THEN

I needed sleep. No! Idiot! No! Sleep isn't worth the pain of visions. Some stitching and a mouthful of coffee and I'll be fine. However, on returning to our room, my brothers and I were taken by surprise by a figure standing at the window. The figure turned around on Dean's reaction. My heart swelled, a broad smile spread across my blood streaked face. I found myself travelling across the room and almost tackling the figure to the ground. Tears sprang into my eyes as I utter one word:

"Dad"

NOW

Months had passed since we last saw each other. I can't quite remember what the last thing I said to him was, before he disappeared. Smoothing down my hair, Dad gazed into my eyes, with an expression of guilt and gladness.

"I've missed you so much" I said, beaming up at him tearfully.

Even though my bond with my Dad is somewhat weaker compared to the relationships I have with my brothers, I still care about him deeply. With a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, Dad returned the embrace. I ignored my aching muscles, this moment was sacred.

"I've missed you too, sweetheart " he said, planting a kiss on the top of my head.

After Dean exchanged a hug with Dad, there was a pause between Sam and Dad.

"Hi, Sam"

"Hey, Dad"

Another pause. My eyes shifted between them. That was it? After three years and all that was said was hey?

"Dad, it was a trap," explained Dean. "I didn't know. I'm sorry."

"It's all right," said Dad. "I thought it might have been."

"Were you there?" I asked.

Dad was one of the smartest hunters around. He wouldn't have walked right into something like that. He knew better than that.

"I got there just in time to see the girl take the swan dive," he replied. With a slight smirk he added. "she was the bad guy, right?"

"Yes, sir" my siblings and I chorused in unison.

Dad continued:

"Well, it doesn't surprise me. It's tried to stop me before."

"The demon has?" commented Sam.

"It knows I'm close. It's knows I'm gonna kill it. Not just exorcise it or send it back to hell. Actually kill it."

Is that even possible? Can you really kill a demon? If so, what would you kill it with?

"How?" I queried curiously.

"I'm working on that" returned Dad with a small smile.

Sam leapt right:

"Well, let us come with you. We'll help."

Dad shook his head:

"No, Sam. Not yet. Listen, try to understand, this demon is a scary son of a bitch. I don't want any of you kids in the crossfire. I don't want to see my children get hurt."

Huh, I'd almost forgotten how protective Dad was. Especially over me. One of the downsides of being the youngest and only female within a male dominant family of hunters, is that there is a tendency to getting smothered. Regardless to Dad words, Sam was sticking to his script.

"Dad, you don't have to worry about us" he said.

"Of course I do," remarked Dad. "I'm your father. Listen, Sammy, last time we were together we had one hell of a fight."

"Yes, sir"

Understatement! Dammit, just hug each other already. It was building up to it though, as I could feel part of the tension in their estranged relationship wash away.

"It's good to see you again," Dad said, emotions I never knew existed were glazed in his dark eyes. "It's been a long time."

"Too long" returned my brother, tears glistening in his eyes.

Both of them hugged warmly, after three years of silence between them. Finally! I couldn't help but smile, my own eyes shining with glee at seeing the reunion.

Suddenly, Dad was launched backwards and was sent flying into the cabinets in the kitchenette. Holy hell! Shit! The Daeva musta followed us. How was that possible? Sam said he destroyed the altar. As I scrambled towards my siblings as the invisible enemy unleashed it's attack, I could hear the screams ripping out of my Dad's throat. The Daeva lashed out at me once again and chucked me across the room. I let out a pained grunt as I smacked into the dry wall. Ouch! Squinting my eyes, I could see Sam produce something from the duffle bag containing the arsenal. A flare was soon clutched in his grip.

"Shut your eyes," he cried out in warning. "These things are shadow demons. So let's light them up."

The flare was tossed across the floor and as it skidded to a halt, it erupted into a blinding burst of white light. The flare illuminated everything and even under screwed up eyelids, I could even see it.

I began to cough as smoke from the flare billowed into the room. As I fumbled about unseeingly, the smoke obscuring my vision, I was aware of being steered outside

"Come on," I heard my middle sibling say. "We gotta get outta here."

Fresh air cleared my chocked lungs as we dashed outside towards the Impala. Catching my wheezing breathe, I leaned against the hood.

"Alright, come on, we don't have much time," panted Sam, his face bloody. "Soon as the flare's out, they'll be back."

"No, wait. Wait. Sam wait," halted Dean, breathlessly. He then turned to Dad who was equally as battered and cut up. "Dad, you can't come with us."

Huh? I pushed myself of the hood and limped towards my family. Sam seem just as bemused.

"What? What are you talking about?" said Sam, stumbling over his words.

"You kids. You're beat to hell" stated Dad, blood dripping down his face.

I winced slightly as I shuffled my stance, the cut on my hairline stinging irritably.

"We'll be all right" assured Dean.

My shirt won't be though. The Daeva had torn it on the shoulder and as a result my khaki colored t-shirt underneath had been stained with my blood. Still it was an old shirt, so I didn't bitch about it too much.

"Dean, we should stick together," pressed Sam, completely adamant that we shouldn't separate. "We'll go after it together."

I was thinking the same way, but I knew it was best for me to shut up and to avoid speaking out against my eldest brother's orders. I wasn't even going to object Dad's plan to go it alone. At least that's what the minions in my head were trying to make me believe. I watched my brothers attentively as Dean broadcasted his explanation:

"We almost got Dad killed in there. Don't you understand? They're not gonna stop. They're gonna try again. They're gonna use us to get to him. Hell, demons have done it before, just ask Chris how she got that scar on her pelvis. I mean, Meg was right. Dad's vulnerable when he's with us. He's stronger without us around."

I slipped my fingers underneath my t-shirt, and just below the waist-line of my jeans I traced the scar that a demon named Kira carved out for me. Sam was still persistent. My fingers then travelled to my amulet, and finding a somewhat soothing comfort against the silver. I gazed sadly as my middle sibling gripped a hand on our Dad's shoulder.

"Dad," he begged. "No. After everything. After all this time we've spent looking for you. Please. I gotta be part of this fight."

I curled my fingers around my amulet, emotions channelled throughout my mind. The sense of wanting revenge and justice mixed with guilt, sorrow and angst. These feelings enhanced as I continued to gaze at Sam, making me believe that I was experiencing all his repressed emotions. Could it be possible?

"This fight is just starting. And we are all gonna have a part to play," expressed Dad. "For now, you gotta trust me, son. Okay? You gotta let me go."

I could feel Sam's heart sink in unison with my own. Tears welled in my eyes I watched my father wander to his truck. I coiled an arm around Sam's and squeezed in an act of solace. He gazed down at me, eyes glassy with unshed tears. Goliath needed consolation from Frodo once in a while. Dad paused and turned to us and said:

"Be careful, kids."

With that statement, he climbed into his truck, with my brothers and I following his actions with our mournful eyes. My grasp on Sam's arm tightened as I could feel a lone tear sliding down my face. Then, in a matter of minutes, he was gone. Again.

And so concludes my version of the season one episode of "Shadow"

Now for my next chapter, my take on the version "Hell House".

Chris meets an old acquaintance whom she met in a third grade class in Texas. A boy who taught her the very best of pranks, his name is Jared.

If you guys have any humorous pranks then I will be more than happy to hear them.

Please review.