I'll Tell You My Sins so You Can Sharpen Your Knife
Someday you will be old enough to read fairy tales again.
“Dean! You can’t just barge in there!”
“And you can’t be in this car.” He glared at her as he turned off the engine. “Cass is gonna fucking kill me.”
“Well, Cass would be more upset if I let you kill a little girl.”
“I’m not going to – “
“Don’t even attempt to insult my intelligence.” Sarah spat venomously. “You’ll just embarrass yourself. There are very few people in our world who don’t know about Dean ‘Shoot First’ Winchester.”
Dean rolled his eyes and got out of the car, leaving her to follow. He could feel her eyes on his back as they walked up the steps of a large white house. Sarah frowned at the flower pots as Dean rang the bell. The flowers looked almost too perfect.
A thirteen year old girl opened the door and blinked at the two of them. She looked like a stereotype, blonde hair and blue eyes. Her attention quickly snapped to Sarah, and her lips twisted into a cruel smirk. Sarah suddenly felt very, very afraid. If this girl knew her, she could out to her Dean. Which would create a huge mess. Or worse, turn her into the Coven. Maybe she should have stayed in the car.
“Yes?”
“Hello.” Dean said. “Kate, right? Are your parents home?”
“Mhmm.”
“Mind if we talk to them?”
“Bout what?”
“Annual Garden Walk.” Sarah said quickly. “We were wondering if they’d like to showcase the house.”
“Come in.”
The girl showed them to the living room, then disappeared. Sarah studied a photograph on the mantle. A smiling family of three, the daughter almost a carbon copy of the mother.
“Yes? You wanted to speak to us?”
“Holy shit!” Dean shouted, and Sarah heard the sound of a gun cocking.
Sarah turned around and without thinking moved herself between Dean and the supposed parents. “Dean! NO!”
“Their eyes, Sarah. Look.”
Sarah swallowed heavily and turned to look. Black buttons had been sewn over their eyes. “Coraline.” She whispered.
“Let’s be clear.” A clear voice said, and Dean swung the gun around. Kate leaned against the front door with her arms crossed over her chest. “I’m the one in charge now.”
“Kate.” Sarah said evenly. “We just want to talk.”
“With what? Bullets? Make him put down the gun.”
“Dean.” Sarah muttered.
A vein in his temple pulsed. “Make her fix her parents first.”
“Oh, please, they’re fine.” Kate said, rolling her eyes.
“They have buttons sewn on their eyes.”
“They don’t know that. They don’t feel a thing. Those aren’t actually my parents.”
“Fix it!”
“Gun first!”
“Oh, for Christ’s sake.” Sarah growled. She reached over and pressed a finger to Dean’s temple, and he crumpled to the floor. Sarah slowly picked up the gun and glanced at Kate. “Better?”
“Yes. We can talk now.” Kate moved across the room and sat on the couch. “You’re Sarah Murphy. The Grand Coven is after your head. Tell me why I shouldn’t just call them now. I’m sure they’d love the bonus of Dean Winchester.”
Sarah snorted. “Please, honey. Even when my hair’s white and I’m all wrinkles I’d still be able to take you. You want to live, you’re gonna let me and Dean walk out of here.” Sarah stuck the gun in the waistband of her jeans. “But while I’m here, talk. How did all of this happen? How do you know the Coven?”
Kate suddenly looked exhausted, and all the confidence drained out of her. She put her face in her hands. “I don’t know. I didn’t mean for anyone to get hurt! A few months ago…I read a lot. I get lost in the novels. Believe their stories. And all the sudden, things I was reading were coming true.”
“And then the Coven showed up. To train you.” Sarah shook her head. “Usually they come a few months after someone has a breakthrough with their powers.”
Kate nodded. “I didn’t want any part of it. I just wanted to talk to the flower fairies. Not kill people so I could stay young forever. Then they started talking about you, saying they hunted white witches. I told them I’d think about it, but they had to leave me alone for a while.”
“They’ll be back. Soon. Your best bet is to move. You and your parents. You can pretty easily give them new memories. Pack up, change your names, and go.”
“I can just run away. They’ll be sad, but – “
“And then when the Coven does come back, they will torture and kill your parents, using their blood to find you. No. Take them with.” Sarah rubbed her eyes. “And get some books. Learn control, learn hex bags. Latin will help you, too. The more you know, the safer you and your parents will be.”
“Can’t you teach me?”
Sarah laughed. “Don’t you think I got enough problems? I’ve got my mother’s coven on my ass, a hunter who would kill me if he knew what I was, an angel who thinks I have a specific destiny, and my best friend is the king of hell. You think I want a student on top of that?”
Kate rolled her eyes. “Selfish.”
“What do you think this is? A romance novel?” Sarah looked down at Dean. “I guess you should start packing.”
“Need help moving him?” Kate gently toed Dean’s arm.
“If you don’t mind.”
They both reached down and pulled Dean up, dragging him by the arms towards the door. “Jesus.” Kate groaned. “Even if he’s cute, he’s heavy.”
~*~
Late that night Sarah drove out of Madison township. Dean was still slumped in the passenger seat. He would remain knocked out until she felt she was at a comfortable distance from Kate.
“You can’t avoid it much longer.”
Sarah glanced into the back seat, and saw Castiel leaning towards the front of the car.
“He will find out. Soon.”
Sarah kept her eyes focused on the road. “And then what, Cass? You gonna sit on my shoulder, making sure he doesn’t sneak up on me in the dead of night?”
“You can take care of yourself.”
“Can I? Against a hunter with a death wish who’s been lied to for two years? He’s gonna be pretty mad at you, too.”
“You have to tell him.”
“Why? Why is all of this so important to you?”
“I’ll tell you after you tell him.”
“Oh, ha ha. Castiel learnt about leverage. Crowley teach you that?”
“I wouldn’t expect you to understand, Sarah. I have to help my brothers and sisters.”
“I know.” She sighed. “Look, you should go. I need to wake Dean up before he gets brain damage.”
“I’ll see you when you get home.”
With Castiel gone, Sarah sighed and ran a hand over Dean’s forehead. He sniffed and sat upright, looking around.
“Where are we?” he asked. “Why are you driving?”
“Don’t you remember?” Sarah asked, watching him wince as he touched the back of his head. She and Kate had dropped him on the sidewalk a few times. “She slammed you into a wall. You wouldn’t put the gun down. I’m worried you might have a concussion so you’re not driving until we get into Jersey.”
“She didn’t hurt you?”
“I didn’t point a gun at her, did I?”
“So, where is she?”
“She ran. I don’t know where she is. But I don’t think she’s going to hurt anyone. She’s young. And so far her magic has been innocent.”
“You trust too much.”
Sarah rolled her eyes. “I actually don’t. I just don’t have the same level of trust issues that you do.” She glanced at him. “Hey, stop, don’t go to sleep. You’re not allowed.”
“I don’t have a concussion.”
“You don’t know that. And I’m not going to answer to Sam and Bobby when you have brain damage.”
“And you can’t be in this car.” He glared at her as he turned off the engine. “Cass is gonna fucking kill me.”
“Well, Cass would be more upset if I let you kill a little girl.”
“I’m not going to – “
“Don’t even attempt to insult my intelligence.” Sarah spat venomously. “You’ll just embarrass yourself. There are very few people in our world who don’t know about Dean ‘Shoot First’ Winchester.”
Dean rolled his eyes and got out of the car, leaving her to follow. He could feel her eyes on his back as they walked up the steps of a large white house. Sarah frowned at the flower pots as Dean rang the bell. The flowers looked almost too perfect.
A thirteen year old girl opened the door and blinked at the two of them. She looked like a stereotype, blonde hair and blue eyes. Her attention quickly snapped to Sarah, and her lips twisted into a cruel smirk. Sarah suddenly felt very, very afraid. If this girl knew her, she could out to her Dean. Which would create a huge mess. Or worse, turn her into the Coven. Maybe she should have stayed in the car.
“Yes?”
“Hello.” Dean said. “Kate, right? Are your parents home?”
“Mhmm.”
“Mind if we talk to them?”
“Bout what?”
“Annual Garden Walk.” Sarah said quickly. “We were wondering if they’d like to showcase the house.”
“Come in.”
The girl showed them to the living room, then disappeared. Sarah studied a photograph on the mantle. A smiling family of three, the daughter almost a carbon copy of the mother.
“Yes? You wanted to speak to us?”
“Holy shit!” Dean shouted, and Sarah heard the sound of a gun cocking.
Sarah turned around and without thinking moved herself between Dean and the supposed parents. “Dean! NO!”
“Their eyes, Sarah. Look.”
Sarah swallowed heavily and turned to look. Black buttons had been sewn over their eyes. “Coraline.” She whispered.
“Let’s be clear.” A clear voice said, and Dean swung the gun around. Kate leaned against the front door with her arms crossed over her chest. “I’m the one in charge now.”
“Kate.” Sarah said evenly. “We just want to talk.”
“With what? Bullets? Make him put down the gun.”
“Dean.” Sarah muttered.
A vein in his temple pulsed. “Make her fix her parents first.”
“Oh, please, they’re fine.” Kate said, rolling her eyes.
“They have buttons sewn on their eyes.”
“They don’t know that. They don’t feel a thing. Those aren’t actually my parents.”
“Fix it!”
“Gun first!”
“Oh, for Christ’s sake.” Sarah growled. She reached over and pressed a finger to Dean’s temple, and he crumpled to the floor. Sarah slowly picked up the gun and glanced at Kate. “Better?”
“Yes. We can talk now.” Kate moved across the room and sat on the couch. “You’re Sarah Murphy. The Grand Coven is after your head. Tell me why I shouldn’t just call them now. I’m sure they’d love the bonus of Dean Winchester.”
Sarah snorted. “Please, honey. Even when my hair’s white and I’m all wrinkles I’d still be able to take you. You want to live, you’re gonna let me and Dean walk out of here.” Sarah stuck the gun in the waistband of her jeans. “But while I’m here, talk. How did all of this happen? How do you know the Coven?”
Kate suddenly looked exhausted, and all the confidence drained out of her. She put her face in her hands. “I don’t know. I didn’t mean for anyone to get hurt! A few months ago…I read a lot. I get lost in the novels. Believe their stories. And all the sudden, things I was reading were coming true.”
“And then the Coven showed up. To train you.” Sarah shook her head. “Usually they come a few months after someone has a breakthrough with their powers.”
Kate nodded. “I didn’t want any part of it. I just wanted to talk to the flower fairies. Not kill people so I could stay young forever. Then they started talking about you, saying they hunted white witches. I told them I’d think about it, but they had to leave me alone for a while.”
“They’ll be back. Soon. Your best bet is to move. You and your parents. You can pretty easily give them new memories. Pack up, change your names, and go.”
“I can just run away. They’ll be sad, but – “
“And then when the Coven does come back, they will torture and kill your parents, using their blood to find you. No. Take them with.” Sarah rubbed her eyes. “And get some books. Learn control, learn hex bags. Latin will help you, too. The more you know, the safer you and your parents will be.”
“Can’t you teach me?”
Sarah laughed. “Don’t you think I got enough problems? I’ve got my mother’s coven on my ass, a hunter who would kill me if he knew what I was, an angel who thinks I have a specific destiny, and my best friend is the king of hell. You think I want a student on top of that?”
Kate rolled her eyes. “Selfish.”
“What do you think this is? A romance novel?” Sarah looked down at Dean. “I guess you should start packing.”
“Need help moving him?” Kate gently toed Dean’s arm.
“If you don’t mind.”
They both reached down and pulled Dean up, dragging him by the arms towards the door. “Jesus.” Kate groaned. “Even if he’s cute, he’s heavy.”
~*~
Late that night Sarah drove out of Madison township. Dean was still slumped in the passenger seat. He would remain knocked out until she felt she was at a comfortable distance from Kate.
“You can’t avoid it much longer.”
Sarah glanced into the back seat, and saw Castiel leaning towards the front of the car.
“He will find out. Soon.”
Sarah kept her eyes focused on the road. “And then what, Cass? You gonna sit on my shoulder, making sure he doesn’t sneak up on me in the dead of night?”
“You can take care of yourself.”
“Can I? Against a hunter with a death wish who’s been lied to for two years? He’s gonna be pretty mad at you, too.”
“You have to tell him.”
“Why? Why is all of this so important to you?”
“I’ll tell you after you tell him.”
“Oh, ha ha. Castiel learnt about leverage. Crowley teach you that?”
“I wouldn’t expect you to understand, Sarah. I have to help my brothers and sisters.”
“I know.” She sighed. “Look, you should go. I need to wake Dean up before he gets brain damage.”
“I’ll see you when you get home.”
With Castiel gone, Sarah sighed and ran a hand over Dean’s forehead. He sniffed and sat upright, looking around.
“Where are we?” he asked. “Why are you driving?”
“Don’t you remember?” Sarah asked, watching him wince as he touched the back of his head. She and Kate had dropped him on the sidewalk a few times. “She slammed you into a wall. You wouldn’t put the gun down. I’m worried you might have a concussion so you’re not driving until we get into Jersey.”
“She didn’t hurt you?”
“I didn’t point a gun at her, did I?”
“So, where is she?”
“She ran. I don’t know where she is. But I don’t think she’s going to hurt anyone. She’s young. And so far her magic has been innocent.”
“You trust too much.”
Sarah rolled her eyes. “I actually don’t. I just don’t have the same level of trust issues that you do.” She glanced at him. “Hey, stop, don’t go to sleep. You’re not allowed.”
“I don’t have a concussion.”
“You don’t know that. And I’m not going to answer to Sam and Bobby when you have brain damage.”