Author's Note: Thank you all for your reviews! I know the last part of that chapter was so rushed, but complications occurred and I lost the final thousand words, let's just say it didn't bode well with me.
Winchester and Cain
Chapter 6 – Skin
Valkyrie's P.O.V
I sighed in relief when Dean pulled the car up outside a petrol station, I got out the car and stretched gratefully. Dean and Sam got out the car also and we leant against the large bonnet of Dean's car. "Alright, I figure we'd hit Tucumcari by lunch, the head south – hit Brisbee by midnight." Dean said, I nodded in agreement: it was a good driving strategy, sometimes being in that car for hours on end was tiresome. Sam didn't respond, he just stared at the stone chips on the concrete ground, I frowned at him in worry: he had been silent since the entire car journey. It was unnerving. "Sam wears woman's underwear." Dean piped up, he had been getting more and more irritated by his brother's silence.
"I've been listening, I'm just... busy." Sam looked up and peeked at what he was doing o his phone, he was checking his emails, scrolling down through them.
"Busy doin' what?" Dean asked, squinting at his brother through the bright sunlight.
"Reading e-mails." He answered truthfully, Dean got up from the bonnet and walked over to the petrol pump, proceeding to fill up his car.
"E-mails from who? " I asked him, Sam looked up at me.
"From my friends at Stanford." He answered, I nodded slowly.
"You're kidding," Dean scoffed as he put the pump back in it's holster, "You still keep in touch with your college buddies?" He asked.
"Why not?" He asked.
"Well, what exactly do you say to them?" I asked him, "You know, where you've been, I mean – you can't exactly tell them what you've been doing for the past few weeks." I continued.
"Well I tell them I'm on a road trip with my big brother and a friend, I tell them I needed some time off after Jess." He told me, and I softened.
"Oh." I murmured.
"So, you lie to them?" Dean piped up.
"No, I just don't tell them... everything." Sam trailed off and looked away from his brother's gaze.
"Yeah, hate to break it to you Sam, but that's called lying. I mean, hey, I get it: telling the truth is far worse." I told him with a glare.
"You're just saying that because you're still sore that you told us that you used to be a world-killer and I didn't cough up my secret. Anyway what am I supposed to do, just cut everybody out of my life?" He asked, Dean wandered back over to us whilst my eyes narrowed into slits at the taller Winchester, Dean shrugged and Sam's eyes widened, "You're serious?" He spluttered.
"Look, it sucks, but in a job like this, you can't get close to people. Period." Dean answered in a hard tone and I nodded in agreement.
"He's right, you know. Even in my old world – I barely had time for my family, let alone friends." I told him.
"You're both kind of anti-social, you know that?" Sam responded, Dean and I exchanged a look and shrugged simultaneously.
"Yeah, whatever." Dean muttered, but Sam wasn't paying attention to us, his gaze was zeroed in on his phone again.
"God..." The younger Winchester murmured, and I looked over to him.
"What?" I asked.
"In this e-mail from this girl, Rebecca Warren, one of those friends of mine." He explained.
"Is she how?" Dean piped up, but Sam and I ignored him.
"I went to school with her and her brother, Zach. She says Zach's been charged with murder, he's been arrested for killing his girlfriend. Rebecca says he didn't do it, but it sounds like the cops have a pretty good case." He continued.
"Dude, what kinda people are you hanging out with?" Dean asked in amazement and I edged a smile.
"No, guys. I know Zach – he's no killer." Sam denied.
"Well, maybe you know Zach as well as he knows you." I quipped, Sam whipped around and narrowed his eyes at me, but I gazed evenly back at him.
"They're in St. Louis, we're going." He said, Dean chuckled, much to my surprise.
"Look, sorry 'bout your buddy, ok? But this does not sound like our problem." Dean hedged, Sam looked up at his brother and shook his head.
"It is our problem. They're my friends." Sam said in a stubborn tone.
"St Louis is four hundred miles behind us, Sam." Dean argued, Sam bored his eyes into his brothers and Dean sighed and walked over to the car.
"Wait, you can't be serious?" I groaned.
"Get in the car, Steph." Dean ordered, I rolled my eyes and slunk into the backseat, "Aren't we gonna pay for the petrol?" I asked as we drove away.
"With what money?" Dean asked, I shrugged and stared out the window at the lack of scenery. Driving was dull.
It took us the rest of the day, but we eventually pulled up in front of a white typically American looking house, a girl with white-blonde hair with light brown eyes answered the door, she broke into a huge grin when she saw Sam. "Oh my God, Sam!" She exclaimed in a cheery tone.
"Well, if it isn't little Becky." Sam responded, smiling down at the girl.
"You know what you can do with that little Becky crap." She grinned wryly at Sam before enveloping him in a hug.
"I got your e-mail." Sam said, his tone going deeper with an apologetic tone, they stepped out of the hug and she nodded slowly.
"I didn't think you would come here." She shrugged and gave a sad smile, Dean sudenly stepped forward and held out his hand.
"Dean. Older brother." He introduced himself, giving a sideways smirk and a flirty gleam in his eyes. I rolled my eyes at Sam and he shrugged: like it was normal for his brother to do this.
"Hi." Rebecca said as she shook his hand.
"Hi." Dean gave her a wide smile, showing pearly teeth.
"And who's this?" Rebecca said, looking around Dean and at me.
"I'm Stephanie." I gave her a small smile and she returned it.
"Well, hi." She said and my smile grew wider.
"Hey." I returned.
"Well, now that's out the way, we're here to help. Whatever we can do." Sam explained as Rebecca turned back to him.
"Come in." She held the door wide open and we walked through to the living room.
"Nice place." Dean commented as he looked around the room.
"It's my parents'. I was just crashing here for the long weekend when everything happened. I decided to take the semester off. I'm gonna stay until Zach's free." She explained.
"Where are your parents?" I asked.
"They live in Paris for half the year, so they're on their way home now for the trial..." She trailed off and looked down at the floor, she cleared her throat and walked into another room, "Do you guys want a beer or something?" She called from the other room. Dean chuckled and gave a smile.
"Hey-."
"No thanks." Sam cut him off, Dean hit him on the shoulder and I sighed.
"So," I said as Rebecca walked back into the living room, "Can you tell us what happened?" I asked, she pulled a face as she sat down on a sofa.
"Well, um, Zach came hime, and he found Emily tied to a chair. She was beaten up bloody, and she wasn't breathing," She broke off and took a deep breath, looking back up at us with tears in her eyes. "So, he called 911 and the police – they showed up, and they arrested him. But, the thing is, the only way that Zach could've killed Emily is if he was in two places at the same time. The police – they have a video, it's from the security tape from across the street. It shows Zach coming home at 10:30, now, Emily was killed just after that. But I swear, he was here with me, having a few beers until at least after midnight." Rebecca explained as a few tears ran down her cheeks.
"You know, maybe we could see the crime scene – Zach's house." Sam said, laying a hand on Rebecca's shoulder.
"We could." I nodded as she looked up at us.
"Why? I mean, what could you do?" She asked, doubt clouding her teary eyes.
"Well, me, not much. But Dean and Stephanie? They're both cops." Sam replied, and Dean chuckled next to me.
"We're detectives, actually." He corrected.
"Really?" She asked, looking at Dean and I in disbelief, I nodded convincingly at her, "Where?" She asked.
"Well, I recently transferred from Dublin, Ireland to join Dean in," I paused and edged a smile, "Let me see if I can get this right." I lied with a smile, trying to remember a state that we'd been to recently.
"3, 2, 1 and you lose, Steph," Dean stepped in, sensing my discomfort, and looked at a very confused Rebecca, "It's a game we play to try and get her to remember the states, we're from Brisbee, Arizone. Although we're both off-duty now, obviously." He explained smoothly, Rebecca nodded in understanding and gave a kind smile.
"You guys, it's so nice to offer, but I just – I don't know." Rebecca hedged, I shot a glance at Sam and gave him a silent signal for help.
"Bec, look, I know Zach didn't do this. Now, we have to find a way to prove he's innocent." Sam gave the girl a wide eyed, pleading stare and Rebecca softened.
"Ok, I'm gonna go get the keys." She nodded and walked out of the room, my smile disappeared when she was out of earshot.
"Oh my God that was close," I sighed in relief and looked at Dean, "Thanks for the hand in, Dean. I was completely frzozen on a stupid name for a state." I smiled and Dean shrugged.
"Yeah, well, I know from the start you've never been able to wrap that head of yours around the places, Sweet-cheeks." He grinned mischievously and I fought down the urge to hit him. I failed. "Ow!" He moaned, rubbing his arm with a forlorn look on his face. Sam chuckled and Dean silenced him with a death glare, "What are you laughing at, huh? Some friend picker you are, a real straight shooter." He seethed, Sam rolled his eyes at Dean's comment.
"Look, Zach and Becky need our help." He tried once again to convince us but I shook my head sadly at the taller Winchester.
"Dean's got a point, I don't think this is our kind of problem." I told Sam gently, but Sam narrowed his eyes as he looked down at me, with me being so tall for my age it was an odd feeling.
"Two places at once? We've looked into less." He argued, I sighed, defeated and looked at a family picture of Rebecca and another man who looked to be a little younger than Sam: Zach, I had no doubt.
"Right, are you guys ready to go?" Rebecca asked as she walked back into the living room, her keys in her right hand.
"Err, yeah. We'll follow behind you." Dean smiled at her and she nodded happily.
"Great." She grinned.
"You sure this is ok?" Rebecca asked as we we met her outside Zach's house, she glanced at the house uneasily and then looked back at Dean and I.
"Yeah, we're officers of the law." Dean gave Rebecca and assuring smile. We walked up into the house in silence and opened the door, ducking under the police tape that lined the house, blood was smeared on the walls, like someone had tried to paint over the house.
"Bec, you wanna stay outside?" Sam called to the girl, I looked back and saw Rebecca standing outside on the porch, biting her lip and fiddling with her hands, she caught my eyes and a sudden look of determination spread across her face and she shook her head.
"No, I wanna help." She answered and ducked under the police tape, her eyes darted around and looked at the blood coloured on the walls.
"Tell us what else the police said." I asked her, her gaze snapped back to mine and she swallowed a lump in her throat before replying.
"Well, there's no sign of a break-in. They said that Emily let her attacker in. The lawyers – they're already talking about plea bargain," She suddenly sobbed uncontrollably, "Oh, God..." She murmured, trailing off as she looked around the red splattered room.
"Look, Bec, if Zach didn't do this, it means someone else did. Any idea who?" Sam asked her, stepping forward and looking at her sympathetically, Rebecca shook her head but then bit her lip.
"Um, there was something, about a week before. Somebody broke in here and stole some clothes – Zach's clothes, the police: they don't think it's anything. I mean, we're not that far from downtown, sometimes people get robbed," She paused and the sound of a dog barking angrily filled the silence, Dean and I walked to the front door and looked out, the neighbour's dog was leaning up on the fence snarling at us, rage in it's brown eyes. "You know, that used to be the sweetest dog." Rebecca told us as she came up beside us and stood with us watching the angry animal.
"What happened?" I asked, looking at the blonde girl.
"He just changed." Rebecca shrugged.
"Do you remember when he changed?" Dean asked her, glancing at me.
"I guess around the time of the murder." She answered, my eyes widened and I raised my eyebrows at Dean. We left Rebecca standing in the doorway and saw Sam looking at the photo's scattered about on the mantelpiece, one had fallen on and broken, I crouched down and picked it up carefully, placing it on the shelf next to the others.
"So, the neighbour's dog went psycho right around the time Zach's girlfriend was killed." Dean told Sam as I positioned the photo carefully.
"Animals can have a sharp sense of the paranormal." Sam murmured, his mind clearly on something else.
"Yeah, maybe he saw something." I nodded.
"So you guys think maybe this is our kind of problem?" Sam asked us, turning away from the photo he was looking at.
"No, probably not." Dean shook his head, Sam looked away, crestfallen, "But we should look at the security tape." Dean added.
"You know, just to make sure." I added, Sam looked back at us, I saw him trying to fight a smile edging the corners of his mouth.
"Yeah." He agreed, the smile winning and springing up on his face.
"Yeah," Dean echoed, quietening down when Rebecca approached us, "So, the tape. The security foortage – you think maybe your lawyers could get their hands on it, 'cause neither me or Stephanie have that kind of jurisdiction." Dean asked her.
"I've already got it," Rebecca said hesitantly, glancing at Dean and I uneasily, "I didn't wanna say something in front of the cops." She admitted, Dean chuckled and I grinned, "I stole it off the lawyer's desk. I just had to see for myself." She explained.
"Sounds fair." I nodded and looked at the two boys, "So, we ready to leave?" I asked them, they nodded and we left the bloody scene in silence, I shot the photos one last glance and sighed inwardly.
"Here he comes." Rebecca said, pointing at the screen we were all watching, we were watching the security tape on Sam's laptop in Rebecca's living room, the tape showed us Zach entering his house.
"22.04, that's just after ten. You said the time of death was about 10.30." Dean said, noticing the time stamp on the corner of the screen.
"Our lawyer's hired some kind of video expert. He says the tape's authentic, it wasn't tampered with." Rebecca answered with a sad sigh.
"Hey, Bec?" Sam looked away from the screen and at the girl, "Can we take those beers now?" He asked, I frowned: Sam was trying to get her to leave the room, and it worked – Rebecca nodded and got up and walked towards the door, "Hey." Sam called over to her and she turned, "Maybe some sandwhiches, too?" He asked, and she scoffed.
"What do you think this is, Hooters?" She smirked and then left the room.
"What's Hooters?" I asked in confusion.
"Never mind, Steph," Dean chuckled and then looked at his brother, "What is it?" He asked. Sam tapped the mousepad so the video paused, then he rewound it back forty-two seconds.
"Check this out." Sam told us, we watched the screen as Sam pressed play, one of the frames showed Zach looking up at the camera, his eyes were flashing silver, Sam pressed pause and the screen froze on Zach's wicked smile and fiendish silver stare.
"Well, maybe it's just a camera flare." Dean shrugged, but looking at how... corrupt and evil Zach looked made me do a double-take.
"I don't think so, it's not the usual camera flare you'd expect to see." I said, looking up from the screen and at Dean.
"You know, a lot of cultures believe that a photograph can catch a glimpse of the soul." Sam stated and we both looked at him: how does he know these things?
"Right." Dean scoffed and rolled his eyes.
"Remember that dog that was freaking out? Maybe he saw this thing. Maybe this is some kind of dark double of Zach's, something that looks like him but isn't him." Sam looked up at us, silently hoping one of us would take his side.
"What, like a doppelgänger?" I asked, looking back at the screen again.
"Yeah, it'd sure explain how he was in two places at once." Sam shrugged.
I was glaring at the back of Sam's head as we drove to Zach's house, it was 5.30 and the sun hadn't even risen yet, we had researched and gone to bed less than two hours ago, only to be woken up by Sam. "Alright, so what are we doing here at 5.30 in the morning?" Dean asked as we pulled up slowly behind the house so we wouldn't be spotted by suspicious neighbours.
"I realised something: the videotape shows the killer going in, but not coming out." Sam answered as we got out of the car, I clicked my fingers and conjured a flame, letting it sit in the base of my palm. I looked over at Dean and saw he was staring at the fire with awe flickering in his eyes.
"Hey, Sammy?" I asked as we stood by the car watching the sky lighten up as the sun slowly rose.
"Yeah?"
"You still didn't explain why we were doing this after we only went to bed at 4." I gave him a tight smile.
"Well Steph, I thought that if we did this at this time then less people would be around to see us snooping around a crime scene that we're not allowed to be around." Sam told me, giving me a pointed look.
"Oh." I replied.
"Yeah."
"Anyway," Dean broke the silence by clearing his throat, "He came out the back door?" He asked his brother, leaning against the car.
"Right. So, there should be a trail to follow – a trail the police would never pursue." Sam nodded.
"Because they think the killer never left," I cognized, putting the pieces together, and they caught your friend Zach inside..." I trailed off as the sun burst through the skyline, illuminating everything with a soft warm shade reminding me of the marigolds that my Mum grew at home. "I still don't know what we're doing here at 5.30 in the morning." I complained, letting the flame in my hand die out, Dean chuckled and we walked over to the house, searching around the back of the house in silence.
"Blood." I heard Sam say, I turned and saw he was looking at a nearby telephone pole, in the light I could see a dark crimson staining the metal.
"Somebody must have come this way." I said, giving Sam a grim look.
"Yeah, but the trail ends, I don't see anything over here." Dean spoke up, I opened my mouth to reply but was cut off by a loud, wailing siren. An ambulance rushed past us with it's lights flashing and it's siren blaring out the distress call, it rounded the corner and was lost from sight, the sound could still be heard in the distance. I looked at Dean and we exchanged a look. Then, at an unknown signal, the three of us broke into action and ran back to the car, speeding away after the vehicle.
We found the ambulance a few streets away, several police cars had joined in on the scene, the flashing of the lights may have looked pretty, but the several policemen emerging from the house with a man with a bloodied face ruined it spectacularly. "What happened?" Dean asked a nearby witness.
"He tried to kill his wife. Tied her up and beat her." The witness told us, shaking her head sadly.
"Really?" Sam asked her, she turned around and looked at the three of us in turn.
"I used to see him going to work in the morning," The woman sighed as the police put the man in the car, "He'd wave, say hello. He seemed like such a nice guy." She turned back around, Sam and I exchanged a glance as the police cars drove off.
We waited until the ambulance and the bystanders had cleared away, then we broke into the house and looked around it, Dean had taken up the job of questioning the patrol man, whilst Sam and I searched the inside and the outside of the house. I sighed after finding nothing of use inside the home, I spent five minutes staring at the bloody bedroom and broken parts of furniture that were thrown around it. I met Sam outside and saw the same look of disappointment on his face that matched mine, "Find anything?" I asked as I neared him, the younger brother shook his head.
"No, nothing, how about the inside?" Sam responded.
"Just a bloody crime scene, same as the last." I answered with a sigh.
"Hey." Sam and I turned and saw Dean walking over, "Remember when me and Steph said that this wasn't our kind of problem?" Dean asked and Sam and I nodded simultaneously.
"Yeah." We answered in unison.
"Definitely our kind of problem." Dean nodded.
"What'd you find out?" I asked him.
"Well, I just talked to the patrol man who was first on the scene, heard this guy, Alex's story: apparently the dude was driving home from a business trip when his wife was attacked." Dean relayed the story to us.
"So, he was in two places at once." Sam pointed out.
"Exactly, then he sees himself in the house – police think he's a nutjob." Dean nodded.
"Two doubles attacking loved ones in exactly the same way." I murmured, staring at the light glinting off the bonnet of Dean's car.
"Could be the same thing doing it, too." Dean replied, my gaze switched back to the boys and I saw Sam looking off in the distance in deep thought, then he looked at Dean.
"Shapeshifter?" He guessed, Dean shrugged and I tilted my head, "Something that can make itself look like anyone?" He supplied.
"Every culture in the world has a shapeshifter lore. You know: legends of creatures who can transform themselves into animals or other men," Dean explained and then looked at me, "Do they exist in, uh, in your world?" He asked and I shook my head.
"I once heard that it was an adept power, but it's not known to exist as a monster." I shook my head and Dean sighed.
"Ok, so what are we looking at? Skinwalker, werewolf?" Sam asked.
"Well, we've got two attacks within blocks of eachother. I'm guessing we've got a shapeshifter prowling the neighbourhood." Dean looked up and down the street.
"Well, yeah, but let me ask you this: in all this shapeshifter lore, can any of them fly?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at the older Winchester.
"Not that I know of." Dean shook his head but gave me a smile.
"I picked up a trail here, someone ran out the back of this building and headed out off this way." Sam said, pointing off out behind the house.
"Just like your friends house." I pointed out, Sam nodded.
"Yeah, and just like at Zach's house, the trail suddenly ends. I mean, whatever it is just disappeared." The younger brother replied.
"Well, there's another way to go: down." Dean answered, we looked down and saw the manhole closest to Sam's feet, I looked up and sagged.
"You're freaking kidding me." I muttered but I didn't gain a reply.
We prised open the manhole and descended down an old, rusting ladder that creaked as we went down it, halfway down the long ladder I decided to lean back and close my eyes. "Steph, you ok?" I heard Dean's voice drift down to me, I nodded and let out a breath and let go of the ladder. "Steph you're going to fall if you do that." He told me, I opened my eyes and nodded again.
"Why do you think I'm doing this?" I asked him with a smile, confusion crossed his features and above him Sam looked over his brother's shoulder.
"What's going on?" Sam asked, but I was already leaning further back, my hands splayed out and I smiled when I found the spaces where the air connected and moved.
"Stephanie!" Dean shouted my voice as I stepped off the ladder and plummeted down into the darkness, I opened my eyes and smiled at the feeling of the speed I was falling at. At the last moment I moved my hands and my descent slowed, my feet touched down gently on a metal grated floor, my smile widened into a grin as I looked up and saw how far I had fallen.
"Steph!" I heard Sam's voice and squinted my eyes through the dark, I clicked my fingers and a flame suddenly illuminated the dark underground.
"I'm here!" I called back up to the boys, I heard Dean's angry mutters and rolled my eyes. It didn't take long for the boys to join me on the gloomy passageway, Dean looked mostly annoyed whilst Sam was looking at me with awe.
"How did you do that?" He asked as soon as his feet hit the metal grating.
"I channelled the air to slow my fall so I wouldn't go splat." I answered lazily, looking at the dancing flame that was cupped in my palm.
"Yeah well, next time can you give a little warning before you jump off a ladder without a word?" Dean scolded me, I nodded and smiled.
"Sorry." I apologised half-heartedly, Dean grunted in response and clicked on a torch that Sam handed him.
"I bet this runs right by Zach's house, too. The shapeshifter could be using the sewer system to get around." Sam murmured, shining his torch around the passageway.
"I think you're right, look at this." Sam and I turned to Dean and he pointed to something lying in the corner, I moved my hand and concentrated: the flame in my hand grew bigger and Sam's torch beam shone down, a pile of slimy, pale and bloodied flesh was discarded on the ground, my stomach did a flip and I blanched.
"Is this from his victims?" I asked in a quiet, hollow voice. Dean made a face and took out his hunting knife and used it to hold up some of the skin, I reeled back and bumped into Sam, he steadied my shoulders and gave Dean a look.
"You know, I just had a sick thought," Dean started.
"You think?" I scoffed, glancing at the skin and fearfully.
"What if when the shapeshifter changes shape – maybe it sheds." He suggested.
"You're right. That is sick." Sam nodded, Dean rolled his eyes and threw the bloody pile on the ground, it squelched and quivered and I looked away quickly.
I stood a little way away whilst Dean and Sam opened the trunk of the car and started sorting through their weapons, "Well, one thing I learned from Dad – is that no matter what kind of shapeshifter it is, there's one sure way to kill it." Dean said as he held up a pistol and some bullets.
"Silver bullets to the heart." Sam nodded to his brother, I walked over and Dean looked over to me.
"You ok?" He asked, his tone full of concern.
"Yep." I muttered and grimaced, "It's just... things like that are just. Awful." I told him, Dean nodded slowly and held out the pistol to me.
"We've got three in the set, might as well put them to good use." He shrugged, I grinned a little and held the gun in the two handed grip Skulduggery had taught me, Dean turned to Sam and raised his eyebrows, "Someone knows their way around a gun I take it." He observed, pointing to the gun, I looked down at the firearm and shrugged.
"What, me?" I asked innocently, skilfully breaking it open to reveal the empty bullet chambers and holding it back to the older Winchester, he took it and grinned, loading six silver bullets into the chamber and handing it back to me. Sam's phone started ringing and he answered it quickly after checking the caller ID.
"This is Sam." He answered. A girl's voice sounded out through the speaker, but I couldn't make out the words, "We're near Zach's, we're just checking some things out." Sam answered, there was a brief pause and Sam sent us a panicked look. "What are you talking about?" He faked a chuckled, I sent a wide-eyed look to Dean and then we turned back to Sam, his fake smile was no longer on his face, "Why would you do that?" He asked, the worry spreading through his features like a wildfire. "Bec-." He tried but was cut off abruptly, the voice on the other end of the phone getting angrier and angrier, "We're trying to help." Sam tried to explain weakly, but he was cut off once again. "Bec, I'm sorry, but -." He sighed as the person on the other side of the phone hung up rudely. Sam sighed and looked down at his phone, a faint look of disappointment clouding his expression. Dean looked at me and I shrugged,
"You know, I hate to say it," Dean walked over to his brother, "But that's exactly what Steph and I were talking about earlier. You lie to your friends because if they knew the real you: they'd be freaked. It's just – it'd be easier if-."
"If I was like you and Stephanie." Sam cut him off with a sigh, Dean shrugged and I rolled my eyes at him and stepped forward.
"Hey," I tapped Sam's shoulder lightly and he turned and looked down at me, "I hate to say it but, like it or not – we're not like other people. I mean, at least your Dad knows about what you do, my parents? They have no idea." I told him, Sam raised his eyebrows.
"Then how did you manage to do all your detective work without your parents knowing?" Sam asked.
"I, uh, I did a spell that made my reflection come to life to take my place whilst I wasn't about – it's a long story." I smiled a small smile whilst Sam looked completely confused, "So anyway, what you do with your brother: look at all the things you've done for helping people." I tried to convince him.
"And," Dean came over and held up a gun in his hand, "This whole gig – it ain't without its perks." He grinned and handed the gun to Sam, he shook his head but I saw a smile etched onto the younger brother's face, when we were all set we closed the trunk of the car and walked back to the manhole.
The sewer was definitely the worst place we had been in so far, it was dark, gloomy and stank of waste. Sam and Dean armed themselves with torches in one hand and guns in the other, I had a flame in one hand and was holding my gun in the other. We walked along the sewer quietly, I was constantly looking down in case we tripped on anything undesirable. "I think we're close to its lair." Dean broke the cheerless silence.
"Yeah? Why do you say that?" Sam asked, I looked back at the older brother and saw he was giving a nonchalant shrug.
"Because there's another puke-incducing pile next to your face." Dean pointed with his torch I shut my eyes, refusing to look at yet another pile of flesh and guts.
"Oh God!" Sam's disgusted voice rang through the darkness and the air shifted beneath my palms, a hand fell on my shoulder and I turned around to see Dean.
"Come on, no time for daydreaming, Steph." He smiled and steered me down the passageway and round a corner. Sam was waiting for us with his torch beam falling on a pile of dirty clothes that had been abandoned in the dark.
"Looks like it's lived here for a while." I observed, standing back as Dean walked over to look at the clothes Sam had found.
"Who knows how many murders he's gotten away with?" Sam asked rhetorically as he turned around, a look of alarm spread across his face and I frowned, "Steph!" He called, pointing behind me. I whirled and turned to see a man standing there, the air shifted wildly and I glimpsed a fist going in for the uppercut, I turned my face to avoid it but it still clipped me on the underside of the jaw – it wasn't enough to concuss me but it was enough to shock me, the shapeshifter turned and sprinted away and suddenly my legs vanished from underneath me, I collapsed to the ground as the flame in my hand dissipated. Sam and Dean fired shots after the shapeshifter but Dean swore as the shapeshifter rounded a corner and was lost from sight. Sam ran over and helped me to my feet, "Are you ok?" He asked me and I nodded, trying to get over the loud ringing in my ears.
"Get the son of a bitch." I growled and we sprinted off after the shapeshifter.
We traced the shapeshifter outside on the street and lost him there, I swore when seemed the shapeshifter had gone. "Aright, let's split up." Dean ordered, "Go with Sam." He looked at me, I readied my gun and nodded.
"We'll meet you around the other side." I replied and Sam and I turned and walked away at a face pace, I had my hand out and began to read the air in case something decided to jump out at us, the soreness on the left side of my face serving as a bright reminder of the last encounter with the monster. We found nothing on our side of the building and we were waiting in silence for Dean to meet us, my hands were still subtly reading the air for shifts. After a few minutes the air shifted and I turned, expecting the worst, I relaxed when I saw Dean approaching.
"Hey," He greeted, causing Sam to turn beside me, "Anything?" He asked.
"No," Sam sighed annoyedly, "He's gone."
"Alright," Dean nodded slowly, "Let's get back to the car." He told us, we nodded and crossed the street before a car passed, forcing Dean to wait.
"You think he found another way underground?" Sam asked as we stood outside the car, waiting for Dean to unlock it.
"I don't think so, I didn't see any oth-."
"Yeah, probably," Dean spoke up, cutting me off abruptly, "You got the keys?" He asked, I frowned at Dean: he's never cut me off before. Sam paused for a moment before turning around and facing his brother.
"Hey, didn't Dad once face a shapeshifter in San Antonio?" Sam asked, hunching his shoulders in an effort of apathy.
"Oh, that was Austin. It turned out not to be a shapeshifter, it was a thought form – a psychic projection, remember?" Dean answered, Sam hesitated before answering and I narrowed my eyes: did he suspect his older brother?
"Oh, right. Here ya go." Sam tossed the keys to the car to Dean, gave me a pointed look and walked away, I followed close behind.
"Do you suspect him?" I asked him in a quiet voice.
"Yeah, that's not Dean." He nodded.
"Well, what do you wanna do?" I queried.
"Just follow my lead." Sam told me, pulling out his gun and stepping back to Dean, "Don't move!" He ordered in a clear voice, Dean turned with a look of shock on his face, I stepped up behind Sam and aimed my gun at Dean too.
"What have you done with Dean?" I demanded.
"Guys, chill. It's me, alright?" Dean answered in a surprised tone.
"No, I don't think so. Where's my brother?" Sam asked with an angry shake of his head.
"You're about to shoot him," Dean frowned, "Both of you, calm down." He told us.
"You caught those keys with your left, you're right handed." Sam responded, his gun not wavering.
"Oh God, Sammy, I can catch with both hands and you both wanna shoot me for it." Dean rolled his eyes and I frowned.
"You're not Dean." I argued, Dean tilted his head at me and gave me a challenging look.
"Why don't you pull the trigger then, huh?" Dean smirked and took a step towards us, "Because you're not sure. Come on, you know me." Dean pressed, I frowned as he moved towards Sam, my finger hovered and hesitated over the trigger, I turned to Sam and him an unsure look.
"Don't." Sam told Dean firmly, his older brother smiled before brandishing a crowbar and hitting Sam twice with it, Sam slumped to the ground and I cried out in fear, Dean smiled and turned to me.
"Stay back!" I yelled at him, trying to force my gun hand to stop shaking. Dean's smile grew wider as he advanced, "Listen to me, you-." I was cut off when Dean suddenly lunged, grabbing my gunhand and twisting it behind my back, I gave a small cry of pain and Dean chuckled, moving the hair out of my face.
"Shhh," He whispered to me, tears slid down my face in fear and he gave me that sinister, unfriendly grin. His hand moved up and covered my mouth cutting off my air supply, I screamed under it and reached up with my other arm and swung wildly at Dean. I connected with the side of his head and he grunted and grabbed my arm, securing them both behind my back as my heartbeat pounded in my ears, my eyelids soon grew heavy and the darkness came and found me, the last thing I saw was the child-like gleam I had seen in Dean's eyes that I had grown to adore so much.
I woke up in a small, dusty abandoned room and sighed in pain as I remembered the events that had happened earlier, I went to move my hands but found that they were securely bound by a cold metal. Shackles. Dean came out from the darkness and violently backhanded me, his palm hit my cheek with a crack and I let out a small scream of pain. "Don't you touch her!" I heard Sam's voice roar at the shapeshifter loudly as I groaned, I looked up through my hair to see Dean grinning at Sam wildly, "Now tell me where he is, where's Dean?" Sam continued angrily.
"You don't really wanna know," Dean chuckled, in the half light I saw his eyes glinting silver, "I swear, the more I learn about you and your family... I thought I came from a bad background." Dean laughed louder and I frowned.
"What do you mean, 'learn'?" I asked in confusion, the shapeshifter stopped laughing and looked up at me slowly, he held both sides of his head and closed his eyes, a grimace of pain appearing on his features. I looked over to Sam in fear but he was staring at the shapeshifter in confusion. After a few more moments the shapeshifter relaxed and let go of his head, when he looked back up at us he was smiling evilly.
"Oh, wow. He's sure got issues with you." Dean grinned at Sam, showing white, perfect teeth, "You got to go to college, he had to stay home. I mean, I had to stay home. With Dad. You don't think I had dreams of my own?" The shapeshifter feigned a look of hurt and I shifted uncomfortably: feeling like I was intruding on a family matter, "But Dad needed me... where the hell were you?" He demanded angrily.
"Just stop. Where is Dean?" I called out to him, Dean turns and glares at me, walking over towards me.
"And you," He said, venom lacing his tone, "You come out of nowhere and suddenly reveal that what? You're a sorcerer? I mean, sure you're hot and all... but you have that quality..." He trailed off when he reached me, I stared at one spot on the wall, refusing to look at him, Dean chuckled and crouched down in front of me. "What is it about you, that I can't put my finger on, huh?" His laughter died as his hand shot out and grabbed my chin, I struggled and strained, but it was no use, I glared at him as his silver eyes gazed into mine. "Oh yeah, you're going to inevitably destroy the world." He grinned and let go of my head violently, pushing it aside so my neck clicked painfully. He smirked as I looked back up at him, "I mean," He continued, "I thought Dean here was a freak, but you... you're so much worse." He ruffled my hair and I jerked away from him.
"Get off her!" Sam shouted aggressively to the shapeshifter, he turned to him, immediately forgetting about me.
"You got something to say, Sammy?" Dean asked as he strode over to Sam.
"Yeah, where is my brother?" Sam asked again.
"I am your brother. See, deep down, I'm just jealous. You got friends, you could have a life. Me? I know I'm a freak. And sooner or later, everybody's gonna leave me." Dean leant closer to Sam, who frowned up at the shapeshifter.
"What are you talking about?" Sam asked, confusion written on his face.
"You left. Hell, I did everything Dad asked me to, and he ditched me too. No explanation, nothing. Just poof. Left me with your sorry ass... But still, this life? It's not without its perks." The shapeshifter laughed, using Dean's line from earlier, "Ah God, I meet the nicest people. Like Steph over there, and little Becky. You know, Dean would bang them if he had the chance," Dean shrugged and smiled, "Let's see what happens." He concluded and punched Sam in the chin, Sam's head rocked back and he fell unconscious, Dean smirked and covered him with a sheet. Then he walked over and crouched in front of me, I looked at him with wide, fearful eyes. "Your turn to decide, sweet-cheeks," He said, "Pick one, you or Becky?" He asked. I turned my head to face him slowly and narrowed my eyes at him.
"Go to hell." I whispered to him angrily, he laughed and slapped me across the face before he walked out the room, leaving me alone in the dark.
The door opened slowly and I squinted through the bright light, Dean walked through with a concerned look on his face as he walked over to me, "Hey," He said to me in a gentle voice but I ignored him, "Steph, its me." Dean pressed and I glared at him.
"That's what you said last time." I seethed acidly.
"We don't have time for this, where's Sam?" Dean asked, my eyes flickered to where Sam was covered with the sheet, Dean walked over and threw the sheet off of his brother, Sam's head was still bowed and his eyes were shut, "Sam? Sammy!" Dean called loudly, slapping his brother awake, Sam groaned and lifted his head.
"Dean?" Sam asked groggily.
"Who else?" Dean smiled and bought out his lockpicks and started fiddling with Sam's shackles, "Now, that be you, Sam, and not that freak of nature." Sam laughed and sighed in relief as his shackles clattered to the floor and he rubbed his raw, red wrists.
"Oh, Stephanie." Sam breathed as he walked over to me, pushing my ruffeld hair from my face, "Are you ok?" He asked gently, as Dean approached behind me and started fiddling with the locks on my cuffs.
"Just peachy." I responded flatly, giving him a look as the handcuffs fell to the floor, I rotated my wrists and flexed my hands as I stood slowly, "He went to Rebecca's looking like you." I looked at Dean, he sighed for a long moment before he shrugged.
"Well, he's not stupid. He picked the handsome brother." Dean smirked, Sam shot him a glare as we walked out of the narrow room.
"Yeah that's the thing," Sam explained as we tried to make our way out of the place, it seemed like we had been taken to an old basement somewhere on the edge of town, "He didn't just look like you, he was you. Or he was becoming you." Sam continued, I nodded in agreement whilst Dean shot us both a confused glance.
"What do you both mean?" Dean asked.
"I don't know how to explain it, it was like... he was downloading your thoughts and memories." I narrowed my eyes as I remembered the shapeshifter holding his head and grimacing.
"You mean, like the Vulcan mind held?" Dean wondered, and Sam nodded.
"Yeah, something like that, maybe that's why he didn't just kill us." Sam suggested.
"Maybe he needs to keep us all alive. Psychic connection." Dean responded.
"Yeah, maybe..." Sam trailed off doubtfully.
"Come on, let's get out of here. He's probably at Rebecca's already." I told them, pointing to a large door with light spilling out of it.
We had made it outside onto street level, but Dean's car was back outside the first manhole where we had entered the sewer, as we were walking quietly down the street towards Rebecca's house Dean and Sam had stopped and were looking through a shop window, I back tracked and saw they were staring at a news report being shown on the TV screen of an electronics shop. "An anonymous tip led police to a home in the Central West End, where a S.W.A.T team discovered a local woman bound and gagged. Her attacker – a white male: approximately twenty-four to thirty years of age, was discovered hiding in her home." The news reporter told us, a sketch of Dean appeared on the screen and Dean groaned annoyedly.
"Aw man! That's not even a good picture." He moaned and I edged a smile, despite the situation at hand.
"Yeah well, it's good enough." Sam told us, looking around cautiously as he walked away, Dean sighed and looked after his brother.
"Aw man!" He sighed and we followed the younger Winchester into an alleyway.
"Come on, they said attempted murder. At least we kno-." I started to say, but was cut off, yet again, by Dean.
"I didn't kill her." He finished.
"We'll check Rebecca in the morning, see if she's alright." Sam responded.
"Alright," Dean agreed, "But first I wanna find that handsome devil and kick the holy crap out of him." Dean proclaimed angrily.
"But, we have no weapons. No silver bullets." I argued.
"Steph, the guy's walking around with my face, ok? It's a little personal. I wanna find him." Dean answered, I looked at the fiery determination in Dean's eyes and nodded slowly.
"Ok," I nodded, then gestured to the rest of the town, "Where do we look?" I asked him.
"Well, we could start with the sewers." The older brother suggested and Sam sighed.
"We have no weapons. He stole our guns, we need more..." Sam paused for a moment before he spoke again, "The car?" He asked, a look of untold rage crossed Dean's features and I was taken aback by the sudden fury overtaking his emotions.
"I'm betting he drove over to Rebecca's." Dean growled.
"The news said he fled on foot, I reckon it's still parked there." I answered, trying to calm Dean down.
"The thought of him driving my car." He replied, upset, I raised an eyebrow at the older man; he really was in love with his car.
"Alright, come on." Sam rolled his eyes and we emerged from the alleyway quietly.
"It's killing me!" Dean cried out after we took two steps up the street.
"Let it go." I told him.
We made it to Rebecca's house in good time, Dean instantly brightened when he set his sights on his beloved vehicle, "Oh, there she is! Finally something went right tonight." Dean sighed happily, the relief evident in his tone, I glanced at Sam and he shrugged, Dean was all but set to run to the car but a police car pulled up beside it, I looked at Dean and it was like watching his heart break in two. "Ah, crap," He groaned and then looked back at Sam and I, "This way, this way." He motioned towards the fence and we both followed suite. Dean jumped the fence and I prepared myself to clear it, but then Sam reached out and grabbed my hand.
"You go, we'll hold them off." Sam told his older brother, Dean frowned at his brother.
"What are you talking about? They'll catch you both." Dean protested, confusion lilting his voice.
"Look, they can't hold us. Just go, keep out of sight. Meet us at Rebecca's," Sam assured him, Dean turned to go but Sam called him back, "Dean!" He called, his brother turned and looked at him questioningly, "Stay out of the sewers alone." He told him, Dean didn't answer: he just turned away and continued walking, "I mean it!" He shouted to him.
"Yeah, yeah!" Dean's answering call was distant, but enough to make Sam smile a little.
"Don't move!" A voice shouted behind us and we froze, "Keep your hands in the air where I can see them." The voice ordered, we turned slowly and raised our hands quickly, two police officers shone their torches at us and sighed, "Ah forget it, it's just a young couple." The officer told his colleague.
"Oh no, we're not-." I started to say, but Sam stamped on my foot and silenced me quickly, but it wasn't needed: the officers were already walking away.
"That was close." Sam sighed and then looked down at me, "Come on." I nodded and we walked up to Rebecca's house.
"So, say this shapeshifter is real. By the way, you know you're both crazy? But, um, say it is real. How do you stop it?" Rebecca asked as she replaced Sam and I's empty beer bottles with new ones.
"Thanks," He sighed and paused before answering, "Silver bullet to the heart." He told her and I nodded in agreement, Rebecca chuckled as she looked down at the two empty beer bottles.
"You both really are crazy." Rebecca said, suddenly something was being smashed over our head and we blacked out, glass falling down through my hair.
I woke up to Dean finishing tying my hands and feet with rope and metal, I looked around and saw Sam was also bound do a kitchen chair, just like me. "Oh for fu-."
"Hush." Dean scolded, putting a finger to my lips, his eyes flashed silver and I groaned: twice in one night? I felt the familiar burning of rope and suddenly had a brain wave, I went to click my fingers but frowned when I couldn't move my hands to do so, Dean noticed and smirked, "What's the matter, Steph? Can't conjure one of those nifty little flames? That's because I had the great sense to tie your hands so tight thay wouldn't be able to move to do such a thing." Dean exlpained proudly.
"What are you gonna do to us?" Sam asked from across the kitchen.
"Oh, I'm not gonna do anything. Dean will, though." He smirked evilly and I glared.
"They'll never catch him." I told him bravely.
"Oh doesn't matter. The brutal murder of his own brother and their pretty little nowhere girl? He'll be hunted the rest of his life." Dean smiled and walked over to the kitchen dresser, he pulled out a drawer and started sorting through all the kitchen knives. I moved my hands in vain, trying to loosen the ropes to get out of it.
"I must say," Dean said as he finished choosing his collection of knives, a bottle of bourbon was set out beside it, along with a glass, "I will be sorry to lose this skin. Your brother's got a lot of good qualities. You should appreciate him more than you do." Dean continued, I kept my face expressionless as I moved my hands behind my back, they had loosened slightly and I was getting closer to freedom every passing second, Dean was pouring himself a drink and he raised it cheerfully to us, "Cheers." He smiled and downed the drink before picking up a large meat cleaver and walking over to Sam. I strained harder against the ropes as Dean neared Sam, I sighed happily as my right hand finally ripped free. I clicked my fingers and soon burned through the bindings, I looked up and saw the knife nearing the artery on Sam's neck, I moved my hand out and snapped my palm, the knife flew from Dean's grip and clattered across the tiled floor, Dean growled and his head whipped around and glared at me and I smiled sweetly at him, he moved towards me and I concentrated, manipulating the air so a knife flew from the table and floated carefully into Sam's lap. I looked up at Dean as he toward over me, his hand swung back, ready to punch me but then hands wrapped around his waist and pulled Dean away, Sam swung the knife at Dean but the shapeshifter grabbed his arm and twisted it, Sam groaned and fell to his knees. Sensing the sudden urgency, I drew in the shadows from the room and slashed the ties around my legs, I jumped up and gave a roundhouse kick at Dean, my foot connected with Dean's jaw and he groaned as he staggered away, rubbing his head, "Oh, you little bitch." He glared striding towards me, Sam jumped up and grabbed Dean again, firing punches into his torso and then two to his face, Dean coughed and looked up at us with a split lip. "Not bad, little brother." Dean spat blood onto the floor,
"You're not him." Sam said firmly as he stood over his older brother, Dean chuckled and sprung into action, shoving Sam out of the way and going for me, I elbow blocked the first swing and ducked under the second, then responded with three quick jabs to the chest and neck, Dean's breath hitched in his throat and he spluttered, he kicked out and sweeped my legs from underneath me, I fell to the floor, Dean grabbed a fistful of my hair and slammed it into his knee, stars burst out in front of my eyelids and I sat dazed, blinking slowly as blurry outlines of Sam and Dean fought, suddenly Sam was slammed into the bookcase and he collapsed as the bookcase fell apart, books and trinkets falling down upon him.
"Even when we were kids, I always kicked your ass." Dean smiled smugly at Dean, I found my legs and staggered over to Dean whipping the shadows at him, tendrils snapped at his arms and dug into his flesh, he gasped as blood spilt from his arms and fell to the floor, Dean turned and grabbed a pool cue from the table, he bought it in a wide arc and it slammed into my cheek, I fell again and wasn't able to get back up I realised I had fallen close to Sam and saw he was struggling to get to his feet, I breathed out slowly and saw too late the pool cue slamming down onto me, Dean was holding the pool cue tightly pressed against my throat with his foot and had his hands wrapped around Sam's throat, my lungs burned and my head felt heavy as the cue was held against my throat.
"Hey!" I heard a voice, the shapeshifter turned and the pressure was released from my throat, I lay there gasping in great lungfuls of air, a gun fired twice and hit the shapeshifter on the chest, he fell to the ground, my ring going cold as the life left the monster.
"Sam!" A girl's voice sounded distantly and I saw Rebecca rush over to where Sam was laying. Dean crouched by the shapeshifter's body and yanked something from around his neck and then he ran over to me and crouched down, throwing the pool cue away from me.
"Hey, hey, hey. Steph." Dean said to me, his voice sounding distant, I blinked up at Dean slowly.
"Dean," I coughed, finding my voice, "Nice timing." I complimented weakly, he chuckled and reached under me, picking me up bridal style and heading for the living room sofa, whilst Rebecca was directing Sam to the chair.
"So, this is what you do? You, your brother and Stephanie – you hunt down these kinds of things?" Rebecca asked as we slowly descended the porch steps, we had spent two days in Rebecca's house cleaning up and fixing the injuries we had sustained in the fight: mine was no more than a concussion, cuts and bruises and several rope burns, Sam's shoulder was still quite badly injured from the bookcase but he insisted he was well enough to travel.
"Yeah, pretty much." Sam nodded and Rebecca looked at Sam in awe.
"I can't believe it," She exclaimed, "I mean, I saw it with my own eyes. And, I mean, does everybody at school – nobody knows that you do this?" She asked, Sam shook his head and then she looked at me, "And how about you, Steph: do your school friends have any idea what you do?" She asked.
"Uh, no." I answered.
"Oh, ok then..." She trailed off for a moment and then looked hesitantly up at Sam, "Did Jessica know?" She asked quietly, Sam looked at the girl thoughtfully for a moment.
"No, she didn't." He answered quietly.
"Must be lonely." Rebecca observed sadly.
"Oh, no. No, it's not so bad is it, Steph?" Sam looked at me and I shook my head.
"Nah." I replied.
"See? Anyway, what can I do? Dean's my brother and, well, Steph is Steph." Sam and Rebecca laughed and I hit him lightly.
"Well, you know. Zach and me, and everybody at school – we really miss you." Rebecca told him in a sad voice as she hugged him tightly.
"Yeah, me too." Sam answered truthfully, then they let go and he smiled down at her.
"Well, will you call sometime?" Rebecca asked him hopefully.
"It might not be for a little while." Sam made a face, Rebecca nodded and turned to me.
"Well, thanks for letting me use your sofa as I was passed out." I smiled at her a little awkwardly, she laughed and suddenly enveloped me in a tight hug, I gave Sam a look of shock and unease and he chuckled as I patted Rebecca's back awkwardly.
"Thank you. For everything." She told me earnestly, then she turned and waved to Dean, he waved back and gave her a wink, I rolled my eyes at her and she grinned before walking back into her house, Sam and I walked back over to where Dean was stood pouring over a map on the bonnet of his beloved car.
"So, what about your friend, Zach?" The older Winchester asked, not looking up from the map as we approached.
"Cops are blaming this Dean Winchester guy for Emily's murder, they found the murder weapon in the guy's lair – Zach's clothes stained with her blood. Now they're thinking maybe the surveillance tape was tampered with, so Becca says that Zach will be released soon." Sam explained, Dean rolled his eyes as he folded up the map and got into the car, Sam and I followed.
"Sorry man." Dean broke the rare silence we had as we drove away from the town quickly.
"About what?" Sam asked as he looked at Dean in sudden interest.
"I really wish things could be different, you know? I wish you could just be... Joe College." Dean murmured and Sam shook his head in disagreement.
"No, that's ok. You know, the truth is: even at Stanford, deep down, I never really fit in." Sam admitted, I leant forward in my seat and rested my hand on Sam's headrest.
"Well Sammy, that's because you're a freak." I smiled, Dean laughed and Sam chuckled lightly.
"Well, thanks, Steph." He smiled and I smiled back.
"Well, don't worry because-."
"Let me guess:because you're a freak too?" Sam turned around and looked at me, and I frowned in confusion.
"What? No. Don't worry because Dean's a freak too, I'm just right with you all the way, the only normal one here." I told him, Sam laughed whilst Dean glanced up and looked at me in the rear view mirror.
"Wait, so the girl with all the magic turns out not to be the freak of the group?" Dean asked and I nodded.
"Yep." I confrmed, Dean sighed whilst Sam smiled at me.
"You know, I gotta say – I'm sorry I'm gonna miss it." Dean sighed regretfully, I frowned and looked at him in confusion.
"Miss what?" I asked, tilting my head at the older Winchester curiously.
"How many chances am I gonna have to see my own funeral?" Dean asked rhetorically,Sam scoffed and I rolled my eyes, hitting Dean playfully on the shoulder.
"Just drive, you freak."
Author's Note: Thank you so much for your reviews! 10 days until the final ever Skulduggery Pleasant book comes out! I think I'm gonna update on... the 32nd review, so please review if you want the next installment.