[Sam would love to say that Ben isn't going to get dragged into things if he doesn't want to, but he's a Winchester now. That's no longer a non-zero possibility. So he sighs.]
So seventy five percent of the time, you're going to be dealing with a restless spirit of some kind. You'll want to start with the body. A pattern of bodies, all killed in the same strange way - and the type of strange is going to link out to the type of spirit you're dealing with. For example, women in white act like hitchhikers, getting someone to give her a ride home. Downside is she's dead. She can't actually go home. And once she sees that the house is different or abandoned, or not as she expected it to be, she'll lash out and kill the victim. Once you figure out the pattern, you can use that to go back through violent deaths in the area and see if there's someone that fits the profile, either in the way they died or based on the people being targeted.
[He pauses as he lets that sink in.]
So with our woman in white example, women in white are usually women who were betrayed by their spouses, snap and kill their children before killing themselves. Once you have a name, you can find where they're buried and then you have to salt and burn the corpse.
[And that rubs him slightly the wrong way, and he straightens some, using every advantage of his moose-ness to make it clear that he's swinging this into a conversation that Sam isn't going to give him a lot of leeway on.]
What exactly do you think that means, being my brother?
( Oh, he's tall tall. He doesn't get intimidated. But, he might be losing on the mentor track here. He's gotta be true to himself and true to Dean. )
He left Ben. He was with him for like a year and he left. And he didn't just leave, he erased every trace of himself. Except, the parts that he had me trace back from nothing. I know it sounds like I'm passing judgment, but I care about Ben, amd I want him and Ben to have a relationship. I think this is a great damn thing. I also know it's not my place, so I'm just saying. I know hunting comes with extremes. But... it can't always mean making the hardest choice imaginable, which, I acknowledge.
All due respect, you know what Ben's told you. You won't actually know what this job is until you're doing it.
[It's one thing to hear about it from other people, another to actually have the gun in your hands doing the job.]
And you're right. You probably won't have to make the decisions that Dean and I have made. In fact, I hope not because we've had pretty much nothing but shitty choices. But you came to me, looking for information about how to do this job - a job that gets people killed more often than not - and now you're trying to tell me what you think you know about my brother so I gotta ask - what exactly are you looking for here?
( Point, but, it doesn't feel respectful. He thinks he crossed the line first and he's ready to own it when he braces himself for whatever else Sam has next.
He's just living with his damn foot in his mouth. He's not crashing this relationship, too. )
I didn't - look, bringing up Dean wasn't even my intention. I don't even know how I got here. Real talk, I don't know your brother or about your brother. And, equal respect, reading about him doesn't tell me shit. Everything he's shown since has been pretty damn decent. I didn't come to you to talk about Ben's dad, I... I wanted to hear about it from the horse's mouth. Hear for myself that everything I've read about, what you and Dean and other hunters fight for -- I'm not trying to put it down or boil it down, because obviously, I can't. It's brutal, right? It's a choice and it changes your life. Or, in your case, it is your life. And I can't know what that's like. I'm not going to pretend I do and I'm sorry I even tried to say otherwise. I'm really batting zero at being a person this week, so I hope we can just chalk this up to, me wanting something real. Information. Your take. And, me protecting Ben sort of snuck in there in a real asshole way. So, for that, I'm sorry. I love him and I'm pretty damn mixed up about - ( His mouth gapes a bit, lower lip dropping. He closes his eyes. ) Anyway, just. Sorry, dude.
[Sam relents some as a stream of information comes at him. It's a tricky thing, trying to come in the middle, and he's not unsympathetic to that. And whatever complicated feelings there ... well, Sam's not going to speak on that. Not his business.]
My take is that wanting to protect Ben is admirable, but that's not what you asked me for. That's a whole other conversation.
[And less complicated than it used to be.]
And yeah, it can be brutal. And I wasn't trying to imply that you couldn't hack it. There are plenty of other law enforcement folks that moonlight as hunters - or hunting is part of the ask. My only concern is that if you're going down this rabbit hole that this is a road you really want to take. Because once you're in, you can't really escape it. Trust me, I've tried.
[Sam takes a deep breath but he's not going to but into the Ben end of things. It's not his business.]
Alright, well. What I said is still true. It all starts with weird deaths. So ... if you see something that seems off to you just ... shoot me a text with the details, alright? And we'll see if it's more on your side of the fence or mine.
( He produces his phone and hands it over to him, looking around him while Sam gives him his number. Maybe to see if Ben's in spitting distance. He hopes not. He looks back at Sam. )
[Nope, Ben is busy talking with Sam's girlfriend. It's fine. Also he told you you could talk to Sam, dude.
Sam takes the phone and adds his number, before texting himself so he knows who it is when Dickerson calls.]
I can also put you in touch with a couple of other cops that are in the know. We're good friends with the sheriff in Stillwater, Minnesota and Sioux Falls to start.
Yeah, sure. Cool. I'll pass things along, too, if it comes through the wire but it's not mine. ( He holds his phone up as a thank you. ) Sorry for coming in hot. Kinda' off footing.
[Which is also the benefit of pissing off a Winchester. Once it's resolved, they tend not to hold grudges. Unless, of course, someone is dead. They have bigger things to worry about.]
I'll set up a text thread to introduce you to Donna and Jody.
( That could have been more awkward. Altogether, he's about to be in a whole group chat. Feels like a new start. Steered things back. Maybe the same can be said for him and Ben.
He finds the bar, though, and picks through the beer choices in the tub of ice. )
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So seventy five percent of the time, you're going to be dealing with a restless spirit of some kind. You'll want to start with the body. A pattern of bodies, all killed in the same strange way - and the type of strange is going to link out to the type of spirit you're dealing with. For example, women in white act like hitchhikers, getting someone to give her a ride home. Downside is she's dead. She can't actually go home. And once she sees that the house is different or abandoned, or not as she expected it to be, she'll lash out and kill the victim. Once you figure out the pattern, you can use that to go back through violent deaths in the area and see if there's someone that fits the profile, either in the way they died or based on the people being targeted.
[He pauses as he lets that sink in.]
So with our woman in white example, women in white are usually women who were betrayed by their spouses, snap and kill their children before killing themselves. Once you have a name, you can find where they're buried and then you have to salt and burn the corpse.
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Though he asked for not-a-crash-course. Maybe he's making a point? )
Salt and burn. And that blows a restless spirit up in smoke?
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[Even if he asked for not a crash course, he wants Dickerson to understand what would be expected if he declares himself a hunter.]
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<( And do more reading. )
Look, Ben told me how deep you and Dean go and obviously, your world is bad enough Dean erased himself from Ben's life. But, I'm not your brother.
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[And that rubs him slightly the wrong way, and he straightens some, using every advantage of his moose-ness to make it clear that he's swinging this into a conversation that Sam isn't going to give him a lot of leeway on.]
What exactly do you think that means, being my brother?
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He left Ben. He was with him for like a year and he left. And he didn't just leave, he erased every trace of himself. Except, the parts that he had me trace back from nothing. I know it sounds like I'm passing judgment, but I care about Ben, amd I want him and Ben to have a relationship. I think this is a great damn thing. I also know it's not my place, so I'm just saying. I know hunting comes with extremes. But... it can't always mean making the hardest choice imaginable, which, I acknowledge.
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[It's one thing to hear about it from other people, another to actually have the gun in your hands doing the job.]
And you're right. You probably won't have to make the decisions that Dean and I have made. In fact, I hope not because we've had pretty much nothing but shitty choices. But you came to me, looking for information about how to do this job - a job that gets people killed more often than not - and now you're trying to tell me what you think you know about my brother so I gotta ask - what exactly are you looking for here?
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He's just living with his damn foot in his mouth. He's not crashing this relationship, too. )
I didn't - look, bringing up Dean wasn't even my intention. I don't even know how I got here. Real talk, I don't know your brother or about your brother. And, equal respect, reading about him doesn't tell me shit. Everything he's shown since has been pretty damn decent. I didn't come to you to talk about Ben's dad, I... I wanted to hear about it from the horse's mouth. Hear for myself that everything I've read about, what you and Dean and other hunters fight for -- I'm not trying to put it down or boil it down, because obviously, I can't. It's brutal, right? It's a choice and it changes your life. Or, in your case, it is your life. And I can't know what that's like. I'm not going to pretend I do and I'm sorry I even tried to say otherwise. I'm really batting zero at being a person this week, so I hope we can just chalk this up to, me wanting something real. Information. Your take. And, me protecting Ben sort of snuck in there in a real asshole way. So, for that, I'm sorry. I love him and I'm pretty damn mixed up about - ( His mouth gapes a bit, lower lip dropping. He closes his eyes. ) Anyway, just. Sorry, dude.
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My take is that wanting to protect Ben is admirable, but that's not what you asked me for. That's a whole other conversation.
[And less complicated than it used to be.]
And yeah, it can be brutal. And I wasn't trying to imply that you couldn't hack it. There are plenty of other law enforcement folks that moonlight as hunters - or hunting is part of the ask. My only concern is that if you're going down this rabbit hole that this is a road you really want to take. Because once you're in, you can't really escape it. Trust me, I've tried.
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( Road, rabbit hole, good intentions, Hell. All of it. )
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And you're sure this is the it you want?
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( Basically, yes. But, also, Ben, which has coalesced into a whole thing now. )
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Alright, well. What I said is still true. It all starts with weird deaths. So ... if you see something that seems off to you just ... shoot me a text with the details, alright? And we'll see if it's more on your side of the fence or mine.
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( He produces his phone and hands it over to him, looking around him while Sam gives him his number. Maybe to see if Ben's in spitting distance. He hopes not. He looks back at Sam. )
Thanks.
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Sam takes the phone and adds his number, before texting himself so he knows who it is when Dickerson calls.]
I can also put you in touch with a couple of other cops that are in the know. We're good friends with the sheriff in Stillwater, Minnesota and Sioux Falls to start.
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Yeah, sure. Cool. I'll pass things along, too, if it comes through the wire but it's not mine. ( He holds his phone up as a thank you. ) Sorry for coming in hot. Kinda' off footing.
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Don't worry about it. Already forgotten.
[Which is also the benefit of pissing off a Winchester. Once it's resolved, they tend not to hold grudges. Unless, of course, someone is dead. They have bigger things to worry about.]
I'll set up a text thread to introduce you to Donna and Jody.
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( A beat. You know. Love him. )
He knows I was going to talk to you. But, not uh. I haven't.
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Not mine to tell.
[But he's glad that Ben knew he was going to talk to him.]
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I'm good. Thanks though.
[And he'll probably go get some air.]
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He finds the bar, though, and picks through the beer choices in the tub of ice. )
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If you want a beer that isn't completely fancy, I'd look in he next tub over.
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( He takes a step down, finding a Corona. He holds one out to her, offering? )
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[She'll take it and easily pop the top.]
I'm Jo. You're Ben's friend, right?
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