled, "You uh, missed a spot."
"What'd'ya think? Yes? No?" the youngest Winchester asked gently shoving his big brother aside so he could check out the look.
"Seriously?" Dean leaned back and took a good look, "Not bad Sam. Not bad."
"Leave it?" Sam asked, "Shave it? What?"
Dean shrugged, "Leave it, what the hell right? Least till you get sick of it."
Sam shrugged, re-rinsed the razor and stuck it into Dean's bathroom kit, "Thanks. Why don't you start scrubbing up and I'll see..." he stopped, stooped at the garbage can and pulled out an empty bag,
"Gimme," he carefully wedged a hand towel into the top of the cast then pulled the bag all the way up to Dean's armpit and tied it into a firm knot, "There you go, no rubberband required... just be careful with it."
"Hmm Professor Peabody strikes again, thanks," he nodded.
Sam smiled dropping a hand onto his shoulder, "I'm gonna go get dressed and lay down till the guys get here."
Frowning Dean pressed his hand to the flush on his little brother's cheek, "You're still on fire Sam."
Wearily the young hunter nodded, "Feel like crap, and with those dreams last night... I couldn't tell if they were dreams or visions," he watched his brother nod despite his worried expression, "But I can feel like crap at Bobby's just as well as here."
"Yeah."
"Hey Dean?" he asked halfway back into the hospital room and watched that eyebrow arch expectantly before shaking his head with a faint smile, "Nevermind."
He looked into the fevered eyes behind him in the mirror, "I wish I knew Sam."
--
"So she gets there a day or so before us, Bobby said he's almost completely set up, he said the sidhe have been driving him crazy, like they're really on edge," he shook his head and huffed, "Damn man, we're actually gonna get to meet real living sidhe..." he breathed.
"Don't bet on it youngun, just cause they live around Bobby's and aren't afraid of him doesn't mean they're gonna be sitting back sipping beers with us...so, what's your point now?" Shep asked stomping into his boots.
"I don't know, seems like she shoulda just stuck with all of us, so it woulda been a three car convoy instead of two, big deal...and after yesterday y'think Dean's not gonna ask why she didn't go say g'bye?" he shook his head, unable to shake the feeling that something was off, maybe even more than it'd been yesterday with the woman.
"She wanted to get an early start Tom, girl like that, nothing's gonna get under her skin," the older hunter sipped his coffee.
"So she was perfectly fine once you got back here? Is that what you're saying old man?" Tom asked wryly.
"Yeah, that's what I'm sayin'. She took a shower, irrigated the wounds and basically crashed as soon as I brought out that old 'story time' voice..." to his pleasant surprise as soon as the words, 'story time' left his mouth Tom grinned and yawned hugely.
"Man that's not fair!" he yawned again then finally shook it off.
Shep half tossed his head back with a laugh, "What's your point?" he watched his nephew pack up the last of their gear and tried not to lose himself in memories.
--
"...alright sweetie, you guys just take your time on the road okay? Make sure you both take your antibiotics alright? Don't go skipping 'em just cause you feel better, in the end it'll only..."
"I know, I know... don't worry Sam and I've both had to take 'em before y'know, we'll be fine and we've got Shep and Tom with us," Dean chuckled into Sam's cell.
"I know... sweetie I'm sorry..." For so much, I never meant to cause you any pain sweetheart, can you ever forgive me? she took a shaky breath as her eyes fixed on the turn off she'd just missed, Son of a bitch... damnit! Way to screw up again stupid. As the sound of Dean's voice caressed her from inside.
"Say again?" she sighed throwing her turn signal on and starting to slide into the right hand lane to reach the next turn off. As she moved, she didn't see the white van flying pell mell up the lane behind her, leaving all the other traffic behind it at a seeming stand still.
The horn blared angrily and the van jerked unsteadily to the right as it zoomed past her, the driver flipping an angry bird as she veered back into the center lane with her heart and head pounding.
"What the hell was that?" he asked.
"My fault..." she checked over her shoulder and this time made it safely into the right hand lane, her foot lifting slightly from the accelerator as her belly flipped.
"Laura?" he said sternly.
"Huh?" she breathed wanting nothing more than to lean her head back, close her eyes and retreat into the dark bliss of sleep. Better not even think about it or someone ELSE'll wind up dead because of me... 'and we wouldn't want that now would we sis?' Morgan's voice taunted as it occasionally did whenever she felt buried by deeds, rather than outcome.
"I said, I don't like that you're going alone, especially not when you can feel that thing, you don't know if it can use you the same way or not..." he tried to coax, "...and you're not exactly at the top of YOUR game either... you need time to rest and recover a little too y'know."
"Dean I'm fine," Liar, "but if we want everyone protected those wards have to be in place and there's only so much the sidhe can do, I have to be the one to draw..." Shhhstupid! "to finish the incantation. Besides I'm not going to do anything taxing, just driving," she smiled, Not that it really matters, he's probably right, if I can feel IT, it's probably gonna ride me right on through the wards and kill everyone anyway, maybe they shouldn't go there.
"...tell me that? Please?" he asked.
"Huh?" she questioned taking the wrong off ramp and turning away from the on ramp that would put her back in the right direction, "Shit! Son of a bitch!" she cursed. Way to screw up YET AGAIN! Dumbass!
"What is it?" he asked.
"Nothing, just made a wrong turn, AGAIN, look sweetie, give me a call later when you guys get on the road or get settled for the night. Just be careful with yourselves okay? You're the best things I've got," her lips trembled with the words and her sinuses started to sting, a sure sign that tears were going to come if she didn't get her mind back on the road, "Love you Dean, so much..." she sighed, "talk with you later," she barely choked out and hung up before he could reply, yeah as if he would!
--
Dean opened his mouth to say goodbye just as she severed the line leaving him in the chair with a scowl on his face, "Me too..." he muttered sliding the phone closed before returning it to Sam's jacket pocket.
"How was she when she left this morning?" he asked looking at Tom and Shep after scrubbing his face with his good hand.
Both men shrugged, "A little blah, but mostly okay," Tom admitted, "Why?"
"I dunno..." Dean admitted, "just sounds kinda... distracted? Down?"
"Look I wasn't wild about her going on her own this morning either, but she's a grown woman and she knows what's at stake," Tom squeezed the elder man's shoulder then motioned to Sam sleeping soundly in his bed, "You wanna wake him?"
"Not really," Dean shook his head, "Kid needs some rest," he moved to the side of the bed and sat down, his hand gentle and warm on his little brother's left shoulder, "C'mon Sam, time to go."
Tom and Shep made sure they each had a copy of post release care instructions from the doctor for each of the boys, as well as the antibiotics and wound dressings they'd need along the way.
For a man of empirical science who did his level best to accept that there were creatures out there that had never been quantified, Dr. Fitzgerald hadn't been particularly sad to hear these boys were leaving. Though releasing them this quickly and in their still less-than-optimal conditions went against everything he knew it meant to be a physician, he wished them well in their quest, and wondered if he was doing them or even the rest of the outside world a favor. He had, after all, heard some of the things they'd been talking about.
"Uhngh?" Sam grunted as Dean swept a fresh layer of sweat from him.
"Yeah I know... c'mon we'll get you settled into the back seat, fold those knees up into your chest and you'll be all good to go," the big brother smiled softly, already sliding one of his little brothers' arms into his jacket, "Boy if this don't bring back the memories..." he sighed feeling a whisper of nostalgia for those days that seemed so long ago, back when he could still hope that his little brother could be innocent just a little longer.
"Hmm gonna be late for school again huh?" Sam muttered smiling loosely, "You weren't very good with the alarm clock," he slid the jacket the rest of the way on and nodded at Tom and Shep who stood patiently waiting.
"Who needed an alarm clock? You never slept past the ass crack of dawn anyway... less you were sick..."
"True," he smiled groaning as he rose from the bed.
"Interesting look for you Sam... kinda reminds me of daddy-bear," Shep nodded upon noting the bristly patch.
"Felt lazy today," he smiled then looked between the three men, "So who's riding with who?"
"We haven't exactly figured that out... it makes sense to have one of us ride with each of you," Tom nodded.
"But," Dean interjected, "We're safer together," he waved between himself and Sam.
"But if that THING is out there looking for you both, then having y'all traveling together is a bit of the eggs all in one basket if you know what I mean..." Shep explained.
"Mmm," Sam half nodded, "Well, no offense to you guys, but me'n Dean know what we're up against... sorta... and we'll be damned if we're gonna put YOU at unnecessary risk by splitting up. You got stops plotted along the way?" He asked.
"Yep, we figured y'might feel that way," Tom handed him a sheet of paper with a dozen locations between Ohio and South Dakota listed. "We'll use those as definite checkpoints in case we lose sight of each other. The two motels are where we'll meet up tonight and then tomorrow night. And of course we've got the cells," he nodded.
"Boy you think we don't know what could be at stake here? I don't give a rats ass that your daddy's been put to rest," Shep stepped up, "You think for one instant he wouldn't gather his bits back together to come kick our asses if we let something happen t'either of you?"
"Yeah and if something happens to either one of us when we're with either one of you, do either of you think you could forgive YOURSELVES?" Sam questioned nearly overbalancing as he slung his bag over his good shoulder.
"AND even more important, if something happened to us and you guys were with us, then who the hell are we gonna count on to come save our mangy butts?" Dean pointed out, his smile containing just a hint of bobble-headed silliness.
"Boy are you doped up?" Shep examined his eyes closely.
"No," he assured.
"Neither of you is in top condition little man," Tom protested taking the bag from Sam so he didn't wind up on his behind, "Best you can figure that THING manipulated that cop to nearly crash into you, AND shoot you, and I gotta remind you about the fibbie?"
"No," Sam shook his head, "Listen, it wants us bad enough it'll get to us as it gets its strength, the best thing we can do is get to Bobby's quickly."
"Look no offense to either of you," Dean nodded, "Me and Sam separating... it feels wrong, makes my guts do funny things... y'know? Like shotgunning a twelve pack on beans and weenies night...uhhhhg..." he shuddered.
Both men's lips curled at the prospect then turned their eyes to Sam, "What about you?"
Sam nodded with a distasteful smirk on his face, "Yeah, pretty much the same feeling," he curled his lip in thought, "Course it could just be the whole feeling like crap thing too," he shrugged, "Either way I do agree with Dean."
"Okay, we'll ride behind you. If we get separated, or if anything starts to feel 'off' use the phone, if you're gonna pass a checkpoint call and let us know, same if you need to stop," Shep took hold of Dean's bag rather than watching him struggle with it so stiffly.
"Fair enough... and likewise... it knows you're with us, it could see you both as an obstruction to get through so don't go thinking you're exempt," Dean admonished as they stepped into the elevator.
--
There were other tastes it remembered as it drew strength from this strange world, these were less pungent here among these creatures, but it was similar enough to remind it of home.
It was a bitter taste, hot and sour, and there were people it lived inside, there were hitch hikers in human skin, it could use them, it could guide them if only it could regain enough strength. It would steer them toward the Champions' beacon of golden light.
Another tendril snaked toward the racing Champion and Chosen, striving to gain access to their hearts where it could search for weaknesses on the inside while it continued to nurture its revenge within the emissary.
--
tbc.
Please R&R.
Thanks.
sifi.