This is probably the longest chapter I've EVER written for fanfiction but I couldn't condense it any further and really didn't want to split it into 2 chapters- I hope you still llike it though!

Chapter 5: Banshees are Bitches

It was a week after John's funeral that Kerry on of the best surprises in her life. Dean, borrowing Bobby's truck, disappeared into town, leaving Kerry free to see how far along he'd gotten with the repairs to the Impala. Normally she would have asked him directly, but as he'd barely uttered a word to any of them since the funeral, she decided to find out for herself. To her relief, she saw that the majority of the interior work was almost done, it just needed the outside to be fixed up. She noticed the holes in the trunk and raised an eyebrow, knowing that the marks had definitely not been there the day the car had arrived.

When Dean returned, he found Kerry curled up on her bed, laptop propped open on her lap as she stared at the screen with concentration. He knocked on the door frame and she jumped slightly, having been absorbed in what she was doing.

"Hey, what're you up to?" Dean asked.

Still surprised that Dean was actually speaking to her, it took her a few seconds to respond.

"Hey. I was looking at maybe taking an online class or something, y'know give me something to do when not hunting and gain a few qualifications while I'm at it."

Dean knew that hunting wasn't the only thing Kerry wanted in life, so he wasn't overly shocked that she wanted to study; she was similar to Sam in that way. He watched as she closed the laptop and gave him a questioning look, silently asking why he was still there.

"Come downstairs, we've got a little surprise for you."

Suspicion and curiosity crossed her face and she climbed slowly off the bed, passing Dean with a curious gaze.

"If this is some kind of prank Dean Winchester, I'm going to…oh!"

The sight that greeted her almost brought tears to her eyes. In the middle of the living room, a desk had been cleared and on top of it sat three brightly wrapped boxes along with a cake that read 'Happy Birthday'. Next to it stood a number of bottles, each one a different type of alcohol. Bobby and Sam both watched her with wide smiles as she stood frozen on the step. Dean put a hand on her back, urging her to continue and didn't stop when she reached the bottom of the stairs, covering her eyes as he led her outside.

"Dean!" she laughed as she tripped and he mumbled an apology.

It was then that she heard a scratching noise coming from in front of her.

"What is that?" She asked.

"Just keep your eyes closed for a sec"

Kerry giggled as she did so and Dean stepped up to the car, opening the door. A few seconds later, he spoke again.

"Okay, you can open your eyes now"

As she did, she gasped and froze once again. Sitting in Dean's arms, trying desperately to climb up and lick his face, was a young Siberian husky puppy; the breed Kerry had always dreamt of owning. Dean smiled at her reaction.

"Don't you want to say hello to him?" he asked.

Kerry nodded and stepped forward. Immediately the puppy turned his attention to her and the second he was in her arms, he started licking every part of her he could reach, his tail constantly wagging. Kerry put the puppy gently on the floor and before Dean had time to react, she was hugging him tightly.

"Thank you" she said quietly, the intensity of her tone telling Dean how happy he'd just made her.

"You're welcome. And happy birthday by the way."

She smiled and without thinking, leaned up and kissed him on the cheek before turning and scooping the puppy up into her arms again, running into the house. Suddenly, the tension she's felt being around Dean since he'd pulled away from her at the funeral faded away. Dean watched her go and reached up to touch where she'd kissed, something in the back of his mind telling him she'd done it before, but he had no recollection of where or when. Instead, he chose to shrug off the pull of memory and followed her indoors.

That evening was spent with Kerry cuddling her new puppy that she'd affectionately named Jackson, and getting increasingly drunk as the three men passed her drink after drink to try. The following morning, she felt as though a sledgehammer was pounding into her skull as she woke, but one glance at the puppy on the end of her bed brought her smile back the pain faded as suddenly as it hit.

Her good mood didn't last for long. As she headed down for breakfast, she caught sight of Sam and Dean looking at one of the old run-down vans her dad owned. She went out to join them and Bobby smirked at her dishevelled state.

"You look a bit rough" he taunted.

Kerry flipped the finger, not bothering to respond. She looked over at Sam and gave him a small smile.

"You guys off somewhere?" she asked.

Sam nodded.

"We listened to a message on dad's phone from a woman called Ellen, so we're going to speak to her."

Kerry's eyes widened.

"Ellen Harvelle? At the roadhouse?" she asked.

"Yeah, you know her?" Sam asked.

"Yup. She helped me on a few hunts and dad knows her well too. Be warned though; she has an extreme brat of a daughter."

Sam laughed, not realising she was being completely serious and when Dean came out with their bags, they said a quick farewell and were off. Kerry smiled sadly; at least they were coming back. And she knew Ellen would make sure they stayed safe. She shuddered at the memory of the one and only time she'd seen Ellen angry. It was three years ago, yet still sent a chill up her spine…

/Flashback/

Bobby answered the phone and instantly he smiled.

"Hey Ellen! How are things?"

After a few minutes of silence, Bobby looked over at Kerry as if he was contemplating something before he spoke again.

"I can't do it as I'm still getting over my last hunt; however, I think Kerry is more than capable of handling this one. I'll send her up to you."

The next thing she knew, she was at the Roadhouse, planning her second ever solo hunt to Minneapolis, where there were rumours of a banshee at an old manor house. She sat at the bar with her map spread out in front of her, when suddenly a few pieces of paper were dropped down in front of her. She looked up and raised an eyebrow at the teenager standing in front of her.

"What is this Jo?"

"It's some stuff I collected for you to help with your hunt."

"Thanks, I appreciate it. You're still not coming though."

"Because of my mom?"

"Partly, but also because you have no experience and if anyone was to go, I would need someone who has field experience, especially as I'm still new to the whole solo thing myself. You've never even done a hunt before, so there's no way I'm taking you."

"I'm not a child!" Jo argued.

"I agree. We're both eighteen, but let's do a check here. I've been hunting for ten years now and started researching years before that. I spent nine of those years hunting with my dad or the Winchester's and only managed to get this solo as my dad is out at the moment, otherwise he would be here. Yes, you have skills putting information together but have no field experience. Do you even own half the equipment you need to hunt? I know the answer is no, so no, you are not coming. Ever."

Jo let out an annoyed scream as she slammed out of the room. Kerry rolled her eyes before flicking through the information Jo had given her and quickly pushing it aside as she already knew it. All day, Jo had been trying to get the other girl to let her come, but Kerry was not relenting, mainly because, as she said, Jo didn't have the experience that was needed for this hunt. Plus, there was the small fact that Kerry herself wasn't too keen on Jo, and if she could avoid having her there, she would.

Kerry finished her research and decided it was time to get started. Halfway there, she became aware of a car following her. At first, she let it trail her, but she quickly grew annoyed and turned so that she was blocking off the other car. The other car slammed on their brakes, and when Kerry realized who her follower was, she growled in annoyance and stormed over.

"Jo Harvelle! What the HELL are you doing?"

"I'm coming with you!"

Kerry took a few breathes to calm herself. Jo may have been a few months older than her, but Kerry was the one who had trained to be a hunter for years, and there was no way she was about to let an inexperienced person come with her and put her and themselves in danger. It was going to be hard enough to protect herself, never mind trying to protect Jo on top.

"Go home."

"No"

Kerry grit her teeth and fought the urge to hit the other teenager. Instead, she clenched and unclenched her fists a few times before calming down enough to speak without shouting. However, when she spoke, it was through clenched teeth and Jo flinched at Kerry's anger.

"Fine. But the second I tell you to run, you do it. Understand?"

Jo nodded, a wide smile appearing on her face. Kerry sent her a glare before stomping off to her car, slamming the door behind her as hard as she could. Her eyes widened as she realized what she just did, and she quickly apologized.

"Sorry baby, I didn't mean to slam it so hard, I'm just so annoyed! Great, I'm talking to my car. I'm turning into Dean."

She chuckled to herself as she thought about Dean and his habit of speaking to his car whenever he accidentally damaged it. Yet another thing she had picked up from him over the years she'd known him. As if on cue, her phone range and she quickly answered it, seeing that it was Dean himself.

"How's my favourite girl?" he asked as she answered.

"I don't know. I haven't seen your car for a few months now." She joked.

"Oh ha-ha very funny, I don't think. Ok, how's my favourite human girl?"

Kerry rolled her eyes at his joking.

"I'm not too bad, just on my way to Minneapolis on a banshee hunt."

"Alone?"

"Yup. Second solo hunt but dad seems confident I can handle it."

"You fully prepared?" he asked, his voice immediately turning concerned.

"Dean! Yes, I have all that. I know what I'm doing."

"Yeah, well, can't be too careful"

Kerry smiled, knowing that what he was really saying was that he was worried and wanted to make sure she would be safe on her own. Her phone suddenly beeped, signalling another incoming call, and she quickly said good bye before switching over to the other caller.

"Hello?" she asked

"Please tell me Jo is with you! I can't find her and no-one's seen her!"

"Hi Ellen. Yeah, she's with me"

"Why the HELL is she with you?!" was the older woman's' enraged response.

"I had nothing to do with it Ellen! She followed me in some crappy run down thing. I tried to make her turn back, but she won't. Don't worry; I'll keep her safe, I promise."

She heard Ellen sigh.

"Ok, I trust you. Please don't let anything happen to her. I'll head out in a minute; you girls are only a few hours ahead. Try not to get her or you killed won't you?"

"I won't. And I know, I'm to tell her she's up a certain creek without a paddle when you arrive."

Ellen chuckled and thanked her before hanging up. Kerry smiled, grateful that she had her ear protectors with her, for no other reason than to protect her from the shouting Ellen would be doing when she saw Jo. It didn't take long for them to reach the manor and the second they were out of their respective cars, Kerry rounded on Jo, making the other teenager jump.

"I've spoken to your mother. Boy is she pissed at you, and so am I. You do exactly as I say. One thing against what I say and something happens to either of us I will personally hunt you down, ok?"

Jo wisely didn't answer, just meekly nodded her head. Kerry rolled her eyes again before pulling out her ear protectors and shotgun and heading up to the manor. Thankfully, she knew the owners were away from the reports she'd received, so it was easy work getting in. The second the entered the building, Kerry went into hunt mode, pulling out her gun and her ear protectors. She looked at Jo in anticipation.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Jo asked her, confused.

"Well, we aren't going anywhere until you get your ear protectors out"

Jo's eyes widened in horror and Kerry quickly bit her tongue to suppress the pure rage that washed over her. She wordlessly and violently threw her ear protectors at the other blonde, who barely caught them before they hit her in the face.

"Ok, so I'm going round the side to find this thing. As soon as I see it, I'll sneak round and kill it. After that I will come back to you. Do NOT move" Kerry said.

Jo nodded and Kerry disappeared off down the corridor, not paying her any more attention, too angry to even look at the other teenager. She soon heard a shuffling sound from behind one of the doors and as she poked her head round to look, she saw the banshee softly swaying from side to side as it gazed out of the window. Kerry grinned, thankful that she had found it so quickly. Now all she had to do was shoot it, and that would be the end of the hunt. She raised her gun and carefully aimed, but just as she was about to shoot, there was a loud noise from behind her followed by the sound of someone cursing. The banshee spun round to face Kerry and Kerry growled as she glanced behind her to see Jo entering the room. The banshee narrowed its eyes and the next thing Kerry knew, the door was slammed shut, preventing either of the girls from escaping. She raised her gun ready to fire, but the banshee saw and opened its mouth. Reacting on instinct, Kerry dropped the gun and covered her ears with her hands, screaming for Jo to put on the ear protectors. The room filled with a scream so piercing, Kerry grit her teeth and pressed her hands as hard as she could against her head. It wasn't enough and as pain exploded through her skull, Kerry let out a scream of her own, desperately hoping that Jo had managed to put on the ear protectors.

Once the screaming stopped, she pulled her hands away from her ears and felt the room spin. Glancing at her hands she saw a small drop of blood on each of them, immediately making her worry about any lasting damage. She tried to call out to Jo, but the sound barely registered in her own ears and she cursed.

It didn't help that the darkness of the room made it so she could barely see, but she knew the banshee was in the room somewhere. Without her eyesight or hearing, she knew it was going to be a risky challenge hitting the banshee without hitting Jo in the process. Not that she'd overly mind, but she knew Ellen would have something to say about it, and if Ellen's anger from earlier was anything to go by, Kerry did not want that. She closed her eyes and focused as hard as she could. Suddenly, something touched her right arm, and she spun round, placing her gun against its head and fired. A single shriek filled the room, making Kerry flinch at the pain it caused her, and the banshee dropped dead to the floor.

Wasting no time, Kerry fumbled around until she found Jo and pulled her out of the room. The relief when she saw that Jo had managed to put on the ear protectors was short-lived as a new wave of anger hit; and this time, she made no move to hold herself back.

"The next time I tell you to stay, you damn well STAY!" she yelled.

She knew she was shouting at full volume as her voice wasn't even muffled to her damaged ears, and Jo physically flinched and moved away from her. They left the house in silence and Kerry sent a text to Ellen, directing her to an isolated gas station on the outskirts of the town. When they arrived, a very pissed off Ellen was waiting for them, a dark glare on her face. Kerry got out of her car and despite the pain the vibrations of her voice caused her, she explained to Ellen exactly what happened. Ellen's face darkened even more towards her daughter, especially when she found out that Jo's foolishness was the cause of Kerry's problem. Kerry was rather grateful for the deafness though when she heard Ellen start shouting and watched Jo cower in fear.

/End Flashback/

Kerry had barely spoken to Jo after that incident, to the point that she no longer even visited the roadhouse as the last few times she'd been there, the girls had to be separated from each other after breaking out into very aggressive, sometimes physically violent, arguments. Kerry still contacted Ellen, but she felt slightly envious that Sam and Dean were going to see her when she was unable to. She glared at the wall in front of her as she moved back into the house, wishing, not for the first time in her life, that Jo had just taken no for an answer that day.

At least then she'd get to see Ellen and Ash more.