There was no change in the people around as Sam watched cell phone particles move across the floor. It was almost as if she had stopped time. What ruled that possibility out was the Sheriff's voice still hitting his ear drum.

He took the proffered phone from his sister's hand when she came up to him, giving her a look that, if she understood it, meant this wasn't over. There were more important things to concern himself with, like maintaining their cover story, that this problem could wait until they were in their motel room.

"Is he okay?" Sam asked. Dean may not have liked kids all that much, but kids liked him. And to have one run away from him like that? Their own sister never did that even during times when she probably should have. One example of that was when she dispersed glitter bombs throughout the impala… twice.

Lucas had been through a lot. His father had been taken by the lake. Right in front of him.

"Well, if there's anything else I can do for you, please let me know," Devins said, unintentionally drawing the attention of all four of his fellow adults away from the children.

Abby felt her brother's grasp on her hand loosen. Dean's voice asking for directions to the nearest and most reasonably priced motel served as a nice distraction. Sam let go of her hand. He crossed his arms, bringing one of his hands to his forehead. As if he knew where this was going, Sam wasn't sure who to be more embarrassed for. Abby, himself, or their brother.

Silently, Abby made her way over to Lucas. His mother had her hand on his shoulder, letting him know she was still with him. Abby didn't know how to read a room that well. Like most siblings, she knew how to read her brothers. Strangers were another story.

All she saw was the sad expression on the boy's face. What was his name again? She honestly hadn't been listening because she was returning all the missing pieces she could find to her brother's cell phone, hoping it would work the next time he tried to use it.

With her hand reached out like she'd seen her father and brothers do so often, she opened her mouth to introduce herself. Abby barely got the first letter of her name out when a brother's voice stopped her.

"Alli, we're leaving," Sam said, using the name John had given her fake ID's. The name was close enough to her real one that she should have responded quicker than she did, something Dean noticed years earlier. "Alli!"

She dropped her hand and glanced at Sam. There was confusion all over her face as she hadn't heard that name in over a year.

"Allison Olivia," Dean's commanding voice carried a lot better than Sam's. And he was getting tired of her failure to listen to them. He was starting to feel like his father did with Sam, only it was happening to him now.

Light jogging seemed to be the only way Abby could keep up with Sam's pace. Her hand in his. Dean was ahead of them, speaking with Andrea, Lucas' mother.

She led the way to the nearest motel, stopping at the intersection before crossing the road.

"So, cute kid," Dean said as he and Andrea crossed the road.

"Thanks. So is yours," she said referring to Abby.

"Allison? Nonono, she's not mine."

"DD, that's mean," Abby called from the sidewalk. Sam had kept her back to give their brother an entertaining private moment. Dean wasn't as smooth with the ladies as he tried to imply. And Sam used every moment he could to watch their brother's attempts implode.

Dean shot a look toward Abby. Normally, she played the part well, but now there was another person taking responsibility for her. She didn't have to pretend to be his kid.

"I mean… She's mine… just not in that way. Ally's my kid sister."

"Oh? How long have you and your partner been responsible for her?"

"Not… like that either. Dad wasn't around much. Raising her was left to us, her big brothers." His eyes appeared to be off in the distance. His usually stoic face gave away some hidden emotions concerning Abby's care, being raised much the same way he and Sam were with both an emotionally and physically distant father. "But, hey. Kids are great, aren't they? Even when they're setting off glitter bombs in your car and ruining your cassette collection."

Andrea glanced at him, ignoring his comment about kids being great. What did get a reaction was the mention of Abby's glitter bombs.

Behind them, Abby looked up at Sam. She hadn't grown much over the last month, but her weight had gone up a little. It wasn't enough to drag him down had he been ready for it. But he wasn't.

"Sammy!"

He looked to the ground where Abby lay spread eagle on her belly. One foot was in the storm drain, missing both sock and shoe. Her pained cries would have been enough to draw Dean and Andrea's attention had they not already crossed the road.

"Hey… hey. I got you," Sam said, helping her roll over to get a better look at injuries he knew wouldn't be there long. He lifted her to a sitting position on the edge of the curb, away from the drain. The gravel in her wounds pushed itself out of the openings, closing as the last pieces fell from the shrinking scabs.

She continued to sniffle though the pain was turning numb.

"What's wrong?" Sam asked, cupping her small face.

"M-m—my sh-oe," she hiccupped. Sam opened his cell phone, pressing the power button to use what little light it provided to see down the drain. The screen remained dark. He tried again, getting the same result.

"Yeah. Looks like we need to get you a new pair. And I need a new pho-" Abby's growling stomach interrupted him. He turned around so his back was toward her. "Hop on up. We'll get something to eat once we're in the room. See about getting you some new shoes."

"No! You have to get it!" she whined. "Daddy got me those!"

"I am not gonna stick my hand into a storm drain without a flashlight, Abs. Now get on my back."

Abby stubbornly crossed her arms, a clear sign she wasn't going to move.

Finally, after some coaxing, Abby climbed onto her brother's back, bare foot first. She was still hiccupping as she tried to even out her breathing.

He crossed the road with Abby on his back. Each leg swung with the rhythm of Sam's pace, only stopping when they got closer to their brother who had accidently given Andrea the impression that he and Sam were together.

"There it is. Like I said, two blocks," Andrea said pointing to the motel. Sam thanked her and took great pleasure in watching her address Dean. "Must be hard, with your sense of direction, never being able to find your way to a decent pickup line." And she left.

Though embarrassed, which wasn't often, Dean's eyes followed Andrea's retreating form as she disappeared into the crowed. Only the clearing of Sam's throat brought him back to their current location.

"'Kids are the best'? You don't even like kids."

Abby whipped her head around to find Dean. This was news to her. If her brother didn't like kids, then he didn't like her.

"I love kids!" Dean exclaimed after receiving Abby's best punch from where she was on Sam's back.

Sam rolled his eyes, putting a grin on his face. He knew the answer to his question, but he wanted to say it regardless. "Name three children that you even know… And the demolition crew of one doesn't count." When he didn't get an answer after a few minutes, Sam said, "Well?"

"I'm thinking!" It was then that he noticed Abby's missing footwear. "What happened here?"

Abby went from smiling to sadness in less than a second. Her lip shook in a pout as she said, "Pennywise ate my shoe."