"We're back!" Harley sung as her and Sam walked through the motel door. "And we have info!"
"Not wasting any time, are you?" Sam commented, taking in the supplies sprawled out along the small table. It was just about the biggest fire hazard Harley Quinn had ever seen in her life.
"None to waste." Travis shrugged. "The guy hulks out, we won't be finding bodies, just remains."
"Bleh. Why don't we talk about what happens if he doesn't hulk out." Harley grinned, proud of the information her and Sam had found. "Sammy and I did some diggin'".
"We've been checking out the lure on rougarous." Sam nodded.
"What, my 30 years of experience not good enough for you?" Travis retorted.
"What? No-no I just wanted to be prepared. Not that you didn't, uh." Sam laughed nervously.
"Sam love research. He really does." Dean bumped in before glancing over at the only girl in the room. "And apparently Harley over here does now, too. But really, he keeps it under his mattress right next to his K-Y. It's a sickness. It is."
"Look," Sam cleared his throat. "Everything you said checked out, of course."
"But we found some stories about people who have the rougarou gene or whatever." Harley added on, toying with the lighter in front of her.
Sam picked up where she left off while Dean looked between the two, eyebrows furrowed. "See, they start to turn, but they never take the final step."
"Really?" Dean piped up.
"If they never eat human flesh, the don't fully transform." Sam concluded.
"So they go vegan, stay human." Dean commented.
"Yeah, uh, basically." The youngest Winchester nodded, a confused look on his face. "Or in this case, eat a lot of raw meat, just not-"
"Long pig!" Harley exclaimed, slapping her hand to the table.
"Right." Sam chuckled.
"Good on you for the due diligence, Sam. You too, Harley. But those are fairy tales." Travis sighed. "Fact is, every rougarou I ever saw or heard of took that bite."
"Okay, but that doesn't mean that Jack will." Sam said slowly, standing up.
"So what are we supposed to do? Sit and hope and wait for a body count?" Travis spoke in a sarcastic manner that made Harley want to connect her fist to the smirk on his mouth. She stood beside Dean, arms crossed and a scowl on her face.
"No." She spat. "We talk to him, explain what's happening. That way he can fight it."
Travis laughed the girl. "Fight it? Are you kiddin' me? You ever been really hungry? I mean haven't-eaten-in-days hungry?"
"Yeah."
"Yeah, right then. Somebody slaps a big juicy sirloin in front of you, you walk away? Hm? That's what we are to him now - meat on legs. I'm sorry, I'm sure he's a stand-up guy but it's pure, base instinct. Everything in natures gotta eat. You think he can stop himself 'cause he's nice?"
"I don't know." Sam sighed. "But we're not gonna kill him until he does something to get killed for."
After that, Sam left the room leaving a confused trio behind. "What's wrong with your brother?" Travis inquired.
"Don't get me started."
☼☼☼
Once the youngest Winchester came back to start business, the three set off - Harley in the back as always, much to her dismay. She sat with her bat between her legs, tracing the letters and designs with her nail. The girl always loved the detail that she inscribed on the wood. Harley couldn't even remember what design she drew first, all she knew was that once she started she couldn't stop and soon the once normal bat was personalized and became a trademark of the infamous Harley Quinn.
Her head stayed facing down towards the weapon but her attention turned to Dean once he began speaking. "All right, so we're gonna go have a little chat with this guy. Which, you know, I'm down. And I know Harley's down. But I just want to make sure that if push comes, you're gonna shove."
"Meaning?" Sam inquired.
"Well, odds are we're gonna have to burn this guy alive." Dean pursed his lips, turning to his younger brother who exhaled.
"This guy has a name and a wife." He argued.
"Yeah, who were probably gonna make a widow, okay? I mean, you heard Travis. He's gonna turn. They always turn."
"Maybe he won't." Sam spat. "Maybe he can fight it off."
Harley winced, her head already pounding thinking about the argument that was about to commence. "And maybe he can't. That's all I'm saying."
"Harley. Headache. Quiet." The girl groaned, leaning back in her seat.
"All right, we'll just have to see then, okay?" Sam spoke ignoring the girl in pain in the backseat.
"This is what I mean, Sam." Dean shook his head. "You sure your emotions aren't getting in the way here?"
"What are you talking about." Sam asked, genuinely confused.
"You know, nice dude, but he's got something evil inside. Something in his blood maybe you can relate." Dean snapped.
"Come on, Dean." Harley sighed, hitting the oldest on the shoulder.
"Stop the car." Sam spoke. The girl could see tears welling in his eyes.
"No, Sam-" She started but the tall brother cut her off.
"Stop the car or I will." Dean scoffed, pulling off into an open spot in the woods. Sam opened the door the second he could, Harley getting out behind him - followed by Dean.
"Sam, we can all talk about this." Harley spoke in her calm voice, trying to block the brothers from each other.
"Oh, I'll talk." Sam laughed humorless. "You wanna know why I've been lying to you Dean? Because of crap like this!"
"Like what." Dean glared.
"The way you talk to me. The way you look at me! Tell me why Harley understands and my own brother looks at me like I'm a freak!" Sam exclaimed walking toward the river.
"I do not." Dean defended causing his brother to whip around.
"Or even worse, like I'm an idiot! Like I don't know the difference between right and wrong!" Sam spread his arms out in exasperation. Harley watched from a distance, ready to step in if things got worse.
"Do you know the difference, Sam. Because lately you've been kind of strolling a dark road." Dean spoke, a sarcastic tint behind his words.
"You have no idea what I'm going through." The youngest Winchester spoke in a softer voice.
"Then enlighten me!" Dean yelled through gritted teeth.
Sam matched his tone as he turned around. "I have demon blood in me, Dean! This disease pumping through my veins, and I can't rip it out or scrub it clean! I'm a whole new level of freak! And I'm just trying to take this-this curse and make something good out of it. Because I have to."
A moment of silence passed between the three, Dean finally somewhat seeing where his brother was coming from and Sam looking down at the ground in shame. "Let's just go talk to this guy. I mean Jack, okay?"
☼☼☼
Once Sam, Dean and Harley entered Jack Montgomery's backyard, he was standing watering his flowers seemingly in a trance.
"Jack Montgomery?" Sam broke the silence. "My name's Sam Winchester. This is my brother Dean and our friend Harley. We need to talk." Harley couldn't help but crack a small smile at the fact that Sam had referred to her as a friend.
"About?" Jack asked, not at all confused as to why three strangers were suddenly in his backyard.
"About you." Sam sighed. "About how you're changing."
"Excuse me?" Jack asked once again.
"You're probably feeling your bones move under your skin." Jack turned his attention to Dean who was eyeing him carefully. "And your appetites reaching, you know, hungry hippo levels. How am I doing so far?"
"Who the hell are you guys?"
"We're people who know a little something about something." Harley grinned. Jack must have just noticed the girl as his eyes widened at her obscure appearance and the bat slung over her shoulder.
"We're also people that can help." Sam nodded. "Please, just hear us out."
The next 15 minutes were spent with the hunters trying to explain a little piece of the world of the supernatural to a regular guy. From what Harley could tell, he wasn't taking it too well. "A-a what?"
"A rougarou. Sounds made up, I know. But believe me, it's not." Dean stood, posture straight and hands in his pockets while Sam and Harley took a seat on the garden bench.
"All right, I've noticed certain things. I mean, some strange things. But I just - I don't know. I'm-I'm sick or something." Jack tried to rationalize his thoughts.
"Your father was one of these things." Sam broke the news. "Your real father, he passed it on to you."
"No." Jack shook his head, chuckling. "Are you guys listening to yourselves, you sound-"
"Crazy?" Harley piped up, scrunching up her nose. "Yeah, get that a lot. But let's skip that part, shall we? You're hungry, Jack. And you're only gonna get hungrier."
"Hungrier for?"
"Long pig." Dean nodded. "You know, a little manburger helper, might have crossed your mind a little bit?"
Harley snorted at Deans joke, however Jack was not amused.
"No."
"It doesn't have to be like this Jack."
"No."
"You can fight it off, others have."
"No."
"Yes." Dean cut Jack off. "We're not gonna lie to you, though. It's not gonna be easy. Or.."
"Or what?" Jack squinted.
"You feed once and it's all over. Then we'll have to stop you." Sam pursed his lips at the thought.
"Stop me?" Jack scoffed. "My dad, did - uh - did somebody stop him?"
"Yes."
"Get off my property right now." Jack snapped. "I see you guys again I'm calling the cops."
"Jack, your wife, everyone you know, they're in danger." Sam tried.
"Now!" Jack exclaimed, catching the attention of a next door neighbor. The three glanced up at the man, not wanting to start a scene.
"Good talk."
☼☼☼
Hours later, Dean insisted on going back and checking on Jack, not convinced that their little talk changed much. When they arrived, Travis' car was parked in all its glory right there in the driveway.
"Found Travis." Harley tilted her head, shining the flashlight on his car.
"That stupid son of a bitch." Sam shook his head, beginning to walk full speed towards the house. Harley strolled behind the two, tracing the car with her bat. She wasn't too worried about Jack, he seemed scared of what they were saying which meant he didn't want to transform. However, she didn't have the same instincts of a hunter.
A blood stain on the living room carpet led to the almost indistinguishable remains of Travis. Sam scowled while Dean let out an 'oh god'.
"Think that's Travis." Dean cleared his throat.
"What's left of him." Sam sighed heavily. "Guess you were right about Jack."
Harley opened her mouth to put in her input but was cut off by someone basically body slamming her to the ground. She let out a squeal as the brothers whipped out their flare guns.
"Harley!" Dean shouted, attracting the attention of Jack who jumped on him next. Sam attempted flaming the monster but was pushed to the ground shortly after - Jack hitting him over the head with his weapon over and over.
Harley stood, bearing her bat but instead, Jack threw the object in his hands straight to her head, knocking the girl out.
☼☼☼
By the time Harley woke up, she didn't know how long she was out for. All she heard was someone banging on the closet door.
"Jack if you hurt them I swear to God!" She heard Sam tell.
"Sam?" Harley croaked, pulling at her restraints.
"Calm down!" Jack yelled. His once normal face almost completely transformed monstrous with blood surrounding his mouth. "Your brothers alive. Your friend, too. But not if you don't calm down."
"Jack, listen to me." Sam spoke calmly now. "Open the door. We can figure this out, okay?"
Jack scoffed, rocking back and forth. Harley watched him sternly, but he wouldn't meet her hard gaze. "We'll have a little brainstorming session."
"Jack, please." Sam pleaded.
"I don't think so. After what you did?" Jack spat, Harley's hard looks turning confused.
"What? What are you talking about?" Sam inquired through the door.
"You sent your friend here." Jack spoke, his voice pure venom. "He tried to burn my wife alive!"
"Why?" Harley spoke up.
"He-he didn't say." Jack shook his head but the girl could see an underlying meaning behind his words. "I guess psychopaths don't have to explain themselves."
"Listen to me, you've got to believe me. The three of us? We never would have hurt her, okay?" While Sam spoke, attempting to change the monsters mind, Harley watched as Jack began to creep closer to Deans unconscious body. She straightened as the man dipped his finger in Deans blood before sucking it off his finger hungrily.
"You go farther than that you get a bat to the head, asshole." Harley snarled making Jack whip his head around towards her.
"I'm so hungry." He mewled, hitting the girl over the head once more, putting her into a state of unconsciousness for a second time.
☼☼☼
From what the Winchester's told Harley the next day, Sam was a complete badass and burned the son of a bitch alive despite not wanting to. Both blows to the head took a toll on Harley that she wasn't expecting, Dean making her stay in bed for the remainder of the day, much to her dismay. Sam sat next to Harley's bed, stitching up the large gash on her forehead.
"So you're my hero, huh?" Harley smirked.
"Actually, no." Sam shook his head, sticking the needle into the girls skin making her wince. "When I, uh, burned Jack, his body almost fell back on you. Dean pulled you out of the way just in time."
As if he knew they were talking about him, Dean strolled through the motel door with bags of fast food in both hands. Harley smiled, eyeing the older Winchester as he dug through the bags.
"Burger and a smoothie for the one and only, Harley Quinn." Dean handed her the food, but Harley took his hand before he could turn away.
"Thank you." She smiled, a genuine look flashing her eyes that was almost never there. Dean nodded, knowing what she meant but the moment was cut short when the needle connected with Harley's skin once again.
"Ow!" She exclaimed hitting Sam on the arm. "Dick!"
_____________________________________
not edited
weird place to end ikkk but I couldn't think of a better ending bc I'm trash.
SPEAKING OF TRASH HOW DID THIS STORY GET 2K READS SO QUICKLY???? IM SHOOK
thank you guys sosososo much I honestly didn't think this book would reach 1k leT ALONE 2K WTF
and all the positive feedback has been warming my cold heart so thank you for all the kind words!
as always thank for reading❤️