Chapter 4
"Bobby Singer is on his way. Also, I want to make sure the rest of the FBI doesn't come." Derek said.
"Why?"
"Sam and Dean are coming with him."
"What the hell were you thinking? Are you out of your mind?" Hotch asked.
"Look, she has a relationship with Sam, Dean, and Bobby. That relation to them might help her remember. Ask Reid." Derek argued.
"It is possible that they can catch her up on what's happened. Because she knew them three years ago, that trust can restore her memory. At least, until the doctor can operate on the tumor." Reid said.
"We're talking about Sam and Dean Winchester."
"I know. Please, just turn a blind eye. For Mel." Derek pleaded, playing the Mel card.
"Don't you dare use her to justify your crime. We barely know Mel."
"But that's not going to stop you from turning a blind eye anyways." Emily said, reading Hotch.
Hotch sighed. "Don't tell me when they're coming. I, and anybody else who doesn't want to see them, will not be here for the rest of the day."
He walked away. Rossi and JJ followed him. That left Emily, Derek, and Reid. Derek thought that if a fight broke out, they could take the Winchesters. Well, then there was Bobby Singer.
Derek sighed and hoped it didn't come to that. "Well, I guess I'll tell Mel to expect them." Derek said. He walked into her room.
She smiled as he sat next to her. "You bear the face of good news." She said.
"Yeah, well, I called Bobby and he and Sam and Dean Winchester are coming. They should be here any minute now." Derek told her.
"Thank you, Derek." She said. She breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm sorry that I can't remember. I've tried, but it's like I don't want to remember."
"It's okay. Really. It's not your fault you have a tumor." Derek said.
"Do what?" She said.
"Excuse me, agent?" The neurosurgeon asked, popping into the room.
"I'll be right back." Derek said. Mel nodded and Derek followed the surgeon out of her room.
"What's wrong?" Derek asked.
"We did a follow up on the tumor."
"And?"
"And, it's gone. There isn't a trace of it left. It's a miracle."
"You mean, the source of her memory loss is gone. Which means…"
"Which means she should remember. I have no clue why she doesn't. I mean, sometimes, the brain just wants to un-remember things."
Derek pondered this. "So, she might never remember the past three years of her life?"
"Well, a family member or a really close friend might trigger those memories."
"She has family on the way."
"Well, just wait and see. The best option right now is to take a breath and wait it out."
"Thank you, doctor."
"No problem."
The surgeon left and Derek returned to Mel's room.
"Hey, what was that about?" She asked.
"Well, you had a tumor that was the cause of your memory loss, but it disappeared. So, you might not remember at all. But, he said a family member could help with that, so it's a good thing Bobby and them are coming."
"That's good." She said.
"So, you know your cousins. Did they actually do all they are accused of?" Derek asked.
"Well, I don't know what's happened the past three years, but everything they're accused of before that, if anything, isn't true." Mel said. "They've had a long, hard, life. Their mom died when Sam was a baby, and since then, they've sort of been on the run. Their dad had a few enemies and didn't want them to get hurt, hence the running."
"Huh. Funny, since we got the impression that you hated them." Derek said.
"Oh, well, maybe something has changed from three years ago. Anyways, I don't think they're capable of hurting people."
"Well, let's hope you're right. For their sake."
Exactly ten minutes later, three men walked into Mel's room. Two were on the FBI's Most Wanted. You might know who they are. The third was an older man just as dangerous and steely as Sam and Dean.
"If you do anything to her, I will shoot you." Derek said.
"Touché." Dean said. Derek and Dean stood very close, staring each other down. Neither blinked or moved.
"If you two are done peeing on your property, we ain't here to establish the alpha male." Bobby said.
Derek said nothing. Even though his instincts urged him to shoot the three of them right then and there, he decided not to for Mel. He steadied his breathing and slowly walked out of the room, waiting until he was in the hallway to break eye contact with Dean Winchester.
As he walked down the hall of the hospital, he wondered what the hell he was thinking.
Dean smiled at Mel. His little cousin was all grown up. And had no memory of the past three years. That meant he'd have to tell her about the demon deal again. That he was going to hell. And he couldn't stand to see her like that again.
So, he was going to do everything in his power to make her remember the easy way. Or the hard way. Whichever it came to.
"So, you here to catch me up or stare at me like a wounded puppy?" Mel asked.
"Well, we ain't here to sniff the asses of those idjits the government passes as FBI agents." Bobby said.
"You know what I mean." Mel said.
"Maybe you're repressing those memories. There might be something that happened that was really awful." Sam said.
"You would've told us if something happened, though, right?" Dean asked.
"I'd think I would. But, if I'm repressing those memories like you said, maybe there was something I couldn't tell you." Mel said.
"Like what?"
"Like someone was blackmailing me or something. Or maybe I did something I was ashamed of. That would be a reason I wouldn't tell you." Mel said.
A look of familiarity passed over Mel's face and then faded. "Mel." Bobby said.
"Huh?" She said, as if realizing they were there.
"You remember something?" He asked.
"Yeah. I'm pretty sure it wasn't anything important." She said.
"How so?" Sam asked.
"It's not exactly bad."
She didn't offer anything else on the subject, so no one pried.
"So, who's the agent that stared Dean down earlier?" Sam asked.
"I'm pretty sure his name is Derek Morgan. Evidently when I was crushed under the ceiling, Derek pulled as much off as he could. That's how he found my hand."
"So, we should be thankful." Bobby said, staring at Dean.
"Why're you looking at me? I'm thankful. It's just, he's not exactly the nicest guy. He did say he'd shoot us."
"If you hurt me, which, obviously you won't. And plus, from what I've gathered so far, he's mostly all talk." Mel said.
"Let's hope so." Dean said.
"Alright, let's cut the crap and get to business." Bobby said. He hauled the bag in his hand onto Mel's bed. Luckily she was sitting crisscross, so it didn't crush her legs.
"What is that?" Sam, Dean, and Mel asked at the same time.
"What're you, triplets?" Bobby asked. "This'll restore your memory. I found it in an old book of mine. Should do the trick."
"How long does it take?" Sam asked.
"About thirty minutes. Which means you two gotta stay outside and keep watch. Do not piss off anyone. Dean." Bobby said.
"Why do you always assume I'm going to piss someone off?" Dean asked.
"Well, there was that one time when I was nineteen and that guy was hitting on me…" Mel started.
"Alright, alright. I get it. I'm prone to violence. Sammy, let's go." Dean said.
Sam and Dean walked out of the room and closed the door. They heard Bobby lock it.
After about five minutes of standing around, Sam spoke.
"We aren't very inconspicuous standing around here. Someone might think something of it. Dude, what if that agent comes back. How're gonna explain Bobby's preparation in there."
"Sammy, chill. I'm fine fighting him, despite Bobby's warning. Plus, if it comes to that, at least Mel will have her memory back." Dean said.
"I don't know, man. Something doesn't feel right." Sam said. He had a look in his eye, one that said he was real worried.
"It'll be fine. It has to be." Dean said. "Once she's all good, we disappear. We go deep underground and hunt down as many sons of bitches as we can until I expire."
"Don't. Don't talk like that." Sam said.
They stood in silence for a few minutes. Dean could hear Bobby chanting in the other room. He started humming Heat of the Moment by Asia.
Sam started humming it too. But they were both cut short by Mr. Alpha Agent walking towards them.
"What're you doing? Where's Mel?" He asked.
"Dude, really? Like you actually care." Dean scoffed.
"Um, who helped her out of the pile of rubble? Me." The agent said.
"Who's the reason she was stuck there in the first place? You." Sam said.
"Where is she?" He asked.
"In her room." Dean said.
The man huffed. "Let me through."
"No." Dean said. He stepped a little closer to the agent.
Both stared each other down once again. Dean was determined to win again this time. Dean realized he hadn't blinked yet and his eyes were starting to water. But neither had the agent. It was a staring contest.
They stayed like that again until Dean couldn't anymore. He blinked. The agent blinked. Then smiled.
Mel's door opened and Bobby came out.
"You two still going at it?" He asked the agent and Dean.
"You bet." Dean said.
"Well, why don't you take a break and visit your cousin." Bobby suggested.
"Fine." Dean said. Sam was waiting for him inside the room. Bobby closed it. Dean could only imagine what he was saying to the agent. That thought made him smile.
"Hey, did it work?" Dean asked.
"Yes. And I am equally as pissed about your deal as I was when I first found out." Mel said.
"Glad you're back." Dean said, shoving his hand in his pocket.
"So, do you remember what it was that made you repress your memories?" Sam asked.
"Yes. And it was pretty stupid. Nothing you should be concerned about, though. Just some ass-punk demon." She said.
Dean smiled. Mel was a mix between him and Sam. She had Dean's mouth, Sam's brain, and Bobby's guts. She was the perfect Winchester.
"Well, I suppose we should be off." Dean said.
"I guess so. But, maybe I could fake it a little longer. You know, just to rub it in the FBI's face." Mel said.
"Man, you are evil." Sam said.
"I think it's hereditary." She mocked.
"Ha, ha. Not funny." Sam said.
"Alright, why don't we take a walk outside. After you get changed." Dean said. He had brought her a change of clothes and set the backpack on the chair.
"Okie dokie." She said, getting up. As the blanket fell away, she squinted at her leg as if confused.
"What?" Sam asked.
"My leg. The doctor said it was severed from my body. But there's no mark. Not even from a surgery." She said. She ran her finger over it. "Huh, and it's shaved."
"I guess it's a miracle." Dean said.
"Dean." Sam said.
"Yeah, I know." Dean said.
"Well, why don't you get dressed and we can talk later on." Sam said.
"Gotcha." She said. The boys left once more. This time, Bobby was the only one in the hallway.
"How'd you rid yourself of him?" Dean asked.
"I didn't. He got a call and went running." Bobby said, shrugging.
"Hmm." Dean said.
Mel's door opened and there she was, fully dressed. "Let's go. I just got to sign out." She said. They followed her to the desk, where she signed something.
When she was finished, she turned to them and motioned for them to go. So they left. Without a word, they got into separate cars and drove off.
Dean and Mel were in the same car and Dean dreaded the conversation they were about to have.
"Have you found a way?" Mel asked.
"No. There isn't a way." Dean said.
"There has to be a way, Dean. You can't just die." Mel said, turning to look at him. "You can't leave us, Dean, you can't. I honestly don't know what's worse. Sam being dead and you here, or you being dead and Sam here. I can't imagine either and I don't want to."
"Mel, please." Dean said. "Don't."
She sighed. They sat in silence for the rest of the ride. Mel looked out the window and Dean focused fully on the road right in front of him.
As they passed the burned down school, Dean looked at Mel to see her reaction to it. Nothing. She was so mad about Dean going to hell, she couldn't even deal with herself.
But then, as if she saw something, she perked up and looked. "Dean, pull over."
"What?" he asked.
"Pull over now!" She said louder. He did. He pulled the car over to the side of the road and put it in park. Mel got out of the car and started running towards a man.
Dean turned off the engine and got out. He slammed the door and ran after Mel. The man she was running after was running as well. But when the man turned around while running, Dean's veins ran cold.
He was the man that kept haunting Dean's dreams. Ever since making the demon deal, Dean had been having dreams about what could happen in hell, always commentated by that man.
As Dean and Mel chased him, he wondered how Mel knew him. Mel managed to get the jump on him and actually tackled him. They went down and soon after, Dean made it.
He was pinned under her with his face pressed against the ground. Everyone was crowding around. Mel looked up.
"It's alright, everyone. This man is a criminal and I'm an FBI agent." She said. She pulled out her FBI badge and showed it to them.
"Geez, you just won't die, will you?" The man asked.
"Not by you." She said. She yanked him to his feet. She somehow had managed to grab handcuffs and cuff him. Dean didn't know where from, though.
"You know him?" Mel asked Dean as they walked back to Dean's car.
"Yeah. He's been hijacking my dreams. You?"
"He's the one who killed me."
"Ah, nice."
"Please, continue talking about me as if I'm not there." He said.
"Oh, please, James Connor, if that even is your name." Mel said.
"It is, and I wouldn't be too hasty to judge. I mean, I had to. You were a fed. I knew you'd wake up. I needed to get you two by yourselves." He said, referring to Dean and Mel.
"Why?" Dean asked.
"Because, you two are the cure." James said.
"The cure to what?" Mel asked.
"Demons."