Chapter 3

The three hunters arrived in Plymouth, Minnesota hours later and they were heading to the motel where Sam and Jess had stayed before Sam went missing. John and Dean were exhausted from driving amd Jess wasn't much better anyway, Dean tried to get her to sleep but she couldn't, so she spent the whole time either thinking about Sam or worrying about him.

"Tell me again why you paid for a room for a whole month and then left?" Dean's question startled her out of her thoughts and her head snapped around from looking out the window to look at him.

"I left it just in case Sam came back; I put up protection from pretty much anything before I left so he would at least be safe until I got there." She said as her lips started quivering and the tears she had been holding in for the past hour finally escaped down her cheeks.

Dean was completely lost on how to comfort her, he didn't usually deal with emotional women, the girls he usually encountered were the ones in bars looking for a good night. After staring at the crying girl in his passenger seat for a few seconds he finally reached over, wrapped his arm around her shaking shoulder and pulled her close.

"Jess.. I know things look pretty bad at the moment, but we'll find him alright, I don't know how much Sam actually told you about me and dad but just know this okay? We won't stop until we find him, okay? It might take some time... But... We'll find him." Dean said reassuringly and he hugged the girl to him.

"What if we don't find him until after the baby's born? He'll want to be there!" Jess sobbed but she still relaxed in Dean's embrace, to her she felt safe in Dean's arms like she would be in Sam's.

"What? YOU'RE PREGNANT?!" Dean yelled and Jess flinched away and broke away from Dean's arm wrapped around her "Oh crap! I didn't tell them did I!" Jess thought cursing herself.

"Dean... I was going to tell you but Sam doesn't even know yet, I was going to tell him after the hunt but... You know... It didn't feel right telling anyone before him." Jess explained and Dean nodded.

"Fair enough Jess but dammit... You're not going to be doing anything to dangerous from now on. When we do find Sam you're staying here, me and dad will go get him. Just in case."

"What?! The hell I am! He's my husband Dean and I'm coming!" Jess yelled glaring at Dean.

"Jess it's not just you you've got to think about now. You've got to think about the baby as well. I'm sure Sammy wouldn't be letting you on more hunts if he knew." Dean said knowing from experience how protective Winchester's were of loved ones. Jess looked at Dean pleadingly.

"Jess... You can help find him, you know like research and stuff but you just can't come with us when we find him. Sam would kill me if I let his pregnant wife go up against the son of a bitch that kidnapped him. Think about it, this shifter is one crafty monster, it got the drop on Sam didn't it." Dean reasoned "and with the baby, that's months away! We'll find him by then. And if we don't well.. Umm.. I'll be there. I don't know if it means much but... I'll be there. Not when you're actually having it but after and before." Dean continued and offered a small smile.

Jess looked at him in shock, when she had first met Dean, she didn't have him down as the caring type, but he obviously cared about his little brother.

"Thanks Dean, that means a lot... Really thank you." She replied in a small voice and she shuffled back to his side and gave him another hug. She felt herself immediately relax again when she felt Dean's warm hand on her shoulder once more.

Dean pulled into the motel car park and John followed closely behind in his truck.

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"Right I've got the room next to yours for me and Dean, Jess so why it's best if we go to sleep, we've got a long day tomorrow." John announced as he approached Jess and Dean who were standing by the Impala in the motel's car park.

"Yeah sure." Jess said as she moved to the trunk of the car to get her bag, and Dean joined her a second later.

"Um, Dean could you not tell your father about the baby?" She asked nervously.

"Why?" Dean asked confused.

"I really wanted Sam to be the one to tell you guys and well... I ruined it with you so that leaves your dad. I know it'll be hard for him to notice seeing as you won't be letting me do anything but-" She said but Dean cut her off.

"Don't worry, I won't tell him. And trust me; he will be too busy ordering us about to notice anything." Dean replied with a cheeky grin. "Congratulations anyway. I didn't say in the car I think it was just the shock of everything."

"Thanks." Jess smiled back at him and then grabbed her bag and retreated into her motel room waving to Dean and John whilst doing so.

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As soon as she opened the door she knew something was off. The lights were on and the room was a mess as if someone had been looking for something.

She walking slowly into the room, her hand was hovering over the knife she had in her pocket. It was clear in the main room so she approached the closed bathroom door. Her heart was going a mile a minute as she went closer to the door. She took a deep breath as she reached for the handle, also taking her knife out of her pocket.

She mentally counted down from three and flung the door open, knife up ready to attack. He sighed in relief to find the bathroom empty except for a tatty cloth on the floor. She went to turn around but double-took when he realised the cloth looked familiar.

She went over and picked it up but gasped when she realised what it was. It was Sam's shirt, the one he was wearing when he had been taken. "No!" She thought as she gently folded it but tears threatened to fall she noticed that it was ripped to shreds and covered in blood. Blood. Sam's blood. She let out a frightened sob and then felt something in the tattered front pocket. It was a piece of paper, a note. She took it out of the pocket and fingered it gently. She unfolded it and let the tears fall as she read it.

Dear Jess,

I was quite disappointed that you left town and left me with your pathetic excuse for a boyfriend to play with, although he is a lot of fun.

I want to make a deal, you come to me on your own and I'll let little Sammy go. Just ring Sam's number when you're ready to make the deal.

Your worst nightmare.

She clutched the letter and what remained of Sam's shirt in her fists and ran from the room and straight to Dean and John's room.

She banged on the door frantically as she looked around the car park afraid of the shifter watching them, monsters usually didn't scare her but there was something about this shifter that had her on edge.

Dean opened the door a few seconds later and Jess threw herself into the room and closed the door behind her.

"Jess? Jess, what's going on?!" Dean asked as he eyed the items in the girl's hands. John stood from the table and joined his eldest son and daughter-in-law to be.

"The... The shifter has been in my room. He... He... He's after me! He wants me to trade myself for Sam! Look... Look its Sam's shirt!" She screamed as she shoved the shirt at Dean but still had the letter clutched in her fingers. She watched through teary eyes as she watched Dean stare at the shirt in his hands. She could his eyes growing wet as they trailed over the bloody, ripped fabric.

"Oh god... Sammy..." Dean breathed and he looked up at John speechless. John put a comforting hand on Dean's shoulder and looked between Dean and Jess "listen you two, this thing is just trying to play with us, okay? He can't let it win, we'll find Sam and he'll be fine." He assured then and then turned to Jess looked the paper in her hands "may I?" He asked and held his hand out and Jess nodded and handed over the note.

John scanned over the note and then looked up at Jess "Jess you know it won't go through with it, it'll just kill you and then Sam." John said and Jess was silent for a moment but then nodded.

"So what do we do now?" Dean asked.

"Well it must be close because it'll be watching this place like a hawk waiting for Jess to return. So we find another motel and then we'll search everywhere in this town until we find them and then we'll kill that thing. Dean pack your stuff and then go with Jess to get hers. I'll go check us out." John said and then moved to pack up his stuff.

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The group were back on the road ten minutes later and Dean and Jess were once again in the Impala. Dean looked over at Jess and could see her deep in thought, probably about what happened in the motel room.

"You okay?" He asked quietly not wanting to scare the girl but it didn't work and Jess jumped. She looked at him and shook her head and then turned to look out of the window.

"We'll find him Jess." Dean said reassuringly even though he didn't really believe it.

"Yeah and what if we don't? This thing is obviously after me and Sam's getting hurt because of it!" Jess yelled and glared back at Dean.

"Jess, you know this thing will kill you and Sam if you go to it. Anyway, do you really thing Sam will want you to give yourself up for him." Dean said and Jess sighed.

"No he wouldn't." She said quietly and Dean decided to change the subject.

"So how did you and Sam meet?" Dean asked.

"I told you, I was working a case in Palo Alto. I met him there." Jess replied.

"I mean I want details, where? when? how?" Dean added.

"Okay. It was just over a year back. I met him in a bar." Jess smiled remembering how she fell in love with Sam the minute they started talking.

"Sammy? In a bar? You serious?" Dean asked surprised.

Jess laughed "yeah but he was reading..."

-Flashback-

Jess yawned as she approached the bar. She was exhausted and frustrated. Exhausted because she had spent the last two days running around in circles trying to find a demon, and frustrated because she had come up empty.

She ordered a drink and moved to sit in the quietest corner of the bar. She looked around at all the young people her age having fun. To be honest she was a bit jealous, jealous of not being able to have a life like them. She looked away and scoped the rest of the room before her eyes lay on the tall boy sitting by the table next to her, he had shaggy hair and had his nose buried in a book. She smiled at him and glanced between him and a group of noisy, very drunk guys doing shots at the counter, she was impressed by how he could even think in this place much less read a book, he was completely oblivious to everything happening around him.

She tilted her head so she could read the title of the book he was reading and figured he was a student when she saw 'Law' as the title.

"How can you even study in here?" She asked him but felt bad when she saw him jump and snap his head up to look at her.

"Sorry... I just... I was just wondered why you were revising in here." She gave him a small smile but felt her cheeks go red in embarrassment.

"No, it's okay. I've been trying to study in my apartment for the last couple weeks but it's too quiet... Makes me feel like I'm going insane!" The boy said giving her a dimpled grin.

"Can't say I know what it feels like." Jess replied.

"Aren't you a student here?" The boy asked.

"No, just passing through, I'm on a road trip at the moment you see. Want to see America before I settle down." She lied.

"Ah... My name's Sam, Sam Winchester." The boy, Sam, introduced himself.

"Nice to meet you Sam, I'm Jess." She smiled.

"Listen I gotta go. I've got a class first thing in the morning." Sam said sounding unpleased and stood up and dug a piece of paper out of his pocket and picked up the pen that was on his table and scribbled something onto the paper. He picked up the paper and then held it out to Jess.

"Here... Um... It's my number.. If you need something, you know something about the town or..." Sam's voice turned into mumbles and his cheeks reddened "I'm sorry."

Jess smiled thinking it was quite cute. Sam was obviously a quiet, shy, sweet guy "no, no it's okay." She said as she reached out and took the paper "thanks, bye Sam."

"Bye." Sam smiled at her before leaving.

-End of Flashback-

"We saw each other a couple of times after that. He was always neck deep in studying so I'd ring him and get him to come out with me."Jess smiled "it was like we were two normal people dating you know, like our lives weren't completely crazy and weird."

Dean also smiled at that knowing that's what Sam wanted, a girlfriend, a life.

"What were you hunting there?" Dean asked.

"I'd been tracking omens of a powerful demon and it had been circling Palo Alto for just under a month." She said quietly and Dean saw her gulp nervously and a look of fear came over her face.

Oh god! A demon where Sammy was! What if it was after him! Dean's mind screamed but he willed himself to stay calm. "Who was this demon?" He asked.

"Azazel... Or the hunter term for him... Yellow eyes." Dean's heart flipped in his chest and he gulped nervously.

"Do you know why the demon was there?" Dean asked trying but failing to calm his nerves.

"Yeah... Umm... He was after Sam. Nearly got him too but I got there just in time."

Dean felt bile rising "wh-what happened?" he asked afraid of Jess is going to tell him.

"Well, like I said it was circling the place but then I noticed the omens were getting closer together around a building, Sam's apartment was in that building."

-Flashback-

She ran as fast as her short legs could carry her up the stairs into the building. She knew the demon was going to strike tonight and was worried that Sam was going to get hurt. She quickly picked the lock into the building and ran to Sam's apartment. She knocked wildly and waited for a reply. None. After a few seconds she also picked that lock and entered the room. She knew something was wrong as soon as she entered the room, she slowly retrieved her gun from her jacket and moved slowly through the apartment.

She approached Sam's bedroom and pushed the door open and was shocked when she saw Sam pinned to the bed by a invisible force and a man standing over him. The man lifted his hand and clenched his fist and Sam's back arched of the bed and he screamed in agony. The man then unclenched his fists and laid it gently on Sam's forehead causing Sam's body to suddenly go limp.

"HEY!" She yelled and gasped as the man turned around and showed his yellow eyes.

"Ah pretty little Jess... I really wish you hadn't interrupted me and Sammy here but I guess I better cut this short." With that the man disappeared before Jess had a chance to react.

She rushed over to the bed and threw her gun down before going to Sam "Sam? Sam? Hey, can you hear me?" She asked as she frantically searched for a pulse. She breathed a sigh of relief when she felt a strong, healthy pulse and focused on waking Sam up. "Sam! Hey! Wake up!" She yelled and slapped him across the face; she smiled when she got a groan in return.

Glassy hazel eyes opened up to look at her "Jess, what are you doing here?" Sam asked weakly before gasping and his eyes filled with panic "he- he was here, the d-demon!"

"I know Sam he's gone now okay? Are you alright? It looked like he was really hurting you!" Jess said feeling relief because Sam seemed okay.

"Wh-what why aren't you freaked out about this?" Sam asked suspiciously.

"Sam... I'm a hunter." She said hesitantly.

"A hunter?" Sam asked surprised

"Yeah, well not like a normal hunter, I hunt.. Well.. Uh..." Jess trailed off trying to think of something to say without sounding crazy

"Yeah I think I know what you mean. Like Demons, werewolves, that kind of thing?" Sam said and that shocked Jess.

"How did you-?" Jess asked but was cut off by Sam.

"I used to hunt with my family." Sam said simply.

"Really?! Huh.. Alright, c'mon let's get you up." she replied and grabbed Sam's arm and pulled him up.

"Yeah strange huh? I mean both of us knowing about this stuff." Sam mumbled as he moved his legs off the bed and planted his feet on the ground. He tried to stand but ended up lying back across the bed and breathing heavily.

"Sam? What did he do to you?" Jess asked nervously and climbed on the bed and sat next to Sam, her fingers found Sam's and they laced together in a firm grip.

"I'm okay... My chest just hurts a bit." Sam grumbled and he managed to sit up again. He stared at Jess and chuckled slightly.

"What?" Jess asked confused.

"It's just you're so young and pretty, you know? I just can't imagine you hunting." Sam smiled at her.

"Yeah well, that's why I'm so amazing; the monsters never expect I'm going to be the one that sends their asses back to hell." Jess said with a confident grin.

Sam laughed as started to get himself up off the bed again, he was still feeling a bit weak so it took some effort.

Jess immediately saw his struggle and grabbed his arm to help him up. Sam looked at her and smiled lovingly "I think I might be falling in love with you Jess." he mumbled as he gained his footing.

"Me too Sam... Me too." She mumbled back at him. The two smiled as Jess helped Sam walk out of the room to the lounge. They both needed a drink.

-End of Flashback-

"Was he okay? You know after that?" Dean asked.

"Yeah he was... Well he was a bit weak for a couple of days but other than that he was fine." Jess said glumly

"And what about the demon?" Dean asked anxiously, fearing the demon had gone back for Sam later on.

"I don't know, it just disappeared but Sam said it told him that it didn't come to kill him, just to test Sam's strength." Dean sighed in relief, but it still didn't put him completely at ease.

"What does that mean?" He asked.

"Not a clue.. That's the only thing it said to Sam." Jess shrugged and looked back out of the window and fell silent again, at that moment she reminded Dean of Sam. Sam would also stare out of the window for hours on end when he was deep in thought.

Dean watched his dad, that was in front slow down and then pull over on the side of the road and he followed. Jess looked at him to see what was going when she felt the car slow down and stop, she looked at John's parked truck in front of them and she gave Dean a confused look but Dean also shrugged and got out of the car followed by Jess.

John climbed out of his truck and approached the two younger hunters.

"Dad, what's going on?" Dean asked.

"I've had a call from Caleb, he's got a lead on the demon." John said quietly and looked down and Dean instantly knew what he was saying.

"What about Sam?" Dean seethed in anger.

"Dean, listen-" John started but Dean cut him off.

"No dad! This is Sam! We have to find him!" Dean shouted "we can't leave! We can't leave Sammy! He could be hurt or worse!" He continued.

"Dean I'm not saying you have to come! I actually want you to stay here with Jess and find Sam. I'll be as quick as I can and I'll be back before you know it." John said calmly.

"How can you do this?! How can you do this to Sam?! You know I'm starting to think this demon is the only thing you care about!" Dean yelled.

"Dean that's not fair, this demon killed your mother and it deserves to die. We haven't caught a lead in ages and I need to take this." John replied.

"Even at the risk of losing Sammy?" Dean asked as approached his dad and Jess, who had picked to stay silent during the argument, thought Dean was going to punch him.

"Dean... Please... This is too important to ignore." John grumbled and looked at Dean pleadingly.

"Fine!" Dean yelled in his face and turned and stormed back to the car and got in.

Jess looked at John with pleading eyes "please stay Mr. Winchester. You know we'll have a better chance of finding Sam if we stay together." She said quietly.

"Jess, I can't. But I promise I'll be back soon." John replied and offered her a small smile but Jess didn't return it she only turned around and also returned to the Impala.

Dean and Jess watched as John climbed back into his truck and took off. Jess looked at Dean and saw a small tear running down the side of his face.

"You okay?" She asked and she felt bad for Dean as she watched him wipe the tear away and force a smile, Dean had obviously learnt to put on this hard, fearless look on and it was scary how good he was at it.

"I'm fine." He mumbled.


The next chapter will be more exciting I promise. Sam will be back but Dean and Jess will also run into some trouble. Please review.