Chapter 7

Missouri looked toward the doorway as the brothers came into the kitchen. Their hair was damp from showers, and they seemed a little more relaxed being here with her. She smiled warmly at them before speaking.

"Good morning children," she greeted them in her lyrical voice. "I have oatmeal on the stove and fresh fruit to go on top. Would you like milk or juice to drink?"

"Milk Sammy?" Dean asked his brother.

"Yes, please," Sammy answered in a small voice. He took a seat at the table and watched Missouri spoon out the oatmeal.

"I can get our drinks," Dean offered, standing by the table.

"Alright honey, there's glasses in the cabinet above the sink. And will you get the bowl of fruit out too?"

"Okay," Dean replied. He got the glasses and went to the fridge for the milk and fruit. After pouring two glasses of milk, he put it away and took a seat beside Sammy.

"Here we go," Missouri said sitting the bowls in front of the boys. "Help yourself to the fruit while I make my tea."

"Go ahead Sammy," Dean told him sliding the bowl closer to him. He watched Sammy carefully spoon out the fruit and then did the same. Once he stirred it together, Dean began to eat. They didn't say much as they ate, and the brothers had seconds before feeling full. It felt good to have enough food to eat and not have to go hungry. And to be in a safe, warm environment helped ease their worries.

"Samuel," Missouri started looking at him. "Can I talk with you about something?"

"I guess," Sammy replied glancing sideways at Dean and see him going on alert.

"I'm not sure if Bobby told you I'm a psychic and I can read people. Do you know what that means?"

"Do you read their minds?" Sammy asked as his interest peaked. "I've read some things about psychics, but Dad says most of them are fake."

"That is true, but I'm the real deal. Bobby told me that you've had some…Dreams that are confusing to you."

Sam gave Dean a hurt look, feeling he had betrayed him by telling others about his dreams. He hadn't asked him if it was okay or not.

"Don't go blaming your brother honey. He was worried about you and only wanted some advice and help."

The brothers looked surprised at her statement because neither had said anything about what they were thinking.

"What I do is sense things about an individual and what they might be thinking or maybe see things about that person. What I'd like to do is a reading on you. If you will let me."

"It won't hurt or anything, will it?" Sammy questioned.

"You only have to do this if you want to Sammy," Dean interjected seeing Sammy go stiff with apprehension.

"No, I wouldn't do anything to endanger you or your brother," Missouri assured them.

"Sammy, it's up to you. She might be able to answer some questions for us," Dean told his brother. He would stand by whatever Sammy wanted to do.

"I guess it's okay," Sammy replied shrinking smaller in his chair. He didn't like being the center of attention. "What do I have to do?" Sammy asked Missouri looking warily at her.

"If you'll move closer to me and hold my hands," she instructed him.

After Sammy slid his chair closer to her, he held out his hands and let Missouri take them. Her hands were warm and smooth, and she was gentle with her touch. He glanced over at Dean for a moment before looking back at Missouri and waiting for her to continue.

"Samuel, I want you to close your eyes and listen to my voice," she spoke softly to him. "Now, I want you to relax. Take slow, cleansing breaths. There's nothing to be afraid of. Clear your mind of any thoughts and let it open for me." She waited for a few minutes to let Sammy feel comfortable before gently reaching out to him with her mind . She could feel some resistance at first, but it slowly disappeared. Missouri felt a power within the boy that was very strong, but untapped, laying dormient. She also felt something else there that seemed to overshadow his being. Sam unconsciously pushed back against her, and she didn't try to prob deeper or longer. "You did fine Samuel. You can open your eyes now."

Sam's eyes fluttered for a moment as his vision cleared and he looked at Dean who was leaning forward and watching everything that was going on. He could feel his tension across the table and wondered why he was so concerned.

"Samuel, will you tell me about your dream?" Missouri asked him.

"What did you sense?" Dean butted in before Sammy could answer.

"Now Dean, don't be so impatient. I want to talk to Samuel first to get a clearer understanding of what he saw."

"Yeah, take some deep breaths," Sam snipped at Dean giving him a bitch face. He wanted to know what Missouri thought and talk to her about what she had done. It was hard for him to describe the feelings he felt, but he knew she was in his mind. It was like a feather brushed over his soul.

Dean started to come back with a snide remark but was stopped by Missouri.

"Samuel is right young man and I know you don't really think that about your brother," she chastised Dean.

Dean snorted and sat back in his chair with his arms crossed over his chest pouting. He glared at Sammy but didn't say anything so they could continue. He clenched his jaw and pressed his lips into a tight line and waited for them to continue.

Missouri gave Dean a considering look, sensing his mind closing off to her before continuing what she was saying.

"Alright Samuel, go ahead," Missouri told him.

"Dean and I were in a motel room where Dad had left us," Sam started as he went back over the dream in his mind trying to remember the details. "I don't know if it was the same motel we were staying at or not. We were asleep and some strangers broke into the room to take us. I could feel the evil in them…"

"Samuel, when you dreamed this, did you feel like you were there or was it playing out like on a screen?"

"I'm not sure," Sammy mumbled as he frowned for a moment and closed his eyes. "I felt…I think…It was like I was there but not there," Sam answered looking back at Missouri with a confused look. "I had the dream twice before it happened for real."

"It's okay child. I know this is confusing for you. Have you had any other dreams that actually happened?"

"I don't think so…I'm not sure…Is there something wrong with me?" Sammy asked in a shaky voice.

"Of course, not Sammy!" Dean spoke up loudly with a hint of anger in his tone.

"Your brother is right Samuel, there's nothing wrong with you," she agreed in a calm, gentle voice.

"Why don't you go get your puzzle book and relax in the living room. I'll be in shortly," Dean instructed Sammy wanting to talk to Missouri alone.

Sam looked at Dean and saw the no nonsense expression on his face. He dipped his head and pushed his chair back to get up. He headed upstairs for his books as he mulled over what Missouri did.

"Is there something wrong with Sammy?" Dean asked in a low voice as he stared intently at Missouri.

"No Dean, Samuel is fine. I think what he experienced was a vision. He saw a possible future event concerning both of you."

"You mean he's psychic like you?"

"No, not exactly like me. There are many kinds of psychic abilities, and a person might have one or could have several. Why one person has them, and another doesn't; I can't tell you. True psychics are usually born that way. And sometimes a person never knows about them because they remain dormient inside of them."

"So, you're telling me Sammy could develop psychic abilities?" Dean questioned as he thought over what she had said as concern and fear crept into his mind.

"It's nothing to be afraid of Dean. I think your brother was reacting to the eminent danger that you two were going to be in and was trying to protect both of you. It's a flight or fight situation, you could say," she tried to explain. "Now, don't you think we should talk to your brother? Maybe help ease his worry."

Dean huffed a long breath before answering her realizing he was too quick to dismiss Sammy. He was trying to protect him but knew this wasn't the way. Sammy had every right to be in on this discussion.

"Yeah, I shouldn't have sent Sammy away like I did. Sometimes I forget he's mature for his age, but I will always protect him, no matter how old he is." He got up and waited for Missouri before going into the living room to find Sammy slouched on the couch thumbing through his puzzle book. Sam looked up at them as they sat down, Dean beside him and Missouri in her chair by the couch. "Missouri needs to tell you something Sammy."

"Okay," he responded cautiously looking to Missouri.

"Samuel, I don't want you to be upset or afraid. The dream that you had, I believe, was a vision of a future event. You sensed that Dean and you were in danger and tried to communicate that by your dream so you could protect yourself and Dean."

"Really? So, if I hadn't urged Dean that we needed to leave, it would have come true, and we would have been taken?"

"There was that possibility, yes. You see visions are not set in stone and there are so many factors that could change the course of it. If you turned right instead of left or if you didn't go somewhere as you planned. So many outside factors can make the outcome of a vision different."

"Will it happen again?"

"I can't tell you that honey. Visions are something you can't make happen like other psychic abilities. They happen randomly and no one can predict them."

"If I had a vision, could I develop other abilities?"

"I don't know, but I won't lie to you. There is a chance others might develop over time. You do have an inner power within you that is strong but is dormient right now."

"Could I do something to…Wake it up?"

"It is best to let it happen naturally. That is if it happens at all. You are still so young. There's no need rushing anything. If there were meant to awaken, they will."

"You okay Sammy?" Dean asked him when he didn't reply. He placed a hand on his shoulder for support and squeezed gently.

"I guess. It's just kind of strange. I mean why me? Why not Dean?"

"Some people are born with the power honey, and some aren't. It's nothing to fear or be worried about. I'll get you a book that you can read while you're here that might help you understand things better. Let me go get it." She shifted from the chair and disappeared down the hallway.

"Dean, do you think I'm a freak?" Sammy mumbled. "Now that you know I could have psychic abilities?"

"No bro. Never. I wouldn't ever think that of you. You're still my pain in the ass little brother and that's not going to change," Dean teased him giving him a light slap on the back of the head. "You listen to me Sammy; I'm here for you. If you need to talk or anything, you let me know."

"What about Dad? Should we tell him?"

"No, he doesn't need to know. It'll be our secret," Dean replied not sure how their father might react to this news. He knew John could be closed-minded about things and he didn't want him to treat Sammy any differently.

"Okay," Sammy nodded leaning into Dean with relief. He was afraid Dean would reject him or hate him.

"Here you go honey," Missouri said holding out a book for Sammy. "If you have any questions about what you read, let me know."

"Thanks," Sammy replied accepting the book and looking at it. He opened it to the first page and looked at the contents.

"Dean, how would you like to help me make a pie? I'm sure Samuel will be fine in here alone."

"Sure, I'd like that. Are you good Sammy?"

"Yeah, go on," Sammy replied as he curled up on the couch to start reading the book.

Dean got up and followed Missouri to the kitchen. He glanced back at his brother for a moment wondering if there might be other abilities just waiting to present themselves. He was going to keep a close eye on his brother from now on and talk to him more to be sure he was okay.

A/N: Thanks for taking this journey with me. I do like reviews/comments. NC