A Trickster's Daughter

Chapter 24: The Idiot Brigade

February 28 2008, Appleton, Wisconsin, United States

"Hey Sam," Dean turned to glance at his brother in the passenger seat of the impala as they made their way back to the motel after finishing up talking to some of the families who had filed missing persons reports on the people who went into the Morton House.

"Yeah?" Sam enquired as he looked at the pile of missing persons reports that spanned the later half of the last century, almost 50 years.

"Think we should bring Goldy with us?" Dean asked as he kept his eyes on the road.

"Bring her with us where, Dean?" Sam queried cautiously, pinching his eyebrows. "The Morton House?" The look of disbelief was strong. "You think that's a good idea?" Sam didn't. He couldn't imagine what Bobby, let alone the Trickster, would do to them if they found out.

"Yeah," Dean shrugged, his tone of voice sounded less than convincing, as he made a turn. "Kid wants to learn to hunt. It's most likely a ghost, and a salt n' burn is a good a place as any to start."

"Yeah. Maybe. If we knew who the ghost was and didn't have to keep whoever's stupid enough to try and stay past midnight from getting killed by whatever's haunting the place."

"Ah, c'mon. Who'd be dumb enough to try and stay the night in a haunted house?" Dean snorted.

Sam gave his brother a pointed bitch face and held up the pile of reports in one hand. "Enough, Dean," Sam said grimly.

"Ah. Right," Dean said awkwardly. "Well, if there are any idiots we can just scare them off by pretending to be cops. They already got the place fenced off. Wouldn't be too much of a stretch for there to be cops around to make sure no one breaks in when its supposed to be haunted." Dean looked at Sam as they waited at a red light. "We'll patrol around the house see if anyone's around, maybe scare 'em off, then go in and gank the son of a bitch. Pretty simple."

"When are our lives ever that simple, Dean?" Sam sighed looking ahead as the light turned green and the impala moved forward. "I still don't think it's a good idea to bring Maya in on this."

"Ah, it'll be fine. Goldy's tough. Went after a demon by herself didn't she? A murderous leap year ghost should be a lot easier," Dean tried to say lightly but failed, the image of her being strangled still fresh in his mind.

"Fine. You get to tell Bobby when she tries to run off in a house with a murderous ghost to kill it, or-or to distract it and gets even more hurt, or killed," Sam said crossing his arms. "The same man who made it clear to her that he didn't want her hunting in the first placeand who is not above filling our bodies with rounds of rock salt. If we're lucky," he stressed. Sam didn't want Maya anywhere near the house, the incident with the demon also still fresh in his mind.

A few moments of heavy silence past between the two brothers.

"I get it's a bad idea and I don't really want her in there either," Dean admitted then continued before Sam could say anything. "But, like she said. She's decent with the lore and that's about it, but she'll need real life experience facing what she's read about." Dean paused. "Besides, how long will her Dad and Bobby's disapproval keep her from trying to hunt on her own when people are in danger? She went after a demon with only a few rounds of rock salt, Sam! And thought it'd be enough!" Dean sighed in aggravation, his grip on the steering wheel tightening.

"Yeah," Sam saw where Dean was coming from, didn't mean he had to like it.

"Look man, I get Bobby wants to keep her safe but he's doing it wrong by limiting her experience. Experience that might one day save her life," Dean pulled into the motel parking lot and cut the engine. He looked over at Sam meeting his gaze, "I don't know about you, but I wouldn't put it past her to one day start hunting on her own whether she had real life experience or not."