A/N: I'm going to keep giving my thanks to the incredibly gifted darksupernatural for her awesome support! And thanks to everyone who left a review! You all are truly awesome! :D

Chapter 4

"Here we are at the home of Elliot and Mary Jacobs, one of the very first victims to be slaughtered by that damn creature." Dean said, looking at Monica as he parked the Impala across the street from the lovely one story home.

The rain, thankfully, had not gotten into full swing yet since it started early in the morning, providing them with minimum coverage, but that still did not mean they couldn't be seen by passersby's.

"You think Bobby was right in there being clues left behind by that thing?" Monica asked getting out of the car, pulling her black leather jacket closer around her and zipping it up.

After Bobby informed the group that there might be possible clues left at all twelve crime scenes, he split them up in pairs: Sam with Jennifer, Dean with Monica, and Bobby with Elizabeth, and gave each four locations to check out. They needed to check out the locations to find a pattern that would hopefully point to where the next werewolf attack might be.

"He's never been wrong before, and it would be a shame if he was now." Dean said as he checked out the exterior of the place, looking for any points of entrance before settling for the front door, knowing full well they have to be quick and discreet upon entering a crime scene.

Monica kept a lookout while Dean fumbled with the lock. Once satisfied they weren't being spied on by the neighbors, they went in and flicked on their flashlights. They didn't have to worry if there were any other occupants since Elliot and Mary were the only ones living there at that time since their kids already moved out and started families of their own.

Not sure on what to look for, Dean and Monica quickly searched every nook and cranny in every room. It wasn't until Dean found what appeared to be fur from an animal in the basement of the home, that they hit the jackpot.

"Monica!" Dean called, holding the small clump of fur in between his fingers and shining the light on them as eyes search everywhere for more.

"Did you find anything?" Monica asked as she quickly went down the stairs and stepped in front of Dean looking at the piece of fur.

"Yeah, I think this might've come from Fido. If we're lucky, we can find out where he's marked his territory and give him a treat," Dean said as he deposited the fur in her hands and looked around for more, suddenly nervous that now they're alone in a basement no less, but managed to cover his nervousness with his sarcastic charming self.

"Yeah, but that'll be after he gets his tick and flea bath," Monica said, searching for more clues.

Not to be outdone by her, Dean said, smirking at her, "And let's not forget about getting him neutered and groomed."

Smirking back at him, she said, "Sorry Dean, I can see how much you're looking forward to having a new friend but we really can't keep him. Besides, imagine what he'll do to the upholstery in your baby."

Dean shuddered at the thought about his pride and joy being man's best friend's giant chew toy, but just as he was about fish out a remark for that, both looked up at the ceiling when they heard something sounding like someone sharply closing the front door.

As both flanked the entrance leading into the kitchen from the basement with guns drawn, Dean contemplated the form of action that would best suit both of them in a situation like this with the least minimum damage. Monica on the other hand, was itching to barge in unexpectedly and surprise the unknown intruder.

'Don't you dare,' Dean mouthed to her, glaring at her, knowing what she was about to do and receiving a glare of her own. 'Cover me,' he mouthed to her again.

Shaking her head at him in stubborn disagreement, half of her knowing it was going to be a bad idea and the other half silently asking him for forgiveness in what she was about to do, she stepped in front of him, gun pointed at the ready and forced him to cover her while she led them into the kitchen.

The fight they were expecting did not happen, leaving them a little bit relieved, a little bit disappointed, and a little bit wary. Dean moved stealthily to a window leading out to the front of the house looking for any trespassers and finding none while Monica moved just as stealthily to a window leading out to the backyard hoping to find the intruder, but just like Dean, she didn't find their mystery intruder.

Monica then proceeded into the dining room once again forcing Dean to cover her. He almost walked right into her when she abruptly stopped just before entering the living room, senses on high alert but unsure of what her instincts were telling her. Sensing her tense discomfort of anything that might be lurking around, he was about to move in front of her to take the lead, but as if she was reading his mind, she stubbornly proceeded into the living room, again forcing him to cover her.

Just as soon as Dean stepped into the room right behind Monica, he saw a blur of movement out in the corner of his eye. Thanking whoever might be listening that he was the one covering her instead of the other way around, he put his arms around her midsection and threw both of them out of the way before the werewolf could have a chance to sink its teeth in what would have been its next victims. Twisting in midair so that he landed on his back with Monica landing on top of him, she whipped her gun around, aimed it at the werewolf, and fired two shots.

"Are you okay?" Dean asked when the danger passed.

Monica nodded as she asked, "Are you?"

"I am now that I have you right where I wanted you," Dean wriggled his brows suggestively and grinned at her like a little boy.

"Pig." Monica said disgustingly, rolling her eyes and poking him in the ribs with her elbow, making him grunt as she got up.

"Where'd it go?" Dean asked once he got up and started looking at where the werewolf was supposed to be.

"He ran," Monica said dejectedly gesturing towards the broken window.

Back in the Impala as Dean started the engine and eased his baby back on the road, he flipped out his cell and called the others informing them of what happened and to start scouring the surrounding area to find Cujo.

"Do you think we'll find anything here?" Jennifer asked, standing on her tip toes to look in a dumpster and wiggled her nose to rival Barbara Eden's character in I Dream of Jeanie at the smell of rotten food.

"Well, we're not going to find anything in there." Sam said as he too looked in the dumpster, easily towering over her.

After searching every inch of that alleyway where the body of Matthew Jenkins was found when he took a shortcut on his way to his apartment, Jennifer was ready to call it quits. Maybe it was the sudden drop in temperature the storm brought with itself, or maybe it was the fact that she's getting her new pair of 6,000 dollar black suede boots wet, but whatever the reason, she was more than willing to call it a day.

But Sam being Sam (always being punctual and brilliant with everything he does) was not ready to call it quits until that sonofabitch was killed. Too many lives has been lost by that monster, and many more will follow down the same dark, twisted path if that beast continues to live and breathe. No, Sam won't allow it. He can't allow it. As long as he lives, he won't rest until that thing is hunted and killed. The more he thought about that thing, the more he realized that there's something more to this than what the girls were letting on.

"You said you have been tracking this thing, right?" Sam asked casually as he gave the alleyway once last onceover before heading back to the black Hummer.

"Yeah, why?" Jennifer asked, wondering where he was going with this as she almost had to jog to keep up with his long strides.

"So would this be your first werewolf hunt, then?" He asked as he got in, carefully avoiding her question.

"What's up with you? Why are you suddenly playing twenty questions?" Jennifer asked guardedly once she got behind the wheel and twisted herself to face Sam.

"Whoa, hey I'm just curious, that's all," Sam rushed, calming her down. The reaction coming from Jennifer had no doubt given Sam more than enough reason to believe that the girls were indeed hiding something. But in order to get the information that he needed, he had to make sure he asks as discreetly as possible without them becoming suspicious of him as possible. What they were hiding, he wasn't too sure, but whatever it was, he would rather find out sooner than later. Maybe it might be nothing at all…

Once Jennifer calmed down somewhat after she thought that Sam's questioning was based purely on curiosity and not meant to be harmful, she turned to look out the windshield at the pouring rain and said just as casually, "No. We've hunted other werewolves before this one."

Perplexed about that one, Sam decided to try a different course, hoping that one would shine some light into the mystery. Clearing his throat, he asked instead while fumbling with a hole in his jeans, "How did you meet my dad?"

Jennifer took her time to assess Sam one more time and finally decided that it was okay for her to answer before she replied exasperatedly, "About four years ago, we came across a werewolf and your dad swooped in and saved us."

Frowning at that as he silently fumed inside, Sam knew that she wasn't telling the whole truth, but seeing the determination in her eyes as she kept him away from knowing the truth by sugar coating what really happened, then there was nothing more that he can do…or was there?

Trying yet another tactic, he said, "You mentioned before that this isn't your first werewolf, which in turn is safe to assume that all the other cases were successfully solved, but I feel, that with this case, it's more like the wolf that got away –"

"Where are you going with this, huh?" She asked irritatingly as she turned to look at him, "First you didn't trust us, and then just when you started thinking we were alright, here you go playing twenty questions. So what are you trying to do? Huh? What do you want?"

Sam was saved from answering her when his cell phone rang.

"Dean? What's wrong?" Sam asked, concern and worry sketched all over his face.

When he saw the unabashed fear in Jennifer's eyes, already thinking the worst when she read what was on his face, he shook his head to let her know that whatever it is wasn't serious.

"You alright, right? And Monica?" He asked to calm Jennifer's fears. Nodding his head to her to let her know that everybody was alright, his attention was drawn to something Dean said that made Sam look at his watch and reply, "Yeah, we'll be there in twenty."

"So, you mind telling me what's going on between you three and the Winchesters?" Bobby queried as he drove his truck to their next location: back to the home of the Michaels residence.

"What do you mean Bobby?" Elizabeth asked turning her attention away from the scenery outside to look at Bobby.

After finding completely nothing at their last two locations, the hope for finding clues at the Michaels' place is growing thin. They've searched everywhere for anything that could point them in the right direction to where that damn thing might attack next, but it is proving to be a difficult task looking for the elusive werewolf.

Elizabeth knew it knew it was being followed, and she knew it does not want to be found. She knew because she's spent the past year tracking that damn thing. Every wrong turn, every dead end…Elizabeth wondered why here why now? That werewolf had never wanted to be found, but if the evidence that they had found that had led them to Portland was any indication that the damn thing was slipping up, then Elizabeth wanted to know why. Maybe it got tired of playing this whole cat and mouse game.

"Listen, I've known Dean and Sam since they were little kids. Heck, I helped in raising them myself. And I'll be dammed if I stand by and let either one of them get hurt, so whatever you three are cooking up, let me be the first in saying that you better lay off of them." Bobby said, waving his finger at her threateningly.

"Or what?" Elizabeth said tauntingly, clearly ignoring Bobby's threats, knowing full well that he just means well. It was obvious from the start how much he cares for the boys.

"Or there'll be hell to pay. And demons aren't gonna be the only ones you'll be afraid of." Bobby said using his best voice and look that would usually send a spark of fear in anyone.

Unfortunately, it didn't work on Elizabeth.

"Are you done?" Elizabeth sighed almost as if she was bored, rolling her eyes and turning her attention back to the scenery.

To anyone who has never met Bobby before, his threats would surely make someone wet their pants in pure terror – once they got past the initial shock, that is. But for those who knew Bobby quite well, if there was something he needed to get off his chest, then the best option would be was to just let him have his say, fume about it a little bit, and he'll be back to his old self.

"Yeah, I'm done." Bobby said after a while as he turned into the street leading up to the Michaels home, "It's just that Dean deserves more, and I'm not blind. I can see that he's infatuated in Monica as she is in him, but I just don't want to see him get hurt."

"I know Bobby. But have you ever taken into consideration about how she's going to feel once Dean becomes puppy chow?"

"She'll get over it," Bobby huffed, shrugging a shoulder as he came to a stop outside the house, "but Dean won't. I just…I just don't want anything bad to happen to him."

Elizabeth carefully looked Bobby over, amazed that his hard exterior was about to crack as she noticed him struggle to swallow the lump that had just suddenly formed in his throat. Hearing the invincible, indestructible Bobby Singer's voice crack was almost unbearable to hear let alone experience to see up close.

"Bobby…you heard what Dean said. He said he didn't want to be saved," Elizabeth started, but seeing Bobby's hopeful face fell, she changed tactics, "but I promise that we'll do what we can. Besides, if he won't listen to either one of us, then he'll no doubt listen to Monica."

"So what's going on with those two?"

"Easy. They're just too stubborn and too stupid to know what's right in front of them."

"Aren't you afraid that something might…y'know, happen?"

"Yeah, but I have to trust her to know what's right. As for him, I'll kick his ass if he even thinks about it. And I'll kill him if he so much as impregnates her."

Bobby laughed, "Yep that sounds like Dean, always messing around. But I don't think she'll mind it though."

Elizabeth looked like she was going to hit him at that, but instead settled for, "Better watch it Singer, or you won't like what I'll do to you."

"So what are you really wanting from the Winchesters?" Bobby asked, changing the subject.

"Their help. Once they help us locate the werewolf, then they can go on their merry way and we'll take care of the rest. I can go back to my husband and Monica and Jennifer can do whatever the hell they were doing before…y'know, all of this happened."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, I wouldn't have it any other way."

"That's what you said the last time. Besides, have they found out who you really are?"

"Unfortunately. Thanks to Sam's nosiness, he found out we have all the money we could possible want, but he's been wondering why we're in this hunting business instead of spending money carelessly."

"Don't blame the kid. He's as overbearing and overprotective of his brother as Dean is with him. Not to mention he does have the right to be suspicious of you three."

Before Elizabeth could find a retort for that, Bobby's cell rang. The next thing they knew, they were driving away from the Michaels' home and heading towards the freeway to meet up with Dean and Monica.

After having driven almost everywhere looking for the werewolf with no luck, Dean felt restless as he fidgeted around with the radio looking for anything to calm his nerves.

"Would you mind telling me how you met Henricksen?" Dean asked casually as he glanced at Monica, finally giving up finding anything that closely resembles Metallica.

Deciding that it was a safe subject to discuss, Monica replied, "We were on our way to Texas to take care of a poltergeist problem when the police scanner picked up a report of an explosion in the Colorado area. Naturally, we just had to take a look. Upon investigating we found three survivors: FBI Agent Victor Henricksen, Deputy Phil Amici, and Nancy Fitzgerald."

"How the hell did they survive? Last I heard, they were found dead." Dean said incredulously.

"And they want to stay that way," Monica said.

After noticing Dean's raised eyebrows, she continued, "According to Henricksen, he said that while the demon, Lilith, was gathering enough power to demolish the building, he noticed an underground escape tunnel that would lead right outside the facility. So he gathered up Amici and Fitzgerald and forced them and himself into the tunnel. Apparently no one knew about it or they would have been found. We found them a day later – dehydrated, badly hurt, but alive. We ended up taking them somewhere where they'll be safe from Lilith."

"That's it?" Dean asked, expecting more.

"Wait, stop here," Monica said suddenly, ignoring Dean's question when they came across the Tryon Creek State Park.

"What? Why here? It's a long ways from where we found him." Dean said looking at her uncertainly as he came to a stop.

"Just trust me on this, okay?" Monica asked as she took out her cell to no doubt call in the reinforcements.

The same old instincts he had learned long ago not to ignore and that had saved his ass in more times than he could count, was now telling him that something was off. He didn't know what, but he could sense that something was going to go terribly wrong. And suddenly he didn't want Monica anywhere near the park.

But even when he thought it, he felt his head nodding and his body moving to get out of the vehicle. Next thing he knew, he was at the trunk loading himself with extra clips to his .45 after making sure they were loaded with silver bullets.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Monica demanded when she reached Dean, cell phone lay forgotten in her hand, not having a chance to call anybody.

"Going after the werewolf, of course," Dean said as if that was most sane answer in the world, "and you are going to stay in the car."

Monica stood open-mouthed at the audacity, watching his retreating back as he went into the woods. Livid, she decided to follow.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Monica demanded, barely containing her temper, putting her phone away after she texted her sisters of their whereabouts as she followed him further into the park.

Shaking his head, he said as he stopped, "Didn't I just tell you to stay put?"

"The hell you did! What the hell are you thinking in wanting to go after that thing without any backup?" Monica argued, scowling at him as she stood in front of him, arms crossed.

"Look, if Fido's here, then I can't take any chances in safely assuming it'll wait for the cavalry to get here. If that thing's smart, it'll leave way before Sam or Bobby shows up," Dean countered, scowling right back at her, using his full height of 6'1 to tower over her offensively.

They continued glaring at each other for a moment longer, dark brown meeting hazel, threateningly, each vainly hoping to dissuade the other when all of a sudden Dean produced his keys and tossed them to Monica.

"If you want to make yourself useful, you can wait for them at the car, 'cause I sure as hell won't take you with me," Dean said viciously as he walked off. He knew he was pissing her off, but he knew he was doing it for her own good. He was at least hoping she'll get pissed off enough to walk back to the car and probably take off without him, leaving his sorry ass alone in the middle of nowhere – or at least what seems like the middle of nowhere. Why can't she see that I'm just trying to protect her?

Unfortunately, that wasn't the case.

"Winchester!" Monica yelled from behind.

As Dean turned just in time to catch his keys, Monica said in a tone that meant that it was not open for discussion, "I'm coming with you."

"The hell you are," Dean barked as he gripped her arm, "you are going back to the car even if I have to throw you over my shoulder."

"You wouldn't dare," Monica seethed, eyes throwing daggers at him.

"Oh sweetheart, I would and I'll enjoy it," Dean smirked as he made to grab her to do exactly what he said he was going to do just to prove a point, when they heard a snapping of a twig followed by the sound of rustling coming from the many various bushes, realizing a little too late that they had strayed too far from the trail.

As both whipped out their guns, eyes ceaselessly darting everywhere for Cujo, Dean whispered, "I want you to run back to the car."

After seeing her shake her head no, the determination in her eyes clearly saying that she won't leave him behind, he tried again, "I'll cover you –" He was cut off short as he spotted the werewolf to his left. What the hell?

He knew the next full moon was tomorrow and he knew that werewolves were transformed back into their human forms until the next full moon, not to mention that the sun was still out, and by judging the position of the sun, it won't be dark until three hours later. But then why is this a fully transformed werewolf? The creature that looked more wolf than human in a grotesque way is a little creepy, even for Winchester standards.

Dean didn't even think about it when he aimed his gun at its heart and pulled the trigger to end the creature's reign of terror.

Dean barely registered Monica's frustrated yell of "NO!" as he felt his aim being knocked off of course, the bullet piercing a tree an inch away from the werewolf. What he did notice was that the werewolf was nowhere in sight, obviously gone off to hide somewhere. I missed? What the hell?

"What the hell?!" Dean shouted, turning and raged at Monica who wisely took a step backwards. Apparently she had never seen Dean fully ticked off before, until now.

"What the hell was that?" He demanded again when she didn't speak up.

Monica opened her mouth to say something, but thought better of it as she turned right around and stalked off further into the woods.

She knew that what she did was wrong – she was more than willing to put down that beast herself – but she didn't want it to be killed – yet. There were questions she needed answering and that thing held all the answers she needed. But what's more important? The lives of innocents or your damn quest for righteousness? She also knew that by buying that thing more time, she condemned the lives of innocents. And maybe Dean's trust too, she thought bitterly.

"Here," Dean said, startling her as he removed his jacket to put around her shoulders, unfazed that he made her jump, "put this on."

She had no idea he was even anywhere near her. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't even know that it had grown darker since their second encounter with that thing much less her shivering due to the drop in temperature.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be back with your baby?" Monica said wearily as she sat on a large tree stump.

"Uh, in case you haven't noticed, I've been following you. So you mind telling me what went on back there?" Dean asked softly, sitting down next to her, not exactly used to this kind of gentle, sympathized approach since it was always Sam's department, but decided that he'll give it a try.

He was pretty much speechless when she walked off on him; usually he would be the one doing all the leaving – shit, he was a master of it, but he never expected her to do it. He was expecting her to fight back, but to submit to this kind of weakness? Well, that was new to him. Add that to the thought that the werewolf was somewhere out there no doubt stalking them, he, Dean Winchester, was following her (to his dismay) like a lovesick protector (which he still had not worked out how that happened), and how he managed to let down his guard whenever he was with her…well, he's sure as hell don't want to go there. He was still pissed at her at what she did, but he figured the lecture would have to come later.

"You wouldn't understand," Monica sighed tiredly, wrapping Dean's jacket closer around her to fend off the chill.

"Maybe, but if you don't mind, I think I'd like to get out of here, unless you can assure me I won't end up in jail for setting the forest on fire." Dean said getting up and dragging her with him.

"It's a park." She automatically corrected, easily falling into step with him and thanking whoever is listening that there was at least a little bit of sunshine left as the sun was setting.

"Park, forest, whatever. They all have one thing in common and it's not their vegetation. You know what that is?"

After seeing her quizzical look, he continued, "Camping. In the outdoors. I hate camping," he mumbled.

"Oh come on, camping's not all that bad." Monica laughed.

"Are you kidding me? Have you ever been camping? Especially with a wendigo running around loose?"

She was about to reply when they heard a noise behind them. As Monica turned around, she barely had time to identify the source of the sound before she was thrown into a tree.

TBC...

A/N 2: Pretty please leave a review!! :D