“So, monsters are real, and you and your brother hunt them.”
That was Jessica’s initial reaction when Sam explained everything to her, from the Winchester family to monsters to hunters.
“Yes.” Sam added. “Apparently, Brady was a Demon. The cloud you saw, that was his true form. That’s why the bullets you shot didn't kill him.”
“Hmmm...but why would he come after me? Just because I’m your girlfriend?” Jessica rose her eyebrows.
Sam paused, as if he didn't want to say it. “Jess, this may sound crazy, but there is a chance that Brady brought us together on purpose. I think...I think whoever sent him wanted me to love you, so it can hurt me by killing you.”
“Wait, wait! So you are saying the entire time we’re together, it’s all part of some evil being’s plan?” Jessica sounded annoyed, and she had reasons to be. “Well, either way, if this Yellow-Eyes killed Sam’s mom and set me up and tried to kill me, then I will make sure he pays for it.”
She really meant it. Up until now, she hasn’t seen a single creature Killian couldn’t eradicate. This Yellow-Eyes should be no different.
The Winchester brothers exchanged glances before the older one spoke.
“That’s what I was going to discuss with you, Jess. I have contacted a friend of my dad. Well, friend may be a bit generous...Anyways, his name is Bobby, and he is also a hunter. You can stay with him for a while...”
“Yeah...no.” Jess shook her head. “Not gonna happen. I’m staying with you, Sammy.”
“Well, that brings us to the second option. You can come with us. To hunt.”
Jessica’s mouth hung open in surprise. She should’ve expected this. After all, Killian has been helping her to that goal the entire time. But the thrill still hit her like a storm.
She could go hunting with the man she loved! Even better, she could keep everyone safe! Herself! Sam! Even that brother of Sam that she disliked! Yes!
“Thank you, Kil.” Jessica said inside as she said yes to Sam’s proposal.
Killian didn't answer. The gratitude only made him cringe. He did so many things behind Jessica’s back that he deserved a ‘fuck you’ a thousand more times than a ‘thank you’. Even worse, eventually, Jessica would find out all about his true intentions, and every gratitude here would be turned into hatred in the future.
Killian knew people in the Infinite Realms who could betray those they spent every second of 15 years with without batting an eye, but he was no such person.
Sorry, Jess…
“So, Dean and I talked about it. We think our best chance of hunting down this Yellow-Eyes is to find our dad. He disappeared a few days ago and now a Demon tried to kill you. It can’t be a coincidence.”
Jessica nodded. Sam told her about his father, the legendary John Winchester. John became a hunter after his wife died, and he was a damn good one. Across the years, he managed to make a reputation for himself among the hunters across the country.
Speaking of Yellow-Eyes…
“Kil, do you know who they’re talking about? Who is this Yellow-Eyes?”
“Nope. As I said before, I’m not all-knowing.”
“Hmmm…” Jessica turned back to Sam and Dean. “and how should we find your father?”
“He left us a set of coordinates. I looked it up. It’s pointing to a place called Black Water Ridge. It’s in the middle of nowhere.” Sam complained. “We still don’t know why he wants us there.”
“Well, if daddy Winchester is really so good, then that coordinate must mean something.” Jessica said optimistically. “It’s getting late, and you boys look like you need some rest. I say we go out tomorrow morning.”
Sam and Dean nodded. Fighting the Demon wasn’t easy, and answering the police’s interrogation and then explaining everything to Jessica were both messy business. They were hunters, not superhumans.
Within an hour, the house quieted down again. Dean laid down on the sofa in the living room for a nap. It wasn’t the most comfortable place to rest, but most days, Dean either slept in motels or his car. Hunting didn't exactly pay well, and credit card fraud could only get you so far.
Jessica and Sam laid down in the bedroom. Neither of them had any energy for some extra activity. As Sam caressed Jessica carefully, Jess suddenly had a question.
“You remember the law school interview on Monday?”
Sam nodded slowly. “Yes, but Jess, with everything that has happened, I can’t just go to a law school…”
“I know,” Jessica cut him off. “but just for a moment, imagine this. If I’m not in danger. If your family is completely safe. If that son of a bitch that killed your mom is gone or dead or whatever. Will you go back to a normal life? You know, marry me and go be a lawyer?”
She could swear to God if that was what Sam wanted, then she would wait for a few days and then quietly track down and take out this so-called Yellow-Eyes and whatever followers he had.
Sam was silent in the dark room. Jessica’s question hit him hard. Would he like to go back to a normal life? Of course! He would love nothing better than quit being a hunter! In fact, before Dean came in and dragged him out to a hunt, that was what he was planning. He has been shopping for a wedding ring for weeks so he could propose to Jessica.
The attack on Jessica told him a cruel truth: unless he could kill Yellow-Eyes, peace would never be an option. Jessica lived, thank God, but what if she didn't? Sam would never be able to forgive himself.
But if Yellow-Eyes was dead, then...Sam suddenly thought back to his brother in the living room. Dean would never give up being a hunter. Could he really turn his back on his big brother?
“I don’t know.” He whispered back to Jessica. “I really don’t know.”
Jessica nodded.
Inside Jessica, Killian took a breath of relief. If Sam said yes and Jessica asked him to handle Azazel, then he really didn't know what to do. Killing Azazel shouldn’t be impossible, but that would completely disrupt his plan of controlling the forces of Hell.
The three woke up 7 next morning. After a brief meal, they went on the trip.
Something funny happened before the trio left. Dean tried to teach Jessica how to shoot guns, but Jessica proved herself to be more than capable with both handguns and shotguns. Eventually, the teaching lesson became a process of Sam explaining to Jessica how to deal with all sorts of monsters in the car while Dean drove the Impale.
“If you are facing spirits, you would want to use salt to control their movement or protect yourself. Salt hurts them. Rock salt rounds can dissipate them. If someone is possessed by a ghost, feeding them salt will force the spirits out...”
“It will also leave that person severely dehydrated…” Jessica trailed off. Sam glared at her. “Sorry, please continue.”
“Iron can also dissipate a ghost. But both salt and iron can only hold off the spirits for the moment. To permanently put them down, you will need to burn their corpses or destroy whatever objects they are attached to. That’s the only way to handle them.”
“You see...that’s what I mean when I say mortals shouldn’t bother with supernatural threats.” Inside Jessica’s mind, Killian complained to his only audience. “Their methods are tragically ineffective. Salt and iron? You might as well throw stones at the spirits!”
“Maybe, but their determination is so noble!” Jessica exclaimed as she listened to his brother go on to vampires. “Every day, they risk their lives to protect the normal people! And they don’t even get rewarded for it! This brings selflessness and sacrifice to a whole new level.”
“That’s exactly the problem.” Killian sighed. “How many hunters are there? Dozens? Hundreds? Every hunter is the result of countless coincidences, and the few hunters that do exist are disorganized. You know what would do more against monsters all over the country? Create a centralized organization with ties to the government, the military, and the police. Individual heroism can’t save the world, but a combined task force with shared intelligence, a system to train personnel, and support from all fronts does. Give me a few years and I can make most supernatural beings on this planet extinct!”
Perhaps it was because of his military background, but Killian really looked down on these so-called hunters. Their courage, he admired, but he despised the way they did things.
Killian suddenly sensed something from Jessica. “Wait, are you shaking?”
“Yeah!”
“Please tell me you’re not scared!”
“Of course not!” Jessica did her best so her smile wouldn’t be out in the open. “I’m excited! I’m going on my first mission! Look! Unless I call for you or I or someone else is in danger, don’t step in! I want to enjoy this myself!”
“Fine.”
Killian sighed. Usually, he wasn’t a fan of having fun with something as serious as exterminating hostile supernatural threats, but perhaps it was only right to let Jessica have some fun...while she could.
The black Impale drove on across the speedway.
Sam, Dean, and Jessica walked into a Ranger Station in Lost Creek Trail. There was no ranger in the office, and as Dean marveled at a picture of a ranger standing over a dead bear, Sam walked over to a sandbox that modeled the nearby terrain, including the Black Water Ridge.
“So, Black Water Ridge is pretty remote. It’s cut off by these canyons here. Rough terrain, dense forest, abandoned silver and gold mines all over the place…”
“Dude, check out the size of the fricking bear!” Dean didn't hear a word Sam said.
Jessica quietly stood beside Sam. A smile on her face as she watched her boyfriend at work.
Suddenly, Jessica heard some footsteps come from behind her. Without Killian to warn her, she was a little startled. She turned around and found an old man. A coffee mug in his hand.
“You boys aren’t planning to go out near Black Water Ridge, by any chance?”
Sam crafted a lie up before Jessica could even start.
“Oh, no, sir. We’re environmental study majors from U.C. Boulder. Just working on a paper.”
Ok. Fine. Somewhat believable.
“Recycle man.” Dean chuckled and put up his most innocent smile.
“God!” Jessica face-palmed.
“Bull.” The old ranger replied quietly. He continued, raising the mug. “You’re friends with that Hailey girl, right?”
“Yes!” Jessica finally found a chance to step in. This must be a lead!
“Well,” The ranger glanced at Jessica. “I’ll tell you exactly what I told her. Her brother filled out a backcountry permit saying he wouldn’t be back from Black Water until the 24th. So, it’s not exactly a missing person now, is it? Tell that girl to quit worrying. I’m sure her brother’s just fine.”
“I will.” Dean suddenly had an idea. “You know, what would help is if I could show her a copy of that backcountry permit. You know, so she could see her brother’s return date.”
The range shrugged.
“Heh heh!” Dean chuckled as the three returned to the car.
“I don’t understand,” Jessica interrupted him. “What does this missing person have to do with your dad?”
“I don’t know, but we should find out more about this before we walk right in. He sent us here for a reason.” Dean concluded as he walked into the driver’s seat.
By find out more, Dean meant approaching Hailey Collins and his brother, Ben Collins, posing as rangers. Hailey and Ben were the siblings of Tommy Collins, one of the boys that went missing in Black Water Ridge.
They didn't get much info, but they did get a copy of the video that Tommy sent them right before he was gone. Much to the dismay of the brothers, the siblings have hired another guide so they could go into the mountains themselves to look for Tommy.
Some more research showed that people have been going missing in Blackwater at 23-year intervals. After visiting someone who survived the creature that might be behind the attacks, the Winchesters came to one particular decision.
And when the three found themselves two hotel rooms to spend the night, Sam went to Jessica’s room and told her what he was suggesting. It didn't go well.
“What? Are you guys seriously leaving me behind?”
The girl was nearly going mad. Really? Did she really just come on this trip to do a few interviews and find some patterns? Hell no! If she wanted to do research, she would’ve stayed at Stanford! She was here to see the action! She was here to save people!
But Sam had his reasons.
“Look, Jess, I admit, you are good with guns, but you haven’t had any experience dealing with these creatures! Hell, we don’t even know what these creatures are! As far as we know, this creature is really fast and extremely deadly. You have seen the video!”
Jessica has seen the video. From the video Sam got from the Collins twins, it was shown that something was moving behind the tent so quickly the Winchesters had to play the video in slow motion to see it.
All the more reasons she had to go.
“I am not a child, Sam Winchester! You don’t need to protect me!” Jess objected. “Remember! I’m the one that killed the Demon!”
“But this time is different!” Sam was as patient as possible. If they were facing a ghost, then he might be fine with letting Jessica go for it. The Winchesters knew about how to counter ghosts, but this time, it was something they have never seen before. Sam remembered how terrified he was when he heard the gunshots from the dorm room. He knew if Jessica went on the mission, he would need to constantly worry about her.
“Look, Jess, just listen to me on this one. Stay in the hotel.”
Jessica finally nodded.
“Fine, but remember, Sam Winchester, I am not a burden. This is the last time I’m sitting back. The next time, I will be fighting right beside you, and if you think I am a hindrance, then I will walk out the door right now.”
She was dead serious. Sam’s underestimation of her made her feel insulted. More importantly, if her presence here was making Sam weaker, then maybe it was best for her to leave, especially if she was under no real threat from the Demons.
As Sam left the room, Jessica collapsed back onto a sofa.
“So, I’m taking you’re not sitting this one out.” Killian knew the answer to that question before he even asked it. The thing with Jessica was that she was reckless, and Killian knew he could only blame himself for that. Why bother protecting yourself when you can’t be hurt?
“Of course not.” The blonde suddenly had a very good idea. “Kil, can you beat that monster?”
Killian made a sound that said ‘are you seriously asking me this?’.
“In that case,” Jessica turned to the window. A playful smile on her lips. “What do you say we go out during the night, take out the monster in his home field, save whatever survivor there are, and then leave the boys blue-balled? Just imagine how awkward they will be when they go all the way into the mountain and find nothing!”
“Well,” Killian sighed. “Pourquoi pas?”
Why not?
