A/N: Hello dear readers and thank you for deciding to take this journey with me. The story is dedicated to my dear sister, ChickFeed, who gave me a brief idea and I researched it, and this is what I came up with. It's a Dean centered story since she is a Dean Girl. She also drew the cover page that I decided to use for this story. I want to thank VegasGranny for her help with prereading and keeping me on track. I do like reviews/comments if you could leave me one. Enjoy… NC

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of SPN, and this story is my own creation. Any errors are my own.

Chapter 1

The town of Lake Crystal, Minnesota looked like any other sleepy small town that the Winchester brothers had visited for a possible case over the years. They had been on their way to Singer Salvage Yard in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to take a few days down time with their surrogate father, Bobby Singer. He had been in their lives since they were young and their father, John Winchester, became a hunter to take his revenge on the monster that killed his beloved wife, Mary Winchester.

John Winchester had raised his boys to be warriors and fight by his side in the battle against the evil of the world. The oldest son took to the hunting life like he was born to do it. The youngest son had different plans and left the life to go to college. That all changed when his brother showed up wanting help finding their father and he couldn't say no. When he returned and found his girlfriend, Jessica, Jess, on the ceiling bleeding profusely, and on fire, he stepped back into 'the life' once again.

Dean and Sam Winchester had been hunting together for years and were like a well-oiled machine able to predict each other's actions and at times seemed to read each other's minds. Dean had promised to take care of Sam from the time he was brought home from the hospital and put in his arms. Over the years he had taken on the rolls of father, mother, big brother, protector, best friend, and hunting partner. Sam was always his number one priority, and he did without growing up or threw himself into danger to protect his little brother.

"Wanna tell me again why we're stopping here?" Dean Winchester asked his brother as he drove into the town limits of Lake Crystal.

"I found some articles online about some missing hikers and one witness said it was a monster that took his friend," replied Sam Winchester to his brother's question. "I've been checking, and it seems there's been an unusual number of missing person cases in this area for its size. And it's not just town folks, but tourists, or people passing through the area. Since it wasn't out of our way, I thought we could check it out."

"Alright, guess we've investigated cases on less information. Sounds like a job for Federal Wildlife and Game Department."

"I found some motels up ahead and one has a free continental breakfast bar," Sam offered knowing how Dean liked them.

"Now you're speaking my language," Dean beamed. "Point me in the right direction."

Sam smiled to himself still amazed at how the trivial things still gave his brother a boost. He didn't need the frills and fancy lifestyle to be happy, though with their life as hunters sometimes it was hard to see the good in all the bad. He directed his brother to the motel and went in to register and get them a room.

Dean remained in the Impala, his Baby, and scoped the area out, never letting his guard down. Being a hunter was something he excelled at and with his brother by his side; they were considered the best hunters out there. They had been trained by the best, their father and Bobby Singer.

The brothers had made friends over the years but had lost just as many. A hunter's life was a dangerous and deadly life, and many didn't make it past their forties, much less retirement years. You had to be crafty, wise, have common sense, and cautious if you were going to pursue the life of a hunter.

Sam stepped from the office and motioned his brother to follow him around the building to the rows of rooms that branched off in the back of the two-story motel. He strolled down the walkway to an end room and unlocked the door.

Dean pulled the Impala into a parking spot in front of the room and killed the engine before getting out to open the trunk for their bags. He tossed Sam his bag and shouldered his own before snagging the weapon's bag to follow Sam into the room. He paused inside the doorway and gave the room a once over thinking it was better than the ones their father had left them in when growing up. There were no mysterious smells or odd stains greeting them and that was a plus.

The room was homey, clean, and decorated in soft colors. The queen size beds looked comfortable, and the room was large with a bathroom through a door off to the side. Dean moved to the bed closest to the door and dropped his bag on it like he always did, before strolling into the bathroom and pausing in the doorway to speak to Sam.

"How 'bout doing your thing and sending an email to the sheriff's department letting them know we're in the area and will be checking out the missing person cases, so we won't get any slack from the coroner."

Sam walked over to the other bed and deposited his duffle and sat on the bed, bouncing slightly to test the mattress. He was pleased with the quality of it and hoped to get a good night's sleep on it. They had improved their choices of motels now that they were making their own way in this world. Sometimes, the hunts would require them squatting in an abandoned house or building which was not as pleasant.

Sam pulled his laptop from his computer bag and went to sit at the table by the window. He got online and used his skills and knowledge to create the email and sent it to the sheriff's department to get their cover story in place. He was finishing up when Den stepped from the bathroom.

"Got the email done," Sam told him looking up.

"Alright," Dean announced after he exited the bathroom. "Shall we go see what the cops have so far?"

"Give me a minute," Sam replied shutting his laptop wanting to take his turn in the bathroom.

"Don't take all day," Dean quipped back at him. He went to the weapon's bag and got out his handgun to check the load before slipping it into the small of his back and putting a knife in his boot.

When Sam stepped from the bathroom he automatically when to the weapon's bag and armed himself also. He smoothed his jacket and made sure the knives were not noticeable, nor the gun in the waistband of his jeans.

"Oh, why don't you hang a bottle of bear deterrent or insect repellant from your belt to make us look more authentic?"

"On it, but I don't think it will be noticed," Sam replied doing as he was told and dug around to find some. He followed his brother out the door and to the Impala so they could head to the sheriff's department.

Sam looked around at the passing people as they sat at a red stoplight noticing they were giving him and Dean strange and wary looks. Some spoke to others who pointed at them making him feel uncomfortable.

"Dean, I think it's spreading that strangers are in town," Sam told him as he tried not to make eye contact with anyone.

"What?" Dean asked looking out the windshield for a moment and saw people stopping to look at them. "It's the car they're looking at," he surmised. "You know my Baby is special."

"I don't know about that," Sam muttered with a frown as more people in passing stared at them.

As the brothers passed a playground, Sam only saw a few kids playing with their parents standing close by, not taking their eyes off their kids. They seemed nervous and jittery and talked among themselves.

"I think the whole town is on edge," Sam commented as he twisted his head to keep looking at the playground. "It's like they know something ominous has come to their town, but they don't know what to do about it."

"It is a small town," Dean shrugged. "Everyone knows everyone else's business. You can't keep secrets in a place like this."

"Can't you feel it though," Sam questioned. "It's in the air. I don't know how to explain it, but something is definitely not right in this town."

"Well, that's why we're here Sammy boy," Dean surmised. He wasn't dismissing Sam's feelings, because being a hunter, that's what usually saved your life, your sixth sense. He was going to keep a close eye on everything and see if he had the same feelings.