Here's the next chapter. Sorry it took so long! But the good thing is that the next chapter is pretty much finished as well. Thank you for your patience and your kind reviews, it means a lot! Thank you again to me beta Gabi for encouraging me and helping me through this even though I was very busy and had a lot on my mind at the time. I couldn't have done it without you!

Sam entered the motel room to find Dean and John in the middle of a discussion. John was cleaning weapons and Dean was pacing the room. Sam suppressed a chuckle when he noticed that Dean had already ditched his FBI uniform and had put on one of Sam's t-shirts and a pair of sweatpants.

"Nice pants dude." Sam laughed as he passed Dean to place the books on the table.

Dean glared at Sam. "Shut up. They're comfortable."

Sam just rolled his eyes as he looked up at Dean. "So, what did you guys find out?"

"Not much. We just talked to the cops." Dean shrugged and sat on the bed. "No one told us anything new. The guy who killed the woman was a really nice man. No one thought he would do it, blah blah blah. Apparently the woman's husband saw the murderer because he was in the room when it happened. This guy named Greg. But other people are telling us he was in a bar at the time."

"Greg was really nice, and so was his wife. I knew them both Dean, I helped them out on occasion and I know he wasn't the type of man to do something like this."

"Maybe he changed."

"But that doesn't rule out the fact that he was seen in two places at once." John butted in. "We were waiting for you so we could decide how we should try to talk to Greg's wife."

"Maybe she'll remember me. So I say we all just go to talk to her. No faking identities or anything, just try and find out what happened."

"You remember where they lived?" Dean asked.

"Yeah, unless they moved. It's just a few blocks away. Oh...and Dean you know the woman that was killed?"

"Yeah?

"Her husband was Mr. Culler. Our jerk history teacher. Remember him?"

Dean's mouth dropped. "Oh! I knew the name sounded familiar when the cops mentioned it." Then suddenly his face turned sour. "Yeah, I remember him alright. I remember how he basically made me the laughing stock of the class."

Sam shook his head in disgust. "Yeah, that's the guy. I figure that we're going to have to interview him too just incase he might know something. Did you guys find out anything about the past murders?"

"A couple months back the same thing nearly happened." John spoke up again, looking at both of his boys. "This time it was a teenager that had shot a fellow student as she was walking home from school. People saw it, but she was also confirmed by classmates and the teacher that she was in drama club at the time. They just assumed it was a girl from out of town that looked like her. The girl's family moved soon after so there's no way we could talk to them. And then there was something similar nearly a year ago."

"Great." Sam huffed.

"I'm thinking it could be a shape shifter. It kinda sounds like it could be one, doesn't it?" Dean offered with a shrug.

Sam thought about that for a moment. "It could be but for what reason would a shape shifter be killing off random people like this?"

"Because it can." Dean pointed out, causing Sam to roll his eyes.

"Usually shape shifters have a motive though Dean, all the other ones we've crossed had. Killing random people is something a vampire or Wendigo would do."

Dean gave Sam an annoyed glare and stalked towards the fridge. "Fine, fine almighty smart one. I forgot that you're the one that has to always be right." His tone was bitter and left Sam wondering what the hell he had done wrong.

"I'm not saying it's not a shifter Dean. You could be right. But I remember reading something in one of Bobby's books about a creature it could be. I forgot the name but it could make people imagine things. Maybe it made the people who were at the scene of the crime think they saw a townsperson commit the murder."

"Always so technical." Dean muttered as he pulled out a tub of ice cream from the mini-freezer. It was cookie dough, Sam's favorite.

"Hey, where the hell did you get that?" Sam asked, wheeling over to Dean, the debate over the case currently forgotten.

"I bought it at the store while you were still chit chatting with your little friends in the library. I had all intentions to share it with you, but since you're being such an annoying fricken' know-it-all gimp you're not getting any."

"Dean come on!" Sam whined, reaching over to get it but Dean just shook his hand as he ran away, jumped onto the nearest bed and held the tub high above his head.

"Ha! Now there's no way you can get it! You're going to have to suffer while I eat it in front of your face!" Sam glared at his brother. He hated when Dean would get moody like this because of his cravings. He didn't get them very often anymore but when he did it was annoying.

"Dean!" John growled out. "Get off of the bed and quit acting like you're two years old. And put away that ice cream you just had some dessert. Sam could be right and so could you. But to find out who is right we have to get more information. Sam you suggested that we should talk to the wife of the man that was convicted of the murder, so I say we do that now."

Dean let out a loud sigh as he put away the ice cream. "So let me just see if I have this straight...Greg Mendel is the supposed murderer who is in custody. We're going to talk to his wife. He killed Mrs. Culler the wife of our history teacher, who was in the room when it happened?"

"Yeah, it's weird how all the people are connected." Sam agreed

"Tell me about it." Dean muttered. "I just can't wait until we get the hell outta this town for good."

Sam knocked on Mrs. Mendel's front door with his brother and father standing behind him awkwardly. It was strange that his family was finally meeting people that Sam knew. Ever since Sam reunited with Dean and John he had been the awkward and unsure one when meeting so many people that his father and brother already knew. It was a weird turn of event to say the least, and he wasn't all too sure that he liked it.

Finally Mrs. Mendel came to the door, obviously she had been expecting someone when her anxious face just turned to confusion at seeing the three men at her door. Then, she suddenly began to panic.

"I don't want anyone to ask me anymore questions about my husband! No we did not have a fight! He was not having an affair! He was never violent in any way and he could have never killed that woman!" She practically yelled at them all and almost slammed the door shut before Sam could get a word in.

"Wait! Mrs. Mendel! Do you recognize me? I'm Sam that used to live across the street…I'd help you and your husband sometimes and you guys would always give me food?"

The woman's face scrunched up for a second before realization dawned in her eyes. "Oh! Sam! Sweet little Sam! That really you? Look at you…you're all grown up and so strong! My gosh…" Her eyes roamed Sam with fascination. "You just disappeared one day and me and Greg had feared the worst. Thank God you're okay! What happened? Did you escape that nasty foster house? And who are these two men? "

Sam couldn't help but chuckle. She had always been a big chatterbox, full of energy and kindness.

"Actually, it's a crazy story but it's true. All those years ago I ended up running into this guy here at school." He said and pointed towards Dean who grinned and blushed. "I became friends with him and we eventually figured out that I was his brother. My family had thought I had died in a fire."

"What? Oh my goodness! That's insane Sam, don't you know that?" Mrs. Mendel looked like she had just heard the best gossip of the month.

Sam smiled. „Oh yeah, I know. But it's true and I'm just really really lucky to have run into them and figured it all out. This is my brother Dean and this is my dad, John." Sam introduced his family to his former neighbor.

Mrs. Mendel quickly shook their hands with enthusiasm. "Oh, how wonderful! You sound so happy Sam, and I'm so glad to hear this! Please, come in! It's so nice to see you and any family of yours is a friend of mine."

They stepped inside as Mrs. Mendel walked ahead of them and immediately the two oldest Winchesters were taken aback by the decorations in her house.

"What the..." Dean murmured, almost a little too loud. Sam reached over and punched him in the arm to tell him to be quiet but that just seemed to aggravate his brother's mood at him some more.

"I forgot to mention that Mrs. Mendel has a little obsession with birds..." He whispered.

"Really now? 'A little'? It's like a gigantic birds nest in here! Are you sure she has a husband?" Dean hissed back in a quiet voice but once they entered her living room he stopped dead in his tracks, his mouth dropping. Sam looked over to his dad and saw how he was fidgeting slightly and looking very very uncomfortable. Sam tried not to laugh, John hated birds...they were probably the one thing he was afraid of.

Sam himself couldn't help but notice that she had gone even crazier with her bird collection. She had countless pictures on the wall, ceramic painted birds on every table. Bird houses hung from the wall and she had a massive collection of those little stuffed birds that chirp when you squeeze them on her entertainment center. She even had a bird clock and colorful parrot blanket on her couch where Dean and John sat down. Not to mention the six bird cages in the room with a giant cockatoo bird that was just roaming the room freely like he owned the place. Sam saw his father go another shade paler as he shifted as far away from the bird as he possibly could.

However once Dean saw the white bird he grinned and started tempting the bird to come to him by waving his hands. Dean loved any kind of animal and Sam thought it was a good thing that their family business was hunting monsters because if it was animal hunting...there was no way Dean could ever do it. He may have acted tough but when it came to animals he had a big soft spot for them.

Mrs. Mendel beamed as the bird walked right up to Dean and hopped into his lap. Dean started petting it and John moved to the other side of the couch. Sam sighed at his family's strangeness and wheeled to the middle of the couch before transferring himself onto it. He'd rather sit in his wheelchair but it would have looked awkward having a huge empty gap on the couch with John and Dean on either side.

"Ohh he likes you!" The woman cooed. "Don't you Coconut?"

Dean cringed at the name, but other than that kept petting the bird soundlessly.

"So I just have to tell you." Mrs. Mendel started, finally drawing her attention away from her beloved pet and faced the terrified John Winchester, oblivious to his discomfort. "What a wonderful son you have...John right?"

John nodded, trying to take his eyes off of the bird in his eldest son's lap.

"Sam here was such a sweetheart to me and Greg. You see, my husband first ran into him at the library. He was taking summer courses at the community college. Apparently he vented his frustration over the history assignment he was doing a little too loud and Sam overheard and offered to help him. He was only what...twelve maybe...eleven...and he helped my husband with his college leveled history homework!"

Finally John's attention from the bird was adverted as he looked over at his youngest son, his eyes and smile shining with pride.

Sam blushed and looked down, not noticing how his brother had gone rigid. "Mrs. Mendel...please...you're making it sound like I was some genius. I never had anything to do so I spent all my time at the library reading books. I really liked the Revolutionary War which is why I could help your husband with some of that. But I never could have helped him with all of that...and plus he was taking a lower leveled history class anyway..."

"Oh nonsense! And please call me Anne." The woman shook her head. "Don't try to bring yourself down. No matter what, you were such a smart boy! And you were so dedicated too. Greg invited you to come over here in the first place so he could brag about you to me. Whenever we were out or busy Sam would take care of the birds for us by feeding them and giving them company, not to mention he even helped us do our taxes a few times!" She chuckled. "Such a smart boy, you must be so proud."

John beamed as Sam blushed yet again. He patted his son on the shoulder. "Yeah, I am."

It was then when Sam realized Dean had stopped petting the bird. He turned to look at his brother to find Dean with his head down, staring at his lap. His hands were shaking slightly and suddenly Sam felt horrible. He and John never brought up anything serious about intelligence or education up to Dean. He just squeaked by in high school...and two years late. They both knew Dean felt bad and embarrassed about it, especially with Sam being as smart as he was. It wasn't that Dean wasn't a smart guy...he was and Sam had no doubt about it. He just had so much trouble in school with his dyslexia and stuff didn't come as easily to him. That didn't mean he wasn't intelligent just because he didn't have book smarts.

Before Sam could say anything to his brother though Anne must had noticed something was up with Dean as well. "And I bet those smarts run in the family now, huh?" She smiled, eyeing Dean, obviously feeling a little bad for saying such nice things about Sam in front of the older brother.

Dean shook his head, slowly. "Nah, I'm nothing like Sam. I guess he took all of the smarts and left nothing for me." He chuckled without humor, kicked his foot on the carpet, and the bird on his leg cocked its head as it stared at Dean. It must have gotten bored of Dean when he stopped petting it so it scuttled off of his lap, not before leaving something special behind though.

"Son of a...!" Dean startled, standing up and staring at the mess on his pants. He blushed then, turning beat red. "Sorry, I didn't mean to..."

But Anne just kept on smiling. "Don't worry one bit about it! You should see me when one of these little pests decides to use me as their toilet. Just sit down and don't you worry, I'll be back with something to clean that."

"Dean..." Sam started but his brother just turned his head away from him.

"Don't Sam. Don't even bother. We all know you're the brains in this family."

And before either Sam or John could say anything else Anne was back with a wet washcloth and some kind of stain remover. In a matter of a minute Dean's sweatpants were clean, leaving only a wet spot behind.

"Great, now it looks like I've wet myself..." Dean continued his angry mumbling but Anne just smiled at him, obviously enjoying his personality before she turned back to Sam.

"So Sam..." Mrs. Mendel started, finally not distracted by something. "What brings you and your family here? Obviously you three didn't stay here in Holton."

Now they could actually get to business. "Well we kinda were near the area and I thought it would be nice to stop by and meet up with some old friends. How are you doing Mrs. Me...Anne?"

And just like that it was like the light had been turned off in Anne's body. She visibly crumpled, slouching down on the couch and her face looked as if she were about to cry. It was almost as if this visit had distracted her and now she was brought back into reality.

"You won't believe it." She said, already starting to cry. "There was a murder a few days ago and they think Greg did it!"

"You're kidding, there's no way he would do such a thing." Sam told her, trying to sound surprised.

"I know!" Anne let out a choked sob. "I'm so glad you see my side Sam I..."

"Do you have any idea why the cops would think Greg did it then?" Dean interrupted. When Sam looked over at him he could tell that his brother seemed antsy and frustrated.

"Well..." Anne hiccupped before she burst out into full-blown sobs. "The man's wife said he saw Greg do it! His fingerprints are even on some of their stuff! But...but...he goes to the bar on Friday nights, he always does! People even confirmed him being there at the time and he was even caught on tape there! They can't arrest him...they just can't...it's a set-up!"

"Do you know anyone he might have been with at the bar at the time?" John asked her.

"Jus...just the regulars...they're always there...the cops said they couldn't keep Greg with the evidence stacked against him so he should be coming home any minute but he's not...I'm getting worried..."

"Uhm...Anne...can you tell me if Greg was acting strange at all that day or anything? Did he suspect any foul play?"

Anne rapidly shook her head. "Not at all. Why should he have? He didn't even know the woman that he was suspected of...mur...murdering!" She started sobbing again as John shared a look with Sam. They found out all that they could've here, it was time to go.

"Mrs. Mendel..." Sam started.

"Anne!' She suddenly interrupted. "Call me Anne Sam, sweetheart. You're a full grown adult now no need to be formal.

"Right." Sam blushed. "Sorry, it's out of habit. Anyway...Anne...we have to get going, I wish we could stay longer but..."

"Oh, don't worry." Anne replied, sniffing. "Thank you for coming and talking to me. It was so nice to see you again Sam, you've grown into a very handsome young man. And it was so nice to meet your family, I'm so happy for you. In fact, it seems like the good looks run in the family. You know I have this niece around your age that I could..."

While Sam was glad Mrs. Mendel had gotten off the subject of her husband, he shook his head. "Sorry, but I already have a girlfriend." He told her, thinking about Jess and wondering if she tells people about him as well.

Anne beamed. "Well, of course you do! I should have guessed, someone as good looking as you..." She trailed off and turned to Dean. "What about you young man, I assume you already have a girlfriend as well, but Maggie and you would go so perfectly together."

Dean blushed again, looking extremely uncomfortable. "Actually I don't...and it's okay...really..."

"Nonsense!" Anne screeched as they headed out the door. "I'll tell her to stop by in the coming days. She'd love to meet you and you guys will have to come back anyway because as soon as I tell Greg he'll demand to see Sam and his family."

Dean rolled his eyes as he turned away from her.

"We'll have to stop by again for sure." Sam smiled. "And before I forget, I'll give you my cell phone number. Let me know when Greg gets home so I don't have to worry."

"You're just too sweet!" Anne cooed as Dean huffed, they both exchanged numbers and finally parted.

"Well, I sure as hell am glad that's over." Dean muttered as they reached the Impala.

John ignored the comment. "So I guess we should talk to the husband of the murdered woman."

"Our old history teacher." Sam pointed out and watched as Dean cringed. "Actually I think it might be better if I talked to him on my own. He'd probably think it was weird if the whole family came."

John nodded at this. "That sounds good, and then me and Dean can go over to the bar that Greg hung out at and try to get some information there. Then we'll come pick up Sam. What do you say kiddo?" He asked Dean, bumping his shoulder.

"Whatever. I don't care." Dean mumbled.

It took all of Sam's willpower not to slap his big brother and knock him out of whatever mood he was in.