They get to an inn where a case is. Dean parks the Impala and the brothers get out. Sam gets Evie out of her car seat, holding her and she keeps a tight grip on her dog to make sure it doesn't fall onto the muddy ground.
"Dude, this is sweet. I never get to work jobs like this." Dean says.
"Like what?" Sam asks.
"Old school haunted houses, you know? Fog and secret passageways... sissy British accents. Might even run into Fred and Daphne while we're inside. Mm, Daphne. Love her." They walk up the stairs and Sam notices an urn.
"Hey, wait a sec." Sam tells Dean and he looks at the urn. "I'm not so sure haunted's the problem."
"What do you mean?" Dean asks.
"You see this pattern here?" Sam points to a five point symbol engraved on the urn. "That's a quincunx, that's a five-spot."
"Five-spot."
"Yeah."
"That's used for hoodoo spell work, isn't it?"
"Right, yeah. You fill this thing with bloodweed and you've got a powerful charm to ward off enemies."
"Yeah, except I don't see any bloodweed. Don't you think this place is a little too, uh, white meat for hoodoo?"
"Maybe."
They walk inside and look around the as a woman enters the room.
"May I help you?" She asks.
"Hi, yeah, I'd like a room for a couple of nights." Dean says. As Sam starts to walk forward, a young girl darts in front of his legs making him stop.
"Hey!" The woman yells to her daughter. Evie watches as another girl around the same age runs after her. She turns to Sam. "Sorry about that."
"No problem."
"Well, um, congratulations, you could be some of our final guests." The woman states.
"Well. Sounds vaguely ominous." Dean jokes.
"No, I'm sorry, I mean we're closing at the end of the month." She says before looking at them. "Well, let me guess. You guys are here antiquing?"
"How'd you know?" Dean asks.
"Oh, you just look the type." The woman says. "So, uh, king sized bed?"
"What? No, uh, no, we're-we're... two singles. We're just brothers." Sam says.
"Yeah, and she's his child that he had... and made... with a girl." Dean says.
"Oh. Oh, I'm so sorry." The woman says.
"What'd you mean that we look the type?" Dean asks and Susan looks like she isn't sure how to answer.
"You know, speaking of antiques, you have a really, really interesting urn on the front porch. Where did you get that?" Sam asks.
"Oh, I have no idea, it's been there forever." Susan says, giving Dean a key. "Here you go, Mr. Mahagov."
"Thanks." Dean takes the key and Susan rings the bell.
"You'll be staying in room 237. Sherwin, could you show these gentlemen and his daughter to their rooms?"
The three turn to see an old man in a suit walking up behind them.
"Let me guess. Antiquers?" Sherwin guesses. He drags Dean's duffel bag up the steps and the brothers follow him.
"I could give you a hand with that bag." Dean offers.
"I got it." Sherwin says.
"Okay." Dean says.
"So the hotel's closing up, huh?" Sam asks.
"Yep. Miss Susan tried to make a go of it, but the guests just don't come like they used to. Still, it's a damn shame." Sherwin says.
"Oh, yeah?" Sam asks.
"It may not look it anymore, but this place was a palace. Two different vice presidents laid their heads on our pillows. My parents worked here, I practically grew up here. Gonna miss it. Here's your room."
Sherwin enters the key in the lock and opens the door, handing the key to Sam when he walks past him. Dean turns to shut the door to see Sherwin, his hand extended expectantly.
"You're not gonna... cheap out on me, are you, boy?" Sherwin asks. Dean pulls out his wallet.
~ ~ ~
Sam is sitting at the table in the room with Evie on his lap and he's going through papers while Dean paces. He walks up to an antique wedding dress.
"What the--" Sam cuts his brother off.
"What?"
"That's normal." Dean points to the dress. "Why the hell would anyone stay here? I'm amazed they kept in business this long."
"All right. Victim number one: Joan Edison, 43 years old, a realtor handling the sale of the hotel. And victim number two was Larry Williams, moving some stuff out to Goodwill." Sam informs.
"Well, there's a connection. They're both tied up in shutting the place down." Dean states.
"Yeah. Maybe somebody here doesn't want to leave and they're using hoodoo to fight back." Sam says.
"Who do you think our witch doctor is, that Susan lady?" Dean asks.
"But she nice." Evie says.
"No, doesn't seem likely. I mean, she is the one selling." Sam says.
"So what then, Sherwin?" Dean asks.
"I don't know." Sam shrugs.
"Of course, the most troubling question is why do these people assume we're gay." Dean says.
"Well, you are kinda butch. Probably think you're overcompensating." Sam says.
"Right." Dean mockingly laughs.
+++
They're walking through the hallways, Sam still holding Evie, and Sam sees another urn. He picks it up to see a quincunx on it.
"Hey. Look at that. More hoodoo." Sam says. They walk up to a door that's marked "PRIVATE" and Dean knocks. After a second, Susan opens the door.
"Hi there." Dean smiles.
"Hi. Everything okay with your room?" Susan asks.
"Yeah. Yeah, yeah, everything's great. Yeah." Dean and Sam talk over each other.
"Well, I was just in the middle of packing." Susan says.
"Hey!" Dean looks past her. "Are those antique dolls? Because this one," Dean looks at Sam, "this one here, he's got a major doll collection back home. Don't ya? Huh?"
"Big time." Sam mutters, shooting Dean a look.
"Big time. You think he could come-- or we could come in and take a look?" Dean asks.
"I don't know..." Susan trails off.
"Please? I mean, he loves them. He's not gonna tell you this, but he's-he's always dressing 'em up in these little tiny outfits and, um, you'd make his day. You-- she would, huh? Huh?"
"It's true." Sam says, trying very hard to not punch his brother then and there.
"Okay. Come on in." Susan steps aside and lets them walk in.
"All right. All right!" Dean slaps Sam on the back, walking in. Sam follows him in, shooting him a death glare which makes Evie giggle a bit. "Wow. This is a lot of dolls. I mean, they're nice, you know. Not super creepy at all."
"Yeah, I suppose they are a little creepy. But they've been in the family forever. A lot of sentimental value." Susan says.
"That one staring at me." Evie tells her dad, pointing to a doll.
"It's not staring at you. You're okay." Sam gently tells her, pulling her arm down and kissing her hand.
"Scary." Evie mumbles, focusing her attention on her dog.
"WHat is this? The hotel?" Sam asks, looking at a dollhouse of the hotel.
"Yeah, that's right. Exact replica, custom built." Susan states. Sam leans down and picks up a broken doll.
"His head got twisted around. What happened to it?" Sam asks.
"Tyler, probably." Susan says. As if hearing her name, Tyler runs in.
"Mommy! Maggie's being mean." Tyler says.
"Tyler, tell her I said to be nice, okay?" Susan says.
"Hey, Tyler. I see you broke your doll. You want me to fix it?" Sam asks.
"I didn't break it. I found it like that." Tyler says.
"Oh. Well, uh, maybe Maggie did it." Sam says.
"No, neither of us did it. Grandma would get mad if we broke 'em." Tyler says.
"Tyler, she wouldn't get mad." Susan says.
"Grandma?" Dean asks, confused.
"Grandma Rose. These were all her toys." Tyler says.
"Oh, really? Where's Grandma Rose now?" Dean asks.
"Up in her room." Tyler answers.
"You know, I'd, uh, I'd really love to talk to Rose about her incredible doll--"
"No." Susan cuts Sam off. "I mean, I'm afraid that's impossible. My mother's been very sick and she's not taking any visitors."
~ ~ ~
They leave Susan's room and the brothers talk in hushed voices.
"Well, what do you think? Dolls, hoodoo, mysterious shut in grandma?" Dean lists.
"Well, dolls are used in all kinds of voodoo and hoodoo, like curses, and binding spells, and..."
"Yeah, maybe we've found our witch doctor. All right, I'll see what I can go dig upon boomin' granny. You go get online, check old obits, freak accidents, that sort of thing, see if she's whacked anybody before."
"Right."
"Don't go surfing porn-- that's not the kind of whacking I mean." Sam rolls his eyes and goes into the room while Dean leaves.
+++
Dean walks into the hotel room and it's nighttime now. Sam is sitting on a chair at the table and Evie is curled up on one of the beds.
"There's been another one. Some guy just hung himself in his room." Dean states, shutting the door behind him.
"Yeah, I saw." Sam says.
"We've gotta figure this out and fast. What'd you find out about granny?" Dean asks.
"You're the boss." Sam says. Dean looks at him.
"What?" He asks.
"You're bossy. And short." He laughs.
"Are you drunk?" Dean asks.
"Yeah." Sam laughs. "So? Stupid."
"Thought you didn't get drunk in front of your kid? Or does her being 3 magically change that?" Dean asks.
"She was half asleep 20 minutes ago." Sam attempts to defend himself.
"Dude, what are you thinking? We're working a case. You're completely in charge of a toddler." Dean states.
"That guy who hung himself. I couldn't save him." Sam says, getting tearful.
Evie just sits curled on the bed, watching them talk while cuddling her dog.
"What are you talking about? You didn't know, you couldn't have done anything." Dean says.
"That's an excuse, Dean. I should have found a way to save him. I should have saved Ava too." Sam says.
"Yeah, well, you can't save everyone. Even you said that."
"No!" Sam slams his hand on the table making Evie flinch. "Dean, you don't understand, all right? The more people I save, the more I can change!"
"Change what?" Dean asks.
"My destiny, Dean!"
"All right. Time for bed. Come on, Sasquatch." Dean pulls Sam up off the chair. "Come on."
"I need you to watch out for me."
"Yeah. I always do."
"No! No, no, no. You have to watch out for me, all right? And if I ever... turn into something that I'm not... you have to kill me."
"Sam."
"Dean! Dad told you to do it, you have to."
"Yeah, well, dad's an ass. He never should have said anything. I mean, you don't do that, you don't, you don't lay that kind of crap on your kids."
"No. He was right to say it! Who knows what I might become? Even now, everyone around me dies!"
Evie whines, sinking back into the pillows, but only Dean seems to hear her.
"Yeah, well, I'm not dying, okay? Evie's not dying. And neither are you. Come on, Sam." Dean pushes Sam onto the bed that Evie isn't on. He tries to make him lay down, but Sam stays sitting. He reaches up and clutches Dean's jacket.
"No, please! Dean, you're the only one who can do it. Promise." Sam tells him.
"Don't ask that of me." Dean says.
"Dean, please. You have to promise me." Sam says.
"I promise." Dean says after a moment.
"Thanks." Sam reaches up and holds Dean's face in his hands. "Thank you. You are..."
"All right. Come on." Dean bats Sam's hands away and makes him lay down. Sam turns over onto his stomach, hugging the pillow with both arms after face planting into it. Dean rubs a hand over his face.
"Uncle Deanie?" Evie calls in a small voice. Dean sighs quietly knowing he has to deal with the aftermath involving her now.
"Yeah, shortcake?" Dean asks, turning to her and kneeling beside the bed.
"Daddy no okay." Evie says, pouting in sadness.
"No, no, not really. But he'll be better soon. Here, you sleep in my bed for the night." Dean tells her. He gets the covers pulled down and places her under them. Dean tucks her in.
"Are you gonna kill daddy?" Evie asks. Dean looks up at her and sees the worry and fear in her eyes. He knows he caused it by promising Sam he would kill him and she's worried Dean will take Sam away.
"Evie, listen to me. You and Sammy are two of the most important people in the world to me. I know I said I promised him, but I actually promise you... I pinky promise. I pinky promise that I would never kill your dad." Dean tells her. He holds his pinky out and she links hers with his.
"Even if he does turn bad?" Evie asks, the fear in her eyes now for her dad.
"Even if he turns bad." Dean mutters. "Stop worrying about this, shorty. Go to sleep and dream about dogs and candy or something, okay?" He tells her.
"Okay." She whispers. Dean stands up, kissing her on the forehead before walking out.
+++
It's the next morning and Sam is kneeling in front of the toilet. Evie is standing at the table when Dean walks in, grinning at the sight of Sam.
"How you feeling, Sammy?" Dean loudly asks making Sam groan. "I guess mixing whiskey and Jager wasn't such a gangbuster idea, was it? I'll bet you don't remember a thing from last night, do you?"
"Ohh, I can still taste the tequila." Sam groans.
"You know, there's a really good hangover remedy. It's a, it's a greasy pork sandwich served up in a dirty ashtray." Dean says.
"Oh, I hate you." Sam says.
"I know you do. Also I slept on that small ass chair after giving your kid my bed so you didn't squash her in the middle of the night so you owe me." Dean tells him.
"Yeah, whatever." Sam mutters. Evie walks over to Sam and lightly pats his back until he hurriedly stops her. "No, no, baby. No physical contact right now. Daddy's not feeling good." He lightly pushes her hand away.
"Evie?" Dean calls getting her to turn to him. He holds out a candy bar, keeping it out of Sam's sight. Evie grins, rushing up to Dean and taking the treat.
"Hey, turns out when grandma Rose was a tyke, she had a Creole nanny who wore a hoodoo necklace." Dean says.
"So you think she taught Rose hoodoo?" Sam asks.
"Yes, I do." Dean nods.
"All right." Sam painfully stands up. "I think it's time we talked to Rose, then."
"Oh. You can brush your teeth first." Dean says, walking away from Sam. The younger brother sighs, deciding not to nod. He looks over at Evie, seeing her finishing up the candy bar.
"Really, Dean? Candy for breakfast?" Sam asks.
"What? Like it's a crime?" Dean asks.
"I... I'm dealing with it later." Sam says, getting his stuff to brush his teeth.
+++
They get to Susan's door and knock.
"Hello? Susan?" Sam calls. "Clear?" He asks his brother who was looking around.
"Mm-hmm." Dean answers. Sam kneels in front of the door and picks the lock. They walk in and go to the door near the back. They open the door to find a dimly lit staircase. Evie taps her dad's shoulder, reaching her arms out to him making grabby hands.
"What, I'm not good enough protection for you?" Dean asks as Sam takes her.
"Daddy won't attack." Evie says. Dean shrugs, not being able to disagree.
They slowly walk up the stairs to the end of another hallway. They walk up to a door that's ajar and look in to see an old woman seated on a wheelchair facing the rainy window. They slowly walk up to her.
"Mrs. Thompson? Mrs. Thompson?" Sam asks. "Rose? Hi, Mrs. Thompson, we're not here to hurt you, it's okay--" Rose doesn't respond, only trembling harder. "Rose? Dean." He quietly calls, dragging his brother to his side. "This woman's had a stroke."
"Yeah, but hoodoo's hands-on. I mean, you've got to mix herbs and chant and build an altar." Dean says.
"Yeah. So it can't be Rose. Hey, maybe it's not even hoodoo." Sam says.
"Or she could be faking." Dean suggests.
"Yeah, what are you gonna do, poke her with a stick?" Sam asks. Dean considers, nodding. "Dude! You're not gonna poke her with a stick!"
"What the hell?!" They hear Susan yell and turn to see her walk into the room. "What are you doing in here?"
"Oh, we just wanted to talk to Rose--"
"Well, the door was open--"
Sam and Dean overlap each other.
"Look at her, she is scared out of her wits. I want you out of my hotel in two minutes or I'm calling the cops." Susan threatens and they immediately leave.
+++
After saving Susan after they were supposed to leave, they're in the inn now and Susan sits at a table.
"Whiskey." Susan demands.
"Sure. I know the feeling." Sam says, going to get a glass of it.
"What the hell happened out there?" Susan asks.
"You want the truth?" Dean asks.
"Of course." Susan says.
"Well, at first we thought it was some sort of hoodoo course, but that out there? That was definitely a spirit." Dean says.
"Here." Sam hands her a glass of whiskey.
"You're insane." Susan states.
"Yeah, it's been said." Dean says.
"Look, I'm sorry, Susan. We don't exactly have time to ease you into this, but we need to know when your mother had the stroke." Sam tells her.
"What does that have to do with any--"
"Just answer the question." Sam cuts her off.
"About a month ago." Susan says.
"Right before the killings began." Sam turns to Dean. "See? So what if Rose was working hoodoo, but not to hurt anyone. To protect them."
"She was using the five spot urns to ward off the spirit." Dean says.
"Right, until she had a stroke and she couldn't anymore." Sam says.
"I don't believe this." Susan mutters.
"Listen, sister, that car didn't try to run you down by itself, okay? I mean, I guess it did, technically, but-but the spirit can-- forget it." Dean says.
"Look, believe what you want. But the fact is you and your family are in danger, all right? So you need to clear everybody out of here. Your employees, your mother, your daughters, everyone." Sam tells her.
"Um, I only have one daughter." Susan says.
"One?" Sam asks.
"I thought Tyler had a sister named Maggie." Dean says.
"Maggie's imaginary." Susan informs.
"Where's Tyler?" Sam asks.
~ ~ ~
Susan leads them up to the playroom, calling for her daughter. They get to the room to find the floor littered with broken dolls.
"Oh, my God. Tyler! Tyler! She's not here!"
"Susan. Tell us what you know about Maggie." Sam tells her.
"Uh, not much. Um, Tyler's been talking about her since mom got sick." Susan says.
"Okay, did you ever know anyone by that name?" Sam asks.
"Uh, no..."
"Think, think, I mean, somebody that could have lived here, might have passed away?" Dean asks.
"Oh, my God. My mom. My mom had a sister named Margaret. She barely spoke about her." Susan says.
"Did Margaret happen to die here when she was a kid?" Sam asks.
"She drowned in the pool." Susan states.
"Come on." Dean leads them out of the room.
~ ~ ~
The three adults run through the gardens to the pool house. They reach the door and Sam puts Evie down and all three adults pound on the door. It's locked so the brothers begin to try to break it.
"Tyler!" Susan screams. "Tyler!"
"Mommy!" Tyler yells. Maggie grabs her wrist and pulls her forward, both falling into the pool.
"Is there another entrance?" Dean asks.
"Around back." Susan says.
"All right, let's go." Dean turns to Sam. "Keep working."
Dean and Susan run around the building and Sam continues to try to break the glass. He looks around him and sees a large potted plant. Sam lifts Evie, carrying her away from the door and putting her down.
"Okay, I need you to stay right here. Don't move or walk towards the door whatsoever. Got it?" Sam tells her and she nods.
Sam grabs the potted plant and pounds on the door with it. Sam finally breaks it and makes his way through the opening. He leaps over the railing and falls into the pool. He pushes past the plastic covering and finds Tyler, grabbing her and getting both of them above water. He gets Tyler out of the pool just as Dean and Susan rush in and he lays her on the ground. After a moment, Tyler coughs, waking up.
"Thank God! Thank God, thank God." Susan mutters.
"Mommy?" Tyler calls.
"Yeah, baby, I'm here." Susan says, hugging her.
"Tyler, do you see Maggie anywhere?" Sam asks.
"No, she's gone." Tyler says.
+++
"Paramedics said it was another stroke. Do you think Margaret could have had something to do with it?" Susan asks the brothers as they watch the paramedics put Rose's body in the back of the truck.
"We don't know." Dean shrugs.
"But it's possible, yeah." Sam nods. "Susan, I'm sorry."
"You have nothing to apologize for. You've given me everything." Susan says as Tyler walks out, Susan turning to her. "You ready to go, kiddo?"
"Yeah." Tyler nods.
"Now Tyler, you're sure Maggie's not around anymore?" Dean asks.
"I'm sure. I'd see her." Tyler says.
"I guess whatever's going on must be over." Dean says. Sam holds the taxi door open for Susan.
"You two take care of yourselves, all right?" Sam tells them as Tyler is already in the car. Before getting in, Susan turns to Sam and gives him a hug.
"Thank you. Both of you." Susan says before getting in the car and Sam shuts the door.
"Think you could have hooked up some MILF action there, bud. She could've gotten some DILF action." Dean says and Sam looks at his brother. "I'm serious, I think she liked you."
"Yeah, that's all she needs." Sam says before lowering his voice. "Also, let's not talk about that crap in front of the 3 year old."
"Well, you saved the mom, you saved the girl. Not a bad day. Course you know, I could have saved 'em myself, but I didn't want you to feel useless." Dean says.
"All right, I appreciate it."
"Feels good getting back in the saddle, doesn't it?"
"Yeah, it does. But it doesn't change what we talked about last night, Dean." Sam says, putting Evie in her car seat and shutting the door after buckling her up.
"We talked about a lot of things last night."
"You know what I mean."
"You were wasted."
"But you weren't. And you promised."