Dean looked very angry, Sam looked like he wasn't sure where he was. Toby had scrunched himself into a ball next to the closet.

"What's going on?" Sam asked as he looked at both of the small boys.

Michael stood in front of his brother with both his fists raised.

"Don't hurt my brother!" He yelled. "Aunt Anna! It's all my fault I told him to poke him because you said it was okay. I'm sorry." Michael rushed forward and tossed his face in Anna's side.

"Hey, kid it's okay." Anna looked at Dean who was looking slightly apologetic. "It's okay. No one is going to hurt your brother, promise. Dean, Sam, these are my nephews Michael, the protector, and Tobias, the brave." Anna smirked. "Guys, these are my friends Sam and Dean, they are brothers just like you." Dean scowled a little but it quickly softened as he saw Michael wasn't about to back down to him.

"You watching out for your little brother?" He asked as he wiped the sleep out of his eyes with the edge of his shirt.

"Yes, sir." Michael had let his guard down a little but his body was rigid.

"Good, little brothers always need protecting." He stood up and slipped walked to the small bathroom. Anna saw Sam roll his eyes.

"Okay guys I need your help with something." She nodded with wide eyes. " How good are you at hunting monsters?"

"The best." Michael nodded and Anna nodded with a repressed laugh.

"Good, because while I was making breakfast I heard something. There is something in the basement, I heard it snatches up little children that don't listen to their extremely cool aunt and there is only one way to get rid of it."

"How's that?" Michael asked with rapt attention.

"Uh." she paused not really expecting him to want to know. "The secret is, um, oregano? Yeah, you corner it with a wooden spoon and once you find it you have to pour oregano in its eyes. It has three, and it's green with scales, and purple spikes for feet."

"What's oregano?"

"I can show you and I'll get you a couple spoons and you can go fight it with Toby." Anna picked Toby up and held her hand out to Michael.

"But what if it takes us?" Toby asked.

"You listen to me, right?" She checked.

"Yeah."

"Well then he can't get you." She walked down the stairs and grabbed the oregano off the shelf. Anna deposited both of them off in front of the door to the basement. "Have fun scaring monsters." She let out a huff of breath from carrying Toby. She turned around and jumped a foot back. Dean was starring at her with a look of confusion. "Jesus! You are just like your brother! Make some noise while you walk!" She groused as she turned back to the food she had prepared.

"Salt." He stated as he sat down and started loading his plate.

"I'm sorry?"

"It's not oregano, it's salt and it doesn't work on all monsters just ghosts and demons." He took a large bite of pancakes. "And a wooden spoon won't help jack shit. Oh and most monsters don't care if you listen to your Aunt, they still want to kill you, hell sometimes they want to eat you."

"Yeah, because I was really going to tell my eight year old nephew and is four year old little brother that. The oregano monster works just fine thank you." Anna rolled her eyes and smiled at Sam as he walked into the kitchen.

"We are going to head to the police station today to see what we can learn from the crime scene. I know you said you wanted to be a part of this but do you think this is a good one to start with?" Sam asked between sips of coffee.

"No, but I need to do something. I don't have to be there but I am going to help and I am going to kill whatever did this." Anna looked down before glaring at them. "It killed my sisters. It killed my family, they were innocent, those boys in there, they're short a mom and that was the one thing we always promised each other. Our children would never become like us, they would always have a mother."

"Okay." Dean nodded and Anna raised an eyebrow at him.

"Really? Okay, that's it?"

"Yeah, I get it. You need to kill it so let's go find out what we're dealing with." He looked dead serious and Anna stared at him.

It took her a second but before she could analyze it anymore she leaned over and kissed him. He was being nice in a way that didn't make her think he was looking for anything in return. He wasn't smug or condescending, he somehow understood exactly what she was thinking.

"Thank you." She whispered still close to him so their lips almost touched again.

"Before we can go I need to get a new shirt, mine still has blood on it." Dean returned to the group conversation as if nothing happened.

"Go get it, I said I would clean it for you and I will." Anna spoke with half her mouth as she tried to balance a cigarette in between her lips.

Sam and Dean were eating and talking about what it might be based on the information they had. Occasionally they would ask Anna what she had seen, specific details that required her to think very hard about things she wasn't focused on. She was leaning over Dean's white shirt with a toothbrush coated in lemon juice and baking soda trying to get the red stain that Anna wasn't entirely convinced wasn't marinara sauce. They asked her questions like if she remembered the smell of sulfur or if she had seen anything missing from her sister's body.

"You mean aside from her skin!" Anna whispered concerned that the boys would hear. "No, nothing out of the ordinary." She turned back to her work before she picked her head up again. "Out of curiosity, what would smell like sulfur?"

"A demon leaves traces of sulfur when they possess someone." Sam explained.

"Like the Devil? You think the Devil killed my sisters? No offence to my sisters, but isn't that a little below his pay grade?" Anna squinted at the stain because it gave her something to focus on as a coping mechanism.

"Not the Devil. More like an evil son of a bitch from hell. Sometimes they just like to see death." Dean shrugged, business as usual.

"Comforting." Anna nodded. "Well I don't remember any sulfur."

"Could be a witch?" Sam offered and Anna heard Dean groan.

"How would you go about killing a demon?" Anna asked still focused on demons, not entirely sure if she didn't remember sulfur and each time she replayed the scene in her head she remembered it a little differently.

"You can't really kill them but you can send their asses back to hell with an exorcism." Dean shrugged; it was starting to get annoying how calm he was about all of it.

"Like with Latin and holy water?"

"You know that might be the one thing the movies got right." Dean laughed. "Might be a ghost? It would explain why no one saw anything."

"Or it could be that living in a dorm and everyone looks the other way with suspicious activity." Anna shrugged. "Okay, shirt's done. Just give it a minute to dry." She finally looked up.

"Aren't you going to eat anything?" Dean looked down at her nibbled on toast.

"I can't keep anything down right now, besides I already smoked my breakfast." She shook her head slowly.

"Those things will kill you." Dean looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah?" She matched his glare. "Hey, do you think my sister smoked?" Dean opened his mouth but Anna got to him first. "You could die tomorrow Dean, we all could. And if we do I'm going to go out guns blazing, you are going to pitter out like the sad little thing you are, never having experienced all life has to offer."

"I experience everything life has to offer." Dean scoffed.

"I doubt that." She purposely blew smoke in his face. "Don't worry Dean I'm not going to pressure you into anything." She laughed. "But you should at least live with the devil once before you start judging anyone else." She stood up and leaned on the doorframe leading to the basement. "Boys! Stop fighting monsters and bring the oregano back up." She yelled.

Five minutes later Michael and Tobias trudged up the stairs and Toby was shaking his puff of red hair and little green flakes falling out. Michael was holding the empty oregano container.

"Uh Aunt Anna, there was a mistake." Michael started to explain as he handed her the bottle. "Toby was the monster and I got him but oregano doesn't work."

Anna stared at him before looking at Toby.

"Mike, you are supposed to protect your brother from the monsters not turn him into one. Be good to your brother, he's the only one you get."

"I know but -"

"No buts! Apologize to your brother right now."

"Aunt Anna, my hair smells like a pizza." Tobias interrupted with a grin.

"And you pizza boy, don't let your brother pour oregano on your head!" She scolded as she started ruffling his hair, shaking the flakes loose. "What am I going to do with you two? When your father gets here -"

"No, no! Don't tell dad!" Michael waved his hands in front of his face. "I'm sorry you're so slow at playing monsters, Toby. Next time I'll only get you when no one else is home."

"Yep that's healthy." Anna muttered as Dean laughed and raised his hand for a high five. "Don't encourage his behavior." She forced his hand down before Michael could reach up and slap it. "Jesus, is it really three already?" She asked, looking at Dean's watch as she held his wrist. "Your dad is supposed to get home at five and then he has something he needs to tell you."

She didn't want to tell them, she selfishly wanted them to always remember her with happiness not resentment. She still resented the nurse that told her that her mother was dead. She really didn't mind if they resented their father, that seemed normal, but they couldn't resent her. She would never be able to live with herself if they did.

"Okay! Everyone in the car in five minutes or I'm leaving you up here for the boogie man to get you." Anna jolted herself out of her thoughts.

"Yeah Toby! You better hurry, he eats little babies!" Michael chased him into the living room.

"Mom said you weren't allowed to call me that anymore!" Toby called. "I'm not a baby."

Anna turned back to the table.

"This is the whole reason I left." She complained as she picked up the empty plates. "I hate taking care of all of this." She motioned to the kitchen. "I wanted to get rid of this life, these stupid curtains, all these dishes, damnit!" She slapped the rag down onto the counter and shut her eyes just wishing this were all some really bad dream that she could some how wake up from. "I should have just left my jacket in the room."

"What?"

"The only reason I started freaking out about Cassie in the first place was because I found these in your room." She grabbed the drawings out of her back pocket and slammed them on the table. "One of you drew my sisters dorm, or a room that looked like her dorm or whatever, and besides me being furious that one of you went through my things and, I don't know, went all rain man on me I started worrying. So I called and I called and I pestered and I forced Nikki over there and that's why she's dead. So one of you is going to tell me who exactly drew this, why they did it, and then both of you are going to help me get my nephews to their father's house so that he can tell them that their mother is dead!" She shouted the last line before she heard a thud and turned around.

Michael was standing there looing like he was going to cry, the large piece of wood he had picked up to look at dropped to the ground forgotten.

"Mommy's dead?" He whispered before running away.

"Oh fuck." Anna whispered. "Fuck, baby!" She called after him as she ran to the spot under the stairs and curled his feet into his body, hugging his legs close to his chest.

Before she could reach him Toby go their first and Anna could hear Michael's screams.

"Mom's dead Toby! She's dead and I never want to talk to you ever again! I hate you!" He screamed.

"Michael! Hey, kiddo. I'm sorry that's how you found out about that. I should have talked to you. I know it's so hard to hear. I lost my mom when I was little too but you know what made me strong?" Michael shook his head while Anna grabbed Toby's waist and hugged him into her side. "I had my sisters, and you have your brother. With him, you will always have someone to protect you. It's you and him against the world now. You guys, my little men, some day you are going to take on the world together and if you ever need anything I'll be there."

"She's dead, really dead?"

"Yeah." Anna felt more tears prick at her eyes. "Yeah, I'm sorry."

"I said I hated her." Michael whispered.

"Oh, sweetheart, she knew you loved her. And she loved you; she loved both of you so much. And I love you." With every word she spoke her resolve grew; she knew she needed to find whatever did this. "Let's get you two back home, see your dad, because you know who loves you even more than me? Your dad! He's bonkers over you. You are never alone, I promise you are never alone."

Anna loaded the kids into Dean's car before she straightened up.

"How did you know to say any of that?" Dean asked. He looked incredibly uncomfortable in his suit and tie.

"Because when I lost my mom no one was there to say any of that. It was what I needed to hear when I was little. Your tie is a little crooked." She stepped forward and fixed it without looking at him. "So you guys are going to go in there and say that you work for the FBI or whatever and they are just going to believe you?"

"Yes. Why wouldn't they?"

"Because if I had an FBI agent come to my door looking like you I would definitely question it."

"Why's that."

"Because, when you want to, you look good enough to eat." Anna pulled him closer. She kissed him again and somewhere in the back of her brain she knew it was fatigue pushing her to act like this, to overcompensate for the emotions she wasn't letting herself feel. "So when you are done with playing dress up, how about I undress you." Her hand ran up the lapel of his jacket.

"I might let you do that." Dean smirked.

"Oh yeah." Anna nodded her head in a sarcastic manner. "You promise?"

"Ah, I can't make any promises."

"Oh no? Well we will just have to see about that." Anna turned back around and was about to climb in the back with her nephews.

"What if I let you take my car?" Dean called to her back causing her to spin around to face him, he was holding up the keys around is finger. The ring of tape labeled with 'hot chick' caught her eyes.

"Why would you let me do that?" She narrowed her eyes as she walked towards him.

"Because you have the kids and the Camino doesn't have a backseat and I'm in a generous mood." He cocked his head to the side. "It's a one time offer, take it or get them out of my car. Can't take kids to the police station."

"You just wanna ride my baby again." She smirked as she grabbed the key of his finger. "You liked it and you wanna try it again. Like a junkie." She nodded slowly as she handed him her own keys. "This is a one time deal, I'm not going to be your dealer. I'll see you back here tonight." Anna turned to Sam and fixed his collar. "I know it's technically your day to play Dad but be safe okay?"

"It's a police station not a warzone."

"Have you ever dealt with redneck policemen? It's pretty much the same thing." She chuckled.

Hey when you get back you should catch a nap or eat something. I know things are stressful but it's not going to help if you try and kill yourself over this." Sam nudged her a little.

"I'll sleep when I'm tired and I'll eat when I'm hungry. Don't worry about me; I haven't had a good night's sleep in over ten years. I'll be okay. I'll probably pick up a burger or something on my way home." She lied knowing that she probably wouldn't get anything, anything she even thought about eating made her want to be sick.

"Okay. I guess I'll see you tonight then." He looked like he wanted to say more but didn't as he turned away.

"Sam, you know you protect your brother just as much as he protects you. It's you and him against the world." She looked at Dean as he made himself comfortable in her car. "I didn't say those things to my nephews because they make good greeting cards. Please be careful and don't die, your brother needs you."

"The anniversary of my mother's death is in a couple weeks." That wasn't what he had wanted to tell her she could sense that he was keeping something from her.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I mean I can't really remember her or anything but still." He shrugged.

"No, it's a big deal. Do you usually do something for her anniversary?"

"No I haven't thought about her in years really but this one I can't get out of my mind." Sam walked closer to her. "I, um, I wanted to tell you it was -" He was cut off by Dean sounding the horn in her car.

"Jesus, Dean! Three seconds!" She yelled. "Sorry, you were saying something?"

"Nothing, it's nothing." He waved his hand to forget it and walked away.

"Okay, I'll be here if you want to tell me what exactly nothing is." Anna rolled her eyes and got in the car.

They drove silently to their house and Anna saw Michael's silver Maserati in the driveway.

"Okay boys. Here's the deal, we are going to go in there with strength. Your Daddy is going to need you, both of you to be strong. I'll be there with you the whole time." She helped them out of the car and into the house. "Mike! I saw the car outside, it's Anna, and I have the boys." She called before she entered the living room. Michael Senior was sitting on the couch with an open bottle of Johnny Walker and a glass next to him. His eyes were rimmed with red, he had been crying. "Oh Mike." She whispered. "Go give your father a hug." She nudged the boys and for a second they wouldn't budge. "He needs you." Slowly they moved closer to their father and he scooped them into a bone-crushing hug. Anna watched the scene and frowned to keep a strong face.

"Anna I need to talk to you for a minute." He declared with a pointed look.

"Yeah, okay." She nodded and walked with him over to his office, waiting for him to shut the door.

"Thank you for taking care of my kids. When the police called, I tried to get on the earliest flight back but there weren't any flights out of Minneapolis and renting a car was going to take even longer. I'm just so thankful you were here."

"It's okay. I'm sorry." Anna ran her hand over his shoulder.

"She was a good woman. I'm sorry about your sisters, it must have been awful finding them. I'm sorry about Cassandra, I loved her she was my sister too."

"It's, it's okay you know." Anna shrugged; the strength she thought she had was waning. "She was an amazing sister and she had so much love in her and if there is a God up there I know she's with him now." Tears ran down her cheek and she felt Mike push them away with his thumb.

She wasn't sure when he had moved so close to her but as soon as she noticed she took a step back.

"It's okay. I know Nicole was having an affair with Tobias' teacher. I accepted her and I loved her anyways." He took another step towards her.

"Nikki loved her family, she loved you, and she wouldn't betray you." Anna shook her head and took another step back accidentally knocking into his desk.

"Really? Then why did she have three parent teacher conferences in the past week?"

"I don't know but there has to be some other explanation she wouldn't have done that to you and I can't do that to her. I can't do this." She pushed at her hands to move him away as she wiggled to the side. "I'm sorry for your loss, I will miss Nicole every day I live." Anna rushed out to the house after a quick goodbye to Toby and Michael.

She drove back to the cabin and waited. Her hands shook as she looked for things to do. She made the beds, she showered and changed clothes, she washed every dish in the house twice, she put Sam and Dean's clothes in the wash and picked out the ones with blood stains to wash by hand, she had almost forced herself into the back bedroom, her hand was on the nob when she heard the front door open.

"Oh thank God y'all are back." She muttered, rushing towards the living room. "I was about to go stir crazy just sitting here, next time I go with you I don't care how you have to do it but you take me with you. I, I mean I know I don't know anything about this I know you guys are basically taking me along so that I don't kill anyone on accident, but I just need to do something more than Suzy homemaker." She pulled Sam into a hug as she looked at Dean. "What did you find out?"

"It's not good." Dean shook his head softly as he loosened his tie.

"Is it ever?"