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Lately I've been, I've been losing sleep; dreaming about the things that we could be.
CHAPTER NINETEEN- FALLING STARS
Ruby visibly reels back as Sam, Dean and I come up to her.
Her eyes are wary, but her lips pull up in a mocking smile.
"Rocking the badass chick persona, Little Slessor."
"Welcome back to earth."
I stare at her evenly.
"It's not a persona."
Ruby rolls her eyes.
"Yeah yeah, Little Slessor. I get it, you got the whole hell-returnee, brave-tortured-survivor thing down pat."
My lips twitch in a rare flash of humor.
"Absolutely, Ruby. I valiantly fight monsters by day and weep by night. Broken-hearted warrior, that's me."
The sarcasm rolls off my tongue in waves, and a startled laugh comes from Ruby.
"Oooh, feisty. I think I like you better now, Slessor. You were far too vanilla before."
It doesn't escape my notice that she's stopped calling me little.
It also doesn't escape my notice that my breakdown of the previous night was exactly what I just mocked Ruby with.
I quickly stifle the thought.
Dean finds it difficult to tolerate the she-demon, and he snaps at her, irritated.
"Well, you got a lot of nerve showing up near me."
Ruby is unfazed. "I just have some info, then I'm gone."
"What is it?" Sam asks eagerly, and I narrow my eyes.
There is too much familiarity in the way Sam talks to her, the way he is around her,
I don't like it.
And I can see that Dean doesn't, either.
"I'm hearing a few whispers," Ruby continues.
"Ooh, great, demon whisperers," Dean says scathingly.
"That's reliable."
"Girl named Anna Milton escaped from a locked ward yesterday," She only looks at Sam, and my intuition is tingling sharply.
Something is not right.
"The demons seem pretty keen on finding her. Apparently some real heavy-hitters turned out for the Easter-egg hunt."
Sam raises an eyebrow. "Why? Who is she?"
Ruby shrugs.
"No idea, but I'm thinking she's important, 'cause the order is to capture her alive. I just figured whatever the deal is, you might want to find this girl before the demons do."
"Look, maybe we should check it out," Sam instantly suggests, and Dean stiffens.
"Actually, we're working a case," Dean cuts in abruptly. "But thanks.
Ruby quirks an eyebrow. "What case?"
"Uh," Dean stalls. "We've got leads, big leads."
"Sounds dangerous." She's unconvinced.
"Yeah, well, it sure ain't goose-chasing after some chick who, for all we know, doesn't even exist, just because you say she's important," Dean replies defensively.
She jerks her head, unconcerned.
"I'm just delivering the news. You can do whatever you want with it. Far as I'm concerned, I told you, my job is done."
I cross my arms, watching her carefully.
Ruby turns to leave, but Sam calls her back.
"Wait, wait, wait," Sam says hurriedly. "This hospital Anna escaped from- it got a name?"
~Supernatural~
Dean drives in silence while Sam speaks on the phone.
"Can I have the dates of the disappearance? Great. Okay. Thanks."
Sam hangs up and waves the missing persons report at us.
"Well, Anna Milton's definitely real."
"Don't mean the case is real," Dean insists. "And this hospital's a three-day drive."
Sam sighs. "We've driven further for less, Dean."
When Dean shakes his head, Sam frowns.
"You got something to say?"
"Oh, I'm saying it," Dean growls. "This sucks."
Sam's eyes narrow.
"You're not pissed we're going after the girl. You're pissed Ruby threw us the tip."
"Right," Dean is close to losing his temper.
"'Cause as far as you're concerned, the hell-bitch is practically family. Yeah, something major must've happened while I was downstairs, 'cause I come back, and- and you're BFF with a demon?"
I cannot help agreeing with him, because at the word demon, my mind flashes to Alistair, and my nails rip into Dean's precious leather.
I know no matter what any demon does, or says, or informs us of, I will hate and fear them with every cell in my body.
Because of one.
"I told you, Dean," Sam persists. "She helped me go after Lilith."
And then I let go too.
"Dean's right," I say, pretending that I am not affected by the way Dean avoids my eyes, that I feel the bitter sting of regret for how I sent him away.
"Thanks for the thumbnail, Sam," I bite out the words.
"Real vivid. You want to fill in a little detail?"
Sam whips around to face me.
"Sure, Odette, let's trade stories. How was Hell?"
I freeze. So does Dean.
And that just cements the truth for me.
He remembers all right.
"Don't spare the details," Sam copies me.
He has me, and he knows it.
Sam wins this round, and Dean can sense it too, because the Impala accelerates.
We're going to the hospital.
~Supernatural~
"Of course I want to help however I can," The psychologist bobs her head eagerly.
"Now, the orderly has no recollection of Anna's escape?" Sam waits for her answer.
"Apparently, she knocked him unconscious," The lady frowns. "The blow caused some amnesia. He doesn't even remember coming into her room."
"That's a hell of a right hook to knock out a guy that's got eighty pounds on her," Dean skeptically points out.
"We think she may have planned this," Anna's psychologist replies. "Probably waited behind the door.
"Right," I purse my lips.
"Uh, you mentioned Anna's illness was recent."
The woman sighs.
"Two months ago, she was happy, well-adjusted, journalism major, lots of friends- bright future."
"So, what happened-she just..." Dean pauses. "Flipped?"
"Well, that's the tragedy of schizophrenia," She explains sadly.
"Within weeks, Anna was overtaken by delusions."
Sam's gaze sharpens.
"What kind of delusions?"
"She thought demons were everywhere."
The lady passes a thick sketchbook to me.
The three of us still our movements, exchanging glances.
"Interesting," Dean remarks.
That's one way to put it.
"It's not uncommon for our patients to believe that monsters are real," She says patiently.
I quickly flip through the pages, freezing when I see "Raising Of The Witnesses" in scrawling text, and on the next page: "Samhain The Next Seal Is Broken."
"That's Revelations," I mutter.
The lady laughs. "Since when does the Book of Revelations have jack-o'-lanterns?"
"It's a, uh," Dean squints slightly. "It's a little-known translation."
"Well, Anna's father was a church deacon. When she became ill, her paranoia took on religious overtones. She was convinced the devil was about to rise up and the world."
I sucked in a startled breath.
"I hope you find her. It's dangerous for her to be out there alone right now."
I grudgingly admit that Ruby was right about this one.
~Supernatural~
Dean knocks on the front door.
Silence.
"Maybe they're not at home," He says.
"Both cars are in the driveway," I point out.
Sam tries the door.
It's unlocked and we enter the house.
"Mr. and Mrs. Milton?" Dean calls.
"We're from the Sheriff's department," I lie smoothly.
"We just wanted to ask you a couple of questions," Sam adds.
As we move further into the house, we see two dead bodies.
Their throats have been slit, and I crouch down to rub the powder surrounding them between my fingers.
The color and smell is unmistakable.
Sulfur.
The demons have beaten us here, and they're not screwing around.
They want Anna, and they're willing to go to any length to get her.
Dean echoes my thoughts.
"Whatever the deal with this girl is, we need to find her."
I pick up a pile of addressed envelopes.
Whoever this Anna is, we need to find her, and fast.
Before the demons do.