On This Battlefield No One Wins
Prologue
November 1994
Shaker Heights, Ohio
The Impala pulled up in front of the Dutch Colonial set at the center of the cul-de-sac's turn. It was the only one like it on the street, and it was built like a fortress.
John Winchester turned in the seat to look at his boys Sam, eleven, and Dean, sixteen. “You boys know the drill, right?” He asked, his tone militaristic yet slightly softened because of who he was talking to.
“But Dad.. I can take care of Sam like I always do.” Dean complained.
“Dean, I know this is difficult, but I don't know how long I'm gonna be this time. These people will look out for you.” He opened the door with a creak and stood, ending the conversation.
Dean looked at Sam angrily. “You shouldn't have whined.” He said, grabbing his duffle and grudgingly got out of the car, following his dad up to the front of the house.
Sam followed after them, struggling with his own bag, dropping it at the foot of the steps.
John turned and looked at Sam, then Dean. “Help your brother.” He told him offhandedly, knocking on the door.
Dean sighed and walked back down the three concrete steps to retrieve his younger brother's duffle and carried it back up for him. “Brat.”
“Shut up.” He muttered.
The door opened about two inches, stopped by the duel chains holding it to the frame. “State your business.” The male voice on the other side said.
“Jesse. It's John Winchester.” Said man announced.
A canister was passed over the threshold to him. “Drink.” The voice commanded. “The boys, too.”
John took a swig with no problem, passing it to his boys to do the same. “There. Now can we come in?” He asked, his tone more amused than angry.
The door slammed and the scratching of metal and wood followed.
“Can't be too careful. What with you wanting to leave the boys and all that.” The man known as Jesse said, beckoning them in.
John gave a half-hearted smirk and stood in the hallway. “I really appreciate you doing this for me.”
“Don't sweat it. You helped us when we needed it, we're helping you.” Jesse told him, herding the trio into the living room where two girls in black pajamas were sitting at the coffee table reading tarot cards. They looked up in unison then at the two boys sitting on the sofa with leather-bound books, and finally back down at the table.
“Reilly, Katherine, Matthew, James... I want you to meet my friend John and his two boys Sam and Dean.” Jesse announced.
They all reluctantly stood and walked over, one girl pleating her ebony hair as she walked.
The two girls stood back as Matthew and James went over and shook their hands.
“It's nice to meet you.” James said politely. “You can call me Jimmy. I'm Reilly's brother.” He said, indicating the dark-haired girl.
“And I'm Matt.” Matthew stated, shaking their hands quickly and stepping aside.
Sam watched the girls with weird interest. They looked like they could be out of a horror film with the way their eyes stared at nothing and their hair contrasted with their skin.
Reilly walked right over to him, her sky blue gaze catching his. She took his palm in her olive-toned hand and bent over it, her index finger scanning the lines etched into it. “I don't like him.” She told Jesse, walking past Dean and glancing at John's palm. “You though, sir... You are a nice man.” She said, giving him a brief smile and standing behind Jimmy.
The other girl looked at the two boys, her blonde locks chopped short and hanging around her face. “My name is Katt. Just Katt. I don't like either of you and I don't want you here.” She told them, her pale arms crossed over her chest.
“Katherine Elizabeth Sanders.” A woman, looking a mixture between Katt with the almost platinum hair and the olive complexion of Reilly, sidled in. “Apologize this instant. We're glad to have them here.”
She frowned, grumbling something about their dark auras and stared them down. “Sorry.” She said snippily.
“Sue.” John said, smiling. “It's been a while.”
She nodded. “Barstow. That potion worked I see.”
He nodded. “I appreciate everything you and Jesse are doing for us.” John told her, and the adults started in on a conversation.
Sam looked at Dean, who stared at Katt. “Dean... Those girls are creepy.” He whispered.
“Shut up, I know.” Dean told him, leaving Sam standing in the middle of the room to go talk to Jimmy and Matt.
Reilly was sitting back on the Indian print pillow in front of the pillow, gathering the cards since Katt hurried upstairs as soon as no one was watching. She looked back up at him. “Sit. I'll tell your fortune.” She told him, shuffling the cards with the practice of a Vegas dealer and set them in front of him. “Cut the deck.”
Sam reached out a timid hand and picked up two-thirds of the deck, setting it beside the original pile. “I thought you didn't like me.” He stated.
“I don't. But that doesn't mean I can't be civil for your family's sake. No need to make the living situation difficult.” She told him, putting the cards together and shuffling again, holding them out to him. “Tap the deck.”
He tapped it. “Is this a card trick?” He questioned.
She smirked. “No. It's tarot. Much better.” She laid the cards out, examining them quietly. “You face a long road ahead. A great struggle. You'll succumb to corruption, but rise above it. And you will know great joy and peace of mind.” She stared at the last card, one she hadn't flipped over. “I don't want to press your luck, but.. Do you want to know the struggle?” She asked him.
He opened his mouth to agree to it as John walked in. “I'm taking off now boys. Behave yourselves.” He looked at Dean and nodded then hugged the two when they walked over.
Reilly flipped the card over and hid it quickly, taking it with her when she left to go to her room.
When Sam turned to tell her to show him, she was gone and he pushed it aside as nothing.
December 24, 1998
Shaker Heights, Ohio
Sam was packing his duffle in the room he and Dean shared during their extended visits with the Sanders-Sullivan household. He was getting ready for his dad and Dean to come pick him up from his four month long stay.
A knock on the door made him turn. “Reilly. Come in.” He said, turning back to his bag.
She walked in and looked at the bag. “You should fold your clothes. They'd fit better.” She told him.
“I didn't ask your opinion.” He grumbled irritably.
“Don't get smart with me Sam Winchester, I came in here to be nice.” She stated.
He turned to her. “Sorry. What did you need?” He questioned.
She held out a package wrapped modestly. “Since you won't be here. I wanted to give it to you before you left.”
He took the gift. “Thanks.”
She shrugged indifferently. “I don't know what you do when you leave, but this could help you.” She stated, folding a shirt laying on the bed.
He unwrapped the gift and pulled out the braided leather, speckled with blue and white beads. “It's.. nice.” He told Reilly quietly.
“It calls upon Gaia and Ouranos to protect the wearer.” She explained. “It's more practical than anything else I could get you.” She stated.
He smiled and tied the thin bracelet around his wrist. “I like it, Rei. Thanks.”
She nodded and set the shirt down.
“So are your parents coming to get you this year?” He asked, knowing that Jimmy and Reilly lived with their aunt and uncle, but as far as he knew they always left for Christmas.
She looked at him, her eyes cold. “My parents abandoned me, Sam. They left Jimmy and me here when I was six. I haven't seen them since.”
He looked ashamed of himself. “Rei... I'm sorry... I didn't--”
She held up her hand to stop him. “I know. You should finish packing. John and Dean should be here soon.” She muttered, walking out of the room quickly.
April 2001
Shaker Heights, Ohio
Reilly sat next to Sam at a round table, adorned with '2001' confetti and a plastic white table cloth. “I didn't want to come.” She told him, her hair up in a bun with curls falling around her face, her dress was as ebony as her hair and her jewelry carried a crimson hue.
Sam shrugged. “Katt is enjoying herself.” He observed.
“She can have fun in any place, so long as men are around.” She told him, draping a leg over the other and watching as her cousin danced with two guys on the dance floor of their Senior prom, neither of them the two dates she'd walked in with.
He smirked. “And I see my brother is nowhere to be found.” He added, looking around for him.
She toyed with the bracelet she wore, an inch wide silver bracelet composed of what looked like chain mail.
Sam caught the action. “Thinking about Jimmy?” He asked.
She nodded. “Don't say his name. It hurts too much.” She whispered, walking out of the crowded dance hall.
Sam followed after her. “Rei, I'm sorry. I wish I could've--”
She turned. “I could have. But I didn't. He had to... He took that dive to save me.” She sniffled.
He walked over and hugged her. “He loved you, Rei. Enough to drown himself in Holy water for you.”
Reilly looked up at him, pulling away quickly. “Katt and I are leaving. As soon as we graduate. We're going to track down every last demon and end them.” She said resolutely.
“Stay safe, okay? Hunting isn't easy.” He explained to her.
She rolled her eyes. “I know that. But I'm not going to go hide on the opposite side of the country to try to live a normal life. I don't want to. I don't understand why you can.” And with that she stormed off, her heels making angry clacking sounds as she left him standing in that parking lot.
Shaker Heights, Ohio
The Impala pulled up in front of the Dutch Colonial set at the center of the cul-de-sac's turn. It was the only one like it on the street, and it was built like a fortress.
John Winchester turned in the seat to look at his boys Sam, eleven, and Dean, sixteen. “You boys know the drill, right?” He asked, his tone militaristic yet slightly softened because of who he was talking to.
“But Dad.. I can take care of Sam like I always do.” Dean complained.
“Dean, I know this is difficult, but I don't know how long I'm gonna be this time. These people will look out for you.” He opened the door with a creak and stood, ending the conversation.
Dean looked at Sam angrily. “You shouldn't have whined.” He said, grabbing his duffle and grudgingly got out of the car, following his dad up to the front of the house.
Sam followed after them, struggling with his own bag, dropping it at the foot of the steps.
John turned and looked at Sam, then Dean. “Help your brother.” He told him offhandedly, knocking on the door.
Dean sighed and walked back down the three concrete steps to retrieve his younger brother's duffle and carried it back up for him. “Brat.”
“Shut up.” He muttered.
The door opened about two inches, stopped by the duel chains holding it to the frame. “State your business.” The male voice on the other side said.
“Jesse. It's John Winchester.” Said man announced.
A canister was passed over the threshold to him. “Drink.” The voice commanded. “The boys, too.”
John took a swig with no problem, passing it to his boys to do the same. “There. Now can we come in?” He asked, his tone more amused than angry.
The door slammed and the scratching of metal and wood followed.
“Can't be too careful. What with you wanting to leave the boys and all that.” The man known as Jesse said, beckoning them in.
John gave a half-hearted smirk and stood in the hallway. “I really appreciate you doing this for me.”
“Don't sweat it. You helped us when we needed it, we're helping you.” Jesse told him, herding the trio into the living room where two girls in black pajamas were sitting at the coffee table reading tarot cards. They looked up in unison then at the two boys sitting on the sofa with leather-bound books, and finally back down at the table.
“Reilly, Katherine, Matthew, James... I want you to meet my friend John and his two boys Sam and Dean.” Jesse announced.
They all reluctantly stood and walked over, one girl pleating her ebony hair as she walked.
The two girls stood back as Matthew and James went over and shook their hands.
“It's nice to meet you.” James said politely. “You can call me Jimmy. I'm Reilly's brother.” He said, indicating the dark-haired girl.
“And I'm Matt.” Matthew stated, shaking their hands quickly and stepping aside.
Sam watched the girls with weird interest. They looked like they could be out of a horror film with the way their eyes stared at nothing and their hair contrasted with their skin.
Reilly walked right over to him, her sky blue gaze catching his. She took his palm in her olive-toned hand and bent over it, her index finger scanning the lines etched into it. “I don't like him.” She told Jesse, walking past Dean and glancing at John's palm. “You though, sir... You are a nice man.” She said, giving him a brief smile and standing behind Jimmy.
The other girl looked at the two boys, her blonde locks chopped short and hanging around her face. “My name is Katt. Just Katt. I don't like either of you and I don't want you here.” She told them, her pale arms crossed over her chest.
“Katherine Elizabeth Sanders.” A woman, looking a mixture between Katt with the almost platinum hair and the olive complexion of Reilly, sidled in. “Apologize this instant. We're glad to have them here.”
She frowned, grumbling something about their dark auras and stared them down. “Sorry.” She said snippily.
“Sue.” John said, smiling. “It's been a while.”
She nodded. “Barstow. That potion worked I see.”
He nodded. “I appreciate everything you and Jesse are doing for us.” John told her, and the adults started in on a conversation.
Sam looked at Dean, who stared at Katt. “Dean... Those girls are creepy.” He whispered.
“Shut up, I know.” Dean told him, leaving Sam standing in the middle of the room to go talk to Jimmy and Matt.
Reilly was sitting back on the Indian print pillow in front of the pillow, gathering the cards since Katt hurried upstairs as soon as no one was watching. She looked back up at him. “Sit. I'll tell your fortune.” She told him, shuffling the cards with the practice of a Vegas dealer and set them in front of him. “Cut the deck.”
Sam reached out a timid hand and picked up two-thirds of the deck, setting it beside the original pile. “I thought you didn't like me.” He stated.
“I don't. But that doesn't mean I can't be civil for your family's sake. No need to make the living situation difficult.” She told him, putting the cards together and shuffling again, holding them out to him. “Tap the deck.”
He tapped it. “Is this a card trick?” He questioned.
She smirked. “No. It's tarot. Much better.” She laid the cards out, examining them quietly. “You face a long road ahead. A great struggle. You'll succumb to corruption, but rise above it. And you will know great joy and peace of mind.” She stared at the last card, one she hadn't flipped over. “I don't want to press your luck, but.. Do you want to know the struggle?” She asked him.
He opened his mouth to agree to it as John walked in. “I'm taking off now boys. Behave yourselves.” He looked at Dean and nodded then hugged the two when they walked over.
Reilly flipped the card over and hid it quickly, taking it with her when she left to go to her room.
When Sam turned to tell her to show him, she was gone and he pushed it aside as nothing.
December 24, 1998
Shaker Heights, Ohio
Sam was packing his duffle in the room he and Dean shared during their extended visits with the Sanders-Sullivan household. He was getting ready for his dad and Dean to come pick him up from his four month long stay.
A knock on the door made him turn. “Reilly. Come in.” He said, turning back to his bag.
She walked in and looked at the bag. “You should fold your clothes. They'd fit better.” She told him.
“I didn't ask your opinion.” He grumbled irritably.
“Don't get smart with me Sam Winchester, I came in here to be nice.” She stated.
He turned to her. “Sorry. What did you need?” He questioned.
She held out a package wrapped modestly. “Since you won't be here. I wanted to give it to you before you left.”
He took the gift. “Thanks.”
She shrugged indifferently. “I don't know what you do when you leave, but this could help you.” She stated, folding a shirt laying on the bed.
He unwrapped the gift and pulled out the braided leather, speckled with blue and white beads. “It's.. nice.” He told Reilly quietly.
“It calls upon Gaia and Ouranos to protect the wearer.” She explained. “It's more practical than anything else I could get you.” She stated.
He smiled and tied the thin bracelet around his wrist. “I like it, Rei. Thanks.”
She nodded and set the shirt down.
“So are your parents coming to get you this year?” He asked, knowing that Jimmy and Reilly lived with their aunt and uncle, but as far as he knew they always left for Christmas.
She looked at him, her eyes cold. “My parents abandoned me, Sam. They left Jimmy and me here when I was six. I haven't seen them since.”
He looked ashamed of himself. “Rei... I'm sorry... I didn't--”
She held up her hand to stop him. “I know. You should finish packing. John and Dean should be here soon.” She muttered, walking out of the room quickly.
April 2001
Shaker Heights, Ohio
Reilly sat next to Sam at a round table, adorned with '2001' confetti and a plastic white table cloth. “I didn't want to come.” She told him, her hair up in a bun with curls falling around her face, her dress was as ebony as her hair and her jewelry carried a crimson hue.
Sam shrugged. “Katt is enjoying herself.” He observed.
“She can have fun in any place, so long as men are around.” She told him, draping a leg over the other and watching as her cousin danced with two guys on the dance floor of their Senior prom, neither of them the two dates she'd walked in with.
He smirked. “And I see my brother is nowhere to be found.” He added, looking around for him.
She toyed with the bracelet she wore, an inch wide silver bracelet composed of what looked like chain mail.
Sam caught the action. “Thinking about Jimmy?” He asked.
She nodded. “Don't say his name. It hurts too much.” She whispered, walking out of the crowded dance hall.
Sam followed after her. “Rei, I'm sorry. I wish I could've--”
She turned. “I could have. But I didn't. He had to... He took that dive to save me.” She sniffled.
He walked over and hugged her. “He loved you, Rei. Enough to drown himself in Holy water for you.”
Reilly looked up at him, pulling away quickly. “Katt and I are leaving. As soon as we graduate. We're going to track down every last demon and end them.” She said resolutely.
“Stay safe, okay? Hunting isn't easy.” He explained to her.
She rolled her eyes. “I know that. But I'm not going to go hide on the opposite side of the country to try to live a normal life. I don't want to. I don't understand why you can.” And with that she stormed off, her heels making angry clacking sounds as she left him standing in that parking lot.