Typical Disclaimer: This story has the typical violence you'll see in the show along with all the angst. I try not to get too off character or too violent, but I'm giving it a mature rating just to be on the safe side.

I of course own nothing and get nothing but the satisfaction of writing the story and hopefully making it enjoyable for others as well. Comments are always welcome, good or bad. Thank you to everyone and I hope you have been enjoying it.

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"Defiant to the end, eh Sammy?" The woman's voice woke Sam from a dreamless sleep. He didn't respond other than to grunt lightly. He refused to open his fairly good eye, he didn't need to, he recognized Karen's voice, after so many days of her torment. "It's ok. Would you like to leave?"

Sam snorted again, "Yeah. When can I go?"

"Right now."

Sam opened his eye and struggled to sit up a little. He looked her straight in the eye trying to determine her intentions. He smirked a little, "I'm not falling for your tricks."

She smiled, "it's no trick. Go on, leave." She moved away from the door and gestured with her hand that the way was open.

Sam shrugged, "ok, let's see how this game plays out." He cautiously pulled himself out of the bed. Every muscle screamed at him as he made them move. He slowly put his shoes on as Karen stood at the door patiently waiting. He stood up on shaky legs but moved to the door. Karen didn't move and just watched him as he walked by.

Sam moved down the hallway and he realized that he was in a different house. He looked back towards Karen and she was following behind him several steps.

"Down the stairs at the end of the hallway. The door will be right in front of you."

Sam turned and saw the top of the stairs, he walked cautiously to them. He glanced back at her one more time, then walked down the stairs and out the front door. The sun hit his face and warmed him. Glancing around he saw the garden, tables, tent, chairs, and bar that he'd seen from the woods when he tried to escape before. The young blond woman that had tended to his wounds was standing on the driver's side of a car.

Karen stepped around him, "Carol, take Sam where ever he wants to go. Hang around for a while, as long as you like, but don't bother him. Find a hotel or something to stay at while you're waiting. That way, when he wants to come back you'll be there to bring him home."

Carol just scowled, "I'm not a …"

"Hush Carol," Karen interrupted her, "you will do as you are told and you know you will be rewarded for your efforts in time."

Carol just looked over at Sam, "well get in." She stepped into the car and started the engine, tapping impatiently on the steering wheel.

Sam hesitated for a moment, then walked over and got in the car.

"Where to?"

"Upstate New York."

She sighed heavily, turned the car, and left the house behind them.

---

The multiple hour drive was long and silent. Carol didn't say a word and Sam had no interest in speaking to her either. Finally the New York welcome sign appeared on the highway and his mood improved slightly.

"Alright," Carol snapped bitterly, "where can I dump you out at?"

Sam smirked, enjoying her dislike to her current assignment. He gave her quick instruction on how to get to the Blake Auction House.

They pulled up to the auction house and Sam's heart sunk. In a small corner of his mind he'd been hoping that everything Karen had said was a lie. But as Carol stopped the car in front of the building, the black ribbons and closed sign on the door told him a great deal.

Sam got out of the car without saying anything and entered the auction house. Most of the floor was empty and the tables had a layer of dust over them. He'd walked about half way across the barren floor when he heard a woman's voice from above him. A flash of memory of Sarah walking down the stairs, his first sight of her and the moment she snatched his heart, caused a smile to tug at the corner of his mouth.

Unfortunately, the woman standing on the landing above him was not Sarah. She was older and looked down at him with a light scowl on her face. "Can I help you?" she repeated.

"Uh … I was looking for the Blakes?"

Her scowl deepened. "Mr. Blake has not been here for several months, since his daughter died."

Sam's heart sank and he took a couple of steps backwards. He mumbled his thanks to the woman and left the auction house. Carol was still sitting in the car with a disgusted look on her face.

Sam sat back in the car and she rolled her eyes, "where to now Sammy."

"You don't get to call me that. It's Sam," he snapped at her.

"Whatever," she returned without care, "where do I have to take you now."

"Kansas."

"Oh man," she whined as she started up the car and began the drive again.

As the sun set, she refused to drive him further without sleeping for the night. He didn't feel tired and she was more than happy to let him take off walking, but for some reason he agreed to stay the night with her. She got one room with two beds. Sam didn't care, he just undressed to his boxers, climbed in the bed and fell asleep.

It didn't seem like he'd been asleep for long, but he was happy to have rested without nightmares. Carol woke him by barking at him to get up from across the room as she put her shoes on. He complied, without thinking, just natural reaction to every time Dean said "let's go" and just did it.

Carol watched him with an interested smirk on her face, until he turned around, the she returned her scowl. She grabbed her keys and walked out of the room. Shortly, they were back on the road, this time heading for Kansas.

---

Sam dozed in the car as they drove, the silence boring him to sleep. His dreams were weird; he was somewhere unfamiliar spinning a dagger above his palm. He was fascinated with it; he felt a little pride in making it spin faster and faster. Then he heard Carol's voice in the distance, "cool. Nicely done."

A touch of fear gripped him and he jerked awake. Glancing around he noticed they were at a gas station. Carol was outside with the attendant as he washed the windows. She almost reminded him of Dean, she was checking the boy out like Dean did to most women he would meet. "Thanks," she winked at him as he finished up and took her money for the fill-up.

Once they were back on the road, she glanced over at him, "have a good a nap Sam?"

He shrugged, "I guess so."

"Well, we're in Kansas, so tell me where we're going." Carol yawned.

He gave her the directions to Missouri's house.

They arrived within an hour and walked up to the door. Before Sam even knocked Missouri open the door and gripped him in a tight hug. "Sam! Oh my word, boy, I thought you were gone too!" When she finally released him after a minute, her eyes and cheeks were wet from tears. "Come in, come in," she said as she ushered both of them into the house.

They sat on the same couch where he and Dean had the first time they'd met her, only this time Dean wasn't with him. Instead it was some woman who worked for the demon that had killed his brother, Sarah, and probably his father too.

Missouri came in to the room with some hot tea and placed it on the table in front of them. She sat across from them and looked at Sam, "how are you holding up."

They chatted for a while as Carol sat quietly listening. Sam finally asked, "Missouri, um … Dean and dad … "

Missouri gave him a sad smile, "I made sure they were buried right with Mary."

Sam swallowed hard, "thanks Missouri." He and Carol left. She knew where he'd want to go next and simply asked, "how do I get to the graveyard." She smiled at Sam as he looked at her, not sure if she was being sincere or smart. He finally smiled back and told her how to get there.

It didn't take long to arrive and Sam knew exactly where to go. Carol followed several steps behind him. He finally stopped before three graves. One single large stone said Winchesters across the top. Three smaller sections read John, Mary, and Dean. Sam stood over them for a long while just looking at each of the names and the dates.

He's not sure how long he stood there looking at them, but at some point Carol stepped up beside him and looped her arm with his. She stood there as well quietly for a time before she finally said, "I'm tired Sam, can we go to the motel? We can always come back tomorrow if you like."

Something struck him as odd, "why are you being nice all of a sudden?"

"I'm too tired to be grouchy?"

Sam smiled lightly at her, "ok, I could use some sleep myself."

They walked back to the car and drove to a nice motel that Sam picked. Getting one room with two beds again, they got comfortable for the night. It didn't seem to take long before Sam was sound asleep.

---

Carol opened her eyes and gasped at the pain, she thought her head was going to explode. Blood covered the front of her shirt from her nose and her vision was blurred slightly. She blinked a few times until she could see Sam clearly sleeping on the bed in front of her. "Up the dosage so he doesn't wake up," she whispered hoarsely.

Karen smiled and increased the gas levels to the mask placed neatly across Sam's nose and mouth. "How did it go?"

Carol smiled, "it went very well. I've almost got him eating out of my hands."

"And what did you show him?" Karen inquired.

"He went to the auction house to confirm Sarah's death; he visited some woman named Missouri, who is apparently a little gifted herself. I showed him the graves for his father, mother, and Dean all together with the appropriate dates that you gave me." Carol took a deep breath. "I must get some rest, or I will not be able to continue this tomorrow."

Karen nodded, "very well. Excellent job so far my dear, excellent job." Karen smiled at Sam's sleeping form before turning and following Carol out of the room.