Leigh: I'm glad you love this story. And not to toot my own horn or anything, but I'm proud of it, myself...I'm glad you like Alyson because, to be honest, I was nervous to do an OFC fan fic at first. People are so protective of the guys. Not that I blame them. Anyway, yeah, I agree with you on the Dean part. That's how I picture Dean to be if he was in a relationship...and even if they were just friends, he'd still be more honest with her than Sam. Anyway, rant over. LOL. I'm happy you reviewed and please continue. Thanks.

Dealing with the Truth

"What do you mean, it's your fault?" We were in the car now, going back to the Blue Rose Motel. "Why would you say that?"

Jack took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "When I found out about you being what you are, I didn't believe it at all. Until I met my first demon. Some low-level flunky. Didn't know about you. I saw it being exorcised."

"Why? How?" I was the one asking the questions, but both the guys were listening intently. Sam was turned towards us, and Dean was driving but still paying attention to what was being said. They were both seeing if they could catch him in a lie.

"When you were ten," he started, "a guy named Jim Murphy came to see me." That name sounded familiar. "He was a pastor of some church…somewhere. I don't remember where. I mean, it's a moot point now, anyway. He died last year."

"Salvation, Iowa," Dean said, supplying the details. "Yeah, we were there. We didn't see him, but a demon told us. Wanted to scare us into giving away the Colt."

Jack smiled slightly. "Yeah, I heard you guys had it. And lost it." His expression got serious again. "Anyway, don't ask me how he found out, but he knew about you. He said he and a bunch of other hunters figured it out. I didn't believe him, of course. I mean, what parent don't want their kid to do somethin' great? But that was just a bit much for me."

"And then you saw a demon?" Sam asked cautiously.

"Yep. And if that wasn't a wake up call, I don't know what is." Jack laughed. It wasn't bitter, but it wasn't humorous either. "Jim did a special exorcism, just for me. He said he had to show me that the threat was real. That if the wrong people or the demons found out…you'd be in danger. And to put this bluntly…the only reason you're alive is because you've been moving around so much."

I didn't doubt that. "So you left after you saw the exorcism?"

"Right. I mean, Jim explained that prophecies are usually recorded somehow. Written mostly by the prophets themselves, or someone who heard it. And your…prophecy…must have been ancient. I mean, it wasn't even on paper. It was on a stone tablet."

I laughed once or twice. "You mean, like, the Ten Commandments? That kind of stone tablet?"

"Yes," he said simply. "Exactly."

"Hm," Dean spoke up again. "So someone very long ago had a prophecy of someone who's alive today? Why?"

"And I wonder what else they saw?" Sam wondered out loud. "I mean, people from way back when would probably think a car was a demon."

Jack smiled again, briefly. "Jim taught me everything I know about demons and hunting. Anyway, we'd go places, hunt different things. Until I was good enough to go by myself. And what I told your mom about me liking to travel…well, that was true. Before you were born, your mother and I used to go everywhere. And then when she got pregnant we stopped." He paused, looking at me. "I never would've left just to travel. I loved your mom, and you were my little girl."

I ignored that comment for the moment. "But…I remember you guys started to argue. A lot." One day he'd said that he was going to leave so they wouldn't fight anymore. It wasn't good for me to be around that.

Jack didn't deny it. "Yeah, we did. But every couple has their rough spots. We argued because I was gearing myself up for when I had to leave. And your mom…Elizabeth…she was strong, but she hated change. You know that."

"Yeah." I laughed when a memory came to me. "She cried when I started high school. It's like I was going away to college or something."

Sadness flashed in his eyes. Because he hadn't been there. "Yeah, that sounds like her."

I saw the blue rose on the sign for the motel, and then we were parking in front of it, near Dad's Charger.

"So I left, learned how to hunt, never got properly divorced, until I was supposed to be dead. I didn't even have to take on a new identity since I move around so much."

Now that Dean wasn't driving, he was looking at us, too. "What did you do for those four years before you pretended to die?" That was Dean. It sounded like it was an affront to him that Jack had left me when I was ten.

"Learned to hunt. I went back to visit once or twice a year." Jack looked back at me again. "Brought you a few trinkets meant to protect you, but I couldn't tell you that at the time without you asking questions. That I couldn't answer. Brought you books, too. On things that went bump in the night."

I laughed at the way he'd put it. "Your way of telling me without actually telling me?"

"Yeah." Jack grinned, though it didn't meet his eyes. "I didn't even know if you would read them, but I got them, just in case."

I nodded. "I read them. And bought more where they came from. Scared myself senseless a few times reading about demons and stuff."

Dean and Sam already knew that I'd been interested in the supernatural world, they just hadn't known why. Turns out it wasn't so different from them or Jo Harvelle. I did it because it had been a way to be close to my dad. He'd brought me books and I'd read them. He'd bought me necklaces and bracelets and I'd worn them for a while, until I'd grown tired of them. And then when I'd thought he'd been dead, I hadn't touched either. And then his memory had faded a little every day, until I didn't feel any obligation to read the books or wear the bracelets.

"Anyway, you'll never believe it, but that prophecy we found-"

"You did find it?" I asked, excited. I mean, he'd said it was on a stone table, but that could've just been hearsay. "Did you destroy it like you meant to?"

"A demon found it first," he said regretfully. "Yellow-eyes."

I'd figured. "That's the one that came after me." The one that killed my mom. Well, sent someone to kill her, anyway.

"He was supposed to leave you alone until you were eighteen," Dad said. "That was part of the deal. I was supposed to stay away from you, and he-"

"Wait, wait, wait," Dean interrupted. "Deal?" He paused. "Metaphorical or literal?"

"Very literal. But it doesn't hold now because we both broke it."

"What?" I whispered. "How? And why?"

"Well, the prophecy…Jim somehow heard that it was underneath a monastery in Rome. It had been an underground cave and they built right over it. I think they knew about it, the monks did. They led us right to it. But the demon was already there. And I don't know how, but he could sense that I was, well, related to you."

"And what? You gave him my name?" I didn't understand. He'd said that it was his fault Mom was dead. I hadn't heard anything that would make me think that.

"No, of course not. He already knew your name. That prophecy was very specific about the lineage of the person who'd be the Warrior of Light. Was very specific that you'd be a girl. He just didn't know where you were. The prophecy wasn't specific about where you were." He sighed. "I had an ability, too. I could remove demons from a body…with my mind. I didn't know that I could do it until a couple years after I started hunting. It made exorcisms a hell of a lot easier."

I blinked a few times, not getting it. "Well, why didn't you remove him? Yellow-eyes?"

"Because he's stronger than me." Again he was regretful. "And I could only do low-level demons. Azazel is definitely higher up on the demon food chain."

"Oh." This was new. "So do I have abilities because you had abilities." He'd been talking about it in the past tense, so I did too.

Jack laughed again. "I don't think so. I mean, you might have been able to expel demons, but not everything else. I know you can heal, and sense when something weird is around. I also know you blew the windows out of a church in Alabama. Recently. That's actually how I picked up your trail."

"Oh." Not very intelligent, I know, but that's all I could think of. Well, that sucked. I mean, if a hunter could tell that it was me, then a demon probably could, too.

"Anyway, Jim was in the middle of a really powerful exorcism. I mean, the cave walls felt like they were about to fall down around us, and the demon let something slip. That he was scared of you. You could kill him once you're strong enough."

"Yeah, we've heard that before," Dean said.

"You weren't supposed to come into your abilities until you were eighteen. That's the normal time for you, but that demon triggered something, made you start earlier." He bit his lip before continuing. Something I was known for doing. "He said that Hell couldn't hold him in for long. And when he got out he was going to kill you. And that's when I knew I had to do something."

"So…you made a deal?" I asked breathlessly. "You sold your soul?"

"No," he said. "Though that had been my first offer, but he didn't want my soul. It wasn't important enough, turns out. He wanted my ability, he didn't want me to have it. I could get stronger, take him out in an instant."

"So you gave up the demon-expelling thing…for what?" Dean asked. "You gave it up…and he…why?"

"To make it where he didn't come after Alyson until she was eighteen."

"Well, it didn't work," I said sharply. Honestly, what was with people selling their souls? "At all."

"I know. And that's my fault. See, usually, a demon's word is their bond. They can't break a binding contract. But I'm the one who broke it. The deal was that I was to never see you again, -this was when you were fourteen, around the time I was supposed to have died- and I had to give up my ability. And his end was he wasn't to tell anyone or anything about you, he wasn't supposed to come after you himself or send anyone to kill you, or harm you in any way. You were supposed to be safe."

"Then what happened?" I asked, voice soft again.

"Near the beginning of June, I decided to come after you. I'd heard that he'd found out where you were. I needed to gain your trust before your abilities developed. Needed to make you understand the danger you were in. I guess the demon found out…and he got there first."

I swallowed. "And then when you got there, I'd already left."

"Right. I talked to Layla. I don't think she remembered me. She thought I was a cop. And she told me you left with two guys named Sam and Dean. She didn't tell me where. And I knew that you were safe, that you wouldn't leave with just two random guys. You were always level-headed, even when you were younger. You had wise eyes, like you could see through to the heart of things."

I was at a loss for words. I didn't know what to say to that. I didn't even know how I was supposed to feel about that.

So finally I just settled for asking another question. "Why did you come for me?"

"This is gonna sound bad, like I think you're a weapon of some kind." Jack took another deep breath. "But I was gonna train you. Get you strong enough to kill that demon," he said it resentfully, like maybe he didn't think I should have to hear this from him. That I shouldn't have that put on me. "If you want to, that is. I can't make you."

And, wow. This was a lot to take in. I think it was giving me a headache. I even rubbed my temples for affect, giving myself time to think. "I feel like I have a hangover, only instead of alcohol being the problem, it's information overload."

"What was the point in making that deal?" I asked, after a while. "What did it accomplish?"

"It kept you alive," Jack said softly. "You're here now. He wasn't supposed to touch you until you turned eighteen. I told you, you would've come into your powers then. You would've at least had a chance. I didn't know it would trigger it. I didn't know a demon would."

I thought about it. I didn't know how to react, still.

"I don't think Mom's death is your fault," I said softly. It was true. Chances were she would have died anyway. And even if I didn't believe that, it was no use blaming him now. It wouldn't bring her back. Nothing would. "And I don't know if I can learn to control this thing with you around. I mean, sometimes when I'm feeling something, the power will just build up and if I don't let it out then…it's like an explosion. I mean, you heard about the windows." I smiled slightly. "Anyway, my point is that I have conflicting emotions about you. And I don't want to accidentally hurt you or something."

"Oh." He didn't sound disappointed. He'd said it was up to me from the start, and that it was my decision. I mean, yes, I wanted - needed - to learn how to control my abilities, but I wasn't gonna risk him getting hurt because of it.

------------- -

Sam, Dean, and I were now parked in an Arby's parking lot. It was near closing so we'd just gotten the food and were gonna eat it in the car. I wasn't all that hungry, so I'd just gotten curly fries and a drink.

Jack was in the parking lot, too. I think he was waiting for me to make a decision about him; whether I wanted him around or not.

I bit my lip, took a sip of my Pepsi, and handed Dean the rest of my fries. "Here. I'm not hungry."

Dean took them without a word, but I saw him give me a look. A 'you haven't eaten all day, so you should eat something now' look.

"I'm gonna go talk to him," I said, taking my drink with me. "I need to tell him something." I opened the back door. "Oh, and if he starts to drive off with me, feel free to shoot him. A lot."

"Yeah, no problem," Dean said nonchalantly, causing me to laugh.

Anyway, I got out and went to the electric blue Charger and got into the front seat. I didn't shut the door, however. Leather interior just like the Impala.

"So," I started. "I've been thinkin' and I don't know what to say aside from the fact that I understand why you left, and faked your death and everything. And…uh, I wouldn't hate it if you tried to become a part of my life again."

I saw the hope flare in his eyes and his eyes wrinkled at the sides when he smiled.

And I just had to let him know the truth here. "I'm not saying I trust you. I'm just saying I'm giving you a chance to earn it."

Jack nodded. "That's more than I expected. You've matured into a very nice young woman. And I know it won't mean much, but the way you handle yourself, the way you're handling this…it makes me proud. The only thing I regret is the fact that the way you've turned out has nothing to do with me."

That wasn't true. The reason I had had to learn to take care of myself at an early age was because he'd left. I mean, mom had always been irresponsible, but the only reason I'd had to become the grownup was because he hadn't been there. But I didn't know if he would take that as a compliment or an insult, so I didn't say any of it out loud.

------------- -

When I got back to the Impala I could hear through the window that Sam and Dean were talking about…Amsterdam. What?

"Come on, man. I hear the coffee shops don't even serve coffee."

I got in the backseat again, still with my drink, and tried to pick up on their conversation.

"Dean…" Sam was saying. "I'm not just gonna ditch the job."

"Screw the job," Dean replied seriously, if not a little fiercely. "Screw it, man. I'm sick of the job anyway. We don't get paid, we don't get thanked. The only thing we get is bad luck."

I moved forward, sticking my head between them. "We don't do this to get paid or thanked. We do it because we can, because we know how to. Because we can save people. I mean, I get wanting to do fun stuff and wanting to live a little bit. But, Dean, you know as well as I do that you could never just sit idly by and watch people die, not if you knew how to save them. You'd never forgive yourself if you did that."

"And, come on, dude. You're a hunter," Sam said, trying to cheer him up. "It's what you were meant to do."

"No, I wasn't meant to do anything," Dean countered quickly. "I don't believe in that destiny crap."

"You mean you don't believe in my destiny."

Dean looked at him and then back out the windshield. "Well, whatever."

"Look, Dean, I've tried running before." Sam was saying this gently, knowing Dean knew this already, but needing to say it anyway. "I mean, I tried running all the way to California and look what happened. You can't run from this. And you can't protect me."

Dean looked back at Sam. "I can try."

"Thanks for that," Sam said sincerely.

I settled back in the seat figuring that the argument was over.

"Look, Dean, I'm gonna keep huntin'. I mean, whatever's comin', I'm taking it head on. So, if you really wanna watch my back, then I guess you're gonna have to stick around."

I could basically hear Dean cussing in his head because Sam knew how to trap him with that.

"Bitch," Dean said.

"Jerk," Sam's routine response came.

I smiled and went back to drinking my drink, which I noticed was all ice now. I took the top off and put a piece of ice in my mouth.

I got out of the car again, closing the door and leaning up against it. It didn't take long for Dean to get out beside me.

I looked up at the sky. The stars were visible here and they were nice to look at. There was a field across the way that looked smooth and green.

"What do you want for your birthday?" I asked.

Dean looked at me, his expression guarded. "Why?"

"Because it's like a week away and I need some ideas." I took a deep breath and sighed. "Really, I was gonna surprise you by renting out a place in the mountains or somewhere warm by a lake for, like, a week. But now with Dad here, I think that would be a little awkward. I mean, we share a bed and he might get the wrong impression."

"You were gonna do that for me?"

"Yes. I thought it would be nice." I took two pieces of ice out and stuck one in my mouth then let my hand fall to my side. It was a big piece of ice and it would melt slowly. "We can still do that for, like, a day or two if you want. You can pick a place and Sam I will take care of the rest."

Dean looked like he was debating it, and my hand was getting cold now. I placed my cup on the ground and then turned to face Dean. I pulled him towards me by his belt loops on his jeans, and he suddenly looked very interested.

"So, what do you want?" I whispered…and then before he could answer I dropped the ice into his jeans. It almost hadn't worked; his jeans were snug against his waist. But I pulled and there had been a little slack.

The look on his face was comical. It was between stunned and disbelief that I'd gotten one over on him. That was, until his mind registered the fact that something cold was in his pants.

"Oh, I'm gonna get you for that." He was grinning, and I started running. I figured he'd try to get the ice out first, but anyway, I was heading towards the field, thinking in my head that if he were an enemy that would be a stupid thing to do…diving into wide open space like that.

But Dean wasn't my enemy, and I didn't mind him catching me. And I could hear him behind me, so I guess he didn't get the ice out beforehand. Then he was grabbing me around the waist and pulling me back to him. I shrieked gleefully and then my back hit his chest gently, but firmly, and he was wrapping his arms around me from behind and I grabbed onto them.

I didn't try to get free, though. I happened to like being in his arms. It wouldn't have worked anyway, unless I tried to hurt him, but I wasn't gonna do that. I mean, he was stronger than me physically, and his arms were comfortably tight around my waist.

"You are a thing of evil for doing that," Dean whispered, turning me around and lowering us to the ground.

"Hey, I'm a good girlfriend and you know it."

"Best girlfriend," he corrected lightly. He was still whispering and he sounded so sincere when he said it. It almost brought tears to my eyes.

And we were kissing now. It was slow, just like the one we'd had the day before. Not really any passion behind it, just like enjoying being with each other.

It didn't really bother me that my dad may have been watching because as I'd said before…he hadn't been there and I wasn't gonna change my life now just because he was back.

------------- -

"So," I started. "You never did tell me what you wanted."

We were on the ground in the field full of grass, sitting together. My back was to him, and I was resting against his chest. I was between his legs and he had his arms wrapped around me. We'd laid there for a while, but then we'd decided to sit up.

"That's because the last time you asked, I ended up with ice in a very bad place." He didn't sound mad, just amused. "But, seriously…you don't have to do anything special. We didn't do anything for yours."

I tilted my head up to look at him. "You were in the hospital for my birthday," I reminded him gently.

"Exactly. So, bad birthday. I didn't do anything for you so…" he trailed off.

This was about him not wanting to accept something from someone else. He could help everybody, but he didn't like generosity being wasted on him. Well, screw that.

I turned around in his arms. "Yes, you did," I said earnestly. "You gave me you."

If Dean were the blushing type that's what he would've been doing, I was sure. And then he was chuckling almost humorlessly.

"It's funny you sayin' that."

"Why?" I was confused.

"Because I seriously think I would die if I didn't have you." That was one of the most open, honest things he'd said to me in a while. About our relationship, anyway. "You…and Sam…you make things easier. If I didn't have you guys…" he trailed off. But he didn't have to say anything else, I got it.

I smiled slightly. "But I get bonus points for not leaving, right?"

He smiled, too, relieved that I'd lightened things up a little. "Big time." Then he was serious again. "Ya know, before I met you…I didn't do relationships very well. I'd had a girlfriend, sure…but it wasn't something I did well."

"What happened?" I was curious. I didn't bother me to talk about his other girlfriend. Because he was with me now.

"Well, we got close and then I told her what I did and…then it was over. Hunting wasn't even on her radar. She didn't believe me." He didn't sound like he blamed her now, but he may have at one point.

"So, she broke up with you?" He shrugged. "What a moron." I thought about it. "But then again…if you had stayed with her, I never would've met you…so."

Dean must have taken my last statement as a sign of low self-esteem or something because he started talking again. "She's not you, ya know," he said. "I could never confide in her. I mean, sure, I told her some things, but I could never just randomly start talking about ghosts or demons. Or anything that was important, really." He paused. "And it's hard to get close to someone when you have to lie all the time."

That was the end of that conversation. He'd said what he needed to say and I didn't have anything to say. I didn't feel threatened. Dean was happy with me. Or as happy as one could be given his current situation.

I settled back down, my back against his chest. Things were silent for a while, at least on the surface. In my head, was a totally different story.

It was mostly my dad, the mixed feelings I had towards him.

"I told him that I wouldn't mind him stickin' around for a while." I didn't have to specify what I was talking about.

"I figured," Dean replied. "You're too nice to tell him to piss off."

I shook slightly with laughter. Then a took a deep breath. "Dean? Is it wrong or weird that I want him in my life but that I sorta don't think I can forgive him…no matter what he does?"

"You're asking me about family problems?" Dean seemed amused. "When my family could have at some point won a medal for dysfunctional families?"

I laughed again. "Yeah, I am." Then I sobered pretty quickly. "I mean, on the one hand, he's my dad…ya know?" I paused, but didn't wait for an answer. I didn't expect one. I knew Dean knew what I was talking about. And if our roles had been reversed he'd probably feel the same way. Glad that he was alive, but scared to let him in, scared he'd leave again, or even worse…get hurt.

"Ya know, I don't know if Jack's telling the truth or not, about being a hunter, but I'm gonna have to make sure he knows how to protect himself, ward off demons. He's gonna be a target now that he's back in my life. They'll use him to get to me now."

His arms tightened around me briefly. "You mean, we have to make sure that he can protect himself." I felt his lips press against my hair softly. "You're not alone in this, so don't go thinkin' you are."

I squeezed his arm, letting him know I appreciated it and that I knew already that he was there. He'd help in any way he could. As would Sam.

We sat there in silence and it was very comfortable. Until Sam came up and told us we needed to go to Peoria, Illinois, because he still wasn't getting an answer from Ava.

"You called her again?" Dean seemed amused, and then he started getting both of us up. "You sweet on her or somethin'?"

"She's engaged, Dean," Sam said, decidedly not amused.

We began to walk towards the car and then Dean resumed speaking. "So? What's the point of saving the world if you can't get a little nookie once in a while, huh?"

I playfully elbowed him in the ribs. "You haven't had any in a while, either, so I don't know what you're talkin' about," I joked. Of course, I was talking about actual sex, not orgasms…because he'd had plenty of those even if they were just hand jobs. He hadn't pressed for me to do anything else, knowing that if I had wanted to then I would.

Sam laughed quietly, amused. Dean pulled me against him again, lifting me into his arms, cradle-style. One arm under my legs, the other on my back. I squealed in delight; he hadn't held me like that in a long time.

"Is that an offer?" he whispered against my ear, making me shiver from the vibrations of his lips against my skin.

I blushed and buried my head in the crook of his neck, wrapping my arms around him to make it easier to carry me. I knew he was just joking so I didn't say anything about it; I just changed the subject.

"So, Peoria, huh? How far away is that?" It was only the next state over; I knew that much.

"About three hours."

When we got back to the car, I looked over at the Charger. Jack looked like he was asleep in the front seat, his head back against the seat. Someone was gonna be sore.

"Should we wake him?" I asked, and Dean put me down, my feet touching the ground. "Or leave him here?"

"Wake him. You wanted to make sure he was safe, remember?" Dean gently pushed me in the direction of the Charger.

When I got to it, I knocked on the driver's side window and he stirred slightly. Then he opened the door.

"Huh?" He was still half-asleep and I bit my lip to keep from laughing. "What?"

"We're gonna get ready to go. Sam said we should go check on Ava. He's still not getting an answer." I paused, suddenly feeling self-conscious. "Did you, um…wanna come with us? Or you could just give me your number and we'll catch up later. Whichever."

"I think I'd like to come with."

I nodded, sighed, and then asked another question. "Are you really a hunter?"

He looked amused. "Yes. Why?"

"How do you get rid of a ghost?"

"Salt and burn the bones. Or the object that's keeping it here."

"Vampires?" I asked, harder this time.

"Decapitation. And they're not afraid of sunlight or holy water."

"Hm. Holy water…we should have made you drink some," I said, distracted.

"Will it help you trust me?"

"Maybe," I replied. "Anyway, just follow us, okay? Sam's gonna get the address."

He nodded. "Sure."

------------- -

"So, why exactly are you worried?" I asked. "Maybe she's just in bed." I looked at my watch as we pulled into the driveway of Ava's house. "I mean, it's almost 2 a.m."

It was a blue-green one story house with a built-in side garage. Maybe that was where her car was, because it wasn't out in the yard.

The Charger pulled up beside us and everybody got out of their cars.

"No," Sam answered. "I've been calling since 9:30."

We went to the front porch, with flashlights, and then knocked on the door. No answer. So, naturally, we picked the lock. Well, Jack did. Call it a test to see if he knew what he was doing.

He did, it turns out.

And, oh man. Definitely a reason to be worried. I smelt the stench of blood; the metallic coppery smell. It was in the air; I could taste it.

We took out our guns and I saw Jack do the same. Jack branched off into what looked like the kitchen, and Dean Sam, and I moved down a hallway that was right in front of us. It led to a bedroom…with a body in it. A man, on a bed.

"Oh, God."

I turned away quickly but I'd already seen everything. A guy - Ava's fiancé, probably - on the bed, throat slit. There was a lot of blood. All over the front of his shirt and on the sheets - they were white. It looked like he'd been getting ready for bed or something. The guy was in a T-shirt and boxers.

"Hey," I heard Dean say. "Demon's been here."

I turned to look at him. He was standing by the window; he had yellow-white stuff on his fingers. Sulfur.

I shuddered. "Three guesses as to which demon," I commented.

I saw Sam lean down, flashlight in one hand, and pick something up. He stared at it. It was a ring.

I was more interested in the blood splatters near the bed, though. There was just way too much blood for me to deal with.

"Ava," Sam whispered.

I gulped. I really needed some air. Air, that was fresh and not scented with blood.

I turned and went out of the room and back down the hall. I ran into Jack, who asked what was wrong. I looked pale.

"Dead guy in the bed. Blood. Lots of blood."

It took all of ten minutes for the guys to search the house and for the guys to get back to the cars, Jack behind them. They checked the garage and found her car there.

"We should call the cops," Sam said. "Missing person and murder."

And that took about two hours because we had to answer a bunch of questions. Why were we there? How did we know Ava? Did she have any enemies? Were her and her fiancé having problems?

Anyway, Sam seemed to be blaming himself but not in a mopey way. More like her was mad that he'd sent her home. Sent Ava back and told her she was safe.

Right. Safe. Like getting on a roller coaster without strapping yourself in.

------------- -

We were at a motel now - the four of us - and we were just taking in everything that had happened. It was kinda stupid in my opinion, but we'd gotten three rooms.

Sam wanted to be alone - guilt-dealing probably. Jack went with whatever I wanted, and I didn't want to share a room with him. So Dean and I were sharing a room, Sam was by himself, and Jack was by himself.

Or that's how the room arrangements were, but no one was following it yet. Everyone was in Sam's room.

"I've never seen anything like that," Jack admitted.

That confused me. "You've been hunting how long, and you haven't seen something like that before?"

"Eight years," he said. "Give or take a few months. And no, I haven't."

I sighed, not really wanting to get into it right now. "Okay, well, do you know the whole salting the windows and doors thing?

"Yes, I do it everywhere I go."

"Well, good. Then I'm gonna go to bed. I'll come get you before we leave." I looked to Sam and Dean. "When are we leaving?"

Dean shrugged. "Whenever we get another case? Or whenever we get tired of being here. Whichever comes first."

------------- -

Man I was tired. Tired, but restless. I'd been laying there with Dean, my head on his chest, for over fifteen minutes. No sleep came.

My head was filled with thoughts of Ava. She'd been a nice girl. Even though I barely knew her it still hurt to think that she'd been killed. Or kidnapped, going through who knows what.

I wondered whether she was taken - or whatever had happened - because she knew us. Or maybe it was just because she was psychic. Like Sam.

Then I felt fingers lightly running through my hair. Dean. I moved slightly to look at him. "I thought you were asleep."

"Nah. I was waiting for you to drift off." He sighed. "You were tense. I figured if you wanted to talk, you would."

"No…it's just…what if she was kidnapped? I mean, we know a demon was there. Her car was in the garage. Her fiancé is dead, and she wasn't there." I laid my head on his chest again. "Demons aren't very friendly to the people they kidnap."

His hand stilled and I knew he was thinking about what had happened to me when I'd been taken. It bothered him still, even though it had happened almost two months ago. I think if hurt him more than me. It was something he blamed himself for even though he couldn't have done anything to stop it.

Then he was playing with my hair again. Which I needed to get cut. It was getting way to long to be hunting with. It could get in the way. But Dean liked playing with it, running his fingers through it, so I wouldn't get it too short.

I moved to wrap my arm around his waist and then I resolved to go to sleep and think about it when I woke up.

Hey, updating again. Now that you know a little more of Jack's backstory what do you think about him? I kinda have a storyline for him, but it's a little iffy...I have to broaden it for it to make sense I think. Anyway...yeah. Tell me what you think. Thanks.