Author's Note: Thank you jempa for your review. I'm glad you liked that last chapter. Christmas is one of my favorites as well. As we get a little deeper into the story I think Alex may surprise you. She is sweet and kind like you said, but there is far more to her than meets the eye.

I do not own Supernatural or any of the original characters found there in. Alex and the Mayfair mythology are my own.

Chapter 9

Dean is frantically passing back and forth as he waits for Alex to answer the phone.

"Oh come on."

It rings once…twice…three times before he hears her answer.

"Hello?"

"Alex, it's me. Any chance you've heard from him?"

"From who? Sam? No. Why? I thought you guys were working a case."

"We were, but he's gone. I can't find him. I swear it's like looking for my dad all over again. I'm losing my mind here. "

Alex tries to calm her steadily rising panic as she listens to Dean's frantic voice on the other end of the line.

"Have you tried calling him," she asks

"I've called him a thousand times, there's nothing but voicemail. I don't know where he went, or why. Sam's just gone."

Dean can hear the worry in her voice as she tries to reassure him that his brother is okay and there is some sort of logical explanation for it all, and that he'll contact them soon. He is about to tell her to stop coddling him when he hears his phone beep. When he looks at the caller id he sees that Sam is calling.

"Hold on Alex," he says before switching to his second call. "Sammy? Where the hell are you? Are you okay? "

His brother starts to babble frantically on the other end of the line. Everything he says is so fast and excited that he can't make out a word of what Sam is saying.

"Hey, hey, hey! Calm down. Where are you? All right, don't move, I'm on my way."

He quickly hangs up his call with Sam and returns to Alex as he rushes to the Impala.

"Alex, it was Sam I'm going after him."

Dean can already hear the sound of clothes being thrown into a bag when she speaks.

"Where is he? I'll meet you there."


The Impala pulls to a sudden stop outside of the motel room. When Dean gets out of the car he can hear a motorcycle coming up behind him. Alex hastily parks her bike and runs to Dean.

"Which room is he in?

"109"

The duo hurries through the motel. It takes all of Alex's willpower not to run. Drawing attention is the last thing we need right now, she thinks as she begins to look around frantically. They search for less than a minute when they come to the correct door.

"Sam, it's me. Sam!" yells Dean as he pounds on the door.

When there is no response. He looks quickly to Alex. The sense of dread he feels is perfectly matched in her blue-gray eyes. Not able to stand it she quickly turns and knocks herself.

"Sam? Sam its Alex. Sam open the door please," she begs

Silence. Dean decides to try the handle and finds the room unlocked. As he carefully opens the door, Alex looks up and down the hall before drawing her gun from its hiding place at the small of her back. The door opens to reveal Sam sitting motionless on one of the beds with his back to the door. When Alex finally lays eyes on him she can't stop herself. She pushes past Dean and hastens to Sam's side, but stops short when she notices the blood.

"Oh my god," she says as she drops to her knees to examine the man in front of her. "Are you hurt?"

Her hands grope at his abdomen in an attempt to find a wound. When none can be found she lifts his shirt slightly and runs her fingers across his skin.

"I tried to wash it off," Sam says in a stunned tone.

After securing the door Dean makes his way towards his little brother. His eyes go wide at the sight of the blood covering Sam's shirt. Oh my god.

"I don't think it's my blood."

At the sound of this Alex realizes that she is running her hands across Sam's sculpted abs and quickly pulls away. A blush would have surely covered her face where it not for her concern for Sam at that moment. The silence is broken by Dean's rough voice.

"Whose is it?"

"I don't know."

"Sam, what the hell happened?"

Sam finally looks up, and what Alex sees there almost brakes her heart.

"I don't remember anything."

Alex quickly turns to Dean to see the same worried expression on his face she knows is etched on hers.


It was decided that Dean should go ask the man at the front desk about Sam as well as get some food for them while he was out. Sam could not remember the last time he had eaten, and Alex was sure that they would all need food soon. As soon as Dean left, she began trying desperately to help Sam clean up.

He didn't say a word as she helped him take off his blood stained shirt. It was as if he were in a trance of some sort. The silence continued as she scrubbed his body with a warm washcloth. As the seconds ticked by the tension mounted to the point of insanity.

"Talk to me," Alex says as she continued to wash Sam's hands and torso.

"I don't know what happened. It's like… its like I just went to sleep in one place and woke up somewhere else."

She gently stroked the side of his face as she spoke. "You really can't remember anything? Nothing at all?"

Sam only shakes his head as he looks down. Alex stands and moves to get him a new shirt. When she turned around, she nearly runs into his chest. She sways slightly but Sam's strong arms keep her on her feet. As Sam moves to reach for the shirt, she gulps and tries to slow her rapidly beating heart. She quickly looks up into Sam's face in an attempt to meet his eye, but he refused to meet her gaze.

"Sam?"

She tries again to look him in the eye, but every time she comes into his line of sight he quickly turns his head. What is going on? she thinks as Dean burst through the door.

"What'd you find out?" Sam asks as he quickly turns from Alex.

Dean places the paper bag holding their food on the table as he speaks.

"You checked in two days ago under the name Richard Sambora. Of course, I think the scariest part about this whole thing is the fact that you're a Bon Jovi fan."

"Dean," Alex chastises.

"Right. Anyway, your room's been quiet, nobody's noticed anything unusual."

A look of shock crosses Sam's face as he speaks, "You mean no one saw me walking around covered in blood?"

"Yeah. That's what I mean."

"Then how the hell did I get here, Dean? What happened to me?"

"I don't know. But you're, you're okay, and that's what matters. Everything else we can deal with."

"Oh really? 'Cause what if I hurt someone? Or worse?"

Alex places a comforting hand on Sam's arm. "Sam . . .," she softly says, "there is no way that could happen. It's not in you to just do damage to a person for no reason."

"What if this is what Dad warned you about?"

This catches Alex completely off guard. "What do you mean?" She quickly looks back and forth between the two brothers, waiting for someone to speak. "Sam…? Dean…? One of you two better start talking or I'll swear I'll read your minds to get the answers if I have to."

"Dad told him that he'd have to kill me," Sam deadpans.

"What?"

"Hey, whoa, whoa, come on man, let's not jump the gun here," says Dean. The entire situation was getting far to out of hand. "We don't know what happened. We've just got to treat this like, like any other job. What's the last thing you remember?"

Sam sits heavily on the bed and sighs. Alex sits beside him and grabs his hand reassuringly. She closes her eyes so she can focus on calming him, but for some reason he doesn't seem to need it like she thought he would.

"Just me and you, just, in that motel room in West Texas, going out to grab some burgers, and..."

"West Texas? That was, that was over a week ago."

"That's it. Next thing I knew I was sitting here. Bloody. Felt like I'd been asleep for a month."

Dean begins to walk towards the window as he speaks. "Okay. Retrace your steps. The manager said you left yesterday afternoon and he never saw you come back, so," he trails off as he pulls back the curtain and revels a bloody fingerprint on the window. "Hey."


The trio begins to wander around outside in the hopes of jogging Sam's memory. Dean keeps asking if he is remembering anything, but Sam only shakes his head. Alex does not say a word. She only walks hand in hand with the younger Winchester wondering what is going on. Something is off, but she just doesn't know what yet. Lost in her thoughts, she almost trips when Sam suddenly stops.

"Wait," he says.

"What?" asks Dean.

"I think I was here."

Hope fills Alex's eyes. "You remember?"

Sam shakes his head. "Not really, it just feels familiar, you know?"

Dean shrugs as he moves towards the nearest garage. Sam stops him by pointing to the second one.

"Try that one. Yeah."

Alex moves from Sam's side to investigate the garage he pointed out. She pulls on the padlock, but it doesn't budge. "It's locked."

"Wait," says Sam frowning as he digs in his pocket.

When he pulls his hand out of his pocket he is holding a key. A panicked expression crosses his face as he looks to Alex and Dean. Alex slowly reaches out to take the key from Sam's hand.

"It'll be okay," she says reassuringly.

Turning back to the door, she places the key Sam recovered into the padlock and turns it. The lock suddenly opens and she looks sideways a Dean. Concern etched on both of their faces. Dean pulls the garage door open to reveal a filthy, beat-up VW Beetle.

"Oh, please tell me you didn't steal this," he says as he stares at the vehicle in front of him.

Sam begins to fidget as the Winchesters begin searching the car for clues while Alex keeps a silent watch at the door. When Sam touches the wheel of the car he discovers more blood there, but this discovery alone was not enough to insight panic in any of them. It was what Dean found next in the back seat that would send them all into a bit of a tizzy.

"Sam. Back seat," says Dean.

Alex moves from her spot by the door in time to see Sam retrieve a blood-stained knife from the floor of the backseat. They all stare at it for a moment before Sam speaks.

"You think I used this on someone?" Sam asks

"I'm not thinking anything." Dean replies.

Alex says nothing. She just watches in silence as Sam rubs the knife handle off on the inside of his jacket. She is frozen to the spot. Something's wrong here.. A rock settles in the pit of her stomach as Dean picks up a pack of menthol cigarettes.

"Here," says Sam. "Gas receipt. Few towns over."


They all pile into the Impala and drive to the gas station listed on the receipt Sam found. The drive was made in complete silence. There were no questions, no musing, no conversations what so ever. When they finally pull up at the gas station Dean brakes the silence by asking Sam if he recognizes anything. Sam only shakes his head before the three walk inside.

The clerk looked up in shock and then anger before making a quick outburst.

"You. Outta here now, I'm calling the cops."

"You talking to him?" Dean asks in shock as he points to his brother.

"Yeah, I'm talking to him. Jerk comes in yesterday, stinking drunk, grabs a forty from the fridge, starts chugging it."

"This guy? You're drinking malt liquor?"

"Not after he whipped the friggin' bottle at my head."

Alex's eyebrows shoot up. "Him?" she asks.

"What, am I speaking Urdu?"

"Look, I'm really sorry if I did anything," Sam begins but the clerk interrupts him.

"Tell your story walkin', pal. Po-po will be here in five."

"Wait, wait, put the phone down. Sam, go wait in the car."

"But Dean," Sam says.

"Go wait in the car!"

Alex grabs Sam's arm and gently pulls him towards the door.

"Come on Sam. We can wait outside."

The pair walk slowly towards the car, saying nothing. They lean against the hood and remain silent for what seems like an eternity before Sam finally speaks.

"What's wrong with me?"

Alex's head quickly snaps to the side to look at Sam when she hears his voice. He isn't looking at her. Instead he is staring at the earth between his feet.

"Nothing," she finally says as she places her hand on his shoulder. "There is nothing wrong with you. You are a kind, smart, attractive guy."

"So you admit it. You think I'm attractive?"

A little smirk appears on his face as he turns his head to face her. She huffs as she rolls he eyes bumps her shoulder into his. They are sharing a laugh when Dean exits the store and tells them they are heading north on 71.


There appears to be no real destination in mind as they drive along the deserted highway. The sun had long since set, and from what Alex could tell they were no closer to their destination than before. Of course, that would imply that there was a set destination to begin with. Dean just keeps asking Sam if anything is familiar. Upon hearing that nothing is he just keeps driving until Sam suddenly shot forward in his seat.

"Dean, wait, right here. Turn down that road," he said.

"What?"

"I don't know how I know, I just do."

Dean quickly turned the car down the back road Sam had indicated. The turn was so sudden and sharp that it causes Alex to fall over in the back seat and hit the side of the car with a thud. Dean chuckles out an apology as he looks in the rear-view mirror. She only stares daggers at him as he drives on. After a few minutes a large house is visible in the distance. When they got closer they could see the vast amounts of emergency lighting and security cameras lining the property.

"Whoever lives here, I'd say they don't like surprises," says Sam as they approach the massive house.

"Should we knock?" Dean asks.

Sam and Alex begin looking around the outside of the house while Dean knocks on the front door. There is no answer, but Sam does make a discovery.

"Hey Dean," he says as he waives his brother over and shows him the window ledge covered in broken glass.

"I'm surprised the cops didn't show. Place like this you'd think it'd have an alarm." Says Dean.

Alex looks around the side of the house and finds a power box with the cables cut.

"I think it does," she said.

She leans back and showed the brothers the cut wire. Looks of silent agreement passed between the three hunters. They pull their weapons as they enter the house. Sam gently pushes Alex behind him. She looks as if she means to protest, but the look on the man's face causes it to die on her lips.

Dean leads them through the house to a small room in the back. A body likes motionless on the floor.

"Get the lights," says Dean as he kneels behind the body.

Alex follows Sam into the room as he turns on the lights. Dean reaches a hand to the shoulder of the person lying before them and turns the body over. They can now see that his throat has been slashed.

"Oh God," cries Alex when she sees the man's wide staring eyes.

Sam pulls her towards him in an attempt to comfort her as he looks on in horror. Dean places a hand over his mouth as he takes in the sight before him.

Sam suddenly speaks, "I did this."

"We don't know that," his brother replies.

"What else do you need? I mean, how else do you explain the car, the knife, the blood."

" He must have attacked you," Alex says as she pulls herself from Sam's side. "You would never just go after somebody."

"Alex is right," says Dean, "even if you did do this I'm sure you had a good reason; you know, self-defense, uh, he was, he was a bad son of a bitch, something."

Alex starts looking around the room for clues as Dean searches the man for some form of ID, finding none. As Alex runs her hand along the wall she discovers what appears to be a lock. She pulls a pick from her back pocket and goes to work. After only a few short seconds it pops open. She pushes the hidden door aside and is stunned by what she discovers.

"Guys…"

The brothers turn at the sound of Alex's voice, the same look of shock she had only moments before now on both of their faces.

"Either this guy's a Unabomber," says Dean.

"Or a hunter," finishes Sam. "Dean, I think I killed a hunter."

Alex looks up and notices a security camera in the corner of the room. She points it out as she says, "There's only one way to find out."


Sam makes quick work of the passcodes to the computer that holds the security footage. They all crowd around the monitor as the scene plays out before them. It clearly shows Sam attacking the man that now lays dead before them. Alex keeps looking from Sam to the screen and back again, not believing her eyes. This isn't right. There has to be something more going on here.

Dean just stands there with his eyes downcast as he speaks "How do you erase this? Huh? Sam, come on, I need your help."

Sam just continues to stare at the screen as he speaks, "I killed him, Dean. I just broke in and killed him."

"Listen to me," Dean says in a forceful tone. "Whoever this guy is, he's a hunter. Which means that other hunters are going to come looking for his killer, which means we've got to cover our tracks, okay?"

Sam shows them a letter from the man's daughter, reveling his name to be Steve Wendell. He feels a hand on his shoulder and glances back to see Alex forcing a reassuring smile. A load crash echoes through the room as Dean smashes the computer and stomps it with his boot a few times for good measure.

"Wipe your prints," he says, "then we go."

" I can do a spell that will make it look like we were never here," says Alex.

"Good. Just do it fast. We need to get out of here."


"All right," says Dean as he barrels through the motel room door, Sam and Alex close behind, "we get a couple hours sleep and then we put this place in our rear-view mirror. Look, I know this is bad, okay? You've gotta snap out of it. Sam, say something!"

"Just get some sleep and leave in the morning? Murder, Dean. That's what I did."

Alex just watches in silence as the brothers exchange words. Dean kept insisting that there must be more to it, and Sam just resigning himself to the fact that he had killed a man, another hunter, in cold blood. She keeps racking her brain for ideas, theories, spells, anything that would make this whole thing seem right somehow. When Dean suggested a shapeshifter she knew that couldn't be it. She had already considered that in the car on the way back. There is no way that could have been Sam. It's just not possible.

"Yeah, but it wasn't you!" Dean yells, breaking Alex from her thoughts. "All right? I mean, yeah, it might have been you, but it wasn't you. "

"Well, I think it was," says Sam as he sits on the side of the bed. "I think maybe more than you know."

Her heart breaks as she hears Sam speak. She sits beside him and takes his hand to offer some comfort. The small squeeze Sam gives her hand with his own is all she need to know that he is grateful.

"What the hell does that mean?" Dean asks

"For the last few weeks I've been having... I've been having these feelings."

"What feelings?" says Alex.

Sam does not meet anyone's eyes as he speaks.

"Rage. Hate. And I can't stop it. It just gets worse. Day by day it gets worse."

"You never told me this," said Dean.

"Sam, why didn't you say anything?" asks Alex.

"I didn't want to scare you," he says as he turns to face her before look up at his brother, "either of you. Dean, the yellow-eyed demon, you know he has plans for me. And we both know that he's turned other children into killers before, too."

"No one can control you but you Sam. Look at me. I'm proof of that. My abilities very easily could have controlled me, but I've learned to control them. If the demon is behind this we'll find him and put an end to that son of a bitch, one way or the other. We won't let him get to you Sam... I won't let him get you."

The corner of Sam's mouth twitches at Alex's words, but they are not enough.

"It sure doesn't seem like that. It feels like no matter what I do, slowly but surely I'm, I'm just becoming..."

"What?" Dean asked.

"Who I'm meant to be. I mean, you said it once yourself, Dean. I gotta face up to who I am."

"I didn't mean this!"

"But it's still true. You know that. Dad knew that too, that's why he told you, if it ever came to this . . ."

"Shut up, Sam."

"Dean, you promised him. You promised me."

Alex has now become completely lost to what the brothers are talking about. She asks, " What? What did you promise?" in hopes that the knot of fear forming in the pit of her stomach is unfounded, but her questions landed of deaf ears.

"No. Listen to me. We're going to figure this out. Okay? I mean, there's got to be a way, right? Alex isn't there some spell or ritual or something that can help us out here?

"I don't know," she replied. "I don't know of any off of the top of my head, but I can…"

Sam suddenly cuts her off by saying, "Yeah, there is. There is something you can do Dean."

He pulls his hand from Alex's as he stands and makes is way towards is duffel bag. He searches for a moment before finding his target. When he pulls his hand back out there is a gun held firmly in it.

"I don't want to hurt anyone else. I don't want to hurt you, or you," he says as he looks from his brother to the young woman sitting dumbfounded on the bed.

"You won't. Whatever this is, you can fight it."

Sam pushes the gun into the older Winchesters hand. "No. I can't. Not forever. Here, you gotta do it," he says as tears begin to fall from his eyes.

" No," says Alex as she rises from her spot on the bed and moves between the two brothers. "This is not happening."

Alex takes the gun from Dean's hands with little resistance from the hunter and tosses it on the bed "I'd rather die," she hears him say as he slowly moves past her. She turns her eyes back to Sam, ready to plead with him to see reason until she locks eyes with him for the first time since they found him covered in blood. What she sees chills her to the bone. She can see Sam's soul hidden deep within the hazel eyes, but it is not only his soul she can see. It looks to her as if it is being held back by a thick black fog. Her eyes go wide as the realization dawns on her.

"Dean.." she starts to say before Sam knocks her cold with the gun she had placed on the bed just moments before.

At the sound of his name the elder Winchester turns just in time to see Alex fall to the ground unconscious before feeling the butt of the pistol connect with his skull and everything goes black.


An insistent knocking can be heard as Dean slowly begins to regain consciousness. It takes a moment for things to come back to him. He looks around and finds Alex still unconscious and laying only a few feet away. He crawls over to her and shakes her gently.

"Alex. Alex wake up."

A groan escapes her lips as she slowly starts to come to. The pain in her head from the blow almost makes her vomit when she tries to sit up. Once Dean is satisfied that she is okay he goes to open the door.

"What?" he asks in a groggy voice.

The manager on the other side of the door looks slightly intimidated as he speaks. "It's past checkout, and I've got a couple here needs your room."

Dean looks past him to see an embarrassed businessman with a hooker. "Yeah, I'll bet they do. What time is it?"

"Twelve-thirty. "

Alex slowly picks herself up off of the floor and holds her head as she approaches the door.

"That guy who was with us," she asks, "have you seen him?"

"Yeah, he left before dawn in your car," he says as he points to Dean, "and you should have gone with him, because now I'm going to have to charge you extra."

Alex reaches into her back pocket and pulls out a fifty.

"Here that should do it," she says as she shoves it into his hand. " We'll be gone in ten."

She closes the door and moves to pack her things.

"This is just great," says Dean. "Sam's run off again."

"He not Sam."

Dean is caught off guard by her statement.

"What?"

"He's possessed," she replies as she pushes past him to get a few of her things from the nightstand.

"How can you be so sure?"

"I saw it in his eyes."

"Excuse me?"

Alex stops her packing and lets out a slow breath before turning to face Dean. He's arms are crossed defiantly against his chest as he awaiting her response. She takes another deep breath before she begins. She tells him the same things she once told Sam. Dean stays completely silent as he listens to her talk about her powers, stance slowly relaxing as her words sink in. Once she is done she just waits for Dean to respond.

"Okay great," he says. " So you are some uber psychic, Sam's possessed, and he's taken my baby to God knows where."

"Actually," says Alex. "I know where he's going."

"Oh I guess you saw that too?" Dean asks, voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Actually yes. Now come on. I've got a plan."


The duo storm out of the room a few minutes later. The manager and the 'new guests' are waiting outside. Dean gives them his most charming smile as he tosses the keys to the man in the suit as they pass by.

"Oh no," says Dean once they are outside and he sees what awaits him.

Alex has just finished placing her duffel in a side compartment of her bike when she looks up at Dean.

"What?"

"There is no way in hell that I am riding on the back of that thing."

"Well, you not driving it. So you can hop on or walk. That's up to you," says Alex as she swings her leg over the Harley. She looks back at Dean and raises her eyebrows.

Dean rolls his eyes as he speaks.

"I'm gunna regret this," he says as he secures his bag around his shoulders and hops on behind Alex.


Alex parks the bike near the docs so that it can't be heard from the bar up ahead. She and Dean quickly dismount and make their way towards the bar as silently as possible. Music can be heard playing from the jukebox inside as the pair of hunters look through the window. They can see Jo tied to a pole in the center of the room while "Sam" walks around her with a knife.

"Okay," says Dean as they crouch below the window. "Now what?"

Alex looks around quickly before answering.

"You go through the front and get his attention. I'll come in from the back and surprise him."

Before Dean can say a work Alex is off like a rocket.

"Son of a bitch," he says as he makes his way towards the front door.


The demon wearing Sam's face is shoving a rag into Jo's mouth when the door burst open as Dean charges in with his gun raised.

"Sam!" he yells.

Sam grabs the knife from the pillar. His expression that was so calm before shifts to one of desperate panic as he places the knife at Jo's throat.

"I begged you to stop me, Dean."

"Put the knife down, damn it," says Dean. Come on Alex where are you?


Alex had been waiting in the back for Dean to enter. When she hears him enter through the front door she grabs a glass full of water and quickly blesses it. As Dean continues to distract the demon she does her best to sneak up behind him.

"I told you I can't fight it! My head feels like it's on fire, all right? Dean. Kill me, or I'm going to kill her. Please. You've be doing me a favor! Shoot me."

Dean can see Alex coming up behind Sam and lowers his gun.

"Shoot me!"

Alex is now directly behind the demon. She looks to Dean quickly as she raises the glass in her hand.

"Leave Sam alone you demonic son of a bitch!" she yells as she throws the holy water on him.

A hissing sound can be heard as it hits him. Sam raises his head, his eyes the solid black of a demon's. Dean had been unsure of what Alex had told him until that moment. He reached in his pocket for a flask of holy water as Alex started to recite a ritual from memory. Sam growls and turns towards Alex before she can complete the first sentence. He reaches up and backhands her across the face, sending her to the floor. Dean throws more holy water on him, but instead or restraining him it only outraged him more. He bursts through a window and begins fleeing.

Alex is picking herself up of the floor as Dean calls out to her.

"You take care of Jo. I'll go get Sam."

Dean jumps through the broken window in pursuit of his brother as Alex takes the gag from Jo's mouth.

"Long time no see," says Alex as she works to cut the ropes that bind Jo to the pole.

"Yeah," Jo replies. "Think maybe next time you drop in for a visit it can be when I'm not being held hostage."

Alex chuckles softly. "Sure."

The old friends share a quick smile in greeting, but the smiles quickly fade when they hear the sound of a gun firing in the distance.


Dean follow Sam down onto the docks. The demon is enjoying taunting Dean as they both take cover behind a few of the boats.

"Well, I hope you got your kicks," says Dean. "Because you're gonna pay hell for this, I'm gonna make sure of that."

"How? You can't hurt me. Not without hurting your little brother. See, I think you're gonna die, Dean. You and every other hunter I can find. One look as Sam's dewey, sensitive eyes? They'll let me right in their door."

"I may not be able to hurt you, but Alex can. She's one pretty powerful psychic. Figured you out just by looking you in the eye."

Dean pulls out a second flask of holy water and looks around for signs of his younger brother.

"Oh yes," says demon Sam, "sweet little Alexandra. There's a lot more to her than either you or your brother know."

"Yeah, like what?"

When there is no response Dean looks over his cover to see Sam's shadow move through a door. He quickly follows, gun at the ready. Looking around the corner onto a pier he sees nothing. Slowly, Dean makes his way out into the open to search for Sam. As he looks over the edge the smallest sound can be heard behind him. His eyes go wide as he turns to see Sam with a gun leveled on his chest.

Sam fires a shot into Dean. The older Winchester cries out before falling over the edge. A splash reaches the demon's ears a the hunter hits the water. He slowly walks to the edge and looks over. The waters are calm. There is no sign of the man he intended to kill. A satisfied smirk momentarily appears on his face before he turns and walks off.


Jo and Alex run through the pier looking for any sign of Sam or Dean.

"Dean," shouts Jo over and over.

When there is no response Alex pulls out her cellphone and tries calling him. Only the voicemail answers.

"Shit, he's not answering."

The two girls exchange worried looks and both start shouting the man's name. Alex dial's his number one more time. There is no answer, but they can hear Dean's phone ringing nearby. Jo points the flashlight to the edge of the water and spots the hunter lying unconscious at it's edge.

"Dean! Dean!," she yells as she runs to his side, Alex close behind.

"Take it easy," Alex warns when she notices the wound in his shoulder.

Dean lets out a groan of pain as he tries to sit up.

"Where's Sam?" he asks

"I don't know, we've been looking for you," Jo replies.

"We heard the gun shot and came running," says Alex. "Can you stand?"

Dean nods. She helps him to stand, but he is having a hard time walking. Jo wraps his good arm around her and he leans on her heavily for support. Dean clutches his shoulder as they walk back to the bar.


Dean has a white knuckled grip on the end of the table as Jo digs the bullet out of his left shoulder. A groan of pain escapes his throat.

"Don't be a baby!" says Jo as she continues to work.

"God!"

"Almost. All right, got it. Got it."

Alex looks over at the two and sees Dean taking a few healthy swigs from a bottle of whiskey to dull the pain. She takes the icepack off of the bruise that is rapidly forming on her cheek as she approaches.

"You know I can help you with that," she says.

"For the millionth time no! I'm fine." He looks down at his no bullet free shoulder. "God, you're a butcher."

"You're welcome," Jo replies with a sarcastic smile.

"All right, are we done?"

"Would you give me two minutes to patch you up? You can't help Sam if you're bleeding to death." She continues layering gauze and tape over the wound as she speaks. "This would have been a lot easier if you had let Alex help you ya know?" She pauses momentarily before continuing. "So, how did you know? That he was possessed?"

"I didn't," says Dean. "Alex did."

Jo looks at Alex expectantly. She calmly explains to Jo what she saw when Sam looked her in the eye. Jo chuckles.

"Well," she says. "With everything else I've learned you can do tonight I can't say I'm surprised. You're secret's safe with me. I promise."

"Thanks Jo."

The girls share a sisterly hug as Dean readies himself to go. He grabs the keys to the Impala that Sam left off of the counter. They noticed that Alex's bike was gone as they made their way back to the bar, and Dean couldn't say that he was sorry to be ride of the thing. As far as he was concerned he was never going anywhere in anything other than his car again.

Alex and Jo stop short at the door when they hear Dean's voice.

"You're not coming," he says as he points to Jo.

"The hell I'm not," she replies. "I'm a part of this now."

Dean sighs in frustration as he speaks. "I can't say it more plain than this. You try to follow me and I'll tie you right back to that post and leave you here. This is my fight. I'm not getting your blood on my hands. That's just how it's gonna be."

"Alex is going!"

"It doesn't matter Jo! She's already way to deep into this and I'll be damned if you get dragged into it too!"

He turns to leave but is stopped by the sound of Jo asking him to wait. When he turns around she is holding a pill bottle out to him.

"Here. Take these. Since you won't let Wonder Woman over there help you should help with the pain."

He takes the pill bottle from her hand and says he'll call her as he leaves. Alex gives her a final smile and waives as she follows suit. Jo just stands there and listens as the Impala doors close before they drive away, all the while knowing that he never will call.


Dean is driving like a mad man towards Bobby's house while Alex sits in the passenger seat dialing her phone. The previous attempts had just continued to ring, but this time was different. This time it wouldn't even ring.

"Damn it," cries Alex as she slams the phone closed. "I think he's already there."

Dean looks at her from the corner of his eye before pushing the pedal to the floor and willing the Impala to go faster.


The Impala grinds to a screeching halt as Alex opens the door and races to Bobby's door, Dean hot on her heels. She doesn't even bother to knock as she flies through the front door and causes it to bounce off the wall.

Hearing the commotion, Bobby walks in from the study and sees the two younger hunters.

"Don't you two know how to knock?"

A wave of relief washes over Alex as she runs to hug Bobby.

"Oh thank God," she says. "Bobby it's Sam he's.."

"Possessed," he finishes for her.

Dean looks a little focused and asks him how he knew.

"Ah hell boy, I wasn't born yesterday."

They follow the older hunter into the study and see an unconscious Sam tied to a chair, directly under a devil's trap.

"I was just about to get started when I heard you trying to rip my door off it's hinges."

"Sorry Bobby," Alex says with a sheepish grin.

"Well then it looks like we got here just in time," says Dean.

He begins to smack his younger brother in the face to wake him as Alex goes to Bobby's desk to retrieve a book.

"Hey."

Sam slowly begins to stir and looks up to see the trap on the ceiling above him.

"Dean," says the demon, "back from the dead. Getting to be a regular thing for you, isn't it? Like a cockroach."

Dean looks down into the demon's face. "How about I smack that smartass right out of your mouth?"

"Oh, careful, now," he replies. "Wouldn't want to bruise this fine packaging."

"Oh don't worry, this isn't gonna hurt Sam much." He picks up a bucket from the floor. "You on the other hand..."

Dean tosses a bucket full of holy water on the demon. He begins to sizzle and scream in agony.

"Feel like talking now?"

"Sam's still my meat puppet. I'll make him bite off his tongue. "

"No, you won't be in him long enough. Alex."

She walks up behind him holding the book she retrieved from Bobby's desk and begins to read the Latin ritual of exorcism in a calm measured tone as Dean continues on, leaning down to get in the demon's face.

"See, whatever bitch-boy master plan you demons are cooking up? You're not getting Sam. You understand me? Because I'm gonna kill every one of you first."

The demon struggles painfully for a moment before throwing back his head and laughing. The sound of that evil laugh stops Alex cold.

"You really think that's what this is about? The master plan?" he asks. "I don't give a rat's ass about the master plan."

Alex tries reading the ritual again.

"Oops. Doesn't seem to be working." He turns his head to look at Alex. "Nice try your majesty, but I'm afraid that's not going to be enough. See, I learned a few new tricks."

He lowers his head and begins growling. The fire behind him flares and the room begins to shake. Panic starts to set it as Dean speaks.

"This isn't going like I pictured! What's going on, Alex?"

"I don't know. It's not me."

Bobby moves to Sam's side and discovers a burn mark on his forearm.

"It's a binding link!" he yells to the others over the sound of the room crumbling. "It's like a lock! He's locked himself inside Sam's body!"

"What the hell do we do?" asks Dean.

"I don't know!"

Sam throws back his head and screams as the walls and ceilings begin to crack, breaking the protective circle. His eyes go black as he lowers his head to look at the others.

"There. That's better."

He jerks his head left and sends Bobby into the wall, knocking the man unconscious. He jerks his head right and Dean lands heavily against the far wall. He turns his attention to Alex to do the same. Her eyes go wide in anticipation, but nothing happens. The demon sighs and rips an arm free of the restraints, waiving his hand as he does so. One of the bookshelves behind Alex begins to fall. She tries to jump out of the way but it comes down hard on her legs pinning her to the ground.

"Stupid witch," he says before waking towards Dean. "You know when people want to describe the worse possible thing? They say it's like hell."

Bobby comes to and sees Alex pinned to the floor. He crawls over and starts to help her wiggle loose as the demon begins to beat Dean.

"We've got to break that link," she says softly as she pulls her self from under the shelf.

"How?"

She quickly looks around and sees the fireplace tools. She scrambles over to them and grabs the poke, placing it in the fire. Just hold on Dean. The end begins to glow red before she pulls it from the flames. Bobby, realizing what she intends to do, runs to Sam and grabs his arm as he pulls back to hit Dean again. When the demon turns to see what is happening Alex place the poker directly across the seal on his arm, breaking it.

The demon screams in pain as black smoke billows out of Sam's mouth and up the chimney. Sam falls back, scrabbling and looking around in confusion, grabbing his arm in pain as Dean pulls himself to a sitting position.

"Sammy?" Dean asks.

"Did I miss anything?"

Dean rears back and sends a right-hook to Sam's jaw before rolling his eyes and groaning as he lays back down. Sam grabs his face in confusion and looks to Alex and Bobby for answers.

"Come on," she says with a chuckle as she goes to help Sam up. "Let's get something on that burn."

Bobby helps Dean off the floor.

"Idjit"


Sam sits silently at Bobby's table while Alex gently applies ointment to his burn. He hisses slightly when she begins, but she soothes away the pain and continues. She finishes applying the ointment and places an icepack on his arm for good measure before standing.

"I'm sorry," she hears him softly say. He isn't looking at her, only staring at the center of the table. A gentle smile appears on her face.

"You have nothing to be sorry for."

She brushes back his hair and places a soft his to his head before turning to fix a second icepack. Dean enters with a groan and falls into the chair opposite his younger brother. Alex tosses him the second icepack before leaving the room, listening to the brothers as she goes.

"By the way, you really look like crap, Dean."

"Yeah, right back atcha."

Bobby walks slowly into the room, a look of concern etched on his face. It does not escape the younger Winchester's notice.

"What is it, Bobby?"

"You boys ever hear of a hunter named Steve Wendall?" he asks.

"Why do you ask?" chimes Dean.

"Just heard from a friend. Wendall's dead. Murdered in his own house. You wouldn't know anything about that."

Dean sounds absolute when he speaks.

"No sir, never heard of the guy."

Sam begins to protest, but is stopped when he hears Bobby continue.

"Good. Alex hadn't either. Keep it that way. Wendall's buddies are looking for someone or something to string up, and they're not going to slow down to listen to reason. You understand what I'm saying?"

"Yes sir," Dean says. Sam only nods his confirmation.

Bobby hands each of the boys a small metal charm, telling them it will ward off possession in the future. They thank Bobby for the charms before Sam stands and goes to find Alex. It doesn't take him long. He sees her standing in Bobby's study, placing the books back on the shelves of the case the demon had turned over.

"Hey," he says as he slowly enters the room.

Alex quickly looks up, a smile appearing on her face when she sees the man before her.

"Hi."

"Want some help?"

She nods and continues her work. He bends to pick up one of the books from the floor. As he does so he actually really looks at her for the first time since she helped him off of the floor. She pushes back a curl that has fallen lose from her braid. That's when he sees it. The dark bruise that had formed on her cheek from where he struck her.

"I'm sorry," he says as he stands.

Alex follows suit.

"For what?"

"For this," he says as he reaches out. His thumb gently strokes her cheek. She winces slightly.

"It's not your fault."

"Yes it is. I'm the one who did this."

"No you're not. You were possessed Sam. You had no control over what was happening."

"But I was awake for some of it. Alex… I watched myself hit you. I watched as I tied Jo up. I even saw myself shoot Dean. I tried to stop it. I really did but…"

He was cut short by Alex's fingers on his lips. When he looked into her eyes all he saw staring back was love and compassion.

"You talk too much," she says before standing on her toes to place a tender kiss on his lips.

When she pulls away, she can see a small smile forming on the lips she had just kissed. Sam places a hand on either side of her face and pulls her back in as he bends to meet her. Their lips meet softly at first, but soon it becomes more passionate. His tongue slides along her bottom lip, seeking entrance. Alex glad obliges as she brings her arms up around Sam's neck. His hands leaving her face and gently trail down her back until the come to rest on her hips. Slowly he backs her up against the bookshelf as a thumb slides under her shirt to caress the soft skin there.

The sound of a throat being cleared causes the two to quickly pull apart. They look to the entry way to see Bobby giving them a disapproving stare before shaking his head and walking away. The couple chuckle like teenagers that have just been caught until the hear Dean.

"Hey Sam, come on. It's time to hit the road."

"Just a minute Dean." He turns back to Alex. "I gotta go."

"Take care of yourself Sam Winchester. Here," she says as she unclasps a chain from around her neck.

When Sam looks closer he can see that it is the charm he gave her for Christmas. She holds it out to him.

"Looks like you might need this more than I do," she says.

"No," Sam replies as he places it back around her neck. "I'd rather you keep it. That way I know you're safe."

"What about you?"

"Bobby gave us some charms to ward off possession. I'll be alright."

The curl has come lose from behind her ear again. They can hear Dean bellowing his impatience from the front door. This causes them to chuckle slightly. Sam tucks the curl behind her ear places one last tender kiss on her lips before turning to join his brother. He pauses at the door and turns.

"See you later," he says.

"See ya Sam."

Once she hears the front door close, she goes back to picking up the wayward books from the floor until one of them catches her eye. It lays open on the floor. Something in its Latin text stands out. She picks it up from the floor and begins reading it as best as she can, her eyes going wide as she discovers its contents.

"Bobby," she calls.

"Yeah?"

"Is it alright if I borrow one of your books for a while?"

"Sure. Just make sure you don't lose it. Took me a long time to track some of those down."

"I won't."

A small smile of satisfaction forms on her face as she snaps the book shut. Now we're talkin'.