I rushed into the house and headed straight upstairs to my room, slamming the door behind me. How dare he say he had been worried about me! I wasn't the one who left in the still of early morning hours and didn't contact anyone for three weeks. I had talked to Bobby at least once a day the whole time I was gone. Bobby knew where I was, what I was doing, HOW I was.

Groaning, I threw my bag onto the end of the bed and turned to get some clean clothes. I hadn't had a shower in all the time I was gone and I was looking forward to washing the hunt for and the kill of the Daeva off.

The hot water did wonders for my sore muscles but not the agony I felt over whole situation caused me nothing but agony and heartache. I was upset that he could just leave me behind without a thought when he knew I was worried about him. He fucking KNEW! That's what really upset me. He knew I was concerned about him, after hearing Jo blame John for her father's death. I knew that was going to be a blow to Dean's memory of his dad. Dean had looked up to John and to hear that his own father had aided in getting someone killed, had orchestrated Bill Travellers death had to greatly tarnish John Winchester's reputation in his eldest son's eyes.

I had been willing to help him through it, just like I helped him through his father's death but instead he had pulled away from my help and left, not contacting me or Bobby for three weeks. So, no I wasn't going to just let him waltz back in, pretend that his absence had no effect on me and be happy that he had been worried. 'Yea, right. He doesn't know what worried is!' I thought to myself as I rinsed the conditioner out of my hair.

Getting dressed, I headed downstairs to find something to eat. In my rush back to Bobby's after slaying the evil entity, I neglected to feed myself and my stomach was on the warpath.

Sam and Bobby sat at the table, more books covering every inch of the wooden top. Four eyes followed me as I walked to the fridge to forage for sustenance. I could feel them boring into me but I ignored it. I was not in the mood to talk to anyone.

Sam apparently didn't catch on as he spoke. "So, a Daeva huh?" I continued to ignore him as I threw ingredients on the counter to make a sandwich. "Nic, don't you think that was dangerous? To take on a shadow demon alone?"

Turning I looked at Sam and answered, "I got the son of a bitch, didn't I?" The venom in my voice was palpable and I just didn't care. I was almost as mad at Sam as I was at Dean. Sam had neglected to answer my text also. So, no he wasn't getting off easy either. "Why do you even care Samuel? You left me too! You didn't even consider letting me know what was going on and that you were okay. For two weeks I sat here worried. Wondering if I would ever see you or your brother again! So don't come to me pretending to care because it's damned apparent neither you or your brother do. Just leave me alone, please." Plating my sandwich and grabbing my beer I looked at Bobby, "I'll be in my room." At his nod I returned upstairs.

It was no surprise when, a few hours later, there was a knock on my door. I was laying in my bed, playing a game on my phone. "Can I come in?" Sam's sweet and smooth-as-honey voice sounded through the door. "Nic, I can explain. Please just let me?" I seriously considered pretending to be asleep but as soon as he cracked the door and poked his head in, his puppy dog eyes done me in. There wasn't a person, male or female, who could deny Sam Winchester's pleading eyes.

I sat up on my bed, pulling my legs under me and patted the mattress for him to join me. If he thought he had an explanation for their absence and complete radio silence, far be it for me not to give him that chance. I didn't have to believe whatever excuse he had and I sure as hell didn't have to accept and forgive them, but I could at least hear him out.

"I know we left and didn't tell you and that's on both of us, Dean and me. But i come across a suspicious murder in Baltimore and we took off to check it out. I didn't know until we were there that you and Dean were on the outs or whatever," he began explaining.

"What was the case, Sam?" I asked.

"A lawyer, Tony Giles and his wife Karen murdered by what we thought was a vengeful spirit. Dean went to investigate the wife's murder at the scene of the crime and was caught. The cops tried to pin the murders on him. They came to the motel and snagged me too. We spent half a day and a night in separate interrogation rooms." Sam looked at me and could tell I was following along with his story.

"They took our phones, Nic. That's why we never answered you. We never got the message."

"How'd you get away? Are you on the most wanted list again?" I asked, actually curious as to how they got out of the murder charge.

"The vengeful spirit was actually a girl who was killed by the detective adamant about pinning the charges on Dean. He was a dirty cop and he was trying to hide his misdeeds," Sam continued. "Thankfully, his partner ended up believing us as the spirit visited her too and together we salt and burned her bones and she helped me get Dean away from her partner who was wanting to extradite him to St. Louis. He had actually taken Dean out of the station and was going to kill him when we caught up with him. She let us go in return for saving her life but I guess our phones are still in lock-up in Maryland. We actually had to heist the Impala from the impound yard."

My face scrunched thinking of Baby being in an impound lot and the boys having to actually steal her back. Dean had probably been beyond pissed! Sam seen the look on my face and laughed. "Yep, that's the same face Dean had!" I laughed along with him even though the thought of Dean being arrested for murder broke my heart and made the pit of my stomach heavy. Yes, Dean killed monsters for a living but the Dean I knew would never willingly kill another human.

"Ok, Sammy. I'll give you that. Can't believe yall got busted for murder! But I'm still pissed at your brother," I told him, patting his hand that was on his knee. "He pulled away from me when I just wanted to help him. Help both of you. I can't imagine how it felt to hear those words Jo spewed."

"Yea. I knew Dad wasn't a good man but to hear that he used another hunter as bait was a surprise," Sam confided. "He and I didn't get along. He actually hated that I left for Stanford. Told me if I left not to come back. But Dean, Dean looked up to him. Followed every order issued. No questions asked. For him to have heard that Dad was so heinous to use another human to try to get information on the demon that killed our mom, I know it had to hurt. To not only meet but know the family that was left behind, that's got to be hitting him pretty hard."

"Sam, I understand that. I do, but I was here for him. I was here to be his comfort, his rock but he pulled away and told me there was nothing to say when I could tell he was hurt and angry," I tried explaining to Sam. "And then he just left as if I was nothing."

"Just give him a chance, Nic. Talk to him. Let him tell you how he feels. Okay?"

After my talk with Sam, I decided to take his advice and walked outside in search of Dean. He was in the garage, working under Baby's hood. Stepping up to the front fender of the black beauty, I spoke.

"Hey Dean. Can we talk?"