AN: Not so many reviews, but that's okay. I like writing my stories and even if it brings pleasure to only a few, it still brings pleasure. grins Thank you two for the reviews. You know who you are! Here's the next chapter. I hope you enjoy.

"So this is Lovers Lane," Sam said as they got out of the car. They had followed the directions John had given them. It had led them past the town and down a dirt road. It spread out into a semi circled dead end with brush and forest at the far end. Clouds sporadically covered the sky. The moon shown only slightly, giving them a bare amount of light.

Dean walked around to the trunk and pulled out some flashlights. "Not much to do in a small town." He handed one to Dorian and one to Sam. He pulled out his shotgun and loaded it with salt rock. "Stick close, Dorian."

"I'm a big girl you know. I can take care of myself."

"Yeah you can take care of yourself so well you can't walk ten feet without falling on your face."

She was tempted to shine the light in his eyes, but knew it would kill his night vision. She didn't want to do anything that would possibly put him in harms way. She settled for sticking her tongue out at him.

They started prowling the area, looking for any signs of something out of the ordinary. Despite Dorian's earlier proclamation of being able to take care of herself, she stuck close to Dean as they searched the woods. She kept her light straight ahead so Dean could see where he was walking while Sam used his to check the area's to either side of them.

"Do you hear that?" Dorian asked.

They stopped. "Hear what?" Dean asked.

"Nothing," Sam said.

"Exactly," Dorian said looking around her. "There's no noise at all. No owls or possums, or even crickets."

"You're right," Dean said. "It's way to quiet around here."

"Something is definitely going on," Sam said.

Two lights came up behind them causing them to whirl around. It so bright they all lifted an arm to shield their eyes.

"Someone's got their high beams on," Dorian drawled.

Dean gave Sam the shot gun. "Stay here with Dorian, keep scoping the place out. I'll go see what's going on out there." He pulled his handgun out of the back of his pants. Sam nodded and Dean walked back through the tree's.

Dean guarded his sight with his hand. He was trying to preserve some sort of night vision. The last think he wanted was to be walking blind. The lights turned off before he made it to the clearing. He had to blink a few times, but he made it through without falling flat on his face.

Once into the clearing he saw a dark blue, or maybe black Ford Mustang parked in front of him. Two teens were sitting in the front seat, jumping each other's bones. They were so into each other they hadn't even noticed him walk out of the woods.

Dean noted that the chick was pretty hot and as much as he hated to cut the show short before her top came off, he knew he needed to get them out of there in case there was any truth to the Skinned Tom legend.

He walked over and knocked on the drivers side window. The girl screamed in fright and the guy jumped and looked at him. The scared look on both their faces told Dean that they were expecting someone a lot more scary.

Once the guy realized that Dean was alive and had his skin intact the fear on his face was replaced by a scowl. He roughly rolled down the window so he could glare at Dean without the glass between them. "What the hell do you want man?"

"Well hello to you too," Dean said, smiling. "Sorry to break up the little party." He pulled out a fake badge. Not worrying about them studying it to long in the dark he let it linger for a moment before he put it away. "Dean Morgan, FBI. Don't you think it's a pretty stupid idea to bring your girlfriend here when someone was stabbed here the other night?"

The boys face went from scowl to a less terrifying look of fear. "We didn't think...I mean..."

"Don't think," Dean said. "You're liable to hurt yourself. Just turn around get out of here."

The guy nodded and quickly rolled up the window. He turned on the lights, causing Dean to shield his eyes once again. The guy sped off leaving a cloud of dust in his wake. Dean waited until they were gone. He shook his head and started back into the woods. He hadn't gone three steps when he heard Dorian's scream tear through the silent night.

"Dorian," He whispered. Dean took off on a full out run, angry with himself for not being smart enough to grab a flashlight. He kept his hands out to keep the branches from smacking into his face. Some of the branches cut into his arms, but he kept running. Dorian hadn't screamed since a moment ago and that worried him. He also hadn't heard anything from Sam.

He saw lights moving in the distance and pushed himself harder as he ran towards them. When he finally reached them he saw Sam kneeling next to Dorian. Seeing that there was no one else with them he leaned over, putting his hands on his knee's for support, and gasping for air.

"What the hell?" He asked between gasps.

Sam looked over his shoulder. "Why are you so out of breath?" He turned his attention back to Dorian.

Dean took a few deep breaths and stood up. He wiped the sweat of his brow with his jacket sleeve. "I heard Dorian scream."

"Sorry," She said meekly. "My foot got caught in a brier patch."

"That's why you screamed?" Dean asked angrily.

"Well hey you try having something latch onto your ankle and then go flying face first into the dark," She said defensively. "See if you don't scream!"

"She's caught in here real good," Sam said. "Do you have your pocket knife on you?"

Dean let a frustrated groan. "Yeah, watch out." Sam moved over and held the light over Dorian's foot.

"I don't know how you manage this. No one but you, Dorian." He pulled out his pocket knife and started cutting through the prickly plants that Dorian had managed to entangle herself in.

"It's not like I did it on purpose," She retorted. She felt heat rising to her cheeks and was thankful it was dark out so they couldn't see. She knew she was a klutz, but it's not like she was one on purpose.

Dean cut through the last of the patch and pulled her foot free. "Did you sprain it?" He stood up.

She shook her head and held up her hand. "No, I'm good." Dean took her hand and pulled her up. She tripped and fell against him.

Thunder sounded over head and it began to drizzle through the tree's.

"Well it looks like we're done here for the night," Sam said.

Dean shook his head. "Come on. There's nothing out here tonight anyways. Let's head back to the motel."

By the time they got back to the motel it was full down pour complete with roof shaking thunder and streaked lightning. Dorian walked in and shook the water off of her. She sat down at the table and pulled up her pants leg. Her ankle was a little swollen. She had twisted it slightly when she fell, but she didn't want to tell Dean or Sam that. She had a few scratches from the patch, but nothing serious. Sam sat down in the chair across from her.

"Let me see."

She pulled her pants leg down and shook her head. "It's a few scratches. I'll live." Every since they had left her home town both of the brothers had been treating her with a soft hand if she got so much as a nick and it was driving her crazy.

"Are you sure?" Sam asked, worriedly. He knew how she liked to play off injuries as nothing when they could really be something. "I noticed you limping as we walked out of the woods."

"So did I," Dean said lying on the bed. "I thought you said you didn't sprain it."

"I didn't," She said adamantly. She brushed a stray strand of hair out of her face. "I twisted it a little. It'll be fine by tomorrow! Stop worrying about me."

Sam shrugged, willing to give her the benefit of the doubt for now. "All right, but if it gets worse..."

She laid her hand over his. "I'll tell you, I promise." She gave him a reassuring smile.

"All right, so where do we go from here?" Sam asked, taking his hand back. He knew Dorian didn't mean anything by it, but it was a gesture Jess had often used with him and the wounds were still too raw.

"Well we'll check out the girl, Andy Miller," Dean said. "She what she remembers."

"We should probably talk to Billy too," Dorian added. "I mean he's the one who supposedly saw Skinned Tom."

"We should also check out the local newspaper and see if there's any truth to Tom's murder," Sam said. "See what we're working with."

"All right," Dean said, putting an arm under his head. "We'll split up. Sam, since your so good at all the book stuff, you can go to the library and do the research. Dorian and I will head up to the hospital and talk to Andy if she's conscious. From there we'll track down this Billy guy and talk to him."

"Sounds like a plan," Dorian said.

A loud boom of thunder shook the building, followed by a flash of lighting. A moment later the lights went out.

"Great," Dean drawled. He stood up. "I'll go get the flashlights and a couple of candles out of the car."

"Need help?" Dorian asked.

"I'm good," He replied. "Try staying off that ankle for the night." He walked out.

A minute later he returned, with the flashlight streaming through the darkened room. He handed the second light to Sam. "Looks like the whole block is out. Probably from the storm." He handed Sam a couple of candles and they started setting them up around the room.

Dean lit his first one and walked to the next. Dorian's gaze stayed on the flame. It flickered in the soft breeze from the air conditioning. She couldn't tear her gaze away.

Suddenly Dorian wasn't in the motel room anymore. She was back at her house, flames surrounding her. She was choking on thick black smoke, and she couldn't get away. Her hands were tied to the banister. She pulled and yanked, desperately trying to break herself free, but even with the slick blood from rubbing her wrists raw, she couldn't get loose.

A hand on her shoulder jerked her out of her thoughts. Dean was leaning in front of her.

"Hey," He said gently. "You okay?"

She blinked a couple of times and cleared her throat. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine."

Dean nodded towards the candle. "What was that about?"

"It was nothing," She said tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

Dean looked deep into her green eyes and knew that she was lying. He saw the fear their and he knew what she was afraid of. It was the same thing he had been afraid of when he was a child. It was the fire. She was petrified of it ever since her old town had tried to burn her at the proverbial stake.

"It's okay to be afraid," He told her.

She pushed his hand off her shoulder. "Who's afraid? I'm fine." She stood up, grabbed her bag, and walked into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.

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