Hello, everyone! Thank you so much for any reviews, favorites, etc. Even if you just read the chapters it makes me happy :) Oh my gosh! I have a Warning: Dean cusses in this chapter, but it's nothing that hasn't been on the show. Without further ado...
Audrey
I guess the things will never be the same
But I must forget that she is gone
Cause time goes by and life goes on.
It's been kinda tough these last few days
trying to act normal and be gay
It's not easy to be all alone
but time goes by and life goes on
-Life Goes On, Johnny Cash
Sam couldn't even hear Audrey crying over the overwhelming noise surrounding them, which is probably why he didn't notice the giant branch that flew out from behind them and knocked out his brother.
It wasn't until he grabbed the handle to the big double doors of the extravagant library that he turned and realize Dean wasn't right behind him. "Dean?" He shouted frantically. "Dean!" His eyes widened when he saw his brother unconscious on the front steps. "Oh, God." Sam didn't know how to go about taking care of Dean and keeping Audrey safe while that tornado was looming closer and closer. Every second he took thinking about a plan, though, the twister was gaining on them.
Suddenly, he felt the ornate handle that he was still touching push towards him. Sam looked back and saw a woman inching out the door towards him. "Hand me the girl!" She yelled, holding out her arms. "It's okay." Sam looked once more between his brother and his daughter, finally handing the girl with the tear-filled eyes to the nice lady.
Crouching down, he shook Dean. "Wake up!" Sam shoved Dean a little, but it was no use. "Come on, dude, don't make me carry you." But the older man didn't budge, and Sam was forced to sling him carefully over his shoulder. Steadying himself with the railing, he walked slowly towards the doors and his daughter, the wind threatening to pull him to the ground any moment.
"That's it," The woman encouraged him until he reached the carpeted interior of the building. Another lady, who Sam hadn't seen before, shut the door loudly, stopping to catch her breath.
"Place him in here, dear." The first woman said, Audrey sniffling in her arms. She directed him to the innermost room of the building, and the safest, Sam guessed. The strange moans of the approaching storm surrounded the group, and Sam placed Dean on the flowery loveseat shakily just as the tornado seemed to die down right outside the entrance to the library.
Sam felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see both older women watching him with kind eyes. "What's your name, honey?" The older of the two asked.
"I-I'm Sam. This is my daughter, Audrey. And that's-"
"Dean." The lady holding Audrey answered, handing the quiet baby over to him. "I love children..." She said quietly, tickling Audrey's stomach. "I could just eat you up, you're so adorable!" Sam laughed uncomfortably.
"Pardon us," The elderly woman crooned. "I'm Dolores and this is my friend, Luna. We're librarians here." Dolores finished her sentence by holding out both arms dramatically, gesturing toward the baren and pasty white walls of the staff room. Luna made a sideways glance at Dean and motioned towards the door with her head.
"Why don't we get your friend some water?" Dolores hurried out after Luna, leaving the three Winchesters alone.
Sam sat on the floor, Audrey exhausted and sleeping in his arms, with his back to the couch. Sighing, he closed his eyes and rested his head on the couch.
..ooOOoo..
"Hana?"
"No."
"Abbothy?"
"No!"
"I got one: Crystal Hope."
Sam looked up from Baby Names For Dummies and answered gravely. "I would never wish a name like that on my daughter."
Jess smiled. "I know that. Neither would I." She stared down at the book in her lap, sighing and setting her hand on her growing stomach.
She never thought baby names would be such a big ordeal. Ever since they'd found out the baby was going to be a girl, the couple had been pouring over every book they could find to help them name her. Jessica's parents weren't very helpful. Her mother wanted her granddaughter to be named after her- Matilda. And her father wanted her to be named Beatrice. Honestly, could they come up with anything normal? She had no clue what was going on in Sam's side of the family. He'd requested somewhat shyly that his brother and father weren't to be invited to the shower.
Sam slammed his book shut with finality and pushed it away from himself, like a young child declining their steamed broccoli. "You know what?"
"Hm?" Jessica looked slightly amused by her husband's outburst.
"Screw the baby names."
Jess laughed in surprise. "What?"
"You heard me. Who needs the baby names? We haven't even met the kid yet and somehow we're going to miraculously manage to find the perfect name for her?"
Jessica thought for a minute, playing with a curly strand of blonde hair. She was over the baby names, too."Yeah, sure." She chuckled. "Why not?"
Sam nodded and sat closer to his wife, putting his arm around her shoulder. Jess snuggled closer and Sam put a hand on her stomach. "Guess you'll just be our little mystery baby." He whispered softly. Jessica covered his gentle hand with her own smaller one.
Sam smiled and leaned in for a long kiss, Jessica's protruding tummy pressing against Sam's. The books lay forgotten on the floor.
..ooOOoo..
"Sam! Sammy!" Sam jumped awake to his frantic brother's face inches away. Dean's green eyes were wide as he backed up.
"Where are we?" He spoke through gritted teeth, eyeing the room and rubbing his head gingerly. "My head's killing me."
Sam shook his head to wake himself out of his dream. "W-we're in a library. Let me see your head." He handed Audrey to Dean, and she let go of her father reluctantly. "It's not too bad." Sam informed, inspecting the large bump forming on his brother's hairline.
Dean nodded, sitting back down on the couch, the girl still calmly snuggled into his chest. "You were talking in your sleep, Sammy. You still having nightmares about Jess?" He waited expectantly for an answer but Sam said nothing.
"Sam..."
The younger hunter didn't answer. He didn't need to burden his brother with his own miseries. He wasn't a cry baby. "I'm waiting." Dean interrupted Sam's thoughts.
Sam sighed. "Look-"
"Alright, sweetums! Here we go..." Dolores stopped in the doorway, the tray trembling in her hands.
Sam stood up quickly. "Here. Let me." He took a step towards her but she held up one hand, eyeing Dean.
"You're awake." She stated softly, her voice almost inaudible. Dean nodded slowly.
"Well, would either of you boys like some tea-"
"The tornado!" Luna barged in, out of breath and holding up a radio almost as old as her. "There was only one fatality. God bless the poor woman, but that thing sure did look dangerous..." Audrey woke up and began crying again, hungry and tired, her face wrinkled and red. "We better get out of your way," Sam sighed, standing up. "Thank you. So much. Really."
Dolores smiled sweetly. "Oh, it was no problem, I assure you." Sam nodded and the two women stepped out of the way so the threesome could pass. Luna's eyes widened slightly as Dean passed, and Dolores whispered something in her ear, but neither brother noticed.
Luna nodded a quiet good-bye at Dean as he pushed open the double doors to the library. Sam took in the landscape in front of him: Debris was everywhere, as were people, milling around and inspecting the damage of their community. Sam adjusted Audrey on his hip as they descended the steps and turned back to wave at the two women, but they had already holed back up in their sanctuary of books.
"Oh my god! Poor baby!" Dean's voice shocked Sam out of his trance as he looked from a perfectly fine Audrey to his older brother. But the hunter's gaze didn't lead to any small children, including his own niece. Dean walked ahead, breezily past throngs of people towards his car parked on the opposite side of the littered park. There were tree branches all over the car, but luckily, no windows were broken. "Oh, baby..." Dean repeated, stroking the chipped exterior and clearing the debris of his car. He fished for his keys and unlocked the doors just as Sam caught up. He frowned, knowing Dean would not be in a good mood the rest of the day.
The vehicle roared to life as he turned the key in the ignition, and the comfortable, low key vibration of the powerful engine soothed both brothers a little.
Dean kept shaking his head as he carefuly maneuvered the cluttered and busy roads, biting his lip in thought.
"What's up?" Sam questioned. "Somethin's been on your case ever since we left the library."
Dean glanced at his brother. "That lady."
"Dolores?"
"No, no. The other one." He added.
"Luna?"
"Yeah, Luna. She looks... I dunno, familiar." Dean didn't take his eyes off the road, his grip on the wheel viselike. Sam shrugged, trying to picture the old woman in his head again. Finally, he gave up. "Not me. Never seen her before in my life."
Dean tilted his head to his side annoyedly, not ready to let go of this so easily. "You sure?"
"Positive."
The rest of the ride back to the motel was spent in silence, Dean pondering his Luna-related deja vĂș, Sam considering the odds of the one-fatality freak tornado having to do with whatever was going on in town.
"You know what I think?" Sam stated. Dean was silent, and Sam sat quietly waiting for an answer.
"Not a psychic..." Dean finally responded, half-annoyed. Where had he seen Luna before?
"This thing- whatever it is- it's targeting individual people. With weather."
"Captain Obvious,"
Sam ignored his brother's remarks. "So, there's gotta be some specific creature..." He resumed staring out the window. Both jumped as an object flew into the windshield and fell to the dashboard.
"Audrey..." Sam turned to face the girl in the backseat, holding up Zeppy the dog. "No throw-" Sam stopped suddenly. Audrey was dead asleep in the backseat- and not alone.
"Hey!" He screamed, flipping back around and grabbing his gun. He pointed it to the right of Audrey and cocked it, but before he could impulsively pull the trigger, it flew out of his hands and dropped on the floor with a heavy clunk.
Dean glanced up into the rearview mirror. "Son of a bitch!" He yelled, losing his focus on the road. With a flash, the stranger was gone, but neither brother had time to stop and think. Sam panted heavily as he faced the front.
"DEAN!" He warned. Dean swerved and Sam unbuckled quick as a flash, crawling quickley towards the rear, half in the front seat still and half in the back to protect Audrey from the unavoidable tree in the road.
"Hold on, Baby." He whispered to his sleeping girl. She was just sleeping, right? "Hold o-"
As the Impala skidded and collided into the oak tree, the father's arms were shielding his daughter. Onlookers screamed as the ragged car and it's inhabitants folded into the great oak like an accordian.
So, that's it for now... I'll post another chapter next week! I hope the chapter was okay and you liked it! Thanks for reading!
