Title: The Lonely

Author: Lune aka Sjoeks

Summary: A new town with a new hunt. Sam is being bullied mercilessly, but Dean isn't there to protect him, now that he's finally made (the wrong) friends. In the mean time, a monster is killing te students at their school. It is now up to John, Dean and Sam to find out who's the killer, preferably before their family falls apart.

rating: T for language and violence

Genre: hurt/comfort, drama, suspense, whodunit, friendship, high school, angst, crime, family, mistery,

Warnings: bullying, strong language, violence, murders, Dean not being the awesome big brother we all love, some sick!Sam, some hurt!Sam, a lot of angsty/sad!Sam, loneliness, underage drinking

Timeset: Preseries: Sam 13, Dean 17, set before 'After School Special'

Bookcover: img825[DOT]imageshack[DOT]us/img825/5903/thelonelybookcoverii[DOT]png (replace [DOT]'s by actual dots to use link)

Disclaimer: Obviously don't own Supernatural, John, Dean or Sam. Do own all OC's and the plot.

[Updated September 25 2011]

Dedicated to the lonely and to Nina, who's always been there for me in time of need.

Chapter 1: Hey You

But it was only fantasy
The wall was too high as you can see
No matter how he tried he could not break free
And the worms ate into his brain

Hey you, don't tell me there's no hope at all
Together we stand, divided we fall

Pink Floyd – Hey You

"How much further?" Sam asked from the backseat. John glanced into the rearview mirror to send his youngest a slightly annoyed look and Dean looked up from the papers he was going through, to look over his shoulder.

"A few more hours, Sammy," John answered, "Maybe you can help Dean if you're bored."

They had left Las Vegas about 15 hours ago, and were now on their way to Jerusalem, a small town in Washington, near the Canadian border. In Las Vegas, there'd been an angry spirit attached to a Black Jack table. It attacked people with playing cards, scaring them away and giving them some nasty cuts. Dean had had the time of his life hunting the thing down. Even though he was only 17, with a fake ID he'd been able to get into the casino and he'd played some games. Of course, that was all because of the case. Of course.

So in a few hours, they'd arrive at Jerusalem. Sam had made a few remarks about Jesus and the bible, but Dean hadn't understood the joke and John just wasn't really interested in religion. No big shock there… all John was interested in was hunting.

"Sure," Sam leaned forward to look over Dean's shoulder and Dean reluctantly gave him the folder he'd been going through. Even though Sammy often helped on hunts (usually just the research and some salt-and-burns, mostly) he was still only 13, and Dean didn't want to scar his little brother for life. Hunts often contained nasty pictures and even nastier deaths.

"Why don't you tell us all again what we've got, Dean?" John asked. Of course John knew all the details and of course Sam knew a lot about the case already as well, but it was a good way to train his sons, and most importantly: keep them busy so they wouldn't get bored and start whining.

"Tatiana Hodgins," Dean said, "She was 16 and a cheerleader at Abraham Lincoln High School. Redhead, Gemini, really cute nose. She was 5 ft 6 and weighed 110 pounds, her bra-size was 32C and –"

"Dean!" John snapped. Dean winked at Sam, but hastily apologized to his father.

"Sorry, dad," Dean cleared his throat and put on his business face, "Anyway, so Tatiana, cheerleader, 16 years old. She was killed at her school. She was strangled, but they can't be sure that's the actual cause of death."

"Why not?" Sam asked. His eyes were scanning the printout from the morgue. How Dean had been able to break into the morgue's computer, he had no idea. Usually, Dean wasn't much of a computer-freak. Sam was their man when it came to computers and the internet.

"Her internal organs were melted," Dean answered matter of factly, after a few seconds of hesitant silence. Sam made a face and looked at the photographs of the dead girl.

"Please warn us before you upchuck your food, so we can pull over," Dean said jokingly as he heard the papers rustle.

Sam looked at the pretty redhead. She had nasty bruises on her neck, and her eye sockets seemed to be empty. Something sticky hung to her cheeks and in her hair, and Sam guessed that had formerly been her eyes and brain. He gulped. There was written 'or here' in bright red lipstick on her forehead. An arrow ran over her nose and led to her mouth. Her lips wore the same color lipstick. Sam frowned.

"Sammy?" Dean turned around as he hadn't had a response from his brother, "You okay? Are you going to be sick? Do we have to pull over?"

"What?" Sam looked up from the picture and blinked at the older Winchester, "No, no, I'm fine. Why is there 'or here' written on her forehead?"

Dean pulled the folder from Sam's hands and quickly flipped through the pictures. He handed Sam two and Sam held them next to each other. Oh, now he understood.

She was completely naked and the same sticky, ew-y thing that had been in her hair was also sticking to her legs. Yum. But he now understood the 'or here'. The same red lipstick had been used to write on her sagged stomach (of course it was sagged, her organs were melted). It read 'take me here' and the arrow led to between her legs. Sam blushed. On the other picture, someone had turned her on her stomach. 'Or here' was written on her lower back, with the arrow leading to her ass. Sam quickly gave back the pictures.

"Still okay, Sammy-boy?" Dean asked. He may have sounded playful, but Sam could see his brother was worried about him.

"Sure," Sam answered quickly. Okay, he may have felt slightly uneasy and a tiny bit queasy, but there was no need to worry Dean and dad, "What do the police make of it?"

"They have no idea how she melted, obviously," John said, "They're still sticking to someone strangled her to death. Apparently she was quite the… ah… maneater." John censored himself.

"Maneater?" Sam asked, surprised. He was wondering how the dead girl could have eaten men. Maybe that was why she was dead. She probably was a supernatural man-eating monster.

"Dad means she was a slut," Dean laughed.

Oh. That explained a lot.

Actually, it really did explain a lot. It explained the lipstick-words on her body and why she was naked. It also explained that she didn't literally eat men. But who would have killed her?

"A jealous boyfriend?" Sam wondered out loud.

"Possibly," John nodded, "Maybe a jealous ex or just someone she'd slept with."

"It could also be the girlfriend of someone she'd slept with," Dean offered. John nodded some more.

"That's what the two of you are going to find out. Lincoln High will be your new school," John said, "Find out as much as you can about Tatiana Hodgins. Her enemies, her lovers, her friends, her history. I'll be interviewing the family."

"But how did she melt?" Dean asked, frowning.

"Witchcraft?" John offered, "Maybe someone made a deal with a demon. It's even possible they used some normal, regular chemicals. But let's not get our hopes up. It probably isn't just some psychotic kid with a chemical set. I have a very strong feeling about this being something supernatural."

They all relapsed into their own thoughts. Sam stared out of the window. Sure, he was glad he'd be able to join in the hunt. Really join in, since the killer had struck at the school they were about to attend. On the other hand, he wished he could have stayed in Prescott, the place they'd stayed at 2 hunts ago. He'd actually made a friend there. Tom Payne had been a short, shy kid. But he'd been real smart and really nice to him. But when was life ever fair and easy? His dad had found the hunt in Las Vegas and they'd left. He knew he'd never see Tom again. Even though he'd promised he'd write him. What address would Tom be able to write back to? The Impala, 666 Hunters Road, anywhere in the States? It really just was unfair.

But hey, at least life wasn't unfair to just him, was it? Look at that poor girl whose murder they were investigating. She was a year younger than Dean and dead as a doornail. She would never walk in the sun again, never kiss a boy again (maybe that was for the best, but still), never hug her mother or father again. He didn't even know if she had siblings. If she had… he couldn't imagine losing Dean. He'd die if he lost Dean, he was certain of that. Dean was his everything. He was his brother, his best friend and occasionally, his father and mother. The thought that he might lose Dean made his throat dry and thick. He glanced at his brother, who appeared to be looking at himself in the mirror.

Sam shook his head in amusement.

By the time they drove onto the parking lot of the motel where they'd be staying, Sam had fallen asleep. While John went to get the keys, Dean stretched his legs and looked at his kid brother. An affectionate smile played around his lips and he opened the door Sam was lying against.

"Whoah!" Sam yelped as he fell out of the car and against Dean.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," Dean laughed as he pulled his sleepy brother to his legs.

"Are we there yet?" Sam asked and yawned. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and looked around.

"Yeah," Dean opened the trunk and grabbed his bag, "Dad's checking in."

Sam slung his own duffel over his shoulder and they waited for their father in silence. When John came back, he tossed the keys to Dean and demanded the car keys back.

"We have two rooms," John said, looking at both his boys, "Sam, you and Dean are sharing a room. I'll get the one next to it. Behave."

That's an order.

Sam and Dean nodded and said "Yes sir," in unison.

"Good," John locked the car and they walked to their rooms, "Go to bed. Both of you. Make sure you're up early, 'cause you're going to school tomorrow."

"Night, dad," Dean said and disappeared into their room. Sam looked at his father and smiled at him.

"Good night, daddy," he said. John smiled back and ruffled his hair.

"Sleep tight, kiddo."

The next day went like so many other days had gone: Sam and Dean had to stand in front of the class as the teacher introduced them. When the teacher asked the class to say hi, no one said a word. There were just curious glances. Sam noticed someone glaring at him. When the teacher asked them if they wanted to say something about themselves, both boys shook their heads. Dean put on his brave face and told the teacher that there was really nothing to say, and that he wouldn't be staying long enough anyway. He didn't say why. If the other students thought it was because he got kicked off school so often, then that was a good thing. It would seem like he was a cool and reckless guy and it would totally boost his image. Girls would think he was an attractive, unreachable totally awesome kind of knight, and he might pick up one of the pretty cheerleaders. It was not because he was on a job that he couldn't have any fun.

"Just go sit in the back, Sam," the teacher said, and Sam self-consciously made his way through the desks. Someone stuck his foot out and he stumbled, hitting his knee against a chair. Hard. The class giggled.

"Watch where you're going, freak," the person the chair belonged to said loudly and the kids laughed louder. Sam blushed and stared at the floor, quickly passing the last few meters to his appointed desk. By the time he sat down, his teacher had calmed the class down again. Here and there someone was whispering and looking over their shoulders to stare at him.

Sam pulled out a pencil and a piece of paper and made notes, concentrating very hard on the teacher and her class, so he wouldn't have to notice the other kids anymore.

Oh boy, did he wish they'd stayed in Prescott. Then Tom and he would be passing notes to each other and he wouldn't mind the stares and the whispering so much. Tom stuttered, but he was awesome. And he would tell Sam to ignore the others. They only paid attention to him because he was a shiny new toy. Maybe it was because of his incredible good looks. Yeah right. Sam softly snorted. It was Dean who had inherited the 'incredible good looks'. But at least it was him who'd gotten the brain. Not that Dean was stupid, of course.

Sam sighed and the teacher continued her class, oblivious of the whispers and giggles.

So, I've been playing with this story-line for some time now :) I'm still plotting all the details, but I've really thought this story through for once, so I think this is going to turn out pretty good. Or at least I hope so, and I think it's going to turn out okay.

For once, not an OC centered story from me, but a story really focusing on Dean and Sam and a hunt. So yeah, a real Casefic for once :) Go me ;)

Either way, I'm looking forward to write the rest :) If everything goes well, the first few chapters should follow pretty quickly.

Reviews are very welcome. Good and bad.

- Lune x