**A/N: Hey everyone! So, it's been a while since I've uploaded a chapter! I worked hard on this one! Just so there is no confusion...I messed around with the story...for example, as you have probably noticed, Jess is already dead. I know it's not like that in the show just yet, but it is here ;) Hope you all like! R & R Please!**
Chapter 3
"Hey, kid? How's she doing?" Dean asked Jeremy, looking at him in the rearview mirror.
" Unconscious and dying, like before...anything else?" Jeremy answered, his voice heavy with attitude.
"Not at all." Dean said, giving a sideways glace to Sam.
Sam turned around in his seat looking back at Jeremy, who had Vicki's head resting on his shoulder.
"Look, Jeremy. Vicki will be fine." Sam assured him.
Jeremy glared at Sam. "How about we skip the nonsense? Sure, I'm only fifteen, but I know when someone is dying."
Sam turned to face the front.
"Glad we brought him, Sammy?" Dean asked.
Sam sighed heavily. Dean grinned, knowing Sam was regretting that decision.
"All right, remember the part that she's dying back here? Can you drive any slower?" Jeremy complained.
Dean muttered something so low, it was incoherent.
"Elena, Jeremy has probably gone home by now, relax." Bonnie said to her.
"Gone home? Bonnie, why would Jeremy go home from a party this early, like really.." She said, frantically looking around for him.
Matt walked up to them.
"Matt! Have you seen Jere?" Elena asked him.
"Yeah, he went to the hospital with Vicki. He's with Daina and her brothers."
"Hospital? Why?"
"Vicki was attacked.." He said.
"Oh my god!" Elena exclaimed, covering her mouth with her hand in shock. "Is she Ok?"
"I..I don't know." Matt said, too worried to think about it. He walked away, leaving Elena to her endless list of questions.
Stefan returned to the Salvatore boarding house. He knew that keeping secrets from his friends was frowned upon, but he was afraid the truth was too hard to believe. What would they think? Who would they tell?
The answer was simple. No one could know who he really was. He must hide it.
"What's going on?" Someone asked behind him.
Stefan turned to see Zachary. Zach was a man in his early thirties, and even though Stefan looked like a young adult, he was over a century ahead of Zach in age.
"Someone else was attacked tonight, Zach. And it wasn't me.." Stefan said, turning away from him.
"Uncle Stefan," Zach called out behind him.
Stefan didn't reply.
Stefan headed to his bedroom and a crow appeared on the sill of his window.
"Damon." Stefan said quietly.
Stefan looked over to see a man standing on his balcony.
"Hello, brother." The man replied with a sly grin.
Daina sat on a bench between Dean and Jeremy. She watched her brother Sam talk to the doctor.
"Why does he get to talk to him?" Jeremy asked, suddenly. " He doesn't even know Vicki."
"Because," Dean began. "He knows what and what not to say."
"What do you mean?" Jeremy asked, looking over at Dean sharply.
"I mean, you would likely yap-on to the doctor about some monster that attacked your girlfriend." Dean said, glancing at him briefly. "The Doc don't want to hear that, he'd go run some tests on you too, see if you're all there."
Jeremy rolled his eyes, not liking Dean's reasoning.
Daina watched Sam quietly, wondering what the doctor was saying about Vicki. Would she be Ok?
Sam gave her a small smile and a nod, meaning 'everything will be Ok.'
Daina smiled back. She looked over at Jeremy who was burrying his face in his hands.
" Thank you, Doctor." She heard Sam say. She looked up to see him shake the doctor's hand and walk back to them.
"Well?" Dean said, looking up at him.
"The doctor thinks Vicki will heal fine. " Sam said. "She'll have to stay here for a couple days to make sure she is rested and no infection occurs in her wound."
Jeremy stood. "Can I go see her?"
Sam sighed softly, placing a hand on Jeremy's shoulder. "I'm sure you can, but she's not awake yet, Jeremy."
Jeremy shrugged Sam's hand off his shoulder and walked to Vicki's room.
Their eyes followed him.
"Is he going to be Ok?" Daina asked, still looking to the door that Jeremy entered.
"He'll be alright," Sam said. "He's just worried about Vicki. It's natural."
"So, that kid," Dean said, turning to face Daina. " He's your friend's brother?"
"Yeah," Daina answered. "Elena's brother.''
Dean looked straight ahead at a wall. No expression on his face.
"Dean?" Daina said, wondering what he was trying to get at.
"Are they close? Elena and Jeremy?" He asked, not looking at her.
"I guess so..why?"
"Because," He said, facing her again. " There is something about him. I just..I don't know what it is."
"You sense something about him?" Sam asked, looking over at his brother.
Dean met Sam's eyes.
"And I don't like it." Dean said.
"The crow's a bit much, don't you think?" Stefan asked Damon.
"Wait till' you see what I can do with the fog." Damon replied.
Stefan stared at him for a long moment. "When did you get here?" He asked him.
"I couldn't miss your first few days of school, Stef. And your hair's different. I like it." Damon said, with a smile.
"It has been fifteen years, Damon."
"Thank god!" Damon said, loudly. " I couldn't take another day of the nineties. That horrible grunge look? It did not suit you. And remember, brother, it is important to stay away from fads."
Stefan ignored his pointless comments. " Why are you here?"
Damon looked a him with a sinister smile. "I missed my little brother."
"Damon, you hate small towns, there is nothing for you to do here." Stefan stated plainly.
"I've managed to keep myself busy."
"You know, Damon, you left that girl alive tonight. That's rather clumsy of you." Stefan said.
"Ah, that may be a problem." He paused, "For you," He added, poking him in the chest.
Stefan rolled his eyes. "And why are you here now, Damon?"
Damon poured himself a small glass of brandy. He turned around to face Stefan.
"I could ask you the same question, Stefan." He said, taking a small sip of the brandy. "However, I think your answer can be summed up in one little word," he paused. "Elena."
Bonnie walked up Elena.
"Hey, want to go to Mainline coffee? Wait for news?" She asked her.
" I..I actually should just go home." Elena said. "Thanks though."
Elena turned and walked away from Bonnie.
"Elena," Bonnie called after her as she walked up behind her, grabbing her arm. "I'm no psychic. But, I.. I saw.."
"What?" Elena asked.
Bonnie sighed, trying to sort out her thoughts. " All I know is..that this is just the beginning."
"She took my breath away," Damon said. "Elena, she's a dead-ringer for Katherine."
Stefan glared at him.
"Is it working, Stefan? Being around her? Being in her world? Does it make you feel alive?"
Stefan stared at Damon angrily. "She's not Katherine."
Damon set his empty brandy glass down. "Oh, well let's hope not. We both know how that ended." Damon walked to Stefan's other side, and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Tell me something, when's the last time you had something a little stronger than a squirrel?"
Stefan grinned. "I know what you're doing, Damon. It's not going to work."
"Oh yeah?" Damon said. "Come on, you don't crave a little?"
Damon hit Stefan's shoulder. " A little taste, Stefan. Not just one little sip of her blood?"
"Stop it." Stefan said.
Damon continued to hit Stefan, taunting him. Encouraging him to fight back, to retaliate.
" We can do it, brother. The two of us. I saw a couple of girls outside...or let's cut the chase, and let's go straight for Elena."
"Stop it!" Stefan yelled. His eyes burning, mouth throbbing.
"Imagine what her blood tastes like."
" I said stop!" Stefan yelled, throwing Damon into a window. The window broke to a billion peices.
Stefan looked out the broken glass and peered down at the concrete where Damon should have landed. He wasn't there.
"I was impressed." A voice said behind him.
Stefan spun around to see where Damon stood, a smile planted on his face. " Very good at the whole face-thing, it was good!" He complimented.
"You know, it's all fun and games, Damon. But wherever you go, people die."
"That's a given."
Stefan shook his head. "Not here, I won't allow it."
"I'll take that as a invitation."
"Please, Damon. After all these years, can we not just give it a rest?" Stefan pleaded.
"I promised you a eternity of misery, Stefan." Damon said. "I'm keeping my word."
Jeremy exited Vicki's hospital room.
Daina looked up and Sam and Dean followed suite.
"You ready? We'll take you home." Sam said.
"Forget it, you've done enough. I'll walk." Jeremy said.
"Jeremy," Daina started.
"No," He cut her off. "I just want to be alone."
"Alright, I hate the idea," Sam said. "But I understand. Do yourself a huge favor, Jeremy, and call Elena and your aunt. Let them know you're on your way."
Jeremy nodded.
The Winchesters left the hospital and headed back to the car.
Dean reached the Impala first, and opened the driver's door. "Oh, by the way, you're grounded." He said.
"What? Who?" Daina asked.
"You, smarty-pants." Dean said, getting in the car.
Daina hopped in the back. "What do you mean I'm grounded?"
"I mean no hunts, no friends, no nothing, but school and sleep. You got it?"
"Dean, this is ridiculous!" She said. "What am I even grounded for?"
Dean put the car back in park. He turned around in his seat to face her. " I saw the beer."
"Oh! A beer at a party- whatta crime." She said angrily.
Dean turned back around. "Nothing changes."
"So what? I'm not allowed to drink?"
"Not without my permission." He answered.
"You're such a control freak!"
" Alcohol messes with your mind, Dai."
"In large amounts at one time." She said. "I had one beer."
"Yeah? And if I don't do something about that now, it will be 10 or more next time and you'll be at the hospital getting your stomach pumped."
"Am I destined to be alcoholic or something?" She asked.
Sam turned around to face her. "No, what Dean is meaning to say is that he was worried about your safety with alcohol and doesn't want anything bad to happen."
"Thank you for translating my lectures to 'kid language', College-boy." Dean said.
Daina sighed. "So, how long am I grounded, Dean?"
"Until I think you've served your time and I say otherwise."
Daina laughed to herself.
They got back to the motel. Dean unlocked the door.
Dean sat down on the couch and opened a beer.
Daina sat next to him. "Dean, can I have a sip?" She asked.
Dean looked over at her. "Not funny."
She laughed.
(Flash back)
"Look," Sam said angrily. "Whatever's going on here, Dad can handle it. He eats these kind of things with his wheaties."
"What don't you understand, Sammy?" Dean replied sharply. "We have to find him. You have to help."
"Why do you need my help?"
" He's you father, Sam." Dean said. "You're hisson. What more do you need?" He look quickly at Daina, who stood silently, leaning against a wall. " We're suppose to be a family."
Sam rolled his eyes. "News to me," He muttered.
"No way. You're not bringing that up." Dean said, glaring at Sam.
"Why not?" Sam said, throwing his hands up in frustration. " He threw me out on my ass. And you practically locked the door behind me.."
Daina looked back and forth between them.
"Well, I remember some choice phrases coming out of your mouth that night." Dean said.
"And I haven't heard even a word from you guys, in what? About a year?" Sam said. " Does that sound like family to you?"
Daina slumped her back to the wall and slid to the floor. Dean and Sam didn't notice.
"You know, Sam?" Dean said, anger brewing in his voice. "You're more of a stuck-up, hair-gelled punk, than I remember."
"Am I?" Sam asked, almost laughing.
"Look, I know things have been rocky lately. But he's still our dad." Dean said. "And after everything he's done for you-"
"Everything he's done for me?" Sam exclaimed, cutting him off. "All he has done for me- for us- is set up the land's speed record for f'ed up childhoods!"
Daina looked up at him.
"Don't be overdramatic, Sammy." Dean said softly.
Sam glared at him.
"Anyway, Sammy, should I be prepping up for a point here anytime soon?"
"The point is," Sam began. "I never asked for this. The family roadtrips, the melting silver into bullets- hunting down all those freaky-ass things!" He paused for a moment. "I never wanted any of it."
"You can't pick your family."
"No," Sam agreed. " But I can live my own life. All our glory dysfunction- I buried it, man. I swore I was done with this, for good."
"Sam, you know as well as I do. Things don't stay buried forever." Dean said.
(End of flashback)
Matt walked from the party in the woods to the hospital. He had to make sure his sister was Ok.
He entered the hospital and walked up to the front desk.
"Hi, uh. My sister, Vicki Donovan is here. May I go see her?"
" Second floor, first door on your left." The woman said.
"Thanks." He said.
Matt made his way to his sister's room.
She laid stiffly on her side, her neck covered in gauze.
He sat in a chair next to the bed and watched her.
"Mattie?"
Matt looked up at her face. She has finally woke.
"Hey, uh, Vick. Just take it easy, Ok?"
"Matt..I.." She tried to sit up.
"Hey, hey..Vicki, no..it's Ok. You're going to be Ok."
"It was-"
"Don't try to talk, Ok?"
" A Vampire." She choked out.
Sam shook Daina out of her sleep.
"Ah! Wh-what?" She asked, jumping awake.
Sam looked at her for a moment. "Another dream?"
She nodded.
"Expect to be asked more questions later," He said. "Anyway, come on. Get up. We got news."
"On dad?" She asked, almost excitedly.
"Uh-no." Sam said, looking at her sadly. " On the monster that attacked Vicki."
"Oh," She said, trying to hide her dissapointment. "What is it?"
"The Docs think the drugs that Vicki has been doing is making her hallucinate and think crazy things." Dean said, pulling on a shirt.
"What? What did she say?" Daina asked.
"Matt has told the doctors that Vicki thinks the thing was a vampire." Sam told her.
" Do you think she's right?"
"Well, the evidence on her neck is convincing," Dean said.
"We're going to check it out." Sam said.
"Ok, great. Just give me a second." She told them.
"For what?" Dean asked.
"I'm going to go get dressed- I'll be right out," Daina said.
"Wait a minute, hold up." Dean said, grabbing her arm. " What part of 'grounded' don't you get?"
"For real?"
"Yeah, 'for real'. You ain't leaving this motel." Dean said.
She sighed and sat down on the couch. "Ok, fine. Have a blast." She said dully.
Dean grinned and Sam ruffled her hair as he passed.
"We'll be back later." Sam said. "Lock the door."
She nodded followed them to the door. She closed the door after them and locked it.
Daina returned to her seat on the couch, settling down for a real boring day.
Dean and Sam and got in the Impala.
Dean puts a cassette tape into the stereo and turns up the volume.
They drove down the road, blasting music out their windows.
"Seriously man." Sam said.
Dean turned down the music.
"What?" He asked loudly.
" You really need to update your cassette tape collection." Sam told him.
"Why? What's wrong with them?"
"Well," Sam said holding a tape up. " For one, they're cassette tapes..and Two- Motorhead, Black Sabbath, Metallica? It's the greatest hits of Mullet rock."
"Well, maybe I should put on some 'Spin Doctor's'." Dean said, jokingly.
"Dude, I was eleven." Sam stated.
"Hey, you bought the album."
"Well, how about the radio? Maybe there is something from this century." Sam suggested.
"House rules, Sammy. Driver picks the music, shotgun shuts his cake hole."
"You know," Sam said. " Sammy is a chubby 12 year old, Ok? It's Sam."
Dean turns the music way up.
"What?" Dean yells.
Sam shakes his head, grinning.
Dean pulls into the hospital parking lot.
Sam turns down the volume.
"Dean? The hospital?"
"Yeah, we got to talk to that chick."
"Vicki?" Sam asked.
"Yup."
They went up to Vicki's room and entered. Vicki was asleep on the bed.
"Look," Sam started. "Dean, we should let her rest. Come on." He said, pulling Dean by his sleeve.
"Do you want to find this parasite, Sammy?"
" Well yeah," Sam said. "But Dean, the girl is sick. Let's just come back another time."
"Why? We're here now," Dean stated. "Why don't we just get it over with?"
Sam looked at him dissapprovingly.
Dean sat down on the edge of Vicki's bed. He placed a hand on her shoulder and shook her lightly.
Vicki's eyes opened slowly.
"Who- who are you?" She asked, her voice hoarse.
"I'm- agent Ryan. F.B.I." He said, digging in his pocket for a fake badge. He showed her quickly. " And my partner, Agent Renold's." He said, gesturing to Sam.
"We just want to ask you a few questions about your attack." Sam told her.
"I have nothing to tell you." She said. " I don't remember anything."
"Oh, you don't?" Dean asked, as he pointed at the bite marks on her neck. " What about these? How'd you get them?"
She stared at him.
"You won't believe me if I told you."
"Believe me," Sam said. " I'm sure that whatever you tell us, we've heard crazier."
She nodded. "It was- a vampire."
"How do you know?" Dean asked.
She looked at him. " The bites on my neck, duh."
"Vicki, what were you doing when you were attacked?" Sam asked.
"I was partying. At the big party in the woods."
"And you were alone?"
"Only for a minute." She said.
"Then the vampire got you?" Dean asked.
"Yeah."
"Do you remember anything of it's appearance?" Sam questioned.
"He-was handsome."
"He?" Dean said. "It was male?"
"Stunning blue eyes."
"Uh, anything else?" Sam asked.
" His voice."
"What about it?" Dean pressed.
"Was-beautiful."
"Ok, it just got really awkward." Sam commented quietly.
"Ok yeah, Alright- uh, Vicki, you know this thing tried to kill you right?" Dean asked.
"Ha," She laughed breathlessly. " I almost don't care."
"What?" Sam and Dean asked together.
Vicki didn't answer.
"Uh, Vicki?" Sam said.
She seemed to be caught in a gaze. In memories.
"Ok, weird." Dean said, standing up. "Let's go."
Sam and Dean left Vicki room in a rush.
"So, that was, uh.." Sam started.
"Freakin' weird." Dean finished.
"Yeah. So, Vicki is like- infatuated with it?" Sam asked.
"Looks like it."
"Ok.." Sam said, not knowing what to do. "So, I guess we just have to decide-"
"What the hell we're suppose to do about it." Dean said, cutting him off.
Sam sighed. " I can't see this being easy."
"It won't be." Dean said, opening the Impala's door and getting in.
Sam got in the other side. "Why do you sound so sure?"
"When has anything ever been easy for us, Sammy?"
(Flashback)
Sam entered his bedroom after his arguement with Dean. Torn and conflicted, he looks to Jess sitting on his bed.
"Is everything alright?" She asked.
Sam walked up to her, taking a seat beside her on the bed. He took her in his arms.
"Yeah," He said. "So, Jess, listen. You stay here as long as you want, Ok? The fridge should be reasonably stocked."
"You're leaving?" She asked.
"Just for a few days."
"A few days?" Jess asked. "Is this about your dad? Is he Ok?"
Sam let go of Jess, and made his way to a closet in the hall. He grabbed a bag from inside it, stuffed full of weapons.
"Yeah," Sam said. "It's just...you know, a little family drama."
"Your brother said he was on some kind of hunting trip?"
"Oh yeah, he's probably up at the cabin. Has Jim, Jack, and Jose up there too. We're going to bring him back." Sam lied.
"Right now? It's three in the morning, Sam."She said. "Are you sure you're Ok?"
Sam set the heavy bags down, and gave Jess a kiss.
"I'm Ok. Everybody's Ok, don't worry. I'll call you later, I promise."
Jess sat the bed watching Sam lug the heavy bags out of the room.
"Sam, at least tell me where you're going!" She called after him.
( End of flashback)
"This place is too quiet." Dean said.
"It's a small town, Dean."
"Yeah, but something's up." Dean looked out his window. " We're going to find out what."
"Really Dean? We already have a job to do, and you're looking for more?" Sam asked.
"I like to keep us busy." Dean said.
Dean pulls over to the side of a bridge, where two cop cruisers parked. Several officers surrounded the area.
Dean watched the commotion through the wind sheild. "I told ya' there was something up."
He began to rummage through a thick stack of I.D. cards.
"Dean, no. Forget it. We can't." Sam said.
"Why not?" Dean asked, still searching for a appropriate card.
"Well, mostly because impersonating a F.B.I. agent is illegal." Sam stated.
"And?"
"Dean, hello? Trying to be a lawyer here." Sam said, grinning.
Finally, Dean found the correct I.D. card. "Ha, here it is." Dean said.
A perfect, fake I.D. card. A photo of Dean underneath the silver star seal of the United States Marshal's service.
"Why are we pretending to be Federal Marshals, Dean?" Sam asked.
"Because, we are good actors." Dean said, handing Sam his card. "And, well, the cops are not going to give info to some random people, Sammy. We got to be creative."
Sam and Dean approach a female officer. Dean hands her the I.D. " Federal Marshals."
The woman looks at the them and back to the card.
"Aren't you two a little young for Federal Marshals?" She asked.
"Deputy marshals, actually." Dean said with a smile. He took the card back. "Thank you, that's a kind thing of you to say."
Sam hung back behind Dean, his lips tightened and his boby tense.
"Disguised?" The woman asked.
"Uh, what?" Dean asked.
"Well, most Fed's don't wear street clothes."
"Oh right. Of course, yeah, disguised." Dean said, nodding.
Sam looked around.
"Well, take a number, boys." The woman said. "The F.B.I. are already muscling for rank." She said gesturing to a group of agents. " I'm Sheriff Forbes." She said, holding out her hand to each of them.
After the exchange of hand shakes, Dean said, "So, uh, look, our boss wants a status report. Could you just give us the lay of the land?"
"And what makes you think I got the time?" Sheriff Forbes replied.
"Now, just you listen-" Dean started, irritated.
"Hey, we're all deputies here." Sam politely. "And we're all under the gun. Could you please help us out? Please, just a few minutes? I promise, we're blow right out of here right after."
Sheriff Forbes was silent for a moment. Considering.
"Alright." She said. "All the evidence has been collected off Centennial highway. By that, I mean a whole lot of nothin'." She said annoyed.
"So, what exactly is going on around here?" Dean asked.
"Frequent dissapearances." The sheriff said.
"How many?" Sam asked.
"Four in the last week."
"Any eyewittnesses?" Dean asked.
"Never at the time of the dissapearance. It's always the same, the victims are last seen turning on to the highway or towards it or the bridge. Somewhere along this road-poof- they're gone." The Sheriff said. " I mean gone. Not even tire treads, it's weird."
"What's the popular theory?" Dean asked Sheriff Forbes.
"I don't know. Serial murder? Kidnapping ring?" She said.
"Well," Dean started. "That's exactly the type of crack police work I'd expect out of you guys."
Sam stomped on his foot and Dean grunted.
"Any particular pattern amoung the four victims?" Sam asked, trying to quickly cover up Dean's rude comment.
"There has been five dissapearances around this highway recently. All five victims are male."
Sam and Dean both look up.
"There's been another?" Sam asked.
"Just last night." Sheriff Forbes said.
" How old were they?" Dean asked.
The Sheriff sighed. "Highschool boy. Name's Troy Squire. He was coming home from a party. He was dating my partner's daughter, Amy."
"You know him pretty well then?" Sam asked.
"Everybody knows everybody here. A dog dying is a town-wide tragedy. So, five people missing in one week, not including the one's from last week or the week before-"
Sam looked at Sheriff Forbes with sympathy.
"Thanks for your time, Sheriff." Dean said, and he turned to leave. Sam followed.
"So, these highway dissapearances don't exactly scream 'vampire' to me." Sam said as they walked towards the Impala.
"No, not me either." Dean agreed.
"So, no eye wittnesses.." Sam said tiredly.
"No, but we can put our ears to the ground, probably pick up some whisper or rumor about this thing." Dean said. "And you know the best place for that-"
"Where?" Sam asked.
"Highschool, Sammy. Rumors travel faster than light between those walls. Besides, the boy's girlfriend goes there too. She'll probably know something."
"Ok, so we go to the school-" Sam said.
"Uh-huh."
"But the school isn't open until Monday morning."
"Problem solve, college boy. We'll go to the school Monday." Dean said.
"Ok, so what do we do right now?" Sam asked.
"We head back to the ole' motel, check on our sis, and hit the sack."
"Alright." Sam said.
Suddenly, Dean reached out and smacked Sam over the back of the head.
"Ow," Sam said. "Dean, what was that for?"
"Why'd you have to stomp on my foot?"
"Well, why do you have to talk to police like that?" Sam argued.
Dean quickened his pace and stopped in front of Sam, forcing Sam to stop abruptly.
"Come on, Sam," Dean said. "They don't know what really is going on. We're alone in this. If we're going to find dad, we got to get to the bottom of this."
Sam clears his throat as he watches two F.B.I. agents approaching them, behind Dean.
"Can I help you boys?" One asked.
"No sir," Dean answered. "We were just leaving."
Sam and Dean got back to the car, and Dean drove back to the motel, blaring music out of their windows.
Daina instantly knew when her brothers were back. Dean had the music so loud he probably deafened himself.
The music stopped and mere minutes later, the motel door opened.
"What did you do?" Dean asked the instant he walked in.
"What?" Daina asked.
"We left you for several hours, what have you done?"
"A whole lotta' nothin'," She said. Turning back to the t.v. "What did you guys find out?"
"That Vicki Donovan is crazy." Dean said.
"Why do you say that?"
Sam spoke up, "Uh, it doesn't matter. It looks like a vampire did attack her though. But now, I think we are dealing with more than just a vampire."
Daina turned to look at him. "What?"
"We talked to the Sheriff of the town, she says that their has been five disappearances on a highway not far from here. All the victims were male."
"One is from your school." Dean added.
"What? Who?" Daina asked worriedly.
"Great Dean...great." Sam muttered.
"Who is it?" She asked again.
"A kid named Troy Squire." Dean said.
Daina's heart fluttered. Her mouth became dry. Her head ached.
"Dai?" Sam asked.
She stared ahead, her body beginning to sway. Shock overwhelming her.
"Whoa, Ok." Sam said, as he guided her by the shoulders to the couch. "Dai, do you know Troy?"
"He is-was in my History class."
Sam felt useless. His sister was scared and he didn't know what to say or do to help that.
"Ok. I'm sorry, I'm done." She said, shaking herself out of her fear.
"We're planning on going into the school on Monday. See what we can find out." Dean said.
"How are you going to do that?" Daina asked him.
"You'll see."
On Monday morning Sam and Dean dropped Daina off at school.
Before she got out of the car, she asked, "So how's is this going to work?"
"Let us worry about that." Sam said.
She sighed and made her way over to Bonnie and Elena who were waiting for her by the school's enterance.
"Alright, College boy -turned-janitor." Dean said turning to face Sam.
"Wait, what?" Sam asked.
"That is how this is going to work. You're a Mystic Falls highschool janitor now, Sammy."
"Oh yeah? And what are you going to do?"
"Let me worry about that." Dean said grinning.
"You're a jerk, Dean." Sam said, getting out of the car.
"I know."
Dean drove off and Sam stood watching.
Sam sighed heavily and walked to the school. He entered the school and tried his hardest to avoid crowds.
He read every sign on every door he passed, looking for a janitor closest.
"Sam?" Someone called from behind him.
Sam slowly turned to face his sister.
"What are you doing?" She asked.
"I got a job with the school." He said.
"No you didn't."
He sighed. "Yeah, I didn't. But I need to look like I did."
"What kind of job?"
"Janitor." Sam said rolling his eyes.
Daina smiled. "Dean's idea?"
He nodded.
"There's a broom over there by that door." She said as the bell rang. " Better get to work."
He watched as she hurried off to class.
Sam angrily walked over to the broom and began sweeping the mess in the halls.
This is completely ridiculous. Sam thought.
"Umm, aren't you Daina's brother?" A blonde girl asked him.
Sam recognized her. Caroline.
"Uh, who?" He asked.
"You're Daina's brother-Sam, I think."
"Uh, no I'm not. I don't have a sister."
"You're a bad liar. What are you doing here?"
"I'm the school's janitor."
"Uh-huh, oh really?" She said staring at him skeptically.
Sam stiffened. "Yeah, Mr-Brown. I'm ."
"Mr. Janitor Brown." She said. " You're original."
Sam swallowed as she turned on her heel and walked away.
Sam stood watching her until his cell phone began to ring.
Sam answered it. "Hello?"
"Having fun yet?"
"Shut up, Dean."
Dean's laugh echoed through the phone.
"You're 'good idea' as a school janitor sucks! I already ran into Daina and Caroline, oh, and I've heard zip about the dissapearances. "
"You ain't doing it right then." Dean said.
"Well, then why don't you get your ass over here, and you can be Janitor Brown." Sam said, hanging up on him.
Dean sat back against the car's seat laughing.
Sam returned to sweeping, listening to bits and peices of conversations he heard around him. The amount of voices in the halls was like a constant buzzing to his ears, beginning to make his head ache. Only minutes passed, but it felt like hours.
"Hey, Sam!" Someone said behind him, slapping his shoulder.
Sam spun around to face Dean.
"Hey, man. Are you Ok?" Dean asked.
Sam blinked in confusion. He snapped out of his daze and ignored his aching head. "Yeah, I'm fine. What are you doing here?"
"Giving my hopeless brother a hand."
Sam sighed and followed Dean down the hall.
Several times Sam had to stop in his tracks as Dean eyed some girls walk by in short skirts.
"Dean, seriously..." Sam complained.
"What? That's what eyes are for.."
"Dean, can we please, just stay focused."
"Oh yeah, cause you did a great job of that."
Sam rolled his eyes, and glanced over at a girl hanging up 'missing boy' posters. The picture was of Troy.
Sam tapped Dean on the shoulder and pointed to the girl.
"Ah, that must be our Amy." Dean said, beginning to walk over to her.
Dean stood beside her, leaning against the bulletin board. "You must be Amy."
She looked at him, an alarmed expression on her face. "Um, yeah. Who are you?"
"Troy's uncle. He told us a lot about you." Dean said, holding out his hand. "I'm Dean, this is Sam."
"He never mentioned you to me." She said, turning to walk away. Sam and Dean walk with her.
"Oh, well that's Troy, I guess." Dean said, "We're not around much."
"So, uh," Sam began. "We're looking for him too. We were just asking around."
Another girl comes up beside Amy. She places a hand on Amy's arm.
"Amy, are you Ok?" She asked.
"Yeah, Rachel. I'm all right." She answered.
"Amy, do you mind if we ask you some questions?" Sam asked.
"Here?"
"Got another place in mind? A little more private?" Dean asked.
"A booth at the grill?" Rachel suggested.
"Alright. Sounds good." Dean said.
At the grill, Sam and Dean sat across the table booth from Rachel and Amy.
Sam clears his throat. "So, uh, Amy," He started, waiting until he had her attention before he continued. "Can you tell us about the last time you last spoke to Troy?"
She stared at the table. " I was on the phone with him." She said, hesitating for a moment. "He was driving and said he would call me right back, and- he never did."
"Did he say anything strange, out of the ordinary?" Sam asked.
Amy shook her head. "No, nothing I can remember."
Sam looks that the necklace around Amy's neck. A pentagram with a circle around it, resting prefectly in the middle of her chest.
"I like your necklace." He said.
"Thanks, Troy gave it to me- mostly to scare my parents. You know- with all the devil stuff."
Sam looks up quickly and glances at Dean. He laughs once.
"Actually," Sam said. "It's means the opposite. A pentagram is used as protection against evil." He explains. "Really powerful-If you believe in that kind of thing."
"Ok," Dean said. "Thank you, unsolved mysteries." He takes his arm off the back of Sam's chair and leans forward. "Here's the deal, ladies. The way Troy dissappeared- something's not right... so if you heard anything-" Dean stopped as he sees Amy and Rachel exchanging looks. "What is it?"
"Well- it's just," Rachel began. "With all these people missing. People talk, you know?"
"What do they talk about?" Sam asked.
"Well, it's kind of a legend." Rachel said. "Of this one girl- she was murdered out on the Centinnial decades ago."
Dean looks over at Sam who was listening to Rachel intently.
"And-people think she's still out there," Rachel says, pausing to see Sam and Dean's reaction. Sam nods, cueing her to continue. "She hitchhikes, and whoever picks her up- they disappear forever."
Sam looks over at Dean, who raises his eyebrows.
After taking the girls back to the school, Sam and Dean head over to the Mystic Fall's Community Library.
Sam typed 'Female murder hitchhiking, Mystic Falls' into the search engine. He quickly hits the "Go"button. The words, ' 0 results', appears on the screen.
Dean leans over the keyboard and replaces the word 'hitchhiking' with ' Centennial highway'. Still no results.
"Dean, let me try." Sam said, about to take over the keyboard.
Dean slaps Sam's hand away.
"I got it." Dean said.
Sam gives a strong shove to Dean's chair and takes over the computer.
"Dude! You're such a control freak!" Dean exclaimed.
" Angry spirits are born out of a violent death, right?" Sam said.
"Yeah."
"Well, then maybe this wasn't a murder." Sam suggested. He replaces the word 'murder' with the word 'suicide', and hits "Go."
A result came up. A article called " Suicide on Centinnial".
Dean glances at Sam, as Sam clicks on the link.
The article was dated April 25th, 1981.
' A local woman's drowning death was ruled with suicide,' the town's Sheriff department said earlier today. Constance Welch, 24, of 4636 Breckenridge Road, jumped off the town's bridge and subsequently drowned last night.
Deputy told reporters that hours before her death, Welch called 911 emergency services. In a panicked tone, Welch described how she found two young children, 5, and 6, in a bathtub, after leaving them alone for several minutes.
"What happened to my children was a terrible accident. It must have been too much for my wife. Our babies were gone, and Constance couldn't bear it," Said husband Joseph Welch.
At the time of the children's death and Welch's suicide, was at the Frontier auto salvage yard, where he works the graveyard shift as associate manager.
"Connie may have been quiet, but she was the sweetest, most caring girl I ever known," said Deanna Kripke. "She just doted those children."
"This was in 1981." Sam said, quietly. " Dean, this has to be the thing that killed Troy."
"How do you know?" Dean asked, scanning through the article.
"Her kids died, Dean. She left them in the tub for a few minutes alone." Sam looks at the picture in the article.
A picture of Joseph Welch next to the bridge. The bridge that Constance jumped off of. The bridge where Troy went missing.
" Our babies' were gone," Sam quoted . "Constance couldn't bear it."
"Does this bridge seem familar to you?" Dean asked.
Dean and Sam drive to the lengendary bridge. Both of them get out of the car and look around.
They both stop to take a look over the railing at the river.
"So, this is where Constance took a swan dive." Dean said.
"Dean, do you think dad would have been here?" Sam asked, looking over at him.
Well, he's chasing the same story, I'm sure, and we're chasing him."
Dean continued walking. Sam followed.
"So, now what?" Sam asked.
"Now, we just keep digging until we find him. It might take a while." Dean said.
Sam stopped dead in his tracks.
"What?" Dean asked.
"I..I just can't believe I'm actually doing this." Sam said.
Dean turned around and walked towards him. "Sam, what do you mean?"
"I should be back home- in Stanton. I should be with Jess."
Realization had hit Sam hard. Nothing will ever be how it use to be.
Dean placed a hand on Sam's shoulder and squeezed. "Sam, you really were serious about being some lawyer, marrying your girl, weren't you?"
" Yeah, why wouldn't I have been?"
"Sammy, did Jessica ever know the truth, of the things you have done?" Dean asked.
Sam pinched the bridge of his noise. "No, she never knew." He said, looking off over the side of the brige to the water.
"That wasn't healthy," Dean said, " You can pretend all you want, but sooner or later, you are going to have to face who you really are, Sam."
Dean turned away from him, continuing to walk.
Sam stared after him a couple seconds before following. "And who's that?"
"You're one of us." Dean said.
Sam clenched his teeth and cut infront of Dean. "No," He said sternly. "I am not like you. This is not going to be my life."
"Sam, you have a responisibility to-"
"To dad?" Sam asked. "To his crusade? Dean, I hardly remember what mum looked like. What difference would it make? Even if we do find the thing that killed her, mum's gone, Dean. She's not coming back."
Dean glared wildly at Sam and grabbed his collar and shoved him into the railing of the bridge.
"Don't talk about her like that." Dean said coldly. "What matters, Sam, is keeping the remaining members of this family together. Because now- you and Daina are all that I have."
Dean released Sam and turned to walk away quickly.
Dean stared at his a feet until he felt a gust of cold air.
He looks up to see a woman standing at the edge of the bridge.
After taking a second of recognition, he concludes that that this stranger was Constance.
"Sam," Dean called.
Seconds later, Sam was at his side.
They both watch as Constance takes a step forward and disappears from the edge of the bridge.
Sam and Dean run over to the railing and peer over the side at the river below. No sign of her.
"Where'd she go?" Dean asked.
"I don't know." Sam replied.
A roar of an engine sounded behind them.
Sam and Dean turn to see the Impala shaking in it's steady form, warming up. Headlights blinding them.
"What the-" Dean muttered.
"Dean, who's driving your car?" Sam asked.
Confused and sorely alarmed, Dean pulls the keys out of his pocket and jingles them.
Sam looks at them, then back up at Dean.
Suddenly, the car jerks into motion, heading straight towards them.
"Come on! Let's Go!" Dean yelled, and he grabs Sam's arm as he runs in the other direction.
The roar was getting closer behind them.
Without any other choice available, Dean and Sam hop the bridge's railing and fall the great drop to the water.
The Impala halts, the roar ceases, the engine humming.