Sam and John entered the room together. Quietly, not arguing, not glaring, but more as a unified front. Dean had never seen anything so frightening in all his life. "So, either I'm dying again or ya'll have been hanging out with the pod people." He looked from one man to the other, with a wary eye.

"No pod people." John said.

"Definitely not dying." Sam added. "We're going on vacation."

"Okay where'd you hide my gun? This is seriously not funny. You're creeping me out, man." Dean said getting out of bed. It still hurt to move. Hell, it still hurt to breathe. "I'm fine. Been dinged up worse than this " he laughed a little, "more times than I like to count. We don't gotta go on vacation."

"Yes, we do." Sam said. "You need down time."

"I've had down time, any more down time, and I'm gonna go bug nuts." Dean stated pulling on his shirt. "See, standing upright, fully clothed, not passing out no need for down time."

Sam looked at John, who rolled his eyes and sighed a bit. And pushed his oldest son back down on the bed. With one finger to Dean's chest.

"Not so upright, kiddo." John said. "You may have had down time, but my down time doesn't count." It was the trump card he and Sam were hoping they wouldn't have to play. "I was dead, remember? That doesn't count as a down time. So I reckon it's been about...twenty three years since I last took a vacation, right? I figure coming back from the dead and saving my oldest from some sacrificial ritual counts as earning some down time."

Because neither he nor Sam were going to admit the real ulterior motive, lay really low and keep Dean off the radar. And they were sure Dean wouldn't think of it himself. He wasn't used to being on a supernatural radar. Police? Sure. Feds? Been there, done that. Weird ass cult needing him as the ultimate key to a ritual? That was unfamiliar.

But John's reasoning worked. After all, after John's death, how many times had Dean kicked himself for not slowing down, not making John slow down, even for a day, and be father and son, not two hunters on a mystical trail?

And it hurt when John poked his chest. Even if John didn't do it hard. Dean was definitely not up to par, even if he would never admit it. Hell, he walked out of a hospital with heart failure. Woke up from being nearly brain dead. Gotten his ass kicked so many times it was amazing he had any ass left to be kicked. This? This was nothing.

But something that passed as a vacation...now that his father was alive. And things were slowly coming back to him...John needed some time, away from the sigil that had incapacitated him. Away from the hunt. To readjust to life again, and to readjust to being John again. That, Dean could see. That, Dean could accept.

"Where are we going?" Dean said, resigned. "And if any of you say Disney World, I will find my gun. Pod people."

" Florida does sound good. Little fun a lot of sun Dean's looking pale. I don't do pale." Sam said. "And if I were a pod person I wouldn't be nearly so excited about this."

Dean still looked at him suspiciously. Sam was cheerful, that was never good. Either something dramatic happened to ruin his mood, or he was faking it. Happy didn't happen to Winchesters any more than normal did.

"We'll have to get the car detailed before we go. She looks like shit." John said with a frown. "I can't believe you boys have been leaving her like that."

"Dad, it's a car." Sam said dismissively, only to be glared at by his father and brother.

"I just rebuilt her." Dean said defensively. "Give me a break. We were totaled by a semi"

"Well it's a good thing you've got me here to take care of it then. Come on, if you're so upright on your feet, let's go make sure she can make the trip while Sam takes care of the arrangements. Nice hotel this time." Again staying off the radar. They would be looking at the cheapest of the cheap to find them. Although coming from John a nice hotel was not the same as it was from other people.

"On it." Sam said going for the lap top.

"I knew it pod people." Dean said looking at the two of them as though they had grown second heads.

"Dean, I said let's go check the car." John said in his 'you will listen to me or I will show you why you will listen to me voice,' which made his sons' eyebrows go up as they exchanged a look.

"Yes sir." Dean said. So much for the guy who liked to sleep a lot! He got to his feet again and followed John out. "Are you two really serious about this?" He wasn't ruling out pod people. Or possession. Or psychotic break with reality. If he was really the last non-possessed, fully sane Winchester in his original body...the world was in trouble. Deep, deep trouble. Like DEFCON 1 trouble.

"We're really serious about this." John said. "I have a lot of my life I have to get back. Seems my memory was only jarred around you two, so might as well keep you two close."

"Oh. Okay." Dean said as they headed out to the Impala. What? Was he hoping for something more? From John?

John looked at his son. He knew a lot about the father he had been. He'd taught his sons how to hunt, and how to survive. And since both his sons were here, he'd taught them well. Everything else...seemed to have slipped past the wayside when his wife died.

Water under the bridge was one thing. Repeating mistakes was quite another.

"And...you know...I thought that we...all three of us...could...you know..."

Dean nearly smiled at that. "Oh. Okay." He said in a much lighter tone as he looked at the car. "Any recent dirt is all you. I was minimally conscious in the back seat." Dean didn't get his aversion to heartfelt moments from no one after all.

" Florida 's nice this time of year. We could both use some sun." John said, inspecting a wheel well.

"Girls in skimpy suits, could get near spring break, which means drunk rebellious girls in skimpy suits..." Dean said, waggling his eyebrows as he popped the hood.

"If I could knock you down with one finger, imagine getting tackled by co-eds." John said.

"But what a way to go." Dean said. "Engine's good. See you changed the oil."

"Someone had to."

Dean rolled his eyes "We've been a little busy." He said then shifted uncomfortably under the look that his father gave him but said nothing about it. "I'll get the trunk cleaned out."

Sam sat at the lap top arranging for a nice hotel, so he found a small privately owned motel off the beaten path. A family run business swallowed up in obscurity because it was on back roads when the freeway came through. He frowned a little then started to research the area to make sure that there wasn't any blatant supernatural activity. This was NOT supposed to be a working vacation.

He smiled when Missouri came into the room and handed him a cup of coffee.

"You know this isn't over by a long shot, Sammy." Missouri said, looking at the boy with worried eyes.

"I know. That's why we're doing this." He glanced out the window making sure he saw his brother outside and nowhere within ear shot. "Getting Dean off the radar."

"You have more than Dean to worry about right now. You're caught in the middle of a cross fire. Two demons each one wanting to claim one of you boys, and I promise you Sammy, they aren't friends. I don't know how they brought your father back or what effect that is going to have on things. You were talking about a coming storm, but this is huge"

"We can handle it." Sam said. Because they had no choice. Dean wouldn't let Sam be demon fodder, and Sam wouldn't let some demon get at his brother. And John was holding them both close. They had no choice. "The demon world should know that three Winchesters together working together, or vacationing together, isn't something to mess with." He believed that too.

Missouri sat down. "Sam, there's trouble coming. I can't get a handle on it, it's too big for even me." And that said a lot. "When everything comes down on your heads, you have to be prepared."

"Dean and Dad...they need rest. Or they're no good to anyone, least of all to themselves." Sam said, as if he had to defend this.

"I know that." Missouri said, gently. "I'm just telling you to keep your eyes open. Especially when they can't."

"I will." He promised her, and started to think about doing research while the others rested but knew that wouldn't be a good idea. They wouldn't rest if he didn't keep an eye on them. He sighed heavily. "To be honest this whole thing scares the hell out of me." He confided. "They weren't trying to kill Dean, no matter how close they came to it." He shook his head.

"I know. I would worry if it didn't scare you." She told him sadly. "Just be careful. Keep your eyes open and you pay attention to those dreams of yours. Write them down. It's important that you write them down, even if you don't think they are prophetic."

Sam nodded, then looked up hearing his father and brother returning. Their voices carried through the house, discussing things they should do to the car while they had the chance. Suspension, tires, filters and plugs. Sam smiled, hearing them go at it. "Now that sounds normal."

"Boys will be boys." Missouri said with a soft chuckle.

"I'm telling you, I rebuilt it." Dean was saying. "Everything on that car is basically new."

"Basically? Because your brakes are sticking." John countered.

"Well, they've had a work out." Dean said. "And I'm not the only one driving it all the time either." He said, pointing to Sam.

"Leave me out of your Stephen King story." Sam said as he finished making the hotel reservations. "I drive the car, that's it. I don't tuck it in at night, I don't sing it to sleep, I don't share pillow talk with it...hey!" He said as he got a pillow thrown at him.

Missouri looked pointedly at the pillow now on the floor, then at Dean, who finally picked it up. And got swatted upside the head. "I heard that." She said.

Dean rubbed the back of his head."We ready? Before I get another concussion?"

"Before you earn another concussion." Missouri corrected. "Sandwiches are made, on the table on the way out. Thermos of coffee. Should be able to get at least across Louisiana before you need a refill."

Louisiana wasn't Sam's favorite route since New Orleans was the other point of power Ash mentioned. But it was the fastest route to Florida . "Come on." He said. "I'm the least wounded, I'm driving."

"I don't think so." Dean and John said in unison, and the argument was on until they were out the door and John settled into the driver's seat while the boys packed the car.

"Why do I feel 12 all the sudden?" Sam asked putting the last of the bags in the car.

"Yeah I know." Dean said with a grin. "It's great." He said as he got into the front passenger's seat, leaving Sam to sprawl in back. And so it stayed through Kansas and Oklahoma . They only spoke of things supernatural in the past tense. Sharing adventures they had all shared together with their father. Laughing about things they had done as boys. It was a good drive, and they were exhausted when they pulled into a Motel 6 and Sam went to take care of getting the room.

"You know this vacation is supposedly about you and me, but I think Sam needs it more than either of us." Dean said as he watched his brother go into the lobby. Sam wasn't used to being the protector. Dean knew that. He knew what a weight that job could be. Even though he wouldn't trade it for anything.

"We all need it." John said. "Just because he doesn't have our physical wounds from this last go-round doesn't mean he doesn't have wounds." He'd seen the look of near panic in Sam's eyes as he figured out what was being done to Dean, the desperation on his face when they'd found Dean, and for a few moments, hadn't known whether he was dead or alive. The first time John had opened his eyes to see his sons there, men he didn't immediately recognize or have any feeling of remembrance toward, and the look of despair, guilt, and hope warring in Sam's eyes. "We've never had a break of any kind. Not since your mother died."

"I know." Dean said. There was a beat of silence, John and Dean were always comfortable in silence with each other.

"He doesn't have all of your memories." John said quietly, and Dean looked at him. "I don't either, but at least I have an excuse. Sammy...he doesn't remember the normal family. He doesn't remember a father that knew how to throw a football, not shoot a crossbow at a demon. It's inexcusable, what I did to you boys. I did what I thought was best, and I might have been wrong. Can't go back, no sense apologizing. Just try to go on better now."

"A somewhat normal family vacation is definitely what's needed then." Dean agreed. Much more in line with it now that it had little or nothing to do with him. At least in how his own mind processed it.

Sam came out of the lobby and motioned for them to follow him over to the room, which was just a few doors down from the lobby. He was tired and he hadn't even been the one driving. That had been John. He could only imagine how tired the other two were. He had only gotten one room because with Missouri 's warnings; he didn't want to let either of them out of his sight. He had to keep his eyes open when they couldn't, she had said.

He unlocked the door and scoped the place out, setting his back pack down he pulled out the brick dust and started laying it across the window ledges as John and Dean unpacked the car.

John was worried about his youngest son, and he hoped that the down time would actually pay off for Sam as much as it was going to for Dean. He watched as the boys made the room safe and set weapons about where they could be gotten to but not easily seen. "I'm gonna hit the showers." He said. "Why don't you boys see about getting us something to eat?"

Dean sat down stiffly on the bed. The drive hadn't done anything for him. Oh the talks were great, the music rocked, but body wise, absolutely nothing. He found the phonebook and started flipping through it to see what was in town.

"Hey!" He said. "Hooters!"

"Dean, I really don't think now is the time to scope out a date." Sam said, but laughed anyway.

"Date? Who said anything about date? I'm talking wings. The wings and the beer."

"Sure."

"They have female waitresses there? You're kidding me! Really?" Dean said with a look of wide eyed innocence that hinted at everything but.

"We're not eating at Hooters. I am not eating at a Hooters with my FATHER." Sam said.

"Oh come on. Manly bonding time." Dean said, holding up the page with the full page Hooters ad. "Eh? Eh? What do you think? Come on."

"You know, there's a diner across the street. Why don't I go get some trays from there?" Sam suggested instead.

"Killjoy." Dean said. "Dad! Sam won't let me go to Hooters just because he can walk better than me right now!" He said, laughing.

"There is just something wrong about Hooters as a family restaurant. Okay?" Sam said as he grabbed one of the credit cards. "Just promise me you two will stay out of trouble until I get back." He said and tossed his jacket on again. "And no porn . . . that's just too weird with Dad around." He said as he headed out the door.

For once he was the safe one. He wasn't the one someone had plans for. Wasn't the one that needed to be taken care of. He should have felt relief or something, but instead worrying about the others was anything but relieving. His own safety was nothing in comparison to those men back in the hotel room. Was this what Dean dealt with every day? Every time he gave him that look and told him to be careful was this what he was feeling? Did his Dad feel this way every time he had left them to go hunting? It had been easy growing up to let himself believe that John just simply hadn't cared at all but he knew better now. With his father's walls down most of the time for the last couple weeks Sam had seen a different side of the man. If this was how the two of them felt every time they walked away well, it explained a lot.

He paid for the meals and took them back to the motel. John was seated on the bed, and nodding. "The knock." He said with a smile. "You still use it"

"Not as often as we should." Sam admitted. "Usually only if we'reexpecting trouble. Should probably fix that." He said as he handed his father's meal over to him "Dean in the shower?"

"Yeah taking his time, don't expect hot water." John said, although he suspected Dean needed a little privacy.

"I never do. He's always calling me a girl but he's the one that has to look perfect all the time."

"I think he's still trying to get the cold cream off." John said with a chuckle as he opened his meal and started to eat. He gave Sam an appraising look. "You do need a hair cut." He said with a nod. "Might be where the 'girl' thing comes from." Even in his 'shaggy' days, some remembered, some he saw in pictures, his hair had still always been shorter than Sam's. "Your grandmother once said men with curls in their hair, if they wear it long enough, look like girls or poodles." He said and chuckled. "And there's another one. Your mother's mother. Back when we were dating, of course I had a buzz cut then." Having been in boot camp for the Marine Corp. Little things came back every now and again, when he wasn't expecting it, clear as day, as if he had never forgotten.

"Yeah, but Dad if I cut my hair I look 12." He said. "Tried it my junior year in college, you wouldn't believe the Doogie Howser jokes. Even Jess teased me about it." He said and smiled a little sadly. It never seemed to get any easier to talk about her. Probably because he never talked about her. He just relived her death over and over in his sleep. "So no so called manly hair cuts until  you know I look my age or something." He said with a laugh.

"Good luck with that." Dean said as he came out of the shower wrapped in a towel. "You'll be hitting forty waiting for your face to catch up. I'm telling ya, man, you're a girl. Face it you're a girl."

"I'm not the one to talk to if you want a sister, but I promise you  Jess wasn't into girls." He said smiling remembering their meeting. Poor Jess had been so confused by it all, and he hated how things had ended up, but he loved the look on his brother's face as he realized Jess was Sam's girls. It was points it was big time points to have a girl that his brother was impressed with, and was intelligent. Sometimes he liked to think that Jess could have handled it all if she had survived. That she could have accepted the realities of the world and his part in them. But then he shook it off. He didn't even deal with it well, how could he have expected Jess to.

"I wouldn't laugh if I were you." John said, trying not to laugh himself. "Seen pictures of me at your age, Dean. When you're hitting forty, this," he pointed at his own face, "is what you have to look forward to. Maybe worse." He already knew what a drain the life they led could have on a body. If his sons even made it to forty. He'd do his best to make sure they did, that they hit a better forty, a better forty five, a better fifty than he could ever hope to.

"Wonderful." Dean said, shaking his head as his brother handed him his food. "So, no Hooters?"

"No Hooters." Sam said with a laugh. "We're calling it an early night, so we can get on the road nice and early in the morning." The sooner they got to their vacation, the less chance they'd get waylaid.

"That means no porn." John said with a straight face.

Dean pointed at Sam. "He's the one with the porn addiction!"

"One movie---!"

"That I know of." Dean interjected.

"And I'm labeled an addict!"

It didn't take much for them to honestly make an early night of it. John and Dean were both still recovering and exhausted. Sam sat up ostensibly waiting for the hot water to build up enough for him to take a shower. But he wasn't sure he should sleep. She had said keep his eyes open when they couldn't. Well to him that meant when they slept. So he stayed awake.

He set the coffee pot to brewing while he took his shower then came back to sit down at his computer, chatting with Ash over the internet about their research into the cult behind it all. One of the reasons they had chosen to go to Florida was that it wasn't on the same water system as the map at all. Although Ash was suggesting that the map had been bait more than a genuine clue. Set up to lead them into the human trap to determine which one was the key sacrifice.

Dean twitched in his sleep, and Sam rose, laying a hand on his brother's arm. "Dad's still here." He said softly, having a feeling he knew what the dream was about. "You're safe." He told him then went to get another cup of coffee before sitting down with his journal to document everything he hadn't had time to document before.

Dean sat up as Sam accidentally jarred his chair. "Dude, go to sleep." He said, rubbing his eyes.

"I will." Sam said as he continued writing.

"Unless you're writing Penthouse, it can wait until we're driving." Dean pointed out and got out of bed and padded off to the bathroom. He did his business and came back out, sitting across from his brother. He couldn't help but glance over at his father, still sleeping, across the room. "Doesn't seem real, does it? Still?" He said with a shake of his head.

"He bitched about the car. I'd say it's real." Sam said with a laugh. "And he knew what he was doing when we rescued you."

"I prefer the term liberated to rescue, thank you." Dean said as he stood up and stretched, joints cracking and popping back into place. From his ankles all the way up to his neck, which he then rolled. He scruffed Sam's hair. "I mean it, get some sleep."

"I will." Sam repeated, smiling a bit at it. Even with their father in the room, nearly the father they never had, Dean was still the caretaker. It was a stabilizing thing that was good right now. And reminding him to sleep was harmless as far as care taking went.

"Better." Dean said. "Or no way are you driving." He yawned again and crawled back into his bed, burying himself under the thin motel blankets as he rolled on his stomach, out again, like a light.

Sam finished up the train of thought he was working on then said goodnight to Ash on line. Who knew it would be so hard to take a vacation, he thought to himself as he turned off the computer and put things away, before slipping carefully under the covers and falling asleep before he was even fully settled in.

He knew he was dreaming. And it started out such a good dream. He was making dinner in the kitchen of his apartment in Palo Alto . Everything felt safe, secure. There was no weapon within easy reach, unless you counted the paring knife in his hand, there was no salt along the window ledge. The music was intense but it was mellow as well. Meatloaf ironically what he was making for dinner, which made him laugh. "Meatloaf again?" He said and was promptly pelted with a mushroom.

He grinned over at Jess and tossed it back at her. It was a dream. He knew it. But he didn't want it to end. He wanted to turn back the clock so badly to go back to these times when the world made sense and he felt as though he were in control of his own destiny not some demon with his plans and schemes.

Another night sleeplessI don't want to feel thisNothing can stop this painTrying to get toA time I forget youStill tangled in yesterday

Okay so his subconscious had strange ideas about what was and wasn't good dream music. Could have been 'I Would Do Anything For Love' or even "Bat Out of Hell' but no it was this one.

"It's okay, Sam." She said as she stepped in closer and caressed his face softly. "It's not your fault. None of this is your fault." She told him gently.

I want you to cry over meDie over meEven for a momentEven for a moment

He closed his arms around her, holding her close, breathing in the scent of her hair, even as his eyes threatened to fill with tears. "I would." He told her, his voice tight, ragged.

"Would what, Baby?"

"Die for you I-"

"Shhhhh." She told him, laying her hand over his mouth "That's not what this is about. You have to let go Sam. You have to let go of the pain if you don't you'll never find a safe place inside yourself. You have to find that place, let me be that place."

"You were that place." He said, gazing into her eyes.

"No, Sam I wasn't. " She said "It was always Dean. But he can't be that safe place anymore." She said as she walked away from him, "You have to cry Sam let it go let all the anger and hatred go. It's not your fault. "

"What are you talking about?" He asked. "Let's just let this go for now pleasejust stay with me." He needed her. God how he needed her. Everything that was good in him was tied up in her and she was gone. How could she say that Dean was his home, his haven. It was her. Dean was his brother, his guardian his pain in the ass. He loved his brother. But Jess was his hope. Had been his future

But now she wasn't and she was walking away. "Jess!" He called after her, following, knowing it was just a dream that it wasn't real, not even noticing that the scenery had changed.

"Didn't I mean anything to you, Sam?"

"Don't say that." He paused looking around him. "Where are we?"

"Does it matter? Aren't I enough?" She asked him, almost accusingly. "Don't you want to be with me anymore Sam?"

"Sam!" It was Dean's voice in the distance, into the trees. "Sam you come back to me, damn it."

He started to go toward Dean but Jess grabbed his arm, pulling him toward her. "You have to find that safe place, Sammy, You can't go to him this time. If you go to him you lose me forever."

Sam shrugged free of her then. "I love you, and I would give almost anything to be with you, but you're gone. Dean is real and you're just a dream."

"Sam!! Sam I know you're in there. Don't do this. Don't let this happen. You fight!" His brothers voice called.

Her eyes shifted yellow then. "Oh no, Sam, I am very much real. And if you want to be a real boy you'll come back here when the time is right " She said and the scene shifted once more to the apartment. "You'll come back here, and you'll bolt and salt the doors." She smiled

"Sam!!" It was Dean again, standing at the door, unable to get in. "Sam you've gotta come out come on man, don't leave me like this."

"Dean?" He asked and started to step closer but couldn't. Looking down he saw the cipher beneath his feet.

"Sam!" Dean was screaming at Sam from his fixed position at the door, stretching out his arm. "Sam, take my hand. Take it dammit!"

He stretched his arm out as far as he could, leaning as far forward as he could, reaching for his brother...

And apparently reached him. Or not.

All Sam knew was he was being shaken. By Dean. "Sam! Wake up!" He said as Sam finally opened his eyes. "You didn't drink any of Dad's beer, did you?"

"No, why would I?" Sam said, trying to shake himself awake, but not lose the dream. Not lose it until he had written it down. And cling to Jessica's image as he always did for those few moments of peace it brought him.

"Because I slipped him a mickey." Dean said, glancing over at their father, who was still fast asleep. "A light one, but I didn't want him waking up. Not after everything. Guy's finally relaxing a bit. Didn't want a little bump in the night waking him up."

"Bump in the night?"

"Yeah, you falling off the bed." Dean said and Sam realized he was on the floor. "Woke me up. And I was having this great dream about this strip club I went to outside Phoenix ..." He grinned as Sam stood up.

"Gotta use the bathroom." He said, stealthily sneaking his journal and tucking it into his side.

"Sam?" Dean said, standing up himself. "What kind of dream was it?"

Sam met his brother's eyes. It wasn't a lie. "Just a dream. The kind that don't mean

anything."

Dean was still awake when Sam came back out of the bathroom, he noticed the journal

this time but didn't say anything about it. He had heard somewhere that it was good to write down your nightmares. "Sam are you okay?" He asked. Everyone had been worried about him since the whole near sacrifice thing, but Sam was looking pretty ragged.

"Yeah." Sam said as he put the journal in his bag and zipped it closed. "It was just another Jess dream." He said running a hand through his hair. "Sorry I woke you up."

"It's no big." Dean said looking at his brother worriedly. He supposed he was lucky Sam

hadn't taken the same route to dealing with it John had. He could have drowned it in tequila and violence. Still it worried him. It had been more than a year and he was still having night mares. "You're sure you're alright?"

"Yeah let's just go to sleep." He said as he got back into bed.

The morning came quickly and Sam pasted on his smile. The dream the night before still plagued him. Jess with yellow eyes. Jess doubting his love. He made small talk as they had breakfast and settled into the passenger's side front seat, leaving John in the back seat this time. Dean insisted on driving. He was convinced that Sam had only slept long enough to fall out of bed and shouldn't be driving if he couldn't even sleep straight.

So Sam sat in front, writing in his journal, finishing up what he had started the night before. "Okay so, we should be able to make it to the hotel tonight. Vacation officially starts tomorrow."

"So what do people do on vacation?" Dean asked. "Like...sight seeing?"

"Not hunt." Sam said, not looking up from his journal. "Not go looking for trouble. Not start any fights just to start a fight and get us run out of town before I can even get a tan. Not..."

"Got it, got it. Sheesh, talk about sucking the fun out of life." Dean said as he switched tapes.

"I'm sure we'll figure something out." John said from the back with a quiet chuckle. Why did he feel like he had a hang over? And was it bad that he remembered hang overs?

Dean nearly jumped, but managed not to. Not used to hearing his father's voice yet, especially coming from the back seat of all places. "We're still going to Hooters."

"What is it with you and Hooters?" Sam asked, finally putting his pen down for a moment to give his brother an exasperated look.

"That reaction right there. That's what's with me and Hooters." Dean said laughing.

"Jerk."

"Bitch."

"You're both brats." John said as he found a pair of sunglasses and slipped them on.

Dean exchanged a look with Sam, then grinned. He knew why his dad was feeling this way. But it was good for him.

The drive passed pleasantly enough, Dean made good time. But once him and His Car got into a groove, they seemed to fly, hovering low over the roads, the scenery passing by in streaks and blurs until he pulled in front of the hotel.

"Wow. It's a hotel. Not a motel. Good job Sammy."

"quiet, scenic no supernatural activity for 300 miles as far as I or Ash can tell. Not that it isn't there but if its too low for Ash's radar we don't want to know what it is." Sam pointed out "Already on the credit card, all that has to happen is for one of the Mr. Jacksons to go in and check us in" He said going through the ID's in the glove box and handed them out. "This is mine" He said in regard to that particular credit card.

"Credit card fraud?" John asked from the back seat.

"Gotta pay the bills some how" Dean said with a shrug "Not like hunting comes with a paycheck and an insurance policy."

"Okay, well I will go and get us checked in" Sam said as he got out of the car and grabbed his own gear. He would leave them to duke it out over the rest. He had been handling the bills so to speak so that his father wouldn't have to hear about the way they handled the money until he was more himself. It was a mild reaction compared to what he had been expecting 2 days ago John would have had a cow about it.

He got the key to the suite of rooms, two bedrooms a kitchenette and sitting room. Not at all expensive because it was a back roads hotel. Usually only haunted by regulars and stranded motorists. Dean and John joined him shortly and he led the way to the elevator. Like the rest of the hotel it was art deco in design, mid to late 20s. Once the elevator door closed Sam looked to his father and brother "I don't care if something moves the covers in the night.. don't care if we wake up to see someone's granny hanging over the bed by a noose if it isn't attacking people  we don't see it. We don't touch it it isn't our problem." It was an old building. There had to be a ghost somewhere in the place.

"If Granny's hanging by a noose over my bed, that's a problem." Dean said with a laugh. "I at least get to ask her to leave."

"Credit card fraud?" John asked again as he dropped his bags on a chair.

Dean grinned. "Do not give us that look. Who do you think taught us?" He said. "This whole hunting gig, it's strictly volunteer. And we're never in one place long enough to have a job, usually not more than a couple of days. The car needs gas, and parts. We need food and lodging, weapons, gear. We fill out the applications, not our fault if they send us cards."

John had to laugh a bit. Dean was right, which meant he'd been right a long time ago. Expenses had to be made somehow, right?

"Hey remember when we got that American Express card? The one with an obscene limit?" Sam said as he started dusting the room.

"Oh yeah." He looked at John. "How do you think the car got rebuilt after Sammy let a truck hit us?"

"I didn't---"

"I'm joking!" Dean said, with his hands up.

"Okay, fine, anything else I should know?" John asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, you're officially missing. You were under an alias when you died, so we don't have to worry about that." Dean said with a shrug. "Oh, I'm wanted by the feds for a murder. Shape shifter decided to wear me for a while."

"I'm not wanted for anything." Sam said. "Not even credit card fraud."

Dean laughed. "You broke out of jail in Baltimore and you still aren't wanted for anything." He shook his head "What can I say, Sammy no one notices you. It's the hair. They think you're a girl. Check and see if there is a Samantha Winchester wanted for anything. I bet there is."

"People notice." Sam said. "I just don't go out of my way to get arrested or make a nuisance of my self."

"Not make a –" Now Dean was really laughing. "Dude you are a walking nuisance."

"Jerk." Sam said as he headed for one of the bedroom doors to toss his bag inside.

"Freak." Dean countered choosing the room next to Sam's.

"Boys, that's enough." John said and the two younger men looked at each other and grinned a little before saying in unison "Yes Sir" then going into their rooms to unpack.

John shook his head and took his bag to his room. By default, as he had let the boys choose first. He sat on the bed and opened up the journal. His journal he had swiped from Dean's bag. To fill in the blanks. He kept coming back to one particular photo, his wedding photo. He was ridiculously young and clean shaved, she was a blonde angel who had somehow ended up with him. He remembered that day, and that night, and the week after. There were just some things he wouldn't share with his sons, and making love to their mother was one of them. So he said he didn't remember her yet.

He did, just not beyond that. "I know, I know." He said to the photo. Worn from handling, lots of handling. Probably in situations like this, when he was alone in a hotel room and just wanted a connection, however tenuous, to some part of him that was still filled with light. "I screwed them up bad. I'm sorry, Mary. Gonna try to fix that now. We'll see how it goes." He sighed and tucked the photo back into the journal securely and shoved it within a pile of clothes in a drawer. He felt the need to unpack. Because that was normal. Unpacking was normal. People unpacked all the time. So he unpacked.

Didn't take long, he didn't have much. He didn't need much. He went to the window and opened it, bracing his arms on the top frame and just looking out at the ocean. These were good times. He knew that. Good memories he was making, that all three of them were making. And he knew now how important memories were. He remembered waking up without them, not even knowing his own name. Memories, good and bad and neutral, were precious.

The room filled with ghosts. Not real ones, just the kind that flittered through a man's mind as he leaned his forehead against the glass. Kids playing, a woman laughing, a woman screaming, kids crying. Kids silent. One towheaded boy with eyes turning more serious and wise by the day. One dark haired boy whose eyes were often wide.

He remembered more than he let on. But he'd never let Sammy or Dean know what he knew. About Sammy. He'd set them on this path, and nothing he said would take them off it. Nothing he did. All he could do was try to fill in the potholes before they ran over them. And the truth about Sammy was one big damned pothole.

But he was his son. John's son. Genetically, physically, in every way that ever could matter, he was John's son. And right now Sam was sure whatever walls John had were demolished. They weren't. John was making an effort to keep them down, keep them low. Give his boys a real father for once in their lives. It was too late to read them bedtime stories and teach them how to ride bikes, but he was still their father. Nothing on the road could change that.

Dean couldn't remember being happier. Oh maybe a rare day or two when growing up that his dad had made special arrangements to be with them. Hunting trips that had more to do with venison than demon teaching him to work, take care of the car but those were Dad and Dean times. Sam even though he had been there had been separate. Mostly because those things just weren't Sam. As much as Dean hated to admit it the hunt wasn't Sam either. But it might be easier to let him go now that his father was back. Now that he wouldn't be alone.

This vacation though, this was family time. This was the real deal. Something he had been wanting since he was 4 although there was still a hole where their mom used to be, it wasn't as big now that John wasn't trying to fall into it. He unpacked. He told himself it was to take inventory, but it was mostly because they never unpacked. Never knew when they were going to have to run. But this time he was sure that they were staying put for a few days. This was down time this was safe time.

Not that he took that for granted, as he lined the window ledges with salt and brick dust.

He stepped back out into the living room, and continued to lay the lines of protection. "So what's first on the agenda?" He called out.

"Food." Sam said as he came out of his own room.

"Do you ever stop eating?" Dean asked, teasing mostly.

"What can I say? I'm a growing boy"

"You grow anymore and we're gonna have to cut you off at the knees to fit you in my car."

"Nah sunroof." Sam said with a grin.

"Like Hell!"

John chuckled as he came out of his room, in clothes he hadn't been driving all day in. It was a luxury, clean, fresh clothes. He liked it. So he was going to take advantage of it. "No sun roof. No cutting your brother off at the knees. He'll just have to scrunch, or stay in the backseat." He said.

"And no Hooters." Sam said.

"I didn't even bring it up. You are such a misogynistic, chauvinistic pervert. No wonder I get laid more than you do." Dean said.

John made a show of looking at the ceiling. "Too much information." He grumbled. "Come on, this place has a restaurant. Let's go spend Mr. Jackson's money." He said, taking out his own wallet to make sure he had the credit card. "Sam, where are the rest of my IDs?" He asked, assuming Sam had taken them to avoid questions from John. And he was right.

"In the glove compartment." He said.

"Hope you plan to give them back. Neither of you can pass for my age. Yet." John said. He saw Dean head into John's room. "Already did it." And Dean gave him a surprised look at that. "Some things, once you remember them, you don't easily forget again." He said with a wry grin. "Come on, let's go feed Sammy."

"Sammy is the name of a chubby twelve year old." Sam said.

"I cut your umbilical cord. I can call you anything I want." John said as he held the door open and made a gesture for them to head down to the restaurant.

The restaurant was quiet, but there were people there. Which meant there were people for other people to pay attention to, and they could just be. Which they did as they ordered their food.

"Okay food then beach. " Dean said with a nod. "I think I saw them setting up a bonfire down there tonight which means party which means girls"

"Which means someone's boyfriend knocking on your head sometime about three in the morning." Sam interjected. "Thank god you have a separate room."

"Hey! I do, don't I?" He said with a grin.

John merely raised an eyebrow. "No there are things I just do not need to hear in the night."

"Sex on the beach."

"Better be a drink." John said. "Or something I never hear about." He laughed. "I don't share my sex life with you don't need to hear about yours."

"You have a sex life?" Sam asked.

"You remember your sex life?" Dean asked.

"No more talk about sex." John said with a laugh."You boys go down to the beach and have a good time. I just don't need to hear about it."

"I'll leave that to Dean." Sam said.

"Oh come on Sammy you can window shop." Dean suggested.

"Window shop?" John asked with a faint laugh.

"Yeah looking without the intent of taking it home."

"He keeps calling me the girl, but he knows girl terms." Sam said with a laugh.

"Hey, I had a relationship. Once. I picked up some of the terms. Just some of them flow better in conversation." Dean said.

"Whatever you say, Dean." Sam said with a roll of his eyes.

"You going to be all right?" Dean asked John.

"I'm a grown man. Older than both of you. Come to think of it, I'm old enough to be your father." He said with humor in his dark eyes. "Go on, go have some fun. Vacation remember?"

"I remember." Sam said with a laugh as he and Dean got up and headed to the beach. Even if he wasn't going to pick up a random girl, he still could have fun.

John watched them go with a small, fond smile on his face before finishing his dinner. Oblivious

to shadows on the wall watching him, watching his sons.

Sam followed Dean down to the shore. It was a nice beach. The view was spectacular. He was still partial to the west coast, and it was strange not to see the setting sun in the distance. It made it feel surreal some how. Almost like dream in some strange way even though he knew things were as they should be.

He felt safe leaving John alone to entertain himself. His fathers memory was still cheese cloth, but he knew how to take care of himself. That wasn't gone. Dean however, had never figured out that he needed taking care of. Not even by himself, if he wasn't actively hunting something. Even then Sam suspected he went through the motions of self preservation because they had been hardwired in by John not out of any real concern on his part.

"So where to first?" He asked his brother.

"Obviously the fire. I can already see some dancing and drinking. We're on vacation,

right? That's what you keep telling me anyway. Means even you have to loosen up and live a little." Dean said with a chuckle. His brother had never been a care free person. Wore the weight of the world on his shoulders. Dean did also, he just didn't let it show.

But vacation was vacation, right?

Sam smiled. "Yeah. It's a vacation." He said as he started to walk toward the bonfire. "You ever think about calling Cassie?" He asked, knowing how his brother felt about her. All the dreams about Jess he missed the comfort she could give and wished that Dean could have that in his life. Might make it easier to keep going with the life they led.

"No." Dean said. "Why would I? Sure she looks like she can handle this, but she can't. Or she wouldn't have had that fit in the first place." He pointed out. "I don't know, it's probably best anyway. Make her mom happy, get a boyfriend who, I don't know, gets paid and shit like that."

"Have you ever given consideration to what makes you happy?" Sam asked his brother. He figured he already knew the answer. Dean didn't know how to take care of himself or make himself happy. He was too busy trying to please and take care of others. He couldn't help but think about where Dean might go to escape in his mind, where he would feel secure and happy and safe to weather out a storm. That dream was still affecting him and he just couldn't shake it.

"Sure." Dean said. "Brew, broads and rock and roll." He said with a cocky grin. "My car. Seriously making a dent in the demon population. You and Dad. What else does a guy need? And don't start with that whole relationship crap, tried that, remember? Didn't end too well. You know, you could invite Sarah down if you're all up on someone getting into some version of a relationship for a few days..."

"I'm not ready for another relationship." Sam said honestly. "Kind of afraid of winding up like Dad that way but there it is." He shrugged. "And I don't mean what makes you smile for a minute there has to be something you want out of life other than " he grinned a little, "spreading the Winchester seed as far across America as the drunken bimbo population will allow, and scattering rock salt."

"Hey, they're not all drunken." Dean said with a laugh. "What's with the heart to heart, or attempt at it? Remember? Vacation?" Dean didn't know what he wanted out of life. He lived moment to moment and hung onto each moment as hard as he could. Looking beyond that, he never did. Didn't seem worth it, when he could die at any moment. Or those around him could. Had already happened, after all. Hard to plan with his family.

"I don't know." Sam said honestly. "Guess I just got caught up in that dream last night. It's nothing. So  which one of them is going to take you home tonight?" He asked indicating the girls around the bonfire.

"That would be the one in the blue bikini." Dean said, slapping Sam on the back. "The one in the red was eyeing you when we started walking up. Come on, live a little. Only live once, unless you're Dad, so take the bull by the horns and just enjoy the ride."

Sam smiled, and motioned for his brother to lead the way. He would go along. He'd pretend to drink as heavily as his brother, he would laugh at jokes and flirt with girls. But he was there for one reason. To make sure Dean was safe. He was being hunted by a cult, so Sam kept his eye on the people around his brother. Easily done while pretending to have fun, pretending so well that he almost believed it.

Dean lost himself in the party. He felt like any other normal vacationer who had stumbled upon a party on the beach. Carefree, on vacation and just having fun. As if what had forced him onto this vacation had never happened, as if the bruises were faded into nothingness, the injuries hidden under his clothes and under his skin had never happened.

He nearly believed it. Nearly convinced himself of it. That's why he partied as hard as he did when he got the chance, because he could convince himself of that for just a little while.

And on the other hand, maybe he was a hunter through and through. Because wasn't cruising for girls nothing more than hunting of a different sort, wasn't it?

Sam watched as his brother worked the crowd and impressed. He figured his brother could have succeeded at anything he wanted to do in life. He was so adept at putting on the masks, working the con. Whether it was convincing someone he was a repairman or a federal agent or making a girl think that he was actually interested in something more than her body for a night's comfort.

He sat down on a log near the bon fire, and drank a little of his beer as his eyes scanned the crowd. Keep your eyes open when they cant she had said.

Dean worked the crowd, seeming like a normal person on vacation for a night of fun. All his bruises were faded, and his hair did indeed cover the stitches Sam had put in. It was a good night for him, where he was just, for a little while, letting go of everything around him, all the stress and problems. Just for a little while. Disappearing with a blonde behind some dunes for a few hours of just pure, mind blowing relaxation.

Sam hung back, not following his brother over the dunes, but always aware of where he was and who might be getting close to them. He chatted up the brunette in the red bikini, smiling and laughing with her, even making a little physical contact with her as he kept watch, but made his excuses as he saw his brother returning. They had just driven in from Texas that morning and he was exhausted. He did promise to see her the following night. He was allowed to have a little fun after all. It wasn't disloyal. Not really.

No matter what it felt like.

No matter what she was going to tell him in his dreams.

Dean was grinning. It had been good, and no strings. Hell, the blonde was looking just for a warm body for a little while, so it wasn't really 'using,' unless they were using each other. Which was all right.

"Come on, Sam." Dean said with a laugh. "Let's head back before Dad summons hounds to track us down. Cool with it or not, he's still Dad."

Sam said good bye once more to the brunette. "See I made plans to see her tomorrow. I'm having fun, although you look like you went three rounds with a vacuum cleaner hose there." He said indicating a hickey on his brother's neck.

"The vacuum cleaner's name is Rebecca by the way. And she loves just the idea of my car." Dean said with a chuckle, rubbing at the spot. Oh it would be vivid the next day, he could tell. "And three sounds about right. So plans? Like clear the room and convince Dad to leave to, I don't know, go to a gun show or something, plans? Or the 'maybe I'll talk to you tomorrow in a nice public place' plans?"

The shadows of night were long, and some were longer than others as they hiked back up to the hotel, some moving with them, mistily along the night air, moving like fog coming in from the sea. Nearly transparent, and nearly invisible, but there, if you were looking for it. If you knew to look for it. If you were expecting it.

Sam felt a chill settle over him as they walked but he said nothing to his brother, figuring it was just the cold air from the water."More 'I'll talk to you tomorrow in a nice public place' plans. You do remember what happened with the last girl that was interested in me right?" He said with a faint grin. Meg had been possessed by The Demon. Had been his daughter if what the demon said was to be believed. "Carefree is not the same as careless." He said as he unlocked the door and found the rooms empty.

He frowned a little. The snarky little voice in his mind nagging at him with thoughts of his father getting his memory back completely and taking off again. Remembering what it was that drove him away in the first place. But again he said nothing. "So, you meeting Rebecca tomorrow or moving on to the next interested party?" He asked forcing a smile. Then relaxing into it as the door opened and John entered the room.

"Hey." He said. "You boys have a good time?" John asked, although he knew they had. He had been watching.

"I had a great time." Dean said with a smirk. "Sam here, he had an all right time."

"I had a good time." Sam said defensively. "Just because I don't feel the need to drop my pants..."

"All right." John said, holding up his hands. They were bordering on the too much

information line again. "Looks like it was good for you two to get out."

"Where'd you go?" Sam asked.

"I just took a walk." John said. Like he'd tell them he'd followed them and made sure they stayed out of trouble.

"I would claim the shower first but I think Dean needs it more than me. I don't want to think about sand in " He paused then. "You know what I'm gonna hit the showers." Sam said giving Dean a grin as he left the room.

John chuckled softly and went to take a seat. "You boys get enough to eat tonight? Or should we see what room service is like around here?"

"Definitely see what the room service is like here." Dean said, kicking off his boots (which were untied still) and grabbing the room service menu as he sat down on the couch. "Pizza and nachos...that sounds good." He handed the menu to his dad who looked it over.

"Sounds good to me." Dean grabbed the phone and ordered.

"Sam, hurry up." Dean said. He did have sand in some...well...scratchy places.

Sam laughed softly, remembering the itching powder incident clearly, and figured this was a fair pay back. And the fun part was it was Deans own fault. Now the cold water left when Sam was done was all his own doing. It would start a war but that was okay. So long as Sam safe guarded his shampoo he should be fine.

He came out of the bath room a few minutes later wrapped in a towel. "So what did you

guys decide on about food?" he asked.

Dean shook his head at Sam. "I can't believe you used all the hot water." He said as he got up. "This is war." He announced as he went into the shower. Then again, a cold shower wouldn't be such a bad thing. But Sam would still NOT get away with it.

John chuckled as he handed the menu to Sam. "You're in trouble now. And seeing as you're both adults, I'm under no obligation to protect one from the other. That could be construed as favoritism, right?" He said. "Pizza, nacho, beer and soda. Your average nutritionally balanced snack."

Sam grinned. "It's okay. I can take care of myself now. I've learned to check the shampoo before I use it too." He said with a laugh. "Ash is coming up with a program that will dissect a cipher into possible components. Might help us sort that thing out. "

"I've been watching your brother, nothing strange has appeared on his clothing or skin." John said. "Though I'll be watching that hickey now." He had to laugh now.

"Everything is fine with me, no more sigils on me or anything. But I am keeping an eye on Dean." T hey only had a vague idea of the preparation the cult had put Dean through, and it was too easy to imagine any number of surprises just waiting.

"YeahI can't imagine that it's over though. It might be as far as it affects you, but not Dean." He said and sighed. "And Missouri said there were two demons in our lives now it's not over. He won't talk about what happened either. So even if it were over, it wouldn't really be over."

"Remember that knock he got on the head. He might not remember everything clearly." John pointed out. "And there was a lot of...pain...involved," something that bothered John greatly still, especially when Dean would still guard a tender spot, "and that can interfere with memory also."

Dean came out clad in a towel. "Okay, I'm back. Going to continue to talk about me?"

"Yeah," Sam said, "you're free to join in if you want." He said looking over at his brother with a grin. "Dad was saying you were dropped on your head or something."

"Wouldn't surprise me." Dean said with a laugh. "Because I know for fact you were dropped on your head twice. I did it myself." On accident of course, because he was five years old, but still. Sam had been dropped on his head. "I think it caused that swelling on top your shoulders...oh sorry. That's just your oversized head."

"My head is not over sized." He said "You just have a pin head to compare it to is all" It was easy to fall back into teenaged banter. Its what it felt like, both of them being there with their father. It was also a good cover for the concern he felt seeing the bruises that covered his brothers body. They were turning a greenish shade and fading now, although some of them were still an ugly blackish purple. He could just imagine the story he made up for the girl he had back on the dunes.

"I dropped you both." John said with a shrug. "Your mother was convinced I'd make you both irreversibly brain damaged before either of you were a month old. I assured her that Winchester heads were far too hard to be insulted by such a slight thing." He said with a chuckle. "You both turned out fine, or at least aren't mental midgets," he said with a chuckle, "so I was obviously right."

Most parents think their children are brilliant. John did. And they were in different ways. Sam was the academic. It wasn't easy to get a full ride to Stanford based on your brain power alone. Dean was the street smart one. Which was probably a good part of the reason he was still alive. Put them together and they were most likely unbeatable.

He liked to think he could take credit for that. At least some.

Sam laughed at that, grinning over at Dean, then his father "Dropped on my head repeatedly, and I'm still smarter than you." He teased getting up to answer the door. "Oh no, you two stay put. Wouldn't want you to drop the pizza."

Sam looked through the peep hole before opening the door. "Wow that smells good." He said and made casual conversation with the delivery boy as they sorted out money, and good nights. He set it down on the table in the kitchenette where he also had set up his computer, then got the beer from the fridge. "Come and get it." He said as he sat down and opened up his computer.

Ash was back on line, and had some information for him.

"Thought this wasn't a working vacation?" Dean said as he saw Ash instant message Sam. Ash had a distinctive way of talking that carried over into his online language. He shook his head as he grabbed a few slices of pizza and a beer, adding a handful of nachos to his plate as well.

"It's not." John said, exchanging a look with Sam. "He's just following up on old things. While Ash has the initiative and time."

Sam nodded and ate his pizza in between typing to Ash.

DrBadAss: florida? i never get a vac. just me and this room, my mad scientist lounge.

Samwise21: It's good here. Having a ball, parties on the beach. What do you have for me?

DrBadAss: you know its going to come right after you guys again. never seen targets like the ones you three wear. ever thought about parlaying it into some sort of marketing deal? never know what the world wants.

Samwise21: Ash...

DrBadAss: yeah yeah. moving on. so I was looking up, and it is two fallen after you two. we knew of the first one, and let me tell you, ellen's been all antsy since you called. anywhee, gonna have to go mojo catholic for this one.

Samwise21: Makes sense, Catholicism has had the best record against Fallen. Not that that's saying much.

DrBadAss: to each their own, man. anyway, got a hold of this really old copy of rituale romanum

Samwise21: We have a copy.

DrBadAss: not this version you don't. this one is straight from the secret archives. based more on the african rite than a bunch of eunuchs in robes.

---DrBadAss would like to send a file. Press CTRL+Y to accept, CTRL+N to decline---

---You are downloading BadAss Exorcisms from DrBadAss. Download time is approximately 1 minute 37 seconds depending on connection time. ---

DrBadAss: gonna find a whole bunch of helpful things in here.

Samwise21: Thanks, Ash. I owe you.

DrBadAss: i know. so i was looking along the waterways, and it doesn't have much to do with it.

Samwise21: What do you mean?

DrBadAss: i mean he's a freaking fallen, dude. he doesn't need waterways. it was just a nice little roadmap for you guys to follow to get deano into position.

Samwise21: We figured that part out.

---You have downloaded Badass Exorcisms ---

DrBadAss: but did you know what he wants?

Samwise21: That's why I'm talking to you.

DrBadAss: so you do know

Samwise21: No, I don't. I'm hoping you'll tell me

DrBadAss: oh yeah. right. okay. so you've got one after you, right? turns out the one after dean is this huge like enemy of the one after you. major comp between the two, so old that we can't even find out why they're all rumbling and shit. so one wants you, the other one decides he wants in on it cause can't let his nemesis have all the glory right...because what do fallen want?

Samwise21: They want to take over Heaven.

DrBadAss: hell yeah! after all, why set your goals small, right? dream big and large my man! and with all the times your brother has refused to die, proves he's a fairly hardy specimen.

Samwise21: For possession.

DrBadAss: yup. so good luck with that. the file should have some useful things. added an addendum to it on substitutions you can use for different things. well, gotta go.

Sam sat back and exhaled he opened the file. Dean hadn't been reading over his shoulder, which he was glad of.

"Samwise? Dude you're such a geek." Dean said from across the room.

"Jess gave it to me." He said as he scanned the document. He scribbled out several symbols on a piece of paper and turned the computer around for John to look at while he figured out the best way to lay out the cipher.

"What?" Dean asked, frowning now. But not as much as his father.

Rebecca and Terri walked back toward their hotel comparing notes on the brothers.

"I don't know" Terri said "He's really sweet, and very cute, but I don't think I'm gonna get past first base with him"

"Well that sucks" Rebecca said "His brother struck a home run first time at bat. Maybe he's adopted"

Terri laughed then shuddered. "Did you feel that?" she asked.

"Feel what?"

"Nothing" She said and unlocked the door to their room "you probably want the tub first "

"Hell yeah. The only bad thing about sex on the beach is sand where sand was never meant to be "

"Okay.. over share" Terri said as she went to sprawl over the bed "If the other one doesn't show more promise I'm so going to ditch him" she said as the bathroom door closed and latched.

Rebecca started the shower first, and got in to rinse the bulk of the sand from her body and out of the tub before plugging it and running a bath. She stretched out and closed her eyes, enjoying the hot water.

She didn't see the shadows as they crept under the door, and across the floor toward the tub. She lay peacefully dosing as it moved up the side of the tub and into the water, turning it inky black. She slid beneath the surface, eyes still closed.

She began to struggle under the water, thrashing wildly as the water slowly became clear once more.

"Becca? You alright?" Terri called, trying the door, but it was locked.

Rebecca sat up, eyes opening wide, glowing with a greenish fire "Never better" She said.