The motel was a drawn-out building near the highway with nothing but woods behind it. A few hundred yards to the left there was a bar that was obviously closed at this time of the day. Both buildings looked old, run-down and dirty. There were only two cars and a motorbike in in the parking lot. Apart from that the area was deserted. But Rory could hear the swoosh of the highway in the distance.

No one can hear you scream, was her first thought when Dean parked the car in front of the motel room that was furthest from the office and the other residents. Dean and Sam got out of the car nearly simultaneously and Rory decided to push the bad feeling in her stomach away. This was Sam, after all, who had never been anything but nice to her! So she followed the boys to the room.

Rory had never been to a motel like this. When Lorelai and she went on their spontaneous roundtrips they always stayed in cosy little inns with a big comfortable bed and flowers on the wall. This room was dark and smelled mouldy. There were two beds in the back of the room – the one closer to the door was obviously slept in, the other one untouched – as well as a ramshackle table with two chairs next to the door and a kitchenette on her left. It looked as if it hadn't been renovated for at least thirty years and there were strange spots in the corner. Everything felt kind of dirty and Rory wandered how people were willing to pay for a room like that.

The brothers however didn't really seem to notice. Dean went straight to the bathroom to get his toiletries and Sam sat down at the table. Rory hesitated to go in. Maybe, if Dean didn't take too long with packing things, she didn't have to touch anything? For a moment she thought about waiting outside in the parking lot. But when Sam noticed that she didn't move, he turned in his seat and looked up to her. "Have a seat. It will take a few minutes," he said. Slowly Rory went around the table to sit opposite of him and tried to smile politely.

"I know it's not very nice," Sam said.

"I didn't mean to ... It's just ... Why didn't he just stay at the Independence? It's closer and cleaner. Sorry."

"This one is cheaper." Sam shrugged and watched Dean coming back to the room.

"Where are you going?"

"We will meet with our father. He will ..." Sam couldn't finish his sentence because suddenly the door burst open. A man stood in the doorway with a furious stare. In an instant both Sam and Dean were on their feet and out of nowhere they both held guns aiming at the stranger.

"Aren't you supposed to be in hospital?" Dean asked the man obviously surprised.

"You killed my friend," the man growled angrily and if Rory didn't know better she could have sworn he bared his teeth.

"After he gashed your torso and tried to eat you," Dean answered sarcastically.

While Dean talked to the man he slowly backed away. The man followed him and Sam moved to the side until he stood between Rory and the intruder. "We can help you," Dean went on. "There is a cure. You just have to trust us."

Rory held her breath. The man scared her even though he was unarmed. Dean obviously knew how to handle a gun and even though he backed away one step after another he seemed to know what he was doing. Sam had his back to Rory so she couldn't see his face. But from the way he stood in front of her she could tell that he was as secure in his actions as Dean was. He had straightened up to his full height and was totally focused on Dean and the stranger waiting for the next move either of them would make.

"I don't need your help," the man growled and faster then Rory could see he sprang forward. His fingernails had turned into big claws and with one hit he gashed a deep wound into Dean's shoulder, down to his chest. At the same moment Dean shot him. When the bullet hit the man's chest he tumbled back for a moment but quickly found his balance again. He raised his arm for another hit against Dean. But before he could make another step Sam shot him into his knee. He collapsed and knelt on the floor, hands in front to support him. He turned his head to Sam and Rory was sure she saw large sharp teeth just like the fangs of a wolf. He growled dangerously and Rory took a step back. She felt panic rise and wanted to just run. But she was trapped in the corner behind Sam. Sam didn't seem to be too impressed by the stranger. Without any hesitation he shot again and hit the other knee.

Dean didn't even look at his attacker. The moment Sam had shot he turned around to the bag on his bed and pulled out a large knife. To Rory's surprise the stranger didn't stay on the ground. Slowly he rose again, tried first to stand on one leg then on the other. And as if nothing had happened he went after Dean again. But Dean was ready for him and stabbed him. He seemed to aim for his chest but only got his shoulder. The man cried out with a terrible howl, grabbed his shoulder and when Dean tried to attack again he left the room in a rush. For a moment Dean looked at Sam then he followed the man outside.

The whole incident couldn't have taken more then a few minutes but to Rory it seemed like forever. Her heart raced and now that the danger was over and she could breath again, she began to hyperventilate. Her legs started to give way. Before she could sink to the floor Sam was there to hold her. Carefully he helped her back on one of the chairs. "Are you okay?" he asked calmly.

Rory just looked at him with big eyes "Rory?" Sam asked again.

Rory nodded slowly. "What happened?" she asked. But before Sam could answer she went on: "Did you shoot someone? You have a gun. Why do you have a gun? You went to shoot clay pigeons. With your father. Who isn't really your father. Because you don't live here. Did you shoot clay pigeons with your father, too?"

"Rory, calm down," Sam interrupted her.

"Yes. Calm down," she repeated but then panic overcame her again. "How can I calm down? There was a man. He attacked you. You shot him. Oh my god, your brother. Where is he? He's hurt. We have to call an ambulance. Who was that man? He was weird. We should look for your brother. Do you have a phone? We need the police."

Rory tried to get up but Sam put his hands on her shoulders for her to sit back down. Then he went to the kitchen counter to get a glass and a bottle of whiskey. "Drink this!" he ordered after he had poured some of the alcohol into her glass and sat down next to her.

"I can't drink that!" Rory said shocked. "I'm only sixteen. Dean, you know I'm sixteen. I don't do that. My mom ..."

"Sam," he interrupted.

"What?" Rory asked confused.

"My name. It's Sam. And it will help you calm down. Trust me."

Rory looked confused for a moment before she nodded. "Right." Hesitantly she took the glass and tried a sip. It burned in her throat and she could feel it burn its way down.

"Now take a deep breath," Sam ordered. "Better?"

Rory nodded. The longer she stared at Sam her heartbeat started to slow down and her breathing went back to normal. She still wasn't sure what had happened. But somehow having Sam just sit there, holding her hand made her feel safe. "Your brother?" She finally asked. "Maybe we should look for him?"

"Don't worry. He'll be back in a minute," Sam said. Nevertheless, he got up and had a look outside the door. From the relieved look on his face she was sure he saw him coming back. Sure enough Dean pushed past Sam into the room. His shirt was soaked in blood and he was slightly swaying. "Are you two okay?" he asked gruffly.

"We're fine. Did you ...?" Sam didn't finish his question but Dean seemed to know exactly what he wanted to say. "Yeah" he nodded.

Sam looked satisfied. "Are you okay? Let me see your shoulder."

"I'm fine," Dean growled but let Sam guide him to one of the beds to sit down.

"Take your shirt of," he ordered before he went to the bathroom. Sullenly Dean did was he was told and Rory had to swallow hard when she saw the wounds. Everything was covered in blood. Deep gushes went from his shoulder down to his chest.

Sam came back with a washcloth and started to clean the blood away. Dean hissed a few times when Sam touched the wounds. Then the bottle of whiskey caught his eye. "Give me that," he said. Rory got up to give him the bottle and Dean took a great swig.

Back on her seat she watched the brothers again. With all the blood cleared away Rory could finally see how deep into his flesh the claws had been. If it really were claws. Which was stupid, really. Maybe that man had knives that she didn't see?

"How does it look?" Dean asked calmly.

"Not too bad. You need a few stiches. But then you'll be fine. Where do you have it?"

"In the bag."

It took Rory a moment to understand what they were talking about. But when Sam got a first-aid-kit from the bag on the bed and took out a needle she knew she had to look away or she would be sick. And because no one paid her any attention she took another sip from the whiskey on her table and concentrated hard on the glass in front of her.

"The lunar cycle wasn't right" she heard Sam say quietly to his brother.

"I know," Dean answered in a low voice and Rory wondered what they talked about.

"There you go." Sam finally said. "You can get dressed again."

When Rory looked back to them a big gauze patch covered the wounds. "You should go to the drugstore and get some painkillers," Dean said.

"Don't you ..." Sam started but the way Dean looked at him made him stop. For a moment they just looked at each other. To Rory it seemed like a whole conversation passed between them. Then Sam got up, went to the sink to wash his hands and turned to Rory. "Let's go. I think I saw a drugstore on our way here."