Author's Note: I hope you enjoy this week's chapter. I am grateful for each one of you who takes the time to read my writing.

My heart dropped the second Sam's words left his mouth. "No…" My eyes darted to the chair that Nerin was sitting in just minutes ago, and found it empty. I looked around the room and started to breathe heavy. Nerin, along with his backpack, was nowhere to be found. I looked up to Sam with panic in my eyes as he slowly approached me, his arms out in front of him in a cautious manner.

"Arrie. Arrie, listen to me. It's going to be okay. Dean and Cas are out looking for him as we speak."

"Nerin!" I yelled as I ignored him and began to search the room. What if Nerin got scared and decided to hid in one of the rooms? What if he remembered what I told him and saw it as the perfect opportunity to leave? It's all my fault. What if he left because of me? The other hunters are out there, I know it. They will find him and kill him if I don't find him first. "Nerin!"

I repeated his name several times as I rushed around the room and started down a hall. My mind kept frantically coming up with scenarios all ending in Nerin dead or badly injured, which was not helping to squelch the terror that was swallowing me. I can't lose him, I can't lose my baby.

Sam followed me and tried to calm me down, but he didn't stop me until I tried to go into a locked room. I started pulling on the handle and banging on the door, "Nerin, are you in there?"

"Arrie, he isn't in there. That room was locked before you got here." He grabbed my shoulder and pulled me around towards him. He held my wrists as I tried to punch him or push him away.

"Stop it! Let me go!" I yelled, my voice breaking. Sam pulled me closer to him, despite my struggles and rested his chin on my head.

"Shhhhh. It's going to be okay." He soothed as I finally gave in and became a limp noodle. My emotions to took over and I reached my hand to cover my mouth as the first sob hit me. He wrapped his arms around me and I cried against his chest.

After a moment, Sam ended the embrace and took a step back keeping a gentle grip on my arms. He swept away some of my hair that had stuck to my cheeks, and I looked up into his eyes. "I can't lose him."

Sam gave me a dimpled smile, "I know."

I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and counted to three in my head. When I exhaled, my brain cleared, "I'm sorry. I don't normally cry like this."

"You don't need to apologize. Come on, let's get you something more comfortable to wear while we wait for Dean and Cas to come back."

"No. I want to go help them look for him."

"They have it handled. Cas is an angel remember, if anyone can find Nerin, it'd be him."

"But…" My brain was telling me that Sam was right and that Nerin would be fine, that he was probably just doing what I asked him to do and went to the nearest church, but my gut was screaming at me to just make Sam get out of my way so that I could look for Nerin on my own. I decided I better just sit tight for a while. That was the plan, right? He would escape and then I would find him as soon as I get out of here. I just never thought that he would actually do it.

"Okay, fine. But if anything happens to him, I swear I'll…" I tried to get up in his face, but failed miserably. He was nearly a foot taller than me, making it almost impossible to appear threatening to him.

"We don't want to hurt your brother. Nerin will be safe with Dean and Cas I promise."

Sam led me back up the hall and into a bedroom. "Just give me a second," he said as he went over to a dresser and began digging through it.

I looked around the room and noticed a lot of guns and knives displaced on the wall. Whoever slept here was definitely a hunter. I would know, because it wasn't the first time I had been in a hunter's house. It had been at least three decades since then, but hunters don't change much throughout the years. Even before the invention of guns, they liked to display their swords and daggers. Time has taught me much about hunters, but none of them have dealt with me in the same way as these Winchesters. Sure, they were gruff and ill-mannered, but they hadn't attempted to skewer me yet so they had that going for them. As much as I hate to admit it to myself, they have helped me out a lot the last few days.

My attention returned to Sam as his looming figure approached me with clothing in his hands. I went to take it, but noticed a small picture on the nightstand. I picked it up and studied the small boy with a bowl haircut with a young woman wrapping her arms around his shoulder from behind. They looked happy and I smiled as I asked, "Is this you?"

Sam looked at the photo with longing in his eyes, "No, that's my brother."

"Oh. And this is your mom?"

"Yeah that's her. Her name was Mary."

"What happened to her?"

"What do you mean?" Sam kept his eyes averted as he put down the cloths on the bed.

"I mean, I recognize that look. It's the look of someone who has lost a loved one."

He took the photo from me and placed it back on the night stand. "She died before I turned a year old."

"I'm so sorry. She was beautiful." I paused and touched his arm bringing his attention to me, "I lost someone too."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I lost my husband. He died at sea a long… long time ago."

"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that." He looked me up and down and I realized how confusing what I said must be. After all he has no idea who I really am. If he knew, he probably would have killed me by now. "So, I'm guessing you're not nineteen then?"

"Aren't you a detective." I turned around and grabbed the cloths off the bed, "I better change into this."

"You can't avoid my questions forever." Sam called out over his shoulder as he left me alone in what must have been Dean's room.

I sighed because he was right. They would keep asking, and I would keep avoiding, but eventually the truth would come out. I looked around the room again, and felt envious that these hunters could have a place to call home when I never will. It was part of my curse after all, to live everywhere and nowhere at the same time. I just wished that Nerin didn't have to be a part of my punishment.

I changed into the sweats and baggy t-shirt that Sam had provided for me. The sweats were way too big, and I had to tighten the draw string a lot to keep them up. I brought my gross cloths with me and ventured out of Dean's room. Sam was waiting outside the room, he was sitting across the hall with his head hung and his hair hung down and covered most of his face.

"You have a washing machine?"

"Of course," Sam stood up and I handed them to him, "I'll take care of it. I'm a pro at getting blood stains out."

"Yeah, I guess for a guy who kills people for a living you would have to be." I said harshly. I instantly noticed some hurt in his eyes and regretted saying it. I really should think more before I say stupid things.

"I don't kill people. I kill monsters. There's a difference."

"Is there?"

Sam looked me up and down again, a look I was getting used to from him. He didn't respond to my question, and instead walked down the hall. I returned to the dining room and sat at the table, unsure what else to do with myself.

Sam emerged from the hall not too long afterward. "I just got a call from Dean and I need to go help him with something."

"What's going on? Did he find Nerin?"

"No, but he did find a dead hunter by the name of Jack Rodgers. You ever come across him."

My eyes widened, "Yes. He was one of the men chasing us."

"Well, he was shot down a few miles from here. And he used to be a friend of a friend so Dean needs to check it out. I need to go help him with the body."

"I'm coming with you."

Sam continued to grab his jacket and head for the door. "I don't think that's a good idea. I don't think you're dangerous, but Dean and Cas still don't trust you. I don't want to leave you with them."

"Sam. Please. I need to look for my brother."

Secondary Author's Note: Hope you enjoyed it. Please feel free to leave a comment! Do you like where this story is headed? Have any tips on what I should work on? Helpful advice is always appreciated. Thanks again!