Something Wicked

The Impala cruises down a country road, Dean says "Yeah. You probably missed something, that's what."Sam said "Dude, I ran LexisNexis, local police reports, newspapers, I couldn't find a single red flag. Are you sure you got the coordinates right?" Dean said "Yeah, I double checked. It's Fitchburg, Wisconson. Dad wouldn't have sent us coordinates if it wasn't important Sammy." Sam was getting frustrated and he says "Well I'm telling you I looked and all I could find was a big steamy pile of nothing. If Dad's sending us hunting for something I don't know what." Dean said "Well maybe he's going to meet us there." Sarah was asleep it was quite late and they tried their best to keep quiet for her sake and then Sam said "Yeah. Cause he's been so easy to find up to this point." Dean said "You're a real smart ass you know that?.... Don't worry I'm sure there's something in Fitchburg worth killing." Sam said "Yeah? What makes you so sure." Dean said "Cause I'm the oldest, which means I'm always right." Sam says "No it doesn't." Dean says "It totally does." He then glares at Sam and then looks back at the road with a grin on his face and the impala cruises past the sign that reads "Fitchburg, population 20,501."

In the Fitchburg main street Sam and Sarah are leaning against the impala whilst dean is across the road getting three cups of coffee and then he goes back over the road to the two of them and hands them their coffees and Dean says "Well...the waitress thinks the local freemasons are up to something sneaky but other than that no one's heard about anything freaky going on." Sarah asked "Dean you got the time?" Dean looking at his watch he says "Ten after Four. Why?" Sam indicating again said "What's wrong with this picture."Both Sarah and Sam had been watching a playground, it's deserted apart from only one child climbing around, Dean said "School's out isn't it?" Sam said "Yeah. So where is everybody? This place should be crawling with kids right now." A woman is sitting on a bench reading a newspaper and Dean approaches her and says "Sure is quiet out here." Woman says "Yeah, it's a shame." Dean asked "Why's that?" The Woman said "You know, kids getting sick, it's a terrible thing." Dean asked "How many?" The woman said "Just five or six but serious, hospital serious. A lot of parents are getting pretty anxious. They think it's catching."

In the Dane county Memorial Hospital Sarah, Sam and Dean enter and approach the receptionist and Sam was looking at his badge and says to Dean and Sarah "I am not using this ID." Dean said "Why not?"Sam says "Cause it says bikini inspector on it!" Dean grinning said "Don't worry she won't look that close all right? Hell, she won't even ask to see it. It's all about confidence Sammy." He spins Sam to face the desk, and keeps walking the receptionist looks up and Sam says "Hi. I'm Doctor Jerry Caplin, Centers for Disease Control." The receptionist says "Can I see some ID?" Down the corridor Dean is sniggers, Sarah taps him on the shoulder to stop it and Sam gave him a look and he said "Yeah of course." Sam quickly flashing the ID, covering up the name with his thumb and over part of it and he asks the receptionist "Now could you direct me to the paediatrics ward please?" The Receptionist says "Okay well, just go down that hall, turn left and up the stairs." Sam approaches a grinning Dean and Sarah, giving dean a major bitchface and he says "Follow me. It's upstairs."

In the hospital upstairs Dean, Sarah and Sam walk down the corridor as they walk down dean is looking into the rooms that they pass and an old evil looking woman sitting in a wheelchair and she slowly turns her head to look at him and then he notices on the wall an inverted cross hangs on her wall and Sarah says "Dean." Dean follows Sam and Sarah, glancing back to where the old lady is. Sam, Sarah and Dean are walking down the corridor talking to a doctor and dean says "Well, thanks for seeing us, Dr. Hydecker." Dr Hydecker says to the three of them "Well I'm glad you lady and guys are here, I was about to call CDC myself. How did you find out about it anyways?" Sarah said "Oh some GP, I forget his name, he called Atlanta and, uh, he must've beat you to the punch." Sam says "So you say you got six cases so far?" Dr Hydecker says "Yeah, five weeks. At first we thought it was garden variety bacterial pneumonia. Not that newsworthy. But now..." Sam said "Now what?"Dr Hydecker says "The kids aren't responding to antibiotics. Their white cell counts keep going down. Their immune systems just aren't doing their job. It's like their bodies are ... wearing out." A nurse says "Excuse me, Dr Hydecker." She hands him some forms for him to look over and sign and then sam says to Dr Hydecker "You ever see anything like this before?" Dr Hydecker replies "Never this severe." The Nurse says "And the way it spreads...that's a new one for me." Sarah asked "What do you mean?" Nurse says "It works its way through families. But only the children, one sibling after another." Sarah asked "You mind if we interview a few of the kids?" The nurse said "They're not conscious." Sam then asks "None of them?" The Nurse simply said "No." Dean asked "Can we, uh, can we talk to the parents?" Dr Hydecker says "Well, if you think that will help." Sarah said "Yeah. Who was your most recent admission?"

In the hospital waiting room a man is sitting on a chair leaning against the wall. Sarah, Sam and Dean the father of the two girls said "I should get back to my girls." Sarah says "We understand that, and we really appreciate you talking to us. Now you say Mary is the oldest?" The Man said "Thirteen." Sam said "Ok. And she came down with it first, right? And then..." The man said "Bethany, the next night." Sarah said "Within 24 hours?" The man said "I guess. Look, I, uh, I already went through all this with the doctor." Dean then said "Just a few more questions if you don't mind. How do you think they caught pneumonia? Were they out in the cold, anything like that?" The Man said "No. we think it was an open window." Dean asks "Both times?" The man said "The first time, I, I don't really remember but the second time for sure. And I know I closed it before I put Bethany to bed." Sam asked the father "So you think she opened it?" The Man looked at Sam and he answered with "It's a second story window with a ledge. No one else could've." Sam, Sarah and Dean are walking down the corridor and Sam says "You know this might not be anything supernatural. It might just be pneumonia." Dean said "Maybe. Or maybe something opened that window. I don't know man, look, Dad sent us down down here for a reason. I think we might be barking up the right tree." Sarah said "I'll tell you one thing." Dean said "What?" Sarah said "That guy we just talked to? I'm betting it'll be a while before he goes home."

In Bethany's bedroom Sarah, Sam and Dean are checking the room with EMF, Sam asked "You got anything over there?" Dean said "Nah, nothing." Sarah says "Me either." Dean said "Same here." The three of them kept checking and then sam moves to the window and says "Hey Dean and Sarah." They both said "Yeah." Sam said "Whu." Staring at the window mill he continues and says "You were right. It's not pneumonia." They walked over to Sam and they stare at a hand print rotted into the wood and Sam says "It's rotted. What the hell leaves a handprint like that?"

Flashback in a motel room of young sam and dean Winchester, Young dean is staring at a photo of the same handprint and then John comes out of the bedroom, loading his sawn off and he says to young Dean "All right. You know the drill, Dean. Anybody calls, you don't pick up. If it's me, I'll ring once, then call back. You got that?" Young Dean says "Mm-hmm. Only answer the phone unless it rings once first." John says "Come on, dude, look alive. This stuff is important." Young Dean says "I know, it's just...we've gone over it like a million times and you know I'm not stupid." John said "I know you're not, but it only takes one mistake, you got that?" He starts gathering his things and then he says to young dean "All right, if I'm not back Sunday night...?" Young Dean said "Call Pastor Jim." John then said "Lock the doors, the windows, close the shades. Most important...." Young dean replied "Watch out for Sammy." They both look at young sam who's sitting on the chair watching TV and Young dean continues and says "I know." John says "All right. If something tries to bust in?" Young dean replies with "Shoot first, ask questions later." John takes young dean shoulder and he says "That's my man." Back to the present in Bethany's bedroom Dean who at the window says "I know why Dad sent us here. He's faced this thing before. He wants us to finish the job."

The Impala pulls up to a motel office and they get out, Sarah asked "So what the hell is a shtriga?" Dean says "It's ... kinda like a witch I think. I don't know much about 'em." Sam said "Well I've never heard of it. And it's not in Dad's journal." Dean said "Dad hunted one in Fort Douglas, Wisconsin, about 16, 17 years ago. You were there. You don't remember?" Sam simply said "No." Dean said "And I guess he caught wind of the things in Fitzburg now and kicked us the coordinates." Sarah said "So wait, this..." Dean said "Shtriga." Sam said "Right. You think it's the same one Dad hunted before?" Dean said "Yeah, maybe." Sam said "But if Dad went after it why is it still breathing air?" Dean said "Cause it got away." Sam asked "Got away?" Dean gets a little frustrated and he says "Yeah Sammy it happens." Sam replies with "Not very often." Dean said "Well I don't know what to tell ya, maybe Dad didn't have his wheaties that morning." Sam asked "What else do you remember?" Dean gets Defensively and he says "Nothin'. I was a kid all right?" Sarah and Dean enter the A boy of around 10-12 comes from the back room where a younger boy sits watching TV and the boy asks "A king or two queens?" He glances at sarah and then he remembers that Sam is outside and says two queens please." The boy noticed the car and he said "Nice car!" Dean said "Well thank you." A woman then enters, smiling at the three of them and then she says "Hi." Sarah and Dean say "Hi." The woman that says "checking in?" Sarah said "Yeah." The woman looks to her son and says "Ahh, do me a favor, go get your brother some dinner." The boy said "I'm helping these guests." She gives him a look and then he grimaces and turns to go. The woman says "Will that be cash or credit?" Sarah asked "You take MasterCard?" The woman nods her head and sarah continues and says "Perfect. Here you go." Dean watches through the door as the boy pours a glass of milk for his younger brother.

Another flash back in the motel room, Young Sam is sitting at the table and Young Dean pours young sam a drink of milk and Young Sam says "When's Dad gonna get back?" Young Dean grabbing a pot from the stove and he says "Tomorrow." Young sam asks "When?" Young Dean pouring from the pot to the bowl and he says " I dunno. He usually comes in late though. Now eat your dinner." Young sam says "I'm sick of scabetti-ohs." Young Dean said "Well -- You're the one who wanted 'em!" Young sam says "I want Lucky Charms." Young Dean said "There's no more lucky charms." Sam says "I saw the box!" Young Dean said "Okay, maybe there is but there's only enough for one bowl and I haven't had any yet." Sammy gives puppy dog eyes, dean sighs dumps out Sam's bowl in too the trash and thumps the box on the table instead, Sam reaches into the box and grabs the toy and then sam says to Dean "D'you want the prize?"

Back in the present in the motel reception area the woman behind her desk said "Sir?" Holding his card out dean said "Thanks." The three of them headed to the room and Sam sat down on the bed and went onto his laptop and he says "Well, you were right. Heh. It wasn't very easy to find but you were right. Shtriga is a kind of witch. They're Albanian, but legends about them trace back to Ancient Rome. They feed off spiritus vitae." Dean was confused and said "Vitae. It's Latin, translates to 'breath of life'. Kinda like your life force or essence." Sarah said "Wait, Didn't the doctor say the kids' bodies were wearing out?" Sam said "It's a thought. you know she takes your vitality maybe your immunity goes to hell, pneumonia takes hold. Anyway, shtrigas can feed off anyone but they prefer..." Dean simply said "Children." Sam said "Yeah. Probably because they have stronger life force. And get this. Shtrigas are '...invulnerable to all weapons devised by God and man.'" Dean then says "No, that's not right. She's vulnerable when she feeds." Sam was surprised and said "What?" Dean then said "Dad told me. I remember." Sam then asked Dean "Oh. Huh. So uh, anything else Dad might have mentioned?" Dean quickly responded with "Nope, that's it." Sam just keeps staring at Dean and he says "What?" Sam replies with "Nothing. Okay. So, assuming we can kill it when it eats we still gotta find the thing first, which ain't gonna be a cakewalk. Shtrigas take on a human disguise when they're not hunting." Dean said "What kinda human disguise?" Sam said "Historically, something innocuous. Could be anything, but it's usually a feeble old woman, which might be how the witches as old crones legend got started." Sarah crossing the room said "Hang on." Sam says "What?" Sarah grabbing a map says "Check this out. I marked down all the addresses of the victims. Now these are the houses that have been hit so far, and dead center?" Sam said "The Hospital." Dean said "The hospital. Now when we were there I saw a patient, an old woman." Sam says "An old person huh?"Dean said "Yeah." Sam said "In a hospital? Phew." Shaking his head and sniggering and he says " Better call the Coast Guard." Dean said "Well listen, smart-ass, she had an inverted cross hanging on her wall." Sarah and Sam quickly looks up, Dean has a serious expression on his face.

They arrived at the hospital and it was night time, Sarah, Sam and Dean come down a hallway quickly ducking back when they see Dr Hydecker. The Nurse said "Goodnight Dr Hydecker." Dr Hydecker says "See you tomorrow Betty." The Nurse says "Try to get some sleep." Sarah, Sam and Dean hide until Dr Hydecker passes, then continue on to the old woman's room. They open the door and sneak in, Dean taking the front whilst both Sarah and Sam stay behind the old lady, . The woman is in her wheelchair facing toward the corner and she seems to be sleeping. Dean slowly leans in closer and closer to her face then they got a surprise when the old woman turned her head and she said " Who the hell are you?!" Dean freaks , leaping back against a wall cabinet, pulling his gun up. She then she continues "Who's there? You trying to steal my stuff?" Grumbling to herself and then she continues "They're always stealing around here." Sarah turns on the light and then Sam says "No! Ah, ma'am, we're maintenance. We're sorry. We thought you were sleeping." The woman said "Ahhh, nonsense. I was sleeping with my peepers open. (She laughs, then gestures at the wall.) And fix that crucifix, would ya? I've asked four damn times already!" Dean still looking slightly freaked out, jogs the crucifix and it swings the right way up.

The following morning back at the motel the impala pulls up to the motel parking lot and Sam, Sarah and Dean get out sam laughing says ""I was sleeping with my peepers open?" Hahahaha." Dean said "I almost smoked that old girl, I swear. It's not funny!" Sarah sniggering said "Babes come on it's a little bit funny." Dean said "Yeah but the thing is we're back to square one." Dean then sees the owner's son sitting behind the office looking forlorn and he says "Hang on." Dean said to the little boy "Hey what's wrong?" Michael says "My brother's sick." Dean says "The little guy?" Michael nods his head and says "Pneumonia. He's in the hospital. It's my fault." Dean said "Ah c'mon, how?" Michael said "I shoulda made sure the window was latched. He wouldn't have got pneumonia if the window was latched." Dean looks away for a moment, Sam and Sarah notice and they both frowning thoughtfully and then Dean says "Listen to me. I can promise you that this is not your fault. Okay?" Michael says "It's my job to look after him." Sam looks back and forth between Dean and the kid, His mother hurries out of the motel toward her car and she says to Michael "Michael, I want you to turn on the no vacancy sign while I'm gone. I've got Denise covering room service so don't bother with any of the rooms." Michael said "I'm going with you." His mom said "Not now, Michael." Michael says "But I gotta see Asher!" Dean says to Michael "Hey Michael. Hey. I know how you feel -- I'm a big brother too -- but you gotta go easy on your Mom right now, ok?" Michael's mom dropped her bag in a haste and she simply says "Dammit."

Sarah said "I got it." Michael's mom said "Thank you." Dean then said "Listen, you're in no condition to drive -- why don't you let me give you a lift to the hospital." Michael's mom said "No, I couldn't possibly..." Dean said "No, it's no trouble. I insist." Dean takes her keys and he gives sarah a kiss and she kisses him back and says "I'll stay here with Michael keep him company." Dean nodded and then looked at Sam and he said "We're gonna kill this thing. I want it dead, you hear me?" In the Library whilst Dean went to the hospital and Sarah stayed at the motel with Michael and Sam sits at a microfiche machine. He picks up his phone, Dean whispers "Hey." Sam said "Hey. How's the kid?" Dean said "He's not good. Where you at?" Sam said "I'm at the library. I've been trying to find out as much as I can about this Shtriga." Dean said "Yeah, what have you got?" Sam said "Well, bad news. I started with Fort Douglas around the time you said Dad was there?" Dean said "Yeah?" Sam said "Same deal. Before that, there was, uh, Ogdenville, before that North Haverbrook, and Brockway. Every 15 to 20 years it hits a new town. Dean, this thing is just getting started in Fitzburgh. In all these other places it goes on for months. Dozens of kids before the shtriga finally moves on. The kids just ... languish in comas and then they die." Dean said "How far back's this thing go?" Sam said "Ah, I don't know. The earliest mention I could find is this place called "Black River Falls" back in the 1890s. Talk about a horror show.... Whoa." Dean said "Sam?" Sam says "Hold on.... I'm looking at a photograph right now of a bunch of doctors standing around a kid's bed. One of the Doctors is Hydecker." Dean said "And?" Sam said "And this picture was taken in 1893." Dean said "You sure?" Sam said "Yeah, Yeah absolutely."

Dean hangs up the phone and and turns to watch Hydecker who is sitting on Asher's bed and Hydecker said to Asher's mom "Don't worry. Your son's in good hands. I'm going to take care of him." Hydecker moves towards Dean who was standing in the doorway, Dean looks ready to slit his throat and Dr Hydecker asks dean "So what's the CDC come up with so far?" Dean said "Well, we're still working on a few theories. You'll know something as soon as we do." Then Dr Hydecker looks over at Asher and then back at Dean says "Well, nothing's more important to me than these kids. Just let me know if I can help." Dean simply says "I'll do that."

Back at the hotel sarah was having a shower sam was talking to dean and he says "We should have thought of this before. A doctor's a perfect disguise. You're trusted, you can control the whole thing." Dean throwing off his jacket, pacing agitatedly says "That son of a bitch." Sam says "I'm surprised you didn't draw on him right there." Dean says "Yeah well, first of all, I'm not going to open fire in a freakin' paediatrics ward."Sam said "Good Call." Dean says "Second, wouldn't have done any good, because the bastard's bullet proof unless he's chowing down on something. And third, I wasn't packing, which is probably a really good thing cause I probably would have just burned a clip in him on principle alone." Sam said "You're getting wise in your old age Dean." Dean said "Damn right. Cause now I know how we're going to get it." Sam says "What do you mean?" Dean says "Shtriga, works through siblings right?" Sam simply said "Right." Dean said "Well last night...." Sam said "It went after Asher." Dean said "So I'm thinking tonight it's probably gonna come after Michael." Sam said "Well we gotta get him outta here." Dean said "No. No, that would blow the whole deal." That surprised Sam and then he said "What?" Dean simply said "Yeah." Sam asked Dean "You wanna use the kid as bait? Are you nuts? No! Forget it. That's out of the question." Dean said "It's not out of the question Sam it's the only way. If this thing disappears it could be years before we get another chance." Sam said to Dean "Michael's a kid. And I'm not going to dangle him in front of that thing like a worm on a hook." Dean said "Dad did not send me here to walk away." Sam said "Send YOU here? He didn't send you here -- he sent us here." Dean said "This isn't about you, Sam. I'm the one who screwed up, all right. It's my fault. There's no telling how many kids have gotten hurt because of me." Sam was confused and still looking at Dean he said "What are you saying, Dean? How is it your fault?" There was a long pause and then Sam sighing said "Dean. You've been hiding something from the get-go. Since when does Dad bail on a hunt? Since when does he let something get away? Now talk to me, man. Tell me what's going on." Dean said "Fort Douglas, WIsconsin. It was our third night in this crap room and I was climbing the walls. Man, I needed to get some air."

Flashback in the hotel room with Young Dean sits watching TV. He turns it off and goes to the front door, looking back at SAMMY asleep in the other room before he leaves, locking the door behind him. He plays arcade games in reception until the owner tells him they're closing for the night the owner says "Kid we are closing up." So he heads back to the room, he sees a strange light coming from Sammy's room. He moves closer and sees the shtriga leaning over Sammy, dean reaches for the rifle by the door but the shtriga hears him cock it and rears up, hissing and he hesitates terrified. As he does John bursts through the front door, gun raised and he shouts to dean "Get out of the way." Dean ducks and John shoots the shtriga multiple times with his hand gun, The shtriga jumps through the bedroom window, glass shattering. John rushes to Sam's bed and pulls him close, cradling him and then he says "Sammy. Sammy. Sammy. You ok?" Young Sammy was confused and sleepy and he answers "Yeah Dad, what's going on?" John asks Young sam "You all right?" John holds Sammy close then he glares at Dean and asks him "What happened?" Dean hesitatingly said "I -- I -- I just went out." John said "What?" Young Dean said "Just for a second. I'm sorry." John said to young Dean "I told you not to leave this room. I told you not to let him out of your sight!" Young Dean watches sadly as John cradles young Sammy.

Dean says to Sam "Dad just ... grabbed us and booked. Dropped us off at Pastor Jim's about three hours away, but by the time he got back to Fort Douglas the shtriga had disappeared, it was just gone. It never surfaced until now. You know, Dad never spoke about it again, I didn't ask. But he...ah...he looked at me different, you know? Which was worse. Not that I blame him. He gave me an order and I didn't listen, I almost got you killed." Sam softly said to Dean "You were just a kid." Dean said "Don't. Don't. Dad knew this was unfinished business for me. He sent me here to finish it." Sam said "But using Michael -- I don't know Dean. I mean, how 'bout one of us hides under the covers, you know, we'll be the bait." Dean said "No, it won't work. It's gotta get close enough to feed -- it'll see us. Believe me, I don't like it, but it's gotta be the kid."

In the motel reception Michael was scared and holding up the phone and he said "You're crazy! Just go away or I'm calling the cops." Dean said "Hang on a second. Just listen to me. You have to believe me, ok? This thing came through the window and it attacked your brother. I've seen it. I know what it looks like. Cause it attacked my brother once too." Sarah had been told everything she was stuck between the both of them and then Michael slowly hangs up the phone and he says "This thing...is it...like....it has this long...black robe?" Dean said "You saw it last night didn't you?" Michael said " I thought I was having a nightmare." Dean said to Michael "I'd give anything not to tell you this, but sometimes nightmares are real." Michael was confused and asked Dean "So, why are you telling me?" Dean said "Because we need your help." Michael said "My help?" Dean said "We can kill it. Me and him, that's what we do. But we can't do it without you." Michael said "What? No!" Dean said "Michael, listen to me. This thing hurt Asher. And it's gonna keep hurting kids unless we stop it, understand me?" Michael stares at Dean, horrified and unsure of what to do."

Back in the motel room Dean says "Well that went crappy. Now what?" Sarah said "What did you expect? You can't ask a adult to do something like that, much less a kid." There was a knock on the door, Dean opens it and sees that Michael is standing there and Michael says "If you kill it, will Asher get better?" Dean said "Honestly? We don't know." Michael said "You said you were a big brother." Dean nods and says "Yeah." Michael says "You'd take care of your little brother? You'd do anything for him?" Dean said "I would." Michael said "Me too, I'll help."

In Michael's bedroom Dean completes hooking up a security camera in the corner of the room, staring into the lens. Michael is behind him in bed, Sam and Sarah are in the other room with the security cameras and Dean says to Michael "This camera has night vision on it so we'll be able to see clear as day."To Sam, lifting his voice, " Are we good?" Sam said " A hair to the right" He adjusts the camera and sam says "There, there." Michael asks Dean "What do I do?" Dean moving to sit on Michael's bed he says "Just stay under the covers." Michael then asks "And if it shows up?" Dean said "We'll be right in the next room. We're gonna come in with guns. So, as soon as we do you roll off this bed and you crawl under it." Michael asked "What if you shoot me?" Dean said "We won't shoot you. We're good shots. We're not going to fire until you're clear ok?" Michael nods tentatively and dean continues and says "Have you heard a gunshot before?" Michael said "Like in the movies?" Dean says "It's gonna be a lot louder than in the movies. So I want you to stay under the bed, cover your ears, do not come out until we say so. You understand?" Michael nods his head slowly, looking scared, dean then asked Michael "Michael, you sure you wanna do this?" Michael goes quiet for a while and then dean says "You don't have to, it's ok, I won't be mad." Michael said "No I'm ok. Just don't shoot me." Dean said "We're not going to let anything happen to you. I promise."

Sarah, Sam and Dean sit watching the security camera feed and Dean asks "What time is it?" Sarah said "Three. You sure these iron rounds are gonna work?" Dean said "Consecrated iron rounds, and yeah it's what Dad used last time." Sam then said "Dean, I'm sorry." Dean was confused and said "For What?"Sam says "You know, I've really given you a lot of crap, for always following Dad's orders. But I know why you do it." Dean said "Oh, god, kill me now." Sam laughs softly. They sit in silence for a moment, Sarah says "Wait, look." There is movement outside the window, It slides open Sarah, Sam and Dean pick up their guns and The shtriga is inside Michael's room Sam said "Now?" Dean said "Not yet." The shtriga moves closer and leans over the bed, Michael is terrified but frozen, unable to move. The shtriga leans closer and opens his mouth, starting to draw Michael energy Sarah, Dean and Sam burst in and Sam says "Hey!" Dean shouts "Michael, down."Michael rolls off and under the bed and Sam, Sarah and Dean open fire, shooting the shtriga multiple times each. It falls to the ground. Dean says to Michael "Mike, you all right?" From under the bed Michael says "Yeah." Dean approaches the shtriga, gun at the ready. There is no movement and he relaxes slightly looking over at Sam and Sarah, The shtriga suddenly rises, grabs DEAN by the throat and throws him against the wall." Both Sam and Sarah shout "Dean." The shtriga moves and throws Sam to the wall; he hits the ground, and the shtriga comes on him and forces his mouth open, Sarah picks up her gun and so does dean the Shtriga begins drawing his energy and Sam stills and starts going grey. Both Dean and Sarah said "Hey!" The Shtriga looks up and Dean and Sarah shot the shtriga in between the eyes, the shtriga falls backwards and Sam gasping for breath. Dean asks sam "You all right little brother?" SAM nods and unsteadily holds up two thumbs-up. They both pull themselves to their feet and look to the shtriga. The energy the shtriga stole begins to escape from its mouth. DEAN raises his gun, shooting it three more times at point blank range. More energy escapes. The shtriga falls in on itself, disintegrating, Michael peeks from the side of the bed and dean says "It's ok, Michael, you can come on out." Michael comes to stand beside them, smiling tentatively. Dean places his hand on Michael's shoulder and smiles.

Dean, Sarah and Sam are packing the Impala ready to head out. Michael's mother comes out of the back of reception, Dean said "Hey, Joanna How's Asher doing?" Joanna asks "Have you seen Michael?" Michael running up says "Mom! Mom!" Joanna hugging him says "Hey!" Michael asks "How's asher?"Joanna said "Got some good news. Your brother's gonna fine." Michael grinning said "Really?" Joanna said "Yeah. Really. No one can explain it -- it's a miracle. They're going to keep him in overnight for observation and then he's coming home." Dean said "That's great." Sarah asked "How are all the other kids doing?" Joanna said "Good. Real good. A bunch of them should be checking out in a few days. Dr. Travis says the ward's going to be like a ghost town." Sam asked "Dr. Travis? What about Dr. Hydecker?" Joanna said "Oh he wasn't in today. Must have been sick or something." Dean says "Yeah. Yeah must have." Joanna looks to Michael and says "So, did anything happen while I was gone?" Michael looked over at Dean and says "Nah, same old stuff." Joanna then said "Ok. You can go see Ash." Michael sounded excited said "Now?" Michael looks at dean who slightly nods and Joanna says "Only if you want too." Michael runs to the car and Joanna laughs and says "I, ah, I'd better get going before he hotwires the car and drives himself." She smiles goodbye and leaves, Sarah, Dean and Sam head back to the impala, Sam says "It's too bad." Dean said "Oh, they'll be fine." Sam said "That's not what I meant. I meant Michael. He'll always know there are things out there in the dark -- he'll never be the same, you know?" There was a long pause and then he continued and said "Sometimes I wish that...." Dean said "What?" Sam says "I wish I could have that kinda innocence." They watch Joanna and Michael drive away and dean slowly says "f it means anything, sometimes I wish you could too." They exchange a look Dean and Sarah get into the car and Dean starts the engine and then sam gets into the car and once the doors are closed the three of them drive away and heads back onto the freeway.