Chapter Four
Sam breathed in the fresh night air as he left the bar, the smell of cigarettes and alcohol clinging to his clothes lingering in his senses. Man, he really needed a shower. One that was preferably long and hot and strong enough to just about tear his skin off. Right now though he had far more important things to worry about. He had been so sure that Jane would come but here it was 3 am, the bar was closing and no sign of her. So far nothing about this case was working out. Jane was missing and whatever had killed Amy was still out there, waiting for the moment to kill again.
Reaching the car he caught sight of Dean and the barmaid standing under the outside light, their body language clearly indicating that he was probably going to be spending what remained of the night in the cramped confines of the Impala; the chances of having a long hot shower disappearing fast. At least things seemed to working out well for his brother.
With his concentration elsewhere Sam placed the key in the door just as a hand came out from behind him, clamping across his mouth, causing his head to jerk back with a hard tug. Reacting swiftly, years of honed skill kicking in, Sam grabbed the assailant's wrist, hearing a quiet voice whisper 'Monster' in his ear as he did so. With a twist and a jab he spun around, his hand connecting with his attacker with a firm push sending them flying backwards, realization sinking in as to who it was as he did so.
Even in the shadowy darkness he could make out the woman lying on the ground. Blond hair draping across her face. Black clad legs and a t-shirt, faded and washed out from one too many washes. Though the blood that streaked across the front of it was even more alarming. As was her stillness. Concerned, his surprise fading fast, Sam stepped forward.
Before he even had time to register what was happening Sam found himself staring up the night sky, the impact of his back hitting solid ground stunning him. Taking deep gulps of air as the shock and pain began to fade comprehension came; she had flipped him, quickly hooking her leg around his as she had laid there, pulling him down without him even seeing it coming.
His head clearing, the sound of his brother's voice cried out in the distance.
"Sammy!"
Propping himself up on one elbow, pushing himself half upright Sam caught sight of the figure of the woman running off in the distance. The silhouette shape of her becoming darker as she blended into the shadows of the night. "I'm okay."
SPN*SPN*SPN
Pausing just for a second, seeing that Sam really was okay Dean took off in the direction the woman had gone, the pounding of his boots against the ground echoing with each stride as he ran. The woman was fast but he was faster, narrowing the gap between them as he chased after her. A blur of trees and bushes, thick and dense, flashed passed him and the ground underneath him changed from dirt to tarmac as his feet hit the road, hard and fast.
Running to the other side of the road he followed her through a rough path cut through the trees before coming out onto a cemetery. Half way across a grassy section he managed to get a hand hold on her, his fingers brushing across her upper arm to grab it firmly.
Spinning around to face him the woman swung out with her free arm, hitting him hard on the mouth with a fist. At the same time her right foot came up to give him a swift kick on the shin.
"Shit!"
Dean loosened his grasp just enough for her to yank herself free. She managed to run just a few feet before he grabbed her again. This time, pulling her close to his body, wrapping an arm around her waist, holding her tight as his other arm wrapped around her too. As he did so he felt the icy coldness of her body as it pressed up hard against the front of his. The heat of his body radiated out through the layers of clothing he was wearing to meet with the chill of hers.
SPN*SPN*SPN
The woman struggled, twisting her body in all directions as she tried to get the man who was holding her fast in his arms to let her go. She stomped a foot down hard onto his but her sneakers were no match against the boots he was wearing. The fear inside her increased ten-fold and panic began to take over as he pulled her even tighter against his body, her feet lifting off the ground as he did so. No longer thinking clearly she thrashed about, her whole body now struggling desperately against his as she twisted and turned, hammering down on his arm with her fists, doing anything she could to get free.
The second she felt his grip loosen she pulled away from him hard. As her body jerked forward she fell onto her hands and knees. She tried to scramble away but panic controlled her actions and her feet slipped on the dewy surface of the grass. Feeling a hand get a firm hold on her right ankle she twisted around, landing on her backside to kick out frantically with the leg that was now in a vice like grip.
SPN*SPN*SPN
Determined to stop the struggling woman Dean used his greater height and weight to his advantage and pinned her to the ground, his legs straddling her, his weight pressing firmly down on her. As her hands lashed out at him, trying with every last bit of strength she had left to get free, he managed to grab a wrist in each hand and pulled her hands away from him, pushing them to the ground.
All of a sudden Dean found himself staring down into dark pupils surrounded by a sea of gray, the color of which made him think of the sky on a rainy day but it wasn't the color of her eyes that made him pause, instead it was what he saw in them. Fear and pain and loneliness. It was the look of someone haunted. Haunted by the past, haunted by what the future would bring. It was a look that Dean recognized for he had seen it reflected in his own eyes.
They stared at each other, both lost in the moment, a connection flickering between them. The face that looked up at him was both soft and strong at the same time. Pale pink lips that were slightly parted as she breathed heavily, a stubborn set to the jaw, fair skin that was far too pale and a long thin scar that stood out against it. The scar started up by her hairline near her ear and went right across her cheek all the while going downward in a jagged motion, missing the corner of her mouth by no more than an inch or so only to disappear at the edge of her jawline.
Awareness sank in, hitting him like a bullet in slow motion and suddenly he felt the dampness of the dew seeping through the knees of his jeans as they pressed into the grass, the soft slim body that was underneath his, the heat that was being generated between them and finally the feel of fragile skin and bone that was being held tightly in each of his hands.
Pulled out of the moment he remembered where he was and was back in the here and now. Shaken a little he eased his grip on her wrists and let her go, lifting himself off her.
Free the woman scurried backwards using her hands and backside to slide herself across the grass. Stopping a few feet away from him, she bent her knees up, wrapping her arms around them as she sat there, turning her head away so that she was partially hidden in shadow, her eyes focusing elsewhere as if she was searching for something in the dark.
At the sound of heavy footsteps, Dean glanced to his side to see that Sam had caught with them.
SPN*SPN*SPN
"You okay?"
"Yeah… I'm fine," said Dean, a little distracted by what had just happened.
Crouching down so that he was more at her level Sam lowered his voice in an effort to not startle the frightened woman any further. "It's okay, we're not going to hurt you."
The look she gave him was so quick and brief that he couldn't be completely sure she had looked his way. He tried again, knowing he needed to reach her, going with his gut instinct that told him who she was. "Jane?"
Her eyes darted back at him in response, this time making eye contact and fear filled eyes locked onto his. He gently smiled, trying to ease her fear. "I'm Sam, this is my brother Dean."
Jane glanced up, this time at Dean, before she went back to staring out in the distance, her eyes searching.
Sam pulled himself upright. Behind him the silver glimmer of moonlight revealed nothing but oddly twisted shapes and shadows and row upon row of stone and marble headstones. If something was out there he couldn't see it. Jane though was obviously afraid of something. What he didn't know was what. Either way they needed to get her out of this cemetery and some place safe.
"Maybe she can't talk," said Dean.
"I can talk."
Her words caught them by surprise as did the soft, husky voice that came out, sultry like a shot of good whiskey, all rich and warm with a hint of fire underneath.
Ignoring their startled looks Jane continued staring past them. "It's still out there."
"What is?" asked Sam.
At the uncertainty in her eyes Sam tried his best to reassure her, taking off his jacket as faint trembles of shivering racked her body. "I know you're afraid but we won't let anything hurt you. I promise."
"Sam's right. We can protect you."
The woman in front of them seemed to consider their words, a myriad of emotions flicking across her face. As the seconds went by they began to think she was going to stay where she was when suddenly she pushed herself upright.
Carefully and with caution she took Sam's jacket, slipping it on. Ducking her head down, hiding her face from view she headed back in the direction of the bar, tucking a thick strand of hair behind an ear, her voice softy floating through the night air as she did so.
"No one can do that."
SPN*SPN*SPN
Nearing the Impala Jane stopped and crouched down. The pale yellow glow of the outside light radiating from the bar gave her just enough light to see as she scanned underneath the car. Satisfied that there was nothing hiding in the blackness she stood up just as Sam and Dean reached her. She flicked her head at the rear of the car. "You need to check the trunk."
The brothers shared a silent bemused look before they moved towards the car. Unlocking the trunk Sam lifted it open.
Jane stared inside at the empty trunk then ran her hand along the rim. With a tug she lifted up fake bottom, revealing the contents hidden inside.
If she was surprised by the stash of weapons and weird looking objects that were now in full view she gave no sign of it. Instead she brushed her fingers across the surface of several items, pausing for a second every now and again. Eventually she stopped, glancing towards Sam with a questioning look.
"It's not what you think," said Sam, the words sounding unconvincing even to his own ears.
She blinked back at him for moment as if weighing up what he said then turned away, her face once again hidden.
SPN*SPN*SPN
"So what now?" asked Dean as they drove out of the parking lot, the image of Jane now sitting in the backseat, staring out the window reflected back at him in the rear view mirror.
"Now? Now we go back to the motel and try to work out what it was that killed the waitress." At the stony look on his brother's face Sam knew that Dean was holding something back. ""You still don't think she did it. I mean look at her, she can barely stand let alone rip someone apart with her bare hands."
A smirk tugged at the corners of Dean's mouth. "She didn't seem to have any trouble dropping you on your ass. Look I'm just saying we can't rule it out, not entirely."
"You don't really think she killed that girl?" Sam couldn't quite believe that Dean was still having doubts about the woman sitting in the back.
Dean thought about it for a moment, remembering the haunted look that he had seen in the woman's eyes. "No," he said with certainty then paused. It was his job to be cautious, it was one of the many things that had helped to keep him and Sam alive all these years. "But I'm sure most people thought Lizzie Borden was a sweet innocent thing."
