A/N: This continues on with the episode, but doesn't quite finish it out. Next chapter will have more of the action bits from the end of episode 20. AND a plot twist. One that I was very excited to write since it was one of the first things I planned. Kinda puts a fork in the fic, but meh. Everything happens for a reason! ;D

Please review and enjoy!

Chapter 8: The Novaks

Dean woke to the sound of bickering in the room. He let out a groan and cracked an eye, only to see his little brother and Ashley having some sort of verbal fight. Something obviously was wrong, because Dean rarely heard his brother raise his voice at a woman that wasn't some type of creature or possessed. He opened both eyes and sat up with a huff. Tired of hearing the bickering nonsense, he said, "Thank you for the damn wake up call." The two hunters turned to face him, Sam freezing in the middle of packing his backpack and Ashley sporting a glare. "Now what's going on?"

Sam was first to speak, cutting off whatever Ashley started to say. "Jimmy's gone."

"Gone?"

"As in not here. He left," Ashley commented as she crossed her arms and sat down at the table, keeping the angry expression.

He pushed back the covers; thanking himself for being so tired that he stayed dressed, and got out of bed. "Well, where'd he go? I thought you two were watching him?"

"We were. We got the room next door and I walked out for a few minutes. She," he said, pointing at Ashley, "fell asleep."

A look of guilt showed briefly on Ashley's face and Dean rubbed a hand over his face. "Why didn't you take off with Tori and go look for him?" he asked in a gruff tone.

The two exchanged glances before Ashley said, "Tori's…gone, too. She took off last night when we were talking to Jimmy. I tried calling her. Sam's my witness to that." She frowned and uncrossed her arms, fiddling with her thumb nails in an anxious manner.

Dean made his way over to the bathroom. "You guys pack up the stuff and give me ten minutes. Then we'll get going." He didn't bother to say anything else, since they all knew where they had to go. It was obvious Jimmy was headed to his home in Illinois and it wasn't all that far of a drive. A few hours tops. Walking was another thing if Jimmy was on foot. He rubbed an eye and kicked the door shut behind him.

The car ride was nerve wracking for Ashley. She was in the backseat of the Impala, staring at her phone and hoping Tori would call. A few times when she looked up, Sam would look back and give a smile as if he were checking on her.

She didn't want to try calling again, because she was sure Tori's voicemail would soon overload; but she wanted to try. Ashley flicked her cell phone open and dialed her friend's speed dial number, listening to the ringing until she heard Tori's normal voicemail message. This time she didn't leave a message. Instead, she shut the phone and tossed the phone next to her.

As she leaned forward and buried her head in her hands, Sam asked, "No answer again?"

"No," Ashley mumbled against her palms. "It's just irritating now."

Sam chuckled and said, "Yeah. I know how that is."

She looked up, propping her chin on her hands and looking at Sam. He looked at Dean with something like a glare and Dean glanced at him. "What? What're you looking at me for?"

A small laugh escaped her for the first time that day and Sam turned to face her again. "He does the same thing," he commented.

Dean cleared his throat, looking at his brother in annoyance. "We should be there soon. Quit the chatter it's getting on my nerves." Before either of them could respond, Dean turned up the radio and the rendition of Metallica's "Turn the Page" blared through the Impala's speakers.

Ashley sat back and just listened to the song. It was one of her favorites to listen to while driving. Hell, it was just one she loved because the lyrics talked about the type of life she lived on a regular basis. She tapped her foot to the chorus and relaxed. The past few hours she'd been way too sense and she really needed to let go of it all. Tori's fine, she told herself. She can hand herself against the usual creatures if she runs into one. The thought did little to reassure her, but it had to do.

The chorus came around again and Ashley could hear someone singing. She looked to Sam. It wasn't him. It was Dean, and he looked happy. Dude, share the joy or something. I'm stressing out over losing two people. Rolling her eyes, Ashley picked up her cell phone and started to stare at it again.

They just entered Pontiac and the sky was beginning to darken. "Okay, where's it again Sammy?"

"Uh, turn here," Sam said while pointing to the right of the intersection they were stopped at. Dean turned the wheel and Sam said, "It should be near the end of this road."

He nodded and continued driving, glancing back over his shoulder at Ashley. She'd been silent for the past hour and it was bothering him. All she did was stare at her phone or fiddle with her jacket zipper. He huffed; about to say something to her when there was a ringing sound.

Both he and Sam looked over their shoulder to see Ashley open her phone and say, "Tori?" Dean turned his attention back to the road, crossing his fingers it was either Tori or Jimmy. Maybe even both. "You bitch, where are you?"

Exchanging looks with Sam, they could only assume it was Tori. Dean was fairly certain she wouldn't talk to Jimmy like that.

"What? Keep watch. We should be there shortly," Ashley told her friend on the other end of the phone. She shut the phone and took a breath. "Drive faster and watch for the Camaro. Tori said Jimmy might be in trouble."

Dean took another glance at her, seeing worry on her face before speeding down the road.

Tori was itching to get out of the Camaro and knock on the door to make sure everything was okay. The shadows she could see in front of the big window just had something click in her mind that there was trouble inside Jimmy's house. But she said she would wait. And that's what she was doing.

She heard the roar of the Impala and it pulled over in front of Jimmy's house with a slight screech. Dean, Sam, and Ashley all clambered out of the car. Tori followed suit and got out of the Camaro. "They've got demons inside," she told the trio as she approached.

Dean didn't waste another second and hurried up the porch, letting himself into the Novak house. Tori followed Sam and Ashley in and found themselves face to face with two demons. Two got knocked down to one though when Dean got a hold of the possessed man from behind and used the demon killing knife on his throat in a quick swipe.

The other demon, possessing a woman had been grappling with Jimmy on the floor until she saw them. She got up and went to run; but Sam held out a hand, stopping her. "Go! Get them out of here!" Sam grunted.

Not being needed to be told twice, Tori helped up the young blond girl and shooed the family out the door with Ashley. Dean didn't follow, so she assumed he was helping Sam. The woman she assumed was Jimmy's wife ran around the side of the house to grab something as they stood cautiously with Jimmy and his daughter.

Dean and Sam came hurrying down the porch steps. "Where's your wife?"

"Right here," she said, rushing over and handing a coat to the young girl.

"C'mon, get in," Sam told them.

Tori made her way across the street to her car with Ashley leading the way. She didn't fight when Ashley hopped in the driver's seat. This wasn't the time for that. Her friend quickly started the car and peeled out, following the black Impala.

She wanted to say something, anything; but didn't know what. Tori knew Ashley was pissed off and irritated that she just took off like that the previous night, but she couldn't take the stress. All because of something she had no control over. She knew Ashley couldn't relate or even understand. What she wanted was a little acceptance. It's all she ever wanted.

She put the car in park a few feet away from Dean's and turned it off, still staring through the front windshield angrily. Tori hadn't said a word the whole way to the parking garage that the Winchesters led them to. No type of apology, no type of explanation, nothing. It just fired her up even more.

Ashley got out of the car, slamming the door and grumbling as she saw Dean and Sam get out. Jimmy followed and the three started discussing something. She would've walked over, but she didn't want to get involved. Guilt was still hanging over her head about letting him go. This was mostly her fault that his family was attacked.

"You okay?" she heard Tori's voice quietly ask after the passenger side door opened and shut.

"No, I'm not okay," Ashley near shouted. "You took off, then this. What the hell were you thinking?" she shouted.

Tori crossed her arms, making her way over to the front of the blue Camaro with a shocked look on her face. It was as if she couldn't believe what Ashley was saying. "I was thinking I could check on Jimmy's family for him. Maybe give him a little reassurance that they were alright."

"Then you should've said something instead of storming out like a bratty kid!" She could hear her blood pounding in her ears and huffed. Tori didn't say anything back at that. Either she was at a loss for words, or just not used to being yelled at. Ashley rarely did it before, mainly because she never went off and did something so stupid and reckless.

Someone cleared their throat and Ashley turned, seeing Sam standing there with a concerned look. "Am I interrupting something?"

"No," Ashley snapped. She huffed and shook her head. "Sorry Sam," she mumbled.

The younger Winchester gave a shrug in response. "It's alright, but uh, I have a favor to ask you two."

"A favor?" Tori asked. Her voice sounded to be close to a whisper, making Ashley feel bad for yelling.

Sam nodded. "Yeah. We need a car for Jimmy's wife and daughter to use." He eyed the Camaro with a hopeful expression. Ashley would say yes in a second, but it wasn't her car. She looked at Tori, who hesitated.

After a moment of silence, Tori nodded. "Give him the keys, Ash."

She never expected that answer, but Ashley tossed the keys in Sam's direction anyways. "Thanks. I'll give these to them. Maybe we can arrange something so you can get it back down the line."

"No rush," she told him with a forming grin. "We'll just tag along with you two, if it's okay…?"

"Yeah, definitely. Dean shouldn't mind. It's not like you guys are entirely strangers anymore." He flashed the two a smile before making his way back over to Jimmy and his family, and handed off the keys to his wife.

Ashley watched, leaning against the Camaro thoughtfully. "Sorry," she heard Tori say.

"Don't worry about it." Ashley sighed and stood upright, only to walk over to the Impala when she saw Sam in get the passenger side. It was her signal that they were about to leave. She looked back to see Tori following her and Jimmy saying his final goodbyes to his family. The sight was depressing. A family having to suffer just because of demons.

Shaking her mind clear, Ashley opened the door and crawled to the middle of the back seat and sat. Tori and Jimmy then got in and she saw Dean get in the driver's seat to start the car. Tori poked Ashley in the arm and she looked at her friend curiously. She pointed at Jimmy and Ashley nodded. She put a hand on Jimmy's arm to reassure him and he looked at her with a faint smile as the car drove out of the parking garage.

Nearly twenty minutes later, the distinct sound of a cell phone ringing could be heard in the Impala. Ashley was between Tori and Jimmy in the back seat, both of them leaning on their windows in a lazy fashion. She looked to Dean and Sam, and watched as Sam pulled out his phone saying, "It's mine."

He answered it and looked back at Ashley. "Get Jimmy. It's for him."

She nodded and gave the half asleep man a nudge. "Jimmy?" He blinked awake, a curious look in his eyes. "Someone's on the phone for you," Ashley told him in a soft voice.

Jimmy sat upright and let out a sigh, holding a hand out for the phone. Sam gave him it and he said, "Hello?" Moments after his greeting, the angel vessel's eyes went wide. "Oh my god."

"What?" Ashley questioned, giving him a poke.

He batted her hand away and said, "Fine. Just don't, okay?" From the sound of it, something was wrong. Jimmy seemed angry over whoever was talking to him on the other end of the line.

"Who was it?" Sam asked. "It sounded like…"

"My wife," he cut him off. "They've got her and Claire. We need to go help them," Jimmy pleaded. Sam exchanged a worried look with Ashley and then Dean. Tori was still asleep somehow through their heightened commotion. "Please."

From the front seat there was a grumbling of words. Ashley figured it was Dean as he said, "Where are they being held?"

"You passed it a mile back. The empty warehouse."

Ashley tried the best smile she could muster in the situation and told Jimmy, "We'll get them and they'll be safe. Don't worry."

"I hope so…"

The car came to a stop and the low rumble that lulled Tori into a half sleep went away as the Impala was shut off. She sat up and looked next to her, only to see Jimmy and Ashley getting out of the car. Following their lead, she got out of her side and shut the door.

"Alright, they're expecting you to come along, so that's exactly what we're gonna do," Dean said. He and Sam were out of the car. Tori could only assume something was going on.

"We'll work out way through the catwalks. We'll be right behind you." Sam told him.

Tori looked at Ashley, confused. She wasn't sure what was happening since she'd been dozing most of the ride. Ashley raised an eyebrow and nodded towards Jimmy, who was putting his tan trench coat on and glaring at a huge warehouse they were parked next to.

She looked at the brothers as Dean said, "All you gotta do is stall and stay calm. Let us do our job."

"You want me to stay calm?" Jimmy quickly replied. "This is my family we're talking about."

"Listen to me, this will work, you understand? Nobody's gonna get hurt," Dean went on to say.

Jimmy turned to look at Dean. There was pure disbelief written all over his face. Tori wondered if he even trusted them at all…

"Give me a minute, okay?" He turned, walking towards the building and going around the corner towards where she could only assume was an entrance.

"Dean, they don't expect him to be alone," Ashley said, stuffing her hands into the pockets of her jackets. She had a point. The demons would know that Jimmy had hunters with him if they got to his wife.

Sam gave a slight nod and sounding tired himself as he said, "This is probably a trap."

The older Winchester squinted, looking like he was thinking. "Yeah, I know." He glanced at Ashley and Sam, then Tori. She could tell he didn't want to see any more bloodshed. "That's why I have a plan." A slight smile slid onto his face to reassure the group.