A/N: At this point, the only thing I own is Lyssa and a few lines and scenes. Hope you guys enjoy!
Chapter Six-Skin
Third Person POV
Lyssa felt the Impala roll to a stop, but she was too reluctant to open her eyes. They'd been on the road for hours after stopping at a motel the day before to get some rest and she'd decided to take a nap while the boys argued in the front seat. "Alright, I figured we'd hit Tucumcari by lunch, then head south, hit Bisbee by midnight." Dean said, looking in the review mirror too see Lyssa with her arm over her eyes and then looked at Sam who seemed to be ignoring him. "Sam wears women's underwear." He added, causing Lyssa to finally show signs of life by chuckling.
"I've been listening, I'm just busy." Sam said, checking his e-mails in his PalmPilot. "Busy doing what?" Dean asked, opening his door and getting ready to get out. "Reading e-mails." Sam replied. Dean got out of the car and started to fill it up with gas. "E-mails from who?" Lyssa asked, sitting up from her lying position in the backseat. "Some friends from Stanford." Sam replied, throwing a glance over his shoulder.
"You're kidding. You still keep in touch with your college buddies?" Dean asked, glancing at his brother through the back window. "Why not?" Sam asked, looking at Dean through the window. "Well, what exactly do you tell 'em? You know, about where you've been, what you've been doin'?" Dean asked, coming up to the passenger side and leaning against the door. "I tell 'em I'm on a road trip with my big brother. I tell 'em I needed some time off after Jess." Sam explained.
"So, you lie to them." Lyssa simplified. Sam turned and looked at her. "No. I just don't tell 'em…everything." He defended. "Yeah, that's called lying." Lyssa added. Dean chuckled and rubbed his forehead. "I get it, tellin' the truth is far worse." Dean said. "So, what am I supposed to do, just cut everybody out of my life?" Sam asked, causing Dean to shrug. "You're serious?"
"Look, it sucks, but in a job like this, you can't get close to people. Very rarely does someone like Lee come along and we can actually make a friend here and there." Dean explained. "You're kind of anti-social, you know that?" Lyssa told Dean. Dean just shook his head and smiled at her. "Yeah, whatever." He told her. Lyssa rolled her eyes and leaned back onto the seat while Sam went back to reading his e-mails.
"God…" Sam said, causing Dean to turn back to his brother and Lyssa to sit up. "What?" Dean asked, leaning into the window. "In this e-mail from this girl, Rebecca Warren, one of those friends of mine." Sam started to explain, but was cut off by Dean. "Is she hot?" he asked, causing Lyssa to roll her eyes and Sam to give him a look before going back to his explanation. "I went to school with her, and her brother, Zack. She says Zack'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."
"Dude, what kind of people are you hangin' out with?" Dean asked. "No, man, I know Zack. He's no killer." Sam said, defending his friend. "Well, maybe you know Zack as well as he knows you." Lyssa said, causing both boys to look at her. "What? It's true." She defended herself. "They're in St. Louis. We're going." Sam said, causing Dean to chuckle. "Look, sorry 'bout your buddy, okay? But this doesn't sound like out kind of problem." Dean said. "It is our problem. They're my friends." Sam countered.
"St. Louis is four hundred miles behind us, Sam." Dean tried. They were all silent for a moment before Lyssa spoke up. "Come on, Dean. What's the worst that could happen?" she said, causing Dean to look at her. Sam and Dean exchanged a look and after Dean finished filling up the Impala, he got back into the car. "I can't believe you're sticking up for him." Dean said into the rearview mirror, shaking his head when Lyssa only smirked at him as they pulled out of the gas station and headed back the way they came.
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The three stood outside a rather impressive looking house. A moment after Sam rang the doorbell, a blonde woman, who Dean and Lyssa assumed was Rebecca, opened the door. "Oh my God, Sam!" she said happily. "Well, if it isn't little Becky." Sam greeted. "You know what you can do with that little Becky crap." She said with a smile and then hugged Sam. "I got your e-mail." Sam said, pulling away. "I didn't think you'd come here." She said as Dean stepped forward and extended his hand.
"Dean. Older brother." He said, shaking Rebecca's hand. Lyssa chuckled when Dean gave her a goofy grin. Lyssa rolled her eyes and extended her hand for Rebecca to shake. "Lyssa. Friend." She said. "It's nice to meet you both." Rebecca said. "We're here to help. Whatever we can do." Sam said after everyone was introduced. Rebecca smiled and motioned for them to come inside. "Come in." She said. Sam was the first to head in, followed by Lyssa, and then Dean. "Nice place." Dean added, shutting the door.
"It's my parents'. I'm just crashing here for the long weekend when everything happened. I decided to take the semester off. I'm gonna stay until Zack's free." Rebecca said, leading them through the dining room and into the kitchen. "Where are your folks?" Sam asked.
"They live in Paris for half the year, so they're on their way home now for the trial." Rebecca explained. "Do you guys want a beer or something?"
"No, thanks. So, tell us what happened." Sam said right as Dean was about to accept Rebecca's offer. Dean shot Lyssa a bad look when she laughed at him.
"Well, um, Zack came home, and he found Emily tied to a chair. And she was beaten up and bloody, and she wasn't breathing." Rebecca explained, starting to cry. "So, he called 911, and the police-they showed up, and they arrested him. But, the thing is, the only way that Zack 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. And it shows Zack 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."
"You know, maybe we could see the crime scene. Zack's house." Sam suggested, looking at Dean. "We could." Dean confirmed. Rebecca looked between the three confused. "Why? I mean, what could you do?" Rebecca asked. "Well, me, not much. But Dean and Lyssa are cops." Sam said, causing Dean to laugh and Lyssa to look at him funny. Lyssa knew they didn't play well with the law, but impersonating cops was dangerous.
"Detectives, actually." Dean corrected. "Really?" Rebecca asked, looking between Dean and Lyssa. Dean nodded and, after nudging Lyssa with his foot, she nodded as well. "Where?" Rebecca asked.
"Bissbee, Arizona. But we're off-duty now." Lyssa explained. Rebecca looked like she was about to agree for a minute, but then shook her head. "You guys, it's so nice to offer, but I just-I don't know." She said. "Bec, look, I know Zack didn't do this. Now, we have to find a way to prove that he's innocent." Sam said, trying to get his friend to understand. Rebecca thought about what Sam had said and a minute later, she nodded. "Okay. I'm gonna go get the keys." She said before walking away and down the hall.
Once Rebecca was out of sight, Lyssa punched Sam in the arm. "What the hell! I'm not a detective!" she whispered angrily. "Calm down. Just follow Dean's lead and you'll be fine." Sam said, rubbing his arm where he'd been punched. Lyssa rolled her eyes and huffed out some air, hoping it would calm her nerves. "Wow, man, you're a real straight shooter with your friends." Dean said. "Look, Zack and Becky need our help." Sam pleaded with his brother.
"I just don't think this is our kind of problem." Dean retorted. "Two places at once? Sounds like you guys." Lyssa said. Dean looked to Lyssa and then back to Sam. "Fine." Dean said, defeated.
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Dean pulled the Impala up to the sidewalk and the four of them got out of the car. "You're sure this is okay?" Rebecca asked Lyssa who got out and walked over to the driver's side. Lyssa glanced at Dean, who nodded, before answering Rebecca. "Yeah. We are officers of the law." She said with a smile. Rebecca glanced at Sam and motioned for her to follow Dean and Lyssa.
Dean and Lyssa walked into the house and looked around. The furniture and walls of house were smeared with blood. "Bec, you wanna wait outside?" Sam asked, standing on the porch with her. Rebecca shook her head, ducking under the police tape and entering the house. Dean and Lyssa walked around the table and inspected the blood covered items. "Tell us what else the police said." Sam told Rebecca.
"Well, there's no sign of a break-in. They say that Emily let her attacker in. The lawyers-they're already talking about plea bargain." She said, looking around the room with tears flowing. "Oh, God…" she said through a sob.
"Look, Bec, if Zack didn't do this, it means someone else did. Any idea who?" Sam asked. Rebecca shook her head and then a look came across her face that looked like she remembered something. "Um, there was something, about a week before. Somebody broke in here and stole some clothes-Zack'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 said, wiping a few tears away.
Dean walked over to the door when he heard barking outside and opened it. "You know, that used to be the sweetest dog." Rebecca said, coming up behind him. "What happened?" Lyssa asked, looking out the window at the large dog. "He just changed." Rebecca answered, turning to the other woman. "Do you remember when?" Lyssa asked, Dean giving her an odd look at how easy she was picking everything up, like it was natural. "I guess around the time of the murder."
Dean looked between the two women and then walked away. Lyssa watched as Dean walked away and then turned back to the distraught woman before her. "Are you alright?" she asked. Rebecca nodded and wiped her eyes again. "Yeah, I'll be fine. Thank you though. It's just…it's been pretty hard."
Lyssa nodded and gave the other woman a small, reassuring smile. "We'll take care of this. I promise."
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Dean walked into the kitchen to find Sam looking at a picture of himself, Zack, and Rebecca on the fridge. "Where's Lyssa?" Sam asked, noticing his brother's presence. "She's with Rebecca." Dean answered. "And the neighbor's dog went psycho right around the time Zack's girlfriend was killed." He added. "Animals can have a sharp sense of the paranormal." Sam offered. "Yeah, maybe Fido saw something." Dean said.
"So, you think maybe this is our kind of problem?" Sam asked, smirking. "No. Probably Not. But we should look at the security tape, you know, just to make sure." Dean said, Sam smirking the entire time. "Yeah." Sam said with a small laugh. "So, the tape. The security footage-you think maybe your lawyers could get their hands on it, 'cause we just don't have that kind of jurisdiction." Dean asked when Rebecca and Lyssa walked up to the brothers.
"I've already got it. I didn't wanna say something in front of the cops." She said, causing Dean to chuckle. "I stole if off the lawyer's desk. I just had to see for myself."
"All right." Dean said and all four of them left the house and got back into the Impala.
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Sam, Dean, Lyssa, and Rebecca were all in the living room, watching the security footage. "Here he comes." Rebecca said and a few seconds later the tape showed Zack entering his house. "22:04, that's just after ten. You said time of death was about 10:30." Lyssa said, noticing the timestamp. "Our lawyers hired some kind of video expert. He says the tape's authentic. It wasn't tampered with." Rebecca explained. "Hey, Bec, can we take those beers now?" Sam asked.
"Oh, sure." She said, getting up and heading to the kitchen. "Hey." Sam called before she left the room. "Maybe some sandwiches, too?" he asked. "What do you think this is, Hooters?" she joked before leaving the room. "I wish." Dean said under his breath, getting up from his place on the arm of the sofa and walking over to Sam and earning an eye roll from Lyssa. "What is it?" he asked.
"Check this out." Sam said, rewinding the tape and then replaying it. One of the frames showed Zack looking directly at the camera and his eyes were silver. "Camera flare?" Lyssa asked. "That's not like any camera flare I've ever seen. You know, a lot of cultures believe that a photograph can catch a glimpse of the soul." Sam explained. "Right." Dean said.
"Remember that dog that was freaking out? Maybe he saw something. Maybe this is some kind of dark double of Zack's, something that looks like him but isn't him." Sam said. "Like a Doppelganger." Dean offered. "Yeah. It'd sure explain how he was two places at once." Sam agreed.
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Dean parked the Impala outside Zack's house and all the three passengers got out. "Alright, so what are we doin' here at 5:30 in the morning?" Dean asked, walking around to the front and taking the coffee cup offered to him by Lyssa. "I realized something. The videotape shows the killer going in, but not coming out." Sam explained. "So, he came out the back door?" Lyssa asked, taking the coffee back from Dean and taking a drink.
"Right. So,there should be a trail to follow. A trail the police would never pursue." Sam agreed, walking towards an alleyway. "'Cause they think the killer never left. And they caught your friend Zack inside. I still don't know what we're doin' here at 5:30 in the morning." Dean said, taking the coffee cup back from Lyssa while Sam was looking around the outside of the building. "Blood. Somebody came this way." Sam called to the two still by the car.
"Yeah, but the trail ends. I don't see anything over here." Dean said and a couple of seconds later, an ambulance drove past. Dean glanced at Lyssa and then to Sam before all three followed the ambulance around the corner.
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The three made it around the corner and watched as an Asian man was cuffed and being escorted to a police car. "What happened?" Dean asked the person closest to him. "He tried to kill his wife. Tied her up and beat her." The woman said. "Really?" Sam asked, the two brothers exchanging a look. "I used to see him going to work in the morning. He'd wave, say hello. He seemed like such a nice guy." She said as the police car pulled away with the Asian man inside.
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Later on that day, they headed around to the back of the house and did some investigating. Sam was looking inside two garbage cans when Dean and Lyssa walked up beside him. "Hey. Remember when I said this wasn't out kind of problem?" Dean asked. "Yeah."
"Definitely our kind of problem." Dean said.
"What'd you find out?" Sam asked. "Well, we just talked to the patrolman 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." Lyssa explained. "So he was two places at once." Sam simplified. "Exactly. Then he sees himself in the house, police think he's a nutjob." Dean added. "Two dark doubles attacking loved ones in exactly the same way." Sam mused, walking around Dean and Lyssa.
"Could be the same thing doing it, too." Dean added, causing Sam to think for a second. "Shapeshifter?" Sam asked, Dean shrugging. "Something like that can make itself look like anyone." Lyssa said, remembering what she'd read in John journal. "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.
"Right, skinwalkers, werewolves." Sam added.
"We've got two attacks within blocks of each other. I'm guessing we've got a shapeshifter prowling the neighborhood." Dean concluded. "In all this shapeshifter lore, can any of them fly?" Sam asked. "Not that I know of." Dean answered. "Well, I picked up a trail here. Someone ran out the back of this building and headed off this way."
"Just like your friend's house." Lyssa voiced.
"Yeah. And, just like Zack's house, the trail suddenly ends. I mean, whatever it is just disappeared." Sam explained. "Well," Dean said, causing the other two to look at him. "there's another way to go-down."
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"I bet this runs right by Zack's house, too. The shapeshifter could be using the sewer system to get around." Sam said, hoping onto the solid ground of the sewer. "This is disgusting." Lyssa said, taking the hand Dean offered and hopped off the ladder. "I think you're right. Look at this." Dean said, bending down to examine a pile of blood and skin on the ground. "Ugh. What is that?" Lyssa asked as Dean used his pocket knife to examine the skin.
"Is this from his victims?" Sam asked, kneeling down next to Dean. "You know, I just had a sick thought. When the shapeshifter changes shape-maybe it sheds." Dean said, dropping the skin off of his pocket knife. "That is sick." Lyssa commented, standing up.
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"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, opening the trunk of the Impala and then opening the weapons compartment. He grabbed two guns and started filling them with silver bullets. "Silver bullet to the heart." Lyssa said. "That's right. You've been reading Dad's journal like I advised." Dean acknowledged, grinning up at her as Sam's cell phone started ringing. "This is Sam." He said, answering the call.
"We're near Zack's, we're just checking some things out."
"What are you talking about."
"Why would you do that?"
"Bec-"
"We're trying to help."
"Bec, I'm sorry, but-"
Dean glanced at Lyssa and then walked over to a disappointed looking Sam. "I hate to say it, but that's exactly what I'm talking about. You lie to your friends because if they knew the real you, they'd be freaked. It's just-it'd be easier if-" Dean tried, but was cut off by Sam. "If I was like you."
"Hey, man, like it or not, we are not like other people. But I'll tell you one thing. This whole gig-it ain't without perks." He said, holding up the two guns. Sam took one and put it in the back of his jeans as Dean handed the other to Lyssa. "Hide it the back of your jeans. I'll have to teach you how to use it properly later though." Dean advised as Lyssa took the gun and did the same as Sam. Dean nodded and they started walking back to the manhole.
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"I think we're close to its lair." Dean said, flashing his flashlight on the pipe next to them. "Why do you say that?" Lyssa asked. "Because there's another puke-inducing pile next Sam's face." Dean explained, causing Sam to turn and see another pile of blood and skin on the pipe. "Oh God!" Sam jumped and moved as far away from the pipe as the small corridor would allow. Sam flashed his light further down the corridor and it landed on a pile of clothes in a corner. "Looks like it's lived here for a while." Dean said.
"Who knows how many murders he's gotten away with?" Lyssa said as Sam turned around to see the shapeshifter, still in the form of the Asian man, standing behind Dean. "Dean!" Sam yelled, trying to warn his brother. Both Lyssa and Dean turned around and Dean got punched by the shapeshifter. Dean was knocked into Lyssa, causing both of them to fall to the ground and the shapeshifter ran away. Sam shot at it a few times, but missed.
Dean was in the process of helping himself and Lyssa up when Sam ran over to them. "Get the son of a bitch!" Dean yelled once Lyssa and himself were upright.
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"All right, let's split up." Sam said once all three of them were safely out of the manhole. "All right, we'll all meet up back at the car." Dean instructed. Sam and Lyssa nodded in agreement before they all walked off in different directions.
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Sam stood on the street corner, waiting. "Hey. Anything?" Sam asked as Dean walked up behind him. "No. Nothing. Maybe Lyssa got something." Dean answered. "Alright, let's get back to the car." Sam said, crossing the street. Dean went to follow, but stopped to let a car drive by. As the car passed, Dean's eyes momentarily glowed silver.
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"She's not here. Maybe she got a lead." Sam said, walking up to the Impala. "Or she's still looking for him. You think he found another way underground?" Sam asked as Dean walked up to the trunk. "Yeah, probably. You got the keys?" Dean asked, patting his pockets. Sam stopped for a moment, thinking, before turning around. "Hey, didn't Dad once face a shapeshifter in San Antonio?"
"Oh, that was Austin. It turned out not to be a shapeshifter, it was a thought form. A psychic projection, remember." Dean explained. "Oh, right. Here ya go." Sam said, throwing Dean the keys and walking away. Dean opened the trunk and observed all the weapons, chuckling to himself. "Don't move!"
Dean turned around to see Sam pointing a gun at him. "What have you done with him?" Sam asked. "Dude, chill. It's me, all right?" Dean said, holding his hands up. "No, I don't think so. Where's my brother?" Sam asked again, still aiming. "You're about to shoot him. Sam, calm down." Dean said, trying to convince the other. "You caught those keys with your left. Your shoulder was hurt." Sam explained. "Yeah, it's better. What do you want me to do, cry?" Dean countered. "You're not my brother."
"Why don't you pull the trigger, then? Hm? 'Cause you're not sure. Dude, you know me." Dean tried again. "Don't." Sam said. Dean paused before hitting Sam twice with a crowbar and he fell to the ground unconscious.
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Sam woke up in a dingy, dusty room and his neck and hands were bound to a wooden post behind him. "Dean" walked over to him and backhanded him across the face once he noticed the younger Winchester was awake, causing him to groan. "Where are they? Where're Dean and Lyssa?" Sam asked, his voice slightly raspy. "I wouldn't worry about them. I'd worry about you." The shapeshifter replied, coming back into the room carrying a bag. "Where are they?" Sam asked again. "Lyssa, I have no idea where she is, but Dean, you don't really wanna know." He said with a chuckle.
"I swear, the more I learn about you and your family-I thought I came from a background." He said, going over to a worn table and placing the bag on top of it. "What do you mean, learn?" Sam asked as the shapeshifter pulled a knife from the bag. He stopped for a moment and grabbed his head in pain, grimacing while Sam watched in confusion. After a moment, the shapeshifter relaxed and looked at Sam. "He's sure got issues with you. You got to go to college. He had to say home. I mean, I had to say home. With Dad. You don't think I had dreams of my own? But Dad needed me. Where the hell were you?" the shapeshifter went on, taking on the role of Dean.
"Where…is my brother?" Sam asked again, the shapeshifter leaning in close to Sam. "I am your brother. See, deep down, I'm just jealous. You got friends. Sure, Lyssa and I've gotten close over the past few days, but still. You could have a life. Me? I know I'm a freak. And sooner or later, everybody's gonna leave me." He went on, backing away from Sam.
"What are you talking about?" Sam asked, watching as the shapeshifter walked away.
"You left. Hell, I did everything Dad asked me to, and he ditched me, too. No explanation, nothin', just poof. Left me with your sorry ass. But, still, this life? It's not without its perks." The shapeshifter said, laughing. "I meet the nicest people. Like Lyssa and little Becky. You know, Dean would bang both of them if he had the chance. Let's see what happens. Lyssa's supposed to be meeting us back at the car anyway." He said, smiling and coving Sam with a sheet before leaving.
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Lyssa was lying on the back of the car when Dean strolled up. "Where the hell have you been? Where's Sam? I've been waiting here for a good forty minutes!" Lyssa complained, sitting up and looking at the older Winchester. "Sorry. We thought we found something. Sam found a lead and told us to wait for him at the motel." Dean said, walking around to the driver's side.
Lyssa nodded and hopped of the back and went around to the passenger side. "What's Sam's lead?" she asked, sliding into the passenger seat. "Well," Dean started then stopped for a moment, thinking of something. "He was talking to a woman at the liquor store. She said she saw an Asian man run past a couple of minutes before he showed up."
"Shouldn't we go help him?" she asked as Dean slid into the driver's seat. "Nope. Sammy can handle this on his own. I think it'd be better for us to head back to the room and rest up." He answered with a smile, starting the Impala. "Okay." Lyssa said, smiling back.
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Sam struggled against the ropes, but was failing miserably. "Damn it." He said under his breath, but stopped when he heard movement in another area of the room and someone coughing. "That better be you, Sam, and not that freak of nature." came Dean's voice, causing Sam to laugh. "Yeah, it's me." Sam said as Dean managed to uncover himself from the sheet and started to undo his ropes. "He's with Lyssa and then going to Rebecca's, looking like you." Sam explained.
"Well, he's not stupid. He picked the handsome one." Dean joked. Sam gave him a confused look, then continued to work through his ropes.
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"Yeah, that's the thing. He didn't just look like you, he was you. Or he was becoming you." Sam explained as Dean finally worked his way out of the ropes. "What do you mean?" Dean asked, starting to throw the ropes off. "I don't know, it was like he was downloading your thoughts and memories." Sam elaborated, still struggling against the ropes. "You mean, like the Vulcan mind meld?" Dean offered. "Yeah, something like that. I mean, maybe that's why he doesn't just kill us." Sam said as Dean got up and walked over to Sam. "Maybe he needs to keep us alive. Psychic connection." Dean said, untying Sam's ropes. "Hands. Yeah. Come on, we gotta go. He's gotta be with Lyssa already. If not, he's at Rebecca's."
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Sam knocked out an old window and the brothers climbed out. "Come on. We gotta find a phone, call the police." Sam said, while Dean finished making his way out of the small confinement. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. You're gonna put an APB out on me." Dean said, Sam shrugging. "Sorry."
"This way." Dean said, running down the street.
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Sam and Dean stood in front of a store window, watching a news report that is being shown on a display of televisions. 'An anonymous tip led the 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 in her home.' The reporter announced, a sketch of Dean appearing on screen.
"Man! That's not even a good picture." Dean said as Sam looked around cautiously. "It's good enough. Now we just have to find Lee." Sam said, walking away from the store window. "Man!" Dean said under his breath and followed after his brother.
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Sam and Dean were walking down an alley when Dean stepped into a puddle. "Come on." Sam said, pausing. "They said attempted murder. At least we know-"
"I didn't kill her." Dean finished for him. "We'll check with Rebecca in the morning, see if she's all right." Sam said. "All right, but first we find Lyssa and then I wanna find that handsome devil and kick the holy crap out of him." Dean said angrily. "We have no weapons. No silver bullets." Sam reminded Dean.
"Sam, the guy's walkin' around with my face, okay, it's a little personal, I wanna find him. Not to mention who knows what he's done to Lyssa." Dean explained, stopping to look at his brother. "Okay. Where do we start?" Sam asked. "Well, we could start with the sewers." Dean provided, getting angrier by the moment. "We have no weapons. He stole out guns, we need more." Sam said again, pausing for a moment before he realized something. "The car?"
"I'm betting he drove over to Rebecca's." Dean concluded. "The news said he fled on foot. I bet it's still parked there." Sam added. "The thought of him driving my car." Dean said, upset by the thought. "All right, come on." Sam said and they started walking again. "It's killing me." Dean added. "Let it go." Sam said.
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Sam and Dean walked around the side of the house and saw Dean's car parked. "Oh, there she is! Finally, something went right tonight." Dean said relieved. "Oh, crap." He added when a police car appeared and parked next to the Impala. When they turned around, anther police car was parked a few yards away. "This way, this way." Dean said, moving towards the fence.
"You go. I'll hold 'em off." Sam said.
"What are you talking about? They'll catch you." Dean said, already halfway over the fence. "Look, they can't cold me. Just go, keep out of sight. Meet me back at the motel." Sam pleaded. "Dean, stay out of the sewers alone. I mean it!" he said when Dean said nothing and hopped over the fence. "Yeah, yeah!" Sam heard coming from the fence.
"Don't move! Keep your hands where I can see 'em." A police officer said and Sam raised his hands in the air.
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Sam walked up to the motel door and fished in his pocket for the room key. Once he got the door open, he turned on the light. "Oh God!" Sam exclaimed, rushing into the room when he saw Lyssa tied to a chair and gagged. Once he got the piece of cloth out of her mouth and the ropes off, he had to catch her before she hit the floor. "Lyssa? Can you hear me?" he called, shaking her shoulder lightly.
He didn't get and answer and decided he should probably get her to a hospital. From the looks of it she had a lot of blood loss and she was unconscious. Luckily, the cab he'd used to get to the motel was still outside. "I need to get to the hospital. Quick!" Sam said, getting Lyssa into the backseat and then getting in after her. The cab driver didn't say anything and drove off as fast as he was able to get to the local hospital.
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"I need some help!" Sam called, carrying Lyssa's unconscious form into the emergency room. A nurse rushed up to them with a gurney and Sam laid her on top of it. "What happened?" the nurse asked, checking Lyssa's pulse. "She was in a car accident." Sam lied, watching as they rushed her off. Before the nurse came back, Sam was gone and all he'd left was a note with the nurse at the desk.
Call me at this number when she wakes up.
Sam rushed back to the cab and had it take him to Rebecca's. He decided he needed to check on her now that Lyssa had been found.
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The next day, Dean stood by the Impala, looking at a map on the hood as Sam and Rebecca came outside. "So, this is what you do? You, your brother, and Lyssa-you hunt down these kinds of things?" Rebecca asked, looking up at the younger Winchester. "Yeah, pretty much." Sam answered. "I can't believe it. I mean, I saw it with my own eyes. And, I mean, does everybody at school-nobody knows that you do this?" she went on. "No." Sam said after taking a breath.
"Did Jessica know?" she asked. Sam was silent, thoughtful for a moment. "No, she didn't." he said sadly. "Must be lonely." Rebecca added.
"Oh, no. No, it's not so bad. Anyway, what can I do? It's my family." Sam explained, looking to his brother. Rebecca laughed and folded her hands in front of her. "Well, you know, Zack and me, and everybody at school-we really miss you." She said, hugging him. "Yeah, me too." He said sadly, pulling away. "Well, will you call sometime?" she asked.
"It might not be for a little while." Sam answered. Rebecca nodded and waved goodbye to Dean. Dean waved back and she went back inside the house while Sam walked over to the car.
"So, what about your friend, Zack?" Dean asked, looking back at the map. "Cops are blaming this Dean Winchester guy for Emily's murder. They found the murder weapon in the guy's lair, Zack's clothes stained with her blood. Now they're thinking maybe the surveillance tape was tampered with. Yeah, Becca says Zack will be released soon." Sam explained, smiling as Dean rolled his eyes and got into the car. "Come on, Sammy. Let's go check on Lee. See how she's doing." Dean said as Sam got into the passenger side.
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Lyssa looked up when the boys entered her hospital room. "Hey guys." She said, her voice a little raspy. "Hey. How're you feeling?" Sam asked, pulling up one of the chairs and sitting next to the bed. "Tired mostly. Other than that, I feel perfectly fine. I think it might have something to do with pain meds they have me on though." She said. Dean chuckled and pulled up another chair, sitting in it as well. "At least they're giving pain meds."
They spent the next hour and a half with Sam and Dean explaining what had happened with the shapeshifter. "Oh God. That's terrible." Lyssa said, rubbing her forehead. "Yeah, well, at least we got the bastard." Dean said with a light laugh. Just then, a nurse came into the room and asked for one of the boys to sign some papers.
Once Sam left the room, Dean was unusually quiet. "I don't blame you, Dean." Lyssa said, reaching over and taking Dean's hand in hers in a comforting manner. When he looked at her, there was guilt written all over his face. When he looked up at her, he felt pain, guilt, and sadness. "Lyssa, I-Ow!" he started, looking down at the floor and then right back up when Lyssa pinched his hand, causing him to look at her.
"Please don't. If you want to make me feel better, don't apologize for something you didn't do." She said, giving his hand a small squeeze. He shook his head and was about to argue that it was his fault because it was his body and probably could have stopped it from happening, but stopped when Lyssa pinched him again. "Ow! Stop it! You're mean when you're drugged up." He said, but didn't pull his hand away from her grasp.
"It wasn't your fault. It wasn't your mind. You never would've done that. I don't blame you because I trust you. I know you wouldn't do that because of how guilty you're feeling despite not being the one that did it. Please don't beat yourself up." She begged, looking him in the eye. Dean gave her a nod and a small smile. Lyssa smiled back and stifled a yawn. "Get some sleep. You need it." Dean told her.
Lyssa nodded and her eyes began to droop as the pain killers started to kick in again. As soon as she fell into a deep enough sleep, not that it took that long, Dean leaned forward and pressed the button that would lower the upper portion of the bed for a better sleeping angle and then leaned back in his chair, taking her hand in his and giving it a light reassuring squeeze.
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The next morning, Lyssa woke up still feeling a little groggy. "Glad to see you're awake again." Came a voice from the doorway. Lyssa looked up to see Sam standing in the doorway. "Hey, Gigantor." She said softly. "Where's Dean?" she asked, noticing the older Winchester wasn't with him. He nodded to the chair next to bed. Looking over, Lyssa saw Dean sleep, in was looked to be an uncomfortable position, in said chair.
"When I came back in last night, you were both knocked out cold." Sam explained. "He was really worried about you, Lee." He added. Lyssa shook her head and sighed, looking back to Sam. "He's not going to let this go, is he?" she asked, glancing back at Dean. Sam sighed and sat down in the chair he'd occupied the night before. "Probably not. He's always done that though. Ever since we were kids."
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It was about half an hour or so till Dean finally woke up. "Morning, twinkletoes." Lyssa said, smirking at him as he groaned and fixed the position he was sitting in. "What time is it?" he asked, groaning again. "Around 10:30. Sam left about ten minutes ago for coffee." She told him.
Dean nodded and slouched a little in his chair. They were silent for a moment before Lyssa broke it. "Thank you." She said. "For what?" Dean asked, confused. Lyssa smiled and sat up a little more. "For staying with me last night. Sam came in this morning and said you fell asleep not too shortly after me." She said.
"Couldn't leave you here alone." He laughed. "God knows what you'd get yourself into." Before Lyssa could retort, Sam came back into the room carrying three cups of coffee. "Glad to see your ass is finally awake." He said, handing each of them a cup before sitting back down in his chair. "Bite me, Sammy." Dean replied, taking a drink out of his cup. Sam rolled his eyes and turned his attention to the woman in the bed. "I talked with the Doctor before I got back and he said you'd be discharged this afternoon if everything checks out." Sam told her.
"Thank God. I don't think I can handle this for much longer." Lyssa said, taking a drink of her coffee.
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They were all finally back in the car, driving down a deserted road while Lyssa was in the backseat sleeping off the last of her pain meds.
"Sorry, man." Dean said to his brother. "About what?" Sam asked. "I really wish things could be different, you know? I wish you could be..Joe College." Dean explained. "No, that's okay. You know, the truth is, even at Stanford, deep down, I never really fit in." Sam said, looking at his brother. "Well, that's 'cause you're a freak." Dean said.
"Yeah, thanks." Sam laughed. "Well, I'm a freak too. Lyssa too. We're right here with yea, all the way." Dean said, causing Sam to laugh again. "Yeah, I know you are." Sam retorted.
"You know, I gotta say-I'm sorry I'm gonna miss it." Dean said, looking back at the road. "Miss what?"
"How many chances am I gonna have to see my own funeral?" Dean asked. Sam chuckled and smiled at his brother, Dean returning it before concentrating back on driving.
A/N: Wow, this is the longest chapter I've ever written: 6,848 words. This is the first time I've ever written anything like this. Please R&R and let me know what you think.