A Very Supernatural Journey Chapter 7
A Birthday Story Written for Enkidu07, in appreciation for the work she and Onyx Moonbeam do and for the community they built
Co-written by Woman of Letters, mainegirlwrites, theymp and wynefred
Previous Chapters: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]
This chapter by wynefred
Chapter 7: Flushed Down the Rabbit Hole
Detective Tyrone McFarling waited in the darkness of his car in front of Rachelle's house. Officially she might just be a witness to one of the murders, but his gut was telling him there was more to this. He hadn't been in law enforcement this long without learning to trust his instincts.
He'd been staking out the house on his own time after a frustrating afternoon on the phone with the FBI. Following protocol, he'd called in his suspicions only to be stonewalled by every administrative assistant and phone clerk in the Federal government. When he'd finally been transferred to someone in authority, the condescending jerk was less than helpful.
"Thank you for bringing this to our attention, Detective. All my agents are currently tied up in other projects, but we'll be sure to look into this as soon as possible."
"You're not sending someone out immediately? These guys could disappear again any time."
"Detective McFarland..."
"McFarling."
"Whatever. Look, Detective, do you know how many people try to impersonate us? We're the friggin' FBI, for crying out loud! I can't just take someone off an important assignment to deal with some two-bit imposters on a crazy case in Podunk, USA."
"We're hardly Podunk, sir."
"And this is hardly a case of national security. The whole thing sounds a bit wackadoodle to me. Burning water? I tell you what. You apprehend these dangerous criminals and I'll be happy to lock them away in a dark cell for the rest of their natural lives. Deal?"
The resounding click as the line disconnected caused Tyrone's ears to ring for several minutes. If the FBI wanted him to apprehend these bozos, fine, that's exactly what he'd do.
His vigilance was rewarded when a sleek black classic car pulled up in front of Rachelle's home. That car presented even more proof that these two clowns were not the FBI agents they claimed to be. The Federal government would never spring for a beauty like that.
The taller "Agent Hooper" sat behind the wheel, Rachelle beside him, but there was no sign of the other man, "Agent Brody". After only a few moments of conversation with the driver, Rachelle exited the vehicle and entered the house. Tyrone turned on his engine, intending to follow the black sedan. However, the driver parked the vehicle across the street where he would have a clear view of the house.
Tyrone groaned to himself when he realized the driver looked to be staying a while. The detective settled in for a long wait.
X X X
Rachelle said her goodbyes to Sam and gave the sleeping Dean a last lingering look before exiting the car. She was comforted to know that the brothers would stay just outside, watching over her as she slept. She knew about their protective nature from the show. In fact, several episodes ran through her head as examples of the boys' protective nature: Wendigo, Dead in the Water, Bloody Mary, Hook Man, and on and on. In practically every episode, the boys went out of their way to protect the people around them. It was one thing to see it on a TV show and quite another to be the object of their attention.
Their care of her made Rachelle feel safeguarded and treasured. She was amazed at the idea that she'd become friends with Sam and Dean Winchester. Of course, since they were fictional characters back home, she normally wouldn't even have considered it... outside of fanfiction, that is. She entertained the idea of staying in this universe and joining the brothers. She was sure that fans of the show would never approve of a female tagging along, but this wasn't the show. This was real. She found the thought of hunting with the brothers in this universe very appealing.
Smiling at herself for the outrageous notion, Rachelle slipped her key in the lock. She noticed by the lights on in the house that Meredith and Alex were home. She longed to talk to Mer, to confide in her about everything that had happened, but she wasn't sure how the Meredith in this universe would handle the information.
Rachelle began preparing for bed when she heard a knock on her door. She opened it to find Mer standing in the glow of the porch light, so she waved her friend in.
"Hey, Mer. What's up?"
"I could ask you the same thing."
"What do you mean?" Rachelle put on an innocent face.
"Rachelle, I'm worried about you. You're not acting like yourself."
Rachelle snorted. "You have no idea."
"It's just... you were really distracted at lunch today, you're staying out late... didn't even come home last night... and with no explanation about where you've been. That's just not like you! And you've been hanging out with those strange guys. Are they the reason you're not coming home at night? You're not getting into anything... foolish, are you?"
Rachelle sighed, debating inwardly for a moment before deciding to take a chance. "Sit down, Mer. We need to talk."
Meredith sat down on one end of the ugly plaid couch, her eyes wide with concern as she watched her friend. Rachelle sat beside her. "This is going to sound crazy," she began hesitantly.
"Whatever it is, Rachelle, I'm here for you." Mer spoke softly, placing a comforting hand on Rachelle's arm. The familiar touch caused Rachelle's eyes to burn with unshed tears. She hadn't even realized until this moment how much she'd missed her friend during this extraordinary experience.
"That day... or night, rather... when Laura died... I went to the pool with you, not with Laura."
"What are you talking about?"
"I went with you, Mer. Laura was busy, she canceled on me, so I asked you to come with me."
"You said something that night, but I thought you were just in shock."
"I wasn't in shock... well, I was, I guess, but... I meant what I said. You went with me. I went to the pool with you, but something happened and when I came out, it was Laura. I got caught in a vortex that pulled me through to another universe."
"What?" Mer stiffened, her eyes wary.
"It's true, Mer. You have to believe me. I'm not your Rachelle. I'm from a different universe. My ring..." Rachelle touched the ring where it hung on its chain, "my ring activated a vortex that pulled me here. It's special, a pirate's ring. We think it was stolen from a creature and now that creature, a water demon, is killing people to get it back. We're trying to stop it."
"We?"
"Those guys you met? They're hunters. Demon hunters."
"Stop!" Meredith grabbed her friend's hands, her voice pleading. "Sweetie, this is crazy. You can't possibly believe all this. You're under a lot of stress right now... Laura's death and then Dr. Jackson. You just need to get a good night's sleep, that's all."
Rachelle regarded her friend sadly. Obviously, this Meredith wasn't able to handle the truth. Rachelle patted her friend's hands before standing. "You're probably right. I'm just tired. If you don't mind, I'd like to get some sleep now, Mer."
Meredith stood, again placing a hand on Rachelle's arm, but this time the touch held no comfort. In her mind, Rachelle saw an image of Mer desperately locking Rachelle up in a softly-padded but impenetrable box, as if Meredith was keeping her friend safely locked away from the craziness around her. Unfortunately, Rachelle felt incredibly lonely and trapped in the tiny space. Then the image was gone, the phrase "the more you wear it, the more you'll see" echoing through her head, and Meredith watching her sadly. Rachelle tried to smile reassuringly, but knew she wasn't convincing. Meredith gave her friend a long, concerned look before she left.
Rachelle closed the door behind her and leaned her forehead against the smooth wood, sorting her jumbled emotions. Despite the tragedy of Laura's death, Rachelle knew she was enjoying her time in this universe where Dean and Sam were real people who cared about her. At the same time, she ached for her Mer, wishing she could share her experiences with her friend. If only she could have both.
X X X
Sam sat in the dark Impala, watching the equally dark home where Rachelle slept. The lights had gone out in Rachelle's part of the house several hours ago and her roommates' lights followed soon after. The minutes ticked by quietly, punctuated by the sound of Dean's soft snoring from the back seat. Sam passed the time searching the internet from his phone.
A change in Dean's breathing announced that he would be waking soon. He shifted and stretched, moaning as he sat up. He looked around, rubbing his face with his hands. "Sam? What're we doing here?"
Sam responded without looking up from his phone. "I'm watching Rachelle's place to make sure she's okay. You're doing the sleep of shame."
"What? No I'm not."
"You so are! A girl drank you under the table, dude."
Dean looked about to protest but changed his mind. "She did, didn't she? No one's ever done that before... no girl, at least."
Sam glanced back at his brother, whose eyes gleamed with admiration. "No, Dean."
"No, what, Sammy?"
"You know what. No. N.O. You can't get involved with her."
"Aw, come on, Sammy. She's a fan, right? I think she would really appreciate a little attention from me." Dean smirked lustily, but sighed in the face of Sam's fierce frown. "Yeah, I know. But she's still kinda cool."
"Heh. Yeah, she is. In fairness, though, I think she had help." At Dean's quizzical look, Sam continued. "The amethyst in the pirate's ring."
"Clarity... right. Well, that's as good a theory as any, I guess. Did you find anything on how to kill this sonuvabitch?"
"There's really not a lot of information out there on this thing. I talked to Bobby. He thinks he's got a lead on a book that might help."
"So we've got nothing. Terrific."
"Not exactly. I found a legend about a similar water demon. It said the creature was killed by stabbing it in the eye."
"How the hell are we supposed to do that? Wade around in the water and hope the thing attacks?"
"Well, I'm assuming it just means that its eyes are vulnerable spots."
"Which means we might be able to gank it with a bullet? I'm up for that."
"Good. Oh, and we've got company." Sam indicated the sedan parked across the street, a shadowed figure sitting in the driver's seat.
"Any idea who it is?"
"I think it's that detective we met."
"Friggin' awesome. Now what?"
"Now switch seats with me. You're taking the next shift."
"Fine." Dean stretched as he stood from the back seat. "But you owe me a coffee, and not one of those sissy things you drink."
Sam chuckled. "Sure Dean. I'll be sure to ask the barista for a manly cup of joe."
X X X
Rachelle's face reflected up from the smooth surface of the water. She recognized the pond; she'd been here before. She looked away from the water, awed by the breathtaking sight of blue sky and soft, puffy clouds, tree branches draping lovingly across the water's edge, sunlight filtering through green leaves, and pollen shimmering as it danced in the sunbeams.
Returning her eyes to the water, she smiled at her own reflection. Her shining eyes greeted her. The ring dangled heavily from the chain around her neck. Suddenly, the eyes looking back at her changed, morphed into something hideous and angry. Gasping, she startled back in surprise. A green hand with webbed fingers and claws shot out, breaking the water's smooth surface to latch onto Rachelle's necklace and pull her toward the water. Her scream became muffled as the water rushed around her, filling her mouth. Terror swallowed her as the water enveloped her. She struggled fiercely and...
...bolted upright in her bed, her hand flying to her necklace, a scream choking against her throat. Rachelle's heart thudded in her chest and her hands shook. She rose, heading to the bathroom for a glass of water, and tried to quiet her nerves.
On her way back to the bed, she crossed to the window. Pulling the curtain aside, she was reassured to see the Impala glinting under the light of a nearby street lamp.
Reminding herself that she was safe with the boys right outside, she made herself lie down in her bed and relax. She finally fell into a fitful sleep, rising at dawn feeling worse than when she'd first turned in for the night.
X X X
Dean woke Sam again shortly before dawn. He'd lasted as long as he could, but his eyes were starting to close against his will. Sam hadn't been awake for long when movement in Rachelle's house caught his attention. Lights came on and her shadowed form could be seen moving around. It didn't take her long to come out her door, sprinting across the dimly-lit street and slipping into the passenger seat. She greeted Sam with a tired smile and passed him a large thermos of coffee, keeping a smaller travel cup of coffee for herself.
"Strong?" Sam asked.
"Of course."
"Thank God! Hand it over." Voice scratchy from not enough sleep, Dean sat up in the back seat, waving his hands in a "gimme" gesture.
"So what's the plan today?" Rachelle asked, suppressing a grin at Dean's noises of appreciation over the coffee.
Sam turned in the seat to face Rachelle, giving her his full, earnest attention. "I think we need to draw this thing out before it kills again."
"How're we gonna do that?" Rachelle asked, sipping from her cup.
"Your ring should draw it, especially if it's near the water." Sam speculated, his forehead wrinkling in concern. "This could be really dangerous for you, Rachelle."
"Wait, Sammy, are you suggesting we use Rachelle as bait? That's usually my line, dude."
"Yeah, I know, but I don't see that we have any other choice, Dean."
"I hear ya, I'm just surprised." Dean responded.
"Hey, guys, remember me? The bait?" Rachelle's voice was high with tension. She trusted these men more than almost anyone she could think of, but the idea of reliving her nightmares... for real... was frightening.
Sam continued, his voice thick with concern, "Look, Rachelle, I don't like the idea any more than you do, but..."
"I know," she interrupted, "people could die. Like Laura and Dr. Jackson." She paused, looking off into the distance as she weighed her decision. Nodding to herself, she turned to Sam and Dean, her eyes locking on Dean's as she gave her answer to the brothers. "It's like you said, Sam. We really don't have any other choice." Dean smiled sadly at her, then turned to his brother as they held a brief non-verbal conversation.
"Alright, then let's get going. And Sammy... I'm driving."
X X X
The long night was a difficult one for Detective Tyrone. He hadn't gotten enough sleep to prepare for an all-night stakeout, and he might've nodded off a time or two during the endless vigil. But it wasn't like anything happened. The men changed seats in the car a couple of times, but otherwise everything was quiet.
Just after dawn, the witness, Rachelle, slipped from her house and into the black vehicle. Suddenly alert at her appearance, Tyrone sat up in his seat, stretching the kinks from his back and neck. The car's occupants seemed engrossed in conversation for a few minutes before pulling out and heading down the street.
Convinced that his diligence would be rewarded with the proof he'd been looking for, Tyrone followed at a discreet distance.
X X X
"Tell me again why we're coming out here at the butt-crack of dawn before I've even had breakfast," Dean complained to Sam as they trudged through the forest to the river's edge where the first victim had been found. He and Sam were both armed with wrought iron rounds... consecrated wrought iron, just in case.
"Because the pool on campus is too public. We can't risk anyone seeing us, Dean." Sam replied, then stretched his stride, taking point.
"Still doesn't explain why we couldn't have breakfast first," Dean grumbled. Rachelle gave him a sympathetic smile before following Sam.
When they reached the river, Sam turned to Rachelle, "Just go out a couple of feet, okay? We're right here. We'll keep you safe."
Rachelle didn't trust herself to speak so she just nodded. She slipped her sneakers from her feet and stepped out into the water.
X X X
Tyrone hid in the underbrush, watching the girl wade into the water. He had no idea what these jokers were doing but he didn't like it. Not one little bit.
He readied his weapon, prepared to charge out if necessary.
X X X
Nothing happened. Rachelle felt torn between feeling relief and wariness that the creature hadn't shown itself yet. She turned back to Sam and Dean, raising her hands in question. Sam shouted, "Try dipping your ring in the water!" She heard him say in an aside to Dean, "Maybe the ring works like a beacon to the creature, enhanced by proximity to the water."
She didn't hear Dean's response, but she was sure it was something sarcastic and witty, hiding his worry.
Rachelle took the chain from her neck and dipped the ring into the water. She immediately felt a surge of power emanate from the ring. She quickly returned the chain to its place around her neck. She had a moment to wonder why she hadn't felt anything like it when she went swimming that fateful evening (was it really just a few days ago?) before she sensed a presence in the water around her. Her last thought before the now-familiar green arm reached out to her was that she should've told the boys about her dream.
She didn't even have time to scream before the creature pulled her under.
X X X
Tyrone saw the girl go down, pulled into the water by... well, he couldn't say exactly what he saw, it had happened so quickly. He charged out, gun raised, and joined the two men at the river's edge. All three men aimed their weapons toward the river but held their fire. The girl was nowhere to be seen. He could've sworn the water she'd been standing in only came to just above her ankles, but there was no sign of her in the rippling water.
Suddenly, Rachelle appeared above the surface for a moment, several yards upstream and near the center of the river. Something... else... emerged with her, its arms holding her as she flailed and kicked. The spunky girl seemed to be giving the creature hell. He felt admiration for her as he joined the two men in pumping lead at the creature, carefully avoiding the flailing girl.
The creature suddenly released its victim and the two men rushed out into the water to help her. Tyrone watched as they took the girl between them in their arms and swam back to shore. He could hear her reassuring the men as they got to the shallow edge. "I'm okay, guys. Really."
Both men inspected her closely. "Looks like you were singed a bit. We'll need to treat that, Rachelle," the taller man told her.
The shorter man turned to Tyrone, anger flashing in his eyes."What the hell are you doing here?" The man demanded.
Tyrone could only stare, shock and horror chilling his bones. He'd seen a lot of crap in his days on the force, but nothing compared to this. He managed to stumble out, "What... what was that?"
"Well, Alice, you just fell down the rabbit hole. But I promise you, that was no Cheshire cat."
X X X
Read Chapter 8: Drowning in Tears