she wolf

by April-d-fun

A dark secret and the trouble with werewolves.

THE THIRD OF SIX FICTIONAL SHORT STORIES BASED ON A COMBINATION OF MY OWN CHARACTERS AND THOSE CREATED BY ERIC KRIPKE

SHE WOLF

BY APRIL DAWN FUNDERBURG

A young man and woman sit in the front seats of the boyfriend's car in the middle of the night just inside a tree filled forest. They almost instantly begin making out after the man turns off the engine hearing a single howl ring out as the kissing on the lips turns to him kissing her on the neck.

Girlfriend- "What was that?" she asks pushing her boyfriend back.

Boyfriend- "What was what?"

The girlfriend listens intently for the howl she swore she had heard, but can only hear the insects of the night chirping away.

Girlfriend- "I guess it was nothing."

With a smile the boyfriend goes back to kissing his girlfriend on the neck when a howl sounding closer this time rings out once again.

Girlfriend- "There it is again," she says pushing her boyfriend back.

Boyfriend- "Sally..."

Girlfriend- "Shush."

Another howl rings out sounding even closer than the last.

Girlfriend- "You had to have heard that one."

Boyfriend- "It was probably just a coyote or something," he tells her. "We'll be fine as long as we stay in the car. Besides I'll be right here to protect you from the big bad wolf."

The girlfriend just smiles at him and the two resume to make out when something can be heard landing on the roof of the car. It's enough to make both of them stop to look up at the ceiling.

Girlfriend- "What was that?"

Boyfriend- "Don't know."

Girlfriend- "Well go check it out."

With a sigh the boyfriend opens the driver's side door and climbs out of the car to look at the roof of it. Just one glance and the boyfriend suddenly gets jumped from a clothed man above knocking him to the ground. The girlfriend tries to go help her boyfriend but another clothed man suddenly appears in front of the opened car door glaring at the woman with yellow animal like eyes and slightly pointed ears. Opening the car door the terrified woman climbs out the other side and races for her life toward the road not too far from the car. Glancing back she can see the yellow animal like eyed man give chase snarling at the woman with sharp white teeth. She manages to make it to the edge of the forest but trips onto the rarely driven paved road. Rolling herself over onto her back the woman is dragged back into the forest by her ankles with no one around to hear her scream.

SUPERNATURAL

Karen had called her boss at the diner the morning after the demon attack letting him know that she wasn't going to be at work for a few days. She had even begun to carefully train with the angel when her injuries had started to heal up enough while the brothers began a long drive to investigate a couple of strange animal attacks. While Karen trained with the angel the brothers eventually returned having taken care of business, or so they thought, the day before she was due at her adoptive parent's house for her birthday. Not wanting the angel to feel that he had to stay Karen had told Castiel that day he really could go if there was something he needed to take care of. Taking the woman's advice the angel had decided to pop out of sight getting verbally thanked by Karen for all his help before he left.

Monday 5:00 pm

Having decided to invite Bobby and Dean to come over to her parent's place while she was at it Karen asks the two if they would like to come along, the younger brother already having agreed to it. Bobby and Dean respectfully decline, the older brother telling the two to have fun on their little date making Karen roll her eyes at him. Dean even hands over his keys to Sam so he can drive the black car to Karen's adoptive parent's place. The hour at the two story home starts out smoothly enough with Karen, her parents, Sam, and Nancy sitting at the table of which has empty boxes of pizza in the middle of it. In the living room sit three small wrapped boxes on a nightstand next to the longer sofa along with a large bag that says Happy Birthday on it sitting on the floor in front waiting to be opened. Also in the same room as the presents is a reddish brown mutt Karen had let inside earlier fast asleep in a corner. She can't help but give Sam sitting next to her in the kitchen a sympathetic glance during that first hour as her mother sitting at the head of the table next to the younger brother starts with the questions; the first naturally being how the two met and what she and Sam aka Sunny did on their first date. Karen's father sits at the other end opposite his wife listening to the conversation taking place across from him. It was a sympathetic glance that quickly turns into a "really Sam" look at him telling the wife how they first met leaving out the demon part of course along with a made up story about their first real date. Nancy, sitting across from the two, just stares at her best friend with a straight face. Sam even goes as far as putting his arm on the back of Karen's chair making her plaster on a smile secretly wishing she had a pillow near by to smack him with.

Nancy- "So what happened to you at work last Wednesday?" she asks causing everyone to fall silent.

Karen- "I had an emergency," she tells her friend.

Nancy- "Your phone didn't ring and your car is still at work."

Karen- "I had a feeling that Cas...I mean Calvin might have been in trouble."

Nancy- "That's the second time you called him by both names so which is it Cas or Calvin?"

Karen- "Alright so his real name is Cas," she decides to tell her leaving out the fact that he's an angel of course. "Anyway I found him in an ally getting jumped by a group of thugs trying to steal his wallet."

Nancy- "Don't tell me you intervened?"

Karen- "He's a friend Nancy. I had to do something."

Nancy- "So what happened?"

Karen- "We eventually chased them off, getting a little beat up ourselves in the process, and got a ride from Dustin Cas had called earlier," she lied remembering to use the brother's fake name this time. "He drove us over to Bobby's in his car where we got patched up."

Wife- "And the two of you went out on a date that night?"

Karen- "The injuries weren't that serious," she says looking over at her mother.

Nancy- "That's quite a story Karen."

Karen- "You don't know the half of it," she says under her breath looking over at her best friend.

Nancy- "Who are you and what have you done with my best friend?" she asks in front of everyone not caring about whose listening.

Karen excuses herself from the table asking Nancy to speak with her outside. Dragging Nancy out the front door by her arm Karen makes sure to close it shut all the way before speaking.

Karen- "I know it seems like I've been acting a little strange lately, but I'm still the same person Nancy," she tells the woman turning around to face her.

Nancy- "There's something you're not telling me."

Karen- "Believe me when I tell you that you're better off not knowing."

Nancy just stares at her without a word once again.

Karen- "Look I'm always going to be your best friend and the same Karen you've known since sixth grade no matter what."

Nancy continues to stare at her without a word.

Karen- "Just trust me on this."

Nancy- "Fine."

Karen opens up her arms to give Nancy a friendly hug causing her best friend to give her a halfhearted hug back.

Nancy- "Listen I'm going to take off, but I'll see you at work tomorrow," she says breaking away from the hug. "Happy birthday Karen," she tells her with a halfhearted smile.

Karen- "Thanks Nancy."

Karen watches her best friend walk over to her car before stepping back inside where her parents and Sam had retired to the living room. She goes straight over to the longer sofa plopping herself down next to Sam between him and her parents sitting together on the smaller one next to it.

Husband- "Is everything alright?"

Karen- "It's nothing you guys need to worry about," she tells her dad.

Wife- "What do you say we open up some presents then," she suggests grabbing one of the wrapped packages and placing it in Karen's hands.

She doesn't open it at first and just stares down at the package deciding that now was as good a time as any to bring a particular subject up.

Karen- "I had that dream again," she says staring down at the package.

Wife- "And like we tell you every year it was just a dream. Now open your present," she suggests with a smile.

Karen- "The same exact one every year though?" she questions looking up at her parents not wanting to let it go this time.

Wife- "It was just a dream Karen," she repeats.

Karen- "I know it was just a dream," she begins closing her eyes then opens them to stare at her mom, "but it feels so real no matter how many times I have it."

Husband- "I think it's about time we told her," he suggests to his wife.

Karen- "Tell me what?"

Wife- "It's her birthday for Pete's sake," she protests looking over at her husband.

Karen- "Tell me what mother?" she asks once again.

Husband- "Maybe we should go outside to talk," he suggests glancing over at Sam.

Karen- "What ever you have to say you can say in front of him," she says referring to the younger brother who had already heard the story from Karen herself.

Wife- "You have to understand that you were just a baby," she says looking over at Karen.

Karen- "What happened after my mother brought me home from the hospital that night?" she asks already knowing part of the answer but wants to hear it from them.

Husband- "Your father was able to stop your mother before she could really do anything."

Karen- "Did my parents really die in a house fire like you told me?" she asks remembering the day she found out about being adopted and the supposed accident at the age of ten.

The wife just bites her lower lip leaving her husband to speak for her.

Husband- "Not exactly."

Karen- "What do you mean not exactly?" she asks between gritted teeth.

Husband- "Your father didn't have any other choice but to put your mother in a psychiatric ward after that. He stopped going over to see her after only one day of visit because all she talked about was how there was something inside you that needed to be destroyed. A month after your father had stopped going to see her she ended up hanging herself in the room. It devastated your father so badly that he ended up committing suicide."

Karen- "Why didn't you tell me?"

Wife- "We were just trying to protect you," she tells her. "We thought the truth might upset you more than if you believed your parents to have died in a house fire."

Karen- "Why would I be upset by the fact that I drove my own mother crazy to the point of committing suicide?" she sarcastically asks.

Wife- "You were just a baby Karen. What happened to your parents is tragic but not your fault."

Karen can't take anymore and gets up tossing the present down on the sofa as she starts to walk away. The wife instantly stands up and grabs her by the arm before she can get too far.

Wife- "Karen..."

Karen- "Just..." she begins yanking her arm free to look back at her mother.

Deciding to close her mouth before she says something she knows she'll regret later Karen steps out front without another word slamming the door shut behind her. The wife is about to go after her when her husband gently squeezes her shoulder saying that he'll go talk to Karen. Going over to sit back down on the sofa her husband steps outside closing the door shut behind him to see Karen sitting on the bench next to it with her head in her hands.

Karen- "So I'm a freak," she tells her father with her head in her hands as he takes a seat next to her.

Husband- "You're not a freak."

Karen- "Then what am I?" she asks sitting up to look over at her father with her hands in her lap. "What do you call someone who drives her mother so crazy that she would want to kill her own child?"

Husband- "Someone who had a mother and father that didn't take the time to get to know and love their daughter for who she really is."

Karen- "What if there really is something inside me?"

Husband- "Everyone has their own personal struggles Karen. You can either choose to move on with your life or sit here feeling sorry for yourself over something that's not your fault."

Karen gives her father a halfhearted smile then turns to staring straight ahead.

Husband- "There's something else you should know."

Karen- "What?" she asks looking over at him not sure she really wants to know.

Husband- "I knew your father before you were born. He came to me a couple of times saying he felt as though he was being watched. He even claimed that something ended up taking over one time but he was able to fight it off."

Karen- "Well this story just keeps getting better and better."

Husband- "I don't know what was going on with your father or why your mother did what she did, but there are people inside that really care about you for who you really are."

Karen just looks back at her father with a halfhearted smile as he stands up to head back inside. It isn't long before Sam steps outside taking a seat on the bench next to Karen.

Sam- "Are you going to be alright?"

Karen- "I think so," she says wondering if she really was going to be all right.

Just one glance at the side of his neck and the memory of the night she had cut Sam goes flashing by. The wound itself had actually healed quite nicely to being barely noticeable, but she can still feel the scar as she lightly touches the side of his neck with her fingers.

Sam- "It wasn't you," he says taking hold of her hand.

Karen loosely wraps the palm of her other hand around the back of his neck and gives the spot she had cut him a simple kiss. She then lays her head on his shoulder feeling his arm wrap around her.

Sam- "You know I've never actually been to another person's birthday party before, but if I had this would probably be the most interesting one I've been to."

Karen- "With my best friend being mad at me and finding out what really happened to my parents it could have gone a little better, at least your dad fought back," she says into his shoulder. "You could have also played down the whole thing about how our first pretend date went a little."

Sam- "Well I don't know about you but I had a great time on our first pretend date."

Karen- "Me too," she says under her breath.

Sam- "What was that?"

Karen- "Nothing."

Monday 9:00 pm

After having said their goodbyes Sam sits in the driver's seat, Karen in the passenger's, and Max in the back. She had called Bobby earlier to see if he wouldn't mind some more company promising she would take care of the dog herself. To Karen's relief he had agreed to it and they were all headed back over to Bobby's.

Friday 7:40 am

Nancy- "Earth to Karen," she says sitting in the back of the lounge at the diner waving her hand in front of her best friend that had zoned out sitting across the way.

She had been thinking about that Monday night at her adoptive parent's place to pay attention to what Nancy had been going on about. It had been four days since she had driven with Sam back over to Bobby's the brothers having to take off on the second day since the two had returned. The strange animal attacks they thought they had taken care of had resurfaced, but the brothers couldn't escape without Karen telling them to call her if they needed help and to be careful.

Karen- "Sorry what were you saying?"

Nancy- "You okay?"

Karen- "I was just thinking."

Nancy- "Were you thinking about Sunny?" she asks with a smile.

As obnoxious as Nancy could be to Karen on occasion she was happy to have her best friend back to her usual self.

Karen- "Maybe."

Nancy- "You really like him don't you?" she asks with the same smile.

Karen- "Maybe."

Nancy takes Karen's hand and looks her straight in the eye.

Nancy- "I have to admit I didn't think this day would ever come. I am so happy for you Karen."

Karen- "Cut it out," she says tearing her hand away.

Nancy just sits back with a smile causing Karen to do the same despite herself. After an eight hour shift at work Karen drives herself back over to Bobby's in her own car and parks it in front of the house. Entering the house she doesn't see Bobby or Max right away and heads to the back yard figuring that's where they would be to greet the two. The man himself didn't have a problem with Karen staying at the house till she could find a place of her own since the one she had currently resided was no longer safe. After about an hour of being outside the three head back inside the house Karen asking Bobby if he had

any books on things supernatural that she could read. If she was going to be a hunter she wanted to know everything she could about the things she might be fighting in the future. Sitting at the kitchen table with Bobby at the head of it just in case she had any questions Karen looks over the first book she grabs from the small pile one page at a time. She spends hours looking over one book at a time only taking a short break in the middle of it to eat. After hours of reading Karen's cell phone she had set on the table next to her starts to ring. Glancing over at it she sees that it's Dean calling and puts the phone up against her ear while staring down at a page of the book she has sprawled open in front of her.

Dean- "We need your help. I already called Cass he should be there any second," he explains on the other line to which the angel makes an appearance inside the kitchen at that very second.

Karen- "He's here," she says glancing over at the angel with a friendly smile.

Dean- "Is Bobby up?" he asks on the other line.

Karen- "He's up," she says glancing over at the man sitting at the head of the table.

Dean- "Cass is going to bring the both of you to us. I'll explain when you get here. You might want to bring a jacket while you're at it," he tells her over the phone hanging up afterward.

Hanging the phone up Karen informs Bobby that the brothers need their help as she makes her way over to her packed bag in search of a jacket. She quickly locates a brown zip up jacket and slips it on as Bobby gets up from his chair. Deciding to leave her cell phone behind on the kitchen table the two stand in front of the angel in preparation of getting transported to wherever the brothers were at. By a tap on Bobby and Karen's shoulders the three are transported onto a rarely driven paved road winding between clusters of trees on both the right and left sides of it as far as the eye can see. On the road facing the three are Dean and Sam standing in front of the parked black car with a half moon shining in the night sky above. A part of Karen wants to run up to her friends she hadn't seen or even heard from in a while, especially Sam, and give them a hug. By the smile on Sam's face it looked like he might have wanted to do the same, the older brother looking more like he wanted to skip the pleasantries and get right down to business.

Dean- "I really hate to get you involved in this but we can use all the help we can get," he says looking more at Karen than the other two.

Karen- "That's what we're here for."

Dean explains as briefly as he possibly can how they had talked to a family man from a news story claiming he saw what looked like a pack of dogs only standing upright like humans prowling around the house the night before. The next night him and his wife had woken to the sound of their ten year old daughter screaming inside her bedroom. When they burst into the room she was gone with the window busted wide open.

Karen- "What do you think it was?"

Dean- "A werewolf," he explains. "A group of them actually."

Karen- "Werewolves?" she questions not having gotten to any of Bobby's books on the subject yet. "You mean those things actually exist?"

Dean- "They're rare but it does happen. Anyway we were able to track them down here and caught a glimpse of one with a brown sack that looked like it might have someone struggling inside."

Karen- "What do you need us to do?"

Dean gestures with his head to come over to the trunk of the car. Opening the trunk of the car the brothers begin passing out guns with silver bullets, a couple of knives made out of the same material, and a few flashlights to everyone.

Dean- "You don't want to get bit or scratched by one of these things if you can help it," he warns Karen handing her a knife.

While the group of hunters head out with weapons in hand the pack of clothed werewolves, eight adult men, walk deeper an deeper into the forest. The leader of the pack holds over his right shoulder a brown sack with something struggling inside. The werewolves march as a group till they feel that they're deep enough stopping in their tracks about halfway in. Dumping the sack on the ground the leader kneels down to open it up. A ten year old girl in a cotton pant and matching long sleeve shirt outfit scrambles out of the bag and gets to her feet to stare up in horror at the men with yellow animal like eyes, slightly pointed ears, and sharp clawed hands.

Leader- "You should be running," he growls revealing sharp white teeth.

The girl doesn't hesitate to listen to the werewolf's advice and takes off running. One of the werewolf's attempts to give chase but gets stopped by the leader of the pack grabbing him by the arm.

Leader- "It makes the hunt more fun when the prey thinks it actually has a chance."

The pack waits for a few minutes hearing and smelling what sound like humans approaching from behind further away. The whole pack looks back at the people they cannot see yet, but know are there.

Leader- "Take three of the strongest with you," he instructs the werewolf to his right. "The rest of us will go after the girl."

The werewolf quickly picks the strongest three out of the pack and head out together toward the sound and smell of the five humans, one being an angel, quickly approaching. While the four close in on the humans the others start to track down the girl. The ten year old has to stop to catch her breath after running non stop having no idea of where she is or where she's going. The sound of a single howl ringing out gets the girl running once again. She only gets so far when she glances over her shoulder to see the leader closing in from behind. Turning her head back around once again another werewolf that had come around all of a sudden jumps out in front of her. The girl screams out loud as she comes to a stop so fast in her tracks she falls back onto the ground. Scrambling to her feet the girl tries running to her right but the third werewolf peeks around the corner of a tree trunk in front of her. The girl stops so fast she once again ends up falling back on the ground. Scrambling to her feet she starts to walk backward glancing to her right and left. She is surrounded by snarling werewolves on both sides and one in the front of her slowly closing in. She heeds no notice to the fourth werewolf closing in from behind keeping her eyes on the other three as she backs up into a thick tree trunk. The leader reaches the terrified girl first and begins to raise his clawed hand as the others stop a few feet away. The girl shuts her eyes waiting for the horrible pain that does not come. The leader only gets his hand halfway up when a knife gets thrown into it. The leader howls in pain cradling the hand with the knife Karen had thrown into it in his other. The leader looks over at the group of hunters that had avoided a scratch or bite quickly approaching with anger burning in his yellow eyes. Pulling the blade out and dropping it to the ground the leader along with the other three werewolves revert their attention from the girl to the group of hunters and race toward them. Sam is able to hit one with a bullet straight to the werewolf's heart, but the others including the leader himself manage to dodge the bullets by jumping from the trunks of the surrounding trees to the forest floor below. Sam has to push Karen out of the way falling on his back with the snapping leader on top. Dean, Bobby, and the angel are too busy at the moment trying not to get bit or scratched yet alone killed by the other two so it falls on Karen to do something. Thanks to the younger brother Karen doesn't have a werewolf to contend with and quickly gets to her feet to go help Sam out.

Karen- "Hey!" she shouts to get the leader's attention.

The leader looks over at the woman only to receive a swift kick to his face. The kick is strong enough to get the leader off of Sam who had avoided a bite or scratch and send the animal tumbling to the forest floor. With the other two werewolves quickly being taken care of the older brother manages to kill the leader with a bullet to his skull before the werewolf can even get to his feet. With a sigh of relief Karen gently presses her forehead against Sam's shoulder she helps sit up.

Sam- "You okay?" he asks her.

Karen- "Yeah," she says bringing her head up taking notice of the girl sitting against the tree trunk with her knees pulled up to her chin.

She has her eyes closed shut and her hands over her ears. Using Sam's shoulder Karen gets to her feet

and approaches the girl kneeling down in front of her. Gently taking hold of the girl's wrist Karen removes her hands from her ears.

Karen- "What's your name?" she asks the girl opening her eyes to look at the woman.

The girl informs the woman that her name is Tonya.

Karen- "The bad guys can't hurt you anymore Tonya. It's over," she reassures, "you're safe now."

A grateful Tonya instantly scrambles to her feet and wraps her arms around Karen's neck. Karen in turn wraps her arms around the girl feeling just how cold the ten year old is despite the cotton pajamas she's wearing.

Karen- "Cass," she calls out to the angel as she kindly pushes the girl away.

The angel silently responds by walking up to Karen's side.

Karen- "Could I borrow your coat?" she asks looking up at him.

The angel obliges by taking off his trench coat and handing it over to Karen who wraps it around the girl to keep her warm.

Karen- "Think you can carry her Cas?" she asks not wanting the girl to walk around on the forest floor with bare feet.

Castiel doesn't have a problem with scooping the girl up into his arms and all three head back over to the group just finishing gathering up the weapons and flashlights. The group, with Tonya in the angel's arms, start to make their way back toward the road. They eventually make it near the edge of the forest and can just make out the black car further ahead when Karen looks over at the older brother.

Karen- "Are you sure that was all of them Dean?"

Dean looks over at Karen to confirm, but had apparently missed a few no one even remembers seeing evident by a male werewolf leaping toward him from behind. Four more male werewolves seem to appear out of nowhere, one to each person, the third heading straight for the angel carrying Tonya in his arms. While Dean ends up on his back in an attempt to turn around and shoot the first werewolf the second knocks Karen to her knees from behind. Castiel and Tonya pop out of sight seconds before the third werewolf can sink tooth or claw into either of them while Bobby and Sam try shooting the fourth and fifth animals coming straight at them. The older brother having dropped the gun he had in his hand is too busy trying to keep the snapping werewolf on top from biting him to notice the second sink his sharp teeth into Karen's shoulder using his jaws to throw her back. The other two also have their own werewolves to contend with to take notice as Bobby manages to shoot the fourth werewolf in the heart. Sam isn't so lucky and ends up on his back with the fifth snapping werewolf on top that fortunately for the younger brother gets a bullet to the skull by the gun in Bobby's hand. Dean had grabbed the closest

weapon at hand, a good sized rock, and smacks the werewolf on the side of his head while the third turns his attention toward the sound of a short whistle Castiel makes. The werewolf glares at the angel standing in front of Tonya still wrapped in his trench coat lying on the ground in a fetal position with her eyes closed and hands cupped over her ears. The angel glares back at the third werewolf as Dean gets to his feet grabbing the gun he had dropped sending a bullet into the first werewolf's skull. Deciding that five against two weren't good odds the werewolf that had sunk his teeth into Karen instantly takes off. Bobby, Sam, and Dean in turn instantly give chase as the werewolf leaps over the car, races across the road, and disappears into the trees on the other side. The third werewolf stands his ground glaring at the angel with a snarl receiving a rock to the side of his head thrown by Karen who wasn't out for the count.

Karen- "Leave them alone!" she shouts at the snarling beast turning his head toward her.

The werewolf dismisses the angel and turns on Karen instead causing the woman to instantly back up getting stopped in her tracks by a thick tree trunk behind. She turns her head to the side and closes her eyes thinking that might not have been the best idea after all as the werewolf races toward her. She waits in agony for the horrible pain that doesn't come and opens her eyes to the sound of the werewolf suddenly falling deadly silent. Standing there with his back facing Karen is Castiel that had placed himself between her and the werewolf. The angel tosses the werewolf he had stabbed through the heart onto the ground as the dead animal transforms into human form. A relieved Karen gives the angel's arm a gentle squeeze her way of silently thanking Castiel as she walks by and approaches the girl lying on the ground. Kneeling down in front of her Karen once again removes her hands from her ears.

Tonya- "Is it over?" she asks opening her eyes.

Karen- "It's over."

a relieved ten year old once again scrambles to her feet letting the trench coat fall to the ground as she wraps her arms around Karen's neck. The slight pressure of the girl's chin on her shoulder makes the woman groan in pain. Tonya instantly takes a step back at the noise as the angel comes walking over to join them. Pulling part of both her jacket and shirt down over her shoulder Karen stares at the spot she had been bit. Despite both her jacket and shirt the werewolf's teeth had penetrated through enough to leave a bite mark on her skin. While it wasn't too deep of a wound it was enough to make it bleed a little.

Tonya- "You're hurt."

Karen- "It's just a scratch," she says looking first at the girl then glances up at the angel with a concerned expression on his face.

The look she gives the angel says it all. The girl had been through enough tonight to have Castiel get Tonya all worked up over a flesh wound. The other three soon appear Dean shaking his head no indicating that the werewolf had gotten away.

Castiel- "Stay here," he tells the girls on his way over to the group making their way back.

The angel tells the group that they need to talk and has them step further away out of hearing distance but can still keep an eye on Karen and Tonya at the same time.

Tonya- "What do you think they're talking about?" she asks.

Karen- "Nothing you need to worry about," she says picking the trench coat up off the ground to wrap around the girl.

Resting her back against a thick tree trunk behind Karen gets the girl to sit on her lap to keep her bare feet from touching the cold ground and looks over at the group. By the act of Dean rubbing the back of his neck and the expression on the others faces they didn't take the news too well. She couldn't really hear them at first, but suddenly found the conversation between the men ringing in her ears as clear as a bell.

Dean- "What do we do?"

Sam- "If we can find the bastard that bit her and kill him she'll turn back to normal."

Dean- "And what if we can't find him by tomorrow night?" he questions looking over at his brother.

Sam- "We're not going to shoot her Dean."

Dean- "I didn't say that, but we can't take the chance of someone else getting hurt either."

Bobby- "She can stay in the cell back at my place. It's strong enough to hold her till we can find a cure."

Castiel- "I think we should go with Bobby's plan," he pipes in.

Not even the angel is willing to put Karen down if they could avoid it. Dean has to think about a plan for not only Karen, but also Tonya who still needed to get home.

Dean- "Alright here's what we're going to do. Cas I want you to take the girl near her parent's place without being seen if you can help it and make sure she gets home safely. The rest of us will drive together over to Bobby's to get things set up. As soon as you drop the girl off get yourself back over to Bobby's again without being seen if you can help it," he instructs.

Karen- "You see that tall man over there?" she asks Tonya gesturing toward the angel of the group approaching the girls.

Tonya- "Yeah."

Karen- "He's going to take you home, but it won't be by car," she explains.

Tonya- "What about you?" she asks looking over at the woman.

Karen- "I'll be fine."

Tonya carefully this time wraps her arms around Karen's neck once again as Dean kneels down in front of them with the angel taking a stance next to the brother.

Tonya- "Thank you," she tells Karen releasing her grip to look back at Dean afterward.

Karen- "I already told her," she explains before Dean can even open his mouth.

By the expression on his face the fact that she had heard any part of the conversation was not a good sign. Getting the girl back on her feet by Karen herself the angel scoops the ten year old back up into his arms.

Karen- "Hold your breath," she says looking up at the girl before she and the angel pop out of sight.

Karen attempts to get back to her feet on her own, but gets helped the rest of the way up by Dean.

Karen- "Am I going to become one of those things?" she asks Dean as they all head back to the car.

Dean- "We're going to fix this," he tells her.

Karen- "And what if you can't?"

Dean- "We're going to fix this," he repeats as they approach the vehicle tossing the weapons and flashlights in the trunk of it.

Dean climbs into the driver's side with Bobby getting in the passenger's seat as Karen climbs inside the back herself. Sam climbs into the back as well taking a seat next to the woman. Karen stares out the side window thinking about the conversation that had taken place between the guys as they begin to drive away the feeling of someone staring at her soon interrupting her thoughts. She looks over at Sam staring at her with a guilty expression on his face.

Karen- "Why are you looking at me like that Sam?"

Sam- "I'm so sorry we dragged you into this," he tells her.

Karen- "The two of you wouldn't have been able to do this on your own. I told you guys to call me if you needed help and I meant it. Just promise me one thing."

Sam- "What?"

Karen- "If you can't fix this I want either you, Dean, Bobby, or Cas to put me down."

Sam- "It won't come to that."

Karen- "If it does..."
Sam- "We're going to fix this," he interrupts.

Karen- "If you can't promise me one of you will put me down."

Sam doesn't say anything.

Karen- "I don't want to become one of those things Sam. Promise me."

Sam still doesn't say anything and turns his head to staring out his own side window instead.

Karen- "Dean?" she asks turning to looking at the back of his head.

The older brother doesn't say anything either.

Karen- "Bobby?"

She gets the same silent response from the man who also turns to stare out the side window. Karen leans her head back against the seat and turns to staring out her own side window having lost the fight. She doesn't even realize how tired she is till her eyes start to close. She doesn't know how she ended up back in the woods, but finds herself watching the leaves rush by as she chases after something. She can't quite see the something running away from her but can still hear and smell it. Karen can feel that she's getting closer to the something when she hears someone calling out her name. Her eyes start to open at hearing her name being called bringing her out of the dream and back to reality. She looks up from Sam's shoulder she had fallen asleep on to see that they are parked in front of Bobby's house. She would have gotten out herself but decides to wait for Sam coming around to the side to open the car door for her. All head inside the house together with the angel there already having made sure Tonya got back to her relieved parent's arms. Max is also inside and trots up to Karen to greet her at first, but then stops a few feet away blocking the path to the holding cell. His once wagging tail goes down and his ears start to go back. Karen recognizes that expression she had started to see once before when the demon possessed men had invaded her home.

Karen- "Go lay down Max," she tells her dog.

Max doesn't do what she commands this time and actually begins to curl his lips at her. Everyone stands still not knowing what to do exactly. Without even really thinking about what she's doing a low growl rises up deep inside Karen's throat. It's enough to send Max with his tail between his legs over to one of the living room's corners and lies down. The changes, though subtle, were already starting. They needed to get Karen in the cell and lead her down the hall toward it while Bobby goes for the medical kit. He soon joins the others in the cell where he sits on the edge of the bed next to Karen to clean the wound and tape white square patches of cloth over it. Looking up through the screen covering the hole in the ceiling Karen can see the half moon smiling down at her.

Karen- "I thought werewolves only changed during the full moon," she says out loud.

Bobby- "That's only in the movies," he explains as he packs up the kit. "They can actually change during any moon. It's the full moon that makes them change into full form and gives them the most strength," he concludes grabbing the closed kit as he gets to his feet.

Besides it having been a long day there was nothing for Karen being left alone in the cell to do but lie down on her back against the mattress and stare up at the half moon. Though it was several miles away Karen could have sworn that she heard something howling in the middle of the night as if right outside the cell. She soon finds herself back in the woods watching the leaves fly by chasing after something. She can smell the something's fear the rapid beating of its heart like music to her ears. She races after the something that she can finally make out the back of. The ten year old girl running for her life looks back seconds before Karen pounces making her own eyes pop open. She finds herself lying on her stomach early in the afternoon on a mattress with her cheek resting on a soft pillow. Pushing herself up a little Karen notices a mark on the mattress as if an animal had clawed into it. Sitting up on the edge of the bed Karen brushes the mark with her fingers knowing all too well who had made it. She soon hears the door being unlocked and looks up to see it open revealing the angel, Sam, and Dean standing behind it. Dean, carrying a plate of food complete with a plastic fork in one hand and a glass of water in the other, enters first followed by Castiel and Sam hanging back a bit.

Karen- "Did you find anything?" she asks the older brother as he sets the glass of water down on the floor and the plate on the mattress next to her.

Dean- "Nothing yet," he says taking a seat on the edge of the bed opposite the plate next to her, "but we're working on it. You should try to eat something in the mean time."

Karen- "I'm not hungry."

Dean- "You haven't eaten anything practically all day."

Karen- "I said I'm not hungry."

Dean- "You need to eat something Karen."

Without even glancing over at the plate Karen purposely knocks it over onto the floor with her bare hand the plate itself completely missing the glass of water. It was as though she was purposely trying to get Dean to snap in hopes that he might put her out of her misery.

Dean- "We're going to fix this," he tells her between gritted teeth.

Karen- "No matter how many times you or Sam say that it doesn't change the fact that I'm becoming something else. What if you can't fix it this time Dean, what then? What if I get out there somehow?" she questions. "I don't want to live like a caged animal for the rest of my life or wake up next to someone that died by my own hands because of the animal I've become. I'm begging you Dean to put me out of my misery before it's too late. Just one bullet to the head is all it would take."

Dean can't take anymore and gets up to walk out without another word. Sam and Castiel do the same making sure to close and lock the door behind them. She isn't alone for long when she can hear the

door being unlocked. Looking up she sees just the angel and Sam behind it as the door starts to open. It's Sam this time carrying a plate full of food compete with plastic fork that enters followed by the angel hanging back a bit. He goes over to set the plate down on the mattress, but then stops to look at her.

Karen- "I'm not going to knock it onto the floor Sam promise."

Taking her word for it Sam sets the plate down on the mattress and gives her a sympathetic look knowing there's nothing he can say that was going to change anything. With nothing to say Sam heads out the door followed by Castiel closing and locking it shut behind him. Karen looks down at the plate at first before setting it on her lap to try to eat some of it. She can only stomach about half of it and sets the rest back down on the mattress. They would have let her out sooner but need to make sure she's not going to change while not in the cell. It's not until hours later that the door is finally opened again by Bobby to let Karen out this time. Despite being restricted to inside the house Karen is grateful to be out of the cell to stretch her legs and freshen up in privacy behind the spare bathroom's closed door. Max laying in one of the corners of the living room doesn't even get up to greet a refreshed Karen dressed from head to toe and just stares at her as she makes her way toward the kitchen. Upon entering the kitchen she sees Bobby, having come back from cleaning up the mess on the floor in the cell, sitting at the head of the table opposite looking over the day's newspaper. Sam is also there standing in front of the stove top piling food onto a plate while Dean sitting at the table next to Bobby stares at an opened laptop screen. It isn't till she looks around that she notices someone missing she asks about out of curiosity.

Karen- "Where's Cass?" she asks taking a seat at the head of the table across from Bobby.

Dean- "Out searching for any leads," he tells her without bothering to look up from the screen as Sam sets the full plate complete with real fork this time down in front of her.

Karen pushes the plate forward as Sam comes around to take a seat across from Dean next to her.

Sam- "You need to eat something," he tells her pushing the plate back toward Karen.

Karen- "I'm not hungry," she tells him pushing the plate forward.

Sam- "Eat," he states once again pushing the plate back toward Karen.

Karen once again pushes the plate forward and stares at the younger brother with a "make me" expression on her face. Sam opens his mouth to say something when Max suddenly gets up on all fours and stares out the living room window growling at something outside.

Karen- "He's here," she says almost in a daze.

Sam and Dean don't even have to ask and instantly get to their feet ordering Bobby to stay inside with

Karen. Max goes racing out the front door the second Dean opens it followed by the brothers. Sam and Dean head straight over to the black car to quickly get some weapons from the trunk of it before giving chase. Inside the house Karen turns to stare straight ahead in a daze and closes her eyes. She can see the leaves of the surrounding trees and the ground below flying by as the animal takes off. She can even hear a dog bark every now and then further behind. She has no concept of time relaying on the sun and moon to guide her through the cycles of the day. It isn't till she hears the door opening that Karen opens her eyes and snaps out of the trance. Turning around in her seat she sees an exhausted Max enter first followed by the brothers. While Max goes to lie down in a corner of the living room the brothers sit back down in the same seats at the kitchen table setting a handgun and knife to each on top of it.

Bobby- "Did you get him?"

Dean- "He got away before we could catch up to him," he informs Bobby rubbing his forehead just as the angel makes an appearance in the middle of the kitchen. "Please tell me you found something," he begs looking over at the angel.

Castiel- "I would if I had actually found anything."

Sam- "Nothing?" he questions. "Not even a little something for us to go on?"

Castiel- "I don't even know if there are any more werewolves out there. If there is they're in hiding and not taking the chance of getting caught by going out on any hunts. It's as if they stopped all together."

While Dean rubs his forehead from the headache he starts to get from the fact that they had nothing to go on Sam sits back in his chair with the palm of his hands around the back of his neck. It only takes the older brother a second to notice Karen staring at the weapons on the table. She was contemplating whether to even attempt to snatch a weapon from off the table confident that she could do it rather quickly. If she even managed to grab a weapon she wasn't confident that she could actually use it on herself in order to destroy the animal inside. It doesn't take long for Karen to feel someone, four particular someones, staring at her making the woman look up from the weapons. Not liking how everyone is looking at her Karen gets up from her chair and proceeds to head toward the back yard. She doesn't even make it all the way through the kitchen when Dean gets up from his chair to grab her by the arm.

Dean- "Where do you think you're going?"

Karen- "Outside."

Dean- "The hell you are!" he practically shouts.

Karen- "Come on Dean I've been locked up in that cell practically all day," she begs. "I could really use some fresh air."

Dean stares at Karen for a second before releasing his grip on her arm. She can feel everyone's eyes on her as she steps outside into the back yard and disappears around the corner. Leaning her back up against the side of the house Karen stares out at the trees further away all alone for only a second before Castiel pops up beside her.

Karen- "Dean send you out here to baby sit me?" she asks staring straight ahead.

The angel doesn't answer a little confused by the question.

Karen- "Never mind," she says already knowing the answer to her own question.

A part of Karen wants to run toward the trees ahead and disappear into them, but a flashback of looking into Tonya's terrified eyes makes her shutter at the thought of what might happen if she did. At first Karen thought she wanted to be alone, but decides that having the angel there just might be a blessing in disguise.

Karen- "I want you to do something for me Cas," she says staring straight ahead.

Castiel- "What?" he asks looking over at her.

Karen- "I need you to pop back inside the kitchen, grab one of the weapons sitting on the table, and come back out here with it. All I ask is that you make it quick and as painless as possible," she request continuing to stare straight ahead.

Castiel- "No," he tells her knowing what it is she wants him to do.

Karen looks over at the one person she didn't think was going to say no to her. "I wasn't asking Cas," she tells him pushing herself away from the wall to stand face to face with the angel.

Castiel- "The answer is still no."

Without even realizing what she was doing a low growl begins to rise up from deep within Karen's throat. The angel doesn't hesitate to place two fingers against her forehead causing the woman to pop up back inside the cell. By the time she realizes that she is standing in the middle of the room the angel is already standing right outside of it. Karen looks back at the door just in time to catch a glimpse of the angel before it's slammed shut and locked. Taking a seat on the edge of the bed Karen bows her head and digs her nails into the mattress trying to get the raging animal inside to calm down. It wasn't going to stay subdued for long considering that the night was quickly approaching. It was the half moon beginning to come up that made Karen feel something in the pit of her stomach scratching to come out. Still sitting on the edge of the bed Karen bends over clutching at her stomach as a mixed sound of a human's scream and a primitive growl of agony escapes her lips. Though muffled it can still be heard in the living room where everyone races for the cell's locked door. Castiel gets there first by teleportation followed by Dean, Sam, and Bobby on foot. By the time the three of them reach the cell's door there is

nothing but silence. Neither Dean or Sam, not even the angel, can bring themselves to look inside. It's left up to Bobby who flips the slot open to peer inside. The only thing inside the room is an empty bed and a half empty glass of water.

Bobby- "Karen?" he calls out.

The woman seems to appear out of nowhere and peers through the slot at Bobby with yellow animal like eyes and slightly pointed ears.

Karen/werewolf- "Hey Bobby," she growls. "Why don't you open the door and let me out of here?"

Bobby- "I can't do that Karen."

Karen/werewolf- "Come on Bobby," she pleads with a growl. "I promise I won't bite," she concludes with a sadistic smile revealing sharp white teeth.

The man can only take so much of seeing the woman like this and closes the little door shut.

Karen/werewolf- "Bobby!" she growls. "Open the door Bobby!" she orders pounding on the door with her fists. "Bobby!" she roars pounding even harder on the door.

Glancing back with a snarl Karen leaves the door to literally throw the bed at it. With her clawed hands stretched out by her sides Karen ferociously roars at the door refusing to open. Everyone but Castiel solemnly heads back to the living room to do some more investigating before calling it a night to get as much peaceful sleep as they can possibly get. The angel stays by the door hearing what sounds like nails being dragged against the surface. If he could have brought himself to open the small door he would have seen Karen walking in a circle dragging her clawed hand along the wall inside. It isn't till after several minutes of silence that the angel slides the small door open. Peering inside he can see the woman sitting on the floor with her back against the wall across the way. She has her arms wrapped around her knees pulled in with her forehead rested up against them that she looks up from to glare at the angel. A growl begins to rise up deep inside her throat causing the angel to close the little door shut. Karen doesn't remember falling asleep and wakes in the early afternoon on her side against the wall. Using the wall to push herself up Karen lightly goes over the claw marks with her fingers as an image of a light auburn haired werewolf roaring at the door goes flashing through her mind. Sitting down Karen rests her back against the wall and props her elbows on top of her knees to cradle her head in her hands with eyes closed shut. She can hear the door unlock from the outside and looks up to see it open with Castiel standing on the others side of it. She's too ashamed to look at the angel for long and turns her gaze to staring down at the floor instead. She doesn't even take her eyes off the floor to watch the slightly beat up bed move to the side on its own. Keeping her eyes on the floor Karen refuses to even glance up at the angel stepping inside and taking a seat on the floor next to her.

Karen- "I guess there really is something inside me," she tells him continuing to stare down at the floor.

Castiel- "For now," he says looking over at her.

Karen- "You really believe Sam and Dean can fix this Cas?" she asks finally looking over at him.

Castiel- "If I've learned anything from the Winchester brothers is that when they say they're going to do something they always follow through with it and I'm going to help, so will Bobby."

Karen- "Don't ever change Cass."

Castiel- "Angels can become mortal if they choose to be or walk the earth in a vessel but can't actually change into anything. Seeing as how I already found my vessel I fail to see how I would change into anything else." (This line made more sense before he became God when I wrote it. I'm hoping the angel will go back to being the good old Castiel character I've come to like. To be honest when I saw the ending to the finale episode of season six I found myself screaming "No!" inside my head)

For the first time since that night she had returned to Bobby's a genuine friendly smile appears on Karen's face. The sound of footsteps can soon be heard and the two look over at the brothers stepping inside to stare at the walls and slightly beat up looking bed. Karen wasn't about to wait for anyone's permission to leave the cell and gets up on her own accord wanting to freshen up and stretch out her legs. The angel also stands up but stays behind as Karen walks out.

Dean- "Watch her," he tells his brother. "See if Bobby can't come in here and give us a hand while you're at it."

Sam obliges without complaint and proceeds out the door after the woman. Dean just stands there rubbing the back of his neck staring at the claw marks on the wall.

Castiel- "We'll find a cure Dean," he tells him.

Dean- "I hope you're right Cass," he tells the angel looking over at him.

While Castiel and Dean wait for Bobby to come Karen snatches up her bag and heads into the spare bathroom with it to freshen up in privacy. She emerges half an hour later dressed from head to toe and goes straight for the kitchen to see what Sam is up to. She finds the younger brother sitting at the table with an opened laptop in front of him. He had apparently fixed Karen a plate of food complete with a real fork and a glass of water sitting at the head of the table without even bothering to ask.

Sam- "You should try to eat something," he tells Karen glancing over at the woman leaning her back up against the wall just inside the kitchen then goes back to staring at the screen.

Karen- "I'm not hungry," she defiantly tells him.

To Karen's surprise Sam closes the laptop, turns around in his seat, and looks the woman right in the eye.

Sam- "Sit," he orders.

She might not have verbally argued about it, but she can't oblige to the command without giving him a glaring look. He told her to sit, but didn't say that she had to actually eat what was on the plate she reverts to staring down at. What Karen did feel like having as she sits there staring down at the food on the plate with her arms crossed was an ice cold beer. She even thinks about asking Sam for one but given the condition she was in at the moment decides against it.

Sam- "At least try it," he suggests getting Karen's attention. "For me."

With a sigh Karen picks up the fork, pushes the food around a bit, and finally takes a bite.

Sam- "See it's not so bad is it?"

Karen just looks over at Sam not wanting to admit that it wasn't so bad after all. Satisfied she was eating something Sam opens the laptop back up to stare at the screen. It might not have been so bad, but she can only eat half of what's on the plate and pushes the rest away from her. She can feel something staring at her from behind and looks back over her shoulder at the mutt she had almost forgotten about. It only takes Max lying on his belly in the living room a second for his ears to go slightly back and a low growl emerge from deep inside his throat. Karen turns back around in her seat making the growling stop though she can still feel Max intensely staring at her.

Sam- "Don't worry about Max," he tells her. "He'll come around," he concludes as Dean, Bobby, and the angel come walking in.

Dean- "Find anything?" he asks his brother as Bobby steps back inside the living room to look over the day's newspaper on the sofa.

Sam- "Nothing yet," he confirms.

Bobby- "Guys," he says getting up from the sofa with a page of newspaper in hand. "I think I might have found something," he concludes coming inside the kitchen to hand the page over to Dean.

Karen can't sit or stand still like the angel or Sam and gets up to silently read along as Dean reads out loud. It's an article on how two friends, a man and a woman, had gone on a camping trip the day before sleeping inside their tents for the night. The woman had to call the police the next morning after finding her bloodied clothed friend asleep next to a deer carcass looking as though it had been ripped apart. Fortunately for the brothers the address of where the woman lives is given in the article.

Karen- "I'm going with you," she states knowing where the brothers are about to take off.

Dean- "No you're not," he says looking over at her.

A low growl once again emerges from deep within Karen's throat without her even realizing what she's doing. It only takes a second for the woman to notice and she closes her eyes to get the animal inside under control making the noise stop.

Dean- "You did not just growl at me."

Karen opens her eyes to look back at the older brother. "Please," she begs.

Dean- "No."

Karen- "Fine, but Cass and Bobby stay here then."

Dean stares at Karen wondering what it is she's planning exactly but doesn't have time to question the woman.

Dean- "Fine," he agrees against his better judgment.

While the brothers play FBI agents back at the female friend's house they had driven to Karen sits at the head of the kitchen table back at Bobby's. The angel sits next to Karen while Bobby sits at the other end of the table opposite with a phone right in front of him for easy reach.

Karen- "Knowing Dean he's most likely going to ask that I be put back in the cell so I can't hear anything he tells you," she says looking across the table at Bobby. "In which case he's going to have you hand the phone over to Cass to personally order him to zap me back in there," she continues looking over at the angel. "When he does I want you to agree to it without actually doing it. Wherever they end up you're going to take me over there."

Castiel- "You want me to lie?" he asks looking back at her.

Karen- "Dean's reluctant to ask for my help as it is do you really think he's going to want me there especially considering what I've become. Whether he likes it or not they're going to need all the help they can get. If we can get to the bastard that bit me before I turn great. If not at least I'll give him a reason to put me out of my misery."

Castiel- "I don't think I like this plan."

Bobby- "I have to agree with Cass on this one," he pipes in.

Karen- "Whether I stay here or end up getting out there I'll continue to put innocent lives in danger unless something is done," she tells the man sitting across from her. "It's the only chance we got to make things right for everyone."

Not even a second later Bobby's phone begins to ring. Picking the phone up Bobby puts it to his ear with a good idea of who it is that's calling.

Bobby- "Did you find anything?" he asks.

Dean- "Put Cas on the phone," he orders.

Bobby hands the phone over to the angel with Karen watching their every move.

Castiel- "Yes Dean."

Dean- "I need you to get Karen back inside the cell then come back to wherever you are in the house right now."

The angel looks over at Karen who shakes her head no at him.

Dean- "I should be hearing a door being shut and locked by now Cas."

Castiel- "Of course."

And with that the angel pops out of sight without Karen, slams and locks the cell door shut without her in it, and pops back in the chair he had sat in earlier.

Dean- "Is she really in there?" he asks on the other line. "Don't lie to me Cas."

Castiel- "She's in there," he lies looking over at the woman sitting next to him.

Dean- "Give the phone back to Bobby."

The angel hands the phone back over to Bobby who puts it up to his ear.

Dean- "Is she really in there Bobby?" he asks before the man can even say anything.

Bobby looks at Karen across the way for a second then repeats what the angel had told him. Dean doesn't say anything at first clearly contemplating whether he had been told the truth or not.

Bobby- "Dean?"

Dean- "It turns out there's a head honcho purposely turning people into werewolves for money as part of his business," he tells Bobby deciding to take a chance. "The guy on the camping trip even told his friend about it trying to convince her to become one herself. He said that it was worth the price to be able to have strength and power beyond anything she could ever imagine."

Bobby- "Where is this head honcho?"

Dean doesn't say anything.

Bobby- "Dean?"

Dean- "You're absolutely sure Karen's locked up in the cell?"

Bobby- "Why would I lie to you Dean," he says looking across the way at the woman. "Of course she is."

Dean- "He has a place up North about five miles deep inside a nature reserve pretty much in the middle of nowhere. We're heading up there now. Wait about three hours then have Cas pop in near the area to meet up with us."

Both Dean and Bobby hang up as Karen stares straight ahead almost in a daze.

Karen- "He's suspicious."

Bobby- "What do you mean?" he asks the woman across the way.

Karen snaps herself out of the trance to explain.

Karen- "I think Dean and Sam might be headed back here first," she explains looking back at Bobby across the way.

Bobby- "What makes you say that?"

Karen- "Call it a gut feeling."

She had about three hours to come up with another plan and goes back into a daze trying to think of one. She doesn't want to go near the place with just her and Castiel thinking it might be a trap, but doesn't want to wait for the brothers to arrive and force her back inside the cell. Nor does she want anyone getting hurt if the animal decides to come out in the process. It doesn't take long for Karen to come up with a bold plan she looks over at the angel to explain.

Karen- "We'll wait here for a few hours then I'll have you transport the two of us a little further away from the head honcho's place so we won't be noticed. That way if Sam and Dean end up back here you can go get them and bring them to us so we will all be together."

Bobby- "Well if the two of you are going then so am I."

All that was left for them to do is wait. The minutes tick by to the point that two and a half hours had quickly come and gone. Not wanting to go without making sure Max is safe inside the house Bobby, who had started to get attached to the dog, gets the animal inside the cell making sure to close and lock the door behind him. Next on the agenda is to gather up some weapons such as guns and knives Karen making sure to grab her cell phone before they leave. With weapons in hand, Karen being the exception with only her cell phone, the three are ready to go and get transported onto a rarely driven road with cluster's of trees on either side about two miles away from the head honcho's place. Again the only thing the three of them can do is wait. It only takes a minute for Karen's cell phone to start ringing in her hand. Looking down at it she sees that it's Dean calling.

Karen- "Hey Dean," she greets putting the phone up to her ear.

Dean- "Hey Karen just thought I'd give you a call to see what you're up to."

Karen- "I'm just sitting here inside the cell being bored."

Dean- "That's funny because Sam and I are at Bobby's right now and can only see your dog in the cell with no one else around."

Karen doesn't say anything at first.

Dean- "Put Bobby on the phone," he orders on the other line.

Karen hands her phone over to the man who puts it up to his ear.

Bobby- "Listen Dean...," he tries to explain, but gets interrupted.

Dean- "You know I was kind of expecting this from Karen, but not you and Cas. Where are you?"

Bobby- "About two miles from the head honcho's place."

Dean- "Put Cass on the phone."

Karen holds out her hand for Bobby to give the phone over knowing what Dean most likely wants the angel to do. Bobby obliges placing the phone in her hand that she brings up to her ear.

Karen- "If you want me your going to have to come and get me Dean."

Dean- "Karen...," he starts, but then hears the phone click off.

Back near the head honcho's place Bobby stares at the woman as though she had just signed her death sentence.

Karen- "What?" she asks looking back at him.

Dean- "She did not just hang up on me," he says out loud looking down at the phone back at Bobby's then looks over at Sam. "Karen just hung up on me."

Sam just stares at Dean with a childish grin on his face. The older brother gives Sam an annoyed look then proceeds to dial Karen's number once again mumbling something about how nobody hangs up on Dean Winchester. Seconds later Karen's phone begins to ring in her hand that she answers on the second one. Getting ordered by Dean to put the angel on the phone Karen hands it over to him.

Castiel- "Yes Dean."

Dean- "Zap Karen back here this second so I can give her a piece of my mind."

The angel stares at Karen who shakes her head no at him.

Castiel- "I can't do that Dean."

Dean- "You can't or you won't?"

Karen sticks out her hand to the angel indicating for him to give her the phone.

Dean- "Cass?" he questions on the other line.

Karen- "I told you if you want me you're going to have to come and get me."

Dean- "Tell the angel to come get us then."

Karen- "Now that he can do."

With no more to say Karen hangs up and looks over at the angel who pops out of sight seconds after to go retrieve the brothers.

Karen- "Why are you looking at me like that Bobby?" she asks looking over at him.

Bobby- "You are something else you know that?"

Karen- "I'll take that as a compliment," she tells him with a friendly smile.

Knowing Dean's personality the angel teleports the brothers a good six feet away from Karen with their backs facing her and Bobby. Dean instantly spins around and heads straight toward the light auburn haired woman. Both Castiel and Sam start to go after the older brother but stop as Bobby steps in front of Karen to hold Dean back with one hand while holding onto the gun with the other. Dean wasn't going to actually physically hurt Karen, but needed to calm down none the less.

Dean- "What the hell Karen!" he practically yells at her.

Karen- "If I told you what I was going to do you would have tried to stop me."

Dean- "Damn right I would have!"

Karen- "I need you to calm down Dean."

Dean- "Don't you tell me to calm down!"

Bobby- "You should listen to her son," he suggests.

Dean just looks at Bobby.

Karen- "Please Dean," she begs. "I'm not going to talk about this till you calm down."

Dean- "Fine," he says still fuming a little inside.

Karen- "If you knew anything about wolves you would know that while there's always the loner most prefer to travel in packs. Those packs will defend their own members to the death if they have to. Now I can't help but feel that this might be a trap in which case the two of you are going to need all the help you can get. If this works then I'll get my life back and if not everyone will be safer without me. Whatever the outcome that's more innocent lives that will be saved because of us."

Dean feels like he wants to throw or punch something that can't feel pain not because he was against it but because he knows she's right. Instead Dean wraps the palm of his hands around the back of his neck as he closes his eyes.

Karen- "This is the only way Dean and you know it," she tells him.

Dean opens his eyes to look at Karen for a minute contemplating whether to have the angel teleport her back to the cell or not.

Dean- "Mind taking Sam and I back to the car to get some weapons Cas?" he asks as he continues to stare at Karen.

Walking up to Sam's side the three of them pop out of sight seconds later leaving Karen and Bobby standing there on the paved road.

Karen- "Think you can look after Max if I don't make it through this Bobby?" she asks looking over at him.

Bobby- "Don't count yourself out just yet when we haven't even started," he tells her not wanting to accept the fact that she might not survive this.

Karen can't help but give Bobby a friendly smile at the man's optimistic confidence. Castiel soon pops back in with the group armed and ready to go. The group would have walked over to the head honcho's place but it was faster to have the angel teleport them closer starting with the brothers. Next comes Karen and Bobby's turn that join the brothers just inside the woods near the head honcho's single story home in the middle of a clearing. A dirt road wide enough to fit a single car through off to the side of the house runs from the clearing all the way down to the rarely driven on paved one. Parked next to the house facing the dirt road is a shiny red car with a silver leaping dog statue on the hood of it. Dean and Sam take the lead followed by the others approaching the house with a clothed head honcho in human form standing outside of it leaning his back up against the wall next to the front door.

Head Honcho- "Can I help you?" he asks not seeming all too surprised by the group stopping a few feet away.

Dean- "You can start by telling us where we can find one of your dogs," he demands.

Head Honcho- "And what do you want with one of my dogs?"

Dean- "Your dog bit one of our friends. We're here to change her back."

Head Honcho- "A female werewolf. Don't get too many of those."

Dean- "Are you going to tell us where we can find him or not?"

Head Honcho- "Tell you what why don't I bring him to you," he states concluding with a short whistle. "This will just take a second."

Dean and the others attempt to race toward the head honcho, the angel even preparing to teleport to him, when they are quickly surrounded by a group of clothed male werewolves not quite transformed yet. They seem to come out of nowhere jumping down from the rooftop and emerging from not only around the back of the house, but the surrounding trees as well.

Head Honcho- "Did any of you honestly believe I wouldn't be prepared for this when my client came to me after what you've done," he states being guarded by a group of werewolves.

Dean- "Your clients kill innocent people for sport you sick bastard!"

HeadHoncho- "I just give them what they want. What they do with that strength and power is their choice," he states as Karen scans the good sized group setting her eyes on the one that had bit her. "I would love to stick around, but have other business to attend to."

Dean- "When this is all over I'm coming after you next."

Head Honcho- "If you and your friends even survive this," he tells Dean. "Have fun boys," he concludes calmly walking away toward the red vehicle.

The angel would have popped himself over to the head honcho before he drove off, but was needed with the group using the guns first bringing down as many werewolves coming toward them as possible; a knife concealed on the person having to be used in some incidents. The fact that the werewolves are still human doesn't seem to slow them down as they continue to charge with some getting a bullet to their chest or skulls along with an occasional knife to the heart. There are a few close calls for the group that manage not to get bit or scratched during the battle that seems to never end. Finally after a fierce battle for both the hunter's lives and sanity they get the pack dwindled down to five individuals one of which is the very werewolf that had bit Karen. It was him specifically they were trying to get but was being too well guarded by the pack throughout the battle for anyone to reach. The transformation of the five still standing doesn't seem to slow them down as an almost full moon begins to come up. It's the familiar sound of an animal growl combined with a human scream that makes Dean stop to look back at Karen on her hands and knees clutching her stomach.

Male Werewolf- "You get used to the transformation after a while," the one that had bit her standing next to Karen says.

Dean had only taken his eyes off the situation at hand for a second, but it's enough to get knocked on his back by a snapping werewolf making him drop his gun in the process. Fortunately for the older brother Castiel pops up next to him sending a bullet into the werewolf's skull. The werewolf falls over dead slowly starting to turn back into human form. Dropping the gun down by his side the angel sticks out his other hand for Dean to take and helps his friend up as a transformed Karen gets to her feet. Sam and Bobby quickly dispose of the remaining werewolves and all look over at the snarling she wolf. Dean slowly goes for the gun on the ground he had dropped as the she wolf scans the group with her yellow animal like eyes starting with Bobby. She works her way down with her eyes, no one not even the angel, willing to raise their weapons at Karen unless absolutely last resort necessary. She stops at Dean staring down the she wolf with a pleading "don't make me shoot you" expression on his face. Castiel could have easily popped up next to or behind the male werewolf standing just behind Karen, but the animal made sure to keep his yellow eyes on the angel. Without a distraction the male werewolf could use his quick reflexes to get out of the way and it would be Karen that would take the fatal injury. Than again the angel could use the dagger he has concealed on him, but he would have to get even closer. Besides the possibility of Karen taking the hit the male werewolf could end up taking the dagger away from him leading to complete chaos. The angel was not about to take any chances and stays in one spot next to Dean.

Sam- "Karen look at me," he calls getting the snarling she wolf's attention. "You have to fight it. If you can resist a demon you can beat this."

It's enough to get the she wolf to stop snarling as memories of the times spent with her friends go flashing by.

Male Werewolf- "Don't listen to him Karen," he says into her ear keeping an eye on the angel the whole time. "They're not your friends anymore. They're nothing but big fresh pieces of meat now. You should show them what true strength and power feels like. We should show them."

Castiel attempts to physically approach the male werewolf, but only manages to take a single step forward. The angel stops to look at Karen as she slowly goes for one of the knives that had been dropped on the ground near by.

Male Werewolf- "You don't need that Karen," he tells the she wolf grabbing hold of her hand with the blade in it. "Why don't you use your natural strength and power given to you to show them what you are truly capable of."

Karen looks back at the male werewolf keeping hold of the knife down by her side. Wrapping her free hand around the back of his neck she turns around causing the male werewolf's hand to slide up her arm. The she wolf leans in acting as though she's going to kiss him, but then brings her lips up to his ear and the knife into his chest. She doesn't drive it through all the way wanting the gasping male to hear what she has to say.

Karen/werewolf- "Why don't you go to hell," she tells him driving the knife further in afterward piercing the heart inside his chest.

Karen throws the male werewolf to the side with the blade stuck in his chest and roars at the dead body slowly transforming into human form. No one moves at first and just stares at the she wolf with surprised expressions on their faces. The roar doesn't last long when Karen can feel something in the pit of her stomach. Clutching her stomach she once again falls down on her hands and knees. Some of her light auburn hair falls over Karen's shoulders hiding her face so that no one can see whether she's changing for the better. Sam is the one to set his gun down on the ground and cautiously approach the woman calling out her name. Placing a hand on the woman's shoulder causes Karen's human one to reach up and wrap around his arm.

Karen- "Sam?" she questions looking up at him with her human eyes.

A relieved Sam helps the woman to her feet as an equally relieved Karen wraps her arms around the younger brother's waist so suddenly he has to take a step back to keep from falling over. Laying her head on Sam's shoulder she closes her human eyes feeling his arms wrap around her. The group gives the two a minute before having Castiel transport everyone two at a time back over to Bobby's starting with Sam and Karen. Though Karen can feel that she is back to her normal self again she had to know for sure and heads straight for the spare bathroom. She doesn't bother closing the door as she flips on the light and stares into the mirror with Sam standing in front of the doorway. Pulling some of her shirt down over her shoulder she rips the patches off to see the scars completely gone. Dumping the patches in the small trash can next to the sink Karen runs her hand over the spot not feeling any kind of indication that she had ever been bit. She looks over at Sam with a smile as the two head over to the living room to join the others having already put away the weapons in the trunk of the black car noticing someone missing.

Karen- "Where's Cass?"

Dean and Bobby gesture for Karen to look behind her. Looking over her shoulder she sees Castiel coming to join the others with Max by his side. She turns around not rushing up to the dog right away unsure of how he was going to react. She is relieved to see the dog approach her with his tail wagging and tongue sticking out. She can't help but get down on one knee to wrap her arms around the mutt's neck. It isn't long before everyone has a cold beer in their hands including Karen joining the celebration of going back to being her high spirited stubborn human self again. She doesn't stay in the living room for too long deciding to head out into the front yard with beer in hand Max naturally going with her. Heading over to her own car Karen sits on the hood of it with her feet planted on the ground absentmindedly scratching Max behind the ears as he takes a seat on the ground next to her. Scanning the stars above her eyes soon fall on an almost full moon no longer having any power over her. It's not that she didn't want to be with her friends it was more of wanting to get a good view of the night sky she hadn't really been able to see with her human eyes as of late. She was so relieved to be free of both the cell and the animal inside she didn't think about asking anyone if they would like to join her wishing she had. With a smile Karen looks over at the Winchester brothers stepping outside with beer in hand making their way straight over to her car. While Sam sits on the hood next to Karen the older brother leans his back up against the car on the other side.

Sam- "I told you Max would come around," he tells her.

Karen just smiles at the younger brother then goes back to looking up at the stars.

Karen- "You know my parents and I would camp out in the back yard on occasion when I was younger," she begins referring to her adoptive ones. "We would spend hours just lying on the grass staring up at the stars. We would even tell each other scary stories."

Karen thinks back to some of the scary stories she and her parents had told and goes from looking at the stars to staring down at Max.

Karen- "Course those seem more like fairy tales now compared to the real thing."

Taking a drink of her beer Karen goes from looking down at Max to staring straight ahead thinking about how she wants to become a hunter like the Winchesters.

Karen- "What do you suppose my parents or Nancy would think if they knew that I wanted to become a hunter like you and Dean?" she asks continuing to stare straight ahead.

Sam- "Well your dad would most likely be proud of you, your mom seems more concerned about you finding someone at the moment, and Nancy would probably think you've lost your mind."

Karen- "Think I could ever be as good as you and Dean?' she asks looking over at Sam with a smile picturing what the younger brother said being her parents and best friend's reaction.

Dean- "I don't know about that."

Karen looks over at the older brother wishing she had a pillow near by to smack him with.

Sam- "Almost as good maybe."

Karen turns her gaze on the younger brother wishing she had the same thing near by to smack him with as well. The rest of the hour is spent in silence just staring up at the stars before Karen announces that she's ready to call it a night. Karen gives Sam's shoulder a gentle squeeze as she makes her way toward the front door of the house with Max following alongside. Sam doesn't take his eyes off her till she disappears inside the house. Turning his head back around Sam sees Dean staring at him with a goofy smile on his face out of the corner of his eye.

Sam- "What?" he asks looking over at his brother.

Dean- "Nothing," he says with that same goofy smile on his face.

The next morning finds a fully clothed head honcho asleep in the forest next to a clear flowing stream. The front part of his shirt is soaked in blood from a deer carcass about a mile away the head honcho had helped two werewolves kill as part of their training session. His goal to create a new pack starting with the two fully clothed young men also with blood soaked shirts sleeping on the forest floor was about to come to an end. A kick to the head honcho's shoulder makes him blink his eyes open. Looking up he sees Dean and Sam standing there staring down at him.

Dean- "Morning."

The head honcho instantly scrambles to his feet only to receive a knife made out of silver to his heart from behind by Castiel himself.

I'm not saying that the show should change the direction it's going in just thought I should give my own personal fictional imaginary explanation here as to how this all came about. The female angel who comes up later on feels compelled to go see Father Time in which I imagine he would look like an old guy with a long white beard to convince him to turn back the clock in order to save Karen. So while the outside world and every living thing in it comes to a stand still waiting for the past to catch up to the present the female angel steps into the past invisible to everyone including Castiel himself and mentally convinces the guy to give up all those souls so he can become his good old angel self again (this would all take place sometime during season 7). Since I forgot that Castiel had the ability to heal going to say that he loses that ability when he becomes an angel once again. So he basically becomes his angel self again minus the healing ability thing. By the female angel messing with the past it changes a few things in the present such as Dean having his Impala and never remembering driving anything else, Sam still has his soul back, and Bobby is still alive if he ends up dying. Have a bad feeling they're going to end up killing Bobby off by what I've seen in the latest episode although I'm secretly hoping that he'll live, but if he doesn't I'm not going to be too happy at all. Like I said not saying the show should change it's direction just giving my own personal fictional explanation here on how this all came about. Think of it as Back To The Future meets Alice In Wonderland. Also while this story might not be completely accurate to the show such as the werewolves talking, with a growl of course, I hope whoever ends up reading this enjoys doing so anyway.