Pilot
I silently watch the big apartment building appearing in front of my eyes. It´s a weird feeling, knowing that Sam is so close right now. He hasn't been this close to me in about a year and a half. Dean parks the impala in the parking lot and gets out of the car, slamming the door shut. I don't really feel like getting out of the safe car I call my home, but when Dean opens my passenger door, I slowly make my way out.
"I'm going in." Dean announces to me, slamming my door shut. He's tense, just like I am. He and I have not been in contact with our brother Sam, for the past year and a half. And I don't really know what Sam's going to do, when he realizes we are here. I nod at Dean and lean against the hood of the car, burying my head in my scarf. "Go ahead." I tell him, I don't really care. Dean rolls his eyes. "Stay here." He barks at me, before simply stalking towards the apartment building, leaving me with the car.
Me and him just had a fight about this in the car and I guess we're both not sure what's going to happen. Dean wanted me to go into the building to get Sam. I refused. I was not willing to do that and proceeded to yell at him when he demanded a 'why'. He tried to persuade me, told me Sam's reaction would probably be milder, if he saw me, his little sister, instead of Dean, his big brother. I disagreed strongly, Sam was always very close with Dean. Dean eventually decided he would go in himself, not really because he thought that was the best plan, but because I reminded him that nothing in this world could make me go in there. The real reason why, is because I don't know if I can handle it. Before Sam left, our lives were fine. Well, as fine as it could be.
We've had a pretty wrecked up life. Mom died when I was six months old, burned on the ceiling. Above my crib. It was tragic. Dad had believed that it was something who did it, that it had not been an accident. He had snapped and started raising my brothers as soldiers, as hunters. All he wanted, was to find out what happened, what did it and kill it in revenge, for taking his wife from him. He became obsessed about the supernatural and learned as much as he could about all the monsters and evil things that are apparently out in this world. He studied how to kill them. This soon resulted in him becoming a hunter himself, taking cases so he could practice his hunting skills. The biggest part of his attention, had always been on finding out what took his wife, and not on his children.
On that road to destruction, he had become quite a good hunter. He had also realized that the thing that may have killed mom, was a lot more dangerous and very hard to find. In this process, his opinion had been that it was for the best to raise his sons like hunters as well. So that they could protect themselves. He was always barking orders at them, sometimes gone for weeks. In those times, he'd leave me with Sam and Dean. When Dean got old enough, which in my opinion he really wasn't, dad had started to prepare him for the hunting life and did the same with Sam, once he got of age. Dean had always accepted dad's choices, all the orders and learning how to hunt. He hadn't argued with it. Not in the way Sam had. Sam had desired a normal life and even though he loved me and Dean, he took this chance when he got it. A year and a half ago, we'd found out he'd been corresponding with Standford University in secret. They'd offered him a scholarship. When he'd gotten that acceptance letter, he'd made the decision to leave and follow his dreams. That had been a very bad night.
Dad and Sam had screamed at each other for hours. Dean had tried to hush things, like he always did when Sam and dad had a fight. I had just watched it all happen from the sidelines. I'd trusted Dean to calm things down, since he was almost always able to. He failed. Sam had stormed out of the house, slammed the door and dad had screamed at him to stay gone. I'd desperately tried to stop Sam, but he'd brushed me off and had been out the door in seconds. The silence that had appeared after that, was the most horrible silence I'd ever experienced. Then dad had stormed out to go to a bar or something like that and Dean had dropped down on the couch in defeat. The conversation I'd had with him had been tense. I'd asked him what this meant and he, for the first time in his life, hadn't had an answer for me. I was convinced at that time, that Sam would come back. He never did. Me and Dean both kept calling him, but eventually stopped, when none of our calls were returned.
The whole dynamic had changed without Sam. I was very grateful I'd still had Dean to get me through. The reason why we were now here, at this apartment building, was because it had been Dean's idea to involve Sam in our search for our father. I had needed a lot of persuasion for that, before I had agreed. Sam leaving had done some damage to me, a trust that's broken like that can't just simply be repaired. Even though Dean had done his best.
I watch the building Dean just disappeared into, trying to shield myself from the icy wind. I could wait inside the impala, but I am too curious. And anxious. I really don't know what made Dean think he could convince Sam to help us find dad. Since the last time I practically begged Sam to stay, he didn't. When Dean finds out Sam's not willing to help, it will crush him. Like it did, when Sam left.
It takes longer than I imagined, but eventually Dean emerges. He's not alone. My eyes grow wide, when I see that, surprisingly enough, Sam is right behind him. He hasn't changed a bit, his hair still perky and long, his brown eyes twinkling with life. He's also still two inches taller than his big brother. The moment I see him, I realize how much I missed him and how upset I still am. Sam and I had always had a close relationship. He could make my day by just smiling at me and had always backed me up. Against dad and sometimes even against Dean. Sam had been my personal little hero, which had made it so bad when he'd left me behind. I try to shove the memories and the feelings that belong to those memories to the back of my head.
My brothers draw closer and I can see Dean's still quite tense. I wasn't the only one who had a hard time when Sam left. Dean had practically been Sam's second dad, teaching him everything he knew. His protectiveness, to this day, stemmed from taking care of his little brother.
Then, Sam finally notices me. His eyes grow wide as they lock on mine and he nudges Dean, clearly quite surprised to see me. Dean doesn't react to the nudge and gives me a reassuring smile. "Well, you took forever!" I accuse Dean, when he's by my side again. Dean chuckles drily. "Well, apparently Sam here has a girlfriend…" He answers me, sounding a little bitter. I raise my eyebrows.
"Skye…" Sam's voice is raspy as he speaks my name, looking at me with a strange expression. I hesitate, before slowly nodding my head to him. "Sam." I greet back shortly, looking at Dean. It's hard to think right now, since my head's swirling with emotions. Emotions that don't go very well together. I'm happy to see Sam, but at the same time I'm sad to see him and incredible rage is also pumping through my veins. "Can we go now?" I ask Dean, wanting this awkward moment to pass as quickly as possible. Dean nods shorty, putting an arm over my shoulder. I know what he's going to say to me and shake my head, walking away. Letting his arm glide off my shoulder.
I crawl into the backseat of the impala and grit my teeth. I can see that Dean's doing okay, which pisses me off. I'd hoped my big brother would've been by my side and had felt the same way about seeing Sam, but he doesn't. Sam and Dean quietly step inside the impala and it doesn't take long before we're driving away. "Okay, dad supposedly went to Jericho, California. He was doing a case there, so that's where we're headed." Dean explains to Sam. I watch them engage in a discussion about what dad could have been hunting and why he'd leave without a trace. Which channels my angry feelings about that situation. The second time someone left without a trace.
I don't engage in this discussion. Partly because I don't want to talk to Sam and partly because I when it comes to hunting, I have never been involved. Dad always made sure I knew close to nothing about the whole business and made it very clear to me he did not want me in it. The normal life he didn't want for Sam, he did want for me. Dean and Sam always left me out of the hunting as well, following our fathers' orders. With Dean, that wasn't hard at all. He shared dad's values of keeping me out, being his protective ass self. Even now, while we're on our way to find our father, I will not be included. The only reason I am in this car, is because Dean wouldn't leave me alone in a motel.
I stay quiet and listen to Sam and Dean's conversation. There are some sneering comments from Dean about Sam's girlfriend, which would have made me laugh had the situation not been so serious. Sam's reaction to them didn't even change.
Sam wants to know in detail about dad's disappearance. "It's weird man. Me and Skye were watching TV when he told us he was going on a hunt. He told me to stay put, walked out and that was it. Right pup?" Dean explains and glances at me through the review mirror. "Yeah." I shortly answer, grabbing my phone to check my messages. Dean sighs. "But dad's been gone for quite some time before, Dean. So why are we looking for him?" Sam asks. I grit my teeth to stop a snarky remark. "Well, because of a weird voicemail I got from him. He was hunting something that had killed four married men, and, in the voicemail, he told me he wasn't sure how this case was going to end, so to be careful. In the background I heard some weird noises, so I slowed the message down and ran it though a gold wave. There was some weird stuff and voices on there, so I grabbed Skye and came to get you." Dean explains. "What did the voice on the message say?" Sam asks, leaning his head against the chair. "Uh, what was that again, Skye?" Dean asks me with a frown. I throw him a death glare. He knows perfectly well what the voice said, but is trying to get me to talk to Sam. "I can never go home…" I answer him coldly, dropping my eyes back to my phone. "Skye…" Dean starts slowly, but I snap my head back up and I must look dangerous enough for him to drop it with a frustrated shake of his head. Sam awkwardly shifts in his seat, noticing my attitude. It's making him uncomfortable.
"Skye, how's school been?" He tries, after a tense silence. I shrug, not even looking up. Sam sighs when he realizes he won't be talking to me this car ride and the tense silence returns. Not another word is said during the ride. It's two hours later, when Dean pulls up at a motel in Jericho, California. I quickly jump out of the car, very glad it's over. I reach in the trunk for my suitcase and hoist it out. Right now, I'm grateful I don't have to be stuck in that impala anymore with a frustrated Dean and a very uncomfortable Sam.
"We'll see you later, pup." Dean calls out from the impala. I give him a thumbs up, before dragging my suitcase into the motel room. All the tension leaves my body when the door closes, and I hear my brothers driving away. This is pretty messed up, even for my case. I am aware I am going to have to talk to Sam sooner than later, but I am way to anxious to do so. I drop on the couch, grab my laptop and log into my online classes. Time for some studying.
My brothers take the whole day. When they've not returned after six hours, I can feel worry gnawing its way in my head. I know enough about hunting, to know it's dangerous. The many times I've seen dad, Dean and Sam come back home with broken bones, fractured somethings and with bruises the color of the rainbow.
I order some dinner for myself around seven and indulge in my favorite book on the couch. When my brothers have not returned by eleven, I decide to just go to bed. They're probably fine and if I'm lucky, Dean's giving Sam a hard time. He deserves it. I stand up, put down my book and then hear the roar of the impala coming closer. Two doors open and shut outside. I let out a small sigh of relief. They're here and they're probably fine.
When the door opens, I look up and give Dean a big smile. He immediately sees through me. "Relax pup, we're here." He tells me reassuringly. I roll my eyes at him. Sam is right behind him and enters. I realize how weird it feels that he is here. We went to get him and even though I was there, I still had only expected Dean to come through the door. For the past year and a half, I've only been looking at the door for Dean.
"How did it go?" I ask expectantly. Dean frowns. "Well, we found a lot." He mutters and drops down on the couch, kicking off his boots. Sam takes a seat in the chair, leaving place for me to take a seat next to Dean. I lean against Dean and he drapes an arm around me automatically. "We found the motel dad stayed at. He'd made a whole crime board on the wall. All pictures of some white woman spirit thing and articles about husbands and boyfriends being killed. We think it's connected." Sam explains, not looking at me as he talks. He looks quite miserable. I try to ignore the twinge of guilt in my stomach. "So, he was here? Is he still here?" A twinge of hope enters my heart. Dean rips it out. "No, there was no sign of him whatsoever. We just know he was here. And we found this." He adds, pulling some old photo's out of his jacket. Old, brown, dusty pictures of a woman in a white dress. "What the hell is that?" I question, grabbing the photos and examine them up close. "The white woman is a type of female ghost, reportedly seen in rural areas. Often, white women are betrayed or have lost a husband, boyfriend or fiancé." I read out loud, looking at the text written on the old photographs. Dean nods. "Yeah and this one is even more complex. She drowned her own children in the bathtub and then jumped off the bridge at the end of town." He adds with a grimace. "Were these photos in dads' room?" I ask, giving the photos back to Dean. "Yes, along with a lot of articles about a local woman named something with a C. I think dad thought she was the white woman." Sam add, grabbing his laptop out of his bag. "Yeah, so we now know dad didn't just leave. He wouldn't without ganking this thing." Dean concludes, a tone of worry in his voice. I look at him with a grimace. "Okay… so what now?" I ask. Sam jumps in. "Yeah man, what now? I mean there's no sign of dad here, he probably left. So, what are we going to do?" He mutters. Dean reacts by standing up. "We're going to bed. Tomorrow we'll have another look at that room and maybe we'll find out who the white woman is and how to kill the bitch." He announces, leaning back to yawn. "Okay." I answer shortly and get up from the couch. There are only two beds in this motel room. I am not bringing that up, I am just going to take one. I choose the one furthest from the door and after I changed into my pajama's, I crawl under the duvet. I can still hear Sam and Dean's hushes voices coming from the couch. After a few minutes they die down and I can hear the shower run. I also hear footsteps approaching my bed and hope to the gods that it's Dean.
"Skye…" It's Sam's husky voice. I sigh, before slowly turning around. "Yes?" I answer, looking at him from under the covers, trying not to sound too cold. Sam hesitates for a moment. "You look well." He eventually mutters. I stare at him. "You too…" I eventually answer, not sure where he's going with this. "Skye, I'm sorry…" Sam then starts, mustering up all his courage. I shut him down. "I'm not having this conversation with you, Sam. Not now. Dean might have let it go for the moment, but I certainly haven't." I tell him, watching his hopeful expression sadden. It encourages me to say something more. "Look, I know you wanted an escape and I really don't blame you for that. I even understand that. But I do blame you for not calling me, not seeing me once in the past year and a half. That was your choice." I don't hesitate in telling him how it is, and I can see this confrontation takes him by surprise. "Well…" He starts, but I shake my head. "Why didn't you answer my calls?" I ask him directly, needing a direct answer. "Because dad told me not to come back." Is his simple answer. "Yes, dad told you that. Neither me nor Dean ever said that." I respond coldly, before turning back around in the bed. I do not want to look at him any longer, afraid I'll break. "I…" Sam splutters. "I know." I simply tell him. I know he's sorry, it just doesn't change anything. "Good night." I add, to amplify that the conversation is over. I hear him slowly back away and with a deep sigh I burry my face into the pillow. This is not how I ever expected to reunite with my brother. I can't let this go like Dean is doing right now. I wish I could. Part of me knows Sam doesn't deserve the harsh attitude I've been throwing at him.
Another pair of footsteps approaches my bed a little later. This time it's Dean. He makes an attempt to get into the bed, but I block him. "Couch is right there." I groggily point out to him, trying to stop myself from smiling. "Who the hell do you think I am, I'm not sleeping on the couch." Dean's rough voice challenges me. "Scoot over." He repeats, giving me a shove. With a dramatic sigh I make room for him. He places himself next to me under the covers, his head against the headboard. I can't stop myself from moving towards him and putting my head on his heaving chest. Dean grins. "I knew you were craving attention." He softly teases. I roll my eyes, slapping my hand sharply on his chest. "Do not push it." I inform him, making him chuckle.
A peaceful silence follows and I close my eyes, my head rising and falling with Dean's breathing. "Pup, could you do me a favor?" He then asks me, and I feel his reassuring hand on my back. "Mmm?" I answer, looking up at him. "Could you just… take it easy with Sam." He whispers. My eyes darken. "Don't meddle, Dean." I tell him roughly, shaking my head. "Hey, stop. Stop this attitude, there is no reason for you to be snapping and rolling your eyes at me." Dean tells me, his tone stricter than before. I can stop my eyeroll to that, just in time. He's right, my anger is not towards him. "What's the real problem here, Skye. Be honest with me for just a second." He tells me, and I look up at him. "He did not come back, Dean. Never. He did not call me back. Never. And now he's suddenly here and I'm just supposed to forget the past year and a half happened?" I challenge my brother, who lets out a heavy sigh. "No…" He starts, but doesn't really seem to know what else he can say to that. A small grin appears on my face. "Yeah, so shut your big mouth." I shut the conversation down. Dean raises an eyebrow at me. "Offensive much?" He reacts with a grin. The hand on me back tightens and within a moment he has me pressed to his chest as hard as he can, crushing me. I groan loudly. "Oof D-dean… H-hey…" I grumble, trying to focus on my breathing, as my ribs are slowly being crushed. "I do not tolerate any disrespect, Skye." Dean playfully grumbles into my ear, enlightening his words by crushing me even harder. I let out a short laugh, before complying. "Al-Alright… Alr-alright, you ass." I growl at him, gulping in a large breath when he lets me go. I can't really think of a reply to that, so simply put my head back on his chest. The playfulness me and Dean have in our relationship makes me think about all the times Sam made me laugh so hard, I fell to the floor. I miss that.
The next morning, when I wake up, a note is waiting for me on the kitchen table. Both my brothers are nowhere to be seen and the note says they'll be back soon. I crumble up the note, before I set off to find myself something to eat. I find two sandwiches in the fridge and can't help but smile at that. That has Dean written all over it. I eat and after that it's time for some more studying. We had no idea where we would end up, or how long it would take us to find our father and in what state we'll find him. So, I dropped out of school. I signed up for the online exams, which means I study at home now. Or on the road, in my case. And I must start, it's not that long before the final exams will take place. So, after my breakfast, I take out my books and start reading all about physics.
My phone ringing distracts me, Sam's name pops up. It's already one o'clock, what could make him call me? "Yes?" I pick up with a frown. "Five-o." I hear Sam's voice tell me directly. I jump up from the couch. Five-o is a codeword and it means something has happened with the police. It's code for immediately taking off into the opposite direction. Hunters very often get interrupted by police during cases and that's not to blame on them. Some things hunters work on, are unexplainable and makes them look like complete lunatics. "Do I have to start packing?" I ask Sam, not sure what five-o means in this particular situation. "No, I don't think they know where we are. They arrested Dean though, he's in custody now. Idiot made himself too suspicious." Sam explains in a frustrated voice. I sigh. "Well, that sucks." I mumble and hear Sam chuckle darkly. "No worries, he'll be out in no time. I might call in a fake shooting or something." He tells me reassuringly. For a moment, he returns to his old rituals. Reassuring me everything will be fine. It stung harder than I expected it to. I nod into the phone. "I did find out who the white woman is, just so you know. There was a girl named Constance, fifty years back, and when she found out her husband cheated on her, she drowned her children and jumped off that bridge we mentioned earlier." Sam adds. "That's brutal." I tell him with a shake of my head, before snapping out of the thought of two drowned children. "What now?" I ask him. "Well, the articles state that she's been appearing on the main road out of town, begging men to 'take her home'. They do, which in her mind means they cheated on their partners. She then kills them or makes them disappear." He tells me, clearing his throat. "Just wait for us to come back. I'll get Dean." He adds. I slump down on the couch. "How's science going?" That hesitant question takes me completely off guard. "Haven't started yet." I answer him in confusion. Then it hits me why he asked me that question. The one difficulty I always had in school, was science. Sam helped me with a lot of my science problems for most of my high school career. My face saddens and I clear my throat, feeling uncomfortable. "Get Dean out of there. See you when you get here." I tell him as a goodbye, and hang up the phone. Trying to cheer myself up, I try to go over the case. White woman, on the side of the road, taking her revenge on cheating men. The reason for that being she was cheated on herself. That caused her to snap. I let out a sigh. It's weird, because the message on dad's cellphone clearly said 'I can never go home'…
After trying to break my brain, figuring this out, I decide to drop it and reach for my biology book. The answer to this case will be here tonight, with my brothers.
It's not until nine, when I finally hear some noises outside. Sam enters the motel room not soon after that. I'm about to ask him about Dean, but then see him stalking in behind his little brother. "Damn police suckers." He grumbles, kicking off his boots and dropping down on the couch with a deep sigh. "You know…" He starts, looking at me grumpily. "Sometimes, I think it would actually be easier if they just knew what's out there, so I don't look like a complete imbecile. Trying to explain why I'm searching on the internet about ghosts." He finishes, making me laugh. "Yeah, that's a great plan, big brother. Are you going to tell them?" I challenge him, and he rolls his eyes, sticking his hand out to ruffle my hair. "Of course not, pup. You are. Just show them that lovely face of yours and they'll believe everything you say. Even though ninety percent of everything you say is complete bullshit." He teases. I swat his arm, glaring at him. That glare turns into a frown, when I notice the pecks of dust emerging from his jacket. I squint my eyes at Dean and now realize he's covered in all sorts of brown dust and mud. Even his hair is sticky. "Wait, hold up. What the hell happened to you?" I ask with a snort. Dean grimaces. "We were on that bridge Constance jumped off. She took over the car when we were out. We had to jump." Is his short explanation. I raise my eyebrows. "You jumped off the bridge?" I repeat incredulously. "Well, he did…" Sam joins the conversation with a small grin, and I look up at him. "I, on the other hand, was smart enough to grab the railing…" He adds, ignoring Dean's glare. I chuckle drily and try to wipe some more of the dust off Dean's jacket, before giving up. "How did you get out of the station?" I then ask him. Dean points his thumb at Sam. "Genius over there called in a mass shooting. Police station was empty within minutes." He explains. Sam huffs. "Well, we did get something out of your arrest." He hints at his brother and upon seeing my confused look, Dean reaches inside his jacket and pulls out something brown and wrecked. Something I recognize instantly. "Dad's journal." He tells me, handing it to me. I ignore the twinge of worry in my stomach, as I let my hands glide across the brown leather. "How did you get this?" I ask in curiosity. "It was at the station. Dad probably got arrested as well. Which means he was indeed in this town for a longer period of time." Dean answers me slowly. I frown in confusion. "But he would never leave this behind…" I slowly mutter, looking up. "Which means he didn't just leave, right?" Dean nods. "I think he left it behind on purpose, he wrote some coordinates on the last page." He reaches over and ruffles through the pages until he finds it, showing it to me. The numbers 35-111 are written on the last page in dads handwriting. Right next to Dean's name.
"If the police had this, they must have thought dad was out of his freaking mind." I state drily, making Dean laugh. "Yeah they did." He confirms and grabs the journal out of my hands. "Where do the coordinates lead?" I ask. Sam lets out a sigh. "Working on that." He mutters, grabbing his laptop and sitting down. He furiously starts typing away.
"So, we're going to those coordinates, right?" I ask, the twinge of worry changing into hope. If dad wrote those coordinates for us to find, he's going to be there. "Yes, but not before we gank this white women crap. I am not leaving before putting an end to this." Dean mumbles, before he yawns and slowly stands up. "Well, I'm off to bed." He announces. He makes his way over to the bathroom and I quickly take my chance. I do not desire to stay behind with just Sam. I do not need another awkward, uncomfortable conversation like last night. While Dean is in the shower, I change into my pajama's and dive into the bed Sam slept in yesterday. He'll just have to take the couch.
In the middle of the night, I very suddenly wake up. I shoot into sitting position and look around in confusion. It takes me a while to figure out what woke me up and I rub my sleepy eyes. A soft voice is mumbling in the kitchen and as I glance to the bed next to me, Dean's still sound asleep. Huh...
It's four in the morning, what's Sam still doing up? For a moment I deliberate with myself if I really care or not, but curiosity wins. I slowly get out of my bed, careful not the wake Dean up. I tiptoe towards the closed kitchen door and lean my head against it, trying to hear what's going on.
"I don't know, Jess. I can't pinpoint where this is going." I hear Sam say. "I'm trying to talk to her, but she shuts me down every time." He adds. I frown, who is Jess? "Baby, that's not true. I mean, look at it from her perspective… No, this is my fault. I might have had a good reason for not keeping contact, but it is still my fault." I slowly start to realize what's happening in the kitchen. Sam's on the phone with his girlfriend. "I know. I know. I just, I miss her, Jess. I just… I miss her." I can conclude, from the knowledge I have of my brother's life, that there is no other female he could be talking about, but me. He is talking about me to his girlfriend. I glance down. Hearing him say that he misses me, makes my heart ache.
"I don't really want to, Jess. But, do you maybe know how I can get her to talk to me…? Of course, I won't force her, that's not going to help… Oh baby, you don't know my sister… She won't even look me in the eye, most of the time… I know that, but…" I listen to Sam continuing his conversation for a while, before deciding to break it up. I've heard enough. Maybe right now is the right time to talk to him. I just overheard him literally asking his girlfriend advice on how to get that talk to happen. I cannot keep ignoring him. He's back now. He's sorry. We need to find dad.
I slowly open the kitchen door and step inside, shivering at the chilly wind. Sam's head shoots up, when he hears the floorboards creek. He spots me. "Uh, Jess… I'll call you back." He mutters into the phone, before hanging up and looking at me apprehensively. "Hey." I awkwardly tell him, giving him a short wave. "Why aren't you in bed, it's four in the morning?" I ask, trying to postpone a tense silence. "I had a lot to do." Sam answers me slowly, making me frown. "About the case? I mean, you can do research tomorrow…" I answer him, taking a step forward. I lean against one of the chairs at the small table, expectantly looking at him. Sam chuckles softly and shakes his head at me. "No, I have a job interview on Monday and I have to prepare…" He starts lightheartedly, but his whole posture changes when he sees my eyes darken. "You have what on Monday?" I ask him in a low tone, feeling my veins starting to boil with anger. "A job interview…" He stammers, not understanding why I'm looking at him with fury. I shortly shake my head, trying to get my reaction under control. "So, let me get this straight…" I start slowly, looking up at him. "You are not staying?" That was a direct question. I forcefully try to push my sadness back. I came here to talk to him, finally. After two days of ignoring him, and he throws this crap at me?
"Skye…" Sam starts slowly, finally catching up with me. "No." I shut him down. "Why are you here, if you are not going to stay?" I snap at him, my voice rising. Sam falls silent, not having a clue what he can do, as he sees the fire burning in my eyes. I growl in frustration, wiping away an escaped tear. "I can't even…" I start to yell, but stop myself. "You keep telling me you're sorry, Sam. That you left. I heard you, and I freaking believed you. And now, while we need you the most, you are just going to leave again?" I can't help but shout at my brother. I can hear a sleepy grunt coming from the other room. Dean's waking up. "Skye, no…" Sam tries softly, his eyes watery. He looks at me desperately. "Why are you leaving?" I bark at him, trying my very best to keep my sadness under control. Just when I thought I might get over my trust issues after all…
"I'm studying law, Skye. I need to find a job to help me pay for the rent…" Sam starts to explain shortly, trying to tell me as honestly as he can, what is going on. His honestly pisses me off even more. I take a few deep breaths, calming myself down. Then I glare at him. "You don't care, do you?" I ask him, shaking my head. "You don't care about me or Dean." I add those words simply to hurt him. Sam frantically shakes his head. "No, Skye. No, that's not true. Come on, you know I care!" He protests, a little anger in his voice. "I just, I am not ready to see dad after the whole ordeal. And sure, I really want to help you find him. You don't understand. The life I tried to build after that fight, is the life I'm living right now…" I try to ignore the feeling of just being stabbed in the back and squint my eyes. "A life that clearly doesn't involve me." I whisper, partly hoping he heard it and partly hoping he didn't. I ignore the sounds in the other room, telling me Dean is awake and getting up to see what the commotion is about. "That is not fair, Skye." Sam cries out at me, pointing his finger right at my chest. "My life will always involve you. You are my sister…" He starts, but gets interrupted by a grumpy Dean, who walks into the room. "What the hell is going on in here?" He grumbles, looking from me to Sam with raised eyebrows. "It's four fifteen, damnit!" I grit my teeth together and point at Sam. "He has a job interview on Monday." I inform Dean, looking forward to Dean's reaction on that one. I am completely thrown off guard, when he just nods slowly, glancing at Sam swiftly.
"You have to be kidding me…" I softly whisper, staring at him. "You knew and didn't tell me?" Dean takes a short step forward, probably not able to handle my look of betrayal very well. "I did not tell you, because I knew exactly what would happen." He explains to me, his voice low and reassuring. I shake my head and take a short step back, my mind trying to comprehend what's happening right now.
"You are just going to take off…" I whisper, more to myself then Sam, but they both heard me. "Puppy…" Dean starts slowly, but my anger flares up. "I can't believe you're just going to let him leave, Dean. What the actual hell." I glare at Sam, before deciding to let it go. Right there, on the spot. This was not worth my emotional state. "You know what, never mind. Do what you freaking want, Sam." I spit at him. "Hey!" Dean yells at me, grabbing my arm softly. I harshly pull out of it, taking another step back. "Never mind." I repeat, my voice dying down. "I don't care. Not anymore." I turn around and throw one last punchline at Sam, just to hurt him. Make him feel what I am feeling right now. "You don't even know how I looked for you. How I missed you. You left me behind and you are not even man enough to stay this time and fix what you did. So, just get lost." I snap that last part at him, realizing how cold I sound. "That's enough. Go to bed, Skye." Dean orders from my other side. I turn around to him with disgust, I knew he'd pick Sam's side. "Now." Dean snaps when I don't move. I slowly turn back around. I wish, really wish, I could leave right now. Just get out of this damn motel. I can't, not with the danger that is out there.
I exit the room and collapse back on my bed, trying to hold in the emotions threatening to spill out. Keep it together, Skye. This is not worth your tears. I keep trying to convince myself it's okay, until I can feel my breathing dying down. I can still hear the hushed voices of Dean and Sam in the kitchen but try to ignore them.
The next morning, I wake up to another note. "Sam and I are finding Constance, we'll be back." It's written in Dean's handwriting. I try to not think about what happened last night, but I have never really been good at letting things go. It tends to preoccupy every thought I have, which is highly annoying and makes me feel like shit. I can still taste the anger I felt yesterday. It's right there on my tongue, it's a bitter taste.
It's two pm when Sam and Dean return. They both look quite baffled, like they had an argument. I completely ignore their entrance. Dean sits down at the kitchen table and Sam follows his lead. They both look at me.
"Skye, we think we know why dad left this town." Dean starts, his tone urgent. My anger and bitterness washes away for a moment and I gawk at him. "We think dad found a new lead on the thing that killed mom." Sam adds. My eyes widen. That would be a very valid reason as to why dad would leave everything behind. Including his children. "Well… That explains a lot." I mutter in understanding, completely abandoning my geometry book. "Yes, it does. The only thing that lasts now, is figuring out what kind of lead that was." Dean reacts and lets out a sigh when he sees my face darken. As I have progressed this news, my resistance returned. I grab my geometry book, looking down. "Skye, enough. I know last night…" Dean starts, but I completely ignore him and simply walk out of the kitchen. I don't know how far I can push my big brother on this, but I'm going to try sure as hell. Dean doesn't follow me, he knows he shouldn't. Dean knows me very well, and right now he knows I must get that anger out of me.
At six, Dean sends Sam out to get us some dinner. As soon as Sam's gone, he enters the bedroom. I'm on the bed, reading a book and do not look up. "Alright." I hear Dean groan, almost making me smile. "Pup, let's talk." He then announces and sits down next to me on the bed. I put down my book and glance at him. I stay silent, waiting for an explanation. Dean rolls his eyes at my attitude. "Why were you so mad, last night?" He then asks me. I raise my eyebrows. "You know damn well why, Dean." I snap at him. He draws the line right there. "Enough, Skye. You have to work with me to resolve this mess, not against me. So stop, sit up and talk." He orders, his tone strict. I let out a deep, dramatic sigh, but sit up like he told me to. I stare at him, until he raises his arms in the air. "So? Why were you so mad at me?" He asks me again, frustration clear in his voice. "Sam is leaving. And you are letting him leave." I answer him shortly, refusing to open up. Dean's eyes soften a little bit and he rubs his index finger and thumb on the brink of his nose. "Listen, I know this is hard for you, but you have to understand that this is his decision." He starts, making me shake my head. "You know, Dean, isn't that lovely. It's his decision to leave us behind for the second time and not giving a damn about it." I retort sarcastically. Dean huffs. "You don't even know, Skye. He does care, but you are shutting him out. He told me, in the car, how he just wants to talk with you. About college, about why he is making his decisions the way he is. But you are not really giving him a chance, are you." I listen to Dean with a grimace. He looks at me. "Pup, I want him to stay too, but we cannot force him. As his family, we have to respect whatever decision he makes." His words are wise and true, which pisses me of. "Sure, Dean." I respond just as sarcastically and reach for my book. His 'talk' is not going anywhere. Then, Dean hits the core. "I am not picking sides, pup." He tells me, and my head shoots up. "Well, you sure as hell don't show that." I snap at him. "Baby, I don't pick sides. It's my job to keep the peace. Yesterday, you needed to leave the room for me to be able to keep the peace." He explains to me, putting a hand on my shoulder. It still amazes me how he's always able to see right through me. I don't really know what to say to him right now and let out a deep breath, looking at my hands. Dean stands up and bends over, giving me a kiss on my forehead. Then he walks away, letting me stew on what was just said. I know deep down, that he's partly right. Sam makes his own decisions, he always has. As his family, we are to respect those decisions. But the fact that he doesn't seem to care, makes me unable to do that. I still do not have an explanation, a real explanation, for Sam not calling me back once, during our time apart. Now that I think about that, I really crave that answer. Dean is right, I can only obtain that answer by truly talking to my brother.
I glance over to the couch, where Dean dropped down with a beer, and smile to myself. My stupid big brother and his wise statements. I shake my head, before returning my focus to my book. Dean's ringtone distracts me, and I watch him pick up. The mood changes slightly. "What?" I hear Dean ask in confusion, sitting up. "Okay, sure. Be careful!" He hangs up and rises from his seat, turning around to me. "Road trip time, puppy." He announces to me, hastily grabbing his jacket. I frown. "What?" I retort in confusion. "Sam just told me how to kill this bitch. According to him, we have to 'bring her home'. Which means it's time to check out her old house." He explains to me. "Yeah? So, go." I tell him. Dean's eyes darken slightly. "Get your jacket, you're coming with me." He tells me matter of factly. Complete shock washes over my face. "Wait, what?" I stutter, slowly rising from the bed. I have never, ever, been included in anything involved with hunting. Not even speaking with a witness, or doing research. Nothing. Now, suddenly, Dean wants to check out the house of a ghost… With me?
"Why, in God's name, are you asking me to come with you?" I ask him, flabbergasted. "Just take your chance and hurry up." Dean snaps at me in annoyance. Even though it sounded playful, there is no twinkle in his eyes. It concerns me. "Or you could just tell me the real reason why you are dragging me along." I grumble, getting up and grabbing my jacket and shrugging it on. "Sam said that that Constance bitch is close to the apartment." He growls at me, before dragging me out into the parking lot. I don't even have time to react to that. Sam has the impala, so Dean is forced to improvise and I'm soon watching him steal a car. My brothers are normally not thieves. They mostly make their money with winning poker games and… Well, fake credit cards. Guess they are thieves. I chuckle at my own thought, before being dragged into the passenger seat of the stolen car. Dean drives off and glances sideways at me every five seconds. I throw my head against the seat and let out a frustrated groan. "I am in a car that you are driving, Dean. Keep your eyes on the road." I tell him, but he shuts me up with one angry glare. He is on edge.
The drive is short, but to me it felt like hours. Dean kept repeating 'his rules' to me. "Keep close to me, and don't even think about wondering off." He explains for the fourth time. "Dean, we are driving to an abandoned house. There is nothing…" I start to protest, but he shuts me down. "Don't care. You listen to me, understood?" His voice is quite harsh. I nod slowly at him. I watch the road and as we drive around a corner. A big, old house appears in our view. It's right in the middle of hectares of land and looks quite doomed. I feel excitement in my stomach, as I watch the house come nearer. "Nobody has lived there for…" I start to tell Dean, but he's staring at the road ahead with raised eyebrows. "What?" I ask him, before following his line of sight. Then I see what he sees. "Wait…" I start in confusion, looking at the driveway of the old house. As we drive closer, I squint my eyes. The impala is standing in front of the house. I'm about the ask Dean what the hell is going on, when he slams his hands into the steering wheel, making me jump. "Damn it! She found Sam." He yells and pushes the gas pedal all the way in, racing us to the house. Panic rises and as I'm still trying to comprehend what's happening, Dean slams the breaks and jumps out of the car. We both hear a distant scream and the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. "Sammy!" Dean yells out, reaching for his gun. I quickly jump out of the car, searching the property with my eyes to try and find my brother. "Damn it!" Dean curses again, before stalking up to me. "Get back in the car and do NOT come out." He yells at me, pushing me roughly towards the car. "Wait…" I start, but he harshly shuts me down. "Now, Skye!"
I watch him run off towards the house and quickly get back into the car. I know better than to argue with him right now. Worry settles in my stomach, as I watch my brother sprint towards the impala, gun raised high. He keeps shouting Sammy's name. Gunshots fire, making me jump. I watch the impala closely and am completely caught by surprise, when it suddenly roars to life. With wide eyes, I watch the impala race towards the old house. It does not stop, it just drives straight into it. Dean is sprinting after it. My senses take over and I let out a feared scream, jumping out of the car without thinking. The impala took the whole front of the old house with it in the crash, and I'm looking at a wreck. The wood from the ceiling starts to crash around the impala. In panic I start to sprint towards the house. "SAM?" I hear Dean yell, as he frantically dives into the wreckage. I reach the house and anxiously look around. "SAM?" I scream, hoping for a response, a sound, or anything from my brother. I watch how Dean throws some wood aside and wrenches open the front seat of the impala, reaching inside. With a big sigh of relief, I watch him pull a shaken Sam out of the car. "Hey, you okay?" He asks, panic still on his face. Sam nods and shakes his head. "She found me on the road out of town." He explains through his panting. He leans against the impala, wiping sweat off his forehead. Dean lets out a deep breath, but then looks my way. His eyes focus on me and they darken. "SKYE!" He roars when he sees me. I instantly realize I did not listen to his direct order and jolt at his harsh tone. "Why did you bring her!" Sam's head shot up into my direction as well. "Dude!" He exclaims, raising his hands into the air. Dean's eyes narrow. "You know damn well why." He snaps back, before turning to me. "Get yourself back to the car." He tells me, his voice strict. There is not even a suggestion for a discussion. I turn around. "Dude, you shot a spirit. That won't make this easier." I hear Sam accuse Dean. "Well, I did just save your ass, so stop complaining." Is Dean's retort and I glance backwards for a second. I wish I had never done that.
I freeze on the spot, looking at the scene in front of me. I'm not the only one who sees or hears something. Dean and Sam quickly spin around, and nailed to the spot, I stare at the white woman. She just appeared, close to the stairs. She must have looked beautiful once, but nothing is left of it. Her sunken, black eyes are locked on both my brothers and her face looks like it directly comes out of one of the many horror movies I've seen.
Cold fear spreads through me, now I am face to face with a spirit for the first time in my life. The air freezes over and I cannot stop staring at her. The white woman screams, a scream that glides through my veins and hits me right in my heart. I can feel my legs starting to shake. Dean raises his gun, but is too late. The white woman squints her eyes and a desk, standing in the corner of the room, rises into the air. I watch in horror, as it crashes into my brothers, trapping them against the car. Dean lets out a painful grunt and Sam doubles over.
Slowly, the head of the white woman turns and her black eyes lock on mine. Fear grips my heart. "Skye, RUN!" I hear Dean scream in panic, from his place against the car. He frantically tries to get out of his predicament. Sam is kicking and thrashing in his place, his panicked eyes on me. I can't do anything, I am frozen in fear and my legs will not move. The white woman slowly starts to smile, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. "NO! Stay AWAY from her!" Sam screams, when the white woman starts to slowly glide towards me. His scream snaps me out of my state. I make an attempt to spin around and bolt for the car, but before I can even do that, the white woman is distracted. She spins around, and her head snaps to the stairs in a very unnatural manner. She saw or heard something. My legs are still trembling as I watch her crawl towards the stairs, there's no other word to describe her way of moving. Confusion mixes in with my fear. "Mommy…" The very creepy voice of a child flows down the stairs. I witness how two drenched, spirit children, appear at the bottom of the stairs. The fear returns, leaving goosebumps all over my skin. The white woman is terrifying, but her ghost children are worse. As quickly as this all started, it's over again. The two children, after letting out very unnatural screams, crash into their mother and together they disappear in a large black puddle on the floor. Which turns its color from black, to clear water a few seconds later.
The biggest wave of relief washes over me, and I let out a few gasps. It's over.
Dean and Sam are finally able to force their ways out from under the desk and Dean sprints towards me. "Oh God, I thought I lost you." He whispers, his voice still panicked. He wraps his arms around me, and a strong feeling of safeness spreads over me. Finally, the fear disappears out of my body. I never thought that my first experience with the supernatural would have been this terrifying.
"Skye, are you alright?" Sam pants as he reaches me and Dean, frantically letting his eyes glide over me, to check if I'm hurt. "Yeah…" I whisper, running my hands across my face. Dean releases me and when I look up at him, his expression has hardened. "This, Skye, is the reason why you are not involved. Do you get that?" He cries out, pointing at the scene behind him. "You could have died just now! You…" He stops himself, turning his frustration back into anger. "Do not, ever, disobey my order again. If I tell you to stay in the car, you stay in the car." He growls, grabbing my shoulders and glaring at me intently. "The car crashed into the house, with him in it!" I protest, pointing at Sam. This time, it's Sam who shuts me down. "I don't give a crap about what happens to me, Skye. Not when you are there." He tells me, his voice grim. I don't even have time to raise my eyebrows at that. "We can't do our job, if you are in danger, Skye. Get that?" Dean snaps. I look back up at him. A short silence emerges, before I let out a deep breath. "Okay…" I mutter softly. A part of me understands why I'm being yelled at. The worry and panic I had felt, when I saw Sam and the car crash into the building, it's not something I've experienced before. But I know they do, when they look at me.
"Come on, let's get out of here." Sam hushes. For a moment, he reaches out to grab my arm. He stops himself, and sticks his hands into his pocket instead. Then, he stalks back towards the impala.
The whole way back, Dean grumbles about the budged-up car. Making Sam chuckle, when he blames the whole crash on Sam in one of his ramblings. The tension becomes very grim, when Dean mutters something I'd completely forgotten. "So… As it's Sunday… I should probably drop you off home with your girlfriend." He mutters, glancing sideways at Sam. Sam nods slowly, and I'm glad I'm staring out of the window. I can feel his eyes on me, just for a few seconds.
Back at the motel, we pack our stuff and soon we're back on the road. The rock music blasts through the car and I listen to it in silence. Dean's humming along, Sam stares out of the window. The tension in the car is not that bad, but that's mostly because Dean's acting all 'relaxed'. Which pisses me off. The car ride is long, and I cannot help but drift off into sleep.
"We're here pup." Dean's hushed voice wakes me up and my eyes fly open. We're back at the apartment building where we picked Sam up, a few days ago. I slowly climb out of the car, rubbing my sleepy eyes. I have no idea how I am going to do this. Say goodbye to Sam. My feelings don't matter, though. It's going to happen either way.
The moon is shining bright, telling me it must be about one in the morning. I'm tired, want to sleep and am not ready for this confrontation at all. "Take care. Let me know how the interview went." Dean mutters to Sam, patting him on his shoulder. Sam nods at him, giving his big brother an affectionate pat on his chest. "Keep in touch about dad." He answers, before turning around to face me. I hold my breath. "Take care, Skye." His voice is raspy as he speaks to me. I look at him, feeling the eyes of Dean bore into my back. "You too." I answer, after a little silence, and turn back around, escaping into the impala. I hear Sam sigh, and for a moment I expect him to haul me back out to hug me. Unfortunately, he doesn't. He walks away. I turn in my seat to watch him leave, pushing my emotions to the back of my mind.
"Skye, seriously!" Dean exclaims in frustration, climbing back into the car himself. "Not now." I tell him slowly, relaxing in my seat. Dean rolls his eyes and starts the car. I decide to take one last glance at the flat behind me. I don't know why, but I just do. "DEAN!" I scream in panic, when I turn around and see the alarming truth.
Dean turns around in surprise when he hears my scream, and we both watch big, black smoke coming from the windows of the apartment building. There is a fire, yellow flames visible through the windows. "Freaking hell!" Dean cries out in panic and jumps out of the car. I follow his lead. "Stay here!" He yells at me, before he bolts towards the flat as fast as he can. Anxiously, I watch the part of the flat that's on fire. I don't know where Sam's apartment is specifically, but the cold worry that spreads through me, tells me it's bad. A building doesn't suddenly catch on fire…
A scream coming from my right, startles me. As I look around, I see more and more people are starting to notice the flames. It sends me into a clear moment and I hastily grab my phone, calling 911. Just as I tell the woman where the fire is, the doors of the apartment building open. With open mouth, I watch Dean stumble outside, coughing heavily. He's heaving Sam with him.
Sam is struggling wildly and from the looks of it, he's willing to run straight back into the flames. I break into a sprint when I hear Sam scream. "NO! I have to get back! LET ME GO." There is pure panic in his voice and the closer I get, the more I see in what condition he is. His face is ashen, and his eyes are horror struck. Dean looks horrified. He grabs Sam's face between his hands, forcing him to look at him. "Sam!" He shouts. Sam looks up at him, panic in his eyes. "It's too late…" Dean whispers to him. Sam's eyes dart everywhere at that statement, his mind trying to wrap itself around the truth. Realization is slowly dawning on me. I skid to a halt in front of my brothers, looking at Dean. "She was up the ceiling… He burned her… Just like mom." Sam stammers. I let out a gasp, closing my eyes for a second. "Sam…" I whisper, but he's not even hearing me. Dean lets him go and glides a hand across his face, his eyes wide. "I'm so sorry, Sam…" I tell my brother, grabbing his arm to try and comfort him. Part of my brain is still trying to comprehend what must have happened. He had a girlfriend, Jessica. Do not tell me she was on the ceiling, burning. Just like mom…
In the distance, I can hear the sirens of the firemen racing to the emergency. Sam turns around to the burning building in front of us and my heart aches for him. "Sam…" I whisper again, not knowing what to do. What the hell can I say to him?
Thirty minutes later, we're standing in front of the trunk of the impala. All three of us. Sam throws the huge duffle bag with all our weapons in the trunk of the car. "Sam…" Dean tries, still looking very pale. Sam slowly turns to him, his face stoic. "He killed mom. Now he killed Jess. We have work to do." He states and slams down the trunk.
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