Disclaimer: Do I even have to say that, Dean, Sam, and John are owned by the WB, the CW, and Warner.
Chapter 8: When We Were Young
It had been days since they'd gone on a hunt and they were worrying me. They worried me because they had been arrested in the hunt before and it scared me to think of how close it was. It was such a close call! That was after we left the Road House because of some...unforseen issues. I worried about the fact that we'd come up against some other kind of beastie soon and I was not ready, plus I was going to take the ACT's in about a month...not exactly the best time to tell me they were going on a hunt, especially when it meant leaving me behind hotel while they left. First though, we got a bit of coffee.
" What do they got on you?" Dean asked Sam.
Sam's face scrunched to look at his laptop, " I'm sure they haven't post it yet." he said.
" What? No accessory? Nothing?" Dean taunted.
" Shut up." Sam said quickly
" You're jealous?" Dean laughed.
" No I'm not. I got something!" Sam said urgently.
" What do you got on the case there, you innocent, harmless young man you?" Dean taunted, once again.
I smiled and sat down between them, " Dean, not really something I'm ready to joke about, plus it's not something to brag about." I smirked.
" Thank you, Chalis." Sam said, relieved.
" Yeah, it's not Sam's fault he's squeaky clean." I said, causing Dean to laugh.
" Hey, do I bring up the night you felt like dancing on tables?" Sam said, making me stop.
" No fair, I was possessed. Besides, I liked it." I chuckled.
Dean laughed even harder, " Calm down, Striptease, I'm sure Goody didn't mean anything by it and I'm sure he enjoyed it." he said, studying the book they had been researching.
" I'm just glad I didn't have sex with anyone." I said, sipping my coffee.
" Me too." Sam said without thinking.
Dean stopped and looked over the book, " Huh?" he said.
Sam looked from Dean to me, " Well, isn't it obvious?" I said, trying to find an excuse.
" Enlighten me." Dean said with a smirk.
" There are so many stds out there...I'd think you'd be more worried for me." I said, mentally congratulating myself.
" I am, it's just that we were behind you the whole time." Dean said in his usual smart-ass tone.
" So, all this studying? I'm guessing it's not the ACT's ( I picked up the book with the Hell Hound on it.) Then again, I think this covers it." I said, sitting the book down and sipping my coffee.
" No, we're leaving and we need you to stay here. We could take you, but seeing as how it's a big demonic dog...I don't want you anywhere near it." Dean said, bringing out his wallet.
" Cue the fit." I smiled, " No, I'm good. I need to study anyways." I said weakly.
" Transparent, but thanks for not being mad." Sam said, closing his laptop.
" Hey, I'm not a kid anymore, right?" I said, trying to convey happiness.
" Yeah, plus there is the iPod, the tv, PSP, and..." Dean trailed off.
I punched him in the arm, " Dean, you're so gross." I said, laughing.
Dean smiled and got up from his chair, " I've got to pee, be right back." he said, heading to the bathroom.
Sam immediately looked up from his laptop and smiled, " You know, I really want you to come, but I think things could get a little too dicey and the less people, the better." Sam explained
" Sam. I don't care, all I care about is that you're okay. And that Dean's okay...I had a dream. Standard prophetic dream, cute girl, Dean, Crossroads...lots of talking. You and some guy running. Be careful. There's a big...big dog and I don't want you to...I want you to come back alive and in one piece." I said truthfully.
" If not one piece, then which piece do you want?" he smiled, but I didn't. He grabbed my hand on the table, " As long as you're here, I'm coming back." he said, taking his hand back as he saw Dean again.
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When we got back to the hotel, they packed weapons and got ready to go and I helped, but I stopped the smell of smoke.
I sniffed the air, " Do you guys smell that?" I said, walking to the window. I looked out and immediately saw the flames across the street!
" Yeah, but it can't be here." Sam said, checking the hall.
" I think you're right." I said, pointing out the window. They joined me, watching the flames explode from the building! We immediately ran from the hotel, joining the crowd on the street Apparently everyone had gotten out, but a middle aged man. A fireman had just come through the flames with a child wrapped in a blanket before flames shot out of the building! I, along with the crowd, jumped back and into Sam. The child's mother ran to him quickly and I frowned. The little boy didn't take his eyes off the building and I looked to where he was looking and saw a figure standing in the window! I turned to show the guys, but when I turned around, the figure had gone.
" What?" Dean asked, not taking his eyes off the window.
I flipped out, " There was someone there! I swear!" I swore.
" We need to get out of here. Come on, we're going to take you back to the hotel and go." Dean said, quickly ushering me back across the street. Sam walked with me there and Dean went to make sure everything was okay, which left Sam and I alone.
" I'm glad he's gone." Sam said, kissing me.
" It's been so long since we've been alone" I said, kissing again.
" And now I'm leaving again. So, I can tell you're freaking out, but I want you to leave that building alone, and seriously be careful. When I come back, I want you in one piece." he smiled, kissing me again. This time we started making out until we heard Dean coming back.
He entered and stared at us, " Hey, you ready?" he asked Sam. Sam nodded and I raised my eyebrow. " What?" he added.
" I don't get a goodbye?" I said sarcastically.
" I was gettin to it." he chuckled.
" Well, I'm going to the Impala. Remember what I said." sam said, leaving the room.
I smiled and Dean noticed, " What did he say?" Dean asked.
" Something about being careful, among other things." I said, laughing to myself.
Dean nodded, " Good advice, but I can tell there's something up with the building across the street, so I left you a few goodies. Under the bed, a book and some weapons. Be careful, ki..." but he stopped when I looked at him shocked.
" If you say that, I'll cut off your dick." I said sincerely.
Dean chuckled, " Just make sure you're in one piece when I get back." Dean smirked, turning to leave.
I scoffed, " Is that in the handbook or something? Only if you make the same promise. Look, something tells me that...you feel bad because you think your dad sacrificed himself for you. If he did, then good on him. He saw in you what Sam sees in you...what other people see in you...what I see in you. He saw what you don't see in yourself. Promise that you won't do anything dumb." I said, punching him in the arm.
" What exactly do you see in me?" Dean smirked.
" I'll tell you when you get back." I smiled. He smiled back and walked out the door, shutting it.
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I stayed mostly inside, but I ventured out every now and then. I went to the store in search of food and amenities. Everything was going great until the 2nd week, when I got back from the store and I happened to stop and look up at the window of the building across the street. I looked up to see the kid from the fire and the same figure from the other day. He was a few feet taller than the kid. He looked to be about John's age, but he was very unkempt and looked as if he hadn't been around people in a while. I blinked and they were gone! I almost dropped my sack when I saw it.
I panicked to find the keys, " Yep, looks like my new name is Veronica Mars." I said finally getting the right key and opening the door. I stumbled into the room and saw my cell lighting up and I answered.
" Hey. What's up." Sam said, shocked I'd answered.
" I'm being supernaturally stalked, how about you?" I said sarcastically.
I could hear his worry already, " Do you need us to come back?" he asked over Dean, who was asking, " What's going on?!"
" No. No. I've got it, but thanks. I'm sure after whatever it is gets done with my bones, it'll send my soul to you." I laughed. Sam, however, didn't.
" Look, we can turn around." He said seriously.
" No. Promise me that you'll go and help the...singer, is it?" I asked, " Go! Help the world and I'll do the Veronica Mars thing. Don't worry, I called Ash and got some info on the building. Apparently, kids have been disappearing from there and the guy I saw in the window was a suspect. I have to go, but I'll see you guys later." I said, hanging up.
For the next few days, I watched the window, trying to find any sign that something was wrong until one day I found it. I slowly moved to the window and noticed that the kid and his mother were leaving and I went to the bed and looked under it. I found a crossbow, a cross, holy water, and the knife I had saved. I also found a book of demons, spirits, and spells to deal with both. I hurried to the door and across the street.
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I crept up the stairs in the apartment and watched for cameras and anyone who would question why I was there. The apartment was so quiet that crickets chirped louder than any noise inside the building. There was no sound...no tv, no baby cries, and no sign of anyone living there. That wasn't the weirdest thing though...the place showed no signs that a major fire had happened 2 weeks ago. I made my way to the room where I saw the guy and the kid and I entered. It, however, didn't stand well against the fire. I immediately felt like I shouldn't be there. I found myself in the middle of the room, staring out the window and I felt someone brush past me and I looked around! I saw something move near the bedroom and I went to check it out, but just as I opened the door, the man popped up and threw me across the cindered room! I laid there for a minute, then got up and looked around. I backed back until I found myself in a corner but I noticed the wall was further than where I was and I turned to see the man staring at me!
" GET OUT!" he shrieked and I nearly pissed my pants.
I pulled out my cross, " What's going on? I did my research on this place and a lot of kids have disappeared here...did you kill them?" I asked, pretending I wasn't scared.
He snarled at me, " I said..." he got ready to shout, but I interrupted.
"...Answer the fucking question! Are you the one responsible for the children that have gone missing?!" I shouted.
He looked at me as if he was about to shred me to pieces, " No. It was him." He said, looking at the window.
I turned and looked at the window, " He? So it wasn't you? I searched you, you were a teacher before you...the kids started disappearing right after you were fired, explain that." I said, faking confidence.
He began to sob, " No! I didn't. I swear, I didn't. He is...he can do things that no one is supposed to be able to do." he stopped, " He is coming!" he said, disappearing.
" He scares ghosts...I wanna be here when he comes." I said, turning to leave, but my eyes quickly fell on the kid at the door. The same from the fire and the window, " Hello." I said calmly.
He looked at me in his most, " Damien from the Omen" type way, " You aren't supposed to be here." he said, showing no emotion.
" Run along, kid." I said, ignoring him.
The kid smiled twistedly, " I warned you!" He said, squinting his eyes and I flew back against the wall! " You should be going now." He said, waiting for me to do what he said. His smugness disappeared when I didn't leave.
I sat up, " I said I was going to be Veronica, not Buffy!" I said impatiently.
" How...why didn't you leave?" he asked.
A wave of realization washed over me in that second. I realized that he was able to make things happen. I remembered the words of the apparition, " He can do things no one is supposed to do." and I smiled.
" You see, I have gifts of my own. Your little mind tricks don't work on me." I said, walking closer to him.
" Get him!" He commanded and I stopped, wondering who he was talking about. I found the answers in the form of the apparition and it choked me. The kid laughed while I choked! The apparition threw me at the window, but I hit the ceiling and the window at the same time, not falling out of the window. The glass shattered and I fell to the floor, not able to move. I felt an eerie coldness creep up on me and I knew the apparition was about to do more bodily harm to me. I looked up and saw the apparition holding a torch and the kid holding gasoline. I felt a twinge and suddenly it was so clear!
-vision-
A ball rolled down the hallway and stopped at the apparition's door. The apparition was alive then and picked up the ball. The kid ran down the hall after the and stopped at the apparition. " Hello, Mr. Dellia. Wanna start a fire?" the kid smirked jokingly.
-vision-
I looked up, blood trickling down my chin and saw the gasoline being poured and I looked directly into the apparition's eyes, " Do it." I choked and he turned to the kid. The kid turned to run, but the apparition appeared in front of him! He snatched the gas from the kid and poured it on the kid. I sneered, " You killed those kids. Why?" I asked.
He gasped, " Because...the man with the yellow eyes told me." he smirked, trying to grab the torch, but the apparition, Mr. Dellia, turned it on! The boy ignited and ran around the room, trying to put himself out.
" Didn't you ever teach him to stop, drop, and roll?" I asked sarcastically.
" Leave." the apparition smiled. I nodded and ran to the door, but stopped as I heard his voice, " Thank you." he said and I smiled and slipped out of the apartment and down the stairs. I stopped when I heard, " Quincy!" and a scream from his mother as I hopped down the last few stairs, attempting to leave as fast as possible.
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I stood outside, in a crowd, watching the building burn. I watched the building burn in awe, ashes and blood on my clothes. I was out of place, but no one seemed to notice. I felt a tap on my back and turned to see Sam and Dean. They looked me up and down with a concerned look on their faces.
Sam dusted my jacket, " What'd you do?" he asked.
I didn't say a word, I just looked back up to the burning building.
Dean walked in front of me and shook me, " Are you okay?" he asked, concerned.
My face had no emotion whatsoever, " The kid that the fireman pulled out of th...he was like us. He killed the other kids and his teacher and then tried to burn the place down." I explained
" Did he do this to you? Is that your blood, or his?" Sam asked, surveying my jacket.
" Kiddo, are you okay?" Dean asked.
I started to cry, " I killed the kid. I had to, I'm so sorry. He was going to kill more people and the..." I stopped when I noticed I was drawing attention from others who'd gathered on the street. Dean and Sam looked around and noticed too. They ushered me back to the hotel and we got the rest of our stuff. Sam took everything to the car and I looked out the window.
Dean patted me on the shoulder, " You had to do it. Who knows who would have been next." he said, trying to comfort me.
I frowned, " I killed a kid. Not a demon." I choked and began to sob.
" He was evil..." Dean trailed off. I was too busy looking at the window of the building across the street. Apparently the firefighters had saved the parents, but then they brought out a body bag, a small one. I knew in an instance that it was "Quincy". I looked up at the window again and I saw Mr. Dellia and Quincy. Mr. Dellia disappeared in a wave of white light and Quincy disappeared in a wave of gray light, " ...You're a good person and you can't see it in yourself. Is that what you see in me?" Dean continued.
I looked back at him, " Yeah. Even when you don't see it, I do." I then looked back at the window and saw yellow eyes, " I see everything." I added.