For This You Were Born

29. Playthings

"A hotel in Cornwall, Connecticut. Two freak accidents in the past three weeks."

"Yeah? What's that have to do with Ava?"

"It's a job. I mean, a lady drowned in the bathtub; then a few days ago a guy falls down the stairs, head turns a complete one-eighty. Which isn't exactly normal, you know? Look, I don't know, Dean, it might be nothing, but I told Ellen we'd think about checking it out."

"You did?" Dean and Caroline asked.

"Yeah. You two seem surprised."

"Well yeah, it's just, you know. not the, uh, patented Sam Winchester way, is it?" Dean reasoned.

Sam, mildly challenging, shot back, "What way is that?"

"I just figured after Ava there'd be, uh, you know, more angst and droopy music and staring out the rainy windows, and-" Sam gave him a look, "yeah, I'll shut up now."

"Look. Ali and I are the ones who told her to go back home. Now her fiancé's dead and some demon has taken her off to God knows where. You know? But we've been looking for a month now, and we've got nothing. So we're not giving up on her, but we're not going to let other people die either. We've got to save as many people as we can."

"Wow. That attitude is just way too healthy for me, and I'm officially uncomfortable now. Thank you."

Sam ducked his head and laughed.

"All right, call Ellen. Tell her we'll take it."

EXT. PIERPONT INN - DAY

It wasn't raining, but the roads were wet and the air misty as Sam, Charlott and Dean parked the Impala in front of the inn. The Fastback was parked next to it. Dean got out of the driver's side.

"Dude, this is sweet," Dean said. "I never get to work jobs like this."

"Like what?" Sam and Aliana asked.

"Old school haunted houses, you know? Fog, and secret passageways ...sissy British accents. Might even run into Fred and Daphne while we're inside." He closed his eyes briefly. "Mmm, Daphne. Love her."

Caroline rolled her eyes at his words, but seemed more amused.

As they went up the steps, Sam and Aliana noticed an urn on the side of the porch. Charlotte ran up the steps and waited on the porch.

"Hey, wait a sec," Sam called as he and Aliana inspected it more closely. "She and I aren't so sure haunted's the problem."

"What do you mean?"

"You see this pattern here?" He tapped a five-point symbol engraved in the urn. "That's a quincunx, that's a five-spot."

"Five-spot."

Aliana nodded. "Yeah."

"That's used for hoodoo spellwork, isn't it?"

"Right, yeah. You fill this thing with bloodweed and you've got a powerful charm to ward off enemies."

"Yeah, except I don't see any bloodweed. Don't you think this place is a little too, uh, whitemeat for hoodoo?"

Sam shrugged and replied, "Maybe."

INT. PIERPONT INN - DAY

As they entered, looking around at the quiet interior, Susan entered briskly.

"May I help you?" Susan asked.

"Hi, yeah, I'd like a room for a couple of nights," Dean said.

As Sam, Caroline and Aliana moved in, Tyler darted in front of their legs, chased by Maggie, who ran behind them.