"Okay, how about you tell us everything, from the beginning."
They were back in Indiana's motel room, both brothers sitting in the bed in front of hers- Karen's bed- whilst she sat in her own.
She looked at Sam, hands squirming in her lap and pulling at the hems of her jeans.
"As I said before- we were working a case. Karen," even saying her name out loud proved to be difficult, "she figured out the pattern. All the victims were female blondes, in their twenties, and at a bar called 'The Jungle'." She'd already said that, why did she have to say it again?
The bar was a cheap place, with plastic covered booths and lousy bathroom hygiene. It hadn't had too many customers, but perhaps that was more due to the fact that it'd been early evening when they'd gone to give the place a scoop.
Not exactly the prime time to be celebrating happy hour, although Indiana wasn't one to judge. Alcohol remained- and would always remain- a mystery to her.
"We-, I didn't notice anything out of sorts- or anyone. The place seemed pretty normal for me." Yet again, she wasn't exactly an expert on bars- or normalcy.
She'd told them what'd happened, not leaving any details out- although a few personal comments were omitted to avoid judgment, she barely knew the brothers after all, and while she considered herself a friendly gal (didn't that sound egotistical), hunters weren't exactly the type of crowd you wanted to get cozy with. Unless you desired a gruesome- and most definitely painful- death.
So yeah, Indiana may have skimmed past some details. The brothers didn't need to know that she felt sorry for the sleety dressed girl with what were probably some dubious life choices, or pity for the lonely looking man that'd sat in a corner, eyes sad and mouth grim.
"So," Sam sighed, hands clasping together as he looked at Dean. "Think checking out the place is worth the risk?"
Dean shrugged, moiling the proposition around in his head.
"Okay," he got up and straightened his leather jacket, "we're going. But you stay here."
His finger was directed to Indiana.
"No way," she shook her head, "I'm coming with."
"Like hell you are." Dean sighed, and then, tone going softer, "Look, Indiana, I get it. Your sister is gone and you want to find her, and that's great. But in case you haven't realized, you also happen to fit the profile. Which means that I can't risk you disappearing." He looked at Sam, searching for a backup.
"Dean's right. You called us for a reason, so just- let us do our job, okay?" Sam agreed, also getting up.
Indiana thought of insisting, on arguing their point, but the fact was- they were right. She said it before, and she'd say it again; she wasn't hunter material. So really, what was the point of her going with them? She'd just be a nuisance, get in the way.
Yet, this was Karen. Her little sister who'd gone missing, and if Indiana didn't do anything and everything in her power to find her...she knew she'd pay for it for the rest of her life. And she couldn't have that weight on her conscious.
"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I'll have to insist."
They ended up letting Indiana join them, albeit very begrudgingly. Dean had especially been clear on what he thought of her tagging along, muttering to his brother that he was a softie for letting her change his opinion.
But Indiana didn't care, or at least she didn't give any indication that it did.
Karen was the only thing that mattered right now, which was funny, considering the last real conversation they'd had (idle bar chatter didn't count), had been rather unpleasant, with both parties- Karen more than her- saying some pretty harsh things.
"You're not my mother. You're not even my sister!"
Things that wouldn't be easily forgotten, and had she not gone missing, Indiana would bet that they currently wouldn't be on speaking terms.
"So what, now you're stealing her insults too?"
Still, all things considered- she was still worried...and maybe a bit mad, but this wasn't the time nor place for resentment. That could wait until her sister was found, which she would be of course.
No doubt.
So, like she said, Dean was grumpy. His face had a perfect scowl adorning its features, and he stuck to speaking to Indiana a strict minimum- which was barely at all.
The door to the bar jingled opened, and the bartender- a young man that had flirted with Karen the previous night- looked up in silent expectation once he spotted the blonde, clearly hoping her younger- and much prettier- sister followed.
Indiana was sorry to disappoint.
The Winchesters took a seat at a table, one near the door that would receive little gusts of wind from time to time. Indiana shivered as she sat down.
The Brothers didn't waste time; scanning the place, the people, the layout. They worked in silence, only communicating in discreet looks that Indiana couldn't for the life of her decipher.
She got bored soon, legs jostling in a nervous beat.
After some time, Sam coughed and leaned in. "Don't look, but there's a man behind you that hasn't taken his eyes off you since we sat down." His tone was calm, clearly not wanting her to panic.
That didn't stop her from doing just that, as being told you were watched wasn't pleasant news.
Ignoring her increasing heart rate, she scratched her arm and ran a hand through her hair, using the opportunity to turn her neck the slightest of bits, hoping to catch a glimpse of the guy.
She liked to think she'd been discreet.
She wasn't.
"I think he was here last night." She hadn't gotten a good look, but something about him seemed familiar to her.
Dean reached into his back pocket, fishing his car keys from inside.
"Here," He dangled them over the table. "Take these, slowly get up, announce you're going out to get something from the car and that you'll be back in a few."
She frowned before getting what he was saying. "Are you crazy? Look, if this guy follows me...I don't know how to defend myself! Wha- what if he attacks me?"
Dean rolled his eyes. "Relax. Sam and I will follow."
"You're sure?" She hated the tremble that overtook her words, but she couldn't help it. She wasn't brave, at all. Perhaps not a coward, but definitely overly precautious.
And precaution was anything but this.
Protests were on the tip of her tongue, waiting to spill from her lips, spewing all the things that could go wrong, when she thought of Karen. Her little sister Karen- who was gone, and it was her fault- hers- and if there was anything she could do to help she had to, there was no choice.
She was still petrified though.
The keys jostled against her hand and she fumbled with them briefly before rising.
"I'm just gonna grab something from the car real quick. I'll be back in a second."
She left before logic could consume her.
Her heart was thudding painfully loud in her chest, she could actually hear the blood coursing through her veins, and her stomach was in a twist. She felt like throwing up.
She didn't, thank god, and before she knew it she was in the parking lot searching for Dean's car, which she had no idea on what it looked like, she realized with a pang.
Indiana didn't know anything about cars (they terrified her, in fact, even though she was twenty-five she didn't know how to drive) and thus had no idea as to what car key logos went with what car brand.
Thankfully, although she wasn't very thankful at all, she was grasped before she could stand looking like a complete idiot for too long by the man who'd, predictably, followed her.
Her heart nearly burst out as her body was turned, but before anything happened to her Sam and Dean appeared, Dean going for the man and Sam to check on her.
"You okay?" The younger brother asked as Dean apprehended their suspect.
Indiana nodded briefly. She did not want to do that ever again. She'd had enough excitement to last her a lifetime.
"Yeah, just fine," she lied, shooting him a half-hearted smile.
She needed to use the bathroom. Like, right now.
Of course, now was not the time for a bladder run.
So, ignoring the pressure on her lower abdomen, she brought her attention back to the situation at hand- the creep who'd followed her out here.
Upon closer inspection, she does recognize the man's features.
He'd been there the night before, she was sure of it, and not only that but she was sure he'd also been gone after her bathroom run - yet again her bladder demanding attention.
She really needed to learn how to control bathroom necessities.
The Winchesters at least hadn't wasted any time. Shielding themselves between two cars, they tested their suspect with the basics.
But whispering 'Christo', brazing him with silver or even checking his mouth for fangs...none of it seemed to gather a reaction from the man other than extreme confusion and perhaps the smallest trace of fear.
Indiana couldn't blame him, the situation was a bit weird - even for her, and she knew what was happening.
He seemed, by all means, human.
Unless he was working with monsters in his free time, then he wasn't what they'd been looking for. Somehow, the fact that he was just like her didn't reassure Indiana in the least.
Humans could be a messed up bunch too, even if they lacked the excuse of natural instincts like werewolves and vampires.
There was a silent exchange between the three hunters (well, more like two hunters and a third reluctant wannabe hunter). It seemed like they were just going to let him go, even if he'd followed Indiana out here, even if she was sure he'd been there last night and then disappeared.
Seeing no other option before her, Indiana interrupted the brothers continued silent conversation to which she was still not privy.
"Where's my sister?" Her voice started out calm enough but verged to a quiver on the last word.
"What the hell is wrong with you people?" The guy yelled back, clutching his injured forearm.
It wasn't the answer she was looking for, so she asked again, "Where's. My. Sister."
"I don't know!"
"No, you do!" She took a menacing step forward without realizing it. She'd never yelled at someone, much less a stranger, like that. It was oddly empowering.
"You do because last night she was here, and you were here. And I left for two minutes - two minutes! - and when I came back you were both gone. Both of you. Not to mention how weird it is that you'd just follow me out here. Now, that seems too much like a coincidence for it to be just that."
She never felt so brave yet scary before.
The man closed his eyes slowly and sighed. "Look, girl, I really don't know."
She didn't appreciate being called a girl - she was a woman, okay? She bled once a month as proof.
But, he seemed sincere, oddly enough, and Indiana felt a little like an idiot for having lost her temper.
"But I did follow her out here. She was making suggestive gestures from over at the bar and then she got up and left." He picked up his pace upon seeing Indiana's now bordering on murderous glare, that she was trying - and failing- to mask.
She still wasn't sure at who she should direct it, the man or Dean's infuriating smirk.
Probably both.
"She wasn't there when I came out. I swear, she was gone and I have no idea where she went - no idea, I swear!"
She'd believe him, she really would, except Karen would never - never - make suggestive gestures of any kind to some random guy at a bar.
She was sure of that. And it wasn't because Karen was her sister, her little sister, and she refused to believe she'd ever be anything but perfect because she could very well imagine Rachel doing just that.
It just...didn't fit.
And she couldn't shake off the feeling, that gut feeling that no one knows how it works yet you're supposed to always listen to, that was telling her, no -screaming at her; There's something you're missing here.
But she didn't know what she was missing.
And she somehow doubted she'd figure it out anytime in the near future.
She missed her sister. Very much.
They eventually let the man go - Indiana wasn't really sure if it'd been the right decision but she trusted the Winchesters judgment.
They had been doing this for much longer than her after all. Experience over something else she couldn't remember, right?
"So, what now?"
They were once again back in her motel room.
"I don't know," Sam rubbed his face. "I mean, I don't know Karen, at all, and I don't want to offend you but...I mean - are you sure she wouldn't just leave? That maybe, I don't know - she needed some time for herself?"
"I'm positive." Indiana didn't hesitate with her answer. "She wouldn't just leave - leave me - like that, not without saying goodbye or anything. Never."
Even if they'd had a fight. Even if they'd been mad.
Dean nodded from his perched position against the table.
"Well, we still have a case here so, how about we stay and do that, and you go home, Indiana?"
"I don't think-"
"We'll keep you posted," he interrupted her. "Anything comes up - we'll call."
She opened her mouth to argue but wasn't given the time to speak...again.
"Look, and don't take this the wrong way, but you're not a hunter. If you stay, you'll probably get hurt, or more, and I, personally, don't want that on my conscious. Besides, you can't find your sister if you're dead."
He had a point. A good, valid point.
So, besides not really wanting to, she shut her mouth and agreed.
She should probably get home and tell their dad what had happened at some point anyways. And Rachel.
She deserved to know too. Although that was not a conversation she was looking forward to.
And while she was at it, she should probably also call the police - just in case, the standard twenty-four hours had passed by.
Her things were all packed up already (she'd barely unpacked) and she had enough money on her for the bus ride back.
She'd call the rental place for the car they - she - was leaving behind.
"You guys can stay here the night if you want. Rooms already paid for till morning."
She spotted Karen's pajamas and started packing up all her things, putting them back in her suitcase whilst she sought out a way to break the news to her father in her head.
"Sounds good," Dean said, heading towards the bed she'd vacated and lying down. She'd forgotten the long ride they'd probably made to get to her as quickly as they had.
Sam shot her a small smile, simply saying, "Thanks."
"No problem." She was getting ready to leave, already tired of the rooms reminders and wanting to leave it all behind as soon as possible now that it was an option when she remembered something.
"Can I have your phone number? I have Dean's but...you know, just in case he doesn't pick up or anything, it'd be nice to have a backup."
Dean grunted in protest, probably offended or something, not that she cared.
She handed Sam her phone and when all was typed in, she left the brothers with another 'thank you' and a reminder to keep her informed.
Once outside, she fished the bus timetable from her bag and upon seeing she had a good half hour left till the next one, she decided to just call Rachel and get it over with.
Waiting for her older sister to pick up, she fumbled with her coat. Here went nothing.
God, she was not looking forward to this.