The semi had jack-knifed on the centre of the crossroads, blocking rush-hour traffic from all four directions and bringing the middle of the town to a dead stop. Those drivers that had not managed to make a u-turn in the first few moments after the truck had skidded to a stop were now trapped in the queues, but thankfully the mood was relatively calm.

After what must have seemed an age to some of the stranded motorists, one of the county sheriff's patrol cars hurried carefully along the sidewalk and the two officers jumped out to try and untangle the mess.

"Aw, shit. Lenny, I'm sorry!" The truck driver called out wearily, waving a timid greeting at the officers.

"Hey, Ned." One of the deputies smiled warmly back at him. "What happened?"

"Missed the lights, Lena."

"Oops." The young woman's smile grew and she quickened her pace, reaching out her gloved hand to pat Ned's arm in sympathy. "Getting too old, huh, buddy?"

Ned gave a shrug of his snowflake spattered shoulders and sighed in dismay. "Time I saw them … and then the bus …" His flushed face sank and he scratched at the sweaty fringe matted beneath his cap. "Shit … ! And it had to be your shift, Lenny, honey."

"It's okay, Ned." Lena's smile faded a little and she took a deep breath. "Let's just get the formalities over-with." Reaching into the pouch at the small of her back, she grabbed her notebook. "Recovery truck's on it's way."

Ned nodded slowly and reached inside the cab. Pulling out his license and registration documents and passing them to the officer, he gave another weary sigh and shake of his head.

"You had a drink this morning, Ned?" Lena heard his slight gasp and looked up from her notes. "I'm sorry. Uncle or not, you know I have to ask."

"No."

Lena smiled thinly. "I'm gonna need a breath sample, in any case." She glanced back towards her patrol car. "You mind?"

"Course not."

Looking across at her partner and aware of Ned following her, Lena trudged through the piled snow on the side of the road and saw the traffic lines begin to move. Shivering in the chill of the early morning, she opened the rear door of the patrol car and waited for Ned to climb inside.

Sliding into the front seat and grabbing the breathalyzer, Lena turned awkwardly and switched on the device.

"Bet you hoped today'd be quiet, huh?" Ned offered in quiet apology.

Lena smiled, her dark eyes full of concern. "These things happen." She placed a new tube onto the breathalyzer and held it out towards him. "Okay, what I need you to do is - " Lena's voice was drowned out for a moment by the loud rumble of custom mufflers. Frowning in annoyance at the classic black Chevrolet that idled past them, she waited for a moment and then grinned in amusement as she turned back to Ned. "Boys and their toys, huh?"

Ned nodded slightly before blowing into the breathalyzer and passing back the device.

Lena watched the display on the handset and smiled warmly. "Clear." She closed up the breathalyzer and returned to her notes. "I guess we're lucky the plough got out here first thing. The sudden snow caught quite a few folks out across the county."

Ned nodded thoughtfully. "I'm just glad the bus was empty." He took a deep breath and raised his hands. "That all?"

"You'll need to stop by and sign your statement later but - yeah - that's all."

"Okey-dokey."

Lena climbed back out into the snow and opened the passenger door. Helping Ned climb out, she wrapped an arm around his waist and gave him a brief squeeze.

"Sure am sorry for causing trouble for you, Lena." Ned said quietly, quickly returning the hug. "I'll see you later at your party." He headed off towards his stranded truck and glanced back with a small wave. "Hope the rest of the day is quieter."

Lena laughed merrily, "Are you kidding me?" She mumbled to herself, "A fender-bender is about as exciting as this town gets."

Zipping up her thick coat and making her way quickly out into the centre of the intersection, she joined her partner and looked around at the now steadily moving traffic.

"Ken's on his way over, Lena. You go wait in the warm."

"I'm okay, Jerry." Lena countered merrily, "We can have this cleared in no time."

"Nuh-uh." Jerry laughed, grinning down at his partner and his breath clouding between them. "I'm not letting you get stressed out on your last day."

"What?" Lena defended, "It's directing traffic. No big deal."

"Yeah. That's what you said last week out on the interstate."

Lena sighed and regarded her partner's half-smile, seeing the concern that was nestled behind. "Fine …" She threw up her hands and turned back towards the patrol car. "If I'd known I'd be so smothered, I'd have taken Lena up on that desk offer."

"Oh, get your grumpy waddling ass back to the car and stay there!"

Gasping in horror, Lena span back and tried to glare with convincing hatred at her smirking friend. Seeing his amusement grow, she hid her smile and turned away. "I do not waddle …" She grumbled under her breath, straightening her poise and stepping carefully through the slush at the edge of the road

As the afternoon drew to a close and the thin sunlight began to fade, the temperature really began to plummet. Dean shuddered and drew his jacket tighter around his chest as he made his careful way down the icy fire escape of the county records building. Hearing metallic footfalls echoing his own and the soft moan of his downhearted brother, he paused on the bottom tier.

"Don't."

"Don't what?" Dean urged, turning to watch Sam descending the last few steps and shaking his head in warning.

"Just don't." Sam urged, sliding past his brother and beginning down the last flight to the ground below.

"Sam …" Dean sighed in dismay and quickly made chase. "C'mon, man. This one's just as hard for me - "

"I said don't!" Sam was crossing the alley towards the car and halted, spinning on Dean with sudden anger. "Don't sympathize, don't try and explain it, don't give me any lighthearted crap! Just DON'T!"

Dean visibly flinched and frowned up at Sam in concern. "Dude?"

Growling under his breath, Sam threw up his hands in angry frustration and turned away. He hurried to the Impala and climbed into the passenger seat, slamming the door hard.

Dean waited for a second, sure the windows of the still trembling car were about to shatter. He then made his slow way across the alley and quietly slid in behind the wheel. In silence and afraid to make any move or noise that might further irate his brother, he headed the car out of the town and concentrated on guiding the heavy car through the fresh snow.

ooooo

The Super 8 Motel was all but deserted, thanks to the icy weather. Dean winced as his car slid wildly around the corner into the car park and he sighed gratefully as he swung safely into the space outside their room and switched off the engine.

"I'm sorry."

The words seemed loud after the silence of the journey and Dean jumped slightly. He faced Sam and waited, lost as to how to respond and still wary of the fury he had witnessed a short time before.

Sam took a deep breath and his annoyance at once faded into the confusion and sorrow that sat a little easier on his soft face. "I just …" He shook his head and turned to look at his brother's hesitant concern. "I'm tired … and this is - " Sam shrugged wearily, "This sucks, man."

"I know." Dean offered quietly, his throat tight. "But … we will get to the source. And I promise we'll put an end it."

Sam seemed unconvinced.

"Come on, Sam …" Dean continued, carefully, "This isn't you … I mean … where's the annoying bright optimism that usually grates at me? Huh?"

"I guess it fled when the devil's gate opened and the world went to hell."

Dean gasped at the raw emotion displayed in Sam's sad eyes and slid closer to him, reaching out to grasp his brother firmly by the shoulder.

"It's too much." Sam continued quietly before Dean could offer any comeback. "And I'm starting to think that we're not gonna win this time."

"Stop it!" Dean ordered quickly, giving Sam a gentle shake. "Don't say that! Please, Sammy. Ok, you're tired - I get it. But I don't wanna hear this shit from you. You got that?"

Sam held his brother's steely gaze for a moment and then suddenly a small smile lit up the shadows under his eyes. "Dude … you know I've never responded well to that macho marine crap."

Dean sighed and gave a slight shrug, letting has hand slip away from Sam's shoulder. "Well, if you thought you were gonna get some soft-focused Hallmark moment, you're even more of an ass than I already take you for."

"Hey!" Sam defended, laughing gently and then realizing that he was and moaning in relief. "God … I'm glad I've got you, man."

Dean nodded thoughtfully and his smile grew before he sat up straight and grabbed the door handle. "You're still an ass." He responded and climbed from the car.

Glad to be reaching the end of her shift and feeling the icy air drying the skin of her face, Lena carefully climbed the front steps into the newly redesigned office building. She waved a greeting to the woman sat behind the large front desk and headed through to the centre of the department.

"Ten minutes left, Lenny!"

Flashing a happy smile at the receptionist and nodding in agreement, Lena hurried through to the door beside her and pushed the toughened glass open. The building was warm and she shrugged off her jacket as she arrived at the coffee machine nestled inside the large open-plan offices.

Sipping at the hot liquid and perching on the cupboards beside her, Lena looked around at the empty room and frowned slightly. She and Jerry were the last of the day shift to return and she could recall the messages reporting as much on the police band. The sudden shift in the weather had caught more townspeople out and ice-related RTAs were the theme of the busy evening.

"So. I hear my dad was causing trouble once again."

Lena turned and saw the receptionist had followed her from the front of the building. She smiled and shrugged her shoulders. "He really shouldn't be driving that old wreck, Tania." Lena began carefully, "Especially on days like this."

Tania continued her approach and nodded in agreement. "Try telling him that." She countered merrily.

"Well … he's lucky the bus was empty. Next time it might not be."

Tania's smile faded a little and she nodded again. "I know. I'll speak to him." She smoothed a hand across her neatly plaited blonde hair and regarded her cousin in concern. "I know it makes it hard for you but … thanks for going easy on him."

"It's the last time I can, Tania." Lena pointed out carefully.

"Yeah. I'll speak to him. I promise."

Lena smiled her thanks and yawned wearily.

"Problems of a small town." Tania offered lightly, "Good job you don'tlive here as well, huh?"

"Yeah." Lena laughed softly, "Can you imagine?"

"No." Tania agreed and stepped a little closer. "Still. Last day, right?"

"Yeah." Lena confirmed, her smile fading.

"Oh, come on!" Tania reached out and slapped Lena's arm playfully. "You must be looking forward to putting your feet up at last. I mean - god! - you've worked weeks over the usual quitting point." She folded her arms and regarded the younger woman in quiet awe. "Shit, I was only 7 months with Darcy when I gave in."

Lena shrugged and looked down at the large rounded bump beneath her beige uniform. "I've only been on traffic duty." She placed a hand on her bloated abdomen and smoothed out the wrinkles in the taught cotton covering. "Not exactly taxing driving about town." She gave a small chuckle and lifted her head. "It's driven Jerry mad with boredom!"

"I'll bet." Tania moved nearer and placed her hand on Lena's arm. "Still … you and Morgan need a few weeks to get ready now …"

"Yeah."

"And - you never know - you might be early." Tania added, laughing in wonder, "You're kinda pushing your luck being this far gone!"

"Nah." Lena stroked her belly fondly and took a deep breath. "This one's gonna be late for the party, like it's mom."

Tania giggled in agreement and rolled her eyes. "Fashionably not on time, huh?"

"You got it." Lena grinned, "Always make your entrance noted."

"Ugh, speaking of entrances, we had a couple more folk in here complaining again." Tania saw Lena raise her eyebrows in intrigue and she nodded, sighing in dismay. "Demanding to know why we haven't closed the schools or put out some kind of public announcement."

"Over those kids?"

"Uh-huh."

Lena frowned in concern. "But with only four cases in the county … it's hardly an epidemic." She shook her head slowly. "I mean, I get their fear but those kids were all from different towns and - "

"I know, I know." Tania agreed wearily, "Still … it is a small town and people talk."

"Oh?"

"Yeah." Tania sighed, a small smile pulling at her mouth. "I've heard everything from a bad batch of vaccinations to bad parenting to a terrorist attack."

"What?" Lena laughed nervously. "It's a few sick kids!"

Tania's face fell and she paused for a moment.

"What?" Lena urged quietly.

"Haven't you heard?" Tania replied sadly, "Three of them have died."

tbc