A.N.: Thank you so, SO much to all who read/reviewed the last chapter. Here is Chapter 2, I hope you like it! Also I added in line breaks this time, please let me know if it reads better this way or without the breaks. Hope you are having a MARVELOUS Monday! Love to all of you!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the typos and the idea. :D

CHAPTER 2

The answer it seems is that they are friends, although when the guy I now know as Dean Felder interrupts Sam from whatever he is originally going to say I think maybe Sam is more okay with their relationship than the blonde one. Their parents had both been attacked and killed when they were younger and they have spent their whole lives trying to track down and kill evil. Sounds like something from a T.V. Show…

Sam brings out a rather thick notebook and plops it down on the table as he flips to something that has Dean crowding around it as well.

I watch them warily as they both look up from the book.

"The cleansing ritual is pretty simple," Dean whispers to Sam, his head bowed again.

My side throbs again as a wave of fresh pain hits me in my gut.

"Simple for who?" I pant as the boys look up at me. It's almost like they forgot I am there.

"Mckayla, we can do this, but we are going to have to get at the whole wound," Sam states, but he can't quite meet my eyes as he says this and when I have a coherent second to think about it I know why. The scratches are all the way up to my shoulder, reaching just under the curve of my bra.

"Kayla," I say quietly never really liking my full name.

"What?"

"We are going to be up close and personal in just a few minutes, you can call me Kayla."

When he smiles at me I have a hard time believing he would ever be capable of killing something.

"Let's get to it then." Dean on the other hand is hard and chiseled and looks like he's dangerous.

I nod my head in agreement. "Let's."

When Sam asks where I want to do it I can't help but laugh and the red that reaches up to his cheeks is totally worth it. Not to mention the look his partner gives him.

I strip my shirt and my bra off, but am still holding a towel to my chest. No way was I just going to lay there topless, Sam looks relieved, and Dean looks disappointed. I guess opposites really do attract…

"Kayla, this is," Sam breaks off looking to Dean and then back to me. "It's not going to be pleasant but it will be over soon so just try to hang on."

I hug the towel closer to my chest and grit out. "Oh yeah, because being filleted was super fun."

Dean chuckles and then he is sitting by my side, his flannel shirt swinging close to my nose. I can feel Sam at my back as Dean flips open the journal. My brain turns into mush again. Man, I can't wait till my thoughts don't have a waiting period on them. They seem to be waiting for me; I can feel the stares. I nod once, curtly. It's time.

So the Latin part isn't so bad. At least I think its Latin, sounds like Latin, even though Dean stumbles over the words and I have an odd thought that maybe Sam would know them better. I wonder if Sam is gentle in everything he does, I will have to ask Dean when all this is over.

The fizz from the water as it hits my flesh is weird, but not uncomfortable and I ponder why Sam made such a big deal out of it. And then it hits me, not white hot pain, but blackness that spears across my vision. The murmurs of Latin rise in volume and my whole side is drenched in the stuff now. And God it hurts so bad I feel like I'm tearing apart as my hands fly out and brace the nearest solid object. I don't know if it's Sam or Dean, but really who the hell cares as a growl yanks up from my throat. I think I can hear that it's almost over from somewhere, but all I can feel is the fire burning in my bones, and my fingernails as they bite into my palm through fabric.

And then suddenly it's done, my body heaves with tension, my hair plasters to my face with sweat and my breath saws out of me in shudders. I can hear Sam move away from me and the alert part of me registers that the slow, ooze of pain that I had originally misdiagnosed as infection is no longer there, leaving a dull ache in its place.

"Did it work?" My eyes rise to Sam's' face, his warm and smiling face.

"Yeah, you're in the clear. Ritual worked, they're closing up already."

I return the smile and nod my head at him. "Thanks."

"Uh," Dean coughs from my side and I swivel back to look at him. "Glad we are all okay, but do you think I could have my shirt back?" he gestures to my hand still buried into the flannel.

I let go with a soft. "Sorry."

Dean smoothes his shirt back out and shrugs with one shoulder. "No big deal."

I stand and gather the towel around my side and turn back to the guys. "So...pizza?" I ask, clapping my hands together.

Dean beams and Sam nods. "Pizza."


I shouldn't be able to enjoy the melting cheese and piping hot pepperoni as much I do with Bailey missing, but I'm ashamed to say that I do. It is the best damn thing I have ever put in my mouth and considering my love of food, that is saying something.

Sam chews off a corner of his as he flips through a couple of pages of his worn book. He looks completely absorbed in research, only half paying attention to what he is eating.

Dean and I however, look like we are having a religious experience with our food. It makes me like him a little bit, even if I am still wary of him.

Sam looks a little bit uncomfortable as he shifts his gaze from me, to the food, to the journal to his companion. I wonder how often they have eaten in a house.

"So," I start, breaking the silence and Dean looks absolutely bereft at having to divide his attention. Amusement tweaks mine and Sam's lips at the sight.

"You guys want to clue me in as to what we do now?"

They look between them, secretly communicating again. It bugs the hell out of me this time. "Don't even think about lying to me either." I say, hopefully slicing them with my intimidating stare. I hope it works through glasses.

Sam opens his mouth as he tries to decide what to say. Dean saves him the trouble and speaks up first.

"Now we go and find the thing that took your sister, kill it, and bring her back to you."

"Great, when do we leave?"

"No, not we sweetheart. Me and Sam."

"Like hell!" I shout as I leap to my feet. "And don't call me sweetheart."

Sam moves in my direction. "Kayla, we can't take you with us, it's not safe. Dean and I will bring her back to you, I promise."

Dean nods silently besides him.

"I don't give a shit if it isn't safe!" I rage as I slam my fists into the wooden top of my table. "That thing took my sister, mine! You aren't going to bring her back, I am!" Both boys flinch as I pound the wood once more.

"Look Kayla, I don't think you get it. This isn't going to be a cat fight or a quick throw down, this thing is lethal and you," Dean pauses as he looks me over. "You don't strike me as the killer type."

Something in me hardens, something in me roars, if this thing took Bailey, oh yeah I could kill it, no problem.

My voice shakes with barely controlled emotion. "It's just us okay. My parents, they died six months ago, so it's just us."

Something stirs in both of their eyes, Sam's looks like a lost puppy, Dean, the ice in the hazel thaws a tiny bit.

"Look I was supposed to look after her, and I need to bring her back," my voice starts to crack and breaks on the word. "Please."

I don't know who they have lost, but I recognize the look of raw grief as they exchange looks again, seemingly having a whole conversation with just their eyes. I don't think I will ever find someone who loves me that much.

"What if we say no?" Dean asks.

"Then I follow you anyway."

"We will knock you out, leave you here." he supplies.

"I'll call the cops, get an APB out you, and you should be warned, I have a great memory, I won't forget anything about you guys." I really don't want to have to threaten them, but I am desperate.

"Dean, we really don't need any more trouble,"

"I know Sam." Dean growls.

He lets out a long suffering sigh and runs a hand over his face.

"If you are going to be a part of this, you do what I say, when I say it, got it?" There is a finger jabbed in my direction and his face is stony as he speaks.

I look up and meet his eyes, hoping I am portraying gratitude as I speak. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet." He grumbles.

There isn't a whole lot left to say as I sit back down again. Sam and Dean both look antsy and I can tell they are waiting for some sign from me that it is okay to leave, more out of consideration than respect. Dean gives an exaggerated yawn and claims "Sure is getting late." before he slugs Sam next to him.

"Oh yeah," he joins in. "Better head out soon."

I have had several years of getting good at reading bullshit, and another year to perfect calling people out on it. So I manage not to roll my eyes as I say dryly.

"No one is keeping you here."

Wow, I didn't know anybody could move that fast.

"Well we will be back in the morning," Dean starts, his body practically humming with the want to move.

Where the heck are they running off too anyway? How do I know they will be back?

"Wait a minute," I say as I get up and reach a hand to clasp onto Deans' jacket.

He looks the picture of innocence as he quirks an eyebrow at me. "What is it?"

"Give me your number." I order,

"Kayla, I'm just not that kind of girl." he retorts as Sam snorts off to the side.

"I'm not kidding, give it to me." I know I am being intense, but I need some sort of reassurance that the only lead I have on Bailey isn't going to vanish into thin air.

"Jeez Sammy, you sure know how to pick them." he grumbles to his partner as I tighten my grip onto his jacket.

"Dean," It's a warning, I will stalk them if need-be.

Sam scrawls hastily on a piece of paper before he shoves it at Dean.

"Just give it to her man." he mutters.

"Dude!" he begins as I grab the paper from his hand.

"Talk to you guys tomorrow!" I call out.

Sam nods towards me and Dean grumbles something not very nice under his breath.

I take out my phone and punch in the numbers quickly before watching with a smirk as Dean glares at his own cell.

"Aren't you going to answer that?" I ask, smiling sweetly towards him.

Dean shoots me a very distinct 'Go to hell' look as he flips the phone open and issues a terse. "Hello?"

"Oh hey Dean," I say cheerily. "It's me Mckayla, and if you don't come back for me in the morning I will call...and call, and call. At all hours of the night, and sure maybe you can turn it off for a day, or two, but I'm guessing in your line of work you can't afford much more than that. So consider you, stuck with me." I close my phone with an air of triumph, watching as Deans' jaw clenches; Sam's' face is a mixture of annoyance and looking like he wants to laugh. I really like it when I win.


I fall asleep in the shower. After Sam and Dean have left, and Sam has given me his number (I don't have to force it out of him) I dead bolt the door and damn near drop to the floor in exhaustion. My cell phone blinks back 3am and I am tired. So when I wake up in the shower, shivering against the cold spray of water that pelts my face, I'm not all that surprised. I don't even try to make it up to my bed I just snag the robe from the hook and slip it on before sinking back down into the tub. It's not too bad with no freezing water splashing me in the face.

My back is incredibly stiff when I come to and stretch out into a damp robe. The clock over the toilet bowl reads 7:12am. Awesome, four hours of sleep, new record. Rest hasn't come easy since Mom and Dad...no, I don't have time for that. Not now. I pull myself out the tub, groaning as the ache from my side protests. It's better than bleeding to death though. I really would need to find a way to thank Sam and Dean for saving my life.

My reflection in the mirror looks gaunt and wrecked, my auburn hair limp around my hazel eyes. And my face is so pale the splatter of freckles on it looks almost black. I snatch my glasses from the rim of the sink and place them onto the bridge of my nose before I turn to the side. I was never a skinny minney, but weeks of not eating very much has caused a dip in my stomach. Something I would be otherwise proud of if not for it being one more thing grief has stolen from me.

I get dressed hastily, throwing on jeans and a green tank top before I yank my hair into a ponytail. I don't really know what I will need in the next couple of days so I throw a weeks' worth of clothes, books, pens, paper, and all the money I have into a suitcase. Next I raid the kitchen and toss every knife I can find into it. Then I stare at my phone for a good ten minutes, willing it to ring. At 8:01 my patience runs out and I flip open my phone to the last dialed number.

"Yeah?" The voice that answers is groggy.

"Um...Dean?"

A bit off curse at my inquiry and then a shuffle of sound as the phone is handed off to someone else.

"Hello?" A softer voice this time, Sam.

"Hey Sam, it's me."

"Kayla, hey."

"Look sorry I didn't mean to wake you guys up I just, I need to do something." I voice. Patience has never been my strong point.

He chuckles on the other end before he states. "Yeah, I know the feeling."

"Good, where are you guys staying? I'll come meet you."

That has Sam sputtering nervously into the phone. "No, that's okay, we'll come over to you."

Another muffled curse and the next voice I hear is gruff and more than a little perturbed. "We're at the Hoedown Inn, room 108, bring donuts." the line goes dead and I try not to laugh. I guess Dean isn't a morning person.

The greeting I receive at the door isn't much better as Dean scratches the back of his head and takes the donuts from me with a tilt of his head that I take to mean come in.

Sam ceases his almost frantic attempt at trying to make the room presentable and gives a wave of one hand. Really the Hoedown Inn is such a hole in the wall I am surprised he even bothers, although if you are staying in town on a budget it's the best place to be.I hand over the coffee to Dean having gotten a text almost immediately after he hung up on me to bring a coffee too. Another five seconds and I had a second request for tea.

"Thanks for bringing breakfast." Sam says accepting the tea with a grin.

Dean gives a quick nod of his head as he takes a long swig from the Styrofoam cup.

"You're welcome. Thanks for not skipping town."

Dean takes a bite from a jelly donut before looking up at me with half-awake eyes.

"Lady, don't you ever sleep?" he grouses around a mouthful of food.

"Not really." I say with a shrug. He makes a "Hmm." face and keeps on eating.

Sam looks up from his laptop like he wants to say something, but then he just ducks his head back down.

"What?" I asked.

He looks between Dean and me, shaking his head softly.

"Just weird I guess."

"What?"

"Not used to having other people around."

The admission is quiet and Dean turns towards it.

I don't speak up again until breakfast is over after I choke down a cinnamon roll myself. And really part of it is because the shallower part of me has finally realized how stunning these two really are.

Sam is tall with broad shoulders, green eyes and a smile that (no pun intended) lights up a room, and Dean, well Dean is a couple of inches shorter than Sam, body lithe with lethal grace, hazel eyes, and I notice with a snort, a smattering of freckles across his nose. Both of these men look like they have been yanked straight out of a men's modeling magazine. Thank God they are gay; I don't think I could handle being seriously interested in one of them.

"What's next?" I ask as Sam instantly stills his hand. He makes notes in the same book I saw him with last night.

"Now we let Sammy do his thing." Dean says, passing Sam with a thunk to his shoulder.

Sam nods in response.

"And his thing would be?"

"Research. Until we have a lead to where this nasty son of a bitch got to, we do research."

Dean heads towards the bathroom change of clothes in hand. The door closes with a soft click and I scoot in closer to Sam.

"What can I do to help?"

Sam looks up from his book as he scrunches his eyes together in concentration.

"Um, I guess search the web. Some stuff is reliable and some stuff is bull, but it's all we have."

"How will I know what is what?" I reply, reaching for the laptop.

"I guess ask me."

"Wouldn't it be easier for you to surf the web and me to check out the journal?" I ask it to save time, but Sam's' face darkens as he slams the book shut.

"No." Resolute, no room for argument.

I back away from him just a bit at that. "Sorry."

Sam sighs. "No. I'm sorry it's just..."

"Sometimes I can be really pushy,"

"It's my Dad's." and the way he says it tells me everything I need to know. He is gone, that is who Sam has lost.

My hand moves to cover his lightly, not romantic, just empathetic.

"Sam, I'm sorry." And dammit if he doesn't turn those puppy dog eyes towards me.

I move my hand to grab the computer as I swing it around towards me.

"Let's get cracking."

My eyes start to burn as I question Sam for what feels like the hundredth time the validity of a site. So far I know the color of this thing (reddish-black) that it has poisoned talons, it is the spawn of a demon and a harpy (demons get bored I guess), and that it feasts on the flesh of virgins in exchange for protection again natural disasters. I feel about seven kinds of crazy right now.

"It'd have to be kept somewhere with quite a bit of space." Sam muses to my left.

"Jeez you think?" Dean shoots from the couch.

Sam rolls his eyes in response and I can tell Dean is getting restless.

"What would you usually be doing now?" I ask just to clear the tension in the room.

Dean leans up from the sofa at that.

"Questioning witnesses, looking around town, but there isn't much town to look at and well as far as witnesses go, you're all we got sister." he grins before disappearing again.

And they are all I've got. It hits me with a twinge of regret.

"What made you guys come here anyway? Why were you even in the area?"

"Succubus in Santa Fe." they answer in unison.

Succubus, of course. Why didn't I think of that?

Dean suddenly shoots up from the couch. "Man, I'm going stir crazy sitting here." He grumbles.

I am a little bit too.

Sam states. "Me too."

Dean grabs keys out of his jacket and turns towards the two of us with a smile.

"What do you say we go for a drive?"


The classic black car I saw the other day turns out to be 67' Impala and Dean runs a hand along it slowly as he murmurs "Hey baby." When I go to get in the car he says. "Don't you have your own?" and Sam elbows him in the side. I'm not worried about him being rude to me; I'm worried about them taking off.

Begrudgingly, and with a little coaxing from Sam, I end up in the back seat, not missing that Dean cranks the music up almost simultaneously with the engine. Classic rock blasts through the speakers as I smile to myself. At least he has good taste in music, Sam looks like he's sucking on a lemon and I can tell he doesn't love it as much as his friend. When the chorus kicks in I belt it out, having drifted into some sort of daydream, Dean surprises me by laughing and then states loud enough so I can hear. "Well at least she has good taste in music!" to his partner beside him.

The drive ends up being a waste, we grab tacos from the taco bell by the mall and scan all the bigger buildings in the area, all of them sadly populated and the whole time I think of Bailey. Everything in town has a memory with her attached to it. When we end up back at the run down motel I have a hard time even getting out of the car, it's only 6pm and yet my whole body is rigid with exhaustion. I trudge behind Sam and Dean as they go over the information we've gathered, Sam says something that makes Dean laugh and I watch as his whole body releases tension. God, what have these guys seen that makes them stand like soldiers?

Sometime later Sam groans from behind his laptop. "There is nothing useful on this!" and shoves it away from him in frustration.

Dean nurses a beer and looks up from behind his book. "Giving up nerdboy?"

"Shut up Dean." He grumbles without heat, a long sigh pouring from his mouth as he pulls the laptop back to him.

I personally am starting to see double as I scrub at my eyes. It's only 7pm; we're in for a looooong night...

I must have dozed off because the next thing I remember is waking up to cheap grain biting into my face and a hushed discussion going on somewhere in the room.

"Look man, I know it seems cold, but we just need to do it."

"Just leave her here; she hasn't done anything to deserve that Dean."

"It's better than taking her with us. She's going to get herself killed Sam. She isn't a hunter and I don't have time to watch her back and ours," he's frustrated, pacing in the small space.

"Her sister is missing, you saw her, she's not going to give up."

"So the worst that is going to happen is annoying phone calls for a couple of days at least her blood won't be on our hands!" he growls.

"So we train her, get her ready to fight, she said she would report us to the cops Dean and we really do not need that after St. Louis."

"Train her?" A hushed scoff. " You looking for a third member of the team Sammy?" Bitterness, insecurity in every word.

A soft exhale of breath. "No man, that's not what I meant. I just..." a shuffle of feet. "I feel for her."

"Yeah," a hand tapping a side. "I know."

Fatigue pulls me under again, no matter how much fear I have that they would leave me; my body is finally putting up a fight. I need sleep.

A palm pats my face as I blink into awareness. Anguish chases me up from my dreams as I peer up at my visitor. Dull hazel meets my gaze. What am I doing here? What did I do to deserve this? The hazel softens something close to compassion in them.

"Sorry, you were...uh..." he looks embarrassed as I rub at my damp cheeks.

"I'm fine." I say, but my voice is cracked and worn.

Dean looks like he understands.

"What time is it?" I rasp as Dean tilts his watch towards his face.

"Almost midnight."

"What's going on? What have you guys learned?"

He releases a groan. "A whole lot of nothing."

Sam is suddenly there too. "Maybe you should just go home, come back in the morning, we'll start fresh."

They look as run down as I feel.

I nod my head. "Yeah, yeah okay." and lift my frame from the chair.

Bleary eyes, tired body, broken heart.

"We'll see you in the morning?" Dean asks as he walks me to the door.

I look around their meager surroundings, the Hoedown inn really doesn't take care of its rooms and I shuddered just thinking about what sort of shit they were sleeping on top of. I have a sneaking suspicion that life doesn't hand them any breaks. One more thing we have in common...as of late anyway.

I turn to them, knowing what I am about to suggest is a little bit crazy, but I'd always had a bleeding heart for strays.

"Why don't you guys stay at my house?"

An exchange of confused looks and then Sam speaks first.

"Kayla, that's really nice, but we can't,"

"Sure you can, there's plenty of room, central air, cable, oh and I can cook!" the idea is growing on me by the second, the isolation of being alone has been driving me a mite insane.

"We have a sweet setup here, but thanks for the offer." Dean again.

"Sweet setup? You have a rundown motel and bed sheets with more STDs' than Paris Hilton."

Sam chuckles a little at that one.

"You don't have to; I just thought you could use the change of scenery. Saves you some money too."

Clash of hazel and green, I can hear the "thanks but no thanks" with no mouths saying it.

I turn to leave, startled when a hand reaches out and grabs my arm.

Hazel pools of pride, submitting for the sake of his partner.

"Do you mean it?" he asks.

"Every word."

"What's the catch?"

"No catch."

"It's a bit too good to be true. What do you get out of it?" Wariness is etched into his face.

"My sister if all goes according to plan." There, that's it. Please come...please.

He nods to Sam and Sam instantly starts shoving his possessions into his duffel bag.

Dean smirks at me." Alright then, lead the way."