First, I want to start off with apologizing for all of the spelling and grammar errors in the first two chapters (and any chapters yet to be written.) I'm writing this story on my netbook, which doesn't have Word, but instead has Word's backwoods third cousin: WordPad. Damn thing doesn't have an automatic spelling and grammar checker, and re-reading my writing only works but so well.

So, slightly lame apology, but I really am sorry. Every time I found one, I cringed.

Second, I want to thank LeeMarieJack for your reviews!

But, anywho - third installment and we're finally picking up some steam. Hope you all enjoy it and please review to tell me what you think!


"And the house special for the gentleman," the waitress said, setting a large platter of miscellaneous breakfast foods on the table in front of Dean. Dean rubbed his hands together gleefully and didn't waste any time shoveling a piece of bacon into his mouth. Sam watched him in mild disgust from the corner of his eye, but Kate's look of disgust directed towards him from across the table was plain as day. Dean glanced up from his feast, his eyes meeting first Kate's then Sam's. A forkful of scrambled eggs paused halfway to his mouth.

"What?" he asked. Sam just smiled and shook his head, sipping his orange juice, while Kate turned her face away and stared out the window. Her plate of french toast sat untouched before her, as she still couldn't stomach the thought of eating. The smell of the diner alone was enough to make her queasy, and all of Dean's lip smacking was just making it worse. Her stomach turned as he noisily slurped his coffee.

"So, tell me exactly what you all know about what happened to Drew," Kate said to the two brothers, turning back to look at them. Kate had convinced the brothers to agree to tell her what they knew about how her brother died, but not after a lot of hesitation on their part. She could tell there was a giant part to all this they didn't want her to know; a part that probably had a lot to do with the fact they were entering the morgue to view a body under the guise of federal agents. At this point she didn't really care if they were criminals or what sort of sordid history they might have because for some inexplicable reason, she found herself trusting them. All she knew was that they had valuable inside information she needed. Dean jerked his thumb over at his brother and crunched loudly on a piece of toast.

"Sammy will fill you in, won't you Sammy," Dean said, giving both Kate and Sam an obnoxious grin. Sam sighed and folding his hands together on the table, leaned towards Kate.

Sam told Kate what had brought him and his brother to St. Louis. He told her how he had gotten an email from an old college friend, Becky, saying her brother had been arrested for the murder of his girlfriend, but she knew it couldn't have been him. Something about him being out late with her that night, so unless he had been in two places at once, he couldn't have killed her. Apparently the way Zach had allegedly killed his girlfriend matched the description of how Sophia was presumed to have died by Drew's hand; hence, why Sam and Dean felt obligated to check into her brother's case. Kate felt her mouth go dry and she cleared her throat a few times.

"How did Sophia die?" Kate asked, her voice sounded hoarse and unsteady. She dreaded what they were going to tell her and she almost didn't want to know, but knew not knowing would just drive her insane. She had to piece this puzzle together. Sam and Dean exchanged glances and Kate could tell they were hesitant to tell her, as well. For once Dean's eyes didn't seem to be mocking her as he looked over his breakfast at her. The same sympathy she saw in Sam's eyes was lurking there in the hazel depths of Dean's.

"Well, uh, Kate," Sam started, choosing his words carefully. "The police said she was found tied to a chair and that she had been beaten pretty severely. What killed her though, was her throat was slit." Kate's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open slightly.

"I'm sorry," he said, softly. Kate brought her hands up to cover her mouth and hiccuped hard once, then twice. Dean looked at her, slightly amused, but then the smile dropped quickly from his face as he realized what was about to happen.

"Oh, Jesus, you're not going to ralph are you?" he exclaimed, leaning as far away from her as he could. Sam did the opposite and leaned forward towards her in concern, trying to peer up into her down-turned face. Kate nodded and held up a finger, asking for a moment. She hiccuped once more, then slowly took her hands away from her mouth and breathed deeply through her nose.

"Ok, I'm ok, I'm ok," she whispered as a sort of mantra to herself.

"Maybe you should eat something," Sam encouraged, nodding at her cold french toast. Kate just shook her head and breathed out through her mouth as she leaned back in her seat.

"No, I'm fine," she said with finality. After a few more long moments of Kate quelling the rebellion happening in her stomach, she focused her mind back on the problem at hand and frowned. "So, what is it you guys aren't telling me?"

"What?" Sam asked, an uneasy smile dancing across his lips.

"I can tell when someone's lying to me. It's my job, actually. And right now, the two of you are lying by omission," Kate stated simply. "So tell me what it is you don't want me to know for some reason."

"You wouldn't believe us even if we told you the truth, blondie," Dean muttered, taking a swig of his coffee. Kate's eyes shot over to him and she glowered at him.

"Don't call me blondie, you jackass," she said through clenched teeth, bristling at the nickname. "And just try me." Sam looked away from Kate, running a hand over the back of his head. Dean just glared back at Kate and copied her crossed arms stance. The two of them stared at each for a long minute, neither breaking to look away.

"You know what, fine," Dean said finally, leaning in towards Kate. Kate stifled a look of surprise as Sam whipped around to look at his brother.

"Dean, you can't tell-"

"If she wants to know the truth, then that's what we'll tell her," he said, cutting his brother off, his eyes still never leaving Kate's. She leaned slowly in towards him, resting her folded arms on the table as she prepared herself for what she was about to hear.

"We think it's a shapeshifter," Dean said simply. Kate blinked. A long moment of silence passed amongst the three of them and Sam closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose in irritation.

"What?" Kate asked, smiling slightly and looking from brother to brother for the joke they were surely telling her.

"A shapeshifter. Something that takes the shape of other humans to meet its own needs," Dean repeated. Kate laughed this time, unable to control herself.

"You're an idiot, you know that?" she said with a grin.

"Didn't I say you wouldn't believe me if I told you? Isn't that what I said, Sam?" Dean said smugly, speaking first to Kate before turning to his brother. Sam just shook his head.

"Well, either way, we have an idea of who is committing these murders around here and we have a pretty good idea of where we can find him," Sam stated. At this Kate perked up and looked at Sam excitedly.

"Really? You mean you don't think my brother killed Sophia, either?" she asked, deciding to ignore the inane joke Dean had tried to pass over on her.

"Right," Sam and Dean agreed together.

"And you both know where to find this guy?" Kate asked again.

"Right," the brothers said, nodding.

"Great! Well, I'm coming with you, then!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands together as the decision was made.

"Right- wait, what? No!" Dean stammered, his smug look disappearing from his face and one of surprise instantaneously replacing it. Sam looked equally flustered and reached a cautionary hand out towards her.

"No, Kate, you can't come with us. It's too dangerous," he said urgently. Kate rolled her eyes at the brothers and pulled her hair band out, unbraiding her hair deftly with her fingers, vaguely aware of Dean's eyes watching her fingers move.

"I'm a federal cop, you guys. The very definition of my job is danger. I'm not just any other girl who can't hold her own, you know," she said pointedly. "I mean, shit, I can probably shoot better than you boys." She finished unplaiting her hair and ran her fingers through its roots, relishing in the feeling of her hair being loosed from its confines after spending so long tied back. Dean, who had been trying not to openly stare as Kate undid her hair, started at her teasing jab.

"Hey!" he shouted angrily, though a bit delayed. Kate just smirked at him and winked.

"Plus, I think I deserve the chance to exact my own revenge on this son of a bitch," she added, growing serious once more. "He killed my brother and I want a run at him. And if you know where to find him, then I'm coming with you." Sam made a contemplative face and then turned to Dean, raising his eyebrows as he silently asked his brother what he thought.

"Hell no!" Dean exclaimed emphatically.

"Dean, she does kind of have a point, about her brother and all," Sam urged. "Not to mention she's right about being able to handle herself. If anything having an actual cop with actual credentials would help us out in the long run and save us some trouble. I say we give her the chance." Dean shot his brother an incredulous look, tossing the unfinished piece of toast in his hand onto his plate as though Sam's words had just caused him to lose his appetite.

"I can't believe you want her to tag along. This isn't that simple, Sam," Dean said to his brother in a threateningly low tone. Kate frowned taking offense at Dean implying she would be a burden.

"Look, if you boys don't want me coming along with you, I'm sure I can figure this out on my own and find the guy myself," she said easily with a shrug. "Just hope you won't get in my way." Kate could tell that went over just as poorly as suggesting she come along with them.

"Ok, fine," Dean spat, finally. He was frustrated and didn't like the idea of having a plus one, but he could tell Kate was stubborn and telling her no didn't mean she would take no for an answer. He felt better about having her with them instead of sending her off alone to face off against the thing they were hunting. Just in case. Plus he easily believed her when she said she would strike out on her own in order to find this thing, and that was the last thing they both needed; some inexperienced, greenhorn getting in their way and possibly getting killed in the process. He didn't like the idea of being responsible for collateral damage. Dean leaned forward towards Kate, pointing a finger at her.

"But you listen here, blondie. You take our lead on this one. I know you're probably used to running your own cases, but this one's going to be a little different," he said, laying out the ground rules. He could see rebellion burning behind Kate's green eyes as she debated whether it was worth it or not to argue with him, but it faded as she let out a breath and stuck out her hand for a handshake.

"You boys have got yourself a deal."


Kate lounged on one of the queen-sized beds in her motel room, idly flipping through the contents of her phone. She had parted ways with the Winchesters at the diner after they made plans to meet back up after dark at her motel, which gave her a good couple of hours to relax and ruminate on everything that had happened since she first arrived in Missouri. She had quickly texted Chris that she had landed and was fine before tackling the issue of contacting her aunt.

In the calm and quiet of her room, she took the time to listen to her voice mail, having acquired two new messages from her aunt since landing hours earlier. The last one from Emily made the decision for Kate of calling her back right then and there, since she sounded practically frantic she hadn't heard from her niece. Already feeling horrible about being so distant, Kate knew she had to call her aunt back soon or Emily would have the local police checking up on her. Kate navigated her list of contacts until she came to the entry, "Aunt Emily," selected it, and hit "send." The phone barely rang once before it was snatched up on the other end.

"Hello? Kate? Is that you?" the voice of an older woman came across the line.

"Yea, Emily, it's me. Sorry for not-"

"Damnit, Katie, I told you to call me as soon as you got in! I was so worried about you!" her aunt shouted, silencing Kate's apology for not doing just that. Both women were silent for a few moments, as Kate was taken aback at the emotion in her aunt's voice, not exactly sure how to respond. She heard Emily sigh defeatedly.

"Sweetheart, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell at you," she apologized, her voice sounding weary. "I just- when I got word about your brother, and then didn't hear from you... I didn't know what to think. I just wanted to make sure you were ok. I've been so worried." Kate placed a hand over her eyes, her bottom lip quivering with held back tears as the love of her aunt washed over her. Kate sniffed loudly.

"It's ok, I understand. I'm sorry for worrying you, I never meant to," Kate said softly, her voice wavering dangerously. She cleared her throat to steady herself and continued. "But I am ok, I got in a few hours ago just fine; already have a room and a car rented."

"Have you seen Drew?" her aunt asked quietly. Kate was silent, the image of Drew's lifeless body rising in her mind.

"Yea, I saw him," she said finally. There was silence on the line again as Kate knew her aunt was considering a thousand different questions she wanted to ask, but knew now wasn't the right time. Kate broke the silence first, wanting desperately to move the topic away from how she was feeling and her emotions in general. She knew her aunt and others who had passed their condolences on to her all meant well, but getting all touchy-feely was uncharted territory for her and each time someone asked her "are you ok?" it only made her want to punch them.

Kate talked with Emily about the release papers she had signed for Drew's body, the logistics of how he would be transported back to Virginia for burial, and of the funeral that would have to be planned. Emily offered to take the lead in planning the service; an offer Kate leapt on, thanking her aunt graciously. She knew her mind was focused elsewhere and leaving Missouri right now to go plan a funeral was not on her immediate list of things to do. After asking her three more times if she was all right, Kate's aunt finally let her off the phone, urging her to call for any reason if she needed anything at all.

Kate snapped the phone shut, stared at it for a moment, then dissolved into tears. These were the first, real tears she had allowed herself since learning of Drew and the sadness that came with them was overwhelming. Sobs racked through her slim frame as she curled into the fetal position on her bed, her phone still clutched in her hands, as a child would clutch a teddy bear for comfort. In time Kate's tears subsided, her breathing evened out, and she fell into a blessedly dreamless sleep.


"Time to rise and shine, sleeping beauty!"

The sound of a fist hitting the door jolted Kate out of her heavy sleep and she sat up so fast, she nearly tumbled right off the side of the bed. The banging continued as she blearily checked the time on her phone and grumbled when she realized she'd slept the entire day. Her eyes felt swollen from crying herself to sleep, her clothes were rumpled, and she was sure her hair was a tousled mess; but still she hoped she didn't look too ghastly as she stumbled towards the motel door. Any other day she'd have been mortified looking as she did in front of two, attractive guys, but right now she just couldn't find it in herself to care.

"Hold your damn horses," she called, half-heartedly as she approached the door and wrenched it open. Dean stood there, his fist raised mid-air with his brother Sam leaning casually against the door-jam beside him.

"Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes," Dean taunted cheerfully, taking in Kate's sleep rumpled glamour. She simply made a face and flicked him off, turning her back on them and walking back into her room in search of a change of clothes.

"I didn't mean to sleep as long as I did," Kate said apologetically as she rummaged through her suitcase for a change of clothes. "Would you guys mind waiting just a few minutes so I could take a fast shower? I still smell like the airplane."

"Well, you could, but once you see where we're going, you'll probably regret it," Sam cautioned, closing the door behind him as he and his brother entered her motel room. Kate's still half-asleep mind took a moment to process his words.

"Where are we going?" she asked, carefully.

"The sewers," Dean chimed in.

"The what?"

"The sew-"

"Yea, I heard you the first time!" Kate exclaimed in frustration, throwing the clothes she had been holding in her hand hard onto the floor, then diving back into her suitcase for something else. She yanked out a small, black t-shirt and a pair of jeans that looked to have a bit more "wear and tear" to them. "Give me a second," she said, and disappeared into the bathroom. Sam and Dean exchanged glances with each other as they heard the door lock click into place.

"Guess we woke the sleeping bear, huh," Dean commented, flopping down onto the extra bed in the room and turning on the tv.

"Lay off her, Dean. She's been through a lot," Sam chided with a frown, sitting on the edge of the bed opposite to him. Dean glanced over at his brother as he flipped through the channels, not finding anything worth watching.

"I'm just not too fond of having her around like this, dude. It's bad luck," he commented. Sam snorted.

"Really, Dean? Bad luck? Since when have you ever believed in luck?" he argued incredulously and his brother just shrugged.

"She doesn't even know what she's up against," Dean complained. He finally gave up on channel surfing and shut the television off, tossing the remote onto the bed next to him. "I don't want to hear it from either of you when she finds out she can't handle it and goes running for the hills; that is, after she completely gets in our way and screws everything up. I'm pretty sure she thinks this is just going to be a rousing game of cops and robbers where the bad guy goes to jail in the end and the townsfolk all rejoice."

"Good thing I'm the national cops and robbers champion, then, huh?" Kate called, emerging suddenly from the bathroom. She had swapped her button down shirt and slacks for a form-fitting, black t-shirt and pair of jeans with a hole in one knee. She had also donned and laced up a pair of tennis shoes and secured her belt with her gun and badge around her waist. At her words Sam at least had the decency to look abashed at being caught talking about her, but Dean just shook his head and stood.

"Whatever you say, blondie," he muttered, walking to the door and flinging it open.

"Ready?" Sam asked Kate, trying for a smile, but Kate noticed it didn't exactly reach his eyes. She smiled back, but her own smile was unsteady and unsure. Something about the look in Sam's eye worried her more than all the warnings Dean had been spouting off at her today. She nodded once and followed him out to the Impala, which already sat rumbling loudly in the parking lot.

"Watch the leather!" Dean yelped from the driver's seat as Kate scrambled into the back seat, her foot sliding across the back of the front bench seat. She sighed in irritation and lightly kicked the back of his seat causing him to whip around and point at her threateningly. Sam settled into the passenger seat beside his brother and as soon as his door was closed, Dean threw the car into gear and pealed out of the parking lot.

"So you think this guy is hiding out in the sewer system?" Kate asked, leaning forward on the back of the front bench between the two boys as Dean sped through town. Sam nodded.

"We followed a trail at Sophia's house that led down into one of the manholes, so we're pretty sure that's how he's been avoiding the cops and pulling a fast vanishing act," Sam explained. At the mention of Drew's girlfriend, Kate felt her heart ache a bit. But there were more important things to accomplish right now and so she resolutely pushed the hurt emotion to the back burner and focused her energy on the task ahead. Sam filled her in on all the other little details they knew about the assailant and before she knew it, Dean was parking the car in a small alleyway behind a row of townhouses.

The three of them exited the car and Kate took in her surroundings as the brothers rifled through the Impala's trunk. The sounds of gun slides drawing back caught her attention and she furrowed her brow as she approached the rear of the car. She wasn't expecting what the trunk contained.

"Holy shit," she whispered, tracing a finger lightly down the barrel of a sawed off shotgun. "You guys know a majority of these things are illegal in all 50 states, right?" Dean eyed her warily as he quickly checked the clip of the pistol in his hand. Slamming it into place loudly, he smirked at Kate.

"Yup." Kate watched him brush past her, uneasy and feeling for the first time unsure about her company. It really dawned on her how little she knew these two men and now seeing what they apparently drove around with in the back of their car on a regular basis was a little unnerving. Especially knowing she was about to embark on some sort of secret adventure in the sewer tunnels below the city with them. Sam seemed to read the discomfort in her posture as worry for her brother and he laid a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, it'll be all right. We'll get the guy, don't worry," he said assuredly. Her uncertainty began to dissipate a little with his concern and she allowed herself a small smile.

"Sammy! Blondie! Come on!" Dean hissed at them, waving them over to the open manhole in the center of the street. Kate and Sam hurried over to Dean who was already halfway down the ladder, each of them following close behind the other. One after one they dropped to the dank floor, each making just about the same digusted face as the smell of their surroundings hit them. The three of them turned their flashlights on, made sure their weapons were drawn and ready, then started down the narrow tunnel before them.

The tunnels stank to high heaven, but Kate didn't really know what else she should have expected. The light from their flashlights cut starkly through the darkness, illuminating their path ahead of them as they trodded along. Kate felt something suddenly drop onto the back of her neck and she muffled a scream at the last moment, frantically trying to flick away whatever it was that had landed on her. A terrified mouse squeaked as it hit the floor and scurried away. Dean looked back at Kate from his position in front of her and shined his flashlight directly into her eyes, causing her to swear and throw up a hand as a shield.

"You're such a girl," he commented dryly.

"Har har," she countered sarcastically, flipping him the bird.

The three of them continued down a series of twists and turns in the tunnel, then out into a large chamber every once in awhile before being shuttled back into another narrow opening. They examined their surroundings carefully as they went, looking for any signs the assailant had been this way. Kate followed behind Sam with Dean close behind into another tunnel with a large pipe running alongside them to their right.

"I think we're getting close to its lair," she heard Dean suggest from behind her, as she glanced warily at a mouse scurrying by her left foot.

"Why do you say that?" Sam asked.

"Because there's another puke inducing pile next to your face." Kate looked up at what Sam's flashlight beam was concentrated on as he groaned in disgust. What almost looked like a giant pile of gelatinous, bloody mucus sat only inches from Sam's face. Kate immediately began gagging.

"Jesus, Kate! You know, for a cop, you sure have a weak stomach," Dean accused, jumping back a step to give her space and more importantly, so she didn't ruin his leather jacket. Kate forced down the revulsion and straightened slowly, choosing to glare at him instead of testing her luck and opening her mouth to speak.

"Looks like he's lived down here awhile," Dean said, ignoring Kate's look and motioning with the beam of his flashlight towards a pile of clothes next to another pile of mucus on the ground just in front of Sam. Now that she no longer had the immediate urge to puke, Kate was beginning to wonder just what the hell she was looking at.

"Just makes you wonder how many murders he's gotten away with," Sam commented a bit sadly. Kate tore her eyes away from the nasty glob of... whatever it was on the ground and turned to Dean, her mouth open to ask him what the mucus-y stuff was. But as her flashlight cast some light the tunnel behind him, her jaw went slack and her question died on her tongue.

"Drew?" she whispered in disbelief.

"Dean!" Sam yelled and Dean turned, just in time for Drew's eyes to flash to an unearthly silver as he slammed into Dean, knocking him roughly into the cement wall of the tunnel. Dean cried out in pain, clutching at his left shoulder. Sam fired two shots in quick succession as Drew raced away, disappearing within seconds in the dark. Kate stood rooted in place, staring transfixed at the spot Drew disappeared.

"Go get the son of a bitch," Dean growled to his brother, nursing his obviously hurt shoulder.

"Wait!" Kate cried, reaching after Sam as he took off running down the tunnel. She sprinted after him and heard Dean start after her. She tried to catch Sam, to grab him and shake him and ask him why they were hunting her brother. Her brother who was dead. Her brother who's body lay in the St. Louis morgue. Who's body she had just seen this morning, lifeless and cold. But he was too fast. His long legs carried him far ahead of her and she watched as he reached the end of the tunnel and pull himself deftly up the rung ladder leading to the surface. Kate scrambled up after him, barely feeling the helpful boost Dean gave her by putting a hand beneath her butt and pushing her upwards.

"Sam, wait!" Kate pleaded as she reached the surface. Sam grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet, but immediately shushed her and motioned for her to sheathe her pistol. It was then she realized they had emerged in the center of a park that was still active, despite the late hour. A couple wandered by, eyeing the threesome nervously before scuttling off. Kate slammed her pistol into its holster on her hip and grabbed Sam's arm.

"Tell me what is happening!" she cried.

"Now's not the time," Dean said shortly as he joined them, tucking his own pistol into his inner jacket pocket. Kate stared at him wide-eyed. "We need to split up. I'll meet you guys on the other side." Sam nodded at him and Dean took off across the park.

"Come on," Sam urged Kate and began loping off in the opposite direction.

Her mind raced as she jogged alongside Sam. She scanned the crowds they passed, frantically trying to find her brother's face, knowing it was insane at the same time. He was dead! But if he was dead, why had she just seen him attack Dean? Why was he looking as lively as ever as he ran around the city of St. Louis?

"Sam, please tell me what the hell is going on," Kate pleaded as they both finally slowed their jog down to a walk. The trail had gone cold. Sam looked down into Kate's tear filled eyes and sighed, running a hand through his shaggy hair. He knew this wasn't fair to her. They should have prepared her better, but he knew his brother would agree with him, that neither of them expected the thing to take the shape of Kate's brother.

"Kate, remember what Dean told you in the diner? When you thought he was joking?" he began, hesitantly, continuing to walk down the busy street. Kate kept pace with him and watched him out of the corner of her eye while simultaneously scanning for Drew, unsure where Sam was going with this.

"Yea?"

"Well, he wasn't joking. He really was telling you the truth, but knew you wouldn't believe it," Sam explained, searching the street now for his brother as they neared the designated meeting place. "The thing that killed your brother and Sophia - and framed Zach for his girlfriend's death - is something called a shapeshifter. You're probably more familiar with them than you think, most cultures have stories about these kinds of things - beings who can change into other people or even animals, werewolves, etc." He craned his neck around the corner of a building, then turned and looked the opposite way. Kate appeared in his vision, staring at him dumbly as if he had just sprouted another head.

"You're right. I didn't believe him and I don't believe you," she said, clearly unnerved.

"Then how else do you explain seeing your brother just now?" Sam argued. He was annoyed now, but he calmed his tone when he saw Kate recoil. Where the hell was Dean? He sighed, exasperated. "I get that this is hard for you, I really do. And I don't know how to make it any easier for you now that you're involved like this. There are things out there you've probably only ever heard of in ghost stories and fairy tales, but they're real and they exist, whether you want to believe me or not. That's what my brother and I do, we hunt these things to protect people. Sounds crazy, I know, don't get me wrong; but I guess you just have to take my word for it." Sam's words had barely left his mouth when Dean jogged up from behind them.

"Hey," he called as he approached. "Anything?" Sam shook his head.

"No, he's gone."

"All right, let's get back to the car."

Kate followed Sam and Dean back to the Impala in a daze. The whole way she stared at their backs, imagining them shooting things like... unicorns. She stifled an insane giggle, officially feeling like she was losing it.

"You think he found another way underground?" Sam called as they reached the Impala and Dean stopped by the rear end of the car. Kate ignored the rest of the boys' conversation and idly wandered over to lean against the passenger side door. The silver band on her right hand glinted in the moonlight as she twirled it around and around, her thoughts a thousand miles away. Suddenly Sam shook her hard by the shoulder. Kate bit back a yelp of surprise, but her eyes widened even further when she saw Sam's pistol drawn and a finger held up to his lips meant to shush her. Fearful of some sort of immediate danger, Kate quickly drew her pistol and followed Sam towards the rear of the Impala.

"Don't move!" Sam yelled as he and Kate simultaneously rounded the back end of the large sedan. Kate pointed her gun outwards automatically, but almost lowered it when Dean slowly stood, a confused look plastered on his face. Kate's brow furrowed and she looked sharply at Sam.

"What have you done with him?" Sam shouted.

"Dude, chill. It's me, all right?" Dean said, stressing his words.

"Sam, it's just Dean-" Kate started, beginning to lower her weapon. She was beyond confused and was on the verge of screaming because of it.

"No, I don't think so. Where's my brother?" Sam said, caustically.

"You're about to shoot him, Sam, calm down." Dean held his hands out low in front of his hips, moving slowly so as not to spook his brother or Kate. Sam's finger flexed on the trigger and Kate glanced between the two brothers, unsure of what to do.

"You caught those keys with your left. Your shoulder was hurt," Sam pointed out. He motioned towards Dean's left shoulder with his gun. Dean just looked at him incredulously.

"Yea, and it's better. What do you want me to do, cry?"

"You're not my brother." The malice in Sam's voice surprised Kate, though a slow realization was beginning to dawn on her. All of Sam and Dean's words about shapeshifters ran through her head, as did the memory of her brother suddenly appearing behind Dean in the sewers. She shuddered when she remembered his silver eyes. Could they actually be telling her the truth? Kate shook her head in an attempt to clear the thought. That was ridiculous. But what if...

"Why don't you pull the trigger then, hm? 'Cause you're not sure. Dude, you know me," Dean called out. There was something in his voice that made Kate frown and re-tighten her grip on her gun. By the time she saw it, it was too late.

"Don't!" Sam called out. The sound of metal connecting with bone rang out as Dean whipped a crowbar fast as lightning out of the trunk and smashed it over Sam's head. Sam's unconscious body hadn't even hit the ground when Dean turned on Kate. The last thing her mind registered was the smirk on Dean's face and the flash of metal as he brought the crowbar streaking down towards her face.