Angry words and Attitude

"Hey Sam, what's up?" Chloe's voice was as upbeat as always.

"How come you know it's me even when I call from a payphone?"

She could hear the teasing tone in his voice, he had long since stopped asking her how she did what she did. Probably as a courtesy seeing as how she never asked him anything. Not that she didn't want to. Sometimes she had to bite her tongue so hard she saw stars, but she knew they had trust issues. Something she was very familiar with herself.

"How many times do I have to tell you about my mad skills Sammy?"

"Again with the Sammy? You're as bad as Dean"

"It's the hair. Sam's don't have floppy hair. It's just so tussleable."

"I don't think that's a word."

She laughed out loud. Sam had called her for the first time 3 weeks after their fateful meeting in that awful motel room. He needed help with researching a building. Chloe was pretty sure he didn't say anything to Dean and she tried not to take offence. She had concluded he was way too proud to ask for help himself. Sam on the other hand recognized the skill it had taken to hack the FBI database and pull their files. These were desperate times, pride be dammed.

They had fallen into an easy banter. An email here, a phone call there. They traded jabs and information and somewhere along the way Chloe realized she and Sam had become friends.

"Well maybe it should be. You call Webster's and let me know what they think." She switched her phone to hands free and swiveled in front of her computer. "So to what do I owe the pleasure of this phone call?"

"Maybe I just wanted to chat?" She snorted in disbelief. "Yeah okay so I need something."

"You don't have to sound so guilty Sam. I want to help."

"Thanks Clo. I'll send you everything. Just let me know what you find." His voice drifted on the last word.

"Sounds good." She paused, not sure if she could ignore the hurt tone of his voice. "Is something bothering you Sam?"

"Everything's fine."

"Try it again, with feeling this time."

Sam laughed despite himself. Chloe had that effect on him. She lightened the load just a bit. She was outside their world and yet she understood the burden of trying to do the right thing. Of trying to help people. Most of who didn't even know they needed it.

"Seriously Sam I'm really good at listening."

"I know it's just hard right now." Her heart broke for him. There was hopelessness in his voice. She had heard that tone before. In Ollie after doomsday. In Clark after his father. In herself after Jimmy. He was thinking about tossing in the towel.

"I'll be there in 5 minutes and you and I are going out for a drink."

"You don't even know where we are."

"I'm hanging up on you now. Just let Dean answer the door when I knock. I want to see his face." She didn't wait for his response. She knew where they were. She always knew where they were. In addition to moving the Impala that fateful night she had planted a tracking device. She wasn't sure what had made her think she would need to keep track of them but something in her just wasn't willing to walk away.

Dialing Clark she called in a favor. He balked and wanted to play 20 questions but in the end he brought her to the boy's motel.

"Chloe are you sure about them?"

"Yes Clark besides I can call you if I get into trouble and you'll come running."

She watched him speed off. Or actually she mostly felt him. He moved too fast to actually see. Smoothing down her hair and making sure she looked presentable she knocked on the door.

"Hey Dean." She smiled widely as he opened the door. His face was totally worth it. She was fairly certain that Dean Winchester wasn't flustered very often and it was a shame because he was adorable when he looked confused. She pushed past him and into the dingy motel room.

"You know how badly I want to ask right?" Sam returned her smile and she just laughed.

Dean continued to stare. He was missing something because Sam and Chloe knew each other and not just as in we met once before but in a way that implied shared secrets and late night phone calls.

"She's the one you've been talking to when you think I'm not paying attention?" Dean couldn't hide his relief. It was starting to feel like Ruby all over again.

"Yeah, she's been helping me out a bit." Sam looked contrite. His tone was soft. He didn't want Dean angry. Things were so tense right now with the apocalypse. "She's really good at research."

"Yeah but tonight I'm here to take Sammy out for a night on the town." Chloe stood by the door waiting. "You're welcome to join us Dean."

He continued to stare. He knew he was doing a very poor job of hiding his surprise but for some reason he just couldn't wrap his head around her being here. It had been rough going the last few weeks. Freaking zombies. He knew he was closer to the edge than he had ever been but for some reason he couldn't seem to do anything. In the brief moments he actually got out of his head he knew Sam was suffering just as much and it should have triggered his protective instinct. It should have made him rise to the occasion but something was dead inside him. He was barely eating, barely sleeping and drinking way too much.

Turning back towards Sam he was confused. His expression shifted and Dean almost didn't recognize it. Hope.

Had things gotten so bad that the sight of hope on his brother's face was so foreign?

Yes, Yes they had.

Well if they were all going to hell in a handcart he was going to have a little fun and blondie seemed like all kinds of fun. Who knows. Maybe he would get lucky?

Chloe knew the moment he decided to go. His expression shifted from lost to confidant and the swagger was back in his step. She doubted one night out would fix their crisis of faith but you have to start somewhere. She knew all too well what a single minded dedication to the job got you.

"Try and keep up." Dean looked at her with a sly grin.

"Is that a challenge Blondie?"

"I call shotgun." She yelled back at Sam.

"Not fair at all." He couldn't hide his smile as he complained. Chloe was just what the doctor ordered.

Their table was littered with empties and Chloe was starting to slur her words. She should have known better than to try and keep up with the boys. But the waitress just kept bringing them drinks and she just kept drinking them. Yup. She was going to pay big time tomorrow. Right now she would enjoy watching the boys smile and flirt with her.

Sam's held an innocence that reminded her of Bart. There was nothing behind it. She knew there was no spark. Sam was good looking and smart and any girl would be lucky but to Chloe he was just a friend. There was just something so brotherly about him.

Dean on the other hand came on strong but lacked commitment. Like he was just going through the motions and that saddened her. She could tell he would be quite the charmer if he set his mind to it. She was sure he had never lacked female company.

She spun in her chair to face Sam and she nearly knocked over her drink. Something about the way Dean was looking at her. Their kiss flashed into her mind and she felt her cheeks flush.

"I think we might have to shut you off little lady." Sam's voice was strong, unaffected by the alcohol.

"I'm not little." She grumbled under her breath. "Why am I constantly surrounded by giants?" The words ran together a bit and for the first time she questioned why she was here. Sure she had told herself Sam needed her but maybe it was slightly more selfish than that. When was the last time she had let off some steam?

She tried to get to her feet and had to grab Dean's shoulder to steady herself. His hand immediately reached out and grabbed her hips. She was suddenly standing very intimately between his thighs, staring into his eyes. She felt the heat creep up her throat and she was just sober enough to hope he didn't notice.

"I need to use the little girl's room." Her voice was soft.

"You need any help?" He wagged an eyebrow suggestively at her. Chloe frowned and slapped his hand away. She refused to admit how much that single touch had done to increase her heart beat.

He waited until she was out of ear shot before turning on his brother. "How long have you too been playing geeks together?"

"A few weeks after the poltergeist." Sam didn't need to elaborate. Dean knew what he was talking about. They had argued extensively about getting her involved. In the end Dean just couldn't deal with another death on his hands and Sam had finally agreed. It had been another week before he had actually called her. He felt guilty but he was completely stuck.

"How the hell does she know where we are?" His voice was a low grumble. Yes he was having fun but that made it worse. The end of the world was upon them and all he could think about was how she tasted like strawberries and coffee.

"I have no idea." Dean glared at his brother but saw the truth in his words.

"GPS tracker hidden in the bumper of the impala."

Dean spun around at the sound of her voice and watched her make her way back to the table. She was steadier on her feet now but still not herself.

"I'm sorry are you telling me you put a tracker on my baby?" Gone was the sexy smirk. It was replaced by a look of pure menace and it sent a shiver down her spine.

"Yeah, sorry. I just …" She paused unsure of what had made her put the tracker there, even more unsure of why she was telling them. "I just thought you might need help one day." She offered him a weak smile and slumped into her chair. Immediately picking up her drink and downing it in one long swallow.

So much for her sobering up. "Where exactly is it?" Dean's words were like a hiss. Had she been more sober she might have actually started to worry about just how good these boys were. Sadly in her slightly inebriated state she just stood up to the challenge.

"Find it yourself since you apparently don't need any help." She pushed back from the table and started marching towards the door. So much for a fun night. Pulling out her cell about to call Clark she felt a hand close on her shoulder. She spun to find Sam standing before her.

"You don't know what that car means to him."

"Whatever Sam, I didn't hurt it. I would never destroy a classic like that." She tried to turn back towards the door and stumbled. Reaching out blindly she grabbed Sam's arm.

"Let me take you back to the motel."

"I'll call a cab." She turned to walk away but felt guilty. "I'm sorry Sam. I just wanted you to have a fun night."

"Chloe…' He sounded so lost. It broke her heart.

"I know Sammy, I know." She smiled sadly at him. She could see the burden in his eyes. Could see he was ready to break and she just didn't know what to do. He wasn't Ollie. She didn't know enough about him to remind him of his motivations. She wasn't sure what buttons to push. "I know how hard it is to keep fighting but you have to."The only thing necessary to the triumph of evil, is that good men do nothing.'"

He watched her walk out of the bar. This wasn't the night he had hoped for. Walking back to the table he watched Dean's face go from angry to resigned again. "Are you happy now?"

Dean turned and looked at his brother. "I can't handle another death on my hands."

Sam sighed heavily. So much for a fun night on the town.

We he awoke the next morning it was with a killer hangover and no memory of how he had gotten back to the room. They were getting sloppy about the drinking. Dean especially. He couldn't remember the last time Dean had gone to sleep and not just passed out. There was only one way this was going to end.

Clark had picked her up without a word. Had she been sober she might have questioned that. Instead she just enjoyed the silence. It had been a disaster. A total and complete disaster and as she poured herself another scotch, determined not to sober up just yet, she tried to remember why she thought it would end any other way?

Every encounter she had with the brothers went badly. Her phone calls with Sam were fun and she enjoyed helping but she and Dean were like oil and water. It took only seconds for them to start with the dirty looks and the harsh words. Weird that someone she barely knew could cause such a strong reaction from her.

Why did he irritate her so much? She considered herself to be relatively easy going. There weren't many people she didn't get along with, until they gave her a reason not to.

Annoyed with herself for continuing to obsess she took another long swallow of the scotch. Enjoying the slow burn of the alcohol as it slid down her throat.

When she woke the next morning she would blame the scotch for her vivid dreams. Dreams where a dark man in a leather jacket with a 5 o'clock shadow and a sexy smirk made her beg for more. Definitely the alcohol and the current never ending dry spell she was enjoying because Chloe Sullivan was way to smart to ever consider chasing after a man again.

She rolled over and groaned as the sound of her cell phone forced her out of her revelry.

"What?

"I just wanted to make sure you got home alright." she immediately felt guilty. Sam wasn't to blame for her horrible hangover.

"Yeah I'm okay. Going to be needing some aspirin but otherwise no worse for the trip."

"About last night…"

"Stop Sam. It was a bad idea. I know you guys are dealing with some heavy stuff I just thought I could lighten the load. I'm sorry I made it worse."

"That's not it at all Chloe. Dean and I just have a lot on our plates right now." She could sense the unspoken below the surface. His struggle to do the right thing. To keep fighting. She wanted to say something but she was plum out of encouraging one liners. Whatever they needed they were going to have to find it on there own.

"Good luck Sam."

"Yeah you too Chloe." As she hung up the phone she felt a pang of loss. She wasn't sure why, but she didn't think she would be hearing from him again.