sixwordstories | (no subject)

But it looks like it's in your very capable hands... I don't want to get in the way, sis.

[Congratulations, you get a bitchface for your efforts.] Is that your way of saying you're going out to get wasted instead of helping me with these murders?

_{[Your bitchfaces have no effect on him anymore, Sam!]} No,it means I'm gonna go ask around, see what I can dig up.

[Keep telling yourself that, bro.] ...right. And the fact that the two witnesses today were blond women in their 20s has no effect at all on this decision.

Stop questioning my professionalism, Sam! _{[It might have something to do with it...]}

If you're so 'professional', then you'll have no problem reading through these articles with me before you go. [Samantha gives him a knowing look. True, Sam's been a bit uncomfortable dealing with witnesses after getting her soul back and learning that she could've done who-knows-what without it. Doesn't mean she's gonna let Dean slack, though.]

_{[Fine, she wins. Moving to settle in beside her, he leaned in to read over whatever she had.]} Okay, fine, what do you have, Sammy?

[Sam rolls her eyes, abeit a bit fondly, at the use of the nickname. She's been protesting for years that it's a 'guy's name', but he never stopped using it, even into adulthood. She'll never admit that she kinda likes it.]

[She lifts the article in her hand over to Dean for him to read.] Four bodies missing in the past three days. According to the witnesses we spoke to, all the murders happened sometime after midnight.

_{[Doesn't matter how much she complains, she'll always be Sammy to him! He nodded, reading over what the article said.]} Anything connecting them?

Not anything I can see. First guy was beheaded, second was found all but flam-bayed in the middle of the street, and the third was a woman who - pretty much had her guts split out. [Sam pulls up the pictures of the bodies.] We can go see 'em tomorrow, see if we can find out anything else in common, but apart from living on the same street, they had practically nothing in common. Their families didn't really know each-other.

[Sam runs her fingers through her hair, a pondering habit.] Ghost or spirit would make sense, but all three of them were squeaky clean, and most spirits that stick to the same area kill in exactly the same way, y'know?

Yeah... it's weird. _{[He frowned, looking over the photos, reading the articles she'd handed him again.]} It's gonna be hard to narrow it down before we get to see the bodies, see if there's anything they do have in common.

Did you look and see if anything else weird's happened in the area before this? Or if there's any renovations, any work going on around there... something that might stir up some spirits?

'Course I did. [Sam hands him another article.] The suburb was built in the 1950s, and before that, it was just farmland. No record of anything weird happening before or after that, not even any local folklore.

Maybe it's a demon going a bit too stir-crazy?... [Samantha more or less faulters at the end of the sentence, though, as he looks at the picture of the woman with her guts torn out. She knows how that feels, and oh shit, she shouldn't, "don't scratch the wall"...she's completely frozen for a few seconds.]

Maybe... still doesn't feel right though, does it? _{[He's about to add to that when he notices that look and--shit. He closes the folder the papers and photos were in, reaching out to touch her arm. There was always a split second of panic when she zoned out like that and he had to wrestle with that desire to keep her away from this crap again, never knowing what might trigger memories, what could...

He didn't want to think about losing her again.]} Sammy, you okay? Snap out of it.

["Sammy"... She doesn't even blink as she hears that voice in her head, every one of her muscles tensing and screaming at her to run. Flames lick her vision, that familiar face approaches - no. She's not going to go there, she isn't.]

[It takes a few seconds to realize that Dean's touching her arm. Even then, it takes a few more seconds for her to get her bearings again, force that crap behind its wall, and come back to Dean. When she does, she's able to look at her brother.] ...Dean? [Sam furrows her brow.] What?...what was I?...

You zoned out on me. _{[His tone was tight, cautious as he slipped his hand up, rubbing absently over her back, soothing. She was starting to remember crap... again. It didn't matter how he tried to keep her safe.]} Why don't you go rest up. I can handle this.

I did? [Samantha hopes she didn't do anything to the wall. He tilts her head down a bit, embarrassed.] Sorry.

[But she shakes her head.] I'm...fine, Dean. I can keep working.

Don't push yourself, Samantha. I mean it. _{[She knew how risky that was, how bad it could end up.]}