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Chapter 20: Crossroad Blues Part 2

"Six letters for chit-chat/conversation." I said staring at the crossword puzzle. We'd stopped at a gas station before we headed on the road to Mississippi. Usually I hated these things because no matter how simple they ended up being I could never get them.

"Andy why'd you get that thing if you never actually do it yourself?" Dean asked me, putting the turn signal on.

"Shut up, like you even know what it is." Dean scoffed and cleared his throat, looking at me through the review mirror. I smiled at him innocently. "Well…"

He cleared his throat again and turned left, heading on the highway. "Well obviously its uh…rumor."

"That's five letters Dean." Sam said, almost annoyed. Dean picked up his hand and counted and I giggled as he realized Sam was right. "It's gossip."

I jutted out my lower lip, biting it slightly. I wrote it in the spot and nodded. "Yeah that's it."

"Give me another one." Sam said, leaning his elbow on the car door and propping up his head. He must have been extremely bored and incredibly fed up with Dean's music if he was going out if his way to talk to me and occupy himself with a crossword puzzle.

I sighed, looking over the puzzle. "Okay…um nine little word for despondency." I scrunched my eyes at the word. Okay, lets see if he'd get that one, seeing as how I didn't even know what that word meant. I don't even think I pronounced it right.

Sam sighed and looked out the window and Dean took a look at him. "What? Don't you know it?"

"Heartache."

I shook my head and filled in the word in the spaces. Seven letter word for sardonic… Okay I think that was enough word puzzles for today. I closed the book and placed it on the seat.

"Really, was that it?" Dean asked and I shrugged.

"Sam got it and I don't know, I'm kind of done." I said leaning my head against the leather of the car seat.

"I didn't get any of them."

Suddenly Sam let out a chuckle that made me smile. "Ah, well all in fairness those words were a little big for you Dean."

"Shut up." Dean said smiling. "Alright, I got one of my own. Four letter word for beautiful."

Sam groaned and I giggled, leaning up in the seat. I stroked the back of his neck and kissed the back of his head. "Wouldn't be Andy would it?"

Dean scoffed. "Everything about you? Dean has four letters too."

Sam burst out laughing and I scoffed, hitting him upside the back of the head. "I hate you! Four letter word for asshole."

Dean laughed, turning the car right and blowing me a kiss through the rearview mirror. I rolled my eyes and refused to blow one back.

"How long till we get to Mississippi?" I asked, rolling my shoulders. I really got cramped in this damn backseat sometimes. I felt really antsy and I think Dean noticed because he smiled at me. I'm glad he was enjoying the whole 'caged' emotion I was feeling.

Dean shrugged, dragging out his answer because he knew it agitated me. It's not nice to piss of your girlfriend when she's having cramped car feelings. "I don't know, maybe a few more hours."

I groaned. "Can we stop like, after an hour so I can get out and stretch?"

Dean just looked at me and then back at the road. "You can't handle being back there for a few more hours? Sam's legs are longer than yours and you don't hear him complaining."

I stretched out on the backseat and looked at the ceiling of the car. Some shoe marks were still clearly visible from the times I had crawled over into the front seat. "Well, I'm glad you're comfortable Sam but the backseat is driving me crazy. Let me drive for a while then."

Dean scoffed. "No." Geez, he definitely wasn't the caring, pushover boyfriend today huh?

"Well, come on Dean," Sam said suddenly. "It's not like a guy oddly jumped off a high rise or anything. We got nothing to rush to. Guy's been dead for a while now."

I sat up and Dean smirked. "Did Sam Winchester just make a joke?" I asked.

I was utterly confused at what he could be joking about. Didn't we just have another fight that I knew he was no where near over? Why was he joking around with me? Was he alright or was he just trying to keep up appearances? It was official. Sam Winchester was bipolar. He had to be to confuse me with emotions ever changing like this.

"Yeah, a really bad one." He answered and turned to look out the window again.

"You wanna play another game?" Dean asked me and glanced at the rearview mirror.

I stuck my tongue out at him. "I'm mad at you."

Damn him for having the sexiest smile ever. "Good, then you don't have to be on my team."

"Well, she's not going to be on mine." Sam said with a small smile I could detect in his voice. "She's not that good at Roadside Bingo."

I sat up, crossing my arms over the backseat and leaning my chin on my arms. "Well, who said we were playing Roadside Bingo, you ass. Besides, I don't suck at Hunting ABC."

"Well, we're not playing that either." Dean said unenthusiastically. "Hate that damn game."

I giggled. "That's because when it was your turn for T you said Tundra."

He turned his head to glare at me and nudged my arm with his elbow. I refused to move and eventually he just let his arm drift across the backseat and drove the car with one hand. We were on a deserted highway and the road seemed to stretch forever. I was surprised he wasn't driving with no hands. But you know Dean. That car was more important to him than his ego. He had to have one hand at least on the wheel. I leaned up off the seat and let his arm get comfortable and then I leaned my chin down on him, putting my hand over his. He smiled affectionately and stroked my hand with his fingers.

"We can make up a new game." Sam said thinking. "But I have no idea what we could do."

I smiled. "We're creative. Well at least I am…I can think of something." I could literally feel both boys roll their eyes at my comment and I scoffed. "Or you two brain trusts can think of something to do." I looked at my cell, we'd been thinking of something to do for over a half of an hour now. I hope Dean knew I was totally serious about him stopping after an hour.

Dean and Sam looked at each other a moment but I could see the wheel wasn't even close to turning. I was most definitely the smartest person of the group. "I can tell by your faces you two got nothing." I said matter of factly.

"Well do you have anything?"

"I have many ideas." I said smiling.

Sam chuckled. "Any of them actually worth saying out loud?"

"Shut up." Dean smirked and looked at the road and I felt his hand squeeze mine. "We could…" I thought for a moment. "Find things outside and name them and then someone has to look for something else that begins with the same letter. Like…" I looked out the window. "Barn and you would say?"

"Boring." Dean said and I shoved him, making him smile.

"That's not an object."

"Cardboard Box." Sam said, seeing one on the side of the road.

"I'm smart enough to know that that starts with a C Sam, which is not part of the game." Dean said suddenly very serious, like Sam just broke a law and I knew he was making fun of me.

"Well…box begins with a B." Sam said, shrugging and looking at Dean.

I could tell by his body language that Sam wasn't over anything we had talked about at all. I just noticed that he never actually looked at me the entire time he had been talking to me. Granted he was in front of me but I knew if he wanted to, he'd turn around to look at me as he spoke. And he didn't. I knew we still weren't okay and I made a mental note to thank him later for keeping up appearances around Dean. Even though, it was mostly for himself. He wasn't doing me any favors. He was protecting his own ass. Dean wasn't just going to brush this whole thing with me under the rug again, it wasn't who he was.

"You both are asses." I said suddenly and Dean started laughing. "You think of something to do. And can we pull the car over now?"

"It's only been 50 minutes."

"Please?" I begged Dean in a voice I knew no matter what he wouldn't be able to resist. "Ten minute difference."

Dean shrugged. "An hour is an hour."

I threw my head back and rolled my neck, which was beginning to feel stiff. I looked out the window and saw a big open field. Lots of trees and it was a nice day. "If we pull over, I have something we can do."

Sam rolled his eyes and looked out the window at the rolling hills and the bunch of barns. "We're not cow tipping Andy."

Dean chuckled and I shoved Sam on the back and I could see his neck tense up. I tried ignoring it, seeing as how it wasn't supposed to bother him but I felt bad that I had forgot we were pretending. "On Dean's side its an open field. Come on, green grass, lots of trees, fresh air for a while will do my Cabin Fever some good."

"You're trying to tell us you have Cabin Fever like Jack Nicholson in the Shining?" Dean asked me doubtfully and he was starting to pass up all the field.

"Yes." I whined, begging him to stop. "And if you don't stop I'll ax your car."

"It's cause I'm too cute to kill." Dean said, a big goofy grin on his face as he pulled the car over and I smiled getting out.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night Dean." Sam said, getting out also and I could feel him watching me as I stretched my arms over my head. I sighed and leaned against the car, eyes closed, happy I could stand and move my muscles around.

I felt a kiss being planted on my lips and I smiled, opening my eyes to see Dean pull away. He smiled and reached down to hold my hand as he leaned against the car as well.

"Don't we have a football in the trunk?" I asked and Sam smiled, seeming to read my mind.

"I was actually just thinking that."

"Guys, we have a case to get to." Dean said suddenly, being a grown up. Which I was proud of him for. I pushed myself off the car and went to lean on him. He gingerly wrapped his arms around my waist and gave me a slight squeeze.

"Come on, like twenty minutes? Please?" I asked and pouted. He shook his head, a small smile growing on his face and he nodded, pulling at my bottom lip with his lips. He kissed me gently and I pulled back. "Thank you."

I ran out into the field and Sam threw the football to me. I caught it easily and saw Sam and Dean run at me to get it. Stupid boys and football. I saw Dean had taken his leather jacket off and was now just in a black polo and Sam had taken his long sleeved shirt off and had a white t-shirt underneath. I squealed, trying to avoid them both but I felt Dean come up behind me and pick me up by the waist.

"Get it Sam!" Dean said as he held me up and I dropped the ball before Sam could try and grope for it. I knew he didn't want to be touching me anyways so it just made it easier. He smiled, but it was at Dean and he took off with the ball.

Dean dropped me, a slight kiss on my head before he ran off. I rolled my eyes; I'd never get it off of them now. They started throwing it to each other, backing up farther and farther. I'd have to be the monkey in the middle wouldn't I?

I tried to get closer to Dean, seeing as how Sam was taller and I'd never get it off of him. Sam threw it long and high up in the air. I watched the ball zip through the air and I ran right along with Dean, trying to catch it. He pit stopped and I ran into him, not paying attention and he smiled as he caught it.

"Trying to use power of persuasion to get the ball of me?" He asked and I shrugged, kissing him and managing to grab the ball out of his hands.

He looked at me and shook his head. I giggled. "Yep."

He shrugged, like he was trying to build his balls back up. "I let you have it."

I rolled my eyes and threw it to Sam. "Obviously." He wrapped his arms around my waist again as Sam threw it and I tried moving to get it but Dean chuckled and held me in place. At the last moment he moved and raised his arm in the air, catching it easily. "Jerk." I said sticking my tongue out at him.

He blew me a kiss, throwing the ball to Sam. "Brat."

I ran towards Sam to get the ball before he threw it. I have no idea why I did it, there was no way in hell I was getting that ball off of him. He threw it back to Dean before I even reached him.

"Really thought you were going to get that off of me?" He asked with a smile, even though he hadn't looked at me when he said it.

"I was hoping." This was weird. There was no need to pretend. Dean couldn't even hear us.

"Run!" Dean yelled to both of us and Sam and I took off, readying ourselves to catch the ball.

Dean threw the ball and it flew high up into the sky. I stopped, trying to figure out where it was going to fall. I ran a little to the right, which I knew was where Sam had been running but he had stopped too. So I figured I was okay. I could see the ball coming right to me but unfortunately so was Sam. He hadn't noticed I had stopped right behind him. So as I caught the ball, he turned and ran right into me, toppling me over.

It was an accident. No ones fault. But Dean, needless to say, threw an angry fit when he ran over and saw Sam's lips literally an inch away from my own. And Sam wasn't moving. He was like transfixed; his eyes staring into my own. I prayed for him to get off and I tried to think of a way to move to get him off me that wouldn't suggest anything. But Dean did it for me; unfortunately. That wasn't what I wanted. He gripped the back of Sam's collar and pulled him off of me. Sam fell back on his ass, somewhat dazed and Dean grabbed my arm and gently pulled me up from the ground.

Dean was pissed. I could tell by the movements he was trying to soften as he touched me. His touches were short and angry as he brushed dirt off the back of me. "What the hell was that Sam?" He asked.

I looked at Sam sympathetically. "It wasn't his fault, he didn't know I was behind him. It was too late to stop." I said softly.

Dean looked at me, his hand still having a firm grip around my arm. "So what? He tried to cushion the blow with his lips?"

I swallowed, gripping the football close to my chest. What could I say? That that had been an accident too? Sam had stayed there, that close to me, on purpose. Sam got up off the ground a moment later, brushing dirt off of him. He didn't say anything and I begged him to at least apologize, saying it was an accident. But he couldn't. I knew he wasn't sorry.

"It was an accident Dean." I said gently.

Dean shook his head, letting go of my arm. He was angry I was sticking up for Sam and angry that Sam didn't have the balls to at least say something. "Fun's over." He said harshly and started walking back to the car.

I exchanged glances with Sam. No flipping shit.

O00o0o0o0

I sat up in the passenger seat and a bruised Sam sat in the back. Everything was silent and I was even afraid Dean would snap at me if I turned the radio on. We had to head out to a friend of the architect Sean Boyden and see if we could pump him for any kind of information. Before we headed there we stopped at a rest stop about a half an hour away from our destination to get changed in the suits and getups for meeting this guy. I think we were pretending to be from a magazine. Maybe stating we had a tribute for Sean in the Architectural Digest. Which made me think a stupid thought like who the hell would read that magazine other than architects? It seemed like a dentist magazine. Ya know, like one of those really annoying ones you find in a dentist waiting room?

I changed into a black skirt and slipped on a gray blouse that accentuated my chest. I figured hey, mise well show it if you got it. Plus it didn't look obnoxiously slutty. I don't think the guy would take us very seriously if I looked like I came off a corner. I walked out of the bathroom stall, stopping to fix my high heels and headed back out to the car. Dean was by the trunk, adjusting his tie and Sam wasn't out yet. Now either he was still in the bathroom or Dean had killed him and stuffed him in the trunk. Believe me when I say either option was highly viable.

"Hi." I said softly, almost startling him. He looked at me and then back at his tie, which he was having trouble with. "You want some help?" He stared at me for a long moment, like he had to remember that he wasn't really mad at me. He tried pushing some of his anger aside because he nodded and let me undo his tie and redo it. I knew he wanted me to be close to him, to assure him I was still his. Because he could have said no and redid the tie himself. "You okay?" I asked.

"He almost kissed you."

I shook my head. "He wouldn't have done that." But something told me he had been close to it.

"Right, because I was right there. But what about next time? What are you gonna do?"

"Seriously, you're gonna ask me that?" I asked, a bit miffed and he shrugged. Like what? When Sam kissed me, and I'm saying if he ever did, the tables would just turn and I'd kiss him back? "Do you not have any faith in me whatsoever?"

"It has nothing to do with that Andy. What it has to do with is that you're a nice girl." He put his hand on my cheek. "The sweetest one I know. And I know it would break your heart to break Sam's."

"But I wouldn't just let him kiss me." I replied upset. "I wouldn't do that to you. Ever. You know that don't you?"

Dean looked into my eyes and nodded, pulling me into a tight hug. I squeezed him as hard as I could, resting my head against his chest. He left a small kiss on my forehead and rested his chin on my head.

"I can't lose you." He said softly and against my hair. He said it so soft that the only reason I had heard him was because his voice had made his chest rumble against my ear. His heart thudded against me and I squeezed him, leaning up to kiss his neck.

Made me think of last night and how I hadn't picked up his tone until now. "You make this life…more bearable." He had said it so desperately and it hadn't occurred to me how much he actually needed me. Even if he didn't always show it. I kept him stable. Hadn't I been the one to pick up his pieces when he had fights with Sam about his father or when his dad died? I wasn't complaining; it felt wonderful being needed. Especially by him.

"You gonna be able to handle Sam without kicking the holy crap outta him?" I asked, pulling back.

Dean sighed, looking annoyed. "Just sit up front."

I smiled, leaning over to brush my lips against his. "Good thing I was planning on doing that anyways."

He grinned, giving me a passionate kiss as Sam came out of the bathroom and walked towards the car.

Tension was high, to say the least, as we pulled out the parking lot. Dean would glance back at Sam every so often to see what he was doing and I put a hand on his thigh, giving him a firm squeeze. Sam wouldn't look up at us and just typed around on his laptop, looking up things on the case. And I just kind of sat back, enjoying the anxiety pushing its way throughout the car and into everyone's bloodstream.

But as I thought about it. It was hard to think of a time that it hadn't been like this.

O0o0o0o0o

"So one more time, this is for…?" Sean's business partner Kyle, looked at us as we roamed around his kitchen. His house was amazing. But I guess if I was an architect I'd make my house as amazing as I could too.

"A tribute to Mr. Boyden –- Architectural Digest." I said with a smile and Kyle laughed. Now I looked at him oddly. Kind of morbid I know, but funny? "That funny to you?"

He shook his head no, his short spiked brown hair shaking side to side. It was a little bit longer than Dean's and you could tell the gel wasn't working. He wasn't unattractive though. He was clean cut and had blue rimmed glasses. He looked like a dork but not one of those ones you had the urge to smack lunch money out of. He was cute, but obviously nothing I was attracted to.

"No, it's just…a tribute." He said and nodded. "Sean always got the tributes. He kills himself, leaves me and his family behind, and he gets another tribute." Poor Kyle had the jealous bug but he had somewhat of a point.

"Any idea why he'd do such a thing?" Sam asked, putting his hands in his pockets. First time he'd said anything since the incident in the field.

Kyle shrugged, offering us drinks. We all shook our heads politely, saying no thank you. Even though I knew Dean really wanted that Miller Kyle was putting back in the fridge. "I have no clue. I mean, he lived a charmed life. He was a flat-out genius and he wasn't always that way, either."

"He wasn't?" I asked and I could see Kyle drift his eyes from my shoes up my legs. It made me shiver but I tried to ignore the fact he was ogling while he was talking. Or the fact that Dean stood right in front of me, trying to be nonchalant, after he saw what Kyle was doing.

"There was a time where he couldn't even design a pup tent." Kyle laughed slightly, even though nothing was funny. "Hell, ten years ago, he's working as a bartender at this place called Lloyd's, a complete dive."

"Right." Sam said now standing next to Dean. Great. Way to be obvious guys, block me out completely. "So, what changed?"

I could tell by the way Kyle was talking he felt a bit threatened by Sam and Dean. "You got me. But overnight, he gets this huge commission and he starts designing the most ingenious buildings anyone has ever seen."

His story was ringing bells in my head but I couldn't exactly place why it sounded familiar.

O0o0o0o0o

So we headed down to an animal protection agency to ask around about the calls they've received this week, which was a whopping nineteen calls, and all had to do with black dogs. It was decided that we should head down to the last call on the list, which was the resident of Dr. Sylvia Perlman.

We got to the house and my eyes literally went wide. And here I thought the architect house was huge but this was ridiculous. It was damn near close to a mansion and well, it could have been. A maid did open the door for us when we knocked. I knew Doctors never had to worry about money but her house was extravagant. She had everything from the fountain in the front to the pool in the back. It made my heart ache for a home. Not as luxurious as this one but one that I could at least come home to.

I watched as the maid bustled around the kitchen nervously as she talked to us. She ran into me once or twice and apologized profusely for it. But I mean, according to her Dr. Sylvia left two days ago and hadn't called since. I guess I'd be a bit upset too.

"So, where did the doctor go?" Dean asked and I shifted closer to him, not wanting to be run over by the maid again.

She shook her head. "I'm not sure. She just packed and went. She didn't say where. That stray dog, did you find it finally?"

"Uh, not yet. You know, you didn't ever happen to see the dog yourself, did you?" Sam asked.

"Well, no. I never even heard it." Made the doctor sound just a bit nutty. "I was almost starting to think the doctor was imagining things." I almost smirked at the thought I just had. Maybe I was on the money.

"You know, I read she was the chief surgeon at the hospital. She's gotta be, what, forty-two, forty-three? That's pretty young for that job isn't it?" I asked. I'm guessing age didn't matter much if you were good at the job. And I'm sure she wasn't just going to drop it when it got her a house like this. But then again if she loved the job so much where was she?

The maid nodded, cleaning the counter. Why was she cleaning an already clean counter? Especially if no one was home to see that she was doing it. "Youngest in the history of the place. She got the position ten years ago."

"An overnight success, ten years ago." Sam said.

"Yeah, we know a guy like that." Dean said and took a casual walk to the fridge. He took a photo off of the doctor and her friends and turned it over. He showed the back to Sam and I. "Huh. Lloyd's Bar."

Looks like we had a winner.

O0o0o0o

So we parked across from Lloyd's bar, Sam looking like he could use a serious drink, and I started undressing in the backseat after Sam got out of the car. Dean and Sam had gotten redressed in their jeans and t-shirts back at the Doctors place but after I mentioned we probably shouldn't have been changing clothes right outside the house we left.

"Dean could you grab me some clothes?" I asked, unbuttoning my blouse. His eyes looked preoccupied at the moment, watching me unbutton my shirt and I smiled. "Dean?"

He cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck as he got out of the car. "Sure, babe."

I laughed slightly as he got out of the car, but frowned when he turned and basically ran into Sam. Both of them had been rounding the car and I gripped the seat deciding whether I should get out or not. Neither of them were moving, kind of just staring at each other. Sam had been driving the car, so I was guessing he was trying to give the keys to Dean.

"Here." Sam said, handing them to him so he could get into the trunk.

Dean cleared his throat and nodded, grabbing the keys and walking past him. I sighed as I heard the trunk open and saw Sam cross the street to wait for us. It shouldn't have been like this and I felt like it was all my fault.

"I'm guessing you won't mind what I grab?" Dean asked, opening the car door and sliding in next to me.

I shook my head, taking the clothes from him and began to change. "Did you really have to make him cross the street?" I asked as I slipped my tank top on.

"I didn't hold a gun to his head." Dean said gruffly. "He did that himself."

I sighed and slipped my jeans on as Dean took the skirt and blouse. He held them in his hands and waited for me to button my jeans and put my boots on.

"He feels bad okay? It was an accident. I'm not saying you shouldn't be tense about it but…"

"I should let up the urge to punch him?" Dean finished for me with a small smile, but totally serious.

I smiled. "Yeah."

He nodded without looking at me and sighed, scratching the back of his neck. I leaned in close to him and it's funny how his eyes totally darted to mine when I did that. I kissed him gently and slowly, like I was trying to tell him something without saying it.

He smiled and cupped my cheek. "I love you too."

I knew he'd get it. He always did.

We finally got out of the car and I held Dean's hand as we crossed the street to wear Sam was. I watched him awkwardly stand in place and shift from one foot to the other as we approached him and I absentmindedly stroked the ring on Dean's finger. I looked up at Dean and he kind of shrugged as Sam connected eyes with him. I almost laughed out loud. Dean sent him a small smile and Sam looked at him like he had seven eyes, or looked at him like he was schizophrenic. It was kind of hard to tell.

I let out a small giggle and smiled at Sam and he just shook his head, pocketing his hands. I saw something yellow behind him and my eyebrows scrunched in confusion.

"What?" Sam asked.

"That's weird." I let go of Dean's hand and approached the yellow flowers, crouching to look at them. "You think someone planted these?"

Sam thought it was weird too. "In the middle of all these weeds?"

Dean kneeled down next to me. "What do you call 'em?"

"Yarrow flowers." I answered thinking. I picked one and smiled gently at it. It was only because it reminded me of the lesson my dad had taught me about them. I obviously wasn't smiling for what they were used for. "They're used for summoning rituals. And it's weird that we're at a crossroads right?" I asked, looking at the both of them.

They both seemed to scoff. Not weird for us.

O0o0o0o0

Dean pulled out a shovel out of the trunk, digging at the dead center of the crossroads. He hit something with the shovel about ten seconds later and handed me the shovel. I propped it up and leaned on it as he bent back down and retrieved something he hit. He pulled out a small metal box and shook off the dirt.

He stood back up and opened it and I leaned in close to see what was inside. A picture, a jar of dirt and bones…some serious mojo stuff.

"I'd be willing to bet that's graveyard dirt." Sam said suddenly. "And a black cat bone."

"Used to summon a demon." Dean said quietly.

I shook my head no, scoffing. "Not just summon one. Crossroads are where pacts are made. These people are actually making deals with the damn thing." I rolled my eyes. People were stupid. You don't do that. I don't care how desperate you are. "You know, 'cause that always ends good." If I knew someone who made a pack with these things, which is just about as good as putting a leash on a great white when those hellhounds come to call, I'd shoot them my damn self. "They're seeing dogs, all right. But not black dogs. They're seeing hellhounds –- demonic pit bulls."

Dean shook his head and looked at Sam and me. "Whoever this demon is, it's back and it's collecting. And that doctor lady, wherever she's running, she ain't running fast enough."

You never could with hellhounds on your tail.

o0o0o0o0o0o

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