Breathe Life Into Me

“Mel? Brit? We’re back” I called out, almost frantically.

“Hey, that was fast” I spun quickly right as Melissa came skipping over to us with a huge grin.

I quickly pulled her close and grabbed her face in my hands. “Are you okay? Did anything happen while I was gone?” I asked quickly, searching her eyes. But they were so...distant....

“I’m fine, Dean...what’s wrong with you...?” She pushed me away slowly.

“Nothing...nothing...I just had this bad feeling in my stomach...” I pulled her in fast, hugging her tight. I could feel her slowly start to hug me back. When I looked up I saw Brit and Sam arguing in the other room and Charlie went straight for the laptop.

“Dean...you can’t just always assume something is going to go wrong whenever you leave my side” she murmured.

“Like hell I can’t” I replied. I pulled away and held her hands tightly, looking into her eyes. Something was wrong...I can feel it....

“So...did you find out what happened to those people?” she asked, making her way over to Charlie.

“No...” she started.

“Leviathan?” Brit voiced as her and Sam came over to us. I took note of the wedge that was now between them.

“No, they consume their prey” Charlie answered.

“Dragons, they...”

“No signs of burns on the vics” With each monster we listed she crossed off the picture on her iPad.

“I hate that thing” Sam muttered, suddenly jealous. “I want one...” he added quietly.

“What about Djinn?” Brit suggested, looking up at me and I picked up dad’s journal again, quickly flipping to the page.

“Djinn vics don't get liquefied...”

“Not regular Djinn. According to this, there's a bastard offshoot. Their eyes light up blue, they pass as humans, all that regular jazz, except these leave their victims with jelly-like insides, and supposedly, when they poison their victims, they leave behind a blue handprint” I explained, setting the book back down.

“I hate that thing. And I want one” Charlie commented.

“So these things die like regular Djinn?” Mel asked, trying to pick up on the new plan forming.

I nodded at her. “Yea, silver blade dipped in lamb's blood, yeah. And now we just gotta find the asshat”

“Alright, well, breakthrough means snack time to me, and I wanna just stretch my legs. I will pick us up some grub, and unlike you, Sam, I will not forget the pie” Charlie said, standing to her feet.

I eyed her. “I’ll go with you, Charlie. I’m going crazy being stuck in this place...” Mel voiced, grabbing her jacket. I felt Charlie tense. “O-okay” she stammered. I chuckled.

“Is...that okay?” I looked up to see Melissa freeze before grabbing her coat off the rack. She didn’t turn back to look at me but I knew I was the one she was addressing.

“Uhh yea...yea, that’s fine. You don’t need to ask...”

She just nodded and then made her way for the door. Charlie was hesitant. “Just be yourself. I’m sure you’ll have better luck than I ever will” I tried to joke but the fact that it could very possibly be true was what got to me.

She gave me a sad smile and then the two of them walked out together. “She seem a little off to you?” I asked aloud.

“Which one?” Sam said.

I gave him a look. “Since the second she got here” he nodded in agreement.

But then a loud slap filled the air, making me cringe when I saw the welt forming on Sam’s face. Brit tried walking away but he grabbed her hand to stop her. She spun quickly, smacking him again. I made a face.

“I was really worried about you, you ass!” she yelled. He just hung his head. “What made you think it was okay to just leave right when...” she stopped and I saw her eyes flashing to me and he seemed to understand what she was talking about.

“I needed...” he tried to defend himself. Just shut up, man. You won’t win.

“To prove something? Sam, we all know you can hunt. You’re a great hunter. But it’s okay to show a little weakness sometime. That’s what you two pinheads don’t seem to get”

“Hey, don’t drag me...” I started.

“No. This needs to be said because between the two of you...this is getting out of control. Dean, you need to stop beating yourself up about Melissa and Sam, you need to stop thinking you’re Superman. Because you aren’t to blame and you are’nt indestructible. This is how it works: when one of us is feeling week and vulnerable the others step up to pick up the slack. That’s always how it’s been and it was a good system. We always had each other’s back...”

“And we still do, Brit...” Sam tried.

“No...things are different. We’re so concerned about the amount of weight we all have and we’re concerned with taking the weight off of one and bringing it onto us...but that’s obviously not working. Sam. You’re sick. Whether you want to hear it or not you can’t afford to go out to the field because it’ll ultimately kill you which then throws Dean into turmoil and me off a friggin cliff...”

“Brittney, come on...”

“Seriously. Cut it out. Because I just can’t take it anymore” With that she walked out of the room, leaving me and Sam standing there like two children who just got scolded for stealing the last cookie.

Once Brit was out of sight, I smacked Sam upside the head. “What the hell’s wrong with you?” I hissed.

“Me? What about...”

“I’m the oldest. I’m the big brother. I’m supposed to worry about all of you. But you aren’t supposed to worry her” He sighed, knowing I was right. “Go talk, kiss and make up” I ordered.

He shot his eyes back up at me. “How can I...”

“Sam. I would give anything just to be able to get Mel back and here you have Brit, perfectly in tact and available...”

“Dean” He disapproved of my word choice.

“All I’m saying...don’t let a moment pass by that you’ll regret later...there’s so much I want to say to Melissa but I know she won’t understand or get so I have to bite my tongue. Don’t ever get forced to bite your tongue, Sammy” I avoided his face and after a moment I listened to him walk in the direction Brit went in.

~

The air wasn’t so tense anymore and Brit and Sam were able to sit next to each other without biting their heads off. But I counted the hours from when Melissa left with Charlie. One...two...three.... I walked in to see Brit and Sam get off the phone...for the fifth time.

“Anything?” I asked. Brit shook her head.

“No. And there was no comic convention in Topeka. I don't know why...I mean, why would she lie to us"

“One way to find out” I said, pulling out my cell.

“What are you doing?”

“When I called you from her phone, I turned on her GPS” And it seemed to have worked because it pinpointed her location fast.

I could tell it was Charlie’s apartment right away because there were Star Wars and Lord of the Ring figurines and artifacts everywhere. But there was also flipped furniture, fallen glass cases and books ripped out of the bookshelves.

“What the hell...who the hell is she, Jason Bourne?” I commented as we went through all of the fake ID’s scattered.

“Okay, so we got no forced entry, so either it was somebody that she knew, or...”

“Djinn” he answered, making my stomach churn just at the thought.

“Here are all of our missed calls...is there anything on her laptop?” Brit asked, picking up both Charlie and Mel’s phones.

“Yeah, she's been making donations through her aliases to Shawnee County General here in Topeka” Sam informed us, scanning the computer.

“What, a charity?” I asked.

“A patient. Gertrude Middleton"

“We need answers. I'll take Gertrude, you two keep Djinn-digging” I said and they both nodded.

~

Turns out Gertrude has been in a coma for the past sixteen years. About a year ago her condition got worse and got put on life support. The nurse told me her and her husband were hit by a drunk driver and he didn’t make it but I guess you can say she didn’t really make it either. There was nothing left of her, just an empty cavity that was being forced to keep going. And her daughter hasn’t been seen since. I swore I would find her though...and I will if it’s the last thing I do.

Sam and Brit had tracked down our target: the bitchy coroner. They also found two properties under her name: a two-bedroom house in town and an an abandoned shipping warehouse. So that’s where we went. I swear, these monsters were losing their touch and making our lives a lot more easier.

“Charlie! Charlie, hey!” I rushed to her side when we found her strapped to a bed within one of the rooms inside.

She didn’t budge though as I started to unbuckle the straps. Brit ran over to the curtain that separated the room in half and there laid Mel, in the same comatose state. I heard some thumps coming from out in the hall and I ran fast to see the djinn try attacking Sam but I whipped out the blade, stabbed her in the back and she fell to the ground, dead.

“You okay?” I asked, pulling him up. I didn’t wait for an answer though. I just turned around to rush back to the girls.

“It’s not working” Brit cried.

I saw her holding two empty syringes but Charlie and Mel were still out cold. “Different Djinn, maybe they need a different antidote?” Sam suggested.

I put a hand to Charlie’s forehead. She was burning up. I couldn’t bring myself to look over at Mel...it just reminded me of her in Purgatory.... I could feel Sam’s eyes flash between me and Brit.

“Okay, okay...” he clapped his hands so our attention was now on him. “Uhh Djinn poison puts your brain in something like a feedback loop while your blood boils, right?”

“Right” Brit and I answered absently.

“Um, if the antidote didn't break the loop, then maybe we can find a way to break it from the inside. I mean, if Djinn take you to your happy place, your happy place is like a dream...”

“African dream root” we all spoke at once, suddenly back on the same page.

With no arguing or objection I volunteered myself to jump the girls’ dreams. Sam handed me a jug of the root and we added a strand of hair from Mel and Charlie’s heads. I sucked it up and ignored the disturbing smell and the vile taste as I downed the whole thing.

“Ugh. Okay. Alright, I'm gonna need to go sleep fast, so, punch me” I readied myself as Sam just gave me a look. “Look, man, I know you don't want to, okay...”

Before I could finish Sam’s fist collided with my face. I stumbled back as he shook out his hand. “Well, you're a little off your game there, cause I was...that was pretty...” I chuckled but then Brit jumped toward me, winding her arm back and throwing it down forward and up.

I felt myself fall into a chair and the darkness began to consume me. “Did you have to hit him that hard...?”

“Hey, he was asking for it...” Son of a bitch....

~

It seemed like I was in a hospital. A seriously old and broken down hospital. I was in a soldiers uniform and a newspaper on the floor said 1952 but I didn’t have much time to take it in because of the growling. I spun fast to see two vamps coming at me. There was a ding and I turned to see an elevator opening up. Charlie came walking out in full combat gear and I moved out of the way right as she shot the vamps dead. Not exactly accurate but I’ll take it.

“Come with me if you wanna live” Her voice was deep and everything about her was completely serious and scary. Then she says, “I've always wanted to say that. What're you doing in my dream?” and I was able to see the real Charlie again so I breathed a sigh of relief as I followed her into the elevator. It started moving.

“You and Melissa were attacked by a Djinn. The coroner, Jennifer, remember? Djinn usually send you to your uhh happy place...no judgement, but, you got a really strange sense of happy, kiddo”

“Wait, wait, wait, no, no, no. Jennifer said that her kind feeds off fear. This isn't my happy place. It's a recurring nightmare of mine”

“Well what is this?”

“It's a videogame”

“Wait a second, you're telling me that this whole thing is a videogame?"

“It was called The Red Scare. A first person shooter against super-soldier vampires. I copied it off a game company's server before it was finished, reprogrammed it to reflect my flamingly liberal politics and then I released it. For free. Then they tracked me down and had me arrested. I was twelve"

“And you've been on the run ever since...” I murmured, putting the pieces together slowly in my head.

“So how do we get out of here and find Mel?” she asked as we stepped out of the elevator and she handed me a gun. I snapped my eyes at her.

“You don’t know where she is?”

“This is my nightmare, Dean. I doubt she dreams about rogue vampire soldiers”

I sighed. “I dont know...we gave you both the Djinn antidote, it didn't take. And I killed the Djinn”

“Both of them?”

“Both of them?”

“There’s two, man! That’s why she nabbed both of us. Geez how have you survived this long?” she shook her head.

I ignored her. “We gotta get back and help Sammy and Brit. Tell me about this game, maybe if we can win, we...” I started but more vamps came at us. We took them all out.

“Look, I don't know how long I've been out, but I've been through this level a thousand times already”

“What?!”

“Every time I beat the level and save the patients, I get reset back to the beginning, only there's less weapons and the vampires are faster. It's an infinite loop. Like, Pac-Man without level 256“

“Level what?” I shot three more.

“Nothing” she got four. Charlie this is no time to geek out on me, we needed answers....

“Wait, what patients?” I asked her and she quickly lead me into a room where Gertrude laid in her coma. She stayed outside, peering inside anxiously.

“Charlie...I know who this is” I told her.

“What are you talking about?"

“When you went missing, me, Sam and Brit found your little crash pad. We saw the payments that you make for her. So I went and visited your mom, looking for you"

She sighed. “She's why I'm in Kansas. I sneak into the hospital whenever I can, and I just...I read to her. She used to read me to sleep at night when I was a kid. She’d read me The Hobbit” she laughed humorlessly as she blinked back her tears. “She's the reason I love the stuff I love” she shrugged.

“I’m sorry for your loss” I said genuinely.

She seemed taken aback though; insulted. “She's not gone” she yanked close the curtain and paced into another room. I saw another curtain and I opened it slowly to see Sammy laying in a bed with wires going in and out of him.

“Is this my nightmare or yours?” Charlie murmured from behind me. I shut my eyes thought and took a deep breath. It’s not real...it’s not real...

All of a sudden I started to feel the room tipping. Charlie stumbled back and was about to fall down the hallway which was also inclined. I jumped for her and grabbed her hand before she fell.

“Dean, save the patients!” she yelled, grabbing onto the side of the doorway to pull herself up right as I saw a body come flying down toward us.

I reached out to grab a hand and as soon as we connected I knew who it was. I couldn’t just leave Charlie...but the force was too much and I went falling too. I pulled her close, hugging her tight to my body as I prepared for impact but then we stopped falling and landed on solid ground. I went to squeeze her hand but she was gone. I shot to my knees and looked around. Instantly my heart began to speed up.

“Dean? Where are we?” I looked to see Charlie standing there, still in her get up.

“Purgatory” I breathed out, spinning frantically. “Mel! Melissa!” I called out.

“You think she’s...”

“I know she is” I took off running as Charlie trailed behind and then I got tackled to the ground.

I went to elbow whatever it was in the face but then I saw the face was Brit’s, it just had a pair of fangs on her as she chomped for my neck. I threw her off me and she went rolling down the hill. I looked over the edge to see her just laying there with blood pouring out of her head. She was dead. No...this isn’t real...Sam...Brit...none of it is real.... “Dean...” I flinched away from Charlie.

“You need to calm down, okay?” she tried but it was no use.

I heard a scream and then took off in the direction. “Dean, wait!” I ignored Charlie and kept running.

I was smarter than this...I had to be smarter than this....

There she was. In her Sleeping Beauty state in mid air. “Whoa...intense...” Charlie breathed and I rushed over to Mel’s body. I tried to grab her but something shocked me away. I tried again...trying to push through the invisible electrical shield surrounding her.

“Dean...” a voice breathed on my neck. I craned my neck to see Mel standing there with her hand on my back and her face inches from mine. She had this determined look in her eyes and she was straining to push through as well...but she was trying...so I had to try harder. For both of us.

Was this a sign? Of all things...she remembers Purgatory? And yet she doesn’t say anything. Because she’s protecting me and how I feel. Because she doesn’t want to worry me. Because it’s who she is. But Brittney was right. We need each other to lean on when the other is feeling weak and vulnerable.

I pushed further in, feeling the electricity create a strong wind pushing Charlie further back and a wind tunnel began to envelop us. Then there was a bright light and Mel smiled at me before she turned into smoke and vanished into the light.

When things calmed down Melissa was still laying there, unconscious. I lunged for her but she turned to ashes and slipped right through my fingertips. For a moment...I thought I had lost her all over again...but none of this is real. I had to let go...of the past...of her...I had to accept it....

“Dean?” That wasnt Charlie.

It was like a song that I couldn’t get out of my head...one that I never wanted to stop listening to.... I stood up slowly and all I did was hope...this had to be it....

She was still there when I turned around. “What’s going on? Where are we?” she came closer. Her eyes met mine, concerned. “Are you okay? What happened?” Concern...love....

I pulled her to me and just held her as I squeezed all of the air out of her lungs. Just a little longer.... She gave in and hugged me back, never once objecting.

“I hate to ruin a perfectly good Delissa moment but, Dean...”

I looked up at Charlie only to see we were back in the war hospital and I broke away from Mel but she grabbed my hand, restricting me from moving further than a foot away. I had to focus though...I had to get us all out....

“We gotta find a way to break this loop” I established.

“Okay, how?” Charlie asked.

“What if the only way to stop this is to...not play the game?” Mel suggested.

“What?! No, no. We gotta save them” Charlie insisted, panicked at the idea.

“She might be right, Charlie...” I tried but she tossed me a gun right as another vamp jumped through the wall. I shot it.

“See? You can't stop either”

I dropped the gun. “Listen to me. This poison, it's designed to put your mind into an endless cycle, while your insides turn to mush, okay, and its fuel is fear. Now call me crazy, but I think the only way to break the cycle is to let go of the fear and stop playing the game” I instructed carefully.

“I don’t know that” she cried, shooting another.

I forced myself to let go of Mel and got closer to Charlie because she needed me. She needed someone to lean on. “I know that your fear is creating all of this. You're not afraid of those super-soldier vamps out there, you're not afraid of this game, and you're not afraid of what it did to you”

She tried reloading again but I grabbed her shoulders and forced her to look at me. “Hey...hey! You're afraid of losing her...but Charlie, she's already gone”

I didn’t want to be the one telling her this but it had to be done. “No. No, you don't understand. You don't understand! I was at a sleepover, and I got scared. So...I called my parents to come and get me. They should never have been driving that night”

Tears were now running down her cheeks. “It wasn't your fault” I told her gently.

“I just wanna tell her that I'm sorry and that I love her. And just have her hear it again. I just need her to hear that one more time. But she can't. She can't” Charlie sobbed.

“I know. Believe me, I know. But you gotta let it go. Game over, kiddo” She took aim for another vamp but hesitated and then dropped the gun. The vamp disappeared. The whole place was empty...including Gertrude’s bed.

~

I felt myself starting to wake up. “Dean? Dean. Hey, You okay? What happened?” Sammy helped me out of the chair.

“I’m okay. Charlie?” I walked over to her as she opened her eyes and inhaled quickly, choking back another sob. “I'm sorry. I had to” I told her.

She just kept sobbing so I sat next to her and pulled her into my arms, hugging her. It broke my heart seeing her like this but she was probably keeping all of this bottled up inside her ever since it happened. She needed this...she needed us.... I looked up at Brit guiding Mel over to us. She sat on the other side of Charlie, grabbing her hand. Brit sat on the foot of the bed, putting a hand on one of her shins and Sam hovered over Mel, reaching for Charlie’s shoulder. We were here. We were here for her to lean on....

~

“So...thanks for saving our bacon” Charlie said as Sam handed her her duffle bag.

Turned out the coroner had a kid who was the one she was covering for. Sam and Brit took him out easily before he could do any more harm to any of us. “Any time, your Highness” Sam replied and she gave Brit a quick hug before looking back at Sam.

“You know you're gonna be okay, right? Those books portray you as like, one tough customer. If anyone can get through the trials, Sam, it's you”

“Thanks” Sam chuckled.

“And don’t worry too much about Mel...after reading about her whole life story there’s no doubt in my mind that she’ll bounce back. She always does” she winked at Mel who actually blushed.

I had to stifle a laugh. Charlie's anxiety was suddenly replaced by confidence. “Plus, eternal love never dies” she smirked at me and I just rolled my eyes at her. You’re over-staying your welcome, Charlie...

Brit placed a hand on her shoulder. “You really should come back and dig through our archives. You are definitely a Woman of Letters”

Charlie smiled. “Thanks. I really like the sound of that” she nodded. Then Sam gave her a hug and him and Brit walked out of the room together.

Mel stepped forward. “I’m really glad we got to know each other better, Charlie...you may know more about me but...just knowing you is good enough for me” she smiled and then hugged Charlie, kissing her cheek.

I was trying really hard not to laugh as Charlie’s face started turning scarlet red and she tried to cover it up when Mel backed up and away, giving me and Charlie some space. I sighed and fought the urge to tell Charlie to stay. I didn’t want her to leave but there was no way she would be safe here with us, even within the bunker.

“Well, thanks for stopping by, Charlie. Always wanted to get Tron'ed” I laughed. “What's next for you?”

She took a deep breath. “Gonna go by the hospital. Gotta let go, right?” I nodded. “What about you? You gonna let it go?” she gestured to Mel.

“Never” I smiled and then so did she.

“That’s my boy” Then she came forward and we hugged. “I love you” she said simply.

I smiled and replied, “I know” as I kissed the side of her head. Then, she waved and I watched her walk out of the bunker.

I ran a hand down my face and turned to see Mel standing there, wrapping her arms around her body. “So...” she started then stopped.

“So...” I did the same. We were silent.

“Umm what you saw...that’s what we were keeping from you...I didnt want to worry you but whenever I even close my eyes...I have that dream...can’t really call it a dream though...” she babbled.

“You can lean on me” I blurted out.

She made a face. “What?”

“I’m here. You can count on me to always be here. You can lean on me” I repeated. Then, her face seemed different. It was a different look. It was sad...but happy at the same time. She just nodded. I couldnt stop myself...I had to try Charlie’s theory....

And without even giving her a warning...I went in. I kissed her hard and did my best to make it passionate but at the moment it was like I had no more control over my own body. I was scared...and nervous...but when she didnt push me away I tried to relax. But I was still stiff as a board. I peeked an eye open to see both of hers were shut and she even moved closer to me. I had to be doing something right...

“What was that for?” she breathed deeply, pulling away for air.

“I uhh...” I dont even know! I searched her eyes for some indication of her memory coming back. Damn Charlie...I knew it wouldnt work...I’m stupid for even believing...true love? Yea right. I’ll just forget this ever happened....

“Okay, look, you were right. I should've laid low, I know, I should've hung back, but I'm glad I was able to...” Sam started as he came back in with Brit.

I jumped away from Mel to look at them and before he could continue I just stopped him by pulling him into a hug. Then, I let him go and hugged Brit, squeezing her tight. I couldn’t let go...I didn’t want to...and I shouldn’t have to. I never will.

“Dean?” Brit voiced.

I pulled away and just looked at all of them as we formed a circle, facing one another. They were still here. We still had each other. It’s all I wanted...it’s all I ever wanted....

“What’d you say we find our prophet?” I suggested and then just walked out of the room, ready for a long night and even longer days ahead. But I was okay with it all...because we had each other...no matter what happened we would always have each other....