OK y'all... now you see? I'm from Ohio - which is not far enough south to say or write"y'all". Here's the thing. I am a very needy person. I need reviews! Reviews are my life's blood - and right now I am dying from the lack. I happen to love reviews (good or bad - as long as you comment). I love them and pet them and call them George.

So, please. I am desperate! I checked out my stats. People have not only read this story but have put it on alert (or whatever). Just, something... anything... please (with big Sammy-puppy-dog-eyes)! Thank you.

Welcome to the Club

Burn out the day- Burn out the night
I can't see no reason to put up a fight
I'm living for giving the devil his due
And I'm burning, I'm burning, I'm burning for you

Burnin' for You, Blue Oyster Cult

Their obvious confusion seemed to amuse her and she gave them an even wider, but still crooked, grin.

"How did you…?" was all Sam was able to ask.

"Well," she laughed, "who else would you be?" When the Winchesters were still silently baffled, she continued. "OK, now I'm a little hurt. I guess I don't expect you to remember me Sam. After all, you were only three. But Dean, you were seven. I was six and I remember the two of you. Of course, it helps that your father has sent me updated pictures of you both."

That got a reaction.

"Our dad?" Dean asked. She nodded at him.

"Have you seen him lately?" Sam pleaded quickly.

"No, I…" she looked from on to the other again, taken aback by their sudden concern. "I haven't seen him in years. He would write or call, but not regularly. And, I haven't heard from him in awhile. Why don't we talk in my office?" she said, glancing up at the students who were beginning to enter the room for the next class.

"Professor Marten," Sam began as they entered her office. Like her home, the professor's office was small. She had a desk that was only a little larger than the laptop resting on it. There was a mini-fridge in the corner and a coffee maker that was just finishing a fresh brew. On the opposite wall was a small sofa with a filing cabinet doubling as an end table. She also had a number of wall-mounted shelves surrounding the room.

"Call me Kole, please," she said as she closed the door.

"Good," Dean said, giving her one of his most charming grins, "I think I would have a problem calling someone younger than me 'Professor'." Sam rolled his eyes but then had to suppress a smile when all Dean got for his effort was an arched eyebrow.

"Kole," Sam began again, "do mind if I ask why our dad kept in contact with you?"

"I guess you guys really don't remember me," she sighed. "Well, I suppose that's understandable. We only saw each other once, but I'll never forget it. I don't think I had ever seen my father so angry or upset."

"Your dad?" Dean asked and nodded as she offered him some coffee.

"Yes. Well, technically, my step-father, but he was my only father… all my life… He was mad at your father for never telling him how your mother had died. I guess they hadn't spoken for a year or two. They had just kind of lost touch, each of them starting his own family. And, we lived half the country away. But, my father flew in for your mother's funeral and stayed for about a week to try and help your dad cope… with the loss… and find a new home…"

"I think I remember that," Dean said, clearly trying to pull more of the memory from the back of his brain. Kole gave him a gentle smile and continued.

"Well, when my father got back, I know he tried to keep in touch with you guys, but I guess your dad didn't really respond. They lost touch again for a few years. Then, my mother was killed."

"I'm sorry," Sam told her sympathetically. He wanted to ask how, but it didn't feel right.

"How did she die?" Apparently Dean didn't have the same trouble.

"I'm not sure," Kole told them. "I mean, I was there… in the room. I saw the whole thing happen, but I can't really piece it together. I remember the fire, but…" she glanced at the ceiling for a moment, but then narrowed her eyes and shook her head. "It just doesn't make any sense."

Dean and Sam gave each other meaningful looks. They both knew why she felt this way, as they were sure they had both seen the same thing happen.

"Anyway, you guys all came to our house… well, our new house, since the other burned to the ground. Your dad kept wanting to talk to me about what had happened and what I saw. I remember my father getting agitated about it and wanted to talk to your dad alone. So, they sat us at the dining room table. We were all coloring," she smiled at the recollection. "But then I heard them in the kitchen. Well, no, I heard my father. He was yelling at your dad, asking why he never told him about the way your mother died. It was like he was blaming your dad, but I don't know why. I just know that I had never seen him like that before.

"After that," she continued, "my father never spoke to or about him again. And, I didn't see your father again until ten years later. It was just after I graduated. I didn't have a party because I was only 16 and finished high school in November. But I remember my father and I had just gotten home from a celebratory dinner. He went up to his room to change his clothes, since he had spilled some of his ravioli in his lap," she laughed a little, but then went completely silent and stared at nothing in particular.

"Kole?" Sam asked quietly when she didn't begin speaking. She shook her heard again.

"I remember smelling the smoke…" she said quietly, then looked up at them both and smiled weakly. "I smelled something burning and then the smoke detector began to go off. I ran upstairs to find my father… but by the time I got there it was too late.

"The next thing I knew, your father was behind me, pulling me out of the room. I think he had to lift me up to get down the stairs and out the door, which he had apparently broken down to get in.

"He stayed with me while the fire was put out and through all of the questions. He even invited me to come and live with you all, but I told him that I had plans to start college at the beginning of the year, that I had a scholarship and it was all taken care of. So, he found a place for me to stay during the interim and checked in on me from time to time."

Neither Dean nor Sam could believe that their father, the man that they were having trouble locating, had been so generous and kind… and fatherly.

"Why?" Dean sputtered. When Kole looked at him questioningly, he went on. "I mean, why would our dad do all of that?"

"Well, because he had just lost his brother and was trying to help out, I suppose. Maybe he felt guilty…" she began.

"His brother?" Sam interrupted her. "Are you trying to tell me that your dad and my dad…"

"Were brothers," she said, "yes."