𝐃𝐎𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐀𝐍

𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐓𝐘-𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑

Katherine's delayed arrival in Cold Oak set in motion a deep-rooted panic. It's ice in Sam's blood, lead in his bones. Dean's always telling Sam that everything is gonna be okay.

Somehow, Katherine's presence is a harbinger. The sight of her makes his hair stand on end.

Nothing will be okay. Not this time. Something wretched will come of this. Will she end up like Lily? Will Sam?

He gazes across the fire at her. The flames, their shadows, make her seem more severe. Her eyes seem distant, though, as she holds her hands near the heat. There's something off about her. Maybe it's in her features. That glint of danger he always knew lay quietly beneath the surface. Maybe it's coming out now, bit by bit. Maybe the voice in her head, whatever it may be, is whispering awful things to her, slowly driving her into the plane of insanity that the hunters are only beginning to trudge into. Will it get worse than this?

Everyone knows Katherine Donovan. Every hunter Sam's ever talked to has stories of Katherine. Chupacabra, werewolves, vampires, ghouls. They talk about her beauty just as much as they talk about her prowess. Her talent. A prodigy. They've said some vulgar things, too, as she's gotten older.

She stares at him in silent conversation, and he thinks they're sharing a singular thought. What awful thing is coming after us?  

But the fate of the other?

Her eyes are warm. They're tired, too. Not just her actual eyes, but underneath them, too.

The group splits up, lay salt down in a house that has room for all of them. When Sam returns downstairs with Ava, Katherine is said to be getting more salt from a house just down the way. Jake said she didn't want anyone coming with her, since it's hard enough to protect just herself.

First, he sees a pair of yellow eyes. Then, with the sound of a heeled boot coming up the stairs, comes the familiar face, the blonde hair, the smile that suddenly doesn't seem goading, but wicked.

"Jake, behind you!" Sam cries. But Jake doesn't hear him.

Yellow Eyes has Katherine.

"Hello, Sam," she drawls, stepping right over the salt barrier.

"I'm dreaming."

It's the only logical thing he can think of. Katherine...she can't...she can't be possessed. She's...

"Why don't we take a walk, huh?" She nods her head outside, hands shoved into the pockets of her jeans, and turns on the toes of her boots with a smile.

"I think I did pretty well being Katherine. Would you agree? Oh, you even hugged me." She smiles. "You're uh...kinda quiet." She spins in the mud, pouting in her usual way, but with the eyes, it's different. "You're not mad at me, are you?"

Sam's voice is low and hollow as he asks, "What did you do to Katherine?"

She chuckles. "Don't worry, she's fine. All sorts of pissed off, sure, but she's fine."

"Is she like me?" Sam asks.

Yellow Eyes gasps, stops, and turns to face Sam again. "Sam, that is quite possibly the most intelligent you've ever been. I can't believe..." She lets out a growl, clenching her fist, then she smiles. "I can't believe I didn't think of that. How twisted, how funny, that would have been." Her grin is wicked. "Oh, the Man Upstairs wouldn't have been happy about that. No, no, no..." She shakes her head. "What a wonderful idea, Sam. But no. Katherine Louise is not like you children. She's...Divine." Her expression is sour. It pivots, though, when she looks at him. "But you are far more special."