Unlikely Connections

by copperboom82

Full summary inside. 7 years after the war, Harry's sister, Lorelai, still hasn't found her own peace and is working as an Auror for MACUSA. When she crosses paths with Dean Winchester, similarly adrift hunter, is it fate or a recipe for disaster? Starts pre season-1 and runs through series

35. Chapter 35

May 21st, 2006

Lorelai woke the next morning to the sun peeking in through the window and the sounds of Dean already moving around the room. The events of the previous night pressed in on her in equal measure with the hangover, and for a moment she wished she could sink back into the oblivion of sleep. That, however, was absolutely not an option. As her senses came to life, she at least noticed the faint aroma of coffee tickling her nose.

Dean Winchester may have had a way of driving her insane, but damn if he didn't know how to make her swoon too. There were few things better in her world than waking up to find coffee already waiting for her, and as her eyes blinked open the first thing they landed on was the white to-go cup sitting on the nightstand right by her head.

"Morning," she heard Dean said, his voice gruff but not unkind as she pushed herself up on her elbows, blinking away the last vestiges of sleep. "Figured it's pretty impossible to go wrong with you and coffee."

Lorelai reached for the cup, inhaling deeply before taking a sip. The warm liquid was perfect – strong, the bitterness cut ever so slightly with milk and sugar, exactly how she liked it. Dean, she noticed, was watching her from the table, already dressed in jeans and a flannel, his own cup in hand. She shot him an appreciative look.

"Thanks," she murmured, her voice still thick with sleep. Dean nodded and Lorelai found herself studying him as she took another sip. Despite being freshly showered he looked exhausted, the circles under his eyes letting her know he probably hadn't slept much, if at all, through the night, and there was a tension in his body that she suspected had nothing to do with her.

"You look like hell," she commented, setting the cup back down. "Did you sleep at all?"

"Enough," he shrugged. Lorelai nodded, knowing that was the best response she was going to get and understanding all too well. She'd tossed and turned too, caught up in her own worry for Sam and the way things were between her and Dean. It wasn't much of a leap to assume it had been worse for Dean – she could only imagine how she'd be if it were Katie missing.

"Alright," she said, swinging her legs over the side of the bed, stretching before pushing to her feet. "I need a shower. You need to get changed. We're going in as feds."

"Oh?" he asked, eyebrows shooting up. Lorelai nodded, already moving towards her bag and sucking down more of the coffee.

"Mmhmm," she hummed. "Easy access, least amount of questions. Just trust me?"

And without waiting for a response, she grabbed her toiletry bag, a change of clothes, and dipped into the bathroom.

Twenty minutes later, Lorelai emerged from the bathroom, hair styled carefully into a messy bun to keep it out of her face and makeup done. She'd opted for a basic pencil skirt, white button down, and black pumps. Professional, but simple, non-descript. Dean was waiting, already having changed into a suit, and tugging at his tie.

"You ready?" she asked, grabbing her bag and heading for the door. Dean nodded, following close behind.

"Yeah, let's do this."

Once they were settled into the Impala, Lorelai fished out her phone and scrolled through her contacts. She frowned, hesitating for a half a beat before decidingto hell with itand dialing.

"Who're you calling?" Dean questioned, sparing a glance in her direction, confusion marring his features.

"Ezra," Lorelai told him, holding the phone to her ear. "He's a forensics tech, but I need someone to check out what MACUSA has on file about Hibbing. I know I readsomethingbut I can't remember what and –"

"This better be good, Baudelaire. It'sSunday, for Merlin's sake," Ezra's groggy voice interrupted her explanation, and despite his clear irritation, Lorelai smiled.

"Well good morning to you too, sunshine. What's wrong? Have one too many last night?"

"Not nearly as many as you."

Lorelai snorted.

"Yet I'm awake and working. And I need a favor."

"Of course you do," Ezra muttered, the exasperation clear in his voice. "Can't you call Russo? You're meant to behispain in the ass anyway."

Lorelai winced and shifted uncomfortably, glancing at Dean who was quite obviously listening. She'd already noticed the very curt text she'd received from Nick when she'd opened her phone to call Ezra, and there was a voicemail waiting she wasn't eager to listen to too.

"Nick's already doing me a favor. And this is important. I need you to go into the office and see what we've got on any open cases in Hibbing, Minnesota. I'm out here working a missing persons and I need to know how deep this thing goes."

"You want me to go into the office… on a Sunday. No way."

"C'mon, Ez," she half cajoled, half pleaded. "I'll owe you one. And with Katie home, I'll actually be around to pay up. That's gotta be worth something."

There was a pause, and Lorelai could practically hear the gears turning in Ezra's head.

"Fine," he said eventually. "But first thing as soon as you're back, you're taking lead on the body they found in Queens on Friday. We're still stuck on identification, and Voss is insufferable."

Lorelai couldn't hold back her groan, drawing a curious look from Dean that she ignored.

"That's not even fair. I read your report; those remains are adisaster, I'll be at it for weeks. Andinsufferabledoesn't begin to describe Voss."

"Do you want me to go get you that information for you or not?"

It wasn't a real question. She needed the info, and Ezra was the best bet she had – even with the sacrifice he was wrangling out of her.

"Fine," Lorelai sighed. "I'll help you with the forensics on it but tell Nick to reassign the case to me. I can't afford any more trouble with Voss; that asshat already went crying to Kirby after the last time we worked together."

"You know, one of these days –"

"I don't need the lecture, Ez – especially not from you," she interjected with a brightness that did little to conceal her irritation. "Just go check out the files, yeah?"

"Alright, alright," Ezra grumbled. "I'll see what I can dig up."

"Great. And this morning, please – not whenever you feel like getting to it," she added, her voice taking on a more serious tone.

"Oh, are you sure? Because I thought I'd do some errands first, maybe clean my apartment, take the dogs for a walk in the park – you know, really make a day of it."

"Ez –"

"Yeah, yeah," Ezra spoke up before she could say anything more, and she didn't need to see him to know he'd rolled his eyes. "I'll call you back."

As Lorelai hung up, she caught Dean watching her from the corner of his eye, and she arched an eyebrow in return.

"What?"

"Nothing," he said shaking his head, a small smirk playing at his lips. "Nothing. I guess I'm just realizing I've neverreallyseen you work before."

"You've seen enough," she shrugged.

"You weren't kidding about the forensics thing, huh?" he asked, and Lorelai bit her lip but shook her head. "Underplaying it, if anything, I take it," Dean continued.

"I have a mastery in it," she admitted. "That's sort of like a doctorate, I guess."

Dean nodded, an expression on his face Lorelai couldn't quite decipher.

"And what did you just agree to do to get your buddy to track down whatever information you're looking for?" he asked. Lorelai shrugged again.

"There was a body dump in Queens, we haven't been able to identify the remains yet. The vic underwent extensive plastic surgery, indicating she might be a Muggle, but whoever killed her also used a ton of magic to obfuscate her identity even further, along with any other evidence that would tell uswhathappened. It's a bitch of a case, but spellwork and skeletal remains are two of my specialties. I told Ezra I'd help him out is all."

Dean nodded, keeping his eyes on the road.

"And Katie's home from school?" Lorelai hummed and turned her own eyes to the window. "So you left her with Nick? I assume that's the favor you were talking about."

Lorelai chewed on her lip, realizing that he was putting the pieces together and suddenly wishing she'd been more discrete. Her cards were played, though. There was no use trying to backpedal.

"Yeah."

Dean nodded and for a moment there was silence between them. It was when they pulled up to a stop light that Dean turned to her with a sincere look she didn't often see.

"Thanks, Lor. I, uh… I didn't,"

"It's okay," she interrupted gently, never having been all that comfortable with gratitude. "You'd have done the same for me."

He held her gaze for a moment, before giving her a small nod back and turning forward once more.

The rest of the drive passed in relative silence, the tension of the previous night returning with an awkwardness that might have been worse, and Lorelai was relieved when they finally pulled up to the County Works building.

Dean reached for his stash of fake IDs while Lorelai straightened her shirt, but clocking the movement, she quickly batted his hand away, reaching for her bag instead.

"What gives? I thought you said we were going in as feds," Dean demanded.

"We are," she said with an eyeroll, pulling out her own badge. "But I've got the IDs covered."

Dean looked like he wanted to argue but when he took hers to examine his eyebrows shot up.

"Special Agent Lorelai Baudelaire, FBI," he read, looking between her and the badge. "That's your real name."

"Yeah, I know. And if they try to run it, they'll get my real picture and my real information too. Just give me a minute – yours won't be real, but it'll get you through today," she said taking the badge back and withdrawing her wand. Dean watched, that mix of awe and unease on his face again, while she duplicated the object before going about transfiguring the writing.

"Thought you were an Auror," he said slowly, and Lorelai nodded without looking up.

"I am. But MACUSA has an arrangement. After they repealed Rappaport's law they –"

"Rappa-what now?"

Lorelai sighed and shook her head, handing him back the modified dup of her badge and giving him an apologetic look.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to start giving you a history lesson, it's not important. Long story short, we have an arrangement with the non-magical government. We lend the occasional helping hand when their guys get stuck, and in exchange we get credentialed in certain systems. Helps us move between worlds a little easier, you know, on cases like this."

Dean mulled her words, his brow furrowing, but Lorelai was already reaching for the door. They could talk politics later if he really wanted to, but right now they had a job to do and she was eager to get it over with.

They climbed out of the Impala, the crisp morning air nipping at their exposed skin, and headed towards the building. Inside the receptionist looked up as they entered, her eyes widening slightly at their professional attire. Lorelai stepped forward, smoothly pulling out the badge Dean had just been looking over in the car and presenting it with an authoritative tone that brooked no argument.

"Special Agent Baudelaire. This is my partner, Special Agent Winchester. We need to speak with whoever's in charge of your traffic camera system, if you don't mind."

The receptionist, a middle-aged woman with graying hair and kind eyes, blinked in surprise.

"Oh, um, of course," she stammered, reaching for the phone on her desk. "Let me just call Mr. Jacobson. He oversees that department."

The smile Dean sent her way only seemed to make the woman more flustered.

It was only a minute or two later that an older gentleman with salt and pepper hair emerged from a back office, his face a mask of polite curiosity.

"Agents?" he inquired, shaking each of their hands. "I'm Robert Jacobson. How can I help you?"

"Mr. Jacobson, we're looking working a case and reports indicate that our suspect's vehicle passed through the area last night," she answered, her expression serious. "We need to access your traffic camera footage from last night, see if we can find what direction the suspect may have gone."

"I see," Mr. Jacobson said, his eyebrows raising. "Well, that shouldn't be a problem. Agents, if you'll both follow me. I can set you up in our viewing room."

As they followed Jacobson down a narrow hallway, Dean leaned in close to Lorelai, his breath ghosting over the back of her neck and sending shivers down her spine.

"You sure about this?" he asked, his voice low and concerned. "My name ain't exactly free and clear if they –"

"It's fine," she whispered back, eyeing Jacobson carefully. "Just trust me."

Ultimately, Mr. Jacobson brought them to a small, dimly lit room filled with monitors and computer equipment. He spent a few minutes explaining how everything worked and showing them the controls. The footage wasn't continuous but took an image every three seconds which was good enough, and they had map of the county with locations of the camera marked off.

"Thank you, Mr. Jacobson," Lorelai found herself saying after a few minutes, her tone polite but dismissive. "We'll take it from here."

Jacobson nodded, seeming relieved to be excused.

"Of course. I'll be in my office if you need anything else. You can get me on that phone at extension 212 as well."

And as soon as the door closed behind him, she and Dean both let out a collective sigh of relief and settled into the two chairs crammed in front of the desk. Lorelai tried to ignore the fact that they were close enough she could feel the heat of his body.

"Alright," Dean said, already reaching for the controls Jacobson had shown them, "this should be the camera from outside the bar."

They worked in silence for several minutes, the only sound the clicking of the mouse, the clack of the keys, and their breathing as they scrolled through image after image of the deserted street outside Kugel's Keg, Dean working to narrow it into the right timeframe. Just as her eyes were starting to go blurry and she was wondering if they could have possibly missed something, Dean leaned forward, his hand shooting out to stop her scrolling.

"Hold up," he exclaimed, pointing at the screen. "There, and the timestamp fits."

Lorelai squinted and saw that he was right. Sitting up straighter she leaned forward herself, scrolling through the images to see which one got the best shot. There was one that gave them the license plate, where the pickup Dean had spotted was close enough to the light for them to make out some detail. Lorelai quickly printed it, and they continued to scroll, double checking no other vehicles passed through matching the timeline of Sam's disappearance.

"What a piece of crap," Lorelai muttered, taking the page of the printer and holding it between them. They both leaned in, studying the image. Dean nodded his head, but then pointed.

"Yeah, but look at the plates. Brand new – I'll bet it's stolen."

"Good eye," she conceded, glancing warily back towards the computer system. "At least we know what direction they were heading in now. We should check out the next camera, see if the thing passes by or not."

Dean nodded, looking towards the map and frowning.

"It's fifty miles away. That's not exactly a small window."

"It's still a smaller window thananywhere," she pointed out. "C'mon. You look at the footage on the next camera, I'll double check the map to see if there's anywhere it could have turned off and gotten picked up by a different one."

They went back to working in silence, and Lorelai sent Ezra a quick message asking for an update. She got back a useless response, telling her patience is a virtue, and she pocketed the phone with a sigh.

"You know," she offered a few minutes later, her fingers and eyes still tracing the possible routes, "most monsters and creatures don't usually need to drive. At least, not the kinds that can vanish a person."

Dean's head turned, his green eyes meeting hers, the beginnings of a frown forming on his face.

"What? You leaning towards this just being some regular, human whackjob?" he asked quietly, and Lorelai shrugged.

"I'm not sold, I'm just saying…"

"What about the kid's story? The whining growl he heard?"

Lorelai gave another shrug.

"You see how beat up that pickup is. Could have been the engine, or something else on the car. Either way, we shouldn't rule anything out. Human can be the worst kind of monster if you ask me."

Dean let out a sigh of frustration and turned back to the screen, running a hand down the bottom half of his face as he did.

"Damnit," he muttered. "I hate not knowing what we're dealing with."

An hour later, they'd determined there were no other major roads the truck could have turned onto, and that it didn't pass the next traffic cam, which left them with a fifty-mile stretch of road to search that theyhopedwould yield something. There wasn't a lot of good feeling to go around, but Lorelai felt a small bubble of hope when her phone started to buzz and she saw Ezra's name on the ID.

"What took you so long? Please tell me you've gotsomething," she said in a way of greeting.

"Oh no, don't say hello, don't thank me," Ezra quipped back dramatically, making Lorelai roll her eyes, even as she and Dean approached the Impala and he eyed her curiously. "There's no need."

"Well maybe if you hadn't moved at a glacial pace. C'mon, Ez, what do you have? Just spit it out."

"You're not going to like it."

"Shocker," she sighed, leaning against the Impala. Dean came to stand in front of her and for just a moment it felt like old times. He was close enough that she could have reached out, pulled him in and lost herself, at least temporarily, in his arms while they figured out their next step.

"MACUSA doesn't have any open cases in Hibbing, Minnesota. We did, however, have our eyes on it for a while due to their unusually high number of missing persons," he explained, and Lorelai frowned.

"If it caught our attention enough to'keep our eyes on it'why haven't we sent anyone out?"

"Thatwould be a question for Russo or Conklin, but I didn't say we didn't send anyone out, I said there was nothingopen. We sent someone out about two months ago – they looked into it, determined there was no signs of any'magical maleficence', and closed the case out to leave to the no-maj authorities."

Ezra was right. Shedidn'tlike it. And from the look Dean was giving her, she'd done a poor job of holding a poker face.

Lorelai took a breath and counted back from ten,tryingto stop the wave of frustration Ezra's news had brought. Trying being the operative word.

"And what genius was behind that crack detective work?" she finally asked, failing miserably to keep the edge out of her voice. Dean raised an eyebrow, but she shook her head – meanwhile she could sense Ezra's amusement all the way from New York.

"Caputo," he informed her brightly, and Lorelai scowled.

"Should have guessed," she groused. "That lazy son of a bitch shouldn't even be allowed out in the field."

"Which is precisely why I went back through all of his work when I saw who filed the report, so you owe me doubly now."

"What did you find?" she asked warily. There was a beat, the sound of shuffling papers in the background, and then Ezra's voice came back through the speaker.

"It checked out. I agree with his assessment, even if he did leave the job… incomplete. Left the report on your desk in case you want to have another one of your verbal sparring matches with the higher ups about MACUSA's policy on no-maj cases. And if that's all, I'll be getting back to my Sunday now."

Lorelai sighed and tilted her head back, closing her eyes for just a moment.

"Yeah, alright. Thanks, Ez. Really, I appreciate it."

"I'm sure," he drawled. "I'll see you bright and early in the lab when you're back. Don't think I'll forget." And with that the line went dead.

Lorelai snapped her phone shut and let herself lean back against the Impala. The cool metal against her back was grounding, a stark contrast to the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside her. When she opened her eyes again, Dean was still standing in front of her, his green eyes searching her face with a mixture of concern and impatience.

"Well?" he prompted, his voice gruff. "What did your buddy find?"

Lorelai pushed herself off the car, running a hand through her hair.

"MACUSA doesn't have any open cases in Hibbing," she explained, her voice still tinged with frustration. "They were keeping an eye on the area due to the high number of missing persons, but they sent someone out a couple months ago who determined it wasn't our kind of thing – no magical involvement."

"So what, they just dropped it?" Dean asked, his brow furrowing and his voice taking on much the same tone hers often did when these sorts of things came up. "Even with people still going missing?"

"Pretty much," Lorelai confirmed, her lips twisting into a grimace. "They left it to the local authorities to handle."

"That's bullshit," Dean growled, turning away and pacing a few steps. Lorelai couldn't help but agree, watching as he ran a hand down his face, the tension in his shoulders only increasing.

"Look," she said, trying to keep her voice level despite her own feelings on the subject, "I know it's not ideal, but at least now we know we're not dealing with anything magical. That narrows down our options, at least a bit."

"Are we down to strictly human, or could it still be some sort of creature or supernatural thing?" he asked, and Lorelai winced.

"Could still be any of it," she admitted, "MACUSA only ruled out wizard activity and any creatures that fall strictly under our purview."

"So then we're right where we were before!" he complained, his eyes flashing with a mixture of frustration and determination. "Which is a whole lot of nothing to go on. What are we supposed to do now, Lor? Drive up and down the road looking for turn-offs and going door to door?"

Even as he was speaking, Lorelai was busy running through what the elimination of any magical factors could mean for them, and she felt a spark of excitement, realizing she finally had something to offer.

"Actually," she said, a small smile playing at her lips, "I think I can help narrow it down more now that we've got a starting point. We should head back to the room. And get a map on the way – one that shows that fifty mile stretch specifically."

The frustration on Dean's face gave way to curiosity and something resembling hope, even as he pulled his keys from his pocket.

"Yeah? What trick you got up your sleeve? I thought you couldn't track Sam with magic."

They climbed back into the Impala and Lorelai shook her head while Dean turned the engine over.

"I can't," she agreeed. "But now that we know where we're looking, I can come close. I can use magic to… enhance a map of the area." She trailed off, trying to best figure out how to explain what she was going to do. Dean's eyes flickered between her and the road as they pulled back out into traffic.

"Enhance how?"

"Well, I can make sure we're not missing anything – private roads, property, you know, things that wouldn't normallybeon a map. So long as the area's not warded or charmed to be unplottable, I can make it show up, and since MACUSA ruled out any magical involvement, that shouldn't be a concern. Muggles can't put up those sorts of protections. I can also charm it to show everyone in real time. It's… complicated… but I've done it before. It shouldn't be a problem."

"Seriously?" Dean asked, and she could see his grip on the steering wheel loosen just a bit as he shot her another quick look, this one betraying his surprise. "That's… well, that's awesome, actually. What do you need? Just the map?"

"And coffee," she quipped, unable to stop herself. Dean let out a snort of laughter and shook his head.

"I think I can accommodate that. How 'bout some food too? We can get something to go."

Lorelai nodded, grateful for Dean's suggestion. The rumbling in her stomach reminded her that she hadn't eaten since the party, and her stomach was still feeling less than perfect after all the drinking. The adrenaline and worry had been keeping her hunger at bay, but now that they had a plan, her stomach was starting to make its needs known.

"Sounds perfect," she agreed. "I could definitely use some fuel."

They drove in silence for a few minutes, the tension from earlier dissipating slightly with the prospect of a meal ahead of them. The familiar profile of his face, the way his hands gripped the steering wheel - it all brought back a flood of memories, both good and bad. She pushed them aside, now wasn't the time to take a stroll down memory lane.

They pulled into a small diner on the outskirts of town. The neonOPENsign flickered weakly in the window, and the parking lot was nearly empty, save for a couple of beat-up trucks. As they stepped out of the Impala, the smell of grease and coffee wafted towards them.

Inside, the diner was just as worn as its exterior suggested. Cracked vinyl booths lined the walls, and a jukebox in the corner played a tinny version of an old country song. Lorelai's eyes were drawn to a rack of maps near the entrance, and she nodded towards it.

"I'll grab the map we need," she said, already inching in that direction. "You order?"

"Yeah, I got it," Dean replied, following her lead and taking a step in the other direction. "Your usual, I assume? Plain cheeseburger, medium, extra cheese, fries and onion rings?"

Lorelai paused, a fleeting look of surprise crossing her face. She hadn't expected him to remember her order after all this time – though she supposed, in all fairness, he'd remembered her normal breakfast order just a few weeks ago. That he'd remember her lunch order too wasn't all that much of a stretch.

"Yeah," she said softly. "That'd be great. Thanks."

Lorelai made a beeline for the map rack while Dean approached the counter. As she perused the selection, looking for the most detailed map of the area, her ears couldn't help but perk up as Dean reached his destination.

"Well hello there, handsome," the waitress purred, her voice carrying easily in the quiet diner. "What can I get for you today?"

Lorelai glanced over her shoulder, taking in the scene. The waitress was attractive, with long blonde hair and a figure-hugging uniform. She had an inviting smile on her face as she leaned over the counter towards Dean, her low-cut top leaving little to the imagination, and Lorelai felt an unfamiliar twinge of jealousy in her gut.

"Hey there," Dean responded, his voice taking on that familiar charming tone that never seemed to fail him. "Need to place an order to go. I'll take two large coffees, a plain cheeseburger with extra cheese, a side of fries and onion rings… and uh, what do you think is good here?"

The waitress - her nametag readCindy- leaned in closer, her smile widening.

"Well, our burgersarepretty famous around here. But if you're looking for something a little healthier, the grilled chicken sandwich is great too."

Lorelai resisted the urge to roll her eyes, instead turning her attention to the rack of maps near the entrance. She rifled through them, looking for one that covered the area they needed, though her gaze still kept drifting back.

"Another burger it is then, add some bacon to the second. I'll take both of 'em medium. And maybe a slice of pie if you've got any."

Cindy laughed, as she jotted down the order, the sound light and flirtatious.

"For you? I think we can rustle up a piece. Anything else I can get for you, sugar?" she asked, looking up at Dean through her lashes.

"Nah, that'll be it. Thanks."

"Coming right up," Cindy winked, her hand lingering on Dean's arm as she turned to put in the order.

Lorelai's fingers tightened on the map she was holding, her jaw clenching involuntarily. She knew she had no right to be jealous - after all, she and Dean weren't together, and he was free to flirt with whoever he wanted. But that didn't stop the hot, uncomfortable feeling from settling in her stomach.

When Dean eventually made his way over to her, Lorelai kept her eyes firmly on the maps.

"Find what we need?" he asked, peering over her shoulder.

"I think so," she replied, holding up a map of the county. "This should cover the area we're looking at."

Dean nodded, opening his mouth to say something else when Cindy's voice rang out.

"Order's up, handsome!"

As Dean went to collect their food, Cindy leaned across the counter again, her voice dropping to a sultry whisper that still carried across the quiet diner.

"You know, my shift ends in an hour if you're looking for a... tour guide."

Lorelai's grip on the map tightened, her knuckles turning white, but she deliberately adopted an expression of neutrality as she turned and approached the counter herself.

"I think we've got it covered," Lorelai cut in, pushing the folded map across the Formica countertop. "If you could just add that to the bill."

Cindy's smile dimmed slightly, her eyes narrowing as she took in Lorelai's presence, but Lorelai was more uncomfortable with the curious expression Dean fixed her with. She could practically hear the gears turning in his brain and suppressed a groan.

They paid without any more fuss, and Lorelai wrapped her hands gratefully around the to-go cup Dean handed her, inhaling the aroma deeply before sipping as if the bitter liquid were a lifeline. But as they exited the diner and approached the Impala, she caught the smirk Dean shot in her direction and knew she was in for it.

"You alright there, Lor?" he asked, his voice colored with amusement. She furrowed her brow, deciding to play dumb and shot back a confused look.

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?"

Dean made a face and shrugged, clearly fighting not to smile.

"Oh I don't know. Just, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were jealous back there."

Despite having known it was coming, Lorelai nearly choked on her coffee.

"Excuse me?"

"The waitress," Dean clarified. "You looked like you wanted to claw her eyes out."

"Don't be ridiculous," Lorelai scoffed, managing an eyeroll as she brushed past him to get to the passenger side. "I couldn't care less who you flirt with. If some smalltown waitress with more cleavage than brains is what's doing it for you these days, then go for it."

Dean chuckled holding his hands up in mock surrender, and Lorelai felt her cheeks heating as they settled back into the car.

"If you say so, sweetheart. My mistake."

As they drove back to the motel, Lorelai tried to push down the conflicting emotions swirling inside her. She and Dean weren't together anymore, never had been really, and she had no claim on him. No right to feel possessive or upset. She was here to help find Sam, nothing more. Whatever lingering feelings she had for Dean, whatever jealousy she might have felt watching him with that waitress, none of it mattered. She just had to keep reminding herself of that. There were more important things afoot.

It was a relief to get back to the motel, and Lorelai wasted no time in kicking off her heels and grabbing a change of clothes from her bag. She was almost to the bathroom to change when she noticed Dean had paused in his tracks, a strange look on his and his eyes focused on her bag. Realizing he'd been caught, he looked up at her and nodded towards where the offending item was still sitting on her bed.

"What is that, like the bag from Mary Poppins or something? You had it in Kinston too… seemed like a bottomless pit the way you were digging around in it."

"Oh," she said, a small smile tugging at her lips at the reference. She hadn't thought anything of the way she'd been pulling things out and likewise stowing them away but realized now how strange it must have looked to him. "I guess you could say that, though I suspect the contents are pretty different. It's got an undetectable extension charm on it. And a weight-modification charm. Makes it easier to carry everything I need."

Dean nodded slowly, looking as though he were putting pieces together. Sighing softly, Lorelai ducked into the bathroom, leaving him to his thoughts and dimly hoping whatever they were weren't too damning.

When she came back out Dean had settled in at the table, the map they'd purchased lying atop it while he finished off his burger. Lorelai shoved her fed clothes back into her bag, fished out one of the books she thought she might need, withdrew her wand, and went to work.

"So what exactly are you gonna do to this thing?" Dean asked while she spread the map across the surface.

"Do you really want the specifics?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow. Dean seemed to debate with himself for a moment, and Lorelai turned her eyes back to the map instead of waiting. She was halfway through sizing up where she needed to crop the paper when he spoke again.

"You know, Lor, I'm trying. You didn't exactly drop the easiest truth bomb on me."

It was clear from his tone that he wasn'ttryingto piss her off – if anything, it was gentle the way he said it, but Lorelai felt her nostrils flare anyway, a snort slipping out before she could think better of it. That anger of hers was just so easy to fall back into… it was always waiting for her with open arms like a lifelong friend.

"And you didn't exactly do anything to show me that you were'trying'," she shot back, her own tone indicating exactly how much she thought of his description. "Or was I supposed to take the nearly eight months of radio silence as some grand gesture?"

"C'mon, Lorelai," Dean huffed, "How long are you gonna beat that horse? I had other shit going on, and you were better off staying out of it."

"Is that the same reason you took off in the middle of the night?" she muttered. She could feel Dean glaring at her, even as she stubbornly continued to stare at the map.

"Yeah, actually, not that it –" but Lorelai didn't let him finish, the emotions she'd been suppressing for the past fourteen hours or so reaching a boiling point.

"Matters? You're right, it doesn't matter, because it's a load of bullshit and you know it. You didn't reach back out because once you found out the truth and you realized I wasn't what youthoughtI was, you didn't want me anymore. And after Kinston you were too chickenshit to tell me my magic still skeeved you out, so you ran."

The silence that followed her outburst was deafening, and Lorelai stood there wishing the floor would open up and swallow her whole. She hadn't meant to say it – none of it was supposed to bother her – but there it was, laid bare, and she'd never felt more exposed.

Something flashed across Dean's face – pain… regret, maybe, but before she could really analyze it, he was running a hand down his face, breathing in, and Lorelai couldn't bear to watch anymore. She let her eyes fall to the ground, halfheartedly wishing for an act of God.

"That ain't it, Lor," he finally said, his voice brimming with enough emotion to distract her from her own humiliation and draw her gaze back to him. He was still hard to read, but there was an air of defeat around him she'd never seen before and her heart clenched at the sight, even as he continued on. "Fuck, that's so far from the truth, it's not even in the samestratosphere.But I can't do this right now. I get it, you're pissed, and you got every right. I fucked up, and if that means you wanna lay into me, tear me a new one, tell me exactly how much of a piece of shit I am, that's fine. I'll sit here, I'll take it – Hell, I'll even give you suggestions, I swear. But first, please, can we find Sam?"

Lorelai deflated at his words, and when their eyes met Lorelai let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. She nervously tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear, nodding, and gave him an apologetic look.

"I – of course we can," she agreed, her voice significantly softer than before, all traces of anger gone. "I'm sorry, Dean. I didn't mean –"

"Don't be," he cut her off quickly. "I get it."

Silence fell between them again, but it wasn't nearly as uncomfortable as the other ones they'd recently suffered through, and when she met his eyes there seemed to be an understanding that passed between them. She nodded again and tightened her grip on her wand.

"Right, then. Well, let me get to work."

And lifting her wand once more, she got back to it, her movements precise and practiced as she began cropping the paper down to the part that she actually needed so she could enlarge and enhance what was left. It wasn't long before she was so absorbed in the modifications she was making that everything else fell away, and when Dean moved to look over her shoulder a few minutes later she nearly jumped in surprise.

"Sorry," he murmured before taking a step back. "Just wanted to get a better look."

After that she became more aware of Dean's presence. He was hovering, though clearly trying not to, and his anxiety and impatience became palpable as it grew.

"You keep fidgeting," she pointed out, taking care to keep any bite out of her voice. Dean paused, the pen he'd been mindlessly tapping against the table's edge freezing midair and a sheepish expression taking hold of his face.

"Feelin' a little useless right now," he admitted. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Not really. Why don't you go change? You must be uncomfortable in that suit. This next part's the tricky part, and I need to focus."

To his credit, Dean didn't argue, instead just standing to grab his bag.

"Yeah, alright. Thanks, Lor."

With Dean out of the room, Lorelai found it easier to concentrate, falling back into the rhythm she'd had before. She was careful to make her wand movements exact, and despite the fact that she typically adept at nonverbal casting, she found herself quietly murmuring the incantations while the map transformed before her. By the time Dean emerged from the bathroom, back in the jeans and t-shirt/flannel combo from that morning, she was just finishing the homonculus charm – the same one she'd begged and pleaded with Sirius to teach her the summer they'd all been stuck at Grimmauld Place. She took a step back, admiring her handiwork, and Dean came to stand behind her, his own eyes widening as he took in the scene.

"Holy shit," he breathed, leaning in. Lorelai watched in amusement as his brow furrowed in concentration while he tried to make sense of what he was seeing.

"I take it you approve?"

"Are those… people?" he asked, his voice a mix of awe and disbelief. Lorelai nodded, pointing to two dots in the lower corner of the map.

"Yep. See there? Dean Winchester and Lorelai Baudelaire."

Dean's eyes followed her finger, squinting to read the small print and then letting out a low whistle when he did.

"Damn. So, is this the kind of thing they teach you to get that – what did you call it before?"

"My forensics mastery?" she asked, tilting her head. When Dean nodded, she gave him a wry smile and shook her head. "Not exactly. This was something I picked up from Harry's godfather when we were teenagers. I was trying to reverse engineer a map like this of the school – didn't end up doing what I meant to with it, but it certainly doesn't hurt to know."

Dean shook his head, the ghost of a smirk tugging at his lips as he turned back to the map, his fingers tracing over some of its lines.

"Do I want to know why you wanted to make a map like this when you were still in school?"

"Probably not," she shrugged. "I certainly didn't have anygoodintentions."

"This is incredible," he murmured, too distracted to hold the conversation. "How accurate is this?"

"Very," she told him confidently. "And it covers the entire area we highlighted based on the traffic cam footage. Every living person in the area is represented here. Map's never wrong."

Dean nodded, eyes still glued to the moving dots. In all fairness, there was a lot of them.

"So basically Sam's gotta be on here somewhere, right?"

"Basically, yeah," Lorelai confirmed, moving to stand next to him. She inadvertently bushed his shoulder as she leaned over it with him, but Dean either didn't notice or didn't mind. "Unless whoever or whatever took him outside the perimeter, but I like our chances. We just need to find him."

She didn't mention that Sam wouldn't appear if he'd been killed – the possibility was unthinkable, and if she wasn't willing to let her own mind go there, she knew Dean wouldn't be either.

They fell into a comfortable silence, both of them focused intently on the task at hand. Lorelai's eyes flicked methodically over the map, taking in each name and location. She could feel the warmth radiating from Dean's body, so close to hers, but she pushed that awareness aside, channeling all her energy into the search. One of the enhancements she'd made was to draw property lines, and so they swept through each block, crossing them out with markers Lorelai conjured as they went. Even still, it was slow work.

Lorelai wasn't sure how long had passed, but her eyes were starting to glaze over when Dean's finger shot out, pointing to a cluster of dots towards the edge of the map. They were centered within private property, set far back off the road, with not much around them.

"There!" Dean exclaimed, his voice tinged with excitement and relief. "Sam Winchester!"

Lorelai leaned in closer, suddenly feeling much more alert, her heart racing as she confirmed Dean's discovery. There, among the small cluster, was indeedSam Winchester.

"Awesome," she breathed, a smile spreading across her face. "Good eye, Dean."

His shoulders sagged with relief.

"Thank god," he muttered. Then, his eyes narrowed, as if he was noticing the other names surrounding Sam's for the first time. "Who are these people? Lee Bender, Jared Bender, Missy Bender, and Dennis Bender?"

"I don't know," Lorelai frowned. "Looks like a family, but given that Sam's with them…"

"They're probably the ones who took him," Dean finished, his jaw clenching. Lorelai nodded.

"That would be my guess."

"Damn it. Can you tell from this thing what we're dealing with?"

Lorelai shook her head but placed a comforting hand on Dean's arm before she could think better of it.

"No," she admitted. "But at least we know where Sam is now. And that he's alive – map wouldn't show him if he weren't."

Dean, she noticed, eased ever so slightly into her touch. He nodded at her words, drawing in a deep breath.

"Yeah, you're right. That's big. So what's our next move?"

"We go get him," she said simply, pulling her hand back, already moving towards her bag and refusing to acknowledge that she missed the closeness. Dean followed suit, already going for his jacket, a determined look settling over his features.

"Great, let's go."

They moved quickly, gathering what they needed and heading out to the Impala – for Dean, that wasn't much since he kept his things in the trunk, but Lorelai was careful to take everything with her.

The drive itself was easy enough, though there was a charged energy as they sped towards the property. It was different from the tension that had been there before, this one having more to do with the fact that they were both mentally preparing for what they were possibly going to be facing than anything having to do with each other.

Lorelai was surprised when Dean asked her how Katie was doing. She'd been fiddling with the radio, and when he opened his mouth she expected a rebuke for messing with his stuff. She couldn't stop her eyebrows from raising when she realized it wasn't.

"Katie?" she repeated back. Dean shot back a confused look and nodded.

"Yeah, your sister. How's she doin'? I heard you mention she was home for the summer?"

It took her a minute for her brain to catch up to what he was asking, but then Lorelai found herself nodding, dropping her hand from the radio and settling back into the seat.

"She's good. I, uh, I haven't seen her much, she only just got home yesterday. But she seemed to have another good year."

And much to her surprise, rather than the silence she expected, Dean kept up a steady stream of conversation with her all the way out to the Benders'. She wasn't sure if it was purely rooted in a need for distraction, or something else, but it was sort of nice. What surprised her more was howeasyit was, almost as if they were picking up where they'd left off in the Fall – though she noticed they were both careful to stray far from any potentially touchy subjects.

When they finally neared their destination, Lorelai directed Dean to pull off to the side of the road just before the turn off, earning her a confused look, even as he complied.

"What gives?" he asked.

"We should leave the car here," she explained. "We don't know what we're walking into, this'll give us a chance to at least have the element of surprise on our side. I can use magic to hide the car, make sure it doesn't draw any attention."

Dean, who had been nodding along at her reasoning, suddenly narrowed his eyes.

"No hocus pocus near my baby."

Realizing what his issue was, Lorelai rolled her eyes. She'd have maybe been offended, if she hadn't already known how irrationally protective he was of his car.

"I promise, I won't do anything to your car – I'm only trying to keep it safe."

Dean considered her words for a moment, studying her as if to try and decide whether or not she was lying, before he finally nodded and killed the engine. Once they climbed out of the car he then watched as she waved her wand, the air around the Impala seeming to shimmer for a moment before settling.

"Notice-me-not charm," she explained as they jointly went to the trunk. "Unless someone knows to look here, they won't notice anything.

"Handy," Dean commented begrudgingly, and Lorelai smiled back at him sweetly, pocketing her wand.

Trunk open, Dean began to raid the arsenal he kept under the false bottom. Lorelai followed suit, tossing her bag in with his stuff before withdrawing a handgun that got tucked into her waistband and a knife that was easily slipped inside her boot. The action caught Dean's attention, and he watched her with raised eyebrows.

"You know," he said, a hint of amusement in his voice, "I gotta ask. Why bother with the hardware when you've got that?" He nodded towards her wand. "I imagine that thing could do some pretty serious damage."

Lorelai paused, halfway through stowing the knife, and looked up at Dean, torn between exasperation and amusement.

"Did you readanythingin that folder I left you?" she asked without thinking. Dean opened and closed his mouth for a minute, color flooding his cheeks. She was relieved that he only seemed thrown off rather than upset – it had, after all, been dangerously close to a breach of their agreementnotto discuss the elephant in the room until Sam was safe.

"Of course I did!" he finally sputtered. "What's that got to do with anything?"

Lorelai rolled her eyes, finishing what she was doing before straightening back up.

"Well, if you read it," she explained patiently, "then you know about the International Statute of Secrecy, and youshouldknow that I wasn't hiding the fact that I'm a witch from you just for kicks. It's a very serious thing in my world, we can't just go doing magic in front of Muggles, or go using it on them whenever we feel like it.Especiallysince I don't believe in obliviating. I've got to… blend."

"Obliviating," he repeated, turning the word over in his mouth. "That's the memory wipe thing you guys do, right?" Lorelai nodded, and though she suspected, she was glad to hear proof he had in fact read through the materials she left.

"Exactly."

Dean mulled that for a moment, his brow furrowing in thought.

"There's more to that story, isn't there? About why you don't believe in obliviating?" he finally asked. Lorelai hesitated, her hands stilling on the gun she'd begun loading.

"Yeah," she admitted reluctantly. "But that's… that's a conversation for another time."

Dean nodded, accepting the answer as he went back to arming himself, though Lorelai noticed the way he kept his face carefully free of emotion.

"I bet you probably have a lot of stories I don't know," he remarked. There was no malice in his voice this time, not like some of the biting comments they'd both been making earlier, but somehow that made it cut even deeper. The words hung between them for a moment before Lorelai swallowed hard, forcing herself to meet Dean's gaze.

"Yeah, well, no one's stopping you from asking what you want to know when we're done with this."

The moment stretched for another moment or so, the air thick with unspoken words and something Lorelai was afraid to name. Then Dean cleared his throat, mercifully breaking the spell.

"Right. Well we should get moving. Sam's waiting," he said gruffly. Lorelai nodded, grateful for the shift in focus.

The property was densely populated with trees, and they moved through them silently, careful not to tip anyone off to their approach. It was about halfway to the house they'd seen on the map that they came across a clearing filled with old rusted-out cars.

"Well I'm thinking we found why Hibbing has so many missing persons," she muttered, a hint of sarcasm in her voice as they walked among them, her fingers grazing a black Mustang that might have been nice if it hadn't been left to sit. "This must be where they keep the victims' cars."

"Bastards," Dean grumbled, his eyes sweeping over the scene around them as well, his jaw glanced.

Before either of them could say anything else, however, the sound of approaching voices cut through the clearing. She and Dean exchanged a quick glance before backtracking to duck back behind the tree line, pressing close together behind a particularly large oak tree to avoid being seen.

Two men came into view, their conversation carrying clearly in the still air. From their hiding spot, Dean and Lorelai observed the pair – both were burly, rough, and dirty in appearance, with cruel, and somewhat dumb, expressions on their faces. One was fiddling with a set of keys, while the other carried what looked like hunting gear. The eagerness with which they were discussing their latest "catch" made Lorelai's skin crawl.

"...told Pa we oughta take care of the new one soon," the one with the keys was saying. "It was risky grabbing another so fast."

The other man grunted in agreement. "Yeah, well, Pa knows best. We'll do it when he says."

She felt Dean tense beside her, his hand instinctively moving towards his gun. Lorelai placed a restraining hand on his arm, shaking her head slightly. Before Dean could question her, she raised her wand, turning her attention back to the two men by the cars – two of the Benders, she assumed.

With a quick, subtle flick of her wrist, two jets of red light shot from her wand, hitting each of them squarely in the back. They fell to the ground, unconscious before they even realized what happened. Dean's eyes widened in surprise.

"What the hell was that?" he whispered urgently. Lorelai was already pocketing her wand.

"Stunning spell," she explained quietly, already moving back out from the trees and motioning for Dean to follow her. "Relax, they're just unconscious. Help me tie them up before they wake up. It'll last a while, but I don't plan on sticking around."

"I thought you said you weren't going to use magic," he pointed out, even he went about helping her move one of the men. Lorelai shook her head.

"I said I had to becareful," she clarified. "Important difference. They have no idea what happened to them. For all they know, someone got the drop on them the old-fashioned way. No breaching of the statute done."

Dean shook his head, a reluctant smile tugging at his lips.

"Remind me never to piss you off," he muttered.

"Too late," Lorelai snorted, though there was no heat behind her words, and Dean chuckled.

A few minutes later, with the men secured – brothers, if Lorelai had to guess – they continued towards the house, moving with renewed urgency but still careful not to make any noise. They didn't run into any more trouble, and it didn't take long for them to come to the edge of a dirt driveway, muddy and littered with puddles, a dilapidated farmhouse and barn at its edge and visible through the trees.

They paused, taking the scene in as the sun began to set, taking the daylight with it. There was no activity outside, though they were still careful not to draw attention, and Dean eventually nodded towards the barn.

"It looked like Sam was off to the side in a separate building from the map. I'll bet he's in there."

Lorelai nodded and they began to move, sticking as close to the trees as possible and moving around the driveway rather than cutting across it so as to not draw attention. The ground squished beneath their feet, and Lorelai took care to try and find more solid patches to land her feet. Her senses were on high alert, every rustle of leaves and distant noise making her muscles tense, all while she kept an eye on the house to make sure no one emerged.

Dean reached the barn door first, his hand hovering over the handle as he looked back at her. Lorelai gave a quick nod, shifting to keep an eye out behind him while Dean eased the door open with practiced ease, just enough for them to slip inside.

The interior was dim, lit only by the fading sunlight slipping in through some of the gaps in the roof above. The air was so heavy the beams of light were visible, almost like lasers, and the smell hit them like a wall – hay, mixed with the all-too-familiar stench of death, and the same combination of smells that filled most of the public bathrooms in New York.

They continued to move cautiously, eyes scanning the cluttered space, squinting to see better while their eyes adjusted. Old farm equipment and rusted tools lined the walls, interspersed with items that had no place in a normal barn – chains, hooks, and a variety of other things that Lorelai was sure had nefarious purposes – all caked in grime and rusted in spots too. Dean pushed a hanging chain away from his face, and Lorelai caught sight of the disgusted expression he was wearing.

It was Dean who spotted the cage first. His sharp intake of breath drew Lorelai's attention, and she followed his gaze to a spot two thirds of the way to the back of the barn. There, behind a stack of moldering hay bales, was a large metal cage. And inside...

"Sam?" Dean's voice was a mixture of relief and concern as he dashed forward. "Are you hurt?"

Lorelai trailed behind, but from around Dean's shoulder she saw Sam's face break into a tired smile as he sat up straighter. He'd been slumped against the back corner of the cage, knees bent and arms resting atop them.

"No," he replied, his voice hoarse but steady.

"Damn, it's good to see you," Dean said, his hand shooting out to clap against the side of the gridded metal confining Sam. "C'mon, let's get you out of here."

It was as Dean moved around to examine the locks that Sam finally spotted Lorelai, his eyes widening in surprise and darting between her and Dean when he did.

"Lorelai?" he asked, confusion and relief mingling in his tone. "What are you doing here?"

"Hey, Sam," she replied, offering him a small smile. "Your brother called in a favor."

Sam's eyebrows shot but before either of them could any anything else, Dean's frustrated voice cut through the air, drawing their attention back to him.

"Oh, these locks look like they're gonna be a bitch."

"Well, there's some sort of automatic control right there," Sam offered, gesturing to a panel on the wall. "But they use a key."

Dean swore under his breath, but Lorelai only smiled, pulling out her wand again and twirling it between her fingers with a confidence born of years of practice.

"Relax, it won't be a problem," she told them, stepping forward. "I've got this."

With a simple swish of her wand the locks clicked open, the door swinging wide. It was Dean's turn to look surprised, while Sam grinned widely.

"Nice to see you're back to normal," Sam commented, moving towards the mouth of the cage, while Dean muttered something that sounded likeshow off.Lorelai smiled back.

"Good as new," she agreed brightly. It was as he stepped out, stretching his cramped muscles that Dean's face grew serious once more.

"You see them?" he asked, his voice low and urgent. Sam's expression turned grim as he nodded.

"Yeah. Dude, they're just people."

Dean's eyebrows shot up, a hint of teasing entering his voice despite the gravity of the situation. "And they jumped you? Must be gettin' a little rusty there, kiddo." His tone sobered as he continued, "What do they want?"

Sam shook his head, frustration evident in his features.

"I don't know. They let Jenkins go, but that was some sort of trap. It doesn't make any sense to me."

Lorelai frowned, her mind racing as she tried to piece together the puzzle. She'd seen similar things before, though she didn't like the conclusion that train of thought was bringing her to.

"Whatever they're up to, I need to get a better idea of what we're dealing with so I can call this in. MACUSA helps out on occasion, but we don't have jurisdiction in a case like this."

Dean looked like he wanted to say something, but Sam was already pointing to the far wall of the barn.

"I've seen them go in and out of there," he said, "and I've definitely heard them back there."

Dean pulled a flashlight and the three of them moved a little closer, pausing when the beam of light revealed a door.

"Well, let's check it out," Dean suggested, already moving forward.

The door revealed some sort of workroom, which was significantly worse than the barn had been. It was rectangular, a door on each side, workbenches lining each of the longer walls with a third running down the middle, creating somewhat narrow walkways on each side. Every surface was littered with objects, covered in dirt and grime, and the smell was stronger. Photos covered the walls – gruesome images of who Lorelai assumed were the Benders posing with their human prey. She recognized two of the men as the ones she had stunned, and Dean when picked up a Polaroid that looked fresh, Lorelai recognized the dead man featured from the missing persons article Dean had shown her when she first got to town.

Dean let out a low whistle, his face twisted in disgust.

"I'll say it again," he muttered quietly. "Demons I get. People arecrazy."

Lorelai found herself nodding agreement, her eyes scanning the macabre display while she continued to navigate around. She'd seen this before – jars of teeth, human bones displayed like trophies. It was sick, and the kind of evil she'd spent the majority of her life fighting. She only wished she could say it was the worst thing she'd seen. Judging from the revolted looks on Sam and Dean's faces, this rated at least close for them. For all the supernatural horror she knew they'd both faced, she suspected this level of human depravity was relatively new to them, and it struck her that for as many similarities as there were in their experiences, they were still vastly different.

Lorelai should have realized she wouldn't be the only one to notice that difference.

"You okay?" Dean murmured in her ear, though Lorelai could tell Sam was listening from the way he watched out of the corner of his eye. There was genuine concern in his voice. "You seem… uncomfortably comfortable with all this."

"Just another day at the office," she shrugged, allowing herself a weary sigh. "I deal with monsters of the human variety pretty regularly. This is… not nothing, but certainly doesn't crack the top five."

The brothers exchanged another look, a silent conversation passing between them. But before either of them could respond a sound from the barn, where they'd just vacated, filled the room. All three of their heads snapped to the side, and Lorelai felt her body tensing as she strained to listen. Footsteps, heavy and deliberate were approaching.

"Stay here," she whispered, already inching for the door, her tone leaving no room for argument. "I'll check it out."

Dean opened his mouth to protest, but Lorelai ignored him, slipping out of the room and back into the shadows of the barn. She crept forward, her steps silent as she navigated around piles of junk and discarded farm equipment. The footsteps grew louder, accompanied by the sound of muttered curses.

As she peered around a stack of crates, Lorelai caught sight of the intruder. It was an older man, tall, leaner than the other two she and Dean had taken out but still nothing to scoff at, with a face that spoke of years of hard living, and covered in the same dirt and grime the way everything else had been so far. His eyes darted around the barn; a shotgun held loosely in his hands. If Lorelai were a gambler, she'd bet he was the patriarch of the twisted family they'd stumbled across, which just left the last dot,Missy, unaccounted for.

Lorelai's held her breath as she silently moved around the outskirts of the space, staying in the shadows and keeping low to the ground, ducking behind whatever she could for cover. It would have been ideal to take him out the same way she had the other two, but the cluttered space was making it difficult for her to get a clean shot, and she wasn't willing to risk exposure.

Everything went to hell when she shifted her weight, trying to find a better angle, and her foot caught on a loose piece of metal. The resulting clang seemed deafening in the quiet barn.

Pa Bender's head snapped in her direction, his gun coming up.

"Who's there?" he growled, his voice rough and threatening.

Lorelai groaned but didn't hesitate, bursting from her hiding spot while simultaneously drawing her own gun.

"FBI," she shouted, "Drop your weapon!"

For a moment, surprise flickered across Pa Bender's face. Then his features twisted into a snarl, and instead of dropping the weapon, he fired. Lorelai dove to the side and rolled behind a tractor, her heart pounding in her chest.

Dean was right, people were fucking crazy.

"You picked the wrong farm to snoop around, little lady," Pa Bender called out, his voice dripping with malice. "But don't you worry. We'll make good use of you."

The threat in his words sent a chill down Lorelai's spine, but she pushed the fear aside. She had faced far worse than this deranged hillbilly. As she heard him approaching her position, she took a deep breath, steadying herself.

When the old man rounded the corner, Lorelai was ready. She lashed out with a kick, knocking him hard enough to make the gun drop from his hands. But Pa Bender was quicker than she'd anticipated, and he roared in anger, lunging at her with surprising speed for a man his age.

The ensuing struggle was messy, and Lorelai cursed herself for letting this bastard get the drop on her. She was mostly able to stay one step ahead, but he fought with the desperate strength of a cornered animal, all technique abandoned in favor of brute force, leaving her on the defensive. And eventually, he managed to get a hand around her throat, slamming her against the wall.

Spots danced in Lorelai's vision as she struggled for air. She could hear Sam and Dean shouting in the distance, realized they were trying to get to her, but the sounds were muffled, as if coming from underwater.

With a surge of her own desperate strength, Lorelai brought her knee up, catching Pa Bender in the groin. He howled in pain, his grip loosening just enough for her to break free.

She stumbled back, gasping for air, her hand fumbling for the gun that had been knocked from her hands at one point. Pa Bender recovered quickly, his eyes wild with fury as he charged at her again. This time, however, Lorelai was ready.

The gunshot echoed through the barn, startlingly loud in the confined space, followed by Pa Bender's agonized scream as he fell, clutching his knee. Lorelai kept her gun trained on him, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath.

Sam and Dean burst into the room seconds later, their own weapons drawn. They took in the scene - Lorelai standing with her gun still drawn and trained on the target, Pa Bender lying on the ground a few feet away.

"Lor?" Dean's voice was tight with concern. "You okay?"

She nodded, not trusting her voice just yet. Sam moved to secure Pa Bender, grabbing some of the rope lying around to do so, while Dean approached Lorelai slowly, as if afraid she might spook.

"Hey," he said softly, reaching out to touch her arm. "It's over. You got him."

Lorelai blinked, lowering her weapon ever so slightly as the reality of the situation sank in. The old man was groaning in pain, blood seeping from the wound in his knee. Dean's green eyes were searching her face. Instinctively she found herself leaning into his touch, seeking comfort in the familiar warmth.

"Yeah," she managed, her voice hoarse. She cleared her throat, wincing at the pain. "I'm fine. Just... caught me off guard." Dean's eyebrows furrowed, concern etched into the lines of his face.

"You sure? That sounded rough."

Lorelai nodded, forcing a small smile. "Trust me, I've had worse." She glanced over at Sam and finally lowered her gun when she saw he had finished tying up Pa Bender and was now standing guard over him. Sam, it seemed, had gagged the man for good measure, which gave her a jolt of satisfaction. "You two alright? What happened back there?"

Sam and Dean exchanged a look, and Lorelai felt a flicker of unease. There was something they weren't telling her.

"We, uh... ran into a bit of trouble," Sam admitted, running a hand through his hair. "There was another one. A little girl."

"Missy," Dean added, his jaw clenching and Lorelai's eyes widened. She'd forgotten about the fourth dot on the map in the commotion with Pa – Miss Bender. "Little psycho came at us with a knife. We managed to lock her in a closet, but she took us by surprise, and it took us a minute."

Lorelai nodded, processing the information. Her gaze drifted back to Pa Bender, who was still glaring at them with undisguised hatred. She felt a chill run down her spine, remembering the malice in his voice, the cruel promise of what they'd do to her.

"We need to double back and get the other two. We can leave Missy where she's at, lock these three up in the cages. Then we need to get out of here."

Lorelai went to move towards the door, but Dean caught her arm, stopping her.

"Whoa, slow down there. You just went toe-to-toe with Pa Psycho here. Maybe take a breather?" he said, but Lorelai shook her head, ignoring the way the room spun slightly at the movement.

"I'm fine, Dean. We need to finish this."

Her words didn't seem to do much to convince him – she could still see the concern etched in his face as his green eyes scanned her in the light that was only continuing to dim. They lingered on her neck, where Lorelai was sure bruises were already starting to form. For a moment she felt a flicker of warmth at his worry, but quickly pushed it aside. There was still work to be done.

"Alright," Dean conceded reluctantly, his jaw clenching. "But we're not done talking about this."

Lorelai nodded, already moving towards the door eager to get outside and away from the stench of the barn. As they stepped into the cool night air, she took a deep breath, relishing the way it soothed her aching throat.

The darkness had settled in fully while they were inside, the only light coming from the dim glow of the farmhouse windows, the moon, and the stars twinkling overhead. Lorelai's eyes adjusted quickly, years of nighttime operations having honed her night vision, and she noticed for the first time the various scrapes and bruises Sam and Dean had acquired during their own ordeal.

"You two alright?" she asked, her eyes scanning them for any serious injuries, relieved when she found none. Sam offered her a tired smile.

"Yeah, we're okay. Nothing a good night's sleep won't fix."

Dean, however, was still eyeing her with concern.

"I'm more worried about you. I mean, seriously, Lor, that bastard did a number on your neck."

Her hand went instinctively to where Dean was looking, feeling and wincing slightly at the tenderness, even as she shrugged.

"It's not as bad as it looks," she assured them, realizing that Sam was watching her with worry too. "I've got something in my bag that'll take care of it."

They both looked skeptical, Dean more so, but Lorelai was already reaching out for his arm, her eyes having caught on a tear in his jacket.

"What's –" he started to ask, but trailed off, following her eyesight and seeing the same thing while she drew her wand. "Oh, that's nothing. She only grazed me, didn't even hit skin."

Lorelai ignored him and waved her wand anyway, and he blinked in surprise, watching the fabric knit itself back together. Lorelai released him, and he stared at her, that mixture of awe and unease back on his face, leaving Lorelai suddenly feeling self-conscious. In her peripheral, she could see Sam watching, undisguised amusement on his face that made her own cheeks heat.

"Easy enough to fix," she said, and Dean nodded, eyes darting back to his now-repaired sleeve.

"Uh, thanks. That's – I appreciate it," he said, a hint of awkwardness in her voice.

"No problem," she muttered, tucking her wand away. Thankfully, the moment passed as quickly as it had come, and she glanced between the brothers, her mind already racing ahead to their next steps.

"We should get the other two," she said, taking a step down the drive, back in the direction she and Dean had originally come. "They're probably –"

"Sammy and I can handle that," Dean interjected, gently pulling her back. "Someone should stay and keep an ear on the two yahoos in there. Make sure they don't cause any more trouble."

Lorelai opened her mouth to protest, but Sam chimed in too quickly.

"Dean's right, we got this. Just stay here."

She still didn't like it but after half a beat she nodded. Dean wasn't being as subtle as he thought he was about wanting to give her a break, but even still she knew there was sense in the plan, especially since she didn't plan on using magic in front of any of the Benders. And the last thing they needed was for the three of them to leave and come back to find either the daughter or the father had somehow made a break for it.

"Alright," she conceded. "Just be careful. We don't know if there are any more surprises waiting out there."

"Always are, sweetheart," Dean assured her, his lips quirking up into a half-smile.

The familiar endearment sent a pang through Lorelai's chest, but she pushed it down. Now wasn't the time for complicated emotions. She watched as the brothers headed off into the darkness, their figures soon swallowed up by the shadows of the surrounding trees.

Left alone, Lorelai settled herself on the worn wooden steps of the farmhouse porch. The night air was cool against her skin, a welcome relief after the stuffiness of the barn. She leaned back, bracing her hands against the rough wood, and tilted her head up to look at the stars shining overhead.

The quiet was a stark contrast to the chaos of the past hour, and Lorelai found her mind wandering. She thought of home, finding she was eager to get back to her own family, which only reminded her of everything waiting to be dealt with in New York. With a sigh, Lorelai pulled out her phone.

First, she sent a quick message to Katie, letting her know she was almost done and would be home soon. Her thumb then hovered over Nick's name in her contacts, guilt gnawing at her stomach as she remembered the curt text and ignored voicemail. But the thought of dealing with that particular conversation right now was too much. Instead, she scrolled down to Conklin's name and hit the call button.

As the phone rang, Lorelai took another deep breath, wincing at the pain in her ribs. She'd have to remember to heal those once she was alone – she was pretty sure at some point in the melee the damn hillbilly had landed a kick that cracked one. The call connected, though, pushing all thoughts of her own injuries aside, and Conklin's gruff voice came through the speaker.

"I don't even want to know. Whatever has you calling me on a Sunday night can't be good. Just promise you didn't landyourselfin any trouble this time?"

"Sorry, Conks," Lorelai said, keeping her voice low but letting out a small chuckle. "Yeah, I'm fine, but I've got a bit of a situation."

"Does it have something to do with why you mysteriously vanished from your own birthday party last night?

Lorelai sighed, running a hand down her face as she leaned back against the railing.

"Obviously."

There was a pause on the other end of the line, then a heavy sigh. "I'm listening."

Lorelai quickly filled him in on the basics, though she also made sure to throw in a jab about Caputo dropping the ball and closing out the case – she told him about the Bender family, their twisted hunting game, the cages in the barn. She could practically hear Conklin's frown deepening with each detail.

"Merlin's beard," he muttered when she finished. "Alright, I'll make the call, get local law enforcement to come take it over. You said Winchester's there with you?"

"Yeah, him and his brother," Lorelai confirmed. "We've got it under control for now, just give me some time to wrap things up. I'll get them out of here so I don't have to explain anything to the cops."

"Understood. Good work, Baudelaire."

The call ended, and Lorelai let out a sigh of relief. At least that was taken care of. Now all she had to do was wait for Sam and Dean to return with the other two Benders, and they could put this whole nightmare behind them.

As if summoned by her thoughts, she heard the sound of footsteps approaching, snapping her out of her musings. Lorelai tensed for a moment, her hand instinctively moving back towards the gun, but relaxed when she saw Sam and Dean emerge from the darkness. Between them, they half-carried, half-dragged the unconscious forms of the Bender brothers she'd stunned earlier. Lorelai pushed herself to her feet, ignoring the protests of her battered body.

"Any trouble?" she asked, moving to help them. Dean shook his head.

"Nah, they were right where we left 'em. Still out cold. Whatever you hit them with did the trick."

"Good," Lorelai nodded. "Let's get them locked up with dear old dad, shall we?"

Together, the three of them maneuvered the unconscious men into the barn. Lorelai's eyes landed on Pa Bender, still bleeding, still secured and glaring daggers at them from his position on the floor. It was even darker inside now, but the moonlight provided enough light, and even better, it caught something silver hanging from around the man's neck. Realizing what it was, she approached him with determination.

"I'll be taking that," she said, her voice cold as she plucked the key from around his neck. Pa Bender snarled at her, but being bound and gagged, he could do little more than that.

Lorelai quickly checked that the key was what she thought it was – the control to the panel Sam had pointed out earlier – and with that confirmed Sam and Dean began maneuvering the three men into the cages. As they finished up, Lorelai reached through one of the squares in the cage containing the father, slashing the ropes keeping his hands together before tossing a dirty rag in with him.

"For your knee," she said flatly. "Wouldn't want you bleeding out before the cops get here."

She stepped back, ignoring the muffled string of what she was sure were curses the man tried to get out through the makeshift gag. Sam placed a hand on her shoulder, gently steering her away from the cage.

"Come on," he was saying. "Let's get out of here."

As the three of them exited the barn and made their way back to the Impala, Lorelai found herself acutely aware of the space between her and Dean. The easy rhythm they'd fallen into during the rescue had evaporated, leaving behind an awkward tension that seemed to crackle in the air. Sam, caught in the middle, valiantly attempted to fill the silence with small talk, but his efforts only served to highlight the discomfort between them.

Lorelai's mind raced, replaying the events of the past few hours. The adrenaline that had carried her through the confrontation with the creepy hillbilly cannibals was fading, leaving her body aching and her thoughts muddled. She stole glances at Dean, trying to gauge his mood, but his face was an unreadable mask in the dim moonlight.

When they reached the spot where they'd left the Impala, Lorelai felt a mix of relief and disappointment. Part of her longed to linger, to find a way to bridge the gap that had opened between them. But another part, the one that had been hurt and angry for months, whispered that it was better this way.

"There she is," Dean's voice broke through her thoughts, a hint of pride and relief coloring his tone as the Impala came into view. Lorelai nodded, moving forward to remove the notice-me-not charm she'd placed earlier. With a subtle flick of her wand, the air shimmered briefly before settling again, and she dimly noted Sam's eyes widen in surprise as he noticed the car for the first time.

"Told you your precious car would be fine," she said, stowing her wand again, already moving towards the trunk. Dean nodded, his eyes lingering on her for a moment before he moved to follow. Lorelai retrieved her bag, acutely aware of the brothers' presence as she double-checked its contents.

"I called this in to MACUSA," she said, closing it back up. "Local law enforcement should be on their way. You guys should probably clear out before they arrive. It'll be easier to deal with if we're not around."

"Good call," Sam agreed, his voice warm with gratitude. "Thanks for everything, Lorelai. We couldn't have done this without you."

Lorelai felt a rush of affection for the younger Winchester. Despite the awkwardness with Dean, she found herself genuinely smiling at Sam.

"Anytime, Sam," she replied, pulling him into a quick hug. "I'm just glad you're okay."

As they pulled apart, Lorelai caught Dean watching them, an unreadable expression on his face. Sam, seeming to sense the need for privacy, cleared his throat.

"I'll, uh, wait in the car," he said, shooting Dean a meaningful look before climbing into the passenger seat.

Left alone, Lorelai and Dean stood facing each other, the weight of everything unsaid hanging between them again. Lorelai found herself searching Dean's face, trying to read the emotions flickering behind his green eyes.

"Lor, I..." Dean began, his voice rough. He paused, seeming to struggle with his words. "Thank you. For coming. For helping me find Sammy."

The sincerity in his voice made Lorelai's chest tighten. She nodded, offering him a small smile.

"Of course," she said softly. "I told you, I'll always come when you need me."

Something shifted in Dean's expression, a mix of pain and longing that made Lorelai's breath catch. For a moment, she thought he might reach for her, pull her into his arms the way he used to. Her own body ached with the desire to close the distance between them, to feel the familiar warmth of his embrace.

But the moment passed, the invisible barrier between them holding firm. Dean nodded, his jaw clenching as he took a step back.

"Take care of yourself, Lor," he said finally, his voice low and gruff.

"You too, Dean," she replied, fighting to keep her voice steady.

With a final nod, Dean turned and headed for the driver's side of the Impala. Lorelai watched as he slid behind the wheel, unable to tear her eyes away as the engine roared to life. As the car pulled away, kicking up dust in its wake, Lorelai felt a familiar ache settle in her chest.

She stood there for a long moment, watching until the taillights disappeared into the darkness. The night air felt colder now, and she wrapped her arms around herself, suddenly feeling very alone. Then with a sigh she turned and began to make her way back towards the dilapidated farmhouse. She'd patch herself up while she waited for the cops, and then she had her own shitstorm to deal with in New York afterwards. Whatever lingering feelings she had for Dean Winchester would have to wait. For now, at least, it was time to get back to reality.

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Hope everyone had a good week! Thank you so much for reading ❤️ I'll see you all same time next week - while I'm happy with how it came out, this chapter was, admittedly, a real bitch to write. I'm very excited to share next week's with you all though.