| The Price of Gold Part One |

Lyall felt numb. There was no anger, no grief, just a numb buzzing in his mind as he stared blankly at the limp body of Sam. Sammy, who had been one of the best brothers Lyall had. He stood up for him, protected him, he did everything for Lyall. There was no ache in his chest, just that consistent numbing void left when Sam had died.

Dean was shaking as he looked at Sam's limp body. Bobby had left, looking with grief filled eyes at the two men. Lyall lay on the bed next to Sam, nose placed next to his neck. 'Stop it!' Lyall could imagine Sam crying out with a laugh. It started to swallow him, a slow creeping wave of emotions that were overcoming that numb void. His throat clogged, his eyes were suddenly wet, and he was shaking. A whine tore his throat and he gently nuzzled Sam, as though to say: 'Wake up, please.'

"You know," Dean murmured suddenly, "when we were little – and you couldn't been more than five, you just started asking questions." Dean gave a bitter, small smile, the sight tugging at Lyall's heart in a wave of agony. Dean gave a small shake of his head, "'How come we didn't have a mom?' 'Why do we always have to move around?'" Dean blinked and when he spoke again his voice cracked. "'Where'd dad go?'" He swallowed, "You know, when he'd take off for days at a time."

Lyall focused on Sam, unwilling to watch his eldest brother's soul shatter. He heard Dean take another shaky breath. "I remember I begged you – 'Quit asking, Sammy. Man, you don't wanna know.'" Dean stopped speaking for a moment. Lyall raised his eyes, the fur underneath them damp. Dean's own eyes peered back at him, filled with tears. "I just want you to be a kid, just for a little while longer." The crack in his voice made Lyall want to walk over to him, yet Lyall himself found he couldn't bare to part with Sam.

Dean swallowed again. "I just wanted to protect you... Keep you safe... Dad didn't even have to tell me. It was just always my responsibility, you know? It's like I had one job... I had one job..." Dean abruptly leaned forward, speaking again as his voice once again cracked with grief. "And I screwed it up." He shook his head bitterly. "I blew it." The tears started to fall then, slipping down his face as Dean finally and completely broke. "And for that, I'm sorry." Dean blinked and reached up to swipe the tears from his face, heartbroken.

His chuckle was self-deprecating, "I guess that's what I do. I let down the people I love." Lyall let out a whine of protest, but Dean shook his head. "I let Dad down. And I guess I'm just supposed to let you down, too." Dean shook, tears rapidly falling, "I'm gonna end up letting Lyall down soon, I jus' know it." He shook his head. "How can I?" He asked brokenly. "How am I supposed to live with that?" Dean's lip trembled in anguish, "What am I supposed to do?" He looked away and then back, "Sammy." His voice cracked again. "God." There was a new tone to his whisper, one of anger. "What am I supposed to do?" He asked again, waiting for an answer that wouldn't come. Dean inhaled sharply and stood, "WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?" He bellowed, kicking out at the bed and sending Lyall toppling from the cot.

Lyall looked with wide, fearful eyes at the stunned Dean, who was looking at Lyall in muted horror. Dean stumbled back, shaking his head as he blindly snatched his keys from next to the chicken. Lyall stood, shifting forms and reaching for Dean. "Dean, please."

The crack of fear and grief made Dean look at him with wide eyes. "I'm going to fix this. I promise you."

Lyall felt terror sear through his soul. "No, Dean, please!"

Dean was out of the small house before the final plea left Lyall's lips.

Flashback End:

Lyall tapped his foot impatiently, chin under his hand and eyes trained on the front door. Gabriel had sworn he would talk with Whale to get visitation rights to John Doe – to Charming. It was clear to both Lyall, Gabriel and Killian Jones the man remembered his cursed life.

Lyall narrowed his eyes and stilled his tapping foot. Killian Jones. Jones had told him who he was in the other Realm, and well, a Pirate was someone Lyall may need to be worried about. Lyall, however, read between the lines of Jones' nonchalant answer. Jones would stay out of Lyall's way if Lyall stayed out of his. There was an implicit offer of aid there, a scratch my back and I'll scratch yours.

Heaving a frustrated sigh, Lyall pinched the bridge of his nose for a moment, then rubbed his eyes. With Mary-Margaret suddenly distant and upset, Emma tense and nervous, no doubt sensing how awkward Charming was being around her, Lyall was starting to feel the knots of stress in his shoulders; Charming was rather awkward around Lyall as well, which was why he wanted to visit the man. Charming didn't know that Lyall knew of the curse. Heaving another groan, Lyall debated stretching some unused muscles. He pushed himself off the couch and walked to the front door, locking it with a simple twist of his wrist. Lyall walked around and closed the blinds, unwilling to let anyone see what he was doing.

Lyall approached the spacious living room, shucking off his shirt and stepping out of his shoes. He then removed his pants and boxers; there was no awkwardness to it anymore, after spending the majority of his life this way. The only thing he didn't remove was the wolf pendant draped around his neck. Then, Lyall rolled his shoulders and let the transformation occur.

The wolf was always under his skin, ready to be unleashed, to run free. There was an unpleasant cracking noise as Lyall's bones shifted and snapped. It was a dull pain after so many years transforming, and the speed of which was now a blur. In a few seconds, Lyall's form had drastically changed. Where he was once human, Lyall's canine form was surprising.

He wasn't a wolf or dog, more a large cross breed. In fact, after much research – and some discussion with Cass (Lyall pushed down the grief that rose up) - the closest breed Lyall and his brothers could think of was a Dire wolf crossed with a German Shephard. His size was that of a Dire Wolf; three feet at the shoulder and five feet long. He had a long-haired coat, with a black and brown face. His coat was primarily black on the back with darker browns on the underside. He had a deep chest like a German Shepherd and the same tail length and ear shape. His eyes were a strange mix of golden flecks imbedded in blue irises. The wolf pendant had become a part of his coat, unlike his clothes – which would have been torn – it was now a distinct marking. The cord had become a thick circular marking around his neck, and the wooden wolf was now a visible light brown mark in the center of his chest.

Shaking his fur out, Lyall's mouth opened in a yawn, tongue lolling as he stretched. Huffing to himself, Lyall took in his surroundings with new eyes. His nose twitched as the scents became much more prominent. Lyall sneezed. The ozone and sweet scent that was Gabriel was almost overpowering.

Lyall padded across the room, simply enjoying the feel of the wooden panels on the pads of his feet. In this form, the house was much larger, though to be fair, he was shorter. On all fours of course. Going on his hind legs he was much larger.

Lyall turned away and trotted to the couch. It was, he hoped, big enough to fit him. Lyall placed his front legs on the couch and then hauled himself up onto the furniture. It creaked a bit, too quiet for normal ears, then settled. That settles it, no jumping. Draping himself across the length, his head perched on the arm, Lyall let his mind wander. As a canine, he still had the same intelligence he already did, but emotions were…simpler.

Now Lyall could analyze what was going on without sending himself off the deep end. He could tell Emma wasn't trying to do any harm when it came to Henry. It still unsettled Lyall, but really, what could he do?

Mary-Margaret was probably upset by Katherine's appearance, and her old life was influencing her now. Lyall shouldn't be taking offense, besides, she didn't know who Lyall was.

The skinwalker closed his eyes and let out a heavy sigh. He was tired. Sam called early this morning, asking for the coordinates Lyall gave Dean. Lyall was at first, confused. Then Sam explained what happened with Amy: a creature Dean killed without telling Sam. Lyall refused to take any sides on this issue.

Huffing out another breath, Lyall closed his eyes, deciding to simply doze. Dreaming occurred less often in this form, and he would need the rest for when Sam arrived; no doubt he would be as moody and angry as he usually was after such arguments with Dean. Lyall could tell something else was going on, no doubt his time in the Cage affected him on such a large psychological level, he was having troubles trying to cope.

Unwilling to let his thoughts wander so close to sensitive topics, ones that overpowered the simple emotions he felt in this form, Lyall let his body grow heavy, let his eyes slip shut, and leaned his head on his paws. The world dimmed, and his mind drifted.

Emma sighed quietly, sitting stiffly in her chair at the dinner. She was exhausted. Between trying to find John Doe, dealing with Regina, and attempting to get some time with Henry, she was wearing thin. Not to mention Lyall was upset, and Jones was setting off all kinds of alarm bells. She almost snorted at Regina's vague description. Just some guy who worked at the docks her ass. Humming to herself, she looked up with a half-smile as Ruby gently placed some Hot Cocoa in front of her.

"Thank you." She said, nodding to Ruby. She smiled to herself, reaching down a dipping her finger into the large mound of whip cream. Her smile widened just a little after she licked it off, and she looked down at the newspaper in front of her. The bell overhead rang, and an unfortunately familiar voice made her look up in confusion, unaware of an old car pulling into the parking lot outside.

"How was your walk with Henry?" Regina asked with a false grin. At Emma's vaguely annoyed look, Regina sat herself across Emma, false smile tightening to the point it seemed her face would split. That's right – I know everything." She sighed, then shrugged, looking almost smug now. "But relax. I don't mind."

Emma couldn't help the way her eyebrows rose in disbelief. "You don't?"

"No." Regina responded flatly, ignoring the stranger that walked in. "Because you no longer worry me, Miss Swan." The stranger, whom both Emma and Regina were ignoring – though the other patrons most certainly did not, choosing to stare in surprise at the large figure – turned around at the name, watching in confusion as Regina shifted forward and smirked at Emma's skeptical expression. "You see, I did a little digging into who you are." Emma's look shifted in offense as she dropped her once propped arm to start glaring at Regina. "And what I found out was quite…soothing. It all comes down to the number seven."

"Seven?" Emma asked suspiciously.

Regina smirked. "It's the number of addresses you've had in the last decade." The Mayor ignored the way Emma twisted her lips. "Your longest in anywhere was two years. Really, what did you enjoy so much about Tallahassee?"

Emma smiled coldly, whether it was aimed at Regina or herself was the question. She looked down at her newspaper, picking it up and retorting lightly. "If you were wondering, I did find a place here in town."

"I know. With Miss Blanchard. How long is your lease?" She all but crooned. "Oh, wait. You don't have one." Her lips curled darkly, but before she could continue, the stranger from before spoke.

"I'm sorry for eavesdropping, but how is that your business?" He asked, eyes pinning Regina down. Murmurs rose up at his words, and wary glances were traded around the room. But Emma took in his height, the way of dress and the facial features and found herself stunned. She'd seen this man before.

Regina scowled, "Who the hell are you?" She demanded.

Emma couldn't help the smug smirk that crawled up her lips. "That's Sam." She replied, flashing a smile when he glanced at her. "Lyall's brother."

Regina swiveled in her seat to gape at Emma. "What?" She breathed.

"Adopted technically." Sam replied loftily.

Regina scowled and turned to Emma, "Either way I know you won't be here long. Two years in Tallahassee, Ms. Swan." She cocked her head to the side and smiled mockingly. "Tell me, what did you enjoy about it so much?"

"I think that's enough, Ma'am." Sam cut in, causing Regina to scowl and stand once again.

Regina shot an annoyed look at Sam, before focusing on Emma once again. "My point being, Miss. Swan, that in order for something to grow, it needs roots." She stared Emma in the eyes, voice callous. "And you don't have any." Regina's lips started to curl into a smirk. "People don't change, they only fool themselves into thinking they can."

Emma slowly shook her head. "You don't know me."

"No, I think I do." She leaned forward, placing a manicured hand on the table and ignoring the incredulous look Sam was giving her. "All I ask is, as you carry on your transient life, you think of Henry and-"

Sam scoffed, and roughly pulled out the chair, forcing Regina to back and glower at him. "That's enough, Miss. Mills." At her confused look, Sam continued almost mockingly. "Yeah, Lyall told me all about you. Not hard to figure out who the-" Sam briefly glanced around, as though checking for something. "-haughty bitch in a pantsuit is when you've gone ahead and blared it out on a neon sign."

A stunned silence filled the room as Sam plopped onto the chair and fixed Regina with what Emma assumed was the patented bitch-face Lyall would tell her about. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'd very much like to get to know Lyall's sister." The finality of Sam's words had Regina fuming.

"Consider a clean break. Both you and your brother." Regina sent a stony look to Sam, "after all, he's never even had a home, has he?"

Both Emma and Sam were furious at the jab, and as Regina walked out of the dinner, leaving tense silence in her wake, Emma gnawed her lower lip for a second – long enough for Regina to exit the dinner – then stood abruptly. Her cocoa spill on her shirt, causing her to groan in frustration. "Oh really." She muttered angrily. She grasped the cup in her hands, setting it on the table as Ruby rushed over.

"Eesh." Ruby murmured, handing Emma a towel to wipe her shirt. "There's a laundry room in the back." Ruby continued, before she brightened up. "Oh uh, I've got Lyall's keys, if either you wanna give it to 'im."

"I have a spare shirt you can use, Emma." Sam interjected hesitantly.

Emma gave the two of them a small smile. "Thank you. And, if it isn't too much trouble, that'd be great." She directed this statement to Sam, who shook his head with a small grin – a far cry from the cold and hostile look that took over his features around Regina.

Sam dug out a flannel and passed it over. "Probably too big but better than nothing."

Emma once again nodded her thanks, hurrying into the back. Once she disappeared from sight, Sam shifted awkwardly when the patrons gazed at him. Ruby, noticing his state of unease, level a stern look at the dinner. "Alright, back to our daily schedule guys!" She called.

Sam smiled thankfully. "Thanks, not really used to so much attention."

Ruby shrugged, "Well we don't normally get visitors, so we're curious."

Sam's brows furrowed thoughtfully. "Yeah, Lyall mentioned that." He paused. "Do you…know where he is? We were going to meet here in the dinner, I think."

Ruby slowly shook her head, brushing a lock of hair from her face and adjusting her top – she was wearing it normally, though she was unsure why. "He's probably at Gabriel's place, resting maybe. It was long night, kinda dramatic."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, John Doe – sorry, David – he came stumbling out the forest while Lyall and I were on a midnight date." Ruby replied, making Sam's eyes light up in understanding.

"So you're Ruby then?" He inquired.

Ruby beamed. "Glad to know I've been mentioned to the family," She joked.

Sam chuckled, gathering his stuff up and gently placing it upon the tabletop. "Well once Emma comes out, I'm planning on heading over. You said you had his car keys?"

Ruby nodded, "Let me get it."

As she sauntered over to the counter, Emma came storming out, face thunderous. Sam winced a bit at her state, wondering what put her in a fouler mood. "You good?" He asked hesitantly.

Emma sighed harshly. "No, but I will be." She dug into her pockets and pulled out some cash, placing it on the table next to her newspaper. As Ruby approached the two with the keys, Emma glanced at Sam. "Are you going to see Lyall?"

"Uh yeah." Sam stood. "I was maybe hoping you could show me the way?"

Emma slowly tilted her head from side to side. "Mmm, yeah. Gabriel gave me the address after the whole John Doe thing, and I did drive Lyall back when we were done at the hospital." She nodded, "Yeah I can take you, I've been meaning to talk to him."

Sam grinned. "Oh, he won't know what to do." The laughter in his voice had Emma grinning.

Ruby herself look amused. No, Lyall wouldn't know what to do with his siblings.

I have, honestly, no excuse for being late. It's been some months since an update, September if I'm right. This is a bit shorter than other chapters, around six pages. But! Sam has finally appeared. This episode will be several chapters, seeing as the scene above happened seven minutes into the episode on Netflix.

Now, reviews.

64thVanSull: I will do as my reader command, lol. The poll is on Quotev, and while most likely I will stick with Lyall and Ruby, I'd also like to know other pairings. This story will be canon divergent and eventually AU vaguely based on Canon. So. You know, as much I adore CaptainSwan, the story probably writes itself.

Tpowe 15: Thank you for enjoying it!

Newest Reader: Well uh, ahem. I updated? Lol, sorry it took so long.

But! My dear readers, I have written you a chapter, when I update again, I'm not entirely sure. I won't make a promise I cannot keep, so, this in mind, know this isn't abandoned. I just have troubles sticking to a schedule and end up writing sporadically. But keep hope!

See you next update-