The door stood partly open as they stepped onto the porch. Dean looked both ways before approaching the door. A dark shape darted past them and down the steps heading around the house. Dean and Sam stumbled back catching themselves on the side of the house.

"Sonofab*tch." Dean growled trying to see into the darkness.

"Aurora." Sam called into the dark house. His voice echoed thru the deadly quiet house, but no response came back.

Chapter 6

"You take the right." Dean ordered as he pushed the door open. They both switched to hunter mode in an instant, all senses were hyper alert.

They silently crept into the house, guns ready. Sam could just make out the shapes of furniture by the moon light. He slunk around the couch and headed for the kitchen hoping their sister was hiding in there.

Dean glided by the fireplace and made his way down the hall toward the bedrooms. He pushed her bedroom door open and felt for the light switch. He blinked several times to adjust his eyes and looked around. There was no signs of Aurora.

Turning on lights as he went, he check the other rooms before returning to the kitchen. Sam was checking the back door for signs of a break in. He looked up disappointed when he didn't see Aurora with Dean.

"Find anything?"

"No, doesn't look like the door's been jimmied." Sam said as he turned hearing a phone ringing in the living room. Both headed back into the room looking for phone. Sam kicked something metal and bent down pick it up.

"Found it." Dean said pulling it out of the cushion of Aurora's chair. "Hello."

"What happened to Oree?' he aunt asked.

"We don't know. We ran to the store for some supplies and she wasn't here when we got back." Dean answered her.

"I'll prepare. Do what you can, I'll meet up with you." she informed him.

"Right. What you got Sammy?"

"Looks like a tranquilizer dart."

"That's how they got her, they drugged her." Dean said madly.

Sam and Dean looked up as Electra raced in growling loudly at them. She headed for the door and looked back to see if they were following. The brothers looked at each other before hurrying after the wolf as she ran out the door. She was pacing in front of the car waiting on them.

"She may know where to find Aurora." Sam said heading for the car.

"Find our sister." Dean told the wolf as he got in the driver's seat.

Electra ran down the driveway with Dean and Sam following close behind in the Impala. The wolf led them deeper into the valley as the road became rougher and finally turned into dirt. The wolf veered to the right off the road and disappeared into the woods. Sam jerked back in his seat as pain lanced thru his head causing him to groan and wither.

"Sammy? What's wrong?" Dean asked watching between Sam and the road. He found a pull off and jerked the car to the side of the road. He watched Sam rubbing his temples and panting heavily. "Sam?"

"Yeah, yeah, she's not far." Sam winced as the pain subsided.

"You good?" Dean asked pulling his head where he could look into his eyes.

"Yes, we need to find Ellie." Sam fussed, smacking his hand away, getting out of the car and looking toward the woods.

A bone chilling howl permeated from the woods making chills inch up both of the backs. Both turned toward the dying sound and then to each other. Dean grabbed a bag from the back and they headed into the forest trying to pin point the direction.

The trees thickened as they pushed their way deeper into the woods. Dean paused, as they stopped long enough to listen to the emitting sounds of the forest. Leaves rustled and twigs snapped off to the side as Ellie pushed thru the vines. She huffed at the guys before heading into the darkness. The guys followed as quickly as the dense foliage would allow them.

Twenty minutes later, the woods gave way to a clearing with an old, abandoned cabin sitting in the middle of it. Dean pulled up, held his fist up for Sam to stop and checked out the surrounding area for danger. He drew his gun and checked the load.

"You up for this?" Dean asked Sam as he made ready to head for the house. He pulled Aurora's phone out and redial the last number that called.

"Yeah, I'm good now." he answered pulling his gun and checking it.

"Yes." Asteria answered.

"I'm turning GPS on, cabin in the woods, get here." Dean left the phone on and returned it to his pocket.

Dean nodded to Sam who faded right as he headed left. Ellie slunk straight toward the house hugging the ground as all three merged on the cabin.

There was a faint glow omitting from one covered up windows and Dean was able to see thru a crack into the cabin. His body stiffed as he saw his kid sister tied to a chair in the middle of the room. There were three men in various positions in the room and one standing in front of Aurora. He made his way 'round the house and met up with Sam. With hand signals he let him know about the four men and their sister.

Sam pulled his lock pick and opened the back door. Dean and Sam crept into what was once a kitchen and moved toward the front of the house. They could hear talking as they inched closer to the door.

"So little girl what is so special about you. My boss insisted you be kept safe and brought to him." the man sneered grabbing her face and pinching it between his fingers.

"Leave me alone." Aurora hissed jerking her head out of his hand.

"Oh, this one has some spirit in her."

"Leave our sister alone!" Dean growled as he stepped into the room training his gun on the man.

"Well if it isn't the Winchester boys." the man turned to them as his eyes blinked black. He threw his hand and both guys flew back against the wall loosing their weapons. "This is a surprise, the boss will give me a metal for this, two Winchesters and a brat at one time."

Dean strained to free himself as the man gloated. He walked over to them and looked them over. "The boss never said anything about you two, looks like I get to have a little fun after all." He twisted his hand and Dean and Sam cried in pain as both coughed up blood.

"Stop it!" Aurora screamed struggling against her bonds. She began to breathe heavily as her eyes started to get darker and glow. The others in the room fell to the floor groaning in pain. The demon turned to her narrowing his eyes and cocked his head.

Electra pounced on a man who was getting ready to shoot Aurora, gripping his neck in her mouth. She growled warningly daring the man to move.

"Gentleman, I will give you one chance to leave before someone gets hurt." a female voice commanded.

"Who are you?" the demon insisted sizing up the middle-aged woman.

"I happen to be her aunt, and I don't like people who hurt my family."

"What do you think you can do about it?" he scoffed.

"Oh you have no idea." she said raising her hand toward the guys releasing them from the demons power.

They feel to the floor still coughing up blood and struggling to reach their guns.

"You don't know how powerful my boss is."

"Oh I didn't come along." Asteria stated as a slight breeze and swoosh drew his attention behind Aurora.

A large, tall, good-looking man slowly raised his head to stare at the demon who paled and stepped back. He suddenly stiffened unable to move as the man moved beside Aurora. He laid a hand gently on her shoulder and looked at her lovingly.

"My child, be not afraid." he said calmly as her bonds fell to the floor. He laid a hand on her bare shoulder and Aurora felt a slight pain and heat. "I have put my mark on you, no one will dare harm you from now on. You are under my protection."

"My brothers, please you have to help them." she begged running over to her brothers. "Please."

"Very well, only for you." he said bending over and touching each of their foreheads.

"Sammy?" Dean questioned as he let Aurora help him up.

"I'm-m good." he replied taking a couple of deep breaths before pushing himself up.

"Thank you." Aurora cried looking up into the man's face.

"Asteria, dear, I guess you can take it from here." he nodded.

"I will, thank you, Sephram." Asteria bowed her head to him before he disappeared as instantly as he arrived. She turned to the demon and began to chant watching the demon try to smoke out. The black smoke hung in the air for a moment before entering the man again. "You, will never bother my family again, because you see, I don't send demons to hell, I send them where you can never return again." With that she began to chant louder as she approached the demon and began to sprinkle a yellow powder around him.

Sam, Dean and Aurora watched closely as the demon began to gag clutching his throat trying to breathe. He fell to his knees clawing desperately at his throat before he collapsed to the floor. The man lay still as minute wisps of smoke drifted to the ceiling.

"I have family coming who will take care of them." Asteria said enveloping Aurora in her embrace. "Lets go, I will bind them here until the others come." she told Dean.

"Good work Ellie." Dean said snapping his fingers for her to follow. She bit down a little harder drawing blood and making the man whimper before letting go. "Oh and she has a taste of your blood now, so if you ever come into this valley again, you won't be leaving it alive."

"You ok Oree?" Sam asked holding her in front of him and looking her up and down.

"I'm good." she smiled giving him a tight hug. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, he healed us."

"Follow Ellie, she knows the way back to the cars." Asteria instructed as she let Dean help her outside. "Watch over Oree, I'll be over later with breakfast. I'm sure she will have questions."

"We will." Dean told her putting an arm around Aurora. "Come on Half Pint, let's go home."

They arrived back at the car as a couple of trucks pulled behind them.

"Twenty minutes due east, Asteria is waiting." Sam told the men who got out of the van. They nodded and disappeared into the woods.

Dean opened the back door to allow Aurora to climb in. Ellie squeezed in beside her before he could close the door.

"Hell no, not going to happen." he growled pointing out of the car. "Out!"

"Please, big brother." Aurora begged batting her puppy dog eyes to him.

"Dammit" Dean groaned knowing he couldn't say no to the puppy dog eyes. She learned fast. "Just this once, got it!"

"Thanks D." she smiled happily.

"Not a word." he huffed at Sam who was trying his best not to laugh. They got in the car and headed back to the cabin.

The three Winchesters and Ellie trooped back into the cabin exhausted. Dean re-salted the front door and threw their bag on the couch.

"Ok, Half Pint, why don't you go lay down, your aunt will be here later." Dean told her giving her a push toward her bedroom. "I'll be in in a minute."

"Ok, nite Sammy." she said giving Sam a hug and walking down the hall.

"Go on to bed Sammy, I'll check the house."

"Sure?" Sam asked trying to hide a yawn.

"Yeah, I got it, go on." Dean did a quick walk thru the cabin checking devil traps and salt lines. Satisfied they were protected, he headed down the hall and peeked into Aurora's bedroom. She was laying facing the door and smiled when she saw him.

"You doing ok?" he asked coming over and sitting on her bed.

"I think so. Dean, how was I able to do that at the cabin?"

"Don't worry about it, we'll talk in the morning when your aunt gets here." he smiled at her as he brushed her unruly hair out of her face. "Get some rest."

"Will you lay with me until I fall asleep?"

"Yeah kid, scoot over." he said tucking the covers around her and laying down on top of the covers. She snuggled close to him capturing his arm in hers. He looked down at her and thought about all the nights that Sam had slept with him. Dean's eye lids grew heavy as he tried to stay awake, only to have the sand man sprinkle his dust and put him to sleep.

Sam woke with a jerk, grabbing for his gun. He looked around the room trying to figure out what disturbed him and saw Ellie laying on his bed. She rolled her eyes at him and went back to sleep. He mumbled to himself and laid back down.

Asteria let herself into the cabin and listened to see if anyone else was up. All was quiet as she took the food to the kitchen and started a pot of coffee. She headed for the bedrooms to start waking up everyone. Dean's bedroom was empty, so she headed for Sam's to find Sam and Ellie both snoring softly.

"Sam, foods here." she cooed shaking his shoulder carefully. Sam jumped and stared wearily up at her. "I brought food and coffee's brewing."

"Ok, I'm up." he yawned and rolled over going back to sleep.

"Sure you are kid." she chuckled pulling the sheet up over his shoulder. She strolled into Aurora's bedroom to find Dean asleep on top of the covers and Aurora snuggled into his side. "Dean, hon, ready to get up?"

Dean slowly opened one eye and looked up at her. He tried to move only to find his arm still trapped in Aurora's grip. Carefully, he inched his numb arm free and rolled off the bed groaning slightly from his sore muscles and numb arm.

"Coffee's ready." she whispered.

"Give me." he grunted following her to the kitchen shaking his body to wake up. "Sam up?"

"He thinks he is." she laughed telling him Sam's reaction.

"You got off easy, you have to be careful waking a hunter." Dean laughed. "Sam forgot one time, got popped in the jaw."

"You take care of your brother don't you?"

"Yeah, have since the day he was brought home from the hospital. It was my job to protect my baby brother."

"And how do you feel about Aurora?"

Dean looked over at her and sipped his coffee. "She's my kid sister, she's family now, we take care of family, of course I'd protect her too." he told her with a serious expression on his face showing he meant it.

"That's good." she answered sitting pastry and breakfast sandwiches out on the table. "You might want to go get your brother up."

"I'm up." Sam yawned rubbing his eyes as he half-walked half-staggered into the room. Dean looked up to see Sam standing there still in his sleep sweats, bed hair sticking out all over his head, looking just like he did at five.

"Morning sunshine." he smiled trying not to laugh as Sam tried to tame his brushy hair. "Sleep well?"

"Until I got a visitor." Sam mumbled pouring coffee.

"Visitor?" Dean questioned.,

"Yeah." Sam grunted as Ellie wandered in and butted Sam's free hand almost making him spill his coffee. "Ellie, stop."

A smiled spread across his face when he realized who Sam was talking about. She butted him again harder and licked his hand. "Looks like you've got a new friend." he smirked.

"Why don't you go guard or something." Sam mused pushing Ellie away. "Right, you try being woke up with a hundred and forty pound wolf on your chest licking your face."

"And you didn't call me!" Dean teased.

"Shut up, jerk!"

"B*tch."

Asteria glanced between the two brothers seeing the love and friendship pass between them. Aurora walked in to see Sam playfully punch Dean in the shoulder.

"Hey Oree, how you feeling?" Asteria asked.

"I'm fine Auntie." she smiled sitting down beside Dean.

"Morning Half Pint."

"Hey D, hey Sammy."

"Morning Sis."

"Ok, eat up everyone, then we'll talk." Asteria insisted sitting juice in front of Oree. The food was passed around and light banter continued between the brothers.

Aurora's heart swelled knowing these two brothers were her family now. She could feel the love and happiness surrounding her and knew everything would be fine. She looked over at her brothers and smiled.

I want to thank all who have reviewed my story, it was awesome. No, I didn't stop the story short, I wanted to continue it later with a sequel. I'm going to take a break from writing long stories, and try my hand as a beta reader if anyone will have me. I'll post some short clips here and there, have a few ideas. Hope you have enjoyed the journey with me and will come back for more.

NC