Chapter Two: Playmates

Cleveland, Ohio

Sam Winchester sat quietly at a table in a crowded bar, scanning news websites on his laptop. A look of intrigue swept across his face as he read a story about a missing child. He looked up and was not surprised to see his older brother standing at the bar surrounded by beautiful women. How Dean always managed to find the most beautiful girls that didn't mind sharing his attention, or why he would want to spend the night with all of them at once was a mystery to Sam, but right now there was a bigger question that needed answered.

Dean's eyes lit up when he saw his brother calling him over and he ordered an extra beer before making his way across the room. "Here you go Sammy boy, drink up." He laughed as he placed the pint in front of Sam. "Or better yet, put that stuff away for the night and join us at the bar."

Completely ignoring his brother's request, Sam turned the laptop to face Dean. "Check this out. Mike Reynolds, five years old, went missing in plain sight 4 days ago in the middle of a crowded park."

Dean looked back at the group of anxious women with a killer smile, barely paying Sam any attention. "Kids get snatched from the park all the time. Doesn't mean it's our kind of thing."

Sam shook his head as he took a swig of the beer in front of him. "But get this, his mother had him on the jungle gym and she says he went into one of those tube slides and never came out. And, he's the 6th kid to disappear in broad daylight from that park this year."

Dean thought for a brief second, but his eyes wandered back to the bar and he resisted the mystery. "Alright, that sounds a little creepy, but it was 4 days ago. It can wait one more day. But you know what can't wait, is the group of playmates over at the bar."

Sam didn't hesitate to vocalize his frustrations with a dramatic sigh. "Do you ever think with your upstairs brain?"

"Playmates Sam, six of them! In town for some convention and in need of some locals to show them around."

"Let me guess, we just happen to be tour guides."

Dean smiled wickedly. "Better, we're indie film makers doing a documentary on the wonderful Cincinnati nightlife."

Sam couldn't help but laugh as he shook his head. The lack of scruples his brother sometimes displayed never ceased to amaze him. "So pack this stuff up man because I promised we'd interview them over drinks."

"I am not going along with this crazy scheme Dean. No way."

"PLAYMATES!" Dean whined. "As in even you could probably get some for once. And trust me man, you need it."

Sam glared at his brother but the dirty look only seemed to amuse him. "Forget it man. I'm not going, and neither are you. If we leave now, we could be in Cincinnati in 4 four hours and still get some decent sleep tonight."

"You gotta lighten up man. I'm thrilled that you're hunting with me again, but all work and no play makes Sam a dull boy and you're not that exciting to begin with. Dude, I'm putting my foot down this time. We're staying and you're gonna take that sexy little blonde over out and you're gonna have a good time for once in your life."

Dean winked at one of the women that had been watching Sam with eager interest. She giggled and blew a kiss at Sam, who in turn patronized her with a weak smile before shooting his brother a look of death.

Dean was about to push Sam across the room when his phone rang. He curiously answered the unfamiliar number and when Sam realized that he was talking to some female he went back to reading his article. It wasn't until dean said, "No, actually I was just kind of looking for something to do…" that Sam became interested in the conversation.

Not many things could deter Dean from a wild night with a bunch of playboy playmates.

Sam watched in shock as Dean regretfully excused himself from the women and waited for an explanation as Dean returned and began packing up the laptop, but all he said was, "Change of plans."

Finally, when Dean pulled his beautiful 1967 Chevrolet Impala onto the highway, Sam could no longer take the suspense. "Are you going to tell me what's going on? Where the hell are we going?"

"Detroit."

"Detroit?"

"You know, The Motor City, Motown. Home of the Red Wings, Henry Ford and most importantly the legendary Alice Cooper."

When his brother was done being a smart-ass, Sam forced him an agitated smile. "Thank you for the history lesson. You want to tell me why we're going there?"

"Possible job."

"What happened to all work and no play?"

"Well Sammy-"

"Sam."

"You were right. Saving lives is more important than women."

"Uh-huh. Who is she?"

Dean attempted to hold a hurt look, but smiled when he knew he was busted. "Only the most perfect woman on the planet. Smart, funny, dangerous, and smokin' hot!."

"Uh-huh. And how does she know you?"

"Us." Dean corrected, "You know her two. You remember Dad's old friend, Mitch Halloway? He had a daughter about your age."

Sam's eyes narrowed as he sifted through memories. "Shelly?" he asked with wide eyes.

"I know." Dean laughed after seeing the look on Sam's face, "I thought she was kind of a dog back then too, but man was puberty ever good to her."

"Dean!"

"What?"

Sam shook his head deciding not to argue exactly what was wrong with that statement, and then it donned on him. "Dean? How does she know what we do?"

"Mitch helped Dad and I on a job a couple years back and Shelly came a long for the ride. Actually, took over is more like it. She blasted that demon back to hell on horseback while eating a banana and m&m Sunday." Dean smirked at a memory. "I'm tellin' ya baby brother, this one is easily worth six playboy playmates."

Sam was truly speechless, but laughed at the giddiness of his brother nonetheless. "So what kind of a job is it?"

"I don't know. She said her step brother disappeared."

"Stepbrother?"

"Yeah, apparently her dad remarried a year ago; some lady with two boys. "She said the older, punk teenager one was supposed to be babysitting the younger one but when they got home he was gone and whatever happened freaked the little one out so much they had to put him in the hospital."

"No idea what happened?"

"Not a clue. Cops are calling it a runaway but the alarm was still activated and the six year old can't even reach it, much less turn the damn thing on."

"What makes her think its supernatural? I mean teenagers run away all the time, especially when they have a new family to deal with all the sudden."

"You saying you don't want to go?"

"I'm just saying maybe the cops are right this time. And if it's just some kid angry at his mom for getting remarried, maybe we'll be of more use in Cincinnati."

Dean glanced curiously at his brother. He was surprised by the hesitancy that was present in both his voice and his body language. "What's wrong with you Sam? You know we've checked out less, and these are friends."

When Sam shifted uncomfortably in his chair Dean's curiosity turned to concern. "Is there something going on I should know about?"

"No." Sam said quickly but with a hint of sadness in his voice, "It's just, well, the Halloways, and Kansas, and growing up the way we did. I've tried so long to put that past behind me. I just don't want to go digging it all up again."

Dean shook his head in utter disappointment. "You're such a little bitch sometimes."

Sam sat back in his chair and turned his attention to the window looking hurt just enough to make Dean feel bad. "You gotta ditch the baggage Sam, I mean it. It's your past that makes you who you are. You shouldn't forget it, and you shouldn't resent it so much."

"You don't understand."

Its rare to see Dean Winchester get upset over anything, but lately Sam was getting to be a pro at making it happen. Though he couldn't always say it, Dean lived and breathed for his brother. With their parents dead, and a life on the road, Sam was truly all he had left in this world. He felt a certain responsibility for him, a special connection. If anyone in the world understood Sam, it was Dean, and he hated that Sam wouldn't let him in. "I don't understand? Right. Because I didn't lose my mom too. And I didn't spend my childhood taking care of your sorry ass while dad was off on trips. And I didn't give up a life to help dad find the thing that killed mom. No you're right. I don't understand at all."

Unlike Dean, Sam can really be Mr. Sensitive. Though he honestly believed that his brother would never fully understand completely how he felt, he knew that Dean tried his best. No one on the planet could make Sam feel guilty the way Dean could either, and nothing was worse than knowing he'd hurt him. "Dean, I'm sorry. It's just that I-"

"Hey." Dean said, quick to end the touchy-feely crap, "You know the rules, no chick flick moments."

Dean kept a face that could have won him a poker tournament, but Sam still knew that the apology, however incomplete, made Dean feel better. "Yeah whatever." He smirked leaning his seat back, "Just wake me up when we get there."