𝐇𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 > 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 {𝟏}

𝐗𝐗𝐗𝐕

Sam and Karina went to research mood after Dean's statement after Michael. They both walked to the library, while they sat in front of a microfiche machine looking at old newspapers in the past. Sam was in charge while Karina had her phone with her. In case Dean called them.

Within the no connection research, she decided to call Dean to see how he was doing due to his tone of order toward them. Karina called Dean on the phone along with a low-volume speaker. Due to the library's rules of being quiet.

"Hey."

Karina asked softly, "Dean, how's Asher doing?"

"He's not good. Where you at?"

"Sam and I are at the library. We have been trying to find out as much as we could about Shtriga."

"Yeah, what have you got?"

Sam strolled over to the newspapers and began explaining to him, "Well, bad news. I started with Fort Douglas around the time you said Dad was there."

"And?"

"Same deal. Before that, there was Ogdenville. Before that, North Haverbrook and Brockway. Every 15 to 20 years, it hits a new town. Dean, this thing is just getting started in Fitchburg. In all these other places, it goes on for months. Dozens of kids before shtriga finally moves on. Kids just languish in comas, and then they die."

"How far back does this thing actually go?"

Sam strolled over old newspapers to the right, and began reading the time, "I don't know. The earliest mention I could find is this place called "Black River Falls" back in the 1890s. Talk about a horror show."

Sam and Karina saw someone familiar in the picture, and they said together in unison, "No way/Whoa."

"Guys?"

Karina squinted her eyes on one of the doctors and began to respond to him, "Wow... talk about the irony. We're looking at a photograph right now with all the doctors surrounding the little boy's bed. One of them is Dr. Hydaker."

"And?"

"And... this picture was taken in 1893."

Dean took a pause, taking all in, "You sure?"

"100%."

After Karina responded to Dean, he hung up on her. Karina closed her phone, and they all looked at the picture. Feeling screwed up. Sam turned off the machine, and Karina leaned her face against her palm. Shocked. Most of all, worried. She knew about Dean's temper if he found out something.

Always with shoot first, ask questions later.

Sam scoffed, "Wow... we should have predicted it. I mean, you knew about pneumonia more than him. He left the hospital last night when Asher was injected. The doctor they count on."

Sam looked at Karina, who was staring at the black screen computer, drowning in thoughts. "Karina?"

Karina, herself. She can hear the flames roaring, woods falling down the ground. Her father's screaming. Also, her voice when she was ten, screaming out to him. Ears ringing from Sam's voice. Calling out to her. That all stopped when Sam touched her shoulder.

Karina flinched herself away from her thoughts. Her memories. She turned to Sam, eyebrows raised, "Mm?"

Sam showed his concern and looked at her, "Are you ok?"

Karina shook her head, while she smiled at him, "I'm fine."

She grabbed her stuff with her and left Sam alone. Leaving him worried about his friend/partner beside him. Even if she can't feel it, she can use her memories. To express in her head. Paralyzed.

When Dean came back from the hospital, the rest of the trio began to talk about the plot twist of Shtriga. Sam walked around, speaking from his mind, "We should have thought of this before. A doctor's a perfect disguise. You're trusted, you can control the whole thing."

Dean takes off his jacket from sitting on his bed, heading toward the bathroom, "That son of a bitch."

Sam stood by Karina, against the counter. "I'm surprised you didn't draw on him, right there."

Dean rubbed the back of his neck with a towel, "Yeah, well... First of all, I'm not gonna open fire in the pediatrics ward."

"Good call."

"Second, it wouldn't have done any good. The bastard's bulletproof unless he's chowing down on something. And third, I was packing, which means probably a good thing cause I probably would have burned a clip in him on the principle alone."

"You're getting wise in your old age, Dean."

"You're damn right. 'Cause now I know how we're going to get it."

As Dean approached the counter, Karina asked Dean with crossed arms, "What do you mean?"

"The Shtriga--it works through siblings, right?"

Sam commented, "Right."

"Well, last night..."

"It went to Asher."

"So I'm thinking tonight, it's probably gonna come after Michael."

Karina inferred, "Well, we gotta get him outta here."

"No. No, that would blow the whole deal."

Karina tilted her head, realizing what he was heading to as Sam misunderstood, "What?"

"Yeah."

Karina was shaking her head, repeatedly. She walked toward Dean, face to face, "No, no, no. Uh-uh. N to O. No! We're not gonna get him involved in this situation."

"You want to use the kid as bait?" Dean turned to Sam with a suggested look. "Are you nuts? No! Forget it! That's out of the question."

Dean began to debate two people in front of him. "It's not out of the question, guys. It's the only way. If this thing disappears, it could be years before we get another chance."

"Michael's a kid, and Karina and I are not gonna dangle him in front of that thing like a worm on a hook."

"Dad did not send me here to walk away."

"Send you here? He didn't send you here, he sent us here."

Dean walked away, and yelled at him, "This isn't about you, Sam. I'm the one who screwed up, all right? It's my fault. There's no telling how many kids have gotten hurt because of me."

"What are you saying, Dean? How is it your fault?"

Dean didn't respond back to Sam. Behind them, there were frightened tears floating in his eyes. Karina sighed and began walking to Dean's bed. To sit on it.

"Dean... There is something you're not telling us. Your story wasn't clear. You had been hiding something from me. From Sam. Also from yourself. John's bailing doesn't sound clear enough, he's not the person to quit. I know that. He wouldn't give up on the mission.'

Dean turned to Karina, who was looking straight into his eyes. After all of this time, there is someone who can see him. The side of him that he didn't show her. "Please... for yourself. Talk to us. Tell us what happened."

Dean swallowed his throat and sat by Karina. He stared down at the floor, and he began to explain what really happened that night. "Fort Douglas, Wisconsin. It was our third night in this crap room and I was climbing the walls. I needed to get some air. I went out to play in the arcade. Leaving you, Sam, sleeping alone in your bed.'

Sam walked over to them, while Dean was still talking. He sat by Karina, listening to the story. He hadn't taken his eyes from him. "While I was playing, the owner of the motel informed me it's closed for the night. I walked back to our motel room. Then I saw a light coming from your room. I remembered specifically that there was no light when I left the room.'

"I walked quietly and closer to your room. As I opened the door, there it was. Shtriga leaning over you. It began sucking the life from you as you were still sleeping. I reached for my rifle, and I aimed at it. I hesitated. Hesitated with fear."

"Get out of the way!" yelled John, and came bursting into the door.

He kept shooting at Shtriga. Shtriga jumped through the bedroom window and ran away from the gunshots of John. It ran away. When Dean was close to being done with him. Leaving John angry with worries about Sam. He rushed toward Sam, pulling him close. Trying to wake him up.

Sam woke up with confusion and was still sleepy. Dean looked at John, hugging little Sam in his arms. He turned to Dean, and asked, "What happened?"

"I just went out."

"What!"

"Just for a second, I'm sorry."

"I told you not to leave this room. I told you not to let him out of your sight."

"Dad just grabbed us and booked, dropped us off at Pastor Jim's about three hours away. But by the time he got back to Fort Douglas, the shtriga had disappeared. It was just gone. It never resurfaced until now.'

"Dad never spoke about it again, I didn't ask. But he... he looked at me differently, you know, which was worse. Not that I blame him. He gave me an order and I didn't listen, I almost got you killed, Sammy."

Karina looked at Dean. His story was so familiar to her. She understood how she felt before. Failure. Loss. All of her fault. Because of an order.

She looked at Dean, "Dean... you were young, it wasn't your fault."

"Karina, don't... Don't. Dad knew this was unfinished business for me. He sent me here to finish it."

Sam said, "But using Michael-- I don't know, Dean. I mean, how about one of us hiding under the cover? You know we'll be the bait."

Dean looked at Sam, and shook his head, "No, it won't work. It's gotta get close enough to feed. It'll see us. Believe me, I don't like it, but it's gotta be the kid."

***

After Dean talked to Michael, Michael finally agreed with the plan. For Asher. His little brother. Seeing Sam and Dean's relationship made his decision. When the trio settled up with the plan, Dean was settling up the night vision camera hiding in Michael's room.

Outside of the room, Sam and Karina were setting up with the weapons. Again, Karina rolled her eyes with the choice of guns filled with iron rounds. Karina cocked the gun quickly but the safety was on. Sam was impressed by how well she worked with the gun.

Sam softly smiled, remembering what Karina said,  "I thought you don't do guns."

"I don't. It sickens to see me holding it. But we have no other choice."

"Yeah..."

Karina saw the screen of Dean talking to Michael, comforting him. She sighed, "He's a brave one. Like your brother. I'm betting he's gonna be a hero to his little brother. After finding out, he did that for him."

Sam thought for a moment and remembered what happened at the library. He turned to Karina, looking at the screen. "Karina? You're still hearing him, aren't you? Your father?"

"Yes... Ever since Meg triggered me, her mentioning my Dad. I have more nightmares about him than ever. I had been hiding it."

"Like you said to Dean. You shouldn't hide from yourself, from both of us, Karina. I'm here. Dean's here. Whenever you need us. Talk to us."

Karina sighed and looked at Sam's eyes. Hollow in her eyes. Both of them stare at each other's eyes. Until Dean walked out of Michael's room. He began sitting by Karina, ready with a gun.

After many hours have passed, Michael is still in bed. No Striga in sight. They all sit in front of Sam's laptop, seeing anything. Sam was holding on headphones to listen to anything. Dean was looking at the screen, so ready to kill it after all these years.

Dean asked, "What time is it?"

Sam checked at the watch, and responded, "3. Are you sure these iron rounds are gonna work?"

"Consecrated iron rounds, and yeah it's what Dad used last time."

There was a long moment of silence. When Sam realized what Karina told him, after all of his anger at them for following orders. First Karina from her father's death, then Dean. They're both connected to why they wanted to follow orders.

Sam spoke to Dean, "Hey, Dean, I'm sorry."

Dean looked at Sam, confused but also stunned, "For what?"

Sam sighed, "You know... I've really given you a lot of crap for always following Dad's orders, but I know why you do it."

Dean turned his face away from Sam, "Oh, God. Kill me now."

Sam chuckled, and Karina rolled her eyes. She looked at the screen, she noticed the movement of shadow outside the window. She warned them, "Boys."

They all looked at what she was seeing. There was a long-clawed hand reaching toward the window door. Opening it slowly. They all grabbed their guns, safety's off. Waiting for a signal. Shtriga came into the room, seeing Michael awake. Frozen of fear.

Sam asked, "Now?"

Dean responded, "Not yet."

It walked to Michael, slowly. Slowly and slowly. Closer and closer. It leaned over the bed. Over Michael. It leaned over Michael. Whimpering. He was unable to move. It opened his mouth, a light blue appearing, drawing his energy. His life force.

"Hey!"

Sam, Karina, and Dean burst into the room. Dean yelled Michael down. Under the bed, as he followed Dean's order before. He closed his ears. All of them were shooting at the Shtriga. Multiple times. Gunshots became deafening. It fell over to the ground. It became silent.

Karina asked, "Michael, are you okay?"

"Yeah."

Dean ordered, "Just sit tight."

Dean approached Shtriga, gun-armed. Aiming at it. There was no movement from it. Karina walked closer behind Dean. Seeing what he's seeing. It's not moving at all. They both looked at each other, then glanced at Sam.

Suddenly, Shtriga rose and grabbed Dean by the throat. It threw him against the wall. Sam yelled for him, and then suddenly Shtriga smacked back to Karina down on the floor. She groaned. Sam yelled for her. Quickly, it moved to Sam, and it threw him against the wall onto the ground.

It fell on him, forcing his mouth open. He was struggling to reach his gun. It began taking Sam's life energy. It let Sam still, and he started going gray. Then suddenly, the voice was heard.

"Hey!"

It looked up at Dean, his gun aiming at its head. He shot it. It fell off of Sam. Leaving his gray self turned to normal. He gasped for air. "You okay, little brother?"

Sam nodded, pulling up his thumbs up. Footsteps were walking toward him. It was Karina with bruises on the right side of her face. Toward her cheek. Sam was panting heavily, looking up at Karina. She was over him.

She smiled a little, "Hey, stranger."

Sam chuckled weakly, and Karina offered her hand to him. She pulled him up. Leaving him to stand up over her. He looked down on her, and she looked upon him. Dean pulled himself up to his feet. They all looked at each other, then all of their eyes were on Shtriga.

All of the energy it stole from the children, drew up from his mouth. Its wrinkled face became weak from the life forces he stole. Karina raised her gun up and aimed it at Shtriga's head. She shot at it three times. More energies come floating from its entity. Slowly brought back to the children.

Michael takes a peek to make sure from the side of the bed. Dean let Michael come out, he looked at it. He came over to the trio, he looked at Sam and Karina, looking down on him. He stood beside Dean, letting him place his hand on Michael's shoulder. He smiled. He is a hero to his little brother. For Dean, he finally got his case solved. As he is a true hero to Sam.

The mission is accomplished.

***

In the morning, the trio headed out to the Impala. They all began packing up at the back of the car. There was Michael's mom walking toward them, it got Dean's sight.

"Hey, Joanna. How's Asher doing?"

"Have you seen Michael?"

At that moment, Michael came running to her. They both hugged. Michael looked up at his mom, with a concerned look on his face. "How's Ash?"

She smiled, "I've got some good news. Your brother gonna be fine."

Michael grinned, "Really?"

Dean looked back at Sam and Karian. Signs of relief in his eyes. She continued on, "Yeah, really. No one can explain it, it's a miracle. They're going to keep him overnight for observation after that, he's coming home."

"That's great."

Karina asked her, "How're the children doing?"

"Good, real good. A bunch of them should be checking out in a few days. Dr. Travis says the ward's going to be like a ghost town."

Sam asked, "Dr. Travis? What about Dr. Hydaker?"

"Oh, he wasn't in today. Must have been sick or something."

Dean nodded, muttering, "Yeah, yeah. Must have."

She turned to Michael, "So, did anything happen while I was gone?"

"No, same old stuff."

"Okay. you can go see Ash."

"Now?"

"Only if you want to."

Michael looked at the trio one last time. He ran toward the car. Joanna laughed, she turned to them, "I better get going before he hot-wires the car and drives himself."

She walked away. Leaving Sam smiling. Karina looked down at the ground. Dean turned to them, and then they walked back to the car.

As Dean closed the truck, Sam mentioned one thing, "It's too bad."

"No, they'll be fine."

Sam looked at Dean and Karina, on the other side of the car. "That's not what I meant. I meant Michael. He'll always know there are things out there in the dark. He'll never be the same, you know?'

Dean looked down for a moment, understanding where his brother was coming from. Sam laughed weakly after he took a pause, "Sometimes I wish that..."

Karina asked, "You wish what, Sam?"

Sam looked deeply between Dean and Karina, "I wish I could have that kind of innocence."

Dean and Karina looked at Joanna's car driving off the parking lot, headed to the hospital. They both looked at each other and turned to Sam. Dean replied to Sam, "If it means anything, sometimes I wish you could too."

Karina smiled at Sam, "Ditto."

They all exchanged a look, Dean climbed into the car. He started the engine. Sam and Karina looked at each other deeply, after what Karina said. They both smiled softly, and they both got in the car.

Pulling out of the motel, onto the freeway.