Authors Note: Sorry it's taken sooooo long to update. If it means anything- I've started uni etc! lol Anyways- this is longer than I would usually do and possibly way more obvious. So any opinions please please please review!!!

The next morning proved unsuccessful. Looking into the local records showed nothing of interest and the locals themselves were less than forth coming. All the group knew so far was that what ever it was, it was attacking 24-26 year old blonde females. But where they were disappearing didn't correlate at all.

One woman, Jodie Lenson, had vanished walking her two German Shepherds. The next had been watching TV alone. A third was driving to work; her car had crashed into a local school building- luckily no one had been hurt. The final victim that they knew of had failed to arrive at her hairdresser's appointment. Other than their hair colour and age range they had nothing in common. Both Winchesters were becoming frustrated.

'Yeah. Okay, thank you very much.' Sam snapped his phone shut and sat heavily on to his bed.

'No luck?' Sophie asked. She was looking slightly pale from nerves, she wasn't used to being responsible. This was the first time she'd any sort of power in the way Dean and Sam did. It didn't seem to be agreeing with her.

'No. Well, it was the local historical society. She said that she'd look into the records and let us know. But…' Sam shook his head.

'Oh.' She sank on to the bed next to Sam. In comfort he rested his hand on top of hers. Dean took this moment to enter the room. His eyes flickered to their hands but he said nothing.

'Any joy?' Sophie asked, sliding her hand from Sam's as she stood up.

'Dunno. The town lynched a guy back in the 1900s for abducting three women. But I can't see how that helps.'

'Why not?'

'Cause about thirty-years ago they dug him up. Burnt his bones. Salted the grave and blessed the land. He ain't goin nowhere.'

'Salt?' Sophie glanced at Dean then at Sam.

'Salt purifies things. Keeps demons or ghosts out if you make a circle of it.'

'Oh.'

As Sam's cell phone rang, Dean shot Sophie a look. She ignored it and turned her attention to Sam.

'Hello? Oh hey. No. Thanks… What about the old lynching case…' Sam rapped a pen against his arm as he waited for a response. 'There was a brother? Great! Thank you!'

'Well?' Demanded Dean.

'Turns out, your Mason Hardwood had a younger brother. Jonathon. During the last abductions there was doubts whether Mason was even in Winterset.'

'So the good townsfolk here, they toasted the wrong brother.'

'Looks like it.'

'Where?'

'Cemetery just outside of town.'

'Lets go.' Both brothers stood up. Sophie blanched as Dean handed Sam a gun.

'Dean?' Sophie's slight nausea was worse now. She was terrified about what was happening. Of what could happen.

'Stay here.' Dean pointed forcefully at the motel room but barely met her eyes. She bristled automatically.

'What?'

'Stay here. Seriously Soph. We do not need you getting in the way.' With that he turned and walked out of the room.

Sophie stood lips parted and eyes sharp. She squeezed both shut in anger but didn't speak.

'You'll be safer here.' Sam said as he followed his brother. She assumed that was meant to be an apology. As she heard the Chevrolet Impala pull away she dropped onto the bed.

After a few moments she stood and dragged her bag open. She dug a copy of 'Dracula' out of it and tried to read. After a minute she glanced up at her reflection in the motel mirror. Looking away was automatic. She felt like kid.

#
#

'Have I ever told you how much I hate Mausoleums?' Dean tried to sound jovial but he couldn't help thinking about Sophie. Twenty or not, she was still at risk and so were he and Sam. He'd never gotten over the swirling feeling that he might die. It didn't get easier. At all.

'No. But I can see why.' Sam surveyed the scene- a raging storm and darkened forbidding looking building.

Sighing the brothers approached the door and pushed it open. Scanning the lines for the particular name they needed. They paid no attention to the door shutting it was when the lock clicked that they realised what was happening.

'Damn it!!!' Dean pummelled the door in anger. His thoughts strayed to Sophie. He pushed them out of his mind and focused on trying to get out of the situation they'd found themselves in.

'Dean. Dean. Dean!' Sam forced his brother to stop beating the door. Dean glared at him angrily. 'We need to call Sophie. She can help us out of here.'

'No.'

'Why not?'

'Because she is exactly what this creepy Hardwood guy is after. We are NOT put her in anymore danger.'

'Then what do you suggest?' Sam pushed his weight against the door and swung the torch to show that they were, completely trapped. 'Magic?'

'We'll deal. We always deal.' Dean met his brother's eyes. Sam was aware that this wasn't stubbornness Dean was scared for Sophie. Drawing breath he nodded.

'Ok.'

Sophie Jackson's heart was racing painfully. She couldn't concentrate on anything at all. She'd tried to eat, read, and watch TV and finally sleep. Having given trying Sophie sat on the edge of Dean's bed twirling her cell phone in her fingers. The brother's had been gone over two hours. Unsure of how long these things were supposed to take Sophie felt sick.

Standing quickly she grabbed a jacket and before she changed her own mind, pushed the door open. The air outside was biting cold but she hardly noticed she was trying to work out exactly what she was going to do. A thousand plans ran through her mind. None of them seemed particularly sensible rational or if she thought more than once about them feasible.

It took her most the journey to the cemetery- she'd managed to hitch a ride with a newly married couple about Dean's age, to realise she didn't have a plan at all. But that didn't matter, she had to do something but currently she wasn't sure what that something was.

The mausoleum's doors were tightly blocked but the small window glowed like there was fire inside. Sophie felt sick. Dean and Sam were in there and that thought hurt. Making a plan up as she went along Sophie ditched her jacket and walked towards the window.

Thanking many stars and her biology that she was slim Sophie dropped from the window. Inside the room was indeed on fire. Sam and Dean were stood side by side in the middle of the fire circle. What was she meant to do now? She couldn't think, her eyes were locked onto the figures in the circle. Dean's voice echoed in her head:

'Stay here. Seriously Soph. We do not need you getting in the way.'

The suddenly on top of that she remembered the earlier conversation. Salt. Fire. Bones. Jonathon Hardwood. Turning away, finally, she scanned the names on the wall memorials.

Whispering allowed Sophie read the names as fast as she could.

'Hardcastle… Hardwood B, Hardwood G, Hardwood J, Hardwood L… wait! Jonathon! Stupid kid!' She hissed at her self and tried to pry the casket open.

It stuck fast. She tried once more and it started to give. A slight feeling of excitement tugged in her chest. It was replaced quickly by a choking sensation around her throat. The presence of a male behind her pulled tighter Sophie's vision was beginning to spot. She knew she had only a few moments before she lost consciousness. Forcing the last of air from her lungs she managed to scream.

'DEAN!'

The fire had appeared moments after the door had locked. The presence of Jonathon Hardwood was darting in the shadows. Dean felt sick. He'd gotten them trapped and there was no way out…

The sound of Sophie, he knew it was her instantly, screaming his name shattered his thoughts. Sam grabbed his arm and pointed. The image/ghost of Mr. Hardwood stood before them, fire dwindling now, choking Sophie. Dean ran forward regardless of Sam pulling him back.

'Let her go!' the ghost laughed and moved away from the wall. Dean ran again towards them.

Sophie had become unconscious. She was, Dean realised, close to being strangled to death. He reached her and felt the choking existence tighten round his own neck. Still trying hard to reach Sophie Dean fell to his knees.

There was a click and flash of light. Then the presence of Jonathon Hardwood flared, and like his bones burnt.

An hour later… back at the motel room.

'I can't believe you were stupid enough to get into that situation!' Dean raged angrily at Sophie who was quietly cleaning the burn on Sam's arm.

'Dean! She saved our lives. Without her we couldn't have gotten rid of Hardwood.'

'No. WE would have sorted it.' Dean glared angrily at his brother. Sam only glared back.

'No we wouldn't.' Sam smiled at Sophie as she stood up.

'Will you let me look at your neck?' she kept her tone neutral.

'What?' Dean stared at her. But sat down. Sophie moved towards him.

'Thank you.' She said as she began looking at the bruising.

'What?' Dean repeated in a less hostile tone.

'For trying to reach me.' She stood back.

'Next time I say stay here. I suggest you do it.'

'You know I won't.' Sophie was stood now. She met his eyes, finally. Dean looked away but nodded.