family line, supernatural [ 1 ]

021. hitchhiking twins

The three Winchesters are in their motel room, exhausted after the asylum. The twins are in the same bed, Natalie lying on her side with her back to Sam as she peacefully sleeps.

Sam is woken up by a ringing noise and he quickly realizes it's Dean's phone.

"Dean." Sam calls, but the older one doesn't wake up. Sam sighs, grabbing the phone off the table and answering it. "Hello?"

"Sam, is that you?" Sam sits up at the voice.

"Dad?" Sam questions. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine." John tells him.

"We've been looking for you everywhere. We didn't know where you were, if you were okay." Sam says.

"Sammy, I'm all right. What about you and Dean?" John asks.

"We're fine. Natty's fine." Sam informs, a small edge in his tone when his father forgets to ask about his own daughter. "Dad, where are you?"

"Sorry, kiddo, I can't tell you that." John says.

"What? Why not?" Sam asks.

"Is that dad?" Dean asks, sitting up.

"Look, I know this is hard for you to understand. You're just gonna have to trust me on this." John says.

"You're after it, aren't you? The thing that killed mom." Sam says.

"Yeah. It's a demon, Sam."

"A demon? You know for sure?"

"A demon? What's he saying?" Dean asks.

"Would you two shut the fuck up?" Natalie grumbles, putting her pillow over her head to try to drown them out.

"I do. Listen, Sammy, I, uh... I also know what happened to your girlfriend. I'm so sorry. I would've done anything to protect you from that." John says.

"You know where it is?" Sam asks.

"Yeah, I think I'm finally closing in on it." John says.

"Let us help." Sam says.

"You can't. You can't be any part of it." John says.

"Why not?" Sam asks.

"Give me the phone." Dean holds his hand out.

"Listen, Sammy, that's why I'm calling. You and your siblings, you gotta stop looking for me. Alright, now, I need you to write these names down."

"Names? What names, dad-- talk to me, tell me what's going on."

"Look, we don't have time for this. This is bigger than you think, they're everywhere. Even us talking right now, it's not safe."

"No. Alright? No way."

"Give me the phone." Dean orders.

"I have given you an order. Now, you stop following me, and you do your job. You understand me? Now, take down these names." John tells him. Dean snatches the phone from Sam.

"Dad, it's me. Where are you?" Dean asks. "Yes, sir." He looks around. "Uh, yeah, I got a pen. What are their names?" He asks, grabbing a pen and the motel's notepad.

+++

"Alright, so, the names dad gave us, they're all couples?" Sam asks as he drives the Impala.

"Three different couples. All went missing." Dean says. Natalie sits in the backseat, half asleep.

"And they're all from different towns? Different states?" Sam asks.

"That's right. You got Washington, New York, Colorado. Each couple took a road trip cross-country. None of them arrived at their destination, and none of them were ever heard from again." Dean says.