Shit you guys. I'm so lazy with putting up my chapters for which I deeply apologize. I've just got so much writers block it's cruel. The worst part is that I know exactly where I'm taking this story, and I'm just not feelin' it every time I open my story up on my computer. I get excited, I type two three lines, then I stop and want to shoot myself because I'm lazy and think watching the Winchesters is so much more fun than writing about them. (JK they're both equally fun). Anyway, I will try my hardest to be as frequent with this as possible if I can write at all (fingers crossed!). Thank your blessed souls for your beautiful patience.

31

"I'm here, so you don't have to." That was what I was trying to convince Zach of as he stared down at the gun he was going to use to kill Madison.

"I have to…" Zach said. "It has to be me."

"No it doesn't," I persisted. I turned to Dave. "Could you please stop your brother from doing this?" I begged. "I can do it just fine."

Dave looked dead-eyed.

"I don't think he's going to back off, Ella." He told me.

"Why not?" I was speaking to Zach again. "Just let me do this for you."

"It's not just me, Ella…" Zach said softly. "I think Madison wants me to do it."

"No she doesn't…" I was mostly trying to convince myself. "If she really cared about you she wouldn't ask you to do this."

"If I really cared about her I would do it anyway."

Like that he disappeared behind the doors. I spun around to look at Dave who was still dead-eyed until a single tear rolled down his face. I couldn't make him swoop in and stop whatever was about to take place so I hugged him tightly instead. When the shot was fired Dave jerked and quickly wrapped his arms around me, burying his face into my shoulder. Not another word was said about it.

Now we were on the road again headed towards Bobby. Zach was asleep (he needed it too) and Dave was just driving silently, letting only the car, and my tapping on the window make any noise. In this quietness, everything was still. Dave was going the same speed, the rhythm of Zach's breathing was the same, as was the tune that I was tapping against the window.

Suddenly Dave increased his speed significantly, making me stop my tapping. I turned to him but his eyes were fixed on the road, and his knuckles were white from gripping the steering wheel so tightly.

"Why are you going so fast?" I asked him.

"I just want to get to Bobby's as soon as possible." He told me.

"I know, but you should probably slow down." I advised.

"I don't see anyone else on the road." He pointed out.

"You're right, but what if a truck comes out of nowhere, or another car, or a freaking tree."

"I would see it."

"Dave, you're going to get in an accident if you keep going this fast. Someone is going to get hurt."

"There's no one but us on the road, Cru."

"Still—"

"No one, but us."

And he wasn't just talking about the road anymore.

I simply stared at him letting the silence overcome us. When his phone buzzed, it made me jump.

"Yea," He answered. "Another hunt? Sweet. Where?" He sounded like nothing happened. "We're like 3 hours from there. Any idea what we're dealing with?"

He hung up in a few short words, and put his phone away.

"We got two people missing from a town we're not far from. One's been for six days, the other for three. There aren't any connections between them, so I don't think it's a vengeful ghost or anything, but they live fairly close to one another and the number of days they've been missing seems to mean something."

"I don't think another hunt is good right now." I said. "I think we're all tired—"

"Really? I think it's just what we need." He smiled, but he didn't look happy.

I didn't stop him, but stayed quite even when we got started on the hunt. Lately I started feeling like I was getting too involved in these hunts. I wasn't that other opinion anymore, I was another hunter to look out for. I'd always felt my job wasn't to be their third hunter, but the eyes of the things that were blind to them. I'd ignored it because I wanted to be a hunter. I wanted to help them get the bad guys.

I chose this hunt to try it the other way. They'd both gone through such an ordeal I thought it would be good to observe the other part no one in this world ever cared about, the part that was only obvious to me and the other devoted viewers of the show: The part where they were slowly losing it.

So, I stayed in as they went out to do the research, and watched as they put the pieces together, and mostly shrugged when they asked if I knew anything, because I honestly didn't know. I think I was okay with not knowing because it went with my whole plan really. Not knowing gave me an advantage in the aspect of this hunt that I wanted to focus on. Without the distractions of "vital information" I was able to divert my attention away from the hunt and to the brothers. They were my priority. Reminding them of their sanity was my priority.

But suddenly everything fell apart, and all at once.

After our first full day on the hunt, we went back to the motel and not soon after we were all fast asleep. I woke up with a troubling start.

"He's gone!" Dave slammed the door behind himself, clearly having just come in, and was clearly infuriated with his brother's absence.

"What do you mean he's gone?" I asked getting up.

"I mean he's gone, Ella." Dave replied. "He ain't out for breakfast, he didn't go on a walk so he could contemplate life, he's gone and he took the damn car with him."

Like those were the very words to make it happen, I knew what was going on now. I needed to ask anyway.

"He's not answering any of your phone calls to any of his phones is he?"

Dave shook his head.

"And no one else has heard from him? You called Ellen and Bobby?"

"Yea I called 'em, they know nothing about it." He took a deep breath. "I'm gonna go get him." He said heading steadfastly to the door, until I stopped him.

"Dave," I said slowly. "I know you hate it but I really need you to listen to me."

"What—"

"Just listen. You need to stay on this hunt—"

"No." He said automatically. I took a deep breath. "No way. I'm not just gonna leave my brother hanging."

"Would you just please… listen. I know where Zach is."

"You do?"

"Yes, I know exactly where he is because I remember what happens in this episode. Based on what I remember I think it's best if you stay here."

Dave looked down at me dubiously. He raised an eyebrow.

"Why? What do you remember?"

"Look I'll explain—"

"Oh no. You don't get to just tell me to hang on here while you go off to get my brother and not fill me in on all the details."

"It's better if you—"

"If I what? If I just listen?" Dave took a step forward. "Cru, I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm not in the greatest mood to just listen. If Zachie's hurt, I have to know."

"He's not hurt." I said folding my arms. "But the sooner you let me find him the better it will be for all of us."

"See? What you said right there, that scares me. I need to know more." Another step closer. "Cru please. He's my brother."

I unfolded my arms and turned around. Now I felt bad. Why couldn't he ever just listen?

"Meg's possessed him."

"What!?"

"I think at this point he's already killed another hunter, or at least he's on his way to, and the demon knows you're looking for him, and is trying to lure you there. If you go, you're just falling right into the trap. It's safer if I go by myself. Meg doesn't know who I am remember?"

"Yea, but Cru, Zach does, and his memories are accessible to her. She'll know who you are the moment she see's you." He paused and screwed up his face. "He see's you?...They see you…? I-I don't know, whatever."

"She doesn't know I know she's possessed him. Not unless Zach knew, which, obviously, he didn't."

"So? The same could be said for me."

"Dammit, Dave! Would you just listen to me? Stay here, finish this hunt, and let me get your brother back in one piece. I can do it by myself."

Dave looked at me sternly, and took a seat on the bed. His gaze was fixed on the ground and he looked as though he was deep in thought, trying to figure a way for Zach to come home without having me go by myself. He sighed and looked back up at me.

"I'm not gonna keep going on this hunt." He said.

"Dave—"

"Look," He said getting up. "Go on ahead without me, but I'm not going to continue with this hunt until you get back. However long it may take."

"Based on the patterns of this hunt, your next victim is probably going to go missing by tonight."

"Well, then you have until tonight."

"But—"

"Go." He crossed his arms and scowled. "Cru, now."

"Right." I said grabbing some clothes to change into. I jumped into my jeans and threw on a t-shirt. When I reached for my jacket, yanking it off the bathroom sink, the knife I usually kept in the pocket fell to the floor. I grumbled as I put the jacket on, and just as I leaned over I was no longer looking at the tiles of the motel bathroom floor, but…grass.

The feather felt funny so I knew what happened. The entire time I'd been changing all I could think about was how I was going to find Zach, and if I was going to get there in time, or if the demon would figure out who I was and that I was coming and prepare themselves. I could hardly fight normal Zach, how was I supposed to fight the one that was possessed? Now, without a knife, I felt myself in even greater despair. Things seldom went my way in this world.

I looked at my surroundings and saw that I was just outside a bar. I cautiously walked in, not wanting to bump into a demon Zach, and scanned the room. I walked up to the bar tender and just to be sure, asked whether or not a Jo worked there.

"Sure," He replied. "We've got two. One's a boy and the other's a girl. Which one you looking for?"

"The girl, please." I replied taking a seat.

He gave me a funny look and very unexpectedly said, "I knew there was a reason she kept turning me down. I guess I just ain't her type, huh?"

"Wha—oh you're mistaken," but the man had already turned the other way. "I-I'm not gay—ok, whatever." I rolled my eyes as he grinned.

"Yea, she's not working until later tonight, sorry."

"You're forgiven," I muttered. "Do you know where she's staying by any chance?'

"I'm surprised you don't," he said with a disturbing look on his face. Men are weird. "But she never told me. Always has her guard up, that one."

"Great," I bit my lower lip and thought for a second.

"The motels just up the road if you keep driving further down." The bartender answered before I could ask. "If you request a romantic special they do the room up real nice for ya." He winked.

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind." Though I had not ordered a drink, I slapped a few dollar bills I'd kept in my pocket on the bar table. "Please, buy yourself a fancy razor and shave. Also, if you weren't such a sleaze I'm sure she wouldn't be so opposed to a date or something."

I was just about to leave, when I turned around and slapped another 20-dollar note on the table.

"And no one knows I was here, got it?" He didn't have my name, but unfortunately, my hair made me easily distinguishable.

He nodded and I walked out of the bar, heading towards the main road. I couldn't see a motel in sight, which likely meant I would be doing a lot of walking. I wondered how safe it was to hitchhike around these parts.

After about a mile of walking however, I caught sight of the building (it did look a little dodgy, but what's new?) and was encouraged to keep going without resorting to creepy strangers for rides.

When I finally made it and booked a room, I went straight to the phone to give Dave a call.

"I'm here," I told him, "and I'm pretty sure half the town already thinks I'm a lesbian."

"That was fast." Dave replied. "Did you find Zach?"

"I think so," I started. "There's like one motel here, and I'm pretty sure this is where he booked a room. I didn't see the car, but it could be parked on the other side. "

"How do you know this is the right place if you haven't even found Zach?" Dave wanted to know.

"Because," I replied. "This is where Jo is, and that's why Demon-Meg-Zach is here in the first place."

"Whoa, wait, Cru, you never said anything about Jo. She was the bate?" He questioned.

"Yea, and now you see why I'm here to save the day instead of you."

"Actually no I don't, and dammit I knew I should've gone to get Zach myself, especially now that Jo's involved."

"Listen, you've got your own thing to deal with back there, and you haven't got long. Just do your thing, and trust me, we'll be back by dawn. You can handle it yourself right?"

"Yea," he said with a deep sigh. "I guess I can."

"Good. I'll update you so make sure to keep your phone at hand."

"Are you kidding? I practically sat here since you left waiting for your call. I wont miss any."

After hanging up, I jumped in the shower, forced to put the same clothes on (life of a hunter, I guess) and headed out the door. Just as I turned around from locking the door, someone punched me in my jaw, and knocked me out cold.

When I woke up a few hours later, there was a shooting pain on the right side of my skull. Despite my head being the only place where any real harm was done, my whole body felt tired and numb, and I assumed this was what a hangover must've felt like. My legs, from the knees down felt like they were completely cut off from any circulation of blood, and my arms—Shit…what the hell happened to my arms? I tried to gasp when I realized there was something keeping me from parting my lips.

I came to the horrific realization that I had been dragged into my motel room on my stomach, my mouth taped shut, and my arms and legs bound together behind my back. I could hardly move.

I built up the strength to lift my head up and assess my surroundings, so that I could figure out a way to get out of here—if there even was a way.

It was obviously the demon version of Zach who was responsible for my current…situation, and the fact that I couldn't find him anywhere in the room meant that he was already on his way to get Jo. All I had to do was get rid of this duct tape, and I wouldn't be so far behind.

Except, when I reached for my handy-dandy knife, it wasn't there. I forgot how I'd left the stupid thing behind. How come I couldn't have super strength or something so that I could just rip the tape right off in one go? Then again, if I'd had super strength, I would hardly find myself in the position to rip duct tape off in the first place.

It was just a matter of finding a sharp enough object in time. I twisted my body around so I could get on my side and was some how able to shove myself over to the foot of a bedside table. In my attempt to rip apart the tape using the corners, I ended up mostly hurting my wrists (and possibly giving my motel neighbor a very awkward image with the whole table banging against the wall repeatedly accompanied with some pretty unladylike grunts coming from my taped mouth). I figured the thing couldn't have been completely useless, and I used my feet to open up the bottom drawer. Only a bible—a bible? Two doors over they set up a "romantic special" for some guy and his lady friend hooker, and all they had to offer me was a bible!?

Frustrated, I kicked the stupid thing shut and turn to roll back on my stomach, and somehow instead rolled onto my other side, making my head hit the side panel of the bed.

Ow.

And then I saw it—the most glorious thing I'd ever seen in my life. I'd never been so happy to be in such a shady motel, in such a shady town, with such shady people in my entire life. I practically laughed at my luck. There, just a few inches away, was a Swiss army knife, right underneath the bed. Some guy, just left his knife, and fate had a bible in the bottom drawer make me so angry, that I rolled over (and hit my head) to find it.

Now it was just a matter of getting it.

I squirmed toward it, ducking my head low enough to get under the bed, got the knife between my jaw and my clavicle, and quickly wriggled out. Rolling to my side, I got my fingers to open the knife, and began slicing away at the tape.

I nicked my hands a couple times before finally getting them free. I ripped off the tape from my mouth, and laughed. Yay freedom! The tape binding my feet was too thick so the Swiss knife was needed again. I struggled to get up on my feet for a second, but once I did, I tucked the knife in my back pocket after kissing it (probably not such a great idea), and ran out the room.

I noticed the sun had gone down a bit and knew it must've been late afternoon by now. It was a little chilly too, and I'd just realized Zach had taken off my jacket before tying me up, but I was running out of time to go back for it. I bolted to the bar that Jo worked at, angry that it seemed even farther away now that I was running, and upon arriving, I heard Jo struggling.

"Zach please!" She cried as a loud thud suggested he'd hurt her pretty bad.

I kicked open the door (not easy), and pulled him off (less easy). Jo was more astonished to see me than he was, and I got her to hide behind the bar while I chatted with the possessed Zach. He got to his feet in no time and was about to come at me when I held my hand up.

"Wait!" I cried.

"What is it?" The demon responded.

I couldn't think of anything. Crap. I was having a brain-fart at a time like this? The demon got angry and readied himself (herself?) to attack again.

"Wait!" I cried again.

"What for!"

"Let Jo leave. You got her to lure Dave, but he's not here okay, I am—"

"What the hell are you talking about?" It asked.

"You know, running away, coming here, hoping Jo would do something under your threat to lure Dave here."

The demon laughed in a way Zach never would've, and for some reason that frightened me.

"You really have no clue what's going on?" The demon shrugged. "It's okay, I guess. I've always liked the element of surprise."

"Explain yourself." I ordered.

"I thought Zach disappearing in the first place would lure Dave. I'm surprised he hasn't even shown up. Trusting you to handle his little brother? Who would've thought? Regardless, I was going to call Dave halfway, make him believe that I was still Zach, and have him be killed by the brother he loves so much."

"What changed your mind?"

"You did." It spat.

I blinked, not expecting that response.

"I started thinking about your…unforeseen presence, and knew that it would cause problems I didn't have the time to solve. I knew I wouldn't be able to do as planned in such a small amount of time so I let it go."

"Why such a shortage of time?"

And in another chilling response the demon nearly whispered, "I'm on a mission, Ella."

"What kind of mission?"

The demon just smiled.

"This doesn't make any sense, you still want Dave dead, isn't Jo at least plan B?"

"Don't you get it!?" The demon was getting bothered now. "Jo isn't here to get me Dave! You are."

"Why me?"

"Do you really need to ask? I think poor Joanna Beth has been humiliated enough for a day."

I glanced at her and felt a sudden pang of guilt, then quickly diverted my attention back to the demon.

"You're still not making any sense. There was no way you could've anticipated my arrival!"

"You're right. I didn't think you'd show up here so fast. From what I can gather, your memory and abilities don't seem to be very consistent, so I figured it would take time for you to track me down. But I knew eventually you two would come for the younger Savage's body, and I would be able to get you isolated, and vulnerable. I would step in, and Dave would have no choice but to come rescue his damsel in distress, and I'd kill him, simple as that. I guess I'm just going to have to do with killing the two of you tonight."

"Why Jo then? What's she got to do with all of this?"

The demon smiled.

"She's apart of my mission."

"Okay, what mission!?"

"I'm getting rid of hunters. Not all of them. Just the ones who were the closest associates of the Winchesters."

I clenched my jaw, looked at Jo, who was scared, but looked just as angry as I was.

"Okay," I said. "Now I'm gonna cause problems."

I got myself ready in a stance, and went in with a roundhouse kick to his head. As he fell to the floor I picked him up by the collar and elbowed him as hard as I could in the face. Poor Zach, I didn't want to hurt him. As he stood up Jo came in from behind and smashed a chair on his back, and he spun around, backhanding her on the cheek and she quickly fell to the ground unconscious.

This was all no use. I didn't know the exorcism chant, and from what I could recall, I never saw Jo using it.

In some weird desperation, I jumped on Zach's back, and he tried swinging me around to get me, and I thought I had a pretty good grip with my arms around his neck, when suddenly he flipped me over on my back, landing me harshly on the ground.

Out of nowhere he whipped out a gun and shot me.

I blinked and he was already out the door.