A/N- Another installment of Poison Goddesses. Enjoy!

Chapter 4

Sam awoke with a start, his heart beating like it was trying to break out of his chest. He wiped at the sweat dripping down the back of his neck and shook his head for good measure, just to get the image of Lucifer out of his head. He could still hear his sickly sweet persuasive words in his ears. I just need one night without Satan in my dreams. One night.

Glancing over at Dean's bed, he saw rumpled sheets and his brother's bag, but no Dean sprawled across the top of the covers. So, he never came home last night. Great. That was just what Sam needed – a manhunt for his brother when they were already trying to track a monster with a death wish for all of Sioux Falls.

After shoving on a shirt and jeans, Sam ambled down to the kitchen and was shocked to see Dean sitting at the kitchen table with Ellen, Jo, and Bobby, all chowing down sausages and pancakes. Dean looked up from his mountain of food. "Morning sunshine," he greeted through his mouth full of food. Sam grabbed a plate and pulled up a chair.

Dean swallowed and looked at him, amused. "We were wondering if you were ever gonna wake up, Sleeping Beauty."

Jo gave him a once over and smiled. "More like Beast, with that bed head." Dean chuckled with her.

Sam returned his gaze to Dean. "So, Dean, did you even make it in last night?"

Dean gifted him with a irritated scowl. "Yeah, Sam, I did. You happened to be asleep, so I didn't check in, yeesh."

Sam rolled his eyes. "Ok, whatever. Get anything info-wise at the bar besides the bartender's number while we were stuck here researching?"

"No, I didn't." Something seemed to strike Dean and he glanced at Bobby. "Hey Bobby, are there any other hunters in town?"

Bobby tore himself away from his plate, and Sam was bemused to see pancake in his mustache. "Uh, no, no one that I know of. I'm pretty sure most hunters know this is my territory and I take care of it. I only called in all of you guys for this, no one else. Why do you ask?" He peered at Dean curiously.

Sam was watching Dean carefully; he seemed deep in thought. "Do you happen to know the waitress in Buck's? The blonde one," Dean asked.

Bobby nodded. "I've seen her, sure. What's this about Dean? I know she's not a hunter."

Dean's brow furrowed at that. "Are you positive? I was talking with her last night and I just… She knew my name, Bobby, and I didn't even tell her it. Not to mention I brought up the disappearances and she immediately pawned it off as something supernatural. I think she was joking but… I don't know."

Sam frowned, staring intently at Dean. He didn't like the sound of this. Apparently Bobby didn't either, as he leaned back in his chair and said, "I'm pretty sure that she'd not hunter, Dean. Did you happen to get a look at her through a camera? Say Christo?"

Dean bristled at that. "She's not a monster, Bobby. I know evil when I see it, ok? I was just wondering out loud here."

Sam couldn't believe it. For weeks Bobby had been scouring Sioux Falls for clues, and now Dean stumbled upon something, and refused to see it for what it was. That was so Dean. It was a pretty girl, so of course she couldn't be anything evil or hurt anyone. So long as Dean had the opportunity to get laid, right?

Sam started slow. "Dean, this is the first real clue we've got. For all we know, she could've been using the bar as a location to pick victims. I feel like we should follow this."

Dean stood up angrily. "Sam! She's not the son of a bitch that's ganking people! You haven't even seen her, let alone talked with her, and already you're jumping to conclusions. Call off the witch hunt, will ya?"

Sam stood, and enjoyed the look on Dean's face as he stood over him. "You don't know that Dean! You haven't done any of the tests, so what's your proof, huh? She's hot, therefore she can't be a killer? Well I'm sorry if I don't trust your gut feeling on this one – chances are, it's not your gut talking!"

Dean's jaw clenched and Sam knew he'd struck a nerve. "Oh, you do not want to talk to me about that Sam. Who do you think you are, trying to pass off your insecurities, your doubts on me? It was you that trusted Ruby time and time again, no matter what I said. It was you that she convinced to drink demon blood. Lemme guess – she was hot, therefore you could trust her? Well look where that got you Sam! We're in the middle of the freaking Apocalypse! And I'm not you!"

"This is not Ruby, this is completely different! She's – "

Ellen and Jo sidled between them, each facing and pushing back a fuming Winchester. "Ok, boys, that's certainly far enough. You two need to keep your cool, and pull your heads out of your asses. Or have you forgotten we have a job to do here," asked Ellen with a surprisingly cool tone.

Sam peered over Jo. "I haven't forgotten. Which is why I think we need to check this girl out. If she's a lead we need to know."

"She's not a lead," Dean growled.

"Okay," Bobby said. "Here's what we're gonna do. We're going to split up, because we have two of the victims houses we can still check out. Ellen, you come with me and Sam to the Steinhoff house. Jo can go with Dean to the Green residence. After that, pending nothing happening at these two houses, we can check out the bartender."

Not saying a word, Dean snatched his jacket off the back of his chair and marched outside to the Impala, leaving Jo to scurry behind him and Sam to glower at his retreating back.

The Impala rolled up to the pristine white suburban house. The house was lined with pristine trimmed bushes, and dark flowers hung from baskets on the porch. Dean stepped out and looked up at the second story with disdain. "This is like a model house for the Stepford life. Gross."

Jo nodded as they headed up the front walk. "Agreed. Too white and sanitary. Give me the Roadhouse any day."

They quietly picked the lock and headed inside. Alexander Green had obviously spent a decent amount of his paycheck at Pottery Barn. The kitchen was a blend of steel appliances and black tile, and the living room was all cool colors and carefully placed knick-knacks that Dean was sure had no actual sentimental value. He searched the house up and down for hex bags, signs of voodoo, symbols, anything while Jo walked the halls with the EMF meter. They met in the middle, frustration clear on both of their faces.

Dean sauntered over to the refrigerator and drew out a small dish of spaghetti wrapped in plastic. "Really," quipped Jo, eyebrow raised, as she perched on a counter seat.

Dean shrugged. It's not like anyone is here to actually eat it. And who am I to let it go to waste?"

Jo went back to tracing patterns on the granite countertop. "Hey, Dean, look at this." He turned, and saw what she was pointing at. There was dirt loosely scattered all over the counter. Some had even spilled on the floor.

"Okayyy… So we have what? Potting soil? Attack of the evil daffodils? Revenge of the roses?"

Jo shrugged. "I don't know. I don't actually see anything here that needs soil. It could be a coincidence."

"Maybe." Dean turned to Jo. "So…Jo…"

Jo sighed. "What do you want Dean?"

"Well…you don't have your heart set on going to Buck's, do you?"

Jo raised her eyebrows and glared at Dean. "I was under the impression we were all going. Why shouldn't I go?"

"I'm not gonna convince you otherwise, am I?" Dean crossed his arms, resigned.

Jo flashed him a smug smile. "Nope. No way."

Dean rolled his eyes and headed for the door. "All right. We'll finish up here and get going."

Jo nodded and started putting everything back to where it was before they'd ransacked the place. And then she heard the Impala rumble to life and speed down the street. "Seriously?! Balls."

Back at the house, Bobby was bent back over his books with a bottle of whiskey nearby. A thudding behind the house was evidence of Ellen throwing knives against a post, a habit she got into whenever she was frustrated and needed an outlet. Sam bustled around the kitchen, making a light sandwich while they waited for Dean and Jo to arrive back with news from their crime scene. Sam hoped they had more luck than his group did – the house was clean, except for some loose potting soil on the table. It wasn't a lot to go off of.

As he sat down to eat his sandwich, Sam had to admit that that morning during their less than civil argument, Dean had a point. It was Sam's insecurities that he was pushing on Dean – he felt nothing but regret for trusting Ruby over Dean. Through her female charms and his demon blood addiction and his need to prove himself as strong, Sam had ended walking into the biggest trap of his life. And now, he just didn't want Dean to do the same thing.

The door slammed and he looked up to see Jo walk in, dirt crusting the sides of her jeans and boots. She was alone. "Where's Dean?"

She snorted. "Your asshole of a brother left me in front of the Green's house first chance he got. I didn't even have a warning or nothing. He just hightailed it back into town. I figured Bobby's was closer, so I walked the seven freaking miles here."

Sam was already up and out the door before she finished. Dean was headed back to the bar, and Sam was not letting him go alone.

TBC- Please read and review :)