CHAPTER 27

Sam's thoughts filled the cockpit of the Impala. Though he hadn't said anything yet, Dean could hear every question, even over the blaring classic rock beating the car speakers into submission.

"I don't know, Sam, so don't ask."

"Don't ask what, Dean? What that little girl meant? Yeah, what did she mean and where in the hell are we going?" Sam looked out the windshield and sighed heavily, he knew. "Dean, we don't have time for this, man."

"Sammy, you need some fun in your life. You're too young for those highlights of gray in that mane you claim is hair."

Dean pulled into the parking lot of the animal clinic and smirked at his brother, "If I'm not back in ten, keep waiting." Dean slammed the door on his brother's next comment.

He sauntered into the clinic and smiled at the girl behind the counter, "Terry, right?"

She smiled politely, "Theresa. Doc Alex is on the phone. Have a seat and… hey! Where do you think you're going?" She stood and chased after Dean's retreating back.

He made it to Kate's office door and gave Theresa a little smirk, "Trust me. I'm a professional." The second time in under 5 minutes he shut a door in someone's face.

Kate was sitting behind her desk, pen in one hand, head in the other. She looked up and her eyes stole his breath, "I've missed you." He circled her desk and took her face in both his hands and kissed her. It was his turn to take her breath away.

She smiled against his lips and groaned as his tongue invaded her mouth. Kate needed her wits about her and his tongue doing all those lascivious things in her mouth was stealing her good sense. She forced herself to pull away, breaking the connection. She lifted her hands and held his face, resting her forehead against his lips, "Dean, I can't catch my breath." She pulled her head back and looked into his green eyes, smiling, "Hi."

He smiled back, "Hi." Dean felt a sudden sadness and panic as he knew why he was here. It was a mystery why he actually headed this direction after leaving the Blankenship homestead. Looking at Kate, he now knew and his heart clenched. Shit!

Kate looked at Dean, worry creased her brow, "Dean, what is it? What's wrong?"

Dean sat on the corner of her desk, "I'm leaving. I…I don't want to. But…Damn!" He hopped off her desk scattering papers on the floor, double damn. He dropped to his knees and started picking them up, frustrated he sat back on his haunches and looked up at her. Is this the her that's waiting for me, Dean thought? Sighing, he rested his head on her legs, inhaling her womanly scent, groaning. There was no time for that now, triple dog damn!

Kate caressed Dean's head. She didn't know what was going on with him, but sensed that he needed this moment of intimacy more than he needed sex, "Dean, you can tell me, whatever it is."

There was something about this woman, he didn't know what, he normally didn't have this connection with any woman, any person, except maybe Sammy, and he wasn't about to lay his head in his brother's lap. Dean sat up and looked at her, memorizing her face, "This is weird, but, uh… will you be here…later?" Just how much later, he wasn't sure.

Kate smiled and nodded, "Of course. Either here or at the house. Dean, I'm not going anywhere. Are you okay?"

Dean smiled sadly, No, "Yeah. I'm freakin' adorable, babe." He waggled his eyebrows at her.

Kate shook her head and smiled, "One of these days you'll tell me, I hope. Now go. Save the world."

As Dean was standing, he noticed the statue, he and Sam had inspected on their first visit, sitting on the shelf behind her. He leaned over Kate's body, pressing her into the back of her chair, to get to the statue. Maybe he'd rubbed up against her a little more than necessary, maybe not. He gave her a sheepish smile as he settled back down on the corner of her desk. He gave the statue another quick inspection, and sure enough, there it was, a circle.

Kate laughed and shook her head at his antics, "You're such a male, I swear. What? You and Sam all ready looked at that."

Dean turned the statue over and showed her the circle on the bottom, "This is what we've been looking for. Damn. I've really got to go now. This sucks, Kate. I'm sorry. Later?"

She smiled at Dean, standing, she moved into his body and pressed herself against him, "As long as it takes, Dean." She kissed him, gently. When she pulled back, Dean scowled. He could have sworn her eyes flashed electric blue, like…no, it was just a trick of the light.

With a heavy heart, he left her sitting behind her desk. The office smelled like lunch time was arriving anyway. It must be Italian day at the diner or something, as the smell of warmed garlic permeated the air.

Dean slammed himself behind the driver's seat and looked at Sam, "Wanna say good bye to Ivy? I think the special at the diner is Italian something. Then, we can talk. I'm done here. Done."

"Nah, she's a big girl. Besides, I think she's in class now or something. I could go for some Italian. What do you mean, 'done'?"

Only a few minutes of silence later and they were pulling into the almost empty parking lot of the diner. They walked in expecting to see spaghetti and meatballs, fettuccini alfredo, and lasagna on the specials board. But, today was meatloaf, open-faced roast beef or turkey sandwich, and pork chop specials.

The men just shrugged their shoulders and took a booth. Sam stiffened a bit as he noticed a bustling little thing heading their way. He so didn't want to see Ivy, she was a bit…much. His body sagged in relief as the waitress came into focus and she wasn't Ivy.

The waitress, Cory – her name tag boasted, snapped her gum, cocked her hip out, "Yeah?"

After they'd both ordered a plate of each of the specials, and Cory looked at them like they were nuts, Sam turned back to Dean, "What? I'm starved. One bad meal every now and again isn't going to kill me. Shut up!"

Dean smirked, "Didn't say a. thing. Dude."

Sam sat back on his side of the booth. He leaned his head back on the top of the booth and looked at the ceiling, squeezing his eyes shut, "Dean, I know who's behind this. I just don't know how to proceed. This is something different. I mean, we've dealt with their kind before, but not this situation." He raised his head and looked at Dean, who was waiting expectantly. Sam nodded, "Goddess. I've been doing research while you haven't been sleeping. Looks to be..uh… Hecate. Goddess of the…"

"Crossroads," Dean finished for his brother. He closed his eyes and suddenly he was transported to the field, the well, two figures before him. A male, "Hades…so, what we're in Olympus or some such shit?"

"Hecate, not Hades. No, we're not in Olympus, Dean, at least, I don't think. What about Hades?"

Dean sighed, but figured he'd disclose everything he remembered about his time in No Fucking Way Land.

Sam sat quietly and listened while his brother went through each visit to another plane of existence. Shocked didn't even begin to cover the emotions once Dean revealed that Hades blurted that he was dead. No wonder Dean couldn't sleep, fuck. He'd never sleep again if he'd been having those hallucinations or whatever was going on with his brother.

"So, what are we supposed to do, here? They're taking people who are, well, pretty much the dregs of humanity. I'm not going to gank some Goddess because she offed the likes of that piece of dog shit, Blankenship. Nah, Sammy." Cory approached with half a dozen plates balanced precariously on her arms and both men helped distribute them along the small table. With another pop of her pink bubble gum the little brunette was gone.

"Okay," Sam said, "but what about the people in the town? And the town itself? I mean, it's always day here. Time seems to move differently here. Two weeks, Dean. Who knows how long we've been here this time and it's not like us to leave things as they lie, Dean. This is a different situation than we've ever been in. I don't know, man, I just don't know."

Dean had dove head first into the sumptuous food laid out before them, listening between bites. He knew what they needed to do, well, some of it. Some, he needed to do on his own, otherwise, Sam would try and talk him out of it. "We need to talk to her."

"Who? What? Talk? To…Dean, you want to summon a Goddess? You! You who shoots first, second, and third, and then decides to ask questions? Dean, we can't summon her…no…fuck. Dean. Damn it!" After Sam's string of cuss words was expelled from his mouth, he seemed to run out of steam. He threw himself against the back of the booth, scrubbing his face, then slamming his hand down on the table top, making the silverware and plates clank and tinkle. "Summon her, huh? Got a way to gank her in case shit goes sour?"

Dean laughed through a mouthful of mashed potatoes and gravy, spraying the formica table top with little cream colored speckles, "Mope. Vut ool phund fumfin."

Sam nodded, "Yeah, I'll find something all right. The first thing is Emily Post's book on eating etiquette. Fuck man, you sprayed me with potatoes and gravy."

Dean laughed, almost letting loose the load he'd just shoveled into his mouth.

Finished with their meals, Dean threw a wad of cash on the table and followed his brother out to the car. From inside the diner, Eve, Cory, and Mrs. Seckla watched the men drive away. Cory looked up at Eve, "What do you think?"

Eve continued to watch through the window, not looking at the little brunette, "I think you have tables that need bussed."

"No, I mean…they're going to summon her."

"I knew what you meant. We'll have to wait."

Mrs. Seckla nodded, "Waiting is all we can do, little one."

Cory stomped her foot, "But, what if…"

"What if … nothing. We wait until we're called, that is all. Now, you have tables to bus." Eve scolded Cory and watched as she flounced away.

Mrs. Seckla moved closer to Eve, "What do you think?"

Eve sighed, shaking her head, "I don't know. He is different. I would be worried if this was a few years ago, but now… I just don't know."

Mrs. Seckla nodded in understanding, "Roger's food ready?"

Eve released the curtain, smirking at the little old woman. They both moved back into the diner wondering how their existences were going to be affected after the summoning.