Sorry for the late update guys. This fuc*ed up illness has left me utterly exhausted.
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Dean froze for half a second, his instincts catching up faster than his thoughts. He shoved his plate down on the booth table and hurried toward the counter. Kenny did the same, both moving fast without needing to say a word.
By the time they reached her, Tian was already kneeling on the floor, trying to hold Sara's shoulders steady with shaking hands. Sara's body jerked violently, arms locked, legs kicking against the tile. The sound of her heels hitting the floor echoed through the diner. Dean crouched beside her, eyes sharp.
"Hold her head," Dean said firmly. His voice snapped Tian out of his panic. Dean yanked off his jacket and slid it under her skull to stop her from slamming it against the tiles.
Kenny crouched close, clearing the scattered utensils and plates so Sara wouldn't cut herself. His face was tight with focus. Then he glanced at her, saw how bad it was, and ran for the door. "I'll get Kristi!" he shouted, sprinting out of the diner.
The whole room stayed silent as they gathered near her. Sara's body arched hard, then slammed down again. Tian whispered frantically in Mandarin, her hands trembling as she tried to keep calm.
Dean steadied her with a quick look. "Just keep her safe. Kristi's coming." Meanwhile, his frown deepened. He knew this was the time when Sara would receive another kind of message from this place to kill Ethan, but from what he remembered, the seizures were never this erratic or severe.
Sara's body jerked once more, then went still. The diner was silent, everyone staring at her. Her chest rose and fell in quick, shaky breaths. Her fingers twitched, and after a moment her eyes opened.
Tian leaned closer. "Sara? Can you hear me?"
Sara looked at Tian first, her eyes blurry but slowly clearing. Then she turned to Dean. A small smile spread across her lips. It was the kind someone might wear after winning a battle no one else could see. For just an instant, she looked triumphant.
Dean noticed. What the hell was that about?
But as more people crowded around, whispering nervously, Sara's expression changed in a blink. The smile faded, replaced by a tired, confused look. She turned her face slightly, hiding behind it like nothing had happened.
Tian held her arm as she spoke in whatever English she could. "You scared. Are you okay?"
Sara panted. "I… I think so. Just dizzy." Her voice was rough.
The diner door burst open. Kenny rushed in with Kristi behind him, carrying her bag. "Everyone, please give her some space," Kristi requested. Her voice was sharp and firm.
The crowd quickly backed away at that and stood back at their booths. Kristi knelt beside Sara. "Okay, I'm here now. Kenny, Dean, stay ready in case she seizes again. Tian, hold her hand and keep her calm."
Kristi then checked Sara's pulse and then her eyes. "Your breathing's calming. That's good. Can you tell me what happened before you collapsed?"
Sara licked her lips. "I don't know. It just hit me. Like a wall."
Kristi nodded after a moment. "Alright. Just rest for now."
Sara looked at Dean again, her eyes carrying a silent message—as if she would speak to him about this later. He stared back, a bit curious. He knew what he had seen: a smile of victory. But victory over what?
Kristi kept her hand on Sara's wrist and watched her breathing. When it steadied, Kristi leaned back and spoke firmly. "You need to rest, Sara. Go lie down in your own house. The clinic can't take patients right now, not after yesterday. It's healthier and safer if you stay home."
Tian nodded quickly. "I take her," she said. She slipped his arm around Sara and helped her sit up.
Sara gave a small nod. "Okay… home." Her voice was thin, but she stood with her help.
People near the booths leaned in as Tian helped Sara toward the door. A few voices called out softly as she passed.
"Get well soon, Sara."
"Rest up, okay?"
"Take it easy."
Their words were hushed but genuine, a ripple of concern following her out.
Kristi stayed close, walking with Tian and keeping an eye on Sara's steps as they exited the Diner.
Meanwhile Dean let out a breath and rubbed his hands on his jeans before heading back to the booth. Kenny joined him a moment later. They picked up their cold plates and sat down. Neither cared much about the food. They ate in silence at first.
Kenny was the one who finally spoke. "Never seen anything like that," he muttered. He pushed his eggs around his plate.
Dean grunted. "Yeah. And it didn't look like just a seizure."
Kenny gave him a quick glance, then shook his head. "Kristi's handling it. Best thing we can do is keep our heads down."
Dean didn't answer. He chewed slowly, his thoughts far from the plate in front of him.
The diner began to sound normal again. Plates clinked, chairs scraped, and people went back to their meals.
Dean drained his coffee and set the mug down. He opened his mouth to say something, but the door swung open first. Boyd walked in, his presence sharp as always. His eyes scanned the room until they landed on Kenny.
"Kenny," Boyd said, his tone clipped. "I need you. Now."
Kenny didn't hesitate. He stuffed the last bite of bread into his mouth, wiped his hands, and stood. "On my way." He gave Dean a quick nod, then followed Boyd out.
Dean sat alone at the booth, his fork moving slowly as he thought about his family in the other world. Every morning, Emma would call him. It was their little ritual—she would tell him what she had for breakfast and then ask him the same. Even when she was sick, she still called. Not being able to hear her voice now made him ache with sadness.
Meanwhile Tian had already came back after dropping Sara.
Dean sipped his coffee. It was bitter and already cooling, but he drank it anyway.
Jade walked over and slid into the seat across from him. He sat casually, leaning back, his elbows spread wide.
"Well, look who it is," Jade said. "Dean, right? The guy who beat us here by a few hours."
Dean frowned slightly as he was brought out of his thoughts. "That's me. And you're...?"
"Jade." Jade snapped his fingers. "You rolled in at sunrise, I rolled in at sunset. Same day, same damn trap. Funny, huh?"
Dean gave him a tired look. "Not really."
"Oh, come on," Jade said with a smirk, drumming his fingers against the table. "Two strangers show up in the same cursed town, same day? Feels like the universe is trying to say something." He tilted his head. "Difference is, you came in alone. I was part of a group. And that—" he pointed at Dean with two fingers—"makes you stand out."
Dean leaned back, crossing his arms. "People get stuck here all kinds of ways. Doesn't mean anything."
Jade raised his eyebrows, unimpressed. "Doesn't mean anything? You were on that road in the dead of night, man. Before sunrise. Makes me wonder…" He leaned in, grin fading into something sharper. "How did you survive against those bastards? By luck or did you make some deal with them?"
Dean's face showed full on irritation as he felt like punching this guy's face, but he still replied," If I had to make a deal, it would rather be to get out of this shitty place."
Jade chuckled, sitting back with his arms stretched wide. "Sure, sure."
Before Dean could say anything, another voice cut in. Tobey stepped up beside the booth, his expression tight. Without asking, he dropped into the seat next to Jade.
"He bothering you?" Tobey asked, his tone filled with apology.
Dean's eyes flicked to him. "What do you think?"
Tobey gave Jade a look. "You always gotta dig? Always gotta poke?"
"Relax," Jade said smoothly, lifting his hands. "Just talking. Comparing notes. We're practically twins—same day arrivals. I figured I'd get to know the guy."
"Twins?" Tobey scoffed. "More like you sniffing around for dirt."
"Same thing, isn't it?" Jade shot back with a sly grin.
Dean narrowed his eyes at the two of them. He set his fork down on the plate with more force than necessary. "Why the hell are you doubting me? I'm one of the guys who pulled your sorry ass out of the fire. The reason you're even sitting here breathing. Or did no one told you about that little detail, Jade?"
His voice cut through the noise in the diner. Jade opened his mouth, but Dean didn't let him speak.
"So don't sit here pointing fingers at me like I'm the problem," Dean continued.
For a second, Jade actually looked caught off guard. Before he could answer, Tobey leaned forward. His voice was firm and calm. "He's right." He looked at Dean and then back at Jade. "I'm sorry about this, Dean. He's not just doubting you. He's doubting everybody. Even me."
Tobey kept going. His voice was sharper now as he looked at Jade. "Even after seeing the dead men. Even after seeing the loop, he still thinks it's some kind of prank. That I set all this up."
Jade leaned back in his seat. His grin faded for a second before he put it back on. "I never said you set all of it up. Just some pieces. You can't blame a guy for asking questions when his whole reality turned upside down."
"Questions?" Dean shot back, his voice low and hard. Irritation burned under his skin—he was already weighed down by not being able to see his family, and now this guy had the nerve to doubt him. Even with his iron will keeping him steady, he decided to let it out. Sometimes holding too much in wasn't a good thing either.
He leaned forward, glare sharp. "There's a difference between asking questions and calling people liars. And right now, you're acting like a little dick."
Jade opened his mouth, but Dean cut him off as he lowered his voice, trying not to cause any ruckus. "You want the truth? You're not grilling me because you think I'm hiding something. You're grilling me because you're scared out of your damn mind, and it's easier to point a finger than admit you are fucked and don't know what's coming next."
Dean stood up. He didn't wait for Jade's reply. He didn't care. He just wanted to get out and clear his head.
"Dean!" Tian called from behind the counter. He turned to see her holding a plate wrapped in a cloth napkin. Steam rose faintly from it. "Sara… breakfast. Can you take?" she asked.
Dean's irritation eased. He gave her a small smile and nodded. "Yeah, I'll take it. She should eat something." The truth was, he wanted to see Sara anyway. That strange smile she had given him in the diner still lingered in his mind.
He carried the plate through the quiet streets and knocked on her door. Sara opened it and let him inside. She looked pale but calm.
"Brought you some breakfast," Dean said. He set the plate on the table. His tone was light, but his eyes studied her carefully. "How're you holding up?"
Sara gave him a tired smile and brushed a strand of hair out of her face. "Better. Just worn out."
"Where's your brother?" Dean asked. "Does he know about the seizure thing?"
"Yeah," Sara said. "He was here a minute ago, but I made him go feed the animals. He worries too much."
Dean gave a small nod. "Alright. So… what was the vision about? What did the voices tell you to do this time?"
Sara's voice was barely above a whisper. "They told me to kill Julie. The little girl from the Matthews family."
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