Author's note: I haven't had my surgery yet. That is scheduled for August. (About two weeks from now)
(Bobby's house)
Kate felt as though she had been hit with a bolt of electricity. Cameron was alive. He was barely alive. They had to save him. Why was he able to travel if he wasn't dead? Did he have abilities? She would be able to feel it if he was not a good person. He had to be a good person. He was just a kid, like her.
John had Kate sit down so she didn't pass out. "Tessa cannot pinpoint where he is. It seems as though he is in a coma. We don't know why his 'ghost' is out unless he is brain dead. Wherever he is, there is warding and something else blocking reapers from taking him."
Kate's heart was racing. She shook her head and brought her knees to her chest. "We have to save him."
Dean sat beside her. "We can try. This isn't simple. We don't know where he is."
Kate fell sideways so that Dean would put his arms around her. "I can find him."
"Katie, Tessa and Cas both tried." Dean said.
Kate sniffled. "We have a connection that they don't."
"The timing of this seems fishy." Taylor said.
Kate wiggled away from Dean. She got up to pace. She paused for a moment before returning Cameron's pendant to the spare room, far from where she was. "This is a trap."
John was surprised. He always thought everything was a trap, but she obviously knew something.
"We stole the files. We tripped an alarm or something. The doctor or his crew know me. They have been tracking me. Of course, I'm going to run in and save Cameron. Why wouldn't I? That is what I always do. That is what they are expecting. Unless you prevent me from going. Then, you'll probably take some of my blood to boost him. That would make sense. If we have a connection and he is dying, we'd assume that my blood could fix him. Cameron doesn't know what is going on. He is being used. I don't know what they did to him, but he is close enough to death to walk around in the veil." Kate said in one breath.
Dean slowly turned his head to look at her. "What the hell?"
Kate motioned around her. "I can see it."
Taylor touched her for a moment. "It is like a web. I agree with her."
Dean sat back. "I feel useless."
Kate stared passed John as she followed her web. "The doctor is smart. He knows that you have cracked down on me. If I don't go, he will try to use one of you as bate. That won't work. We don't know what state Cameron is in so moving him could kill him." She looked out the window and palmed her face. "Those are the two obvious options. You'll go. You'll get the blood taken from you or they will hold you as a hostage. I could zap in, but they expect that. They have warding. If the doctor studied me, he may know what could harm me. Whoever went in would need to be quick. They'll expect Cas or one of you. They won't expect a vamp."
Dean held his head. "A vamp?"
"Matt." Kate said. "He may be up for it. He'd be incredibly fast and strong. He heals quickly. He has better hearing and vision. If Cameron is too sick to move, he can turn him just long enough to get him out. Then, once he is safe, we can give him the vamp cure that works if the person hasn't fed yet."
"That is dangerous. Cameron doesn't need to be a vampire if things go wrong." John said.
"Is a vampire any worse than what he is going through right now? How long until the doctor gets tired of waiting on us and goes back to experimenting on him?" Kate said. She asked Bobby for a certain book.
Bobby flipped to a page on how to cure a vampire. "This only works if he doesn't feed."
"He won't." Kate said. "Besides, Matt may be able to move him fast enough that he doesn't need to do that. Once he is clear of warding, Cas can bring both of them to a secure location."
"We don't know where he is." Dean reminded her.
Kate rolled her eyes. "Well start researching. I can't do all of the work."
(Andy)
Caleb had to wait until he was off of work to talk to Andy. Jody fixed the situation at a base level and the boys were able to finish out their classes for the day. His heart nearly stopped when he got the call from her. Images of Andy and Owen being harmed by a spirit caused him to become queasy. There was no real ghost but what if there had been? What if they had gotten it in their heads to try it out at an abandoned house? He thought he had been clear enough with other stunts, but the boys still didn't understand. He'd need to nip it in the bud, or they were going to get themselves killed.
Andy fretted his entire time that he had left at school. He was most upset that he broke the emf reader. Maybe he could figure out how to fix it. If he fixed it, then his dad wouldn't be mad about that. He was happy that his mom picked him up from school even though she wasn't happy. He expected to get scolded, but April just asked how his day was. Maybe one day they would laugh about it the way that Dean and his dad did with stuff they pulled. He reasoned that they didn't really think there was a ghost. Miss Jody had told them about the water damage and why the wing had been shut down. So, they were right about that. When they didn't turn to go to their house, Andy got worried. "Mom? Where are we going?"
April sighed. "Bobby's house."
Andy gasped. "Why?"
April looked at him through her mirror. "How many times have you been told to stay away from hunting stuff?"
Andy's eyes were wide. "Mama, I didn't touch any of the weapons. I just borrowed that reader thing, and I can fix it. It isn't broke bad."
April slowed the car. "Andrew, you know better. You've gotten into trouble over this before."
Andy slid down in his seat. "No, I haven't." He shot up when she started to pull over. "I mean, I never hunted a ghost. I know it is bad. I'm really sorry."
April told him to drop it. She was far too pregnant to be dealing with any of it. At 31 weeks, she was uncomfortable and hoping that Lauren wasn't a big baby.
(Bobby's house)
John had talked to Caleb a few hours ago and found it hard to juggle everything. "We will keep looking for Cameron. Pamela is on it. Caleb's family will be here for a short while, but we will not forget about Cameron."
Kate had gone back to winding string around the nails. "Why?"
"Andy and Owen's stunt earlier." John said.
Taylor sucked air through his teeth. "To have you handle it? Just feed the kids to a lion."
John pinched the bridge of his nose. "No, smartass. You two can show them what a real ghost is like. We don't need to traumatize them, but it might spook them."
Pamela grinned and gave Taylor an encouraging wink. "I'm sure you'll spook them just fine."
John turned around and looked at her. "I'd rather scare them than them get hurt."
Taylor threw his voice to mimic Dean's again. "No, you just enjoy tormenting little kids."
Dean side stepped into the room. "Taylor."
John knew it was Taylor that time. "If you've got something to say, you might as well say it in your own voice."
Kate jumped up. "How did you do that?"
Taylor started to explain but caught Dean out of the corner of his eye. He backed up. "It was a joke. See, he's not even mad."
Dean stopped approaching them. "Go on and tell Pamela what you used my voice for the other day."
Taylor turned beet red. "Uh, no."
Dean grabbed him in a headlock and told him that the only reason he wasn't dead meat was because the kids would be there any moment and he didn't want them to see Taylor that way. "Stop using abilities on me."
Taylor tried to get out of the headlock. "I didn't use it on you."
Dean looked to John. "I'm pretty sure I told him not to last time he did it. What do you think dad?"
John nodded. "You have both used abilities to prank him. You've gotten too comfortable with it. For the next week, you can't use them against him or anyone else. If he does something, you can't retaliate. I think it would be good for you to remember how it feels to not have the upper hand."
Taylor stopped struggling.
Kate whined. "A whole week? He's going to torture us. That isn't fair. I get not using abilities but not even pranking him back the old fashion way?"
John shook his head. "No."
Taylor groaned. "You can't be serious."
John leaned back in his chair. "I guess you won't know unless you try something stupid."
Kate narrowed her eyes. She was searching for a hidden twinkle or a sign that he was joking. He was probably joking but she wasn't going to be the one that found out the hard way.
Dean rubbed his hands together. "Payback is a bitch."
Taylor dodged him to go outside. "You can't do anything if I avoid you."
Kate followed after him.
Pamela nudged John. "You sly devil."
John chuckled. "Dean is outmatched trying to get them back because they see everything coming. This will be the one order that Kate actually follows it. I'll bet money on it."
Dean reveled in his new found power, even if it was false. John had promised to help him prank the kids, but they couldn't figure out how. This was perfect.
Bobby was amused. He also knew that John wasn't serious, but he wasn't going to let the kids know. He clapped Dean on the back. "As soon as they figure out the truth, you're going to regret it."
Dean shrugged. "Worth it."
Karen finished getting ready and met Bobby in the kitchen. They had reservations at a place that she had wanted to eat at for a long time. Bobby had gotten into the habit of spoiling her with those things and she was happy about it.
Bobby held his elbow out for Karen to take. "Don't wait up for us."
Pamela scoffed. "Dean, that was inappropriate."
Dean whipped his head around. "What?"
Pamela chided him. "What you were about to say."
Dean hadn't been thinking anything. He rubbed his head. "No. Why would I do that? They are..."
"Old?" Bobby asked.
Dean got up. "You are all hilarious. I'm done with people."
John kissed Pamela's cheek. "He wasn't thinking anything was he?"
Pamela laughed. "No."
Bobby narrowed his eyes. "Good. I'd hate to have to hurt the kid."
Karen smiled. "You are as bad as the kids."
They heard a car, so Bobby and Karen headed out for their date.
Karen gave April a quick hug and reminded her of what a good mom she was. "I'll bring you some garlic bread."
April's mouth watered. "Thank you. You are the best." She had been craving that specific garlic bread and looked forward to easing the craving. "Jody is bringing Owen over too."
John nodded. That had been planned.
April guided her boys into the house. "Andy, you sit over there."
Ian was already off to dig around for snacks.
April spoke to John and sat down to talk to Pamela when John went outside.
Pamela ran a cloth under warm water and offered it to April for the tension in her neck. "Your back must be hurting too."
April closed her eyes as the warmth soaked into her muscles. "Always. I think that I didn't get this big with Ian. I swear it feels like I'm going to tip over."
"There is a place in town that does prenatal massage." Pamela said. "That may help."
April blushed. "Oh, I don't need that."
Pamela smiled. "Sure, you do. With these boys running you ragged, you deserve all the pampering you can find. While Andy is at school, we can get you booked for an hour. I'm sure we can keep an eye on Ian. There's enough of us around."
April liked that idea. An hour to herself without worry. How had she met so many nice people? Why were they all so generous? "That sounds lovely."
Andy peaked out the window and saw the top of Jody's cruiser. He wasn't sure if Owen being there was a bad sign. Stupid ghost story.
Jody had Owen sit on the opposite side of the room and told him to keep quiet. She was every bit as frustrated with Owen as April and Caleb were with Andy. Owen knew that monsters were real. They'd given him the spiel about safety. She didn't blame Andy for getting Owen into trouble. Owen was just as responsible and hardheaded.
Dean walked back inside to grab something.
"Can you open dis?"
He looked down. "When did you learn how to talk in sentences?"
Ian grinned and held up his pack of cookies.
Dean looked down the hallway to April. "Are you okay with him having these?"
April shrugged. "Just one pack."
Ian nodded. "One pack."
Dean opened them and handed them back. He forgot how fast little kids grew and learned new things.
Taylor heard faint sounds and walked into the living room. "I'm no expert or anything but I am pretty sure you're going to wind up in more trouble if they catch you talking to each other."
Andy and Owen both snapped their mouths closed.
Taylor didn't want Andy to get into more trouble, so he had him sit in Bobby's office instead.
Caleb pulled into the driveway, so April went to meet him. She looked around. "Andy?"
Andy answered her. "Taylor told me to sit here."
April tilted her head but stepped outside. "Why did you tell Andy to move?"
Taylor blushed. "They were tempted to talk to each other, and I just thought it would keep him out of extra trouble."
April didn't mind. She just wanted to know if Andy had done something to cause it. "Thank you for keeping an eye on them." She approached Caleb and melted into his arms.
Caleb rubbed her back. "You should go home and get some rest."
April didn't want to check out. "Not yet."
Caleb understood. They needed to be a united front.
Pamela was tasked with keeping Ian out of the way. He was very busy, but she did have psychic abilities.
Andy shrunk when he heard Caleb's voice. He had butterflies in his stomach and wanted to undo the day.
Caleb called him into the living room and had him sit beside Owen. After the adults talked, they had a game plan. "Why did you think the school was haunted?"
Andy reluctantly told them the story.
Jody crossed her arms. "If you had asked me about it, I could have told you the real story."
Both boys frowned.
"There is water damage. Plenty of stuff could have fallen on you. Turning the lights on caused sparks. You could a have been shocked or burned." Jody said.
"Skipping class?" Caleb asked. "Stealing?"
Andy melted into the couch.
"Not to mention hunting. I don't care if the story was fake or not. You two went in with no knowledge. Had there been a ghost, it is possible that no one would have found you." Caleb added.
"We didn't think the ghost was real. We just wanted to prove them wrong." Andy tried.
"You thought it was real enough to take an emf reader to school. You thought it was real enough to take off running and screaming." Jody said.
"You do not go after anything. You tell an adult." Caleb said. "What if someone had claimed a teacher was a demon? What if they were a vampire?"
"I had holy water." Andy said, remembering that bit.
Caleb sat down on the coffee table. "If you were close enough to a demon to splash it, it will be close enough to snap your neck. Grown men die from these things. You have heard stories about hunts. Andy, you have seen a few rough things, but you haven't truly gotten to experience what it is like when a ghost gets ahold of you."
That was Kate's cue. "We will show you what it is like. It will be scary, but you are not going to have nightmares." She touched their heads for a few seconds and let them go.
Both kids saw a few different run ins with ghosts. They felt what it was like to get pinned against the wall and the dark power that ghosts radiated.
Andy's ghost wasn't mean like that. He just wanted to play. Those ghosts were scary.
"When Dean and I got locked in the basement, the freaks were able to attack us. That was due to ghosts blocking our path. Had we been able to run up the stairs, we could have gotten away." Caleb said. He put a hand on his stomach. "It isn't just ghosts that you have to be serious about. All of it is serious. What if I had needed my emf reader today?"
Andy hung his head.
"Neither of you are going trick or treating." Jody announced.
That caused some whining that was quickly shut down by Caleb.
Jody told Owen it was time to go and walked him to the cruiser after speaking to Caleb and April. She'd let Sean deal with Owen. Who said boys were easier?
Andy didn't like how many people were in the house. He didn't like how frustrated they looked.
Caleb told April to head home. She honestly needed the rest, and her job was done. He worried about the pregnancy hormones and wanted her to stay calm.
April was going to take Ian, but Pamela insisted that she take a warm bath and relax. She would have protested if she wasn't having contractions. They were just false labor contractions and didn't worry her, but they hurt.
Kate helped with Ian for a few minutes.
Between John and Caleb, they all felt as though Andy was understanding everything. John didn't even have to say much.
Andy wished he could sink into the couch. Then, no one would see him.
John stepped to the side. "All of my kids have tried something like that. You can ask any of them how that went." He briefly looked at his younger two. "Dean went on a ghost hunt when he was your age."
Andy clasped his hands together. "He did?"
"Yep. He snuck off and decided he was going to get rid of a ghost that haunted a cemetery." John said.
Andy gasped.
"He didn't know everything about ghosts and was unprepared. I had to go save him." John said. "Do you want to know what happened after that?"
Andy shook his head.
John answered anyway. "Dean got his butt popped with a paddle."
Dean furrowed his brows.
"I was so scared and determined that he wasn't going to do something like that again that I went out to Pastor Jim's woodshop and made it." John continued.
Dean mouthed 'you made that?' to John but didn't get an answer.
Andy looked over at Dean with worried eyes.
John left out the fact that Dean was a year older and had nearly gotten himself killed. It was a bad memory for John. Seeing his boy lying unconscious on the grass about broke him.
Andy looked from Caleb to John and then back at Caleb. "You're not going to make one... right?"
Caleb shook his head. "No, we are going to borrow the one John made."
Andy paled. "It wasn't a real ghost, dad. I know it is bad. I got scared when Kate showed me that stuff and I'll never do it again."
Caleb tilted his head to the stairs. "Go. I'll be up in a minute."
Andy took off and sprinted up the steps. He hated ghosts, even fake ones.
Kate chewed her lip. "You don't have to do that. He is little."
Caleb took a deep breath. "I'm not going to let him get away with thinking this is okay."
John stopped Kate before she tried to argue. "Andy is getting one lick with it. Caleb knows how to handle his own kid."
Kate's stomach flipped. "Well, I feel bad for him."
"Trust me, it will scare him more than hurt him." Caleb said.
"Why bring him over here?" Taylor asked.
"So that Kate could show them reality and because I didn't want to borrow a paddle just to give him one swat with it." Caleb said.
Kate scoffed. "You might as well gift it to them. We'd be okay with that."
John snorted. "No. I'll keep it since you got rid of the ruler."
Dean and Taylor both turned their heads. "What?"
Kate blushed. "I glared at it, and it disappeared."
Dean crossed his arms over his chest. "She got her butt busted for that, right?"
John smiled slightly.
Dean threw his hands up. "Oh, all I do is move it to a hiding spot and I nearly died."
John pinched the bridge of his nose. "You didn't nearly die. I was with her when it happened, and she didn't mean to do it."
Dean narrowed his eyes. "You spoil her."
John knew he was kidding.
Caleb got Taylor's attention. "Can you look at that emf reader? I want Andy to help fix it but figured it would be best if you got a head start."
Taylor took the bag from Caleb. He told him that he would look at it and went out to the shop.
Kate wanted to be far away as well. She and Pamela took Ian out to swing.
Dean gave Caleb a knowing look. He sighed and walked out with John. He watched Kate and Pamela from the porch. "You know, she might just be getting baby fever. Unless it is grandbaby fever."
John whistled softly. "She will knock you into last week if she hears you thinking that she's old enough to be a grandmother."
Dean smirked. "I forgot you have a few years on her." He expected the smack that connected with his head. "You never know. You two could settle down and watch after all the grandkids."
"Which one of you is providing the grandkids?" John asked with a chuckle.
Dean grimaced. "Sammy. As soon as Jess gets the go ahead, she will want five."
John stepped off of the porch. "One day I'll settle down. Not today."
((TW))
Caleb opened the door to Kate and Taylor's room. He just wanted to scoop Andy up and hold him to make sure he was truly safe. He loathed having to crack down on the boys. Had he known how hard it was on his parents, he would have been a better kid. He knew that Andy and Owen were like a miniature version of himself and Dean, but they had many debates over which one was which. Andy was clearly Dean; knowing full and well that something was wrong but doing it anyway for the hell of it. Owen was like Caleb; the faithful sidekick that had to jump off the cliff just because his friend did. Dean would adamantly deny that. He'd say Caleb was the mastermind. "Andy, why are we here again?"
Andy frowned and sniffled. "I'm sorry."
Caleb groaned and sat down on the bed. "Are the rules confusing?"
Andy shook his head.
"Do you not trust me when I give you rules and explain that things are dangerous?" Caleb asked.
Andy looked into Caleb's eyes briefly but dropped his eyes right after. "I trust you. I didn't listen. I'm sorry."
Caleb made him stand up. "I do not like being put into this position. I hate it, honestly. I want to come home from work and hang out with you and your mom and brother. I don't want to get phone calls that make me think that you have been or could have been hurt. I don't want to punish you but I'm going to because I love you. I would rather set you straight than you run into another one of these situations."
Andy couldn't respond because he couldn't find his voice. He sniffled and wiped his nose.
Caleb situated Andy over his lap before pulling his pants down a bit.
Andy looked back. "Why?"
Caleb gave him a sad smile. "Your skull is just too thick, and all of my other attempts haven't gotten through to you." He pulled his underwear down to meet his pants. "My dad only did this for very serious offenses. It will stick with you, trust me."
Andy knew why with the first swat. Pants really gave a kid a good bit of protection. He didn't like how quickly it sunk in.
Caleb kept up a steady rhythm until Andy got a little difficult to hold still. He didn't want to stop and lecture because Andy knew already. He tapped Andy's leg. "You put yourself into the situation. Stop trying to get out of it."
Andy thought his dad might be insane. Even if his brain knew that he earned it, his body didn't agree.
Caleb upped the swats and had to remind himself why he was doing it. A sore backside is better than dying at the hands of a ghost. He was grateful when he neared the end and got to scoop Andy up into his arms. He pulled his pants back up and helped him calm down a little.
Andy had a white-knuckle grip on Caleb's shirt and buried his face next to his hand. "I'm sorry, daddy."
Caleb sighed. "I know. You aren't done."
Andy remembered what John said and used very sad puppy eyes to convince his dad that he didn't need that.
Caleb grabbed the paddle that had been placed on the bed. "You are getting one. If I have to have this conversation with you again, I'll do the whole spanking with it."
Andy stared at it in horror.
Caleb's heart was breaking. He turned Andy to the bed and bent him slightly. He let the paddle hit him across the middle of his butt and sat it down. He wanted Andy to have an idea of how it felt but barely tapped him. Had he not just gotten his hide tanned, he wouldn't have felt it. John probably did wear Dean out with it the first time. Caleb just couldn't. He heard Andy's foot stamp the floor and a quiet 'son of a bitch' hissed through the teeth that Andy hadn't lost yet.
Andy jumped.
Caleb chuckled. "It's okay. I'll allow that one." If anyone asked Andy, he'd swear Caleb whacked him with it. Caleb didn't mind the small outburst, knowing that Andy's favorite 'uncle' used that phrase often. "I do not want to have to use that on you in the future."
Andy shook his head, wiping his face on Caleb's shirt. "I'm sorry."
Caleb cradled Andy. "Me too. I'm sorry that I brought this stuff around you. I am going to protect you though. You just have to follow those rules and we will be good."
((ETW))
Andy started to fall asleep and whimpered when Caleb put him down.
"You and Taylor are going to sit down at the table and fix that emf reader." Caleb said.
Andy stuck his bottom lip out.
"Unless you'd rather I give you another lick for stealing something and breaking it." Caleb said, raising an eyebrow.
Andy shook his head quickly. "No, sir. I'll help fix it." He chewed his lip. "Can you sit with me?"
Caleb carried Andy down the stairs and deposited by the table. "I'll go get Taylor."
Taylor had it figured out and could do it in steps to allow Andy to help. He gave Caleb an odd look and walked by him.
Caleb laughed. "What is that look?"
"I'm still a kid. I get to take his side." Taylor said.
Caleb smirked. "Alright, when you take his side and something happens, I'll have John deal with you both."
Taylor shook sarcastically. "I'm so afraid."
John cleared his throat from the porch. "What was that?"
Taylor ran up the steps. "Caleb is distracting me and I'm just trying to help his kid fix something."
John snorted and allowed Taylor to pass.
Caleb stopped by John. "I don't know how you did any of this when the boys were kids. I guess, now, with the other two."
"Wait until he's 13 and has an attitude the size of Texas." John said.
Caleb cringed. He motioned to Ian. "I give him until 3. Andy might make it to 13."
John clapped him on the back. "You will be fine."
Pamela picked Ian up to take him back inside and was surprised by how strong a wiggly toddler could be.
John heard Ian screech and walked over. He took Ian out of Pamela's arms and just looked at him.
Ian stopped mid wiggle and let John carry him.
Kate fake whispered. "You may think he's nice but even Ian gets spooked."
Pamela grinned. "He's just good with babies."
"If by good you mean puts the fear of god into them." Kate quipped.
John stopped walking and turned around. "If I put the fear of god into people, you'd think you'd learn to stop running your mouth."
Kate scoffed and held her hand to her chest. "I fear no one. That's why it doesn't work."
John put his hand on her shoulder and walked beside her. "If anyone is going to look god in the face and say they are not afraid, it will be you."
Pamela winked at John. He loved the banter, even if he acted like he didn't.
Dean watched the exchange. He was certain that John was far beyond the point of wanting another baby. He could see him with a few grandbabies though. Not Dean's babies. Someone else's. He stayed out on the porch for a while. The silence was nice. He heard a fluttering noise and saw Tessa. She was sitting on the hood of the impala. He walked out and swallowed hard. Why did she have to be a reaper? "Don't scratch the paint."
Tessa smiled. She slid off the hood and chose to lean against the door. "Someone is messing with the death toll."
Dean furrowed his brows. "Kate?"
Tessa shook her head. "No. Something is out of order. She will do that at times but not yet. This is something else and it is dark. Everyone has a time and place to die. When someone alters that, angel radio is filled with confusion."
"Does this have something to do with Cameron?" Dean asked.
Tessa ran her thumb down his arm. "Maybe."
Dean stepped back. Okay, she knew him well.
"Movement in the veil has been disrupted. Sometimes, during mass casualty situations, souls can get stuck. It causes an imbalance that must be rectified. If it is one or two souls, hunters can handle it. If it is more, the veil reacts." Tessa explained. "Where souls should go through, with the aid of a reaper, like water flowing through a filter, a jam could cause that water to spill off into different areas."
Dean thought he understood. "So, this person or thing is causing a traffic jam?"
Tessa nodded. "It seems as though they are able to trap and release souls." She turned her back to Dean and clinched her fists. "This... this..."
"Bastard?" Dean asked.
Tessa gave him a small smile. "Yes. This... bastard has been marking souls."
"Marking them how?" Dean asked.
Tessa looked disgusted. "We, as angels, do not have human emotions. Most of the time, we stay uninvolved."
Dean raised an eyebrow. "I think you had a whole lot of human emotions at the hotel that day."
Tessa batted her eyelashes. "What can I say? You've humanized me."
Dean shook his head. "Souls. Marked. Continue."
"Souls are marked for heaven or hell. Usually, that mark is naturally imprinted based off of how they lived their lives. A man set for heaven that makes a demon deal, will have a new mark on his soul. This is how reapers know where to go." She tensed. "The souls have been marked from hell, Dean."
Dean was confused.
"Children. Someone has marked children. No reaper will willingly take a child there. That goes against our instincts. Children do not belong in hell." Tessa said.
Dean felt sick. "How? Why?"
"We think it is a security measure. If the souls are erratic, a reaper could, in theory, accidentally bump it in a certain direction. Sometimes, when we reap souls, they move quickly. Other times, we have to convince the person to cross over. A small child will be frightened and confused. They won't listen to reason." Tessa continued. "There is one place where those type of souls have been concentrated. We think that is where Cameron is. If this... person... has done this deliberately, they are evil but very intelligent. This takes a truly mad man to conjure up."
"What if we steal them? We can suck them up into a soul catcher or something. Then, we'd have time to unmark them." Dean said. He wished he had Kate's mind.
"No angel can get close." Tessa said.
Dean snapped his fingers. "A vampire." He rubbed his face and explained Kate's plan.
Tessa was amazed. "That is brilliant." She sighed. "I have to go. I'm needed elsewhere. Please call me when you are ready to go."
Dean headed into the house, tapping John on his way to the kitchen. He spoke quietly. "We have to call Matt. He has to get this kid out of wherever he is."
John shot Dean a look as he explained his lengthy conversation with Tessa. "What do you mean marked?"
Dean looked toward the stairs, making sure Kate and Taylor were not nearby. "He's marking them for hell. He's using these souls as hostages. If a reaper goes too close, they could knock a kid into the pit."
"We don't know that it is the doctor that is responsible." John said.
Dean looked at him with tired eyes. "Yes, we do. We know."
Cameron's pendant was on a table in the spare room, not so far away from where Dean and John were standing. He was weak and couldn't see anything, but he could hear. He felt terror and started to wake up. Everything was a clear blue. He flailed and felt his arms moving through water. He tried to swim to the surface, but tubes stopped him. He saw movement and looked into a man's eyes as he approached Cameron. He simply tapped the tank; Cameron thought it was a tank. The man gave him a sickening smile and stepped to a control panel. He felt himself slipping back into his coma. He tried to reach out to Kate, but he was far too weak. Just hold on. Just hold on. Just hold on.
Author's note: Heartbreaking ending, I know. Don't fret too much, big things are coming.
