First off, I know, sisfics are dreaded and overdone. But, this character popped into my mind when I finished watching the show back in January 2013, and she's managed to become one of my most prized characters. I just couldn't resist. SO, this is my Winchester sis fic adaption and I genuinely put so much of my heart and soul into it. Every bit of support is appreciated! But I do hope you give it a try—the first chapter's a bit slow, but once you get past the Pilot, it's gonna start to kick up :) I don't like to waste a lot of time describing and following filler hunts that we already know all about, so this story's not really hunt-centric—it's more about the Winchesters struggles as the seasons go on. And being that I've posted almost 30 chapters worth of this story before, you can expect frequent, weekly to bi-weekly updates!

I have posted this story before, but since then, I edited it and am reposting it in hopes to gain more attention. And because my writing has developed and improved in the past year I've been writing this, and the first few chapters needed some serious work haha. This story also has a tumblr where you can see Lucy's lovely actress, Ashley Tisdale, as my character: erinpaigeandhercharacters . tumblr . org (no spaces). I might also post this story on Archive of Our Own if I decided to make a profile.

Story info (kudos to 'Song Remains the Same' cause this bit is always helpful)
Title: Where the Wayward Tread
Rating: M for violence and strong language, and sexual content waaaay down the road.
Warnings/Spoilers: In OC's point of view; Follows main plot for the most part; Though Lucy is three years younger than Sam, none of Sam's plot points are changed (ex. Yellow Eyes); Contains lots of angel stuff cause yay angels!; Lucy reaccepting herself as she goes through drastic changes; Lucy dealing with her "non-human" abilities; An actual self-confident OC!; Lots of family drama and fluff; Lucy finding her soulmate in someone unexpected, as well as Dean unknowingly finding his in a particular blue-eyed angel; Slightly dark Sam on occasion; the long, never-ending pain that is Supernatural.
Pairings: Gabriel/OC Lucy Winchester (though, not at first), Jo/OC Lucy Winchester (from chapter 11), Dean/Castiel (slight, but there), Meg/OC Lucy Winchester (if you squint, barely, more platonic than anything), Castiel/Meg (one-sided), possibly Charlie/OC (not Lucy, and not decided)
Important characters: OC Lucy Winchester, Dean Winchester, Sam Winchester, Gabriel, Castiel, Bobby Singer, Lucifer, Michael, John Winchester, Jo Harvelle, Ellen Harvelle, Samandriel, Meg Masters (demon), Adam Milligan, Kevin Tran

Disclaimer: I only own Lucy!

~o~

Chapter 1
The Beginning
October 31, 2005

This motel room was crappy, tiny and dirty, just like all the rest. It was somewhere in the middle of Nevada, where the air was just as dry as everything in the area, and the late fall weather was barely more than a slight chill. The motel that my brother and I had picked out this time had a particular raunchy smell to it that I was really growing sick of after three days cooped up in the tiny room. We wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for our stupid father unexpectedly disappearing on a hunt. I mean, he left us alone a lot, but not nearly for this long.

I sat on the edge of my temporary bed, I picking at the hem of my old jacket as I scrolled on my phone, attempting to pick up clues as to what my dad had been hunting. He had been gone for about two weeks now. Normally he would have called Dean or me by now, but we had heard absolutely nothing from him, and we were starting to worry. We knew our dad could handle himself, but two weeks was far too long.

I tore my eyes away from my phone as my brother walked into the hotel room, looking disgruntled and frustrated. "Any luck?" I asked, tucking a strand of my long blonde hair behind my ear. Dean sighed, throwing bag which I knew contained different weapons on the table.

"None," Dean replied. "Two weeks, no sign except for that voicemail. He's gone."

"I just don't understand. Why hasn't he called? What if he got hurt or something?" I said, gnawing on my bottom lip. My brother nodded silently.

"I know, Luce, I know." He grabbed two beers out of a pack from the fridge, opening one for himself and tossing one to me. "That's why we're going to look for him. I say we leave within the hour, take a little road trip to California, and start out there."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "Why California? We gonna go to Disneyland?"

"You wish," Dean smirked, sipping his beer. "I figured maybe we can pay Sammy a little visit. Who knows, maybe he'll help us look."

I frowned, shaking my head. "Sam doesn't want anything to do with us, Dean. Remember? He gave us up a long time ago?" I said, my voice melancholy. "Not to mention, it's Halloween. He's probably with all his rich preppy college buddies, sipping their Champaign and having a grand old time without us. You know, I bet they're even gonna go trick-or-treating…pretentious douchebags…" I added sarcastic, not bothering to keep the bitterness out of my voice.

"But blood's still thicker than water," Dean countered, ignoring my ranting. "No matter what's happened in the past, he's not gonna bail out on us when one of us might be hurt. He's not that much of a heartless dick. Even if it's just for a while, he'll come with us."

I smiled bitterly. "And then he'll leave us again." Dean couldn't reply, and instead just shrugged. "Okay, I guess it's worth a shot. As long as we find Dad."

An hour later, we were heading out into the parking lot to Dean's precious '67 Impala. It had previously belonged to our father, and was eventually passed along to Dean. Dean considered the car a part of the family, and loved it like his own child. I adored the car as well, as it contained many of my family's fondest memories. But I wasn't too fond of spending hours on end cramped up in the passenger seat, which actually took up a lot of my time.

Dean and I passed the first Stanford University sign at around one in the morning, and twenty minutes later we pulled into the student apartment buildings. I raised my eyebrows at my oldest brother skeptically. "We haven't seen him in four years, and you're just going to break into his house at one thirty in the morning?" I questioned.

"Got any better plans?" he retorted. I sighed.

"You go in, I'll wait out here."

I watched as my brother picked the front door lock and entered the house. I waited, often checking my surrounds impatiently. You could never be too careful; especially knowing what lurks in the dark and the shadows of the night. Ten minutes later, two figures emerged from the house. I couldn't help the small smile that formed on my face.

Sammy had grown taller, if that was possible. He looked good. Strong, independent…happy. The opposite of me and Dean. When Sam noticed me, I smirked at the look of surprise that crossed my other brother's face.

"Lucy?" Sam said, attempting a grin at me.

"Hi Sammy," I greeted quietly, my grudge temporarily gone.

"Jesus, you've grown up."

My smirk turned sarcastic. "Funny what four years can do huh?" The slightest expression of guilt on Sam's face sparked some sort of satisfaction in me. I knew that was wrong, and mean, but I couldn't avoid the feeling. I loved my brother—so much—but he had, in his own way, betrayed us. My father and my brothers were my rock; probably the only people I loved and cared about. Sam left when I was 15 years old. In my eyes, he had abandoned us—abandoned me. And for what? To go off to some fancy school where he could get away from his family, the three people that should have mattered most to him? Call me a horrible person, but that's how I saw it. I think my father saw it that way too.

I barely listened as Dean explained to Sam what our father had gone after and fidgeted with a small unloaded gun, twirling it around in my hands. Dean played Sam our father's voicemail, significant because it contained an EVP—one that said "I can never go home".

"Sounds like some creepy spirit to me—maybe a vengeful one," I commented, taking the recorder from my brother. Dean nodded.

"At least that's what we're thinking," he said. Sam bit his lip and silently agreed. With no other response, Dean continued, "You know, in almost four years, we've never bothered you, never asked for anything."

"We could really use you out there, Sammy," I spoke softly. Sam sighed, and for a moment—just a short moment, I was almost positive that he was going to decline. And Dean and I would be on our own once again.

Finally, Sam turned back to us and nodded. "All right, I'll go. I'll help you find Dad. But I have to get back first thing Monday, okay?"

My eyebrow rose. "Why first thing Monday?"

Sam paused before replying. "I have an interview."

"Like a job interview? Skip it," Dean said. Sam put on one of his famous bitchfaces that I was so used to seeing. Funny enough, I missed them, and I almost smiled as I realized he was exactly the same.

"No, it's a law school interview. My entire future on a plate," he shot back. Dean and I exchanged a puzzled look.

"Wait, seriously?" I questioned, astonished. I briefly recalled Sam telling me something like that a long time ago. His hopes and dreams to maybe break free of our unusual life and do something boring like become a lawyer or a police officer. I never thought he'd follow through with it.

"Yes, seriously, Luce," Sam said, stopping me from challenging him again. "We have a deal?" Neither I nor Dean answered, and Sam retreated back into his house to give a goodbye to his girlfriend, a pretty young woman named Jessica.

I scoffed, shaking my head as soon as Sam was out of hearing range. "I can't believe this."

"Sammy the Lawyer. Never thought I'd hear that," my brother added, also shaking his head. However, he had a small smile.

I was solemn. "Told ya he's gonna leave us. As soon as this is all over, he's racing back here to become some fancy douche law official." Dean wrapped an arm around my shoulders, kissing me on the temple.

"Look, I know you miss him. Hell, I miss him too. But let's be honest here, I really wasn't expecting much. I'm just glad as hell he's coming with us this time." I shrugged, leaning into my brother.

"I just want him back for good," I whispered, looking into my brother's identical green eyes. Dean didn't reply. The front door opened and Sam shuffled out of his house carrying a small duffel bag. Just enough for a few nights. "Right, I'm taking a nap. Wake me when you need me."

I slid into the backseat of the Impala and pulled my Ipod from my duffle, stuffing the headphones into my ears. I closed my eyes and let the music of Coldplay wash over me. I fell asleep as the Impala sped off into the darkness, quietly content that the three of us were once again together.

~o~

I was startled awake when Dean had yanked the headphone from my ear. My eyes met the glaring morning sun and I was forced to squint as I sat up. "Wakey wakey eggs and bakey," I heard Dean's over enthusiastic voice say, rather close to my ear.

"I hate you," I mumbled, which came out as an incoherent grumble.

"You fill up the tank, I'll get you coffee, deal?" my brother said, handing me a card. Grudgingly, I nodded and slid out of the Impala with the motivation of coffee. As I began to fill the car with gas, I saw Sam in the passenger seat, flicking through old music tapes that had belong to our dad. I half smiled as Sam scoffed at each choice.

"So, Dean still hasn't grown out of the 70's, has he?" Sam asked me, a slight teasing tone in his voice. I smiled back with a slight shake of my head.

"You mean all the glam rock with big hair?" I snorted. "Not a chance. I swear if he makes me listen to that damn ACDC album one more time…" My brother and I shared a laugh. It almost brought me back to the old times. All four of us together again—laughing as we listened to those bands I despised while we shot off down the road to our next destination.

Sam's smile dropped slightly as he met my sad eyes. "I still can't believe how grown up you are. I mean—I'm not trying to sound like a proud parent on graduation day but—wow. You've grown up so much."

I kept my smile and my brother's gaze. "Thanks for making me feel old, dorkface," I teased. Sam laughed. "Good or bad?" Sam paused.

"Still trying to decide I guess."

When Dean returned, I gratefully snatched my cup of coffee (black with Irish crème—Dean knew exactly how I drank my caffeine) and stashed the bags with our 'breakfast' in the middle seat to be snacked on along the way. I placed myself in the middle backseat, leaning forward enough to be able to hear my brothers and rest my chin on the front seat.

"I swear, man, you've gotta update your cassette tape collection," Sam started, and when Dean questioned him, he replied, "Well for one, they're cassette tapes. And two, it's the greatest hits of mullet rock."

I snorted, prompting Dean to swivel around to glare at me. "Taking his side now?"

"Dean, I've literally been telling you the same thing for 6 years," I shot back, my lips raised in a mocking half smile.

"Huh, well. House rules my dear Sammy and Lucy Bean. Driver picks the music; shotgun shuts their cake hole," Dean retorted, popping in one of the tapes. I made a point to groan and roll my eyes when the loud rock music started blaring through the speakers.

"You know, Sammy is a chubby twelve-year-old. It's Sam okay?" Sam called over the music.

"Sorry can't hear you, music's too loud."

"Enjoy the ride, Sammy," I added. I squeezed my brother's shoulder.

~o~

It seems like we had just gotten into the town of Jericho when we spotted police cars gathered on a bridge. A crime scene of some sort. Suspicious, to say the least. Dean dug out three fake IDs and the three of us strode up together to the crime scene. We of course took some time to listen in on the cops' conversation and the evidence they had retained so far. We knew that this was possibly what our dad wanted us to find.

When Dean broke into their conversation, the police examined us closely. "And who are you?" In a quick motion, Dean and I flashed our IDs.

"Federal Marshalls," I answered him. "We were told about the evidence here."

"You three are a little young to be Federal Marshalls aren't you?" said the deputy.

Dean laughed it off. "Thanks. That's awfully kind of you. So there's been others like this correct?"

We fell into our normal routine—impersonate some form of law official and gain as much information from the skeptical investigators or witnesses we could. From the interrogation with the cops, we learned that basically nothing was known about the case. I wasn't too keen on trusting cops. My family and I were practically felons, with our fake IDs and cards and unfailing ability to get in trouble. And you know what? At the end of the day, we still did our job better than the cops. It wasn't until after we had talked to the victim's girlfriend when we started to put the pieces together. She and her friend had told us about a local legend. It seemed to fit, and it definitely was in our division. By research, we had discovered a woman named Constance Welsh, all leading up to my original theory of it indeed being the work of a vengeful spirit or a ghost.

I had almost forgotten what it was like to be around both Sam and Dean at the same time. They loved each other, yes, that was absolutely true. We all did. But my brothers were known to fight. A lot. And every single time I was the one to break it up. Even when I was younger I had been yelling at my older brothers to "shut it or I'll shut it for you". Basically, right from the get-go they had gotten into another one of their obnoxious fights. Four years, and nothing changes. Unbelievable. We had made some progress on locating Dad, as we had found an old motel room in which he had stayed in, along with his journal he had left behind. He was on the same case, and he, like Sam, had figured it out as well. In his journal, he left us coordinates. We were one step closer to finding him.

As usual, we Winchesters solved the case. I wasn't ashamed to admit—we were damn good hunters. Now we drove through the night, viewing the maps and information our father had given us with his journal. "Okay, this is where Dad went," Sam stated, pointing to a black dot he made. "Blackwater Ridge, Colorado."

"Ooooh sounds haunting. Where is it?" I asked, peering over Sam's shoulder.

"About 600 miles away from here."

"Hey, if we shag ass we could make it by morning," Dean said. I frowned at my brother, sparing a quick glance towards Sam.

"Dean. Sam's interview. Tomorrow's Monday morning," I reminded him.

"Yeah, guys, I just…" Sam began.

"Sam, don't. We get it," I responded. However, my voice was laced with disappointment and my green eyes turned melancholy once more.

"Yeah, yeah, we'll take you home," my oldest brother stated in a similar tone. Sam nodded, his expression portraying guilt, but sticking firm to his word. We drove on in silence for a while after that, with really nothing more to say to each other.

"Shit, Luce!" Dean barked suddenly. Both Sam and I jumped at the sudden sound. "Goddamnit I can't believe I forgot! Shit!"

"What?" I exclaimed, suddenly startled.

"Your birthday," Dean replied. "It was yesterday. Like, man, I know you've been saying you're 19 for a month now but now you really are and shit, Luce, I'm so sorry."

"Oh, shit Lucy I forgot too," Sam said, exasperation now in his voice. I raised both of my brows—and started to laugh.

"Guys…it's fine. I really don't care," I replied, giggles falling from my lips. When my brothers started to argue, I cut them off quickly. "Seriously guys, it doesn't matter. So I'm 19-for-real. Big whoop. I don't give a shit. Plus, I won't actually get what I want for it anyway so—don't worry about it, okay?"

My brothers dropped it at that, with only a minor fight still left. In all honesty, I had completely forgotten as well. Shows how much I actually care about my age. On cases, it seems like the time tends to fly by. Oh, and we managed to save a few people so, in the end, did it really matter anyway? The only other thing I could ask for was to have all my family with me; together and safe. Sam would give up school and maybe he'd bring Jess along on our travels. Dad would be with us. Mom would still be alive. That's all I wanted—my family.

~o~

I felt an ache in my chest when we pulled up to Sam's apartment building. This was it. Who knows how long it would be until I saw my brother again? I watch sadly as Sam climbed out of the Impala, grabbing his duffel bag and slinging it over his shoulder.

"Maybe we can meet up later, alright?" he offered, trying to ease the mood with a small smile. I managed one back. Dean could only nod in agreement.

"Hey Sam?" Dean said just as Sam began to walk towards his apartment. "We made one hell of a team back there." Sam sadly agreed. On a last minute move, I stumbled out of the Impala. I ran up to my much taller brother, throwing my arms around his neck tightly. He wrapped his arms around my smaller frame and I felt him grin against my shoulder.

"Bye Sammy, I love you," I said.

"Goodbye Luce, I love you too. Don't forget it." I chuckled.

"Yeah, yeah. Dork."

I pulled away reluctantly and let my brother return to his apartment and to what was his life now. I got back into the car, exchanging a gloomy look with Dean. He grabbed my hand lightly and squeezed, giving me temporary comfort. And with that, we drove away.

~o~

Or so we thought.

Dean and I hadn't been driving for more than a minute when I noticed the smoke pooling around Sam's house. "Oh my god," I whispered. And suddenly I was yelling. "Dean, go back now!"

Everything was a blur to me. We ran into Sam's apartment. I saw the flames engulfing everything around me. Sam's girlfriend, Jess, was the source of the flames, a bloody gash across her stomach and burning on the ceiling—the exact same way Dean had described my mother's death. Sam's shouting was horrible and heartbreaking as I and Dean tore him away from the danger, dragging him from the apartment against him fighting against us. I latched onto him once we were all out, trying desperately to calm him down. I held him tight as he cried for Jess, and the fire engines approach. The fight in him died.

Eventually, Sam's screams resided. I helped him stand and together we walked to the Impala. Dean joined us soon after, wearing an expression that can only be described as pity. Dean and I could only wait for Sam to doing anything—say anything. Eventually he did, wearing several emotions on his face, but most of all, determination.

"We've got work to do."

~o~

Hope you liked it and I hope that it was a lot better than the first time I posted it! Seriously, please review—I'm kinda an attention whore, I need the attention to survive.