[There are two Ashers this episode... I didn't think about that originally.]
The Impala drove down a country road.
"Yeah, you probably missed something, that's what," Dean said.
"Dude, I ran LexisNexis, local police reports, newspapers, I couldn't find a single red flag. Are you sure you got the coordinates right?"
"Yeah, I double-checked. It's Fitchburg, Wisconsin. Dad wouldn't have sent us coordinates if it wasn't important, Sammy."
Sam began getting frustrated. "Well, I'm telling you I looked and all I could find was a big steamy pile of nothing. If Dad's sending us hunting for something I don't know what."
"Well maybe he's going to meet us there," Carrie guessed.
"Yeah. 'Cause he's been so easy to find up to this point."
"You're a real smart-ass, you know that?" Dean said. "Don't worry, I'm sure there's something in Fitchburg worth killing."
"Yeah? What makes you so sure?" Sam asked.
"'Cause I'm the oldest, which means I'm always right."
"No it doesn't."
"It totally does."
"No, Daddy," Asher and Elyse argued.
"For you two, it does."
Dean glanced at Sam, Carrie, Asher and Elyse, then looked back at the road with a little grin. The Impala cruised past the sign for Fitchburg, population 20,501.
They reached Fitchburg and Sam leaned against the Impala, staring straight ahead. Carrie was watching Asher and Elyse running around. Dean crossed the road to his brother, holding three coffees from Glascow's Diner.
Dean handed Sam a coffee. "Well... the waitress thinks the local freemasons are up to something sneaky, but other than that, no one's heard about anything freaky going on."
"Dean, you got the time?" Sam asked.
Dean looked at his watch. "Ten after four. Why?"
"What's wrong with this picture?"
Sam had been watching the playground. It was deserted, only three children, two of which were Asher and Elyse, climbing around.
"School's out, isn't it?" Dean asked.
"Yeah," Sam confirmed. "So where is everybody? This place should be crawling with kids right now."
A woman sat on a park bench reading a magazine. Dean approached.
"Sure is quiet out here," Dean commented.
"Yeah it's a shame," the woman agreed.
"Why's that?"
"You know, kids getting sick, it's a terrible thing."
"How many?"
"Just five or six, but serious, hospital serious. A lot of parents are getting pretty anxious. They think it's catching."
They watched the little girl, Asher and Elyse playing by themselves.
---
The five entered Dane County Memorial Hospital and approached the reception desk.
"Dude," Sam said. "Dude, I am not using this ID."
"Why not?" Dean asked, grinning.
"Because it says Bikini Inspector on it."
"Don't worry, she won't look that close, all right? Hell, she won't even ask to see it. It's all about confidence, Sammy." He spun Sam to face the desk and kept walking.
The receptionist looked up.
"Hi," Sam greeted. "I'm Doctor Jerry Caplin, from Disease Control."
"Can I see some ID?" the receptionist asked.
Dean snickered from where he was standing, stopping when his wife gave him a look.
Sam shot his brother a dirty look. "Yeah of course." He quickly flashed the ID. "Now, could you direct me to the pediatrics ward please?"
"Okay, well, just go down that hall, turn left and up the stairs."
Sam approached his grinning brother, giving a major bitchface.
Dean was still grinning. "See. I told you it would work."
Sam growled. "Follow me. It's upstairs."
The five of them walked down the corridor and Dean looked into a room they passed. An old evil-looking woman sitting in a wheelchair slowly turned her head to look at him. An inverted cross hung on her wall.
"Dean!" Sam and Carrie called.
Dean followed his younger brother and wife, glancing back toward the room.
A doctor led them down a hospital corridor.
"Thanks for seeing us, Dr. Hydeker," Sam said.
"Well, I'm glad you guys are here, I was about to call CDC myself," Dr. Hydeker replied. "How'd you find out anyways?"
"Oh some GP, I forget his name, he called Atlanta and musta beat you to the punch."
"So you say you got six cases so far?" Sam questioned.
"Yeah, five weeks. At first we thought it was garden variety bacterial pneumonia. Not that newsworthy. And now..."
"Now what?" Carrie pressed, holding Asher and Elyse's hands tightly.
"Kids aren't responding to antibiotics. Their white cell counts keep going down. Their immune systems aren't doing their job. It's like their bodies are wearing out."
"Excuse me, Dr. Hydeker," a nurse called, handing him some forms to look over and sign.
"You ever see anything like this before?" Sam asked Dr. Hydeker.
"Never this severe," Dr. Hydeker replied.
"And the way it spreads... that's a new one for me," the nurse added.
"What do you mean?" Sam asked.
"It works its way through families. But only the children, one sibling after the other."
"Do you mind if we interview a few of the kids?" Dean wondered.
"They're not conscious."
"None of them?" Carrie asked.
"No."
"Can we, uh, can we talk to the parents?" Dean questioned.
"If you think it will help," Dr. Hydeker replied.
"Yeah. Who was your most recent admission?"
They made their way to a hospital waiting room where a man was sitting in a chair and the trio stood in front of him.
"I should get back to my girls," the man said.
"We understand that, and we really appreciate you talking to us," Sam replied. "Now you say Mary is the oldest?"
"13."
"Okay. And she came down with it first, right? And then..."
"Bethany, the next night."
"Within 24 hours?"
"I guess. Look, I already went through all this with the doctor."
"Just a few more questions if you don't mind," Dean said. "How do you think they caught pneumonia? Were they out in the cold, anything like that?"
"No. We think it was an open window."
"Both times?" Carrie questioned.
"The first time I don't really remember, but the second time for sure. And I know I closed it before I put Bethany to bed."
"So you think she opened it?" Sam asked.
"It's a second story window with a ledge. No one else could have."
They walked back down the corridor.
Sam said to his brother and sister-in-law, "You both know this might not be anything supernatural, it might just be pneumonia."
Carrie shook her head. "No, trust me, this isn't pneumonia."
"Maybe," Dean replied. "Or maybe something opened that window. I don't know, man, Dad sent us down here for a reason. I think we may be barking up the right tree."
"I'll tell you one thing," Sam said.
"What?" Dean and Carrie asked.
"That guy we just talked to? I bet it will be a while before he goes home."
Elyse yawned and said, "I'm sleepy."
Carrie picked her up. "You can sleep in the car, honey. Ash, you should probably get some sleep as well."
---
They made their way to Bethany's room at the man's house.
Sam, Dean and Carrie entered and checked the room with EMF.
"You got anything over there?" Sam wondered. "How 'bout you, Carrie?"
"No, nothing," Dean answered.
"Nope, I'm afraid not," Carrie said.
"Yeah, me neither," Sam replied as they kept checking and Sam moved to the window. "Hey, Dean? Carrie?"
"Yeah," Dean and Carrie stated.
Sam stared at the windowsill. "You were right, it's not pneumonia."
Dean and Carrie came over and they stared at a handprint rotted into the wood.
"It's rotted," Sam noted. "What the hell leaves a handprint like that?"
MOTEL
Young Dean, aged 10-11, was staring at a photo of the handprint. John came out of the bedroom, loading his sawed-off.
"All right," John said. "You know the drill, Dean. Anybody calls, you don't pick up. It's me, I'll ring once then call back. You got that."
"Mm-hmm," Young Dean hummed. "Only answer the phone if it rings once first."
"Look alive, this stuff is important."
"I know, it's just... we've gone over it like a million times and you know I'm not stupid."
"I know you're not, but it only takes one mistake, you got that?" John continued gathering his things. "All right, if I'm not back Sunday night...?"
"Call Pastor Jim."
"Lock the doors, the windows, close the shades. Most important..."
"Watch out for Sammy."
They looked to Young Sam who was sprawled on the couch, watching TV.
"I know," Young Dean said.
"All right. If something tries to bust in?" John questioned.
"Shoot first, ask questions later."
John took Young Dean's shoulder. "That's my man."
He left the room and Young Dean locked the door after him.
Dean stood at Bethany's window. "I know why Dad sent us here. He's faced this thing before. He wants us to finish the job."
---
That night, the Impala pulled up to a motel reception and they got out. Carrie was holding her tired kids' hands.
"So what the hell is a Shtriga?" Sam asked.
"Kinda like a witch I think. I don't know much about them."
Carrie frowned. "Well, I've never heard of it, and I don't think Sam has either. And it's not in your father's journal."
Dean glanced at her. "Dad hunted one in Fort Douglas about 15-16 years ago." He focused on Sam. "You were there, don't you remember?"
"No," Sam answered.
"Guess he caught wind of the thing in Fitchburg now and kicked us the coordinates."
"So wait, this..."
"Shtriga."
"Right, you think it's the same one Dad hunted before?"
"Yeah, maybe."
Carrie frowned. "But if your dad went after it, how come it's still breathing air?"
"'Cause it got away."
"Got away?" Sam and Carrie repeated.
Dean began getting frustrated. "Yeah, Sammy, Carrie, it happens."
"Not very often," Sam replied.
"Well, I don't know what to tell ya two, maybe Dad didn't have his Wheaties that morning."
"What else do you remember?" Sam wondered.
"Nothing, I was a kid, all right?" Dean shot back defensively.
Carrie frowned at him. "Sam was just asking a question, hon."
---
Dean entered the reception and rung the bell. A boy of about 10-12 came from the back room where a younger boy sat watching TV.
"A king or two queens?" the boy asked.
Dean glanced back at Sam, Carrie, Asher and Elyse. "Two queens. And if there's a couch, that'd be great."
The boy followed his look and snickered under his breath. "Yeah, I'll bet."
"What'd you say?" Dean asked.
The boy smiled. "Nice car!"
A woman entered, smiling at them both. "Hi."
"Hi," Dean greeted.
"Checking in?"
"Yeah."
The woman looked at the boy. "Ahh, do me a favor, go get your brother some dinner."
"I'm helping a guest!" the boy protested.
She shot him a look and he grimaced and turned to go.
The boy turned to his mother, while raising an eyebrow at Dean. "Two queens and a couch."
Dean laughed fakely. "Funny kid."
"Oh, yeah. He thinks so," the woman said. "Will that be cash or credit?"
"Do you take MasterCard?" She nodded. "Perfect. Here you go."
Dean watched through the door as the boy poured a glass of milk for his younger brother.
MOTEL
Young Sam sat at the table. Young Dean poured him a glass of milk.
"When's Dad going to get back?" Young Sam asked.
Young Dean grabbed a pot from the stove. "Tomorrow."
"When?"
Young Dean poured from the pot into a bowl. "I dunno, he usually comes in late though. Now eat your dinner."
"I'm sick of scabetti-ohs."
"Well -- You're the one who wanted 'em!"
"I want Lucky Charms!"
"There's no more Lucky Charms."
"I saw the box!"
"Okay, maybe there is enough, but there's only enough for one bowl and I haven't had any yet."
Young Sam gave puppy dog eyes. Young Dean grimaced, dumped out Young Sam's bowl in the trash and thumped the cereal box on the table instead.
Young Sam reached into the box and grabbed the toy and held it towards Young Dean. "Want the prize?"
The woman held out Dean's card. "Sir?"
Dean came back to reality. "Thanks."
---
In the motel room, Sam was on his laptop. "Well, you were right. It wasn't very easy to find, but you were right. Shtriga's a kind of witch. They're Albanian, but legends about them trace back to Ancient Rome. They feed off spiritus vitae."
"Spiri-what?"
"Vitae," Carrie finished, tucking Asher and Elyse in. "It's Latin, translates to 'breath of life'. Kind of like your life force or essence."
"Didn't the doctor say the kids bodies were wearing out?"
"It's a thought," Sam replied, "you know she takes your vitality, maybe your immunity goes to hell, pneumonia takes hold. Anyway, Shtrigas can feed off anyone, but they prefer..."
"Children."
"Yeah, probably because they have a stronger life force. And get this. Shtrigas are '...invulnerable to all weapons devised by God and man.'"
"No, that's not right. She's vulnerable when she feeds."
"What?" Lana asked.
"If you catch her when she's eating, you can blast her with consecrated with wrought iron. Ahhh... buckshots or rounds I think."
"How do you know that?"
"Dad told me. I remember."
"Oh," Sam noted. "So uh, anything else Dad might have mentioned?"
"Nope, that's it."
Carrie and Sam kept staring at Dean who frowned. "What?"
"Nothing," Sam replied, gently bumping Carrie's shoulder. "Okay. So, assuming we can kill it when it eats, we gotta find the thing first. It ain't gonna be a cakewalk. Shtrigas take on a human disguise when they're not hunting."
"What kinda human disguise?"
"Historically, something innocuous. Could be anything, but it's usually a feeble old woman, which might be how the witches as old crones legend got started."
Dean crossed the room. "Hang on."
"What?" Sam and Carrie wondered.
Dean grabbed a map. "Check this out. I marked down all the addresses of the victims. Now, these are the houses that have been hit so far, and dead center?"
"The hospital," Sam noted.
"Yeah. Now when I was there, I saw a patient, an old woman."
"An old person huh?" Carrie questioned.
"Yeah."
"In a hospital?" Sam asked. "Phew." He shook his head and snickered. "Better call the Coast Guard."
"Well listen smartass, she had an inverted cross hanging on her wall," Dean said.
Sam and Carrie quickly looked up and Dean raised an eyebrow at them.
Lana gestured between them. "You two go. I'll watch over the kids."
Dean kissed her temple. "See you soon, sweetheart."
"See you soon."
---
That night, they made their way back to the hospital and walked down a hallway, quickly ducking back when they saw Dr. Hydeker.
"Goodnight, Dr. Hydeker," the nurse said.
"See you tomorrow, Betty," Dr. Hydeker replied.
"Try and get some sleep."
Sam and Dean hid until Dr. Hydeker passed, then continued to the old woman's room. They opened the door and snuck in, Dean taking the front, Sam hanging back, guns drawn. The woman was in her wheelchair facing the corner, seeming to be sleeping. Dean slowly leaned in closer and closer to her face.
The old woman turned her head. "Who the hell are you?!"
Dean freaked, leapt back against a wall cabinet, and pulled his gun up.
"Who's there?" the old woman asked. "You trying to steal my stuff?" She grumbled to herself, "They're always stealing around here."
Sam turned the light on, revealing her cataracts. "No! Ah, ma'am, we're maintenance. We're sorry. We thought you were sleeping."
"Ahhh, nonsense. I was sleeping with my peepers open." She laughed, then gestured to the wall. "And fix that crucifix, would ya? I've asked four damn times already!"
Dean, still looking slightly freaked out, tapped the crucifix and it swung the right way up.
---
At the motel, the Shtriga's arm appeared and slid the window open.
---
In the Winchesters' room, Carrie was dozing and the Shtriga slid the window open.
---
The Impala pulled up to the motel and the brothers exited.
Sam laughed. ""I was sleeping with my peepers open?" Bahahahaha."
"I almost smoked that old girl, I swear," Dean said. "It's not funny!"
Carrie ran up to Dean with an ashy-faced Elyse in her arms. "Dean, I-I-I only fell asleep for a moment and I kept the windows locked, and, and Asher is freaking out, and-"
Asher ran out with wide eyes. "Daddy, you have to save Ely!"
Dean dried her tears. "It's okay, honey. We'll figure this out, okay?" He stroked Elyse's forehead. "Hang on, little one." He gently ruffled his son's hair. "We'll save Ely. I promise." He saw the owner's elder son sitting behind the office looking forlorn. "Hang on." He turned to the boy. "Hey, what's wrong?"
"My brother's sick," the boy answered.
"Little guy?"
The boy nodded. "Pneumonia. He's in the hospital. It's my fault."
"Oh, c'mon, how?"
"I shoulda made sure the window was latched. He wouldn't have got pneumonia if the window was latched."
"Listen to me. I can promise you that this is not your fault. Okay?"
"But it's my job to look after him."
The boy's mother hurried out of the motel towards her car. "Michael, I want you to turn on the no vacancy sign while I'm gone. I've got Denise covering room service."
"I'm going with you," Michael told his mom.
"Not now, Michael."
"But I gotta see Asher!"
"Hey, Michael," Dean called. "Hey. I know how you feel, but you gotta go easy on your mom right now, okay?"
Michael's mom dropped her handbag in haste. "Damn it!"
"I got it," Sam said, picking it up.
She took it. "Thank you."
"Listen, you're in no condition to drive, why don't you let me give you a lift to the hospital," Dean offered.
"No, I couldn't possibly..."
"No, I insist. It's no trouble." He took her keys.
"Thanks." She turned to Michael. "Be good."
Dean helped her into her seat and turned to Sam. "We're going to kill this thing. I want it dead, you hear me? Carrie, honey, come with us. We'll get Ely to the hospital. Sam, you stay with Asher."
Carrie nodded, kissed her son's head, and climbed into the car, not wanting to let go of Elyse.
---
Sam and Asher made their way to the library and sat at a microfiche machine. Sam picked up the phone.
"Hey," Dean whispered.
"Hey. How's the kid and Ely?" Sam asked.
"They're not good. Where you and Asher at?"
"We're at the library. I've been trying to find out as much as I can about this Shtriga."
"Yeah, what have you got?"
"Well, bad news. I started with Fort Douglas around the time you said Dad was there?"
"Yeah?"
"Same deal. Before that there was Ogdenville, before that North Haverbrook and Brockway. Every 15-20 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 the Shtriga finally moves on. The kids languish in comas and then they just die."
"How far back does this thing actually go?"
"Ah, 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, which... whoa."
"Sam?"
"Hold on... I'm looking at a photograph right now of a bunch of doctors standing around a kid's bed. One of the doctors is Hydeker."
"And?"
"And this picture was taken in 1893."
"You sure?"
"Yeah. Yeah, definitely."
---
Dean hung up and turned to watch Hydeker sitting on Asher's bed.
Hydeker told his mom, "Don't worry, your son's in good hands. I'm going to take care of him."
Hydeker moved towards Dean who was standing in the doorway. Dean looked ready to slit his throat.
"So what's the CDC come up with so far?" Hydeker asked.
"We're working on a few theories," Dean replied. "You'll know something as soon as we do."
"Well, nothing's more important to me than these kids. Let me know if I can help."
"I'll do that."
Carrie frowned. "You have your 'I'm gonna murder something' face. What is it?"
"Hydeker is the Shtriga."
"What?!" She started trying to go after the doctor.
Dean grabbed her and said as she fought him, "Carrie, no. Ely needs us to be strong. She needs you to stay by her side."
"But the doctor-"
"I know. He'll get what's coming to him. I'm gonna head back to Sam and Asher. You stay here with Ely, okay? Let me know if anything changes."
"You mean if she dies."
"Or if she gets better. Carrie, we have to hope she and all those other kids will. Hydeker will get what's coming to him. I promise." He kissed her forehead. "I love you and our kids so damn much."
---
They gathered back in the motel room.
"We should have thought of this before," Sam said. "A doctor's a perfect disguise. You're trusted, you can control the whole thing."
"That son of a bitch," Dean muttered.
"I'm surprised you didn't draw on him right there."
"Yeah well, first of all, I'm not going to open fire in a 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 wasn't packing, which is probably a good thing, 'cause I probably would have burned a clip in him on principal alone."
"You're getting wise in your old age, Dean. How's Carrie doing?"
"Damn right. 'Cause now I know how we're going to get it. Not great, but hopefully she'll have enough sense not to kill Hydeker in the pediatrics ward."
"What do you mean?"
"Shtriga, works through siblings, right?"
"Right."
"Well last night..."
"It went after Asher and Elyse."
"So I'm thinking tonight it's probably gonna come after Michael and Asher. That's gonna get confusing."
"Well, we gotta get them outta here."
"No. No, that would blow the whole deal."
"What?"
"Yeah."
"You wanna use the kids as bait? Are you nuts? No! Forget it. That's out of the question."
"It's not out of the question, Sam, it's the only way. If this thing disappears, it could be years before we get another chance. You think I want to use my kid as bait? No, but we don't have much choice."
"Michael and Asher are kids. And I sure as hell won't dangle them 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."
"This isn't about you or Lana, 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?"
There was a long pause and Sam continued. "Dean. You've been hiding something from the beginning. Since when does Dad bail on a hunt? Since when does he let something get away? Talk to me, Dean. Tell me what's going on."
"Fort Douglas, Wisconsin. It was our third night in this crap room and I was climbing the walls, man. I needed to get some air."
MOTEL
Young Dean sat watching TV. He turned it off and went to the front door, looking back at Young Sam asleep in the other room before he left, locking the door behind him. He played arcade games in the lobby until the owner told him they were closing for the night.
Young Dean returned to the room and saw a strange light coming from Young Sam's room. He moved closer and saw the Shtriga leaning over Young Sam. Young Dean reached for the rifle by the door, but the Shtriga heard him cock it and reared up, hissing.
Young Dean hesitated, terrified. As he froze, John burst through the door, gun raised.
"Get out of the way!" John shouted.
Young Dean ducked and John shot the Shtriga multiple times with his handgun. The Shtriga jumped through the bedroom window and glass shattered. John rushed to Young Sam's bed and pulled him close, cradling him.
"Sammy. Sammy. You okay?"
"Yeah, Dad, what's going on?" Young Sam asked.
"You all right?" John questioned, holding Young Sam close while glaring at Dean. "What happened?"
Young Dean hesitated as he admitted, "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!"
Young Dean watched as John cradled Young Sam.
"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 surfaced until now. Dad never spoke about it again, I didn't ask. But he... ah... he looked at me different, you know? Which was worse. Not that I blame him. He gave me an order and I didn't listen, almost got you killed."
"You were just a kid," Sam said softly.
"Don't. Don't. Dad knew this was unfinished business for me. He sent me here to finish it."
"But using Michael and Asher, I don't know, Dean. I mean, how 'bout one of us hides under the covers, we'll be bait."
"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 kids."
"Daddy?" Asher called. "Will this save Ely and other Asher?"
"I don't know, bud. But we have to hope so."
"Will you be mad if I say no?"
"No, I won't be."
"Can I think?"
"Sure. I'm gonna talk to Michael while you think, okay?"
He nodded. "Okay."
Dean made his way to the reception desk and spoke to Michael.
Michael held the phone up. "You're crazy! Just go away or I'm calling the cops."
"Hang on a second," Dean said. "Just listen to me. You have to believe me, okay? This thing came through the window and it attacked your brother and my daughter. I've seen it. I know what it looks like. 'Cause it attacked my brother once, too."
Michael slowly hung up the phone. "This thing... is it... like... it has this long... black robe?"
"You saw it, didn't you?"
"I thought I was having a nightmare."
"I'd give anything not to tell you this, but sometimes nightmares are real."
"So, why are you telling me?"
"Because we need your help."
"My help?"
"We can kill it. Me, him and my wife, that's what we do. But we can't do it without you."
"What? No!"
"Michael, listen to me. This thing hurt Asher. It hurt Elyse. And it's going to keep hurting kids unless we stop it, understand me?"
Michael stared at Dean, horrified.
Dean made his way back to the motel room and muttered, "Well that went crappy."
"What did you expect?" Sam shot back. "You can't ask an adult to do something like that, much less a kid."
There was a knock at the door. It was Michael.
"If you kill it, will Asher and your daughter get better?" Michael asked.
"Honestly? We don't know," Dean replied.
"You said you were a big brother." Dean nodded. "You'd take care of your little brother? You'd do anything for him?"
"Yeah, I would."
"Me too. I'll help."
Asher looked up at his father. "I'll help too."
---
They made their way to Michael's room at the motel.
Dean completed hooking up a security camera in the corner of the room, staring into the lens. Michael and Asher were behind him in bed. Sam was watching the security feed in the other room.
Dean said to Michael and Asher, "This camera has night vision on it, so we'll be able to see clear as day." He lifted his voice to his brother. "Are we good?"
"A hair to the right," Sam replied as Dean adjusted the camera. "There, there."
"What do Asher and I do?" Michael wondered.
Dean moved to sit on his bed. "Just stay under the covers."
"And if it shows up?"
"We'll be right in the next room. We're gonna come in with guns. So as soon as we do, you two roll off this bed and you crawl under it."
"What if you shoot us?"
"We won't shoot you. We're good shots. We're not going to fire until you're both clear, okay? Have you heard a gunshot before?"
"Like in the movies?"
"It's gonna be a lot louder than in the movies. So I want you to stay under the bed, cover your ears, do not come out until we say so. Understand?" Michael and Asher nodded slowly, looking scared. "Michael, Ash, are you sure you wanna do this?" Michael and Asher remained silent. "You don't have to, it's okay, I won't be mad."
"No, I'm okay. Just don't shoot me or him."
"We're not going to let anything happen to you, I promise you."
In the other room, the brothers sat watching the security feed.
"What time is it?" Dean asked.
"Almost three," Sam replied. "Are you sure these iron rounds are gonna work?"
"Consecrated iron rounds, and yeah, it's what Dad used last time."
"Hey, Dean, I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"You know, I've really given you a lot of crap, for always following Dad's orders. But I know why you do it."
They sat in silence for a moment. "Wait, look."
There was movement outside the window and it slid open. Sam and Dean picked up their guns. The Shtriga was inside Michael's room.
"Now," Sam said.
"Not yet," Dean told him.
The Shtriga moved closer and leaned over the bed. Michael and Asher were terrified, but frozen, unable to move. The Shtriga leaned closer and opened his mouth, starting to draw Michael and Asher's energy. Dean and Sam burst in.
"Hey!" Dean yelled. "Michael, Asher, down!"
Michael and Asher rolled off and under the bed and the brothers opened fire, shooting the Shtriga multiple times each. It fell to the ground.
"Mike, Ash, you all right?" Dean asked.
"Yeah," Michael and Asher replied.
"Just sit tight."
Dean approached the Shtriga, gun at the ready and there was no movement. He relaxed slightly and glanced at Sam. The Shtriga suddenly rose, grabbed Dean by the throat and threw him against the wall.
"Dean!" Sam called.
The Shtriga moved and threw Sam to the ground, falling above him and forced his mouth open. Sam struggled to reach his gun. The Shtriga began drawing his energy and Sam stilled and started going gray.
"Hey!" Dean yelled.
The Shtriga looked up and Dean shot it between the eyes. He fell back and Sam laid gasping for breath.
"You okay, little brother?"
Sam nodded as Dean helped him to his feet and they looked to the Shtriga. The energy the Shtriga stole began to escape from its mouth. Dean raised his gun, shooting it three more times at point blank range. It fell in on itself, disintegrating.
Michael and Asher peeked from the side of the bed.
"It's okay, Michael, Asher, you can come on out," Dean told them.
Michael and Asher came to stand beside them. Dean placed his hand on Michael's shoulder and smiled. He ruffled his son's hair, still smiling.
The next morning, Dean and Sam were packing the Impala, ready to head out.
A taxi pulled up and as soon as it stopped, the door opened and Elyse hopped out and ran to her father. "Daddy!"
Dean smiled as he picked her up and spun her around. "Hi, sweetie. How are you feeling?"
"Really, really good. Mommy gave me a super duper big hug."
"Well here's another." He hugged her tightly, causing her to squeal.
Carrie laughed as she walked up and Dean pulled her into his arms. Asher squeezed his sister's leg and hugged her.
"Daddy, down please," Elyse said.
Dean set his daughter down and she and Asher raced to the Impala.
Michael's mom came out of the back of the reception.
"Joanna," Dean called. "How's Asher doing?"
Michael ran up. "Mom! Mom!"
Joanna hugged her son. "Hey!"
"How's Ash?"
"Got some good news. Your brother's going to be fine."
Michael grinned. "Really?"
"Yeah, really. No one can explain it, it's a miracle. They're going to keep him in overnight for observation and then he's coming home."
"That's great," Dean said.
"How are all the other kids doing?" Sam asked.
"Good," Joanna replied. "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."
"Dr. Travis? What about Dr. Hydeker?"
"Oh, he wasn't in today. Must have been sick or something."
"Yeah. Must have," Dean and Carrie muttered.
Joanna looked at her son. "So, did anything happen while I was gone?"
Michael glanced at Dean. "Nah, same old stuff."
"Okay. You can go see Ash."
"Now?" Michael asked excitedly.
"Only if you want to." Michael ran to the car and Joanna laughed. "I'd better get going before he hot-wires the car and drives himself."
She smiled goodbye, left, and the trio turned back to the Impala where the kids already were.
"It's too bad," Sam said.
"Oh, they'll be fine," Dean replied.
"That's not what I mean. I meant Michael. He'll always know there are things out there in the dark, he'll never be the same, you know?" He paused a long moment. "Sometimes I wish that..."
"What...?" Dean and Carrie asked.
"I wish I could have that kinda innocence. I wish Carrie, Asher and Elyse could have that kinda innocence."
They watched Joanna and Michael drive away.
Dean admitted slowly, "If it means anything, sometimes I wish you could, too. I wish they, the kids especially, could too."
They exchanged a look. Dean climbed in the car and started the engine. Sam, Carrie, Asher and Elyse followed and they pulled out of the motel parking lot and onto the freeway once the kids were buckled up.