This story was published on one of our separate accounts, but since we have a joint account now, we're publishing it here. This is a joint story on our new joint account. Or separate accounts are GoddessOfOlympia (previously GreenEyedSparrow) and FantasyDreamer05 (formerly IcyBlueEyes11). Check us out! And let us know what you think of our story. If we have anything wrong with the storyline of the show, like you don't think something should've happened or couldn't have happened in the Supernatural verse please let us know. =]

We hope you like our story! Review and let us know!

Disclaimer: We do not own the characters of Supernatural or the story. All rights belong to Eric Kripke for the original idea of the show and now to Sera Gamble for keeping it alive. Also to Jeremy Carver for stepping up when Sera Gamble decided her run of the show has finished. Thanks to the producers and writers who have kept the show going. =]

Athena sighed as she began to wipe down one of the tables in the bar. Tonight was Friday night and she was stuck working when she could be out partying. She cleared off the bottles of beer and the mug, piling them up on the tray before picking it up and carrying it into the back of the building, throwing the bottles away and placing the mugs in the sink.

A breath of frustration pushed past her lips as she walked back out into the front only to see her co-worker, Adriana flirting with guys at the bar. Athena rolled blue-grey eyes. She always ended up picking up Adriana's slack because she was too busy flirting.

She turned her attention towards the door at the sound of it opening and had to stop herself from staring. The two guys that had just walked in were smoking hot.

The taller of the two had shaggy brown hair and hazel-blue eyes. He wore a normal zip-up sweater and loose baggy blue jeans. He was taller than the other by about five inches, but he had a softer look in his eyes and face, making him seem younger.

The shorter one had short dirty blonde hair and striking emerald-green eyes. He wore a leather jacket over a t-shirt and also had baggy dirty blue jeans. He was shorter, but by the way he carried himself, he seemed to be older, and this one was who Athena could not take her eyes off of.

Adriana finally stopped flirting for long enough to turn around and see the two men. Her mouth dropped open, and both of them seemed to recognize her.

"Dean Winchester! And little Sammy! How the hell have you been?" she asked while sauntering over to them. The shorter one smirked. They knew Adriana from a long time ago.

"Not bad Drie, not bad. And yourself?" Adriana shrugged a shoulder.

"So-so. Life goes on. And how about you mister?" she asked Sam, playfully poking him in the chest. Sam smiled at her

"Okay, I guess."

"Are you guys still in the family business?" she asked in a slightly lowered tone.

This caught Athena's attention more than anything. If there was something Adriana wasn't, it was quiet. She wiped down a table a little closer to the two men, her movement's attracting the attention of the shorter one. He looked past Adriana and appraised her while she met his gaze coolly.

"Sure are. In fact," Dean replied, his voice also lowered but his eyes still meeting Athena's. "We're on a case right now," he said, drawing his eyes away from her and winking at Adriana.

"Oh really? Anything too unusual?"

Sam snorted. "Is there anything "usual" in our line of work?" Dean looked up at his younger brother before replying.

"Yes. The hot babes you never let me pick up," he said, giving a subtle head jerk towards Athena, who had since turned away.

Adriana hit his arm playfully. "Focus." She rolled her eyes. If it was one thing she knew about Dean, it was his ability to be distracted by any woman who was tall and curvy.

Adriana's father had been good friends of John Winchester, Dean and Sam's dad. The two had worked together on many cases together, putting Adriana and the Winchester brothers always together. She grew up in the same life they had, but never wanted it.

Her lack of enthusiasm in the hunts was something that her and Sam bonded over. He never wanted to be in this life either. The two had become best friends over the years before he had left and gone off to college, leaving her with her father and Dean who had become like the older brother she never had. A really hot older brother, at that.

She was completely comfortable around both boys. I mean, anyone who had grown up in the lifestyle they had would be comfortable around the people as well.

She had left the Winchesters after her father had been killed on a hunt that had gone wrong. She didn't blame anyone for it, but she saw that as her only way to leave and she took it and never once looked back. Until now.

"I am focused," Dean stated rolling his emerald eyes at her. "I am completely and hundred percent focused." Even as he spoke, his gaze drifted over Adriana's head, her height not making it very difficult, and spotted the girl who had caught his eye earlier.

"You are not focused!" Adriana snapped, rolling her own sapphire eyes. She snapped her fingers in front of Dean's face, almost like pulling him out of a trance. She let out a sigh of annoyance before turning to Sam. "Will you tell him he's not focused?"

Dean scoffed. "Right. He's a bit bias in that case. Of course he'll agree with you." Sam raised his palms helplessly.

"Sorry Adrie. He's right." Dean raised his eyebrows.

"Why "he's right" with surprise in your voice? Of course I'm right, I'm alwaysright."

"Or you just like to think you are," Adriana muttered. Dean ignored her and pulled out a chair, putting his feet on the table. Sam pulled out a chair but left his feet on the ground and swept Dean's off.

"Oi!" he said, putting them back on and lifting a finger to Athena. Adriana raised her eyebrows as Athena walked over, swinging her hips at the tops of her long legs.

"You do realise I'm a bartender and I work here as well?" she hissed before Athena arrived. Dean smirked yet again.

"Whatever you say," he replied before facing Athena who was standing above him.

"Hello. I'd like a vodka martini, shaken not stirred." he asked in a really poor British accent. Adriana stood to the side, tapping her foot impatiently. Athena smirked down at this extremely fine male specimen.

"And I'd like you to stop looking at my ass, but that's not going to happen anytime soon is it?".Dean looked slightly guilty, like he was that cat that licked the cream as Sam chuckled silently to himself.

"Fine. A beer?" he asked, returning to his natural accent, his voice now deep and husky. Athena nearly shivered at the sound of it, but nodded. She met Sam's eyes but he shook his head.

"Nothing for me thank you." Dean rolled his eyes. Athena walked over to the bar, ensuring Dean's eyes were still exactly where she wanted them.

"Ever the polite one, aren't you Sammy?" Sam glared at him.

"I told you. It's Sam. No 'Y'" he snapped. Adriana seized yet another chance to tease her best friend.

"Ah but ickle-wickle Sammy looks so cute," she said, playfully pinching his cheek. He blushed and shot an even more ferocious glare at his best friend.

"You know," Sam began, swatting her hand away. "For someone who's both younger and shorter than me, you've got some nerve teasing me about being cute."

Adriana rolled her eyes. "Why must you always bring my height into everything," She stated and Dean started to laugh.

"Because it's funny," He said and she shot him an icy glare, instantly shutting him up.

"For being the older brother, Dean, you're pretty short," She countered.

"Hey, hey. It's not size that matters. When we're talking about height anyway," he said. Adriana snorted, expecting nothing less from him. The clack of high heels against tiles returned as Athena came with Dean's drink.

"Here we are Mr Bond," she said with a flirty wink and a much better British accent. Dean nodded.

"I'll give you that. Why don't you pull up a chair?" Athena ignored Adriana who was shaking her head and looked around the bar. It was relatively empty and she did enough work for two of them anyway. She slid a chair out, angling it so she could see the managers office.

"So, your name's are?" she asked.

"What's it to you" Dean replied, challenging her. Athena sighed.

"It was a simple question. You asked me to sit down with you, so I assumed you wanted to engage in conversation, a civil conversation. Usually civility requires names. I'm Athena," she said. Dean, who had begun to smile at the beginning of her tirade, sat speechless by the end.

Adriana quickly stepped in. "This is Dean and Sam," She said, motioning to each of the boys as she spoke his name. "This is Athena," She added, nodding to the dark-haired girl.

"You two work together?" Dean asked and Adriana rolled her eyes.

"Not at all, Dean," She began, sarcasm clearly present in her words. "We just work in the same place. You're not the brightest one of the two of you," She added. "That's why Sam always did the research."

Dean raised an eyebrow. "Why must you always bicker with everything I say?" He questioned the petite blonde but before she could counter back, Athena spoke up.

"Research? Research for what?"

"Our work" Dean replied cryptically and dismissively.

"Figured that much out. What exactly is your work, hmm?" Dean and Sam shared a glance before looking at Adriana.

"We're agents. And we've been sent to investigate the murder of a Shoemaker guy." Sam nodded in the background, looking extremely unconvinced. Athena's expression mirrored Sam's.

"Really? And just where are your credentials" she asked, willing to push them as far as she could. Dean pulled out a badge with practiced ease and flipped it at her. She held it and ran her nail along the edge, smiling to herself.

"Nice try, big boy, but, it's a fake. So either the government has resorted to using laminate to make their badges, which I highly doubt or you two aren't telling the truth." she said, winking. "Not that I care, I'm just curious as to why you would lie to a waitress." Sam sat, stunned, but Dean leaned forward.

"Athena was the Greek Goddess of wisdom, yes? Well, you certainly seem to live up to you name."

Adriana watched the whole exchange with apprehension, knowing her co-worker's tendency to ask questions often got her in trouble. Cocky, curious and attractive was not a good combination and that was exactly what Athena was.

Adriana didn't know what to say in order to hep the situation, so she sat down beside Sam, keeping her mouth shut which was rare for her. She knew that normally whenever she spoke, it just made matters worse for them.

Athena raised a perfectly arched eyebrow. "So, care to explain what you're doing here?"

Dean nodded. "Exactly what we said. We're here investigating the murder of Steven Shoemaker," He told the girl.

Athena shook her head. "Why? You're not agents or cops, so why would you two be interested in it?" She questioned, looking between the two boys before turning to Adriana. "Wait." Athena shook her head. "You know some thing's going on with them, right?"

Adriana's eyes went wide. "What?" She questioned, trying to fake innocence. Athena stared her down, not believing her for a second, but living the same life that Dean and Sam had, Adriana had become a professional liar. "They really are FBI agents."

"So what's with the lamination on the badge?" Athena asked, raising an eyebrow and Dean turned to glance at Adriana, waiting to see what lie she would come up with that would save his and Sam's ass yet again.

"The agency ran out of money to get an actual plastic covering, so they resorted to giving the last few laminations until they could purchase the case for it," Adriana stated, not even batting an eyelash at the lie she had created.

"The agency... as in the Federal Bureau Agency of America... ran outof money?"

"Yep." Adriana replied, avoiding eye contact with Dean, as she would be sure to burst out with laughter.

"So, how do poorly agents such as yourselves afford a 1967 Chevy Impala?"

"You speak car?" Dean asked, interest entering his voice.

"Yes. I speak car. My father happens to own a 1968 Chevy Camaro SS 39." she replied, seeing right through his topic change but playing along all the same.

Dean nodded.

"Nice make but a little too low for what we use the Impala for." Athena's eyes narrowed.

"Yes. Which you have stillfailed to mention, and I don't believe that "no money" bull shit. So tell me." She stated.

Dean glanced at Adriana to continue on with her lie, and she rolled her eyes in annoyance. "The car is their own, not the agency. Who wants to waste their money on plastic coverings when you can just laminate it?" She questioned.

Athena raised an eyebrow, not believing her but decided it was best to just drop it. "So, why are you investigating Shoemaker's death?" She asked. "I thought it was natural causes?" She asked.

"Well, that's what we're here to determine," Sam stated, speaking up. "If it turns out to be natural causes, then we get to be on our way back home."

Athena turned and spoke to Sam for the first time. "And where exactly is 'home' for you?" Sam shrugged.

"Here, there, everywhere. Why so curious?" This time Athena shrugged.

"I like to know things." Dean spoke darkly. "I hope you realise curiosity killed the cats." Athena turned on him.

"On the contrary Dean. Ignorance did."

"Touche," he said, watching a cheeky smile play over her face. Adriana, feeling this had gone on long enough, stepped in.

"Well. We best be getting back to work. It was nice to see you," she said, shooting them each a look to let them know she wasn't done with them. Athena reluctantly stood up, stretching her long legs and gave Dean one last, hard long look before returning to the bar.

"Where are you guys staying?" Adriana asked.

"We were gonna stay at a motel down the street," Dean stated, motioning in the direction of where he intended to check out for a motel.

"You guys can stay with me," She said. "I've got an apartment near the college I'm attending. I have a roommate, but she's outta town so there's an open bed and a couch. It'll save you guys money," She told them with a shrug.

"That would truly be a great help Adrie," Dean said and blessed her with a rare full smile. She smiled back and walked over to the bar, just before the manager walked out of her office.

Athena grabbed a glass and pretended to wipe it vigorously, having been eavesdropping on the remnants of their conversation. That girl was just too bloody lucky, Athena thought, first shooting a look at Adriana and then moving her gaze back to Dean. He truly was one of the most attractive guys she'd ever seen and his attitude made him all the more so.

Athena shook her head. Life just wasn't fair. She had spotted the blonde girl around the campus of the university she had attended before Athena had graduated. The blonde had it all and then some. She was a cheerleader in the college and could get whatever guy she wanted. And here she was, with probably two of the hottest males Athena had ever laid eyes on. Life just wasn't fair.

It's not that Athena wasn't pretty, because she was gorgeous. With her dark hair and blue-gray eyes, her long limbs and womanly figure, she made even models look plain. But she wasn't the popular type like Adriana was.

She had more of a blunt personality, a 'take it or leave it' type person, and quite often people left it. She had confidence, a little too much at times, and while she wasn't social, as such, she played around a little, but she never had any regrets. She was also very competitive and she was determined to beat this tiny blonde girl to the older brother. She didn't date so much as commit one night stands, something that looked right up Dean's ally.

Dean stood up, motioning for Sam to do so as well. "You still living in the same place, Drie?" he enquired as he crossed the floor.

Adriana gave a nod and turned back to serving. As Dean passed the bar, he met Athena's eyes. They were very unusual, and that was saying something as he had seen some very weird eyes through his experiences of the supernatural. However, they didn't detract from her beauty, only gave her a more exotic look.

"Perhaps I'll see you around, little Goddess," he said. Athena rolled her eyes in disgust but waved him off as he and Sam turned and started heading towards the doors.

"Dean!" Adriana called out, stopping the pair. He turned around to face her, already having pulled his car keys out of his pocket. Without saying anything else, she tossed him a small key, and he caught it midair. "It's my house key."

Dean smirked at her, tossing it back. "I've got the spare you gave us a while ago."

Adriana looked taken aback. She had given the brothers a spare key to her apartment in case they were ever in town and needed a place to stay, but she had figured they would have lost it with travelling around all the time.

Athena's gray eyes widened in surprise. He had a key to her apartment? Just what kind of relationship did she have with these boys? She decided to grill her after they left. They exited the bar, stares from the various patrons following them. A deep roar of the Impala taking off made Athena smile slightly, before she placed the glass she was cleaning down.

"Adriana. No more lies: who are they, how do you know them and what are they doing here?"

Adriana looked at Athena. "And what makes you think I'll be inclined to answer those questions?" Athena met her eyes.

"If you don't, I'm sure I'll find out some how. I always do." Adriana wrinkled her nose as Athena turned back to the tap.

"I met them through family, they really are Dean and Sam Winchester and as to what they're doing here?" Adriana paused and held her palms out flat, in the universal 'I don't know' symbol.

Athena nodded, slightly surprised she'd gotten an answer out of her. "How old are they?" she queried.

A mischievous smirk played on Adriana's lips as she turned around to face the dark-haired beauty, leaning against the counter behind her and crossing her arms over her chest. "What does it matter to you?" She paused as she rolled her eyes. "Don't tell me you're interested in one of them? Let me guess, it's Dean, isn't it?"

Athena silently cursed herself for being so obvious but subtlety had never been her strong point, "Wouldn't it always be Dean? Seriously, any place that guy walks into is going to be staring at him within five minutes." she stated.

Adriana knew this was true, having walked into a bar with Dean before, and walked out leaving some blonde bimbo on his lap. "But still. You want him," she replied, indifferently, not letting Athena know where she stood with him, deciding it would be much more fun to see how far the girl would go.

Athena rolled her eyes, trying to hide the blush that had crept up onto her cheeks. "I do not. I simply think he's attractive, is all."

Adriana nodded. "He is attractive," She stated matter-of-factly before turning back around and grabbing a rag out of the sink and walking over to a table to clean.

Athena followed her, grabbing her own rag and cleaning a table near to Adriana. "So, are they single?" She asked, not letting the subject drop.

Adriana shrugged. "They might be, then again I haven't seen them in a while so they might have gotten girlfriends along the way."

Athena nodded. Okay, this was a bit of information. Adriana wasn't dating Dean, but that also didn't mean she wasn't interested in him either. The dark-haired girl inwardly groaned. She was no closer to figuring this out than she had been when she started questioning the blonde.

Meanwhile, Dean and Sam were travelling back to Adriana's place. Sam looked over at his older brother who was driving with a slight smirk on his face.

"What's got you all cheery?" he asked. Dean looked over at him.

"Just happy to see my little sister again. And you are too, don't even try and deny it." Sam lifted his eyebrows.

"I think it's a little more than that."

"Here we ago again with the psychologist act. What is it this time?"

"You like her," Sam replied. Dean drummed his fingers on the steering wheel of his beloved car.

"No." he said, drawing out the word. "I don't like anyone," Dean added as he turned the car onto another side road, heading to Adriana's apartment.

Sam shook his head. "Oh come on, that smirk only goes on your face when you see a pretty girl you like," He stated as turned to face his older brother. "And don't try to deny it."

"There are lots of pretty girls in the world, Sammy. Yes, Athena is one, but so is Adriana," he said as he pulled into the driveway.

"Jessica was pretty. Beautiful," Sam said, almost absentmindedly, lost in thought. Dean looked over at him briefly at the mention of his girlfriend's name.

"You still having those dreams?" Sam started to shake his head, but decided there was no fooling Dean.

"Yeah. All the time." he shrugged. "I'll get over it."

Dean sighed. "Sam-" But Sam held up his hand, stopping Dean from lecturing him.

"Just drop it, Dean. It's not gonna help anything if we continually bring it up and talk about it. It doesn't change anything."

"It might help you-"

Sam shook his head again. "Just stop. You're not a psychiatrist, Dean. and I don't wanna tell you 'how something makes me feel'."

Dean nodded and dropped it and decided to change the subject. "It's good to see Adriana again after what? Four years? Five?"

"Actually I think it's been more like six. You're memory is atrocious."

"Hey. My memory is just as fabulous as the rest of me."

"You keep telling yourself that, Dean, and maybe one day you'll believe it. On the other hand, it's you, so maybe not." They pulled into Adriana's driveway.

Dean rolled his eyes as he turned the key, killing the engine of the Impala before pulling it out and slipping the keys into his pocket. "Whatever you say, Sammy." He opened the driver side door and got out of the car with a smirk on his face as he headed for the trunk. He heard Sam's door open before he saw his tall brother over the hood of the car.

"It's 'Sam', Dean. Not Sammy. Once again, Sammy is a chubby twelve year old, to which I am not," He told his brother, annoyance evident in his voice.

"You sure about that? After all, I'm almost certain I got all the looks in the family." he said, propping the trunk open and grabbing out his duffel bag. On a second thought, he chucked a pair of Colt. 45s into it and slammed the boot shut. Sam had already opened the house and Dean trudged in.

"Shot gun the bed" Sam called.

"C'mon Sam. What possible use could youhave for the bed?"

"Uh, sleeping maybe."

"That's not what I meant. But whatever."

Sam rolled his eyes as he turned around facing his brother and walking backwards towards the room. "The question is, what use do you have for the bed since Adriana's the only girl in this apartment with us?" He questioned then shot his older brother a teasingly look. "Unless you've got something for the younger blonde that you haven't told me about?" His tone was light and teasing.

"Oh yes, most definitely. My love for Adrie knows no limits. It is deep and abounding. What, are you shitting me? Of course I don't have a thing for her. Doesn't mean to say I can't meet someone knew, does it. I'm starting to believe I got the looks and the brains." he said, most of it lying face down on the couch. A noise echoed through the apartment. Dean stayed exactly where he was.

"Please, brother of mine, don't rush up to get it." Sam said as he walked to open the door.

"I won't," replied Dean, muffled by the pillow.

Adriana shook her head as Sam opened the door. "Wow. Can't even let a girl into her own apartment?" She questioned as she pushed past Sam, tossing her car keys and purse onto her counter.

Dean rolled onto his back before sitting up and staring after the blonde. "You have a key," He stated and Adriana shrugged as she grabbed a glass down from her cupboard before filling it with water from the sink.

"So? You guys were inside, and I knew there was no way you guys would be asleep. Assuming you guys were going to open the door, I knocked. How wrong I was." She rolled her eyes before taking a sip of the water.

"So, you and that Athena girl hang out?" Dean asked and Adriana raised an eyebrow at him.

"What's it matter?" She questioned him.

"She's hot, I'm bored and Sam won't let me have fun on any hunts," He stated and Adriana stared at Dean as if he were crazy.

"Do you hear yourself when you talk?" She questioned. "You guys are on a hunt now!" She exclaimed before turning to Sam. "Speaking of which, what's the deal with the Shoemaker guy you two were talking about?"

"Apparently he had a stroke. But no stroke I've ever seen, the victims had liquidated eyes," Dean offered from the couch before Sam could open his mouth. "And exactly. We're on a hunt. Where is the fun just now?"

Adriana stamped her foot in frustration. "You could stop being a jerk, sometimes, you know."

"I'm afraid I can't. It's built in, the same as being good looking and smart."

Adriana glared at him before holding onto her glass and tossing it at him, throwing the water all over him and the couch. "Stop. Being. Cocky." She gritted her teeth as Dean stared at her, shock written all over his face.

Sam let his head fall back, a deep laugh escaping his lips. "That is priceless!" He cheered in between breaths. He calmed down before glancing at his older brother, then started laughing all over again at his drenched, shocked expression.

Adriana looked rather pleased with herself. Dean stood up, holding his limbs away from himself and grabbed his bag, pulling off his shirt as he did so. Adriana couldn't stop herself glancing at him, older brother or not.

"I need to get some sleep. Out to the Shoemakers tomorrow." Dean said before sticking his head under the pillow.

"Ah, big brother. Lost too much face have we?" Sam teased. Dean didn't reply.

"I'll be working tomorrow."

Sam laughed before turning to Adriana. "Are you working tomorrow or do you wanna go with us?" He questioned and Adriana shook her head.

"I'll already be there. Donna Shoemaker is a friend from college," She told Sam. "She asked me to be there for the funeral."

Dean glanced up from the couch. "That actually could help us out a lot," He stated and Sam nodded in agreement to his older brother's statement.

"I'm sorry. Did you say you want my help?" Adriana asked, deadly serious. There was an awkward pause in the room before Adriana cracked up laughing. "You should've seen your face," she said, pointing to Sam. "Of course I'll help you out. I already have haven't I, letting you crash here?"

"Yeah, but you basically have a family obligation, Drie." Dean whined.

Adriana rolled her eyes. "Oh quit whining and get some sleep. You are cranky when you A) don't get enough sleep and B) haven't had sex in a while."

"And both of those are seriously lacking!" Dean exclaimed, waving a hand at Sam as if Adriana had just solved some long lost mystery that Sam wouldn't get. Sam shot Dean a look, warning him not to put it. "And the only reason I don' get enough sex, is because this one won't let me." Dean replied while pouting.

"Whatever you say, Deanie," she said, putting emphasis on the ending.

"Oi. Don't call me Deanie or I'll..." He trailed off, having nothing to say.

"You'll what, kick me out of my own house?" she called as she skipped off to her bedroom.

Dean's eyes narrowed at the blonde's slender, retreating back. "I hate her," He muttered under his breath and Sam could only shake his head and laugh.

"No you don't," He told his older brother. "You don't hate her and you couldn't if you tried," He added, a small smile on his lips and a small longing look in his eyes that didn't go unnoticed by Dean. "I doubt anyone could hate her." Sam said quietly.

Dean nodded in agreement. "You like her," he said, repeating his brothers words from earlier.

Sam blushed bright red. "No. I don't. She's my best friend."

"A very attractive best friend," he pointed out.

"Just like she sees you as a very attractive older brother, for reasons I know not, and she's not exactly jumping to bang you," Dean let the subject change, giving a sigh.

"Unfortunately. You say no-one could hate her, but Athena didn't exactly seem tight with her."

Sam shrugged as he sat down in a chair and pulled out his laptop. He placed the laptop on the top of his legs and pulled it open, waiting for it to start up. "They seem like their personalities would clash," Sam stated as if it were obvious and Dean shook his head.

"See, you say things like that and you wonder why you never get laid." Dean shook his head and Sam shot him a glare.

"Just because I say smarter things than you could ever think to say doesn't mean girls aren't interested in me," He stated as the laptop screen brightened up and Sam began to look for more information on the case they were working.

"What the hell does 'their personalities clash' even mean?" Dean questioned, rolling onto his back and gazing up at the ceiling of Adriana's apartment.

"Look. You know Drie. A big ball of fun, but stubborn as hell. And from what you saw of Athena, and yes, I know you were looking, did she look like the wall flower type?"

Dean considered his words. "She seemed rather... cocky."

"Then you and her would make a matched pair," Sam muttered under his breath but Dean continued.

"But at the same time, smart and curious... She knew about the badges. How does anyone know about that! And," Dean paused for effect. "She speaks car". This piece of information seemed to strike him as impressive more than anything else.

"You like that car way too much," Sam said as he started typing.

Dean shrugged. "The problem is, you don't like that car enough," He countered and Sam rolled his eyes at his older brother because sometimes Dean could act so young and childish.

"Why would I need to like the car?" Sam asked. "You like it enough for the both of us," He added, not glancing up from the computer screen as he continued to research.

There was a pause of silence, before Dean turned to face his younger brother. "Sam." His tone of voice was no longer teasing, it was serious, but curious. "Did you used to like Drie back in the day when we all hunted together?"

A number of emotions crossed Sam's face, as he seemed torn between telling his brother the truth and telling himself a lie.

"Yes. I liked her. A lot. But she always had a crush on you so..." he trailed off seeming uncertain. Dean seemed ready to reply seriously, to console his brother before the words came out of his mouth.

"Don't let that put you off, everyone's had a crush on me at one point. I'm just too irresistible". Sam didn't reply, staring at the computer. Dean noticed his brothers unusual silence and got up. "What have you found, college boy?"

Sam shook his head. "Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I didn't really expect to find anything yet anyways since we haven't really talked to the witnesses, but I thought maybe they're might be some other victims with the similar ways of death."

"And nothing?" Dean asked to which Sam nodded.

"Exactly. Nothing." Sam closed his laptop and slid it back into its carry case before leaning back in his seat with a deep sigh. Why had Dean's question about his feelings for Adriana back in the daybother him right now? It wasn't like Jessica was still around. She was dead.

"Dean... There's something I never told you."

There was no reply, only silence. Sam looked over at his brother, who was sleeping in the oddest way. It almost made him look innocent with his legs sprawled all over the place and his arm shielding his face. He shifted in his sleep, moving the pillow and revealing the knife he always slept with. Sam sighed and got up to the spare bed, trying very carefully not to wake Adriana.

But she had already been awake. She sat up slightly, looking at him. "Sam... why are you back in this life? You left and went to college... what happened?" She asked him quietly.

Sam sat down on the bed, facing her. "Dad went missing... and Dean came to Stanford to ask me to help look for him."

"Something else happened..." Adriana didn't know how to explain it, but something was off about Sam and he just seemed distant and far away from the rest.

"A demon, the same one that killed our mother, killed my girlfriend," Sam stated quietly, glancing down at his hands in his lap.

Adriana tried not to let shock show through her face. She reached out and grabbed his hands. "Why? Because of your past?" Sam looked up and met her eyes, a hollow quality in his.

"I don't know why, all I know is that it was my fault..."

Adriana shook her head firmly. "It can't have been your fault Sam." Sam seemed adamant that it was but he wouldn't offer anymore information, leaving Adriana wondering about what he was hiding. "How could it have been your fault?" She asked him softly as she sat beside him on the spare bed he was occupying.

"I should have told her, warned her." Sam shook his head, glancing down. "I lied to her about my life and it got her killed."

"Sam, none of that is your fault. You couldn't have known," She said softly, and Sam sighed, turning to face her. He seemed about to tell her something, but then thought about it and kept his mouth shut, sighing softly.

"Yeah... but it doesn't stop the guilt."

"You just need to let go Sam. It's not healthy. Even Dean thinks something's up with you, and that's saying something," Adriana said in a light voice, trying to bring the mood up.

The edges of Sam's mouth curled up. "My brother's a dick isn't he?"

Adriana nodded without hesitation. "Yes he is. But because he got all the 'dick' genes in the family, it left you the nicest person possible and my best friend. Don't forget that, Sammy." She used his nickname affectionately and Sam didn't object for the first time to his nickname since being dragged back into this lifestyle.

Sam smiled softly. "You really wanna help us with this case?" He asked her, surprised she would offer her assistance since she hated this lifestyle just as much as he did. She had gotten out and he couldn't understand why she would want back in.

She nodded. "Yes. But not because I want to hunt again. Because I want to help you guys," She said then gave a teasing wink. "It'll be just like the good ole days."

"The good ole days... When were those again?" Sam asked, smiling.

"A long time ago. Anyway, we should sleep or I'm going to look terrible tomorrow."

"You could never look terrible," Sam said.

Adriana smirked and crossed the room. "You haven't seen me first thing in the morning lately," she replied as she slid into bed. "Oh. One more thing. I'm in two minds about telling Dean this because you know what he's like," she said, sitting up and rolling her eyes. "Athena will be there tomorrow, it's a small town. If we tell Dean, I'm worried he'll stop focusing. If we DON'T tell Dean and he sees her there, he'll definitely stop focusing. What do you think?"

Sam sighed. "Dean knows to get the job done. He gets distracted, but you know the case is the most important thing to him."

Adriana nodded. That was true of Dean. He was all 'work first, play later'. "We'll just let him run into her tomorrow." She decided, laying down against the pillows. "Night, Sam," She murmured softly before falling asleep.

Sam sighed, staring up at the ceiling as he thought. He thought about his life, about Jessica and about Adriana before also drifting off to sleep.

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