Chapter 4
Sam and Leah had been running for the better part of an hour when Leah suddenly stopped, gasping for breath. Leah's legs buckled and she fell to her hands and knees. Her muscles felt like they had been turned into jello and set on fire.
"Oh my god!" Leah exclaimed hoarsely as she gulped down air.
"Has it finally worn off?" Sam panted, stopping beside her.
"Oh yeah…it's definitely worn off," Leah said as she continued to gasp for air. Sam knelt beside her and offered her a bottle of water. Leah raised a shaky arm and took the bottle from Sam. Sam then took hold of Leah's shoulders and guided her back until she was sitting Indian style.
"I'm gunna call Dean to come and get us," Sam said before standing and reaching into his pocket. Leah reached out and grabbed Sam's pant-leg before he could press the call button.
"I'm ok Sam…I can walk back," Leah told him, her breathing finally slowing.
"Are you sure?" Sam asked with concern as he lowered the phone.
"I'm sure…just give me a minute to rest," Leah reassured him before taking a sip of water. Sam nodded his head and placed his phone back in his pocket, before lowering himself to sit next to Leah.
They sat in silence for a minute or two before Sam broke the silence, "Leah, can I ask you something?"
"You just did," she replied with a grin. Sam let out a breath of laughter and shook his head. Leah also let out a soft laugh before saying, "Yeah, go ahead."
"Before…when Dean freaked out…something happened to you." Sam looked over Leah's face, trying to gage her reaction. Leah's smile fell and her eyes glinted with recognition.
"You were surprised when Dean jumped you, but then you got this far away look in your eye," Sam described, and Leah responded with a sigh.
"That…that is a little difficult to explain," Leah said as she searched her mind for the most accurate way to describe what happened. Sam simply waited patiently for Leah to begin, sensing that it was a difficult subject for her.
"The best way I can describe it is…It was like…" Leah struggled to put her experience into words, until a thought hit her.
"Ok…You know when you can visualize a memory in your mind?" Leah asked, to which Sam nodded.
"And you know how really vivid memories come with more than just a picture in your head…like a smell or a sound," Leah continued, watching Sam as he seemed to fish through his own memories for one that fit her description.
"Yeah, you get a whiff of the person or place like you're actually there," Sam explained, confirming that he understood.
"Yes, exactly…Now take that feeling of recalling a vivid memory, turn it into a really bad memory, and times it by ten," Leah said with a nervous laugh. "It's like the memory just invades your mind and tries to make itself real…Like it's trying to force you to relive it," she explained solemnly.
"Leah, that sounds like a PTSD flashback," Sam said, worry and sympathy plastered on his face.
"Yeah, it does…though I've never actually been diagnosed," Leah told Sam nonchalantly before standing up.
"I think I'm good to walk now, you wanna head back?" Leah asked casually, as if their previous conversation never happened. Sam, still sitting on the ground, chuckled and sighed.
"What?" Leah asked with a smile pulling at her lips as Sam continued to chuckle to himself. He lifted himself off the ground and stood beside her before saying, "It's just that Dean does the same exact thing. Now I can kinda see why you relate to him the most."
"What 'exact same thing'? And when did I tell you that I relate to him the most?" Leah asked her genuine curiosity turning into embarrassment. Sam chuckled again at Leah's horrified expression before replying, "You told me during your sugar high, among other interesting things. You don't remember?"
"If I'm being honest, it's all a bit of a blur…Wait, what other things?" Leah demanded, the horror returning to her face, which only made Sam laugh more.
"Come on, let's head back," Sam said with a smile as he started walking.
"Sam! What other things?" Leah called as she hurried her pace to catch up with his long strides.
Leah and Sam returned to the motel just as Dean was leaving to get dinner.
"Hey, it's Lance and the Flash!" Dean greeted with a chuckle. Both Sam and Leah rolled their eyes as they approached Dean and the Impala.
"So, has it worn off? Or do we have to buy a hamster wheel," Dean said with a grin.
"It's definitely worn off…Now if you'll both excuse me; I'm going to go die," Leah said with an exhausted sigh, before walking past them to their motel room.
"Uhh, you'll have to save the dying for later. There are some questions you need to answer," Dean informed her as she walked past him. Leah stopped and turned to face him.
"Fair enough, but can I at least get cleaned up and eat first?" she asked with another sigh.
"Yeah sure, I'm going to grab us some grub right now," Dean said as he opened the door to the Impala. Leah gave a grateful nod, then turned and continued towards the motel room door.
Once Leah entered and shut the door behind her, Dean turned to Sam with an expectant look.
"So?" Dean asked expectantly.
"So what?" Sam replied as he too made his way to their room.
"Did you get anything out of her while you were out being Lance Armstrong?"
"Biking," Sam corrected.
"What?" Dean asked confused.
"Never mind…and no I didn't 'get anything out of her', at least not what you'd expect."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Sam paused for a moment and contemplated whether he should tell his brother or not. With a heavy sigh, Sam told Dean, "I think Leah has PTSD."
"Post-traumatic stress," Dean said in disbelief, to which Sam nodded.
"Did she say from what?" Dean asked solemnly.
"No, but I'm guessing someone abused her, because it was triggered when you pinned her against the wall," Sam explained, his eyes showing sadness and sympathy, while his voice showed agitation and disgust towards whoever had done this to Leah. Dean sighed and rubbed his forehead in shame.
"Shit," Dean swore under his breath.
"Don't beat yourself up man, you didn't know," Sam spoke softly, trying to reassure his brother.
Leah stepped inside the motel room and shut the door behind her, leaning against it for a moment. She then heard a flutter of wings and felt a gust of wind. Leah lifted her head from the door and wasn't surprised in the least to see Castiel standing there awkwardly. Leah smiled at him and pushed herself away from the door.
"You were always one of my favorite characters," Leah told him, with a wide, content smile.
"Why is that?" he asked with genuine curiosity.
"…Lots of reasons. Sam and Dean teaching you about humans and free will, is simultaneously hilarious and beautiful," Leah told Cas with a proud smile. Castiel's eyes shone with amusement as he opened his mouth to speak, the corner of his mouth turning up ever so slightly.
"Yes, Dean is often amused by my confusion when it comes to humans," Cas agreed with his typical deadpan tone. Leah giggled as she began to walk past the angel to the bathroom.
"Hey Cas…" Leah called softly, standing in the bathroom's door way.
"Yes Leah?" he replied, turning to face her.
"Just so you know…Sam and Dean love you like a brother. If you ever need help or advice, it won't matter what's going on or where they are, they'll come. They'll always be there for you, just like you're always there for them."
Castiel pondered her words for a moment before replying, "Thank you, Leah. I will try to remember that."
"Good," she said with a smile, and then closed the bathroom door.
About thirty minutes later, Leah stepped out of the bathroom, her hair still wrapped in a towel. Dean smirked. "Nice hat," he commented as she walked towards the beds, where all three of them sat.
"Thanks, I made it myself," Leah said as she sat on one of the chairs they'd brought over from the kitchen. Sam grinned at Leah's unfazed retort while he handed her the bag of food Dean had brought back. She quickly dug through the bag and pulled out a paper-wrapped hamburger and a cup of fries.
"So, McFly, you ready to tell us what's gunna happen?" Dean asked before popping a fry into his mouth. Leah rolled her eyes at his new nickname for her.
"Ya I guess…But you're not going to like it," Leah warned before swallowing the bite of burger she'd just finished chewing.
"Be that as it may, we still need to know," Dean replied, not surprised in the least that he wasn't going to like what she had to tell them.
"Ok then…For starters, the colt is useless against the devil," Leah began, observing their disappointed and frustrated expressions.
"What a surprise…" Dean commented bitterly.
"Are you sure?" Sam asked, a bit hopeful she'd say 'no'.
"Pretty sure…Dean shoots him in the head with the colt but he gets back up. Then he says, and I quote, 'There's only five things in all of creation that that gun can't kill, and I just happen to be one of them'," Leah finished with a forced smile. Both brothers look to Castiel, who was looking quite convinced.
"It does sound very likely," Cas told them with equal disappointment.
"Helen and Jo also die," Leah added sadly.
"Well there goes that plan…anyone else got any bright ideas?"Dean asked, frustration building in his voice.
"Actually…I kinda have one," Leah offered cautiously.
"What is it?" Sam asked hopefully.
"You're not going to like it either," Leah told them sympathetically as she prepared to tell them about the rings. Sam, Dean, and Cas braced themselves for what Leah was about to say. Each of them knew it wasn't going to be good. After all, it never is with them. But Leah was determined to find a way to save everyone, including Sam. At this point, she no longer cared if this was real or not, because she had a chance to make a difference this time.