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 enjoy it.

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They arrived in Mars Hill, North Carolina and began looking for a motel. They ended up having to pick on the outskirts of town because anything close to the church was completely booked.

They both went to the library to start their initial research of local events and past healings that had been contributed to the minister, Paul Hastings. They found the names of several witnesses that were supposedly healed and a few clippings claiming he was scamming people or even a Satanist.

Dean had done some checking and looked for Layla, but she didn't appear to be in the town anymore. Dean seemed to pout a little until the spunky little waitress in the diner got his attention.

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They sat near the back of the church listening to Minister Hastings preach to the congregation, which didn't seem overly large, but most of the pews were filled with people. The church was hushed as everyone listened intently to his words, but there was nothing about healing people discussed. He was supposed to be in his early 70's but the man didn't look it. He was in good shape and had a strong voice that could be heard by even the back people in a completely packed church.

Sam noted a young lady, probably in her early twenties like him, sitting in the last pew on the other side of the church from where he and Dean were sitting. She wasn't drop-down gorgeous, but she was definitely pretty. She was watching the minister intently with a calm smile on her face. She glanced in Sam's direction and noticed him staring at her. Her brows furrowed and a slightly confused look appeared on her face. She smiled lightly at him, almost appearing to blush, before she lowered her gaze and returned it to the minister.

As the service ended, Sam and Dean hesitated to get up and discussed the possibilities as everyone left the church. Sam glanced over to where he'd seen the girl, but she was gone.

Once the church was empty except for a handful of people near the front speaking with the minister, the brothers joined the group and listened to the questions. Most were asking about healing and blessings and requesting the minister help them. The minister was an older gentleman and he was explaining to them that he didn't do the healing, that God did. Sam and Dean looked at each other giving knowing glances and remembering the exact words coming from Reverend Le Grange's mouth. When asked if he would heal the people around him then, he said he could not because he always got a certain feeling when it was time to heal someone. He couldn't explain it and many people were frowning as they left the church. A skeptic spat a few insults in the minister's direction about not getting the proper offerings in the plate, and Sam had to smirk in Dean's direction at yet another memory.

A couple of older ladies tried to comfort the minister before they left, saying they had faith and they understood. Paul looked tired and his head hung slightly as he smiled at them and bit them good day.

Sam and Dean moved up to speak with him once everyone else had finally left.

"Mr. Hastings," Dean began as they stepped up and Paul turned around, "we're with the Burnsville Tribune and wondered if we might have a moment of your time."

Paul sighed, "I suppose, unless you're intending to make me look like some con-man milking people out of their money like the last reporter that came by."

Sam shifted nervously as he was sure Dean was going to make a snide remark back; instead Dean shook his head, "no sir, we're actually very interested. We've talked with a couple of people who say that you healed them. We'd like to write a small article about it. I promise it wont be anything slanderous."

Paul relaxed a little bit, "well, how 'bout we go back into my office and chat in private while the boys clean up a little out here," he indicated two young boys that were sweeping. "They're volunteers, Boy Scouts, working on a badge," Paul smiled lightly as he lead them to a door near the back of the church, "it's good to see young people doing good things instead of hanging out on street corners or vandalizing buildings."

As they neared the door, movement caught Sam's eye and he glanced back near the podium. The girl he'd seen before was sitting in one of the chairs off to the site. "Uhh, excuse me a moment, I'll catch up in a second," Sam smiled and turned as Dean gave him a strange frown. Paul just shrugged, "the office is the second door on the left down this hall." Sam nodded and walked back towards the girl, Dean just frowned and continued to follow Paul to the office.

Sam walked up to the girl, "hi."

"Hello there." Her smile was bright and her dark blue, almost gray, eyes sparkled up at him.

He sat down next to her, "I saw you sitting in the back of the church earlier."

She blushed lightly, "yeah, I saw you."

"Umm … so … do you come to this church regularly?" Sam asked casually.

"Oh yes, I'm here all the time. I help Paul every now and again." She turned in her chair so that she was facing Sam more and he shifted slightly so that he was doing the same.

Her smile was warm, "so did you come here for healing or just curiosity?"

"Huh?" Sam was slightly taken aback.

Her smile broadened and her eyes sparkled with laughter, "you're not from around here or at least not from this church. Like I said, I'm here all the time. So you're either here because you believe he can heal you or your friend, or you're curious to see him heal someone else."

Sam couldn't help but smile back, and the larger her smile became and the more those eyes hypnotized him, the bigger his smile became. He could feel his cheeks blushing lightly; "well …" he began as a light laugh escaped his chest, "we're curious I guess."

When she laid her hand on his hand, which was resting on his knee, a tingling sensation ran up his arm, as well as up and down his leg, and was so light he almost didn't feel it. His smile wavered as he looked into her eyes. Her hand ran lightly up his arm to the crook of his elbow, "you're not like everyone else that comes here are you? There's definitely something special about you."

He wanted to blink and turn away, she was almost scaring him but at the same time mesmerizing him with her eyes. The tingling sensation followed her hand up his biceps to his shoulder. He leaned forward, not exactly sure why he was so compelled to get as close to her as he could. Their eyes never left each other as their noses nearly touched. He could smell the sent of roses and lavender, her breath was warm on his lips, "the curious little school boy?" she asked so softly he barely heard.

Her hand moved up to cup his head under his ear and jaw. As her fingers curled lightly in his long hair he closed his eyes. The tingling made his head feel light and he felt her lips press against his. A wave of warmth flooded his senses and he felt as if he had been wrapped up in blanket of calmness. He felt no pain, no concern, no worry. The world didn't exist outside of this moment, this woman, this kiss.

One of the boys in the back of the room shifted a pew roughly and the loud noise brought him back to his senses. He opened his eyes as the girl drew back from him and lowered her hand. Sam had a sudden urge to grab her back and pull her close. He wanted to feel that warmth again, but she stood up abruptly and backed a few steps. He stood up as well as she stepped around him heading for a side door of the church.

"Wait," he reached for her arm but she deftly avoided his grasp. She did however, pause and turn back towards him.

"I have to go, but I'll be back on Wednesday if you and your friend are still around." She smiled lightly before going out the door.

"Sam?"

Sam turned around to see Dean walking up towards him.

"What are you doing dude?" Dean was frowning harshly at him. "Come on, lets get back to the motel room, what were doing out here anyway?"

Sam blinked and followed Dean from the church, "I was talking to a girl that I'd seen sitting in the church during the sermon. I wanted to ask her what she knew."

"For half an hour?" Dean grumbled.

"Half an hour?" Sam stopped at the door to the car, "I wasn't out there half an hour. It couldn't have been for more than a minute or two."

"Dude," Dean stared him straight in the eye, "I talked to Paul for half an hour getting stories about the times he'd healed people. Probably longer, waiting for your dumb ass to come back in there."

Sam shrugged, "sorry, it didn't seem like I was here that long."

Frowning, Dean jerked his head towards the door, "come on."

They returned to the hotel and did some more research but finally decided they would just need to go back and see if anything happened during the Wednesday service.