Chapter 2: Into Thin Air

AN1: I thought a lot about which point of view this chapter would be in and I settled on just keeping with Sam's for now. Once again no beta so I'm sorry for any careless mistakes... This update is earlier than I expected so enjoy! Also don't forget to R&R!

-GNS-

John and Dean are huddled over at the small table tucked in the middle of the even smaller kitchenette. I've been shunned, not verbally but by my father's cold stare, to the other side of the room. I stood there, leaning with the back of my shoulders against the wall behind me, watching intently. Even though I wasn't privy to the story Dean was spinning that didn't mean I wasn't listening in.

He starts with empty eyes, as if looking off to a faraway place, like maybe the whole thing was just one really bad dream. Any second now he'd be opening his eyes and Sammy, I, would be there. My heart clenches with the knowledge that he used to care for me like that. I didn't even realize how much I missed my big brother until that moment, and suddenly I want to take two bounding steps toward him, pull him into my arms, and tell him I'm right here. Instead I stay where I am and try not to move an inch.

"He's... gone." It's almost a whisper and I strain my ears to hear it. "One second I'm going to meet him at the elementary school playground for lunch, the next he's just... gone"

"Gone, like how?" Dad asks, shifting forward in his chair. His elbows are resting on the table and his hands are in nervous, white knuckled fists.

"Every day I meet him at the playground for lunch," Dean tries, "we were sitting, talking, Hell the kid was in the middle of a story, something about a crazy dream..." He cuts off for a moment, before letting out a bitter laugh, "and poof, disappeared into thin air. I never even took my eyes off him." Dean sat back in his chair, defeated. "Wendigoes don't do that, I mean, I thought the hunt was over..." I'm not gonna say I was surprised when a knife found its way to my throat.

My father's silver knife was cold against my skin, I tried my best to look confused. I knew what he thought, he wasn't far off in his assumption. To him, I did this, and he was gonna find out how. "What are you?" His steady glare bore through me, I fought hard to avoid breaking right then and there.

"Nothing." I hissed instead, "Nothing worth hunting anyways." Now a days I found it hard to even believe that. Not with Dean acting as if I were the one to send him to Purgatory. His new found aversion of speaking to me didn't really help either. With the amount of time he spent avoiding me now a days, Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't even notice I was gone.

John scoffed, but the crease between his eye brows grew deeper. "You expect me to believe that?" Dean is getting with the program pretty quick, and is standing up from the table with interest. "I mean, you show up here one minute, the next my son is gone? You've got to be damn stupid if you think you'll get the benefit of the doubt." John points out, and he digs the blade a little deeper, a bead of red appears, but there's no telling sizzle of skin. He doesn't drop the knife. Dean is behind him now, a silver flask in hand, his eyes speak of murder. If looks could kill, I'd be long dead. I try not to laugh with the knowledge that yes, one day he will hold a gun to my head much like my own father did less than an hour ago. My lips are forced open and the holy water goes down smooth. If anything the two of them look disappointed.

"What are you?" Dad demands, pressing the knife harder until the skin gives way.

"Human." I insist, "As human as I need to be, anyways." I knew that if I wanted to I could get out of his grasp in a second. I was bigger, faster, and had been doing it longer. It would be easy to escape, except for the fact that I didn't really want to.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He's done with my answers. There is now a steady stream of blood flowing from my throat.

"It means I didn't take your son."

His laugh is empty, he sounds so much more broken than I remember. "Why would I trust you?" You shouldn't, I want to say, I'm lying straight to your face, don't trust me.

It's then that I turn to my brother. He's all wide eyes and pursed lips. With my puppy dog eyes full force I plead with him. "Dean, I promise I didn't take him away from you. I promise that it wasn't me. I promise I'll be able to bring him back to you. You've just got to let me help."

For a moment he looks surprised at my words, but he doesn't respond for a long time. When he does it wasn't quite what I was expecting. "How could you help? You don't even know who we are. You don't know us." There's a venom to his words that tells me I've crossed a line, but I didn't even notice there was one.

I can't tell them the truth. Not now. Not with them looking at me as if I were the scum underneath their boots. "I know a lot of things," I settle on. Eyes switching from Dean to John and back again. "I know a lot of things for a lot of reasons and you two just have to trust me." I insist, "And if you do, I promise that you will get your son back." I'm staring straight into my father's eyes and I can see the exact moment he decides on letting me stay. It happens somewhere between the small twitch of his lips and when he finally lowers the knife.

Instead of voicing this though, he asks, "Why do you think we'd even keep you around?"

I draw my mouth into a smirk, eyes ablaze, "Well I'm not one to believe you'd let a random stranger, who just happened to appear at the same time your son disappeared, go. And besides, you'd have to be damn stupid to think I deserve the benefit of the doubt." John frowns at my words.

"So you do have something to do with this then?" Dean breathes, head down, staring at some strange stain on the floor.

"I never said I wasn't a part of it," I explain, "I just said I wasn't the one who caused it."

They both nod, worn out and beaten enough to accept my words. I stride across the room and snatch a dishtowel from the counter, pressing it against the wound on my neck. "Besides," I say, "I think I have a pretty good idea of where your son could be at." I turn around and slink out the door before I can see the looks on their faces.

-GNS-

AN2: Okay guys, that's that. It was a little shorter than what I was hoping for but about the same length as the last chapter. I think it's coming along alright. The next chapter should be up pretty soon but I would always like some advice or comments from you guys so that I know what you like and dislike, and what I need to work on! Also Special shout out to Sari Dark for being the first one to comment on a fanfiction of mine EVER! Thanks so much to all of you that read!