The whole situation seemed so familiar somehow. Albeit with the players in different roles. Dean closed his eyes and let his mind wander, back to a time when he had not a care in the world and the notion that there was anything bad in the darkness was still only in stories.
Stroking Morgan's back idly, Dean could remember curling up with his mother in much the same way. Laying along her chest and twirling his fingers in the soft curls of her long hair, he would fall asleep in her arms and be soothed by the gentle melody she would hum. His throat tight and tears stinging the back of his eyelids, Dean sighed and pulled his thoughts away from a past he longed for on more occasions than he dared admit.
"Ashes, ashes."
"Huh?" Leaning his head back and peering down at Morgan, Dean tried to make out her whispered words. "What are you singing, honey?"
"Ring rosie." Morgan replied quietly.
"What?" Dean gasped.
Morgan raised her head and smiled up at him merrily. "My friend taught me." She explained matter-of-factly.
Watching her in confusion and dread, Dean was then aware of the lights around them flickering once more and a shiver ran up his spine.
"They're here!" Morgan announced happily and pushed herself up onto her knees, turning towards the kitchen and her face lighting up.
Flinching as the small child's weight rolled down towards his wounded leg, Dean reached up to take her shoulders and try and move her. Before he could stop her, she quickly turned onto her stomach and slid down to place her feet on the floor. "Wait! Morgan? Where are you going?"
"To see my friends." Morgan shrugged, stumbling towards the lounge door.
"No!" Dean grabbed the back of the sofa and pulled himself upright. Groaning with the effort, he swung his legs over the side of the cushions and hissed in pain as his feet met the carpet. Morgan had already reached the door by the time he managed to ease himself up onto his good leg and he hopped after her, clenching his fists and forcing himself onwards.
Unable to catch up with her quickly enough, Dean gritted his teeth and halted his clumsy hop. Placing his weight on his injured leg, he stumbled forward and grunted as his knee gave beneath him. He somehow managed to keep his balance and quickly adjusted his stance, knowing he had to hurry.
"Morgan! No!" Dean yelled in panic, seeing her disappear into the kitchen and towards the back door. Each alternate step, pressing his weight into his torn leg muscles, was agony and he was sweating with the effort as he reached the kitchen and saw the back door hanging open.
ooooo
Finding Lena laying across the double bed, huddled on her side and crying softly, Emma sighed in dismay and hurried into the room. She clambered onto the bed and leaned down over her niece, trying to envelop her shaking shoulders.
"Em …?" Lena whispered, rolling back a little into Emma's hold.
"I know, honey … I know."
Lena hiccuped on a sob and shook her head slowly. "I should never have stopped taking those meds …"
Emma groaned softly, "They're not good for you, honey."
"And all of this is?"
"This would have happened even if you had not foreseen it."
"You don't know that." Lena husked, "What if, by knowing the future, I am steered towards it?"
Emma closed her eyes and hugged Lena against her. "I don't think it works that way." She stroked her hand along Lena's arm and swallowed back tears. "Believe me, honey, if there was any way we could have saved you from all of this … your daddy and I would have done it."
Fresh tears rolling down her cheeks, Lena nodded. "I know." She sniffed wearily and reached up to place her hand over Emma's. "God, I wish he was here …"
"So do I, baby." Emma agreed in a whisper.
They held each other for a few moments and then both groaned in frustration and dread as the lights flickered ominously.
"Shit, I wish they would stop doing that!" Lena grumbled hoarsely, sitting herself upright and wiping her wet face with her hands. "What do they want from us?"
Emma shrugged a reply and slid down from the bed. Making her way to the bedroom window and peering down into the darkness of the garden, she then heard shouting from downstairs and spun towards the sound.
Lena heard the panicked voice from the hallway and scrambled quickly from the bed. Her heart in her throat, she ran out onto the landing and peered down the stairs. "Dean?"
Dean was hanging onto the kitchen door-frame, only barely keeping his balance and panting loudly. He flicked his head up at Lena's voice and his face was filled with pain and dread. "It's Morgan." He breathed, "She's gone outside."
Aware of her aunt following close behind her, Lena galloped down the stairs and jumped over the last few. Sliding on the thin hallway runner, she somehow managed to keep her footing and hurried past Dean.
Stumbling out of the open kitchen door, Lena gasped in horror and stared at the small group of ghoulish children that had gathered around her daughter. "Morgan!" She screamed and ran out into the snow.
"No! Lena!" Emma flew from the house and grabbed her niece around the waist, pulling her back.
"Let me go!" Lena cried, struggling against the small woman's tight grip. "Morgan!"
Morgan was oblivious, laughing and singing with the strange apparitions. She seemed not to hear her mother screaming her name and danced merrily with the circle of children.
"Sam!"
Struggling to hold Lena back, Emma heard Dean's desperate cry and glanced back towards the house. She gasped as she suddenly noticed the huddled figures slumped against the side of the house. Frowning, she then realized that Sam was lying limply in Bobby's grip, his pale-grey face full of terror.
"Bobby!" Emma yelled hurriedly, seeing the scruffy hunter look up at her quickly. "I might be able to help him." She saw him nod in understanding and watched in dismay as he carefully laid Sam's listless form down in the snow before hurrying over to Emma.
"Take her." Emma ordered, relinquishing her grip on her distraught niece only when she was sure Bobby had secure hold of her.
Bobby grabbed Lena and nodded behind him towards Sam, "It was the Acheri. They seemed to curse him somehow."
"I'll do what I can." Emma nodded, chancing a quick look towards the group of children laughing and playing together with Morgan.
"Sammy - " Dean gasped, struggling out of the back door and limping painfully along the side of the house. He sank down beside his brother, his wounded leg folding easily under him and causing a quick sob of pain. He shook his head in disbelief as he reached out trembling hands towards Sam and nudged his shoulder urgently.
"Let me take a look." Emma ordered, kneeling down beside them.
Sam was barely breathing. His lips were icy blue and his eyes shadowed. Emma leaned close to him and could hear his faint rasping. Placing her hand against his cheek, she gently opened his eyes and could see the clouding over his dilated pupils.
"Em?" Dean whispered, gripping his brother's shoulder tightly.
Emma nodded quickly and got to her feet. "I think I know what this is."
Dean closed his eyes and groaned wearily. Sliding closer to Sam, he tried to gather his brother into his arms but could not quite manage to lift him and huddled over him with a sob. His heart thumping loudly in his ears, he looked across at the Acheri demons and glared in anger. Now aware of Lena's desperate cries, he echoed the fury in her voice and made a silent vow to destroy the lot of them.
"Morgan!" Lena sobbed, trying to prize herself free of Bobby's grip. "Baby, come back!"
Suddenly one of the child demons turned and met Lena's angry glare with icy calm. "She is one of ours now."
"No!" Lena husked, "Why?"
The child smiled thinly. "It is only fair."
"What?"
"For each of ours, we take from you. Tit for tat." The girl replied evenly. And the children all started to hum together, their voices growing louder as the words began.
"Hush a bye baby, on the tree top. When the wind blows the cradle will rock. When the bow breaks the cradle will fall. And down will come baby, cradle and all."
"NO!" Lena cried, watching the children skipping happily away from the house and Morgan being swept along with them. "Morgan!"
As the group disappeared amid the forest trees at the far end of the garden, Lena's strength deserted her and she fell to her knees. Unaware of Bobby crouching down with her, she was nonetheless grateful for the gentle presence behind her and she leaned back against him.
"We'll get her back." Bobby offered quietly, "But we have to be careful. Make sure we know what we're dealing with."
Lena nodded slowly and closed her eyes. "I can't lose her."
"We won't let that happen. I promise." Bobby stated, turning to look towards Sam and groaning in dismay as he saw there was no change.
"Sam?" Dean gave his brother a gentle nudge and watched for a response, groaning in dismay as none came. "Sammy?" He was then aware of Emma hurrying back out from the house and turned to watch her return.
"Here." Emma held out a bunch of dried herbs and flowers and ignited a cigarette lighter under the posy. The burning leaves sent a thin plume of white-grey smoke into the air and she angled the posy to increase the flame. "Lift his head."
Struggling to lean down closer to his brother, Dean slid his hand under Sam's neck and raised his head up from the snow. He watched in concern as Emma wafted the smoke from the burning leaves under Sam's chin.
"Come on." Emma cooed quietly, "Breathe."
Dean held his breath and looked on anxiously as Sam seemed to make no response. He then saw the smoke dragged towards Sam's mouth with his next weak inhale and Sam shuddered slightly.
"That's it. Take it in." Emma prompted softly.
Sam gave a slight gasp and closed his eyes.
"Sammy?" Dean urged, glancing worriedly at Emma.
Emma nodded in reassurance and wafted the smoke closer once more. This time Sam gave a loud wheeze and arched his neck, struggling to catch his breath.
"Em? What's wrong?" Dean demanded angrily, swiping her hand and the burning posy away from his brother.
"It's okay." Emma soothed, "Give him a second."
Suddenly reaching desperately, Sam's hands flailed out and he grabbed hold of both of their arms and pulled against them. He choked and coughed, his face gaining more color as Emma moved forward and helped him sit upright. It took a moment for him to calm and he was shaking as he looked between his brother and Emma in confusion and relief.
"Sammy?"
"Yeah." Sam managed hoarsely, coughing and clutching at his dry throat. "I'm okay." He turned to Emma and managed a thin smile. "Thanks."
"You're welcome." Emma sighed, sinking back onto her heels.
"Dean? Your leg." Sam then urged.
Dean looked down at his leg, twisted beneath him awkwardly. Blood had oozed through the bandage and dripped onto the snow, tainted almost black from the salve that covered the wounds. "It's nothing." He shrugged.
"Nothing, my arse." Emma scoffed, shaking her head.
Turning towards Emma, Dean's face was sombre and he glanced at Lena. "We have more important things to worry about."
Sam followed his brother's gaze and frowned in concern. "What happened?"
"The Acheri took Morgan." Emma replied quietly.
Gasping slightly, and regretting it as he coughed dryly, Sam turned to Emma. "You know what they are?"
"Yeah." Emma sighed, "I've seen them before."
"You have?" Dean echoed, "When?"
Emma closed her eyes and frowned, seemingly troubled at the memory. "A long time ago …" She shivered and took a deep breath before looking back up at them. "When I was a child."
"Really?" Sam enthused.
"Every child has nightmares, right?" Emma continued in a whisper, "Thank god most of them don't know just how real they are …"
"Mmm." Dean nodded slowly, "I guess all of us had our eyes opened at some point." He glanced at Sam and sorrow flashed behind his eyes. "But somehow it's so much worse when you're a child."
"Absolutely." Emma agreed quietly. "It was horrible … but … I had my dad to protect me." She saw the two brothers flinch at the mention of her father and caught the pain that crossed their faces for the briefest of moments. Sniffing back tears, she gave a small nod and suddenly smiled. "And I think I can remember how he destroyed them."
- tbc -