Ambush

Lincoln, Nebraska

Another distraction just when she was so close to finding the demon. Jaden made a face hating the sewers and the stench of waste. It was a wonder the city didn't stink like this 24/7 or maybe the streets did but they'd been living with it so long no one noticed anymore. What did it matter anyway? She was stuck in the damn sewers chasing a shifter and all because she 'happened' to 'run into' it.

"My ass." She muttered carefully making her way through the sludge. She really didn't want to get her boots wet because then they'd have to go in the trash and she really liked her current pair. Just then a scuttling rat came out of a dark corner with a couple of his little disease infested friends. They went right over her boot. Jaden bit off the squeak of alarm and grimaced.

"It couldn't get any worse." She grumbled shaking her foot to get rid of the trash left behind by the little beast. "Oh no." Jaden sighed and almost reclined on the sewer wall before remembering she was in the sewers. "What? Just how worse is this going to get?" she asked looking up because it always happened. It was the reason she never said 'never'. It never failed to come back and bite her in the ass.

Jaden hated the sewers, hated the stench, hated the rats she hated the damn shifter for making her come after it in the first place.

"You're one dead son of a bitch." Jaden muttered as she trudged through the smelly tunnel.

The Hyperion…

The sun was setting, casting the sky in deep reds and purple. He could remember sitting on the same window, his Mom in the corner and just staring at the sky until the stars came out. Only weekends because she didn't want him cranky in the morning. A cranky kid was not nice to teachers and his Mom didn't like getting notes sent home. Not the bad notes, anyway.

The door opened, it barely made a sound but Sebastián had become adept at listening to his surroundings. Living with the Hell'sAngel's the last two years and in the Hyperion with a vampire for almost three years now, listening and being prepared sort of became second nature.

His Mom had gotten rid of the carpet before moving in. The hardwood floors were stained a rich brown and echoed his brother's footsteps.

Brother.

Sebastián clenched his jaw, anger flushing his cheeks a soft pink. He'd always wanted to have a brother, someone to play with. Of course, for him it couldn't be normal. His brother would have to grow up in some alternate dimension and end up being older, all perfect and wonderful.

Jericho was a Guardian. He had some big grand destiny ahead of him.

And Sebastián?

He was just an ordinary teenager who'd practically grown up without his Mother. He wasn't all powerful, he couldn't heal anyone and he certainly couldn't make fire out of thin air like the twins or even his Mom could do. So no, why would Sebastián have a hard time accepting a brother?

'Why would Mom come back for me?'

"She did." Jericho said to his back.

"Don't!" Sebastián snapped turning around and glaring. "Don't ever go in my head again!"

"She left Hêl'ia for you." Jericho insisted. He ignored the rising flush of anger in his brother and took a seat at the kitchen table. He remembered sitting there with his Father not so long ago. It was a conversation no son should have to have with his Father, at least not a normal one...

"Mom left us for you. She said you needed her more than we did. She left us, Sebastián." And Jericho didn't blame her, he couldn't deny the stab of jealousy but he understood her reasons. They were full grown, had responsibilities to fulfill and a lot more to learn before they were ready to join the war.

Sebastián?

He was a kid, still had a lot of growing up to do and she was right. He needed her more…

"Well she's not here is she?" Sebastián demanded. "You took her again-."

"I did not take our Mother. The Lady Nisha took her and so far Valkyrie and I have been the one's trying to bring her back here." Jericho corrected. "For you."

"My Mom would still be here if it weren't for you! Your Dad kept her away. He fucked up, did something that pissed her off so she stayed at the office all the time when she could've been here. She didn't want him around and he didn't leave!"

There was no denying Sebastián was right. Jericho had no words to explain away what happened nor did he want to. It was done and there was no changing the past, all he could do was try and make sure what happened in the future benefited them.

"You can keep blaming us." Jericho agreed still sitting calmly in the kitchen. He could see it angered his brother but anything he did would piss him off. There was too much simmering inside him, too much he wouldn't say. "It's not going to help us find Mom or bring her home. Now we need your help."

"Bull shit." Sebastián walked past intent on shutting himself away in his bedroom. He refused to stand there and listen to some fairy tale. "A otro con el cuento de hadas."

"No es cuento." Jericho said turning in his seat. "We got caught."

Sebastián stopped in his door way. He'd heard Valkyrie, knew the twins were sending Mom the runes hoping that would help her break out of wherever the Od VaiLumen had her caged. Now that they'd been caught… what was going to happen?

"We managed to send the third rune." Jericho winced remembering the stinging burn on his hands. "Kinda got a slap on the hand for our meddling."

"So…" Sebastián crossed his arms and faced his brother. He couldn't help seeing so much of Ryan in the face staring at him. Valkyrie looked more like their Mother even if she had Ryan's eyes. It was weird; to see his Mom's eyes staring back at him from Jericho's face.

"It's up to you now. You're the hero-."

"Don't fuck around with me." Sebastián dropped his arms and stepped away from the door frame. "You got Mom for what, eighteen maybe twenty years?" he asked taking a good look at his brother. "I had Mom for eight." He raised both hands and held up his fingers. "Eight years, Jericho. So don't."

"You're all she talked about." Jericho said quietly. He was smart enough to refrain from correcting the misconception of time. Both Valkyrie and he had spent more than twenty years with their Mother, more than even the vampire could expect to see. Jericho shook his head and Bastián noticed the slump of his brother's shoulders. "Whenever we asked her to tell us about Earth, living here in Los Angeles, at the Hyperion… The first name past her lips was yours and then… She'd tell us how you guys got to the Hyperion."

Sebastián stood quietly by the kitchen counter, his brother's words repeating in his head. He'd just assumed the twins had it better, they got her didn't they?

"She didn't even tell you about us." Jericho said clearly trying not to let the anger he felt at being hidden by his own Mother color his words. "Because she didn't want you to feel like this." he waved a hand in Sebastián's direction, shook his head at the stubborn set of the shoulders and face. It was clear they were all hers to anyone who bothered to look. She didn't even get the chance to see them all together, her kids.

"What do I do?" Sebastián straightened, determination radiating from his body.

In the Lincoln Sewers….

"You're sure." Sam repeated.

"You can ask it when we catch up, alright." Dean snapped over his shoulder. He continued through the tunnel the silence making him uncomfortable. A minute later he couldn't let the silence drag. "I been thinking." Dean started as they walked beneath another manhole. "I say it's been about three months since that waste of time in the Catskills."

Sam rolled his eyes choosing to ignore his brother. Arguing with Dean was tedious and unproductive and most of the time pointless because Dean rarely changed his mind about things.

"Wasn't it about two weeks after that, we ran into Jaden?" Dean asked.

"You mean, she soaked you with holy water." Sam corrected watching Dean turn around and glare. "Wasn't there some bruising…" Sam just stared back, a passive look on his face though he really felt like teasing his big brother. It was a rare turn of events and not taking advantage of the situation, well… it had to mean Sammy was being 'big' about it.

Didn't it?

"No." Dean replied then continued walking down the sewer. Sam followed, his eyes shifting along the curved walls and peering into darkened corners. He couldn't help but think of how much had happened. It didn't feel like three months to him, time had seemed to go much faster, as if they'd lived Dean's entire year…

"Right, it was spilled beer then." Sam couldn't resist the dig. "And she punched you."

"Real funny huh?" Dean agreed. "'Bout as funny as thinking you're gay. Though I kinda see where she got the idea."

"You're the one she thought was gay." Sam retorted belatedly realizing they were falling back into the childish bickering he'd hoped to have outgrown.

"I know she doesn't think I'm gay because I spent a night in Kentucky demonstrating how-."

"God no, I don't need to know the details, Dean." Sam exclaimed and yet again the image of his big brother with the two blonds in the hotel when-. "I'm permanently scarred." He murmured. He heard Dean chuckle and though he was annoyed with him it felt good to hear his brother laugh.

'There's still time.' Sam thought feeling a little bit relieved. It wasn't a lot of time but they still had it and as long as Dean kept his focus on the deal they could find a way out of it. They had to because Sam wasn't ready to let him go.

The Hyperion…

Sebastián lay on his bed glaring at the ceiling. He'd believed them or rather he believed Jericho when he said they needed his help to get their Mom back. He couldn't help gloating a little knowing they'd gotten caught. They were supposed to be all powerful beings and they go and get caught like ordinary, non-powerful, just regular people- thieves really. Didn't they get caught all the time? Well, that's exactly what the twins did. They got caught, just like thieves.

Two days. That's how long he'd been waiting around for the twins to get back and show him how to send the rune. His Mother's book lay open on his nightstand, the words pretty much burned into his brain.

He remembered the night she gave him his rune. He'd asked her for one, to be like her in a way but it hadn't happened. Sebastián couldn't make fire; he didn't turn into a fish- now that was cool. The way her fingers had elongated and the fine webbing with her skin glittering- but the coolest thing were the gills on the side of her neck. She could breathe under water…

Sebastián didn't know why it didn't work the same way for him and though he could ask the twins he'd rather not let them know how much he wished he'd been just a little more like them.

'Maybe Mom would've been around more, maybe she'd of taken me too…'

Maybes wouldn't help them find her. It wasn't going to tell them what the Od VaiLumen had done to his Mom.

Sebastián kept imagining what it would've been like; if he'd been just a little bigger, a little bit stronger, older… He would've been out there with them, with his Mom, Angel and the others. He imagined himself helping them, saving Wes, some how finding a way to bring back Fred… It wasn't fair.

All good people die…

His Mom said that, so did his Grandfather but those were just words. Wasn't everything just words?

"Bastián. Bastián."

He frowned, felt the insistent tug on his shoulder and finally jerked into a sitting position on his bed. He blinked blearily until Valkyrie's face came into focus.

"You sleep like the dead, brother." She smiled. Glancing past her Sebastián could see Jericho sitting Indian style on the carpet. There was a silver plate in front of him emitting a thin plume of smoke. A light sheen of perspiration coated his brother's face and bare arms.

"Come on." Valkyrie tugged on his arm. "We have to get this done before we're missed."

"Why?" Sebastián asked moving to sit beside them. Jericho still didn't open his eyes or give any indication he knew they were sitting on either side of him.

"I think- well I'm sure we're grounded." Valkyrie said then smiled completely carefree.

"Who grounded you guys?" he wondered because weren't they too old for that? Then again they lived by different rules so what the hell did he know.

"Valkyrie…"

"No more small talk, Sebastián." Valkyrie replied seeing the tightening of Jericho's lips and the flush of his skin. "Pay attention because you have to do this exactly how I say."

"Ok." Bastián nodded drawing in a deep breath. "I'm good. Let's do this."

In the Lincoln Sewers….

"Dead s.o.b." Jaden muttered ducking into an obstructed tunnel. She'd found pieces of the shifters previous disguise a mile back, now she could smell it even through all the sewer stench.

Jaden was careful to keep quiet not sure where the shifter would come out, assuming it was still there and not out looking for another face it wanted to wear. The shotgun, a Krieghoff model the guys had forced on her, was loaded and ready to go. She hadn't wanted to carry a shotgun but it was true that in some situations a bigger bang really helped.

'Could've gotten one of those Elephant guns they use in safari's…' Jaden mused. That would really have gotten Jack and Garth wondering about her mental stability not that they didn't wonder about it even now.

The whole demons are real and so is every other thing you thought was all some scary tale to pass the time tended to do that to people.

"Pay attention, J." she muttered looking up at the pipes leaking overhead and at the junk the shifter had managed to collect. She wondered how long it had been living in the Lincoln sewers. Then again people hadn't noticed it-.

"Aah!" Jaden flinched at the same time squeezing the trigger. The loud report reverberated in the sewer but most importantly, Jaden missed the shifter. It ducked away coming up on her left. Raising the shotgun Jaden fired again but the shifter shoved the barrel at the ceiling. Somewhere a pipe burst and water poured out, she felt drops of it hit her face. The shifter took the shotgun, yanked it from her hands and her along with it. Jaden felt her face sting, eyes focused on the rusted metal and grabbing at the bars pulled herself to her feet. She turned swinging the metal but the shifter ducked.

It had her shotgun and all she could do was swing the stupid rusted bar so it didn't get a shot at her.

Jaden was pissed.

She swung again connecting with her shotgun as the shifter raised it to block. It kicked her, harder than she'd expected and ended up in a pile of junk.

Jaden clutched at her stomach feeling sick but then the shifter raised her shotgun. Without thinking Jaden tossed herself behind the pile of junk not knowing if it would offer protection. Luckily there were pieces of metal and wood, the pellets sunk into that with a loud bang.

"Krap." Jaden grunted as a sharp pain radiated from her stomach but she forced herself up and around the barrier. It had one more shot which it took as she ducked behind a metal pillar.

"You're fucking dead!" Jaden promised as she came out. The shifter pulled on the trigger again but the chamber was empty. Taking her opportunity Jaden went in with a quick jab and followed with an elbow strike. It stumbled back, the shotgun clattering to the wet cement floor.

Jaden kicked, aimed for his sack absently wondering if it would have one but the shifter turned, brought its leg up and blocked her kick with a bent knee. She countered with a punch that slid off the peeling face.

"Gross- ugh!" Jaden gripped at the wrists and tried to pull the hands away from her throat. Her feet slid on the wet floor as the shifter shoved her back against the metal pillar. It grinned, pointed teeth and foul breath washing over Jaden who couldn't break its hold. She was wishing for her knife, hoping the shifter was just as stupid as the demon in Elyria only it wasn't bragging.

"PHADE!"

Jaden's brow furrowed in annoyance at the name. Why? If this was the end why was she hearing that? Was God just getting in one last dig before she bit the big one? She always assumed He was a sadist, this only confirmed that.

'Pissed off, I'm fucking ready to kill this bitch.' Jaden ranted. She brought her leg up, knee jabbing at the shifter's chest, the hands loosened but not enough.

A loud boom echoed and then she was on the floor gasping for breath. Water soaked through her jacket, soaked her denim clad ass but she ignored it.

The shifter.

Jaden half sat up reaching into her boot for the small Browning Baby vest pocket pistol she'd strapped to her calf. It had been a snug fit but worth the discomfort. She emptied the clip into the shifters back, a cluster of red dots all centered in what would have been the bulls eye on any target.

The shifter stumbled but didn't fall; it didn't stop trying to get away. Jaden reached to her back hoping the Colt wasn't wet. She drew it, a part of her relishing the fancy engraving on the steel, the ivory handle inlays she'd admired in the store window. It had cost a small fortune but like most of her pieces, they were something a collector would have…

"Get down!" the order was followed by another bang that echoed in the chamber along with the sound of her gun firing. This time the shifter keeled over, face first into the water still pouring out of the busted pipe. Jaden looked up; gun still clutched in both hands with water soaking past the denim into her underwear and glared.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she managed not to croak the words out.

"Thank you would be nice." Dean snapped glaring back at her as Sam pulled her up.

"Oh right because you got here in time to clean up the mess." Jaden retorted. "Thanks." She glared, yanked her arm away from Sam almost aiming the colt. Hesitation. She didn't know why she kept hesitating to put a bullet in the brothers.

'You're lying. You know why even if you're not sure how you know. Its those dreams or visions, whatever you want to call them.'

"He was going to snap your neck!" Dean exclaimed having watched the shifter slam her into the metal pillar. It held her pinned, her feet dangling while Sam had tried to get the grate open. Had it not been for Dean and his shotgun she would've been dead instead of arguing with them.

"Not fucking likely." Jaden threw over her shoulder. She could've said she had everything under control, argued they came in before she'd had a chance to- to-. Jaden grabbed her duffel from the pool of water it had landed in and hoped nothing was too wet ignoring thoughts of her close encounter with death by shifter. She wanted to ignore the little voice in her head telling her there was more to her hesitation but it was difficult when you couldn't tell it to shut up or make it.

"Alright." Sam ordered glaring at his brother then at Jaden. "That's enough."

Jaden turned around, the colt slightly rising as she faced the brothers.

"Excuse me?" the words formed a question but her tone didn't. "I seem to remember a conversation not too long ago- a couple of days really- in which I clearly said 'Don't follow me' and what would happen if you did. Now, you must like the idea of being someone's bitch in prison-."

"We weren't following you, Phade." as soon as the name slipped past his lips Sam knew it was a mistake.

"Leave me the fuck alone." Jaden ordered taking the lighter fluid from the duffel and pouring it out on the dead shifter.

"This is ridiculous!" Sam exclaimed more bothered by her reaction to him. He watched her take the silver lighter from the pocket of her skirt. She touched the flame to another squirt of lighter fluid then the shifter was a flaming pyre. "Ph- Jaden, I'm not evil!"

She ignored his protestations of innocence walking out of the chamber and back into the sewer.

"We didn't open the gate, Jaden." Dean called to her back. He glanced at Sam quickly heading out after her.

Frustration filled Sam but he went after Dean. Something was wrong with her because the woman in Los Angeles hadn't been- what, mean?

Yeah, that was the nice way of saying Jaden had been down right rude and nasty towards him. Just thinking about their last encounter brought phantom pains to his nads. Why was she so different towards him? Last year she'd been helpful, sweet- nicer to him than she'd been to Dean. Now… well, it seemed she was nicer to Dean and Sam didn't want to admit he was jealous about that.

Why didn't she like him anymore?

"Tell your fairy tale to some idiot." Jaden's voice echoed along the tunnel. Sam could see Dean standing with her both under a manhole.

"We're not evil!" Dean insisted again but Jaden wasn't having it. She reached to the ladder intent on climbing when Dean grabbed her arm to stop her.

"No-." Sam hurried towards them but Jaden already had her gun aimed at Dean's head. "We're not going to hurt you." Dean repeated, both hands raised and held away from her.

"I'm real tired of running into you." Jaden sighed glancing at Sam who stopped at Dean's side. "Tired of the same old story so I figure there's only one thing to do."

Dean got a bad feeling in his gut, the one usually reserved for imminent death and the lack of emotion in Jaden's face doubled the feeling. He opened his mouth hoping that his brain would spout out something that would keep him alive, at least until his contract came due when Jaden pulled the trigger.

Dean flinched, his shoulders hunched while Sam felt the blood drain from his brain to leave him lightheaded.

"Damn." Jaden murmured. "Empty." She knew it was, knew all her bullets were in the shifter's back. That realization hit the Winchester's a second later and it pissed off Dean.

"This time." The warning was clear. Jaden reached up to the ladder, hand grasping at the metal.

"You're one stubborn-." Dean snarled. "What the hell is it gonna take for you to believe us?" he demanded putting his hand on the bar over her head.

"You're fresh out of miracles but being dead you'll probably pull another one out of your ass." Jaden snapped turning back to Dean. Twins looks of surprise crossed their faces because as far as they knew the FBI hadn't released the names of the dead, at least not theirs. That left the question of how she knew they were reported dead.

"What?" they asked in unison.

"Don't play dumb." Jaden snapped. "I know you faked your deaths, Dean twice so there's no one on your ass but I guarantee that will change-." Jaden promised and all she had to do was get to the street and make one phone call.

'Timmy's gonna owe me huge for this one.' Jaden thought though the idea of turning in the

Winchester's wasn't sitting so well with her. She rubbed at her stomach again feeling another flare of pain.

"We're not following you." Sam reiterated though he doubted it would do any good. They already knew she was stubborn and telling her they were innocent until they were blue in the face wasn't going to change her mind.

"I know." Sam acknowledged seeing the look on her face. "It looks-we're not. If you could just remember last year you'd know I'm not lying. Ph-Jaden, you helped me-."

"Bull shit!" Jaden cut in. "I've been out of LA the past-." She bit her lip and took a step back, putting more space between herself and the evil psycho. "This isn't getting me to forget dropping anonymous tips on two presumed dead psychos." She warned. Jaden resolutely started to climb the ladder ignoring the whispered bickering below. They were lying. They had to be lying and as long as she kept telling herself that, calling Tim with the tip wouldn't fill her with gut wrenching guilt.

Jaden grimaced as the pain in her stomach increased. Getting kicked in the stomach hadn't felt like that, at least not before so what the hell was so different?

"Dammit we're telling the truth!" Dean yelled. Ignoring the stabs of pain and Dean's protest Jaden grunted trying to shove the grate aside so she could get out.

"J!" Dean called again but he didn't wait for an answer he knew wasn't coming. Instead he started up the ladder with Sam warning him to just leave her alone.

Jaden felt the vibrations on the metal rungs as he came up. He had to squeeze in because of her duffle but he managed to get in almost facing her.

"Leave me alone." Jaden snapped trying to ignore Dean and the insistent pains in her gut.

"Don't you listen?" Dean snapped.

"Do you?" Jaden demanded dropping her arm so she could glare at him without obstruction.

"Yeah, when people are making sense." Dean replied reaching up to shove at the grate.

"I don't need help!" Jaden protested reaching up to move the grate herself knowing it was just a little too heavy.

"Would you quit being stubborn!" Dean demanded as the metal grated on the asphalt over their heads.

"Would you leave me alone?" Jaden returned hating that he managed to lift it up while she'd had to struggle.

"Why's it so hard to believe I'm telling the truth?" Dean asked dropping his arms and leaving it half over them.

A thin shaft of moonlight fell across Dean; it brought the sharp planes of his face into stark contrast. Jaden couldn't help remembering Kentucky, remember how he'd looked at her, the green of his eyes so dark and he was looking at her again, staring…

The little manhole still seemed too big for Dean. He didn't feel they were close enough, he could reach up, trace his fingers along her jaw the way he'd done in Kentucky, slip his hand in the inky tresses and pull her lips to his and it still wouldn't be close enough for Dean.

Jaden's arms shot up, her fingers gripped the edge of the metal and pushed because where she found herself it was suddenly very suffocating. The grate moved slowly but the hole was big enough for her to squeeze through and that's exactly what she did. She'd never wanted to get away from anyone as badly as she wanted to put miles between her and Dean. Anywhere so long as it wasn't there was good enough for her.

She felt his hand grab at her leg but she wiggled out of his hold shoving a booted foot down until he let go.

'You know he's not lying. You know…'

Like hell she did. All Jaden knew is that she was having funky dreams that involved the green eyed nuisance on her ass. Now that, she could blame on Kentucky but the other one?

"Son of a …" Dean grabbed at his face quickly reaching for the rung in front of him as he started to fall back.

"Dean?" Sam called. For answer the grate was shoved completely out of the way.

Dean pulled himself out of the sewer absently relishing the clean air as he spotted Jaden.

"I'm telling the truth." He called to her back.

Jaden turned around and walked backwards heading towards the street and lights and people. The urge to get away from Dean was very strong and there he was, following her.

"I know. Tell the fairy tale somewhere else." Dean repeated throwing his arms up in exasperation.

"Don't forget to leave me alone." Jaden reminded him. She stumbled on a crack in the alley and caught herself before she landed on her ass. Straightening she found Dean in front of her and not a couple of feet away as he'd been a second before.

"Alright." He sighed. "I'm just trying to help, J." he looked at her, green eyes just a little softer. "Something happened to you…"

She couldn't deny there was sincerity to his words, the look in his eyes…

"Something's gonna happen to you if you keep…" Jaden trailed off. He really believed there was something wrong with her.

"Can we give you a ride?" Sam asked coming up behind Dean. It snapped Jaden out of the little fog of fantasy she'd let Dean weave around her.

"I got a sign on my forehead that says I'm stupid?" she demanded glaring at the evil psycho.

"Jaden-."

"Why the hell would I get in a car with you?" Jaden demanded of Sam. She didn't dare look at Dean or even listen to him because he just sounded so… She didn't want to believe him.

"He's not evil." Dean ground past his clenched jaw.

"Sure as hell acts like it." Jaden snapped. The Winchester's knew she was referring to Ruby and having no clue as to where the demon was they could only ask Jaden about that night. "You can't be that stupid." Jaden shook her head, disgusted with Dean's blinders. She turned and headed down another side alley, Dean a couple of steps behind her.

"Jaden!" he called knowing he had to tell her more about Los Angeles and not wanting to. He didn't want to tell her she had a husband and kid waiting for her back at that fancy hotel. For once in his life he was going to tell the truth no matter how much it was killing him to do it. "You need to know abo- ah!" Dean jerked away from the sudden snarling fangs. He automatically reached for his gun only to stumble under the weight of Jaden's mutt as he pawed at Dean's chest. "Dammit- ugh." Dean wiped at his mouth suddenly free and full of doggie slobber.

Sam came up watching alongside Dean as Roque bumped and nudged Jaden in greeting, his tail wagging frantically.

"I'm fine." Jaden laughed dropping the duffel and kneeling. She grabbed Roque's ears and held his head still staring into his eyes. Plenty of people had told her it wasn't a good idea to do that. They said dogs took it as a challenge, that they would turn on you but Jaden didn't listen. They were stupid and afraid and what the hell would they know about her dog? They had no idea how special Roque was.

RJ had given him to her, said she needed to have some back up on her 'trips' and if she wasn't going to let Tim or Tomás or anyone else tag along then he'd settled for Roque.

"Scared him didn't ya?" Jaden grinned ignoring the protest from Dean. "Good boy." She cooed pulling on the gray ears. Roque barked clearly pleased she was happy with his sneak tactics. His tongue darted past too fast for Jaden to avoid as she usually did. "Ugh, no!"

Roque barked again and bounded over to Dean who chuckled watching as Jaden wiped her face.

Jaden stood, a frown on her face as she watched Roque bump Dean's leg then run to her again. He did it twice before she called him to attention. He whined clearly playing up the puppy eyes. He stood on his hind legs and pawed at her almost as tall as she was.

Dean watched her loop her arm around Roque's neck and bump his head with hers. She was attached to the mutt and noticed the gray eyes staring at him, tongue hanging out.

"Thought we were cool." Dean grouched. Roque gave another bark and broke free of Jaden to paw at him.

"I don't know what you see in that one." Jaden grumbled. She grabbed her duffle from the ground and opened the trunk. She set the wet bag inside wincing as another pain flared in her stomach. "So," she turned, one hand closing the trunk, one hand absently rubbing at the tender spot. "Safe to say we won't be running into each other again."

'You're letting them go? Why am I not surprised…'

She told herself she wasn't letting them go, that she still needed them to find the demon and get her friend. That was the only reason she wasn't picking up the phone and dialing Timmy.

'He hates when you call him that.'

Jaden grimaced.

"Jaden there's-."

"We won't follow you." Sam cut in. Dean glared at him, the look not missed by Jaden. She didn't like their answer but she still had the option of that one call which apparently she was putting off.

"Just don't get in my way." Jaden warned turning away from them. Dean shifted, his eyes wandering over the Mustang.

"How long have you had this?" he asked to her back. Jaden stopped, one hand on the open door letting Roque climb in. Distrust was evident in the wary look she gave them.

"For a while." Was her reply, Dean nodded and watched her get in. The engine purred to life and a moment later Jaden pulled into the street.
"What was that?" Sam hissed watching the tail lights disappear around the corner.

"You don't remember?" Dean shook his head, disappointed with his little brother's lack of attention. "It's the same car she was driving in Monte Rio. Demon worshipping KKK, Monte Rio." He reminded.

"Oh." Sam replied walking alongside Dean back to where they'd parked the Impala, surprisingly only a few blocks from where they came out.

"Can we give you a ride?" Dean echoed. "What the hell was that?"

Sam opened his mouth to reply but he couldn't decide what to say. Words were failing him as he realized how like a pick up line that had sounded.

"You think she'll turn us in?" Sam asked instead. He was more than a little worried about her threats.

"No." Dean answered. He didn't hesitate and if Sam had asked how he knew Jaden wouldn't make an anonymous call he wouldn't have been able to explain it.

"She still doesn't believe us." Sam stated, exasperation and annoyance colored his words. Dean looked over his shoulder towards the street where he could hear the slow eddy of traffic.

"I think she does." He murmured.

The Hyperion…

Sebastían watched Valkyrie mold the silver chain just like his Mom had done more than two years ago. The only difference was Valkyrie waved her fingers over the chain and it settled into the pattern. His Mom hadn't been able to do that; she still wouldn't be able to do it now because she wasn't a Metal Fury like his sister.

The silver chain fizzled, turned black and let out a little burst of bright light. When the sparks cleared from his sight Sebastían could see the perfectly shaped Healing Rune shimmering black on the silver platter in front of him.

"Cool. So you're sure this is going to work?" he asked yet again.

"It's going to work." Valkyrie gritted her teeth trying to keep patience with her brother. Glancing at Jericho she couldn't help noticing how alike they were.

They both tried her patience.

"Found her." Jericho's eyes snapped open. Sebastían jerked away, surprised by the black shimmer and lack of- well- normal eyes.

"Put your hands over the Rune." Valkyrie ordered settling across from him. Bastían did as he was told and tried to breathe deeply all the while watching the twins.

With a nod the twins placed their index fingers on Sebastían's hands.

"Say the words and don't stop until you're done, no matter what." Valkyrie ordered. The look on her face was so like their Mom's Bastían didn't even question her bossy tone.

"You're going to feel different, don't be scared." Jericho warned.

"Right." Sebastían scoffed. He concentrated on the rune and softly began to repeat the words in the book. At first nothing happened and he started to wonder if the twins were having fun with him. He shifted, uncomfortable with the warm room when the pinkish tint of his hands grew darker.

"Finish it." Valkyrie hissed when he looked up. Her face was pale, eyes shimmering red-orange and her hair was blowing as if there were a breeze in the room. She looked as if she were in pain and then a thin streak of blood dripped over her lip-.

"Pay attention." Jericho rasped drawing Sebastían's attention. He too had a nose bleed and both twins looked as if they were in pain. They sat stiffly, bodies held rigid, jaws clenched and then the burning in his hands intensified and Sebastían instinctively started to draw away. It hurt, burned-. Immediately, both Valkyrie and Jericho grabbed his wrists and held him in place.

"Finish." They ordered as delicate licks of flame twined around their joined hands. They reached for Bastián, extending from Jericho and Valkyrie until the fire wrapped around his hands.

Lincoln, Nebraska

Jaden couldn't contain her grunt of pain as her stomach clenched; it felt as if something hot were stuck in there. She kept pressing her fist, trying to knead the pain away but it didn't fade. Her brow furrowed with worry realizing it wasn't normal and then the burning shifted to her chest.

'Heart attack?' Jaden wondered taking her foot off the gas pedal. She had no clue how you knew if you were having a heart attack but she didn't think it happened to people her age. Then again teenagers where keeling over left and right but that's what steroids did to them. She'd never taken any, wouldn't know what the hell they looked like and Jaden detested needles. Many times she'd suffered through a long and weakening flu or cold because she wouldn't take the shot.

Hunting demons she had no problem with.

Needles?

Well, that was a different animal entirely.

The pain seemed imbedded inside of her chest. She slowed down ignoring Roque's whine and questioning nose. Out f the corner of her eye Jaden saw a shiny black Regal slow as it cruised by. Another stab of pain and Jaden closed her eyes hunching over the steering wheel. Roque growled deep in his throat, a paw pressing on her back but Jaden barely noticed. She barely managed to pull the Mustang partially out of the street before another burst of pain took her breath away. Jaden dug her fingers into her chest as if she'd be able to claw out the pain…

w

Twin pops echoed down the alley, the Winchester's ducked instinctively. Another group of pops echoed while Sam and Dean looked at each other. As one they ran to the mouth of the alley, Sam reaching to his back where he'd stuffed his gun. Dean burst into the street first looking left and right, green eyes immediately finding the stalled Mustang a block away. He didn't wait for Sam as he sprinted towards the car and the five thugs laughing.

"Back off!" Dean ordered pulling out the Colt.

Five sets of black eyes came to bear on him, the sound of Sam's footsteps behind him.

"I got enough for all of you. Now BACK OFF!" Dean yelled. He was surprised to find demons but he didn't let it show.

The demons grinned; one raised his hands and mockingly took a step away from the Mustang.

"See you soon." the demon blew him a kiss then its head tilted back and the black smoke flowed out of the human. The other four did the same leaving five bodies on the asphalt.

Dean could have cared less as he pocketed the Colt and ran to the Mustang. He pulled the door open noticing the three bullet holes in the metal. Inside blood coated the passenger seat; there were splatters on the windshield and dash.

"No, no. God please…" he muttered feeling his chest constrict. His hand trembled as he pulled Roque off Jaden. Blood spurted from a wound on the dog and Dean knew without a doubt…

Very gently, Dean pushed his fingers through her sticky hair and checked for a pulse. He shifted, for a moment worried there was nothing he could do until he felt the slow thump under the pad of his fingers.

"Phade…" Dean called slipping his hand around her neck. He was half inside the car trying to sit her up and afraid he'd cause her more pain. "Look at me sweetheart. Open your eyes."

She groaned and tried to move. "Look at me, J."

Jaden's eyes fluttered open, the brown depths glassy and out of focus but Dean didn't care. He stuck his head back out of the car yelling for Sam to call 911 but he was already on the phone.

"Hang on, baby." Dean murmured wiping hair out of her face.

"Dean. We can't be around when the police get here." Sam reminded him. They'd only recently been proclaimed dead. Before that they'd been highly pursued by the FBI and what if one of the police men that showed up just happened to recognize them? It couldn't be coincidence they looked exactly like the two dead guys the FBI had put on their wanted list.

"I'm not leaving her, Sam." Dean snapped. He knew his brother would start to argue and before Sam got started Dean gave him something to do. "Grab her stuff out of the trunk and switch out the papers in the car."

"Dean-."

"Just do it. You think the police won't check her car? They got five bodies lying over there and a car shot full of holes, Sam." He didn't check to see if Sam did as he was told. Dean rifled through Jaden's pockets carefully until he found her phone. He slipped it in his pocket looking for anything else that had her name on it. If she was alone out here then he was going to make sure nobody but he knew exactly where.

"Family be dammed." He muttered again wondering where the hell they all were. What was more important than the unconscious woman-.

"Demons." He looked back to the street; the five bodies still lay where they'd fallen. "Demons, why…" Dean questioned looking back at Jaden.

People finally started to mill about, they gaped at the shot up car, at the bodies in the street-.

"Dean." Sam tugged on his collar the sound of sirens growing closer. "Dean we have to go."

"No." Dean pulled away from Sam. His hand pressed down again trying to stanch the flow of blood from her arm.

"De-."

"What happened?" a new voice demanded. "My name's Kincaid. I'm a doctor-."

"Good. She needs help." Sam pointed watching as the street doctor muscled Dean out of the way.

"Christo." Dean said but the doctor ignored him. Clearly he was just a regular guy, no demon hid inside the Doc.

'But there could've been and Sam-.'

"She's bleeding- her arm and somewhere on her stomach. I t-." Dean started to say when Sam grabbed his arm and yanked him away.

"We have to go." Sam hissed keeping a bruising grip on his brother as he surveyed the street.

"I swear to God-!" Dean growled deep in his throat managing to pull his arm out of his little brother's grip only for Sam to hang on again.

"Ending up in a cell isn't going to help her, Dean."

The Hyperion…

The shaking bed and smoke filled room woke Ryan from an uncomfortable dream. Bleary eyed he scrambled off the bed grabbing his gun from the nightstand as he rushed out of Phade's bedroom and into the living room. The gray smoke made his eyes water but it didn't smell like something was burning. Still, Ryan grabbed the fire extinguisher calling out for Sebastían.

Voices drifted from his bedroom and he knew Temoc wasn't in there. The kid had gone to stay with Maya in StarCity at the new Slayer academy they set up. He pushed the door open feeling the heat on his palm.

Two sets of guilty eyes focused on him.

Ryan was surprised to find the twins but mostly his eyes took in the damaged bedroom wondering how the hell he was going to explain to Phade the twins somehow torched it.

"We can explain." They said in unison but Ryan couldn't take his eyes from Sebastían's inert form lying between them.

"What the hell happened?" he demanded dropping beside Bastían.

"It was his fault." Valkyrie pointed.

"You're just as guilty, Valkyrie." Jericho retorted though not surprised she set the blame entirely on him.

"Knock it off!" Ryan yelled, glaring at the twins. "How did he get these burns?" his eyes grew hard as they settled on the twins. He didn't want to believe they'd hurt Bastían purposely but their bickering and Sebastían's attitude towards all of them since Phade had been taken had slowly escalated. The only one he seemed to listen to was Franco and even the little Slayer; Nereidá had more sway with Bastían than Ryan.

"Let me." Jericho took Sebastían's hand between his, glowing a deep blue then fading. He repeated the process with the other hand while Valkyrie explained to their Father they hadn't been torturing their brother.

"Sebastían sent the fourth rune to Mom."

"Those burns-."

"We didn't expect him to get hurt, Dad." Jericho said. He slipped his arms under Sebastían and lifted him onto the bed where Valkyrie pulled the cover over him.

"Mom left him marked." Valkyrie raised the sleeve of his shirt to show Ryan the shimmering black mark on Bastían's forearm. He'd seen it before but he'd never asked and Sebastían had never said anything about it. "It's the Protection Rune, very strong."

"That's why he felt different, why we need him to finish what we started-." Jericho continued.

"Did it work?" Bastían's voice was slurred but they all heard him.

"Yes, brother." Valkyrie murmured. She smiled, smoothing his bangs out of his eyes. "You did great. We'll find her soon, just rest…"

Lincoln, Nebraska

Flashing lights, red and white. They hurt her eyes, made her squint. Pain flitted through her body, a cold numbness seeping into her muscles then another flash of pain. Her mouth opened, there was no sound. She squinted again, brow furrowed, concentrated.

Could she hear?

Was she deaf?

A shadow passer over, a face, emotionless. She wanted to ask… ask…

Loud beeping, raised voices…

Sirens.

An ambulance.

Her eyes kept drifting shut, she was lightheaded, her thoughts confused. There was something, something she needed, something that had to be done.

Something…

w

"What's the plan?"

No answer but Dean hadn't said a word since they'd watched the ambulance drive into the Hospital and wheel in Jaden.

Sam knew his brother would bust in there looking for her. Start demanding answers about her condition-.

Dean held up his hand, the slim black wallet was obviously a woman's and Sam sighed knowing he'd swiped it from her. He was no better having taken out the car's papers and dropped in a set of their fake ones.

"What name's on the registration?" Dean asked still staring at the stone and metal building across the street.

"Drake Archer." Sam replied. Another long silence filled the Impala and then Dean drove away from the Hospital. He didn't say anything but Sam could see the tense line of his jaw.

"Dean-."

"Get Bobby on the phone." Dean ordered. He kept his eyes on the street in front of him, never glancing at his brother. His thoughts, even without being voiced where difficult to ignore. "Tell 'im he needs to pick up her car. Give 'im the name on those papers and have 'im get a set for the Mustang. He needs to change her last name to Archer."

For once Sam did as his brother asked, a resigned sigh the only protest.

Dean quickly found a hotel close to the Hospital, checked them in and started to work on the fake ID's he'd need to make for Jaden. Sitting still wasn't his best subject but barging into the Hospital demanding to see her wasn't a smart idea. That much Dean knew and it being the same night of her 'accident'… well, suspicious would be the first thing that came to mind and that meant Police.

No, they couldn't afford to draw attention to themselves after Agent Victor Hendrickson, FBI man, went to all the trouble of declaring them dead. He shook his head, already forming the lie he would tell to get to Jaden.

Those demons had gone after her.

Why?

What did they want with her?

Who sent them?

Sam kept quiet, tempted though he was to question his brother about what they were doing. What he had planned.

"Stubborn… pig headed… never listens… brain washed or some… cant believe-… friggin fairy tale! … mulish woman…"

And on and on but Dean's voice never rose above a whisper as he muttered about Jaden. Sam was beginning to think Dean had fallen back into his obsession with her.

'Obsession.'

Yes, that's exactly what Sam assumed this was.

Their hunting, it started because their Dad needed to find the thing that killed his Wife. It was vengeance that drove John and as time passed it began to drive Dean as well. A need to hurt what hurt them but there was no Yellow Eyed Demon. Not anymore. Dean killed him. Killed the demon that murdered their Mom.

Only for Sam it had always been their Father's obsession and now Dean was focusing on Jaden.

Their Father was dead; the Yellow Eyed Demon was gone so what was left for Dean? There was nothing else to drive him to do the job, to hunt demons.

Except his deal.

It weighed on both of them, trying to break it, find the demon that held his contract except now there was Jaden. A reason to ignore his deal, that time was running out for him. Dean latched onto her, to the excuse she offered.

"There's something wrong with her, Sam. She has no idea… none and it could get her killed."

His brother had found something else, someone else to focus on, to keep his mind from the deal and the months he had left in this world.

But Sam didn't want to dwell on it either; he didn't want to worry over what was going to happen if they couldn't get his contract from the demon. He didn't like thinking about Dean's impending death and where he would end up, knowing the reason why.

'Hell.'

With demons they'd sent down, demons that would love to get Dean…

Sam flinched. The high pitched tone of his cell ringing, twice, three times-.

"Hello." Sam stared at the floor, watched the thin shaft of light slipping through the cracks in the curtains. It was pale, dawn was approaching. He was surprised they'd sat in the room so long. Dean muttering under his breath while Sam sat in the chair lost in thought.

"Yes."

Dean scowled; he got up from the bed and walked towards his brother who shifted away from him still hunched over the phone.

"Are you sure? No, with-."

"What?" Dean questioned but Sam shrugged off the insistent tapping on his shoulder and ignored him.

"Of course, yes. I'll be there today. Thank you."

Dean waited while Sam hung up the phone and slowly sat up. Finally turning to Dean he held up his cell phone.

"A nurse from the Hospital called." He began ignoring Dean's clenched jaw. "Jaden was in a car accident."

"We know that, Sam!" Dean snapped. "We were there. You called 911!"

"We know." Sam agreed keeping his voice calm. "But the Hospital doesn't." rising from his seat he grabbed his lap top as Dean rubbed both hands over his face.

"That's it?" Dean demanded as Sam plopped onto the bed and started surfing the net. "They didn't say anything about her condition?"

"Just that she's stable." Sam murmured more focused on the screen than his brother's face.

Dean lunged at him, wanting to tear the lap top from his hands and smash it against the wall of the dingy hotel he'd picked out. He wanted to know what was going on with Jaden, wanted details not some half formed platitude.

Dean caught himself, Sam stared at his brother, eyebrows raised in question though it was pretty clear what was happening. Dean took a deep breath and tried to make his brain think rationally when Sam spoke.

"Three hours, Dean." Those big puppy brown eyes rested on the older Winchester. "I'll drop you at the Hospital in three hours." He watched Dean tense once more, his features hardening. "When your flight lands."

Dean's eyes flicked over the room, at the small confined space and knew he wouldn't be able to sit in the cage for another three hours.

'Cant show up at the hospital.'

He was screwed anyway he looked at it.

Trinity Hospital, Lincoln Nebraska…

A soft groan.

Who?

Her chest vibrated, another groan…

Me? It's me.

Her brow furrowed. Faint images shuffled in her brain; two teenagers, both dark haired, an underground cavern, a dark haired man somehow familiar his face sad or maybe it was worry that lined his forehead. A young boy, running, laughing with glee, ticklish…

"…water…"

Dean heard the soft whisper of her voice and looked for the cup with ice chips the nurse had brought in as soon as he'd arrived. He scowled finally seeing the yellow cup on the other side of the bed. He glanced at Jaden again, one hand clasped with hers. Very gently, Dean squeezed it, felt the warmth of her soft skin beneath his palm before letting go.

Jaden tried moving, tried to raise her arm and felt her leg twitch. Her frown was punctuated by an annoyed grunt as she tried again, eyes slowly opening. Nothing seemed to be working how she wanted but she was tired. Her limbs felt like jell-o then something cold touched her lips. It dripped onto her tongue even as she started to turn her head away then realized how dry her mouth was.

"…thirsty…" yes, she was thirsty. She took the next one greedily, the little cube melting almost immediately.

Her eyes fluttered open only to close again just as fast. Jaden forced her eyes to open, blinked to get her surroundings in focus as another cube slipped onto her tongue.

"Slow down."

The voice was soft, a bit raspy but oddly comforting.

Familiar.

Jaden relaxed. Let her eyes drift over the room until she found the owner of the voice at her side.

Dean set another chip on her lips, his fingers brushing against them.

"I should've followed you." He murmured, green eyes roaming over her hospital gown clad body with the bandages and IV, the monitors she was hooked into. "God knows I wanted to."

Her eyes narrowed, remembered telling him repeatedly to leave her alone, to stop following her… yet here he was, standing at her bedside feeding her ice chips. Oddly enough she couldn't bring herself to get mad at Dean, to order him to leave. Jaden just didn't care, she was too tired. Her eyes focused on his face, stared at his eyes…

Green… they were so green- had she noticed that before? And there was something… something oddly haunted… She wanted to reach up and… and…

Dean took her hand, turned her palm over and rubbed his thumb over the soft skin.

"I'm trying to help, Jaden." His shoulders drooped, weariness evident and he sighed.

Her brow furrowed, wondering why he looked tired. She noticed the shadow on his jaw, her lips curving slightly realizing he hadn't shaved. How long had he been there, sitting with her?

Her fingers curled gently in his hand bringing his attention to her face once more. She wanted to touch his cheek, to feel the rough hairs under her hand, to graze against her own…

"Que bello…" she murmured.

Dean's brows rose in question having no clue as to what she was saying, saw the soft curve of her lips…

"Pero triste…" the look in her eyes…

Instinct made him draw away, brought the fierce scowl to his face, made his eyes go hard and his jaw clench with anger.

Jaden tried to hold onto his hand, her fingers closing about his but her muscles felt so heavy. Why was she so tired again?

Dean hated the look, the pity he saw in her eyes. He didn't want her pity, didn't want Jaden feeling sorry for him, it was the one thing he couldn't stand; not from strangers but especially not from her. Pity from the woman lying in the hospital bed was worse.

"…serious…wrinkles…" her lips twitched, a small smile visible as her eyes fluttered once more. She wanted him to see she was teasing him but her eyes wouldn't stay open.

Dean watched Jaden fall asleep once more, her hand lying on the bed, palm up… She was so small, fragile really but weren't they all?

His fingers twined with hers again, shook his head even though a smile ghosted over his features.

"Sir."

Dean's head jerked towards the door. The same nurse who'd shown him in stood just inside the room, her bright pink scrubs seeming too girly for a hospital.

"I'm sorry. Visiting hours will be over soon."

Dean nodded, waited for her to leave so he could sit with Jaden. He didn't know how but he wasn't leaving her alone, not with those demons still out there. Worry had been his constant companion the entire night until he'd been able to get to the Hospital. What if the demons found their way inside? But the nurse didn't leave. She stood in the same spot shifting her weight and fidgeting.

"Was there something else?" Dean questioned. He didn't bother to hide his annoyance but he took another look at the nurse, could she be possessed?

"We don't normally do this- I- well…" she smiled, eyes dropping to the tiles at her feet. "My shift ends at ten." A blush suffused the pale face. Dean stiffened, surprised by the nurse but she hurried on before he could reply. "The next nurse, she's a stickler for the rules but she only checks on the patients once." Her eyes passed over the sleeping woman before resting on Dean once more. "If you hide in the bathroom you could stay with your wife… I know you flew in-. Just don't turn on the light." With a nod the nurse left him alone, the words repeating in his head.

"…you're wife…"

But she wasn't. Jaden wasn't his, she was married to someone else, she had a child…

Sam never got tired of reminding Dean. Always made sure his big brother remembered Jaden's family, that she was happy, that she had people who loved her waiting in LA. Insisted Dean was getting too emotionally attached to Jaden, even using her as an excuse not to focus on his deal, on his time running out, to avoid what they both knew was coming.

Sam was angry; he wanted Dean to help him find the demon, to get his contract, to save him.

"He can't." Dean murmured, one hand reached up to brush across her cheek. "Nobody can save me." her skin was cool, soft under his rough hand. A sigh slipped past her lips but she didn't wake.

'It's too late. You can't have this life anymore, Dean. You made the deal. You gave this up and everything else, the picnic in the park, the little league games… You gave it all away. Even the woman you're so focused on saving and you don't even know from what.'

Dean leaned on the bed, the chair scraping on the flor as he dragged it closer. He kept his fingers twined with hers, looped his free arm around the pillow her head lay on and rested his own beside her.

Baltimore, Maryland

It was just a little too humid, not as bad as the heat in Africa or the incessant rain in England, or the cold in Ireland… Really, anywhere other than California the weather was just terrible. Always too cold, always too hot, too much rain- too much of everything!

"Ask anyone from California." Brooke continued. "They'll tell you there's nowhere better- more perfect than the sunshine state."

"You all say that!" Cey exclaimed.

"That's because there is nowhere better." Xander agreed.

"Spoken like a true Californian." Damaris said beside him. The girls let out a burst of giggles drawing eyes from the people they passed on the street. Xander could see what they were thinking, that he was some sort of pervert or a lucky bastard depending on who you asked. There were plenty of men who would love to be in his shoes.

'Problem is they have no idea what my life is like!'

Living with a bunch of teenage girls wasn't pie.

"Yes, all fun and games but I really need to find Faith. Any of you getting that 'spidey sense'?" he questioned looking very much like the hopeful teen he used to be. Sometimes he forgot he'd ever been geeky and cowardly and…yeah. Not a pretty picture of himself he carried in his mind but it was that image that made him push past his fear now and do what had to be done.

'No charcoaly Xander. No charcoaly Xander.' He kept repeating in his head because however much his head kept saying it anytime he saw Valkyrie he couldn't help feeling just a little giddy. Sometimes Xander wondered how much different it would be to date a Fury than it was an ex-vengeance demon. Couldn't be that much different, could it? A girl was a girl… right?

"Oh right, 'Spidey Sense' that doesn't sound too geeky." Brooke complained tossing the inky braid over her shoulder.

"Yeah, we don't 'tingle'." Damaris agreed with a roll of her eyes.

"Faith?" Xander insisted.

"Haven't you heard 'patience is a virtue'?" Cey questioned.

"Yes and its one I don't have." Xander retorted. He was starting to worry then again no one had heard from Faith in over a month and that was never good. There were demons out there still trying to kill off Slayers, high on the list was Faith, right under Buffy.

'Guess when you spoil the evil plans to bring about an apocalypse they tend to notice.' Xander thought.

"Look, I have to findher and soon." Xander repeated foregoing to add the phrase; or I'll go batty.

"Someone is looking forward to calling a certain fiery brunette." Damaris teased. The girls laughed seeing the slight flush on Xander's face.

"NO." he denied though he really did but he didn't want to admit to anything. "It's not like that-."

"Ha!"

"She likes you." Cey revealed though it was obvious to all of them.

"I thought it was more like she loves him?" Brooke questioned feigning innocence.

"Definitely love." Damaris agreed.

"Ya think?" Brooke questioned surreptitiously glancing at Xander whose face had gone a shade darker.

"Hey! Enough about my umm love life here. We need Faith." Xander said re-directing the laughing girls to the reason they were in Baltimore.

"Oh she's here."

"Yup, real close too."

"Why didn't any of you say so?" Xander demanded quickening his pace.

Trinity Hospital, Morning…

The first thing she noticed was the warm weight on her shoulder and arm. Turning slowly Jaden bumped her nose against a blond head. She frowned pulling slightly back but it was real. She wasn't dreaming or imagining the blond head and there was no doubt in her mind as to whom it belonged.

A smile graced her lips. He was asleep.

Her first thought was of Kentucky, how she'd woken up to find him asleep and the serene look on his face. Jaden had tried to put those memories away, pretend it never happened but it wasn't easy. He looked the same, his face smooth even relaxed. She felt a twinge of sadness for him, that only in sleep he'd be able to find peace.

"I'm trying to help, Jaden." He'd said before but help with what?

"Something happened to you…"

Jaden frowned, looked around the room again and wondered what the hell had happened. She avoided looking at her arm; at the IV she knew was stuck in there because the first thing she'd do was yank it out and that would hurt. Besides, Jaden didn't know if that would set off some sort of alarm. The last thing she wanted was a bunch of excited nurses and doctors rushing in poking and prodding her.

And why was Dean there? Why wasn't Timmy or Jack, hell she'd even take Garth but none of them had shown up. What the hell was the point of GPS on her cell or emergency contacts in her wallet-.

"Roque?" Jaden raised her head off the pillow knowing she was in a hospital but still hoping… If Dean was there why wouldn't he have snuck in Roque? He'd done worse than break hospital rules of that she had no doubt. There was a file back in her hotel room- her room! How long had she been out?

"Damn… eres una pendeja bien echa." She grumbled letting her head fall back on the pillow.

Dean shifted; he grunted feeling the kink in his neck. He sat up rubbing both hands over his face and yawned. It hadn't been the most restful sleep he'd ever had but he hadn't dreamt.

Dreaming…

He tried not to think about it, the freaky dream root he took and knowing Sam had been in his head… It wasn't as bad as having to face himself, of killing his own demon. He didn't want to become that, he didn't want to die-.

Dean stiffened, green eyes focusing on the woman clearly awake and staring at him. He couldn't figure out what she was thinking but he had an idea. The words leave me alone kept ringing in his ears and more than likely she'd blame him for this too.

"It wasn't me." Dean said much too quickly and guilt sounding for her to believe him.

"And that sounds so truthful…" Jaden murmured wanting to laugh at his wince but forced her face to remain expressionless.

'She's going to hate me for this.' Dean thought reaching into his pocket. The tough leather felt odd in his hand but she would know he was telling the truth once he handed it over. Still, the bad news wasn't going to get any easier but maybe… if he started with…

"The Mustang-."

"What did you do to my car?" Jaden demanded with a scowl. She half rose from the pillows.

"Nothing." Dean denied once again sounding guilty though he hadn't been at fault for its current condition. "I didn't- look, the holes can get fixed. Sam called Bobby and he towed it to his yard-."

"Quien fregados es Bobby?" Jaden snapped though she was getting flashes of the street, clearly recalled 'bumping' into the Winchester's in the sewer, lighting up the shifter and the incessant pain in her gut. "What the hell happened?" she demanded feeling her head begin to ache. Her entire body felt sore!

Finally, something he understood.

"Demons." Dean said quietly. Jaden stopped her grumbling and turned to him. "There were five of 'em. The police think it was just a random drive by shooting, you happened to get in the way…" he trailed off seeing the confusion on her face. She had no idea why the demons attacked her.

Dean pulled his hand from his pocket; his shoulders slumped knowing what he was going to say… He'd seen her with the mutt, it was clear how attached she was to him and the dog had been… Dean had never seen a dog behave like Roque but he'd never had a dog before so maybe it wasn't so abnormal.

"Jaden…" he trailed off and she noticed the way he kept looking away from her. She got an uncomfortable feeling in her chest but was afraid to ask, afraid to know and then she saw the black leather collar in his hand.

Jaden shook her head but her eyes kept drifting back to the collar in his hands. She knew who it belonged to.

"…random drive by shooting…"

"No." Jaden closed her eyes, shook her head but there was nothing she could say to change what happened.

"He was protecting you." Dean whispered knowing it was true. Roque had been laying on top of her. The doctor had said it was lucky for her but Dean knew she wouldn't take it that way.

"How long?" Jaden asked, her voice was husky but she refused to cry, not in front of him. She blinked the tears back and swallowed drawing in deep breaths to control herself.

"Two days." Dean answered sitting back and giving her space. The last thing he wanted was Jaden ordering him gone, most likely at the top of her lungs.

"Two…" Jaden repeated. Two days and no word from any of her so called friend's, well fine. That was just great, next time they needed her help they could just-. "Get me out of here." She turned to Dean. "Today. I want out."

"Jaden." Dean protested. He shook his head. "No, you're crazy. One of those bullets almost killed you. Doctor said you were lucky they got you in surgery before you bled out-."

"Fine." Jaden turned over and the first thing she did was grab the IV in her arm. Closing her eyes, Jaden gritted her teeth and yanked the bloody needle from her arm with a little pained cry.

"What the hell!" Dean shot to his feet but Jaden threw back the covers and was sitting on the edge of the bed by the time he got around and stood in front of her.

"Leave me alone." Jaden repeated feeling her head spin at the sudden movement.

"That's getting old and I'm not going anywhere." Dean snapped grabbing her arms and began to push her back into the bed.

"You aint helping either- let go!" Jaden ordered smacking his arm but he was stronger. She lay back on the pillow glaring at him. "Aprovechado, solo por que estas grandote." She grumbled.

"What?" Dean questioned pretty sure he should be offended as he pulled the blankets over her legs.

"I said you think you're tough cus you're big." Jaden replied. "I aint staying another night." She warned and Dean could see she meant it. Jaden was stubborn enough to leave the hospital on her own and he couldn't hide in the bathroom every time there was a shift change.

Dean clenched his jaw, frustrated, angry and there was absolutely nothing he could do short of pumping her IV with drugs and keeping her passed out.

"Fine." Dean sighed.

Now all he had to do was get Sam to go along with the plan.

W