as we pass through arrangements of shadows

[shreds]

Comments

[shreds]

How would targeting Nadia ( she hates saying that name. every single time, it hurts in her chest. ) lead to us.

( she doesn't get that part. targeting nadia, that makes more sense. )

I'll ask Damian. You ask Dean. Damian's network has always been far more specialized and the Winchesters have won more enemies than friends.

( But, it is still a network.

Do you recognize the name Natalie Morris? )

[braveandstupid]

I don't know. We don't know if Nadia was on the list.

[Maybe she faked a sisterhood to get to someone she thought was a monster. Who knows? But she does reach for her phone to text her boyfriend:]

Do you know a hunter named Natalie Morris?

[Damian doesn't respond right away (10), but eventually Katherine gets a: Maybe? Have a picture?]

[shreds]

It was a long list.

( Another question to pose, too.

Dean is not much more helpful than Damian (12). Damian's (10) has him familiar with Natalie and should Elena want to forward something like a license picture, her phone does ping separately as well.

Damian has worked with a few Natalies before, (one demon) including a Natalie Morris, or Morales? Horrible start to her summer vacation, that one.

Have Sam roll, too, as Dean tries to jog his memory!

to Elena
Hunter from Texas. Her parents were offed by shapeshifters. Sam and I helped.

to Damian
Let me see. )

Damian wants a picture.

[braveandstupid]

[Elena sends Katherine over the picture that Hayes sent her, before going back to Dean.]

She might be at the hotel we're staying in, but something might be wrong. We ran into someone who was claiming to be her sister. She was supposed to be meeting her, but she never showed.

[Damian will wait patiently for the photo. Sam seems to remember a little more (15), which makes sense as he's the networking guy.]

[shreds]

( Damian crossed paths with Natalie at a hunter's funeral, but never in the field. She's more of the ruthless type, so working with a ruthless hunter gets tricky.

Sam knew Natalie alright. She was brutal. Tough. She reminded them of their dad on his worst day with tunnel vision and a goal. Think Claire, but without Jody or the girls.

to Elena
Yeah, Sammy concurs. If she's anything like she used to be, watch out for her. Claiming to be her sister? )

So, this woman, Nadia, she thinks Natalie is her long lost sister?

[braveandstupid]

[She taps this out in text and sends it to Dean and Sam as she says it out loud to Katherine:]

Something like that. Same mom. Apparently they were both in this motel several years apart with her. But they were supposed to be meeting for the first time here and according to Nadia, Natalie never showed and isn't answering her phone.

[Damian looks at the picture and provides the same information Dean and Sam gave Elena: Competent but a bit ruthless. I would avoid her if you can help it.]

[shreds]

And according to you and the agent, her car is parked downstairs.

( Natalie showed and then disappeared. )

Damian thinks she's more trouble than she's worth. Do you think she won't be trouble to her sister?

[braveandstupid]

I don't know. Something about this just feels off.

[But she won't say that they don't have bigger priorities at the moment.]

But I have no idea where to go next, so if you want to stay on the road, we should go.

[shreds]

No, you've hooked me. If anything, getting on the good side of another hunter won't be a waste.

( If she's not after them. )

It sounds like we don't actually know anything, so I think we should go back to the source.

[braveandstupid]

I also want to figure out if Natalie's actually still here.

[She taps a finger against her arm.]

Do you think one of us could get her room number out of the guy at the front desk?

[shreds]

I think one us could do it.

( One is more suited, the one in the heels. )

How about I see if I can wake up our receptionist and you pay Natalie or Nadia ( whatever her name is. ) a morning visit. Maybe she has more information she doesn't know she has. Having the same mother stay here at different times is a big coincidence. Maybe there are others. Like, where are her parents?

[braveandstupid]

[She nods in agreement.]

Sounds good. Text me if you manage to find anything.

[And she will venture out the vending machine, trying to see if Nadia happens to be out and about (18).]

[tramplemain]

( Intrigued enough, Katherine is on bored, heading down the stairs. There is no recreation of vending machine desperation, but with an 18 she at least remembers which door is Natalie's. )

[braveandstupid]

[She nods briefly, trying to figure out if she wants to be that direct, before making her way over and knocking on the door.]

jesus, katherine is on BOARD. sigh

[tramplemain]

( A brief second passes before a newly washed up, and much more put together Nadia answers the door. )

Elena, right? Good morning.

( "Who's that," the man behind her asks, pulling a sweatshirt over his head. )

It's a woman I met outside last night. I told you about her. She fixed the coffee machine.

( "Oh, right," he says, coming forward as she opens the door wider. "Phil." he introduces himself. "Do you want anything else?"

"No, just the hash browns. I'm not too hungry this morning, thanks," she replies. He kisses her cheek and moves by the two young women, bounding down the stairs.

"Sorry, come in," she says, opening the door wider." )

[braveandstupid]

[Elena nods as she makes her way inside, glancing over at Phil as he makes his way out, before turning back to Nadia.]

I won't bother you much but I just wanted to check in. See if you heard from your sister?

[tramplemain]

Not one word. Weeks of back and forth and now nothing. Maybe she just chickened out.

( Maybe she just doesn't want to meet her. )

[braveandstupid]

Maybe. I'm sorry if she did. The least she could have done is let you know.

[It's just rude, honestly. At least if something went wrong, it means Natalie would have still intended to meet her.]

Are you two heading out after breakfast?

[tramplemain]

Believe it or not, he convinced me to stay one more day. Hope she gets over whatever it is she's -- under.

( It probably doesn't feel like this is emotionally the best decision for her, especially with how she conveys it, but, maybe it's hope that can't be broken. )

[braveandstupid]

Really?

[Yeah, she's picking up on that, and while she didn't get a good read on the boyfriend, she's starting to wonder about his role in things. But instead, she'll stay focused on Nadia's feelings.]

Is that what you want?

[tramplemain]

I want my sister. I felt untethered so long. Like - really adrift, and then I met Phil and Natalie found me... It felt like it was all meant to be. Letting her go, giving up, it feels like defeat. And I felt defeated. I don't want to feel defeated again.

( She wants progress. )

[braveandstupid]

[She nods because she can understand that feeling too. She did her fair share of drifting, trying to figure out how to put meaning back in a life that had been filled of so much trauma. She found her way and she's sure that Nadia will too.]

Okay. But ... if there's anything I've learned, it's that no matter how hard you try to hold on to someone, you can't keep them with you if they don't want to be there. Eventually, at some point, you're going to have to find your own anchors.

[But she won't try to push. She just reaches for her arm and gives it a soft squeeze.]

For what it's worth, though, I hope she shows.

[tramplemain]

( What's an anchor when you've felt like you lost yours after your mother died. )

Thanks, Elena. Are you and your sister heading out?

[braveandstupid]

We haven't decided yet. Our destination is a little up in the air, so we're going to talk about it over breakfast.

[No decisions should be made before coffee, clearly. This is also kind of a lie, but it'll give them some wiggle room.]

[tramplemain]

Then I guess we'll be seeing each other if you're going across the street.

( And just like that, a smile returns, too. Friendly. Delicate. Only slightly tear stained cheeks puff out. )

Well, I should...