A/N Welcome to my new story, not really a sequel, as such, to "The Dogs Of War" main story line, but to the characters introduced there. In saying this, it is better to read that story first, but if you choose to dive in here, please feel free! Spoilers for season six up to Episode 17, at this stage, I'll warn if there's more, and there will be violence, angst, and maybe some nudity (Who am I kidding? Of course there'll be nudity!)

Please feel free to rerview...

Dean knew he was awake, but wondered if he kept his eyes tight shut, and his breathing steady, maybe his

brother wouldn't realise just yet.

"Hey, Dean, you want the first shower?"

Damn. The one down side with having a brother who knew you so well, was one that knew you so well. He

yawned, stretched, and blinked one sleepy eye open. "Five more minutes, ok?"

Sam sighed. "Okay, I'll go first. Bobby's already up and about, so I dunno if you'll get your five minutes."

It was enough for Dean. He snuggled into the lumpy pillow and pulled the worn afghan a little higher around his

chin. Bobby's couch was the most comfortable place in the world, right now. Before he could form another

intelligible thought he was once again snoring.

X

The hot smell of coffee steaming up his nostrils brought him around, and he cracked one lazy open. A hot cup of

coffee was all he could see, so he sat up, starching and groaning, his back popping in protest.

He took the cup and looked up at the face smiling down at him. "Too much hunter's helper last night?" Bobby

asked him, and tossed a bottle of Tylenol on his lap.

"Aahh…hunter's helper remedy…." He gulped a handful with his scalding coffee.

"Well, when you've had your shower, come into the study. Looks like I found us a job" and Bobby left him to his

caffeine hit.

Dean rubbed his hand up his face, through his hair, and sighed deeply. His shoulder hurt a little from crashing

through the motel window, and his head throbbed from the fifth of whiskey he, Bobby and his brother had

slammed last night after getting back. Well, truth be told, he thought maybe he'd slammed it a little harder than

both Bobby and his brother.

After downing the cup he dragged himself off to the shower, passing a way too happy Sam towelling off his mop

of hair on the way. Yeah, he'd definitely hit it harder than his brother…

X

X

X

X

Dean had to admit he felt much better after his shower, but poured himself another coffee and grabbed a cold

piece of toast before joining the others in the study. Bobby was at his desk, with Sam pulled up in a chair in

front, both leaning over looking at a map.

"Something weird along this highway" Bobby traced the red line with his stubby finger "and in this town, and

this" he pointed to the small towns "populations under twenty five thousand, and fairly isolated. No rail line, just

the highway. Two rivers, and a cave system close by. Nothing on anyone's radar, no storms, cattle slaughter,

everything seems clean"

"So what's the job?" Dean asked them around a mouthful of food, and Sam turned around to him.

"Men found dead, burned inside. Outside their bodies are fine, but their insides are roasted. Seven so far." He

lifted up the paper, folded over to the headlines. "Some were known to police, but they don't say why. They also

say there may be a connection, but again, no details. Whatcha think?"

Dean took another large bite. "Sounds like our kinda gig. You coming?" he looked at Bobby.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world" Bobby stood, and stretched. "Two cars? Pack your bags, this could be a big. You

don't know who or what's behind this one."

X

X

X

X

X

The school bus pulled away from the kerb, and all but one child bounced off to their various homes. One lone

child, a small boy, turned and walked towards the drug store, and leaned on the glass. He was very frail looking

boy, a mop of dark brown hair, impossibly large brown eyes, baggy shorts showing thin, knobbly knees, both

skinned. His backpack was almost as large as him; he looked tired, and more than a little sad.

A tall, impossibly good looking man leaned around the corner of the shop where he'd been reading the paper,

back against the brickwork, one leg propped up. "What's the matter, son? He asked, his smile showing perfect

white teeth. "Where's your mom?"

The little boy looked up, normally talking to a stranger would ring all sorts of alarm bells, but he knew this man.

He worked for the real estate company his mother paid the rent to, and was always nice, handing out suckers

and candy.

"My mom's at work. I have to wait here til she can get me" his mouth down turned, the day was lovely, he'd

much rather be home, or with his friends, not wasting time standing out the front of the drug store.

"Hey Aiden..it is Aiden, isn't it?" The young boy nodded his head. "Whattaya say, we go in here and I buy you a

soda? I'm sure your mom won't mind. In fact, I bet she'd be pleased, you being safe and sound inside with me,

someone she knows, instead of out here where any stranger can get near you. Put her mind at rest, it would"

and he flashed that dazzling smile again. This time Aiden smiled back. A soda inside the drugstore, instead of

standing outside waiting for mom defiantly sounded better.

The man was right, he knew his mom worried. She was always going on about talking to strangers and all that

stuff. Treating him like a baby. But this was a nice man that he knew, and his mother smiled at and her cheeks

turned red when she talked to him. He was sure that it'd be ok.

Ayden walked through the door when the man held it open, the bell jingling merrily. The man nodded at the drug

store guy, who winked back, and in moments had the best looking root beer floats on the counter, and Aiden

sat there chatting to the man for a little while.

After they'd finished their sodas the man placed his hand on Aiden's knee. "Tell you what, sport; I have to go

back to the office, why don't I give you a lift to your mom's work? It'd save her coming all the way here, and you

get to drive in my sports car? What do you think? Good plan?"Aiden nodded enthusiastically, his mop of hair

flying. Wait till he told the guys at school about this! The car looked a bit like a transformers car, and all the boys

at school noticed it. He would be a hero!

Also, he knew his mom liked the man, her cheeks went red and she touched her hair a lot when she talked to

him. She always did that when she liked a guy, and she usually got mad at him when he 'got in the way'. This

time, he wouldn't be getting in the way, he knew his mum would be pleased, all hair tossing and pouty mouth.

Maybe she would even give him a hug!

He didn't notice the man throwing a hundred dollar bill on the counter, and the drugstore guy smiling in a very

scary way. He just hopped off his stool and bounded after the man, his grin ear to ear as he pictured his mom

smiling at him, hoping there would be someone he knew from school on the street as they drove passed, so he

could wave at them from the ultra cool sports car. This day was going to be wicked!

They left the shop, the man's keys were in his hand, and he gave them to Aiden, showing him how to push the

button when they got to the car, as that would start the motor before they even got in! Way cool!

"Excuse me" a pretty lady stood there, behind the drugstore, right next to the man's car. She wasn't tall, and

she was dressed kinda funny, in jeans, boots and a tshirt that said T-rex and had a man's face on it. Her hair

was really long, and it was all white and curly. She had on big sunglasses, and her pink lips were sad. Aiden had

seen her around, a little bit, she had been near the school a few times, and at the park when mom let him go

with his friends.

The man stopped, surprised. "Yes, miss? How can I help you?"

The pretty lady cocked her head to one side, kinda like a dog would when it heard something funny. She smiled,

but it wasn't a nice smile, it was scary. "Buce Harpner. I know you. I know what you do with little boys. I have

watched you" she spoke very softly.

Aiden was confused. The man had stopped, and now he looked mad. Or scared. The lady looked at Aiden. "Boy,

would your mother like it if you got into a car with man whose name you do not know? She would find that

strange, would she not?" the pretty lady tossed her long hair over her shoulder.

"She is probably nearly here, and would worry if you were gone"

"Hey, sister, butt out of it! This is none of your business!" the man shouted, and for the first time Aiden felt

unsure.

Would his mum be mad? What if she was already out the front, looking for him? He looked at the keys in his

hand, and back at the man. "Maybe I should go…." He offered the keys to the man, who spun at him in a rage.

"You wait right there!" he yelled. This frightened Aiden, and he dropped the keys and ran, fast as his skinny little

legs would carry him, around the buiding to the front of the store.

He ploughed straight into his mother, who was, indeed, already there, looking for him. He burst into tears, and

tried to explain what had happened, but his mother was having trouble understanding him. Finally, she seemed

to get the drift, and looked really angry.

"I'm sorry, mommy!" he sobbed, and she hugged him. Really hugged him.

"I'm not mad at you, baby." She soothed. "Show me where this man is". Yes, she worked a lot, and she was a

single mother with a poor education, but you don't have to be book smart to know when your kid just managed

to slip out of a paedophile's grasp. She wanted to give this guy a thing or two, and thank the woman that had

saved her son.

Aiden led her around to the parking lot at the back of the drugstore, clutching her hand as tight as he could.

The lady was no where to be seen. The man lay on the ground, face down, beside his sports car, keys near his

head. Aiden wet his pants when his mother started to scream.

A/N Give me a couple of days, at least, to pop up the next chapter. if you put me on your alerts you'll be notified as soon as that happens. Please, feel free to review...