Please read AN at end of chapter

John Winchester looked at the slip of paper his 15-year-old son Sam had handed him. He didn't even think about it before ripping the piece of paper and throwing out the window. Sam shouted in protest and turned to look out the back of the Impala at the flittering scraps. John glanced at Dean, "Delete it." The 18-year-old nodded and reluctantly deleted the newest contact in his phone. With that, they had erased the presence of the scrawny girl with bright blue eyes from their lives.

But that wouldn't be last they heard of Daniella O'Toole.

Pilot

I looked around the grungy motel room in disgust, "John, you're a pig." The only thing that I could see that was somewhat neat was his case solving that was put up on the walls, the words 'woman in white' scrawled out on a piece of paper stood out.

Why the hell did he leave all this here? 'Hunting vampires out east' my ass. I shook my head and looked at an article about a Constance Welch; John had circled her picture so she was most likely who he thought the woman in white was.

I froze as I heard voices approaching the room's door. They sounded familiar, but I wasn't going to chance it. I quickly locked the door and bolted for the bathroom to climb out the window.

After slithering out (and nearly falling on my face), I went back to close the window behind me. I heard the motel room door open and movement, then voices.

Was that Sammy? "Ugh, I don't think he's been here for a few days at least." Dean?

I fought the urge to crawl back through the window and tackle the boys in hugs. 'It's been eight years and they never contacted you before, probably forgot all about you.' I shook my head of the thoughts and quietly slid the window close.

I had a job to do.

"I'm busy, kid."

John was pissing me off. I opened my truck door and pulled myself into the seat as I growled into the phone, "You're so infuriating! Did you not hear what I just said?" I ran a hand through my bright red hair and started the engine. "I just watched your son get arrested, but you don't seem be too worried, John."

There was someone sitting next to me in the truck, but I already knew who it was.

"Dean is capable, call in a gunshots report."

"I know he's perfectly capable! You don't see the point; you left everything about the case in your room, once the police see it they will think you and Dean killed all those people! Why did you leave the case? What was so important that it couldn't wait 'til the job was done?!"

John stayed silent.

I was going hunt him down and strangle him. "Ya know what? I don't care. I'll get Dean out and finish this damn job before any other men die, since you seem to think there was something more important than people's lives." I snapped my phone shut and rested my forehead on the steering wheel.

God damn it, I had hoped this would be the simple salt'n'burn John had told me it was supposed to be, but he lied about that, too. My companion hadn't moved, most likely for fear I would stab him with the knife in my boot. He probably didn't even know that I knew he was there.

"Long time no see, Sammy," I turned my head and smiled warmly at the man sitting there.

Sam's lips twitched and he raised a hand to awkwardly wave, "Hiya, Dani." He was still a dork. However he had grown a lot in the past eight years. The now giant handed my note pad over, "You're a hunter." An observation, not a question.

I answered anyway, "Yep." Silence took after that and I watched Sam shift slightly.

"Why are you here?" he finally asked.

What did I tell him? That John told me to come here fully knowing that they would be here, after years of making sure we never crossed paths. John had tried to be subtle, but I had suspected and Bobby had confirmed it, I knew he was keeping me and the boys away from each other. While I didn't know why he did it, I was very grateful that he did.

"Same thing as you and Dean: cleaning up your dad's mess." I cracked my knuckles and got to driving.

Not the reunion I wanted, but we were hunters. I stewed in my bad mood as I kept an eye out for a payphone.

"Well, you already questioned the woman in white's husband, which I was about to go do; do you have a plan? Can't dig up the bones: we have no clue where on the property she was buried," Sam pointed out a payphone as he spoke.

I sighed and drummed my fingers on the wheel after parking, thinking. Only one thing came to mind, "We need bait: a man for her to tempt with unfaithfulness. The EMFs John told me about, she say's 'I can never go home', so we draw her out and take her there. Maybe that's where her weakness is."

Sam nodded, now his turn to think it seemed. I let him while I mentally catalogued all his changes.

Strong jaw, no more chubby cheeks, broad shoulders, voice was deeper, and he was way taller. Not as tall as my brother, but I rarely meet anyone taller than him; the man was two inches off seven feet for heaven's sake.

I wondered briefly about how much Dean had changed. 'Don't go there, Dani.'

"Can I borrow your truck?" Sam's voice shook me from my thoughts.

"For what?" I raised an eyebrow at him. He better have a good answer, because I wouldn't even let my favorite niece drive my Beast.

He laughed, "Your just like Dean; I promise not to scratch it. I have a girlfriend, so I'll go be bait. However, Dean has the keys to his car."

Oh. "Okay," I could trust Sammy. "No crazy driving like your brother, though. I still have nightmares about that day." Dean had once almost hit a deer with me and Sam in the car. It was not fun.

We both laughed at the memory as I climbed down out of the truck. It felt good to laugh with Sam again. I turned to look up at him and he must have noticed my frown, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I shrugged, "just…" The words didn't come; there was so much I wanted to say.

Sam saved me though, "Just not the reunion you wanted?"

"Yeah," I just agreed because there was nothing else I could say at the moment. "I'm going to wait until sunset before springing Dean. We'll meet you at the Welch's ruins."

I shut the driver's door for Sam as he nodded and got comfortable in the seat. As he drove away, I felt a chill seep into my chest, dreading my next 'reunion'.

God, I couldn't believe it. The moment I saw him my chest clenched painfully and I felt my heart stutter. Dean was, for the lack of a better term, gorgeous. He hadn't changed as much as Sam. I didn't even understand how he could have gotten better looking than he already was when he was 18.

'Not now, torment yourself later.' I ducked into an alley and waited for him to walk by. When he stepped in front of the opening I quickly grabbed and dragged him in, smiling to myself at the look of surprise on his face.

Dean raised his fists and faced me. He studied me for a moment before dropping his hands and stepping closer. I took one step back and watched him search my face. "Daniella?" the shock in his voice was clear. "What are you doing here?"

I shook my head, "Not now, Dean." Not that I was looking forward to later. "We have a man killing ghost to take care of."

His expression hardened. I knew he would be angry. "You're a hunter now?"

"Fight later, save lives now," I walked past him and out of the alley, hoping he would drop the matter and follow because I didn't trust myself to look into those green eyes I had missed so much.

"Where's Sam?" his voice was hard.

'Keep walking.' "Sam took my truck out on Centennial to draw out the ghost."

"Then let's get going," he started walking faster and got ahead of me.

So what if I took the opportunity to admire his ass? I'd be insane not to.

The silence in the car was tense. I kept quiet as I checked over Dean's gun. Silence was better than the yelling that I knew would eventually come.

Dean didn't think so, though, "Why Daniella?"

I was stupid to glance at him after he spoke. It hurt that he didn't call me by my preferred nickname. "Later, Dean," I let my voice go pleading, "please just leave it 'til later."

I felt him looking at me, but I kept my eyes forward. "Yeah, sure, it's a date," his voice was angry, though it now sounded tired as well.

The silence was less tense after that, but the fuse on the proverbial bomb was still going.

Dean and I ran to my truck, seeing the women in white through the side window. He had the gun so I turned to him, "What the hell are you waiting for? Get that thing off Sammy!"

He raised his gun and shot until Constance disappeared. I'd be lying if I said that I didn't flinch as the windows shattered. My poor Beast. I saw Sam sit up and glance at us before crashing my truck into the house.

"SAMMY!" both of us yelled as we raced after him.

Dean was the first to get to him. Damn long legs. "Sam! You okay?" he called out as I stopped next to him.

I heard Sam groan, "I think…"

"Can you move?" I asked and the truck door opened.

"I'm good," he jumped down from the seat. I saw the burn-like wound on the middle of his chest. That bitch ghost was going to die. Again.

We all looked to see said bitch ghost holding a picture frame. She looked sad. Damn my empathy: I felt bad for her.

That changed though when she saw us and used her ghost mojo to pin us to the side of the truck with a bureau, the boys on either side of me. I groaned (my leg was in an odd position) as we tried to push it off, but it wouldn't budge.

When the lights flickered on, then off, I noticed that there were two kids standing at the top of the staircase. They looked drenched; they were her children. Those poor kids didn't deserve that fate.

The ghost children vanished and reappeared before their mother who now stood at the base of the stairs. "You've come home to us, Mommy," the two spoke in unison and wrapped their tiny, sopping wet, selves around Constance.

The screaming was full of pain and we all cringed at the bright light that followed. When it was over all that was left where they had stood was a puddle of water.

Now that Constance was gone we pushed the bureau over and the boys went to look where the two ghost children had dragged their mother to hell.

I turned to my truck and whimpered as the brothers talked. My poor Beast. Suddenly I felt angry, "You shot my truck, Dean."

The fuse was gone, time for the impact.

"Don't yell at me, O'Toole, you told me to get that thing off Sam." Dean growled as he stalked up behind me.

"Oh, so it's O'Toole now? Very well, Winchester." I narrowed my eyes and turned to him, the feeling of anger growing stronger.

"Guys," I heard Sam say in a pleading tone.

"Yeah, unless you got married." The way he said it didn't sound right.

He knew I was a hunter and that hunters don't have time for relationships. I scoffed, "I'm too busy hunting to be married."

"Ah, yes," he sneered, "'cause hunting is the golden life." He then walked away, toward Baby.

I wasn't going to let him do that though, "Don't you walk away from me, Winchester you're the one who got all hot and bothered first." I stormed after him and heard Sam trail behind.

Dean stopped, I saw his shoulders tense. He turned and opened his mouth to speak, but Sam spoke first. "It was her choice, Dean. I'm not exactly ecstatic about it either, but I don't understand why you're making such a fuss: you love the hunter's life. Hell, you're mad at me for leaving it and going to college."

Wait, what? "You went to college?" I looked up at Sam, smiling, and felt pride shine through the anger. I poked Dean in the chest as I looked back at him, "Sammy's right: it's my choice. You can be angry all you want, but it won't change anything." Then I left the brothers to take stock of the damage to my beautiful truck.

I heard their voices, too quiet though to make out the words, and felt my anger deflate as I stared at all the debris and sighed. This sucked.

The wind was chilly as I drove toward Palo Alto, Sam sitting next to me and drawing lines on a map. John had given Dean the coordinates to (where the boys think) he was going.

Sam hadn't wanted to ride with Dean, said that Dean would try to convince him to go with to find John when he needed to be back in Stanford for an interview. I was so damn happy for him and proud of him that I nearly started crying as he told me about his life.

I don't cry often. My niece, who I grew up with, could count on one hand how many times she had seen me cry. But seeing Sammy happy had made me feel overwhelming joy.

Sadly, my bubble of happiness was popped when Sam had asked me to go with Dean in his stead.

"Do you really want me to go with Dean?" I wasn't going to unless I had to: I was already tired of me and Dean fighting and it had only happened once.

I watched through my peripheral as Sam pulled out his cell phone. "It would make me feel better knowing that there is someone watching his back," he said and put the phone to his ear.

I tuned out his conversation with Dean, not even wanting to think about the man, and focused on getting Sam home to his girl and apple pie life.

"It was good seeing you again, Dani," Sam smiled and opened his arms for a hug. I gladly squeezed him, trying to convey everything I didn't have time to say. He slightly rocked us as he chuckled. "I'll keep in touch this time. Dad isn't here to throw away your number and email," he said it jokingly, but I could hear the annoyance there.

John was slowly losing my respect. "I'll call you when we find him, but don't blame me if he has a black eye when you see him."

Sam laughed, "Don't beat him too hard, Dean will never forgive you."

I rolled my eyes as we pulled apart and I saw Dean approaching, "Wouldn't bother me." 'Liar.' Maybe so, but it would make staying away easier.

I watched the brothers say their goodbyes, which didn't even consist of the word and sounded more like an awkward conversation. It would have been less of a 'chick-flick' moment if they just said 'I'll see you around' and then went their separate ways.

The metal of my truck was cold on my back as I leaned against it and rested my eyes.

Footsteps made me open my eyes to see Sam standing there with a smile. "Play nice," he then gave me a kiss on the forehead and walked away. I smiled and hoped that this would be the last time he would have to walk away from hunting. I prayed that he would have a long life with his girlfriend and that he have the best of luck; that he would remain happy.

Dean came to stand next to me as we watched Sam enter his apartment building. I could tell that he was tense and ready to pick another fight, but I didn't feel anything but a creeping coldness and tightness in my chest.

We stood there for only a few minutes when I felt fear wash over me for no reason. Dean started to speak, but I cut him off, "Dean, I have a bad feeling."

His expression furrowed into a frown and he looked at his watch. I watched his eyes go wide and wondered what was wrong before he grabbed my hand and started running for Sam's apartment building. "Damn it," he cursed and let go of my hand to run faster. Fucking short legs.

Obviously Dean thought something was wrong and that Sam was in trouble, and while I tried to not have feelings for him, I would always trust him. So I pushed myself to run faster and catch up to Dean as he kicked the door in.

There was a wave of heat and a horrid smell that came with it. The smell of burning flesh. Panic took over and I let adrenalin control me. "SAM!" I called and raced into the apartment after Dean, letting him lead the way.

Dean kicked down the bedroom door and the sight behind it scared me like nothing else had before. I still don't like thinking about it.

I stood next to Dean amongst the crowd and glanced at him as he watched the smoke billow out of Sam's apartment. To anyone else he looked indifferent and cold, but I saw what he was really feeling. Angry, confused, worried.

I didn't know why Dean was reacting the way he was, but I knew that he and Sam would both need someone, not just each other. So I took one last long look at him. I felt the overwhelming need to hold him and tell him how much I had missed him, to cry and spill my heart out to him. One tear did fall, mourning what I was about to do.

I took it all and locked it away, hoping against all hope that it stayed that way. A hunter's life had no room for relationships and these boys needed a pillar of strength.

When I put a hand on Dean's shoulder I didn't feel the need for further contact and when he looked at me with those green eyes I didn't feel my heart stutter.

"We need to be strong for Sam. We good?" I asked and he nodded.

"We're good," he confirmed and put an arm around my shoulders before walking us over to Sam.

If me pretending to be in need of comfort gave him the strength he needed then I would do it, but I would be the one being strong for both of them. I would be whatever they needed me to be.

AN- Please let me know what you thought of the first chapter. Depending on the feedback I get will determine when the next chapter will be published. Not because someone said 'it was horrible' but rather I would like to take time and learn what I can do to improve writing style. So if most are positive to my writing style then I won't change it and be able to put out more chapters at a faster rate.

Thank you for reading!