Bobby and Larissa managed to save Dean and Sam from the leviathan infested hospital. Sam wakes up as Bobby is still driving the ambulance.
"Lissy?" Sam mumbles, seeing her next to him.
"Hey. Hey, hey." She lets out a small laugh of relief.
"You're not... you're not dead." He says.
"Alive and kicking." Larissa smiles. Sam sits up, Larissa keeping her hands out in case he falls back. Sam runs his hands over her head and down her arms as if to reassure she's real.
"You're real." Sam mumbles.
"I'm real." She whispers, smiling. She wraps her arms around his shoulders, tightly hugging him and he hugs her back. "And I am so sorry. If I had been better, I-- I shouldn't have fallen asleep. I am never falling asleep again, I swear."
She pulls away from him, but keeps her arms around his shoulders and Sam cups her face in both of his hands.
"No, no, you need sleep. I'm not letting you become a walking zombie." Sam quietly tells her.
"I'm sorry." She tells him.
"It's okay. I'm okay now. It's not your fault." Sam assures.
"But--"
"Don't listen to whatever Dean said. It's not your fault. I promise." He lightly pecks her on the lips. "Don't blame yourself, please."
Larissa manages to smile a little and she nods, even though she knows she isn't listening to his words. Sam knows she isn't, but knows both of their emotions are too high, so he'll just try his best to get through to her later.
+++
The four get to Rufus' old cabin in Montana and Bobby tries to help Dean in, the Winchester being very stubborn and insisting he's fine. Larissa helps Sam to one of the beds and in the back and makes him lay down.
"You should get some sleep." Larissa tells him.
"No, no, stay. I wanna talk." Sam grabs her wrist as he sits up.
"Wanna talk?" Larissa asks. "That's never good."
"Not that kind of talk." Sam says. "Just... just talk."
"Okay." Larissa sits on the bed, facing him.
"How'd you get out? Did you get hurt?" Sam asks.
"No, no, I'm okay. I was... I was in the kitchen and heard a noise. I snuck out and Bobby got to me before that leviathan could. We got out in time." Larissa explains. "How are you feeling?"
"I've been better. Look, I'm sorry I've been trying to push you away. It's, uh... kind of force of habit." Sam sheepishly chuckles. "You were just worried and trying to help, I didn't mean to block you out."
"No, I'm sorry. I-I get too worried and I tend to get pushy and not leave you alone. I just-- I wanna help and maybe I don't always know the best way to go about it or I go too overboard with it, I don't know. I just wanna make sure you're okay or-or I wanna help you be okay again. And I just--"
"Baby, baby." Sam cuts her off, grabbing her hands in his, preventing her from waving them around anymore. "It's okay. You don't-- you aren't overstepping or being annoying or anything. You just don't hide your emotions like the rest of us, which is okay."
"But--"
"Look, I may not act like it, but I do appreciate you fussing over me. And hopefully you appreciate it when the roles are reversed because I will probably be ten times worse." Sam chuckles and Larissa giggles.
"I'm still sorry I fell asleep." Larissa says.
"If you ever say that again, I will break up with you." Sam threatens. "It's not your fault. So, please, stop blaming yourself."
"But--"
"No. No "buts." It isn't on you."
"I was the last one left in charge of you."
"Don't care. Not your fault. And it could've happened to either of them."
"But it didn't."
"Well, it could've. Okay, don't listen to any sort of shit Dean tells you. I am not mad at you, don't be mad at yourself."
"Okay."
"Is that an "okay" of acknowledging what I'm saying or an "okay" of you're actually gonna stop blaming yourself?" Sam asks.
"50/50." She says and Sam gives her a pointed look. "90/10. 90 being the... first option." She sheepishly smiles.
"Well, I'm gonna annoy you until you're 100% on the second option." Sam says.
"Okay, just go to sleep right now, please? You look exhausted." Larissa tells him.
"Stay, please." Sam stops her from leaving.
Larissa motions for Sam to scoot over which he does. She lays down next to him, resting her head on his chest. Sam wraps an arm around her, one hand stroking her hair, easily getting her to fall asleep.
+++
They've been at the cabin for three weeks. Sam and Larissa are sitting at the table and Sam is reading while Larissa eats a sandwich. Dean is sitting on the couch and watching a soap opera.
"Dude... Ricardo." Dean tells Bobby after he walks in.
"What happened?" Bobby asks.
"Suicidio." Dean informs.
"Adios, ese." Bobby comments. "Well, this ought to cheer you up." He tosses Dean the keys to the Impala.
"My baby! Now I just got to get this stupid thing off and I can drive again." Dean says, motioning to the cast on his leg.
"So how is it out there?" Sam asks.
"Weird with a side of bloody. Talked to a few hunters, they're running into the same kind of thing that set up shop at that hospital." Bobby explains.
"Yeah, and don't forget tried to kill us at your place." Dean says.
"Well, consensus is they're, um, they're like shapeshifters only a lot more into eating folk. And nothing can kill 'em." Bobby says.
"Good times. Anything else?" Dean asks.
"Yep. They bleed black goo." Bobby says.
"Like that stuff that came out of Cas, those things from Purgatory. Uh... leviathan." Sam says.
"Yep." Bobby nods.
"What about those chompers that you and the sheriff saw at the hospital? They still making spleenburgers?" Dean asks.
"Yeah, made some calls. That doctor never showed back up to work. Ditto a nurse and some administrator." Bobby says
"So they could be at any hospital in America." Dean says.
"Yeah." Bobby nods.
"What do you think, Sammy?" Dean asks, but he doesn't answer." Sammy?" The three turn to him. "Sam."
Larissa puts her hand on top of Sam's and he seems to jolt out of his trance.
"Yeah. What? I'm right here." Sam says.
"You okay?" Dean asks.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Sam says. Larissa gives him a stern look and he just reassuringly smiles at her.
"Good. Every last bit of info I ever had burned down, so..." Bobby says.
"What about this place? Rufus leave anything? Did you check the basement?" Dean asks.
"C-rations and dust. I don't think he'd been here in years. So, I got to go round up my old library." Bobby says.
"I thought you said most of those books were one of a kind." Sam says.
"Yeah. That's why I stashed copies all over the place." Bobby says.
"Okay, good. Um... hey, uh, two legs." Dean calls to Sam. "We're fresh out of grub. Want to make a run?"
"Sure. Yeah." Sam nods, getting up. Larissa immediately follows.
"Be careful with her, would you?" Dean tosses his brother the keys. "And, uh, Sam?"
"Yeah?"
"Pie."
"Obviously." Sam and Larissa walk outside, going to the Impala.
"So, how are you really doing, Mr. Fine?" Larissa asks.
"I'm fine." Sam insists.
"Samuel." Larissa glares at him.
"I..." He sighs. "Okay, fine. I... maybe I just had one."
"You just hallucinated him?" Larissa asks.
"Only his voice." Sam says and his girlfriend sighs. "Look, I'm okay now. He's gone... for the moment, at least."
"Are you sure you can drive?" Larissa asks.
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm good." Sam nods. "Besides Dean would kill me if I let you drive." He chuckles.
"I'd like to see him try." Larissa smirks making Sam laugh.
+++
Sam and Larissa get back to the cabin with the groceries. Sam gives a bag to Dean, putting the others on the kitchen table.
"Thank you." Dean says.
"Yep." Sam says, starting to put the cold groceries up. "Where's Bobby? He take off?"
"Yeah. Hey, Sam, how you doing?" Dean asks.
"Fine." Sam says.
"I mean, you still, you know..." Dean motions to his head.
"Yeah, no, I-I know what you mean. Yeah, I'm-I'm still seeing crap that's not real. But, yeah, I'm fine. I mean, I can tell the difference." Sam says.
"Think it's getting better?" Dean asks.
"Honestly? Uh... I don't know. I just know I'm managing it, so... so don't worry. Either of you." Sam says, lightly patting Larissa on the head.
"Where's the pie?" Dean asks.
"I got cake. It's close enough, right?" Sam asks.
Dean looks at Larissa when she starts to snicker.
"You were there for this? Why didn't you help me out?" Dean asks.
"Cause I couldn't care less if you get your pie." Larissa snorts.
"You, uh... you wouldn't happen to super emotional right now, would you?" Dean hopefully asks.
"I'm not baking you a pie, Dean."
"Damn it."
+++
"Larissa! Larissa!" She's woken up by Dean's shouting. "Yo, Brewster!"
"What?" She groans.
"Sam's gone." Dean states.
"What the hell do you mean, Sam's gone?" Larissa asks, getting up.
"I mean he's gone, dumbass. He left a note "Back in a few days. I'm fine. Sam." Fuck!" Dean exclaims.
"Oh. Oh, he left while you were sleeping?" Larissa asks and Dean rolls his eyes. "Wow. Wow. Oh, man, how dare you fall asleep."
"Larissa--"
"I mean, you're so worried about Lucifer in his head that somebody needs an eye on him at all times. Yet you fell asleep. He got away while you were asleep."
"You were asleep too, dipshit. Are you gonna be of any help?"
"Only because it's my boyfriend. You still get on my last nerve." Larissa says.
"So maybe show the fucking helpful side, would you?" Dean retorts.
"You keep this shit up, I'm leaving you here with zero crutches and I will break your other leg." Larissa threatens.
~ ~ ~
"Other shoe!" Dean exclaims.
"Other who?" Bobby asks.
"Sam. He took off." Dean says.
"Where?" Bobby asks.
"I don't know. Nowhere good."
"Well, maybe he needed a little me time."
"Yeah, but his me time ain't just him. I mean, for all we know he's road trippin' with Lucifer somewhere. Left me here like Jimmy fuckin' Stewart. And an annoying bitch."
Larissa whacks Dean over the head with a pillow making him fall into the chair. He hits his injured leg, loudly groaning in pain.
"Yeah, and I'm stuck here with an egotistical asshole." Larissa sardonically smiles.
Dean flips her off and she flips him off in return.
"I assume you called." Bobby says.
"Straight to voicemail. For me and Rissa." Dean says. "he turned his GPS off too. And he took my car!"
"Because that's the most worrisome thing about this is your precious child." Larissa rolls her eyes.
"Don't panic." Bobby says.
"Too late!" Dean exclaims.
"Look, he says he's okay, so give it a couple of days. Just till you get the cast off, then hunt him down. Till then, we'll both just keep calling." Bobby says.
"All right." Dean hangs up.
~ ~ ~
"You're goin' down." Dean tells his cast.
"You do realize you're a psychopath, right?" Larissa asks.
"Shut up." Dean tells her before working on cutting his cast off with an angle grinder.
+++
"This is the one he asked to see." The coroner shows Larissa and Dean the body.
"Great, great. Uh, let me ask you, did he do anything to it?" Dean asks.
"No. He just asked a few questions about the other vics. Missing pituitary glands and so forth." The coroner says.
"Son of a bitch." Dean mumbles.
+++
"Sam's chasing a what?" Bobby asks over the phone.
"A kitsune. It's pretty rare. Dad and I hunted one back in '98." Dean says.
"Vaguely rings a bell." Bobby says.
"Yeah, didn't make our highlight reel." Dean says.
"Well, least now we know he's working a job." Bobby says.
"Yeah, but why pull the Houdini act?" Dean asks.
"Not a clue. What are you gonna do when you catch up?"
"I got a few ideas."
"You are not hurting him. For anything." Larissa states.
"He stole my car." Dean says.
"I don't care. You punch him, I will punch you." Larissa states.
"Yeah, right." Dean scoffs.
+++
The two are in Sam's motel room, waiting for him to get back. They hear the door start to unlock and it opens, Sam immediately being punched by Dean and following back into the plants.
Larissa's eyes widen as she gets up.
"Howdy, Sam." Dean greets.
Dean turns to Larissa, not expecting her to fulfill her promise, but cries out in pain when her fist meets his face.
"God! Rissa, what the hell?" Dean hisses.
"You can't say I didn't warn you." Larissa remarks.
"New rule. You steal my baby, you get punched." Dean says. "And, seriously, what the hell?" He asks Larissa.
"You hit my boyfriend, you get punched." Larissa says. She hands Sam a soda can which he holds against his eye.
"Sam, the hell were you thinking, running off like that? I mean, for all I know, Satan could have been callin' your plays." Dean says.
"Dean, look, how many time do I have to tell you? I'm fine." Sam says.
"Oh, yeah, no, you're a poster boy for mental health. You have any idea the kind of horror shows I had going on in my head?" Dean asks.
"I left a note. There was a job in town." Sam says.
"A kitsune. Yeah. Yeah, no, I know. And you ignore Bobby, Rissa, and I's phone calls why, exactly?" Dean asks.
"Because I wanted to take care of it. And I did, I took care of it." Sam says.
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Where's the body?"
"There is no body."
"Why not?"
"Because I let her go. She's gone."
"You what? Why?"
Sam explains that he knew the kitsune, Amy, back in 1998 and that her mother had been killing people back then. He tells them that him and Amy got somewhat close and then that when Amy's mom found Sam at their house, she tried to kill him. But before she could, Amy killed her mom to save Sam, and he had let her go back then.
"You never told me that." Dean says.
"I never told anyone. I mean, can you imagine what dad would have done?" Sam asks.
"So you saw the article in the newspaper, and you just bolted." Dean says.
"It was my mess." Sam says.
"And you call letting her go cleaning it up?"
"Dean..." Larissa warns.
"She killed her own mom, Dean, to save me." Sam says.
"I hear you, Sam. But look at her now. She's dropping bodies, man... which means we got to drop her, no matter how many merit badges she racked up when she was a kid. I'm sorry, but it's that simple."
"Nothing in our lives is simple."
"Look, man, I get it, okay? You meet a girl, you feel that spark, there's nothing better. But this freak?" Dean asks. Sam grabs his jacket, getting up. "I didn't mean--"
"Yeah, you did." Sam argues. "Look, I see the way you look at me, Dean, like I'm a grenade and you're waiting for me to go off."
"Sam--"
"I'm not going off. Look, I might be a freak, but that's not the same as dangerous."
"I didn't say--"
"It's okay. Say it. I've spent my life trying to be normal, but come on. I'm not normal. Look at all the crap I've done, look at me now. I'm a grade A freak. But I'm managing it. And so is Amy."
"Is she? How?"
"She works at a damn funeral home so she doesn't have to kill anyone, Dean. She figured out how to deal."
"Okay, well, then explain the bodies."
"She's done. Her fucking kid was dying, Dean. Put you or me in her position, we'd probably do the same thing. Look, you don't trust her. Fine. Trust me. Dean, please."
"Okay." Dean says after a few moments.
"Seriously?"
"Got to start sometime, right?"
Sam anxiously turns to Larissa. She comfortingly smiles at him, wrapping an arm around his waist.
"I'm on your side." She assures making him give her a small smile. "As long as you only really have feelings for me now." She adds.
"Only you." He assures, kissing her on the head.
+++
"Bozeman. Right, got it. Thanks." Dean hangs his phone up. "That was Bobby. We'll hole up in Spokane tonight. We'll meet him tomorrow. Why don't you drive?" He tosses Sam the keys.
"You gonna punch me again?" Sam asks.
"Not unless he wants to get punched." Larissa scoffs.
~ ~ ~
Sam pulls up to a motel.
"Hey, why don't, uh-- why don't you guys check us in? I got to hit the candy store." Dean shakes the bottle of pills. "Doctor's orders. Sam and Larissa get out and Dean drives off.
"Hey." Sam grabs Larissa's hand, preventing her from going inside. "Are, um... are we okay?"
"Yeah. Yeah, why?" Larissa asks.
"Just... you know, me leaving in the middle of the night. I didn't... didn't know if you'd be super pissed. If you were just waiting for us to be alone." Sam says.
"Well, I mean... I was really worried. But I-I trusted you. Kind of just desperately hoped your, uh... hallucinations didn't get the better of you." Larissa says.
"Are you-- are you sure you wanna date?" Sam asks.
"What?" She looks up at him.
"It's just-- it's a lot to deal with. Lissy, I'm a freak. I am a giant nerdy freak."
"Well, then, lucky for you, I happen to like giant nerdy freaks." Larissa says. Sam smiles a little. "You're just the only one available, so when another one comes along--"
"Shut up." Sam laughs making Larissa softly laugh.
"Do you... do you want to break up?" She asks, playing with the ends of her hair.
"No." Sam answers.
"Well, neither do I. So I guess I'm stuck with your giant nerdy freak ass and you're stuck with my smaller, less nerdy freak ass." Larissa grins.
"Good." Sam smiles.
"It better be." Larissa mumbles. She leans up and pecks him on the lips before dragging him to the lobby.