I'm so glad you wrote this. I always loved it when civilians were grateful and having a whole town appreciate our boys was wonderful. You write the Winchesters to perfection. I can effortlessly see and hear them! That's a true gift! Thank you.

very nice, very nice

This is Amazing ! *sniffed with tears pure of happiness*

This should be Canon ! :']

Everyone would Love this freaking Episode !

oh wow, was thinking Dean would actually have to give up Sam, in order to finish - and that was gut wrenching! SOOOO glad someone woke up to the fact Sam needed saving, and helped!

love the townspeople now - helping the boys, after they helped out. LOL about the secret identities!

This was such an interesting idea...to explore the hostility of strangers (even those being saved) towards the brothers, and it's cumulative impact. I loved the tale you wove to give them the experience of gratitude, too!

It was great to see how a town of mistrusting people could turn around to giving secret santa dinners. It doesn't happen often, not nearly enough if it's got even Dean in that sort of melancholy funk, but the fact that it turned around that much almost made it all worth it. :)

I think this is my favorite story by you so far, and I can't even explain why. Maybe part of the reason is that the main issue (the general ingratitude of the people they rescue) isn't one that's written about often: in season 1, it's mostly "Where's Dad?" and "Jess's dead" and "OMG visions", and in season 2 it's "Dad's dead" and "Save Sam or kill him," and 3 is "Get Dean out of his deal!" and so on, and we kinda forget that the boys have to contend with not only supernatural beasties and terrifying plot arcs, but plain ol' people as well. The whole story was awesome, and of course, sprinkled with funnies that fit perfectly- "...marveling at how easy little brothers were to manipulate even when they were better educated and taller," and "Residuals. Sid's disappearance had left a mark. So they weren't just dealing with some geometrically obsessed wolves or something."
The saved people pulling Sam out of the portal was WONDERFUL; I never even thought of it. I wasn't sure how we was gonna get out, but I never suspected the victims of becoming helpful. It was heartwarming like a Christmas story. I'm gonna be reading this one many times over. :)

Great story. I am glad they still wanted to finish this hunt. A hold town against them not good. But it does work for a great story.

This was very sweet. The summary enough was to draw me in. I always wondered if the boys ever found it hard sometimes, dealing with the lack of appreciation from the people they save. It was nice to find a fic with grateful victims who even did a little saving of their own. And of course, I always love it when the boys hug. So cute. ;) Beautifully written. Genius plot line. The portal was a new idea so kudos to that! I enjoyed reading this. Thanks for posting!

Amazing. I love it when Dean gets into his protective stage... it makes my life. :D You know, you should write a story about a town threatening to shoot Sam to get the brothers out of there. That would be enjoyable to read.

Once again, beautiful job!

As Always,

Joee

Ah, I really enjoyed this:-) The boys so often go unthanked and get arrested and beaten up for their trouble and it's so nice to finally see them getting the recognition they deserve:-) And I love the way that, after all his complaining, Dean is all embarrassed by it! Typical Dean!

It's so nice to see something ultimately go well for the Winchesters! :) I'm thrilled to see all those people come back and then overcome their confusion to help save Sam! My heart broke for Dean having to complete the ritual even tho he knew he'd lose his brother. (didn't cry this time:D)

The suspicion in a small town of any newcomers when people are disappearing is understandable. I grew up in a town of 1500 and everyone knew everything about everybody. An interesting experience. After 35 years of anonymity in the Chicago suburbs, it's weird to be back in that situation again. :] You described it perfectly. Dean's frustration at the problem was palpable.

The outpouring of appreciation you showed the townspeople giving them is also true.

Nicely done. :)

Hi KHanna,

this was, once again, a wonderful story that drew me in from the start and wouldn't let go until the last line. The plot was great and how you have both of them so spot on never ceases to amazes me. As usual, I've also read a few reviews you got for this beautiful story and before I'm going to write everything again, I'll just let you know that I completely agree with everything "PsychicWonderKitty" and "twinchaosblade" already said.

Take care and have a wonderful weekend!

...oh and from your latest posts, I'd already read "Unsouled" in Hunting Trips 3 and, of course, I liked it a lot. Still haven't read other new posts, since I'm still trying to catch up with your writing... (you must be holding the posting a/o writing record anyway)!

Cheers, D.

Aww, this was a great one, full of mother hen!Dean and baby chick!Sam. ;) I loved these lines:

**“Look, I don’t know any other way to be, Sammy, okay? I’m your brother, and that means the full package deal: bossing you around, holding your head when you throw up and get all disgusting, making you go out in the rain for dinner, putting you to bed after you get hurt or have a nightmare or get stinking drunk, protecting you. You’re not the only one who’s ready to die for his brother, you know. So, yeah, I’m a real jerk that way, but this is who I am, Sam.”**

**“Sammy,” Dean said wholeheartedly. “Marry me.”**

And I thought it was great and so very Sam to hand the ritual to your unsuspecting big brother to go hold open a portal with your own body so the innocents could escape. And so very Dean to watch, horrified, as he continued to do as Sam asked and read the ritual. I loved the surprising twist with the townspeople saving Sam. And Dean clinging to Sam afterward! Gah, if that's not mother hen sitting on her baby chick, I don't know what is, but it was adorable.

Your stories cease to amaze me! I think this one though is *definitely* one of my ultimate favorites...there's just something about it that's angsty enough and yet it gives you warm fuzzies at the end that ties it all off nicely! For me it's how overprotective Dean is even though Sam's still pointing out to him that he can't protect him from everything...but Dean is still Dean in the end and he's got to do his big brother job after all ~v I think one of my favorite parts was where the missing townspeople helped get Sam back out of that portal...it made me smile and I honestly don't think that Sam and Dean get enough thanks for what they do during the series, it was nice to see that little twist added in there! And Dean's haunted slot machine comment that you had him make in the end had me cracking up in laughter...methinks that maybe Dean's a little *too* willing to go and check out those haunted slot machines! LOL! I love how you keep the brothers in character and how you always have them there for one another...you've quickly become one of my favorite author's...and I know I've got a BUNCH more of your fics to read, I'll probably sound like a broken record after awhile from telling you how much I enjoy reading your fics! LOL!