Chapter 6- Scar Tissue
(Red Hot Chili Peppers)
Dean caught up with Sam in the hall. "Sammy, hey what the hell was that about?" "I can't protect her Dean. I have proven that over and over again. Now I have to look out for a child too. How am I supposed to do that? What kind of life do I have to offer an infant? I didn't want this. Dad forced the both of us into this life and I don't want it for my daughter. I don't want her to be a hunter or to be afraid." "I get what you're saying but this is who we are Sam. We are hunters and Zoey knows that. She knows the danger this life entails. If she didn't then why the hell else would she still be her?" "She's still here because she has no choice Dean. I got her pregnant and I didn't give her a choice. Zoey is just another innocent person that I've trapped into this lifestyle. I don't want her to end up like Bobby, or Kevin, Jessica…Ellen, Jo. The list goes on and on." "So what then, what do you want the girl to do? Ride off into the sunset and hope for a better life? You say you're not able to protect her, but right now you're all she's got. So maybe you sack up and be a man." Sam stormed off in absolute frustration, leaving Dean to go back and help Zoey put together the pieces of what was happening.
"Sorry about that. Sam's just being a douche bag. Don't worry about him alright. We just gotta get you better." Zoey shook her head in agreement. "So, Cas….how you plan on fixing me?" "Honestly, I'm going to need to take you back to heaven. You have to be monitored at all hours, and I'll have one of my soldier's do strenuous counseling with you as well. It'll be quite a grueling time, but it has to be done so you won't harm yourself any further." Zoey felt absolutely defeated, and her disappointment was written all across her face. "Back to heaven….for how long?" Castiel put his hand on her shoulder, "For as long as it takes." "OK, but can I go talk with Sam first?" "Of course you can. Whenever you're ready to go I'll be here." Zoey gave Cas an awkward human hug, and then slid off the table. Dean smirked at Zoey as she was leaving and said "He ran to his room to pout. Hopefully you'll have an easier time talking to him than I did." Zoey gave Dean a smile and left for Sam's room.
Upon arrival she found Sam propped up in bed, and apparently thousands of miles away. She didn't say anything to him. Only quietly took her place by his side. Neither of them would break the silence, but something had to give. Zoey rolled onto her side and positioned herself on her elbow. "Castiel says I have to go back to heaven. Apparently I need therapy, because I might be Linda Blaire." She was trying to joke and make light of the situation, but Sam wasn't having it. "This isn't something to laugh about Zoey! You almost died, and there was nothing I could do to stop it." "I know this isn't a joke Sam, but I had to get you talking somehow. You haven't said anything to me since I walked through the door. What's wrong anyway? Why did you leave me back there?" Sam couldn't answer for fear of upsetting her. He kept his mouth shut, and starred up at the ceiling. Zoey rolled her eyes at him and got off the bed. "Dean was right about you…" Sam scoffed. "What. What was Dean right about?" "You're so damn pouty. I'm trying to tell you I'm going back to heaven. Who knows for how long and you're just blowing me off. You sit there giving me the silent treatment…" Sam jumped off the bed faster than Zoey could blink. He strode to her, and kissed her lips with all the passion in the world. Zoey wrapped her hands around the back of his head and intertwined her fingers in Sam's hair. She felt butterflies in her stomach, as her pulse quickened. It didn't matter how many times she was intimate with him, because each time felt new, and the excitement that welled up inside her radiated from the tips of her toes to the top of her head. So much so that it could be sensed by Mary-Jo, as most times she would immediately start kicking. Sam laughed through their kiss, because he could feel small feet bumping his lower abs. He looked at Zoey, and placed one hand on her belly. "You ever feel like there's something between us?" "Naw it's cool. Her lease is up in a few months anyways. The little trouble maker will be outta here in no time." Sam and Zoey shared a laugh. "Are you gonna tell me what's wrong now?" Sam rolled his neck and took a step back. "I think you going to heaven is a great idea. You're much safer there than you are here with me. I'll feel better knowing you're with Castiel. He'll probably do a better job of protecting you than I could." "So that's what this is about? You're worried that you can't protect me?" "It is what it is, and I think you're better off up there." "Better off? You're shitting me right Sam. How am I better off without you…without the father of my child…without the man I love? How exactly did you come to that conclusion?" The tone in the room went from playful to serious in a millisecond. "You have no idea how inadequate I feel when I'm not with you. Anytime I'm away I worry and then stuff like today happens and I can't make heads or tails of it. I don't know what to do with any of this, so I got to thinking that your life would be exponentially better without me in it. I'm a hunter and no matter what I do, there will always be someone or something that's trying to kill me, and I don't want that for you. I want you to be safe, but in order for that to happen you should be as far away from me as humanly possible. The longer you stay here the more danger you'll be in." "Sam, I can understand what you're saying, but none of what you sad is worth my happiness. None of that is worth me being miserable all the time. You say you can't protect me and that I need to be away, but life before you sucked. I can't imagine it gets any better without you." Sam ran his hand through his hair, and sighed. "I'd much rather know you're alive and lonely, as opposed to cheerfully dead. I don't want to entertain that thought for a moment." Zoey frowned at Sam, and cocked her head to the side with a bit of confusion. "But you can entertain the thought of my sorrow? That doesn't make any damn sense, because I think I'd rather die than be without you. Not to mention you haven't said anything about your child. You want M.J. to grow up without a father?" Tears escaped her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. Zoey couldn't stop the emotions spilling out of her as she thought about her folks. "My parents are dead Sam. My mom and dad….." She paused and tried to regain composure, but her efforts were short lived. Between the pregnancy hormones and the chaos that she had experienced there was no stopping her crying. When she finally spoke her words were slow and deliberate. "I will never again get to see my father. He was taken from me when I needed him most, and I never even got a chance to say goodbye. I miss the smell of his cigars. I miss the tickle of his beard when he'd kiss my cheek. I miss the way he used to drink his rum and get too involved in a Red Socks game. I miss how he would whisper sweet things to my mom in Spanish, and how loving he was towards us. Sam, there is nothing…absolutely nothing I wouldn't do to get him back, but I can't. Yet here you stand ready to throw all that away, because you're scared." "Zoey I didn't mean…" "NO! Spare me your pity Sam. You're not a man you're a scared little boy. You're scared of life, but I'll tell you something. In the time I've spent with you I've survived and thrived. Sure what happened with Crowley was terrifying, but you came for me. You came for me, and I almost died, but you still fought to get me back. I was certain that you were perfect for me, but now I don't know anymore. If you don't believe in yourself, then maybe I should be scared. You are not who I thought you were Sam Winchester. You're just a little bitch."
Zoey stormed out and slammed the door. Fuming as she walked away, the sounds of furniture being tossed about was all that echoed behind her. She found Castiel waiting in the library making small talk with Dean. "All set!" She chimed as she joined the boys. Dean and Zoey exchanged an embrace, and said their good byes. "I'll see ya soon kid." "See you soon. Oh and Dean do me a favor will ya?" "Sure." "Keep Sam outta trouble." Dean smirked at her. "Kid I've been doing that my whole life." Zoey took Castiel's hand and in a flash they were gone.
Cas wasn't lying or exaggerating when he said Zoey's recovery would be slow. Three weeks had passed since he had taken her, and there was no word on how she was doing. Dean knew Sam was getting antsy and they hadn't worked since the night of the accident, so Dean was always scanning the internet for articles about odd goings on. He didn't have to look very hard though, because he soon ran across a story that caught his eye.
"Claire Alva (21) was attending church at House of God Ministries on Sunday, September 15, 2013 when she temporarily went missing. A fellow church member Patricia Harrington (56) was seated in the upper level pews of the church next to Alva when she vanished right in the middle of the Pastor's sermon. Harrington claimed the girl "was gone in the blink of an eye", but apparently re-appeared seconds later. When Alva did appear again she was bleeding all over and had strange markings that were carved into her arms. A symbol of unknown origin was always found next to the young girl, drawn out in blood on her church program. Authorities are still looking into the matter, but for now Alva has been placed at Tulane Medical Center and is receiving treatment for her wounds."
Along with this article was a picture of the markings on the girl's arms. When Dean saw it, he about jumped out of his seat with anticipation. He found himself some work. Grabbing his phone off the table he dialed Sam's number. It only rang once. "Uh Dean you know I'm here in the bunker. You don't have to call me." "Oh what you mean go wandering around looking for you. Yea right, my way is faster. Just get your ass to the library. I got us a case." In minutes Sam was standing over his brother, and skimming the article. He was just as intrigued as Dean was and got a little excited himself when he saw the picture. "What is that, angel sigils…demon warding?" "I don't know Sammy. Your guess is just as good as mine, but whatever it is it's right up our alley." Sam scrolled to the top of the web page where the article was and read aloud "The Times-Picayune". Dean slammed a hand down on table, "The Big Easy baby! New Orleans!" Sam nodded his head and smiled. "New Orleans it is."