#spnfics

Chapter 3

As she stood watching the paramedics take Meg’s body out the front door she couldn’t help but think about what had happened to her father’s body. Had whoever found him given him a proper burial? Did they cremate him or did they bury him? Had anyone actually found him or was his body still lying there, cold and alone?

“Miss?” The deputy said bringing her back to reality. “Can you repeat that last bit for me please?”

“Yeah, sure. I came in and saw Bobby on the phone, apparently talking to you guys, and saw the girl on the floor, dead.” Just as she and Bobby had rehearsed.

“And where were you when the fall occurred?” The deputy said as he wrote her statement down.

“I wasn’t here. I just arrived.”

“Just arrived?”

“I’m just visiting.” She took a deep breath, “My father just passed and Bobby is the only family I have and he offered to put me up for a while.” She felt a stitch in her side tighten. She had said it out loud for the first time.

“Alright, and just to clarify, you’ve never seen this girl before today?”

“No, sir, I have not.”

Bobby’s story was that she was a transient that was helping him on a few projects in exchange for cash and she was up on the roof of the shop fixing a leak when she slipped and fell. It was the only “accident” he could think of that would explain her injuries.

When the deputies and the paramedics had gotten on their way Bobby turned to Brooke and looked her straight in the eye. He didn’t speak, he just looked at her for a good few seconds, then gestured for her to follow him outside. As they walked through the lot her mind went back to what had happened to her father’s body. She didn’t want to think about it, it hurt to think the man that had always been there, the man that had protected her all her life was reduced to a body, an empty shell. Sure they didn’t get along much the past few years and he always made her feel underappreciated and useless, but he was her father and she had to know if he was given the proper respects, the respects of a hunter. She wiped away a tear as she spoke, “Bobby, do you know what happened to my dad’s body?”

He stopped walking and turned to face her. A look of surprise mixed with utter concern on his face. She could tell he was surprised she was ready to even talk about my father yet. “A hunter friend of mine found him and Caleb and gave them both a hunter’s send off. Proper respects were paid and proper care was given.”

“Thanks.”

He nodded and continued walking toward the shop.

It was customary to salt and burn the body of a hunter upon their demise. Angry ghosts are generally created through a brutal death. Many hunters don’t wish to roam this earth and become the things that they hunt, and as they more often than not die a gruesome death, the only way to prevent this is to salt and burn the body. It’s become almost ritualistic with wrapping the body in white cloth and then placing it upon a large pyre of wood to be burned. There were still some that opted for the traditional burial, but her dad had wanted to be burned and she was happy to hear his wishes had been carried out.

They stopped walking just outside the shop next to a beaten up, rusting sedan. To which Bobby gestured.

“What about it?” It was a piece of junk, not even worth a dime.

“This is your project to earn your keep. Tear her down. Anything worth keeping I want you to put in the shop, everything else is to go over in that bin. And when you’re done with this one, I’ll give ya another.” He tipped his hat and walked away.

Brooke knew this project was a bunch of bull. There was nothing on this car worth salvaging so tearing this car down served no purpose but to keep her busy. Bobby of course was well aware that she knew this. She just shook my head and got to work. She welcomed the busy work. The less idle she was the less likely she was to let her mind wander. She knew she would have to face it all eventually, and that she would have to deal with it, but she just wasn’t ready to do that all quite yet. She knew my father had been given a hunter’s send off and for now that was enough for her. She would deal with the rest of it later.

 As she wiped grease from her hands she realized the sun was going down. She hadn’t realized she had been at this project for that long. She tossed the rag in a bin and headed up to the house.

“I was just about to give you a holler.” Bobby said from in front of the stove, as she walked in the back door and took off her boots. “I hope you like sausage it’s all I got right now,” he gave her a sheepish smile. Bobby was a constant bachelor and lived alone with very few guests. She hardly expected him to prepare her a five course meal with game hen as the main course, let alone cook for her at all.

“Sausage is fine.” She said as she grabbed a couple beers from the nearly empty fridge. She made a mental note to do some proper grocery shopping tomorrow.

She sat down at the small kitchen table and set one of the beers on the side closest to him. As Bobby cooked she looked around the room and realized how run down this place really was. When she was younger she thought it was cool that Bobby lived in this run down place, gave him more of an edge, but now, as she took in the peeling wallpaper and discolored kitchen cabinets, she realized just how alone Bobby really was. His wife had died long before she had met him and he’d been alone ever since.

She was lost in thoughts about Bobby and his life when she felt something scratch her arm. She looked down and saw that on the arm of the chair were rub marks. This had been the chair they had tied Meg to earlier. This was the chair that innocent girl had been strapped down to while they exorcised the demon that had taken over her body. Brooke wondered if she had been awake through it all and if she had lived would she still feel the straps rubbing her wrists raw years later as Brooke still did. She closed her eyes and reminded herself that John had been doing what he thought he had to.

She looked up to see Bobby standing beside the table, plates in hand, staring at her. When they made eye contact he gave an unsure smile and set a plate in front of her. They ate in silence. She could tell by his sideways glances that Bobby was concerned for her. She had been through a lot these past couple days. She would be concerned for her too if she were him. She wanted to tell him that she was okay, that she would get through it, but she honestly didn’t know if she was okay or not.

She thanked Bobby for the meal and headed off to the spare room. On her way out of the kitchen she spotted a bottle of whiskey amongst some books that was still half full. She grabbed it as she walked by, hoping Bobby didn’t see, but she knew he had.

She sat on the floor with her back against the bed and stared at the wall. Her mind immediately began to reel. She wasn’t sure which emotion to feel first or which thought was forming when. They all just came in a rush all jumbled together. She took a long draw from the whiskey and welcomed the burn.

Chapter Two

Brooke woke to the sound of voices, rolled over and saw that it was ten in the morning. She figured she better get her ass outta bed and make herself useful. If she kept herself busy she might be able to fend off another night like the last. She slipped on some fresh clothes and tied her hair up in a pony tail, before she made her way down the stairs. When she reached the landing she froze. The voices mixed in with Bobby’s were voices she knew. Voices she hadn’t heard in years. They belonged to Sam and Dean.

They were talking about how they had found the thing that killed their mom and how a demon that seemed to be working for it was killing off their friends because they had found the colt. The colt was rumored to be able to kill anything, even demons, not just send them back to hell, but kill them for good. All hunters believed this gun to be fictitious, but if a demon had its panties in a twist over John having his hands on it than the rumors must be true.  They talked about how the demon offered John a truce if he would give up the colt. Of course John wasn’t that stupid so he left the real gun with the boys and took a fake to meet up with the demon. Apparently the boys had located the thing that killed their mom and John was giving them the time they needed to use the colt and take care of it for good. That’s when he went missing.

Anger grew inside her at the mention of John, the man who was responsible for all this, the man that had gotten her father killed. She wasn’t angry with the boys; they obviously would have had no clue as to their father’s plan, that’s how John was. If the demon that killed her father had John and the boys planned on going after it she wanted in. She slowly made her way down the stairs, careful not to make any of the stairs squeak. As she walked into the kitchen she heard Dean say to Bobby, “Thanks Bobby, thanks for everything. To tell you the truth I wasn’t sure if we should come.”

“Nonsense,” Bobby replied, “Your daddy needs help.”

“Well yeah, but the last time we saw you, I mean, you did threaten to blast him full of buck shot. You cocked the shot gun and everything.”

“John seems to have that affect on people,” She said as she leaned against the door way with my arms crossed. Dean turned around; a look of utter surprise on his face, while Sam looked up from a book and without hesitating walked towards her and with his six foot five frame took all five foot nine of her up in a hug. Brooke noticed that she still had that same uneasy feeling in his presence that she had had when they were kids. “Hiya Sam.” she said when he put me down. She glanced over at Dean, who averted his eyes, “Dean.”

He nodded, but didn’t say anything.

“What are you doing here?” Sam asked with a hint of concern.

“Hiding out,” she shrugged. “Your dad called me yesterday and told me…” she couldn’t bring myself to say it out loud, “told me what happened and, uh, said I should hide out here until this is all over, just in case.”

“I don’t know exactly how much ‘hiding out’ you’re gonna be doing here,” Dean said with a scowl on his face.

“What do you mean?” She glanced from Dean, to Bobby, to Sam, and back to Dean.

“It’s coming here, or at least we hope it is.” Sam interjected when Dean declined to answer.

“The demon? The one that killed… Pastor Jim and Caleb?” She just couldn’t bring herself to say it out loud.

“Yeah, Bobby has this idea that we can trap it in one of these protective circles,” He walked back to the book he had been reading when she walked in. “See.” He turned to a page depicting a circle, within which were a pentagram and another circle. Within the circles were odd symbols and letters.

“They really work?” She asked. If Sam was right and that thing was coming here she wanted to be sure they could trap it and return the favor.

“Oh yeah, you get a demon in one they’re trapped, powerless. It’s like a satanic roach motel.” Bobby said as he took a seat on the edge of his desk.

“Man knows his stuff.” Dean said breaking his silence.

“I’ll tell you something else too.” He looked at Sam and Dean. “This is some serious crap you boys have stepped in. Normal year I hear of, say three demonic possessions, maybe four tops.”

“And?” Dean asked as he took a seat on the couch.

“This year I heard of twenty seven so far. You get what I’m sayin?” He looked them each in the face. “More and more demons are walking among us. A lot more.”

“Do you know why?” Sam asked.

“No, but I know it’s something big. Storms comin and you boys and your daddy are smack in the middle of it.” Bobby glanced over at Brooke, “and dragging others in with ya.”

Just then the dog began to bark. Bobby and Brooke dashed to the window and through the blinds saw the chain, but no dog on the end of it. Brooke’s head began to swim, “Something’s here,” she said just as the back door was busted down and in walked a gal with short blond hair.

Dean reached into his pocket and came out with a flask of which Brooke assumed contained holy water. He took a step towards the girl who took one look at him and with a wave of her hand sent him flying across the room. Definitely a demon!

“No more crap.” She turned her attention to Sam, “I want the colt Sam, the real colt, right now.”

“We don’t have it on us. We buried it,” Sam said as he backed out of the kitchen into the study.

“Didn’t I say, ‘no more crap?’ I swear after everything I’ve heard about you Winchesters, I gotta tell you, I’m a bit underwhelmed.” She slowly walked after Sam as Brooke helped Dean to his feet. “First John tries to pawn off a fake gun and then he leaves the real gun with you two morons. Lack luster man. I mean did you really think I wouldn’t find you?”

“Actually we were counting on it.” Dean said as he walked into the study with Brooke on his heels. The blonde chick gave him this evil look. To which Dean replied by looking up. Brooke followed his gaze to find one of those protective circles painted on the ceiling. If Bobby was right, this chick wasn’t going anywhere.

She stood back as she watched Sam and Dean tie the chick to a chair, bringing back memories of her time in the chair.  “So this is the demon that’s been ganking people, I assume?” Brooke asked Sam as he walked by. Her head continued to swim as she shared presence with the demon, a sensation she had gotten used to over the years, but still found unsettling. Her dad had been the only one who knew this about her.

“Yeah, that’s me.” The blonde chick answered for him. “You look familiar. Have we met?”

“Highly doubt it. I’m sure if we had you wouldn’t be here to talk about it.” Brooke took a step towards the girl, a menacing glee welling up inside her as she realized she was about to exact her revenge.

“Oh, now I see it. The family resemblance.” A smile crept across the girl’s face. “I’m the one that watched your daddy choke on his own blood. Yeah he looked just like you do right now just before my blade slid acro-“ Brooke slugged her across the face with all the force she could muster. The blonde chick just laughed.

Sam grabbed Brooke’s arm and pulled her out of the room, giving her a disciplinary look. She jerked her arm out of his grasp and turned to find Dean giving her a complimentary look from the other side of the study.

“I salted the doors and windows. If there are any demons out there, they ain’t gettin’ in.” Bobby said as he entered the room screwing the cap back on a metal container.

The boys exchanged looks and Dean stepped in front of the girl. “Where’s our father, Meg?” The demon had a name, interesting.

She smiled, “You didn’t ask very nice.”

Dean rolled his eyes. “Where’s our father, Bitch?”

“Geeze, you kiss your mother with that mouth?” She let out a little giggle, “Oh I forgot, you don’t.” Brooke closed my eyes and sighed, talking about Mary was a sure way to piss Dean off, which it did.

“You think this is a frickin’ game?” He practically yelled as he leaned over the chair, putting his face in hers. “Where is he!? What did you do to him!?”

“He died screaming. I killed him myself.” Meg said almost reluctantly.

Brooke watched Dean’s back go rigid just before he back handed Meg across the face.

“That’s kinda a turn on, you hitting a girl.” Meg said with a flirtatious look on her face.

“You’re no girl.” Dean said with disgust.

“Dean.” Bobby stood up and walked out of the room.

Dean turned to follow and Sam fell into step with him, “You okay?”

“She’s lying, he’s not dead.” Dean said in anger.

“Dean you gotta be careful with her. Don’t hurt her.” Bobby said once they were all convened in the kitchen.

“Why?” Dean said with a look of confusion on his face,

“Because she really is a girl, that’s why.”

“What are you talking about?” Sam interjected.

“She’s possessed. That’s a human possessed by a demon, can’t you tell?” They all looked back at Meg. Who looked back at them with a crooked, cynical smile.

“You’re trying to tell me that there’s a girl in there somewhere?” Dean asked with surprise.

Bobby just nodded.

Brooke instinctively reached up and ran her fingers over her scar, and quickly realized that yesterday’s makeup may not be covering it so well. She saw Dean’s gaze catch her movement. He saw her putting her hand to her face and the look on his changed from frustration to defeat. Then it hit her.

“That’s actually good news.” She said. She rummaged through the piles of books until she found the right one. “Exorcism.” she said when she received quizzical looks from all three of them. Each of them replied with a look that could only be described as “duh”. She quickly found the page they needed and handed the book to Dean, who happened to be looking over her shoulder.

“Nice.” He patted her on the shoulder. “Here Sammy, my Latin’s a little rusty.” He handed the book to Sam and walked back into the study. Sam gave Brooke a look asking if she wanted to do the honors, but she waved him off. Her Latin was a little rusty too, that and rather than worrying if she was pronouncing things correctly she preferred to watch the bitch suffer.

Back in the study Brooke stood directly in front of Meg, the better to see her squirm. She had killed her father and for that she was going straight back to hell.

Meg’s gaze moved from Brooke, to Dean, to Sam who was holding the book.

“You gonna read me a bedtime story?”

“Something like that.” Brooke smiled.

“Hit it, Sam.” Dean said from behind her.

“Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii, omnis legio, omnis congregatio et secta diabolica.”

“An exorcism? Are you serious?” Meg looked Brooke straight in the eye.

“Oh we’re going for it baby, head spinning, projectile vomiting, the whole nine yards.” Dean said as he walked around the chair.

Through all this Sam continued to read. “Ergo, draco maledicte et omnis legio diabolica, adjuramus te, cessa decipere humanas creaturas,”

Meg began to cringe and Sam stopped reading and looked at Dean.

“I’m gonna kill you.” Meg said. “I’m going to rip the bones from your body.”

“No, you’re gonna burn in hell, unless you tell us where our dad is.” Dean leaned in from behind her and said in her ear. Meg just stared forward. “Well at least you’ll get a nice tan.” He looked up and gave Sam the signal to keep reading.

“eisque æternæ perditionìs venenum propinare Vade, satana, inventor et magister omnis fallaciæ, hostis humanæ salutis, Humiliare sub potenti manu Dei, contremisce et effuge, invocato a nobis sancto et terribili Nomini quem inferi tremunt Ab insidiis diaboli, libera nos, Domine.”

Meg began to writhe in pain as Sam continued to read the exorcism.

“AH!”

Sam stopped reading.

Meg looked Brooke straight in the eye and said, “He begged for his life you know. Your father and theirs.” She looked from Brooke to Sam. “Your dad begged with tears in his eyes. He begged to see his boys one last time. That’s when I slit his throat.” Sam and Dean exchanged looks and Sam went right back to reading, a look of determination on his face.

“Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii, omnis legio, omnis congregatio et secta diabolica”

Dean walked around and confronted Meg to her face. He leaned in and said, “For your sake, I hope you’re lying. Cuz if it’s true, I swear to GOD! I will march into hell myself and I will slaughter, each and every one of you evil sons of bitches, so help me god.” Meg cried out in agony as Sam continued to read. “Where is he?” Dean asked as he began to walk around the room once more.

“You just won’t take dead for an answer will you?” Meg said in between grunts and groans.

“WHERE IS HE?”

“DEAD!”

“NO HE’S NOT! HE’S NOT DEAD! HE CAN’T BE!” Every muscle in Dean’s body was tight as he tried to restrain himself from striking the demon, the only thing that knew where his father was. He noticed that Sam had stopped reading and that they were all staring at him. His eyes caught Brooke’s and a flash of surprised crossed his face as he recognized the look of anger and hatred that was set upon hers as she looked at Meg. He looked at Sam. “What are you looking at, keep reading.”

Meg began to scream. Watching her writhe around in that chair, watching her scream and moan, was almost too much for Brooke. She wanted to see this demon bitch suffer and be sent back to hell. After all, she had killed her father. But watching it all happen, and realizing the sheer hate and anger that was building up inside of her, stronger than she had ever felt before, it just all became too much for her. This demon was possessing this poor girl. This poor, innocent girl. Making her do things that were unspeakable. The demon may have been the one in pain, but what Brooke saw was this girl, trapped, and incapable of defending herself. Just like she had been. Her heart began to race, and she was almost in a panic as she realized she had to get out of there. She stormed out of the room, no doubt followed by everyone’s gaze, and planted herself at the bottom of the stairs.

She could still hear Meg screaming as Sam continued to read the exorcism, but she couldn’t leave the house. If Meg had brought friends they were certainly outside just waiting for someone to come out. So Brooke covered her ears and started humming to herself. She started humming an old Johnny Cash song, her father’s favorite singer. As she sat there on the stairs humming, tears rolled down her cheeks. She was getting her revenge. The thing that killed her father was being sent back to hell where it belonged, than why did she still feel so empty? So lost?

She wasn’t sure how long she had been sitting there, but she suddenly realized the screaming had stopped. She stood, wiped the tears from her face, and walked into the study. All three men kneeled over the girl as she lie on the floor. She was whispering something to them, as Brooke drew closer all she caught was the word “Sunrise” and then the girl was gone. All three of them had looks of remorse on their faces as they stood up. There was a moment where they all looked at each other, as the realization that this girl was dead sunk in.

“We should call someone.” Brooke said softly, her voice still choked up from crying.

Bobby picked up the phone and made the call while the boys cleaned up the chair and got rid of the restraints. Brooke couldn’t make herself do anything except look at the girl. She had nothing to do with this. She was just some poor innocent girl who happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time and was possessed by some demon, and now she was dead. She was used as a meat suit and made to do god awful things, including killing Brooke’s father.

“What happened to her do you know?” Brooke asked no one in particular.

“What do you mean?” Sam replied.

“I mean what happened to her that killed her? It wasn’t the exorcism; it had to be something else.” She turned to face him.

“She fell out a seventh floor window.”

She nodded and walked into the kitchen, another innocent victim of this fight against evil.

“Thanks.” Bobby hung up the phone. “You boys get everything cleaned up?”

“Yeah, no evidence of foul play.” Dean said as he wiped his hands on a dish rag.

“Well you boys better get outta here before the paramedics get here.” Bobby said ushering them out. “Brooke and I will handle it from here.” He gestured towards Brooke as she stood by the back door.

“What are you gonna tell ‘em?” Dean asked as he put his jacket on.

“You think you guys invented lying to the cops? I’ll figure something out.” He handed Sam the book that contained the protective circles, “Here. You might need it”

“Thanks.” Sam said taking the book.

“Thanks, for everything,” Dean said with a nod.

           “You boys just get your daddy back, and when you do, you bring him around, you hear, I won’t even try to shoot him this time.” Bobby gave them a half smile and turned back to the study.

           Brooke opened the back door for them. Sam stooped down and gave her a hug as he said good bye, then headed out the door.

           Dean paused with his hand on the door and turned to look at her. “You alright?”

           She tilted her head up to meet his gaze, at six foot one; her eyes were just about level with his nose. “No.” she replied softly.

           He closed his eyes and sighed. “Sorry, stupid question.”

           “It’s just a lot right now, you know,” He nodded his head slowly, “but don’t worry about me.” She punched him lightly in the stomach and gave a half assed smile. “I’ve been through a lot in my life, and I’ll get through this too, eventually. You just worry about finding your dad.”