A/N: Revised 4/12/15

A few days had passed on the road since we had left Hibbing. We had all taken turns driving and I was now riding shotgun looking at newspaper articles while Sam snored in the backseat.

Dean turned down the radio, "You have been awful quiet the last few days."

"I don't have anything to say, really." I continued to skim the papers.

"Come on Jen, how are the stitches feeling?" He asked and my body stiffened at the memory of his hands. Out of the corner of my eye I could see his confusion and then the obvious smirk. Asshat.

"Fine." I said simply. To myself I thought, well if you wouldn't have made this confusing and awkward for me Dean, then I would have more to say. I was left wondering if we would ever talk about what had happened at the motel. The possibilities running through my head were probably way worse than reality. I just wanted to know why, but I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of bringing it up. Nope, the proverbial ball was in his court. Dean sighed and changed the subject, "Find anything yet?"

"Not really, there is this one thing in Chicago."

"Well that's only a couple hours away. What is it?"

I read what I had, "A girl murdered in her apartment after walking home from the bar. Windows locked, door locked, no signs of forced entry and the alarm system is still intact and set."

"How long ago?"

"Almost a week. But they didn't find the body until a couple of days ago once she didn't show up for work for a few days."

"Alright, let's get there and see what we can get done."

Two hours later we were sitting outside of one of the police stations. Sam was finally awake. "Sam? Do you and Jen want to go to the apartment and see what it looks like and I will take a look at the body?"

Sam nodded, "Sure, but don't you want to see the apartment too?"

"We can cover more ground if we split up. I will catch up with you guys later." He tossed Sam the keys and got out of the car with a suit to change to and walked toward a building where he could. Sam started up the engine and we headed toward the girl's apartment, Sam spoke, "What's gotten in to him?"

"I have no idea. Someone must have pissed in his wheaties or something." I just looked out the window.

"He just seems frustrated, usually he really jokes around and stuff but, I don't know, he has been moody."

I scoffed, "Tell me about it."

We parked in front of the girls apartment and did a quick change into service uniforms for the alarm company. Sam pulled a toolbox out of the trunk and handed it to me. We walked in and explained to the building landlady that we needed to see the room to see what went wrong with the alarm system and she lead us to the room. The landlady unlocked the door, "Well, the police said they were done with the place, so... You guys said you were with the alarm company?"

"Yes." I replied distracted. I saw that the chain on the door was broken and on the carpet there was blood spatter everywhere. It didn't look like a normal stabbing. The blood was strewn around everywhere with very little pooling. This was an attack, not a robbery.

"Well, no offense, but your alarm's about as useful as boobs on a man"

I suppressed a smile and Sam and I exchanged a not to laugh I replied, "Well, that's why we're here. To see what went wrong and stop it from happening again."

Sam asked, "Now, ma'am, you found the body?"

"Yeah."

"Right after it happened?", Sam inquired.

"No. Few days later. Meredith's work called, she hadn't shown up. I knocked on the door. That's when I noticed the smell."

Yummy, "Were there any windows left open, any signs of a break in? The usual?"

"No, windows were locked, front door was bolted. Chain was on the door, we had to cut it just to get in."

"And the alarm was still on?" Sam asked.

She glared at Sam, "Like I said, bang-up job your company's doin'. "

"Any overturned furniture, broken glass, signs of struggle? " I asked, still looking around at the mess.

She shook her head, " Everything was in perfect condition. Except Meredith."

Sam spoke, "And what condition was Meredith in? "

"Meredith was all over. In pieces. The guy who killed her must have been some kind of a whack job. But I tell you, if I didn't know any better, I'd have said a wild animal did it."

Sam and I exchanged glances before he asked her the final question. I cleared my throat, "Ma'am, do you mind if we take some time? Give this place a once-over?"

"Oh, well, go right ahead. Knock yourself out. " With that she left us alone in the room. We looked around.

"Sam, this is insane. She had to be all over the place for the blood to be like this."

"I know.", his phone rang.

"Dean?... Yeah we are still here." and hung up.

"What was that about?"

"He said he is on his way up." I dug in the toolbox and had just pulled out an EMF meter when Dean opened the door up.

"Holy shit." was all he said as he started to look around. I broke the silence, "Alright so the killer walks into the apartment, no weapons, no prints, no anything and rips the girl to pieces."

"Definitely our kind of gig." Sam replied. The EMF meter in my hand was going insane. Dean grabbed it out of my hand and held it up, "I think I would have to agree with you."

"So, you talked to the cops?" Sam asked.

"Uh, yeah... " He smirks, "I spoke to Amy, a, uh, charming, perky officer of the law."

"Yeah? What'd you find out? "

"Well, she's a Sagittarius. She loves tequila, I mean...wow. Oh, and she's got this little tattoo— " I shook my head. Dean would flirt with anything with a pulse, that was for sure. Sam was annoyed, "Dean!"

"What? Yeah. Uh, nothin' we don't already know. Except for one thing they're keepin' out of the papers."

"What's that?" I asked.

"Meredith's heart was missing."

I was confused, "Her heart?"

Dean nodded, "Yeah. Her heart."

Sam looked over at Dean, " So, what do you think did it to her?"

"Well," I said, "the landlady said it looked like an animal attack. Maybe it was—werewolf?"

Sam shook his head, "No, no werewolf, the lunar cycle's not right. Plus, if it was a creature, it would've left some kind of trace. It's probably a spirit."

Dean was looking at the blood spatter closely and as I watched him, I started to see it too.

Dean snapped his fingers at Sam, "See if you can find any masking tape around. "

Sam found some in a drawer and for the next fifteen minutes we watched as Dean played connect the dots. When he was done the tape made a funky symbol that faintly resembled a Z.

"Ever see that symbol before?" Sam asked.

"Never. " Dean answered.

I shook my head, "Neither have I."

We all stood there a moment in the quiet. Dean and I made eye contact and he stood up.

"Well when in doubt, let's start where she was last seen. Lucky for us, that's a bar."

.

Later that night we were sitting at the bar the girl had last been seen at. Sam was going through stuff on his laptop and I was sitting with him shuffling through books and papers. In all honestly, I was doing more drinking than anything else. Plus I was really watching Dean flirt with the bartender. In all honesty, I normally wasn't pissy, jealous or even territorial, especially when I had no right to. But Dean was just being, well, confusing. He made the move and then just sidelined me.

"What's wrong Jen?" Sam pulled me out of my thoughts.

"Nothing, just working on the case."

"Bull, you have been crabby since we left Hibbing. What's going on?"

I looked up, "Sam, it is really nothing I'm just thinking."

"You have only been with us for almost two weeks and I can tell that you are brooding, not thinking. Plus you have been watching Dean flirt with the bartender. I know for a fact that isn't that interesting."

I shook my head and refused to talk. Sam sighed, "I know my brother, what did he do?"

Before I could come up with a viable answer, Dean came over to the booth we were sitting in and gestured for me to move over. Grudgingly, I obliged. He put his arm on the back behind me. Sam was watching my face as Dean began to talk, "I talked to the bartender."

Sam snorted, "Did you get anything? Besides her number?"

"Dude, I'm a professional. I'm offended that you would think that."

Sam gave Dean a knowing look

"All right, yeah." He chuckles and holds up a napkin with the bartender's phone number on it and tosses it on the table.

"You mind doin' a little bit of thinking with your upstairs brain, Dean? " Sam asked. Internally, I seconded that.

"Look, there's nothing to find out. I mean, Meredith worked here, she waited tables, everyone here was her friend. Everybody said she was normal. She didn't do or say anything weird before she died, so...what about that symbol, you guys find anything?"

"Nope, nothing. It wasn't in Dad's journal or in any of the usual books."

"I checked some books with older sigils and stuff in it and can't find a damn thing. " I added.

Dean fumbled through some of the pages, "Well, there was a first victim, right? Before Meredith?"

"Yeah." I said as I reached across the table and pulled a newspaper from under the mess and flipped through until I found it, "His name was, uh...his name was Ben Swardstrom. Last month he was found mutilated in his townhouse. Same deal as the girl. The door was locked, the alarm was on. Looked like an animal attack except in the middle of a heavy populated area. Police are calling it a robbery gone bad. But we dug up some of the crime scene photos and it looks like an animal attack."

I handed the paper to Dean. He looked it over quickly, "Is there any connection between the two of them? "

I shook my head, "None that I can find."

Sam chimed in, "Ben was a banker, Meredith was a waitress. They never met, never knew anyone in common. They were practically from different worlds."

Dean smirks, "So, to recap, the only successful intel we've scored so far is the bartender's phone number."

I rolled my eyes. Sam shook his head and then whipped around. Dean and I both saw it and started to look around.

"What?" Dean asks. Sam gets up and starts to push across the room. Dean looks at me and I shrug my shoulders.

"Sam?" Dean calls again and gets up to follow him. I push all the stuff from the table in a pile and grab it. I notice that the napkin with the number was forgotten on the table and make sure to leave that there. By the time I turn I see Sam grab the shoulder of a blonde with short hair and start talking to her. They recognize each other. She stands up and gives him a hug. I walked toward them but hung back. By the time I am in earshot she is talking again…

"...where are they? "

"Well, they're not here right now, but what about you, Meg? I thought you were goin' to California."

"Oh, I did. I came, I saw, I conquered. Oh, and I met what's-his-name, something Michael Murray at a bar."

Sam raised his eyebrows, "Who?"

"Oh, it doesn't matter. Anyway, the whole scene got old, so I'm living here for a while." Dean cleared his throat behind Sam, but both Sam and Meg ignored him.

"You're from Chicago?" Sam asked.

"No, Massachusetts...Andover. Gosh, Sam, what are the odds we'd run into each other?"

"Yeah, I know, I thought I'd never see you again."

She touches his arm, "Well, I'm glad you were wrong. "

Sam nodded and Dean cleared his throat again, louder. Meg turned on him, "Dude, cover your mouth."

"Yeah, um, I'm sorry, Meg. This is, uh—this is my brother, Dean."

Meg looked shocked, "This is Dean?"

"Yeah." Sam said sheepishly

Dean smiles, "So, you've heard of me?"

"Oh, yeah. I've heard of you. Nice..the way you treat your brother like luggage."

Dean looked from Sam to Meg, confused, "Sorry?"

"Why don't you let him do what he wants to do? Stop dragging him over God's green earth."

Sam jumps in, "Meg, it's all right."

Dean whistles lowly, "Okay, awkward. I'm gonna get a drink now."

When Dean turns he almost runs into me, "Sorry."

He was really pissed off. I followed him to the bar and we both ordered a beer. I just looked straight ahead into the mirror behind the bottles, waiting. I caught Dean's eye in the mirror. He ran his hand through his hair and exhaled, "What the hell was that about?"

I turned and saw Sam and Meg still talking, "I don't know but we will find out later."

"Who the hell does that bitch even think she is?" He scoffed, "I treat Sam like luggage?"

I pushed his shoulder, "Don't worry about it man. It could be worse, you could be treating him like garbage."

He smiled and shook his head. We were almost finished with our beers when Sam came up behind us, "Let's go. Now."

As we were walking out, all hell broke loose. Dean pulled Sam around, "Who the hell was she?"

Sam shrugged, "I don't really know. I only met her once. Meeting up with her again? I don't know, man, it's weird."

"And what was she saying? I treat you like luggage? What, were you bitchin' about me to some chick? "

"Look, I'm sorry, Dean. It was when we had that huge fight when I was in that bus stop in Indiana. But that's not important, just listen..."

"Well, is there any truth to what she's saying? I mean, am I keeping you against your will, Sam?"

"No, of course not. Now, would you listen?"

Dean's voice raised, "What?"

"I think there's somethin' strange going on here, Dean."

"Yeah, tell me about it. She wasn't even that into me"

"No, man, I mean like our kind of strange. Like, maybe even a lead."

I finally spoke up, "Like what?"

Sam sighed, "I met Meg weeks ago, literally on the side of the road. And now, I run into her in some random Chicago bar? I mean, the same bar where a waitress was slaughtered by something supernatural? You don't think that's a little weird? "

I shrugged, "Coincidence. It happens."

Sam replied, "Yeah, it happens, but not to us. Look, I could be wrong, I'm just sayin' that there's something about this girl that I can't quite put my finger on."

Dean smirked, "Well, I bet you'd like to. I mean, maybe she's not a suspect, maybe you've got a thing for her, huh?"

Sam rolled his eyes and laughed. Dean pointed to his head, "Maybe you're thinkin' a little too much with your upstairs brain, huh?"

Sam got serious again, " Do me a favor. Check and see if there's really a Meg Masters from Andover, Massachusetts, and see if you can't dig anything up on that symbol on Meredith's floor."

"Where are you going?" , I asked.

"I'm gonna watch Meg."

Dean laughed, "Yeah, you are."

"I just wanna see what's what. Better safe than sorry." Sam was getting defensive. Dean clapped him on the shoulder, "All right, you little pervert."

"Dude."

"I'm goin', I'm goin'. Come on Jen." Dean grabbed a bag from the back of the Impala. We walked across the street and left Sam with the car.

"Alright Jen, let's find the nearest motel and bunker down for the night. I have a feeling Sammy is gonna be out late." He walked for several blocks before we found one. Dean and me walked up to the counter.

"Two rooms please." I told the man behind the desk.

"Sorry miss, I only have one left for tonight."

"That's fine, we will take it." Dean said, passing a credit card to the guy. I gave him a look and he shrugged his shoulders. The room was on the third floor and we opened the door. I settled in on the couch and Dean threw his shit on the table.

Within an hour I had piles of books and papers strewn about me. Den was flipping through stuff on the laptop. I caught myself a few times just watching him and had to stop myself. Once I thought I caught him doing the same, "Dean. I think I have something."

"What?", He gets up and leans over the back of the couch and over my shoulder.

I pointed at the page, "It is Zoroastrian. Old school, like four thousand plus years old. That particular symbol is a sigil for a Daeva, which is a demon of darkness."

He read over my left shoulder for a minute, close enough that I could feel him breathing. Then he reached around my right side so that his arm was over my other shoulder, against my neck and pointed at a spot halfway down the page, "It says there that you need some sort of black altar. Someone is controlling it?"

"That's what it looks like."

His phone began to ring, he moved his arm, answered it but stayed where he was. I could hear Sam on the other end.

"Hey."

Dean chuckled close to my ear, "Let me guess. You're lurkin' outside that poor girl's apartment, aren't you? "

"No," there was a long pause from both ends, "Yes."

"You've got a funny way of showin' your affection."

"Did you find anything on her or what?"

"Sorry, man, she checks out. There is a Meg Masters in the Andover phonebook. I even pulled up her high school photo. Now, look, why don't you go knock on her door and, uh, invite her to a poetry reading, or whatever it is you do, huh? "

I smiled and Sam ignored him, "What about the symbol? Any luck?"

"Yeah actually Jen found something. Let me hand her the phone."

"Hey Sam, it turns out it is Zoroastrian. Very, very old school, like two thousand years before Christ. It's a sigil for a Daeva."

Dean grabbed the book out of my hand and continued to read. Sam asked, "What's a Daeva?"

"Ummm... as far as I can tell it is a demon of darkness. Very animalistic. Demonic pit bulls I guess would be a good comparison. But here is the thing, they have to be summoned."

"So, someone's controlling it? "

"Yeah, that's what I'm sayin'. From what I have read it looks pretty risky. Once you lose control they tend to bite the hand that feeds them, plus the arms and the torsos. Pretty much all of 'em."

"So, what do they look like?", Dean snatched the phone back and started to talk.

"Well, nobody knows, but nobody's seen 'em for a couple of millennia. I mean, summoning a demon that ancient? Someone really knows their stuff. I think we've got a major player in town. Now, why don't you go give that girl a private strip-o-gram? "

"Bite me." Sam said loudly enough for me to hear. I laugh. Dean keeps talking, "No, bite her. Don't leave teeth marks, though."

I hear the line drop, " ...Sam? Are you there?"

He snaps the phone shut and laughs, looks over at me and I just shake my head, "Really Dean? Biting?"

He turned around and pointed at me, "Don't dis it till you try it."

He couldn't hold a straight face and laughed. I smiled and laughed with him. Dean grabbed a beer, flipped the TV on and sat on the couch next to me. He flipped through channels until he found Young Guns on some western channel. I said under my breath with the movie, "Why'd you kill'em Billy?"

Dean finished it, "Cause he was hacken on me," he paused and got excited, "You like westerns?"

"Yep. My favorite kind of movie. I can probably do any one line for line."

"Really?"

I turned to him and smiled sheepishly, "Yeah."

He shook his head and snorted, "You know, you are really something else Jen."

His face went down and I looked forward to the TV, again I was left feeling confused and stranded. A few minutes passed in silence when I felt his hand grab under my arm and pull me towards him. I met his eyes and he half smiled but looked nervous. Without saying a word I let him guide me closer and put my head under his shoulder. He was warm and smelled like leather. I heard him exhale slowly, and he cautiously put his arm down around me. When he figured that I wasn't going to freak out I felt his body relax. Leaning against him, I stopped watching the movie and just listened to his breathing. It lulled me into a better sleep then I had had in a long time.

In the Impala Sam was watching Meg through her window. It was dark until she flipped on a light. She stands in front of her window wearing only a black bra and panties. Sam ducks down uncomfortably, but still watches her until she pulls on a t-shirt. He jumps at the sound of a woman outside the car who clears her throat. Sam panics, "Oh, no, no, no, I'm just..."

"Pervert." the woman interrupts and walks away angrily.

Sam sits there. Stunned. Moments later, Meg leaves her apartment wearing dark clothes. She walks right in front of the car and Sam ducks down. Once she turns the corner Sam gets out of the car and follows her on foot. Blocks later Meg stopped at a graffiti-covered wall. She looked around, checking before she pulled open the door. Once she was inside Sam peered around the corner and walks to the door. He opens it slowly, trying to keep it from creeking, wincing every time that it did.

Sam entered the warehouse and walked up a few flights of stairs. He heard her heels clicking floors above. He reached a door that he tried to open, but it was locked. Over a little bit was an elevator shaft. Sam jumped the gate and began to climb up the side of it. A few floors up he heard Meg speaking. He looked around and saw a black altar in the middle of the room. Pushing himself into the corner he watched and waited. Meg reached on to the altar and grabbed a bowl, swirled her finger in it and began to speak to it.

"I don't think you should come," there was a pause, "Because the brothers, they're in town, I didn't know that..Yes, sir... Yes, I'll be here—waiting for you."

Sam watched her set the bowl down and blow out the candles on the altar. She walks out of the room and he can hear her going down the stairs. Once he was sure that she was gone he hoists himself up and into the room. Sam walked over to the altar, there are human hearts on the table and various other items. Smack dab in the middle is the Zoroastrian symbol, drawn in blood.

"What the hell?"

Dean stirred. He had fallen asleep with his face in Jen's hair, which smelled like apples and vanilla. She was curled up under his arm, snoring softly. God was she warm next to him. She looked so calm asleep, peaceful and beautiful. Asleep, she wasn't defensive or wary of him. His phone on the table beside him was vibrating. That was what had woken him up. He shifted to grab it, trying not to wake her up.

"Yeah?"

"Dean!? Hey, where are you at?"

Dean rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand, "At the motel two streets from the bar, why?"

"Dude, I gotta talk to you."

"How far are you?"

"Give me fifteen minutes."

"Okay." Dean hung up. He rubbed his eyes again. He didn't want to wake her up but he also didn't want to have this conversation with Sam. He didn't know what was going on let alone try to explain it. Luckily, Jen groaned and started to move. Dean shifted his shoulder, trying not to move her too much. Blinking and groggy she looked at his chest, toward the door, and then up at his face and smiled sleepily. Dean chuckled. "Nap time is over. We have to get back to work."

She sat up and rubbed her face. He watched her, waiting for her reaction. Or worse her rejection.

"Alrighty, let's get to it." was all that she said. Dean didn't know if he was disappointed or relieved.

Not ten minutes after I woke up Sam stormed into the room,

"We have to talk right now."

Sam sat down and started to explain.

"...I followed her to the warehouse and she was at the black altar." He finished.

"So, hot little Meg is summoning the Daeva?" Dean asked.

"Looks like she was using that black altar to control the thing."

I giggled, "So Sam's got a thing for bad girls? Who knew?"

Dean chuckled and Sam rolled his eyes. Dean spoke next, "What's the deal with that bowl again?"

"She was talking into it. The way witches used to scry into crystal balls or animal entrails. She was communicating with someone."

Dean looked confused, "With who? With the Daeva?"

"No, you and Jen said those things were savages. No, this was someone different. Someone who's giving her orders. Someone who's comin' to that warehouse." Dean paused and I could see the wheels turning. He looks over at the files on the table and rifles through them.

"Holy shit."

"What?" Sam asked.

"I was gonna tell you earlier that when I pulled a favor over at the police department, I got the complete records of the two victims. We missed something the first time around."

I walked over and read the files from behind him, Dean began to talk again, "The first victim, the old man—he spent his whole life in Chicago, but he wasn't born here. Look where he was born."

Sam inhaled sharply, "Lawrence, Kansas."

"Mmhmm...", Dean grabbed the second file, "Meredith, second victim—turns out she was adopted. And guess where she's from."

The paper read Lawrence, Kansas. Holy shit. Sam had to sit down and I held on to the chair tightly to support myself.

"Holy crap.", was all Sam managed to say.

Dean nodded, "Yeah."

I looked from one brother to the other. I had done my homework enough to know what had happened in Lawrence twenty-two years ago. Sam finally spoke, "I mean, it is where the demon killed Mom. That's where everything started. So, you think Meg's tied up with the demon?"

"I think it's a definite possibility." Dean replied.

Sam looked at the table, "But I don't understand. What's the significance of Lawrence? And how do these Daeva things fit in?"

"Beats me. But I say we trash that black altar, grab Meg, and have ourselves a friendly little interrogation."

"You can't do that," I said, "If you tip her off she might run or set those things on you guys. We should stake it out and see who is showin' up to meet her."

Dean turned and looked at me, "I guess but I'll tell you one thing. I don't think we should do this alone."

He got up and walked over to where he had left the phone. He picked it up and dialed a number. I knew exactly who he was trying to reach, "We think we've got a serious lead on the thing that killed Mom. So, uh, this warehouse—it's 1435 West Erie. Dad, if you get this, get to Chicago as soon as you can."

He hung up. I knew it had gone straight to voicemail. Dean looked over at Sam and a moment passed between the boys. Sam nodded and went outside. We just sat there in complete silence. Sam returned a few moments later with filled bags. I snorted, "Jesus, what did you get?"

"I ransacked that trunk. Holy water, every weapon that I could think of, exorcism rituals from about a half-dozen religions. I'm not sure what to expect, so I guess we should just expect everything."

Dean nods and began to load guns, I sharpened some knives and Sam poured flasks of holy water. After a while Dean finally spoke, "Big night."

Sam replied, "Yeah. You nervous?"

"No. Why, are you?"

"No. No way." They fell back into silence. I knew how big this was to them and I wasn't going to voice my doubts Sam spoke again, "God, could you imagine if we actually found that damn thing? That demon? "

"I wouldn't get ahead of ourselves." I said to Sam.

Dean nodded, "Man, we don't even know what is going on here for sure."

"I know. I'm just sayin', what if we did? What if this whole thing was over tonight? Man, I'd sleep for a month. Go back to school, be a person again."

Dean looked hurt, "You wanna go back to school?"

"Yeah, once we're done huntin' the thing."

"Huh.", was all Dean said. I could feel the shit storm brewing.

Sam stopped, "Why, is there somethin' wrong with that?"

"No. No, it's, uh, great. Good for you."

"I mean, what are you gonna do when it's all over Dean?"

"It's never gonna be over. There's gonna be others. There's always gonna be somethin' to hunt. Hell, Jen's proof of all the other people that this shit happens to. There are other things wreaking havoc all over the place. Someone needs to do something."

"But there's gotta be somethin' that you want for yourself." I saw Dean stiffen and I swore I saw him glance my way. I wish I knew what was going through his head. But he recovered, "Yeah, I don't want you to leave the second this thing's over, Sam."

"Dude, what's your problem?"

Dean was silent for a long time before he spoke again, "Why do you think I drag you everywhere? Huh? I mean, why do you think I came and got you at Stanford in the first place?"

"'Cause Dad was in trouble. 'Cause you wanted to find the thing that killed Mom."

"Yes, that, but it's more than that, man," he paused and looked over at me awkwardly. For the first time I felt like an intruder. He looked back at Sam, " You and me and Dad—I mean, I want us….I want us to be together again. I want us to be a family again."

"Dean, we are a family. I'd do anything for you. But things will never be the way they were before."

Dean looked heartbroken and forlorn, "It could be."

"I don't want them to be. I'm not gonna live this life forever. Dean, when this is all over, you're gonna have to let me go my own way." Dean and Sam shared a look. Dean broke it first and walked away. He pushed past me and out the door, heading for the car. I waited a moment and then followed.

"Dean?" I called. He stopped and I jogged and caught up.

"I just want us to be a family again." He shook his head and looked past me.

"I know. You will get that eventually. Sam can't ignore this kind of stuff, you just need to give him some time." He moved close to me and looked down, searching.

"I know..." He trailed off and stepped back as he saw Sam walking out the door towards us, carrying the bags of stuff. We all piled into the car and followed Sam's directions to the warehouse.

The warehouse was dark and eerie. As much as I was always up for a hunt, I don't understand why stuff insists on hanging out in the creepiest places. I mean, why can't the monster hang out in the middle of the suburbs? We climbed the elevator shaft to the top floor. Meg was standing at the altar, chanting quietly. Dean motioned for me to stay put and him and Sam squeezed out and onto the floor. Dean looked back and placed his index finger toward his lips and then drew his gun. Sam drew his as well. I ducked into the corner where I could still see but was out of sight. Meg stopped, "Guys?," they both stiffened, "Hiding is a little bit childish, don't you think?"

Dean spoke, "Well, that didn't work out like I planned."

I pushed myself as close to the wall as I could, trying not to breath. Meg turned to face them, "Why don't you come out? Sam, I have to say, this puts a real crimp in our relationship. "

Sam scoffed, "Yeah, tell me about it."

"So, where's your little Daeva friend?" Dean asked.

"Around. You know, that shotgun's not gonna do much good."

"Oh, don't worry, sweetheart. The shotgun's not for the demon."

"So, who is it, Meg? Who's coming? Who are you waiting for?" Sam asked.

She smiled slyly, "You."

I saw a shadow creep along the wall. It knocked Sam to the ground and the threw Dean into the crates behind him. Scratches began to appear on Sam's face. I started to climb up but Dean looked my way and shook his head once. I watched for a second and then dropped back down. I watched helplessly as Meg tied them to two separate poles as the Daeva held them down.

"Hey, Sam?", Dean looked over, "Don't take this the wrong way, but your girlfriend...is a bitch."

Sam scoffed, "This, the whole thing, was a trap. Running into you at the bar, following you here, hearin' what you had to say. It was all a set-up, wasn't it? And that the victims were from Lawrence? "

Meg giggles, "It doesn't mean anything. It was just to draw you in, that's all."

"You killed those two people for nothing?"

"Baby, I've killed a lot more for a lot less."

Dean rolled his eyes, "You trapped us. Good for you. It's Miller time. But why don't you kill us already?"

"Not very quick on the uptake, are we?", she leaned in closer, "This trap isn't for you."

Dean looks puzzled for a moment and I see the recognition cross Sam's face, "Dad. It's a trap for Dad."

Dean laughs, "Oh, sweetheart, you're dumber than you look. 'Cause even if Dad was in town, which he is not, he wouldn't walk into something like this. He's too good."

Meg went over and straddled his legs, "He is pretty good. I'll give you that. But you see, he has one weakness."

"What's that?"

"You. He lets his guard down around his boys, lets his emotions cloud his judgment. I happen to know he is in town. And he'll come and try to save you. And then the Daevas will kill everybody. Nice and slow and messy."

Dean rolled his head back and scoffed, "Well, I've got news for ya. It's gonna take a lot more than some….shadow to kill him."

"Oh, the Daevas are in the room here, they're invisible. Their shadows are just the only part you can see."

"Why you doin' this, Meg? What kind of deal you got worked out here, huh? And with who?" Sam asked.

"I'm doing this for the same reasons you do what you do. Loyalty. Love. Like the love you had for Mom," she grinned devilishly, "and Jess."

"Go to hell." Sam spat.

"Baby, I'm already there." She slid over to Sam. Dean looked over towards me again. I went to pull myself up and Dean shook his head. I pointed at the altar. He mouthed, 'Wait'. I nodded and continued to watch.

Meg was pressing against Sam, "Come on, Sam. There's no need to be nasty. I think we both know how you really feel about me. You know, I saw you watching me...changing in my apartment. Turned you on, didn't it?"

Dean chided, "Get a room, you two."

Meg ignored him, "I didn't mind. I liked that you were watching me. Come on, Sammy. You and I can still have a little dirty fun."

She starts to kiss his neck. I puke a little in my mouth. Freaking nasty.

"You wanna have fun? Go ahead then. I'm a little tied up right now." Sam said. She smiles and continues to kiss him. A noise behind Dean makes her stop. Shit. Meg got up and walked over to Dean. She reached behind him and pulls a knife out of his hand. He chuckles guiltily.

Meg clucks her tongue, "Speaking of dirty fun Dean...Where is your little girlfriend?"

"Who?" He asks innocently.

"You know, that little hot piece of ass who follows you around like a puppy. Riddle me this Dean, how does it feel to have someone barely overage under you in bed? Does it make you feel alive? Powerful? Hotter than hell?"

He was pissed and struggled against the ropes, "You bitch!"

She giggled and returned to Sam, "Now, were you just trying to distract me while your brother cuts free?"

"No. That's because I have a knife of my own." Meg looks confused and Sam breaks free and headbutts her. I jump up from the elevator shaft and run for the altar. I overturn it stepping on the candles and bones that were on it, crushing it. The Daeva appear and grab Meg, ripping her apart. She screams. They drag her across the floor and out the window. She falls ten stories down to the sidewalk. Sam grabs his knife and cuts Dean loose. They both walk over to the window and look down at Meg's body. I looked them both over, "So I guess the Daeva didn't like being bossed around?"

"Yeah, I guess not," Dean answered, "Hey, Sam?"

"Hm?"

"Next time you wanna get laid, find a girl that's not so buckets-o'-crazy, huh?" Sam laughed and we headed down the stairs. They were both beaten up pretty bad but it was no worse than they had had before. We drove back to the motel, hoping to get some sleep and ditch this town.

We were walking back to the room and I noticed that Sam was still carrying a bag of guns, "Why didn't you just leave that stuff in the car?"

"I said it before, and I'll say it again. Better safe than sorry."

Dean unlocked the door and motioned us in ahead of him. As I enter I see the silhouette of a man standing by the window. I draw my gun and flip the safety. Dean and Sam do the same.

"Hey!" Dean shouts.

The man turns around.

"Dad?" Dean and Sam do a double take. Sure as shit John is standing in the middle of the room looking at us three. I lower my gun and replace it in the back of my pants.I nod, "John."

"Jen." He responds in kind, then looks at Sam and Dean, "Hey, boys."

Dean basically runs to his dad and hugs him for a long time. Sam hangs beside me and watches sadly. John and Dean pull apart and John looks over at Sam, "Hi, Sam."

"Hey, Dad." Sam said softly. Sam drops the bag of weapons on the floor but neither of them move. Dean breaks the silence, "Dad, it was a trap. I didn't know, I'm sorry."

"It's all right. I thought it might've been."

Dean raised his eyebrows, "Were you there?"

"Yeah, I got there just in time to see the girl take the swan dive. She was the bad guy, right?"

Both Sam and Dean replied, "Yes, sir."

"Good. Well, it doesn't surprise me. It's tried to stop me before. It knows I'm close. It knows I'm gonna kill it. Not just exorcise it or send it back to hell...actually kill it."

Dean asks, "How?"

John smiles knowingly, "I'm workin' on that."

"Let us come with you. We'll help." Sam butts in. Dean gives Sam a weary look.

"No, Sam. Not yet. Just try to understand. This demon is a scary son of a bitch. I don't want you caught in a crossfire. I don't want you hurt."

Sam shakes his head, "Dad, you don't have to worry about us."

"Of course I do. I'm your father." John pauses and looks at his sons again. Then he looks past them at me, his expression totally changes, "I need to talk to you now, alone."

He walks past me and into the hall. I can see the boys exchange glances and then Dean looks at me. I shrug and follow John down the hallway a bit. He turns on me, pissed as all hell, "What the fuck do you think you are doing?"

"What the hell are you talking about John?"

"I am talking about Dean. You are supposed to protect my sons, not distract them."

"I don't know what you are talking about."

"Bullshit." He loses it and pins me against the wall, his forearm at my throat, "I've been watching you guys in town. The way you look at him when he isn't looking."

I struggle to breathe, "John, I haven't done anything."

"You know what? I could deal with that, and I get it. But the worst part is that when you look away he looks at you the same exact way. And then you two on the couch."

"You were watching?"

"I've been following you guys since you got here, figured something big was going down."

I push against his arm, "He made the first move John."

"I don't give a rat's ass, you are going to shut it down before it goes any further. You are nothing more than a distraction for him." I can feel myself getting pissed, starting to go into a blind rage. I grab his arm and shove him against the opposite wall. He swings at me, I dodge and punch him in the stomach.

"Go to hell." I spat. He kept trying to get the upper hand but I kept fighting hard. Sam and Dean heard the commotion because they came running out of the room and pulled us apart. Sam started pushing John back to the room, and Dean wrapped his arms around me, holding me in place.

"That fucker." I hissed still struggling.

"Calm down Jen." I stopped and he turned me toward him, hands on my shoulders, "What the hell happened?"

I regain my composure, "Nothing, it is between me and John. He was being an ass."

"You good?"

"Yeah.", We headed back toward the room. As we approached I could hear John talking to Sam.

"...Listen, Sammy, last time we were together, we had one hell of a fight."

"Yes, sir."

"It's good to see you again. It's been a long time".

"Too long."

Dean and I enter the room in time to see John pull Sam in an embrace. They pull away and John looks over at Dean who smiles. John starts to smile but is thrown back against the wall. I catch the motion of the Daeva in the shadows. Sam is clawed at by another.

"No!" Dean yells. I am thrown into the corner of counter and I see Dean fall to the floor. I can feel the claws ripping through my skin. We are all being flung around like dolls. Sam crawls toward the bag that he dropped.

"Close your eyes!" He yells and sets off a flare with blinding light.

"Dad!" Dean yells, I can hear him fumbling around.

"Over here." Dean pulls him to his feet and supports him. We all stumble out of the room and I grab the bag on our way our. By the time we make it to the Impala we are all coughing. I throw the bag in the backseat. Sam looks over at John, "All right, come on. We don't have much time. As soon as the flare's out, they'll be back."

Dean grabs Sam by the coat, "Wait, wait, wait! Sam, wait. Dad, you can't come with us."

"What? What are you talkin' about?"

John swallows and looks over them, "You boys...you're beat to hell."

"We'll be alright." Dean said.

Sam was yelling, shaking Dean, "Dean, we should stick together. We'll go after those demons..."

"Sam! Listen to me! We almost got Dad killed in there and Jen. Don't you understand? They're not gonna stop. They're gonna try again. They're gonna use us to get to him. I mean, Meg was right. Dad's vulnerable when he's with us. He—he's stronger without us around."

"Dad-no." He reaches out and puts his hand on John's shoulder. Dean watches them sadly.

"After everything- after all the time we spent lookin' for you—please. I gotta be a part of this fight."

"Sammy, this fight is just starting. And we are all gonna have a part to play. For now, you've got to trust me, son." Sam continues to shake his head. John pushes his hand away and looks at his sons again. Then he turns to me.

"I am sorry Jen. But I was serious about what I said."

I stood my ground, "Yeah. Sure."

"Be careful, boys." He heads for his truck and pulls away.

"Come on." Dean said We all got in the Impala, Dean revved the engine and sped away.

Sam turned to the back seat to look at me, "What happened with you and my Dad?"

"Nothing you need to worry about Sam." He turned forward again. I stared out the window until we were on the open highway. I looked up quick and caught Dean looking at me through the rearview mirror. When his eyes met mine he looked away quickly. I looked down and smiled to myself. Ah, well on to the next case.