Closer to Love

13. Born Under a Bad Sign

UNDERPASS

Dean was on his phone, leaning against his car. He was fidgeting and upset. Kelsey was holding his hand, trying to comfort him. Katie was pacing back and forth. Tess was in her car seat, sleeping.

"Ellen, it's me again. Any chance you've heard from him?" He paused. "I swear, it's like looking for my dad all over again. We're losing our minds here." He paused again. "No, the girls and I've called him a thousand times, there's nothing but voicemail. We don't know where he went, or why. Sam's just gone." He phone beeped. "Hang on."

Dean got a call from Sam and answered. "Sammy? Where the hell are you? Are you okay?" He paused. "Hey, hey, hey! Calm down. Where are you? All right, don't move, the girls and I are on our way."

Kelsey stroked Dean's cheek. "I told you we'd find him."

Dean smiled at her. "Thank you."

"Anytime. Let's go help your brother."

MOTEL

Sam hung up the phone slowly, looking numb. His knuckles were bloody.

Dean, Kelsey, Tess and Katie drove to reach Sam, passing a sign that read TWIN LAKES. They arrived at the hotel and parked and got out.

Dean, holding his sleeping daughter, Katie and Kelsey walked frantically down a narrow hallway, checking door numbers until they reached room 109 and knocked.

"Sam, it's us. Sam!" Dean called.

Kelsey tried the door to find it open. Sam was sitting numbly on the bed.

"Sam?" Dean called. "Hey."

"Hey, Dean. Hey, Kelsey. Hey, Katie," Sam replied.

Dean laid Tess on the other bed and knelt beside him. "Are you bleeding?"

"I tried to wash it off."

Dean saw Sam's shirt covered in blood and groped at it, searching for a wound. "Oh my God."

"I don't think it's my blood."

"Whose is it?" Kelsey questioned.

"I don't know."

"Sam, what the hell happened?" Dean asked.

Sam finally looked up. "Dean. Kelsey. Katie. I don't remember anything."

Dean and Kelsey left the room.

Katie brewed Sam some coffee and said, "Take a shower. It might help you feel better."

Sam nodded and did as instructed.

Later, Dean and Kelsey returned to the room, the former carrying a grocery bag.

"What'd you two find out?" Sam asked.

"You checked in two days ago under the name Richard Sambora," Dean told him. "Of course, I think the scariest part about this whole thing is the fact that you're a Bon Jovi fan-"

"Dean."

"Your room's been quiet, nobody's noticed anything unusual."

"You mean no one saw me walking around covered in blood?"

"Yeah. That's what I mean."

"Then how the hell did I get here, Dean, Lana? What happened to me."

Kelsey leaned against the counter as she said, "We don't know. But you're okay, and that's what matters. Everything else we can deal with."

"Oh really? 'Cause what if I hurt someone? Or worse?"

"Sam..." Dean began.

"What if this is what Dad warned you about?"