𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐄𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆

『2.2』

      Riley sat in the car while Sam and Dean went to talk to Hailey. She wants to finish her drawing. It was the perfect opportunity to do that. She doesn't have anything to color it so it will remain a sketch, but that's fine.

      After they spoke, Dean drove them over to a bar. Riley was able to slip past any prying adult eyes and sit at a table in the corner with her dad and Sam. She's almost done with the drawing. Just a few finishing details and it'll be perfect.

      "So, Black Water Ridge doesn't get a lot of traffic-" Dean tries to peek over Riley shoulder to get a peak but she gives him a dirty glare. "Local campers mostly- But, still, this past April, Two hikers went missing out there." Riley glances at Sam. "They were never found." Sam opens a file and hands Dean a piece of paper.

      "Any before that?" Dean asks. "Yeah. In 1982, eight different people all vanished in the same year. Authorities said it was a grizzly attack." Riley raises her eyebrows as she draws. "Must be some grizzlies."

      "And, again, in 1959, and again, before that, in 1936-" Sam pulls his laptop out. Riley eyes the stickers on it and purses her lips. They are boring stickers and Riley doesn't like them. She'll fix that soon, but one mission at a time.

      "Every 23 years, just like clockwork. Okay, watch this." Riley looks up from her drawing to look at the laptop screen. "I downloaded that guy Tommy's video to the laptop. Check this out." Sam slows the video down and presses the spacebar. As he does it, three frames pass and a figure runs behind Tommy.

      Riley gasps dramatically and they both look at her. "Sonic Grizzlies." Dean tsks and shoves her. Riley laughs. "Do it again." Dean watches it again. "That's three frames. It's a fraction of a second. Whatever that thing is, it can move."

      Riley whispers 'Sonic Grizzlies' again and Dean has to try his best to hide his smirk. Dean hits Sam. "i told you something weird was going on." Riley points her finger in the air. "Actually that was me, but carry on."

      Sam smirks at Riley. "Yeah. I got one more thing." Riley scoffs. "It just keeps coming." Dean flicks her for her continual interrupting. "In '59, one camper survived the supposed grizzly attack," Riley once again whisters 'sonic grizzlies' and laughs at herself. Neither Sam or Dean laugh. "Hmm, tough crowd."

      "Just a kid- barely crawled out of the woods alive." Dean nods slowly. "Is there a name?" Sam nods and replays the name to Dean. Dean nods. "Lets go." He stands from the table and walks out of the bar. Sam starts packing up his things and Riley rips the drawing out of her sketchbook. She drops it in front of Sam and rushes after her father.

      Sam's heart skips a beat as he sees the picture of Jess. It's- It's almost life like. Sam looks in the direction Riley left and smiles widely with tears in his eyes. He grabs his things and walks out to the Impala.

      Riley lays in the back, a blanket around her shoulders and her eyes closed. Sam looks back at her. "Thank you." Riley smiles, then snuggles into a comfortable position. She falls asleep and Dean looks at Sam. Sam wordlessly hands Dean the drawing. He whistles at the drawing and glances at Riley and smiles. She's a good kid.

△

      Dean lays Riley's sleeping form on the bed of the hotel room they booked for the night. She sighs in her sleep and Dean tosses her blanket over her. Sam sits down at the table looking at the drawing of Jess. Dean looks at him. "She's pretty damn good, huh?"

      Sam nods vaguely. Dean points at the drawing. "You know, that's gotta be the first time in three years she's actually deliberately shown anyone one of her drawings." Sam looks up. "Really?" Dean nods. He isn't lying. "Yeah, she's always been that way."

      Sam looks at the drawing again. He knows Riley and Dean are worried about him, but he just lost Jess. It's going to be hard, whether he's willing to admit it or not.

△

      Dean pulls the Impala to a stop behind Roy's car. He, Sam and Riley all step out. "You guys got room for three more?" Riley grabs her backpack and discreetly shoves her gun into the belt and covers it with her jacket. "You want to come with us?"

      "Who are these guys?" A dude behind Hailey asks. "Apparently, this is all the park service could muster up." The guy raises an eyebrow. "You're rangers?" Dean nods. "That's right." The guy looks directly at Riley. "Uh huh." Riley rolls her eyes. She could easily drop this guys ass before he even blinks.

      "And you're hiking out in biker boots and jeans." Riley looks down at her boots. They aren't the best hiking material, but she can't exactly carry an entire collection of shoes around. They are comfortable, and stylish.

     Dean looks down at his pants. "Well, sweetheart, I don't do shorts." Riley laughs as she walks past Hailey. "Trust me, he really doesn't." The guy turns to Dean and Riley. "You think this is funny do you? It's dangerous backcountry out there. Her brother might be hurt." Dean shares a look with Riley. "Believe me, we know how dangerous it can be."

      Riley cringes and nods. She, Dean and John were on a hunt in the woods once chasing after a werewolf. Riley ended up on the wrong side of it's claws. She still has the scar on her back.

      "We just want to help them find their brother. That's all." Riley and Dean walk over to Sam. "You ready kid?" Riley nods at her father's question. She absentmindedly rubs her back. Sam gives Dean a quizzical look. He gestures to Riley's back. "Werewolf nicked her. Wasn't pretty."

      "Understatement. You thought I was going to die." Riley starts laughing remembering her father freaking out. She was in pain, sure, but not enough for how largely he reacted. "It was hilarious." Dean sighs heavily. "Only you would find almost dying funny."