Disclaimer: I own a lot of things. Supernatural is not one of them.

Special thanks to my beta AuthorA97.

Chapter Two

The Roadhouse

It's been about a week since the incident at the hospital. Both Dean and John have healed well though John's arm was still in a sling. He and Dean were outside of Bobby's house working on the Impala. Dean was working on the underside while John was under the hood doing his best to fix her one-handed. Sam came out with a couple of bottled waters for them since it was rather hot out.

"How's the car coming along?" he asked.

"Rather slow considering the shape I'm in." was John's tired reply. He gratefully took the bottle Sam gave him and took a long drink.

Sam rounded the car to hand Dean his bottle. "You sure you don't want to switch with me, Dad? I could help Dean out while you go back to your research."

Underneath the car, something dropped to the ground. "Yeah, you under the hood? No thanks." Dean snarked. He pulled himself out, taking the other bottle from Sam.

Just then Bobby came out looking rather irritated. "Hey Bobby, everything alright?" John asked.

Bobby just shook his head. He took his hat off, running a hand through his thin grey hair. "I'm sorry, John, but Sam and I looked over your research about twenty times and we can't find any leads," he said. John didn't say anything but he did throw down the wrench he was holding in frustration.

"However I do know someone that could be of more help." Bobby continued.

"Who?" Sam asked.

"His name's Ash. You can usually find him at this place called the Roadhouse." Bobby answered.

At this, John sighed. He turned away from the boys and Bobby. "You mean the one Ellen runs?" He asked his back still turned to Bobby's.

"Yea that's the one," Bobby said.

"Who's Ellen?" Dean asked quirking an eyebrow.

"She runs this bar that's frequented by hunters. It's a good place to obtain information and even find a job or two," John explained. "Ellen however kinda hates me."

Sam gave a chuckle. "Dad no offense but your not an easy guy to like." John gave Sam a glare. Sam threw his hands up in mock surrender.

Dean got up and walked over to Bobby. "So how would we get there? The car's not ready yet."

"What about my truck?" John asked.

Bobby shook his head. "Sorry John, the police got to it before I could and managed to find your arsenal. There's no getting it back easily. I've got a vehicle you can use though."

Sam clapped his hands together. "Great so let's go."

"What makes you think you two are coming with?" John asked him.

"You mean besides the fact that your arm's still in a sling so you can't drive yet," Bobby retorted.

Dean got up, walking over."And look, Dad, after everything that's happened I really think it's best that we stick together for the moment."

John hated to admit it. Dean did have a point right now. Between Yellow Eye's plans for Sam, alongside John and Dean's most recent possession by said bastard, a lot had gone on. If given the choice, John would rather not let either of his sons out of his sight for the time being. He gave a sigh "Alright. Be ready in 5 minutes."

Both his sons nodded and Sam went to pack some things while Dean went to wash himself up. When they left Bobby turned to John to ask him something but seemed to thought better of it and left himself leaving John to his thoughts.

It was around midday when Dean finally pulled the dingy minivan he was driving up to the Roadhouse Saloon. Dean jumped out in a huff. "Man I feel like a freakin soccer mom," he grumbled.

Sam chuckled as he and John got out as well. "It was the only car Bobby had runnin," he said as he took something John gave him.

"Alright, you boys stay right behind me okay? I'm pretty sure we're not gonna get a rather warm welcome," John warned. He took the lead, making his way inside. Dean and Sam right behind him.

The place was empty save for one guy who was passed out at the counter. A fly passes by at the same time a light bulb went out. Otherwise, the place was quiet.

Sam gestured to the passed out man. "I'm guessing that's not Ellen?" He asked John who shook his head in amusement.

"Ellen," he called out softly. "You here." They went to the back but it seemed to be empty as well. John called out to Ellen again and that's when they heard the sound of guns cocking.

The three quickly got their hands up (or hand in John's case) as a voice called out "Don't move."

"Not moving. Got it." Dean's snark was quickly reprimed by John with a glare. An older woman then stepped out from near the stairs and got a good look at the three.

"John Winchester." She stated, uncocking the gun to set it down. "Been wondering if you were going to show up at some point."

"Hi, Ellen." John greeted as the younger woman behind them also put her gun down.

"Mom you know these people?" She asked.

Ellen nodded her head and explained. "Yea John used to come up here a few times when you were younger." She then nodded her head to the brothers. "I'm assuming these two are your boys?" She asked him.

John waves his good hand to his sons. "Sam, Dean, this is Ellen Harvell."

The two waved at her as they lowered their hands.

Ellen gave them a warm smile like she'd give any other patron at the Roadhouse. She nodded towards the woman behind them. "My daughter. Jo." She introduced. She gave a meaningful look at John. He understood. She glanced down at his sling. "What happened to you?"

"Car accident." Was John's curt reply. He walked to the bar. It was safer that Ellen not get dragged down into this mess.

Everyone else went to join him.

"So you finally decided to answer my voicemail after all these months?" Ellen asked him as she went to make some drinks.

"What voice mail?" Sam asked, looking at John. The man himself ran his working hand over his face.

Ellen noticing this asked, "You forgot all about that voice mail didn't you?" She handed him a beer.

John took it. "Bobby told me there was someone here who could help me out with my case."

"Your demon case." Ellen nodded. "Ash." She prompted. At no response, Ellen went over to the passed out man at the end of the counter. "Ash!" She called out.

The man jerked awake. "Oh- what? Is it closing time yet?" He asked either drunkenly or sleepily John honestly couldn't tell.

"You're Ash?" John asked unimpressed.

"Yeah, man." He replied.

"Guy's a genius," Ellen told the Winchesters.

Dean was just as unimpressed as John was. "You kidding me? The guy looks like a Lynyrd Skynyrd roadie."

John gave a nod of agreement to Dean while Ash just chuckled and said: "I like you." Apparently not realizing it was an insult. John slammed the folder down in front of Ash.

"Alright, then Ash. This is about a year's worth of my research on Yellow Eyes. Let's see what you can make of it." He told the younger man. Ash looks through the folders and shakes his head.

"Hey man, this stuff ain't real. How are you able to track a demon like this?" he asked John.

John didn't answer. Instead, he just fixed Ash with a hard glare.

Ash continued. "I mean these are non-parametric, statistical overviews... there basically signs and omens. Stuff like crop failure and electrical storms."

"Can you track it or not?" John asks curtly.

"Yea man but it's gonna take some time. I need like...fifty-one hours." Ash replied. He gets up to leave when Dean calls out to him.

"Hey man. I actually dig the hair cut."

Ash smiles and says "Business up front and a party in the back." As he leaves the room Jo comes up to Dean and starts flirting with him a little. John smiles and rolls his eyes in amusement. Sam sits down himself and spots something past the bar.

"Hey Ellen what's that?" he asks her.

Ellen points to the radio she assumes he was asking about. "Its a police scanner. Helps us keep tabs on things we-"

"No no..." Sam interrupts pointing to the thing next to the scanner. "I mean the folder."

"Oh." Ellen picks up the folder and hands it to Sam. "I was going to give this to a friend of mine." She explained. "But your welcome to have a look." Sam opened it up and John sat next to him so he can look at it too. It contained several newspaper clippings.

The first one read COUPLE MURDERED CHILD LEFT ALIVE MEDFORD, WISC.

"Hey, Dean. come check this out." Sam called his brother over who walked away from Jo looking rather annoyed.

Again John shook his head.

"What is it?" John asked once he got over to them.

"A few murders not too far from here Ellen caught wind of," Sam explained.

"Yeah so?" Dean asked.

"So it looks like a hunt," John replied. "I'd say we go check it out."

The brothers looked at him shocked.

"Wait we?" Sam asked. "Dad, you're still injured."

John just waved him off. "I've gone off on hunts in worse injuries than this. Besides, I know you two will have my backs right?"

Sam and Dean nodded. Looks like the Winchester family was back in business.