021. creepy painting

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Sam and Natalie walk up to the Impala with Ophelia, Evie, and Libby where Dean is slouched in the passenger seat and asleep. Sam leans into the driver's side and honks the horn causing Dean to jump awake.

The twins laugh and get in the car while Dean adjusts his sunglasses, groaning.

"Man, that is so not cool." Dean grumbles.

"We just swept the Telescas with EMF -- it's clean. And last night, while you were... well... out." Sam says.

"Good times." Dean smirks.

"Ugh." Natalie grimaces.

"We checked the history of the house. Nothing strange about the Telescas." Sam says.

"All right, so if it's not the people and it's not the house, then maybe it's the contents. Cursed object or something." Dean says.

"The house is clean." Sam says.

"Yeah, I know, you said that." Dean says.

"No, we mean it's empty." Natalie states. "No furniture, nothing."

"Where's all their stuff?" Dean asks.

+++

They get to the auction house and walk around, very underdressed compared to everybody else. Natalie is holding Ophelia's hand and Sam is holding each of the twins' hands. Dean and Natalie both take some finger food from a tray and Natalie gives some to Ophelia.

"Consignment auctions, estate sales. Looks like a garage sale for Wasps if you ask me." Dean says, taking more finger food. Natalie hums in delight at the flavor of the food and quickly grabs some more.

"Can I help you?" An elder man walks up. Dean looks him up and down as he stuffs some food in his mouth.

"I'd like some champagne, please." Dean says in a posh voice. Natalie giggles, covering her mouth since she has food in it. Sam frowns at her, eyes squinting as he tries to inspect her eyes.

"He's not a waiter." Sam sharply states. He glances back at Natalie, the woman pressing her lips together to try to contain her giggles, but a few still manage to escape.

"Sorry." She muffles out through her mouth full of food, but her giggles show she doesn't mean the apology.

"I'm Sam Connors." Sam lets go of Libby's hand and holds his hand out to the man. The man simply looks at Sam, not making any move to shake his hand and Sam awkwardly points to Dean.

"That's my brother, Dean, and my sister, Natalie. We're art dealer -- with Connors Limited. These are our kids." Sam says, grabbing onto Libby's hand again.

"You are... are art dealers?" The man questions.

"That's right." Sam nods.

"Duh." Natalie mutters, sticking another piece of food in her mouth. Sam elbows her in the ribs.

"I'm Daniel Blake, this is my auction house. Now, gentlemen, miss, this is a private showing, and I don't remember you on the guest list." The man states.

"We're there, chuckles, you just need to take another look." Dean says.

A waiter passes with some glasses of champagne on a tray.

"Ooh." Natalie grabs a glass.

"Oh. Finally." Dean takes a glass. Dean sniffs the glass and raises his eyebrows before turning and walking off.

Natalie tips her head back, downing the champagne before putting the now empty glass on the table and grabbing more food. She salutes Daniel before following Dean.

Sam's jaw clenches at his siblings' behavior while the twins giggles.

"Cheers." Sam says, hastily following his siblings. He holds onto the twins' hands in one of his and gently grabs Natalie's arm with his now free hand, dragging her closer so he can keep his voice lower as they walk, Ophelia still holding onto her aunt's hand. "Why are you acting like Dean?"

"How dare you." Natalie frowns.

Sam squints at her, the woman giving him a weird look.

"You're high, aren't you?" Sam asks.

"What? No." She scoffs.

"Oh, my God." Sam rolls his eyes.

"Wh-- I made pot brownies the other night. I got... bored this morning." Natalie says. "If it makes you feel any better, only I've had one. Dean's just naturally that stupid. And I'm not insane enough to give it to any of them." She motions to the girls. "Not for another, like... 8 or so years."

"They'll be 11." Sam glares at her.

"Okay, 8 years for Oph. Uh... 12 for your twinnies." Natalie says.

"No. No, you're not giving them anything ever -- that includes Oph." Sam says.

"Ugh, you're such a buzzkill, Sammy." Natalie groans. "Just have a little weed."

"I'm responsible for two -- pretty much three -- children, I'm not gonna get high." Sam says.

"You can get high when I'm sober. Come on, I know you've done it before." Natalie says.

"Shut up." Sam whispers, the woman rolling her eyes. "Come on." He grabs her hand.

"Sammy." She whines.

"You're not leaving my sight." Sam states. He sighs, dragging the four around the building. "Only other responsible adult becomes unreliable. Now I got four people. Perfect."

They're looking around the place and come across a painting of a family.

"Dude, this is totally creepy. She's staring at us." Natalie whispers, staring at the daughter in the painting. "They're all staring at us." Sam shakes his head and rolls his eyes as Natalie hides behind him. Sam huffs, glaring up at the ceiling in annoyance.

"A fine example of American Primitive, wouldn't you say?" They hear and turn and look at the staircase where a beautiful brunette woman in a long black dress is descending them.

Dean continues to stare as he slaps Sam on the back, Natalie glancing between the woman and her brothers.

"Well, I'd say it's more Grant Wood than Grandma Moses." Sam comments. "But you knew that, you just wanted to see if I did." Sam says.

"Guilty." The woman says. "And clumsy. I apologize. I'm Sarah Blake."

"I'm Sam. These are my..." Sam stops when he looks over, seeing them both eating. Sam sighs, "siblings, Dean and Natalie. This is my niece, Ophelia, and my daughters, Evie and Libby."

"He's single, though." Natalie grins, Sam giving her a bitch face.

"Dean. Natalie. Can we get you some more mini quiche?" Sarah asks.

"Nah." She shakes her head, glancing back at the painting.

"Mnh-mnh. I'm good, thanks." Dean says with food in his mouth.

"So, can I help you with something?" Sarah asks.

"Yeah, actually." Sam says. "What can you tell us about the Telesca estate?"

"The whole thing's pretty grisly if you ask me, selling your things this soon. But dad's right about one thing, sensationalism brings out crowds. Even the rich ones." Sarah says.

"Is it possible to see the provenances?" Sam asks.

"I'm afraid there isn't any chance of that." Daniel walks up.

"Why not?" Sam asks.

"You're not on the guest list. And I think it's time to leave." Daniel says.

"Well, we don't have to be told twice." Dean says in a posh voice.

"Apparently you do." Daniel says.

"Okay, it's all right. We don't want any trouble. We'll go." Sam says. Dean walks off.

"But they have food." Natalie whines, unknowingly ruining the long look that Sam and Sarah are sharing.

"We can buy you more food." Sam mumbles, dragging her away.

"Ooh, brownies." Natalie perks up.

"No. No brownies." Sam states.

+++

"Grant Wood, Grandma Moses?" Dean asks as they approach their motel room.

"Art history course. It's good for meeting girls." Sam says.

"It's like I don't even know you." Dean jokes as he unlocks the door. They step inside and look around at the '70s disco fantasy room.

"Huh." The siblings hum.

"Well, this is super trippy on brownies." Natalie mumbles.

"What was... providence?" Dean asks.

"Provenance." Sam corrects. "It's a certificate of origin, like a biography. You know we can use them to check the history of the pieces, see if any of them have a freaky past." Sam explains.

Natalie flops down onto the bed. Libby pokes her in the face until Natalie grabs her hand, the toddler giggling.

"Huh. Well, we're not getting anything out of chuckles, but Sarah..." Dean snaps his fingers and smirks.

"Yeah, maybe you can get her to write it all down on a cocktail napkin." Sam smirks.

"Not me." Dean says, laughing.

"No, no, no, pick ups are your thing, Dean." Sam says.

"It wasn't my butt she was checking out." Dean says.

"In other words, you want me to use her to get information." Sam says to Dean.

"Sometimes you gotta take one for the team. Call her." Dean says.

"If I'm going anywhere, you're sobering up real fast." Sam tells his sister, pulling her into a sitting position and she groans.

~ ~ ~

Sam is ready for the date he asked Sarah out on.

"Okay. I'll be back later." Sam says.

"See you in the morning." Natalie says.

"I'm coming back tonight." Sam says.

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Natalie waves him off.

Sam goes over to the bed that the twins are asleep in. He kisses them on their heads and tucks them in a little better. He quietly sighs, knowing if they wake up and he's not here, they might not be able to calm down, especially if they wake up from a nightmare.

"Okay, if they wake up and start panicking or something, call me, okay?" Sam tells his siblings. Natalie salutes him and Dean waves him off. "I'm serious."

"Sammy, I know. I got it." Natalie says.

Sam sighs and heads for the door. He passes the table where Ophelia is, kissing her on the head.

"Go to bed soon, okay?" He quietly tells her and she nods.

+++

Natalie was asleep in the bed with Ophelia by time Sam got back, so the brothers just went to burn the painting themselves.

Now, it's the next morning and they're packing to leave.

"We got a problem. I can't find my wallet." Dean states, walking out of the bathroom.

"How is that my problem?" Sam asks.

"Cause I think I dropped it in the warehouse last night." Dean says.

"You're kidding, right?" Sam asks.

"No. It's got my prints, my ID -- well, my fake ID anyway. We gotta get it before someone else finds it. Come on." Dean says, rushing out.

+++

They're at the auction house and searching for Dean's wallet.

"How do you lose your wallet, Dean?" Sam asks. Dean throws his hands in the air as they continue to look.

"Hey, guys!" They turn to see Sarah.

"Sarah! Hey." Sam greets as they try to act casual.

"What are you doing here?" Sarah asks.

"Uh, we... we are leaving town and, you know, we came to say goodbye." Sam says.

"What are you talking about, Sam? We're sticking around for at least another day or two." Dean says. The twins look at him, both confused. "Oh, Sam. By the way, I'm gonna go ahead and give you that $20 I owe you." Dean takes his wallet out of pocket and getting a bill. "I always forget, you know." He chuckles to Sarah.

Sam stares at his brother in disbelief.

"There you go." Dean holds a $20 bill out to Sam. He snatches the bill from Dean with a glare.

"Well, we'll leave you two crazy kids alone. I gotta go to something... somewhere." Dean says before walking away.

"I, uh... yeah." Natalie ushers the girls out.

+++

They're at the motel and the three siblings are sitting at the table. The three girls are asleep in one of the beds.

"I'm telling you guys, I'm sure of it. The painting at the auction house, dad is looking down. Painting here, dad's looking out. The painting has changed." Sam states.

"All right, so you think that daddy dearest is trapped in the painting and is handing out Columbian neckties like he did with his family?" Dean asks.

"Well, yeah, it seems like it. But if his bones are already dusted, then how are we gonna stop him?" Sam asks.

"All right, well, if Isaiah's position changed then maybe some other things in the painting changed as well. You know, it could give us some clues." Dean says.

"What, like a Da Vinci Code deal?" Sam asks.

"I don't... know. Uh... I'm still waiting for the movie on that one." Dean says, Sam rolling his eyes. "Anyway, we gotta get back in and see that painting." Dean sits on his bed, resting back against the headboard with his arms crossed over his chest. "Which is a good thing cause you can get some more time to crush on your girlfriend." Dean smirks.

"Dude. Enough already." Sam says.

"What?" Dean asks.

"What? Ever since we got here, you've been trying to pimp me out to Sarah. Just back off, all right?"

"Well, you like her, don't her?" Dean asks. Sam holds his arms up, beyond annoyed. "All right, you like her, she likes you, you're both consenting adults.."

"What's the point, Dean? We'll just leave. We always leave."

"Well, I'm not talking about marriage, Sam."

"You know, I don't get it. What do you care if I hook up?"

"Cause then maybe you wouldn't be so cranky all the time." Dean jokes. Sam huffs, looking away from his brother. "You know, seriously, Sam, this isn't about just hooking up, okay? I mean, I-I think that this Sarah girl could be good for you."

"And... I don't mean any disrespect, but I'm sure this is about Jessica, right? Now I don't know what it's like to lose somebody like that, but... I would think that she would want you to be happy." Dean says. "God forbid have fun once in a while. Wouldn't she?"

Natalie gives her twin a sad look, but also an understanding one. She does know what it's like to lose somebody like that. But she knows that the kids make it a little more complicated for Sam and she can't relate to that part.

"Yeah, I know she would." Sam says. "Yeah, you're right. Part of this is about Jessica. But not the main part."

"So, what is?" Dean asks, but Sam doesn't answer. "Yeah, all right. Well, we still gotta see that painting, which means you still gotta call Sarah, so..."

Sam picks his phone up and calls Sarah.

"Sarah, hey, it's Sam." He says after she picks up. Natalie quietly laughs at his awkwardness. "Hey, hi. Good. Good, yeah. Umm... what about you?" He asks her. "Yeah, good, good, really good."

"Smooth." Dean whispers.

"So, uh, listen. Me and my siblings were... uh, thinking that maybe we'd like to come back in and look at the painting again. I-I think maybe we are interested in buying it." He says. "What?!" The two immediately look at him, Dean sitting up. "Sarah, I need an address right now."

+++

Natalie stayed back with the girls last night while the brothers went to the new owner's house, with Sarah, only to find the elder lady dead.

They're at their motel room and Sam is standing up while the twins and Natalie sit on one of the beds and Dean is sitting at the table, Ophelia on the couch. There's a knock on the door and Sam answers it, Sarah storming in.

"Hey. You all right?" Sam asks her, shutting the door.

"No, actually, I just lied to the cops and told them I went to Evelyn's -- alone -- and found her like that." Sarah says.

"Thank you." Sam tells her.

"Don't thank me, I'm about to call them right back if you don't tell me what the hell's going on. Who's killing these people?" Sarah asks.

Sam looks at Dean who raises his eyebrows. He looks at Natalie who shrugs.

"What." Sam corrects.

"What?" Sarah asks.

"It's not "who." It's "what" is killing those people." Sam states. Sarah looks at him like he's completely insane. "Sarah, you saw that painting move."

"No... No, I was-- I was seeing things. It's impossible." Sarah denies.

"It's actually not." Natalie argues.

"It's very possible." Ophelia nods.

"Yeah, welcome to our world." Dean says.

"Sarah, I know this sounds crazy... but we think that that painting is haunted." Sam tells her.

"You're joking." Sarah says. She looks between the three. "You're not joking. God, the guys I go out with."

"Well, outside the monsters, he-- he's actually pretty sane." Natalie comments.

"Sarah, think about it. Evelyn, the Telescas, they both had the painting. And there have been others before that. Wherever this thing goes, people die. And we're just trying to stop it. And that's the truth." Sam explains.

"Then I guess you'd better show me. I'm coming with you." Sarah states.

"What? No. Sarah, no, you should just go home. This stuff can get dangerous and-- and I don't want you to get hurt." Sam says.

"Look, you guys are probably crazy, but if you're right about this? Well, me and my dad sold that painting that might've got these people killed. Look, I'm not saying I'm not scared because I am scared as hell, but I'm not going to run and hide either." She declares.

Sarah goes for the door before turning back to them.

"So are we going or what?" She asks before walking out.

"Sam?" Dean calls. Sam looks at him and Dean points to the open door. "Marry that girl."

+++

They get to Evelyn's house and Sam starts picking the lock. Natalie is holding the twins' hands.

"Uh... isn't this a crime scene?" Sarah asks.

"Yep." Natalie nods.

"You've already lied to the cops. What's another infraction?" Dean asks.

They get inside and Sam takes the painting down from the wall, putting it down, the four adults examining it. Dean gets the copy of the picture from the book that the guy at the book store showed them and compares.

"Aren't you worried that it's gonna, you know, kill us?" Sarah asks.

"Nah, it seems to do its thing at night. I think we're all right in the daylight." Sam says.

"Hope so. Freaking child endangerment." Ophelia mutters.

"Sam, check it out." Dean says. "The razor, it's closed in this one, but it's open in that one." He hands Sam the copy.

"What are you guys looking for?" Sarah asks.

"Well, if the spirit's changing aspects of the painting then it's doing so for a reason." Dean says.

"Hey, hey, look at this. The painting in the painting." Sam points out.

"Looks like a crypt or a mausoleum or something." Dean says. He grabs a glass ashtray and uses it as a magnifying glass. ""Merchant.""

+++

"This is the third boneyard we've checked. I think this ghost is jerking us around." Dean says as they walk through yet another cemetery. Sam is holding the twins and Natalie is holding Ophelia's hand.

"So this is what you guys do for a living?" Sarah asks.

"Not exactly. We don't get paid." Sam says.

"Well, Mazel tov." Sarah says.

"Over there." Dean spots the mausoleum. They go over to it and Dean breaks the lock, the group going in, Dean brushing away cobwebs.

There's a number plates on one wall and on the other wall are four urns in front of little glass fronted boxes.

"Okay, that right there--" Sarah points to the box that has a doll in it. "--is the creepiest thing I've ever seen."

"It was a, uh, sort of tradition at the time. Whenever a child died, sometimes they'd preserve the kid's favorite toy in a glass case, put it next to the headstone or or crypt." Sam explains.

"Even used their real hair sometimes." Natalie adds.

"Nerds." Dean mumbles. "Notice anything strange here?" He asks.

"Uh... where do I start?" Sarah asks making Sam quietly laugh.

"No, that's not what I mean. Look at the urns." Dean says.

"Yeah. There are only four." Sam says.

"Mom and three kids." Natalie realizes.

"Daddy dearest isn't here." Dean states.

"So where is he?" Sam questions.

+++

The three siblings dig the grave while Sarah holds a flashlight for them and the three kids sit on the ground. Sam gets out and stands next to Sarah.

"You guys seem to be uncomfortably comfortable with this." Sarah comments.

"Well, uh, this isn't exactly the first grave we've dug." Sam says. "Still think I'm a catch?" He

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