Chapter Three

The trio sat in silence as the train rocked from side to side. Sam had borrowed Lola's ipod and was reading a book on the haunted history of Hertfordshire whilst Dean sat staring at Lola and Lola sat staring out of the window. She turned and met his gaze with a smile,

"You okay?" She mouthed. He smiled slightly, leaning forwards towards her. He motioned with his fingers for her to do the same. She did until their faces practically touched,

"I was just thinking how big of a jerk I was back in California." He said softly, "I uh…didn't mean to treat you that way."

Lola quickly glanced at Sam who was engrossed in his book and sighed,

"I know, Dean. Don't worry about it." She said before sitting back up strait and returning to staring out of the window.

- - -

"Where are we?" Dean asked as they stood by a roadside,

"We are…" Lola trailed off, "Okay…I don't know where we are…" She sighed, dropping her head in shame. Sam looked around. They were standing outside of an old boarded up building with a blue Victorian sign reading 'Braughing Station'. A quick peek around the back of the building to the platform soon confirmed that the line hadn't been used in decades as the rails were barely there from weathering, overgrowth and the decay of the time, "We've got to wait for another bus."

"How long do we have to wait?"

"Uh…" Lola looked at her watch, "Thirty minutes?"

Both boys groaned,

"I miss my car…" Dean muttered,

"At least it's not raining…?" Lola offered half-heartedly.

As if by magic Lola felt something cold on her cheek, followed by another and another,

"It's snowing." She said dryly,

"Great." Both boys answered in an equally enthusiastic tone.

- - -

It was becoming evening when the little bus trundled along over the hill and plunged into the valley where the village of Cold Christmas was nestled. As they approached, the huge steeple of the church towered over them in the darkness.

In the main street there was a scattering of small old stone houses, all warm and inviting on the outside. They made their way to the pub, the Devil's Tooth, which looked pretty empty. Lola saw the sign and grinned, looking round at the others,

"This sounds like a good place to start."

They walked in and the five guests and two barmaids fell silent as the door closed behind them, Lola shivered as they made their way across the room,

"Hi there!" She beamed, "Is there an inn or anything we could maybe stay at around here? A motel or something?"

"There's nothing like that here. You'll have to go to Thunderidge for that." Replied an older, plump barmaid as she stacked glasses on a wooden shelf,

"How far's Thunderidge?"

"About five miles."

"That's not so bad." Lola admitted, "Is there a bus?"

The barmaid laughed,

"There'll be no buses until Monday now."

"Right…well…" Lola was beginning to lose her patience with that woman, "Can you perhaps call us a taxi then?"

"Alright…" She remarked frostily before turning away. Lola turned back to Sam and Dean, seeing that the entire pub were all still staring at them, "Okay…I'm officially freaked." She said low so that only her two partners could hear.

They nodded in agreement before Dean noticed the second barmaid was rather attractive. Tall and thin with long thick blonde hair and large green eyes. She sauntered over and leant on the bar with a grin,

"Hi…" He drawled, "Can I please have a beer?"

"Sure."

"That girl looks like Jo'." Lola whispered to Sam, "You know, from the Roadhouse."

"Yes, she does." Sam agreed, rolling his eyes at his brother as he proceeded to chat the barmaid up.

As the older barmaid slowly made her way back towards them, Lola snickered,

"You could try your luck, Sammy." She laughed. The taller man grabbed her shoulders and shook her gently making her cry out a little in shock. Dean quickly looked round and scowled before returning to the barmaid,

"Your taxi's on it's way." The barmaid said grumpily, "It'll pick you up from the post office."
"Where's that?" Sam asked. The barmaid simply pointed to the right. She stared at the duo expectantly until they got the hint, "C'mon Dean!" Sam called as Dean was slipping his number to the blonde. Lola and Sam were already walking out of the door when he finally caught up.

- - -

Standing outside, the snow was really coming down heavily now and Lola shivered, even beneath her heavy black woollen coat,

"Your lips are blue." Sam said with concern,

"Oh yeah…I forgot…your from California…you're not used to the cold." Dean said as he watched her shiver,

"I come from North California you idiot." Lola shot back, "We have mountains. It's not that…I just…I don't feel so good."

"Perhaps you should go to bed as soon as we get in."

"I think I will."

- - -

When they arrived at the bed and breakfast in Thunderidge, they were horrified to discover that they'd have to share one room between the three of them,

"It is Christmas." The woman at the desk had said seriously, "People come from miles around to spend Christmas somewhere nice like this."
"Riiiiight…" Sam drawled, taking the key and trudging up the wooden stairs, the other two in toe.

- - -

The next morning, Lola awoke, head spinning in an overly-stuffed bed. She looked over at Dean who was playing with his gun and Sam who was already tapping away on his laptop,

"What time is it?"

"Eleven." Sam answered,
"Why didn't you wake me?"

"You looked kinda cute." He laughed,

"You needed your rest." Dean chimed in, "Though can we get breakfast now?"

- - -

On their way down the wooden staircase, they passed another guest. He was in his twenties with shaggy dark brown hair and bright blue eyes. He was tall with a toned chest and arms hidden beneath a long-sleeved baseball shirt. He smiled as he walked passed Lola, who turned to look at him as he did. He turned and stopped,

"I'm sorry…you look so familiar…do I know you?"

"Oh brother…" Dean rolled his eyes, "That's the worst pick-up line I've ever heard.." He muttered to Sam who nodded in agreement as Lola took a step up and the new guy took a step down,

"No…I don't believe so…"

"Wow…you're American…" He drawled, "God that is…really quite sexy."

Lola smirked,

"Lola." She said, extending her hand,

"Brett."

"So what brings the lovely American Lola here?" Brett asked as he took another step down to her level,

"School." Lola answered quickly, "We're here researching architecture for college. We're students at the University of Michigan."

"Fair enough…" Brett said with a shrug, "I'm here visiting some relatives."

"Okay…that's it…I'm starving…Lola…we're going to grab some breakfast." Dean called,

"Okay! I'll catch up with you two in a second."

As Dean and Sam disappeared, Brett looked at them with a frown,

"Looks like your boyfriend's got no patience."

"He's not my boyfriend." Lola admitted, "They're not like that."

"Oh. OH." Brett said with a smirk, "I get you. That's cool! Uhm, listen…it's raining today and there're no buses running so you're pretty much stuck here. I was wondering if you wanted to take a walk with me maybe?"

"In the rain?"

"You're not afraid of a little water, are you Lola?"

Lola smirked,

"I'm not afraid of anything."
"Great! So is that a yes?"

Lola frowned slightly,

"I don't think so…I just…you know…I should stick with my friends."
"Why? They're probably dying for some alone time!"

Lola burst into laughter,

"They're brothers!" She giggled,

"Oh…I…oh…I'm sorry…I thought you meant that they were…y'know…"
"They're not gay. They're brothers." Lola replied dryly, "And I know that Dean, the grumpy one, is definitely strait…oh my God…why am I having this conversation with you?"

"So he is your boyfriend?"

"No…he's not my boyfriend. I just know." Lola sighed, "It was very nice of you to invite me. Maybe another day?" She said with a shrug, "Bye…"

- - -

"Very strange…" Lola breathed as she sat beside Sam at the breakfast table,

"I'm surprised you made it to breakfast with a pick up line like that." Dean teased, smirking at Sam who struggled not to laugh and choke on his toast. Lola rolled her eyes,

"At least he had a pick up line rather than just being cold and closed off. I noticed, Dean that you had plenty of pick-up lines in that bar the other night for all the blondes. Hypocrisy is not attractive." She remarked. Sam's eyebrows shot up as he stared at his plate, feeling really awkward. Dean was in the middle of chewing when he suddenly fumed;

"What's THAT supposed to mean?" He asked, his mouth full of food,

"Ugh…" Lola frowned, "Speaking of being unattractive…" She muttered, "Could you please finish chewing before you talk."
"Unattractive?" Dean repeated, swallowing and standing up angrily, "I wasn't so unattractive the other night! You were all over me!"

"Hello! I was drunk!" She exclaimed as she stood up also. Sam sunk into his seat with shame. People were beginning to stare at the warring pair of hunters,

"Yeah…I noticed…" Dean laughed sarcastically, "You've said enough times what a mistake it was and how you're afraid I'm going to hurt you…blah blah blah…" He muttered, rolling his eyes, "Why'd you bother calling us to help you on this job? You're not interested in us helping you."

"No. I'm just not interested in you and you can't handle that, can you? Not getting what you want?"

"Ugh! You're so irritating! God…it's like working with a child." Dean growled, sinking back into his seat,

"Oh really? Well I'll tell you the feelings mutual." She snapped, dropping back into her seat also, "Like working with a stubborn, spoilt little brat…"

"Oh kay!" Sam laughed nervously, "Well I'm done we should get moving and talk to the locals."

Lola rose from her chair, her face aflush with irritation as she left the restaurant ahead of the boys. Dean pushed back from the table, throwing his napkin down onto his polished plate he stormed out and into the cold air of the street. Sam followed with a sigh and a shake of his head, this was going to be a long day.

Sam sighed as the two stood with their backs turned to each,

"So…" Sam began, "Lola. Where are we headed first?"

"Yeah Lola," Dean began irritably, "this is YOUR hunt, after all. Tell us what to do oh princess Lola!"

Lola rolled her eyes before turning to Sam,

"Let's head back to the church."

"Right." Sam agreed, tightening his beige jacket around his body in the cold, "We should take a look inside the church, get an EMP reading."

Lola nodded in agreement,

"Yes. Definitely." As she put up an umbrella, stepping out of the doorway and into the street. She turned and looked back at the duo, "Maybe we should've rented a car…" She mumbled thoughtfully before suddenly being drenched in the backsplash as a large four by four sped passed. Sam and Dean stifled their laughter as she stood in shock, shaking from the cold. After opening and closing her mouth several times in horror, she was distracted by someone jogging up to her and grabbing her arm,

"American Lola!" Exclaimed Brett, "I'm so sorry! I didn't see you there! I…uh…oh God…I'm really sorry." He admitted. Dean finally let out a loud bark of a laugh,

"The look on your face…" He chuckled, shaking his head, "It's only a bit of water."

"Its cold…" She shivered,

"I'm so sorry, Lola…uhm…can I maybe give you guys a lift?"

"Actually, we could do with a lift to Cold Christmas." Sam said. Brett nodded,

"Of course. Anything!"

"Great." Lola muttered as she stalked towards Brett's car, "Let's just…do this."

The three men followed, quietly snickering amongst themselves as Lola let her umbrella down, the back of her hair plastered to her head and neck, absolutely drenched.