Don't Leave Me-SPN S2

Chapter 11 - Playthings

Blues music played on the radio. The motel walls were covered in maps, hand-written notes, and a MISSING poster showing Ava's face. The whole scene was eerily reminiscent of John's middle-of-a-hunt wallpaper.

"Yeah. Okay. Thanks, Ellen." Sam said on the phone. I was doing research on my computer. Dean entered.

"What'd she have to say?" Dean asked.

"Oh, she's got nothing." Sam said.

"Me, I've been checking every database I can think of — federal, state, and local. No one's heard anything about Ava, she just ... into thin air, you know?" I said.

"Huh." Dean said as he handed over one of the three cups of coffee he's carrying to Sam.

"What about you?" Sam asked. Dean walked over to me and handed me the coffee he had for me.

"No, same as before. Sorry, man." Dean said.

"Ellen did have one thing." Sam said.

"Hmm?" Dean asked.

"A hotel in Cornwall, Connecticut, two freak accidents in the past three weeks." I said.

"Yeah? What's that have to do with Ava?" Dean asked.

"It's a job. I mean, a lady drowned in the bathtub; then a few days ago a guy falls down the stairs, head turns a complete one-eighty. Which isn't exactly normal, you know? Look, I don't know, Dean, it might be nothing, but I told Ellen we'd think about checking it out." Sam said.

"You did?" Dean asked.

"Yeah. You seem surprised." Sam said.

"Well yeah, it's just, you know, not the patented Sam Winchester way, is it?" Dean said.

"What way is that?" Sam asked.

"I just figured after Ava there'd be, uh, you know, more angst and droopy music and staring out the rainy windows, and..." Dean said and Sam gave him a look. "...yeah, I'll shut up now."

"Look. I'm the one who told her to go back home. Now her fiancé's dead and some demon has taken her off to God knows where. You know? But we've been looking for a month now, and we've got nothing. So I'm not giving up on her, but I'm not going to let other people die either. We've got to save as many people as we can." Sam said.

"Wow. That attitude is just way too healthy for me, and I'm officially uncomfortable now. Thank you." Dean said. Sam ducked his head and laughed. "All right, call Ellen. Tell her we'll take it."

We got to the hotel. It was not raining, but the roads were wet and the air misty as Dean parked the Impala in front of the inn. Dean got out of the driver's side.

"Dude, this is sweet. I never get to work jobs like this." Dean said. Sam and I got out after him.

"Like what?" Sam asked.

"Old school haunted houses, you know? Fog, and secret passageways, sissy British accents. Might even run into Fred and Daphne while we're inside." Dean said and I raised my eyebrow at him. Dean closed his eyes briefly. "Mmm. Daphne. Love her."

"Ew, Dean shush. Keep your creepy animated fantasies in your head." I said. As we went up the steps, Sam noticed an urn on the side of the porch. He inspected it more closely.

"I'm not so sure haunted's the problem." Sam said.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"You see this pattern here?" Sam asked as he showed us the urn. There was a five-point symbol engraved in the urn.