Jack danced around on the wet grass while he waited for Sam and Jessica to wake up and meet him outside. He had been planning this cold spell for weeks now, but it was only just cold enough for him to be comfortable.

He slid on the damp grass happily. It wasn't ice, but it was good enough for him to mess around on. For a few hours at least.

Jack glanced up at the sun and he guessed that Sam would be up in a couple of hours. He was always up early. Jess complained about how Sam woke her up in the mornings while he argued that she would sleep forever if he let her.

The morning was perfect. It was chilled enough for you to see your breath but not cold enough to need hats and scarves. There was an almost unnatural stillness in the air that would be creepy if it weren't for the sounds of nature and the birds.

That is why Jack tensed so abruptly as he felt eyes burning into him.

He turned to stare at a figure with long dark hair and eyes that were filled with hate. Jack could tell it was a man from his face which was almost blank except for an unnerving curl of his lips. The man held something down at his side.

Jack swallowed nervously, and he raised his staff in what he hoped was an intimidating way.

The man strode over to him purposely and Jack stumbled back as he drew closer. He could feel the hatred aimed at him.

Why? Why did he look so angry? How could this man see him? What did he have at his side?

Then, the man held up the shotgun he had been holding and, before Jack could get his staff ready, he fired.

~An Unlikely Friendship~

Sam ambled around the large stretch of grass aimlessly. His eyes roamed around the immediate area and then, he glanced up to check the sky.

Sam turned back to Jessica with a shrug. Jess looked puzzled. She rubbed her hands together to warm them up. Jack had never been late before. Jessica walked over to Sam's side as she searched for their wayward winter spirit.

"Sam!" She pointed towards the shade of a large tree, that many couples had spent some time together under.

Sam turned to stare at where she was pointing. His eyes widened. "Jack!"

They both ran towards the fallen spirit at the same time.

Sam dropped to his knees beside Jack as Jess crouched down at his head and rested it on her knees. Jack groaned weakly at being moved.

Sam took in the injuries on his torso as his blood began to boil. He recognised the weapon that had caused those injuries. Rock salt from a shotgun. Someone had tried to kill Jack. No, a hunter had tried to kill Jack.

"Sam?" Jessica called, worried at the look of fury on Sam's face. Sam turned back to her and he tried to push away the anger. "Try wake him up," Jess suggested.

Sam nodded and tried to rouse Jack.

~An Unlikely Friendship~

Jack groaned as he was pulled into consciousness. His chest hurt horribly.

"What?" He groaned as he opened his eyes.

An amused giggle and a quiet "Jess!" answered him. Jess and Sam, they were supposed to meet him but…

"There's a hunter!" Jack said as he shot up to try warning his friends about the danger.

The pain all over his chest had him hunching over instead.

"Easy!" Sam admonished. "We know. Rock salt," he added, knowing Jack would want an explanation.

"A hunter?" Jessica wondered quietly, Sam hadn't mentioned a hunter being the area. "Do you know him?"

Sam shrugged looking between her and Jack. "I haven't been in touch with Bobby for a couple of weeks, but he probably would have called me if he knew about someone in the area."

Jack nodded as he struggled to straighten up. "He might come back."

Sam nodded, and he helped Jack to his feet. Jess hovered anxiously around them, unsure of what she should do. She cursed herself quietly. She was trying to be a doctor and here she was – freaking out.

"C'mon, I'll help you once we get back to the apartment," Jess decided.

"Grab my staff?" Jack asked Jess as Sam led him towards their apartment.

"Sure," Jessica answered, grabbing the long stick and hurrying after them.

~An Unlikely Friendship~

Jack hissed as Jessica cleared the wounds covering his chest. Jess hummed in sympathy. "Sorry, sorry," she muttered.

Jack just shook his head to tell her it was fine. He knew she wasn't trying to hurt him.

Sam walked over to them from the kitchen. "I just called Bobby - he says hi by the way – but he didn't hear anything about a hunter coming to the area," he told them, as he turned the phone over in his hands nervously.

"So… what does that mean?" Jessica asked, still very unsure about all the supernatural business. Sam felt like he had to tell her everything after she learned about Jack. It also helped explain a lot of the unusual scars he had.

Sam sighed. "It means… I dunno what it means. What did this hunter look like, Jack?"

"Dark hair, angry eyes, dark clothes. He had a shotgun." Jack chuckled as he gestured at his chest. "Clearly."

"Could he have been a student?" Jessica asked looking between the two.

Sam chewed his lip thoughtfully and tried to think if anyone he had met had seemed like a hunter.

"Maybe - " Jess began but she was cut off as their door was suddenly kicked opened.

"Get down!" Shouted a man holding a shotgun aiming it at Jack.

"Woah, woah!" Sam shouted, holding up his hands. "Put it down!" he ordered pointing at the shotgun.

"Not until you get away from that thing!"

"He's not a thing!" Jessica argued.

"Jess," Sam warned quietly as the hunter aimed his shotgun at her. "Put it down," he told the hunter again.

"It's not human!" The hunter hissed.

"I know," Sam replied taking a step closer to the hunter. "I'm a hunter too, but Jack," Sam nodded in Jack's direction, "Jack isn't dangerous, he's my friend. He's harmless, really," he added.

The hunter's eyes narrowed at Sam for a moment before they widened in recognition. "Sammy Winchester?" He said with a curl of his lips.

"I – it's Sam," he answered uncomfortably.

"I'm James," the hunter introduced with the same unnerving grin. "Now, why shouldn't I kill this little monstrosity?" He indicated towards Jack with the shotgun as Jess tried to position herself between Jack and James. Much to the immortal winter spirit's annoyance.

First Sam calling him harmless, and now this!