When Sam awoke, he was in a warm bed. Clothes were laid out on a chair opposite him. He could smell coffee and pancakes and the faint smell of apples and cinnamon. He vaguely remembered those smells from the brief time he and Dean had been at Missouri Moseley's house. He remembered thinking "this is what home should smell like.'
A figure approached, bringing his attention back to his present situation.
"Dean?"
"Sorry to disappoint."
"Shane," Sam stated bitterly.
"What a greeting for the one who rescued you. You didn't think Dean was really coming back for you did you?" Shane sat on the edge of the bed and reached long elegant fingers out towards Sam's cheek. Sam flinched away.
"Why am I here? What did you do to me?"
Shane sighed, dropping his hand on Sam's thigh. Sam shivered pulling the covers closer to him.
"You came willingly remember?" Shane smiled a vicious smile before continuing. "Wash and get dressed. These things should fit you. We'll eat and then I'll explain as much as I can to you. I was hoping you would have come to me on your own but time is running out and you must make some decisions right away."
"What decisions?" Sam said, looking up at the man as he stood.
It was rare for Sam to meet anyone as tall as he. Shane seemed even taller.
"We'll talk after," Shane called over his shoulder.
Sam waited until he was sure the creature or man or whatever he was had gone before getting out of bed and clutching the clothes to himself. A narrow door across the room led to the bathroom. Toiletries were laid out as if he had been expected. Sam came to realize he probably was. He locked the door even though he was pretty sure Shane could get in if he wanted to and turned on the shower. He remembered coming with Shane but everything else was hazy. He was frightened when he could smell the pungent smell of sex on his body until he remembered Dean. 'I was with Dean.' Sam spoke to the mirror.
He stepped into the shower and reluctantly washed away the only physical proof of Dean's love. 'You're a liar.' Sam thought angrily. 'Dean is looking for me. Dean is worried about me. I've got to get back to Dean.'
???
Dean realized crying in an abandoned shed clutching to the scent of Sam would not get him anywhere. He pulled himself together and let his training take over. His next step was to get back to his father. Then he was going to track down Shane. He was sure it would lead him to Sam. If Sam was an incubus, Dean knew he needed to find out as much as he could. They had some books among their possessions and Sam had been doing an Internet search before all hell broke loose. Dean realized he hadn't really gotten any sleep, yet he wasn't exhausted. In fact, he felt quite the opposite, pumped up on adrenalin and the need to have Sam back in his arms again.
Dean flipped open his phone and scrolled to his father's number. John answered immediately. Dean told his him about Sam in a cool rational manner and agreed to meet him back on the pier. Since he still wasn't sure how much he could trust his father, he decided to listen to what the man had to say but not mention Shane or the incubus thing to his father until he had more information. Dean didn't want to have to chose between John Winchester and Sam, but he knew if it came down to it, he'd chose Sam hands down.
He made his way back to his car and drove in silence back to his father. There wasn't any music that would set Dean's mood right except maybe the crappy alt rock that Sam was so fond of. My Immortal, came to mind and Dean couldn't help but wonder, 'Are you Sam...are you my immortal." He decided that if he ever got Sam back, he would pay for a cd player and take Sam to the music store of his choice and spend every last dime on whatever his little brother wanted. He pushed back the thought that whatever was happening to Sam might take him away forever.
???
"Most of it you've figured out already," Shane said nonchalantly, reaching for another pancake." You're an incubus, nightmare, demon lover, vampire, whatever human's chose to call us. I suppose we should start with how and why then."
Sam pushed his pancakes around on his plate. He remained silent and nodded. He couldn't be sure the man across from him was even capable of telling him the truth but he learned from Dean to listen and separate the meat from the bone. Shane continued.
"Your mother was a succubus. She visited your earthly father many times and fell in love with him. She gave up immortality and took on human form permanently to be with him. When our kind does this, staying in our human form over a period of time causes us to gradually forget who we are." Shane paused to make sure Sam was following him. When Sam nodded again he resumed. "As you may or may not know, we do need to procreate. A succubus will choose a human lover to impregnate her. That child will often grow up to be a leader or warrior of some kind. Very strong with unusually long life, but still part human."
"Dean." The words slipped from Sam's mouth.
"Dean," Shane confirmed. "Likewise and incubus will impregnate a woman by visiting her in her dreams. You've heard the stories of women feeling they were held down and raped in their sleep. Hell, they've even made movies about it. Well those children are equally powerful but still part human as well."
Shane looked up and smiled a devilish smile before continuing. "You and I my friend are something much more. It was an incubus that impregnated your mother. Such couplings are only permitted for the elite among us. My mother was of common lineage but your mother was of royal blood. This incubus returned because your mother was beginning to remember and he wanted to silence her and keep you for himself. He purposely did what he did to create a powerful lineage and rule the demon world."
"How do you know all this?" Sam asked, still trying to process all he had heard.
"Because this incubus was my father as well," Shane answered, sipping his coffee as if he'd just announced the day's weather.
Sam's mind was racing. Some of the things that were happening him were obvious proof of all Shane had said, his change being foremost and that weird thing that happened at Max's house, when he moved the cabinet by sheer force of will. He'd seen what Max could do and what he had become. Now Shane was basically saying he had the same powers. Sam knew he was at a disadvantage. His father had trained him to be a warrior but he didn't have a handle on whatever knew abilities were emerging. He needed to play it cool.
"So I'm an incubus and we're brothers. Where does Dean fit in? Why did you date him and why are all these men disappearing?"
Shane ate the last bite of his breakfast before raising the plate filled with pancakes and offering it to Sam. Sam waved him off and the man across from him helped himself.
"You'll gain quite an appetite once you become your true self. Sex always makes me hungry," Shane smiled malevolently before resuming his story.
Sam tried to remain impassive. He wasn't sure if the man across the table could read his mind so he focused solely on the tale that was being told.
"Dean is ...how shall I put this...what was the term they used in that horrid wizard movie...ah yes a half blood prince. "
Sam furrowed his brow. First of all, he happened to like Harry Potter movies and if he had a wand 'did his powers come with a wand,' he wondered, he'd wipe the smirk off Shane's face by turning him into a toad.
"His allegiance is crucial," Shane continued, fully aware of Sam's thoughts.
???
Dean listened emotionless as he and his father sat in a motel room sipping coffee and eating breakfast sandwiches. His brother was indeed an incubus and a powerful one at that. At least he would be when he came into all of his powers. Dean fought back a smile of pride when his dad told him that he too was powerful but half human. Sam's protector was what his father had said. Dean tried hard to focus on what John was saying but deep down he knew all he needed to know. His job was to protect and right now he was doing that. It left him feeling emptier than the day Sam left for college. Those feelings back then had been more than a brother missing another brother. He knew that now. Shane had been a substitute for Sam. Dean knew now that he'd always loved Sam. He'd never been able to find words to express it, but now that they'd expressed it in more than words, he sensed they were bonded together.
"This demon probably killed your mother for knowing the truth and trying to protect Sam," John continued. "Missouri believes Mary's powers were weak from remaining human for too long but from what you told me about your last trip to Lawrence, she reverted back to her original form and used her powers to save you and Sam."
"That's why she apologized," Dean muttered. "She was sorry for what was going to happen."
"You're probably right," John nodded. He wished he had come to the house and helped his sons. He wished he could have seen his Mary one last time. "Dean, when I was in California, I told you this thing was bigger than I suspected and it is."
"What do you mean dad. What's going on?"
John shook his head, "I'm not sure but these creatures are everywhere and they're gearing up for something, I can feel it. Sam is apart of it. Maybe even an important part and so are you. Jessica was killed for a reason. I think she was sent to mate with Sam. She may have been like Mary. Missouri and I talked about it this morning. She believes Jessica was killed because she failed in her mission. Sam left with you. It seems important that you two be kept apart."
Dean didn't know how much to divulge. It was beginning to seem that way too. His near electrocution. The doppelganger trying to poison Sam's mind and get taking over his own body, trying to get him killed in the process. He didn't even want to think about the incident at the asylum. Dean sensed now more than ever before that forces were definitely at work trying to separate them. How many times had Shane tried to convince Dean to run off with him? He'd even become physically violent with him over it.
"Dean," John said, reaching out for his son's hand, "whatever is going on, I trust you to make the right decision."
"I shouldn't have left him," Dean shook his head. "I should have known better. I'd left him before and..." Dean closed his eyes. He had never cried in front of his father and he wasn't about to now.
"That was a long time ago and you were a child. I'm sorry Dean. I'm so sorry."
Both men fought back tears. They sat in silence for a few minutes until Dean finally spoke.
"So you and Missouri, is it serious," he smiled mischievously."
"Dean," John blushed.
It was a rare comfortable moment between the two men that had spent what seemed like a lifetime fighting side by side.
"Dad. I think I know how to find Sam."
"How?"
"You can't be around though dad. He doesn't..."
"Trust me, I know," John finished. "How are you going to find him?"
"I have to go to sleep."
???
"Why is this happening to me now?" Sam asked.
"You're twenty-two," Shane stated matter of factly before helping himself to more coffee.
"Is that supposed to mean something to me?"
"Forgive me. I thought by now you would have figured it out, you being the college boy and all."
Sam pushed his chair back. He was losing patience with the smug creature across from him. Shane held his hands up in surrender.
"Please...please sit. I'll explain it. I insist you eat something. You'll need your strength."
Sam remained seated and reached for his coffee cup, nodding for Shane to continue. Shane smirked when Sam sniffed the coffee before drinking.
"Don't worry, I haven't poisoned you. Besides you already transformed once. Poison wouldn't work anymore."
Before Sam could unleash a verbal assault on him, Shane continued. "In numerology and other belief systems, the number 22 is very significant. It is the number of destiny, stimulation of the self, including the sensual intimate self. Sam, simply put you're coming into your destiny. Twenty-two represents the Master Builder or Spiritual Master if you will. Right now you feel as if you are living in two separate worlds. On the one hand you long for the mundane, the norm on the other hand you deal with the fantastic, the supernatural. It's time for the two to come together Sam. I'm not your enemy; I am your brother, your ally.
"Dean's my brother," Sam said, rising from the table. "Thanks for your hospitality but I've got to get back to Dean."
Suddenly Sam felt dizzy. He knew instantly why. "Liar," he said, lunging in vain at the taller man who was now out of his chair and stepping quickly toward him.
Shane held Sam in his arms, "I didn't lie. It's not poison, I promise. You'll rest while I figure out our next move."
Shane dragged Sam back to the sofa and laid him out. He knew better than to tamper with him, it was strictly forbidden by the others. Shane only hoped that Sam wouldn't dream but even if he did, it was daylight and Dean would be awake. There was no chance that they could communicate.