Chapter 3

Blood splattered on his face as he swung the blade slicing through the vampire's neck, severing the head from it's body. Dean stood by the headless body panting, letting his adrenaline laced body calm down from his hunt. He had been tracking a rogue vampire for nearly a week before finding him in an abandoned farmhouse.

The fight was bloody and dirty. The vampire had kidnapped a young girl and was using her as leverage against Dean. His fatal mistake was underestimating Dean Winchester and what he was capable of when all hope seemed lost. True to his experience and talent, Dean tricked the vampire leaving him an opening to kill him.

The young girl cried softly in the corner, curled in on herself, hiding her face from the gristly scene before her. Dean stepped toward her slowly not wanting to frighten her any more than she already was. At this moment he missed his brother and his way with victims, especially kids.

"Hey, it's okay, I'm not going to hurt you, my name's Dean." he said gently, kneeling down to her level so as not to make himself so scary. He didn't try to touch her until she was ready, knowing she was already traumatized far more than a child her age should be.

The girl looked at Dean through her fingers as he waited patiently for her to come to him. Dean had covered the body so she wouldn't have to see it. She moved her fingers off her face and started at him with such frightened and soulful eyes as he held out a hand for her. Hesitatingly, she reached a trembling hand out to him allowing Dean to pull her into his warm embrace. Feeling the safety of his arms broke the wall and she sobbed quietly into his neck, holding on tightly. Dean rubbed her back and cooed to her as he carried her to the Impala.

He opened the trunk and pulled out an old blanket shaking the dirt out of it. He opened the passenger side of the car before wrapping the blanket around her and made to sit her in the seat. She clung to his neck afraid to let go.

"It's okay, I'm goin' to put you in the car so I can clean up. I won't be long, you just stay right here and then I'll take you home." he assured her pulling her arms from around his neck and tucking the blanket tightly around her. "Stay here, I'll be back, promise."

She nodded yes and buried deep into the blanket while her eyes traveled over the interior of the car. It was big, but not scary, it had an air of safety and comfort about it that seemed to envelope her. She closed her eyes letting all the trauma drain from her as she waited for Dean to return.

Dean returned twenty minutes later and climbed into the driver's side of the Impala. The girl jumped when the door squeaked open beside her.

"It's just me." Dean assured her as he started up the car, turning the radio down several clicks. "You ready to go home?"

The girl shook her head yes as her eyes lit up at the mention of home.

"You want something to drink and eat?" he asked offering her a bottle of water and a beef stick.

She accepted the offerings and examined the beef stick before trying a bite. She smiled as the taste assaulted her taste buds and took another bite. Dean opened the water allowing her to sip some before starting the car and heading toward the town thirty miles away.

"What's your name kid?"

She looked over at him and whispered, "Rosie."

"Cool name, Rosie. Do you know your address?"

"478 Sunset Hill Drive." she said between bites.

"You're a smart kid there Rosie. Don't worry, I'll get you home safe and sound. Kid, I know this may sound strange, but it might be best if we didn't mention what happened back at the farmhouse."

"Because grown-ups wouldn't believe us?"

"Yeah, something like that. It'll be our secret."

"Okay."

"Here you keep this, if you ever need me, I'll be there as soon as I can." he said giving her a piece of paper with his cell number on it.

"Thank you." she whispered taking the paper looking at it and putting it in her coat pocket for safe keeping.

Dean listened to the hum of the tires on the road as he drove ever closer to the small town where Rosie lived. He looked over at her still form as the last rays of the sun shone on her blonde head making it slightly glow. She looked like a little angel snuggled in the blanket.

He felt his phone vibrate and dug it out of his pocket.

"Hello." he said quietly.

"Dean, your sister needs you." Castiel said sternly.

"What's going on Cas? Is Oree okay?"

"You need to get here as soon as you can." he said hanging up.

"Cas?" Dean questioned looking at the phone to see he had hung up. He pressed end and speed dialed his sister's number. After five rings it went to voice mail and he growled hanging up his phone. Dean pressed harder on the gas pedal feeling the car responded to his need to hurry.

spn

Twenty minutes later, Dean pulled up to a neat two story house that was lit up with lights.

"Hey Rosie, we're here." Dean called to her shaking her shoulder gently.

"Mama." she yawned looking around at her surroundings.

"You're home kid, go give your mama a big hug." he said leaning over to open the door. "You take care."

"Thank you Dean." she responded giving him a hug before getting out of the car and running toward her home.

Dean waited until she was inside before pulling away from the curb and pointing his Baby toward Oree's. He took his phone and speed dialed Oree again only to get her voice mail. He tossed his phone into the empty seat as his temper flared. He told Castiel he would head her way after this hunt was finished; he wondered what had changed in the short period of time from when he had seen Castiel earlier.

He was still a good half a day's drive from Oree's place and he pushed hard letting the wheels eat up the distance putting him closer to his sister. He thought about calling Sam to see if he knew anything, but couldn't bring himself to do it. They had both said some harsh and hurtful words before they split, going their separate ways. It shouldn't have gone that far, they should've hashed it out and never let it push them apart. He had to admit it was as much his fault as it was Sam's. He knew his kid sister was going to have his hide for not telling her what had happened sooner.

spn

The swing swayed gently as Oree curled her legs up and hugged her knees so she could rest her head on them. She sniffed softly as a stray tear slipped down her cheek before she could brush it away. She had tried again to find Sam to no avail. Her brother's essence had been taken from his body leaving only the shell. Castiel agreed to watch over him while she got some air.

The canopy of night noises played their melody as the half moon peeked out from the mist of clouds that danced in front of it. The night shadows grew in length as the late evening turned into early morning of the next day. Oree still didn't move from the swing because she knew he was coming and she wanted to confront her big brother for being such a stubborn idiot.

The sun had not broke the horizon yet when Dean pulled off on Oree's driveway. He had driven all night, pushing his Baby hard to get here as soon as he could. He slowly made his way down the driveway and pulled to a stop beside her truck, killing the engine. Flood lights illuminated the front of the house as he got out.

His spine popped and cracked as he pulled himself out of the Impala. He stretched and groaned pressing his hand into the small of his back and popping it. A familiar shape bound toward him, stopping just short of bowling him over.

"Hey girl, how ya been?" Dean asked the hybrid wolf as she pushed on his hand for attention.

Ellie woofed a greeting, growling deep in her throat. She looked at Dean and then the car knowing something was missing, her man-child was missing. After several seconds Dean realized she was looking for Sam.

"Sorry girl, he's not with me this time."

Ellie backed a couple of steps back and growled deep in her chest and raised her nose to catch the smells around them. With a huff she bound up the steps, waiting at the door for someone to open it.

Dean made his way toward the porch and up the steps. His steps faltered and he reached for his gun, when a voice spoke from the shadows at the end of the porch.

"Hey Dee, glad you could join us." a familiar female voice spoke to him in a dull, sarcastic tone.

"Crap Oree, I could have shot you." Dean chastised her as he tried to make her out in the shadows.

Oree got up off the swing and walked slowly toward him. The closer she got the more Dean could feel the tension wafting off her. She held her body stiffly, not offering him her usual greeting and a hug.

"What's going on Sis, Cas sounded like it was urgent."

"When was the last time you spoke to our brother?" Oree asked getting to the point.

Dean had the decency to look down at the floor guiltily, not knowing what to say. "A while." he finally muttered glancing up for a second. He saw hurt, disappointment and anger in her gaze and voice.

"So you don't know what he was looking into?"

"No why, what's going on? He in trouble?"

"Come with me." she said leading him into the house and toward the bedrooms. She paused outside Sam's bedroom door steeling herself before entering. Ellie had followed them into the house and pushed her way past them into the bedroom.

Dean stepped into the bedroom taking in the scene before him. There was a dim light burning on a nightstand by the bed and Castiel was sitting in a chair near the head of the bed. What stopped him short was the body laying covered on the bed. Sam lay very still, deathly still, as he stepped closer. He looked down at his brother's body, unsure what was going on.

Ellie was laying by Sam on the bed whimpering softly pushing at his hand and licking his face trying to get him to respond. She could sense her man-child was not there. She threw back her head and howled a heart wrenching sound before scooting close to Sam laying her head on his arm. This was her man-child and no one was going to harm him.

Oree let out a small sob as the howl died away and silence filled the bedroom. Castiel laid a hand on Aurora's arm feeling he should show her he was there for her.

"Sam?" Dean questioned stepping closer. "Sammy?" He looked from Oree to Castiel feeling a sense of dread course through his body. Something very wrong had happened to his brother and from Oree's reaction he knew it was really bad.