Author's Note: Sorry for the slight delay but I'm back with another chapter and the promise that this will be completed for Halloween. I want to thank new21writer, emebalia, Hasmik Aharonyan, guest, Eliza Ghost, Colby's girl, PsychoPicasso, Supernaturalfreak, and Meggin Lane for their wonderful reviews. You guys are the best.

Chapter Ten: The Search

When the waitress came back over to Dean's booth to serve him his half pound cheese burger with extra onions, he gave her the most dazzling smile he could muster. The twenty-something year old girl returned the expression with much more enthusiasm than anyone should have at four o'clock in the morning. She placed the completely filled plate in front of him, careful not to bump it into his coffee mug, and a few french fries tumbled onto the table. The smell of the food was like heaven to the hungry hunter.

"There you go, sir." She announced. "I hope you enjoy."

"I'd enjoy it a lot more with some company, Liz." He responded, reading her name off her nametag.

Liz looked around the deserted diner. Dean was currently the only customer.

"I've got a few minutes." She sat down across from him.

Dean took a bite out of his cheese burger and then pushed the plate closer to Liz and gestured towards the fries. Smiling, she picked one up and popped it into her mouth, making a face when the too hot potato must've burned her tongue.

During the meal, Dean kept up polite conversation, letting her do most of the talking. He learned that she was a college student and studying to become a veterinarian. Her parents had lived here their whole lives and wanted her to take over their family restaurant, but she refused since she hated cooking. She'd taken the overnight waitressing shift just to pay her way through college.

When Dean was almost done with his meal, he casually commented that not many people seemed to want to come out and eat at this hour.

"Yeah, I know. Greg, that's the owner, has talked about closing over night, but sometimes students come in for a snack if they're pulling an all-nighter. We've been able to convince him to keep it open twenty-four hours so far. So, why are you out this late? Or should I say early?"

And that was the opening that Dean was waiting for. "Well, I'm here in town on business." He pulled out his fake badge to show her. Liz's eyes widened when she saw it. "I'm trying hard to solve this case and it's making me lose sleep. Figured a good meal might help."

"You're here about those murders, aren't you?"

"Yeah." Dean leaned in and continued in just above a whispered. "I don't want news getting out yet, but I figured out who's responsible. It's an out of town serial killer that's set up shop somewhere in the area. I just gotta figure out where."

"Maybe I can help." Liz offered. "I know this whole town like the back of my hand."

Dean put on his best thoughtful expression. "You know, I hadn't even considered that." He lied.

"Just tell me what you're looking for."

"Are there any large empty spaces nearby? Like abandoned houses, factories, or warehouses? This guy likes his space. He's into all that fake satanic crap and likes to draw symbols and pretend to do rituals."

"Well, there's one old house that's, like, huge. It's on Baker's Street, not far from here. Here, I'll draw you a map." Dean watched her sketch out some lines on a sheet of paper from her order pad. After she handed it to him, she continued talking. "There are also a few empty stores on this street. Oh, and an old factory on the outskirts of town. It's been closed since I was just a kid. I'll write down some directions." Dean waited patiently as she finished up and handed him another piece of paper. "That's pretty much it. I hope it's helpful."

"Liz, you're amazing." Dean took one last bite of his burger and then stood. He pulled out his wallet and dropped a twenty on the table. A much bigger tip than usual for him, but if the information she gave him helped save Sam, it was well worth it. "Maybe I'll stop back after I take care of this scumbag."

"I'd like that." Liz smiled at him again.

Dean gave her one last grin and then left the diner. Now that he had a place to begin his search, he was more determined than ever to gank that freakin' bastard and save his little brother's soul.

Dean decided to check into the empty stores first. He doubted that it was where the Harvester was staying, but he was right there already and he'd never forgive himself if Sam died because he'd overlooked the creature's hideout. And it was best to search through them before the sun came up in a couple of hours. No need to attract unwanted attention.

The first closed down business had been a hair salon. It still smelled of hair spray and other styling chemicals. Dean made a face at the odor and then slipped back out of the empty building. An out-of-business hobby shop was next. It was equally deserted. Finally there was a pizza restaurant that had apparently been shut down for health code violations. The rat droppings and cockroaches left no doubt as to what those violations had been. But still, there was no sign of the Harvester of Souls.

Dean drove to the house that Liz had drawn the map to. It was pretty close to the hospital where the coma patients were, which made it a good candidate. Fifteen minutes later, just after the sun had risen above the horizon, the hunter pulled up in front of a very large old, Victorian-style mansion. Dean decided that if he were an evil creature, this was where he'd want to hang out.

As he climbed up the stairs to the partially rotted front porch, Dean noticed that the front door was open. He held his machete at the ready. His gun was useless to him unless he wanted the creature to disappear once again, and that was not going to help him at all. Dean was going to have to try and behead the Harvester one handed and was probably only going to have one shot at it. Piece of cake.

He walked through the open door and crept into the large open entrance. He went left and found a large kitchen. Then Dean proceeded past a dining room and into a living room. A quick check through a closed door revealed a bathroom. Soon the first floor was cleared. The hunter checked the basement next. It too was empty. Finally, Dean walked up the large staircase to the upper floor. There he found a huge master bedroom and four other rooms. None were occupied. Dean was about to go back downstairs when he heard something move above him. He could've kicked himself for almost missing the attic. There was a rope hanging from a trap door in the ceiling. Dean was forced to lean his machete against the wall to open it up and pull down the ladder. This whole one-armed thing sucked.

The hunter slowly climbed the wooden ladder, weapon tucked under his arm. He was nervous that the Harvester would be standing by the trap door waiting for him. But when he reached the top, nothing happened. The light switch didn't work, so Dean had to keep his machete under his left arm and shine his flashlight around the large open space. He smelled the strong stench of decay, but that could just be from dead animals that had snuck in here and died. Dean walked slowly towards the back of the attic when he heard another sound. He spun in that direction and ran the light around the area. Suddenly, something was moving towards him. Within seconds, Dean was attacked by a swarm of bats. Cursing, he swatted at them and turned off his flashlight. Then he forced himself to stay completely still. After a few moments, the bats settled back down.

"I don't suppose you guys have seen a hideous soul eating monster, huh?" He muttered. Dean turned his light back on and kept the beam aimed low as he made his way back to the trap door. This had been a huge waste of time. The Harvester of Soul wasn't here and never had been.

He was almost back at the ladder when his right leg broke through the old, rotted floor boards. With a cry, Dean fell down to the ground, his leg at a rather painful angle.

"Damn it!" He screamed as he tried to pull his leg free, only to have the broken wood dig into his flesh. "Son of a bitch!" All the commotion had upset the bats once more and they began flying around like crazy. Dean ignored them and worked to carefully extract his leg. After a few minutes with no progress, Dean heard a cracking noise and he knew what was about to happen. The floor gave out under him and he tumbled down into the hall. He hit the hard wood with a loud thud and for a moment Dean was afraid that he'd fall through this level as well. But the floor held up. The already injured hunter groaned and fought the darkness that threatened to claim him. After a few minutes, he struggled to his feet.

Dean somehow managed to drag himself to the Impala and sit down in the driver's seat. He tossed the machete into the passenger side and leaned his head back. He felt like crap. His leg was throbbing in pain from where the wooden beams had gouged the flesh and his head was ringing from the fall. And worse yet, he still hadn't found the Harvester, so he was no closer to saving his brother. Dean let out a pained moan and closed his eyes.

It was dark as he pulled up in front of the motel. He'd found no leads. He stumbled from the Impala and over to the door that led to his room. When he reached it, he found that the door was open just a crack. He pushed it open completely and flicked the light switch. Nothing happened. The room was still pitch black. He pulled out his flashlight and pushed the 'on' button. That too failed to illuminate the room. There hadn't even been a flicker. With no light to see by, he carefully stepped into the room. He held out his injured left hand to feel for anything that would help him navigate the dark room as his right hand clutched the machete. His hand had just bumped into the table when suddenly a flame sprang to life just inches away. It illuminated the evil looking jack o'lantern that it was contained in. Then four more lit up as well. He stepped back in surprise and tripped over something on the floor. He landed on his ass and scooted back to look at the object that he'd fallen over. It was Sam's body. But it was no longer lying almost peacefully, covered by the warm blanket from the bed. By the firelight from the pumpkins, he saw that his brother's body was torn up and covered in blood. "No! Sam!" He cried as he crawled to his baby brother. He felt for a pulse, although he was certain he'd find nothing. There was no way that a person in that condition could be alive. Unfortunately, he was right. He felt tears run down his face as he clutched Sam's lifeless body to his chest, ignoring the pain of his own injuries. His brother was dead and this time he had no soul to sell for him. He'd failed.

Dean awoke with a start and sat straight up in the driver's seat of the Impala. It had been a dream. A nightmare. But Dean couldn't breathe a sigh of relief because he knew that Sam's life was still hanging in the balance. And it was just beginning to get dark. He'd slept the day away and now only had one more day to find the Harvester of Souls and stop him. Dean brushed away the tears that had leaked from his eyes as he'd slept. He would find that son of a bitch and gank his freakin' ass. He'd save Sam. Dean swore right then and there that his dream was not going to come true.

Author's Note Part Two: Hope you all enjoyed. Please take just a moment if you got one and leave a review to let me know what you think. Thanks so much.