here is chapter 8 hope you enjoy

Dean sat with his head down, he had already read the same paragraph 4 times and was ready to give up on it, he looked up at Bobby as he walked though the room, a questioning look on his face, Bobby shook his head, the hat that forever sat on his head cast a shadow over his eyes, Dean let out a frustrated sigh, and went back to the book on symbols, with a lack of anything better to do he had picked up the book from the top of one of the many piles of books and papers that scattered the small house. Bobby Singer had become like a father figure to the two men, when their dad had died, they called on him when they were in trouble, or needed help on a case, and with things being supernaturally quiet for the last three and a half months the boys had taken up residence in the house that was over stuffed with books, and Dean was getting restless, he wanted to kill something, and if Sam kept acting the way he was, it might just be him, he looked at his brother now, his computer open, something had made him laugh, for the last two weeks, Sam had either tried to get Dean to talk about Lorraine, or was on the computer, Dean let out a agitated groan, and Sam's face straighten as he made a sound like he was clearing his throat and closed the laptop,

"You know it wouldn't hurt you catch up on some study," he growled,

"Quiz me Dean," Sam said leaning back on his chair, a smug smile on his face "you know I know most of it already." Dean grunted in annoyance, and slammed the book shut; he wasn't paying attention to it anyway, he pushed his chair back with such force it nearly toppled over, and stalked out of the house.

ڳ

A few weeks ago, Sam had received an e-mail from Lorraine, since then he regularly received updates about his niece, he felt guilty about keeping it from Dean, but it wasn't something he could just blurt out and the many times he had approached Dean, only for him to change the subject or just flat out tell him to shut up, which meant Dean was still under the impression that Mary's mother was Joanne,

"What's his problem," Bobby asked, his voice deep and rough, as he walked back in with three bottles of beer, he handed two off them to Sam

"Karma," Sam replied,

"Huh, woman troubles," was Bobby's gruff reply, Sam let out a small chuckle, as he followed after his brother, Bobby's back yard was just as cluttered as the inside of his house except the backyard was scatted with car bodies, engines and anything else automotive, it was Dean's idea of heaven, Sam found him under one of the beat up cars now, clunking away at the engine, in the last three months he had gotten the impala running smoothly again, and then with nothing better to do, had started trying to fix up the Ford Fairmont that had been dumped on Bobby less than a year ago, when someone had wrapped it around a tree, it gave Dean something to do, and Sam knew that given time Dean could fully restore the car, if he wanted to,

"Dean," Sam stood at his brother's feet,

"Not now, Sam" Dean replied, Sam placed a foot on the trolley and pulled him out, Dean shoot him a look of annoyance,

"You ok," Dean's eye flashed with anger

"I'm fine," he snapped pushing himself back under the car, Sam sighed then pulled him back out again, the look on Dean's face told him that he was close to being punched,

"Do that again Sam and I swear to god," Dean snarled

"what, Dean," Sam shouted back, "hit me, well go ahead if it will make you feel better," Sam stood arms stretched open, the beer bottles still in his hands

"Don't tempt me." Dean said as he stood up,

"Ever since we left, you have been impossible to live with" Sam handed the one of the bottles to Dean he took a took a large gulp of the cool liquid, then he stalked over to the toolbox that sat on a grease stained trolley, he picked up a socket, bounced it in his hand a couple of times then walked back to the car,

"Right back at ya," his voice was stern "what the hell are you doing on that computer anyway,"

"Why the hell are you wasting your time on that car," Sam retorted, pointing to the crumpled pile of metal,

"You got a case, do ya? No! Things have been so damn quiet since we killed yellow eye's I'm starting to wish he was still around," Dean yelled, Sam knew he didn't mean it, and was only speaking out of anger

"Alright let's talk," Sam said,

"About what Sam," Dean said leaning against the car, folding his arms in front of him, the look on his face was somewhere between bored humor and aggravation

"Ok then, Lorraine? How about we head back to Cedar Falls, then maybe you can stop being such a pain in the ass"

"Oh, give me a break," Dean sighed

"You gotta talk to her," Sam replied, Dean threw the bottle at the wall causing it to smash,

"I said leave it, there is nothing to talk to her about"

"What are you so afraid of," Sam asked,

"I'm not afraid" Dean replied stubbornly

"Please, you've been sulking around and snapping at the slightest thing ever since we left," Sam declared,

"I'm not sulking," he brooded, Sam raised his eyebrows amusingly

"I don't get it, Dean, if this bothers you so much then why did you insist on leaving,"

"She left first," Dean replied, Sam scoffed

"You know how immature you sound,"

"You know how immature you sound," he mimicked in high pitched sound

"Oh, sorry, you proved me wrong," Sam replied sardonically, Dean tutted then turned away "so you're saying that if she hadn't walked out first, you'd be with her now,"

"I don't know, maybe," he said, unsure of the answer himself, "but at least I'd have that choice"

"You did have that choice in Nebraska, when she was lying in a hospital bed, with a bullet hole," Dean knew his brother once again had a point, he had sat by her bed for two hours, aware of the looks he received from Maxine and Chantelle, and no doubt they had told Lorraine, but he still stood by what he had said in the hotel, this wasn't the kind of life you could have with someone waiting at home for you, while he had sat by her bed holding her hand, he remembered the last time he had done that, when she had had the life sucked out of her, literally, he had admired the way she had adapted to life on the road and the dangers that had come with it, he remembered the way she had made him feel, when they laid in the hotel room at night, and the way she managed to stand up for herself when faced with danger although he knew that she was scared out of her mind, and then he felt anger for letting her in to his heart, for making him lower his guard around her, they had both agreed that it was a 'no strings attached' relationship, and he was fine with that but then the more her got to know her the more he fell in love with her, then she walked away, no goodbye, no forwarding address, nothing, all he had to remind him of her was the guitar she had left behind, which he had stashed in one of Bobby's spare rooms, without Sam's knowledge, his brothers voice broke into his train of thought, "So what are you pissed about Dean, really, is it that she walked out on you before you had the chance to walk out first," Dean didn't reply, "or is that you finally found that one person you would give all this up for and she doesn't want you," Sam knew he was baiting his brother, Sam also knew that what he just said wasn't the truth, Lorraine did want him, he knew that, Joanne knew that, and from what Joanne told Sam half the population of Cedar Falls knew it, but the both of them were too stubborn to admit it, "your pathetic," Sam added when he heard no reply, Dean rushed towards him, grabbing him by the scruff off his shirt he pushed him up against the side of house, Sam winced as he expected to be hit, Dean just glared at him, his fist pulled back behind his head,

"if you boys are done," Bobby cut in, "I just got off the phone with Phil, some women have been going missing," Dean gave him a look as if to say 'so' "and every night, come sun down, a storm starts up" Dean let go off Sam, that wouldn't be so weird if it was the middle of summer

"It's always the woman," Dean mumbled to himself, "Where?" he asked although he had feeling he already knew the answer

"Cedar Falls, Iowa" Bobby answered, Dean let out an infuriated sigh, then looked at his brother wanting to wipe the conceited look off his face "might be nothing, but then again, might be something, but the same thing happened in the area a year ago too, I can find someone else if you want,"

"No, thanks Bobby, we'll go," Sam interjected quickly enough to raise Dean's curiosity a little; and wondered if he wasn't telling the whole truth about Joanne's child

"Great," Dean scowled.

ڳ

The storm was building fast like it had for the last three nights, as soon as it started getting dark, the wind would pick up and the thunder would start rumbling so loudly, Lorraine was sure the house was shaking, but maybe it was just her, Lorraine had an uneasy feeling, she heard the front door slam shut and Joanne came into the kitchen, soaking wet, she took off her jacket and shook her head, water splattered the walls,

"If you're going to act like a dog, get outside, "she snapped

"Whoa, down girl," Joanne held her hands up in defense,

"sorry," Lorraine replied, as she wiped down the water franticly, it wasn't just the storm that had her wound up, it had been three months since the incident in Nebraska, and even though she had asked Sam not to say anything, they were brothers, surely he would have told him by now, even if it was by accident, yet she hadn't heard from him, she didn't know whether to take that as a good sign or not "Your home late,"

"Staff meeting," Joanne observed her sister "are you ok, I thought storms calmed you,"

"not this one, I've just got a horrible feeling," She replied, biting her lower lip she looked at Mary who had inherited her mother's usual sensitivity to storms she was in her highchair making a lovely mess of the spaghetti she was eating, it covered her hands and face and even some sauce was evident in her hair, Lorraine wondered how much of it had actually made it to her mouth,

"You think it's demonic," Joanne asked in a manner much like she was asking Lorraine if she like the color of her shirt,

"I don't know, maybe," she replied, wringing the cloth apprehensively in her hands "or maybe, I'm just nervous, have you heard from Sam? Do you know if he's told Dean?"

"No, sorry," Joanne shook her head, a small smile of sympathy on her face, Lorraine nibbled at her bottom lip again,

"oh, listen, before I forget-" Lorraine was cut off as Mary let out a loud shriek as she threw her bowl to the floor, she clapped her hands and giggled proudly as it bounced across the floor, spaghetti sauce going everywhere

"Oh, Mary," Lorraine cried, Joanne laughed

"I'll clean it up, you clean her up," Joanne took the cloth out of her sisters hand, then Lorraine picked Mary up, holding her at arm's length so she wouldn't get coved in the sauce as well,

"Mummummummum" Mary babbled clapping her hands proudly, causing drops of sauce to splattered Lorraine's shirt and face,

"Yeah you're a clever girl," Lorraine sighed half-heartedly as she carried her in to the bathroom,

ڳ

"Hey Lorraine, you might want to see this," Joanne said as Lorraine walked into the kitchen, she had put Mary down to bed, and showered Joanne was watching the news,

"What," Lorraine replied, using a towel to dry her damp hair

"-local woman, Jessica Adams went missing from her home just last night, it is reported that she was the third woman in three days, each of the wo-"

"There was another last night," Joanne filled Lorraine in on what she had missed, "the husbands are the ones putting out pleas to the public,"

"I can't believe it, I spoke to Jessica just two days ago," Lorraine had actually seen all of the woman, a few days ago she had arranged a small get together at the park for a joined first birthday, they all had children within months of each other, "what about the kids,"

"They haven't said anything,"

"-police are urging anyone with information to come forward," the reporter signed off, the weather report was next, telling them what they could already see out their windows,

"You think we should call them," By 'them' Lorraine knew Joanne meant Sam and Dean,

"The weather people, I think they have it covered" Lorraine replied sarcastically as she picked up the phone and held it to her ear, "it's dead," she said as she replaced the receiver, she pulled her mobile phone out of her bag, she punched in Sam's number, it rang a few times then went to his message bank, Lorraine didn't bother leaving a message, "no answer," she said stating the obvious, she pulled the gun out of her bag, and placed it carefully in the pocket of her bathrobe. She was just about to try Dean's mobile when the kitchen light began to flicker, panic washed over Lorraine's face, as they both looked up at the light "Mary," she cried, dropping the towel on the floor as she ran out of the room, "Jo grab the salt," she yelled back as she ran to her daughters room, Mary was still sleeping soundly, Joanne came in, and started to line the salt across the window and then ran back to the door and did the same,

"Looks like where camping out in here tonight," Joanne said, placing the salt on the dressing table, "maybe you should try Sam again,"

"I'll get us some blankets first, you stay here,"

"Are you crazy," Joanne cried, Lorraine shushed her as Mary stirred, "are you crazy," Joanne repeated in a whispered voice,

"Don't worry I have the gun," Lorraine patted the pocket that contained the weapon,

"Then give it to me, I'll go," Joanne held her hand out

"Oh, yeah sure, just one question how do you turn the safety off," Joanne didn't reply, she didn't know, she had never even held a gun before, Lorraine put a hand on her shoulder reassuringly, "I won't be long,"

"ok, be careful," Joanne replied, knowing that she wouldn't win this argument, and thinking, not for the first time, that joining the local riffle club would probably be a good idea, Lorraine walked down the dark hall, wishing she had grabbed the flashlight as well, she went to her room first, changing into a jumper and a pair of tracksuit pants, then dragging her big blanket off the bed, she draped it over her shoulder, she walked across the hall way into Joanne's room, she grabbed the blanket off the bed, making a mental note to start storing extra blankets in Mary's cupboard, it wasn't the first time they had had to seek refuge in her room, just after Mary was born, was Joanne's first and only encounter with a ghost, it had left her shaken for weeks, the ghost belonged to a man who had killed himself after finding his wife in bed with another guy, thanks to Patty, it didn't take Lorraine long to solve the case, Missouri had gotten her in touch with a hunter named Bobby, who had taken care of the salting and burning of the bones, and since then they hadn't had a problem, until tonight, she draped Joanne's blanket over her other shoulder then headed out the room, she saw a figure at the top of the stairs, and froze the blankets dropped to floor soundlessly, there was no way that she could get back to Mary's room without walking past the staircase, she pulled the gun from her pocket, and cocked it, the figure heard the clicking noise, turned and looked at her, then moved towards her quickly, Lorraine fired the gun,

The intruder yelled out as it fell, tumbling down the stairs, ignoring the blankets she ran past the staircase and down the hallway, back to her daughter's room,

"What the hell is going on," Joanne said as Lorraine came back into the room,

"There's something out there," she replied breathlessly, both girls screamed as the hooded figure appeared in the doorway, Lorraine aimed the gun again

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," it said arms stretched out in front defensively, "don't shoot, again,"

"Who the hell are you," Lorraine asked gun still aimed

"I'm not going to hurt you," he replied, he removed the hood,

"What the hell are you doing in my house?" Lorraine asked

"I'm here to help. But gee," he touched his stomach, where Lorraine had shot him "I'm not quite sure I'm needed," he replied "can I come in"

"If you can," Lorraine answered looking at the line of salt across the doorway; the man did the same, both girls watched, waiting for him to step over the line, he smiled and Lorraine cocked the gun again,

"whoa, there Cat Ballou," the tall man said as he stepped over the salt, "see human" the girls gave a small sigh of relief at least he proved he wasn't a demon, but that still didn't mean he wouldn't hurt them, Lorraine took a couple of side steps so that she stood in front of Mary's cot to protect her just in case, they could see him more clearly now as well, Lorraine would have guessed he was about 28 years old, he wore blue jeans, and a baggy jumper, he had pulled the hood off his head as he stepped over the salt, to reveal brown hair, that reached his shoulders, and an unshaven face

"So who are you," Joanne repeated the first question asked,

"I'm Dale; I use to live here with my mum, before she was killed," he said as Mary woke up and started to cry.

ڳ

"So what happened," Lorraine said, as usual she managed to settle Mary easily and now sat on the floor with her on her lap, Mary stared at Dale with curiosity,

"About 3 years ago," Dale got up and started to pace, three sets off eyes stayed on him, "I walked in on my mum, and what I later found out to be, a Jikininki, and he was feeding off her, I mean actually eating her, I don't even know if she was dead or not" he explained

"I read about them, there ghosts, they only feed of dead bodies" Joanne added

"Yeah I read that to," Dale replied, "but you know what they say about everything you read, anyway since then I have been tracking this thing, every now then I hear about something similar but the only time it actually shows up is in this town once a year for three weeks"

"And let me guess, it that time of the year," Lorraine asked, Dale nodded

"About 6 months ago I meet up with this other hunter, Bobby, after failing to talk me out of hunting it, he told me that these things have a pattern, repealed by salt, and told me to give him a call when it shows up again, oh, and he called me a moron"

"And have you called him yet," Joanne asked

"No not yet"

"I have been living here for over a year, and the only ghost I have seen was an embittered husband," Lorraine told him "what makes you think it is here,"

"I was staking out the house across the road when I saw your lights start flickering, and that's what he looks like," Dale pointed to the doorway, there stood a ghostly figure. The girls gasped in surprise and Mary babbled at it, Dale aimed his rifle and fired, the ghost evaporated,

"You ok," He asked

"Yeah, we'll be ok," Joanne replied,

"Ok, so now what do you plan to do," Lorraine asked rocking Mary back and forth, who was undisturbed by the whole incident and just wanted to get up and run around, Lorraine was little uneasy with how normal this conversation seemed, Part of the reason she had walked away from Dean was to avoid moments like these,

'Honestly I don't know, I suppose I should call this bobby guy," he replied a sheepish look on his face,

"That's it, you have been after this thing for three years, and that's it, your gonna call some guy, do you even have any idea who this thing is"

"Yeah, a jikininki," he answered

"No, I mean who he was before that,"

"What has that got to do with anything," he asked puzzled

"bloody amateur," Lorraine replied, her and Joanne both trying to contain smiles

"So what where you going to do spend the rest of your life following this thing and using it for target practice," Joanne asked him

He replied with a blank look, Lorraine shook her head amusingly

"Alright then, you better call Bobby," Lorraine said, Dale looked hesitant,

"Can I borrow your phone?"

"sure," she smiled, pulling the phone out of her pocket, he took it off her sheepishly, then pulling a card out of his pocket, dialed a number, it rang a few times, then the girls heard a man with a gruff voice answer, it was a voice Lorraine unmistakably recognized as the same hunter she had called over a year ago, Dale spoke with the man for a few minutes telling him where he was and what had happened, he listened intently, then ended the call,

"He said, his best are already on their way, they should be here by morning,"

"ok," Lorraine stood up, and put a sleeping Mary back in her cot, "I'm going to get the blankets, then I'm going to try and get some sleep, I suggest you do the same, " Lorraine walked out of the room, Dale followed his shot gun ready just in case the ghost showed up again,