-'CHAPTER 9´-
HOME
“Alright I've been cruising some websites” Dean starts. The older hunter sat on the table across from Evangeline. He scrolled on his computer with furrowed brows, trying his hardest to find any new job, while Evangeline sharpened her dagger much to Dean's dismay, who was convinced she was going to take someone's eye out.
The raven haired woman pointed out that she could if she wanted to , and Dean simply raised a brow, looking away, claiming he ‘didn't wanna know’.
“I think I found some new candidates for our next gig,” the older hunter claimed.
“A fishing trailer found off the coast of cali, his crew vanished”.
Evangeline's eyes flickered to Sam, who didn't seem to pay the two a single moment as he vigorously scribbled on his notepad, his jaw clenched. There was a certain anger about Sam she had noticed. Not really directed at anyone more so simply angry at the world. Sometimes, she would notice his fists clenched or his jaw ticking and his eyes sad. She often wondered what got the boy that way.
“We got some cattle mutilation in west Texas” His eyes roamed to his brother. “Hey” he shouts.
Sam finally looks up.
“Am I boring you with this hunting evil stuff”.
“You're kinda boring me” she mutters lightly.
He ignores her, keeping his eyes trained on his brother.
“I'm listening”. Sam didn't sound very believable, at least in Evangeline's ears. “Go on,” he urged, his voice low, dripping with tiredness.
Dean paused before continuing “and here a Sacramento man shot himself in the head, three times”.
Dean waited, but his brother just continued to scribble. He met Eva's eyes, and the girl just shrugged.
“Sam” he called, waving his arm around “any of these things blowing up your skirt, pal”.
Silence fills the dreary room before Sam perks up, flipping a page in his notepad with a small swish.
“I've seen this before”.
He stands abruptly, to which Dean pursues his lips “seen what”.
Sam moves to the dresser drawer, searching through the junk before he pulls a leather journal out.
He tosses the journal on the bed, flipping through the pages with urgency.
“What are you doing?” Dean questions.
Sam's hand grabs a photograph, holding it up with his notepad “I know where we're going next”.
Dean brows furrow “where”. Evangeline watches the young hunter with interest.
“Back home, back to Kansas”.
Dean scoffs “okay, random, where'd that come from” he questioned.
“Alright um” he takes a step forward photo in hand “this photo was taken in front of our old house right, the house where mom died” he set it on the table, Dean picked it up and Evangeline saw a small glance of a family. A father smiling brightly in an old looking hat while a pretty blonde woman held a baby as a little boy stood next to them with a toothy smile and eyes similar to Dean's.
“Yeah” Dean's voice was low and confused.
“It didn't burn down completely. They rebuilt it right,”?
“I guess so, yeah, what the hell are you talking about”?
“Okay look this is going to sound crazy” Sam starts “but the people who live in our old house, I think they might be in danger”.
“Why would you think that?” Dean's tone was serious as he and Evangeline stared at the younger boy with blank expressions.
“Uh I just” he sputters “Look, just you gotta trust me on this okay”.
Eva raises a brow as Sam walks away from the two, grabbing his traveling bag and setting it on the couch.
“Hey woah, woah, woah, trust you” Dean stands up after him. “C'mon man, that's weak. You got to give me a little more than that”.
“I can't really explain it all,” he says, continuing to pack.
“Well tough cause I'm not going anywhere until you do” he turns to Evangeline “right”.
She pauses for a second “whatever it is, Sam, we can help you if we know”.
Sam sighs, finally pausing in his movement. “I have these nightmares”.
“I've noticed,” his brother admits.
Sam hesitates “and sometimes they come true”.
Silence filled the air before a small huff of amusement left Dean's lips. “Come again”.
“Look, I dreamt aboard Jessica's death days before it happened”.
Evangeline tilted her head lightly, wondering who Jessica was. By the slight inch of sadness in his tone that he desperately tried to hide, she could tell whoever she was. She was important to Sam.
Dean's voice was small and reassuring but the slight tinge of doubt still resided there “Some people have weird dreams man I'm sure it's just a coincidence” he takes a seat back at the table next to Eva.
“No” he breathes “I dreamt of the blood dripping, her on the ceiling, the fire, everything and I didn't do anything cause I didn't believe it” his words got louder showcasing the boy's frustration. “And now I'm dreaming about that tree, about our house and about some woman inside screaming for help, I mean, that's where it all started. This has to mean something right”.
Dean doesn't meet his eye “I don't know”.
“What do you mean you don't know Dean” He spoke frustratedly before turning to Eva with pleading eyes.
Before she knew it, Dean was looking at her two seemingly wanting to know what she thought.
“I” she shrugs sputtering “I guess. I mean, I trust Sam's judgment”.
“This woman might be in danger,” he continues. “This might be the thing that killed mom and Jessica”.
Evangeline perked up slightly. Her mind wandered to the possibility of it being the thing that killed her sister, her friends. She thought of the fast man and his beady inhumane eyes, of the hooks and the black vines that ate away at the forest. Of the whispering voices and the way the ground glowed of carving in the grass.
“Just slow down, would you?” Dean stands abruptly and clearly upset. Then he chuckled, but it didn't seem like he found anything amusing. “I mean, first you're telling me that you've got the shining, and then you tell me I got to go back home” Tears pricked his eyes.
Evangeline couldn't help the surge of silent sympathy that pulled in her heart. She knew what a haunted place home could be. And how hard it would be to return when you had finally left it in the dust.
“Especially when” he paused the words caught in his throat.
“When what?” Sam urged.
“When I swore to myself, I would never go back there” his voice dipped soaking in emotion.
It was silent for a moment.
Sam’s voice was low “look Dean we have to check it out, just to make sure”.
“I know we do,” Dean admitted.
The trio packed in silence.
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The engine slowed as they approached the house. It was pretty and cozy with old light blue paint and a pretty tree out front. The same one from Sam's drawing.
“You gonna be alright, man” Sam asks softly from the passenger seat.
“Let me get back to you on that” he mutters.
It's silent for a moment, Dean seemingly not wanting to leave before Sam opens the car door.
Evangeline follows in suit Dean hesitating before joining the two.
The trio approaches the house, Dean looking uncomfortable but following his eager brother.
The trio approached the door, Sam knocking lightly before a blonde woman answered.
“Yes” confusion laced her soft, pretty voice.
Sam's breath hitched as he looked at her with a bit of a horrid expression.
“Sorry to bother you ma'am, but we're with the federal-” Dean started, but Sam spoke before he could finish.
“I'm sorry to interrupt you ma'am I'm Sam and this is my brother Dean and our family friend Evangeline um, we used to live here”.
She stares a little confused like.
“You know we were just driving by, and we were wondering if we could see the old place” he smiled politely.
“Winchester” she mumbled to herself. “This is so funny” she spoke up, “I- I think I found some of your photos the other night”.
“You did,” Dean asks.
She opened her mouth and then closed it as if having an internal debate in her mind. She hesitantly opened the door further “okay, come on in”.
The trio shared a look before stepping into the house. The brothers seemed to be curious, their eyes roaming the house while Evangeline silently followed.
“Juice, juice, juice” a voice squacked.
Eva's eyes fell to a toddler, the boy jumping in his cradle, holding a raccoon stuffy.
A small smile fell to her lips at his excited demeanor. She had remembered when her sister was that young, always getting into stuff and wanting to play. Evangeline was about eleven, and her parents had long ago stopped raising Emilia, the job going to her.
“That's Richie” the woman said, “he's kind of a juice junkie” she huffed amusingly. The blonde opened the fridge, grabbing a sippy cup of juice before handing it to him. “But hey, at least he won't get scurvy”.
“Sari, this is Sam and Dean. They used to live here, and that's their friend Evangeline”.
Eva's eyes fell to the little girl who sat on the table. Her brown hair fell down her shoulders as the top part twisted back, and her shy eyes looked at the trio with curiosity.
“Hi” she waves to , and Dean smiles waving while Sam speaks up “hi Sari” he greets gently.
“So you just moved in” Dean asks.
“Uh yeah, from Wichita”.
“You got family here” the older hunter asks.
“No, I just uh” she sputters her smile, dropping ever so slightly “uh needed a fresh start, that's all”.
The trio nods, perhaps all understanding the woman in their own ways.
“So new town, new job” she pauses “I mean, as soon as I find one, new house” she smiled.
“So how are you liking it so far” Evangeline speaks up.
“Well uh, all due respect” her eyes flicker to Sam and Dean “to your childhood home, I mean I'm sure you have lots of happy memories here” Dean's lips pry into a smile his eyes nostalgic “but this place has its issues”.
“What do you mean?” Sam asks.
“Well, it's just getting old, like, the wiring, you know, we got flickering lights almost hourly”.
“Oh, that's too bad what else” Dean
inquires.
“Um, well, the sinks backed up” her eyes roam to the metal “There's rats in the basement”.
Dean purses his lips, nodding.
“I'm sorry, I didn't mean to complain”.
“No” he reassures “have you seen the rats or just heard the scratching”.
Evangeline seriously didn't wanna know what beside an animal would make that noise.
“Just the scratching actually” she fiddles with a blue cloth.
“Mom” Sari speaks up. Her mother moves toward her, bending down to be eye level with her daughter “ask them if it was here when they lived here”.
Evangeline's eyes widened, her brows furrowing.
“What Sari” Sam speaks up.
”The thing in my closet”.
“Oh no, baby, there was nothing in their closets” she turned to the trio “right”. Her eyes held oblivion, completely unaware of the possible monsters that could be creeping in the shadows. Evangeline idly wondered if this is how she used to be. The thought scared her far more than it should.
“Right, no” Sam chimes after a moment of hesitation “no of course not”.
The blonde looked back to her daughter “she had a nightmare last night” she lightly stroked her hair.
“I wasn't dreaming” Sari demanded “it came into my bedroom, and it was on fire”.
The three shared worried looks.
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“You hear that” Sam demands “a figure on fire”. The door had shut softly behind the three as they exited the house.
“And that woman Jenny, that was the woman in your dreams” fear laced Dean's deep voice.
“Yeah and you hear what she was talking about, scratching flickering lights, both signs of a malevolent spirit”.
Evangeline nawed on her lower lip deep in thought. A tug of dread pulled at her heart. She thought of the kind woman and her sweet daughter, then of the little toddler. She desperately wanted to save them.
“Yeah well i'm just freaked out. Your weirdo visions are coming true” Dean chimes.
“Forget about that” Sam's voice flooded with frustration “the thing in the house, do you think it's the thing that killed mom and Jessica”.
Evangeline truly knew what the need for vengeance felt like, knowing the feeling of staying up for hours thinking about the thing that killed your loved one. Of your mind becoming lost in a sea of grief and anger. She saw it in Sam's eyes. The same eyes she used to look in the mirror and see every useless morning. It ate at her chest, causing the small rip in her heart to tear.
“I don't know” Dean's voice raised the same amount of frustration in his tone.
“Has it come back, or has it been there the whole time?” The hunter pushed.
“We'll maybe it's something else entirely” Dean finally stopped in his steps. “Sam we don't know yet”.
Evangeline stood awkwardly pressing her lips together.
“Those people are in danger, Dean, we have to get them out of that house” the lighter brunette spoke.
“And we will” he continues at his steps.
“No I mean now”.
“How? you got a story she's gonna believe” he snaps.
“Then what are we supposed to do?” he snarks back.
“We just got to chill out, that's all. If this was any other kind of job, what would we do” he raises a brow.
Sam taps his fingers on the car, letting out a loud sigh, “we'd try figure out what we were dealing with” he admits. “we'd dig into the history of the house”.
The trio had made it to the gas station, Dean pumping his gas while Evangeline leaned on the pump sipping on a sprite Dean offered to buy her while Sam leaned on the car.
“Exactly, except this time we already know what happened” he points out.
“Yeah but how much do we know, how much do you remember” Sam asks.
Evangeline had learned a while ago about the Winchester boys and the fire that killed their mother. She knew from the look in each of their eyes what the woman meant to both of them.
“About that night, you mean” Dean's voice thickens.
“Yeah”.
“Not much” he fails to meet his brother's eyes. “I remember the fire” his voice was barely above a whisper “the heat, then I carried you out the front door”.
Evangeline and Sam listen attentively.
“You did,” Sam asked.
“Yeah, well, you never never knew that” his eyes finally meet his brothers.
“No”.
“And uh, well, you know dad's story as well as I do, mom was on the ceiling and whatever put her there was long gone by the time dad found her”.
“And he never has a theory about what did it” Sam asks.
“If he did, he kept it to himself” The older man shrugs. “God knows we asked him enough times”.
“Okay” a beat of silence passed “so if we're gonna figure out what's going on now, we have to figure out what happened back then, see if it's the same thing”.
“Yeah, to talk to dads friends, neighbors, people who were there all the time” Sam starts “does this feel like just another job to you”.
Dean pauses “I'll be right back, I got to go to the bathroom” he deflects, leaving the two alone.
It's silent for a moment, Sam letting out a soft breath.
“Can I ask you something?” Eva's voice was light.
His eyes flicker to her, she felt small under his gaze despite his easy eyes.
“Who's Jessica”.
It was silent for a moment, only the soft chime of the wind and distant cars wrapped around the cold air.
For a second, Evangeline thought he wouldn't tell her. She debated telling him he didn't have to, but he finally spoke.
“She was my fiance” his words sounded so sad and a tinge of yearning filled his tone.
“What was she like?” she muttered.
A smile pried to his lips, and by the way his eyes glowed, you would think she put the stars in the sky. “She was kind and strong, smart too, and so very beautiful, not just with her looks but I mean her heart, everything about her was just” he looked at a loss for words “just beautiful”.
Evangeline smiles softly.
“I think she would have liked you,” he admits.
“Yeah”.
He nods.
“She sounds amazing, I think I would've liked her too”.
He smiles in agreement. It's silent for a beat “I found her” it was a soft admission. “She was hanging on the ceiling above our bed” he didn't meet her eyes, “her blood fell on my face, I opened my eyes and I saw her, the same way my mother had died”.
“Is that why you hunt” she inquired softly.
He nodded, his eyes a storm of sadness and anger. “I'm going to avenge both of them” he vowed.
She nods.
“Why did you agree to hunt with us?” he asks, his eyes roaming hers.
“I'm going to avenge the people I love too” she fiddled with her fingers “I watched my sister die, watched helplessly as it took her life”.
“It,” Sam questioned.
“I don't think it was human” she admits “it killed my brother in law too, caused my best friend's death” she swallowed the lump in her throat. “I wanna know what”.
“We'll find the things that took them from us." his voice didn't falter, and as Evangeline met his eyes, she wholeheartedly believed him.
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⤑ I'll try and fit some Evadean in the next chapter, but we got some Sam and Evangeline bonding <3 Next chapter soon