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The next morning Dean awoke not to the clock but to the ringing of his cell phone. Forcing himself awake and upright, he went to answer the phone but found Sam already doing so.

'Hello? Dad! Hey!' Sam met is brother's eyes. Dean went to grab his cell phone and Sam moved out of the way. This began a sequence of events that was in theory a fight. Or possibly a dance. The brothers dodged around each other whilst Dean tried to grab the phone and Sam wrote co-ordinates on his arm.

Sophie wandered into the room as this was taking place. She paused in the door way and watched smiling. Sam finished the call, much to Dean's chagrin, they realised that she was watching their immaturity in action.

'Hi?' She questioned raising an eyebrow.

'Morning.' Sam said grinning. He handed Dean his cell phone and slapped him on the back. In return he received a less than polite glare.

'That wasn't fair Sammy. Dad rang me!' Dean was aware how he sounded and tried to recover the situation by turning to Sophie with a nonchalant: 'The cereal's over there.'

'Thanks.' She said with a small smile.

'So, Dean!' Sam had the laptop up and running. The co-ordinates he'd written on his arm were inputted and showing clearly on the onscreen map.

'What is it?' Dean asked.

'Dad says young women: twenty-four to thirty have been disappearing. All from around this area and all of them have a connection to: The Lewis-Richmond Children's Home.'

'Looks like we're going to Iowa.' Dean said moving to bed and grabbing bags.

'I'm gonna grab a shower…' Sophie hesitated as she said it. Dean nodded without looking up. She took this as consent even if she hadn't been looking for one. As she was heading to the bathroom Dean called out to her.

'Maybe you should avoid Iowa for now. Until this thing is gone at least.' He didn't take his eyes from the bag and the clothes he was packing. Sophie wasn't sure if this was a display of concern or just routine safety. Either way she didn't appreciate being told she was a hazard.

'Thought you said the women were exclusively over twenty-three.'

'Doesn't mean something won't happen to a twenty-two, twenty-three year old.'

'I'll be fine then.' Sophie leant against the doorframe. She was kind of enjoying this.

'What? How?' Dean turned to her now, searching her face for something she wasn't telling him.

'I'm twenty.' With that she swept into the bathroom and shut the door.

'Twenty?' Dean starred at his brother. 'Did you…'

'No. I thought she was twenty-two… Did you realise she isn't legal in Madagascar?'

'How do you know those things?' Dean asked with quiet disgust.

'Just do.'

'But it's illegal for her to drink… She's seven years younger… I mean…'

'Seven years isn't a major gap, Dean.'

'What? No! I mean… She's just a kid.'

'Dean! I think she's been an adult for two years.' Dean shook his head and gazed at the closed bathroom door. 'Plus' added Sam 'She acts older than most twenty-three year olds.'

'Yeah.' Dean placated himself with that thought. 'Yeah. She does.'

'Do you really not want her to come with us?' Sam asked watching him for a reaction.

'Don't you agree with me? She's gonna be a risk.'

'A risk? Or at risk?' Sam's question earned him a glare. 'Seriously Dean, do you not want her there to help us. To keep her safe? I mean after last night…'

'Nothing happened last night.'

'What?'

'Nothing happened last night, Sammy. Nothing.'

'Fine.' Sam grinned at his brother. To which Dean responded with another glare.

'Sam…' Warned Dean.

'Look, all I'm saying is maybe you're right. She's safer here; after all she is just a kid. Like you said she's better off as she was before. No demons, you know.'

Sam watched Dean pause. The concept of Sophie Jackson travelling on her own bothered him and hopefully it bothered Dean just as much. She was only twenty and they were friends. Dean glanced at the ceiling and muttered something under his breath. Then meeting Sam's eyes he cross the room in a few strides.

Leaning against the door, Dean rapped on the door.

'Soph! Get a move on will you! If you're coming with us you need be ready, like now!'

'Dude, I knew it.'

'Shut it Sammy.'

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Sophie slept a lot of the way to Winterset, Iowa. Otherwise the time was passed listening to Metallica and other such music. The conversation was slow but easy, much as it always had been. It seemed to Sam that Sophie had become a part of their journeys even if she'd only been present a few weeks.

Upon arriving Sam quickly went into the nearest motel: Parisian Dreams. Dean was left to wake Sophie up. He did so gently, he leant around the seat and shook her.

'Go away.' The words were muttered through the sleep gently. Dean couldn't help but smile.

'Sophie?'

'Dean.' He paused. She didn't sound awake.

'Sophie?' He combined this with another shake. Still nothing.

He climbed out of the car and wandered around to Sophie's side. Opening the door and kneeling down he shook her fairly violently.

'Jesus! Dean!' She jerked awake and upright. Dean noticed she was shaking. Feeling instantly guilty for scaring her he slid into the seat and rested a hand on her arm.

'Sorry.'

'Did it not occur to you to trying yelling at me or something?' Dean grinned in response. Sophie wrinkled her nose and slid out of the car, turning to grab her rucksack she saw Dean walking away. Her bag on his shoulder.

'Thanks.' She said quietly to herself.