You Can't Handle The Truth. // Dean //

Sam Winchester
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You Can't Handle The Truth. // Dean // Jul 17, 2016 19:59:22 GMT -5

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Post by Sam Winchester on Jul 17, 2016 19:59:22 GMT -5

ooc; SEASON SIX. EPISODE SIX.

Sam stood in line at the hot dog vendor, perusing a local newspaper for something to do. The front page article was about a young woman in town named Jane who had killed herself the previous evening. Reading further, Sam discovered that three others all within the same town in the last two weeks had all offed themselves. That seemed way out of the norm for a suicide rate, especially for such a small town. He tucked the paper under one arm as he made it to the front of the line and ordered two hotdogs with everything on them and two beers.

"Thanks." He inclined his head at the vendor, accepting the completed order and turning back towards where he'd left Dean at the car.

But he was gone.

Dean Winchester
Hunter.

Our lives are weird, man.

Posts: 2,165

You Can't Handle The Truth. // Dean // Jul 17, 2016 21:13:56 GMT -5

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Post by Dean Winchester on Jul 17, 2016 21:13:56 GMT -5

"I know what I saw Bobby." Dean had wandered away from the car to make a phone call while waiting for Sam. "We tested him" Bobby reminded him. "Salt, silver -- everything." "He THREW me to that vamp" Dean argued sharply. "I'm telling you, it's not my brother." "Well, then he's something we ain't ever seen before" was Bobby's immediate counter. Dean threw out his own suggestion. "Yeah, or it's freaking Lucifer." "Did you call Cas" Bobby wanted to know next. "'Course I called Cas" Dean assured him bitterly. "He's not answering. Screw him. I can't wait anymore." "Look, I get it. You're rattled" Bobby recapped. "You're right to be. But let's be professional and"- "Professional" Dean echoed in outrage. "He watched me get turned! And SMILED!" "What you saw..." Bobby hesitated and then plowed on. "Are you sure that's what you saw?" "Dammit Bobby, yes" Dean snapped, frustrated. "I know!"

"Well, "you know" ain't the same as proof" Bobby pointed out rationally. "'Cause we're talking about"- "-- we're talking about doing something about this, and fast" Dean finished, glancing over one shoulder to make sure Sam wasn't in the vicinity. "It's not just the vamp, okay? He has been different from the jump." "Alright." Bobby sighed. "I'm with you." "Are you" Dean challenged. "Yeah." Bobby sighed again, reluctantly. "I'll hit the books, hard. Just don't shoot him yet, all right? Watch him. We need facts. 'Cause if it ain't Sam... we don't know what it is. And if we're gonna put him down, we need to know how." "Watch him" Dean echoed, feeling his skin crawl. "I don't even want to ride in the same car with him, much less work a damn case." "Get in the car. HE'S your case" Bobby insisted. Dean opened his mouth to rebut this but caught sight of Sam approaching out of the corner of one eye and hung up abruptly. "Hey" he greeted his brother with the best attempt at normalcy he could manage. "I was just, uh, leaving Lisa a message." Sam nodded understandably. "Still hasn't called you back?" "No." Dean felt a clench in his gut. Even though at that precise moment he hadn't actually been leaving her a message, he'd left about six messages thus far and gotten nothing in return. "That sucks" Sam sympathized, holding out a foil wrapped hotdog and bottle of beer. "You ok?" "Yeah, I'm fine" Dean lied with a thin smile. "You?" "Me?" Sam looked confused as to why Dean was asking. "I'm great." He held out a folded newspaper next. "Here, look. Check this out. Think it might be something." Dean set the wrapped hotdog and beer on a nearby bench so he could use both hands to flatten out the paper, scanning the article. "Four people, out of nowhere, all in the last couple of weeks" Sam summarized. "What do you say?" "Yeah." Dean felt sick once again at the thought of riding in the car with whatever the hell was trying to pass itself off as his brother but he remembered Bobby's "he's your case" remark and forced a smile.

"Sounds like a plan."

We hunt monsters....you know who does that? Crazy people!

Sam Winchester
Hunter.

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You Can't Handle The Truth. // Dean // Jul 17, 2016 22:01:12 GMT -5

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Post by Sam Winchester on Jul 17, 2016 22:01:12 GMT -5

"I don't understand." Jane's sister, Olivia, wrung out her hands with teary eyes. "Why would federal investigators be interested in a suicide?" Sam glanced over her shoulder at Dean who was poking around the living room and then focused his attention on Olivia again. "Um...it's a more caring administration." "Well, I already told the cops everything" Olivia informed him with a sniffle. "Jane was having a really bad day, so I-I did what any sister would do." Olivia twirled a strand of hair around one finger, tugging at it. "I... tried to cheer her up, you know? Told her to hang in there." Sam tilted his head to one side. "You know what a 'tell' is?" Olivia dropped her hair. "Excuse me?" "It's a poker term... for when you're bluffing" Sam explained, straightening his head with a knowing smile. "Like what you just did with your hair." Olivia frowned uncertainly. "What are you trying to say?" Sam's answer came fast and forceful. "You're lying."

From by the mantle, Dean glanced over, appearing surprised by the amount of intensity Sam was using in his interrogation. "What" Olivia squeaked. "Tell us what you did to your sister" Sam insisted, leaning closer. Dean was staring. Sam ignored him, continuing to wait for an answer. Finally, Olivia broke down tearfully. "Okay. You're right. I was lying. I wanted to tell her, "I love you. I'm here for you." But what came out was... "You're a burden. Just kill yourself." Who says that?!" Olivia buried her face in her hands, sobbing. "I didn't mean to! I-I-I just couldn't stop!" Sam leaned back in his chair, nodding curtly without emotion.
~~~

"See anything in the house" Sam wanted to know as he and Dean walked down the front steps. Dean shook his head. "No hex bags, no sulfur, no EMF. You?" "A tuba and an issue of Crochet Today" Sam scoffed, working mentally through the case. "So, what, already kinda suicidal?" "Right, and then big sis's Taxicab Confession sends her over the edge" Dean added thoughtfully. "Question is, what made big sis open her big, fat mouth in the first place?" Sam considered this.

"That's a good question."

Dean Winchester
Hunter.

Our lives are weird, man.

Posts: 2,165

You Can't Handle The Truth. // Dean // Jul 18, 2016 6:14:56 GMT -5

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Post by Dean Winchester on Jul 18, 2016 6:14:56 GMT -5

"Please tell me you got something." Dean sat on his bed in the motel room, his phone held to one ear, conversing with Bobby. "I've been up all night" the older hunter promised in exhaustion. "Nothing fits." Dean closed his eyes, resting his head back against the headboard. "Awesome." "You got anything else to go on" Bobby wanted to know. "Yeah, my skin crawls being in the same room with him." Dean shuddered. "Why don't you look that up?"

"I"m trying" Bobby insisted but at this point trying wasn't good enough for Dean. "I don't know how much longer I can do this, Bobby." He lifted one hand to massage his temples. "You got to figure out what the hell he is and fast." "I'm trying" Bobby repeated, exhaling sharply. There was a beat of silence and then Bobby was speaking again in a hesitant voice. "But Dean...there's a worst case scenario here." "What, Satan's my co-pilot? Yeah, I know." Dean rolled his eyes. He'd been the one to bring that up first after all. "Well...that'd be the OTHER worst case" Bobby hedged, stalling. Dean didn't have the time or inclination for cryptic mind games. "What the hell are you talking about Bobby?" "Maybe..." Bobby hesitated and then finished the thought with trepidation. "Maybe it's just Sam." "I gotta go" was Dean's wooden reply, more than just a little upset that Bobby could believe the true Sam Winchester would behave in this manner. "Dean"- "You got a day, Bobby" Dean cut him off tightly.

"And then I'm handling this."

We hunt monsters....you know who does that? Crazy people!

Sam Winchester
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You Can't Handle The Truth. // Dean // Jul 18, 2016 21:00:13 GMT -5

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Post by Sam Winchester on Jul 18, 2016 21:00:13 GMT -5

Sam had gone on a beer run across town. He was just stepping out of the liquor store when the flashing headline of a television broadcasting the news in a nearby window caught his attention. A local dentist had murdered one of his patients with a drill during a routine appointment. Sam returned to the motel to find Dean hanging up his phone with an expression that was hard to read. "Lisa" he guessed and Dean tossed the phone down onto his spare pillow without saying anything. So Sam brought up what he'd just learned. "There was another one. Dentist drilled a guy to death." Dean lifted an eyebrow. "I'm guessing you mean the non-sexy kind of drilling, right?" Sam rolled his eyes. "50 bucks says he's mixed up in all the crazy. We should go talk to him."

"Um, why don't you go" Dean suggested. "I'll catch up. I'm gonna do a little research." "Really??" Sam furrowed his brow. Research was not by any means Dean's forte, nor was it something he was overly fond of. "Yeah." Dean's smile seemed a bit strained to say the least. "We got to know what we're up against, right?" "Yeah" Sam agreed after a beat. "Yeah good idea." Something seemed off with Dean lately.

Not that he was really one to speak.

Dean Winchester
Hunter.

Our lives are weird, man.

Posts: 2,165

You Can't Handle The Truth. // Dean // Jul 18, 2016 22:24:31 GMT -5

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Post by Dean Winchester on Jul 18, 2016 22:24:31 GMT -5

Dean exhaled in relief as the door closed behind Sam. He just couldn't deal with him right now. Opening his laptop, he pulled up the latest bookmarked site which happened to be lore about something called a doppelganger. He was going to do research alright. Just not about this case.
~~~

Sam called to check in about twenty minutes later. "Anything from marathon man" Dean wanted to know, closing his laptop in disappointment. Sam fit none of the lore. He wasn't a doppelganger. It was looking more and more like the Lucifer theory was going to come out on top. "Not exactly." Sam's tone was grim. "He hung himself in his cell before I could get to him." Dean made a face. "Yikes." "But he was definitely involved" Sam went on. "Just got the scoop from his assistant and let's say the stuff that his patient was confessing to -- I'd have murdered him, too." Dean didn't need to know the details to understand how bad that must be. "So, root canal and Russian roulette -- both of 'em, it's like they were cursed, right" he theorized. "I mean, people are just compelled to puke the truth all over 'em?" "Getting hit with the ugly truth, and you go postal? I'd call that a curse" Sam agreed before adding, "do me a favor -- I'm going to the morgue to check out the body. Why don't you take the dentist's office, see what you see?" "No problem" Dean agreed. And as long as the two of them didn't have to work side by side, it would remain not a problem.
~~~

Ducking under the yellow caution tape, Dean scoured the dentist's office. Blood was everywhere surrounding the chair in the middle of the room. Unfazed by the blood, Dean continued to search. The only thing of any interest he found was a receipt from a store called "Harry's House of Horns". He recalled seeing a similar receipt in Jane's house and Sam had mentioned that she had a tuba, which would be a horn. So they'd both paid a visit to Harry. It was time for Dean to do the same.
~~~

"Jane and Dr. Conley, I heard" Harry nodded, looking down at the pictures in his hands that Dean had supplied. "Just awful. But, I'm sorry, what does this have to do with me?" "Honestly? You're the only thing they have in common" Dean admitted, taking the pictures back. "Did they say anything to you before they, uh...?" Harry shook his head apologetically. "Sorry. No." "Right. It's ok, I was just fishing." Dean tipped an imaginary hat in Harry's direction. "Thanks." "Hey, by the way, any news on my horn" Harry wanted to know before Dean could turn to leave. Dean furrowed his brow. "Sorry?" "My stolen horn..." Harry gave Dean a skeptical frown. "I told the police about it." "Right. Yeah." Dean quickly nodded as though he'd merely forgotten for a second but was up to speed now. "We're -- we're working on it." He turned to leave again. "Well, I hope so. Thing's one-in-a-billion" Harry informed him and Dean paused in his attempted exit. "Sorry, but what makes it one-in-a-billion again?" "It's a museum piece." Harry took an old photo from his pocket, showing it to Dean proudly. "And near as anyone can tell, about a thousand years old. No one knows where it came from." "When did it get swiped" Dean wanted to know, starting to work a theory other than simple curse. And right on cue came Harry's answer. "About... two weeks ago -- same day Jane died actually." His face registered shock. Dean smiled dryly. "Fancy that."
~~~

"Castiel? Hello?" Dean sat at the motel room table, his computer once again open, this time to a page on something called "Gabriel's Horn of Truth". It seemed to be a pretty good suspect in these murders. "Possible loose nuke down here, angelic weapon" Dean went on, talking to the ceiling without much hope. "Kinda your department. You hear that, Cas?" "Hello Dean." Castiel was suddenly standing opposite him with the usual serious expression. "Are you freaking kidding me??!" Dean rose to his feet in exasperation. "I have been on red alert about Sam, and you come for some stupid horn?!" "You asked me to be here, and I came" Castiel returned simply. Dean stared, literally at a loss for words for quite a few seconds before finally managing to splutter, "I -- I've been asking you to be here for DAYS, you dick!" Something was wrong with the angel. He was starting to act more like the douche they'd first met and less like the rebel who'd helped them stop the apocalypse. "I didn't come about Sam because I have nothing to offer about Sam." Castiel crossed the room to pick up a bottle of whiskey and pour himself a glass. "Well, that's great, because for all we know, he's just gift wrap for Lucifer" Dean deadpanned, snatching away the whiskey bottle and pouring himself a glass as well. It seemed like a drink-worthy situation. Though, to be honest, that was most situations for him.

"No, he's not Lucifer" Castiel promised but Dean wasn't so quick to throw the thought away. "And how do you know that" he challenged. "If Lucifer escaped the cage, we'd feel it" Castiel explained. Well, there went that theory. It should have made him feel better. But if it wasn't Lucifer then they were still left with a very trouble question. "So then what the hell's wrong with him" Dean demanded, on edge. Castiel gave his head a solemn shake. "I don't know Dean. I'm sorry." His tone was robotic. Dean narrowed his eyes. "What happened to you, Cas? You used to be human, or at least like one." "I'm at war" the angel reminded him stiffly. "Certain... regrettable things are now required of me." Dean sighed and moved past that issue to the one at hand. "And Gabriel's Horn of Truth? That's a real thing?" Castiel's interest was peaked. "You've seen it??" "We think it's in town" Dean admitted, taking a swig of whiskey before continuing to explain. "Something's forcing people"- There was a soft flutter of wings and Castiel was gone. Mid-sentence.

"Well you're welcome" Dean shouted at thin air in annoyance. He assumed Cas was permanently gone but no more than five seconds later he was reappearing behind Dean, nearly making him drop the whiskey glass in his hand. "It isn't the Horn of Truth." Dean set the glass down on the closer nightstand and turned around, one eyebrow at his hairline. "What are you talking about? You were gone for like two seconds. Where did you look?" Castiel simply looked as him as though the answer should be obvious. "Everywhere." "Right." Dean inclined his head tightly. "Well nice seeing you anyway." He knew that without the horn being a player in this thing, there was no chance Castiel would stick around. He'd made his priorities very clear. The angel hesitated. "Dean, I"- "What??" Dean's tone was slightly bitter. "About your brother. I... I don't know what's wrong with him, but I do want to help." Castiel gave Dean a sincere nod. "I'll make inquiries." And he was gone again.

Dean thanked the empty room. "Yeah. Thanks." He pulled out his laptop again, diving headlong back into his own inquiries. Cas' help wasn't going to keep him from continuing to search. He was going to find out what the hell this thing was if it killed him. And judging from recent actions...

That actually wasn't too much of an exaggeration.

Last Edit: Jul 19, 2016 6:09:01 GMT -5 by Dean Winchester

We hunt monsters....you know who does that? Crazy people!

Sam Winchester
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You Can't Handle The Truth. // Dean // Jul 19, 2016 20:45:15 GMT -5

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Post by Sam Winchester on Jul 19, 2016 20:45:15 GMT -5

Sam stood beside the coroner as he pulled out the drawer revealing the patient the doctor had drilled to death. "Now, I'd actually like to see all the suicides that came in this week, not just Dr. Giggles" Sam instructed. The corner looked hesitant. Sam narrowed his eyes. "Is that gonna be a problem?" "Well, they're -- they're already gone" the coroner hedged, stalling. "As in transferred" Sam wondered, looking for further clarification. The coroner continued to stall. "Um...not exactly." Without Dean around to stare, gawk, or judge, Sam could just be himself, rather than faking his old self. "Would you like to tell me what's going on here, or should I have a little chat with your supervisor" he threatened coldly.

The coroner leaned closer, lowering his voice confidentially. "They're GONE." "As in gone gone" Sam clarified, earning an affirmative nod from the coroner who looked baffled. Sam chat with the coroner for another few minutes, learning everything he could about the recent deaths and then started for the first victim's house, pulling out his phone to call Dean.

More acting.

Dean Winchester
Hunter.

Our lives are weird, man.

Posts: 2,165

You Can't Handle The Truth. // Dean // Jul 21, 2016 20:12:18 GMT -5

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Post by Dean Winchester on Jul 21, 2016 20:12:18 GMT -5

Dean downed the shot in front of him, siting at the counter of a local bar, thinking things through. The bartender, a very attractive young woman in her early 20s, stopped in front of him and inclined her head at the empty glass. "Another one?" "No thanks" Dean declined reluctantly, rubbing at his eyes. "I'm working." The bartender gave Dean an "are you sure" look but before Dean could reconsider, his phone was ringing. He checked the caller ID, shot the bartender a 'one minute' signal and pressed the phone to one ear. "What's up?" "All the bodies are gone" was Sam's instant declaration. Dean furrowed his brow. "What, like they all just vanished?" "That's what the coroner said" Sam confirmed before continuing. "But I got a lead. One of the missing bodies, she died a whole week before everybody else." "Suicide" Dean wondered aloud. "Reported as a car accident" Sam informed him. "But no reason it couldn't have been." "So then that would make her our patient zero, right" Dean theorized to which Sam agreed, "I'm thinking so. Whatever got this whole curse thing rolling started with her. I'm at her place now, corner of Burnham and 159th. You coming?" "Yeah." Dean sighed heavily. "Give me ten." Hanging up, he nodded to the bartender. "You know what? I will have that other one." The bartender reached under the counter to get the bottle with a curious expression. "I thought you were working." "I'm working up to it" Dean assured her wearily. The bartender gave an understanding nod and refilled his glass. "On me. Anything else I can get you?" In the background, behind the bar, a television was playing some local cable tv show. The woman on the screen was saying, "I talked to local experts to bring you the truth" and something struck Dean. "I just want the freaking truth" he informed her, downing the shot. "But I'll settle for another one."

"Sometimes I think I can't get pregnant 'cause God knows my marriage is a sham" the bartender offered up out of nowhere, her face turning red. "Why'd I say that? I mean, it's probably because I've been snorting oxy all day." She clapped a hand over her mouth. "Why'd I say THAT?" Dean gave a thin smile. "I'm pretty sure I know." Rising and shrugging into his jacket, he tossed a few crisp bills down onto the counter. "I've gotta go. Thanks." On his way towards the door, Dean walked past an extremely busty woman who was practically throwing her breasts into his face. "I'm sitting like this so you'll look at my breasts" she stated bluntly. "I just bought them. I need a lot of attention." "Good luck with that." Dean kept walking. But then he couldn't help it and doubled back to give them a longer glance. After a few seconds, he shook his head. "Focus Dean" his subconscious ordered sternly and off he went again.

On the way back to the Impala, he pulled out his phone and called Bobby who answered after two rings. "Dean." "Hey." Dean took a deep breath hopefully. "Anything you're itchin' to tell me?" "Not really." There was a shrug in Bobby's tone. "Sorry to disappoint." "Ah, that's all right." Dean sighed in defeat. "I'm just testing a theory." "Well, I'm just here hittin' the books while drinking a nice glass of milk, while watching 'Tori & Dean'" Bobby announced as though this was the most normal thing in the world. Dean blinked. "Wait. What? Who and Dean?" "Tori Spelling" Bobby elaborated. "I'm a huge fan. Girl's a real talent." "Huh" Dean mused with renewed spirit. "I guess it does work over the phone." "You know what else" Bobby added, ignoring Dean's comment. "I get a pedicure once in a while -- this nice Vietnamese joint." "Ok, ok, please stop" Dean begged. It was starting to go too far. Bobby ignored him again. "This one gal, Nhung Phuong -- her name means "velvet Phoenix." Tiny thing, but the grip on her...She starts on my toes, and I feel like I am gonna"- "Whoa, whoa" Dean cut him off feeling squeamish. "Hey, come on, man-- now I'm scarred for life. Thank you." He shuddered.

"I never told anyone that. Why am I telling you?" Bobby sounded surprised. "Maybe 'cause you're my favorite. Although, Sam's a better hunter. Lately, anyway." There was a beat. Dean wasn't even sure how to respond to an observation like that. But Bobby saved him from needing to come up with anything by exclaiming, "why the hell AM I telling you all this?!" "Because I'm cursed" Dean answered simply. "Cursed" Bobby echoed. "Yes." Dean didn't bother elaborating past that. Bobby let out an exasperated sigh. "How is it... that half the time you clean a mess, you end up dirty?" "Actually, this might be the best thing that's happened to me in a while" Dean admitted, having already given it quite a bit of consideration. "What do you mean" Bobby asked slowly before demanding in concern, "Dean, what damn fool move are you about to --" "I gotta go." Dean prepared to hang up. "Okay. But did you know my first girlfriend turned out to be a --" "NO. No no, uh uh." Dean hung up emphatically, shuddering again. Whatever Bobby was about to say was not something he wanted or needed to hear. He was positive of that fact.

Getting into the Impala, Dean made another call. Sam's machine kicked in after a few long rings. "Sam, it's me" Dean informed it briskly. "Listen, I'm on my way to you, but if you get this before then, give me a call back." He set his jaw.

"There's a few things I want to ask you."

We hunt monsters....you know who does that? Crazy people!

Sam Winchester
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You Can't Handle The Truth. // Dean // Jul 24, 2016 6:46:40 GMT -5

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Post by Sam Winchester on Jul 24, 2016 6:46:40 GMT -5

"So...why is the FBI investigating a car accident" Corey's roommate Alyssa wanted to know, looking confused. "It wasn't an accident" Sam corrected. "Corey committed suicide." Alyssa grew very upset, tears forming in her eyes. "You know... I wondered." The tears began to fall and she quickly wiped at them. "I-I'm sorry. I just..." "So, you had some idea Corey might have taken her own life" Sam wanted to know, passing over a box of tissues without much sympathy. "Well... she had been going through a bit of a hard time lately... at school" Alyssa explained, taking a tissue and dabbing at her moist eyes. "And then, um, her cat, Mittens, had just ran away. But, really, it was her boyfriend. She was sure that he was cheating on her. But he was just very good at covering his tracks. Which, of course, made her completely obsessed with"- "Finding out the truth" Sam finished knowingly. Alyssa nodded with a shaky smile. "Yeah." Sam nodded. He'd been right. They'd stumbled upon the person who'd started this whole mess. He turned to Alyssa with a thin smile. "You mind if I see her room?"
~~~

At first glance Corey's room was just like any other girl in her early 20s. Posters of her favorite singers and actors lining the walls, pictures of her and her family, pictures of her and her friends scattered on bookshelves and the desk, her computer was even still open on the bed. Sam sat down to pick it up and his heel hit something solid under the bed. "Huh." Abandoning the computer, Sam got down on his knees and fished around under the bed to pull out a cardboard box. Inside were a few occult looking objects, complete with a cat's skull. Sam pulled it out of the box, holding it in one hand, shrugging.

"Sorry Mittens."

Dean Winchester
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Our lives are weird, man.

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You Can't Handle The Truth. // Dean // Jul 24, 2016 7:58:25 GMT -5

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Post by Dean Winchester on Jul 24, 2016 7:58:25 GMT -5

Dean had just reached the house in question when his phone rang. Cutting the engine, he pulled it out, checked the ID and then held it to one ear with a sinking feeling in his heart. "Hey." "So...I saw you called" Lisa informed him, sounding stiff. "Yeah, I..." Dean massaged his temples with the phone free hand. "Lis...I just wanted to"- "Ben won't even talk about it" Lisa interrupted. "Lisa, I'm sorry, but this is actually the... worst time in the universe to talk" Dean admitted, letting his hand drop. She WOULD have to call during the point in time he was cursed with people telling him the truth. "C-can we do this later?" "You shoved my kid Dean" Lisa reminded him harshly. "How about we do this now." It wasn't a question.

"It wasn't like that" Dean protested weakly, still vividly remembering his hand grabbing hold of Ben's shirt and flinging him. "Then how was it" Lisa demanded. "I...I can't really explain." Dean swallowed hard. "You want to know the truth" were the next things out of Lisa's mouth. Dean closed his eyes. "Probably not." "You've got so much buried in there, and you push it down, and you push it down" Lisa began, ignoring Dean's half-refusal. "Do you honestly think that you can go through life like that and not freak out? Just, what, drink half a fifth a night and you're good?" Dean's spine bristled slightly. "You knew what you signed up for" he reminded her. "Yeah" she agreed after a beat. "But I didn't expect Sam to come back. And I'm glad he's okay. I am. But the minute he walked through that door, I knew. It was over. You two have the most unhealthy, tangled-up, crazy thing I've ever seen. And as long as he's in your life, you're never gonna be happy." There was an audible intake of breath on the other end of the line, her tone coming back apologetic when she spoke again. "That came out so much harsher than I meant." "It's not your fault" Dean promised sadly. "I'm not saying don't be close to Sam" Lisa tried to explain. "That's great. I'm close to my sister. But if she got killed, I wouldn't bring her back from the dead!" Dean didn't bother to try and argue that he hadn't actually brought Sam back this time. "Okay, Lis..." He drew in a deep breath, trying to loosen the elastic bands that were forming around his lungs as he suspected where this conversation was going, trying to head it off. "I'm not gonna lie. Me and Sam, we... we've got issues. No doubt." There wasn't a person who knew the two of them or had even just spent five minutes with them who would disagree. "But you and Ben"- "Me and Ben can't be in this with you anymore" Lisa interrupted point blank. "I'm sorry." And she hung up.

Dean took a minute to collect himself before getting out of the car. He and Sam crossed paths on the front steps, Dean going up, Sam coming down. "Hey where you been" Sam wanted to know as Dean turned around to fall in step with him, retreating back down the stairs he'd just climbed. "I found something." "It can wait." Dean turned to face Sam head-on once they'd reached the bottom of the stairs. "We gotta talk." "Yeah?" Sam raised an eyebrow curiously. "What's up?" "There's a few things I want to ask you, and, uh, you're gonna tell me the truth." Dean crossed his arms. "Uh, yeah, Dean. Of course." Sam frowned as though this should be obvious before his eyes widened in realization. "Whoa. Are you saying you're..." "I asked for the truth" Dean responded promptly. "And you know what? I'm getting it. So, like I said, I have a few questions for you. When that vamp attacked me, why did you just stand there?" "I...I didn't" Sam faltered, looking upset. "I froze." "You froze" Dean echoed in disbelief. "You've been Terminator since you got back and all of a sudden you just...froze?"

"I don't know." Sam shrugged uncertainly. "Shock? And then it was too late." He turned on the puppy-dog, guilt ridden eyes. "I feel terrible about it. Believe me. Dean... I can't lie here" he added, making a valid point. "Do you really think I would let something like that happen on purpose? You're my brother. H-how could you even" -- "Okay. Okay. Sorry." Dean held up his hands in surrender, backing off. "I...I thought -- I thought I saw something." He struggled to remember that cold half-smirk he'd seen on Sam's face in the memory but it was starting to become foggy. "I... I guess I was wrong." People were compelled to tell him the truth. Sam was right, he couldn't lie. Not to him. Not right now. So maybe it was all in his head. "It's just been a really, really bad day" he finished, the conversation with Lisa still echoing in his head. "Hey. It's okay. I got your back, all right" Sam reassured him, clapping him on the shoulder. "I always have." "Yeah." Dean tried to smile. "Thanks Sammy."
~~~

"So...this was the chick's pet?" Dean studied the cat's skull in his hand as he moved to sit down at the motel room table with Sam an hour later. They'd been doing some research. And by they, I mean Sam. While Dean had polished off half a six pack, trying to erase Lisa's cold voice from his memories. "Well she was obsessed" Sam pointed out to which Dean came back bluntly with, "you mean crazy." Anyone who offed their own cat and then used its skull for any purpose whatsoever was definitely not what you'd call cooking with all burners. "All right, so cat skull, uh, grains-of-paradise seed, devil's shoestring." Sam listed off the contents of the box, making no objections to the 'crazy' remark. "Mix 'em well, you got yourself a summoning spell." "Demon" Dean wondered but Sam shook his head, spinning his open laptop around so Dean could see the website he'd pulled up. "God. Corey was so desperate for the truth about her boyfriend's cheating heart, she went digging around. Nothing panned out, so she went looking for a different kind of help." Dean scanned the page. "Opened a door she couldn't close."

"Yeah. And now anyone in town who asks aloud for the truth invokes Veritas." Sam gestured at the computer. "And she doesn't just give it to you. She slams you with it until you kill yourself and she gets her tribute." "So, uh, all that "tribute" vanishing from the morgue. What do you think, uh, Soylent Green situation" Dean suggested, pushing the computer back towards Sam. "Gods got to eat, too" Sam pointed out with half a shrug, beginning to punch a few keys. "Which means we got to take her out or you're on the menu." "All right, well..." Dean kicked his feet up on the table lazily. "What do we know about her, besides crazy cat lady?" "Well dogs are her Achilles heel" Sam read off and Dean snorted. "Naturally."

"And she was a pretty hands-on goddess back in the day" Sam continued. "Her thing was coming down from the mountain to speak truth to the masses. She wanted more than tribute. She wanted to be worshipped." "An attention whore" Dean summarized, lowering his feet to the floor and straightening up, something occurring to him. Sam shrugged, focusing on his computer. "I mean yeah, if you want to put it that way." Dean raised an eyebrow, closing Sam's computer with one finger to gain his attention.

"And what is the 21st-century version of speaking truth to the masses?"

We hunt monsters....you know who does that? Crazy people!

Sam Winchester
Hunter.

Posts: 958

You Can't Handle The Truth. // Dean // Jul 24, 2016 8:17:00 GMT -5

Quote

Post by Sam Winchester on Jul 24, 2016 8:17:00 GMT -5

"So you really think this God is slumming as some farm-league Diane Sawyer?" Sam inserted the disk of Ashley Frank's "Frank Talk" they'd lifted from the studio and brought back to their motel room into his computer. Dean shrugged idly. "Call it a hunch." "Ok then." Sam brought up the raw footage of Ashley Frank filming her talk show, the two of them sitting side by side, watching for any clues. And they continued watching. And continued watching. A dog barked in the background and Ashley Frank suddenly looked nervous but it wasn't much to go on. A lot of people didn't like dogs, Dean included, and they weren't going to jump this woman until they were 100% she was Veritas. So they continued watching. Again.

"I don't know" Dean sighed after about four hours of watching the reel. "Maybe I was wrong. Maybe there's nothing here." "Hold on." Sam paused the video. "Check this out." He zoomed the video in on Ashley Frank's eyes. She had turned her head in such a way that they now held a non-human type glow. The boys exchanged a look and Sam nodded grimly.

"Got her."

Dean Winchester
Hunter.

Our lives are weird, man.

Posts: 2,165

You Can't Handle The Truth. // Dean // Jul 24, 2016 9:21:00 GMT -5

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Post by Dean Winchester on Jul 24, 2016 9:21:00 GMT -5

"Looks pretty normal" Sam observed from the idling Impala parked outside the house Ashley Frank had driven to after finishing on the set of Frank Talk. "I'm sure inside is chalk full of creep" Dean promised, cutting the Impala's engine as the house's interior lights snapped on, casting a glow over the street. "Ready?" He held up two large knives, freshly sharpened. Sam held up a jar of thick red substance. "And that's..." Dean prompted. Sam gave the jar a little shake. "Dog's blood." Dean made a face. "Do I even want to know where you got that?" Sam half-smiled. "Probably not." Dean nodded in understanding and opened the driver's side door of the car. "Alright, let's do this."

The inside of the house was just as normal as the outside at first glance. "So where's all the creep" Sam wanted to know. Dean pushed open a nearby door to reveal a room full of multiple gurneys, each with a mutilated corpse on top of them and a large basin in the center with a final corpse hanging upside down, draining blood into it. Dean gestured. "Found it."

The boys took another step into the room. And then almost in unison, they felt the extra presence and turned. Veritas, no longer in her Ashley Frank costume, but donning an elegant goddess raiment, stood in the doorway, holding a cat and stroking it. She smiled. "You came for dinner." The brothers took a synchronized step forward, knives dipped in dog's blood raised, but Veritas lifted one hand and gestured, flinging them backwards through the air with force, where they hit the far wall and fell into the basin.

And everything went black.
~~~

Dean opened his eyes, feeling groggy. When they were fully open and he was aware of his surroundings it didn't take long to notice the gutted body hanging above them and his stomach gave a little nauseated clench. Looking away, he tugged at his bound wrists, feeling more than seeing Sam behind him tied to the same post. "Sit tight" Veritas instructed with a malicious smirk, perched against one of the gurneys that held the dentist. "You're next." Dean glanced over one shoulder at Sam, who gave him a pointed look, his eyes traveling down to the pocket knife he'd slipped from his sleeve, and then they both looked back to Veritas who was reaching into the dentist's open mouth with pincers. "The tongue... is the tastiest part" she informed them. "It's where the lies roll off." She wrenched out the tongue and took a bite. Dean, sickened, closed his eyes and took a few settling breaths. "Mmm. Mmm" Veritas moaned in delight. "I cannot wait to eat yours." Dean opened his eyes again, finding her a lot closer than she had been. "I mean, I've seen liars before, but you two? Gold standard." She began to stroll even closer. To keep her focus on him rather than Sam who was slowly working the knife into his ropes, Dean gave a thin sarcastic smile. "Point of professional pride."

"I wouldn't be so cocky if I were you, Dean." Vertias sat on the edge of the basin, watching him closely. "You know what happens when you base your life on lies, right? The truth comes along and..." She snapped, chuckling. "So, while you've still got your tongue, God knows you've got an earful...so I think it's your turn to spill some. How 'bout we play a little truth or truth, huh?" Veritas rose from the edge of the basin and crossed to squat directly in front of Dean who pressed his back up against the post, trying to put some distance between the two of them. "What should we ask Dean first, hmm? Something... Personal about you?" She glanced in Sam's direction. The younger Winchester froze in his rope cutting attempts until she had returned her focus to Dean again. "Hey, Dean, I'm curious. What do you really feel about your brother?" The words came out of Dean's mouth before he could stop them. "Better now. As of yesterday, I wanted to kill him in his sleep."

He could feel Sam's spine stiffen in surprise at these words but he kept his gaze on Veritas, the truth continuing to spill forth. "I thought he was a monster. But now I think...I think he's just acting like me." Veritas raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?" "It's the gig" Dean answered honestly. "You're covered in blood until you're covered in your own blood. Half the time, you're about to die. Like right now." He gave his bound wrists a tug to emphasize his point. "I told myself I wanted out... that I wanted a family." "But you were lying?" Veritas raised her eyebrow higher. "No." That part hadn't been a lie. He'd wanted a family. But he should have known better. He wasn't a family guy. He voiced that opinion. "But what I'm good at... is slicing throats. I ain't a father. I'm a killer. And there's no changing that." He set his jaw with saddened determination.

"I know that now."

We hunt monsters....you know who does that? Crazy people!

Sam Winchester
Hunter.

Posts: 958

You Can't Handle The Truth. // Dean // Jul 24, 2016 10:13:33 GMT -5

Quote

Post by Sam Winchester on Jul 24, 2016 10:13:33 GMT -5

"So, Sam walking back into your life must have been a relief. Hmm" Veritas concluded, giving Dean a pat on the shoulder and wandering towards Sam. "Mallory to your Mickey. And how do you feel about the band getting back together? Hmm, Sam?" The knife was almost through the rope by this point. "Look... what we do... is hard" he admitted, choosing his words carefully. "But....we watch out for each other. That's what's important. And that's it. That's the truth." "No." Veritas looked confused, taking a step backwards. "No its not." "You said yourself, I can't lie" Sam reminded her. "How are you doing that" Veritas demanded in a distressed panic. "That's not possible. You're lying to me!" "No I'm not" Sam insisted, lying through his teeth.

"What is he?" Veritas looked to Dean and then back to Sam. "What are you??" "I don't know what you're talking about." Now that was actually true because he didn't know what he was but he knew that's not what the denial would come off as. "Really" Veritas scoffed. "I doubt that. I doubt anything that comes out of your mouth right now. You're not human." "What??" Dean's head whipped around to face the pair of them. "You didn't know that?" Veritas turned to face Dean again with a grimace. "Now, THAT I believe." With her focus distracted, Sam finished cutting through his rope and dove on Veritas, knocking her to the ground. He tossed the knife to Dean, then hurried to scoop of one of their fallen dog-blood soaked knives, rushing Veritas who'd just gotten back on her feet. Veritas punched Sam several times in the face, causing him to drop the blade and then lifted one foot and kicked him hard in the chest, sending him backwards. Veritas advanced on him again, grabbing him by the throat and beginning to choke him. Sam gasped for breath, trying to pry Veritas' fingers from his neck. The room was starting to go blurry.

Suddenly, Dean appeared out of nowhere, plunging a hook he'd found in the basin through the back of Veritas. She turned around to face him, lifting a clawed hand with a monstrous roar. Before she could attack Dean, Sam staggered forward, scooped up the fallen (again) dog-blood soaked knife and impaled her with it. Her eyes glowed for a moment, and then their light was extinguished as she toppled over the edge of the basin, knife still in her back, and lay at its base motionless. Sam let out a deep breath and turned to face Dean, expecting maybe a hug or at least a thank you for saving him...and found a knife in his face.

"Dean..." He held up both hands. "It's me." "You are NOT my brother" Dean argued, brandishing the knife threateningly. "What are you" he snapped with narrowed eyes. "I'm me, Dean" Sam insisted, lowering his hands a fraction. "Look, please, just let me explain." "Why the hell should I believe anything you say??" Dean took a step forward. Sam remained where he was, lowering his hands the rest of the way. "Okay, okay. You want the truth? Here it is. God's honest. She was right. There's something wrong with me, really wrong. I've known it for a while." He swallowed hard. "Yeah, I lied to you. And...I let you get turned by that vamp." Dean's eyes could not have possibly widened any more if you'd paid him. He stared blankly. "Because I knew there was a cure, Dean" Sam rushed to explain. "And we needed in that nest! And I knew you could handle it!" He'd been hoping the compliment would help smooth things over but Dean simply went right on staring in agitation. "Handle it?! I could've died! I could've killed Ben!!" "And that should stop me cold" Sam reasoned, knowing he should at this very moment feel hollow and guilty beyond all measure. "But I -- I just don't feel it."

Dean blinked. "You what??" "Ever since I came back, I am a-a better hunter than I've ever been" Sam explained emotionlessly. "Nothing scares me anymore! 'Cause I can't feel it. I don't know what's wrong with me. I think..." He screwed up his face in pain.

"I need help."

Dean Winchester
Hunter.

Our lives are weird, man.

Posts: 2,165

You Can't Handle The Truth. // Dean // Jul 24, 2016 10:40:38 GMT -5

Quote

Post by Dean Winchester on Jul 24, 2016 10:40:38 GMT -5

Dean lowered the knife, continuing to stare at Sam, his heart racing. He'd been right. This thing that had come back from hell was not his brother, not really. He placed the knife on the nearest table, seeing the hopeful spark in Sam's eyes. The younger Winchester was clearly under the impression Dean was going to deliver the aforementioned help he needed. Dean turned away as if to lead them both out of there and then pivoted back around without warning and slammed a solid punch into Sam's jaw. Followed by another one. And another.

He rained down punches, venting his frustrations and anger for everything that had happened over the last few months, especially the whole letting him get turned by a vampire situation. "Dean..." Sam had fallen to his knees, his face bloody, with a few bruises already forming. He held up one hand, trying to keep his older brother at bay. Breathing heavily, Dean looked from his clenched fist, knuckles tinged with Sam's blood, down to the younger Winchester. And delivered a final punch, knocking him out cold. Dean shook out his fist with a stony expression, addressing Sam's motionless body.

"I knew you could handle it."

[THE END.]

We hunt monsters....you know who does that? Crazy people!

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