(no subject)

[serafina20]

Title Another Kind of Trap
Author serafina20
Rating R
Spoilers everything through Devil's Trap
Summary The Winchesters need help after the events of Devil's Trap. Luckily, Sam has made arrangements for this eventuality. He just failed to inform Rachel Adams of his plans. Sequel to Captured Soul and   Kitsune
Pairing Dean/OFC

Part 1
Part 2

The phone rang.

 

Rachel opened her eyes, disoriented.  The ceiling was unfamiliar.  The sheets smelled funny.  The comforter was thicker than the one she was used to.

 

The phone rang again.

 

Oh, right.  She was in Nebraska.  Memory returned, along with the heaviness of anxiety driven depression filled her, making her heart pound.

 

It rang again.

 

She sat up.  Pushed tangled hair from her face.  Dean, Sam, and John's cell phones all rested on her night stand.  Dean's was ringing, buzzing on the smooth wood with every pulse.

 

She picked it up.  "Hello?"

 

There was a pause.  Then, "Hi.  May I speak with Dean Winchester?"  A woman's voice.

 

"Dean's unavailable."  Rachel shook her head; it felt stuffed with cotton.  "He was in a car accident a couple days ago.  He hasn't woken up yet."

 

"What?  Is he okay?  How bad was it?"

 

"The doctors say he'll be fine.  I'm sorry, to whom am I speaking?"

 

"My name is Cassie."

 

Talk about a bucket of ice water being thrown over you.  Instantly, Rachel went wide awake.  No need for coffee this morning.  "Cassie," she said stupidly.  "Oh."

 

"Yes.  Who are you?"

 

She licked her lips.  "My name is Rachel.  I'm a friend of the family."  The doctor and police think I'm married to Dean.  I think Dean might still be in love with you.  You've hurt him twice now, and I don't like you, but if Dean wants you…. You're probably stronger than I am anyway.

 

Instead of saying everything that went through her mind, though, Rachel just said, "Dean was in the backseat when his car was hit by a truck.  Sam was driving.  He's really banged up.  Broken nose, concussion.  And their dad was with him.  He's not breathing."

 

"But what about Dean?"

 

Rachel took a deep breath.  Then she gave Cassie the complete rundown of Dean's injuries, leaving nothing out.

 

"My God.  He called a few days ago.  I didn't answer, but he left a message.  He just told me to be careful, watch myself.  Watch out for any strangers, that sort of thing.  Carry a cross."  She gave a sort of self-deprecating laugh.  "I wish I'd talked to him."

 

"Me too," Rachel admitted.  She, too, had gotten a message from Dean.  Only, hers had been an order to leave the country right away, to ward everything up tight and pretend she didn't know him.  He'd also threatened to kick her ass if she didn't listen to him.  She'd been too busy trying to call him back to follow any of his directions, not that she'd had the slightest intention of leaving. 

 

She wished she'd been there, although, if she had, she'd probably be in the hospital, too.

 

"My schedule is packed for the rest of the week, so I can't come up.  Can you keep me posted on his condition until I can?"

 

Cassie was coming up?  "Yeah, sure.  Of course.  I have Dean's cell and, uh, your numbers in it. I'll give you a call after I see them today.  Update you and everything."

 

"Thank you. I really appreciate it."

 

"No problem."  They said their goodbyes and hung up.

 

Christ.  This was such a mess.  Last she'd heard, Cassie was in a serious relationship, which had driven Dean back into the unfulfilling world (his words) of casual sex.  Not that Rachel didn't think Dean still cared for her.  He had a heart that was at least as big as his ego.  Rachel wouldn't be surprised if he'd called all the people he'd ever come in contact with if he'd been worried about their lives.

 

She wondered what had happened before the accident.  She wondered if anyone else had gotten hurt or killed.

 

She took a shower and ate breakfast.  Her father called to tell her that he'd faxed the marriage license to her insurance company, and they were now covering Dean as well.  She supposed she should feel guilty about the insurance fraud, but she couldn't bring herself to care.  The Winchesters committed all kinds of fraud anyway; it was only luck that the police hadn't found their plethora of scammed credit cards.  The weapons and IDs could be explained through the cover of bounty hunter; the cards couldn't.

 

Clean, fed, awake, Rachel climbed onto the sofa with her mug of coffee and the Winchester journals.  She opened John's first and soon found herself engrossed.   

 

The first entry was painful.  Dated November 6, 1983, right after Mary Winchester had died.  The sorrow and anger in it made her heart ache, both for John and his boys.  They'd lived a normal life: t-ball, baby clothes, and then it was just ripped away.  And they didn't even know why.

 

Or, maybe they did.  Maybe that's why they were hurt now.  Maybe they'd found the answer to all their questions.

 

A lot of the early entries spoke of John's frustration at not being believed.  Rachel couldn't imagine what he must have gone through.  She'd grown up, all her life, with the idea that the supernatural world was as real as theirs.  No, not everyone believed, but she'd had people around her who did.  Who knew she wasn't just letting her imagination run away with her the time that thing took residence in her closet.  Trying to come to grips with the strange thing that had happened on the night of Mary's death, and then being suspected of murdering her, must have been awful for him.  No wonder he'd kept such a tight leash on his boys.  No wonder Sam had rebelled.

 

No wonder Dean held on so tightly.

 

She read about Dean shutting down, and Sam crying all the time.  How Dean found solace only in his brother.  How John was stalked by the demon presence for months--not surprising if it'd been after Sam and his abilities.  Getting help from someone named Missouri.

 

Rachel immediately picked up John's cell phone.  Sure enough, Missouri's number was in the phone book.  She dialed.

 

It rang a few times, then transferred to the answering machine.  "You've reached Missouri's Psychic Predictions.  Leave your name and number, and I'll call you back to set you up with an appointment so we can figure out your future."  The phone beeped.

 

"Hi.  My name is Rachel.  I'm a friend of the Winchesters?  Anyway, I just... They were in an accident and..."

 

"What on God's green Earth did those boys get themselves into now?" a woman asked, sounding annoyed.

 

Rachel's mind screeched to a halt at the interruption.  It took a moment to switch tracks from leaving a message to actually interacting with another person.  "Uh," she said, no doubt impressing Missouri with her intelligence, "I'm not entirely sure.  The reason they're in the hospital is because a truck rammed into their car.  But I think that that demon they've been after?  The one who killed their mom?  I think that it had something to do with it.  They're all really banged up and were hurt before the accident."

 

"If all three of them were together, they probably were going after that demon."  Missouri made a sound of annoyance.  "How bad off are they?"

 

"They're all unconscious.  Sam and Dean are stable and out of intensive care.  Dean's in the CT unit, because he had heart surgery.  John is still in the ICU.  I think he might have been possessed."  She told Missouri about the sulfur and the damage it had done.

 

"Is it still in him?"

 

"I don't think so.  I touched him with a cross, and he didn't react.  But, well, I'm afraid this demon wouldn't be affected by the normal props."

 

"So you think he was possessed by the thing that killed his wife."

 

"The latter.  My family researches this kind of stuff, and I've asked everyone to look.  No one in my family can find mention of a demon who kills by pinning the mothers to the ceiling.  Generally, if it's not mentioned in books, it's really old and really powerful."

 

"Adams, huh?  Are you related to Oliver Adams?"

 

"He's my grandfather."

 

"I know him.  He's the man that taught me how to control these powers I got.  Nice man.  Respectable.  How did his baby granddaughter get involved with the Winchesters?"

 

Rachel blushed.  "The boys helped me a bit."  She told Missouri about Andrew Winston and the kitsune.  She edited the second story as much as she could, not wanting to get into the embarrassment too deeply.

 

Missouri, though, knew her stuff.  "Girl, you telling me that you're a virgin and hanging around a possibly possessed body?  And Dean Winchester?"

 

Her face was in flames.  "Trust me.  Dean's not a problem."

 

"Now that's debatable.  However, the demon isn't.  If that thing is trapped inside John's body and he's as hurt as you say?  Then the demon's hurt, too. Trapped.  And he's looking for a place to go.  What better place than a nice little virgin already connected to the family.  Those things eat purity alive and enjoy it.  It'll eat you alive, baby doll."

 

She felt ill.  "I can't leave them.  I'm the person in charge. I'm the health-care proxy."

 

Missouri clicked her tongue.  "I wasn't gonna tell you to leave, child.  Just stay away from John until I get there and examine John.  That's all."

 

"You're coming."

 

"Of course I'm coming!  What did you think?  I was going to abandon you with three of the most pig-headed men ever existed?  I don't think so."

 

Rachel blinked back sudden tears.  "Thank you."  She wanted to say more, but the words were all stuck in her throat.  Besides.  She didn't want to admit how overwhelmed she'd been feeling.

 

"Of course, child.  Now, tell me where you are and where the boys are.  I ain't Cleo, and I don't read things over the phone."

 

"I'll probably be at the hospital all day," Rachel said after giving Missouri the information. "I want to be there in case Sam or Dean wakes up."

 

"Make sure you protect yourself.  You go to the nearest Wicca store, or even just the grocery store and get yourself some dill.  Put it in a little bag and hang it around your neck.  That'll help protect you, along with any crosses you have."

 

"I'll do it.  Thank you."

 

"My pleasure, dear."

 

*   *   *

 

Beep.

 

Beep.

 

Beep.

 

Dean groaned.  He flailed out a hand so he could throw the damn alarm clock across the room.

 

Beep.

 

He hit something metal with the back of his hand.  Pain blossomed.  With a hiss, he pulled his hand to him and opened his eyes.

 

There were needles stuck in the back of his hand.  He followed the tubes back up to the IV stand next to his bed, then the machine above him.  Not an alarm clock.  A heart monitor.  The hissing sound was oxygen being fed to him by one of those nose tube masks.

 

Heart monitors.  He hated them.

 

Dean scratched the tape around the back of his left hand.  His throat ached, like it was bruised or something.  His chest hurt.  His mouth tasted gross.  His head was pounding and his eyes were fuzzy.

 

And there was a plain gold band around his left ring finger.  A wedding ring.

 

The fuck?

 

The door opened.  A man in a nurse's outfit walked in. He smiled at Dean.  "You're awake."  He moved to the wall near Dean and pressed a button.  "I'm Alex, the floor nurse.  How do you feel?"

 

"Like I got run over by a bus."

 

"Close.  Do you remember what happened?"  He opened a clipboard case and started jotting down notes, eyes on the monitors above Dean's head.

 

Dean licked his lips.  He was thirsty.  "I, uh.  I was in the back of my car.  My brother was driving.  There was a... a crash?  I don't know.  It's kind of confusing."

 

The door opened again.  "Hello.  I'm Dr. Isaacson, your attending physician." 

 

Dean half-heartedly shook the man's hand.  He was tired already.  "Where's my brother?"

 

"He's on another floor.  You're in a CT unit right now.  Sam's in a private room." He pulled a flashlight from his pocket and shined it in Dean's eyes.  "Can you tell me your full name?"

 

"Dean Alan Winchester."

 

"Birthday?"

 

"January 24, 1979."

 

"Where were you born?"

 

"Lawrence, Kansa."

 

The flashlight went away.  The doctor checked Dean's ears, nose, and throat.  "Can you tell me the names of those in your family?"

 

He licked his lips.  "John and Mary are my parents.  My mom's dead, though.  And Sam.  Is my dad okay?"

 

"He's stable, but not breathing on his own right now.  We've got him in the ICU."

 

"Can I see him and Sam?"

 

"Maybe later.  I don't know if you're up for it today, but we'll see.  Can you tell me the name of your wife?"

 

Well, crap.

 

Dean twisted the ring around his finger.  His brain felt like there was a big hole in it.  He couldn't remember getting married.  He couldn't remember being in a relationship after Cassie.  He didn't remember asking anyone or buying a ring or anything.  Nothing.

 

Stomach churning, he admitted, "I don't know."

 

Dr. Isaacson frowned.  "Do you remember that you're married?"

 

"No."

 

"Hmm."  He rubbed the back of his head.  "Well, you have been through a trauma.  The amnesia is probably temporary.  We'll wait until you see her.  Maybe that will jog your memory."

 

Dean swallowed again.  "Can I have some water."

 

"Of course."

 

There was a pitcher on the tray at the foot of Dean's bed.  Alex pour some water from it into a cup.

 

"My throat hurts.  And my chest."  He touched the latter.  It felt like it was wired together or something."

 

"We had to do heart surgery on you, Dean.  It was damaged            ."

 

Dean froze at the words.  Now he really felt sick.  Not again.  He couldn't go through this again, especially not if he was married.  Bad enough to leave Sammy behind with no one to protect him, but a wife too?  No fucking way.

 

He listened quietly as Isaacson ran down the list of Dean's injuries and what had been done to fix it.  Each word felt like a sledgehammer to his head.  Broken sternum.  Heart out of place.  Surgery.  Beating too slow.

 

"Is this going to kill me?" he finally asked.

 

Dr. Isaacson shook his head.  "It shouldn't.  Ideally, given time and rest, your heart will recover from the strain.  If it doesn't, we can treat it."

 

"How?"

 

"We can insert a pacemaker to correct the rhythm."

 

"Fantastic."  Dean closed his eyes.  Family unconscious, a marriage he didn't remember, and now the return of heart problems.  With added pacemaker fun.

 

"Alex, do you know where Mrs. Winchester is?" Dean hard Dr. Isaacson ask.

 

"I think she's with the brother.  Do you want me to get her?"

 

"No, I'll do it.  I want to warn her about the gaps in his memory.  Prepare her for another shock."

 

Another shock.  Who was going to prepare him, Dean wondered before he fell back to sleep.