Title: Calls Me Home
Summary: A journey through seven seasons of Supernatural through the eyes of two Winchesters and a Singer.
Characters: Dean Winchester, Sam Winchester, Ruby Singer, Bobby Singer, John Winchester, and a whole ton of others.
Disclaimer: Everything you see here belongs to Eric Kripke and Co. The title belongs to the song "Calls Me Home" by Shannon LaBrie.
Author's Note: I would just like to say that the timeline is so screwed up at some points. It's almost mind boggling.
Chapter Twenty
They hadn't left Colorado just yet. After checking out of their motel room, they followed John over to his room. The walls were covered with information about the yellow eyed demon that had killed Mary and Jessica. Hieroglyphics, weather charts, written notes, pictures, newspaper articles, a shelf of books, and other things. John sat at a paper strewn desk with the Colt laying in front of him. Ruby felt a bit out of place though a brush of Dean's hand against her hand seemed to calm her.
"So this is it. This is everything I know about that son of a bitch. Your whole lives we've been searching for this thing and nothing. Not a trace at all. Until about year ago when for the first time, I picked up a trail." John explained to them.
"And that's when you took off." Dean realized as he stopped pacing around.
"Exactly. The thing must have come out of hiding or hibernation." He nodded his head pointing to a map. "Trail starts in Arizona then goes out to New Jersey and then California. Houses burned to the ground. The damned thing is going after families just like it did us."
"Families with infants?" Sam looked at his dad curiously.
"Yeah. Night of the kid turning exactly six months old." John paused. "The night your mom... you were exactly six months old, Sammy."
"So basically this demon is going after these kids the same way it came for me? So mom's death.. Jessica. It's all because of me?" His voice cracked slightly.
Ruby shook her head looking over at Sam. "It's not your fault, Sam. This thing is going after multiple kids right? Who is to say it didn't do the same thing back when you were a baby? What happened to your mother and Jessica was not your fault."
"She's right, man. It was late at night. Nothing would have stopped mom from checking on either of us if she thought something was off. It could have easily been dad instead of her. Doesn't make it your fault." Dean assured his younger brother.
"No, but it makes it my problem." Sam shouted.
"Alright, that's enough." John stood up and everyone took a breath to calm down.
"So why's he doing it? What the heck does he want?" Sam looked at his father.
"I don't know. I wish I had more answers. Always been one step behind it. I've never gotten there in time to save..." He trailed off looking down at the floor clearly upset with himself.
The blonde bit her lip. "How do we find it before it strikes again?"
"Look for the signs. Took me a while to the pattern, but it's there in the days leading up to the fires. Signs crop up in the area. Cattle deaths, temperature fluctations, electrical storms. So I went back and checked..." John looked at them again.
"The signs showed up in Lawrence." Dean swallowed hard at that realization.
"A week before your mother died. Also in Palo Alto before Jessica... these signs, they're starting again."
"Where?" Sam's voice caught their attention.
"Salvation, Iowa." John admitted.
After packing up all of John's research, they were on the road again this time heading for Iowa. The three hunters followed closely behind John's truck with the Impala. It was near the end of the trip when John pulled off to the side of the road without warning. Dean pulled over behind him parking the car. The three hunters hopped out of the car watching as John climbed out of his truck looking rather upset. They were unsure what had happened until he walked back toward them.
"Damn it!" He yelled out hitting his truck lightly with his fist. "Son of a bitch."
"What is it?" Dean looked at his dad with concern.
"I just got a call from Caleb." John sighed.
"Is he okay?" Dean's eyebrows raised.
"Yeah he's fine. Jim Murphy's dead." He told the boys with a frown.
"Pastor Jim? How?" Sam looked equally upset and shocked.
"Throat was slashed. Bled out. Caleb said they found traces of sulfur at Jim's place."
"A demon?" Dean watched his dad nod and swallowed hard. "The demon?"
"Don't know. Could have gotten careless and slipped up. Maybe he knows we're getting close." John shrugged his shoulders.
Ruby squeezed Sam and Dean's hands comfortingly. "So what do we do now?"
"Every second counts. There's two hospitals and a health center in this county. Split up and we'll cover more ground. I want records. I want a list of every infant that's going to be six months old in the next week." John ordered.
"But that could be dozens of kids. How will we know which one is the right one?" The youngest Winchester sighed.
"We'll have to check them all. Any better ideas?" He looked over at him.
"No sir."
They walked back to their respective cars and John paused before getting into his truck looking upset.
"Dad?"
"It's just.. it's Jim, you know? I can't.." He gripped the door handle tightly. "This ends now. I'm ending it. I don't care what it takes."
That declaration worried Ruby though she stayed silent as they drove off further into Iowa.
John went to one of the hospitals while Dean went to the other. Ruby tagged along with Sam to the medical center. The two of them split up the birth certificate information writing it down. When they were done, they thanked the nurse that helped them and left the medical center. Sam was looking at what he wrote down only to clutch his head in pain. Ruby moved him over to a nearby bench sitting him down. From past experience, she could tell that he was having a vision. He saw the yellow eyed demon in a baby's nursery. The vision flashed to a mother looking out a window then he heard what sounded like a train and saw the demon again. His body relaxed as the vision released its hold on him.
The blonde frowned watching him. "Sam, are you alright?"
"Y..Yeah, I'm fine. Ugh, never get used to that." He shook his head regaining his bearings.
It had been his first vision in a while which worried her. "What did you see?"
"The demon in a nursery." Sam pulled out a map studying it.
Before she could question him any further, he stood up and started walking away. Ruby followed him confused when they wound up at the local park. He studied the map again then walked over to a house just outside of the park. She just watched from afar as he talked to a young mother who seemed to live in that house. Somehow she just knew that had to be the house with the nursery from his vision. She pulled out her phone and called a familiar number.
Bobby Singer picked up his phone smiling slightly. "Hey sweetheart."
Ruby sighed in relief hearing her dad's voice. "Hi Daddy."
His brows furrowed hearing her sigh. "Everything alright?"
She bit her lip still watching Sam. "Yes. No. I don't know. Pastor Jim Murphy died. Sulfur was found at his place. They don't know if it was the demon or just a demon."
Bobby sighed knowing Jim was a friend of John's who had watched the boys when they were young. "I'm sorry to hear that. How are the boys holding up?"
Ruby adjusted the phone in her hand. "They're alright. Focused on finding the damned thing. I just.. I needed to hear your voice and know that you were alright."
He smiled slightly at that. "Sweetheart, it's going to take more than some demon idjit to take your old man down."
The blonde couldn't help laughing slightly at that. "Dad, I'm serious."
Bobby chuckled a bit. "So am I. Look, I know you're all grown up now, but it sounds like things are getting really dangerous for the Winchesters. Maybe it's time you just come home for a while."
Ruby bit her lip watching as Sam walked back toward her. "I'll think about it. I promise. Just... you be careful too, alright? I'll try to call back soon. I love you. Bye."
He smiled a bit more. "That's all I ask. Just be safe. Alright, I love you too, sweetheart. Bye."
Their call ended and Ruby frowned seeing Sam clutch his head having another vision. Sam can only watch helplessly as the young mother, Monica, enters her daughter's nursery only to find the demon standing by her daughter Rosie's crib. Monica is pulled back to the wall and dragged up to the ceiling. Blood starts dripping from her stomach and she screams her daughter's name. The room then bursts into flames. Identical to how his mother and Jessica had been killed. The vision faded away leaving him gasping for breath. Ruby made sure that he was alright before they met up with John and Dean at the local motel.
"A vision?" John looked over at Sam.
"Yeah. I saw the demon burning a woman on the ceiling. Just like mom and Jessica." He sighed.
"You really think this is going to happen because.." He trailed off still a bit skeptical of what his son was saying.
"Because these things happen exactly how I see them." Sam admitted to him.
"Started out as nightmares, but then it started happening while he was awake." Dean added as he moved to pour some more coffee for himself.
Ruby nodded her head in agreement. "It's like the closer you guys get to the demon, the stronger his visions get."
"And when were you going to tell me about this?" He looked at them.
"We didn't know what it meant." Dean took a sip of coffee.
"Something like this starts happening to your brother, you pick up the phone and call me." John eyed Dean sternly.
"Call you? Are you freaking kidding me? Do you know how many times we called you? All we got back was a text with coordinates or you calling us to tell us where to hunt next." Dean responded in disbelief.
The blonde could feel her blood boil in anger at the older man. "He called you when they were in Lawrence dealing with the spirits in your old home. Sam called you when Dean was dying. They have a better chance of winning the lottery than getting your ass on the phone."
"You're right though I'm not too crazy about this new tone of yours. You're right and I'm sorry." John apologized to his boys.
"Look, visions or no visions, fact is that we know the demon is coming tonight. This family is going to go through the same hell that we went through." Sam spoke up clearly upset.
"No they're not. No one is ever again." John remarked sounding quite determined.
Sam's phone rang just then and they all looked at each other in confusion. He answered it and they were shocked to learn that it was Meg calling. They had believed that she had died back in Chicago after falling out of a seven story window. She wanted to talk to his father and he attempted to deflect her by claiming that he didn't know where John was at the moment. The demon wasn't buying it however. He hesitated before handing the phone over to his father.
The demon smirked though he couldn't see it. "Hello John. I'm Meg. Friend of your boys and the one who watched Jim Murphy choke on his own blood. Well that was yesterday. Today I'm in Lincoln visiting another old friend of yours. He wants to say hi."
"John, whatever you do, don't give..." Caleb trailed off as Meg took the phone back.
"Caleb? You listen to me, he has nothing to do with this. You let him go." The name caught the boys attention as John spoke.
Meg rolled her eyes at that. "We know you have the Colt, John, and we want it."
"I don't know what you're talking about, Meg." He cleared his throat.
The demon smirked again slitting Caleb's throat. "Oh, I see. Okay then. Well listen to this."
"Caleb? Caleb!" John sounded panicked as he listened to his friend gasping and drowning in his own blood.
Meg pressed the phone back to her ear. "Hear that? That's the sound of your friend dying. Now let's try this again. Word travels fast, John. We know you have the gun. As far as we're concerned, you just declared war and war has casualties."
"I'm going to kill you, you know that?"
She chuckled softly at that. "Oh please, John, mind your blood pressure. So here is what we are going to do. You are going to give me the Colt. If not, well, we'll just keep doing what we're doing. One by one, your friends, any one who has ever helped or gave you shelter, anyone you have ever loved. They will all die unless you give us that gun."
"Okay." John reluctantly agreed after thinking about it for a few moments.
The demon smiled at his words. "Excellent. There's a warehouse in Lincoln. Corner of Wabash and Lake. Meet me there."
"It'll take me about a day's drive to get there."
Meg snorted at that. "Meet me there at midnight tonight."
"That's impossible. I can't take the gun on a plane. I won't get there in time."
She chuckled evilly at him. "Guess your friends die don't they? If you do decide to show up on time, come alone."
The demon hung up and John sighed explaining the situation to the three younger hunters. Ruby's face paled and she quickly moved to her bags packing her things. They watched her curiously wondering what she was doing. She finished packing then looked at them biting her lip.
"Ruby..." Sam trailed off looking at her in concern.
She smiled slightly at him. "I'm fine. I just.. I need to get back to Sioux Falls. I'm not letting that bitch get close to my dad. I can't take that chance."
"I can respect that. You take care and be safe. Don't worry about her. We'll take care of it." John assured her.
Ruby nodded her head then glanced at Dean. "Could you maybe drop me off at the airport?"
"Yeah, uh sure. No problem." Dean pressed a kiss to her temple.
She smiled softly then stepped over toward Sam pulling him into a hug. "Don't go doing any stupid crazy self sacrificing crap when you meet the demon. I will find a way to bring you back to life just to kick your ass. I want both of you boys back in one piece."
"Yes ma'am." Sam chuckled slightly hugging her back.
Ruby nodded pulling away from him. "Just be careful. I'll be in touch. I promise."
"You know she's not going to go after Bobby." Dean reassured her as his arms slid around her waist.
Ruby shrugged her shoulders smiling softly up at him. "Probably not, but we can't know for sure. I just can't risk it. I already lost my mom because of a demon. I'm not losing my dad too."
"Yeah well I can't lose you." He admitted pulling her into a kiss.
She kissed him back smiling a bit more. "I can't lose you either so don't go doing anything stupid, Dean Winchester."
"I'll try my best not to." Dean smiled softly at her.
The announcement for her flight boarding went out over the loudspeaker making her sigh softly. She leaned up kissing his lips again. They remained like that for a good few moments before she reluctantly pulled away. Ruby gave him one last look then walked toward her gate. Flying was definitely not her favorite mode of transportation, but she would suffer through it if it meant keeping her dad alive. When the flight landed, she joined the rest of the passengers in leaving the plane. Bobby was waiting for her inside of the airport and she went over hugging her father tightly. He was aware of the situation as she had called him while Dean had driven her to the airport. He didn't believe Meg would come after him, but he was more than alright with having Ruby back home with him if it meant her being away from that whole demonic mess. On the way back to the house, she called Dean letting him know that she made it back home safely and he told her the plan. John was going on ahead to meet Meg with a fake Colt while the boys stayed behind with the real one to deal with the demon.
That night, the boys were parked outside of Monica's home waiting for the yellow eyed demon to show up. Static came over the radio, the wind picked up, and the lights in the house began to flicker. Sam grabbed the Colt following Dean up to the house. The older brother picked the lock letting them in only to be confronted by Monica's husband who was trying to get them to stay out by swinging a bat. Dean attempted to calm him down which got Monica's attention. The man told his wife to go check on their baby. Realizing what was about to happen, Sam ran up the stairs to stop her. The demon knocked her back against the wall sliding her up to the ceiling. He froze as he finally came face to face with the demon. Monica called out her daughter's name and it snapped Sam out of his daze. He shot at the demon and it vanished relinquishing its hold on Monica. She fell to the floor and tried to move toward the crib only to be stopped by Sam. Dean ran in telling Sam to take her and go. He picked up Rosie from the crib wrapping the blankets around her then ran out of the room. The window of the nursery exploded outward with flames pouring out of it. The front doorway is filled with smoke. Sam and Monica made it outside coughing. The husband began to yell at Sam only for Monica to step in.
"No, it's alright. Don't. They saved us." Monica assured him as Dean ran out of the house carrying the baby. "Rosie!"
He placed the baby in her arms. She cradled her protectively as her husband wrapped his arms around her. Monica thanked them and the small family moved a bit further away from their now burning house. The Winchester brothers turned back toward the burning house. A silhouette could just be made out appearing in the burning nursery.
"It's still in there!" Sam gasped and moved to run back toward the house.
"Sam! Sam, no." Dean grabbed his brother holding him back.
"Dean, Dean, let me go. It's still in there." He pleaded with his brother.
"I can't. No. It's burning to the ground. That would be suicide."
"I don't care!" Sam yelled.
"Yeah well I do." Dean yelled back.
They looked back at the house watching the flames rise and realized the silhouette was now gone. The sound of a firetruck's sirens brought them out of their daze. Dean led his brother back to the Impala then they drove back over to the motel. Dean called Ruby letting her know what happened then tried to call John who wasn't answering, much to his frustration. Sam was sitting on one of the beds while Dean paced around in the room.
"If you would have just let me go in there, I would have ended this." Sam gave him his patented bitchface look.
"The only thing you would have ended was your life." Dean scoffed.
"You don't know that." He rolled his eyes.
"That willing to sacrifice yourself, huh? Is that it?" He walked toward his brother.
"Yeah, you're damn right I am." Sam stood up staring at him.
"Not going to happen. Not as long as I'm around."
"Dean, we've been searching for the demon our whole lives. It's the only thing we've ever cared about." He eyed his brother incredulously.
"I want to waste it, I do. It's just not worth dying over." Dean sighed.
"What?"
"If hunting this damned thing means getting yourself killed then I hope we never find the damn thing. I mean it." He gave Sam a look.
"That thing killed Mom. That thing killed Jess." Sam glared at his brother.
"You said yourself once that no matter what we do, they're gone and they're never coming back."
Hitting his boiling point, Sam grabbed Dean shoving him hard against the wall.
"Don't you say that. Not you. Not after all of this. Don't say that." Sam yelled at him clearly angry and upset.
"Sam, the three of us.. Ruby and Bobby too to an extent.. that's all we have. It's all I have. Sometimes I feel like I'm barely holding it all together, man. Without you or dad, I..." He admitted quietly then trailed off.
"Dad should have called by now. Try him again." Sam let go of his brother and walked across the room with tears in his eyes.
He grabbed his phone calling John again and the demon smirked as she answered it. "Hello boys. You really screwed up this time."
"Where is he?" Dean shared a look with Sam.
Meg laughed taunting him. "You're never going to see your father again."
"They've got dad." Dean sighed as the demon hung up.
"What are you doing, Dean?"
"We've got to go." He grabbed his duffel bag checking over the room before walking toward the door.
"Why?" Sam looked at him confused.
"Because the demon knows where we are. It has dad and it knows we have the Colt. It's probably coming for us next."
"Well good. We've still got three bullets left. Let it come to us." Sam responded confidently.
"Sammy, just no. We're not ready. We don't know how many of them are out there. We're no good to anybody dead. We're leaving.. now!" Dean ordered putting his things into the Impala.
The car sped down the road as Sam and Dean discussed their options. Sam wasn't convinced that John wasn't already dead. Dean refused to even consider the notion that their father was gone. In his eyes, they were on a mission to rescue their dad.
"So how do we find him then?"
"We go to Lincoln. Start at the warehouse where he was grabbed." Dean suggested as if it were obvious.
"You really think these demons are going to leave a trail? If that were the case, why bother answering the phone when you called?" Sam shook his head.
"You're right. We need help."