Chapter Four: The Talk

I go to open the door to my apartment, feeling the smile leave my face. I can't do this. What if she hates me afterwards? What if she never talks to me again? Where will I live? What would I do?

A hand lands on my shoulder and I turn around. Dean is smiling softly, in silent support.

"Do you want me to help you?" He offers.

"I should do this on my own," I tell him.

"I'll be sitting in the car." Dean turns around and walks off.

Taking a deep breath, I walk into the apartment I share with her. I find her sitting on the couch, watching TV. For a second, I just stare at her. This could be the last time that I talk to her. Our relationship could end within the next few minutes.

"Sam?" Jess says, looking at me. "What's wrong?"

She walks over to me and wraps her arms around me.

"I need to tell you something," I whisper, hugging her tightly.

"Tell me what?" She pulls away and looks at my face.

"About my childhood and my family."

I see her face change. She looks nervous and somewhat excited. Jess has been asking about my family for a long time. Her childhood was great and her family was close, so she shares everything, and she doesn't understand why I don't.

"Okay," she says. "Um, take your time. Let's sit."

She leads me to the couch and sits me down. I smile, thinking how caring she is and how she trying to make me comfortable. Would this be the last time she does this?

"Um, I-I uh," I struggle to start.

"It's alright, Sam," she says, rubbing my back. "You can tell me anything."

"I hope so," I blurt out.

She tilts her head, looking confused.

"Do you believe in the Supernatural?"

"The Supernatural? You mean ghosts and werewolves?"

"Yeah."

"I mean, they could be-."

"No!" I cut her off. "Do you believe in them?"

"Well, no. They're just stories. Fiction."

"What if I told you they weren't just stories?"

"What do you mean?" She asks, looking scared.

"What if I told you that ghosts, werewolves, vampires, ghouls, and all of that existed and that people hunted them?"

"You believe this," she says, leaning back.

"I do."

"Sam," she starts, sighing.

"I'm not crazy."

"I'm not saying you are."

"But you're thinking it." I stand up and start to pace.

"I-I mean, this is pretty crazy. There's monsters and hunters. Wait," she paused, looking scared. "Your dad was on a hunting trip?"

"Yeah," I say. "He was hunting something."

"Oh my. Sam, you can't believe your dad is hunting monsters," she stands. She looks at me with sympathy.

"He is. I've seen them. I've hunted them." As soon as the words leave my mouth, I cringe.

"You've hunted?" She pushes her hair back roughly. "Sam. Those were people."

"No. Not really. They monsters." I try to will her to believe.

"No. Sam. Monsters aren't real. My dad knows people-." Jess walks toward me.

"I'm not crazy! This is real. This is- was my life."

"I know, but…"

"Let me explain everything. At least let me tell you the entire story before you have me committed."

"Fine."

We both sit on the couch.

"I guess I should start from the beginning. As you know, I was born May 2nd, 1983 in Lawrence, Kansas. My brother, Dean, is four years older than me. John and Mary Winchester are my parents."

"Yeah," she whispers, nodding.

"Well, six months after I was born, our family changed forever."

"Your mom passed away in a house fire."

"That's partially true."

"Partially?"

"Yeah. Um, a….monster broke into our house and, she, um was pinned to the ceiling and burned alive." I struggle to phrase it right.

"What?" Jess says so quietly I almost didn't hear her.

"My dad found her and he started hunting, trying to find the thing that killed her."

"And you and Dean were taught to hunt."

"Yeah. And we would move around constantly, following the hunt. When I got my Stanford letter, Dad and I fought. I didn't want to hunt anymore. They saw it a different way. I abandoned the family for my own selfish needs," I say bitterly, glaring at the ground.

"They wanted you to hunt forever."

"Yeah. Pretty much."

"Monsters aren't real," she says again.

"They are. I can't prove it, because that would mean bringing one here. Just believe me, Jess. Does it look like I'm lying?"

"No, but if you really believed this, then to you it's the true, so you wouldn't be lying."

"Ugh!" I lean back on the couch and close my eyes.

"Sam."

"What do we do now?" I ask.

"I don't know."

"I'm not crazy, but you think I am. I'm not being committed."

"I won't. Just, why do you think they're monsters?"

I open my eyes and look at her.

"Because there are signs."

"Signs?" She says, clinically, almost like a doctor would.

This is better than before. I'll take it.

"Well, to start off, there are mysterious deaths that police can't explain. Like, missing hearts, no blood, no forced entry and the room is locked. Things like that. Then, we head there and we investigate. We dress up as insurance people or something."

"That's illegal!" She exclaims.

"Everything about hunting is illegal. So, we talk to the families and learn more about the victim. Usually by this point we have a general idea of what's going on. I do a lot of research. Dean and Dad find it and kill it. I haven't been on many hunts, but the ones I've been on it's pretty obvious it's a monster. They have different eyes."

"What type of eyes?" She asks.

"Depends on the monsters. Shapeshifters eyes glow in videos, werewolves have yellow, and a bunch others. Monsters usually have claws and razor sharp teeth."

I look at Jess who is staring at me like I have two heads.

"Now, do you think all three of us would hallucinate about the same thing?"

"I mean if you Dad brainwashed you."

"He didn't brainwash us. Well, not me. I left hunting."

"And Dean?"

"He's a hunter through and through. And we aren't the only ones. There is Bobby, Caleb, Joshua, Pastor Jim, and others. We all agree and see the same thing."

"I still can't believe this," Jess sighs, covering her face in her hands.

"That's fine. It's a lot." I hug for a few minutes.

"I need to go find Dean. It's waiting," I say, reluctant to let her go.

"Alright."

I leave the apartment and as soon as the air hits me, I start to gasp. I told Jess about my life! And while she thought I was crazy, she didn't yell at me or throw me out. It wasn't the best outcome, but it wasn't the worst. I find Dean in the Impala, looking through some papers.

"Still looking for Dad?" I say when I get to the window.

"No. Demon hunts."

"Oh."

"So how did it go with Jess?"

"Um, well she thinks I'm loony, but still loves me."

"That's good," Dean says, smiling a small smile.

"Yeah. She doesn't believe me though."

"Well. It is pretty nutty."

"It is. I just don't know what to do now."

"I would say give her some alone time, but in this case I don't think that is a good idea."

"Why?" I wonder.

"Well, she needs to see you are still your geeky self and not a crazy man. Remind her of the good things."

"Wow. Great advice. Did it hurt to think of that?" I tease him.

"No! I'll show you hurt."

"Sure. Whatever. And I thought you were on a break. Stop looking for hunts." I grab the papers and throw them into the passenger seat.

"Hey!"

"Come in, Dean."

"Alright, but only because I'm hungry."

"You're always hungry." I roll my eyes.