Lovely Δ SPN [ 1 ]

chapter thirteen

They're at the motel and John is sitting at a desk covered in papers while Sam leans against the counter, Dean paces, and Evie sits on the bed. John's research is all over the walls.

"So this is it. This is everything I know. Look, our whole lives we been searching for this demon, right? Not a trace, just... nothing. Until about a year ago. For the first time I picked up a trail." John says.

"And that's when you took off." Dean says.

"Yeah, that's right. The demon must have come out of hiding or hibernation." John says.

"All right, so what's this trail you found?" Dean asks.

"It starts in Arizona, then New Jersey, California. Houses burned to the ground. It's going after families, just like it went after us." John informs.

"Families with infants?" Sam asks.

"Yeah, the night of the kid's 6 month birthday." John says.

"I was 6 months old that night?" Sam asks.

"Exactly 6 months." John nods.

"So basically, this demon is going after these kids for some reason. The same way it came for me. So mom's death... Jessica. It's all because of me?" Sam asks.

"We don't know that, Sam." Dean says.

"Oh, really? Cause I'd say we're pretty damn sure, Dean." Sam states.

"For the last time, what happened to them was not your fault." Dean says.

"Right. It's not my fault, but it's my problem!" Sam shouts. Evie looks between the two nervously.

"No, it's not your problem, it's our problem!" Dean yells and John stands up.

"Okay. That's enough." He tells his sons. They take a few moments to calm down.

"So why's he doing it? WHat does he want?" Sam asks.

"Look, I wish I had more answers, I do. I've always been one step behind it. Look, I've never gotten there in time to save..." John trails off, looking down.

"All right, so how do we find it? Before it hits again." Dean says.

"There's signs. It took me a while to see the pattern, but it's there in the days before these fires signs crop up in the area. Cattle deaths, temperature fluctuations, electrical storms. And then I went back and checked... and..."

"These things happened in Lawrence." Dean says and John nods.

"A week before your mother died. And in Palo Alto... before Jessica. And these signs, they're starting again." John says.

"Where?" Sam asks.

"Salvation, Iowa."

+++

Evie is with Sam in a filing room and they're in Iowa now looking for the demon. Sam is going through files while Evie plays with her dog in the chair next to him.