Chapter 26

They were about 50 miles out, near Fostoria, Ohio; getting ready to head west and catch the I-75 north to Bowling Green and Toledo. The drive north was going well until Sam changed the radio station to check for local traffic conditions in greater Toledo area. The news was filled with reports, out of Columbus, of sightings of "Amelia" the mystery woman from Spokane. The details were sketchy, but apparently several people claimed to have seen her in a coffee shop that morning. At least two said they saw her glowing. The reporter finished by saying the local police and the FBI were investigating the reports.

"This is bad, isn't it?" Amelia asked as Sam turned off the radio.

He took several seconds before responding to her. "We'll be okay. I just hope they don't find Charlie."

"You're worried she'll tell them about us?"

He looked at her with a surprised and questioning look. "No. The stress of being questioned by the police won't be good for her or the baby."

She felt humiliated that she hadn't thought of the danger to the young expectant mother. It wasn't a feeling she had experienced often. She also didn't think it was possible, but she admired the noble young man even more. She couldn't think of anything to say.

Sam noticed her silence. "Amelia? Really, we'll be okay. If there's anything a Winchester knows how to do, it's how to evade the police." He said trying to ease what he assumed was her worried mind.

She gave him a weak smile. Amelia didn't want to tell him her concern and quietness wasn't related to their safety. She was beginning to think maybe her eagerness to help these two heroic young men was clouding her judgment. And she knew her admiration of him, 'who was she kidding', her longing for Sam was making her just plain stupid. She had been in love before; but she'd never let her personal feelings get in the way of her purpose. Why was Sam affecting her so deeply?

It suddenly occurred to her; maybe the One knew this would happen. Maybe she had been brought out to test her character as much as to help save Dean and the planet. That actually made a lot of sense. When had the One really given a rat's ass about her pretty little planet and its inhabitants? Mother Nature also wondered if Amelia Stone was more than just another vessel or randomly chosen acolyte. Was Amelia Stone's personality so strong it was affecting her? If this little girl's desires were making their presence felt, was it part of the test?

Okay. Now she was mad. She wasn't sure if it was because she was being tested, again; or that she thought she was failing the test. She finally responded to Sam's concern. "I know we will." She gave him a real smile this time. "I was kicking myself for not thinking about Charlie's safety." She also decided she needed to start acting like the powerful goddess she was. "Sam, can you find me a secluded spot and stop the car?"

He glanced at her with concern. "Are you okay?"

"Yes. I am." She responded in strange, confident tone he hadn't heard her use before. " I just need to take care of something before we get into the city."

X

Sam took the first turn he thought looked like it might lead to a deserted piece of real estate. It took him another half an hour to find a spot Amelia approved of. "Sam, do you trust me?" She asked in that strange tone of voice. He nodded. "I you need to wait here in the car." She said as she quickly got out of the SUV.

It took him a about second to respond to that. "Are you kidding me?" He said as he started reaching to open his door. Amelia snapped her fingers as she looked back at him. Sam could hear the all lock mechanisms on the vehicle click into place. He knew he couldn't open the door, but tried anyway. "Amelia? Wait, where are you going?" He shouted at her back as she walked away from the car.

X

She walked into a clearing and found the stream she had sensed was there. She would need the water as a conductor for what she intended to do. Mother Nature took a deep breath and deliberated her plans once more. Maybe she was over-reacting. She closed her eyes and searched through her and Amelia's combined minds. There was definitely something very special about this young woman. She smiled at the future she saw for Amelia; and was just a touch envious of the long and happy life she had in front of her. Mother Nature would go back to her lonely non-existence, waiting to be called forth for some other crisis. That was her test; remembering she was not here to seek refuge from her long waits or to find happiness in the arms of a loving man.

Her resolve replaced, she knew what she had to do. It was a little dangerous but needed to be done for the long-term safety of all the humans she was putting at risk. She took off the clothes Sam had bought her and stepped into the water of the stream. She took one more deep breath before dropping the shield hiding her identity and power. She raised her hands to the sky and started reciting the words to the enchantment she was creating. The wind picked up and ominous clouds quickly started forming. The water of the stream started swirling up around her, climbing high into the air. 'Here goes nothing' she thought to herself.

X

Sam didn't know if he was more pissed that Amelia had locked him in car; or anxious because she was going to do something so dangerous she thought he needed to be left behind. Either way, nobody, including frustrating goddesses, kept a Winchester locked up for long. Kicking out the glass in the sunroof was kind of a desperate last resort, but it got him out of the SUV in about ten minutes.

He could hear the sound of rushing water as he noticed the storm clouds forming. He looked up to see a column of water rising high over the tops of the trees. There was a glow in the center of what looked like a small hurricane rising from the stream bed just in front of him. Sam couldn't see Amelia through the swirling water, but he knew she was in there. He also knew he better take cover before she did whatever it was she was getting ready to do. He dropped to the ground behind a large rock just as several enormous bolts of lightning struck the column of water.

X

She had found him behind the rock as soon as the explosion of water particles had cleared. She had checked to make sure he wasn't hurt. She saw he would have a wicked headache, again, but that he was fine. She went over to her soaking wet clothes, dried them off quickly and redressed.

"Sam?" Amelia lightly shook his shoulders. "Sam. Sam, can you hear me?" She saw his eyes flutter open. "You know, someday you're going to start believing me when I say to stay in the car." She said as she went back to finish putting her shoes on.

"What?" He yelled back at her.

She walked back to the rock she had propped him up against. She touched the sides of his head and stopped the ringing in his ears. "I said..…" She stopped, seeing the anger and confusion on his face. "Sam, I'm sorry. I wanted you to stay in the car to save you from going through this again." She brushed her hand over his forehead and eased the headache. She reached down to help him up, but he pushed away her hands and slowly got up by himself.

Once he was upright, he asked. "What the hell was that?" When she didn't answer quickly enough, he added. "We're trying to NOT draw attention to our whereabouts. They could've seen that, whatever that was, from space. Dammit."

"You want me to explain now, or are you going to keep wasting time and yelling at me?" Her tone let him know he was done and to shut up. He was still angry but didn't say anything else. "Well, first, you're right, I'm sure somebody and/or something will have seen that; so, second, we need to get back to the car and away from here." She said as she started walking back towards the SUV.