Yet another long overdue post...it's hard to get back into the groove of things when I don't even remember my immediate plans...but I think I do now...hopefully. XD I digress. Here goes nothing!
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Night had fallen in the sleepy little town of Ashbury, but Sam was no closer to finding an answer or cure than when he'd began. The internet didn't have the plethora of research information that he had hoped to find, and the library itself had little to offer by way of occult study information. The town was, for all accounts, just a sleepy peace of small-town paradise. He'd found some information on topics of reincarnation in relation becoming a child again, useless therapy books for self-help, and information tantamount to idle witchcraft as the cause. Basically, he'd found nothing of help whatsoever and felt actually less informed than when had he begun. But, Sam recalled, his father had mentioned something about having been hunting a witch. John had ganked her though, and that had been in another area entirely, so it had to be unrelated. Besides, could a witch really even do that?
The library dinged for it's eight p.m. closing time and a disheartened Sam left to make his way back to the motel. He'd have to report a failure, and as much as John's disappointment might bother him, it was having to face his little big brother that made his heart clench. Sorry, Dean...he thought morosely.
A sudden collision with another surface startled him and he found himself looking down at a pretty, light-haired brunette. She had bright green eyes and a wave of curls, and a smattering of freckles on her fair skin. There was something about her that stood out to him, but he couldn't place it. "O-oh! I'm sorry! I wasn't paying attention, sorry about that." Sam mumbled quickly as he grimaced at his own carelessness.
The woman, in her early twenties, smiled and didn't seem bothered. "Dun'mind it. Happens often enough."
Sam noted she had a bit of an accent as well, was that Irish, or Scottish? And why did it seem oddly familiar as well? "Yeah..." he replied distractedly.
The woman lifted a brow before she started to edge past. "I'd best be going, see'ya around, stranger." She paused as she considered something. "Or, were ya planning on coming in?"
Sam blinked at her, not understanding until she motioned overhead. A wooden sign that read 'The Whistler' was hung overhead, and he realized that it was some kind of a bar. But why would she be asking him that, he wasn't of age, "I'm not-" oh wait...Sam glanced down at his hands and recalled the wallet in his pocket with his new I.D. "I wasn't." he answered without thought of the possible implication, it wasn't as if he'd had much experience with flirting, especially with women.
The woman's smile widened. "Is that right? But y'are now? Well then, my name's Lillian, but my pals call me 'Lily'. How about yer name, stranger?"
"I-It's Sam." Sam realized that he'd made a mistake somewhere, and he couldn't let it go on because he needed to get back to Dean and their father, but before he knew it he found himself walking in after her.
"Well, I-It's Sam, nice to meetcha." Lily chuckled and Sam swallowed hard as he felt the sudden warmth of a flush on his cheeks. She sat down at the bar and he did likewise. "What's yer poison?"
"M-My what?" Sam could feel his heart thudding wildly in his chest. Embarassment and confusion, mingled with excitement and anxiety, whirled up within him. This wasn't okay, he needed to go, he was going to be in so much trouble-
"Two whiskeys, aye?" Lily ordered as she eyed Sam. "Best make it a double for'im. He's a bit shaky."
The bartender eyed Sam with obvious distaste, carded the pair, and then headed to his tools.
Sam realized she'd ordered him a drink and he held up his hands as if in surrender. "I can't drink, I mean...I shouldn't. But thank you, really. Sorry if I seem 'shaky', it's just been...a long day." he explained. "I should really get going, sorry to trouble you-"
Lily clapped a hand on his back with a laugh. "No trouble at'all! Relax, pal. A wee drink won't hurt'cha."
Sam stilled momentarily as something tugged at his memory at those words. There was something dancing just beyond his recollection, something important, something that he needed to remember...
The drinks were set down with a clink against the metal bar top and Sam blinked down at the drink. There was something distinctly intimidating about the brown liquid before him. He recalled occasions of his father drinking [although usually straight from the bottle], and he'd determined young that he wasn't going to be interested in that sort of thing.
"You seem depressed, Sam, buddy. Have a drink. As they say, 'What whiskey cannot cure, there is no cure for'." Lily held up her glass. "Cheers." Lily offered Sam an encouraging smile.
Sam wasn't sure what was going on. Were older women always this nice, did she think he was cute or something? Lily was being awfully friendly and hadn't his father warned him about that sort of thing? But then, she didn't set him on alert or anything, if anything, she made him feel...feel...how could he describe it? There was something nostalgic about it and though he had no genuine memories of her, he felt that she reminded him...of his mother.
The thought put a sharp pang in his heart and he must have let the pain show on his face because he found his drink slipped gently into his hand as a warm pair of fingers clasped around it. Lily tilted to be in view of Sam's lowered gaze. "Life's too short, am I right? Smile for me, Sammy."
"Only Dean calls me that." Sam replied automatically, and then he flushed again as Lily smirked.
"Oh ho! So there's a bit of spunk in you yet. Well, then." she lifted her glass again. "Give us a toast, and tell me about your Dean. Cheers!"
Sam knew this had to be a terrible idea, but he found himself clinking his glass against hers anyway. "Cheers." And with that, he copied her example and took the drink down in a single gulp.
Immediately, Sam felt that he'd been tricked as he coughed and spluttered as the foul-tasting liquid burned down his throat like fire. "W-What did you d-do to me?"
Lily burst out laughing then, and through watery eyes and a hand clutching his stomach, Sam watched her with a dark frown. "First time, huh? Whiskey's got a kick to it, sorry about that. Double was a bit much, maybe."
Sam just stared at her, and Lily finally seemed apologetic as she handed him a glass of water from the table. Sam eyed it suspiciously before he gave in and chugged it down, relieved that it lessened the pain somewhat. "That...was horrible." he choked out.
Lily laughed again as she again clapped Sam on the back, and he stiffened slightly but allowed it. "Just wait for it to do it's magic, you'll feel better, trust me. Can't make'a promise fer the morning. But it'll get there. Now then, I think the topic was 'Dean'?"
"No...that's fine." Sam looked down at the table then as he toyed idly with the empty glass. And then his eyes widened. "I really gotta go, look, how much do I owe you?" Sam fumbled for his wallet and Lily put a hand on his wrist to stop him.
"It's on me if you give me, let's say...half an hour? You could use the talk, and I could use a companion." Lily ordered another round, a single for each this time, and Sam prayed she wasn't going to make him drink that one too.
But sure enough, against his better judgment, he found himself talking to her and drinking the next drink besides. He found that it didn't go down that much better the second time around, but he managed, and he told her about his life in the best terms that he could. Sam was careful to keep the hunter bits and magic parts out of it, alluding to his brother being badly injured rather than losing his age. The more he talked, he more he realized that he felt oddly loose and somewhat dizzy, and warm feeling had blossomed in his stomach. Lily listened to it all patiently, and by the end, Sam felt better just for the talking, let alone Lily's occasional bits of input. When it was all said and done, silence fell between the pair and Sam tried to let his thoughts work themselves out. But he tilted his gaze sideways as he heard a light sound beside him.
"Tura lura lural...tura lura lie...tura lura lural...that's an Irish lullabye.." Lily was singing softly, and the tune sounded almost painfully familiar.
"What...is that?"
"An old lullabye my grandmum sang to me. It helps me remember her, and makes me feel...better. Do you have something like that?"
Sam considered that a moment and while he had no grandparents to recall, no lullabyes from his mother or father, he could recall instances of being in the car with John and Dean as they belted out their classic rock tunes and Sam joined in sometimes despite himself. Did that count? Because certainly those memories made him feel...a little better. "You could say that.." he murmured before his situation was glaringly before him again. "I just don't know what to do...I just...I'd do anything to make him better..." Sam said morosely.
Lily considered that a moment before she set her hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "I'm willing to bet you caring that much helps on it's own. He's lucky, havin' such a loving brother."
Sam scoffed. "Yeah right...I just get in his way...I keep arguing with him and making things harder for him...just because I'm the one who's...confused..."
"Doubtful. If y'did, he doesn't seem like the type who'd lie about it from what y'said. Sounds like he doesn't want'ya in the family business just because he's a loving fellow too. Whatever you do, he's by ya, isn't he? As for that father of yours, he trusted your brother and didn't push ya. That means he cares more for yer well-being than that business, aye? He's the gruff type is all."
Sam considered that as he watched Lily, fascinated by the way the light glinted off her hair and gave it an almost reddish and gold tint. Before he knew it, he'd lifted a hand to stroke it only to jerk back in surprise as he realized what he was doing. "S'rry, jus..." he coughed as he noted vaguely that he was slurring. Was this what being drunk was like?
Lily eyed him a moment before she leaned forward suddenly and pressed a kiss to his lips. The kiss tasted of the whiskey, and something sweetly warm like cinnamon, and the warmth of it filled Sam faster than the whiskey. As she drew away, he stared after her dreamily before he snapped to and put a hand to his lips with a blush. "That..."
Lily rose then as she set a few bills on the counter. "That's goodnight, pal. When the moon's up, I've got things to do. But you be careful on your way home, it's the week of Hallow's Eve. That's when Jack get up to his tricks."
"...Jack?"
Lily chuckled. "It's an old legend. Nothing to worry about."
"But-" Sam soon found himself led outside and Lily ran her fingers through his hair and ruffled it. Everything seemed to be happening too quickly, the actions seemed disjointed, almost dream-like themselves. Was that the alcohol? And why did Lily seem different? "Lily...I-"
"-That's the first time you've called me by my name!" Lily seemed pleased and beamed. "Yer a good lad, y'know that?"
Sam's confusion increased, because he was certain that he was missing something, and he needed to ask about Jack, and ah, he needed to get back to Dean and John...
"Bit of advice before I go..." she said as she slipped something into Sam's hand, but kept her hand over his so that he didn't look just yet. "Magic and strength aren't all about spells and power. Sometimes it's in here." Lily clapped her hand over Sam's heart then. "With that, anything can be a blessing." Lily leaned up and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek and pulled away.
Sam stared at her before he glanced down to his hand and found a single lily there. "What-" but as he looked back up, she was gone. "Lily...?" But she was well and truly gone and Sam stood alone on the sidewalk with the lily in his hand. What had just happened? And why was his head spinning...?
Sam oriented himself as best he could as he began to trudge back towards the motel. He had to get back to them, he had to tell them about...about...what was it? Wasn't there a turnip...? And a song...and...and Jack? What was he missing?
Sam stumbled into the doorway of the motel and knocked a few times. One thing he knew with certainty as he tried unsuccessfully to straighten up and appear sober.
Dean and Dad were going to kill him.
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That didn't turn out quite as planned. Lily was supposed to be just a warm-hearted outsider who had knowledge of legends from her grandmother or whatnot. And then I had to rush through the scene a bit in the end to get the ball rolling properly...But this is an example of plans that go awry when I spend too long away and forget them. Ah well, it'll work. XD It'll give Bobby a chance to strut his stuff. But now comes the task of integrating all the other stuff in that you all don't know about yet...and Sam was supposed to be more comically drunk, but there's always next chapter. XD Verbal hugs bring joy to my life, enjoy! ~Witchy~