"Pastor Snaps: Kills his family and then himself. Third murder/suicide involving a cleric just this month. Police expect cult involvement." Dean reads aloud.
"Huh." Sam scrunches his eyebrows together, and pulls out his laptop. He types furiously, and then turns his laptop toward Dean. An article flashes about a preacher nearly twenty years ago, who decided that the world was not pure enough to live in. He snapped, killed his wife and three children, then he killed himself.
"You think this nutjob is possessing pastors, and reliving his glory days?" Dean asks.
"It's possible. Definitely worth looking in to..." Sam replies.
"Let's load up then." Dean says as he darts toward Lex's room. He knocks on the door, "Hey Lex, we got a hunt!" He calls.
Lex swings open the door, "Just a sec!" she says, as she pulls on her olive green converses. She is wearing jean shorts, and a flowing yellow tank top. Dean's stomach jumps in his throat.
"Hurry up," he says quickly. "I'll be in the car."
Once they pull out onto the highway, Dean cranks up AC/DC. He looks in the rearview mirror to find Lex mouthing the words to 'T.N.T.' , and he smiles to himself.
Several hours later, they pull into the Marion County Sheriff's office, and Dean and Sam head in to get some info on where Pastor Timothy Kelley was buried.
Lex sits in the back seat of the Impala, awaiting their return.
Suddenly there is a rap on her window, causing her to jump.
A tall dark haired man stands outside her window, looking in. She opens the door and climbs out.
"Excuse me for intruding," he smiles, his sparkling teeth shining in contrast to his tanned skin and dark stubble. "Isn't this Dean Winchesters car?"
"Who wants to know?" She asks, chin lifted in defiance.
"Hahah I'll take that as a yes." He laughs. "Shane Darby at your service."
"Lex." She replies simply.
"Pleasure to meet you Lex." He tips the brim of his tattered baseball cap.
Dean and Sam exit the sheriff's office, and stop short.
"Oh my god is that Shane?" Sam asks his brother.
Dean walks toward them quickly, stops when he reaches Lex, and turns to face Shane, shoulders squared.
Sam strides up, more relaxed, and shakes Shane's hand. "Hey man! Where have you been?! I haven't heard from you in ages?"
"Hiya Sam. I see Dean is as friendly as ever." He winks. Deans jaw muscles flex, expressing his annoyance.
"Don't mind him." Sam grins. "What brings you here?"
"Same thing as you, I expect. Possessing Spirit ." He replies.
"Cool, you can join us then." Sam offers.
Dean sighs, and walks away, climbing into the Impala and starting up the engine. Sam gets in the front, and, much to Deans distaste, Shane slides in the back with Lex.
"So, which one of these boys do you belong to, love?" Shane asks Lex.
"She doesn't belong to anyone." Dean snaps. "She isn't a pet."
"Sorry," Shane coughs awkwardly.
Lex takes it upon herself to explain her origin and purpose to Shane, as well as her decision to become a hunter.
"Wow so you can fry angels, yet you choose to be a lowly hunter?" Shane says smartly.
"I don't think hunting is a lowly calling. I think it is every bit as important as reining in the angels. I'm proud to be a hunter." She explains.
"Well that's a good attitude to have, sweetheart." Shane replies.
Dean cringes. "Where are you staying Shane?" He asks.
"Was gonna stay at the Red River Motel, just up the road. But if your brother already has the burial information, I reckon I won't be needing a room. We can salt and burn that bastard tonight." Shane replies.
They head to a local sandwich shop for lunch, where Shane regales Lex with all of his dangerous encounters. Sam joins in, comparing stories, and battle scars. Dean, however, sits silently, munching on his ham sub.
Lex looks over at him, wondering what his problem is. She shrugs and continues eating.
After dinner they drive to the cemetery, and wait for nightfall.
The sun finally sets, and they begin searching for the Pastors grave.
"Over here!" Shane shouts, and the others head toward him.
Shane and Sam dig up the coffin, and pry it open. Dean spreads salt on the decayed corpse, and Lex drops in a lit match. It goes up in flames, with no complications.
"We should probably stick around a few days." Sam suggests. "Make sure this took care if it."
"Dinners on me." Shane says.
"You don't have to hang around. We've got this." Dean says flatly.
"Oh but I want to." He smiles, and looks at Lex suggestively.
Dean swallows his reply, trying to avoid confrontation.
"Sweet, where we eatin'?" Sam says.
…
They spend the next couple of days waiting for another incident, but nothing arises. Finally they decide all is well.
"Where is your base of operations?" Shane asks Sam, as they load up the Impala.
"We have a bunker in Kansas." Sam replies. "You?"
"Well my last place burned down. Demons. I could use a place to crash for a few weeks..."
"Why don't you stay with us a while, until you find a new place?" Sam suggests.
"Sounds good man! Thanks."
Dean cringes, and shoots Sam a dirty look. Luckily Shane doesn't see it.
...
"Two weeks." Dean gripes. "TWO FREAKIN WEEKS he has been here."
"Dude what's the big deal? He stays out of the way. Besides, Lex likes him. We can't very well kick him out now."
"He drives me freakin' crazy. He uses my razor, and eats my food, and..."
"And what? You got nothing. Why do you hate him so much? I mean, granted you never were best buddies, but at least you used to be cordial."
"Well that was before..." His eyes involuntarily shoot to where Lex sits in the next room, in a world of her own, reading.
"Oh. My. God. You are jealous!" Sam realizes.
"No! It's not that. I just don't trust him. Lex is new at…everything. He could take advantage of her..."
"Whatever man. You and I both know that's not it." Sam rolls his eyes and walks out of the room, leaving Dean to sulk.
Lex shuts her book, and trails after him.
She has followed poor Sam around for days, ever since Shane asked her to dinner, drilling him on proper dating procedures.
"Really? Another question Lex? I could have sworn we'd covered it all." He laughs.
"Just one more, I promise." She says. "What does it mean if he... Kisses me?"
Sam raises his eyebrows. "You two kissed?"
"No, just in case..." She says.
"Well, if he kisses you it means he really likes you... A lot." Sam answers. "Man I wish god had thought to have 'the talk' with you before putting you to sleep for the past thousand years."
Lex blinks and looks at her feet. "K thanks Sam." She says, and walks out of his room.
Sam shakes his head. "Everyone in this bunker is insane." He says to himself.
...
Lex pulls on her new dress, and rolls her hair up into a bun. Her bangs fall down and frame her face. She looks at herself in a mirror, and thinks about Sam's words, "It means he really likes you..."
Her mind wonders to Deans kiss, then she shakes her head. Dean had said that kiss had meant nothing.
She brushes her bangs behind her ears, and slips on her shoes.
Finally, she walks into the living room, where Shane waits for her.
Dean strolls in from the other direction, just as Lex enters. His heart drops to his shoes. She is stunning. He blinks and looks away, as Shane hands her a bouquet of flowers.
They leave the bunker hand in hand, headed for dinner.
As soon as the door shuts, Dean darts through the bunker, searching frantically for something.
He hears a jingle, and looks up to see Sam leaning against the doorframe, holding his keys up. "Looking for these?" He asks, grinning knowingly.
"Give me that."
"You were going to FOLLOW them?" Sam asks in disbelief.
"I just have a bad feeling about this date. I won't interfere, I just want to make sure Lex is safe, ok?" Dean explains.
"Whatever man. This isn't going to end well." Sam shakes his head and tosses the keys to Dean.
Dean darts out the door, jumps into the Impala, and spins onto the main road.
He catches up to Shane easily, but keeps his distance, making sure that Shane doesn't spot him.
...
Lex sits in the passenger seat nervously fiddling with her hair. This dating business is a whole lot harder than Sam made it sound.
Finally conversation picks up between them, and the tension lessens.
She begins to enjoy herself. They have dinner at an expensive looking Italian place, then they move on to a movie. It is a thriller about werewolves. Lex isn't scared, but she doesn't object when Shane puts his broad arm around her shoulders.
He whispers a joke about how the corny the movie is into her ear, making her laugh. She smiles up at him, and their eyes lock.
Without warning, Shane puts his hand on Lex's cheek, pulling her face in for a kiss. She kisses him back, but she can't help compare his kiss to Deans. It's not the same by far. There are no butterflies or sparks. It's a good kiss, but in her short experience on this earth...she's had better.
Dean munches popcorn angrily in the back seat of the theater, nearly choking himself.
After the movie is over, they head back out to Shane's jeep, and climb in.
Shane pulls out onto the road, but turns the opposite direction from the bunker.
"Where are we going?" Lex asks
"I found this really secluded spot near here, I thought we could go park, and talk some more. I love the Winchester boys to death, but they don't give you much privacy." He chuckles.
"Oh, okay…" Lex replies.
When they pull into the spot Shane told Lex about, he cuts off the engine.
He leans over the seat, and pulls Lex's face in for another kiss. After a moment he places his hand in her bare knee, and begins to run it up her thigh.
She stops kissing him, and lays her hand on his. "What are you doing?" She asks, alarmed.
"Relax baby. Trust me, you'll enjoy this." He starts moving his hand up her leg again, and he runs the other along her collarbone, and into the neckline of her dress.
"I-I'm not comfortable with this." She says, pushing his hands away.
"Trust me sweetie, you don't know what you want. When I'm done, you'll be thanking me." He tries again.
"I said STOP." She snaps, and claws him in the arm, leaving three red aggravated lines on his skin.
"You shouldn't have done that." He strikes her face.
He then grabs her shoulders and begins kissing her neck and shoulder violently. She shoves him off, and reaches for her door handle. He locks the doors, and reaches for her again.
Suddenly the driver's side window shatters, as Deans fist bursts through. He grabs Shane by the collar, dragging him through the busted glass.
Dean throws Shane on the ground, and draws a revolver from his holster. He forces Shane's mouth open, and he shoves the barrel of the gun in, making Shane gag.
"Not fun being forced to do something you don't want, is it!?"
Dean growls, and cold cocks Shane in the jaw.
Shane flips Dean off of him and climbs to his feet. "Bitch wants me, she just doesn't know it yet." He laughs darkly.
Dean does not laugh.
He swings at Shane, but misses, leaving his side open. Shane swings his enormous fist, jabbing Dean in the ribs, and knocking the air out of his lungs.
Dean jumps back and steadies himself, before running back at Shane full speed. He swings again, and this time he does not miss. He knocks Shane out cold, but he does not stop throwing punches, until he feels a soft hand on his shoulder.
He looks up to see Lex's tear soaked face shining in the moonlight.
"Lex," he stands up and grabs her hand, pulling her into his arms. "Are you ok?"
She shakes her head no, and sobs.
Dean takes her delicate chin in his hand, and lifts her face up, so he can examine it.
Her cheek is already starting to bruise where Shane struck her.
Dean suppresses the urge to blow Shane's brain all over the gravel parking lot.
"Let's go home." He says softly, helping Lex into the Impala.
On the drive home, Lex slides into the middle of the seat, and Dean puts his arm around her. She cries silently, soaking the side of his shirt.
When they reach the bunker, Dean is still shaking with rage and adrenaline. More than once, he has to stop himself from going back and killing that son of a bitch.
He walks Lex up to the door, and opens it for her. She strides in, head hung low.
"How did it-" Sam stops his question short, when he see's Lex's face.
"What the hell happened?!" He demands.
"Dean can tell you." Lex responds. "I just want to go to bed."
She trails down the hallway, and shuts the door behind her.
Sam looks at Dean expectantly.
"He came onto her, and she turned him down. He kept trying, so she clawed his arm and he hit her. I lost it." Dean says.
"Did you kill him?" Sam asks.
"No."
"Too bad." Sam says, causing Dean to raise his eyebrows. "That bastard deserves to die. He had better hope I never see him again."
"I don't think he'll be back."
"I'm sorry." Sam says, "You were right. He's a dick, and I'm glad you followed them."
"You were right too." Dean admits. "About the reason I followed them. Sam, I love her."