The evening was still and quiet. Above the trees, the setting sun threw out the last few fingers of dark orange that lit up the sparse clouds and made everything glow a warm amber.

Dean gulped down the last few mouthfuls of his beer and dropped the bottle onto the grass. Squinting in the sudden desperate brightness of the waning daylight, he watched the spectacle in quiet awe and felt his throat tighten.

He heard the squeak of the sprung door and the thud as it was gently closed. Listening to the footsteps across dry grass, he counted her approach and kept his gaze on the darkening sky. Hearing the soft unfurling of material, he then watched her step up beside him and throw the blanket over his outstretched legs. Without a word, she then paused for a moment before heading back inside.

"I'm sorry."

She stopped and turned slowly back to look down at him.

Dean closed his eyes and nodded slowly. "I didn't mean it … what I said before ..."

"I know."

Turning to look up at her, he saw her smiling warmly and he gave a small sigh of relief. "Thanks, Jo."

Frowning slightly, Jo wandered back up to stand beside him and folded her arms across her chest. "You moping again?"

Dean gave a brief laugh and shrugged his shoulders. "I guess … something like that …"

"Well, don't." Jo released her arms to place her hands on her hips and moved round to face him. "It won't help anything. And it's boring."

Laughing a little louder, Dean smiled up at her in amusement, "That your idea of a pep talk?"

"Oh, you want one now?"

"No!" Dean raised his hand, shaking his head as he recalled the last speech she had tried to give and the reason he had shouted so angrily.

Jo smiled and crouched down beside the old wooden bench that held his slouched form. Placing her hands on the front edge, she sighed and let her smile fade a little. "Seriously … this is the fourth day that you've sat out here by yourself … are you okay?" She saw the sarcastic retort that sprung into his eyes and groaned softly. "Fine, I know you're not okay but … you will be … right?"

"I hope so." Dean answered honestly.

Nodding in understanding, Jo then stood up straight and held out her hands. "Come on. Come inside and lose some more money."

Dean smiled up at her.

"Or clothes will do fine." Jo shrugged.

"Yeah!" Dean sniggered and threw back the blanket, sliding his right leg from the bench. "You've been dying for any excuse to see my naked butt."

Jo grinned cheekily.

"Cash will do just fine." Dean sighed. Placing his hands under his left thigh, he then guided his plastered leg slowly across the wooden bench and grunted in pain. "No!" He protested as Jo hurried forward and shook his head in determination. "I've got it."

Jo stepped back and sighed as she watched him slowly turn round and lower his heavy leg off of the bench. She saw the effort in his tight face and heard him whimper slightly as his foot touched the ground. He paused to catch his breath and Jo cautiously moved towards him. Grabbing his crutches, she placed one either side of him and held them steady as he pulled himself up onto his good leg.

Grabbing the blanket and his collection of empty bottles, Jo stood close beside him and followed his slow amble back towards the roadhouse. She held the door open for him and fought the urge to help as he stumbled up the few steps.

Holding his breath and biting his bottom lip, Dean held his plastered leg out in front of him and leaned heavily on the crutches under his arms. With a slight groan, he stomped his good foot up over the last step and entered the rear of the roadhouse.

"Hey, there."

Seeing Ellen watching him from behind the bar, Dean nodded and gave a brief flick of one hand in greeting.

"You hungry?" Ellen asked quietly, drying the glass she held and frowning in concern. Seeing Dean shake his head, she sighed and put the glass away. "You know, beer and pain killers is hardly a good - "

"Mom!" Jo cautioned quickly, shaking her head.

Ellen sighed and shrugged her shoulders as she continued with her chores.

Jo hurried past Dean to put down the blanket and place the bottles on the bar. She then pulled out a chair by a nearby table and stood patiently beside it as he moved towards her.

Lowering himself down gently, Dean then slumped the last small distance down onto the chair and gasped as his leg knocked against the table. He closed his eyes and hissed a curse as he hung his head.

Taking the crutches and propping them against a nearby beam, Jo moved round to slide another chair over to him and waited patiently.

"Thanks." Dean nodded and reached down to grab his leg. He gritted his teeth as she bent down to help him and together they carefully lifted his foot up onto the other chair. Feeling the throbbing pain in his ankle easing with elevation, Dean sighed and wiped his arm across his forehead.

"Surely it shouldn't be still causing you this much grief?"

Dean looked up and saw Ellen leaning over the bar and frowning at his plastered leg.

"I dunno, Mom." Jo offered quietly, "Sam did say it was pretty nasty."

"Yeah, but they fixed it." Ellen continued, her frown deepening, "Your wrist didn't bug you as much, did it?"

Jo instinctively glanced at her right arm and shrugged slightly. "I remember it being kinda sore for a while, yeah."

"When you're done discussing this," Dean began gruffly, hearing his tone and sighing a quick apology. "You think I could get a drink?"

"Sure." Ellen moved back from the bar, "A non-alcoholic one, though."

Dean groaned and then caught the warning she shot back at him. Nodding slowly, he sank back against his chair and took a deep breath.

"So." Jo sat down across the table from him and shuffled the deck of cards she had grabbed. "What's it gonna be?"

Dean shrugged and forced a smile to his mouth. "You choose." He saw the amusement in her eyes and chuckled softly. "But you're not getting my clothes off.' Hearing a door slam, he then turned and watched the man that headed towards them.

"Yo!" Ash held up his arms and gave a general greeting to the room. He then saw Dean and smiled happily. "Wo, 'hop-along'! You joining us?"

Dean laughed and shook his head slowly. "Dude, I'm so gonna kick your ass."

"Yeah, yeah," Ash grinned and flopped down on a chair beside him. "You gotta catch me first."

"Oh, don't you worry. I will one day."

"Promises, promises." Ash sighed.

Jo watched the interplay between them and frowned in thought.

"Hey! Jo!" Ash knocked his fist in the top of the table impatiently, "Get with it - it's ten o'clock. Poker-time!"

"You eager to spend some cash tonight, 'mullet-boy'?" Dean inquired merrily.

Ash gasped and spun to face him, stroking his hand over his hair. "Them is fighting words, partner!"

"Bring it on!" Dean laughed.

"Guys!" Jo sighed loudly and smiled at them both in wonder. "When you've finished flirting with each other, maybe we can call it?"

"Flirting?" Dean demanded in mock offense, "Please! Give me some credit!"

"Yeah!" Ash enthused, "I'm way too much man for this boy to handle."

Dean laughed and shook his head in wonder, raising his hand and laughing even louder as Ash slapped his palm in celebration.

"You two are weird." Ellen commented dryly, walking over and placing a bottle of Coke before Dean. She then put a bowl of crisps in the center of the table and slid a plate of sandwiches beside him. Seeing his instant protest, she patted his shoulder and leaned down towards him. "Just a bite or two. Okay?"

Dean watched Jo regarding him in concern and sighed as he nodded in agreement. "Fine."

"Wo!" Ash exclaimed, peering down at the sandwich, "That turkey, Ellen?"

Ellen laughed and turned from the table. "I'll go make some more."

"Thanks, Mom!" Ash waved and sighed happily, turning to Jo. "She's such a nice Mom."

Jo sniggered and grabbed a handful of crisps. "Sure." Catching the warning glance Dean shot at her, she paused and nodded slowly. "Yeah … I know. I should be grateful …" She smiled and shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe I would be more often it we weren't so damned similar."

"Oh, don't knock it." Ash muttered through a mouthful of crisps, "I love watching you two go at it. The glaring eyes and the menacing poses." He shuddered in emphasis, his smile growing.

"Shut up, Ash!" Jo groaned.

Dean pulled off a small corner of sandwich and placed it in his mouth. Tasting the first piece of food he had eaten in days, his stomach growled and he chewed slowly. It was good and he swallowed it down, hoping that it settled easily.

"Tasty, huh?" Ash enthused.

"It is, yeah." Dean agreed, picking up half of the sandwich and taking a large bite.

Ash nodded and then gave a happy cheer as he saw Ellen returning with more. "Ooh, look at those cranberry-filled beauties!"

Ellen smiled and set the plate down as she joined them at the table. She glanced at Dean and quietly acknowledged him tucking eagerly into his food.

Dean swigged down a mouthful of Coke and then jumped slightly as his phone began to ring. Pulling it from his pocket, he looked at the caller display and smiled. "Sammy!" He greeted warmly, placing the phone to his ear.

"Hey, bro'. How you doing?"

Aware of his three companions watching in interest, Dean nodded. "Fine. You?"

"I've had better days." Sam sighed.

"Oh?"

"Turns out the mysterious happenings out here were all some stupid high-school prank."

"Hey?"

"Yeah." Sam gave another sigh and then yawned loudly. "Man, I was so mad!" He gave a gentle laugh, "You should have seen me laying into the kids behind it all. I think they actually crapped in their shorts."

Dean laughed at the image and then frowned slightly. "So. You heading back?"

"I'm only an hour or so from Sarah's so - "

"Enough said." Dean smiled, "You just take care of that car, okay?"

"Dude!" Sam chuckled, "She's fine! In fact, she's never had it so good. I think she prefers the younger touch."

"Yeah, yeah. Dream on, bitch."

"Jerk."

Dean smiled and closed his eyes. "See you tomorrow, then?"

"Maybe." Sam offered merrily, "If I can tear myself away."

"Lucky bastard. Have one for me." Dean offered dryly and ended the call. Placing the phone back into his jeans pocket, he looked up at the intrigued faces around him and gave a small shrug. "So. We playing cards, or what?"

Laying back against the pillows and feeling his body trembling in contentment, Sam closed his eyes and let out a long sigh. Aware of her rolling towards him, he held out his arm and murmured happily as she snuggled up against his shoulder.

"I needed that." Sarah offered quietly, kissing his chest and stroking her fingers up his firm abdomen.

"Yeah." Sam agreed quietly and took a deep breath.

"So," Sarah smiled and lifted her head up to look at his face in the semi-darkness. "I really am your fuck-buddy, huh? The one you seek out when you need to release some tension?"

Sam opened his eyes and turned his head to see her grinning at him. "If that's how you want to put it." He agreed in amusement.

Sarah nodded and propped herself up on her elbow. Leaning against him, she craned her neck to kiss his lips and laughed softly. "Sounds far more fun that way." She muttered against his mouth.

"True." Sam reached up to place his hand on her cheek and stroked his fingers back through her damp hair. "But …" His face became sincere and he cleared his throat, "As long as you know it's more than that …"

"Of course." Sarah agreed quickly, "It's just …" She shrugged slightly and her smile faltered a little, "It's easier that way …"

"I know," Sam rested his hand on her cheek and stroked his thumb over her skin. "God … you've no idea how much I'd love to just stay here forever …"

"Oh, I think I do." Sarah countered quietly, lowering her head to kiss his chest. She then lay her head down and listened to the steady thumping beside her ear. "But you can't."

"No." Sam stroked his hand back and forth across her shoulders and frowned up at the ceiling.

"Still." Sarah lifted herself up and swung her leg over his hips to sit astride him. Leaning down, she kissed his neck and traced her lips along his collar bone. Feeling him respond to her touch, she smiled and sat back upright. "The more danger you face … the more comforting you'll require."

Sam smiled and nodded quietly.

"And the longer the time between your visits …" She stroked her hands down his abdomen and watched the muscles tighten under his skin. "The more you'll need it."

"True." Sam acknowledged, his smile growing. He reached up and placed his hands on her waist, stroking up her sides as she leaned back down and kissed his mouth.

Sarah gasped as his fingers brushed against her breasts and she laughed softly, sitting back from him and grabbing his wrists. "Not yet …" She smiled down at him and placed his arms down by his side. Leaning her body against his and moving against him, she then back away and kissed down his chest.

Sam closed his eyes and grabbed fistfuls of the sheets as he felt her tongue licking his skin and her hair stroked down his body as she moved further down the bed. He tensed in anticipation and held his breath as her breath washed over his thighs. And then pain filled his head and he grabbed her to push her away from him as he sat quickly upright.

"Ow!" Sarah winced as his fingers sunk into her shoulders and she was shoved clear. She fell back onto the bed and watched in horror as he swung his feet round to the floor and doubled over.

"Shit!" Sam hissed, holding his head in his hands and feeling the pain in his head worsening. And then the accident played out in randomly edited chunks, white flashes stinging his eyes as the scene unfolded piece by piece.

He could hear the warning bells of the crossing sign, see the train approaching at speed, feel the idle rumble of the stationary car. And then the engine roared suddenly. The woman checked the brakes, pulled on the drive shaft and gasped as the car moved forwards. Panic gripping her, she switched off the ignition but still the car rolled towards the crossing and picked up speed to break through the wooden barrier and suddenly stop on the centre of the tracks.

"No!" Sam choked, desperately trying not to watch the images that were forced into his mind.

Sarah looked on in confusion and fear, unsure what was happening. She then saw the muscles across his back tensing as he groaned in pain and she scrambled over to him. Wrapping her arms around his shoulders, she lay against his back and closed her eyes. "It's okay, Sam … I'm here …"

"I - " Sam grunted softly and grabbed her hands tightly, "I know."

Sarah could feel tears stinging her eyes as he shuddered and she heard heard the sob that caught in his throat. Squeezing him a little tighter, she then felt him slowly relax and she sighed in relief.

"Man …" Sam leaned back into her arms and rested his head against her shoulder. "Crappy timing …"

Sarah smiled thinly and leaned her head down to kiss his neck. "So … that's what your premonitions are like, huh?"

"Yeah," Sam husked, "Fun, aren't they?"

"No."

Hearing the emotion in her voice, Sam reached behind him and stroked her hair. "I'm sorry, babe."

"It's not your fault!" Sarah urged.

"No …" Sam sat upright and slid free of her embrace. He stood and collected his crumpled jeans from the floor. Grabbing his phone, he sat back down on the bed and sighed heavily.

Sarah moved round to sit beside him on the edge of the bed and wrapped her arms around his waist as he waited for the call to answer.

Stumbling in the darkness, Jo stepped carefully into the room and hissed in pain as she caught her thigh on the cabinet inside the door. Rubbing at the throbbing bruise, she fumbled for the light switch and winced as pale yellow light suddenly filled the room.

Blinking as she adjusted to the brightness, she shielded her eyes and hurried across the room. "Dean!" Watching as he remained on his side and seemed oblivious to her presence or the noise that filled the room, she leaned down to grab his shoulder and give him a rough nudge. "Hey!"

Dean groaned and rolled onto his back, peering up at her in confusion.

Jo sighed in annoyance as she picked up his cell phone and held it in front of his face.

Dean frowned and took the phone from her, sinking back against the pillows as he answered the call. "Sam? What the hell - ?"

Jo watched in concern as he listened to his brother and sighed heavily. She then saw the damp patch on the centre of his t-shirt and noticed the sweat that glistened on his face.

"Okay." Dean responded after a moment, "Yeah … I'll wake Ash."

Jo smiled suddenly and shook her head, wondering if Dean knew the true danger of what he was suggesting.

"Yeah. Okay, Sammy. I'll call you back when I know more." Dean ended the call and dropped his phone beside him on the bed. He then rested his arm over his eyes and groaned gently.

"What's up?"

As if suddenly remembering Jo was there, Dean jumped slightly and lowered his arm to look up at her. "Sam thinks someone is about to be killed."

"What?" Jo gasped and hurried closer to him. "Where? When?"

"That's why I need to speak to Ash." Dean nodded and propped himself up on his elbows. Closing his eyes and letting his head fall back, he yawned wearily and then pushed himself up to sitting. His head span groggily and he frowned as he turned to slide his uninjured leg out from under the blankets.

"You don't look so good." Jo offered quietly, seeing the dark shadows under his eyes and the pallor of his skin beneath the week's worth of stubble.

Dean shrugged and threw the blankets clear of his plastered leg. He moved his leg across the narrow mattress and suddenly sank his body forward with a soft whimper. Cursing under his breath, he flopped back down onto the bed and covered his face with his hands.

"Hey …" Jo perched on the small edge of mattress beside him and placed her hand on his arm. She frowned as she felt the warmth of his skin and she reached over him to touch his forehead between his fingers. "God, you're burning up!"

Dean slid his hands from his face and frowned as he felt the moisture on his fingers.

"I'd better get my Mom - "

"No." Dean grabbed her arm as she moved away and shook his head urgently, "We have to find where this murder - "

"Fuck that!" Jo grated angrily, "You need a doctor!" She shrugged free of his grip and hurried from the room.

Dean placed his arm over his eyes and groaned in dismay as he heard the commotion that soon erupted from the main house. He listened as Ellen ran up the stairs and looked up to see her hurry into the guest bedroom.

"Shit!" Ellen sighed as she stepped closer and shook her head slowly. She sat down beside him and reached over to place her hand on his forehead."How long?"

"I'll be fi - " Dean started to argue and then saw the disappointment as she frowned at him. He closed his eyes and sighed wearily. "Yesterday morning."

"God, Dean!" Ellen groaned, "Why didn't you say - ?" She laughed suddenly and looked down at the phone handset in her hands. "Wait … I forget … you're just like him."

Dean looked up at her and his throat tightened as he saw the sadness in her face. He watched her hang her head and comb her hair back impatiently as she made the call and waited for an answer. She then sighed in relief and explained Dean's condition.

"Thank you." Ellen concluded and ended the call. Turning to Dean, she smiled thinly and gave a small nod. "Martin's a good friend." She offered quietly,

Dean suddenly frowned and placed his hand on Ellen's arm. "Listen, Sam just called. I need to wake Ash."

Ellen laughed and stood slowly. "You mean you need me to risk disturbing the beast." She nodded and wandered from the room.

Sam packed the last of his belongings into his tattered old hold-all and looked up as Sarah wandered back into the bedroom. He smiled gratefully and took the coffee she held out to him.

Sarah sat down on the rumpled bed covers and sipped at her drink. She looked up as Sam's phone rang and watched him answer it quickly.

"Hey, Dean." Sam frowned suddenly and sank down on the edge of the bed. "What? Jo? Where's Dean?"

Watching the horror that filled Sam's face, Sarah quickly put her mug on the bedside table and moved closer to him.

"Yeah …" Sam leaned against Sarah and sighed heavily. "I understand. Thanks, Jo. What did Ash say about the information I sent him?" He listened for a moment and then took a deep breath. "Right." He closed his eyes and shook his head slowly. "Tell your Mom. See if anyone else is nearby."

Jo looked up at Sam's pale face and wrapped her arms around him.

"Yeah." Sam nodded, "I'll be there as soon as I can." He ended the call and stared at his phone for a long moment. Closing his eyes, Sam then rested his head on Sarah's shoulder and let the tears fall.