Chapter Text
"So it's only kids age 0 to 18?," Sam Winchester asked his older brother Dean. Said older brother nodded, but didn't speak. The brothers were on their way to Euclid, Ohio. Apparently a demon had been possessing and killing kids.
"Dean, how do you know it's possession and a demon, by the way?," Sam questioned. In response, the elder Winchester brother gave the younger a look that said; doesn't matter.
Sam sighed. Dean had been like this since last week (A/N: when they cremated their dad). Not talking at all. At first, Sam worried he'd taken some damage to his vocal cords, but when he'd asked him about it, Dean had shaken his head, but still wouldn't say why.
But Sam could guess. Dad's death had clearly rattled Dean in some way that it hadn't for Sam and this was his current way of coping. Even if Sam hated it.
Time skip provided by S.H.I.E.L.D.
The brothers checked into a motel, Sam doing all of the talking, while Dean just hung in the background. Once in their room, Sam's mouth and mind decided to confront Dean about not talking... and Dad. But while his heart screamed at him not to, to leave his brother be, he ignored it.
"Dude, we need to talk," Sam began. Dean turned and his eyes almost screamed; Uh oh. Sammy going to start some chick flick. Everybody take cover, though it didn't quite meet his face. The younger Winchester brother suddenly realized how tired his older brother really looked. Well, that was a discussion for a different time. For now, matter at hand.
"Dean, I mean it. You haven't spoken since... since Dad. Is... is there something you're not telling me?"
Dean just looked at Sam, well, glared was more like it, then walked out the door. A few seconds later, Sam heard the Impala start and drive off. He couldn't help but roll his eyes. Dean really could be a jerk sometimes. In the meantime, Sam decided research the names of the dead kids, then meet with their parents once Dean was ready to talk.
Which will hopefully be soon, Sam thought.
After about a hour of research, he figured out that all the deaths were linked to a school in the area. Sam thought that was a good place to start.
Sam left a note for Dean when he got back, then, being conveniently close to the school, walked across a few streets, and arrived at the building. School was just getting out, and parents were there, picking up their kids. Sam kept his distance, preferring to wait till the crowd of parents cleared away from the door than get caught up in fray.
A mother and her daughter came out of the building. The mother had pale skin, a slim frame, long brown hair, dark eyes, and looked about Dean's height and age, maybe a bit shorter and younger. Sam could have sworn he'd seen someone like her before. But who and where? The woman and girl got into a silver minivan, then drove off.
Sam didn't wonder too much about the woman as he questioned the principle of the elementary school about any strange happenings of the town, the deaths, and the school's history.
The principal said that no, there hadn't been any strange happenings (unless you counted the school shootings that had happened in the past 2 years), the history was that the school was built in 1958 and since then had been added onto (that was really all he knew), and that the deaths appeared to have been of suicide (as far he knew) (one kid had come to one of his classes, killed almost everyone, then killed herself).
"Wait, almost everyone? Who was left alive?," Sam asked, knowing this could be valuable information. The principal clearly didn't want to answer because he said; "Why do I have to tell this all again, Detective? I already went over it all."
Think fast Sammy!, Sam thought in a slight panic. Dean was better at coming up with excuses. But his older brother wasn't here, so this would have to do.
"Reinvestigation," he said, cursing himself silently because it sounded more of a question than an answer. Fortunately, the principal seemed to buy it.
"3 survivors. Ashley Michaels, Chris Wayne, and Nora Hixs. What I found personally surprising is that while Ashley and Chris needed and still need months of therapy, Nora seemed, well, undaunted. Completely fine, not bothered in the least. In fact, Chris told me (I'm his father, by the way), that she was just sitting at her desk reading a book, while everyone else was murdered. It's almost as if she didn't care," the man explained.
Sam nodded, thinking, then said he had to go and left. It was too weird. Why had the demon left 3 alive? Wouldn't he have killed everyone? Sam decided to head the library, hoping to get more information on the town and school's history.
Time Skip Provided by My Post-Angsty Fanfic Reading Depression
The youngest Winchester had a bit more luck at the library, though it didn't have enough information to get a lead on the demon possessing the kids, like whether it had been there before or something.
Then Sam saw her.
The same woman he had seen earlier.
Sam's curiosity got the better of him. He wanted to know if they had met before, so he walked up behind her and tapped her on the shoulder.
"Nora, I don't-," the woman started to say as she turned, but stopped as she saw Sam. Then her face suddenly broke into a smile.
"Sam Winchester? Is that you?," she asked, her books held limply in her arms. Okay, so she knows me, Sam thought.
"Uh, yeah. And you are...?," he questioned, unsure really of what to say. The young woman laughed softly.
"Oh gosh, you don't remember me, do you? I'm Alice Singer. Bobby's my dad. Anyway, I wouldn't really expect you to remember me. I mean the last time I saw you, you were only 13. How are you? What are you doing here?," Alice asked.
Now that Sam thought about it, he did remember Alice. They were pretty old memories, but he could recall her, Dean, and himself building a car fort-castle sort of thing when they were younger.
"Oh my gosh, yes! Alice! I'm really sorry, it hadn't really clicked! You look awesome!," he said and the two embraced. Once they had separated, they spent some time talking and catching up. Sam brought her up to date on what was happening, albeit Dean not speaking and the hunt, but say they were still hunting things. Alice smirked at this.
"I used to hunt too, in my spare time. But now I'm mainly just focused on being a mom," she said.
"Who'd you marry?"
"You mean who did I divorce. Well, more of he just picked up and left. A guy named Marcus Hixs. Real nice guy, said he'd always be there, ya know. And as soon I told him I was pregnant, he told me to abort the baby or get out, claiming the baby wasn't his. I choose neither and stayed. My daughter was born a few months later, and that's when he, Marcus, hit the road. Better for everyone, if you ask me," Alice said simply, but Sam could see the tiniest spark of pure rage in her eyes and pretended not to notice.
As Sam was about to say something, the girl who he'd seen earlier, came running towards Alice, whisper-yelling; "Mom, Mom! It's the next Babysitters Club Graphic Novel! It's out! It's out! The library doesn't have it now, but can you order it?!"
Alice sighed a little. "Alright sweetie. I'll order it as we leave, but for now, come say hi to Uncle Sam. He's an old friend of mine," she said. The girl looked at Sam, and he could've sworn it was a mix of Dean and Alice in one. If the baby had indeed not been Marcus's, Sam was pretty darn sure it was Dean's.
"Hi!! I'm Nora Hixs, I'm 8 almost 9, and I love anime!," Nora said with a smile. Sam smiled back, then replied; "Well, Nora, it's nice to meet you. I'm Sam Winchester, I'm not going to tell you how old I am, and I love school."
Nora faked gagging about this fact, while Alice and Sam laughed. A half an hour later, the 3 went their ways, but not without Alice giving Sam her address and phone number, and Nora vowing to keep guessing Sam's age till he told her.
It was only on the way back from the library, that Sam remembered the name on the survivors list.
Nora Hixs.