Alright, Chapter 11 for your perusal. Not too sure on this chapter guys, i have a feeling some of it's a bit.. iffy? So please let me know what you think. Also, if you notice any glaring spelling mistakes, double words, etc let me know? As i'm half asleep and although it looks alright to me, i could be missing something...

Thanks, as always :)

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Chapter 11

The two brothers slept peacefully in their motel room, one slouched uncomfortably in a chair by the door, the other lying face down on his laptop, papers strewn around his head. Neither of them stirred and for this he was glad, knowing that even though they couldn't see him, he didn't want to risk anything, just in case. He had never erred on the side of caution before, his past crimes more than enough to illustrate this, but these two were a force to reckon with, and he wasn't going to make any mistakes. For now he was simply content to watch, to look at them and feel as if he could almost taste their blood flowing down his throat, it's liquid warmth giving him a thrill that nothing else could satisfy. He'd developed a penchant for blood over the years, it's sickly sweet coppery smell first tempting him and leading him astray. Not that the taste of blood could ever surpass the thrill of the kill. He wanted nothing more than to walk into the room and rip each of them apart, feeling immense pleasure as he tore away at their skin, rendering them helpless and almost unrecognisable as the floor around turned a sickening shade of red.

Licking his lips, he threw the boys one last look of longing, resisting the carnal urges trying to lure him inside. Taking them both while they were sleeping, though easier, wasn't in his plans. Sure he'd be able to take them, probably even kill them without working up an appetite. He'd have a better chance jumping them while they were asleep, but it'd all be useless without her. Yes, he could take the risk and hope that she came after them alone and unarmed, but the chances of that happening were second to none. Even when emotionally challenged and in times of anxiety, she was still good, and he wasn't willing to risk everything over a momentary weakness. No… he'd wait and abide by his plans, they'd come to him soon enough. He'd just bide his time, taking it step by step until his schemes finally fell into place, when the real carnage would begin…

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Not long afterwards, Maddie pulled up to the hotel, so engrossed in her own thoughts as she got out of the car that the old Chevrolet Impala didn't even come into her field of vision until she nearly walked into it, cursing under her breath and slamming her hand down on the trunk. Glancing quickly at the license plate, she walked towards their room, still eyeing the car curiously as she fished her key out of her bag and opened the door.

She closed the door behind her, hearing a loud click and groaning as she turned towards the room, her jaw dropping. She'd been expecting many things; Sam passed out on the bed, him reading notes or searching the net. She'd even expected him to not be there at all. But to walk in and see Dean staring groggily at her, the shape of the laptop keys imprinted on his forehead, had knocked her for six, and all she could do was gawk right back at him.

"Maddie?" She jumped, spinning around and noticing Sam stood by the table. "You okay?"

"Yeah, course… I'm fine." She shrugged him off, instead fixing her gaze back on Dean. "Dean, what-"

"Can we just leave this until tomorrow?" Sam interjected, looking pleadingly between Maddie and his brother. "Please?" He added, when Maddie looked as though she was about to protest. Reluctantly they both nodded, and Sam breathed a huge sigh of relief. Disaster averted, he thought, feeling as though he deserved a beer or at least a pat on the back, but content in the knowledge that Maddie and Dean weren't going to tear each other to pieces, at least not today.

"Maddie, who's Jeffrey Kinver?" Dean asked, looking up at her curiously as he collected the papers from around his head.

"Who?" She enquired, taking off her jacket and collapsing on the empty bed.

"Jeffrey Kinver."

"Who's he?" Sam interrupted, leaning heavily against the table.

"I don't know Sam, that's why I asked! Stop being a damn space cadet and listen for a change…" He muttered, scowling at his brother. "Who is he, Maddie?"

She pondered this for a moment, a vacant expression on her face, and Sam could almost picture the tumbleweeds blowing around in her head. "How should I know?"

Sighing, Dean stood up and shoved the piece of paper in Maddie's hands, pointing towards the bottom of the page. "Because you wrote his name, here."

Maddie frowned, pulling the piece of paper closer to her face, screwing her eyes up. "That's my writing, but I didn't write that."

"What do you mean you didn't write it? You must have." Sam retorted, striding over and grabbing the page off her, studying it closely.

"I'm telling you Sam, I didn't write that. It may be my handwriting, but I don't remember writing it."

"Oh come on Maddie! You must have written it!" Dean exclaimed impatiently, sitting heavily back down on his bed. "Are the hormones affecting your memory now too?"

Sam took a sharp intake of breath and glanced nervously from Dean to Maddie. She was fuming, colour rushing to her usually pale face while Dean looked on, smiling smugly. It seemed that the disaster he had tried to prevent had decided to try again with a vengeance, and Sam had a feeling he wouldn't be able to stop this one with a quick change of tack, instead resigning himself to yet another long night.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She threw back, folding her arms defensively across her chest.

"Well I just thought that a person in your… uh… condition, might get emotional or forgetful, especially in such a time of stress… Your hormones are probably why you got yourself into this mess after all…" He finished, throwing his arms out and indicating from him to Sam, smirking.

"You think I slept with Sam because I was pregnant and hormonal? You're unbelievable, and not to mention, a complete idiot!"

"Well you get like that when you've had your heart ripped out!" He exclaimed, slamming his fists down on the bed and glaring at her. The silence that followed was deafening, and Sam could feel his heart sinking. Dean would never admit something like that, usually so guarded about his emotions and what he was thinking. Hearing his brother say this felt like a knife in his heart, and he really hoped that Dean and Maddie could get past this. After everything all he wanted was for them to make up, even if it meant he was unhappy, as at least his conscience would finally leave him be. "You're a heartless bitch! What the hell did I even see in you?" Dean was glaring at her with such a look of revulsion that Sam couldn't help but cower for her, amazed at how she was still managing to stand up against him after such a harsh tirade. "Well, all I can say is that I hope you're happy now!"

"Course I'm not happy, why would I be?" Maddie snapped, distress registering on her face when all Dean could do was remain silent and raise his eyebrows challengingly. "Oh, you know what Dean?" She stood up, tears now running down her face and her breathing irregularly in between the sob. "Fuck you. Believe and say what you want, but I'm sure as hell not going to stay around and listen to it. You can just go to hell!" She gave him one last seething look before running towards the door, pushing Sam forcibly of the way and storming outside.

"Dude, that was harsh." Sam stated, raising his eyebrows and looking critically at his brother. He was trying his hardest to avoid saying anything that would make him appear as though he was taking sides, but Dean's treatment of Maddie was severe, even for him. They both deserved this treatment, not just her. Why was Dean giving her such a hard time, yet he'd forgiven him virtually easily? He just wanted to shake his brother and say, Dean, please… don't do this, you'll only regret it… you love her, you know you do… don't throw everything away because of me…But he couldn't, even on the rare chance that Dean would actually listen. His brother was one hell of a stubborn bastard, but Sam hoped that this time Dean would finally open up fully and let one of them in, for all of their sakes.

"She deserved it."

Sam made a small noise of dissent and turned away from him, words failing him and all he could do was shake his head in exasperation.

"What? She did!" Dean insisted, though he didn't look quite as convinced as before.

"Whatever, man. Ruin what's left of your life if you want." Sam replied, appalled at how his brother was acting. "Dean, you have a chance to make things better… are you just going to let this slip away?"

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Her face was burning and the tears were still stinging her cheeks as she stumbled over to the car. She'd sworn to herself that she wouldn't cry over this anymore, that she'd stay strong as the worst was over. But hearing Dean lay into her so ruthlessly, not seeming to care about her feelings, had just sent her over the edge. Now all she wanted to do was get as far away from him as possible, to rid herself of the mental torture and anguish that she had been coping with long before her attack.

Now wiping the drying tears from her face, she rummaged through her bag and pulled out her keys, fumbling them and watching in dismay as they fell to the floor. Muttering cursively, she bent down to pick them up but another hand got there first. Gasping, she jumped and looked up into a pair of familiar hazel eyes.

"I thought you might need a hand."

"Not from you." She replied, prying the keys out of his hand and making as if to open the car door, pausing when he grabbed her arm, the metal of his ring feeling cool and unusually calming against her skin.

"Will you hear me out?" Dean asked, his eyes fixing on her, his gaze never faltering. "Please?" He added pleadingly, as he noticed her fingers inching towards the car door.

Sighing, she nodded and relaxed her hand, knowing that this was a bad idea, but not being able to help herself. She'd been taken in by his eyes many times before and although she'd never reveal this to him, his puppy dog eyes were getting almost as good as Sam's. Won't be long until he's got that look down perfectly… She thought, looking away from him and down at her feet. She'd always been a sucker for eyes, she could never resist those heart-rendering looks of persuasion. Especially those from Sam and Dean.

"Fancy going for a walk?" He asked, loosening his hold on her arm yet not letting go completely, his fingertips gently brushing the side of her arm. "As I don't think either of us can be trusted to drive right now…"

"Blaming it on my hormones again?" She threw back, scowling at him and moving as if to open the car door again, causing him to once more tighten his grip on her arm.

"Will you please just stop?" Dean implored, pulling her round to face him full on. "I'm trying to apologise here, and you're just throwing it back in my face!"

She faltered and stopped resisting, her arm falling limp in his grasp. "What'd you say?"

"I wanted to say that I'm sorry for how I treated you in there. I'm mad and you know that, but that's no excuse for what I said…" He smiled timidly at her, letting go of her arm and stepping backwards, motioning for her to follow him. All he wanted to do was explain to her how he was feeling, to be civil with her instead of going off the rails as he had done back in the hospital. He needed to be straight with her, to tell her exactly what was going on inside his head and not to shy away. He hadn't noticed before, having been too mad at her to care, but now he became aware of how pale she was, and how even a week later, the bruises and cuts on her face had only faded slightly. He never realised how fragile she was before, now knowing that he wasn't the only one suffering because of this. Part of him wanted to just take her in his arms, to hold her close and wipe away her tears, making sure everything would be alright. But it won't be alright… The cynical voice in his head chirped up, and even though he tried to swat it away, the voice just wouldn't budge. No matter whether he forgave Maddie or not, he'd never be able to look at her in quite the same way again. Whenever he held her, whenever he was with her, he'd never be able to get the image of her and Sam together out of his head, and even though he'd never seen them together, the pictures in his head were so vivid that he was starting to think that he had. But despite all this, there were times when he could still look at her in longing, still seeing the girl he fell in love with. But you can't trust her, you know you can't! Don't fall for her lying again… However this time, Dean finally shut the voice out, determined to rid himself of it's constant pessimism and follow his heart.

She smiled, bowing her head and following him past the car and towards the road. "You were a little harsh," She conceded, glancing nervously at him, "But I really did deserve it. In all honesty, I wouldn't hate you if you never spoke to me again."

He smiled and shook his head, grabbing her comfortingly round her waist as he often used to, though this time it only felt awkward and unnatural. Trying to shake this feeling off, he let go of her and folded his arms over his chest. "To tell you the truth, I had wanted to leave and never come back, but-"

"You know neither of us would have blamed you if you had. We would've missed you, but I can't say we would've been surprised…"

"I couldn't leave though," He replied, shrugging his shoulders helplessly. "I just couldn't… I made a promise, I wasn't going to break that."

"What promise?"

But he barely heard her, his thoughts going back to a deserted car park and the then welcoming feeling of cold metal against his skin. He could almost feel the muzzle pressed against his temple again, and he closed his eyes, breathing in and smelling the rich scent of the Impala's seats. What would have happened if he had pulled the trigger? The intense momentary pain, his life flashing before his eyes and then nothing. There'd be nothing left of him except a blood spattered car, a rotting corpse and a reputation in tatters. Maybe suicide wasn't such a good idea after all, and he felt much better knowing that he'd not given into temptation and taken the easy way out. Even taking into account what Sam and Maddie had done, he couldn't have left them like this… I'd never would have been able to leave Sammy to pick up my mess, he wouldn't have been able to cope… The same way I wouldn't be able to cope if my little brother had suddenly decided to blow his brains out…He shook his head to rid himself of a horrible image that had suddenly occurred to him, his brother lying motionless on a bed, a small hole in his temple and surrounded by blood. It wasn't a picture he cared to see again.

"Dean?" She placed her hand on his arm, stopping and looking at him in concern.

"What? Oh… right… sorry." He smiled apologetically, glancing down at her hand. "Maddie, you need to know something." He removed her hand from his arm, but didn't let go.

"What? What is it?"

"I've said the same to Sam, but I can't stay if the baby's his. You understand that, right? I just won't be able to cope."

She nodded, squeezing his hand softly. "Course I understand. God Dean, I'm sorry. No matter how many times I say that, it'll never be enough. If only I could do something to make this-"

"Stop, please." He pressed his fingers against her lips, watching forlornly as the tears rolled down her cheeks. He pulled her towards him, wrapping his arms around her and holding her closely, whispering into her ear. "It'll be alright, I promise you." He hoped that this would turn out to be true, for his sake more than hers. He wanted nothing more than to forget about the whole mess and start over, but it just wasn't possible. So instead they'd have to take it slowly, his trust in her being built up again little by little. Now even the slightest embrace felt awkward, and he yearned to go back to the time when this was simply second nature. He knew that he'd never be able to completely forgive her, he understood that now. But right now he'd be able to cope with being able to look at her, be with her and not think of his brother. He could live with that, couldn't he?

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Sam pulled the curtain closed as they walked off towards the main road, a small smile on his face. They might not be best of friends for a long time yet, but it was a start at least, and he was finally glad Dean had seen sense. It hurt him to see his brother with the girl he loved, but he loved Dean more and always would. But it was a pity that all of this needed to happen for him to finally realise how much his brother meant to him. Seeing Dean so broken and unhappy, knowing that he was the reason for it, was breaking his heart.

Trying not to linger on these thoughts, he opened up the laptop and pulled his papers towards him. He hadn't noticed Maddie's written note at the bottom before, yet he was sure he'd gone over these papers with a fine toothcomb before, and come up with nothing. Sure he'd been tired, but he couldn't have missed something like that, surely? Frowning, he now typed the name 'Jeffrey Kinver' into the internet search engine, tapping his fingers impatiently as he waited for something to come up.

His thoughts now turned to the mysterious Jeffrey Kinver, and how his name had managed to pop up on their notes. If Maddie was to be believed, then something wasn't quite right. Names didn't just appear on paper, even in their messed up world. They'd spent months trying to find this thing, and the name popping up on a piece of paper just days after another attack wasn't a coincidence. He knew that something was seriously wrong here, but what he couldn't be sure… not until they found more out about Kinver.

Speaking of which, the search engine finally loaded his results, and he could feel his jaw dropping as his eyes moved across the screen. The pictures that had popped up were horrific and gory, even to his standards, and he had to turn away, unable to bear their accusatory gaze any longer. Swallowing his disgust, he turned back to the screen and started to read up on Jeffrey Kinver, trying his hardest to ignore the gnawing feeling of dread in his stomach.