AN:- I'm sorry guys, I disappeared again for a while, but now I'm back and very eager to continue this.And @Jenifer Rose, You're too sweet! Thanks a lot! You were my only motivation behind managing to complete this chapter amidst the sudden lack of reviews.So here it is. :)

CHAPTER 6: ROADHOUSE SHENANIGANS

Fire is the most beautiful weapon of them all. It shines with all its glory; maybe that's why one may feel attracted to it. The warmth along with the welcoming feel it gives draws you but just when you touch it, it snarls and bites. Everything you love could be gone in minutes, consumed within seconds by its murky depths. That's why Grace hated fire. Hated it with a passion. Though phobia could be a better word for this situation. Not only had she lost her biological mother to a house fire (or so the police records say), but she'd also lost both her foster parents one by one to the same death. Regardless to say, she'd had her fill of fire. But this?

This was her final straw.

Smouldering, fire licked the bottom of the wooden pyre, crackling, playful, gentle at first, fire flickered, flared, leapt, spat, shower of sparks like a fountain, plumated of black grey smoke, wound itself around John's lifeless form like a great hungry serpent, devouring everything in it's path, choking clouds of noxious smoke, inferno, blazing and out of control.

A typical hunter funeral, they'd called it. Grace wasn't sure if she liked it. Though its not like she'd had any say in the matter. And even if she had any say, its not like she could have done anything. She was too far gone in shock. She still was.

For all her control and poise, she could only stand and watch from afar as the glowing embers leaped and twirled in a fiery dance, twinkling like stars in the hot swirling air, setting alight amidst the tinder dry forest of high August.

Sam and Dean stood beside each other as they watched their father's remains burn into ashes.

Grace was standing far behind them, still not quite able to believe her eyes. John Winchester, her father, was dead. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry at the great cosmic joke, that her life was turning into. She didn't know what she'd expected when she'd set out to find her real old man. But she never would have imagined even in the worst of her dreams that she'd have to relive this, the death of yet another parent, all over again. And then there were other things weighing down on her already loaded baggage too. Like her last words to John.

~FLASHBACK~

"I need you to do something for me, Grace."

"No! You can't ask this of me!" Grace was downright horrified. "And for the record, you're still the arrogant asshole I always thought you to be." she snapped at him. Angry tears pooled in her eyes. "I am sorry that you're my father!" she added viciously and walked away from him.

"Grace!" he called out after her. She didn't pause, however, she still heard him. "I'm Sorry," he said brokenly. "For everything."

~END FLASHBACK~

Grace gasped with renewed agony. She couldn't do it. Not at that moment. She needed space and time. A lot of space and time. What John had asked of her was hard. Hell it would be the most illogical thing to do given her circumstances, but she couldn't wholly reject the choice either. Not when she was one flashback away from a major panic attack.

She needed to leave. Now. Time... Space...

She started backing away slowly to make a quick discreet phone call.

After few minutes- that felt like hours- Dean turned, with an empty look in his wet eyes and started walking towards whatever car that they had borrowed from Bobby. Sam followed, looking every bit like a sad, broken puppy. Behind them, what remained of their father, continued to sizzle.

Grace couldn't stand the sight. I'm going to be sick.

Dean didn't so much as spare a glance her way as he passed her. Thank god for small mercies, she thought. Even if it was cowardly of her, she couldn't bear to face the guy. However, Sam paused.

Crap!

"You coming?" he asked.

Grace could only stare at Sam. She tried to voice her thoughts but failed. Time...space...

Sam on the other hand, saw a storm brewing in the hollowness of her jade eyes. He turned towards Dean for help, but he was already inside the car.

"Grace?" he asked again, tentatively.

"I am sorry that you're my father." she said in a hollow voice.

"What was that?" he frowned.

"My last words to him before he died."

"Aw Grace... don't do that-" Sam closed his eyes and sighed wearily.

"You know a fun fact?" Grace continued, as if she didn't hear him. "I said the same bloody thing to my other Dad right before he died? The very same words. Can you believe this bullshit?" she snorted humourlessly. "I mean I got a freaking do-over Sam. And I screwed it up again!"

"Gra-"

"Both my fathers died with the knowledge that their daughter hated them with a passion..Despite it being the farthest thing from truth, that's what I told them, in the MEANEST POSSIBLE FUCKING WAY!" She was hysterical now.

"Grace-"

"BOTH FUCKING TIMES!"

"Calm down, please-"

"Isn't this ridiculous?" she cried out brokenly.

"You need to calm down G-"

"Isn't this the most ridiculous crap you've heard?! Isn't this the most ridiculous piece of crap ANYONE'S EVER HEARD?!" she howled into the forest night.

"Grace! Listen to me!" Sam shook her, griping her shoulders. Then hugged her. "We need to get out of here now. Okay? Its not safe out here. So calm down and we'll talk once we're safe."

Grace just fell limp into Sam's arms, staring blankly into nothingness over his warm shoulders.

Dean sat in his car listening to each and every word of her sister's ongoing break-down, but couldn't bring himself to care at that moment. He'd cremated his Dad - the invincible John Winchester. As far as he was concerned the world could freaking end at that very moment and he won't bat an eyelash.

After a long minute, Grace stepped back from Sam's embrace. "You don't- I can't- I.." Grace rubbed his face with both hands and took a deep breath before continuing. "I can't be with you guys for a while." she said sniffling.

"What? What do you mean?" Sam frowned.

Grace couldn't bear to see those lost eyes fill up with betrayal so she looked away. "It means I'm not coming, Sam."

There was a screech of another set of tires as a black SUV pulled in front of the Bobby's car, driven by none other than Lucas.

If Dean was shocked by the turn of events, he didn't show it and stayed rooted in his seat showing no emotion whatsoever except a glare projected towards Lucas.

Sam saw this, and with a defeated look turned back to face Grace.

"So you called ahead your ride. I see." He nodded to himself, as he tried not to show how hurt he felt.

"I'm sorry Sam but trust me, you don't wanna be around me for next few weeks."

"But that's exactly what I want." he contradicted softly. "You're family. You and Dean's all I've left. And we'll keep you safe." Sam practically begged.

Grace just shook her head, imploring him with her tearful eyes.

"We need you, Grace. Dad would want us to stick together." Sam tried one last time.

At that Grace let out a broken sob. She knew exactly what John wanted. But she couldn't even think straight let alone make an important decision at that moment.

"We should let her go, Sammy."

Sammy snapped his head towards Dean's hard voice. Dean was standing a few steps away, looking anywhere but at Grace. "What the hell, Dean?" he looked at him as if he'd popped another head.

"Hey, its what she wants Sammy." He shrugged, voice like a silent thunder brewing. "I mean we can't freaking kidnap her against her will. Especially not when her cop-friend is sitting right there watching us like hawks." It goes without saying that if looks could kill, Lucas would have been a dead man by then.

"Dean-" Grace started.

"No I get it," he raised his hand in a mock-surrender gesture, "so don't bother. You weren't raised for this kind of life for a reason. You don't belong here. You're better off without us."

"But that's not why I-" she tried to explain but was cut off by him again.

"It doesn't matter. Okay?" He nearly yelled. Then took a breath. "What matters is getting the hell out of the dodge before any demons come looking."

Grace nodded. She opened her mouth to say her peace but Dean was already walking away. She turned towards Sam.

"We'll be at Bobby's if you- if you-" Sam trailed off unsure what to say.

"I'll come find you." Grace cut him off, nodding. "Just take care of yourself and Dean for me?" She choked out fighting tears.

Sam nodded through tears of his own and without any warning enveloped her in another bear hug. Man I'm gonna miss his warm and cozy bear-hugs, Grace thought forlonely "Just come find us sooner rather than later okay?" Sam stressed again.

"Bye, Sam." she was pathetically mewling and sniffling at this point.

Fuck my life. Period.

~One Week Later~

Dean was at Bobby's junkyard, underneath his car working on it as Sam approached him as one does a wounded animal.

"How's the car coming along?" he asked, trying his best to sound casual and failing pathetically.

"Slow." was his curt reply.

"Yeah? Need any help?" He tried again.

Dean dropped the tool with a heavy thud.

"What, you under a hood?" He smirked. "I'll pass."

"Need anything else, then?" Sam was determined not to be blown off by him again, so he stood his ground.

Dean pushed himself out from under the car. "Stop it, Sam." he sighed. This puppy-eyed routine was starting to getting on his nerves.

"Stop what?" he asked innocently.

"Stop asking if I need anything, stop asking if I'm friggin' okay!" he exclaimed. "I'm okay. Really. I promise."

"All right, Dean, it's just..." he let out a frustrated breath. "We've been at Bobby's for over a week now and you haven't brought up Dad once." There, I said it.

"You know what? You're right." Dean said straight faced. "Come here. I'm gonna lay my head gently on your shoulder. Maybe we can cry, hug, and maybe even slow dance." he mocked.

"Don't patronize me, Dean, Dad is dead. The Colt is gone, and it seems pretty damn likely that the demon is behind all of this, and you're acting like nothing happened."

"What do you want me to say?" He was really starting to get angry now.

"Say something, all right? Hell, say anything!" Sam practically begged, "Aren't you angry? Don't you want revenge? But all you do is sit out here all day long buried underneath this damn car."

"Revenge, huh?" Dean raised his eyebrows, unable to believe his friggin' Stanford-dropout brother was so thick.

"Yeah."

"Sounds good." he shrugged, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "You got any leads on where the demon is? Making heads or tails of any of Dad's research? Because I sure ain't. But you know, if we do finally find it - oh. No, wait, like you said. The Colt's gone. But I'm sure you've figured out another way to kill it. We've got nothing, Sam. Nothing, okay? So you know the only thing I can do? Is I can work on the car." He gestured towards his baby, his tone leaving room for no arguments. He crouched by the car again.

"Well, we've got something, all right?" Sam muttered, as he pulled out a cell phone, "It's what I came by here to tell you. This is one of dad's old phones. Took me a while, but I cracked his voicemail code. Listen to this."

Sam handed the cell phone to Dean, who stood up and took it reluctantly.

"John, it's Ellen. Again. Look, don't be stubborn, you know I can help you. Call me."

"That message is four months old." Sam stated.

"Dad saved that chick's message for four months?"

"Yeah."

"Well, who's Ellen? Any mention of her in Dad's journal?" he inquired.

"No. But I ran a trace on her phone number and I got an address." Sam looked at him expectantly.

Dean sighed internally. Sooner or later they needed to hit the road anyway. At the very least, Sam will stop pouting around the house like a kicked puppy, he thought.

"Ask Bobby if we can use one of his cars."

~bfss~

In a beat-up, poorly maintained minivan, Dean and Sam pulled up to the Roadhouse Saloon.

"This is humiliating. I feel like a friggin' soccer mom!" Dean complained, sour-faced. God he missed his Baby.

"It's the only car Bobby had running." Sam shot back, rolling his eyes. His older brother could be such a brat sometimes.

They started looking around the place. "Hello? Anybody here?" Sam called out.

"Hey. You bring the, uh," Dean asked, referring to their lock-picking set.

"Of course."

He tossed it to Dean, who caught it. They opened the door and went inside. The saloon was quiet except for a fly buzzing. A light bulb blew out. They exchanged a glance, went to the back and saw a man passed out on the bar.

"Hey, buddy?" Sam paused, "I'm guessing that isn't Ellen."

"No shit." Dean quipped.

Sam went into a back room, still looking around. Dean went down the steps, then paused as he felt the point of a gun touch his back.

"Oh god, please let that be a rifle." he said to himself.

The gun cocked.

"No, I'm just real happy to see you. Don't move." Came a young female voice from behind him.

"Not moving, copy that." He raised his hands, and grinned. "You know, you should know something, miss. When you put a rifle on someone, you don't want to put it right against their back. Because it makes it real easy to do..."

He turned fluidly, grabbing the rifle and cocking it.

"That." he finished pointed it at her.

Jo punched him in the face and took back the rifle. Dean doubled over, clutching his nose.

"Sam! Need some help in here." Dean called out.

The back door opened to reveal Sam, both hands on his head. He entered slowly.

"Sorry, Dean, I can't right now. I'm a... little tied up."

He nodded his head, indicating Ellen, who was behind him with a handgun pointed at his head.

"Hey Ellen chill out will you, they are harmless." Came another young feminine voice, this one very much familiar.

"Grace?" Dean scowled, incredulous. What the hell?

"Then again what would I know," Grace continued as if he hadn't spoken, walking in, from behind the bar, "I've known them only for a week. I knew you," She looked pointedlyat Ellen," for what almost half my life, still I didn't know a thing about you, until very recently."

"Not that again. I thought you were over it." Ellen rolled her eyes. Kids.

"Yeah not for a few decades." she said as a matter of fact and spared one last glance at her brothers and gave them a lopsided smile. She glanced at the passed out form of Ash and scowled, distracted. "ASH! YOU PIECE OF SHIT! Get off your ass! I need you downstairs pronto!" She yelled making everyone start before disappearing downstairs behind the bar.

"Geez. She sure got a pair of good lungs on her." Dean muttered after a minute.

"And you can put your shotgun down Jo." She was back again, standing right in front of Dean making him start once again. "Trust me I know he makes you wanna sock him in the jaw or perhaps dislocate his shoulder for him on first meetings. But then he kinda grows on you." She winked and kissed his cheek and then Sam's in greeting, and was gone again.

"Now look boys," Ellen sighed, as she lowered her rifle. She was too old for this shit. "I don't know which one of you she uh- had her thing with-"

"I think the tall one," Joe pitched in, lowering her rifle as well, "he's more her type. All huge and muscly." Sam widened his eyes when he realised what they were assuming, then looked away uncomfortably. Dean just froze and then blinked as if trying to ward off an unwelcome picture from his mind.

"I'm gonna throw up." he said to himself.

"What? I know her taste in men." Joe shrugged.

"Wha-" Sam started.

"You think that we're her-" Dean tried simultaneously at the same time.

"One night stands" Finished Jo, smirking.

"Boyfriends." corrected Ellen, forcefully, at the same time, scowling at her daughter.

"What?" Jo was defensive again. "She doesn't date! She's a do 'em 'n leave 'em kinda girl."

"Wow." Dean muttered. "Tell me I did not just hear that."

"Wish I could." said Sam equally appalled at their current situation.

"But two guys at a time? I didn't knew she had it in her." Jo continued winking at Dean, who looked away making a face.

"Hey don't judge her folks," called a drunk squeaky voice, perhaps belonging to that passed out non-Ellen they found earlier. He walked in front of them. "She was depressed. More so since past week." God knows how many guys I had to scare off this year alone. Its okay ladies, I got this." He turned towards Sam and Dean, grimacing, "Listen pals, she ain't available. Neither emotionally" he said looking at Sam, "nor physically." he finished turning towards Dean

"Did he say the physically part while looking at me on purpose?" he was looking no less than scandalised.

"Oh God." Sam looked like he's in physical pain.

"Besides if she doesn't want this peace of man-candy," Ash gestured towards his torso "we all know you guys don't stand a chance in hell."

"Okay dude, that's enough, you're making my friggin' ears bleed." Dean snapped.

"ASH!" Came Grace's voice once again, along with hurried steps from behind the bar. Where does she keep popping up from, Dean thought. "ASH! I SWEAR TO GOD-" she started, but then glanced at her brothers. "What are you two still doing here? Look I appreciate the trouble you went to find me. But I can't be with you guys at the moment. No hard feelings." she finished nonchalantly. Too nonchalantly, thought Sam, narrowing his eyes.

"You heard the lady." Ash pitched in.

"Look dude, we aren't her" he made a face, hating to even think of it "... whatever!" Dean exclaimed. "Grace tell them." he begged.

"Yeah Ash, it's complicated." she nodded, without missing a beat.

"I understand. It always is honey." Ash cooed back to her.

"Oh for christ's sake!" Dean snapped.

"Hey! Enough!" Finally Sam broke in, "And for the record. We didn't come here looking for you. Hell- this was the last place we thought we'd find you." he said accusingly, still a bit peeved at her abandoning them, and for this loser no less.

"Then why-" Grace frowned.

"We heard this voicemail on dad's cell left by some Ellen." Dean played it.

"Wait. You're John Winchester's boys?" Ellen asked in disbelief. "They're your brothers?" she turned towards Grace.

"Like I said. It's complicated." she shrugged it off.

"And we thought- holy shit!" Jo snickered. "This is precious."

"Shut up Jo." Grace muttered.

"Son of a bitch." Ellen, still in shock, started laughing too. "Hey, I'm Ellen. This is my daughter Jo."

"No shit." Dean muttered.

"Hey." Jo held out a hand.

Dean's expression altered within a second. "You're not gonna hit me again, are you?" Dean asked flirtatiously.

"Dean stop hitting on my best friend." Grace grumbled.

"I'm not." He said turning towards his sister, narrowing his eyes. "And what are you doing here anyway? I thought you were going back to playing cop." If all she needed to do was roam around drinking hard liquor, Dean didn't see why she had to leave. Hell, that's all he did, for most of the week.

"Yeah, Grace, I thought you didn't wanna be around hunters. And how do you know them anyway?" Sam questioned.

"Well..." Grace looked around trying to find the best way to phrase this, "since most of my friends were turning out to be hunters, spying on me 'cause of.." she paused, looking away, it was still physically painful for her to say his name, despite the fact she was high as a kite, "John." she continued looking back at her brothers, "After learning about Caleb and Bobby, I figured, why not Ellen too? And I was right," she cast an irritated glance at Ellen, "I didn't care about the lying part initially. She and I go way back. In fact I practically lived here for a few years after... after my ...oth-other dad's death. She helped me sober up." she looked at her feet in shame. She never wanted to share this aspect of her life, this weakness of hers, to her brothers, which was the major reason why she left. "Of course how she managed to hide this whole other side of her life while I lived here, beats me." To distract herself from this utter humiliation in front of her brothers, she faced Ellen again, trying her best to give her a peeved look. "And yeah, I'm still not letting you off the hook for that."

"Grace-" Ellen began, rolling her eyes. Here we go again.

"You told Jo!" she fumed. "So save all the you-were-just-a-little-girl crap."

Ellen sighed. "It wasn't my decision to make. It was John's."

"Yeah fat lot of good it did him!" Grace stormed out angrily. "Ash the keys to the store! Now!" Ash went after her.

"I'm sorry for your loss kids." Ellen said, after a minute of shocked silence that followed Grace's departure.

The Winchester brothers however, paid no attention to Grace and Ellen's tiff. All they could think about was the fact that their sister just admitted to being a addict. "After my other dad's death, she helped me sober up."

Sober up.

Dealing with his own pain, Dean didn't even stopped to consider, that this was happening to Grace for the second time, he was so angry at Dad, for asking what he did and then Grace, for leaving them, that he never even imagined how difficult it must've been for her.

"Thanks." Sam had enough presence of mind to reply graciously to Ellen's condolences, despite the shock of this newly found information. "How- how's Grace?" he managed to ask.

"She relapsed." Jo spoke this time, "After being sober for so many years she figured she ain't planning on surviving long anyway, so why bother about livers and kidneys right? And her panic attacks are back. No surprises there. I mean the last time she- What?" Jo asked after looking at their stricken faces.

"They didn't know Jo." Ellen sighed.

"Oh."

"She's been having FREAKING PANIC ATTACKS?" Dean's voice boomed in the silent room. A recovering alcoholic of a sister he can deal with, but panic attacks? Dean internally shuddered. "And you didn't think about telling us? I mean you obviously knew we existed, unlike us, who didn't know bubkes about you."

"Hey, I didn't know you were back in her life or whatever." Ellen defended. "She didn't tell us the whole story."

"You knew. You called our dad," Sam pitched in, "said you could help. And help with what exactly?"

"Well, the demon, of course. I heard he was closing in on it." Ellen's tone mellowed again."It was the demon wasn't it? It got him. Grace never told us what exactly happened, we never asked. No one talks about John around here. That's always been her rule."

"We don't know for sure" Dean answered, taking every new piece of information about his sister with increasing graveness, when something occurred to him. "wait..what? You heard he wad closing on the demon? Was there an article in the Demon Hunters Quarterly that I missed? I mean, How do you know about all this?"

"Hey, I just run a saloon." she shrugged, "But hunters have been known to pass through now and again. Including your dad a long time ago. John was like family once."

"Oh yeah? How come he never mentioned you before."

"Like he didn't mention Grace, maybe. What? Did you think Grace being in our lives is a co-incidence? John entrusted me with her safety without having to expose her to hunters' life. He was so stubborn about that part, no matters how many times I nearly busted his balls due to that. He never realised how tough she was, he always saw her as a young fragile little girl who has been through trauma, he never saw the resilient little soul that made her what she is, despite the hand she'd been dealt with. His arrogant little brain never understood that what she needed for real, was a family rather than any kind of safety. So that's what I tried to give her here, despite the differences between me and your father." she finished, but then added in an unamused tone, "But hey, don't do me any favors. Look, if you don't want my help, fine. I've got the Grace-situation covered. Don't let the door smack your ass on the way out."

"Mom!" Jo admonished, "Sorry. she's being rude. I mean you boys have already been through shit-"

"It's okay. We're all right." Dean muttered, still reeling from all these revelations.

"Really?" Ellen countered. "It must be worse than Grace for you boys, I know how close you and your dad were."

"Really, lady, I'm fine." Dean snapped.

"But yeah, we could use all the help we can get." Sam called truce. He knew that no matter what, they were in this, they will be there for Grace.

"Well, we can't." Ellen said. "But Ash will."

"That Ash?" Dean raised his brows, pointing to where he disappeared with Grace.

"Mm-hmm. He's a genius." Jo nodded.

"Yeah but...Where is he?" Sam asked. He better not be anywhere near Grace, he thought

"HELP!" came Ash's voice from downstairs, "I need some help down here!"

"Is that the genius, I hear?" Dean mocked.

"Crap!" Ellen swore, "It's happening again!" She gave Jo a look.

"What's happening?!" Dean was immediately serious.

"Jo, bring the injection!" Ellen ignored the boys and was behind the bar and out of the sight within seconds. Jo grabbed something off the drawer and was gone too.

Just then, a few gun shots were fired. Sam and Dean exchanged a look of dread and bolted after them.

"Grace? Ellen?" Sam called as they descended the stairs. The basement was well... organised in a messy sort of manner, There were various cartons of drinks stacked in one corner, and books in another. There was a lamp and a study table right next to that. most of the floor however, was covered by a mat, the sort they use at the gyms, for sparring. In the middle of it, hung an old and a thoroughly beaten sandbag. Sam and Dean exchanged a loaded glace at that.

"Well someone has anger management issues." Dean quipped.

"Comes with the part and parcel of being a Winchester." Sam shrugged.

They moved towards the only door in the room, where most likely everyone was.

"Stop it! Stop it! Please! Please I'm begging you!" came Grace"s agonised cries. It was all they needed to hear before sprinting towards the door.

"Grace!" Dean shouted, opening it.

Grace turned towards him with a glock in her hands and fired another shot.

~FLASHBACK~

"Guess what? Pete isn't gonna make it." Grace said cheerfully, without preamble upon entering their house.Charlie was perched on his couch, not drinking this time, Huh, Grace thought in a detached manner. If it were any other day, Grace would have been overjoyed. But that day, she couldn't care less. "He is dying." she continued, wearing a wild, crazed grin on her face. "So see this," She held out a paper bag, "I brought you your favourite single malt scotch. Let's fucking CELEBRATE!" Her voice getting louder and more crazed by the second, "Infact, let's have a fucking toast! TO THE WORLD'S MOST CRAPPY FATHERS AND DEAD MOTHERS AND BROTHERS! FUCKING CHEERS!

"Grace," began the man who she once believed to be his father.

"You know despite all these years of abuse and your drunkard-ness," she said casually gesturing towards him. "I cleaned your shit up, raised my brothers all by myself, cooked, cleaned, managed school and studies and worked my ass off, lied to my teachers, doctors and all those psych counsellors they made me see just to make us look like a normal, happy family!" she finished counting each feat, off her fingers. "I put up with so much of your shit just to stay close to my brothers, especially Pete!" she shook her head, laughing manically. "He was my Baby boy, my little brother! And I'm standing here laughing at you instead of being with him. You know why?" Her eyes shone with unshed tears, "Cause he's not ever gonna wake up! And I can't watch my baby brother die!" she said in a matter-of-fact tone and shrugged. "We killed him, Dad." she finished brokenly, "Live with that. Or better, just die!" she said that last sentence seriously, as if meaning it. The gravity in her voice, increasing with each word that came out of her trembing lips. "And you know what? If you were dead instead of him, world would have been a better place. So take this bottle of scotch and drown in it, burn with it, hell, for all I care put the whole damn house on fire!" she slammed it down on the table in front of him and started walking away."Grace... please sweetheart." the man began, this was his routine, first he'd beat her senseless, then every now and then, he would call her his "sweetheart", saying how sorry he was and how he'd never lay a hand on her again. But he did, He always did.

"Don't you DARE call me that ever again! I'm sorry that you're my father." With that she left, slamming doors on her way out.

When she came back after a few hours, all she saw was fire, everywhere. He'd actually listened to her and burnt the house down. With him in it.

~END FLASHBACK~

"YOU SEDATED MY SISTER!" Dean shouted, beyond outraged.

"Dean-"

"So this is how you've got the 'Grace situation covered'?" he practically growled her previous words to her face. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kick your ass right now. Old lady or not."

"Dean-" Sam began, trying to calm his hot-headed brother. But even his voice and demeanor was loaded with controlled fury. In fact it was only Dean's tendency to blow a gasket, which was keeping him from blowing his own.

"No Sam! She frigging sedated her as if she's some nut job." Dean roared, furiously, "She is NOT! She lost her father! For the SECOND FRIGGING TIME! It's gotta be hard! So why don't you just take a step a back and let her grieve like an average person and not a damned psycho! And also maybe keep the FRIGGIN' FIRE ARMS out of her reach the next time!" he yelled the last part so loud, everyone in the room couldn't help but flinch.

"You think I haven't tried?" Ellen, no one to be intimidated easily, yelled right back to his face. "That's the fourth bloody gun that we had pried off her hands in this week alone. I don't know how she does it. Its like she has a secret stash of guns everywhere!" she exclaimed.

Dean snorted. "So much for taking care of her. Let me tell you old-lady-" he began again.

"Enough with the 'old-lady' crap!" Ellen cut him off with her best 'Mom-glare'. "You call me that one more time son, and I will rough you up so bad, you won't be able to tell your ass from your face. Are we clear?" she seethed.

Dean looked like he was a hair's-breadth away from committing murder.

"Yes ma'am." Sam interfered before the bloodbath could ensue. "Dean, a word?"

Dean scowled at him but agreed, following him out of the room.

"What?" he snapped.

"Just calm down, okay?" he reasoned. "They're trying to help. And only they know how."

"Sam-"

"No Dean, they know her and lived with her for a longer time than we did. They know what's best for her, I mean look at them. They care about her. And most importantly, she trusts them to."

That stopped Dean in his tracks, the fact that his sister chose them over him or Sam. They were her family.

"Whatever," he grumbled, still peeved, but not out for Ellen's blood anymore. "But I don't think sedating her is for 'her best' as you put it."

"Okay. Then we'll tell them that, politely." he emphasised.

Dean rolled his eyes. "Oh for god's sake!" Sam only glared at him meaningfully. "Fine! Nice and polite it is." he snapped.

"Better." Sam sighed.

"Do not friggin' sedate her EVER again!" Dean growled as soon as he re-entered the room.

"Dean." Sam gritted out.

"This is as polite as it gets." He spat right back at him, "Take it or leave it."

"Fine." Ellen shrugged. "No sedation. Your funeral. But I should warn you, today's incident was the worst one till now. She never shot at us."

"She didn't do it purposely, her eyes were closed." Sam defended.

"They always are. She was having one of her flashbacks." Jo sighed. "But it's not this bad, usually. Mostly she just stays down there punching the shit out of our sandbags or sometimes she goes out into woods with me and practices on shooting, but Ash gives her fake bullets for that, in case this happens." she nodded towards Dean's bandaged arm where he was just shot. Luckily the bullet barely nicked it.

"At least she doesn't obsessively works on her car pretending everything is fine." Sam couldn't resist adding.

"Hey! Seriously?" Dean complained. Sam just shrugged.

"No," Ellen agreed with a frown, "she just drowns her troubles in a single-malt scotch."

"Or punches and shoots at people, apparently." Jo added.

"Classic Winchester style." Dean smirked besides himself, Sam just rolled his eyes. "Anyway, you said this Lynyrd Skynyrd roadie here, could help."

"I like you." Ash grinned at his nickname, "that's what she call me sometimes." He nodded towards the room where Grace was sleeping now.

"Well, she is my sister." Dean gave a smile at that as Sam snorted.

~bfss~

A brown folder was slapped down on the bar; Sam and Ash were sitting, Dean was standing behind them. Jo was on the other side of the bar pouring glasses of water.

Dean sat and opened the folder.

"All right. This stuff's about a year's worth of our dad's work, so uh, let's see what you make of it."

Ash pulled out the papers and started rifling through them. He shook his head.

"Come on. This crap ain't real. There ain't nobody can track a demon like this."

"Our dad could." Sam stated seriously.

"There are non-parametrics, statistical overviews, prospects and correlations, I mean.. damn! They're signs. Omens. Uh, if you can track 'em, you can track this demon. You know, like crop failures, electrical storms... You ever been struck by lightening? It ain't fun." Ash babbled on.

"Can you track it or not?" Dean asked in his no-nonsense tone.

"Yeah, with this, I think so. But it's gonna take time, uh, give me... fifty one hours." he said and got up to leave.

"Hey, man?" Dean called out.

"Yeah."

"I, uh, I dig the haircut." Dean smirked. What can he say, the skinny ass dude was growing on him despite his affection for Grace.

"All business up front, party in the back." Ash flared his hair, and left.

As soon as he left, Jo walked by him, flirting a little. He checked her out tiredly, then got up to follow her. Sam however, saw something behind the bar.

"Hey, Ellen, what is that?"

"It's a police scanner. We keep tabs on things, we..."

"No, no, no, no, the, um, the folder." he pointed towards it.

"Uh, I was gonna give this to a friend of mine. But take a look, if you want."

She took a folder from the wall and placed it in front of Sam. It had some newspaper clippings attached to the front, and on the front, in red marker:

COUPLE MURDERED

CHILD LEFT ALIVE

MEDFORD, WISC.

~bfss~

At the window, Dean sat down by Jo.

"How did your mom get into this stuff, anyway?"

"From my dad." Jo replied. "He was a hunter. He passed away."

"I'm sorry." Dean said sincerely, looking up at her.

"It was a long time ago. I was just a kid." she shrugged. "Sorry to hear about your dad."

"Yeah." he looked away, "So. I guess I've got fifty one hours to waste. Maybe tonight we should, uh..." He looked up at her again. Ugh! Fuck it "No, you know what? Never mind." he shook his head.

"What?" Jo asked, curious.

"Nothing, just, uh, wrong place, wrong time." he smiled but didn't reach his eyes.

"You know, I thought you were gonna toss me some cheap pickup line." Jo mused.

Dean chuckled, embarrassed. Oh trust me, if you knew how close I was to doing just that.

"Most hunters come through that door think they can get in my pants with some... pizza, a six pack, and side one of Zeppelin IV."

"Well..." You gotta be kiddin' me! "What a bunch of scumbags." Like me, he added internally.

"I avoid them. Grace mocks them or gives them a shiner depending on her mood. If not, Ash takes care of them anyway."

Dean gave half a chuckle at that.

"But you're different." Jo continued.

"I guess." Or just a lucky bastard. "Plus I'd hate to kick Lynyrd Skynyrd roadie's ass." he smirked.

"Don't worry he only fends off Grace's suitors."

"What's their deal anyway? Are they like 'a thing'?" Dean made a face at the word thing.

"Ash practically worships the ground she walks on." Jo informed him, taking a seat too, "But Grace just considers him a good friend, in her own twisted way I guess." Dean raised his eyebrows. Twisted? "She mostly treats him like crap. And he's delusional enough to be happy with that. But she's just as fiercely protective of him as us. He's family. Few years back their was this incident where Ash got involved. It was related to drugs and some biker gang. They beat him up pretty bad. When Grace heard she was livid. We don't know what she did, but Ash told us they got in a terrible gang fight and cops were there too, including Grace. Most of them didn't make it, those who did are in jail and a pretty bad shape."

"Yikes." Dean raised his eyebrows. My sis is a real vengeful badass. Huh. Surprise, surprise.

"Yeah and she stayed here for a couple of weeks to help Ash you know, made sure he was back to his... um perky self." Jo smiled, remembering. "Ash was on the freaking moon. That fool didn't even feel bad about nearly dying."

Dean smiled. "I can imagine."

"So, about tonight?" Jo asked, smiling right back at him.

"I uh-" Dean stuttered, looking down at her very inviting, a bit fuller, lower lip. Man, I wanna bite this so bad.

"Dean, come here, check this out." Sam called from behind him.

Asshole.

"Yeah." he sighed and walked back.

"A few murders, not far from here, that Ellen caught wind of. Looks to me like there might be a hunt." Sam nodded towards the clippings.

"Yeah. So?" Dean asked, uncomprehending.

I swear if he cock-blocked me for no reason at all I'll-

"So, I told her we'd check it out." Sam answered.

"Check what out?" came Grace's drowsy voice from behind them.

Dean snapped his head in her direction, all his thoughts about Jo and sex, out the window. He examined her head to toe. She looked beat, rumpled and high as a kite, but fine, considering.

"There's a possible job in the vicinity." Sam answered honestly.

"As in a hunting job?" Grace inquired, raising an eyebrow. "You're already back into the game? Wow." she was genuinely surprised. Man that was fast.

"Yeah. It would be our first case after-" Sam cleared his throat, while Dean glared at him. "You wanna come with us?" Sam asked casually, as if just changing the subject.

His siblings' reaction however, was comically identical.

"What?"

"What!"

"Uh Sam, a word?" If Dean was glaring before, he was now projecting pure, cold-blooded murder through his eyes.

Sam gulped.

Grace just rolled her eyes. Boys.

~bfss~

"You crazy?" Dean yelled. "Last time she was near a gun, she shot at me. And you're gonna what? Offer her a friggin' hunter's job!"

"Yes that's exactly what I'm gonna do Dean." Sam answered without batting an eye at his rage. He won't be bullied by Dean this time. For Grace's sake. "You know why?"

"Because you've lost your mind maybe?"

"Because we can not let her live like this." he gestured around himself, "Unprotected, drinking herself to oblivion, getting sedated and Ash as a boyfriend. Come-on Dean!"

Dean raised an eyebrow, heartily conceding on the 'Ash as a boyfriend' part.

"I guess I see your point, but it doesn't mean she's fit to do a Job." he stated the obvious.

"Well she's a Winchester." Sam shrugged.As if wanting to add, Duh? "And a Fed. That's as fit as it gets. Hell she could even be better at it than us if we show her how. She needs to see this side of our life, because the demon won't let her be anywhere else. At least here, we got her back." he reasoned earnestly. Grace is so leaving with us this time, even if I have to pull a stanford-law-degree worthy performance to convince their stubborn asses.

"But what if something gets her and we're not there? It happens a lot Sam." Dean couldn't believe he was actually considering this, but man, he really wanted this, but- "To cap it off she can't be near any firearms. What would you suggest we do about that?" He folded his arms in front of him, looking at him skeptically.

"Nothing." Sam countered. "Look its her life. I'm just giving her a choice. But in the end its her choice. We'll make sure she knows the risks and leave the rest up to her." But we're leaving with her. Period.

"I don't like this." Dean was doubtful. Actually, I like this a lot, but Dad said-No don't go there now.

"You don't have to." Sam argued vehemently. "Dad gave her no choice. Her foster dad gave her no choice. And then the Demon gave her no choice. But I'm not doing that to her. And not letting you do it either. So deal with it." So there! he wanted to add childishly.

"Grace" Dean looked behind Sam, to see Grace standing there, unamused.

"You guys are loud." she rubbed her temples wearily. No doubt nursing a mean hangover.

"So you heard?" Sam asked, with a bated breath.

"Not much. Something about choices?" she guessed, unsure. "Anyway, I'm here to apologise, Ash told me what I did." she looked at Dean, then away, shamefully.

"No blood no foul." he shrugged. "Though there was some blood, technically, he laughed at his own joke. Grace was still unamused however, so his smile dropped.

"Still it was inexcusable." Grace argued. "Really I didn't want you guys to see me like that." she sighed looking at her feet again.

"So thats why you left? 'Cause you thought Sam and I wont be able to deal with your brand of crazy?" Dean snorted.

"I left?" Grace narrowed her eyes, guess two could play the game. "Well that's rich considering the last words I heard from you were: 'Let her go Sammy, she doesn't belong here."'

"Oh so its my fault now?" Dean asked incredulously.

"You didn't even look at me Dean." Grace went on, more than a bit peeved. "Not once. Even now, you can't even freaking meet my eyes for more than a couple of seconds!"

Damn! She noticed? Dean thought looking away again.

"Grace-" he started.

"No I get it, you blame me." she cut him off, "It was my job to find him before he summoned the yellow eyed creep. And I was so close, but I chose you instead. And now he's Dead. He's dead, and you won't look at me. So I get why you blame me-"

"Woah woah woah!" Dean cutting off her rant, disbelievingly. "You think I blame you? Really? I-uh", Dean laughed, "Un-fucking-believable. Let me set this record straight Grace. You're absolutely the last person I'd blame for Dad's death. I'd much rather blame him or myself or that demon, hell I'd even blame fate or I don't know, maybe Sam or Bobby. But you?" he snorted. "You were not even a part of this whole mess few weeks ago and you sure as hell didn't owe him anything. He didn't do you any favours by abandoning you to an abusive, piss poor excuse for a man. And then instead of staying and doing right by you he went ahead and got himself killed. So no. I don't blame you. Are we clear?"

She could only nod, dazed.

"Also you can come with us if you like." he added as an afterthought.

"But won't it be dangerous?" Grace frowned "Considering I'm panic prone. Even FBI won't keep me now."

"Yes. But you're Winchester. We're always in danger." Dean stated nonchalantly gauging her reaction. Which was nothing other than an full on, thousand megawatts grin, with dimples and everything. "And you're family. So we got your back." he winked. Sam smiled self-indulgently in the background.

His job here was done.

AN: This was part one of the original chapter that I wrote. It got unbelievably long, so I broke it into two. But this means next update will be soon-ish. :) PLEASE REVIEW! Tell me something, anything at all. Frankly, I could use a bit of motivation.