Dean came into the motel room, he was mad, Sam did something bad. Dean grabbed his bag,
Sam said" Dean, what are you doing? What, are you-are you leaving?"
Dean said" You don't need me. You and Ruby go fight demons."
" Hold on. Dean, come on, man." Dean swung, I squeezed my eyes shut, covering them with my hands." You satisfied?" Another punch," I guess not." I peeked from my fingers, gulping,
" Do you even know how far off the reservation you've gone? How far from normal? From human?"
" I'm just exorcising demons."
" With your mind! What else can you do?"
" I can send them back to hell. It only works with demons, and that's it."
" What else can you do?!"
" I told you!"
" And I have every reason in the world to believe that."
" Look, I should have said something. I'm sorry, Dean. I am. But try to see the other side here."
" The other side?!"
" I'm pulling demons out of innocent people."
" Use the knife!"
" The knife kills the victim! What I do, most of them survive! Look, I've saved more people in the last five months then we save in a year."
" That what Ruby wants you to think? Huh? Kind of like the way she tricked you into using your powers? Slippery slope, brother. Just wait and see. Because it's gonna get darker and darker, and god knows where it ends."
" I'm not gonna let it go too far." Dean hit a lamp,
" It's already gone too far, Sam. If I didn't know you... I would want to hunt you. And so would other hunters."
" You were gone. I was here. I had to keep on fighting without you. And what I'm doing... it works."
" Well, tell me. If it's so terrific... then why'd you lie about it to me? Why did an angel tell me to stop you?"
" What?"
" Cas said that if I don't stop you, he will. See, what that means, Sam- that means that god doesn't want you doing this. So, are you just gonna stand there and tell me that everything is all good?" I laid down, closing my eyes, squeezing them shut, go to sleep, go to sleep.
I was staring at all the blood, tilting my head, Lilith walked to me,
She said" I never knew a human could be so cute!" She poked my nose, she giggled," Betcha your brothers are even cuter!" She disappeared, I screamed as pain seared through me, then started coughing up more blood, I spit out a blood ball and watched it fall to the ground. I started sobbing, trying to get out of the chains, but they put them on tighter this time, I got out last time... they always put them on tighter when I manage to get out. I breathed heavily, trying harder and harder, hurting myself trying to get out.
I screamed" Deeee! Sammy! Deeean!" A demon started slashing at me, I screamed louder...
I screamed, jolting up, I started sobbing, while screaming. I felt the car swerve then stop, the ground started shaking again. Why does that keep happening?! I got more scared and sobbed more,
I heard Dean say" River! River!" I was shaken," Hey, hey, you're okay, you're all right." I pushed back as hands grabbed me, I kicked blindly, then I was being held down. I struggled, trying to get out." River, open your eyes, buddy, hey, hey, just open your eyes." I opened my eyes, everything was fuzzy, but focused after a few seconds. I saw Sam and Dean holding me down, against the seat, they let go of me. Dean grabbed me and pulled me up to be in between them, I couldn't stop crying," Shh, hey, Buddy, shh, shh, you're okay, you're okay, River. He's not calming down." He started rocking me," Shh, River, you're okay, you're okay, shh, it's okay, big brothers are right here. Shh, shh, shh."
Sam said" I got an idea. Do you remember any of the lullabies he used to listen to?"
" They're seared into my brain."
" Press the side of his head against your chest and hum one of 'em." The side of my head was held gently, I felt Dean start humming...
After a few minutes, I stopping crying, starting to sniffle, I nuzzled my face against Dean's chest. I heard both my brother sigh,
Dean said" Hey, buddy, you feel better?" I nodded, feeling the ground stop shaking," Wanna tell us what happened?"
I mumbled" Nightmare."
" Uh, what was the nightmare about?"
" Hell."
" Wanna tell us about it?"
" Demons liked me."
Sam said" Liked you? How?"
" I'm innocent. Demons liked that."
" Riv, did they hurt you?"
" Chains. I'd slip out sometimes... and try to run away but they always found me. I'd start screaming for Sammy and De..." My head flopped against Dean's chest, my eyes closed," I'd cry a lot... for you, they'd laugh..." I fell back to sleep.
——
They were spying on a guy,
Dean said" Are you sure that's him?"
Sam said" Only Jack Montgomery in town."
" And we're looking for..."
" Travis said to keep an eye out for anything weird."
" Weird?"
" Yeah."
" All right, well, yeah, I've seen big weird, little weird, weird with crazy on top. But this guy? I mean, come on, this guy's boring."
" I don't know, Dean. Travis seemed pretty sure." After a few minutes, they've been spying," I'd say that qualifies as weird."
We walked into the motel room, there was a man, I held onto Dean's jacket,
Dean said" Travis. See, Sam. Told you we should have hid the beer." I walked to the bed, laying down,
The man said" Smartass. Get over here!" He hugged Dean," Ohh. Good to see you."
" You too." Then he hugged Sam,
" Good to see you."
Sam said" You too, Travis."
" Man, you got tall, kid. How long has it been?"
" Oh, got to be 10 years."
" You still a- Oh, what was it? A mathlete?"
" No."
Dean said" Yep, sure is."
Travis said" Been too long, boys. I mean, look at you- grown men. John would have been damn proud of you... sticking together like this." Ha, they're in a fight right now. I nuzzled my face against a pillow,
" Yeah. Yeah, we're as thick as thieves. Nothing more important than family."
" Sorry I'm late for the dance. Thanks for helping out an old man. I'm a little, uh, shorthanded. So, you track down Montgomery?"
Sam said" Yeah, we found him at his home."
" And?"
Dean said" Well, he had a hell of a case of the munchies, topped off with a burger that he forgot to cook."
" That's him, all right."
" What's him?"
" Boys, we got a rougarou on our hands."
" A rougarou? Is that made up? That sounds made up."
" They're mean, nasty little suckers- rotted teeth, wormy skin, the works."
" Well, that ain't this guy. I mean, he was wearing a cellphone on his belt."
" He'll turn ugly soon enough. They start out human, for all intents and purposes."
Sam said" So, what, they go through some kind of metamorphosis?"
" Yep, like a maggot turning into a bull fly." I got too sleepy to care, I closed my eyes and fell asleep.
I was falling endlessly, flames around me, I screamed...
I heard Dean say" Riv!" I snapped awake, breathing heavily,
Travis said" He okay?"
" Yeah, he just has nightmares. River, you awake?" Then I saw Sammy wasn't here, starting to hyperventilating, Dean rushed to me. He grabbed my arms, looking at me, he stared into my eyes." Hey, hey, hey, what's wrong?" My head moved around to look at the room," Hey, hey!" Dean grabbed my head, forcing me to look at him," River, what's wrong?"
I whined" Sammy?!"
" He just went out, he'll be back." I whimpered," I promise. Let's go clean your face, okay?" He lifted me up, I laid my head on his chest, he carried me to the bathroom and sat me down on the sink's edge, he grabbed a rag and wet it, starting to wipe my face clean." I know whatever you're having nightmares about actually happened to you. And I know you're still not sure this isn't all one twisted dream made up by some demons. But, River, there's nothing that can keep us away from you now, okay? We'd kill every son of a bitch that got in our way to get to you." He rubbed back my hair, he sighed, kissing my head," I know you're scared, really scared that you'll wake up and be in hell again. But I'm not letting that happen again. De and Sammy aren't letting that happen." He lifted me up into his arms, rocking me slowly," You're exhausted, you're not getting any real sleep. Try and go back to sleep, buddy, I'm right here." I closed my eyes," That's it, just go back to sleep, everything's fine." He started humming...
——
Dean said" All right, so we're gonna go have a little chat with this guy, which, you know, I'm down. But I just want to make sure, if push comes, you're gonna shove."
Sam said" Meaning?"
" Well, odds are we're gonna have to burn this guy alive."
" This guy has a name and a wife."
" Yeah, who we're probably gonna make a widow, okay? I mean, you heard Travis. He's gonna turn. They always turn."
" Well, maybe he won't. Maybe he can fight it off."
" And maybe he can't. That's all I'm saying."
" All right, we'll just have to see, then, okay?"
" This is what I mean, Sam. You sure your emotions aren't getting in the way here?"
" What are you talking about?"
" You know, nice dude, but he's got something evil inside. Something in his blood. Maybe you can relate."
" Stop the car."
" What?"
" Stop the car or I will!" Dean pulled over, Sam got out, Dean followed him quickly," Wanna know why I've been lying to you, Dean? Because of crap like this!"
" Like what?"
" The way you talk to me, the way you look at me like I'm a freak!" I covered my ears, and stared at the seat, the ground started shaking again. I gasped, squeezing my eyes shut, no! No! No! No! Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop!
After a few minutes, the shaking stopped, I heard the doors open, I flopped onto the seat, really sleepy all of a sudden. I stared at the seat, and drew shapes on my arm. The car started moving again, I stayed still, not wanting to talk.
They've been tailing the man since they failed at having a talk with him, they ran into an apartment building. But I saw the guy running away. That's good, right? I think.
We got out at the guy's house, Travis' car was there,
Dean said" I guess now we know where Travis is."
Sam said" That stupid son of a bitch." We walked up to the house, and opened the door, we walked in, there was a blood trail. We followed it and saw a chunk of human left,
" Oh, god. Think that's Travis?"
" What's left of him. Guess you were right about Jack." Then Dean was tackled," Dean!" I ran to the fire torch by Dean, then Sam was tackled, I grabbed the lighter in Dean's pocket and tried to light the torch. Jack turned to me, I dropped the lighter and made a run for it, he grabbed me and slung me against a pillar, everything went black.
I woke up,
I heard Sam say" Jack!" Then I covered my eyes as Sam lit him on fire.
We were driving,
Dean said" You did the right thing, you know. That guy was a monster. There was no going back. Sam, I want to tell you I'm sorry. I've been kind of hard on you lately."
Sam said" Don't worry about it, Dean."
" It's just that your, uh- your psychic thing- it scares the crap out of me."
" If it's all the same, I'd really rather not talk about it."
" Wait a minute. What? You don't want to talk? You?"
" There's nothing more to say. I can't keep explaining myself to you. I can't make you understand."
" Why don't you try?"
" I can't. Because this thing, this blood- it's not in you the way it's in me. It's just something I got to deal with."
" Not alone."
" Anyway, it doesn't matter. These powers- it's playing with fire. I'm done with them. I'm done with everything."
" Really? Well, that's a relief. Thank you."
" Don't thank me. I'm not doing it for you. Or for the angels or for anybody. This is my choice."
The backseat turned into a cage, I looked around, whimpering,
I said" No, no, no! De! Sammy?!" I tried to push at the cage, but it wasn't budging, I started crying." Dean! Sam! Brothers?!" I cried out, kicking and punching at the cage, breathing heavily.
I was grabbed, I kicked and screamed, the ground started shaking, I cried out loudly.
I heard Sam say" River, River! Wake up! River, wake up!" I opened my eyes and saw I was in Sam's arms, I started hyperventilating." Shh, River, shh, you're okay... you're okay, shh, shh, shh, shh." I clutched at his jacket, squirming quickly," River, hey, hey, hey, shh, shh, shh, it's okay, it's okay, it's okay." Dean pulled over, I stopped squirming once he held my hand, touch. Touch. Touch is good. Touch means real." You're okay, River, you're here with us. You're okay." I nuzzled my face against Sammy's jacket," They're getting worse."
Dean said" He doesn't believe he's here."
" We have to think of something to make sure he knows he's here."
" Kid's wrecked."
" He's a 7 year old, who spent 3 years in hell, I don't know how he's holding it together this much."
" He'll be fine." I calmed down, letting go of Sam's jacket," Hey, buddy, what was your nightmare about?"
I mumbled" Backseat turned into a cage... I was in hell again."
" River, I know you barely believe a word I've been saying to you, but it's true. You're here... With us, top side, I've got no doubts about it." I nodded my head, closing my eyes, putting my thumb against my lips.
Dean's POV
Once I saw River start to nod off to sleep again, I asked" You feel that shaking?"
Sam said" Every time he gets upset."
" Yeah, what do you think it is?"
" He was in hell for 3 years, Dean. And he was 4... I mean, kids do learn by seeing, watching... they soak it all up."
" So, you think our brother soaked up some powers?"
" I don't know. And I don't think he knows either, they freak him out even more, I don't think he realizes that he's the one doing it."
" Well, that's fantastic." Sam scoffed, and looked at River, moving the strands of curls out of his face. River shifted, putting his thumb into his mouth, and nuzzled his face against Sam's chest.
" It's like nothing changed in his mind. You know, he grew a bit, obviously... but his mind is still trapped in his own little world sometimes."
" He just likes the comfort."