Part 2: Phantom Traveler
"Daddy's name is Nathaniel John!"
Sam and Dean's Motel room
Nathan had gone outside for a cigarette, getting stressed from all the research and his brothers didn't want him smoking in the room which he normally did. The girls were in front of him running around the cars playing tag.
When Nathan finally came back in, he saw that Sam and Dean were in full research mode, with images and articles taped to the walls and strewn across the beds, and Sam is looking at something on the computer. Dean is reading something on one bed while sitting on the other. He sat down at the table picking up some papers that was resting there, reading over them.
"So, every religion in every world culture has the concept of demons and demonic possession, right?" Sam asks "I mean Christian, Native American, Hindu, you name it."
"Yeah, but none of them describe anything like this." Dean answers.
"Well, that's not exactly true. You see according to Japanese beliefs, certain demons are behind certain disasters, both natural and man-made." Sam lists. "One causes earthquakes, another causes disease."
"And this one causes plane crashes?" Nathan asks him.
"All right, so, what? We have a demon that's evolved with the times and found a way to ratchet up the body count?" Dean asks.
"Yeah." Sam answers, "You know, who knows how many planes it's brought down before this one?" Dean scoffs and scratches the back of his head walking away from the other two who were sitting around the laptop.
"What?" Nathan asks, eyebrow raised at him.
"I don't know, man. This isn't our normal gig. I mean, demons, they don't want anything, just death and destruction for its own sake. This is big. And I wish Dad was here." Dean tells them, concerned about it all.
"Yeah. Me too." Sam hums in agreement.
Nathan couldn't help but disagree, he'd been doing this stuff on his own for a few years now. Yeah then and again he had help, mainly from Bobby, who was the father figure in his life after he left, cutting all connection with the hunting world. He may worship his father like Dean did but he thought he'd just cause more problems.
Dean's phone starts ringing causing everyone to turn and look at it. He answers it.
"Hello?...Oh, hey, Jerry...Wha-Jerry, I'm sorry. What happened?...Where'd this happen?...I'll try to ignore the irony in that...Nothing. Jerry, hang in there, all right? We'll catch up with you soon." Dean hung up the phone, turning back to face his brothers.
Nathan had his head tilt trying to figure out what they were speaking about. "Another crash?"
"Yeah. Let's go."
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Airport
Sam and Nathan had gone to the airport, after stopping by at Jerry's office and dropping Dean back at the motel. They didn't know whether they'd have to get on the plane or not and Nate being the only one to know about his fear, told him an excuse which was that he needed someone to look after the girls: though Dean looked more terrified about being with the small 'devils' as he so kindly called them.
They rushed into the airport and checked the Departure board for Amanda's plane.
"Right there." Sam informs. "They're boarding in thirty minutes."
"Okay." Nathan stop for a moment, "We still have some cards to play. We need to find a phone." He rushes off to the left, Sam following behind.
Nate picks up the courtesy phone and calls Gate 13, flight 242 looking for Amanda.
"Airport Services."
"Hi." Nate began, "Gate thirteen."
"Who are you calling, sir?"
"I'm trying to contact an Amanda Walker. She's a flight attendant on flight, um...flight 4-2-4." Nathan rocked on the balls off his feet impatiently. "Come on."
"This is Amanda Walker." A feminine voice came from the other end.
"Miss Walker. Hi, this is Dr. James Hetfield from St. Francis Memorial Hospital. We have a Karen Walker here." Nathan lies skilfully.
"Karen?"
"Nothing serious, just a minor car accident, but she was injured, so--" He stops getting cut off by Amanda.
"Wa-wait, that's impossible. I just got off the phone with her."
Nathan pauses, looking up to Sam before continuing. "You what?"
"Five minutes ago. She's at her house, cramming for a final. Who is this?"
"Uh, well...there must be some mistake." He stutters out, completely baffled.
"And how would you even know I was here?" Sam went around Nathan to try and hear what was going on, only to get swatted away. "Is this one of Vince's friends?"
"Guilty as charged." He states voice hardening, posture straightening back up.
"This is unbelievable." Amanda pronounces the 'un' very clearly.
"He's...really sorry." Finally got out, after much difficulty off not knowing what to say.
"Well, you tell him to mind his own business and stay out of my life, okay?"
"Yes, but" Nathan begins, biting at the side of his cheek anxiously. "he really needs to see you tonight, so--"
"No, I'm sorry. It's too late."
"Don't be like that. Come on. The guy's a mess. Really. It's pathetic."
"Really?" Amanda asks, intrigued.
"Oh, yeah." He hums.
"Look, I've got to go. Um...tell him to call me when I land." Amanda tells him just before hanging up.
"No, No. Wait, Amanda. Amanda!" Nathan exclaims into the phone, now more frantic than ever. By the look on his face, Sam guessed it didn't work.
"Alright. Time for Plan B. We're getting on that plane." Sam says, leading the way into the airport.
Nathan follows behind more slower, grumbling under his breath. This is what he didn't want to do, it's not that he scared of them - he just despises them with a burning passion.
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Nathan's Motel Room
Dean had been left behind to look after the girls cause of his fear of flying. They only did this because the emotions Dean would have been feeling would attract the demon to him.
The three of them sat at different sides of the room, an awkward silence filling it. None of them knew how to break it as they hadn't been around each other alone yet. Dean sat on the bed cleaning out his gun, fiddling with anything to distract him. He didn't know how to look after kids, he never had to do it before other than when he was one himself and even then he had Nathan to help him. Nathan always had more of a parental instinct than he did.
Destiny was getting tired of the silence, it was never silent when her dad was here so why was it now? She was the hyperactive one, she knew what to say to make it less quiet so why couldn't she now?
She couldn't sit still any longer and Dean could see that, her constant movement could be heard across the room. She was either tapping her fingers or moving in her seat, either way she was restless.
Sapphire however, just sat there bathing in the silence. She never got this with her sister being Destiny, she was grateful for it. She was able to read and colour in silence and not have anyone disturb her. Though she knew it would last only a few more minutes, she was smart for a five year old and she knew her sister couldn't sit still any longer.
They were complete opposites but that's why they got along so well, they complimented each other well. Destiny finally having enough, got up and made her way towards her Uncle, the doll she was playing with long forgotten.
"Deannnnn." She dragged out, "Can we do something?" She asks bouncing on the balls off her feet.
Dean looks up, a thoughtful look on his face. "Like what?" He questions cautiously.
Sapphire saw the look on her twins face, and knew exactly what she wanted to do. The answer was normally no but her dad wasn't here, he couldn't say no. "Ice cream!" She exclaimed, a bright smile on her face, her different coloured eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Are you allowed that?" He asks, squinting his eyes suspiciously at the little five year old.
"Of course," Destiny replies, it was obvious the answer was no but no one commented on it. "Daddy let's us all the time." Quickly coming up with a lie even if it was obvious.
Sapphire rolled her eyes, her sister was a terrible liar. Anyone could tell she was lying, Sapphire decided to butt in, coming up with a plausible lie. "Daddy let's us eat it when we've been alone all day or been good."
Nathan only let them eat sweet stuff when they had been good all day with him or when Destiny had one of her bad mood swings. Destiny couldn't exactly control her emotions well so when she felt the slightest bit upset, it would feel one hundred times worse to her which would cause problems when she develops her powers.
"Sure, kid."
Dean had got up, pulling on his jacket, turning expectantly to the girls but to only see them not moving. "What you waiting for?" He asks.
"We need help with our jumpers and coats." Sapphire explained, they were at the top of the closet so they couldn't grab them and go outside when Nathan wasn't there.
Dean sighs, walking towards the closest and grabs there pink and purple hoodies which had their names of them. He heads back over to the girls, who lifted their arms up waiting patiently for him to put them on.
Finally after a lot of struggling and whining, they were ready to leave. Having to take Nathan's Camaro as they had the Impala still, he opened the passenger side door, moved the seat forward like Nathan did for them every time. What Dean had realised is these girls were very dependant on Nate and definitely were Daddy's girls through and through.
Destiny was first in like normal, climbing into the car flopping on to her stomach before crawling over into her seat. Pulling a infamous Winchester smile, which was full of mischief and silliness. Next was Sapphire, who stepped up high enough so she wouldn't trip. She didn't want Dean to have to pick her up, it was like her own little thing with her Dad even if it wasn't suppose to be. Smiling politely as she passed, placing her bum down on the car seat.
Dean closed the car door, heading round to the drivers side. Once he was in the car, he turns on the engine causing Mariah Carey to play through the stereo. A look of distaste washed over his face.
He moved his hand to change the music but a bunch of protests from the back seat stopped. He turned around, sending a weird look at the girls. "You like this crap?"
"Duh!" They chorused.
"Daddy always lets us play these songs in the car." Destiny tells him, which out of everything they had said within the last few minutes was actually true.
Dean hummed, surprised his younger brother actually let them have this sort of junk in the car. But then he remember the boy would do anything for his daughters so he became slightly less shocked.
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Aboard the Plane
Nathan was sat in the aisle seat humming, distracting himself for his hate for plane. He's been on many but his hate just never disappeared.
"Okay, so we got thirty-two minutes and counting to track this thing down, or whoever it's possessing, anyway, and perform a full-on exorcism." Sam tells him, bringing him back to the task at hand.
"Yeah, on a crowded plane. That's gonna be easy." Nathan replied sarcastically.
"Just take it one step at a time, all right? Now, who is it possessing?" Sam asks.
"It's usually gonna be somebody with some sort of weakness, you know, a chink in the armor that the demon can worm through." Nathan thinks back to everything he's learned years ago. "Somebody with an addiction or some sort of emotional distress."
"Well, this is Amanda's first flight after the crash. If I were her, I'd be pretty messed up." Sam states.
Nathan hummed in response just as a pretty, young, blonde flight attendant walks by causing him to stop her. "Excuse me. Are you Amanda?" He asks sending a dashing smile her way which could make any woman fall for.
"No, I'm not."
"Oh, my bad." He replies in a semi flirty tone. Sam wondered how he made that even sound like he was flirting.
"Mm-hm." As the stewardess left, she stepped with an extra swing in her hips. Nathans eyes followed her till he couldn't see her no more.
Sam coughing brought him back to reality, continuing on from their previous conversation. "All right," Nathan clears his throat. "Well, that's got to be Amanda back there, so I'll go talk to her, and, uh, I'll...uh say God to her, she should flinch if she possessed." He informs Sam, getting up to leave.
"Say it in Latin." Sam tells him before he left completely.
"I know, this isn't my first rodeo."
Nathan made his way to the back of the plane, falling into the side of the seat when the plane shook a bit. He carried on walking ignoring what the Co-pilot was saying over the intercom.
Once he reached where Amanda was, he could see her fussing with the drink cart.
"Hi."
"Hi." She replied, "Can I help you with something."
"Oh, no. I'm just a bit of an uneasy flier. It makes me feel better to walk around a little bit." He lies fluently, he could lie in his sleep.
"Oh, it happens to the best of us." She states with a small sympathy smile.
"Of course, you being a stewardess, I guess flying comes easy to you." Nathan says to her, earning a little chuckle from the pretty attendant.
"You'd be surprised." She tells him, her smile dropping a little bit.
"Really? You're a nervous flier?" Nathan asks, trying to see if her emotions would lead to a possession.
"Yeah, maybe, little bit." She replied unsteadily.
"How is it that, being a stewardess, you're scared to fly?" He asks, wanting to learn more.
"Kind of a long story." She mumbles, the small polite smile working it way back on her face.
"Right. I'm sorry for asking."
Amanda sends him a genuine smile this time. "It's okay."
"You ever consider other employment?"
"No. Look, everybody's scared of something. I just, uh...I'm not gonna let it hold me back." She answers, confused on why he was asking these questions.
"Huh."
"So..." She says after a short moment of silence.
"Christo." Nathan whisper only just loud enough that'd she'd hear.
"I'm sorry. Did you say something?" She asks, now even more confused.
"Christo?" He says, the statement becoming a question.
"I-I didn't, I didn't..." Amanda stumbles over her words, she was becoming worried about who this man was.
"Yeah, nothing. Never mind." Nathan tells her, walking away back to his seat.
----
"Alright, well she has got to be the most well-adjusted person on the planet." Nathan states, plopping back into his turning to face Sam. "There's no demon in her and there's no demon getting her."
"So it could be anyone on the plane." Sam summarizes. "Anywhere."
The plane began to rattle cause Nathan to whine like a little child. "I hate turbulence." He states, shuddering in his seat.
"You hate planes?" Sam asks, looking at his brother suspiciously.
"No, I don't hate plane." Nathan snapped. "I fucking loathe the son of a bitches." Scowling at the seat in front of him.
Sam laughs at Nathans face, he hadn't realise it till now but Nathan had been scowling and flirting a lot more since coming on it. Now becoming clear that he was distracting himself. "Now, I found an exorcism in here that I think is gonna work. The Rituale Romanum."
"I already know that one, had to do it a few times myself. I thought I recognized this sort of hunt. Just couldn't put my finger on it." Nathan informs Sam, a thoughtful look crossing him face.
"You have?" Sam asks to then brush it off, his brother has changed from the 20 year old he knew. He started to hunt on his own, of course he knew something like this. "Well, it doesn't need to possess someone anymore. It can just wreak havoc on its own."
"That's a good thing as the second part sends the bastard back to hell once and for all." He continues on for Sam.
Nathan got up, pulling out Dean's EMF meter. Slowly, he walked down the aisle receiving odd looks from passengers but no readings at all. Sam suddenly comes up behind him, clapping him on the back causing him to jump.
"Ah! Don't do that." He whisper-shouted at Sam, scowling towards him.
"Anything?" Sam questions.
"No, nothing." He replied in frustration. "How much time we got?"
Sam looks around noticing the weird looks they were getting. "Fifteen minutes. Maybe we missed somebody."
"Maybe the thing's just not on the plane." Nathan tells him.
"You believe that?" He asks, he knew Nathan was grumpy about this hunt but he always loved a difficult hunt.
"No but I wish I could, It would be a lot damn easier." Nathan says, looking down at EMF meter as it spikes. The co-pilot had just exited the bathroom, heading towards the cockpit.
"What? What is it?" Sam aks.
"Christo." Nathan says quietly. The Co-pilot flinched turning to look at the two hunters with black eyes, revealing himself to be the demon. The co-pilot didn't seem to notice them and went back to the cockpit. Sam and Nathan turn to look at each other, eyes wide.
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The Playground
Dean and the girls had gotten ice-cream in a small diner at the edge of the town they were staying in. The girls had both gotten chocolate ice-cream while Dean got pie. Destiny was covered in melted ice-cream, it was all over her face and her jumper, there was no way of hiding that from Nathan.
It was way past the girls bed time but the three Winchester were standing in an empty kiddy park, no one around but them. Dean just wanted to tire them out so they'd fall straight asleep when they got back.
Sapphire ran to the swings dragging Dean a long with her, wanting him to push her. While Dean pushed Saf on the swing, Destiny had found a random soccor ball kicking it around.
After about an thirty minute, they all ended up laying on the ground. Sapphire laying with her head on Deans chest, with Destiny laying lazily over his stomach.
"Dean-o," Destiny began. "What was daddy like when he was little?"
Dean scoffed at the nickname she'd given him, hesitating on his answer. "You don't wanna know kid."
"Please, Unca Dean." Sapphire begs from next to him.
He sighs giving in, they had started to give him the puppy eyes. No one can resist those buggers. "When he was a child or a bratty teenager?" He asks.
"Both!" They exclaimed in chorus.
"Um, Your daddy was..." Dean stopped, he couldn't remember a time where Nathan acted like a child, which sadden him. "Your daddy was always very grown up for his age, he tended to look after Sam and dad a lot, I did as well but he just had more of a caring, grown up personality." He thinks for a moment before continuing. "Nathan kept the peace within the family, if their was an argument your father was normally the one to resolve it or stop it. He would take the blame for anything that Sam or I had done, whether it got him in trouble or not."
"Daddy sounds like he loved you a lot." Destiny whispers smiling slightly.
"He did...does. He still does." Dean states, more trying to reassure himself than anything. "Nathan hated his fall name if you called it you was likely to get a dead leg or arm from him punching you. Nathaniel John Winchester. He dreamed of having his own family when we were about 12 or 13 but we never thought it wasn't going to happen. Well, here you two are, looks like he got what he wanted for once. Nathan was a bossy teenager, he liked to be in control, and his looks got him a lot of girls." Dean stops realizing he probably shouldn't of said the last bit.
"Daddy's name is Nathaniel John!" Destiny squealed, laughing loudly. It wasn't that funny but they never knew his full name, he would never tell them for the reason he hated it.
"Yeah, yeah it is." Dean chuckles lightly.
"Tell us more," Sapphire whispers, not wanting to ruin the calm, sweet moment.
"Okay, okay. Urm, Nate...Nate believed that not all monsters were evil, he didn't like killing every supernatural being. He was kind like that. He was caring, nice, protective and loving towards his family and the friends he made at some of the schools we went to. But when he was protective, he became aggressive, not caring what he did as long as we were okay." He tells them, remembering all the boys Nathan had beat up for Sam and even Dean sometimes. "Nathan was known as the bad boy with anger issues in many of the schools we went to, but girls swooned over him. He had a caring aura around him and he protected the ones he loved, that's what they saw."
"So Daddy was a angry, protective, bad boy who girls weirdly liked?" Sapphire asks in wonder, pronouncing 'protective' wrong, taking in everything her uncle said. Her dad sounded lovely to her even when she figured out by 'he became aggressive' it meant he beat them up.
"Eww, cooties." Destiny's nose scrunched up, boys gave girls cooties, it's what Nathan taught them.
"Yeah he was an angry, protective, bad boy who girls weirdly liked." Dean repeats agreeing with her. "Cooties? Is that what Nate told you?" He received nods in response. "Good, you stay away from them boys, they will give you all the cooties in the world." He states, his nieces are not ever allowed to date. Ever.
The twins let out a loud yawn, eyes struggling to keep open. Dean notices this so he starts to stand up, lifting up Sapphire with him, resting her on his hip before bending down to do the same to Destiny. "Let go back to the Motel." He tells them softly, walking off to the Camaro.
29-09-20
[3687 words]