Enjoy! (...or don't...)

'~*~'

"All right," Tanner stated, trying to break the prolonged silence. "We're almost at the police station. When you're there, you can get a hot meal."

"And a shower," Ashley muttered.

He stayed silent, following the cousins.

"I'm out. I'm done," Dean announced. "Quit." He walked away, attempting to shove done the fear he felt encircling his heart. Sam sighed in disbelief.

Dean walked along walked along an empty road, tugging at his necktie. Suddenly, he heard a growl. He slowly turned around to see a small dog with a pink bow on its head. It was absolutely terrifying. Dean watched the dog careful, looking into those dark eyes. Then, it blinked. He was sure he was a goner.

"I knew we shouldn't have tried to go to that party," Ashley said spitefully. "We sneak out, walk nearly a mile, and then it turns out Wyatt's parents are supposed to be out of town next week!" Tanner let out a loud sigh. "That's bad enough. But on the way back, my cousin, the good Samaritan, just has to stop and take in some stray and make us all walk halfway across town to get to the frickin' police station just because Columbo here can't remember his stupid name!" She huffed. "Ugh! These are so not the shoes for this!"

"Do you ever stop complaining?" Tanner sighed again.

Ashley gave an exasperated gasp. "Why, you-"

"And the station isn't 'halfway across town'. We've only been walking for, like, twenty minutes."

"Twenty-six minutes and forty-nine seconds, to be exact." Both cousins abruptly stopped and slowly turned to look at the strange man.

"Okay, scratch that," Ashley noted in disbelief. "Not Columbo, Rain Man."

The cousins looked at each other with opposing expressions. Before either one could comment further, everyone's attention was caught by a frightened yell.

"Was...that a scream?" Tanner asked. Everyone was still and silent for a moment.

"AAAAAHHHH!"

"Okay, that was definitely a scream." Tanner sprinted off in the direction of the cries.

"Wait, shouldn't we—? Tanner!" Ashley tried to call after him. The next thing she say was a tan blur as the strange man hurried in the same direction. "I swear, you guys are nuts! It's like you want to get your heads chopped off by some creepy murderer or something!" Ashley huffed, all alone on the sidewalk. After a few seconds, she grew weary and chased after the two men.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHH!"

When Tanner reached the source of the outbursts, he stopped in tracks. "You...can't be serious." Behind him, he heard the man approaching. "Hey, tell me we're seeing the same thing here."

In front of them was a grown man slowly backing away from a tiny dog.

"Oh, my God," Ashley puffed as she came closer to her cousin. "Why is every...guy in this...town...so frickin' weird?" She swallowed and tried to control her breathing. "Hey, isn't the…the Wellers' puppy?"

"Yeah, I think so. All right, let's head—"

"This man needs help," the strange man stated simply.

"No arguments there," Ashley supplied.

"Looks like he just had a bit too much to—" The man in the overcoat ran forward without another word. "Hey! What do you think you're doing?" He looked at his cousin. "Is this guy serious?"

He could hear the children yelling behind them, but ignored them. There was something about this frightened man. He was special. Important. And for some reason, the man in the overcoat felt compelled to protect him.

The frightened man slowly backed away from the dog. When the man's back hit the side of a building, his terror only heightened.

"Do not be frightened," the man in the overcoat called as he rushed in front of the frightened man and held his arms out defensively. "I will protect you."

Nearby, he could hear Tanner saying, "All right, I give. This guy's insane. Both of them! Let's just head home before we get in trouble..."