Supernatural: Shadow

A/N: Hey, so I was going to post this tomorrow like I normally do, but I'm going to be looking after my nephew while my sister, Yami Faerie attends her best friend's wedding tomorrow as the maid of honor, and odds are that I'll be gone all day, so here's an early update, folks. Like I said before, there will be references to Criminal Minds, but they aren't going to play a big role, and so I hope no one complains too much.

Read, review, and enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Supernatural or from Criminal Minds. I just own any and all characters that I just happen create.

CHAPTER ONE: A STRANGE MURDER AND MEG

Chicago, Illinois…

A young woman, Meredith, was walking home while listening to music on her iPod when a tall, burly man bumped into her; she gave him a disgusted look and continued walking.

Shortly after turning a corner and entering an empty alleyway that had trash scattered everywhere, her iPod stopped playing music; Meredith pulled it off her belt and tapped on the controls for a few seconds before taking off her headphones, frustrated.

"Great."

Just then, a strong wind began to blow around her, and both garbage and leaves scattered everywhere as an eerie whispering began, almost like someone or something was calling out her name.

Meredith looked around, confused before calling out. "Hello?"

There was no answer except the wind, which she tried to ignore and kept walking; as she neared her apartment, Meredith looked over her shoulder and saw the shadow of a man on the wall of a building. Almost as if it was aware of her look at it, the silhouette began to follow her.

Scared, Meredith broke into a run, dashed across the street and finally reached her apartment building. Frantically, she grabbed her keys and rushed to find the right one; after a few seconds, she found the key, opened the door, ran inside, and slammed it shut.

Meredith burst through the door of her apartment, and locked it behind her; breathing hard, she entered a code into the alarm system on the wall, which was bleeping.

`"System disarmed."` She then entered a second code and the bleeping stopped. `"System armed."`

Meredith took several deep breathes as her heart stopped pounding, finally feeling safe; she left the room and went to the kitchen to get a beer after setting down her bag and keys. She then went to the living room, pushed a button, and listened to the messages on her answering machine.

`"Hey, Meredith. It's Kristen. You have to tell me what happened last night. Call me."`

The beep sounded and another message began to play; while she listened to the message, a shadow began to form on the wall of the apartment; it started as a swirling cloud of smoke and morphed into the silhouette of a tall, skinny creature that seemed to be wearing a rag-like hooded cloak. The creature's shadow slowly moved towards Meredith's shadow on the wall, where it stuck its long, sharp-nailed fingers through her chest; she screamed as her blood splattered on the wall, and both she and her shadow fell to the ground as the creature continued attacking, even after she'd stopped screaming and was clearly dead.

One week later; Sam, who was looking at a newspaper article about Meredith's murder, Liz, and Dean stopped their car across the street from the apartment building, and got out, dressed as employees of the alarm system company. Going to the trunk, Dean got a toolbox from the trunk of the car, and they proceeded towards the apartment.

"Alright, Dean," Sam said, nodding to the building. "This is the place."

"You know, I've gotta say Dad, Liz, and me did just fine without these stupid costumes," Dean complained, referring to what they were currently wearing, despite the fact that they'd used the credit cards given to them by the BAU team. "I feel like a high school drama dork." He then suddenly smiled as he recalled something. "What was that play that you did? What was it…Our Town. Yeah, you were good, it was cute," he joked, until Liz elbowed him hard in the ribs.

"Look, you wanna pull this off or not?" Sam asked; it'd been his idea to get a series of outfits to wear when undercover on their various jobs.

Dean sighed. "I'm just sayin', these outfits cost hard-earned money, okay?"

"Dean, remember that the money we used to get these outfits are from the same place as the money that the BAU uses," Liz reminded her twin, who just scowled; to him, they were now under the thumb of the government, but since the BAU had cleared his name, he couldn't help but feel indebted to them.

The Winchesters were greeted at the front door by the landlady, who then led them upstairs and into the apartment.

"Thanks for lettin' us look around," Sam said, his eyes were automatically drawn to the bloodstains on both the floor and the walls. 'Yikes!'

The landlady just nodded and sighed. "Well, the police said they were done with the place, so…"

She and Sam both moved further into the room, and Liz followed them; being the last one in, Dean shut the apartment door and noticed that the chain on the door was broken before joining them in the living room, where spots of blood covered the carpet.

"You guys said you were with the alarm company?" she asked, curious.

Dean nodded. "That's right."

"Well, no offense, but your alarm's about as useful as boobs on a man," the landlady stated flatly.

Dean, Liz, and Sam all exchanged a look.

"Well, that's why we're here," Dean informed her, using their cover story. "To see what went wrong and stop it from happening again."

"Now, ma'am, you found the body?" Sam asked.

The landlady nodded, although it was obvious that she'd wished she hadn't. "Yeah."

"Right after it happened?" Liz asked.

"No," the landlady said, shaking her head. "Few days later. Meredith's work called…she hadn't shown up. I knocked on the door. That's when I noticed the smell."

"Any windows open?" Dean asked. "Any sign of break-in?"

"No, windows were locked, front door was bolted," the landlady explained. "Chain was on the door, we had to cut it just to get in." Which solved the mystery of why the chain was broken.

"And the alarm was still on?" Liz asked.

The landlady nodded again. "Like I said, bang-up job your company's doin'."

"Mmhmm." Dean nodded. "You see any overturned furniture, broken glass, signs of struggle?"

The landlady shook her head. "Everything was in perfect condition…except Meredith."

Sam glanced around at the blood splatters that still remained. "And what condition was Meredith in?"

"Meredith was all over," the landlady answered, shivering. "In pieces. The guy who killed her must have been some kind of a whack job. But I tell you, if I didn't know any better, I'd have said a wild animal did it."

Dean and Liz both glanced at Sam, who nodded.

"Ma'am, do you mind if we take some time? Give this place a once-over?" he requested.

"Oh, well, go right ahead," said the landlady. "Knock yourself out."

Once the landlady was gone, Dean knelt down, opened his toolbox, and took out the EMF meter. "So, a killer walks in and out of the apartment…no weapons, no prints, nothin'."

"I'm tellin' ya, the minute I found that article, I knew this was our kind of gig," Sam told them, taking out the infrared red device and turning it on.

"I think I agree with you," Dean remarked, just as the EMF began beeping frantically.

"Same here," Liz agreed, brow furrowed.

'So, you talked to the cops?" Sam asked as they walked around the living room.

"Uh, yeah," Dean answered, smirking. "I spoke to Amy, a, uh, charming, perky officer of the law."

Sam and Liz exchanged a look, recognizing the faraway tone in their brother's voice. "Yeah? What'd you find out?"

"Well, she's a Sagittarius," Dean answered dreamily. "She loves tequila, I mean…wow. Oh, and she's got this little tattoo-"

"Dean!" Sam and Liz both snapped.

Dean started. "What? Yeah. Uh, nothin' we don't already know," he added. "Except for one thing they're keepin' out of the papers."

"Hm?"

"Meredith's heart was missing," Dean informed them.

Sam and Liz were both stunned. "Her heart?"

Dean nodded. "Yeah. Her heart."

Liz grimaced. "Yuck."

"So, what do you think did it to her?" Sam asked.

"Well, the landlady said it looked like an animal attack," Dean remarked. "Maybe it was…werewolf?" he suggested.

Sam shook his head. "No, no werewolf, the lunar cycle's not right. Plus, if it was a creature, it would've left some kind of trace. It's probably a spirit."

Considering that, both Liz and Dean observed the blood on the carpet and they both noticed something. 'Was that a pattern?'

"See if you can find any masking tape around," Dean requested.

Sam found some masking tape, which Dean used to connect each pool of blood; when he was done, the pieces of tape formed an unusual symbol, and they all stood over it.

"Ever see that symbol before?" Sam asked his older siblings.

Both Dean and Liz shook their heads. "Never."

"Me neither," Sam agreed and they exchanged a look. What on Earth was going on in the Windy City?

Later that night, Dean was flirting with the attractive bartender, who also worked at the same bar that Meredith used to work at; both Sam and Liz entered, looking around. Dean noticed, took one last drink, smiled at the bartender, and then left.

"See ya."

At the other side of the room, Sam and Liz found an empty table and sat down, taking out their father's journal; Sam leafed through the pages, and shortly, Dean sat down across from him and next to Liz.

"I talked to the bartender," Dean told them.

"Did you get anything?" Sam asked, eyebrows raised. "Besides her number?"

Dean was hurt by the question. "Dude, I'm a professional. I'm offended that you would think that," he protested and then sighed when Liz smacked his arm and Sam gave him a knowing look. "Alright, yeah." He chuckled and held up a napkin with the bartender's phone number on it.

Sam and Liz both sighed. "You mind doin' a little bit of thinking with your upstairs brain, Dean?"

"Huh? Look, there's nothing to find out," Dean informed them pocketing the napkin. "I mean, Meredith worked here, she waited tables, everyone here was her friend. Everybody said she was normal. She didn't do or say anything weird before she died, so…what about that symbol, you find anything?"

Sam shook his head and Liz sighed. "Nope, nothing. It wasn't in Dad's journal or in any of the usual books. I just have to dig a little deeper, I guess."

"Well, there was a first victim, right?" Dean asked. "Before Meredith?"

Sam nodded. "Right. Yeah." He pulled out a newspaper clipping concerning the first death. "His name was, uh - his name was Ben Swardstrom," he added, handing the clipping to Dean. "Last month he was found mutilated in his town house. Same deal…the door was locked, the alarm was on."

Dean frowned as he read the article. "Is there any connection between the two of them?"

"Not that I can tell…I mean, not yet, at least," Sam answered. "Ben was a banker, Meredith was a waitress. They never met, never knew anyone in common…they were practically from different worlds."

"Talk about frustrating," Liz groaned. "I'm getting a headache."

Dean sighed, agreeing with his twin sister. "So, to recap, the only successful intel we've scored so far is the bartender's phone number," he muttered and then smirked, but Sam didn't react, he was staring at something at the other side of the room; curious, both Dean and Liz looked around.

"What?"

Ignoring the question, Sam got up and walked away, leaving his older siblings very confused.

"Sam?"

Sam kept walking through the crowd until he reached another table, where a young woman with short blonde hair was seated with her back to him. He put his hand on her shoulder, and she turned around, revealing her to be Meg.

"Meg," he said, amazed.

"Sam!" Meg said delighted and he looked at her curiously, wondering what the odds were of him seeing her in that particular bar of all places, and so far from California. "Sam! Is that you? Oh, my God!" She stood up and they hugged; Sam was slightly puzzled, and they pulled away a few seconds later.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I'm just in town, visiting friends," Sam lied, for some reason he had a feeling that it was better if he didn't tell her the truth.

Meg looked around. "Where are they?"

"Well, they're not here right now, but what about you, Meg?" Sam asked. "I thought you were goin' to California," he added as both Dean and Liz came up behind him.

"Oh, I did," Meg answered, completely ignoring the older Winchesters. "I came, I saw, I conquered. Oh, and I met what's-his-name, something Michael Murray at a bar."

Sam didn't know whom she was talking about. "Who?"

Meg shrugged the question away. "Oh, it doesn't matter. Anyway, the whole scene got old, so I'm living here for a while."

Dean, not liking to be ignored for very long, cleared his throat loudly, but no one was paying any attention, even Liz was starting to feel left out. Who was this woman?

"You're from Chicago?" Sam asked, curious.

"No, Massachusetts…Andover," Meg corrected him. "Gosh, Sam, what are the odds we'd run into each other?"

Sam nodded, having been wondering the same thing. "Yeah, I know, I thought I'd never see you again."

Meg smiled brightly. "Well, I'm glad you were wrong."

Sam nodded again, and Dean cleared his throat again, louder this time.

With a hard expression, Meg finally turned her attention to both Dean and Liz. "Dude, cover your mouth."

"Yeah, um, I'm sorry, Meg," Sam apologized, flushing with embarrassment for having completely forgetting his brother and sister. "This is, uh…this is my brother, Dean, and my sister, Liz."

Meg stared at the Winchester twins, surprised. "This is Dean and Liz? And they're twins?"

Both Dean and Liz smiled, although with a bit of uncertainty.

"Yeah," Sam confirmed.

"So, you've heard of us?" Dean asked.

"Oh, yeah. I've heard of you both," Meg answered, and then her tone turned very cold. "Nice…the way you both treat your brother like luggage."

This left both Dean and Liz very confused. They treated Sam like luggage? Since when?

"Sorry?"

"Why don't you let him do what he wants to do?" Meg suggested angrily. "Stop dragging him over God's green earth."

"Meg, it's alright," Sam said quickly, noting that they were drawing attention, and the hurt expression on Liz's face.

Dean whistled lowly. "Okay, awkward," he mumbled. "I'm gonna get a drink now. Come on, Liz." He gave Sam a puzzled look before heading over to the bar with Liz.

"Sam, I'm sorry," Meg apologized guiltily. "It's just…the way you told me he treats you…if it were me, I'd kill him. As for Liz, I'm sorry for lashing out at her like that since she treats you better then Dean clearly does."

"It's alright," Sam said reassuringly, all the while he was making several mental notes, and among them was apologizing to Dean and Liz as soon as he could, and to also find out who Meg really was. "He means well, and so does Liz, too."

Meg nodded. "Well, we should hook up while you're in town," she suggested as the tension faded.

Sam agreed. "Yeah."

"I'll show you a hell of a time," Meg added slyly.

"You know what, that sounds great," Sam commented. "Why don't you, uh…why don't you give me your number?" And he took out his cell phone to input Meg's number.

"312-555-0143," Meg recited.

"You know what, I never got your last name," Sam remarked as he programmed the number into his phone.

"Masters," Meg told him.

"Masters?" Sam repeated.

Meg nodded. "So, you better call."

"Scout's Honor," Sam promised.

Meg smiled. "I hope to see you around, Sam."

Sam returned the smile and walked away.

A short while later, Dean, Liz, and Sam all left the bar and headed for the Impala parked nearby.

"Who the hell was she?" Dean asked, referring to Meg.

"I don't really know," Sam admitted. "I only met her once. Meeting up with her again? I don't know, man, it's weird."

"And what was she saying? I treat you like luggage? What, were you bitchin' about me and Liz to some chick?" Dean demanded, still stinging a bit from what Meg had said earlier; he and Liz had accepted Sam's apology, but Meg's words still stung.

"Yeah, since when do I drag you around like luggage, Sam?" Liz asked.

"Look, I'm sorry, Dean, Liz," Sam apologized again. "It was when we had that huge fight when I was in that bus stop in Indiana. But that's not important, just listen-"

"Well, is there any truth to what she's saying?" Dean interrupted. "I mean, am I keeping you against your will, Sam?"

Sam shook his head, wishing that Dean would drop it already. "No, of course not. Now, would you listen?" he requested.

Dean sighed, wincing when Liz elbowed him. "What?"

"I think there's somethin' strange going on here, Dean, Liz," Sam said seriously.

"Yeah, tell me about it. She wasn't even that into me," Dean complained, still thinking about Meg, and then winced when Liz smacked the back of his head. "Hey!"

"Focus, Dean," Liz ordered.

Sam shook his head, smiling slightly at Liz making Dean behave. "No, man, I mean like our kind of strange. Like, maybe even a lead," he stated.

"Why do you say that?" Dean asked.

"I met Meg weeks ago, literally on the side of the road," Sam explained. "And now, I run into her in some random Chicago bar? I mean, the same bar where a waitress was slaughtered by something supernatural? You don't think that's a little weird?"

Dean shrugged. "I don't know, random coincidence. It happens."

"Yeah, it happens, but not to us," Sam stated. "Look, I could be wrong, I'm just sayin' that there's something about this girl that I can't quite put my finger on."

Dean suddenly smirked. "Well, I bet you'd like to," he teased. "I mean, maybe she's not a suspect, maybe you've got a thing for her, huh?" Resulting in an exasperated look from Liz while Sam rolled his eyes and laughed. "Maybe you're thinkin' a little too much with your upstairs brain, huh?" he added, pointing to his head and grinned, until Liz kicked him in the leg.

Sam frowned, serious once again. "Do me a favor," he requested. "Check and see if there's really a Meg Masters from Andover, Massachusetts, and see if you can't dig anything up on that symbol on Meredith's floor."

"What are you gonna do?" Dean asked.

"I'm gonna watch Meg," Sam answered.

Dean laughed. "Yeah, you are."

"Oh, grow up Dean," Liz muttered.

Sam agreed with Liz. "I just wanna see what's what. Better safe than sorry."

Dean grinned. "Alright, you little pervert."

Sam and Liz both glared at him. "Dude."

Dean raised his hands slightly, but was still grinning. "I'm goin', I'm goin'." And both he and Liz crossed the street, leaving Sam by the car.

A/N: And there is the first chapter, folks. Next week I should be posting on my usual Thursday…hopefully. R&R everyone!