They refused my offer to buy it again... So no, I don't own Supernatural. Woe is me.

Gemma stood against the counter in her kitchen, and smoked a cigarette. Sam was sleeping in the spare room- again- to avoid Brady, who had only gotten worse. Personally, she thought that the demon was just having what fun he could on Earth.

Her ears picked up the sound of a window unlocking and being forced open, and she slowly turned her head, narrowing her silver eyes in the half-darkness. The intruder's footsteps were soft in the darkness, and she rapidly stubbed out the ember on the counter.

A robber, perhaps? It was unfortunate Sam was staying with her almost constantly; if he hadn't been just in the other room she could have incinerated the trespasser in peace, but he was and the scream would wake him immediately.

She tucked her hair behind her ears, and waited until the intruder- a man, she realized- actually opened the fridge before lunging and pinning him against the wall, catching a flash of shocked moss-green eyes landing on hers before the fridge fell shut and darkness eclipsed the room again.

"Who the fuck are you?" she hissed viciously, grunting when a muscled leg- quick and strong for a human- twisted between hers and forced back her knee, making them tumble to the ground. She absorbed the calculated punches and kicks, wincing slightly as the quickly-forming bruises healed almost instantly. She had to give him credit, though- she could barely land a strike on him even with her supernatural speed.

She was getting a bad feeling about this.

A quick twist had the stranger pinning her down, and she felt hot breath wash over her ear and a low, harsh voice growling- "I could ask the same of you."

Gemma curled upwards and wrapped her arms around his neck, yanking him into a hot, attention-grabbing kiss. Unsurprisingly he fell for it- men; even Hunters could be distracted like this- and she moved the second his legs weakened slightly to yank them both around and pin him underneath her, the kiss broken and one elbow warningly resting on his windpipe while the other arm grappled with his hands-

And then the light flickered on, and they froze, jerking their heads around to see Sam standing at the archway with a shotgun of all things in his hands pointing at them both. Then he blinked, and blinked again a few seconds later. "Dean?" he asked, dumbfounded, and then looked at her. "Gemma?"

"Uh... hi, Sam?" she shrugged sheepishly, and scrambled upwards, straightening out her pajamas. "Didn't mean to wake you up, I was only having a cigarette when this guy broke in."

"You tackled me!" 'Dean' practically shouted at her. "And then you kissed me!"

"How else was I supposed to make you let go?!" Gemma replied- loudly- in turn. "It worked, didn't it?! And you were rummaging in my fridge!"

"Our fridge, Gemma, our fridge." Sam interrupted tiredly. "You gave me the spare room permanently a week ago. We share the rent and everything."

"Quiet, Sam/Sammy," they barked at him in unison, and Gemma whipped her head around to glare daggers at 'Dean' only to see him doing the same to her.

A clearing throat quickly brought attention to the fact that they weren't alone. "Yes?" she hissed dangerously, cocking her head to the side sharply in irritation and staring up at her human friend.

Sam stared them both down until Gemma was shifting awkwardly and 'Dean' was mutinously burning his gaze into the floor. How did he do that? Even Balthazar couldn't make her feel that guilty over something she was perfectly in her rights to do! And she was ten times their age, even if she didn't look it! "Dean, this is Gemma Fenix. My roommate. Gem, this is Dean Winchester. My brother."

Gemma huffed and pushed her now-messy hair out of her face as she turned on her heel and yanked open one of the kitchen drawers, pulling out a box of cigarettes and her lighter. She furiously jerked one out, lit it, and inhaled and exhaled one before gently sliding the drawer shut and turning to face them, hopping up onto the counter and swinging her feet back and forth.

Dean was eyeing her incredulously and suspiciously while Sam- oh, he just looked tired. "Well?" she snapped, popping the cigarette out of her mouth and twirling it in her fingers, and they jumped slightly. Damn paranoid hunters. "Sammy," she crooned, swiveling her head to the side and smiling saccharinely sweet. "How about you answer my question then, if you're awake enough to do so. Why did your brother- which you haven't ever told me about by the way- break into my- our, dammit- flat at four in the fucking morning?! Does he not know how to use a phone? Call ahead? Bloody knock?"

Normally she wouldn't be so angry, but Balthy would have been pissed if she'd accidentally killed one of the Vessels and drawn attention to them. Not to mention how Sam would get...

"Hey-" Dean started angrily, but Sam cut him off.

"Will you both shut up?"

Her jaw clicked shut, as did Dean's.

"Right," Sam said to himself, running a hand through his shaggy hair before turning to her. "I'm sorry for my brother, Gemma. Now, Dean," he turned to face his brother. "Why are you here?"

"But-"

"You can say it in front of her, Dean," Sam interrupted, moving over to stand beside her. She quirked her lips upwards in a tiny thanks for the trust, and he smiled slightly down at her. A stiff smile, not one of his natural ones; so perhaps he didn't really want to meet with his brother? Why would that be? Balthazar had never said why they split up, only that they had... Hm.

Dean glared a bit more. "Dad hasn't been home in a few days," he finally gritted out, and Gemma perked up.

"So he's working overtime on a Miller Time shift. He'll stumble back in sooner or later," Sam told him dismissively.

The older brother- though that was odd seeing as Sam was so much taller- glanced down for a moment before looking up, this time with a touch of impatience. "Dad's on a hunting trip," he stressed. "And he hasn't been home in a few days."

Gemma saw Sam's face go blank out of the corner of her eyes, and felt his muscles tense against her side as he stiffened and the air in the room became charged with tension. Well, then. A few seconds passed, and Sam swallowed before looking down at her. "Gemma, excuse us."

She flicked her gaze between them, and nodded curtly, watching as Sam led his brother out down the fire escape door- she had disabled the alarm minutes after renting the building- and tossed her a regretful look over his shoulder. She dipped her chin at him to show she didn't mind- much- and then strode into her bedroom and picked up her phone, going back over to the window overlooking the front of the building to watch the humans move out to a black car and open up the trunk, leaning over it.

Pressing the familiar number, she lifted the phone to her ear and waited. He answered barely into the second ring. "What is it, love?" Balthazar drawled.

Her voice was flat when she replied. "Dean's come back for Sam. John is missing, apparently; Sam won't be able to resist. He's a soldier that's been idle for too long; he's getting restless."

There was silence for almost a minute. "So... It's begun. I suspect that demon you told me about will be going after you soon to drive the ape back into the business for good to get revenge. Kill it and flee; you can keep an eye on them from a distance with one of my toys and help if you're absolutely needed."

She nodded even though Balthazar couldn't see her. "Got it. Talk to you later."

Gemma leant against the doorframe to Sam's room, and caught the gleam of bright metal just as it disappeared into the satchel. "You're leaving, then?" she asked, staring over at him.

"Yeah," Sam jerked slightly at her voice, and looked up from packing to smile at her. It was fake. "Just a bit of family drama, I'll be back in time for the interview."

"Are you sure?"

He ducked his head again. "It'll only be a few days, we just need to find dad and take care of some stuff."

"Uh-huh..." Gemma said, letting a hint of disbelief color her tone. Then she stepped forward, and looked up at him. "You know I think of you like the older brother I never had, right?"

Sam's hazel eyes widened slightly, but he nodded jerkily.

"Then take care of yourself, you berk," she whacked him lightly on the arm, and gave him a stern glare before she turned and walked toward the door. He might have hugged her if she was someone else, but she knew he was aware of her aversion to touch so she was grateful that he didn't. "And Sam?" she added, not looking at him as he zipped the bag closed and moved toward the door. "Have fun hunting. You need to let loose a little. Just don't get too hurt."

She felt his eyes boring into the back of her skull as she moved into her room and closed the door behind her, but he didn't speak. She heard the door close, and then faintly the rumble of Dean Winchester's car as it drove away. He was gone, and Brady would come calling... Sunday, most likely. Right before Sam got back. He wouldn't know what had hit him.

Gemma sighed, and looked to the ceiling, praying half-heartedly to a God she knew had been absent for millenia.

It's beginning, isn't it. Please, Lord, protect Balthazar. He means everything to me. And, if possible considering his role in the events to come, Sam. That boy doesn't deserve the pain he and his brother are going to be put through.

As expected, there wasn't a reply.