I sighed as I sat in my kitchen, watching my mother and sister cook dinner and checking the window for the arrival of the Winchesters every thirteen seconds. Yes, thirteen, I'm counting, because ten is too often and my neck will cramp, but I'm too impatient for fifteen.

"Tell me about these boys again," I requested of my mother, causing her to roll her eyes. "If you want to know so much about them, why don't you call your Aunt Ellen?" "Tried, she isn't picking up."

My sister sighed, reciting our mother's speech in an eerily nagging tone of voice, "Their names are Dean and Sam. They're hunters. They've helped out your Aunt Ellen-" "What more do you need to know," I joined in for the last part, giggling with my sister.

"I still don't get what else you need to know!" our mother exclaimed, and my sister and I laughed at her again as the younger triplets ran through. "It isn't need-to-know, mom," my sister explained, "So much as really-should-know." "There's no difference," my mother insisted flippantly.

My mother is a lot like Mrs. Bennet from Pride and Prejudice - obsessed with getting her daughters married and unconcerned with everything that she can't see as ever benefitting her. I actually admire her for it - sure, those qualities aren't the most admirable, but she displays them so proudly you'd thing that being boy-crazy at fifty-two was the thing to be. Kind of like that commercial where the two guys have ED. Though it does make it a little odd that she didn't interrogate Ellen further about the Winchester boys.

"Mom, Jared pushed me," Josh, the triplet standing in the middle, complained. "Of course he'd push you," Justin pointed out, "We're playing War." "I don't care what you're playing," my mother claimed, "No rough housing in the house. Take it outside, and watch the mud."

I smiled as the younger triplets stomped out of the house and into the yard to play. The younger triplets were so similar, it amazed me, especially after the first triplets.

Yeah, you read that right, we've got two triplets. Me and Veronica have six brothers from two births, making us not only the only girls, but the only single births. Crazy, huh?

The younger twins are exactly alike - from the black/brown hair on the top of their heads to the size of their eight year old feet. Josh, Justin, and Jared were also the only ones to not know about my special 'talents.' We're waiting for the right time to tell them that their big sissy kills the monsters under the bed.

The older triplets, though, are nothing alike. Andrew has blonde hair, the only other one in my family besides me and my dad; he must be nearing six foot six, and enjoys sports in his spare time, mostly wrestling and soccer. Allan has light brown hair and is the partier of the family, leaving Ackley to write music and poetry while hiding out mostly in the boys' shared bedroom.

"So," my mother questioned overdramatically, "What is it you should know?" "Are they cute," Ronnie questioned, mock-girlish. I rolled my eyes, "Veronica!" "Don't whine at me - it's a valid question now that you and Landon have broken up." "We haven't broken up," I protested, "We're on a break."

"Mmhmm," Ronnie replied, rolling her eyes at my foolishness the same way I'd rolled my eyes at hers. "Don't tease your sister," My mother said, not even realizing that she was scolding her engaged twenty-five year old. Yes, engaged is an important part of that sentence. Remember how Lydia became the favorite of Mrs. Bennet when she got married? It's the same thing.

Out of nowhere, I heard Tommy start to howl and bay, like he'd found a demon. I stiffened until Allan came running into the kitchen, my puppy right on his tail and nipping at his heels. "I'm telling you, Carrie, your dog wants me dead!" Allan jumped into the middle of our island, drawing his knees to his chin.

I laughed at the oldest (by seven minutes) brother as I pulled one of Tom's toys out of Allan's back pockets, "How did you ever graduate high school?" "Blackmail," my brother replied in a scary serious voice, "... and bribes." Tommy barked at the toy in my hand, and I rolled my eyes as Allan nearly fell off the island.

Ironically enough, Allan and I both inherited our jumpiness from the Mrs. Bennet of the house, aka Mom. It was a bitch to train out of me - I nearly drove James crazy. Looking back, though, I can't believe that I... flailed like he does. I mean, I know that I did, but still.

"Why don't you take him for a walk, sweetie?" "I would, but he pulls at the leash." "Oh," my mother eyed Tommy, whom she'd never liked, "All the exercise you two get, I'd think Phantom was perfect with his leash." "Oh, you meant take Tommy for a walk! I thought we were talking about Allan."

Ronnie and I giggled at my joke as Drew walked in, and I smiled at him, "Hey Drewy, where've you been?" "Summer camp - those kids will be the death of me." "Aw, is our wittle Dwewy in pain?" Allan pinched his triplet's cheek, earning an annoyed and disgusted glare, "Cut it out and get me Tylenol."

"Hey Drew," I put on my cute voice as Drew swallowed the Tylenol our mother gave him and gulped a glass of water, "How much would a jog help your headache?" Andrew looked down at me from the corner of his eyes, and I pouted, "Last one until Thanksgiving." Sighing, Drew put down the glass, "A short one. Twenty minutes."

I squealed happily at my very-tolerant brother; Drewy and I have always been the closest. Sure, Ronnie and I were both girls and had shared the older-sister role, but most of our bonding years I'd spent in Slayer-School, and Ronnie spent most of her college-bound years at college, taking extra classes. Her work-ethic is freakish.

So summers I was left with a moody Ackely, an already blooming socialite Allan, and Drewy, who was still trying desperately to find his niche. Jogging with me was first a way out of the house, and then our brother-sister time. Now I, ironically, crave it more than he needs it, especially since he's going to college.

"You coming," Drewy teased me as he stretched by the back door. "Let me get the puppy." I rolled my eyes at his teasing, whistling for Tommy, who had disappeared with his toy. "You planning on spending the entire twenty minutes on prep? Let's get going!" "You are an impatient son of a bitch." "Hey," my mother protested, and I laughed, "Point proven. Be back in twenty!"

"I still can't believe we're taking on some teenage girl for the rest of the summer. We're in a war, Sam," Dean tightened his knuckles around the steering wheel as he navigated the streets of Addison, Vermont. "Hey, you're the one who said yes," Sam replied, smirking at his brother's annoyance, "Besides, she might help."

"How could she help? She has no idea what's going on and she's twenty freaking one!" "And she's been trained as long as we have," Sam pointed out, "Literally. This kind of stuff is in her blood, Dean." "Yeah, her and eighty other girls who get themselves killed."

"If you hate the idea so much why'd you agree to take her in?" "We need the money, Sam, you know that. Just can't believe I'm spending the last three months of my life with some squeaky little teenager." "Dean," Sam scolded sadly. For a moment, the brothers were silent before Dean whistled at a girl crossing the street in front of them, "Now, if we were taking on that girl, things would be different."

Stopping at the intersection, Dean gazed at the jogging girl before noticing the boy accompanying her. Rolling his eyes, he drove on, "How far away are we, Sammy?" "Her street should be the first one on the left, and then she's the fourth house, according to Ellen."

Dean followed the instructions, and soon they'd pulled up to a modest split-level house with large windows and tan siding. Standing and stretching after the long car ride, Sam admired the house, and Dean thought about Ben and Lisa back in Indiana. I should go and see them before... Dean's thoughts paused as a woman leaned out the back door of the house, "You guys the Winchesters?"

Sam raised his hand in greeting, "Sam." Dean repeated his brother's actions, "Dean." Well, if this is the girl, then... "Carrie just went out to take a jog with our brother. Come on in, dinner is in a half an hour." Sam and Dean shared a look before shrugging and making their way to the house.

"You'll be careful, right Carrie?" My brow furrowed as I looked up at my older brother, "What do you mean, Andrew?" We were walking the last block before we got back to the house, where hopefully the Winchesters have arrived. "You know as well as I do that things have been going haywire lately." "Drewy-"

"Don't try to deny it," Andrew swallowed, "I know the signs of demonic stuff - you've been going on more missions lately, I'm not stupid Carrie." I let my eyes fall to a very carefree Tommy, "I know." "And these guys, I don't know about them. They aren't like you, I know that much. No guys are like you. I don't like you going with them at all, but I've got no choice, so just be careful. Anyone who chooses to do what you do..."

"I know, Drewy. Trust me, if I had my way I'd be halfway to Venice by now." The next few steps were silence, but as we came to the house, Drew grabbed my shoulder and pulled me into a hug, nearly pulling me off the ground, "God, I'm scared for you."

I clutched to my brother before pulling away from him and landing back on solid ground, "Drew, you look at me. You've got to be careful too. Whatever this demon wants, if he can't get me he'll come after you guys. I need you to watch out for everyone. You know the signs, keep an eye for them. You've got to protect the family, now."

Andrew's eyes fell, but I knew he understood. With a final hug, Andrew then gave me the ceremonious piggy-back ride back into the house, where I noticed a very different sort of car in the driveway. Andrew gave a low whistle, running his hand along it, but I was captivated by the smell of mom's cooking - she was making the best for my going away.

"Hurry up, I'm hungry," I whined at my younger brother, and he laughed. Phantom pushed his way into the house, and Drewy quickly pushed the door open behind my puppy, who immediately put his nose to the tile and started sniffing around the kitchen.

"Oh, honey, you're back. You've got visitors in the living room." "Visitors," I questioned with mixed sarcasm and anger, "Or body guards?" I grabbed a bite of the food mom had started to prepare, and she brow-beat my comment, "Carrie!" I rolled my eyes, "What?"

I turned to follow my brother to lean in the doorway to my living room, and tucked myself under his arm as we both observed the two boys, one of whom had made himself quite comfortable while the other looked slightly awkward. The slightly awkward one stood when he saw me, reaching out his hand, "Are you Carden?"

I leaned forward to shake his hand, "Call me Carrie." "Sam," he introduced himself, "And my brother, Dean." Dean raised his beer at me before turning his attention to whatever game was on the television. "He's chatty," I commented, and Sam smiled apologetically. Well, Sam's cute. I like him.

"So, what, you guys want to pack the car now so we can just leave right after dinner?" Say no. "Uh, sure, if that's what you want." My stomach dropped out, and I knew that I couldn't say that wasn't what I wanted when I had very blatantly been the one suggesting it.

"Uh, yeah, Andrew, can you come help me get my stuff?" "Sure," Andrew said very coldly, giving Dean a glare that wasn't really registered by anyone except me and Sam. Rolling my eyes, I grabbed my brother's arm and led him up the half staircase to my room.

"Well," I questioned as I closed the door, smiling jokingly at my brother, "Do they get your approval?" "You can take 'em," Andrew replied, smiling down at me. I rolled my eyes, "Well, duh! Grab my clothing bag, will ya? I've got to get the weapons and the dog-stuff."

Andrew paused halfway out the door, "Do they know you're bringing a dog?" I shrugged, "Will they care?" "That was a pretty cool car out there, in pretty decent shape." "Drew," I pointed out, "There were so many beer cans and fast food trash wrappers in the back that I'm surprised there aren't vermin living in it. If anything, a dog is an upgrade."